Stash reduction 2018 - the bits and bobs blanket

Almost exactly five years after starting the bits and bobs blanket, I have finally finished it! The mitred squares were added by picking up the stitches from the edged of previous squares, so there was virtually no sewing involved. I added two crocheted rows as edging. It measures 1x1.4m and fits our sofa almost perfectly.

FREE EU beanie pattern

Introducing the EU beanie!

This beanie was designed as a political statement following the Brexit vote in the EU Referendum. But you can knit it and wear it for any reason at all.

The pattern is written for DK/8 ply yarn and fits the average adolescent to medium adult head.
The pattern is written to knit in the round on double-pointed needles, but it can also be used knitting in the flat. (Just add two extra stitches for edge stitches to allow for the seam.
You need to be able to use the colour stranding technique (using two colours at the same time, running the second along the back). If you are not familiar with this technique, there are different tutorials on the Internet. It may take a little practice to get the tension right.
I am very happy to receive questions, comments or suggestion.

The FREE pattern is available as a download on my Ravelry page. I would really appreciate it is you could share the pattern far and wide. KNIT IT, WEAR IT, SHARE IT!

Happy knitting and KEEP THE EU FLAG FLYING!

Bits and bobs and magic knot

I haven't blogged here for ages. 
At the moment I am working on my bits and bobs blanket - something I've worked on for three years or so, intermittently, when I have a bit of leftover yarn hanging around. 

So I happened to mention this on Ravelry...and was introduced to the magic knot. A new way of joining to bits of yarn. Apparently totally secure. Have you tried it? I can't wait to give it a go! 

Using up my stash - update

Turns out I have enough stash to last me a YEAR, not just the month of January!

I have abandoned the mitered squares blanket for now and am knitting hats and gloves/mittens for the Winternight Shelter - the local homeless project. So far I have five hats and four pairs of gloves/mittens.
Plenty more yarn left ...

Using up my stash

With the Christmas rush over, it is time to use up my left-overs. So I have decided to declare January my Use-up-your-stash month. (Which did not stop me from sneaking in a quick yarn order at kempswoolshop.com before the end of December. ... That's not cheating .... it is??)

I have started by making a mitered square blanket. Rather than knitting individual squares, I am picking up the stitches for the new square from the previous one.
Here is what it looks like so far.


I will keep posting as I work my way through my stash ...

Using up stash

Christmas is a good time to try to use up some of the yarn stash - especially those little bits of left-over yarn, which is never enough for anything much ...

I love knitting Elizabeth Zimmerman's surprise jacket and with its stripey pattern it is a great jacket for using up the odd bits of yarn!


With the first jacket I really did use up my bits of yarn as they appeared - although I tried to keep the stripes relatively even.















My second jacket is going to be a little bit more formal. I used beige as a background with even stripes, mostly in blues and greens.




Plenty more stash to use up ... but at least I have made a start!

April Stash Bust

Thanks to Crafty Green Poet I have come across the April Stash Bust.

For somebody who has a whole wardrobe full of yarn stash, a stash bust sounds like a great idea!

Only last week did I send my sock yarn remnants (see above) to a fellow knitter in Ravelry's p/hop group. 

Plumbum is going to make this blanket and pledges to donate money to Medecins Sans Fontieres (Doctors Without Borders) for every batch of sock remnants she receives for her project.

Read more about the April Stash Bust here. 

Squares

I have started my next stash-clearing project - the colour block blanket. (See two posts below)

Here are the very first squares ...

Jumpers for Algerian Action

I finished three jumpers for Algerian Action.

It has been a fun way of eating into my stash of yarn, especially because I have so many colours to choose from at the moment.

For the free pattern for these jumpers, please look here.

I must admit that it has hardly made a difference to my hoarded yarn stash, so I have started the Colour Block blanket (see previous post) as my next project.