Subscription Service

Yeah I know, there's only 3 of you "actually" reading this blog ;-)
However, I decided to add a subscription service to my blog (it's on the left column part-way down the page). I'm trying to test it at the moment to see if it works the way it's supposed to, so bear with me if something crappy happens. It appears that when you subscribe to the blog you will get an email when I've updated my blog. Anyone interested, I'm using bloglet.com for this at the service, and see how that goes.

BTW 52 fish done!

It's mine! ALL MINE!

I won it, I have a spinning wheel. I'm so excited! It's lovely isn't it? I should get it in about 10 days, so I have to get the old desktop computer and desk sorted and ready to sell on craigslist. I guess I will have to read up on how the hell to spin...

Scarf and Top

I'm really getting there with the scarf for MIL, I'm loving knitting the pattern and think that it's looking gorgeous, here's a couple of pics to demonstrate. My only concern is that I didn't swatch and block first, so here's hoping that it will still look as pretty after blocking - still have a few more feet to go yet.

Tempting 2

As for the tempting 2 top, I am not enjoying this at all. Firstly it's a k1, p1 rib - YAWN! Secondly, this damn yarn is NOT fun to knit with at all, not even vaguely, the only good thing about it is the color! I am determined that I will finish this top though, just because I need to do at least one proper item of clothing.

Fish update - 52 down! I'm thinking at least 30 more to get a decent size, so I'm past halfway! Yay.

I'm also on the verge of buying a spinning wheel, at least I hope so. So it will be a new addiction I'm sure, but how exciting will it be to knit something with wool/yarn that I have hand spun? I have promised Mr. B. that I will clean up the computer sitting neglected in the corner of our lounge, and sell it, and get rid of the computer desk too. It's only something he's wanted to be rid of for about 1 1/2 years, I think the wheel will be a good incentive to do it.

And so it goes on

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, just been busy knitting (as well as other stuff) and enjoying it. Firstly, with the gigantic cone of yarn I have started Tempting 2 but will adapt the top to have no buckle/strap. I'm a bit concerned about the yarn, it seems a little scratchy and slightly sticky, but hoping that is just to do with the grease they put on the yarn for coning. Hopefully a good wash after knitting will sort it out...

As for the fish (as I'm sure all 3 you are dying to know), I have 47 1/2 done, slowing down a little since I have other stuff on the needles too. No pic updates so far, maybe at the weekend. The super secret Soho scarves are also slowly getting done on my travels - it's my little subway/bus project, so it may not be so secret.


Also started a new project, MIL's birthday scarf. Another lacy project (using up the other merino hank I got at School Products). It's based on the Liesel pattern, but with an extra pattern repeat as the yarn I'm using is so fine (laceweight). I think that it goes really well with the green/yellow yarn. It's a little more enjoyable to knit than the Gothic window lace too.

40 1/2 fish and counting

Okay, okay, I know I'm not exactly speeding along with these fish (or any other knitting at the mo - just 1 super-secret soho scarf this week). My social life has been a little busy recently, but I wanted to just post a quick pick to show what 40 fish look like. I think they look pretty cool huh? The afghan (well, afghan-to-be) will measure approximately 35" x 30" once I hit 50 fish, I now actually need to sit down and figure out how big I want it to be....

Okay, here's a little pic of a close-up of the fish.

Holy Cr*p that's a lot of yarn!

I decided to make a 'big' yarn purchase from ebay, so I would have enough to make a sweater/cardigan. This is a mystery yarn (the burn test suggests a man made fiber, but possibly mixed with a natural fiber - no markings to tell me more unfortunately). Anyway, as you can see from the photos, this is a HUGE cone, about 8lbs in all!! Certainly enough to make a sweater (or 4 - HA HA). Pics are a little blurry, but show off the color (which I'm happy with) pretty well. The WPI suggests it's a fingering weight and I'm going to play around with some swatches to get an idea of gauge - then I will find a pattern, gulp. Ideas will be gratefully recieved.

BTW - 38 fish complete - yay!

Snow!

It's the first decent fall of snow in the season, close to 2ft and still snowing. Here are a couple of pictures from outside our bedroom window, pretty huh?

Fish - 30 to date

Phew! 30 fish down, ?? to go. The picture only shows 26 (4 escaped to the needles, waiting for their 3 needle bind off), the fish are not sewn together yet (just bound at tails). I have to admit that as it gets closer, I'm dreading the sewing part more and more, not even sure how to approach it - gulp! I'm not even sure how big to make this blanket/afghan, although I'm pretty sure that I want it big enough to cover me. Then I can use it on a chilly day like today when our cheap landlord can't even have enough heat to warm our tiny, tiny apartment properly! Right, back to the fish, to keep plugging away.

The miracle of blocking

The Gothic window lace scarf for Mum was finished and blocked this week (no time to post though). So I wanted to share the before and after pictures of the scarf with blocking. It truely is a very cool effect. I also adore the scarf I made for Mum, I'm sure she will love it too.

This is the scarf before blocking, it measured around 5.5" by 56". I was a little worried that it might be too short, but kept reminding myself that blocking helps items grow.


After: The scarf ended up 6" wide and 62" long, which is ideal I think for Mum as she is about 4-5 inches shorter than me (I usually go for 66" for me). I'm proud of my first 'proper' lace knitting and think the pattern is even nicer than I'd hoped.

Updates

Just a quickie for a little update to show that I am still making stuff.

Fishies: now have 18 1/2 of those thing, no sewing done so far, athough they are bound off together at the tails (saved some sewing eh). I still depsise Chenille and I'm looking that the stuff I have (I bought some cones on ebay a year or so ago) and I think that it's going to last forever! I think that I will have to sell it off again to someone more appreciative of this stuff!


Gothic lace scarf (pictured above) - now 53 inches long! Wow, it's not much longer to go eh? It's going to be a gift for my Mum for her Birthday (next month), I'm sure she will appreciate it. Not much longer and I get to really enjoy the magic of blocking on this, can't wait!

Also, the super-secret Soho project is coming along nicely, keeping me busy, but with good progress.

Also, going to see Matt Pond PA Tuesday (well, assuming we get the tix), nice to get out and see a show, it's been a while.

Little brother's hat

It's done! Finally. Actually, his birthday was yesterday and it still needs to get to the UK, so it's most definitely a late pressie. But since presents are good no matter what, I'm sure he will forgive the lateness of the package. It's a simple two stripe double hat, but this time using Bernat's Satin yarn (therefore adapting the pattern again for the thicker yarn), which is really lovely and soft, and ideal for him, being acrylic since he has sensitive skin and wouldn't follow washing directions. I had a bit of trouble decreasing this hat since the yarn is chunkier than the double knit I'd used for earlier patterns, but got there in the end, and think it looks pretty good (much better than with that crazy blue color too).