Dear Jane...........................................

I love this jumper kit that I got for my birthday. I particularly love the quirkyness of the design and the way you knit the whole thing sideways. This was the kit that my children bought me for my birthday recently and I have decided to cast on this weekend as an bit of a relaxing inbetween knit. That is finishing off my last pair of socktopus socks from last year before the end of Feb deadline.



I really like the mix of colours which in someways are very similar to the Nef I have just spun. I seem to be moving into a more aqua/teal and purple phase, slightly out of the pink comfort zone that I generally hang out in.



I also wanted to cast on something new as I have been doing a lot of catching up and finishing off lately. I have a big project coming up soon with a deadline. Once the yarn arrives my own personal projects will have to go on hold. So this weekend is a chance for a bit of carefree knitting.

So how is this sweater knitting up?

All plied up and ready to go.................................

So after my little trip up to P&M Woolcraft last weekend I am now the proud owner of a Jumbo flyer and Bobbin. I put them straight to good use by plying up the two singles of Nef from Fyberspates that I had previously spun.

And here is the finished result giving me a light fingering weight 2ply yarn. My next challenge is to be able to spin a 3ply sock and use my new Katie a-go-go to do it with!





.......and just a little reminder of how is started out



I ended up with a lovely 120grm skein and then some leftover single to ply up into a mini skein. I love this fibre and hope to be spinning some more of it very soon.

Sock(topus)Club 2009 has landed......................

Yes this week the new Socktopus sockclub parcel arrived in its lovely shiny wrapper all ready to kick off another year of glorious sock knitting.
I have to say I would like to think that these have been especially designed for me, what with the colours and the name.
Om Shanti socks, just what every Yogicknitter should have. These are going to be perfect for Savasanha at the end of my class each Wednesday and in my perfect colours too.









And note the extra little skein and yes this is because of me that Alice has provided every member with a little extra skein after my first experience with Chameleon Colourworks Evolution yarn a little over a year ago when the first short toe incident occured with the Flamingo sunrise. This resulted in a whole new batch of the colourway having to be dyed. Alice was taking no chances! Thank you this is very much appreciated.

Also note the gorgeous little treats for your feet so they can be fully prepared ready to wear these lovely new socks. These have to be the most gorgeous smelling smellies I have ever had.

Tear my sole I've finally finished.............

Yep I've done it I have finally finished the last pair of socks from last years Socktopus sockclub. Shame I still have pair number four to go. I have until the end of February to complete them and I have been trying very hard this last week to make some progress and I now have both cuffs done and I have attempted to start the first heel.

Anyway here are the completed Tear my soles...........





......and what did I learn from these? I don't like ginger coloured yarn, well not for me anyway. These are however perfect for a friend of mine who is trendy and funky and will love them with every bit of care they deserve.

Thoroughly spoilt.............................

Well I have just had another birthday come and go and although it is not a significant one this year I have been thoroughly spoilt by both family and friends alike. With my birthday falling on a Sunday we certainly made a weekend of it and went out for a lovely meal at my very favourite restaurant in Chiswick on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning I woke up to unwrap some long awaited presents. I think they originally went on order back in the summer and then sat hidden in the house for a few months until I finally got to open them.

My beautiful Offhand designs Sabrina Bag in Berry Bliss. To accompany it were the matching needle case for my knitpicks interchangeables and a tia clutch for all those little nik naks you like to carry around for serious knitting.









I also had a lovely jumper kit from the children which has a bit of a mobieus twist to it and I am seriously looking forward to casting this on. It may have to wait a little while as I have a few projects on at the moment.





Sunday afternoon was the 'Not quite there yet' get together with a bit of an open house from 3pm with an afternoon cream tea and knitting. Thanks also to Ling, Diane, Vanessa, Robynn, Suki for some beautiful presents - all yarny and knitty related of course and to Alice for the lovely book that arrived with my socktopus parcel this week as she wasn't able to make it, but don't worry we all ate her share of cake.





I also had a lovely fibre parcel arrive from across the big pond from Vancouver from the very much missed Gabrielle. The colours were just gorgeous with three different types of fibre from one of her local indie dyers 'Sweet Georgia'.







I had such a fantastic time and it was so lovely to spend my birthday with friends and to knit so thank you all that came and to those who couldn't make it this time around maybe you will be there to celebrate when I do make it to the big one!

Progress with Tear my Sole..........

With the start of the new club looming I am determined to get these finished this week only leaving one pair left from last years club to finish before the end of February. Now I know why we get half terms from school.
This isn't a particularly hard pattern but it has several individual elements within it that make me concentrate.

I love the pretty cuff design.



The back of the sock is an interesting choice, maybe a little drafty.....



I knitted a similar stitch in the Knit and Tonic, Dreamswatch scarf.





So one sock down, second cast on and hoping to be finished by the weekend.

A little bit of Heaven.............................

Having spent the holidays getting to grip with Gemima my new spinning wheel I finally decided I could start to spin a more luxury fibre and what better way to start than with a little bit of heaven. Better known as Nef the welsh for Heaven.

This fibre came from Jeni at Fyberspates and it is just the softest fibre, it is just fluffy, fluffy clouds. It is a blend of baby alpaca, silk and cashmere, the same fibre that is spun into the angel sock yarn that is available from the Natural dye studio that Bat out Hell kindly knit my swap socks in. I love it.







I bought two plaits both around 70grms and have managed to spin quite a fine yarn so I think I will be able to end up with a lovely 2ply laceweight so I can knit a very pretty neck shawl.





I just love the way these colours have spun up. I can't wait to ply it and wind into a full skein but I think that might have to wait until the weekend as there is quite a lot to ply.

Sock it to me girl...............................

These little pair of socks were my sanity, no thinking required knitting over christmas while doing visiting etc.
The yarn had been sent to Emilie in the summer by Caelia after she had been in hospital twice during her holiday in the Lakes and didn't get to go and visit the goats!



I promised to knit a pair of socks when I had time but as usual it was christmas before I could find a little slot.

So here they are the perfect little pair of girly socks......









I love the thicker striping on the short row heel. Also pink cuffs and pink toes!

They certainly made one litte girl very happy after christmas. I now reckon there is enough yarn to knit another pair, but she is going to have to learn to knit them herself this time around. Maybe little leg warmers first so she can master magic loop!

What I got for Christmas and other knitty goodies......

Can't quite comprehend that christmas has already been and gone and I am only just a week away from my birthday already. So time for a little show and tell of what Santa brought me for being a good knitter this last year.



Yep my very own little Gem spinning wheel from New Zealand via P&M Woolcraft. It is fabulous and I have already spun a few skeins of yarn on it. Yes I know it has a little fibre already on it there when still wrapped but it had to be tested when it was put together so I could just spin away on Christmas day morning.

And out of the packaging.......



And also a few other little goodies.......



This from my sister in law bought at the Woolclip back in the summer.



This beautiful skein of sock yarn from Diane



Top down books from my mother in law



Oh and this one from Santa



And these gorgeous inedible stitch markers from Cameron that he bought at Socktopus shop. They are really beautiful.