Happy Holidays!

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!

 Merry Christmas.

Kris-Kringle Ta-dah!

Now that I have gifted the latest project I've been working on, I can reveal it!

It is a zippered purse for for my dear friend Maggie. Inside there are 2 crocheted wash cloths and some nice smelly soap. Every year a group of us that went through university together catch up over lunch and we bring a Kris-Kringle gift. This year it was my turn to have something for Maggie who is a crazy artist - I'm sure she'll appreciate this hand- made gift.

Here is a picture of it with one of the wash cloths. This was a great stash busting project - the only thing I had to buy was the zipper!  In total the purse used less than 100gms, and each wash cloth used 50grms.Now the question is, do we want the pattern up? Let me know.

Merry Christmas Maggie!

For Your Convenience

Just a quick note to let you all know that I have now worked out how to add pages to my blog - YAY! So to make life easier for you, I have added a page with my patterns on.

Cheers::

Look Out France!!!

That's right folks, I'm heading to France for two weeks in January.

While it will be with the school, we wont be spending 24/7 with the students. While they are stuck in their language classes we will be off sight seeing and shopping, and you know what type of shopping I mean - YARN!!!

So in order for me not to freeze my butt off (it will be the middle of winter when we are there!) I have started to make some warm snuggly things.

First up, the head! Grace Lace Beret. OMG! I love this pattern. This is the first charted pattern I've done and it is so easy to follow, I don't know why I haven't done one before. Only thing I changed was instead of doing the crochet cast on and then increase to 120 stitches, I simply cast on 120 and started the rib band. I think it would have been rather tight if I had not skipped the crochet cast on.


And because I LOVE this pattern SO MUCH I have made two, with a possible third in the works.

 

This one is made with Evoke Hand dyed 8ply. Takes less than 100grams, maybe 70-80grams.

And this one is made from Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic 8ply in Berry. 

O.K, now I need suggestions. I have an Azzu blocking as I type (next post I promise) and I have a wonderful Ysolda Teague cardi that I cast on the other day, but what else do I need? Help?!

Cheers::

Hibernation almost over!

Fear not friends, I have not left the planet. Cosmic Creations has been hibernating during the maddest part of the school year. But have no fear, we will return in a few weeks with surprises once I wave bye-bye to my seniors as they leave for the HSC.

Easy Eyelet Cowl/Mobius

As promised, here is the new cowl/mobius pattern I have been working on.

It is a simple eyelet pattern which is in multiples of two stitches. Here is a close up of the stitch pattern.

It can be worked in any weight yarn (I used Malabrigo Twist Aran/ 10 ply - nice and smooshy soft) and any even number stitch count (I cast on 102 stitches). To give it a softer drape, I used 7mm circular needle rather than the recommended gauge.

Easy Eyelet Cowl/Mobius Pattern

Cast on an EVEN number of stitches. Twist the cast on row 360° (this makes it a mobius, you can skip the twist if you want a straight cowl). Join to knit in the round. Place stitch marker to indicate end of row.

Row 1: Knit (K) all stitches.

Row 2: *K2 stitches together (K2 TOG) Yarn Over (YO). Repeat from * to end of row (don't forget the last YO). Slip marker (SM).

Row 3: Repeat row 2 until desired width. 

Row 4: K all stitches. SM.

Row 5: Cast off loosely.

A word on blocking: depending on the yarn and needles you have used and your knitting style, you may not need to block the finished cowl. I did not but if I had used a thinner ply yarn I most likely would have.

Enjoy!

Fly-by Posting

Things have been sooo busy this past month - marking, year 12 1/2 yearly exams, debating - the list never ends. So this is just a fly-by posting to let you know that I'm still here (waves hello).

I have finished a couple of things and I promise to share them soon and I also have another pattern for a cowl for you all. But until the school holidays (thank goodness, one week to go - not that I'm counting!) I have to show the Azzu Shawl I knitted. I received the yarn and pattern from the wonderful Silvercreelspinnr on Ravelry in the Magic Yarn Ball Swap at Christmas. If you haven't been part of a MYB Swap the idea is to wrap the yarn around some goodies so they will be discovered as you knit/crochet the pattern. This is how mine came from Silvercreelspinnr.



And this is what it turned into...



The pattern is fantastic! I've already started another one, this time bigger and from Malabrigo worsted. It's looking mighty warm so far. You can get a copy of the Azzu shawl pattern free from Ravelry here.

Cheers::

My Turn!

Remember back in December I made this French Market bag for Margaret? Well, I thought that as it was so fantastic (and sooo easy) to make that I needed one too and here it is!

Nice and big to hold all sorts of projects. It's made from Lincraft Cosy Wool, which felted really nicely, and only took 3.5 balls. Not bad if I do say so myself! ;)

Now I'm working on a Lucy Bag from Attic24. Here it is at the moment.

And here is all the woolly goodness that makes up the bag...

... Moda Vera Pure New Wool (bought on sale!). At the moment it is far too hot to knit or crochet (43°C, I'm melting, melting!) so the rainbow bag will have to wait a while.

More knitty goodness to come in my next post.

Cheers::

Happy Australia Day!