Freedom Spirit Hat and Scarf

Used a pattern from the latest Twilley's book for the scarf and fingerless mittens. Had too much yarn left so decided to make a hat.

Used guidelines from the Handy Book of Knitting Patterns and added a trio of knitted flowers to match the mits.

'Twas the night before christmas

Two very excited little girls are sleeping soundly and dreaming about what will be waiting for them tomorrow. How I love Christmas at the moment with all the magic that it entails for very young children!

Not posted much lately due to lots of kid-related commitments - nativities, parties and lots of other festive events going on. Not to mention christmas shopping, writing cards and wrapping pressies.

Anyway here are a couple of pics of recent FOs

Socks! From left to right: leftover Opan Hundertwasser made a nice pair of mismatched socks and Lorna's Laces flamingo stripe (single skein) made the second pair.

And here are a couple of nice sweaters! My first attempt at a seamless sweater on the left (with second attempt at fair isle!) and a sloppy joe knitted by Grandma on the right.

Merry Xmas War Is Over

Sockwars has finished. Mama Sockster won it.... just.. my first class UK postcard was conveniently delayed. Hmm

Anyway... I shall seek vengeance in the next one!

21 with 18 year's experience

Yes folks it was my birthday this week! Another year older and the big 40 next time...ulp. I have made a "what I am going to do to mark my 40th birthday" resolution! I want to run a marathon!

Will keep you posted on my progress!

Got some lovely cards and pressies including much longed for SOCK BLOCKERS!


Look daddy sockblockers, mummy sockblockers and baby sockblockers... I have such a lovely husband! He got them for me! Thanks!!

EZ's seamless yoke sweater

Hooray finished it!

I loathe sewing up and that is why I decided to have a go at one of Elizabeth Zimmerman's seamless sweater. What a joy! No seams... really no seams... love it. I did get a bit overexcited and probably rushed through this one a bit but on the whole it's great.




Knitted in King Cole Merino DK in pink, blue, turquoise and lilac. It's a bit of a bright combo but my little girl loves it so that's ok. Have cast on for the same thing for her little sister who likes lilac so this one will probably look a lot more tasteful!!

Ripple - Sockamania November Pattern

I really enjoyed these lacy socks. It was a bit of a challenge for me though as I am a lace knitting newbie so there was lots of cursing and frogging going on with this pair. They are knitted in Jaeger Matchmaker 4ply Merino which is lovely for socks and I like the dusky blue colour too. It really shows off the lace pattern nicely

Tomten - another one!

Posted about this a while ago and finally got around to posting a piccie. This was originally intended for a little boy but my younger daughter has since claimed it as her own so here it is being modelled beautifully!

It was knitted in King Cole merino blend in olive green, sage green and cream. Cast on an extra 16 stitches to the original directions to make it bigger and am pretty pleased with the end result. Armholes could be a bit neater so will take a bit more care over that next time!

Mmmmm...

Look what I won today on ebay. Some more scrumptious Natural Dye Studio sock wool. It looks almost good enough to eat. Maybe I'll knit it into a fabulous had just for me! Or, more likely, hang onto it for months and months, just getting it out now and again to fondle.

I'm beginning to think that I may need a change from socks

Sockapalooza socks - finished!

Here they are ready to be packed up and sent off to Portugal! Blimey! I am a bit of an international knitter these days.

Sockapalooza - and so it continues...

Well I was just having a little look around the sockapalooza site and saw that there are still people who didn't get any socks. So I have volunteered to be a sock saviour. This will be the 3rd pair I've done for this...

Anyway, I'm using some Natural Dye Studio yarn that I've had in my stash for quite some time. I think the colourway is Atlantic Moon and that it is BFL 4ply.

The sock is a simple basket weave pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!

Ahh.. the weather was so lovely at the weekend. Here we are enjoying the park.

I'm still alive

Here is my second pair of "killer" socks. Started by my first victim sockmice and finished and shot through the heart of TalesfromthePlain.

