Too much temptation!!!!!!!!

Isn't the online knitting community brill???!!!!! Not only do you see loads of patterns which you want to make, and have no chance of doing so in this lifetime, but the same tends to happen with regard to gorgeous yarn too!!!!!So for this scrumptious delivery form the posite today, I have Pictish to thank! After all, if she hadn't posted a photo of the lovely kilcarra yarn she bought from this lovely lady on ebay, I wouldn't have felt the need to do the same!!!!!! But isn't it gorgoeus!

Ver little knitting progress has been made in the past couple of days, but I have started my second january sock, so there's still a chance I may have the pair completed by the january 31st deadline...............OMG, thats wednesday!!!!!!!!
I did promise some more clues as to what I was going to be up to, so heres another! Is this lot Posh enough for ya all????? ;-)

Quilting Quest!!!!

I've always liked to make things, for as long as I can remember! Mum taught me to knit when I was really young, and dad used to show me how to make bits with wood, and levers and cams! When I came to choosing A levels, it seemed natural that I would study design technology, purely because I loved to be creative! When I look back, I think the reason for my doing this is good, but possibly the wrong choice, and I should have followed what I was taught by mum rather than Dad!!! if I had my time again, I would study textiles, without a doubt! But its very easy with hindsight isn't it!
When I sewed the Zip into KiKi's cardi last week, I thought to myself that perhaps I should actually learn to use my sewing machine! I like to knit things, would love to crochet, and would probably love to sew things too if I could actually do it! So learn, I thought to myself..............and now armed with a load of fabric squares and the readers digest guide to sewing, thats exactly what I'm going to do!!!!! My first project is going to be a quilt for KiKi, hence the fairies and dancers, and pink ( although admittedly, I would also love this theme for myself but not sure my husband will share the sentiment!) I think a quilt is a good place to start!!!! So dummies guide to quilting at the ready, and I'll be making a start soon:-)

This morning my postman delivered a package from my lovely knitting friend Jeanette, who I "met" as the result of a secret santa swap last year! She has made me a dishcloth, and its lovely!!! she also sent me a hat book which has some great berets in it, and also some stacking hats which my nieces would love:-) So I'm thinking a fairisle beret may be on the cards at sometime this year!

Now, do you remember when I said in my new year post that this year was going to be exciting for me?? I'm not going to reveal all just yet, but heres a little clue!!!!!


I'll give you a few more hints throughout next week;-)

Flicca and cherry!

So I've started Flicca by anna bell, and really liking it so far!
I have had a bit of a dilemna with choosing the right needle size though cos the pattern calls for 7mm, but as I'm using my Boyes, didn't have a 7mm equivalent so am using 6.5mm!
I think this wil be ok as theres lots of ease in the pattern for a little bit of downsizing??? and worst case is that I might run out of yarn rather than it not fitting, so we'll have to see!
Talking of anna, this top is also one of her designs thats been waiting to be finished off for months!!!!!


Its "cherry" knitted in db cathay. I have buttons to finish it off, its just motivating myself to go ahead and knit the bands up. I did attempt to do this last summer, but when I picked up and knit two rows of button band before noticing that I'd picked up stitches down the seaming edge, it got thrown in my WIP bag in disgrace! However, its forgiven as I think it looks good on the dummy!!!!
If anyone can think of a suitable name for said dummy, it would be much appreciated!It seems a bit mean to call her dummy al the time LOL!!!!!!
Finally for today, here is some Handmaiden seasilk in glacier colourway that I have to make a Forest Canopy shawl. I've been wanting to have a go at lace for a while and it was one of my resolutions for this year so thought that this beginners pattern was probably the best place to start! We're having a knitalong for the shawl on the crafty threads and yarns forum, so hoping there'll be lots of help when I get stuck!!!!

Central Park Hoodie

Central Park Hoodie from Knitscene fall 2006
Yarn used: Sirdar Donegal Tweed dk
Colour: slate
Buttons are from my nana's box of vintage buttons.

I'm on a roll!!!!!!

Another FO, just needs a zip, and then this will be going to my niece too!! As much as I would love to let you all believe that I am speed knitter extrordinaire, I must confess that this has been a longstanding WIP, and I eventually decided this evening that I would never get round to doing the hood, and so I knitted a collar on instead, and voila!!!! One less WIP, one more FO!

I used a sirdar pattern, although I can't remember which number, and the yarn is adriafil newzealand multicolour, which is a dk yarn. I'm a little confused as to whether I can pop it in the machine or not, cos the site where I bought the yarn says easy care, but the ballband says handwash?! The yarn fybers don't seem to match between website and ballband either! I'd probably be best knitting a swatch to pop in the machine to see what happens!!!

