Knitz and Glitz

I wanted to start with a huge thanks for all your kind words and support for the last post. It really means a lot to me.

I also wanted to show you my new pretty shinies from Hazel's shop - Knitz and Glitz. She's just started selling these wonderful row counter bracelets which I simply could not wait to have. They're incredibly useful. I snapped up this wooden one the second I saw it.

There are loads of different designs to choose from. The other thing I bought is top secret as it's a present for a friend, but what I can tell you is that after seeing it in person and trying it on I really don't want to part with it. I'm such a magpie for pretty shiny things that I think I'll have to order another for myself. I also received this fab mobile phone charm with a frog on that matches my stitch markers. How freaking cute is this...

Thank you very much Hazel.

Hazel is adding new stuff all the time so it's well worth checking back regularly.

If any of my friends or family reading this are stuck for a gift for me, you can't go far wrong with anything from Hazel *cough* stitch markers *cough*.

I am knitting furiously away but my camera decided to die on me properly this time so I can't show you anything. Fortunately I found out it was a manufacturing fault which Sony will fix for free, so if you have a distorted or blank screen on any of the following models, get in touch with your local Sony Store for details. Those affected are...

DSC-F717; DSC-P10/S; DSC-P2/S; DSC-P31; DSC-P31M; DSC-P32; DSC-P32M; DSC-P51; DSC-P51M; DSC-P52; DSC-P52 M; DSC-P7; DSC-P71; DSC-P71M; DSC-P72; DSC-P72M; DSC-P8/L; DSC-P8/R; DSC-P8/S; DSC-P92; DSC-P92M; DSC-U10/S; DSC-U20/B; DSC-U20/LJ; DSC-U20/S; DSC-U30/H; DSC-U30/LJ; DSC-U30/S; DSC-U60; DSC-V1; MVC-CD250; MVC-CD250 M; MVC-CD400; MVC-CD500; MVC-FD100; MVC-FD100 M; MVC-FD200; and MVC-FD200 M.

I've since discovered other models are also affected which are listed here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6179902.stm

The Man From Del Monte

Well actually it was the woman from Stitch 'n Bitch, but the answer's the same.

Debbie Stoller has just accepted one of my patterns for her next Stitch 'n Bitch book - a manual for more advanced techniques out next year. Can't say much more because I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement.


A huge thanks goes out to Nanatoo and Aurora for telling me ages ago to try and get my patterns published. I probably wouldn't have even submitted anything if it wasn't for you two encouraging me. Thank You!

Innocent

Whatever it was, it wasn't me. If you didn't see me you can't prove anything. In fact I have a new alibi. Usually I blame my evil twin, but I joined the Serrano KAL today to find it's being hosted by another Rain. I don't often find other people with my name so from now any online knitting naughtiness wasn't me ;)

My main virtuous activity this week has been knitting little hats for the Innocent - Supergran 2006 appeal. They ask you to knit (or crochet) wee hats for their smoothie drinks and for every bottle with a hat sold between November and Christmas they donate 50p to Age Concern. Look out for the little hats in Sainsbury's and Eat Cafe later in the year and if you want to get involved you can find the pattern and further details on their website.

I've made another dozen or so which I still need to sew up and put bobbles onto. I'm using these little scrappi-doos pompoms to save fiddling about trying to make my own. If you can't get any Innocent will either send you some or will sew them on for you if you send hats without them.

Other than that I've been making myself some Mrs Beetons, that's right - they're for me! They're not even in the yarn I'd planned, but this odd ball of mystery yarn in my stash has been calling to me...and it appears I'm not the only one who likes it.

I also bought some Patons Spirit to make more wristwarmers with (for me!) because I love wearing them and will gladly wear my bright green pair even though they don't match most of my clothes. I love this yarn, there's not a bad colourway in it and I was spoilt for choice. The grey/black is to go with a scarf I made last winter and the purple is just because I liked it. It reminds me of the flat purple swizzles lollies that I used to love when I was little and I could lick the yarn it's so lovely. Before you go round telling everyone I lick yarn, remember - it was that other girl... (sorry Rain).

