I should be ironing!!

New Year, New Patterns, New Skills!

2010-01-02T23:11:00.003Z

Happy New Year!!

Yes - I've been very busy! All kinds of busy in fact; looking after Mum while Dad was in hospital (heart problems - he's home now and keeping well with lots of medication!); having an operation myself (arthroscopy to trim cartilege tear in my right knee, and they also diagnosed arthritis); and (of course!!) designing knits and writing patterns!

Since I last posted I have published 3 patterns - two double-knitted scarves and a beret. You may realise from the images below that I have also invested in a new camera and have put a lot of effort into taking good photos with it to show off my designs:

Falling Flowers:

Sky at Night:

And Lórien:

I've also invested in a decent camcorder, and have started to make technique videos for lefty knitters. The one I've 'embedded' below is about the long-tail cast-on. This is part of my growing mission to make available clear and correct teaching material for lefty knitters. It seems (from what I see in Ravelry) that lefties are often pushed to learn knitting in the right-handed direction due to a combination of the erroneous widespread notion that mirror knitting involves lots of pattern translation, and because of a lack of left-handed teachers, or at least teachers who caqn teach lefty knitting styles. While many lefties are fine knitting in the same direction as right-handers many lefties are not, and I've now (mostly via Ravelry) come across many who gave up on knitting until they tried it mirror-style.

Anyway - here is my first half-decent technique video. While there are still a few issues to work on (camera shake and lighting) I think this one is good enough for public viewing, so I've uploaded it to YouTube.

Centered Double Increase

2009-10-02T12:02:00.004+01:00

I designed this blanket square intending to enter it for The Knitter magazine's competition in aid of MacMillan cancer support. Unfortuantely I was so busy preparing for a coffee morning I hosted for the same cause that I didn't finish the square and pattern before the competition deadline. So, I have instead posted the pattern in Ravelry for all to access as they please.

The square uses an increase method that I devised earlier this summer for some armwarmers I'm knitting (I'll post about these sometime soon). As the increase is so unusual (possibly unique) my sister has helped me to produce this video tutorial for the increase to accompany the pattern. She did the knitting (as I'm a mirror knitter a video of me doing it would be very confusing for most) while I did the voice-over.

Published!!

2009-10-02T10:35:00.003+01:00

I can finally post pictures of the socks that Lark commissioned me to design for The Joy of Sox. They've given me the pictures you see below to use as blogger fodder and for general blowing of my own trumpet! Unfortunately they don't show the details of the heel and foot as weel as the ones they used for the book, but you get the idea. They have named them 'Snow Bunny', I think because the colours are reminiscent of the Playboy Bunny girls, and because they take the narrow diamond border pattern on the legs to be similar to the symbols used on maps showing challenging ski pistes.

2009-08-23T22:27:00.006+01:00

Gosh - it's rather dusty in here!! I didn't realise it was quite so long since my last post here. I get so caught up in my knitting groups, posting at my Potter blog and in Ravelry that I forget this one. Which will not do as it is referenced in the bio section of The Joy of Sox, the Lark Books publication featuring a design by Yours Truly (they've called the design 'Snow Bunny'!).

Well, what have I been doing since February? Knitting and spinning of course! One wonderful experience was learning how to spin superfine lace yarn with Anne Baron from Bradford Guild. I can now spin yarn as fine as hair!!

Another highlight was UK Ravelry Day in Coventry in June. This was a marvellous day at which I attended inspiring talks by Meg Swansen and Debbie Bliss, as well as meeting lots of wonderful Ravellers, including the famous designer Jared Flood, aka Brooklyn Tweed:

I designed some full-length British-themed gloves for the fashion show at Ravelry Day. Jade silk with a red rose for England, red wool with a daffodil for Wales, and white wool with a thistle for Scotland (alas - I have no pics of these last ones to show you).

I plan to publish the pattern, either via Yarn Forward magazine (negotiations ongoing) or via Ravelry and my new website (which I will link in the sidebar here at some point!)

Of course I have lots of other knitting on the needles, much of it self-designed, especially as I am still putting together a book proposal. I've also taken on knitting a shawl for Mum who had knitted it rather badly and wants a better version to wear. Very sadly I think she is beginning to lose skills as she ages. I frogged it earlier today and am now off to wash the yarn prior to reknitting it.

Recent Knits

2009-02-17T13:01:00.007Z

As I haven't been posting very regularly (!) I have again quite a few finished projects to share.

Firstly, I did finish Tom's scarf during the Christmas break, so he has been able to benefit from it's super-warmth during the recent snow!

One skein of my indigo-dyed yarn made this Swallowtail Shawl designed by Evelyn Clark(this one is for me!):

Another skein made this scarf for Mum (modelled by my dear twin-sister). I found the pattern on Ravelry - it's called 'The Waltz':

Odd sock yarn remnants made these hats for Bonnie Babies (UK Special Care Baby charity). They are based on a design by my wonderful Danish knitting friend, Kaae:

The yarn I span with wool from Freyalyn made this 'Morning Surf Scarf' from Spin-off magazine:

And I finally knitted the Ravenclaw Quidditch Socks from Charmed Knits that I've been lusting after since I got the book from my son last Christmas:

Next post - 'On the Needles' - embarrassingly more projects than permitted by my usual '5 or less' rule of thumb!

And then there were three...

2009-02-07T16:43:00.003Z

Columns in my blog, that is! I've used a wonderful online tutorial to edit the template setting so that I could add the sidebar you see on the right. That way I can now make a better job of showcasing my patterns. Because the tutorial was so clear this was a lot easier than I anticipated.

Double Knitted Bookscarves

2009-02-04T13:42:00.006Z

I've spent a lot of time before Christmas and in January working on my skills in double knitting (see the video tutorial in the advanced techniques section at knittinghelp.com for basic instruction). Having progressed to the middle section of Tom's scarf I received in the post a version of it for my nephew, made by a Danish knitting friend, Heidi Bybeckmann. This scarf was so beautiful and so perfectly executed that it sent me to my needles to swatch, swatch, swatch in an attempt to emulate her amazing skill. However, only after seeking advice from the Master Knitter herself did I manage to recreate the beautiful corded edges and approach anywhere near her even tension. My two-handed yarn management (which I swear by for fairisle) was not working well for double knitting, and my single-stranded edge stitches were making the edges messy.
Armed with this new knowledge about how to do double knitting I designed and knitted these Hogwarts bookscarves to practice with:

Fronts:

Backs:

Pattern:

Materials:

4ply/Sock yarn in House Colours as shown Main colour = Colour A, Contrast colour = Colour B
2mm needles

Instructions:

Cast on: Make 18 stitches in each of the two colours for the bookscarf (36 stitches in total), alternating the colours with every stitch. Any two-colour cast-on will do. (I do a very fiddly thing with Judy's magic-cast on to make a cast-on that looks like the back and front were knitted as one long piece and then just folded and seamed at the edges. I'll explain that technique in another post.)

First row: Slip the first stitch knitwise, then alternate knit then purl stitches as when working K1P1 rib, but work all the knit stitches with Colour A, and all the purl stitches with Colour B until the last stitch. Purl the last stitch with both colours held together.

Second and subsequent rows: Slip the first (doublestranded) stitch knitwise. Working a knit stitch first again alternate knit and purl stitches, but working the stitches in whichever colour is required as follows:
On the right side work all knit stitches in the colour shown on the chart, following each knit stitch with a purl stitch in the other colour (i.e. not the colour that was used for the knit stitch). On wrong sides work all the knit stitches in the opposite colour to that shown on the chart following each knit stitch with a purl stitch in the other colour (i.e. not the colour that was used for the knit stitch).
Purl the last stitch with both strands held together.

Cast off: Any cast off will do. I like to separate the stitches so the stitches from each side are on different needles, then graft the two sets of stitches together with Kitchener stitch.

Weave in all ends, and you're done!

Charts: (these link to my flick account - please feel free to download larger versions of the charts from there for your own, non-commercial use)

Enjoy your Potter reading!

