Everything changes but the fundamentals remain.

Very soon, sooner than you realise, it creeps up on us, I will be leaving work at RingaRosie and beginning a new chapter of my life. I am returning to University 25 years after I left to start a PGCE. I have loved working at RingaRosie and I have learnt so much and met so many lovely people that it will be a very difficult thing to say goodbye. Obviously as it is the very best LYS I will be a frequent visitor for my knitting supplies (like I don't have a spare room full of wool at all really). But it has been a home over the past couple of years and Barbara has been a very good and generous boss and I hope a friend, I will miss her!

The crochet blanket in king Cole Merino DK continues and these little squares are a fun carry along project to I expect to do some on the way to and from Uni in September. It's a nice pick up and put down project which I shall no doubt come back to over the coming month and years and it's now a nice size to work on with it over my knee keeping me warm. Actually it is a little cooler this evening than it has been and I notice the nights are drawing in. Summer isn't over by any means, I still have a week in Mum & Dad's caravan to look forward to after all!

The top-down garments keep coming and the third one is finished with the addition of it's buttons yesterday. It's based on the Custom Knits book instructions for Favourite Cardigan - I started the neckline higher and knitted it longer but apart from that it's pretty much as written. The yarn was in the sale too so a bargain knit!

Modeled photos to follow when it's not raining and DH isn't stressed by the summer holiday child care!

My other recent project has been some spinning of a merino cashmere and silk blend, no decent finished photo for this yet but a nice work in progress picture for you in the meantime. I am teaching a spinning class in Septemebr at Artison, so if you've a hankering for learning something new why not see if they have any places left? The food and friendly atmosphere are fabulous and I can think of few more pleasant ways to spend an afternoon that spinning!

Finally for now, another recent crochet project included just for it's bright colours and happiness. Do I know that Uni is the right thing to do? No. But I do know I will regret it if I don't try. Everything changes. Follow your bliss and do what makes you happy :) Wish me luck!

Dads like long socks

I don't. Like long socks that is! Well, not to knit anyway, they go on forever.

 I like To knit ankle socks. But last time I was visiting my dad was wearing his a Hand knitted socks, admittedly he wears them as bed socks, not every day socks but he was wearing them. This made me very happy and I know he likes long socks so I decided I would make him some long socks. A little bit of what he likes is definitely called for especially now he is Mum's career and life has taken such an unexpected turn, so long socks are the least I can do and living 200 miles away there is little else I can do, is there :( ? I will have to post an image once I am home so for now here are the instructions for the socks,in case you want to knit some for your dad too! Toe up, Judy’s magic cast on from 16 stitches increased 4 every other round up to 64. Knit 3x1rib on the instep stitches. Short row heel turn. Calf increases: 3x1rib to 6.5” increased one purl stitch at centre back. Added 1 purl stitch in rib on either side of centre after 5 more rows. Work as set until leg measures 10.5” from base of floor as worn, increase a second purl stitch at centre back, work 5 rows as set, increase another 1 purl stitch in rib at either side of those already increased, the back section now knits as p2 k3 p2 k3 p3 k3 p2 k3 p2 . Continue as set until you loose the will to live, sorry Dad I know you like long socks but … Increase 2 further p stitches on final row before changing to 2x2rib and then knit in rib until you want to scream. Cast off using a stretchy sewn cast off. Repeat for second sock and never knit rib socks again except I know he’ll love them so I will be making more the longer the better as far as he’s concerned!

Life Goes On

Happy Valentines Day :) 

  

If flowers are more your thing then daffs can't be beat at this time of year, a promise of spring around the corner. It's too early for them in the gardens yet but a cheerful tin for the jar - details on the Attic 24 blog. I see Lucy has added some rather lovely buttons and such so I shall have to embellish!

