FO Friday 2/15: TLDR

Hanson-Roberts Tarot

I'm feeling a bit like the chap in the card today - droopy and tired. Destructo Boy has kindly shared his bugs and now I have a heavy head cold along with a cough that makes my chest burn. I had caught a cold from Mini Diva towards the end of last term, too, the first in absolute ages. So if I've had one from each of them that should be me done, right ?

But before I retreat to my boudoir to sniffle, hack and use up all the tissues, I'll just tell you about a hot water bottle cosy I made as a Christmas gift for my eldest niece.

She has dodgy heating and feels the cold, and I knew she uses hot water bottles; plus I had some yarn in my stash that her Mum (my sister) had given me that was just the sort of jewel tones that she likes; it had no label, but I'm fairly confident that it was James C.Brett Marble Chunky:

That was it before my kind MIL unravelled and reballed it for me. Now it looks like this:

I used 5.5mm needles, seed stitch for the edges, a cable stitch pattern I found somewhere, and Bob's your Uncle. 

No, I totally didn't even write down how many stitches I cast on, let alone put it into a pattern form that others could use. Did I weigh the yarn before I started so I would know how much I used ?  No, of course not. Whaddya think I am, organized or something ? I don't know, as I get older even the most obvious basics seem to be beyond me, though I can just about manage a witty blogpost title linked to yarn color. Go figure.

Anyway, I wished I had made one for myself, as it's just what I need right now, along with a good dose of Lemsip. Pop over to ChrisKnits for far more enthusiasm and way less whinging ....

Friday Finishes 4: Underwater Cables

Fantastic Menagerie Tarot

Well, I've been twiddling my thumbs a bit aimlessly this week - I've completed Mini Diva's Wilde, except for the buttons - I couldn't find any I liked in the right size, so I blew caution (and cash) to the wind and have ordered a custom set.

I couldn't start the next item on my Xmas gift list as I was waiting for the yarn to be delivered.

So I was really looking for something that was quick and simple to occupy myself in the inbetween times. But I didn't have anything that fitted the bill in my Queue - apart from some fingerless mitts, and I just didn't want to make them: I can knit magic loop, but I don't enjoy it, especially the start.

So I took some yarn my sister had decluttered to me, and a new hot water bottle, and 2 days later we have this:

I'm not entirely sure what the yarn is - it arrived as something that had been knitted in the round but at some point had got unintentionally Moebiussed; during her most recent visit, my MIL had ravelled it all back into a ball for me, so it was once again usable. Anyway. I think it is James C.Brett Marble Chunky MC8 - my sister rarely used anything lighter in weight than a chunky.  

I surfed the stitch patterns over at the marvellous resource that is the Knitting Fool until I found one I liked, cast on using 5.5mm needles ....and hey presto - a completed Xmas gift. Now, while you go check out other lovely things at Chris Knits, I need to go get started on my MIL's Xmas gift, a cabled cardigan - which as you can see means I have no more time to fritter away with you here, much as you know I love you.

FO Friday 141: Blue and Green

Spiral Tarot

 ....should never be seen
Without a color in between.''

I seem to recall being told this sartorial advice sometime during my childhood. Along with, never apply your makeup or brush your hair in public. Not eating when walking down the street may have been practical advice as well as sartorial.

Oh well. 

I have finally got around to taking photos of my most recent FOs. Unfortunately, it was quite breezy and so you can also see my interesting choice of small garden implements used to weight them down - no fear, they were clean, no mud or earwigs.

The 3rd Summer Flies Shawl, Term Flies, in Sirdar Softspun DK, colorway 'Duskie. This came out beautifully, and blocked nicely so that it is a huggable size: 60'' across the top, and 20'' deep. This one was commissioned by Destructo Boy for his class teacher as an end-of-term present, and I have to agree with him that she is L'Oreal ie. worth it.

 

The 4th Summer Flies Shawl, Harvest Flies, in Drops Fabel Uni Color, colorway 104 'purple'. This was requested by a SIL via my MIL, for her birthday this summer. I gambled and bunged in another set of butterflies and eyelet lace, as using thetanull's modifications as I've done 3 times before still left the shawl looking small, probably because is it fine yarn. The blocked size is 58'' wide by 21'' deep. Much as I love this pattern, knitting it 4 times (the last twice pretty much consecutively) means that I am pretty sure this was the last time I have made it, and now it will be honorably retired..


 

However, the Afternoon Tea Shawl is definitely one I shall make again, and not just because it is free; I don't think too many of the pictures on Ravelry do it justice - you can't really see the pattern detailing. This is for Mini Diva's class teacher, made using Sirdar Softspun DK in 'Teal'. Blocked size is 51'' wide by 24'' deep.

You'll see I have actually bothered to measure all these shawls, which I don't think I have done before. Mainly it was to satisfy myself that these are a decent size, and ought to be difficult to confuse with a scarf. You'd be surprised how many recipients have thought they'd been given a scarf. But perhaps this only means that they are not 'on trend' like wot I am, and do not know how cool and amazingly fashionable a shawl is. Even if worn as a scarf. Or a belt, may they be forgiven for stretching it in such a cruel way.

While I ponder whether I am already retro and just don't yet realize it, because I can't find one article online saying that shawls are cool, you may pop over to Tami's Amis and see what else is being completed ....