Stash enhancements

As I mentioned the other day, it's been a frustrating month project-wise. Funny how it often seems to go in stages - January and February were a breeze, with projects just zinging off my needles and then - crash! March has been one big brick wall of knitting frustration. In an attempt to 'relieve the tension', I might have acquired a teeny little bit more stash in order to hopefully trigger a return of the mojo...... First up, some self-striping goodies that will become simple ribbed socks so as to maximise the 'show of colour':

Katia Ole Socks Gaudi - this is going to be so much to knit!

Jojoland Melody Superwash in a lovely mix of tweedy greens

(I have a purple colourway coming too, which I am ludicrously excited about)

Zitron Trekking in a heart-warming mix of purples,

browns and a flash of orange

Then we have the really good stuff - yes, more Hazel Knits! I tell you, Christine has a lot to answer for - but in the nicest possible way of course..... Wendee, the owner of Hazel Knits often puts up 'Naughty/Knotty' skeins in her shop - these are skeins that have a knot or flub in the strand. The marked-down prices make them incredibly good value - and the 'annoyance' of dealing with a knot is really so minor in comparison.... Anway, imagine my delight at picking up the following the other day:

Cabbage Rose

Terrywinkle

Now the hard part: having to choose the 'right' patterns for them!

THREE pairs!

I have managed to finish not one, not two, but THREE pairs of socks since I last posted - not bad, given that I've also been very busy with family stuff (more on that later) and getting my head round some fairly major changes at work.....but enough of that uninteresting, work-related stuff, let's get to the pictures!

First up, I finally finished the Gentian socks for the Hazel Knits KAL. I was given this particular skein of yarn (Artisan sock in Sagebrush) last summer by the awesome Christine - I wonder if she realised just how addicted to it I would become? (Actually, given how much of this stuff she has, I think she probably did - naughty girl!)

Pattern: Gentian by Lisa Stichweh

Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Sagebrush

Start Date: 1 January 2011

End Date: 13 February 2011

It's a wondefully squishy, bouncy and quite thick yarn - it knits up with beautiful stitch definition and makes for a pair of very warm, snuggly socks. As a result of Christine's machinations, I have since acquired two more skeins of Artisan - Hoppy Blonde and Cloudy Day (this last one was the Club yarn from December 2010, which I was lucky to get my hands on through a trade with a fellow Ravelry member)

I also ordered the February/March sock club yarn - an amazing deal, as you get TWO skeins of 'surprise' yarn for a really good price. It's currently on it's way over the ocean (hurry up, Mr. Postman!), but I took a sneaky peek at the Hazel Knits blog - and almost fainted.....

Good Morning and Pick Me:

SWOOON!!

Next up, we have the Monkey socks from the Knit.Sock.Love February KAL - these were made using Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight in Quinault Canopy. Another nice, thickish, squishy pair of socks - and I love the way the colours twisted themselves around the leg...

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A. (Knit.Sock.Love)

Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight in Quinault Canopy

Start Date: 1 February 2011

End Date: 23 February 2011

The reason these socks took just over three weeks was because I was also knitting another pair for a colleague who's in bad need of some serious cheering up. She's going in for back surgery next week and is just a little nervous to say the least. Hopefully, these will cheer her up nicely while she's on her back for 3 weeks afterwards:

Pattern: Diagonal Rib Socks by Ann Budd (I inverted the cables on the 2nd sock)
Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Sunset 100 in shade 8701

Start Date: 5 February 2011

End Date: 25 February 2011

Next up on my list is Thelonious, which is the Knit.Sock.Love pattern for March - looks pretty complicated and has required the creation of some special stitch markers so I don't lose my way. I'm also planning on turning the Artisan in Hoppy Blonde (the first yellow picture above) into a pair of Oviatt socks by Melissa Goodale - her description says it all:

"Echoing the grand Art Deco glass of Los Angeles' Oviatt Building, this sock's slip-stitch pattern creates an eye-catching geometry. Ribbing feeds into the window-pane design - much like the period by which it is inspired, Oviatt is functional, elegant and modern". Can't wait...

This post is now quite long enough - I will keep the big family news for the next one!

Socktober!!!

October is a very exciting month in the sock-knitting world - because it means the start of Socktober! It started out as an excuse to knit as many socks as possible in the month - either new projects or finishing up languishing projects.

I had started a pair of socks using the Knitting Goddess April sock club colourway (Speckled Egg) back in April of this year. It is the most gorgeous stuff imaginable - merino, cashmere and nylon - you wouldn't believe how soft it is.

Anyway, I finished one sock and had done the cuff and one leg repeat when (for whatever reason) it was consigned to the 'Works in Progress' box and was happily ignored. Given my impending status as a new auntie, I thought they would be perfect for keeping my sister's feet warm during night feeds. So I 'resurrected' them last Friday and got them finished on Tuesday - not bad, even for me! Even better, this is the 13th pair I have finished in 2010 - which means I'm waaaay ahead of my target to finish 12 pairs (wonder how many I can actually do before 31st December?)

