Magic Mittens, Posh Socks and No Snow

I woke up disappointed this morning. There was no snow in Wolverhampton. I thought now I'd moved back up to the Midlands I might see some snow in winter. I love the snow. It seems I should have stayed in London to see snow. Alice , Kerrie, Wendy, Gemma and the Purly Queen all had snow. There was even snow in Streatham which is within spitting distance of (soon not to be) my flat. I had to make do with these fab pictures from the Beeb and some sleet in Birmingham at lunchtime!
Perhaps it is good that we didn't get any snow, as only one of my Magic Mittens is finished. Isn't it fab? It is so soft. I love the stripes on the thumb - excellent dying Kerrie!
But where is the magic?
TA DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Makes me smile every time :0) Now I just need to finish the other one and buy some buttons before the cashmere yarn I bought from Dee arrives to make some more Fetching handwarmers!
Now onto the posh socks. Here is the progress on the commuter knitting for the week. Not bad seeing as it is only Wednesday and it's been too cold to knit on the bus. Lichen Socks from Vintage Knitted socks (really a 3x1 rib) in Posh Yarn Lucia in Highland Mist, for Tony's birthday.

Right, off to sneak in another crocheted square before bed.

In my magic bag....

I'm at home with a cold/sore throat/headache/general feeling rubbishness and only the snooker to keep me company. So I decided to tidy out my knitting basket yesterday, as it was taking over the entire living room. As if by magic, Mary over at "The Wool Palace" asked "What is in your knitting basket?" so I have duly obliged....
Convertible mittens, in Hipknits sockweight Cashmere that Kerrie custom dyed for me just before Christmas. I've nearly finished the thumb shaping on the first one. It makes a change from socks!
Squares for my third Baby Blanket from 200 Crochet Blocks. They have even had the ends sewn in and been blocked! I'm sure I won't be quite so organised with the remaining 31! The colours are a bit 70's, but I kind of like it that way! Baby is due on 15th Feb, so I think I'm on track with this one. I think I might even like them more than the alphabet blanket. They look just as complicated, but really aren't at all. Another crochet square, this time in Noro Kureyon, for a swap bot exchange that sounded like fun. Is this crazy enough to be a crazy afghan square?

A jacket I started for baby Hattie before Christmas. I realised it would be too big for a Christmas present, but I should finish it and send it before she gets too big. It is going to be the jacket in blue on the front of this book. I am worried however I won't have enough wool, I guess if the arms need to be a slightly different shade it shouldn't matter too much!
I love the stitch pattern, do you think it would make good socks?
Next up is Cashmere/merino sock yarn in Highland Mist from the lovely Dee at Posh Yarn. These are for Tony's Birthday socks. I think I'm going do try out a pattern from Nancy Bush's Vintage Knitted Socks, which I bought for myself as a Christmas Present. I think it will be the Gentleman's Fancy SockAnd lastly, some 4 ply soft in vaguely Crystal Palace colours for a 30th Birthday present for my friend James. It will be either (a) socks - if I decide it is hard wearing enough (b) a tie - as James always jokes that he wants a knitted tie.

Do you like my new socks?

It has taken me long enough to make them! I started (and finished) number 1 on holiday in Amsterdam in June - after pestering Bry for the pattern to take on holiday with me. For some I didn't start number 2 straight away... in fact it took me until 30th December to start number 2. This has been my commuter knitting since the start of the New Year and it was finished yesterday. I LOVE them. I can't believe I waited this long to finish them, they are amazingly comfortable.
Pattern: Fair Isle Free Argyle Socks by Bryony.
Yarn: Nature's Palette in Odd Duck 3 (love it)
Started: June 2006
Finished: 15th Jan 2007 (the shame)
Comments: Great pattern, they looked 100 times better after blocking! Perfect fit, I love them.
Now for my surprise parcel from my Secret Pal..... look what gorgeous things arrived today... TWO skeins of Koigu in THE most perfect colour (more below), some yummy jelly beans and a fab fish bath fizzle. I'd better get my ball winder out!

Now SP - you have to tell me who you are!
In other news, I started squares for a baby blanket after deciding the alphabet blanket was too hard to try and do whilst watching the TV. I will complete it one day, but it will not be in the next 4 weeks! I have two pairs of (men's) socks to knit by the middle of Feb too. Might go and cast on for one tonight. Has anyone knitted socks with Rowan 4ply soft? I bought some the other day but I'm now worried they might get holes in really quickly....

