Shopping, shipping and stuffing my face with chocolates

I'm classing picking up my pottery from art4fun as shipping - just so you know. And here it is...


The thing to remember, when being very unimpressed by it, is that I had great fun doing it. And now I've learnt a lot about what not to do. I do quite like the mug for Pooch though. It says 'Pooch loves tea' which is very true and on the bottom I've written 'Alex loves Pooch' which luckily for him is true too. The "knitter" mug is nasty - poo brown and splodgy and I had such high hopes for it and I still really love the shape. So disappointing. And as for the plant pot....hum... People comign to my desk for a meeting will think I have a deranged child somewhere churning these things out for me whereas it's just the result of a deranged me.

While picking the things up I just happened upon four chrity shops and had a little rummage. Sadly no knitting things but I do have three star wars books and a Dr No video for Pooch. Plus I managed to find a few little things.


Aren't the green shoes horrifically fab? And that a cherry red velvet jacket on the left and the polka dots are a little shirt that I think is very sweet - reminds me of one Pooch and I first met (I was dressed as minnie mouse you see).

So what happened to me spending the day machine knitting and making felt beads. Yes, well. Things did not start well. Here I was, all ready to get going:

and this is what I ended up with: I've put my mobile there to get an idea of scale - it is such a pathetic little thing. The next one basically dissolved so I gave up. Easily discouraged, that's me. Next time I'll try doing them inside little bits of tights and putting them in the machine. Pah!

For the tube ride to and from west hampstead I took one of the colourways I got from designs and cast on a sock. I still can't decide whether I actually like it or not. Any thoughts? It is chocolate by town and country.

happy birthday to me!

Yay. Although I am not in any way american I feel a certain bond with y'all (crazy aunt purl's influence there) so happy 4th july to all my american cousins. I was going to post a picture of my party last night but they are all too high res to post here so will have to wait til I rejig them. It was awesome - jelly, ice cream, choc cake, hotdogs, squeezy cheese - we had it all.

Many thanks to andrea and everyone else for e-cards and comments wishing me happy bday. There were many times in the last year when I didn't think I'd make it to see another birthday yet here I am, still standing and knitting more than ever. The day holds either the knitting machine or felt balls or maybe both! And maybe an exhibition? Ooooo, lovely!

Felt beads

http://www.homeofthesampler.com/howtos/lili_feltbeads.html

So I am rather pleased with myself for just managing to edit html to make the above into a proper link and everything. I have some roving left from when I went on that spinning day so now relly want to spend the day making them but....it's party day! Will just leave that link there for later consumption.

Here's one I made earlier

Feeling slightly more alive now, but probably only because I am contemplating an early night. At my age (which cranks up to 27 on Monday) one just can not live this kind of life. Yes, folks, you heard right. The Byrne is entering her 27th year on Monday and celebrating this fact with a 4th july theme party tomorrow (on a school night - which is freaking everyone out) so likely no postings. Should anyone be feeling generous I have had all my presents this year from http://www.greatgifts.org So far I have had chickens, water sterilisers, carers for aids children, sheep (of course - woo ha sheep), blankets and cooking sets. I get these wicked really quality cards sent to me in the post with a message form my loved one inside and telling me what they've 'bought' on my behalf. It means no pretending to like all the blah one usually gets for one's birthday and no having to find somewhere to keep it in case someone ever asks to borrow it back. Makes me feel like I really got exactly what I wanted for my birthday.

Have spent the day on the sofa knitting more or less no stop. The body of the 2nd charity cardi is all done as is half one sleeve. I have finished a pair of socks I've been knitting for about a month already...

I'm feeling contrary so have put them upside down - it's not like my feet bend at a weird angle or anything. So all this camera work means I have managed to take pics of the sock yarn and silk.

This is the sock wool, in case there was any confusion.

This is the silk. 400g of it! Trudie not only has gorgeous stuff she also packs it up all lovely like.

27. Twenty seven. Hum.

Oh dear

Now I don't drink really. Or if I do it will be one or two drinks about once a month. Last night I went to Arun's to play poker. £20 in the pot and then 1st, 2nd and 3rd share the doings. I came fifth to not so good. But I also managed to finish most of the dooleys that I had left there a couple of weeks ago when Arun had a party. That night I only had 2 glasses. Last night I had a lot lot more.

It is difficult to write about as I loathe stories that start "I was sooooo drunk and..." and I hate hearing about what people do when they are inebriated. So boring. And I am largely of the opinion that people are just acting up and using it as an excuse to be an antisocial arse when they do do stupid things. And even though I had had a lot there was no hysterics, no clothing went missing, I said nothing I wouldn't be prepared to say in front of...not my mother but Pooch, say. Basically I just had a laugh.

The other problem I have with drinking to excess is where people want sympathy for self-inflicted hangovers. Ah, yes. Now I'd like to reconsider this. People do not deserve sympathy unless you owe them for a time they were sympathetic to you in the past. Which brings us to Pooch. I have sympathised a lot in the past and so have been expecting him to reciprocate. While he has been a ministering angel he has also been taking the opportunity to take the piss. Pooch has no poetry in his soul. To further prove my point this is me half dead while he just watches TV.


You will note that I am (attempting) to knit on circulars. I think it's too early to say I am a convert but I like the cut of their jib.

I was going to put pics of the sock wool etc up but I just can't be bothered. I see an afternoon of minimal movement ahead of me.

Before I forget...here is the little jumper for feed the children. The one I've cast on on circulars has some eyelash yarn in pink being knitting in at intervals.

