FO Friday

 Peerie Flooers Hat 
I knit the mittens a few months ago now, and the yarn was sitting, waiting patiently to be turned into a hat. I am happy with it - tension a bit off in some places, but it felt good to get it done with!

 Joris
I bought this as a kit while I was in Amsterdam - I fell in love with the display model they had and had to have it.  It is the first, and probably last toy I will ever knit.  It resides on a shelf far away from grubby little fingers and will eventually be moved onto a craft table (whenever I get one...).  I love the back of his head, so colourful!

 I have also been doing some sewing!  I've not used my machine for months, but when the urge to sew hit, I went a bit crazy.  I have so far sewed 5 box bags, and 4 zip pouches.  I am wanting to do more, but need to get more interfacing first!

 I am very pleased with them, and I can now sew in a straight line!  I made up the pattern for the zip pouch, though I did read a few different ones first but none of them were easy or quick, whereas it takes me 15 minutes to do one, from ironing fabric to closing the zip.

I cannot remember the pattern I used for the box bag, but I stuck pretty rigidly to it and went from taking 2.5 hours to sew one, to just under an hour!

That's it for today, to read more FO Fridays go to Tamis Amis.

WIP Wednesday

Only one thing going on this week.  Well, only 1 thing I can show you, I have lot's of other things but no photos!

This hat is for Jitterbug.  The yarn I purchased at Unravel earlier this year, and is lovely!

Which reminds me - I have yet to show you the acquisitions from my trip to Amsterdam.  I bought a lot.  'Nuff said.  I bought from two shops, Penelope Craft and Weldraad.  My step mother-in-law had emailed me about Weldraad when it first opened, so we visited.  The place is amazing - the website says that in the store you will find a collection of yarns, fabrics and buttons which are produced as eco-friendly as possible (it's in Dutch).  The man working when we went in knew his stuff.  Really knew his stuff - he told us all about the fabrics they sell, all the fibres and yarns.  It is a must visit for anyone visiting Amsterdam!  Penelope Craft was delightful as usual - very helpful and let me browse in peace!  Another must visit, and they also sell yarns that you can't get in the UK (or can't get without going to London).

 Weldraad Baby Alpaca

 Madelinetosh Sock

 Weldraad Baby Alpaca

 Madeline Tosh Merino Light

 GGH Baby Alpaka

 Madeline Tosh Merino Light

 Cascade Lace

 Malabrigo Lace

Malabrigo Sock

 Joris toy kit from Weldraad

 Cascade Eco+

 Cascade Eco+

 Holst Garn Supersoft

  Holst Garn Supersoft

  Holst Garn Supersoft

  Holst Garn Supersoft

  Holst Garn Supersoft

  Holst Garn Supersoft

  Holst Garn Supersoft

GGH Baby Alpaka

 Weldraad Baby Alpaca

It would appear me and yarn diets just weren't meant to be!

For more WIP Wednesdays, visit Tamis Amis

Not a WIP...

I did have plans to write a post about my currents WIPs, but instead I've found myself in a lull.

Quite a few of my favourite crafts bloggers write about their depression.  It always inspires me that they can be so open about it, and I no longer feel the slight embarrassment that comes from having off days.

I am in the process of switching to my fourth brand of anti-depressant this year.  The lull between pills is the hardest part of switching. I have reverted to how I was before - alone.  The craving to self-harm is so strong I know I'm going to have to tell Jitterbug; ever-loving patient Jitterbug who doesn't deserve a nutter for a wife.

FO Friday

While in Amsterdam, I managed to finish two hats!

Project: Reversible Smocked Hat
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Pearl Ten
Notions: 5mm circular needle, cardboard for pom-pom!

 I love Elisa McLaughlins designs!  This one initially attracted me because of the smocked side, but when I completed it I decided that it looked too fussy, and so I will be wearing it on the reverse side!  It's not as long as pattern dictates, but I'm not a huge fan of slouchy winter hats, and I'd imagine this one will stretch out with use anyway.

