I dream of the sea

New blog

2011-05-09T20:54:00.002+01:00

I just wanted to say that I have a new blog, which can be found here. I've loved this blog so much over the years but my neglect of it since I had my children has just meant that I've lost all the lovely people who read my posts and I feel too sad to try and bring it back to life. So I've decided on a fresh start. If there is anyone who still visits this site I'd love to hear from you on my new blog. I'll put my patterns over there but I'll also update them on here and try and maintain them better than I have done over the past three years.

Pretty little things

2009-02-12T21:17:00.001Z

It’s strange how small accomplishments can often bring the greatest pleasure: a completed crossword, a neat pile of ironing, a tray of perfectly risen cakes. That’s why sometimes creating small but beautiful things rather than knitting an inch of your current major project is a good use of a precious hour. I’ve been on a bit of a jewellery-making binge recently (both knitted and non-knitted) and I’ve put some photos of a couple of the things I’ve made below. I'll put more projects in my next post, but I thought I'd stick to a sea theme in this one.

Blue wave -silver beaded cuff

Seafoam and Pearls - knitted lace choker

A simple seafoam stitch choker with pearls. The buttons at the back are made with larger pearls and seed beads and the tiny button loops are just so sweet.

Home help

2009-02-05T14:39:00.004Z

The Bunkey loves to help around the house. When I’m hanging the washing on the maidens to dry he follows behind me and carefully pulls it all off; he loves to come and peer into bowls of cake or scone mixes but as he also loves to try and get a sticky finger into the mixture, I’ve taken to giving him a big plastic bowl and wooden spoon so he can stir too. Another task he enjoys is carefully sorting my embroidery threads (imagination will help you picture the kind of ‘sorting’ a 14 month old boy can do to a tin of brightly coloured cottons...) But he does think he is helping and is so proud when I praise him for some particularly good ‘work’.

Recently, I decided that it was about time that we made something together, so Alex helpfully obliged by making some lovely hand prints which we turned into the cushion pictured below. I added a small amount of embroidery over the top just to give it a bit more texture. 2009 is going to be a year of make do and mend for me as it is the first year that I won’t be earning a wage. So the cushion is made out of an old tablecloth, the sofa it is sitting on has been recovered and then to salvage those covers recently re-dyed and the knitted cushion was made out of a ball of horrible old wool that has been hiding in my stash cupboard for a long time. When the Monkey got home from work he thought I’d bought a new sofa!

I'm still here...

2008-11-05T10:15:00.019Z

Apologies for the strange looking blog, gremlins seem to have taken up residence during my long vacation.

This post is going to be mostly pictures, I’m afraid, just to bring the blog up to date. It has been a long time since I last updated here, despite composing many posts in my head. Alex has taken up so much of my life, sometimes it’s easy to forget to think about other things. But I am beginning to realise that for the sake of my sanity I should make an effort to do more. Being a stay- at-home mum will be such a wonderful job (if you use that word for something that is more fun than work) but, like any job, I don’t want it to be all that I am so I am trying to make an increased effort to be more than that (in the very small amount of spare time that I have).

Anyway, here are some of the FOs which I haven’t previously posted about. They are on Ravelry with more photos (my user name is skendras).

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl (interweave knits)

Yarn: Posh Yarn Eva – Orchid (I think)

Needles: 3.5 mm

This was made for my Monkey’s Grandmother. I added tiny purple beads to the points of the edging.

Pattern: Kerchief Bib

Yarn: Rowan Denim

Needles: 4mm

Made for my little monkey, to soak up the rivers of drool he produces when he is teething. Just made a few mods to allow for the thicker yarn and the fact that the denim shrinks. Plus I added a felt heart for some extra cuteness.

Pattern: My own Bobbley bobble hat

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and some left over Rowanspun Aran from my Juno

Needles: 4mm

This was made for my baby monkey, it looks totally ridiculous :-) He gets so many nice comments when he is wearing this hat!

Pattern: Just made it up as I went along

Yarn: Sirdar Baby Bamboo

Needles: 4mm

This was made for my baby Monkey. He loves to fiddle with the various textures. It’s quite a small blanket but I wanted to make it so that he could cuddle up to it.

I’m currently knitting a Cardigan for Merry, Icarus, two lace stole and a baby blanket... hmm did I say I don’t have much spare time!

Now a quick non-knitting update. Alex is almost a year now and is busy crawling and cruising the furniture. He has been through a (long) period when he wasn’t sleeping well at night and I have been feeling like a zombie but for the last 5 nights he has slept through and it’s making such a difference to both of us! I‘ve actually regained enough brain power to finish sentences and not put the milk in the dishwasher.

So that kind of brings me up to date. I wonder whether any one is still out there! I’ll have to go and check out all your blogs to see what you have all been up to.

'Snow in April'

2008-03-08T11:09:00.003Z

I know I said I would post more frequently and I’ve not. I’m sorry. We were burgled recently and my laptop was stolen. I know that it is just a ‘thing’ but to be honest, I’m feeling quite down about it.

It isn’t just the laptop (although it did have all the patterns I’ve downloaded over the years and my new design on it); it is the thought that someone got into my home so easily and looked through all my things. I hate the fact that they might have touched my baby’s toys. This is a bit silly and I shouldn’t let it bother me but it does. We are going to get a new lock fitted soon, so that will make me feel a bit happier I think.

Everyday the blank spot on the coffee table where my laptop used to sit reminds me about the burglary. If I were to get close to explaining how I feel about it, I would say that mostly I feel foolish. It feels like ‘a slap in the face when you expected a kiss’ (by the way if you can tell me where this quote comes from and what the full version is I’ll be sooooo impressed). People are all so nice to you when you have had a baby and I guess I had got used to it! I was wondering around with my head in the clouds and a smile on my face and I really didn’t expect it.

Anyway, that is enough moaning about that. Let’s send it under the metaphorical bridge. I’ve been knit, knit, knitting away here. I can’t really show you as I am still planning on trying to get the pattern into one of the online magazines but I’m really pleased with it so far. By the way what are your views on beads in lace? I can’t decide whether to put some teardrop beads in the border of the design or not.

I’ve put some pictures of my finished scarf up. I was hoping to take some of me wearing it but somehow the only person who gets photographed these days is my beautiful Alex.

Serendipity Scarf* details

Yarn: Colinette Point 5 dusk - 3 skeins
Needles: 15mm Lantern moon (lovely, lovely, lovely)
Pattern: none really

I wanted to really show off the colours in the yarn and a simple garter stitch just didn’t seem to do it. So I used a kind of slipped stitch rib, which, as well as meaning it didn’t curl, made beautiful bud like stitches that seemed to bloom out of the fabric.

CO 14 stitches
Row 1: (RS) K14
Row 2: P2, (slp wyf, P2) 4 times

Repeat these two rows until you almost run out of yarn, BO.

*I'll explain the name of the scarf in a future post!

More lace

2008-02-12T20:39:00.000Z

This is my favourite drawer in my entire home. Look at all that lovely lace weight yarn. The problem is that I really need to knit this yarn up before I can allow myself to buy any more. Knitting lace is definitely more difficult since Alex was born but during my maternity leave I came up with a new design and the temptation to start it was so great that last week I cast on.

I'm making it in Jaggerspun Zephyr in a gorgeous shade called Ruby (it reminds me of the colour of the Grand Prix roses I had in my wedding bouquet). I'm probably being a little bit over ambitious but I was thinking that perhaps I might try and get the design into one of the online knitting magazines. I know that this is unlikely as there are so many people trying to do this and most of them have much better patterns than me but I thought I'd give it a go. However, this means I'm being extra picky about the knitting and the design. I keep changing my mind and having to undo about 10 rows or so at the time and mistakes that I might normally turn a blind eye on have to be corrected. Anyway, I thought I'd tell you about my knitting ambition for 2008. If nothing comes of it I'll put it as a free pattern on here and try again another time.

Time for tea...

2008-02-10T19:53:00.000Z

I'm going to have to write today's post pretty swiftly as Alex is beginning to stir and will soon be wanting his next feed. I think that I've got used to the way I live my life in 3 hour blocks around Alex's eating times now. It takes roughly an hour to do a complete feed and change his nappy, then about 30 minutes of play time, then he settles down for a sleep and I have an hour and a half to do housework, wash, eat etc. It took me a while to get used to this but now I've got it down to a fine art! I usually cook the evening meal at about lunch time and leave it on a low heat in the slow cooker for the rest of the day (this limits the options for meals but what's better than a tasty stew at this time of year?).

Alex usually has trouble settling down to sleep in the afternoons and I stay next to his bed to soothe him and cuddle him when he needs me. This has officially become my knitting time as I can sit near him keeping nice and quiet and just put my knitting down whenever he needs me. If he is really unsettled though we go for a nice long walk (and Mummy buys chocolate from any shop she happens to pass, which is almost as good as knitting). The title of the post comes from the fact that Alex has a tea sensor. He knows when I have a cup of tea and invariably wakes up. This means that by the end of the day there are usually at least 3 cups of cold tea sitting around the house. There is definitely no time for tea here!

I didn't manage to get pictures of my finished project yet as my camera is out of batteries but I've put a picture of one of my other projects up. It's Buttercup from one of Kim Hargreaves collections. I'm enjoying it so far - I always like Kim Hargreaves' designs though. Everything is done with such style and care. I love the new book by Kim Hargreaves - I'm finding it hard to resist. Has anyone else bought it yet?

Anyway, I'll leave you with another photo of Alex. He has no trouble settling down to sleep like this - who would?

Easing myself in: comfort knitting

2008-02-09T16:06:00.000Z

I didn’t really understand how much work looking after a baby would be. I secretly laughed at comments from friends about having no time to myself when the baby came. ‘No time to myself? I’ll be off work for an entire year!’ I thought. How wrong I was. To give those of you who don’t have children a measure of how much work it is, I will now tell you that my baby was 8 weeks old before I managed to knit a single stitch. 8 weeks without knitting, how did I cope? Well to be honest I didn’t even notice and that’s not just because the lack of sleep meant I barely noticed that I hadn’t brushed my hair, ironed my clothes or eaten my lunch. It is because I was mesmerised, obsessed and totally in love with my beautiful son. A day could easily go by in which all I had done is fed, cleaned, cuddled and looked in adoration at my baby. Eventually, however, I have slowly begun to be able to change a nappy in less than 30 minutes (without him taking out 3 outfits – mine included) and I gained back a few hours every day while he slept and during which I didn’t need to do housework and I knew I could knit again.

I’ve got a few projects on the go at the moment – something I hate. I’d much rather concentrate on one project at a time but the yarn keeps getting the better of me. But I needed something to ease myself back into knitting, a project which could be put down and picked up at the drop of a hat (or the wail of a baby) and luckily one just dropped into my lap (literally - I’ll fill you in on this in a later post). This project is very different to anything I’d normally knit but I love it. Big needles and bulky wool equal instant gratification.

I’ll post pictures of the finished item tomorrow. Yes tomorrow! To wean myself off spending any spare time staring at the baby monitor and waiting for a cry, I’m challenging myself to post every day until Easter… We’ll see if it works!

Anyway, I’ll finish with a picture of my baby. Isn’t he perfect?

Thanks for all the good wishes you sent to my little family.

FO: My beautiful son

2007-12-04T20:41:00.000Z

This year I haven't been very productive but I think you will all agree that I've finally surpassed myself in making something really beautiful. Alexander was born on 27th November. Sorry for taking so long to post about this but Monkey, Bunkey and I have been spending some lovely days (and nights!) getting to know each other.

Thank you for all your messages over the last few months. I am hoping that eventually I will be back to blogging more frequently - as soon as the monkey and I get the hang of being parents!

By the way I have loads of knitting news to let you know but for now I'm just going to inundate you with pictures of my little boy!

FO: Bliss

2007-10-20T21:31:00.000+01:00

Pattern: Rowan Magazine 39Yarn: Rowan Calmer (shade: Onyx 465) Needles: 5mm Addi Turbo circulars (yum yum)

I finished this a while ago but I’ve just not been able to get around to posting. It was fun to knit - the lace pattern added enough interest but was simple enough to be done while watching TV or chatting to friends. I didn’t make any changes to the pattern (other than to totally disregard the number of stitches they suggested to pick up for the button band – I’m just too lazy).

I’m sure I’ll get loads of wear out of this as the yarn is soft but easy to care for, it fits well (hopefully it will fit even better when my figure eventually shrinks back to match the dress dummy’s! Spot the difference in the photos) and I made it in a sensible, wearable black.

I’ve got some more WIPs and FOs to share but if I did that in this post it would be the longest post ever. Because I need to tell you all about Ally Pally!

Mum and I had a wonderful time, we spent hours wandering around. There was so much to see that we even sacrificed lunch in order to see more yarny goodness (just to stop you worrying we made up for it with carrot cake and chocolate fudge sundae later on).

It was my birthday and my family, knowing me so well, had all given me money to spend at the show. The only problem was that there were so many things I wanted to buy that I couldn’t make up my mind what to buy and actually left with some of the money still left in my sweaty little paws. Don’t let that give you the wrong idea though because I managed to buy a pair of Lantern Moon needles, some lovely lace weight merino from Touch Yarns (my Mum bought some Possum yarn from them), some Christmassy patchwork fabric, an embroidery kit and best (and most extravagantly) of all a namaste vintage knitting bag from Foreign Strand. Once again I have to say how lovely the ladies behind the Foreign Strand stall were, especially Forbidden Knitter who some of you might know from blogland.

Talking of meeting people from blog land at I Knit London this week I met emmms from Quelle Erqsome. It was nice to meet her and she really is as witty in person as she sounds on her blog. Luckily she had left for the evening by the time I embarrassingly ended up falling over in a big heap on the floor on my way out. Believe me it isn’t easy getting back to your feet in a crowded pub when you are seven and a bit months pregnant. Not my most glamorous moment, especially as I seemed to lose the power of speech when it happened and all I could manage to say to the surprised looking faces staring down at me was “I’m pregnant” – as if that explains everything. Actually, it usually does!

By the way do you like the Bunkey’s bedroom curtains in the photo at the top? I finally got round to making them last weekend. I love the little green monkeys.

A walk by the river

2007-09-22T10:56:00.000+01:00

Sorry it has been so long. I seem to be saying that a lot recently… At least when I start my maternity leave I’ll have a bit more spare time (until the Bunkey makes an appearance).

