tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144148432012-01-13T18:08:56.034ZSome knitting, some spinning, some music. And tea and cakes.Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.comBlogger851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-12550461542993822222009-01-28T16:56:00.003Z2009-01-28T16:59:41.316Z

...to Wordpress:http://aefentid.wordpress.com/It's pretty much all there (should you want to read my impromptu witterings in a slightly different format!) and I'm havng fun finding my way round.

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-6315816506307000422009-01-27T11:09:00.007Z2009-01-27T11:57:25.743Z

I have been keeping my straight knitting needles in a large zippy plastic bag for...oooh...about three years. They poke through it and annoy me, they remove themselves mysteriously from their rubber bands so I can't find a twin pair, they roll out of the cupboard and annoy N.So generally, this wasn't working. As usual it's taken me some time to sorting out a Better Solution. I knew what The

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-71753666526729302252009-01-20T22:25:00.003Z2009-01-20T22:41:24.003Z

I have been knitting this for TWO years. I checked on Ravelry. But now it is finished and very lovely it is too.Which is more than can be said for the Tesco child's playmat with cut out letters (no, I did not realise this at the time of purchase) I blocked it on:I should have put it all the way to the top of the bed, but anyway, it got blocked. Lace really does get very much bigger, doesn't it?

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-24357268698965701132009-01-16T18:18:00.002Z2009-01-16T18:43:39.292Z

It's finished, I had to do the neck area four or five times, the child apparantly still has a huge head - half the shop bought clothes won't go over it either, though I do wonder if that's down to the same issue as a 'Fat Face' size 14 being an entirely different size to the same size at Dorothy Perkins, or M&S, or Rocha at Debenhams...but, I digress.I'm quite pleased with it:Not too shoddy

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-90800136004165591812008-12-20T18:45:00.002Z2008-12-20T18:49:39.257Z

Yes, it's taken This Long (what is it, a week? 10 days? since Amy sent the email out...) for me to be able to see the Winter 08 Knitty! I am in for a nice Sunday of browzing, for tonight I must wrap large baby presents (for both ours and the niece) and whatever N brings back from the shops.And also drink some wine and some whisky, because;I have not finished my Christmas Knitting!!!:o/

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-17327163224056190362008-12-10T11:06:00.003Z2008-12-10T11:41:15.239Z

I am not sure why, it may be the appearance of Wallander on our telly screens (in both English on Sunday night, and then - rather confusingly - in Swedish on Monday night....). Or the deeply and marvellously cold weather we're having, or that my Norweigan friend is learning to speak Swedish...Anyway a slightly Scandinavian jumper has emerged from this general feeling of being much further north

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-84506767658826590752008-12-02T10:12:00.002Z2008-12-02T12:20:39.752Z

I have lots of these:It's because I'm a hoarder, I hate to let anything go to waste and always believe 'that will come in useful one day!'. I've tied up peas with little bits of cotton yarn and sown carrots along straight lines of bright green acrylic... but still there's a bagful of odds and ends. Some of them are quite large, some are only a few feet long, some are cheapo acrylic, some are

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-27691475944105915692008-11-24T10:50:00.003Z2008-11-24T12:05:42.530Z

... I'll sneak on here to say I have actually knitted an entire jumper this weekend ( get the champagne out, etc etc). OK, so it's only a little jumper of chunky yarn on 6mm needles, but all the same it's a GARMENT* and I found the TIME** to KNIT*** it.Oh, it's such a proud moment!Seamless Yoke Sweater from Ann Budd's 'the knitter's handy book of sweater patterns' In Jaeger Extra Fine Merino

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-56868533082410162402008-07-14T16:14:00.004+01:002008-07-14T16:38:15.812+01:00

Now he sleeps a bit I have actually finished some stuff completely (a hat for the child, but no photos of it finished) and some more stuff is nearlydone:The Wraparound Jacket from Erika Knight Classic is just waiting to be endwoven and sewn up. Here it is on the back of the sofa with some mess behind it on the ironing board (houseproud? not me...!):The Sleep Sacque from Boho Baby Knits was

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-33098172763770898652008-06-20T10:57:00.003+01:002008-06-20T11:24:11.599+01:00

...such a little chap could be so time consuming!:Now he's 12 weeks old (!), life is getting a bit easier, though he does like to spend quite a lot of time on one of our shoulders - meaning the one handedness carries on! This makes the knitting quite difficult, but I have managed to produce a pair of socks between feeds/giggling sessions/screaming bouts.We have had two baby brain related felting

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-67536284334031034612008-04-24T08:28:00.002+01:002008-04-24T11:43:28.212+01:00

I must be one of the few bloggers never to have done a meme, so I considered myself tagged by Yarn Mistrys with this one:1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-69351333664846829132008-04-18T14:00:00.003+01:002008-12-10T16:29:56.082Z

...not sure I can remember how to do it :o/Little people:Are really very time consuming! I knit this BSJ what seems like a very long time ago now.Today we managed to hoover the bedroom! and mop the kitchen floor!! Maybe later I may get the tiny sleeve of the Boho Baby Striped Sleep Sacque finished...but I'm not holding my breath!

