Rushing up to Christmas

Hi, I know some of you are celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend( Happy Thanksgiving) but I've only got three weeks until my Christmas holidays and I have done NO Christmas shopping. Think it might be very basic this year. I have had hints from the teenage daughter who wants either a new iPod or a new digital camera! I'm trying to think of something more imaginative and creative and it can't be knitted because knitted things except scarves and gloves are not cool enough. What fun! Any suggestions?

Have been working on finishing this.


This is the second half of Clementine from Interweave Knits Spring 2007. I have to get it finished by tomorrow for a friend's birthday so I'll have to get off here soon. Only managed to get some sock knitting time at a meeting the other night. Working on the next exhibition for my quilt guild. We have a biennial exhibition which as some of you will know takes quite a bit of work to organise. Good way to get to know members better though.

Have to take the teenage son to his NCEA level 2 exam shortly. He's quite happy with another Playstation game or a book for a Christmas gift.

I'll catch up again soon. Cheers

A fine weekend

Hi, thought I would show off what I achieved during the UFO Weekend. Finished piecing a large log-cabin quilt with flying geese sort of. Here's another photo. Quilting next!

I also finished piecing this quilt which I made from left-overs from another quilt - overestimated how many blocks I would need. Surrounded by fellow UFOers.
It was a great weekend. Sharing everyone's stories and quilts and also not having to do a spot of housework or cooking.

Cheers

Stuck on socks

Hi there, well I'm stuck on socks and loving it but all my other projects are suffering. Am off for a UFO weekend this weekend. Yes, it is for finished unfinished projects and starting new ones. The best thing is, no housework and no cooking for two whole days. Yayyyy! I'm planning to finish piecing a very large log cabin quilt I have been making for a friend and hopefully layer it ready for quilting. Picture next time.

Have finished a couple of pairs of socks one pair for DH in size 12! See above. Took forever so hope he wears them. Yarn details etc are in my previous blog.


Also finished a pair of baby socks. Such fun to knit. Did them on one 2.00 mm circular and before the baby was born. In Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Child's Play left over from my Jaywalkers. The pattern is Better than Bootees socks that are free on Knitting Daily. You can see my Jaywalkers and other projects on Ravelry, I'm Diantee. Have also started another pair of socks using a free Wendy Knits' pattern, Southwestern Socks which I downloaded from The Loopy Ewe. It's an easy pattern, toe up and great when you don't know how far the yarn will go. Yarn is Cider Moon Glacier in Victoria (purple). It's a "sport" weight - seems like an NZ DK. I'm using two 2.75 mm circulars. Have finished one and about halfway up the foot with the other. Knits up pretty quickly.
I notice that the preview for the next Interweave Knits magazine is up. Some lovely pullovers (jerseys, jumpers or sweaters) and a nice assortment of other patterns. This magazine is just so good. I don't subscribe but Magnetix in Lambton Quay, Wellington has it about a week after it is released in the US.

Well, got to go, have to make sure there is plenty of food in the house for the troops.

Cheers

Southern Summer of Socks

Hi, a short one this time. I wanted to say I have joined the Southern Summer of Socks KAL so I will get some of my largish stash of sock yarn knitted up. Some of it I'm saving for the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts which is gorgeous. I'll have to pick the yarn for that first.

We're supposed to set some goals for this KAL and these are mine:

1. Knit a pair of socks from every type of yarn I have.
2. Practise toe up socks at least twice.
3.Knit a pair of socks for every member of my family and some of my friends.
4. Try a new technique - maybe fair isle socks.

Here's my first pair which I cast on on Monday. I'm just decreasing the gusset after turning the heel and I think I am going to run out of wool because they are for DH who has very large feet. Here's where I am now. The wool is Sheldridge Farm Soft Touch Sock from the Simply Socks Yarn Company

I'm hoping to make a pair of baby socks next. There's an imminent arrival for one of my workmates!

I'm making progress with my cozy v-necked pullover from Fitted Knits. Have finished the body and started on a sleeve. Will have to rip it a bit as I don't like the ribbing starting so soon. I think it would be better below my elbow.

Cheers

Finished Objects

I finished the lacy cardigan from the Cleckheaton Vintage Hues pattern book. I love it and its quite warm and cozy. It took 8 skeins of Cleckheaton Vintage Hues which I got half price at Spotlight. Love this colour combination but have not yet found the right pin for the cardigan. I knitted the pattern as written and it went very fast on 6 mm needles and the bulky wool. The size is 12-14.

I also finished my sidewinder socks. I found these really fun to knit and the hand-painted yarn looks so good knitted sideways. The yarn was the Celebration colourway from the Spunky Yarn Club in Tough Sock. I knitted the largest size and the socks are too big but they can stay that way. Probably shrink a bit anyway.

I have also finished these recently. They are made from Patons Patonyle in colourway 4309 which is very pretty. I used the On-Your_Toes sock pattern from Interweave Knits Summer 2007. I found the Turkish cast on with the pattern used left a bit of a hole in the toe which I had to darn up later. Probably my inexperience with the cast on.

I also went to a really great class last weekend. It was a experimental knitting class with Prudence Mapstone. I've been aware of her work for some time but was thrilled when Nancy's, one of our local embroidery and quilt shops offered a class. I found it was a lot of fun and came away with a couple of small pieces from a day's work. Think it would take a while to make something larger but I thought I might incorporate these into one of my quilts.

