Wednesdays Are For Knitting

I was determined that the Pebble Beach Shawlette was coming to Brighton with me and that it would have a pebble beach photo even though the weather was yucky.

I was also determined that even though my original plan of knitting whilst soaking up the sun on the beach went to pot I would still be casting on whilst in Brighton.  I quite literally only cast on the five stitches it starts with but my mission was accomplished.

Progress to today is at 10%. I'm loving how this pattern is written in clear table form with percentages completed by the side.

Reading I'm on with The Book Thief. I've heard about it and my daughter bought it as a holiday read so I borrowed it from her. Not sure what I think yet. It's weird. Maybe next week I will have a better idea about it to share my thoughts. 

Why Hello There 2014

Ok so it's 29 days into the month and I'm only just saying hello to any readers (if anybody is out there reading) for the first time in 2014. Suffice to say a daily blog post wasn't a goal.

My first 2014 post is joining in with Yarn Along. 

I'm knitting a scarf from this pattern by Red Heart in some James C Brett Marble Chunky. It has to be seen in person to appreciate the richness of the colours. 

I'm reading Addicted by Zane. I'm only just starting so I can't tell you much about it yet. Fingers crossed next week I'll take part again in Yarn Along and be able to say if it is a recommended read or a don't bother taking it off the book shop shelf.  The last *top shelf* book I read was 50 Shades Of Grey and I only got part way through before being bored out of my brain so I'm hoping this is an easier read.  It's definitely different from the mystery books I've been favouring lately.

KAL Tuesday #4

Very quick post this morning for KAL Tuesday as we are heading off on a steam train to the seaside for the day.

I've packed up this little package for the journey for when the novelty of riding on a steam train wears off especially on the way home.





I haven't had time to do a link thing so if you want to show off what you are knitting along with this week then I'd love to hear about it in the comments section :-)

KAL Tuesday #3

Hi there knitters and welcome to week 3 of KAL Tuesday the place to share what you are knitting along with this Tuesday.

I'm actually knitting two mystery KALs at the moment (apologies for the rubbish iphone pics on these)

The first is called Dandelion On A Meadow which I'm knitting in a marbled sort of pinky white yarn by Dashing Dachs I got in a sock kit ages ago.
This is to the end of the first clue. It's a very big cast on but the pattern is easy to remember and what's not to love about adding beads to a project.









The second is called Floralee from SheKnits which I'm making in a brown yarn from Zen Yarn Garden which was also part of a sock kit - Sherlock I think. I'm about half way through the first clue on this one after a false start and a bit of a hissy fit with myself as there was an error in the instructions that I tried to correct in the way I thought was right and turned out to be wrong. Change of yarn and doing the amended pattern and I'm happy.




and lastly the fairy I have been working on over the last couple of KAL Tuesdays is now finished. Let's just say she has a unique look about her face that is quite embarassing!  However I really enjoyed making her especially rooting her hair.

So if you want to show off what you are knitting this Tuesday then please feel free to either comment or use the linky thingy below. I'm looking forward to seeing what you are working on :-)

KAL Tuesday #2

Hello and welcome to week 2 of KAL Tuesday the place to share what you are currently knitting along with.


I'm still plodding along with the fairies I was working on last week. I have three to make up now after knitting all the body parts and clothes. This is the first one (the rest are still in baggies waiting). I've decided I hate doing faces. I wasn't confident to do the painted eyes like Fiona McDonald uses in the book so I took what I thought was an easier option and inserted safety eyes. This one is turning more into monster fairy lol. I will be trying the painted eyes on the next one.




I'd love to see what you are working on this Tuesday.

KAL Tuesday #1

I was looking through my stats recently and one of the most popular things seems to have been something I did a few times and as there was no interest I stopped. That was a weekly knitting meme.

Call me a bit slow on the uptake but I only just realised my initials and the popular knitting term KAL (knitalong) are one and the same so I am introducing KAL Tuesdays starting today.

I will post a picture of what I am knitting along with each week and provide a link service so you can show off your own projects. I can't wait to see what you are working on.

This first week I am working on an elf.  It is way out of my comfort zone.  Apart from a few monsters I've never really made creatures.  I have to say that I'm quite enjoying it.  I am a little nervous about putting it all together and the facial features make me particularly nervous. I'm just finishing up the jacket and then I can start sewing.

The pattern is very loosely based on a book by Fiona McDonald called Knitted Fairies.





If you want to play along then all you need to do is either leave a comment with a link to what you are knitting along with this tuesday or use the linky thingy.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you are working on.

Happy Leap Day

Happy 29th February.  That date which only appears on the calendar every 4 years.