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-6230099808398742902008-04-08T12:03:00.004+01:002008-12-10T16:29:56.438Z

Born on 26th march at 10.44am, all went very smoothly :o)Yes, they do all look like Winston Churchill:And here's a big yawn:I haven't knit a stitch for two weeks, but I've had other things to do :o)I'll be back!

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-82356796072988158222008-03-18T11:47:00.003Z2008-03-18T12:08:39.509Z

OK, so I made schoolgirl error with the yarn for the Wraparound Jacket. While the number of balls was the same, the yardage was way out! How daft am I (I blame the hormones). I was about 5 balls short by my calculations (or I could have a sleeveless jacket, ummm, no). So I bought more,. Even if it was a different dyelot I had enough left from the original purchase to knit from two balls at once

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-70368399922809804242008-03-10T13:31:00.008Z2008-12-10T16:29:57.188Z

I have finished the Deep V Neck Sweater from 'classic'. Below you'll find some really rubbish pictures of it; it's in dark (aubergine) yarn and we're getting the edges of the Big Storm here in Oxfordshire so the light's bad too.Modelled by a cushion:I need one of those dress form things or something! Here it is on me, blurred and briefly - the bump doesn't really do it justice! I've already

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-82109250418359970302008-03-05T10:05:00.004Z2008-12-10T16:29:57.978Z

Or rather the big 4 - 0!Yes, a landmark birthday last Friday, I do prefer to say it was my tenth rather than my fortieth!.We went to St Ives for the weekend and stayed in a lovely B&B a little outside the town in Carbis Bay. It was a 3 minute train ride to St Ives itself and was nice to be away from the busy (even though 'out of season') town. On Thursday afternoon there were paragliders in the

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-54666332879208644662008-02-27T12:02:00.003Z2008-02-27T12:51:49.282Z

So, now I have gestational diabetes which I have to control with insulin (the diet thing didn't work, unless I'd lived off bacon and eggs or something for the next six weeks!) injecting three times a day, and still I have to fire a pin into some unfortunate finger or another six times a day to measure my blood sugar on the fancy electronic doodad.I tell you, the injecting is much less painful

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-10246618561278034392008-02-21T11:10:00.004Z2008-12-10T16:29:58.149Z

First of all: BIG CONGRATULATIONSgo to Diane and Kate (and thier helpers) for getting the Inside Loop internet magazine off the ground, and to deadline! It looks great and I'm pleased to see a UK based enterprise taking its rightful place online (not that I don't love Knitty and Ravelry as much as the next person, of course!).'Wish' Criss Cross Scarf:This is my latest FO (I've been doing little

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-23130026587072926652008-02-19T12:51:00.004Z2008-02-19T13:17:03.779Z

As I had grown a bit bored of the miles of stocking stitch involved in knitting the Deep V Neck Sweater, I did these on Sunday night/Monday morning as a bit of a break.I usually knit socks on DPNs, I've never had any trouble with this, no ladders where the needles meet, I don't find it that fiddly, though I do admit I can forget to breathe when I'm grafting!My main concern with socks on two

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-62862532655537503932008-02-14T11:21:00.004Z2008-02-14T11:55:45.967Z

We have a thing about jelly fish in our house, which is quite handy when you also have an aquarium obsession. These two are from the Monterey Bay Aquarium ' Jellies: Living Art' pages. And we did visit the aquarium when we went to California a couple of years ago, it's a magical 'jellies gallery' (in fact the whole aquarium is fantastic):Black Sea NettleCrystal JellyWe've also seen them in

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-25516044071811986192008-02-13T09:03:00.007Z2008-02-13T11:28:12.886Z

I've recovered form the Bells Palsy (hurrah!) so should be back at work on Monday (oh well). I have got a horrid cold though, but this pales into insignificance against the current tests for gestational diabetes. I'm currently sticking pins in my fingers five times a day and measuring blood sugar levels on a dinky little machine.At the hospital yesterday they said though my blood sugar levels

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-40757976259266415392008-01-25T14:34:00.000Z2008-01-25T14:42:38.724Z

