Like I "need" more socks.

Pattern: Ampersand from "Through the Loops"
Yarn: Regia Surf #5411, thanks to Veronique's de-stashing.
Needles: Addis turbos 32", 3mm (US #2)
Adaptations: I added 6 stitches to the pattern, instead of 3 sts between the increases/decreases I had 4, I didn't want my socks to be too tight. I knit toe up and 2 at a time
Thoughts: I really like this yarn, I think the higher cotton content will be great for the upcoming warmer weather, the colours are nice and happy, and I think the pattern works for the yarn too.


I'm also getting really good at my short-row heels (if I do say so myself), thanks to Gleek giving me a little pointer, and me knitting a little tighter. Overall, these socks make me smile.



Not sure when I will be posting again, with ensuring Mr. B. doesn't pack all my yarn careful planning I will be able to continue knitting, but my internet access might be rudely interrupted after the move next weekend.

You Spin Me Right Round Baby...

The song has been going around my head over, and over again while knitting these socks. I'm actually really relieved the that socks are finished so that the bloody song can finally stop. Oddly enough, when taking the pictures, the only place I could get decent light was on Mr. B's drum stool (well, apparently they are called 'thrones', but that makes me giggle). At least the pictures are in keeping with the music theme.



Pattern: RPMs
Yarn: Trekking XXL in color 105
Adaptations: None, that I recall.
Thoughts: I really didn't like this yarn at first, not sure if it was the color or slight scratchiness of the yarn, but the subtle striping and warm colors won me over in the end.


I also thought I would try the pointy toe in the pattern, um, not convinced I would use it again. Although I'm still keen to try the star toe.

Oh yeah, I'm sure you've figured out from this post that I'm still breathing and all that. We had a 10 day visit from Ma & Pa Schrodinger [the socks were a big hit for Mum btw]. And have been hunting for a new place to live, we are actually anxiously awaiting to see if our application was accepted for a place we fell in love with. In amongst all that, and the blogging blahs I managed to forget my 2nd blogiversary, and barely kept up with bloglines. I'm sure services will resume as normal sometime in April once we have moved - wherever that may be...

Monkeying around

I didn't really think I had much to post about this weekend, but then I thought "I finished the socks". So here you are, Mum's Monkey socks are done, finished yesterday - and with the folks not arriving until Friday, there was bags of time.

Pattern: monkey socks by Cookie.
Yarn: South West Trading Companies "Tofuties" colour #722 "Stand on Your Own Two Feet".
Needles: Pony Pearls #2 dpns.

Made in a week, I have to agree with other bloggers that these really are a quick and easy knit, it clearly helps that my Mum has tiny feet (size 3/5-4 US) hence I couldn't pose in them, destruction of the socks was not an option :)



I'm feeling a bit of "blogging blah" at the moment. While there's other stuff to post about, I just can't be bothered. Oh well, I'm sure this will pass. Hope a great weekend was had by all.

Revival!

I am so glad that I finally got the guts to rip out those jaywalkers, because now I have in my possession a fully functional, actually going to be worn, pair of socks. HUZZAH!


Pattern: simple toe up (psso short row toes and heels, Ala misocrafty) in 3 x 1 ribbing, I just knit until I (nearly) ran out of yarn.
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill, supersock # 325, a bargain from that auction site.
Needles: mostly, 32" addi turbos #2, but I switch out to # pony pearls for the leg of sock number 2.


Before I could bat an eyelid, yarn for a pair of monkey socks was on the needles. These socks will be for my wonderful Mum, who has a very special birthday coming up and has chosen to come and visit Mr. B and I for that birthday.



The yarn? South West Trading Companies "Tofuties" 50% Superwash Wool 25% SOYSILK brand fiber 22.5% Cotton 2.5% Chitin (made from shrip and crab shells!). The colour is #722 "Stand on Your Own Two Feet". I quite like the feel of this yarn, slightly silken, it appears as though it will be pretty hard wearing, and the look is very "Trekking"-esque. However, there is no give to this yarn at all, it is very much like knitting with cotton, which I'm okay with, but this can be bothersome to some.

