The world is my oyster...

So I finally got a design on Ravelry to celebrate my 3rd Raviversary. By coincidence, the same week that Ravelry got its millionth user. Wow. I can make a design and by the power and wonder that is t'internet, it can be available to a million other fibre freaks. I don't have a word to describe that, very very exciting doesn't come close. The next pattern is in progress, the charts are done but the instructions need writing and the whole thing test-knitting and photographing. Meanwhile there are socks to be knit for Purl City. Apparently the first pair is on display, but I didn't get to go and see them despite being in Manchester today. The crowds and noise and horrid flashy lights got too much so we came home early. And I didn't get to bring new boots with me, but they are on order so my feet may be dry this week after all. If they fit...

In between there is a seemingly endless string (no pun intended) of cotton bibs, Christmas decorations and the small matter of a Choral Concert. Oh, and the Christmas shopping... 

Lovely things

Tonight, when we are surrounded by all the hyped up imagery of Halloween, it is good to remember that it is really All Hallows Eve and think about those who are no longer with us. On the way home from Manchester this afternoon I saw a tree with leaves making a very similar pattern to the lacy shawl that my Grandmother made for me as baby. Somehow it felt like she was trying to tell me to get on with knitting my re-creation of it...

Other knitting news is that I have been encouraged by lots of people at K1S2 and the new Purl City Sunday knitting group to write up and publish my purple shrug pattern. I have to tell you, dear reader, that I have grasped the nettle and made a start. With a completely different pattern, admittedly, but I am looking on that as a pilot project (or more appropriately a swatch!). So far I have had to re-learn to use Word (ew), find a chart maker (yay), find a pdf creator (yay) and join them all together seamlessly. Success. Any test knitters for a small bookmark project please apply here.

Here is a detail of my recently finished Monkeys. It amused me to be knitting a Cookie A pattern as a 'quick no pattern needed' job.

Completed!

My 10 days are over...and there is noticeably less clutter. Think I will now set aside one time each week to attack a pile/shelf etc.

In other news the daytime knitting group started successfully and the military logistics necessary to make it happen went smoothly for once. My face must have been a picture when at the end of it all there was a huge parking space right outside music club! It was also a useful chance to check out a potential new car seat for T as getting him into the current one is a bit hit and miss...I think there will come a time soon when I won't be able to do up the fastener and we will be stuck somewhere. He has his clinic appointment today, let's hope they finally discharge him.

Days 6 and 7

Lost count a bit! Think I probably averaged 10 but who knows... between the paperwork tray (too scary for a full foray), the bookshelves and some old glasses. Funny moment when taking old books to Oxfam, the volunteer writes biology textbooks for a day job and knows them well! After 20yrs they aren't actually that out of date, but we certainly don't need them any more. Also gave in my collection of pregnancy books. No need for those eh! Tried to make space on the knitting shelves but the only candidate will actually be useful at Oasis knitting group so that will have to wait until Wednesday.

Days four and five

Not going well... banked some items (is that allowed? Yes, my challenge, my rules!) from day 3 by doing loads of freezer stuff so that will have to count for most of it. Today's was hair stuff, old nail varnish, bits and bobs from my little drawers. Now they all open and close! Result.

Happy Birthday K1S2!

So last night saw the first anniversary party of the Knit1Sip2 group... garments were displayed, cake eaten and beer drunk (and that was just on my table!). One knitter managed her first Judy's Magic Cast on, and another cracked Cat Bordhi's Moebius knitting. In between, we presented the pub with some new mugs, because we like going there and because we like drinking tea (the old ones have been broken). We had two e-models, one former member and one recipient of knitted items. Another party is planned as a Christmas celebration. Watch this space for details.

More pics available at My Photostream

Yesterday was also day 3 of the declutter. A rather lame offering from the bottom drawer of the freezer. Baby food, prune juice (ew!) and surplus-to-requirements milk (now sadly out of date).

day 3

This is getting harder... returned loaned tin, packaging, grown out of hat, two nappy boxes, re-gift for school fair, red project, dead plants x 3 :(

Day 2

Cake tin, packaging, magazines, notice board, knitting bags, summer hats, sun creams, old nursery paperwork, soup, yarn.

Day 1 of the 10/10 challenge

And today's delights were:

Reading material, old buff puffs and a very old horrid shower gel from the bathroom, a beaker from the kitchen, a bag of charity clothes from my wardrobe, a worn out swimsuit (yes really!), three books refiled, spare kids presents out away, and some yarn 'restashed' (hidden for another day). Roll on tomorrow.

I'm so rubbish at blogging...