A short one, as it's hard to see out of just ONE eye, and I'm supposed not to be using the computer anyway!The lack of eye shutting power on the left side due to the BP means I'm getting really blurry vision, so now I have to have it taped up for 24 hours (putting drops in every hour) to see if it improves the moisture in the eye. Bleah. And doctors again on Monday, never have I spent so much

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-44623112810753750422008-01-22T15:29:00.000Z2008-01-22T16:06:04.037Z

The other day I felt a bit odd, my eye was kind of flickering a bit all on its own (I thought it was tiredness) and then when I brushed my teeth my tongue felt really numb. Well I just thought it was a bit of wierdness. I had been feeling a bit lousy for days, and put it down to January blues/the weather/possibly a cold coming on.Then last Thursday all of the left hand side of my face stopped

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-41292725976095583302008-01-17T11:18:00.000Z2008-01-17T11:15:17.370Z

I went into town at lunchtime yesterday to meet up with a friend for lunch - though what passes for lunch for me these days, what with being full of baby, and having no room for a stomach, is a cappuccino and a croissant of some description . We sat and chatted about this and that (she doesn't knit) and it was all very pleasant. I explained how I was finding it impossible to concentrate on

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-45159017716888160142008-01-11T09:46:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:29:58.948Z

I felt like change, and as I sit here in my 'Bilberry' coloured hugely pregnant woman yoga trousers (they are the most comfortable thing I now own, and if I can get away with wearing them to work then I WILL) and my Carolyn cardigan with purple ribbing, I thought, maybe purple is the way to go. So here it is.Recent book acquisitions. I had this lovely spinning book for Christmas:Creative

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-54974696508429922892008-01-09T10:31:00.000Z2008-01-09T11:10:46.911Z

Well, I have been away a while! I put it down to the Bump stealing my powers of concentration, and stealing my ability to stay awake. So, I was going to post about all the knitting I did over Christmas (it being a very sober one) and that I had done a bit of spinning.Here's the spinning:Artfully displayed in a basket we found in the loft, that's about 300g of Jacob, plied to 2 ply. I;m really

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-66346936104525223452007-12-20T12:26:00.002Z2007-12-20T13:06:55.638Z

We seem to be having a proper winter this year, frost on the ground until lunchtime,sparkly blue and white winter days. The garden looks great most of the time, but we have some lovely trees which improve with some frosting:it makes me feel really quite festive!The tree is up (all three trees in fact, two of them are tiny though!) I am 1/3 of the way through wrapping and I made my Christmas Cake

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-75788126421505647922007-12-06T12:14:00.000Z2007-12-06T12:34:13.940Z

I've finally finished Meriekes Socks from Folk Socks. I really like the braid and colourwork round the top, I am less keen on the heel (I'll change it to a flap heel if I do them again I think) though I am a big fan of the star toe!:Orange: Grignasco Strong (bought in Denmark last year)Colours: Cygnet 4 plyI'm having a bit of a cable-fest at the moment (but daren't quite start an aran jumper!).

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-4854836875810789992007-11-21T12:32:00.000Z2007-11-21T13:36:07.375Z

These Fetching are for my friend Rebecca, who has one of those birthdays which end in a '0' quite soon:This pattern is a joy to knit, you really do get 'instant knitting gratification' as it says in the pattern! If I hadn't been in a hurry I'd have sat down to learn Grumperina's non cable needle cabling method to make it and even nicer experience, but as it was I wrestled the three DPNs and a

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-89015296065869274682007-11-16T12:20:00.000Z2007-11-16T12:24:00.565Z

Doesn't fit!Even though I did the big size. I suspect it was a gauge thing, and also I always have trouble getting hats to fit me! Instead of sitting perkily and beret like on my head, I have to pull it on loads and then I look like Victoria Wood in her 'Kimberley' sketch...Oh well, time for a re-knit.

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-57169922204207327012007-11-15T10:43:00.000Z2007-11-15T13:39:20.799Z

Done!:It's cuter even than the Jester. And I'm quite pleased with these pics too (we're having a proper frosty November morning here in Oxfordshire).That Woolly Wormhead, she's a star. I love knitting her hat patterns! I seem to be in a little (in both senses of the word) hat knitting phase. Though I may need one of these berets for myself too.Also, I have just dyed my hand GREEN. Oops.

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-89125798694566587612007-11-09T13:48:00.000Z2007-11-09T13:50:55.437Z

Forsooth!'tis finish'ed.Next...baby rolling beret. I am addicted!

