princessdeia

July 19th 2011
Filed under General

So another year and another Knit Nation has gone… I took things a lot easier this year only volunteering on the one day and not doing any classes, but at least I got to shop! I was meant to be on the registration desk during the Friday night preview howver I did manage to get over to the marketplace and have a wonder around. I have to confess this year I avoided the  Wollmeise stall (it was too busy and on my limited timescale I opted to check out the other stalls).

Last year, I entered the marketplace with a definite plan, a shopping list of yarn and intended pattern – this year I wasn’t so organised. However I did spot this pattern online and knew I had to have it. I hadn’t seen Pippa’s yarn in the flesh so I was excited to see her vibrant yarn in person.

Without a shopping list I mainly browsed, but without any idea what to knit, I was really hoping for inspiration. I also enjoyed seeing more of Alice’s yarn in person as well as old favourites like Natural Dye Studio, but opted not to buy yet more sock yarn.

I did however fall in love with a lace yarn at Juno Fibre Arts (a stall I regretted not buying from last year) and then went a little mad at the Bothered Owl stall buying not only some more fabulous stitch markers (a Telephone Box and Hot Dog), but also the most amazing Batman project bag.

May 12th 2010
Filed under Knit Love Club 2010, Socks

I am a little late blogging about this sock – but I figure it is okay as spring seems to be a little late this year too! The beautiful spring yarn was part of the March installment of the Knit Love Club. As I have mentioned before Alice always manages to challenge us where the sock club is concerned and this pattern was no different. In fact it crossed the border out of my knitting save zone.

Like most people the knitting techinique I have never tried is steeking, my opinion is simple, why would I want to cut my beautiful garment that has taken me so long to knit! This pattern involved a strange form of horizontal steeking used in the Cat Bordhi Personal Footprint book, you can see a video of the technique here.

So this funny flat fish looking piece of knitting was turned into the foot of the sock – with the leg appearing between the two safety lines, It was an extremely strange construction but there wasn’t a lot of sewing involved so I guess that was a good think – I had to look for the silver lining somewhere. But I would add the sock fits beautifully.

October 21st 2009
Filed under Socks, socktopus club 2009

Recently Alice announced that Socktopus was moving into Stash in Putney, I thought this would have little difference to my purchases it is after just a few more stops on the tube, in fact it is even a shorter walk from the station so the journey time has not really been affected, in fact my sister works across the road so I could combine yarn buying trips with having lunch with her.

Then on the opening night last week, Alice mentioned the sock club parcels would be available to pick up instore. I had already made plans to cook dinner for my sister on that night so couldn’t stop by… but one quick phonecall to my sister and she was able to intrude on knitting night and pick up my parcel and bring it with her!

I thought the last parcel was the pinnacle of this sock club – I mean it is pretty hard to top woolmeise, but then this lovely green yarn arrived! Closer look at the pattern (note the little biscuit instead of a second O), and I realised it was designed by Cookie A.

I jumped around the house a little then had to post on Ravelry, but what could I say without spoiling what the content of the parcel was – I turned to the youth of the Internet to help my express my joy and just posted… OMG – Best sock club eva!

September 17th 2009
Filed under Socks, socktopus club 2009, Stash Enhancement

Before going away on holiday I popped into Socktopus to see a few of my favourite knitters. It was also the day Alice was getting the sock club parcels ready so it gave me a chance to pick up my yarn and goodies (there were two lots of bells and whistles to make up for last months parcel).

Your eye’s do not deceive you that is some lovely skein of Wollmeise, on an exclusive colourway. Now I have to be honest I hadn’t yet cottoned on to the whole wollmeise craze, I seem to always miss the shop updates, I have not yet had a chance to fondle this yarn or seen it knitted up… so this was a real treat for me. After a bit of knitting I have to say I get it, smell and all!

Also included was an amazing Zigzag Stitches knitting bag, this is a tiny version perfect for carrying around sock knitting. I adore her stuff, I have added a few bags and a sock and go needle case to my birthday wish list. Finally, there are the lovely mini Russian doll stitch markers by Atomic Knitting.

Whilst I was there Kat was knitting an amazing cardigan in lace-weight so when I was fondeling the yarn I saw this cashmere yarn, I knew it was screaming to be turned into a lovely cardigan.

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June 4th 2008
Filed under General, Stash Enhancement, Travels

 

1. Stitch Markers, 2. Blue Heron Rayon,
3. Malabrigo Lace, 4. Wildfoote Sock Yarn

Well I am back, and look at the goodies I brought home with me… Stitch Markers, a cute sheep and lobster (to remind me of our time in Cape Cod), Rayon and Malabrigo to make shawls and some sock yarn to make Jason another pair of socks.

1. Superwash Merino Sock – Semi-Solid, 2. Socks that Rock – Mediumweight, 3. Snarky Design Sock,
4. Margo, 5. MadelineTosh Sock, 6. Wexford Merino Silk,
7. 900 MHz Merino, 8. S.A.S.S.Y, 9. Velocity by sKnitches

When I returned home as well as getting some sad news, I was greeted by a parcel containing a Dream Stash and I have to say it really is a Dream Stash – my favourite yarn changes everytime I look at them… I now I have to find some patterns to do this yarn justice.

