princessdeia

May 19th 2009
Filed under General

I have been knitting socks for over four years now (I know it was a shock to me too) and have built up a large collection of leftover sock yarn,  I have been hoarding it away hoping one day to knit a blanket.

I have always loved Erika Knight’s Patchwork quilt (the one on the cover of Classic Knits at Home), making a traditional patchwork from yarn, and also the way she mixes several textures and includes fabric. Turning all this sock yarn into one blanket.

After some research, I discovered there are two ways to knit hexagons, on the round as described here,  or back and forth as explained here. I am hoping to use a combination of both to graft them together.

March 2nd 2009
Filed under Finished Projects 2009, Socks

On Ravelry this month has been dubbed “Malabrigo March,” a chance to explore all the wonderful yarn produced by Malabrigo. Since Alice started stocking their sock yarn last autumn, I have collected a nice little stash.

On the Socktopus Board, we are having a mini malabrigo sock yarn, we selected a few patterns, then after a vote we decided on the Vinnland pattern. There is now a rebellion group that is knitting the Hourglass. I have opted to stick to the original plan and knit the Vinnland in Indiecita and hopefully if I have enough time I can cast on the Hourglass in Violeta Africana.

January 14th 2009
Filed under 101 Things, General, Socks

I have to admit, I don’t use Ravelry to it’s full potential. Occasionally, I will test out a new feature (I am currently loving the twitter status updates), but there are tools I never use. I tend to just use the project or stash tabs, and the forums. This weekend I decided to export my stash into excel – all done with the one click. After adding a quick equation, I discovered I have six and a half miles of yarn!

As most of this is sock yarn and I am attempting to decrease this stash by mile, I figured four pairs of socks and a hat (mainly because of the cold snap in London this month) is about 1760 yards.

Rather than digging into my core stash, I opted to start knitting with my newest yarn acquisition, the Scarlet Fleece I got from my Sosesaswa pal. Speaking on Sosesaswa before Christmas, Jen set me an extra gift as part of the swap, a handmade DPN case, some needles and stitch markers.

November 9th 2008
Filed under General

When I was a child going up after my birthday shops would be filled with fireworks and then a week or so later the shops would be filled with Christmas cards, wrapping, decorations and of course gifts. However, each year the Christmas paraphernalia is appearing earlier and earlier (we actually saw Christmas cards in September this year).

With London’s newest shopping centre opening just on our doorstep, Jason and I had pop along to see what all the fuss was about. Of course the most important thing was to check out if anywhere sold yarn (no luck there). So then we had a general potter around, and I started looking at the Christmas decorations and gifts.

Immediately I noticed there was a knitted theme this year. To decorate your house you can buy gift stocking or to hang on your tree you can buy amigurumi angels or knitted baubles. Or if you are looking at gifts you can find cozies for teapots, mug or hot bottles. Or Hat and scarves there are actually advertising as hand-knitted!

All knitters walk around a store looking at the knitwear and then trying to work out what stitch is used or returning home to spend ours hunting around online to find a pattern similar to the cardigan we have just seen, and this was exactly the way I felt about these knitted items!

A quick look on ravelry and I have found this amazing patterns. For decorations I love Little Cotton Rabbit’s Mini Christmas Stocking, this Amigurumi Nativity, Annie Woolens’ Stockings and these beaded Christmas decorations.  

As for presents, I am a huge fan of the BAWK Bottle Cozy which fits a larger hot bottle not the mini version they have in the stores, the is the classic French Press Cozy (which looks exactly like the M&S version), or the Basic Cup Cozy (an environmental friendly version of java jackets). And where do we start with the tea cozies their are hundreds of great patterns out there.

I have been working on a few Christmas themed presents – so watch this space.

May 16th 2008
Filed under Project Spectrum, Project Spectrum - Elements, Travels

So this weekend, we are off on our summer vacation!

I have packed away enough yarn to knit two pairs of socks. I was going to knit on the plane, but have decided it is time I attempt to finish The Friday Night Knitting Club (I put it down about six months ago and it has sat on the side all this time).

Of course, I have checked Knitmap and put together a list of stores I want to visit – it is a good job I have stopped that yarn diet!

I also figure that my time away is the perfect time to blog about all my finished projects so I have queued up some posts in my absence.

Finally, so this isn’t a photo less entry… 

My Earth ATC from Vloula.

April 1st 2008
Filed under General, Project Spectrum, Project Spectrum - Elements

Two months ago, I set myself some definate goals as part of Stashalong, I made a long list, , sorted out my stash, and even created a page to montiner my goals… and of course like all good plans it didn’t quiet work out that way.

I did suceed in using up most of my pink yarn – apart from the Knit Pick Shimmer (I still have no idea what I am going to use this yarn for), and I am now ready to start working with my earthy shades – yet again I have a list!