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-90462669905527149822007-11-08T12:01:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:29:59.296Z

...to get the knitting done!Now, I am a quite impatient person by nature, if I want something I tend to want it now! And what I wanted today was to knit the Woolly Wormhead's Baby Jester Hat. I dived the stash, I had the requisite 50g of aran (RYC Cashsoft, so soft and non itch for a baby head) . I must, I thought, have at least a set of 4.5mm DPNs.No.I have 12 4.00mm DPNs, not ONE 4.50mm. I

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-13278209981333742032007-11-07T12:03:00.000Z2007-11-07T12:32:07.399Z

I think Nat King Cole sang it, and it pops into my head every year the trees turn yellow/bronze/ red. We went to Westonbirt Arboretum on Saturday to see the Autumn Colour. It's cheaper than getting to Vermont, say, or New England (though I'd love to see those places in the 'fall') and you can get a nice Cornish Pasty for lunch.Anyway. I need yarn in these amazing colours:And when I get my 'dyeing

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-2121371398903159972007-10-31T11:43:00.000Z2007-10-31T16:10:37.639Z

So many patterns, so little time! I want to make all of these; Zodiac, Baby Ruffled Pullover (this would of course depend), Merry Cardi, Organic Guernsey, Pinwheel Blanket, and another BSJ in Stockinette.And that's not counting the horrible urge to buy pattern books and to join the library to get even more...anyway, here is the BSJ with Teddy Bear Buttons. Not yet decided if I'll keep it, or

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-7055939947389332062007-10-16T10:23:00.000+01:002007-10-16T11:22:07.201+01:00

It's finished!Unfortunately due to my great excitement at having achieved this, I didn't do the classic 'before' and 'after' photos. So here are some after ones, before blocking and before buttons as I need to go into town to get some:Front:Back:I had no idea whatsoever where the stripes would end up, but am quite pleased with it. I may pick up and knit a mandarin collar round the neck in the

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-2404144235776926782007-10-12T15:04:00.000+01:002007-10-12T15:10:43.429+01:00

Also known as the b****y BSJ in our house. I have no idea why I'm struggling with this so much, I've knitted the madness of the 'Elfin' Kidsilk Haze ruffles for goodness sake, and I can turn a heel almost without a pattern these days, it shouldn't be beyond me. But I need lots of help!I think, with the Dawn Adcock notes, the Webs 'Ready Steady Knit' Podcast Knitalong, and copious tea and Quality

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-87417861135186945272007-10-09T10:09:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:29:59.500Z

Ah, now, it's been a while I know! I have very good reason, but that will have to wait.Meanwhile, I have been knitting socks. Both of these are from 'Folk Socks', which I am working my way through.Country Socks:Knit in Cygnet 4 ply(green) and Grignasco Strong (orange, bought in Denmark). I hadn't actually realised when I started that the green Cygnet yarn actually has some orange in it, so the

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-39112534248084529022007-09-14T09:57:00.000+01:002007-09-14T11:08:37.829+01:00

Here's the long lost Carolyn, it's been finished for some time, but I only just got around to taking pictures. Modelled by a cushion:FrontBackFront againButtons. It took me ages to find these and I finally found them on a day trip to Winchester, because I did carry the swatch around with me 'just in case'.I started the Modern Quilt Wrap from Folk Style, (or from Knitting Daily if you like free

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-74035243248892040722007-09-04T09:56:00.001+01:002007-09-04T10:06:41.853+01:00

...so you don't all think I've fallen in the stash and failed to find my way out!1) We went to Mini Bunkfest in Wallingford on Saturday. Usually this a weekend long festival but, like many, it's suffered from the weather, and grant funding shortfall. I actually really enjoyed this smaller fundraising event. Cry Havoc did lots of dance spots (without me as I still have a bad back), We heard

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-19268709506520761062007-08-22T11:53:00.000+01:002007-08-22T12:08:46.747+01:00

...is an absolutely brilliant Festival at Escot Park in Devon. Much music of many kinds, the Tiny Tea Tent (of which I am very fond, as you can imagine) and, this year, quite a lot of rain and mud.So yet again there is still no knitting, it's not fun knitting in the rain, much less in mud up to the ankles. However there was a small knitting stall there, they had some beautiful yarn though I am on

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-7944669169499893552007-08-13T16:37:00.000+01:002007-08-13T16:55:01.336+01:00

No knitting content, due to a weekend listening to music in a field (too hot to knit) and a chocolate frenzy..."You can checkout any time you like,But you can never leave! " Well, I only went in for a look round.But there was the temptress shop lady proffering me chocolate on a tray. It all looked like milk chocolate to me, so I thought I could resist temptation."But", I protested, weakly, "I

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-17487692399401934512007-08-07T10:10:00.001+01:002007-08-07T11:08:49.428+01:00

