Year of projects - 28.10.12

Well, as you can see, I have finally finished Oor-Flap Muts, modelled here by my biggest boy.

I used Sirdar Click with wool (aran weight) and used just over a skein of each colour, which as it was in the bargain bucket in my LYS, I feel it was money well spent....plus its very cosy for the cold weather that seems to have landed in these here parts.

As it is Brioche knitting, it is fully reversible, a two sided thick and toasty fabric.

The light in the photos is maybe not the best for seeing the project at its clearest, however, I couldn't stop taking pictures as my biggest boy looks so beautiful in the light from the fire......maybe beautiful isn't a word that should be used about a boy....but he's just that....set to break a few hearts I think!

Biggest boy is not the only one enjoying the fire....we call this pose upside-down-head....I think it means she's relaxed!

Right, better get going on boy's bedtimes, which are a little later than normal but as its the start of the half-term hols tomorrow (YIPPEE!) that's not too important.

Looking forward to catching up with y'all....have a great week.x

Year of projects - 21.10.12

Well, being Sunday, it's the time for my progress report....and despite achieving a few new goals, I don't really have anything spectacular to show.

This is my  start on Oor Flap Muts....I won't lie....I'm afraid there's been a lot of holding my breath and..... ashamedly..... some swearing.  The ear flaps (oor flaps) were a relative breeze, ooh, and I learnt how to knit i-cord ....but making the hat with a two-colour Italian cast-on off the pre-made ear flaps, was fairly dreadful, and getting the first row into the cast-on was like nothing else.....but I made it out the other side unscathed!

Because it is brioche knitting, it is totally reversible...so really quite clever.

That's it for YOP related work....I am chuntering along with a few other things, but they aren't really project work.

We went out for a glorious walk late this afternoon, I took loads of photos to try and catch the colours, but it was sooo hard.  The evening sun just made everything glow, and I even did a little tree-hugging which I've become accustomed to on a weekend.  Some of the trees were totally moss-covered and were so soft to touch.  

And just to finish, these are the legs of middle who represented his school in a county cross country running competition....he did well.....and he got pretty muddy too!

Hope that you've all had good weeks, thank you so much for your constant encouragement and general 'loveliness'....its like having your own personal cheerleading team....much appreciated!

Year of projects and a 100th post giveaway!

Well, there's no denying it now, we are very near the end of this Year of Projects.  I discovered about it just a few weeks into beginning blogging, and boy am I glad I did!

I am so pleased with what I have achieved during this year.....I know I wouldn't have without the YOP blog-a-long.

I have finally finished my Colour Affection....YAY!  I thoroughly enjoyed making this shawl, but the end was a little telling and I was becoming more and more worried about the dodgy edge! I'm pleased to say that the blocking has helped it a little, but it is still quite clear that its not quite right.....the tight increases and the twisted carrying of the yarn did it no favours.......my issue I expect, not the patterns, just too tight, giving it a different shape to other peoples......I have learnt a lesson though..... to check out others' modifications before ploughing in!

To be honest, it is a tad shorter than I wanted it to be, but again, I think this is my tight knitting, not a poor pattern.

My shawl and I have demanded a night out with my summer dress for a slap-up meal!

The yarns used for my CA shawl were all purchased from this years Wonderwool, the lightest colour is a lace weight yarn from 'The Old Piggery' which is a silk and Blue Faced Leicester mix in colourway Seascape.  The other two yarns used were slightly heavier both Blue Faced Leicester/Nylon mix from Freyalyn's Hand-dyed Fibres in colourways Baranduin and Steelsheen.

On to more exciting news!  As this is my 'too..tooo..tooo.toooo' <trumpet fanfare> 100th post, I wanted to announce a giveaway , open to all no-matter-where-you-be........

Up for grabs are a 50g skein of hand-dyed  Merino wool also from The Old Piggery.  A ball of DK weight Kingcole Riot and a copy of Knitting Brioche.  Now for those who followed me as I did the Knit and Crochet Blogging week, I tried out a small amount of Brioche knitting and found it stretching for my basic knitting skills, but giving gorgeous results.

This is an excellent book, with lots of techniques, photographs, diagrams and beautiful patterns.  (In fact, I want to include some of these patterns in my next YOP list). 

There will be a couple of other things in the mix, most probably something to munch whilst you knit ;-) and maybe, if I get my act together something hand knitted to amuse you!

My giveaway is by way of a huge thank you for all the lovely people who pop by and add an encouraging comment on my posts.......your words are precious and make my day! 

The rules are simple enough, just leave a comment on the bottom of this post, making sure to leave your blog link or email so I can get back in touch should you win! 

I will draw the winner and announce it on Saturday 30th June.....If you would like a second chance in the draw then feel free to blog about it and/or put a link on your sidebar (I gotta say, this always dumbfounds me a little, but just cut and paste the picture above if you like)  please then pop back and let me know so I can enter your name again.......I'm quite blonde so spell it out!

I will leave you now, with a quick pic of our weekend mud bath walk with kids and dogs in the woods yesterday.

Hope you all have a great week!

Something a bit different!

As you may know, this week, I took up the personal challenge to start something new, and I decided upon Brioche Knitting.

This is a totally new way for me, and so far....so good, although the book is crammed full of different stitches and I have only attempted a couple of things so far......it will be a long journey.

I figured there may be some of you who hadn't come across Brioche and therefore might like me, with my vast knowledge of all things Brioche to explain all I know.

Prepare to be speechless..........

Now you too can call yourself a Brioche knitting expert like me!

This post is part of the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

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(in my defence this seemed like a good idea at the time and looked really professional until I tried to upload it....well, thats my excuse anyhoo!)

Colour Lovers - showing my true colours

Colour to me, is my playground.

I guess starting out with paints, before discovering yarn, I have never shied away from using colour.......colour talks to me.......

When I see a dramatic sunset.........

 

.......a still sea........

........a field full of oil seed rape flowers....

So when I crochet and knit....am I any different?  Are my yarn shelves weighed down with varying shades on the same theme? 

Which colour floats my boat?  None of them really........on their own.....but throw a load together and now you've found my love. 

I'm not sure I could pick a favourite....but I can tell you this, as I'm running along the home straight at the end of one project, the next one is in my mind.....not that I'm fed up with what I'm working on....but I just can't wait to see what the next project will look like.

When it comes to colour..... I like natural, bright, gaudy, toning, pastel, clashy, pale, sparkly (I do love sparkly!).....and most of all....I like them all together..........call me frivolous or flighty....but then that's my true colours.

One thing, you may see again and again, is a love for stripes, straight or wiggly, they draw me in!  As part of this Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, I am going to learn a new skill.

To go with my love of stripes, I've picked up a library book about Brioche Knitting....follow my progress over this next week to see where it takes me.......

This post is part of the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week.

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