Destash #1 - Sirdar Spree Chunky

My first destash project uses Sirdar Spree Chunky, a cotton mix of candy colours (60% cotton 40% acrylic).  I have made a preemie baby blanket.

Here's my review of the yarn, after knitting with it for the first time:
Good points: Lovely and soft when knitted up. Colours look pretty too when knitted up, nicer than I expected, although he creamy white colour just looks a little like a dirty white.  Cheap (69p)
Bad points: Splits like crazy. It's a little heavy and loose when knitted up - I wouldn't like to make a jumper in it, I imagine it would hang pretty badly and fall out of shape. I'm dreading washing my little blanket in case it loses it's shape.

Initially, I wasn't sure what to make with this. I searched Ravelry for pattern ideas, but absolutely nothing grabbed me. So, I decided to knit a preemie blanket. 100g isn't quite enough I don't think, so I will have to edge it to make it bigger, maybe with some white yarn from my stash (two balls in one project can't be bad eh?).

First, I started to crochet the blanket, but it splits terribly and I got really frustrated. So I frogged it and started to knit instead. It still splits with knitting, but not as much. I decided to knit a blanket starting at one corner and increasing on every alternate row and until I'd used approx half the ball (I kept weighing it until there were 50g left). Then I decreased on every alternate row. Here's the instructions for anyone who wants to knit a really quick and simple preemie blanket. It took me about 3 hours, and because it using only garter st, I was able to watch TV too.

Using the needle size recommended on your ball band.Cast on 2 sts.

Row 1: kfb in each st

Row 2: sl 1, k to end

Row 3: sl 1, kfb, kfb, k1

Row 4: sl 1, k to end

Row 5: sl 1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1

Row 6: sl 1, k to end

Repeat Rows 5 and 6 until half the yarn has been used (use scales to weigh your ball of yarn) finishing on a Row 6

Next Row: sl 1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1

Next Row: s1 1, k to end

Repeat last two Rows until 4 sts remain

Next Row: k2tog, k2tog, pass 1st st over 2nd st. Pull yarn end though the st and tie off.

With this 100g ball of chunky yarn, I made a square of approx 33cm, which isn't big enough for a preemie blanket. So in my next blog post I will show you how to crochet an edge around the blanket to make it bigger. Here's a photo of this first stage, with a crocheted double crochet border - to be explained in my next post.

Free Knitting Pattern - SCATS and COWLS

As well as knitting and designing cakes I've also been frantically knitting bits and bobs for a stall at the Chorlton 'Green' Festival (Manchester) which was held last Saturday. My daughter had a stall for her arts and crafts and I had promised to share the stall with her and provide some knitted stuff. The problem was - I forgot - so I had to think of some really quick knits. I thought it would be the perfect place to sell my SCATS - what's that I hear you ask?? A SCAT is a knitted tube that you can wear around your neck like a scarf or on your head like a hat. Perfect for those with dreadlocks, as the dreads come out of the top of the tube. They look great.

I used Sirdar Bigga, which is megga chunky and knits up really quickly - just the ticket. Luck was on my side when I went into Oxfam and there was a bag of 10 balls of Bigga in a lovely greeny-brown, for just £5. What a bargain.....

I managed to make quite a few in the limited colours I had. They sold like hot cakes. Here's how I made them......

(Please note these patterns are my design and are published under copyright to me (CakesKnitsandCosies). Please do not reproduce the pattern or any part of the pattern without my permission. The pattern is for personal use only - many thanks)

Materials - 1 x 100g balls Sirdar Bigga/15mm circular needles/cable needle/button

Plain neck cosy (sm/med/large) - Cast on 28/32/36 sts. Knitting in the round, knit approx 16 rounds. Cast off. This cozy will fit a small-medium head/neck.

Cabled SCAT (sm/med/large) - Cast on 28/32/36 sts. Knitting in the round, knit 4 rounds. Round 5 - [place first two sts onto cable needle, put the cable needle to the back of the work, knit next 2 sts, knit 2 sts from cable needle, Knit 3/4/5]. Repeat 4 times. Round 6-8 - knit. Round 9 - as Round 5. Round 10-12- knit. Round 13 - as Round 5. Round 14-16 knit. Cast off.

Buttoned Neck Cosy (sm/med-large) - Cast on 30/36 sts. Knit in rows (not in the round). Row 1 - Purl 4, Knit 22/28, Purl 4. Row 2 - Knit 4, Purl 22/28, Knit 4. Repeat Rows 1 and 2 [7] more times. Cast off. Sew a large button onto one end. It should slip through the knitting without the need for a button hole.

TIP for starting to knit in the round - before you start to knit in the round I find it best to swap the first and last cast on stitches (the stitches at the tip of each needle). Pass the first stitch at the tip of the left needle to the right needle knitwise. Then pass the first stitch at the tip of the right needle over the stitch that you have passed across. Leave it on the left needle and knit into the front of it. Continue knitting in the round.

TIP for casting off - when you get to the end of your cast off round you will have one stitch left on the needle. Cut yarn and thread through it under first cast off stitch from back of work to front, then pass the yarn through the last stitch and pull tight to finish off.