completion of a really really old project

I found an almost finished project last night that only needed a few more rows and casting off, I can't believe how long its been on the needles, I started it back then, which must be a year and a half ago...its frightening how time slips away isn't it?

Its a little bit tweedy, a little bit country, a little horse and hounds and tea in china cups on a wet blustery day.

beachy tea

Suffolk beaches, beach huts, pebbles, bunting, stripes, these have inspired the creation of a new teacosy for my brown betty. Rather indulgently I've used the Blue Sky Alpaca cotton in tulip and drift because the colours are perfect and the plain stockinette stitch and broad stripes show them off wonderfully.




This is a really simple teacosy, with a moss stitch border to give the idea of sand, while the stripes remind me of a beach hut. This is how I did it ::

Cast on 32 stitches. Work 6 rows in double moss stitch, then switch to the second colour and commence stockinette stripes, of 6 rows each. Work 11 stripes, or 66 rows of stockinette. Work six rows of double moss stitch in the original colour. Cast off 32 stitches. Fold the rectangular piece of knitting in half and seam the sides with invisible mattress stitch. Leave a gap in each seam for the handle and spout.

baby hat

This is my first attempt at any sort of babywear, and I've tried to make sure all ends are woven in and it's as sturdy as possible. I've made it from the same organic cotton as the yarn intended for the wedding blanket. It is for the newborn that is soon to make an entrance in the lives of my two friends, they don't know whether it will be girl or boy.

The wedding blanket (for the same couple) has stalled due to the expense, so I am contemplating a pair of booties to match, and (I know its selfish to make something for yourself from yarn intended for a gift...) a striped teacosy for myself.