Inspiration Monday

 Today I'd like to share my inspiration for my latest project. It's not a particularly original idea but it's one that's been buzzing around my head for a while. It started after seeing the gorgeous POP blanket by Tin Can Knits. Happy bright coloured circles with a plain white border.

I was in more of a crochet mood though and I fancied making a cushion instead. I loved Hazel's Cobblestones cushion but the circles weren't quite what I had in mind. Luckily ravelry came to my aid with this free pattern for a circle in a square. Perfect!

Right, now to decide on colours... then I remembered Tikki knits recent post featuring a gorgeous log cabin blanket that she'd knitted. Well inspired by that I had a rummage around in my yarn stash and pulled out these colours



After a bit of hooking later I came up with some of these happy little squares.



They're so cute! I'm going to join them together to make the front of a cushion and then the back will be a giant sized solid granny square I think. Probably a row of a circle colour and then a cream row in between. I've also got an idea for a border but I'm going to keep it up my sleeve for a while. I'll see how the cushion turns out first.

So a bit of a convoluted post today but thought it might be interesting! For more inspirational posts visit A Baby Smile's Inspiration Monday posts

FO Friday - Alec Sweater

Hi everyone :) Thank you for the wonderful response to my latest blanket, it's been a lovely way to end a bit of a rubbish week.

Today I'd like to share another FO with you, this time a knitted one. After finishing my Celebrations Jumper at the begining of the month and finding it was a little too big for it's recipient I promised him I'd make him another jumper that was a perfect fit. And it would have buttons! This is the result :-)





Despite the pictures the sleeves do actually fit fine and I know from previous experience this yarn stretches out the more it's worn so I expect in a few weeks time the sleeves will be too big lol.  Still, if it means he gets to wear the jumper for longer then that's no bad thing :-)



He chose an...eclectic... combination of buttons. I suggested having them all the same but he was certain he wanted a repeating pattern like he'd been learning about at school. They make me smile and he adores them which is what matters most :-)



Quick view of the back.



Here's some notes if you want to make your own version:

Pattern: Alec
My Ravelry page: Here
Yarn: Ice Magic Yarns
Buttons: Berry Nice Crafts (which currently has a sale on until the end of March)

I'm going to spend today working on a new pair of socks. I finished my MKAL socks yesterday and immediately cast on for a pair of toe up socks for my husband. I might also do a bit of crochet as I've got an idea in my mind I want to try to find a pattern for.

Thanks for visiting my blog. More crafty posts at FO Friday, Creative Friday and Fiber Arts Friday. Have a good weekend everyone :-)

FO - Solid Granny Squares Blanket

This project has taken me a long time to make. I originally cast it on in August last year so I could work on it during our Summer holiday. I went through phases of doing lots of squares over a few days to then not touching the project for weeks.

Eventually though I got my act together, finished the squares, slip stitched them together and started looking for inspiration for the border. I eventually found a design I liked in my crochet borders book and got hooking. Here is the result :-)









To do the border I first did a round of treble crochet and then I did a double crochet in every other stitch with a chain between them. The rounds after that I did my double crochets in the gap made by the chain space and chained inbetween each stitch. If I'd had enough of any colour left I would have done every alternate row in the same colour so it would form vertical stripes. Instead I stuck with warm colours on one row and cool colours on the next





The yarn colours were a "Lucy pack" from Deramores. I'd already made a granny stripe blanket for my oldest son and as he and his brother share a bunk bed I wanted their blankets to co-ordinate even though they are very different



 



It's such a happy blanket and I'm absolutely thrilled with it :-) I used Little Tin Bird's pattern for the squares which is very straight forward and easy to follow. I made 140 squares for my blanket and it fits a single bed nicely. More importantly it's the perfect size for two of my children to snuggle up with together reading stories.

I'll be linking this post in with Yarn Along and WIP Wednesday. Thanks for visiting my blog. I'll be back on Friday with another finished project, this time an Alec sweater for my little boy (he's done very well for FO's these past few weeks lol!)

Onto the second sock

I managed to finish my first MKAL sock yesterday and it fits beautifully. I'm looking forward to getting the second one done and being able to wear them



I think I might try to tighten up the kitchener stitch on the toe slightly. I was doing it in a bit of a hurry because I'd promised my littlest I'd take her to the park. The toe is quite a bit smaller than my normal sock toes, it's only 7 stitches wide whereas I normally cast on a 16 stitches wide toe. I think I prefer a slightly wider toe but not bothered about it enough to redo it!



As you can see I've already knitted the cuff of the next sock so I'm going to do a few rows of the lace pattern today. Apologies for the rubbish photos, it's not an easy yarn to photograph especially when the weather outside is grey and dark. Roll on Summer!

I'm linking in with Nicole's Keep Calm and Craft On today. I've got some photos ready for tomorrow to show you my finished crochet blanket and then on Friday I've got some photos of a jumper I made for my youngest boy. After ages without a FO post you're going to get two in one week lol. And maybe I can get my socks done for the week after ;-)

Feeling productive again

I've definitely got my knitting mojo back, I'm enjoying it and looking forward to my knitting time rather than feeling guilty for not doing anything. I spent the weekend working on my neglected MKAL socks. The KAL was for February/March so I'm quite a bit behind but I'm hoping I can get at least one sock finished and maybe up to the heel of the other?



As you can see I've got past the heel and I'm now about halfway down the foot. I think I've got another 2 inches or so before I need do the toe but I'm trying it on regularly



I think I'm maybe a loose sock knitter so I am making the small size and using a size smaller needles and they are coming out perfectly, and I certainly don't have small feet! First top down sock I've made that fits right. I still prefer toe up though lol

Finding my Mojo

The "issue" that has been distracting me this past month is almost resolved. I'll post more about it next week once we've got a definite answer. The reduction in stress has meant my crafting mojo is starting to return. Huzzah!

