Picture update

I mentioned in my last post that just can't help casting on more projects, and I've done it again tonight. I think I have sock fatigue, and although I have loads of socks I need o do, I just can't seem to bring myself to do any more. saying that i have 2 second socks that I am determined to finish this week, leaving me free to concentrate on my other project for June. I've decided that sock pal socks will simply have to wait until July.

So here are some pics of what I've been up to;

These are the finished tea and coffee dyed socks, I finished last week for my brother in law's birthday.

This is the secret project I have been working on. Almost finished now (thank goodness, i don't think i could have looked at it for much longer!)

This is the Camouflage yarn that I have been spinning for a pair of socks for hubby. Navajo plied, I'm thrilled with it, but it still has to be over dyed with brown before I can start knitting, and it doesn't seem to want to dye!

A finished sock. My first done from the toe up. The yarn was a present from babylonglegs, and has a beautiful shine to it that reminds me of rainbows in oil! You can also see my attempt at a short row heel using the yarn over method that was in the summer 07 IK. I'm not very happy with it, not least because I managed to make a sock with a teat. Hopefully the second sock will be an improvement.

My most recent spinning. The colours are lovely and tweedy, and I think I will Navajo ply it, and knit a shawl with it. but i might change my mind once it's done.

This is the start I have made on the summer tunic from the latest IK. Only started tonight so hopefully it will knit up quickly.

This is Luvtröja Måns from summer 07 IK too. I have ordered the yarn to knit this for hubby. Hopefully I will have it finished by autumn.

So as you can see I have been quite busy, and lots left to do! I'll keep you posted.

Casting on again!

I can't believe I'm casting on another project! I've decided I want to knit Cozy from knitty. It's coming along really fast, I've done 3 pattern repeats this evening, although I'm not sure I'm ever going to memorise the pattern! so that makes my current WIP's
Cozy shawl
secret socks
first toe up socks
& Click cardigan

And my need to do list
2 pairs sockapalooza socks
Luvtroja Mans from IK
Camo socks for hubby (currently being spun)

In other news, I went for my sleep study on Wednesday night, it took them an hour just to wire me up! I then had to stay the night, and all of the following day, while thy kept sending me to bed to monitor my naps! Each time I was asleep within about 5 minutes. So now I have to wear a movement monitor for month, and hopefully I will have my diagnosis by the end of July, which will make it 7 months from initially seeing the GP to getting a diagnosis, not bad for the NHS!

Anyway, I promise that I will post some pic's later this weekend, and hopefully I'll be able to get my sidebars and things updated.

Socks Socks everywhere, and not a pair to wear!

I finally finished the trekking socks for my bro in law's birthday (which was this weekend just gone). He absolutely loved them, and proudly spent all morning pottering around the house in them, while diligently clearing up from the party the night before. So with those out of the way, I now seriously have to start thinking about sockapalooza!

I have spun about 3 1/2 oz of 2ply for my main pals socks, and it's beautiful. I want to do a pair of knee high boot socks, with cables, but I have a mental block when it comes to using other peoples sock patterns, so rather then using one of the fabulous designs from CookieA, I am manically trying to make something up. This has resulted in about 100 pages of drawings, and 10 frogged attempts!!! I have dozens of patterns that I could conceivably use, but none of them quite feel right for these socks.

In a final desperate bid, I have ordered the Vogue Cable stitchionary. If that doesn't provide inspiration, I will have to resort to a bought pattern **weeps**

I have also signed up to be a sock saviour, now these I haven't really given any thought to. Would it be rude to knit long socks for pal 1 and ankle socks for pal 2? I also want to spin the yarn for pal 2's socks, she seems to like bright colours, so really need to start thinking about what to do for that, as I don't have all that many bright colours in my stash. - I'll try to post some pics later

I am also spinning 2 shades of green, so that Hubby can have a pair of camo socks (I'm randomly changing the shade of green throughout the spinning, then will over dye with some brown, to create pooling), and am finishing up a new pattern design, which I am keeping secret for now!

