Naughty naughty fonenurse

It's been ages since I posted, but have loads of knitting done. Finally finished the thai top, and have had some compliments when wearing it.

I've also been knitting scarves for myself and Rachael as well as some items for the Dukes

theatre production It Snows which will be performed on 12th and 13th February 2010.

I have also had a special cupboard built to house my knitting stash and all of my craft materials.

It's been made (along with 3 others) by a talented craftsman called Lee who owns Lancashire Bespoke Furniture. Needless to say I am very impressed with his handiwork, and love my storage...

Catch up

It's taken me a fair while to post today - mainly because I had to keep some of the following photos secret. I'd knitted a lilly for a friend called Lillian who's moving abroad, as part of a much bigger floral bouquet made by the knitting group I belong to. Now we've given it to Lillian, I can post the photos here.

It's been a hectic month,

moving jobs, trying to sell our house and helping our daughter to move abroad too. Time for some more relaxing knitting methinks.

I've also been quite busy

making socks for the move to the cold wastes of Canada, as well as a hat or two...

Knitting on the bus

Summer has well and truly arrived, and so has the rain, and it's Wimbledon week - strawberries and cream - poor waistline! It's also difficult to knit in this weather. Having said that though, I'm knitting on my bus journey to and
from work and have finished one sock in just over a week. I had to stop on one journey thanks to the lunatic bus drive who tried to travel the whole journey at 55-70 mph - I had to put my needles away for fear of injury!I've just got the sleeves to insert into the Thai top and it will be complete. Looking forward to a few days off, can chill out and catch up with a bit more of my favourite hobby.

Went to Woolfest last weekend. It was an amazing and very tiring event. There were many different animals including the following sheep and alpaca.

There was an wide array of great stalls:

There was this amazing wedding dress:

And here are a few people we met (including this friend of Rachael's)

Knitting keeps you calm

Thank goodness for my sock knitting. These ones are for my mum - to keep her feet toasty warm in the long winter evenings in her Devon cob cottage. With all the drama of late, I think I would have completely lost the plot if it hadn't been for my knitting. Cool and collected is what they've kept me! I've now gone back to the Thai top and want to try to get that finished before I start my new job in 10 days time. 

Family Crisis

Thank goodness for knitting. It's the only thing that has kept me going for the last fortnight. I was supposed to meet my brother for tea a few weeks ago, but he collapsed and had both cardiac and respiratory arrest. He spent days on a life support machine. Thanks to an off duty nurse, who gave him cardiac massage, I still have my brother. He's recovering in a hospital and we owe this nurse absolutely everything. I'm stuck now as to how to repay her - thank you's, flowers, chocolates - these are all tokens and hardly enough for saving someone's life - she's a credit to her profession, and I'm proud to have known her, and so grateful for what she did. She knows who she is, and I salute her....  

Socks galore

Even more sock knitting has occurred since my last post. I really do have 'the bug' for making these warm snuggly comfort items. I'm intending to send this pair to my mum, who always seems to have cold feet - well, no more! After this pair, I plan another pair for my daughter to take to Canada for her year abroad. After that I can start on the 2009 Christmas presents for colleagues and friends - I just love having a hobby that saves money and shows how much I care...

I'm off to Woolfest soon too. I'm looking forward to seeing sheep shearing, spinning and much more. This hobby is becoming all consuming, but so relaxing at the same time! I'm enjoying making items from new and different yarns, from different types of yarn -standard  wool, alpaca, merino, camel, mohair to name but a few and now I am going to try to find out more about different breeds of British sheep. I just love this hobby as it's environmentally friendly and supports local industry too!

Another one bites the dust

The stripey socks are now complete, and after having problems uploading pictures to this blog, they are finally here - it's an internet explorer issue, because I've managed this with Firefox...

So many projects, so little time

It seems that I have fallen into the same trap as a lot of knitters - starting loads of projects and not completing them. Currently I have 2 pairs of socks on the go, 1 summer top, 1 mystery item (it's a surprise for someone so can't say any more) as well as a baby hoody and another baby top, and a bag on the go - all at the same time!

New yarn

I bought some new wool the other day from a new online shop. I'm trying out a pair of socks with it, even though it's thicker than my normal sock yarn. It's so soft! I'm trying to upload a picture but am having some difficulty since I loaded a new version of internet explorer - hmmm, perhaps iyt should change its name to internet destroyer....

This is my latest hat. It is the same basic pattern as all of the other hats I've made recently, but I've used a mixture of yarns. I found that there wasn't enough of the pink and blue yarn to make a full hat (unfortunately by making it and running out of yarn, but hey ho!). It's going to be for my mum when I get around to posting it.

