A fresh start

Coming to you from a shiny clean wiped-and-reformatted laptop, which currently only has photos less than a fortnight old.  It does work a lot more quickly since The Meltdown.  There will be another catch-up post later, when I've worked out how to retrieve my photos from backup, but this is the recent news.

How do you get any knitting done with small children around?  You let chaos reign around you, that's how. In my case, it took a while for me to realise that what kept them so quiet was playing with my camera, while I was concentrating on casting off shoulders together:

 

I wonder whether in years to come, this will be an enduring memory of early childhood for the boys?

I rather hope that the enduring memories will involve a lot of loving crafted sweaters instead:

J calls this his "running jumper", because the picture in Rowan's "Pipsqueaks" book has the boy running across the studio. It's the design called Harry and is knitted in Rowan All Seasons Cotton.  Several washes on, it's doing well.

What's been occupying my time since Christmas, is a rather more colourful project.  Yo, Shaun!

Specifically, these are the sheep from Alan Dart's "Shaun the Sheep" mobile, featured recently in "Simply Knitting".  I love knitting toys, and these were a blast to make.  I used the recommended Patons Fairytale Velvet DK for the woolly bits, but everything else I had from stash, which says something about how long I've been accumulating oddments of coloured DK.

Currently enjoying pride of place in the lounge, the finished mobile.

Just need a few more daisies to grow.

Since I mentioned this in a comment on Knitternatter, here's a picture of the current WIP.  It's a Fair Isle baby top from Debbie Bliss Simply Baby.  Happily, I discovered that the mercerised cotton I bought cheaply at Lidl, knits to the tension of Baby Cashmerino, so I've been picking out some tiny projects as I only had three balls of each colour.  The other colours are oddments of Cotton Glace, so it should be a good "washer" when finished. I've threaded the beads on the yarn to make sure they stayed put, and converted it to knitting in the round (being Fair Isle).  I've also cast off the shoulders together, requiring the use of every free stitch holder in the house.

Ravelry was a great help with this project; I discovered that the picot edging should be done on a smaller needle and that the neckline tends to gape (so I've picked up fewer stitches).  I really need to populate my Ravelry space now but am at a bit of a loss where to start, both with stash and projects.  Since my three year old likes taking pictures so much, perhaps I should set him to work!

Comments

[sue]

I really like that running sweater and your little boy looks so cute too. The Shaun the Sheep mobile looks wonderful. The DB knit looks very sweet too. You have been busy. Your boys seem to take great photos too.

[Joanne]

Are you still blogging somewhere? Thanks.

[Susan Ripley]

Hi, I love your mobile!! I am compiling patterns for the knitting pattern-a-day and crochet pattern-a-day 2010 calendars. I was wondering if you would consider giving us 1x reprint rights for one (or more) of your patterns. You retain all ownership, we do not limit your usage and we will list your name and URL on your pattern sheet. For more information, please check out our website at www.knittingpatternaday.com We have been getting positive feedback from other designers that they have seen increased business due to their inclusion in last years calendar.

Thanks,
Susan