Finished object file: Agate sweater | Quince & Co. Tern

Again, food was used to coerce the child to cooperate.

This one I finished a while back in March for my girl's birthday. Miss L turned 3 and this has been the perfect layering piece for her this season.

Agate is from Quince & Co.'s Lost Coast collection, a collection of children's patterns designed by Ashley Hurst. Inspired by California's Lost Coast the collection is made up of warm and cosy looking pieces that would keep the little ones snug.

I knit the pattern with the called for yarn, Tern from Q&C because I loved it when I used it from the Immie Tee that I knit for Miss L when she was a bub. The yarn is a wool and tussah silk blend and though it is a fingering weight (4ply) yarn it knits up pretty quickly. I love the muted tones that it dyes up in which gives in my opinion gives the kids' knits a bit of a sophistication. For this knit I used the terracotta colourway because I was so drawn to the sample pictures and I knew that it would be a colour that would go well with jeans and with the pinks and reds in Miss L's wardrobe.

It knit up so quickly and I had it done well before Miss L's birthday. The lace panel was easy to memorise and since the front was just stockinette stitch knit in the round I just buzzed through it. However, it was not until I finished did I realise that the lace panel didn't finish correctly. I analysed my knitting and I am pretty certain that I knit it exactly as the chart instructions but the eyelets don't line up properly. I was tempted to frog the bottom of the jumper and to reknit it. I thought about it over and over but in the end I told myself to embrace the mistake; also, I had some other knits that I was keen to get started on so I let that one go.

I tried to contact the designer and to point out my suspected errata but I have yet to hear back from her. Since I have moved on from this knit I haven't been too overly hung up about it. However, in case you decide to knit the pattern I would end knitting the main lace panel after rnd 4 and then continue knitting the panel end chart.

Ultimately, Miss L doesn't know any different and she loves it. Since her birthday I have put her in it a lot because it was a handy layer to throw on during the cooler Autumn mornings.

Finished object file: Iron Man Mitts Mark 2

I finished this little knit a while back and they have been a hit so I thought I should take a moment to write up a post about them.

Earlier this year when my boy asked for the toy Iron Man gloves I rolled my eyes and said, "I can knit you some cool Iron Man mitts just like the ones I did for R's birthday present last year." Sir S still insisted on the toy gloves but that's one I'll leave for the grandparents to get him for Christmas.

I found this cute free pattern designed by Irene McCormick last year when I was looking for something quick to knit up for my friend's Avengers obsessed boy. They are designed to be knit flat and then seamed but it was a no brainer to modify it into a in the round pattern. I didn't change a thing with the pattern's numbers and simply joined the stitches in the round after casting on. Here's a link to my Ravelry notes if you're interested in the details of this project.

When it came to making the thumb hole this time I tried an adapted YO K2Tog buttonhole by doing two YOs and then when I came round again on the next round I knit these two YOs as two new stitches. However, I'm not 100% happy with it because it is still a little tight for my little guy's thumbs. Since making these mitts I have listened to Pam Allen and Hannah Fettig's Knit.fm podcast episode discussing buttonholes and bands. I like the sound of Pam Allen's favourite buttonhole that is a double YO hole that is knit over three rows. It has the same construction idea that I had with my double YO attempt but is better designed and structured, just goes to show why she's an owner of yarn company and an experienced designer and I'm just a humble knit enthusiast. Pam's instructions for this buttonhole from the Knit.fm page is:

Pam's Favorite Buttonhole: double yo

work row 1 (RS) to 2 stitches before the buttonhole stitch.

make a double yarn over by bringing the yarn through the needles to the front, then over the RH needle to the back, then to the front between the needles again.

knit the next 2 stitches together, knit to the end of the row.

work row 2 to the yarn over, purl into the yarn over, letting the second wrap drop from the left needle, work to the end of the row.

work row 3 to the stitch above the buttonhole, knit into the hole (not the stitch above) and carry on.

-Pam Allen             

These mitts have been a hit for the Sir S. He hasn't complained about the yarn which is Cleckheaton's Australian Superfine Merino 8ply (DK) and Filatura Di Crosa's Zara line. Sir S definitely needs the supersoft hypoallergenic yarns. This is the second accessory that I have made him with the superfine merino and they are the pieces that I get no complaints about. 

