Charlotte FashionKnitsta

Special Sophia

2008-04-08T21:27:00.003+01:00

Baby Sophia Sienna Rowe has arrived, and she got a little wrap top with peach ribbons and some matching peach booties from her proud Aunty Charlotte (that's what I'm calling myself anyway).

The patterns were the Mason Dixon One-Piece Baby Kimono and Oh Oh! Baby Baby Booties and the yarns are GGH Big Easy and Scarlett respectively.

Nicky is my first close friend to have a baby and I have discovered that there is something incredibly magical about meeting the child of a close friend. I was utterly thrilled to see (and cuddle) Sophia on Monday, it seems only yesterday that her Mummy called me and told me not to tell anyone just yet, but she was newly pregnant.

Nicky and I have been friends since we were about 14, which by the way is only slightly longer than she has been with her (now husband) Rossy. I've never had any doubt that they would marry and have babies and I've always known (based the fact she is a calm, generous and supportive friend) that she would make a brilliant mother!

Of course Sophia cried when I held her, but that is because she doesn't yet know what a great Aunty I'm going to make!

Lillyphant

2008-03-09T12:34:00.001Z

Several of my friends are pregnant (or indeed have recently had babies) and I've been struggling to keep up both with knitting gifts and with being able to empathise with a process that (right now at least) seems alien to me!

My friend Heather and her husband Sam had a baby last year and I failed to get anything turned out in time, so in an effort to make amends, I decided to make something particularly yummy, and settled on the Elijah elephant by Ysolda. I knew it was going to be a tricky project, but all the finished versions of Elijah on Ravelry looked so cute I decided I just had to give it a go.

It turns out that this project, in my opinion at least, is every bit as magical as being pregnant (and don't you dare tell me otherwise ;-), because you just can't help but marvel at your own cleverness for making something so special! And like any proud parent, I took a ridiculous amount of pictures to show off my skills!

Here is the head, in progress taken from the side so you can see her trunk. Isn't she cute? Who do you think she looks like? And this is the head from the back because I was so excited by the pinwheel that her head originates out of - despite it being a pain to cast on for. Don't you just want to sniff that darling baby (elephant) head?!

Now, this is the base of her body, because I was just as excited with the 'X' that occurs at the base ready for you to pick up and knit triangular legs into. Isn't that just the peachiest posterior ever?

So this is a picture of head and body from the side, and you can just about see the shaping that ends up in that X-shape. Ahhh, she's all dimples and curves!

And here she is with the legs added. Look at those chubby legs and perfect tiny feet!

And, drum roll please (in a slight change of colour - the pictures above are more true - because I got a new phone half-way through making her and I take all my images with the camera on my phone), here is my finished Lillyphant (named like the original Elijah Elephant after its soon-to-be owner Lillian 'Lilly' Murn), complete with French Knot eyes, in all her gorgeous glory. So, I had to learn a pinwheel cast-on, M1l and M2r (I had no idea there was any difference in M1s until this project), short rows with wraps and turns, and as if that wasn't enough for my poor brain (and fingers) embroidering French Knots! Goodness me, if that isn't a tricky labour, I don't know what is! ;-)

I have to confess that despite finishing her a few weeks ago, I have yet to manage to part with her; I had no idea the bond would be this strong! But I've written the card that goes with her and put a ribbon round her neck, so its only a matter of time before I fill in the adoption certificate - I mean customs form - and send her off to her new home in the US.

It just seems so horribly fast that babies fly the nest these days...

Happy Mothering Sunday

2008-03-02T21:27:00.003Z

My Mummy has one strict rule for Mothering Sunday: NO BOUGHT GIFTS!

I mostly observe this rule, and make or do something - although I don't think I ever did clean all the windows I once promised her I would. Last year she got a Simnel Cake, which involved a mad dash on the Sunday morning to find a blow torch to burnish my marzipan disciples! (which sounds painful now I think about it ;-).

This year, however, I whipped up a jar of passion fruit curd from a recipe in the back of How to be a Domestic Goddess and crocheted a small purple heart, using a crochet hook that once belonged to my Mother's Mother, for the front of a card. You can the curd and card both pictured below - although most of the passion fruit curd disappeared on Sunday as we all ate it over the meringues I had made for some guests of my parents' (who never arrived).
And actually the jar (which I adorned with fabric and wallpaper samples I ordered when I was decorating my flat - I didn't go with these colours, they were too red against my other furnishings) is sitting on a plate I painted for both my parents for the Valentine's Day before last. It is covered in hearts and on the front it says : 'hearts for you...' while on the back: 'for helping me mend mine'. Enough said really, Mummy (and Daddy) are always there when you need them, no matter what kind of mess you are in! (secret wink to my Mum! ;-)

Thank you! xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ch ch ch ch chain stitch

2008-03-01T11:13:00.001Z

I'm learning to crochet!

Inspired by my brother's fiance learning to crochet and then starting to crochet a dress for her own wedding (in just a matter of months), I decided I should at least give it a go, and it turns out crochet is a whole heap of fun!

I've been teaching myself using Ms Stoller's Happy Hooker, which I really enjoyed asking for in the book shop while standing next to an elderly man buying a crossword dictionary! And so far I've mastered several stitches and several shapes including circles...and (joy of joy) granny squares! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am at being able to do a granny square. I've wanted to be able to for ages and have had all sorts of plans for kitsch cushion covers and throws and now the only things standing in my way are a lack of crochet hooks and yarn!

I do know that my tension is a bit loose on both of these projects, and that is down to the fact I can't find a crochet hook in any of my local shops so I asked my Dad to get me a 5.5mm one when he was in John Lewis, deciding that was a good 'in the middle' size, but it turns out, just like with knitting, I crochet a bit loose. When I've finally got a few hooks I think this small glitch will be ironed out.

But despite that slight teething trouble, the rest of my experiments have been fun, fun, fun. And I'm happy to report that I ♥ crochet!

One thing with crochet patterns that keeps making me laugh though, and something I don't know why I'm sharing, is that that when I see 'ch' in a pattern (meaning 'chain stitch'), I get David Bowie's 'Changes' in my head, only it comes out as: "Ch ch ch ch chain stitch..."

Scarfidge

2008-02-25T09:03:00.001Z

Here's a little scarfidge for a Monday morning. This, finally, is me showing off my Amy R. Singer Montego Bay scarf (pattern from Interweave Knits, Summer 2007) in the Jorgenhurst Fine Fibers 100% mohair that Melinda gave me last Christmas. The really elegant colour change in this yarn just kept crying out for holes, as far as I was concerned, so it took me ages to find the right pattern and although Montego Bay is usually knit in a drapey silk, I decided the pattern would still bring this yarn to life - and I'm very happy with the results. The pattern is really easy and after a good blocking all the diagonal holes showed up beautifully. They also make it extra warm, so despite the fact its not a really long scarf, its an extremely effective neck warmer. In fact must admit I've lived in this scarf over the last few months. Its often over the back of the chair in my study ready to snuggle up to while I'm working, and as it goes well with all my clothes it gets taken out a fair amount too!I haven't managed to get a decent shot of the holes in all their glory, but here is another picture of it posing next to other treasured scarves in my bedroom.

Cupboard Love

2008-02-20T17:59:00.001Z

Here's a bit of tea-time nostalgia...

My parents have owned this tea tin for as long as I can remember, but few years ago it moved to their house in Dorset and I missed it terribly. I don't really know why, I'm not even much of a tea drinker. Anyway, I moaned about missing it and guess what? It came to live with me instead! I don't know if I love it because its family stuff - I've often said how soothing I find the sound of my Dad stiring cups of tea in the kitchen - or because its so bright and boarderline hideous, or if its just because whether you're a big tea drinker or not, tea is always a comfort, but whatever the reason, I'm really glad its mine. I recently went all posh in the tea-taste department and will now only drink Earl Grey, which my parents hate and never have in the house, so I was doubly excited when my Dad picked me up this box of Selfridges Earl Grey tea bags the other day. Now, I know a tea tin is for loose leaf, and I promise to get some at some point, but when you are only a part-time tea drinker like me, tea bags do just fine. (Just don't tell my Mum I'm being so uncouth!;-)

Anyway, in further kitchen news, I just made this batch of Rocky Road because my Dad wanted to eat some and Melinda wanted the recipe.

Rocky Road:

125g unsalted butter

300g dark chocolate - the good stuff

3/4 tbs golden syrup

200g digestive biscuits

100g mini marshmallows (or the chopped up normal size ones)

1/2 tub of glace cherries, chopped

1 foil tray, 24cm or a paper lined tin

(some other versions inlcude raisins)

Melt the butter, chocolate and syrup in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring occastionally. Smash up the biscuits in a bag, but leave an even mix of chunks and biscuit dust. Take the melted chocolate off the heat and allow to cool before adding the smashed biscuit smithereens, marshmallows and chopped cherries. Stir to combine and pour into the tray. Put in the fridge for several hours until set - two should do it if you are desperate. Score the set Rocky Road and cut into even squares. The foil tray or lined tin should help you remove them safely. Dust with icing sugar if you wish. Keep in the fridge - if they last that long!

For me, fitting baking into my life is a delicate balancing act, as you can see from the picture below which is of my supplies cupboard! ;-) I have a big kitchen and barely any storage, so extracting things from this cubby above my cooker top is usually trickier than doing the baking itself!

But its worth it because I love making nice batches of treats, and if any of my friends get the faintest inkling that I've been up to a bit of baking, they are round like a shot. Especially that pig Georgie! ;-)

Mmmmmmmmmalabrigo

2008-02-18T07:09:00.002Z

I've been seriously debating whether I should worry about the fact my brother knows what Malabrigo is?! I mean, he lives with his fiance, and near a knitting shop, and regularly has to hunt down his fiance who is of course always in said knitting shop, but does this all neccessarily add up to knitting knowledge? Well, I guess in his case it does, because he and his fiber-loving fiance got me this for Christmas (but I only just got it as we had a 2nd Christmas when they both arrived from Canada in early Feb):

Behold the Malagrigo in all its precious purpleness. I swear it literally glows! At the moment I can't even bring myself to knit it up because I'm in awe of all its purple potential. To make it feel at home it is on a purple metallic box on my purple sofa next to a purple sheep-skin hand muff and a purple feather boa - obviously just things I have lying around!

Anyway, I've decided not to over think it as they both just got back from the South of France and where Nick bought me a solid rose perfume from here, which is utterly divine! Boy that boy knows me well!

Happy Valentine's Day - I Heart YOU!

2008-02-14T16:48:00.003Z

On Ravelry you can add people’s work to your ‘favourites folder’, which means they get a little heart next to that project on their own projects page and you can regularly gaze at their piece from your own ‘notebook’. I cannot begin to express how proud I am of the 11 hearts – and counting - I have been given for my modified cupcake, or the also 11 hearts I’ve so far received for my Central Park Hoodie. To me, its like having someone come over and air-kiss you backstage at the showing of your latest collection, at New York or Milan maybe (I'm clearly fantasising), while saying ‘I’m just loving your work dahhhhhling’

ONLY THIS TIME ITS SINCERE!

Since getting on Ravelry I’ve been having a creative epiphany because you can wander through so many different styles of creativity in one place, and although I’m always hearting people’s work, I think its about time I started having a round-up on my blog and saying it more loudly. In view of the fact it is Valentine’s Day, which is one of my most favourite times of the year (whether I have a boy to spoil me or not) because all the shops fill with hearts and everything is red and pink and purple, I’m sending out some love y’all! So, to the following craftsters I’m saying: ‘Happy Valentines, I’m just loving your work dahhhhhling! xxxxxx’

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

In no particular order I bring you:

Greta the Pup by Roman Sock aka 'Wibit' on Ravelry

Its crochet for heaves sake! How??? (image belongs to Roman Sock)

Absolutely anything by Little Cotton Rabbits aka 'bunny knitter' on Ravelry...
...especially, the rabbits! (image belongs to Little Cotton Rabbits)

Blossom Cape by 100 Mile Fiber Fest aka 'AlphaMango' on Ravelry. You'll need to follow the link for this one. She knows I hate her because I told her so already! ;-)

Doll Knits by Two Swallows aka 'twoswallows' on Ravelry I don’t have a doll, but I do have a thing for mini-stuff! (image belongs to Two Swallows)

A 'freeform' crochet Travel Case by Janice Rosema aka 'janro' on Ravelry.

Freeform, as I understand it is working without a pattern and just letting your imagination take over. I've lifted this picture from Ravelry for those who aren't on it, as there is no link to this project on her blog, which I hope is ok?! (image belongs to Janice Rosema)

Betz White’s Cup of Joe pin cushions I loved the cupcake versions and I love these. I think they are all sold, so you can’t rush and get me one, but you can join in the applause! (image belongs to Betz White)

There’s so much more to talk about, but this will have to do for now…

You’ll note that in accordance with my efforts to keep abreast of all that is new, exciting and just damned delicious in the world of crafting, I’m making more of an effort to keep my ‘Blogs I Like’ list up to date. I would like to apologise however to Purl This and Roxy Knits for the fact that I’ve of course been pals with you both for a while, but completely dropped the ball when it came to listing you. And I should also say that Purl This (aka 'Ladylungdoc' on Ravelry) is an absolute gem for always sending me links to things she thinks I’d like and generally keeping me abreast of all things knitterly. Just because I don’t always manage to put all your project suggestions into action doesn’t for a second mean I don’t LOVE receiving them or love spending hours, when I should be PhD-ing, perusing online yarn retailers to ponder my future purchases.

(You might also note that I’m becoming a bit promiscuous – on the craft front that is – and I’m listing blogs by crafters whose work I shall probably never be able to emulate, which reaches into sewing and all sorts – but its all about keeping my inspiration levels up and simply being in the loop/in love ;-) ♥)

PS

2008-02-11T20:31:00.000Z

I forgot to mention that just after Christmas I treated myself to some cute 'hand knitted' labels from Woven Labels UK. You can sort of customise them in that there are a choice of fonts and colours and little motifs - obvsiously I chose a heart - and they came out really well. Here's one proudly attached to Lucy's Birthday Scarf!

Birthday Magic Ball

2008-02-10T19:17:00.000Z

This was lots of fun...I bought a Be Sweet Magic Ball from Loop in Islington for my friend Lucy’s birthday and gave her the gorgeous skein (I should have taken a picture of it in all its glory) with a note saying either I’d teach her how to knit it up or I’d do it for her. I was thrilled to receive it back with a command of ‘knit it now!’

