28 Feb 2007

Capelet love

I stashed up on some lovely Debbie Bliss Maya some time ago, and its been sitting there ever since, wondering what I will be making it into.
So, I found the most perfect pattern for it, wound up 2 skeins, and off I went.

Presenting, my version of the Anthropologie inspired capelet

I didn't make any changes as such, just knit the body a slight bit longer before I went into the rib and cast off.
This was a very very easy knit, for anyone out there who wants to try knitting something larger than a hat its a very good one to start with.
I had planned on wearing this at a function I was at on Friday last but it didn't happen. I did wear it over the weekend however, with a long sleeve top underneath, and a red flower pin to close the top.
It needs proper blocking, I only dry blocked it, as in I didn't wash it first.
I was in a hurry at the time.
I even had some Maya left from the second skein!

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22 Feb 2007

A diet perhaps?

Remember this?

Well the doggy coat was for Baby, who has perhaps doubled in size since the last time I saw her?!

She wasn't too impressed I think!

My friend loved it.


Her other dog Eskie was also having a private snigger
Tee hee


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20 Feb 2007

Secret Socks, not a secret no more

This is a tale of two socks.
In a moment of madness some days ago, I decided that it would be a good idea to knit a pair of socks IN SECRET for my boyfriend for Valentines Day. Yeah, very romantic I know.
So as if that wasn't madness enough, I decided to knit them both at once, on one circular needle at the same time, doing the magic loop method, toe up.
I also had to tackle a short row heel which I'd never done before.
I worked out the amount of knitting time I would have, going on the fact that my boyfriend is at my place most of the time, and generally if he's not at mine, I'm at his.
It helped that he had to go to the UK for work on the Friday before Valentines day, it didn't help that I got itchy fingers and decided that I really needed to cast on for this project, in order to wear it to a do this Friday coming.
It didn't help that I had plans that I'd forgotten about for Monday evening, which involved a group of friends playing Balderdash at a friends house (excellent game!!)
It also didn't help that I was counting on having Tuesday evening to myself in order to finish off the socks, and my boyfriend felt he really needed to see me so came over (I'm not complaining that much!)










So where did that leave me?
It left me arriving first at my friends house, and being brave enough to take out my knitting while waiting for the others arrive (mostly non-knitters, with one who does a tiny bit but doesnt have the bug).




It left me knitting in my lunchbreak at work 3 days in a row, including Valentines day

On Valentines Day, I thought I would have an hour, just to finish off that last inch at the cuff. My boyfriend decided that he couldn't do without me, and got an earlier train. I had about 10 minutes to pack up the unfinished socks before he arrived.














The verdict?
He loved them.
"Oh great...... socks!!" was his comment, and not in a sarcastic way!





Phew! *wipes sweat off her brow*

Specs:
I used this great pattern and the great Elizabeth Zimmermans sewn cast off, which I had used previously for Knucks.
Jaegar Matchmaker 4 ply yarn which is 100%merino and 3.25 circular needle.
Now, off to finish my capelet....whilst balancing pancakes and maple syrup....hmm, maybe not such a good idea....







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18 Feb 2007

Avoca yumminess

How time flies when you are having fun!

Its a few days since Cheryl and I went off galivanting to Avoca, in order to immerse ourselves in fibre goodiness. We lost Holly early on in our plans, and unfortunately lost Isobel that very morning, mere minutes before we were due to leave, so it was up to myself and Cheryl to try and save the woolen day.

It was my first venture into the sale that Avoca holds every year, and I wasn't disappointed!

I gave myself a budget and I'm pleased to say I didn't go over it, even had money left over for some lovely soup and brown bread in their cafe afterwards, although I won't say anything about the awful coffee that followed...

Anyway, here is a sample of what we were met with at the sale-


Do you notice anything funny about the above picture?

Notice a hand sneaking in with some purple yarn in it on the right hand side?

Thats Cheryl's, as she was on the phone to Isobel, trying to describe what was on offer.

An in-action shot!

There was a lot of these types of baskets dotted about, and the prices? To die for!

So, what did I come away with-->

Yes, its a large amount of yarn! I know, I know.

But could you help it if you are faced with delectable yarn, at prices that just can't be ignored?

Oh okay then, here are some individual shots




So what happens when you have a car-trunk full of yarn (as we bought some for Isobel too) and the rest of the afternoon free?

You ring Isobel and tell her to put the kettle on, we're coming round!

See previous post for clarification!!

Oh, and guess what the total weight of the yarn I bought came to (along with the cones of course)

8 kg and 450g approx! Thats a lot of yarn!

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16 Feb 2007

Muffins

Tea and home-made vegan apricoty/spicy/yummy muffins at Isobel's.
Just like they say on the tin!
Oh, whats peeking out from underneath the plate?
Its a muffin napkin!!
How cool is that!!
(Please note the half eaten muffin before I even noticed that there was a muffin napkin available)
(Oh yeah, there is a bit of knitting in the corner, more about that later)

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15 Feb 2007

Happy Valentines Day


Belated Happy Valentines to everyone. I was too busy being loved up yesterday to blog.