Often, I am kept from my knitting/spinning/music practice/gardening by that inconvenient thing called 'earning a living'. More annoyingly it occasionally turns out that there's actually nothing much to do anyway except sit in the hot office and stare at the occasional feral pigeon/warehouse next door, and wait until it's time for another cup of tea.How can I fill these hours? (without spending

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-34317793327281130332007-08-02T14:35:00.000+01:002007-08-03T11:02:31.383+01:00

Actually, first of all, I discovered silk (or that I've spun) doesn't like to be andean plied with itself. It likes to become a birds nest:As far as I can tell it's completely untangleable :o(. Any ideas gratefully received!.Anyway, remember the Big Box of Balls? I decided I should really make something from some of it. I took a while to decide and have finally plumped for a shrug, useful for

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-77457106849607390332007-07-25T14:49:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:01.622Z

Here's 'Carolyn', pretending to be a starfish:As you can see, she is in many more colours than the original pattern. I almost wept yesterday when I blocked it and realised I had not woven in the ends in the first sleeve I knit. So I spent most of yesterday sewing in ends. But look, she's almost finished!And all the stripes match (amazing):I'm one of those wierdos who actually enjoys making things

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-15858519646992959742007-07-23T10:56:00.000+01:002007-07-23T11:24:23.483+01:00

Following the apocalyptic rain of Friday, Saturday actually dawned looking almost summery!. I had arranged to go to the Oxford Guild of Spinners and Dyers open day at Stanton St John with Amanda and Bryony (never too young to start). In the end Vikki came to as Truck 10 was cancelled due to the farm it's held on being underwater.After John had managed to get the baby seat fastened into my car (if

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-49798196997521313162007-07-19T10:36:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:01.762Z

...one of these:(Image: http://www.legends-online.com/time_turner.html)(for those not familiar, it's Hermione's "Time turner" from Harry Potter)Why?MS3 Clue 4 is out tomorrow and I have still not finished clue 1. Sigh. I now feel myself being sucked into the Baby Surprise Jacket mini-mania which seems to be sweeping blogland. I find this such an intriguing piece of knitting engineering I can

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-46100063479516669332007-07-11T16:06:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:01.843Z

Me + Computer + boredom + Yarn Harlot's Blog = Mystery Stole KAL 3Yes, I too was lured in by the Harlot. I'm not doing the beading though!!!Here's me swatch:Not bad for an almost first timer at the lace thing!?. It's Lana Borgosesia (or Looney Booney as the lasses on the Angel Yarns Forum like to call it) Cashwool in purple - though actually it's lilac to my eye, on 3.25 mm needles. I did fret

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-17425317167806318072007-07-09T16:15:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:02.236Z

Now, I usually like my tea with caffeine in it. I even like some of my tea to be Lapsang Souchong which most people think is disgusting (I suppose it is an acquired taste), or Earl Grey, which an number of people inexplicably think is also disgusting, when it is in fact truly delicious.My quest for caffeine free tea for night time supping had so far failed; decaff is just wrong. Ask yourself -

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-24992260987272998412007-07-04T14:44:00.000+01:002007-07-05T12:26:23.621+01:00

I am all yarned out (I know, it's a shock to me too) due to the arrival of the Balls. I am working up to putting everything yarny I own on Ravelry. Though I fear such organisation will cancel out the lovely surprise to be got when, on reorganising the stash, I find something I forgot I bought!So, I did a bit of book binding. Nothing special, but I found this fabric in Oxfam (I find almost all my

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-64434391398621700562007-07-03T13:54:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:03.880Z

Here's the box/new coffee table they came in (kitchen scissors for scale):I quote the email I received from N the morning of delivery: "A box big enough to live in has just arrived, it has some thing to do with YARN" (he's very understanding).Here are some of them escaping:Great balls of god knows what!:I managed to corral them for this picture. Mostly these are two deep. The A4 pad (top left) is

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-85254659754257111632007-07-02T13:46:00.000+01:002007-07-02T14:19:31.997+01:00

I washed most of it, it was quite hard work, and now it's drying on the spare bed (because it just will not stop raining here!). Here is the barley bag it came in, and some of the white stuff before it was washed:Here it is in the bath with cheap blue washing up liquid for soap (much more successful than the soap flakes). This is mainly the white parts of the fleece, but with some of the brown

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-11919936581936662452007-06-26T16:48:00.000+01:002007-06-26T16:55:48.978+01:00

...a Big Box of Balls! Texere must know that:a) I cannot walk (or surf) past a bargain (well, they are based in Yorkshire, I expect they know about bargains)b) I LOVE surprise packagesHeaven knows what will be in it, but c. 260 balls (13kg) of assorted yarny-ness must include something interesting? no? I think, yes!.I can always sleep amongst it. And I can scrumble to my hearts delight (yet

