Catching up with the FO's

Like so many other knitters, once New Year comes around again I find myself looking at all the knitting projects I have started, and in some cases finished, over the last year.

Pattern: Shetland Shorty from Knitty

Yarn: Sirdar Luxury Soft Cotton 4ply
Needles: as quoted, 3.5mm/2.25mm circs

As I'm relatively busty (you'd never guess from this picture!), I made the medium but now that it's been washed and worn a few times, I could have got away with the next size down. I also subbed the yarn and in the end only used 2 balls which was less than the quoted yardage even though my tension seemed spot on. Will I make it again? As much as I like it, probably not. Apart from anything else, the weather's not all that great around here to be needing summer cover ups.

Pattern: Fishy from Knitty
Needles: 4.5mm circs & dpns
Yarn: Wendy aran with wool and various aran odds and ends.

I love this pattern, it's such a fun and quick knit - pretty much done in a couple of evenings. I'd intended to make a blue and grey striped fish but was told in no uncertain terms that it was supposed to be a goldfish. Who can argue with a five year old?! A quick rummage later and I found the Wendy aran that my gran had given me. It's far too orange a red for me to ever wear so hey, hats it is then. I'm sure I'll make this one again at some point. I might even make myself one although I'm sure I'd get some very strange looks if I wore it to do the school run.

Pattern: Meret from Woolly Wormhead
Needles: 4mm dpns
Yarn: Stylecraft Life Aran

I have worn and worn this beret, it's so comfortable. I used slightly smaller needles than the pattern asked for and as a result, it's more of a beanie than the slouchy beret it's supposed to be. Still, that's made it nice and dense and warm and as it can be so windy around here during the winter, I wear it almost daily. I'm definately going to make another at some point but make it nice and slouchy.

FO - Ganomy hat

After much faffing around and copious frogging, my modified ganomy hat is finished at last. It's warm, it fits but I'm not entirely sure it's all that flattering. I think it could do with being a bit shorter in length but the top shaping is pretty much there. There's a little picture of me wearing it at the bottom. Actually it doesn't look as bad in the picture as it does in the flesh. Maybe I'm just being too critical?

I very nearly cast on again for another to make yet more modifications but instead I returned to my UFO pile and picked up a pair of socks I'd been working on.

I'd been putting off grafting the toe but as I couldn't cast on the next until I'd done it, I just bit the bullet and got on with it. I don't know why I didn't do it before, the first sock knitted up super quick and I don't usually suffer from second sock syndrome these days. I must have been sidetracked by something else. Can't remember what though now :s The pattern is called Socks of Kindness and has this lovely textured lace. I've finally found a pattern that stands up to the Opal Neon!

Anyhow in other knitting news, I'm officially a designer, or so it says on Ravelry anyhow. I don't know whether anyone will actually want to make my rocket but hey, it's just a bit of fun. Now I have to get down to the serious job of converting my scratchings for some of my bags into proper patterns.

Musings on a hat

I seem to remember that I mentioned previously I had started a hat and now having finished my latest FC (it's blocking on the spare room floor btw), I've picked up the hat where I left off.

The thing about diverging from a pattern is that you're never exactly sure how something's going to work out. I know in my mind's eye what I want it to look like but getting there is another thing entirely. Having decided I rather liked Fiona's variation on the ganomy pattern, I thought I'd have a go too. I quite like fitted hats and also, I decided that unlike EZ in her rather "pithy" instructions, I didn't really need a ping pong ball in the top to make my hat float in emergencies. Yes really. So how to shape the top to fit my head then?

Well, it seems it's a case of trial and error. Plenty of trial and lots of error - hence the rather fetching green lifeline that I have now added. I'm finally happy with the shaping of the front, now I just have to do something about the step in the back. Of course, I could be lazy and just add a giant pom pom to cover it up but I'm not sure whether I'd actually wear it then. Ah well, back to the drawing board then. it's a good job I've actually been taking notes this time.

FO - Nordic Sweetheart Hat

Can I just say now, I love this hat! I'm also bit gutted that I have to give it away but a promise is a promise and I made it for my sister. The pattern kind of sells itself so I'm just going to post lots of pictures and you can decide for yourselves.

The finished hat
View from the top
Inside and out

The pattern is of course, Nordic Sweetheart Hat by Anne Featonby. You can get it here. Anne was kind enough to stop by the blog the other day and made a comment. Cool huh, I don't think I've ever been noticed by a designer before! The yarn fell off the stash mountain and is an unlabelled shetland 4ply on 2.75mm dpns. This is the smaller of the two sizes and is a little tight on me which makes it perfect for my sister and easier for me to part with!

and finally, me trying to pretend it fits me. Will I make it again? probably not the full length hat but I think I'll be doing myself a cut down beanie version.