All Fingers and Thumbs

The View from Here

2012-01-21T11:49:00.000Z

This morning I've enjoyed listening to Sounds of the 60s while recovering our kitchen from the wreckage of a week when I've been either at work or somewhat zombie like and the Mr came down with an evil cold.

The garden is feeling a little neglected, this view hardly gets seen during the week so it's been good to spend some time gazing out there. Many lights flitted across that view this morning but it's settled into a dreary grey that it started with. Glad to have captured that blue brightness both on film and in my body last weekend. That and a few glorious sunrises and sunsets mean that the grey isn't overwhelming.

Looking forward to a very quiet weekend looking after the patient, perhaps catching up on sewing homework for my class next weekend and of course knitting. In a week with no travel it's naturally been all about the portable project, I don't know why I ever try and pigeon hole knits. Slow mo evenings on the sofa it's just about knitting what feels right and that yarn feels so right in my fingers.

Cleaning up this morning I've felt a few of those bursts of pure happiness when you know everything is just right with your world. He and I are slovenly housekeepers but happy nesters so remembering that cleaning is a form of nesting might just keep our little haven a little more heavenly.

Overlaying the daily routines this week during what is a pressured time at work has been something wonderful to dream about. I got confirmation of my place at the first Squam retreat to take place outside of the US. Come October I'll be at SquamItalia! I'm so pleased I sent in my form but I had one of those strange struggles to give myself permission to do so. It's a luxurious indulgence and though I have the savings to pay for it it took a lot to see that I should spend that on myself. My dear sweet friend Kat and the Mr were the team that convinced me; sometimes its hard to see what's right from inside your own head. I read something someone wrote justifying the expense of Squam as a recognition that you need to pay in to your own account or when you come to draw on it there'll be nothing there. I like that. It's too easy to keep on asking myself to do more and hard to feel that it's right to take the time or money or whatever it may be to fill up the well. It's a fun and frivolous thing to do - knitting classes in Italy - what an amazing dream! - but I have no doubt it will be worth every penny and a million more. What is this serious mission that I'm on that doesn't take in every fun and frivolous activity I can get my hands on?!?

One of my classes will be Shetland Lace Explored with Gudrun Johnston, do share your favourite lace patterns with me if you feel so inclined, I've a frivolous wish list of lacy shawl patterns to construct!

Light and bright

2012-01-16T20:48:00.002Z

We had a weekend of crisp winter weather here in Oxford with the bluest of skies.

Long riverside walks and lovely company made the most of the light and I felt restored and full of brightness by yesterday evening. During the working week daylight and I have a more fleeting relationship but I've filled up the stores.

Awaking from hibernation

2012-01-12T18:41:00.002Z

When I got this version of Blogger (which summarises your posts in a different format) I saw that there was a draft post dated from February 2010 called Patti; it just had the text 'Patti - slowly does it' written in there and although I imagine there was going to be more to it I'm surprised I didn't just hit publish. It couldn't sum things up any more succinctly. I think she saw a little more action after that but the power of the blog shows me she wasn't touched after July that year. Looking at this, as with Summit, I truly wonder where 2011 went. Depleted craft time combined with more crochet and sewing is the answer when it comes to my knits; when it comes to my life - who knows?? Maybe the fact that I am already in denial that it's January 12th says something about the pace of things here!

Anyway this is a perfect week night piece. Plenty of gentle going stocking stitch. And I do mean plenty (hence the hiatus I guess) but it's Felted Tweed which is pure heaven to knit. It works in to this beautiful, even fabric, so picking it up 18 months on you can't see any difference due to tension change.

We've had our ups and downs Patti and I but I think we're both ready for some knitting reinvigoration. I think this is where I stop with the revival of the WIPs for the moment. I've got a nice set of things to be getting on with and I'm hopeful that I've got the right balance to see more stitches slipping across the needles. I want to maximise the knitting time I have and to do that I think I need the right feel of piece to work on in any situation. With a portable piece like the socks, a fun challenge like the mitts and a mile of stocking stitch to switch off with I should be set.

Hamper Treat

2012-01-10T21:46:00.001Z

Out from the hamper this weekend came seven dinky round balls of tweedy yarn. My sweet Mum who still makes sure my (31 year old) brother and I have a stocking couldn't understand why Santa was being asked for one ball each of seven different colours.

It was my Friday night treat to cast on the Peerie Flooers mittens. I'm loving it so far, already I can see genius in the colour selection for the cuffs (ignore the pink yarn which is the cuff lining, leftovers in softest cashmere and silk). Until I get the hang of this colourwork I think it will mainly be a weekend project as my work frazzled brain has fancied less challenging occupations these past couple of evenings. The cast on was not without its little dramas, the obligatory search for needles through my chaotic supplies and then a special treat of Panda doing her best to choke on the end of the cast on yarn she'd proudly killed! She's a constant companion for my sofa knitting adventures, sometimes more peacefully than others.

WIP Flip

2012-01-05T18:52:00.000Z

I ripped out Summit and it's been a Spring Forward sock in the beautiful Spirit Trail Fiberworks Sunna that has been keeping me buoyant these last few evenings. I'm not sure where it came from but I'm happy it's arrived.

I'd lost the pull to make the shawl, though I still find it hard to believe I haven't touched it for over a year. A year?! A YEAR?! Where did that go? I had to check the blog to prove beyond reasonable doubt I didn't take that holiday and start those projects in September 2011! Apparently the big thing for me and Summit was to understand how it worked. Curiosity sated, project done. Maybe the new year give me the impetus to do the ripping, it's been lurking at the back of my mind that I needed to release that yarn. The Sunna said sock this time and with a lovely pattern still to hand after the Christmas Eve bind off the path of least resistance has led to this happy state of affairs. I think I should butt out of choosing my knits more often.

There weren't many socks knit in 2011 and I'm excited to see whether I'll knit more socks this calendar year. I do like the anticipation and wonder that January brings with its fresh new page feel. No resolutions for me to fail at just good intentions to keep living by and plenty of crafty fun to have. Well other fun is also allowed.

The Craft Hamper

2012-01-02T18:46:00.000Z

My uncle always sends our family a hamper of delicious Christmas goodies; I stole the hamper and used it to cart my own delicious goodies around this Christmas. I was very blessed with many lovely crafty gifts and it's so nice to have them all in one place to play with. So much potential in there. Liberty fabric! Rowan Fine Tweed yarn as requested for a project I've had my eye on for a while! Lovely books! It's been cheering me up today looking in there. The back to workness of tomorrow has been playing on my mind and creating a certain gloom but I'll still have the champer to look forward to when I get home. Yippee!

I was very impressed at the amount of unrequested yarn that came my way. I think that it can be quite intimidating buying yarn for a knitter but I'm glad they got on in there. Two yarn/pattern combos were gifted and I've started both straight away to prove how appreciated they were. Hoping some positive reinforcement might provoke similar brave generosity in future!

This little bag just needs blocking and sewing up. My auntie got this whole kit for me complete with sequins and a lining. Purty!

These slipper boots may be the death of me as the Sirdar pattern is a bit of a torture to follow but it did let me knit my first ever bobbles. I'm not sure how it can be that I haven't made them for anything before but they were fun - hopefully I can keep bobbling along.

2011 Collage

2011-12-31T23:43:00.000Z

I'm rubbish at the lovely end of year posts I so like on other people's blogs but I was enjoying looking at my photos and found that what I think of as a year that missed out on its full craft potential was actually still quite delightfully crafty - and I learnt to crochet! And sew! (Almost!!) I found a Picasa collage feature and here's how it made 2011 look. Hope it's been a good year for you and wishing you a wonderful 2012.

PS I forgot one!

2011-12-29T09:02:00.003Z

It seems that I did so well making a secret gift for my beloved that I have now wiped it from my mind! Luckily I remembered to give it and the beloved seems to love it.

Pattern: Skye Rib Hat by Louise N

Yarn: Fyberspates Chunky Scrumptious - Biscuit

Needles: 4.5mm circular

Ravelry page

It's tricky making a surprise gift for someone you live with but there was a conference he had to attend in late November which gave me just enough time to squeak in this little beanie. It was worth the rush for the happy surprise on Christmas morning. Third time making this pattern. Still a winner in my eyes. And in his.

As he is known to tell me plaintively from time to time he gets relatively few hand knits compared to the amount that leave this house. Bad neglectful me! It would be hard to imagine a more appreciative recipient. Often seen wearing a pair of his socks about the house. Cold weather rarely sees him without his scarf and one of his hats. This is the favourite, going strong from 2007, hence the repeat. I think this one has been retired now. His Iphone is always toasty warm and I think this was his last knift so it was about time. In fact I think the only knit that hasn't seen serious use are these. Even these were delighted in but I don't think such mitts cut the mustard when you cycle which is the only time he really wears gloves.

Maybe 2012 will see me flout the boyfriend sweater curse, with over 13 years on the relationship clock I'm sure we can make it, though he's a big guy so it'll have to be a chunky yarn if it's ever to see the light of day!

The Knifts of 2011

2011-12-28T18:26:00.001Z

Just three knitted gifts given this year and, as I finished the last one today in the car on the way to see my friend, that seems like just the right amount!

Ravelled: here

Starting with that one, it was a knit I was delighted with all the way up to when I tried it on at the end to find that it was on the large size, particularly in the arms which are quite Mr Tickle-ish in proportions! Snapped here with the ends still needing sewing in, a perfect job for a car journey. Exemplary planning in action. Happily my friend is the sort who is simply delighted to receive a hand made gift and was sportingly keen to roll up any amount of excess armage. I choose the recipients of my knifts wisely!

Spring Forward socks were finished on Christmas Eve, barely off the needles before happily cosying toes. I used a cotton stretch yarn - the kind that is constructed as a tube with an elastic thread within. I didn't love it to knit because it has a somewhat corrugated feel, but it's nice in the socks and should wear well I think. I just love this pattern both to knit and to look at as I've said before, my only mod was to add an extra inch of the twisted rib cuff and I might be tempted to add another pattern repeat to the leg next time around. I am sure there will be a next time around, maybe in a plainer yarn to make more of that pretty pattern.

Ravelled: here

The third gift was finished back in early December and after a stern talking to and a bit of a wash and condition I decided the yarn was soft enough for a cowl, I wouldn't use it for that again but this design is quite baggy so I think it worked okay. I'll let you know if I ever see my Auntie actually wearing it - though as she has a bad habit of saving all my knits in a box it might not be a measure of the scratchy-ness if I don't!

Ravelled: here

A nice little selection, and as I got some lovely yarn for Christmas that I'm excited to get on to knitting any second now I'm very happy to have kept it simple and to have them done. I hope you all had or are having lovely holidays and that some crafty treats made it your way too.

Season's Greetings

2011-12-21T22:59:00.000Z

Whatever festivities you are partaking in at this time of year I wish you all every happiness and much light xxx

Feeling it

2011-12-18T22:54:00.000Z

The Christmas spirit rolled on in this weekend and as soon as I started having more fun the energy came on with it.

I made a ton of sweets - and let the creative chaos reign! I've made three kinds of fudge - these two are in the shortlist for the go to recipe. Caramels. Peppermint Bark. Candied Orange Sticks underway.

I even saw a bit of my inspiration Willie Wonka this evening with my Christmas movie loving cousin and the delightfully soppy Mrs Miracle 2 with sock knitting in hand. This has been everything I could have wished the weekend before Christmas would be. Why is it so easy to get caught up in the must dos? Do the want tos shall be my new motto!

Ups and Downs

2011-12-11T16:45:00.001Z

It's been a beautiful weekend and a beastly one. Some lovely time with friends and the Mr - eating out and tripping round the Christmas market and relaxing at home and then some grumpy time that I wish would just go away. I wonder whether I'm always a little like this in the run up to Christmas. My calm just strains at the seams until panic peeps out? Something about trying to just stuff in one too many activities. It's not the gift makes really this year. I'm just about on schedule. Though a bit more seaming and a bit less playing with crochet blanket squares might get me a little closer to the wrapped moment!

It was the thought of putting up decorations that sent me over the edge today. More specifically tidying and cleaning and finding the decorations. There's something about this time of year which makes me want to do more and make more at a time of year when I have less and less energy to spare. Each short day as we head to year's end I feel a little more like I'm drawing on an empty well. I have so much I want to do but as I try and be realistic about what I should spend my time on I guess I resent not having more energy to fit everything in. That's a downward spiral I don't want to get trapped in so we're going light on the deccies this year and I shall try and just be happy to enjoy Christmas and not worry about accomplishing it!

