Miss Elle's Crafting!

Writer's Block: Most memorable concert

2009-09-27T20:45:44Z

What was the most memorable concert you ever attended? What made it so magical?

Ok, so I wouldn't normally write this kind of thing on my crafting blog, but it looked like a good question and I could answer it!

My most memorable concert... now, promise not to laugh? Its kind of a guilty secret of mine...

Daniel O'Donnell.

That man has a gorgeous voice. He's Irish. Gorgeous voice.

We'll forgive him for being Catholic.

I was 14. My mum and my nan took me to see him in concert in London. I can't remember where. But...

It was filmed for Songs of Praise. The Christmas Day one.

Oh yes.

Mum or nan bought me a scarf, which I waved quite often.

Clips of the crowd... you can quite clearly see me and mum waving our scarfs. Yup. Twice.

Amazing.

Skip forward a few more years to another Daniel O'Donell concert, we were in the second row. Yum.

Nan sweet talked the security guard into taking my calender and getting Daniel to sign it for me.

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!

ION: The weird illness thing has been diagnosed! I have fibromyalgia. Fun. At least it can be managed, hopefully. Need physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, group therapy... some sort of tablet. Hate tablets.

Went to Lacock today. Am exhausted now. Having a small mood swing too. Bah.

xxx Elle xxx

Pair #11, what else I've been making and holiday!

2009-08-21T07:24:55Z

So yes. Pair #11 is complete. Its basically the same as #10, just a different colour and a larger size. So here it is:

Pretty colours! Reminds me of a peacock :D

So the Loopy Ewe yarn... I haven't finished the socks yet (Sunday Swing pattern, yum), but the shawl is finished, here's a picture of it blocking:

Is pretty. I love it. Whilst on holiday I bought a shawl pin for it. Its the yummeh KnitPro one! Its going to go with everything. I can't wait to knit some more shawls now.

So holiday! Had a 4 hour train journey to get to the parental units house, and so I knit. I'm on the second part of the trip (the wonderfully "clean" south eastern train *shudders*), and all of a sudden... my Brittany Birch 2.25mm DPN broke! And I didn't bring the spare! ARGH! OH thinks I'm going to freak out coz I can't knit anymore, and I just calmly say: "I've got another project in my bag!" He looked relieved and got my bag down. So then in Broadstairs we find a new yarn store called C Wool (awesome name right? Its next to the sea?! The owners name also begins with C!), and I find some more Brittany Birch DPNs, which I buy. I start using them again and nearly snap another. It transpires that I hold my needles too tightly and these ones are just too flexible (being a very short length) so I'd just end up snapping them all. I bought some KnitPro DPNs from Get Knitted, and they are much less flexible. I haven't tried them yet, I've been working on Pair #11 as I managed to convince myself that they were required for this weekend, but its the following weekend instead! Gah!

The zoo was fun. I took my knitting with me, but didn't do any. It was too much fun watching tiger sex and baby kudu birth. And also realising that the woman being filmed for Roar was the most annoying presenter from Nickelodeon when I was younger (and she has not aged well!). Oh, you want a picture of tiger sex? Ok then!

Thats all for now!

Don't forget Bath peeps, this Sunday, 2pm till 4pm, Knit group at Cafe Nero! Thats the one opposite the guildhall, not the one on Milsom street :) See you there!

xxx Elle xxx

The Loopy Ewe, Pair #10 and swaps!

2009-08-16T07:40:32Z

So I was feeling rather ill and sorry for myself at the end of June, and so to cheer myself up I decided to buy some yarn (like you do!). Having become an avid listener of the Lime & Violet podcast (its so explicit its good) I found myself at the Loopy Ewe. Such wonderous yarn you lucky US people have! I made an order (Intentions yarn in "Courage" and Tuscan Grove in "Grotto"), and eagerly awaited my parcel.

Nothing for about 5 weeks. And then, a silver slip of paper put through the door. I'd been hit by the dreaded customs charge. £12.42! That could buy me another skein of yarn including postage! I debated whether to pay it or not, but OH got it for me. Then we realised the customs charge was actually only £4.42 and Royal fricking Mail had added an £8 handling fee. This is the part where I let you fume for a few moments on my behalf.

Like seriously?! £8! For what? Sticking a little label on my parcel and letting the poor customs people work out how much to charge me for VAT? For the postwoman to actually do her job by putting the silver slip of paper through the door with our other mail? For making us go down to the sorting office to pick up the parcel and pay for it? What exactly is this £8 for?!

As you can tell, I wasn't happy about the £8. OH wrote a letter on my behalf which we sent to Royal Mail but somehow HM Revenue and Customs got it saying that it wasn't anything to do with them.

Oh, the best bit? That little label on my parcel was done on the Monday. I didn't recieve the silver slip of paper until Saturday.

Again... £8 for a week wait?!

Anyway... the yarn was stunning and I will show you eventually what I made with it (a shawl and a pair of socks!).

So Pair #10 is complete!

Pattern: Bulky Boot Socks from the Little Box of Socks
Yarn: Cascade 220
Needles: 3.75mm
I apologise for the crappy picture, but it was the night before my holiday, the camera had been packed, and I took the picture with my iPhone (which I still love immensly btw).

