Frog in knots

The Life of Riley

2008-09-27T12:00:00.004+01:00

Long time no see my dears. Blimey what a year! I finished my teaching qualification successfully this summer but ended up having a slight career change due to illness. I have developed a severe allergy to teenagers and the more chavtastic they are, the more intense my desire to run from the room screaming.

As you can see my alternative career choice keeps me incredibly busy.

This was me at work a few days ago - rushed off my feet as you see. You might also note a slight change of scenery too. I hopped across to Channel to Frogland a few weeks ago and will be here until next the start of next summer. I'm working for a school study tour company at the moment and head off to a ski resort this winter. I have already tracked down the yarn shops in Paris, and am now finding the time to knit again after my relative drought of last year. I've lots to show you, but won't spoil you all at once.

The project in my hands is Juno Regina which spent a few weeks in the naughty corner when I noticed a mistake 16" earlier. I was starting to think it was a project I wasn't supposed to make, but now seems to be behaving itself after a spell in detention. It won't be done any time soon, but is making a great portable project for the time being.

Otherwise it's sweaters-a go-go at Château Rain with this little number from VK Winter 05/06 in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran but more on that soon. I'm now mostly posting projects at Ravelry where my user name is Rainie.

Be good my sweets and I'll hopefully catch up with you all properly soon.

Bezzie would be proud

2008-03-21T10:00:00.000Z

What do you get if you cross a wooden coat rack and a string dispenser?

A cheap-ass swift of course!

I was fortunate to receive a gift voucher for Get Knitted for my birthday and I had intended to put it towards a real swift, but my Mum happened to see the coat rack and suggested that it might do the same job if it was attached to a lazy susan or something similar. ~~Necessity~~ Val being the mother of invention after all! So the cheap-ass version was born.

It's not quite as long as I'd like when stretched out, but it does the job more or less. I've also seen plastic versions of the coat rack in Tesco recently if anyone else fancies making one. The string dispenser came from a craft fair and the two pieces cost me £4.50 as opposed to the £40 a real swift would have cost, leaving me to spend the gift voucher on other things...

Excellent transactions all round I think you'll agree!

Tee Hee

2008-01-19T10:30:00.000Z

I was conned into buying Simply Knitting recently by a very misleading picture on the cover of a pattern I wanted to make, only to find it wasn't in the magazine, but only an advert for a kit. Damn plastic wrapping. As a small consolation there was a voucher inside for the Bumper Book of Knitting, which I then got for half price. While it's not the world's most amazing knitting book there are a few things in there that I wanted so it was worth it. Not to mention that it includes Alan Dart's Christmas Gnomes.
I'm not really a gnome fan, you know the tacky ugly little pottery or plastic fellows that people put in their gardens that I get the urge to kick over when I see them (I've gone grumpy in my old age), but I couldn't resist this little guy, especially as I was looking for something suitable to make for my tutor. She's Swedish and was throwing a traditional Swedish bash to celebrate the end of term before the crimbo holidays. He was perfect and she loved him. He even got to go with her on her trip to Japan the lucky little bugger. Huge thanks to Hazel for the leftover yarn from her little guy.

It's a pirate's life for me!

2008-01-07T18:00:00.000Z

When I heard an old friend had had a baby last year I instantly set about knitting for her. Well, not quite instantly. What does one knit for a goth baby? Obviously pink and frills were out and I didn't feel the love for black and frills, that's a bit too ominous for my liking, so I went with black and cute. Hopefully Jules will forgive me for the little bit of pink on her gothlet.

It's the Pirate Sweater from Adorable Knits for Tiny Tots by Zoe Mellor (again). Same mods as with the red one - I missed out the contrast cast on/off because that would have meant even more ends to sew in and do I not like ends. Fortunately I like the sweater enough to have made it twice in a short space of time. Right, now where's the rum?

Funny Looking Hat

2007-12-31T17:30:00.000Z

Turns out it wasn't a giant rasta tam after all...
It's the Pinwheel sweater from Elann. I made it in Sirdar Yo-Yo a chunky self striping boucle yarn that fades in and out beautifully. It was met with much scepticism by those watching me make it who couldn't see how on earth I was supposed to wear such an odd shaped contraption, but all is now clear...I started this in August for the Sweater-a-Month KAL but once I'd decided to go back to University that went out of the window and it's taken until now to finish it. It was worth the wait though.
It's a different tension, which doesn't matter in the slightest for this project and I used the same method as the thumb from Fetching for the sleeves as the one given was more complicated. I also did a simple picot cast off that looks reversible in this yarn. I haven't really figured out a fastening yet, but will either keep the hair stick or buy a brooch to match it. I love it!

I wish you all health and happiness in the New Year!

Erm.............................. oops

2007-12-23T13:45:00.000Z

Calling my schedule hectic would be the understatement of the century, which means I've had to develop a new hobby. I have given up knitting and replaced it with stashing. Although I'm starting to think it's more of an illness than a hobby because it's brought on by extreme stress. I think I have an allergy to assignment deadlines, of which there have been plenty.
As you can see I'm in a very purple mood of late.

It's Sirdar Blur and Click, Debbie Bliss Astrakhan and Cashmerino Aran, Manos del Uruguay, Twilley's Freedom Spirit and Hunter's of Brora 4 ply. I've enough for a sweater from each type, with enough for 2 from the Astrakhan.

Although I have been good and branched out to other colours.

Fox Moda, 3 more colours of Manos, more Hunter's, Louisa Harding Fauve and some DB Cathay. Again in sweater quantities. All of this has been extremely bargainous, although I did splurge on some Knit Witches Cashmere lace weight when I went to London for the new SnB book launch, but more on that another time.

Right now I'm too busy fending off my mother's attempts to misappropriate some of it in her direction. Too much yarn? No such thing!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

2007-10-28T19:30:00.000Z

Is it a giant rasta tam? Actually it's none of the above, but I ain't tellin'. You'll just have to guess.

Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. The grand move South went very well indeed and I am now installed in a very trendy locale, but it unfortunately means I haven't had much knitting time as I'm now in University and teaching in a local secondary school. I do have lovely classes, but they keep me on my toes. I don't think I've ever done anything this time intensive so you'll have to forgive the lack of posts and blogreading. Roll on the holidays!

Most importantly, I have a few (very) belated thank yous.

The biggest goes out to Carrie Anne for being a truly amazing Summer Secret Santa. The swap took place in July and I received an amazing parcel. The yarn is Brigantia Luxury 100% wool DK in the most gorgeous colours. I was pleasantly surprised with this yarn, the tag says it's 50g skeins but on my second fondle something felt a bit suss so I weighed it and each skein came in at 111g making the posibilities endless. I think it's begging to be made into a vest top of some kind. The other items included a funky crocheted bag, a handmade ethnic necklace, a beautiful personalised notebook full of gorgeous different paper, some incense, some stationery and a brick of fudge (already devoured). Thank you so much Carrie Anne, it was all perfect.

Also the fabulous Queen of the Froggers, the wonderful ArtyFartyKat, the very talented Hila and the other other Rain (not the yarn licker) have all nominated me for a Rocking Girl Blogger Award.

I know it's taken me ~~a while~~ ages to get back to you all about it, but I was really touched by each of you thinking of me. Do go and check out their blogs because they rock too. I also want to thank all of you who've carried on reading even though the blogging has been a bit patchy over the past few months, it's been a funny old year so far. I really appreciate you stopping by to comment as well as those who just read along on the quiet. I also want to thank those of you that have added me to the link lists on your own blogs. I do notice and am keeping you all bookmarked so I can catch up with you at some point. You lot all rock! As for nominations of my own (I hate doing this because I can't pick everyone) I wanted to point you in the direction of three of my favourite blogs. Firstly Areli, she knits the most beautiful things, next up Heather because I want to be just like her when I grow up, and finally Rachel. She may forget to blog or knit, but she never fails to make me smile.

Psst! TG - I'd have picked you, but thought you might get the meme stick out and beat me with it.

Frog on the Move

2007-08-26T15:45:00.000+01:00

I may be as mad as a box of frogs, but this time I have surprised even myself. At the end of last month I decided on a career change and put plans in motion for it to happen RIGHT NOW! I'm going back to Uni to do a post-grad teaching certificate and a part time Masters degree in Education. (Ha ha! Lock up your children!) The fact that my chosen university is in the same city as the best yarn shop in the UK is, I assure you, entirely coincidental...

I have actually been very, very lucky and got a last minute place at one of the best institutions in the UK and am quite looking forward to my move Dahn Sarf. If your name is Sue I'll be appearing in a wool shop near(ish) to you very soon. In fact the course starts in 3 weeks time.

Normal blogging will resume shortly although knitting will have to take a bit of a back seat for a little while. Small projects ahoy!

Yoohoo!

2007-08-06T19:30:00.000+01:00

Hello folks. I am still around I promise, but the world is a-changing at Casa Rain at the moment with big and scary plans afoot. Now I've got you all curious, this is the bit where I don't want to say anything in case nothing comes of it, but you may not see that much of me around for a little while. I have a lot to do and very little time to do it. Unfortunately none of it is yarn related and SHOCK HORROR I haven't knitted a stitch for 2 weeks or more. I'm getting withdrawal symptoms and am starting to gibber.

However, before big scary plans were set in motion I did manage to knock out a wee outfit that I've been planning on making for ages. It's Lavender and Lace from Simply Knitting May '06 made in Jaeger Sienna 4 ply and some mystery mohair that's roughly the same thickness as Kidsilk. The only change I made was to miss the holes out of the zig zag section in the middle.

I really like it but am having a nightmare getting ribbon to match and have been wearing it in public without. I need it really as it would hold the top in place. It could do with a bit more space for the boobage too, but I couldn't be bothered to undo it.

The very lovely lady at the local craft shop even got the ribbon shade cards out to see if she could order something else to match, but the pink is too pink and the lilac is too lilac, so we're stumped. I'm looking for another option to ribbon that involves very little work on my part but am drawing a blank. Answers on a postcard to...

Cold Shoulder

2007-07-26T17:45:00.000+01:00

One problem I have is that I don't like wearing a coat and have been known in the depths of winter to potter out in very little on. This gets worse in the summer, the warm weather (HA!) tempts me out in just a vest (well not just a vest) and when it gets chilly in the evening I freeze. I can't always rely on a beer jacket to keep me warm and have decided that shrugs are the way forward. Step up The Ribbed Lace Bolero.

This is a variation on the Craftster Circular Shrug and can be custom fit to your body size by taking certain key measurements. This took just under 2 balls of Blue Sky Organic Cotton and is great for keeping the chill off, or at least it will be if it ever stops raining.

Sock it and see

2007-07-19T19:45:00.000+01:00

I am very disappointed in you all. I have heard some people mention how difficult it is to take a photo of a sock on your own foot, but none of you have truly conveyed the level of contortion required. In fact I have had you all down as an unsupple inflexible bunch until now.

The sock, Baudelaire from Knitty and my first BTW, is made from vintage wool yarn that a mad old aunt gave to me years ago and is currently missing it's mate. The chances of it getting an identical mate are currently debatable as I rarely wear two socks the same as it is.

I made several attempts to portray the beauty of my latest knit. I tried the 'hold the camera low OMG how fat are my ankles' pose...

then the 'pointy toes' pose...

the 'wave your foot in the air like you just don't care' pose...

the 'oh holy £*=@!^& $#!+ I've got cramp in my hip' pose...

and finally the 'I've been in more comfortable positions playing Twister' pose
Hopefully you've seen enough of it before I have to resort to this, although chances of me getting beyond the first position are slim.

The things I do for you people ;)

'armless enough!

2007-07-13T19:30:00.000+01:00

This month has been a busy one for me so far but with very little knitting to show. I've got an upcoming deadline for a pattern (the SnB one) and that has taken precedence over everything else meaning that I had to find a fairly quick knit for my monthly KAL target. I have to say I was rather naughty with this choice because I went for a short sleeved cardigan which doesn't really count as a sweater in my self-imposed rules. I shall have to do penance later in the year and make myself some extremely long arm warmers to make up for it.

The project is from this year's Spring/Summer edition of Vogue Knitting and is worked in Blue Sky Organic Cotton. The yarn is so lovely to work with and feels incredibly soft. It was very kindly sent to me by the fabulous (and very naughty) T in exchange for some design work I did for her. She knows me too well because I was wistfully fondling this exact stuff only the week prior to receiving it. Thank you T.

I made a few alterations to the pattern adding in 2 inches to the body to try and hide my short torso. Looking back at it now I should have added them into the peplum or rib, but I was trying to avoid having the rib intercept the very part I was hoping to disguise.

After having a play with it I decided to fasten it crossed over slightly as it looks a little more flattering, especially from the back. I had to go down a needle size to get gauge and used just under 5 balls for the biggest size. The remaining yarn was also turned into another quick project but you'll have to wait to see that because FOs are on ration in these parts.

Budge Up!

2007-07-05T21:30:00.000+01:00

Make room boys and girls because I've brainwashed another into this cult of ours...

Although Jenn has knitted before and tends to pick up the needles when I visit, this is the first time I've seen that wild look in her eyes that means she's hooked forever. The phrase 'in a minute I just want to finish this row' was uttered to her husband (really must introduce her to knitting in the round and never-ending rows) and it was an early bedtime for the little one so she could squeeze a few more rows in before turning in herself.

I got the sense that she was chomping at the bit to have a go herself from the wistful looks she gave me while I was knitting this wee number for Scarlett (a simple top down t-shirt in Sirdar Denim with crocheted edges)

and my hand was snatched off when I offered needles and yarn. Jenn confessed she loves to knit but doesn't have the confidence if I'm not around to help, so we did a wee master class in fixing common mistakes and she was off. Can we have a collective aw for the fact that her stash fits in a shoe box and a wicked cackle for knowing that it won't fit in there much longer.

Since she'd nicked my second project yarn I set about raiding her stash (some old scraps of mine for practising with) to knit some clothes for 'Baby', Scarlett's doll that arrived nekkid apart from a hat.To spare Baby's blushes I whipped up a wee cardigan and some lurid yellow trousers.

You might be wondering where my taste went when I made these but they're to help teach Scarlett about getting dressed and her colours. More loud and unmatching doll clothes are on the agenda, although I won't be cheeky and pass these off as my remaining sweater quota. Scarlett's next on the knitter-to-be hit list and although it will be a few years before she's fully turned - the yarn love part started six months ago...

Arrr me hearties!

2007-07-01T21:30:00.000+01:00

Avast ye scurvy dogs! This 'ere knit be not for the lily-livered. On me latest voyage I made a Jolly Roger sweater for the scallywag sprog o' an old school matey fer his first birthday booty. It be from the book Adorable Knits fer Tiny Sprogs by that thar wench Zoe Mellor.

Plunderin' o' the stash chest gave me some acrylic line t' weigh anchor, but them thar many colour changes be shiverin' me timbers, so t'were easier t' be simplifyin' it. Less ends t' sew in ye know an' more effective lookin' o'erall.

Now yer'll all be a-commentin' or it's the plank.

Ahoy mateys! The wee bucko's been sighted in his sweater o'er a cup o' grog. I'll be swappin' arrr for aw from now on.

Topsy Turvy

2007-06-24T23:30:00.000+01:00

This month's jumper for the Sweater-a-Month KAL was the Cable Down Raglan from Interweave Knits Spring 2007. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw the previews and knew I had to get my mitts on the magazine. It's not that easy to find in the UK but I have a friend who lives near a stockist in the South and she offered to get it for me and bring it on her next visit north. I've been twitching ever since to get started but knew I had to get everything else finished first.

It's in RYC Cashsoft DK in Crush and took just under 500g for the 38" size with monkey arm sleeves. I decided to lengthen the sleeves rather than do the 3/4 ones in the pattern. I also altered the raglan increases to either knit or purl M1R/L accordingly as the ones given looked untidy as I worked them. The smaller cables were changed to have an equal number of stitches on each side because I'm OCD about things matching and they bothered me.

I went for a size smaller than I'd usually knit to make sure I had enough yarn and really like the fit. I still feel like I'm knitting upside down with this method, but I do like being able to try things on at an early stage to see how they fit. I don't like knitting sleeves in the round though, they seem to take ages as I have to work them individually. I don't think I'm fully taken with this way of doing things although the lack of seaming is winning me round. I've just ordered Fitted Knits so this won't be the last top down thing you see from me.

Reduced to the status of a bum

2007-06-18T18:00:00.000+01:00

I'll be drinking lighter fluid in the gutter next.

You know your knitting experience is going downhill when you resort to broken needles and novelty yarn. If the FO wasn't for my favourite wee person there'd be no hope of me working like this.

I've broken both my 3.5mm bamboo straights and circ and don't have this size in any other type of needle so with a pencil sharpener and an emery board I produced a (just about) workable tool. The yarn was given to me by a friend who was clearing out her knitting things. In fairness it wasn't too horrific to work with, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to use it again. Being unable to see the stitches drives me potty.

This Teddy Bear Bodywarmer took me a little longer than I hoped because apparently I was drinking lighter fluid in the gutter or damn near to it at Scarlett's Dad's birthday when during the evening of a day long BBQ and drinking session I saw fit to pick up the needles. Despite a fellow knitter begging me to put them down I insisted on KUI (knitting under the influence) and paid it for a day later when I'd obviously made a mistake but couldn't see where the heck it was and had to rip.