Indigo

2008-10-26T22:42:00.002Z

Yesterday I finally got round to using some of the stuff we sowed and planted in spring at the allotment for me to try some natural dyeing with.

When I know something is going to take all day, I need some kind of spur to actually get on with it! In this case it was the fact that natural dyeing with plantstuff is this month's assignment for Herbology in the Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup. So I asked Dave to harvest the leaves from two of the Japanese Indigo plants while I set up the kitchen for the task ahead so that I could get the leaves into hot water as soon as he brought them in.

My sister was here and took lots of photos of the process for me to share. I followed instructions in Rita Buchanan's fantastic little dyeing book 'A Dyer's Garden':

1) I covered the leaves with hot water in Kilner jars and put them in a big pan of water, then slowly heated them up to 160 degress F over two hours.

2) I strained the liquid off, and squeezed as much as I could from the leaves:

3) I added some soda ash to make the solution alkaline:

4) The mixture had to be poured back and forth between containers to aerate it - this apparently releases the pigment, and it did turn a more blue colour as I did this:

5) I added some Spectralite (a 'reducing agent'), then heated the dyebath to 120 degrees F for an hour before putting the first skein in. The dyebath had now turned a greenish yellow colour:

6) I left each skein (I did three consecutively) in the hot bath for 30 minutes. I was thoroughly excited by how the skeins changed from yellow to blue when I took them out, it took seconds rather than minutes, and they went through a marvellous turquoise moment on the way:

The same skein seconds later (though it was less bright than the picture shows):

After hanging the skeins to air for at least half an hour I washed them, then re-skeined them (they had felted a little in the process). This is how they ended up - beautiful soft tones of French blue, grey and silver. The top skein shows the bare yarn I started with - a laceweight lambswool from Texere:

An awesome experience!!

Dave is so enthused by this he has created a raised bed at the allotment just for my dyeplants!

Sheep Spotter!!

2008-10-03T14:15:00.002+01:00

Masham Sheep Fair was fantastic!!! I went with my sister and we had lots of fun ogling the sheep and all the various stalls. Marie was so inspired by the displays in the schoolroom where Bradford and Craven Guilds have stalls that she bought some fibre from Adelaide Walker, has borrowed a spindle from me, and has now learned spindle-spinning. I'm avsolutely delighted because last year she gave up in disgust after only a few minutes with my spindle during our camping holiday. She has now spun at least 25g of her lovely mixed blue merino top.

The biggest treat for me was finding a little pocket-sized 'Know You Sheep' book - recently published. It is going everywhere in my handbag because I am indeed a sad little wool addict and really want to be able to identify every sheep that I meet. I've been this way since my teens, and do now know many brreds by sight. I struggle with Blackface and Swaledale and Lonk though - they are so similar. While the Swaledale has only a grey muzzle, the markings on a Blackface or Lonk can take that configuration anyway, and Lonks and Blackfaces of any markings seem indistinguishable. And if I ever come acvroos some 'down' sheep I'll also be in trouble because they all look virtually identical too! Ah well...!!

Marie drove, so I was able to get some knitting done on the journey, and am pleased to report that I have now finished Tom's Hogwarts Socks. I've just to finish writing up the pattern and then I'll publish. Alas, I haven't got a decent photo yet -the flash has made the purple cuff and foot look blue. The text says 'Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon' - the Hogwarts school motto!!

Advancing skills?

2008-09-22T09:39:00.005+01:00

At last all the children, including my sister's children, are in full-time school. Instead of using the extra time this frees up for housework I have, of course, been doing more spinning and knitting! It really is addictive, and I am well and truly hooked! Especially as during the last week I have been doing new things - styles and techniques I've never or rarely tried before.

First off I finished the Quidditch yarn - 300g of BFL spun to 'worsted' weight (roughly aran). I got 350 yards, and was reasonably happy with the results as I have rarely spun such thick yarn before. It turned out more consistent than I thought it would be. An unexpected element was added when I discovered that bonus points were available for metallic looking metal colours. How is Hufflepuff black a metallic colour? Well, apparently black is associated with iron in heraldry. Going with this I felt there was grounds for a hint of gold in the yarn, as 'fools gold' is really iron pyrites, so I plied the singles with some gold filament thread I have. It looked great. especially after dyeing the yarn black - the metallic thread didn't take the dye, so the gold glints really stand out. First picture is before dyeing:

In order to free up bobbin space for the Hufflepuff yarn I also plyed the singles I spun at Alston Hall from some dyed roving I bought from Freyalyn - her Wisteria colourway. I decided to Navajo ply because I wanted to maintain lengths of solid colour. This felt very brave because my last go at Navajo plying was very bumpy!! However, this time the yarn does not have bumps where each chain meets - those points are barely discernable. I thought I had overplyed as the skeins twisted so much when I took them off the niddynoddy, but after an intersesting discussion with Penny Leonard at Guild on Saturday I found that the yarn did indeed relax so much after washing that the skeins no longer self-twist. Perhaps my last Navajo-plyed yarn was so bumpy because it was underplyed?

Here is a section of the skeins as they hang to dry, and a full shot of them (sadly the colours don't show well - they are much more vibrant in real life):

And finally, my new knitting craze - I have been learning double-knitting. This is not in this case a yarn thickness, but a knitting technique that creates double-sided knits. I first came across the technique when I saw an article about double-knitted socks which solved the mystery from 'Knitting in the Nordic Tradition' about how the nurse in War and Peace knitted two socks in one. Then a friend of mine knitted a two-colour double-knitted bag, and I realised the possibilities double-knitting affords for colourwork. I wondered if this would resolve my problem with Aidan's scarf, knitted as a fairisle tube, which was turning out far too thick. So, I researched the technique and cast on. It works!! I am knitting a scarf that has a design on both sides, yet only uses two strands of yarn, and is a perfect thickness. The biggest win was getting the name (this one is for my middle son, Tom) to read properly on both sides. The scarf so far:

Clever eh?

Made it!

2008-09-15T21:30:00.006+01:00

Ok - I'm a fast knitter! I am regularly accused of this in Ravelry due to the rate at which I add finished projects. This week I managed to knit a whole jumper in just five days! Before you faint with exhaustion at the thought I'd better add that it was for a child - it started life on my needles as a jumper for my middle son, and came off the needles a better fit for my youngest, who now owns it. What I'm proud of is that I've finally mastered my Mum's skill of knitting while watching T.V. (or in my case, while reading the computer screen!) - I feel like I have 'made it' as a knitter!

The well-read among you will immediately recognise that this is a Weasley jumper. Indeed I knitted it as my Transfiguration 'homework' for the 'Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup'. We had to do something that would be a good learning process - something we hadn't done before, and were supposed to do a Potter-themed pattern to boot. I went for the sweater because I have rarely knitted them - mostly due to hating seaming. Hence this is a seamless, top-down sweater! I love the technique and think I will be doing many more, and learning more about sizing in the process.

My youngest son will also be the beneficiary of a glove design I am currently working on. I charted the pattern a year ago, intending to knit it to go with the Nordic earflap hats I made for my boys and my nephew and niece last Christmas. Fortunately for this design there is an astronomy class in the House Cup for which we have to do a star-themed knit, and that supported me to actually get on and knit these. They are a combination of Nordic and Yorkshire design, patterned, fingered gloves with names on being a traditional knit in Yorkshire in times gone by. I need to tweak the pattern a little, then I will publish it. At the moment the index finger is disproportionately long:

As well as all this 'homework' I also have Quidditch practice to do because I'm a Beater in the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. The game consists of creating a knitted or crocheted item as a team effort, with the 'Seeker' doing the design work, two 'Beaters' spinning the yarn, three 'Chasers' knitting/crocheting it, and a Keeper doing the finishing! My job is to spin 300 yards of aran-weight wool, then dye it black. Tough call, as I have rarely spun anything thicker than sock-weight! Anyhow, I've spun the singles - perhaps a little overspun - spot the snarls! Tomorrow I shall ply.

And finally, here is the promised picture of the cardigan I knitted for Poppy. The pattern is one I found in Ravelry, based on one Lucy wears in the first Narnia film:

Resolution!