After a week's holiday (which I shall bore you about in my next post), I came home to two parcels:

This first package was my swap from Swansong's crazy swap! There are so yummy teas, incense sticks, a lipbalm (Burt's Bees!), a little plaque that says "Ghosts were people too", some note pads, a make-your-own skeleton, an awesome card which reads: "The guy at the garden shop said he really liked me, but I think he was just trying to get into my plants." (did I ever tell you about the time I was asked out at the garden centre?!), and YARN! Patons Stretch Sock, Knit Picks Andean Treasure (100% baby alpaca - soft!), Bernat Bamboo, TwoTwo (100% highland wool) and something else which may be sock yarn, but I'm not sure as it didn't have a label.

I love it, I've been thoroughly spoilt!

Second pacakge:

Mmm sock yarn! Thanks Heidi! She's my friend on Rav and she's currently destashing, so asked if I might like some sock yarn for my blankie! Well... yes please :D She didn't want anything for it, so when I get paid I'll make another donation to p/hop as my way of saying thanks :) And the Violet Green? Its laceweight. Left over from a gorgeous shawl that Heidi made. I'm thinking its destined to becaome a nice scarf for my nan as she looks wonderful in blue :D

I shall post again soon with the tales from my holiday, which included: birth of baby kudu, tiger sex, new yarn store, breaking DPNs on trains, getting rid of my childhood, yarn!

xxx Elle xxx

Pairs #7,8,9, Aunt Annie Elbow and an apology

2009-07-26T18:08:43Z

First I'd like to apologise for not posting recently. I've been feeling really unwell again (remember back when the hospital thought it was pernicious anaemia? Well, it wasn't!). I have immense pain in my side, the doctor has prodded it a few times with the result of: IBS. Of course. Went back on Wednesday with the stabby pains, tiredness and general ugh feeling, doctor says: "Just because we can't diagnose your symptoms doesn't mean they don't exist." Nice to know I'm not a hypochondriac then. He is writing to the hospital again though, hopefully my appointment that was due in April will now materialise. You watch - it will be for the week I'm away on holiday at the parental units house in August.

Anyway, thats why I haven't posted, and to be honest, I haven't really been knitting as much as I have been. I've had the whole "I'm doing this but now I'm not sure I want to do it so maybe I should do this instead" things going on. But I have finished a few projects though.

Let's kick off with pair #7!

Its another baby pair. I felt the need to finish something quick, so baby pair it is!
Pattern: Violet Green Sock pattern generator to get the numbers, then did it as a 2x2 rib.
Yarn: Regia Galaxy
Needles: 2.5mm

Pair #8!

I love these socks. They fit so well!
Pattern: Cairi's Sweetheart
Yarn: Koigu Premium Merino (that OH bought me from Purl Soho in New York!)
Needles: 2.5mm

Pair #9!

Yummy socks, yummy yarn, just yummy!
Pattern: Devil's Snare
Yarn: Laughing Yaffle in colourway Lapis Lazuli
Needles: 2.5mm

These were also my entry to the SKA July KAL :D

And now to introduce to you... Aunt Annie Elbow:

She's the She-Knits Mystery Bag KAL! Her actual name is Emma, but Sharon asked if we could suggest other names, unfortunately it got a little heated, and someone said that if Sharon wanted to call the bag Aunt Annie Elbow we should all just be happy with that! So of course, I had to name her that!

She's knitted with Universal Deluxe Chunky yarn, which was double stranded. That took a lot of getting used to, as I'm usually knitting with sock yarn! I tried some new techniques whilst making the bag, notably tuck stitch! That really hurt my hands and took about 45 minutes to do one round. Ouch. Felting on purpose was new to me too. She went through a 40oC wash twice, and I think she looks fab. Unfortunately she is not suitable to be my every day handbag :( She's too heavy with all my stuff in, so I'll have to go back the old faithful Nightmare Before Christmas shoulder bag :D

Hope everyone is well and happy, I hope to update again soon with a tale of ordering from the Loopy Ewe!

xxx Elle xxx

Spin the world, put your red dress on...

2009-06-29T18:58:23Z

Oh hey! Look at that!

Thats yarn that is!

And oh... guess who made it?!

That'd be me, that would!

Let me introduce you to Spinderella, my loverly gorgeous new spindle! The amazingly awesome Helen (enter her competition, its awesome and the soap is just lush) taught me to spin yesterday :D She gave me Spinderella, and some 100% Bluefaced Leicester Wool Sliver, and showed me what to do. She'd just awesome. We sat on the grass under the big tree outside the Crystal Palace and I made yarn!

I MADE YARN!

So its a little bumpy, but I don't care. I made yarn! And we're going to dye it purple with Kool-Aid, and then I'm going to knit something. I'm going to knit myself an iPhone cozy and then see what else I can make. A hat! I don't wear hats. I should start wearing hats!

Big thanks to Helen! Mwah you are truly awesome <3

The socks have been coming along nicely too. I finished pair #6:

The pattern is Basket Check from the Little Box of Socks. The yarn is Violet Green Socrates March Sock Club in colourway Beanstalk. Needle size 2.5mm.

