Elam Hat :: Knitting ::

Happy Monday everyone! I am starting this week with a finish! F-I-N-A-L-L-Y. I really needed a finish. I have so many projects started, and was no where to see a finish. So I decided to start a new one just so I could have a finish - and get some motivation to progress others. 

To ensure a finish, I changed nothing, nada, zilch to the pattern. Not even the stitches count. I did not even add a pompom - I know, I am shocked. I may have to add one at a later stage - just because my beanie hats all have a pompom, it is my favourite part of my beanie hats. 

Pattern: Elam hat by Dianna Walla

Yarn: Hand dyed organic merino silk wool, light worsted DK yarn from SixSkeins (Etsy) _I asked Stephanie to hand-dyed this lot for me, this colour was the one I used for Baby MiH's Shale blanket

Needles: according to pattern (DPNs in 3.5mm and 4.5mm)
(Future) modifications: looking at the pictures, I am wondering whether I would not make the brim about fatter. 

This is also my entry for this month's le challenge. The theme was 'round', and the hat was knitted in the round. You can check all the entries here. Next month's challenge is reading!

Also I have realised I have not appeared in a post for a long time... Weird to see myself in pictures. As you can see I am letting my hair grow and I have gone darker - I am sure you are feeling better now you had a hair update!

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!

Autumn Leaves | A finish {Knitting}

If you follow me on IG you know that I actually finished Slable  a week ago - and that the pictures were taken on our weekend away in Norfolk (the last one as a family of 3!). It was all scheduled that way - I was hoping to snap some autumnal scenes as well as the beanie hat - because that colour kept reminding me of Autumn leaves. Not that I knew what to expect when I started with the natural dyeing kit - and in fact I had no idea what the result would look like, but it totally exceeded my expectations. 

I did not change anything to the beanie hat pattern - this is my second beanie hat from Twisted Woolly Toppers (I made Acorn for Baby MiH - one of my favourites). I wanted something with texture yet simple that would show off the yarn colour. The combination of moss stitch and cables certainly did that. I think a real revelation of the pattern was the cast on method used - the alternative cable cast on. Woolly Wormhead did a great tutorial here, so you could use it for your future beanie hats too (it may work better for thinner yarn though). 

Pattern: Slable by Woolly Wormhead (available here)

Yarn: Hand dyed fingering weight yarn (naturally dyed in fact) - by me. 
I talked about the kit I used here. 

Needles: as recommended by the pattern
Size: Size 2

Modifications: None

Result: I love how it shows the variegated yarn and also the intricate cable work. 
It is slouchier - slouchier than I expected. 

As you can see it is really hard to capture the actual colour of the yarn - but hopefully between the leaves and mushrooms and the different snaps - you get the general idea. 

All I can say is that if you are thinking of trying natural dyeing - do it, I don't think you will regret it. I like it so much that in fact I have another yarn being dyed as we speak. I have not found a project for it yet, so I am leaving it to be.