Look what Dropped in

My creative brain is in overdrive, so therefore I have to get some of it out before I have a crash....lol

So many ideas but no yarn to create.  Time to go yarn hunting then.  Apparently I was in time for Drops Alpaca party yarn sale..... yay!  I bought their NORD yarn as it was the only one with the colours required.   At the same time I stumbled upon Drops interchangeable needles on sale.  I've been wanting interchangeable knitting needles for ages now to replace the cheap rubbish circular needles I got off ebay years ago.  

This time I used the Wool Warehouse in the UK for my order (might as well make the most of it before Brexit).  They have a great range of yarns and good prices to match. (compared to Ireland).  No doubt I'll be popping back again as the wish list is growing again.

So what are these colours for?  Well I'm going to make some earflap hats with Puffins on them.  With the yarn being so thin (sock yarn) I'm going to put a fleece lining in there too.  Maybe this time I will actually write the pattern as I knit it for a change.

Of course now that I've charted puffins, my mind is going onto other designs...........

Neck Poncho

So with all the celebrations over and the days almost flying past, my best friends birthday decides to sneak up on me yet again!  Not that I have forgotten since it's the same day as my dads would be, just that I've been so wrapped up in just getting through the days (joys of chronic pain and insomnia).

Now since I can't drag my sorry bag of bones around the shops, and my friend said she was going to the same online store to get herself something, I had to come up with something else!

She had been browsing Pinterest and seen a scarf that she thought was really cool.  I liked the concept of construction but not the pattern on it.  I knew I would be able to make it easily enough, as it wasn't rocket science to knit the pattern.  However I wanted to get an interesting stitch pattern to make it more attractive.

So With my Super Chunky yarn in a lovely purple colour and my big bamboo knitting needles, I set to work on her scarf.  I tried a diamond quilting stitch, but that didn't work.  Then I did a Fractured  Lattice stitch and that worked great.  At the end I even had yarn left to add tassels.

It arrived on the day of her birthday and she was over the moon with delight about it.  Plus they have had snow for a few days, so the timing is perfect.  This one is super cosy, I might make another in a lighter yarn for myself.

How I finished 2017

I've been neglecting the blog a lot, spending more time on social media and I had a knitting marathon just before Christmas.  Two tank tops in Merino wool for an international order.  

I found out that I can knit faster than I thought, that I don't like knitting under pressure and that I can only insure my shipping items outside the EU for €35 under registered post!   So I will be taking that into account in future.  Luckily nothing went missing in Christmas post.  

The yarn was from drops and it was lovely and soft, as well as easy to knit up.  I have no idea how it washes and I think it is probably best dry cleaned to keep it looking new.
I actually knitted 3 of these, the first had a neat fitting V neck and these two the neck started the same time as the arm holes.

I also made some charity hats from left over reclaimed aran yarn.  I doubled up the yarn to get a more chunky cosy bonnet and just made it up as I went along.

Also I found this fantastic wildlife artist, who works with felt to create amazing images.  From these you can buy prints and other items with her work printed on it.  I'm a huge fan of Puffins, I have bought her cards, paperweights (gifted them away) and finally treated myself to a print or two.  The frame I was lucky to pick up for €6 in a local bargain store.  I wish they had them bigger for the second print I bought of the Robin.  This one is named 'Atlantic Love'

So if you want to see what Molly has to offer, I highly recommend you check out her website EweSir.ie   She is also part of Three Magpies, which is a collaborative project between the designers and friends, Tracey of Bia Beauty, Molly of Ewe Sir and Kay of Ruby Robin Boutique.

Percy Robin by Ewe Sir, size 11 x 14 inches put into a larger frame for the double mount effect.