I was going to come on here and moan about the long commute to my new office and how awful it is but then I thought about it and realised that really it isn’t all bad. It does take a long time but I’m getting lots of exercise and seeing sights on the way that tourists travel hundreds/thousands of miles to see (it looks like a postcard doesn’t it?). Plus I get to walk past a waffle stall. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I love the smell of waffles.

So no complaints from me today, and tomorrow I’ve promised myself an afternoon of catching up on everyone’s blogs and I won’t feel guilty about not doing housework instead.

Something exciting happened this week. Lyndsey sent me a link to her finished Celtic Knot Stole. I love the pale pink she used. It is so nice to see one of my designs knitted up by someone else, especially when they have done such a beautiful job of it.

Another exciting bit of news it that I managed to persuade my Mum to come to the Knitting and Stitching show with me at Ally Pally. We’ll probably go on the Sunday I think. Anyone else likely to be there?

Long live lace

2007-08-11T20:22:00.000+01:00

The last time I went home to my parents I went on a huge search through my old cupboards for a copy of Scrap Saver’s Stitchery, which I’ve had for years. It is a great book, full of the sort of patterns that make you want to put on your frilly apron and bring out the patchwork placemats. Unfortunately I couldn’t find it anywhere, which is really bothering me as I want to make the bear changing bag for the Bunkey. Anyway, during my search I came across my old crochet basket, when I was about 11-16 years old I loved to crochet lace. I used to hunt out the little booklets of doilies (I think they are still available in some newsagents!) and make yards of filet borders. This is the basket that I lined to keep all my yarns and hooks in. I love it so much, it really brought back memories (I must have been a bit of a geek as a teenager!). The lace has all yellowed and the hooks have gone a bit rusty but I’m not going to be abandoning it to a cupboard again. So expect to see some crocheted lace joining the knitted lace soon.

Talking of knitted lace I’ve completed clues 1 and 2 of the mystery stole 3 project. I’m so behind but I really love the pattern. I’ve seen the rest of the clues and I’m so glad I joined up because it looks like a really imaginative, unique design. I’m using Lane Borgosesia in white and some tiny transparent seed beads. The picture isn’t that great I’m afraid.

I’m also knitting Bliss from Rowan 39 to use up the Calmer I had lying around (thanks for all the suggested patterns you gave me by the way). This is my current no-brain knit. I’m hoping to finish it next week as I’m on holiday. We’re going down to Devon to cat sit while my parents are on holiday. So the only downside is that I won’t get to see my Mum and Dad while I’m there, but I will get to see the sea, which as you might have guessed I miss a lot here in London. Plus I might be able to fit in a couple of rounds of crazy golf – it’s as close to a sport as you’ll ever see me get!

Thanks for the comments on the last post. It was so lovely to hear about your children. And I'm glad to know that little boys like cuddles just as much as little girls because I've got a whole lot of hugs stored up and waiting for this baby!

A little bit of colour…

2007-07-30T20:25:00.000+01:00

These were going to be a beautiful little pair of plain cream bootees with tiny daisies sewn on them. I imagined that my baby might wear them with a little dress smocked and embroidered with more little, tiny, daises. That was because I was CONVINCED I was having a little girl, but today’s scan has conclusively shown that the Bunkey is a boy! And (after a little wistful sigh – only a very little sigh) I am delighted. I do love little boys, they always seem somehow more sensitive and innocent then little girls but maybe that is just the ones I have met. Besides, one day I will have a little girl to make dresses for and knit little lacy cardigans for. And in the meantime I’m planning on making a mini cricket jumper and some tiny but manly little jackets. I really am very, very happy.

Pattern: Zoe Mellor’s ‘50 baby bootees to knit’
Yarn: Jaeger Sienna 4-ply cotton
Needles: 2.75mm inox circulars

I know that I promised a picture of me and the bump in the Juno cardigan but I have been so busy lately and ill with a cold. The floods have been keeping everyone at work busy. Plus I’m in my dressing gown at the moment and I’m too lazy (and too comfy!) to go and get changed. ;-)

I almost forgot to say, Bryony asked in the comments to my last post about whether Juno was a bit chunky over the chest. It is fairly thick but the v-neck means it is still very flattering. I think that it would look great, regardless of how buxom one might be, as long as whatever you wear on the lower half balances it out.

Drum roll please….. Juno is finally finished!

2007-07-15T16:45:00.000+01:00

Pattern: Juno Rowan Magazine 40
Yarn: Rowanspun Aran in Gables (It took less than 5 balls, which at only 3.50 each from Cucumberpatch means the cardigan only cost £17.50 – bargain!)
Needles: 5mm Denise interchangeables

This pattern was easy and it was a quick knit. I know it has taken me months to finish but that is because I was just not knitting! In actual knitting hours this comes together very quickly.

I like the design, I love the cabling and I think this will look great with a pair of jeans. I ended up going down a needle size even though I got gauge with the 5.5mm because I preferred the fabric on the smaller needles. I made the smallest size and didn’t bother altering it to account for the change in needles because for some reason all my knits from Rowan magazines have come out bigger than expected. This was no exception: on the smaller needles it is the perfect size.

I think with knitting the real proof of how good a project is, is how much it gets worn. I’ll have to let you know on that!

Anyway, now that this is out of the way I’m really enjoying the mystery lace although I’ll have to catch up this week. I’ve only just finished clue 1! But it can be my train knitting now, so it will soon speed up.

I can’t tell you what a weight off my shoulders it is to have finally finished Juno. I was feeling a bit of a knitting fraud while it was gathering dust on my needles.

Maybe I’ll do a post later in the week with a photo of me and the little bump wearing Juno. I always like to see people wearing the clothes they’ve made.

Love

2007-07-01T16:59:00.001+01:00

It doesn’t matter what you look like…..

Someone will love you.

I’ve been feeling unattractive recently: my clothes were all too tight, my hair is dry and my skin is bad. But today my Monkey took me out and bought me some lovely maternity clothes and then we went out for coffee and cake and now life is very, very good again. But really I know that it doesn’t matter that I’m not looking my best at the moment because he loves me anyway!

By the way I have given in and signed up for the mystery stole 3. My yarn is on its way. I just NEEDED to knit lace. Plus doing something like this will get me back knitting more again as I’ll want to keep up with everyone else.

And does anyone know of a (free?) cardigan pattern that I could use some Rowan Calmer for?

A little mouse with clogs on...

2007-06-17T11:25:00.000+01:00

Thanks for all the lovely comments on the Bunkey's forthcoming arrival. It really meant a lot to me.

I’m feeling pretty relaxed after two weeks holiday but I’m not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. I just hope there haven’t been any disasters while I’ve been away.

Monkey and I had a lovely holiday, we started off in the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, which is a truly beautiful place. It is how I would imagine the Shire would look in the Lord of the Rings, so it didn’t surprise me when I did a quick google search and found this article, which says that Tolkien was a frequent visitor to the area.

After a few days we moved on to Kilmarnock in Scotland and the next day went across to the Isle of Arran for two days to attend my friends’ wedding. It was really wonderful, Arran is just stunning - the perfect setting for a wedding.

We acquired a little hitchhiker along the way. I made it from the Lucinda Guy book ‘Designs for Kids’ as a present for my friend who bought me this book and another Lucinda Guy book when she found out I was pregnant. My friend knows me so well, I love all the patterns! Anyway since I made this I haven't been able to get the 'little mouse with clogs on' song out of my head so that explains the title of this post.

We came home via Wigan and Manchester and managed to catch up with relatives who live nearby. We saw my Aunt, Uncle and my cousins and their other halves. This was especially nice as the Monkey hadn’t really had a chance to meet them before and he really, really liked them which makes me happy because I know how lovely my relatives are and it is nice to share it!

We also went to see his Brother’s new house in Manchester which is by the Mersey and surprisingly quiet (I didn’t even realise the Mersey went through Manchester!)

Since we have got back we have been tiling, painting and generally decluttering in preparation for the baby. Who would have thought that it would already be so much work!! I’ve included a picture of the tiling - I know it isn’t that great but my Mum will want to see it because she received a panicky call from me when the tiles were sliding down the wall and adhesive was going everywhere on Friday (I’d applied way too much - oh well everyone has to learn).

On the knitting front, I’ve gone back to the Juno cardigan and have almost finished the collar so hopefully I’ll be able to finally post a proper finished item soon! About time...

Secrets

2007-05-24T18:56:00.000+01:00

I’m not good at keeping secrets. I’m not saying that I would ever tell the personal secrets my friends have told me. The secrets I have trouble with are the happy ones - what people are getting for Christmas, who might be getting a surprise party and who is getting a pay rise. I find these things sit at the front of my mind, waving their hand frantically in the air, like a clever kid in the front row of your class. It’s difficult to ignore.

These past couple of months I’ve been keeping a secret and it has been so hard because I’ve wanted to tell all of you. Finally I can - the Monkey and I are going to have a baby (or Bunkey* as it has unofficially been christened). We are so excited and happy, but also slightly scared! The baby is due on the 7th of December which seems very soon - how are we supposed to learn how to be parents by then! At least with the baby being a winter baby there will be plenty of knitting opportunity.

Anyway, this also explains the lack of knitting that has been going on here as I’ve not been feeling that great. Everyone tells me that I will ‘bloom’ in the second trimester, (how quaint!) so I’m looking forward to that. Expect to see some seriously speedy knitting to make up for the last few weeks!

In the meantime I’ve been knitting a Pomatomus sock in a leisurely manner…

I have also been tagged by Riggwelter for "7 random things about me"

I love doing these things.

The rules:"Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog (I might cheat on this being a bit out of touch with blogs recently). You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog."

1. I have never eaten an egg (other than in cakes etc) and nor do I intend to. They are just so white and yellow – it’s just wrong!

2. Kendra is my middle name. It means wise. My Dad loves Anglo Saxon names (my brother was almost named Beowulf!).

3. I hate eating in front of people I don’t know very well.

4. I’m thinking about applying for an allotment.

5. I have two goldfish (Raffles and The Professor).

6. I have loads of recipe books but much prefer to make it up as I go along - leading to some interesting meal times.

7. I’m pregnant!

I know it is a bit of a cop out but if you haven’t done this yet please consider yourself tagged!

*half Bunny half monkey…

Free Pattern: Celtic Knot Stole

2007-05-07T20:03:00.001+01:00

I’ve finally finished writing up the Celtic Knot pattern. Sorry for the delay, I really have been so busy lately that it’s ridiculous. Thank goodness for bank holiday weekends.

The pattern is finished but in order to fit the charts into a document that would actually be printable I had to cut them up a bit. However, if you want to see the chart of the complete stole I have also uploaded an excel version of the chart. I’m afraid that the pattern is chart based, so I apologise for those who prefer it to be written out. When I have some spare time I’ll try and get round to doing this.

If anyone does knit this please could you let me know if there are any mistakes? I’ve checked through carefully but you know what those pesky little errors can be like!

The pattern is probably for intermediate knitters, but in lace terms it is quite an easy pattern. It requires a crochet cast-on for the border and I’ve done a quick tutorial on this in my post below (just in case).

ETA: Please see the pattern links in the sidebar.

Tutorial: crochet cast-on

2007-05-07T19:44:00.000+01:00

I did this quick tutorial as I use this cast-on method in the pattern for the Celtic Knot Stole.

1. Make a slipknot on the crochet hook.

2. Hold the crochet hook in your right-hand and the knitting needle in your left-hand. Hold the knitting needle on top of the yarn (which is held taut by wrapping it round the fingers of your left-hand and passing it over your index finger, I also find it useful to hold the short tail tightly between the middle-finger and thumb of my left-hand).

3. With the hook to the left of the yarn bring it over the needle and through the loop on the crochet hook forming a stitch on the knitting needle.

4. Take the yarn back under the needle to the left.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there is only one more stitch to cast-on.

6. Slip the loop remaining on the crochet hook onto the knitting needle.

7. Ta da! The method makes a nice knitting edge that looks similar to binding off. For lace try to keep the tension fairly loose (it helps to use a bigger hook than you would normally use for the yarn).

I’m still here…

2007-04-24T20:38:00.000+01:00

Sorry for the long silence, life managed to get in the way of my blogging and knitting! I think for the first time in years, I went for a whole week without knitting a stitch. Luckily I’m slowly beginning to get my knitting mojo back.

I’ve been knitting Juno in the Rowanspun aran I bought from the Cucumberpatch. This pattern knits up SO quickly - it’s such a relief! I’ll try and get it finished , so I can post some interesting pictures. You can spot it in a crumpled heap in the photo above.

The highlight of the photo above though is my new basket - perfect for carrying wool and needles. This was a present from my Auntie Kath and I really love it. I think that this picture of it with the Monkey’s briefcase could be some sort of alternative family portrait ;-)

Anyway, I’m afraid this isn’t going to be a long post as my brain just isn’t up to it. I have actual proof of this sad fact. Today I bought a beautiful little acceptance card for my friend’s wedding and when I got home from work, I merrily sat down to write it (I spent ages coming up with the perfect wording). I was just about to put the card in the envelope when I realised that I’d written it to myself. I mean literally ‘Dear Kendra, Thank you for the invitation…’. Maybe I need an early night?

Best wishes

2007-04-02T21:34:00.000+01:00

A friend from where I used to work has just had a baby girl. So I’ve knitted the hat and bunny from Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino 2. They were so quick to knit, and I really like knitting with this wool.

I’m never sure what I think about horoscopes but sometimes there is a resemblance in people’s characters who were born in the same month, which is hard to explain. It’s my brother’s birthday in a few days time and when I heard about this baby being born, I remembered my Mum telling me about the horoscope she read when my brother was born. It said something like Aries is a happy, gambolling lamb. That certainly is the case for my brother - he is one of the most optimistic people and it would be rare to spot him without a smile. But it isn’t just that he is happy, he is one of those rare people who brings happiness wherever he goes. I can honestly say that I’ve never met anyone who dislikes him. Even in the worst moments of family life it will be him who makes people feel like laughing again. So, if I were to make a ‘fairy-tale’ wish for this new baby, it would be that they will share my brother’s gift for bringing happiness and being loved. But definitely not his untidiness or love of loud music ;-)

By the way, thank you for all the nice comments on the Celtic Stole. I’ve almost finished writing it up and then I’ll post it as a free pattern on my blog for anyone who is interested.

Project Spectrum: Celtic Knot Stole

2007-03-25T15:35:00.000+01:00

First things first: Monkey did the honours and pulled a name out of the (knitted) hat. The winner is Seahorse! Congratulations - please could you email me and let me have the address you would like it posted to?

