Converting a pattern

Well this week has had some amazing highs and a very saddening low which I will cover in a seperate blog post allowing those who do not wish to read about it to not feel forced to. It started off with a lovely visit to my in laws smallholding and the kids receiving some great Christmas presents from them, one of which was this super cute puddle suit for the youngest.  How adorable?! Who wouldn't love a unicorn puddle suit?

As ever it was great to catch up with the family and the boys weren't seen for dust as they went to help out with the animals. It's a fantastic experience for them and as they trotted off to feed the horse, donkey and pigs their breakfast in the early winter morning darkness you realise how having a bit of responsibility with an animal can be really good for them. We have a couple of cats, but they are an 'easy' pet to be fair and it usually falls to me or the hubby to feed them so being able to experience a more hands on animal does the kids the world of good.

On another positive note, my beautiful cousin let me know that her and her partner are expecting their first baby this year. I'm so excited for them and am already planning what I can make for the new addition. It's such an exciting time expecting a baby (even with the extreme tiredness, morning sickness and insomnia that comes along with it). I absolutely love making little cardigans, blankets and hats. It helps that I can get them done fairly quickly too 😉.

Found at: https://www.pinterest.co.
uk/pin/91831279879049654/

So, crafting wise (as I know that's why most of you are here) I've been busy converting a knitting pattern I've had for quite a few years from being knit on two needles to being knit in the round. It's a basic stocking stitch pattern with 3 inches of rib at the cuffs and bottom hem as well as a ribbed collar so in theory it should be fairly easy to convert... Having never done something like this before though my main issues have been trying to keep the pattern easy to read and how to work the neck shaping. I'm going to have to do a bit more research on the collar shaping as I can't quite get my head around it at the moment.

For the rest of the pattern I've been planning it to be knit from the bottom up starting with knitting up the body as one 'tube' and the two arms as individual 'tubes' up to the armhole shaping. Instead of casting off stitches to create the armhole the stitches are slipped onto a safety pin and will be grafted together once the jumper is complete. Once the body and arms are completed up to that armhole shaping they will be joined together so that you're knitting all three together in one big round and shaping the armholes all at the same time.

That maybe all sounds more complicated than it actually is or perhaps it's clearer in my head than I can explain! Once I've got the yarn and have knitted it up it will more than likely be even clearer in my head. I'm one of those people who needs to research and physically do for things to click fully in my head. Fingers crossed with the aid of the internet I should be able to work out how to do the neck shaping in the round and then I'm hoping to put the pattern on the blog (once I've checked it's right by knitting it up).

The Lake Baikal cross stitch is coming along nicely and I think by the end of next week I should be very close to having finished a quarter of the chart. I've also made a start on the free project that came with the Cath Kidston book that I got for my birthday - I'll go into more detail on that next week.

I'll leave it there and catch up with you soon.

Until next time,

M x