Revamp!

So, yesterday, my sister came by with a small truck and took all our remaining baby stuff off our hands - wheee! Feels good to have cleared it all out - and for it to be going to a good home. One of the items was Miss A's cotbed - which has resulted in Mr A (and I - but in a less enthusiastic way!) deciding to re-decorate Miss A's bedroom. This has entailed much internet time, trying to find a suitable bed (and one that could be delivered before the end of January), as well as bed-linen, paint colours, mural ideas - you name it, we've looked for it, debated the choices, and generally got a bit frazzled about the whole business. What will we be like when we move house? I shudder to think....

At the same time she picked up all the baby stuff, my sister also dropped off two unwanted bookcases - one is going to Miss A who desperately needs it (her books are currently stored in a shoe box) and I nabbed the other one for my study. Given that a) I will have a bit more time on my hands from now on (trust me, a four-day working week is the BEST invention known to man!), b) I'm intending to resurrect my scrapbooking / card-making in 2011 and c) my study has become increasingly messy and crowded in recent months - it was time for a revamp. It took most of the day, and resulted in several bags of rubbish (I'm such a hoarder!), but was worth it. The room feels tidy and serene once more - ready for lots of creativity! A good start to 2011 I think.

Everything has been reorganised so all my cardstock, papers, embellishments are within easy reach of my desk - I can't wait, particularly as I have ordered (just) a little bit of new stash, including these lovelies from Sarah's Cards:




My Mind's Eye papers in Bloom & Grow and Ooh La La (for Him). These are going to be so much fun to play with!

15 pairs!

Back in January of this year, I set myself the goal of knitting a pair of socks a month for 2010. It's not quite December yet, and I've already blown the target out of the water :-)


I give you the 15th pair in all it's glory:

They are the Sock Knitters Anonymous November Mystery socks (such a long name, the designer is currently running a poll to find a good name for them), made using YarnAddicts Yarns BFL in Dusty Lilac. They are also eligible for this month's KAL in the Solid Socks group, which was knitting on an 'air' theme - these make me thing of those frosty morning, when your breath puffs out in clouds and things crunch underfoot - very appropriate given the freezing temperatures we are currently enduring. I've christened them Frosted Lilacs

I am sooo in love with these - they look really complicated with all the twisted stitches and cables, but they really weren't that bad. Maybe that's because the knitting was split into clues...I don't know. I finished them on Thursday night and they fit like a dream. And that yarn is sooo soft - have never known BFL (Blue Faced Leicester to you - 100% British sheep!) as soft as this. A pity the dyer doesn't seem to sell this particular yarn any more....

And, just because I can, here is the 'Sock Gallery 2010' - big smile!

Of course, socks are not the only thing I've made this year - will be back soon with the totals in all other categories....

Wooosh!

Yep, that's what happened to October - it just went whizzing right past my eyes...no idea what happened to it, but I was shocked on Monday to realise that it was already November.

Progress on the two pairs of October socks has been slow to say the least - but I have turned the heel on all four socks and the 1st sock of the pink Through The Loops socks is almost done. Just to prove it, here's a picture of what they looked like at the end of Clue 2:

Passerine (the green ones) has been a little painful, due to all the twisted stitches - so much so, that I have decided to knit the foot in a simple ribbing stitch to save my wrists.

Despite the lack of 'sock mojo', I did manage a few other things:

A couple of little bits of cuteness for imminent arrivals (they will get hats and little shoes to match)

And some hats - the two pink ones were intended for me, but came out too small, so will be gifted to various little/young people for Christmas.

In the meantime, it's the start of another month, which of course, means new socks (yes, I know the last two aren't finished - but you know what? I don't care!). Both the SolidSocks and SockKnittersAnonymous groups on Ravelry have mystery patterns this month - and I'm such a sucker for those.......

Here's the start of the SolidSocks one:

I have started the SKA Mock, but haven't made enough progress to show you any pictures. Soon, I promise! P.S. It has twisted stitches - will I never learn?

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!

August / September Socks

It's been a while since I posted about anything knitting-related - but that doesn't mean I haven't been playing with 'string and pointy sticks' :-)

First up, a pair that I started back in June, but which got a little stalled as I got bored with the pattern. Having said that, I'm pleased with how they came out - particulary as the yarn was one of the first skeins of Knitting Goddess goodness that I bought last summer, so I'm pleased to have found a use for it at last!

Yarn: Knitting Goddess BFL Superwash in Copper Desert
Pattern: Dragonfly socks by Jocelyn Sertich
Started: 1 June 2010
Finished: 25 August 2010
Destination: Alex B's Xmas pressie

Next, another yarn that was purchased almost a year ago, and which did not prove very cooperative. I tried knitting a lacy scarf with this, as well as two other sock patterns, and was almost ready to throw it out before giving it one last try.

This was the Solid Socks September/October mystery sock by the amazing Himawari (aka Claudia Eisenkolb). I loved the pattern - with all the leaves, perfect for autumn - but I'm still not sure it's the perfect pairing of pattern and yarn. We live and learn I guess....

Yarn: Madeleine Tosh ToshSock in Oxblood
Pattern: Mystery socks by Claudia Eisenkolb
Started: 5 September 2010
Finished: 29 September 2010
Destination: going to Jessica when she has baby #2 in a few weeks time

Pottering.........

Aaaaah - a whole day off! Lovely.....took Miss A to nursery, came home and made some jewellery bits and bobs for one of my best friends (who is also 40 next week), then took myself and Mr A off to Islington. I had a lovely Thai massage while he had a coffee (and played on his Blackberry) and then we hit the shops for the some birthday shopping - thanks to the very slick shop assistants in Whistles and Hobbs, I walked out with TWO new outfits (one pair of grey wool trousers, a teal-blue drapey cardigan and mint green camisole, followed by one black shift dress and matching jacket plus belt!). Phew! Really needed our lovely Italian lunch after that. A great day on all fronts :-)

Want to see the jewellery? Really? Well, ok then! My friend's favourite colour is red, so I whipped up a charm bracelet and cluster pendant necklace (strung on red suede cord).

Here's the necklace:

and the bracelet:

See the little silver heart charms? Aren't they cute? Really hope she likes them!

Little Bruiser

what happens when you go too fast up the pavement on your scooter? You fall off and whack your cheek on the metal pole beneath the handlebars! Not sure if you can see the bruise, but it's there - and makes her look like she's been a fight with the local thugs........