Details of the finished Celtic Knot Stole

Yarn: Posh Yarn Camilla 100% cashmere in Memories
Needles: 3.5mm Inox circulars
Blocked measurements: 35” by 65”

This is the yarn I won from Posh Yarn in the photo competition last year. Thank you Dee for the yarn. It is so soft and has been a delight to knit with. Plus I’ve already had so many compliments on the colour.

I’ve seen a few posts recently about why people knit and this led me to start thinking about myself (Monkey might say that wasn’t unusual!). There are a lot of reasons but one of them is that it is a chance to extend the fantasy stage of acquiring an item of clothing. I’m sure that most women will understand this stage when I explain it. It is that period of time from when you first spot the article of clothing in a shop/catalogue/pattern book, during which you think that the said article will, for example, make you more popular, make you better at your job or make the guy you’ve always fancied at school finally notice you. After wearing the article of clothing a number of times, you usually realise that this won’t happen. However, by then you’ll have already seen that life-changing pair of shoes that will do the trick instead.

Anyway, as I was saying, knitting extends this stage for me and the fantasies I can build up about a particular garment can be pretty far fetched by the time I finally cast off. While I was knitting this stole, I pictured myself as the heroine of some Victorian gothic novel. Standing on the heathered brink of a lonely moor wearing a dove-grey silk dress and desperately trying to escape from some mad woman locked in an attic. But nope, here I am in my flat cooking gingerbread and modelling this in some rather crumpled old clothes. But I still love it and every time I wrap it round my shoulders I do feel a little closer to the windswept moors!

Catching up

2007-03-22T20:25:00.000Z

This is just going to be a quick post. I’ve been so busy recently that I’ve not had time to blog much. Thanks for all the nice comments on my one year blogging anniversary. I’m looking forward to doing the draw on Sunday. That’s a couple of days away, so if there is anyone who still wants to enter you‘ve still got time! I was amazed at the number of comments I got and I’m enjoying working my way through reading the blogs of those of you I hadn’t ‘met’ before.

There is another reason I’m looking forward to this weekend and that is because I’m going to take some photos of my finished Celtic Knot Stole. Yes, I did say finished. Finally! I blocked it on Tuesday night using my new blocking wires from Heirloom knitting. I would definitely recommend using them, they made what would have been a very tedious task fairly painless. They also meant that I could get very straight edges.

By the way, you know I said how good I’d been resisting the Posh Yarn in my last post? Since then I have bought two skeins of Posh Yarns lace weight yarn, a ball of Opal sock yarn, 3 balls of Rowan hand knit cotton, two balls of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and a ball of cotton to make dishcloths…. Yes, I’m hanging my head in shame. Photos on Sunday of everything I promise!

I almost forgot to tell you another exciting bit of news, Hip Knits have got the details of their 2007 contest up on their website. It is £5 to enter and for that you get a 100g of yarn with which to make something with lace in it. I received some gorgeous lace weight yarn in bright pinks and purples (pictured above - badly!).

Free wool...

2007-03-11T15:04:00.000Z

I recently passed my first blogversary. I did my first real post on the 2nd of March last year and since then I have done 83 posts in total. I never realised how much fun this would be and how many lovely people I would meet online. I think that one of the main reasons knitting has become such a passion for me is the sense of community and belonging it has given me. It is so nice to have met so many people who share the same interests as me, both through various blogs and my knitting group.

In order to celebrate my first blogging year I’m giving away some yarn. The prize has an organic theme to it: -

-a skein of Helena 4-ply (pure organic merino - 360 yards) from Posh Yarn in the colourway Drama;
- a box of bite size Green and Blacks organic chocolates (milk, dark and white); and
- a little set of Annarella stitch markers - not organic but very pretty!

The yarn is gorgeous . The colours are just beautiful and I’m sure will look stunning knitted up. It is so soft that I am having difficulty resisting stroking it too much. I was very good last Sunday as I knew I wanted to buy something for a prize so I went straight on the Posh Yarn website and just bought this - nothing else! How impressive is my willpower!

Anyway, all you have to do to win the yarn is leave a comment on this post. I will do a draw on the 25th of March. Don’t worry about where you are in the world, I’m sure I’ll find a way of posting it to you!

By the way, one of my friends from my knitting group (Kate) has a new blog. She is lovely, the blog is great and she has some good photos of her knitting up there (including a really great Knitty Calorimetry). So please pop over and say hello if you get a chance. I’ve been telling her how nice you all are.

Lace update

2007-03-04T18:25:00.000Z

Recently, I’ve been concentrating on getting my Celtic Knot Stole finished. I'm almost there now - just one repeat and the borders to go. I’m really enjoying knitting it. I love the colour, I love the yarn (Posh Yarn 100% cashmere) and I’m quite excited about the design. The photos that I’ve taken are truly awful. It is just dismal here today and I can’t find a way of getting enough light to take a pretty picture. But the lace is in the ugly-duckling, pre-blocking stage anyway.

Crafty Granny, you were asking about my sharing the stole. I’d be happy to let you have the charts once I’ve finished drawing them up.

This week I gave a new knitting group a try. I went to the Liberty group that meets on he 1st and 3rd Thursday of every week. It is a great place for a knitting group: large tables, delicious cakes and coffees, and a knitting shop close to hand. I did enjoy but I do have to admit that I prefer the I Knit London group. I think this is just because at the Liberty group everyone knew each other and, understandably wanted to spend their time catching up rather than meeting new people. I might give it another try some time though because the people seemed really nice.

By the way, I have bought Victorian Lace Today. It is wonderful. I adore it. It comes out top on every point: great photos, great designs, great writing, great techniques section, brilliant information on yarn and substituting yarn. If you love lace you can’t really go wrong with this book (unless you don’t like charts).

Come and look at the yarny goodness...

2007-02-18T15:40:00.000Z

I have been spending money on yarny goodness. I just couldn’t help myself. Plus when Dreamcatcher and a lady at my knitting club both recommended the book depository I ended up making some more yarn-related purchases. Below is my list of shame.

Lovely lace weight Posh Yarn from the latest yarn club instalment. It is so soft and has a beautiful sheen. I’m going to be so sad when the yarn club stops. But I’ll just have to spend the money on some of Posh Yarn’s gorgeous ‘one-offs’ instead.

Next up some Rowanspun Aran in Gables. Now, to be honest at the prices the Cucumber patch use I think I’d feel more guilty if I hadn’t bought this wool ;-) I’m going to make Juno from Rowan 40. I wasn’t going to make this pattern until I saw this version on Knitting Betty and fell in love with it.

I also bought Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel, and I’m so glad I did. It is a lovely book and I will definitely make some of the patterns. There is some really useful advice on how to fit your knits properly and the patterns all seem to be very well laid out, with detailed schematics.

If you like Stefanie’s other patterns such as Forecast or the Simple Knitted Bodice then I think you will probably like the majority of patterns in the book - they are very wearable but have a fashionable twist to them. These are two of my favourites so far.

FO: Eunny’s Endpaper Mitts

2007-02-11T15:47:00.000Z

Pattern: Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang (free pattern)
Yarn: Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift in Old Gold and Plum wine (lovely names!) they took less than 1x25g ball in each colour!!
Needles: 2.25mm blue sky alpaca dpns and 2.75mm Brittany dpns

I love this pattern. It was great fun to knit and as I’ve said previously gave me the opportunity to learn some new techniques. I really enjoyed colour stranding and will definitely be looking out for more colour knitting projects to do. I am always really impressed with the thought Eunny puts into every detail of her designs - like the purl fake ‘seam’ down both sides of these - just perfect! I think that I’m going to get lots of wear out of these gloves because the plum wine colour is one of my favourites.

I apologise for my scarily pale skin in the photos ! I've included a picture of the reverse side of the knitting because I think the colour stranding method produces such a neat tidy finish!

I finally gave into temptation this week and bought some cute stitch markers from Knitz and Glitz. I bought the mobile charm versions and they are now firmly attached to my knitting tool bag. Aren’t the little glass sheep adorable. The markers were so reasonably priced I couldn’t resist.

More than you need to know…

2007-02-06T22:20:00.000Z

Before I start this post I just want to say thanks for all your sensible and helpful comments on the last post. I have definitely stopped worrying and I’m looking forward to my knitting group tomorrow.

I’ve been tagged for two memes so I thought I’d do one big post and deal with both of them at once. I like memes, I mean in all honesty who doesn’t like talking about themselves!

All about me part 1!

Five secrets about me that have not been mentioned on my blog before. I was tagged by Lara , by the way if you haven’t read her blog you should because she is an amazing knitter, she has always just finished something I’ve been wanting to knit. Anyway here are the rules of the meme:
Get tagged
List five things that have not been revealed on my blog
Tag other people

1. I have a degree in Biochemistry.

2. I have a Lancastrian accent but I have never lived in Lancashire. I grew up in the South West of England but both my parents are from the North and so I somehow absorbed the accent. My older brother didn’t pick it up though.

3. I can lick my elbow. I read somewhere that this is physically impossible but I can do it! I’m so proud - give it a try!

4. I still have a teddy bear. He is imaginatively called Big Ted. My brother and I were always disappointingly literal when it came to naming our toys. There was Big Ted, Medium Ted , Tiny Ted and Red Dog.

5. I have an over-developed sense of justice… By this I mean that I just can’t stop myself ‘giving a piece of my mind’ to people spraying graffiti, chasing after shoplifters, and once when someone threw litter out of their car window picking it up and throwing it back in. This drives my husband and family mad as they are sure that one day my one-woman campaign will come to a sorry end.

All about me part 2.

The next meme is something I know a lot of you will enjoy thinking about - list 5 books that played an important role in your childhood and explain why. Then tag 5 people to do this. I was tagged by Brahdelt (Joanna) another very talented lady, who has some great free patterns on her blog!

1. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery- This has to come top for me as I loved Anne when I was little (I still love her now to be honest). The books are still so readable and relevant nowadays and I shared so many of the same dreams as Anne did. Plus there was the lovely Gilbert Blythe…

2. Teddy Robinson - Joan G Robinson. I love this book, just looking at the cover of my very old copy makes me remember my Mum reading me this as a bedtime story. My Mum did the best bedtime stories ever - with all the voices.

3. The Witches by Roald Dahl. I never got over this book after being read it when I was little. It petrified me. I still am slightly suspicious of women wearing gloves…

4. Anything by P.G. Wodehouse. I read P.G. Wodehouse while I was still very little and it was the first time I realised that adult’s books told stories too. Before that I’d always thought that adults only read non-fiction. I can remember the excitement when I realised the huge expanse of stories that was out there just waiting to be read.

5. The Brothers Grimm. I loved their fairy tales as a child and I still do.

If they are still reading after all that, I am going to tag, Nat , Jose , Anushka, Dreamcatcher and Emmms - you can do whichever meme you like or neither if it isn’t your cup of tea. If I haven’t tagged you and you’d like to do it please consider yourself tagged!

Help!

2007-01-31T21:44:00.000Z

I need advice. I’m afraid it is of the non-knitting variety although there is a tenuous link to knitting. Last night I got a text message from one of the girls from my knitting group, inviting me to an exhibition with another girl from the group. I was really pleased - not just because I like going to exhibitions but because the girls seem like really nice people and I’d like to get to know them. Anyway, I texted back saying I’d love to go and asking where and when. However, this morning when I got on the train to work I realised that I’d left my mobile at home. I had no way of contacting the girls and I didn’t know where or when I was supposed to be meeting them. I’ve been sitting at work all day worrying about what they would be thinking about me and imagining them waiting somewhere in the cold for me. I rushed home and found my phone… 2 text messages. One with directions and one saying that they were waiting for me. I felt terrible. I called them straight away and explained but I still feel like a complete worm. The worst thing is that when I checked the text with the directions had come last night, so if I’d checked then I would have been able to find them even though I forgot my phone.

I just don’t know what to do now. It just looks so rude and I feel so embarrassed about it. My husband says that I just have to hope that they will think the best of me but I was hoping that maybe one of you could come up with a better suggestion of how I could make it up to them or somehow prove that I’m not a really rude person. Please? I’ve got until next Wednesday to think of something!

Anyway, I’m at home alone feeling miserable but at least I’ve finished the first Endpaper Mitt! I’ll post photos when I’ve finished the pair. The photo at the top was taken on our honeymoon in Scotland. It has nothing to do with this post really but I can’t look at it without feeling true
‘Pollyanna’ gladness about my life. So I thought I’d share it’s cheeriness.

Acceptance

2007-01-27T20:57:00.000Z

Yesterday I cast-on for the Endpaper mitts and I am in love with colour stranding. It is just so much fun (almost as fun as knitting lace - gasp!). I’m using the method described by Theresa Vinson Stenersen in the most recent issue of Knitty - knitting with one colour in my left-hand continental-style and the other colour in my right-hand English style. I always think it is so exciting to learn a new technique and on this project I have already learnt how to use colour-stranding, how to knit continental-style and how to do a tubular cast-on. The tubular cast-on is wonderful, it is so much more stretchy than a normal cast-on (it almost feels as if there is elastic in the ribbing!) plus it is so neat and tidy looking.

The pattern called for an Italian tubular cast-on but I have a confession to make- I couldn’t do it! This is where the title of my post comes from, one of the great things I’ve found about getting older (I’m 27) is that it is easier to admit that I can’t do something. The other day I overheard some teenagers talking in a pub and one of them was showing-off about how great they were at something, then the other asked her to show her how to do it. It then became apparent the first didn’t really have a clue - I was cringing in my seat because I could remember that as a teenager never wanting to admit that I didn‘t know something, that I hadn‘t seen a particular episode of Friends on TV, that I didn‘t know the latest gossip… But now I know that part of what makes life fun is that everyone is good at different things, there are some things that you are naturally good at, there are some things that you can get good at through practice and there are some things which will always be a challenge but there is no shame in admitting if you don’t know how to do or can’t do something - in fact telling someone is the quickest way to finding out how.

Here is my list of things which I can’t do:
I can’t drive (I had some lessons when I was 17 but I was BAD).
I can’t sing - it doesn’t stop me trying ;-)
I am not a linguist - I struggle getting my words out correctly in English!
I can’t play any sports - I still remember the look of shame on my Dad’s face when he came to watch my brother and I at our Junior school sports day…
I could carry on but I think you get the picture.