Yarn: Knitting Goddess Luxury sock yarn in Speckled Egg

Pattern: Cloverleaf and Double Eyelet Socks by Mary Hough

Started: 1 June 2010

Finished: 5 October 2010

One of the other really cool things about Socktober is the annual mystery sock published by Kirsten Kapur (aka Through The Loops) - I made two pairs of her 2009 pattern last year (yes, it was THAT good!), so I was really looking forward to this year's pattern.

It's also been declared 'Opulent October' in the Knitting Goddesses forum (an excuse for using something 'special'), so I'm using Crazy4Dyeing's Luxe Sock - yep, more cashmere! It's looking good so far - once I'm finished here, I'm off to start the 2nd clue. Don't you love all the little twisted stitches in the cuff?

Lastly (and because I'm just a sucker for starting new projects), I'm joining in with 'green' month in the Solid Socks group.

This is yet another 'luxury' yarn, from KelpieFibers on Etsy - and how gorgeous is the colour (Jade Water Garden)? The pattern is Passerine by Cookie A, which as you would expect, has lots of twisted stitches - think I might need to do a pair of plain, 'vanilla' socks next month!

Finished / On the Go

I've been a bit slack about posting recently, so I thought it was time for a quick update!

First, the cabled fingerless gloves have been finished for quite a while and have been keeping my hands nice and cosy in this recent bout of unseasonably cold weather that is gripping the country (it's Easter for goodness sake! Spring should most definitely be here by now....):

As I said before, this yarn (from Juno Fibre Arts) is just divine - if you can get your hands on some, then do so - you won't be disappointed!
As you can see, I also had enough of the original skein left over to make some matching mittens for Miss A - she loves them and is particularly thrilled at being 'twins' with Mummy :-)

I've also finished my Faux Cable socks (these were made using Araucania Ranco Multy in a rather scrummy mix of teal blue, eggplant and dusky rose).

Very simple, very quick (or they would have been if I didn't keep getting distracted by other projects) and very snuggly.
So that means that I am now back on track with my '12 pairs of socks in 2010' project - wheee! But that doesn't mean I've been slacking - oh no! I currently have four (yes, four!) other pairs of socks on the needles.

The first are a pair of 'Plain Jane' vanilla socks, using the amazing rainbow-coloured yarn I bought last summer from Spindlefrog. Not only is it super soft and squishy, but the colours are the most saturated I've ever found - there is just about every colour that I can think of in here and the very short colour runs mean that the stripes are very, very cool:

I'm actually much more advanced now than the picture shows - sock #1 is done and I'm about to turn the gusset on sock #2. I just haven't been home at times when the light has been good recently.....





Pair #2 is a pair of Charades using the most gorgeous pink, purple and brown gorgeousness in Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino (or KPPPM in 'knit speak') - I've christened them my Sugar Plum Fairy socks as I think these are the colours she would wear....


















Pair #3 and #4 are a bit of a new departure for me - they are both being made using the 'two-at-a-time' technique. This technique definitely requires me to use my brain in a different way but the results (i.e. no Second Sock Syndrome) should be worth it.

The first pair will be for Miss A, using this gorgeous limited colourway - Perfect Beach - by Joy of The Knitting Goddess. She was very busy during the month of March, dyeing a new colourway every single day, with part of the proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer care - it was a bit of a feeding frenzy each night, which is why I only managed to get my hands on this one. I think they'll look just great on a little person. I've only managed the cuffs so far, so you'll just have to have a picture of the skein before it was wound up..

The final pair were not exactly planned....but then yesterday I received my April sock club yarn from the afore-mentioned Goddess. This month's colour is called Speckled Egg and is the most gorgeous mix of duck-egg blue and chocolate brown with small white specks here and there. I opted to receive the 'mixed' club, which meant this month's selection was a skein of luxury sock yarn (cashmere & merino with a bit of nylon for strength). As soon a I opened it, I knew it had to be started then and there - I've only done the cuff(s) so far but it is just so soft and is knitting up beautifully. Pictures soon - I promise!

Bountiful

Look what my lovely postman brought me the other day:


Yes folks, it's lots (and lots!) of lovely, squishy yarn!


From left to right there is two lots of Claudia Handpainted Fingering in Maple Leaf and Just Plum, then four skeins of Dream in Color Smooshy (Beach Fog, Some Summer Sky, Petal Shower and Visual Purple). Arranged at the top is a skein of Pagewood Farm Alyeska in Lavender Field and two skeins of Shibui Knits Sock in Pebble. Swoooon!