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-74901555921636349022007-06-22T13:02:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:04.210Z

Janet is a sheep who lives in Norfolk and is looked after, with another 89 companions so she won't get lonely, by my friend Amanda's Mum. Amanda gave me Janet's fleece last week, I've had a very excellent learning curve type few days dealing with it, and I am nowhere near finished yet!I now know: Spinning in the grease is nice for some maybe, I quite liked it, but the house will smell of sheep if

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-18757195997296145602007-06-14T14:41:00.000+01:002007-06-14T14:57:54.424+01:00

Here are two I did the other day. Both Kool Aid dye jobs (click the pics for bigness).Firstly, 100g of Rowan Chunkyprint 100% wool (from the stash) in Orange and Tropical Punch, using the Knitty Kool Aid Dyeing tutorial. I may be doing this wrong as my colours always run, but usually with OK results:Secondly, 100g 0f sock yarn (bought undyed from Violet Green) half undyed and half in Ice Blue

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-72699567924900803682007-06-12T09:01:00.000+01:002007-06-12T15:28:38.270+01:00

This weekend saw the reopening of the Royal Festival Hall (though most people just call it the Festival hall) in the Southbank Centre after two years of refurbishments. I have always liked the Southbank Centre, I don't know why as usually 1950s concrete creations leave me cold. It may be that the spirit of post war hope and future thinking still hangs around there. When I was a 'Londoner' I

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-23019775948632625862007-06-05T09:52:00.000+01:002007-06-05T10:29:24.635+01:00

After the wash out of the Bank Holiday, we had absolutely lovely weather this weekend. Here is Boris enjoying the shade in a bush, he is nursing a poorly paw from fighting another cat trying to take over his manor, but seems to be OK:I have found myself a new favourite place to knit:Under the flowering cherry (not flowering now) in our garden. Obviously this is a spot for fair weather knitting,

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-53779553015620066572007-05-29T14:31:00.000+01:002007-05-30T11:40:52.687+01:00

Bank Holiday. Rain. They do go together don't they? But for proper rain you need to go up North (a bit). We went to Lincolnshire to see my parents, who live near the south end of the Humber Bridge at Barton, it's quite near the North Sea.This is Cleethorpes on Sunday 27th May, where the North Sea appeared to be falling from the sky:No, really, it was very very wet:Nevertheless, there was an

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-33923580306244438512007-05-21T14:29:00.000+01:002007-05-21T14:41:26.214+01:00

In between teaching myself some HTML and fending off the chocolate cravings (it's been a quiet day in the office, and I have half a bar of Green and Blacks 70% in the desk drawer) I have been lured surfing.There's a series on BBC Four starting next week; Children's TV on Trial. I get emails from BBC Four telling me what's on, though since everything is on over and over again in the same week so

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-71858259383856938382007-05-17T13:31:00.001+01:002007-05-18T10:42:51.261+01:00

Back at Christmas time we went to visit my Mum and Dad, and I took my second ever sock with me. Mum confessed to having taken up the needles again too. When we were kids we always had handknit jumpers, many of them were itchy, as was the way with wool in those days. I remember a matching pair of Christmas Tree jumpers me and bro both had.Anyway, Mum said she still had lots of my Grandma's old

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-15518779375010827722007-05-11T13:39:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:04.413Z

Here be many pictures of infant vegetables:Here are some infant mangetout peas, hopefully these will be more successful than last year when they grew so fast one weekend they were inedible:tiny leeks, not yet very interesting!:Some parsnips with salad planted between (red salad bowl lettuce and some little gems, both need thinning):Cucumbers! last year they were MURDERED by evil entities slugs.

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-64618112840527691162007-05-09T11:54:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:05.644Z

That's how far I cycled on Saturday. It's the full route around Rutland Water where we went with N's windsurfing crowd. And since I can't windsurf (and have no interest in windsurfing, to be honest*) I did that while everyone else was getting wet and cold. They seem to enjoy it though - each to their own!.Anyhow, I took the Storm Water Shawl and two pairs of socks. The storm water shawl was

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-87485113833702028952007-05-02T15:29:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:05.985Z

I have started on this, it is Carolyn from the Spring Knitty but with multicoloured stripes. I am using the wool I bought for the Rowan Tibetan which I have now decided against, it's never cold enough these days for a really warm polo neck, especially in the so called air conditioned office I work in. I just wouldn't wear it.I'm sticking with the needle sizes in the pattern, which will make it

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-30360932110308735882007-05-01T15:19:00.000+01:002007-05-01T15:31:40.491+01:00

