Boy's Handknits in Stocking Stitch

Toddler size jumpers in plain stocking stitch with bands of colour and pattern. Worked in the Fair Isle method ....... one traditional, the other a simpler modern version.

Everything Old is New Again

Firstly, a heartfelt thankyou to all who have left messages. Due to a very weak internet connection at the present address, I have been unable to reply to comments and visit blogs.

During the winter months, many fanciful creations for little ones have come off the knitting needles, some of which I would love to share.

This is a little waistcoat/vest, worked in coloured bands of simple Fair Isle - sized for a 2 to 3 year old boy. Made from 8ply wool on 4.50mm needles. The styling was inspired by a vintage look, but given a modern touch in the large wooden buttons and colouring.

Winter Garden Crochet Cover

Now, after some months of unsettled living, everyday life is becomming more gracious, and inspirations for creative endeavours ....... returning. The beautiful shades of winter's greens have given rise to this first new crochet cover - made up of coloured scraps, worked in a simple treble stitch pattern. Sized for a cushion measuring 40cm x 40cm (16"). Made with 8ply on a 3.50mm hook.

Jumper with Crochet Motif

This little style, knitted in size 3 years, has a crochet flower motif in contrasting colours, placed at the front neckline. It is bordered on the sides by an openwork pattern - which, in more detail, runs across the lower edge. The purple wool has a high percentage of angora (rabbit wool), - absolutely beautiful, soft and fluffy - also very warm.

Girl's Cable Style

A fancy cable jumper, knitted for a 1 year old baby girl. The front panel is stocking stitch with a purl stitch placed in an alternate position on a knit row. 8 ply wool on 4.50mm needles.

Stripey Fair Isle

This little jumper was knitted for a 1 year old girl, but would also suit a boy.

Designed to use up small amounts of different coloured wool. The style itself is very simple, with 2 buttons on a back neck opening.

The quantities needed are 1 x 50g ball of main colour - oatmeal, 1 x 50g blue, 1 x 50g green, 25g each of white and magenta, 12g or 1/4 of red.

New Crochet Rug

Simple granny squares in a multi coloured rug. Measures 32" x 36".

Boy's Fair Isle Design

A Fair Isle style jumper for a small boy, handknitted in grey 8 ply wool, with bands of maroon and blue. Bottle green narrow bands of pattern run between and on the sleeves. Traditional patterning with a modern look.

Easy Crochet Pattern

A new crochet pattern that I was testing for a winter jumper. It is very easy ..... only two rows repeated.

Stitches are a multiple of 4 + 2.

Make a chain using this number.

1st row. (wrong side) Dc. in 2nd ch. from hook, *miss 1 ch., 3tr. in next ch., miss 1 ch., dc. in next ch.; rep. from * to end, 3ch., turn.

2nd row. * Dc. in centre of shell, 1ch., tr. in next dc., 1ch.; rep. from * to end, turn.

3rd row. Dc. in tr., *3 tr. in next dc., dc. in next tr.; rep. from * to end, dc. in top of turning ch., 4 ch., turn.

Repeat 2nd and 3rd rows for the pattern.

These are English terms and not the ones used in the U.S.A.

Tristan's Jumper Completed

A new winter jumper for an 8 year old. The wool is so thick and soft .... Paton's "Inca", knitted on 6.00mm needles. The needles I use are made of bamboo and rosewood. Beautiful to the touch, smooth and lightweight.

Rectangular Crochet Cushion

Crochet motif cushion cover 12" x 21".

Rohan's Jumper Completed

Child's cable pattern jumper, size 2 years, in 8 ply wool and alpaca blend - knitted on 4.50mm needles.

At 2 years, a child's head is still large in proportion to the chest, so a neck opening at the front, back or shoulder, incorporated into the design, makes a snug fit for chilly weather.

New Crochet Hat

A fun woollen 70's hat to match the crochet dilly bag, made previously. Bright accessories to wear with plain dark, winter clothes, or blue jeans.

Cable Knitting Design

Two new jumpers in progress. Tristan is 8 ..... his style is in two shades - not deliberate, but out of necessity, having only a few balls of each colour available ..... beautiful " Inca" by Patons, which is a very thick blend of wool and alpaca.

