Quilted table runner for gifts

I had hoped to knit something for the kid's teachers for a Christmas present, but as the school fair took up most of my September - Dec, there was little time to be knitting 2 gifts as well, so I decided to make a few table runners, as I can do this a lot quicker than knitting. 

May the Force Be With You Young Jedi

Love this baby cardigan, made for Phil's niece who is due to have a baby in April 2012. I saw it in Ravelry ages ago, but didn't have anyone to knit it for. So, I jumped on the chance when I found there was a baby on the way.
It's a jedi cardigan, so it has to be in grey (or brown), I don't think it matters if the baby is a boy or a girl to wear grey! I was never a big fan of pink for girls, blue for boys. The writing on the inside was used after I saw Fabienne's sweater and thought it was the best thing ever!!

Pattern from Ravelry: Baby Yoda Sweater, by Cari Luna  Needles: 4mm Yarn: Cleckheaton Country 8 ply

Handspun yarn

Test knitting my handspun fibre that I have been spinning over the past few weeks.
A simple knit purl beanie

An ipod cover

An ipad cover

Not very exciting I know, just seeing how my handspun knits up.

Spinning

I am really enjoying spinning with Barry, Majacraft Little Gem wheel.   I am really pleased with the thickness (or thinness) and the consistency of the yarn.

Our spinning and weaving group meet once a month, and I really enjoy attending and meeting like minded people.  The local council had a "hertitage week", and invited us to set up a display and "learn how to" in the council offices one day.  So a few of us took our wheels and fibre and set up a display of our work.  We had a few interested ladies wanting to have a turn.  It wasn't a big turn out, but the bonus was that I got to spin more of this yellow fibre and finish the 100grams later that week. 

You can see my Tarra Ishbel shawl (browns), and my Boneyard shawl (green) in this photo below.

Winding Path Jumper

Winding Path, by Wenlan Chia. Wool: Rowan Big Wool. 15mm needles.

Very undecided about this one.. I don’t think it suits me. I like it with the dark green stripes closer to the neck than the other way…but not convinced. I will wait till next Winter and see how I go wearing it.  The sleeves are a little bit long, but this maybe a blessing in the Winter months. 

Tarra's Ishbel

My first wool that I spun during the Beginners Spinners Class with Donna. The spinning wheel I used during the course was a Tarra wheel. It sat for awhile, as I was not sure what to do with it, and I just liked fondling it, it was so awesome, and I can tell you I was so impressed with my skill!  Fergus enjoyed it as well!

But then Kim gifted me a gorgeous pattern I had been eying off for quite sometime, and knew this was exactly what I wanted to knit with my first handspun wool. Ishbel, by Ysolda Teague.
Knit on 4mm needles.

I just love it!

Mystery Knit Along

My first ever KAL with a pattern given in 5 installments from Tiziana Sammuri.
I am so thrilled with this shawl.  Technically my first fully lace pattern I have ever attempted.
The nupps drove me crazy, but the end product was so worth it!
Wool: Evilla Artyarn
Needles: 4.5mm
Pity the weather is starting to warm up.  This one may have to sit in the wardrobe until next Winter!

Barry's Boneyard Shawl.

My Little Gem Spinning Wheel has a name, "Barry".

The first fibre I have spun on Barry has been this green fibre that I bought from the Guild.

 Pattern: Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West

Needles: 4mm

Jacey Boggs Workshop

Donna and I went to the Jacey Boggs spinning weekend.  She is an amazing teacher.We just wished I had more than 2 months experience of spinning before doing this workshop…there is so much to learn!

I had heaps of fun, met some new fibre friends and have lots to practice!!

Below are the samples I managed to produce...you can see I still need a lot of practice with my wheel!

Brass and Steam shawl

This is the second project from my Spinners Course at the Spinners and Handweavers Guild.

This wool is spun from fleece straight from the sheep, and then dyed.

The pattern is inspired after Alexander's investigation of what steampunk is.  Then we did a Ravelry search for steampunk, and came up with this shawl. It's called "The Age of Brass and Steel, by Orange Flower.

The green and yellows in this shawl are pretty bright, but I like it like that! :)

Amsterdam Annis

I bought this yarn in Amsterdam. I tried to find wool made in the Netherlands, but there wasn’t any. So I ended up with this yellow from Peru.

The lace work will remind me of the lacework in Rembrandt’s paintings.