Last Minute Knitted Gifts

I work best under pressure which is a good thing because I do everything at the last minute. So I have to admit to feeling more than a little smug when I finished a birthday present with a whole 2 days to go before I needed to post it (I know, I know, I can hear the derisory laughter from here, but trust me that's organised). It was a little late in the day to carry on with a bigger project so I took advantage of my self-satisfied mood to do a bit of charity knitting. Oh how pride comes before a fall. I'd made my friend Em some green Mrs Beetons to compliment the Branching Out I made for her last year, only when I pulled out the bag of scraps to make little hats from I found a tiny amount of the yarn I'd used and it really didn't look good with the green of the Mrs B's. I was traumatised, they wouldn't do. I quickly calculated the time left (+ washing and drying time) and determined I could just squeeze in another pair. With a new colour scheme in mind I went stash diving and couldn't find the yarn I wanted to use. Panic stations! (I lied about the working well under pressure bit). Plan B. Seek suitable yarn and find another project. I actually found the perfect yarn for Em - Patons Le Weekend (soft mohair/acrylic) in beige. It's really cuddly and non-itchy and the exact right amount (used double) to make Fetching. Phew. Only you can't see them because I was in such a hurry I packaged them up before I remembered to take a photo. The Mrs B's won't go to waste. There's another birthday at the end of next month for which I'd already pencilled in 'something green'. Now that's organised! ;)

Smackdown

At work I was known as a bit of a technology expert. What qualified this? I own a laptop. In the eyes of my boss that made me his number one port of call for tech support. Never mind the whole department of real techies just a phonecall away, I was there at his beck and call and spent more time than I care to remember in his office doing all the tech stuff he felt was beyond him. Well this week I finally feel like I qualified for the title. As you know my camera fritzed on me so I took it into Jessop's to ask about getting it fixed. The guy informed me that it would be £40 for an estimate and likely to be around the £150 mark for the actual repair. Madness indeed. So a little dejected I went home. It's been playing up for a while so I tried one last time to get it to work. In absolute frustration I did the only thing left to me. I smacked it one. Who wants to see my sweater?


It looks a little washed out in the sun and is actually a warmer more caramel colour. I worked the eyelets every other row instead of every 4. I'd like to say this was a carefully considered design feature but has more to do with me starting it late at night and not reading the pattern properly. I'm not too bothered as I borrowed the pattern from a friend and it means our sweaters won't be identical. It's supposed to be in Sirdar Demin Ultra, an uber-chunky yarn but we both wanted to make it on the cheap so I was the guinea pig. A swatch revealed that chunky yarn used double acheived the same gauge and that it would cost only a third of the price of the Demin Ultra. Granted it was only acrylic for that price, but nothing makes me happier than a bargain sweater.

In the last week I've been in serious design mode with 2 designs in particular really exciting me. I've started one already and the yarn arrives for the other tomorrow. I have been a little sidetracked by the Fall Issue of Knitty. For me this is the best issue yet with several patterns now on my to-do list. Curses Team Knitty for throwing me when I had my next few projects all lined up! I was torn whether to start Serrano or Viveka first so I jumped in with Serrano (there's been too much stocking-stitch in my life recently). The real test will be tomorrow when my yarn arrives as I'll be at odds with myself what to work on. I hate having multiple WIPs and I'm all of a dither at the moment.

You have to promise not to go all gooey-eyed and forget the knitting because I can't resist a gratuitous puppy picture - even if she did butt into the rest of the photos.

Diversion tactics

Thanks for all of your suggestions for Grace. I've got some black ribbon (the white in that last post was only temporary) and if I can't make myself happy with it then it's scissor time. I'll take out the side seams and crop the back in on each side at an angle and still use the ribbon to pull in the front. I did contemplate frogging and re-knitting - for all of about 2 seconds - before I realised I can't be bothered. Too many things to knit and not enough time!

I have just finished a sweater, this sweater in fact, in a lovely caramel colour. I used chunky yarn doubled throughout as a substitute for the Denim Ultra worked on 10mm needles. I can't get my camera to work so you can't see it just yet. I have a photo from a few days ago to show you that is much more exciting, who wants to see pics of a silly old sweater when there's this to look at...



Or should I say her. Cassie is a 10 week old German Shepherd. We picked her up from the breeder on Friday and she's a little darling, but has taken up a lot of my time. My priority at the moment is house training, teaching her a few manners and most importantly - teaching her that my knitting is not a toy! She'd sell her soul for a Pedigree Schmacko so is incredibly easy to bribe train. She's catching on very quickly and we couldn't be happier with her.

Remember these babies?


The fabulous Hazel (KnitYoga) who sent them to me has just opened an online store selling some really drool-worthy stitchmarkers and stunning jewellery. It's well worth popping by.