I brought it home because I didn't fancy sewing in a zip with the mother of all hangovers but it will soon be winging it's way back to her. This is just a bigger size of the mink gilet I made a while ago. She wore it so often that when she outgrew it her Mum was devastated and asked for another. Although I was dreading using this yarn I felt it was perfect for the project. I didn't follow the pattern (Knits for Babies and Toddlers by Fiona McTague) as it has an awkward construction involving pockets, but instead worked out the size required from my gauge swatch and went from there skipping the pockets entirely. She won't miss them, she's a handbag kinda girl.

Be My Valentine

2007-05-31T19:15:00.000+01:00

Better late than never ;) February's endeavour for the Sweater-a-Month KAL is finally complete. I ground to a halt when I ran out of yarn and decided to put it to one side before I thought too seriously about frogging it and re-knitting it a size smaller. As it turns out, the extra ease I'd chosen to make it with was just right and fortunately I managed to get an extra ball on Ebay which miraculously was the same dye lot. The break inbetween gave me a fresh look at the design so I ripped it back a few inches from where I'd abandoned it to try something different for the arm shaping and finally got to do the long awaited yoke.

It's in Patons Crystal, which is a multi-strand construction made of 100% microfibre. It has really good stitch definition, but is very splitty. It's my own design but I took the heart stitch pattern from a vintage baby book and used it in bands as I didn't want to overdo it or be flashing too much skin. I went for 3/4 length sleeves partly because I was wary of the amount of yarn I had and partly because even when I knit them full length I always seem to push or roll them up.

I think I could have done with putting the middle lace section a little higher. Although it doesn't look like it here, it's on the same level with the ones on the sleeves and I would have liked it where they appear to be in the photos. That said though, I really like this and am very pleased with how it turned out... eventually.

Alien Invasion

2007-05-26T16:30:00.000+01:00

I'm sure I can't be the only one with far too many UFOs. Never mind hiding them behind the sofa, I think I'll evict them and take refuge down there myself. They make me feel guilty when I stumble across them looking all forlorn languishing in a cupboard, pushed aside for nicer patterns, prettier yarns or the latest craze. None more so than this braided cable cardigan from Verena Herbst 2006. I started this with so much enthusiasm in December, but it got sidelined by a more pressing project and by the time that was done I'd signed myself up to the Sweater-a Month KAL and got carried away by that.

It was only when I came back from holiday too tired to think and convinced that I had nothing I wanted to knit and nothing to knit it with, that I turned in desperation to some old projects. I am so glad I picked this up again. I wasn't in a thrilling yarn, just some black aran weight acrylic from my stash, but it's just what I need. I've wanted a long black cardigan for ages and this is just right. And to top it off, it counts as the other half to this month's sweater total.I still need to add some form of fastening. The single hook and eye suggested doesn't seem enough, so I'm thinking about 8" of hook and eye tape from the chest down will be better suited to my needs.I'm thinking of crocheting an edging around the bottom too as it looks a little untidy to me, but as I could wear it in public I'm claiming it as finished. I may even come out from the sofa.

Twisted

2007-05-19T17:30:00.000+01:00

I must be really twisted to think knitting patterns from the 80s is a good idea, but I have news for you - it's coming back, like the monster in a horror film 80s knitting is rearing it's ugly head again. I've had my eye on this pattern from the very day my Mum bought the book in 1987 and now a whopping 20 years later I've finally made it.
And it's a little, well...er twisted. There are so many freaking cables on it making me look like some sort of demented helter skelter.
It's like one of those mind puzzles that starts to move if you look at it for too long.
Am I glad I finished it? Kinda. I started knitting it on a whim pre-Knitting Olympics last year as I was between projects waiting for them to start and it's sat in a cupboard ever since. I get UFO guilt so this is one less thing to niggle in the back of my mind and lets me strike off another half sweater from my sweater-a-month total. I have to say that I did not enjoy finishing this at all, I started it in a time when acrylic yarn and metal needles were my staple diet. In the last 12 months I've used either wood or bamboo needles almost exclusively and I really missed them. Also this acrylic was one of the brands I like a lot less than the one I usually use and found it awful compared to the nicer yarns I've been using more recently. Basically I've been spoilt. I'm not sworn of acrylic forever. In fact I'm knitting with it right now but I think the worm has turned. Next month's it's cashmere for sure.

Excitement City

2007-05-14T15:30:00.000+01:00

I'm miles behind the times with this one but figured you'd love to see it if you haven't already.

Although it won't be out until January this is the cover for the book one of my designs will be appearing in. It looks fabulous and I have the cover sweater (by Olga) on my 'to knit' list already. There are so many names I recognise contributing to this book that I can't wait to see the other items in it. There are more details on Amazon for the curious.

Another thing that's got me all excited is this...

Looks like February's sweater can be finished after all. Not that there's much knitting going on around here at the moment. That very glum looking puppy has just had an operation and needs constant care. I've been told she must be kept completely still until the stitches come out which anyone who has ever had a 10 month old puppy will tell you is nigh on impossible.

Three Bags Full

2007-05-09T22:00:00.000+01:00

Not that I flew halfway across the world to go yarn shopping or anything, but it would have been criminal to be staying down the street from a fabulous store and not go say hi - twice. Well three times actually, but can you blame me? Look at this place it's wonderful.

If you ever find yourself in Vancouver be sure to check out Three Bags Full on Main Street. The choice is amazing and the staff are fabulous and super helpful. They are terrible enablers though and will tempt you will all manner of lovelies that are difficult to resist. While I only managed to bring home two bags full of yarn I was delighted with what I found and could easily have filled a third and a fourth and a fifth...

They were wonderful enough to wind it all for me too.
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (80% superwash wool/ 20% nylon) - no ideas yet
Malabrigo (100% merino) - wristwarmers/ headband
Euroflax (100% wet spun linen) - lacy scarf
Blue Sky Alpaca Silk (50% alpaca / 50% silk) - scarf
A few other lovelies may have come home with me too but they're a secret so shhhh!

Oh for more luggage space and a higher weight allowance.

TBF is also where you'll find Christa of the Christa Knits podcast about knitwear design, well worth a listen if you get the chance.

I'd love to say I had a relaxing and refreshing time on holiday but I got a stinking cold a few days before I went which knocked me off my feet a little for the duration of my trip. I still had a lovely time though. I also got to look at the blog from another computer and realised what a mess it looks in other browsers so I'll be working on an overhaul shortly so don't be surprised if things looks a little different over the coming weeks.

Great Expectations

2007-04-18T17:00:00.000+01:00

When I got my latest yarn bargain I fully expected to turn this...

...into that with very few problems. But...

The main problem came when I took a closer look at the pattern (Verena magazine - Herbst 2006) and realised I was short on yarn. It came from a closing down sale for a bargainous £2 a ball (RYC Cashsoft - 57% extra fine merino/ 33% microfibre/ 10% cashmere) it usually retails at £4.45. It was so in demand that it was impossible to get more than the 10 balls I initially purchased. Knowing my recent luck with yarn it just wasn't worth the risk. I uhmmed and ahhed for a few days, considered other yarn in my stash and then proceeded to sulk for 3 days until I decided to live dangerously. I took another look at the pattern to see if I could cut any corners and realised that it was made as two 'T' pieces so that the sleeves were knitted sideways instead of cuff to shoulder. This bothered me to the point that I reached for my clipboard and did a complete re-write of the pattern in a more traditional construction. It took a bit of tweaking and I altered the stitch pattern slightly, but I finally got the numbers to work out in a way that made me happy. I worked the 3x3 rib section in the round and then worked the patterned part flat in one piece to the armholes. The sleeves were then worked separately. I also changed the cables so they twist a different way on each side as I feel it looks better especially when the cables are following a neck line. It was a super speedy knit - hurrah for big needles, I started on the 5th and finished last night - at this rate it could be two sweaters a month! (I wish).
And those great expectations of running out of yarn.....? It only took 8 balls :)

Check out my cheeky pup! While I expect small children to go through that awkward stage where they pull faces in every photo nobody ever mentioned that puppies do it too! She's nine and a half months old now and very much the stroppy teenager.

Sorry folks - I really am neglecting you and your blogs at the moment. Please bear with me, I haven't forgotten any of you, I've been writing the pattern for the next SnB book. I also booked a much needed holiday on a whim a few days ago and have yet to pack a thing. I'm away from tomorrow morning until the 6th of May when I shall sit down with a cuppa and read through all of your exploits that I've missed. Behave yourselves while I'm gone - especially if your name is Sue!

Free Spirit

2007-04-09T11:15:00.000+01:00

Nature is a truly astounding thing that leaves me in complete wonderment, I love seeing the world around me change with the seasons. Cassie and I have been taking advantage of the glorious spring weather in the UK to get out into the stunning woodland that's right on my doorstep. We wait for the early evening and go for a gentle stroll (I stroll - she runs herself ragged) while the late sun comes streaming through the trees and highlights the greens and browns. The woods are still quite bare but it's exciting seeing the buds knowing what's about to come.

My love for natural colours can be seen in my knitting of late as I've been inspired by what's around me. I've recently made this top from the yarn that the fabulous T sent me as part of a secret santa swap, it's Twilley's Freedom Spirit in Earth (100% wool). I've been dying to use it and wanted to make a V neck vest. I worked mainly from the Magknits Ballet Camisole pattern as I loved the shaping in it although I worked a proper V neck. I tried to retain the same shape as the original but without pulling the fabric down to achieve it.

I love the result from this yarn, it's two colours put together as a single ply that gradually change throughout the yarn, the way they mingle in the finished piece looks fabulous. The 40"size took just under 4 balls so I have enough to make a felted bag too. A huge thanks T, it was something I was coveting but not likely to buy for myself and you couldn't have chosen better.

I'm also working in this yarn too. I've had it stashed since my teens without a clue what to do with it until I came up with a cunning plan. I'd tell you what it is but it's more fun leaving you guessing. It's going to be a while before you see the final result though, the white yarn next to it is Crochet cotton no 5 and this is slightly finer than it. My eyes, my eyes!

Psst! I'm not neglecting your blogs, I've just been away from the computer for a while. I'm off to catch up right now.

Glam rock

2007-03-27T21:00:00.000+01:00

Or should I say Glampyre rocks. I've just finished my Simple Knitted Bodice and I love it. This was my March knit for the Sweater-a-Month KAL and despite being the third month of the year it's the first sweater (for me) that I've finished.

It's in Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora in Vintage Rose which I believe is now discontinued but still widely available on the likes of Ebay. It's a dream to knit with and doesn't feel like cotton at all. I describe it as like downy puppy fur running through your fingers as you knit (which makes me Cruella De Vil in the eyes of my friend Adam). On the downside though it sheds and pills like you wouldn't believe even after a few hours (under the arms and where I was carrying my bag) so because of that I'd be wary about using it again despite loving the feel. I finished it late last night and wove in the ends in the car on the way to the shopping centre this morning and put it on straight away so it's as yet unblocked.

This was my first top down pattern and I really liked that I got an early feel for the fit and could keep trying it on as I went along. I made very few alterations to the pattern. I added in an extra two rows after I'd joined it in the round so the purl ridges weren't right at the join and I dropped the lace panels on the sleeves to match the level on the body. I also changed the neck to a mitred V worked in the round rather than a wrapped across piece knitted flat. I also added a little extra length to the lower body. I love this pattern and could definitely see me making another but would perhaps change the whole neck so the V isn't so low. With this version I have to wear something underneath it and it has a tendency to drop so it's slung back over my shoulders. I also think I could get away with a smaller size as I thought it was a generous fit. All in all I really love it and will definitely be getting Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits as I'm a huge fan of her designs.

Fetch!

2007-03-17T15:00:00.000Z

I've finally finished my Fetching. This is the fourth pair I've made but the first for myself. These are in Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Aran which is a gorgeous yarn. You can get a pair out of one ball so it's ideal as a sub for the Debbie Bliss yarn. I did mean to take action shots with the creature out on our walk this morning but I forgot to take the camera and Cassie was far too tired to play when we got back. I started these when I was in hospital last year but found it difficult to knit with the cannula in my hand. I ended up knitting one from each end of the ball as I didn't have the pattern with me and could only work up to as far as I could remember. When I came home they got dumped in my work basket and have been there ever since with the yarn in the middle transforming into the mother of all knots and the whole thing ending up a bit scruffy. Still I like 'em and they look great with my new coat.

I also have some fab froggy goodies that I've been kindly sent that I want to show off. Apologies for taking so long to do so.

These very cute pens were sent to me by Hazel and Bad Amy sent me this hilarious calendar and frog heart purse. The smaller purse came from my friend Emily.

I've also been sent this great yarn stamp by the very talented Carrie Anne which came with this block print card she made herself. You can now buy both in Hazel's shop - they're great for making care cards or tags for your knitted gifts. Thank you so much everyone, I've had a rough few months and when they've arrived they've really made my day.

I also meant to tell you ages ago to go along and see the very cute version of my Twister pattern that HPNY made. I really liked the much shorter version as it's more practical for some coats than a long scarf.

Mostly knots and frogging

2007-03-12T17:00:00.000Z

This rather sorry looking mess is all that's left of the project I've been slaving over for the last two weeks. It's one of my own designs but despite trying 3 different techniques to get the result I want, I can't get it to look right. I was starting to dread picking it up. Rather than carry on regardless I came to the conclusion that nobody was holding a gun to my head so if I didn't want to finish it now then I didn't have to. It's too fabulous an idea to forget so I'm going to tuck the yarn away somewhere safe and come back to it when I'm more in the mood for it. Knitting is supposed to be fun so I've moved onto something a lot less stressful.

I've been working on my Simple Knitted Bodice which is going a lot more successfully and I definitely won't run out of yarn on this one! I don't see any problems with finishing it by the end of the month now it's got my full attention. This is my first top down pattern and I'm really enjoying it, it makes a lot of sense and I love that I get to try it on as I go to check the fit sooner rather than later. It's in Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora and it's divine to work with. It feels like downy puppy fur as it runs through my fingers and not like cotton at all. I can't wait to finish it as I know this is going to be a firm favourite.

The sweater that almost was

2007-02-28T20:39:00.000Z

So much for me finishing my two cardigans this month. After the breakneck pace of last month I decided to finish the vest I started for Scarlett while I was visiting. I just needed a bit of mindless stocking stitch that I could lose myself in for a few days. It's actually the Argyle Slipover from Debbie Bliss's Special Knits. I'd taken the book with the Eyelet Vest in mind but Jenny preferred this one instead. I only had the main colour with me (DB Baby Cashmerino kindly given to me by the fabulous Nanatoo) so I started with the intention of duplicate stitching the diamonds on later, I'm going to use the deeper pink and white only my LYS don't have any of the deeper pink in at the moment. I made the biggest size which won't fit her for ages anyway so I'm in no hurry.

While I was doing that I had an idea for a sweater that just couldn't wait. All my other plans went straight out the window and I got to work with the Patons Crystal that I showed you in the last post. Unfortunately, as it's something I was designing myself I could only guess at my yarn requirements and have run out just before the end.

It's supposed to have a yoke worked in the lace pattern, these wee hearts, but I'm a ball short. I've been considering my options and can't decide if I should make the sleeves shorter - they're 3/4 length to start with, or if I should frog the body. I could easily go down a size as there's plenty of ease in it as it is, but at the moment I just can't face it. The thought of doing the hem again doesn't appeal to me. My LYSO has been a superstar trying to get more but can't get hold of any. If any of you see it on your travels, please can you let me know.

As for the two cardigans that were part of the SAMKAL, they've been postponed until May unless I can fit them in before. Tomorrow I'll be casting on for Glampyre's Simple Knitted Bodice and the month after I have a gorgeous cardigan calling to me. Maybe next month will be a little more successful.

Love is Blind

2007-02-14T12:30:00.000Z

You know when they tell young lads that too much solo sex will make them go blind? Well it's the same for us knitting gals. Too much SEX (Stash Enhancement Expedition) will produce the same results. Yes, you'll get a warm tingly feeling inside, but you will indeed go blind. Blind to the fact that you have nowhere to put it, blind to the fact that you don't have a project for it, blind to the fact that you probably won't use it for at least a year and blind to the fact that you don't really need it and probably can't afford it. So girls, practise safe SEX - don't go yarn shopping with people likely to encourage you, leave your credit cards at home and only shop when you need it. Who am I kidding? It's been a positive orgy of yarn pr0n here recently so you should all share the love and go indulge yourselves.

These two were from a local market stall that sells mainly acrylic but have a lot of nicer 'seconds' for sale. Usually the problem is that the ball was the wrong weight rather than there being anything wrong with the yarn. The lilac one is Sirdar Country Style DK in Viola and was 69p per ball. I bought 700g, some for a sweater for me and the rest for something for Scarlett. The darker one is mystery yarn (please let me know if you recognise it), it's black and deep purple and has a brushed look. It's very fine. I also have small amounts of this in deep/light pink and blue/turquoise and would love to know what it is. It feels really soft. This was only 59p a ball so I bought 6 in case I wanted to use it doubled.

My LYS has had a great January sale, this Patons Crystal was in the bargain bin at 65p a ball, it's been discontinued. It's microfibre acrylic but is made the same way as DB Cathay so would make a great sub for it. I have 5 of the brown and 6 of the red and am thinking it would make lovely summer tops.

They also had the great yarn mountain out again. They pile up packs of yarn in the middle of the shop and if you want to know what's in there you really have to get down and dirty on the floor to have a good rummage through. I came away with a kilo of Sirdar Country Style in Lichen and 500g of RYC Cashsoft DK in Crush. Both were half price. The Country Style is for one of my own designs and the Cashsoft is because it would have been rude to leave it behind.