No pics for today doooooooooode

Left the camera at home - have finished the little jumper and have started another......ON CIRCULARS. Shock, horror, gasp, other exclamations. Yes, it's true. The straight needle queen is biting the bullet and mixing her metaphors all the way to circular needles. I've cast on in the same red yarn and am on my third row (wow, etc, I know). Is so much effort but will get there eventually.

Got my designs sock wool in the post...hang on, I have a webcamera right? So where's it gone then....OK am I allowed to get depressed again because my camera has uninstalled itself and the guy with the admin password left the building about 10 minutes ago? No, right fair enough. Am using my immense intelligence to the think outside the box and laterally problem solve. Oh yes.

Right well that just puts the lid on it. Scanner isn't working. Sod this. I'm off for a night of texas hold-em as the only gal and no I am not going to cook the fricking pizza. Although then they'd all have to retire from the game to recover and I would be the victor. Wooooooo hahahahahahaha

Secret Pal - the parcel STILL hasn't arrived. Am really worried about it. Is there anyway I could trace it from this end? Airmail has been rubbish recently though so I'm hoping it will just turn up in time if I'm patient. Not good at patience though.

All those that have commented recently - you are wicked bad and fab and lush and all the other words that make me laugh. It means a lot to me to know there are people rotting for me out there (rooting in the UK sense - not the boot knocking one. Although feel free if you really want to. )

New blog to read

www.crazyauntpurl.com She's hilarious. Buggery frick I am so bad with names - the fellow knitter I met at golders green last night - you are wicked fab but I have forgotten your name already. Sorry :(

Anyway - she told me about her. Would recommend a read.

Bloggers are lovely

Thanks to everyone who commented or emailed me direct about my bad day yesterday. It really means a lot - you are all great. Have made an appt with my consultant to review my meds next week so hopefully something positive will come from that. Boss astonished me by spontaneously apologising to me this morning. Must be all the bad karma readers of yesterday's post were sending him...!

First the knitting

Was touched by the Feed the Children appeal for jumpers so took the shiny red yarn I got on ebay but never really liked texturally (I LOVE the colour and the shiny glittery bits and it is soft but something about it makes me feel uncomfortable - no I can't explain it) and started a very plain little thing.

And then here is branching out that I tried in not particularly good wool. Looks quite pretty though.


Then the rest

Have annoyingly allowed myself to have a suicidal spree of thinking this morning. All because my boss just (rather unnecessarily but fairly predictably) took the piss in a team meeting when I made a comment. That started me thinking about moving job and that started me thinking about not knowing what to do. So then that started me thinking about how the whole concept of 'obsolescence' is what put me in hospital with the depression anyway and that got me thinking about how much longer it was going to take to get better and THAT left me thinking about whether I'd made the right choice not to top myself at the time. All this thinking took about 3 milliseconds which left me slapped round the face with the wet fish of suicide in the middle of a team meeting with my boss laughing at me. Now have to dig myself out of the hole I just fell in. Thankfully it is knitting at golders green tonight so that should lift my spirits a bit.

Is it a dog or a dinosaur?

Now I don't like dogs....but I wouldn't do this to one. Identity crisis surely?


Just finally gave in to the designswool closing down sale (designswoolsale@aol.com - yarns at 40% off rrp). Was the sock yarn that got me. I was already planning to get it for xmas presents but had told myself to wait for ally pally. But why pay full price there when I already know what the quality is like? Also did a bad thing and got 10 balls of cargo from suzysheepshop for £25 inc postage. Is the pale grey colour. I just really like the feel of it when it's knitted up in John Lewis.

Is there some sort of 7 step programme I can go on to help me stop buying wool? Seriously - someone let me know.

Knit knit knitting....

Sent a postcard to my SP today. Well...I really liked it when I got one from mine so I thought I would pass on the happiness.

Finally a knitting pic:

This is what I am currently busting my gut (although not really - nice belly being nurtured on the byrne personage) over. Except I am doing it in bright red (Yes, I do knit in red a lot) with short cap sleeves. Have almost done the back which knitted up really fast in the cotton cashmere I got from coldspring. Lovely to knit with!

I finally caved in to peer pressure concerning the designswool@aol.com closing down sale. It was all the talk of sock wool that did it. I kept thinking I'd hold off til Alexandra Palace but that will be full price whereas this is all reduced. Will see what they have left.

Pooch and I had a heart to heart yesterday as we had rather a large disagreement in buckhurst hill of all places. We went there to feed ducks. No ducks but there was a summer fete. Disagreement about whether we should go or not followed by lots of other accusations as is always the way when such things kick off. We made up but I am going to make more of an effort to be interested in his stuff. Have made him my new secret pal, just without the secret bit!

Just found the MIT survey on Nickerjac's blog. The button is in the list on the left and says 'I made some science' which makes a difference to 'I made a jumper' I guess! Click on it to do the survey - only takes 10 mins.

Isn't it saturday #2

Them downstairs had another party last night. Had to wait up til 1am to let the noise police in but that did actuallystop them thank god. Means Pooch and I are both v tired today as neither of us are good at lie ins mores the pity. It might appear I haven't been up to much knitting-wise over the weekend but it's just not true. It's just that I forgot to take my meds yesterday until about 3pm and so felt like poo. I find it astonishing that I've been taking these pills non-stop for 18 months now and it's still not automatic to take them. What a weirdo!

So I started 'birch' from knitty in the green and blue wool I bought from silkwood. Just didn't like it much - think I have chosen the wrong yarn. So have put that on a stitch holder ready to ponder for a few days. Then I started a scoop neck top in red cotton cashmere that I got from coldspring. Is a pattern I got from Julie (names=?) on Wed. That is going well but is basically stocking stitch for 35 cm. My ball winder got a lot of use yesterday winding all these skeins and cones into balls.

