Search Results for: kina

Bold Bamboo by Bendigo Woollen Mills

August 16, 2015 By 2 Comments

Well the name has now been announced and the release date is the last week of august so here are the things that I made from Bold Bamboo which is coming soon to Bendigo Woollen Mills.

One sock. Yes, you really should knit your socks in pairs but I got so excited to use the girl colours in the range that I went straight on to other projects but will come back to the sock this week. Pattern details are here.

a little doll’s cardigan using this pattern, so quick and easy and great for beginners or when you need a break after a really big knitting project. Also great to knit while on holidays or for presents.

A cardigan for a new baby using Granny’s Favourite by tiKKi. Such a sweet and classic little knitting pattern. This cardigan will be raffled off on the school craft stall that I’m running later this year.

And the baby kina that I blogged yesterday.

Bold Bamboo is 60% bamboo/40% wool and a dream to work with. I didn’t find it splitty at all and was so soft especially as I had just finished knitting with rustic so it was super soft as my next yarn. You’ll be able to order it from the last week of August and the colours are bright and fun. It’s machine washable, I always use a delicates/woollen setting if I machine wash just to be on the safe side. I did find it look a bit longer to dry when blocking so just dampen it gently rather than overkill when you block your project. I didn’t block the kina as it always comes out perfectly when it’s finished.

And that has been so fun. I’m not sharing the whole colour range with you because it’s nice to have some surprises and also because I think the range is dotted around my craft room thanks to some little helpers in there. But think bright and fun.

Filed Under: babies, baby, bendigo woollen mills, knitting, ravelry

knitting for my bigger girls

April 30, 2015 By 4 Comments

Gone are the days when I can pick the pattern and wool colour and knit away for all of my kids. Turns out they like to have a say in what I knit………and pink was not on the cards for my big girl.

So I ordered a couple of colours for my bigger kids and am letting our soon to be 9 year old choose the colour for this pattern. The pattern below looks perfect and 10 ply means it will knit up faster. You can buy the pdf version of the pattern here or go old school and get the printed version here.

image source Bendigo Woollen Mills

I have to say it’s a tricky age to knit for but maybe that’s just because I don’t like too much knitting and love to knit baby size. I’ve chosen Bendigo Luxury in Ghost (great soft grey colour) and Slate (lovely charcoal grey colour) and then also picked up Stellar in one of the latest colours – Tanzanite. I think I’ll knit for the rest of the kids with the other colours and any leftovers are going to make a gorgeous chevron blanket.

If you need some knitting inspiration then you can’t beat searching on ravelry, I search the patterns and when I like something add it to my faves. A couple I’m loving are Livie, Kindling Season, Gretel, tiny tea leaves, a kina, featherweight,  and anything by tiKKi.

Filed Under: bendigo woollen mills, ravelry

my winter knitting wish list

February 3, 2015 By 19 Comments

We had a really chilly day last week and I had to scramble for some jumpers for my little guys. So of course my thoughts have turned to what to knit this winter. I love knitting in winter. There is no better excuse to get comfy on the couch or in your favourite chair and spend the night knitting. So let’s start with a pattern that I have been hanging out for….tiKKi’s Wallaby which I will be making in 10 ply. I’m thinking something grey like Bendigo’s Luxury in Ghost will be lovely and neutral. The pattern comes in 4 ply, 8 ply or 10 ply options which I think is fabulous and the sizing starts from little babies. Another winner for me.

and for my little lawson I’m thinking a placket neck pullover like the one I did for his big brother.

And like all good patterns it wasn’t the first time I’d made it. I made the placket neck for my big girl when she was a little one and then passed it on to my littlest miss. Adorable in a cherry red Bendigo back room special

I love those back room specials, you never know what you’ll get. Bendigo back room? Got no idea what I’m talking about? You need to read here. I’m hoping I’ll be back there some time this year en route to Melbourne.

the back room

Now a pattern that I had hanging around since my big girl was a teeny tiny girl but had only made a few years ago was Duck Soup and it really is a winner in winter! I might need a moment to look at this sweet little face that is just adorable. I used a Bendigo back room special and it was just perfect! my only regret is that she’s now grown out of it and I’ll have to make another one. Definitely add it to your wish list because it was really easy to make and so lovely on. You can see all the different Duck Soups that have been made and I love how people have knit it up in cream then added the multicoloured

And for any little babies being born then I’m just going to have to do another granny’s favourite which I just adore. I did this in a back room special from Bendigo called Shetland 8 ply and it was just lovely for a little newborn.

