Flibbertygibbet

Stash-busting - yeah, that's what it is

I'm going to the gym pretty frequently at the moment (the more I go the cheaper it gets through our work health insurance; it's making me feel a million times better including helping my back and posture; and as I'm already committed to paying for it each month it's like economising.  Almost.) I rented a permanent locker there so that I no longer get a second daily workout from schlepping all my gear back and forth so that kind of impacts the economising theory, but still.  I decided to make some bags to carry home laundry etc, rather than taking plastic bags from the gym all the time, and so trotted off to John Lewis for some fabric.  Cos you know, it's not like there's anything that I could possibly use here.  The idea was to get pure cotton so that I could chuck the bag in the wash with everything else.  I got some very cute Amy Butler and some chambray to mix with prints.

Then I saw something on Twitter about Liberty fabric and thought 'Duh.' 

As it's not like there isn't some of that around the house.  Yards of it hidden in various places in the craft room.  I have a selection of half metres of prints which proved irresistible in various sales, but I never had the right project for them until now - I'd originally planned to use them for quilting and then reconsidered putting the Tana Lawn with heavier weight cotton.

I used some plain cotton for the lining and some of the by-now ubiquitous Tikki binding (which Tiina cut for me on the day of the quilting class before Christmas.

The pattern was from this Japanese craft book and I'll definitely try more - both patterns from the book and more bags.  Next one will likely be a modified version of this one so that it's less boxy.  Oh, the possibilities...

PS thanks for the sweet emails and comments - the ex-mole is looking grand really.  Just waiting to get the all clear letter and putting the Vitamin E on it...

Sofa time

For one reason or another, I've been spending quite a lot of time on the sofa. 

I'm persevering with the bellatrix socks though they're not turning out like I expected (I thought they'd be more Lizard Ridges-ish, like some of the photos.  I think that some knitters modded it to 5 stitches between the repeats which would make it more bobbly, less space in between.) 

I also finally finished this, to curl up under whilst on the sofa:


Yes, my first bed sized quilt, all for me.  Contrary to what the cats think.  They pounce on it (and by extension, on me) whenever they can.  My only regret is sticking to my 'use what you have dictum' and using a lightweight wadding on the inside.  Won't make that mistake again. It's definitely more of a summer weight.  I machined it all, apart from the second side of the binding which I did by hand.  I used this tutorial, which makes it so easy.  It's about double-size I guess, the bed it's on is super-king.


"Nice.  When do you get one?"

I've been taking it easy after having a very minor procedure at the doctor on Friday -  sensible women get suspect moles removed.  I went back and forth on whether it was necessary; and where to get it done, at my local surgery's dermatology clinic or at a private hospital using my insurance and went local in the end.  While I can't say for sure yet that it was or wasn't a good choice, I have some reservations about the care and certainly the bedside manner.  My internal conversation was turning remarkably rude and increasingly frantic as he said things like:

"It will certainly leave a scar.  More stitches might make that better.  Or it might not." Ok.  So stitch more. In for a penny...

"Oh, well I said it wouldn't hurt but it turns out I didn't mean it."  WFT?  Is anesthetic on the 'cutbacks' list?

"You can have stitches without any anesthetic at all you know."  Yes well I've seen enough episodes of Casualty and ER to know that you can also do a tracheotomy with a pen but that's not necessarily the option you choose.

Home to the sofa and feeling punched in the chest for two days now.  I ventured out to the cinema to catch up on some movies (Bolt is funny;  watching in 3D is surprisingly fun.  Bride Wars - well I know, what was I thinking...) and purchase a huge pile of  books, my equivalent of the 'I was Good at the Doctor's' lollipop i.e. I didn't tell him just what I thought of his handiwork.
Warmed by the thoughts of all the lovely friends who offered to come around, to pick me up from the doc, who checked in with me. I'm fine.  And about to curl up under a new quilt.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

Ok, it's actually rather delightful, from where I'm watching.  So the commute tomorrow could be a little squidgy, but that's what wellies are for (oh yes, I will).  I'd like to be out there now too.  There's construction work underway, a snowball fight and a football game.  At midnight on a Sunday.  Bring it on.

