Happy Birthday to Me!

Yep, another year has crept up on me!

I had all these lovely things from my family

I know to some the yarn may look plain but it's what I asked for! I want to do some patterned socks and I prefer using a solid colour.

The green will become these Nutkin Socks which I have fallen in love with. Their name, along with the colour they have been knitted in, reminds me of squirrels, acorns and little woodland creatures...make of that what you will!

One sock down...one to go...

Okay...at long last I have finished my first Bayerische sock.

It's not been an easy one to knit and I have had to undo it a lot of times - through my own fault and not that of the pattern!

I now have to do it all again - surely it won't be so hard the second time - will it?

Shingle Surfing!

We have spent the weekend re-doing our garden with one of DH's friend's help!

Two tonnes of shingle was deposited outside our house on Friday afternoon and DH and I spent 2.5 - 3 hours shovelling it into a barrow and lugging it through our terraced house!

However, the children created a new sport that we like to call Shingle Surfing!

I have taken before and after pictures which I will post later.
Consequently, I have done little knitting over the last couple of days...my shoulders have been aching too much!

Fan and Feather..

Progress on DD's cardy...I have to say, this is a very, very, easy quick knit but not very exciting to do! However, DD is happy with it so that's all that matters in the end isn't it!

Another WIP

Bought this today to make DD a little lacey cardy. She is now getting fussy! Didn't like the pattern I bought, not a deep enough "V" and too many buttons...so she found this one instead. The yarn is a lemony colour - apologies the colour doesn't show up too well - it really is a very pretty yellow - will try to a better pic once it's on the needles.

Sock Knitting

Finished my Lombard Street socks and am really pleased with them.

Promised Mum I would make her some socks so whilst we were at the Brighton Show and in the "Web of Wool" stand, she chose the yarn to make these:




Its Fortissima Sock Wool with Bamboo, its lovely to work with and as it knits up, has a slight sheen to it.


I have also cast on for these (not a brilliant picture I'm afraid!) I had some beige sock yarn in my stash and wanted a pattern that would stand out against the colour...




Bayerische Socks. It is not a difficult pattern to follow...just fiddly! Unfortunately, I can't concentrate on them when my dear children are up as they insist on talking to me (I know they have a cheek don't they? :-) So, I figured I would run a project alongside so I could listen and nod in all the right places without having to concentrate too much on what I was doing. Hence, this!



Yep! Forest Canopy #2! However, this time I am following the chart instead of the written row by row instructions and it is so much easier! I finally figured, if I could read music, I could read a chart!

I have to admit, I cannot put this down...so...my Bayerische is waiting to be picked up again this weekend :-)

Finally, before I go, let me share with you the prize I received from Simply Knitting all the way from Australia...

Its enough yarn to knit a teapot cosy, the pattern for which was kindly supplied. I do not own a teapot so am now wondering what else I can do with this gorgeous yarn! Possibly mittens?

Big Knitting and Socks...

I need more socks. I have made one pair and I am wearing them to death. This is my first Lombard Street Sock. The pattern is a joy to knit and perfect to follow. I cast on for Jaywalkers to start with but alas, the pattern in the yarn was not strong enough to do the socks justice. (Is this an excuse to buy more yarn?) The foot in the picture belongs to my 12 year old daughter, I asked her to model my sock thinking it would be too big...guess what - it fitted! No 2 is well on its way (no second sock syndrome here).

However, altho' I am desperate to finish them, I couldn't resist casting on with these! I bought them at the Brighton Stitch Show last weekend from a lady called Rachel Johns who makes the most beautiful rugs and throws. She crafts all the needles herself and I knew I would regret it if I didn't buy a pair. My children think its great fun and keep pestering for a go! My 9 year old son has used his hand to give a sense of size. I'm using some acrylic that has been in my basket forever, three balls grey, one ball black to knit a rectangle which I will wear sideways as a wrap!