Knitting the Dinosaur

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
I had promised to make this from a long, long time ago.... I gave up trying to find the yarns Zest and Totem, so decided to be thrifty and use some of the acrylic I had in my stash (probably an op shop find). Panda's Magnum 5ply (navy blue) and Needleworks' Craft Time 8ply (beige).

The pattern is from Patons' Book 1227 - Dinosaurs - and the Tyrannosaurus was the best looking of the lot of them. So far I'm upto the second side of the body/face. But it has alot of parts to it and even enlists pipecleaners for strength in the legs and arms! Yikes, this one is sure to test my patience.

The prettiest yarn!

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
What can you do when Cleggs is having a sale and they have balls of Grignasco Tango for $3.50! It's too much.

So I bought two balls and started to ponder... the colour seems like spring, so a lightweight scarf seemed right. I've just made up the pattern - using 4mm (6 rows) and 10mm (4 rows) needles - it creates a lacey feel without detracting from the tweed flecks in the yarn.

Baby Jumper for James

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
This pattern comes via my mother from a Cleckheaton baby book (Design 3, not sure of the pattern book number).

I used Cleckheaton's Merino Bambino 4ply in a blue spotted 100% wool. The spots are a bit much in the end and take away from the really simple design.

I just need to add a button to the neck and it's done. Very quick knit and I actually enjoyed sewing it together!

Not quite Missoni

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
I wanted to create something from scratch and had seen patterns for scarfs knitted lengthways. I decided to use the leftover yarn from Kim's blanket and cast-on as many stitches as would fit on my needles. It was a real nightware to knit, and I had to add the fringing to give it the length I wanted, but it turned out quite well.

Present for Kim, completed October 2008.

Writstwarmers

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
I searched high and low for an easy wristwarmers pattern... and in the end I found this on the net, but altered the sizing a bit (Twin Rib Fingerless Mittens/Wrist Warmers by Dawn Adcock - I think).

I can't remember what the yarn was... I think it was 100% wool and it was a greenish shade of grey... It was a hard colour to use, as it wasn't a pure grey. I think it was one of the brands stocked at Kmart.

Anyway... the finished size was a little bigger than I'd like. So will need to work on this. These ended up as a present for Liz... I always think of her with anything in a green shade!! I hope she gets some use out of them.

Syd's First Tattoo

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
A close-up... by the time I got to duplicate stitching the skull and crossbones, I was having a few issues. It's quite hard to see black stitches! So I got the scull done, but gave up on the crossbones... it's still looks OK.

Completed sometime after June 2008.

Baby's First Tattoo

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
A little knitted jumper for Syd... he's such a rock'n'roll kid.

From "Stitch'N'Bitch Nation" by Debbie Stoller, pattern by Delia Lam. I used Shepherd's Colour 4 Me 8ply 100% wool. It's my favourite baby yarn and it comes in the most amazing colours (I've used it for baby socks, too).

Scarf for Christian continued...

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
All rolled up and ready for sending...

Scarf for Christian

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
For Christian's birthday, I tried my hand at using some Paton's Patonyle which is 80% wool and 20% nylon. It's meant to be good for socks, but I had picked up a pattern book which featured some lovely hats and scarfs, as well as socks (Patons Book 1239).

I choose the broken rib scarf (pattern 25) and used a variegated blue-grey yarn. I think the colour got in the way of the texture with this one... but it still came up quite nice.

Completed June 2008.

Kim's Blanket continued...

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
A close-up photo. The finished size was 5 by 5 squares (cast on 26, stocking stitch for 29 rows, then cast off). Completed in December 2007. I would love to learn how to crochet the squares together.... next one!

Kim's Blanket continued...

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
Ta-da!!! It took a while and it does look a little crooked and uneven, but how pretty is it?? The sheen of the yarn is just beautiful!

Kim's blanket

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
With the squares done... knitted with Ecoyarn's Soysilk Pure (in black, cabernet, marigold and tempest) on 4.5mm needles (26 stitches cast-on over 29 rows to make 10x10cm)... now I have to finish sewing them together and add a border. I must get over my dislike for sewing/finishing.

A teddy for Syd Francis

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
No pastels... but still cuddly and cute. A stripey teddy for Syd. I want one for myself now!

Cream ribbed scarf

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
A few months back, I felt the need to knit something without a pattern and quickly and for myself. This is the result. Quite like Belinda's ribbed scarf, but using up the last of the Jet yarn (from Julie's belt).

For baby, Syd

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
For Kara and Per's first child, Syd Francis, I wanted to put together something quickly and with a bit of quirkiness. These took not long to knit up (the hat is the same as Bailey's) and I added the grey colour to create a bit of interest. Per is against pastels!

Phone cosy

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
I just felt like doing something quick and easy. So decided to do this, just using leftover yarn from Ryan's cube. I knitted it in two pieces then sewed them together... it would have been heaps quicker to knit it in one piece.... but I didn't follow any pattern, I just made it up.

