Knitting - Dog coats

Yes dog coats or sweaters, whatever you want to call them.  My youngest daughter has a friend who has 2 dachshunds, Daphne and Winston, they are feeling the cold, aren't we all.  So I offered to knock them up some coats.

I went online and printed off an assortment of free patterns, but plumped for the Easy Dog Sweaters from Talking Tails.  Its a simple pattern which you can make your own, adjusting the sizing easily. I also added 6 rows of rib to the start of the under panel to prevent rolling.

First off is Daphne's, she is the smaller of the 2 dogs and her measurements were more or less the same as the pattern.  I used Caron Simply Soft Paints which is an aran weight yarn. I used our ceramic Jack Russell as the model for these photos.

Next Winstons' he is longer and broader around the chest, so I added a few extra stitches to the back and under panel - I think now finished I could have left the under panel as the pattern as its slightly bigger than I wanted.  The main yarn I think was possibly from Lion Brand though I have lost the label, for the stripes I used 2 strands of DK worked together. The colour of the main yarn is greener in natural light, looks blue here.

These sweaters take about 4.5 hours to knit, so easily done in an evening.  Daphne's took 65 grams of yarn and Winston's 80 grams, so a good use of oddment stash yarn. The thorny question of what to charge came up.  I said £6 for each, that covers the yarn, if I added my time even at minimum wage then we would be looking at around £35 each, crazy, no one would pay it.  How do you charge or work out a fair price?

My next project will be a couple of simple cardigans for Jess, she starts nursery in the next week so needs something for messy play that won't matter if it gets spoiled........

Big Comic Relief Crafternoon

Special edition of Mollie Makes goes on sale in Sainsbury on Thursday 29th January.  Cost is £7.99, of which £5 goes directly to Comic Relief.  Filled with lots of craft ideas and a guide to running your own craft fair.

For more information on the Big Comic Relief Crafternoon or Comic Relief Red Nose Day 2015 check out their Facebook pages

Family - weekend

It was a busy weekend with the boys, we certainly know we have them now!  Keeping us on our toes that's for sure.  Miss J joined in the mix too.

A chilly trip to the park.........

Posing for a photo for the great-grandparents .......

Quiet moment when they weren't trying to kill one another .....

Whale watching.....

look granny no hands

Trying to get a picture of them all.......

and finally the cardigan, a wee bit big but she will grow into it .......

Exhausted................................

Knitting - Tulip time

My Tulip yoke baby cardigan is completed.  I am more than happy with this.  So pleased with the colour combo I used.  I think it will work with most of Miss J's outfits.

We have the boys here this weekend, so there won't be much time for knitting.  We went to the park this morning, staying until we were all freezing, but a brisk walk back soon warmed us up.  Miss J came too, there will be photos but I've not downloaded them yet.  Laurie is currently napping, then  when he wake hopefully we will get them out on the bikes, such a lovely day shame to waste it.

Knitting ....... and a bit of crochet

How is it the start of another week already?  The weekend flew by.

Rachel's wedding dress arrived so we went for a look see and a try on, very exciting. We left Jess with Peter in the tea rooms next door, knowing full well that they would be fine with a toasted tea cake a piece.

We spent a couple of hours in the garden Sunday trying to start the border tidying.  It seems that no matter how much clearing up you do in the autumn there is always a mess.  The snowdrops won't be long into flower, and the aconites in the drive have their sunny faces out.  It was very cold so two hours was more than enough and I rewarded myself with an afternoon of knitting, though sitting still didn't help my aching back!

I started another cardigan for Jess, she is outgrowing everything. This cardigan is the Tulip Yoke free on Ravelry. Top down, flat fairisle, knitted in King Cole Big Value DK as usual.

I also managed to master simple crochet flowers.  Not brilliant but getting better the more I make.  I need to get the middles a bit tighter but have been given a tip to try.

So there we are, nearly three quarters through January already, roll on the lighter, warmer days...........