Blogtober Day 18: Acacia

I have this week finished a couple of test knits for Tikki for her new pattern Acacia. I had last year had my hands on a very early version of the pattern and did a fully gathered top for Jessalyn.

So this week I finished a different version for Jessalyn.

And I did another for Kassidy. This one was supposed to be a size 5, but I got 3/4 of the way through before realising I was knitting the size 3, then when I started on the real size 5 I realised the yarn I knitted the size 3 in was actually 4ply. In my defence, I bought it in destash thinking it was 8ply, it was unlabelled and I've not knitted with Bendy cotton before so thought it was just really really thin. The final result is beautiful for summer anyway.

Gorgeous pattern. Easy knit. Everyone needs to knit this for the little girls in their lives!

Blogtober Day 14: Knitting with Cotton

There's something quite lovely about knitting with cotton. Don't get me wrong, I am a wool-o-phile to the core, I love winter knits in wool and actually am looking to the day I can up and move my family to Canada just to get more winter. Or at least back to Melbourne.

But cotton has its own joys. It's soft and light and cool to the touch, although can be a bit rougher on hands, dries them out and can create rub marks. It has different properties to wool, doesn't have the same memory for ribbing, tends to stretch and stay stretched. However, it also is more tolerant to the rough treatment me and my family give to our knits.

I am a shocking homemaker and tend to machine wash and tumble dry almost everything. This has more than once or twice been the cause of tears when I find a teeny tiny felted item from some delicate wool. I have even managed to make many a superwash wool more than slightly felty.

Cotton is much hardier however, I find it actually benefits from a good tumble dry, it pulls the fibres back into shape much better than blocking can. I am NOT recommending anyone else treat their handknits this way - it's just playing with fire - but it makes my life easier.

I knitted this Eden's Eve (by tikki) dress for Kassidy last week:

But, being the first cotton knit of the season, I forgot Shannon's Laundry Rule #1 - always allow for shrinking in the dryer - so I now have to rip back the hem and knit on another couple of inches as it looks a little like a mid-thigh minidress now. At least cotton only really shrinks in length not width.

I don't mind, and it was a good reminder for the coming months.

Blogtober Day 10: tikki

You know in life you come across some amazing people, this post is dedicated to one such person in my life. Tikki.

I had been mopping the floor thinking about my day 10 post and decided on a post about her, then went and read her day 9 post in which she calls me crazy and has some consipiring thoughts about making me knit ugly things......the cheek! So we shall see if I am as nice as I was going to be as I watched the dirt clean off the tiles......

This lady is amazing. I am in awe of her nature and am very grateful to have been able to make her acquaintance. Tikki patterns are quite famous the world over, totally adored by us Aussies, the Kiwi girls and the Americans are coming to love her as much as we do by the feels of things lately too. Her Rainbow Dress pattern, I personally think, started a new wave of knitwear design for children's clothing. She seemed to me to be the frontrunner of simple yet elegant designs which flatter the child and are easy for Mum to knit.

I have been very fortunate to be on the testing team for most of her designs, and have knitted many more of them - there's a few I have yet to do, but I'll get there.

She also does the most amazing sewing I've ever seen too. We own just one pair of tikki denim pants, and I have this tendency to turn them inside out and show everyone I know the workmanship of them. They are simply stunning in form and workmanship.

The designs are one thing, but the person behind the designs is an even more amazing thing! This woman is just such a treasure. I have been blessed to be able to spend time in real life with her, and I hope to do so in the future again. She is kind and generous, and one of the most thoughtfully level headed people I have come across. And fair! Such a sense of natural justice comes from her. And she's hilariously funny too, in a very smart, clever way. Of course, you gotta love that she's a nerdling too, especially when it comes to grammar.

[warning: blatant idol worship ahead]

And she's cool too! She is sooooo trendy, she lives in the cutest house in the most gorgeous suburb with the nicest things around her, lives a close to organic lifestyle and she drinks Chai Tea lol. She has the most amazing fabric and yarn stash too. Her family is just gorgeous, her kids are adorable and she's such an attentive nurturing mother to them. As a result they are gorgeously behaved. I've not met the man of the house as yet, but I just bet he's hunky and smart and funny - I can just imagine!

Anyway, one very special woman there. I hope that she's one of those people who stick around in my life for a long long time. *mwa* love you Tik!

Oops I did it again!

Once again I have left my FO wrap up to be a long one.

This is some of the things I have completed since we moved to Perth now......

I've done a bit of testing for others:

A few things for Elena (Anadiomena on Ravelry)

That 70's Dress

First Mate Pants

A couple of things for Anne (MrsLoops on Ravelry)

Felted Laptop Bag

Mermaid Dreamz (working name)

Also a couple of things for Sheryl (Shortly on Ravelry)

Benji hat

Epicene Socks

One test for Lindsay (Camellia on Ravelry)

Every Season Sweater

And last but definitely not least a test for Tikki

Cassia

I've also done a few tests of my own patterns, but I will share them in a separate post.

Bloomin' Brilliant!!!

Ah, Bliss!!!!! This is the most divine pattern I have ever knitted. It is feminine and girly, yet can handle a tomboyish child too. Unlike most children's knitting which become outgrown far too quickly for the effort put in, this garment will grow with a child. This is a test knit for Tikki, the pattern is called BLOOM isn't too far off release I don't think.

I have tested the 10ply, large size, which:

fits my 2 year old nicely as a dress:

fits my 4 year old also as a dress

and grows to fit my 9 year old rather splendidly as a tunic:

I have also knitted the 4ply, small size which looks like it will fit from around birth to about 12-18 months old (but my sizing may be off due to not having a bub around). This garment I love to bits, but isn't as nice as it could be. I tried this yarn to see how the pattern would take to a yarn like this. I think that this would have been okay without the diamond inserts on the skirt. I love this yarn. Fortunately I have enough for another dress.

One I forgot

A perfect combination - a Rainbow Dress (a favourite pattern) knitted in Jolly Jumbuck Black Rainbow (a favourite colourway). Love this to bits, so does the recipient (my niece for her birthday).

FO update in pictures

A beanie I made for my niece.

Robbie Robot Set I made for Mel as part of a swap we did.

Oscar Owl set I did for Mel as part of our swap.

A bag I made for my niece the other night. Not how I imagined it, but good enough.

A milo vest I made for Kassidy. Very cute pattern, easy and quick.

A Jaques Cousteau Hat I made for Corey. Very Fisherman of him!

Longies and a Pinni I made for sale. The longies got some holes in them (thanks kids), but I have repaired them. The pinni is going to the lovely Suzanne.

A premmie Paxton Jacket I knitted as a test knit for Kath.

Super special longies I sold in my new store (yes I have a store now on Ozebaby). I love these to bits, can't get enough of the black rainbow by Jolly Jumbuck!

Another pair of longies which are for sale in my store. The Yarn Cafe/Evoke Yarns shetland 8ply yarn in Beach Sunset colourway.

Gondwana WOOLganics knitted into some simple longies.

The Yarn Cafe/Evoke Yarns shetland 10ply in Vineyard colourway knitted into some newborn longies.

This piccie shows a February Baby Sweater and a pair of The Yarn Cafe/Evoke Yarns longies on the precious little Darcy, the new little poppet of my very good friend (isn't she adorable?).

Another baby gift for Darcy, a little bitty Rainbow Dress for the princess.

I know there are some aprons around I haven't photographed, and a beret which the kids wore yesterday and lost, so I will have some more to come.