Kellie Winnell

knitted dishcloth? nah better as a coaster

I love knitting.  I was talking Casey, here, the other weekend about the difference with knitting/crochet to paper crafts.  I find that with paper crafts personally, you really have to have a set space, time and so on.  We both agreed that with our knitting and crochet it was a lot easier to pack away and take on a car trip, family weekend away, or even while watching a movie.  Than it is to work on your project life, in the car?  

It's one of the many reasons I love to knit, the basic stitch, let's not get too far ahead there, still on the basic stitch over here.

One thing I did do was knit with cotton, it was so easy to knit with, smaller than what I was used to but I loved the feel.  Looking up something to knit I came across this pattern on youtube for dishcloths : here.  I knew I wanted to knit something quick and easy and see results in a day or so.

After knitting 2-3.  One in black and white, above.  It's still my favourite to this day.  Only they seemed to pretty looking for dishcloths!?  So I started knitting them smaller with yarn and not cotton and using them as coasters.  LOVE them and have gotten many compliments on them.  These would make perfect Christmas presents in a set or gifted with a mug.

I feel like I am having a mind blank on how many sttiches I cut it down to, but it's alltrial and error and you just firgure it out with the size cottonor yarn you are using.

currently creative link up #7

Welcome to another 'currently creative link-up'.  The concept of this is to share what you are currently working on, already made, thinking of making, a goal you have, your creative space.  Anything creative.

So what do you do, how can you join in?  Create a blog post, add your blog link below and share your "currently creative" post.

Don't have a blog?  But have a picture?  You can now link in, InLinkz from your flicker, facebook and instagram links.  WINNING!

Here is what I am currently getting creative with :

Yeah I know shock, it's something with needles and cotton this time not wool, so that's different.  I made a dishcloth, which I actually think the pattern is far too pretty for that and so I am working on something else.  Of course after I made one I wanted to try with black and white, my favourite colours or shades, however you want to see it.  Was a little trial and error, and I need to thread the ends, but overall I'm happy with the result.

 

An InLinkz Link-up

kids knitted scarf

One of the things on my goals for July, here, was to knit Heidi and Chloe a scarf each.  I did this within the first week of July [yes I did just pat my own back then, haha], and they love them.

 

I used wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mills for Heidi's, and a bright pink I picked up for Chloe the other week.  I bought a bunch of wool in pinks and blues months back from the Bendigo Woollen Mills online, to one day get to knitting the girls a throw blanket each.  So while that isn't happening anytime soon, I decided to make use of the wool.  

SUPPLIES :

• 12mm needles
• 15mm needles
• Plastic knit needle

I started knitting Chloe's first. I thought the 12mm needles would give it that loose look I was going for, but wasn't feeling it, If I knitted with two strands it was too thick, one and way too loose.  After casting off and on about 5 times already trying to get the width I wanted, I really wasn't about to do it again, to be honest I was getting a little frustrated by this stage, I just changed to 15mm needles mid knitting.  I was also knitting double strands, finally it was the look I was going for.  When I got close to the end, I changed back to the 12mm and knitted the same amount of rows.  Added fringes to the bottom, first time doing so and BAM, finished in a day.  Then I got started on Heidi's and we decided to do two different colours, and again I went with the 12mm for the pink and then changed to the 15mm needles when I got to the blue.

 

And that is how about 17 of the 20 photos I took of Chloe looked for this photo shot, I kid you not.

knit headband or earwarmer

I have been trying to get into knitting something other than a blanket, but still with the same garter stitch, let's not get too adventurous too soon.  While looking around on pinterest I think it was I got the idea to knit the girls a headband/earwarmer.  Couldn't be that hard I figured?  

It really wasn't.  So here is what you'll need :

• needles, I went with size 5 for the blue and 6 for the pink.
• wool or acrylic.
• scissors
• knit needle

You could do this all in the one shade.  I am working on another 3 in navy for the girls for school, that I wont be adding a bow to.

Cast on 20 stitches.  You can cast of less or more, depending the width you would like.

I didn't count rows, I would just measure the girls head and went off that, around 13" to 14" is safe and fits me, well the 14"  Allow for the band to stretch. 

Once you get the the length your happy with your length, weave the loose end into your headband. Then fold your work so that the two ends meet. With a piece of yarn sew the two ends together. Best to use the same colour as the knitted headband.

Once you have sewn the two edges together, wrap it around the area, this will cinch the headband.  Now you could go and just get another length of the same coloured or different coloured yarn and wrap around and around then tucking in the ends.  But I decided to knit a bow.