Overall, this is a super easy and super quick knit for the little kids in your life who like a bit of superhero fun while keeping their hands warm.

Finished object file: Crag hat | Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran

School is back and I'm going to aim to get back into the swing of things. I must confess that I do find the balance between blogging about knitting and actually knitting hard. When on the kinder days I only get a couple of hours completely kid free during Miss L's nap I often choose to knit rather than blog because I have so much knitting I want to get through. However, since I keep starting new projects I don't think that status is going to change any time soon, so today I'm going to keep the needles aside and update the blogosphere about one of my latest finished objects.

After asking my friends and readers to help me choose between the Bartek and Crag hat patterns to make for my husband as an anniversary present (you can read about that here) I went with popular opinion and knit the Crag.

I wanted to use up the charcoal Debbie Bliss Cashmerino from my stash but after making two swatches with the aran (heavy 10ply) weight yarn I was starting to lack confidence in my choice. Using 4mm needles for the main pattern was still slightly off gauge but I didn't want to go any smaller because my hands were finding it uncomfortable knitting such heavy yarn on small needles. I kind of fudged it because I rationalised that if I kept my tension tighter for the actual knit and because the Hubs does have a bit of a big head I think I can get away with it in the end.

For the actual knit I started on 3.25mm needles for the ribbing and used a crochet cast on that my dear friend Jenny (Tatterz on Ravelry) taught me. I was leaving this present to the last minute so I decided to skip the tubular cast on because I just wanted to get onto it rather than fiddle with a third needle size and learning a new technique. 

Once I got going into the main body of the hat it was pretty easy to memorise the pattern and it would have been a really enjoyable knit if it didn't hurt my hands. I found I could only do about one set of the pattern repeat before I needed to rest my hands. 

In the end I didn't finish it in time for our anniversary but I did have it done for our time away in Marysville. The Hubs wore it when we went up Lake Mountain to take the kids tobogganing and he said it was perfectly snug and at times he had to take it off because it made him too hot. All credit for that goes to the beautiful cashmere and merino blend of the yarn. You can't go past good fibre when you want warmth.

My latest lesson that I have learnt after knitting this Brooklyn Tweed design and also the Rosebud hat is that I should substitute with either a light worsted or even a DK weight yarn rather than use aran. I have never used Brooklyn Tweed's Shelter yarn for which both these hats were designed for and I hope one day to get the chance to use it but for the time being I am definitely going to select more carefully when substituting for future BT projects.

Finished object: Castilleja Cowl | Spud & Chloe Sweater

Castilleja Cowl knit in Spud & Chloe Sweater.

It's been school holidays here and I have been busy with the kids every day so far.  I have had little knitting time and the blog has been a bit neglected. But today I've managed to get some rest time out of the kids and so it's blog time.

Throughout June I was working between 4 projects and just casually switching between them depending on what I felt like working on at the moment. I've been plodding through my Maeve Shrug and also cast on at the beginning of the month for the Skein podcast shawl KAL. I had also been slowly working on a mini version of the Moto Vest for my girl and an anniversary present for the husband. Between these projects I was starting to feel a little unmotivated since I wasn't getting anywhere near finishing any of them. 

I love the cosiness of a cowl in winter.

Then my little guy got invited to a kinder friend's birthday party and we only had a week's notice. I don't enjoy taking the kids to the shopping centre these days so I decided to knit the little girl something. I figured a quick gift knit might help me get my knitting mojo back.

Sir S choose some yarn out of my stash and we found an easy (and free) cowl pattern  off Ravelry called the Castilleja Cowl. It calls for a worsted weight yarn and I used some grape coloured Spud & Chloe sweater yarn. The yarn is beautifully soft and squishy with a wool and organic cotton composition. 

Simple details kept this knit interesting.

I knit this up in two days and I'm quite pleased with the results. The cowl design has regular elongated stitches set within reverse stockinette stitch and is bordered by fisherman's rib sections. There was just enough variation in it to keep it an interesting knit. 

The pattern is well written with easy to follow instructions and if a bigger cowl is desired it can be adapted without too much difficulty. The pattern needs a multiple of 6 stitches cast on and a wider cowl can be achieved with more repeats of the pattern.

