princessdeia

As the World Cup entered it’s second round, this weekend, I began the second stage of cardigan. As I am knitting this cardigan top-down, I am now at the stage where you stop all the increases, as you do on the mini-sweater.

I am unsure what to do about the sleeves whether to make them full length or three-quarter lengths, so I am starting to sleeves first – over the weekend, I managed to complete over half of one sleeve so hopefully, I should have them both completed by the end of the week. Ready to start the main body during the quarter finals.

Tags: KAL, Project Spectrum, WIP, World Cup KAL

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Yesterday we went to Royal Ascot and we finally got to see the new grandstand, unfortunately I had dead batteries in my camera and was unable to buy replacements. here should be photos of my in my hat, drinking Pimms and losing money!

Also whilst I was out the postman delivered my first package from my Secret Pal. So this morning, after a quick trip to the post office and shop to buy some batteries, I got to examine my goodies.

Inside was two skeins of this amazing Colinette Point 5 yarn – I have never seen it before and it is amazing! I think it will make a luscious scarf for the autumn.

Also was a collection of scrap-booking supplies all in shades of blue – just in time for me to make my Postcard for June’s Project Spectrum.

Finally, a Su Duko book for some brain training and candles.

Tags: Daily Life, Project Spectrum, secret pal, Swaps

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Part of the rules of the Knitting World Cup, you have to choose a project you will find a challenge. So what is challenging about my project after all it is a cardigan and I have knitted a few of them before.

Well first off, completing a project in 30 days is a major challenge for me, but most importantly this is the first project I will be knitting without a pattern. I have made a few items before where I have adapted a pattern but this is totally out of my head.

Originally, it was meant to knit the Chanel Jacket (pdf file) from Knit Scene, but I figured that wasn’t enough of a challenge. I love cardigans that are knitted top-down, as they knit up so quickly, so I figured this was the way to go, to insure that I will complete it in time… And it seems to be working!

Tags: Daily Life, KAL, WIP, World Cup KAL

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I am doing a pretty bad job of avoiding the World Cup, the idea of meeting up with everyone in the pub to watch the game or staying in and watching crap television isn’t really a fair contest, especially when there is cold beer involved! I watched the England game in the pub on Thursday, and although my knitting was in my bag, the pub was too crowded and the idea of knitting in the smokey atmosphere did not appeal.

My stash has also been enhanced with some Cascade 220, when I started knitting again two years ago, Stitch ‘n’ Bitch became my bible and the Internet was a constant source of patterns, amazingly a large amount of pattern (especially felted patterned) called for Cascade 220 or Lamb’s Pride Bulky, and these yarns where impossible to get hold of – now Get Knitted has started selling both these yarns so I had to check them out – now all we need is got Knit Picks to export to the UK and I will be able to find out what all the fuss is about.

Luckily I am not on a yarn diet, as I brought more yarn on Friday afternoon, when I was meant to be shopping for my Secret Pals when I invested in some Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran for me – I think I will turn it into a summer scarf.

Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to knit much this weekend, as we saw the Foo Fighters in Hyde Park yesterday – undoubtedly a gig I will tell my children about, gorgeously hot day, one of the London’s most famous landmarks, 85, 000 people and members of Queen performing the encore – my only complaint was the set was too short!

Today, I have completed a Blue Square for knit-a-river.

Tags: Cascade Yarn, Felted Bags, knit a river, planning, Project Spectrum, World Cup KAL

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This pretty much a “bear” representation of our weekend, Friday afternoon, Jason began his month long marathon of watching football matches and I started knitting, I manage to cast on my cardigan during the Germany/Costa Rica game, and did a little more over the Poland/Ecuador match.

Saturday was devoted to enjoying the sun, watching the England game and catching up with friends. On Sunday, I started knitting some blue squares for Knit-a-river, perfect for stash-busting and also for this month Project Spectrum.

Tags: Daily Life, KAL, knit a river, planning, Project Spectrum, World Cup KAL

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Over this weekend, I received my May postcard from Suzanne at Luscious Fibers as part of May’s Project Spectrum Postcard swap, with a lovely message about me trying to find balance whilst planning the wedding (I hope I haven’t become bridezilla).

I spent the majority of the weekend having a clear out – think of it as spring cleaning a little late. Because of limited space, I don’t really have a massive stash of wool – and I am always envious when I see other bloggers flash their stash, this sad box is my stash.

• The sky blue mohair, I brought on eBay last year, hoping to make Grecian Plait from Knitty, however, I found the wool to itchy to wear and so it has been hidden away.
• The turquoise is aurora 8, I am hoping to turn into the Clutch Bag from One Skein.
• Finally, the navy is aurora 4, which I am going to turn into a little cardigan – my World Cup knitting project.

I also realized my knitting notions and needles really need a better home, using some plastic bags does not look good – so what does one do – well obviously she knits herself a knitting bag. For a while know I have loved the Cleo Clutch from SPUN, which I think would be perfect for my notions and I thought I would double the pattern to make a larger bag to hold my projects.

Tags: ATC, planning, Project Spectrum

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