I've also been bidding away on eBay. I'm not even safe staying at home these days. I'm starting Glampyre's gorgeous Simple Knitted Bodice next month as part of an informal KAL with friends. I initially wanted the Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora (vintage rose), but even at half price had a bit of a wobble on the cost (I need two 500g packs) so I bid on the Patons Diploma Gold Aran (kilo pack) instead. I was out bid and bought the DB as a consolation only to find out I'd been given a second chance to buy it after the winning bidder didn't pay on time. It was a huge bargain, about a third of the retail price and more than enough for a sweater so I grabbed that too. Needless to say I need to take a leaf out of Mary-Lou's book and start hiding it behind the bath panel. So much for knitting from my stash....

Just in case you were hugely disappointed that this wasn't the kind of sex you had in mind. (Sorry Jen - forgot you weren't up with the latest knit slang). You need to practise safe sex for the other kind too, or you'll end up with one of these...

and adorable as baby James is... I'd rather have cashmere. He's from last year's batch of summer babies and is now 7 months old (where does the time go?) He's a very smiley little chap and keep his mum on her toes with his mischief.

A game of two halves

2007-02-10T14:30:00.000Z

Maths was never my strongest subject at school but even my wee brain can figure out that two halves make a whole. So instead of making a whole sweater in February for the Sweater-a-Month KAL I'm going to be cheeky and knit two half sweaters. Two halves of these sweaters in fact or they'll languish in my 'can't see it, pretend it's not there' cupboard forevermore.

The first is the green cabled cardi that I've been threatening to finish for the past 12 months. It was my pre-olympic warm up that I started around this time last year which got pushed to one side and forgotten about after the event. I still have the best part of the sleeves and the button bands (*sob*) to finish. It's a Patons pattern from their Summer collection 1987!

The other is a sweater I started at the end of last year while waiting for the yarn for my Sensual Knits submission to arrive. I have to finish the fronts and make the sleeves and collar. It's from Verena (Herbst 2006) - a German knitting magazine that produce the most fabulous patterns once a quarter. There are around 80-100 designs in every issue so if you speak German it's well worth getting. It's supposed to be in DB Cashmerino Aran but mine is in acrylic that was in my stash.

It's also covered in dog hair because a certain overgrown puppy was caught red-pawed rolling around on it when my back was turned.

I'm still trying to use stash yarn where I can but my next post will reveal sordid SEX tales that will make your hair curl.

Away for a little while

2007-01-30T17:33:00.000Z

I've had some very sad family news so I won't be around for a little while. I'll catch up with you all again soon.

Time flies...

2007-01-25T11:45:00.000Z

It hardly seems like 5 minutes since Scarlett was born, so when the invite for her first birthday party came through the door it was a bit of shock. They live at the other end of the country to me so a mammoth train journey dahn sarf was in order. I last saw her when she was 6 months old (about 6 weeks before she started to walk) and although I'd seen her in pictures I was a bit taken by surprise, she's so itty bitty it defies possibility to see her confidently strutting around the house without a care in the world.

Nick and Jenn have truly been blessed with this little one. I only heard her cry three times in four days and she is all smiles and happiness and never stops laughing. Her antics are hilarious and I spy a future knitter, she did a runner with my yarn on more than one occasion as well as making off with various other supplies. Speaking of future knitters, I taught Jenn to purl and decrease while I was there and she made an adorable little beanie with the left overs from a garter stitch blanket she made when Scarlett was born. Plans for more adventurous garments have been made to coincide with my next trip.

Such a pretty little girl needs a pretty little dress so I couldn't resist making this little number from 'Candy Babies' by Candi Jensen. I looked everywhere for Chinese fabric but the colours I found all seemed a little garish for such a little one. In the end I opted for a gorgeous embroidered bridal fabric and then matched the yarn to it. The best match was Rowan Cotton Glace and although it was completely the wrong gauge for the pattern I adapted it to fit. My sewing leaves a lot to be desired, I put the skirt on it on the train, but it's passable despite needing a good talking to with the iron. I made the 18 month size so it will fit towards the summer, but she's such a dainty little tot it may be longer before it will go on her.

I had such a lovely time that I can't wait to see her again. We have a lot in common especially when it comes to cake...

No sweat!

2007-01-21T11:45:00.000Z

January tends to see the start of several knit-a-longs that last all year. I've always been put off by these thinking it was a huge commitment or a bit boring to be knitting the same type of item over and over again but when the fabulous Stefaneener came up with a grand plan I couldn't sign myself up quick enough. She has masterminded a Sweater-a-Month KAL.

Uh-huh, I have pledged to knit a sweater a month, every month, through 2007. Am I crazy? You mean you haven't figured that out yet? Of course I'm crazy, just for even thinking it, let alone trying it, but it's do-able right? I'm quite seduced by the prospect of 12 sweaters for myself and have been plotting and planning the year ahead. There's still plenty of time to sign up with the rest of the crazies ~~if you think you're daft enough~~ if you fancy it.

After signing my year away I had to choose a sweater. Unfortunately my big January project can't count because I can't show it off for months. I am knitting like a loon on my Sensual Knits submission for it's fast approaching deadline and so I needed something smaller to make that I could let you see. Fortunately I had a baby sweater planned for Sol's first birthday.

I chose the reindeer jacket from 'Simple Knits for Little Cherubs' by Erika Knight. I've been dying to make this for ages and even though the smallest size was for a 2-3 year old I went ahead anyway. Babies grow and Sol is quite a sturdy little lad.

I made a few changes to the pattern, some for ease of knitting, others to keep my sanity. To start with I used 2x2 rib instead of 1x1. I feel it looks better and a bit more modern. I changed the snowflakes from the bottom as the ones given in the pattern looked a bit floral for a little boy and the trees in the background of the reindeer simply had to go. I didn't like the trees at the top and seriously contemplated changing them, but by that point I was a little fed up with it all and went for the easy option of following the pattern.

I was supposed to be stranding the yarn all the way across the piece but instead I chose to work the reindeer and trees as intarsia. I also knitted the whole piece in one to the armholes which meant lengthening the body slightly so the sleeves sat in the top blue part only rather than cutting down into the white, by doing this it was a bit less fiddly to deal with. I completely ignored the collar pattern and picked up sts around the neck and worked in 2x2 rib for a few inches. I also missed out the snowflakes that were supposed to go around the lower sleeve. I tend to knit the sleeves plain on fussy or very patterned sweaters as I think it can look a bit much to have it patterned all over. I'm pleased with how it came out although the zip was sewn in by hand on the train and isn't my neatest effort. The yarn wasn't anything thrilling, just bog standard aran weight acrylic in navy and white, those little cherubs aren't always so angelic when it comes to staying clean.

...in with the new

2007-01-01T17:15:00.000Z

Happy New Year! I hope it's a wonderful one for each and every one of you.

I wanted to start the year with a plan and a few ~~resolutions~~ tentative guidelines to get myself off to a good start.

First and foremost I want to reduce my stash. I won't stop myself from buying more yarn, but I will make more of an effort to try and use what I've got in. Better organisation is also high up on the cards. I've just gone for a new yarn storage system that's less easy to mess up than the last one, rather than needing to dig through tubs I've put it in those underbed storage bags with a clear zip up lid so I can see what's where straight away. I need to update my spreadsheets though and plan to do it using Craftmemo. My patterns are next with a filing system about to be implemented.

I'm also going to keep track of what I'm up to in a knitting diary. I tend to lose sheets of my clipboard or mix up the order so I felt a book would be easier to manage. It's mainly for own designs but will probably end up with lists of things I want to make and whatnot.

I'm fortunate to have two designs being published this year. I have a lot of ideas in my head that I want to get written up and sent off. I really want to push that side of my knitting this year.

I've already mentioned the UFOs that need finishing up, or if I decide I don't really want the item I'm going to frog it rather than leaving it hanging around. I already have a list of things of a few things I want to make this year, but I'm not going to be too influenced or bogged down by it. It's more of a wishlist than a commandment.

Glampyre's Simple Knitted Bodice
Socks (I'm finally joining the dark side)
Super secret ain't tellin' ya lace project.
Crossover cardi from Verena 3/06
Cable and lace jumper from Verena 3/06
Garter stitch jumper from Verena 3/06
Cable cardi from Drops

I'm also planning on a few new techniques. I generally learn new things as they come up rather than go out of my way to learn something new for the sake of it but there are a few things I want to try out at some point. Sock knitting is pretty high on my agenda, I have some lovely sock yarn languishing in my stash and I'll need something small to KIP with in the summer. I'm also going to attempt steeking, Grace is still unworn and unloved but with a bit of scissor action she'll be wearable. I'm going to do some felting this year too. Lace knitting is also creeping in, it's not so much a new skill as something I want to challenge myself with. I'm more of a product than a process knitter so I find it pointless putting so much work into something I won't wear but I have a very cunning plan...

Watch this space!

Out with the old...

2006-12-31T15:30:00.000Z

I've seen a few of these end of year round up thingies so I jumped on the bandwagon and decided to do my own.

I think 2006 can only be summed up as 'the year of the baby' in my world, with the safe arrival of Sol, Scarlett, James, Niahm, Alexandra and John. Baby knitting was plentiful here at Casa Rain and you all patiently put up with my rambling on about all things tiny.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16

I have to admit to really enjoying making little things and to feeling just the eensiest, weensiest bit broody. It's the shoes, teeny tiny shoes get me every time.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16

Once friends and family had ceased breeding, it was time to move onto bigger and better things. I managed to turn out a few sweaters for myself and about a billion pairs of Mrs Beetons (ok, 4, but it felt like it). There was a whole host of other bits and pieces that were sent out as gifts that I completely forgot to take photos of, something to remember for next year.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 -12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20

I really feel like my knitting has come on in leaps and bounds this year, I learnt a whole heap of new techniques and consolidated a lot of the old ones. I've ironed out a lot of bad habits too. My favourite knit of the year has to be Scarlett's flying suit, I loved seeing her in it.

I'm only carrying over ~~a few~~ several UFOs into next year which I am determined to finish soon, they are...

Jedi coat (still needs a lining sewing in)
Green cabled cardi (half the sleeves and the button bands to go)
Lily Chin Reversible Rib Shawl (it just goes on and on...)
Scarlett's garter stitch hat (awaiting the top part)
Fetching (awaiting thumbs)
Serrano (please don't make me finish it)
Braided cable cardigan (awaiting sleeves)
The sample for my Sensual Knits submission (how I wish I could show you)

All in all it's been a very productive year. Hang onto your hats for the next one...

You can make your own mosaics here - Flickr Toys

Twister

2006-12-30T14:00:00.000Z

This scarf was inspired by the gorgeous Lily Chin Reversible Rib Shawl (which I still haven't finished). I desperately needed a brown scarf and fell in love the wonderful cinnamon colourway in Wendy Fusion that was a perfect match to many of my things.

I am delighted with the results and wanted to share the pattern with you. It's quick and easy to make and would look great in any chunky yarn. While it's not a particularly long scarf you can thread it through one of the cables for the 'keyhole' look if that's what you prefer.

Yarn: 2 x Wendy Fusion 50% wool/ 50% acrylic (single plied), 50g, 88m (96 yds) per ball
Needles: 6mm / US 10
Tension: 16 sts x 20 rows = 4" square.
Dimensions: 10cm (4") wide x 132cm (52") long

2x2 rib = *k2,p2. Repeat from * to end.

Cable row: k2, p2, C-rib24B, k2, p2.

C-rib24B = slide 12 sts onto a cable needle and hold to the back of the work, (k2, p2) 3 times from the left needle, (k2, p2) 3 times from the cable needle.

Cast on 32 sts

Work 2x2 rib for 19 rows.
Work cable row

**Work 2x2 rib for 29 rows
Work cable row
Repeat from ** 6 times more

Work 2x2 rib for 19 rows.
Cast off in rib.

Weird

2006-12-28T11:00:00.000Z

I have been tagged by CraftyDramaQueen and Lisa L to reveal 6 weird things about me. Of course by the very virtue of being English I am perfectly normal because only in this country is eccentricity bordering on sheer madness a celebrated national characteristic. If I'm slightly odd it's more than hidden by the many nutters that also inhabit this green and pleasant land.

If only that were true. My friends could testify that I'm actually one of the few that even the total crazies think has lost it.

Confession time

1. I don't eat anything green. Nope, nothing, nada. No, not even whatever you're thinking of right now.

2. I used to be a vegetarian. See number 1.

3. I am terrified of the toilet monster, you know, the one that comes up and gets you when you flush the loo. I agonise over whether to hold the seat down while I flush or whether to just flush and run. It depends where I am and how far away the door is. Having a door more than three steps away from the seat would really test our friendship.

4. I have a tattoo of a stickman pushing a lawnmower across the top of my *cough* hair. Why? Because it makes me smile every time I see it. I have a good old grin every time I go to the toilet until... see number 3.

5. I never go to bed before midnight, not even when I've had to get up at 5am on a regular basis. I just can't do it and feel like I'm missing out on something.

6. I don't care what I look like when I leave the house, even my friends often don't want to sit near me in the pub. I won't let fashion dictate what I wear, I just throw on what I like. These days I mostly sport the 'dragged through a hedge backwards look'. I like it.

There are rules to this which state I'm supposed to tag 6 other people. I've never been very good at doing as I'm told...

Huge thanks to Lizzy for the sock monkey hat. I shall wear it with pride... probably sat on my own in the pub.

I know who Santa is...

2006-12-26T23:30:00.000Z

...and it's Nanatoo!

I was involved in a Secret Santa Swap with a small group of my knitting friends. It was huge amounts of fun and I finally got to open the packages yesterday despite them arriving weeks ago to taunt me.

I have only one thing to say

WOW!

I was absolutely spoilt to death with such loveliness I was a gibbering idiot for hours and couldn't stop showing everyone. There was a beautiful scented candle and some delicious chocolate which has long since gone. The first package contained 5 balls of Twilley's Freedom Spirit which is 100% wool and absolutely gorgeous. She got my taste down perfectly and chose the Earth shade which is the one I've been fondling in my LYS. It's single plied with all different shades of greens and browns and oranges in it. I absolutely love it and plan to make a tank top out of it.

In the second package there was such a lovely surprise that I can't hardly believe it's mine. Some DK weight cashmere from Posh Yarns. It is simply stunning and in my all time favourite colours. It's my new pet, I can't stop hugging it and stroking it. It's the softest, nicest yarn I've ever seen or fondled in my life. I daren't even contemplate knitting it just yet because I don't want to use it on the wrong thing. It's just too lovely for words.

Thank you so much Nanatoo. You are a wonderful secret pal and I love everything to bits.

This was my first swap encounter and it went really well, I really enjoyed spoiling my pal Hazel. Did I hear mention of a summer swap girls?

Cold Comfort

2006-12-23T23:00:00.000Z

It's been a long time coming but after rescuing my yarn from those naughty pixies Viveka is finally finished. I fell in love with the pattern (Knitty - Fall 06) from the moment I saw it.

The knitty gritty - worked in Woolcraft Aran 75% acrylic/25% wool in cream with lime, brown and orange flecks. It took 600g (the leftovers from my Starsky) so cost £6 (about $12) to make. I used scraps of brown DK (doubled) for the contrast and worked 2 rows fewer than stated in the pattern. I worked it in the round to the neck decreasing at the sides as I went to give the body a bit of shape, I split for the neck and worked flat and then worked the back and fronts simultaneously. I added in an extra inch of length to the armscythe as it was a close fit and after a short break (bloody pixies) added the sleeves. Although I liked the crocheted neckline in the original pattern it was very low on me, especially given the extra length I added. It also felt a little unfinished so I picked up around the neck and added 2 inches of rib and cast off in the contrast yarn.

I really wanted to use stash yarn for this. I'm not as brave as Wendy and co in declaring no more yarn for 9 months, but I am trying to use up what I've got where possible. I love it, it's the perfect 'comfort' jumper - something you can pull on on a cold day and snuggle up in, or walk the dog in. It's not the neatest knitting I've ever done as I decided to experiment with combination knitting partway through, couldn't get the hang of it and switched back to English so it's a a bit untidy, but in the words of Catherine Tate - Am I bothered? I can see this becoming a firm favourite.

In Vogue

2006-12-20T13:00:00.000Z

It appears I had a bit of an accident when I last visited Amazon, my finger slipped... um... three times and I ordered all of the Vogue stitchionaries.

They arrived a few days ago and from looking through I've been really pleased with them. The first book deals with knit and purl based stitch patterns including a section on lace, this one only contains written instructions for the patterns with no charts. Book two is all about cables and contains both charts and written instructions. Book three deals with colourwork and contains just charts. Each book contains around 200 different stitches grouped in chapters of similar types in increasing difficulty to make them easy to navigate.

Presentation wise I couldn't fault them. The photographs are clear and you can see the whole swatch, not just a closeup of part of them meaning that you can see how the pattern would behave at the edges if you wanted to use them for something like a scarf. The books don't waste space with 'how to knit' sections and are a wealth of information. I don't think they are a definitive stitch guide and the only one you'll ever need (depending on what you want them for) but for what they do contain they're excellent. They're a joy to just flick through as well as a useful reference work and will certainly get a lot of use at Casa Rain.

Take That Pixies!

2006-12-05T23:15:00.000Z

Hahaha! Lookie what I've got. It appears the Pixies thought I was having a bad enough time without them interfering so they gave me my yarn back. They even put it away where it belongs, in fact it's the only yarn in the house that was tidied away in the right place which is probably why I couldn't find it in the first place...