Another kina? Well never say never! I’ve got about 10cm to go on the kina I’m doing now and they are gorgeous in winter over a long sleeved tee or winter dress and are the best little cardy for parties and church. That’s why I’m so addicted as I’ve never met a kina I didn’t like. And I might just have to use this Luxury Aquarium again

And lastly to finish it off since it is a wish list! Sly Fox Cowl, and I’d love to try my hand at Fair Isle with this baby cardigan from Purl Soho and maybe another Gidday Baby because it was such a sweet pattern.

I think that will keep me busy and let’s see how much I actually get done now that the busy life is back on with everyone at school and a little one at preschool! Have your thoughts turned to winter knitting yet???? What’s on your wish list?

 

Filed Under: babies, baby, bendigo, bendigo woollen mills, knitting, ravelry

what’s been going on?

November 4, 2014 By 13 Comments

Once upon a time I would blog every day, then every 2nd day and now I’m just blogging when I can sit down at the computer and find something exciting to talk about. It’s all about home life at the moment and I am loving it that way. Little lawson is almost 3 months old and I’m still breastfeeding which is a bit of an achievement for me as I usually don’t make it this long. We are going longer between feeds and I’m getting a bit more sleep which is making life a bit easier.

lawson3

I have been knitting and am hoping to knock this kina over in 2 weeks. Because I am determined to have a little cardigan for each of my girls done before summer. Pattern can be found here and the wool here. Wishing I was knitting this in cotton now as it’s we’ve had some super hot days so might do my next one in cotton and at $10.50 a 200g ball why wouldn’t you!

We have been baking which is great for the snacks and not so great for the waistline. Mind you I broke the cardinal rule of cooking with kids in the kitchen………don’t turn your back otherwise your mixture will end up everywhere. But we had fun. We’ve been putting the new thermomix through its paces with pizza dough a few times, rice and meatballs last night, cakes, biscuits, pasta dishes and we are big fans of Quirky Cooking’s Spicy BBQ chicken which uses 1kgs of chicken thighs and we just have it minus the spice. If you haven’t made it then make it!

We’ve been playing outdoors and finding the best tree to climb……………

and my pile of Christmas magazines is growing by the day. I have a bit of a soft spot for Christmas magazines to get ideas and new recipes. I’ll always fall back on my old favourites but don’t want to miss anything. So far Donna Hay is my favourite of the bunch and I’m going to go all out and say it’s her best so far. Lots of new ideas and delicious recipes with all the beautiful styling that you’d expect.

And that’s about that.

Filed Under: babies, baby, family, thermomix

life is busy but I’m baking and knitting…….

October 11, 2014 By 8 Comments

Well school went back this week as did 3 of my best helpers and the house is oh so quiet. And without big brother and sisters the little ones have been making their own fun like lock mummy out of the house!  It gave me a heart attack and a realisation that I need to keep a spare key somewhere. Thankfully they laughed and then let me back in. But it’s back to the school run, finding school shoes, someone came home with nits on day 1, someone got conjunctivitis and yes we’ve already been to the uniform shop to buy another hat. Hot tip – start the school year with 2 sunhats. I bought 2 hats for my big boy and didn’t for the girls and sure enough I’ve ended up having to buy another hat for each girl. And so I’m expecting that next week the missing sunhat will turn up because I bought a new hat. That’s the way it usually works.

We’ve still been having fun with the new Thermomix….I’m writing up a full review and hope to have it up tomorrow. I wanted to use it for a good week and see what I liked and if I didn’t like anything and I think I’m ready to share it all tomorrow. We’ve certainly been putting it through its paces. There are a few new recipes in the recipe chip that comes with your TM5 and this is the apple tea cake, clearly minus the apples, with fresh blueberries on top. Absolutely delicious and nothing left an hour after it came out of the oven. But blueberry did get on pjs and a quilt in the loungeroom so I might rethink the blueberries and little people. We’ve also done some pizza dough and the kids made their own pizzas last night for dinner which we hadn’t done in a while. Anyway come back tomorrow for the full debrief on the TM5……….anyone who has visited my house in the last week has had a mini demo as I’m certainly in love with it. I know some of you are waiting for yours to arrive and I promise the wait will be worth it.

