Sock Update

Sock is progressing well. I have conquorered the heel, though 2 small holes have crept in which I will deal with later. The instep is nearly there. Aaron has had several fittings to ensure I am in the right place before I start the toes.

Found three visual sites fron the Yahoo UKhandknitting forum:-

• http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/SockClass_Beginning.htm
• http://www.royea.net/sockdemo1.html
• http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/firstsocks/e-chap2-4.html

Experiments dying with Procion

Experiments dying with Procion

I brought three Procion dyes and Citric Acid fixer from DT Crafts @ the Knitting & Stitching show in Harrogate in November. The colours that I purchased were my favourite autumn colours: -

• Dark Brown


• Orange Scarlet


• Lemon Yellow

Using the instructions that cane with the dyes and the book – “Hand-dyed Yarn Craft Projects” by Debbie Tomkies (who turned out to be the proprietor of DT Crafts!) I put the following instructions together.

I used the Jacob’s Ram fleece that Pat from the spinners Guild gave me. It was previously scouted to remove the grease and was a beautiful snow white.

Pre soak in fixer

Measure the following

25g salt
25g citric acid crystals
3litres of hot water

Put the water in a plastic bowl (I used the old baby bottle steamer) and add the salt and citric acid. Mix until the salt and Citric acid have dissolved.

Weigh 100g of fleece. Tease it out to form rough rovings, coil and add to the fixer solution. Gently push the rovings under the fixer solution. Cover and leave for 1 hour.

Preparing the dye solutions

Measure out 1g of each dye into plastic pots (I used the milk pots I used for Lily’s milk as they have good fitting lids and are clear) – my scales could not measure 1g, so I used the smallest measure spoon and used a level measure of dye. Add 100ml of water, slowly to allow mixing. Label each pot clearly with the dye colour and the date in case they are stored.
Once the fleece had soaked for an hour, it was squeezed gently to remove the excess fixer. Cling film was laid out and fleece was spread out evenly. Taking the tablespoon measuring spoon, the dye was spooned out onto the roving, each colour in turn. Once the three colours had been added the roving further was wrapped further in cling film and rolled it up to encourage the dye to spread evenly amongst the fleece. Other rovings were put in plastic bags, dye solution added and closed ejecting all the air. Once all of the dye was used the resulting packages were put in the plastic bowl (baby bottle steriliser) and microwaved for 6 minutes in 1-minute intervals.

Once cooled back to room temperature the packages were open in a sink of water and the fleece carefully rinsed. Finally there were hung up to dry.

Pre Christmas Update

Wow its almost there - so much to Blog and not enough time to fit that & preparing for Christmas. So here is the crafting update

1. Posted Daisy's booties (finally)
2. Finished Lizi's Curly Wirly Scarf (picture to follow when I take one just before wrapping)
3. Almost finished the first cirly wirly scarf made from Timba fluff - more on this when I have photos
4. Almost finished Lily's White & Purple poncho of my own design! - it just needs tassels
5. Finished my second Needle Felting project - a Sky Gazing Hare - lots more on him and my SGH passion soon
6. Still progressing through Sock #1 - done the heel and most of the way towards the toe - Aaron will have to try it on the get the length just right - Have really enjoyed it and hoping not to start something new before the next sock - he could be one sock if I know myself.
7. Did my design board for the Spinning Guild (again more on this when I have taken the photos) - I'm so stupid though - worked really hard last weekend to get it finished, got Cat sorted with hers, merrily go to the Church hall & bugger - it was the week before!! Well it has got me started thinking about the bag that I need to make for the Broad Weaver Competition - I do need to get started on this and not think about it until the week before nd then madly try to finish it!!
8. Resisted the temptation to get more yarn for my stash & more patterns - I do have a passion for patterns, the look @ them and never quite get round to starting htem
9. Did the hat for Fred #2, but got distracted by Sock #1, so have not done much more - did have the bright idea to suprise Mum with it, but never mind.
10. Had a great idea to make Stocking for Oliver & Lily for next year - must shelve that now as Aaron will probably go and buy them tomorrow.