It appears things really have been going my way this week. I put in a last minute submission for another book and have just heard that it's been accepted. I can't tell you anything about the design itself, but I can discuss the book. It's tentatively called Sensual Knits and will have 25 high-fashion, sophisticated designs inspired by runway looks. All will be created with noble fibres like silk, cashmere and merino. There will also be a Sensual Crochet for the hookers amongst us ;) They're scheduled to be out in Autumn '07 so be sure to take a peek when they come out.

As for knitting that I can show you - ta dah!

I know, how many times can one girl knit the same thing? I think this is my eighth, but I really like making it as it's super quick, it's also the most liked item by people that have received them. It's Tassle Tops from Kids Knits by Lesley Anne Price - chunky yarn worked all in garter stitch. Jenn was so gutted when Scarlett outgrew her first one that she asked me if I could make her a bigger one. This is a 1-2 year old size and as she's so tiny it will fit her for a while. I keep threatening to make myself an adult sized one, who knows...

Speaking of nose - it's doing really well, thanks for all your get well wishes. It's a lot less painful now and despite picking up a mild cold - air goes in, air comes out! It's amazing. I've been so chuffed with my new function that I've been wandering around the house like some sort of phone sex pest heavy breathing through it.

Broken

2006-11-26T16:00:00.000Z

When I was very very small ~~my mother dropped me on my head~~ I fell over (no really) and smashed up my face pretty badly. The hospital did the obvious and stitched up the gash across the bridge of my nose and left it at that. Unfortunately there was more damage internally and I have never been able to breathe through my nose properly. It's never really been a major problem but more recently it's been causing me a lot of grief so my doc suggested we get it checked out a little more in depth. I had surgery on it last week and am now the proud owner of a brand new nose - well the old one broken down and used for parts in an upgrade. I'm yet to tell if I can breathe through it, but I'm assured all went well and it will be worth it. I didn't anticipate it would be as painful as it is or quite how ill I'd feel after it, so rather than knitting I've been clutching my head in despair all week.

Before I went in to have it done I did get some knitting finished. I've been wanting to knit with Wendy Fusion from when I first saw it. It's divine. It's a chunky single plied 50/50 wool/acrylic that comes in the most gorgeous colourways. It was Juniper Berries that caught my eye, but shock horror I couldn't think of anything to knit in it. I didn't need any more purple accessories and I couldn't budget in a sweater from it at this time of year. Then my mother came to the rescue. She's just bought a purple coat (don't tempt me on the red hat!) and needed a scarf or something to go with it. We decided on a cowl and I set to work. She wasn't bothered what it looked like and I wanted to do something that would show off the yarn to it's best advantage which meant something plain-ish. I decided to go for alternating cables with no purl breaks. I've had something similar in mind for something else and wanted to use this project to see how things would turn out.

I wasn't overjoyed with how it looks but the Ma is happy as long as it keeps her warm. I'm so delighted with the yarn I'll be making myself a scarf from the Cinnamon colourway as soon as I can get out for the yarn. As well as a broken nose I've also broken a toe so it could be some time...

Psst - I have a lot of emails and blogs to catch up on which I'll try to get done over the next week or so.

Drumroll please...

2006-11-14T22:00:00.000Z

...and the winner is

Congratulations! If you drop me an email with your address to froginknots at gmail dot com I'll get these babies into the post for you.

A huge thanks to everyone else who left comments.

Knitting Pixies at it again

2006-11-12T12:30:00.000Z

It's a conspiracy. The Knitting Pixies are picking on me. I've been planning to make Viveka ever since it that issue of Knitty came out. I chose the yarn a few weeks ago, I had enough left over from Starsky for another sweater and as I'm into brown at the moment it seemed an excellent choice to compliment my other clothes. I knew I have enough for the whole sweater and went to retrieve it. I had a full 400g ball and a half kept together in a bag, but I saw the whole ball on it's own, grabbed it and got on with the project. When I've come to make the sleeves the half ball is missing. Over the past three days I have turned the house upside down, gone through my stash twice, looked under, in, on and around every last item in the house and it's gone. There's only one explanation. The Pixies have been to visit. I know I've been naughty and my stash is a mess, but they didn't have to punish me. I was in the middle of a reorganise involving a new storage system. I was trying to be good. I should be able to get another ball of the same dye lot but it still makes me grumpy.

I've finished the body, but I want to rip back and put in another inch or so onto the armhole before I shape the shoulders, it's not too tight but there's not a lot of space there at all, the 6" given in the pattern doesn't seem enough even though it drops over the shoulders. The V is also a lot lower than I anticipated, it doesn't look that deep in the modelled picture so I'm tempted to knit a rib neck for a few rows before doing the crochet edging. I will be wearing something underneath it anyway, but I still think I'd prefer the neck to come a little higher. I was also added in shaping to the sides to get the fit I wanted. I worked in the round to the neck and then worked back and forth to the armholes, where I split the work and knitted each of the fronts and back simultaneously. I don't know if that makes things go any quicker, but it always feels like it does. I'm pleased with it so far, but I'd be even more pleased if it had sleeves. Are you reading this Pixies? Give it up.

I also wanted to show you some of the wonderful knitting related gifts that I was very fortunate to receive for my birthday.

I was showered with froggy cuteness by Dreamcatcher and Nanatoo. I'm already plotting uses for the buttons and pins. Coincidentally the frog stitch markers from Dreamcatcher are the same as the ones for my bloggiversary draw. We must have the same excellent taste ;) They have incredibly pretty hand painted beads on them.

Nanatoo also sent some gorgeous stitch markers that were made by Mary-Lou who runs an online store - MLQ Knits, selling these plus other beautiful designs. Carrie Anne carved a fantastic stamp for me so I can print up little cards to go with knitted gifts - the blasted Pixies have also done a runner with my ink pad so I can't show you it in action yet. The adorable sheep needles are from Hazel which she made herself - these plus other designs are now available at Knits & Glitz. Warning - they seriously impede your knitting speed because you have to keep stopping to admire how cute they are.

I was blown away by your kindness. Thank you all very much. Thanks also to everyone who left birthday wishes and bloggiversary congratulations. I'll do the draw for the stitch markers tomorrow night so watch this space.

A Good Year

2006-11-05T22:00:00.000Z

I've been upstaged by the blog. It's jumped in with an anniversary the day before my birthday - the nerve! It feels like just last month that I wrote my first post and I can't believe it's been a year already.

Check out the video for details of a fab prize draw as a way of saying thank you to all you wonderful people that visit, you really make blogging worthwhile - even you shy lot that don't say anything!

And then there were two...

2006-10-30T19:00:00.000Z

Mrs. Beeton was a name I grew up with. She was the Delia Smith (Martha Stewart) of the victorian era. Her books on household management and cookery changed the lives of many women of her time with their no nonsense approach and are still in print today albeit updated. Her cookbook accompanied me to university and saw me through the early trials and triumphs of running my own kitchen. The BBC did a fantastic dramatisation of her life recently which was fascinating. The matriarch who led a household revolution turned out to be a slip of a girl of 21 with a drive and ambition that saw her transform women's publications.

I was delighted to see a pattern named after her, especially when I read why it was - it summed up her spirit exactly and managed to be incredibly pretty in the process. I have finally completed my own pair.

I can't tell you much about the yarn, it was 10p a ball in a charity shop and came unlabelled. The second I saw them together they were destined for this pattern. It's also a very happy coincidence that the plain purple is a very close match to the pashmina (Yes, Jen I know!) that my Mum has just bought for me. I made them a little longer than usual given that I have monkey arms and often have a bit of a gap at the cuff with some of my clothes.

I love these - both the look and making them and plan on one more pair for myself in black - cotton angora for the main part and the frill in some mystery yarn with a silver thread that's been in my stash for ages - I only have a tiny bit let and I'm so glad I never threw it out, it's perfect for these. I'm yet to use beads as per the pattern - down to supply issues rather than an aversion to knitting with them, but black won't be difficult to match so I hope to use them next time.

Babes in the Hood

2006-10-26T12:30:00.000+01:00

I am still back and forth at the hospital at lot at the moment which will be ongoing until the end of November so I don't have a whole lot of new stuff to show you. My current big project has to be kept under wraps and my smaller projects are still incomplete.

To make up for it I have a new look at some old favourites. When I first started knitting for Scarlett i.e. within half an hour of hearing she was expected, I was very careful about sizing and choosing some bigger projects so her mum Jenn wasn't inundated with too many small things. This means that things I knitted 18 months ago are only just starting to fit and I get the most wonderful unexpected photos in my inbox that really make my day.

She's been walking for about 6 weeks now and is into mischief wherever she goes, but how could you get mad at such a cutie, no matter what she gets up to. The gilet is from Knits for Babies and Toddlers by Fiona McTague. I subbed the Jaeger Persia (a chenille) for bog standard DK acrylic in mink and the zip was put in during my very first attempt at using a sewing machine. To say I had to try a few times to get it right is an understatement, but it went in ok in the end. Initially I wanted to put duffle closures and toggles on it, but couldn't find any. Jenn has said loads of people have asked her where she bought it, so I must have done something right.

Jenn is going back to her native Canada this winter and we were discussing how Scarlett won't wear a hat and options for keeping her warm. Problem solved:

It appears that when I sewed the hood onto this, it's been done in such a way that she can't get it down over her face. No shopping at Bluewater for you my dear!

This was a Sirdar pattern, sold individually that I spied and couldn't leave in the shop. It's for Snowflake Chunky and I found a more affordable clone of the yarn from another company. I think it was called Cloud 9. The range of colours was limited to pale blue, yellow, pink, lilac and white. The yellow was more of an earwax than a lemon, so I chose the blue as the most uni-sex colour. This is one of my favourite of all the things I made for her. The pocket and polar bear are knitted as a separate piece and sewn onto the front.

Needless to say I do intend to fix the hood, so she won't be like Kenny forever.

Got ya back!

2006-10-19T11:00:00.000+01:00

Guess what's back? Two things actually. No prizes for guessing the first.

And the other thing is MY BACK! I've had a back injury for a very long time that has seriously affected my mobility. I've been stuck on waiting lists to see various specialists for ridiculously long times (15 months in one case) but I finally had a diagnosis last week and had a proceedure to help fix it yesterday. I won't go into too many details as it's a bit gory but it involved three 6" long needles and at least a dozen smaller ones. I feel like a pin cushion. I'm still feeling a little worse for wear but initial signs are good. It'll be another 6 months or so before I'm fully functional but at least I have a target. I'm tucked up on the sofa in my jammies where I fully intend to stay all day. Cartwheels down the street are postponed until tomorrow.

The response to the video post was wonderful, thank you and I was delighted to see the Domestic Overlord and Turtlegirl also make use of their video cameras. Ripple's surprise appearance was hilarious. I loved hearing both of your voices and I do hope more of you have a go if you can. I really enjoyed doing it and intend to do more, but not for every post.

If Cassie conned you into thinking she is a sweet sleepy little puppy I can assure you she's not. I slept on the sofa last night as it's easier to prop myself up here until I can lie flat. I put her bed on the floor next to me. She woke me up FOUR times in the night just by staring at me. She's got such a dark little face that it was quite freaky to open my eyes to see her just looking at me. I've also lost count of the number of times I've had to come downstairs in the middle of the night to confiscate noisy toys - prime culprit being her frisbee and will whichever idiot thought it was a good idea to buy her a glow-in-the-dark ball please stand up.

I'm guessing my halo isn't fooling anybody.

Erase and Rewind

2006-10-12T02:15:00.000+01:00

Long time no blog! I didn't want to put a post up without any photos so I've been waiting for my camera to come back from Sony, but it's still not ready. I then remembered my video camera....

You'll have to forgive the sideways shots, I thought I could rotate them but I'm not that good with the editing software. The picture and sound quality suffered a little in the transfer, but it's still watchable.

Please bear with me if I haven't got round to commenting on some of your blogs yet, it's been a pretty hectic week for me and I promise I'll catch up with them all soon.

Knitz and Glitz

2006-09-30T11:00:00.000+01:00

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

2006-09-29T10:00:00.000+01:00

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

2006-09-23T18:45:00.000+01:00

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

2006-09-19T18:30:00.000+01:00

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

2006-09-15T12:45:00.000+01:00

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

2006-09-07T15:00:00.000+01:00

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.

Saving Grace

2006-08-30T13:00:00.000+01:00

Grace is finished and I have to say that I feel a long way from graceful in it. It makes me look like a hippo. I think the main problem is that I made it a size too big. I had a choice of 38" or 42" and I stupidly thought the bigger size would be a better option as the smaller would have fitted where it touched and been a bit stretched and tight. I was far to lazy to rejig the pattern to a 40". I'm now thinking it would have been a better option.

I then passed on the problem to my trusty band of knitting friends who suggested either ribbon threaded through or a steek and chop job. The thought of scissors and knitting gives me nightmares so I reevaluated the ribbon idea and took inspiration from a top of a similar style that I have, that has ribbon attached at the sides and is then fastened around the back.

While the front looks great in comparison the back looks a bit sack o' spuds-like. At the moment I'm figuring what can't see can't hurt me, but I am open to suggestions. Those scissors are looking mighty tempting...

Honey I'm Home

2006-08-26T18:30:00.000+01:00

Not that you knew I'd gone anywhere in the first place! I've been on holiday for a few days in the Lake District which is in the far North West of England - an absolutely stunning art of the world. It was a bit of a last minute jaunt which I really enjoyed despite not taking any knitting with me - not for the want of reminders.

I mentioned in the last few posts about some gift knitting that I'd done. It's now reached the intended recipients so I can show it off. I could have done so before I went away if I hadn't neglected to take photos before I packaged them up. I usually remember such things on the way to the post office.

First off I made a pair of Mrs Beetons for KnitYoga.

I used Sirdar Silky Look in Raspberry for the contrast frill and Debbie Bliss Cathay in Old Rose for the main colour. I went down a needle size over all as the the Cathay doesn't suit being
worked on needles that are a tad too big for it. It made the cast off edge a little tight to pull over the hand but was otherwise ok. I can't decide if I like Cathay, it looks and feels wonderful, but splits like mad while you work with it and shows up every slightly wonky stitch far too well for my liking. It also didn't look right for the picot edge that is supposed to go around the top which I decided to miss out. Again I didn't put beads on as I had a 'mare trying to find the right sizes and colours to match despite hunting high and low.

I also made Fetching also from Knitty for Carrie Anne who hosts the fantastic BritKnitCast (new episode out yesterday!)

I made these from Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in wine. The pattern only takes one ball. I loved it for it's soft velvety feel and excellent stitch definition, but was disappointed that the colour runs when washed. It's a simple pattern that works up in no time.

Oh Rats!

2006-08-18T23:30:00.000+01:00

Last night a very tired me was deliberating what to knit next. I've spent the last few weeks stressing that I will never get through the list of all the projects I want to make and to be suddenly done with a few gifts that I'd been working on left me at a bit of a loss. I keep stumbling on new patterns and my 'to do' list shifts and grows every few weeks. I finally decided on 'Grace' from the Spring '04 issue of Knitty. I've had some black mohair in my stash for about 7 or so years that was ideal for it. I really like it so I've been hanging onto it waiting for the 'right' pattern. I'm not entirely sure this is, but if I waited for the perfect pattern for all of my stash I'd never make anything. The amount fits the pattern exactly and I got gauge. The only problem - it's got a really high mohair content (with the rest being wool and nylon) so it's incredibly hairy. To combat this I popped it in the fridge overnight and took myself off to bed without a thought. My poor mother came along this morning, opened it up and got the fright of her life. She thought there was a rat in the fridge. It took me a while to stop laughing before I could start work, but I've managed about 3/4 of the back so far. It's worked on 4.5mm needles so I'm getting quite a sheer fabric, it's not bad looking for rat yarn.

Other than that, it's official, I'm Great! My niece had a little boy last week. I made him Tassle Top from Kids Knits by Leslie Anne Price. I've made several of these recently so I can get it done quite quickly. It can be a bit boring doing the same pattern so many times, but it's been the favourite thing of everyone I've made it for so far. I'm not too enamoured with the title Great Aunt Rain so I'm sticking with 'O Great One' until I'm about 80.

I've also been working on few gifts, some are still secret but the fleece lined armwarmers just need to be sewn together. They're all pinned and waiting so I'm almost there.

And last but not least, not quite a rat but a mouse...

...a frog mouse! I couldn't resist :)

Tiny Things and Tiny Minds

2006-08-10T14:45:00.000+01:00

Once upon a time there was a little boy who got very jealous that his Nanna was always knitting clothes for his sisters' dolls. Oh how he stamped and screamed and made a fuss until Action Man was just as well kitted out as Sindy...

I was digging round in some old stuff and found some of the itty bitty clothes that my Nanna knitted for my brother's action figures (he gets very upset if you call them dolls). She must have had the patience of a saint to make such tiny raglan sleeved sweaters with 2 ply yarn on 2mm needles. It appears that Action Man was quite a trendy dude back in the 70s, although I can't say I approve of knitted trousers for those over a foot high. Oh well, they kept a little boy very happy.

My little mind has been preoccupied with lots of little things other than knitting this week which can only be put down to the fact that it's August. I get very restless every year around this time and I've never understood why. It'll pass. In the meantime I've been working on some wrist warmers like the ones I got for my birthday last year. My friend Chris really likes them, so I thought I'd do him some for his birthday. The construction may look a little odd, but I'm going for an exact replica to make the fleece lining a bit easier to work out.

Cool stuff

2006-08-03T19:00:00.000+01:00

Thanks for all your well wishes in response to the last post. I'm feeling loads better and normal content will resume soon. I do have some knitting content to show you, but it's not mine.