I tried a toe-up baby sock. Epic fail. Holes everywhere. I frogged the sock. Pair #7 is making use of the scrummy Koigu that my gorgeous OH bought me in New York from Purl Soho. Scrummy OH and gorgeous yarn.

I know the most fantastic people. Thanks for being in my life guys!

xxx Elle xxx

Holiday, Pair #5, WWKIPday and iPhones :D

2009-06-23T10:00:22Z

I'm back from my holiday to the Lake District! Had a wonderful time although the weather could have been better (ie not rained so much!). I finished two socks whilst I was there (well, one was on the way home but thats another story). I found a yarn store in Kendal, but it was closed so I was sad :(

But Pair #5 for the 52 Pair Plunge were finished!

Pattern: Broadripple from Knitty.
Yarn: Opal Harry Potter sock yarn. Colourway: Harry.
Needles: 2.5mm.

Fun pattern. Definitely want to make it again. Its designed for a DK weight yarn, but if you cast on 64 stitches and k3 when it says to k2, then it all works out just fine. Yum fun!

WWKIP Day was awesome. Great time had by all, and Helen has really really made me want to learn to spin. She's hopefully going to teach me using a drop spindle, so I guess I should start reading up about it :D Read more about it on Helen's blog.

And for the best news:

I GOTS ME AN IPHONE!

So now I have knitting applications. Oh yes. Knitminder is definitely worth the money. iLocate Wool and Yarn is not worth 59p. I get Sew & Sew in the Guildhall market three times, and many many internet places. Wish I hadn't bought that, especially since Casey from Ravelry has developed Yarnphone.com. On your iPhone (or I guess any phone you have interweb on), go to yarnphone.com, let it find your location and it will list all the yarn stores in a 30mile (I'm guessin its 30 miles, thats what mine finds) radius. Fricking awesome. Another application I got was a yardage calculator. You put in the gauge (stitches per inch or cm), and the size, and it wil calculate yardage. It needs a wider range from the gauge though, it only goes 3-8 stitches per inch.

I will stop bragging about my new iPhone (which is actually my OH's old iPhone, he got the new one), and go back to finishing pair #6. They are almost done!

xxx Elle xxx

Pairs #3 and #4, plus WWKIP Day!

2009-06-10T09:19:11Z

So pair #3! We have here the Ric-Rac Rib pattern from the Little Box of Socks. The yarn is Cascade 220 Quatro. Knit on 3.75mm needles. Fun pattern, but the knitting into the back of the second stitch on the needle and then knit the first stitch as normal really hurt my hands.

Pair #4! We have Baby's First Sock by Ann Budd. Yarn is Sirdar Snuggly 4ply, and knit on 2.5mm needles. Fun, but starting the round with purl stitches hurts my brain. I didn't use the pattern on the sole of the foot because I wanted to stop the purling!So on Saturday its World Wide Knit In Public Day. Here in Bath we will be meeting up at the Foyer at Green Park Station from 2pm to 5pm. Please come and join us! There will be knitting, spinning, showing off what we have made, plus the chance to learn to knit (if you don't knit already), and we're just a rather friendly bunch who are up for a chat. So come along, bring yourself, knitting and a chair :D Hope to see you there!

xxx Elle xxx

52 Pair Plunge III

2009-06-06T08:28:47Z

So last week I was browsing Ravelry (like you do), and decided to check out what new groups were being created. And lo! There was this awesomely insane group called "The 52 Pair Plunge III". Starting at midnight on June 1st these crazy people were going to try and knit 52 pairs of socks in a year!

Of course, I'm a crazy, insane, awesome person obsessed with knitting socks... so I signed up :D Good thing for me that current WIPs could be finished to count towards the total. So last week I busily got as far as I could on the current socks so I could finish them in the first week and get myself a good head start.

First up, Monday June 1st at 8:44am I finished these:

The pattern is Blackrose, the yarn is Violet Green February Sock Club. Nice huh?

On Wednesday June 3rd I finished these:

Thats the Shadow Rib pattern from the Little Box of Socks, and the yarn is from Laughing Yaffle, colourway Malachite. Yum.

And then, yesterday morning, (thats Friday June 5th), I finished this pair:

Ric-Rac Rib from the Little Box of Socks, yarn Cascade 220 Quatro in a pink/red colourway.

So thats all my WIP socks finished up! I cast on yesterday for my 4th pair, I'm doing the Jaywalker pattern in Opal Harry Potter (Harry colourway). It seems to be quite big at the moment, so it may not end up being for the intended person (although I guess they could always fold the cuff over... that could work).

And look at my new shiny sock bag:

Oh yeah. Those are skulls. And yup, instead of bones, those are knitting needles! Its from Laughing Yaffle, if you hurry I think theres one left! Alison has also done a yarn update... I err... bought a skein of Lapis Lazuli. Its my favourite crystal (being associated with Ancient Egypt and the stone of Isis), so I kinda had to... you know... for spiritual purposes :P

OH! Before I go... theres a blog for the 52 Pair Plunge III where you can follow everyones progress (if you are so inclined), which is here.

xxx Elle xxx

Yay! A Post!