Lacework looks like a boat

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
This was my first effort with lace... so I am happy with the result. It has a little flag at the top of the mast.

Eyelet Ships Cardigan

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
I got a little ambitious and started knitting this cardigan from Paton's book 5000 ("A complete wardrobe of hand knits for baby") using 4ply 'Big Baby' in white and 3mm needles. Eight months later and plenty of procrastination and other knitting projects and this cardy was given to Bailey for his first birthday. Phew!!!!

Sock it to me

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
A close up of the socks. The patonyle yarn has a nice sheen to it.... 80% wool and 20% nylon. I probably should handwash these, but as they are bed socks, they are looking worn quickly, so I just chuck them in the machine. Only one and a half balls used. I need to make some more.

My first pair of adult socks

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl
Following on from the baby socks, I decided to jump into adult socks. I bought Paton's book 1239 ("Patonyle Accessories for the whole family") and picked the simplest socks to begin with. Using Patonyle 4ply in black and a set of 3mm bamboo dpns, I made these socks in about 3 weeks. Casting on was the fiddliest bit, but once I was going it all was quite easy to do (as the baby socks used the same concepts and basic design).

I did have to restart these... as my original pair were large enough for Big Foot... but these have become my bedtime faves.... though they are all fluffy and not as nice looking now, but they keep my feet warm.

My first pair of socks... or Bailey's

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.
I've been interested to try my hand at socks... some knitters seem obsessed with socks and that's all they knit. What could possibly be so thrilling about them?

I found a pattern in Yarn magazine (Issue 3) for a beginner's pair of socks, perfect for a toddler. I already had the yarn (Shepherd's Colour 4 Me 8ply), so just picked up some bamboo dpns and jumped in.

Once I got the hang of how to hold 4 needles, I was rockin'!!! And are these not the cutest socks ever?? So now I have to try "real" socks....

Belt it out

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

For Julie's birthday, I decided to branch out and try something different... opting for a belt from Metro Issue Two, which has all manner of funky stuff to choose from.

I'm just not sure that the finished belt is as wearable as I first thought. I ended up using twice as much yarn as the pattern asked for, and had to make it the length I thought best from the photo and measuring on my own waist... so either the pattern was waaaay off or I have a waaaaaaaay thicker waist than the model in the photo.

So knitted belts... hmmmmm.... cute in theory, but are they practical?

We have lining...

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

I even got the sewing machine out to do the lining... and it was so quick and easy... I spent more time umming and ahhing on how I was going to put it all together, but it wasn't that hard.

I'm really happy with how this has worked out... would love to make more...

Kara's purse

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

Trying to learn from what I had done with Kim's purse... I went smaller, repeating a pattern over and over... and this time I included lining, which wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

Not sure if it looks like it, but I was going for a 1920s style... I really love this stitch combination...and being able to see the lining poking through.

Tassle

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

A close-up of my first every tassle... makes a cute finish to the zip.

Trees and beads

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

A close-up of the tree design with beads added along the trunk.

Kim's purse

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

On purchasing the Vogue Stitchionary Volume 1, I had to test out some of the funky stitches. This one reminded me of Kim, as it is a fir tree. Originally the panel was to form a scarf, but I realised I hadn't allowed for the edges to curl inwards, which would mean I would have to double the work and do a second version of the panel to make the scarf reversible.... way too hard... and not worth it, as Kim lives in Brisbane!!!

Instead, I made two idenical panels, added beads, a zip, a tassle and voila, a purse is born. It is a little flippy floppy, but it is soooo pretty, and has many uses.

R-Y-A-N

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

Once stuffed the cube grew beyond what I would have liked... and did loose it's straight edges... I think it will make a nice ball for him to chuck around!!

Ryan's name cube

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

With my cousin's first son's christening and first birthday approaching... I started racking my brains on presents to knit. I had been showing off photos of Bailey all decked out in cardi's and pants, so it had to be something substantial, but I had less than a month to make it.

I had seen cubes, and it just fell into place that I should spell out Ryan's name on 4 of the sides. It was great fun learning how to do the intarsia and knitting with such bright wool. I am really proud of how this has turned out, as I can almost say I designed it!!!

Pinks, greens and blues

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

A close-up of the face washer... very cute.

Dish cloth becomes a face washer

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

Sherilyn poses with her new face washer. Using the same pattern as the "company dishcloth", but in a white and a pastel mix. The cotton is soft and durable.

Reds, greens and whites

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

I used a ball of red and a multi-coloured ball (red, white and green) together to get the right ratio of red to other colours. It seems very 70s, Aunty Enza to me...

Dish cloth

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Originally uploaded by makebgirl.

I had been intigued by the idea of knitting dishcloths, for a while. I also hadn't worked with cotton, so when I found a pattern for a "company dishcloth" from a library book ("Knitting Pretty"), I just had to try it. It looks retro and it's a really cute thing to have in the kitchen. It is much more sturdy than I expected, and the colour didn't run at all. I find this really good to clean glasses with and wipe benches. So quaint!!