don't think, just shoot - instagram update

knitted beanies from simple knitting by erika knight

i've been upskilling myself & learnt how to crochet last year. so this winter i decided to get a bit more into knitting & committed myself to improving this skill. i bought this wonderful book from amazon.uk (i like the uk site better because its usually cheaper than the us site & has free shipping to australia). i found "simple knitting" by erika knight (isbn 978-0-312-66833-4) from online research.

this is the book with the new cover

there were loads of positive comments & feedback from users. one of the main things that sold me into purchasing it were the gorgeous images (photography is by yuki sugiura. good photographs in books motivate me to make the items, so this is a must for me).

montyknits.blogspot.com has done a nice simple review of the book & has photos of the images (why reinvent the wheel when a great review has already been done!). i do really recommend this book, it has all the basic info to help a beginner get started... it explains materials & techniques & has step by step instructions on casting on, knit, purl, explains continental method of knitting, increasing & decreasing stitches, casting off & knitting terminology.  then its got the stitch library, which shows squares of knitted work of the different patterns you can make by combining different patterns & methods of knitting & purling (there are instructions for these).  then it has detailed projects you of things you can make.

so after skimming over a few of the pages, i decided to jump into an easy project, i'm very impatient & not good at reading instructions through first before i start something. i like to just get into it & troubleshoot as i go, so that's what i did. i chose the beanie because it was classified as "easy" & because i will have something i can actually use this winter. the book shows the steps & explains the pattern.

it took me a couple of evenings to make this beanie. i was so happy with myself that i practiced my newly learnt skills & made second one as a gift to a friend & then a third as another gift!! i like random acts of kindness gifts, nothing like sharing some love & warmth around. the pattern was very simple, stocking stitch & then reducing at the end to make the top & then sewn together.

keke, i can say that it was simple now having made three of them.

my beanie is the plain pull-on hat on page 90 of the book

(there are 20 projects in the book, see list of the projects at the bottom of the page)

this is 1st & 3rd beanie

winter gift for a dear friend

::projects in the book::

::basic::
muffler (scarf)
dishcloth
foldover pillow
notebook
shopper (like a tote bag)

::stripes::
stripe pillow
stripe throw

::shaping::
pull-on hats
rag bag
mittens
round pillow
two-needle socks
four-needle socks

::cables::
cable scarf
cable hot water bottle cover

::colourwork::
colour-block throw
fair isle pincushion
rose teapot cosy

::fully fashioned shaping::
woman's v-neck jumper
woman's pocket cardigan

don't think, just shoot - instagram update

granny squares for vanessa

i started crocheting just over a year ago... i was inspired to make something as a gift for vanessa (who i endearingly call littleness... because she's a little bundle of joy) to welcome her into our world. i made a brightly coloured baby throw/blanket for her which i decorated with scalloped edges and added purple & yellow double layered flowers on alternate squares. i got the pattern for the granny squares, flowers and scallop edging from an Australian Women's Weekly Mag from 2006 which can be found here on the internet.... it has very easy instructions to follow which could be completed by a crochet first timer like me.

i was so excited about the blanket & giving this to vanessa as soon as i finished it (i finished it a couple of weeks after she was born) that i didn't even photograph it before giving it to her. so i must give special thanks to issy (vanessa's mummy for taking such a beautiful photograph of the blanket for me so i can post about it). thanks issy!

i love giving handcrafted gifts, its a part of me that i give to those i love.