Stash Buster Shawl and a Teddy

So my Shawl is all done yes already and it is only 13th July.

I sorted out Orange, Purple, Lilac and variegated yarn that went with the other colours.
A simple pattern of cast on 3 Kfront and back of first stitch knit to the end of every row. All I was change colour every two rows to give the stripe, easy, I just kept going until the needle could not hold any anymore stitches and bound off.
Yarn was DK and needle size 6mm 40cm long, I don't get on well with cable needles I can easily twist the stitches and that is annoying.
Here is the edge of the shawl

Now before you say anything this is my very first Crochet edging in the Shell pattern. Not that hard in the end and remember I do not crochet. I can just about do an edging on something knitted but to crochet something means following a pattern and crochet patterns are so different from knitting patterns that I find them hard to work out. With practice I may be able to make something simple but knitting is thing.
Anyway the Shell pattern is easy to do I followed this Scalloped Edge
I was quite pleased with how it looked and it sets off the simple knit shawl nicely.

Now for the Teddy, I had started making an afghan strip before I decided to make the shawl, so not wanting to waste the knitting I had done I turned it into a bag. Have a look

 Each side is a different colour and the wave pattern looks interesting as it adds a new dimension to the usual stripes.

Now for the Teddy who is in the bag.

Kinda cute isn't he, a cuddly surprise in a bag. Now why did I do this? well not everyone who is has Cancer is an adult, children need comfort as well. Yes I know they have their own toys but sometimes a new toy that is there waiting for them is special as it can be taken into the treatment room with them. This little guy has his own bag so he can be stored away and taken out when he is needed.

My second shawl has been started and this time the pattern is my own.

My Prayer Shawl / Stole
I am using DK yarn and 9 mm needles.
I have cast on 127 stitches
First 6 rows are knit every row

Pattern rows
Row 1 and 2  K1, P1 across the row
Row 3 and 4 Knit

Repeat Rows 1-4 until the stole/shawl is the length you need then Knit 6 rows Bind off

I will be using orange and yet allow yarn so I will change colours on row 3. Changing colour every 2 rows makes the colour change easy. You can add a new colour easily on row 3 as well so the pattern will accommodate my stash. I will post a picture of the shawl as I knit it showing my progress.

Change of plan for the Stash Buster Challenge

Ok I have changed the knitting pattern for the Stash Buster Challenge. I am not making an afghan anymore I will be making a shawl.
Now why the change?
Well I made a shawl for my friend in Texas and she loved it and I have been asked to make another one or if possible two.They will be for people who are undergoing Cancer treatment and will be used as a Comfort Shawl.
So the yarn I have will be used for this rather than the afghan I was making, yes a comfort blanket is always nice but the shawl can be used at any time.
I called my last one Sunday Comfort Shawl as my friend likes to read newspapers on a Sunday and relax.
These shawls will be called Comfort Shawls as they will be used for comfort. The pattern is a little different as they want a fringe to be added to them so I am using the pattern below.

I am using this pattern Honest Warmth Shawl
I used it for my friends shawl with DK yarn and used up a lot of stash making it so I know it works. I use 6mm needles and keep going until the needle is full of stitches and cast off. I have 40mm long needles and cable needles so I can either last time I used the straight needles and filled the needle until I could not fit another stitch onto it.
Koni's Shawl

So the plan is make a shawl for someone who needs a little bit of comfort at at time that really hard for them in their life.

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.