The Sockalong

I started a sock knitalong (KAL) on Ravelry, if you want to join in.  Come on down.  If you're not already a Rav member, just sign up for an invitation and it will be through in a couple of days.

 

Here's the Bellatrix socks, being helped along by the lovely stitch markers which were a gift from the even more lovely Denise who's probably too busy to join a KAL at the moment unless it's for very little pink socks, mwah. 

As usual with my wayof knitting something, I've screwed up the pattern on the first one, so I've started on the second one; then I'll go back and fix the first one.  Probably.  Must learn to count. 

To house these, I've got one of Sue Moon's fabulous sock bags.  It appears she still has a couple on sale - they are so beautifully made so go in and snap one up if you can. I made the mistake of buying three that I really liked as presents - and then didn't want to give any of them away.  It's got lots of useful pockets and interiors 'straps' so your store needles.  So clever.

I've also got a Cotton and Clouds bag that I love. 

I haven't got much time for knitting really, finishing up some freelance work that's doing my head in as these things always do, especially after work.  Someone decided I could make time though...

My feline paperweight. 

Bueller?

Can't believe it's flown by so quickly, this weekend.  A mixture of working and socialising, and a little bit of knitting.  Yesterday I met up with two lovely ladies, Ruth and Abi.  We stopped into Loop quickly and yet it took me a suprisingly short amount of time to do a considerable amount of damage to my credit card.

I met Ruth after we'd commented on each other's blogs, a couple of years ago now, and I went up and introduced myself to her at Origin.  I then got a bit embarrassed as it occurred to me that it was perhaps a slightly stalkerish thing to do.  Similarly, Abi and I met after I mentioned I was doing a market stall, she popped by and introduced herself. Her young daughters pointed out "Mum, if we said we were going to meet someone from the internet, you wouldn't let us out.'  Fair point, well made. I'm am glad, however, that all of these introductions did take place, and which led to coffee, cake and chatting about vintage handbags yesterday. 

Here's the last knitting project that will be completed for a while:

Easy ribbed handwarmers in SkeinQueen Cashmere Silk for a friend's birthday.  One of them is very late and the other one is only a little bit late.

In Loop yesterday I asked Abi when she was going to start knitting socks and she was more than game, so left with some very lovely Jitterbug. It's her first pair of socks, and we're going to have a bit of a KnitAlong.  I'm going to try my first pair of patterned socks (well, the horrendous garter rib ones don't count because they got frogged, even though they'd met the Yarn Harlot...)

Anyone else fancy joining in?  The idea would be to do something sockish that you haven't done before - either your first pair; magic loop when you've only knit with dpns; toe-up instead of top-down or vice versa...  leave a comment if you're interested.  There's no deadline for completion - well ok, let's say the end of the year. 

I'm going to try to Bellatrix socks in the new skein of Misti Alpaca. I'm also going to cast on with Lucy's handdyed because I just can't wait, and really want to see how they come out.  Also they will be stocking stitch so I should be able to work on them in company:  the Bellatrix will take more concentration from me so I'll be able to work on them on the tube etc but probably not when out.  That should keep me busy for a while.  Two pairs of socks running concurrently is just about right for me.

The other question I wanted to float out again was the idea of running the fabric swap again as a couple of people have asked about it. Details of the last one here - again, leave a comment if you're interested!

The Is-It-Or-Isn't-It-A-Mushroom beret

Yeah, more knitting.  Really, what's going on around here?  I'm having problems with my sewing project, that's what's happening.

This is for a friend - long story about it initially being her Christmas present and then I went for the scarf instead because she'd scored an adorable beret from her flatmate who works for a fashion retailer, it's a one-off sample and very cute. 

But then she said she'd love another one.

Sorry for the blurry 'traditional dirty myspace photo', as Lucy calls it.

It's knit in Rowan Big Wool, a freebie pattern from Simply Knitting I think - the issue that came with the 20mm needles that the pattern calls for. It knitted up like a pointy fairy toadstool, so then I blocked it with a dinner plate inside and it developed magic elastic tendencies and would have fitted a small child inside. But miraculously it sprang back rather nicely to more of a Portobello shape.  Once the ends are woven in, it will be delivered to complement the scarf. 

