MonkeyFeet

I’m slightly confused (it doesn’t take nuch!), as  Ruth and Delle have posted different Friday inspirations – one of them posted about hands and one about necks! So I’ll post about both!

Hands:

So, what is your favourite winter warmer for your hands?

My favourite hand warming project has probably been my Endpapers (I’m not doing photos on here as it’d take me days just to go back through flickr and find them!). I have worn these absolutely loads, and I love that I did them with the colours inverted

Do you have a favourite pattern or finished object?

Well I already answered that really didn’t I. I also love the Fetchings pattern, I did make some in Rowan pure wool aran (on my projects page), but when I was in Scotland I gave them to a lady working in my local charity shop who always had cold hands. I’m going to make myself some more for dogwalking with, using my Patons Inca. I’d like to make them a bit longer though, so they come halfway up my fingers but are ribbed so I can still move (read: pick up doggy dumps, bribe them with biscuits, unlock the car etc.), In fact I should get on with them next.

What is your favourite yarn for gloves/mittens/handwarmers?

Oooh well for four ply patterns I love the Jaeger Matchmaker Merino, but that’s sadly discontinued. The Rowan Pure Wool Aran was really good, and I think the Patons Inca should be really good. I’ve actually not made many handwarming projects to be honest!

Are there any patterns out there you would love to own?

I’d love to own the Folk Mittens book. I think that’s it really.

Or do you already have a winter warmer and you would like some mittens/gloves/handwarmers to match?

Errrr no! Don’t think so. Oh actually, maybe some really thick fingerless mitts would be good to go with my really thick handspun hat, but that’s all I can think of!

Necks:

I love stuff for my neck! My favourite scarves are my Angora Scarf and my Sideways scarf. For dog walking I love my First Ice Queen. It’s a really good fit, unlike the one I made in Rowan Tapestry, which is too stretchy, and really needs felting down to size. I love cowls though, I’ve got loads in my queue They seem like a good project for  a smallish amount of handspun.

Sooo that’s my Friday (well Saturday) inspiration.

Did I show you this? It’s Maya Chunky which I stashed, and have since reskeined:

I think I’m going to do a thorpe with it.

I’d forgotten that I also stashed Bambino in Duffle:

 

And BFL/Nylon sock in Fresh Berries:

 

My Dad’s asked me to knit some socks for him to give to his mate (I think), so I got some Regia, in colours by Kaffe Fasset. I’m getting deja vu, did I already write all this? Anyway I cast on, so you can see it here:

It’s actually a photo I took for the stitch marker listing, hence that’s in the foreground (sorry!), but you can see the sock, which is now a bit bigger.

I’ve cast on a hemlock too, yey! It’s in Rowan Tapestry  in leadmine, which is basically black, grey and white. I’m so pleased with it, it’s growing really quickly and is really easy. Once I’ve done that I’m going to pick up the hibernating Japanese Feather scarf (which is sucking my will to knit for some reason). I don’t have a hemlock photo anyway yet.

I embarassingly succumbed to Nic’s bags again. Oops! I’m glad I did though to be honest as they are gorgeous and so handy.

 

Plus it’s not possible to have too many bags anyway.

My Dad also commissioned me to make some earrings for Christmas presents for him. These are Swarovski pearls and crystals, for his partner’s daughter, and I’m so pleased with these I’d like to make some for the shop really. They’re quite glamourous without being too much y’know.

and these are for his partner, in autumn colours. I forgot to get beads specially, so had to use stashed beads, so I hope she likes them.

I also made these yesterday, they are actually purple, but really, really hard to photograph for some reason. They have unusual and posh beads, and are quite small and sparkly. They are lovely but I wish the photo would do them justice! Oh they’re for my shop, I think £8 is reasonable, what do you reckon? It’s more for the time than the materials, as they’re so fiddly they take ages. I really ought to learn some other beading techniques shouldn’t I, seeing as currently I only have the knack of cluster earrings!!

We, of SnB Preston, went for a gorgeous meal on Thursday, at Tino’s the Italian. It was organised by Sensible Julie, so we’re all relaly grateful to her for a lovely evening, especially as she was on holiday (jealous? Moi?).

Christian made us all a wee fererro rocher (or however the hell you spell it) warmer, so when I got home I munched it but had none to replace it with.

So I plonked it ontop of my poorly decorated-in-a–rush mini tree, and it looks cute and lovely in my opinion! Thankyou Christian!

Oh OH! Guess what – we have an approximate moving date, well week I suppose – three weeks time! Ooh yeah! Manchester here I come (Afflecks Palace – yippee!)! I think OH recieved the contract to sign today, so when we get back from new year hols we’ll have a new flat if it all goes smoothly!

Anyway, I need to reskein some more Bambino and make some more jewellery christmas presents.