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Pair 6

I was excited to start these as they looked like they'd be an interesting knit.

Cranberry Biscotti

It wasn't really - you did a slip stitch (with yarn in front) every 4 rows or so, the rest was just stocking stitch.

But it does look quite pretty!

Pattern: Cranberry Biscotti

Yarn: The Yarn Yard Toddy in green and maroon, leftovers from Hermione's Everyday Socks

Pair 5

Here they are!

Glass Slippers

Pattern: Glass Slippers 

Yarn: Yarnscape Dance in Icicle

Another easy pattern, although I didn't overly love the way the cables met at the top of the instep.

Yarn is gorgeous! It's 55% superwash BFL and 45% silk so there's a gorgeous shine to it!

Pairs 3 & 4 and a yarn bowl!

I just haven't been able to get on the computer to blog about pairs 3 and 4 and blogging from the iPad is useless - blogger really need to sort the interface out!

Wavy Socks

So! Pair 3 were a design I was asked to test knit for Miss Elle and she's called them Wavy Socks (I can't post a link as they're not availale yet!)

Pattern: Wavy Socks

Yarn: Fluffosity Wight Walker in Fuschia

Nice easy socks to make and the pattern is very well written!

Blåthnat

I also finished pair 4, I chose to do the mystery sock being hosted on Sock Knitters Anonymous, but I wasn't majorly in love with the pattern.  So I chose a colour yarn I wasn't that in love with either.

Pattern: Blåthnat

Yarn: Knitting Goddess 4ply sock in Topaz

The pattern is well written, but it's supposed to be a flower and I just don't see a flower! Everyone else in the SKA group seems to love it though *shrug*

On Saturday, I went over to Portsmouth and met up with Debs & Bryon.  We went for lunch and then we drove to Lymington to Bea's house to meet with her, Bex and Donna.  Bryon got to go and play in the shed with Bea's husband, Clive, and we got to sit and knit/spin and gossip like us women are wont to do!

Yarn bowl

Bea's husband, Clive, likes to make things out of wood and he's a very talented chap.  I managed to steal away this gorgeous yarn bowl!

I also got him to drill a 5mm hole at the bottom of the bowl so that I can still easily work a pair of socks from each end of a centre pull ball like I normally do!

How cool is that?


If you want your very own yarn bowl - you can't have one! The best thing will be to message Clive on twitter, his account is here, or his wife Bea.  If you don't have twitter, leave a comment and I'll pass your request on for you!

Number 12

Outline done

At the end of session 1

The cover up of the ribbon and the armband below it started yesterday.

Andy started tattooing at around 12.30 and we kept going until just before 5pm.

Unfortunately, it's not finished yet so I'll have to go back for another session, but I'll have to wait for this to heal first.

At the moment my arm feels like a piece of steak that's been walloped with one of those wooden mallets and my bed is covered in ink LOL

But I think it looks awesome and I already know how I'm going to replace the tribute!

Number 11

Tattoo #11

Tattoo that is!

Yesterday I went to see my tattoo artist; haven't seen him for years - he met a woman and moved to London with her several years ago.

Another guy took over his shop while he was gone (he did my tribute ribbon for dad).

Well, Andy came back a couple of years ago so yesterday we went to see him.

I came away with this tattoo - it's an ambigram of the words 'knit' and 'purl'

Pretty cool, huh?

While I was there, Andy had a good look at the ribbon I had done for Dad; he doesn't like it - he says the writing is all squished and hard to read, the ribbon doesn't look right and the tattooist has managed to scar the skin.

He has recommended I get a coverup done and have the ribbon redone.

Tattoo #12 is now booked!

Pair 2

I've finished my second of 52 pairs!

Aragorn

Pattern: Aragorn

Yarn: Knitting Goddess 4ply sock in Onyx

These had an unusual construction in that you worked the heel flap along with the gusset increases (which are done right in the centre of the instep/front of leg) THEN you shift all the stitches around so that your increased stitches become the instep and the original stitches become the gusset which you decrease back down.

You really have to go on faith and follow the pattern with this one - if you do; they'll fit very well and be surprisingly comfortable!

Pair 1

Pair 1

So, I've finished my first pair of socks for 2012.

I would've finished about a week ago, but I decided to cast on the next pair of socks and save the toes of this pair for when I didn't need to concentrate.

The pattern: Hermione's Everyday Socks

The Yarn: 'Birds of Paradise' in Lustrous Falkland from The Skein Queen

These were very easy to make and the yarn is just simply gorgeous!

Happy Birthday Dreaddies

So, today my dreadlocks turn 6 months!

