Monday, December 29, 2008

Christmas Knitting.... I Didn't Finish!


I blame the loose knit group. Usually I don't bother to make many gifts but, I joined the group and made a few sparodically throughout the year. Then on the first of December I woke up and thought I was WonderWoman! The list of things I wanted to give grew alarmingly.Including a finishing Rose Red for me! Consequently I have had to issue a couple of i.o.u's I have given the date of the 31st on Jan to finish them so fingers crossed. I did however finish Shalom for my mum.

A meret Scarf for my mum(yep she got the mystery beret).>

And a hotwater bottle cover for the BlueTortoise I saw the pattern in simply knitting and decided to use the yarn suggested as the pattern says it has a bit of a sparkle (just the thing for christmas) the yarn arrived without sparkle which I was disapointed with but, the end result is quite pleasing.

On the 25th I stopped christmas knitting and cast on Sirdar 9066. Mario and I visited A Fine Yarn in Darlington on Tuesday and this was made up. I was umming and ahhing as I am still trying to stash bust but, Mario bought it for my christmas present. Anyone who knows us will know Mario, doesn't do yarn, he certainly doesn't encourage its purchase! But even he keeps stroking this stuff. Sirdar Tweedie is a nylon, wool, alpaca mix and if i had seen it on the internet the N word would have completely turned me off but it is soft, with great stitch definition.I did however go down a needle size as it was very loose on the 6.5mm. I am making myself go back to gift knitting on the 1st of Jan but in the meantime I am really enjoying this having completed the back and nearly the arms.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Let it Snow!


The Advent Calenders are filled and hung. Children are squealing with excitement. And there is snow...not just the wet slushy stuff we usually get but proper sticky stuff perfect for snow balls. I am gearing up the christmas knitting and there looks like there might be an end in sight. I can't help myself from singing (badly) christmas songs. I am now totally geared up for the idea of being at home with my family and Christmas.
The hill you can see in the first photograph is Castle Hill. I can see it from the end of my street.Queen Boudica had a fortress there many years ago.Though the tower you can see is actually a victorian structure rather than a castle.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Stash Busting Across the Universe!


Well actually across the spare room. I decided it would be a good idea to use up some of the odd balls before going off to Harrogate. I thought it would take me a few projects but I could be at this for a while as I think those odd balls have been breeding. There were a few balls left from Inigo and Oriana's hat and gloves and I had promised them a scarf so I cast them on using Adrian Bizila's hiking scarf pattern.
I have to say I found them fairly mundane to knit and I am glad I knit them at the same time.They would have probably ended up stuffed in a corner but Inigo kept rushing up to measure them every morning. At the same time as this Woolly Wormhead lauched a mystery Beret which used up yet another ball. It is really pretty a lovely horseshoe pattern.The yarn isn't as wonderful as some of the yarns she suggested but it is warm and cosy and I am pleased with the results though the red was a devil to photograph.

I have about 300g left of this yarn and intend to make a scarf to match.
It is my neice Esha's birthday next week she is going to be 9. !
200g of Cashcotton left over from my juliet was just enough for a pair of gloves, scarf and a wonderful Rose Red by Ysolda Teague.

I love her hat patterns and I cast on another for me on the train to Harrogate yesterday. It is the balls of kidsilk Aura that I originally bought for the melon I made for my Rowan Exchange. It is really fluffy so I hope the pattern won't get too lost with all the fluff.
Harrogate was a fun day out but, I found disapointing. No one had any Debbie Bliss cashmerino Baby. Or the Debbie Bliss or Kim Hargreaves books that I had been hoping for Indeed no one had much of anything unless you were into card making. I have a Noni Bag in mind and had two balls of lopi in keeping with my stash busting. I managed to get handles from a quilting shop and two balls of a felting yarn from knitting4fun. I also managed to get some perfect fabric for Inigo's Quilt it is a shame there are only 24 hours in the day.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Two weeks of Immediate Gratification.