CPH In Progress!!!!

Here we are, Central park hoodie about half done! I'm loving this hoodie, so quick and easy to do and it looks great aswell:-) I may even be tempted to make a second one when I get this finished!!!!
My dishcloth is made for the swap too, so will be able to post a piccie of that once it arrives at its destination too!

Another FO

i made this scarf to go with the hat I made for my niece before the weekend, she needs a complete combo after all:-) I used Rowan pure wool dk, which I have to say is much softer than I imagined it would be, and its machine washable too, so thats a big plus! Its a very plain scarf with the addition of a heart motif and my nieces initials also knitted on!You can probably just see the detail I'm talking about!

I'm taking part in a dishcloth swap so spent sunday afternoon test knitting a dishcloth for myself! I ordered some peaches and cream from the Yarn grove in the states and its really nice cotton, soft but feels like it will be very hard wearing too! I used the mason dixon dishcloth pattern, and am very pleased with the results! It reminds me of a wall and as I was knitting it, I imagined humpty dumpty sat upon it.........so don't be surprised for a wall inspired cushion cover or something of the like in the near future:-) The dishcloth I make to send to my partner will of course remain a secret...............for now!!!!!!

Dancing Queen

where they play the right music, getting in the swing, you're in the mood for a dance. and when you get the chance............KiKi's the dancing queen!!!!!!



Isn't she adorable! My niece with her new dancing cardi on (ok, you're right, the cardi can't dance, but I never said I was THAT good)and I think it looks great! Maybe slightly big, but obviously that was my cunning plan to ensure she could wear it for longer;-)
And here she is again, wearing her sisters hat! good job they're not both camera shy!

So thats two FO's already and its only the 13th:-)

Hello Dolly!!!

So here is the finished Dolly cardi!!! what a relief to have it all sewn together and finally finished! I'll be giving it to my niece tomorrow and hopefully will get a piccie of her wearing it then:-)
As you know, I was going to try and clear some of my longstanding wip's before starting anything new, but alas, I have failed already as I cast on last night for the central park hoodie! But I figured after all that beading, I deserved the excitement of starting something new:-)
And a close up of the cabling!
I'm using sirdar donegal yarn, which I had in my stash, so I'm sticking to one of my resolutions!!!!! I decided to make the second size of 36" even though my measurement is 32", I don't want it to be very fitted so thought I would go for comfort instead:-)
CJ who is on the crafty threads forum with me, finished her central park hoodie this week and it looks gorgeous! So its all her fault I broke my wip busting attempt really LOL!!!!

Eventually!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have eventually finished the knitting of the beaded cardi and it is blocking as we speak ready for me to sew it together later in the week! No piccies I'm afraid cos its a dark rainy day and the light is not good! I've also made an odessa for my other niece, but minus the beads, and with the addittion of two little heart buttons on the cuff bit instead!!!! I'm hoping I might get a picture of both FO's in action as it were, possibly at the weekend?! But for now, I'm just so glad that the beaded cardi if off the needles:-)
Hmmmmmmmm, what to knit next.................

One down, one to go!!!!

So the first sock of the sockamonth challenge is complete!!!!!I should be thrilled, halfway there for january, and its only the 5th, but I'm not:-(
I love the koigu yarn, and I love the whitby pattern, but I think the combination does neither any justice! I just don't think you can see the pattern as well as I would have liked! I should maybe have picked a more subtle varying colour of yarn *roll* I don't plan to frog it now though, so on with the second!
The beaded cardi now has half a sleeve too:-)

UFO Busting!!!!!!

January is supposed to be my chance to finish a few bits off that have been otn for a while! I updated my progress bars and thats as far as I've got *roll*, so here are the piccies of the task ahead!!!! Although how much of this I'll manage to do, I wouldn't like to say, but I will try to finish off a couple before I start anything else new! you convinced??? nah, me either:-O




Progress picies as and when!!!!
So, knitterly resolutions.............:-)

1. Knit predominantly from stash for 2007

2. Try and have less WIPs at one time

3. Challenge myself and learn new skills

Only three, but the first two will be pretty hard for me and I didn't want to give myself too much to attempt:-)

The first sock of the sockamonth challenge is going well, just turned the heel and working on the gusset! Twelve pairs in a year, no probs I say to myself, this from the girl who thought she could start a pair of socks for DH a couple of days before christmas and have them completed and wrapped for christmas morning, needless to say, they are unfinished, languishing in my sock bag LOL But piccies of the first january sock, hopefully by tomorrow:-)