Sockret Pal Parcel number 2

Thank you Sockretly for you fantastic parcel that arrived yesterday. I have now put the keyring on my keys, the badge on my velvet jacket and can't stop stroking the gorgeous sock yarn. You are a star!

My first FO's of 07

Luxury cashmere handwarmers for Suzie's 30th birthday next weekend.
Pattern: Fetching from Knitty
Yarn: The softest most luxurious wool you have ever ever felt. Sophia 12 ply Chunky cashmere from Posh Yarns in Palette from last week's "One off Wednesday". I wish you could stroke your monitor to feel how amazingly soft they are.
Started: Saturday, 6th Jan
Finished: Sunday 7th Jan (aka, no time at all!)
Comments: I had to use 3.5mm needles as I don't have any bigger DPN's. But the chunky (rather than aran weight) called for it, otherwise they would have been massive! The fabric is quite firm because of this but it doesn't matter! You can't see the cables as well as you could if they were a solid colour... but they do stand out more than in the photos... and I don't care because I LOVE THEM! I just hope Suzie does too :0) I have to make some for myself, but now I fear only Posh Yarn's cashmere will do!
The other FO is a scarf for little Carys. She doens't have a scarf and when asked if she would like one, she said yes, a red one. So, being me, I have made it red (with a few stripes!)

Pattern: Kind of a made up crochet pattern which involves 3 dc's into every third dc, to make a kind of shell pattern.
Yarn: DB Cashmerino Aran in dark red and some random Kureyon I found whilst looking for a contrast (as there wasn't enough Cashmerino)
Started: Friday 5th Jan
Finished: Sunday 7th jan
Comments: I am worried the Kureyon will be a bit itchy, so I decided to make what I hope will be the neck part of the scarf in the soft cashmerino. Finger crossed it is a winner!
Right off to do some swatching for the next secret project.

A whole year of blogging

Well well well. This post marks my 1st Blogiversary! Happy "One year of blogging" to me.
I thought I would mark it with a quick review of the year....
January - the blogging commences. I made a booga bag and started my first secret pal swap
February - A gorgeous trip to Ireland, my first sock and the start of a Clapotis
March - More socks (ickle ones this time), some scary Kool Aid Dying and a finished Clapotis
April - Falling leaves socks - still my fave
May - Toby's baby blanket and my first pair of birthday Jaywalkers
June - Knitting on a boat, entrelac and a sock that is still missing its pair
July - Tony's first knitted socks and goodbye to London
August - A new job and a month of socks - it was too hot for anything else!
September - Sockwars and the start of another baby blanket
October - 30th Birthday socks and a new baby - but the blanket wasn't finished!
November - Christmas stockings and finished blankets
December - Presents galore!

Not bad going, two blankets, a Clapotis, about 17 pairs of socks and a few other things. May the knitting continue!

On the present front, here another knitted gift I'm yet to blog about:

A tank top for baby Hattie. From Louisa Harding's Natural Knits.
Started: 28th December
Finished: 29th December
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft (in light pink) and some All seasons cotton for the trim (in Brown)
Comments - lightning fast, but then there aren't any arms to knit! I decided to crochet around the arms to make them go a bit frilly which kind of worked. She looked very cute in it, must get the pictures from her parents!

I haven't had much luck with things I have started this year. I started some mittens in the Angora my SP sent me, but the ribbing doesn't pull in enough... so I think I will have to substitute the yarn for something else. The pattern I have is for sock yarn.... so maybe I should use some of my massive stash! I also started Lucinda Guy's Big Digger jumper for Sam who will be two next week. I'm using the Jaeger Aqua cotton left over from Hattie's blanket, and it just seems wrong for a jumper. I also started the sock pattern in the first edition of Yarn Forward magazine. It's a lace pattern, with only two rows and I have already made a mistake and I've only done two rows. Oooops. Maybe things will get better at the weekend! I hope so.

Oh and the organisers and I have finally given up on my Sockret Pal (the girl who I am sending to - not my fab pal)... so I have a new person to buy presents and knit socks for. YIPEEEEEEEEE