2009-05-25T06:47:10Z

Well, lookie here! I finished something! Its the Cthulhu dice bag. I hope I spelt that right. I know I can't say it. But look... colourwork! The pattern calls for worsted weight and 5mm needles. I don't have any worsted weight (in those colours, I am starting a collection of Cascade 220!), so I used DK and 4mm needles. Its knit in the round. I definitely pulled too tight on some of the stranding, but I still think its awesome. Definitely a knit in an evening project.

This is Giselle as she currently stands. I'm so for the terrible picture, the sun was shining but not bright enough for the flash not to be used, and it looked terrible without flash. I haven't work on this for a few weeks, but Emily has given me permission to crack on and not wait for her. I might take her on holiday with me, I'm bound to get her finished then!

And this is the gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous Dahlia, and yes, its grey! Cascade 220 is such a yummy yarn, but I hear it pills and starts to look tatty after a while. It is 100% Peruvian Highland Wool, so you know. (Did that sound intelligent?!). Its worked up pretty quickly, but the skirt is taking the time with the cables (I can cable! Look at me go!). I made the smallest size for a 30" bust, as it seems every says this works up very big, I did try it on and it looks awesome! Fitted well, but I think I'll still try to wear a vest top underneath it.

I have made a list of things I need to knit for upcoming birthdays/Christmas. I'm two Christmas presents down, and have a lace scarf to give to someone. I'm also crocheting facecloths with some cotton I bought at a boot fair for £3 (1300yards!!!!!), for a just in case I don't manage to knit everything I want to. I should be able to, I've got plenty of travelling time during the summer (perfect for getting those socks done!), but we'll see.

xxx Elle xxx

It's been a while...

2009-05-06T09:59:24Z

I did 6 squares for the Doctors Without Borders quilt thing. They have finished blocking now, the ends have been weaved in, and they will be put into the post today! Yay!

Finally finished the show-off stranded socks. Yarn is Cherry Tree Hill. They are too baggy around the ankle for me though, and just generally a little too big, so they are going to be a Christmas present for someone. If anyone is making this sock, I would recommend picking up stitches for the gussett as a knit stitch rather than a purl, and knit into the back of the loop. It will leave a rather large hole otherwise.

Also on the needles: I finished the first Blackrose sock, and have yet to start the second. The sock yarn blankie hasn't grown, despite me having some wonderful sock yarn donated to me. I worked a few rows on Giselle, but I can't go too far otherwise Emily will never catch up :P The lace shawl hasn't been worked on. I have started a new project, its a shawl for my friend Luna. She asked if I could knit some shawls for her wedding (October 2011, so got a long time!), and I'm knitting a test one right now. I think its going ok, I think I understand what its asking for (its an old pattern, from like the 50s or something and American!). I've also bought some Cascade 220 in a dark grey to make the Dahlia top from Knitty. Yup, dark grey. Me. Yes.

I've been quite unwell lately, and it meant I couldn't go to Wonderwool Wales with Elizabeth and Helen. I was so upset, which is why I treated myself to the Cascade. They did buy me a gorgeous present of some sock yarn from the Natural Dye Studio (merino/tencel in a yummy lilac purple). I am forever grateful for this gorgeous yarn. I'll admit, I've been feeling quite yuck since before Christmas, it even got so bad I went to the emergency doctors. But nothing can be found, I got given some tablets, but they don't work anymore, and it just hurts all the time. I feel sick constantly, and have like a burning pain in my side. Its not a new pain, I've had it for 11 years. Sometimes its barely there and I don't notice it, and then there are times like now when all I do is want to curl up and cry the whole time. Meh. I have a doctors appointment for Monday, so I'm going to demand some help! Wonder how long it will take to see a gastroenterologist thing again. Meh some more.

xxx Elle xxx

PS: Socks In The City is an awesome podcast!

Charity KAL - Doctors Without Borders

2009-04-23T07:47:41Z

As any knitter who follows the Yarn Harlot would know, Doctors Without Borders is a charity that gives humanitarian medical aid to those who most need it, "regardless of race, religion, politics or gender and also to raising awareness of the plight of the people we help".

And as any sock knitter (and anyone following the Yarn Harlot!) would know... this August sees the Sock Summit in Portland, Oregon (If only I wasn't afraid to fly!).

For this event, Larissa Brown, author of the book Knitalong, is encouraging people to help knit squares for her Barn Raising Quilts to be auctioned or raffled off at Sock Summit with the proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders.

How can I help I hear you ask! Well pop on over to the Knitalong website, download the info, and get knitting!

I'm definitely going to try and get a few squares done, even if its means ignoring all my other knitting for a while :) The squares must reach Portland by June 9th, so you've got a while to get some knitted!

Hope some people will join me in this venture :)

xxx Elle xxx

elle_knitwear @ 2009-04-17T22:32:00

2009-04-17T21:35:20Z

This is a yellow shawl. Yes. Yellow. I knit something yellow. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know it wasn't actually for me, but for my friend Emily who is currently obsessed with yellow and loves shawls.

And yup, thats me modelling it!

Pattern: Luna Moth Shawl
Yarn: Patons Serenity DK (50% bamboo, 50% cotton).

