WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON?

Hi everyone

What have you been up too?  Here's what I have been getting up to since the last time I blogged.

So as I promised I am going to tell you about the knitting event I attend in August 2017.  It was held in Whitehead, which is a wee town about 45 minutes from where I live in Northern Ireland.

The whole thing started at the local yarn shop in Whitehead called Ligtht house yarns Whitehead.

Then there were stalls situated in the church halls and community centre. The whole thing was really well organised. I had such a good time looking around all the independent yarn dyers and spinners. My mum came with me. As well as this some of my family live in Whitehead so we were able to pop in and say hello to them.

 I didn't want to take pictures of the stalls because I wasn't sure I would have permission to use there images.

There was just so much beautiful yarn at this  event that it took me so long to pick something to buy.  I had given myself a budget other wise I would of gone mad.  Thank goodness for Santa lol, I fell in love with a yarn (sorry but can't remember what base it is), but I didn't want to buy it there and then because it was at one of the first stalls we looked at,  You all know how much I love my colour, so strangely enough I picked a yarn which didn't have any dye in it and was left just the colour of the sheep fleece.  I'm meant to forget that Santa aka mum has bought this for me for christmas, but I just can't as it was so lovely.

In the end yes at the very end just before we had seen everything I decided to buy some sock yarn from a local dyer who lives only about 10 minutes down the road from me in a very small town called Randalstown,  The fact that she was so local to me oh and the colour just made me have to have it.

I didn't cast it on the moment I got home but left it for a month or so because it was just so pretty to look at, and oh so soft.  In the end I decided to cast on a very simple sock because I didn't want any overly completed stitches to take away from the beauty of the yarn.

The yarn was dyed by dye candy.  

This colour is to die for or dye for lol.  Wearing these socks is like paradise, they are so soft.  I managed to remember to knit a stretchy cast on.  The pattern is from Tin can knits Rye simple collection socks

So what else has happened since I last blogged.

Other yarn that I have got sice the last time you have heard from is 

They are both sock yarn.  The first picture is of Arne and Carlos Regia sock yarn,  The second picture is of stylecraft yarn in silver.  

I have seen other people on blogs and YouTube get yarn in vacuumed packed bags but this is my first one.  When I opened it, it just bounced back to life.

I haven't knitted up the Regia yarn yet, but I have used the stylecraft silver yarn - not to make socks but to knit a shawl.  I had some plane baby blue sock yarn I had bought in a wool shop in Carrickfergus.  When at the Whitehead yarn fest you were given a booklet which at the back had an exclusive pattern written especially for the event.

This shawl was designed by Carol Feller - Sorry I can't remember the name of it, I just call it the Whitehead shawl.  Mum got it in her Birthday box in October.

I still have some of the blue and silver sock yarn left over I may knit some stripy socks.

I did knit some socks before I used the yarn from Whitehead yarn fest.  If you remember from a previous blog, I had bought yarn from Arklow, Co. Wicklow.  I had knitted it up as a mini shawl, but to be honest I never wore it.  So I decided to rip it out and use it for another project which turned out to be vanilla stripy socks.

The green yarn is just some stuff I had in my stash that I had at one time bought from a second hand shop.  The Arklow yarn is really soft, so makes these socks nice to wear.

I have also been knitting up mittens.  Since the weather is starting to get colder we all need mittens right.

I knitted these verigated colour mittens first.  Of course my mum got these too.

I have got rid of the pattern.  I found it on raverly I do know this.  Just search mittens colourwork DK weight yarn.

The other pair of mittens I knitted were also Tin Can knits.  Like the socks they are from the simple collection.  The worlds simplest mittens.  The thing that makes mine different is that I used three colours.  

Both pairs of mittens were knit with yarn that has been in my stash for a while or was left over from different projects I've finished. 

The last thing I've finished is an infinity scarf.  I found the stitch on raverly again.  Don't you just love ravelry.  Once again it is knitted from bulky yarn that has been sitting in my stash (feel like I've been saying this a lot  but if you saw my stash you'd understand.  I could knit for a life time and still have loads left.  But then there is just so much beautiful yarn in this world, you just can't help but purchase more) for ages.  

Keep knitting your stash but don't be afraid to purchase new wool too.  You got to treat yourself sometimes.

Cheerio till next time.

ANIMATED KNITS

Hi everyone

Just a wee short blog today to tell you about this great YouTube channel I've come across.

Anna Hrachovec is the name of the Chanel. She makes animated videos with characters all made out of yarn.  The thiny little knit creatures of Mchimochi land get up to weird and funny stuff in stop-motion animations.

I especially like the Donald Trump video.

If you like anything woolly your sure to love this Chanel. Give it a go. It's great fun.