Sunny day with wind

Good Morning. Running a bit late this week. I finished my Juno and sewed it up. That's a close-up of the collar above and the whole thing below. Have decided I don't like the buttons - too shiny and will have to find something else. I couldn't get a decent photo of it on me so this will have to do.

Details

Pattern: Juno from Rowan 40.
Yarn: Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran from Jannette's Rare Yarns. Used about 51/2 balls for Size medium.
Amendments: Added about 15 rows to the length - not sure it really needed it though.
Comments: An easy knit, even the collar once I got the pattern worked out and I like the Yorkshire tweed - quite soft once it is washed. Not much available now though. Sleeves are too long again. Can't seem to get them right.

Have been making a cardigan from Cleckheaton Vintage Hues which is waiting to be sewed up. It has a lace edging which I'm still working on. I used the Green/Burgundy/Blue colourway which is more subdued than some of the colourways.

Had a early morning this morning. Had to be up at the crack of dawn -well not quite -so I could do the weekly shop - how boring before DH went off to help his BIL to build a platform for the spa pool. Hope he's back in time to do some things around here that need doing especially as he is going on a bike ride (motorbike) tomorrow. Anyway I've started on a pair of socks for him - size 12 feet so it'll take a while! I'm using some subdued blue-green Trekking XXL.

Went a bit mad and ordered some things from Loopy Ewe in the States. Naughty especially as I already have too much sock wool. The colours are so lovely I can hardly resist.

Well, hope everything is okay with all of you.

Cheers

Friday again and sunny

Look what arrived today in the post, Romantic Hand Knits by Annie Modesitt and the latest offering from the Spunky Yarn Club. I will be pouring through the book this afternoon and thinking about what to make with the Spunky yarn. Lovely to get "surprises" in the mail box.

Finished Juno from Rowan 40 except for sewing on the buttons so next time you might see a photo if it looks okay. Colour is good anyway - a lovely greeny-blue (teal perhaps) in Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran, which is discontinued but which I got from Jannette's Rare Yarns on Ebay. The original pattern called for Rowan Wool-Cotton doubled - a bit costly.

Went to a new knitting group last night - well, I was new not the group. They had been going for 5 years. Great to talk to people about knitting and have them interested. Also went to my stitching group this week which has been going about 10 years we think. I think we meet up now for a good natter as much as for stitching. The other night we spent most of the night looking at the lunar eclipse - absolutely amazing! No pictures sorry but Just Jussi has some on her blog.

Well, have to go an make some pikelets for hungry children who will be home shortly.

Friday sun shining

A finished sidewinder sock. Fun to knit and I really know how to graft now. I love the way the colours form in the handpainted yarn. Here's another picture of the sock before I grafted the toe. Looks really strange but works out really well. A great, well written pattern. The sock appears too wide but fitted beautifully when I put it on. I guess it's something to do with less stretch on the lengthwise knitting.

Have been reading through Rowan Magazine 42, the new Vogue Knitting and the Fall Interweave Knits trying to decide what my next project might be. So much choice I love heaps of the patterns so really have to see what I can knit from my stash. Have also started another pair of socks, Go With the Flow Socks by Evelyn Clark in the Summer 2006 Interweave Knits in Dream in Colour Smooshy sock yarn in Beach Fog which I got from Wool Girl. Here's a picture.

Lovely soft yarn and great stitch definition and I love this colour.

Well, enough for today. I'm off to check out the Spotlight sale - probably too late for the best stuff and pick up some seed potatoes. Have to get the veges growing again now it's almost spring. Have a good week. Cheers

Foggy Day

Well we're having a bit of a foggy day here today after a week of mostly sunshine and cold weather. Have finished my jaywalker socks, find the pattern here. Here's a picture. Sorry no fancy sock blockers.

They are made from Lornas' Laces sock in Childs Play. Can't remember where I got it though. Don't know why they striped on one foot and not the other. A fun pattern but don't think I'll make it again yet. So many other sock patterns to try.

Have started a new sock, sidewinders by nonaknits. Very interesting pattern and I'm using this yarn which is the latest from the Spunky Club.

It looks really lovely knitted up. I'll show you a photo next time. Won't be buying much more overseas with the NZ dollar dropping back through the US$0.70 mark! Might just have to use up the stash and/or buy more local yarn. Pity yarns like Rowan are so expensive here.

Nearly finished the collar for Juno so should be able to show a finished object next time. Might start on some more summery knitting as it might arrive sometime in the next 4 months. Am off to drop off some clothes for recycling and to the library to stock up on reading material. Am reading "The Fly in the Cathedral" at the moment which is one of those popular science books and is about the splitting of the atom. It's of particularly interest to me since Rutherford was a NZer and one of the NZ heroes. Also have to get the next book for my book group.

Cheers

Grey day in Wellytown

Hi, this is my first post. I decided that it was time I did some posting. I'll try not to be too boring. Have been on a knitting binge for a while but do a bit of quilting from time to time especially of the art quilt sort (sort of anyway). Am knitting Juno cardigan from Rowan Magazine 40 at the moment but it is all in pieces at the moment as I struggle my way through the long, long collar (interesting knitting though). Am also walking on a pair of Jaywalker socks with some variegated Patons Patonyle in blues and the toe-up socks from the IK summer 07 - the toe up bit was a bit of a challenge with the turkish cast-on coming out a bit holey. Also working on the cozy v-neck pullover from Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel in Manos del Uruguay - great to work with. That's enough. Here's a picture of some of my stash to brighten up this post. You can see various sock yarns, some handspun from That Spinning Place some Rowan All Seasons Cotton and some Jaegar Trinity. What am I going to do with it all?