Herdwick wool

This is one I've never knitted with but the sheep are beautiful :)

I was lucky enough to win a cone of Herdwick wool on e-bay, and it was delivered this morning; big cone of 31oz (879g approx), so plenty of scope there for experimenting as well as knitting. Interested to see how it fulls and weaves too. It's an aran weight in a lovely natural grey/brown. It's fairly rough to the touch, but would make great rain resistant hats I reckon so that might be one avenue to explore with it. I missd out on a cone a short time ago on e-bay but I suspect this is the same one, re-listed just waiting for me :)

 

Beatrix Potter kept a small herd of them
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/things-to-see-and-do/page-2/view-page/item758527/268525/

Will report back when I've worked with it and see how it goes.

Whoever knew..............

..........  that cobweb weight wool was made in such gorgeous colours?  I do now..........  :)

Rainbow scarf

Made a nice change to work on something a bit different. this scarf is done lengthways in  one of the Kauni wools, which is lovely to use. turned out that each stripe more or less matched the wool, so it's not quite as random an effect as I thought it would be, but am pleased with it. Will be going into the  Pocaid shop next week.

Wool/silk beret

Very pleased with this just off the needles last night. I took part in an October KAL via Facebook, run by a lovely girl who has Shuttermonkey Designs. Really enjoyed knitting this, uncomplicated but very pretty. I omitted the beading, but that is an option for the centre of the wee flowers. Teh design is 'Forget-me-not', and is also used in a shawl

Amnda clark is the designer's name, and she and her patterns can be found on Ravelry - do have a look :)

This is my version, knitted in a lovely soft blend of wool and silk in a really pretty sea green, bought from e-bay a couple of months back.

 

 

This one shows the beautiful pattern created by the increases, as the beret is knitted fro the top down

Another picture

Old Shale pattern this time

Experimental bit here. The patterns are authentic peerie patterns from  my lovely wee book 'A hetland Pattern book' by Mary Smith and Maggie Twatt. Fairly pleased with it, but a bit on the chunky ide, would prefer finer, not sure. More research perhaps, will see.

Difference between Old Shale and Feather and Fan

http://northernlace.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/feather-and-fan-versus-old-shale/

Now I know, always wondered; please pass on to anyone interested in Shetlandlace/lace knitting in general

An old favourite

Feather and fan

Pumpkin dishcloth

Knitted for a foru Hallowe'en swap :)  - enjoyed this, quick and easy knit in a couple of hours. Cotton was bought as  a bundle of autumnal coloured cottons on e-bay. I want to do some stuffed pumpkin decorations too I think with the rest of it.

Chunky

Knitted in Rowan 'Spray', first time I've used it, was an odd ball in a lot I bought from e-bay the  other day. 60% wool, 40% acrylic, lovely to knit with and is very warm, beaituful colours. This is destined for my shop in the next couple of days, busy getting it re-jigged  - and knitting in between lol

Slouch hat

OK, so it's crochet, not knitting lol  Still, nice to get back into it all; I busted my elbow a couple of weeks ago with a very hard knock on something, unable to knit or crochet in the meantime, am glad to get back into it now :)  This was a lovely project, beautiful wool, glorious colour fun and quick to work up. Not sure who it's for yet lol

Tabitha the Destash kitty

My part in a KAL group on Ravelry; excellent little  pattern, deceivingly simple,but very clever construction. Another UFO done :)

Ronnie

Knitted from handspun North Ronldsay wool, a happy wee bear :)

Hat in a day

Another bit of stash busting :)  This was 100g of very pretty dyed merino and silk I bought from e-bay, not a huge amount, but enough to spin up to make a hat. I started it this morning and finsihed it this evening - being on holiday with no-one ele to cater for (literally), meant I had enough time to get it done. I spun it up thicker than usual, which resulted in  nice chunky singles which plied beautifully, and I'm ery pleased witht he result - a thick and very warm hat :)

Shawl progress

Picked up my 'In the Pink' shawl again and finsihed knitting the centre panel.Pleased with how it's coming along, but I think I'm going to run out of wool...............

Second cosy of the day...........

