Lots of baby stuff

Since finishing Oliver's Jumper I have made two baby jackets and several hats from Itty Bitty Hats. I am currently knitting some more baby coats, as I know so many friends who are expecting at the moment. One had their baby, a boy, on 27th May, the multi coloured jacket and wee willie winkie hats are for him, the other hats are for babies yet to be born. Who knows, after all the baby knitting I might get the waterfall cardigan for me made?
The other baby jacket was made for a colleague's newborn son, who arrived late March.

In praise of Bamboo needles.

A while back I bought myself a set of bamboo knitting needles. Since then I have rarely used my older metal and plastic ones.
Last night, I decided to start a baby jacket in my room. I couldn't be bothered to go downstairs and get my bamboo needles, so I used my older needles! I did think it was just hype that bamboo needles are better to knit with if you have arthritis in your joints.....BUT....now I know better!
Metal needles cause my hands to ache after only knitting for around 30 minutes, whereas....if using bamboo needles, I can sit and knit for hours before my hands start to ache and cramp.
Give me Bamboo needles over metal any day.
I have not tried the more expensive rosewood needles as yet, but hope the birthday fairy will be kind and buy me a pair of 4mm ones

A cross stitch finish

I started this ages ago, and it became a UFO, (unfinished object,) as projects sometimes do, for various reasons. However, I was determined to finish it , and I have. I have now given it away to the person it was for.

Not much more to do

I have been working on a cross-stitch picture as well lately. It is around 3 years since I started, yet it became a UFO (unfinished object,) for several reasons. however, I decided that it was about time I finished it up. Today I finished putting all the cross-stitches in it, there is only the back stitching to do, which should be done by the end of the week. The picture shows progress as to last evening.

Recent finishes and a WIP

I have now finished Oliver's jumper, it is a little longer than the pattern states, as Oliver is quite tall, so needs the extra length.
I have also made a hat from Itty Bitty Hats for a colleague at work who is expecting a baby very soon.
There is also a photo of my current WIP. It's design 83 from UKHKA. The picture on the pattern looks like a bramble stitch, but is actually a woven stitch, using C4F and C4B one after the other on right side rows, the wrong side rows being purl. It is creating quite a firm fabric.

wooly guitar

I won't show you a picture of this..as it is a disaster....back to the drawing board!

A helping "item"

I don't know how many people are constantly frustrated by the newer way of winding yarn. Instead of the traditional "ball" of wool...some yarn manufacturers wind their yarn in "doughnut" balls. These look great, but tend to collapse as soon as you start using them. It's fine if their aren't many yards on the ball...but sometimes it gets tangled. This really frustrates me, anyway...I have come up with a way of ensuring the yarn comes off easily. I pop the doughnut ball over a kitchen roll holder, before taking the ball band off, then the yarn comes off smoothly and the ball is able to rotate freely as you pull it. It takes out having to constantly detangle your yarn.