To knit the bow, I got some darker coloured yarn compared the the headband colour.  I cast on 16 stitches for the blue and 14 for the dark pink.  Again I didn't count stitched but knitted to the length of around 4 inches.  Weave the lose ends once your finished casting off.  I then got a length of the same coloured yarn and wrapped it around the center several times and tucked in the ends once I was happy with the look.

Sew it onto the headband and your done.  Best of all my girls love them and so do I.  Of course I'll be knitting myself one.  This project takes little to no time, I could make them in an hour or so.  best of all not a lot of thinking has to go into it.  I am a what I would call a beginner knitter, and it was rather simple for me, great weekend project.

 

knitted black and white blanket

If you follow my instagram or blog regularly you would be well aware and most likely sick of seeing my blanket in progress that I was knitting.  I have started this one here, from Martha Stewart and WILL finish, you know one day.  I have another I started that I shared, here.  It's almost done, so I started this black and white one, like you do right?  I love it, love, love it.  NO I do not go for Collingwood football team, Geelong all the way.  But I have a strong love for black and white.

I don't remember the number of balls it took as I changed half way through.  Because once again I got impatient and couldn't wait for my wool to arrive from the Bendigo Woollen Mill.  If I were to use purely balls from Bendigo, I could safely say it would had been two maybe two and a half balls of each black and white.  I changed the black to arylic by accident not long into it and then just went with it.  About $2 a ball and used around 5-6, as they weren't overly big.  

WHAT I LEARNT :

• I found arcylic to be thicker than the wool.
• Keeping a row count was the best thing I did.
• That I need to learn how to weave threads in.

I started on the way to Kira's first netball match, on the 5th of April and finished the 6th of June.  Not too bad considering I put it down for almost 2 weeks.

Since finishing I use it all the time, when I'm on the couch watching movies or knitting my other project, or in bed reading, knitting, watching a season of something, it's there with me. 

I noticed that Luke shared with several people the weekend I finished it, as it was Chloe's birthday party/long weekend.  So I am gathering he was rather proud of my efforts.

Would I do it again?  HECK YEAH, already planning another, you know, after I finish my mountain of un-finished projects, here.

 

Have you ever knitted a blanket?  Blogged it or share?  Please pop a link in the comments so I can go and have a look.

arm knitting

Seriously who thought up arm knitting?  Genius.  Arm knitting is one of those things I look at and think, mmmm harder than it looks, not for me.  Over the long weekend I wanted to crochet a scarf for someone, turns out my wool was far to chunky for any of the needles I had, and I had up to 10mm.  I thought I would knit it, again my needles were just not big enough and I have 12mm.  While it looked ok it's wasn't the chunky loose look I was going after.

In comes the arm knitting.  I actually was looking at it Saturday night, then a friend sent an image on the Monday morning [public holiday], and I found the video tutorial for the above image from Handimani, here.

I love it, I love the look, the feel, how easy it was and now all 3 of my girls want one!  What a perfect gift that takes little to no time at all and you literally make it with your hands.  Taking handmade to a whole new level.

To start with I did cast on a little then play a little before actually sitting and making it.  I wanted to make sure I could do it and not make mistakes.  Even so I did, but they were easily fixed.  

What I did learn : Make sure you have the 30-45 min set aside, go to the loo first too, best not drink tea before hand, like I did.  I got closer to the end and almost ran out of wool, which I then made the cast off a little tight, and they didn't match up the best.  I used one ball, two would had been perfect.

I absolutely love my knitted blanket.  But I tell you what this is coming a very close second to one of my favourite things I have made to DATE.  I can't wait to make more.  Heading to get more balls today [I got the 100% acrylic from my local reject shop for $8 a ball.  My local fabric shop has them as well, better quality for $10.  The local cheap shop ball is still just as soft].  If I hadn't made this with someone in mind, I would keep it for myself.  Already I have a few people I want to make for, best of all I could get two made in a sitting.

working on my knitted blanket

Today's prompt from Sunday, for her, blog everyday in May challenge, what are you working on?

I seriously think for me this question should be, what am I not working on?

I am working on a few things at the moment that include : wood, material, paper, leather and string.  Nope, not all for the one project, so you can imagine, I have a few things going on.  

BUT one of the main things I am getting back to after a week or so of not touching it, is my knitting.  This blanket/throw is going to be all mine, yes selfish, huh.  But you know, I do have different colours for the girls to do one each for them after this one.  But this one is just for me.  More a trial too really, so doing them a favour, they will get perfect blankets.