Projects (thoughts) in the wings

1. Booties/hat/coat for the little boy from next door (don't know his name yet) - I think that he is still in Special Care, so I have some time before he comes out
2. So many babies to knit for - Nicola, Sarah Williams, Sarah Bonnie, Rachel, Barbara to name but a few - I think that I will have to just stick to booties, they worked really quick that there are so many in Zoe Mellors book I want to knit them all. If I do some in white and then broughtly coloured ones I can't go wrong
3. Coat for Lily - Debbie Bliss
4. Jumper for Oliver - bought blue cotton mix ages ago and never progressed from there really
5. Finish Aaron's Cable jumper - YES must do this as he mentions it every now & then - must find it actually as I think its done a runner
6. Work out how to get a side bar on here that shows how far through a project I am - could be good for keeping tabs.
7. Make more stitch markers - you can never have too many stitch Markers, besides I have just joined the Secret Pal 7 group, so I am going to have to get a stash together soon
8. Spin the Jacob fleece - well dye it first ready for the bag
9. Fingerless gloves like hte ones that Esther made me, but with the fine sock weight yarn so they have a delicate feel
10. Lily's Eskimo coat - Updated 2-1-06
11. My Coat - Updated 2-1-06
12. Fluffy 'Wendy Chic Scarf - Updated 2-1-06
13. Bag of control - Updated 2-1-06

That should be enough for now - roll on retirement so I can knit full time (only 26 more years - depressing thought - could be more the way the government are going!)

No - smile its Christmas soon and I should get some time to knit

Secret Pal

I have just joined the Secret Pal 7 group - a chance to talk to and send/receive gifts from like-minded knitters & crocheters all over the world! Can't wait to try this out


After help from Cheryl I can now put buttons in my blogs & then I worked out how to put it in the side bar !!

Daisy's Booties

I have been asked by http://knittingnurse.blogspot.com/ where I got the pattern for Daisy's boot - well it was from Zoe Mellor's Book - 50 Baby Booties to knit. They are all fantastic, so the problem is choosing. However they are so quick to knit that you can do several!

Stitch markers arrived!

I meant to post this earlier - I have received my first set of Stitch markers from America!! we a few days ago really. Thanks Lori they are lovely and have been put to good use on my first set of socks, though you can't really see it in the picture.

More on what I bought @ Harrogate

http://www.clicketyknits.comWell where to start:-
http://www.dtcrafts.co.uk - company that I got the dyes from. Turns out that I have their book too!
http://www.feltheadtotoe.co.uk - needle felting booklet was fantastic to get me started
http://www.webofwool.co.uk - company that I got the gorgeous sock wool from and a great pattern for doing all sizes of socks & even baby socks - they are based in Leamington - hmmm may be buying more sock wool!

Other interesting websites:

http://www.wagtailyarns.com.au/ - Kid mohair from Australia
http://www.aktraditions.com - wow these people make fantastic felt dolls - I really should have bought one of their doll kits where you got the wool & pattern to knit clothes for the doll too.
http://www.knitting-and-crochet-guild.org.uk - the Knitting & Crochet Guild website - I have emailed the local representative in the hope of getting more information that will help Knit-Wits get off the ground.
http://www.kcgtrading.com - Knitting & crochet supplies
http://www.craftnotions.com - more knitting supplies
http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk - Wingham wools - they were not trading there, but did have some coloured tops that I bought to do needle felting with.
http://www.clickertyknits.com - interesting stall that sold knitting kits for baby & children's clothes including the ribbon & tags
http://www.thelucet.co.uk - wow fantastic bloke who showed me many ways to take luceting to new heights!!
http://www.buttoncompany.co.uk - just what it says in the address - a button company!

Daisy's Booties

Baby Daisy Emily Marshall was born relatively quickly and without any complications on 25th November 2005 at 8.56am weighing in at a mighty 6lb 4oz - well done Wendy!

Here are her lacey booties fit for a little flower

They are pruple honest, not blue as they appear in these photos. Now I just have to get them posted before she grows out of them.

My first Socks!!

After many attempts to get the rib band started I have finally made a start on the sock from the yarn & pattern that I picked up @ the Knitting & stitching show in Harrogate.

The yarn is fantastic I just love the colour changes. this sock is for Aaron, but after measuring both our feet I found that they were infact the same width, so it will be the same pattern for both of us.

So far I have done the rib band and now working on the stocking stitch - the fun will start @ the heel!!