Yarn Along March – Purple cardigan
I finished knitting my purple cardigan. I love it. It could very well be the best thing I’ve ever knitted. I’m really happy with the fit and love wearing it. From my notes, I reckon it’s taken me eight weeks to knit, which is impressive for me.
The only part I need to work on is the curling hem. I have blocked it, but not enough, it seems. If anyone has got a tried and tested method to make the hem behave, please let me know.
I used King Cole Merino blend dk. 100% wool. It is now my favourite yarn to use. A real pleasure to knit with. I’ve made hats with it before as it’s anti-tickle, and have often thought it would be good for something bigger. I bought the yarn in the sales, which reduced the cost down to a do-able price. I’ve found it priced at anything between £3 to £3.79 per ball. Back in January, I bought it for £1.79 per ball making the cardigan work out at just over £25 to make, instead of the usual £42. Perfect!
The cardigan pattern is King Cole 4076. There is a choice of a cardigan or jumper. Both are long line with side vents. I found the pattern straightforward. The cable panel is easy once you get into the swing of it. After a while, I stopped referring to the instructions, as it’s obvious what to do from the previous row, if you see what I mean. Total joy to knit.
So on to the next knit. Yes, I’ve cast on, but the photo really doesn’t give a fair representation of the amount of time it has taken. I’m using Wendy air yarn. It is wispy thin. Never underestimate how long it can take to find the start of the yarn in a ball like this. Lots. I’ve tried the first row a few times, but undone it. I’m not charging ahead with this one. I’m sure I’ll find my way with it. Eventually. It is such a contrast from my last project.
As it’s Yarn Along time again, I’m including my book, which I am loving. Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time. I’ve nearly finished it and am dragging out the end, because I don’t want to finish it yet. Savouring every last page. It is difficult to put down. It’s so good, I find myself reading and preparing the evening meal at the same time. The book in one hand and a spoon in the other. Children mumbling that I’m ignoring them.
Last photo of my cardigan. I’ve ordered some more wool to make the jumper version next. I’ve found it again at the same price, so hopefully they have enough of the same dye lot, which caught me out last time. I had to change colours. Fingers crossed. It is such a good pattern.
Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along. What have you got on the needles at the moment? Are you reading a good book? Oh, and any advise on my curling hem, would be much appreciated.
Crochet an alternative to cotton wool
With two teen daughters in the house, it was only a matter of time before skincare and makeup products would become the major occupants of our bathroom cupboard. Heck. It got so bad, I even contemplated a second cupboard to cope with the invasion. Could I squeeze one in without making it feel too crowded? Maybe two?
Fortunately, as so often happens, it sorted itself out. Makeup was eventually herded into bedrooms to prevent one sister using the other one’s collection. Peace was restored. Skincare tubs and bottles were still in residence, but there was room. Plans for future cupboards were abandoned.
It feels like a long, long time ago that I wrote a letter to my 11 year old daughter about the use of makeup. I’m pleased to say, neither of them are over the top in their use. They go for the natural look. This is a good time to experiment, as far as makeup is concerned.
Anyway, the next looming issue was tied up with the removal of said makeup. What goes on, has to come off. I eliminated single-use wet wipes and cotton wool pads from the house, by a ready supply of flannels. I made a clutch of bamboo flannels. These have been a bit of a success, I’m mighty glad to say.
Just one niggly problem. Teeny tiny one, at that. They found the flannels too absorbent. The makeup remover glugged away into the fluffy fibre, never to be seen again. Same with toner. As good as gone. They were resorting to using tissues instead with the remover and toner.
Neither solution was good. Apart from the waste of the remover with the flannel, the tissue wasn’t a good alternative to a cotton wool pad either and it was adding to our waste. We only have a tiny bin in the bathroom and I was emptying it far more frequently. All heading for the landfill.
I’ve had reusable cotton pads on my radar for a while. Crochet in cotton. There are so many different designs but most boil down to a small circle. Usually 12 half crochet stitches in a circle. Then 24 on the next round. Digging through my stash, I had a few odd balls of cotton yarn. I wanted three different colours, so each of us skin care/make up users could have our own colour.