Carrie Anne very kindly sent me a Brit Knit Cast badge because I'd taken part in one of her podcasts. It now takes pride of place on my bag.

She also sent me this lovely amulet bag from a MagKnits pattern. It's gorgeous and is now home to my phone. My poor phone gets really battered about so this will help protect it from any more abuse.

Thanks Carrie Anne, I love it.

There was also a card with a print of one of Carrie Anne's fabulous carvings on it, but you'll have to head over to her site to see it.

I Don't

2006-07-27T22:00:00.000+01:00

or how Rain knitted for a week and still made nothing.

I was desperately racing to get the baby stuff finished so I could start I Do. I've been looking forward to making it for ages and had bought the yarn - Sirdar Pure Cotton in black - especially for it. As soon as the ends were sewn into the striped jumper I grabbed it and set to work. I'd done about 10" when I had a good look at it and decided I really wasn't keen on the lace pattern. In my stitch guide it's called Victoria stitch which is reversible. I know most lace looks a bit naff until it's blocked, but on closer inspection of the pattern I decided it definitely wasn't for me. As I still liked the style I decided to use another lace pattern and set about making up my own. After drawing and swatching and poncing about for a day I worked about an inch, got bored and decided maybe I didn't want a shrug after all.

I was at a bit of a loss for a use for the yarn but really wanted to work with it so I decided to use it for a design that's been kicking about in my head for a while. The only problem was that I needed yet another stitch pattern. I had been planning on an embossed pattern but a swatch revealed that it would stand out too much, not a good idea for a tight fitting top. I worked another swatch from a Debbie Bliss book, didn't like how it looked in cotton, adapted it, loved it and decided it wouldn't work for the top I had in mind. Back to the drawing board. I then opened up another book and on the very first page was the perfect lace pattern. It took a wee bit of adapting - changing the decreases to slope so they matched and moving where the repeats started so it worked in the round. I was super pleased and started with gusto, however, the saga continues.

It's been a busy week and I've been a little distracted. I went to see baby Scarlett, she's 6 months old now and absolutely adorable. She's crawling about all over the place and into everything. Jenn and Nick have officially asked me to be her godmother (without the god bit) as they think I'd be a positive influence in her life. I'm delighted and honoured to be asked. If I can't set a good example at least I can serve as a horrible warning ;)

I've also been in hospital for some minor surgery - nout serious, but I'm still a bit battered and bruised and not really in the mood for doing much. I worked on the top at the hospital but ended up frogging it (only about an inch) as I'd managed to twist it. So after all that I have nothing to show for my troubles. Despite it all being a comedy of errors I am hoping for some progress soon.

Quick post with a quick quiz

2006-07-20T22:30:00.000+01:00

Guess what the weather's like?

Well just a quick shower this morning, but it's helped bring the temperature down a little. You good people already know what I have to say on the subject of ends, so I won't bore you with the complaint. Your mission should you choose to accept it is to dissuade me from anything like stripes, fair isle or intarsia ever again.

Still I think it was worth it. I love this little jumper, the colours worked really well and it was quite a quick knit. I did a 23" chest. It's from Patons Baby Knits (316) - a booklet well worth looking out for as almost all the patterns are adorable. I just hope James's mum likes it.

Feeling hot hot hot

2006-07-19T10:45:00.000+01:00

If this is global warming then roll on the ice-age. Britain is in the grip of a heatwave that is making me wilt. All we seem to do here is moan about the weather. If it's too cold we complain, if it's too hot we have something to say about it and don't get us started on the rain. The British mentality is quite amusing at these times . We'll quite gladly tell you the temperature will hit 92 F today, but come the winter you can bet we'll be moaning that it went to minus 5 C overnight. Talk about manipulation of systems to suit the current complaint. Either way it's damn hot right now. Needless to say, knitting hasn't been my top priority over the past few days, I've been contemplating if I can get away with climbing into the chiller cabinet at the supermarket. A bed of frozen peas would suit me perfectly right now.

Despite my whining I have got something done. James's little hoodie is now complete. I love this design, it's from a Sirdar booklet Baby Knits (316) and it has some really modern looking items in it and is particularly strong on boys designs. Much to the horror of my mother I decided to make this in the 3-6 month size ready for the winter in navy blue. She's quite shocked I would knit in such a dark colour for one so small, but I think the days of babies being in nothing but the purest white have long gone and that more modern mothers don't mind so much. It's just 4 ply acrylic so nothing exciting, but yet another design I'd wear if it were sized up, despite being too old to be part of the hoodie generation.

I've also got cracking on the striped jumper. I went with the brown colour scheme, despite really liking the blues too. A few people suggested using the colours in the pattern, but the brown I had in isn't dark enough to go with blue, it's got a very orangy tint to it. I'm working the back and front in one piece to the armholes to save weaving in another sets of ends. I'd do it on a cicular needle, but knitting in the round sends me quite doolally. This one is the 9-12 month size, but in DK so is working up pretty quickly.

After this normal adult sized service will resume, well adult sized at least.

Swimming in Yarn

2006-07-14T23:30:00.000+01:00

I think it's every knitter's dream to be swimming in yarn. Well I came pretty close yesterday. Think ball pit, but yarn instead. Yarn shopping local to me can be a bit limited with mainly markets selling acrylics and a few Sirdar dominant shops. To get anything a bit more adventurous it's a trip to Liverpool or Manchester. Still when my LYS has a sale it's worth a wander in. They don't tend to discount the usual stock as it's slightly cheaper anyway, but they do bring in packs of yarn heavily discounted. Most of it (Sirdar/Patons) I can get cheaper at a warehouse in Liverpool but there are always a few gems hiding away. The packs of yarn are just piled up in a heap on the floor for you to explore at your own peril. At one point I was one foot outside the pile and one foot in the middle and firmly stuck knee deep at full leg stretch and the owner and my mother were far to busy laughing to help me. My troubles were worth it.
Hiding away at the very bottom were two 500g packs of Jaeger Mohair Art in Cigar and Goldfield for £15 each. They're beautiful and so soft. I know my stash is mohair-tastic but this was a very welcome addition. It's not the slightest bit itchy and feels divine. Very pettable. I'm thinking of making some very simple classic cardigans out of it.

Feeling pretty pleased with myself I wandered into one of the charity shops in town for a nosy at the books and struck gold. I was pretty pleased to find 'Traditional Island Knitting' by Pam Dawson (including patterns from The Channel Islands, Shetland, Aran, Fair Isle, The Falklands and Iceland), but that was only the tip of the iceberg. Tucked away were a set of dodgy looking 70s craft books - Magic Touch, Fashion and Homecrafts by Mary Harding. It came out in 1975 and the 5 volumes contain mostly knitting, crochet and sewing with a few bits on weaving, beading and embroidery plus a few other innocuous crafts. A surprising number of the patterns are very wearable and with only 2 sewing patterns missing (ones I certainly won't miss) I'm in for some serious crafting time. Granted I won't be knitting myself angora thermal underwear (no really, don't get any ideas), but there are some gorgeous coats which are a good incentive to improve my sewing skills and there are a plethora of knitting and crochet patterns begging to be made. All 6 items were 50p each. Bargainous!

As for my knitting I'm on the sleeves of James's navy blue cardigan and my green cable cardi. My eyes struggle with dark colours at night so I'm working on both projects at different times of the day.

Bear Necessities

2006-07-11T13:15:00.000+01:00

I can finally tick this off the list. Sort of. It still needs a zip, but I'm classing it as finished. It's the teddy bear gilet from 'Knits for Babies and Toddlers' by Fiona McTague. It's a great book with some gorgeous designs. I made one for Scarlett in the same colour and I'm very surprised I made another. It is super cute, but a bitch to make. The pockets make it a pain to sew up with a zillion ends plus I made a few mistakes that meant I had to frog certain parts. It's worth it for how cute the wee ones look in it, but remind me not to get any ideas. I don't need one to fit me.

I need your good opinion. I want to make this sweater (9-12 mth size) for baby James but can't decide which colours to work in. I've put the blues/cream together along with the brown/orange/mink/beige selection and a bit of lemon floating in the middle for indecision. Any thoughts? Ideas? I'm already working a little jacket in Navy so I thought the browns may make a nice change, but then the blues may go with more.

And last, but certainly not least - look at these babies! How cute are they!

Hazel very kindly sent them too me. The stitch markers I normally use - a bent up parrot earring from Gran Canaria and some knotted embroidery silk - are quite lacking in comparison. They are perfect. Thanks Hazel, I love them. Go visit her blog and tell her how much she rocks.

Ker-plunk!

2006-07-08T17:00:00.000+01:00

I'm having another 80s flashback, this time to the games we used to play. You may be wondering how I got there this time as it was never my favourite decade. Blame the knitting, it's always the knitting. I can't help it. This

became this ----->

in my mind and the next thing I'm in the loft looking for Ker-plunk and my marbles. I think they went missing a long time ago.

If you're wondering what the heck I'm up to, it's an emergency gift. I bumped into my friend Adam's little sister on Thursday night and she invited me to her birthday party tonight. Normal people would look round the shops for a gift, but me? I run to my stash thinking WTF can I knit in 48 hours?

I came up with wristwarmers, but there are so many different ones I couldn't decide. I bombarded Adam with e-mails with different pictures and asked him to choose. He went for Mrs. Beetons the awkward @&$£ which left me wrestling with an octopus worth of DPNs. He was a bit useless all round really, I wanted to know what colours Ruth likes, the colour of her coat etc. All he could muster was - I think her room is done in maroon. In the end I went for a blush pink boucle (the stuff my half finished cardi is made from) and some shiny maroon crepe type stuff that I've had for donkeys years.

I changed a few things in the pattern, I didn't put the beads on because I was in a hurry *cough* couldn't be bothered *cough*, worked the rib part in just one yarn rather than both and did a different picot cast off. I quite like them *cough* don't want to part with them *cough*. Look they work with my coat and everything!

Cerridwen your badness is rubbing off on me. I've got black and silver yarn ready to become my pair, so I can't really warrant pinching them for myself. With more time I think I'd definitely add the beads, although my patience only extends as far as sewing them on afterwards.

Psst, don't look at my fingernails. I was involved in an an unfortunate smelting accident.
Well... with a bottle of fake tan, but that doesn't sound half as exciting.

Double psst, go see Pirate of the Carribean! I went last night and it was brilliant.

Triple psst, don't knit in the dark.

It's raining babies

2006-07-05T16:00:00.000+01:00

Those of you that have been around for a while may remember me having an apoplectic fit about the sheer number of babies everybody I know decided to have all at once. Well, they're here - all at once! James arrived on the first, Niamh on the second and Alexandra on the fourth. Welcome to the world little people. There's no need to call me Great Aunt just yet (cringe), that one won't hatch till later in the summer. I had in a good stock of girls things, but do need to whip up a few bits for James.

I've found my knitting mojo again, but can't face the cable cardi just yet (I've done 6" of the sleeves). I was seaming the pink mohair insta-sweater when the call came out for a new Magknits. I trundled over and fell in love with the Ballet Camisole, so in love that I went upstairs chose some yarn and started knitting it right away. I cast on during the football (don't talk to me about the football) and finished it late last night.

The yarn is Sirdar Demin Tweed DK in Pink Sorbet (60% acrylic, 25% cotton, 15% wool). I did the 40" chest and used only 500 yrds / 150g of yarn - way less than I was expecting so I have enough to make a baby sized something or other. The yarn has pooled in a funny way (not funny ha-ha) around the bottom and across the chest which is annoying the crap out of me, but by the time I realised it was happening I couldn't be bothered to undo it. Stocking stitch in the round does nothing for me. I wasn't entirely faithful to the pattern for the front shoulder straps as I had contemplated short sleeves with the left over yarn. If I were to knit it again I'd use a solid colour. I think it's a great fit and a lovely pattern. Overall I'm pretty pleased with it.

Thanks to everyone who commented on the last post, I really appreciate it. Since Scout had such a sense of humour there's no shortage of funny things to remember about him.

Bag Lady

2006-07-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

I seem to have gone bag crazy recently, with DOs Pirate Swag Bag and now this one and two more in the pipeline. The pattern was one of those MUST. MAKE. NOW! items, I saw it and fell in love with it instantly. It's the Brea Bag from Berroco in their free patterns section. The green is a DK mystery yarn from my El Cheapo supplier, I think it's some sort of cotton blend. I'd been eyeing the yarn up for weeks, but felt the green was a bit much for clothing. As soon as I saw the pattern I rushed out to get some.

It's a pretty easy make, but the base and sides are a long moss stitch strip and do I not like moss stitch. I decided to use a belt for the handle so I can double it and carry it by hand, or use it single to throw over my shoulder. I couldn't get D rings wide enough to take the belt, so I dug out a few old wooden curtain rings which do the job quite nicely. I did have a big wooden button in mind, but couldn't find anything suitable and went for the bronze heart instead, the loop is a crochet chain worked double for strength.

The lining. Don't talk to me about the lining. It was a nightmare to do. I finished the bag about two weeks ago and have been avoiding sewing in the lining since. I managed to break two sewing machine needles and have learnt in the process that sewing is not my forte. It's in though and will do the job. I had wanted a stiffer fabric that was a bit more interesting than what I found, but now it's in I quite like it. Due to the strange shape of the bag I didn't put anything in to steady the base, but it's not like I'm going to be carrying bricks around in it.

I've been a bit distracted all week and haven't picked up any knitting for days, so it may be a bit of time before I have anything to show. Scout died on Tuesday and I'm still a bit shell shocked. I keep wandering around the house looking for something to do, but can't concentrate on anything. I miss him terribly.

The Frog Bin

2006-06-27T10:00:00.000+01:00

Where old projects go to die...

I have a load of old UFOs that span back about 10 years, things started and for some reason never finished. I think my nomadic lifestyle is to blame with my university and military years seeing me shift my stuff across the country and around Europe meaning projects got left behind. As I've found different things I've either decided to finish or rip them depending on what it is. I recently found more that I dumped into the frog bin for recycling but have changed my mind and decided I might keep them after all. Granted I'm no longer the skinny teenager that cast them on, but what's a few inches between old friends? Thank goodness knitting stretches.

I'd forgotten all about this one, I went through a phase of liking very plain knitwear that I usually did on a machine for speed. I didn't fancy the chances of this mohair getting through with being mangled so I adapted the machine pattern I'd written and started by hand. It was a time when rolled hems were all the rage and it was a good excuse to be lazy and leave off a rib. The bit still on the needles was a hood I'd planned to put on, but now don't like the idea of. I reckon a 2x2 rib would be the best thing for the bottom and cuffs but will wait to see what the neck looks like when worn to see where to go with that. I'm quite pleased to have a whole sweater almost ready for very little work right now.

This one I certainly couldn't forget about. It's been a nightmare for years. It's thick and thin mystery yarn that I only bought a small amount of. I didn't like the way it pooled as the thinner parts of it look so patchy. This is the third neck I've put on it and I'm still not convinced about it. The first was one of those big cowl necks that came into fashion and hurriedly went out of it again. It looked ridiculous and I wouldn't have worn it in public if you'd paid me. The next was the same as this, but I did it too small to go over my head and I was in no mood to fix it at the time. I dragged it out again late last year and put this one on it, but now I think a ribbed one would look better. What's the money on me not liking that either? The ribbed strips at the sides were initially meant to be shortish armwarmers that I lengthened when I took the big collar off, they may be a bit of a squeeze for full length sleeves, but there's only one way to find out...

This is one I've been debating about for ages. I love the pattern (out of My Weekly Magazine many years ago) but wonder how it will look on my body shape. If I were to start from scratch I'd probably rethink it quite a lot, but I'm loathe to reknit it again. I'd done quite a lot of it the first time I made it, but then lost the pattern. It was such a long time between working on it and picking it up again that I couldn't remember it well enough to carry on without it. Sod's law well and truly struck and once I'd frogged it I found the pattern again. I'd got as far as the back last time and am now debating whether to go on with it or not. I'm still not decided what to do. I really like the blush pink boucle that I'm working in and have enough extra to do long sleeves and even to add something to the bottom such as an long rib section. Decisions, decisions.

The green cabled cardi is coming along well, I started the sleeves last night. I'll be glad to get it out of the way as I've already decided what to make next.

Escaped mental patient

2006-06-23T12:15:00.000+01:00

You'll have to excuse the lack of decent blogging recently and the time it's taken me to get round your to your blogs to comment. As well as working on a submission I've had a load of hospital appointments recently and have been a bit preoccupied (Nout to worry about, just a bit of general maintenance). I was a bit miffed actually. Not only did they stick a camera up my nose (how far?) but I was trotting into the hospital wearing my beautiful new sandals - the most elegant things ever to grace my lumpy old feet - and the toe post snapped as I went through the main entrance. It was dangerous to walk in them so I took them off and was left padding barefoot about the hospital like some sort of escaped mental patient. Not a happy bunny, but the shop was in the same town and took them back even though I didn't have the receipt on me. I've replaced them with some right grannie like sandals that could survive a lot more abuse. It's a sad (albeit sensible) day when you choose your shoes for comfort not style.

Despite my shoe acquistion not going exactly to plan, I've got my sticky little mitts on some lovely yarn and patterns recently. I found some black 4 ply, the bane of my life because I can never find it. It's Sirdar Country Style 45% acrylic/40% nyon/15% wool and feels lovely. I got a bag of 600g for just under a fiver. I've cast on for the SK lacy top but I'm not convinced I want to make it anymore - I'd have to break into my black mohair for it too and I've been saving that for ages waiting for the right pattern. I fancy a sweater out of the Sirdar but don't have anything in mind.