Towards the end of the trip, I decided to knit a hat for my sister - she is always asking me to knit things for her, and thought this would make a good get well present.

Project: Cloche Divine
Yarn: Weldraad Alpaca Fino
Notions: 5mm needles

I love this hat.  Probably could have been doing with being knitted on smaller needles and knitting the larger size, which I may well do if I knit one for myself.  I am not happy with how the short row pickups look, it looks very clumsy and messy, which I think could have been sorted by knitting at a smaller gauge, but never mind, I am sure she will love it regardless!

 The only problem I have with knitting me one is that it doesn't sit too well with my glasses, so I'd need to wear it without glasses, which is guaranteed to freak the children out!

Over all, very pleased with my two finished objects!  

PS I just noticed I have used the exact same poses in the same order for both these hats!  Think I need to work on some new camera angles!

FO Friday is hosted by Tami at Tamis Amis.

WIP Wednesday, Yarn Along & blowing the budget!

For a long time I have mocked knitted toys.   In fact, I have commented to my friend Sarah that she has too much time on her hands if she can think about knitting toys.

It was with great shock that I then found myself head over heels in love with a toy kit a yarn shop in Amsterdam was selling.  The pattern was Joris, and I had seen it in Penelope Craft last year, and thought it was nothing special.  In fact, the pattern still is nothing special in my opinion.  However, the show model Weldraad had was knit using Aade Long.

Both my husband and I decided instantaneously that I would buy the kit, knit the toy and put it on a shelf far from little fingers who don't appreciate hours of work when they see it.

Progress after day 1 is good (3 broken up hours in the afternoon):

Now, as I said at the start of the year when I decided I was going on a yarn diet, there would be a few exceptions, and the trip to Amsterdam was one of them.

The photo coming up is the very definition of blowing the budget.  Luckily it was in foreign money so it doesn't feel like I spent a lot (plus the fact I pre-ordered most of it online before I left....)

I do have plans for most of this, so it's certainly not as bad as it seems at first glance!  It would also appear I have a bit of a thing for red and turquoise.  And white.  And grey.  Not in this photo is a skein of yellow Alpaca which was knit into a hat for my sister who will be in a back brace for 3 months after shattering 2 vertebrae 2 weeks ago.  See! Already using up the stash!!! 

I've been really struggling to find interesting books to read recently.  Interesting might be the wrong word because I have lot's of interesting books I'd love to  read, I just can't get into them.  I read the second book in the All Souls Trilogy recently which was really good.  I am about halfway through The Historian, but neither of those I absolutely must finish straight away, which is the feeling I usually get when I get into a book (it doesn't help that this is a re-reading of The Historian, so I already know the end!).  I think I need to spend an hour in the second hand book shop here and just buy a whole load of random books.

For other WIP Wednesday visit Tamis Amis.  For Yarn Alongs, head to Ginnys.

FO Friday

This shawl took me f-o-r-e-v-e-r!  Two months pretty much!  I think, on the back of Stripe Study, garter stitch and short rows were just boring me (surprise surprise!).  I finally found the energy to complete it this month.

Pattern: Different Lines

Yarn: Shilasdair Luxury DK in Natural and Meadowsweet

Needles: ummm....yeah.

Project page: Different Lines

LOVE IT!

FO Friday hosted by TamisAmis

WIP Wednesday

Just a quick one today I'm afraid!

First up, Gasteropoda

Love the design, but very very tedious!  I think these will take me a while!  I am knitting these in Schoppel Wolle Zauberball on 2.5mm needles.

I do wish red would photograph easier!  This a proper red, not pinky red like the photo.

The pattern in Nuvem, and when Sarah posted on her facebook page about these, I fell in love, so let's blame her for me knitting a laceweight shawl, since that seems to be what we're doing these days.

The yarn is Garnstudio Drops Lace, which is so so soft, and is knit on 3.5mm needles.

Tami is as always hosting WIP Wednesday this week!