2008-09-07T19:21:00.002+01:00

This is it - from now on I will post here at least once a week!! As this is the 'website' I have given to Lark Books to go with my profile I really need to start using it properly again, instead of focusing solely on my Potter blog (which I love!). So - I'm going to tidy up: Re-organise the buttons. Put some links to my online pattern sales. Give details of new designs I am working on. And I will ramble on about the events in the life a a small-town housewife from Yorkshire! Some posts may be brief, some may be very long - I make no resolutions there. Most will include pictures and/or links for added interest.

Without further ado I will introduce the designs I have published this summer. Links to purchase coming soon in the sidebar:

Luna's Moonlight Socks:

The Fleur Tote:

Chaussettes de Beauxbatons:

I've also been doing some other stuff, some my own designs to publish, and a little baby knitting for my new niece, Poppy, born last week! I'll tell more of that in my next post. Meantime I must fly - have to go and pick up my eldest from the railway station. TTYS!!

'Tagged'

2008-06-17T15:03:00.003+01:00

A couple of folk in The Swap have 'tagged' me with this questionnaire now, so I guess I ought to do it. Must be quick though - I have socks to knit!!

1) What were you doing 10 years ago?
Teaching in a secondary school in Oldham (near Manchester - the 'wrong' side of the Pennines!)

2) name 5 things on you TO-DO list for today?
Knit another motif repeat on first Pink Passion sock
Knit another motif repeat on second Pink Passion sock
Lift clean laundry from floor onto spare bed
Replace black print cartridge
Book train ticket to Cockermouth for Woolfest next Friday (yippee!! - + no guilt cos I have 8 hours knitting time on train!)

3) snacks that you enjoy?
apple crisps
oranges
sherbet lemons(fruity eh?)

4) what would you do if you were a billionaire?
Fund social projects for young people in the UK
Have Mum and Dad's home gutted and swanked up for them (don't think they'd want to move after nearly fifty years there!)
Buy a super-eco car (fuel cells?)
Go to S.O.A.R.
Buy a country property for eco-renovation and have the renovation done for the Wigworthy clan to inhabit

5) Name places you have lived.
Huddersfield
York
Easingwold (tiny market town 15 miles north of York)near Raskelf ('middle of nowhere'!)Ulverston (Market town next to the English Lakes)
Lindal- in- Furness (village near Ulverston)
Brighouse (small textile town in south Pennines)

6) what jobs have you held?
Cafe dogsbody
Specialist nurse (learning disabilities)
Teacher (religious education)
Lecturer (theology/religious studies)
Freelance writer for AOL

7) Who are you tagging?
Lily Clearwater

Felting

2008-06-02T15:27:00.004+01:00

Gosh - a whole month since I posted! I do seem to be on a slippery slide with frequency of posting here. Let's see if I can improve the numbers in June!

I do have quite a few things to report, including a lovely holiday in the North York Moors last week. The highlight was the pirate day at Whitby Abbey, where Tom and Toby got to fire cannons, properly drilled by a lovely old sailor. There were some 'infantry' (re-enactment) there firing real cannons (not the toy ones the boys were drilled with) - the noise was incredible.

On the craft front there has, of course, been a lot of activity. My biggest project has been creating a bag for a design competition that the headmistress at Hogwarts instigated. My entry was my first ever felting project. It's rather cute, and I love the felting. There are some far more stylish and aesthetically effective designs that others have done though, so I don't know how much chance it has. She's planning to select four or five winners. I did mine with very reasonably priced British yarn that I found out about in Ravelry, from New Lanark Mills. Since I finished it my darling twin-sister has claimed it for her own!!
So photos of said project:

The latin roughly translates as 'Never Needle a Magical Knitter' (latin scholars - please don't flame me for the grammar!)

There are several other works in progress, including the Gryffindor Pride socks which I have now almost finished, and should be publishing the pattern in a day or so. Today yarn arrived (from New Lanark!) for some baby stuff for my sister-in-law's baby - she's expecting a girl in August. I'm planning to knit and felt some booties, and knit a fairisle cardigan, and design and knit a skirt (cos I can't find a decent pattern for baby skirts!)

I've been posting a few of my patterns in Ravelry, and when I have time (Hah!!) I plan to create a section in this blog to link them. My other big news is that I have just submitted a pattern to Lark Books for posssible publication in a book they're planning for autumn next year! Watch this space...

New Term at Hogwarts

2008-05-04T17:09:00.002+01:00

Just a quick post to let any readers who might be interested know that the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap, of which my recent posts have been very full, is starting a new term. Information about the swap may be found at the new website which also has a link to the swap blog where folk can sign up. The button in my sidebar here will take you to the main site.

Socks and sock kit.

2008-04-24T13:23:00.004+01:00

It is with great shame that I note I have neglected this blog so much that as yet I haven't even posted pictures of the kit I received last week from my 'spoiler' in the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. Running two blogs has proved rather challenging, and I admit that I have prioritised the blog I set up for the sock kit swap. It is a 'character blog' in which I post about events in my life as Emma Wigworthy, a knitting and spinning housewitch from Ottery St. Catchpole (mysteriously relocated to somewhere in Pennine Yorkshire!!). If you want to visit and read some of these magical ramblings you are most welcome to. The blog is called 'Yarns fromOttery St. Catchpole', and a lot more exciting than this muggle version of my life! Since the swap is over, and the next swap (starting at the beginning of May) is not to be secret, I can now connect together these two existences. Pictures of the kit I received last week appear at this other blog.

The current knitting news is that I have finished the Hufflepuff socks and published the pattern in my new Ravelry Pattern Store and at my Etsy shop:

Ravenclaw Pride Socks

2008-04-04T09:51:00.002+01:00

These are what I've been busy knitting the last 2 or 3 weeks. I designed them after a friend in the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap suggested that I should do some 'proper Ravenclaw socks'. The pattern is for sale as a pdf in my Etsy shop (which is still named after a nefarious fairytale spinner, despite what Freyalyn told me about the meaning of his name!!). I have designed similar socks for the other Hogwarts houses, yet to be knitted. And I really need to do some spinning - my wheel has been rather neglected of late with all this designing and knitting going on. I shall (commits herself) spend at least an hour spinning silk this weekend.

Wonderful Wales

2008-03-30T00:39:00.006Z

In my defence I have been away on holiday, though not for quite the whole time since my last post!! We rented a wonderful remote farmhouse in Wales where we basked in the peace and quiet (in between blasts of cbeebies from the satellite TV!), walked (yes- even in the biting cold that was the weather this Easter!), read and knitted (well - I knitted, Dave made paper models with the boys).

The farmhouse was idyllic - it was derelict until the very recent renovation (we are the second tenants the owners have had!) which was commissioned by the estate owner who deals in oak. So there were lots of replacement oak beams, oak internal walls and floors (apart from the slate slabs in the kitchen), and even oak toilet cisterns! The estate has a water turbine so we had an electric aga for heating and cooking, as well as the stove in the lounge which we kept feeding with bits of the old beams!

Sadly I have no photos of my own to share - our camera has become so temperamental it will only take a couple of pictures in between battery changes. Dave is looking for a new one for us. I can however post some pinched photos and links. This is the valley (the 'Tanat' valley) where we stayed - the farmhouse was right at the head, not far from the waterfall you can just see in this picture:

First off we visited a sculpture park and nature reserve at Lake Vyrnwy, where Dave bought me some binoculars to be my birthday present (a few days away now). We spotted siskins and coaltits among the many bluetits and chaffinches feeding near the hide we visited.

Next we visited the Centre for Alternative Technology which has changed a fair bit in the 8 years since last time we were there. Lots more displays, especially about recycling, and even more stuff about alternative ways to create electricity. They've installed a biomass boiler. Dave was disappointed not to see stuff about 'digesters', and I was disappointed by the poor state of the planting areas. Our last visit to CAT was a major inspiration in our own gardening, recycling, and energy-saving efforts. Nevertheless the boys loved the interactive displays. And after our experience at the farmhouse I've got even more enthusiastic about finding a property for our future rural eco-home (our dream) where we could operate a water turbine.

