Happy Easter

Happy Easter to you all. I hope everyone is having a lovely day.

I realised today I've not blogged for ages!

So here it is....

I've completed the SoSii but not blocked it yet as I can't find my foam mats....I'm sure Asda will be selling them again soon as Spring is supposedly here!

I've also completed these socks

The pattern is Jacobs Ladder by Debbie Tomkies(it's also in March '08 Simply Knitting). I knitted it in Colinette Jitterbug but not sure what the colourway is as it's was a pressie from Chris. This is my first toe up sock and the yarn was lovely to knit with. It's a fab pattern that's really straight forward(esp as I've never been successful with toe ups before). I'm going to try and master a short row heel next.

I'm really pleased, Jacqui, my UK swap partner got her parcel from me. She seems happy with it. This has been a fab swap, I'm just waiting on the post now to complete a 'thank you' present for Delle after sending me such a lovely box of goodies.

I've also finished C's Xmas pressie. She is over the moon with it but I'll have to post pics another time as I gave her it on Thursday and forgot to get some before I handed it over.

Chris popped over on Saturday afternoon. I was really ill on Friday with a migrainy/24hr bug type of thing that I'm still pretty weedy from. Well, I ended up missing guild as I really didn't think I could cope with a few hours dyeing, I was gutted as it was one meeting that I really wanted to go to. Anyway, Chris, bless her, came over afterwards and brought some goodies for me.

This is what she picked up at Skip North for me. Amongst other things are nearly a kilo of navy wool, 2 skeins of sock yarn and lots of fibres to play with!!!! Thanks Chris it was lovely to see you!

Oh well going to find a toe up sock pattern with short rows to cast on and hopefully finish before Mystic Light starts!

Look what the postie has brought me this week!

Here is my postman's first offering. It's Posh Yarn's Lei in 'Motherly' for Mystic Light KAL ...sign ups are still open. I'm thinking a sunset with these colours, the reddy one at the bottom graduating to the bluey one for the neck. It really is beautiful yarn and seems to have a lovely drape to it as well.
The next acquisition is my new toy....a peg loom. As you all know we have rather a lot of animals in our house so we don't have many carpets as a result. So I thought, Hmmmmmm....rugs!
I've got no excuse now not to make any plus it means I can use all those little odds and sods of yarn I've got hanging round. This was bought off ebay from a fantastic seller, who has now started her own blog .
Sarah if it helps
SP=secret pal
SOSii= secret of the stole 2(a lace knit a long)
SSS=spring shawl surprise(another lace knit a long)
As far as washing fleece it's really preference. I tend to wash a few handfuls at a time in my 'wash' bowl but others use the bath for the whole thing! What I'd say is let it soak in as hot as poss out of the tap water with a good squirt of washing up liquid and leave it. Then rinse (bringing the water cooler each time) by soaking in clean water until you're happy there's no soap left. Don't rub the fibre. If it is really dirty I gently open the locks by hand...yes it takes time but worth it to avoid felting esp when it's a nice fleece...and the rinsing will remove the dirt.
...any others questions please give me a shout esp as I'll prob ask you bout weaving!

And last but not least look at this amazing UK swap package I got from the very thoughtful and kind Delle !!!
I all came wrapped in beautiful red tissue paper with little tags attached.
Inside the parcels.......
I got Fyberspates Dream sock yarn in greens...it really is dreamy with a lovely twist to the yarn like Jitterbug.
Fyberspates bamboo/merino sock yarn in 'flowers'....so soft and I've been dying to knit with bamboo for ages!
Shunklies Lace weight lambs wool and silk in 'warm spice'...a special knit I think.
All these yarns (Delle didn't know) I have been secretly drooling over...the exact blends and colourways!!!!!!
Then Audrey has been spoilt too! there is some camel top to spin(from Shunklies). I've never spun camel before and don't have any in my stash! So I'll prob blend it with something and plan something yummy for it!
My needles got a treat in the form of a buffer! I've filed my bamboo needles before but never actually thought of buffing them! What a fab idea!
There was some gorgeous Lush products, solid bubble bath and solid bath oil both have the most beautiful relaxing fragrance to them.....J was out with her mates last night so I gave these a test run!
And of course there was chocolate....my faves....Green and Black dark choc and Maltesers!
THANK YOU SO MUCH DELLE. I feel as tho' I've been really spoiled, I had a lump in my throat while I was opening it all as I was so touched. I love it all and you have def got me spot on!!!

Today J and me are going to attempt the Trafford centre. So a trip to Lush is def in order and I can already hear the Mirasol calling my name in Lewis'! I also need to buy one last thing for my swap pal before her parcel gets sent off.
There's also a 'farmers market' not far away which we are going to visit too!

I'll leave you with a pic of gorgeous George.....

Long time no blog?!

Well, it's been a while. I do have an excuse, the usual I'm afraid. I've not been well but I'm much better now thank goodness.

Anyway here's the UK Swap topic for this week.

Topic of the Week #6: Swapping

Q: Have you done a swap before (doesn't have to be a knitting swap)? What do you like best about swapping? Are there any personal "requirements" that a swap has to have before you will join?

I love swapping. I don't have the energy to do lots at one time but when I do join a swap I will throw myself in it 100%. I enjoy putting parcels together and hope my partner likes them...so far so good. Like I've said before I like to see how people interpret my likes and dislikes. It's fab to 'meet' different people too.

I've done 2 knitting related swap bot swaps and 2 Sp swaps too! I've also sent little parcels to friends for birthdays or just to cheer them up. Oh yeah I've done sock wars twice too!!!

