Squares within squares

This is an experiment with large (33 cm) diagonal knitted squares using left over wool (4 ply and 5 ply). Two colours have been knitted in each striped section to give a variegated textured effect. Not sure where to take this next as a lot more squares required to make this into a bed rug, and have lost the inspiration for knitting more squares at present.

Baby gifts

Some recent baby gifts - Humpty Dumpty is about 23cm seated (9 inches) and the little Koala is about 15cm (6 inches)

The perfect Aussie Christmas... and a Happy Christmas to all

Log Cabin knitted blanket - finished

Completed 12 squares that were then sorted into four rows of three and edged with navy blue wool

 Sorting the squares into a suitable design

Finished blanket folded in half showing six of the squares. The squares were washed by hand in a fabric conditioner and dried flat in the sun before being sewn together, as some of the wool was old

 Joining the seams from the front of the blanket using mattress stitch after joining them in strips of three. Hint - don't pull the thread tight with 8ply or you will distort the shape. Makes a neat seam.

 Reverse of blanket showing thread ends woven into strips in stretchy figure of eight pattern

Detail of woven ends showing how ends were secured and disappear into the knitted strips

What did I learn?
How to weave ends so that they remain stretchy and disappear.
How to join seams of different types of edging using mattress stitch
Thank you Staci for this pattern and these very useful videos

Decided to complete the blanket with 12 squares as I had used most of my left over wool and wanted to move onto a different project. Suitable size for the flat surface of a single bed. Lots of time and patience required to sew up the seams. Would not make squares again but pleased this blanket is finished!

My grandson's comment - " Love it!" (He will go a long way with comments like this...)

Maisie

Have just finished making Maisie as a birthday present for a little girl who is turning four years old next week. Hope they will be good friends. The pattern is from Toyshelf but I used 3mm needles so the doll would be smaller. Maisie measures 12inches (31cm) in height and is made with 8 ply wool.

Log Cabin knitted blanket

Here's a great way to make use of all those left over short ends and half balls of wool. I'm usually not a fan of knitting blanket squares but these have more appeal and are so easy. The pattern is here Log Cabin Scrap Blanket Make sure you watch the video on the site that explains the process so well and shows how the strips are knitted on to make each square. I would endorse her three rules:

1. No single colour should dominate a square
2. No single square should be dominated by mostly dark or mostly light colours
3. Keep really uncomplementary colours from touching each other.

and also add

4. Repeat at least one colour if possible in each square to create a unified design.

Lace throw rug

The whole month of January seems to have gone without anyone even realising! A very busy household over the holidays with family visiting so not much time left for anything else. Have been occupied marketing my new Australian history book that was finally published in December and reviews will appear in two magazines in March. However have still had time to complete a large project as a special gift... and here it is...

 

Fiona's Throw Rug 

Size: 48"x 62" (122cm x 157cm)

cream Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 100% washable wool 

8 ply x 4mm circular bamboo needles 

peach petals lace pattern x 8 row repeat

border edges knitted onto finished item with mitred corners

weight: 1130 gms

Little gifts for some little people

 A pretty bag and a skipping rope for two little girls and pirate mitts for a little boy

 

Pirate mitts match the hat for bike riding

 Three pen pouches with pencils and sharpeners

 'May the force be with you'  Hat for a little boy with his favourite character from Star Wars

 Charity gifts for older boys - bike mitts & pen pouches in team colours

 

Pen pouches  - pattern on free pattern pages

Charity gift - lace cowl for a special Mum

Pirate cap

Have just finished this small cap for my grandson because he likes pirates but think it could also be suitable for an older boy because it is a bit querky and perhaps could even be considered 'cool.' This pattern is small as written but suggest using larger needles for an adult size cap or perhaps adding an extra 14 sts to allow for an extra pattern repeat. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/adrians-skull-cap Make note of the errors in the pattern - 8 repeats; K 28 sts between markers. Used 8ply wool with 3.4mm needles for 1x1rib and 4mm circular needles for body of cap. Pattern is 14 sts x 11 rows.

Also finished this lace cowl and beret for a gift for a friend.

And used the first of my newly acquired wool stash that I bought last week at Australian Country Spinners mill shop, for a charity knit for an older child http://www.auspinners.com.au/ Free pattern on the right of this post as Child's Vest.

Supporting Australian Made

Have just returned from a trip to Melbourne and stopped off on the way at the Wangaratta Woollen Mills shop. With the Bendigo Woollen Mill this is the only other woollen mill left so really needs support or it will disappear. They are finding it difficult, like many Australian manufacturers, because of the competition from cheap overseas products that flood the market, particularly synthetic yarns.  Under the name of Australian Country Spinners they manufacture quality products under the label of Cleckheaton, Patons and other brands. 

This is some of the quality wool that I bought. These end of run packs are sold at $30 per kilo which is an absolute bargain. This is all 8ply/dk wool and will be used mainly for children's jumpers for my charity knitting. So if you have the chance make sure you stop off at Wangaratta but mainly remember just to continue to buy Australian Made wool and give imported products the boot!

Australian Country Spinners
Wangaratta Mill Shop 

Felted slippers and spring flowers

Made these felted slippers today (although more correctly they are fulled because they have been knitted first), from the BWM Murano wool using this pattern Marsh Felted slippers. Before felting they were about 30cm long (12 inches) with the heel 19cm (7.5 inches).

After first hand felting they were firm but not small enough and one slipper was larger then the other. But after a second felting with a lot of kneading and rolling using bubble wrap, the slippers have shrunk to 25cm (10 inches) long and 13cm (5 inches) for the heel so much firmer.

Added a knitted rib to complete these cosy slippers. Just need to sew on the leather soles and they are finished!

        
                               Callistemon and Grevillea blossoms in the garden

                                              Maiden hair fern

                                An old favourite

Three birthdays

A red knitted dress for Emilia who is turning three with a moss stitch bodice finished with a  crocheted picot edging. Made in BWM Luxury 8ply in Brick
 

 A green lace cowl for my sister in BWM Luxury 8ply in Bracken. Pattern here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/peachpetal-cowl but finished size was 22 inches (56cm) wide and 15 inches (38cm) long as I like cowls to drape well.

A red horizontal knitted scarf for an aunty turning 90 years of age. Hope it brightens her day!

Murano

Just received this order of Murano wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills. Fabulous colour and 100% wool but it is at least a 10ply yarn not 8ply as suggested on the label. The stripes are a bit regular for my liking in stocking stitch and look much better in seed stitch. In fact I think I probably prefer the back of the work so may have to start this again...

Teddy helper

 Nana's little helper...

The jumper is finished and fits well.

No side seams just a three needle cast off at shoulders.