In the lounge of our farmhouse there was a big metal plaque behind the stove with a hare, some oak leaves, and the name 'Melangell' cast into it. We found out when we visited the little church in the valley that Melangell was a 7th century saint in the valley who saved a hare from being killed by the local prince's hounds (it hid under her robes while she was praying). The prince was so impressed by her holiness that he gave her the valley for her own and she founded a religious community there (now gone, all but the church which still has an ancient Romanesque shrine to her - the only remaining Romanesque Christian shrine in the UK apparently). Here's a picture of the shrine and an icon of St. Melangell for you:

The major treats of the holiday for the boys were our visits to King Arthur's Labyrinth (truly wonderful experience) and our ride on the Bala lakeside steam railway. I think my personal favourite was our walk to the waterfall near the farmhouse. The weather was sunny that day, the boys were so much fun to be with on the walk, and the location was like the best lake district fells without any other walkers at all (which never happens in the Lake District, and especially not during the Easter break!).

My swap package

2008-03-10T14:27:00.009Z

Oh dear - I have rather neglected this bog the last couple of weeks haven't I? Let's hope a load of pictures will make up for it!

My sock kit swap partner has now recieved her packages (two in the event, to avoid £10 extra if it was all in one box!) Sadly the rhubarb and ginger jam and pumpkin pickle I made for her didn't make it in one piece - the jars broke on the journey. I may send her replacements. She was very pleased with the rest of the stuff, and as she has now got it I can, at last, post pictures here of the things I've been busy with since Christmas for the swap.

The rules were quite prescriptive regarding the main contents of the kit: sock yarn and a handmade bag in the partner's house colours, stitchmarkers, sock needles, and a sock pattern. Other extras were, of course, permitted.

Putting it all together has been quite a journey of creativity for me. It started with the bag, for which I had chosen a pattern (free from a link in Ravelry) even before I knew what house my partner belonged to. I also ordered fabric for lining the bag before partners were announced, as I thought it would work for all houses. After the e-mail arrived with my partner's details (a Slytherin) I hotffooted over to Texere and bought green cotton yarn, and some silver, glittery yarn for the bag. Using my newly acquired i-cord skills, a witches hat button from an e-bay purchase, and my new harmony circulars (:D), I created this:

I had to adapt the pattern somewhat for a different yarn weight to that specified + I used a full cable technique at the corners instead of the narrower crossed-stitch element in the original pattern. The metal eyelets were also my idea - I thought they would balance the silver elements in my version of the bag.

In the same trip to Texere that procured the bag yarns, I also purchased some undyed silk yarn, because the e-mail with my partner's details communicated the then devastating news that she is allergic to wool. Devastating because I had already bookmarked wool sock yarns in all the house colours at my favourite online supply shops. The best-laid plans of mice and men... and all that! So I had me a little adventure in dying yarn. The green I got with little trouble, handpainting the skein with a mixture of greens I created using the acid dye kit I bought at the Harrogate show last autumn. I named it 'Salazar' as that is the first name of the fictional founder of the house of Slytherin at Hogwarts. 'Silver' proved much more difficult though - none of my greys seemed to work with the green I'd created. I remembered reading about angelina in Spin-off and did a little research about it before buying some and carding it with silk to spin some yarn which I then dyed a greeny black and named 'Darke Sylver'. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you'll see the sparkle:

The stitchmarkers were lots of fun - an enquiry on Ravelry gleaned several links to tutorials for making them, which I did using beads from texere and other bits and pieces from ebay. I presented them on a card decorated with the Slytherin crest, and packaged them in a little green organza bag. For the pattern I printed a copy of Durmstrang socks and presented it in a folder I embossed with my partner's name and decorated with the Slytherin crest. Needles I got from Get knitted - Knitpicks Harmony of course (I am in love with them after all!!), and made a case to present them in, again embossed with my partner's name and decorated with the Slytherin crest. I also included a book of sock patterns I got at a reasonable price from Amazon. It has some cute patterns for childrens' socks I think will prove useful as my partner has a 3-year-old little boy.

And that just leaves goodies. What does someone in the UK, a desert when it comes to proprietary Potter sweets, do for goodies in a Potter-themed swap? Make it up! I exploited the fact that the books were written in the UK by a British writer and include lots of references to British goodies to create my own brands! Spotted Dick appears in the books, so I relabelled a Heinz tin of itand added some custard to serve it with. They purportedly come from the 'Hogwarts Kitchens'! I very cheaply bought sherbet lemons, mint humbugs and treacle toffee (all mentioned in the books) from local supermarkets, and repackaged them also as 'Muggle Sweets'!!

Learning and doing

2008-02-24T20:49:00.009Z

What an exciting week it has been! Following last week's post I did indeed open an Etsy store with the username (and shop name) 'Rumpelstiltskin'. So far I have listed some spinning wheel oil and the Durmstrang sock pattern for sale. To do this I learnt how to make a 'banner' using Photoshop so I could have some visual whooomf at my store. Perhaps I can post it here? Let's see. Yes:

I also learnt how to create PDF files (so I can easily send the pattern via email), and found some free PDF software to do it with.

Already two people have bought the sock pattern, one of whom has posted a photo of the work in progress on Ravelry. It is very exciting and lovely to see my socks knitted by somebody else in beautiful alternative yarns.

At the suggestion of one of my friends in the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap I've also spent a lot of time this week creating a design for some Ravenclaw socks. I've ordered yarn to knit them with, as I need to test the pattern and create photos of an FO before I can publish.

I'm also researching sock blockers as I plan to make and paint some to sell in the store. I found a lot of posts in Ravelry decrying sock blockers as a waste of money because its not worth using them. What?!!!! I love my sock blockers, and wouldn't dream of giving socks I've made to anybody without first of all shaping them with some. Today I finished knitting some (more) school socks for Tom and took a picture after I'd blocked the first to demonstrate the joy of blockers. The blocked sock is not still on the blocker - it holds its new shape perfectly after steaming and airing on it:

Otherwise my time has been filled with completing the 'kit' for my Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap partner. Extending my creativity still more I made my own card packaging pouches and boxes with Harry Potter font saying 'especially for 'n'' and little house crests repeating all over it. When she has received the kit I'll post some photos of the contents, the final addition being some pumpkin pickle I made on Friday with some of our frozen allotment produce. It's very hot - I burned my fingers chopping the chillies for it!!

This evening I finally took some pictures of other recent 'FOs' - hats for the boys, knitted a couple of weeks ago (just in time for the snow, and then the hard frosts this week). I've posted pictures of ones from the same pattern before, the difference is that I've knitted the boys names into the border near one earflap on these:

And finally - a picture of the completed Durmstrang socks I used for the front of the pattern:

Durmstrang finished

2008-02-15T11:04:00.003Z

Having taken less than a week to complete the first of my 'Durmstrang' socks, I have taken over a month to knit the second! It is now complete and I am wearing the pair as I write this. I will post pictures when I am home (writing this at my sister's). I have also almost finalised the pattern which Dave will help me to put into a PDF format.
After much deliberation I have decided to see if I can sell the pattern. I have been thinking for some time of opening an Etsy store as a little enterprise that I could make work with being a fulltime housewife and Mum. Having seen on Ravelry that the socks are well-liked, I think it is possible that some folk might actually be willing to part with some money to get the instructions to knit them. If I'm going to open an online shop I need something to sell in it, and thought the pattern would be a good start.
My thoughts on the store have progressed quite a bit since the first notion. I have thought of a shop name ('Rumpelstiltskin'), and have made a list of things I could make to sell, including handspun (got to have this in a shop called 'Rumpelstiltskin'!), hand-dyed yarns, small knits, my own patterns, painted bits and pieces, stitchmarkers (learnt how to make these from doing the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap), my lavender spinning wheel oil, and other handmade spinning and knitting accessories. If any of my readers have ideas/ comments/ feedback to offer this would be most welcome.

Yarns and yummies!