I think I've found The One

2011-12-05T17:03:00.001Z

I've got some very special yarn tucked in my stash. Jade Sapphire silk/cashmere 2ply. It was love at first sight/stroke when I was lucky enough to win it a long time ago now. I've written about its treasured status before. I've been waiting to find a pattern that I thought would suit it, show it off, be special but not so special it shouts over the yarn. I thought for a while that it might become a very simple basketweave scarf like I made for my Mammy's birthday this summer. That thought never became action though and this weekend I think I found the yarn's destiny.

Fernfrost by Anne Hanson

I think it was the Yarn Harlot's version I was admiring. Then I was imagining it in a darker colour and wondering whether I had anything suitable stashed. Then I hopped over to Anne's site Knitspot and finally when I saw the words Jade Sapphire Cashmere/Silk Laceweight the penny dropped!

I'm impressed at my patience as I haven't actually cast it on yet and am still knitting on the small pile of gifts! Maybe it's not patience maybe it's because the path to the stash is chaos! Or perhaps it's just that having waited this long I may as well savour each individual step. Just knowing what's coming is a wonderful treat in itself.

A Good substitute but will it be a good substitute?

2011-12-02T15:57:00.001Z

This yarn is Good. In arriving with me it has generated a wonderfully tiny carbon footprint, it comes from an independent business with aims and policies that I fully support and I feel a little reflected glow of Goodliness about using it and pleasure that I put my money where my heart is.

I'm also a little concerned though. It's rather delumptiously woolly and rugged feeling, traits I admire and covet in yarns for certain items but I'm making a cowl with it. A snuggly next to the tender underchin skin gift of a cowl. Hmmm understand my concern?

I went for the 50/50 wool and alpaca blend as I'm using it in place of the 50/50 wool and alpaca Blue Sky Alpacas bulky yarn. I was intent on using that yarn as that is what the pattern is written for and I had a specific request for this precise cowl. My Auntie picked it from the book she kindly gave me last Christmas. I love gift knitting when I know it will be appreciated so I was really focusing on getting it exactly as the picture looked. I'm normally quite brave about substituting though very often it's because I'm looking to save some pennies and so they aren't always the most conscientious of purchases. I was searching online for UK suppliers of the Blue Skys when I read some of the comments that accompanied the gifting of the pattern to Guardian online readers to celebrate UK Wool week (in summary nice idea but an interesting choice of pattern given the US yarn it's written for). So as I was committed to the spends and over my normal cost hurdle for maximising my conscientious consumer credentials it made sense to me to substitute for a similar cost UK yarn of the right colour and composition.

I fear my desire to re-create what my Auntie saw may have gone a bit awry; at the end of the day she wants a chunky grey cowl. She's not a knitter and is not concerned about having a wool/alpaca blend. I could have opted for the 100% alpaca got the same Goodly buzz and it would likely have been a lot softer. My one saving hope is that I asked the shop if this was suitable substitute and they agreed it was so perhaps it will wash up much softer?

In the last two weeks..

2011-11-29T20:53:00.001Z

.. it feels like all I've done is work though as I uploaded my camera card to find the picture I wanted to accompany this post I found these before and after shots of our kitchen cupboard so it looks like I've been present and domestic-ing in the house without even realising it!

There's something about taking a before photo of tidying up that makes it so much more bearable for me. It still looks much more like photo number two and I'd forgotten it ever got as bad as number one so these were a nice surprise!

I have also been gently knitting away on a chunky cardigan that is getting close to the end - rather thrilling though I still dare not call it a Christmas present for fear I will curse my fingers. Still I was feeling a bit too much work makes Jack a dull girl and then I had a rather splendid crafty weekend.

On Saturday I spent four hours dedicated to THE dress - it's really nearly there now - metres of hem to be hand sewn will surely flash by! I've done a few evenings at my sewing teacher's house since the summer and she's now running a once a month sewing class. It's a small group, we bring any project we want to work on and she moves around helping us with whatever we need. Half the time I think just the confidence of knowing someone is nearby is all that is needed to get me moving, that and the act of going. It's a commitment I don't find so easy to make at home. Knitting or crochet squidges in to the nooks and crannies of every day while sewing requires a space - both mental and physical that seems to be tricky to find in my life. Though really if I just sorted out our spare room properly I could make a sewing area in there and hopefully in my mind too. One day! Until then I shall just have to set up my own class for one in between the monthly classes I think. Maybe I'll go out the front door machine in hand and come back in as if I'm at my class :o)

And to say farewell a couple of shots of of oh so beautiful Panda,

something I always find whenever I upload my photos.

Souvenirs of a UK tour!

2011-11-11T09:33:00.001Z

We're just coming to the end of a fortnight off work, it's been such bliss, a fortnight feels like a real luxury and definitely helped us really relax. We've been flitting around a lot: we started in Bath, then stayed on a farm just south of Bristol, from there to Dorset though I don't remember much of that as I was stuck in bed with a bug - boo! We went up to near Manchester to visit our friends and their two handsome little boys and from Manchester down to south Wales to see more friends and their scrumptious little girl. Phew! We've been home a couple of days and for such total homebodies as us this has probably been our favourite part. A gentler pace in my brain is definitely my favourite souvenir but as we've shopped in most places we stopped we picked up a wealth of more tangible things too. The car boot was straining to hold it all by the end! I've made a start on some Christmas gift shopping (minimal Christmas knits this year!) and picked up a few things for myself too. My favourite is the little old school embroidery kit pictured below. Astonishingly I bought no wool though I visited two lovely shops. In the second I got some rather marvellous material for a top. The fabric stash is growing! Knitting has strangely been sparse though I finished a sock and I've been more crafty since I got home. Looking forward to catching up on all the posts in my Google Reader and the makey inspiration that I think is the only ingredient that's been missing.

On the road to Bath

One of the glorious windows of Bath Abbey

Favourite coffee - http://www.colonnaandsmalls.co.uk/

Near Walcot Street

A gingerbread cottage in the park

The Ballroom at the Assembly Rooms

Folly Farm

George, in charge of security

At Llansteffan Beach

How about rewind?

2011-10-17T22:25:00.000+01:00

By Sunday night it was the rewind button I was after, I savoured my weekend but it still went past too fast. Ah well, happy memories made and it'll soon be Friday again.

On the crafting front there was a great discovery. The Mr is happy to sew in ends on granny squares! He's done most of them while we were sofa loafing. He even seems to quite enjoy it. Hurrah!

That left me free to begin sewing the squares together. I've loved making my squares in large part because of the fun of choosing of colour combinations and deciding who nestles next to who is more of the same kind of play. Sometimes it's easy to pick out the next one and at other times I found I needed to look from a distance or place a different one and come back to the gap in question to feel happy about settling neighbours in. It's growing from the centre out and I love having the squares spread out around to choose from but I'm wondering whether I should have left my final few squares to make based on the colours I wanted for the end spaces available. I have yarn of each colour still left so it might just end up as a larger blanket if the last few won't play nicely together!

Friday Feeling

2011-10-14T16:22:00.000+01:00

Somehow we're at the weekend again - where is that pause button? I'm certainly trying to push firmly on it right now. I love love love the feeling when I finish work and have the whole weekend ahead of me.

Today everything is aligned for the optimum Friday evening experience. It has been the most glorious weather here today. The moon was still showing in the fresh morning sky when I left for work and it has been my absolute, number one, favourite type of weather all day. Clear bright blue sky and sunshine with an apple fresh crispness to the air. More of the same forecast tomorrow I think. It's begging for a scrunch in some leaves.

I've got butternut squash and blue cheesey pasta in mind for supper, no doubt to be scoffed in front of an episode from The West Wing box set. I might even manage a row or two of knitting. Then we have little planned for this weekend, a lovely lunch out on Sunday and just lots of time to do what we fancy. It really stretches ahead of me waiting to be filled with whimsy.

Makey Happy Weekend

2011-10-09T22:19:00.000+01:00

New Project Excitement

2011-10-07T16:39:00.000+01:00

I started a new cardigan on Sunday and it's been fun coming home to it these darkening autumn evenings. It's the epitome of a cosy knit, a big chunky needled snuggle.

I meant to make it last year for Christmas or my friend's birthday; a year on it's still been lurking in the back of my mind as a must make even if I'm not knitting Christmas gifts anymore.... We'll see! With big knits there's at least some hope for me that the new project excitement will carry me through to the tipping point when nearly finished excitement makes it the most desirable thing to work on again.

This is what I'm aiming for though the sub of the Plaid for the plain Polar the pattern specifies makes the token blobs of texture somewhat obscured. Still it helps keep track of the rows.

It promises to be a low key weekend with plenty of crafty time. I hope the same applies if that sounds blissful to you too.

And breathe

2011-10-02T17:13:00.002+01:00

I've had a deliciously lazy afternoon. A soothing mix of catching up on Saturday night TV with a sock in hand and crocheting in the garden. I've been hurtling along of late and my crafting has been suffering. I don't think I'm built for hurtling, or at least I need some breathing space between hurtles. It's been the busiest year somehow. Work and fun. A lot of work which of late has at least been a lot more fun. Anyway a bit too much stuff that has kept me away from hooks and needles and blogs. I think this autumn will bring more crafting time; I'm determined it will. It scares me it is October already though this heatwave is helping my denial. It's good to rediscover that life feels less out of control with a crochet hook in hand.

Cough splutter squeak

2011-09-18T11:02:00.002+01:00

I seem to have lost my blogging voice.

I'll tell you about this little sock I'm working on and see whether that helps me back here and gets me in the swing of reading and commenting with you all. Something about moving lovely Bingo off the first post may be useful - thank you dearies for your kind comments, we're still missing her madly but life careers on.

So my sock. I just turned the heel this morning. Love that moment still.

This is the Spring Forward pattern which I'm going to say is the best sock pattern in the world ever. This is attempt number two after I lost a sock in progress a few years back. The trauma of that kept me away from this gem for too long. For me it ticks the boxes of top down-ishness, clear instructions and a genius lace pattern. It seems to go faster than stocking stitch and looks so super complicated it conveys an aura of expertise and effort far beyond that required to complete it. Win!

Sad News...

2011-08-29T11:11:00.000+01:00

...from this little corner. Our lovely mewler Miss Bingo (aka Lily, Lilith, Martha, Lilith Martha Malone, Patch, Mogus, the Maid and about a hundred other names) passed on to higher catly things on Friday night.

She was an old girl who'd had a good life, but that only reduces the sadness by a minuscule fraction. She was ours for just over five years as we were her third set of owners and definitely her favourites. She was a gentle, dear creature. We're missing her very much.

So where were we..

2011-08-26T11:56:00.001+01:00

.. ah yes I was off to Ghent - super beautiful weekend - look see:

The centre building there with the black umbrellas outside is the oldest building in Ghent from the 1200's, a grain store on the docks where the markets were held I think, now a swanky restaurant.

This folk museum used to be an almshouse where they sent old ladies to live out their days. There was a little flea market happening in front of it.

Nina looking beautiful on our boat trip.

My visit coincided with a little festival celebrating the area of the city which contains lots of restaurants and bars.

I love the ornate facades of so many of the buildings but this was my favourite.

It's hard to see on the photos but the centre of each flower was set with a light.

It's a city that loves it food and its beer. Lots of cafe culture, we stuck with it despite the lack of sun. As I'm just back from being cooked in Southern Germany for work (sorry forgot camera for that trip!) the cool and cloudiness of Belgium seems ideal. Here it's very rainy and cold but am hoping for better this weekend.

It's definitely a great city to visit, plenty of fun to be had as evidenced by the amount of stag and hen parties we saw on the Saturday - I loved the Smurfs best.

And my favourite souvenir was mainly courtesy of The Knitting Express - finished socks - yippee - Ravelled here.

Peplum-tastic

2011-08-11T19:07:00.000+01:00

Ooh ooh sewing I love you! I just sewed a peplum! Peplum peplum peplum - love that word. It was a smidge fiddly. Doing the gathering and pinning I was wondering at the wisdom of this choice of project:

but now look:

Soooooo cute hey? This is just a couple of hours (spread over two evenings) work - hasn't my sewing improved?

I'm making the Summer Fun Playtop from one of the fab sewing books - One Yard Wonders - I got for my birthday - thank you to Fran for the gift and to Charity for the recommendation - it's the one skein wonders equivalent for sewing and it's great.

