MagKnits

Kerrie's blog says the new MagKnits will be online this afternoon...

Boobage issues

What do you think of this pattern? It's Jen's Fyberspates Frilly Tank Pattern www.fyberspates.co.uk I absolutely love it and it would be gorgeous knitted from my new stash addition (that was addition not addiction!) 6 balls of Jo Sharp Silkroa DK Tweed, shade Paper Rose. I'll post a pic as soon as I have access to a camera. It's so pretty and soft and yummy that it justifies having to get out of bed early this morning to get to Heaton sorting office which closes at 10.15am. What's that about?! My only concern about this top is that I have fairly extensive boobage and I might fall out. Those of you who know me, what do you think...Will I fall out of it?!

Sock tutorial

I'm meeting Purlpower for my first tutorial tomorrow morning.

She thinks we are meeting for coffee. Ha! Little does she know...

socks socks socks

This is the yummy yarn I bought from Jeni http://www.fyberspates.co.uk at Ally Pally last week. Isn't it gorgeous? The colour is Wild Foxglove, a beautiful blend of pinks, lilacs and greens. After getting into a terrible tangle I finally finished winding it into a ball last night. Now I'm ready for my fisrt pair of socks... very exciting! I'll post progress shots as soon as the lovely Purlpower has given me her sock knitting tutorial... Purlpower, I'm on my way!

Sheep!

In a previous post I was considering whether my yarn/wool/knitting obsession was due to my Mum's love of sheep, and the many and varied sheep who share my parents house. Well, here are a few of my favourite examples. The first photo is a ceramic sheep which my Dad bought from a gallery in Devon, made by an architect (there's another one of us...sheep/wool and architects must go together...hurray!) Isn't she pretty? She lives on our living room wall.

The two sheep in the second photograph were commissioned b my Dad from two separate artists. If you turn the tail of the left sheep it's mouth chews in a circle as though it's chewing grass. And what the photo doesn't clearly show is that the sheep on the right has absolutely beautiful eye lashes. These two look like they're high maintenance to me. Diva-sheep in fact.

I hope one day I meet a man who wants to buy me sheep. Not sculptures, real sheep. And a spinning wheel. And a big box of acid dyes. Mmmm. Who needs diamonds, eh? Well, me actually :o)

I know, another scarf...but it's purple!

This is some of the gorgeous yarn I bought from Ally Pally on Sunday. After fighting my way through the masses of 'older' ladies (they have some sharp elbows) to the Colinette stand, I finally, after much deliberation, decided on two skeins of Shimmer 5 in shade Fruit Coulis. Mmm, it's good enough to eat. Started knitting it on 12mm needles on Sunday night and I'm halfway through second skein. And before you ask, it's Newcastle, it's almost Winter, it's cold, so yes, obviously I need another scarf. Anyway, it's purple, pink AND grey. Ooh, the excitement is almost too much!

More for Millie

I finally sent Millie's gift box to her on Saturday. Well actually, Nick sent it for me, thanks Nick! It contained 2 pairs of bootees, a hat and a gorgeous wee dress from Baby Gap.

When I moved back to Newcastle in September I couldn't fit all my knitting stuff into my suitcase, well, not if I wanted to take any clothes with me. I'd rather have taken the knitting stuff, but it gets cold in Newcastle! Anyway, I came home on Friday for a few days and found this half knitted jumper which I was working on for Ann-Marie's prospective sproglet before she was born. I finished it on Saturday and it will be posted tomorrow. It looks a little big, but Millie was 9lbs when she was born, so I'm sure it will fit soon!

The pattern is the boat neck jumper from Dbbie Bliss' Baby Knits for Beginners, 5mm needles using cashmerino aran, in a yummy shade of brick red.

Andrew's Hat

Text to follow later today...