The ball is made up of all different yarns and knits up super fast. The only downside is that the knots aren’t that secure between each yarn - especially the ribbon yarns - and tightening them myself didn’t make me entirely confident. There are also some knotty/knobbly bits in the yarn which I first thought were mistakes and nearly unravelled, but turned out to be a feature (you can see them in the picture), and which actually look lovely once the scarf is complete.
I used size 8mm needles and cast on 140 stitches to knit it lengthwise (as instruced at Loop so that the changing yarns would work well), which gave me a long thin-ish scarf - about 4 1/2 inches across. I think casting on about 100 to 120 stitiches would make a slightly wider scarf that is still long enough, but I think this one works well as it is.

Its pure girly froth and perfect for its owner…

Fluffy Flowers

2008-02-08T11:48:00.000Z

The other day I saw this and just had to join in, so I did this:

I found old and indeed odd (as in single) green knitting needles that used to belong to my Grandmother, and attached what were in fact ready-wound mini yarn balls from my little stash of leftovers.

Clockwise from top left we have some magenta acrylic I bought to play with when I first decided to have a go at this knitting malarkey; then there is the pink texere chunky I used for Jess' Juliet; below that is bit of my Central Park Hoodie and Georgie's One Skein Wonder; and finally there is a ball of Rowan plaid which was left over from my first proper knitting project, a poncho I didn't do a tension square for, which turned out to be a bit on the large side! Now they are all prettying up my mantle piece - as if it needed it what with the flocked heart wallpaper and masses of red and pink glass ornaments - reminding me of projects past, without wilting, genius!

More Stuff I Made Folk for Christmas

2008-02-04T12:13:00.000Z

Lots of knitting is and has been going here in the Purple Palace of cfknits, but due to my ravelry addiction, I keep forgetting to blog about it. So here, in February, are a few shots of some other Christmas presents I made.

First, we have Juliet, a pattern by Zephyrstyle, in Texere Chunky, which I made as maternity wear for my darling Jessica who lives far too far away from me, in Chicago. I met Jess when I did my MA and after initially freaking her out in a seminar with my colour change nail varnish (it went different colours according my body heat), we became very close, and now that she and her husband are back in the US (she is American he is English), I miss her terribly! :-(

Anyhoo, to remind her how special she is to me she was sent this cute chunky lace capped-sleeve cover-up.
I even went to LIberty to find pretty buttons and came up trumps with these black flowers, and then I added shirring elastic (rather than the specified crochet) loops, so there was bust ease for a pregnant lady! Unfortunately I don't yet have a picture of Jess wearing this, but she assures me that it went straight on the minute she unwrapped it, so if I'm lucky she might send me one at some point.

Next, we have Georgie's One Skein Wonder, a pattern by Stefanie Japel. Georgie helped me sooooo much with my training for my trek and is never far from my side when I have needed a shoulder to cry on or indeed someone to moan to over the last few years, and when she went crazy over a washcloth I knitted her last Christmas, I knew she deserved something bigger and better this year.

As you can see, like me, she has a fondness for colour - indeed there is quite a bit of cross-over in our respective wardrobes, which isn't helped by the fact after me, she one of our big customers at the boutique I work at - so using up the spare skein from my Central Park Hoodie yarn seemed the best option.

She has already sent me several pictures of her wearing this on several different occasions, and I already knew it went with half her stuff, so I think I did good. You can't see in these pictures from over Christmas, but she is actually wearing matching purple tights - a girl after my own heart!

Now I just have to get to work on the presents for next Christmas!

Nail Varnish Needles

2008-01-20T22:43:00.000Z

I make no bones about the fact I'm not a stasher. The thought of piles of unknitted yarn littering my pristine palace of a flat fills me with horror, if I can't stick it in my knitting basket then I'm not keeping it! However there is something I will hoard: nail varnish! I have about 30 bottles of nail varnish in every shade of pink, purple, red and blue-ish that you can think of. So when I saw a post about using nail varnish to paint the tops of your wooden knitting needles, I felt I was more than prepared to have a go...

And here are the finished needles. I only have two pairs of wooden needles, so I used my favourite shade of purple on the 5mms and magenta on the 4mms. Don't they look pretty?! The nail varnish looks really good and as though I actually bought them that way.

And here they are again posing in a pretty dish with some divine ribbon I picked up in Liberty recently.
Its probably lucky I don't have more plain wooden needles or I think I could have got really carried away...

Cupcakes Galore!

2008-01-14T09:40:00.000Z

I decided to make some knitted cupcakes for my new cake stands, so I set to work with the cupcake pattern from One Skein by Leigh Radford. Initially I didn’t find it a total ‘piece of cake’ (excuse the pun) because knitting in the round and decreasing into a circle is not easy with fluffy novelty yarn, but eventually I really got into it and discovered how stupidly satisfying they are when finished! Seriously, they are oddly addictive. I put it down to the fact that if, like me, you enjoy baking, this is a way to admire your work for a lot a longer…Here is my first attempt:
Having knitted four of the cupcakes according to the pattern, however, I decided that while cute, they were slightly mushroom-like. So I set about trying to make a more cupcakey-cupcake, and eventually I produced this cupcake pin cushion for my friend Nicky for her birthday.
First: For the base, I did just plain knitting for the first two rounds and then began the rib. For the top, after round 6 I did a round of plain knitting and then the final row (row 7) of decreases. These mods meant that the top of the cupcake base/paper (the green bit) was a touch wider than the bottom of the base/paper and the topping/frosting (the white bit) raised up a little in the centre. I also knitted the top with two strands of yarn, one thick fluffy yarn and one fine knobbly green one (which was the same colour but not the same yarn as the base), giving the frosting a two-tone look.

Second: When stuffing, I put lots of stuffing in the bottom of the base/paper and as I got to the wider part at the top I sort of pulled the stuffing apart a few times width-wise to take advantage of the wider top. I also put a dollop of stuffing on the top of this to take advantage of the way the topping stood up, and then I sewed it together. I then made the whole cupcake slightly damp by wetting my hands and I molded it into shape, making the very bottom narrow and the top full.
Last but not least I put pins in it and wove a little ribbon in and out at the top - without pulling it too tight - and put it in a cake box!

Jane's Birthday

2008-01-07T19:02:00.000Z

It was my boss' birthday today and I made her this cake, which is Nigella Lawson's Birthday Custard Sponge (from Feast). The sponge has custard powder in it, as does the butter cream filling, and then you made a runny chocolate icing which your pour all over the top till it runs down the sides in dollops....mmmmmmmmmmm!!!

And I also made these soaps. They are the basic coconut oil and cocoa butter soap that I find easiest to make, scented with sandalwood and, although you can't see it, they are half blue and half white. They were supposed to be marbled but the mixture was too thick to marble properly so they are actually just unevenly blue and white, which looks pretty anyway - thank goodness. I have called them Once in a Blue Moon, as I promised Jane some homemade soaps almost a year ago!

All Things Chocolate

2007-12-28T18:27:00.000Z

Other things I made for people for Christmas included these Chocolate Truffle Macaroons (Nigella and I collaborated on this one...ha, ha). They are a basic Nigella version of the chocolate macaroon with my secret recipe alcoholic chocolate ganache! I think I can safely say I'll be putting Laduree out of business soon, don't you?! ;-)
And I did my first painting in years (after a refresher course earlier on in the year). It is an acrylic painting on paper of my Mum's dog Coco. Coco is a Gordon Setter, and should be black with tan paws and muzzle, but due to a recessive gene she is a glorious (and rare) chocolate colour. She didn't pose for this picture, she is seldom still, so I made it up from several shots of her including one of her hanging over the back stable-style door. Finally, and a little less chocolatey. On New Year's day we (Mum, Dad, my cousin's family and me if I make it after New Year's celebrations in London) will be eating this Nigella recipe chocolate and chestnut ice cream meringue stack.
Mmmmmmmmmmmm....

Christmas is Coming...

2007-12-19T21:29:00.000Z

I did not make this, Betz White did, but isn't it just the most gorgeous thing evah?! I have a dark purple feather wreath on my door, which I've studded with matte-finish dark purple baubles (which everyone knocks off when they come in the door-I need to invest in some ribbon and tie them on), but I'd almost be tempted to replace my glamorous wreath for this girlie one! I love it!Meanwhile I have been a buzy bee making things for Christmas. I've made a batch of soap I'm calling White Christmas, which is a cocoa butter and coconut oil based soap scented with nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. I wrapped it all up in white tissue paper and tied up piles of them with white cotton yarn, adding a silver card tree or snowflake to the top. Here they are all stacked up under my beautifully hideous fluffy tree:And two scarves have come off my needles for two very special pals.

Scarf number one was Cloud, by Sue Morgan, knitted in pale pink Kidsilk Haze. I knitted one for my friend Jess last year and had plans to knit one for Suzanne, but life got a way from me, so Suzanne is getting hers a year late - although she wont know its late! ;-)

Scarf number two is what I am calling the Not So Plain Jane scarf and is knit in Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK. It is kind of my own design, if you can even call it that. Jane, my boss at the clothes shop, doesn't like fuss, so decided to knit what I hoped would be almost the plainest scarf possible, but I soon realised I'd have to add some kind of embellishment though. In the end, I knit a basic seed/moss stitch scarf and did a row of four button holes about 8" from the bottom of one end and I sewed shiny gun-metal buttons (that kind of look like screws) on the other end to line up with the holes. This means the scarf can be worn draped round the back of the neck and fastened across the chest, or doubled over and tucked through, like a cravat, with the buttons acting as a detail on the side of the neck. Its kind of cute, even if I do say so myself, and is great for a short person (like Jane) who doesn't look good swamped in scarf.
There are a couple of other knitted gifts to show you, but these might have to wait until after Christmas as they really need to be photographed on their owners to get the true effect.

For The Love of Blocking

2007-12-05T08:43:00.000Z

I was chatting to my sister-in-friend on Ravelry the other day when I discovered that she is more your ‘knit and go type’, that is, she’s not a blocker, and I suddenly realised I could go on for hours about the merits of blocking!

Whether it is because I am a PhD student trying to avoid writing; or the Virgoan perfectionist in me; the domestic goddess (domestic goddess-wannabe at least) that loves cleaning and homemaking; whether its because Debbie Stoller told me to do it; or because I know its best to know (especially when it’s a gift) how that yarn will react to water; or if its just because I think its nice (again especially when it’s a gift) to clean something that has been in my mitts for days, weeks or months, I just love blocking!

I actually look forward to that final stitch when I start thinking about the running water, the smell of the washing liquid and (my favourite) Comfort conditioner (Lilly and Riceflower to be precise). I love having the knitted item in the sink and sloshing it around so the water and soap get into every nook and cranny. There I am in my post-knitting ritual. I baptise thee: ‘scarf’! Then I love squeezing all the water out and the setting the item on a bed of freshly washed towels and teasing it into the perfect shape. I love how neat and (near) perfect it looks. I love how satisfied I feel that its all done….

So, in conclusion, I am a blocking bore AND PROUD OF IT!

More Loopy Behavior

2007-11-11T18:49:00.000Z

Ravelry is so much fun, I keep forgetting I have a blog and fail terribly to keep it updated. My only attempt at a defence is that I've noticed a lot of other people's blogs slow down since they got on Ravelry, so its not just me! ;-)

I am in fact being very prolific. On the one hand I'm experimenting with lots of techniques. After having a go at Magic Loop, I set my sights on Moebius, and below is evidence that I managed it! Thanks so much to Gilraen, who has an amazing moebius wrap that I am jealous of (which I found on Ravelry), I read up on the technique and gave a it a go. The yarn is Colinette Prism that Piglottie gave me ages ago and I have been saving for something special. I really want to turn it into a moebius wrap for my shoulders like the Cat Bordhi Caplet. I didn't, however, get much further than this attempt as my cast-on was a bit lumpy, so I need to do it with a cable cast-on next time. And there will be a next time, after the set up, its just knitting round and round and round...
I have also been working on lots of Christmas presents and when I'm finished I will show them all off at once.

Going Loopy

2007-10-18T09:51:00.000+01:00

In between spending too much time on Ravelry and attempting to get back to my PhD, I've been managing to squeeze in quite a bit of knitting time. I've finished two Christmas gifts, which I will show soon and started a third.

On top of this, I decided to see if I could understand this Magic Loop malarkey. One of the Christmas gifts I finished was a pair of socks and although I was sure I had faithfully recorded the numbers of rows and the amount of stitches used for turning the heel when knitting the first sock, the second definitely came out a wee bit smaller. This made me increasingly intrigued to work out how knitting two socks at the same time might happen.

First I looked at the Knitting Help video on small diameter knitting on one circular needle and came up with the little fingertip-sized piece below. I was so excited. Its so easy and now I see why my Knitpicks Options don't do really small cables because you actually (oddly) need a long one to do small circular knitting. (sorry for rubbish pics)

Then, I decided to move on to casting-on for two cuff-down socks on one circular needle. To do this I looked at the Boy Who Knits, as I had read on Ravelry that he has good tutorials. I don't think I quite got the cast-on right: although it worked it was extremely difficult to get the last half of the stitches on the needle. However, I do feel triumphant because I did it and here's the proof!

After this picture was taken I went on to knit about five rounds, just to make sure I had the technique down right, and I did! The only problems were making sure I didn't get ladders because although I was knitting tight stitches at the start of each round, when I pulled them onto the needle to work again they were being forced apart. Also, although this Rosewood circular is great for some projects, its join kept catching the yarn, again making it difficult to manoeuvre the stitches.

Now, although I am indeed showing off that I managed what in the past I imagined to be pure knitting witchcraft, I will definitely need to knit some trial (plain and maybe very little) socks this way before I believe the magic of the loop. I'm also not sure that I might prefer double pointed needles to this method. In a way its too early to tell, but something about it reminded me of driving an automatic compared to a manual, its fun and all that, but there's nothing like the feeling of control when you change gear.

We'll see...

CPH

2007-10-08T10:19:00.000+01:00

Finally some images of me in my much-loved Central Park Hoodie. I am already living in this cardi, which is just the right weight for right now and can be worn (see images below) with tracksuit bottoms when tired or hideously hung-over. Having said that, I don't look that hung-over so either the CPH or the lipstick are magic!

