FO Friday

It counts if they have been finished for a while but I just haven't got round to photographing them, right?!

My Pebble Beach Shawl (by Helen Stewart/Curious Handmade) was complete ages ago, however, I have yet to find anywhere in this garden to use for photographs so it's sadly been sat here, loved but undocumented!  That and the fact that the Merino/Silk 50/50 blend I dyed in HOT HOT pink is a complete arse to photograph!

This is the medium size and took 488m of fingering weight yarn.  It's such a simple yet stunning shawl which really works well to showcase beautiful skeins of yarn!

I also FINALLY completed my Avalanche Sweater!!  I rather aptly renamed this the Friday Sweater as it became my "knit whilst talking/drinking/socialising" project and was generally only worked on on a Friday.  After completing the body with an icord finish I was really worried that the rolling would reduce the length too much as I had adapted the pattern to an a-line body with a straight hem that hit at the belly button/hip.  Thankfully blocking has eliminated the severe roll it was exhibiting and I have to say I LOVE IT!!  Even in my current fatter size it still fits perfectly and the knitted fabric feels divine - I could do with an entire wardrobe of these!  No action shots as yet (although I already have the most perfect full circle black skirt to wear with it) so these very poor hanger shots in the garden will have to do - I think I need pretty wooden hangers if I'm going to make any more garments...or a dress form!

Hmm, what else have I been up to?  Very little yarn buying as I am still on my Pre-Yarndale Yarn Diet.  I did succumb to buying a gorgeous skein of Hedgehog Fibres Sock in Jelly from a Ravelry Destash last week but otherwise I have been very good on the yarn buying front!

At the beginning of the month I finally got my nose pierced - something I've wanted to have done since I was 17!  I was always very much restricted by work though and whilst I have had numerous other piercings and tattoos, I haven't had anything done since I was 21.  I have to say I was more nervous of being completely out of place, getting a piercing at my age than anything else and it was, as my other piercings all have been, a piece of cake (now what else can I get done?!)

Back to the knitting front, having cast off my Avalanche, I started on my Semele Shawl which is also for wearing at Yarndale.  I've made a Semele previously as a 60th birthday present for my mother-in-law, so knew how stunning the pattern was.  I've gone for Wollmeise Pure in Wasabi which should contrast nicely with the colour of the Avalanche - and I also oddly, have no other green shawls!  I've completed two repeats of the leaf increase chart so far and will be aiming for 4-5 increase repeats I think before the centre repeat and then an equal number of decrease repeats. I did three repeats last time and used around 80g of a 400m skein of sock yarn so have significantly more yardage to play with this time.

I was also hit with a spot of castonitis and in need of a simple project for Friday's again - so cast on my Westknits Doodler in a combination of stunning neons and black skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light (Fluro Rose, Edison Bulb and a skein of Twig I overdyed black) Excuse the rather washed out phone photo!

Right - I think that's me up to date!  I'm off to do a bit more knitting whilst avoiding the fact I need to drag a super king size mattress down two flights of stairs - our new mattress was delivered this morning and I'm looking forward to a much better nights sleep - from exhaustion if nothing else!

Still Sweater - ing*

*in that I am still knitting a sweater - not to be confused with sweating!

I can't believe it's been so long since I blogged - time really does just disappear, generally in this house at the moment in a haze of snot and rain!  It really does feel like we're all passing around one cold after another this year and I spent a vast amount of last week with a rather miserable sinusitis/chest infection combination that I'm still suffering the after effects of.  If only mucus production counted as weight loss!

Whilst binge watching iZombie on Netflix, I have slowly but steadily been working on the very mindless knitting that is my Avalanche sweater.  With Yarndale creeping closer, I'm determined to both finish this and a new shawl especially for the occasion.

After deciding to opt for a hip length straight hem, I worked the body until I had completed 9 increases (increasing every 15 rows from the initial point indicated in the pattern)

I finished the body with an i-cord bind off.  However, I am slightly concerned that there is a significant rolling of the hem which is really reducing the length - so I may well add to the length if, after a wash and a block, I feel it's too short (this is despite constant trying on whilst working on the body)  That said, I am currently a tad (lot!) heavier than I was when I started knitting this so am hoping that losing some of my "no longer breastfeeding" weight gain will also help!

I've also completed the neck, which comprises picking up a gazillion stitches from around the neck and added 1 x 1 rib.  I'm now working on the sleeves - which I'm aiming for just below elbow length as I scrunch all my sleeve up to there anyway!  There was a grand total of 110g (so just over 575m) left of my 324g skein of Wollmeise Lace Garn so I'm really impressed that I can get an entire sweater in my size from one skein.

Fingers crossed I shall be finished soon and then I can continue to work on my Aisling border and decided what to knit as my Yarndale shawl!!  I was originally thinking a Semele in Wollmeise Pure in Wasabi but am very likely to change me mind!!

Craft Corner Revamp

Who knew getting a desk delivered could be such a palaver!  After several courier issues and returned parcels, I finally received my desk this week.  It was a welcome distraction from having a stinking cold for my birthday (and having to wait in for a courier who didn't turn up all day!)