2008-02-08T23:19:00.000Z

Was my last post really two weeks ago? Where does the time go? To the Hogwarts sock kit swap, I'll tell you. And one word just about covers it - Quidditch! Last week was spent playing online quidditch, which involved a quiz, a picture 'scavenger hunt', and (what else) seeking for the golden snitch, hidden by our headmistress in a very sneaky place.

I have managed some knitting though - two hats, one for Tom and one for Toby, with their names knitted into the border. I used the same Danah's earflap hat pattern that I've posted about here before. Pictures will follow when I have a little more time.

My package for the sock kit swap is nearly ready. I've dyed some silk yarn a varigated green mixture for a lucky Slytherin who's allergic to wool. I've also spun some silk blended with angelina to make a 'silver' yarn which I've dyed black. It contrasts nicely with the green, and the silver highlights work really well (pictures will follow after my 'spoilee' gets her package). For 'goodies' I've exploited my English location to provide some of the muggle sweets mentioned in the books - sherbet lemons, mint humbugs, and treacle toffee. I've also put in a tin of spotted dick, and some custard! Then there's my home-made jam, and I'm planning to make some pickle to put in too. And I must stop there because I'm already wondering what the postage will be on that lot!

Off to Dave's parents this weekend for a family get-together to celebrate his mum's 80th birthday. A meal out is proposed. Yummy!

One piccy for you -here's the snitch sock I've knitted to be a prize in the sock kit swap (the broomstick sock is yet to do!):

Very Clever Sock Knitting

2008-01-24T21:29:00.000Z

Many years ago (20?) I bought 'Knitting in the Nordic Tradition' and have been intrigued ever since by the following quote in it (from Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace) and accompanying comment about the mystery of knitting two socks simultaneously:
" 'Ann Makarovna has finished her stocking,' said Countess Marya. 'Oh, I'm going to have a look at them,' said Pierre... Pierre went into the children ... 'Now, Anna Makarovna,' cried Pierre's voice ... 'when I say three you stand here ... Now, one, two, three!' 'Two, two!' cried the children.
They meant the two stockings, which, by a secret known only to her, Anna Makarovna used to knit on her needles at once. She always made a solemn ceremony of pulling one stocking out of the other in the presence of the children when the pair was finished."
"The maid's pattern is still a secret. How Anna separates the two stockings is still uncertain. the quotation makes one wonder how many knitting details and fine points have been lost during the years."
And then yesterday I came across this. How exciting! Mystery solved! : two socks in one

Shhhh!

2008-01-15T17:58:00.000Z

Well, things are rendered rather difficult at the moment because of all the secrecy surrounding the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. it means I can't post about any of the crafts I'm doing for it in case the partner I'm 'spoiling' comes across my blog (and she probably will during 'quidditch') and learns what she's getting. So I can't tell you about the yummy yarn I got last week from Texere yarns, or how I'm making the bag that's part of the kit, or what needles I've ordered for it, or what I'm doing about the stitch markers!

I can tell you about my non-swap projects, and there is a little to report here, despite how much time I'm spending on my Hogwarts homework. I have reached the heel on Durmstrang 2, and the adjustments I made to the pattern have resulted in a very good length that should be alright for all but Hagrid-sized legs. When it is finished I will post a picture for you to compare the two (Durmstrang 1 and Durmstrang 2!).

'Vesty thing' and 'Aidan's scarf' are only just simmering on the back of the knitting stove where I occasionally give them a slight stir!

I have cast on in black sock wool for a mobile cosy for my friend, Varsha, who celebrated her 40th recently and hasn't yet received the present from me that she truly deserves for being a wonderful, supportive friend. I'm going to knit some I-cord in a metallic silver yarn for the trim and a drawstring on the cosy, a technique that Lesley kindly taught me at the last Bradford Spinning Guild meeting. I'm also going to line the cosy and incorporate a pocket in the lining for a handsfree kit.

In and amongst all this I must make time for my French homework and, of course, some ironing!!!

Charting Durmstrang

2008-01-07T19:21:00.000Z

Inspired by various patterns that other knitters have made available online I've decided to chart and write up the pattern for my Durmstrang socks. I want eventually to share it in PDF format, which means I'll have to learn a new skill because I've never done such a thing before. The Fabulous Dave has offered to guide me through this process as he does a lot of PDF stuff in his job. I've seen that Ravelry have a 'contributions' section where it seems it would be possible to place the pattern, though I'll wait until after the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap because I've offered the finalised pattern as a prize there, and think it would be a bit mean to give something as a prize that is already freely available online!

I've modified the pattern because while I think I can get away with the shortness of the sock on my dwarfish pins (I'm only approximately 5' tall!) I'm sure it really would look too short on Miss Average, and positively half-mast on Ms. Tall. I've also taken account of the aesthetic improvements I made to the first sock as I knitted it, and I've improved the way the charted pattern commences. I haven't typed up any worded instructions as yet, but here is a teaser chart for anyone who's interested:

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

2007-12-30T17:09:00.001Z

Spinningmaid knit a sock:

I've called it 'Durmstrang' because of the strong Nordic influence, and as I'm full of Potter enthusiasm at the moment:

a) I have just re-read Philosopher's Stone

b) I got 'Charmed Knits' for Christmas from number one Pottter fan, my eldest son, Daniel.

c) I'm very excited about the Hogwarts kit swap starting soon (see button).

d) I watched Order of the Phoenix last night with Fabulous Dave.

I referred a lot to 'Knitting in the Nordic Tradition' to design this, and was very inspired by Which Chick's 'Hot Heels of Iron' socks which appeared in Socktoberfest (and are also on Ravelry). Helped by a significant level of illness keeping me to my bed (Christmas fluey, coughy thing) I've managed to get it done very quickly. I'm very proud of how the fairisle motifs alter for the decreases. I've worked a spell with shirring elastic in the cast-on at the top of the cuff (the cast-on was too loose).

Other news:

The decorating is finished downstairs, just a little to finish on the top landing (study area). So I strung ivy up the banister rails for a lovely Christmassy touch in our now elegant hall.

At the Spinning Guild Christmas meeting I got a wonderful hat in the Secret Santa, spun and knit by Carol Leonard. And it suits me amazingly well (I am very difficult to hat!). So its been on my head every time I've left the house since. Thank you Carol.

My package went to Jasmine, an Indian lady in the group. I was really pleased about this - it felt like poetic justice because I've had to put up with so much dreadfully racist rubbish from my decorator recently.

Must go now and conjure up a meal for hungry family.

On The Third Day of Christmas

2007-12-27T13:40:00.000Z

'Spinningmaid wrote a blog!
Two finished socks,
and a right load of family!'

These are the socks, modelled by the Fabulous Dave for whom they were knit with lots of love:

The 'load of family' came for Christmas Day - eighteen of us altogether! Daniel was sous-chef, assisting me to create a fabulous dinner (goose, Yorkshires, roast potetoes and parsnips, sprouts and carrots, spiced apples, vegetarian pie, two gravies, and of course Christmas Pudding with Remy Martin sauce - yum yum yum!).

Pressies? I got the Harmony needles set I had asked for, and 'Victorian Lace Today' (fantastic book), and 'Charmed Knits' (lots of fun), plus the usual smellies!

And now I'm off to finally allow myself the pleasure of casting on the Admiral fairisle socks I've been itching to start since I got the yarn at the Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate.

I apologise for letting the blog slip somewhat during advent. (I'm sure all mothers will understand this!)

Christmas Angel

2007-12-13T11:35:00.000Z

A quick post today to blog a couple of projects (I only have five minutes to do this!). The first is a bauble I've painted to be a present for Mum:

I'm quite pleased with it. It has gold stars and says 'blessings at Christmas' on the other side. Any painters reading may note a strong JoSonja influence.

As I'm not a wage-earner, thoroughly dependent on charity from my WM, I decided to knit him some socks as well as order the gooseberry bushes he's asked for (and will have to pay for himself!). So I found a lovely free pattern on Ravelry for 'Gentleman's Socks' and have made the following progress on the first:

If you look closely you'll see that it has a slanting rib, and eye of partridge stitrch on the heel.
Toodlepip - son and nephew to collect from nursery!

