It's Me, Sarah

Ta Dahhhhhh! Chambourcin Sweater

I finished knitting my new Jumper using the Chambourcin pattern purchased on Ravelry.

I love it.  I love the fact that it is knitted in 4 ply yarn because I really do prefer wearing thinner jumpers layered with a t-shirt. 

Making this jumper was a revalation because, although I have been knitting for over 30 years. I have never felt the necessity to block anything before.  I don't know why because I have knitted lace but I think the advent of the internet and all the information available to us now without the need to purchase books means that we can all improve our skills and learn new things.  Anyway, blocking is amazing!  I knitted this sweater using cheap yarn (Stylecraft 4 ply) because my thoughts were that, generally, when you buy a sweater in the shops it is made of acrylic yarn.  Don't get me wrong, I am aware you can spend a fortune and buy tops that are wool but I don't tend to want to part with that much money all the time and I have just bought a beautiful jumper from Cult and even that was 100% acrylic!

The Stylecraft yarn knitted up beautifully and blocking wasn't a problem I just pinned it out with some t-pins (from ebay) on some cheap rubber playmats (£5 in Tesco) to the required dimensions whilst it was dry and then gently steamed it with the iron (without touching the fabric) and allowed it to dry.  It was perfect and so easy.  I actually put of doing it for a few days because I was worried but, seriously, it was so easy to do.  If you haven't tried blocking before, do it - it makes such a difference.

I love the hood!  Although, just when you think you have finished you need to pick up over 300 stitches around the neck and back and then knit a further 16 inches of lace for the hood.  A bit depressing!

Having said all this about the acrylic yarn I love this jumper so much that when I have some money to spare I really would like to knit this is some beautiful wool in a very pretty colour!

 

Peerieflooers Hat

Ravelry is a pain, it really is because you innocently go onto the website to have a nice little browse around with a cup of coffee and end up seeing hundreds of beautiful projects that you just have to knit or crochet right NOW!

One of the projects I have seen is the Peerieflooers hat, it is just so gorgeous!  It reminds of those beautiful (expensive) hats you see in department stores, the hats I put on my head and think I really need this!  I am so excited to find this pattern and, of course, I had to cast on immediately.

It is a joy to knit and really satisfying to see the beautiful Rowan wool knit up into Kate Davies gorgeous creation.

There are matching mittens too.  Oh dear, I may have accidentally added the chart for the mittens to my library already.

Seeing me knitting this Mark has asked for me to make him a hat.  I nearly fell of my chair that he wants me to make him something but I am also really looking forward to another trip to Ravelry to search out the perfect beanie (or whatever) for him :)

Fingerless Gloves - Very Fetching

Over at Ravelry I am constantly seeing these gloves called 'Fetching' from the Knitty.com website.  I really wanted to make these (and about 100 other projects on Ravelry) and I sat down to do them a couple of weeks ago.

They are a really quick knit (or would have been had I not had to order an extra ball of yarn to finish them!) and are so cosy.  I can't wait to wear them.

I used Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran and it took just over 1 skein to complete them.  The colour is called cucumber and is about the same colour as the walls of my craft room which is probably my favourite colour :)  The above picture is a bit washed out as I took it in bad light, the picture below sows the colour a little better.

The ends of these gloves curled very badly when they were knitted but after blocking they are perfect :)

More Smashing Pages

I do so love working in my smash book!  It is quite freeing to think that this doesn't have to be perfect.  It's not perfect, it's smooshed but I love it and it is the perfect place to add all the bits and bobs you pick up whilst on holiday.

This page has all our tickets on it.  They are strategically attached with the odd staple so that if I ever wish to have a proper look at them they can be easily removed.

The opposing page tells the story of how Amy lost her first tooth on our first full day in the Magic Kingdom.  I like the big Mickey on the page which I cut from one of the numerous leaflets I picked up whilst in Orlando.  I would have preferred Tinkerbell on that page but I couldn't find a big picture of her in my stuff.  I may need to take a trip to a travel agent for a couple of brochures ;)

This page is all about meeting mickey.  I have used a sticker given to us in the Magic Kingdom and a clothing tag.  My scraps box is getting a good work out in this Smash book, it may even deplete a little bit!