 This was made using the Special DK leftovers from DD1's blanket, I'd love to do them in Rowan Handknit Cotton, like Lucy, maybe another time. Meanwhile I used what I had in :)

Makes for a colourful mantlepiece , but as well as a little crochet I have also been knitting since I was last here and have many projects to share. One of which, my sheepheid, helped to keep me warm in January when we went for a frosty walk in and around Cambo, Northumberland. Near the parking place there is a fabulous old water fountain which I will photograph on another visit, the light was in all the wrong places this time :)

Over Christmas I finished some jumpers and I'll show you those tomorrow, enough for tonight as I am off to look for buttons for my crochet tin covers :) I'm also just in to a DK cardi - but more of that when there is something to take a picture of. I hope the new year is treating you well so far, half way into February already? Time really marches on and we must march with it, onward and upward, hook and needles in hand :)

The Blanky has a Friend

 

DD1's Uni 'Happy' Blanky has a friend for her to take along with it on her travels. The cushion is finished. I love it, love it, love it. There will be more. I bought a £2 cushion in Asda and used the cushion pad - this seemed the cheapest available option :) and it's cheap yarn too so why not?!

Since finishing these projects I have started a cot blanket.

Since I took this photo I have added more rows and the blanky is growing. Now this blanket already has a recipient and once again will be leaving home once it is finished so I have also started buying yarn for my own blanky which I will keep and snuggle up under over the coming winter. 

I'm not ready for winter yet so I am focusing on Autumn delights of misty mornings and the quality of the late afternoon sunlight. The yarn I am going to use for the next project is King Cole Merino Blend and 100% superwash wool - I am looking forward to a different but also extensive palette to work with. We had a lady in the LYS, where I work 3 days a week, on Saturday who bought 28 different colours of this yarn for her blanket and then LucyLocket came by to buy yarn for her blanky too so it seemed a good day to start collecting my yarn too - I even have a basket for this project which I bought at Aldi, along with some Aran yarn for a cardi I will get to later. Lucy reminded me about 'little cotton rabbits' blog which was a lovely thing to remember - check out the crochet going on over there. For now I am addicted to crochet and enjoying the hooking, which is where I am off to now. An hour of hooking before bedtime, what could be better? We had Amanda from the Natural Dye studio visiting the shop on Saturday too and her crocheted blanket projects are so inspiring. 

My stripy blankets and granny squares are great brain-dead, too-little-sleep, too-much-to-worry-about projects to work on for therapy. Sadly my mum has Alzheimer's and this horrible illness is taking it's toll on my family. I shall be hooking happy colours all winter I think; many blankets needed for many cuddles all round. :s

Another cold walk but this time a great excuse to photograph the first completed project of my 2011 UFO Challenge - this shawl has taken a year to complete, I knew I was going to run out of yarn and put it away in the hope that some magic would happen but having to admit that there are no yarn fairies I had to improvise. And today the sun shone on the photos so it must have come out alright :)






Here's the modelled shot so you can see the size of it - I decided not to block it and the garter stitch is soft and warm and suggly.

I actually wore it today wrapped around my head to keep the drafts out! It was a lazy wind, couldn't be bothered to go around so just blew straight through me, brrrrr.










Much to Katy's delight there was plenty more ice and snow in the furrows. Some photos of the scenery - you may recognise the walk, although the last time we were here the fields were full of bales of hay and it was a good deal warmer.





















Even though it was very cold and I couldn't feel my legs by the time we got back to the car, it was worth it for the sunset!

bluemoon fibre arts

bluemoon 001
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

The madness continues!

ordered this before Christmas so it isn't really breaking the stashalong ~(yeah, that's right, just keep telling yourself that). Over a month in transit but worth the wait.

It is going to be this here

I want to cast on now but I must finish the fair isle cardi for Kerrie's project club first and then a family member has asked me to knit a baby shawl for her grandson whose wife is expecting their first baby,. She has left the pattern choice to me so any suggestions? Two stipulations, 4 ply and white.

Annette's was closest

but no one got it exactly right, which is reassuring really, the error is obviously not as horrible as I thought it was and random strangers passing by will not see my socks and run screaming from the room "That woman has a mistake in her cable!"

I did one too few rows between the arrowed cables so they are a little too close together. *sigh!* I spotted it almost straight away too but I just couldn't be bothered to run the cable stitches down and pick them back up the right way round. Plus if I had, the outer travelling stitch would have been out of true and not following the rest of the pattern. Which all goes to show that I shouldn't sweat the small stuff!

