Cable Fingerless Mitts

Design: Cable Fingerless Mitts
Designer: Me! It's a free pattern too...
Yarn: James C Brett Marble Chunky
Needles: 4.5mm

This third pair of fingerless mitts was made for the Hermit, to go with his stupendously long scarf. This was the last incarnation of the pattern, and the one I was most happy with, so I wrote it up and offered it as a freebie here.

Double Cable Mitts

Design: Double Cable Mitts
Designer: based on a pattern found on Ravelry, but I amended it
Yarn: James C Brett Marble Chunky
Needles: 4.5mm (I think)

I knitted these mitts as a gift for my B-i-L at Christmas - this was one of three pairs knitted as a variation on a theme for the men in my life. I've raved about Marble Chunky before and although time has shown it has acrylic's tendency to pill a little, I like it for quick, cheap to make knits that don't look cheap and nasty. Yes, okay, I admit - I'm a yarn snob. Horrible shiny acrylic just doesn't do it for me, I don't think it ever did, but I am getting worse - sucked into the natural fibres section ...

Trick or Treat - Lizzie*Kate

Design: Trick or Treat from the Hallowe'en Sampler Leaflet
Designer: Lizzie*Kate
Threads: DMC as charted
Fabric: 28 count evenweave

Another 2008 finish. It's still waiting to be made up into something, but I should be able to get it made up this autumn - I have a lot of suitable backing fabrics in my stash, given my fondness for autumnal colours! The colours in this photo don't really show up the background fabric very well, it's a bit more yellow. It's rather an odd fabric, I don't know where I acquired it from - possibly a trade or an exchange - as it's rougher than normal evenweave. I like it though - it gives the piece a rustic homespun appearance.

Winter - Trail Creek Farm

Design: Winter (freebie available here)
Designer: Trail Creek Farm
Threads: DMC, own choice
Fabric: 28 count linen oddment

I stitched this in 2008 and haven't blogged about it. I know I made it for the HoE Christmas Exchange, and then realised that as my partner was in the southern hemisphere, where it was summer, it perhaps wasn't appropriate!

I will be making this up into a scissor fob, hopefully for this winter!

Holly Berry Sampler - Bent Creek

Design: Holly Berry Sampler
Designer: Bent Creek
Threads: DMC conversion with red substituted
Fabric: 28 count evenweave, unknown colour

This is the Holly Berry Sampler without the berries - I have buttons to add, b ut I appear to have misplaced them!

This stitched up pretty quickly and completes the set of three - I've already stitched Plum Berry Sampler and Pumpkin Flower Sampler.

So - two posts, two Christmas trees! :o)

O Christmas Tree - Prairie Schooler

Design: O Christmas Tree from the out of print Christmas Samplers chart
Designer: Prairie Schooler
Threads: DMC as charted
Fabric: 28 count evenweave, unknown colour

I finished this back in January, but it looks like I didn't blog about it!

This had been a UFO for a couple of years, but when I set to, it didn't actually take a huge amount of time to finish - or at least, it didn't feel like that, because like most Prairie Schooler designs, it was a joy to stitch.

The Hermit is not a huge Christmas fan, and doesn't like ornaments and such, but I'm afraid I'm just going to have to ignore him and get this framed and displayed prominently this Christmas!

As we don't have room for our own Christmas tree in our flat, I think this is a good substitute, and it can preside over the baskets of ornaments...

Why I Don't Have Time to Stitch...

I passed my work this academic year with flying colours*

Has the stress and struggle been worth it? - actually, yes. I feel that I'm just getting into my stride now, and I'm more confident about the work. I learned a lot this past year, not just about theory and academic stuff, but about myself. Yes, it does take over my life to a large extent, but at least I'm seeing results now.

So, excuse me while I have a little brag, I'm pretty pleased ...





*If I keep this up for another three years, I could get a First. For US readers, it's broadly equivalent to magna/summa cum laude, as far as I can tell.

Happy Canada Day!

There are times when I wonder if the Hermit misses his home country. And then there are conversations like this morning's when I realise he doesn't ...

We were talking about Canada Day, and I asked him - because I'm merely an ignorant colonial oppressor - what the National Anthem of Canada was. Apparently it's something called - strangely enough - O Canada. And then the Hermit started to sing. And managed two lines. This is the man who knows albums-worth of obscure lyrics off by heart....

Happy Canada Day, eh!

Another knitting weekend away...

Whilst a heap of my friends and colleagues are at Glastonbury for the festival (fingers crossed for good weather for you!) I'm off to deepest Shropshire with my knitting group to make acquaintance with a large pile of Jacob's Sheep fleece and some spindles...

I'm also - in case I turn out not to be a natural at this spinning lark - going to take some knitting and stitching with me, so hopefully there will be progress - and pictures!

Normal Service Has Been Resumed ... and May Goals Review

I'm sorry I've been so quiet, but between work-work and university work, I've been very busy and when I've had a spot of free time, I seem to have wanted to do nothing but chill out. I've barely picked up a needle!

Anyway, all my Uni deadlines have been met, exams taken, and I get my results at the end of the week. And work is going well, too - I secured some more projects, and organising those has been a bit time consuming, but it will be worth it. I've had to work a few more hours the last couple of weeks, to catch up from the weeks where I worked fewer hours to accommodate my Uni stuff, but hopefully, from now on I can do my usual 24 hours a week and have some time to myself :o)

I have been reading blogs, even if I haven't been commenting, and I've really enjoyed seeing other people having finishes and having fun :o)

I didn't have many goals for May:

• Birthday Card for The Tot (my niece) - I made this with craft foam, it looked not bad
  
• Birthday Gift for The Tot - I knitted a small rabbit
  
• Birthday Card for Dad - nope, he had a store bought one this year :o(
  
• Block for Patchwork Quilt - nope.
  
• Pair of Socks - done!

So - not too bad. But two family birthdays in a tough month for Uni stuff (and it will be for another three years) is either going to need better planning from me, or learning to live with the guilt!

I didn't make goals for June, which is just as well, as I haven't really achieved much so far!