Third

 

I've just finished the third pair of fingerless gloves. The pattern is Fishtail wristwarmers by Alexandra Brinck, a free download on Ravelry.  I made the wrist part quite a bit shorter than the pattern to align it with the other gloves. I'm not a huge fan of the ribbed palm, though it does look better when the glove is worn. I think if I knit this again, I'll use stocking stitch for the palm.

Here are all the gloves together, ready to be delivered tomorrow:

Fiddle Blanket

 

The next project we're going to do in the craft group I run is to make fiddle blankets to donate to dementia patients. I've been making a sample so that the group will know what they're aiming for. The idea is to have different textures and different things to fiddle with, which is apparently soothing for dementia patients. There are a lot of examples and hints on Pinterest. 

I took the opportunity to try out a tutorial by Shabby Fabrics, a video called How to Make a Self-Binding Placemat. I'm pleased with the result, though I was concentrating so much on the process that I put the backing inside out! It's a shame because the fabric is pretty, but I'm certainly not redoing it. 

Cardigan Progress

 

I have made progress on my cardigan, in spite of having yarn and glove orders. I tend to work on one project at a time, but I've been working on orders during the day and on my cardigan in the evenings and it does seem to be working. It should be finished in time for winter!

The Second Pair of Gloves

 

For the second pair of fingerless gloves, I used a pattern called Augusta by Lena Marie Gjerald, a free download on Ravelry. It's a straightforward pattern without a thumb gusset. That looks a bit odd when the glove is lying loose, but because it is a ribbed fabric, it looks fine when worn:

Fingerless Gloves

 

I have an order for three pairs of fingerless gloves. Luckily I have suitable handspun wool in stock, so I can just get on with knitting. This is the first half of the first pair. The pattern on Ravelry is called Salonqa, by Kirsten Kaae, though it doesn't say either of those things on the printed version. It feels like the old game of patting your head while rubbing your tummy, because the thumb gusset increases every third round, the cables are crossed every fourth round, and the eyelet pattern is a ten round repeat! But the pattern is very clear, so I just have to keep my wits about me. 

An Alien

 

Well, the tat it and see has come to an end for this year and it IS a little green man from Mars. Mine is rather a scruffy fellow, but there you go. I like using my silver shuttle for the TIAS, though in truth it is a bit too heavy to be practical. 

Day 13 And The Wool Wound

 

I really think he's a little green man from Mars. 

I sent the customer a photo of the yarn and she says she's happy with it, so that's good. 

Day 12 And Spinning

 

I was thinking a Ninja Turtle, but I don't see any shell, so I'm saying a little green man from Mars.

I've been spinning wool for a yarn order. It's in the oven now, setting the dye. The purple stripes are a bit bigger than I intended, the green are better. I hope it's going to fulfill the brief. 

Day 11

 

Well, we're on the second part of the item, but I still can't tell you what it is. 

Holiday Knitting

 

I enjoyed knitting Jack's pullover so much that I decided to buy some more 'Classic Wool' (80% acrylic, 20% wool) to knit myself a top down cardigan. I had thought I'd adapt the same pattern, but Jane Eborall's comments about using German short rows to shape the neck gave me pause for thought. Perhaps I'd be better to use a dedicated cardigan pattern. Finding a pattern took me down a rabbit hole, but I eventually decided on Namdalen Jacket by Drops Design. I cast on before we left, but did most of the knitting you see on our trip. 

I couldn't for the life of me understand the instructions for the decorative section. If I'd been at home, I might have done further research, but as it was, I fudged it and created the honeycomb pattern with a needle and separate thread. I think I have now mentally figured it out, but haven't actually tried it. The cardigan will be fine as is. 

The colour of the yarn is 'marmalade'. I suspect that in an earlier era it would have been called 'tobacco', but that's no longer PC. 

Days 9 And 10

 

I missed day 9 of the tat it and see because we were away, but we're back now, so I did day 9 at the same time as day 10. It looks like a body and limbs, so I guess the head will reveal what sort of creature it is.