Time to Knit - Charity Challenge 2018 Part 1

Time to Knit - Charity Challenge 2018 Part 1

I often take my knitting with me when I go out so I can get some work done without distractions. Whilst I was at a coffee morning having a cup of tea a gentleman spotted me knitting.

He asked if I ever knitted for charity and I responded on occasions. He asked if I he gave me a pattern would I knit some items for premature babies for the local hospital. I said I would and he gave me a pattern.

Natural DK Dollymix

The pattern was for a small premature baby top which was to be knitted from the top down. So I toddled off to my favourite knitting establishment Knit Nottingham for some wool. We decided on Dollymix DK

Cast on 37

Since I do not have a lot of time with my back log of projects I decided that I would time how long it would take me to knit. I therefore started the timing when I cast on.

Incidentally I started this project at 23.25pm. Not the best time to be starting an entirely new project but the temperature was so high I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Row 8

I decided the best way to time would to be to finish one section then write down how long it had taken me. I marked after Row 8 as the next Row was more complicated. This section had taken 23 minutes.

Next Timing

I cannot remember exactly what Row this is because I cannot read my own writing. However at this point I think I should mention although I am timing it may not be 100% accurate.

The pattern states that this garment should take between 22g and 25g of yarn to make. Now the ball of yarn I am using is exactly 25g. In order to make sure I do not run out I am making my tension a little tighter. This means that I am knitting slower than usual.

Cast off 18

I noted another timing here as it was a very distinct section. I had to cast off two lots of 18 stitches to make the arm holes. This was after Row 25 and up to this point I have been knitting for 1 hour and 55 minutes altogether.

I decided that this was more than enough for one night and I would pick it up again on another day.

Small Top Cast Off

As you can see in the photograph above I have now finished the knitting part. This took me approximately 1 hour and 15 mins. This brings the knitting time up to 3 hours and 10 minutes.

Button Addition

I sewed in the loose ends and I found a couple of nice buttons off out local market and sewed them on. So I reckon if I said that the whole thing took 3.5 hrs that would be a good basis.

I am going to make another one only this time in Green. I think Eleanor said it was an Aran but don’t quote me on that.

Baby Top Natural Neck Width

I just wanted to get an idea of how big this top has come out. So I measured the Neck and it was roughly 5cm.

Baby Top Natural Bottom Width

Next I measured the bottom of the item and it came out at 13.5cm

Baby Top Natural Height

The Height from top to bottom was roughly 12cm. I will be able to compare these measurements against the Green Top.

What Blooming Flower Is It? 2018 Part 2

What Blooming Flower Is It? 2018 Part 2

I left the Part 1 with missed leaves. I have now checked all the corners and filled in any areas that needed embroidering. On to the next section

Adding Bright Yellow

I decided to do the stamens. This adding of a bright Yellow was undoubtedly fiddley and time consuming. I couldn’t get into a rhythm as they were so small and varied. I was glad when the whole corner was done.

Purple Outline

I had decided that this corner would be Purple. Therefore I outlined all the Petals with that colour. I varied the shades to hopefully avoid running short like I nearly did with the green on the leaves.

Outer Purple Petals

After the outlining of the petals I began to embroider the outer ones. Again I mixed up the Purples. I tried to make sure that in the main the outer Petals were dark shades of Purple. This is because I wanted to make the inner ones lighter to show contrast.

Light Yellow

I had two choices either I could start on the inner petals or continue on with the surrounds of the stamens. Frankly I was getting a bit fed up with all the Purple so I found a nice Lemon to work with.

  

Finished Crocus Corner 1

All I had to do now was fill in the inside of the Petals and there it is one corner finished three to go.

What Blooming Flower Is It? 2018 Part 1

What Blooming Flower Is It? 2018 Part 1

I have to admit that I am beginning to struggle with my blogging. It is not that I do not have any projects to do in fact quite the contrary. It is just that ones I am presently doing are extremely time consuming.

However I will do my best and I have entitled this one What Blooming Flower Is It?

What is this?

I was given this by my friend Laura of Alyssa Rose Boutique - https://www.facebook.com/Alyssa.Rose.Boutique/

It is a linen cloth with an inked pattern. This is one section of it showing a grouping of flowers. Now I am not very good at identifying any form of plant life but it did look vaguely familiar.

Stems Outlined

Whatever the flower was generally the stems are green so whilst waiting to work out what kind of plant it was I began on some of the outline.

After consultation with several folks we came to the consensus that it was a Crocus. Therefore I have decided to dedicate this as Crocus Corner 1. 

Inner Leaf Stalk

I continued working on the leaves whilst I searched the internet for information on the Crocus.

A Few Completed Leaves

Once the Stalks and Stems were outlined I could now begin to infill the leaves themselves. I picked a mid-green colour to fill the leaves as I didn’t want to lose the outline by using two dark a colour.

Change of Green 1

I began to embroider the leaves and was surprised by how much thread that only one leaf took to complete. I realised that I wouldn’t have enough so I had to have a think. I came up with the idea of mixing up different greens for different leaves.

Change of Green 2

I decided that whilst I was going to use different greens for the leaves I might as well go and start infilling the other corners. This meant I had to find more shades to use.

Crocus Corner Complete

 

I have now completed one whole corner of leaves.

Missed A Bit

Oh no I haven’t! I have spotted two that aren’t filled in. If you look carefully I have mistaken two leaves for that lift up for petals. This means I will have to go back and check all the other corners. Sigh.

Wrap Up Winter! It is now Spring 2018 Part 3

Wrap Up Winter! It is now Spring 2018 Part 3

First on all I apologise for cutting the last blog short. It is the first time I have had to do that. In the last blog I had just reached talking about the Brooches.

Aran Beret and Brooch

After knitting the Aran Brooch it was time to add a bit of bling. All the Brooches I have made are slightly different. However this one is unusual because as well as the normal beads I add I found a sparkle and I couldn’t resist putting it in the centre.

Black Beret and Brooch

In order to cut down on endless photographs I haven’t taken a picture with the measurements but I can state that the Black Beret is the same height and width as the Aran.

As to the Brooch I am not sure what planet I was on whilst knitting it but as well as the mistake regarding the missing stitches I made another blunder. This time I got the correct amount of stitches but I did a purl row instead of a knit and I didn’t realise until I was about to cast off. Therefore I had to undo the whole lot and start again.

Scarf Mistake

I am not sure if it was the colour that was throwing me out but I also messed up knitting the Scarf. Somehow I managed to gain another stitch. Normally this doesn’t matter in stocking stitch and I can usually quickly adjust it.

However since I was knitting Rib it caused the pattern to go out of line. It was lucky that I spotted it before I did too many rows.

Black Glove

After all the problems I had it was nice that the Gloves went according to plan and though the numbers aren’t showing up very well in the photograph the sizing is correct.

Beret Collection

So to wrap up this blog (yes the pun was intended) I thought I would show you my entire winter collection. Of course the Brown Beret decided to disappear but you get the general idea.

Therefore apart from a couple of tweaks (I am still looking for some dark green wool to extend the Green Scarf).that is the end of knitting Wool Berets for now. I do have some other colours in mind but I want to concentrate on different projects.

Besides people keep asking me about my long term project and I really need to keep working on that in addition to my Summer Projects.