Tuesday 25 January 2011

My KNIT factor

Firstly, thank you all so much for visiting my blog and your lovely, kind comments and word of encouragement, I am so pleased to meet you all and welcome back to this new post about my KNIT factor!

Shall we start with a happy colour first...


I love it when all those first shoots appear, such promise of new life and the uncurling of hibernated life into spring. I know it's a little early, but I pine for spring to spring into action at this time every year. Amazing how vital the seasons have become in my everyday life, growing up in Durban South Africa, the seasons didn't vary very much, it just always seemed sunny, hot and humid with huge storms brewing at the end of the day to break the humidity. The weather really matters here in the UK though. I have only really started to appreciate the seasons having lived here for the last 15 years.

Now, I thought I'd share this very simple pattern link for a pair of winter fingerless mitts which I whipped up over the last 2 evenings. I have avoided knittng thumbs as I was afraid I wasn't experienced enough with knitting to work out how to do it. I also still haven't attempted knitting in the round so I was looking for a pair of mitts that were reasonably straight forward to knit and I found some here on the 'all about you ' webpage for UK magazines. This pattern was featured in the December 2010 Prima issue.

I used some of the mustard Debbie Bliss "fez" yarn left over frm making Andy's beanie and juuuuust managed to squeeze the yarn to finish these...


It's such a great feeling when you accomplish a new skill in knitting / hooking don't you think? It's not smug or proud just seems to produce endorphines I think, real feel good factor! I have decided to call it The KNIT factor as I couldn't think of how else to describe it, maybe there is an appropriate word out there amongst you more experienced knitters, please do tell if there is. Until then it's the KNIT factor for me ;o)

So if you feel like a little KNIT factor, try knitting these little babies, they are super quick, very little skill required and give you a dose of instant gratification because you can wear them soon and keep your mitts warm too xox

Mine are by no means perfect but as a first attempt I am pleased.


I hope to show you my finished granny bubblegum blanket soon and will leave you with a couple of pretty pictures taken in one of my favourite towns to visit where you can browse through all the antique and vintage shops/markets, the lovely East Sussex town of Rye, taken this last weekend.



I love the cobbled Mermaid Street and the old buckets and baskets below


Perfect for some planting and gardening


And last but not least a photo of my dearest,lovely hyacinth, what colour will you be?


I hope to visit all your blogs soon, thanks for all the inspiration and sharing. Have a marvelous week ahead xox

8 comments:

  1. They look really warm and snuggly. Thank you for the link.

    Colette

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  2. such pretty pictures and the mitts look so cosy, well done. I will also admit to only having jsut started to appreciate the seasons, despite having lived here all my life! Where abouts are you in Sussex (Hastings way?)- we recently moved from Brighton and now live in Oxfordshire x

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  3. Hi Penelope
    What is that beautiful yellow flower? It looks tulipy. It is so so vibrant. I wear mits like that when I'm sewing they make such a difference on a cold day. I think your hyacinth will be pink - my daughter called mine a pistachio plant! Tee hee
    Have a lovely week.
    Jo x

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  4. Well done on the knitting - and I think it ok to feel pleased with yourself when you try something new and it works. The blanket it your last post looks lovely - looking forward to seeing more of that. x

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  5. Hej Penelope

    The knitted fingerless mitts look great ;-)
    LOVE the buckets and buskets too.
    WOW! That is amazing about your geranium cutting
    what a wonderful story ;-)
    Thank you for sharing
    LOVE PEACE enJOY
    Julie
    x

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  6. I think you are going to get a lot more use out of those fingerless gloves yet looking at the weather forecast! People laugh at the British and their obsession with the weather but when it changes nearly every day there is always something to talk about!
    Enjoy the scent of those hyacinths when they are open. It happens so quickly and it's such a wonderful smell.
    love Penny and Higgins

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  7. Yes I totally agree with the knit factor! It does make you feel great and that is so important! Do you know Penelope, I work as a trainee counsellor at an eating disorders clinic, and it was a big realisation for me during the last two years that we MUST build up our lives inside ourselves with things that make us feel good about ourselves, reasons why we are wonderful and likeable and amazing people, that have nothing to do with our physical bodies, and isn't yarnplay a wonderful way to create that wonder inside us! I love your gloves, I'm going to do some from www.kiwiyarnsknits.wordpress.com the lady who wrote the pattern is a wellingtonian and I tried on her pairs in the weekend and they are lovely!!! And apparently easy too! (I'll be the judge of that!)
    XXXXX

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