I'm a little stuck now as I haven't joined the edge seams of the back outer and lining and yet the only instruction left is for the buttonholes - hmmm. I decided it was time for a break and a google - there are errata here which is useful to know if anyone does use this book - can't see a correction so it may just be tired eyes reading the instructions wrong. Another good reason to have a rest I think! My googling did turn up this sew-along where they've just got to this top so hopefully I can nab some tips from there when they've made it and read up on other projects I'm planning on tackling.

Sock knitting for me this weekend - yes weekend even though it's only Thursday - yippee - day off work tomorrow and I'm off to Belgium on the Eurostar (or the Knitting Express) - to Ghent to see a lovely friend I haven't seen since last October. Ooh full of the joys of peplumming I'm going to bounce along! Wishing you all bouncey, flouncey weekends.

A perfect start to the weekend

2011-08-05T18:03:00.000+01:00

I got away from work on time and the first sight that greeted me as I got out of the car was our front bed buzzing - four species of bumblebee (buff-, white- and red-tailed and the common carder) and about a dozen honey bees feasting on the lavender in the warmth of the afternoon sun. The noise was truly fabulous.

I took so many blurry photos for just a few in focus, though sometimes blurry is best. This one below captures more about the feel of sitting on our path in the baking sun with winged creatures flying all round than any other shot I took.

Then I headed out to the back garden to lay out my squares together to look at what colour combinations I should focus on to get a nice balance. When allowed the rare treat of choosing which colour I should add next my Mr always tells me to go for black and it's only seeing it on screen that I realise he's quite the expert colour adviser. The darker colours balanced with the light work much better from a distance. The squares like a red, yellow, orange combo that are my favourites close up are my least favourites when it's viewed as a whole.

I think I'm going to aim for 8x11 for a little blankie for a little lovely I know; though it might be that as I close in on 88 I decide to keep on going. A blanket the size of the throw underneath would be a treat but I'm already itching for other blanket projects so we'll see where we end up.

And in the background..

2011-08-04T18:47:00.000+01:00

..while knitting and sewing have been getting all the attention I've just, here and there, been making my pretty granny squares. This is now the ultimate in relaxing craft-ivity for me - what a difference a few months and lots of practice makes!

I got some new colours of Patons Diploma Gold DK for my birthday so the latest squares have been featuring a new daring building brick shade of orange and a darker more muted green in particular. I've just been squirrelling the squares away in bag so knew they were mounting up but not quite how much. 49 squares already, I'm going to go and play some more and think about actual blanket plans. It surprises I'm getting close to that already.

La Miette Jaune est fini..

2011-08-01T21:24:00.000+01:00

..AND I LOVE HER!

Pattern: Miette by Andi Satterlund

Yarn: All Seasons Cotton in Sunny

Needles: 4.5 and 5mm

Started: July 8th 2011

Finished: July 31st 2011

Ravelry page

Though I think the look on my face here expresses The Traumas I go through to bring you a modelled shot!! I always like to see other people wearing their knits so I try though it can be painful!

Here's a more reasonable buttoned up shot and we didn't need the top of my head anyway did we? I also think I look a bit dwarfy but praps that's because I am. I actually think I'll wear it more unbuttoned. I don't think the raglan style does me any favours around the shoulder/upper arm area but it is a peach to knit from the top.

It's all knitted as written except that I did the arms on 4.5mm rather than 5mm as that was the size I had in a nice short circ and the buttons are on the wrong side as I skim read the instructions and did the right button band without button holes - that's what knitting at a festival gets you! This is a super fast knit as I am super slow and yet it took me less than a month. I think I didn't get distracted by something shiny and new as all the way through I was convinced I was going to love the FO. The yarn feels like a squishy, ultra wearable dream, I love the colour and it's a simple knit with just those few little details to add a little interest.

Here I model the cuff for you - a nice twisted rib with a purl border and the pretty eyelet line around the edge of the whole cardi is lovely.

Huzzah no more photos!

And here's what the cats think

2011-07-30T17:39:00.000+01:00

So no final day ta da moment - it did become a dress today but it still needs sleeves, skirt lining and zipper before it can be swished around in. No worries though our lovely tutor will hold some remedial classes for us slow mos so I will not try and fit an invisible zipper all alone! There is a touch of anticlimax in not having a finished dress to show for all the hours this week but I have increased my knowledge bank and machine skills by so much more than I would have thought possible so I certainly don't feel I have nothing to show for it.

The cats - well dear Panda spotted the new bed that I had crafted for her and just left to rest for a brief moment as I was cleaning a pile of Bingo's vomit from our one and only, tiny, patch of carpet. They think I'm a wonderful sewer but I just need to make sure my cat food sachet opening skills haven't got rusty.

The Grrrrr Moment

2011-07-29T18:33:00.000+01:00

We were discussing today in class that often with longer projects (in any craft) you have a grrrrrr moment when you're tempted to hurl it across the room or at least wonder what possessed you to start on this enterprise in the first place. The new project excitement is a distant memory, things have likely started to go not exactly according to plan and you're persevering but the teeth are somewhat gritted.

Ole dressie and I had a grrr moment this afternoon - I've been at this blessed bodice all day with precious little to show for it after a round of adjustments. Last day tomorrow and I can't see a finished dress by the evening but perhaps that's a good thing. I think I was getting carried away dreaming of swishing about in it and that focus on the end product always increases my chances of a grrr moment. I lose any pleasure in what I'm doing and just want it done. I never really believed at the start of the course that I'd have a super top notch dress - I knew I was getting in at the deep end and just wanted to absorb all I could from the course and hopefully have something I wouldn't mind wearing at home. Somewhere yesterday I started to think it could be a really beautiful dress, and maybe it will be, if I take good care of the process of making it. Teacher did say I was very methodical and patient - not two of my natural traits so I'm learning more than just sewing! Note to self (again) it's about the journey!

Day Three - Actual Sewing!

2011-07-28T17:57:00.000+01:00

So it has come to my attention that sewing is not well named, not like knitting, with knitting you get what it says, yarn and needles in hand and you're off - actually knitting - even if you don't count casting on as knitting you're in to the good stuff quick smart. Actual sewing, well that comes far down the list of activities - even if you didn't create your own pattern from scratch with mere paper and pencil to help you - sewing is way off behind pinning and fussing and worrying about straight of grain and selvedge edges (and unpinning and re-pinning as somehow you chose a slippery as an eel demon of a fabric) and wondering about right sides and considering whether all your pieces will fit (please, please I want my sleeves!) and re-pinning as you're not on the straight of grain as you'd forgotten about that in the fear of 'do I have enough fabric?!?' and then it's cutting which I thought I'd be nervous about but I was just glad not to be pinning!

Then finally after removing the pattern pieces followed by more pinning SingSing and I made some zigzag lines (for added movement in my skirt I believe).

Yippee it was fun! I sewed the whole skirt together - four whole seams - vroooom - delightful! Out damn pins! It has to hang out over night now to let it settle after the trauma of me sewing it, no seriously it needs time to fall in to place apparently - ooh the things I never knew.

There was a small moment where I presented my fabric to the back of the machine but at least I realised what was wrong! Ah the actual sewing, it's fun. Which is good as tonight I have hand sewing homework - tacking my lining to the bodice pieces.

Bells - you're so right - the simplicity of knitting v maths/pinning/cutting/pinning/sewing - well you know which my favourite will always be!

Paper Cuts Ahoy

2011-07-27T19:59:00.000+01:00

I finished up my calico test of the bodice block first thing with four little seams and then my ole buddy machine got relegated to the floor as I spent the rest of the day with huge pieces of paper and thin card.

I was fitted in to my calico by our lovely tutor Christine who marked with pins some adjustments to be made and then transferred those to my paper outline for the best fit possible. Once I was happy with the paper outline I transferred that to the card and hey presto my own bodice block which I can use in the future as the base for any dress or top pattern.

We then outlined that onto paper for the draft for the current pattern. Amending that draft with dart placement, seam positions, neckline shape, waist line placement, skirt shape and length etc is what gives the variation of the desired design. The amendments to the standard block for the dress I have in mind were to introduce seams to the bodice - both in the front and back - the curve of that seam allowing for fit around the bosom. I drew on a simple scoop neck, slightly lower at the front than the back and then traced over the draft to get the pattern pieces. I added a turning or seam allowance of 15mm. The dress will be fitted to under the bust and then have a full knee length skirt which will be made of four panels, the pattern pieces for which were created by dividing the skirt of the draft almost in to three pieces and fanning them out to the width allowed by the width of my fabric folded in half.

So after a day full of plenty of paper I'm all raring to go tomorrow cutting out my pieces in actual fabric! I'm quite the novice in my group but it doesn't matter too much, I still think I'll get everything done in time. Only one lady has made much sewing progress on her actual dress and she has a simple shape with complicated dressings such as a mandarin collar still to come. We're ten pupils in all and every dress style is totally different even before the extra variation of fabric choice, it's amazing fun to see our tutor help translate our individual desires from a standard beginning.

Sewing School - Day One

2011-07-26T17:38:00.000+01:00

In which Sarah does not sew her fingers but she does wonder how she ended up in a maths lesson.

No truth be told even I can work out half of a measurement without too much trouble but I have spent most of today drawing lines on paper with a giant set square type thing in a maths classroom. We're making our own standard bodice block patterns. We started with paper, we make the bodice up in calico and then have it fitted and make any adjustments required - additional darts, increases on the darts etc on the paper pattern and then translate that to card so that we will always have our own template to work from.

My friend Nicole and I are lagging a little behind, most people were having their calicos adjusted by the end of today while I've only sewn the darts on mine. However I got them right first time! My little machine was like an old friend after all the pattern cutting. It's funny how when you stretch your brain so far what felt like the challenge (sewing in straight line) is actually the easy part.

I have no idea how we get from these standard bodices to our designs but tomorrow more will be revealed!

A Knitting Friendly Festival

2011-07-25T18:44:00.001+01:00

Just back from a wonderful weekend at Port Eliot. This is the second year we've been but I didn't seem to blog about it last year, perhaps because - omission of the century - I didn't take my knitting along! This year I made good use of the time that my ears were occupied with the fascinating author talks I attended. My Miette didn't quite rise to the occasion like Cadel but she's almost there.

DoveGreyReader was really doing her bit for encouraging knitting in this beautifully bedecked tent. She provided lots of needles and yarn for everyone to knit on while they had a chance to talk very informally with her author guests, and look at the wonderful book themed knitted gifts she gave out. Patrick Barkham was one of my favourite authors - his enthusiasm for his butterfly quest was infectious.

I also wore a knit that hasn't made an appearance here since the knitting was finished - Double V - she's troubling me as she was a good fit when she came off the needles but has blocked out too wide. A whizz in Mum's tumble dryer hasn't sorted her so I'm plucking up the courage for a hot wash before I call her finished!

My knitting had to have a rest while I danced round it to Andy Weatherall.

There's something for everyone at Port Eliot, and it's so beautiful with it.

And recorded here a momentous moment for Ole Greenie on the way home.

An Accidental Bike Ride

2011-07-21T07:26:00.000+01:00

After last year's spectacular lack of success in the Tour knitalong I decided to retire from knitalong career and just spectate this year. There must be something of the Lance Armstrong about me though, just can't let this cycling go as it suddenly occurred to me last week that I am in fact knitting a maillot jaune!

I may even finish it in time for Paris though I have some non-knitting festival fun to distract me this weekend. Even if it takes me another week or two to do the arms and button bands it will still be my quickest garment ever, probably one of my fastest knits of any kind - an aran weight in a cropped, seamless design would have been the perfect choice for a Tour cardigan something I would never have attempted with my snail like knitting! Given the beautiful 'Sunny' shade of All Seasons Cotton and that her name is Miette I'm hopeful that the signs are there for a victorious ride in to Paris on Sunday.

Today I made...

2011-07-17T12:05:00.001+01:00

...some very wonky coasters!

Not quite the Clever Coasters from AmyChicken's fab book Bend the Rules Sewing but I do love them.

Panda looks like she's hiding her head in her paws because I got the machine out but I did much better this time, it only made me mildly panicky at times - and that was more to do with the cutting of the material than anything else!

It was time for some more machine sucking up as I bought my fabric for the dress making course yesterday. The lovely tutor offered us the chance to meet up with her in advance for her advice on what and how much fabric to buy in advance of the course. I had a rough sketch and not even a rough idea of what I needed to make it a reality so it was so helpful to me to have Chris and her magic tape measure on hand.

Two and half metres of the main fabric, two metres ten cms for the lining and in less than two weeks from now I'll have a dress. Well, we'll see!

PS - That blurry photo from the last post was indeed Stonehenge - well done squinters who guessed correctly!

