On My Needles: I'm Ready for Winter Cowl

When I say I'm ready, I mean nearly there.

I've got my hand knit fingerless gloves and hat already finished - I wanted to try and make a slouchy hat and I'm pretty happy with the result:

 
 My 11 year-old daughter doesn't want me to wear my slouchy hat, she likes to try it on herself and tells me she likes looking like someone from the 60s.

I'm not sure what she calls sixties style, but I'm still going to wear it, even though I'll probably leave the small round glasses a la John Lennon and the minidress for someone braver than me.

Anyway, I still haven't finished this cowl that I keep trying on to see if it's as big as I want it - I'd want to be able to put it over my head when I don't have my hat on (are we there yet?:-)

The knitting yarn I'm using is King Cole Riot Chunky in Monsoon shade, I just love how soft it feels and the self striping colours mean that I'm never bored with the colour. Also, the advantages of handknitting my own winter accessories means that I get everything to match, even though I won't go as far as knitting my own winter coat.

 I have a new matching;-) phone case planned so time to keep knitting this snood and free up my needles!

Knitwits is the New Yarn Shop in Galway: Christmas Came Early!

My closest yarn supply stores are in Galway, but unfortunately they love stocking mostly overpriced luxury yarns or cheaper yarns that remind me of the scratchy and brightly coloured jumpers my granny used to knit and that I only wore on the days I went to visit her.

 Luckily when I went to my local craft and chat group last Wednesday, someone mentioned Knitwits & Crafty Stitchers, a new yarn store in Galway, so I thought I'd pay a visit during the week.

When I saw the wool in there, I thought I was in heaven: beautiful colors and excellent quality yarns! Of course they have their share of luxury yarns (Bergere de France) and also the authentic Donegal Studio (not for me, as this kind of wool feels scratchy and I can nearly feel my childhood skin allergies coming back when I touch it), but I was pleased to see that that they stock a wide variety of premium quality and affordable King Cole yarn, which I had been buying online as I couldn't find it locally: I spotted my latest favourite King Cole Riot chunky at €5.20 for a 100g ball (I had previously bought it online for €5.69!).

 To add to this, the shop owner is a very nice lady who says in her website's blog that she set up her store after being made redundant so I want to support her business, and although I think I have enough yarn to last me until Christmas, I think I will return there soon.

While I was in the shop looking at all the lovey yarns, I decided it was time for me to start knitting Christmas items for my family members, so I got 2 balls of 400g of King Cole Aran Fashion for €13 each, one in brown and one in black: I am thinking hats, trying to create a pattern for a man cowl, and maybe also fingerless gloves for my Dad and my little brother (who's not so little!):

Preview of my New Knitted Winter Hats and Fingerless Gloves

I have been very busy lately, with my kids going back to school and the start of Etsy Ireland Mentor Month. So far this is going well as I am getting a lot of great advice, and by looking at my mentor's shop, it looks like she knows what she is talking about.

Since my last blog post I managed to knit a few items with the lovely King Cole Riot chunky yarn: 3 hats, 1 fingerless glove (I am finishing the second one this evening), and I am planning to use the leftover yarn for maybe another hat or each colour and some headbands.

I just love the feel and warmth of this yarn, pity I can't keep all of these for myself, hopefully they will find a good home!

Here is the picture I took this morning; I am waiting to have more finished before I can add them to my Etsy shop:

My New Snood (Just for me!)

Just a quick post to share the snood I just finished.

This one is just for me and made in King Cole Riot Chunky yarn. It is very soft and contains 30% wool AND is machine washable (will still go on the wool cycle if I put it in my machine, though).

I am waiting for a delivery so I can make a matching hat and mittens (all for me too). My excuse for being selfish is: if I don't show off my work, who will (other than my 2 daughters who are waiting for the first chance of stealing it;)?