Its almost 2 years since I last posted here.
I am thinking of maybe starting back up.
I love instagram and podcasts on you tube but I also love reading blogs occasionally.
It would be nice for me too to have an online diary to look back on.
In 2 years things must have changed too so surely it will be easier to blog now.
Does anyone else still read blogs?
I have finished the spinning from the last post and it is now a 2 ply.
This little bit on the front bobbin is all I had left over.
I can live with that.
Its very nice this spinning, lots of different greens. I don’t know the yardage yet as its still on the bobbin but I suspect it falls short of the 300 yards I always try for.
Knitting has been happening. Still plain stocking stitch socks on the small 12″ circular needle.
These are finished….
These have been started……
They are taking ages because I only pick them up occasionally. They are for me so no rush.
A Wurm hat has been finished….
I’ve had this in my Ravelry queue for years and finally decided to knit it. I used King Cole Riot DK in domino and I made the larger size.
The pattern is well written and easy to follow, I love the way the yarn has shaded in the hat and I have worn it almost constantly since I finished.
More knitting…..
Zuzus petals cowl by Carina Spencer.
This is a pay for pattern on ravelry, £3.29 / $5.00 but definitely worth it, I have made this pattern twice now from handspun.
This time I made it from some black sparkle wool I spun at the beginning of the year.
This feels a slight bit itchy on my neck so I am considering undoing it but I don’t know what else to knit it into yet so will keep trying it.
Its a lovely pattern though and everyone comments on it.
With it being a cowl with a shawl front it is so easy to wear.
Cross stitch for Christmas….
This tiny pattern is about 2.5″ square if I remember right without getting up to measure it.
I do love using variegated thread.
More…..
Variegated thread once again.
This turned out exactly how I wanted it to.
Both of these are going to be turned into little pin cushion type hanging ornaments. I have little silver bells to go at the bottom too.
Just a matter of finding time to sew them up now.
Sewing has been happening.
A little bit of quilt sewing.
Two different quilt tops, both involving dots.
These are going to be gifted overseas.
I was thinking they were maybe too small as I usually do rectangles and these are just 45″ square but I am beginning to like the square shape.
Finally, a bit of reading has happened.
I have fallen behind with reading this year and this is book 32 of the year.
Mercy by Jodi Picoult.
I really enjoyed this although it did take me about a month to read, not quite sure why.
It starts as a story about a mercy killing but ends as a story about love and loyalty. As with all Jodi Picoult books I have read it leaves me with lots to think about.
Next is something quick and easy..
I love Milly Johnson books. They are easy escapism, I’m so looking forward to starting this.
I think thats it, well done if you are still reading.
I didn’t intend to go on so long but I think I have caught up wih everything now.
Take care.x
I have been dabbling a little in spinning again.
I have changed my spinning style for the grey in the last post and also this spinning.
I always spun a long length of 100g singles onto one bobbin. I then wound it all off into a centre pull ball and spun a 2 ply using both ends.
For the grey I split my 100g into 2 x 50g and spun 2 bobbins of singles.
I then spun both bobbins together to make the 2 ply.
I always did the centre pull way as I don’t trust my spinning enough to get the same length on 2 bobbins
I was right……
Look how much I had left!!!
I call that a win.
I don’t know if I can do that again this time but spinning the 2 ply from 2 different bobbins is a lot easier than spinning it from a centre pull ball.
I am spinning into a 2 ply now so tomorrow I will come back with photos of that.
Walking Sox this morning was absolutely beautiful.
We were surrounded by thick dense fog.
I love autumn and the weather that comes with it.
A walk in the fog this morning was like being surrounded by a large hug from my small piece of world.
Bliss.
Bye for now, i’ll try and get back with more spinning progress tomorrow.
I have to show you this handspun.
I think it is one of the nicest I have ever spun.
Its not as long or as thin as I was aiming for but just look at the floofy squishiness of it.
Its the bottom right from this photo.