May 13th 2008
Filed under General, Project Spectrum, Project Spectrum - Elements, Stash Enhancement

So after three months of stash-busting, I have finally brought some yarn! I read on Ravelry about Crafty Cottage stocking Peaches and Creme Cotton in the U.K. and I had to give it a try! Jo offers nearly all the shades of Peaches N Creme and a fantastic service, the yarn arrived the next day, there was a slight error with my order, but she quickly sorted out the problem and sent me an extra ball for compensation, now I can’t wait to get knitting.

Original my stash-busting plan was not to buy any yarn in February and March and to try and use up all my pink and orange yarns, as it turns out I ended up knitting a lot slower that I thought and as it ended up, I didn’t buy any yarn in April! I am currently working through my green and brown yarn as part of PS3-Earth.

Part of my plan was to also donate all the money I saved from buying yarn to charity, but I have decided to give the extra savings to Ravelry – even though Ravelraising is over, the amount of time I spent online it makes sense. Speaking of Ravelraising did you check out the list of prize-winners , I was completely shocked!

 
Finally yesterday morning, the first of my flower appeared on my Chilli Plant! 

October 19th 2007
Filed under General, Socks, Stash Enhancement

The last few times I have seen Laura she has been wearing one of her fabulous shawl creations (really they are more like shawlettes or mini-shawls), I don’t think I would ever wear a big shawl, I guess to a wedding or maybe as a sarong on the beach, but the mini shawls are really wearable. So of course, I had to knit one. I had always liked the Flower Basket Shawl, and I even had the yarn some Knit Picks Shimmer, I brought in the spring. So whilst watching daytime TV today, I have been knitting.

Lolly asked on her blog today about what shoes you wear with your hand-knitted socks with? I have a growing collection of converse boots (I even wore converse at our wedding reception) and I am trying to make matching socks for all my boots, this is newest yarn I have brought to go with my (RED) converse.

This is the second post this week, with my shoes mentioned – I am getting a complex.

October 14th 2007
Filed under General, Stash Enhancement, Sweaters

Like most of the knitters in London, yesterday I headed up to Alexandra Palace for the Knitting & Stitching Show. Originally, I was meant to go on Thursday, but due to a heavy workload, I decided to go on Saturday, luckily Alice brought a ticket which she no longer needed, as she was now exhibiting, so I used her ticket. This helped me as well as I got to meet up with the girls – who had a list of stalls they wanted to visit.

1. Rooster Almerino Aran, 2. KnitWitches Pure Silk, 3. KnitWitches Pure Silk,
4. The Natural Dyed Studio – Alba, 5. KnitWitches Sock Yarn/4ply, 6. KnitWitches Sock Yarn/4ply

I managed to get some yarn for the swaps I am currently doing (not shown), and of course a lot of sock yarn – I also discovered a new store – KnitWitches, as well as selling some amazing, sock yarn they had some fabulous silk dyed in the most amazing colours. All I wanted to do after the show was go home a knit – but I decided to go to the pub and watch the rugby.

September 18th 2007
Filed under General, Stash Enhancement

I had one of those amazing weekends where I got to spend time with friend (and meet some new friends) and see some family (most of whom I haven’t seen since my wedding).

A few weeks ago, Alice announced that she was planning a launch party for her online store, knowing that we were going to a wedding over the same weekend, I had to decline the invitation, but over the last few weeks the buzz on the Ravelry London Board has all been about the party.

So I managed to convince the hubby that as the wedding wasn’t until the afternoon we could travel down in the morning.

As well as getting to see the iKnit regulars Alice, Emms and Laura (and Ross), I also got to finally meet Sharon and Arianne. Then there was the lovely ladies from Ravelry – Anna, Gabrielle, Izzie, Mel, Mulene, and Sarah. (I am sure I have forgetten someone – sorry if I have).

Aside from the wonderful company and food, the real reason were all there was to sample Alice’s wonderful finds – over the last few days she has been tempting us on the Socktopus Blog with images of Shelridge Farm, Dream in Color Smooshy and Chameleon Colorworks, and of course we all had to buy, buy, buy.

Of course, what you really want to see is what I brought…

September 10th 2007
Filed under General

This weekend, I decided to start knitting some mini hats for the Innocent Smoothie Big Knit campaign. For the last two years, I have thought about knitting these little hats, first I was too busy with knitting Christmas presents and last year, I had too much on with the shop.

This year, I thought I should to something positive with my knitting, I found some odd balls of Cascade 220 I had lying around and soon I had three little hats…

To be honest the hardest part of making these was the little pompoms – I remember making them at school, using little circles of card and creating a yarn doughnut, but it got a little fiddly making tiny pom-poms, I ended up having lots of little un-fluffy pom-poms.

I was determined, so I did a quick google search and I found this little tutorial – which is quicker and easier.

I figured this project would be perfect for all those leftovers of sock yarn I had lying around – so I went hunting for them – I knew I had a bag some where with some Opal and Sirdar – but I could not find it eventually, it showed up and hidden in the bag was two – yes two un-used balls of Kid Silk Haze. to be honest, I am not even sure where the second ball came from.

I think it is karma – I spread the love via knitting and the knitting gods are rewarding me!