February’s projects

My 1+1+1 projects have been slightly amended as I didn’t find suitable yarn to make Damsel when I visited Stephen & Penelope last weekend.

So this month I’m making:

 A cabled hat: 

  
It’s a lovely pattern but it’s name is ‘Dear Hubbie’ which I find exceedingly mawkish. And it’s not for D but for an Instagram friend Leanne! She sent me the yarn which is a home spun DK weight in pure wool. It’s been created by plying two thinner strands together, only it hasn’t caught and it’s often like knitting 2 strands of wool! I’m using my Knit Pro Karbonz interchangeables and a 40cm cable, which is perfect for a hat. This is a knit I’m really enjoying but I’m taking it easy as its in the round which really makes my wrists hurt! 

Then there’s a shawl called Glittering Caves by an American designer called Corinne Walcher. She has some LOVELY patterns in her Ravelry store.  

The yarn is Sirdar Hush, a lace weight long stripe mohair acrylic blend with a sparkle at the core. It’s like knitting with something ephemeral and insubstantial, which I actually don’t like but the fabric it makes is beautiful. It’s also not easy to find a needle it works with interestingly – doesn’t slip well on bamboo or metal, but it’s ok on my Knit Pro Basix! 

And finally,  I’ve started my stepgrandson’s Christmas blanket. I knew he wanted one as his Mum told me how much he liked the ones I had made for his baby sister. And then I saw the perfect pattern in my January edition (40) of Simply Crochet. It’s called Diamond Throw  and I’m making it in Stylecraft Aran so it can be easily washed! 
 Being 5 he has no concept of how colours can be gendered so he wanted it in shades of pink and purple. I feel strongly that we shouldn’t push children towards specific colours (you may recall the blanket I made his sister!) and was happy to make what he wants but I also wanted it to have a long shelf life if he goes off pink and purple! So they’re in there but alongside green, blue, red and a mustardy yellow. I think it’s going to be fab!  
And I’m also going to be making the decorations for an advent calendar throughout  February!