Here's a link to her Chanel.
Anna Hrrachvec

Cheerio till next time.

P.s I'm not sponsored to tell you about this just love her Chanel.

PRIDE FOR EVERYONE

Hi everyone

So my knitting life has been very colourful again.  Is it anything other then colourful??  I don't think so.

I have been knitting socks, shopping bags and blankets.

I'll start by telling you about the socks that I finished.  2 pairs to be exact.  They weren't for myself this time.  They were for my lovely step sister and my niece (her beautiful daughter).  I did try and get them to match just a little bit.  I thought it would be cute to have a mummy daughter sock set.

I knitted my nieces socks first.  I used multi-coloured sock yarn I had, plus I had lots of green sock wool that I knew I could use to knit the 2 sets of socks.

I wanted to try a different heel technique that I hadn't knitted before.  I decided to knit an after thought heel.  It was much easier then I thought (lol) it would be.  The only thing is I wish I had done was make the heel a tad bigger.  Never mind.  

They fitted her snugly,  I don't think she will get too much wear out of them (kids feet grow so fast).  But I was very pleased with them.  I would definitely knit an after thought heel again.  It is a great way to add a contracting coloured heel.

Robyn's (mum) socks have not yet been tried on.  They will be delivered to her tomorrow (the day after I write this blog page).

I decided to knit the body of the socks in the same green sock wool but change the colour of the cuff and toe.

I also decided to do a traditional heel turn.  I did though decided to make her socks ribbed.  I find hand knitted ribbed socks tend to stay up better.

Next I knitted a lacey shopping bag.  I had seen so many people on YouTube and other blogs knitting with beautifully coloured yarn that I just had to get myself some.  I went to my local wool shop and asked if they had any double knit cotton.  They didn't have any in stock at that time. But luckily I found something which was a similar feel but made out of acrylic.  They had quite a lot of colour combinations, I picked the rainbow colour way (well my hubby was with me at the time and I asked him what colour way he liked and of course I said no to his choice because i thought it was to boring and went for an even more colourful yarn).

You knit the bag on straight needles and sew the 2 sides together.  

Thanks hubby for modelling this for me.  

The bottom of the bag was then sewn together to make it flat.  As you can see I haven't done this.  I did initially do this but didn't end up liking it, so I removed it and just kept it straight.

I found the pattern from a book I got from the library. Of course the book will have to be returned, but I might just write down the pattern or photocopy it before I leave the book back, just in case I ever want to knit it again.

The amazing thing that I didn't plan but am very happy about is that I finished it on 27th July.  This is the 50th anniversary of the legalisation of being gay.  I then decided to call my shopping bag "The pride for everyone bag".  I now wear my rainbow bag with a big smile on face and feel like I am representing love for all the LGBT's out there.

So I said I was knitting on a blanket too. As far as I can remember I have spoken about this blanket on my blog before.  

I usually knit on it in between projects and try to use up small bit of yarn which wouldn't be big enough for anything else.

Lol Colour overload for some maybe.

As you can see there is no pattern or method or colour scheme to it.  I just pick any colour or any yarn and knit 2 rows.  I have no idea how long it will get but I will try and make it to fit our double bed.

I just love it.

At the moment the blanket is back in it's bag and I have cast on another pair of socks.

I have some exciting news too.  I was down visiting my mum today. She lives in Carrickfergus.  Of course we visited the wool shops there. There on the counter of both shops was a flyer advertising a yarn festival in Whitehead (a beautiful sea side town - where in fact my step sister lives). 

Whitehead

It is a very small town but they seem to have lots going on.  It is only 15 minutes away from where my mum lives and about 45 minutes away from where I live.

Me and mum looked at each other and said 'WE HAVE TO GO'.  

I will do my best to take photos and write up a wee post on it all for you.

Here's a link to the website so you can go and take a closer look at what it's all about and who will be there.

Yarnfolk woolfest.

Happy knitting folks.

Cheerio till next time.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT

Hi everyone

How are you all?

I've been a busy beaver lately.  Working and knitting away.

I managed to actually get something finished that wasn't a pair of socks or a small item, but a cardigan.

It's not perfect but I do love it.  To be honest is anyone's hand knit garments perfect?  Isn't that the thing that makes them one of a kind, and of course the thing that shows everyone that they were lovingly made with someones fair hands over many hours.

Once again I found the pattern in a knitting magazine I was reading.  I had a ball of wool I thought would look lovely.  It was only one ball that I remember getting with a token that hubby had given me for Christmas.  I went online and managed to order some more so I had the right amount for my size.  Isn't it a beautiful colour?

