FairyNuff's Socks n Stuff

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

2007-09-01T22:06:00.001+01:00

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

2007-08-29T22:26:00.000+01:00

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!!!

2007-08-22T16:24:00.001+01:00

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!

2007-08-19T14:54:00.000+01:00

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

2007-08-17T18:58:00.001+01:00

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!

2007-08-16T17:04:00.001+01:00

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!

2007-08-10T16:27:00.001+01:00

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!

My latest haul!

2007-08-10T16:19:00.001+01:00

Here's my latest haul.... yes MORE sock yarn! I really am going to have to knit faster. We have Krafty Koala BFL in Prism, Electric Eighties and Gryffindor, which the lovely Gemma custom dyed.... I just love Harry Potter and she's got the colours spot on :-D
Also Captain Jack by Middle Earth Yarns.... ARRRR the moment I saw it I just HAD to own it..( norty wizzy for making such scrummy pirate yarn)
It's Merino/Silk and is sooo soft...I also got a cute little stitch marker:-D
I'm not sure which to cast on first.... but I'm swaying towards Prism..I need a bright socky fix :_D

Green and Purples!

2007-07-26T22:04:00.000+01:00

I finished these today...excuse the really dodgy piccy's this time as the weather today has been totally PANTS!!!

Yarn is my Middle Earth Yarns June sock club yarn... the pattern is by Cazza269. They didn't have a name so I've nicknamed them Green and Purples which is similar to a well known brand of choccy I love.... well yummy socks need a yummy name!

Here's a view on my feet

I love the funky contrasting heels and toes... they are done in Socrates 100% Merino in shade Violet as I was worried about having enough yarn ... and really didn't want to frog right past the heel if I ran out before the toe.

I'm a teeny bit annoyed as I had a fair amount left... but one of these days I've promised myself I will start a Memory Blanket using a different square of each sock yarn I've ever used. Maybe I should get on with it as the oddments are adding up.!

First 'Summer Peaches' sock finished

2007-07-24T15:23:00.001+01:00

Here's the first Summer Peaches sock finished. I love the way the cables have worked out :-D. I'm now thinking it's more a slipper sock than a trainer liner as the cables are just too pretty to be hidden under my smelly trainers!

I just love the rustic feel of the socks... the yarn was kind of fluffy and was dyed using natural dyes.. so I wanted to give it a countryside look :-D

Here's a closer view

The cable is a Double Snake which I had to adapt for knitting in the round.

Here's a pic of it on my foot.. excuse the white ankle!

Slipper sock or trainer liner... the choice will be up to you :-D

I have written everything down I did on the first one... so I will use this to proof knit the second one.. and all being well will post the pattern on here. :-D... so watch this space!

New Sock Design... Summer Peaches

2007-07-21T14:57:00.001+01:00

Oooo I'm all excited!!!

Here's the start of my second sock design, Summer Peaches. It's a cute little sockette with a roll top and centre cable design. The yarn is Natural Dye Studio.. shade Neville and its an alpaca/silk mix and it's sooo gorgeous to work with!

It's a bit shorter in yardage and slightly thicker than most sock yarns.. it's more like a light sport weight so I'm using 2.75mm dpns.. it will make a cozy slipper sock or trainer liner.

I decided to go with one large cable panel framed either side with moss stitch. I included a roll top to give it a casual rustic feel.

I'm really pleased with how this is progressing, the pattern flows beautifully and although its a 32 row pattern its easy to see whether you should be cabling front or back. It's going to be a quick knit too.

I'm going to do another pair on smaller needles with fingering weight sock yarn, and will publish the pattern for both... it's nice to have a choice of weights :-D. I'm also really tempted to try out some other sizes too.

Looks like I'm going to be one busy fairy!

Here's a close up of the cables

Doesn't it just say walks in the country!

Perfect purples

2007-07-21T11:30:00.000+01:00

Got a rude but cool awakening off the posite this morning.. he knocked at 7.20!!!!!... he comes at 11 during the week... well enough of a moan about Royal Mail. He brought me this squishy of yarnly yumminess... my Middle Earth Yarns July sock club yarn :-D

Its called Sloe Gin and a gooorgous plum/purple colour which fades from dark to light.... I just love this yarn, I'm a huuuge fan of purples.. its BFL and sooooo soft and also came with free stitchmarkers made by the dye Wizards own fair hands which are soo little and cute!

Heres a better piccy of them.. it also shows off the different purples well

Well worth getting woken up for!

