Stash Buster Challenge

My Stash

As with all knitters I have stash that needs using up all those odd amounts that will not make a project and those odd balls of yarn that were bought or given to you that you have no idea how to use.
So I have stash that needs using up and have decided to join two challenges.
One is on Sparkpeople in the Knit it up Team. They have a challenge for July we count the yardage we knit and do exercises during the week as well.
The other one is here Stash Buster 2013

I will be making an afghan  a nice simple pattern that I found Catch the wave Afghan
I am altering it so I can knit it in panels rather than one large piece. The reason is simple I can use up all the odd amounts of yarn I have if I make it in panels plus it will be easier to handle and I can knit it anywhere.

I can do this between making more baby blankets for the hospital that way I don't get fed up doing the same thing.

It is just for fun so why not join in and use up some of that stash you will be amazed at what you can make out of it.

Neonatal Unit Items

I took the items I had made to the Neonatal Unit today and they loved them. I was asked if I would be making more. I said I would be happy to and asked what they wanted.
The larger blanket I had made was perfect for the cots so they want more of them with the lace border.
The Angel Pockets are needed as well and the Teddies are also wanted.
 They like them in any pastel shade so Peach, Pink, Lemon, Green, Lilac and Blue are all fine to use.
So I will have plenty to play around with to make the blankets look pretty.

I want to add different trims to the Angel Pockets and found these

Picot Edge  Scalloped Edge

The Sands lace trim was a real hit with the unit so I will make more blankets with this trim.
Sands Baby Blanket

I thought it would be nice to make a stripped blanket maybe in a moss stitch and then add a trim to the blanket top and bottom only. I will have to experiment and see how it works out.

Friendship Blanket

It has been a while since I posted anything here, I have been busy with all sorts of things but still knitting.
I have been collecting squares to make a Friendship blanket we swap 8 inch squares on Knitting Paradise forum.
Some squares are exactly 8 inches some are not, I have squares that are 7.5 inches to almost 9 inches but that is OK I can work with all of them.
I have added the extra inches so they are all the same size taking the largest square and going with that I alter the others to match.
I will make a knitted patchwork blanket by adding narrow strips between the larger square strips. So it will be large square strip narrow square strip until I have a blanket the size I want. The narrow square strip will be knitted in one long strip rather than separate squares.
I am using a decorative stitch to sew the squares together this link will show you what I am doing.
 Modular Squares

The end result will be a pretty and unique blanket.

You can see what I done so far and how I have added extra knitting to the various squares.

The picture on the right shows the gap that will need to be filled in. I am in the process of making the long strip of small squares to add to the side of this strip.

This is the strip of small squares that I will add to the blanket, it will be slow process but will be worth doing.
Between making this I will make some baby blankets and other items so I do not get fed up knitting squares all the time.

Hat and Muffler

I have just finished a hat and muffler for the Seafarers and they turned out OK. I used some yarn that was left over from an old project and had to add some to the ends of the muffler to make it long enough.
I think it looks OK though.
Mission for Seafarers help all those who work aboard ships from all over the world. I asked them if they also needed hats and mufflers for women and they do so the next hat and muffler I make will be for a woman in more feminine colours.

Here is the pattern I used Hat and Muffler pattern

I seemed strange knitting a hat in rib only it looked like a large oblong with a bit of shaping at the top. It turned out OK though and I was pleased with the end result. The yarn is variegated so lent itself nicely to the ribbing stitch.

I thought I had enough to make the muffler 60 inches long but did not. I picked up 40 stitches along the bottom edge and knitted a section in a solid colour that went with the yarn I used and did the same on the other  end.
It looks as if I meant it to be that way so was pleased that it looked OK.
Garter stitch throughout, so nice and easy to do whilst watching TV in the evening.

I like to break up my projects so I knit a hat and muffler then go onto another project this time a Teddy for Siblings Together.
He will be finished soon then I will post about him. I love making different things that way I do not get bored making the same things over and over again.

Preemie Knits

I have been busy making Blankets and Angel pockets ready to be sent off.
A friend of mine, Diana,  was kind enough to send me some yarn that I could use for the blankets.

Angel Pockets

These are used for the tiny babies that do not make it some are very tiny and these are used to present the babies to the parents in.

This is what they are like when opened up. I used the pattern found here  Lisa's Stars  

This is my first attempt at crochet and was quite pleased with the way it turned out, not bad for someone who has never done crochet before.

 I also made these little teddies to with the blankets that I made. This one is made to the same pattern but with half the stitches of the bigger one.
Here is the pattern for Little Ted Little Teddy






This one was made to amount of stitches in the pattern he look really big compared to the other one.

 This blanket is made to the Sands pattern for a blanket that is used for Memory Boxes. The border is added after knitting the blanket.
Sands Baby Blanket

They are easy to make and look so pretty.

 This is a preemie baby blanket that is used in Neonatal units for the tiny babies there this one is a simple Stocking stitch blanket with a garter stitch border top and bottom.





This one is a basket weave pattern again easy to do but knits up without any holes for tiny fingers and toes to caught up in. Many of the babies that these blankets are made for do survive so it is something positive to make for them.

 

So why do I knit for charities and hospitals that need these items?
Well 37 years ago I lost my first baby when I was 24 weeks pregnant he died in the the womb and after I was taken to hospital he was removed. I was not given the choice or chance to see him and was simply told that he was perfectly formed and had died due to his blood group and mine not being compatible. You see I have ARh Negative blood group and his was Positive, anti bodies kicked in and sadly he died, no ones fault just a fact of nature. I had an injection that meant any other babies would not have the same fate.
So I know what it is like to have all the excitement of a new life waiting to be born only to have the awful news it will not be.
Now they are far more understanding and offer parents the chance to say goodbye and have their precious little one presented to them with dignity.
So the Angel Pockets are made by people who may have had a similar experience or by those who know someone who had that experience. The blankets are always welcome as hospitals use them and the parents take them home with them. The teddies are often used in Memory boxes or given to the parents along with the Angel Pockets. The teddies are also given to parents to take home with their baby when they are strong enough to go home, along with the blanket that was used to hold and cuddle them in.
I make them in white so they can be used for a boy or girl some make them in pastel shades but I prefer white.
So a big thank you to my friend who has made it possible for me to make these items that will be used for such precious little ones.

Tiny Baby items

A tiny blanket for a Memory box and two sets of hats and booties sent off to Lovinghands.
These items are tiny and hopefully will be used by someone who needs them. It is amazing at how much these things are so badly needed when all it takes is a few ounces of yarn and a little time.
I will be making items for the Neonatal unit in my local Hospital as well. If each person who knits made one blanket the Neonatal units would always have a good supply all over the country.

Rainbow Penguins

 I made these Penguins for Lovinghands and they will hopefully get a good home and support what ever charity they are destined for.

They were easy to make I loved making them. Penguins are black and white but I wanted to make them look different so chose bright colours.
I added embellishments to the hats and scarves so each penguin has a character of their own.

The pattern was in an old Jean Greenhowe book Knitted Toys, I altered the scarves and created a lacy beanie and scarf myself.
I love making colorful toys that are a little different and these certainly are different