I didn't do what everyone always knows they should do, which is knit a gauge swatch.  Silly me.  Because if I had I would of known that the yarn wasn't the right gauge.  Never mind.  When I went to block the cardigan it was showing up a bit big for the measurements in the pattern.  I could see though that they weren't that far out that it would be a problem.

When I went to knit the sleeves I actually knitted the smaller size.  I knitted the smaller size until the sleeve was half the length then carried on with the size I was knitting the main body in.  Hope this makes sense.  It ended up working really nicely.  I find when I knit the sleeve for the size of cardigan that fits my body, the cuff of the sleeve is too big for me.  This was the first time I'd done this, and I will definitely be using this method again.

Picking up stitches around the button band edge is always the part I am least fond off.  I ended up having to re do it 3 times.  In the end it turned out satisfactory.  I can't understand this but I ended up with four button holds even when following the pattern.  The picture in the magazine shows that the cardigan has six buttons.  I wasn't that bothered about this just a bit miffed.

Here are a couple of photos of me blocking the cardigan.  I blocked it before I finished sewing it up.

I don't know if this is the method that you use to block your knitted items, but it's always worked a treat for me.

I put a dry towel down on my spare bed.  I then pin all the items of knitting securely on the towel in the measurement from the pattern.  Lastly I get another big towel and wet it (remember to ring it out.  You don't want it drenched).  The damp towel is then laid on top of the knitting (gently I may add).  This is all left until the towel has dried out.

I really enjoyed knitting this.  Unfortunately I don't know how much wear I will get out of it until the winter.  It hasn't been to sunny lately but it has still been very warm.  Me and the hubby are away to Rathlin Island again for a few days next week. So I may bring it with me and I can wear it in the evening when it gets a bit colder.

I'm now back to knitting a pair of socks.  Not for myself but for my wee Niece.  Always nice to do a small project after you've just finished a big one.

What have you been up too lately?  Do you have any finished items?  I'd love to hear about them. Leave me a comment.

Cheerio till next time.

I'M BACK

Hi everyone

Months just sorta were there 1 minute and gone the next and before I knew it I hadn't blogged in around 6 months.

What have I been up to I hear you say.  Well let me show you.

Let me take you through the photos.  

• Top left was a pair of everyday vanilla socks, which my mum ended up with.  

• Top middle was a cowl that my friend nabbed of me.  It was very like one she had for years which is no longer really fixable, because she has stitched up the holes so much.

• Top right.  I knitted a lacey cabled baby cardigan.  I didn't knit it for any reason, just because I loved the pattern, plus I had the yarn in my stash.

• Middle left is my WIP.  Isn't it just the loveliest colour.  It is going to be a cardigan for myself.  I got the pattern out of a knitting magazine I bought recently.

• Middle photo is me with my wee man Reilly (my cat).  Also I'm wearing my eternal spring lacey socks.  I knitted the toe and cuff in some beautiful blue motley yarn I've had in my stash for so long.  The purple-pink is sock yarn I bought from a local second hand shop. Here's the link for the pattern Eternal Spring Socks

• Bottom middle is another pair of Hermione everyday socks.  The yarn came in the same bundle as the purle-pink sock yarn.  It is one of those yarns that knits up to look fair isle.  When knitting theses I made the cuff to tight for my legs.  I had to rip out the cuff and knit it up again using a stretchy bind off (which I found on YouTube).  It worked perfectly. Here's the link for the pattern Hermione Everyday Socks.  I have put a blog post up about these socks before.  I loved them I really wanted to knit another pair.  I've also inserted the video for the stretchy bind off because it was so helpful to me. I think this would only work if you were knitting socks toe-up.  But because I had to rip my cuff out and knit it up again, I was able to use this bind off.  I haven't knitted socks toe-up, but I will one day.

• Bottom left is my hubby wearing a hat I knitted him for the winter.  He loved it.  But unfortunately we were on the bus to Enniskillen and guess what, he left it behind.  Never mind these things happen,  He did manage to get some wear out of it.  I think it looked rather fetching on him.

• The last photo is of my wearing my pussyhat project.  https://www.pussyhatproject.com  As far as I'm aware all the marches are over (unfortunately I didn't get on any - but I felt like I had done my bit by knitting the hat and wearing it for a while.)  My mum now has the hat.  What she is doing with it I do not know lol.

The Pussyhat Project aims to:

1. Provide the people of the Women's March on Washington D.C (and around the world) a means to make a unique collective visual statement which will help activists be better heard.
2. Provide people who cannot physically be on the marches a way to represent themselves and support women's rights

The more we are seen, the more we are heard.  Let's come tougher to support women's rights in a creative and impactful way.

So as you can see I always find time to knit.  Even if it is only half an hour before bed while watching telly,

Cheerio till next time

p.s I promise the next time won't be so long.