Still have absolutely no idea who my own assassin is so could be murdered by socks at any moment..... oo-er!

Panic over!

Blimey... got home from work today to find a 'form left' card and went across the street to collect what I fully expected to be my parcel of death. But it wasn't! Apparantly, it was a large parcel for another house and the courier had made a mistake! Phew....

Watch out my next victim!

I am a killer!

Well... I've finished and the above deadly weapons are on their way...

The battle begins...

Well I have finished the first sock and have been psyching out my 'victim' (in a nice and friendly way of course - it will almost be a shame to kill her.....almost!!!)

Sock Madness

I just can't help myself when it comes to socks. I thoroughly enjoyed Sockapalooza and am now signed up for sock wars!

The Sock Wars battle commences on Saturday and I have ordered my DPNs and bought my yarn. There's a slight problem with the postal strike but the lovely people at Web of Wool are going to courier my needles to me so that I will be fully armed and ready for a damn good scrap!!

Also joined the Sockamania club and am just starting the October sock pattern so will post a pic when I have got going with them.

Hats

I have ventured into the world of colour knitting my friends! I recently bought some fabulous Elizabeth Zimmerman books and she reckons colour knitting is easy so I decided to give it go! Here are my simple hats done in a really easy alternative stitch pattern and also done in the round so no seams (this I like)!

Here they are again being modelled beautifully by my girls!

Tomten again

Wasn't 100% happy with the first effort so am doing it again. Have picked out three shades of King Cole Anti Tickle and have cast on in a lovely moss green colour (tomtem is aimed at a boy this time).

Much much nicer so far. Found the 112 stitches coming out a bit on the small side for DK wool so have upped it by another 16 stitches and it seems a better size now.

First EZ Adventure

Have just discovered the wisdom of Elizabeth Zimmerman and here's my first EZ project. A little tomten jacket.

Tomten - Front

Tomten - Back

My socks are here....YAYYYY!!!

Got my sockapalooza delivery this morning and I am chuffed to bits. The socks fit perfectly and are lovely. The pattern is great and I am wearing them as I type!!


Thanks to my lovely sock pal Channon for her great taste in yummy sock yarn and a job well done!

Sockapalooza

Finished both pairs! Posted in Leamington whilst visiting my sister in law last week. Hope they are ok!!

I am so crap at keeping this up to date!!

The title says it all really.

Started my new job and it's all been good so far. A lot nicer than the last couple of years at Burnley.

Will add a bit more later about Sockapalooza!

New Job!

I am just sooooo chuffed. Went for an interview for pretty much the same job as the one I have just been made redundant from and got it! Fantastic! Am so happy about it.

What the knitter did next

Oh I know, I know, it's been a while but the whole redundancy stuff has been a bit all consuming of late. Anyway, I am pretty much redeployed now so it's not so bad after all.

The crocheted hooded cardigan was a bit on the big side for me so I gave it to my pal at work who took it with her on a holiday to Barcelona last month so that was good.

Finished the patons jet cardi and the weather has, of course, been fabulously sunny and warm since so I probably won't wear it much until winter comes around again.

Knitted a lovely little cardigan for Natty which I am so pleased with as I didn't cock up the sewing. She loves it and wears it most days.... mind you it is pink and girly so I was always onto a winner with that one really.

Here's a photo of the three of us. A purple jumper knitted by Grandma on the left and sewn up by me and the infamous successful pink cardi on the right

Redundant!

I am officially "at risk" of redundancy. I've actually known for about 4 weeks now. It was totally out of the blue and no-one had any idea that there were any redundancies on the horizon. It's been a bit up and down at times but there is a light at the end of the tunnel so I don't feel too bad now. Just want to now when things are going to start happening.

On the knitting front. Knitted a hat for my colleague as they have kicked the smokers out of the building he needs to keep warm. Might try to get a sneaky photo of that one.

On with a nice cardie in Patons Jet and the crocheted hooded cardie that I started last August is still on the go!!