And there has been some knitting. Slow knitting but some knitting. I’m knitting a size 8 kina for my big girl Keira. It’s the 10th kina I’ll have made. Addicted? Me? Never! OK a bit. Without confusing you I’m knitting the pattern in 8 ply so I’m technically knitting the size 6 pattern but to the length of the size 8 and on 4mm needles. There are 296 stitches. It’s a lot of back and forth but will be worth it. I’m using Bendigo Luxury 8 ply in aquarium and the needles (because I was asked a few times yesterday) are knit pro karbonz which I purchased from Suzy Hausfrau last year. They are fabulous and well worth the investment as you pretty much have all the needles you’ll need for any project and they are lovely and light to use.

Last year I knit a kina for keira and it has been worn and washed so often and still in perfect condition for my next little miss to wear it. That’s the beauty of making it yourself and I do think the Bendigo cotton is great for washability.

So it’s just been a week of school going back, baking and knitting. Oh and looking after my now 2 month old baby! Time flies……………

Filed Under: babies, baby, kina, knitting, ravelry, thermomix

haimi by kids tricots

October 6, 2014 By 13 Comments

I love the satisfaction of finishing a project and there is a special sense of satisfaction that I’ve finished this project with an 8 week old baby in the house. Yes he’s 8 weeks today!!!! And it’s all thanks to mastering feeding and knitting at the same time.

Now I have to admit that I still need to add a button to this project but I was so excited to have it finished that I grabbed a safety pin and pinned it up and put it on my model. And I really love this pattern. As you know I’m addicted to the kina and this is by the same pattern designer but was a lovely alternative.

And if you’ve never knitted a cable before then don’t worry. It’s just holding a stitch, knitting the next then knitting the held stitch and that’s it! But it’s pretty impressive when it’s done.

The pattern is Haimi by Kids Tricots and is a EUR3 download here. I used Bendigo Luxury 10 ply in Lotus (322) and I’m wondering why I haven’t used this colour before because it is just perfect!

Ravelry details are here.  And you know me, I’ve already cast on my next project and looks like my goal of knitting each of my little girls a cardigan for summer is on target. I’ve cast on a kina in size 6 for my big girl and hope to have it knocked out in a couple of weeks.

Happy knitting………………………………………..

Filed Under: bendigo woollen mills, kina, knitting, ravelry

baby knitting patterns for beginners

July 20, 2014 By 16 Comments

Once upon a time I was a first time new mum. Yes, before everyone else came along I was in hospital with my 1st baby and they were special times. I still remember when my lovely nana came in with a big box full of knitting she had made for her first grandchild. She had been busy.

Fast forward to my 5th baby and she was still busy knitting behind the scenes and came over with this lovely pile of baby cardigans for little Emerson. All of them went on to be so well worn and loved.

And as if that wasn’t enough my lovely aunty Debbie (nana’s daughter) who is an amazing knitter always spoils me with some knitted goodness too. This was emerson’s little blanket that we still use and love. Knit up in Bendigo Cotton 8 ply and ravelry details are here.

Whether you are giving or receiving something handmade you just know a lot of love goes into it. And it’s one of the nicest things you can do for a new baby. A lovely school mum with a big brood of her own is expecting a baby around the same time as me and asked if I had any easy baby knitting patterns suitable for beginners. I sure do have a few favourites. And it’s a question that I sometimes get asked so here it is in one blog post. This cardigan below is Gidday Baby (on ravelry here) and more suited to a confident/advanced beginner but is so lovely and I had to include it in this post.

If you want something for baby to wear then a very simple cardigan or hat is the way to go. I like this pattern I found on ravelry which is free and made from simple rectangles all sewn together. It’s also all in garter stitch so you just knit each and every row. I would use a 10 ply from Bendigo Woollen Mills like Luxury or Rustic. The blanket can be found here (or on ravelry here). For Lion Brand patterns you just need to sign up for free and can access all the patterns on there. I think these are great and 10 ply knits up fast. Image source Lion Brand Yarn.

