Winter Wardrobe

This time last year I was heavily pregnant and also not proficient enough at knitting to even begin to think about using it to kit my family out for winter. This year our little boy is nearly one, and while he is pulling himself up on everything and generally using me as a climbing frame, I'm now a much more able, confident knitter and so I thought instead of going out and buying cheap, rubbishy jumpers, hats, gloves and scarves which will last five minutes, why not make them instead? Also, it's fun!

I've cast on a jumper for the baby today, which is a pattern I've been wanting to make for a while now. (This one, if you're interested) and so far it looks like this:

The pattern is super cute and has patches which button onto the front with different animals on them :-) I'm going to make a sheep first because Benji really enjoys the noise sheeps make. I would have made all four shown in the pattern, but I decided that I should extend my 'shop local, shop independent, shop handmade' motto into yarn shopping and procured the yarn for this jumper (Jenny Watson Babysoft Double Knitting in various colours for those who are interested), and honestly I couldn't afford enough colours for all the patches! The yarn is gorgeous to knit with though, and really soft so I'm happy and I hope Benji will be too once it's done!

I get this warm fuzzy feeling when I think about winter knits, and honestly we all seem to lose hats/gloves/scarves quicker than I can produce them! Benji needs a new pair of mittens as the ones my Aunt knitted him last year were for teeny baby hands, not 1 year olds! He also needs some booties as he's not walking yet so I don't want to put him into hard soled shoes but his feet will get cold otherwise. These are my thoughts (link to Ravelry patterns in the photo credit if anyone wants to give them a go! They're all free patterns)
                                       
            photo credit & pattern here

 

                                                                                         photo credit & pattern here

I need a hat, and the hubby need gloves and I desperately need to finish the jumper I started for myself last winter.... I recently bought the pattern for this hat and made one as a gift. It's really cosy and since I bought 3 balls of  they yarn I used on Hobbycraft's '3 for 2' and it only uses 1 and a bit, I think I might make myself one as well!

photo credit & pattern download here

Last year I made my husband a gorgeous, soft, warm, blue scarf. He left it on the train and was upset about it for weeks. This year I really want to make him this, as he's a Dr Who nut and would love it! It remains to be seen whether I can finance purchasing all of those colours though, as bills/car tax/service are imminently due so we will see! 

                                                       
                   photo credit & pattern here

 

                                                                                         photo credit & pattern here

There are tons of other things I want to make, but I also have three craft fairs coming up before Christmas and I desperately have to finish my advent calendar in the next week! If you're interested, it will be up on my Facebook page and Etsy shop in the next week or two and will be available filled with sweets, beaded Christmas decorations or teabags of your choice :-) Preliminary pictures are already up on Facebook and I'll only be able to make a limited number so get your requests in quickly!

What are your winter knitting plans? :-)