Just a quickie

To say that the group blog for the Mitered Square blanket can be found here! It's kinda lonely there on my own!

Bargain!

I was browsing Ebay the other day looking for some knitting related bargains when I came across 22 sets of DPNs. Now I did need some other sizes for the Jaywalkers I wanted to knit in Posh Yarn Lucia so when I saw these going for a good price I couldn't resist. I was lucky enough to win the set for £22 including postage. Obviously for this price I was a bit concerned about the quality of the wood, but I didn't need to worry! They are of a lovely quality and the bonus, they have the sizes printed on the side! The seller is lovely to deal with and very prompt in posting and while I don't usually do recommending ebay sellers I thought I would make an exception. If you fancy some fab needles or yarn Alpacaandcats gets the thumbs up here!

Piece of useless information, especially as I don't live in the USA but anywho!

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 125 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

I done Royston's too, but apparently there isn't anyone called Royston in the U.S!

The stash!

I also have a photo of another finished square to share!

A fab day had by both

Well we both enjoyed today, the Smallholders and Garden Festival that Wonder Wool was within was much bigger than we'd expected and we came home with lots of goodies, mostly edible, from there. By the time we entered the Wonder Wool area we were both getting fairly tired, I think we should have sat down and had a coffee before the yarn shopping commenced. I came home with some nice stash, a skein of Artesano Hummingbird in Lovebird, a sock pattern and a set of Brittany Birch needles from Laughing Hens. I also got some Alpaca from UK Alpacas for the blanket which is wonderfully soft, and a pattern for some fingerless gauntlets. I also got some Superwash Merino roving from Cledry Yarner in the most gorgeous bright colour, she also had soap in felted jackets which I now wish I got one of! I was planning on taking pictures both there and when I got home, but I forgot the camera, and then fell asleep on the sofa and Royston didn't wake me up, I finally woke up at 10.20 pm! Who knows if I'll sleep tonight. I will take pictures tomorrow in the daylight of the goodies though.
x

WonderWool Wales Event

WonderWool Wales Event
Is tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited, too excited to blog in fact. I will however blog tomorrow with Stash photos!

Ravelry - a knit and crochet community

Ravelry - a knit and crochet community
I've been busy playing on here after I received my invitation yesterday! It is totally cool! Just need to take lots of pictures now!

Still need to make list for Wonder Wool!

Knit list

I spotted this here and decided it would be a good blog entry as I'm too brain fuzzled to write anything remotely sensible or witty!

Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.


Afghan/Blanket – in progress
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental Knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book (you never know...)
Scarf
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca – have some waiting for a project
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks – if I knew what this was it would help!
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair (why?) – well not intentionally
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Just a quickie

Thanks to Dee I found this blog and I have to say it is really making me want to try and learn crochet again! But I will refrain from trying to learn until I have made a serious dent on the Mitered Blanket, because if I do learn I will end up crocheting a ripple blanket as well and that may well push Royston over the edge with my endless questions about colour combination! To be honest though the blog is also inspiring me to go upstairs and get a needle and cotton and some fabric and sew something! It also pointed me in the direction of this Random Stripe Generator which I know will come in handy! And I found the link to this on there which I have been looking for because I didn't save it last time I found it! Tonight was Stitch and Bitch night, but was more Bitch than Stitch to be fair, enjoyed though, I love how crafts can bring together such different people and how you can find so many things in common with them. I will leave you with:

aargh

If anyone can help me find/ install a progress bar in my side bar I'd be very grateful!

Yarn for Miters

Yarn for Miters
Originally uploaded by shellbean.

This is the current supply of yarn for the Mitered Square blanket. I know I'm going to need a lot more but at the moment I am still working out "My Rules". The blanket is kind of scaring me, luckily I have January One to keep me inspired!!

Another template...

And I think I will stick with this one! Just want to work out how to add a Flickr Badge now!

Had a fab weekend in Norwich, spent Saturday at the East Anglian Fair with my Parents, a brilliant but tiring day. Then home after a delicious cooked dinner by my Mum. Yesterday I had the day off, which I spent doing boring things like paying bills! I did manage a trip to the wool shop and got some more balls for the mitered square blanket. I have knitted one square so far, did think I'd done another until I realised whilst knitting on the way to work that I had in fact done it wrong somehow so I've had to frog that one and start again. I'm kinda worried about my carefree attitude to the colour scheme now, but I guess once I've knitted a few I can plan a little more. Anyway I'm off, I will try and get a photo of the yarn for the blanket so far tomorrow in day light.
xx

I really have no idea what he's doing!

I really have no idea what he's doing!
Originally uploaded by shellbean.

Another cat pic!