I liked this yarn. It was soft and gentle to use. It was however, very splitty. Its lots of little strands twisted into one strand, but not all that tightly. My needle wasn't too pointy, but frequently went through the middle of the strand. I don't think it made any difference to the actual shawl, but it might do if you were making a close knit garment. I would however love to get some of this yarn in black and make a Luna Moth shawl for myself. I cast on Thursday night, and cast off Sunday night. Quick knit!

I have also been working on: my sock yarn blankie (for which I really need some new colours for!), show-off stranded gusset socks, blackrose socks, old shale lace scarf, Giselle top and cast on a new preemie garter stitch blanket. I also crocheted an alien bunny which is far too scary for anyone to ever see, a pop-tart-esque bear and a triangle fish. I forgot to take pictures of the last two before they went to their new home with Harry (who giggled a lot and tried to eat them!), but perhaps Rhian may be able to take some for me :D

OH went to New York for Easter. Of course, I sent him to a yarn store! He went to Purl where he tells me he had excellent service despite picking up yarn and it unravelling from the skein. He bought me two colourways of Koigu, of which I have yet to take pictures of coz the weather is manky. Hopefully the weather will be nice tomorrow and I can take more pictures! YAY!

xxx Elle xxx

Laughing Yaffle Sock Yarn

2009-04-02T14:34:15Z

This is Damselfly and Miss Scarlet. My brand spanking new sock yarns from Alison at Laughing Yaffle. Gorgeous colours, very soft to touch, UK spun yarn, locally dyed. Now, if you're wondering why you haven't heard of her yarns yet, don't worry, she only opened her store yesterday! And yup, delivery was that quick!

And look! It was delivered in a little baggie full of sparkles! How much fun is that?!

Oh yes... if you like sock yarn, you will love Laughing Yaffle! Go over and take a peek, give it a bookmark, go back and spend some money :P

xxx Elle the yarn enabler xxx

Mother's Day, Stitch & Craft Show, Lace!

2009-03-25T11:24:21Z

This entry is picture heavy... so here is a cut just for you:

So Mother's Day was on Sunday. I made my nan a pair of Duckies from Sirdar Denim Tweed (I love that yarn for DK socks!). She loved them. Hopefully they are keeping her warm whilst she's in hospital :(

This is the card I cross stitched for her (thanks Rhian for the pattern!). The pattern was so small it hurt my eyes to make it :(

For my mother I made the Scrap Your Day book from last years UK Scrappers Oscars Cybercrop. It was supposed to be a whole year long, but I only did from April to December (kept forgetting to get my camera out lol).

And the card I made for mum (again thanks Rhian for the pattern!)

The card for my OH's mum (pattern from Rhian again - she has the hugest collection I swear!)

My Bellatrix socks! I bought the yarn from etsy, I can't remember who (Vampy?). Unfortunately I didn't check Rav to see what everyone else had used to make their socks (ie go down a needle size after the ribbing) and the socks become baggy around the ankle due to the dropped stitches. Its all good. I'll wear them over tights or something :) I love them though, how the splashes of red sometimes turn out to be where the dropped stitches are... amazing.

Stitch & Craft Show on Sunday at Olympia 2 in London was so much fun. Rhian and I got up at stupid o'clock to get there (darn train maintence meaning we had to get a bus to Swindon!), and spoke to lots of lovely people. I taught 3 children to knit (big deal for me, I'm not a fan of children, they bug the hell out of me usually, but these guys were so enthusiastic about learning to knit that I overcame my objection to them :P), a lady showed us her minitaures of Alan Dart's Noah's Ark animals (so tiny, seriously!), and spoke to lots of vendors (could have been they were interested in us becuase I refused to take off my awesome dark purple The Knitter apron - they wouldn't let me keep it though!). Was disappointed by the lack of yarn for sale, too much repeated cross stitching stuff imo, but I resisted a skein of Colinette sock yarn in the same deep purple as my apron (no money) but did buy The Yarn Harlot book. And I knit a lot on a sock. Which is going to be a Christmas present :D

My lace! Yes, I have been working on the gorgeous thing again *smooshes into it* I have finished the first chart, and am just about to start the first row of the second chart, so I feel fairly accomplished :D Isn't he gorgeous? I think my shawl is male. Lol. The bat stitchmarkers are from Gothic Yarns. Mmm bats!
.

xxx Elle xxx

Sock yarn blankie update

2009-03-20T08:24:04Z

Isn't it looking pretty? I'm seriously impressed at how it knits up and how it all just works. Colours I never would have considered putting together, they just work in blankets! It'll look cooler when I do the i-cord edging. I'm torn as to whether I should keep the jagged edges (they do look darn cute) or fill them in with triangles to get a normal squareish blanket.

My OH's cousin thurisaz_art came to stay the other weekend, and she taught me to crochet. Heres my snufflepig:

He has a curly tail and everything!

I'm currently about an hour away from finishing a pair of Bellatrix socks for myself. I love that pattern. Its just awesome. Need to cast on a simple sock to take to the Stitch & Craft show on Sunday, I'm helping out with the Simply Knitting knitting surgery. I'm a knit nurse hahahaha! So if anybody is going, come and say hi to me!

