A-pirating we go!

Cross post from my blog sorry but I wanna get this thing back up and running!

Some skull and cross bones longies made from my all time favourite knitted baby pants pattern. My first attempt at duplicate stitch. Holy crap it is easy. Advice though, don't try and make the design up as you go along or you end up with some deformed ass bones. Ah well. They'll do.

The front of the pants is rather boringly plain. I'd like to pretend I wanted them that way but reeeeally I wanted stripes. Unfortunately I forgot my white yarn when I started the pants up in Auckland. When I got home I found the frigging yarn in my bag. Most unimpressed.

Awwww and look who the little longies are heading to! Ain't he cute? That's Charlie. I luff him. Coolest baby in the world.

I had almost finished the embroidery on this soft toy (Happy Critters pattern I printed from *somewhere*) when DS stole it. He has decided that kitty is a puppet and I have given in... I'll add the whiskers one night after he's tucked up in bed, and knit another for my "new baby gifts" I'm trying to get stashed away while I still have time.

Must be nesting

It must be the nesting bug, I normally leave projects "almost finished" for weeks and here are two projects both finished in the same fortnight, neither of which were urgent... But hey I'd rather knit than clean - what can you say?

On the left we have the minisweater from oneskienwonders (off the website) I'm contemplating ordering in the book/s, I'm thinking they would be good projects for presents, and a good way to get through both Mum's stash of odd balls and a good excuse for rumaging through the end of batch baskets at our local wool shops. The sweater is a little small in length for my liking (probibly because I adapted the pattern from 6.5mm needles down to 6mm) so I might redo the bottom and add a couple more rows...

On the right is a very plain beanie out of inca (using up a left over ball from the poncho I made a few months ago for DS) I didn't have a pattern for using inca so I had to guesstimate it (I've only made one before) based on the pattern I had for zoomy, the first attempt was too small so much to the shock of our guests I unravlled and started from scratch. It was definitely worth it though, DS keeps picking it up and putting it on, and yesterday when he was tired was cuddling it like a blankie.

Now I'm starting some little toys for the abundance of babies that will be due the same time as ours... I figure we will be a bit tight on time and money when baby is due so I might as well get some pressies put asside now! Oh yes and a little knititng for baby although not too much as my Mum and Nana are super-knitters (although I get to do all the circular knitting as they are both scared of DPN"s and Circ's)

Superstar soaker

In the weekend I finished this soaker for DD, its the punk knitters pattern with kool-aid dyed yarn. More details on my blog:

Way Better Than Magic Mushrooms

well, i have been a member here from the beginning, and I have commented on other posts, but I realise today I have yet to make a real post on this blog. So here I am :) Back on topic, so what is better? Not that I am qualified to make that comparison seeing as I won't even be able to recognise magic mushroom if i see/smell it - really. It just sounded like it might make for a captivating title. So take it from a self proclaimed nana, if you knit, when you realise how easy it is to do Magic Loop (don't know how to do the cool link thing so you can just click on the words Magic Loop and be transported to the link, so here it is http://www.az.com/~andrade/knit/mloop.html ) seriously, you'll experience an exhilirating high. Thank you so much Flower for showing me this technique - now i will be on the look out for all those 80-100cm circular needles in the thrift shops i use to see but never dreamed I'd actually find any use for.

Here is a snapshot of Magic Loop in action.

Go the AB's!!

I realised I havent posted on here for ages :) So thought I would find something I haven't posted on TNN for this blog
Here is an All Blacks jeresy I knitted for a friends 6mth old. Thanks to JJJ for lending me the jumper pattern. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out in the end, especially the number on the back which I worked out myself from much smaller charts I have. It was a bit of planning to get it centred and sized right but I think it looks pretty neat. Apparently little Gus likes it a lot! :)
~Gabes~'

Oops...this was supposed to be on my own blog...oops.

I knitted this from a Patons pattern which does 5, 8 or 12 ply in basic patterns for children. It's in a merino/possum blend and although it's not overly fluffy it is divinely soft! This was in size 6, and I'm now working on size 4 using the round neck pattern for youngest which will use my stash of this wool.
I'm really getting into this knitting thing, even considering getting a book to help me learn cables and lace patterns

All about Simple Baby Knits

I've been lucky enough to borrow Erica Knight's Simple Knits for Cherished Babies from Claire. I've found the sizing to be teeny tiny though.