Spinning around

Last night I decided to practice my spinning, which to be honest is something I need plenty of with it. I'm getting there but over twist seems to be an issue, as do lumps! I am finding the roving/ top easier than the fleece because of the lumpy bits in the fleece. I will get there though. Tonight I went to Stitch and Bitch and watched "V" spin, and hoped that one day I will become as good as her! Also the lovely girls at S&B furnished me with some wool for the mitrered blanket. Royston has decided that if I am knitting it I should do so with more expensive yarn than the oddments of cheap acrylic I had planned on using. I have order some King Cole Merino, well actually Mum ordered them for me, to be going on with and I found 2 balls of wool/ mohair blend in the stash box. And then "A" and "M" gave me some more balls. I have a long way to go, but I can keep an eye out for bits I fancy as I wool shop! I think the wool is currently in the post office waiting for me to pick it up! I'm also hoping my Nostepinne will arrive before we go to Norwich on Friday evening so I can show Mum.
Anywhoo I'm off to knit for a bit and drink a cup of the new herbal tea I bought - Pukka, Love

I'm so cute

I'm so cute
Originally uploaded by shellbean.

Penny was being incredibly cute on Saturday, she loves playing up for the camera so it would have been rude to have not taken some pics of her!

KnitWitches Gossamer Dreams Kid Mohair

KnitWitches Gossamer Dreams Kid Mohair
Originally uploaded by shellbean.

The light outside was just too good to resist! I am planning on something from Victorian Lace Today for this, after some practice!

Today's post which was (partly) written yesterday!

Yesterday's part
Now I like to jot notes down throughout the day or write my blog out whilst on the sofa or lying in bed (like now) but then I have a tendency to forget to actually blog it. So this is my conscious effort to actually blogging and not just writing a letter to no one. Part of the reason is that I like to ponder about my entry or I have things pop into my head as the day progresses. I find once in front of the computer I don't ponder as well. Tonight I'm quite tired so I think I will leave you to read Watching the English by Kate Fox before lights out.

Today's part
After work I called into the library to pick up the knitting books I had requested, I have in front of me: 400 Knitting Stitches, hats gloves scarves and Hip Knit Hats. The 400 Knitting Stitches and hats gloves scarves are too books that I could see me using often, at the moment I'm not so sure about Hip Knit Hats but I haven't had a good read yet. I have about 30 mins until I go and pick Roy up from work and probably should be doing something much more important than sitting here browsing the web - again. I think I have a problem, can't stop looking at yarn! In fact I have a yarn porn fetish. Talking of yarn, I am most pleased to discover that KnitWitches Yarns will be at Wonder Wool my Mum had said that they would be there but a blog entry confirmed this yesterday!! I haven't ordered from them as yet but my Mum has and raved about them, I was also lucky enough to recieve a skein of this in Midnight Plum for my birthday from my Mum and it is stunning, I am waiting for my Nostepinne to arrive so I can wind it into a ball. I have my eye on a pattern in Victorian Lace Today for it but I will be practicing some lace in another yarn before attempting this. Well Ciao for now unless anything else pops into my little head!

Have changed again to this! Not sure if I've done it right though! Now I've gotten rid of the google thing I tried to add it's working! I got it here http://www.bloggertemplates.org/?pg=1 and it's surprisingly easy!!

Saving!

Well I should have £36 in the pot for Wonder Wool, but I have £25. To be honest I'm chuffed I have that much as since I've been putting in my pot I seem to be putting it in Royston's too. Not sure how that happened!

Woo Hoo

Yesterday I went and collected my copy of Victorian Lace Today, it's been long awaited as Mum ordered it for me in February as an early Birthday pressie. We gave up on Amazon and ordered it from The Book Depository who sent it out very promptly. Talking of my Birthday I had a lovely day on Monday, because of the Bank Holiday I had a day off which is always nice on your burpday. We went to Cribbs Causeway in Bristol for a spot of shopping and then over to A and N's house in Bristol. We haven't seen them for ages and have never been to their current home. They have a lovely house and a nice garden so we got to make the most of the nice weather and had a BBQ. We got back a lot later than we wanted to!
I have treated myself to a Nostepinne as I hanker after yarn cakes and a ball winder isn't going to be practical especially without a swift. I also like the idea of the Nostepinne more than a ball winder and the cost difference was a helping decider. I am still looking for something to store my needles in, I love the idea of this Namaste Needle and Notions Binders but the price is a little high to be honest!! I'm supposed to be refraining from buying anymore yarn (except cheap DK) until I go to Wonder Wool Wales but Dee has posted sneaky pics of yarn for Sunday's sale and I am in love with Wreath!
Anywho I'm off to continue browsing the net and then to knit another mitre square and dream of lace!

Our handsome Rosco Dog!

Just a little eye candy of the doggy variety!