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.

Stripe Study Shawl Knitalong - Week 2

Sadly, I shall be bowing out of this knitalong rather earlier than I anticipated.

However, here is a sneak peak for FO Friday.

Unravel 2012

Last year, prior to my knitting comeback, I attended Unravel.  I seem to recall wanting to knit more, which is why I went - to see if I could reignite my passion.  It worked, clearly, so when I went this year, it was so much more  exciting than last year.  I actually had an idea in my head of what I could do with certain yarns.

I know, I know - I am on a stash diet.  However, I was very well behaved, and stayed within my budget.  I went with a list, and did not veer from it.

I don't have a picture of everything together, because my mind just does not roll that way (and I didn't even think of it until it was all put away!), so you'll have to cope with huge photos!

 Unknown composition, unknown weight, but very very pretty!

 Jacob fleece (it claimed it was slivers, but is not), 100g

 Mustard merino slivers, 200g

 Fyberspates Scrumptious teal

 Natural Dye Studio Godiva light grey

 Natural Dye Studio Godiva dark grey

Missing - 3 little sheep cards, 2 needles both 40cm long in 2mm and 2.25mm.

The fibre I will obviously spin with at some point, but the yarn was bought with come special projects in mind.  They won't be made until later in the year but they will be gorgeous!  The needles I needed for my Bohus hat which I will be starting this weekend possibly!!!

I loved Unravel, and will probably attend every single year and go with some healthy pocket money - had we not had 4 tyres to replace on the car the week prior I probably would have spent more, but next year I won't be on a diet and we'll hopefully not have to buy 4 tyres the week before ;)

Stash Diet Review: Koigu KPPPM

Just after I moved down here almost 4 years ago, my love of yarn took off.  Shot up like a rocket.  I don't need a psychiatrist to tell me buying yarn was just filling a void left by leaving my friends and family behind; I'm woman enough to admit it!

I joined Ravelry in November 2007, so by the time I moved I was already well aware of the bright glorious world of luxury yarns.  I had this silly notion I might knit socks, and what better website to buy sock yarn from that Socktopus (this is Socktopus of old, when she sold all manner of luxury sock yarns otherwise very hard to obtain in the UK, not the recent Socktopus where Alice dyes her perfect yarns and publishes books.  Though I do love both incarnations equally.)

I loved Socktopus-of-old.  Not a day went by that I didn't look, but I had better self-control than than I do now and only bought yarn (from anywhere) very rarely.  Until the Koigu sale.  

The love affair started with the rainbow skeins at the very top.  It was buy-one-get-one-free, and how could I say no.  

This started the luxury yarn buying.  Not a bad yarn to have as a trigger to an addiction!

The colours are all glorious and vibrant, and the twist is just perfect - not too tight and not too loose, and it produces gorgeous looking fabric.  

So why has it not been used?   Well, because I like it too much.  I am so afraid that what I knit with it will never do this yarn justice.  I started socks with the blue skeins, but frogged them when it became apparent I was never going to finish it, so now I'm worried it's been sitting in cake form so long all the stretch will have been taken out the yarn (which is why I tend to never cake anything up until I'm ready to use it!).

This year, I will use at least one of these colourways, and it may or may not be on socks - KPPPM is 100% Merino, and I really don't want to use 100% wool on something that will be worn as hard as socks!

More details on the colourways can be found on my stash page on ravelry, and here are some more photos for you too drool over ;)

OOOOH boy!

You can see my stash on ravelry, and there are also more photos at the link on the top bar!

I also added an About Me page up there, so have a read if you like :)

WIP Wednesday

Just a quick catch up from me today!  I've not had much knitting time over the last few days, between being ill, organising birthday presents and sorting through the general accumulation of childrens toys by the end of the night I am too tired to concentrate.

I have one new WIP this week, Twisted Ankles by Leethal.

I am knitting these in Garnstudio Drops Alaska held double.  I have yet to cast on the second one, but will do so tonight.  I love the satisfaction that comes from cables.  This is the first project I have done where cables intersect and change direction at different rates, and it definitely keeps me on my toes!