I apologise that in the picture below, however, as I look like I might be auditioning to become a knitting pattern model. We were trying to get the Michaelmas Daisies in the shot and make it look natural, but it seems that was at the cost of my own natural-ness!
To summarise:

Its the Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky from the Fall 2006 Knitscene and I have knitted size 36 in Cascade 220 Quatro in the purple melange. My only adaptation was leaving a thumb-hole in the cuff seam.

Triumph!

2007-10-04T16:19:00.001+01:00

The princess returns triumphant (and not so princessy!). A short report and more pictures will follow soon....

Since returning I've made it onto Ravelry and have discovered for myself just how addictive it is. Uh oh!

thank you!

2007-09-13T16:22:00.000+01:00

Before I head off trekking in Peru, there is just enough time to tell you that the yarn auctions went brilliantly and raised £126.20, thanks to Kerrie at HipKnits. Piglottie's auctions and cards this year have gone fantastically well and she has raised a whopping £624.92!!! Can you believe it??!! This means that my knitting pals alone have raised just over £750!!! The knitting community have therefore been hugely responsible for helping me exceed my original target of £5,000 and getting me well on my way to the £8,000 I'm now hoping for! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU everyone who as been involved, I'm quite simply beyond grateful for your support! (I'm also thrilled that I won the Knit Picks Options auction and have a sparkly set of circular needles waiting for me when I get home!)

I also wanted to show a picture of the Central Park Hoodie, which I finally finished a few weeks ago. I've been meaning to get a picture of me in it - seeing as I have pretty much lived in it since I finishing - but this will have to do. At least it is evidence that I finally got there!

Now I'm off to Peru!

Bountiful Booty on Ebay - and more!!!

2007-08-29T19:47:00.000+01:00

The wonderful Piglottie has been holding fabulous yarn auctions in aid of the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity (and in support of my own fundraising efforts for the Rainbow Trust) all summer and auction winners have been lucky to snap up some real gems (someone even donated some Socks That Rock!).

Her last lot of booty is being bid on already over at the Crafty Threads 'n' Yarns Forum, so be sure to check them out - there is even a Knit Picks Options set up for grabs (on second thoughts don't check that auction out, I want those)!

And now I am excited to announce that Kerrie at HipKnits has added her support by both donating yarn to Piglottie's auctions AND setting up not one, not two, but THREE HipKnits CUSTOM-DYED YARN auctions on ebay (RIGHT NOW!!!).

They are as follows:

Auction 1:
8 x 100g skeins of HipKnits aran weight 100% silk yarn, each 100g skein is approximately 180m and will be hand-painted in colours of YOUR CHOICE!!! The yarn knits to a standard aran weight gauge of around 18 stitches and 24 rows to 10cm using 4.5mm needles.

Auction 2:
2 x 100g skeins of HipKnits 4 ply (sock) weight 100% cashmere yarn, each 100g skein is approximately 458m and will be hand-painted in colours of YOUR CHOICE!!! The yarn knits to a standard sock weight gauge and can be used for any pattern calling for 4 ply/sock weight yarn. 1 skein is enough for a long pair of socks or a small shawl, 2 skeins will make a lovely big shawl.

Auction 3:
1 x 100g skein of HipKnits lace weight 100% cashmere yarn, each 100g skein is approximately 1372m and will be hand-painted in colours of YOUR CHOICE!!! This is more than enough to make a gigantic shawl.

Don't let any of these fantastic offers pass you by, and remember, its for a really good cause!

Yarn Envy of the Worst Kind!

2007-07-30T23:20:00.001+01:00

I DID NOT KNIT THIS (unfortunately)!

So I was checking out Ravelry, as Melinda had mentioned it on her blog, and I saw a screen shot for upcoming features that had a flickr gallery on it featuring the above scarf. I just fell in love with the yarn and the pattern - but specifically the yarn - so I hunted the image down on flickr only do discover that its maker used Easter egg dye and dyed the yarn herself! I mean for goodness sake in that combo it looks like Missoni!!! Its amazing!!!

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo frustrated. Just when I think I can dip my toe back in this knitting malarkey someone goes and does something clever that makes me realise I'll never measure up! :-(

Back Again!

2007-07-27T23:18:00.000+01:00

I am rather excited to inform everyone (as if anyone looks at my knitting blog anymore anyway), that I'm knitting again!

I finished up the pair of socks for my Mum, but to be honest I didn't bother taking a picture as I was glad to see the back of them.

Then, Melinda asked me for the Central Park Hoodie pattern, as she was over for our family 30-60-90 party (to celebrate my 30th - in advance - and my Dad's 60th and my Grandpa's 90th - again in advance), and I thought "hang on, considering how prolific she's become, it would be really embarrassing if she finished a CPH before me!", so I picked up the sticks.

I had already completed - sometime last year - the back and both front pieces, so I set to work on the sleeves. I'm doing that clever thing proper knitters do (which I once saw Mandy doing at the knitting group I used to go to) and am knitting both sleeves at the same time on the same needle using the same ball of yarn - confused? I was! Actually, it wasn't as scary as I had imagined, but I hate how twisted up the ball gets as you turn the needle to the other hand and the two ends of yarn get twisted together. The boy fashioned a turning-device for me out of a needle I wasn't using, but the flaw is that he has to hold it, and he isn't always here, so I've got a bit tangled again.

Anyway, the above shot is the sleeves in progress resting on one of my lovely new red leather sofas. Well, they aren't that new, I got them when I moved into the new palace in January, but this is the first time they've featured on my blog, in place of my old purple sofa which is where I usually took shots of my knitting. Don't worry, I still have the purple one, but now its in my study for when I'm PhD-fatigued (read: napping!;-)

So, I'm back on the woolly horse - long may it continue....

Over the Rainbow

2007-05-30T20:13:00.001+01:00

I am madly in love with these socks! I’ve been trying to finish off some socks my mum started (but couldn’t manage) for her birthday, but truth be told, I’m bored with the yarn - It’s a self striper in a colour-way I don’t much care for, oh and her birthday is on Friday! Anyway, the other day I was having a bit of a browse and I found pattern and fell in love.

I was thinking how much they reminded me of Rainbow Bright which I was pretty into when I was little, alongside My Little Pony and the good old Care Bears ( I should point out I have just been given a My Little Pony T-shirt by my Mum which I love and I also have Love-a-Lot Bear on my mobile phone), and then I read that the pattern designer was also inspired by Rainbow Bright and the crew!

Now, feel I’m really going to have to knit them, and as socks is all I’m up to at the moment I don’t think it’s a bad plan, but I’m not sure about yarn. I’d love to use some stash, but don’t have any appropriate sock yarn. I decided I’d like them to stripe like the ones pictured, but thought I might want a more ‘authentic’ Rainbow Bright colour scheme, something more primary, or, well, bright! And then I found Opal ‘Feelings 1701’ (scroll down) and I’m seriously tempted!

…Of course it also seems like some sort of weird synchronicity that I’m currently fundraising for the Rainbow Trust!

Netting the Rewards of Knitting

2007-05-14T20:15:00.000+01:00

Good Lord (as my Grandfather would say), don't look now, but that's me knitting!

As part of my 'day job' (read studentness) I was invited to be a ‘specialist advisor’ at the CRUMB ‘Bliss-Out’ Centre at the Enter Unknown Territories conference on new media art in Cambridge. CRUMB (Curatorial Resource for Upstart Media Bliss) have recently been exploring holistic approaches to skill exchange in more traditional conference environments and, if the customised beauty-therapy tunics sported by the CRUMB team were anything to go by, this was their most radical conference antidote yet!

The space allocated to CRUMB was set up like a lounge-cum-beauty parlour-cum-craft circle. There was a corner for watching the conference on the TV, comfy arm chairs and a self-help library, an Indian Head Massage area, a tea table complete with proper teapots (but no tea cosies) and a big table covered in all manner of games, crafts, biscuits and cakes.

Each member of the CRUMB team offered a range of skills to entice conference attendees into a different type of engagement. Beryl Graham was making and playing with fortune tellers (the paper ones we all made at school), as well as, for example, offering advice on the PhD process. Sarah Cook was keeping everyone up-to-date on conference proceedings, while keeping people well-stoked with tea and her home baked delights (paradigm-shifting pistachio macaroons for example), while Ele Carpenter was guiding needles and thread through fabric (embroidery) and tension out of muscles (massage), as well as discussing open-source culture.

I, on the other hand, provided a knitting and net art history combo – and some delightfully hideous cupcakes (see my previous post)!

The Bliss Out Centre was unbelievable fun. All day long people drifted through and seemed genuinely pleased to have discovered an oasis (or do I mean health spa) where they could explore long-forgotten pastimes such as knitting, sewing and Pick-Up-Sticks and sit in comfortable seats with never-ending cups of tea or friendly chat. However, and here’s the clever part, in their more relaxed state, everyone seemed much more able to discuss and digest issues pertinent to the conference. It was a release, there was no academic posturing and people allowed themselves to get straight to the core of their new media (knitting, sewing and baking) concerns.

I for one struggle with the conference format; I struggle with fatigue, with trying not to lose concentration and with being able to take in and effectively process such vast amounts of information in such a short space of time. I come into my own at tea breaks though. This is when I can break down some of the ideas I’ve attempted to take in, release myself from the confines of the conference environment – and be a bit more human.

I feel strongly that conferences should be some sort of skill exchange rather than the passive, one-to-many model they have been for so long. A conference should be about skill-swapping, being shown something new and being given some of the tools to access that new information at a later date. When I taught/reminded several people how to knit - and even left them with needles and wool to be going on with - (here's a couple of them)I couldn’t help feeling that this was a better model of learning. And, its two way! While teaching people to knit, I learnt a great deal about their practice, which will in turn inform my own research.

CRUMB even provided little prescription pads where people could write down notes or advice for each other (rather than desperately scrawl on the back of tiny business cards as is the norm), and I wonder if the Bliss Out Centre itself shouldn’t be prescribed for most conference situations, not least because I really think I could make a career out of this - AND, it got me knitting again (well, just a little bit)!

Piglottie Helps Princess!

2007-04-27T18:26:00.000+01:00

For those who don't know, the wonderful Piglottie has been supporting my fundraising by making and selling her fabulous handmade greetings cards and auctioning off unwanted yarn. I encourage you to check in on her blog as much as possible for updates (the cards have gone down so well she will be making and selling them throughout the summer) and not miss out!

My consignment of wedding cards just arrived and I'm absolutely thrilled with them!

Baking Barbie

2007-04-27T17:54:00.000+01:00

Very little knitting has been going on, so instead, I thought I'd share what I have been up to - baking!Above is a Malteser Cake (Nigella Lawson recipe from Feast) that I made for my friend Georgie to thank her for all the support she's given me over the past few months.

Below is the Simnel Cake I made my Mummy for Mother's Day (again Nigella/Feast), as I discovered its a traditional Mothering Sunday offering and she LOVES marzipan!
And then, partly inspired by Piglottie who just made a load of chocolate cup cakes, partly desperate to make something kitsch and partly to lavish some attention on someone special, I made these beauties!
And as you can see, took a lot of pictures of them. They are Nigella Lawson's Love Buns, but this time not done with heart sprinkles for Valentine's Day, but with Barbie sprinkles for an academic conference.
Are they the prettiest cakes you've ever seen? I think so!

Actual Knitting Proof!

2007-04-24T18:20:00.000+01:00

Hang on, way back over Christmas I did some knitting! This is a picture of my second attempt at a One Skein Wonder Clutch - to be honest, it didn't go much better than the first one! Despite having been run through the machine over eight times, it still hasn't entirely felted, which is distressing, but I did get this wonderful string of flowers from Liberty which I think make up for it. It now belongs to my friend Suzanne and will hopefully be taken to many a pub!

Book

2007-02-26T17:23:00.000Z

I saw this in a bookshop today and it looked like lots of fun. There was a pattern for an amazing coat in there, but considering I've barely touched needles or yarn for weeks, I think its a bit beyond me at the moment.

AWOL

2007-02-04T19:41:00.000Z

Well, I guess I've been AWOL from knitting-blog-land for quite a while and its time I got to grips with things.

I have been doing a very small amount of knitting, but I have absolutely no proof, so you'll have to take my word for it. (Its funny how quickly you fall out of the habit of recording your knit-complisments!). At the end of last year I managed to turn out a pair of socks for my cousin and a lacy scarf for my friend Jess. The lacey scarf was a triumph because it was in Kid Silk Haze and although it wasn't a hard pattern as such (and was leant to me very kindly by my knitting pal Mandy), it was my first lace project and my first stab at the wonderful KSH. I wish I had a picture to show it off, but it now lives in Chicago and I know its owner is way too busy to be snapping shots of it for my lil' old blog! I guess you'll have to take it from me that it was mighty purty! Oh and I've also knitted another One Skein Wonder Clutch, but have failed to felt it - yet!

Right now I have several UFOs on the needles. I have a magenta alpaca shawl which is sooooo boring to knit that I've lost the will to go on with it right now - despite being desperate to wear it. I'm also unable to finish my Central Park Hoodie, which despite getting off to speedy start has also lost its interest for now. Instead I'm trying to get back on the horse/needles with a pair of socks, but my knitting mojo is at an all time low, so I don't hold out much hope of finishing them either.

At the root of all this knitting apathy was a hideous end to 2006. Without doubt I have been trying to get through the worst few months of my life and knitting really isn't doing it for me right now. Although most people seem happy to use their blog to really open up, I think part of my problem has been a complete inability to open up with anyone and so I've remained silent. Now, however, I have some exciting news that I want to share and a new blog which has become my venting ground for now.

Next September 2007, in honour of a friend of mine who died last October and in aid of the charity her family chose to benefit from the collection at her funeral, the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity, I will be doing a trek across Peru to Machu Picchu! This is a huge undertaking for me because I am a not at all sporty and am a bit too keen on 5 star hotels to rough it on mountain-sides, but it wouldn't be worth doing if it was easy now would it?! I am so excited and am excercising for the first time in my life and learning how to fundraise for charity and you can read all about what I'm up to instead of knitting at my new blog!

And if you are at all inclined, you could post my logo and thermometer to your own blog to raise awarness across the blog-o-sphere!

I'm really hoping some fellow knitters might sponsor me or offer fundraising advice as I know a lot of you do your own charity work?!

So that's where I'm at. I do hope to show some knitting progress soon, but I'm also enjoying my Peru progess too now...

