Checked Blanket

Blanket in 2 weeks, well I was hoping that it would be finished today as Its Uncle Brian's Birthday, but I still have 50 or so rows to knit, so he will have to get it late - pictures to follow

Postcard from New mexico

Thanks SP - I got your card - New Mexico hey bet the weather there is better than the miserable weather that we are having here - its so dark & dreary - good for knitting though, you can curl up and knit lots!!

Really enjoying SP7!!!

Kool-Aid dying

Wow- this is so much fun. I go a selection of Kool-aid sachets from Kool-aid UK and have great fun experimenting. Here are the colours:

• Berry Blue
• Cherry
• Tropical Punch
• Orange
• Lime-Lemon
• Grape
• Strawberry starfruit
• Mango

Here is the Jacob's Ram fleece pre-scoured and waiting to be dyed





My first experiment was with Grape. so here's how I did it.

1. wet approximately 50g of pre-scoured fleece & put in a plastic bowl. I used Jacobs & as you will see from the results, it did not give a true 'matt' finish and was a little blotchy.
2. Mix 1 sachet of grape Kool Aid with a little water - hmmm lovely smell
3. Once mixed add to about 2 pints of water or enough to cover the fleece. the exact volume is not too important as the fleece will take all of the dye out of the liquid!
4. Pour dye liquid into the plastic bowl with the fleece. Gently the push the fleece into the liquid to cover
5. Microwave on high in bursts of 2 minutes. Let the fleece cool between each burst and inspect the fleece.
6. Once the liquid is clear and the fleece has taken all the colour, let it cool, rinse in clean water, squeeze and air dry.

Fleece dyed with grape after 4 x 2 minute bursts in the microwave





The results

Busy busy

I've had a hectic few days and need to update this blog thoroughly, but only get the time it takes me to eat my breakfast. Thankyou to my Secret Pal for my card - I just love attention.

I will hopefully add more tonight, including Kool-Aid Dying, more curly wirly scarves, update on my coat and Uncle Brian blanket - & anything else I can think of.

Secret Pal 7 Questionnaire

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or naturalfibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
   
   I love all sorts of yarn & the yarn has to suit the project. I knit lots for my two children, so bright colours and softness is important. However I also do freeform knitting/crochet, so there I need interesting textures & colours
   
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
   
   Double wammy – I spin and crochet. I learnt to crochet first, when I was about 5 years old. Spinning however has been a recently aquired skill, using drop spindle and a spinning wheel and now absolutely hooked!
   
3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
   
   Hmmm, not much really – I have not found/made a holder yet!
   
4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
   
   I learnt to knit as a child, but did not really knit garments until I was expecting my first child. Since then however I have always had a project or 2, or 3 or many, on the go. I have done cable, and recently socks, but yet to do any fair Isle, so probably intermediate really, with more skills to perfect.
   
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
   
   No, but like the idea of one
   
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
   
   Lavender
   
7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
   
   Chocolate!!!!
   
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
   
   Dying and felting – both wet & needle felting
   
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
   
   Very varied from Classical to punk & rock, stay away from rap, R&B, dance etc
   
10. What's your favorite colour? Or--do you have a colour family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
    
    All of them, but if I had to choose a single colour it would be purple. My favourite season is autumn, so warm earth colours are good too.
    
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
    
    I have 2 children, Oliver 5 and Lily 19 month. Also 2 dogs, Timba, a coliie cross & Pebbles a Jack Russell who thinks that he is a cat! Ooh and a husband
    
12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
    
    All of the above
    
13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
    
    So amy to choose from I love them all
    
14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
    
    Sidar snowflake
    
15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
    
    Curly Whirly scarves
    Baby booties
    Socks
    boas
    gnomes
    
16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
    
    Anything for the children
    
17. What are you knitting right now?
    
    Coat for myself
    Socks for my husband
    Blanket for my uncle
    And probably others
    
18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
    
    Absolutely!
    
19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
    
    Both, but I only have 1 set of circular (4mm)
    
20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
    
    Any, but have more aluminum than any other
    
21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
    
    No
    
22. How did you learn to knit?
    
    Grandma showed me when I was small, self taught from books to work out patterns & update my skills
    
23. How old is your oldest UFO?
    
    3 years
    
24. What is your favourite animated character or a favourite animal/bird?
    
    Love ‘Hello Kitty’
    
25. What is your favourite holiday?
    
    Camping with the children
    
26. Is there anything that you collect?
    
    Aprt from knitting stuff? – stitch markers
    
27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
    
    Simply Knitting (UK)
    
28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
    
    Anything unusual, especially for the children
    
29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
    
    Perfect knitting in the round using double pointed needles
    
30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
    
    Yes – but I’d rather knit my own
    
31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
    
    December 26th – just missed it!!

