Fidra :: Knitting ::

Happy Tuesday everyone! I am just going to be honest, I had totally forgotten about Fidra until I saw Sonja's one. But I needed to share this - it is an amazing pattern, the perfect beanie hat for skiing and weekends (I prefer wearing Bough when I go into London for work). 

There is not a lot to say - it knits really fast (thank you bulky yarn), but is not a boring knit. The texture and lace work are really stunning I think, and there is a pompom! All my favourite things in one pattern. I knitted it in De Rerum Natura Cyrano (of course ethical as you can read here) - as you have to block it to show the lace work, it did stretch and become just a tiny bit on the big side. So I may change needle sizes next time (I am thinking of a cream/oat version next time). 

Pattern: Fidra by Gundrun Johnston

Yarn: De Rerum Natura Cyrano in Poivre

Needles: As recommended by pattern (I will go for smaller next time - 

just because the fabric stretched after blocking)

Modifications: None

You do need a Fidra in your life - especially for you, the lucky ones who are going skiing at Easter! Also are you glad for the change of backdrop for beanie hat pictures? - no backyard for once! 

As for the winner of the skein of Fyberspates  - lucky no 13 came out of Mr Random, Rachelle. Enjoy!

Nearly ready for the slopes :: Knitting ::

Happy Wednesday everyone! I was hoping to show you my finished Fidra - instead you will have to make do with my nearly finished Fidra. I will just have to take pictures of the finished beanie on the slopes - yes we are off skiing, and I cannot wait!

Anyway back to my Fidra - of course I am not the only knitting this beanie hat. There are so many amazing versions out there, including this one that has shown up on my Pinterest homepage many times. I have had a pattern in my library for at least a month  - and then I saw one version knitted in Cyrano - the yarn I intended to use for mine. Before that version I was not sure whether Cyrano would work. I am not sure why, because it is perfect for it. I love this yarn - De Rerum Natura is one of my favourite yarns (and of course it is ethical). The colour is poivre (the same as the one used for Baby MiH's acorn hat - we are now matching!). 

Better get back to the final rows - for one warm beanie hat for the snow. I may sneak in a new hat for Baby MiH too - he has requested a new one. 

Linking to Yarn Along today (I am currently reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - nearly finished too!)

The start of a shawl...

Happy Friday everyone! Not a lot has happened in the terms of craft this week. I went back to work this week - which surprisingly (ok, totally not surprisingly) is taking time away from knitting and sewing. It is amazing though how quickly I went back into it, and came up with some very good BS in meetings. 

Also I have been really distracted by tidying. I tackled my jewellery collection - so satisfying - and today was notebooks (I tried to gather all of them, but I am not sure I actually managed it).   

On my list for today was to knit - it has not happened - but I was set. I have never knitted with Fyberspates - I was looking for a fingering yarn for a shawl - the yarn had to be ethical of course. I did not want a block colour, but not a crazy variegated either (if that makes sense). And I came across these skeins at Knit with Attitude - and I just knew it was what I was looking for. I just cannot wait to start knitting properly and show you.. soon.

Knitting and Reading (but not at the same time)

Happy Wednesday! And let me introduce you to the softest of knits - my (future) Beaubourg jumper. I am knitting it, as advised by the pattern, with Maxima from Manos del Uruguay (I reviewed this ethical yarn here). Although the knitting is quite easy, I cannot read at the same time. How do you do it? I can knit in the car, knit whilst having a chat, knit whilst watching TV - I just cannot knit and read. But I have been reading. I have been using reading as my time off. I go to bed early at the moment - thank you Baby MiH for my lack of beauty sleep - and turn off my mind with a book. 

So actually I am reading more books as a result. I finished the Children Act by Ian McEwan - it is not necessarily easy reading in terms of the topic covered - a high court judge arbitrating on family affairs - but the prose makes it flow. I usually read books with more drama, it felt like an easy read from that point of view, and it was what I needed. There is substance - clearly a lot of research went into it - and it kept me going. So not a 'cannot-stop-reading' book but a good 'quick' in-between read looking at real contemporary issues. 

I am now reading a Christmas Party by Georgette Heyer which was originally published in 1941 under a different title - the Envious Casca. I have not ready any Georgette Heyer's detectives story. I intended to read it during the Christmas period, but did not manage it. I am enjoying it, Christmas in a big country home in Britain, add some snow and I am there - I am making Christmas (or Downtown Abbey?) last a bit longer. 

I am going back to work next week - so reading is going to happen (and not knitting)! It really helps to wind down and escape (totally necessary during my commute). 

The Pokiha Shawl [GIVEAWAY] :: Knitting ::

Happy Friday everyone! This week I have finally managed to finish Pokiha - my test knit for Libby - and take pictures of it. And with the weather being so terrible this week it was not easy to find a dry day to take some decent pictures so I am pleased! 

I feel like this shawl really reflects the colder weather we have in the UK currently. It is as grey as the weather, and provides the warmth I desperately need. 

This pattern is really accessible to all knitters, and is a great exercise on increases, making the most of it through a play on texture and shape. I learnt actually quite a lot knitting this. It is also quite a quick knit - my main delay was purely due to waiting for an additional skein of yarn.

Pattern: Pokiha by Truly Myrtle Designs (to be released next Friday)

Yarn: Ystrad Organic Best Welshx (in natural grey)
Yardage: I used 468m (2 skeins and a bit)

Needles: according to pattern

So for the giveaway... Libby is kindly offering the pattern to one of my readers on the day of its release, next Friday!

You have 3 chances to enter this giveaway:

1. The giveaway is open only to my followers  - old and new. 

Let me know how you follow my blog in the comment box.

2.Follow me on Facebook (and let me know you did in the comment box)

3. Follow me on Instagram (natmadeinhome) and post the picture of the shawl (or regram my post) 
and come back to leave me a third comment

The giveaway ends Friday 11 December at 5pm (UK time). Please, please, please leave me a way to contact you if you are a no-reply blogger. Good luck!

Stripey knits for boys :: Knitting ::

Today my baby is one, and instead of having a family celebration, Mr MiH and I have to leave Baby MiH with his grandparents for the weekend, because today we cannot pretend that everything is normal. I knitted a jumper for Little Baby MiH - and yes it is too small for him (I checked against his other jumpers, definitely too small). But I had to finish this jumper. I started it when we left for the hospital, not because I wanted to keep him with me, but just because I never thought he would leave us. And of course he has not left us as I explained to Baby MiH, he would always be there, but not with us. So we say goodnight to him every night. 

I am not going to talk too much about the jumper. It was inspired by this jumper construction. I wanted stripes (and finish some ethical yarn I had) and some texture. This jumper has both. I love the results, I hate the way I knitted it. Thankfully it is not an adult size jumper, otherwise I would not have finished it.   

I do hope one day this will turn into a pattern, it would be nice to think that something concrete was inspired by Little Baby MiH. For the time being, I am going to leave this jumper for a bit, and come back to it once I learn a bit more about raglan shaping and probably also about writing proper patterns.. 

I am not sure how much to share about our story, but through knitting and sewing stories I am able to share a bit and celebrate that he was with us and inspired me.