Monday, January 7, 2013

Firsts

It doesn't seem possible that so many of the little people that I love so much have all been around for (almost) a year already!

Miss Layla had her first birthday party in early December, and as her parents are lovers of the handknit, I asked her mum to pick a hat pattern and I knit it up for her birthday (and I snuck a stuffed owl in too, owls are definitely Layla's signature animal at the moment)


It fit her! And hopefully will still fit her by the time winter rolls around again (please God, make it soon? I'm melting!)

Next up is Harley-bean! This little one is a such a ray of sunshine and the best little friend to my fave little man Arty! She won't be turning the big 1 until February but I wanted to get in early.
This little top/short sleeve sweater is knit out of some vintage yarn I have had squirrelled away for a few years waiting for the perfect project. Given her mum's love of all things Harlequin (giving inspiration for her name) I thought it was pretty appropriate.

 
 
The finished garment will appear after it's gifted, can't ruin the whole surprise! It was my first project for 2013 (not including individual hexipuffs) and if it's speed was anything to go by, I will definitely be knitting more than 32 projects this year!

One top of the first birthdays there was also a first Christmas. Arty's second Weasley Jumper is a little more sensible - machine washable yarn, bigger needles with 8ply (so it's light and stretchy for the all the rough and tumble activities that toddlers get up to), and a bigger neck hole and lower 'A' to allow for me to increase the neck or change it to a V-neck as he gets bigger.

I didn't take one decent photo of it, so this is stolen from his Mama. It shows how he loved the card way more than the present (like me!) and so I love it!



Next post will be a wrap up of all the grownup Giftmas knitting.
Hope your year is going well and if you're in Melbourne/Australia I hope that you are knitting with cotton! It is sweltering :(


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

The year in review, 2012.

The end of 2012 was a bit of a time-suck! Between my birthday, Christmas, New Year, a visit from my parents, baby birthdays, work amping up and deciding that my peeps would get handknit gifts this year, oh and sometimes I had to sleep - the blog has been a little bit ignored.

But never fear, there was still a heck of a lot of knitting going on. I weirdly felt like I hardly knit at all this year, and yet after a quick look on Ravelry, it turns out I knit 32 projects this year.



32 projects (including one as-yet-unfinished Beekeepers Quilt)
18 gifted to others
3 blankets
3 shawls
3 adult sized sweaters
3 toddler sized sweaters
6 hats
2 headbands
2 pair of mittens
2 scarves
4 cowls
2 pair of slippers
1 washcloth (why Katie, why?)
so very many puffs

There were only a few projects that I felt the fire of hate for, and overall I really enjoyed knitting this year. It turns out that knitting for other people is actually a really nice way to get me to knit outside of my comfort zone, and as a bonus you get to give people a warm woolly gift.

I've already cast on my first project for 2013, a jumper for a little lady turning one this year! Time keeps marching on, and so do my needles.

Happy New Year all! Wishing you untangled skeins and knot-free-Noro xo