I never get time these days to write a post, never mind take pictures to show. I have now cast on about 6 times over for Ene's Scarf in Scarf Style. I either dropped a stitch, lost a stitch or the yarn snapped each time. Anyway, I was very stubborn and wouldn't give up and I am now on row 42 and it is great. It is addictive! I will post a picture and put a link in, but I can't be bothered now. I also have to show pictures of my socks and the sweater I am on, but maybe this post will tantalise you and you will visit again to look. My sweater is in raspberry aran weight silk, bought at Alexandra Palace and it is great. I am almost finished.
There are so many things that I want to knit at the moment that I don't know where to start. I want to work my way through my stash because I think that I should move to New Jersey with little, if any yarn, so that I can go wild when I get there. We are going in the summer, if the visa comes through in time. I have to make another trip to house hunt etc. so I also have to make room in the stash for some more yarn.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Can't put it down
I have been so busy lately, it has been ages. However, I haven't been too busy to start knitting Badcaul socks. they are knitted toe up and I am doing them in Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn. I love it! It is so springy and the colours are gorgeous.
I started to get a little worried about the yardage in the skein, one is supposed to be enough for a pair of socks, so I decided to start knitting the second one too. I had originally started the first sock on DPNs and I thought I would try the second one using the magic loop method. It is amazing! It is so easy and much quicker to knit, than using DPNs.
I also have a sweater on the needles at the moment and a lace shawl for my sister, but more about those later! I have to go, so I will add more about the other projects at another time.
I started to get a little worried about the yardage in the skein, one is supposed to be enough for a pair of socks, so I decided to start knitting the second one too. I had originally started the first sock on DPNs and I thought I would try the second one using the magic loop method. It is amazing! It is so easy and much quicker to knit, than using DPNs. I also have a sweater on the needles at the moment and a lace shawl for my sister, but more about those later! I have to go, so I will add more about the other projects at another time.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Stash
Before I went to New Jersey I decided to make a visit to Stash Yarns in Putney. I knew it wouldn't be a good idea, but I couldn't help myself. I indulged by buying two skeins of Koigu. More stash! I'm not sure what to do with them, they are too nice to wear on my feet. I am thinking of yet another scarf.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Snow in London?
I haven't written an entry for ages. I took the children in my class on a school trip to Bournemouth, wow! Then Oli and I went to New Jersey and we brought the weather back with us! He has been interviewing for a job and I went to look around. We were able to spend the weekend in Manhattan with some friends. It was freezing and hence the snow followed us home.
I did manage to visit some great yarn stores in New Jersey and I even managed to pop into String Yarns in Manhattan. It was expensive and just seemed to sell cashmere yarns and a selection of Koigu. I did contemplate buying a skein of Koigu cashmere, but I couldn't think of what to make with just one skein at $50, so I left. Afterwards I thought I could have knitted a hat, but the yarn obviously did not inspire me particularly.
New Jersey was great for yarn stores and I bought a few things.
My first stop was in Teaneck in a shop called The Skein Attraction. It had a really big selection of yarns and I really enjoyed looking at everything. I was very restrained as I knew that I had other stores to investigate. I purchased some Addi turbo circular needles, a stitch counter and a chic lit novel called 'Knitting under the influence". I will let you know if it is any good when I have read it.
The next stop was at an even better store Stix and Stitches, in a town called Montclair. It is a pretty town and has lovely shops. I managed to buy a gorgeous top for myself as well as some yarn. The noro Kureyon, which I am going to make two squares for the Lizzard Ridge blanket. I will continue to make them but I didn't want to bring back a whole suitcase of the yarn, I can pick some more up as I go along. I also bought a skein of Sirino Tapestry yarn from The Great Adirondack Yarn Company. It is a 50% merino and 50% silk mix in a fingering weight. I have 675 yards of it and I think I am going to make a wrap with it. It is really soft and lovely, so I have to knit up a swatch asap. As it was my birthday last Tuesday my kids bought me a couple of knitting books, "Mason Dixon Knitting" and "Ripple Stitch Patterns" by Jan Eaton. It is this book that I am going to use to create a pattern for the wrap.
I did manage to visit some great yarn stores in New Jersey and I even managed to pop into String Yarns in Manhattan. It was expensive and just seemed to sell cashmere yarns and a selection of Koigu. I did contemplate buying a skein of Koigu cashmere, but I couldn't think of what to make with just one skein at $50, so I left. Afterwards I thought I could have knitted a hat, but the yarn obviously did not inspire me particularly.
