Saturday 30 April 2016

More new blocks and socks

Where did all this time go? Two weeks have gone, and I intended to show you another of my collections before I have new blocks to show. I have knitted so many socks too ...

As I still have not taken the collection photos, I'll show the new blocks of the Splendid Sampler. This one is called Family Stars.



The next one is a basket block called Lina's Gift.


Then comes a piece of very useful advice: Measure twice, cut once ...



The next block is on hold, I haven't decided how to do it. But the one after that was easy, Sweet Candy:


And finally a paper-pieced Goose on The Loose:


In that one the measuring twice was very necessary: printing the pattern before saving it resulted in   3 1/4" quarter blocks when 3 1/2" was the correct size. When I printed another copy from the saved file, the size was OK. Strange. I never do the scale or "fit to page" thing.

This was a bonus block, Earth Day


and this bonus block is Log Cabin Inside Out.


I may use them to replace some other blocks I don't fancy doing.

Want to look at the newest socks now? I'm showing them anyway. I really like the look of this pattern, but the four balls of yarn need some traffic rules! I love knitting two socks at a time, it helps me to make both socks the same size and shape. Starting all over again after having finished the first sock is no fun, so I rather proceed a little slower and have them finished at the same time.


This is my Grandmother's favourite mitten pattern I used for socks for the first time.



Bedsocks in fine 100 % wool and a faux cable I have used earlier too,


and the same two 50 g balls of yarn made for another pair of bedsocks. One pair of the red socks at the end of this post is knitted with this easy pattern.


New stitches are on the needles, big decluttering projects going on, the ironing pile is growing, and I made an interesting test with an antique cushion cover and a modern detergent. More about that in my next post.

Friday 15 April 2016

Splendid Spring

While I was on a short trip to Germany, our snow had melted away and the first spring flowers in the garden and by the roadside came out. I have tried to catch up with the Splendid Sampler QAL. This one was finished weeks ago:


Some blocks took their time, like this one with a stitched doily:


Some other came together more quickly.


Today is a lovely sunny day but still very cold for bare hands, especially after hanging some laundry on the line to dry in the fresh air.


I took all these pictures around nine this morning so the shadows are still long.


Migrating birds are returning to Finland, and after the trip we greeted many newcomers, like finches, robins and song thrushes.


The paper-pieced block above seemed awfully difficult but it really wasn't that bad.


The rhubarbs and this newest block somehow matched perfectly. 16 blocks done, two to go for now.