Decided my home-made egg candler was a bit too industrial looking, so I yarn-bombed it lol

Coffee pot cosy

A friend asked if I knew of a simpel pattern for a coffee pot cosy - for a cafetiere pot. It's been in my mind a while to knit one for myself, so this spurred me on, and this is what I came up with

Knitted in double knitting, it's a good way of using up odd balls and wee scraps; tension (gauge) isn;t vital, and the dimensions are easily adjustable. I knitted mine in rib so it would hug the pot, but stotcking stitch would be fine, only using rib/moss/garter stitch for firmer borders perhaps.
This is the pattern for mine:

With double knitting wool and size 4mm straight needles, cast on 50 stitches. Work in K1 P1 rib until you reach the height of your coffee pot, to just below the  pouring spout - mine is 42 rows. Cast off in rib.
Turn your work sideways on and pick up and knit 8 stitches close to one edge, work 7 rows garter stitch, cast off. Repeat at other edge, giving you two tabs (these go above and below the handle)

Sew other ends of tabs to the other side of the body:

There you have it - simple, quick and thrifty coffee pot cosy :)  It's a nice project that would lend itself  to all sorts of interpretations, yarn and design wise. Something wild and wacky to brighten up the breakfast table would be good - watch this space!

More un-de-stashing

lol these have just arrived today, completely irresistable.

This is a skein of indescribably beautiful Teeswater wool, procucred at Woolfest for me by a friend, fulfilling a lifetime ambition of knitting with it, it'll be saved for something special :)

Followed by another skein of beauty from Elvincraft on Skye, in 'wildflower' colourway, again will await something special :)

What's the opposite of de-stashing?

I have no idea - upstashing? Stashing? Well, whatever it is, I've been doing it, in psite of my determination to de-stash lol There's just too much lovely stuff out there that needs a good and appreciatie home :)
Recent bargains ahve been won on e-bay - the huge bo of vintage tapesty wool which would knit a illion Fair Isle hats; 5  100g skeins of  very beautiful wool from Cold Harbour Mill in French Navy blue; 5  100g of handspun wool/silk in white, will be dyed I think ; a dozen wee balls of Shetland 4 ply for Fair Isle knitting, all different colours. To come - a skein of very  pretty wool from Elvincraft. Lots going on on the fleece/spinning front too, will pop fleece details in the spinning page.
I have vowed to keep away from e-by for the rest of the month. Oh, that's two days then.............  any bets?  lol

New shawl on the needles

This is my In the pink by izzknits (pattern on Ravelry); just started, but enjoying ti so far. Bit trepidatious about joining on the side parts as folk seem to have had problems with that part, but will tackle it head on!

Aiming for this sort of outcome I hope:

Latest addition to the stash :) Although it's technically tapestry wool, I will probably use it for knitting. See full story here: http://unboughtdelicacies.blogspot.co.uk/

Woolfest

http://www.woolfest.co.uk/


Seriously disappointed I can't make it this year, but am already planning for a trip next year. Luckily I have a lovely friend who is going on my behalf, who will collect up loads of info, take pics etc, and I've asked him to procure a hank of Teeswater wool which I've been after for a long time - really looking forward to that!

http://www.teeswaterwools.co.uk/

Anyone here going?

( Teeswater sheep photo from http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f98/kilts-hoof-scotsheep-2008-a-37774/)

First of the stash busting

I've been wanting to knit one or a long time now, so some leftovers of Noro unstashed yesterday resulted in this. Pattern on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ipod-touch-sockum

Stupidly pleased with it lol

Round and round...............

............ and round and round............
Two new projects on the needles this weekend; the first is a straw sunhat for me. I wanted one for the garden and needless to say couldn't find anything too inspiring, so am knitting my own. I found some lovely raffia on e-bay at a reasonable price, from Adriafil, so ordered 6 x 25g, looks like it's gong to be plenty. I want to amke some sort of band for around it too, but not sure what yet. Pleased with this afternoon's progress, designing it on the needles as I go:

The other is the ten stitch blanket, the spiral one, from Ravelry, pattern by Frankie Brown. I'm going to knit it in all the odds from various pairs of socks knitted, so it will be stripey in a very unique way and thrifty too when it's done. This blue is the hand dyed sock yarn I did a few weeks back; the socks are done too, and will be in my Pocaid shop tomorrow for sale. Was pleased with the dyeing, it's very pretty.  I like having longterm pick -up-and-put-down projects on the go for in between moments when not too much concentration is required.

