Lots of exciting stuff!

First an apology - I've been AWOL for a bit, due to having been at my parents' place for a bit. I kept up taking photos of everything though ;)

Lots has happened.. I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate with Mum and friend Lyn, I recieved a drop spindle from Yoshimi, and taught myself to spin (with lots of daft questions on the forum). Then yesterday was my birthday which was nicely relaxing and squishy :D


Here's my spindle (poorly photographed). Embarassingly, I didn't have the slightest clue how to use it, as I hadn't even seen one used before. So after some googling and asking questions on the AY forum, I figured it out!




Here's my first singles wrapped on my latest hi-tech gadget.. the loo roll.




And here it is all plied, my first mini skein of Blue Faced Leicester which I got from D&T Crafts,



HEre's my second mini skein, but it's a bit bigger. It's a littleuneven but I rather like it. I found it tricky getting the twist right, I felt it should be well twisted, but that was too much, so I had to let it untwist a little. It seems, so far, that the hardest thing (apart from juggling it all about to ply), is getting the twist right.

And here's what I did last night. My OH's up for the weekend so he helped by holding the loo roll bobbins when I wound it off for plying. This is merino wool, pre dyed and I pre drafted it. There's 25g so prob not much yardage. I'm thinking of buying two more lots of the same stuff and spinning it all so that I could knit a hat.

I'm rather pleased with this, I got it quite even.

Close up:

Here's some ladybirds I made for Fluzzlewett, aka Jacqui. I think they're really cute!

I've made loads of stuff for the shop recently, lots of rainbow stuff and clay stuff and that. These are my favourites though, even though they're small and simple! ;)

Ok here's my booty from Harrogate!

Here's the list:

- 3 balls purple wool for a felted bag,

- 2 skeins sari silk for another bag

- blue sock yarn

- purple sock yarn

- pink and purple sock yarn

- Chunky blue wool for a hat

- Kid Classic

- 3 balls alpaca for leg warmers

- purple DPNs

- Sock circs

- bamboo circ for FC OTN

- 2 bags 100g BFL from DT Craft

- 1 bag 50g baby yak hair (DROOL!)

- Pink acid dye

- some beads

- The Tea Cosy book

Considering how much I got, I didn't spend that much! I had a considerable amount of cash left over anyway :)


Here's some close ups!

Sari silk:

Chunky blue wool:

Blue sock yarn:

Purple sock yarn:

Multi coloured sock yarn:

Here it is being knitted on the circ. It's a 30cm one though, and is actually too big. I didn't get on with it at all so I'm back to my trusty DPNs!

Here's some beautiful handspun, hand dyed wool that my lovely Godfather got me for my bday! Isn't he ace!

Purple:

That's going to stay in a skein and be drooled over for a while before I decide what to do with it.

My OH got my Spin to Knit too, which is excellent. Also my Mum got me Jan Messent's Knitted Garden book, which is brilliant! My OH's also booked me a place on a day course for spinning on Dec 21st, which will be awesome, and my Step Dad has got me a year's subscription to the National Geographic!

OTN I have my FC (still!), which is getting big now, well I'm at around 300 stitches I think, and am on the second ball. Also I'm nearly done on my Step Dad's socks, I have my sock (that's just for simple knitting while watching a DVD etc). Also I'm doing my OH's hoody (success not guaranteed), and a hat for Mum, and the Shawn the sheep figures from Simple Knitting. Phew! What a list! I still have tonnes to do too! So I should stop rambling and go and get on! I need to upload my new stash to Ravelry though.. ;)

Ciao for now!

I've been truly spoilt this week!

When will I ever learn.. I should really update more often, then it wouldn't take me ages just to get all the pics right! I was going to have them all neatly arranged but it never works out so I'm sticking with a column/all centred.

Anyway, first of all a Finished project! Yippee! It's the Fish Trap Scarf, from Arctic Lace by Donna Druchunas, and the yarn is Lucy Neatby Celestial Merino in Seashells, given to me by MazzaM from the AY forum :D

In my opinion, once the lace pattern was set up, this was a no-brainer, which was great! It was knit down the length, so the rows were very longand I think I preferred doint it this way round. The only problem is that is does curl when you put it on, despite a thick garter stitch border.

Beautiful colours eh. It's going to be a Christmas present, but I don't know who for yet!

I made this pin cushion for my Tea Swap (Ravelry) partner. She's no idea who she is! Teehee! What fun! I love this tactile little pebble! I'm going to make more!

Not greatly photographed due to unnatural light - sorry about that!

If you're a World of warcraft fan you'll like these stitch markers I made.. if not - try it out it's awesome!