I really enjoyed the fact that the poppies were so quick to make up and as Oriana needed another glove I pulled out the pattern again and cast on. It wasn't until I had finished it and put a cord on that I realised that I had made a woman's glove instead of a child's.
Far too big for Oriana but,perfect for Elenya so then I made another two, one for Oriana and one woman's for Elenya. Everyone now has gloves anyone who loses them now does so on pain of death!
I was more than ready to knit me something and Verity by ysolda had been calling to me for a while.The idea of a hat that would used one of my grandmother's buttons really appealed to me. I had a ball of wool left from my ladies sweater that I had wanted to use but when I looked at the yardage I decided I probably didn't have enough so had bought two gorgeous hanks of Brigantia when I met debbie bliss.

I love the flower though the stitch used on the band took a lot of concentration at the start as I kept wanting to moss stitch.It was a super quick knit less than a day and it took less than a hank, leaving enough for a one skein scarf.I do love sets:)
A weekend spent knitting stuff for me was all it took to get me geared up to make Oriana's pirate hat. she has been told if she loses it that she will be in big trouble. I asked Inigo if I should nail it to her head. In all seriousness he replied that it would hurt it would be better to use super glue. I think he has watched Matilda a few too many times!
I finished it last thursday and thought as we were going away for the weekend another Verity with the original ball of yarn from the ladies sweater.

I really sweated this one finishing it with less than 30cm yarn left and was mulling over contingency plans as I came down the homeward stretch. If you are wondering why I would want two virtually identical hats...I don't I am giving the second one as a present.I have slowed down a bit last week casting on Woollywormhead mystery beret and starting scarves for the twins.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

P.S yesterday I met Debbie Bliss.


This post is going to be slightly erratic. It was just going to be about Poppies and Rememberence Sunday. Every year I buy countless poppies that I have lost by the 11th. Last year I saw a knitted version and thought that it sounded like a really good idea one it was re usable...a huge safety pin would hinder the losing process. It was knitted so, a bit of fun and it took such a small amount of yarn it would stash bust the scrap pile. Well needless to say it looked like such a quick project I never got around to it. This year I was more organised. I bought my pattern from knit on the net at a bargain price of £2.00 all of which goes to the legion and cast on. I had made two in an afternoon. One for me and one for my mum. It is now sitting on the side waitng for huge safety pin.
Poppy making pales into insignificance next to the next thing that happened this week. J the LittleBlueTortoise and I went to Samual Taylors in Embsey. Last time they had been over there had been posters up advertising a visit by Debbie Bliss. I got my mum organised to pick the children up from school. Elenya was very dubious that I was actually going to meet her and demanded proof in the form of a signature or photo. I have to say I planned to ask her loads of pertinent questions but, she was so nice and funny that I forgot most of them. I did however, remember to ask about childrens' sizing. The answer if you knit for kids you want at least two years use out of your finished goods. Hence the generosity of the patterns but if indoubt measure your child as they usually go up rather than out! She told me she doesn't really read blogs as it is a bit like going into a room and people carry on talking about you. But, Debbie if you do pop in ...it was a pleasure to meet you.

Monday, October 20, 2008

And now for something different.

I had geared myself up to the idea of making curtains this weekend. A job I really hate but, when I went to buy the fabric on saturday morning I was told there was a two week wait. A reprieve! Well as the time was already allocated I bought a metre of lovely fabric from Laura Ashley and did another job that has been waiting for my attention, re-upholstering this little chair. It has been years since I upholstered anything and it took me quite a while to find my tools but once I had started the techniques came back really quickly and I really enjoyed myself. I Thought I would take photo's of every stage. Mario kept coming and asking what would be happening next. Elenya decided she wanted have some action shots. And the little ones oohed and ahhed at all the right bits! It was fun having the family come and watch each stage but I was so busy talking I forgot to take a after putting on the webbing. Mario suggested I rip it back to take the photo...hmm I enjoyed myself but, perhaps not that much!







