How much is too much?

I usually try to have 2 knitting projects on the go at once, so if I get bored with one I can switch to the other for a break. This goes well until something like my last post happens and I end up with a couple of emergency projects.

4 current projects

 At the moment I have 4 different projects on the go. The large peach knitting in the background is a blanket I am knitting to donate to the local maternity unit. The small blue object near the top is a preemie kimono (still to do the sleeves). Purple and cream is the body and one leg of a dragon for the babies’ big brother. And last but not least the bottom is a cardigan I had started for my son (not due for completion till autumn) The next blog post should be on the preemie knits and the dragon, I will post links to the sites I found the free patterns on.

Upcoming projects on the list are: spiders and ghosts for Halloween (still to make up the pattern for those) A spiral cardigan for friends’ daughter (always wanted to try this). Not forgetting the what I am knitting as Christmas presents list. This is just the need to be completed lis, it doesn’t come near the “I would love to try knitting that” list which gets bigger every time I look at a magazine, visit the wool shop, or just thinking how I could use a new stitch or pattern on another project.

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 I have a feeling that in a couple of weeks things are going to get worse as our new craft group starts up. I know I will end up testing patterns and knitting completed examples of things for those who want to learn to knit. I also see myself designing easy patterns for them to knit at Halloween as I am never happy with the patterns which are available and always end up changing them in some way.

Jean Greenhowe review

This week I was planning to blog about some of the charity knits I do; but as usual nothing goes to plan. My cousins baby daughter was due to enter the world mid October, this week they had a little boy at 2lb 11oz. So the charity knits are now in the UFO (unfinished objects) bag and I have to knit some clothes and a gift for the big brother.

As I have nothing new finished I thought I would bore you all with some of my older projects and a review of some Jean Greenhowe.

Baby from "little gift dolls" with 2 from Christmas special

There are so many pattern books available that even I don’t own them all (not through lack of trying) but if you are undecided then you can try the free patterns listed on her website here http://www.jeangreenhowe.com/patterns.html

As I have previously mentioned (I think) knitting toys as gifts was what got me knitting again as a teenager. I was babysitting and would make toys for the children and any younger children I knew as it saved money at Christmas.

topsy-turvy Cinderella from Christmas special

I first got started with the” Little gift dolls” booklet, these are great as they all have the same basic pattern you just knit different extras for each doll. The jelly babies at the top of the page show the basic pattern done in one colour the instructions tell you when to change colour when knitting the other characters.  Most of the dolls can be made with odds and ends of wool left over from other projects, I only ever bought wool for the skin colour and it lasted for loads of dolls.

These dolls are great for beginners as you progress through the body quickly so you can see the progress. Also many of the accessories are quick to knit so you don’t get bored. For more experienced knitters you can mix and match the accessories patterns to create your own characters. I found some of these in my UFO( unfinished objects) bag a few years ago and started to sew them up to use as prizes for the  toy tombola we had to raise funds for our toddler group.

Many of the booklets contain smaller projects which are good for beginners and those of us who just want something quick to make, but she also has created a number of patterns for larger toys. The clowns are very popular and I have seen a number of them over the years even though I have never knitted them myself.

Last year I knitted two of the topsy-turvy Cinderella dolls from the Christmas special booklet. I was only knitting one but as usual someone sees it and asks if I can do one for them too.

I didn’t add all the accessories due to a time limit as this was a gift and I always get a bit slow and fed up when it comes to sewing everything together.

The knitting booklets section on the website is great as when you click on a booklet it will show you images of all the projects it contains. This means you can end up like me with a project list as long as your arm just from one booklet. Prices online vary from £3.50 to £5 for the booklets depending where you buy them.

I have not been given any payment or incentive to write this review, I have done so as I own a number of patterns and enjoy knitting them

Test a pattern

One of the problems with knitting so much is that my son keeps asking why I knit so many things for other people, and not many things for him.

 After we delivered the baby and dolls blankets he asked if I would knit a blanket for his bear. I decided that this would be a good chance for me to try a small version of an Afghan I had seen in one of my mums pattern books.

Patons: Afghans (Afghans to crochet and knit, #516) made its way to us from Canada via an elderly woman my mum knew and was originally published in 1987.I have seen the pattern booklet listed on ebay, and on Amazon in the US but can’t find it available in the UK (don’t shout at me if you find it please, I didn’t have much time to look).

I wasn’t very keen on the colours used in the pattern (cream and dark pink) but as with all patterns you can use whichever colours you like.

The pattern is very simple yet give a very interesting effect and doesn’t take very long to knit.

This is a great way to use up some oddments of wool, and as usual I now have a list of people who would like me to make one for their children. I can’t wait till our new craft group starts up then I can just teach a few of them to knit without the little ones distracting us.

As usual knitting this has given me a great idea to use the pattern in other ways and so now my to do list of knitting projects has grown again.