Return from Iceland

Last month my partner (now fiancé, woohoo!) and I went to Iceland for a week, and what a week! Between hiking, bathing in a hot spring, snowmobiling on a glacier, seeing a recently erupted volcano, tasting some fermented shark, indulging in (just a bit of) Icelandic beer, and of course Icelandic wool shopping from the Handknitters Association of Iceland, I just had to get enough wool supplies to knit a few pairs of sturdy hiking socks and an Icelandic style sweater (which I'm not allowed to call Lopi sweater as it won't be knitted in Iceland), even though I enjoyed the trip so much I wouldn't have minded too much being stranded over there, you never know when one of the many volcanoes in Iceland might erupt or something 😉.

I didn't get the chance to publish the knitting pattern for my latest beanie yet, but I got to test it on a few hikes in mountains to volcanic fields, on the way to a glacier and even at the biggest waterfalls I'd ever seen, and even though the weather in Reykjavik was mild in August when we were there, it does get cold when you reach a certain altitude and the winds pick up!

The verdict: the moss cable beanie, which is based on my Moss Cable Cowl and Moss Cable Headband, is perfectly up to the job as it stayed perfectly put in windy conditions and kept my head and ears nice and warm 😁:

Moss cable Beanie at the Waterfall

Moss Cable beanie at the Volcano Field

I will try and publish the knitting pattern for the Moss Cable Beanie soon, if I can get away from knitting my Icelandic sweater, which looks very promising so far, as I didn't need to frog any part of it yet, probably thanks to the fact that I am using the recommended wool for the pattern for once 😂, here's a picture of it so far, which I'll leave you with until the next time:

Knitting my Icelandic Sweater

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The Upsides of Self-Isolating: Knitting in Self-Isolation

Last Wednesday I tested positive for Covid-19 so for the first time since the Covid crisis, I'm having to self-isolate 🙁.

Still testing positive after 2 days

Besides the fact that I feel like a prisoner in my own home and not being able to cuddle with my partner (I managed not to pass the infection on to other household members), I'm missing a few days of work, I've had to change my holiday plans and I missed going to a Pixies concert last Friday, which I was devastated about; I couldn't have timed it worse 🙄.

These were the downsides of getting Covid-19; now for the upsides:

1- Since I'm not very sick (I have a bad sore throat and runny nose for about 3 days, my aches and pains were kept under control with paracetamol, I guess this vaccination round & booster paid out), I'm able to work on my knitting projects; Socks on my needles for BBW (my new nickname for the Best Boyfriend in the World), and I made a little bit of progress in sewing my hand knit 3/4 lace sleeve top:

Progress since picture was taken: now both sleeves are closed up.

2- Our planned holiday was originally for 4 days in July, we changed it to a full week in August, even better (more time for yarn shopping abroad 😂).

3- Instead of seeing the Pixies locally, we're going to see them abroad, so a little extra holiday, and also I have something to wear as BBW got me 2 Pixies tops when he went the first time (he gets to see them twice 😎).

Cool T-Shirts: might have to crochet a Rock Festival Skirt now to go with these!

4- Ok, it's a little bit boring to be stuck in my room for 7 days, but I'm an introvert, it's what I do best 😅, I can live with binge-watching Big Little Lies on my Ipad for a little while longer!

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Moss Cable Cowl Neckwarmer Knitting Pattern

On my knitting needles at the moment is a nice pair of socks. 

Handknit socks currently on my knitting needles

I have some knitting patterns nearly to be published but I'm waiting to get the right conditions to take good product photos, and because I live in a house that gets the right amount of lighting only some mornings (usually mornings spent getting ready for work), I find myself sometimes having to wait up to a month before being able to take decent pictures, which was the case for my moss cable cowl neckwarmer knitting pattern, just published earlier this week even though I finished test-knitting it last March!

Proud of my new handknit moss cable cowl neckwarmer

Moss cable cowl neckwarmer posing with my new props 😍

If you'd like to grab a copy of the Moss Cable Cowl Neckwarmer knitting pattern on Etsy, hurry before the end of my sale event that run up to June 2nd 2022, where you can get any of my hand knitted or crochet accessories as well as knitting patterns at a 20% discount 😁.

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Knitting Projects Update: April 2022

I have been quiet for a while on the blog, but that's because I've been busy knitting and walking. 