I have another WIP (work in progress) for this wednesday.  Batik is finished and I will get some pics of that for finished object friday.

My WIP is Frangiflutti using a sport weight Zauberball. It's a fun quick knit.

You can find more WIPs at Tamis Amis

The Wednesday Stuff - WOYWW & WIP Wednesday

First up WOYWW (Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday).

A Basic Grey page of the month kit from November featuring the Picadilly line which I'm planning on using for the Punky Scraps DT assignment for this week.

head on over to Julia's blog for more workdesks around the world this wednesday


Second up is WIP (work in progress) Wednesday

I stumbled across the Batik pattern over the weekend. I think it was on Pinterest.  Anyway I saw it and thought it looked lovely yet familiar. I clicked the link which eventually led me over to ravelry and I realised why it was familiar.  I had purchased it around a year or so ago and started it but with beads (yes I know - I must have been posessed by a crazy moment in time!!).  Needless to say as it is a bottom up working system and the cast on is quite large I didn't get very far and ripped it all out putting it down as a lesson learnt. 

Falling in love with the pattern all over again I decided that since I had already bought it then I would give it another go but obviously without the beads.  I found a really squishy gorgeous yarn from Zen Yarn Garden called Serenity Silk which came in one of the Victorian Writers kits last year and I never got around to using.

It took a fair bit of concentration to get the pattern established but here is my progress so far. I'm up to row 28 and doing the small size.

To see more WIPs this wednesday please pay a visit to Tami

The Wednesday Stuff

First up Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday:

Not strictly on my workdesk which usually is the kitchen worktop/glass hob lid or table but I really need to shout from the rooftops about these.  24 pots of WOW embossing powders by Sheena Douglass and I won them in a facebook competition.  I am so happy right now with these little pots of sparkly indulgence and can't wait to get my heat gun out from the depths of my stash box.

For more workdesks this week please stop by Stamping Ground

Next up is Work In Progress Wednesday

I started a new mystery sock on new years day.  I didn't make a single pair of socks (apart from the sock journey thingy) during 2011 so, in an attempt to use up some stash yarn, I decided to do the mystery socks in the SKA group over on Ravelry

This is to the end of clue 1.  The next section is available on the 8th Jan.

The only other WIP I have is the Advent Scarf.  I'm currently up to day 22 of 24.  I've shortened a few sections and missed a couple out as the yarn is running dangerously close to empty but I'm almost done and have really enjoyed it.  The yarn is Aade Long. I love the long colour changes in it.

For more WIPs please visit Tami

FO Friday

Finished Object Friday. Yipppeeee I have something to show you this week. It isn't all my own work but it is all mine. The travelling sock journey is now over and I have my socks back plus a few goodies aswell.

For those of you who don't know how a travelling knitting journey works - There were a few people in our group and we all started our socks with the toes and posted them to the next person in the group who worked the next section and so on and so on until they eventually end up back home.

There will be more finished objects at Tamis Amis at some point during today.

Novelty Yarn Christmas Tree Decoration.

It's my turn over on Its A Creative World again today and I've written up a pattern for a tree decoration as follows:

How many of us knitters have some novelty yarn in our stash that we will probably never use?


I know I certainly have.

I turned mine into some reasonably easy Christmas tree decorations.

It doesn't matter what size yarn you use. You might want to go down a size needle from the one recommended for the yarn so the knitted piece is denser and you are less likely to see the stuffing. So you will need a little bit of stuffing or tights or old bits of fabric to stuff your decoration.

The pattern is as follows working from the tip downwards:

You have a choice of leaving a long enough loop to hang it with or crocheting a chain. If you are crocheting a chain then chain 30 and slip stitich back into the first chain to make the loop. Transfer the loop onto your knitting needle and then knit as follows:


Row 1 - knit into the front and back of the stitch (abbreviated to kfb)

R2 and all even rows up to and including row 26 - purl

R3 - kfb on each stitch

R5 - knit

R7 - kfb each stitch

R9 - knit

R11 - (kfb k1) to end

R13 - knit

R15 - as row 11 (18sts)

R17 - knit

R19 - as row 11 (27sts)

R21 - knit

R23 - (kfb k1) to last stitch k1 (40 sts)

R25 - knit

R27, 28 and 29 - knit - this provides a garter ridge for the base of the tree

R30 - (p2tog p3) x 8 (32sts)

R31, 33 and 35 - knit

R32 - (p2tog p2) x8 (24 sts)

R34 - (p2tog p1) x 8 (16sts)

R36 - p2tog x 8

Cast off

You have the option of sewing on beads or buttons at this point or leaving it plain. On the yellow ones I added buttons to the top to make a star. I just added a few beads on the pastel eyelash ones and on the dark green ones I added lots of gold seed beads.