I am also the very lucky recipient of the remainder of the beeyoutiful scientifically-handdyed yarn that Lucy made her gorgeous socks from - I'm really intrigued to see how my version will knit up with my tension and ahem, lack of general knitting precision, plus the fact that they will be on much smaller needles than my last couple of pairs.  But they will be the most beautiful treat for me.  Thank you Lucy! My plan for knitting this year is to cast on a number of smaller projects and be able to bounce around between them, ideally always with something small ready to pop into my bag. 

A very knowledgeable friend kindly helped me out with my tax return this past weekend which is another load off my mind and to-do list.  We've tentatively agreed to do the next one in April, as soon as it's due, to get it done and dusted - how very grown up.  I'll trade her expertise for her choice of yarn, possibly from Art Fibers, and get my boss to mule it back from San Francisco the next time he goes over for work (their store is relocating; but their website remains open during the move) or from somewhere else that doesn't ship outside the US perhaps.

A little scheduling around here is doing me the world of good - earth-shattering changes are yet to be discerned but I feel like I'm making a little bit of solid progress towards all the big things I mentioned before.  Managing to bring lunch to work four out of five days this week (good for finances and healthy eating); finishing projects; working insane hours but with a purpose.  Almost running a few miles - with some walk breaks to protect my poor shins - almost every other day is tiring but really making things easier overall.  I'm attempting to plan time around working and freelancing to see friends and I'm looking forward to a meet-up with a couple of particularly favourite ladies this weekend, and also getting to visit some precious new and almost-new babies soon.  Long may it last. Hope whatever you have grabbed on to for this year is working for you too.

I am Queen of Unattractive Pooling

However, you do know what pooling means.... yes, there has been crafting!

Socks.  Socks for ME.  One of my resolutions (of which there are oh so many) with which I shall undoubtedly bore you anon, is to make projects for myself.  Yes, there's still a big list of baby presents to be completed but they are slightly more in hand than before.  As long as none of the babies are out of the 0-3 month bracket by the time I make and deliver the gift, ahem, then we're fine. 

So these are knitted in Jon EasyKnitter's beautiful BFL, same as Dad's Christmas socks which were in Choc Lime.  I have these noted down as Plums and Custard but I really don't think that can be right as the P&C on the site looks much more purple and yellow, as the name would suggest and not this supercool cherry red.

 

I used the Sherman heel again with varying results, the heel itself is fine but I mucked up the end and have a gap and also managed to somehow drop one stitch on one heel.  I can live with it. (I can darn).  Not sure how I got this crappy pooling but I suppose I should have rejoined the yarn or something, but um...  I did 2x2 rib for most of the leg then reversed it for the very top of the cuff.  They look kind of fugly on my milk bottle calves but they're delightfully sproingy and warm. (And cold it is here - roll on finishing the quilt so I can curl up under that on the sofa) I seem to have lots and lots of yarn left.  I have a plan for that though, as I remembered a gift from Claire that will come in very useful...

This is a Climbing Lace Trellis scarf for my grandmother who turns 90 next week.  She's given us a few scares lately, and it makes me really wish that I was at home to do my share of the helping out.

It's knitted on 20mm needles in some of the Lamb's Pride Bulky that came from the Tash Stash.  I was trying to do some rearranging in the flat the other day and came eye to eye with the little knitted jumper that was a Christmas gift from Tash last year, which rests on a hook on the notice board that is usually higher out of my eyeline. Hard to believe she's been gone since May. 

Which brings me on to resolutions.  One of them is to blog more often so that I remember what's been going on, as much as anything else, and also to keep in touch with people both near and far. Not that everyone in my life knows about the blog.  I often wonder about how much personal stuff to put on here and every once in a while decide that it's primarily supposed to be a craft blog.  So I'm not going to go into much detail about my main resolution on here as it's health and fitness focussed (precis: lose 10k and run a marathon for charity) but will be blogging my progress over here and Flibbertygibbet will return to its regular programming of craft-angst.

Guess what this is?

 

One of the coolest Christmas presents I got.  My lovely mummy knitted me this from ubersoft Colourmart cashmere and I've worn it almost every single day since (apparently I sent her the pattern, probably found on Ravelry, but I've no idea what it is.  Mother, you can email me back the link if you can still find it?)