The yellow reminds me of the Vermeer and Van Gogh’s paintings I got to see in real life, not just out of art text books.

The yellow is not as vibrant as I would have liked, but the yarn store didn’t have much of a selection in yellow..this muted yellow will probably suit me better anyway!

Pattern: Annis by Susanna IC    Yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace Solids

Cabled Fingerless Gloves

Cabled Fingerless Gloves.

Pattern adapted from Kimberly Gintar

Wool: Fibreworks Merino

Needles: 3.5mm

Learning to spin yarn.

For the past few months I have been learning to spin at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria with my friend Donna.  I swore I would never do this after being so bad at it back at University, however, second time around, spinning has just come naturally to me, and I am really enjoying turning fibre into yarn.  We have been having a great time, and learning a lot!
Here is a pair of handwarmers from the very first wool I have handspun, and then hand dyed.

Needles: 5mm, and knit in the round.  I ran out of the dyed wool just before the end, so I added a little bit of natural handspun wool.  Nice and warm.

Now we have the spinning bug. Donna and I went to the Bendigo wool show and I bought a Majacraft Little Gem Wheel.  It is fantastic, and I am really happy with it!

Elicia Ruffle Scarf

urgh, this looked like a fun project, but it was a tedious knit, and it isn't soft. Although you should see how many people are wearing these scarves at the moment.  I don't "do" popular.
Fiddly yarn, not sure if I will ever wear this...it seems to bring out my double chin!

Yarn: Lincraft Elicia.  Needles: 6.5 mm
Cast on 7 stitches and keep going until the yarn ends.

Zig Zag Shawl

Zig Zag Shawl, designed by Marion Bulin
Wool: Becreatif - Alpaca  Needles: 5mm

I have been waiting for the perfect yarn to make this Zig Zig pattern, designed by my German friend Marion.

Summer Flies

Summer Flies by Donna Griffin
Wool: Handmaiden Fine Yarn Casbah Sock
Needles: 5mm

Canadian wool I bought at Hand Made in Berlin….on the way to Gavin & Meryn's wedding.  

Suitable to cast on while watching the Royal Wedding.

Ready to marry a Prince

Using some felting stash and 6.5mm needles, I played around with making a crown to watch the royal wedding. Finished it off with a picot edge, and a few beads.

 We had a cake

 We got together at Kelly's place.

 I won the engagement ring in pass the parcel.

 Of course, you can't watch the Royal Wedding without a glass (or 6) of Pimms!

 It was all very civilised!

and a lot of fun, even though watching anyone's wedding on TV is not my thing! At least there was Pimms!

Celtic Pin Vest

Pattern: from Creative Knitting Magazine (can't remember which one)
wool: Fibreworks Kid Mohair Brushed, Moda Vera Beauty, Moda Vera Boutique
needles: 5.5mm and 6mm

I modified the pattern to knit it in one piece. (one piece patterns are the best, no sewing up needed!)

Picked up the boutique and beauty wool at the op shop at Mont Albert. 6 balls for less that $10.00. not enough for a complete vest, so adding in some of my Fibreworks boucle to make up the extra.

A simple vest that I can wear around the house when I want to keep my body warm, but don’t want bulky sleeves!

Ostern 2011 Coquille Shawl

Coquille Shawl from Knitty
wool: Araucania Ranco Multy (2 skeins)

needles: 3.5mm and 5.5mm 

Knitted this one over the Easter holidays while we were up at Bright.  A simple pattern to knit.

Ribbed Shrug

Ribbed Shrug from Better Homes and Gardens March 2010
wool from Ireland: Kerry Woollen Mills Aran Wool
needles: 6mm and 7mm

I must work on a better way to increase stitches with larger needles. The way I have done it on this vest look like holes. At least the holes are evenly spaced, so perhaps I can call it a design feature?
I bought this wool in Ireland, love the colour, and it is so warm!

Drop Stitch Scarf

Still trying to use the stash, I had 2 balls of Colinette Tagliatelli Merino tape leftover from a jumper.  The wool is now discontinued, but so pretty.
I needed a 40th birthday present for a dear friend, so thought she would love these colours, and she does get cold in Melbourne Winter's.

Pattern: Drop Stitch Scarf by Lion Brand Yarn
Needles: 8mm

iPod Hoodie

Phil thinks I have lost the plot.  This is the most interesting pattern to knit up.

Pattern: iPhoodie by by Emily Vanek
Wool: sock wool from stash
Needles: 3.25mm