Belated Happy New Year!

I've been neglecting my knitting over the last few months as I've been sewing a lot! I've completed a few quilts and have been quite pleased with the results, especially considering I only started quilting in September! Over the Christmas period Sophia girl myself were quite poorly with what we assume was the flu - as miserable as it was it was a perfect opportunity to finish those UFOs!

I finished another baby blanket using the cable blanket pattern from 'Simply Baby' by Debbie Bliss. This time I used 'Cotton Cashmere' which is a lovely but sadly discontinued yarn. I also been making very good progress with my Noro mittens - well until I realised I had knitted two left hands!!

Fabric Obsession

Well, I haven't written anything on the blog for about a month! The start of the school year has knocked me for six, and it has taken me a few weeks to find a rhythm in my daily life now that Sophia is in full-time school! I have, of course, been knitting, and have turned my thoughts to Christmas gifts - most of my projects will be coming from Noro Designer Mini Knits Two by Jenny Watson. I'm currently knitting some gorgeous fingerless gloves - a very quick knit and as it is knitted in Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn, the self striping nature of the yarn keeps me amused!
The picture above reflects one of my new found interests (or obsessions, as my husband would say!) - I have joined a quilting group! It is something I've wanted to experiment with for some time, but didn't want the commitment of a college course or evening class. I've found a lovely group of very talented ladies who meet on a Friday morning in an informal, pay-as-you-go setting, which is perfect for me. The fat quarters in the picture are all fabrics by the amazing designer Amy Butler which I shall be using to make her Pink Bliss Quilt. I've a long way to go though, as I haven't cut out all my pieces yet - I just like looking at the fabric!!

Baby Blanket

Well, things have been a bit quiet on the blog front - I blame the Summer holidays! Over the weekend I completed this baby blanket for my friend's third baby, Emily. I had a sneaking suspicion that she may be a girl from the start, but in a moment of panic just before she was born, I ripped back the very lilac project I was working on an made this neutral offering instead!! I should have stuck with my gut instinct it seems! This was a great project to do - the pattern was easy to remember so it could be picked up and put down whenever. The pattern is taken from Debbie Bliss' Simply Baby and is made in her Rialto DK in beige which I happened to have in my stash. I've decided to use this pattern as my stock baby blanket! I've another friend due next week so I may make another one - this time using another stash yarn: cashmere cotton. It is another Debbie Bliss yarn which has sadly been discontinued.

Frustration on the sock front!

For some reason, only known to myself, I have decided to make ALL my family socks for Christmas. That's 22 pairs, or 44 socks, as my husband kindly reminds me on a regular basis!

Anyway, I have completed one pair, for one of my four sister-in-laws, using the very tried and trusted Regia pattern, and gorgeous fyberspates yarn. I have started on another pair for my brother-in-law Martin, this time, excitedly, using a pattern from my new purchase, The Little Box of Socks. The twisted German cast on proved to be the first 'challenge', and as I started to knit, it wasn't looking good. Thinking I could 'get away' with it I carried on. Several silly errors later and after trying this very large partially finished (past the heel turn and way down the foot) sock on my beloved's foot I decided it wasn't to be... Ripped!

After several deep breaths, I have now started the socks again. I've gone down a size, the twisted cast on looks much better and I seem to have learnt lots of valuable lessons. I'll post a picture of the finished socks soon (hopefully).

Lazy Saturday

I've been confined to the house today with a sore throat and runny nose. This has been coming on for a few days but probably wasn't helped by a 4 mile run in torrential rain yesterday morning! Early worries that I may have swine flu have disappeared as am decidedly brighter by tonight. This morning's post brought some welcome additions to my stash in the form of Peaches & Creme cotton which I plan to use to make the 'Absorba' bathmat - of Mason-Dixon fame. The majority of today was spent drinking tea, watching cricket and knitting socks. I am trying to fight off the urge to start a new project and complete the socks as well as putting the finishing touches to my 'Willow' tank top.

This afternoon, between overs and sneezes, Sophia and I got the guest bedroom ready for my brother, Gruff. He is returning from a year of travelling and should be here lunchtime tomorrow! Sophia and I made him a Victoria sponge in honour of his return!

American Sock

I had hope d to finish these 'Stars and Stripes' socks in time for July 4th! Once again time has marched on and only one sock is completed! I must learn to complete a pair before moving on to the next ones - I seem to have an ever increasing pile of odd socks. This wool was purchased at Web of Wool and is a Socka Fortissima yarn. The pattern used was the ever faithful Regia pattern. Now to finish the other socks - father's day socks (very belated, I know) and a pair for my daughter's teacher! Surely a pair of handmade socks will be a welcome gift among the countless chocolates and bath products!

Potatoes!!!!!

Ok, admittedly this post has nothing to do with knitting in the slightest but I just had to share my excitement! Here is the firstfruit of my labour - my first-ever homegrown potatoes! This evening, whilst watering my raised bed, these two were pushing up through the soil. As I said, nothing to do with knitting, but a domestic art none the less!!

Afternoon tea...

A plate of knitted cakes! These are a gift for Mark, the sugarcraft tutor. Lisa and I have been attending his courses for the last few years - today is the last class ever so we have knitted him some cakes! Here is my contribution to the project - a lemon meringue pie, an iced doughnut and a piece of carrot cake!

Hooray!!!

Here is a picture of me, 'modeling',( ha ha), the finished Hearfelt jacket! It's bigger than I'd hoped, so I'm going to try washing it to see if it'll close in a bit. Never, never, never again!!!