In Knots

2007-01-21T10:43:00.000Z

This is a progress picture of the Celtic Knot Stole. It might not look like much but if you knew the number of times I have frogged, redesigned, and re-knitted this over the past week you would understand my joy at being safely on my way - I'll hurry up and finish the pattern repeat so you can see what it is actually going to look like. Besides, my faith in the blocking process has increased dramatically,so I‘m not too worried that it isn‘t looking that great right now. I’m so addicted to seeing the beautiful transformation that sometimes I haunt lace knitters’ blogs waiting for that final photo!

By the way you might notice the un-ironed sheet in the photograph and I am hanging my head (if only slightly) in shame. My Mum is one of these incredible women who even when working full time managed to iron everything (even the tea towels). I will never be able to do this - I find it hard enough to stay on top of the other housework. So tea towels and duvet covers rest easy - I will not iron you.

The Kim Hargreaves’ top (Hawthorn) is coming on well. I’m using it as my on-the-train knitting and I’ve almost finished the back. I’ve also ordered the wool to make a pair of Eunny’s Endpaper mitts. This will be a real challenge for me as I’ve only ever knitted big blocks of colour before. But I’ve been seeing so much amazing colour knitting going on that I couldn’t resist trying some myself.

I'm going to make an effort to post on this blog once a week from now on. I keep letting the days slip by.

"Seize opportunity by the beard, for it is bald behind."

2007-01-07T13:05:00.000Z

When I was little my parents bought me a set of modelling clay called Fimo. You probably remember the stuff - it came in bright coloured little blocks and cost so much that it seemed very precious to an 8 year old. Anyway, I would dream about all the stuff I wanted to make with this clay but I was so worried about wasting it that I would only ever use tiny amounts to make miniscule things. Eventually one day I decided to risk it all and make something incredible but when I came to unwrap the clay I found that it had gone hard and crumbly and difficult to use. That is what my New Year’s resolution is going to be this year - I don’t want to be nibbling at the edges of life only to find when I come to take a big bite it has all gone stale. This year I am going to grab my opportunities by their beards like the title of my post (a Bulgarian Proverb - don‘t you love it?) suggests.

I did make a huge list of resolutions to post but then I realised that really they all boiled down to this - having the confidence to do the things I want to do.

Knitting content? Please take a look at my finished Jaywalkers! Plus my resolution applies to my knitting too. Less procrastination: more knitting.

Pattern: Magknits - Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Hip Knits Cashmere sock yarn (sorry I don’t know what the colourway is called but it is pinks, rosy reds, and greys. This yarn is lovely and soft but feels very strong and hardwearing. The only downside is it is a little bit 'splity' but not enough to make it unpleasant to knit with - I'd definitely use it again.
Needles: Long story but started on my Monkey Sticks and then moved on to Blue Sky needles both 2.25mm DPNs.

I’ve also started a reading blog to record all the books I read in 2007. Just because I thought it would be fun. I’m not going to post there as often as on my main blog but I wanted a way of remembering what I had enjoyed this year.

The Knitting days of Christmas

2006-12-30T18:04:00.000Z

What a Christmas! Monkey and I have finally returned home after our festive trip round the relatives and I have managed to heave my mince pie-enhanced figure onto the sofa to do a bit of blogging and of course a lot of knitting.

First of all let me show you all the lovely knitterly gifts I received from my generous relatives. I think that the fact that I am totally obsessed with knitting means that pretty much everything I got was wool related! Anyway, you may wish to step back from your keyboard to avoid drool related problems as you read the list below:

For the first gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

A Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the second gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits*,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the third gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the fourth gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

three sets of markers,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the fifth gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

A book of Finishing Techniques,

three sets of markers,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the sixth gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

A clever needle sizer**,

three sets of markers,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

*Buttercup and Fay
**Absolutely adorable you have to check out this link.

I received lots of other lovely non-knitting gifts too. The best of which was a slow cooker (Crock Pot)! If anyone has any good recipes please let me know.

Over Christmas I knitted a Jaywalker, as pictured in true Christmas style above (this has to be the most popular sock pattern ever doesn‘t it? I think I am the last person in blogland to knit one). Notice the “a”- I’ve only knitted one so far but I’m part way through the second and I’ll post some better photos of them when I have a pair. I have to admit I’m not a big sock knitter but I’ve really enjoyed knitting these and I love the Hip Knits variegated cashmere I’m using. It is so soft and it is interesting waiting to see what the colours will do on the different parts of the socks. So maybe I won’t leave it so long before I knit a pair of socks next time. Although finishing something and then having to knit the exact same thing all over again is a bit annoying. Maybe I’ll just knit odd socks from now on…

Anyway I’m going to go and ponder on my new year’s resolutions.

FO: Cobweb

2006-12-21T10:26:00.000Z

Pattern: Cobweb from Rowan 40

Yarn: Rowan Kid Silk Haze (shade Hurricane)

Needles: 3.75mm my trusty Denise interchangeables. (How does anyone knit without them?)

I finished Cobweb! I actually finished on Sunday but I’ve had to wait until I finished work to get some daylight photographs. I’m pleased with it, although I wish I had an outfit to put on the dummy that would go with it but I couldn't find one - let's hope my brother's girlfriend can!

I didn’t crochet the flowers that are supposed to go down the neckline as I though in this colour it might look a bit much - what do you think I've still got time if you think it would look better?

I also sewed the front edges together so that it is pulled on over the head rather than fastened as a cardigan. I think that I like this, but I did it mainly as I couldn’t find the perfect button.

Anyway, now that I have finished Cobweb I’ve been finding it hard to decide on what to knit next. I’ve finally started my Kim Hargreaves’ kit, which my Mum gave me last Christmas. It is Hawthorn in the Cocoa colour way.

I’ve also cast on for some lace. I didn’t enter the Snow White competition as in the end I was too busy to get things sorted. I was silly leaving it so late but I’ll knit up the pattern anyway. Maybe I’ll enter the January competition…

Also I’ve been doing a fair bit of stash enhancement. Aren’t all these yarns gorgeous? What I love about buying lace weight yarns is that you only need a couple of balls to knit an entire shawl.

Jaggerspun Zephyr in Basil and Ruby
Posh yarns Arabella in a stunning colour called Swoon
Merino Lace weight from Heirloom lace . I also bought some blocking wires from them which I can’t wait to try out. The people who run the site are lovely by the way.

I had an embarrassing incident when I went to the last I Knit London night. It is a long story but my Mum phoned the bar to check I’d got there safely and got the waitress to come over to the group to check. There was me trying to look sophisticated with my gin and tonic and addi turbos flashing away and in seconds I felt like a school girl who has stayed out too late! Everyone laughed at me! Not only that but she used my maiden name which got me very confused and enabled me, unfortunately, to draw even more attention to the incident by debating whether the message was actually meant for me. At least everyone in the group will remember my name from now on…

That’s all my knitting news for now. I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

photos

Slow progress

2006-12-06T16:24:00.000Z

I’m being so slow with Cobweb, not sure why. But I’m determined to get a move on and finish so that I can’t get on with something else. Just one sleeve left to go. I am going to do a few quick little knits and definitely some lace as soon as I’m done. I have a design for some lace that I’m thinking of entering in the Purlescence competition but I’m not sure whether to or not yet.
Last week was so much better than the week before, especially going to the ELDS and meeting Gosia. Even Monkey enjoyed the show and we bought a glass penguin Christmas tree decoration from one of the stalls.

I love Christmas trees, but they have to be real ones (sorry for the non-sustainable approach but we do shred it afterwards!) and they have to be decorated in a higgedly piggedly style. I like collections of decorations that people have built up over the years and which have memories behind them. Here is a picture of our tree (I know it is early but I’d have one in June if I could). The new penguin is on the left.

Here is a meme that I saw here and here and couldn‘t resist. One word answers, no explanation.
Yourself: dreamer
Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): Monkey
Your hair: chocolate
Your mother: kind
Your father: mischievous
Your favourite Item: Bear
Your dream last night: Searching
Your favourite drink: Grasshopper
Your dream car: train
The room you are in: lounge
Your ex: forgotten
Your fear: loss
What you want to be in 10 years? mother
Who you hung out with last night? Monkey
What you're not: tidy
Muffins: English
One of your wish list items: this
Time: variable
The last thing you did: knit
What you are wearing: smile
Your favourite weather: calm
Your favourite book: Beneficence
The last thing you ate: sandwich
Your life: contented
Your mood: peaceful
Your best friend: two
What are you thinking about right now? fire
Your car: feet
What are you doing at this moment: waiting
Your summer: anticipated
Your relationship status: loved
What is on your TV? aerial
What is the weather like? wild
When is the last time you laughed? morning
Who do you tag? anyone

Half full or half empty?

2006-11-26T17:55:00.000Z

It has been an interesting week, but I’m not quite sure whether it was good-interesting or bad-interesting. I’ll let you decide how I should be viewing my proverbial glass.

Half Empty
1. Take a good look at my progress on Cobweb above. Not bad you might think, the back and two fronts. Yes I’ve knitted the back and two fronts but take a better look at the fronts…that’s right TWO LEFT FRONTS! I don’t know how I did it. I think that when I knit on the train on my way to work I go into some sort of knitting trance.

2. Talking about the knitting train-trance, on Thursday I (yet again) got on the wrong train home. This time it wasn’t as much my fault. As usual Our train broke down and the train driver made an announcement to get on the next train. I did this but what the train driver had actually meant was get on the next train to where you want to go. I ended up in some windswept, desolate, place with only one platform and a sign that swayed slowly backwards and forwards making a sinister creaking sound. I finally got home about two hours later than I should have done.

3. I’m a big Posh Yarn fan, if you hadn’t already guessed, and I have been DESPERATE to buy some of the One Off Wednesday (OWW) yarn that Dee posts every Wednesday, but it goes up while I am at work and sells out before I get home. Anyway, this Wednesday 4 o’clock arrived and my boss headed off to get a coffee. ‘Ha Ha!’ I thought ‘my chance has come’ and quickly I located a gorgeous skein of dark blue cobweb weight yarn called Sombre. I got to the payment bit, entered my name and address and… my boss came back from the tea point. I pretended to be reading papers (naughty I know) and waited for him to sit down and look the other way. But by the time that he does and I tried to start entering my credit card details the yarn has gone from my basket. It is a tragic tale.

But now for the other sides of the stories...

Half Full

1. On Cobweb , the second side turned out better than the first so I’ll be keeping that one.

2. On the train journey, my husband took me out for a meal to cheer me up and we had a lovely time.

3. On the Posh Yarn… nope sorry there is no upside to this tale. But I have taken consolation by stroking my Posh Yarn stash and muttering to myself and I have started designing a Celtic knot stole to use this beautiful blue lace weight yarn with.

Oh and I have posted the Gerda pattern link in my previous post or sidebar.

FO: Gerda Stole

2006-11-18T16:09:00.001Z

Yarn: Cecilia Cobweb lace weight yarn (50% cashmere / 50% silk) in raspberry from Posh yarn
Needles: 2.00 mm addi turbo circular
Pattern: Mine! and I’ve called it Gerda.

ETA: Please see the pattern link in the sidebar

Gerda is the name of the little girl in the Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson (you can find the story here). You probably know the story, Kay (her best friend) gets tiny shards of a broken mirror, which once belonged to a wicked goblin, in his eyes and his heart. This makes him become cynical and cruel and he starts to be mean to Gerda whom he once loved. Then one day as he is playing on his sledge the Snow Queen comes and carries him away to her palace. Gerda pines for Kay and eventually sets off in search of him, meeting a kind witch, talking ravens, a prince, and a robber girl along the way. Eventually she finds the palace and Kay who is cold and still. The happy ending? Well, if you don’t know it you can read it for yourselves.

I called the stole Gerda because of its wintry design - snowdrops and snowflakes. I also felt that the red colour and the geometric shapes gave it a Scandinavian feel (Hans Christian Anderson was Danish). I can imagine wearing it on a clear dark night for a midnight kiss on New Year’s eve. I’m thinking of knitting another one in white Kid Silk Haze.

I am so pleased with the stole and I can’t wait to give it to my Gran for Christmas! Yet again I saw the blocking miracle, it’s no wonder lace is so addictive when you can take a crumpled ball of unpromising knitting, wash it, pin it out and be left with something light and crisp and beautiful.

Update: I have put a pdf of the Gerda pattern here. Beware that it may not be perfect, but if anyone does knit it please feel free to contact me and ask what on earth I was thinking!

Gerda Stole pattern pdf

It's not like a black fly in your Chardonnay but it is ironic…

2006-11-13T10:47:00.000Z

This weekend Monkey and I took up our old carpets as we are finally getting our new ones delivered - two months after we ordered them (by the way don’t shop at Epsom Carpet World it is truly appalling!). Monkey and I met when we were both actuarial students and I think that this may account for the fact that we are pretty risk-averse individuals. Hence this is a picture of me ready to take up carpets (excuse the bad hair and old clothes). We even discussed the merits of the different safety gloves available. Imagine what we would be like if we had to do something really dangerous… like put up a shelf! Where does the irony come into this tale? I flicked myself hard in the eye with the elastic of the safety goggles as I took them off. Pain and some food for thought.

Anyway, I have just cast-on for Cobweb from Rowan 40, is there anything more lovely together than Kid Silk Haze and sparkly little beads?

This also means that my stole is lying tightly pinned out in the other room. I’m so excited to have finished it - photos soon!
By the way check out Gosia's most recent post about the East London Design Show it sounds great!

Dolly bag

2006-10-29T21:51:00.000Z

This is a very quick post but I wanted to do it because I know I haven’t posted any finished items for a while. I have just got round to finishing off this little bag. It is the Rowan Dolly Bag kit that came free with this year’s membership. I made it in Rowan Handknit cotton (2x50g) (shade: Celery).

I lined it using silk left over from making my wedding dress last year (extravagant as it was £50 per metre!). And I finished it off by threading some very fine silk ribbon through the ribbing, fastening it in a bow and sewing on a seed pearl. I think that it was actually this small touch that made the bag actually feel finished.

I think it is very cute but I’m not 100% sure what I will use it for. I’m tempted to hang it from the drawer handle of my dressing table with my hair clips and clasps in, as it is so pretty and girly. I was thinking of giving it as a present, but everyone I know seems to dislike knitted bags, so the one person who will really appreciate it is getting it... me!

Sorry about the bad lighting!