 

 

Another favourite but you’ll need to buy the book is Easy Baby Cardigan from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts which I really like. Ravelry details are here. Knit all in one piece and easy to follow instructions. Knit on 2 needles so nothing too fancy and if you don’t want to try moss stitch then just do garter stitch (knit all rows).

all ready for baby

Thanks to a lovely reader Deanne for suggesting these baby booties knit on 2 needles in garter stitch and they look great for a beginner. I’m a real fan of Debbie Bliss baby socks on 2 needles, you can find the patterns in a few of her books here. If you’re more of an advanced beginner and ready to tackle double pointed needles then this is a great free baby sock pattern.

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If you are knitting for a baby girl then definitely do a baby kina. Oh I will never get sick of knitting baby kinas. The pattern will set you back EUR3 but you’ll use it again and again. Buy the pattern here. I love it in Bendigo 8 ply cotton (knit the cardigan on 3.75mm needles) and also Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.

A lovely reader Katrina also reminder me about In Threes which is a popular free knitting pattern on ravelry and great for beginners. Find the pattern here. I used Bendigo Spring Cotton which I am a huge fan of. I didn’t follow the pattern properly as am so used to a kina but you can’t tell. It was lots of fun and a fast knit.

If you’re into a bigger project and something to keep you warm this winter then a blanket is the way to go. Now of course you could knit squares and that is a great beginner project but what about a basketweave blanket which looks like squares joined together but you are just knitting back and forth with either knit or purl stitches. A few free patterns are here and here. This was a lovely baby blanket that I knitted and the trickiest bit is picking up stitches so if you’re a beginner and that seems too daunting perhaps someone could pick up the stitches for you and you can knit from there.

Now if you’re a confident beginner or want to try picking up stitches then the Debbie Bliss Ribbed Baby Jacket really is a favourite for me. You will find the pattern for free by clicking on the link in the ravelry project page here. This is great knitted in Bendigo 10 ply or any 10 ply you have and knits up fast. You knit from the back and then cast on for the sleeves, knit some more, cast off the sleeves and keep knitting the front section. Then you need to pick up stitches to knit the ribbed border. Picking up stitches isn’t that tricky and I found this great youtube video here if you need some help but instead of using a double pointed needle use a circular needle. Don’t freak out because you’ll knit back and forth. Thank goodness for youtube.

Another great free pattern from Debbie Bliss for babies is the baby shrug, I’ve made more than a few of these. Again you need to pick up the stitches but it’s knit in one piece like the cardigan above. It’s very pretty and great for babies and toddlers. Click on this link for ravelry and the scroll down to find the pdf for the pattern.

Thanks to another great reader Becci who reminded me about baby washcloths. So many free patterns on the internet and ravelry. Basically a knitted or crocheted square of cotton that are so soft and gentle for bathtimes. These were a pile I crocheted in debbie bliss cotton dk. I also love to use Lily Sugar n Cream for my dishcloths. Both are thicker and a bit more substantial than Bendigo 8 ply cotton. A few simple patterns are grandmother’s favourite and ballband dishcloth.

And if you want to buy a book (and I’m a broken record here) then get your hands on Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss which is one of my most used baby books and has a couple of favourite patterns in it. A great beginner pattern in there is the boat neck sweater.

How did I go? What is your favourite baby knitting pattern for a beginner? Or perhaps you have a question? Fire away…………………………..

Filed Under: babies, baby, bendigo woollen mills, knitting, ravelry

a new knitting pattern to love

May 13, 2014 By 6 Comments

I love knitting for babies but I am certainly guilty of always making the same patterns………….ahem Baby Kina might spring to mind or my favourites by Debbie Bliss. But every now and then I try a new pattern and I loved the look of tiKKi’s latest pattern, Gidday Baby. And now you can get the pattern in larger sizes here. 

I’m using Bendigo Luxury 8 ply (in ghost) and then a gorgeous mustard yarn (BC Garn Semilla) which makes a lovely contrast. This is knit from the top down and for the beginners out there you would only need some help when it comes to the sleeves as you’ll be using small circulars or double pointed needles. The rest of the little cardigan is knitted back and forth on circular needles. I know some of you freak out when you see circulars but really it’s just like using 2 needles when you’re going back and forth plus you can push your knitting down onto the cord and not lose any stitches (assuming little people don’t find your knitting and get to it first). 