What is driving me slightly potty, is that I rarely wear socks, but I was looking for a pair to take away with me this weekend, and realised that I have only ever knit myself one pair, and those are slipper socks! So it has been decided that I will be keeping secret pair for myself, as my reward. I'm so glad that I will be getting a pair from my sock pal, socks for me is a novel idea.

In other news, I go into hospital over night on Wednesday, for my sleep study, so shouldn't be too long now before the doc can give me a firm diagnosis. I'm quite looking forward to it really, a whole day, where all they want me to do is sleep (they are trying to diagnose a sleep disorder). Wish me luck!

7 Things

Oooh I've just been tagged, my first time (I'm no longer a tagging virgin, Miss Malice you popped my cherry!).

Here are the rules:
"Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog."

My seven things:

1. I'm a manager in an IT company, even though I'm quite useless with computers.
2. I'm a Hypersomniac, which means I could quite happily sleep 16 hours a day, and the Doc's made it official.
3. I crashed my mum's car within 3 hours of passing my test.
4. I eat nuttella straight out of the jar
5. I love camping, the more basic the better. I am happiest when there are no other campers, and no mod cons (yep that goes for loo's too)
6. I have birthmarks on both my feet, which grow when I'm stressed.
7. I can remember the words to songs I only heard once (even if it was a long time ago,) and I'm quite happy to sing along, completely out of tune.

OK now I get to tag some folks;

Babylonglegs
Riggwelter
Funfarieknits
Jen
Some bunny's love
Seanna Lea
&
Marigold

New addition to the family

Meet the latest addition to my family. Her name is Bazurka the Mazurka, and she is simply beautiful! I took a trip to Wingham Wool Works on Sunday with Babylonglegs to buy her, and I can't recommend them highly enough, not only are they based in the most beautiful sleepy village, but the staff were really helpful, and they had a selection of fibres to die for!

There is a room full of wheels which they were happy for me to try out, and three barns full of fiber, in over 120 colors! This is the range I bought, although you can't really see all of the colours, there are 2 lots of natural BFL, and 1.5KG of various merinos.

This is the one I chose for my sock pal, who is lucky enough to be getting socks made from the first ever batch of yarn spun on my wheel. I haven't decided what pattern to do yet, but I'm sure once I have balled the yarn (yup I've spun 4oz already) It will come to me!

Update on my weekend

First the camping

Camping was great, apart from getting lost and getting to the campsite in the dark, and so having to set the tent up in the dark, it was fab. We had a lovely time, but unfortunately forgot to take any picks. We were up near Matlock Bath, which is a beautiful little resort (very popular with bikers) in the middle of the Peak district. For anyone who hasn't been it is well worth the trip, and if you like walking (this goes out to my sockapalooza pal) I can't recommend it highly enough!

Then Sockapalooza

I am having such a time trying to figure out what pattern and yarn to use for my pal's socks!!!! There are so many possibilities. I have had some lovely yarn from the Natural dye studio hanging around for ages, so I have started working on a new pattern, which if it works out I will repeat in a colour my downstream pal will like.

My upstream pal has also been in touch, and it turns out she is from Germany. This has made hubby very jealous, as he is a bit of a deutschofile (is that a word?) at heart. I have been taunting him with the fact that I'm getting German socks and he can't get any!

And finally shopping

I have gone a bit mad lately, not only have I managed to get the Knitpicks options set, but I have also bought the Vogue stitchionary, and a few other knit books (it's getting late and I can't be bothered to walk upstairs and look up the titles). So I have no excuse, I must use up some of my stash......How many times have you heard that

ooh and before I forget

Thank you for your suggestions of what hubby can buy himself, I have put them all to him and he is thinking it over (don't hold your breath for a decision). I'll let you know what he gets in the end.

