A Pin Wheel Blanket in OxfordKitchenYarns for my nephew

Pin wheel blanket for my nephew

Pin wheel blanket for my nephew

Pin wheel blanket for my nephew

Pin wheel blanket for my nephew

At the very end of November, my sister had her first baby, a little boy. It’s exciting to see her and her husband become parents, and we’re looking forward to seeing them all in the spring, when the come over from Ireland to visit. In the meantime hand knits, including this baby blanket have been made, and sent over in time for his arrival.

We have a good set up going, my sister and I. Each of my children have a knitted baby blanket from me, and a stitched quilt from my sister. (You can see FB’s quilt here, and LR’s apparently still needs photographing, but that’s ok, because it also needs a wash, and so I will photograph it and post about it while it is blowing outside. but it is amazing, and has kept us warm for two winters now.)

Anyway the set up still works now that she is the one growing her family. They still get a knitted baby blanket from me, and a quilt from their mum.

This one was knit in OKY Aran, about 300g of ‘Milk’, 100g of ‘Custard’ and a small amount of ‘Pansy’. It’s a pinwheel blanket, with a knit-on border, which gives it a lovely stretchy cast off, but I have to admit, was a bit daunting to knit. Knit on borders always look amazing but feel endless while I’m knitting them. Luckily this one seemed to get quicker and quicker, the more I knit it (funny that, I know!) and suddenly, just when it seemed the blanket would never be done… it was.

Hopefully it’ll keep my sister’s beautiful baby warm and comfy through the winter.

Knitting and Reading

A Country Kiddie in Oxford Kitchen Yarn BFL/Bamboo Sock

I’m a day late for Small Things Yarn Along but I have knitting, I have books so I’m going to play anyway.

First off – I’m knitting a (very) belated ‘Hurrah, you’ve been born!’ present that hopefully we be given at the weekend. It’s in OxfordKitchenYarns BFL/Bamboo Sock yarn, which I love knitting with.  I’m knitting another Country Kiddie by Brandy Fortune.

I haven’t knit one of these since FB was still a bump, and I’d forgotten how much I love this pattern. It’s simple and fun to knit and I’ve knit it differently every time I’ve knit one.

This one is different again, and I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll have another one on the needles by the weekend for LR (even though I’ve got a number of projects on the go right now.)

A Country Kiddie in Oxford Kitchen Yarn BFL/Bamboo Sock

Book-wise I’ve just got Campcraft for Girl Guides by the Girl Guides Association. This is the 1960 revised edition. Everything I ever learnt about camping was taught to me by the Girl Guides.  (Apart from the trick of dumping out all your stuff from your bag onto the floor of your tent at festivals so that it’s harder for people just to take everything.)

I took my guide promise at my first camp when I was about 11, and got my camp permit at 13. We made our own kitchen sinks from a plastic bowl and string and canes. I would love to own a proper canvas and solid wooden ridge pole tent like the ones we camped in, even though you need about 4 people who know what they’re doing to a) physically move it anywhere and b) get it up.

But it was beautiful and I loved it.

campcraft for girl guides

Anyway we are hoping and planning to take the children camping at least over night this summer, with the plan of more camping holidays to come. And so I wanted to remind myself of what I was taught, and went back to the source.

I’ve only just started it, but it’s packed full of information, and ideas and things to do and given it’s only 4″x5″ it’ll be great to slip into the pocket of coat or backpack to read when we’re on our trip. 🙂