Cozy and warm

2007-12-06T21:11:00.000Z

Actually, I'm rather cold as there's not yet a radiator on the top landing where our computer is situated (one of the many projects on Dave's list). However my MP3 player should be very cozy and warm wearing this, knitted today using the Wensleydale I dyed recently:

Sorry for the pooor picture quality. The camera is playing up, and I've given up in disgust after many attempts to get a decent image. The cozy is my own pattern, my second go at one. My first is going in the Secret Santa at the Bradford spinner's guild (along with a few other bits that I definitely will keep secret!).

Apologies to anyone who's been waiting (like my sister) for me to update my blog. Having left Christmas preparations until a time that felt appropriate (i.e. not too early) I am now (of course) frantically working to get organised for the season. Our tree is up ( darling sister and children stayed last night to help decorate it), and I have splashed out on some LED lights for the windows. The marathon jam-making session still faces me though. I am finding it difficult to get on with large projects like that because of all the work going on around me with the halls, stairs, and landings being decorated. Lovers of tradition will like to hear that we have bought lincrusta panels for the main hall ('Edwardian Dado'). I have to ply our decorator with regular top-ups of tea (far more regularly than I drink it, and I thought I was a tea-lover).

The yarn I ordered from Nancy's KnitKnacks three weeks ago finally arrived today requiring hefty customs and Royal Mail handling charges paying - I will be more careful in future. Anyway, I think its too late for me to hope to finish scarves for both Annie and Aidan before Christmas, so may settle for just the hats for now, and knit up hats for Tom and Toby too (the hats knit up relatively quickly) . And I'm still struggling against the temptation to cast on my Admiral fairisle socks!

Show haul

2007-11-25T22:09:00.000Z

Despite only getting a fraction of the items on my wishlist I had a great time at the knitting and Stitching show yesterday. Especially good from a social point of view - sweet encounters with several fellow members of the Bradford spinner's weavers and dyers guild. Edna kindly joined me for lunch, and we had fun discussing our purchases.

The show was definitely better for a spinner and knitter than it was last time I went (four years ago). Although my experience then may have been somewhat affected by having a toddler and a baby with me in a double buggy (lots of breastfeeding breaks!!). I'm sure there were far less knitting stands, and a lot less spinning fibre. Nevertheless I still have some of the Wensleydale left that I purchased then (I got loads!!). I'm rather fond of the Wensleydale Longwool Sheepshop, though I didn't buy anything from them yesterday (not even the spinning wheel brooch that nearly left with me!)

I've seen and enjoyed photos and lists of hauls others have made at shows so I'm following suit here:

I'll start with the items that were on the shopping list I wrote on Friday night:
a) The yarn is Admiral sockwool for fairisle socks with a self-striping background (the green and pink).
b) An acid dye kit to replace the Easy Peasy kit which is now running out. This one is from Art Van Go
c) A 'knitting design book' - 'Shetland Hap Shawls' from the Jamieson's stand. It was great to chat with Mrs Jamieson, and lovely to see some shawls on display. The book is a great historical record (with lots of pictures) as well as a pattern resource. Sadly not in the Ravelry library so I can't add it to my bookshelf there.
d) Knitting pins (not needles!)
Not on my list (!!):
a) A light to attach to myself so I can see my knitting better in the evening.
b) A braiding book - I thought it might help me make some decent cords for the hats I'm knitting.
c) Some syringes for dyeing work.

Extravagant?

As promised

2007-11-22T21:57:00.001Z

This is the silk I posted about yesterday. I'm itching to spin more of it, and really cannot justify taking time out from everything else to do so. I have made alittle progress on the blinds, and several inches of the scarf I'm knitting to match Aidan's hat, which still needs cords attaching. Tom has kindly (enthusiastically!) modelled the hat for me:

I'm knitting the scarf in the round also, and have managed to knit his name into a band on it. Lots of fun.

Tonight I finally listed my old Ashford on ebay. Pretty sure it will sell from a starting price of £50.00. Sad really to say goodbye after all these years. And I do feel its daft to hang onto it when I don't use it anymore because the Timbertops is so good. Plus we could do with the money (of course), especially as we are having the hall, landings and stairs decorated at the moment (massive upheaval will I hope be over well before Christmas?)

In a jam?

2007-11-21T18:42:00.000Z

Sorry no piccies. I'm at my sister's and don't think they have a thingummyjig that attaches to my camera. When I do post them you can see the silk I started spinning at our guild meeting on Saturday. It's some mulberry brick I bought at Woolfest that Freyalyn has dyed to match the blinds I'm making for my bedroom (note this is still present tense even though I started them in March!!!). Pinky red, cream and green. I love seeing the way the colours are spinning up. It isn't plain sailing though - its years since I spun silk and I am finding it difficult to get the fibre mass to behave. I don't want to have to split it into very thin rovings because I want to get long sections of solid colour.
Sadly I can't spend much time spinning at the moment because of the usual pressure I have put myself under to make umpteen Christmas presents. Mostly knitting and jam this year, with one or two painted baubles. Would you believe one of the other Mums at Toby's nursery asked me yesterday if I'm ready for Christmas yet. Ready? I've only just started to do anything about it. Has the world gone mad? Well, come to think of it, they were playing carols at a garden centre I visited before bonfire night!!

Resorted

2007-11-16T20:16:00.000Z

Unhappy with yellow and black, I've done a different sorting hat quiz. This test was much more grown-up, and hard to 'read', so I recommend it much more than the other. Anyway, it decided, after giving me equal scores for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, that I actually belong in Ravenclaw. Yippee!! Blue and silver do suit me, and I definitely feel more at home with the Ravenclaw type:

The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).

Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Wensleydale

2007-11-14T19:14:00.000Z

This is some Wensleydale I spun and navajo plied ages ago. It measures approx. 17 wraps per inch. I dyed it this weekend because Mum wanted some of my handspun to knit a hat. This is the one I didn't give her. I 'spot' dyed this one with Easy Peasy dyes from Hilltop Spinning Supplies. I mixed red blue and yellow stock to make green, dark bluey pink, and purpley blue. Of course, they ran together quite a bit while I was setting them (wrapped in cling film in the microwave)! I dyed Mum's skein (much more yarn in hers) in 4 sections - one long section each of the pink and the purple, separated by shorter sections of the green. Wish I'd taken a photo because the colours in hers worked much better and it is knitting up beautifully.

Charted Nordic Design

2007-11-11T19:22:00.001Z

A lot of my time spinning and knitting is spent doing calculations. Is this familiar to others? How long does it take me to knit X number of rows of a pattern? Extrapolate to guesstimate how long the project will take. How many rows can I knit in today's time slot? Have I got time to knit X number of pattern repeats? How long does one finger width roving take to spin? Extrapolate to guesstimate how long the whole 100g will take....

Today's calculations were all design based. How many stitches do I need to make a pattern that will repeat six tiumes in 19 and a half inches at 8 stitches per inch? Pencil and paper sums show me I need a 26-stitch pattern repeat. I also want it roughly the same depth in rows. I want a star motif. I manipulate the net around it to make the numbers work magically. The pattern is based on one from 'Knitting in the Nordic Tradition'. I've altered the net to widen it (to make a 24 stich repeat into a 26 stitch repeat) and to include a separate square element without a star in it (to make the design more elaborate). And I've nudged the half star designs at top and bottom in a row to make the pattern band shallower. Lilleduck or other Nordic knitters may be able to tell me that this pattern I've 'designed' is in fact already in existence - it is after all just playing with Nordic design techniques.

Annie's Earflap Hat

2007-11-10T19:36:00.000Z

I am sooooo proud of this!! Isn't it beautiful? The speed of work is evidence of just how much I loved this knitting. It isn't quite complete - I have ends to weave in, cords to make to attach to the earflaps, and (of course, being a perfectionist) the blocking to finish it. Then I have to knit one like it for Aidan (my 4-year-old nephew, Annie's brother). As he is smaller I am considering adapting the pattern to a different fairisle. I anticipate hours of enjoyment reading 'Nordic Knitting' (possibly the most loved in my knitting library) to find, or be inspired to invent, the 'perfect' design. Graph paper, here I come....

