Yet more socks!

Finally, I have completed number 1 of Bryony's Fair Isle Free Argyle Socks
I am rubbish at taking pictures of my own feet... above are the best selection. As you can see, there are a couple of blatant mistakes in my interpretation of the chart (not in the chart itself... which is fab, just in my ability to count/pay attention to what I am doing when watching the TV it seems). As with all of my knitted items, they wouldn't be mine if it weren't for a few mistakes.
Anyway, all of the concentration on the chart was worth it as it is best fitted sock I have made so far.Knitting on 2mm needles makes it feel really "sturdy" for want of a better word. Now all I have to do is make the other one. Hmmmm.

Also this week, a little more stash enhancement. When Dee over at Posh Yarns announced a sale I was in there straight away. Here we have (top) 100g of Camilla, lace weight pure cashmere yarn, in the shade Crocus (which is a little faulty because it has pin streaks through it but I think it makes it more beautiful) and (bottom) Lucia, sock weight cashmere/merino yarn, in the shade Feather. I think the sock yarn is destined to be another pair of Jaywalkers for a friends birthday in August and I am thinking about making something for my one skein pal from the cashmere, but I'm not convinced it is her colour as yet. BTW, excellent service from Dee, I ordered another skein of sock yarn which had sold just before I clicked "pay" she refunded the money straight away and the yarn arrived the next day and was beautifully packed in the gorgeous tissue paper below, love the colour.

Some more socks

If only they were a pair...Unfortunately they are just two views of the same sock. Simple ribbed socks from Vogue's Socks 2 for my boy. In the especially non-itchy Lorna's Laces. I only hope the second sock pools in the same way! I promised him they would look like this so I hope his isn't too disappointed.
I got bored with socks the other night (sorry Bry I'm still not done with Argyle sock number 1 - only about 12 more rows of the pattern and then some ribbing to go - I'm not clever enough to manage it on the train)
I decided to open up my Crochet Blocks book again and for some instant satisfaction picked up a 9mm hook and some cotton tape I bought in the JL sale at Christmas. I have this duck egg blue and some brown that match my lounge perfectly so I'm going to try and make a cube footstool type thing. This is one ball so far, nearly cushion sized! Certainly was instant satisfaction (unlike the England game - hope we play better on Sunday.)

Eye Candy

I had two parcels to collect from the post office today. Unfortunately one of them was the parcel I sent to my secret pal in Canada before I went on holiday. It was returned because there was no name of the sender on the outside of the envelope (even though there was a return address). So a warning to those of you sending parcels to Canada. I have re-labeled it and it will be going back in the post tomorrow (luckily at no extra charge).
The other contained these amazing things from my One Skein Pal. A skein of Colinette Mohair which is just such amazing shades of purple and blue with a bit of grey and gold mixed in. There is 100g here so I should definately be able to make something really fun from it. I have no real idea what yet, so any ideas would be very welcome! Also in my package were some pom-pom makers, a very funky felt flower brooch (which is now pinned to my brown velvet jacket and matches my Clapotis perfectly!) and a lovely embroidered card. Thank you One Skein Pal. It was a perfect little package.
And to complete the week, we have a picture of the sock wool I managed to buy in a little shop in Utrect. I was very restrained and only bought 4 balls (two of each) as I already have enough wool for about 3 thousand pairs of socks. (Well, maybe about 6 actually, but still).
Have a lovely weekend everyone. I'm off to Wolverhampton to see my boy and watch some more football (hopefully). I love the world cup, pity TonyTiger isn't as keen!

Felted Entrelac Bag

Pre-felting....
Post-felting....
The pattern was kind of made up, vaguely using some entrelac instructions I found here and here and from the jumper pattern my mum sent to me. I started as I did for the Booga Bag, and garter stitched a rectangle and then picked up all the stitches and started knitting in the round, I did 2 rounds before starting on the base triangles. I figured as I was felting it, it wouldn't matter if there were a few mistakes/holes, and luckily it didn't. I then knitted two garter stitch "flaps" onto the top to use to secure the handles (you can see these better in the before picture). The handles are wooden and came from a magic haberdashery shop the lady in Liberty pointed me to called Kleins on Noel Street (just off Berwick Street). It was like an Aladdin's Cave of sewing accessories, and it was really busy too. They have a massive selection of bag handles (and everything else haberdashery wise you could ever want it seems). You can also buy online.
I am going to finish off with a loop of wool which goes across the top and big wooden toggle on the front so that it can be fastened shut.
I am really pleased with the finished article, it may be a tad lop-sided but that doesn't matter. It got quite a fierce felting (at 90 degrees) so it shrunk loads and has made a really dense fabric which is really good as it means I don't have to sew a lining in it. I really hope Kate likes it! She is the queen of bags so I think she. Isn't this what every girl needs for her 30th?
Along with a card like this one...... A combination of knitting and crochet this time.
How weird, I have just been over to Boogaj's blog to get the link to the Booga Bag and look what I have found, a felted entrelac bag using the same colours of Kureyon as I have. Spooky. Her bag is very lovely, I am a little jealous of her smaller squares.

