"Sylvia's jacket" for Sheila [Started 16th January]

Yet another opportunity for me to make this Fiona Morris jacket!! Uses discontinued Wendy Fusion yarn (50% Wool/ 50% Acrylic). The second attempt worked out a shade too big for Sheila so am making a third version of this apparently popular cardigan.

Seasonal Lettering [Started 15th January: :Completed 11th February]

Decorative knitted letters from the Debbie Bliss magazine No 5 for Winter 2010 this time. I am trying this using red and white 5ply guernsey yarn; this is noticeably thicker than the recommended Rialto 4ply, which I think is a particularly fine 4ply (in every sense). So I the fabric I am knitting is very firm, and I am still not sure if I will end up with great big giant letters - which may not be quite so appealing as a decoration.

Sony Tablet Cover [Started 4th January::Completed 8th January]

Yet another Fair-Isle design but from the Debbie Bliss magazine No 5 for Winter 2010 this time. Remember those winter cushion covers made early in 2011? Well I had several attempts using my machine and so produced a square sample which I have unpicked and revamped to make a cover to fit my Christmas gift from George. The yarn is vintage pure wool DK - probably from Forsell.

Snowflake cardigan [Started 29th December 2011]

This is another of the Fair-Isle designs from Debbie Bliss Magazine 7. I am using Amy Butler Organic Aran in colour Slate [50% cotton, 50% wool; 50g:90m/98yds] as it was on sale - and also as my intended victim is Rob who is slightly allergic to wool and I think the wool cotton blend might suit. I think both Rob and George were slightly dubious about the Sherpa hats - so maybe Rob needs a fashionable Fair Isle cardi as well as George.

Snowflake Slippers [Started 12th December 2011]

Another free download from Rowan's Christmas collection 2011. They look really cute and fun to make. I considered making them on the knitting machine (the snowflake sections); however the pieces are not large, and the thick boucle linings will be hand-knitted, so fiddly work like this probably best all done by hand.
The outer yarn is Rowan Felted Tweed DK [50% Merino Wool 25% Aplaca 25% Viscose: 50g=175m/189yds], in colours clay 177 and pine 158. I replaced the pine colour with Maritime 167 - a pale blue more like the photo on the Rowan site. The linings are in Rowan British Sheep Breeds Bouclé colour 220 [100% wool: 100g=60m/66yds].

Snowflakes [Started 3rd December 2011]

I loved this sweater the minute I saw it - and in 4 ply it makes a potentially ideal candidate for knitting on my machine, (took enough of my patience knitting all the welts in preparation). The pattern is from the latest Debbie Bliss Magazine 7, which has a number of great modern takes on Fair-Isle designs - I had trouble deciding which one I wanted to make for myself but settled on this black and white number in Rialto 4ply (100%wool; 50g/180m).
I also love the legwarmers but am concerned I might look something other than trendy if I wore them.

Knitting at the O2 [Started 24th November 2011]

I started this - which is "Hitchhiker", a narrow scarf or shawlette pattern available on Ravelry - as a simple pattern that I can execute hopefully with ease while watching the tennis at the O2, where I am off to with Helen today (24th). The yarn is some lovely Malabrigo in colour Prussia, that Alison bought me as a gift. This seems the perfect pattern for it.

Dotty baby bag [Started 19th October 2011]

Second sleeping bag in nice masculine colours for Ava's first grandchild, knitted in vintage yarns - an unknown Argyll chunky from ebay, and Beehive Shetland Chunky, half of which supplied by my new friend Woolbear from her stash on Ravelry (thank you!).
Planned to be available as Pattern of the Month in the future.

Granny's Cabin Fever Throw [Started 6th September 2011]

From the new Rowan book Purelife Home which has lots of appealing projects using British Sheep Breeds Chunky and, in this case, the recycled yarn Renew [270m/296yards, 93% recycled wool, 7% Polyamide]. The vibrant tweedy colours are quite irresistible.

Bella Blouse [Started 9th June 2011]

This is the Bella Blouse by Norah Gaughan from the Knitting Daily Pattern Library. I am using a few balls of Rowan Damask - a yarn I love but now discontinued - for the contrast and I found an ecru cotton blend (Patons Washed Haze) which tones with it quite well for the main shade. As my supply of Damask is limited I am omitting the contrast band at the bottom of the sweater.

Rowan Man's Aran Cardigan [Started 14th October 2010]

Stash wool from when I overbought some Rowan Magpie Aran Tweed for a cardigan for my brother-in-law some years ago (I know - not like me - large administrative error in translating 2oz balls to 100g balls). I am adapting a cardigan pattern from the Mens Book which is designed for chunky yarn; I have not yet made a satisfactory start - every time I knit the welt it looks too small!

Two [Started 22nd August 2010]

This is Two - not another cardigan! But it is, like Puzzle, from Queen of Hearts - in fact, the cover design. The yarn is Patons Misty [25g; 150m], 70% mohair, 30% polyamide. It knits to a double knitting tension of about 22sts to 4 inches, but I am knitting it much looser on 6mm needles. I chose this yarn also at Ally Pally in 2009; being a dress I thought it would take for ever but it seems to be knitting up very quickly so I have exery expectation of finishing it soon...

Arty Fibre Scarf [Started 18th January 2009]

Alison gave me this exquisite fibre for Christmas along with a pattern for a beautiful scarf. She saw the finished item knitted up but there is no photo included, which adds to the pleasure, because the surprise continues as you knit. The yarn is Artfiber's Tsuki , 60% Kid Mohair, 40%Silk, [40g skein; 515yds], and the pattern is Artfibers Vertical Drop Stitch Scarf.