It didn't take me long to assemble and rearrange my corner :)

Let's ignore how dusty my wheel is!  The drawers are perfect for housing all my interchangeable needle cases on one side and the other side is pencil cases and stationary.  My laptop fits perfectly in the middle, leaving me a clear desk top for knitting, journalling or other crafting.  I'm hoping it'll be useful for photographs too.

The basket's underneath house my Wollmeise stash and new-to-the-stash yarns (all my stash is rather unattractively housed in individual grip seal bags but at least that way they are safe from cats and moths!) as well as my meagre fibre stash, spindles and niddy noddies.

My currently in use handmade fauxdori's and Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter  have a bit of pride of place - plus I'm hoping that having such easy access to them will encourage me to get back to using them much more.  My pen pot does not match at all lol but houses my most regularly used pens - mainly Stabilo Point 88's.  My fountain pens are stashed away in the drawers and my Staedlter stash and Faber Castell pencil stash have their own drawer in my Expedit - the rest of which houses rather excessive amounts of yarn that is really needs more room or to be destashed!

Apparently I should point out that this is just my knitting, spinning and drawing/journalling stash.  My sewing stash including my machine and overlocker, all my cross stitch and rather large stamping and paper crafting (all sadly now very neglected) stash are on shelving in the garage - taking up supposed precious space in the garage hehe!

So, hopefully I can grab a few more productive hours now I have a much more usable space!  The rest of this week has been far from productive though - apart from waiting in for what feels like endless couriers and having yet another cold to match the miserable weather - I have managed to reseal the bath (again, another palaver with the first lot of silicone sealant being off and unusable - which I found out in Sunday afternoon once all the shops were shut!) and do a lot of therapeutic baking!

I got a lovely gift from Carla for my birthday - special chocolate that was kept hidden from the children and some amazing Lime Rainbow yarn from Mothy and the Squid.

Knitting wise I'm still working on my Aisling Shawl border as well as my Avalance sweater (for mindless knitting - unlike the Aisling which is a mixture of cables and lace that I cannot memorise!)   I'm hoping to finish the Aisling in the next couple of weeks if I can plan in more knitting - no excuses now I have my own space but sadly it hasn't given me oodles more time!

Pink Pebbles

Urgh it's been an insanely long time since I blogged - more on that later though!

I actually managed to finish a WIP at the weekend.  It really does feel like forever since I managed to finish anything other than gloves and hats.  That was even more apparent when I came to take photos today and realised I have yet to find anywhere in this garden I can take nice shots!  We don't get much light in this little city garden and the space has been landscaped which doesn't leave me much scope for finding areas to artistically (well, in my head!) drape knitwear.

So for now, here's a picture of my Pebble Beach Shawl (by Helen Stewart) which shows absolutely none of it's feminine lacy glory.  The yarn is a Merino/Silk sock weight with gorgeous drape and shine which I hand dyed in a hot, hot fuchsia.  I knitted the medium size (with no modifications) which took 132g of yarn (approx 528m)  The pattern comes with easy to follow written instructions and shows percentages as you work your way through so incredibly easy to keep track of yarn amounts.

In more exciting news - it's draped over my new chair!  I have been lamenting for months to the poor husbeast that I really miss my desk.  Pre-Oliver I spent a huge percentage of my day at my desk - both to work on the shop, pack orders, forum modding etc but also to knit.  Since closing the shop I switched to a laptop which I use perched on the arm of the sofa for everything.  If I want to do prolonged editing, writing or journalling in this house, I end up ferrying everything into the kitchen to the dining table and removing children and their belongings (they have their own large desk but that's full of their consoles and PC's!) Not ideal and not really conducive to encouraging me to blog as it's such a hassle! 

After some consideration and a huge amount of day dreaming we came up with a plan as a joint present for my birthday next week and a VERY early Christmas present.  (This I think is quite guilt loaded on DH's part as he has the garage  as his workshop - I dream of a craft room where I can have everything out and usable instead of stashed on various floors of the house!)

This is my current corner of the living room - the expedit houses most of my yarn stash (plus there are three baskets full too)  The top of which is where my needles/knitting books/pen/journal stash are stored.  My loom is currently dismantled from Christmas as it was replaced by the tree!

The plan is to relocate the Ikea Poang which has become the cat chair and is constantly dirty/covered in hair and/or cats.  It's also no good to sit at to spin without tipping forward and landing on your face!  My wheel will move next to the Expedit and then this completely gorgeous desk will be landing next week.

I adore the vintage look and my laptop will be easily stashed in the cubby hole leaving room for knitting and journalling.  My over flow yarn baskets can be stashed underneath and the drawers can be filled with random notions and my needle cases.  My new chair arrived yesterday and as you can see above is an Olive/Lime Green Charles Eames DAW replica - not upholstered so no risk of the cats/children ruining it (I had originally been lusting after the Ikea Wing Chair), more than roomy enough for my ample bottom and ideal for both using at the desk and spinning.  I'm already debating making a hot pink wool felt seat pad/cushion! 

I'm immensely excited by the whole thing and am already planning on new blog post ideas (I used to love book related posts as it's my other huge hobby) so watch this space for an increase in waffle!