I also saw these cones of mystery yarn and wasn't sure of the thickness or amount so I bought 3 (£1 each!). There's 500g on each cone so a big project can come out of it. I quite fancy making a replica of a sweater I bought from H&M that's looking a bit scruffy these days. It's blues, purples, pinks and a yellowly green.

Plus this gorgeous Filatura di Crosa 'Love' in a deep terracotta shade. There were only 2 balls but I figured I could get a scarf out of it for my Mum. It's her favourite colour and this is so soft and warm it's perfect

As for patterns I found Debbie Bliss's 'Nursery Knits' which I've been after for ages. My local library had 'lost' it and now I know why, the one I found in a charity shop is the library copy with a 'withdrawn for booksale' stamp in it. It's got some lovely patterns in it which I can't wait to make. I also bought Knitability by Linda O'Brien which is 80s-tastic but some of the motifs for the sweaters are really cute. I got a few loose patterns too including a great hat pattern that I really want to make.

As for actual knitting, it feels like I haven't done much for ages because I've been working on things I can't show you. Some of my gift knits have now reached their destinations so I can let you take a peek at them. You may remember the fantastic parcel stuffed full of lovely yarn from The Domestic Overlord, I finally got a parcel sent off to her which included a bag I made.
I was a bit lazy and swiss darned the motifs on it as my intarsia patience for that month had been well and truly used up on another project. The bag pattern is my own and I used the motifs from Hello Yarn's Skull Tote and Zombies Need Not Apply from Magknits. I crocheted the handles on and sewed in a lining mostly by hand as I got a bit carried away on the machine and made a right mess of it.

I was very naughty with another one of my gifts. When Nanatoo sent me the beautiful Clapotis she warned me that I musn't send her anything in return - so I didn't. I sent some things for her daughter instead. I made an Odessa from 100% cotton, I modified the sizing quite a lot as it was coming out enormous even for my giant bonce and I may have been a bit overzealous. I worked 90 sts instead of 110 and made it 1" shorter in the main section. I dont know if anyone else who's made one had the same problem as me with it, I found the yo and the SSK created a gap (bigger than I expected) which stretched out to a big hole which no amout of tweaking would draw in. It may just be that I used cotton and it was too rigid. If you have any idea about it I'd appreciate pointing in the right direction. I also made her some little wrist warmers from the left over camo yarn I had. Again my own pattern, but nothing too exciting, just 3x1 rib.

Other than that I'm working on the green cabled cardi that I started in February (pre-olympics). It looks great but It's boring me to death so I may have to start something else that isn't cabled. Too much yarn, too little time. Please tell me I don't want bright yellow yarn. I hate yellow, I never wear it and wouldn't dream of knitting in it for myself. Despite that I have seen the most beautiful shade of yellow I have ever clapped eyes on and feel compelled to buy it. It calls to me every time I see it. I also want to make something that would involve me working in moss (seed) stitch for a week or more. Maybe she poked my brain too hard with that camera...

Clean out yer lug'oles

2006-06-16T23:30:00.000+01:00

It's a bit of a change this week. If you want to know what I've been up to you'll have to listen to Carrie Anne's fantastic podcast - BritKnitCast. You don't need an ipod to listen you can do it through your computer.

It's the second episode and last week's is well worth a listen too, it was recorded at a felted jewellery workshop that Carrie Anne attended and is really interesting and has a really friendly feel to it.

As well as chatting to yours truly Carrie Anne discusses knitting groups, knitting in public, Debbie Stoller's latest offering - The Happy Hooker and her plans for Woolfest.

If you get sick of the sound of my voice, you can amuse yourselves by working out which bits I recorded with a hangover and which bits I did later in the day.

Yes, I really do sound like that and Nanatoo - I already know I'm a Northern Monkey ;)

Thanks for asking me to do this Carrie Anne, I really enjoyed getting involved and I know your podcasts will go from strength to strength, they're excellent.

Come on England!

2006-06-10T13:50:00.000+01:00

ENG-ER-LUND, ENG-ER-LUND, ENG-ER-LUND, ENG-ER-LUND, NAH, NAH.
WE'RE GONNA SCORE ONE MORE THAN YOU.

ENGLAND!

Best of Luck lads. I'm sure you'll do us proud.

I know it's World Wide Knit in Public Day and I hope all of you involved in group activities or just going out knitting anyway have a fantastic time. As you can see I'm firmly planted in front of the TV ready for the footie.

My favourite KIP story ever...

Just after the war my grandad had a motorbike. So he could take the family out, he built a sidecar to go on it. My Nanna would sit in the sidecar (plus the three kids) and would knit everywhere they went. My Nanna is a huge factor in my knitting heritage - she rocked!

All hail Knitting Grannies everywhere!

Ooh, it's almost time for kick off...

It's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming. Football's coming home.

The Curse of the Claw

2006-06-08T12:00:00.000+01:00

Many years ago in a land far away a small girl was playing with her mother's jewellery. She was delighted with what she found as she delved into the box and covered herself in strings of pearls and gold. As she looked deeper and deeper she discovered a secret compartment and inside there was a small brown box. The little girl turned it over and over, and shook it to hear what was inside. There was no sound, so she opened it slowly. A look of terror crossed her face and she let out a small gasp and snapped the box firmly shut. She raced from the room and from that moment on she never played with her mother's jewellery again.

Some years the later the mother of the little girl sighed heavily, she knew the time had come for her to choose which of her three daughters would take on the curse. It wasn't her fault, in her youth her evil step-mother had cursed her with The Claw, and now she must pass it on.... She chose the youngest, the bravest, who could bear the horror well. The strange thing was, no longer scared by The Claw, the little girl (now grown) wore it with glee, knowing the torment it would inflict on all who saw it.....

She also knitted this natty shrug to go with it.

I was laughing my head off in this pic as Scout was biting my fingers.

Mine is a slight variation on the Craftster Circular Shrug. A very easy garment to make, basically a long rectangle sewn and stretched over the shoulders. I decided to put a pattern onto it rather than working in mock rib all the way up (enough to send me mental!) so I went for this lattice stitch from Odhams Knitting Encyclopedia.

I do like it, but initially wasn't overjoyed with the fit. I would prefer the rib to start closer to my waist rather than higher up my back. I'm very aware that I have a short torso and try to choose clothes that don't highlight it. I love the high collar. This was an experiment more than anything and I think I would knit another, but would go for more length in the pattern part. I did consider cutting off the rib and elongating it (as per Areli's fantastic tutorial), but I was a bit bored of it by that point and gave up. I used about 250g of DK acrylic for it. This was actually supposed to be my Olympic warm-up, but I couldn't get the right lilac in time and ended up buying the green for the cabled cardi on a whim. That will be seeing the light of day again shortly. I can definitley see this getting a lot of wear this summer.

Psst, my mother's step-mother wasn't really evil - just as mad as a box of frogs with poor taste in jewellery. The Claw is actually a decorative kilt pin based on the traditional Scottish grouse claw pins worn way back when.

Thank you

2006-06-08T11:45:00.000+01:00

I have been overjoyed and overwhelmed with the response to Ruby. I wanted to say a heartfelt thanks to all of you that left comments, and everyone that linked to it or told the world you liked it. My visitor count has gone through the roof.

My England Football Jumper pattern has also had a mention on 'The Guardian' website in an article about Knitting and the World Cup.

I'm constantly working on new ideas and this has been a fantastic confidence boost at just the right time. I'm really pleased you enjoy my designs and I hope to provide more in the near future.

Thanks again. You lot rock!

Ruby

2006-06-02T10:30:00.000+01:00

Size: 3-6 (6-9) months
Foot length: 3.75 (4.25) inches
Yarn
Red - Tivoli Luxor (56% Polyamid, 26% Viscose, 18% Dralon; 109yd/100m per 50g ball)
White - King Cole Smooth DK (100% Acrylic; 236yd/216m per 100g ball)
Black - King Cole Smooth DK (100% Acrylic; 236yd/216m per 100g ball)

Note: This pattern will work with any DK weight yarn; only a small amount of each colour is required, I had enough of the red to make 3 pairs. GGH Mystik shade 25 is a good alternative for the red sparkly yarn although is handwash only.

Needles 3.25 mm /US 3 and 4 mm / US 6 .
3 stitch holders, safety pins or waste yarn.
Tapestry needle

Tension 22 sts/30 rows = 4" in stocking stitch on 4 mm /US 6 needles

Notes
2x2 rib = * k2, p2. Rep from * to end of row.

Stripe sequence = in stocking stitch starting with a knit row [RS] * work 2 rows in Black, work 2 rows in White. Rep from * for required number of rows. Carry the yarn up the side of the work.

M1F = From the front, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit into back of loop.
M1B = From the back, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit into front of loop.

3 needle cast off = with an equal number of sts on each needle, fold the work so the right side faces inwards. Using a spare needle, insert it into the front of the first stitch from each needle and knit both stitches together. *Work the following stitch the same and pass the first stitch over the second. Rep from * to end and draw the yarn through the final st. If you do not have a spare 4 mm / US 6 needle then exchange one set of sts to a 3.25 mm / US 3 needle.

Corrections shown in red.

No babies were harmed in production of this pattern.
Worked in one piece [make 2]

Leg Using 3.25 mm / US 3 needles and White cast on 28 (32) sts.
Work 2x2 rib for 4 rows.
Change to 4 mm / US 6 needles and work 18 (18) rows in stripe sequence.
Break yarn.
Place 11 (13) sts on a holder or some waste yarn.

Instep Keeping stripe sequence correct join in White to RS and work 6 (6) sts.
Place the remaining 11 (13) sts on a holder or some waste yarn.
Working on the 6 (6) sts turn and continue in stripe sequence for 8 (10) rows ending with a knit row.
Next row: p1, p2tog, p2tog tbl, p1
Place the 4 (4) toe sts on a holder or some waste yarn.

Shoe
With RS facing and using Red
Place 11 (13) sts from 1st holder onto 4 mm / US 6 needles and knit.
Pick up and knit 9 (11) sts along instep at each row end starting at the first White row.
K 4 (4) toe sts from holder.
Pick up and knit 9 (11) sts along instep at each row end.
K 11 (13) sts from remaining holder.
44 (52) sts.
Purl 1 row.

Shoe shaping
Row 1: k19 (23), M1B, k6 (6), M1F, k19 (23).
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: k19 (23), M1B, k8 (8), M1F, k19 (23).
Row 4: Purl Row 5: k19 (23), M1B, k10 (10), M1F, k19 (23).
50 (58) sts.

Sole
Row 1: k1, k2tog, k17 (21), k2tog, k 6 (6), k2 tog, k17 (21), k2tog, k1.
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: k1, k2tog, k16 (20), k2tog, k 4 (4), k2 tog, k16 (20), k2tog, k1.
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: k1, k2tog, k15 (19), k2tog, k 2 (2), k2 tog, k15 (19), k2tog, k1.
38 (46) sts.

Work 2 rows in garter stitch.
Next row: k19 (23) sts, leaving the remaining 19 (23) sts on the right hand needle.
Cast off using the 3 needle cast off method.
Join sole and back seam using mattress stitch.
Weave in the ends.

If you have any problems with the pattern please don't hesitate to get in touch.
A huge thanks to Pam for contacting me regarding a pattern error.

© Rain 2006. This pattern is provided free for your own non-commercial use. This pattern may not be reproduced online in other locations, in E-Books or in hard copy to be sold or distributed without the permission of the owner (that's me!). This copyright notice must remain intact with the pattern. Failure to comply will result in a hex being put on you and your offspring for all eternity.

667 - The Neighbour of the Beast

2006-06-02T10:25:00.000+01:00

If your little madam isn't quite the devil incarnate, but not far off she needs some Ruby slippers. Or maybe it's Mum who needs them to wish herself away......hmm, I'll have to make a bigger pair.

I made these wee booties for Scarlett ages ago and have finally got round to putting the pattern up. I'd like to thank Scarlett for the use of her feet and Dave for taking the photos (even this one). I drew the line at a circular saw with ketchup splatters. I don't advocate chopping childrens' feet off, although I do think they should be kept on a lead in public.

Dave's website is well worth a visit, if only for a warning of what ~~middle aged~~ men with a mid-life crisis get up. He has some spectacular photos of Europe on there.

Hong Kong Phooey

2006-05-27T11:30:00.000+01:00

Everybody was Kung-Fu fighting,
Rain was knitting as fast as lightning,
In fact it was a little bit frightening,
But she knits with expert timing.

I really have been knitting like lightning despite being surrounded by my mother and Hong Kong Scout up there fighting over a squeaky toy, it's bedlam round here at times and I'm surprised I get anything done.

There will be pandas starving all over China as I have been buying up bamboo needles from Hong Kong at a crazy pace. I discovered an eBay Shop - Joyce Super Shop - selling all kinds of knitting needles and crochet hooks at a silly price. I have to admit to being a little wary at buying from Hong Kong, you do hear a lot of horror stories about eBay but as the seller had mostly good feedback I went for it.

My recent purchases have been (in sets) 15 80 cm long circular needles, 14 20cm long 5 needle sets of DPNs and 15 pairs of 36 cm long straights.

It might seem a bit mad buying so many new needles as I'm hardly lacking in that department, however, it's been a bargain that seemed daft to pass up on. If you fancy some yourself they have several combinations of needles and sell numerous sets of varying types and lengths every day. It's worth looking on their international eBay pages as the cost is roughly the same whether you buy them in £, US $, Aussie $ or Euros. As they have so many sets available there's no need to get into a bidding war with anyone as there are plenty for sale in the following days. Basically the bidding tends to start around 0.99 whatever the local currency is, but the shipping costs are inflated to cover the low price. The cost (including shipping) came to £10 for the circs, £13 for the DPNs and £11 for the straights. I thought that was ridiculously cheap for so many needles.

The are a few drawbacks - the needles are made in metric sizes increasing by 0.5 mm (starting at 2 mm and going up to 12 mm). This means that some of the smaller UK and US sizes that are .25 or .75 mm are not available. The circs are not the same as usual sets, rather than a solid cord there is a plastic tube between the needles (which doesn't curl!). I personally have found the join to be ok when using them (I've magic looped with them too), but I don't think they'd withstand abusive use i.e. swinging your knitting around your head or dragging a heavy afghan about the house by the needles. They are a little rough on arrival but with a gentle sanding they are a dream to use. I love them and can't recommend them enough.

One thing I would say about the company is that they say they will combine postage if you buy more then one set on one day, but it seems to be a common complaint that they don't. Otherwise shipping is good, they arrive well packaged and mine came with 7, 6 and 3 days of dispatch. There are people buying these needles and then reselling them at an inflated price. With 3 separate orders I haven't had a problem with the company so would say buy direct.

Now I'm off to make the mother of all needle rolls to keep them in.......

Disclaimer: I am not on commission, I just thought they were a great bargain and thought I'd pass it on.

Jiminy Cricket

2006-05-25T10:30:00.000+01:00

Personally, I have always looked upon cricket as organised loafing. - William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury 1925.

Cricket is one of those games that is classed as a 'boys' game in English schools, so the girls rarely play it and very few have any concept of the rules. I wasn't so lucky. My brothers both played, but the one closest in age to me was exceptional at it. Muggins here is also rather good at it - well bowling anyway because Boy Wonder needed someone to practise with. Granted at times most younger sisters would take great delight in throwing a very hard leather ball at their brother but it gets awfully boring never being allowed to bat. Since we're very much a sporting family (5 siblings and an inbuilt competitive nature) I'm very keen to encourage my nephews in various sports. That's why I didn't mind being conned into making Kyle a cricket slipover when he was chosen for the school team.

Cricket is a game which the British, not being a spiritual people, had to invent in order to have some concept of eternity. - Lord Mancroft

Thanks goodness he didn't want sleeves. I know the feeling on the eternity front, this took forever to knit. Cables bore me. There - I said it! They bore me. Although I started this with gusto I definitely tapered off towards the end. I had wanted it done for last weekend but took 3 days off from knitting as an avoidance tactic. The knitty gritty - I almost went for a cotton blend for this, but then I remembered that cream is a ridiculous colour for cricket as the players get covered in grass stains so I went for acrylic instead. I figured something that could be thrown in the washer and tumble dryer would be appreciated more by my sister. It took 200g of cream plus scraps to match his school uniform. It's quite a soft acrylic and feels really nice. The pattern came from Patons Summer Collection 1987 and was slightly adapted to look like the official England team jumpers. I chose to make it in the round to save time on seaming even though it drives me nuts to knit round and round in circles. He's a gangly 11 year old so I made it a 36" chest as they are worn long and baggy, he should get wear out of it next summer too. His other great love is swimming but I don't think he'd thank me for knitted trunks.

Inside the hatch....

2006-05-20T15:30:00.000+01:00

I have been tagged by Claire (Seahorse) to show the contents of my knitting bag with the explicit instructions

Firstly: SHOW ME THE INNARDS OF YOUR KNITTING/CRAFT BAG! I want to see entrails...

Oh dear...

My super duper ultimate combat knitting survival kit bag (TM) exists only as a pile of material next to the sewing machine. I do have the plans for it but haven't made it yet.

In the meantime - Welcome to Workstation Rain. This is the view you get from my chair.