Weirdness

2007-01-02T21:55:00.000Z

Oh No! Piglottie tagged me! ;-)
So here's my 6 weird things (in no particular order):

(THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”)

1) I still don't eat the crusts on sandwiches, or actually the ends of sausages either. I used to avoid the edges of crumpets, but I'm over that one!

2 ) I'm not left-handed but I eat with my cutlery in the wrong hands and have done it for so long I fear there is no turning back.

3) I can write just as fast backwards as forwards - that is, I can produce text you hold up to the mirror to read, actual back-to-front letters, as fast as I can write them normally.

4) I love doing housework and especially cleaning bathrooms. I love to give toilets a good old scrub until they sparkle, and could happily do it for hours.

5) I think I've told everyone this before, but I've had 5 imaginary friends. They were called Doocy, Jank, Cockie-Knickers, Nothingness 1 and Nothingness 2.

6) I can touch my elbows together behind my back.

I'm tagging:

1 MJM Knitting
2 Louise Makes Stuff
3 Remote Knitter
4 Forbidden Knitter
and I'll have to find 2 more who haven't been 'got' yet..

WIPs and FOs

2006-11-21T22:46:00.000Z

Ok, so its been a while, but I'm trying very hard to get back to blogging (amongst other things). So here is a little post just to say that I've knitted a tiny sock (I've included lip gloss for scale ;-) 2 less tiny socks (although still quite small as I'm a size 3 1/2), 2 bigger socks (but I don't have a picture until the recipient supplies me with one as forgot to take one before they were given away)
and, the back of my first ever cable project, which is the Central Park Hoodie.
More soon, I hope!

Still Being Spoilt! 2

2006-09-17T21:13:00.000+01:00

Well, I haven't blogged in a while because I've been busy still being spoilt!

So, if it wasn't enough that Piglottie sent me a thank you parcel for all the bits that I sent her in Secret Pal, but then, for writing about my Secret Pal experience, I won 2 balls of Louisa Harding yarn from our hostess Alison! Thanks Alison, sorry there is no picture but I've been busy, being spoilt some more, for my Birthday!

My folks and my Grandpa bought me some knitting books (namely Stitch and Bitch Nation, Mason Dixon Knitting and Simply Fabulous Knitting) which I've been devouring.

mjmknitting, my 'sister-in-friend' sent me some gorgeous stitch markers! They are soooooooooo me because not only are the pink and purple, but they are sparkly. She is so clever to have made them. Here they are pictured on a pink sheepskin cushion - which seemed the right thing to photograph them on!

She also sent me some fabulous knitters hand balm. I can't rave enough about this stuff because I have grotty hands (fabulous nails but grotty hands) which are always really dry and as gross as it sounds, catch on the yarn. Not only does this stuff smooth all that away, but you can knit straight away! You don't have to wait while it soaks in, you just apply it and get knitting! Its the perfect gift for the winter, which is when my hands get worse, the yarn will be slipping through my fingers at lightning speed (if only I could actually knit quickly!).
Now, my brother, who is mjmknitting's partner bought me a ton of cute stuff (mostly non-knitting related so I wont mention it here), but the little cutester found me some of the Bernat Crafter's Cotton, which mjmknitting's Secret Pal (Purl This) told me was the same as Sugar 'n' Cream. So here is a picture of the cotton which is being whipped into a wash cloth (by way of a test drive) as we speak. But if you don't think it is exciting, wait till you see how big the ball is!

Ta da! Look how huge it is (with my hand for scale)!

Now, as if all that wasn't enough, mjmknitting's Secret Pal Purl This sent her a ball of purple yarn to send me (sorry there is no picture right now, blogger has had enough of letting my upload pictures, I'll try to include one later), so that arrived for my birthday too. Now I don't think this is an overstatement, but if you count all my gifts from my Secret Pal Tanja, then the gifts I received from Piglottie, then the yarn I won from Alison and now the yarn I recieved from Purl This, I rather think I might have got more than anyone else from this Secret Pal thing! Hurrah!

Still Being Spoilt!

2006-09-08T20:01:00.000+01:00

Even though Secret Pal 8 is over, I am still being spoilt!

This is because the person I was spoiling (the rather lovely Piglottie) sent me a thank you gift for all the things I sent her. This was so unexpected and so naughty of her, but soooooooooooo exciting to receive!!!

In addition to the brooch (made by Piglottie), buttons, stitch markers (made by Piglottie), yarn, teddy needle huggers and soap (made by Piglottie), I also received a gorgeous card (made by Piglottie), a lovely letter and some patterns (including one for a yummy heart scarf)!!!

I can't believe Piglottie did this, she has been heaps of fun to buy for but has been incredibly generous to me all along, even teaching me how to make soap through email and book recommendations. If anyone gets her in a future Secret Pal/exchange, they will be the luckiest participant in the world.

Thanks P! And I hope you and the L are enjoying your holiday!

Piece de Resistance

2006-08-27T19:34:00.000+01:00

I have been SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO desperate to show this off, but I wanted to put on some purple gear and get my Dad (and his good camera and better knowledge of photography) and do it justice.

This (drum roll please) is the final part of my final package from my Secret Pal Tanja.

It is a shrug I saw on someone's blog a while back (the pattern is from Elann) and had fallen for in a big way. I noted it in my blog in the hope that one day I might be able to knit it, but lamented the fact it wouldn't be for a looooooooooong time! And then Tanja saved the day and knitted it for me!!!

What I love about it is that from the front, it looks like a simple lacy shrug, but then you see the back...
where there is this gorgeous, deep 'v' of lace and fringing, right down to my bottom! These photographs don't quite do it justice in that, in fact, it is a really pretty lilac (and not the pale blue it looks here) and as such, goes with practically all of my wardrobe. Oh and Tanja bought one skein too many and sent me that too, so I might be able to knit a little extra something to go with it!
I can't begin to tell you how much I love it, and indeed how much I love my Secret Pal for making it for me! Yipee!!!

Inspiration?!

2006-08-26T12:15:00.000+01:00

At first, I was thinking that I'd just like to gaze at my two skeins of Hip Knits aran silk in Blueberry Pancake (which I received in my final gift from my Secret Pal). But then I started to want to play with it as it is so soft to knit with and I had so much fun knitting the One Skein Wonder (by Stefanie Japel) for my friend Katie.

So, here is what I'm thinking...
How about I make myself a One Skein wonder (as pictured above) and then, how about a matching handbag? I just found this free pattern on Zephyr Style and I think its really cute. I am hoping that my friend Louise might be able to help me sew a cute lining in it and I shall have to think creatively about a strap...I'd love plaited purple leather...

First Foray into Felting!

2006-08-24T18:37:00.000+01:00

Well, my attempt to make the Clutch You'll Never Give up from Leigh Radford's One Skein has not been exactly what you'd call smooth sailing.

First, as I mentioned in a previous post, I ran out of yarn when knitting it and had to rip the whole thing back, start again and omit 3 rows. Next, I didn't understand the gusset instructions and instead of looking on the internet and finding some help such as the Knitty info brought to my attention by Kahla (but unfortunately for me too late), I just went ahead and did what I thought it was saying (which of course it wasn't!). It wasn't until I had given it its first run through the machine that the penny finally dropped with gusset sewing as I now had a huge lump running along the inside of the bad and it had really bumpy bottom. I should have taken a picture of it at this stage to illustrate my disaster, but I was so reluctant to even look at the bag I had to leave it alone for a week so that it could think about its behaviour.

At this point I took it to my knitting club and asked the advice of Nina, a fellow knitter who knits the neatest felted bags and scarves you ever saw, and we decided that in any case it needed felting again so I decided to cut out the bottom, re-sew it and felt it again.

This is a picture of the naughty bag after its second felting being pulled into shape by hair clips and a hanger. I have to say that at this point I had decided that if the second felting and sewing didn't work it would be binned. However, I think you can see from the pictures above and below that actually, chopping the bottom out made a really cute size and shape.
So here, finally, is the bag finished. I must confess that am really happy with it now because it has turned out very 'clutch-bag-ish' in its more squat format. I shaved it according to Piglottie's advice and finished it with a vintage costume jewellery brooch I bought for it long before I even started knitting it, which just fabulous! I am including a close-up of the brooch below.
So, in conclusion, if you are not an idiot, this is a really nice project to knit! I just hope its new owner loves it even half as much as it hasn't loved me! (huge sigh...)...and here is a little picture of it all packaged up and ready to go!

Better?

2006-08-21T23:51:00.000+01:00

Is this any better? Can you see me now?
x

Final FANTASTIC SP8 Package

2006-08-20T20:53:00.000+01:00

Well now, let me just show off!!!

My final package arrived from my Secret Pal early on Saturday morning and the excitement of it was quite exhausting - in fact I went back to bed to rest!

Firstly, my Secret Pal had made me 20 gorgeous stitch markers (ready to hopefully knit my Clapotis), in yummy shades of lilacs, reds and blues with lots of little twinkly beads, all served up in a lovely purple and red knitted pouch.

Then, she had managed to find me some Hip Knits aran silk in Blueberry Pancake (a shade which from the website had appeared out of stock and had made me sad on more than one occasion), which is just divine. It is such a 'me' shade, all that lilac and pink....and this was extra exciting to receive because after I had knitted with some of it (in the Peony shade) and given it away as a gift, I was feeling rather disappointed that I hadn't bought myself any.

Next in my package I discovered some yummy Weleda hand cream and Dr Hauschka Shower cream. These were great to get my hands on as Dr Hauschka is so expensive over here and I've not had any Weleda before. They smell delicious and the hand cream is a great size for carrying around in my knitting tools!

I also received the top book on my Amazon wishlist, which was Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot). I have been wanting to read this for a while, ever since I had a sneaky read of a couple of pages in Waterstones when I should have been looking for a philosophy book and embarrassed myself by laughing out loud!

Now, there were two more fabulous things in my parcel. One of them, I am not going to show right now, but will photograph properly (or my Dad will) in order to do justice to its beauty (its amazing!) and when I do, I will also reveal who my Secret Pal was.

The last but by no means least item I received in my final package was a lovely embroidered butterfly done by my Secret Pal's 12 year daughter Lena. Its so clever, I could never have done anything like that at that age, I was far too messy! So here is a picture of it nestled between some of my other butterflies.

I can't believe what a great package of prezzies this was. My other parcels were so great that I felt sure my Secret Pal must have exhausted herself and then she did it again, she assembled an absolute winner! Thank you Secret Pal (and Lena), you have utterly excelled in the art of spoiling Charlotte!

Purple Palace

2006-08-16T18:01:00.000+01:00

I hope you like my new look blog?!

Huge thanks to Zara for helping me making it all pretty...just a few more things to tweek and then it will be the perfect purple palace!

Lip Barmy!

2006-08-15T20:44:00.000+01:00

Just to show something else non-knitting related that I've been up too...

Here are the lip balms I made with ingredients and a recipe sent to me by the wonderful Piglottie's Parlour. They are mint chocolate, made with Green and Black's cocoa powder! The gorgeous tins are by 'crockery queen' Emma Bridgewater; I saw them in my local cookware shop and was desperate to think of something to do with them, so when I got the lip balm recipe I was very excited!

As you can see there are only 4, so they have been designated for VIPs only (one of whom was MJMKnitting)!

Soap Wrapping

2006-08-14T16:10:00.000+01:00

I have been having trouble deciding how to wrap my soaps. This is my most recent attempt using tissue paper, some see-through textured paper and some metalic elastic. The first few I gave away were just wrapped in tissue paper and they didn't look nice enough. I like the idea of using much sturdier paper, like wrapping paper, for example, or maybe some recycled or hand-made paper. These look ok, but I think I will keep experimenting till I get it right...

Anyway, I am taking these ones up to Sheffield to my friend Emily who has kindly agreed to put me up for the night at very short notice!

Still Afraid of Felting, but not Flickr!

2006-08-13T21:17:00.000+01:00

OK, so I tweeked the code and lost the image title, moved it to the left and got rid of the black boarder and I think it looks better?!

Fear of Felting

2006-08-13T20:51:00.000+01:00

Kendalls clutch pre-felting
Originally uploaded by cfknits.

So, I reknitted the Clutch You'll Never Give Up from the One Skein book and omitted 3 rows altogether and this time I had enough yarn. For those interested I just knitted one row less on each of the straight sections. Then I sewed up the bottom, which I found really tricky because of chunkiness of the yarn, and spent a good half-an-hour trying to work out what on earth Leigh Radford meant when she described the gusset seams. In the end I bit the bullet and sewed across the corners (you can kind of see the result in the picture), but I have no idea if this is quite right.

Anyway, now I just have to felt it and adorn it, and I'm really nervous!!! I have never tried felting before and I'm so scared my cruddy washing machine is going to eat up the purse!

I am also experimenting in this post with using Flickr for posting images. Blogger is being mean again and wont let me upload anything and then I noticed Flickr had a blog option. I don't like the fact it includes the image title (because now, if she is looking, Kendall will know what I'm making her), and I'm not thrilled by the black boarder, but apart from that I think it might be a good option?

More Sock Research

2006-08-13T20:18:00.000+01:00

I have realised that I don't like it very much when I don't have several projects on the go - or at least to think about, so although I have just started a couple of things, I'm also wanting to get some more socks going. With that in mind, I've been doing some more sock research.

I have found a really nice and simple looking Sock pattern, which I think might be a good one to do next, or perhaps the one at Sock 101. My Secret Pal sent me a wonderful book with heaps of pretty sock patterns in it, but all the ones I really like are for more experienced sock knitters, so I think I need to find my feet (sorry couldn't help that one) a bit first.

I also had a look at Sock Knitters and found lots of useful resources and more free patterns. And then I had a look at lots of sites which help you calculate how many stitches to cast on and how many to use for the heel etc. These included one at Socks 101, the famous one by Elizabeth Bennett, and a useful conversion chart so I can see how long a UK size 3 foot, for example, is in inches and centimeters.

Finally, I found either cute sock blockers or budget ones...

Now all I have to do is choose some yarn!

Doh!

2006-08-11T10:48:00.000+01:00

I too, like KnitYoga, am confusabled. I bought some Lamb's Pride and knitted the whole of the Clutch You'll Never Give up from Leigh Radford's One Skein, only to run out of yarn before the end! I checked my gauge and it was right and all the details of the yarn were right, so how did this happen???

Luckily, because it is knitting in the round I didn't mind frogging the whole thing as it was relaxing knitting in the first place. Now I am going to re-knit and take out a few of the straight rows, but really, I don't know how it ended up so big.