Pooch has objected mildly to being a llama so it will only be there til Tuesday - stroke him while you can! My sister sian is coming round today for dinner. It's OK though - Pooch is cooking so it's perfectly safe. I was going to draw a pic of sian ti put up here but Pooch's rubbish computer doesn't have a draw programme. Gosh, how useless is this laptop? Wish I had a boyfriend with a good computer.

Pooch the Llama

I was just playing with nickejac's fish on her blog and found myself with a Llama. If you put your mouse on it's head/neck and hold down the left mouse button the llama makes a noise just like a contented Pooch (put the sound on on your computer)! I'll leave it up here til he notices it. Poor long suffering pooch!

OK, this is definitely the last post for today x

Isn't it saturday?

Yay for day's off. Boo for days when you can't afford woolfest. Yay for days when you can at least do something special for £30. Big yay for painting pottery blanks and then getting to pick them up 5 days later all glazed and fired. No pics I'm afraid but I did a huge plant pot in 4 different designs on different quarters. Then did a green and yellow tea mug for Pooch as those are the colours he wanted. Then I just couldn't resist a really curvy mug and writing 'knitter' across it in red and blue - jasper johns 0-9 style. I love those paintings. Must be one I can link to somewhere....

Found one. I *L*O*V*E* this guy's stuff - especially the numbers. And this drawing here is probably my all time favourite. I'd forgotten how much I liked it. Really ought to get a print from somewhere.

So I had a fandabbydocious day. Knitting and parcels this morning, painting and cool weather this afternoon, thunder storm and sushi this evening and now Moonraker on tv (Pooch at a new order concert - weirdo). Not the best bond film but not the worst either. I find it quite sweet that Jaws ends up with a girlfriend at the end. Yay - am in a really good mood. Yipppppeeeee

The inevitable has happened

So naturally the first knit happens parcel has turned up. Now I'll have to fork out to post it back. Tsk, just about cancels out my savings I made by getting 10% off in the first place. Ah well. So now I'm confused. Is this the parcel the postman tried to deliver on monday or is it a different one. And if it is a different one, where is the one the postman was supposed to deliver. TEDIOUS.

So sorry secret pal for being so impatient and thinking you had dispatched something to me already - I will wait patiently now. I have planned the next stage of spoiling my own pal - a wicked bag with tonnes of pockets I'm going to embellish. Won't put a pic up until it's safely received just in case she has worked out who I am.

Am also planning to make this bag http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/PATTfrenchmarket.html after seeing it on blueadt's blog. Is even nicer than the one I was planning for.

So I wanted to go here http://www.art4fun.com/ today to paint myself a plant pot and maybe some egg cups as we don't have any....but am waiting around for the postie so day is leaking away from me. Hope the parcel comes soon - will give up at 1pm and shoot over there. Now must let knithappens.net know the good news about the parcel.

NW Knit together

We were jumping last night - so many people came plus Amelia who was trying us out after being a Liberty devotee for ages. Here we all are:

Ann finished her first sock, using opal.

What I really love about the group is that you can just sit their and knit or you can learn loads of stuff off others. Last week Mary taught me a new way to sew together. This week Janes taught Ann kitchener stitch so she could finish the toe of her sock nicely.

Fun for everyone!

There's always someone worse off than you

and here they are http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=10138

Ha!

Now have two parcels awaiting collection. Will get them on Friday. Very exciting!

Flat fiction

You'd think I was making it up - but I got home at about 8.20pm tonight to find what looks like 3 bullet holes in the glass in the corridor door plus spots of blood and the flat next to ours has had its door bashed half in. It took 9 minutes to get through to the local police station and then they said they couldn't tell me whether it had been dealt with already but someone would phone me back if there was any danger. Greek techno has just started upstairs. There is some sort of jean michelle jare or however you spell it going on on the ground floor and here are Pooch and I in the middle. Pooch dignified the situation by eating camembert on proper cheese biscuits, which I'm grateful for. He is a point of sanity to which I cling in an otherwise mad world.

Who needs CSI when they've got stratford?

So am DEFINITELY ringing the agent tomorrow to see if we can move out sooner.

As a result of all this knitting done = nil. Understandable I feel in the circumstances! However, I have started counting stitches in time with my heartbeat to help go to sleep. Knit one takes 2-3 heartbeats. Purl takes about 3. I'm doing a 1x1 rib at the moment. Might try a 2x2 tonight just to spice things up. That's if I do sleep tonight. We'll probably all be murdered in our beds.

Ah, the south africans downstairs have started their mating calls to the women of the neighbourhood. Life is complete.

Summer time, and am feeling sickly

Off work today - feel like poo. Think is the aftereffects of not sleeping properly all weekend but also got really bad sore throat. Ok, enough gloom.

Clapotis continues well.


I was rather surprised to find the pink and blue in it but I guess Noro know what they are doing and Pooch seems to really like it and he's dead fussy so it must be OK. It looks uneven at the mom because the left end has had the stitches dropped but the right hasn't. This is about 60% done. The yarn is all from www.knithappens.net and I had a 10% discount code (now long expired). I get them occasionally from a mailing list I belong to - next time they email me I'll put the "how to subscribe" bit on here as it is quite good. On the subject of discounts Iva Rose has buy one get one free on all her vintage pattern books until 4th July. www.ivarose.com. She is really nice and the service is very good.