Coventry Knit-Wits make 6!

Just got back from the first 2006 session of Coventry Knit-Wits and if this meeting is anything to go by, we will soon be filling the bar! A grand total of 6 of us, brilliant - anyone interested in joining Coventry's Knitting club click here for the Knit-Wits blog. I must remeber to take ca camera next week so I can photo the projects we are working on.

Wild Summer socks & UK Knitters webring

Found a cool site mentioned on the UKHandknitters Yahoo Group - summer socks

Also I'm now officially part of the UK Knitters Webring - see the side bar for the webring

Knit-Wits

We are starting the Coventry Knit-Wits sessions @ Liquid Cafe Wine Bar City Arcade Coventry Wed evenings 7-9pm.

Comment here for more details

Bag of control (Results of 1st Procion Dye session)

My own invention – the Bag of Control – A purpose crocheted bag that comfortably fits all the controls for the TV, DVD and Video. Now instead of loosing them under the sofa or being stolen by Lily they can all live together.

This is the project that I made from the fleece that I dyed with the Procion dyes. Now that it is made I have realised that although I like the colours they are not quite what I need to make my Broad Weavers bag – they should be darker and have green in there too. Anyway this was my first experiment into dying with these dyes, so I’ll just have to try again.

My coat

I don’t believe it – does this mean that I am knitting a project for me? Not a present for a friend or relative or an item for the children?

Yes – believe it.

I walked into Busy Fingers Coventry with my flyers for Knit-Wits and suddenly felt embarrassed in the Matalan bought cardy. Hmm I can’t very well promote a knitting club in an obvious manufactured woollen (if of course there is a scrap of wool in it) garment, so 5 minutes later I had the pattern, the wool and the pins to make it. Several hours over Christmas day and Boxing day later – back and right front complete – left front, 2 sleeves and border to go.

I could get used to making things for me – Wendy chic scarf is for me too, unless I get coaxed out of it nearer completion.

Lily's Eskimo Coat

Aaaahh – repeat after me –

‘I must stop buying wool!’
‘I must stop buying wool!’
‘I must stop buying wool!’
‘I must stop buying wool!’

Well…..It was so cute and the yarn just looks so nice and the purple fluff will look wonderful around the hood and cuffs and, and, and – I’m convinced.

Lily will look wonderful in this, so it will just have to be added to the to-do list!

Wendy Chic Scarf

I could not resist this yarn, so just had to buy it to make a scarf to go with my coat - more details on that later.

I have used 4.5mm needles to knit the scarf 15 stitches wide and it will be the length that the 50g ball allows. You have to really concentrate, because if you drop a stitch or accidentally knit 2 together it is virtually impossible to correct the mistake without taking out several if not all the rows. I know because I've started this one 3 times already! Its worth it though as it is sooo touchable and strokeable and I can't wait to wear it.

Curly Whirly Timba

Here is Timba, my Wolfdog, sporting my latest Curly Whirly, crocheted from his fluff.

Ever since I he was a puppy I have saved his fluff thinking 'one day I'll spin that', well I finally bought a spinning wheel, joined my local Spinners Guild and have been spinning his fluff ever since.

This scarf was made from two grooms of his summer fur, which resulted in a pile almost that same size as Timba himself. As the fluff is so soft and free from tangles, I spun it straight away with no need for carding. I plyed 2 strands together and the colours were amazing as he varies from pure white to vivid ginger and dark specs.

Once crocheted I washed the scarf to eliminate any lingering doggy smell and contrary to my initial thoughts, it does not shed - pity Timba doesn't as its a full time job hoovering up after him.

For more Curly Whirly scarf ideas see Curly Whirlies

Kool-Aid (Order)

I have just placed my first order for Kool-Aid!!

There are so many to choose from, so I took the plunge and ordered 2 of the following

• Grape
• Berry Blue
• Tropical Punch
• Mango
• Swirlin' Strawberry Starfruit
• Lemon & Lime
• Cherry
• Orange

From Koolaiduk.com

I can't wait to try these out - if they work well then I will probably do a Kool-Aid Dying workshop for the Spinners Guild.

Instructions that I plan to use are from Knitty.com

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.