Quick Knits

Happy New Year.

I hope that you all had a good Christmas and New Year. I had a house-full of guests for Christmas which was lively and great fun, then a very quiet New Year, just me and the resident radiologist from the 27th until we went back to work on the 5th January. Bliss - and a pretty productive knitting period too.

I finished off the February Lady Sweater which is now blocked and just waiting for buttons, but more on than next time (or once I find the buttons); I also designed, started and finished a pair of stranded colourwork mittens that I'd been thinking about for a while and which are currently blocking. Finally, I produced a couple of quick knits.

Which were:
A second knitted bangle in one of my favourite colours. The bangle core came from Asda and the knitted cover is left-over Arwetta superwash sock yarn (from my Vinnland socks). I cast on 68 stitches on 2.5mm needles, knitted a couple of rows in stocking stitch, then the bulk of the rows in 2x2 rib, a further row in knit and bound off. After that, it was a simple task to sew it over the bangle. I have a second bangle like this still waiting for a jacket - I just haven't decided on the yarn yet...


A knitted iPod nano cosy for my Christmas gift from the RR. Knitted in Artesano 100% Alpaca 4 ply, in the round on 2mm needles. This yarn could easily become one of my very favourites. It feels wonderful - soft and ever so slightly fuzzy, has good yardage and isn't too expensive. If I could contemplate knitting a jumper in 4 ply, this would be the yarn. Hmmm - might need to investigate the DK version!


Cast on 32 stitches, 2x2 rib for 10 rows then stocking stitch until it was about 4 rows longer than the iPod. Used kitchener stitch to graft the end together. It's a good snug fit so it won't slip off too easily and let my new toy get scratched in my pocket.

Knitted Bangle

Sadly, I can't remember where I first came across this idea so I can't give proper credit, but needless to say that the original idea was not mine.

What I do remember, though, was seeing a photo in an up-market magazine (possibly Scottish Field) and thinking '£70 for a cashmere-covered bangle - what a rip-off'. So I, in turn, ripped off the idea and made this alpaca-covered bangle for about £3.50.


The core bangle is a cheap plastic one from Claire's Accessories. I then cast on 64 stitches with Artesano Alpaca Inca Cloud yarn on 2.25mm DPNs and away I went. I had thought about grafting the end to the beginning, but to get enough tension to keep the cover taught, I ended up casting off all the stitches, then using a varient on mattress stitch to bring the ends together.


I really like this (and it keeps my wrist lovely and warm) and am now on the look-out for other old bangles of various width to cover.