For some strange reason I have decided to make my whole family socks for christmas. I've purchased lots of sock wool, including Zauberball, Violet Green, Fyberspates, Opal and Regia, and it's all gorgeous. I've also got two new books ' Socks a la carte' and 'The Little Box of Socks'. They only arrived this morning, I need to make time to peruse them properly. Now, you think that would keep me busy enough, but no, I had to go and buy enough wool to make Debbie Abrahams Lithograph blanket too! Sooo, if I can manage a pair of socks and a square a week I'll be laughing!

Willow Update

Willow is marching on! After a brief hiatus (!) I have picked up the Willow tank top again. It is a tank top from Kim Hargreaves' book 'Breeze'. The book has some gorgeous vintage inspired knits and I'm already planning my next project! I've now completed the back of the tank top so hopefully I'll press on with the front this week. I much prefer knitting fronts than backs and I will especially like knitting this one as it has a deep scoop neck!

Surf and Sand

Another dishcloth! This one is to be known as the 'Surf and Sand' dishcloth. I love the colours in this one - especially the, almost jade, green. I followed the ballband dishcloth pattern as per usual and used the fabulous Peaches & Creme Ombres yarn. This shade is 'Royal Verde', shade 174. I photographed the dishcloth on my washing line in bright June sunshine with Swansea Bay as the backdrop!

Lisa and I are coming to the end of our cake decorating course this week. We are both working on a selection of knitted cakes as a thank you gift for our tutor! As well as this I am wondering if I've left it a bit late to start on two pair of Father's day socks!

Dishcloths...

Well, I've finally got over my writers/bloggers block! It's been a while...

During my absence, I've also managed to knit a couple of dishcloths. Mine don't really have a theme, I'm just trying out different patterns. The last two cloths have been on Ravelry's Dishcloths R Us group, featured as the monthly k/cal. You'll have to excuse the colour combinations, they were chosen by my lovely offspring!!!

I agree with Rhian, dishcloth knitting is dangerously addictive!

Now, back to the Hearfelt jacket...

Wavepool Dishcloth

Be warned - this dishcloth knitting lark is highly addictive. Once you start you literally can't stop! I love the fact that dishcloths are small, finite projects, easily knitted in a few evenings. In my case dishcloths bring respite from slow-growing, difficult knitting projects! This 'Wavepool Dishcloth' is part of my nautical dishcloth collection - the pattern is available as a Ravelry download. It is knitted, once again, in the fabulous Peaches & Creme - shade 23, baby blue. I have more dishcloth projects planned and also a bathmat!!

Saturday afternoon in the Sun

It has been another beautiful day here! Sophia and I enjoyed breakfast on the beach this morning at Caswell bay before returning for an afternoon of pottering in the garden. I fingered through magazines whilst basking in glorious sunshine - 'The Knitter' issue 6 and 'Crochet Today'!

Completed Seaside Dishcloth

The Seaside Dishcloth is finished and is sitting proudly on my draining board! I still intend to make a series of 'Nautical' dishcloths inspired by more good weather and my love of the colour blue!

Seaside Dishcloth

Moving on from the 'Flintoff Dishcloth' above is the 'Seaside Dishcloth'. I picked up this mini-project again today after a brief hiatus, inspired by the good weather and sea views from my house. The waves have been mesmerising today - the shades of blue have changed as the day has gone on, beautiful in the sunlight. This ball band dishcloth is knitted in Peaches and Creme Ombres shade 195 - powder puff. The blue and white yarn made me think of the sea hence the 'Seaside Dishcloth'. On reflection shade 201 may have been a more inspirational shade - it's called seamist! Oh well, I may start a seaside themed group of dishcloths....

Together at last!

The 'Colette' socks are finished and the pair is complete! I absolutely adored every minute of knitting these socks! The wool was purchased at 'Wonderwool' last month - two balls of AdriafilKnitcol in shade 046. At the time I had no idea what I would use the wool for - I just liked the colours. After a visit to my visit to my sister-in-law Colette, in Leeds, I took up the DPNs and made her this pair. The wool, although not strictly a sock yarn, knitted into perfect stripes using 3.5mm DPNs and the ever fabulous Regia 6-ply pattern. Needless to say I am thrilled with the results - and I hope my sister-in-law will be too!

Heartfelt Jacket

I've finally gone back to a project I started just under a year ago! It's a jacket called Elizabeth from Kim Hargreaves book Heartfelt. I'm not really enjoying it as much as I'd hoped. Shaping the two front pieces was very confusing and I just hope that they look the same when the jacket is on! Just the sleeves to go, at least I can follow the pattern without too much blood, sweat and tears for those!!! I'm not that keen on the summer tweed either, it's a bit like knitting with string!

Colette socks...seeking a partner.

As you can see I've been knitting more socks...again!! These were started over the weekend while I was hibernating with a hideous sore throat. This sock is sadly a lonely one as it is yet to aquire a partner!! I had hoped this would have progressed this afternoon during 'Knit and Natter'. It was, however, more a case of nattering today!! Hopefully the pair will be complete by the end of the week!

Katerina Shawl

I seem to be in the habit of posting photos of just started items resting on their patterns! This picture is very like the one of my 'Willow' tank top posted last week! I assure you that it is a different garment completely!!! With the hope of good weather in the air I decided I needed a fantastic lacy shawl to wrap up on those cool summer nights! Just the thing for Proms in the Park and Shakespeare in the castle! I came across the pattern in the fab new magazine The Knitter and am busy knitting it using Malabrigo Silky Merino DK, colourway Bobby Blue. It is going very well - till last night when during an absorbing episode of Law & Order I ended up with a few too many stitches...