It’s knitting up quite quickly………..well I probably get 1/2 hour of knitting every few days and I’m loving the results. Pattern is free here and thank you to tiKKi for making this free for everyone as it’s a real cutie. 

I also took these photos using a cute little clip on lens and an iPhone 5s which I got yesterday. The lens is called an ollo clip telephoto lens and it was a tough choice because the 4 in 1 lens which includes macro or this one. I learnt lots of little things to share with you about using your iPhone but have to say that number 1 priority was getting photos off my phone and onto my computer to just make space for more photos and kids games.  My own kids were just happy to see me come home with a new iPhone and iPad to play with for a few months. 

Filed Under: knitting, ravelry

now I can share my knitting wish list

February 18, 2014 By 28 Comments

Well now that the cat is well and truly out of the bag I can share my knitting wishlist. One of the questions I often get asked when pregnant (and I’m sure every other pregnant lady out there too) is are you finding out what you’re having. For me that is a yes and I say because I love to craft for the baby. Now my dad and grandma prefer not to know and have always been that way.

One thing I’d love to make is a baby blanket. Something that is finished oh I don’t know…before the baby actually arrives. This basketweave blanket looks like a great simple pattern. Worked in 10 ply I’ll be able to use some of the Bendigo Luxury I’ve got here to make something sweet and having a winter baby means there will be plenty of trips in the car doing the school run so a blanket will be perfect. My aunty made this gorgeous blanket for Emerson that I’d love to use again as well.

Like sleeves for baby is a cute one I made for elodie and did the test knit for. It is now available to knit in the round and is super quick and super cute. I think this would look fab on a boy or girl just minus the bow.

I will definitely have to make another one of these Easy Baby Cardigans. Super fast and knit from the back bottom edge right over to the front bottom edge in one piece. Sew up the sleeves, pop on a few buttons and you are done. The pattern is from More Last Minute Knitted Gifts and like the title of the book really is a great last minute knit.

 

If it’s a girl then I’ll have to make a kina and I’d love to make this little Debbie Bliss Fair Isle Cardigan.

and I’ll definitely have to make a little puerperium, modelled here by emerson

and you can’t beat a raglan sleeve cardigan that goes with everything and keeps a little bub warm. I am in love with the Debbie Bliss raglan cardigan with fully fashioned shaping that is worth all of those ends and stitches.

Just when I thought I’d finished this post I put it out there on my facebook page – Kate mentioned a few and I realised that I’d left a few baby favourites off. Like the umbilical cord hat pattern which is super fast and easy to knit.

The milo vest by tiKKi which I made for emerson and loved.

milo

and the in threes cardigan is another great one for babies. Nice and easy but I didn’t read the pattern properly so under my sleeves is slightly different to the pattern but let’s just call it a design feature.

When it comes to my favourite books for baby knitting you can’t beat Debbie Bliss Baby Knits for Beginners, More Last Minute Knitted Gifts, and Debbie Bliss Simply Baby and Essential Baby. Another lovely one is Vintage Baby Knits. To tell you the truth, I have loads of baby knitting books but these are the ones that I knit from most. And if you’re a beginning knitter then you just have to get the Baby Knits for Beginners as it really is fab and my copy is back from when I got back into knitting in my 20’s. And at the moment I’m really loving What to Knit When You’re Expecting by Nikki van der Car.

Emma asked for any great crochet baby cardigans? Ravelry has loads here and this cecily baby sweater looks super cute. I also love the Tiramisu blanket if you’re a crocheter. Have you got any suggestions for her because I’m a total knitter when it comes to baby wear and save my crochet for blankets which are easy. Mind you I did knit my first baby blanket last year for my little nephew and loved it. Ravelry details here.

What are your favourite baby knitting patterns? Here are a few that my readers suggested – Gwen suggested this one ‘Mini Lovey Blankie Menagerie’  and Kylie said the Western Hills Blanket and Bloom by tiKKi. I’d love to hear your favourites…………

Filed Under: babies, baby, debbie bliss, knitting
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