I'm off to look at the One Skein KAL to see if anyone there can shed any light...

Finally MY WASH CLOTHS!

2006-08-10T21:56:00.000+01:00

So here, finally, is a picture of the wash cloths I have been working on. I still have a tiny bit of Sirdar cotton left, and will try and stretch it out to one more cloth, but I had knitted a second bobble one and ran out, so I will have to be creative...

Apart from the garter stitch stripe, which obviously I didn't need a pattern for, the patterns all came from the Dishcloth Boutique. I'm really excited with them because I have knitted a bobble pattern and tiny cables for the first time and I think it was great practice! Although, as I said previously, I'm desperate to get hold of some Sugar'n Cream cotton in all those fabulous bright colours and I'd like to give the Mason Dixon Ball Band pattern a whirl.

Mind you, knitting wash cloths isn't all I've been up to. Thanks to Piglottie (who is the fabulous person I've been spoiling through SP8) I've learnt how to make soap and I would like to proudly unveil a little stack of a coconut oil and coco butter-based soap that I've recently made.

I have scented the soap with Cardamom and Vanilla and am calling it Posh Spice (well, I am from Hertfordshire!). I am utterly thrilled with it, in fact I don't think I can even express how exited I was when I had a shower this morning with soap I had made myself!!! My first batch went wrong, but this lot, I am happy to report (after the agonising 4 week wait for it to cure) has turned out brilliantly. Hurrah!

A Touch of Glass

2006-08-03T18:34:00.000+01:00

I'm very excited about Foreign Strand, the new online outlet for luxury knitting treats from across the pond. I have already bought some glass needles and a skein of crystal filled silk for my Mummy which were just gorgeous.

Right when I didn't need any other knit bits to covet!

Sugar'n Cream'n Stuff

2006-08-03T18:29:00.000+01:00

Having gazed at all the dishcloths people are making at the moment I have found myself extremely bored with my Sirdar cottons in Sage, Venetian Blue, Flamingo, Raspberry and White and falling shameless for all the Sugar'n Cream yarns available in the US. They are quite the kitschest and funkiest colours I've seen in affordable cotton. No wonder everyone's cloths look so much cuter than mine! :-(

Wash Cloth Update

2006-08-02T23:32:00.000+01:00

Edit: I did NOT knit the wash cloths below. I am feeling really fraudulent! I posted the picture to say how much cuter they are than the ones I've been working on (due to cute Ball Band Pattern) and how cute the yarn is (which I believe is Sugar'n Cream). I'm really sorry to their real maker Compulsive Unraveler for any confusion!

I have been knitting away on my wash cloths which are intended to go with the handmade soaps I've just been learning to make (thanks to the person I am spoiling through Secret Pal - who is ace by the way!). I thought a handmade soap and a handmade wash cloth would be a really lovely gift and it would be good to get the cloths ready while waiting the month it takes for the soaps to cure.

Anyway, I have been using a chequered pattern, a bobble pattern, an easy cable pattern and some garter stitch stripes (I'll post pictures soon). I really like how they have been coming out, and I am trying to finish up all my Sirdar cottons this week so that I can get going on a gift for a friend, but after trotting round some knitting blogs I discovered a huge fashion for knitting the Mason Dixon Ball Band Dishcloth (show above) and even found a Flickr gallery dedicated to them. It looks like a really cute pattern and I love the two tone colours and the fact lots of people have done them in really kitsch colourways. However, I think the pattern is in the book and I can't stretch to a copy right now, so I'll have to wait to give it a go.

KALs and Pals

2006-08-01T19:23:00.000+01:00

I discovered a really useful KAL Directory the other day and promptly joined the Clapotis Knit-a-Long. I'm really pleased I did, because although I'm not knitting one (yet), I've already learned heaps and everyone is so helpful. I can highly recommend it as the group even have spread sheets to help you with the pattern...

Mind you, it will be a long wait till I can start. The colour I have my heart set on is Lion and Lamb in Valentine, but Get Knitted wont have it in stock until October! :-(

Teddy-Tastic!

2006-08-01T19:14:00.000+01:00

So everyone has been going on about this CuteOverload site, which I must admit I lost a good half hour to the other morning (especially the puppies), but then I discovered a cute over load of a different kind.

While surfing the knitting blog-o-sphere I came across the site Teds From Threads which is a site featuring Teddies and patterns for Teddies made by crocheting in really fine thread. I'm afraid I have fallen shamelessly in love the two critters below!

Secret Pal 8 Questionnaire No.2

2006-07-25T22:55:00.000+01:00

1) What is your favorite season of the year?
I would have to say Winter or maybe Autumn. I used to be a summer girl and a real sun worshipper but now I find it too hot and I really love wool, mohair, angora, cashmere, tweed, leather, suede and all the other winter staples too much to be a summer girl. (I am now of course hankering for my winter wardrobe despite the heatwave!)

2) Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Hmmm. I really haven't had a holiday in a long time (violins please!) as my trips away are taken up with conferences these days (oh woe is me), but I do adore New York and San Francisco. I'm no longer a fan of sunny holidays where you just lie around all day, so cities suit me.

3) If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
Definitely Russia. I have had a long hankering to see Moscow and StPetersburg, but I'd also love to see Australia, China and Peru - oh and right now I keep fantasizing about a trip to Venice with my beau.

4) If you could pick any job, and be paid well, what would it be?
Hmmm, well I don't have any aspirations to do very much other than what I am training to do, so I would like to be an art critic/curator/historian and be well paid (which of course is extremely unlikely in the visual arts). Otherwise I guess everyone would like to be a travel writer and see the world for free...

5) If you were going on vacation for 1 week, and had to take ONLY one project with you, what would it be?
Right now I am champing at the bit to knit a Clapotis and am trying to make myself wait until I can find the yarn I'm in love with (Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb in 'Valentine'), and the stitch markers (unless I do a purl stitch), and the time to really enjoy it, so a fictitious holiday (THERE WILL BE NO WEEK LONG VACATION FOR ME ANY TIME SOON) would be perfect!

6) If you won a shopping spree to your favorite Yarn shop, what would you get??
Well, Lion and Lamb in 'Valentine' of course, I think Clapotis needs 3 skeins. In addition to that I'd also like some more sock yarn and a couple of balls of Kidsilk Haze in a pale pink colour to knit a gift for a friend. I'd probably also buy Stephanie Pearl McPhee's Knitting Rules and some of those crazy over size needles that are like broom handles. But I really don't want a stash that takes over my flat, so I have rather modest desires ;-)

Knit a River

2006-07-20T20:56:00.000+01:00

Have you knitted your squares for Knit a River?

(top squre by Mummy, bottom square by me)

Wonderful One Skein Wonder

2006-07-20T14:03:00.000+01:00

I have finished knitting Stefanie Japel's One Skein Wonder in Hip Knits Aran weight silk in Peony for my friend Katie for her birthday. The OSW seems to have been a huge hit all over the knitting blog-o-sphere and I'm a bit late in jumping on the bandwagon, but I'm soooooooooo glad I did!

This was a really quick and simple knit. At first I didn't think the pattern explained itself properly, but then I thoroughly enjoyed how it sort of sprang into shape!

The Aran silk was lovely to knit with too, it was so soft and the colours (which I spotted on one of annarella's projects) are so sweet and sugary that it seemed like perfect summer knitting.

Oh and I got to use the circular needle sent to me by my Secret Pal and knit in the round on circular needles for the first time. I really liked the final part of the pattern where you pick up stitches all the way round the garment and knit an inch of rib (I did nearly 2 inches because I was having so much fun) in the round.

The only problem is it doesn't photograph well when not being worn, so the picture above is of it folded after I gently blocked it. Actually, I blocked it by spraying it and wearing it until it was dry. Because you knit the ribbing in the round it seemed silly to block the garment flat as it would distort the beautiful shape, and as Katie is the same size as me, I though this would be the best way and I rather think I was right. I hope to post another picture of her wearing it at some point though, so that its cuteness can be fully appreciated.

I have also printed up some labels to use on my knitted gifts and so the picture below is of it all wrapped up and ready for its new owner.
Now I just wish I had some more Hip Knits aran silk so that I could knit myself one!!!

I Knit London

2006-07-16T21:15:00.000+01:00

Last Thursday I joined the I Knit London group who were meeting outside at the National Theatre to take in some Freddie-Mercury-tribute juggling (don’t ask; it was kind of funny though). I Knit London is a nomadic knitting group who meet twice monthly at venues all across London. This time there wasn’t a huge turn out, but I am reliably informed that this was due to the fact it wasn’t in a pub; the people there however were lovely. I went with Louise and we both took the opportunity to knit our blue squares for the Knit a River Campaign, which was started by Gerard Allt, (also the founder of I Knit London).

This was, for me anyway, a really nice way to meet people and knit. I liked the fact that knitting was just something that brought us together to convene in a particular location, and, although we did talk about knitting a lot, it wasn’t the be-all-and-end-all of our existences! I definitely plan to go again.

Trip to Stash Yarns

2006-07-09T22:08:00.000+01:00

On Saturday morning Louise and I made a mad dash to the new shop Stash Yarns in Putney to check out what it had on offer. I am excited to say that it was a really great shop (even if it is a bit of a trek for me to get to). I bought the person I am spoiling through Secret Pal her final gift and I finally got myself a copy of Knit.1 and also I picked up a copy of KnitScene. I would have loved to have bought some yarn, but I've been spending a bit much recently and Louise and I didn't really have long enough as we were due at a meeting for NODE.London, which is an arts org and season we are both involved with.

What was most exciting was that there were 2 Clapotis' (or is it Clapotii?) knitted up and seeing them in the flesh (yarn) convinced me that I must make one! I have of course seen other peoples' all over the blogosphere and have looked at the pattern lustfully a few times, but seeing one finished, getting to touch the Lion and Lamb yarn (and even knit with it as Stash Yarns have yarn already on the needles so you can have a go!), and being told that it isn't too hard for a beginner spurred me on. Now all I have to do is find some pretty stitch markers because I'll need 18!!!

Heavenly Hearts and Needle Cases

2006-07-06T22:30:00.000+01:00

Now, many of my friends think I am difficult to buy gifts for and constantly complain as it nears my birthday, but I want this post to be concrete proof that not only am I easy to buy/make for, but you don't even have to know me!!!

Yesterday a new parcel arrived from my Secret Pal and oh my goodness was it good?! !!!

Inside the jiffy were lots of parcel all wrapped up in pretty tissue paper and as I unveiled each one, I can honestly say I gasped with delight. Firstly she made me the most perfect needle cases (one for long straights and one for DPNs). I have never seen a needle case that I have liked, so had - up until now - decided that I would have to cope without one, but now I am the proud owner of not just one, but two!!! The fabric they are made from, which by the way absolutely looks like the type I fabric I would have chosen myself, is a mottled lilac and pink with gold metallic sort of splatterings over the top. They really are just divine and I am so excited to go to my knitting group tomorrow and show them off!

Next in my parcel I found a rosewood circular needle in 3.5mm which my SP says is her favourite size of needle to use. I have yet to use circs and knit in the round, so this was great too, and to have rosewood is pure luxury!

After that, I unwrapped a yummy little wooden heart and a set of heart cards. Now for those who don't know, I collect hearts in all shapes, sizes and formats and have hundreds all over my flat. The cards are fabulous, and as you can see from the picture below have not been unwrapped so that they stay in mint condition until I know where they are going (I am planning to have all my heart cards framed at some point and then I want to cover an entire wall with them - although I might need to move to a bigger flat first). The wooden heart is testing out locations round my lounge. I will probably put it in my coffee table which has a glass top (and a big drawer which I have filled with hearts and art catalogues so that you can see them in the table), but the reflections make it difficult to photograph so I snapped it with the cards.

Finally, I discovered a beautiful set of beaded and felted hearts in lilac, purple and red which were all strung on twisted wire so that they could be hung up. The incredible thing about these hearts is that they absolutely, positively look like something that would already live in my flat! When I showed my Mummy them she said 'how did she know?', and I have to say I am stunned at how spot on they are. I know I would have bought them if I saw them in a shop, so its very exciting to have them just arrive in a parcel!

I have already chosen their spot, forced my (tall) boyfriend into putting a tack in the wall to hang them on and have put them up! Its a shame, however, that the pictures below don't do them justice and don't show quite as well as they should how perfectly the colours go with my lounge which is lilac, purple and red! Oh and by the way, I have hung them next to my pride and joy which is a painting by the artist Peter Monkman (of a Big Brother contestant).

So, in conclusion, I feel the most spoilt person in the entire world (the knitting world at least) and I rather think I have the best Secret Pal in the world (the knitting world at least), so I want to say sorry to everyone else that they don't have my Secret Pal and THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to my Secret Pal who is just amazing!!!!

Sock Research

2006-07-04T22:38:00.000+01:00

Ugh, I'm having problems with blogger again. I wrote a post on my recent activities but when I publish it it messes up the layout of my entire blog. I know the pictures are the right size, so I just don't get it...

Anyway, in addition to knitting the things it the (above mentioned) post which I will one day actually publish. I have also been looking at all things sock related in order to learn as much as possible before I take the sock plunge again. I have to admit I quite like the idea of always have a pair of socks on the go as they make quite hypnotic knitting.

I found this aritcle on Knitty which provides lots of helpful hints and tips, and a new pal at my knitting group has given me an Opal pattern to look at. Then I found a guide (scroll to bottom of GK site) on Get Knitted which helps you calculate socks (I think the fact my first pair fitted was a bit of a fluke). Finally, I have been gazing at lots of sock yarns. Now I definitely prefer variegated ones that knit up all different colours, or self striping, because plain colours look a bit boring to me - unless you are knitting a complicated pattern like lace and I don't know how to do that yet. I also loved how warm the wool from my first pair was and I think that that should be the benefit of hand knitted socks, so I've been looking for (easy care) wool, cashmere and angora.

No Such Thing as a Free Knitting Pattern?

2006-07-03T20:34:00.000+01:00

OK, so the title of this post is going a bit far, of course there is such a thing as a free knitting pattern (in fact there are loads - hurrah for Knitty) but when you are a beginner, you can't tell which ones are correct and which ones contain mistakes - until you knit them!

So for another project (more on that later) I am knitting wash cloths (or posh flannels). I found several patterns online which looked cute, printed them up and then bought a range of Sirdar 100% cotton and sat down with some 4mm needles in the hideous heat of Sunday...