The smaller version of the same pattern is Rohan's - he is 2 this winter. The yarn is also a blend of wool and alpaca that has tiny coloured flecks throughout. 8 ply worked on 4.50 needles.

Scarf Patterns

Two very easy and enjoyable to knit, patterns. The top one, was found last week in a vintage book, and the charcoal coloured man's scarf is an old favourite.

Top Pattern

Cast on a multiple of 3.

1st row - Purl.

2nd row - K1,*K3,sl.1st of K3 worked over the other 2 sts.,y.fwd.; rep from * to last 2 sts,K2.

3rd row - Purl.

4th row - K2,* y.fwd,K3,sl.1st of K3 over 2 other K sts. rep. from * to last st, K1.

Repeat these 4 rows for pattern.

Bottom Pattern

Cast on a multiple of 4 + 3.

1st row - K3 * P1,K3. rep. from * to end.

2nd row - K1 * P1, K3. rep from * to last 2 sts. P1, K1.

Two row pattern repeat.

Katrina's Winter Coat

Katrina will be 4 this coming winter .... and this is her new little coat. It has pockets on the side fronts, set into bands of colour, which have been knitted with a double thread. One being a speckled wool of 3 shades and used with a plain colour - alternating blue, hot pink, gold and green. By doing this, it brought the fabric to the same thickness as the blue-grey wool of the main section, which was actually very thick - about 16 ply.

Bright Shabby Chic Crochet

A new cushion cover in crochet ..... made from acrylic with some wool. Scraps of leftover yarn are very useful for these designs, if the thickness is consistent. 18" x 18" ..... slightly larger than I usually make, and two weeks to complete. Odd colour, vintage buttons are on a side opening.

New Crochet Cover

A new crochet cushion cover, with a vintage look...... measures 18" x 18" (45cm square).

Varigated yarn gives an interesting blotchy look to some of the motifs.

Baby Boy Handknit

Fair Isle patterning is another great way to use the small amounts of left over wool, providing it's all the same ply. The little hat and jumper pictured is size 5 to 6 months. Two wooden buttons are at the front neck opening.

New Retro Style Cushion Cover

A crochet cushion cover, made from wool and acrylic. It's worth saving bits of left-overs for this type of project, as it gives a wider colour selection when aiming for a certain look and feeling to the piece. There might be just the shade needed to give that punch or to compliment the others. I unpicked a half made boy's jumper to get the right shade of denim blue - grey for the edges. No other colour would suffice. Edge measurement - 18" x 18" (45cm x 45cm).

Completed Bolero Shrug

Monique, aged 9, will be happy that her new shrug is completed, although it may be another two or three months before the weather is cool enough to wear it.

Crochet Dilly Bag

Another fun handbag, with drawstring ties, crocheted from Australian wool in strong, but subdued shades of teal blue, mustard, hot pink, turquoise, red, plus others.

The lilac purple, cotton lining has a pocket to one side, and a charm dangle makes the finishing touch ..... 9.1/2" deep.

Mohair Jacket

The red, hairy looking mohair is one of the 1980's novelty yarns, when they first became fashionable - but also expensive. I was fortunate to acquire some on sale, but not enough for a complete jacket. A contrasting lavender blue mohair and wool mix, in the same ply was used for a decorative yoke, with blobs of the same, brought into the main section to give some balance and interest.

The alternative and contrasting painted toggle buttons also helped with the overall balance of colour. Edges on the sleeves and bottom are finished with crochet in a gold shade of pearle cotton, that matched the hairy bits in the red mohair.

Two Boy's Designs

Fair Isle designs with a modern twist for small boys in sizes 1 and 2 years. The pictures are a photograph and drawing from the visual diary. The sketched pattern was made in maroon and mid grey, with the main panel in black and light grey. Both worked in 8 ply.

New Crochet Cushion

A cushion cover in crochet, using very simple basic stitches, and a variety of colours. Scraps of yarn left over from other projects, come in useful and provide the selection for an interesting colour scheme.

The yarn is all 8 ply thickness ..... the hook - 3.50mm. Normally a 4.00mm hook would be used with this ply, but I prefer a tighter fabric for a cushion cover.

Measures 18" square with edging (45cm).