I hope the birthday girl will enjoy the cowl as the cold weather sets in. I guess even though I had wanted to reevaluate my gift making I can't help myself; making gifts still feels better to me than buying.

Finished object file: MAE doll

All ready to go to be cuddled by my niece.

Recently I wrote about making this little doll to send to my niece in America for her 2nd birthday. It took me longer to finish it than I anticipated but I got there in the end and she's ready to be sent off tomorrow.

In my earlier post I explained that a MAE doll is a 'make and embellish' doll. The pattern of the doll is printed onto cotton and all that needs to be done is cut it out, sew it together and stuff it. This cute doll is designed by Jhoanna Aranez and she made it so easy with super clear sewing instructions and even an awesome YouTube video tutorial.

Sir S as my little helper.

After I cut and stitched the doll, Sir S helped with the stuffing and I only took over when he found the legs and arms too tricky. I finished the stitching by hand and though it is a bit rough around the edges I am pretty chuffed with the result.

I hope my little niece is going to enjoy this gift. If she really cherishes this doll I can accessorise her in the years to come. I can imagine a little knitted shawl or scarf to start with and who knows what else.

What to make Wednesday: Softies

Basil the Brontosaurus was the first softie I ever made.

I have a little niece who is about to turn 2 and I love making her things as much as I love making things for my own kids. However, she lives in Texas and it's summer over there so I won't be making any worsted weight sweaters for her, ever because even the winter doesn't get cold enough for those kind of garments.

I know that she is really keen on soft toys so I thought this year I would send her a softie for her birthday. A few weeks ago I have a look around Ravelry for some softie patterns and here are a few of my favourites.

1. Totoro designed by Mimouna Anderson.

I know that since my little niece has a part Japanese heritage, Totoro will be a hit. For those who don't know, Totoro is an iconic character from Studio Ghibli's animated film, 'My Neighbour Totoro'. The first time I saw this film I was just a little girl and I was watching a Cantonese dub of it so I didn't understand much but this character stuck in my memory. It was not until my teen years that I discovered the original Japanese film and worked out that the character that I was fixated with was Totoro.

This little softie pattern is offered for free on the designer's blog but it is in Norwegian. However, a kind Ravelry user has translated the pattern and if you send her a pm via Ravelry she will email you a copy of the pattern. Another great thing about this pattern is that it uses very little amounts of yarn so I have already stash dived and found some remnants that could be enough to knit it up.

I can foresee myself knitting up a little family of Totoros for my kids too especially since Miss L has a bit of a Totoro theme in her bedroom already.

2. Basil the Boogie-Woogie Brontosaurus designed by Rebecca Danger.

I made this super cute little dinosaur for a friend's baby last year and it was the first softie I ever made. The process was made super easy by the designer Rebecca Danger's extremely clear pattern instructions and the series of tutorials on her blog.

Basil can be made with any weight yarn and as for needle size, Rebecca recommends just going two sizes down from the needle size that is recommended on the yarn label. The reason for going down needle sizes is so that a very tight weave fabric w ill be made when you knit and that will prevent any bits of stuffing poking through.

3. Melvin the Musical Monster designed by Rebecca Danger.

Actually, I find all of Rebecca Danger's softie patterns very appealing and I would make any of them. Her series of knitted monsters are just so cute and this one particularly appeals because it share a name with my BIL.

Rebecca keeps the shaping simple so that there aren't many extremely fiddly bits with decreasing and increasing for necks and heads and other bits like that. She essentially designs the main body as a large ball with either a striping design or colour block patches for the belly making it a very easy knit that looks very huggable.

The one difficulty with this pattern is that it is featured in a print book and not available for purchase as a digital download through Ravelry or Rebecca's Etsy store. It's not a terrible difficulty since there are a number of adorable patterns to choose from that are similarly shaped.

Image source: © Lebenslustiger

4. Square bunny knit pattern 2 by Annette of Lebenslustiger.com.

This is one of the simplest softies I have seen. It is essentially a small garter stitch square sewn in a particular manner to create bunny ears and a body. There a few of these bunny patterns around but I like this little one because there is a very good tutorial on the blog where it is posted.

