Stash Busting Hats

 

 I'm sure I'm not the only one, but the last couple of months have been expensive so I'm trying to save money where I can.  This means no new projects, so I've been stash busting instead.  

The first of these projects has been a couple of hats for whichever charity will be taking them in the autumn.

Using my basic hat pattern, instead of the snowflake/star that I used last time I borrowed part of the design from the cardigan I knitted at the start of the year as I was using up wool from this project. 

I'm not sure how many more hat's I'll knit.  I've found another charity project for my stash so I'll work on that for a bit and see what's left over.

Frame Loom Weaving Workshop

 Last weekend I visited Dobby & Rose for a Frame Loom Weaving Workshop.  I'd come across Dobby & Rose a couple of years ago at one of the Farnham Maltings festivals and liked the idea of having a go myself.

Of course then covid came along and messed everyone's plans up.  Then early this year I was giving a gift vouchure for one of their workshops for my birthday so I finally got to have a go.

The session was run by Rebecca, in her wonderful workshop in her back garden.  I was very luck to be the only person booked and so got 1:2:1 tuition!  But even if others were booked it would have been a small group, so I'm sure it would have been just as good.

I was doing the very basic frame loom weaving, but she does offer more advanced workshop on table looms. Maybe next time.

I spent a very enjoyable morning learning how to string my loom before learning different technques from plain weaving with thinish cotton, to using merino tops to add big fluffy bobbles, and how to create other patterns.

While my first piece didn't have much thought given to it, except to learn the different technques and to keep the colours fairly similar, I've now got lots of ideas of other things I could do.

I love how flexable it is.  I can make it as wide as my frame or smaller.  I can make it as long as my frame or longer!  I can make small pieces and sew them together to make a much bigger thing.  I can use thin threads or thick yarns or more fluffy merino tops. 

And at the end of the session, I got to take my frame and my half finished work home with me, along with a selection of yarns so I could finish it.  Meaning I can try out other my ideas too.

The only real 'problem' is that knitting wool isn't suitable as it's got a bit too much stretch, I'd be better off with a cotton, which means I'm limited on how much stash busting I can do with it, as I've only got a little bit of cotton in there.  Just don't tell 'im outdoors.

Driftwood Jumper

 I really love Isabell Kraemer's knitting patterns and when I saw the Driftwood jumper I knew I had to knit it.  It just makes me think of days on the beach.  That bit at the end of the day where you're slightly sun burnt and sandy, and the sun is starting to set and you just want something against the breeze.  Plus I love stripes.

It was a little bit fiddly to start, the first bit is knitted in stockinette stitch so I had to learn how to M1R and M1L on a purl row.  And you have to keep in mind your colour change every 6 rows, but otherwise it was very straight forward.

I used 4 and a bit balls of Sirdar Snuggly Aran in Denim and Silver Grey.  The buttons came from TextileGarden. 

It's been on my list to knit for a bit, but once we booked a holiday in Devon this summer I knew I had to get it done before we go!  I'm so pleased with how it's come out and I can't wait to wear it this summer. 

I am now starting to wonder what it might look like in different colour combinations.