Much neglected but still knitting

My blog over the past few months has been much neglected but I'm still knitting, and have found myself to be most productive over the winter months. Here is a list of what I have completed:

2 blankets (1 for myself and 1 for my sister and sister-in-law);
2 sweaters (1 for myself, purple turtle neck in sock yarn, 1 for my husband in DK Rowan covered in cables);
1 shawl (for Tante Corrie);
1 baby suit with matching hat (for little Sky).

I can't find all the photos of the above work, but I have one of the baby suit and two of the shawl... enjoy!

Currently I'm working on socks for myself, a perfect project for those in-between rehearsal periods... enjoy!

Autumn scarf

Here is a scarf I made for myself last week as a fill in project whilst I wait for some yarn to arrive to make a poncho (or Mancho as I like to call it). I used a simple yarn-over pattern to make some nice faux cables. It is made from 4ply Rowan Cashmere in green. It's very soft but I only did a quick blocking so it's a bit wobbly. Really need to buy a blocking kit to get those scarfs nice and straight as I can't be bothered to pin it all out and leave it for days drying on my floor... Enjoy!

A spencer for Christmas

I've been very busy with rehearsals with De Nederlandse Opera but have found time to fit in a bit of knitting here and there in the evenings. For Christmas I wanted to make a sleeveless pullover (or spencer in Nederlandse taal). I used a lovely sock yarn in wool/alpaca mix which I bought from Schouten Handwerken, Hoorn. It only took two and a bit balls of 100g so it was a cheap and quick knit! The yarn is so soft, and I've already washed it to settle the stitches and seams and is now even softer and kept its shape well. It's from a 1950's pattern that I purchased from ebay so is shorter than a modern fit (23 1/2 inches) so you need to wear a pair of high-waisted trousers with this one.

My Mum will be happy that I'm so well dressed on Christmas day!

The front is in basket stitch and the back is in plain stocking stitch

The finished neckline and the collar under construction.

I was really chuffed with the arm bands and the collar. I worked out the maths to make certain that the ribbing was even and my picked-up stitches are the neatest I've done to date. It's very satisfying to see a continuing development in my knitting skills.

Next on my knit list is another pair of gloves (almost finished glove number one) and then a pair of fair-isle socks using the remainder of the yarn from this sweater with a bright red sock yarn! Oh, and a spencer in navy blue merino sock yarn for my lovely model and husband.

Keep knitting and Happy Christmas :-)

Winter Gloves

Finished knitting my gloves for winter. Here is two pictures of the finished item, knitted on UK14 (2mm) two needles using Katia Olé Socks "condor".

New Piece - Lace Shawl

Over the last couple of weeks I've been working on a triangular shawl project and here is the finished article. Knitted on UK9 (3.75mm) straight bamboo needles using Zitron Filigran Lace no.1 (which was from Schouten Handwerken, Hoorn):