Aarrrr - me black pearls, well one of 'em

Here's half a black pearl. I really like the way the Charcoal colourway knits up. (Opal Smoke). My friend specified black&white or black&grey or black&grey&white. I think I have met her requirements.

She's a Newcastle supporter hence the colour choice, though at the moment, she's a very depressed Newcastle supporter.

Since this pic was taken, I have finished one sock and am half way along the foot of the other. Not long to go now.

Next year, the Christmas knitting will start in June. Should I add that to my resolutions for 2007?

And here's the scarf

Here's some pix of the scarf I posted about yesterday. I'm really pleased with it. The Twiley's Freedom Spirit is a pleasure to knit with and this particular colourway (Fire) is so effective. I was almost reluctant to hand it over yesterday!

There's a close-up underneath this picture in an attempt to give an idea of the texture. It's such a soft scarf.


As a result of this, I haven't finished the socks for my friend. I've got tomorrow to do those - just finishing the foot on the second one. However, as I have to sew up "Leo" today, my niece will not be getting "Puss in Boots" for Christmas after all.

Unexpected Christmas Presents

I arrived at work last week to find a present from my colleague who I share an office with. So, I felt that I should give her a gift in return as she is a lovely lady and great fun to work with.

Thanks to a spare ball of Twilley's Freedom Spirit (Fire) I rattled off a short scarf in garter stitch, alternating between 4mm and 9mm needles (five rows on each). It's given a really nice effect and making the scarf 30 stitches wide has allowed the yarn to self-stripe really effectively.

Pix will be posted tomorrow.

However, as a result of this scarf, I haven't finished the socks for my friend and "Puss in Boots" is going to have to wait for another occasion. I just can't be bothered to race against time for Christmas.

Bah humbug!!! :-)

Argh!! BF rumbled the secret jumper!

The BF never opens my work bag. Which is why, for the last few weeks, I have been hiding "Leo" in there for some stealth knitting on the bus.

The other night he went to put a jar of hot chocolate in there for me to take to work. (Which is really, really thoughtful). Apparently my face was a picture of absolute horror. He said that he didn't see anything - some needles and he couldn't make out the wool because it was dim in the hallway.

But now he knows, kind of - he certainly knows I'm "up to something" as he put it.

I just can't believe that I have been working on this since August and less than two weeks from Christmas, he rumbles it.

Damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!!!

Look what my Mam made for me!

My Mam gave this to me yesterday. She had actually made it for herself but didn't like it when it was finished.

I was so impressed with it as she was making it, I said I would like it.

It's a zippered cardi (Sirdar pattern) made in double knit and trimmed with Sirdar New Fizz. The jacket is actually a much deeper red than it looks on this picture. I love it. It's so toasty warm.

Books

These are two books I bought before my pre-Christmas resolution not to buy more yarn. Besides, these may help me reduce some of my stash so that's alright then.

I bought this because I think I need to expand my stitch repertoire beyond 'rib', 'garter' and 'stocking stitch'...but the real cruncher that made me buy it was...

...the Penguin patchwork!! It's not that I have a thing about penguins (though I love natural history programmes about 'em) but I just thought this was fabulous. I have a baby blanket pattern in mind.

And whilst surfing t'Interweb one day I found this...

It's from a Norwegian wool manufacturer and is chock-full of gorgeous knitting patterns for littl'uns. There are lots of intricate patterns (like the one on the front cover) in traditional Norwegian style and some simpler looking ones like this...

Having read some of the more intricate patterns, I think I need a lot of practice before I give this a bash! :-)

This book is now out of print and I just couldn't get a copy in the UK so I ordered a copy from www.fibertrends.com in the US. The service was very fast and a pristine copy arrived one week after ordering.

Shopping Goodness

Here's some fab Colinette Jitterbug I bought in my favourite wool shop in Stockport. ("Wool" in the Market Place - It's a very friendly shop and a knitter's paradise. So much yarn to choose from).

I'm making a pre-Christmas resolution. No more yarn buying until I do some serious stash reduction. It needs to be done! I may post a pic of the current situation.

It's hidden in different spots around the house so the BF isn't quite aware of just how much wool I have!

Gone "Solo"

I have finished "Solo" (Rowan "Babies"). And my fingers are very relieved. They felt as if they had been 'sandpapered' by the denim yarn.

I am reasonably pleased with the finished product but I won't be doing that again, at least not for a while! :-)

And I've also finished this penguin (Jean Greenhowe's "Bazaar Knits", I think) which will be joined by "Puss in Boots" hopefully in time for Christmas!

Apologies for the horizontal pic - I need to learn how to rotate!

Boy in the Railway Station

I was sitting in a railway station last night, waiting for my connection (on my way home from work), knitting 'Leo'. A young boy - about 12 years old - wandered over and watched for a few minutes. I don't mind 'cos I'm quite used to the odd looks that people give me.

"Are you knitting a jumper?" he said.
"Yes."

A lady sitting nearby asked him if he had never seen anyone knitting before.

"No, " he said. "How do you get all those patterns to stay in?"

'Leo' is basically just a wide rib pattern.

So I explained that it was just based on two stitches and he asked me to show him. I just thought that was really sweet.

I doubt if he's a new convert to knitting but he was very interested.

An update on some of the WIPs

Well, this is "Deep" or is it "Wave" from Rowan 40. This, I am ashamed to say, is the state it has been in since August. (I hang my head in shame). I didn't mean to abandon it but there are other things to be done for Christmas...



namely, "Leo" (www.knitty.com) which is a jumper for the BF. I'm knitting it in secret and I am quietly confident that it may be finished for Christmas. The back and one sleeve are done. I'm a third of the way up the front and the second sleeve is nearly finished.

This picture was taken in August, just before I realised I was knitting in centimetres rather than the inches required by the pattern!!!



It may have fit a very chubby munchkin in that form but while the BF is short, he ain't THAT short!!

The Christmas Stash So Far

Here are a few christmas presents that I've finished for family and friends...

Bolero for my niece, from Debbie Bliss Cathay. I've knitted it in DB Cotton Cashmere which is beautifully soft. As I am not a fan of sewing up the finished pieces, this was great. The body was knitted as one piece (yippee!) and while the trim had to be knitted seperately, it was nowhere near as painful as I thought it would be.



Jumper for nephew, from Rowan Babies. This may or may not be the pattern called "Rupert", or was that the scarf? It's made from Rowan Wool Cotton which is beautifully soft. (Unlike the damnable Rowan Denim which I'm currently sandpapering my fingers with for "Solo").





Socks for Mam. These are all made from an Opal free pattern. The yellow pair are Opal - can't remember the name. The pink ones are also Opal - Rainforest Flamingo and the blue ones are Regia 4ply in Atlantic.

I love socks... minimal sewing up!

Well, this blogging lark is all quite new to me, so if anyone is reading this... please bear with me while I find my IT feet.

This could take some time. :-)