Mar 27, 2021

My Crochet Poncho Repurposed As Pocket Shawl.

Last year there was a big trend on some Facebook groups I follow for crochet pocket shawls: one particular design, The Perfect Pocket Shawl, became very popular, and soon after that, other designers shared their own modified versions of the pocket shawl.

While I was in the middle of crocheting the Sunset Poncho, I first made it too small (that happens when you use a thinner yarn and then you run out of yarn 😅), then decided that I wasn't a "poncho person", so I let my own poncho sit in a corner for a while, until I decided to unravel it and repurpose it as... a pocket shawl!

I really liked the stitch used for the Sunset Poncho and I thought it would be a shame to let such a pretty stitch got to waste so I reused it for my own pocket shawl.

Now my "Sunset Pocket Shawl" has also been taking a break as it used more yarn than I thought it would, so I've also run out, but I think I've found an alternative, which is a plain coloured yarn in a matching shade that I found in a local shop (I couldn't find the same yarn locally and I didn't have the energy to search online), so I've decided to just use the plain yarn for the 2 outside borders (this will make it wider and I'm hoping it will look good when finished 😅 ).

For main part and pockets I have used most of 2 cakes of Sirdar Colourwheel, and the borders will be made out of Quality Double Knitting (100% acrylic, it may not be the best quality yarn but it feels very soft, so I'm happy enough using it for myself).

I will try and share instructions for this very aggravating pocket shawl (maybe that should be its name 😂), and if you're not afraid of running out of yarn like I did, you'll be welcome to try and crochet your own. As for me, I have so many new projects I want to make that I'm not even sure this thing will be ready on time for next winter, but here's hoping 😁.

Mar 10, 2021

Socks On My Needles: Curling Mist Socks

For the last few years I've been looking at handknit socks as a luxury item: I dabbed into it a little with a pair or two of plain knitted socks (with my first ever pair miserably shrinking in the wash), but I lacked the patience for the beautiful patterns that fill some Instagram and Ravelry pages.

Last September, right before lockdown no. 2, I went on a short break to Northern Ireland and found some funky sock knitting yarn. I could have found the same locally, but as I was on holiday mode I found it obligatory to visit a wool shop and easier to spend money than if I had stayed home (sorry, local yarn stores, I'll make it up to you!).

The yarn in question is Funny Feetz by James C. Brett, it's not a luxury yarn as I had hoped I'd find, but I still find it decent enough, with a good mix of wool, polyamide and bamboo, very easy to knit with.

Then I happened to find a post on Facebook about The Handmade Sock Society a few weeks ago; I think this was the last day that I could join at a discounted price (and who can say no to a discount, right?).

So I purchased their bundle of 6 sock patterns, where there is 1 pattern release each month during 6 months: it's a little like a mystery knit along, but with 6 different sock knitting patterns, where you only discover one of the knitting patterns per month. I don't know about you, but I find this very exciting (I probably also need to get a life, but at least I have the excuse of our country being on lockdown and knitting is one of those little life's pleasures that are still allowed, as long as you have your stash/shops that sell online 😅).

Here's my progress on the Curling Mist Socks:
It's a simple enough sock pattern, not too intimidating unless you hate cables. I happen to like knitting cables, it's just a matter of knowing where to place the cable needle, these are easy cables as they all go in the one direction. Of course I've decided to make things a little harder by using the double pointed needles instead of a circular needle, but that's just because the smallest size circular Knit Pro needles I have are 3.5mm and I am using 3mm to match the pattern. It takes a little time to get used to, but with nice needles like those (I'm using my Knit Pro Zing metal double pointed knitting needles, yarn distributed between 3 needles and using a 4th needle to knit the stitches and a 5th as my cable needle), everything is easier.

Can't wait to finish these and start on the second pattern, which was released on March 4th, but I'm not known for keeping deadlines, at least not when knitting is concerned 😅.

Mar 4, 2021

I Heart Cables Cowl Knitting Pattern

My second knitting pattern of the year is this beautiful cowl, with heart shaped cables:
This nearly broke my own heart because of how many times I've had to restart, since I wasn't happy with the width at first, then the finishing... Did I mention my stubbornness here before? Actually the politically correct way to call it is perfectionism 😉.

This is called I Heart Cables Cowl and is available as a digital knitting pattern through Etsy and Ravelry.
It features 8 different cables, so it is not the easiest pattern to knit, but once you think logically about how a cable must look, it will come naturally, maybe one for the cable knitting nerds out there, but I'd encourage advanced beginners looking to improve their cable knitting skills to try it. 

I know, only 2 patterns so far in 2021 and we're already nearing the end of February but who said there was a race? When you have a full-time job and a family (granted my children are at the age when they can look after themselves), plus when you keep creating others ways to keep busy (my sewing machine is looking a bit guilty, even though very pretty in its brand new cover right now!), it's difficult to keep up with plans of taking over the world of knitting patterns 😂.

Head over to Sophie's Knit Stuff on Etsy if you'd like to grab the pattern. It would make a lovely gift for Mother's Day 😉.