OWLS

Kate Davies' Owls pattern is now a knitting classic. I've been very late to the knitting party, but here is my first version of her lovely fitted jumper, knitted in 12 ply Guanaco. 
It took just under 5 x 100g skeins for the size S - a little less than the pattern called for, which surprised me as my tension was a little under the gauge.



Its a very quick knit, for a jumper, which is the very pleasing thing about knitting with 12ply.



There are plenty of 12ply patterns about, due to the speed of knitting with these chunky yarns, but very few of the patterns are so beautifully fitted. See those nice darts at the back waist!  Most 12 ply jumpers have a very cosy and oversized look - dare I say boxy...



The most delightful part of this pattern for me, are the owl cables.



These cables give just enough embellishment to make the jumper interesting to knit and wear, but are not too complicated for a relatively inexperienced knitter.
This is such a quick jumper to knit that I might be able to squeeze in another one whilst it is still cold enough to wear a snuggly alpaca/wool top layer

Maheno Beanie

Whenever I make something knitted for my husband, who is suitably grateful for handknits, and so, deserves them, I am reminded of how wonderful my daughters are at modelling.



This very plain, but rather useful beanie was made in response to a washing accident, when the previous use of this same pattern, in Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra  (unblogged due to model reluctance) went through a hot cycle after a camping trip and turned into a much smaller, felted beanie, and is now worn only under a hood.

 This new version was knitted in Aslan Trends Guanaco (alpaca and merino), which would probably cope no better with washing accidents, but has a lower cost/yardage ratio, is beautifully soft and warm, and available in plain navy blue. Plain navy blue beanies could be boring, but are completely inoffensive to the conservative Australian male, so are worn frequently.

Modelling is apparently a high price to pay for a beanie, and one beanie gets approximately 30 seconds of modelling according to the recipient's modelling tolerance meter.

Fortunately, the beanie is knit in a nice plain single rib, and I don't need any detail shots, although I have lightened photos slightly so that the beanie is visible.



These photographs were taken on a sunset walk to the Maheno shipwreck on Fraser Island.The sunset was better before I lightened the photos, but I am pretty sure only knitters read this blog, so I knew where to leave the focus ;)
Before I read the National Park information sign here, I had a romantic idea that seamen on the Maheno might have worn classic navy blue beanies, but the Maheno was a scrap ship, being towed, when it came loose in a storm and beached here, so probably there were no seamen on it at all.

If there were, though, a beanie like this one would have kept them nicely warm.
 I am making one more test beanie from  this pattern - in Crofter Chunky, then I will add it to the free pattens on the website.

Moss Stitch Infinity Scarf

Whilst I was in Europe, I saw the beginning of the winter clothes in the shops, and super elongated cowls, or joined up scarves appeared often.
When thinking of my sister's February birthday, I almost always think of winter knitting. An Infinity scarf seemed just the trick for this year.



I made the scarf 140cm long, and 25 cm wide, and knit it sideways on circular needles. This was very good for summer knitting, as I did not need to drape the scarf in progress over my lap.The yarn is Aslan Trends Guanaco, a warm and soft Alpaca/Merino blend.



My daughter is kindly modelling this during a very hot day. It looks to be a particularly winterish warm scarf to me.