Snuggly and Warm

To all the knitters out there, have you ever found yourself relaxing on the lounge or in a comfy recliner knitting away only to find the T.V program you were watching has suddenly ended and you are part way through a new program? I have to admit, I have that problem too, whenever knitting I end up having 'Nanna Naps' especially when knitting a blanket, the one that has sent me to sleep the most lately has been a large blanket I've been working on out of Pom-Pom wool, mostly as it is so soft and warm.

I've made a knee rug or two out of this deliciously warm Pom-Pom wool and thought to make a blanket large enough to cover a queen size bed. As there are certainly no needles out there long enough to knit the blanket all in one piece, I've been enjoying falling asleep while knitting strips to later stitch together to make the blanket. Unfortunately there wasn't enough of the good quality Pom-Pom wool, so cheaper and smaller balls of wool are being used at the top and bottom, hopefully it will still turn out well.

Top 10 Winter Warmers You Can Make

Who doesn't like to snuggle under a nice warm blanket in Winter? And with utility prices on the rise, all the more reason to make or purchase your own Winter warmers. 

If you are someone who like originals or personalized items then read on. This post is all about handmade items perfect for Winter and you don't need to be a genius to make them, all you need is the right tools and plenty of time, if time is against you then never fear, we have listed some wonderful businesses who can help you out.

So we've had a think and the top Winter warmers for anyone to go at with either knitting or crochet are:

Beanie
Blanket
Scarf
Mittens
Gloves
Socks
Leg Warmers
Headband
Ear Warmers
Boots

Over the next few weeks we'll do posts on several of these Winter warmers listed.
Scarves and blankets are the best starting place when learning knitting or crocheting, they can be as simple or as creative as you like. There are loads of different types of wool to use (we say wool as it is easier and simpler to say than all the mixed blends that are available) and of course 100% wool is the warmest but it can also be the more expensive.

Knitting
WikiHow has great step by step movies on how to hold your needles, cast on and knit Garter stitch. There are a whole range of stitches you can learn which can create some very intricate patterns. Depending on what ply (thickness) of wool you are working with, determines how wide the knitting is going to be. For a scarf, generally 8 ply and 20-30 stitches per row is a good starting point.

Knit 2 Purl 2

Knit 2 Purl 2

Knit 2 Purl 2

Crochet 
Instead of using needles, crochet uses a single hook and as with knitting needles, the size depends on the wool you are working with. Again WikiHow comes to the rescue to help you learn the basics of crochet.

If you are going to teach yourself to knit or crochet then a good idea would be to join a group/guild, online ones are fantastic for sharing patterns, tips and ideas not to mention finished projects, meeting in person is also fantastic as you can pick up even more tips from watching others knit and hearing advice that may not be included in the pattern instructions.

Some Australian suppliers include:

House of Yarn
NeedleNook Knitting Wool
A Yarn in the Making
Dormani Yarns
The Wool Shack
Knitting Yarn Shop
Yarn + Co
Morris and Sons
Wool Baa
Black Sheep Wool 'n' Wares
The Wool Inn
The House of Wool
Woolshed
The Wool Shop
Yarn Glorious Yarn
Yarnover
Kaalund Yarns
Yay for Yarn
Wool Suppliers
Tasmanian Fibre
White Gum Wool

If you are someone who doesn't have a lot of time but would like a unique Winter warmer we did locate one fantastic business so far that can help you, Knit 2 Purl 2 is a very experienced business making all kinds of Winter warmers. You can take a look at their wonderful business listing here.

Knit 2 Purl 2

We hope you have enjoyed our post on Winter warmers, if you have anything to add such as pictures of your own creations or if you would like to know more information, please leave us a comment :-)

Blanket for Winter

We all make beautiful scarves, blankets, beanies and other Winter warmers for ourselves when the weather starts getting colder, why not do a little something for our pets to keep them warm? So the other day I decided to make a little something for my little girl Lola. She feels the cold when she's been clipped and unfortunately we can't really keep her coat long, so instead we have a gorgeous pink hooded jacket for her which we bought, but last night I finished off a blanket for her.

We went a bit crazy buying all this Pom-Pom wool and making blankets and scarves for ourselves and family members, and every time I was knitting away with this Pom-Pom wool, Lola would be right there on my lap, she loved it! So I thought, why not make her a blanket of her own. Only minutes after it was finished and I put it on her bed, she jumped off my lap and snuggled up under her new blanket. Yes she certainly is a little bit spoilt.

Colourful and Cute

This is my latest crafty project I have been working on when I have had a free moment, its a Crochet Sunburst Blanket, after something like 70 rounds I'm still not perfect at creating the little sunbursts but it is something that is really enjoyable. I'd always seen blankets like this that are solid colours so I've chosen to use multicolored wool instead of changing all the time. I haven't quite got them all perfect and the same size but I am hoping that this won't matter too much. This blanket is certainly going to be an original and it will only get better from here. Anyone out there thinking they would love to add a little colour to their bed, their couch or just wanting to create a lovely blanket, then this is certainly the one for you. It is not very difficult at all and there are plenty of sites where you can easily learn the steps to making these colourful little granny squares :-)