30 Things About Me

In preparation for her 30th birthday Kerrie over at Hipknits has asked us to share 30 things about ourselves with the prospect of winning £30 worth of HipKnits yarn... how could I resist. Here are mine:

1. I am terrified of lobsters, over the years my fear has lessened slightly and I can now just about cope with pictures of them..
2. I have purple carpet in my bedroom... and I chose it
3. Anything stripey makes me happy (but perhaps not a stripey lobster)
4. I am very messy
5. I hate not knowing where I am going and need a map if I am going somewhere I haven't been before
6. I like to count when I am waiting for the bus or train, it passes the time and I try and guess what number I will get to before the bus/train arrives
7. If I can knit and count at the same time that is perfect
8. I have a scar on my knee from falling over on the way to my GCSE maths exam. I spent the whole exam with blood running down my leg, yuck!
9. I am not very tall, 5ft 3"
10. But my feet are quite big, size 7.
11. I am clumsy
12. I love lists and have a book that I write them in (that is stripey)
13. I work for a bank but never see any money
14. I work in a library with no books, but I am a librarian of sorts
15. I like growing vegetables but don't have much room. One day I would like to have an allotment or big veg patch
16. I don't go swimming as often as I promise myself I will
17. I live on my own (most of the time)
18. I have recently discovered the joys of crochet
19. I hate hate hate the foundation chain
20. I like to be able to buy yarn whilst on holiday, preferably something I can't get at home (pictures of yarn from Holland soon)
21. I wish I could knit as fast as my mom.
22. I still bite my nails
23. I am a long suffering Wolverhampton Wanderers fan
24. My favourite toy is called Muffet and he still sleeps in my bed when I get lonely or sad
25. I never thought I would enjoy knitting socks, but I do
26. I can't believe how many balls of "socks to be" I have accumulated in such a short time
27. I believe sausage and mash to be the best comfort food in the world (but only good sausages with loads of onion gravy... yum)
28. I find it funny that there are people out there who want to read this
29. I am nosy which is why I like to read lots of other blogs
30. I will be 30 next May

Like Buses

No posts for ages then two come a long at once!
Here is something I have been wanting to share with you for a while.... my other birthday present from my wonderful, lovely boyfriend. A set of wooden needles and a special needle holder he made himself. Isn't is amazing?Oh and I remembered to scan in the pattern that was the inspiration for the bag. I remembered it as a much more batwing affair, but it actually isn't that terrible. Apparently the jumper went to the charity shop only a few weeks ago, mum said she felt guilty as she hadn't worn it for years. I was a bit disappointed because I would love to look at it again, knowing how much time must have gone into it.
The blanket was put in the post today. Toby made his big arrival (all 9lbs of him!) into the world last Saturday (3rd June) when we were in Amsterdam. Mum, dad and baby are all doing well which is good to know. I'm planning my first visit for the start of July... I'll have to think of something else to make to take with me. It seems too hot for knitted baby items however. Maybe I can make a little hoodie for when he is a bit older.
I am also falling into the trap of wanting to make 100000 things at once. Last night I decided I wanted to make bombshell out of Big Girl Knits with some Hipknits silk I have. Then today I was thinking about big cotton tape crochet squares which I could make floor cushions with! There is just not enough knitting time in the day.

Back from the 'Dam

Most mornings were spent like this... knitting on deck in the sun. I didn't seem to progress that far, but hey, I was on holiday....
Here is my entrelac bag I'm making for a friends 30th Birthday. Inspired by jumpers my mum made in the 80's, she has even found the pattern for one of them, which I'll scan in and show you soon. The Noro Kureyon works really well with the entrelac squares. I can't wait to see it felted. I've used two balls so far and have one more. I'm thinking bamboo handles for it at the moment but not sure how to fix them in after the felting... hmmm.
Here is the progress on the Fair Isle Free Argyle socks. Such Yummy yarn and a cool pattern. I'm a bit further on from here now. I've turned the heel and am on my first all pattern row.
I also started on some basic 4x2 ribbed socks for Tony, but I've only got the top ribbing to show so far and that's a bit boring. Will be good 6am mindless train knitting this week however!