Sorted!!

2007-11-09T18:37:00.000Z

As I am thinking of doing some kind of Harry Potter knitting project I thought I'd better find out which house I belong to. A quick search on the web turned up a test which was really quite good. Just using what I know about the houses from (extremely fanatically extensive) reading of HP I thought it would be a toss-up between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and I was right. Anyway, the final result came out as:

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Unfortunately yellow and black don't really suit me!!!

Revelling

2007-11-08T13:41:00.000Z

My invitation has arrived! I now know why Weekend Whirls is so quiet - it's because everybody is busy in Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com/). I haven't been on the computer at home since the invite (I'm at my sister's with Mum who's just come out of hospital), so haven't been able to upload photos of my projects to the site. I can see I'm going to have loads of fun there. In fact I was crying laughing today when I followed a link there to a fleece-washing tutorial. Check it out -http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2007/08/28/this_is_the_way_we_wash_our_fleece.html

I can't believe how many spinning groups Ravelry has. Unfortunately I still can't find a Harry Potter swap to join that's taking entries now. I've never done a 'swap' or knitalong, and rather fancy it, especially Potter stuff as I am quite a fan (potters about Potter!). All the ones I find have already started and aren't taking new participants. I have, however, found a UK Knitter's swap that starts after Christmas. In my usual disciplined manner I've only joined three groups from the hundreds on offer- a Potter one, the UK knitters swap, and a French spinning group. I'm continuing with level three French at night school, and thought it a good idea to combine the two hobbies. I did fancy the Ankh Morpork Knitter's Guild, then realised my knowledge of Pratchett books is vastly inferior to true fans who read all his stuff (I've only read a few, and enjoyed them all immensely).

A hat pattern and yarn I ordered from Nancy's KnitKnacks (http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/) arrived yesterday and I have started knitting it for my neice for Christmas. I also have yarn to do one for her brother. The pattern is 'Danah's Earflap Hat', and I'm doing it in Mulberry and Ecru for Annie, and navy and ecru for Aidan. I'm really enjoying doing a bit of fairisle - it's ages since I did some, and I feel clever knitting yarns from separate hands!

From conversastions I've had, and blogs I've read, I have recently come to realise that I am unusually frugal for a spinner and knitter. My stash for both hobbies is very modest, and newly including Annie's hat and Toby's waistcoat yarn I only have two spinning projects and three knitting ones in progress. Perhaps it's because of a course I did a few years ago called 'The Completion Series' (run by the 'Institute for Self-Actualization'!! - http://www.isaexperience.com/). I do, nevertheless, have a long list of projects planned.... I just do my best not to purchase for them until I'm nearly ready to do them. Good eh? Or does that seem very sad?

Busy busy busy busy...

2007-11-06T22:23:00.000Z

Hours and hours of knitting!! And a bit of spinning too. Plus all the other time-consumers: cooking, taxiing children, bits of cleaning, endless tidying, firework displays, childrens' parties.....

And the batteries on the camera ran out.

The knitting is a lot of fun. I'm now knitting a lace edging onto 'vesty thing', and have finally learnt the pattern (lover's knot edging from 'Scarves and Shawls'). Initially I just memorised the process, whereas now I think I actually understand how it works!! Like the difference between functional and conceptual maths.

While knitting I've been thinking of the lace knitters of old who invented these patterns. Weren't they amazing? Too often I don't appreciate how intelligent and able the people of the past were, especially rural peasants like the Shetland knitters. Their patterns are so complex. How did they develop them? They must have applied a high level of conceptual understanding to create their beautiful pieces. Could I ever be disciplined and committed enough to emulate such achievement?

Meanwhile humbly I offer my vastly inferior produce for viewing. The lace edging (I'm near finishing the back):

And some merino I've spun to make a waistcoat for Toby. I'm going to knit it in stripes with some green themed merino. I've planned the variegation so some of the yarn is solid colour (orange or rust), and the rest is the two shades together. To do this I spun one singles alternating equal amounts of the two colours, and the other singles in an ABAABB sequence, then plied the two together. For once I seem to have underplied, and I'm considering running it through again to add more plying twist. Don't know what it will knit up like.

Skeletons in the cupboard?

2007-11-01T20:33:00.000Z

I'm rather pleased with our effort for Halloween this year. I made a pumpkin lantern with Toby in the afternoon and made pumpkin and apple soup with the innards. Alas, I didn't think to take a photo of the lantern before it became pumkin risotto this evening (delicious!!).

The skeleton below is Toby who had his face painted at the Halloween party at a local play centre. Sadly it had worn a lot by the time we took a photo:

My other 'skeleton' is the still incomplete 'vesty thing'. I've finished knitting the bodice and just have to finish crocheting armhole and neck edgings. The armholes gaped rather badly when I tried it on, hence the gathered look from the crochet on the (finished) armhole to the right of the picture. The other will match when I've done it, and I hope blocking will resolve the consequent puckering. I'm also not happy with the way the striping from the variegation in the yarn has worked on the shoulder to the right of the picture, and I'm not so unhappy that I'm willing to undo it!!

p.s Warm regards to Lilleduck and thank you for your comment - it's good to know some-one reads and enjoys my blog.

Anniversary

2007-10-27T19:51:00.000+01:00

Its my sixth wedding anniversary today (not counting the ones with my other husbands!!!! ) and this morning Dave woke me up to receive these:

So....the boys are in bed (except the eldest, who is away), dinner for two (not our usual family banquet) is in the oven (lasagne, lovingly prepared by yours truly), we've chosen the wine, and we are only waiting for the boys to fall asleep before starting....

p.s. There are still a few of the truffles left!

Mon sac d'huile

2007-10-22T22:31:00.000+01:00

It was our guild meeting on Saturday and my new oil went with me. It proved useful to some other members, and Freyalynn liked the smell (I had added a few drops of English Lavender because it smelt like engine oil). Liz said I needed a 'hangy bag' to keep it on my wheel, and showed me hers, a beautiful lavender -coloured silk one. She very kindly dug the pattern out of the library for me (it was in a five-year-old edition of 'spin-off' magazine), so along to the craft shop on Sunday morning I went to purchase some beads, and by the end of the day I had made this. Not half as beautiful as Liz's, and still I like it:

My first lace yarn

2007-10-19T20:58:00.000+01:00

Here it is - my first ever handspun lace yarn. Perhaps, I should say, my first ever lace yarn that was intended to be such. Of course, there are many inches of lace yarn between the thick bits in previous projects, especially back when I was a beginning spinner!

I measured this as I skeined it on the niddy noddy and counted 1364 yards. The skein weighs 4oz, and I have another 4oz of singles left on the bobbins still to ply. So I should end up with between 2,500 - 3,000 yards. Enough for a Shetland shawl? Before washing it measures an average of 37 wraps per inch.

Last night I visited a website that shows pictures and gives descriptions and history of all sheep breeds worldwide (http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/). Well, what a find for me! I printed details of the four British ones that I am currently most interested in: Blue Faced Leicester (recently spun), Portland (recently bought fleece), Norfolk Horn (saw on holiday + on waiting list for a fleece), and Manx Loaghtan (appealingly odd!). Then me and Tom swotted up on their distinguishing features. So I am now confident I could recognise these in a field. And I'm fairly sure Tom would at least recognise the Blue Faced Leicester and the Manx. My WM suggests that Tom could do sheep for a 'show and tell' at school, as he shares an interest in Mummy's bizarrre hobbies.

On Wednesday night the WM took me to see 'Stardust', which I heartily recommend. Very funny, and wonderful fantasy adventure. Go and see it!

Well oiled

2007-10-17T18:21:00.001+01:00

The other day my youngest menace (Toby whose fourth birthday was on Monday) decided the spinning wheels needed oiling. I was not in the room to guide the operation. So the wheels ended up with oil on every part (not just the moving ones. And oil on the floor too. And my oil bottle was now empty. While he sat on the bottom step (seat of shame for little boys who have done naughty things) I cleaned up, wondering about replacing my oil supply.