The only requirement for me is that it has to be something I'm interested in ...obviously!

I've put the SSS aside as it was becoming too stressful to try and do 2 mystery shawls at once...esp with my health being crap! It's made a big difference and I'm now up to date with SoSii.

Here it is trying it's hardest to show off draping over Audrey! (not the best photo) I've added another clue since that pic.

This is the hand spun (with what looks like George in the way as usual)I was going to use for my mate's scarf but it didn't look right at all. So I've started it in some DBliss alpaca silk I had hiding in my stash....the hand spun is now having a think as to what it wants to be!

I'm in the middle of a pressie for my UK Swap Pal. The rest of her parcel is finished so just got to get cracking on that.

I went to Guild on Saturday with Chris. We made Yorkshire buttons. Chris was fab and drove all the way from her house to mine(about 40Min's) and onto guild and back again! Her confidence is really coming on, plus it really helped me as there was no way I could have driven on Sat!

Quick msg to my SP....I've not got a mail addy to reply to you, but pink eyelash!!!!?????? LOL!

Audrey is having cosmetic surgery

I forgot to add earlier that Audrey is going to have cosmetic surgery. I bought a Jumbo flyer kit from a fantastic ebayer (who has a shop here selling the most beautiful spinning wheel hooks). She included some dyed kid mohair curls...which I've already sat and teased apart.
Anyway the flyer and bobbins just need some varnish and then they are ready for Audrey to have her boob job!

Ooooops I'm a bit late!

I'm a bit late with this post but here goes.......
Topic of the Week #4: Valentine's Day
I know this isn't knitting related, but I thought I'd ask you to share your favourite Valentine's Day memory, or your current plans for this year. Just to share some love. :)
I'm usually really useless at occasions. I'm aware they are there but never get round to getting a card! Well this year was different, J left me a card before she went to work and I ........wait for it......got her a card, chocs, roses and some yummy massage oil!!! Needless to say she was very surprised and shocked!
You see, J and me tend to have 'spoil' times throughout the year. I'm pretty spontaneous and if I see or think of something I'll do it(energy permitting).
My fondest memory is when I first moved back to M/side. A(he was 11 at the time), Poppy and I turned up at J's place of work and text her to tell her to open the security door. There we were standing there with a single red rose as a surprise for her.

here's the next topic.....
Topic of the Week #5: Anticipation
What kind of Spoilee are you? Are you paranoid that it's not being sent, or lost in the post? Do you want it to arrive quickly? OR Do you enjoy the anticipation? Sitting and pondering when it will arrive... and anxiously waiting for it, close to the deadline?
I just love having parcels coming thro' the post, and I'm more than happy to wait. I find it interesting as to how people interpret my tastes. I have loved all the swap parcels I've received.

Well not much has happened this week apart from having the ok to go down to working 2 days a week at work, but only once they have sorted my pay out to what it should be. This will make my life so much easier and it means I will be able to have a little bit of a social life rather than work dominating my weeks......Donna and Chris watch out as I will be able to come to knitting when it's all sorted!!!!!!!!
I've completed the most recent SoSii clue but no pics as the usb cable is playing up :(
Still got to finish the SSS clue before the next one comes out on Tuesday.
Oh yeh, I managed to do some dyeing for a pressie for my UK swap pal....so no pics there either sorry! And I've started on her parcel buying too! ....I love putting parcels together.
I'd better go and catch up on my SSS.........

My Grandad is 87!

On Sunday my parents, my sister and I went out with Grandad to celebrate his 87th birthday. It was a lovely day. We bought him a digital camera. He loved it!

We all went back to Mum and Dad's afterwards, where Grandad gave me a carrier bag, asking if it could be of use to me....inside was 11oz+ of P+B Patons yarn(fingering weight)...it was my Grandma's(she died a while ago now), I was so touched!!! It's in really good condition with only a little fading...so I think it's destined to become a shawl.

I also managed to persuade Mum to let me finish a cardi that my Grandma had started that after she had died Grandad had given it to her to complete. It's done in a Lee Target 4ply in a grey/blue and all that needs doing is the armholes upwards on both fronts(Grandma had already done the dreaded sleeves). So that won't take me long when I get stuck into it! If you look at the photo you may see that she's done both fronts at the same time to make sure they're both the same length...I think I'll do mine like that in future!

SoSii had stalled a bit, so no progress shots as of yet. I've been spinning some teal shetland and plying it with some greeny bfl for C's very late Xmas pressie. It's now hanging in the kitchen drying and I'm hoping to knit this with it.

I've completed clue 5 on the SSS and it's looking quite pretty I think.

I got my UK swap match on Friday. I've contacted my spoilee and have a few ideas as to her parcel. I've also heard from my spoiler...she sent me a fab Ecard with a goggle eyed sheep!!!

I must go and catch up on the SoSii........

Project Process..UK Swap topic

Q: What is your process when planning a project? Do you shop for yarn and then find a suitable pattern? Do you find your pattern and then go out to buy the yarn? Or are you stash-busting? If your stash is out of control, how did it get that way?

As far as projects are concerned I do a bit of both. Sometimes I find a pattern and then go hunting for yarn but then again I sometimes find yummy yarn and have to search for a pattern for it.
I do stash bust at times eg. if I want to knit some gloves, I'll look in my stash and then at patterns(usually online) and try and match the two.
Altho' it is nice to spin a fibre to knit for a particular project and dye it too!