Have picked a bad day to be off work - wimbledon has started so all tv is dominated by that. Knitting and audio books I think.

a bad connection means a bad post

I spent ages writing one on friday night and then had the same experience as andrea - lost it all. So here it is in summary:

The parcel waiting for me was from 'Get Knitted' and was wickedy wa.

On the left is the debbie bliss soho that I hadn't seen before and think I will make into anothere felted bag. Just not sure because do I really want a felted wool bag in this weather? But then it will never last so yes, I guess I do. In the middle is the brown noro for me muvver's clapotis for xmas. Am starting early. Have actually got quite far with that but can't find camera to take a pic so will leave that for now. Then on the right is red noro which is for me. A little cardigan I think.

It is so fricking hot. About 32 degrees I understand. I am staying well away from the sun as I will sizzle even with all the sunblock in the world on me. Have been working on clapotis and the kaffe fasset but is hot and sticky so not that good for wool. Was going to have another go with the knitting machine but just can't be bothered.

Pooch and I have decidedto definitely move when the 6 months is up here. Will be extra expense as I'm still recovering from the cost of the last one but this place is like an international student hostel and we want somewhere a bit more grown up plus Pooch doesn't like the area. Speaking of Pooch here is his latest portrait. He spent most of last weekend rebuilding his computer and here can be seen doing some of the final finishing!
A lovely bum x

Just saw the comments on my last post - the web address is http://www.coldspringmill.co.uk/ but they don't have any yarn on their website nor does the stuff they have correspond to debbie bliss colour codes as it is all discontinued or slightly off shade. It's all perfect though and all the stuff on cones in 1p a gram so I figure it's worthy the risk. A lovely woman called sheila is there mon-fri and she describes the colours really well.

Parcel Two

This is not the aforementioned parcel. This is one that just got delivered to work just this minute. Ladies and gents, I would like to introduce you to some pale blue/grey baby cashmerino and some cashmerino aran in a kind of dirty golden brown colour (underneath the cone of blue).


And then some rusty red merino aran and two smaller cones of cotton cashmere.

All curtesy of Coldspring and all a stunning 1p a gram. One peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!! woo hoo.

Yes I know. I am a yarn addict. Completely and utterly. Undeniably. More knitting, Miss Byrne, less stashing.

It is all so soft and lovely. Sheila at Coldspring is a god. And adam. Yay! Yarn! Two long hours before I can realistically hop it home and get swatching.

But wait, what light from yonder parcel breaks....

I have a parcel! yay, I love post. It is either the stuff from knithappens, coldspring, or something unexpected from my secret pal. Frankly I'm hoping it's the knit happens stuff as I ordered it so long ago and the first parcel got lost and and and... will find out later today.

Just as an aside I have thought up more of my favourite words. Here they are: alchemy, pernickity, pfaff, lush, awesome, bean, tea. I don't like tea but I feel I have a real aptitude for saying it :)

How wonderful are knitters?

To my astonishment no one has come a beat me up about being so rubbish at pledges. And...being knitters...they are far more interested in what I got from coldspinr - which I will duly display the moment it arrives. Not wanting to leave my audience disappointed though I do have some goodies to display.

This yarn is from this ebay seller http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Glenshee-Woollens. People - go look at their stuff. The yarn I got today is soooo soft and still has that faintly sheepy smell that tells you this is the good stuff. Aran weight and propoer oatmeal coloured. Going to knit a jumper for dad2 aka Rob.

I have started work on some of the sock yarn I got from the yarn house and I'm loving the colours. I've taken these pics with my webcam so the quality is r.u.b.b.i.s.h. so they are much brighter than this. I counted this morning - I need to make at least 8 pairs of socks for xmas presents! The yellow hump is the heel which is done by short row shaping, because I am sane and knit my socks on TWO needles rather than those sadomasacists who use 4/5. Been there, hated that, stabbed a passer by etc etc.

Lastly, a gamble. Bamboo needles on ebay. Ludicrously cheap - about a fiver for 7 pairs in a case. But they seem smooth enough so I'll give them a try. I'm really coming over to wooden needles now, as long as they have long points.

Purlpower sked how long i'd been on fluoxetine for (prozac to the non-sufferers). It's 18 months now and counting. Started on 20mg, went up to 30, went into hospital last March (as suicidal as one can be without being dead) and quickly got put on 40 and tried to come down to 38mg about a month ago (on consultant's advice) and reacted badly. Been back at work full time since last August. (Also managed to get peritonitus or something like that - kidney infection - in June so more hospital!) Apart from disrupting my sleep (wakes me up really early) fluox doesn't do me any harm so I'm fairly resigned to just popping it for the next year or so. I've been on some humdingers in the past though that I had all sorts or side effects to. I was even on Seroxat for a couple of months about 6 years ago. I'm a seasoned pill popper.

On a happier note, I am happy today even though I've had another crisis pop up at work. What the hell eh? It was all the knitting at the group last night that did it. The Golders Green bunch rock. I was shown how to do invisible seams and so have sewn up my red cable top. Just need to add hooks to the neck band and will be modelling it for real. Stand by to be wowed ;)

Don't mention the ....

yarn. It was Coldspring. They did it. I'd emailed them before I made the promise and then they emailed back yesterday and I was weak. WEAK!!!! OK!!!! Just when I'd gushed on UKHK about how I'd be a better person for not breaking it. Godamnit.

So now we're not going to mention the yarn, OK?

Anyway, not mentioning the yarn in any way, my secret pal got her first gift in the post yesterday - was some stuff we aren't mentioning from hipknits and some of my stitchmarkers I'd made from butterfly buttons and silver wire. People have left really nice comments about them too which is nice.