Next up is Shapeshifter, which I started a couple of weeks ago.  I am about halfway through it right now (going by pattern), but may add a few extra inches to make a bigger hood.

The yarn is Araucania Nature Wool Multy, sadly I don't remember the colourway but it is gorgeous!  Really lovely warm Autumn/Winter tones.  This is also the project I figured out how to knit properly!  Turns out I knit in Eastern European style, but was trying to apply continental knitting to it.  Now I have it figured out, though it does mean having to adjust techniques for increases and decreases.  I am finding it much faster now I know what to do!

Finally, is Lizard Ridge.  The block I started many moons ago is still in progress (I can hear the cackling from certain people.... shoosht!), but I am aiming to have this one done by Christmas!

It is the same problem I had before - mind numbing boredom.  I need to get this done so have plans to only work on this in December.  Plans change, so don't hold me to that!

I promised a peek at my latest yarn purchases, so here they are

Not so much a purchase, as was foisted upon me.

That's it yarn wise for a few months now.  I feel completely overwhelmed, but do have plans for a large part of it and I am still working through old stash, so I think by the time Unravel comes around next February, I'll be in a good position to buy some more ;)  

To see some infinitely more interesting WIPs, head over to Tamis.

Whoops

After me saying I would be buying no more yarn until February, I found out that Garnstudio were no longer going to be supplying Scandinavian Knitting Design with yarn!  So, faced with the possible situation of having to pay more in a few months time, I decided to stock up.

Big BIG whoopsie.  I did have permission from Jitterbug though!  He even suggested I place a big order.  So I did.

You will have to wait until it arrives to see what I ordered, though I will say  I got one hooded long sleeve cardigan and many many accessories worth.

So that's it.  NO MORE YARN (but I am going to the East Sussex Spinning Guild exhibition next weekend....).

Ally Pally

Every year, Twisted Thread host The Knitting and Stitching Show in London at Alexandra Palace (it is also held in a couple of other cities in the UK).  It is the biggest marketplace at a show of it's kind in the UK and so it was with great excitement that myself and some friends booked tickets.  A couple of people couldn't make it, so myself, Sarah, Danielle and Sarahs mum went this year.

Random woman, Danielle and Sarah

We got the train at a perfectly reasonable time of 9.02am, and got there shortly after 11 I think?

Sarahs mum and Sarah

The marketplace did not disappoint.  It was massive.  Overwhelming almost.  And yet, there was not much there to tempt me.  Had I been an avid quilter or sewer in addition to yarn crafts I would have been in heaven.  I do enjoy sewing, but not to the same degree as knitting, or even crocheting.  I did find some things to tempt me, including the Shilasdair stall which I didn't find until near the end.

Noro Sock

Nimu Mickleden

Shilasdair Luxury DK

Shilasdair Luxury DK

I went to the show completely 'bought out'.  I have bought so much in the last few months, it almost pained me to go to a marketplace with the intent to buy anything, so I was very considered with my purchases.  I did really enjoy wandering around the stalls outside the main marketplace - some of the embroidery stalls were stunning, and I saw some things I really wanted to buy, but realised I should probably deal with the embroidery projects I have planned first *laugh*.  A friend of mines mum was also there showing her felting work, but I didn't get a chance to hunt her down before having to leave.

Despite the marketplace being so overwhelming, the number of yarn related stalls were quite underwhelming considering we had spent almost 2.5 hours getting there!  So I have decided next year, I will be attending Unravel in Farnham Maltings.  It offers the perfect balance between luxury yarns and mass-produced yarns, and I had such a good time this year when I went with Danielle.

After Ally Pally, I met with my mum who took me to The Beatles shop to buy Bubba a Yellow Submarine lunch box.  I am sad to say it, but that was the shopping highlight of the day for me *laugh*

Oh, I did fall in love with the Tulip Carry C set of interchangable needles though!