...but I am still here! Signed up to a serious challenge - knitting six socks in September (so I should be knitting not blogging, but there you go)






[thanks for pic Beccy]

Other news is that there is now an absolute moratorium on the acquisition of yarn. Strictly swapping only. And lots of people will be getting knitted Christmas presents. 


Off to the Westcliffe in Blackpool in a few days for a knitting holiday - lots of lace and peace and quiet hopefully. 


K borrowed a gorgeous book from the library which turned out to be all about knitting... so she may be getting a knitted armadillo for Christmas. Yes, truly. 

Sir Washie likes the taste of wool...

So, faced with the prospect of an unfeasibly large cone of probably chunky probably wool, I set to work with the niddy-noddy and wound skeins. Then I thought about how long it would take to wash each one by hand. Then I remembered some lovely little net bags I received for Christmas which are meant for fruit and veg... and lo, an Idea Loomed Large.

And the result was this: 

L

Lots of lovely skeins drying in the breeze. They didn't felt, but I think there is some wool in there. Certainly lots of oil and they're a bit stinky yet, but another wash will hopefully sort that out.


Now being knit into an Ariosa short sleeve cardi and working very well.

Lots to report...

This blog is no place to describe the cloud of doom and gloom that appears to be surrounding me at the moment. So instead some success stories.

First, the death of the indomitable Sir Washie. Well he didn't actually die so much as ask to be put out of his misery one Friday morning. After a telephone diagnosis of 'broken bearings' from the local white goods shop I hot-footed it down there to choose a new one. With some help from Tom the new model was selected at 11am, and installed and working by 3pm. Definitely a gold star to the Shop Local campaign.

You might be able to see that he's a Bosch, thus christened Sir Boschie, and a very fine specimen he is too.

Other news is that K1S2 had its first outing to Make, Do and Knit in Liverpool. Lots of lovely things were seen, felt, bought and eaten and we all had a good laugh at the 'fashion' show! Thanks to Catherine for driving or I'd have been even more pooped the next day. Two skeins of sock yarn, one from Krafty Koala and one from Babylonglegs and a book of hats by Woolly Wormhead are now proudly in my possession. And some really special buttons which are going to be attached to some glam gloves using the other half of the Echo self-striping stuff from Fyberspates at I Knit London Day 2008. Incidentally most of the black dye washed out of the shawlet made from the first half, and I much prefer the end result. 

Visit from the yarn fairy...

Thanks to a note handed over the bar where K1S2 meets, I found out about a lady moving house and destashing on an Olympic scale. This was the small part of it that I acquired:

 part of which I have skeined, washed and wound. So far I have explored some cotton/linen mix which is going to be a voile curtain for the back of the bathroom door, some soft but sheddy animal fibre (? what kind of animal) which is probably going to be a scarf, and some very fine probably-rayon-based-on-how-it-burns which is going to be a recreation of the blanket Grandma knit for me when I was born. Working out the pattern for that has been challenging but satisfying. Casting on 389 stitches challenging (!) and so far I'm on row 3...

 The niddy-noddy has paid for itself already.

The obligatory 'baby in its first bath' photo.

She also had a ball-winder from her machine-knitting days which I was only too pleased to snap up. Thanks Irene xxx

Dolly is going sunbathing

I've discovered that there is definitely a place in my life for sunset yellow yarn. I think knitting spring colours may just cause spring to happen? So I've completed the second socks in the sock club:

The circle pattern is lovely and squishy so hopefully they'll be nice and comfortable.

Finally, for this week a new shawlet/scarf using the hand-dyed 4-ply that I got at I Knit Day 2009 and have been fiddling with for ages. It loses dye like nobody's business and the sock I started didn't go round my heel so it has had its own way and is becoming an Ishbel.

It was admired at last week's knitting group and we had two new members. Another person has commented on Ravelry that they might come along so the group is going from strength to strength.

Dilemma of the moment... do I give up knitting for Lent, in favour of crochet and spinning? Comments please.

Two weeks in a row...

This week's offerings include Coupling socks (yes, that's right) and a helmet type hat for Tom (a Norman chain mail item according to some). Had fun teaching some kids to knit at a craft event although some found it really challenging and ended up doing crochet chain with their fingers instead. Blogging with images is proving difficult but possible. Hopefully T will keep this hat on and the wind won't be quite so cold this week.

New Year, New Post!

Well it's taken me a whole year and a bit, but here I am again. I have resolved to blog more regularly, and in particular about my very own Sock Club. Having got distinctly ticked off with a commercial one I thought "I could do that" and so I am. Twelve patterns from Ravelry, twelve yarns from the stash and here I go. The idea is to do one a month, but January's were unexpectedly quick, so I've flung myself headlong into the next set.

January's offering: Spindle socks in Laines du Nord 'Giunco':