My next update will show you all the wonderful things I've made for Mother's Day, woop woop!

xxx Elle xxx

Sock Yarn Blankie

2009-02-28T08:56:19Z

Yes! I finally succumbed! I am knitting a sock yarn blankie! Heathen Housewife you have a lot to answer for! Lol! Theres a couple of squares in there that you might recognise, my Violet Green Halloween, my Knit Picks Evil Stepmother, Opal Harry Potter in Hedwig, Violet Green's January Sock Club... Hehehe. The really yummy bright stuff is from Alison, she said it was misdyes, but its stunning! Yum yum :D

So thats a picture of the work in progress (obviously lol), I need one more square for the width, and then I can work some more on the height. Oh! Let me tell you what I'm using: 3.75mm DPNs (to give a looser fabric so it doesn't take so long to knit!), casting on 51 stitches for each square. Fun fun!

And here is my current WIP socks. Using the standard vanilla Violet Green pattern and Opal Harry Potter yarn in Draco. I thought it was just black/white/blue/brown, but in the black there is also some dark green (coz he's Slytherin!!!). Fabulous. I've nearly finished the second sock, and then I'm going to use my Violet Green February sock yarn. Its an amazing design, and I can't wait to knit it up :D

I've still not taken an up-to-date picture of my lace! I must do that. I'm still a couple of rows away from the third-of-the-way-through mark, but the sock yarn blankie has been taking up my time this week. I love my blankie!

A question for you: Do you listen to podcasts? I listen to KnitPicks, She-Knits, and The Knitmore Girls. I was just wondering if anyone could recommend anymore to me? I like lots of talking, and not being forced to listen to music to pad the episode out :) Thanks!

xxx Elle xxx

General update

2009-02-21T08:45:06Z

This is going to be a general update with no pics becuase I can't remember what I've said /done/can't be bothered to check :P

Right last Saturday I handed in my notice at work. Basically one woman who is old enough to know that she is no longer in the schoolyard had sent me to Coventry, and when asked by manager why, she said "I don't need to be her friend". Well, sure, but how about getting along with me so we can have a pleasant working enviornment? So yeah, yesterday was my last day, but I was on holiday all week! Yay!

Money will be tight for a while, no new yarn :( Will have to knit from the stash (I now understand the importance of having a stash - when there is no money for new yarn, you've got all your old yarn to knit!). I do have quite a bit of knitting there, so thats good.

New knitting group in Bath, we meet on Thursdays at the Cork between 12:15 and 2pm. Much fun can be had, and as its still new, not many people, so if you are available at any point during those times, come visit us!

Oh! I don't have pernicious anaemia. Still not sure what I do have, and although I'm feeling slightly better for whatever reason, I'm still not myself. Still get the stabby pains (not as frequently, but they are there) and still feel so exhausted. The parental unit visited this week, and they walked me around Bath so much that in the end I had to say that I needed to go home and rest! Lol.

What else? Um... congrats to my bestest friend Rachelley who got engaged to Zoe in Paris on Valentine's Day! May you always be happy together (and I get to be bridesmaid right?!)

xxx Elle xxx

Stoled from Perversia

2009-02-10T09:07:26Z

So, you need to mark with bold the things you have done, mark the ones you plan to do sometime in italics, and leave the rest.

Afghan
American/English knitting
Baby items
Bobbles
Buttonholes
Cable stitch patterns
Cardigan
Charity knitting
Combination knitting
Continental knitting
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Darning
Designing knitted garments
Domino knitting
Drop stitch patterns
Dyeing spinning fibre
Dyeing with plant colours
Dyeing yarn
Entrelac
Fair Isle knitting
Free-form knitting
Fulling/felting
Garter stitch
Gloves
Graffiti knitting
Hair accessories
Hats: Cuff-up
Hats: Top-down
Holiday related knitting
Household items
I-cord
Intarsia
Jewellery
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Knitting a gift
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Knitting and purling backwards
Knitting art
Knitting for a living
Knitting for pets
Knitting for preemies
Knitting in public
Knitting items for a wedding
Knitting on a loom
Knitting smocking
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars
Knitting to make money
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Knitting with alpaca
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Knitting with beads
Knitting with camel yarn
Knitting with cashmere
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with cotton
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Knitting with dpns
Knitting with linen
Knitting with metal wire
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Knitting with silk
Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with soy yarn
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Knitting with wool
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Lace patterns
Long Tail CO
Machine knitting
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Moebius band knitting
Norwegian knitting
Participate in an exchange
Participating in a KAL
Pillows
Publishing a knitting book
Purses/bags
Rug
Scarf
Shawl
Short rows
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Slip stitch patterns
Slippers
Socks: toe-up
Socks: top-down
Steeks
Stockinette stitch
Stuffed toys
Swatching
Sweater
Tassels
Teaching a child to knit
Teaching a male how to knit
Textured knitting
Thrummed knitting
Toy/doll clothing
Tubular CO
Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting
Writing a pattern

xxx Elle xxx

Finishing Christmas!

2009-01-27T09:14:52Z

Yep, thats a Dalek! Cross stitch :D Sorry about the shadows, my OH took these pics!