I was sitting on the floor yesterday evening after a weekend filled by full on yarn winding (by hand) sniffing and fondling the last ball I'd had to do (Rowanspun 4ply in jade). My lovely chap came in and said "you just do it for the love of wool really, the finished object can just kind of hang in the wardrobe, unworn?" I patted him in the nose with the lovely woolly ball "hmmm..." said I, "yes,

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-23153488647139133832007-04-23T14:20:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:08.005Z

We all know we should knit a gauge swatch before we start don't we? We know that even with the same size needles and the exact same yarn as in the pattern, we may not get the same gauge as the person who did the pattern. Everyone tells us this. So WHY do I ignore it almost every time! Why do I believe I will save time by NOT doing it?I have now produced a sock which won't go over my heel:Amusing

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-81149378998823918042007-04-20T10:49:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:09.314Z

It's been a long time, eh?I went on a much needed holiday following the Oxford Folk Festival which was some weekends ago now. It was a huge success, and by Sunday afternoon, when it had all calmed down a bit, we had three knitters in the Box Office, causing the odd comment from passers by. People will generally talk to you if you're knitting, I wonder why? Perhaps they just can't believe what

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-21934801685967784762007-03-26T11:15:00.000+01:002008-12-10T16:30:10.082Z

And I am very pleased with it too, though there seemed to be as many ends as you would find on a 1980s intarsia puppy pullover. Here she is, in all her ruffly glory:Balls ups - the ruffle band was too short!!! There was no way on God's earth I was starting the ruffle bands again, so, spot the fudge, wrong side:Right side:I am quite pleased with the fudge (I would have been even more pleased if it

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-6856180901072662822007-03-21T15:54:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:10.376Z

One of the sleeves is at least an inch smaller than the armhole. Why? Why? Was I really tense when I was knitting it?SO I have had to frog to almost the beginning and start again. I could weep.The twirly Wilo scarf from Rowan Magazine 38 (most of which is lovely except for the inexplicable Kid Acne patterns, which are awful) is going much better, it's my very first ever attempt at crochet since

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-59288856665036998022007-03-19T10:08:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:11.471Z

So not much knitting done. And a very long blog.Last Friday we went to a ceilidh at our local school, with Vikki and a load of her not really folky mates who she'd brought along. It was extremely good fun. A number of them are ceilidh converts now :o)John Spiers (aka Squeezy) of Spiers & Boden has been nurturing the school ceilidh band (where he finds time to do this I have no idea) and they were

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-70352020140439084092007-03-13T13:52:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:12.126Z

I have had the most appalling COLD. Having lurked about for a week threatening to appear but never quite managing it, it did so with a vengeance on Sunday.We'd had a really busy weekend anyway; Saturday N did lots of CD shelf putting up (We have lots of CDs), we went to buy an incinerator and some match pots (these are not related), we burned waste wood from the garden and levelled the cold frame

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-75410641231063101782007-03-09T10:55:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:13.353Z

Here is the red baby jacket for Grace:Photo taken on a piece of garden, as seems to be traditional in knitting blogs. Here it is hanging in the not yet flowering cherry:so you can see the hood (I have no small child to hand to model it, sadly). I decided not to do any embroidery on it, as I quite like it as it is (also I'm crap at embroidery), so put on bright orange buttons to 'lift' it (or it's

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-2772690504810478322007-03-06T13:23:00.000Z2007-03-06T13:54:23.453Z

In between knitting a red riding hoodie (actually it's the Yarn Harlot's Snake Charmer/Daisy) for my niece, really quickly, because apparantly "she's growing so fast she needs all the clothes she can get!!" I have been in the GARDEN.I was actually so desperate to be out in the garden I went out there in the driving rain on Sunday morning to empty out the compost bin I had begun emptying the week

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-63683355859516649072007-03-01T15:47:00.001Z2008-12-10T16:30:13.929Z

Birthday goings on, this week. I only get one every four years, ya know, and it's not this one.1. We went to the most brilliant gig the other night in the Floral Hall (it's like an enormous greenhouse) at the Royal Opera House. I am not sure what the Opera House folks made of Bellowhead, but we think they're great, and have been to see them more times than is probably healthy (not).I don't have

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-70533785353404867472007-02-20T10:08:00.000Z2007-02-20T10:51:09.635Z

Does that sound like a big number to you? To me it sounded like a medium sized, manageable sort of number, a nice sort of number, the sort of number you would be quite pleased to see without a (DR) after it when you get your bank statement two weeks before your salary goes in.It is NOT a nice number when it is preceded by the words 'cast on'.Yes, the 'Elfin' ruffles strike again! I cast on for

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-75742637011716804762007-02-16T12:37:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:14.702Z