Turn it inside out making sure your loop is on the inside and start sewing the seam until you reach the garter ridge you made at row 28. At this point turn it the right way round and stuff it. Then stitch the bottom seam adding more stuffing, if it needs it, as you go.

WIP Wednesday and One Naughty Doggie

Thanks for the feedback on the little trees.  I have decided to make some more for the craft fair.  I made a pink one with some sparkly yarn which is horrible to work with because it is so scratchy so I switched to some white yarn I had with a thin sparkly thread running through it. I used it doubled.  It is really soft in comparison and I'm loving adding the little beads to it.  For WIP (work in progress) Wednesday here is a pic of the pink one and one of the white ones which needs stitching and the yarn with the beads threaded on for the next few. I'm going to do one with yellow, one with red and one with pink/blue.  For more WIPs this Wednesday head on over to Tami

My newly decorated living room is no more - one very naughty dog who goes by the name of Daisy did this during the course of two nights.  She only usually chews things when she is about to come into season.  She is very very irregular with her seasons and we never really know when to expect it.



Shredded christmas gift guide from Asda aswell all over the room.  You know that saying about the dog messing up your homework well in this house if it is left out at her time of the month then it WILL get shredded. The little madam knew she had done wrong and took herself to bed when she was found out this morning.

It is now sprayed with a puppy deterrent and once I get a chance I will sand it down, maybe mix a bit of the deterrent with some paint and repaint it and then spray it again. 

FO Friday

I've not taken part in Finished Object Friday for quite some time. Mainly because I didn't have anything finished to show you.

This week I have finished a ruffled scarf and have written up the pattern on Ravelry - here to try and make a few extra pennies for Christmas. Also because I am doing a craft fair soon and plan to print a few out to sell there.

I decided that my main sale item at the craft fair will be corsages.  I've finished a few more than this picture shows and whilst some of them are finished I could use a bit of feedback on them.  I was going to add beads or buttons or both to each and every one of them but with some of the bigger ones I am wondering if less is more and to leave them plain. They are made with a variety of stash yarn I had.  The bigger ones are made with some Icelandic Chunky yarn which is absolutely gorgeous in real life. Each one takes up a full ball.

Then there are these little guys.  Just a simple trianglar knit made into a christmas tree shape.  I'm undecided whether to make some more because it is a christmas craft fair or just keep them for my own tree.

One thing is for certain, as much as I am enjoying making things for it, I shall be glad to be able to go back to knitting for my own pleasure once the craft fair is done.

Shameful pimping of my pattern post over now so please visit this week's FO Friday for lots of knitted and crocheted inspiration.

Oopsie

On Monday evening I went to pull that cord that would bring the slats of the venetian blind in the kitchen down so I could shut it and the whole lot came flying down along with plaster, dust and a right mess.

Now the blind has been in place for well over 10 years and our first thought was that some damp had gotten in there somehow but it was all as dry as a bone.  I have no idea why it fell down but we were left with a bit of a problem to solve because I hate not having anything up at the window.  We live in a long terrace with other houses looking straight across at both front and back so I needed to do something to have a bit of privacy.

I ended up making a dash to town yesterday morning before a hospital appointment to source some net curtaining and a tension rod.  Luckily there was some plain net in a clearance bin at only £1 a metre so I snapped it up and spent the afternoon taking it up by a few inches and then ironing the creases out. Plus scrubbing the window and surrounding area.

It isn't perfect but much better than nothing until we can get the plaster sorted out.

I really can't wait to start decorating the kitchen.  The green paint is vibrant and loud and I hate it with a passion.  It is such an immense task though so I'm thinking of maybe september when the kids go back and the weather isn't too hot or too cold.

Looksie at what I got in the post today.

Enough to open a wool shop I think.  They were bargain packs at stupid prices so I guess I'm going to be busy making some flowers for the shop in some lovely new colours.

Clouds WIPS and A June Photo Challenge

I've started a new blog for anybody who is interested in clouds and skies etc.  I will be posting skywatch skies over there in future and probably use this blog for my personal and craft stuff.

The Craft Garden June challenge is up.  I made this flower but forgot that hubby is away camping with the boys until later today and he has the camera so had to use my phone which is why it is a crappity crap piccie.

The challenge is from the traditional wedding rhyme - something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.  I left out the something borrowed bit as I thought that once you have something on a layout or card etc then you ain't going to want to give it back.

My old is the fabric, new is the blue lace and blue is obviously the lace but also the navy blue button.