I have the two on the left drying at the moment and they look lovely too.
Only problem is, as usual I don’t want to knit with it now. I just want to keep it and stroke it.
I’m not quite back into the blogging habit yet and life has being throwing us a few curve balls recently so my posts may not be so regular.
I will try to catch up more often though.
I finished the Spiral Staircase Shawl. I really enjoyed this and I do love the way it has turned out.
Unfortunately though I have had to gift this as the alpaca I used feels so itchy on my neck.
It’s strange as it felt soft while knitting but as soon as it touches my neck it itches.
It is on its way to America right now.
This is it shortly after I weaved all the ends in, before it itched.
Its a shame as I loved knitting it, I love the colour and the way it drapes.
I will definitely be knitting another one for me.
Hats, I have been knitting hats.
First The Rikke hat, a free pattern by Sarah Wood.
I have looked at this pattern for a while, couple of years at least so it was time to cast on.
I used some unknown black acrylic I already had and I am pleased with the hat.
Its a nice easy knit and looks great.
I have to fold back the brim on mine or there is too much slouch but I do like it.
It has become my favorite hat for work, for standing in the school playground when the wind whips round the school and its freezing.
My second hat is Wurm, a free pattern by Katharina Nopp.
I bought the wool especially for this, it King Cole riot dk and is an acrylic, wool mix.
It was nice to knit with, I read reports of it being splitty but I found it ok.
I’m really pleased with how the shading has worked on the hat and it is so soft and lovely to wear.
I will admit, I have worn it almost constantly since I finished it.
I also have some finished socks.
As I mentioned above I have been having some family issues, plain stocking stitch socks have been just what I needed.
I have knit socks for the past 8 years, the past 2 years have been mostly patterned and on dpn’s or just one pair I can remember as magic loop.
I thought I was finished with the small 12″ circular but this is just what I have needed the past few weeks, the quiet repitition of knit, knit, knit.
This pair is finished and I have another pair started.
Thats the crafting up to date I think.
I also finished a book.
Me without you by Kelly Rimmer.
I expected to love this and not be able to put it doen as it had such good reviews. To be honest I just liked it
I think it was me though, wrong book at the wrong time as it had everything I usually require.
The story is good, the characters are likeable and believeable and the writing style is nice, it flowed just how I like it to. I just never felt it lived up to the reviews but maybe thats not the books fault.
I would still recommend it, its £1.59 on kindle still, I think and is well worth the money.
I’ve started Mercy by Jodi Picoult.
I’ve enjoyed all the previous Jodi Picoult books I have read but I do find they leave me thinking ‘what!’.
They do seem to leave open ends. not necessarily a bad thing I suppose as I can find myself still thinking of the story days later.
This one seems good so far, I’m dipping into it as and when my arm hurts too much from crafting and I’m enjoying the bits I’ve read.
Yes, my elbow is still giving me trouble. It hurts if I craft or if I rest it so I’m trying to do both and be sensible.
I think thats it for now, I’ll try not to be too long in future.
Take care.x
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.
ON FEEDLY I CAN’T SEE MY PHOTOS BUT ON THE WEBSITE I CAN.
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM TOO. Thank you.
As soon as my doctor imposed crafting ban of 2 weeks ended I was back crafting.
I needed to knit some socks for MrK as it was our 8th wedding anniversary and socks is what I do.
I found a sock pattern called The Great Eight by Tobi Beck, a free ravelry pattern.
I started these on the Friday morning, our anniversary was the Tuesday. I had ordered the wool before the crafting ban so all I had to do was knit.
These were a very easy knit. Its an eight stitch 7 round repeat so fast and easy.
The wool is a solid grey by King Cole.
Its an ok wool for socks but after using balmoral, 4 ply from world of wool for his last socks this felt really thin
I finished at 4.20pm on the Tuesday night.
I had unfortunately been struck down with a viral infection over the weekend so had spent a lot of time alone in bed so it didn’t spread through every one else which gave me much needed knitting time.
