Hunting season has opened

Hunting season has opened and The Dad is on his second hunt of the year.

Our Dad is a bow hunter and keeps us in an annual supply of free-range, low-fat, organic venison. He hunts either from a hide (sits high up in a tree or in a shelter for hours in the freezing cold, or walk-and-stalk, where you literally stalk the target with your bow in hand gilly-suit on and looking like something out of Star Trek.  

We like to go with a couple of times during the season, and that means a weekend in the bush, huge campfire, testosterone and adrenaline levels of the boys up against the roof.

And it's very cold early in the morning, and evenings around the fire.

Of course we need new warm beanies!

I sussed out various yarns with variegated patterns, or combinations of yarns, until I found this one, in a camouflage patter.  How lucky!, I thought.

But it was horrible to hook with.    Have you EVER tried tried crocheting with this?  I couldn't see the stitches and holes!

It did't survive beyond the second round. 

Tried on location, wasn't good.

Out of desperation, I texted a friend, early on this Sunday morning.  The lovely Marlene of One of a Kind Yarns didn't even think twice about my plea for "maybe, if she has time, someday, to try and dye a camou pattern for me...) 

Dyed and done that very same afternoon!

Yeeeha!  I got it the next day and tried it out immediately.  This was Marlene's first go at camou, so she did a charcoal batch and the olive-rust-charcoal one.

Her DK wool is a thing of beauty, it works up like Rowan DK, and I love, love, love it.    

Put my nr 5 Prym to work

I used a basic beanie pattern, starting with 4 ch, closing the circle, 12 DC, then increasing until it was wide enough, added a cm or so in extra length to cover the ears against the cold, and learnt to do crab stitch to finish this one's edge:

I might crab stitch every second thing from now on

(And here Blogger starts buggering me around. Again)

(Why, why WHY does it rotate my pics?  I've tried every possible option in Picasa and Picture Viewer but it ends up...on the side.  Or upside down.)

BUGGER.

So Dad gets the charcoal beanie, as it's less visible to animals that the green-rust-charcoal and he would want to use it on the actual hunt.

Dad's blackish beanie

The boys play around the fire mostly, and pretend they're on the hunt.  One got the crab stitch edge, the other just a few rows of SC:

For the boys

As for me?

I will look pretty by the fire, with condensed milk-sweetened rooibos tea, reading or hooking away, wearing my upside down girly beanie (Rowan handspun Merino, if I remember correctly)

I've since decided to frogg the last 3/4 rows, didn't like the cloche effect on this one.  

Mom's rainbowish beanie

They're ready and waiting.  

Yes, the ears will be warm!

Getting all the WIPs in a row

Sometimes it's good to get an idea of what lies lurking in various baskets, bags and closets.  

So I bravely got out the various WIPs and PHDs to assess the damage...

First up, and most important, since winter is slowly creeping up on us: some blankets.

The Great Romany Blanket

Based on a photo I saw in a UK home decor magazine and done in pure wool, this is going to be one colourful and very warm blanket.  The DK's are not of the same thickness, so sometimes I hook with a 4.5, some with a 4, and I started without the a pattern, so the edges might be a little rough.

Pure wool is not the cheapest here, even though we are a wool-producing country! But, luckily for end of range sales, and stock clearance sales - it would seem that many hookers and knitters don't like better wool and/or are not willing to spend a bit more - and then I get 50g for R15 on a sale.
Happiness.

I started it last year, before the winter, didn't finish - although it might cover our feet now :-)

( Alessandra has started a similar blanket recently and posted a very nice, detailed tutorial)

For the spare bedroom...

Granny Stripe for the spare bedroom

Please have a look at this horrendous colour inferno, which only survived here for sentimental reasons.  No more time for that.  I entertained the thought of maybe using it in the whiteish spare room, but since too much white gets on my nerves and some other forms of colour was going to seep in eventually, this one had to go.  Enter the new Granny Stripe.

