Yarn Mistrys

I’ll be back in a week or so (hopefully!).  We’re moving house at the moment and everything is up in the air and very manic!

I have FO’s to share and new things to cast on, but all my yarn is packed up and ready to be re-housed in their new home.  I’ll have my own craft room (which I have here too, but this will be our own house, rather than a rented place, where I never bothered doing up the room) so I’ll need to decorate and set it up as I want it… I have plans!  And plenty of ideas running through my little head.

Anyway, this was just meant to let you know, I’m still here, just moving.

See you all soon!

xx

I can now reveal that the ‘couple of things’ that I have in the 3rd issue of The Inside Loop are an article on my spinning adventures and a pattern called Candle Flame Stockings

Please leave some feedback on both, here and on the Loop blog. I would really love to hear from you with any questions/opinions/likes/dislikes etc.

Issue 3 of The Inside Loop is out in 5 days on 20th August.

Mark it in your diaries now! I have a couple of things in there this issue too!!

Spread the word peeps, this is one fantastic online zine and we really need to support it and the lovely ladies behind it.

I’ve been tagged for a meme by Ali

The rules:

1) Link to the person who tagged me
2) Mention the rules
3) Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about myself
4) Tag 6 other bloggers by linking to them
5) Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that lets them know they’ve been tagged

I’m not sure how much more about me you really want to know! But here goes:

Quirky Fact 1: I have naturally curly hair while the rest of my family have straight hair. All of them.
Boring Fact 1: I didn’t drink till I was 18 and legal.

Quirky Fact 2: I think I’m an Obsessive Compulsive. I wash dishes in a certain way, no other. I load the dishwasher in a certain way and woe behold anyone that tries to load My dishwasher any other way.. tch, tch. I’m sure there are other examples, but this one was pointed out to me by Ollie just the other day.
Boring Fact 2: I’m 5’ exactly. Not 4’ 11” and not 5’ 1”.

Quirky Fact 3: I’m an ostrich. I would rather believe that everything is well and good than admit the state of the world that we live in. I know the facts. I listen to the news and yet I am an eternal optimist and believe in the good of humanity. Yet I am quite cynical at times.. and very sarcastic!
Boring Fact 3: I find it very hard to make friends even though I am a classic extrovert. If I do form friendships, they are the forever kind.

I think that covers the six…

As for tagging, you know me. I’m tagging anyone that reads this post. Have fun!

The last couple of weeks have flown by and have been so busy! We had Ollie’s parents and elder brother over for two weeks and then Ollie’s younger brother for a week in the middle, with his girlfriend.

It was manic. There was family to visit and places to see and things to do and bits to buy… phew.

I think I’ve just about managed to catch up on household chores now and to get back into the swing of spinning and knitting.

Latest bits:

Fibre: BFL/Silk from Fyberspates
Type: 2 ply Laceweight (24 wpi)
Length: 577yds/528m
Weight: 100g

This was my first time spinning silk and it was really quite slippery. It took a lot of concentration and a firm grip, but it was a wonderful spin and I’m so pleased with the results.

Fibre: Wool/Mohair/Silk Blended Batt from Wildcraft
Type: 2 ply Laceweight (22 wpi)
Length: 62yds/57m
Weight: 25g

This was a lovely spin! And I love the way that the colours have worked up. I like the fact that I was able to keep the stripes. Woohoo!

There has been progress on both the Summer Sampler and the Beaded Ribbing Socks (which I know I haven’t blogged about). As for the other projects, yes well, I’m ignoring those at the moment. I’ll come back to them… maybe..

I’ve also joined up for the Ravelympics to make the Laminaria Shawl and also the Cut & Paste Socks… I don’t think I can finish both in the 17 days… but here’s to hoping!

Better get back to the claiming my house back.. Hope you’re all having a wonderful week.

Some of the ladies on the AY forum have just started a KAL. It’s the Summer Sampler from BadCatDesigns

Now, I’ve been admiring from afar. Watching their samplers grow. Ohh’ing and ahh’ing as each section is finished and loving all the lace work. Me? I’m not a big lace person. To date I have started one project in a true laceweight yarn and I frogged that. Lace just does not seem to be for me.

Wrong.