New Jersey was great for yarn stores and I bought a few things.
My first stop was in Teaneck in a shop called The Skein Attraction. It had a really big selection of yarns and I really enjoyed looking at everything. I was very restrained as I knew that I had other stores to investigate. I purchased some Addi turbo circular needles, a stitch counter and a chic lit novel called 'Knitting under the influence". I will let you know if it is any good when I have read it.
The next stop was at an even better store Stix and Stitches, in a town called Montclair. It is a pretty town and has lovely shops. I managed to buy a gorgeous top for myself as well as some yarn. The noro Kureyon, which I am going to make two squares for the Lizzard Ridge blanket. I will continue to make them but I didn't want to bring back a whole suitcase of the yarn, I can pick some more up as I go along. I also bought a skein of Sirino Tapestry yarn from The Great Adirondack Yarn Company. It is a 50% merino and 50% silk mix in a fingering weight. I have 675 yards of it and I think I am going to make a wrap with it. It is really soft and lovely, so I have to knit up a swatch asap. As it was my birthday last Tuesday my kids bought me a couple of knitting books, "Mason Dixon Knitting" and "Ripple Stitch Patterns" by Jan Eaton. It is this book that I am going to use to create a pattern for the wrap.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Plodding
Still plodding on with the Clapotis, using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn. I am doing it in the Black Purl colourway and have discovered that the darkest colour is not black, but a very dark brownish/purple colour. I haven't taken any pictures for this post, so we are a little boring this week. I am running out of yarn and have to send off for some more, Oli only bought me two skeins, thinking I was going to make socks!
I listened to a great podcast this weekend Lime and Violet. I love listening to them as I knit. I have loads to catch up on as they have been doing them since last June. They talk about going on yarn roadtrips in the first podcast, discovering some great yarn stores on the way.
Anyway, I am still interested if anyone can recommend yarn stores in Northern New Jersey. I will be visiting Teaneck, West Orange and Highland Park in about 12 days time.
I listened to a great podcast this weekend Lime and Violet. I love listening to them as I knit. I have loads to catch up on as they have been doing them since last June. They talk about going on yarn roadtrips in the first podcast, discovering some great yarn stores on the way.
Anyway, I am still interested if anyone can recommend yarn stores in Northern New Jersey. I will be visiting Teaneck, West Orange and Highland Park in about 12 days time.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
I'm really sorry that I haven't had time to blog for so long, it's been two weeks! I have been so busy between work and home. We are flying to New Jersey in a couple of weeks time, Oli has a job interview and I am going to suss it out. I have been able to take time of work, which is usually impossible when you are a teacher. Anyway, we have been busy filling the freezer with food and sorting the house out as my in-laws are moving in to look after the children. As punishment I am going with Year Six on their weekend to Bournemouth, the weekend before I fly. I am trying to work out when I am going to get my roots done before I go, I don't want anyone to think I am older than I really am!
I finally finished Remembering Honey. It fits really well and I have worn it twice in the week since I finished sewing it up. I am not sure how the yarn will wear over time. It is a cashmere and merino blend that I found in a yarn outlet in Lille, it only cost 3 Euros a ball! I am not sure how flattering the picture is, I told my six year old to point the camera and shoot!
I couldn't resist taking a picture of my first pair of knitted socks. I love them and have worn them loads, I finished them a while ago, but never took pictures. They are made from Fleece Artist sock yarn.
Last but not least, I started my second Clapotis. I am using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in Black Purl. I have gone down two needle sizes and added four extra sets of increase rows. I haven't yet decided how many extra sets of straight rows I am going to add. The picture doesn't do it justice, you will just have to wait until it is finished and then I will post a new one.
Anyone know of any good yarn stores in New Jersey?
I finally finished Remembering Honey. It fits really well and I have worn it twice in the week since I finished sewing it up. I am not sure how the yarn will wear over time. It is a cashmere and merino blend that I found in a yarn outlet in Lille, it only cost 3 Euros a ball! I am not sure how flattering the picture is, I told my six year old to point the camera and shoot!
I couldn't resist taking a picture of my first pair of knitted socks. I love them and have worn them loads, I finished them a while ago, but never took pictures. They are made from Fleece Artist sock yarn.
