MonkeyFeet

Well, last week was insanely busy, but wasn’t the sunshine glorious? I felt so much better and more energised! I joined the gym on Friday, and I have my induction tomorrow, and as it’s about 2 mins walk from here, I have no excuse now! I have three stones to lose, with two stones being my primary aim to begin with. I really want to be fit enough to not get out of breath so easily too. The problem of course, is keeping motivated!

Last week I did some amigurumi – OH wants some of the monsters from creepy cute crochet, so I’ve made a red devil (but he has no eyes or beard yet), and Cthulu who you can see here. I did him in the Rowan Soft Lux, so he’s sparkly His eyes are a bit lopsided though!

 

I also cast on this scarf.. I had two skeins each of Noro Blossom and Noro Silk Garden and I was goign to do something unusual with them, but I ended up doing a Noro Striped Scarf - it’s simple and easy but the colour combinations look beautiful. I also love the wrong side where the colours are all mashed up. It’s almost finished now – I took this photo a few days ago.

With the glorious sun, me and OH had been going for walks on the park in evenings, and I took this photo of a very hazy sunset over the city. It’s a bit different to my usual country-bumpkin photos, but I rather like it. We have a very industrial area nearby, with all collieries and towers, it’s all so ugly but I love it, and we call it ‘Gotham City’. For me, it’s a symbol of British manufacturing and skills.

Weeks and weeks ago, before I lost my internet, one of my customers asked me to do some World of Warcraft themed yarn. One skein in the colours of the Burning Crusade log in page, and one in the colours of her Blood Elf Paladin’s armour (that’s the bottom one).

Anyway both her and I are very pleased with how they’ve come out!

The other day, I finished my Twisted Flower socks – aren’t they cool?

I used Wild Fire Fibres Manyana (merino/tencel), not realising that of course 333 yards isn’t enough to knit a whole pair of cabled socks – doh.

So I did the cornflower sock, then dyed the silverdale sock. Different colour, same tone = success Well I think so anyway.

It prevented second sock syndrome too.

The cables were fiddly, and even my smallest metal cable needle kept slipping out, so I actually made myself soem tiny wooden cable needles with notches in – they were really effective.

 

I also did a quick crochet project – I was going to do the Little Acorn Bag, but I wanted a different shape. Then when I tried felting the Patons Inca that I used, well, it didn’t felt at all. So I just sewed the buttons on, stuffed it with yarn and left it at that! I did learn that Patons Inca washes beautifully though!

Now when we moved we inherited this fish tank – empty. So OH decided we’d get marine fish, seeing as there’s one of the best shops in Manchester about half a mile away. It’s really interesting – we have live sand and rock!

So yesterday we bought our first inhabitants. Here we have Hector who’s a hermit crab. He’s a great fellow, suprisingly agile considering he has a large shell on his back.

These are Eric and Ernie. And yes, we can tell them apart! They are really inquisitive and confident – as soon as we released them they went exploring and poking and nipping everything to see what it was. They’re really great, and come over if you go to the tank to see them.

Remind you of Nemo? for fish, they are full of personality. We’re already really attached to them and Hector so I hope they survive and everything, as we’re still learning. Me and OH have always had lots of dogs, so I think this is filling in that gap, plus we’re learning a lot of science (chemistry), and meeting some good people through it.

I’m growing veg – it’ll go in a window box at some point. These are two spinach plants, and the little ones have chilli plants growing – I know you can’t see from this distance but they are there!

Also these are carrots, and the six that haven’t sprouted yet are sweet peppers.

So that’s it for now. The sun’s coming out, and I need to go get on. I got a load of stock ready for Woolfest this mornign so I need to go through it all and see what’s there. I have some designs that I’m working on – which you will see published in a book in the summer (more info nearer the time), and I have tonnes of uni work!  Oh I also want to cast on my Jesien Doily this evening

Ciao for now!

Wow, I’m finally back online! We ordered the broadband well before moving, but they messed it all up and we ended up waiting for six weeks it’s been a complete nightmare with the shop, but I’ve had great support from customers – if you’re reading then thankyou for being so supportive.

Anyway, the move went smoothly, and my home is now Manchester and I love it! Our flat is beautiful, and just how we want it. I think we’re still in the ‘honeymoon’ period with it, we’ve been 300 miles apart for 5 years so it’s a bit of a novelty living together!

I have a craft room, with my desk and stash and shop stock in and it has a balcony – a juliet one but sstill a balcony nevertheless.

Here’s my stash, on the shelving that Christian gave us, which was really appreciated (she also gave us a sofa and made us our curtains – how cool is that).

At the back – stash from my stock and handspun, in the basket – laceweight, at the front – fibre and in the basket – all other yarn!

Here’s my guard.

I’ve been finding uses for pint glasses. I’ve been collecting them for years and we have loads.

My button collection.

My fish tank, the fish travelled well (they’re well-travelled!) You can just see the top fin of my angel fish, Trevor, at the back. He doesn’t usually hide.