Talking of small stuff, baby still isn't here as she refuses to come out until she is good and ready, and that is not yet! Still time to finish the pink mitts and booties to match the hat :o) Just need to finish my swap mitts first :o)

I want to cast on a shawl/stole/wrap thingy but this is NOvember so no new cast ons! Blah!

Meanwhile Mr Postie has delivered the fine, fine, oh so very fine Jamieson cone of yarn. OMG it is fine, I'll take a piccie tomorrow to share this fineness so you can wonder along with me, at the amazingness of ever entertaining the thought of knitting with such delicate nothingness. What was i thinking? :o)

Hemlock is otn

Hemlock002
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Couldn't wait, had to do it. Got to row 26 then had to go to bed. It's a real shame when life interrupts knitting, but work will resume asap. It's lovely, it grows quickly, and the yarn is absolutely scrumptious to knit with. See the ss sections? Aren't they delicious? Quite a good colour representation on my monitor too, ah! What more could a girl ask for, knitting, purple, sensuousness. *sigh* And, yes, lots of people are doing it whih adds to the fun :o)

Hemlock Yarn

This is my yummy Posh Yarn Emily.

I seem to have a purple thing going on :o) *blushes*

Left to right Damson, 3 x Magnus, Peal *Happy Sigh!

The sheep were my present to me when we went to Alnwick Castle during the holidays - I nicked the idea of them guarding the stash for photographs from Annette :o)

The Hemlock takes two 300yd skeins of brooklyntweeds chosen yarn, Cascade Ecological Wool which is a Heavy Worsted - now I may very well be wrong here but I am thinking that it's a thick Aran/Chunky weight so I will need more yardage for the same size throw. I am planning on knitting the 3 Magnus and seeing how big it is. That is a fairly firm decision at present but give me time and I will change my mind *rolls eyes* I am also drawn to starting with the Damson changing to the Magnus and finishing with the Peal. But I might have to move house to be able to block her if I use all 5 and I'd like to try the pattern alteration to Old Shale by adding the purl rows as well as the version as charted. Ho hum.

Strangely the other project (the one we can't mention) is also having a lot of Old Shale at the moment (round and round and round she goes) so maybe this is my mindless knitting phase.

Today I had an hour and a half of pure, uninterrupted knitting bliss :o) Sadly I then spent all afternoon feeling that I haven't actually done any work today as there have been no housewifery/motherly goings on prior to the big kids coming in from school. Maybe this just goes to show that I am never pleased, or more positively (and therefore, I like to think, more likely) I just haven't had enough therapy yet. Bring it on.

And finally, winding the Emily into balls today, led to winding the Middle Earth Yarns DK BFL. DD2 insisted we do 'more spinney things, Mummy' - she likes turning the handle and has not heard of the ills of child labour. I faltered and nearly switched to a project cast on in the Foamy Seas instead - it is so very very squishy and soft and boy, you have to be soft to outsquish Emily

But I resisted, I have plans for Foamy Seas and they require some thought and some charting so I want the head space that will require to be fully available and not doing a time share with the trivia currently therein. So wait, squishy skeins, your time will come.

Posh does it again

I don't know why I try to deny myself - I know I wont manage to do it for long *sigh* I do feel bad, but I also feel good *wicked grin* and I feel very POSH

Three of these fell into my basket on Sunday and I just had to take pity on them and bring them home - very mohair, very light and very Posh Yarn. 70% kid mohair, 30% silk laceweight yarn. Each skein is 50g, with 450 yards. I feel the need to start knitting it tonight too - I've had a hard day, and some fluffiness is in my very near future, very near.

I would like to point out that I have no affiliation with this yarn painter, but she does something to yarn that does something to me *rolls eyes* And in my stashalong defence the HipKnits was a bargain and (other than the PY) I haven't splurged again this week - and Sunday doesn't really count as this week, does it? Shhh! You don't tell anyone and neither will I :o)

Something i haven't yet given in to, although please don't ask me how many times this one has been in the virtual shopping basket today, *sigh!*, is over at AY. How long before that is heading this way too - only thing is which colour first? :o)

I must finish the baby shawl before I buy any more yarn, so close now I can feel it calling to me from it's 'safe place' and it's going to be a last inch finish too. But will it be an inch to short or an inch to long, for the remaining yarn?