We went to see Bill Bailey in Glasgow last week, he was awesome, hilarious, we were clapping and laughing from before he came on stage until well after he left :)

Anyway it meant a trip to John Lewis in Glasgow :) so I got sock yarn for pressies. I got white, because I'd like to design some skully socks for OH if I get chance.

And blue for socks for Dad.

My OH bought me this - it's Mirasol Hacho again, but in a different colourway. It's lush!

And here's the truly spoint bit! First I took part in a fingerless mitt swap, and I recieved a brilliant parcel from Donnae, who sent me roving, wee charms, a pack of textiles which I'd like to weave with, soap, and of course a lovely pair of mitts! They're much warmer than my Fetchings and I've worn them loads! :) They're Rowan Kid Classic, they are really lush, I'm chuffed to bits with them!

And yesterday I got a huge box in the post. The postie was quite surprised when I said "oh that's fantastic, thanks"! IT's the Tea Swap from Ravelry (The Cup a Tea group). Look how much stuff I got spoilt with!

My swappee, Sophia, lives in New Hampshire, and tried to send me as much local stuff as poss. Even the packaging the stuff comes in is really pretty!

First, Gypsy Tea, Rasberry Earl Grey.. YUM!

And Pomegranate Oolong. YUM! This smells particularly good!

Tea scented chocs, green tea lozenges, and I got some orange mints too. These all come in proper packets! I'm so impressed! They are all really yummy too!

And the yarn.. first the softest, most beautiful chunky merino/silk. The colours remind me of a storm, and.. it's just so lush I'm totally in love with it! The yarn Sophia sent was all natural - what a star! And it'll all spend quite a lot of time on display on my yarn shelves being squished and drooled over before I use it I think!

This is laceweight silk, 600 yards!! Lilac! Wow! It's incredibly soft and lush, and again, has been well squished and lusted over! I'm also really grateful that it's in a cake, as I don't (yet) have a swift!

And this is some hand dyed, beautiful dark stormy green Merino. Again, it's incredibly soft and lush, and I'm totally in love with it. It's a much nicer green than those socks I knitted!! It reminds me of the Scottish countryside, with the dark undergrowth under the heather. Lush!!

Sophia also included two beautiful patterns for lace shawls, what a fantastic choice!! Also stitch markers which I forgot to ask if she made herself, sugar skulls which are too cool to eat! And crafty themed badges which are pinned to my bag, and a lovely note from her! Afterwards she pm'd me to tell me all about New Hampshire as well, which I found really interesting. I should also add that the Pomegranat tea is in Proper Bags! They are little silky tea bags! They are so pretty that I've pinned a couple on my wall, which is incredibly sad I know (my OH thinks it's hilarious).

So... phew! I'm SO spoilt! Not only that but next week I'm going to the KNitting and Stitching show in Harrogate with my Mum for my birthday, and I've been saving up for it - both money and ideas. So it's all very exciting!

My current WIPs are - Forest Canopy (getting BIG), Ken's socks (1/4 through the pair), Oh's hoodie (success questionable), and I'm goign to start on the gnomes - I'm gonna make a load of bodies to start with (slightly creepy).

I've also made some Christmas stuff - buttons, stitch markers etc. And am dying more laceweight lambswool this week for the shop. Yey! It's very tempting to use it ;)

I'm going home for a week on Wednesday, so will get a lot of knitting done, and lots of dog walking no doubt :)

I'd better go and get on eh! Ciao for now ;0

Socks!

Finally!! The horrible green socks are finished! Ok so one's about a third bigger than the other because I lost the pattern.. but they are wearable! And lovely and warm!

Below you can see them without colour. I love this photo though. Sepia does have a place in modern society!




Ok you can have colour now. Here's why they are horrible! They were my first dyeing attempt back in the summer. It went wrong as you can see. It's a shame I don't like green.



Ok I'm working on the Fish Trap Scarf from the Arctic Lace book. I'm also a mod now on the Arctic Lace Group on Ravelry :D wahey! It's being done in Lucy Neatby celestial merino in Seashells colourway. It's beautiful!

I finally got my backside into gear and did some dying. This is my 2 ply lambswool.

I strongly believe there's no enough purple yarn in the world, so I thought I'd do my bit to put this right ;)

This came in the post:

It's Rowan Tapestry in Leadmine. Yum!

This Drops came too. 11 balls of red and two of black, for OH's hoody. Need to measure him then get knitting!

And finally, I discovered this technique for using with clay, so had a go. I've made a load of buttons in different colours :D I see them adorning bags and that, some or glazed, some not.

So.. WIPs - Arctic lace, fingerless mitt swap mitts (almost done), and Forest Canopy (still!).

I've had a go at making Christmassy buttons and stitch markers too :D it's much fun!