Thats the cross stitch for my bestest friend Rachelley. Those feathers... I wanted to die. I hated them. Awful things! Bad feathers. The rest was fun though, although the chart was poor, I could barely read it and the outlines for the backstitch were practically non-exsistent. I refered to the picture to do the backstitch! I mean come on, who just has plain black charts anymore?! Colour them up a bit, make them easier to read!

Say hello to Jack and Zero. I knit them for Rhian who had her birthday on Sunday! I really hate making toys. You knit this tiny little thing, and then have to sew it together, and then sew it to something else! But these were fun. I'm just crap at embrodiering the faces. Oh yes I am.

WIP: I worked 6 rows on my lace shawl! It doesn't look like its grown at all, but I know I've done them! After not working on it for 5 months (5?!) I still love this pattern and its like coming home to a good friend for a chat. Also still OTN is a baby jumper which I've lost enthusiam for, but I only need to finish a sleeve and do the neck, sew it up and its finished. Voila! Still working on a garter stitch preemie blanket too.

In the past week I knit two pairs of socks for my good friends Nathan and Markie, who lost their preemie baby last Monday :( RIP Dylan <3

xxx Elle xxx

Ugh...

2009-01-11T09:45:29Z

Violet Green Sock-A-Long. Yarn: Violet Green Socrates Merino SuperSock in colourway Halloween (birthday present from Rhian, Neil and baby Harry). Pattern: Primavera Socks by natalja.

I've actually completed the first sock. Huzzah! I think it looks really nice, I love the colour changes, and the pattern isn't that complicated (although the purl 3 together can be a bit of a bitch!). Unfortunately I currently have brainfog and can no longer concentrate on the very easy pattern, which sucks a great deal. I can however concentrate on garter stitch (not much concentration needed at all there really!), and so am doing some preemie baby blankets for Three Little Birds. And its using the stash up pretty nicely too! 150g used up in 4 days... not bad.

Hopefully my blood test results will come back this week, and then I'll be able to get treatment, and then I can start back up on my socks! Its so cold right now, I need knitting socks!

xxx Elle xxx

Christmas 2008

2008-12-31T21:31:06Z

So yeah. Pretty much all the gifts have been handed out (sorry Rachelley and Ants, I didn't trust the post at the last minute!), so now I can reveal to you what I have been working on:

Thuja socks for Emily:

Shawl for Emily:

Little knitted ball for Harry:

Tank top and hat for Harry:

Little Goth Hoodie for Harry:

Bellatrix socks (KnitPicks Imagination sock yarn in Evil Stepmother) for Rhian:

Globetrotter Socks in Trekking XXL yarn for Neil (they're like, real socks!):

I also made washcloths for Lips, my Nan and her partner George, and a pair of socks for Matt, but I figured this was picture heavy enough! I also made the jumper for my dad which I didn't get a chance to take a picture of before I mailed it, and then huge cross stitch for my mum, again I forgot to take a picture of it! Mum should be taking a picture of it all for me though :)

On to Christmas presents! This is what I got from my UK Sock Knitters Secret Santa Sock Swap:

Yummy! Violet Green Hand-Dyed Aran in Berries, and 100% Alpaca Artesano. Can't wait to use these!

Colinette Jitterbug from Emily, and what I think is an obsidian sphere, gorgeous!

And this, the best present, I have saved until last:

Oh yes. Oh yes. Oh yes. I am indeed, a sock knitter. I want to thank my OH for the most wonderful gift ever! I recieved the first package yesterday, and OMG the yarn is gorgeous reds, and the sock pattern looks amazing! I can't wait till a) I buy another pair of 2.5mm DPNs or b) I free up a pair of 2.5mm DPNs!

ION: I may possibly have pernicious anaemia, which is a lack of vitamin B12. Apparently my blood tests indicated a slightly raised level of a certain antibody that destroys the cells that make intrinsic factor, which is needed to digest B12. So I've had further tests to confirm this, I'm waiting for the results. If its true, I'll be having vitamin B12 injections every 3 months for the rest of my life. Yay! It will mean that I can end this 3 month fatigue-fest, and hopefully get rid of the stabby pains... Woo hoo!

Have a wonderful 2009 everyone! Hope its full of wool, yarn, health and happiness!

xxx Elle xxx

November Knit-a-long & my birthday!

2008-12-04T09:18:38Z

Pattern: Waving Not Drowning by Violet Green (http://violetgreen.co.uk/wavingnotdrowningsocks.php)

Yarn: Cinders Knits. Amazing yarn. (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5037783&order=&section_id=&page=1)

I loved this pattern, it was easy to memorise, and works so well with variegated yarns. I was worried that this yarn was too "busy" for the pattern, but I really like it. And its the first pair of socks I've made for me! Now I need to finish my Monkey (http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTmonkey.html) socks and then I'll be a happy girl!

