Pay it Forward

I’m naughty I nearly forgot to do this(!)

Pay It Forward 

I’ve been reading about the Pay It Forward exchange on a few blogs, and finally decided to sign up on Natalie’s blog. Here’s the deal:

It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based on the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. You all know I’m already a PIF type of person. So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent (within 6 months) and that’s a promise! What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

You do need a blog to join in, otherwise you can’t offer it to anyone else, but that’s the only stipulation. My gifts may or NOT be woolly ones – depends what I think you’ll like(!)

Meet Frank(!)

Well here is the new addition to the Family….

Meet Frank – the Sonata…   Get it?  )

He is a Kromski Sonata…..    and after many moons are research I took a trip to Wingham Wool Work at the weekend (don’t EVER be put off – the bark it worse than the bite!)Ruth spent a good hour with me looking at my two final candidates…  the Ashford Joy and the Kromski….The Joy didn’t like me – I only had to look at it and the drive band would fall off – Ruth could spin quite happily – it came near me and….  off it fell again – was very odd….But Frank was a dream – bearing in mind I’ve never sat in front of a wheel before in my life, and therefore have never spun….  there I was was…  fibre in one hand…  drafting through with the other…  and this magic was happening to make a spun thread on the wheel….Felt very natural……  and in hindsight a bit scary…..   how did I know how to do it?  *eek* don’t think about it – just do it!

But Frank’s a clever boy – look how he folds down…..

I can’t beleive how excited I am about Frank – the plan is to have a play over the next couple of weeks then take a course up at Wingham again to see what I’m doing right / wrong and also to see how to develop….

I am SOOOO  looking forward to it!!!

If you get the chance to visit Wingham’s do!! It’s a fantastic place – and the fibre is to just heaven!! 

I think it’s a good job we don’t live nearer(!)

Ruth is you ever read this – THANK YOU!!  Your help at the weekend was SOOO appreciated!!

Twilley’s Tank Top….

Well the yarn was bought at Ally Pally for this shockingly it’s even in a similar colour to the pattern (that doesn’t happen often!)

 ….and it’s growing really quickly – a nice easy knit…..

The backs done and I’m up to shaping the front neck….  so not much longer now….

Visit to Ally Pally!

Oh……..what a pleasure paradise trip that was!!!

This is everything that came away with me….

 *eek*

Back Row (Left to Right):
10 off balls for felting from Knitting4fun and some “fun fur” type stuff for trimmings,
2 off Cherry Tree Hill Laceweight Merino

Middle Row (Left to Right):
4 off Alpaca Laceweight (and beads being hidden my my cat!), 12 off Eco Wool, 5 off Twilley Freedom Spirit, 2 off Helen’s Lace

Front Row (Left to Right)
Finnish Roving, Fyberspates Merino Roving, Kaffe’s latest book (sent to the buffday fairy)

and I also ordered some merino from scandanavian yarn which is lovely(!)

Think I’ve got 12 months of knitting sorted(!)

Long time no blog!

Well I’ve been a bad blogger in more than one sense….

I’ve been poorly ‘ick for practically the last 2 weeks!!  A nasty summer cold that has meant I’ve been coughing lots (spare lung appreciated if anyone has one – as I think I’ve coughed mine up!), an elephant sat on my head, and general aches, tiredness and irritability (probably no-one noticed the last one!)

Can tell I was ill – as I didn’t even knit for about 4 days – as no concentration and couldn’t focus eyes properly!!

 Now still not brave enough to tackle any lace but have attacked some lovely socks!!

September sockamania, these are brill…  the first time I’ve actually managed to do the right pattern in the right month!  and the first time I’ve EVER done fairisle..  but am loving these…

The pink is hipknits and the blue / green is middle earth both BFL

I also finally blocked the Hanami last night!  I’m entering it to the summer show!!

Just need to take some arty farty shots – but some of it blocking are below – I’ll add a proper summary with stylised shots  )

Mystery Shawl (yes shawl not stole!)

Can’t avoid a good mystery can I!

 So not only am I doing the MS3, but all thought I’d do this from    Goddess

The shawl is going to be huge!!  Far bigger than any others I’ve done…and I’ve never done a round one which is great too!

Basic info was:

•  
  • Approx 6-7oz (1900-2200yds) JaggerSpun Zephyr
  • Size 6 (4mm) double points, 16″ and 24″ circular needles
  • Stitch markers

Zephyr was a bit pricey to risk on an unknown so opted for a Cherry Tree Hill Merino Lacweight in Java!!  2400yards for £22(!) Zephy would have been around £36 for the same amount!!

After a few false starts – thanks to trying to distribute 8 stitches over 4 DPN’s, various different needle options shiny boyes (3.75mm too slippy), bamboo (4mm – too big), circs (a mess)….

Visited shop and bought a few other Brittany birch DP options cast on in 3.25 yay – it worked…  did 11 rows – decided they were too small….

Recast on again in 3.5’s – and they seem to be great!!!

Have just managed to get onto circs (as DPN’s were a pain in the **** trying to do YO’s  cross needles – ARGH!), so now onto 20″ boyes…  and fingers crossed….

At around 26 rows I think now……and going to put a safety line in before I progress any further 

HipKnits Project – Della

Well the first project has arrived….

Lovely cashmere laceweight yarn in Lipstick:

 

and the pattern – Della

 Played with the pattern so I could get my head around the repeats….

and progress so far is:

 

Nice easy pattern – up to fo 54 or so now and it’s growing well 

Sockapalooza – Received

Mine have arrived!

Posted from the US 2/8 arrived 9/8 – YAY!!!

Socks and a sockapooza bag!!

How great is that!! 

I’ve ordered a couple of bags myself – but not in the colourway which is superb!!

My socker was Reve

The colours she chose are definitley “me”, and even more importantly they fit!!  Double YAY!!

Close up of colours:

Sockapalooza – Finished, Packaged and Sent

Well my sock pall stated – she only makes socks for herself in neutral colours – blues, brown, creams and generally varigated….

…..and her favourite colours are red and pink….

So after 3 different yarns, and 4 four different patterns these were the winners(!)

Just hope she likes it!!!  (and hope it gets there as the post here in the UK is dire at the mo!)

Well these are they – still on the blockers….

• Yarn:  Colinette Jitterbug – Magenta
• Needles: 2.5mm DPN’s
• Pattern:  Socks! Socks! Socks!, Tiger Eyes (but with the mock cabling modified as I didn’t like it(!)

Back pattern based on the mock cable – but rather than purl inbetween I just knitted and looped across and liked this more!!

Included in the little pack were:

Cute stitchmarkers that match the socks(!), a little skein of emergency yarn (made by me), the label of the yarn for reference and a card of warwick castle painted by an artist form my village

Total package!!

 Just hope she likes it!!  (and with the postal strikes here in the UK that it actually gets to the States!)

Posted on Saturday 4th August – so fingers crossed they get there before Christmas!!

MS3 – Started

So after the Hanami – I’ve finally started the MS3….

A few weeks behind at clue 4 has now been released….  but since Sunday I’ve managed to get through to clue 1.5……

 

 Had a bit of a lull…  not sure if Ienjoying it or not….  and had a waiver about the needle size…. 

 After taking the pics today though – and seeing it spread out – has made me like it a lot more!!! 

So think I’ll be happy when it’s blocked!!  So Phew – no need to frog it!!

A close up with no flash – shows the beads a bit more!