Delicious Autumn

2006-10-22T18:35:00.000+01:00

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. “ George Elliot

The rain is hitting the windows and dripping steadily down the tiles of the roof, which I can see from our roof-top flat. The mornings are dark and misty as I walk to work, and when I walk home in the evening the street lights make patterns that look like fireworks on the wet tarmac. And I am happy, I’m an autumn person. The smell of musty leaves and the thought of damp walks in a park, where the fir trees drip gently with rain onto the grass, makes me happy and the slight chill in the air and the dark, dark, nights make me feel like something exciting might happen…

Anyway, here is what is happening to night… Monkey and I are very cosy in our flat, our gas fire is jumping merrily in the corner and I can smell baking! For my birthday I received this book from some lovely friends, Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: Food to Warm the Soul. It is a book full of delicious comfort food that is just right for this time of year and I want to make every recipe. So today I am making the Italian Christmas Cake (350g of dark chocolate!) and the Beef Pie (yum, yum!).

Knitting? There has been some, mostly of the stole - I really want to finish it soon, so that I can see whether it has worked out. But I have also been thinking about my new buttons (see previous post) and the jacket I want to make.

This is a photo of a jacket I have seen in Monsoon and I would love to knit something similar in moss stitch or basketweave in a raspberry colour or cream to use my new buttons on. If you know of anything similar please let me know… if not I might have to try and make it up, which could be very messy!

Monkey sticks

2006-10-19T21:33:00.000+01:00

Firstly I have to apologise for the photos in this post but it is dark in the mornings and dark when I get home so there is no chance of getting a flash-free photo.

I have to show you my goodies from the Knitting and Stitching Show! I could have pawned all my worldly goods and I wouldn’t have had enough money to buy everything I wanted there. So I think I was very good just buying what I did - although I did have mild pangs of guilt when I added up everything I’d spent!

First up my Nichols’ buttonsI can’t tell you how much these cost because it makes me blush. But they were worth every penny, I’ve been stalking their website for ages now. I want to knit a nice jacket to use them on.

Secondly, two balls of HipKnits cashmere yarn. A lace weight in a duckegg blue that is softer than anything I’ve felt before and a sock yarn in a lovely mix of crimsons and school-greys.

Thirdly, MONKEY STICKS!! Yes, that is really what they are called and my Monkey insisted on buying them for me. How could I say no? They are beautiful rosewood DPNs in their own little wooden case - so sweet. I can’t wait to use them. I bought them from the Foreign Strand stall.

Fourthly, I bought Interweave Knits Fall ‘06 and Erika Knight’s Glamour which is a gorgeous book and I love it.

Now that I have shown off my purchases, I want to tell you all about my other knitting excursion. I went to a knitting group called I knit London last night. It was so great to meet other knitters in the flesh and to just chat with some nice people over a gin and tonic. I’m quite shy so I almost didn’t go but I’m really glad I did and I’ll definitely be there for the next meeting.

Champagne and flowers

2006-10-12T11:56:00.000+01:00

There hasn’t been an awful lot of knitting happening in the past few days I’m afraid. I have done two more repeats of my stole but it doesn’t make for very exciting photographs. I have, however, been playing around with my blog. Please could you let me know what you think of the new look and whether there are any gremlins lurking that I haven’t spotted? It took much longer than I expected to make all the changes but it was fun. The colours from the little drawing of the mermaid I did, didn’t seem to come out that well, but I’m still quite pleased with it.

I can't go to Ally Pally on Saturday anymore, as I had forgotten that we are going to a friend's wedding that evening and I hadn't realised that it would take us nearly two hours to get to Alexandra Palace, but don't worry I'm going on Friday instead as our carpets aren't being delivered this week (long and very annoying story). I'm really disappointed that I won't get to meet Dawn though.

Last weekend Monkey and I went to see my family in Devon. It was lovely. We stayed for two nights in the hotel where we had our wedding reception. We decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary a bit early as we are really busy next weekend. Monkey had ordered a bottle of champagne and a beautiful bouquet of flowers to be in the room when we arrived. My whole family came for a meal at the hotel and we had a wonderful time. The photograph above shows the amazing view we had from the window of our hotel room.

It was lovely to see my parents, my gran and my brother and his girlfriend. I miss my family so much, as I don’t really get to see them much while we are living here.

On Monday we stopped at Stourhead National Trust property on our drive back. The gardens are truly magical and I’m going to bore you with some photographs I took (click on them to see them bigger if you like). I love the first of these, it shows a golden tree shinning against the darkness of the rest of the woods, and it is hard to describe how enchanting it looked in real life.

This last photo shows what our favourite neighbours had done to the front of our house (a beautiful Arts and Crafts style building in a conservation area converted into flats) while we had been away...

Once upon a time...

2006-10-01T11:47:00.000+01:00

There are so many things to write about. Firstly have you seen this competition? What a brilliant idea - it has definitely got me thinking. The story this month that designs must be based on is Cinderella. I love fairy tales, especially those written by the brothers Grimm. I can remember being read these as a child by my Mum and I still have the old, hardback copy with its beautiful black and white illustrations. I recently bought a new edition of their complete work and I have been treating myself to a couple of dark tales before I go to sleep each night. My Mum is a wonderful story teller, she is a primary school teacher and I have a sneaking suspicion that one of her favourite parts of the job is holding the group of little people spellbound as she reads to them.

This week I started the Rowan dolly bag pattern, I’m really enjoying knitting this. The textures are so interesting and he wool shows them up really well. I also like the colour, it makes me think of cool, crisp apples.

My stole/scarf is still coming along well. I’m knitting this on the train and the bag at home so progress on both is steady rather than fast.

I’ve also just bought the Simple Knitted Bodice pattern. Everyone knows this pattern, it has taken blog knitters by storm. However, I had resisted, I thought it was nice but then I saw this version of it and I HAD TO HAVE IT!! The only worry I have is that I wanted to really blow the budget and buy the Tilli Tomas yarn but, after hearing about the current price fixing controversy on Lime and Violet, I’m thinking about substituting with something else. Actually, I’ve just found an update that says that Tilli Tomas have dropped their key stone policy - so I get to spend a fortune on yarn after all! Now I just need to save up…

To be content with what one has is the greatest and truest of riches.

2006-09-16T18:24:00.000+01:00

Ahhhhhhhh! That is a sigh of contentment. I have just finished a cup of tea and a homemade scone with lashings of clotted cream and jam and our elephant teapot is smiling contentedly with its little belly still warm from the tea. I don’t think that life gets much better than this but I’m always willing to be proved wrong.

Anyway, back to the knitting - I have been knitting lace. I was originally intending to knit using the orchid yarn I described in my last post but, due to a little over exhilaration on the part of my husband when he tried to help me wind it up, it is now sitting in a tangled heap waiting for me to gather enough patience together to undo it. This however did not deter me from starting the stole and I have begun to knit it in a raspberry coloured cobweb-weight yarn from Posh Yarns. This means it will be a bit lighter and slimmer than I originally intended, but I am actually really happy with how it is going so far. I think I will add a border but I’m waiting to see how much yarn I have left by the time I finish.

The pictures don't really show the lace pattern very well as it is so gloomy today that I can't get a picture at all without the flash.

I almost forgot to say - my husband has bought tickets for the Knitting and Stitching show in London on 14 October and they arrived earlier this week. I can’t wait to go! Plus the 14th is the day before my birthday AND our wedding anniversary so I am expecting to be treated to a few knitting presents! Anyway, if you are going perhaps I’ll bump into you. I will be the over-excited lady pulling along a slightly bored looking (but extremely handsome) husband.

Better late than never...

2006-09-06T20:43:00.000+01:00

Matilda Jane is finished! In my last post I said I was very nearly finished and after that I was determined that my next post would have the finished article in it. I’m a stubborn so-and-so and this has meant that I haven’t been able to post for 12 days. I just hadn’t factored in the fact that I needed buttons and ribbon and that it would take ages to dry out when I was blocking it.

But finally here it is!

Pattern: Matilda Jane by Ysolda
Yarn: Rowan Wool Cotton in Inky and Gypsy
Needles: Denise interchangeable (this pattern really uses the interchangeable to their best, lots of different length circulars required.

I really enjoyed knitting this, the pattern is very well written and although it is mostly stocking stitch there is hardly a row without any shaping to keep you interested. If I knitted it again I would knit it on slightly smaller needles, as I think I would prefer the fabric to be a little bit stiffer.

Anyway that is that.

Next knit! I’m starting some new lace and I’m going to use the Posh Yarns wool I got in the first Lace club delivery. It is a beautiful deep purple shade called orchid and it is just so soft and beautiful that when I first got it in the post I just kept picking it up and staring at it. Since I last posted I have bought two books on knitting lace, Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls by Martha Waterman and Gossamer Webs by Galina Khmeleva and Carol Noble. I thoroughly recommend both of these books, they both follow a similar format: a history of the particular type of lace and then details of the techniques used and advice on how to design your own shawls. They both even have a short section on how to wear a shawl! So I have come up with a design that I am hoping to make for my Gran for Christmas if it turns out ok. I think the most difficult part will be estimating how long I can make the shawl with the amount of wool I have, especially if I add an edging to it.

I’m trying to think if I have any other news… but all I think I have left to tell you is that we have bought a carpet! Well it is exciting for us anyway. It is a not very practical shade of cream called buttermilk!

By the way thank you for all the advice after my last post. It really cheered me up, I had a horrible feeling that my annoyance at the fridges and motorbikes in the back garden was just me overreacting so it was good to see that even rational people like yourselves would be annoyed!

Guilt

2006-08-25T21:33:00.000+01:00

Guilt is something that I am very good at. You know that stomach-turning, wake-you-up-in-the-middle-of-the night type of guilt? I’m not a bad person, I mean I haven’t got anything weighing too heavily on my mind but it is the small things that seem to haunt me. Like my new wool (pictured above)- did I really need it? Am I being too extravagant. Obviously the answer is ‘no’. Mainly because this is beautiful yarn (Rowan Kid Silk Haze - shade hurricane); it is for a present (I’m going to knit Cobweb from Rowan 40 for my brother’s girlfriend for Christmas); and Dreamcatcher made me do it (well effectively - I mean how you can show pictures of yarn like that on your blog and not expect people to give in to temptation?).

Matilda Jane is going well I’ve completed the body and just need to finish the trims and the sleeves - I’ve set myself the challenge to finish it this weekend (including the bank holiday) so hopefully I’ll be able to post a finished picture of it on Tuesday.

The title of this post came from the other guilt that is playing on my mind. Today I complained to my neighbours about the three fridges that have been sitting by the side of the house (it is converted into 5 flats) for the past 2 months. I feel terrible now, I’m not usually a complainer but our house is just so beautiful that these fridges and the accompanying huge pile of bin bags have been gnawing away at my sense of the aesthetic for a while. But the guilt now is awful, I actually didn’t properly complain just casually enquired whilst in the garden who the fridges might belong to… but I’m sure they saw through my feeble cover-up. Oh well, I’ll try not to stay awake all night worrying. I think I’ll take round a bottle of wine tomorrow…

Home

2006-08-14T20:29:00.000+01:00

I’m sorry for the long delay between posts but I have been on holiday. We went down to stay at my parents in Devon for a week. I thought I would have access to the internet but in the end I didn’t hence the silence recently. Anyway, we had such a great time - it was so relaxing and I was very happy to be home. I get very homesick for Devon, green fields, beaches and quiet emptiness. But most of all I get homesick for my parents and it was lovely to spend some time with them. Monkey and I have decided not to leave it so long between visits next time.

Anyway knitting news, I wanted to knit something small and frivolous after finishing the lace stole so in the car on the way down to Devon I knitted the Hurry-Up Spring Armwarmers from Stitch and Bitch Nation. They were fun to knit and I think they look fine, however, my brother has made me promise never to wear these in public! I knit the arm warmers in Noro Silk Garden which I had lying dejectedly at the bottom of my stash.

The photo is taken in Trelissick Gardens in Cornwall, they are on the coast and combine beautiful gardens with breath taking views - I have put the water tower cottage down on my wish list of places to stay. It is actually in the National Trust garden!

While I was on holiday I also started knitting Matilda Jane by Ysolda . I’m really loving this pattern, it is very easy and the instructions are well written (plus aesthetically pleasing!) and as it is top down you can try it on for size as you knit. Ysolda is one talented girl and I always look forward to what she’ll be knitting next.

Anyway, I really want to catch up on all the blogs I’ve been missing while I was on holiday so I’d better go for now!

Okay, so you were all right…

2006-08-01T20:19:00.000+01:00

Pattern: Print o’the Waves
Yarn: 100g Posh Yarn Cecila (50% cashmere 50% silk) in Ivory
Needles: 2mm (addi turbos - lovely)

I didn’t believe you but it is true the blocking process is miraculous. My Print o’the Waves stole is finished and I can’t describe to you how pleased I am with it. Last week I was very disheartened, I couldn’t see how what I had made could ever look good. I truly thought that I had wasted the last two months knitting this. But here it is and it is beautiful, I know that sounds conceited but I am just so surprised and pleased that I am letting myself be quite boastful about this!

The stole is feather-light and stirs in the breeze but the shaped edging still looks so crisp and sharp. I am very grateful to Eunny for providing this incredibly well written pattern on her website and I will definitely be knitting it again, although the next one I’m planning to make is lace weight rather than cobweb weight as my eyes need a rest from the 2mm needles.

Anyway, that is enough boasting from me, here is a last picture of the stole all packaged up and ready to send to Jo as an engagement present. By the way does anyone know what sort of care instructions I should give with this? I’ve only ever given knitted gifts to family before and I tend to end up washing those myself!

Knitting news

2006-07-29T14:52:00.000+01:00

I’m nearing the end of the Print o’the Waves stole and hope to be able to post the finished article at the beginning of next week. In the mean time I thought I’d share some of the knitterly things I’ve been enjoying this week with you…

The first on my list is the CraftLit pod cast which I’ve been enjoying so much. I’ve been downloading it and listening on my MP3 player on the way to work every day this week. It is labelled as a ‘podcast for knitters who love books’ and every week after an intelligent discussion on craft (usually knitting) you get to listen to a couple of chapters of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. There are currently 15 Episodes of the pod cast up on the blog and I’m on episode 10. I love Austen’s books and it is very relaxing to listen to this on a baking hot train out of London.

The second item on my list is new blogs. I have to admit that recently I’ve been pretty busy and haven’t been reading too many blogs (other than those on my blogroll which I try to never miss!) But the other day I had a bit of a wander around some of the rings I belong to and found this blog - visit if you have time because Malgosia has some stunning finished projects on her site.