Am all irritated at work at the mo. Meant I was all depressed when left yesterday so didn't go to tai chi. 40mg fluoxetine a day and I still feel like I'm swimming against the current the whole time. Am going through a faze of just wanting to sink down into it and relax into the darkness but I doubt I'll be able to dig out again. There's only so many times you bother fixing something broken before you face up to facts and throw it away. Following this logic though it just means life = toaster which doesn't sound right.

No knitting to show still but...

27 days to go

Did some of the kaffe fasset last night and some of the black basketweave tunic and managed to stop myself starting another project - socks in some of the yarn I bought on Saturday. Nothing worth posting though.

27 days...was wondering whather a solution was to take the loop opening 'off' and add an extra day on the end. One of the lovely commenters suggested an extra month - wow, could I really do that? But I feel I must be sustaining the livelihood of at least 3 independant retailiers so I would feel too guilty not buying for that long. Delusions of grandeur? Never!

Damn and blast

28 days

BUT Loop is opening on 2nd July. This leaves me with a problem, or rather an ethical conundrum. Because I want to support local business. And I want yarn. But I promised. Hum.

Have left my medication at home today which isn't the end of the world - I'll just take it when I get back. But it does leave me wondering whether my wrath against my fellow colleagues is a result of this, PMT or just because they are f*cking stupid. Not all of them, just the ones who feel my wrath. I like the word wrath. Other words I like include conundrum, dearth, finicky and erstwhile. Of course one should not swear in a blog. Afterall, children might be reading. But sometimes, I don't know. I guess it's like eating chocolate when you know you shoudn't. Sometimes you just *have* to.

Countdown

29 days to go.

Thanks for your messages of support (and warnings!). Sunday is a traditional ebay day so I am feeling a little shaky. Pooch is laughing like the moose he is and wants me to come and 'help' him carry a new computer house thing as he accidentally threw away a vital bit of the old one. Hesays it will help distract me.

It's not like I haven't got enough yarn to keep me more than happy for the month. Especially after yesterday. As Kate says, in with love - out with hate. Will just continue my deep breathing.

SP5, Silkwood, Fame and a Promise

My day started pretty well - had a postcard waiting for me from my secret pal. Hello whoever you are! Will keep an eye on my pal's blog to see how my parcel goes down.

Then the debauchary started. I went to The Yarn House in Caterham www.theyarnhouse.co.uk where Silkwood yarns (the ones Nickerjac dyes for) were having a kind of open day. Sheila, the yarn house owner was there and Jan had made a avictoria sponger and there were biscuits - already my idea of heaven without the inclusion of a tonne of yarn. Debbie Bliss, Rowan and some unusual brands. One was alpaca - so soft. But enough about the stuff I didn't get. Let's get down to what I did. First off some nice sock yarn. Safe. Nice. Something for when I'm on the move. (Pooch is now complaining that although I am quoting star wars I am only ever saying the one line - "Always on the move". You can not please some people.

Then we come to my first Silkwood purchase....4-ply blue and green 100% wool. I only bought one skein but that was just to see how much I'd need for a simple jumper. Although that doesn't fit too well with my promise, but more of that later.

Then, I just couldn't help myself. They had all this 100% angora and it was about £20 a skein so way out of budget. But....goddamn them, there were some smaller teeny skeins that were *only* ...um...."only"?.....£7.
Now look, for someone who has never felt angora I can understand that this will sound insane. But but but but it is soooooooooo soft. Unbelievably soft. So soft. Softness in earthly form. Mmmmmm. (Just don't ask me what I intend to do with it.

And now, ladies, gentlemen and everyone else, here it is. 300g of delicious, sensational, hand dyed, 'aubergine' pure wool boucle. Yeah baby yeah.

So now I have more yarn, but we'll get to that later. First let us deal with 'fame'. Of a sort. Not really, more like just been deductively recognised. I got to the shop and went inside and a lady asked if I was Alexandra. I was gobsmacked but she was on the UKHandknitters list and had heard I was coming and was someone she didn't know. The later a couple of people asked if I were Lixie - one after seeing my boogle bag or whatever the damn pattern is called. So there you are - the knitting world is smaller than you think, although actually I never thought it was that big. In a reverse of this I hung around especially to meet Nicky of Nickerjac fame. But then I didn't get to say that much too her as that is one popular lady. Is quite cool to think I might have one of the skeins she has dyed though.

And so finally, the promise. You see I have had to cancel my woolfest trip and genoa holiday because I can'r afford them all, and so Silkwood was my 'holiday'. And then during my enforced stay-up-late night last night I got a 1000kg cone of aran weight wool from a scottish company on ebay. And so...my promise is...30 days without buying wool or yarn or anything that I could foolishly try to knit with. Ditto knitting accessories. 30 full days. So until 9pm on 10th July no new yarn shall pass my mitts.

Forced knitting

Flat downstairs having a party. Means their loud, awful music is louder and awfuller than usual. Will therefore finish this tonight. Will sew up when am more awake.

Oooo, moody post today!

SO tired

Got up at 6.30 yesterday to get on a coach with a load of reluctant colleagues to go to Bristol to our sister company. I didn't join them on the tour but had a quick meeting with the cutest man ever (His name is Nick and he has grown his hair recently and lost some weight and now looks Byronic. He's a graphic designer and that whole art/scinece mix always gets my attention. Pooch has been informed of his existence and he is now my Liz Hurley equivalent). Then off to Cardiff for the launch of their grad school and then nasty dinner in New Orleans diner (what did I expect!). Then train back to London which was hugely delayed so didn't get home til 11pm. And then Pooch was all talkative. Then rushed out this morning and found all sorts of things not done for the event I've got on in 3/4 hour. Then tried a new sandwich filling for lunch and it was nasty. Oh dear, what a poor little thing I am determined to be today!