Last but not least, I started my second Clapotis. I am using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in Black Purl. I have gone down two needle sizes and added four extra sets of increase rows. I haven't yet decided how many extra sets of straight rows I am going to add. The picture doesn't do it justice, you will just have to wait until it is finished and then I will post a new one.
Anyone know of any good yarn stores in New Jersey?
Monday, January 1, 2007
Projects to finish from 2006
Icy cold Paris in December. Not the best time to go, but we had great fun climbing the Eiffel Tower, visiting Notre Dame and the Louvre, as well as doing a spot of shopping.
Back from Paris and Suffolk, having eaten and drunk too much. I haven't had time to add any new posts, the children have been off school and we have been away. These things have also eaten into my knitting time, so I haven't finished Pinky Painter yet, but I am almost there. I have yet to finish the second sleeve for Remembering Honey and then sew it up. I also have to rip out the socks that were too big and start again. I think I may leave them for now and knit some other socks. I'll let you know!
I got information on yarn stores in Paris from here. I followed a couple of the suggestions up and visited Le Bon Marche, La Droguerie and Phildar. La Droguerie is a wonderful store to go into and browse, with gorgeous yarn hanging in hanks around the walls in an amazing range of colours. It has a huge selection of trimmings and buttons etc. They had examples of their own patterns knitted up pinned on the wall too. There were some really good designs, but I have never tackled a French knitting pattern before! However, it is impossible to get served, there are so many people trying to buy things. I gave up and left, even though I had my eye on some really nice bamboo yarn.
Instead I had a much more successful trip to Le Bon Marche, a very expensive department store. The yarn department had Noro, Rowan, Debbie Bliss as well as Anny Blatt and Bouton D'or yarn. It also had a La Droguerie concession which sold all the trimmings, buttons and some kits. It didn't have the hanks of yarn that the store had. It is also less crowded and much easier to choose and buy things that you want. Gad decided he wanted to choose some buttons to decorate the scarf that he is knitting and chose these.
They are going to look great, I will post a photo when it is finished.
I also went to Phildar and bought this.
I am going to make a scarf with some other Phildar yarn my Mum bought last year. I will fill you in when I get to do it. Which leads me onto to all the other projects I want to get underway this year. I have so many that I want to do that I don't know where to start, I think that I am going to make a Clapotis using the Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Black Purl that Oli brought back from Washington for me. I have read other blogs and people have either used this or Koigu to make one with. I have to decide on the size on the needles. I am not going to list more projects as I am so slow finishing things that I fear that none of them will be started, never mind finished!
Back from Paris and Suffolk, having eaten and drunk too much. I haven't had time to add any new posts, the children have been off school and we have been away. These things have also eaten into my knitting time, so I haven't finished Pinky Painter yet, but I am almost there. I have yet to finish the second sleeve for Remembering Honey and then sew it up. I also have to rip out the socks that were too big and start again. I think I may leave them for now and knit some other socks. I'll let you know!
I got information on yarn stores in Paris from here. I followed a couple of the suggestions up and visited Le Bon Marche, La Droguerie and Phildar. La Droguerie is a wonderful store to go into and browse, with gorgeous yarn hanging in hanks around the walls in an amazing range of colours. It has a huge selection of trimmings and buttons etc. They had examples of their own patterns knitted up pinned on the wall too. There were some really good designs, but I have never tackled a French knitting pattern before! However, it is impossible to get served, there are so many people trying to buy things. I gave up and left, even though I had my eye on some really nice bamboo yarn.
Instead I had a much more successful trip to Le Bon Marche, a very expensive department store. The yarn department had Noro, Rowan, Debbie Bliss as well as Anny Blatt and Bouton D'or yarn. It also had a La Droguerie concession which sold all the trimmings, buttons and some kits. It didn't have the hanks of yarn that the store had. It is also less crowded and much easier to choose and buy things that you want. Gad decided he wanted to choose some buttons to decorate the scarf that he is knitting and chose these.
They are going to look great, I will post a photo when it is finished.
I also went to Phildar and bought this.
I am going to make a scarf with some other Phildar yarn my Mum bought last year. I will fill you in when I get to do it. Which leads me onto to all the other projects I want to get underway this year. I have so many that I want to do that I don't know where to start, I think that I am going to make a Clapotis using the Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Black Purl that Oli brought back from Washington for me. I have read other blogs and people have either used this or Koigu to make one with. I have to decide on the size on the needles. I am not going to list more projects as I am so slow finishing things that I fear that none of them will be started, never mind finished!
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