~Another wristwarmer TaDa!~

I'm not sure why I'm obsessed with knitting wristwarmers? Maybe I have learnt (expensively) how I lose interest half-way through a jumper or cardigan? Anyway, I am still knitting here and there, whilst in my PJs on the sofa at night...  These wristwarmers were knitted for daughter Laura...

...and are from this book 'Learn to Knit Love to Knit' by Anna Wilkinson (click to go to Amazon books)

I borrowed this book from the library in the village - an affordable way to get access to lovely craft books.  The wool was a 'bargain basket' blue cotton DK yarn 100g ball for £1, and the pink is a luscious ball of  Yorkshire sock yarn (expensive and precious) that I bought last year.

Very easy peasy...essential when you need a simple project to do when watching Downton!

~Easy Knitted Teddy~

Using this pattern from Yorkshire-based knitting yarn company King Cole, my spare minutes this week have been spent making a teddy for a gift.

King Cole Pattern  9008
3 sizes of bear on 1 pattern

I've used some cream DK soft yarn to make Alba Bear; a 1st birthday present for a friend's grandaughter...

I made her a cute Cath Kidston neckerchief - mainly to hide my dodgy sewing when attaching the head! I stressed a fair bit before embroidering the face.  I didn't want to make Scary Angry Bear and be responsible for giving a child nightmares, so I split brown embroidery cotton into 3 strands and think the result is less harsh than using wool. 

You've got to feel sorry for Small Dog however, who is trying to launch himself vertically at

the kitchen dresser to get at the finished teddy.  He is in love and would like to keep Alba Bear all for himself.

~Thrify Handknitted Pressies & Tea Cosy Pattern~

I thought I'd do a 'Ta Da' post for this titchy tea cosy I've knitted for my sister-in-law's birthday at the end of March. It fits snugly on it's teapot-for-one which I found on my vintage travels.  How come I always love (and want to keep) the things I knit for other people?!?
This project has been knitted from my wool stash of odds, ends and the never-even-started projects. Having done a bit of blog reading tonight,  I would wholeheartedly like to join Tina at Tea and Woolly Socks in her No More Buying Yarn Stash Busting Campaign.
So here's the tea cosy...

It's a made-up pattern; the main body is knitted in Louisa Harding Fleuris, colour Meteor - a 70% Bamboo 30% Wool yarn. Using your stash makes you choose colour combinations that maybe you wouldn't normally, if you get my meaning.  I think that it is a good thing. 

The pattern; I knit this in chunky wool on 6mm needles.

The main body basketweave pattern was done in 2 halves by casting on 40sts, or a multiple of 4 sts, 

Row 1 Cable 4 fwd to end

Row 2 Purl 

Row 3 K2, then Cable 4 back to last 2 sts, K2

Row 4 Purl

Then for shaping I just make it up as I go along. Usually it's K2 tog across the knit rows only, then draw remaining stitches up. The roses hide this bit anyway! The roses and leaves are from the tea cosy book I have posted about before, Really Wild Tea Cosies by Loani Prior.