I can't believe it! I remember doing loads of searching online about the best way to get cool looking dreads, I learnt that wax and other so-called bonding products were to be avoided, I learnt about back combing, twist & rip and how to use a crochet hook to help develop dreadlocks.

I also learned that it's a lesson in patience and thank God mine locked up as quickly as they did because, as we all know; I'm not the most patient person in the world!

Loads of STUFF in my hair!

So, as a treat I decided to wrap one of my locks with a bit of handspun left over from the headband I made ages ago and I put some bells at the bottom of the wrap.

I like this pic on the left, it shows the wrap with the bells and it also shows the bead my godson, Mason, gave me for Christmas and the spider bead I bought when I started to dread my hair.  If you look closely, you can also see a silver bead toward the top of my hair and a turtle bead near the nape of my neck and a hint of a gold ring too!

I love how they look and I have ordered some sterling silver bells to be permenantly sewn in, but they haven't arrived yet - the bells in there now were given to me by Natalie.

Get a load of them phatties!

I got Alex to take some more pictures of my hair, but the one I was most excited about was the one that shows the back of my head!  LOOK at those gorgeous dreadlocks!  They're proper phatties!

I've got quite a bit of stuff in my hair now; there's a snake bead, a skull bead, a silver bead with a symbol on, my blue cat bead, a metal ring, a yellow plastic ring, a 9ct gold wishbone ring (a gift on my 16th birthday), my father's gold buckle pinkie ring, a turtle bead, a starfish bead, a bead I bought in Norway, the wrap with bells on, a spider bead and the big bead Mason gave me!

I want my locs to grow really long so I can be a right magpie and have loads of stuff in my hair!

Think I might buy a load of embroidery silks and use those as wraps too!

I'm not an expert on dreadlocks by any means, but here are some tips I've learned over the past six months:

• You are going to look like an unmade bed - how long for? Everyone is different!

• Do NOT use wax, glue, honey or any other product that people say you should to make it lock - it will get trapped inside the locks & attract lint/dust...and they'll smell!
• WASH YOUR HAIR! Greasy hair is slippery and knots can't form - clean hair will lock better
• Don't use conditioners/conditioning shampoos, I prefer T-Gel but not for every wash
• If you use beads from the beginning; move them around to prevent weak spots
• If you use a crochet hook to create/maintain locks; be gentle, don't break the hair
• When ripping apart your locks, move your hands right down to the roots to check separation
• Let your hair MOVE! Wear a hat/headband for work if you need to, but let them down rest of the time.
• Do NOT use rubberbands - they will get stuck inside your locks!
• It's just hair, if you don't like how your locks are forming, brush out & start again!

I hope these tips will help you out, it's up to you if you follow them or not - it's your hair!

Argh! Bright light!!

  

Here is a shot of me from the front - excuse the no make-up squinty eyed look, I hadn't put any make-up on today (psoriasis keeps flaring on my face) and I'm photosensitive; I hate the flash going off in my face!  It physically hurts my eyes and my head - took half an hour for me to get past the pain this photo caused!

So......erm......what else?

Oooooh, I remember, I'm off to visit my friend, Kerry, and her new baby next Friday and I've cast on sock 2 of 52.  No, I havn't finished sock 1 yet, but all I have to do are the toes which are nice and easy so I've been saving them as 'something to do when a complicated pattern does my head in' socks - such as when we're at bingo or when I'll be on the car ferry next Friday morning!

The second pair is Aragorn and is being knit in Onyx - this fulfills the A-Z AND SolidSocks requirements!

Happy New Year!

I was going to post yesterday, but I got distracted!

I was busy finishing up the socks I was knitting for Juliann so that I could start my first socks of 2012!

Oh....I was also watching Smallville.  If you follow me on any social media thingy, you'll know that I'm currently working my way through the entire ten seasons of Smallville!

So, new socks! 

I'm knitting Hermione's Everyday Socks which is an incredibly easy pattern! I'm knitting it in a gorgeous yarn I recently received from The Skein Queen. It's a beautiful sock yarn and the colourway is called 'Birds of Paradise' - no, you can't see it yet. Just wait until I'm finished! These socks fulfill my SKA requirements.

After this pair I'm going to knit Aragorn in a yarn from The Knitting Goddess in Onyx which will fullfill my A sock and black yarn requirement.

I'm considering the SKA mystery sock after Aragorn as it's called Bláthnat which will fulfill my B socks requirement, but I'm not sure yet - I'm waiting to see what the pattern looks like first.

Did you have a good New Year? I went to Mel's house as she was having a little party, there was food and alcohol and lots of catching up to be done.  Mason and I exchanged presents as I didn't see him over Christmas.