There is some delay however as I am house hunting, am looking to move jobs and so much activity means something has to wait, and sadly it's my knitting right now...

My daughter has just returned to Uni for the final term of the year and what better gift than a pair of home made socks?

I'm now starting a top for me to wear - and it's knitted in the round so reduces the amount of joining up I'll have to do, so could look really good! Photos when it's at a stage worth looking at. It's a pattern from The Knitter magazine entitled Thai Top and I'm making it in Rowan Milk Cotton - here's a picture of the colourway I'm using...

Mothers day gifts

Ok, so they're late. I didn't send the hat to Mum until Monday, but she's got it and likes it. The socks are still a work in progress. I love the variety of sock yarn and intend making loads as pressies now I am getting the hang of things...

The hat is number three using the same pattern - it knits up so well and so quickly - I love it!

More knitting attempts

Hat 1 - in red - very chunky and warm

I can't believe that it's been almost a month since I last posted here. Work has become extremely hectic, and my knitting is fast becoming my number 1 activity outside of work - purely as a means to help me relax!

Because of this I have ended up with 2 more hats and another pair of socks since last month. I'm also working on a shoulder bag, a lacy cardigan as a surprise for someone and another pair of socks to name but a few items.

Hat 2 in brown, less chunky but lovely and soft

Beanie Baby

I completed my beanie hat today. I panicked during the making as I thought I wouldn't have enough yarn left so made it shorter than the pattern dictated and consequently it sits like tiffy on a rock bun! However, ti suits both my son and my husband as it is, so I am leaving it like this. It's made from the most sumptuous yarn called 'Hacho' from the Mirasol company. It contains Merino and is the most gorgeous yarn to knit with and to wear - so soft and comfortable...

Another week, another sock

They're done! Despite a really hectic week at work I have just completed my first pair of socks. They're not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but at least I have started the journey! I'm pleased - they don't actually take long to make, and although it's taken 8-9 days to start and finish them, I've not actually knitted every day - in fact I reckon it's only taken me 4 sessions to knit the pair in. I've used kitchener stitch to sew up the toes and I think this needs more practice, but the first sock was ok, and the second better again. I'm chuffed to bits (north england slang for really happy).

And the sock goes on

The sock saga continues. I'm now making the second one. I'm amazed at how well the first sock has come out. Let's hope the second is as good as the first!

The mystery of socks

I've finally seccumbed to the making of socks and think I have got the hang of using 4 needles to knit with. I've bought a ball of sock yarn from the local market stall and am using the Web of Wool pattern. Here is a picture of the work in progress. This is the easy bit though - I need to do what more experienced knitters call 'turn the heel' and I think that's the tricky bit.

I practised with the mini socks that are pictured earlier and they came out sort of ok, but the proof will be in the trying I guess - so watch this space as they say!

Bag lady

I have finally finished the bag I bought for Christmas. I can't believe it's finally complete. I've never ripped back an item as much as I did this one - and it's all down to my lack of concentration!

Pinch, punch, first of the month...

Here's hoping that a new month means out with the old and in with the new. On this note, I've started a clear out - have been through my wardrobe and tried on and sent to the charity shop loads of items! I also found a snood that I'd started making and frogged it back and gave my daughter the yarn. She was delighted. I'm less impressed with myself as I've sent loads of clothes to the charity shop that are brand new, or hardly worn - next time I need to listen to that inner voice - "if they don't fit when I try them on, there ain't a chance in H*** of them ever wrapping round this overweight body - learn woman - it's costing you ££££!! "

Lost the plot!

I am so cross with myself! I left my knitting pattern at a cafe a while back and it was for a novelty item and I can't improvise... it means I can't finish the sock and I want the needles the yarn is on for another project. What should I do? Should I buy more DPNs or just wait till my pattern arrives (I've ordered another kit so that I can complete it)

I'm also cross because I haven't done as much knitting as I had hoped and I have neglected this blog. Things have got to change!

Happy New Year!

It's gone - 2008 is fading into the distance. We have begun a new year - it's bright and shining and new. AS the old year fades ionto the distance I am celebrating the end of something else - the knitting of a jumper! It's so long since I started it that I can't even remember when that was, but it's finally finished! OK, so there are problems with it - it's way too big - but my hubby says it makes it more cosy and comfortable. It's definitely going to be aq loved item, but I hope it doesn't get seen in public often....

The next item on the agenda is a bag. See previous blog entries - it's proving to be challenging because I am having trouble marking out where the pattern is but I will crack this. If it's the last thing I do.