Treasures Made

2011-07-12T20:49:00.000+01:00

While we were away for Mum's birthday celebrations I was tempted in to some bead shops in Shaftesbury - pause for photo of Gold Hill in Shaftesbury - I stood there and felt like I was looking at a film set or postcard come to life - certain views are just so imprinted they become surreal, this photo seems like something I bought rather than took.

No buying this though! Can you tell what/where it is?

Anyway back to bead shops - I was VERY restrained - I've been avoiding bead shops for fear of a major splurge on a whole load of materials I won't get round to using but I decided for the price of one pair of earrings that the material to make three pairs was a good investment.

First attempt reminded me that making a pair of something is going to be a challenge.

So I was delighted when I spotted a broken brooch being sold at the weekend that had the perfect ready made droplets for a pair of earrings. Minimal intervention from me; maximum satisfaction in some trash become treasure.

Look at me and my 'upcycling'!

Treasures (?)

2011-07-10T10:46:00.000+01:00

The 1TB and I had a good haul from a car boot yesterday - his mainly CDs, mine mainly haberdashery and crockery - it's always the same mix.

I love this cross between a basket and string bag which folds down flat.

I'm not sure whether the bulk load of two fridge drawers full of gubbins and the sewing box equivalent of a transformer

don't have a little more of the trash than treasure about them but the rummaging through their secrets is a form of treasure in itself.

A Birthday Scarf

2011-07-04T18:15:00.000+01:00

All quiet here for a while while I holidayed and knit this secret squirrel project and then celebrated with the giftee. My Mama turned 60 this weekend and she had to have a handknit gift of course.

Pattern: Simple Basket Stitch

Yarn: Nimu - Helvellyn

Started: June 26th 2011

Finished: July 1st 2011

Ravelry page

I started knitting this in plenty of time as MeloMelo, the beautiful pattern written for this bonus yarn from last year's Knit Love Club, but I just couldn't get along with the lace on the 5mm needles and I was losing the subtle shifts of colour in the pattern. So last Sunday morning I ripped it out and basket stitched my way through this past week back at work, casting off with enough time for a rinse and block thanks only to the glorious sunshine we've had this weekend. Mama loves it and I do too. The yarn is a superstar and I love a simple pattern to showcase that. Worked on 5mm needles it drapes like a dream. It's the softest, most luxurious thing I've ever made and it was lovely to hand it over in person and celebrate her birthday with her. A big surprise for her as she thought she was away for a quiet weekend. Such happy memories made, just as there are happy times knit in to this. Such a harmonious matching of stitch and yarn made this version a very pleasurable knit.

I knew we'd never squeeze in a blog photo shoot so took some photos before wrapping. I love this last shot, do you see that white fuzz on the right, could be cotton wool or something? Something indeed. Something like the paw of a rascally Bingo cat who was only milliseconds and millimetres away from trying out the cashmere and silk for herself!

Sock in the rain

2011-06-12T19:05:00.000+01:00

Or more accurately - sock on a sock blocker safe and dry inside while outside it's raining like it will never stop. Every drop is making me ever more glad I found that patch of sun on Friday! Let these colours chase away the grey.

This is the never ending Wollmeise sock that I frogged the too small version of back in March having previously abandoned the stranded tangle. It's taken months to finish this first one (and my Mum knitted a big section when she came to stay!).

I love the yarn, I love just knitting it plain, I love the swirl of colours at this stitch count - so very different from the smallies - I think these are 72 stitches cast on v 56 and it's magic what that does to the yarn. I don't love my lack of sock knitting this year, just not feeling the socky love so strongly.

My feet don't agree! They are definitely full of affection for the hand knits cosying their toes at the moment and as this pair are promised to my Mama it's a good job there's a need for travel knitting that a sock meets so well. It's at least kept these creeping along and as it's not long till holiday time and some long drives in the van hopefully that should kick the second one (and my sock mojo) in to gear.

Honey in the sun

2011-06-10T16:35:00.000+01:00

In a little patch of sunshine just now I went to the bottom of the garden

for the first time in what feels like weeks.

While I've squashed the crafts back in I've been neglecting my garden totally this spring but nature's been busy down there.

So glad the sun drew me out before my lovely honeysuckle did its thing totally without me.

Happy weekend everyone.

Found...

2011-06-05T17:35:00.000+01:00

...an orange I am very happy with. It was under my nose though I didn't know it till I read back my post and realised I hadn't checked whether anyone sold the Jarol Heritage in an orange. I see that shop is out now but a Google search would be your friend if you need this exact orange too!

How simple! Though thank you so much for the suggestions - or should I say temptations, always nice to have a browse of some other yarns though it does require quite some willpower. I'm proud I didn't just start a whole rainbow blanket in these or these. Isn't that one of the hardest things about looking for one thing - not getting sidetracked off in to something else entirely.

Like say apples! I think these are small enough to be done alongside the grannies and not squash them out. I'm proud of myself for learning half treble crochet to make this - crochet in any colour is FUN!

Hunting for orange

2011-05-28T16:58:00.000+01:00

Glibly a few weeks ago I said I was off to order orange and yellow yarn for my granny squares. It didn't occur to me for a second that would be a challenge.

The base yarn for the blanket was some Wendy Mode from Kemps bought a long old time ago. It struck me as a perfect blanket yarn 50/50 wool acrylic so easy to wash and great value at £1.39 a 50g ball. I got a cream, a white, a navy and a red. A classic palette but a little too restrained for my first granny square extravaganza. So then there was the souvenir yarn from Easter camping, van green and purple. Good strong clear colours that I knew would blend in nicely. That stuff is Jarol Heritage 55% wool, 25% acrylic and 20% nylon. Then I may have pillaged a light blue and a black Patons Diploma Gold DK from a set meant for this little cardigan. Plenty of colours to play with but definitely calling out for a bright yellow and orange to add a little warmth and balance.

I thought it would be an easy mission as I just wanted a basic DK wool/acrylic blend. After lots of hunting it seems strong yellows and oranges are not much favoured. Modern Knitting did me proud with a great washable 100% wool for the yellow - King Cole merino blend - and at £2.75 per 50g that sounds pretty good value to me for 100% wool. I made more of a leap with the orange having not found anything that looked quite right and I'm not too happy with what I've got. As you can see above it's really more of a terracotta, a sort of washed out baked bean shade - called either tangerine or honey depending on which text on the site I trust - hmmm some creative licence taken in that naming whichever - you'd have to be having a very bad day as either a tangerine or a pot of honey if you were this colour! It's also a 100% acrylic which I wasn't too sure about but if it were the right colour its texture is perfectly fine. Ironically least loved colour, no wool content and it's my priciest yarn at £3 for 50g! So I might put that one at the bottom of the pile and see if it either grows on me or if I manage to find a nicer orange in the meantime. Any recommendations of a good real orange (ideally in a nice wool/acrylic blend) happily received!

Playing with Fabric

2011-05-23T18:46:00.000+01:00

Having made great strides with learning to crochet this year it's giving me confidence to sidle up to the sewing beast to see if we can make friends. Actually having signed myself up for a five day course on dress making in July, I'm not so sure it's a sidle so much as a full on dance outside it's lair! Last year I was resolving to just play around in the shallows before diving in but without any focus all I've done in over a year is mend a couple of split seams. So I've got the course as something formal to look forward to and a couple of months to get in the shallows and splash! In a quiet hour on Sunday I got out the machine. Gulp, needles and hooks were never as frightening as that monster! I just took an old nightie, cut it into some bits and sewed random seams and squares and then the urge to make something kicked in, so a little lavender sachet was made. Then I heaved a big sigh of relief and quit while I was ahead! Little and often is the motto for the next few weeks and then hopefully I'll feel a little more sure of myself.

Then I had a real play as a reward for my bravery and fortitude. On an impulse I bought a sample pack of Liberty fabrics from a stall at last year's summer school and it is one of those silly purchases that I have been so glad I made so many times since. They are one of my dearly hoarded treasures. They live at the top of a drawer of other crafting things and I smile whenever I see them.

Just so pretty! So precious! Foolish but happy making. When I saw little, bitty embroidery frames at Lupin Handmade a wave of PurlSoho wall-ishness washed over me.

Photo from The Purl Bee

Well perhaps more just splashed a bit in my direction given the weenier scale but I had a lovely time trying to choose my favourites for the frames.

Some of the larger prints, though much favoured, wouldn't quite work.

While other large scale patterns surprised me by how well they shone in the spotlight. So much fun!

Time well spent

2011-05-21T08:11:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I knit the ribbing for the right front.

Today I knit the ribbing for the right front. In the correct size.

Last night when I discovered my mistake I caught myself thinking "oh no what a waste of time! I wanted to get the fronts finished this weekend, now I have to do this over again." Then I thought again. How is time spent knitting a waste of time? Sure, I all I had tangibly to show for it was a pile of crinkly yarn, but the time spent making the stitches in the first place was time well spent, time which is calming and knits something inside of me. Time I was happy to spend again this morning.

Old lessons, often repeated, maybe one day I will embrace the path more than the fruit. Daydreams of the future are fun but it's how I spend the now that matters.

Daydreaming

2011-05-18T18:30:00.000+01:00

This Double V venture has a stitch pattern I love. Both the look of it once it's done and the rhythm of it to knit. Just a four row repeat and within that on the two purl rows you just work the stitch as it is. That only leaves the two knit rows requiring anything like thought and happily not much of that as to me they make sense. By that I mean it seems obvious to my hands and brain what I should do next to get the pattern to work. I don't always find that with lace repeats so it's a pleasure not to have to think too hard about this as it flows along.

That leaves plenty of brain space for sweet daydreams of the finished item which will fit me PERFECTLY. Daydreams of how I shall waft around in the heat of the summer in my new maxi dress, suitably summery cocktail in hand. Ooh how delightful!

Well you know how one good idea leads to another....

Fly fingers fly! So many pretty summery cardis to knit so little time! Here's hoping cardi and the hazy summer days to wear it in style become more than just a dream!

Headscratching

2011-05-08T19:18:00.000+01:00

As I've been playing merrily with the grannies my knitterly thoughts have turned to what garment I should feel disappointed by knitting next. I've got a real contender for that crown with the Double V Cardigan I started last summer.

Before abandoning it for who knows what shiny new project I knit the sleeve I'd promised myself I'd start with to try and grapple sensibly with the gauge issue. Having spent a lot of this afternoon. measuring/headscratching/searching Ravelry for the meaning of life I'm starting to think the Short Lucky 'press on in there and make the best of what you end up with' approach should always be followed, it might at least mean I get to knit which is after all the aim of this game.

I've been round the houses scribbling numbers on paper but I think basically my row gauge is quite a way out 23=4 compared to the pattern 28=4 so I'll need to adjust for that in the body. Stitch gauge is also a stitch out over 4 inches - 24 instead of 23 but given the amount of stretch here I don't think that's a concern.

I've looked at cardigan patterns until they're all merging to find one I might use this yarn for instead of this one and nothing's grabbing me so the best part of a year on I'm going to grasp the needle and get on with it!

Playing

2011-05-06T19:17:00.000+01:00

Since the slight anti-climax of making Short Lucky a bit too Large Lucky (though thank you for your kind comments) I've been playing with my crochet.

I've promoted myself from the first stage of clueless crocheter = only allowed to make granny squares with scrap yarn to adept beginner = cracking out the blanket yarn, van green included.

It feels much more playful than the oh so serious business of garment making. No pattern to follow, no fit to worry about, the biggest decision is which colour comes next. Delightful.

This weekend I'm going to let myself order some more. Yellow and orange are top of the list. I know, crazy days!

Short Lucky

2011-05-02T15:52:00.000+01:00

I've been lazing around all long weekend, such bliss, I'd like to get some better photos of Short Lucky for the blog but that involves me and him and more effort than can be mustered! Time to make do with a few that were snapped this morning in between me hanging out the washing and him making ramps for our creaky old cat to climb over the fence to visit her chums next door (who's in on the sweepstake for when she'll use it? Sorry, never's already taken!)

Talking of hanging out the washing - scuse the action shot but this is about the nicest one of Lucky herself.

Pattern: Short Lucky

Yarn: Patons Wool Blend Aran - less than 6 balls

Started: September 8th 2010

Finished: April 24th 2011

Ravelry page

I was convinced I'd get most wear out of this top tied at the front - like this:

but my gauge was about 3.5 stitches to the inch instead of the pattern gauge of 4.5 so I've got a lot of fabric to spare and closing the fronts creates a bit more of a blocky, blobby effect than is desirable.

