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

Christmas Knits

Hello. I hope you all had a good one. I thought I would share with you a few festive photos.

The Tree - note the knitted angel at the top - made about 4 years ago. The cake, finally decorated. How we are going to eat this much Christmas Cake I don't know. And finally some presents:

The Cosy Tank Top from "And So to Bed" by Lucinda Guy.

Started: End of Nov
Finished: Mid Dec

Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK in 501 (Sweet) and 516 (Sage)
Comments: I absolutely loved making this, and I hope Carys enjoys wearing it as much. I reckon it is my favourite knit so far! I found some cool jeans with pink and green flowers on to match. The wool is gorgeous to knit with, the pattern is ridiculously easy, but it looks really cool. Unfortunately the picture doesn't really show the stitch pattern too well - the link above shows it a little better.

I gave in, and made some scarves for my friends. I think scarves are a bit of a cop-out present, but they seem to be enjoyed. Here is Lauren's, in GGH Nevada

Finally for today I will let you peak at one of the final Chrismas presents, it should be with the recepient tomorrow.
Pattern: Kai Sweater from Louisa Harding's Natural Knits for Babies and Mum's
Started: 24th December
Finished: 27th December
Yarn: GGH Samoa in a lime green colour (from the Get Knitted summer sale) - 3 balls.
Comments: Another favourite I think. I love the colour, and it is a bonus that it is something NOT BLUE for a boy. It might be a little bit big for Toby, but I made the 12 month size as he is quite big for just over 6 months. I did make the sleeves a little shorter than in the pattern, as I always find sleeves ridiculously long on babies clothes. This was so quick to make - that's the aran weight cotton I guess. After all of the socks, it seemed like a miracle it was finished so quickly!
I need to take a picture of Tony's finished Christmas socks... they are in the wash at the moment. I also have one last Christmas Knit to finish - the cardigan from the front of the EMU baby book here in the same RYC Cashsoft as the Cosy Tank Top above.

Then it is on to more projects. Here are the items on the knitting agenda, a bit ridicuous I think
1. I want to make some fingerless gloves that turn into mittens from the angora my SP sent me.
2. Finish off the odd Fair Isle Free sock
3. 30th Birthday present for Suzie (Bday 14th Jan) - not socks, maybe a cop-out scarf! Or maybe some DK socks, which will be superfast!
4. Jumper for Sam, who will be 2 on 10th Jan
5. 30th Birthday socks for James (15th February) - in Crystal Palace colours.
6. Clapotis in the burnt orange silk Kerrie dyed for my mum's birthday (10th Feb)
7. (And most important) - baby blanket for Carys' new baby brother or sister. Due 15th February. I am having a hard time deciding between the Debbie Bliss Alphabet Blanket and the Roost Blanket from the Lucinda Guy "And so to Bed" Book.

Or just making another blanket from crochet squares. What do you think?

Merry Xmas Everybody

The last few weeks have been quite manic and also horrid and stressful... moving house turned into a nightmare which involved sitting on the side of the Motorway in a broken down van for hours and the rudest removal firm in the world - if you live in South London and are moving house, never, ever use ASL Removals.
However hopefully that is over now (apart from the compensation claim) and I can look forward to 10 days off work and lots of time to spend with friends and family. I've got lots of Christmas presents to blog about, but they will have to wait until they have been opened so as not to spoil any surprises! I've still got a few things to finish, including Tony's Christmas socks, but there is only about 2 inches to go, so I should make it by Monday.
Bryony sent me fab gifts for winning her blog competition; a handmade Miffy purse, some stitch markers and some yummy chocolate. They were ace... thank you! Pictures next time I promise. I may not get chance to blog again before, so, as we say in Wolverhampton, MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY

Secret Pal 9 gift and more Christmas knitting

Look what delights arrived on Saturday morning for me from my Secret Pal....Two amazingly soft balls of Louisa Harding's Kimono Angora; with a suggestion to make them into fingerless gloves. Lavender soap (which smells amazing), La Senza lip gloss, Brighton rock, and some yummy Green & Blacks chocolate with hazelnuts and raisins. All fantastically colour co-ordinated. Thank you secret pal, I love it all!
Now onto the Christmas knitting... socks for Tony in Regia Silk from Web of Wool.
I'm doing these toe up, using this pattern. As toe up is all a bit new to me I have been making Tony try these on just to make sure they fit ok, as his last socks are a bit baggy.
I have also been working away on other Christmas present, most are secrets, but I can show you this scarf for Tony's mum. I don't usually agree with novelty yarn, but this is so soft and is a great colour as it isn't too bright so seems perfect for a scarf and is a very quick knit. It is Patons Softy, knitted on 8mm needles in garter stitch. And finally, some vintage knitting patterns arrived from ebay this week. Three baby pattern books, they have some fantastic patterns in them. I love the blue cardigan on the front of the bottom book
And this matinee jacket.
There are also some hilarious patterns in there, which I will share in another post!