Startitis

Well being as 2011 is going to be my year of finishing off things, I feel it's only right and proper to make sure I have plenty of things to finish off, don't you?

Startitis is bad at the moment. As bad as it has ever been (I blame the bloody mystery blanket of which I am so bored!)

Yesterday I cast on a sock. Today I cast on a bootie - not the baby kind, a proper grown up bootie. Tomorrow I fully intend casting on either a shawl/wrap type thing or Strand of Pearls - and then the day after, whichever isn't cast on tomorrow is going to be started then.

I'm sorry, but there is no photographic evidence yet. I am far too busy with the needles to think about finding the camera. Maybe tomorrow.

Damn I love casting on!

Mystery blanket progress

Well I promised you a Mystery Blanket update didn't I - and here it is. Yes it's bright and cheerful and colourful - should be right up my street, but it's just not. The love is not there. It's far too pretty and girly. I changed one square that was supposed to be a mermaid into a jelly fish... hmm. Not sure if that was such a good idea. I think it looks like a policeman's helmet with dreadlocks and my mum thought it was a sea monster. (Its the one on the left row in the middle)

But look here, another finished thing! Hoot Water Bottle Cover. Easy peasy to knit. Nice and quick. I think that everyone will be getting one of these for Christmas this year... and of course if I do decide that now, then I can have Christmas all sorted by the end of February. Perfect!

Just need to persuade my 16 yr old son that a knitted hot water bottle cover is the best thing ever and he really would like one of those!

Oops.

Is it me, or have I been nearly 3 months without blogging? I have kept meaning to blog, but have kept doing other stuff instead (blame Ravelry and Harvey!). Anyway, now that I'm here, may I wish you all a very Happy New Year and I hope you all had a good Christmas.

I have decided that 2011 is going to be a finish-it-off year for me on the knitting front. I have got so many half done projects, most of which I love, that I really want to get done. There's Carica and Soho, Tempest and of course the infernal Mystery blanket. I have socks without partners, socks without feet and oh so much sock yarn without even so much as a cast-on rib! (I love all of my sock yarn and am quite keen on having a few more pairs of socks by the end of the year). I want to make more Christmas presents, more birthday presents and more presents in general.

So I shall start the year as I mean to go on. I will use the blog as a show and tell to let you know how I'm progressing - even if you aren't interested, at least I can keep track of where I am.

First up is a single mit. It does now have a partner, but I just never got round to taking its picture - Moogsmums' Ferne Mits in an unknown mystery yarn found lurking in the bottom of the Stash Bag (er, one of the Stash Bags...)

Next is a sock that I started a while ago, loved and then ignored. Without Borders, you will be finished one day soonish...

The Cranford mits were a lovely knit and more will appear throughout this year - I geve these to mum and she loves them.

Pimpelliese looks a very easy pattern and indeed it is. So why on earth do I have to look at the pattern every single row? Eldest son bought me this yarn - Posh Yarn's new sparkly yarn, Pamela.

The York Sock got completed at long last - huge and enormous as they are, I think they'll be used more in wellies than shoes.

And here is my most favourite sock ever. Gaudete was a mystery Advent sock, part of the pattern being published every weekend throughout Advent. I've never done a heel like that, shaped a sole like that, cast on like that or done a pattern like that. To top it all, the Posh Martha has turned out stripy and I just love it!


I have now turned my attentions to the Mystery Blanket. I'm not enjoying this, but feel so much time and effort has gone into it so far, not to mention expense, that I need to get on and do it. I'm forcing myself! Come back soon for photographic evidence of progress. If not of that, then something else. More pictures, less chat this year. Oh the resolutions are so well-meant at this time of year!

Thanks for coming back to see me, I've missed you all.

x

Cranford Mitts

Over at p/hop on Ravelry, they're having a KAL for Cranford Mitts. Starting on November 1st - anyone feel like joining in? The pattern is 'free', but they request that you send a donation to MSF in exchange for it. Very nearly £20, 000 has been raised by p/hop. Seems like a win, win situation to me - uses up sock yarn (and heaven knows I have a fair amount of that!), MSF get more funds, I get a Christmas present sorted - if I can bear to part with them!

