Baby Blanket Goes Under Cover

My second ever knitting project, you may have caught sight of this in my finished object coffee cosy post last week. As I created this zigzag baby blanket before I started the blog, I felt it was a shame not to give it a mention. Although due to its size it took me a while to knit, I was pretty pleased with the result at the time, so much so, I couldn't face giving it away. The purple, cream, grey and light blue colourway really works, don't you think?

Missoni Resort 2012 collection, image from thriftfab.com

I've also always been a fan of the distinctive zigzag pattern Italian fashion house Missoni so often incorporates into its range. Even as a super novice at the time, I got on ok with this pattern and would definitely knit another one.
Special thanks to Debbie Orr for providing such a lovely free knitting pattern via Ravelry. I used Debbie Bliss double knitting yarns for the blanket, the sea grass chest is from John Lewis and I picked up the cowhide rug many years ago in Sydney, Australia.

Back in the Game

Earlier in the week I was offered a new contract starting next month: "That should keep the wolves from the door!" she cried. I have a really good feeling about this year, I just know it's going to be fabulous.

Being a lady of leisure today I have been pondering about what to make new arrival, my friend's little girl, Ella Maggie. I'm having a break from making toys at the mo so perhaps in a couple of months I'll make her some clothes or a baby mobile, we shall see!

I'm really looking forward to adding some more flowers to my tea cosy tomorrow, here's what I've made so far...

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside

Isn't it lovely when someone else's good fortune brightens up your day? I can at last report that baby Willson has been born. A healthy baby boy! Bonnet and mittens will shortly be in the post to 'mum', a good pal since my teens.

My beige yarn is now ready to be transformed into a pouffe and I spent this evening crocheting another navy DK bow to match the one I made.

Thanks to the festive season and the quick witted folk I've met at work, I'm feeling pretty cheery this week. Friendly banter... surely one of the simplest pleasures in life?

Truly scrumptious

My PC is driving me mad today, I really need to take everything off it and get it serviced. Anyway, technical details aside, here is my finished baby hat and mittens set. The recipient still hasn't been born but I'm sure he will look totally scrumptious and toasty in said items. For those of you from exotic shores, it's getting really dark in the UK now which plays havoc with my blog photography as I can't take any decent pictures in natural light after about 15.30  (a real pain). 

After consulting the translated Pickles 'Small & Clever' patterns and feeling puzzled for quite some time, I decided to totally bastardise the original patterns (!) to make it easier and worked the mittens flat rather than using four needles and knitting them in the round. The end results are pretty similar and I may have a go at the super cute booties another day. I am once again extremely grateful to the Pickles and the sublime Ravelry social networking site for providing these eye-catching free patterns, oh and also to stitch sleuth Anna for tipping me off about them on her own blog.

Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit

Just a quickie tonight to show you the finished article. Ta-da! Here's my little rabbit amigurumi toy, crocheted using Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino. If you'd like to make this little chap for yourself, check out the 'Amigurumi' book by Lan-Anh Bui & Josephine Wan. As mentioned previously, I was hoping to have a bonnet, mittens and booties set ready in time for the birth of my friend's baby due any day now. However, if it's not completed in time I'm sure Miffy will make a lovely present instead.