I have 3 new knitting patterns that are close enough to be finished but need some more testing: a headband, a cowl and a beanie hat . These all have a similar design that I love because the stitch gives them a great texture: it's a mix of moss stitch, cable knitting and twisted stitches, and I'm keeping the first test knits for myself.

Cowl, Hat and Headband Test Knits

I've also finished my summer top, which took me 3 weeks to knit: I found the pattern on Ravelry and I thought some of my latest purchased yarn would be ideal for it: the yarn is called Linello from Lang yarns and I bought it on my last trip to France last February. I bought 4 balls and only used a little over 2: what will I knit with the other 1.5? I'm thinking a nice lacy knitted summer scarf 😍.

Finished Knitted Summer Top

Apart from knitting, because I work in an office sitting down all day, (and then some more when I knit or crochet in the evenings), I decided to get into the habit of walking at least 2-3 times a week, weather allowing. I have actually decided to participate in a charity walk in Aid of the Irish Cancer Society, : it's the Tochar Phadraig Walk, a 35 km walk that takes place on April 30th in the beautiful county of Mayo and anyone who would like to help me raise funds is welcome to donate here.

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Frogging

Well, already that's not going according to plan! Let's say I'll try knitting and crocheting just some of the items I've planned to do 😅.

In the meantime, check this out: I've just manually wound a 400g ball or worsted weight yarn and my smartwatch recorded this as though I'd walked about 1200 steps (about 1km), so for now I know knitting (or rather frogging) can count as exercise! Knitting is definitely good for you in other ways too 😁.

My aerobics exercise for today

As for how I'm doing on all the knitting and crochet projects I've planned for this year, well I've frogged the scarf that end as mittens on both sides idea (my great genius idea that was going to make me a millionaire 😂) because it just wouldn't work: once I tried it on, the weight of it caused it to keep falling off my shoulders, and I couldn't find a way to make it work without making it look awkward. I guess I'm not going to be a self-made knitting  millionaire yet!

I am converting the pattern as separate matching items: hat, cowl, headband and maybe mittens too, I'm hoping to release the knitting patterns in the next few weeks.

Oh, and also, I know I said I wouldn't buy new yarn this year, but I went abroad for a week, so...

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Knitting and Crochet Planning for 2022

It's only January 28th and I'm already falling behind with all the knitting and crochet projects I want to do in 2022 😅.

I think I need to start writing things down in a knitting/crochet diary or planner, not that it's going to help me knit faster, but at least that may help me get my projects more organised even though that may mean I could spend 5 years making what I originally planned to make this year (if only I could afford to retire 20 years earlier 😂).

These are the knitting and crochet projects that are running around in my head right now:

1- Finish knitting the scarf I'm designing while at the moment: because of the special double-purpose it serves, it needs to be of a decent width and length, so I've spent about 3 weeks doing it so far and only have about 80% done:

WIP

2- Knit myself a biker style jacket: I have seen some beautiful celtic aran cables jackets available to buy as finished items from a few Irish gift stores but I would really like to knit my own. The only trouble is I can't find a knitting pattern available to buy so I'll have to use my brain cells and come up with my own pattern.

3- I want to make some crochet coasters for my own use, to give as gifts and if they turn out well also for my Etsy store. I'm thinking the doily type coasters, as I have an idea in mind: another one of my Million Dollar ideas that may or may not work out 😅.

4- I need to knit more socks this year, as I have some nice sock yarn left that is crying out to be used up.

5- Slippers: I've been wanting to crochet some thick boot-like slippers for the past couple of years: in fact I printed a crochet pattern for crochet slippers, only to find the exact same pattern I'd already printed before in one of my pattern stashing places (yes, I'm disorganised like this 😂).

6- I'm planning on knitting myself a sweater using some nice fingering yarn I bought last year, I have a vague idea of what I want but more knitting pattern research needs to be done. 

7- I want to crochet for myself, maybe also for my partner and for my son, Christmas sweaters using a  square that I've seen being used in a blanket crochet pattern for the front motif and plain crochet for the rest of the sweater(s). I need to do more pattern research for this too.

8- I'd like to knit a stole/shawl either for myself or as a gift using some metallic yarn I have in my stash, a Knitting and Stitching show purchase from a few years ago, I hope to have enough to knit something decent.