She did a slightly more narrow one for herself and still has lots of yarn left too.  Perhaps we should swap. I was cheeky and rather than knit something for her for Christmas, I gave her three skeins of Manos Silk Blend in the 6610 colourway and the instructions for the Clapotis. She seems totally hooked though I did nearly cause her a nervous breakdown by making a mistake in the grid I created for her, so she couldn't work out why she was so wrong on the stitch count at the end of the second section (a dozen stitches out).  I helpfully came home from the pub about 1:00am and wrote her a note saying 'What have you done to the clap?" meaning 'why have you stopped, looks fine to me' and then didn't get up until about noon at which point she'd nearly ripped it back. Oops, my bad.  But she hadn't!  It's going to be fab.

And this is the quickest recent make: more on the other site.

 

I'm making a dress as well but that's under wraps for the moment.  Working on a list of resolutions.  Hanging out with the cats (part of the "live within my means" resolution).  All good.Tonight it's staying in, cooking yummy food, watching silly telly and and perhaps a little more knitting.

Do you think that soon I'll be having the 'this isn't just a knitting blog' conversation in my head?

All over, creation*

There's been much making going on around here lately.  When I am supposed to be doing something [writing] I find it only works when I can also procrastinate doing other stuff. Thankfully this time around, mostly creative stuff rather than watching TV.

In the midst of Nano, I decided that my daddy is too lovely and indeed too good to me to not get socks for Christmas.  Here's hoping he actually does like the ones he's had in the past because he's getting another pair. I asked lovely Jon of Easyknits some very silly questions about yardage trying to work out how to do my normal top-downs before finally giving in and going for toe ups.  I'm trying the Sherman heel - really, Lucy, I'm trying, I promise. Hating it.  Having lousy problems with the k enc and p enc stitches, I think I'll need a live tutorial.  The good thing is that I'm being a supercheat and these have gone up really quickly on 3.5mm needles.  Here's Dad's chocolate lime socks.

I'm casting on a second pair - in plums and custard - for the present pile.  Maybe a present to me.

I stayed up far too late on Friday night trying to work out the heel.  The next morning I was probably a bit distracted when I was packing up for the long awaited quilting course. I'd thought the sewing machine would fit in my wheelie bag, but no. So a big blue bag from the nation's favourite Swedish retailer came to the rescue.  I repacked everything and jumped on a train around to Kew Gardens.  Tikki Patchwork is a lovely little shop, worth the hour long train trip each way even if I spent the journey there screwing up the crochet cast on for the the Plums and Custard sock, just too tired. 

So I arrived on time, even after getting a little lost out the wrong side of the station.  Started unpacking and realised I'd forgotten something rather important - yup, you guessed it.  The bloody quilt top.  The tutor suggested I get my husband to run it over and it took quite the limit of my self-restraint to politely say "that's not an option". 
As for the class itself,  I had used most of the techniques before but it was a nice group of girls with some lovely projects to look at and would be great for beginners.   You can probably find most of the stuff on the internet but sometimes you need someone to show you in person (see Sherman heel above).   I don't think I picked up very much that I didn't know before but the whole point was that I spent some time on the quilt and feel inspired to do the next steps.

I trimmed, cut and basted it when I came home.  I'll give machine quilting another go.

Tiina helped me to cut the binding.  I think it's going to be very cute.

In the background of the first photo, you might see the fabric that's for another baby quilt.  I'm thrilled to say that four more beautiful bouuncing bambinos have arrived this week.  Hello to JR and Kelly (same day, in Munich and Blackpool), Mia and Sophie! All here safe now after some difficult births. Can't wait to meet them.

The other thing that sprang to life this month?  I won Nano.  My fingers are sore. But I'm happy.

*Almost the title of a novel by one of my favourite authors, Ruth Ozeki.  (she seems to have lost the middle initial between her first and second books)

Sleep-in Sunday

I kind of wish it was a sleep in day, but there's so much to do. Though it's a nasty, windy day so I'm most glad I food-shopped yesterday and don't have to go out today, even though I'd like to get a cinema trip in with Claire...

