Whoops

I forgot to post to say the new arrival is now called Alfie! Not much knitting going on here lots of frogging though, I started my Basic Camisole and realised that the GGH Scarlett I had picked knits to a different tension, so I started the Summertime tunic from Interweave Knits and ordered 2 more balls for it but Loop only had one ball, so am sending back what I have for a different colour. Started to knit Karchlen but I keep getting in a muddle. I had nearly finished another mitre for the blanket to only realise that I went wrong quite a long way back. I also think I may frog some of the miters I've already done as I've gone off the colour combos. Well I'll be off as it's hard to type and check typos when you have a cat in front of the screen.

New Addition

To the household is here! No name yet though, we have to pick one tomorrow as it is increasingly hard to call him without a name!




Last night I tried out knitting continental style, and hats off to you knitters who can do this! It's far too complicated for me, I guess I'll be sticking to my wrong version in which I throw the yarn! Tomorrow I have a dentists appointment and then some jobs to do. I need to take photos of all my yarn this weekend to upload them to Ravelry and I'm hoping to meet up with the girls at some point but need to run that past Royston and his plans. Off for now, knitting and dog hugging are in order!
TTFN!

Bad Blogger

Sorry, just been really busy! Just another quickie for now so I can try and get some knitting time in, if not I'll be knitting this blanket in my retirement! I have placed a small order from Loop, for some Addi Lace needles and some GGH Scarlett cotton. The yarn will be knitted into something from Knitting Lingerie Style. I need to take some pics of yarn and projects and get them uploaded to Flickr and Ravelry, keep meaning to and then miss the daylight! We had a nice day at the Welsh Game Fair on Saturday where Rosco took 2nd place in the Scurry, well done Rosco Dog! We went and picked up my new (to us) car, a little Citroen AX diesel, small, pretty old, basic and cheap to run, but quite fun to drive! Royston has decided it's definitely a Shellie Car! I popped into Borders today on lunch and spotted a copy of Scrap City on the shelf, this had been out for a while now, but I was pretty chuffed to see it sitting there in my local book shop! I mean I was excited to be published in it, to see it on Amazon and to get my copy but to see me sitting there on the shelf was something else!
TTFN

BE SWEET

I found this yarn - BE SWEET, at Loop and am now in love! I really fancy some of the Bamboo and the Magic Loop, will have to start saving. I have just placed an order for some Addi Lace needles and some GGH Scarlett cotton for a top from Knitting Lingerie Style. Just got to wait for it to arrive now!
TTFN!

Sqaure number 4

Sqaure number 4
Originally uploaded by shellbean

Sqaure number 3

Sqaure number 3
Originally uploaded by shellbean

Is done, needs blocking though! Sorry I'm too tired to do a proper entry! Did have a fab day on Saturday sitting outside knitting and chatting! Meal at Garuda on Saturday night was fab, would highly recommend!

An update!

Not much to report to be honest! Been busy browsing Ravelry and adding things on there such as my books, to which there has been the recent addition of Knitting Lingerie Style. I picked this up in Borders out of curiosity and discovered there actually many wearable things in it! Some beautiful tops and socks that I will be adding to my queue on Ravelry.

I did have a small world moment the other night, I've had a contact on Flickr for ages as I love her handspun yarn and love to look at it and be inspired about what I may be able to achieve one day. Well the other night I commented on some gorgeous beaded handspun that she'd made, thought no more of it. Then I received an email through Etsy's conversation section about joining the UK Sellers thread from one of the girls who comes to S&B. When I looked I realised that I recognised the user name as the same person with the fab yarn! If you are into Handspun you really should take a look at her stuff it's fab, she can be found here. I've had the pleasure of seeing some of her work IRL and it is gorgeous.
Anyway I'm off, up early to go to a local market and carboot and then off for ice cream and knitting for World Wide Knit in Public Day and then off out for a meal at a Balinese restaurant!
TTFN!

One more square done!

Another square is finished making 3 out of 20 squares completed and 13 of 80 miters done. Today I bought some more yarn for the blanket, 3 balls of Debbie Bliss Rialto, 1 Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK and 1 Jaeger Matchmaker DK. Just need to start the next colour selection.

Tonight I've also got round to uploading some stitch markers to Etsy, the red set I fancy keeping myself, but I shall be strong I made them to sell!

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!