On the upside managed to get lods of knitting donw on the trains yesterday. Doing a sari silk batwing cardi/bolero on 9mm needles and the colours are gorgeous. Will post a photo once I've calmed down!

Sending my secret pal her first little parcel tomorrow. I really hope she likes the things.

There's knitting and then there's Machine Knitting

Oooooooo yes. It happened yesterday. The machine arrived from Ruth yesterday - so nice of her to bring it round. It is a brother kh891 and has a ribber with it. I set it up this morning and look what I got! Within about 20 minuites of opening the box!

The main problem is that it didn't come with a manual so I am using a scanned one from the web, and the picture quality on the scans is poo. So I couldn't work out the wholoe casting on thing and so I think I should have moved the cast on hook strip thing away after the first cast on row maybe. Instead it just sat there and hings got a bit ruffled:



I'm hoping there are some lovely machine knitter out there who can clue me in on what I am doing wrong. I have a couple of books on order from amazon an some punchcards from ebay but you know I'm just so impatient! Is so exciting! Will be able to do all the small guage stuff on machine and the bigger 5mm + by hand which I much prefer. Lovely jumpers and skirts here I come! Woo hoo

Kool Aid - how to

Ok, so you get your kool aid (I get mine from www.koolaiduk.com but there are other suppliers) and carefully rip the packet open. DO NOT INHALE THE POWDER.

Get some tupperware or something like that and mix the powder with about half a cup of water. For my yarn used about half the packet but could have used less - depends how much you want to dye.

Put your yarn into a skein and secure it in a couple of places so it doesn't tangle. You can only use animal fibres - cotton won't work.

If you are going for variegated then put a different colour in two different bowls with the water and plonk the skein in on top with half in one bowl and half in the other. Add some more water until the yarn is just covered. Squash it about a bit to let the dye penetrate. Then just walk off and leave it for an hour and open all the windows because by now your house will smell like strawberry shortcake's pants.

Make sure all the yarn has been covered and then lift it out of the tupperware and squeeze the excess liquid out of each colour. Get a piece of clingfil and lay the yarn on that. Remember not to agitate it too much if you're using wool as it might felt. Wrap the yarn loosely in the clingfilm.

Set up a steamer on the stove top and lay the clingfilm wrapped yarn in there. Put a lid on it and go away for another 30 minutes. Take the wrapped yarn out of the steamer and leave it to cool down completely. Carefully unwrap and carefully rinse any excess kool aid out using a sink of water. Leave to drip dry and when it is (dry) knit with it!

I have yet to discover how colourfast it is!

Kool Aid

My first ever experience dying yarn. So how was it for me? The smell - not really expected. Because of course I used kool aid which americans actually drink ?! and the rest of the world uses as a dye. Today I used strawberry, grape and something or other cherry and dyed some merino dk and some slubbed cotton. Exhibit A is the wool, which has turned out quite well.


Exhibit B is the cotton.
Note to self: do not try and dye yarn without putting it into skeins first. Plus try harder when cleaning taps.

Pooch just rang (inebriated I am sorry to say - I shall tell his mother) and tried to get me to order him some kebabs to be delivered so hey would be here when he got home and therefore save vast amounts of time he would have had to spend getting them for himself. What is it with men and kebabs when they've been on a bender? I declined the opportunity but this does mean he'll be back any minute so must clear all that dye out of the kitchen before he tries to drink it.

But first - most importantly - I have my secret pal (in Portugal) and the person who has me as a pal has been in touch and I think is in germany. I can't wait to start sending little parcels out and finding other ones waiting for me over the next few months. Knitters are wonderful people!

Progress

Am not too sure about the yellow. Don't think I'll use it again. So there it is and I just get on with it for another 30 cm or so. I quite like fairisle - it is stocking stitch which is my favourite and keeps things changing by using three colours on each row and changing the colours every three rows.

In others news am SOOOO annoyed. Two parcels have arrived and I just know they are wool-based (wooldar) and the concierge man wasn't manning his station so I couldn't pick them up. I neeeeeed those parcels.

Was reading my 'yarn to dye for' or something like that book at lunch. Can't wait til the weekend to try it out. Am also trying another Monica Ferris book (craft mysteries) that arrived from amazon at the same time. Actually I ordered three and they all came - don't tell Pooch!

From nickerjac's blog

You are Shetland Wool.
You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a
little on the harsh side. Though you look
delicate you are tough as nails and prone to
intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are
widely respected and even revered.


What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Hmm. Pooch just did the test too and is also shetland wool. Not sure how to take that!

Secret pal - tension rises

Wow oh wow. I see a few others have their secret pal already. I'm just so keen to get going. I love giving presents as much as getting them. Must remain calm!

So here's what I'm going to do

After my big old quandry yesterday about what to knit next all is resolved./ Someone on the list (think it was Diane) suggested I knit squares for a blanket. Think I'd blogged about this idea before so I got out my stitch dictionary and did two in a random ball of variegated cotton I had hanging around. Then I thought about the Kaffe Fasset design
and my little, umph, disaster as regards the whole dk vs 4-ply thing and decided to nuckle down to some sample squares to see how I could get the right tension. 4-ply and 4mm needles seems to do it so I'm off.
means having three colours per row but fortunately the beginning was the bottom edge rib so I've done that just to get warmed up.
Will start the pattern proper tomorrow.

