The Makings of a Hat

The Peace Fleece was quickly worked up into this, another Butterfly Hat. Every version of this I have so far made has been snaffled by other people, so I'm hiding this one just for me.

Details to follow on Ravelry at some point.

On the Sticks

There is always something on the sticks here. Rarely is there a moment of yarn free activity. It is not uncommon for several projects to be on the go at one time, and when I get bored with one I pick another up, until stitch by stitch they eventually cascade off my needles, quickly to be replaced by another project.

I can always find a need to knit. Warming the hands then warming my family. What's not to love.

Shawl

It's been cold here, and I've found myself reaching for my shawl more and more. It seems like a superfluous piece of clothing until it snows, and then the chill creeps in and then it seems to be the only thing that helps.

After gifting a couple away earlier this year I was left with a distinct lack of shawls, in fact, only one was left, which gave me the perfect excuse to buy more yarn. Right? (Does a yarn addict need much of an excuse to buy yarn? Or more needles? I think not).

I wanted something thoroughly warming and Noro Silk Garden was a natural choice with its silk, kid mohair and lambswool content. It's so thoroughly beautiful but totally necessary (IMO, see above) too.

This skein was colour 349 as I was attracted to the grey/mustard combo. I modified my "Impsy Pimpsy Shawl" pattern - leaving the lacework off the bottom and M1L and M1R isntead of YO, and every so often making a garter ridge to break the monotony up somewhat.

After finishing the skein the shawl was a teeny bit too small for my liking, and after raiding the yarn stash I found just what I was looking for - this Freedom Spirit yarn gifted to me a while back. 100% wool and it really brought the Noro alive by carrying the warming colours through the grey. Perfect.

And so, a new shawl, ready to be put to good use this week as we make way for a 'real winter' (as my babes call it) full of snow.

Patience & Perseverance

It's amazing what can be achieved with just a little bit of everyday perseverance and a stubborn disposition.

Stitch, stitch, click, click, over and over, every day, just keep going. And ta da! A blanket is born!

The last block rolled off the needles on Solstice day morning, and the rest of the day was spent sewing the blocks together into rows, and then sewing the rows together before weaving in loose ends. Blocking took one day and then the babes had a new blanket to snuggle under. They declare that this is the warmest blanket ever, and is their number one go-to - quite an achievement given that I only made this to get rid of all my scrap balls of yarn!

Prettier than I imagined it would be, warmer than I had expected it would be, and used more than I thought it would ever be, this blanket is really something for nothing. A bonus all round.

Details to follow on Ravelry at some point insha'allah.

Let's Get Connected

Over a year ago now I created a Flickr Group (and Ravelry Group) for us to get connected, and share things together. The Ravelry group was for blog readers and people who have knit things up with my patterns, and the flickr group was pretty much the same - to share things you've made with my tutorials, or whatever. Just to meet up.

I've made a couple changes - firstly, the Flickr Group is now for anyone who reads the blog, or wants to show something they have bought at Mu'Mu, or to show what they've made if they've followed a tutorial.

A new Ravelry group is now up for people who read the blog, have knit up one of my patterns or bought my handspun yarn and want to share things they've made with it. It's for you. A little meeting place, and of course, I'd love to see what you've made - it tickles me no end to think someone somewhere is a little bit warmer because of something I've made :)

So please do join, join in and share. And, of course, if you just want to say 'hi', you can follow me at twitter too.

A Hat Tale

I knit a hat. Nothing strange or interesting about that. I tend to knit a lot of hats, they keep the hands busy when I'm between projects.

This is yet another butterfly hat. I've made a few of these too. I like the simple pattern which gives an illusion of complexity (it really isn't, it's such an easy peasy knit).



The yarn was some handspun bought from here. It it quite a heavy yarn. Feels very insulating. But there was something niggling me throughout the whole process... I couldn't quite put my finger on it.... something about this hat....





Oh Yeah... it appears I've knit it before. Granted, it's not the same yarn. But it IS the same colour and the same pattern! You'd think I'd have remembered that....

You've got to say I'm consistent in my yarn loves. And the bonus is I have two noggins that will fill these hats nicely. And it will be all matchy matchy. Sweet.

Finch in Honey

I know. It's not even funny any more. My yarn addiction is waaay out of control. I could attempt to offer you the (lame ass) excuses I tell myself - the self-justification process part of my brain is an art form in itself. The words 'need' and 'worth it' and 'necessary' all play a part. Plans to knit just ONE more thing before I call time on my yarn buying; the economic advantage of knitting one's own rather than buying (please stop laughing); I even dig down deep and come up with a few human rights I'm sure this yarn buying upholds.

But you know what? I'm just a yarn-crack addict. I can't help it. I love yarn.

This latest splurge was bought direct from Quince and Co after seeing Amanda's lovely little "Annabel" sweater that was 'the very colour I have been SEARCHING for'. It's true. I think I have every shade and every varient of gold, honey, mustard and everything in between. This was one shade I needed to complete the entire collection. The only thing left that I HAVEN'T got would be Madelinetosh Prairie in 'candlewick' and as much as my self-talk can deluded me into most things, even *I* can't talk myself into parting with THAT much money a skein.

So. This little bundle of joy is currently awaiting the time when it is balled up ready to be transformed into a FLS. I've tried this pattern before, it needs concentration, so not really a mindless knit while the kids play, more of a bedtime knitting thing. But that's OK. The effort is worth it when it turns out right.

And then, when (hopefully) this yarn has been transformed into knitting gold I think I can put my mustard obsession down and move on.

Hmmm....





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More Stripes...

Do you need a reason to knit a hat? No. You do not. They are simple enough makes which engage the hands and leave the mind to zone out without taxing the brain or demanding anything except deciding what colour to work in.

I told you I felt we had more stripes in our future! The scrap cardigan itself had leftovers (leftovers of leftovers, you can't say I don't make the yarn work for us) and so in an attempt to finish all scraps off, I opted for knitting a hat or two to add to the woollen pile.







And there may even be more waiting in the wings, you never know....




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Mama Knits

The Scrap Cardigan is done. Woop. A totally mindless knit from beginning to end, hardly no time at all and with a few weavings of sticks and a little patience et voila - something from nothing. It's almost witchcraft.

The midget declared he likes it and now the eldest wants his cardigan ASAP. No hardship at all - a little bit of mama witchery and some weaving of those magic sticks and hopefully he too will have a weird-looking cardigan of his very own. How easily pleased my babes are; how lucky I am to have children with zero interest in fashion quite content to wear anything so long as it makes them look like escaped convicts or a cartoon character. I wonder how long it will be before they get a clue and refuse me to make them things? Perhaps even burying the evidence that they wore such monstrosities... I'd better get it while the good times are good and knit like I've never knit before... I feel a lot more stripes in our future!



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