It's not really a significant enough project to make for a birthday present but I think it would be a perfect little beginner project to make with the kids when they are learning to knit. Once they have mastered garter stitch making this little bunny will be a quick project to whip up and the young crafter will be able to enjoy their handiwork fairly quickly.

Can't wait to turn this gorgeous pattern into a doll for my niece.

5. MAE doll designed by Jhoanna Aranez.

After looking at all these knitted softie patterns I had every intention of making the Totoro for my niece but I'm a bit swamped with WIPs at the moment; through no fault by my own because I keep starting new things. So, I decided to order this MAE doll kit from Jhoanna's Etsy store because I remember my friend making one recently and recommending Jhoanna's dolls.

A MAE doll is a 'make and embellish' kit where the doll pattern has been printed on a piece of cotton poplin fabric and all I need to do is cut it out, sew it together and stuff it. Then I can make my own little embellishments to personalise the doll.

I think Jhoanna's doll designs are so cute. They have a very retro mod style to them and I think the doll can be enjoyed by girls across a broad age range. They aren't babyish in design nor are they all sexualised like many of the commercial doll ranges that are available these days. And, what I love most is that it's still handmade with love.

I'm going to make up this little doll in the next day or two and then I'm thinking of making a little matchbox suitcase for her because she is going on a journey all the way to Texas. I'll post my finished handiwork when I'm done.

Off to get making now.

What to knit Wednesday: Help me decide.

I'm going to try to stash bust the left overs of this Debbie Bliss Cashmerino for this project.

Today I am literally asking 'What to knit?' as I need help deciding what I should knit for M. At the end of the month we are celebrating our 8 year wedding anniversary and I want to make him something.

I did a bit of stash diving and found about 140 metres of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Charcoal which I could turn into a hat. I've done some Ravelry trawling and I have two patterns in mind. 

Image source: Brooklyn Tweed/ Jared Flood

1. Crag by Jared Flood.

This lovely hat was part of the latest BT Men Volume 2 release and I was immediately drawn to it. I am wanting to do some more cable knitting and the all over cable pattern on this hat looks striking yet easy enough to memorise and repeat all through the hat. I also like the name Crag because it connects to our love of rock climbing.

I would absolutely love to try making this in the Brooklyn Tweed Shelter yarn that is suggested but to my knowledge this yarn is not available through any Australian stockist yet. As much as I love trying new yarns I still prefer to buy from Aussie stockists and support their venture.

I think the Cashmerino Aran would be ok with this pattern. I will have to swatch it properly and make sure I get gauge before I go ahead with the project.

Image source: Woolibear/ Jesska Hoff

2. Bartek by Jesska Hoff.

The second pattern I think could go well with the yarn is this Bartek hat. I like the main large cable twist surrounded by a set of smaller cable bands. I also like how it has a bit of a slouch to the hat and if I do make this it will be different to the hats M already has.

The suggested yarn is an Aran weight so I think substituting with the Cashmerino will be ideal. However, the designer, Jesska has noted in the pattern that she is a tight knitter so I will need to carefully gauge swatch this to double check which needles I will need to use to match gauge with her.

Take a look at both patterns and help me decide which one I should attempt. Or I'm welcome to other suggestions. If you've made a fabulous hat for the man in your life that was a winner share your project.

Finished object file: Bella Shawl

Bella Shawl: off the needles, blocked and ends woven in.

Last week I posted about the commissioned knit that I have been working on. The friend who I have been knitting this Bella Shawl for has been so gracious and patient; never putting pressure on me to quickly finish the project. Well it is with great joy that I have got the project off the needles, blocked, ends weaved in and ready to go to its lovely recipient.

An asymmetrical beauty.

I really enjoyed knitting this project because it was simple enough to memorise but the eyelet lace and asymmetrical direction of the shawl gave it a little bit more to keep my interest. It was something I could take bundle it up and take it around witnh me as a project on the go  and since I memorised the pattern I didn't need to look up the pattern whenever I was out and about.

I purchased 5 skeins of Louisa Harding Grace Hand dyed DK and that gave me approximately 500 metres of yarn to make a medium sized shawl. I made sure to use up as much yarn as possible since my friend was  paying for the skeins and I didn't want to have a substantial amount remaining. I knit 12 squares of eyelet lace on the left hand side of the shawl and added an extra garter ridge on the end of the right hand eyelet panel and this left me with only a few metres of yarn remaining.

