YAYYYY!!!! I beat the steek!!!

I did it.. I did it!!!! ..... my round swatch is now flat.... it's pinned out a bit dodgy... but I was excited and triumphant!!.. and couldn't wait to photo it.

I can't believe how easy a steek really was... its done with oddments of BFL and the hairy nature of the yarn meant it didn't fray :-)... I even went un-reinforced!!!.... mainly because I don't crochet and didn't have a 2.5mm hook... I just blanket stitched over the edges.. and Ive pulled it and its not going anywhere.

Here's a edge view

Its brilliant conquering one of my biggest knitting fears.... lovely Fair Isle jumpers and cardis knitted in the round... no longer an obstacle!!

Just want to add a huuuuge thanks to DianeM on the Angel Yarns forum for setting this all up and for helping a fraidy Fairy out... Many Thanks xx.

Now just to conquer my fear of zips and darts!

Mmmmm Back Cherries

Mmmmmm lovely shades of black , light and dark plum.... my latest hank of squishy therapy from Gemini Knits. I just love this colourway its nice to have the last bit of summer. Not sure what it's going to become maybe a pair of modified monkeys.

The best bit is it came with a hand written card personally thanking me for my order and a cute little stitch marker in co-ordinating colours.

It's a lovely little touch... good old Etsy..... not so good for my bank balance though!
Etsy is such a great way to find exciting yarns... and it's the little extras I love... plus the yarn isn't mass produced.... It's nice to support fellow forumites in their business ventures too :-)

Yummy scrummy... good enough to eat!

StEEK-a-longing!!!

The front view

The pattern.

Well I signed up for the Angel Yarns knitting forum's steek-along.
Here is my little swatch I have prepared for steeking.
Steek is such a scary word!!!!!.... basically it mean taking the scissors to your knitting!!!. I think we are going to cut down the vertical lines on the front view.
Mega thanks to DianeM for organising it.... there's lots of lovely Fair Isle patterns I would love to do but I'm scared of the dreaded 'S' word!
I know I would never have the courage to go it alone on this one.

It's my first Fair Isle in the round and it was mega fun to do.... and it was great having the right side facing all the time..... I always used to get mixed up on the purl row.
I keep on stroking it, its my newest pet :-D... still can't believe I'm going to cut it up!!!!!

A Middle Earth Birthday for me!

Ooooo yummy solids!

They actually arrived yesterday but I was busy with booooring housework.

First one is Choccy Orange... it's the most gorgeous rich chocolate brown with just a hint of orange... good enough to eat, I'm in the Angel Yarns forum Slim-a-Long.. so choc is sort of off the menu at the moment... when I want a choccy fix I can just have a choccy squish! :-)

and Magnificent Oz... scrummy Jade Green, there are subtle variations of light and dark Jade in this one, the photo really doesn't do it justice.


I also got a surprise birthday gift from Cazza, lovely stitch markers!!! they are so pretty again the piccy doesn't do them justice, the stones are all have different marbling and shine so much!, yet another unexpected gift!, I have made some great friends by joining the forum... it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy :-D
I'm so looking forward to using my new yarns, I'm hoping the dye wizard is going to magic up a few more of these, there seems to be a real shortage of good solid and semis in sock yarn, I must be hard to please, either the yarn isn't very soft or the colours are not as rich as I would like. I'm intending to extend my solids stash really soon!

( sends Cazza thought waves... rich reds and royal blues)

More Squishy Birthday prezzies

I stalked him well!


Postie was late today... was cleaning my bedroom window... (like you do, I was working not nosing) so managed to open the door as he was coming up the path :-D


I got two lovely squishy's ... first of all a lovely squishy from my friend Jo


2 balls of gorgeous Jojoland Melody choccy and a cute Winnie the Pooh card... there was two bars of choccy but one disappeared with my afternoon coffee break.


I just love the pastel colours... I have such a soft spot for Jojoland yarns and I didn't have any in my stash.


I have seen socks knitted with it on the forum.. it makes delish socks.. but I may turn it into fingerless mitts or a mobeius scarf then they will be on display :-D


Designs are whizzing around in my brain... socks , scarf, mitts I really can't decide. One thing is for certain they need a pattern that will really do the yarn justice.


Thanks so so much for a prezzie that is totally perfect in every way Jo xx




Next is from my mother in law.. still can't believe she's nearly 80 and she's been browsing t'interweb. A Regia Creative Knits Journal some dpns and 4 balls of Cygnet Wool Rich 4ply in Mauve and a Charcoal colour. Hubby has his eyes on the Charcoal for some new socks.... hmmm maybe if he's good and doesn't whinge about my yarn spending.
The Regia Journal has some patchwork sock patterns where you knit mitered patches and join them together.. you use a 60 or 80cm circ, I have been practising earlier and it's strangely addictive, and works great with variegated yarns.
I love the Mauve and think I will invest in some Pale Pink or Cream and do some Fair Isle Socks from More SKS . I've been itching to try some.
Still waiting for my Middle Earth Yarns and stuff from Get Knitted so postie is still not safe... poor guy!

Squishy Birthday to me!

Today is my birthday and I got loads of yummies.

I got

Captain Jack by Middle Earth Yarns.. (photo in an earlier post as I was too norty to wait)

Sirius and Morticia by Gemini Knits (photo above.).. drooltastic

Some Cascade 220 and a Fiber Trends Felted Ballerina Slippers pattern

Regia Journal of Creative Knits, the sock one.... and 4 balls of Cygnet wool rich 4ply and a set of dpns

2 skeins of Middle Earth Yarns BFL in Magnificent Oz and Choccy Orange.

A lovely squishy from my freind Jominx... was totally unexpected.. makes me so glad I joined the Angel Yarns knitting forum, I've made so many good and like minded friends :-D

and......

A set of Knit Picks dpns.. on pre order from Get Knitted, I soooo can't wait to get my wings on these!!! I have coveted them from afar for so long... wish they delivered to the UK... no I don't I would be bankrupt.

A lot of them are still in the post...... watch out postie..... FAIRY'S GONNA STALK YOU!!!!

Also got some non knitterly stuff... silver and blue topaz necklace and ear ring set, smellies, huuuuuge box of chocs, hankies from MIL... well makes a change from huge pants.

Got a huuuge choccy cream cake..... so birthday cake for all! :-D

Will post more piccies when postie brings squishys :)

Summer Peaches finished!

Well here's Summer Peaches ( for want of a batter name) finally finished:-D

I'm really pleased with how they knitted up... I actually wrote the pattern down correctly. The pattern is in a VERY rough draft..... so messy and full of shorthand, I just hope I can dechiper what I've written down!



Here's the photo I'm going to post with the pattern.... was feeling artistic and took the sock on an oak tree in the sunshine at a camp site at York,


I'm a bit annoyed there's only one, but I didn't bring it's mate camping.

Pattern coming real soon ...... so watch this space!