I enjoyed knitting these after so long not crafting.
I spent a lot of time watching podcast videos on you tube while in bed and while not crafting. Stitch Addiction podcast is a favorite at the moment, I think I’m on episode 28 now.
I still read blogs through feedly but its nice to hear a voice and easier to be crafting at the same time as watching.
I have no plans to start podcasting though.
I have started a new project thanks to the above podcast. ‘Hello knitty’ who is the star of Stitch Addiction knits socks, hats, cowls and shawls and also cross stitches so its perfect for me to listen to.
She has knit a few hitchhiker shawls which is one that has had my interest for a while. I was concerned there may be short rows in the pattern which I really don’t like doing so I went searching for pattern advice on Ravelry.
I don’t think there are short rows.
It was mentioned in one of the forums that Spiral Staircase Shawl by LizAnn Petch is quite similar.
I went to look and this pattern seems to curve which is good as I want it to curve, hitchhiker does not, it has a straight edge.
This one is free which makes the pattern worth having a look at even if I don’t knit it.
It was just what I was looking for.
Its a very easy pattern to do, its garter stitch with 1 yarn over each row and then casting off at one side after so many rows.
I am so enjoying knitting this, I’m knitting it out of drops alpaca and it is so soft. I only have 2 x 50g of this and I’ve just started the 2nd ball. I’m going to see how it goes but I may end up buying more.
Isn’t it just so pretty?
I have finished The Stolen Girl by Renita D’ Silva and I loved this book.
When I first started it I was a bit apprehensive as I always want a new book to live up to the expectations I have put on it.
I didn’t think this would do but it did.
It was a lovely, lovely story about family and friendships.
It is told in the words of the 3 main characters and jumps from the past to the present quite a bit but it is very easy to follow.
It starts with a woman being arrested in front of her 13 year old daughter for her kidnapping when she was a baby.
The story is then told in the words of the daughter, the kidnapper and the mother.
It is really interesting and I was sad to get to the end of this.
It is £1.59 at the moment on kindle.
I have also bought The Forgotten Daughter by Renita D’Silva for £1.59 as I enjoyed it so much.
I have started Me Without You by Kelly Rimmer.
This is also £1.59 on kindle at the moment and has really good reviews.
I am quite excited about this one and I just need to find the time to actually sit down and read.
Thats it for now I think.
I wil try to get back soon.
Hope everyone is crafting away and reading – whatever makes you happy!
Trying this again as it may be me or something may have changes since i last did any posting.
On wordpress site and direct on my blog page I could see photos on yesterdays post but on feedly I couldn’t – strange.
Let me know if you could see photos please.
Lets try again.
I’m not going to go through all the crafting I have done since I was last here so I’ll just pick certain items that I am probably most pleased about.
Lol, as I was scrolling through photos my finger hit this one of Sox asleep so I’m going to keep it here.
This I am really pleased with and was my last completed project before the RSI crafting ban.
This is a biscornu pattern but I wanted to frame it flat.
Biscornus are made from 2 pieces of work and then sewn together at an angle to make a clever decoration or pin cushion.
The chart above is a free one from
http://www.ant-of-sweden.com/9/free_charts/m-ant-127/2
I used a very pretty variagated brown dmc embroidery cotton for this and I just love it.
I had started a Christmas one just before the crafting ban started byt as its a smaller one it could possibly still be finished in time.
There are lots of biscornus on my pinterest inspiration board. (Tracey Hickson-knittywittywoo).
A knitting finish was this jumper.
I am really really pleased with this.
Its a really large baggy jumper, (I made size xxxl and have since lost weight so its even bigger) to wear over leggings in the winter.
The pattern is 150-31 Arctic Circle Sweater by drops design and its free.
I did think the colourwork at the yoke would be hard but it really wasn’t. The decreases are there too but if you just follow the pattern and concentrate it is easy to do.
I used an acrylic woolcraft new fashon double knitting yarn so I am hoping it will wash well.