Here is my progress so far:

I’m using Fiddlesticks Knitting Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-Silk in Elderberry. I have two balls of this, which is great, but they are from different dyelots. So I’m alternating them every two rows. I’ve never done that before!

So first’s with this project so far? Well, it’s laceweight. (A second actually, but it’ll be a first when I finish!) And, I’m alternating yarns. Cool.

There are supposed to be 12 patterns, released gradually through the blog and so far we’ve had 6 of those. I’m on number 3 and progressing slowly.

More progress info and pictures, when there is some!

P.S. For those who are mumbling about my other WIPs.. I know, I know, I know.

Yarn: Rowan Al Seasons Cotton in shade 171 (Grey)
Pattern: February Lady Sweater by flintknits (original by E. Zimmermann)
Needles: 4.5mm KnitPicks Harmony Circulars
Modifications: Just the needle change. Everything else was as written. I think next time I’ll place the button holes further in, but they’re fine on this one.

I loved this pattern. As soon as it was available, I cast on and thoroughly enjoyed making it.

As an additional, a photo of Esmee!

Esmee!

And with Flynn:

Esmee is only just 8 weeks old and is another King Charles Cavalier. She’s a Ruby! We went to pick her up on Tuesday and have spent the last couple of days settling her in and making sure that she and Flynn are ok together. She’s fiesty! Definitely knows how to look after herself that’s for sure. She spent some of her playing time today chasing Flynn and growling at him. Flynn is coming up to his first birthday and I think it’s the right time to introduce a new dog to the household. Esmee fits in perfectly.

On the knitting front, I have the February Lady Sweater from Flintknits on the needles and that is coming along nicely.

I was in town a few weeks ago, when I’d just started this project, when I found a lovely new yarn store that did buttons too, so I picked up these:

They should go nicely with this little number! I think I have a button collection now too. Oops!

I also had a lovely package from the girls at The Inside Loop for my designs in Issue 2:

Thanks Girls!

Also, there has been some more spinning, but more on that at a later date! I have to go play with Esmee now.

This is another meme that I’ve just found on Kate’s blog.

Answer the questions below to create your own photo mosaic. Here’s mine!

1. Twilight And The Cliffs Of Kai Iwi Beach, 2. Curry in a hurry., 3. Untitled, 4. The Photographer, 5. pierce brosnan, 6. afternoon, 7. Caribbean desert islands, 8. Ras Malai’e, 9. yo, Christmas Tree, 10. Latest Family Portrait, 11. joyful, 12. Kool Kat Lookin’ For A Kitten

All you have to do is

A) Type your answer to the questions below in flickr search; use only the first page to pick an image, and
B) Copy and past your picture URLs into fd’s mosaic maker.

The questions are:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favourite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favourite colour?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favourite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favourite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

I had great fun doing this! Thanks Kate. Anyone else want to play?

This post, that is!

I’ve been busy, busy, busy and I’ve also been very naughty.

This is the latest in the spinning escapades:

Fibre: 100% BFL from The Yarn Wench
Type: 3 ply Laceweight (18 wpi)
Length: 388 yards/355 metres
Weight: 106g

Then there was the little skein made up from the leftover on the 2 bobbins:

Fibre: 100% BFL from The Yarn Wench
Type: 2 ply Laceweight (20 wpi)
Length: 80 yards/73 metres
Weight: 15g

That was the busy part. Now for the naughty part:

Shetland in Ebb Pool, Superwash BFL in Blossom & BFL in Lichens, all from Wildcraft And as an extra, Karen sent me a batt called ‘Fire’, made from one one of her own sheep, Buffy:

Gorgeous, isn’t it? Go check out the site, Karen has some lovely stuff in the shop.

And there’s been more naughtiness:

ShiBui Knits (Mulberry) from Joy who was having a de-stash.

These are ‘Froggy’, ‘Lava’, ‘Decadent’, & ‘Truffle’ all from Sunshine Yarns. They’re all Sock Yarns. Gorgeous! I have plenty in my stash now. I really need to do more knitting, and less buying.

BTW, there has been some knitting, honest! I saw The February Lady Sweater and even though I knew I had too many WIPs already, I have cast on for this:

I’ve found a really cool way of making buttonholes! It’s ace. I’m using some Rowan All Seasons Cotton that’s been in my stash for ages. I feel all virtuous!