Sock knitting bag.......................

Isn't this just fab?
The fabric is just gorgeous. This was one of my other purchases at Stitch and Bitch Day from the lovely Sue Moon. I just couldn't resist that lovely fabric with all the knitting terms all over it. Perfect for socks, other small knitting projects or crochet.





A very high quality bag Sue. Love the little pocket inside and the lining is so funky. My favourite bit of detail though is the knit and purl on the handle. Perfect for traveling on the commute with and it tones in with my Iknit badge.

Other confession - actually I bought two as there was also a lovely pink fleecy sheep one aswell and I know a little girl who will be very happy to recieve it at christmas!

Ripple Socks............................

Well I have now nearly completed all three sock patterns in Sandi Rosner's book Not Just More Socks. Having already completed the Tabi socks, twice once in Merino and now in a lovely pink cashmere for a friend, while I am waiting for yarn to complete my Slouch socks I thought I might as well complete the trio.

Pink Tabi and Slouch Socks

I had two lovely skeins for Sheldrige Farm Ultra that I bought at the Socktopus Launch party and decided these would be ideal to make the ripple socks.



I think though I have made a bit of a mistake. I should have kept this lovely yarn for a simpler / plainer pattern as I think both the pattern and the colours get lost in one another. Both are lovely individually, but together they just make me want to vomit - maybe this is why for the first time ever I am suffering from second sock syndrome. Here is the progress so far.....



Actually viewing the pictures here they don't look quite so bad.
The pattern itself is a great one which fits really well, I think more than anything there is a greater amount of red in yarn than at first I had anticpated.

A Skirt full of Yarn...............................

Here is my lovely new skirt from Fat face. I love the colours but wanted some accessories and a little shrug to go with it and the tops that I bought (especially as the tops weren't that insiring).
Yarn one.....

Yarn two...

Luckily the Saturday was SnB day so I bought yarn one from the lovely Jenny at Fibrespates and yarn two was already in my stash (a little christmas present last year just waiting for a specail occaision).
Yarn one is going to be a little shrug but as I only bought two skeins (100grms each ) but with a reasonable yardage finding a pattern was going to be a bit of a challenge. I couldn't find anything I really liked without the worry of running out of yarn so I have opted to design my own. I have quite enjoyed the little lace pattern that I have been doing on my socks so I have decided to use that. It is repeated over 8sts so quite easy to follow. I knitted up samlples on both 4mm and then 5mm needles. I think a prefer the 5mm sample as the stitches are more open and it has a fairly good drape to it.
4mm sample

5mm sample


With the stashed yarn I only had one skein available...

.....I decided to go for accessories. I thought I might just get a skinny scarf out of the skien if I was lucky. I used the pattern of the misty alpaca site for their Ribs and Ruffles scarf. Click here and you can download the pattern for free from their site. I adapted it and opted for just 13sts.
Here is the finished article which picks up the colours of the skirt rather well I think.


Other yarn also destined for articles of lovelyness to be worn with this skirt....



I do have a few patterns in mind for these.
For the Debbie Bliss - a collinette Banyan pattern
For the alpaca - Chrysalis by Jean Moss and also Cables and Chains Wrap Jacket from Knit on the net.

Mobieus Cast On Re-visited..............

Yes, I have finally got around to having a another go at the mobieus cast on with my Handmaiden Seasilk. Here is the original state I was in with my 320 stitch cast on. Rather bulky you might think but if you go to my October post you will be sadly disapointed it was all hidden length, I could have skipped with this.




Thank you to Robynn of Purlescence for her patience with me. Helping me cast on again for the third time. I have learned a lot though and this is one cast on where loose really is the order of the day.
So here is the finished article.





Don't you just love those jewelled colours. Perfect with black.
For information though I was only supposed to have cast on 150 sts but as I knitted the second round, that's all the way around the top and the bottom of the mobiues I stopped counting at 450sts. For some reason I seem to quadruple whatever number I cast on. I can understand ending up with double the sts from knitting both sides of the cast on but the rest is a mystery to me. The horror is that means my first attempt had around 1400sts in a round, no wonder it was so long!
I think there is still room to work on the maths with this one.

The Stitch and Bitch Groups Blanket.......

I think the pictures say it all really.
Displayed at the 1st UK Stitch and Bitch Day on 10th November 2007.

Competition time........................

Ok so I didn't get the best photo's in the world of the fashion show at SnB day on Saturday but I do think that I got a couple of interesting ones.
OK so what is Debbie Stoller whispering across to Craig over Gerards shoulder that is making him smile so much?



And what do you think Gerard has just said to Craig?



Advance apologies Craig and Gerard!

Charity Knits at Stitch and Bitch...........

So after spending some time looking around at the stalls and making a few purchases it was time to sit down for a bit and do some knitting before the fashion show started. There were a few charity knits to support and not wanting to offend anyone I decided that I needed to complete something for each of the projects that were being represented. This required knitting an 8" red square to be part of the a record breaking attempt for the Worlds largest knitted christmas stocking and then little scarves for origins ginger essecnece bottles. Both for very deserving causes.





The Children's Society is running BIG STITCH and are attempting to knit the world's largest Christmas stocking and hoping to raise money at the same time to give children back their childhood. It's not too late to get involved and you can visit their website for more details or you can knit a 20cm (8") red square and send it to:
The Big Stitch World Record
The Children's Society,
Freepost
Lon14784
London
WC1X OJL



These are the scarves that Gabrielle and I knitted for the Origins Ginger Knits Campaign. Very simple in deed. Cast on 50 sts and then knit 4 rows and then cast off. They want people to knit a mini scarf for thier Origin ginger essence bottles. Throughout December bottles will be sold nationwide and £1 from every sale will be donated to the housing and homeless charity shelter (charity number 263710). If you want to help visit the Origins website and go to Project Space.

These were not the only charities who were looking for the help of knitters. St John's Ambulance were also looking for help to support their 'Big Tea Cosy'.
The BIG tea cosy is St John's Ambulance's new annual fundraising event and the are asking for help to provide thirst aid on 30th November this year. They want people to get involved in a number of ways by hosting their own tea party, take part in the online celebrity tea pot auction or even try the Big tea cosy knitting challenge. They are asking knitters to make tea cosies and then donate them so that they can be sold to raise funds. They are hoping to have 5,ooo cosies knitted and donated. For more information go to their website : http://www.sja.org.uk/bigteacosy

I also got the chance to look at the winning entries for the Missability knit a walking stick cosy competition. They were fantastic and some really carefully thought out designs. Well done Felix an excellent project.



I just love the holder for your oyster card on one of the winning sticks.

First UK SnB Day - London................

What a day. It was fabulous. So much fun. Great to meet up with so many ravelry people.

So here are the fashion show highlights. A number of willing and not so willing males were cohearsed into taking part to show off the new designs in Debbie Stollers most recent publication Son of a Stitch and Bitch.





And our stars of the show.........





I love the cream sweater Craig is wearing and it was designed by Heather. Here she is with some Heather colours and a gingerbread teddy doing some knitting. You can see more of Heather's designs on her blog. Just click the link below.


armyofknitters.blogspot.com

Well done Craig and Gerard for organising such a wonderful day. I am looking forward to next years knitting party with great anticipation.