Sorry, but you understand!

Leaving you here with a photo of some of the flowers being delivered at my work. the lady in reception said I should have come down earlier, there were a lot more there earlier. Meanwhile, she was busy ringing up people saying there was a delivery in reception for them to come and collect...

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8 Feb 2007

Dublin Woolen Mills

Proof that Dublin Woolen Mills are stocking alternatives to acrylic!
Do you think there's any chance that they'll expand further?
Check out the colours of the kidsilk haze on top!!!! Yummmmy indeed.

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Mason Dixon Washcloth


I didn't post about this yesterday because its actually a finished object. I finished it last week and have been meaning to post about it.


Unlike Sharon, I haven't blocked it, because I reasoned that it would be used straight away almost.
I would have blocked it if it was going as a present however, honest!
Oh...and guess what?
Its SNOWING outside yyaaaaaaaayyyyyyy
doubt if it will stick though, its been sleeting beforehand and is too wet.... booooooo

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7 Feb 2007

WIP Wednesday

I'm trying to get things in order in my head lately.

This is a very lengthy process, let me tell you!
One of the things I have done is create a spreadsheet with all the items that I'm planning on doing in the next year, including baby items for friends (which are a bit vague in detail, but at least I have them marked down).
I also keep a note of the items I'm working on in a notebook that I bring around with me all the time, and sometimes other things that I want to make, which don't get to the spreadsheet on the PC.
There are also always things that I want to do in my head that never get written down or done. Not forgotten though, I have a special chamber in my brain for knitting you know!
So, here is a little catalogue of all my current WIPs.
Ahem.
First up is a little something Im working on, which I can't quite talk about at the moment.
All you need to know is that I am also doing 3 new to me methods whilst doing it, and have a very short timeframe in which to get it done.
All I'll mention are these words: toe up, 2 on one, whilst doing magic. Ive done magic before, just not in this manor.
Here's a sneek preview -->



Onto other WIP's, this is a tea cosy for my sister, as requested....oh was it last summer.....and may have been promised for her birthday in August.....oops....

This is using a combination of luxery aran tweed by Tivoli and RYC Cashcotton 4ply, and the combination of both of them is producing a really yummy soft but thick stitch.

Then I am working on a pot holder for myself, its a test one, as I had had it in my head that I wanted to test out some stitches into knitted squares and then put some material on the back of them and use them as pot holders, then I discovered that Magknits in December had the very things I was thinking of! (unfortunately magknits archive is down for maintenance, but you can check back there later for the pattern)
So I'm using the honeycomb stitch from that, and its very nice indeed. The only thing is, I should have gone up a needle size as its a very tight fit with the cable and its leaving my fingers sore, so I can only do a few rows at a time.
Next time I'll go up a needle size, we learn from our mistakes dont we?

Depending on how my sewing turns out (yikes) I'm planning on making a few more of these.
Then there are the alpaca wristwarmers that I spoke about previously. These have been languishing somewhat due to the completion of my fetchings, as I'm wearing them constantly. Sorry about the poor lit photo, I grabbed it this morning to take pictures and didn't have the time to search for some light!

I have been asked by a friend of mine to make a dog coat for her small little dog that she thought was a Jack Russell but isn't. I thought she would forget about it....but she didn't...and has asked me a couple of times not to forget that I'm going to make her a coat.

So I've given in.

I am using recycled yarn for the majority of this, apart from the orangy neck part, and I plan to use the orange to highlight the legs also, when I do them. My friend asked for bright colours.

I'm using the pattern from the stitch and bitch nation book, but to tell you the truth, its not very good so Im winging it. It doesn't really explain things so you are left wondering what you should be doing with this bit and that bit. So its a makey upy pattern based on the one in the book really.

The good thing is that this can be thrown into the machine when it gets dirty, as it will inevitably do, with it being worn by a dog and all.

And last but not least is my Bridie cardigan.

This is my large project. I'm working on this mainly when I'm at Micheals and am progressing slowly with it.

I love the yarn and loving the way its turning out (so far....) and it knits really nicely on the bamboo needles.

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern

I am actually working on a lace scarf pattern using cotton, but at the moment it just looks like a jumble of stitches and wouldn't look like anything, which is why I haven't shown you!

So there you go. What are you knitting?

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5 Feb 2007

The adventure in Kittyland

You know how cats love cardboard boxes, in fact boxes of any shape and size?
Well Reggie especially likes boxes.
This is his adventures in his new box.....until Ronnie decided to come along and sit on his head....




































Has he gone yet?
Is it safe to come out yet?

Okay, thats enough of that box....now...onto the next one.


Oh and I found this link on Krafty1's blog, thought it would be a useful excercise, if only to try and keep it all in order in ma little head!












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