Dreadlock bead

He got me a HOOOGE mug that says 'Big Mouth, Big Mug' on it, a couple of bingo pens and a thingy to attach to Isis' lead which holds poo bags and a torch.

He also got me this STUNNING bead!

I was so excited to get it and I love it! It shows up really well now my hair is black cherry again - I don't think it would've looked quite so good against the purple.

I gave Mason a chocolate tool set and a chocolate lolly maker which he's been asking for for AGES! He was incredibly pleased with this, ate one of the chocolate tools and then was promised he could make lollies another day.

I bet that will be messy fun!

I also received a text at 1.30 on New Years morning to tell me that my friend, Kerry, had given birh to her fifth child 3 hours before. A gorgeous little boy and I can't wait to go and get cuddles!  Congratulations Sweetie.

I hope your New Year was as fun as mine, whatever you chose to do.

Merry Christmas

Have you had a good day?

Sock patterns from Claire!

Mine has been awesome!  I got up about 8.30, had a nice hour drinking tea and surfing the web, then I had a shower before we all opened our presents.

I got LOADS!

Claire gave me a sock pattern book and a CD with over 50 sock patterns on!

From Kathy

This gift alone will keep me busy this year!

I joined in two Secret Santas this year.  One Santa - her Ravelry username is Kathycogs -  gave me a shoe box crammed full of stuff.  There was some lovely sparkly sock yarn, Cadbury's hot chocolate sachets, chewy lollies, Galaxy chocolate, 'Keep Calm, Carry On Knitting' cup mat and little itty bitty stitch markers!

From KTjazz

The other Santa didn't immediately reveal herself until I begged her too because she bought me some lovely gifts!  

KTjazz bought me some bamboo sock yarn, some chocolate peanuts, some roving to spin up to make dread wraps, a bag she made herself and DREAD BEADS!!! How totally awesome!

She really did her research, I guess she came here LOL.

I also got some lovely angora fibre from Ambermog, can't wait to spin it!

Isis and her duck

Isis didn't get left out - she got a new toy; it's a duck that quacks.  We squeezed it before opening it and she got SO excited!  She has spent the entire day (when not drooling in the kitchen at the meat) using it as a pillow.

The kids had quite a few gifts this year - some we're not allowed to open as they're from Vicky, Matt's girlfriend, and she's not here until tomorrow.

 

 

 

Christmas Day

They seem quite happy and it took them until 8pm before arguments started LOL

After we had breakfast we sat down to watch Phantom of The Opera - no, not the crappy film version; the proper stage version filmed at the Royal Albert Hall! Mum bought it for me when we went to watch the tennis and I'd been saving it!

The kids LOVED it!

Tomorrow will be a day of gluttony as no one felt like eating - we had such a huge breakfast; no one had room for a full roast turkey dinner!

My new bag!

 So tomorrow we are going to have cold meat, mash potato, pickled onions, cranberry sauce and lots and lots of cake!

There will probably be alcohol too!

Well, whatever you did and whoever you spent it with; I hope you had a good day and that the rest of the holiday period is a good one for you and yours.

Oh....I cast on socks too *embarrassed face* but they're not for me!  I was asked to make some for Juliann ages ago, she even sent me the yarn, but I got so wrapped up in socks for me that I didn't get around to it.  In this pic I've placed the yarn with the started toes in front of the bag Matt bought me for Christmas :D

Socks galore!

Athena

'Athena'. 

Pattern by 'Not An Artist' which was bought for me by Miss Elle last Christmas.

The yarn is 'Eldritch Voices' dyed by Wyndwitch.

Start Date: 1st January 2011

Finish Date: 8th January 2011

Blackrose

'Blackrose'

Pattern by Suzi Anvin and is free on Knitty

The yarn is handspun BFL, spun by meeeeeeee!

Start Date: 15th January 2011
Finish Date: 25th January 2011

Climber Cable Socks

'Climber Cable Socks'

Pattern by John Dunn-Ballam

The yarn is a Sushi  Roll in Dusk also from John Dunn-Ballam (otherwise known as Easyknits)

Start Date: 29th January 2011
Finish Date: 10th February 2011

Double Basket Socks

'Double Basket Socks'

Pattern by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott

The yarn is  from The Yarn Yard - it was a club yarn

Start Date: 12th February 2011
Finish Date: 25th February 2011

Escalator Socks

'Escalator Socks'

Pattern by Sara Amoroso

The yarn is by Krafty Koala

Start Date: 27th February 2011
Finish Date: 12th March 2011

Firestarter

'Firestarter'