And the reason for all this bounty? Well, after many long months of searching, I have finally found myself a new job! Starting on 4 January, I will be gainfully re-employed as a Higher Executive Officer (don't be fooled by the job title) at a local Job Centre until late November 2010. Yep - I'll be a civil servant....I will be completely honest with you , and admit that it is far from being my dream job. However, on the positive side, the pay is good, so are the hours, and it's only a 15-minute commute from home / nursery. I will also be gaining some new skills (customer service anyone?) and I will definitely be gaining greater social awareness (that might prove to be an understatement!). It's going to be a massive learning curve - let's just hope I don't get too frustrated with some of the 'customers' and start doing my 'posh lady' act........


And if that wasn't enough yarn for you, remember those lovely matching socks I made for myself and Little Miss A back in October for the Through The Loops Socktober KAL? Well, they won a prize!! Wheeee - I never win things, so this is just extra icing on the cake - they were such a joy to knit, that would have been more than enough. My prize arrived today:


A one-off colourway of Schaefer Nichole - it's such a limited edition colourway, it doesn't even have a name :-)

Lovely rich copper, smokey grey and peacock green - I'm thinking some kind of scarf, but haven't decided yet......

A simple life.....

I don't know about you, but I find that life just automatically becomes so much simpler when the sun and warmth finally make their appearance after the gloomy months of winter. First of all, there is the change of wardrobe - and footwear

Everything is simply blooming around me - our garden (after Mr A's tender care and complete reorganisation of a few weeks ago) is looking gorgeous. We have yellow roses in one corner

And our clematis has gone totally crazy

While someone else is just loving her new paddling pool.....

As for me, I have discovered the joys of dyeing my own wool with food colouring and Kool Aid! Great (albeit slightly messy!) fun - I give you Robin Hood and Strawberry Shortcake (apparently it's a rule that you have to name any wool you dye.....)

And the sewing machine is still going great guns - lots of little bags for the shop (and they're going quite fast, which is great!):

New toys (and tagged - mark II)

Morning all! Finally have a chance to sit down and just breathe after what seems like total madness for the last three weeks. We've had a variety of in-laws visiting from far-flung places, work has been slightly crazy, I've had a really nasty cold, DD has been teething and DH has been grumpy due to having too much on at work. Phew! Thank goodness we're off on our holiday on Friday - one week of rural bliss, with my Mum's cooking and Dad's babysitting services thrown in - really looking forward to it!

DH came home with a new toy for me last night - a new Panasonic Lumic TZ5 digital camera! We've been debating buying this for weeks now, as our trusty Olympus C-60 is really starting to show it's age, and I want to learn how to take really good pictures. This new one has a 'multi-shoot' mode which will hopefully help us get action pictures of DD while she running around! It's still in it's box, but I promise to read the manual before we go on holiday......

The postie has bought me some gorgeous goodies in the last week - just had to share some of them! First a whole load of coordinated Primas and Prima daisies from my favourite seller on eBay- I love how she does little packets of flowers which means you can buy a much larger selection for the same price as a 'normal' size pack.















I also got these gorgeous grosgrain ribbons from the US - 50 yards of plain and spotty in colours of my choice - think they'll be appearing all over the place in weeks to come!





















Last but not least, I was tagged ages ago by Jenny - and have only just found the time to answer the questions. So here goes:

1. If a movie was being made of your life who would you like to be cast to play yourself?
Errrrrmmmm - this is a toughie! Let's think - would be unrealistic to say something like Audrey Hepburn (yes, I know she's not with us any more!) I'm going to say Julia Roberts (even tho' she looks nothing like me) or Sinead Cusack because I love the spunky roles they play and I think they would do me justice! :-)

2. You are spending a whole month on a desert island for charity and you have to choose your favourite celebrity to spend the first two weeks with & your least favourite celebrity to spend the second two weeks with, who would they be & why?
I could definitely spend two weeks with Stephen Fry - with that amazing mine of trivia that he has stored in his brain, and his cynical sense of humour, I'm sure I'd be in stitches the whole time. Least favourite would be someone like Katie Price (aka Jordan) or Jean-Claude van Damme - there's no way we would have any common ground for even vaguely sensible conversation!

3. What are your three favourite crafting products? Rub-ons, buttons and Primas!!!

4. If you could invent something to do anything what do you think it would be? Self-cleaning glasses (very useful when you have a toddler with permanently sticky fingers who always wants to take them off your nose!)

5. What are the last three books that you read? 'Death's Door' - Quentin Jardine (the latest in the Skinner series); 'High Noon' - Nora Roberts (my favourite author); 'Temple' - Matthew Reilly

6. QVC or Create & Craft?Neither thanks.

7. Docrafts or Dovecraft or DCWV? None of them are high up my favourites list, but I guess DCWV (I like their cardstock)

8. What is your claim to fame? I have met Prince Andrew and John Smith (the man who should have been leader of the Labour Party)

Now I'm supposed to tag 5 more people, so this goes out to Annette, Karen, Jo, Ladybug and Feline!

Have just realised this is quite a long post - congratulations to you all who made it this far! Will see you all when I get back from my hols!