So go on, who's up for this challenge? Sign up now at p/hop - they'd love to see you there!

Oops...

Sorry I've been away for ages - life has that nasty habit of getting in the way sometimes doesn't it? I have been very busy 'walking the dog' - strange how I was the one least keen on getting the poor dog, yet it's down to me to look after him. I was warned by all who know my children that the novelty would wear off, but I assured them it wouldn't.

I was wrong. But on the plus side, I am getting fitter than I've been in years and despite eating like a pig, I'm not putting any weight on. Hurrah!

Every day I write my blog when I'm out walking round the fields - I write it in my head, often several times a day. But when I get back home, the ideas and inspiration have all gone.

The Golden Wedding Blanket was given to mum and dad in York. They loved it, I cried. But then I do that a lot! (Such an emotional wreck!)

On the knitting front, I still am so very behind with the mystery blanket - I would like to finish it in half term, but that will mean knitting about 3 squares every day. Ever the optimist..

I have, however, finished Aspen Leaf. All I can say about this is that you really ought to make one. Lovely pattern - quick and simple - apart from the buttonholes which I just didn't understand (but on a side note here, I mentioned to Marianne in an e-mail that they were impossible and she sent me a reply straight away with a video link showing me how to do them - brilliant service). I know I will make this pattern again. I want one in all sorts of colours, all sorts of yarns. Cannot recommend it enough.

I really want to start using some of my delicious sock yarn and have a go at one of the many patterns lurking on my Ravelry Queue. I really want to knit lots of things on my Ravelry Queue actually, with sock yarn or not. I could do with finishing off a few projects too and even making some Christmas presents. Now then, anyone know how to squeeze a few extra hours into the day?

Haven't we had this conversation before once or twice?

I love my Postie!

My postie is the bestest postie ever. I love him lots. Just look what he brought me today. This first picture is some yarn I bought last week on a new-to-me place at Ravelry. P/hop. Ever heard of it? Put in very simple terms, designers donate their patterns and kind people donate their yarn and other things, then people like me come along and buy said things and give money to Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). It seems like a very good idea to me - go and have a look if you've not been there before.

You know the love affair I have with Posh Yarn's Martha sock wool? Well, the ever fantastic Picperfic has designed a pattern that I just love and adore - Aspen Leaf. I needed some big fat yarn and didn't have any, so naturally asked Dee at Posh Yarn ... well, what was a girl to do? Buy some Martha aran weight of course! So tonight will be spent winding and casting on (just as soon as I've finished sewing up a cardi for mum and doing all the ironing. Sleep. Pah. Who needs it?!

A while ago I joined in with Trashy's swap. It was a complicated little affair where you had to chose 2 themes and your partner had to choose 1 of them and send 4 things relating to that theme. I went for, oh who knows what, but have been blessed with the following package today from the most splendiferous lady over at Ballarat Patchwork on the other side of the globe. Ribbons and braids and gadgets and thingies and fabric (OMG that fabric!) and a stuffy sewy thingy...... I was so excited. So very very excited.....

But that wasn't all, oh no, A Piggy, my very own Piggy. With trousers and a posh shirt, fancy trotters and gorgeous ears. Oh how I love my piggy! Think I'll call him Ronald.

I had never come across Tim Tams. They are similar to Penguin biscuits. You bite off opposite corners, dunk one end into a drink and then suck up the drink. Like a chocolatey straw, only far, far nicer. I couldn't wait to try one so had a go with a glass of milk. Can you possibly have more fun with a biscuit and a glass of milk? I think not. Gave one to the boys when they came home from school and they felt much the same as me! These things are brilliant. Ronald is now safely guarding the remaining Tim Tams from hungry dogs who would love nothing more than one or two to nibble on...

No mum, I'm not looking, I wouldn't pinch one of those biscuits, honest I wouldn't...