Top down baby cardigan

So I just cast off the last sleeve on the baby cardigan I had been knitting.  It looks really cute.  It is no way newborn size but I'm not sure what size it is.  I could do with a few different sized babies to gauge the size.  Maybe I will try to estimate when I'm next at playgroup.  It could be around 9-12 months.  I haven't blocked it yet and I haven't put buttons on it.  I will wait until I know who the recipient is.  Probably my friends baby when it arrives.

 

 

 

So what to knit next maybe another baby cardigan but try to get a newborn size.  I love this little cardigan Zoom

 

And I love this cardigan Baby sophisticate

 

Or maybe this for me Abalone

 

Not sure anyway must go for now

 

 

Weekend potterings

The weather last week was pretty bad and we had got pretty wet and freezing on our trips out and about.  And since it snowed a lot on Friday and was due to snow on Saturday we didn't plan to do much.  Little L has a really bad cough and so Saturday afternoon we played in front of the stove and watched Up.  I love this film and Little L seemed mildly amused with it at times especially when the dog speaks and she loves balloons.

 

Sunday was a quiet day here as again it was freezing.  So food shopping was done and after lunch I managed to work on the cardigan I cast on the other week.  It is a really easy pattern to follow.  But my sizing seems a bit off as it is no way going to be newborn size as stated in the pattern.  Oh well it will come in handy when my friends baby is bigger.  I might use this pattern again but use aran as then it might fit Little L as it would be even bigger.

 

P was outside doing wood collecting/chopping/stacking not sure really but he has been getting lots of wood recently to stack and dry for winter.  It is so nice to see a big stack of wood outside.

 

Also managed to plant up some pots with winter pansies.  Just need some warmth to get them growing.

 

 

 This last week I have also been working on my Upcycled retro table but progress is slow as it has been too cold in the garage for my little helper so I haven't done much.  Maybe this week I will finish it.  But its unlikely as this is another busy week with my car at the garage so a day back home for us, playgroup, shopping and my favourite 17 year old niece turns 18!!.   And only 5 more days until Easter and the end of lent so I can finally eat chocolate and crisps. 

A walk and some crafting

As it was really sunny this morning after the usual jobs me and Little L wrapped up and set off for a walk. 

We went on our usual circular walk down the canal through the locks and back into the village (1hr 15 mins).  A good idea I thought but boy oh boy was it cold.  I can confirm we have Siberian winds here today.  It was freeeeeeeezing even in the sun the wind was bitter.  So we marched along looking at the ducks, moorhens and swans. 

Then off the canal and past all the ploughed fields.  We stopped to say Hi to our horsey friends Tilly and Murphy who got a carrot each. 

And then marched some more through the village.   

 

Back home warm drinks and I lit the stove to try to thaw us both out but it was exercise and I didn't feel guilty eating a hot cross bun at dinnertime.

 

After sleep time I did a little bit of crafting.  This frame (an ikea one) was found at the car boot sale last weekend.

 

 

This paper was wrapped around a little Mother's Day gift for me yesterday

 

So a little cutting, sticking, and stitching and ta-dah. 

 

 Simple but colourful.... now where shall I put it.

 

Happy Mother's Day

Saturday here was rainy and cold all day so I decided to bake a cake for my mum.  My helper was very enthusiastic to start with and poottled off into the living room with several bowls and a whisk to do some baking in her own little kitchen.  During this short window of having a happily entertained child I shot around at 100mph trying to get the cake in the oven before little L decided she actually needed to help her mummy.

 

She did pop in to check on the progress in the oven

 

Cake iced and ready to be taken to my Mum's. 

 

I doubt I'll get breakfast in bed for Mothers day but a nice cup of tea and some extra cuddles from my little girl will be lovely oh and the two Mothers Day cards that I sorry no Little L made me at playgroups this week.

Bye for now

Baby cardigan

Having finished my cardigan last week I have been itching to start something new.  We have a really good wool stall at a local market and the wool is really cheap and good quality but its only on once a week.  Last Thursday he wasn't there and as this Thursday was forecast rain I knew he wouldn't be there this week (wool and rain don't mix).  So I have been trying to match wool that I have to a pattern that I haven't found yet.  So cue endless hours looking at ravelry trying to find a good pattern but everything is either the wrong size, not the right wool etc so with evening boredom levels at a maximum I finally picked a top down raglan baby cardigan.  This pattern is very easy so far (top-down-raglan-baby-sweater) and looks like it will be a perfect little cardigan for our friends new baby which is due early May. I am using Sirdar breeze in a light beige (has to be a unisex colour) and this wool is so soft just perfect for a newborn.  When the baby arrives I will knit something in pink or blue but for now this will keep me busy for a week or so.

Kitchen finished

Well it is almost finished still some glossing to do when the weather warms up. 

 

In the end it took 6 coats of paint to cover the red and on some walls 7 coats but it was well worth it.  A very neutral ivory colour (yes a bit boring but I don't intend repainting in there for a long time).  I didn't go for dulux like I've used before because the paint was going to cost around £50 that's way too much.  So I went to B&M and they had 20% off all paint so 5L of Jonhstones was about £17.  It gave a really good finish, covered well and was almost the same colour as the dulux I wanted but for less than half the price.  I'd definitely recommend this paint brand.

Rather than buy new blinds I have used the old roller blind fittings (they were red of course so I couldn't put them back up) and made new blinds.  I didn't really want plain and patterned blinds were quite expensive so I thought I would have a go myself.

The fabric I wanted was £22 a metre and I needed 3m so I decided to use some fabric I already had because I wasn't convinced this would work anyway.  So free blinds.

 

And the walls before and after shots...

 

 

 

 

 It is so much lighter and we really like it.

Swinging Cardigan Finished

So I started this cardigan (Swinging stripe cardigan) early in January and it was really quick to knit.  The pattern is very simple and easy to follow.  I love doing raglan sleeves and doing this top down was so easy.  It knit really fast and no seems to sew up which is a bonus.  I needed double pointed needles for the sleeves and so I ordered some off Ebay of course (from Hong Kong much cheapness) but they haven't come yet.  So this cardigan has sat on the shelf for three weeks waiting for the sleeves to be finished until I'd had enough waiting and just bought some needles from the a shop.  So Thursday afternoon when little L was having her sleep I sat down to finish it.

 

Strong coffee

And a big bundle of knitting

Finished and blocked on Friday

And ta dah.  For my first adult knit  I'm pretty pleased with it.  It is a bit big and I would make a few modifications to it if I were to knit it again but its very warm. 

 

Just thinking what to knit next something big for me or small for little L??

Bye for now