I went to IKnit London for my birthday:

Heres me choosing Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in colourway Green Mountain. Since OH was taking me to see Wicked! I thought it was only suiting I bought a "Wicked!" themed sock yarn to make myself some socks with :D

IKnit London... well, I wasn't very impressed. Its smaller than you think. Like, really small. The needle display was empty, and I heard the guy saying that he hadn't got round to ordering anymore yet. You see, to me, thats really poor stock management. Having worked in retail for the past 7 years and with a degree in Retail Management... I would make sure I had buffer stock. For example, if I had to order 10 pairs of needles from the supplier, then when I got down to 5 pairs left, I would order some more. Just in case. Possibly more in the most popular sizes (there were no 4mm needles. None. Not one). So yeah. Not impressed.

I was impressed with Wicked! though. Amazing, I loved it, and we had the best seats:

Yes, that is the stage. And it was taken from out seats. We did not move to take this picture!

On Tuesday Emily and I took our first trip to Get Knitted! Oh. My God. Now that is a yarn store! Its easily 4 times as big as IKnit, and the staff were much friendlier (tea and coffee, help yourself, sofas if you want to sit!). We spent an hour and a half in there, and I was very controlled in my buying. I bought Harry Potter sock yarn in the Hedwig colourway, and Trekking XXL in a black/grey stripey colourway. I also got myself KnitPicks DPNs, and wow, they are sooo good to knit with. I do feel like I'm going to break them, but they come in a pack of 6, and since I only use 4 to make socks, if I do break one, I've got spares :D I got Clover bamboo DPNs too, and they are gorgeous also. We also went to Ikea, where I bought a lamp so we can turn the lights down in the living room and I can still see my knitting/stitching. I love it! And then... we made a day of it I tell ya, we went to Hobbycraft! Not as good as Get Knitted, but I did buy some acrylic yarn to make my friend's baby something for when he turns a year old in February.

Phew. And... and get this... I've finished knitting my Christmas presents! I've still got my cross stitch ones, but yeah... the knitted ones are done! I have cast on a couple of bonus things, I can't just cross stitch. I'll be glad when the Christmas stuff is done though, so I can get back to my lace. I really want to finish that!

xxx Elle xxx

Stoled from thurisaz_art

2008-11-20T19:48:20Z

01. What's the last DVD you watched?
As in actually put a DVD into the DVD player? I think it was Nancy Drew...

02. What are you wearing at the moment?
Black trousers, and my new Nightmare Before Christmas hoodie that OH buyed me for my birthday!

03. Who is your favourite writer?
Jilly Cooper. Seriously.

04. What is your favourite scent?
Patchouli

05. What's that one movie you can watch over and over again and never get tired of?
Any of the Carry Ons. Disney films. Anything with Alan Rickman in *swoon*

06. What do you drink the most?
Water and peppermint tea

07. Is there a useless thing that you cannot brace yourself to throw out?
Probably. I can't think of anything right now. OH is minimalist, and has been teaching me not to hoard (apart from yarn, I will hoard yarn forever)

08. What is your occupation? What do you do there?
Associate at Holland & Barrett. I sell vitamins to people :P

09. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Archaeologist, food technologist, in the army (seriously again), author, famous.

10. What are your favorite song(s) of the moment?
Anything by Jake Coco. That man has such a beautiful voice.

11. Which characters are overrated?
Um. Any of those ones that are on those celebrity reality shows. Apart from George Takei. He's a legend.

12. What 3 people would you invite to dinner?
Eddie Izzard (must be transvestite Eddie though), Tim Curry (must be Frank'n'Furter), Alan Rickman (must be Snape).

13. What is your current desktop?
The one that came with the laptop.

14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Wonderful <3

15. What are you afraid of?
Everything.

16. Where would you love to go in your next holidays?
The moon

17. What are you into right now?
I am so like totally into black, bats, knitting socks, Viva Pinata, Spore Creatures and Wicked.

18. What did you do today?
I did some sock knitting, the washing up, put the laundry away, and went to work where I moaned about being tired.

19. What do you want?
My hospital appointment, my blood test results, to find out whats wrong with me, more time to just sit around watching DVDs, listening to audiobooks and knitting

20. What should you be doing right now?
Nothing.

21. What's the meaning behind your LJ username/name/nicknames you go by?
My name is Elle. This is my knitwear journal. End of.

Gothic Yarns

2008-11-07T19:00:01Z

One of my friends on Ravelry is also a yarn dyer. She makes loverly Gothic coloured yarns, and I was sooo tempted that I had to buy some! And look how gorgeously they were wrapped up:

And then the colours! The one on the top is Gothic Rose, the one at the bottom is Full Moon Rising. Just yummy!

They feel really soft and scrummy. I can't wait to knit them up into socks :)

Please check out the yarns at www.gothicyarns.blogspot.com

xxx Elle xxx

DPN Holders

2008-10-17T20:13:06Z

Lookey what I made!

DPN holders from ickle pirate duckie pencil toppers!

I would like to express thanks to this little tutorial on the following blog:

veganknitter.blogspot.com/2007/09/dpn-project-holder-tutorial.html

I love my DPN holders soooo much!

Sock is being made with Regia Galaxy, using the SImple Sock pattern. The galaxy pattern isn't happening. Apparently it didn't happen for a lot of people on Rav, so... kinda disappointed though. It would've looked so cool. Wonder how the sock on the ball band was knitted...

xxx Elle xxx