The simple yet elegant eyelet lace edge.

The Louisa Harding yarn is a delightfully squishy and shiny single ply yarn. It is a beautiful variegated yarn of pinks and reds of berry tones. There is a little bit of colour variation between the skeins which the yarn label clearly warns about. It is recommended that skeins be alternated every couple of rows during knitting. I initially tried doing this and ended up starting the shawl three times. The first time I cast on I began alternating the skeins at a RS row but because the eyelet fringe is cast off after a set of 7 eyelets it meant that I would have to cut the yarn that I was alternating after each square. So, I frogged it and decided to try alternating the skeins at a WS row and that meant that I was carrying the yarn up the neck edge. I was doing this knit about 10 cms of the piece and decided I didn't like the look of the edge with this yarn being carried up while I was alternating between 2 skeins. So, third time I cast on I decided to just knit each skein up before changing to the next one. The variation is not too obvious in my humble opinion.

The merino silk blend was lovely to work with; it was smooth on the needles and not splitty at all which I was a bit afraid of since it is a singly ply yarn. The silk content gives the piece a beautiful drape and the merino in it helps it hold its shape. The yarn also held up well after frogging it 3 times but I did need to do it carefully otherwise it would snag and stick. Overall I think it is a lovely yarn base and the colours are delicious but it is a yarn that needs some care if frogging.

I am pleased with the results of this Bella Shawl and I am happy with the workmanship for this commission. I actually knit this without mistakes, not meaning I didn't make any because I did, but I did carefully back knit and fix anything that was wrong since I was making this on commission.

All ready to go.

So, there it is a Bella Shawl for a bella friend.

On my needles now: Comissioned Bella Shawl

Winding up the last skein of Louisa Harding Grace Hand dyed yarn for K's Bella Shawl.

 I was commissioned by a church friend to knit a Bella Shawl designed by Annie Baker of JumperCables Knitting about a month ago and though this friend has very kindly given me no pressure to finish the project within a certain amount of time I now pledge that I will not work on anything else until I have finished this knit.

The pattern was one that I had caught my eye a while back. I liked the simplicity of the eyelet lace but the asymmetrical design made it a bit more interesting. It has been a really easy to memorise pattern so this has generally been the project that has come along with me to the children's lessons. I can work on it while also dividing my attention to keep an eye on the little ones when necessary. It is also easy to read where I left off in the pattern because the eyelet lace on the left panel has been grouped in blocks of 7. I would just have to count how many eyelets I had done to work out where I was up to in the pattern.

The yarn that I have been knitting with is from Louisa Harding and it's the hand painted DK/ 8ply weight merino/ silk blend. The colourway is a beautiful variegated blend of pinks and reds. It is a single ply yarn with a merino lovely softness and silky sheen. A simply stunning yarn.

Lovely pinks and reds variegated throughout the shawl.

I'm onto the last skein of yarn so I'm on the home stretch. My aim is to use up as much of the purchased yarn as possible. Since the yarn has been paid for by my friend I want to make sure she gets the full yardage in her shawl. I now need to work out exactly how much more knitting of the left eyelet panel I should do before moving on to the large right hand panel to finish the shawl. My plan is to knit a sample of the right hand panel with the last skein of yarn and then weigh the piece. This way I will work out how many grams of yarn I need to reserve for that panel of knitting. I will then pick up where I left off on the main shawl and knit until I have the required grams of yarn needed to knit the large eyelet panel. It might seem like a long round about approach but I'm not sure of any other way to do it. If you have a better more efficient way of doing it please do share your tips with me.

I've cast on 155sts on the right to knit my test panel.

I hope to have this project off the needles by the week's end and blocking over the weekend. It'll be ready just in time for winter and I hope my dear friend will enjoy wrapping herself up in the Bella shawl. I'll make sure to write up any notable project notes on my Ravelry page as well as cover the shawl in a 'Finished object file' when I'm done knitting it.

Finished object file: Colour Block Cabled Cowl

The pink with a touch of dark grey is quite a nice colour block combo.