The pattern was for a Waffle Face Cloth, but after knitting the first 6 rows of this pattern I realised that when it says:

Rows 1-5 K5, P5 (all the way)
Rows 6-10 P5, K5 (all the way) Repeat all rows (1-10) twice
Repeat rows 1-5 one more time

It should say:

Row 1: k5, p5
Row 2: P5, K5
Row 3: K5, P5
Row 4: P5, K5
Row 5: K5, P5

Row 6: K5, P5
Row 7: P5, K5
Row 8: K5, P5
Row 9: P5, K5
Row 10: K5, P5

And that it is actually these rows that set the pattern!!!

So after writing this down just so that I was clear, I churned out 2 lovely cloths, one in white and one in a pale pink colour that Sirdar call Flamingo. I think they look really good and I like the checkered pattern, and I'm even proud of myself that I knew what the pattern should say, but I'm disappointed it wasn't right in the first place.

Then I set out to knit a Bobble Wash Cloth, which is cute and a bit more intricate. Although this pattern is correct (which is a bonus), for a beginner (which lets face it you probably are if you even need a pattern to knit a wash cloth!), I think instead of saying:

Bobble Pattern: Row 1: (Right Side) K5, Purl until last 5 sts, K5.
Row 2: K5, *(K1, P1, K1) in next stitch, P3tog*, repeat between *'s to last 5sts, K5.
Row 3: K5, P to last 5 sts, K5.
Row 4: K5, *P3tog, (K1, P1, K1) in next stitch, * repeat between *'s to last 5 sts, K5.

It would be easier if it said:

Row 1: (Right Side) K5, Purl until last 5 sts, K5.
Row 2: K5, *(K1, P1, K1) in next stitch, P3tog*, repeat between *'s to last 8sts, P3tog, K5.
Row 3: K5, P to last 5 sts, K5.
Row 4: K5, *P3tog, (K1, P1, K1) in next stitch, * repeat between *'s to last 6 sts, K1, P1, K1 in next stitch, K5.

I'm probably being pedantic, but its nice to know that the rows of bobbles end differently to the way they start i.e. if they start with 'P3tog' they end with 'K1, P1, K1 in next stitch'.

Anyway, wash cloths make really relaxing knitting! And if you are at all interested, this site is the cutest (read kitschest) site I've found for patterns!

Perfect Peony

2006-06-30T11:57:00.000+01:00

So I was having a quick sneak round the UK Knitters Blog Ring (when I should have been finishing a chapter of my thesis) and whilst looking at annarella, I saw some aran weight silk yarn that I thought would be just perfect for the gift I want to make my pal Katie for her birthday in July. I saw it was a Hip Knits yarn, so I emailed Kerrie to see if she had any left. She told me it was called Peony and that she'd hunt some out for me and moments later had emailed me to let me know my skein of Peony would be on its way to me on Monday.

I'm so excited. I think the colours are perfect for Katie and coincidentally her favourite flowers are Peonies! I'm also really chuffed that Kerrie was so quick to find it for me! Thanks Kerrie.
So to repay Kerrie for her fab and fast service, I thought I blog about it as quick as I could!!!

Completed - Socks

2006-06-29T19:49:00.000+01:00

Behold, my beautiful socks!!!!

Just to recap, these were knitted with the handpainted yarn and 2.5mm Rosewood DPNs given to me by my (wonderful) Secret Pal, and I used the 'Ragg Time' pattern on page 9 of the Socks Socks Socks book (also given to me by my Secret Pal) edited by Elaine Rowley.

All's Well that Ends Well

2006-06-26T17:08:00.000+01:00

So, I have finally finished my first pair of socks! But despite the fact my sock knitting started rather well, more recently it became somewhat fraught and even a little distressing, so I shall tell you my sock saga...

The first sock was done and I had noted the following issues:
1. the top edge wasn't quite as even as I thought it should be i.e. the jump from first round to second was rather pronounced.
2. I had little holes where you pick your stitches after the heel flap
3. my grafting was a bit bumpy

I cast on my second sock and got pretty much straight to work. I went really fast round all the ankle ribbing and to my surprise discovered that this time, there was no discrepancy at the top edge (issue 1 resolved!). I got to the heel flap and with few minor problems worked back and forth ready for the gusset. My Secret Pal had given me advice on picking up stitches, but unfortunately I forgot this and made the same little holes as before - although my picked up stitches do look more robust this time (issue 2 half resolved). I did my gusset decreases and made it to the foot part imagining that I was some kind of sock knitting whiz who would be able to knit socks while talking and even without constantly referring to a pattern!!! Boy was I wrong!

My toe decreases went fine and as I neared the toe I remember that my Secret Pal had recommended doing a 3 needle bind-off rather than grafting. And this is where I encountered my first problem. I knew that in order to do this, I needed to turn my work inside out, but I had already put it on 2 needles and try as I might, I couldn't work out how to reverse it. I put the stitches on a holder and this didn't help. I tried staring at it for a long time and this didn't help. So I finally decided that it would have to be on 3 or 4 needles to turn inside out. So I put it on 4 needles and eventually and with much caution, I managed to pull the sock through the tiny opening and reverse it.

Now for my next problem, when I got down to my final 16 stitches (before the turning inside out saga) I had arrived at the point in the pattern where it tells you to:

"Knit 4 st from first DNP to 3rd DPN"

I remembered this from the first sock as I took it to mean slip 4 stitch from 1st to 3rd so that you had 2 needles with 8 stitches on each. In fact I still think this is what it means, but what then happens is that your working yarn tail is right in the middle of one of your needles (because the round beginning was in line with the middle of the heel in this pattern - I don't know if that is different to other patterns). When I did sock number 1, I rectified this by simply passing the yarn to the front of the needle and beginning the graft from there. I didn't think you could redistribute the stitches across the needles so that the working yarn would be at one end because I thought this would mean that you would be closing up the toe at an odd angle, rather than flat with the decreases at each end.

So after the 'turning inside out' bit, I again slipped 4 from 1st to 3rd and again had the working yarn in the middle and again passed the working yarn to the front to start the bind-off. Can you imagine what happened? Can you??? Well, forgetting that the sock was inside out and that I needed to pass the yarn where I could see it, I instead passed it underneath the needles. I did the 3 needle bind-off which is of course easy-peasy lemon-squeezy and was so excited at my sock success that I broke the yarn and woven in the tail.

Disaster! When I turned the sock the right way again I found this loop of yarn outside of the sock running from the middle to the end, where I had passed it to start the bind off!

Being a perfectionist (although increasingly less of one the more I knit), I decided that I would have to undo the bind off. So I pulled out the tail and pulled out the bind off. Disaster struck again when, unable to do this gently enough, stitches started to drop in front of my very eyes. At this point, holding my breath and I can honestly say holding back a few tears of frustration, I turned the sock into a construction site and picked up every stitch I could find using all 5 of my DPNs. I was slightly relieved to discover I had 20 stitches - just one round off my final decrease - but rather distressed again when I realised that I couldn't work out how to get these rather precarious 20 stitches back on the right needles.

For a week I consigned the sock to the knitting basket to think about its behaviour!

After the trauma had lessened, I set about putting the stitches back in order, doing the final decrease row and the 3 needle bind-off with the working yarn right under my nose where I could see it and it couldn't misbehave. To do all of this I added a new peace of yarn as the tail I had left was too short to work with, so I had several tails to weave in and had to remember how my Anuty Wedny (Anuty Wendy) taught me to join yarn and knit it together with the first stitch.

But I am relieved to report that sock number 2 is now finished!!! (sigh of relief)

I am off out to the second meeting of my knitting club later and I shall wear my socks with pride and at some point, when Blogger lets me upload photos again, I will post a picture of them together!

30 Things for Kerrie

2006-06-19T21:53:00.000+01:00

In answer to Kerrie's competition at HipKnits:

30 Things About cfknits (That Count to 30)!!!

I have spent 1 night in my car, at Scarborough beach, wrapped up in leopard print bedding (nobody said sleeping in cars couldn’t be glamorous),

I have had 2 car crunches that were my fault, and both of them were with stationery objects (moving targets are harder, obviously),

I have attended 3 schools and 3 universities (just can’t get enough of them!),

In a restaurant called Sambo’s in Santa Barbara I once ate 4 breakfasts in one go (American ones and I’m only little),

During my lifetime I have had 5 imaginary friends and they were called Doocie, Jank, Cockie-Knickers, Nothingness-1 and Nothingness-2 (I have yet to afford a therapist),

My birthday is the 6th of September and my brother’s is the 6th of October (but luckily there is no other sibling to make the third 6),

I’ve been studying at HE level for 7 years (thankfully not 7 years straight, but who knows),

When I was 8 I told my mummy I wished Debbie Harry was my mother instead (I really have no reason for this, its as utterly random as it sounds),

9 is the only times table I can do (other than 2s, 5s and 10s) because I know a trick for it,

I like to take 10 minute showers and believe I am entirely responsible for the drought in Hertfordshire (but using a stopwatch I’ve cut it down a lot OK),

Since starting knitting I’ve knitted 11 items (and counting),

I spend £12 on organic vegetables each week but I don’t eat fruit (except the occasional banana),

When I was 13 a school friend pierced my ears and my whole face went septic (pretty eh?),

I own 14 sets of knitting needles but no knitting needle case (woe is me),

I’ve so far won £15 on the Monday Lottery (but don’t tell my Mum because she doesn’t like lotteries),

When I was 16 my school friends and I ate all the Easter eggs in the junior school Easter egg hunt, but failed to fully dispose of the evidence (it was too much chocolate even for me!) and were punished,

I starting dating my first boyfriend when I was 17 (and prior to that wasn’t the slightest bit interested in smelly boys),

The Tai Chi form I’m currently struggling to learn is called 18 Hands (but I only have 2),

I had my first mobile phone when I was 19 (and it was the size of a pencil case and you couldn’t text on it),

I own 20 antique costume jewellery brooches bought over several years from a market stall in Dorset,

For my 21st birthday my then boyfriend bought me a car stereo (where’s the romance in that?) and my Mum made me a huge collage of pictures and keepsakes from my whole life (a true work of art),

22 was my house number for role call at boarding school,

My Dad is tracing our family tree and so far he has found 23 ancestors we didn’t know about (I’m looking forward to hearing about Ebenezer),

I cn ansa in jst 24 charactrs!

My boyfriend is 25 (apparently I’m a cradle snatcher),

I broke my nose (pretty spectacularly) on a shop floor when I was 26,

Right now its 27 degrees outside,

I am 28, but next year I will be 30 (clearly I’m an alien and age 3 years for every human year),

I met my boyfriend on the 29th of October (in Halloween costume),

It took me 30 minutes to complete this set of facts.

Still No Pictures!

2006-06-19T16:36:00.000+01:00

How is it that I can post a picture of a magazine, but Blogger wont let me post any pictures of the things I've been making??? Its very frustrating. Please let me back in Blogger, please!

Want 1!

2006-06-17T12:02:00.000+01:00

I really want to subscribe to this magazine!

I've read various reviews of it on the net, which have been mixed, but Luciana let me see her last copy, and I thought it was wonderful. It is of course very 'fashion forward' but then I like that! Most of the bad reviews I have read were written by people who I am sure are not the target market for such a publication, so I haven't been deterred!

On top of that, this is the 'art issue', could it be any more appropriate?! I am going to have to find out how to get hold of it!!!

Bloggin' Blues II

2006-06-15T17:25:00.000+01:00

Why blogger why???? I just spent half an hour on a post and blogger has chewed it up and spat it out into the ether without letting me save a draft!!! I've really got the bloggin' blues now!!!!

How 2 Start Knitting...

2006-06-15T16:55:00.000+01:00

A couple of people have recently asked me how to get into knitting, so this is my:

Learners Knitting Guide (from the perspective of a learner!)

I would firstly recommend getting a copy of Stitch and Bitch by Debbie Stoller. I know this isn’t the only book for new knitters, but so far it is my favourite because although I’m not fussed for the patterns, I think the approach is fun, easy and memorable (and you might like the patterns!).

I would then take a look at Knitty and trawl though all their free patterns – particularly the ‘mellow’ ones and find something (either from Knitty or Stitch and Bitch) that you feel like having a go at – probably a scarf?! Probably something in a chunky/bulk wool?!

(For further assistance with techniques, once you actually pick up your needles, I’d try Knitting Help. You can even sit in front of the computer with your needles for a tutorial.)

I would then take a look at Get Knitted (even if the site is a bit of a mess) and Pavi Yarns (because the site is simple and clear). Offline, any John Lewis is always a good option for basic stuff and then there is Loop (in Islington) and (the newly opened) Stash (in Putney), and I’m quite fond of the Knit Tin in Olney - who by the way do beginners scarf kits which look really good!

Next I would join a knitting circle. There are lots of them around and most of them comprise mixed ages and abilities, so you don’t need to feel daunted. You can find knitting group locations on the UK Stitch ‘n’ Bitch site.

Another great resource are knitting blogs. I personally find it really good fun to hang out with other knitters online through a blog, so I would recommend setting up a blogger, typepad or livejournal account and getting stuck in. Alternatively you can just start surfing your way round some of the web rings such UK Knitters, Knitty Kitty for ideas and inspiration. Two of my favourite blogs are Purl Friday and Purly Queen because they are way better than me, but not so much so that it scares me, and they post really regularly and honestly abut their projects.

Eventually you will need bags and boxes for all of your yarn, and essential tools such as scissors, pins, counters and tapestry needles, but you don't need to worry about that to start with, you will acquire things as you need them. First of all its fun to just play around with some wool and some some needles and see what happens...

Bloggin' Blues

2006-06-15T14:16:00.000+01:00

I've got the Bloggin' blues! Blogger wont let me upload any images and meanwhile I've finished 3 projects and I want to show them off. On top of that, all around me other people's blogs are changing daily - especially the ones I'm watching for Secret Pal - and I'm feeling very left out!

Fingers crossed everything is fixed soon!

Completed - Birthday Shawls

2006-06-11T22:28:00.000+01:00

I have been working in secret on two birthday presents recently. I fell in love with the Stefanie Japel pattern City Shawl, and decided to try it out in two very different yarns for two friends who have birthdays in June.

For Jessica, I chose Giotto by Colinette (see below), which is a ribbonny yarn. I chose the colour 'Sunrise' (121), which is pale pinks, lilacs and blues. With the slight sheen in the ribbon, it looks decidedly girlie and a touch shabby chic.

