Quoits

Last night I finished my first knitting project for winter 2014.

It all started with the yarn - a gorgeous 4ply 100% merino dyed by Doe Arnot and purchased last spring at the Oamaru Textile Emporium.  I didn't spy the yarn on my first browse through the shop and it wasn't until I had a better look that I found it.

I love the green and how it contrasts with various shades of grey. 

I chose the pattern 'Quoits' by Vintage Purls.  It was great fun to knit and I would love to make another one sometimes.  My cowl did end up longer than I had hoped so next time I would cast on a lot less stitches and plan to knit more repeats of the pattern.  It is not as snug around the neck as I would prefer.

Not quite the coldest weather for modelling a woolly cowl - but at least I'll be prepared for winter!  My next plan is to knit a swatch to make myself a cardigan - the first time in several years that I have attempted such a large project for myself.

Details of 'Quoits' on my Ravelry project page.

Upside Down Monkeys

Last year (so long ago I can't remember exactly) I had my first go at dying wool using food colouring.  I planned to make a dark green so the resulting colour made me feel quite accomplished.
The yarn was originally undyed sock yarn from Vintage Purls.

I used the yarn to knit a pair of toe-up socks in with the 'Monkey' pattern by Cookie A.  I followed the 'no purl' adaption of Craftypancakes.

It was a fun knit as there were many straight knit rows and the pattern was easy to remember - which was good as I took this up and put it down over a few months.

I have been wanting to make a duct-tape model of myself to fit clothes on, so making a foot one was a good start!  It turned out well - but the front part of my foot is fatter on the mannequin model than it is for real - the joy of getting over-eager with stuffing.

Read more about this project on Ravelry.

Reverse Cauchy

These are from Cookie A's 'Sock Innovation' but reversed - I knitted them from the toe up. 

The wool is 'Vintage Purls' sock in dark blue/black.  The pattern is quite subdued in this colour - but I am pleased with it as the socks have a good amount of extra sideways stretch.  They fit really well.

It took quite a bit of thinking to work out the pattern in reverse but as I had learnt heaps from my last pair of Vintage Purls toe-up socks so was able to adapt successfully.

Miss Ngaire

I finally got around to knitting the fingerless mittens from the last part of the Vintage Purls Summer Sock Club and I am very pleased with them.  I didn't knit them in the wool provided - a denim blue - but instead chose a high twist fingering weight (4ply) 100 % merino from 'Joy of Yarns', colour: Blackcurrant.  This range of yarn is no longer available, but as I only used 67grams for the long gloves I have another 33g available for something smaller.

 Excuse the second and third pictures as it is very tricky to take a picture of one's own hand.  :-)

I wrote about the pattern on my ravelry project page - it was interesting and challenging to knit - but the pattern was not as full as I would have liked.  I can see myself modifying it slightly to knit some more gloves in the near future.
And oh!  My wrists are so super warm now.

Miss Wonderly

Am really enjoying knitting this sock club pattern from Vintage Purls. Not completely sure about the colour but the toe up style is right at my next learning step.