I am so close to finishing that I can see the wool at the end of the blanket, haha.  I am aiming to get it done by the end of the month.  Not giving myself long, but I love a good challenge.  And wont beat myself up if it's not done.

Best of all with the length that it is now, it''s like having a blanket, while you knit.

knitting again...

I have two other knitting projects going on, one really close to being finished, so why not stop that and start another right?  Yeah that's me.  My thought process is that, often in winter my girls and I love getting out blankets to snuggle up with and watch movies.  The more I make, the more we have...  If I tell myself this, it makes me feel better.

The process first blanket in case you have never seen, you can see here, here and here. Being that it's very basic with the same process, same colour and just different lengths made me start the second one on the side to add a little something different.  Only it was just something I threw together, no real thought process was had, I just wanted to knit.  One day I am loving the way it looks and the next not so much.  I just grabbed it out then and am loving it again.  I know, it's a complex thing, haha.  I know, not really!

HOW THE BLACK AND WHITE KNIT CAME ABOUT.  I was on pinterest the other week, as I usually am, and came across a black and white knit blanket.  So many amazing blankets in my favourite shades.  A fair few that for this basic knitter would be a struggle.  So inspired by this one here, away I went.

I don't want to jinx myself, but I might actually finish the black and white striped blanket, and even in time for winter?!  I know, big call, haha. I am loving the process of the black and white blanket, loving the knit count and having the row count gives me something to aim towards each time I knit. I aim to get at least a black and a white row each sitting.   

I'll make an even bigger call to have the greys and oranges blanket, also done by winter, big, BIG call there.  A challenge.  

Yup, I do love my circular bamboo knitting needles.  I find them the best to knit with when doing bigger projects.  You can for one, get more stitches on, and two, I feel they are easier to travel with.  If I had to recommend anything, it would be to have a knitting bag for each separate project.  I have one for each, just a simple typo bag with a flamingo on them, that you get if you buy it for $2 at typo.  I have a few from Christmas shopping. 

my knitting project[s]

Knitting, I love it, while never really actually finishing anything at the same time.  I started knitting this bed spread here, for Luke's and my room.  It's still a work in progress, one that I aim to get to after this one.  It's boring knitting the same colour over and over.  I started knitting the above blanket back mid last year.  It's just going to be a grab and get cozy blanket for the lounge room/my bedroom.  I picked it up last week and decided, I AM GOING TO GET YOU DONE.  Mind you, I still have balls and balls of wool for each of my girls to knit them a blanket..  That I am now thinking I should just go down the crochet path.  I see people finish within a month, meanwhile here I am still knitting away on the same blanket.

The inspiration for this blanket came from pinterest, of course.

SOURCE

I am decided to not do them in even strips but different sizes.  Since my photo above, above I added the white, OH the white...  Before I even get to that I ran out of the grey with about 15 stitches to go, I thought I could make it, having non of the colour around the house I un-weaved it from my wall hanging here, just to get more, turns out that I didn't need it at all, ugh!  Being that I hadn't knitted in a while, as in adding colours, I didn't realise that you have to start the same way you attached the colour before hand. UGH, after pulling it off the needles and fixing that [over 100 stitches here people, sweat dripping, panic mode in place], some of the stitches are a little all over the place, nothing OVERLY noticeable, unless I were to show you, up close and personal.  So I am going to take it as a learning experience and keep at it.  

Knitting is actually relaxing for me. I often do it more so after dinner is done, the clean up [or the ignoring of the after dinner, much needed clean up], we are all sitting to watch lately, My Kitchen Rules, while flicking back and forth to The Biggest Loser.

Do you knit?  Are you knitting something now?  Or are you crocheting something?  Share in the comments as I would love reading about it.

knitted blanket progress

 

Well you remember this blanket I am making?  Let's go with attempting HERE  The process has been a little bit slower than I thought.  I think it's because it's so darn repeatative.  When I was knitting my circular scarf HERE  I couldn't wait to finish and with the change of colours I could see progress.  And while I can see progress, it often doesn't feel like it.  BUT in saying that I am not giving up!  I usually knit at night, before bed, while in bed.  Don't laugh, but I watch an episode of Doctor Who with my laptop and headphones [in case Luke is in bed, he doesn't mind, have I mentioned he's amazing?], and knit.  Once the episode is over, I pop them both away and read till I basically fall asleep with the kindle in my hands.  But I didn't touch it that much for the month of May, till just the other week and since then been non stop. Here is how it's looking :

I am cheating a little, how?  While with my mum and talking about it and showing her all the other colours, but mentioning that I want to get this done before I start another one, she offered to do some for me?  How could I say no, haha?  So there will be a full row done by her as well.  I'll call it the mother and daughter blanket, mainly daughter haha.  I am really happy with how it's turning out, although hard to see, the wool is so soft and it feels heavy too, all the better for these colder months.  I might actually have this done right in time for winter to be over...