For Rachel I chose Soft Lux by Rowan, in the colour 'Basalt'(see below), which is dusty pale blue with tiny metallic silver thread through it. The effect of this more like a traditional shawl with a modern twist, so I think it had a bit of a retro edge to it - especially if worn with some choice vintage clothing.

I also bought lovely stick fasteners from Get Knitted (one in pink and one in blue) so that the shawls can be worn differently, and made labels for each shawl complete with washing instructions.

The yarns were of course very different to knit with. The Giotto slightly more slippery and slow to work on circular needles (but not in the round as per the pattern); while the Rowan was an easier knit. Both projects were time consuming because the pattern doesn't tell you how many stitches you should have on the needle at each stage, and as this was my first project with 'yarn overs' and I made a few mistakes, I had to keep ripping the wool back to the last stage at which I was sure I had the right number of stitches (usually the first row of YOs in a section). (I know I could have worked the number of stitches out, but my maths isn't great and I didn't want to rely on my own calculations!)

I blocked both shawls, despite the pattern saying it wasn't necessary, because even though they looked fine when finished, somehow they were both slightly off-centre. Blocking seemed to fix this up fine and it was also good to see how both yarns responded to blocking. The Giotto in fact changed quite a lot - for the better - because it became a lot flatter, lost a bit of its spring which is more appropriate for a shawl and became very drapey.

Knitting the same pattern in different yarns one after the other was a really good project to help me get to understand how differently yarns can be worked. As a result I've decided to keep a yarn journal where I'm going to make notes on how yarns were to knit with, alongside little samples of the yarns (in the form of tassels or knitted squares) to remind myself.

The final thing I want to say about this project was how much fun it was to make gifts for my friends. I knew from knitting my boyfriend's jumper that it is extremely rewarding (especially when its appreciated), but Jess and Rachel mean the world to me as mates and I felt so much closer to both of them (because I don't get to see as much as I'd like) by putting my heart and soul into their gifts.

Little Knits

2006-06-11T22:14:00.000+01:00

I just wanted to show these little knits off.
I bought them at the beginning of the year at an Anthroplogie in Chicago. They were on sale and were a crazy $8.00 each! I just had to have them because of all the detailing which makes them look so glamorous - despite the fact they are only a few inches in size.
I wish I'd bought more of them though. There were about 10 different styles and I thought I'd be relatively cautious and just buy four, but now I wish I could add to the collection.
I display them on my wall in bedroom, in between some paintings and photos, where they look just perfect because my bedroom (with its deep metallic pink walls) is rather boudoir-ish and is the perfect setting for such tiny tricotage!

Sock! Sock! Sock!

2006-06-08T20:37:00.000+01:00

Oh my goodness, look, a sock! I can't believe it. I've knitted a whole sock!!!! I'm just thrilled. I have been using knitting help and socks 101 for extra assistance where needed - and thank goodness for both of them - but I still did it myself!

Excitement over, I would like to say that it bugs me that I didn't graft the toe as neatly as I'd like. I'm pretty sure I've done it properly, but it is a bit loose and bumpy. I know I'm being a perfectionist and that this is my first go, but I'd still like to have done it better. I'm also a bit troubled by the stitches I picked up at the gusset; I'm not sure if I did them too close to the edge as it looks less robust than I think it should. I'd also like for there not to be a slight discrepancy in the top edge where you start the first round. I'm wondering if I did something wrong, if there is a trick, or if I should just put a stitch in to bring them level?

So I've cast on the second sock so as to avoid 'second sock syndrome', but I've got to finish the jacket I'm knitting to wear for my friend's wedding, so it will still be on a back burner.

But for now I'm proud as punch of my lone sock!

Colinette Addiction

2006-06-06T22:48:00.000+01:00

My Mummy and I are fast developing a major Colinette habit! We both devoured our Giotto projects and although hers is still in the final stages, I found out today that she had conned my Dad into 17 mile detour to the Knit Tin after a business meeting and stocked up on another lot of Giotto, 3 Colinette pattern books and pile of Zanziba. Now I wouldn't mind, but I've got a hankering for Mercury, which I've seen knitted into a simple stockinette stitch scarf (at the Knit Tin), but they didn't have any in yet so she only got treats for herself!

Mind you, I complain too much because I am working away on my friend's birthday presents so that I can get back to my sock!

Craftivista Article

2006-06-05T20:40:00.000+01:00

My Anuty Wendy (I think I have to call her that forever now since she picked up on an earlier typo on my blog and now signs her name Anuty!), sent me a fabulous article which was in the Guardian last week.

The article is about women reclaiming handicrafts in order to shed its associations with drudgery. The article notes that women across the UK are finding that handicrafts are not only enjoyable - sometimes more so than a trip to the pub although you can now combine the two - but that engaging in them can be a bit of a political statement too. Some people knit so that they can make a stand against mass-produced fashions and be more ethical and individual, whilst others knit so that they can recycle, or use 'knit-ins' as the new sit-in!

I too have been thinking about recycling yarn from knitwear found in charity shops. I often (but not as often as I'd like) have a bit of a trawl through charity shops hadn'tit hadn't occurred to me, until I read knitting pal Luciana's Erika Knight book New Knits, that it would be easy to frog old knits and make them shiny and new. I must keep an eye out!

The article also talks about how much fun you can find in craft-making now that it is no longer a necessity, and this too is notion close to my heart. I have really been enjoying my knitting and I've also been doing a lot more cooking and baking recently - making some absolutely amazing almond macaroons last week. And now I have been given a 1937 baking manual to hone my skills.

The article says that this resurgence in crafts is being called craftivism. I have long considered myself a feminist, but have also long battled with people (men mostly) to show that enjoying certain shall we say 'feminine' pursuits doesn't negate or contradict my politics. Debbie Stoller of course introduced me to the idea that knittingaren't feminism aren't mutually exclusive pursuits, but now I am starting to see my knitting and the burgeoning knitting community I feel a part of online as something much more political.

The article mentioned some sites where the radical and indeed retro approaches to knitting are being displayed and discussed. They include craftster and craftivism, and whilst I can't see myself knitting a hand grenade any time soon, I might be tempted to knit some kitschy draft excluders to do my bit for global warming next winter - sausage dog anyone?! I'm also looking forward to the release of House Proud by Danielle Proud later this year, which promises to help me make pretty things for my purple palace (read small flat) out of junk.

So anyway Anuty Wedny, if you are reading this, thank you very much for taking the time to send the article to me. I look forward to knitting with you again soon! xxx (oh and sorry for the typos its a blogging hazard!)

Sneak Peek at Sock Progress 2!

2006-06-02T16:38:00.000+01:00

Look at my lovely sock! I'm thrilled with it. I know you read about how much people love sock knitting all across the blog-o-sphere, and I know I thought I might rather enjoy it too, but I am in love with it - totally!!! I was discussing it with Louise the other night (when we really ought to have been discussing the art lecture/book launch we had just attended) and I said that I love how compact it is and how comfortably you can settle down with a bit of sock knitting - or indeed take it with you. I love how quick and easy it is to slip round and round in circles and how neat the little stitches look, I mean, I love big, chunky wool too, but there is something unbelievably satisfying about a neat little knitted row of v-shapes! At this point I realise that I should calm down and remember that it is only knitting, but honestly, this sock stuff is fun!

Another reason I must not get carried away is the simple fact that I haven't finished it yet, and on top of that, who knows if I've 'turned the heel' correctly or done the gusset right?! I think it looks right and I think I understand how to do the toe section and graft it, but I will have to wait and see. Unfortunately I will have to wait longer than I'd like because I am working on a tiny little gift for my Secret Pal and two larger scale projects for for two Geminis who are very special to me and gifts for them are more important than my sock!

Knitted Flower

2006-05-29T19:04:00.000+01:00

I just found this knitted flower on Flickr, which very kindly includes the pattern. It makes my attempt (below) at knitting a flower look rather pathetic!

But it has inspired me to watch Flickr photostreams and add a few to my blog so that I can keep up with them!

Knit Tin Visit

2006-05-29T15:13:00.000+01:00

On Saturday Mum and I decided to venture out to Olney to visit the Knit Tin shop as part of my quest to find myself a LYS. On a good day (which this was not), I guess it might take half an hour or so to get there by car from St Albans, but we were dogged by traffic issues, so it seemed miles away! - Although we had a nice pub lunch which helped! Anyway, when we finally arrived, we found out that it is a really nice yarn shop. I would have loved it to have been bigger (I guess the owners probably would too!), but they had lots of lovely things nonetheless (including some huge purple buttons I really fancied). We both came away with Colinette yarn, which I have to say we both fell for in a big way! I bought some Giotto for a gift I am making a friend (more on that when I've finished it and given it to her!) and some Enigma for myself and a little something for my Secret Pal (by the way they gift wrap and post things to Secret Pal's if you want them too!). Mum also bought some of the Giotto yarn(not the Lasso yarn I originally said) and a pattern and has already completed about a third of the cardi she is knitting because it knits up so quickly and is so nice to knit with! I also made Mum buy some Brittany Birch needles which I think she rather pleased with too. She also bought some new Noro yarn which they had in their window knitted up into a really cute belt using 'yo k2tog', which she is going to recreate, funky fastening and all...

So far this is the nicest physical location I have encountered in which to buy yarn and I think I would be most likely to take my chances with the traffic and travel there to treat myself, but I have more yarn stores to try, so I'll reserve judgment till I've been to them too!

Finally a Photo!

2006-05-29T11:29:00.000+01:00

I've finally added photos of the jumper I knitted my boyfriend, and even a photo of him proudly wearing it!

Sneak Peek at Sock Progress

2006-05-25T08:44:00.000+01:00

Here is the start of the sock!!!

Centre-Pull Joy

2006-05-23T20:40:00.000+01:00

Here is the yarn my SP sent me all rolled into my first ever centre-pull ball. Apparently I am quite impatient because it was all going fine and then I got in a tangle which took half an hour to sort out. I think you'll agree that it looks right at home sitting in between my hearts and butterflies.

Anyway, I tentatively cast on for my first sock and have knitted a few rows. Knitting with DPNs is kind of strange, but the rosewood seems to help as they don't drop out of the wool, which I had heard was a problem with aluminium. Oh and the yarn, or is it the needles, smell lovely. My SP must have a very fragrant home!

WIP - Update (Noro Cardi with the wrong wool)

2006-05-22T17:22:00.000+01:00

I thought I should do a quick update of my current WIP, which is nearly finished. I've just got the right sleeve to do. You can see from the picture that the pieces I have done so far are looking a bit wide, which is a bit of a worry. This is perhaps because I am using the wrong wool (as I've mentioned before). I do however have two solutions in mind for this issue - should it actually become an issue that is. One is blocking. I think I've tugged on the yarn quite a bit while knitting it because the texture of the chenille was so uneven that I kept pulling the stitches to check I'd worked them correctly (having not done moss/seed stitch before). Therefore there might be a good chance I can squish the garment smaller when I block it. The other solution is to use some creativity and adjust the garment accordingly; I've been thinkging mostly of using elastic and or ribbon to gather the edges in, and as this cardi/jacket is for a wedding outfit, I think it would suit some embelishment...but we'll see what happens when its done.

I have, however, become rather distracted by a gift I'm knitting a freind for her birthday and the sock yarn that just arrived from my SP, so who knows when this garment will get finished.

- I finally understand why knitters are so promiscuous when it comes to projects!

SP8 Parcel!

2006-05-22T16:49:00.000+01:00

As is customary in posts about receiving SP parcels, I shall set the scene:

It was blowing a hurricane outside and raining in angular sheets that spliced the view from my window like a wonky Venetian blind....

Ok maybe not....but suffice it to say that it was horrid weather, a Monday morning and I was all wrapped up ready to walk to the library, so you can imagine how thrilled I was when I discovered a parcel just outside my door! And then I got even more excited when I peeked inside (carefully - as instructed by my SP in on the outer wrapping) and caught a glimpse of a long skein of purple, pink and blue wool. So here's what I got:

*A skein of sock wool which has been handpainted by my SP just for me (and in the most perfect colours!),
* a set of rosewood double pointed needles (which I have never seen before and which, by the way, feel divine!),
*a book full of sock patterns and easy to follow instructions from starter socks to advanced sock projects,
* a card covered in hearts (which will go straight into my heart card collection for framing - when my Dad the 'master framer' has time!)

Since opening the package I have been trying to study, but my fingers are itching to play with the wool and needles and I want to make myself a cup of tea and sit down and finally read how to make a sock! I have, however, been rather good and just gazed at my parcel contents periodically, whilst studying, and will wait till tonight to give it more attention, but I thought I'd take a few minutes out to show off my new things and, more importantly, say THANK YOU!!!!!! to my SP!!!!!!

Find me a decent LYS!!!

2006-05-21T16:41:00.000+01:00

I am on a quest to find a decent local yarn store that I can drop into regularly. The following is a list of yarn stores which I intend to visit (if I haven't already) in order to discover what treats they have on offer.

Hertfordshire:

Bishops Stortford- Irene Noad, 1 Farnham Road. Tel: 01279 653701

Boreham Wood - The Wool Shop, 29 Shenley Road. Tel: 02089 052499

Bushey - Mavis, 44 High Street. Tel: 0208 950 5445

Hemel Hempstead - Needlecraft, 142 Cotteralls. Tel: 01442 245383

Hoddesdon - House of Patchwork, 30/32 Tower Centre. Tel: 01992 447544

St Albans - Alisons Wool Shop, 63 Hatfield Road. Tel: 01727 833738

St Albans - Fashion 'n' Fabrics, 24 Beech Road. Tel: 01727 865038

Walkern - Jolie, 80 High Street. Tel: 01438 861717

Watford - John Lewis, The Harlequin. Tel: 01923 244266

Welwyn Garden City - John Lewis. Tel: 01707 323456

Buckinghamshire:

Olney - The Knit Tin, 2 Fountain Court, High Street. Tel: 01234 714300

Failing these, I'll have to rely on London...

Christening Dress

2006-05-17T17:49:00.000+01:00

I am intending on posting lots of pictures and descriptions of my 'not-knitted-by-me' special possessions on this blog as I've always been a huge fan of knitted things. My Mum and Dad decided to start me off with a life in knitwear - and indeed with my quest to catalogue my cherished knits - with this image of my Christening dress.