I've had quite a few projects on the go lately and this quick little chunky knit is my latest finished object. Completed in a day it is a great kid sized cowl to make for last minute gift giving.

The pattern is shared for free by Ashley from the 'A Crafty House' blog. She has it typed up on a post . Ashley has an adult version of this cowl on the blog too but I was looking for a quick knit for the birthday of one of my son's kinder friends and this chunky knit was perfect. I really liked the chance to try the crochet provisional cast on and the simple cabling in the pattern was easily memorised.

The super easy cable pattern gives the cowl just the right amount of texture for it's simplicity.

I used some left over Drops Eskimo yarn but ran out near then end so I finished it with some dark grey Debbie Bliss Como. The Eskimo yarn is a 100% wool but it isn't the softest stuff that I've felt and I have a few concerns about it being worn so close to the skin of a sensitive part of the body like the neck. I would have loved to have made it all in the Como because it is a soft merino/ cashmere blend but  I decided to risk it and use the Eskimo because I thought the pink would be more appealing for this little girl.

Because it's for his little friend I roped Sir S into modelling it.

We'll be gifting this next weekend when we attend this child's 5th birthday party. I hope she likes it and won't find it too scratchy against the neck.

Re-evaluating handmade gifting

Some of the gifts that I've made this year

Sometime last year I decided to challenge myself to give handmade gifts rather than buy commercial mass produced items. I also wanted to personally make all the gifts so that I had an excuse to do lots of knitting. So I have been regularly busy with projects for new babies and for friends and family since the middle of last year. 

Well now that knitting has become more than just a hobby but a lifestyle to me I don't need excuses to knit; I knit everyday at any spare moment I can get. This results in loads of projects that I want to do and I'm also allowing myself more 'me' projects lately because I believe you need to treat yourself in order to continue to love what you are doing.

This leads me to today's reflection that I need to realistically reevaluate my commitment to handmade gifting. If I hand knit things for every baby born and for all the birthdays I am going to have very little time to work on those beautiful sweaters and shawls that I have been longing to knit. When I put it that way it sounds really selfish, but it's not just the desire to make for self that leads me to reevaluate, it is also the pressure of time. I do feel a little bit of stress when I am working to a deadline and often stay up late trying to finish off projects. I also feel a little sore in the hands lately and I think that is telling me I need to take some rest days from the needles - not that I can make myself stick to it.

I think I need to take another look at my make list and strike off a few of the projects I have hoped to make. So far, I haven't stuck to it very well this year. I have made loads of extra things for others and on top of that I have decided I wanted to make a couple of jumpers for myself. I think I will still aim to make things for my family but I need to cut myself some slack when it comes to friends and their babies and kids. I can already think of other ways to still give a handmade/ homemade gift to friends. A meal for the family for those early days of adjustment after the birth of a new bub is an example of another way to give without buying mass produced items. Supporting independent makers and buying their wares is another thing that I can do.

There will be a time when my kids are at school and I've got a wardrobe full of hand knits and I will start making baby items and other things for gifting again. Just right now I will allow myself to take it easy and find other ways of blessing those around me.

How do you manage your gifting? Do you make more than you buy or vice versa?

How do you balance commercial knitting and personal knitting?

I've been knitting this bella shawl as a commissioned project for a friend.

I've been thinking a lot about the idea of commercial knitting lately. I often get asked if I sell knitted items and I have always admitted that at this stage in my life I cannot make enough to sell because I am barely staying on top of my personal knitting projects. I spend what little knitting time that I get trying to make gifts for others and items for myself, my husband and the kids. As you can see from my making list I have attempted to carefully map out the projects that I will work on this year and the list just doesn't have room for knitting items for commercial sale.

My main daily knitting time is the couple of hours at night after the kids have gone to bed. I try to steal as many extra little moments as I can such as knitting a couple of rows while supervising bathtime or while waiting for my boy's swimming lesson to end. I would like to spend my whole day knitting but my current season of life does not lend itself to that luxury.

Recently I took on my first commissioned knit. A friend from church asked if I could knit her a shawl. When I agreed to it I was feeling on top of my making and thought I could manage it. I find myself making slow progress on the shawl and have been interchanging my time between working on it and working on a hat for my brother's birthday in a couple of weeks. I have assured my friend that I am working on the project but I have to admit that I feel bad that I cannot work very quickly and that it may be some time before she will receive the finished product.