Third thing is the new Rowan magazine is out! I was so excited this morning, the first few pages left me feeling a bit nonplussed but the two later collections Kindred Spirit and Legend had so many items I would like to make! The magazine isn’t up on the website yet so I can’t post pictures but I’ll try and remember to do a review once I’ve had a better look at it. I can’t wait to hear what everyone else thinks of it.

This picture is apparently a map of my website(you can try it out for yourselves here ).

Perseverance

2006-07-20T21:32:00.000+01:00

Thank you for all the lovely comments on Butterfly. It cheered me up after an extremely busy day at work today. The House of Commons recess begins next week so all the Ministers are trying to get their parliamentary questions, submissions etc out of the way which means I’ve had a whole lot of briefing to do.

Anyway, the other day I was reading noblinknit’s blog and she was discussing the need to get past the block of being near the end of a project and worrying it won't turn out as well as planned. And I realised that is what I have with my Print o’the Waves stole . I am so near finishing but I’ve suddenly slowed down and started focussing on other things and it’s because I’m worried that all the hard work I’ve put in will end up worthless. As you can see from the picture, it’s not exactly looking stunning at the moment (more like a malformed cauliflower). But now I’ve decided to get on with it, so expect to see a finished stole soon! Besides I want to start something new…

If nothing ever changed there would be no butterflies…

2006-07-18T20:46:00.000+01:00

I’ve finished my holiday project! It was Butterfly from Rowan 37. I finished the knitting on holiday but then couldn’t seem to find the time to finish it off. But now I have and I’m so pleased. It's such a nice top, pretty, floaty, delicate and frivolous. I loved knitting this for the following reasons:

1. It used kid silk haze and beads (always a good combination!)

2. It was incredibly quick to knit

3. It was easy enough to be done in the car etc but still involved enough complications to keep it fun
and best of all…

4. It only took just over one ball of KSH to knit. Honestly I’ve just weighed my second ball and there was 16g out of the 25g left. Plus I got the yarn free from Rowan last time I joined so it was even more of a bargain.
I would definitely knit this pattern again. In fact I probably will, probably in green or grey.

Note also the new skirt I bought in the Monsoon sale today! I had to queue for a very long time but it was half price…

A very quick post

2006-07-12T19:19:00.000+01:00

I'm sorry but this has to be quick because I'm melting from the heat sitting at this computer and my resident G&T cocktail waiter is at his German lesson. Our flat is in the roof of the building and the sun seems to heat it up like an oven.

Anyway, what I had to post about was this! A lace club at Posh Yarn - and you get a free pattern with the lace every quarter. How brilliant is that? I have joined already. I now know why veteran knitters have such large stashes. Mine just keeps growing and growing and yet I can't stop buying more yarn. (I will now quietly point out the recent purchase of posh yarn in the photo above - laceweight cashmere in memories (partly won!) and cobweb weight cashmere/merino in robin's egg...I'm so ashamed of myself)

Wool shopping in Wales...

2006-07-09T12:55:00.000+01:00

I’m back and I have so much to write about. Wales was beautiful, the weather stayed sunny for the entire week and the cottage we had booked was perfect. First things first - wool shopping in Wales! Monkey and I are two of those people who good things just happen to - it's true. We will take a wrong turning get completely lost but find something better in wherever we turn up than what we had originally planned to do. On Thursday we decided to go to Fishguard and what should we see when we walked out of the car park… a wool shop. I really wasn’t expecting to see one so I was pretty pleased. And I’m not talking abut any old wool shop, it was like the wool shop of my dreams! They stocked EVERYTHING, the lady behind the counter was lovely and you could seriously spend hours (and pounds) in there. There was a café in the shop too, which served great food in a beautiful, modern setting and the girl who served us talked knitting - what more could you ask for? If you live in Wales you should definitely give them a visit (and try the coffee and walnut cake!). It is called Jane’s and the address can be found here.

What did I buy? The wool for Matilda Jane! I bought black and a sort of burgundy colour in the end as I felt it would be nice and autumny and I could see me wearing it to work with a smart black skirt (pleated or pencil?) and a pair of very high heels…

I will post later about the knitting I did on holiday as this is already becoming a bit long and instead I will end this post with some pictures from my holiday. By the way I would definitely recommend the cottages too - ours was beautiful, modern, well kept, with stunning views.

Monkey enjoying the beach at Aberystwyth.

I'll always be my father's daughter. A holiday isn't a holiday without a ride on a steam train!

A little taste of what I knitted on holiday...

Holiday

2006-06-30T22:10:00.000+01:00

Sorry for not writing much recently. We are off on holiday to Wales tomorrow for a week's holday and when we get back I'm sure I will post like crazy. I think I need a holiday. I reckon there is a good deal of knitting that can be done in a week in Wales...

The picture is of the sweet little cottage we have booked.

Good news!

2006-06-25T11:49:00.000+01:00

First things first I won the competition on Posh Yarns ! I’m so pleased. Hurray! Thank you Dee.

Another brilliant thing happened this week, my husband (Clever Monkey) qualified as an actuary. He is so clever, most people who don’t have any exemptions take about 5/6 years to qualify but he qualified in 3.5 years. Actuarial exams are so difficult. I used to be an actuarial student before my drastic career change and the maths in the exams used to make me need a lie down and cold, damp flannel on my forehead!

On the knitting front, I have finished both panels of Print o’the Waves, grafted them together and picked up the 640 (!!) tiny stitches around the edge and started knitting the border. It was hard work, I think perhaps I need a magnifying glass next time I attempt that.

Anyway, in celebration of his qualification my husband has decided to treat me to some yarn. I think I’m going to buy the wool for Matilda Jane. I’m thinking of doing it in grey with a black trim but I really can’t decide - any ideas would really be appreciated.

By the way, I have never before felt the urge to knit socks but these have pretty much pushed me over the edge - they aren’t just socks they are works of art!

Sorry I haven’t posted much this week but there has been so much celebrating of Clever Monkey BA FIA (Bachelor of Arts Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries - how grand!) that I haven’t been near my laptop!

Extremely low knitting content - sorry

2006-06-18T16:56:00.000+01:00

After seeing myself in recent photographs I finally braved the hairdressers this week -(I’ve included a picture as my Mum checks my blog and I know she will be interested).

I don’t like going to the hairdressers because, for me, it is jinxed - I don’t know why or how but it is. Take this occasion: I’m pleased with my haircut; the salon is really convenient and in the building next to where I work; and the guy who cut my hair was very pleasant. ‘Great!’ you might think but it isn’t - I can’t ever go back! Somewhere in our conversation the hairdresser became convinced I’d said I lived in Devon (my parents do and I grew up there but I don’t live there now). Anyway, he then asked me what I was doing in London and rather than put him right, as any normal person might do, I ended up telling him a complicated tale about how my husband was on business in London and I was accompanying him on holiday. I don’t know why I did it as now I can’t really go back. It isn’t just me, once my husband spent 6 months with our next door neighbour calling him Ralph because he didn’t want to put him right.

That wasn’t it in terms of my jinxed haircut, the taps stopped working mid shampoo and they had to finish me off with a bucket, the guy decided to straighten my hair for free because he wasn’t busy and I was on holiday and didn’t have to rush off (I was actually on my one hour lunch break and getting pretty stressed) and there was the fateful moment as I left when the hairdresser held up a scruffy looking brush and asked whether I wanted it. “It isn’t mine” I said in a confused tone - but it turned out it was a clothes brush…

Oh well on the bright side the second panel of Print O’the Waves is nearly finished so I should be able to start on the border soon. Also look at my great handbag. My brother bought me the bag (he is the one who keeps leaving the odd comments…at least I hope he is!)

Anyone smell burning?

2006-06-11T11:48:00.000+01:00

Not much knitting news I’m afraid. My needles have been clicking away a like ticker tape experiment in a secondary school lab but the knitting looks much the same just longer.

However, I thought I’d do a quick post about knitting pod casts! I have to thank Carrie Anne of Brit Knit Cast and Acrylik Yarn for this new interest. She recently started this pod cast which I came across through her normal blog and really enjoyed. Her last cast was from a felting workshop and was really interesting - you really felt like you were there. Since then I’ve been listening to quite a few pod casts and another favourite is KnitCast, the last episode had an interview with Amy Singer from Knitty. I think I like listening to the pod casts because it is like reading a blog but you can do it while you’re knitting!

It was World Wide Knitting in Public Day yesterday, I’m pretty fine with knitting in public as I knit everyday on the train but in celebration of the day I did some knitting in the queue at Sainsburys…

On a non-knitting note I’d like to encourage everyone to make a pledge for World Environment Day, which was on the 5 June. I have pledged to use reusable shopping bags!

Yesterday, as the weather was so nice, Clever Monkey and I had our first ever BBQ. I mean first ever BBQ that we were in charge of. We bought one of those disposable ones and had veggie sausages and vegetable kebabs. Yum yum! However, there was a small snag. Do you ever feel like you are just kids playing at keeping house? Sometimes I do. Is there going to be a moment of revelation at some point when Monkey and I will know exactly what to do and our home will start to resemble one of those pictures in the Laura Ashley catalogue? I mean you would think that most people would realise that a disposable BBQ will, if out directly on grass, burn a big hole in the communal lawn. Monkey and I know this too now and we can prove it. Whoops! We have covered it with handfuls of grass in the hope that our fellow residents don’t notice. I hope it isn’t windy today!
Pictures from picasa again - will Blogger ever work again?

Blue sky!

2006-06-03T11:35:00.000+01:00

The sun is shining for the first time in weeks and I am planning to sit and knit in the garden. Here is an update on my current knitting progress. Unusually for me I have three projects on the go at the moment.

1. Tempting II
I haven’t got that far with this yet, it is my watching TV and holding a sensible conversation knit (something I can’t seem to do when I am knitting lace). I also can read while I’m knitting this - I love knitting and reading but I can only do it if I am knitting stocking stitch or rib. By the way I’ve just finished one of the best books I’ve read this year. It is called One Big Damn Puzzler by John Harding. It is funny and moving and one of those books where you miss the characters when you’ve finished it. By the way don’t you love my stitch marker? It is one my husband bought me for Christmas last year from Curious Yarns .

2. Print O’the Waves
I’m still going and I still love it but progress is slow! I’m worried about how many repeats to knit to make it long enough, - it is hard to tell how much bigger it will be when it is blocked. Does anyone have a handy guide to how much things increase by if you block them REALLY firmly?
By the way for anyone else doing this pattern Nat helpfully let me know that there is an error on the border pattern.

3. Shrug
I’m experimenting to try and use my one good left over ball of polar to come up with a circular shrug that obviously just takes one ball…. At the moment it just looks like a fuzzy mess so no photos yet.

I also wanted to show off my new knitting cabinet. It is a Wellington Chest (this basically means that the drawers have narrow wooden shutters that fold forwards and lock the drawers in place allowing them to be easily transported). This one is an antique that came from my husband’s grandparents. We are actually getting two but could only transport one at a time. Isn’t it beautiful? All my wool and needles are nice and tidy inside.

I had to use hello for my photos today as blogger is being bad.

The frogging blues...

2006-05-27T19:22:00.000+01:00

I frogged an entire shrug today. I don’t want to talk about it but I’m feeling a bit blue, there is something about a freshly rolled ball of wool with that crimped “I almost was something" texture that just brings tears to my eyes. My knitting just doesn’t seem to be going that well at the moment. The lace is going very slowly.

To get myself out of this knitting slump I decided to make a knitting spreadsheet of all my stash and all the projects I want to make (following Dreamcatcher‘s good example). Happily there is a large overlap between the yarn and the projects so hopefully there will be some more interesting knitting news coming up.

At least today is Clever Monkey’s birthday and that makes me very cheerful. Here is a picture of the cake I just made. Plus I’m making his favourite homemade lamb and coriander burgers tonight. Then we will be watching X-Men 2. Tonight is truly an evening of high culture!

By the way any ideas of what to do with a rather fuzzy, crumpled looking ball of Rowan Polar would be appreciated. :-(

A long week...

2006-05-20T16:22:00.000+01:00

It has been a long week. The Government Department which I work in has had an almost complete change of ministerial team in Tony Blair’s latest reshuffle and that has meant all of us civil servants running around like headless chickens trying to bring the new team up to date. So I’m afraid that I haven’t had the energy to post this week. But I have been reading everyone else’s posts to get my knitting fix - parasite that I am!

Anyway, I thought I would update you on my first Print of the Waves stole (pattern by Eunny Jang ). I have managed 8 repeats this week. Not much I know but I have also almost finished a shrug in Polar. I’m knitting the stole with cobweb weight yarn and 2mm needles. It is like knitting dental floss with toothpicks! But I also have to say that this is a very enjoyable knit, it feels like a real challenge after some of the easier patterns I’ve been doing lately. I included the needles from my shrugs in the picture above just to show how truly tiny the 2mms are!

The blue threads that are running across are the lace knitting equivalent of safety nets. After every repeat I thread a piece of sewing cotton through all the stitches on the needle. This means that if I make any mistakes or drop any stitches I never have to undo more than one repeat. It makes it easier because with all the yarnovers you use in lace it is incredible hard to pick up a row if you start to undo it. By the way, if you decide to try this too, make sure you thread the cotton through the stitches using the eye-end of the sewing needle first, that way you are more likely to go straight through the centre of the stitch rather than the wool. It also makes it easier to count the number of repeats you’ve done.

Weight Watchers for wool? Wool Watchers...?

2006-05-13T13:58:00.000+01:00

I’m so ashamed of myself. Yarn greed got the better of me…

My cashmere/silk cobweb weight yarn arrived from Posh Yarn. Soon to be two of Eunny's Print o'the wave stoles. (Very quick service from Posh Yarns and beautifully packaged by the way). The colours are raspberry and ivory. Although I would describe it more as strawberry than raspberry now that I’ve seen it in the flesh.

The other day I happened to be reading Ysolda'sand she had just been shopping at the Cucumberpatch. Nice, I thought but carried on reading, then I saw her photo and she had bought Rowan Polar. How could I resist? I’d been wanting some for ages.

When I checked out the Cucumerpatch website they had LOADS of really great Rowan wool in their sale. So I bought some Rowanspun chunky too! The polar is going to be turned into
two shrugs and the polar is going to be a comfy stay at home jumper for me in the autumn.