I am Neutral...I make my own rules (apparently)

Which flock do you follow?

this quiz was made by alanna

Oh, how cute is this? Thanks to Purlpower for alerting me to this quiz. I've got to tell my Mum about it, she loves sheep. She has a lacquered metal one who lives in the garden, a ceramic sheep head on the living room wall and many other sheep and sheepy things all around the house ... hmm, come to think of it, this may explain my crazed love of wool. Oh, the poor sheep in the garden has no wool. I'll have to knit it a jumper.

Please excuse my inane ramblings this evening. Today I had to tell my design tutor that I'm designing a Centre for Knitting for my BArch thesis design project. I'm going to have to do some major justification on this one. On Sunday I'm meeting Liz Gillett from the Knitting and Crochet Guild to discuss the project, then visiting Saltaire in West Yorkshire to look for a suitable site.

Exciting news of the day: I'm going to be interviewed with Charlotte (who started Miss Spiritual Tramp's Knitting Group) on BBC Radio Newcastle, talking about knitting! It's next Thursday, so I guess it's related to National Knitting Week.

I'm just about to book my ticket for the Knitting & Stitching Show at Ally Pally. Very excited. All in the name of research for the thesis project, obviously. Hoping to squeeze in a visit to the Chelsea Crafts Fair too. I think there are some knitters there this year.

Emilie and Leila have diverted to Edinburgh, so won't be visiting me. Boo-hoo. Hopefully I'll see them when I'm back home next weekend though. I've got to give Leila her bootees.

Em and Leila coming to visit!

Woohoo! Just had a phone call from lovely Em to say she's coming to visit me this weekend, and she's bringing wee Leila with her. This morning I had an urge to knit a pair of pink bootees and I wasn't sure why. Now I know! They'll be a nice little gift for the beautiful bairn. Em said Leila's been making good use of her cardigan. I'm not surprised, it's been flipping freezing in Newcastle. At least the wee one will have warm toes during the drive back down South. Ooh, I'm so excited, I can't wait to see them!! 

Amelia, Welcome to the World!

Congratulations to Ann-Marie and Kevin! Amelia was born on 22 August, weighing 9lbs (wow!) It's taken me a wee while to get Millie's presents finished, but they are ready to be posted now, along with an adorable little dress from Baby Gap and a gift for big sister Rosie.

Rosie was the first baby born to one of my friends and she's been spoiled with knitted goodies ever since. Millie will be getting the same treatment, lucky thing!

Now, a request to my friends: I don't know who will be having a wee sproglet next, but please can you have a boy? I have 3 friends who've had 4 girls between them, and there's another on the way. Is there something in the water?! I want to knit for a boy, otherwise my brother is going to be on the receiving end of knitted goodies. I think he could just about appreciate a hat, but at 28 years old, I don't think he'd care much for a pair of knitted bootees.

Lovely Leila

Rosie may be the best dressed toddler in the north west and Leigh the best accessorised gal on the shootin' range, but lovely Leila is the best dressed bairn in south west London. (My knitting can't compete with the cashmere budgets of the west London Notting Hill yummy mummies).

Doesn't she look goregeous in this wee cardigan? Knitted in Debbie Bliss' Wool Cotton (now discontinued) on 3.75 mm needles, the pattern is adapted from the argyle cardigan pattern in Debbie Bliss' Special Knits.

Leila was born on 6th July. Congratulations to Emilie and David! She's such a sweetie, it was hard to move back to Newcastle, knowing that when I go home for Christmas and see her she'll have grown so much. As you can see Em is keeping me up to date with photos. I can't believe she's already 12 weeks old! With the cooler weather hopefully she'll be able to wear the stripey tank tops I knitted soon!

I think a pair of bootees to match this cardigan may be in order, to keep Leila's perfect tiny toes toasty warm.

Most exciting news of the day... I've made it into the fabulous Purlpower's blog http://www.purlpower.blogspot.com and seem to have acquired the title of Madam Flossie. I could complain, but I quite like it... Madam Flossie, Mistress of All Yarn. Hmmm, I like the sound of that!