The bag is from Urban Outfitters, it did have pom poms on it, ask Pippa about that one...  And the wool is from Bendigo Woollen Mills.  The circluar bambo knitting needles I bought in bulk of about 16 different sizes from ebay.

Blanket Progress [Report]...

In case you missed my post last week, this is the blanket I am aiming to knit, HERE. I got the pattern and idea from the Martha Stewart site HERE.  This is something I came across while looking around via pinterest on crochet blankets, as that was my plan to begin with.  Having never made a granny square in my life and wanting to make a start last weekend, this seemed like a better blanket to begin with.  Less stress is also an added bonus.  Will use more wool I can imagine, but something that appealed to me and will be well worth the end result.  I am not using the wool stated, I am using Luxury wool 'Koala' from Bendigo Woolen Mill that you can buy from online [in Australia] and free shipping.  So far this is what it's looking like...

Not much to show for yet, but it's a start.  Each week I will try and give you a little update, if for nothing else than to give me that little push to try and get more done each week when I can to be able to share more than just a few added rows.  It's not been easy, as I have done something to my neck and can be fine to really uncomfortable and painful the next.  On saying that, knitting seems to be ok, as long as I am sitting in bed with pillows and up right. 

The Blanket Attempt [The Beginning]...

I have been wanting to knit a blanket for my bed for some time now.  Every time I want a new doona cover I see cover after cover and they are just never spot on to what I want.  After I finally finished or should I say 'when' I finish I will buy a plain one and use the knited blanket as a cover.  I wont lie I have no doubt it will end up in the lounge room a few times and end up on the couch with me.  BUT before I do that I need to knit the blanket, getting a bit ahead of myself, I know.  I did have the intent of doing a granny square blanket.  Having never done a granny square in my life apart from an attempt the other month where I was almost down a crochet needle aka it almost went out the window. 
I ordered some wool from the Bendigo Woolen Mill that arrived this week and boy is it gorgeous and soft and lovely and I just love it.  There was one colour that is now on back order, but I can still work with what I have...  And now this below is the blanket I am going to attempt from Martha Stewart HERE.  It states that if you can knit a scarf you can knit that blanket.  Scarves I can do, so this should be a walk in the park?

Am starting it tonight, wish me luck...  Will you be making this blanket too now that you have seen it?

Knitting with Circular Needles

When I was pregnant with Heidi and still in work I knitted that many baby blankets it's wasn't really funny, wait let me say that again....  I "started" that many baby blankets, convinced I would get them done and finished when she was born, OH how funny!  Then when I was pregnant with Chloe I didn't have time with having Heidi so young still and Kira in school to look after.  But Chloe was a premi and she was in hospital for about a week after birth sunbaking we called it, and I managed to get one baby blanket done and finished out of about 6 I started.  It was soft and fluffly and all the nurses loved seeing it grow each morning I got there to when I would leave that night.  I had knitted a couple of scarves before then but again, nothing fancy.

This year I knew I wanted to get back into it and I started by learning how to crochet and made a scarf, blog post here...   Since then I have started two other projects, one almost done, and if you follow my instagram you would had seen them, or better yet they are most likely in my 'week that was' blog posts.

After I seen the scarf Manda over at Manda Townsend's blog here...  had made herself, I knew I wanted to make it, or something similar.  I did try the pattern several times, but being my very first time on circular knitting and not very good at reading patterns, being that I am a beginner [self taught or you tube taught], I decided to just knit, adding a colour was enough, haha.

Here is the process over a day and a half, give or take.

 

I used two different shades of grey.  As the needles I bought were too big for the wool I bought, oooops, rookie mistake there.  So to bulk it up I knitting them in together and love the effect to be honest.  I should had maybe either done a few stitches more, or 20 less, but still happy with it being my first and already starting another with less stitches to have a turtle neck effect when being worn.

The weather has certainly gotten into the feeling of Autumn and I am loving just having a lazy long weekend with my family hanging out, watching DVDs and not much else.  I think we all needed it.  hope your all having a great family time too....  Are you making anything?