Going back to the Schaefer Anne for a second I'd just like to give a quick mention to Ilga Leja designer of the Queen of the Waves pattern that we're doing as a knitalong on the AY forum. There has been a big debate about some of the instructions for the pattern, me and being me :o) , I thought I'd ask Ilga. Now, I knew I'd probably get a response from her becuase Cairi said she's had a really prompt response from her when she emailed. It was just so, overnight the answer came and Ilga has joined the forum so that she can help us with the difficulties we are having.

I think it is only to be expected that from time to time error will occur, human error, typing/printing transpositions misunderstandings in what is meant by different terms etc. So that errors occur is not a problem in itself, what is a problem is when you can't sort them out, when there is no response or a curt response from the designer and Ilga is a shining example of how it should be done. Polite, friendly and professional and above all concerned that the knitter is happy with the design. Me I am happy :o)

DH was telling me the other day that research into customer satisfaction showed that it isn't customers who haven't had any problems who are the most satisfied, it's the ones who've had difficulties that have been dealt with in a positive way, who are the best pleased. QED

Baby Shawl corner and Bargains

Last night I had the silly idea that I might get the Baby Shawl (imaginatively named, eh!) finished. I must have forgotten just how many edge stitches there are because I didn't stand a chance! I have actually only done 1 1/2 sides so I'm nowhere near.

But, I am very happy with how it's going. I turned the corner without any problems at my first attempt, which isn't bad going when I'm 'unventing' as you go, and also as I didn't bother counting all those edge stitches to see if the edging I've chosen will actually fit!

The feel of this yarn is great, I am enjoying sitting under it's snuggliness as I knit. It's chilly here on the north east coast. Yes, it's PY again! Now my only worry is that I'll run out of yarn before I get all the way around. If I do it'll be a pain to pull it back and take off a row of the Old Shale as I haven't put in a life line *Note to self - put in a life line, you fool!* I did email Dee to see if she had any more, but I already knew she wouldn't have :o( I bought it all :o)

I am weighing the yarn obsessively to try and work out if I'll make it so I can frog it now if I need to, rather than waiting until the bitter end. Maybe if I weigh it often enough it will get heavier and there will be more? *rolls eyes*

My bargain today comes from HipKnits. Kerrie's sale came just at the right time and I was very lucky.

I'm supposed to be on a stashalong *whistles *, yeah right! But I want to knit this pattern (Queen of the Waves) from Ilga Leja. I have looked and looked and looked at Schaefer Anne sock yarns *drools* but on a stashalong I can't spend that much on yarn, no, really, I can't.

So when I saw that Schaefer Anne was on sale at HipKnits and there were only 4 skeins left, I emailed to ask if by any chance Kerrie had 2 the same. Luckily for me she did. Now they could have been any colours and at the sale price any colour would be a bargain... but ... would it be right for the Queen of the Waves. Well the photo shows what I received in the post this morning. Yay! How lucky is that! Perfect, exactly what I would have chosen if I had been able to see the colours to choose from. *does a happy dance*

So, come touch me, I'm on a winning streak, off to buy a lottery ticket! ;o)

Secret Summer Santa

yarn
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Look what my lovely Santa sent me.



The most perfectly formed skeing ofArtizan NZ merino (above) and a lovely card making kit too with pretty shells, seahorses and starfish on (below), oh and fudge (that's gone!).



So now when I need cheering up, I will sneak off to my stash and stroke the pretty things, yummy lace in my perfect colours. But I don't know what to make with the mohair *wanders off scratching head*.

Btw DH wants to know if Santa is trying to indoctrinate me into some cult of Scientology or something, and says we are 'flakey', and why don't we just spend £20 on ourselves and then we'll know we will like what we get. He doesn't get it, does he?

Lace Stash Two/Too *blushes*

The story continues ... yesterday my

postie brought the PY stash enhancement :o) and today the Sage green from Angel Yarns.