I know that there will be a time in the future when I can knit more so maybe a commercial venture is possible in the future but definitely not now. However, I do still wonder how do other people do it? How do you manage to fit in knitting time amidst daily responsibilities? For those of you who knit for 'work' do you sacrifice personal knitting? Or do you manage a healthy balance?

Please comment with your thoughts and experiences.

Apologies if you were looking out for a 'What to knit Wednesday' post. I'm just a little too disorganised this week to pull it together.

What to knit Wednesday: Quick gift knits

The Sabi Hat that I knit with Sublime Yarns Baby Cashmerino Silk DK

Hooray, we're over the illness hump and I'm bringing 'What to knit Wednesday' back. I've just finished knitting a present for my SIL so I thought I might take a moment to look at some quick knits that are great little gifts.

1. Mitini Mitts by Colleen Powley.

This pair of dainty mitts is what I just finished for my SIL. I love how the simple cables across the back of the mitt creates texture and a subtle elegance. I received this pattern as a freebie when I purchased a ball of Blue Sky Alpacas Royal Petites, which is a super soft 100% alpaca yarn. One ball of the Petites is meant to be enough for both mitts but my gauge must be off because I was yards off. After knitting the right mitt I found it to be too big for my hands and I knew that it would be even bigger for my SIL's hands. It was also clear that I wasn't going get both mitts out of the 1 ball so I knew I needed some MODS. I CO 50sts (6 less than the pattern's instructions) and to ensure I had enough yarn to BO I made the thumb shorter. Full details of my MODS can be read on my Ravelry project page.

My SIL's birthday is next week so I hope she'll like these little mitts through the winter.

2. Chibi Maruko by Mari Chiba.

I knit this cowl a few months ago as a birthday and farewell present for a friend who was moving back to NZ. I thought a cowl would be a nice way for her to stay cosy during those Kiwi winters and she would be able to remember us whenever she wears it.

The cowl is a lovely textured stitch that is easy to remember and since it's not a fitted garment it is easily adapted for desired size. I chose to knit it with some Quince & Co. Owl Tweet in Boysenberry and I think the texture suited the darker coloured yarn well. The yarn itself is an alpaca/ wool blend with some nubby bits to give it a slight tweed feel. 

3. Honey Cowl by Antonia Shankland.

This pattern is a free Madelinetosh download and it is so easy. It uses a slipped stitch to create a honeycomb pattern that is really easy to memorise. It can pretty much be knit with any weight yarn even though the suggested weight is DK/ 8ply. The pattern gives suggestions for a long and short cowl and these instructions can be used as a guide for modifying the pattern. I knit it with 2 skeins of Madelinetosh Pashmina Worsted for a long cowl.

4. Sabi Hat by Olga Buraya-Kefelian.

Hats are another one of those small projects that are quick to knit up for gifting. I made this last year for a church friend and it took me just a few days. It's a stylish hat that uses directional ribs to create a zig zag pattern. The ribs also makes it quite a stretchy hat and can fit lots of head sizes and shapes.

5. Windschief by Stephen West.

Here's one for the boys. I made this as one of my Christmas gifts last year and it was such a quick knit with the worsted-aran weight/ 10ply yarn. The design is not overly fussy which appeals to the guys and the rib panel gives it a bit of stretchiness to fit a variety of head shapes and sizes.

Not that it's necessary to point out the obvious but small projects are best for knitting up last minute gifts. I have a preference for cowls, hats and mitts but small softies, socks and small household items like mug cozies are also great gifts that can be knit up quickly.

Also, patterns that have easily memorised instructions are ideal. Once you memorise the necessary steps of the pattern you can sped through the rows or rounds without constantly needing to look up the pattern. Another perk of memorising the pattern is that you can knit on the move without needing to fiddle with checking patterns on paper or on tablets and phones. When knitting to a deadline you can maximise your knitting time by having your projects at hand for any spare moments of knitting. I can usually knock out a row or two while I'm supervising bath time or during a car ride to the grandparents.

Leave a comment and share your quick gift knits.