Bluebell ball

Here it is wound and ready to go, still pleased with it! lol

Single pot cosy

Cute lol  From pattern in The Gentle Art of Knitting again :)

Bluebell skein

Latest dyeing project; is sock yarn but I have a hat project in mind; lots of dye left too, so more will be forthcoming, but a DK wool. It's so pretty, am very pleased with it.

Yarnbombing

 

lol been wanting to make one of these for ages now, so here it is :)

Hat for a forager

This one has been in my mind's eye for a while now, and I've finally got it knitted up

It features field mushrooms, leaves and wild raspberries, knitted under a darkening sky ending in starlight inkiness at the very top; decoration is by way of a swinging acorn tassle. pLeased with this  and how well it turned out  :)

Put the kettle on!

http://www.craftbits.com/project/hot-cross-easter-buns

and
http://beeknit.blogspot.co.uk/2008/02/cake-glorious-cake.html

Flying pig

Every woman should have one...............  lol

From Spud and Chloe website - http://www.spudandchloe.com/

Tea cosy

Finished what was in the post below! lol  The gorgeous tea-cosy from  Jane Brocket's Gentle Art of Knitting

Can you tell what it is yet?

To quote Rolf Harris lol

Those of you who are of a knitterly disposition might recognise this from the cover of Jane Brocket's Gentle Art of Knitting. I've been after the book for a while now, and managed to get it at a really good price from The Book People; this is the first half of the stripy tea cosy on the cover, beenw anting toknit this for a long time now. I hope to get it finished  tonight if I can.
The World is going to hell in a handcart and I'm knitting a tea cosy.................. ah well, at least my cuppa will be hot. :)  lol

Knitted frog

Lovely wee pattern from : http://www.spudandchloe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ribbit-11.pdf

I want to do her flying pig too lol

Current squeeze

This is the first time I've knitted with Rowan Kidsilk Aura; I anaged to pick this up half price - it was still  £41.25,  ahem............... The colour was the draw for me. I'm sort of winging it on the design as I'm not sure 10 balls will be enough for a whole cardi done in just that wool, will see how I go, but added extras in the form of incorporting other yarns, trims, edgings, etc might be the way to go. Whatever happens, I;ll enjoy choosing some delicious buttons for such a special garment :)

I started it on Saturday night and now (Monday am) am up to the shoulders on the back almost; quick to knit and turning out beautifully.

Dishcloths

I usually have these on the go as quick and easy little pick up/putdown  things between bigger projects. I always need new ones as some of my existing ones reach the end of their useful lives. I finished these two over the past couple of days, quick and easy, durable, nice to use; using up bits and bobs of cotton from the stash too.

Knitted pot

This is one thing I lvoe doing - knitting with fabric. The resulting item is always a surprise due to a lot of factors. this was a 50p skirt fromt eh charity shop, a wrap aroudn skirt for a very thin person! No good for me, but the tie-dye pattern in these colours was very pretty, so it came haome with me and has beenw aiting for a year or so to be used. I cut and tore it carefully into strips about 1 - 2 cm wide - not too acurately, I must admit, but it adds to the recycled quirky feel of the thing. The body is knitted in the round and the base is a crochet circle to fit, sewn in afterwards, and the loose ends secured and trimmed. I don't know what I'll put in it - maybe nothing at all as it's so pretty just to look at. Pleased with this :)

Lennie's beanie

My FB friend wanted a beanie with a pentagram on it, so here it is:

I notice a couple of the stitches misplaced on the right hand bottom fo the oentagram but I shall leave it as it is, it's how it came out, and I like it. The wool was lovely - some Blue Faced Lecicester I picked up ages ago in a sale somwhere- very soft and warm. I'm sure he'll love it :)