9- While having lunch sitting outside a restaurant in Cork last year, I spotted someone with a messenger crochet bag, I'm not sure whether it was handmade or not or what stitch it was but I loved the texture so much I can't get it out of my head and I' hoping to be able to reproduce a similar bag for myself.

Well that's only a start as I know more knitting and crochet ideas will pop into my head during the year, realistically I will need more like 5 years to made all of the above and that's only if I don't get distracted by other projects I feel I just have to do. I really need to keep my focus in check and NOT BUY ANY YARN in 2022!

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Alpine Stitch Baby Sleeping Bag: Free Crochet Pattern

I hope you've all had good year-end celebrations and I'm wishing everyone a Happy New Year 2022.

One of my neighbours just had a baby boy so when I learned she was pregnant I decided to crochet a baby sleeping bag for her. I sort of free-handed it while still working on the knitted sweater for my son, as it created a welcome distraction from the sweater's repetitive pattern.

This Crochet Hooded Alpine Baby Sleeping Bag is pretty simple to make and I thought I'd write the pattern while making it so I could share it here 😁.

Crochet Hooded Alpine Baby Sleeping Bag

The yarn I picked is a bulky weight soft acrylic, I wouldn't make this in pure wool as babies' skin can be sensitive to wool, so use soft cotton, acrylic or a mix of both as long as it's soft.

It is an easy crochet pattern as all you need to do is crochet a long rectangle that is then shaped as a hood for the top part and the main sleeping part is folded over. There is no need for button holes as the chosen stitch has large enough gaps to slip the buttons in and out.

Bulky weight is great as this sleeping bag works quickly and will ensure that the baby will be extra cosy in his/her little hooded sleeping bag.

Free Crochet Pattern for the Hooded Alpine Baby Sleeping Bag:

Materials: 

3 balls of James C. Brett Top Value Chunky (100g/150m/163yds per ball) in Blue,

3 balls of James C. Brett Top Value Chunky (100g/150m/163yds per ball) in Beige,

Crochet hook size 6mm (US size K/10.5);

6 large wooden buttons; make sure the buttons you choose are large enough so that they fit securely into the gaps formed by the alpine stitch when closed.

Final dimensions:

40cm (15.5in) width × 66cms (30in) length when finished (folded over).

Gauge:

11 sts x 10 rows in alpine st make a 10cm square.

Abbreviations:

SC: single crochet (double crochet UK);

DC: double crochet (treble crochet UK);

FPTR: treble crochet in the front post (double treble in the front post UK);

Pattern:

(a) Using colour A, ch46;

Row 1: SC in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn (45 sts).

Row 2: ch2, DC in each st across, turn (45 sts).

Row 3: ch1, SC in each DC across (45 sts).

(b) Row 4: ch2, DC in first SC, *FPTR in DC from row below next SC, DC in next SC*, repeat from *to* across, turn (45 sts).

Row 5: ch1, SC in each DC and FPTR across (45 sts).

Row 6: ch2, DC in first SC, *DC in next SC, FPTR in DC from row below next SC*, repeat from *to* across up to the last 2 SC, DC in the last 2 DC, turn (45 sts).

Row 7: ch1, SC in each DC and each FPTR across (45 sts).

Repeat rows 4 to 7 five more times or until your work measures about 23cms from the beginning. This will be the hood.

(c): Using colour B, work rows 4 to 7 twice.

(d): Using colour A, work rows 4 to 7 once.

Repeat (c) and (d) alternatively 5 more times, then repeat (c) once.

Last row: ch1, SC in each DC and FPTR across (45 sts).

Fasten off, weave in loose ends.

Assembling:

Form the hood by folding the top of the hood into 2 halves in order to make a triangle shape and sew or slip stitch both halves together.

Position the buttons: fold the sleeping bag all the way to where the hood finishes (where the baby's shoulders should be) and 3 buttons on each side of the back part, spaced evenly apart; there is no need for buttonholes as the buttons will close into the gaps left by the alpine stitch. 

Congratulations! You have completed your crochet hooded alpine baby sleeping bag! 

You can use this pattern for making your own baby sleeping bags for personal use and selling your own finished products but you cannot give or resell this pattern; If you know anyone who would like this free crochet pattern please give them this link to direct them to Sophie's Knit Stuff's Hooded Alpine Baby Sleeping Bag Free Crochet Pattern.

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