Kilt Hose - Knitting WIP

When I was made redundant on 2nd January 2009 ("Happy" New Year!) from my job at Battersea Park Children's Zoo I tried to make the best of a bad situation. My then boyfriend had gone to study in Holland for three months, and I figured I'd finish those Kilt Hose I'd promised when I'd made the little anteater socks (see earlier post).

The yarn was pure wool, Dream in Colour, Night Watch, Double-Knit, absolutely gorgeous colours, came together beautifully and was soft and easy to work with, and smelled like sheep (not really)! Bought from Stash Yarns in Putney at a ridiculous price this was a work of art, a labour of love and would have been a gift to treasure forever. The pattern, John Anderson Kilt Hose, can be found here.

Problem is, he broke up with me about three inches away from having the second hose of the pair finished, and when I sobbed every time I tried to finish them my mother confiscated my knitting and so they are still not finished!!!

Mobile Cosy - Knitting

This was a "Secret Santa" gift for a friend and former colleague at Battersea Park Children's Zoo. She loves stars, and got a new mobile shortly before Christmas. Most of all she loved watching me knit at work (during breaks and quiet periods, although the kids who visited the zoo were fascinated so I knit for their entertainment too!) and kept saying she should start again. So, for the Secret Santa I put together some yarn and needles for a homemade "Scarf in a Bag" kit, and made her this phone cosy!

The star is based on the intarsia pattern in Debbie Stoller's first "Stitch 'n Bitch" book, although the pattern is for a wrist band. Again I was using up essentially scrap yarn from my stash, and I found a lovely button in Smith Bros in Tooting. The whole gift was received with lots of thanks, although once she opened it the "Secret" of the "Santa" was instantly dispersed!!!