Not lazy, busy!

I've just read two blog posts where the writers were talking about how they have not been blogging regularly enough. One blogger had not posted for two weeks while the other had not posted for five days! Makes my five weeks of no posts look really bad.

So what's my excuse? Well it's not that I haven't had anything to talk about, actually it's quite the opposite. Life has been busy, and I've had plenty to tell, just no time to do it in. Well that's probably not entirely true, I could post if I made the time, there are just so many distractions!

Anyway, I am here now, so where will I start? With knitting of course! Although some of you might like to know how the baby stuff is going as well. I'll get to that later.

The good thing about not posting for a while is that now when I show off my FOs I'm going to look really prolific! Don't be fooled, some of these projects have been completed for quite a while, as far back as February! The downside is that a lot of you would have seen these pictures already on Ravelry as I am much better at keeping it up to date.

Speaking of February, here's my FLS, finally photographed!


Pattern: February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Emerald
Needle: 5mm
Modifications: I ditched the eyelet increases for a M1 increase on the yoke. I decreased the additional cast on stitches under the arm so that I wouldn't get a bulky sleeve and for the longer sleeves I changed to a 4mm needle to reduce some of the bell shape.

I'm really happy with the end result, although I have been toying with shortening the sleeves. It will be a good cardi for the arctic conditions of the cinema! Yes, feel free to comment on the visible bump in this photo, but don't say anything about the chubby cheeks!

I had five balls of the Mally for the FLS and after completing it I had nearly a whole ball left. Just before we left for the UK I decided to knit up a quick hat for my brother's girlfriends Jo. Here's the result.



Pattern: Hurricane Hat by Andrea Goutier
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Emerald
Needles: 4.5mm
Mods: None

A great quick hat pattern. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the lovely spiral on the top of this hat, but I think the gorgeous Jo more than makes up for this. I still have more yarn left, maybe a baby hat?

Next we have the project I am most proud of at the moment. My first ever shawl! I just keep wanting to look at it, it's so pretty if I do say so myself!


Pattern: Ishbel from the Whimsical Little Knits Collection by Ysolda Teague
Size: Large
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Lace in Molly, 1 skein.
Needles: 4mm
Mods: None

I know it is a really simple pattern as far as shawls go, but I am still feeling quite chuffed with this. I have no idea what I will actually do with something like this. The most likely option will be to wear it a la the last photo, next time we go somewhere cold. I've read mixed reviews on the Mally Lace, but I really liked it. Then again, not being a true lace knitter I'm probably not the best judge of a lace yarn's character. I love the vibrant colour. I'm really into coral at the moment.

Last but not least is the first in what is sure to be a long line of baby knitting. Presenting "Little Boy Blue".


Yarn: Artyarns Supermerino in Colourway 149
Needles: 3.25mm for the ribbing and 4.0mm for the stockinette.

I used a few different baby patterns to get the rough dimensions and then just started knitting. Knit in the round to the armholes, three needle bind off on the left shoulder and button band on the right to allow for big baby heads. I will not make that mistake again!

A few weeks ago we found out that I am having a boy, hence the blueness of this, but I have still not decided that I will keep this for myself. There are other boys on the way as well! I'll probably make a few of this type of thing, so next time I will space the button holes a bit further apart. I might also try putting this over a little t-shirt to see if the armholes are big enough. I'm thinking that they look a little too small. Still, cute, don't you think? The puppy was in one of the first gift parcels that we have recieved, from our good friends Jason, Shino and their own gorgeous little boy Hinata.

Thoughts on this whole being pregnant thing? Next time. I'll be back I promise.