Category Archives: Knitting

Cream Knitted Cardigan

I knitted a thing!

When I started knitting cardigans for 2 of my friends who had babies last year, it re-kick-started my interest in knitting. I, of course, got all enthusiastic about it and wanted to buy loads of new yarn for exciting new projects, but given my history with knitting, where I do it for a few months, then stop for several years, I decided I had to use up my existing stash before I was ‘allowed’ to buy new yarn. This is a project using up some of that stash yarn.

I have to confess, I have not yet blocked this cardigan (and it was finished a good few months ago) and I think it will be really improved when I get around to it!

The yarn is some quite soft stuff I bought from the knitting and stitching show years ago – unfortunately I threw away all the labels so I can’t tell you exactly the brand or colour.

The pattern I used was the free Enchant cardigan from Rowan. I made the smallest size, which is to fit chest 32-34″. The largest size is to fit chest 48-50″. I did a few changes because the decreases on the sleeves seemed to be going too slowly so I decreased more often, on alternate rows instead of every 4 rows.

I’m definitely not the best knitter – which is totally understandable because I don’t do it that much and have gone years without practising – I’ve for sure sewn way more than I have knitted! I also am kind of lazy when it comes to knitting and I don’t love having to count rows, let alone counting stitches so I don’t think there’ll be any cables or lace patterns in my future! I like stocking stitch and a pattern that basically says ‘knit until it’s xcm long’.

I’m part of the way through another jumper, for myself this time but since going back to full time work, my knitting output has way slowed down, as I could have predicted. So I am glad that I didn’t buy loads and loads of yarn 8 months ago, especially since I moved house twice in that time! But once I’ve finished the jumper I’m working on, then I’ll treat myself to a new project. And Oxford just got a new wool shop, which is very exciting! How much of one’s income is it acceptable to spend on yarn (and fabric)…?

I knitted a jumper!

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As I mentioned in my post about making a bunch of baby cardigans, I’ve been back into knitting recently. I finished this jumper in about 3 months or so (which for me is quick, after the only other jumper I’ve finished took like 4 years!).

I don’t know why I chose a really hot, really sunny day to take these photos, but there we are.

The yarn was some cheap acrylic I’ve had in my stash for ages. You can still get it, though – it’s called Woolcraft New Fashion DK (in shade emerald). Half way through the project I got the fear that I wouldn’t have enough to finish – I had 3/4 balls – so I ordered more and then didn’t need it. Typical!

The pattern is the same one I used before, from Learn to Knit, Love to Knit. It’s just a basic raglan sleeved jumper. I like things where it says ‘knit in stocking stitch until it measures x’, where I don’t have to count rows. I made the size 10, having made the size 8 last time as I wasn’t sure if I was going to gift it to my now ex. It did end up significantly bigger than the other one – I can’t remember if I checked my gauge, oops.

I am going to send it to the ex so hopefully it won’t look as massive on him, though he is quite small (but still a but bigger than me). It was originally going to be a vintage pattern with loads of amazing cables on but, as previously mentioned, I don’t like knitting where you have to count – and counting rows is one thing, counting every stitch on every row is just not my bag! I don’t mind so much if it’s just a different stitch and I can get the hang of it but I am a simple knitter at heart.

I am a little sad to be giving this away, but I intend to carry on knitting so I’ll hopefully reach a point where I have enough jumpers, so giving one away is a good idea in the long run.

I’ve already got my next project cast on and started, so definitely expect more knitting projects in the future! Just slower than sewing projects obviously.

Knitting Baby Cardigans

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I’ve recently got back into knitting, after making my hat I took a little break but then wanted to make all the things, like blankets and a Lauren Aston cardigan but I figured I couldn’t really justify buying yarn for new projects when I had a whole box full of yarn I’d had for years sitting there. I decided I needed to use a big chunk of what I already had before I was ‘allowed’ to buy new things (because once I learned to sew my knitting enthusiasm waned for years and I feared it would again, but with a very expensive stash sitting there!). I had a bunch of individual balls of acrylics so I thought ‘what better to make than baby cardigans for my 2 friends, one of which has had his son and the other is expecting later this month’? The pattern is one I’ve had for ages and now can’t remember where it came from but it’s so satisfying and quick to make – especially by the 6th time through!

So Ta Da!

I think this last one might be my favourite! Also they ended up a slight range of sizes because the yarns were slightly different weights I think – and I also think my tension is not very consistent. But this is good because then hopefully they will see the babies through a good few months, and maybe they’ll stretch and last even longer, who knows?!

My knitting enthusiasm is not waning yet – I made these cardigans between March and April – and I’m now knitting myself a jumper, which is taking shape considerably faster than the 4 years it took me to finish the last jumper I made for myself!

I knitted a hat!

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I knitted a thing!

I think this takes it to 2 finished projects in 5 years
🤣

I needed a new Winter hat for quite a while as I have one I was bought which a) isn’t very warm and b) I don’t especially love. I also have ear muffs for when it’s super cold – which is has been recently!

IMHO you can’t go wrong with a massive bobble on a knitted hat! It’s maybe a little big – I even already trimmed it down as it was really really massive!

This is the hat pattern from Learn To Knit, Love To Knit, which is also the book I used for my only complete jumper I’ve ever made! It’s in only one size and it turned out fine for me – and I guess you can fold it up more or less if your head is smaller or bigger than mine!

The fact that the hat is entirely ribbed also means there’s room for expansion/shrinking if required.

I used yarn from Lauren Aston design and I did kind of want coral yarn, to pick up that colour in my scarf, but I couldn’t find anything in that colour in the right weight so I went with my standard favourite mustard.

If you’re interested in knitting at the moment (which I weirdly am even though I notoriously get enthusiastic and then lose that enthusiasm approximately 10% into any project) you may know that it is very hard to buy supplies at the moment – I kind of love that people are turning to these kinds of hobbies in the lockdowns. It meant I couldn’t get a circular knitting needle which the pattern suggested, though, so I knitted it flat and sewed up the back seam – and you can’t really see it!

The last couple of weeks have been so cold I’m glad I can basically have only my eyes showing so the rest of me can be warm!

I definitely feel like I want to do more knitting and maybe super chunky wool and needles (meaning fast progress) is the way for my interest not to wane? I think I’ve been spoiled by how fact you can make something if you sew it that I maybe don’t have the patience for knitting any more? I really want to knit a huge blanket – especially a simple one as I wouldn’t necessarily have to concentrate on the pattern (which hurts my brain after a while). Are you knitting all the things during lockdown?

I actually knitted a jumper!

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This is definitely by far the longest I’ve every worked on a garment – over 4 years!!!!!!

The pattern is the raglan jumper pattern from Learn to Knit Love to Knit and the yarn was from a charity shop where I used to live in London (which I moved away from 3 1/2 years ago!).

I made the smallest size and according to my best estimate, I started knitting this in January 2015! I don’t generally make that much time for knitting – and you can tell from how long this took me! I go up to Scotland every January/February to have a second Christmas with my friends and we usually sit around drinking tea, chatting and knitting so I think most of this was done in tiny chunks each year until this year when I decided I actually had to finish it!

The fit is fine – which is lucky because I have no idea how to alter knitting patterns to fit! It is a loose fit, but I’m fine with that. It’s also one of my warmest jumpers because the yarn is acrylic, which is not what I would choose now if I was buying yarn for a jumper.

I like that the yarn has sparkly gold bits running through it, making it a bit more interesting than a plain black jumper.

One of the sleeves is longer than the other, but I think that’s not a total shock since I’m sure my tension changed throughout the 4 years it took to knit this! I also have to roll up the cuffs as the sleeves are a tad long.