Sunburst Squares

Hello everyone, I hope you're ok. I've heard it's going to be a stormy night here tonight - lots of wind and rain etc. So what better excuse for snuggling down with some crochet in a warm place?!

Since last time I have been working on these Sunburst Squares.

I see a lot of these around on Pinterest, and other blogs. I have sort of resisted making them so far, just because everyone seems to make them! However, I think I've been sort of cutting my nose off to spite my face.

The other week I was contemplating my big pile of colourful yarn, wondering what to do with it all. As you may remember I started making African Flowers. Then sort of lost momentum. They are quite time consuming to make, and I somehow couldn't see myself making anything very useful from them. Thanks to those of you who suggested various things to make from the little pile of squares I had though - your suggestions are duly noted, and perhaps when I have some time....

Well, anyway, back to the Sunburst Squares.

I think the thing that attracted me to them in the end was the 3d effect created by the puff stitch in the second round. It reminds me of the something pretty flower squares which I had so much fun making at the start of the year. 

The Sunburst pattern I'm using is from the book 'The Gentle Art of Knitting', which I love for it's laid back attitude towards craft.

I haven't managed to make many of my Sunburst Squares yet. Over the last 2 weeks I've managed to make about 40. I'm aiming for a blanket, but this is going to be a slow process. That doesn't bother me though. I'm taking my time, only working on the squares when I feel like it, rather than in a mad rush. I normally crochet or knit in every spare second I have, but lately I'm feeling ok with taking things at a slower pace. I think this will be a good thing for me. I still really enjoy my crafting, but it's about getting a balance with all the other important things in life right now, and that's healthy I think.

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There has been some more glorious autumn whether here this week. I know I've already shared so many autumn colour and leaf pictures already, but I can't stop myself showing you some more!

These leaves (above) look so perfect don't they? I almost stepped right over them one lunch time last week. They look like they've been deliberately arranged, and it tickled my fancy so I had to take a snap.

These other pictures are from a park nearby where I live - on a glorious day last week!

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Hope the rest of you are all doing ok. Happy Sunday all, hope you're enjoying some gentle crafting too!

Green cardigan

In my last post I mentioned that I had finished my green cardigan. So, here are the pictures!

The pattern is Kitten, from Kim Hargreaves' book Smoulder.

The pattern gives two options for yarns, you can use Rowan Angora Haze or Pure Wool 4 ply. I love angora but the fact that it fluffs everywhere drives me a little crazy. My clothes always seem to be covered in fluff as it is (I don't know where it all comes from). So, I choose to use Pure Wool 4 ply for this project.

Generally I'm pretty happy with how it worked out. I made a longer version of the cardigan than was directed in the pattern. I knitted until the back and sides were 39cm in length rather than the 28cm specified in the pattern, as I wanted a full length rather than a cropped cardigan. As there is no side shaping in this pattern, it was easy enough to increase the length.

I'm quite happy with the way the body of the cardigan fits. It's a bit roomier than the yellow cardigan I knitted recently, but the pattern is made that way. The only thing I was slightly unhappy with in my finished garment was the sleeves - they are a little more loose than I would have liked. If I were to make this pattern again, I think I would probably go down a needle size to 3mm, just to make the cardigan a little bit more snugly fitting.

I think it looks pretty nice next to my yellow cardigan!

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A new post....

....it's been a while since I've made one!

I've honestly been meaning to stop back in here and say hello for about two weeks now, but just haven't quite made it. I'm in the process of re-working my routine, you see. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I've just started a PhD (that's a doctoral research degree for those who may not know), which I'll be doing part-time alongside still working full-time. It's all been great so far, but it has meant a busy couple of weeks getting my head around the new demands on my time and how to fit them in.

Crafting is still going to be a big part of my life, as will this blog I hope!

By the way, a big welcome to the new readers and followers who I can see have popped up here since my last post!

So, what have I been up to the last couple of weeks?

Well, I promised to show you the results of my chair painting for my new flat (which I'm still waiting to move into - sigh), so here it is!

It was hard to get good pictures of this. I know it looks very pale, but the colour is actually a pastel blue. I will share before and after shots soon, when I've been able to take pictures in better light! I'm pleased with the results though, I'm sitting on it as I type!

I've also just been out and about enjoying the season as much as possible - I do love autumn! I think the best of the colour is still yet to come here. I don't know if I'm right, but I think the unusually warm September may have made the trees hang on to their leaves a little longer than usual, so they're still turning now.

Some gorgeous colours coming through now!

In crafting news, I have finished my lovely green cardigan, but I think I'll save that for next time!

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African flowers

As well as frantically knitting my mossy, zesty green cardigan for autumn, I've been making a few African Flower hexagons.

I have the back and both front pieces of my cardigan complete now - the shot above shows my placements for the buttons using pins (you can just about see) so that I know where to make corresponding button holes on the other front half.

These are the african flowers. I do love them, but I'm not sure what to do with them. I have about 20 at the moment, and I'm not sure I can summon up the motivation to make enough for a blanket. I'm also not sure I can summon up the motivation to figure out how to make half hexagons for these so that I can make squares for a cushion cover.

The thing is, all I seem to feel like doing at the moment is knitting, knitting, knitting! I think it is the change in seasons and feeling like I want to be able to surround myself in hand knitted sweaters! I don't know why, but there is something so much more comforting about wearing a sweater you have hand knitted yourself. It somehow feels like a coat of armor - and makes the day and the world a little easier to face!

I think I might finish my green cardigan soon - only the sleeves to go and they are 3/4 rather than full length, so I'm well away. I always feel like I'm in the home straights on knitting a jumper or cardi when I get to the sleeves!

I'm contemplating this pattern for my next knitty adventure. It's something I already made a few years ago and really love. Then I saw recently that Rowan have a gorgeous red shade of this yarn out now, and I think this jumper would look gorgeous in that colour.

Apart from that I have been painting chairs in preparation for my flat! But more on that next time....when the paint has dried!

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