All my details are on my ravelry page.
My page would not be complete without socks.
These are Fletchmuster socks.
A free pattern on Ravelry by Simi76.
I used my favorite at the moment heel, fish lips kiss by Sox therapist.
I made these for MrK and he loves them. I really enjoyed knitting these and would possibly knit the pattern again.
The wool was new to me, balmoral in the pebble colourway by World of Wool.
I will definitely use this again, it feels lovely and washes great.
Crochet…..
Happypotomus, pattern by Heidi Bears.
This pattern costs £4.16 but OMG there are millions of pages, ok not millions but there are 35!!!
This pattern is so detailed it is well worth the money. There are 2 different ways to do the motifs all written amd charted for each shape and a very detailed explanation of how to join it all together at the end.
I made this from stylecraft special dk in white, fondant and raspberry, wih a 2.5mm hook, it was lots of fun. Although I do still have his ears to attach, I forgot those.
Also a giraffe by Emma Dent.
This is a free pattern on Ravelry.
Again done in stylecraft special dk but wih a 3mm hook.
This was fun too.
I didn’t think I would like making toys but they are quick fun projects.
Just a quick reading update before I go.
I finished A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke yesterday and found it a lovely book.
If you liked Gone Girl you’d enjoy this. Even though I guessed some of the story there was still more inyrigue to keep me guessing and pages turning.
Now I have started Stolen Girl by Renita D’Silva.
This looks like a more intense read so may take me a while.
Thanks for reading, I hope to be back soon and I hpe the photos appear this time or this post will look really bad.
This is definitely my favorite time of year. The darker nights make me feel all snuggly with hot chocolate and hand knitted socks, and I just love the colours changing in nature.
Today is the first day in a long time that I have woken up to a dark rainy day. I’m loving it.
Of course it helps if you are inside and as I have nowhere to go until work at lunchtime and as it is raining we will probably be kept inside, then back home the rain doesn’t bother me.
I may possibly be out with Sox later but as thats not until late evening the rain will probably have gone.
Anyway, what, you may ask am I doing here?
I am on a 2 week all crafting ban by my doctor who has diagnosed me with RSI in my right elbow. 😦
I went to see him on Thursday as my elbow and wrist had hurt and I had already put myself on a no knitting ban the previous Friday, crochet and cross stitch didn’t seem to hurt as much. Anyway it was still hurting more every day so I thought I’d best get it checked out. I came away with a fortnight of anti inflammatories and if its no better to go back for nerve tests. I so want it to get better but so far, day 4 of tablets and its no better. My little finger hurts whatever I do which I think is a bad sign so I am unable to do ANY crafting on doctors orders and I can tell you, I am slowly going MAD!
I am trying to fill my time but hoovering and ironing, even though they need doing hurt as its a repetitive movement. I’m even trying to hold my phone differently and in my left hand as that could be a factor too.
Wish me luck for the next 2 weeks.
Its amazing how much crafting I do without being aware of it.
It was suggersted.I could watch DVD’s but I knit while watching tv, its very rare I sit still.
The one thing I am doing is reading and alot of pinterest(ing) which is like taking a dieter to cadbury chocolate world.
So, reading, one thing I can do.
I have finished Tangled Lives by Hilary Boyd.
I enjoyed the other books of hers I have read, nice and light, nothing too much hard work and can be picked up at will and the story will be remembered.
Maybe why it took me 5 weeks to finish this.
I enjoyed it but it didn’t grab me.
I’ve just gone to read the reviews and it seems a lot of people felt the same.
Also finished The Accident by C L Taylor.
Now this one I do recommend. I saw this in a shop last weekend and didn’t buy it but its one of those that I got home and wished I had. I googled what I could remember of the story to get the title and was then pleasantly surprised to find I had already much previously downloaded it on the kindle.
This was every bit as good as I hoped it would be.
