Monday 28 March 2011

New Feature!

Since I started my Blog I have been encouraged, supported and amused by the various comments people from around the world have left on my Blog. I have always felt a little well, uncomfortable that I do not reply to these comments. Having done a little research into this it would appear that apart from posting individual replies in the comments section, and therefore running the risk of them of them going unnoticed, there is not a lot else I can do. I have looked at other peoples' Blogs and taking my lead from them I shall try and reply to questions and comments at the end of a Blog Post. It may take a while, it may not be in order, but I do need to 'mind my manners'!
So, if you have left a comment - Thank you, I appreciate each and every one of them :-)

Sunday 27 March 2011

To Me from Me

Saturday at The Knit Studio was busy, really busy. We had over 20 people again at the morning Knitting Group, which is fantastic - I love Saturday mornings, I get see everyone, listen to the gossip, admire the WIP's and just absorb the friendly, chatty atmosphere.
Fast forward to getting home and looking forward to a Gin & Tonic and there, on the table was a parcel for me! I had ordered some goodies from Hieke's new website http://www.knitsisters.co.uk/ and amazingly it arrived the next day! Brilliant service! Would you like a little look?

 Beautifully wrapped -



The contents

and, they all fitted perfectly into my new project bag!


Thursday 24 March 2011

This Makes Me Smile

I recently posted the link to this book on a forum in Ravelry and people either loved it or hated it. What do you think?


It is just such a typically English thing to do. Did we have a Knitted American Presidential Election? No, I didn't think so. However, I have to admit on closer inspection the characters in the book are quite lovable in their own way, and I do like the corgis. I did have a mad idea to knit it for The Knit Studio but having looked at all the instructions have decided (wiselyI think) not to put myself under so much knitting pressure. I may change my mind of course, it is a Wedding after all! And talking of Royal Wedding Souvenirs - did anyone see the mug that has a photograph of the wrong Prince on it? Hilarious, how many people will realise before they buy it?

I was given another link, still Royal Wedding themed - it made my day! Enjoy!

Wednesday 23 March 2011

An Invitation to

One of my bestest knitting friends is launching a new website, and it looks fab. Go have a look tomorrow - I am sure you will love it! I already have my eye on a couple of things!

Here is the information -
Blatant copying from Heike's Blog!

Please join me to celebrate the launch of Knitsisters. I am very excited that this dream of mine is finally a reality and I hope you will tell everyone about it. Please give me your honest feedback, as it will help me to improve on an ongoing basis. My main is to provide Beautiful Things for Yarn Lovers everywhere.

Monday 21 March 2011

Crochet, Cats and Chickens

It has been an interesting weekend - busy, but interesting!
A Learn to Crochet Workshop was scheduled at The Knit Studio for Sunday. As some of you know, for the past couple of years I have travelled the length and breadth of the country tutoring a wide range of knitting, crochet and sewing related subjects. So, because of this, I have a box in which I keep all my workshop samples. This means that for any given subject, I just dip into the box, check the samples, wash them if needed, block them and generally tidy them up. On Friday night I 'dipped' into the box for the crochet samples and ... horror of horrors! No sign of them! Cue a frantic search of other boxes before finally deciding I would have to quickly crochet them all again. Not easy when you consider that Saturday is a busy day at The Knit Studio with the very large and popular Knitting Group. Nevertheless I managed to do the samples I needed by early in the evening, and, by this time I had caught the crochet bug.  If some one asks me knit or crochet? I will always reply knit - but when I do get around to crocheting I remember how much I enjoy it and I wasn't quite ready to put everything away, just yet - after all, I had all my hooks, lots of odd bits of yarn and a few new books (borrowed, of course from The Knit Studio). I really like Amigurumi crochet type creatures because of their funny shapes and 'googly' eyes and because they are quick to make. By the end of Saturday night Charlie the Cat and Chloe the chicken had been born! Photos later on......