One last thing

before I go. I have just seen this on the knitting niche and couldn't resist posting it, so here goes

Mark with bold the things you have ever knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else's handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Off for the weekend.

Phew, what a busy couple of days, first things first though, my Knit picks options set arrived today. These are like gold dust here in the UK, and I am just thrilled to have it, thanks to a new friend met over at sockapalooza. I recommend visiting her here. So now I have to start a new project so that I can start using them. I'm thinking of using up my debbie bliss DK cotton for either this or this?!? ho hum, I really can't decide!

We (hubby & I) are going camping this weekend, so probably not a lot of time for knitting, but I'm sure he will let me get some done, when he's not dragging me up a mountain. He is such a sweetheart, I don't think I mention that enough here, he has agreed to let me have my spinning wheel, and I have agreed to let him spend an equivalent amount on a gift for himself. Bless his cotton socks though he has no idea what to buy!

So if any one has any ideas of what a man in his 30's who has all of the latest consoles, and a fab PC already, who doesn't drive, whose hobbies are painting & military history, and is already a snappy dresser, could spend the equivalent money to a spinning wheel on, I'm sure he will be very grateful to hear them!

The first lot of spinning is off the spindle for my first ever home spun socks. I think I have enough to do the first sock (I hope so anyway) It's 2 ply, 1ply white, and the other dyed with coffee for a caramel colour, and I have spun in some emerald green nylon thread for strength (although you can't actually tell that it's green now that it's spun in). Here is the wound ball


And here is the start of the sock that is being knitted from it. I have managed to keep a remarkable consistency, with relatively few slubs, and it's even sock thickness. I was worried at one point that these might end up being really thick slipper socks, but no, it seems they are going to be remarkably wearable, even under shoes!!!!
Hopefully when this pair are finished it may be enough for me to persuade hubby that a spinning wheel will be a good investment. Although I may be satisfied for another few months when I receive the journey spindle (bloodwood and walnut, and simply beautiful)I've ordered. I'm also trying to persuade him that a couple of angora rabbits would make the ideal pet, as he won't let me get a dog or a rat (my favourite pet, which I have now been 3 years without!)

Perhaps this is one occasion where nagging isn't going to work?

Quiz potty

I've gone a bit quiz potty lately, but all was vindicated, when I took this quiz....The results speak for themselves!

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting and do it all the time. While finishing a piece is the plan, you still love the process, and can't imagine a day going by without giving some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation involves leaving ample space for the stash and supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn ends and you begin.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!








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This is superb, wha't not so great though is that to add to my result of being a nerd, it seems I am also a closet trekkie. Gutted!

Too much to do

Work is manic at the moment, and between that and a massive to knit list, I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. So I have decided to scrap a few of the things I wanted to knit, and concentrate on what needs doing I have also reduced my reading list to a manageable level.

My old to knit list looked like this;

• 80 Afghan squares


• Stash busting blanket


• Click cardigan


• 9 pairs of socks


• Erica Knight Military jacket


• Erika Knight Mademoiselle jacket

the new list you can see on the right hand side. I feel like I have just had a spring clean, and I'm ready to face the day again! I've reduced my to do list by millions! Now if only I can do the same with my work list!

The Last Knit

This is the best thing I have ever seen. Nothing has captured the true terror that is knitting addiction (that time when you were up determined to finish that jumper, despite the fact that it was 4 am, you had a whole sleeve to go, and had to be at work at 8am) as well as this does. BRILLIANT!

Knitting addict

I just took the knitting addiction quiz, which you can find here.

Amazingly this is my score

You scored 61%. You are a recreational knitter. Although other people accuse you of addiction, you are not addicted. Nope. Knitting is just fun. You could quit any time. Really.

now perhaps hubby will stop telling me I am using knitting to cover up some deep rooted psychological problem. I am a recreational knitter, and this un-scientific internet quiz proves it!