My Nano mojo sort of disappeared.  Back at work this week and was trying to settle back into it.  Also got out to see the girls on Wednesdays. On Thursday I was told that a job change/promotion that's been under discussion since June is now definitively on hold as there's a headcount freeze across the company. While I'm telling myself that I'm lucky to have a job and need to hold on to it, it irks me that they will also use this as a rationale to refuse a deserved payrise.  By now I expected as much but am still extremely disappointed and wish they'd never started discussing the promotion with me in the first place. However it has brought some clarity - I'm not saying it'll be work to rule but the beyond-the-call stuff is certainly out the window now.  Using my lunchbreak to write is a strong possibility too, so is actually taking a lunchbreak.   

Yesterday I picked up my machine (cotton caught underneath the hook race, all better) and got into the quilting ahead of next week.  I'm about halfway through the top now.  The section on the left is sewn, and the right side has been rearranged yet again since the photo was taken.  As you can tell it has been put together randomly and I think I've probably subconsciously placed the same fabrics beside each other in the strips. Would a plan have been better?  Probably.  Would that have been me?  Almost certainly not.  I'm reasonably pleased with it, as much as I ever am with something I'm making for myself. Of course the quilting, binding etc makes a big difference too.

 

There's been some knitting. 

Socks that have been on the needles for ever are just about done.  Just some Kitchener stitch required. I'd decided to give these to my grandmother for Christmas as she was thrilled with the last pair and she hasn't been very well of late. I've decided to send them on early because tiny granny feet are just as cold in early December as later on that month. 

There are other WIPs on the needles.

A:  Kusha Kusha scarf, and thanks to Thimbleanna for procuring the Habu Superfine Merino from Purl for me.

B:  Secret for the moment

C:  Those bloody bootees

This creation is still underway, I won't get it finished this term... more photos of the process when it's all done:

It's quite a small size and there's a lot of work yet to do but the process is fascinating. 

Now, I have a question for all of you.  When Thimbleanna and I met up, we were talking about the Fabric Swap, as that was how we 'met' (though I think it was Round 1) and she wondered if I was going to do it again.  So - is there anyone interested?  Details are in the link above but it would involve sending three fabric strips to two separate partners, often shipping internationally.  I'd envisage it taking place in January again, because of upcoming holidays and holiday post.  One additional rule - you have to have a blog that is regularly updated to participate.  I was burned by someone relatively well known on the last swap who turned out to be quite notorious and so I'd use my discretion this time.

Ok, almost 10:30.  Time to get typing. On nano. 

Just one more...

...week off would be lovely, thanks.  I can't quite understand how two weeks have flown past already.  I took off to Lewes for the bonfire celebrations and if I could find the UBS cable for my camera I’d show you tons of photos.  It’s calculated lunacy, complete with the random tossing of fireworks into the crowd (rook scarers thrown at your feet) and burning of the pope.  Well, not the pope.

The next few days were my start of Nanowrimo, interrupted by a weekend spent at a hen weekend (ice-skating; ice bar, dinner and a cheesy club that’s allegedly quite posh) and the commensurate hangover the next day. 

Since then it’s been a little crafting, slightly less housework, loads of writing.  I made some progress on my quilt, as long as I could work around the cat:

Frustratingly my sewing machine has developed a little hiccup and it’s pulling the main thread in around the bobbin race when the needle descends – I think it’s going to have to go away which is a bit of a pain.  I’ll have to run it over tomorrow so that it can be fixed in time for the quilting course on the 29th – of course the quilt top has to be done by then, as, largely does Nano.  Fun!

I'm making the lightning trip to Cardiff tomorrow, literally in time for the party and away home early the next morning.  I don't expect to know many people there at all, apart from the birthday boy and his wife - who are lovely -  so it's somewhat of an adventure.  But sometimes I need to get outside of my comfort zone.  All the way to Wales, it seems.

There are some knitting projects on the go too, some of which are thanks to ThimbleAnna for procuring supplies, and there are a couple of surprise things too.  It’s also time to start thinking about Christmas presents though I’m not sure there will be time for anything handmade this year, certainly not handknitted.  Any other suggestions?