Open at the front tied at the back will, I think, be the way I get the most use out of this.

Makes you wonder why my gauge swatch was so far off doesn't it? Sigh, you guessed it - no gauge swatch! They may lie sometimes but at the end of the knitting when I've got something finished but the wrong size it does make me wonder what I was playing at when I started out on this enterprise. Ah yes, that holiday mood clearly had me too relaxed! So here's to holiday knitting and being VERY thankful it came out too big rather than too small!

Happy Campers

2011-04-25T18:03:00.000+01:00

We were among many happy campers this Easter weekend.

Basking in the sunshine.

Postcard pretty everywhere.

We had a lovely site

on a farm with both more

and less traditional inhabitants.

Great companions (and van camping aficionados).

Bluebell woods made a magnificent assault on the senses.

Plenty of craft time did see Short Lucky finished.

(Almost) van green souvenir yarn.

School's Out

2011-04-21T19:23:00.000+01:00

Well work is for the long Easter weekend. Yippee! I see crafts, crafts and more crafts - maybe mainly crochet. That granny square did make it and I've made a few more since.

I'm still very awkward but I'm getting better :)

We're off on a van camping trip so plenty of room for crafting supplies. I might even get my Short Lucky finished. From here anything seems possible! Happy Easter all, may the craft be with you.

Bird territory

2011-04-16T18:57:00.000+01:00

The magpies and rooks seem to be in a pitched battle for the big Bramley apple tree that hangs over our garden from next door. It's prime nesting territory unlike the little, twisty eating apple tree at the bottom of our garden where an altogether more exotically coloured birdie seems to have uncontested rights.

Knit in the same way as Claremont and chum I thought I might get the ratios refined this time around but where Claremont was a little wider than I thought I wanted, this nameless cutie is taller.

The knit on wings are an addition I like but next time around I think I'd go with them bigger and lower on the body. I accept now there definitely will be a next time, I think these faux feathered friends are the perfect answer for my leftovers bag and fun little knits for the crafting deprived.

The crafting squash out

2011-04-09T17:15:00.000+01:00

Too much work is making Sarah a dull girl on the crafting front.

This week I think I managed half a granny square and about two rounds of a sock. Not worth a photo so let's enjoy the pretty felt I bought a few weeks ago from Lupin Handmade.

I got as far as cutting out some hearts back then, maybe this evening I'll put thread to felt! Sorry for my lack of blog visiting too but I'm wishing everyone a happy craft filled April, I'm going to squash the crafts back in here somehow :)

Spot the Difference

2011-03-27T12:52:00.000+01:00

The right hand side is correct - a cuff to be attached - the left hand side is WRONG. I knew it made no sense when I was knitting it but Short Lucky is an unusual construction and doesn't have a schematic so I kept telling myself to go with it. Turns out it is not so unusual as to have a stray foot or so of knitting emerging from the top of the sleeve. I'm pleased I haven't got to try and work out where to sew that appendage to and thankful and it's not too much to rip out and correct! Somehow the right and wrong side references in the pattern aren't the right and wrong side of my piece thought there were plenty of other clues as to which bit was the cuff! Note to self use of brain is good.

Enough of my foolishness, let's look at my plum tree blossom instead.

Happy March day that sees such prettiness.

As Kate of Needled more eloquently said it's a real pleasure to observe the annual joys of my little world recorded here.

First Stutterings

2011-03-20T18:00:00.000Z

At the end of January I had the pleasure of taking a learn to crochet course at The Makery in Bath taught by the very patient and adept Rosee Woodland.

Here is my first ever piece of crochet. Hard won over an hour or so. Rather tight and twisty. I thought it would be, as that aptly describes my first pieces of knitting. The focus and anxiety to get it right flow through my hands and translate into tightly wound stitches. I seem less patient with myself than I was when I learnt to knit as if somehow because I can do the one I should be able to do the other. I was no natural knitter but because it it flows now I think other crafts should feel the same. That belief certainly sabotaged my attempts to learn from a book which worked for me with knitting; with crochet I felt like I should be able to skip through that beginning section and get straight into the 'real' stuff and when I couldn't get it easily I didn't want to persevere.

So I was delighted to see details of this course, there really is nothing to beat having someone show you how to do a craft and be on hand as you hold up your creation because you can't even tell if what you're creating is what you should be creating! It was a mind blowing few hours which left my somewhat blurry of eye and very tired of hands. I didn't quite master the little granny square and make my pincushion which was our aim but I felt like I had the basics and could push on and get to grips with it easily from there.

I did well to start off with when I got home and did a couple of little samplers over a few different sessions to try and get comfortable with the hold and tensioning of the yarn which I find so difficult and different from that required in knitting. It should be easier to only have one hook rather than two needles but my hands don't yet agree!

Naturally enough while work has been crazy and I've been lacking in any mental energy I've put aside the crochet in favour of the relaxation of some simple knitting. Trying to learn new things is hard on a brain and I want to make sure it remains fun. This afternoon having had a relaxing weekend with my Mama I thought I'd get out the gear again and see if I couldn't move on from the single and double crochet rows and make a granny square worth showing off.

Nearly! I think this third one will get there though I couldn't finish it as I had to rest my paws a while as the strains of trying to find a way to hold it and get the right tension on the cotton take their toll on my fingers and thumbs! It's coming together though and the dream of the granny square blanket and the pleasure and deep absorption of learning a new skill are rewards enough to keep me slowly onwards.

On being introduced to your own creation

2011-03-14T21:50:00.000Z

I made an owl. I thought it was a she. Called Betty.

The Mr said he'd call him Claremont.

He gave him the shades.

I thought I didn't like him.

Other members of the family do.

Who am I to argue?

I thought he'd be a pink, slightly larger version of last time. Maybe now I have some notes I'll have more of a clue next time around.

Though where's the fun in that?

This time..

2011-03-10T19:39:00.000Z

..I've listened to the wise inner knitter and stopped admiring the lovely yarn and

concluded that too tight (much like too loose) is something that you can do something about.

I've been ignoring the smallness of these pretty Wollmeisers for a while now. I abandoned the tricksy pattern so I could move on from the tangle; and I so wanted the plain socks to fly along that I didn't give in to the nagging until I considered my Tetsubou. What seems like a long time in the knitting is nothing compared to how long I hope the garment will be with me. I'd like the pride in the item to be untainted by a feeling that I should have done something a little different in the making. With force I could get this on but really who wants to have to lever themselves in to their cosy socks? So to the frogpond with these - a healthy dose of GAAK for me and hopefully third time is the charm for the socks that are resisting being knitted!

Tetsubou

2011-03-06T16:57:00.000Z

Blimey an FO! That's the distinctive double hem actually framing my face up there and here's the rest of the hat keeping my head cosy in the March sunshine. It's glorious out there this afternoon but not much real warmth to add to the light yet.

Pattern: Tetsubou

Yarn: Fyberspates Scrumptious 4ply - Teal

Started: February 7th 2011

Finished: March 5th 2011

Ravelry page

Apparently I've been knitting this for just under a month. It feels longer, perhaps because I've not been knitting much else so I've only actually been knitting a tiny little bit each day. It's good to finish and to know again that all those little bits do make a difference. Stitch by stitch.

I'm a smidge disappointed with it overall. It's a little bit large - I carefully measured to work out what size I should make and then let fly without swatching. Sigh. The fabric on the 4.5mm needles I used for the straight section is a little loosey goosey (the 4mm dpn section is much nicer) and with the silk content of the yarn as well it's all a bit floppier than I hoped and dag nammit it doesn't instantly transform me in to an uber-stylish being! Still the colour makes up for a lot and it's still a super cool pattern. I just need to work on my super cool attitude, not pull it down too far and get the slouch slouching.

Or just enjoy the sunshine and flowers.

Thanks for sending your advance party spring, it's nice to have their company.

Though we're a little more wintry in our garden still. This is one half of the daffodils that have so far bloomed.

Top Hats

2011-02-20T17:14:00.000Z

Well done guessers - I am indeed making Tetsubou which I fell in love with as soon as I saw the pattern before Christmas. It's such a distinctive hat with that double hem framing the face isn't it? Being so patient before I started work on it was all the justification I needed to splurge on some of the super delicious Fyberspates Scrumptious to make it with. Rachel, you are the randomly selected victor so I hope I used the gift feature correctly on Ravelry!

Tetsubou has reached the end of the knit flat stage but no further so I've got some other pictures of top hats to share today. I was absolutely delighted to be sent a couple of Susan B Anderson books for review from Workman Publishing and I have dallied a little before writing about them so I had time to form a firm opinion of them.

First up is itty-bitty hats. Has it got you at hello?

Seriously cute babies abound in this beautifully styled book. It's got the magic spiral binding which makes knitting a pattern from a book so much easier as it lies flat and doesn't try and close on you. It's a substantial hard back book, heavy paper and absolutely faultless in terms of presentation.

It begins with a couple of explanatory chapters that make me think this would make a lovely gift for a new knitter. Susan writes with a friendly style and explains the materials needed and covers the basics of knitting through all the techniques needed for the projects in a clear and accessible way.

Then come all the super cute and inspiring patterns.

They're nicely laid out to keep guiding newer knitters and build on experience.

I think baby hats make a great welcome baby gift, slightly more realistic than some of the things I've dreamed of making my pregnant friends. There are plenty to choose from in here and if you wanted to try and convert any mums-to-be into knitting mums-to-be this might be the perfect book to do it. Give them the yarn, needles and book and then you'd have them time to go knit a Tetsubou for yourself :o)

The sideline

2011-02-12T17:19:00.000Z

Yus, actual knitting, done by me with something delightful from the collection.

Ooh it makes me happy looking at it. Here's a little fun for you, who can name the hat pattern I'm knitting from this start of a double folded hem on straights? Answers in the comments and in a few days I'll randomly pick a right answer and gift you the pattern to your Ravelry account (or another pattern of your choice if you have this already :o)

PS - If any knitter reading this still hasn't got a Ravelry account - I encourage you to sign up - it's free and, well, marvellous.

Abundance

2011-02-06T17:50:00.000Z

The yarn coffers are brimming; there's been a lot come in this last week or so and for a moment or two I was feeling a little overwhelmed.

January Sock Club Yarn

My knitting time is not abundant at the moment and on the days when I don't knit a stitch all these pretty things seem over indulgent and my plans for them pie in the sky.

Fyberspates Scrumptious Chunky and 4-ply for His 'n' Hers Hats

There are worse things to indulge in though and there's no sell by date on these beauties. Maybe I should describe collecting yarn as my hobby rather than knitting, that's just a sideline!

Bought from the lovely lady at Crafty Yarns near Swindon - two skeins for a super squishy cushion cover

Even if I don't get all these new things knit soon perhaps they'll inspire me to get my stash storage sorted out. It was a job for the quiet days between Christmas and New Year at the end of 2009 so even with my ability to avoid anything too much like housework it's about time I got round to it.

Bargains from Wool in Bath - all the colours I wanted for the Sheep Yoke Cardigan

I've got a better idea, I can just go knit instead.

Socktacular!

2011-01-30T17:50:00.000Z

I have had a thoroughly delicious weekend. Not only have I've been away in Bath again with my sweetie; not only have I been shop, shop shopping for woolly goodness; not only have I gone and learnt to crochet on a course at The Makery! No, not only all of that which I'll tell you all about another day, I'm also the luckiest blogthday prize winner EVER! Today's post belongs to the socktacular prize, sent to me across the miles by the truly lovely Rose Red, which kicked things off in real style. It may be a little later than she intended but when I got home to find the parcel on Thursday evening at the start of my special weekend, well turns out her timing was perfect. Just like the contents of the parcel.

Yes indeed. My goodness me, if I'd spent the weekend scrubbing the kitchen floor with a toothbrush it would have been a wonderful one having opened these riches!

Not only beautiful, beautiful, beautiful tailor made socks in a delicious, deep red Wollmeise but a skein of the scrumptious stuff for my very own. I told you, she's truly lovely! I'm sorry my photos don't really do them justice but most of you know the knitterly genius of Rose Red well enough to imagine these are the most perfectly made, perfectly fitting rendition of the Anniversary Socks pattern.

Thank you again, dear friend across the way, they are so socktacular just like you!