It started out as a stash buster, then I realised I wanted it to fit the queen-sized spare bed, so I gave the scarf-wide strip to my cleaner and promptly bought more stash at sale prices and started again. The colours are much easier on the eye, it has the retro look that I like and is a nice and easy hook when I don't want to concentrate. Done with Elle Pure Gold and a nr 5 hook to be soft and loose, and grow quickly.

 It is a long-term project though, no rush here.

Something maybe for the car?

The linen stitch stash buster

No, this is a real long term project, and a real stash buster.  All the last oddments will used here.

I saw Kristen's blanket at the Cosy Made Things, loved it, and just added the single line between bands.

And now to the PHDs and testers...

Crescent Moon, oh Crescent Moon!

(Something is happening here and I can't close this gap)

I  loved this pattern the first time I saw it.  Attempted it with high hopes with a blue alpaca - never again.  As beautiful, as soft, as utterly desirable as it is, I don't think I'll work with that again.  Too difficult, too felty, no.

So I tried other yarns, but then the wheels came off.  Didn't like it in DK.  Tried sock yarn with a small hook, sock yarn with a large hook. Currently trying two strand of bamboo DK, but it is going to either RIP or be frogged.

I might try it once more in a chunky, soft cotton plus thin tweed, as below...

The wide-neck poncho

The Graceful Shells Poncho seemed like a good idea, but it wasn't.

Once I disentangle all the tangles that come with working with two strands together, I'll give  the Crescent  Moon a chance with this combination.

And...The Rest

Rowan Ripple Cushion

The big, fat ripple cushion that was too small.  This is my Own, Personal, Soft, Snuggle Reading Cushion.

It is just too small  to fold in half :-(

So I still have to come up with a plan, maybe do a soft denim insert...I still thinking.

Yoga mat bag

The colours photogaphed very bright, very funny, but trust me that it will match the mat!  At first  it  didn't give me joy - either the sequence of the colour, or the presence of that beigeish/stoneish neutral that seemed like a good idea but. Is. Not.

But I decided to continue and finish the bag so I can use it. It's to be functional, not a showpiece :-)

Using this bolster cushion cover as pattern.

A blanket for Hartenbos Huisie

My sis suggested that we hook blankets for the two single beds in Hartenbos Huisie.  We took the colours in the pillows as starting point, and can each choose another colour or two.   The patterns will remain a secret to each until the blankets are complete - a secret small CAL!

I have a shortlist of two or so patterns, but have not decided.

A lacy, flowery curtain for Hartenbos Huisie

I saw a beautiful crocheted  window panel on Pinterest and wanted to do it for a small window in Hartenbos Huisie.  My sis had just figured out the circular pattern in one of my shop-bought scarves and we used that as a basis, with leftover yarns of the patchwork blanket.  After the holiday it went into hiding a bit, then I found the actual pattern for the panel...and had seven fits when it wouldn't work.

I couldn't get these circles attached as in the pattern!

And then I remembered ... I used another pattern for the circles...with a different stitch count...

I'll figure out the attachment still.

Flowery scarf for a dear friend

My friend Christina is moving to Germany after almost 20 years in South Africa. She loved the flowery scarves I made last year and asked that I make her one. I 'm using some leftovers from her and my stash and better get this finished before she leaves in June.

And this might Rest In Peace:

Endangered

I had grand plans for four cushions covers for the outside chairs and actually finished one already, a giant granny square.  The plan was to make each in a different pattern, and I started with small patches for the second one.  The random patches didn't look nice, the colours didn't work out, I frogged and I frogged.
Then I went back to an old favourite, the Summer Garden Square, took  out a few colours to resemble a Cath Kidston combo and was more happy.  But still in no rush to finish this.

And these are the WIPs.  Actually not to bad, since some are small, and some are long term.

Let me finish the yoga bag quickly!

Apologies for the poor photos. The framework for this post was upload via the Blogger app, and today I figured out that is the reason why the photos in my last few posts were not nice at all.  Could fix the last two posts, but alas, these originals have been hidden where I might find it only again next year .