I’ve just planted some veg – I’m going to transfer it to boxes which I’m going to hang on the balcony railings.

  

My plants are all on the windows in the turret/dining room, and they’re growing at a very fast rate.

   

I’ve discovered a knack for making delicious scones (as well as scrambled egg!).

Ok onto the knitting. I got a lot done with no internet.

Here’s the Tudor Grace scarf done in organic sport weight merino.

My Japanese Feather Scarf. I got no pleasure knitting this, it was boring as anything. But I had a lot of fun photographing it!

My Swallowtail, done in Louisa Harding Kimono Angora which is delectable.

 

I’ve spun up most of my fibre stash. This pink stuff is from the Felt Studio UK on etsy – which reminds me that Delle got me some beautiful purple fibre from Vampy, and I’ve spun it up but not photographed it!

HEre’s my Luna Moth shawl, done in Mirasol Hacho (5 skeins). It’s a big, heavy shawl. As you can see, it’s big enough to completely cover my Ashford traditional!

 

Here you can see the lovely colour.

And now you can see a bit of the pattern. It’s a slightly strange pattern, the leafy bits are really big. It’s lovely though.

I designed and knitted these, I’ve called them ‘Castle Mitts’ and I’m writing the pattern at the mo. They’re done in Artesano Inca Cloud, which, as it turns out, is way too itchy for me!

 

I also designed this – the Blackberry Teacosy. I did it for the competition in Knitting mag, but didn’t get anywhere, anyway the pattern is on Ravelry. It’s done in Rowan pure wool aran in black and my own Jupiter, which is the organic aran merino, in Fresh Berries.

I did loads of detail, with crochet finishing, and proper thick hems for sturdiness, and there’s an eyelet row which I threaded an I-cord through, with bobbles on the end. I’m proud of it anyway.

Oh I also designed these socks, called Daydreamer Socks, in Tikal – the organic cotton/tencel sock yarn. I’m dead pleased with these, they’re really good for when it’s warmer, and the pattern’s dead simple. It’s on Ravelry for free anyway.

What else.. well I finished my Shawl of many yarns – it really has got a lot of yarns in it. It’s not as big as I’d hoped, but it’s very, very thick and heavy and incredibly warm. I could do with a sturdy shawl pin to hold it on my shoulders really. I’ve not blocked it, I will do at some point, and trim the ends to the same lennth.

 

Here’s Sackboy. I did him in Sirdar snuggly 4 ply as I didn’t want a dead big one. I also cheated, quite a lot. I did him in the round on DPNs, stuffing him as I went along. On his body I added two purl stitches so that there’s an indent, where I can just glue in a zip. Can you tell I don’t like sewing up??

For his eyes I cheated as well. I had no buttons or anything, so I got two drawing pins, coloured them in with a permanent marker, glazed them with a water-based glaze, and used super glue and just poked them into his face! Very effective!

 

Ok what next. Well I got a new sock yarn, called Fantasia, which is superwash pure merino. It’s really lovely and what I’d been looking for, with a nice tight twist, and very smoooth, soft feel.

So I stashed some. I have a design in mind

I’ve done some wash cloths – I can’t believe how addictive they are, and I don’t even use them! I sent these to my mum as she does. They’re done in woven moss stitch, which I love.

I also designed some dead simple legwarmers to use up a single 100g skein of aran. These are my BFL aran. They’re an easy spiral pattern, and I wear them ever day. My feet (usually ice-cold, even with handknitted woollen socks on) – have been so much warmer!

I’ve started CookieA’s Twisted Flower socks, and discovered I really needed a lightweight, tiny cable needle. Not having one, and having no internet to google it, I just made one. I snapped a Brittany DPN in half, filed down the end to a point, and made two notches in it.

It’s super-effective, and if anyone would like me to make you a couple I’d be more than happy to if you give me your address.

Here are the socks. I did the first one in Manyana in cornflower, it didn’t even occur to me I might not have enough yards (333yds per 100g). So I reached the toe and decided to do sock two in silverdale, then swap the toe colours when I’m done. I’m happy I made this decision – it’s prevented second sock syndrome because it’s more fun, and the colours go really well together.

Notice I’m knitting them on my new purple pins, which Delle got me?

That’s the silverdale ^^

 

I’m also doign some stealth lace, using my Harebell Lace. I can’t really say much more than it being a triangular shawl which I’m designing

Oh I also decided to do some inside out socks, which I will write the pattern for too. These are really cool, i’ve just started the second one. They’re great for TV knitting. I’m using Bambino in Duffle, I love it!

And phew.. that’s it! I have a big essay to finish and hand in today, then I’m goign to reward myself with spending some time knitting and watching last week’s Dancing on Ice which I recorded. Have you seen it? Isn’t Ray incredible – it’s like he was born on skates, I can’t get enough of him – it’s so exciting seeing what he’ll do next!

Anyway, I reallly ought to get my bum in gear. I’ve done the intro and conclusion, which are really good, and I’ve done half the middle bit which isn’t as good. I need a brew…

Ciao for now!