The Keeping Cosy Winter Shawl

2011-01-24T17:43:00.000Z

Pattern: Springtime Bandit

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend, Colour: Atlantic

Started: November 2010

Finished: January 16th 2011

Ravelry page

I think photographing this shawl has been ten times the challenge that knitting it was! I've taken several shots over several days to try and capture the glory of this red yarn, I'm calling it a day now though I haven't quite got what I wanted as in these grey, dingy days I don't think I will. Happily I feel the absolute opposite about the actual garment, it's everything I dreamed it could be when I saw the inspiring version A Girl In Winter made in the Manos Silk Blend and this shade, evasive though it may be to the camera is so uplifting that it's been the perfect companion for dark, winter days. It's a warm, deep multi-toned red with a pinky blue base, a real treat for the eye. The shawl is big and grand, but cosy and homely all at once. A wonderful pairing of yarn and pattern.

I didn't manage to get the bottom to settle into the points I was hoping for as I still haven't got my blocking skills or tools up to scratch! Maybe I'll start next year finishing this pattern but with my blocking house in order! Working it has certainly reawakened all that passion I had for shawls at the start of last year.

It took a while as it's a big, ole snuggle of a shawl but it was as luscious on the needles as it is off. This pattern makes a lot of sense to my brain so I can follow along without too many checks of the charts and I even get it right most of the time! It's just been so beautiful to watch it grow and to work with this smooth, squishy yarn which drapes very nicely. Just looking at it makes me feel warmer, which is a good job as that's all I'll be doing soon as I must part with it and send it to my poor present-less mama! Easy to knit, hard to photo, even harder to part with!

Lush and lacy and...

2011-01-16T19:54:00.001Z

FINISHED! Ta Da!

Pattern: My own

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky - 16023

Needles: 10mm
Started: December 23rd 2010
Finished: January 10th 2011
Ravelry page

Simple and quick to knit. If I'd had the inspiration earlier in the year then I would have had this scarf done for Christmas. As it was I saw this yarn on sale at the end of November when the list really shouldn't have had any more gifts added. Luckily my friend is easily persuaded that good things come to those who wait and at least it's done while the weather still warrants it!

When I opened one of my new books - I was amused to see a very similar piece - Big Lace Scarf in an almost spookily similar shade!

The books is More Last Minute Knitted Gifts (every bit as scrumptious as the first book - if you like that I'm sure this would be a good book for you) so it is only fitting I'd find a twin for it there! Squeezing the yarn I wasn't sure what pattern I'd find for it but I knew I couldn't leave it. When it came to it I just didn't have time to search for a pattern that fit my idea so as what I wanted seemed simple enough I just a knit a row and then did a row of yo/k2tog. It gives the length and the feeling of contrast between the weight of yarn and the pattern I wanted and I'm happy with how it looks but I had assumed that the lace wouldn't roll in as the fact that I was doing k2tog would give a kind of garter base if you know what I mean? Actually it works as an open stocking stitch - above is the right side - below is the wrong side.

Pretty enough and very wearable but if I were to make it again (and it could become my go to gift knit) I want to try the pattern from the book now I have it.

To finish - a little peak at the other thing that is FINISHED!

Not an official ta da yet as it needs washing and blocking but the knitting of the Christmas gifts is officially over!

January Jewels

2011-01-09T18:29:00.000Z

A Gem of a Calendar from Phlights of Phancy

It's no secret January is my least favourite month but slowly year on year I'm doing better at loving it. Last year with the snow I had a better time than in previous years. Slllooooowwww is definitely the pace for me in winter. One step up from hibernation. Though I'm prepared to ease away from the sofa when the sun shines like it did today. With blue skies overhead jewels sparkled wherever I looked.

Christmas Books to look forward to diving into just as soon as the last gifts are knit.

New friends and old.

Goodbye murky grey...

...hello sunshine!

Afternoon tea with my lovelies - spot the Vogue Cowl in action - yay for gifts well appreciated!

Exciting times ahead.

Even the dark brought more jewels.

Twelth Night

2011-01-06T21:11:00.000Z

Tonight the timer finally took its last chance to turn on the Christmas lights at the right time to welcome me home. I always like to have the decorations up until Twelth Night as coming back to a twinkly grotto of a house makes those first few days of work that little bit less brutal, less real somehow. I'm all for anything that makes life easier in the cold and dark of January in England.

Still I like my traditions too and it's time to send the little tree back outside. Never fear though I have the two Christmas gifts I'm STILL knitting on to keep me company and Christmas 2010 alive a little longer!

Two Gifts that were Finitoed

2011-01-03T18:11:00.001Z

Pattern: Jonna by Norah Gaughan
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft in Poppy

Needles: 5.5mm

Started: September 2nd 2010

Finished: December 28th 2010

Ravelry page

Pattern: Simple Slouchy Hat by Julie Weisenberger

Yarn: Rowan Alpaca Cotton - 406

Needles: 4mm

Started: December 2010

Finished: December 28th 2010

Ravelry page

Some hastily taken shots of gifts for my little brother and his girl. My gift knits are so often like this, practically wrapped and in the hands of the recipient before I can even get a picture. These were seized upon with some pleasure and worn straightaway so I should have a managed a snap or two in person but making them stay in the freezing cold while I went to get my camera seemed too cruel. So we've got these.

The red is way off (better here) but the pompoms look rather fine I think. Thanks to the Mister for those, he's a wizard with the Clover pompom maker so saved me the time of knitting the bubbles as specified by the pattern - vital help in the elf factory.

This elf is off to hide with the last two gift knits she should be working on and pretend that real work doesn't start again tomorrow. Why are the holidays always so short?

New Year - Not New Project Yet!

2011-01-01T19:03:00.000Z

But Mama is a forgiving lady.

No resolutions here except to have much frivolous fun this year. Wishing you all you wish for in 2011. Happy New Year.

A Pair(ish) of Knee Socks

2010-12-28T12:15:00.000Z

The "ish" because of the very distinctly unmatching nature of these socks. Not, thankfully, because there is still only one and a bit of them.

Pattern: My Own Knee Socks - Garter Rib Stitch for the legs

Yarn: Regia Kaffe Fasset Design Line - 4350

Needles: 2.75mm DPNs

Started: October 23rd 2010

Finished: December 25th 2010

Ravelry page

I never make the effort to begin the second sock at the same place in the colour repeat as the first and with a shortage of yarn these weren't the pair to start fussing about that with. I then also decided I'd refine the calf increasing on the second one to see if hiding the increases in the purl troughs of the ribbing was neater than the increases in either knit or purl had been on the first. Answer definitely yes to the knitter's eye but if a non knitter picked it out I'd be amazed. Despite my scrappy notes I think I matched up the shaping nicely, made the heel in the right place, had the right number of stitches for the foot. All tickety boo except I missed the rather obvious fact that the first foot was plain and carried on the ribbing on the instep as I was decreasing the gussets. I left it, all these little variations just add character and character is a big part of a hand knit isn't it? Identical socks are easy enough to come by at the shops after all.

There was just one thing I changed on the second sock that I did rip back and correct - the length! Character is one thing but having to fold the toe of your sock over to make it the right size might be taking that just a stitch too far.

I finished these up on Christmas Day, and a most delightful day it was. I hope everyone is having a fabulous holiday time. Much fun being had by me including the big chunks of knitting time.

Season's Greetings

2010-12-24T15:44:00.000Z

from me and a bear in a Christmas Pixie Hat

Gift Knit Update

2010-12-18T18:03:00.000Z

Two more gifts got finished. This is from about two weekends ago now. They got done mainly because they are CHUNKY. Chunky is definitely the way to go for my gift knitting. Chunky plus accessory = speed. Obvious I know but in previous years my focus on a pair of socks for x, y and z took the idea that small accessory item = speed. Not in 4 ply yarn and a bazillion stitches - one day I tried to count how many stitches in a sock. I wonder how many in a knee sock? Stop! I'm not going there I'm going to the sofa to knit like the wind. As, of the rest of what the list boiled down to: these socks (it's hard to make two of something when your notes are so crumby!),

a big, plumptious Springtime Bandit shawl, two hats and one scarf are started but unfinished and one scarf and an owl are still just wool and dreams. I may be crazy but I think I'm going to get everything finished as most of the gifts are for people I'm seeing between Christmas and New Year. Yay deadline extension! And today the snow finally arrived here in Oxford so I've got the perfect excuse to stay put with the needles all weekend.

I'm a loser, here are the winners

2010-12-03T20:11:00.000Z

I'm going as fast as my legs will carry me and yet I'm just so slow at getting to things at the moment. I'm a total bloggy loser, I've hardly visited you peeps in weeks, it feels dusty and neglected here with just a quick fly by now and again. I picked out my winners from my four year post last Sunday and then never got them announced. Still I know you dears will forgive me and four years of blogging have taught me never to do it out of obligation. I always find my way back to the blogosphere eventually because I love this little creation and all of your creations so much that the time is always found.

Thank you so much everyone for your lovely comments and with no further ado the random number generator and I picked the following winners:

Winning the spotty heart buttons is Gill, Anita I hope you'd like the blue stripey hearts, Charity it's stitch markers for you and for Bells the round black and white buttons. I think I've made contact with you all to get your addresses though comment here or pm me on Rav - (I'm Thumbelina) if you haven't had an email/comment.

And for a pretty picture here's a couple of little extra balls of yarn for (insanely) yet more gifts. These fingers better get flying this weekend. Happy Knitting!

Fisschhwwing

2010-11-26T22:43:00.001Z

That was the noise of the last week whistling past me!

This time last week I was having a lovely time in Bath. The skies were grey but we had fun in the spa,

got our caffeine fix drinking the nicest coffee I've ever had in the UK - trained in Melbourne apparently - thank you Australia.

Sightseeing and shopping.

I'm not sure whether you can make them out for all the reflections but this is the amazing All Saints shop window display - masses of Singer sewing machines - stunning.

Though I saved my purchases for another kind of shop. Doesn't it look cosy and welcoming? It certainly is. I'd love to shop here regularly. A gem.

I was quite restrained, just another idea for a Christmas gift!

Blogiversary Again!

2010-11-18T18:32:00.000Z

This little creation makes it to four years old tomorrow, I swear it hasn't been a year since last time and four since the first post - amazing!

Nothing dramatically changes here now year on year, and that's part of the charm for me. The little ordinary details that get captured. The increased connection with the rhythm and cycles of the year. The space to obsess over things that the average work colleague or even my closest friend just doesn't quite feel the same about. Ceramic buttons - squeal!

I'd definitely say to anyone learning to knit that they should keep a blog about it along the way. (So any new knitter without a blog if you're reading this and fancy it - do it! It's fab.) It's so easy to forget what it was you didn't know (everything) and take your skills for granted as there still feels like a whole lot of everything you don't know. There have been dramatic changes since those first days, changes that creep up on you. I'm tickled by this post from early in my sock days where I say "my pattern uses something called Kitchener Stitch.." at least that's one thing I've got licked now.

So celebrate with me you lovely blog readers, I'd blog without you but it's much more fun with you! Four pictures of pretty things for four whole years of blogging. If you'd like to receive a set of these wonderful buttons or the stitch markers made in South Africa for Injabulo, a wonderful little company I found this year, please wish me a happy blogiversary in the comments and let me know which set you'd prefer. I'll do a draw next weekend if there are multiple people falling in love with these lovable creations. This weekend I'm off to Bath with my cutie patootie (and the Christmas knitting!). Life is good.

Outside it's dark and freezing cold before 5pm...

2010-11-15T17:35:00.000Z

...inside is the perfect antidote.

Outside in the garden the trees are looking bare...

2010-11-13T12:11:00.000Z

...inside there are plumptious new leaves. Cosy leaves of wool.

The Christmas Knits

2010-11-11T17:00:00.001Z

The list I made back in August when I had just ordered the yarn for the Vogue cowl seemed so modest. I thought I'd refined the strategy to perfection last year, ie plan only a realistic number of things and make sure they are patterns that I actually fancy knitting. I got very focused and came up with a one page list of very few hand knits for only those who have made requests or who I think would really like a hand knit gift and was impressed at how ahead of the game I was. Things looked so promising with that first gift ticked off at the start of September. Now with just the cowl and a sock and a bit complete I'm feeling much less smug, it's looking somewhat more daunting and yet I still want to add more to it!

I'd say I'm not sure why I do it. I am of course. I do it because I love to knit, I want to give handmade, meaningful gifts and in most cases the best way I can think to do that is with something knitted.

The first year I learnt to knit it was just before Christmas and I dashed off some scarves and socks as gifts and was very proud of myself. I soon learnt the lesson that not everyone will love the gift just because I made it for them - my Mum had clearly been too kind in response to everything I brought home from school - in fact I know she was as her house is still littered by wonky embroidery and strange pottery creatures! Looking back now I can see why some of those first knit gifts never saw much light of day but these days if you get a knit from me I'd say you're blessed.