Cucumberpatch were also very quick at delivering, plus they gave me a free sew-on Rowan label! I’ve seen a few of these for sale on various sites now. What do you think of the idea? My husband wants me to sew it on his jumper I made him because he keeps wearing it back to front…

I know this is a terrible photo but I haven’t managed to get a better one yet but I will by the end of the weekend. This is my Debbie Bliss Pure Silk top . I’ll tell you more about how it was to knit when I have some better photos.

I joined the lace KAL

2006-05-12T20:41:00.000+01:00

This means I'm definitely going to be knitting the Print o'the wave stole next. I just wish my wool wasn't currently sitting in the local post office waiting for me...

Print O'The Wave

2006-05-09T20:32:00.000+01:00

I’m feeling very happy at the moment, yesterday I found out that one of my best friends is getting married (she was one of my bridesmaids if you’ve looked at my wedding photos). I’m so happy for her and her fiance! He is really lovely and they make such a great couple. Apparently he jetted her off to Italy on a surprise holiday and gave her with a beautiful pear-shaped diamond ring. How romantic is that?
Anyway, I’ve decided that I want to make her an engagement present and my plan is to make Eunny’s Print O'the Wave stole. I’ve ordered some ivory cobweb weight yarn from Posh Yarns(I’ve also ordered some in raspberry because if I enjoy making it I’m going to make my Gran one too).
Anyway, this does mean that I am going to take a brief break from my sweater/top challenge of one a month but never mind - how long can a couple of stoles take :-)
I’m thinking of joining the Amazing Lace KAL, has anyone else joined up?
I really want to post some pictures of my finished April and May projects but blogger won't let me. I hope that it will be behaving itself by tomorrow.

A bit woolly in the head

2006-05-04T20:44:00.000+01:00

Yesterday afternoon Clever Monkey emailed me to tell me he had a German lesson after work. Obviously my first thought on hearing this was obviously “brilliant a chance for some unobserved stash enhancement“. Not that my husband would ever deny me my yarn but sometimes I’m a little bit ashamed of my own greed and like to hide it. Anyway I popped along to John Lewis after work and bought these items.

Just in case my picture doesn’t make it clear I bought lovely bag handles, some nice greeny wool to make a branching out (I saw Dreamcatcher's and had to have one of my own!) and I finally bought a ball of wool cotton to finish my bolero! I think I was fairly restrained given that I really wanted to by the yarn for Matilda Jane.
Anyway, I was so pleased with my knitting purchases that I seemed to go into some sort of knitting daze. 30 minutes later I realised I was on the wrong train going in the opposite direction. I don’t know how I did it but if I tell you that I set of at 18.45 and finally got home at 21.00 you’ll get an idea of how thoroughly lost I was. But as Clever Monkey said it was worth it for the wool…

Knitting on the move

2006-05-02T22:32:00.000+01:00

I travel to and from work everyday on a train that is so crowded that people are left standing on the platform and those that get on the train often have their faces squashed against the window. But I’m not going crazy (yet) and my knitting is the only reason. Why is it so calming? Even if I come out of my office cursing my evil boss (seriously she is mean!) by the time I get home after 45 minutes or so of knitting I’m practically skipping (sometimes literally… I must stop humiliating myself). So I thought I’d put together some quick tips for knitting on the train.

Knit small, by this I really mean keep those elbows in. You’d be amazed how grumpy a sleepy commuter can be if he’s woken up by a knitting needle tickling his ear. Perhaps they need some knitting to calm them down?
Knit something that isn’t too complicated. The train isn’t the place for lace, it will only end in tears…
Use circular or flexible needles (have I mentioned before how much I LOVE my Denise interchangeable needles) to decrease your knitting “footprint”. This is similar to point one but not only are flexible needles good for small knitting - they fit easily into your bag and don’t break if someone accidentally stands on your bag. Sorry painful memories of some nice bamboo needles with some lovely lace on them. See this is why we need points 2 and 3!
Cross your fingers that you don’t get a man sitting next to you. They spread out so much and they always take the armrest. I stand by this point for non-knitters too.
Try and get a window seat, it’s just so annoying when every passing carrier bags knocks you knitting out of your hands.
Buy a cute dinky little sewing kit and matching tape measure. OK not strictly necessary but my Mum got me these for Christmas and I love them so much that I take them everywhere.
Last tip, make it look impressive! Knit quick, where possible use more than two needles at a time, use pretty stitch markers no one can fail to resist the lure of knitting jewellery and learn the pattern off by heart before the journey so they think that you always know exactly what you are doing.
Here is a not very exciting picture of my knitting progress. After I finish this front piece I only have the tiny little sleeves to knit and I’ll be finished. I can’t wait to be able to wear this top it’s so soft.
I hope everyone had a great bank holiday weekend. We did! The highlight of it was going to see our friends who live in Golders Green in London. They have such a lovely house, and a robot hoover which is just so cool! I know I’m a geek but a robot hoover surely is the height of luxury. Anyway my friend cooked the most delicious moussaka. It was from this book which I really want now. The recipes all looked delicious and the actual book was beautiful too.

Look what I just bought...

2006-04-27T20:30:00.000+01:00

...Anyone fancy a Matilda Jane KAL?

The pattern is from ysolda. Isn't it stunning?

So near and yet so far

2006-04-26T22:28:00.000+01:00

I’m so tired! And I really mean it. On Monday I actually fell asleep in a meeting at work, not so unusual you might be thinking to yourselves, but I was taking the minutes! After it finished I looked back through my notes and about every tenth line the end of a word drifts off towards the bottom of the page, that roughly matches every time my headed nodded forwards and then jerked back up again as I managed to miraculously wake myself up. They really shouldn’t hold meetings on waste licensing, these things are bound to happen. It has been one of those weeks really, today I made a complete idiot of myself by trying to let myself through the security barriers at work using my train ticket…

Do you every wish that you were a 1950's housewife? I know that it is politically incorrect but I would really like to stay at home cleaning, cooking and knitting. Well some days I would anyway.

I have to apologise because I know that by the time I get home from work I’m even more brain dead, which means that perhaps my posts aren’t the immense works of literary genius that they could be. But to make up for it I’m going to point you in the direction of two blogs that have made me laugh this week. The first is a new one on the UK knitters ring and it is so funny and well written you should check it out (the knitting princess and the pea) and the other is an old favourite with a lot of people but a blog I’ve only recently come across for the first time knit and tonic. It is really funny, especially the poses in the FOs photo albums.

You know that I said I was coping with not having the wool yet to finish my bolero? I lied. On Monday night I actually undid the tension square and tied every scrap of wool I had leftover together (one piece was only two inches long) to try and finish it - and I almost did. Almost being getting to within one inch from finishing. I think I‘m even more frustrated than before. I could have cried.

A proper knitting post

2006-04-21T11:05:00.000+01:00

I had a small knitting disappointment over Easter with my Debbie Bliss bolero. I finished the knitting and made up the bolero, I chose some beads for the trim and crocheted about three-quarters of it only to run out of wool.

I am a pretty obsessive person, I’ll admit it. I’m a ‘start something and finish it before you start something else’ kind of girl. So I was momentarily in a state of confusion. I could barely think of anything but getting enough wool to finish the top, I even had knitting dreams. I bet that you all have had those too. Don’t deny it!

Luckily I had this to get me through the anguish!

It’s some Debbie Bliss Pure Silk. I LOVE this yarn. It is so incredible soft I can’t stop stroking it. The drape when it is knitted up is exquisite and the sheen beautiful. I said to Clever Monkey that I don’t want to knit with anything else ever again. He gave me a stern look at this, as to be honest the yarn isn’t exactly value for money…

I’m knitting the wrap-around top from the Debbie Bliss Pure Silk knitting book. It is an incredibly easy pattern to knit. You could do it in your sleep.

Knitting with the actual Pure Silk yarn makes me realise why I had some problems using the wool cotton for the bolero top. In the end I think it looks lovely and the trim really finishes it off but the seaming wasn’t easy and looks a little bit bulky. I think that this is mainly because the drape of the wool cotton knitted up is much stiffer than the Pure Silk which the pattern was designed for and the fronts are knitted from side to side and the back from bottom to top.

I have also made a tiny bit of progress on Lisette. Grrrrr (see left).

By the way check out this lovely cardigan from Debbie Bliss on ‘Janet knits’ ‘Janet knits’.

DIY Wedding

2006-04-18T19:46:00.000+01:00

Clever Monkey and I have been married for 6 whole months! To celebrate this wonderful news I’m going to do a whole post about my wedding. I’m sorry I know this is a bit naughty on a knitting blog but everybody I know in real life has heard enough about it.

We got married in mid October last year but it was so freakily hot it was like summer. We had a fairly small wedding (80 people – is that really small, it felt quite big at the time?) I’ll focus on the crafty side of the day to try and keep it somewhat appropriate.

This is my wedding dress, I made it! I hand embroidered lots of daisies on it with tiny diamante in the centres. It took me a long time and lots of experiments to decide on the design but I chose daisies in the end as my Mum had daisies on her wedding dress (which she made!) on her wedding day. I was very naughty as I had only started the embroidery in August which meant that there was less than two months to make up the actual dress. As you can imagine I got pretty frantic.

I made the wedding invitations but I don’t seem to have one left over to show you, obviously they were stunning!

Now we get to the real talent of the day, my Mum did all the flowers - church, bouquets, table decorations and button holes. Don’t they look amazing? I absolutely loved my bouquet, I took a picture home to show my Mum what I wanted and she managed to match it exactly. The roses are grand prix, the boys have Romance roses (I think that is what they were called); Romance roses have the most incredible scent.

My Mum also made the cake (baked it and iced it). Check it out, it matches my wedding dress.

We had the reception in the Royal Clarence in Exeter and I would definitely recommend it, the food was amazing, the room looked like something out of a dream and there is a great view of the cathedral.

It was the best day of my life, I didn’t get stressed at all (very unusual for me). It was just amazing to have all our friends and family together in one place. I am still probably the happiest wife in the world and I bet I always will be. I know - sickening isn’t it?

One more mention with regard to talent, my brother was the DJ and played some great music. He even played So Long, Farewell from the Sound of Music when Monkey and I left for the night!

Catch up

2006-04-11T19:22:00.000+01:00

It seems like ages since I last posted anything and I feel suitably ashamed of myself but I have been very busy. My parents came to stay with us on Friday night, which was lovely, and we all went out to a great Chinese restaurant in Leatherhead called Pangs Villa. Mmmmmmmmmmmm tasty! Worth a visit if you live nearby.

Then on Saturday we all went to my brother’s new flat for lunch. We all arrived at one o’clock on the dot only to find that he was still in Sainsbury’s – at least it wasn’t raining, as we waited outside for quite a while. Eventually he came back and we sat down to eat by about 3 o’clock!! We had a great time though, his girlfriend is so lovely and my brother is a great cook. We had lemon and asparagus risotto to start, followed by cod stuffed with olives and served with spinach and roasted tomatoes. Then for dessert we had strawberries, ice cream and chocolate brownies! Now the last item on the list was especially delicious because I have given up chocolate for lent but it would have been rude not to eat it when I was a guest! ;-)

The weekend doesn’t end there, we had Monkey’s parents round for lunch on Sunday and I cooked a roast and another French apple flan.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is I was very busy! However, I still had time to finish knitting the bolero just need to sew it all together now. By the way I have made a decision I am going to finish knitting my guilt jumper. This is Lisette from Rowan 36 (see photo), I started it months and months ago but I just can’t finish it. I don’t know why, I’m usually a fairly quick knitter but now I am going to bite the bullet and actually finish it…

I made these...

2006-04-05T19:35:00.000+01:00

Mmmmmmmmmmmm gratuitous picture of cup cakes. We are having a coffee morning at work tomorrow. We have these periods of organised play fairly frequently in my division; I think it is supposed to increase team spirit. Oh well, I don’t care what it does if we get to eat cakes and gossip!

Anyway, besides creating culinary marvels (they taste good even if the icing is wonky!) what have I been up to? I’ve almost finished my Debbie Bliss bolero - I do wish she would give her knits more whimsical names… I need a nice name to bond properly. I just have one sleeve to go now so hopefully I will be making it up next weekend and starting on a new adventure. I can't be bother to post a picture because it just looks like lots of stocking stitch at the moment to be honest, but as soon as it looks half decent I will give you a peek.

I’m still having difficulty deciding what to do next but I am leaning towards Flirty (Rowan 37), as I have the wool already.

Please knit me into a jumper!!!!!

Does he look a right Charley in this? (No!)

2006-04-01T18:53:00.000+01:00

Look I finished Charley from Rowan 37! Do you like it? I knitted it in All Seasons cotton in shade 164 (Dusky). I’m really pleased with it and so is Clever Monkey. Doesn’t my husband look very handsome in it?

I’m glad that I just made my target of finishing by the end of March, in the end it was only the seaming that held me up.

I know that it was meant to be a birthday jumper but I couldn’t resist seeing it on him straight away.

The bolero top is coming on well. I think I might have that finished soon too - well ahead of my end of April deadline. What shall I knit next…?

Congratulations!

2006-04-01T09:37:00.000+01:00

This is just a quick post to celebrate the fact that Clever Monkey got promoted at work yesterday. See, he is amazing! Sainsbury's-own Champagne and homemade vegetable curry to celebrate. Does it get any better than this?

Knitting Poll

2006-03-29T21:51:00.000+01:00

I've decided to do a monthly knitting poll on my blog. It's in the left column below. This month the question is "Knitty or Magknits?" Is that too controversial?

Some other polls might be "socks or sweaters?", "circular or straight?" and "Kim Hargreaves or Debbie Bliss?". Obviously any better suggestions will be gratefully received...

Picture of my progress on the very cute pink bolero!

Grumpy

2006-03-27T19:43:00.000+01:00

I am down in the dumps, well as down as someone with the perfect husband, a lovely flat and plenty of friends can be. Basically the fact is that by now I expected to be ruling the world. Seriously, I was one of those over achieving idiots at school - top in every subject, lead parts in the school plays, and rubbish at P.E. I thought I was destined for great things, when in fact I spend 8 hours a day sitting in an office sending pointless emails and attending long and pointless meetings. My job isn’t bad; in fact it is pretty good. I’m not complaining about that, it’s just I expected something a little more… Well, actually I don’t know what I expected but I really did think I would change the world. Now I struggle through the day dreaming about knitting and opening my own knit café in the crazy streets of Epsom. I’m 26, there are MPs younger than me.