On other news, yesterday was a Spider Baby shower, for 2 preggers spiders. A great time was had by all, I just wanted to give a shout out to Kaitlyn for organizing and to Jess for keeping us spiders in line with the blankets. I (to my shame again) did not manage to bring my camera, but you can check out Jess's post to see some photos of the event, betcha can't spot me :)

Dizzy! I'm so dizzy my head is spinning!

First of all, thanks so much for your enthusiasm about my bags, I'm pretty excited about them, and will be working on perfecting the design over the next few weeks.

Please excuse the rather barren look of the blog as it goes through a metamorphosis.

I missed my usual Sunday post yesterday because I was busy at a spinning party at Marie's. Yes the Spiders met up for an afternoon on fun, food, films and flying fiber. Sadly, I forgot my camera, so you'd have to check some other spider sites to see photos. I have a picture of what I succeeded in spindle spinning...

Some Brooklyn handspun spinning batt on my turkish drop spindle
.
Pretty pathetic no? I concluded yesterday that I'm not a fan of drop spindle spinning, although it was my first time, I'm not patient enough to wait the hours, days, years it would take for me to produce enough knitworthy yarn for even a scarf. I will stick with my wheel thank you very much. Speaking of wheels, I did get to play with Marie's Lendrum, ooooooh what a dream! It was a pleasure to use and I actually think I was a better spinner with it than with mine. I did go home and spin some of her lovely fiber, freshly carded and a pleasure to spin with.



Don't worry, I haven't completely neglected my knitting. I have a few things on the go, but the progress shots are not worth it, but I did knit a sock.



This is actually from the yarn from the 1 1/3rd jaywalkers. Well, I finally frogged them!!

Ternion

What's this here?



Yesterday afternoon, I decided, was for sewing, and here's the result.



It's a box bag ternion, just big enough to carry a small knitting projects around and I'm pretty chuffed with them. So I wanted to show them off to you.



I have been knitting too, but nothing worthy of photo's... yet.

EDIT: The bags are my own pattern, which is still evolving, there is still some work to be done on it.

Yippee!

Now that the daylight managed to coincide with me having my knitting and camera at the same time, it's time to show you some FO's. First of all, Mr. B's socks. Man are his feet big! I was beginning to think I would never finish knitting these socks, but perseverance does pay off.





Pattern: Slipped Stitch's Boyfriend Socks.
Yarn One hank of Knitpicks bare superwash fingering weight I dyed it myself using Jacquard acid dyes, I just mixed some green, blue and purple until I got this cool turquoise.
Needles Knitpicks Classic Circulars, 32" #1's (magic loop).
Adaptations None.

Secondly, after a marathon knitting session yesterday, Shedir #2 is complete. I got to do the extra pattern repeat that I wished I'd done with the last hat. Now my ears will be warmer. I guess I should do stats again eh?



Pattern Shedir cap.
Yarn 3 balls of Elann's Baby Silk in "Oxblood", a soft, beautifully colored 80% baby Alpaca, 20% silk yarn. I doubled the yarn.
Needles Addis Turbos, 32" #3's (magic loop method).
Adaptations I did 4 of the 5 pattern repeats.

Of course, I had to do a top of the head shot again.

Bookworm

My corner

I've been tagged.
BOOKWORM – tagged by Katie

Instructions:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag 5 people

The closest book to me was right behind me on the bookshelf. I'm sure that environmental cues and show that this is my side of the sofa, the yarn, needles, and wheel in close proximity. The book that was closest was Philip Pullman's "The Amber Spyglass" the third book in "His Dark Materials Trilogy", numbers 1 and 2 were contenders for being close too.

Wasting no time, the Court commandeered a flight of zeppelins, and that same day a battalion of the Swiss Guard began to embark aboard the zeppelins waiting in the still air beside the lake of Geneva.

And the next 3 sentences are quite long, damn you Katie! Oh well, here goes:

So each side was aware that the other was also making its way towards the cave in the mountains. Ane they both knew that whoever got there first would have the advantage, but there wasn't much in it: Lord Asriel's gyropters were faster than the zeppelins of the Consistorial Court, but they had further to fly, and they were limited by the speed of their own zeppelin tanker.

And there was another consideration: whoever seized Lyra first would have to fight their way out against the other force.

Exciting stuff huh? Have no idea what my day's motto would, but I guess I'm best off steering clear of those zeppelins.

And I'll tag.... Oh! Whoever has the urge to try it.