Have been reading people's blogs from list on left and leaving comments and questions and people have got back to me really quickly. Have found out lo0ts of interesting things form other knitting bloggers. Thanks everyone!

blocked cable top

So here it is, all blocked and just drying in the stonking heat here in london today. Actually, it isn't too bad at the moment, but it's set to make the tarmac melt or something equally daft later on.



Front and back.



Have some concerns that the waist will be too tight. No point worrying about it just now though.

Have been thinking I'd really like to get more into designing things, like the loop-d-loop things. I've got two books on how to design knitwear so I really should nuckle down and try some stuff.

Ode to Pooch

I know he keeps an eye on my blog so I thought I'd give him a big thank you for being so very lovely. He actually has gone to quite a lot of trouble to understand what 'cabling' means and why kid silk haze is so special and why wool is only wool if it is 100% wool and otherwise it is yarn. And how much time goes into knitting something. And why you can never have too much yarn and why I need to have so many patterns. And why having no money doesn't count when there is a new LYS to explore and you have a credit card. And why yarn is better when it's on view plus why there needs to be so many different projects on the go at once. He knows how painful it is to rip something and that everything knitted is knitted with love. I love Pooch x

And so here for the first and only time is Pooch in his space invaders jumper that, yes, was way way too big.

Hum, what to knit next?

The red cable top, which I realise I have never posted a picture of, is almost done. I'll just have to post it in all its glory when it if blocked and sewn up.

I've got lots opf yarn and wool. I've got loads of patterns and ideas. So why is choosing a next project so hard????

Options are: Sari silk cardi, fancy yarn pink/gold/silver batwing beach top, basketweave tunic from vogue, kaffe fasset top (but I still don't think I can look at that yet after past disappointments), underwear set from knitty, skinny red clapotis, something chunky using all that maya and umpteen others. But let's stick at these for now. Skinny clapotis is tempting as I really enjoyed knitting the last one, but then I've got yarn on order to do one for Mum for Christmas. But then it's May so no rush.

AAAAARRRGGHHHH. Is Dad's birthday in a week. Damn, always forget. NO real time to knit anything for a man after he turned his nose up at the idea of knitted golf club covers.

Back to previous thinking - clapotis is an option then. They are all options though! Pants. Any suggestions anyone?

Secret Pal Questionnaire Answers

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
I am rather a yarn-snob although for a snob I still buy a fair bit of acrylic. I often buy single balls of yarn "just to try" and they can be made of anything.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
Have a drop spindle. I'd love a wheel but there's no room.
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
Allergic to lavender and biological washing powder. Don't wear perfume.
4. How long have you been knitting?
Since I was about 4. Left off for years and started again in ernest about 3 years ago.
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No, sorry!
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Vanilla definitely. Just stay away from that lavender!
7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
VERY! Good milk or plain chocolate is my downfall.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
I have played around with sewing and embroidery. I'm pretty practical so have tried most things crafty once.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like all sorts. Favourite listens at the moment are Kaiser Chiefs, Snoop Dogg, Katie Melua.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
Reds - I love yellows but can't wear them so avoid yellow yarn like the plague. White looks awful on me. Not too fond of organe or purple. Reds and lighter blues though I love.
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have a boyfriend with a childhood nickname of 'Pooch' which is kind of like having a pet. No actual animals (he's allergic) but I LOVE cats.
12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)
Dude....have my own yarn shop? Seriously, I'd love that. Like the one in the Monica Ferris books!
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Rowan chunky big wool type things at the moment. Anything you can use over 4mm needles on really. Very fond of variegated stuff.
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Scratchy 100% acrylic. Anything that feels like it's not wool basically.
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
Chunky wools. Am really into felting actually. Felted bags are SO strong.
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Tough one - I like variety. I like trying out new techniques so I'm in the middle of a cable top so I co9uold get the hang of cabling.
17. What are you knitting right now?
The cable top. It's from Rowan's current magazine and is mercerised cotton on 3.25mm which is too small for comfort.
18. What do you think about ponchos?
Yuk. Capelets however have a certain something. I have a shop bought cape, but have been considering a capelet.
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Straight, definitely. I can't do ciculars and double pointed are the needles of the devil. I knit socks on two needles always.
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Have got some of each. Not fussed as long as they are nice. Sucker for coloured or painted ones.
21. Are you a sock knitter?
Yep. But on two needles. Like the really bright self-patterning yarns.
22. How did you learn to knit?
Had a 'My First Knitting Kit' plus a whole lot of trial and error.
23. How old is your oldest UFO?
About 18 months. Man, I really need to rip that thing. Trouble was by the time I was near finished (it needs about just 3 rows and then making up) I'd gone off it. Is in Colinette tagliatelli too so not like it's nasty yarn.
24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
Mr Tinkles from the film "Cats and Dogs". I love any evil, sarcastic cat. Catbert from Dilbert is excellent too.
25. What is your favorite holiday?
Morocco sticks in my mind. Was about 4 years ago. Marrakesh souks were wonderful. Didn't see any yarn though!
26. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn! Vintage bracelets from 60's or older.
27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
Interweave Knits and Rowan Magazine. Have tried the UK mags Knitting and Simply Knitting but am not that keen on either.
28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?
I am a sucker for books but the thing is I always buy them straight away when I see them. Have the one for dying your own patterning sock yarn on order at the moment.

Back from blackpool, and boy....

have I got some yarn for you. There is this absolutely amazing yarn store just by St Anne's station where we were staying. It's called "The Sheep Shop" and before I go any further I have to point out that Pooch found it. Yes, he has officially developed wooldar. The owner is Suzy and she has an ebay seller name of suzysheepshop and she id a dude.

