You don't see a baby for ages then two come along at once

Hot on the heels of the blue cardi behold Maya sporting the latest in knitted everton shirts! She is about 6 weeks old and the hunk on the left is Daddy Fu.

It was secret santa at golders green this week and I did particularly well this year! Check out the gorgeous buttons and the crochet-lite which is the coolest thing ever - HOORAH!

Knitwise things have been going well. I started a pair of the aquaphobia socks in a lovely colourway called autumn marigold I got on etsy. I *really* like the effect of the slipped stitches.

It made me think - I am sure their are dictionaries of slipped stitch patterns so maybe I'll look into that. Also this is yet another pair on magic loop - I am such a convert.

My other news is that my first blog book has arrived. 250 pages odd of goodness. I am really impressed with the quality. The software they give you to use is very easy to manipulate and it practically creates the book for you. The one downside of the site (which is blurb.com) is that you can't sell your books unless you have a bank account in the US. Bit weird but seeing how no one is going to want a book of my blog apart from me not a huge problem!

Books of 2006 and 2007 are on their way too.

Of course the big news today is that it was my last ever day at the IOP. Was weird, to say the least. Felt kind of numb really. There are some people I'm going to miss and miss a lot but then there's a lot happened there that I'm quite happy to leave behind.

Could this be the last time I blog from work?

So here I am just 2.5 days left to go before leaving the IOP for the last time as a member of staff. And so naturally I have been spending my last week catching up with stuff online, ravelry especially. And so I've been catching up on the Lolcat group and LMAO at the latest images. Here are just a few but more can be found here (but only if you're on ravelry and if you're not - what are you waiting for? Get on that waiting list!)

and my current favourite....

Genius.

Have had lots of good feedback about the podcast - it's my new theme music I am particularly proud of. Afterall how many people can claim to have successfully mixed Babylon 5, hip hop and paul temple? Also lots more interest in SkipNorth which is good - anymore for anymore? I've also seen the latest listener stats. Look at this: Iran, Japan, New Zealand plus the UK and USA posse's. Hello everyone!

The sunburst jumper is finally dry and on the byrne bod. It fits really nicely! I am very happy with this and now itching to get started on my next garment. I think it will be jumper for my step-dad to replace the never ending aran that was ended once and for all.

I also got this pic which was rather nice. This is tiny Aaliyaan wearing his blue cardi and hat that I made him. I think he is about a month old now! His dad keeps telling me he is wearing it practically all the time as it is a perfect fit. What a cutie!

A Podcast, a SkipNorth knitting holiday and some knitting

The first two kind of go together because on the latest podcast, featuring the best intro music I've ever heard, Nickerjac and I sit around nattering with her Andy asking us questions about it. It was really good to reminisce about SkipNorths of the past and the kind of shopping frenzies we've seen and also all the stuff we've learnt form other people. We also chatted about which workshops to run (off mic!) and I'll be posting in the SkipHolidays Yahoo group about them soon. Anyone who wants to be kept informed can join the group.

The holiday is excellent fun and I think excellent value too. For £165 you get two nights in the hostel, all meals (and good, locally sourced, huge meals they are too), luxury coach to take you round, specially organised visits to places like the KCG Collection and all materials for the workshops. There's also a cheaper option for people who would prefer to stay in a local B&B. The podcast gives loads more info. You can also find out more and book here: www.proudtobecrafty.co.uk/SN1.html

Oh and the podcast is here! Or you can find it on i-tunes.

So on to the knitting...

The Norah Gaugain sunburst jumper is finished but is in its third day of drying after a good block on friday. Here is yet another pic of it drying:

I am worried it is going to be too big but am saving up my worrying til the weekend when I'll be able to give it full throttle.

There has also been considerable progress on the socks I am making for a friend of mine.

All the details are on ravelry here. I keep going at it in fits and starts and when I really sit down with it the thing shoots along. I'm just about to start the heel of the second one so another few days should see it done.

There has also been some non-knitting going on in the shape of loads and loads of luverly button jewellery. I bought this book recently having shuffled backward and forward between different ones for months. This book is by far the best I've seen and I've already made three things from it. You see, I do love my buttons. This is one I've made as a goodbye present for a colleague. Lots of vintage mother of pearl.

Then this is a cuff using safety pins and buttons with shanks which are always a problem to the button jewellery maker as they don't lie flat.

I'm not actually sure about this one. I love the buttons but it's a bit big. I might put it on etsy instead.

Then in a non-crafty and wholly capitalist move I acted with lightning speed on a comment left on my last entry about duoboots.com. Now I did know about Duo already as a couple of peeps at Golders Green have bought them but what I didn't know is they had a sale on.

Oh yeah. And further more I ordered them friday lunchtime and they arrived at 7.30 AM......AM!! on saturday. Our postman only delivers after 11am on weekdays and suddenly one arrives at 7.30 on a saturday? That's just wrong. But they are good boots. I wore them on sat night and Pooch was very attentive. They are also a perfect fit round the ol'calves.

And finalllllly. Ann sent round this meme...which fibre are you?

Try it yourself here.