I've finished my son's Alec jumper and taken photos ready to share with you all on Friday. He chose an...interesting (!) combination of buttons but he loves it so that's the main thing. Today's job is sewing in the end on my blanket



You can just see the border on the edge of the picture. I did a red round and then was planning on doing a round of the blue trebles to kind of frame the double crochet bit but it didn't look right so I ripped it back. I think the red finishes it off nicely so after I've done the ends and blocked it a little I'll take some photos of the finished blanket.

Thanks for bearing with me these past few weeks!

Slow Progress

I'm not going to be winning any prizes for completing projects quickly this week. I've not done any more rounds on my blanket border that I posted about yesterday and all I've managed to complete with my Alec jumper is the first sleeve



It's a very nice sleeve, fits well, just the right length etc. It just isn't really much progress! My little boy is being so very patient with his distracted mum but he does keep asking. I think I'm going to have to challenge myself to get at least one of his projects finished by Friday next week. So just over a week to knit a sleeve, finish a blanket border and weave in lots of ends



I think it's do-able. If I put a little more effort in than I have done lately of course. I'd recommend hoping over to WIP Wednesday and Yarn Along to see what more productive people have been creating. Hopefully I'll be back with a couple of FO's next week :-)

Keep Calm Craft On

Hi everyone, sorry I've been so quiet lately. I've not really been doing much crafting and when I do get some done it's so slow that there isn't really much progress worth showing. At the moment I'm working on the border for my blanket. It's reminding me a lot of linen stitch in knitting and I love how it's turning out. It's going to take a few more rows until it's as thick as I'd like it to be



I'm alternating double crochet stitches and a chain space. If I'd got enough of the bright blue yarn I used for joining then I would have used it for every other row to get a striped effect. Instead I think I will do a row of blue treble stitches for the final row to sandwich the multicoloured bit (if that makes sense!)



I've not got round to a corner yet with the green but thought I'd just show you this photo because I love how neat the corners are looking. I guess this border is quite time consuming but I'm enjoying working on it :-)



Hopefully I can get a couple of rounds done today. I'm wanting to get this project finished by the end of the month so I need to get a move on! I'm going to link up with Keep Calm Craft On today so hop over to read more posts about what other people are working on this week :-)

WIP Wednesday

Hi everyone! My brain isn't really in a concentrating mood at the moment so my two WIP's have more or less stalled for now.



My Alec sweater needs me to pick up the sleeve stitches and concentrate a little to make sure I do the decreases in the right places. I know that's pretty simple but it's more than I'm capable of at the moment!

I have managed to join all my blanket squares together now and done the first line of trebles for the border.



I used the same blue yarn I used for joining. Actually had a bit of a panic at the weekend as I ran out of that colour. I'm still Cold Sheeping (5 months yesterday!) and didn't know how I was going to finish the blanket without buying yarn. Then I remembered I had a bag of acrylic in my wardrobe and found an almost full ball of the exact yarn I needed. Phew!

I've no idea how I'm going to finish the border. I think it needs to be a nice wide one, similar size to the squares. I want something solid, not lacy. And probably something colourful to match the blanket. Something to ponder when my brain is a bit more alert!

Linking up with Keep Calm Craft On, WIP Wednesday and Yarn Along. Happy crafting everyone!

FO - Celebrations Jumper

This jumper began last month as a way of using up a number of yarn ends and playing around with the barber pole striping technique. Throughout the project I always had 3 balls of yarn on the go and would replace each one when they ran out or if I just fancied a change



I used the Little Hoodlum pattern which is for DK weight yarn but used aran/worsted scraps. I could probably have got away with a smaller size but my son loves his big snuggly jumper and with the ribbing on the cuffs I can fold up the sleeves until he's bigger

 

I'm not sure why my children have a problem with posing for photos lol

 

Funny boy!



Whoops!



The bright happy colours really suit his personality. He's such a happy little chappy. Apart from last week when he had an ear infection but they're never fun :( He's almost completely better now.



Clearly he's been watching his big brother's posing techniques!. All I asked was for him to show me the back :-)



I'm linking this post in with FO Friday, Fiber Arts Friday and Creative Friday. Have a good weekend everyone :-) I'm hoping for a lazy weekend as we've not had much sleep lately with my little boy waking up because his ear was hurting. Probably asking too much to hope for a lie in!

WIP Wednesday

I'm working away on my son's blanket this week. I've got 3 squares left to make and then it's just finishing the joining, some ends and the border. So close!





I love how this blanket is shaping up. Although I'm not sure how I'm going to photograph it when it's finally finished lol



*sigh* such happy Spring colours :-)



I'm still working on my Alec sweater too. I'm at the mindless stockinette section so it's just perfect for working on in the evenings in front of a dvd



I love this stitch pattern :-)



Two fairly simple projects but they make me smile when I'm working on them. I'm having lots of fun lol.

Hop over to Nicole, Tami and Ginny for more posts about what other crafters are up to :-)

I'll be back on Friday to show off a super scrappy sweater using hand dyed yarn left overs and barber pole striping. It is a riot of colour lol

Happy Hooking

Spring is here! My favourite season :-) It makes me so happy knowing that the weather is getting warmer and the flowers are coming out



I've got an ill little boy at the moment. He's got two ear infections and hasn't been sleeping well. Lots of tlc and hugs needed. I've promised him I'll finish his blanket this month ready for his birthday in April. I've got a handful of squares left to make.



I think sewing in these ends and joining the squares together will take me a while but I'm so looking forward to seeing what it looks like when it's finished :-) Happy Spring colours to welcome back the sunshine