Exciting!

I was really excited last Tuesday when I typed my tea cosy pattern up and posted it on my blog. I also added it as a free pattern on Ravelry.

I was even more excited when I checked my pattern, to see that people had added it to their queues! When I last checked, it was in no less than 36 queues! I am amazed and will be very interested to see if anyone actually knits it. Being in 36 queues just means 36 people have put it on a list of things they want to knit and if they are anything like me, that list never gets any shorter - just longer. Oh well, I am just so pleased that fellow knitters have liked it enough to even do that. Which is more than I can say of 2 of my other knitted designs - more about that next time!

Tea Cosy pattern freebie

Here is the pattern for the tea cosy I made my friend. She asked me to knit her a tea cosy which was green and didn't have a bobble on the top! After searching among patterns, I couldn't find anything suitable so decided to create my own. The knitted fabric is lovely and thick and the lid is detachable. Here it is:



Size: to fit large tea pot. My tea pot measures approx 52cm round widest part and approx 34 cm round base.

Needles: 1 pair 5.5mm (straight)

Yarn: 1 strand of each of the following:

Sirdar Click chunky
Patons Studio Mohair (dk)

Other materials: 4 beads or buttons
Row counter

Abbreviations:

inc = increase (by knitting into front and back of stitch)

k = knit

p = purl

rep = repeat

sts = stitches

tbl = through back of loop

tog = together

Sides (make 2)

Using 1 strand of each of the yarns together, cast on 24sts

Rows 1 & 2: Knit
Row 3: k3, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k3 (28 sts)
Row 4: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3
Row 5: k3, inc 1, k5, inc 1, k8, inc 1, k5, inc 1, k3 (32 sts)
Row 6: As row 4
Row 7: k3, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k10, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k3 (36 sts)
Row 8: As row 4
Row 9: k3, inc 1, k7, inc 1, k12, inc 1, k7, inc 1, k3 (40 sts)
Row 10: As row 4
Row 11: knit
Row 12: As row 4
Rows 13 & 14: rep last 2 rows
Rows 15 & 16: knit
Rows 17 & 18: Rep rows 11 & 12
Row 19: k3, k2tog tbl, k to last 5 sts, k2tog, k3 (38 sts)
Row 20: knit
Row 21: As row 19 (36 sts)
Row 22: As row 4
Row 23: As row 19 (34 sts)
Row 24: knit
Row 25: knit
Row 26: As row 4
Next 4 rows: knit
Cast off

Lid (make 1)
Using 1 strand of each of the yarns together, cast on 15 sts
Knit 2 rows
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: k2, p to last 2 sts, k2
Repeat last 2 rows three times more
Next row: k6, cast off 3 sts, k6
Next row: k2, p4, cast on 3 sts, p4, k2
Rep rows 3 & 4 four times more
Knit 2 rows
Cast off
Make a loop on each of the 4 corners of the lid to fit over bead/button

To make up:
Using 2 sides of tea cosy and with wrong sides facing, sew row ends together for approx 3cm from cast on and cast off edges. Sew in ends. Turn right side out and place on tea pot with cast on edge at top. Place knitted lid on tea pot and mark positions to sew beads (or buttons). The knitted lid should be slightly stretched when loops are placed over the beads. Attach beads securely. Fit loops over the beads to secure lid in place.

Any queries, comments, errata, please email me. Address on right.

One year on...

I cannot believe I have had this blog for a year! I cannot believe I missed my blogiversary! Definition in Urban Dictionary here. It was on 19th August and I had no idea I started my blog so long ago. I had a vague memory that I started this blog towards the end of last Summer but it really doesn't feel like a year.

I always imagined I would have a big celebration with giveaways, competitions, freebies etc. but I don't think I have blogged enough for all that hype! I still feel quite pleased with myself for keeping going though, so I think I will type up a couple of patterns as freebies. It is always nice to discover a free pattern through someone's blog and I would feel amazed if even just one person used one of my patterns. I'll start with a tea cosy I designed for a friend's birthday last week. I would also like to type up the pattern for a bag I made in July but I'm not sure if I wrote it down anywhere.

Anyway, a belated happy blogiversary to myself and anyone else out there!

Back so soon!

I'm making the most of an evening to myself even though I really should get to bed early. I usually find that blogging seems like a waste of an evening's knitting but tonight I am at a bit of a loose end with the knitting. I have started way too many things and can't seem to finish any of them off. Spending time on the computer is a way of ensuring I don't go and start another project off on a complete whim.

I have started a new blog which I am calling my gallery. It's just a bit of a trial and at the moment seems to be just repeating information I have put on Ravelry. I think the logical, ordered side of me feels the need to display my knitted projects in some sort of sensible way. It is counteracting the chaotic side of my knitting which is a million items on the needles, a million more ideas in my head and a knitting basket that is getting stupidly out of control! It is good to see that I have completed 20 projects this year though. I have a bit of backtracking to do but I'll try and keep it up to date (I will try).

For some unknown reason I am having a knitted toy craving this month. I used to knit toys all the time - in fact I only knitted toys. It is only very recently that I got into knitting other stuff at all. Anyway, I have been digging my Jean Greenhowe books out again and browsing through them. I was bought Little Dumpling Dolls (the village men) for Christmas but haven't knitted any of them yet. I have just learnt on Ravelry that this pattern is out of print and pretty difficult to come by so I really fancy knitting one of these cute little men. I also treated myself to Part 1 (the village ladies) yesterday. I want to knit them all but I'm not sure who to start with. I'm also not entirely sure what I would do with them once they were finished.

Well, that's it for today (and maybe for the rest of the month, who knows?!). Let's hope that's it for rain this month too but I doubt it very much.

Behind

I feel so ridiculously behind with this blog that I just don't know where to start!


It is one of those times when I just need to sit down and get on with it - then it won't be so bad. I seem to be comparing writing my blog to eating vegetables which is not good! In truth I don't really know why I have this blog. I think I like the idea of it but haven't really got into it properly. I have thought about stopping it but in my usual stubborn way, I think I'll battle on and see if things improve.



Anyway, what have I been doing?


1. I have a new baby nephew and managed to finish his blanket.

2. I've been to Cornwall and had a lovely, if a little wet, time.





3. I've bought a book to learn how to crochet but have yet to start.





4. I've broken up from school - hooray!





5. I have used up nearly half of my holidays already.





6. I have done quite a bit of knitting.

7. I've taken up running (a slight exaggeration). I've been for a very short jog 4 times! It's horrible but I really need to do some exercise.

Ok, so I lied...

... but I am back in less than 2 months! A week to be precise. I just find it very difficult to find the time to blog. Any precious time I have for myself I prefer to spend knitting to be totally honest. I WANT to blog but the reality of it is a little different. My head is full of so many ideas for my knitting which I would love to share. I don't get around to ever starting most of them. Some people say they have a problem with starting projects and not finishing them (I have that problem too) but I also have the problem of thinking up a million projects and never getting them underway at all.

I have been constantly knitting though. I am in the middle of a blanket for my children's first baby cousin which is due to arrive next month. I thought I should start early to give me a bit of a chance to finish it on time.

I've also completed a pair of baby socks for a colleague at work who is expecting a little boy soon. They were actually my first ever socks I've knitted.

My next post will be catching up on the knit a bag a month project! I really need to sort out where I am!

Oh dear...

... I was aware I hadn't done much posting but almost 2 months? That's bad!

And today I came across a blog that had been participating in 'a post a day for May'. I think I was trying to achieve the opposite - 'zero posting for the whole of May'.

I'm going to vanish now as well! But I will definitely be back tomorrow...


or definitely by the end of the week...


possibly.