Socks on the go

Just couldn't wait, could I? Halfway throught eh heel flap now, pleased with the results. beautiful to work with.

Intertwined

- is the title of a brand new book I have just borrowed from the Guild library, bought after last month's speaker recommended it. I'm the first to borrow it, and part of the deal is to write a review of it for the newsletter LOL. Lovely hardback book by Lexi Boeger, it really inspires me to be much more creative with my spinning. It suggests that you acquire the basics first, and a knowledge of how to produce a good, even yarn first - you have to know the rules to be able to break them, which I thought was a good maxim for life in general, really. :) In here, we have spinning with cassette tape, shredded paper, fabrics, beads, you name it, then knitted or woven up into really interesting and stunning pieces. I particularly love the ties, but MrL wouldn;t want anything quite so "out there", but I really want to do something like that for him, and some hats for me. Bean is mightily impressed too, and got her wheel out last night and made a start on funking it up, as it's now known at the Deanery LOL I couldn't wait to get the new sock yarn on to the needles, so I did that, but hope to start on a bit of funking it up later today. I think we'll invest in this book, it is truly inspiring.

Skeins of loveliness.............

I was lucky enough to win a pair of tickets to the Stitch and Creative Crafts show at the Royal Bath and West showground at Shepton Mallett, so MrL kindly chauffeured me there yesterday. I knew what to expect, as I had been to one a few years back. I'm not interested in a lot of the crafts on show, although I did look at most things LOL Pleased to find 4 (I think) knitting stands, one fairly commerical and "ordinary", one full of glittery and glitzy yarns, not my thing at all, and the other two were lovely. One was a commercial one, seeling brand names, but at the top end of the market. I didn't want to spend much (with a house full of fleece and a husband to keep me in check!), but couldn't resis the skein of fuschia pink cotton. This is waht the label says:

"This beautiful yarn is produced in support of the Mirasol project. By purchasing it you are contributing to the project and supporting children in the highlands of Peru. A portion of every purchase is dedicated directly to the funding of a school in the remote region of Puno."

This is them:http://www.mirasolperu.com/

The cotton is so soft to the touch, and such a sumptuous colour. I haven't decided what to do with it yet........

Thether skeins are some hand dyed sock wool form this lady:

http://ehdknits.com/

One of my favourite stands int he whole show, for serious yarn addicts! Such beauty to stroke, and decide upon. The socks are already on the needles, dear readers, and in honour of such gorgeous yarn I have finally got around to actually designing this pair myself, my first go. I have a niggle that I rely too much on other peoples' patterns, when I'm more than capable of designing my own, so that's what I'm doing. Relly nice to knit with, and with a good elasticity so far. Will post up a pic of sock progress later.

Knitalong book

Knitalong - celebrating the tradition of knitting together, by Larissa Brown and Martin John Brown

I borrowed this from our library this week, but am seriously considering investing in it! Fabulous book. Definitely one for those who use the internet to augment their knitting adicitons - lots of patterns from online KALs - things I've heard about ( sock blankies, pinwheel blankets, etc), and ehre are the patterns, all in one book. Lots of inspiring pictures, patterns, comments, etc from bloggers, forumers and others.

Shipwreck shawl

I cast this on last night, teh Shipwreck shawl from knitty. I'm using Rowan Damask, bought half price on Tuseday in Hanson's - couldn't resist the colourway on this, reminds me of sea glass. The shawl is destined for the Knitter's Dozen project I'm working on, for fund raising for the village hall.
Aeolian is still on the needles, need to get on with that too, and some more socks for sockamania.

Barter socks

These were done in an exchange for soem KoolAid for dyeing, long out of date and haunting the back of someone's cupboard. Rather than throw it in the bin, it has magically transformed into a pair of socks! Lots of KoolAid dyeing coming up soon too.

Still working on the shawl and WW2 Mittens, although they should be finished today if the weather carries on like this and I can't get out in the garden!

Granny square bus

Foudn thsi photo on a blog somewhere - I think it's great! Just need a bus now............ LOL

KoolAid dyeing

I ahven't doen much of this, as it's not easy to find in the UK; I did buy some from e-bay a while ago, and did the pink hats (down there somewhere!) with it. It's easy and cheap to use, but I don;t like the smell LOL.
One of the forum members on Creative Living ahd somespare, which he kindly sent on to me, and I've tried out the turquoise one already. Nice colour, but the handspun (not by me, a skein I found in my stash, from the Guild table I suspoect) turned out a bit patchy, but it whould knit up fine I think. I have a notion to knit and full with this.



I'm knitting him some socks as barter, which are on the needles, lovely grey wool which is nice to knit with, so enjoying that, first one almost done. Otherwise, it's onwards and upwards with the Aeolian shawl...........

On the dishcloth front, i'm giving the monthly and weekly patterns a rest - I'm ending up with too many at the moment, so might re-subscribe, but more likely will do my own dishcloth thing when I need them. I want to do some of my own patterns as well. Ideas forming in my head for a sponsored knit for Village Hall funds too!