No honestly! I even generously try and combine what I want to knit with something I think the recipient will want! So I've moved on from the early days but where I've got to now seems to be with wanting to knit a cardigan for my best friend - seriously? How many cardigans do I manage to make in a whole year, yet alone in about a month with a bazillion other things to knit!

She's got a birthday in March so maybe I'll start it and then when the inevitable happens and I miss Christmas I'll be ahead of the birthday game. Actually maybe that will be my whole strategy for next year - gift knits for birthdays only and not Christmas. Though there are few knits it feels right to give in the summer. Maybe if they're a summer birthday the gift can be knit then but gifted at Christmas. I like it!

So my summer start on the list this year hasn't gained me any great headway but at least the looming deadline gives me carte blanche to have a casting on partay this weekend! I knew all this gift knitting wasn't selfless.

Adaptability

2010-11-07T10:59:00.000Z

When the horror of the tangle pushed me into starting the knee highs I felt I was diving in on something that needed a little more planning. My auntie requested some knee high socks for her Christmas gift socks back in the spring, so the idea has been percolating in my mind for a long while but I was holding off until I had some time to work out the details. Then the socks need for planning became less than my need for some calming sock knitting so I thought I'd just get going and adapt as I went along. I wasn't sure of sizing, calf-shaping, heel type, anything in fact bar the yarn and that I wanted to rib the leg so it would have the best chance of fitting - but I knew all the rest could be figured out along the way and it has been.

I've been enjoying the lovely Kaffe Fassett colourway. I had some fun playing with the way it echoes the strength of the colours in my anemones.

Thanks to Dr K for reminding me that this is the self same yarn Bells used for her knee highs. The memory of those must have been a subliminal inspiration as I was sure for a long time in advance of the knitting that this was the right stash yarn for this project. Now Bells was a smarty pants on two fronts - she had more than two balls of the yarn and did her socks from the toe up. I wanted to use up what I had and thought with some 2.75mm needles I'd get a pair of knee highs out of it. I would have gone with toe ups but I just didn't have the patience to watch a tutorial and I don't have any toe up cast-ons in my head so I had to dive in top down and hope that there would be enough yarn.

Not so much.

But I love it anyway. I striped in some leftover Kaffe Fasset Regia I had from a pair of socks I made for last Christmas which had the right tones if not the right stretches of colour. I wanted to keep up the momentum and not wait and try and get hold of more yarn. I wanted to use what resources I had both in terms of yarn and mentally. These socks have become all about being adaptable, a prime example of as in knitting as in life. I'm trying hard not to over plan, to delay things until everything is perfect. In trying to overcome the ME I've seen that this in area I need to relax and learn to trust more in my own skills and capabilities. So as ever there's a lot more in this sock than just yarn. I'm so glad I just got going and even more so that I kept going and enjoyed every relaxing stitch. A little triumph which I love for its imperfection.

Now on to number two!

Can you curse yourself?

2010-11-02T18:09:00.000Z

Does writing something at the end of your blog post like "More to see of this at the weekend I feel sure." constitute some black magic spell that means you're bound to stuff up your knitting? Hmmm beware is all I can say! Last time I was here I was feeling all confident I'd have most of a beautiful Wollmeise sock to show you and instead (much delayed by the various toings and froings of the real life which do get in the way terribly of knitting and blogging don't they?) here is the tangle that ensued shortly after that post.

It's a good job that wool and pattern are so beautiful and meant for each other as this was the second attempt - first time around things were looking good but were coming out too tight - this time too loose so that everything has got tangled up - in this pic with the pattern you can see what I'm aiming for - cool hey? - so there will be a third attempt!

Not for a while though, I put them aside and reached for a simple socky alternative - top down, garter rib - the only twist being that these will make knee highs. This shot of the yarn and cuff was taken the weekend before last and I'm down to the heel now so if it won't curse me I might dare say there'll be something good to show this weekend!

Monday is not Sunday but it will do just fine

2010-10-20T18:32:00.000+01:00

Done at last and straight in to action. Socks make great little summer projects but as the weather starts to cool down they really come in to their own. There's nothing quite so satisfying in knitting for me as finishing up and pulling the item in question straight on for some much desired warmth.

Pattern: Caretta Caretta - Alice Yu for Knit Love Club

Yarn: Socks that Rock in the wonderful Thraven

Needles: 2.25mm DPNs

Started: June 9th 2010

Finished: October 18th 2010

Ravelry page

These are a wonderful match of a pattern I love (top down - yay!) and a yarn I'd dreamt about owning until the start of this year. Thank you again Wendy for your generosity and thoughtfulness it makes these beauties all the more beautiful to me. I may never take them off though I love how they look when I do. The sculptural aspects of the ribs are wonderful.

And the colour - oh the gorgeous colour - it's a little more true to life in this last shot. I doubt I'll ever have the photography skills to quite capture the amazing depth and variation of these nearly black Raven clan colourways. They are an amazing expression of a real art form.

I'm so lucky in this socky month to jump straight from the yarn of one master dyer to another. Here's the first glimpse of the WM sock - a rather beautiful folded cuff if I do say so myself. Alice has designed a fabulous pattern for variegated colourways so I decided to behave myself as a club member and knit the pattern with the yarn it was designed for. More to see of this at the weekend I feel sure.

Millimetre by millimetre

2010-10-17T11:48:00.000+01:00

Oh why, oh why is Socktober flying away so fast? I'm making glacially slow progress on my beautiful Carettas. They were three quarters done before the month started.

This toe has been tormenting me all week, so close, yet so far, from an actual finished sock. Even when I manage to sit down with it in my hands I'm so tired it gets only a row or two longer. Still I'm hopeful that today even I must be able to finish off these toe decreases.

I'd thought I'd be on to the Lorna's Laces next but then last weekend the next club parcel arrived with this in it.

Seriously! I'm so excited to even hold this legendary yarn I think I have to let it queue jump!

Spring Shot

2010-10-04T13:48:00.001+01:00

A long time in the works mainly because of the idea that I needed to think about the knitting of them here finally are the Spring Shoots.

Pattern: Spring Shoots - Alice Yu for Knit Love Club

Yarn: Brooklyn Handspun - Soft Strength in club colourway - Persephone

Needles: 2.5mm DPNs

Started: April 2nd 2010

Finished: September 19th 2010

Ravelry page

I wasn't sure I would ever be bothered to knit another sock in this way, it is based on Cat Bordhi's Houdini structure and I am quite wedded to the cuff down, heel flap construction. I suspect in the main I love my top downers because it is what I learnt first, though there is something very special in the rhythm of the knit. Normally a simple cuff to get you into the feel of the needles and the yarn, then a stretch of leg with pattern if you fancy, then the magic of the heel for a little razzmatazz and then gusset decreases ahoy you can feel yourself running down hill to the toe. This pattern taught me lots and it is fun to cut your knitting, but when I was sewing up the first one all the ends seemed so much work compared to my regular bit of kitchenering on a wedge toe.

However, there was quite a revelation when I slipped it on. The fit, especially of the heel, is really rather wonderful. The round decreases mimic the roundness of the heel very well. I'll certainly think of dropping in what is basically a star heel perhaps as an afterthought heel for the ole top downers, and you know, I'm thinking of digging myself even further out of my top down heel flap way of thinking and trying some more of these afterthought legs. One day then, they won't take so much thought and I might just have a couple of sock structures bedded in to my brain, variety after all is the spice of socks.

One thing that I did as written in the pattern that I wouldn't bother with again is the knit on moss stitch cuff. It's very pretty and gives a nice soft stretchy top but a regular cuff with a sewn bind off has worked quite nicely on other toe ups I've known and loved and as anyone who has ever knit the beret Verity with that band knows it's a long road to knit on.

So it's nice to start Socktoberfest (you remember how much I love Lolly's sock celebration) showing off a pair of finished socks, my goal for this month is to catch up a little with Sock Club activity which means finishing the Caretta's and starting in on 2LuvCrew. As that means knitting first with Socks that Rock and secondly with Lorna's Laces my fingers as well as my feet will be spoilt this Socktober.

And a week on, here's "Holiday Knitting - Part II"

2010-09-19T21:50:00.000+01:00

Did a week go by? I've been slightly dazed and confused these past days. So out of practice at getting up and that work stuff, sign of a good holiday I guess. Suffice to say, I'm only just finding time to post about my knitting souvenir but as it's seen little action since the end of holiday it's kind of fitting. I'll try and settle back in to that lovely post vacay relaxed vibe I had last weekend and it'll be like the work never got between us.


Knitting on our balcony at Rottingdean

As with my project choice I'd done my preparation for a little holiday yarn shopping. I knew that Christchurch had a lovely traditional wool shop, Honora Wool Specialists stacked high with a big range of the staple UK yarns. To try and avoid my normal panic when faced with such riches I picked out a pattern in advance that I could hunt down some suitable yarn for. I went for Short Lucky as a nice autumn welcoming cosy project, I don't have anything quite like it and I want it!

I nearly got distracted by a surprise yarn shop find in Bristol - a lovely little boutique style shop - Woolly Thinking - but though some highly covetable Artesano Aran wool and alpaca blend tried to win me over it was a bit too over budget. I'm glad I resisted as I eventually found a very easy on the pocket yarn in Honora. It's Patons Wool Blend Aran which is one I haven't seen before. It's a wool/acrylic mix but it feels good and woolly. Woolly in a serious 'I'm going to wear like a dream' way rather than woolly in a smoochy, snuggly Cashshoft 'I'll pill as soon as you look at me' way. For an over garment like Short Lucky which isn't going to be next to the skin I'm thinking it should be perfect.

It's nice on the hands to knit with, a dry sort of feel and is looking very pleasing in the broken rib pattern. I think this piece is going to be a fine addition to my wardrobe and there are some lovely memories knit into it already that I'll enjoy carrying with me.

Hengistbury Head

Holiday Knitting, Part I

2010-09-12T15:29:00.000+01:00

Beaches and knitting - can't go too far wrong with a holiday heavy on those two things can you?

Avon Beach, Mudeford

I took three knits away with me. First up was a project suited to car knitting time: Jonna, a simple ribbed scarf, in more of the scrumptious Cashsoft, in Poppy this time.

I started this just before we went away to make sure I had something simple on the go.


View across to the Isle of Wight

The Spring Shoots socks I took are not really complicated, it's just that the unusual construction means that they require that little bit more thought and attention than car knitting, or indeed post-work knitting time tends to offer.

Perfect for peaceful holiday time.


Mudeford Spit from Hengistbury Head

I also used my holiday peace to start a pattern I knew would need a little thinking about: Summit. I got the chance to buy another skein of the Sunna sock club yarn that I was saving for a scarf, thus the search for a suitable pattern grew to shawl proportions. I was so intrigued by the picture of Summit that I knew I had to try and knit it so that I could understand the construction. It's really very clever, simple to work but not simple to work out.

I love the story behind the design and using the thought of the work that the designer put in as motivation I taught myself a new skill as I started this. You work across a small number of stitches at any one time so I used some of my spare holiday brain power to work out how to reverse knit to avoid turning and purling. It's often recommended for entrelac but I could never be bothered to learn when I was working on Lady Eleanor. I certainly should have done. At the moment I'm still slower than I would be turning and purling but I think there's enough of Summit to get me up to speed! It feels good to learn a new knitting skill, a very nice holiday souvenir.

Littlehampton

I have one more knitting souvenir - a new project on the go that I found the perfect yarn for in Christchurch - but I'll save that for a post all its own. It's lovely to be back but I could cheerfully take that holiday again, maybe once a month!


Sunset at Rottingdean

From last minute...

2010-09-03T18:06:00.000+01:00

.. to 'When did you become one of those people who get Christmas all organised by June?!!?' Well maybe not quite but here's my first gift knit all done, done, beautiful and did I mention done? By the start of September no less - gift knitting is go!

Pattern: The imaginatively titled - #12 Cabled Cowl by Cathy Carron
Yarn: About 4.5 balls of Rowan Cashsoft Aran in Haze
Needles: 5 and 5.5mm
Started: August 17th 2010
Finished: September 2nd 2010
Ravelry page

I barely noticed this cowl when I got the magazine last year but there are many lovely versions on Ravelry to convince you it's a winner - just not the way the magazine styled it. I showed a couple of people the magazine picture when they enquired what I was knitting and they definitely gave me the 'hmmm well she is a crazy knitter' look. This version by Yarn Snob was the one that made me want, want, want it. Sadly I wasn't able to live up to her great photos. I added a stunt jacket for mine as I felt foolish wearing a t-shirt and a cowl. Woman taking own photo in living room mirror feels foolish. Imagine!

