Ivy growing

I've had this book on my book shelf for months, and although I've picked it up and read the first page a few times, just never really been grabbed by it! I started to read it again properly last week and I have to say, this time I am gripped!!! Its brilliant! Although I do have to admit to falling asleep a little uneasily for the past few nights...........its quite eerrie:-)
On the knitting front, I'm getting there, finally, with Ivy!! The second front is almost complete, only the ties left to knit and then the finishing off.



I think it looks good on Lizzy, she's a bit smaller than my sister is but I'm sure the fit is fine.I hope my sister likes it! And that it was worth waiting three months after christmas to finally receive it!!!!!!
I've a ten day stint at work starting tomorrow, but am hoping to finish it between shifts and get some finished piccies up, maybe even modelled if I'm lucky:-)

Sari silky

Jeanette, who I met on an internet gift exchange, told me how she was going to a talk on nepalese crafts at her womans guild meeting (I hope I got that right J??), the speaker had just returned from nepal and had some handicrafts that had returned with her! Apparently the talk was very interesting, and much to my delight, Jeanette informed me that some of her wares were winging there way to me!!!!!!!! Yayyyyyyyy:-)
This sari silk is very different to anything I've felt before! i bought some sari silk last year from an online shop, but then swapped it cos it was thick and stiff and horrid really, I didn't like at all *roll* But this little baby is soooo soft and silky, its quite finely spun too, so definately a more useable yarn!! I'm thinking a bag for the summer would look nice, maybe something quite lacey, with a material silk lining and some fairtrade handles???????

I cast on for the debbie bliss superchunky cabled jacket earlier in the week, I love how soft the cashmerino yarn is but its so heavy! I'll definately have to do this project a little at a time to save my poor wrists from prolonged acheing!!!! I think it might be my sisters christmas present cos I think the "one size" pattern will swamp me a little?! I know its early to think of christmas presents but I was so stressed last year leaving everything till last minute and not getting anything finished that I thought now was as good a time to start as any:-)
I've also been working on IVY, last christmas' pressie for my sister *roll*, I had been put off by lots of people saying the front shaping was a nightmare, but actually when I had a proper read through of the pattern, its not difficult at all, so I've been cracking on with that and hope to finish soonish!At least when I get it done, it should be the right kind of weather to wear it, cos its not a cold weather cardi made in the DB Cathay:-)
I was browsing the crafty threads forum yesterday and found this post by claire. I've been wanting to try colourwork for ages so I dashed to my stash, pulled out some rowan 4ply soft, and intended to cast on for the endpaper mitts but (for a change) my needles were in amongst an unfinished sock!!!!!!!!!! Januarys sock at that aswell *roll* So when I eventually get the socks off the needles, I shall be dipping my toe in the world of colour too:-)
I'm at a bit of a stalemate on februarys socks too I'm ashamed to admit!!! I've done the heel flap, but as the next bit requires me to actually work out how many stitches to work across to shape the heel, I've put it away and am waiting for inspiration to stike!!!! Its going to be yet another month where I fail to rise to the sockamonth challenge I fear:-)

Happy Valentines:-)

I love valentines day!!!!!!!!
I'm a late shift today, so no romantic meal or evening together, but that can wait till the weekend;-)
Happy valentines day:-)

Sneaky peek!!!!

Heres a snippet of my february sock, the picture isn't brilliant but I think you get the general idea;-)I'm hoping that this month, I actually finish the pair of socks that I intended too, and yes, before you ask, januarys socks remain unfinished:-(
The past week seems to have flown by and forgetton to take me along!!! I'm normally pretty productive but I don't really seem to have made any progress on anything this week. Flicca is a little further on, but not deserving of another photo just yet:-(
Hopefully, this week will be better:-)

Colinette Tao, in all it's Hatty glory!!!!!

Pattern: "cherry", from colinettes arboratum book
Yarn: Colinette Tao 100% silk
Colour: Fresco

I made this hat mainly on sunday evening with a little finishing off yesterday morning. It knit up really quickly and the tao is a lovely silk to work with, the colours so vibrant!!!! I do like colinette:-) So thats one bit of birthday stash used within two days, not bad methinks;-)

The back of flicca is now done, I like the way its looking, although mine is definately not going to be as baggy as the original, but I can live with that! Modelled by the lovely "Lizzy", who is glad to have a name to call her own now:-)

Despite not finishing Januarys sock yet, I cast on for februarys last night *roll*, I never learn do I!!!! But the pink is so pretty and so perfect for valentines day socks, that I just couldn't resist!!!!! The yarn is posh yarns "Lucia", sock club colourway for february, and I'm going to make the pattern up as I go along, but there will be a hearty theme:-)

I also cast on for a shrug using blue sky alpacas, alpaca silk yesterday! Its just plain stocking stitch, so I can click away while my concentration is elsewhere, and it should be a relatively quick project:-) Judging by my current levels of productivity,it may be finished this afternoon;-)

Only kidding!!! But I do seem to be turning out the FO's at the moment!!! A lot of what I've finished this month though has been as a result of UFO busting! So I can clear my Wip bags ready to fill with this years WIP's!!!!! That was the plan right???????????
Finally, the rest of my birthday goodies arrived from janette and Getknitted today! Aren't I lucky!!!!!

Cropped cardi

Pattern: Cropped cardigan, Yarnforward magazine issue 1
Yarn: 5 balls of Rowan All seasons cotton in "slick"

Birthday goodies!!!!

Yesterday was my birthday, and this year, much to my surprise I got quite a few knitty presents!! Definately a first:-) Even better,is the fact I got a voucher for jannettes rare yarns, so theres more still to come!!!!! I've ordered some Rowan calmer to make TemptingII, and also some all seasons cotton possibly to make the modular shrug on the front of the curent Vogue magazine.
You can see in the picture some debbie bliss astrakhan that I got from a friend, so I've ordered the simply soft pattern book to make a jacket with that, and also some clover crochet hooks for crochet week this year when I'm determined to teach myself!!!!!!!
I've finished the back of "flicca", but wanting to do something differant now *roll*, and have also finished all the knitted bits of the cropped cardi from the first yarnforward, so thats just to sew up at some point!
Plus the new Rowan mag has loads in it that I want to make, so my list of "like to do's" has become even longer!!!!!!
My january socks haven't been touched since my last post, but I'm trying to be disciplined and am aiming to finish them before casting on for another pair.......hmmmmmm!


My dishcloth from the forum swap arrived yesterday too, and its gorgeous!!!! Much prettier than the picture shows!!! It was made by Catknit! I think I'll have to ask which pattern, cos it would be ideal for christmas pressies:-)

Failure

This sums up my sockamonth challenge!!! One month in, and already I've missed the deadline *roll*, which is made worse by the fact that the whole thing was my idea in the first place!!!!!!Oh dear!!!! so it looks like januarys sock will be finished in february, and as for the proper february sock, well, who knows!
January was supposed to be the month of finishing off, and on that score I think I did pretty well! I'm going to carry on finishing a few bits for the next couple of days, then may allow myself to start something new and exciting! Maybe piccies of anothe FO tommorrow, but I'm loathe to promised, as I think I'm persistantly over optimistic;-)