At the weekend I had a really good think about my knitting and where I was going with all the works in progress I had.  It was getting out of hand. I admitted to myself that I am a serial starter of projects.  There was only one thing for it. I needed a fresh start so I frogged the bloody lot of them.  There were about a dozen things - socks, shawls, scarves all of which would never have been finished.  My head is a lot clearer and I really wanted to get started on a granny stripe blanket as a throw for the living room.  We all know that the little voices will say "start me" over and over whenever I see a new project and yes I probably will start them and rebuild a new pile of WIPs but for now I am focusing on this

For more WIPs please see TamisAmis

I found this via a friend yesterday.  I am going to try and take part as the list looks quite do-able.

WIP Wednesday

It has been a while since I've done a Work In Progress Wednesday - it is Wednesday today isn't it?  I've been so confused with all the holidays going on recently.

This is a new project I started on monday from the mystery 220 group on Ravelry.  It is a celebratory project in honour of their being 1000 members of the group so uses 1000 yards rather than the usual 220.  I do actually know what the project is having done it before but I loved it so am relishing doing it again.

To see more WIPs this Wednesday head on over to Tamis Amis

Victorian Knitting Kit

I received the second of the Victorian Writers knitting kits last week.

This one is Little Women.

A lot of thought has gone into the planning of it  and for that I am grateful but I must admit I'm not going to make this pattern.  I like it but it isn't for me I'm afraid.  I just wouldn't wear it.  I will use the gorgeous yarn to make a nice scarf I think.

Yes that is cake in the little blue box.  I'm definitely going to make use of that.

WIP Wednesday

I am currently meeting myself coming backwards.  I largely overcomitted myself to things over the last week or so and add ill kids into the mix I don't know whether I am coming or going at the moment. 

The main overcomittment was in the shape of the shop reopening.  I had planned to have a huge number of things made and ready for the grand reopening on Friday but I've had to reassess things and it is going to be on a much smaller scale for now.  I am waiting on some stock coming which is holding up the handmade process slightly but I will do it at my own pace and hopefully it will eventually all come together.

I have been test knitting a sock for Renee at Goddess Knits  and this is my WIP for this wednesday.  To see some gorgeous knitting please visit Tami at WIP Wednesday

I took on the task last monday but I had a bead mishap and couldn't get any more until the weekend when I had to start again.  I am hoping to get it finished today. Renee has been more than understanding with me for which I am very grateful.

Look What The Postman Brought

Regular readers will remember the scarf journey I was on over at Ravelry where my scarf  disappeared and I had to start another.  The second one made its way home recently and yesterday I finished it off. 

I chose to do a lengthwise scarf on a 5mm circular needle and I sent the two pictured balls of yarn with it.  People could choose to either use the colours provided or add their own and I must say I am really pleased with how it has turned out with the extra colours. 

I attached the ends together to make it into a long cowl.

To see more finished objects this Friday please stop by at Tamis blog

This week on Feeling Beachie the questions are:

1. I have got to be the worst _____ in the world - organiser - I am really bad at organising myself.  I wake up with all good intentions but then it all goes to pot and I end up with deadlines looming.


2. Although for the most part I love it, sometimes I wish I could just get rid of my_____ - computer - to be free of the addiction that is farmville and facebook would be a good start at number 1.


3. The best thing about where I live is ________ - location - we are within walking distance of town, schools and supermarkets.


4. Aside from a new house, car or big vacation, the first luxury I would buy myself if I won the lottery is __________ - a new bed - ours is very old, the springs are poking through and even a recent purchase of a mattress topper hasn't made any difference.

Wednesday Memes

This Wednesday I am taking part in two memes.

First up one I haven't taken part in before - Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday

My workdesk is basically any free surface in my kitchen. Usually the table but as that is often a dumping ground for the rest of the family I am using my counter top and cooker top.  This is the Basic Grey Page Of The Month kit for March which arrived yesterday with my scraproom kit.  It is a shocking photo sorry.

The layout is a party theme but I am thinking of using some beach pictures instead as we don't really have any party pics.

This picture shows the April one aswell which looks fab.


Second meme is the usual WIP Wednesday

I have a bit more of my Sockknitters Anonymous mystery socks done.  I am finished on clue 3 once  I have turned the heel.

I have made it my mission this year that I will learn to crochet.  I saw this on one of my favourite blogs and was inspired to give it a go.  I had this book recommended to me as a brilliant resource for beginners and had to laugh at the bit on the cover which says -learn to crochet - even knitters.  I don't know if being able to read knitting patterns and do just about anything that is asked of me with regard to knitting will be a stumbling block or a help. Anyway I have ordered it and will take it from there once it arrives.  I learnt to do a foundation chain as part of a provisional knitting cast on but that is about it.