It's a great fun knit, simple but just enough patterning going on to keep you with it. Though enlarge the chart if you value your eyesight and you like to follow a chart closely even with a simple pattern(even though by the third repeat you'd really think you should have it down!)

It was a real must cast on for me as soon as the yarn arrived - it's just the softest snuggle and better yet on sale all over. I got mine at luvverly Kemps - hit the clearance section around page 15. It's not the best wearing yarn but a dream for neck wear and so pleasurable to knit with.

Anyway, all that wooliness can go away in the cupboard. We're off on our hols to the sunny south coast and I'm going to pack my swimmers and enjoy the way September is trying to make up for our cold, wet August! Well, we (I) might not brave the sea but there'll be plenty of time on the beach, that, I can guarantee.

Must just remember to check case for stowaways before we go.

Owlicious

2010-08-31T07:33:00.000+01:00

Daniel was a good supervisor for the owl production line - as well as the needlebook I made a lavender sachet, a felt brooch following this tutorial and I knitted a little cuddly.

I'm rather proud of her, I wanted a seamless pattern for this little knit and couldn't find one easily so I used my brain and thought about socks. She's started with a magic cast on and the only sewing was at her head and a little embroidery of feathers.

More Last Minute Knitted Gifts

2010-08-29T11:39:00.000+01:00

It's not an item from Joelle Hoverson's latest book, but in the last minute spirit I seem to be imbued with at the moment here is Willie, lying damply on the towel which was its gift wrap!

Pattern: Willie - Pamela Wynne
Yarn: Sirdar Click Chunky - 2 balls - Lamb, c3/4 ball - Merlot, c1/2 ball - Muffler
Needles: 5.5mm
Started: May 6th 2010
Finished: August 27th 2010

Ravelry Page

What an adorable creature wee Willie is. I remember I fell instantly in love with this pattern and was so keen to knit it I bought the pattern and the yarn in a flurry. I nearly came a cropper as I made a very basic error when substituting this yarn and looked at the number of balls the pattern was written for and not the yardage of those balls. Luckily I bought two of the background colour thinking I would have enough of the others to get two sweaters out of the four balls. The knitting gods were feeling kind that day! The Sirdar Click was a practical choice but is not a yarn to fall in love with. The wool content is not much in eveidence in the feel whilst knitting but it helped in the reshaping when it was damp I think and at least this will machine wash like a dream.

I enjoyed the construction - knit in the round from the bottom up, joining arms at the yoke. I was a bit out somehow at the yoke and running out of yarn so the decreases aren't as written but look like they'll do just fine.

Started when the bubs was six weeks old, luckily knit in the six month size this should be about perfect for the autumn. So apart from having to hand this over slightly damp seems like my timing was perfect :o)

When the Post Aligns

2010-08-22T20:55:00.001+01:00

When you're slogging through a Friday at work there's nothing quite like a personal package or two in the post to lift your spirits and make the weekend feel a little closer, especially when they had such weekend enhancing contents.

This beautiful collection of things is the result of the Knit Love Club Owl themed swap. The club logo inspired such fondness that one lovely member organised a swap to celebrate all things owlish. Thank you so much to my swapper. Such a delightful parcel of things - look at the owl tape measure, that's a Knit Nation Ravelry party bag and oh did you ever see such a characterful owl?
He's called Daniel. Daniel has been sat at my side all weekend and encouraged me to get my act together and get on with the making of owlish items for my own swapee. My parcel also contained owl covered magnetic chart guides - fabulous for my latest knit project, a big squishy (c)owl:
Daniel had company in the knitting supporter stakes. There's one creature that is never far away when you're enjoying some settee time, Friday night was for snuggling up:
Saturday afternoon for a gentle stretch:
Then on Sunday morning she was nestled up with the contents of my other Friday parcel, the eagerly anticipated second book from Alicia 'Posie' Paulson:
Wow. It's a delight. Everything you'd expect and somehow more. Beautiful, inspiring projects, wonderful writing and just so much care and attention lavished on each element. It is so beautifully photographed and put together. I'd buy it for the introductions alone!
Though actually I've begun on my first project from it - a needle book-
though with more of an owl thing going on.

Made it!

2010-08-18T17:36:00.004+01:00

Yes. These photos were hastily taken in the car park, at the wedding, this cushion cover was a gift for! Glad this was a deadline I managed to make.Pattern: My own construction inspired by the New Directions in Knitting Course
Yarn: About 3 balls of Sirdar Denim Ultra - Ivory Cream
Needles: 6.5mm
Started: July 29th 2010
Finished: August 14th 2010

This was such a fun knit, squishy yarn (super cheap and washable, one of my favourite ever acrylic blends that doesn't feel like acrylic - if only they had a better range of colours) simple to work and I just threw in ribbons, yarns and some texture to create the heart motifs as it felt right. I did a provisional cast on and then knit the body of the cushion in the round, cast off half the stitches and knit the rest on for the moss stitch flap. Grafted the bottom closed and sewed on three beautiful ceramic heart shaped buttons from Injabulo.

Rather fitting as it was through their site that I found details of the Oxford Summer School. The course inspired me to take what was planned as a plain cover with one reverse stocking stitch heart and turn it into a much more interesting piece. I'm delighted with how it turned out - both as a sampler of some techniques that I'd like to take on to other pieces and as a lovely object in its own right. This is my second time gifting a hand made cushion cover for a wedding and I'm sure there will be more. The two I made previously are always on my friends' sofa when I visit and I get such a kick out of seeing them and feeling like I added a little love to their home.

I'm sorry I haven't been much in evidence in the blogosphere this past month or so. Work is SUPER busy and I've also been indulging in lots of out of the house fun as I'm feeling much better lately. Hurrah! Soon I'll work out my new routines and I'll catch up with my reading list. Thank you all for the comments here in the meantime.

A Tangent

2010-08-02T19:10:00.001+01:00

The molehills are not mountains yet. Holiday time saw a little desultory sock knitting and that was it and now I'm knitting off on the most wonderful tangent. I spent the latter half of last week on a very inspirational course - New Directions with Knitting.The tutors, Susanna and Kate, put together a brilliant set of exercises and tutorials that the group could dip in and out of depending on previous knowledge and the directions we wanted to explore. From very technical work such as double knitting through to the fun of knitting with any material you can think of from jute to videotape. I had my first go at knitting with wire and beads and have lots of jewellery related ideas to explore from this experience. There were twelve students with mixed experience and approaches to knitting and that diversity coupled with lovely supportive attitudes helped to make it a wonderful group to be part of. This was my happy space for four days of fun.
My main project piece is a cushion cover with heart motifs, picking up on the idea of knitting in more unusual textures such as ribbons and threads with the yarn and sampling the effects of other techniques I learnt. My other WIPS won't be getting a look in until it is finished.

No Hurry

2010-07-17T15:34:00.005+01:00

While those amazing men having been giving everything to the roads of France and have certainly been in a hurry I have been a little less dedicated to my knitting tour. A little?
A lot.

One button band. It's so funny to come back here and see all these things laid out that I just haven't touched. Work has just been so busy and the actual real live summer weather we had was putting me off touching anything warmer than a G&T with plenty of ice. Still I have the next week off with a trip to Cornwall and much R&R planned so perhaps I will ascend a little further up my mountain range. If not, well one day:

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~ Lao Tzu

The Landscape Ahead

2010-07-05T07:00:00.000+01:00

The Tour de France is in to the serious stuff with stage one yesterday. So far I've managed just a little look at the map ahead for my ride in the knit along on Ravelry (sign ups still welcome). It's the Polka Dot Jersey competition again for me, as many WIP mountains as I can haul myself over before the end of the race.

Last year I started with eight mountains ahead, this year we're one lighter at seven though with three adult cardigans to last year's two (one of which just needed seaming) it's looking a stiffer challenge. Especially as one of the peaks is one I didn't scale last time. Arisaig remains unconquered and though she's further on than last year there may be an insurmountable issue - I can't find her! Leaving that problem for another day I got the others out to assess my chances on their slopes.

Starting in the foot hills, there's Willie. A button band and an ear and this will be there so I feel confident of at least one spot on the jersey.
Then there's a sock or two
which are just in need of matching friends; a little more effort required but even given what looks like a crazy month at work I think I'm up to these inclines. After this though I might need to get some oxygen, as things start to look more Himalyan than Alpish or Pyreneean.
There are the cosy over the knee socks started last autumn that I felt sure would be done on my holidays. It was encouraging to show this one the light and remember that I made it slightly further than the Ravelry page shows but there's a lot of knitting left in these.

Then there are the cardis that I can find:
The Double V sleeve swatch is nearly done but my progress on this gives me a reality check and a half. Two weeks of my current available knitting time have got me this far. I think this alone would be a challenge for the next three weeks. Then there's Patti:
Knitting something with pleats means a lot of stitches, this is just the back. I don't see me getting as far as working on this so the need to tidy the spare room and find Arisaig is averted for a while yet!

Le Mavens

2010-06-29T18:58:00.006+01:00

Time for a FO ta da - I present you with Le Mavens - the shrug born from the scarf/yarn inspiration.
Pattern: My own construction inspired by Levens
Yarn: c250grams Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend - Colour: Atlantic
Needles: 5.5mm
Started: May 21 2010
Finished: June 18 2010
Ravelry Page
Mixed feelings about this one. I think conjuring something out of my imagination was perhaps always going to have the downside of not quite living up to the vision, but I am proud of myself for getting somewhere close to what I had in mind. It's pretty cute but has some issues with sizing. This shot of the back clearly shows I managed to size it too large - which messes up the neckline/shoulders. I think actually there are three elements contributing to the poor fit around the shoulders. 1) A bit of growth compared to the swatch; 2) My aim for a looser, draped fit and feel, I should perhaps have gone for a little negative ease across the shoulders as it's very stretchy. 3) Ambitious construction and no experience of seamless set in sleeves.

Point 3) gives me the most to take forward for future projects. The set in sleeves themselves were a breeze to work and I love the sleeves themselves but I don't think I should have shaped the backs and fronts as I did. I should have researched how I would do the sleeves in advance really - ah preparation - isn't it dull how it nearly always pays off? I also did provisional cast ons for the meeting of the fronts and back to get in the back neck and front increases as I wanted, this leaves no real structure to the shoulder so that contributes to the fact that it doesn't sit in place too well. So I think I'll get some wear from it but it's not quite the sophisticated darling I hoped for. Still it's so hot still that It would be too much for the next wedding in the queue on Saturday anyway.
I finished a few days ago but it's taken a while to find time with my photographer at temperature at which it was bearable to model. You'll be amazed to hear that the heat was the only uncomfortable element of the photo shoot! Apparently it's all down to having the right art direction. Would you mess with that stare?

An expression to reckon with

2010-06-24T18:30:00.001+01:00

"If it's Caley I've been kissed by a triple murderer and Rory can put that on his needles and knit it."

Ngaio Marsh, Clutch of Constables

Thinking Socks

2010-06-20T18:24:00.004+01:00

So I finished up a pair of baby socks and the first of the Caretta Caretta's and I thought and I read your comments and I thought and I felt in as many minds as ever. I read the notes of the finished cardis on Ravelry and no-one mentions swatching or gauge dilemmas. Are they just more decisive knitters, perhaps they just swatched the right size needles to start off with, perhaps they just didn't swatch at all? I do love the exquisite pain of measuring gauge, we know we should but sometimes even when you are good it doesn't pay off so then the temptation to just say ya boo to it all grows larger!
Simple socks made good companions for the mulling, a little reminder that knitting can be easy as well as challenging.

Pattern: Basic Top Down Sock - 32 stitches
Yarn: Leftovers of Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton
Needles: 2.25mm DPNs
Started: May 7 2010
Finished: June 20 2010
Ravelry Page

Thank you to the commenters, at least you were in as many minds as me. I have a reached a decision on the cardi, a compromise? I'm still not sure it's the right course of action. Time will tell but at least it's action. I'm going to knit a sleeve first as a mighty swatch. I was going to knit a really big swatch to try and get a better sense of the weight/stretch factor and then thought that I could actually get a start on the main knitting and achieve the same end if I treat the sleeve as a swatch. Of course I'm hoping and hoping that I will get gauge, then I can feel both a virtuous swatcher and be one sleeve to the good - wish me luck!