Talking of knitting I am half way through the back of the bolero top now, sides left and right completed! By the way I love the Denise needles but more about that another time…

New Beginnings – Pure Silk

2006-03-26T10:35:00.000+01:00

This is just a short blog to let you know what I have decided to knit next… the Tie Front Bolero from Debbie Bliss Pure Silk Collection.

I’m knitting it in Rowan wool cotton but I really want to try the pure silk and I have already picked out another design I want to knit with it.

I took a photo of my tension square yesterday to give an idea of the colour.

But then I managed to finish the whole left front and part of the right front. Monkey is so busy studying that he doesn’t notice that I’m actually spending my day on the couch, watching Ingrid Bergman movies and knitting rather than cleaning the flat! But don’t worry I always make sure his tea is on the table.

One more thing – another new Kim Hargreaves collection is out!! Have a look.

Buttons and Beads

2006-03-25T10:09:00.000Z

I feel the need to accessorise! I’m planning a design for my own top and I think it’s going to call for some really special buttons. Obviously I won’t be putting these buttons where buttons normally go. I’ll post a picture of my design sketches as soon as I am a bit further on. In the mean time check out the lovelies above!!! I found them on the Nichols Buttons website. They have such an amazing selection - I challenge you not to be inspired.

To move on from buttons I’ve also been pondering on the subject of beads. I need some beads to go around the bottom of Flirt from Rowan 37 and I think that I will also put beads around cuffs of the purple wraparound top I’m making. So I’ve been investigating. Currently for flirt, which I’m knitting with an apple coloured trim rather than the orchid colour pictured in the magazine I was thinking of some semi-precious chips probably in green aventurine . Or these incredibly cute butterflies.

For my little purple top I want something more unusual, maybe in metal but I haven’t found anything I like yet. Suggestions gratefully received…

Still going...

2006-03-22T21:05:00.000Z

I’ve almost finished the second sleeve of Charley – slipped it into the photo above. That means that by this weekend I will be blocking and seaming. Hurray! I’m a bit worried though about how little wool I have left, only one ball to go and I have to do the collar after the body is all put together. I will most definitely growl if I run out.

I have joined my first knit-along and I’m so excited. I’ve added a link on the left. It’s called the Year of the Sweater. Everyone on it seems really nice, I’m hoping that it will help me complete the challenge I’ve set myself to knit one top/jumper/cardigan every month. Only 8 days left to finish Charley (plenty of time!!).

My Denise interchangeable needles have arrived and they seem great. The case is so compact and they fit together really easily. I’ll make sure that I use them for my next project so that I can do a proper review. I have to say that the internet shop I bought them from is brilliant. I only ordered them on Sunday morning and they were with me by Tuesday evening. Well done to the Woolly Workshop, I’ll definitely be shopping there again.

Clever Monkey is out playing football tonight so I finally have use of the computer again, although at the price of the company I’m not sure it’s worth it!

It was my friend’s birthday on Monday and I’m meeting her on Friday after work but I can’t think what to buy her. I’m thinking of getting one of these really cute Wicker bags from Accessorize but I’m worried that it won’t be fashionable enough. Jo is so stylish, she always looks good and like she stepped out of a glossy magazine. Maybe I’ll get her a cook book…

2006-03-19T11:49:00.000Z

The almost finished French Apple Tart

2006-03-19T11:45:00.000Z

Denise interchangeable needles

Denise interchangeable needles.

2006-03-19T11:05:00.000Z

Right I have taken the plunge! I’ve been thinking about it for a while and scouring the internet for reviews on them but I have finally ordered a set of Denise interchangeable needles. What do you think? Will they be worth it?

The review which clinched it for me was the one written by Amy R Singer the Editor of knitty. She even said that she had given all her straights away to her Mum after having this set for two years. I’ll let you know if I ever decide to do the same!

I think that these will mostly be used when I need circular needles in various sizes, as it always seems that I have to order a new size for every project. I think I already own straights in every size possible. These might also be handier for knitting on the train.

Last night we had some friends over for a meal. Actually it was an old uni friend and his new girlfriend. She was lovely. I’m so pleased for him, it’s always so nice when your friends meet someone who is obviously so right for them. We had a really great time. I made French apple tart using a recipe of my Mum’s. It was very tasty - I’ve taken a photo but there isn’t much left! (Very easy)Recipe below:

French Apple Tart
6oz plain flour
4oz unsalted butter
6oz caster sugar
1 egg yolk
water
2lb cooking apples, peeled and chopped into big cubes (take the core out too!)
2 dessert apple (e.g. braeburn)
lemon juice
1 tbsp apricot jam.

Rub 3oz of the butter into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs.
Stir in 1 tbsp of the sugar.
Turn into dough by adding the egg yolk and about 1-2 tbsp of cold water.
Leave in the fridge.
Melt the rest of the butter in sauce pan; add the cooking apples and half of the rest of the sugar. Cook gently for about ten minutes with the lid on. The drain and save the juice and mush up the rest to use as the filling.
Slice the dessert apples and sprinkle with lemon juice to stop them going brown.
Roll out the pastry and line a greased flan ring (around 7inches). Prick the bottom (of the pastry).
Add the filling and arrange the sliced apples on top.
Melt the jam, remaining sugar, lemon juice and apple juice together in a pan use to glaze the sliced apples.
Bake in pre-heated oven at 200C or gas mark 6 for 30 minutes (check after 20 just to be careful!).
Serve with clotted cream (or custard and ice-cream as one of my guests had last night…)

I'm back!

2006-03-15T18:37:00.000Z

I’ve been away from my blog longer than intended. When Monkey and I got back from holiday I pressed the ‘go’ button on the computer and nothing. There was no flutter and purr. Luckily Monkey being the Clever Monkey he is, went out and bought a new power supply unit and fixed the computer all by himself (picture of the removed part above!) – although I did sit around and help. Actually most of my attempts to help were stopped with yelps of “don’t touch that!”

We had a great holiday. There was lots of sport on the TV so Clever Monkey watched that and studied. I knitted and knitted and knitted but even with all that effort I still have half a sleeve of Charley to go.

I bought the Debbie Bliss Pure Silk pattern book and it is amazing. The patterns are so stylish but classic at the same time and I love the colours available in the yarn. My mum bought me the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino book as she wanted me to knit a gift for someone but she was so impressed with the book that now she is thinking of knitting it herself. I hope that she does it would be brilliant if my Mum got interested in knitting again.

I've added the Debbie Bliss website to my favourite links on the left.

I also bought loads of Rowan wool cotton that was above in a really nice colour (see above). Not sure what to knit with it yet...

By the way, I want to recommend the wool shop in Bideford North Devon just in case you are ever down in those parts. It is really well stocked and the lady who runs it is really friendly. I don't know about you but there do seem to be quite a few dragons running knitting shops out there so it is nice to find someone friendly!

Hurray, Hurray, I'm off on holiday!

2006-03-09T10:21:00.000Z

Well almost, Monkey and I are going home to Exeter today to see my parents. The only downside is I have to go to the dentist tomorrow morning. I know it's ridiculous to go all the way to Devon just to visit the dentist but do you know how hard it is to get a dentist in Surrey!!

Anyway, it means I get to see my wonderful parents and my cute little grandma. Plus there is a bonus this weekend because my Mum has decided that we should all go and stay in a fancy hotel. It is very beautiful and by the sea - I'll take lots of nice photos.

It also means I get to do lots of knitting. Maybe I could even finish Charley?

I’ve spent the morning looking at other people’s blogs. There are such talented people out there!

I’m going to take the new Rowan magazine home to show my Mum. My Mum is the one who taught me how to knit, sew, embroider, crochet and probably everything else too. She can plait sawdust to borrow a phrase of my Dad’s.

Charley update

2006-03-06T19:38:00.000Z

Look! I've just reached the armhole shaping on Charley (Rowan Magazine 37 see previous post). It really is such a nice knit. I haven't knitted with All Seasons Cotton before but it is fast becoming a favourite. It is so smooth and knits up so quickly. Do you like the jumper so far? It is a bad photo but I'll try and get some nice ones in daylight when I get a chance.

I'm trying to decide what to start making next, I know that I still have the sleeves to knit but...

There are 3 top options at the moment, no wait a minute 5.

1. Finish Lisette (Rowan 36). This is my guilt jumper that seems to be cursed. Seriously I've never known a piece of knitting to fall of needles so much. I've had to firmly fasten it down with elastic bands.
2. Flirty (Rowan 37) - so cute.
3. Butterfly (rowan 37)
4. Charleston (Rowan 39)
5. My Kim Hargreaves kit jumper that I got for Christmas. Which reminds me I ought to post a picture of my Kim Hargreaves hat I've knitted. It is so cute.

If anyone could tell me how to add finshed projects link to my website I'd be eternally grateful.

Knitting makes me car sick

2006-03-05T14:54:00.000Z

Just got back from Kingston and look at the goodies I've bought! I love kidsilk haze, although maybe I should have bought the blue? It knits up so quickly and it is so soft. Going to go and design the elephant valance in a second, just wanted to show off my purchases.

The funny beige patch is a carpet sample of the carpet we are hoping to get. We are just waiting to check the prices in other places first as I'm guessing John Lewis isn't the cheapest place to shop. However we do want to buy a good quality carpet, apparently it’s all about density. The denser it is the less often you have to Hoover - sounds good to me.

I've bought the Tuscan Retreat book but I think I won't be making anything for a while; it costs a fortune with the amount of wool each project takes. So Monkey suggests I finish some of my other knitting projects before I buy any more yarn. I'm wondering if there is something cheaper I could substitute it with. I'll investigate.

Feeling a bit sick as I was knitting in the car. It never used to make me car sick but I guess now that we hardly ever go anywhere in the car I'm not used to it.

Knitting Shopping Trip

2006-03-05T07:58:00.000Z

I'm excited. Clever Monkey has promised to take me shopping to John Lewis today. This means I can spend ages wandering round the fabric and craft departments. I can’t wait; I've got loads of ideas for new projects. I'm going to buy some thick crochet cotton and make an elephant filet crochet valance for our kitchen window; some sort of powder blue fabric to make a bias cut, strappy, summer dress; and the new Rowan pattern book Tuscan Retreat, I love the cover jumper (see picture above). No doubt I’ll be picking up some nice yarn too. We hardly ever go shopping, seriously! Although, I suspect this is a good thing because it means that we have better things to do and it means we don’t spend quite so much money!

I have to admit though I do like internet shopping. I have my eye on this dress at Warehouse at the moment but I keep wondering whether I would be better of just making myself one?

Clever Monkey’s jumper is coming on fine and I reckon I’ll be on the sleeves soon. His birthday is at the end of May so I will be finished in plenty of time. I have so many exciting things to knit after that, I can’t wait.

The Princess Of Mantua and this weeks other books

2006-03-04T13:29:00.000Z

The three books I am reading this week are proving really good. I started Collapse by Jared Diamond first. I'd been reading a blog at work by a scientist visiting Antarctica and he had referred to some examples from this book that had interested me. It is basically about what has caused civilizations to vanish in the past. The major examples it uses are Easter Island and the Norse societies in Greenland and Iceland. A lot of it comes down to sustainable living, which anyone who works in government will know is the concept of the moment. I would recommend this book because it is very readable and contains enough anecdotes to make the societies come alive in your mind. It will also make you think about where our societies are currently heading and what we should be doing to change this.

Book two is The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst. I got this as one of the Booker prize job-lots from the Book People. They do them every year for the short list. I don't know why I haven't got round to reading this until now. I guess that the subject matter didn't interest me immediately (gay youth in rich 80's political society...), however, now I've started reading it really is interesting. I particularly like Catherine or "The cat who walks alone", she reminds me of a lot of girls I have met in the past; uncertain, insecure and making all the usual mistakes.

The third book is by a French author, Marie Ferranti and it is based on the story of the life of Barbara von Brandenburg (see picture above lady looking to the right standing behind the dwarf). The Princess of Mantua is beautifully written in a very sparse style. Marie Ferranti lets you see the more emotional and everyday life of a fifteenth century family of high standing. I especially like the excerpts of letters included in the book which show Barbara to be a mischievous woman with a good deal of wisdom.

Favourite knitting websites

2006-03-02T18:03:00.000Z

I thought I would just add a post listing some of the best websites I know for knitting info/shopping in the UK and beyond:

- The knitty magazine is brilliant! It has loads of free, fashionable patterns and with its links to some of the designers’ blogs it opens up a whole new world of yarn. Check out the photo of Tempting that I knitted using Jenna Adorno's pattern from the archives.
- Ok I’ll admit it, I am a complete yarn snob and practically all the wool I have ever bought comes from Rowan. If you love knitting then you should definitely join. You get an amazing magazine twice a year and the website has some free pattern downloads.
- My favourite online kitting store is Angel Yarns. They sell almost everything you could want.
- And the best site for gifts for knitters has to be Curious Yarns. I’m including this in case my husband logs on to my blog. I really love their sock kits and the cute little stitch markers.
- And of course there is Kim Hargreaves. No comment necessary!

Lazy day

2006-03-02T11:55:00.000Z

Hurray!! I have a day off work! After two weeks of my boss being off work I decided that I needed a break, so here I am on a Thursday morning in my pink, fluffy, dressing gown. Last night I nipped into Sainsburys and bought all the required items for a truly lazy day at home. I have malted milk biscuits, hot cross buns and real ‘hack a slice of the loaf’ bread. When I originally took this day off it was in order to bring comfort and solace to my amazing, genius of a husband while he studies for his actuarial exams. Unfortunately being the all round star that he is, his work have cancelled his day off and asked him to solve all their problems and save their entire business. This leaves me all alone at home with the previously mentioned packet of biscuits. Such is the life of the Super Hero's spouse.

Anyway with the Clever Monkey out of the way it gives me ample time to concentrate on finishing his birthday jumper. This is from issue 37 of the Rowan magazine but in a much manlier colour. Pictures do nothing to show off this manliness as I’ve had to resort to modelling the work in progress on my dress maker’s dummy - Monkey being at work and all.

About me

2005-12-18T19:15:00.000Z

Things I like: books, knitting, sewing, art, Bing, ducks, waves, Bryher, new clothes, elephants, empty train carriages, sunny autumn days, , monkeys...
Things I hate: crowds, working, eggs, litter, running out of time, alarm clocks, earwigs...

I have spent my entire life dreaming of something but I still can't work out what.