Pattern by Yarnissima

The yarn is by The Knitting Goddess

Start Date: 12th March 2011
Finish Date: 24th March 2011

(The) Gardner

'The Gardner'

Pattern by Leslie Comstock

The yarn is by The Yarn Yard

Start Date: 26th March 2011
Finish Date: 14th April 2011

Hourglass

'Hourglass'

Pattern by Bev Elicerio

Yarn by Cherry Tree Hill

Start Date: 15th April 2011
Finish Date: 29th April 2011

In The Peaceful Forest

'In The Peaceful Forest'

Pattern by Sandy Moore

Yarn by The Knitting Goddess

Start Date: 29th April 2011
Finish Date: 23rd May 2011

Joe's Office Sock

'Joe's Office Socks'

Pattern by Anna Peck

Yarn is Zauberball

Start Date: 20th May 2011
Finish Date: 1st June 2011

Kalajoki

'Kalajoki'

Pattern by Tiina Seppälä

Yarn by The Knitting Goddess

Start Date: 2nd June 2011
Finish Date 8th June 2011

Lyra's Socks

'Lyra's Socks'

Pattern by DXM patterns

Yarn by Easyknits

Start Date: 8th June 2011
Finish Date: 13th June 2011

Mary's Garden

'Mary's Garden'

Pattern by Melly A. Mathews

Yarn by Krafty Koala

Start Date: 30th June 2011
Finish Date: 13th July 2011

Nasturtium

'Nasturtium'

Pattern by Kirsten Kapur

Yarn is Lang Yarns Jawoll Magic

Start Date: 13th July 2011
Finish Date: 18th July 2011

Owlie Socks

'Owlie Socks'

Pattern by Julie Elswick Suchomel

Yarn was dyed by me

Start Date: 18th July 2011
Finish Date: 5th August 2011

Plaited Points

'Plaited Points'

Pattern by Scott Dilley

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 5th August 2011
Finish Date 12th August 2011

Quickset Socks

'Quickset Socks'

Pattern by Megan Marshall

Yarn is Lang Jawoll Magic Dégradé

Start Date: 13th August 2011
Finish Date: 16th August 2011

Rick

 'Rick'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 27th August 2011
Finish Date: 5th September

Sam

'Sam'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn by Violet Green

Start Date: 11th September 2011
Finish Date: 24th September 2011

Tatami

'Tatami'

Pattern by Judy Sumner

Yarn by Lang Jawoll Magic

Start Date: 23rd September 2011
Finish Date: 3rd October 2011

Unraveling Rib

'Unraveling Rib'

Pattern by Amy Tyszkiewicz

Yarn by KnitCave

Start Date: 9th October 2011
Finish Date: 16th October 2011

Vilai

'Vilai'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn by The Yarn Yard

Start Date: 23rd October 2011
Finish Date 4th November 2011

Wanida

'Wanida'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn by BB Knits

Start Date: 13th November 2011
Finish Date 18th November 2011

XOX

'XOX Socks - Hugs & Kisses'

Pattern by Wollhuhn

Yarn by Yarnscape

Start Date: 19th November 2011
Finish Date: 26th November 2011

You and I

'You and I'

Pattern by Torunn Elise Haugen

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 12th December 2011
Finish Date: 17th December 2011

Zig Zag Socks

'Zig Zag Socks'

Pattern by Donna Pye

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 17th December 2011
Finish Date 23rd December 2011



I also made a few extra socks which are listed below.

Claires Socks

'Claire's Socks'

Pattern: Just a plain stocking stitch pattern

Yarn is Crazy Zauberball

Start Date: 20th June 2011
Finish Date: 16th August 2011

Kai-Mei

'Kai-Mei'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 21st August 2011
Finish Date: 27th August 2011

Milo

'Milo'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 5th September 2011
Finish Date: 12th September 2011

Harold & Maude

 'Harold & Maude'

Pattern by Rose Hiver

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 4th October 2011
Finish Date: 23rd October 2011

Textured Twists

'Textured Twists'

Pattern by Laura Jenkins

Yarn is Lang Yarns Jawoll Magic Dégradé

Start Date: 20th October 2011
Finish Date: 13th November 2011

Sophisticated Scribbles

'Sophisticated Scribbles'

Pattern by Elizabeth Rislove Etler

Yarn by Zettl Sockenwolle Treviso (grey) and dyed by me

Start Date: 26th November 2011
Finish Date: 12th December 2011




The last two pairs were test knits which I thoroughly enjoyed doing.

I enjoyed the whole challenge and I really can't wait to get started on my 52 pair challenge for next year - but first, I'm going to spend some time with my spinning wheel!