Oooo how exciting it's just like Secret Santa all over again!!!

2007-07-20T13:08:00.000+01:00

Another lot of good post... this time thanks to Jominx :-D

2 goooorgeous balls of Jojoland Quartette in Java Orange Meadow Mauve ( what a cool name).. a bar of Green and Blacks Cherry ( allready tucked into that with my coffee break... sorry couldn't wait) and some Hotel Chocolat mini truffles.... haven't tried Hotel Chocolat.... sooooo looking forward to trying those.

Well not so much secret... I swapped the Jojoland for my Silkwood sock yarn in Aubergine.... I got it to make DH some socks and he didn't like it!!!!! :-0... he reckons he's not a purple bloke.. so going to do him some in boring oatmeal.. my eyes are not up to another black pair!

The chocolate was a surprise.. Green and Blacks is my total favourite choc :-).. and they all came beautifully wrapped up... I didn't wrap mine up... and feel a bit bad about that.

Jo made a lovely pair with the same colourway... and they came out really wacky ... I looooove them!!!..... piccies at http://josknitbits.blogspot.com/

I'm really going do a really wacky pattern for them to show off the yarn at it's best...... better get my thinking head on then!!!

I even have a name for these..... even if I don't have a pattern thought up yet... Jojo's Pogo Socks..... after the yarn.. and of course Jo who supplied it!!

Oh wow good post day.... AGAIN!!!!

2007-07-20T12:57:00.000+01:00

My latest load of booty from the Natural Dye Studio.. peachy one is Neville.... its one of their Hogwarts range and its an alpaca/silk mix.... and soft as kittens belly fur. It's a bit short on the yardage (280yrds to 100g).... so it's destined to be a pair of trainer sockies.... cast on last night.. its another Fairynuff own design.... complete with cool cables and a moss stitch heel flap :-D.... and I did my research properly this time, and the pattern flows great!!!
The bluey mix is Tangerine Ocean.. and that's an alpaca/merino mix.... not sure what it wants to be when it grows up..... but there's plenty time yet.

Pattern for first sock pattern by 'me' going to be delayed folks

2007-07-20T12:45:00.000+01:00

Started on the second sock of my first design.. and started to write down and chart the pattern.... suddenly it dawned on me that I was making things very complicated for myself... moving stitches amongst other things. and it just didn't flow right.
Out comes my spare dpns and some spare yarn.. and I worked out by altering the way I did the decreases and yo's for the lace panels... how so much better it looked.... the little lace butterflies seemed to be more centred in the stocking stitch squares. It just looked looooads better!!!!.. and better than that the pattern flowed better. I'm just a lot mad with myself that I waited unitl the second sock to work that out!!
!
Catherine who's 10 seems to love them.. and they fit her... so I will make her a present of them :-)

I will still post a piccy when they are finished , but it will be more for learn by your mistakes Fairy.
But the good news is I'm going to redo the socks in the modified pattern then post it.... so its still coming... it's just delayed.

Yay! First ' by Fairynuff ' sock finished

2007-07-14T18:40:00.000+01:00

Well here it is my first ever sock designed by me completed.. complete with cute little check pattern and eye of partridge heel

Here's another view on my foot... Eldest daughter took this one.... shes so much better at taking pics than me! Excuse the flabby white calf.... well theres been no summer to get a tan.. most days my wooly socks stay firmly on my feet!

Second sock may take a bit longer to complete because I'm going to write down everything I do.. and if its knitter friendly I will post it on here as a free pattern :-)

They still have no name.. any suggestions are very welcome!

I have a couple of more patterns still in the planning stage... a one with cables and moss stitch panels and a lacy one... I have so many sock ideas that new ideas sometimes keep me awake. I'm thinking of taking some sock yarn on my camping holiday and have a bit of a play with yarn.. well it will save me taking a pattern and with a change of scenenry, I might come up with something really good, after all the whole knittng process is all about being creative and playing about with yarn.

Over at Angel Yarns Tess has most of her new signature range of yarns online. The colours are even better than I imagined.. so rich and vibrant! I neeeeed the Cherry.. and the Teal.. and OHHH the Chocolate it's soooo rich and dark like a 70% cocoa.. well a bit of choccie would brighten up most peoples day!

I had to sit on my hands and hide my credit cards whilst looking.... the baby alpaca 4 ply looks soooo soft and dreamy. I love working with alpaca.. reckon they'd make cosy housesocks :-) ....merino wools and laceweight mohair to tempt me!

