The dreaded baby blankie

I have spent the last 4 months making a baby blanket... its not taken 4 months but has been a total Ugh! project!! I started a Debbie Bliss alphabet blanket and it quickly became apparent that trying to knit and look after a 3 year old and crazy puppy weren't a good combination, so that blanket got ripped about 2 months in. I then had the dolls to make for Christmas, and then I got a Phildar Naissance book which has some beautiful, simple knits in it and I decided that the baby blankie in there was perfect for baby George... fingers crossed his parents like red!! It has turned into a Christmas gift so red is a good colour!!

I love the heart on the blanket (and the fact its not colourwork, but sewn on afterwards with a different coloured yarn).

Now I have 4 gifts to make for my daughter's kindy teachers... hmmm what to make....?!

I'm also blocking the 2nd of the 2 shawls I knocked up on the knitting machine - this one is a proper lace pattern - looking forward to finishing it off with tassels and wearing it...

Machining away...

I finally had a bit of time to play with the machine this weekend - had great fun!!

I knocked up a lace stole in an hour - although the finishing took

about 3 hours!

I've also knit up a larger lace shawl in a lovely beige colour, but still have the finishing and blocking to do on it.

My hand-knitting has taken a bit of a bashing!! I must get on & do some more as I'm in the middle of a baby blankie and still knitting my drop stitch scarf!

The weather has gone all summer-like and so I've been getting out into the garden more - last week I made a scarecrow with my daughter - it was great fun - the best bit was stuffing the scarecrow with old newspapers and straw - Charli loved that.

Also been getting out in the garden with pup - here's a pic I took yesterday after a long walk on the beach & 3 hours gardening when he was very placid and would sit still for the camera!

One woman knitting machine

'What have I been up to the last week or so?' I hear you cry...

Well apart from hand-knitting my final doll as a Christmas pressie...

I've acquired a vintage knitting machine that I'm rather pleased with.

After a bit of grumbling to myself whilst trying to work out how to use it and the fact I couldn't use 8 ply yarns easily, I've finally got it going and on the machine is my first test swatch.

I've ordered some lovely cones of wool for machine knitting and can't wait for them to arrive so I can get going properly.

Christmas Pressies, Puppies & Sunny Springtime

I have been madly knitting up another 'Poppy' doll as a Christmas present for my niece - a pattern I love by Ysolda Teague. I kept on putting this off as I had made so many of these dolls earlier this year, and now I only have 4 days to get my big parcel with all of the Christmas and birthday gifts from New Zealand to England as my parents' birthdays late this week!! Oops - hope Dad doesn't mind!! Just finished her...

I ran out of yarn on her dress so made her a small pair of shorts for modesty!!

I have one last one of these dolls to do for a friend's daughter fro her Christmas gift and then I'm putting the pattern away for a LOOOONG time. Have certainly OD'd on this pattern!!

We had a Bank Holiday weekend this weekend for Labour Day, have had a lovely, sunny spring weekend - the whole family took Oscar pup for a walk on the beach, which was so nice.

He's started behaviour lessons & was one of the best behaved pups there - shame it didn't last after the class!!

Scarf City...

Its scarf city here!! I'm knitting up scarves as Christmas pressies as I've got no imagination or time this year to do more complicated projects - I have finished Dad's skinny scarf - just a plain rib made with Vintage Purls Sock Yarn - so soft & cosy - bit difficult to send this one off!!

Also managed to fit a quick scarf in for myself - cost all of $2 to make!! My daughter is now badgering me for a 'sparkly scarf' like Mummy's but I still have one for my niece and a doll to make so she might be in for a little wait!

I've also started knitting up squares of Vintage Purls yarns - this is going to be a LONG project - my plan is to make a beautiful bedspread for my daughter's bed - cosy but thin blanket - so with the varigated yarn I am doing plain stockinette stitch and the more solid colours I am planning on lovely lace squares all in pastel shades. My plan is to do a square after each project I complete. I've got myself off to a good start with 7 squares done this week before I do the last Christmas gift projects and then can get onto some serious Summer knits/crocheting.

Poor puppy had his operation last week to be microchipped, neutered & repair a rather large hernia on his belly - he was up every 2 hours the night of his operation with a very upset tummy - poor little thing! I felt so sorry for him - he's had lots of extra cuddles and love but I am REALLY looking forward to giving him a bath when he has his stitches out next week as he really stinks!!!!

I've been knitting up some Christmas presents - scarves - pink one for Nana Jean, grey one for my mother. I chose some really lovely Soya yarn with metallic thread through it which could take a really open knit with a simple garter stitch - have so far done 2 different colours and am making myself a lovely marine coloured scarf in the same yarn.

Am also knitting up a ribbed scarf for my Dad in lovely Vintage Purls Sock Yarn. Will be hard to part with as its so so so soft!

Spring Fever!

Naughty, naughty - not been posting as I'm too busy outdoors having fun!!

Lots of walks on the beach

with puppy who is growing up quickly!

We also had a visit from my sister-in-law, another trip to the beach to fly kites

and yet more trips to the beach to collect shells with my daughter...

So not a lot of knitting going on here!! Am still working on the drop-stitch scarf which has grown a lot...

and the alphabet blanket Debbie Bliss pattern, which I am hating as I am not concentrating fully on it & keep having to rip it back! Only 3 fifths to go!!