My collection is nearly complete 'cos I can't buy no more :o( All that is outstanding is some hand dyed yarn I have ordered from Cazza and then I will be replete!

Must knit faster, must knit faster.

Time to start designing my own lace goodies I think, anyone for Pi?

Colours for the PY are Apple, Hibiscus, Ocean, and Delicate. I feel a stole coming on.

Yes, there is more!

11 more skeins arrived from PY this morning *gulp* I think I may need help!

Must knit faster, must knit faster.

Maybe if I knit all my other stash I wont feel so bad about the lace? Maybe ...

One thing is for sure, I must not buy more *shudders*.

The Postman brought these ...

What a great morning, and this isn't all I am expecting *blushes* there's 'some' PY stash to come yet. Whilst you're there check out Dee's blog as she's got photos of the guys doing the dirty work *shock* :o)

These knitterly goodies are an excellent demonstration of not only my excess *sigh* but also of the connections made through the internet.

The KnitPicks are to complete my Options set. Knitpicks make lovely interchangable needles with the smoothest connection between needle and cord of any I've tried (and I've tried several) I don't use anything else these days. There are a few of their classic circ for the smallest sizes which Options don't go down to, and some longer chords. Knitpicks do not post to the UK. Er, don't really know what to say to that... do we not knit? Have we no money? What is the story with that one? Answers on a postcard.

That takes me to the second connection. Sebskins (see She Says She Can Knit) very kindly allowed me to piggyback her order for the second time, kindly posted here for her by a friend who lives in the USA.

And the third connection is that I met Sebskins through the Angel Yarns Forum. It is truly a wonderful thing to make connections with people and to discover that there is still trust in the world. Sebskins ordered the KP items and organised posting the goodies on to me and another forum member - at lightening speed :o) - and trusted people she has never laid eyes on to be honest and to pay up once we knew the cost. It really does my heart good to know people through the internet.

The yummy yummy yarn, i can't tell you how soft and squishy that yarn is, is from another forum member, Cazza. She recently started a small business selling hand dyed yarns and this is my first purchase from her. First but not last!

Another connection brought the books to my house. EBay! These books by Elizabeth Zimmermann are not available in the UK so I got them from US sellers on eBay. I wanted them due to a final connection, this time the Yarn Harlot played her part when she wrote a post about a garter stitch jacket I had to have the pattern for.

So there you have it, the interweb feeds my shopping habit and brings me goodies that support my knitting addiction. I am enabled! :o)

Edited to add - those books are available here! Doh! You can get them from http://www.pmwoolcraft.co.uk/ Luckily due to the favourable exchange rate I haven't paid any more than I would have to get them here but I would have got them a lot quicker! Should have asked the forum, we live and learn. Saving for the last one of the EZ book 'Knittting Around' - then I'll have them all ... I think ... I'll just go ask the forum :o)

PS

Finished the Yarn Harlot's book and started this one, details here. I feel a jumper coming on ... oh my!

posh stash - too much?

posh stash
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

I only said too much to get your attention! Is it possible to have too much?

I was looking for some laceweight to start a new project (it's Kerry's fault) and I 'found' all these purchases from Posh Yarn. How did they get there? The yarn fairy must have been using my Credit Card again! ooops *blushes*

There seem to be 3 lace weight, 3 same but silky, 3 lots of sock yarn, 2 lots of DK krinckly stuff - think I need to get another of these so i have 3 of each :o)

Just in case you think I only ever buy it and don't knit it here's a photo of the laceweight shawl (used flash to show the lace, sorry about the glare!)



I last worked on this at the end of September, just shows what October and November have been like *rolls eyes* The pattern is the free one which came with the Posh Yarn Lace Club membership and Dee says it's easy *shocked expression*. It may be easy if you do it in the lace that came with that months yarn, but if you, for no known reason, cast on in a cobweb lace and this is yout first ever full size laceweight project then it's not! Oh NO! It is great though, it's like knitting sewing thread *shudders* except of course it's soft and scrummy thread :o)

Took this out today and looked at it and fell in love again so I will be lacing tonight.

As to what to do with the rest of the stash... any suggestion? Polite ones only please and I have already discounted sleeping in it :o)