1. The Natural Dyed Studio – Alba, 2. KnitWitches Pure Silk, 3. Lorna Lace Solid Sock Yarn

I am planning on casting on another pair of Baudelaire socks in the green – ready for the Socktopus meet up on Thursday. a scarf in the silk and more socks in the brown – stashbusting with some leftover Lorna Lace.

On a final note from PS3 – Fire, I recieved this lovely little fire faerie from Wanda.

February 1st 2008
Filed under General, Project Spectrum, Project Spectrum - Elements

For me and my knitting February means the start of Project Spectrum, this year’s theme all about the Elements and linking them to colour and crafting…

The project is starting of with FIRE incorporating oranges, reds, and pinks. I am hoping adding elements to the project will really help me get a little more creative, I am apart from just experimenting with colours now we have a theme, knitting Flickering Flames Socks or Candle Flame Shawl.

I want to experiment more with colour for me, I live in a uniform of jeans and tee during the day and dresses in the evening. All are shades of blue, black or brown. Occasionally, I buy a red or pink t-shirt and only wear it once. I would never dream of wearing something orange or yellow (I barely even wear green). My home is exactly the same, shades of blue and brown, the only colour is on the beds with a pink or lilac duvet cover.

For Christmas, I got the Kate Spade Style book, I love the ways she talks about colour and it’s relation to the world around us, from, people to film, to clothes to everyday objects. She also then gives tips to add colour to our lives. I figure this is the perfect time for me start examining colour and also experimenting with it in my life.

As this is a knitting blog, I guess I should show off the firey yarn in my stash.

1. NDS – Dazzle, for a special project, 2. Cascade 220, for a Hot Bottle Cover,
3. KnitWitches Sock Yarn, 4. Knit Picks Shimmer – I have not idea what to do with these yarns.

December 21st 2007
Filed under General

In between the shopping, wrapping and decorating this week I have been working on my Scarf and Socks, I am treating this as practice run in being a two-project-gal! My aim is to have them both finished by the 31st, so I can cast on two new projects in the New Year. But which projects, as I am enjoying this sock/scarf combination I searched my ravelry queue and narrowed down my choices – and decided to let you decide.

For Socks, I have narrowed it down to # One Husband Socks in Knit Picks Palette (for Jason), Broadripple Socks in some NDS yarn, Old Shale Two Yarn Socks in Lorna Lace for my sister or Rainbow Socks some Opal yarn I have had in my stash for ages. (All link are to Ravelry)

[poll=1]

I was tempted to have another go at knitting the Flower Basket Shawl, but instead have narrowed my scarf/shawl selection to…
Ene Shawl in Knit Picks Shimmer, Print O’ the Wave Stole also in Shimmer, Short Row Rib Scarf in Wendy Fusion and finally the Wisp Wrap in KSH.

[poll=2]

December 20th 2007
Filed under General

When I got my first “real” job, I was really looking forward to Christmas, I was finally going to have money to buy decent presents for my friends and family, a co-worker and I took an afternoon off work and walked up and down High Street Kensington, looking for gifts, as we brought all our gifts in an afternoon, we decided we needed a treat and brought a present for ourselves. Ever since then it has become a little tradition that when I am out Christmas shopping I buy a present for me. Normally, this is an outfit to wear on New Year’s Eve, but this year I opted for something to wear on Boxing Day whilst visiting family.

In the panic of not having enough yarn to finish my Hourglass Sweater, I ordered two extra balls of Classic Al, however, they are a different dye lot and the colour difference is really noticeable, so they were destined to sit in my stash, apart for that fact that they perfectly match my new outift! As it is freezing outside I know I would need some new gloves to wear, as I cast on some Dashing Mitts. I am adapting the pattern a lot to make them shorter more like Fetching.

December 5th 2007
Filed under General, Sweaters

Well, I am still working on the Hourglass Sweater, I have finished both sleeves and am now working on the raglan decreases – this should be finished by the weekend.

I have been thinking about my new year’s resolutions for next year – I think I need to stash-bust (it is getting a little silly, that I keep buying yarn). I also think I need to control my startitis for next year. I am need to become a two-project gal, I figure I will always need a small project for carrying around, a major project to potter on at home.

So last night before, starting this new exciting knitting life, I decided I needed to finish what is on the needles. Attack the projects hibernating the bottom of my knitting bag, finally weave the ends on the Entrelac Scarf, sew the sleeves on my Central Park Hoodie. I thought I would start with the Flower Basket Shawl.

Now, I loved this pattern, and I like the yarn – I just don’t think they would well together. I think the pattern will look better with a solid coloured yarn, as for the yarn because it looks like water I am thinking it will be better suited for a River Stole or Print O’ the Wave Stole. So I frogged it – one project down – five to go!