Yesterday, I had the sort of morning which involved hanging about in waiting rooms, having needles stuck in me, and the afternoon being off my head on painkillers (this may explain the sock you will see later) I needed some cheering up. What better than a trip to Masons (they have no website, its a lovely old fashioned wool shop run by a variety of ladies, who could for all i know be from the

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-58899030370649660762007-02-09T17:07:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:15.123Z

"It's only knitting...it's not dangerous" Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Knitting Rules (2006)I pretty much am one for leaping in at the deep end, as long as there is no threat to life and limb. And the Yarn Harlot is right, it's not going to hurt if your knitting goes wrong (well, apart from the mental state of the knitter in question, of course...). I have never knit lace in my life, and I have only

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-64517650173056867262007-02-09T10:44:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:15.938Z

It's snowing again (its that sort of wet snow that soaks through, not very nice). However, oh dear!, that means I shan't be going out and will have to do more knitting. It also means I really should learn my pieces of music and arrange another lesson...This:Is a melodeon, more specifically it's a Saltarelle Connemara II two and a half row DG melodeon, and it's My new Pride and Joy (it made me

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-46860106644773742942007-02-08T09:49:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:16.796Z

It's Snowing!!! This is the garden at eight o'clock this morning:And this is Georgia looking at the snow a couple of minutes ago, the two pottery birds in the flower bed are sporting snowy jacket and hat combinations:Now, in my last I was grumpy (and then not) due to a bit of shopping activity, not for pea netting, which arrived yesterday, but for this:Handmaiden Seasilk for the Storm Water Shawl

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-24014391570805989682007-02-03T13:48:00.000Z2007-02-05T14:22:27.226Z

Boo. Hiss.I had to frog 'River' last night. Luckily I managed this without destroying the Kidsilk Haze (it dislikes being ripped A LOT). Sigh. Now I shall start again when I have pointier needles and more concentration.Grumble.A DISEMBODIED VOICE INTONES Stop it with the grumbling!, don't you have some money which does not have to come out of your own bank account to spend? on yarny knitterly

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-20061956941115273652007-02-02T10:54:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:17.744Z

Vast tracts of grey stocking stitch completed:AND, ruffles and half a sleeve, Kidsilk Haze ruffles and Felted Tweed. I can't quite get over how good this looks, I was quite worried about it!The ruffles were time consuming (starting with 241 stitches and knitting together to make the ruffles) I had to sharpen my bamboo needles on emery paper to make it easier to do the purl 2 togethers. The

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-35164123097198965092007-02-02T09:55:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:18.624Z

We went to Denmark on the 18th January, in the gales and storms. it was quite a hairy take off (I hate take off) and SAS don't let you take your knitting on board. Anyway, we got there OK, lost of flights after us were delayed. Having been initially disappointed by the lack of snow (you do expect snow when you go to Scandinavia!) some was delivered on the third day. This is Mellenveg in Horsholm,

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-26477711664583506122007-01-15T10:01:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:19.829Z

Yak wool (?)I buy quite a few clothes from People Tree as I admire their ethical stance and the clothes are good too, none of your 'wear it once and chuck it out' rubbish here (when will people realise this is a completely unsustainable way to carry on?). They may not be 'high street fashion' but the clothes have style, they are often unusual, and who wants to look like everyone else anyway...? I

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-44055907428503192622007-01-11T13:14:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:21.368Z

Well, Christmas was quite busy, what with Wantage on Christmas Day with (some of) N's family, then driving to Barton On Humber on Boxing Day to see my family, complete with new niece Grace. We also had the pleasure of a visit to Scunthorpe which may not be pretty but has a smashing record shop, and a ScrewFix Direct. However even Screwfix Direct could not supply me with the correct grommit -

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-19693779511937032252006-12-14T09:41:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:22.058Z

This is how I sound when I'm knitting in front of the telly, or so I'm told. I took it up again (after a break of about...hmmm....25 years!) after my friend Vikki ask for blue squares for Knit a River - a campaign to raise money for Water Aid. So off I went and got some needles, I had some blue wool from a failed tablet weaving project (tablet weaving proving a bit unportable, I hadn't lasted

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414843.post-29123477107939626202006-12-05T15:21:00.000Z2008-12-10T16:30:22.164Z

Hmmm...hello.Here is my blog...Plunge taken when I press "publish" I suppose.It struck me the other day that I know a number of people who I am really rubbish at keeping in touch with, since they live in Latvia, or Worthing, or Bristol, or god knows where these days! So I thought this might help. If not I'll just wiffle to myself about what I'm up to.I have no great philosophy to communicate, or

Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02833906646563741104noreply@blogger.com0