More Socks

I finished these "Regia - Colour" socks today. This is the first pair, for myself, where I have bothered to sew them up with Kitchener stitch. (I usually just thread the yarn through the final stitches and pull them tight.

This may be heresy so I will whisper it: I can't tell the difference.



These were finished off whilst visiting my SIL. My nephew, who is three, wandered over while I was knitting and asked what I was doing. When I told him, he nodded and asked: "Auntie Fi - please may I have some socks?"

He has just become my favourite nephew.

Warm Hands and Cosy Toes

Sometimes stash is a Bad Thing. (Did I hear someone shout 'blasphemy'?). There is a very good reason for saying this. At Ally Pally in 2008, I bought some beautiful "Sirdar - Escape" with which to knit a cardigan. Nearly two years later, the yarn is still gorgeous, I still love the colour and it is just as satisfying to knit with as I intended. It's just that I'm not as keen on the pattern as I once was. In fact, I don't like the idea of making a cardigan or a jumper out of it at all - I just can't see myself wearing a top in this colour or this texture.

This is the problem with my SEX. I find a yarn I love and I need to buy a pattern to use it with. If I buy ten balls and assume I will find a pattern, I inevitably find a pattern that requires twelve balls.

The other issue is that on these trips to Ally Pally, I buy so much that it takes me years to get around to knitting it up, which means that my tastes have changed and on occasion I have found myself looking at the yarn (always lovely) and the pattern to accompany it, thinking: "You thought that would be a good idea?" Yes, I should just find an alternative jumper pattern but I am fickle and find that once I've gone off the original idea, a substitute suggestion just won't do. This is why I now have a beautiful "Touch Yarns" scarf rather than a lovely "Touch Yarns" cardigan. Why can't I just read pattern books and think: "Oh, I could use the yarn at the back of the wool cupboard for that?" Well, I do, but then I forget about it by the time I pull out the yarn and it becomes a scarf.

Or, as in the case of a ball and a half of "Sirdar -Escape", a rather nice pair of gloves (from the "Freedom Spirit" pattern book) for my friend Liz - she loves purple.



And here are the socks for the BF... once I got him to stop vogueing. Poseur.

The Fcuk Up Fairy Pays Another Visit

Having bought new needles, I later discovered some heavier duty needles already residing in the sewing box (see below) which I thought would be ideal for sewing the remaining cushions. It would appear that I was very wrong (see below). Not only have I managed to snap all three needles, but I broke them spectacularly - they pinged over my shoulder mid-stitch.

"Rasputin! I am very cross".



In other yarn and needle related matters, Bandit decided to help me sort out some DK acrylic.



And the Odd-Ball Orphan Box overflow has been delayed. Janet is making a gorgeous domino-knit bedspread from sock yarn, so I am donating this lot.



I was never going to get around to knitting it up. This lot will soon be joined by whatever's left of this ball of "Rico" from the BF's new socks.

...And a Cape for Me!

I popped into "Hobbycraft" to buy sewing needles, but while I was there I remembered a few other things I needed: pins, glue. Then I thought that I might as well have a look at the yarn stock, which has really improved of late. I think I've been quite restrained.



(Then I went into Tesco for a tin of coconut milk and came out with three shirts and an Easter Egg).

Anyway, having bought the needles I was able to finish two cushions...



...And make a start on the next two. This involved more ironing. Have I mentioned how much I detest ironing?



I was thinking about using the reverse side for contrasting piping to complement the other cushions, which I think would look very effective.



However, the material is too loose and would be far too great a temptation for the furry critters (that have just learned a new trick. They're a pair of housebreakers. We found them trapped in the spare room this morning).

Bum Nuts!

I decided to make some cushions today. I have some lovely material, so I measured it out...



Then I cut four squares, to make two cushions...



I thought the reverse side of the material would make great piping...



...And the cat decided to help. (Thanks, Smokey).



Here's the piping laid out ready to be sewn to the cushion.



The cat decided that, after all of his hard work, he deserved a rest.



Meanwhile, his sister was overseeing the work...



... When one needle bent and shortly afterwards, my last needle snapped...



Bollocks.

...Just as I was in the middle of sewing in the zip.

Ta-dah!

So, here he is... a knitted Lego man.



This is knittedfrom the pattern by Amber Allison "Some Assembly Required" (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/some-assembly-required). He looks a little lumpy and bumpy which is a result of my construction rather than the pattern.

It's a very intricate pattern and requires most of the knitting techniques I know so it was like a revision piece - testing me on skills previously learned. :-) The BF commented (as he watched) that he was impressed by just how much knitting was involved... as opposed to stitching individual boxes together. I know what he means. It was a really fun knit.

As for the actual instructions.... They were great. Amber has included lots of step-by-step directions - explaining what you're doing before plunging you into the knitting instructions, so you have a picture in mind of how the different parts are going to take shape. She also includes a lot of photos to supplement the pattern so if the written direction isn't too clear, the pictures help to show what you should be doing.

"Some Assembly Required" was an absolute pleasure to knit.

More Mystery Components

Can you guess what it is yet?



It's a fiddly knit with only one sizeable part.



And the red parts seem to link with the blue bits.



The attention to detail in the pattern is incredible.