My little organising doodah - I think it's supposed to be a magazine rack - holds everything I need for my current projects. On closer inspection - tools

The red case holds a full set of 30cm needles. I prefer shorter needes as the longer ones tend to be a bit unwieldy, my armchair swallows you up so there isn't room to be waving longer ones about. I keep a longer set in a tin that lives in the back corner of the rack. The smaller case is actually a sunglasses case that came with Marie Claire, the perfect size for holding my crochet hooks and general twiddly bits like stitch holders, row counters, needle stopper thingies, tapestry needles etc. Both cases tuck neatly into the frame so it's easy to keep everything together. The pockets on the front of the rack keep things like my DPNs, scissors and pens tidy and easy to get to. The little blue hen (kindly sent to me by Nanatoo) has taken over from Cockvell (my Bad Juju) as my pin cushion. Cockvell was doing a fine job and giving me great satisfaction every time I jabbed something into him, but Destructo-Pup a.k.a. The Jaws of Death - has taken a liking to him so I didn't want to risk the beastie getting hurt by the needles as he frequently does a runner with it.

Inside the rack I keep my WIPs which at the moment are my Lily Chin Reversible Rib Shawl, some feather and fan armwarmers (my KIP project because it fits in my handbag easily) and something in blue cotton that I'm not telling you about.

I also keep the yarn for upcoming projects in there to remind me to do them. I tend to get carried away on new projects or designs and forget that I have things that need attention. Next to be started is a pink wrap over cardigan for Scarlett in Jaeger Aqua Cotton. It's for her to wear with party dresses round about Christmas-time and for her birthday, there's no great rush but I'd like to get it done. I've also got some Twilley's wool that is calling to me but doesn't have an immediate plan. The grey thingy is one of my button up muffers that I keep forgetting to sew buttons onto.

Secondly: Name three things in there that you can't do without.

It has to be my spike. It's a knitting machine tool with a crochet hook at one end and a spike at the other. It's invaluable for picking up stitches and generally poking things. My needle gauge is also well used especially for DPNs. I tend to think in the old Imperial system of needle sizes rather than metric so it's a constant reference tool, it's got American sizes on the reverse too which also comes in handy. I also use my tape measure all the time too, although I want to trade it in for one of those really cute sheep ones (available from loads of places internationally so google for them).

And a fourth because I'm awkward and never could follow instructions - my clipboard. I keep patterns clipped onto it and a lot of paper. I get inspiration for designs at really odd moments so I like to have it around to start scribbling on.

Thirdly: Name three things in there that either shouldn't be there or that you forgot were in there:

My walkman - I'm learning to speak Mandarin so I play a tape while I'm knitting. It gets dumped there so I don't knock it on the floor.

My head lamp - WTF? I use it when I go camping or wandering around in the dark. I have absolutely no idea what it's doing in there.

The brown box - contains something for the next project for myself. To be revealed......

Anything else you want to mention:

Other than that there are other knitting supplies lurking around the house. I keep my tubs of yarn upstairs in a big cupboard and my knitting books live on a bookshelf. I also have a wee cupboard downstairs that holds ringbinders with loose patterns, semi-abandoned UFOs and general craft related bits and bobs. Plus there is my sewing box that sits next to my feet with lots of twiddly bits in it.

I've shown you mine so let's see yours! This is the bit where I'm supposed to tag 3 people to go off and show their stuff. I hate doing this as I don't want to leave anyone out. I'll do my usual chicken out by saying I'm tagging everyone who hasn't done it yet and wants to. That includes you Turtlegirl! I know all about your avoidance tactics!

p.s. If you are naive enough to think I'm really this tidy I'm not going to correct you. It ought to be called Bombsite Rain.

Mo' hair

2006-05-16T22:00:00.000+01:00

Either I can't resist a bargain or I have a compulsion for people to think I have fleas.

What is it with me and mohair at the moment? I have a whole tub dedicated to it and have just added even more. I bought this today at a charity shop, 7 x 50g balls for the grand sum of 10p each. Yes, it really is that green. I haven't got a project in mind yet, but as I've got a thing for green right now I'm sure I'll come up with something. It's 78% mohair, 13% wool, 9% nylon so a little on the itchy side, but a good dose of fabric softener should help.

I also found a knitting handbook for £2 which contains techniques, design help and a good stitch library. It looks like one built up week by week probably from the 80s, I think I'll find it quite useful.
I got the latest issue of Simply Knitting too. I wouldn't normally buy it as I think it's beyond crap but I saw the cover pattern for a lacy vest and shrug on Egeria's blog and really wanted to make it. It's a bit girly for my usual tastes but a change won't kill me.

I've been working on my nephew's cricket jumper, it's taking a wee bit longer than I expected as I'm taking more care with it than usual. Kids can be really bloody horrible to each other so I don't want it to look blatantly hand knitted as it's for him to wear at school. I decided to follow the slip pattern that goes with the cardigan I started making pre-olympics (that's due to be dug out of the cupboard soon). It has the size I need so makes life easier but I'm working in the round instead. I'm working a blank set of stitches between each cable as I'd noticed that's what the official England team jumpers are like, the stripes match his school uniform. I'm about a third done and I'd like to have it posted off to him by the weekend so I really should be doing that rather than poncing on the internet.

Cocktail hour

2006-05-14T17:00:00.000+01:00

I am quite unashamedly a drunken strumpet. Here I am being all drunkenly strumpety at University (in a jumper I knitted of course).

Here are a few of my favourite tipples and treats...all homemade of course. Now that's crafty ;)

Irish Cream Liqueur (like Bailey's)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons instant coffee
397g (1 large tin) sweetened condensed milk
150ml (quarter pint) of whiskey (Irish if you can get it)
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Dissolve the coffee in half a pint of boiling water, stir well, put this and all of the other ingredients into a blender and mix until combined. Leave to cool. Transfer into a bottle and place in the fridge. Shake well before serving. Makes three quarters of a pint.

Rain's top tip - for a change substitute one spoon of coffee with one spoon of hot chocolate powder. If you can get them, use the flavoured (Options) hot chocolate powders, mint or orange works especially well.

Bailey’s Fudge
Ingredients:
60 ml (1/4 cup) Bailey's
15g (half oz) butter (melted)
340g (12 oz) dark chocolate
2 egg yolks
60 ml (1/4 cup) double (heavy) cream

Melt chocolate pieces, Bailey's and cream together over very low heat. Whisk in yolks, one at a time, mixture will thicken. Whisk in butter. Pour into a lightly greased cake tin and place in fridge until firm.

Kahlua
Ingredients:
500ml (2 cups) vodka
500ml (2 cups) water
280g (1 1/4 cups) sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee

Mix sugar, water, coffee together and bring to a slow boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat, cover liquid with cling film. Let sit for 12 hours. Add vodka and vanilla, stir well. Pour into a bottle and chill.

What are you waiting for? It's 5 o'clock somewhere....

The small print: I bear no responsibility for any state you get yourself into when partaking in these goodies, I will however laugh my socks off if you produce any interesting coloured vomit. I'm only missing blue in the Rainbow Sick Club.

Workstation Stash

2006-05-12T10:00:00.000+01:00

I don't think I'm quite at S.A.B.L.E proportions (Stash Amassed Beyond Life Expectancy) but I'm getting there. We won't even go into my Mum's stash, that's a whole different animal - between the two of us I think we could stock a shop. My Mum knew she'd created a monster when she realised she had a 9 year old with a stash to rival her own. I still have the first ever yarn I proudly bought with my own pocket money. Many years on we're as bad as each other and raid each other's supply.

I've needed to do a good sort out for ages so I dragged everything downstairs for a tidy up. I like my yarn to be bagged and tagged - basically kept clean but easily searchable. There was lots of rewinding, weighing and cataloguing going on. I've updated a spreadsheet to include all of it- easily searchable by weight, amount, type and colour. It's going to be so much easier to match yarn to projects in future. As stashes go it's not the most exciting in the world, mostly acrylic but it keeps me happy. It's funny how there's so much there and yet I still lament that I have nothing to knit with.

I've got it sorted into 9 of the plastic tubs and am determined to keep it tidy. Each tub has something different in it so as long as I don't start moving things around it should behave itself. It was one of those occasions where you wish you'd never started something but it was worth it in the end. We won't go into how I could have cried once I'd finished when I found another bin bag full of yarn that I'd forgotten about. Fortunately it was large amounts that didn't need much sorting.

As far as the knitting has been going I'm still working on gifts, the intended recipients swing by here from time to time so I daren't post them until later. Two of them are my own patterns which for once I've actually written down properly as I've worked, so I should be able to get them up soon. It makes a change from indecipherable squiggles on the back of an envelope. Hmm, I must be ill, all of this organisation isn't right.

We don't do duvets!

2006-05-10T17:45:00.000+01:00

If you grew up in the late 80s you know what I mean. For those of you that don't - Saturday morning tv in the UK was dominated by a magazine type kids show called Going Live with Phillip Schofield and Sarah Greene. The shows were a mishmash of chat, gameshows, cartoons, music and general silliness. Most of the comedy was provided by Trev and Simon who did a series of various short sketches, the most popular of which was probably the Launderette - that didn't do duvets! An unsuspecting film or pop star would be sent in to have a duvet cleaned only to have the giant washing machine explode and be covered in a flurry of feathers - nobody was too famous. To the average 7 year old this was the funniest thing going.

I only bring it up because while I do do duvets, I don't do duvet covers. I hate them. I use them of course, but usually end up wrestling with them in the middle of the night as they never stay closed. Maybe I wriggle more than most because they cause me great trauma. Whether it's press studs or buttons at the opening they rarely stay closed and even if they do the duvet is never in the same place it started by the morning. I've had a quest for ages to find a decent duvet cover as most of mine are darker winter colours, after looking for ages and finding none I particularly liked I fell in love with this fabric and decided to make my own.

My sewing skills are a little ropey, I can't sew in a straight line to save my life, but despite all that I've put one together. With Toggles!

Each corner of the cover has a wee toggle inside and the duvet itself is getting a ribbon loop in each corner. HA! TAKE THAT! The dastardley duvet escapes no more. I've also put a deep fold by the opening as well as press studs so it's going nowhere. If it works each cover I own is getting the toggle treatment.

I had enough fabric to make the duvet cover and two pilllow cases, but didn't find enough for curtains which I'd have liked. It cost around £8 from Abakhan's Fabrics which have warehouses in Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Birkenhead, Mostyn (N Wales) and Stoke-on-Trent. They sell differently than most places - as well as fabric off the roll sold by the metre they also have a large section of roll-ends, offcuts and remnants sold by weight with everything from broidery anglaise to zebra print fur. It's all a bit pot luck and you have to have a good sort through. There's a yarn department too and plenty of haberdashery supplies. Well worth a visit if you live near one.

And for those of you that got the title...

Swing Your Pants!

At my knits end

2006-05-04T12:15:00.000+01:00

I'm having one of those weeks where the sheer amount of knitting to be done is getting overwhelming. My list is getting longer and longer and I'm so impatient I want it all knitted yesterday. I have a clipboard which I put patterns on, scribble my own designs on and generally write notes to myself on. I realised things were getting out of hand when the two sides of A4 of things to knit was without a single space to write anything else on.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I rewrote the list and have it down to a manageable 25 projects over the next 3 months or so. Most of them are quite small. The stuff for me is still on the blog as a constant reminder to knit for myself. It always seems to be my stuff that gets put on the back burner. All future requests for knits are to be met with a 'No' - no explantions or apologies. I get inundated actually, random people I barely know wanting stuff done for babies mostly (I don't mean you Jenny, that gorgeous wee girl of yours is a pleasure to knit for).

Despite my new hardline tactics, I still seem to have been conned by my sister into knitting a cricket jumper for her oldest. She can't get one in his size for love nor money and he's on the school team. First she was buying the yarn and then decided I can make it for his birthday. It's a good job he's my favourite nephew. I've got a pattern from Lena Stengard's Nursery Knitting which I will adapt for him, he's 11 and gangly. He only wants a sleeveless one so it shouldn't take long and I'm considering making it in the round. I can't get the yarn until Saturday so it's delayed until then. Other than that I've done another Tassel Top from Kids Knits by Leslie Anne Price. This seems to be the one item that gets universal approval, it's so cute and babies look adorable in them. It's also a very quick knit as it's in chunky yarn and all garter stitch with the body made in one piece. I've done it in cream and brown again so it'll do for either, but no mitts this time. I have a picture of Sol in his white and navy one and he's too cute for words. It's for whichever summer baby is born first and I'll probably do the same pattern for each of them.

I've also done some little picot boots for Scarlett using the Baby Ugg pattern and adding picot edges.
And I've eventually got round to sewing in the ends on the Peruvian Chullo I made forever ago.

There are a few more knits in progress but as they are gifts it's all a bit hush hush.

Heavens Above

2006-04-28T21:45:00.000+01:00

I decided to give my Starsky it's debut today and I wore it out to town. While taking a wee rest on a bench I was tag team god-squaded. One I can handle, but ganging up on me just isn't fair. I'm afraid my tolerance only lasts as long as, "No thank you, I'm not interested," three times over politely before the full force of how unamused I am comes through. As they walked off one of them told me I was living my life in darkness.

It looks pretty illuminated to me!

Sorry folks, but that is indeed more glorious sunshine in my neck of the woods. Just promise you won't zoom in, the bags under my eyes are more like suitcases at the moment.

It's made in Woolcraft Aran in cream with flecks of orange, lime and brown in it. It's 75% acrylic /25% new wool and took just under 600g, at £3.99 for a 400g ball it's been a bargain knit and I still have enough left to make a baby aran.

I'm not entirely enamoured with it, after the very fitted style of D.M.B.L.B? this feels a little potato sacky. If I made it again (doubtful) I'd add some shaping into the sides. I need to sew down the back of the shawl collar so it sits in the right place, it will drive me nuts if I don't. I also want to change the beltloops as I don't like them as given in the pattern. If I don't love it by the end of the week there's a queue of people waiting to take it off me. I think I'll grow to love it, I'm just suffering from being sick of looking at it.

The question is - what next?

Happy Slapping

2006-04-25T11:00:00.000+01:00

There's a craze across the UK at the moment which involves teens going around harming people in some way and filming it on their video phones. It started out quite innocently with a few pranks - making people jump, but has escalated into dangerous violence, including a man being set on fire. One poor woman I know was slapped around the face with a dead pigeon while waiting in her car at traffic lights with the window down. It's not funny and not clever and really makes you wonder what the world is coming to? It really saddens me to know that there are people like that out there who think it's acceptable to push people off their bikes, walk up and hit them or in some cases near kill them - all in the name of entertainment.

However, there are people out there who restore your faith in humanity. I haven't been Happy Slapped, but I have been Happy Clapped by the wonderful Nanatoo. This incredibly kind lady decided to RAK me (Random Act of Kindness) with the Clapotis that she near went blind with knitting in 4ply. I was absolutely delighted to receive it as it's incredibly beautiful and I know I will wear it to death. I've delayed posting about it as I wanted to get a photo of me wearing it. I've worn it a few times already and it's incredibly versatile. Here's me in it at our St George's Day Do.
I've taken to wearing it pinned around my shoulders to keep the chill out, or just draped around as a shawl. It also makes a wonderful scarf and I recently discovered that if I drape it across my shoulders and grip the ends in my hands that it keeps my arms warm on the way home from the pub. It's the best thing since sliced bread.

It's a myriad of beautiful colours and I love it. Thank you so much Nanatoo, I still can't believe you parted with it. I'm incredibly grateful and you can be assured it will be well loved and worn often. It's been much admired by my friends and I'll have to keep an eye on it around my Mother! Thanks again, I know how much work you put into it.

Happy St. George's Day

2006-04-23T11:30:00.000+01:00

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,—
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.

---William Shakespeare

I've chosen today to put out my England Jumper pattern. Although St. George's Flag is mainly associated with football, it's about time it was claimed back from the hooligans and worn and waved with pride - not as a symbol of aggressive nationalism, but of pride in our nation, history and people. There's a feeling out there that you have to be ashamed to be English. I say no more! England rocks and the English rock - nowhere else is eccentricity bordering on sheer madness a celebrated charateristic. It's about time we celebrated the good things in this country. So whether it's a cuppa or a pint - raise your mug or glass.

To England!

Catch you later folks - I'm off to the pub.....

I give you a toast Ladies and Gentlemen
May this fair land we love so well,
In Dignity and freedom dwell.
Whilst worlds may change and go awry,
Whilst there is still one voice to cry!
There'll always be an England....
And England shall be free
If England means as much to you
As England means to me.

---Hugh Charles

England Football Jumper

2006-04-23T11:20:00.000+01:00

England Football Jumper - Babies and Toddlers

Sizes
Approx age 0-3 mths 3-6 mths 6-12 mths 1-2 yrs 2-3 yrs
Chest (actual measurement) 18” 20” 22” 24” 26”
Length 10” 11” 12” 13” 14”
Sleeve length (underarm) 6.5” 7” 8” 9” 12”

Yarn DK (acrylic) MC 100g 100g 150g 150g 150g
CC 50g 50g 50g 50g 50g

Tension 22 sts/30 rows = 4" in stocking stitch on 4 mm /US 6 needles
The pattern is suitable for any DK yarn.

Needles: 1 pair each of 3.75mm (US 5) and 4mm (US6).
2 stitch holders or waste yarn.

A note on sizing: The ages given are only rough guidelines. To get the best fit measure the chest of the child and add 2” for babies and a close fit on toddlers and 4” for a loose fit on toddlers. The jumper is designed to worn longer than usual so it resembles an untucked football shirt.

Front
With 3.75 needles and MC cast on 50 (56, 60, 66, 70) sts.