The thing is, I'm doing my best to make green choices in everything I do, and my green conscience pricks at the thought of buying oil shipped from New Zealand when I think I ought to be able to find a more locally sourced alternative. So today I went into my lovely little local DIY shop ('Odd Jobs') and stated my needs to them (proper old-fashioned counter service here). Oil that will stick to the parts I want it to, and lubricate metal moving against metal, leather, and wood. Instead of selling something he was unsure of, the kind man I spoke to directed me to 'Miller Oils', half a mile away. Well, they are making up some oil for me to collect tomorrow that meets all my requirements, and washes out in water! How amazing is that? So this afternoon I have played around on the computer to make a label for my oil to stick on the old oil bottle that I will decant into (my new oil is coming in a 5-litre container - a lifetime supply for little more than 100ml of the old stuff!!) I'll post a picture of it soon.

I've also finished Tom's socks and am nearing the end of spinning the BFL singles for my Shetland shawl project. Plus added a few more rounds to 'vesty thing'.

When not occupied with all the above and other parenty, wifey, householdy activities I've been doing a lot of trawling around the web and found more fibre blogs to enjoy (I've compiled a list of favourites), and a couple of groups to join: UK Knitters, and 'The Weekend Whirls'. The latter is especially good, and when I work out how I will add a link and button for it to my blog.

Confessions of a sheepaholic

2007-10-13T21:39:00.000+01:00

Rather disappointing visit to the rare breeds sale at York today - no crafty stalls, and no fleece sale, and no labels saying what each animal was. I'm still waiting for the BWMB to publish a new book about the different sheep breeds. Is it supercilious of me to want to be able to recognise the breed of any sheep I see? I love touring rural areas sheep-spotting. Perhaps like birdspotters I should record sightings?

Yesterday I followed a link from Carol Leonard's blog to a dating persona website. I hasten to assure readers that I only did this for fun. And lots of fun it was too. I did the test and found that I am 'Lion Warning Cat'. I still laugh every time I think of the picture:

Now, I have promised pictures of projects, so tonight, eagerly assited by Tom, who loves messing with the digital camera (many pictures of thumbs, coving, steps, doors etcetera have been deleted from occasions when he has secretly gone on the rampage with it), I took the following pics:

This is the school sock I knitted this week for the aforementioned son number two. I am already three inches into its mate. Boringly functional I know. And he loves it. This sock (and others to follow it) will I hope solve the foot odour problem that I am sure he only has when he wears commercial school socks with all their artificial fibre. By comparison this is knit in 100% wool (King Cole Merino blend bought from Texere yarns during Thursday's visit to the warehouse in Bradford - I cried with the emotion of walking among the vast quantities of yarns there - I rely on other yarn addicts to understand such weakness).

This is the 'vesty thing' I mentioned in my first blog, helpfully unrolled to view by Tom. I am knitting a few rounds each day.

And finally, Tom insisted on photos of the toybox I painted for him and Toby a couple of years ago. It used to be my WM's school tuck box (he went to a very exclusive boarding school and hated it, whereas I went to a very ordinary state comprehensive and loved it, more evidence that true riches cannot be bought).

Oh crumbs!

2007-10-11T17:43:00.000+01:00

Having happily posted my diddy pictures yesterday, I discover that one only has to click on them to get a blow-up version. So the whole blogreading world can view the breadcrumbs on the rug. And Tom's grubby cuddly dalmation under the settee. And shoes parked nearby. And shabby paintwork etc............... Perhaps I should also post a picture of my ironing pile?

Technobabe

2007-10-10T21:44:00.000+01:00

Well, not only am I learning new knitting skills. Becoming a blogger has finally motivated me to learn how to use and upload pictures from our digital camera. I'm joining the 21st century at last!!

I have been musing since my first blog on my journey as a spinner and knitter. I learnt knitting as a child from my Mum (pause for fond appreciative moments thinking of her loveliness). Very good thing too as she is, like me (or rather; I am, like her...) lefthanded. So I knit in the opposite direction to most other people. Then I learnt spinning in my late teens at Barnhowe in Elterwater (some readers may remember it). In the years since (approximately twenty of them) until very recently I have felt myself to be very much a lone practitioner of dying and unfashionable arts shared only with far older and old ladies. Yet now I find I am actually part of a worldwide community of trendy yarn and fibre addicts, many of them now in fact much younger than I (this year has seen me officially enter middle age). And I am so glad. I have finally joined my local spinning guild, and I read spinning and knitting blogs (love them). I feel like I have come in from the cold. So thank you, spinny and knitty friends, for being there, young, or young at heart, wanting too to share your passion with others.

I especially love looking at photos of other textile crafters' works (whether in progress or finished). So I guess others might like to see mine. First of all let me introduce my most prized possession - my Timbertops Thurmaston 18 Spinning Wheel, purchased recently from e-bay (sold as an 'Antique Welsh Wheel'!!!). The bobbins are two of laceweight singles 'Marianne' (blue faced leicester) from http://www.lazykate.net/ and Bonkers handmade originals Merino and Tencel blend in the Emerald Forest colourway (purchased from Carol and Pete Leonard at Woolfest). I'm waiting for some blended merino and silk in black to ply with the Bonkers (great name!) and I'll ply the two blue-faced leicester laceweights together. The Bonkers yarn is to become a vest, and the laceweight Marianne is destined to become a Shetland Shawl - a project I have dreamed of for years.

If anyone reading this knows how to make the photos appear where I want them in the blog (and not just at the beginning) please tell me.

What the heck!

2007-10-07T17:10:00.000+01:00

Here I go, inspired by blogs I have read, and wanting to share in the fun, I'm writing my first blog, and already experiencing writer's block! I hope to bring my readers (if I get any) fun and inspiring titbits from my life, and to share a record of my progress with the many projects I have underway or planned. They are mostly craft related (spinning, knitting, crochet, sewing, tatting, painting), or to do with the mammoth homemaking challenge I face in our Edwardian mess.

This morning's project was a few rounds of knitting a vesty kind of thing that I have painstakingly planned to make from my handspun blue faced leicester. I got the fibre (8oz of 'honor') from http://www.lazykate.net/ and spun it and plied it double-fold into a fine yarn of approximately 26 wraps per inch - roughly four-ply weight. Needless to say its going to take a long time to knit such fine wool into a garment I can wear. I'm currently knitting it to a guage of nine stitches per inch, and rather scared its going to end up like many of my homeknits before it - a lot of work for something that doesn't look anything like as gorgeous as the picture in my head. Because I'm still waiting for my 2mm circular needle from P & M Woolcraft I'm knitting on double-point sock needles, and keep dropping stitches because really they're not plentiful enough or long enough for the job. Its fun anyway - I've used a 'provisional' cast-on so I can add a lace edge later. So I'm learning new techniques. I was very excited the other day when I found printable proportional (asymmetric) graph paper on the web to plan the neckline and armholes to the right guage. Got the link from the resources list in the Twisted Sisters Sweater book - www.incompetech.com/graphpaper Fantastic stuff.

Finally today we (my Wonderful Man and I) did a little sorting out on the top landing where I am now typing this because this is our study area. Let me paint a picture, perhaps depressingly familiar to you if you too have taken on a renovation project that you are fitting around work and family life:

The landing has some brown patterned carpet eating light from the very dirty skylight and small third floor front window that the window cleaner can't reach. The beams are painted grey, and the bits of wall and sloping ceiling that still have paper sticking to them are clearly meant to be 'pure brilliant white'. Dirt, dilapidation, and the horrible starkness of that paint scheme (so popular in the seventies and eighties when this was provbably painted) instead impart a general dingyness, made much worse by all the DIY clutter and household office clutter that has also accumulated here.

My WM is now communicating (with regular reports about the time) that I should go and cook tea (carrot and leek pie). He grows lots of veggies at our allotment, and its my job to do something exciting with them. When will I post again? Wait and see...