Saturday, October 18, 2008

Two Handed Fair Isle



It has to be said I am an impatient knitter. Whenever I having needles in my hands I am desperate to get the next stitch, on to the next project The trouble with this approach is that when I am knitting fairisle regardless of how tangled my yarn,or how little space I have until a big knot I will try and drag yet another stitch off of my needle. I have even been known to snap the yarn either by accident as the strain on the yarn is too great or because I just cannot remove the knot. I have always completed my project but the results have been far from satisfactory. Friends and family have given me a wide bearth terrified by the manic gleam in my eye and my blood pressure goes through the roof. This time has been different, after watching several UTube videos I have tackled two handed fairisle. Fantastic! The yarn doesn't knot! I can speed to the next stitch. The result is a smooth fabric and the gleam has gone replaced by Inigo's happy smile.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Being Industrious




A few months ago, BlueAdt and I signed ourselves and our off spring onto a Rowan Workshop which didn’t end up running. Rather than let everyone be disappointed, we decided to run one ourselves. Then BlueAdt suggested that maybe instead of a knitting workshop, we should hold a sewing one. I agreed enthusiastically. It was only when I put the phone down that I had the dawning realisation that there was only one person who could actually sew and that was me! On Friday I was still a little unsure as to whether or not I could actually get five novice sewers working around my dining room table but as you can see by the copious amounts of stuff produced we managed!
On Saturday Inigo decided he didn’t want to make a bag so Mario took him out to the armouries for the day. BlueAdt, DD , Elenya and Oriana all used the Rotary cutter, ruler and board to cut out the pieces needed to make a Simple Tote. DD
BlueADT

I didn’t think the instructions were all that great but it really was simple and everyone had finished their bags before dinner; a great big pile of delicious pancakes, made by Mario. After dinner and the kids had gone to bed BlueAdt took on her first quilting project which as it is a surprise for someone I can’t tell you too much about but lets just say we finished at 2.30 am and she is inspired to make more.
Today was cushion day. We had a quick trip out to buy cushion pads before we settled down to make cushions for our beds. Each child has made two or three cushions for their beds. Speed was of the essence so I did all of the cutting out and they sewed on the machines with their feet down for optimum speed.
I really enjoyed giving my first workshop and Elenya assures me that this was better than normal weekends and is already planning her next project. As for me I am going to sit down for a while with my knitting and a cup of tea. I am well ready for a rest!
DD


Inigo


Elenya


Oriana

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Argh Kids!!!

Oriana has lost a glove. This might be a record even for her. I am still hoping it turn up in lost property.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Gloves and a Cloud


Every year I end up buying Oriana gloves, hat and scarf. I used by all of the kids cheap but cute from Primark or H&M but as Inigo has got older the cute available for boys dwindled. Then about four years ago I saw some lovely ones in monsoon for both boys and girls and I splurged. It was definately a worth while investment for Inigo, the hat went missing last year but the scarf and gloves(now a bit holey are still with us).Oriana's disappeared as a collection virtually as soon as she got them having to be replaced several times a season. Last year I decided enough was enough and bought a pattern. Ready to knit for this year. I hadn't till last week made a pair of gloves since I was about 12 (which is a very long time ago!) We are going for a pirate theme(girl and boy)hopefully they are so unique that everyone will know who they belong to and they won't disappear.
I made all four at the same time alternating the colours so I wouldn't get confused as to right or left and I have to say that worked really well. The gloves were really quick but the fairisle slowed me right down managing only two flaps an evening.

Fairisle is my nemesis , I am an impatient knitter and the yarn knows. It usually puckers when I am not looking or leaves a stitch too loose It hasn't really been a problem as I haven't ever seen much in the way of fairisle that I have wanted to own but Ravelry is changing all that and I am determined that I am going to Conquer it as I tackle the pirate hat I have seen several tutorials online for two handed and I am going to give it go


Ysolda's cloud has been in my queue since I first joined Ravelry but finding the perfect yarn has been a bit of a problem. Last time I went to Coldspring mill there were four balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino chunky cellophane wrapped just crying out to be a little cloud. I got home with it and added it to my stash for things to do later. Then last Saturday when I was procrasting about scull and cross bone glove flaps my 8 mm needle just fell into my hands. A couple of rows in and I was unhappy about how the fabric was looking and was busy convincing myself that I would have to by more yarn when I remembered this beautiful yarn that Carla had sent me. I started my cloud on sunday and finished it monday morning a seriously quick knit. Ysolda had suggested fastening with a brooch but as I am really short on jewellry since a ratbag broke into my house last year I decided to make my own a five minute crochet flower.
I am very pleased with the results of my cloud. It is warm and cosy just the thing for summer evenings. It was immediate gratifcation and it was stash busting...well almost!.

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