So the spoils include some Adriafil which is italian and I'd never seen it before. Have got some "Graphic", "Baroque" in three colours and "Ibiza" which is a cotton ribbon yarn. All very yum. Then have some "gypswy" (very soft), black and white james c brett "Marble" which is what I did my cardigan in. Last a ball of stylecraft "Mardi Gras". And then the amazing happened.....

I admired a jumper hanging from the ceiling and we discussed how wonderful Debbie Bliss Maya is. Then she said the magic words.... "I've only got about 8 skeins of that left now. You can have them for £4.50 each if you want." OH MY GOD. I mean, they're normally £8.50 and these are the best shades of red ever.

The holiday (yarn aside) was blinding. The weather was absolutely ghastly but we had excellent fun. Pooch has been a darling and have a picture of him to post once I've recovered from my shop this morning. And I know I said I was out of cash and have to stop buying yarn in my last post, but now I am REALLY short of cash (god bless credit cards) and so NO MORE YARN!!! (Until Woolfest...)

Off to blackpool

Just seen Kate's blog with the heirloom shawl on it. Wow. Was just hesitating about a kid silk haze scarf in a magazine called 'Knitters' or something like that. Really think it is time to go for something lacy and insubstantial. Will make sure I pack the ball Pooch gave me along with the pattern.

Mum has sent me the vogue baby blankets 2 book as it was damaged when it arrived at her book shop so she got it for free. Or that's what she says. I've been thinking about knitting a blanket for ages and they do have some really nice ones. Was thinking about a kind of afghan done a square at a time and then just randomly stitched together. Guess it would be a way to use all those odd balls of wool I always end up buying 'just to try'.

Spoke to Dr P about the adverse reaction to reducing anti-d's. He said it was 'just' a sign my brain wasn't ready yet. But then had therapy with Louise and she confirmed that it's pretty unusual to have such a strong reaction aftr just cutting a seventh. I mentioned the 's' word and she immediately insisted on seeing more often. All very well but now that medisure have dumped me I have to pay which means less money for wool! Speaking of which I'm totally cleaned out this month. Was that order to getknitted.com. Must call a halt next month...

Post-crisis

Everyone on UKHandKnitters has been really nice and so I am feeling better about my disaster now. Will try knitting it double as Claire suggested. Will be nice and warm! May all the Gods shine on comment leavers too!

I have two pics to show off after Pooch owned up to hiding the camera lead. The first is of my third attempt at drop spindling. The thing is, what do I do with it now? Might have a look at some felting pattern books.

The second is what lovely Pooch bought me for our anniversary, finally posted up here. He is really lovely, even though he expects me to get excited about Star wars but isn't excited about International Knitting in Public Day. (http://worldwidekipday.blogspot.com/)

I am organising a picnic and a visit to Loop (the new Islington shop in London) on 11th June to be the London part of the celebration. Shoudl be dead exciting!

Just fricking shoot me now

Once upon a time I bought a Kaffe Fasset book and marvelled at the patterns and the colour mixes and the skill and and and And so I spent many hours deciding on colours and sent an order off to Texere. Then I didn't like half the colours when they arrived and so I went to John Lewis and spent much more time choosing replacement colours for those I hadn't liked. Then I paused - safe in the knowledge that I had my lovely wool, I had my pattern, I had the needles, I just needed to wait for the moment to take me. And tonight, this very night, just 10 minutes ago, that moment arrived.

I have bought 4-ply instead of DK.

I am in complete turmoil.

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Fricking knitting and fricking wool and fricking colours and gosh darn kaffe fasset may all his colours fade.

OK. This need not be a disaster. I could rework the pattern for the new stitch guage. The extremely complicated pattern....which I probably wouldn't now have enough wool for....remain calm....Aaaaaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhh f*ck

And Pooch has run off to the all day star wars thing with my camera lead. And there's no chocolate in the house. And have PMT......

knithappens.net

Just spent way too much on this website. Noro for me and Mum, debbie Bliss Soho (in picture) which I hadn't seen before to make another felted bag out of and some 4mm bamboo needles plus cornelia smelia's first noro pattern book. I know I managed not to buy it at Johnh Lewsi but it was cheaper on this site amd I had 10% off. I know that's no excuse but, hell.

Noro

I have a new love affair - with Noro. I was in John Lewis last night positively drooling over their meagre selection and the patterns books that go with it. I quite astonichingly DIDN'T buy anything I hadn't gone there for (needed yarn to start kaffe fasset project) so didn't get the three pattern books I wanted. The thing is, I only really want about 2 patterns from each. And the yarn is soooooooo nice. And they've got it with the debbie bliss maya which is also mega yum. I actually started to convince myself that, hey, £8.50 isn't so much for 100g of chunky yarn when you think of the quality.

Am off to ebay to see if anyone insane is selling it off cheap. If anyone knows of any good suppliers let me know.

Monday bloody monday

Have had a minging day. The whole cutting down on medication thing has been a bit of a poo and today I had to leave work early because I couldn't take all the extra emotion I was swimming in. So am going to go back up to 40mg and just tell Dr P that I'll try again in three months.

So back to knitting...at the weekend I started the first pair of socks I've knitted myself since taking my part in the two-needle revolution. Am half way through the second one now (the one I've knitted is the one on the right foot in case anyone is in any doubt). It's regia yarn in a colourway I hadn't seen before from Liberty. I realllllllllly like the colours and have a jumper pattern from a french magazine with kind of ribby ruffles on cuffs and collar. Is on 3.25mm though and I get easily bored at that size.

My business ambitions continue... am trying to raise money by selling stitch markers on ebay. Check out http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8190680815&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1