But alas.... I have allready spent a small fortune on yarn this month and my Middle Earth Yarns July sock club yarn is due shortly, and I have a huuuuuge stash, plus enough on my to do list to keep my hands busy for the next few years. Well theres always next months yarn budget :-)

I need to knit more.. or become an octopus!

I have been strong and not bought anything.... well today I have.

Socky WIP's

2007-07-13T18:23:00.001+01:00

The first one is my own sock pattern still under construction.... its knitted in Opal Uni shade Turquoise on 2.5mm dpns.... I'm rather pleased with it so far. I love the way that you can incoporate texture and lace into a pattern... inspiration from Cookie A's Monkey socks here... so its sort of a check pattern with the stocking stitch blocks have lace detail.

It is the sock with no name though!!! I'm just not good at that sort of stuff.

Not a very good pic I know but I got all the instep stitches on one needle and it just wouldn't lie right.... better piccies once I finish it and knit its mate.. if I'm totally happy with them once they done... may post the pattern for free.

Second one is my June sock club yarn from Middle Earth Yarns... the pattern is by Cazza269 ( she dyes all the yarns too)..... not sure if the yarn has a shade but its 100% BFL in hues or jade green turquoise and purple.

Clever Wizzy.. I would love to try this pattern on a solid yarn too... think the lacy diamonds would really stand out and look ACE!!!

First lace

2007-07-13T18:15:00.001+01:00

This is my first attempt at Lace.... it will have to be for me... will probably have a few mistakes along the way.... but I'm going to make an identical one in a lilac/lavender colour for MIL's christmas prezzie.. minus the mistakes
Pattern is from Fiber Trends.. its the Flower Basket Shawl and its done in Cygnet Wool Rich 4ply.. quite inexpensive and also frogs rather well!! It's photographed on my skully knitting bag... ARRRR swoon Captn Jack.

I can feel the addictive properties of lace knitting drawing me in allready. At first I hated lace and seemed to spend all my time frogging... then suddenly the pattern just sort of clicked!!... Eureka moment

oooohhhh mega yarn P*rn!!

2007-07-13T17:57:00.000+01:00

First of all heres this months S.E.X... I'm not a nymphomaniac... it stands for Stash Enhancement Exercise..... I loove yarn shopping...heck you can never have enough yarn!!!

Well heres what I got... Silkwood sock yarn in Aubergine

Middle Earth Yarn in Not Just for Goths

Lornas Laces Shepherd Sock in Happy Valley

Not quite sure what they will turn into..... but thinking the Aubergine could be a pair for DH... mind you I think Silkwood is too good for his caustic feet.... the Lornas Laces could be a small shawl or scarf.... and the Middle Earth Yarns.... well I have been coveting this colourway for ages so going to find a pattern that really does it justice

Mind you they could all be destined for SOCKS!!!, all for me of course.. Oh Dear.... greedy Fairy!

thought Id brighten the place up with few piccies!!!!!!

2007-07-13T12:58:00.000+01:00

Well the old place is looking a bit dull so thought I'd brighten it up with a few piccies.

First one is of my favourite socks.... and oh boy will these brighten the place up.... mind you I have a weakness for bright socks... the brighter the better!!!!.

Yarn is Middle Earth Yarns... shade is Brighton Rock Socks.

I think the pattern really suits the yarn.... the pattern is feather and fan from Socks, Socks, Socks 70 winning designs from the Knitters magazine.... or something like that haven't got the book in front of me and I have a memory like a sieve

Gosh hope this works.... I'm such a techno numpty... and will warn you a lot of my pictures are MEGA dodgy... David Baily I aint!!!!!!

look at the time... I got jobs to do..... housework won't finish itself.. may post more later

Squee my first post!!!!

2007-07-13T11:58:00.000+01:00

Hi I'm Fairynuff.... I'm a yarn crazed fairy with a passion for knittng ,especially socks. I have also started to do the whole lace thing and have 8 school cardis to finish before September.

I just love knitting socks and now have enough pairs to keep me going even if my washing machine broke for a month.
I also love buying sock yarn.... hey who am I kidding I just love yarn... but sock yarn is my weakness.

I'm looking forward to sharing my WIP's , and FO's ( hopefully no UFO's) and will throw a bit of yarn p*rn in too.... the result of my love of S.E.X..
I also love designing socks too.. have a couple of pairs in the pipeline and will hopefully post the patterns for free on here.... gosh I hope you like them!!!
Bye for now!
Fairynuff xx