Row 1: *k2, p2. Repeat from * to last 2 (0, 0, 2, 2) sts, k2.
Row 2: p2 (o, o, 2, 2) *k2, p2. Repeat from * to last 0 (2, 2, 0, 0) sts, k2.
Repeat the last 2 rows twice more (6 rows total).

Change to 4mm needles and work 26 (30, 34, , 38, 42) rows as follows;
** Row 1: Knit MC 28 (32, 35, 39, 42), CC 10 (10, 10, 10, 10), MC 12 (14, 15, 17, 18) sts.
Row 2: Purl MC 12 (14, 15, 17, 18), CC 10 (10, 10, 10, 10), MC 28 (32, 35, 39, 42) sts.
Repeat from **
Change to CC and work 14 rows in st-st as set.
Work rows 1 and 2 for 14 (18, 22, 26, 30) rows.

Shape neck
Row 1: Knit 15 (17, 18, 20, 21) sts, k2 tog, k1. Turn and work on these 17 (19, 20, 22, 23) sts only.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: Knit 14 (16, 17, 19, 20) sts, k2 tog, k1.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Knit 13 (15, 16, 18, 19) sts, k2 tog, k1.
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: Knit 12 (14, 15, 17, 18) sts, k2 tog, k1.
Row 8: Purl.
Work 4 rows straight.
Cast off remaining 14 (16, 17, 19, 20) sts.

Place centre 14 (16, 18, 20, 22) sts on a holder. Work the remaining sts thus;

Row 1: CC k1, k2 tog, k3, MC k12 (14, 15, 17, 18).
Row 2: MC p12 (14, 15, 17, 18), CC p5.
Row 3: CC k1, k2 tog, k2, MC k12 (14, 16, 17, 18).
Row 4: MC p12 (14, 15, 17, 18), CC p4.
Row 5: CC k1, k2 tog, k1, MC k12(14, 16, 17, 18).
Row 6: MC p12 (14, 15, 17, 18), CC p3.
Row 7: CC k1, k2tog, MC k12 (14, 16, 17, 18).
Row 8: MC p12 (14, 15, 17, 18), CC p2.
Row 9: CC k2, MC k12 (14, 15, 17, 18).
Row10: As row 8.
Row11: As row 9.
Row12: As row 8.
Cast off in MC but working 1st st in CC.

Back
With 3.75mm needles and MC cast on 50 (56, 60, 66, 70) sts
Row 1:
Row 2:
Repeat these 2 rows twice more (6 rows total).
Change to 4mm needles.
Starting with a knit row work 66 (74, 82, 90, 98) rows in st-st.
Cast off 14 (16, 17, 19, 20) sts, k22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts, cast off remaining 14 (16, 17, 19, 20) sts.
Place the centre sts on a holder.

Neckband
Notes: The stripe is maintained in the neckband. It is easier to use two separate pieces of yarn for the white sections than stranding it across the back of the work. When casting off treat each of the 3 sections as a separate piece and weave in the end of the yarn to the next colour so the edge looks uninterrupted.

Join right shoulder using mattress stitch.
Using 3.75mm needles with RS facing pick up and knit
MC 12 (12, 12, 12, 12) sts down left side of neck, k14 (16, 18, 20, 22) sts off holder.
CC k4 rem sts on holder and pick up and knit 12 (12, 12, 12, 12) sts up right side of neck.
Slip the 22 (24, 26, 28, 30) sts from the back holder on the needle with the other sts 60 (64, 68, 72, 76) sts total.
Join in new yarn and work 6 rows thus keeping the colours correct as set;
*k2, p2. Repeat from * to end.
Cast off in rib maintaining colours correct.

Sleeves (make 2)
With 3.75mm needles and MC cast on 32 (36, 40, 44, 48) sts.
Row 1: *k2, p2. Repeat from * to end. Work this row 6 times in total.

Change to 4mm needles and starting with a knit row work in st-st thus;
Inc 1 st at each end of 1st and every foll 4th row until 52 (60, 68, 76, 74) sts.
26” chest size only - and then on every foll 6th row until 84 sts.
All sizes ontinue straight for 7 (3, 3, 3, 6) rows (or desired length).
Cast off.

Make up
Using mattress stitch, join right neck and shoulder. Join side seams to top of red stripe and join in sleeve. Sew sleeve seam.

Wear with pride!

Embellishments
For a more authentic look you can add embroidered badges, letters and numbers. You could even chart intarsia names and numbers on the back.

If you encounter any problems with the pattern please don't hesitate to get in touch and let me know.

This pattern is provided free for your own non-commercial use. This pattern may not be reproduced online in other locations or in hard copy to be sold or distributed without the permission of the owner (that's me!).

Youth and Adult sizes still to come.

Tickled Pink

2006-04-21T11:00:00.000+01:00

Only those who lived through the 80s will understand the horrendous fashion crimes that were committed. Puffball skirts, psychedelic colours and shell suits were only the surface of the problem.

Who could forgive a mother for this?

Your eyes do not deceive you, that really is a turquoise jumpsuit and white slouch boots. I look like I was auditioning for Star Trek.

I won't even go there on 80s knitting except to say that I have some horrendous patterns knocking about that I can't see ever getting made. No wonder knitting has a bad name. I seem to remember a lot of mohair happening around that time and having a peach (PEACH!) mohair jumper that itched and itched and itched. It put me off for life - until now!

I had a great dilemma. I really wanted to make the Lily Chin Reversible Rib Shawl, but needed the dreaded mohair for it. 600g of mohair. You don't seem to see mohair about much these days, especially not in the way you used to in the 80s - it was everywhere, so I decided if I came across some for a reasonable price in my travels then I would get it. As chance had it my last visit to a craft warehouse yielded this - for a grand sum of 65p per 50g ball.

As much as I tried to avoid buying it, it called to me. It's my colour and I had to have it. For 3 glorious years in my late teens to early 20s I had hair this exact colour down to my waist (it's a bit deeper than it appears in the photo). It would have been rude not to get it. It's surprisingly soft too, no more itching like a dog with fleas.

I'm about 9" in of the whole 72" and am aiming to work at least 12 rows of the pattern every day. In true homage to the 80s I'm knitting it on bright yellow needles, clash-tastic!

My top tip of the day - if you have to knit with something like mohair that's hairy, clingy and grabby, put it in the fridge for a bit first. Your SO may think you've finally cracked up, but it does make it easier to work with.

Right, where's that Bananarama album....

Hot Cross Bun(nie)s

2006-04-15T23:15:00.000+01:00

Whatever you celebrate at this time of year - Enjoy it!

Bear faced cheek

2006-04-12T23:15:00.000+01:00

It could be said of some people that they have their heads firmly inserted up their own bottoms, you wouldn't be far wrong if you said it of my bear too. I've been making this Bear in a Lamb Suit since August last year. I made all the pieces, but as I hate seaming at the best of times the tiny little pieces really put me off. I finally dug him out from under the bed because Scarlett is going to need him soon. Another reason for putting him off were the instructions in the book - 'The Baby Knits Book' by Debbie (bloody) Bliss.

I didn't find them particularly clear for making up the bear and I had a rather baffling moment wondering where on earth his legs were supposed to go until realised I'd sewn his head to his bottom. I soon fixed him and he's all dressed up ready to go.

I did have a particular reason for making this for Scarlett. Her Dad Nick is Welsh and most of his time in the crew room at work was spent fending off sheep jokes. One of the first things I made for the expected baby was this Sheep Suit from 'Baby Knits' by Debbie Bliss. I saw it in the book and couldn't resist taking the piss. I made it in DK acrylic with a few modifications to the pattern. I took out the built in mitts and boots and went for separates as I felt it would be a lot more versatile like that. The shoes were in 'New Baby Knits' again by DB. I was a bit miffed about the suit pattern. The smallest size is for a 3-6 month old baby - with a 23" chest!!! I don't know what kind of gargantuan babies this woman has measured, but they surely belong in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Unfortunately this animal knitting started off a craze and the more patterns I found the more I had to make. I couldn't resist this Bear Gilet from 'Knits for Babies and Toddlers' by Fiona McTague. I wanted to put duffle fastenings on rather than a zip and searched high and low for ready made ones. There were none to be found and I was far too lazy to make some so I caved and put a zip in. You'd have cried laughing if you saw me trying to sew it in. I used my new sewing machine (I haven't used a machine for about 10 years) and this was the first thing I did with it. One side went in great but the other was all over the place and I had to unpick it 3 times. It's not great but passable.

The sheep shoes weren't the only little animal feet to make my heart melt. These bunny and bear shoes were too cute not to make.

I've linked to the patterns, but I couldn't make head nor tail of the bear shoes. I made the Fair Isle shoes from 'The Baby Knits Book' by DB instead and put the bear heads onto them. I thought proper little shoes would be more practical than just slippers too.

I'm dreading when she gets older and realises where all of her daft baby clothes came from.

Bow down

2006-04-08T10:30:00.000+01:00

to the Domestic Overlord.

If you don't visit Sarah's blog already then got your bottom over there pronto!

I received this marvellous parcel from her yesterday, choc-a-block full of knitterly goodness

The yarn is from Knit Picks. On the left - Sock Landscape 2 x Cape Cod and a Yukon (100% Merino).
The rest is Wool of the Andes, Winter Night, Rain, Chestnut and Snickerdoodle (100% Peruvian Wool).

The WotA is to be turned into 2 felted bags. It will be my first attempt at felting (or 'ruining knitting', as my Mother puts it). So watch this space.

The sock yarn is as yet without a project as Sarah very kindly added it into the package without me knowing it was coming. So far I've just been sat petting it and Scout is taking far too much of an interest in it.

I also received a beautiful beaded bookmark (I've been using an old train ticket), some marshmallows and some Kool-Aid which I have been instructed to drink as well as using for dyeing yarn. Sarah - if my poo turns blue I will have some serious issues with you!

Sarah - thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm very grateful and really appreciate you taking the trouble to send it. You really are awesome!

On the knitting front - I have been knitting, but it's been a bit fragmented. I made these wrist warmers for Jenny (Scarlett's Mum) for her birthday. Happy Birthday Jenn!

They're in mystery yarn from my stash. It was aran weight yarn which I presume is some sort of mohair blend. It's very soft and cuddly. I based the pattern very very loosely on Kimberly's gorgeous fingerless cabled gloves pattern and used her excellent instructions for creating the thumb gusset without holes. I do plan on actually following the pattern at some point as I've had it bookmarked for ages. Mine had 2 opposing twists as it was easier than cabling, the yarn was difficult to work with as I was on small needles.

I've also been working on Starsky and have reached the armholes on the back. I stopped work on it to make time for a few other projects which belong in a different post. The yarn is Woolcraft Aran (75% acrylic, 25% wool). It's beige with tiny flecks of brown, orange and lime green in it. I initially wanted to make it in Airforce Blue (a grey-blue shade) and then realised that I'm slowly building myself a wardrobe full of stuff in the colours of my RAF uniform. I could only find James C. Brett yarn in that colour but it had turquoise and royal blue bits in it and I didn't like it. I'm pleased with how the Woolcraft is turning out, it's made by the same people who do Jarol. Hopefully it won't take too long to do. A new Knitty is out on Monday and I'm bound to find something else I have to make.

Daydream believer

2006-04-02T15:00:00.000+01:00

Believe it or not, I have finished Daydream.

I never did find the yarn that the Knitting Pixies stole, but the ball I bought to replace it matched in reasonably well (you can tell which sleeve it was used for, but it's not too noticeable).

This was taken before I put the buttons on or threaded the ribbon through, I had a rather surreal moment putting the finishing touches to it whilst sat in the mother and baby room in John Lewis. It's just a teeny tiny bit too big for her now, but will be perfect for the summer when she's in pretty dresses. It's from 'Rowan Babies' by Kim Hargreaves, worked in Sirdar Silky Look, 120g in Maypole.

I had a significant amount left from the new ball, so I decided to try out a bonnet to match. I used the scalloped edge as a brim and worked from another bonnet pattern for the basic shaping. Zippy's head isn't particularly baby shaped, but you get the idea.

I thought Scarlett could do with a few other hats too. I've wanted to make this hat for ages, ever since I first got 'Baby Bloom' by Erika Knight. It's so pretty.
I used pale pink DK acrylic with a shiny thread twisted around it.

As well as bonnets, which not everybody likes, I went for a bobble hat with this helmet style hat from 'Adorable Knits for Tiny Tots' by Zoe Mellor. Do not get me started on how mistake ridden this pattern was. It's a disgrace how poorly it is written. I get annoyed for the newer knitters out there who may not have the experience to see where the mistakes are and can't correct the pattern for themselves. When you pay around £15 for a book you expect to be able to follow the patterns without having to rewrite it for yourself. That aside, it's a cute hat. Again in DK acrylic.

I'm also working on a stripy chullo from Phildar Baby No50, but I'm in no hurry to finish it just yet as it's a 12 month size. The yarn arrived for my Starsky, so I got distracted...

Especially for Jerry - a gratuitous puppy picture. Scout aged 8 weeks.

The Female of the Species...

2006-03-30T12:00:00.000+01:00

...is more deadly than the male, especially with PMT and an automatic assault rifle :)

That is me, before you ask. I only mention it because my own mother didn't recognise me.

I did indeed come across some pretty scary folk in my military days and none moreso than my friend Ned. He is one scary MoFo. He used to be an All Arms Marine Commando and passed selection for the SAS before deciding to transfer to the Air Force (better terms and engagement for those with families). He is not the kind of person you want to meet down a dark alley and yet is the nicest and most genuine person I have ever met. He also coached me back to fitness after an injury. There are few incentives to run out there, but a bit of 'gentle encouragement' from a Royal Marine is sure to get you moving.

Once I heard Ned was having a son I knew I had to make him something military related. I have to admit I was almost tempted by this tiny Rambo suit, but went for a Combat Jacket like the one I'm wearing above. It won't be too long before Sol is running round blowing things up as a Mini-Marine complete with All-Arms Commando badge and sergeant stripes .

Although you can't see them, because, well, that's the point of camouflage, there are 4 pockets on the front. I should have chosen better buttons really, but couldn't find enough in the right colour in time.

It's made in Patons Fab which is 100% acrylic and took just under 200g. The pattern is an alteration of this one found in Phildar Baby No.50 which I assume was published some time in the 80s. It's a 20" chest so it should fit him in the autumn.

Be afraid folks, be very afraid.

Furballs

2006-03-28T14:30:00.000+01:00

There are many different yarns available these days; you get the natural and the man made. It's strange to think that many will knit with angora or mohair without batting an eyelid, but shudder at the thought of knitting with hair from other animals like cat or dog (any pet owner will tell you it's hard to avoid if your beloved fluff ball comes anywhere near you when you knit). The advent of fun fur (I'd like to know what's so 'fun' about it) means that those that like that look can do it without courting the anger of the anti-fur mob, especially when it comes to the more 'exotic' types.

I have just finished this pull through scarf for my friend's mother. She chose the yarn. While I am generally not in the 'fun fur is the devil' camp, I would rather give up knitting than use this again. It was foul to work with. I dropped a stitch in it somewhere and can't find it despite very close inspection. I tried to sew the ends in neatly, but couldn't actually find the stitches to follow. It was a nightmare to use.

Owing to intense speculation and albeit a very suspicious coincidence, I must categorically state that this scarf is not, I repeat not, made from my dog. Scout is very particular about the use of his fur and prefers to scatter it around the house and coat my clothes in it.

Jumpers for Goalposts!

2006-03-26T11:00:00.000+01:00

There seemed to be an ongoing theme throughout my childhood; every time I was running out the door to play, my Mother would meet me holding out a sweater. Even in the summer heat, (in Northern England - Ha!) she would be there with something warm to wear. It wasn't just me either. All of my friends had Mothers with the same agenda, only they didn't realise we had a different one...

Jumpers for Goalposts!

Every football loving child needs them and woe betide the first to go home and take one side of the goal, even more so if it was your ball.

Knowing that Sol's Dad (Ned) is an ardent England supporter, it would have been rude not to make Sol an England jumper. If they are anything like our family then you are dressed in your team's kit before you can walk. So Hey Presto!

I offset the St. George's cross to the left to make it a bit more visually interesting. Of course, you good people know me by now, so you know that I couldn't just leave it at that. I embroidered the England badge onto a piece of felt. If you think I swore embroidering elephants onto flying suits, then be in no doubt that the air was blue when making this. Lions and tudor roses are not the easiest things to make and my embroidery is ropey at best. To see the real thing, scroll down in my sidebar and you can see what the badge really should look like.

I was planning to make this for Sol to fit during the World Cup this summer, but decided that a bigger one would make more sense. In the end I went for a 24" chest so he can get a lot more wear out of it. Still, a football shirt is never complete at just that, so I made his name to go on the back...

I used a punch tool to make it (Purrfect Punch in the US - Webster's Punch in the UK). It's quite time consuming, but makes an interesting texture. The thread can be quite difficult to find these days so I separate DK yarn and use the individual strands. It seems to do the job quite well. I usually don't like to put childrens' names on their clothing, especially in this day and age, but since there is an England footballer called Sol Campbell I decided it was OK. I used his squad number too.

I was really, really pleased with this one, so here's one last look at it. I wrote the pattern myself and will put it up over the next few days. I may even venture into men's sizes for it, but is currently only done for babies and small children.

p.s. I know I said, I'd do a post on design - I haven't forgotten, it's coming. The pattern for D.M.B.L.B.I.T? is also on the way. I just have to write the other sizes first.