Tuesday, March 27, 2007

I just started knitting Arisaig on Saturday (link to pattern is in side bar). I love the lacey pattern and it is going a lot better than the swatch did. I've learnt to read what's coming next and the stitch markers have been more a reassurance than anything else. The 2x2 rib was relatively quick too. I think after a couple of pairs of socks, 4 ply wool is a lot less daunting than it used to be.
Progress as at the end of lunchtime, knitting at my desk again.
Close up of the pattern, unfortunately with the macro button on my camera refusing to work. Still looking good though.

The colour is actually somewhere between the two photos, and is looking curiosly similar to the colour of my shedir hat!


Monday, March 26, 2007

I won, twice

I had a lovely Friday afternoon at work. I won a prize in the work Easter raffle, and although I don't think i'm much of a soft toy person and all the prizes included soft toys, I actually thought this one looked quite cute, and it didn't hurt that he was holding chocolate. He sat in my intray all afternoon and kept getting stroked by passers by!


The second good thing about Friday afternoon, I won a prize through the Angel Yarns knitting forum, a luxury cabled scarf kit which looks lovely.




Having spent lunchtime in a pub with colleagues also helped Friday afternoon go quickly.

Finally, but maybe best of all, B was home for the weekend. It was lovely to have him back, and just a little miserable to see him fly off again.

Knitting news, i've cast on for Arisaig and almost got to the top of the ribbing for the back, which looks lovely but is a pain. And I finally put an order in for some sock yarn and enough yarn for Wicked, and I bought the pattern for Wicked. That should keep me busy for a few weeks...

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Finished

My Ivy cardigan is finally finished, well almost... I don't like the way the neckband sits at the back so i will be unpicking that and re-sewing it a bit tighter. i hope that this will bring the shoulders slightly more together to stop it sitting quite so wide apart on me, but it is so close. I wore this all yesterday evening after i returned from the gym, and i think i might actually wear it! It warm and cosy, and the sleeve length is long, but i like that. A blurry, too early in the morning photoshoot means that this was the best photo i managed! And I've just spotted a small knot peaking out from my sleeve, oops.



Pattern: Ivy from Knitty

Yarn: Sirdar Countrystyle double knitting, only 4 balls (annoying leaving 2 leftover)

Time taken: About 3 weeks to knit, another week to persuade myself to sew it together, and a surprisingly long time to buy buttons

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Crafty Parents


Sometimes I wonder where I get the need to be crafty, then I talk to my parents about something and remember that I am slowly turning into an amalgamation of the two of them.

Last weekend they decorated ducks to participate in a duck race with some friends. Mum and Dads are decorated as Jemima Puddleduck and a Mallard respectively. Looks like a cool way to spend a day!




Monday, March 12, 2007

Knitting

I have meant to start this for some time now. I have been bitten by the knitting bug. I have lots of patterns I would like to knit, and I find myself already forgetting what they are and rediscovering them sometime later. There are lots of blogs I enjoy reading which feature as favourites on both my home and work computers and obscure other useful stuff I should use more often.
And, I've finally taken some photos so I can record what I am knitting, and not forget what I've learnt, what patterns I liked, where they cam from, what wool I liked working with, etc...... So, to start here are some finished objects from the last 3 months or so...

Pattern: Fetching from Knitty
Yarn: Rowan Calmer

Pattern: Hedera from Knitty
Yarn: Rowan Cotton
My first ever socks. These were knitted before I discovered sock yarn with an elsatic component in it, hence they are a bit baggy. But I like the pattern, and the colour. I may have to knit these again in another yarn.


Pattern:RPM from Knitty
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hills sock Yarn
First socks I tried knitting toe up, which was brilliant. I almost had enough wool for knee high socks from the 100g hank, but not quite!

Pattern: A mixture of the bits I liked from a few different patterns
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
Pattern: Shedir from Knitty
Yarn: Rowan Calmer
I love the way the top of this hat works. The yarn makes it lovely and springy. A possiility for christmas gifts later this year.