While her daughter is in a coma, Sue Jackson has to try to find out why it is that her daughter, Charlotte apparently just walked under a bus. The storyline twists and turns as we find more and more about Charlottes life previous to the accident and her Mum’s life before she had Charlotte.
Fans of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn will definitely enjoy this.
Reading now, A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke.
Very, very good. Also in a similar thread to The Accident and Gone Girl.
This hooked me from the very first page and its keeping me guessing all the way through so far (73%).
Right, I didn’t plan this post to be so long and now my little finger is protesting at typing. 😦
If you want to follow what I am reading, I am on.goodreads as Knittywittywoo, come say hi.
I am knittywittywoo everywhere, Ravelry, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest—– come find me.
Thanks for reading (lol).
I’ll be back soon.
I am going to try to post regularly now, I had a year off and it was great but I did find myself missing blogging.
A year seemed like a nice amount of time to let pass before I came back.
There is no point me trying to do a year long catch up post. That would take forever.
If you do fancy seeing what i have been up to, I am knittywittywoo everywhere. Facebook, twitter, instagram, ravelry, in fact if you put knittywittywoo into google theres a good chance it could be me…..come and find me.
More recently I have yet again been bitten by the crochet bug. I am STILL crocheting roses….
If you don’t have Mollie Makes magazine issue 12, I have found THIS blog post explaining how they are made. I still don’t think I have finished yet.
…..and I even managed 3 more this afternoon while watching 12 years a slave on dvd….all I will say is what a sad story and uncomfortable viewing at times but I felt that to turn it off would be disrespectful as its a true story. I just watched it while they lived through it.
I made pretty roses at the time though….
These 3 are from the same skein of hand dyed handspun. I love the subtle differences in shading there are between them.
I’ve made a crochet jacket / cardigan. The pattern is granny shrug by Kirsty of Kootoyoo , its free on ravelry.
This was so easy to make, its basically 2 hexagons, folded and sewn together.
I’m not sure about the sleeves as they are very wide.
I have started a second one as I enjoyed making this one so much.
I have no idea what this yarn is, or the last one as they were on cones I was gifted.
This is a light beige colour with flecks of blue and lilac.
On this jacket I took advice from other ravellers who had made this. Once the sleeve was the depth I wanted I have just carried on crocheting around the other 3 edges. Its kind of like a granny stripe with 2 corners in the centre (if that makes sense).
Tonight I have sat down to do some sock knitting. I have some plain stocking stitch socks in a bag, ready for whenever I leave the house.
Both socks were the same length as the sock in the centre. As I sat down I realised I was fed up of doing plain stocking stitch socks and ripped one back to the ribbed cuff. I’ll continue now in 2×2 rib. Not too exciting but I do have the second of my esther socks to do for when I have concentration time.
I am still continueing to read, at the moment I’m enjoying Jodi Picoult. I’m currently reading Plain Truth and I’ve just finished Sing me home.
I am really enjoying this book and I’ve already gained quite a collection of Jodi Picoult both as books and on the kindle to read. Psst, you can find me on goodreads too as knittywittywoo and see what I am reading or read.
If you are looking for a good crafty blog to read, I can recommend COZY THINGS I found it yesterday and sat and read every post. It was like finding a lovely magazine to read.
Gosh, I can still ramble on.
Thanks for reading.x
Alot has happened in the past year since i last posted.
Most important is this –
Yes, i stopped smoking on May 19th 2013.
I had some help, i used champix tablets from the doctors. They may not work for everyone but they worked for me.
I had my last cigerette in 19th May at 11.30pm and i’ve not had one or been tempted much since.
Boy11 has bought me flowers to celebrate my no smokerversairy.
He’s so thoughtful.
I have spent the day crocheting some roses. I’ve never made flowers before but i’ve really enjoyed these. They are quite addictive though.
The pattern is from Mollie Makes magazine issue 12 so quite an old one. There are plenty of other patterns available.
Hopefully i’ll be back tomorrow to tell you other things i have been up to over the past year.
Its good to be back.
Knittywittywoo. 