I made three trial sets. Three of each colour. If they work out, I’ll make more. They take no time to crochet up. The plan is to store them clean in one jar and put the used ones in another jar. Once there are enough to wash, I’ll put them in a small, drawstring mesh bag I have in the cupboard. Then into the washing machine they will go.
I’ve tried one with toner and it is so much better than a tissue or fluffy flannel. Thick enough to hold the liquid, but thin enough not to hide it. Fingers crossed. It looks hopeful.
If nothing else they are so darn pretty. I did look at buying a ball of recycled cotton yarn, but hard to justify when I already have cotton in my cupboard. Another time.
First make of 2019. So simple and satisfying. Thrifty and frugal. Also a warm, fuzzy feeling that it is an eco friendly solution to boot. Cutting waste. Cutting water and chemical use in the production of single use cotton wool. Happy dance.
And, even though I say it myself, I think they look rather good in their jar by the sink. Like little rounds of candy. Irresistible. Encouraging all to give them a go. Some projects are win-win, I’d say.
Linking up with #GoingGreen
Handknitted gloves – thrifty
Making the most of the merest of sprinkling of snow to take my photos today. Perfect backdrop for my latest finished knitting project. Grey against the white seems to show these gloves off at their best. Although, I bet the hot chocolate takes the focus. It certainly kept my hands even warmer, during the photo shoot, and the contents soon disappeared. Brr! It sure was chilly out there.
But back to the gloves. It’s been eons since I last knitted gloves. Mittens are fast and furious to knit, and easy for young children to wear. So knitting mittens have been a natural course in the last few years. I have created basketfuls of mittens since becoming a mother. Seriously. Basketfuls.
So why gloves now? Cold hands. Walking to school, last week, I had three choices: big, chunky gloves, fingerless gloves or nothing. None seemed to fit the bill exactly.
Back home, I dug out my Grandma’s glove pattern. I’ve used it before. Also, a couple of balls of wool picked up last year from a charity shop for 50p. ( I know, 50p!) The yarn is Sirdar Freya – short and brushed winter cotton grey. Not a yarn mixture I’d normally choose. That’s true for the colour too.
Grey is not kind to my complexion, or the increasing grey in my hair. I like grey. I even like the grey in my hair, but combining too much grey, saps all the other colour out of me.
Gloves are a perfect solution. Not near my face – well not often. I’m incredibly glad I bought this wool in the end. I was surprised at how exceedingly warm it turned out. It is described as brushed, which does seem to trap the warmth, as it should. Being a cotton blend, it has less give than wool, when you’re knitting it, but wonderfully luxurious when finished.
The glove pattern was printed in 1975. I like using it. Next time, I might down size the needles when knitting the cuff, as it could be a bit more snug.
Grandma has added her notes to the pattern. Judging by her numbers, she counted every other row and used it a few times. There is something comforting about using a pattern that she would have knitted on a similar cold, winter evening too.
Something new. I used a tip I picked up on Pinterest to prevent holes where the glove splits into fingers. I usually end up stitching closed resulting holes. For those of you that knit gloves and have the same issue, the answer is to cross over two stitches, as you split the glove. It fixes the problem very neatly.
I love my new gloves. They are lovely to wear. Warm without being too chunky. Not itchy, in the least. For the ladies’s size, it uses 60g of yarn. Three balls of 20g each, according to the instructions. I like the idea that you could walk into your local wool shop and buy a 20g ball with no problem or compromise. It makes sense. Multiples of 20. Less yarn left over, as you can buy nearer to the required quantity.
For these gloves, I started with 100g of yarn, I still have about 40g left of it. It might make a smaller pair. I know my boy hopes they do. He’d like a pair too. For the school run, of course. Can you imagine? If I manage it, I’ll have made two pairs of warm, luxurious gloves for 50p. Just goes to show that sometimes those odd balls of yarn in charity shops may be a better bargain than you thought.
If that’s not a good reason to learn to knit, then I really don’t know a better.
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