Where did June go?

I seem to have got into the habit of a flurry of posts early in the month then nothing. The weather was too good for a while to spend inside with any crafting. However it is Wimbledon and so I am in front of the TV with my knitting.
I promised to knit a bunny girl for my oldest granddaughter Alexandra. She is 5 now and I thought she may be a bit old. However when she saw Isobel's blue bunny girl she asked if she could have one too. Her colour preference was for silver and gold! I searched high and low for the silver yarn, I can tell you. However the bargain bin at Hobbycraft came up trumps with this variegated grey and silver thread yarn. It is Rico Creative Reflection print. Full details on my Ravelry project page 
The Bunny has been left half finished in the bottom of my knitting bag for ages but we are travelling to Wiltshire tomorrow to stay the night so I cracked on this morning and she is finished.
All the bunnies I have made seem to have a different character. I suppose it depends on the shaping of the face. So tah dah..... here she is,

Here are the girls, all together.

Full details of the pattern are on my Ravelry page.

I'm making progress with my green cardigan too and have started a baby coat for Jenny's bump. More on these later in the week.

I'm hoping I am not too late to link up with Wool on Sundays (even if it is Tuesday!)

Catherine

Casting on

     
I'm giving my sewing machine a rest after a busy week and getting on with my new project, a Wildflower Cardigan. The pattern is by my favourite designer at the moment, Alana Dakos. You may remember that I made the child sized version, the Wee Wildflower,  for Vivi last September. The link is to my photos and projects page on Ravelry.

I had to think long and hard about the sport weight yarn for this cardigan as I have been a bit disappointed with the Debbie Bliss brand I used for the Gnarled Oak cardi and the Bergere de France for the Entangled Vines. Both pilled badly although the Debbie Bliss looks OK if I use one of those velcro type brushes that remove lint. I don't think I should have to do that though when the yarn is so expensive.

I needed a harder wearing yarn that was not quite as soft. I searched the forums on Ravelry and found that an American yarn called Chickadee from Quince & Co was really popular. It is only stocked at one shop in London, Loop,  and they did not have quite enough yarn in the colour I wanted so I decided to take the plunge and order it from the US. There is a good selection of subtle colours but I liked this slightly sludgy green called Bosc. There was a notable difference in the price in America and the price here but this was all due to import tax and shipping costs. In the end there was only a couple of pounds in it. Why is yarn so cheap over there? I must say that the staff at Loop took my name and called me back a couple of weeks later when they had more in stock. I would definitely order from them next time as they have a beautiful selection of yarns and seem to have great customer service too.

So, how is it knitting up? I cast on for the back and have managed about 5" so far. The yarn is slightly harder but has excellent stitch definition and no sign of going fluffy. I would love to hear your recommendations for other DK or sport weight yarns. I really would like to support British yarns more. I would like more subtle tones and better value.

The other project on my needles is Lexie's silver and gold bunny girl. The link is to a pink and cream dressed version I did a few years back. I went into Hobbycraft in Cardiff for some odds and ends and found the ideal sparkly silver yarn in the reduced bin. It is Rico Creative Reflective print. This is a 4ply silver grey with a silver metallic thread running through it. Not my usual kind of yarn but ideal for the project. I "interpreted" the gold as a strong yellow. Hopefully she will be finished for the end of the month when Lexie and Sam are coming to stay for a few days.

Finally I need advice about storing fixed circular needles. Mine are like a rat's nest of tangled spagetti in this bag. There must be a better way.

I'm linking up to Janine's Wool on Sundays on her website Rainbow Hare Quilts. The regulars to the party are a lovely bunch and there is always some new project on the go. The button on the right takes you to the current Wool on Sundays.

Next week is going to be really busy with visits to Malvern for the quilt show and to Althorp for a tour of the house with Mike. I may not get much time to post anything but I'll be taking lots of photos while I am out and about for when I do.

Catherine

A late start to my 2015 blogging.....

2015 almost started with a bang; or should I say a major incident which has shaken me up quite a bit.

Our house, an old stone built barn, is at the end of a single track lane with high hedges on both sides. We have neighbours and we are all aware of the dangers of driving too fast along the lane. On January 2nd I decided I needed a few bits and bobs from the supermarket and so I set off after breakfast. I was tootling along the lane when the postman appeared around the corner. I slammed on my brakes and was almost stopped but the van kept coming. When people say that your life flashes before your eyes I have never believed it but it does! Suddenly the van mounted the bank to the right and flipped over onto it's roof. I felt sick and could not take in what had happened. After a few seconds, when I had figured out how to use the phone, I rang 999 and my husband. The van had landed a few feet from the front of my car. I moved my car back a few yards as I was so worried that the impact might cause the van to explode.

Within a couple of minutes my husband arrived and checked on the driver. He was conscious and able to answer questions. The paramedics came followed some time later by 3 fire engines, the ambulance and police. The driver was cut from the van and taken to hospital where it was found that he had no injuries apart from bruising and whiplash. What an amazing escape for him.
However the whole thing left me shaken and tearful for the next few days. I suppose one thinks of what might have happened.
So, excuses over, I'm back to my blog.

I know it is customary to start with a review of the last year but I am keeping that for my next post which will be linked to Grow your Blog 2015 on January 24th.

I've not managed to get my sewing machine out since the van incident. I'm not concentrating well at all so I have decided to do a few knitting projects to keep me occupied. The first one is a Bunny Girl in a Spotty Dress. The pattern is available from Julie on the Little Cotton Rabbits website. I made one some time ago that went to live in Thailand with my friend's granddaughter. The project is a bit fiddly with lots of seams but I love her to bits. It's also a great way to use up leftover yarns.

I used Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Chapel Stone for the body and Rowan Wool Cotton 4 ply for the dress, tights and shoes. Julie provided lots of tips on the pattern for stuffing the head to get a good shape but I have possibly over-stuffed the arms a bit. She is now put aside to add to a certain little girl's birthday presents.

My second project is the Cosy Blanket from Attic24 which is coming along quite nicely but I have no photos yet.

Lastly, I am challenging myself to knit a pair of socks. Despite knitting for years and years I have never felt the need to knit socks but as there are such beautiful yarns available (and sock knitting is all the rage on Ravelry) I decided to have a go. My yarn is the 4 ply sock yarn from The Old Piggery and is a hand-dyed 50/50 mix of merino and tencel in the Petunia colourway.

I'll be having a break until I have to post for the blog party on the 25th. The house looks like it has been blitzed with the various combinations of visitors over the Christmas/ New Year period and it will have to be tackled.

I hope you all have a wonderful, uneventful, New Year.

Catherine
Linking up to Freshly Finished Friday, a brand new Friday link party at hardknitlife run by Jenna
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