It was knitted for my by my Grandmother (Mummy's Mummy), who was a wonderful knitter. - I also have a gorgeous bedspread knitted by her which I'll show off another time!

from SP8 buttons to Patterns

2006-05-17T17:12:00.000+01:00

I've just uploaded my SP8 button (see right hand menu under 'projects'). There were heaps to choose from (how does anybody find the time to knit and make blog buttons?) and I have to admit I also liked these ones,

but I think one is enough!

Anyway, the first thing I'm learning about doing SP8 is that you really get to know the knitting net. I'm not being particularly naughty and surfing instead of studying, but when I do surf, I'm finding all sorts of extra exciting delights.

For example, I've just fallen for this shrug pattern that I saw A Really Good Yarn was knitting.

Its really pretty and I can just imagine it in a nice soft lilac. The only problem is that I know this is beyond my capability at the moment - but one day?! Actually, I am finding it quite hard to find patterns I really like. I realise that one day I might get good enough to design my own patterns, and that would be fabulous, but in the mean time, I'd really like to be knitting patterns for things I'd really like to be wearing!!!

SP8 Postcard

2006-05-16T09:41:00.000+01:00

I recieved a pretty post card from my Secret Pal - a Dr Hauschka card in fact...mmmmm yummy! - It was so nice to find a cute card sitting on my door mat in between a load of bills! Thanks Secret Pal! x

Teeny Tiny (Noro) Tote

2006-05-12T19:43:00.000+01:00

I have a skein of Noro left from knitting my cardigan and have been wondering what to do with it. I have, however, just come across a pattern for knitting and felting either a teeny tiny tote or a teeny tiny gift bag (via Knit Tigger) at Sarah's Threads Craft Closet. They look fab but I have no idea if you can felt Silver Thaw, so I've emailed the pattern designer in the hope of finding out...

My (Not So Secret) Knitting Pal

2006-05-12T18:57:00.000+01:00

With all this talk about Secret Pal, I thought I would mention my not so secret but very new knitting pal Luciana. I had drinks with Luciana the other night as I discovered she was setting up a local knitting group and we decided to hook up now as the group doesn’t start till June 12th. She turned out to be really lovely and it was so much fun talking about knitting for hours with someone so much more experienced than me. She showed me lots special yarns from her stash, which made me very jealous as they were often purple and very gorgeous looking; many of her knitting books, which really useful as you can’t tell on Amazon what patterns the books actually contain and showed me a finished sock in Opal, which only made me want to start sock knitting even more!

Luciana also introduced me to bamboo needles. I have only been using aluminium needles, as that is all I could find near mine and I had no idea there would be that much of a difference if you used bamboo. In fact, she was kind enough to loan me a pair of bamboo needles in 4mm for the cardi/cropped jacket I’m knitting and I have to say they are incredible by comparison. Somehow they seem to slip into the loop more easily than aluminium, but paradoxically seem to hold the loops on the needle better. I certainly wont enjoy giving them back!

Another thing Luciana showed me, which I think might well be her pride and joy, were a pair of massive, outsize knitting needles. I don’t know what measurement they are in mms, but they were huge. At first I thought they might just be ornamental, I couldn’t quite work out how you would use them, but I am starting to get all these ideas for knitting bedspreads and throws that would end up looking like wonderful chunky nets. I might have to add a pair to my birthday/Christmas list – although as my folks already bought me my birthday present (I am indeed incredibly spoilt), I think I might have to find some more friends in the mean time! ;-)

Luciana is also going to the Big Knit In in Brighton at the beginning of June. She has invited me to go along with her and people from the last knitting group she organised in Bedford. It looks like a really fun event and I’d love to go, but I’ll have to see if I can afford a whole day out to knit. I’m also not sure what I want to knit after I finish this cardi/cropped jacket thing and I’d like to be engrossed in some new project if I take a whole day out to just knit and natter…

Oh, and if you are wondering, the image above is of a friendship knot; it seemed appropriate.

More Knitted Creatures

2006-05-11T17:29:00.000+01:00

I've just seen these guys on Ysolda and will have to add them to my selection of cute critters. I'm probably only in love with them because they have little hearts knitted on them, and I'm a sucker for hearts, but nonetheless they look cute no?!

There are plenty more pictures on her site of them...

Finally a Photo!

2006-05-11T14:14:00.000+01:00

I've finally added a photo of me (gin and tonic in hand) proudly sporting the Noro cardi I knitted myself a few weeks back (sitting in my parents garden in weather way to hot to wear knitted items!).

'M' is for Melinda!

2006-05-08T21:35:00.000+01:00

'M' is for Melinda, my brother's girlfriend who knitted me this fabulous scarf for Christmas! Of course she knew exactly what colour it had to be, and it is made of the softest yarn and as it still isn't that warm in the UK, I'm getting a lot of wear out of it!

My brother (Nick) and Melinda live in Toronto, so Melinda and I don't get to hang out as much as I'd like (even when they visit the UK they go off gallivanting around the country and I don't get quality Melinda time) - so when I set up my knitting blog and signed up for SP8 I emailed Melinda and strongly encouraged her to get on board, and I'm really excited to say that she did ( Melinda's blog is mkm knitting). I am hoping that she and I can share some quality virtual knitting time together through our blogs and that the next time I see her we'll have lots of fun showing off our projects in person!

Local Knitting Group to Join...

2006-05-07T22:47:00.000+01:00

I found the following on the Angel Yarns forums and am meeting with Luciana next week to see how I can help...Yippee!!!

"If you love knitting or you would like to learn how to, come and join us, all ages welcome. A great opportunity to meet new friends, just bring along your current knitting projects. Date: every other Monday of the month, from the 12th of June 2006 Time: 7:30 – 10:30 pm Venue: Fleetville Community Centre, Royal Road, St. Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 4QL Cost: £2.50 - tea and coffee included Contact: Luciana (simplyknit@btinternet.com)"

Secret Pal 8 Questionnaire

2006-05-05T17:30:00.000+01:00

I'm taking part in Secret Pal 8 which, as I understand it, is a 'match-making' event that unites knitter pen/blog pals in a 3 month friend-making, gift-giving, knitting/crocheting extravaganza. So here is the opening questionnaire - with my answers. I'm a new knitter and I'm new to Secret Pal, which I discovered through reading other knitting blogs and being intrigued by posts about Secret Pal 7. It looked heaps of fun, so here goes...

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I don’t think I have knitted enough to have formed a firm favourite yarn. Obviously I like soft things, but I’m not someone who finds itchy fibres that itchy either, so I think I’m quite easy on that front. I choose yarn much more for the colour than the fibre.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I don’t have anything to store my needles in. At the moment they are just all jumbled together in the bottom of a big hamper I just bought to hide my wool in!

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I’ve been knitting for about a year or so, but only really intensively over the last 4 months. I would say that I’m a beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I do have a wish list that in fact is mostly populated with knitting books (to hell with everything else right?!).

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I like lavender, rose or vanilla but I don’t like anything with too many scents blended together as it gives me a head ache!

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Yes, in the UK I love Galaxy and Kinder Eggs, and any milk, white or praline chocolate, but if I’m in the US I can’t resist Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups/Peaces.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I don’t spin. I’ve dipped my toe in mosaic making and more recently card making, but right now its all about the knit! Oh and I quite like cooking and baking…

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I have terrible music taste which is a constant source of pain for my boyfriend and other friends who are always trying to teach me; thus am much more used to giving other people’s taste a whirl…

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

I am all about the colour purple in every shade and tone from deep berry to pale lilac. I probably can’t stress strongly enough my commitment to the colour purple which permeates most of my possessions, although in close second place is hot/strong/vivid pink (never pale pink!) or shades in the magenta and puce realm, and I also add in a bit of red and a touch of teal or pale turquoise. I’m not a fan of yellow or orange, though.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live alone and alas without pets - but I get a good fix of setter and cocker spaniel when I visit my folks!

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I love to wear scarves and shawls/wraps and even the odd poncho. I also love to wear gloves, mittens and wrist/arm warmers, but I’m a bit picky about hats as I prefer ones with brims or a bit of structure to them (I have a wonderful purple Fedora) and don’t suit ‘beenie’ hats at all!

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Again I feel I am too new a knitter to have formed an opinion, but I can say that I am definitely trying to knit things I (or those around me) will actually wear and as I love shawls, jackets, cardigans and jumpers I think I’d have to say I’m more inclined to want to knit them. Having said that, I don’t doubt that sock knitting could get quite addictive.

13. What are you knitting right now?

A little cropped jacket/cardigan to go with a stunning dress that I want to wear for a wedding. I’m being a little over ambitious and using a Noro pattern with non-Noro wool, so who knows how that will go…

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Yes, a friend made me wonderful heart-shaped purple and pink ceramic box with a butterfly painted on it for Christmas, and of course the scarf by Melinda was fab, but they are the only hand made gifts I can remember receiving for a while, but I love them and love knowing the work that went into them too!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I haven’t used a circular needle yet, and all the needles I have, which isn’t many (straight: 15mm, 10mm, 8mm, 7mm, 6 ½ mm, 5 ½ mm, 5mm, 4 ½ mm, 4mm, 3mm. circular: 5mm, 3mm) are aluminium or plastic. I’d love to try knitting with bamboo or wood (but I haven’t seen any in any of my local yarn stores) because I have bad circulation and constantly cold hands and I like the idea of picking up needles that don’t feel like ice for the first 10 minutes of knitting time!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

No, I don’t even know what they are?!

17. How did you learn to knit?

I don’t really know. My mother can knit and both my grandmothers were avid knitters (my mother’s mother especially), and I remember knitting a jumper out of lots of square patches when I was a Brownie (aged about 10), but I don’t remember who taught me. I really picked it up about 2 years ago, and only really fell in love with it this year, and have been teaching myself with a couple of books (‘Start Knitting’ by Betty Barnden and ‘Stitch and Bitch’ by Debbie Stoller) and getting the odd bit of support from an Aunt.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

A couple of months old. I started knitting a Popcorn the Bear knitting kit that I got for Christmas but I’m dreading making it up so its been retired for now.

19. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween! I realise this is odd, particularly for a Brit as we don’t really go in for Halloween celebrations, but I’m not a big Christmas or New Year person and there is something about pumpkins that just does it for me! ;-) Plus I met my boyfriend when I was out in fancy dress for Halloween last year, so its become kind of special to me now for that reason too.

20. Is there anything that you collect?

Mainly I collect hearts of all shapes and sizes. I have all sorts of heart shaped ornaments in wood, semi-precious stone, glass, tin, but I also collect things with hearts printed on such as picture frames and functional objects in the shape of hearts such as mirrors or vases. (I also seem to collect all things purple - of course many of my hearts are purple - but this collection might be cast more effectively as a lifestyle choice as much of the contents of my flat is purple). I do, however, have a secondary (and much smaller) collection of butterflies including ones made of feathers, sequins, glitter and even one tiny one tattooed on my bottom ;-)

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

The books I’m interested in are on my wishlist, but as a new knitter I am always keen to discover books I don’t already know about, and at this stage, books that will either inspire me to learn new techniques, or, conversely, books with relatively simple knits in them that wont scare me off! I don’t have a subscription to a knitting magazine although I’ve just ordered this season’s Rebecca and I have a few of this year’s Simply Knitting magazines. Pattern-wise, I’m finding it extremely hard to track down funky patterns for jackets, cardigans and jumpers or tops.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

All of them! As I’m a new knitter there seems to be so much out there that I’d love to have a go at. Right now though I think I’d love to learn how to knit socks and I’d also love to learn some techniques for knitting lacy things like shawls/wraps, cardigans…and I guess also socks!

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I’d love to be a sock knitter, but I’m not yet! I don’t know what measurements to give, but in the UK my shoe size is a fairly small 3 ½.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

6th September

Completed (a while ago!) - Lilac Bag

2006-05-04T22:14:00.000+01:00

I thought I would post a picture of this bag I knitted last year. In fact it was a Christmas present from my brother! He bought me the pattern, yarn, needles and bag handles so that I was all set up and ready to go because he knew I (like his girlfriend) was getting into knitting. Great present no?!

The yarn was a bit tricky to knit with, and I ended up with one side bigger than the other and didn't have the faintest idea how to make it up. In the end I recruited a family friend who is a whizz with textiles (which comes from the endless sewing of sequins onto her daughters roller skating dresses). She put a gorgeous lilac satin lining in it and made it look even all the way round.

As you can almost see from this picture, I use the side of my wardrobe as a storage facility/display for handbags, purses, clutches and various bits of jewellery, and I find that although its a lovely bag to take out, more than anything, this bag looks gorgeous just hung up with other pretty things!

Knit Kit I'd Kill For!

2006-05-03T18:12:00.000+01:00

I've fallen for this kit featured on Cucumber Patch to knit a Hanne Falkenberg jacket called Diva. Its £62.95, which isn't cheap, I haven't the faintest idea how you knit the diagonal stripes - although the kit does include full instructions - and I don't know why I'm looking at winter wear when its actually starting to look like spring outside, but the purple one and the deep pink and purple one look so similar to knits I've owned in the past by Sarah Pacini and Crea that I feel I will have to get my hands on one of these kits at some point - if only for some wardrobe continuity! ;-) But at that price I might have to put it on a birthday list!

Completed - Evening Scarf

2006-05-03T00:32:00.000+01:00

I've just finished an evening scarf in Firefly ladder yarn by Sirdar. To be honest, I didn't really follow a pattern - it was at my Mum's house - but just cast on 16 stitches and knitted to a length that felt comfortable, and then added fringing. The colour I used was (of course) pinks and purples which is shade no.0885.

The yarn was a little difficult to knit with at the start, I kept splitting stitches by going through the sides of the ladder. The only real problem was when I dropped a stitch, which immediately laddered down several rows (perhaps THAT'S why they call it ladder yarn), and had to unpick.

This picture doesn't really do it justice, but as I couldn't work out how to take a picture of it on me, I thought I'd knot it all up and show off the colours and silky fringing...

Crochet Critters 2

2006-05-01T19:39:00.000+01:00

It turns out I seem to have quite specific taste in Amigurumis. Most of the ones I like are by a Chicago-based artist called Elizabeth (Beth) Doherty. She has a Flickr gallery, a site where you can buy her ‘gurumis’ and a main website with a blog. The ones I like best are Panda (1), Dress Monkey (4), Black Bunny (5), Bikini Kitty (4), Capri Bunny (3) and Lemur (4).

I might just have to sign up to her newsletter…