The Crochet Workshop went really well - it was a beautiful, sunny day and everyone got the hang of all the basic stitches really quickly! It was a good job I had a few 'extension tasks' up my sleeves. Not only all the basic stitches but circles, flowers and granny squares too -well done everyone!

And so to Monday, which was for me Washday Monday! You know, a warm sunny day perfect for hanging out washing - so perfect I went looking for washing! Three stripped beds later and the kitchen resembled a Chinese Laundry.

One of the many piles on the kitchen floor.

Taking advantage of the brilliant sunshine, Mittens and I spent a little time in the garden where I managed to photograph some of my recent projects.

Charlie gaurding 'his' fat ball feeder!
I nearly wrote gauarding his fat b****s
but then realised how that sounded
and I do have children reading my Blog. Hello Rellies!! :-)


Chloe, the chicken, hiding from Mittens!

Mittens ignoring Chloe.

Perhaps I will just squash it?

And - introducing Charlie the cat ....

 he is kind of cute isn't he?
(Eyes and nose temporary fittings!)

I'll just ignore this creature too!

Some finished knitting projects enjoyed the sunshine too. 
Springtime HitchHiker

Hitch Hiker again, not my usual colours, but a great Springtime Scarf.


New Knitters First Project - designed for last weeks' Learn to Knit Workshop at Create in Ilkley.
Knitted in Nidd yarn from their fantastic Ba T'at yarn range
- which is also available exclusively at The Knit Studio!

and finally - received this from a pal recently - it made me smile :-)


Wednesday 9 March 2011

Cold Hands - Warm Gloves

I don't know about anyone else, I can bear the cold weather if my hands and feet are warm. It has been extremely cold here in Newcastle this week, and with my penchant for losing gloves my hands have been freezing (cue one miserable person!)
So, when I received some fab new yarn in a recent stock delivery at The Knit Studio I knew exactly what to knit!
Now, this yarn is relatively new to the market - 6 projects on Ravelry and is actually sock yarn, but when you look at the ball you would expect it to knit up in stripes. And it does, but not in stripes as I know them! Have a look and you will see what I mean -

Sorry, small pic! Get your magnifiers out!

Interesting aren't they?

Knitted on 2.5mm dpn's - 54 sts - knit every row - thumb opening created the same way as Fetching and knit to fit! Easy! and more importantly warm!
Yarn is Katia Olé Socks Senses - 100g balls - 75% wool 25% acrylic.
When I showed them to Sarah we realised she shares the same 'matching gene' as her Grandma as she said she could not wear them as they did not match! My mum, you see, will wind off the yarn before she begins her second sock in order to match the strips exactly, this trait has skipped a generation and Sarah suffers from it too! This does of course mean I get to keep the gloves!! Hooray!

Sunday 6 March 2011

Normal Service Resumes!

Hello!
I bet you were all wondering where I had gone! Well the answer is nowhere really. Except I have been really busy, and life has still got this habit of throwing a few things your way that you had not planned on having to deal with (just yet)!
So today I shall upload a few photos and hopefully from now on I will have the time and inclination to begin Blogging again on a regular basis!

Citron x 2
One knitted by me and one by mum - we both liked the same colour and look how different they appear!


The cats who fight and have a little 'spat' each day,
managed to overcome their differences to hide away here while I was houseworking downstairs!
Mittens to the left, Pebbles to the right.


There has been a spot of Guerilla Knitting at The Knit Studio in readiness for Makers Faire in 2 weeks time!
Look at the fabulous bright colours!


New project, crocheted with new yarn.
It's very bright and not a colour I would normally wear, but it is really cheerful and I love it!


I 'found' these boots (bought over a year ago, and misplaced in the house move etc, and after wearing them around the house to soften the leather)
 I have worn them nearly every day since. Maybe my color preferences are changing??


The day my mum, finally realised that she IS the smallest person in our family!
But, much loved, all the same!