Garter Stitch Wrap Top in Cleakheaton's 4ply Cocoon

Classic Sweater in Paton's Bluebell 5ply (which I only bought because the Cocoon hadn't come out yet)

possum / merino shorties

I finished these today and was rather pleased with them ... hope they are the right size unlike the last pair of shorts I sent which are going to be longies for a few seasons yet!!!

Small and Fiddly but oh so fast.....

For a NNer's neice as my part of a swap. Nice and quick but a bit fiddly to sew up (never my favourite part). A fab way to use up the leftovers. These are from some ancient pattern books my Mum had (they have pictures of a Farrah Fawcett doll!). Have a few more to do yet but need to get on with some other things so will take a breather from this project for awhile.

Summer Bikini
Winter Accessories
Chunky knit sweater and skirt

Suede04

Suede04
Originally uploaded by KiwiWonder.

The suede shawl is done! (see my list of 2007 projects :-D ) It's a gift for a friend in Texas, though I think it suits me well. :)

2007 Knitting Project List

• Finish pink triangular shawl (a gift for a friend)

• Finish brown / cream baby blanket

• Longies for Beck's DD

• Finish scarf (Wavy from Knitty)

• Socks for myself (first pair!)

• Socks for DH (assuming all goes well with mine ;-)

• Dress for DD (probably the same one as I did for my SS gift, but possibly a Debbie Bliss Pattern)

• Longies for DD

• Socks for DD

• Moccasins for DD

• Afghan / Throw blanket (though I don't realistically expect this finished in 2007, but started would be good)

I'd also really like to do a piece of “real” clothing for me, but so far I'm chicken and haven't found the exact right wool yet – or the money to buy said wool with.

2007 projects!

Since i've just posted my project list, it made me think....

What is on your 2007 knitting project list?

my resolution & a debbie bliss whinge...

first, my new resolution- i have decided to establish as part of my routine

The Stitching Hour!

heh heh.. how it works is if i am still up at 10.30pm (which is normal) i have to stop what i am doing (which is usually pottering around tidying..) and knit! i figure it will acheive 3 beneficial things- 1. get some knitting done (duh..) 2. be a good way to wind down, and 3. help combat the insidious feeling that i never get to do any 'me' stuff! :-D anyone care to join me?

second, my debbie bliss whinge... i got Debbie Bliss' Quick Baby Knits out of the library.. but nearly all of it is on 3.25mm needles! >:-( unless you are knitting a nose cosy, anything knitted on 3.25mm is certainly NOT quick! *sigh* anyone know if any of her other baby books deal with real needles, like 4mm+ or even better 5mm?

Seaweed Shorties

Finally!!

The wee man is decidedly uncooperative for photos at the moment but I got this one before he ran away.

OK, someone else really needs to post something now;-)

Exotic Goodness

(Copied from TNN because the colours are too pretty to not show everywhere!)

I had me some Postal S.E.X (Stash Enrichment Expedition) today when a lovely TNNer sent me this stunning skein of recycled sari yarn. I'm still gobsmacked by the complete beauty of all those colours. So I'm thinking a wee knitted or crocheted purse? What do you think?

In lieu of my own knitting

(OK...I still haven't finished Gus' seaweed shorties. I did add the elastic to the waistband today so when I do actually finish the knitting part they're good to go.)

I had to show a picture of this cute little guy (10cm long) that I got from TradeAid yesterday. Yes, he's knitted. From jute!! He's cute. My kids got one and cousin Amelia (6m) is getting one in her Christmas Treasure basket.

my half sleeve...

I said I would, so here it is.. my half sleeve! lol.. ok, so its more like a quarter sleeve so far... featuring stitch markers by neak! i just like the way the variagations are turning out with the increases in the centre :D

Haven't been knitting much lately...

But these are kinda knitting related. I got bored and decided that beaded stitch markers couldn't be too hard to make. And then got inspired to do a couple of row markers too (I hate having to tie bits of wool around stitches). I'm sending the purple ones to Pookee for Christmas, the other sets I've put up on TM to see if I can make enough money to continue my new obsession. Am starting on necklaces too, and having so much fun!