Tiny Test Sock and Dolls House

So I ordered some new tiny needles for magic looping some socks with the Opal yarn I bought.
Using tiny needles and tiny numbers was not the most pleasant experience lol but didn't want to waste time and yarn making a large sock.
Pictured below is the tiny sock still on the needles just after the Fish Lips Kiss Heel.

I used 1.5mm needles with Opal yarn and used Judy's Magic Cast On for a toe up sock, I cast on 7 sts on each needle and increased to 13 sts on each needle for the toe, I then knit in stocking st a few rounds before starting the Fish Lips Kiss Heel and doing a few stocking st rounds, and lastly a few single rib rounds before doing a loose cast off.

Overall I'm happy with the tiny sock, my techniques need a little work but I managed to do them without a lot of mistakes. I dropped stitches a couple of times (think I just need to get used to the smaller scale I'm working on) but overall looks ok. Hoping to make some scaled up to full size socks soon :)
In other news I built my son a wooden doll house, I'm quite proud of myself. I tend to build bookcases and things but this is for playing with so more fun lol It only came in pink...

I'm going to keep working on my shawl for a while and hope I don't get bored of it, love the yarn but I tend to like starting something new lol
I can't remember if I mentioned I bought a new DVD called Temple Grandin, it was recommended to me from a course I'm doing about autism. It's amazing, Clare Danes plays the part very well and I love that there is such an inspirational person to talk about the problems and possibilities for autistic people.
It is World Autism Awareness Day on 2nd April and I'm hoping to decorate a tee for my son to wear to his therapy session that day :) we're also hoping to go to Blackpool as they're illuminating the Tower blue for the occasion (but need to look at times and such as he's still only little yet).
Happy Crafting!

New-ish things and brief update

A while ago I ordered The Great British Sewing Bee books, I forgot to photograph them and show you so here they are in their new home...a very full book case lol There are some really nice patterns in (although only the sew your own wardrobe has a pattern pack with it), though even the most simple patterns still have me nervous (I'm kinda terrible at sewing lol), but hopefully I'll get the nerve to make something, I'd love to make a waistcoat for both myself and my son :)

Also a while ago I ordered a couple new smile row counters, I mentioned them but here is a pic of mine (it's pink but it cost less than the other colours lol) along side my new magnetic, retractable tape measure :) and what better background than Dr Who themed TARDIS print project bag lol ..?

I ordered some 80cm (approx 32") tiny circs for making socks (hopefully two at a time), I knew that I'd need smaller than a 2mm (based on my tension for a previous fingerless mitt project made form Babylonglegs sock yarn in Yoda), so I ordered 1.5mm, 1.75mm and 2mm (this could be used with a thin DK they have in my local haberdashery). I'm hoping the 1.75mm should be ok but as p+p combined I thought I'd be safe and get the 1.5mm too...let's hope I don't need to go any smaller!

I ordered some yarn from Polly Jane Yarns, and it arrived really quickly :) and really well packaged. I love the colours, especially The Litttle Prince and the Geographer, I think this will make a great shawl for everyday wear with things like jeans, and it's not too girly even with the hints of pink.

I also ordered some of their new Love Story Opal yarn, I loved the On Cloud 7 dye lot and just couldn't resist, if done as a shawl it's nice and feminine, as socks they'd be bright and bold and as mitts they'd be eye catchingly cute. Although pink I still think this could be year round rather than a seasonal colour because the oranges add the hint of autumn, and because of christmas people tend to like vibrant colours in winter as well as spring/summer.

Last but not least, though admittedly I'm not as in love as with the others, is the Veridian Rainforest. It's bright and colourful so could again be multiple projects, but the colours are much more spring/summer themed so less year round (in my opinion). There are flecks of black but I just think overall it's more limited because of it's mixed look.

And after all that new to you stuff I'll let you know I've done a couple of rows on the super chunky b/w shawl (for my mum) on 12mm needles (do you remember that lol been a while) and have been loving my new shawl made from lace weight (held double on 6mm needles) Malabrigo 100% baby merino wool :) sooo soft! I was going to do the Blackcurrant Shawl but the prospect of so many increases per row was rather daunting, so wimp like I decided to stick to a triangular shawl (basically just following the beginning of the pattern till I want to do the last section). It won't have the smaller triangles on the ends, but should still look fabulous.

I also bought a pattern (that I technically already own from an issue of knit now) called the Ayli (as you like it) hat, it was on offer for the designers birthday at just 42p and it means I don't need to do a photocopy (using the very little ink I have left) to circle the numbers I need. Also, anybody who knows me, knows my patterns get folded to oblivion (and almost falling to pieces, sometimes literally falling into separate pieces, they get carried around a lot and sometimes my son gets at them which never ends well) and having a digital copy means I can print it as and when I need it, as often as I need it (if I want to make multiple hats). It's an awesome looking hat that I'd love to give a go, even looked up the special cast on which involves a crochet hook and think I can do that. I know we're getting out of hat season in most places but where I live last year it was still cold till the end of May and was chilly again from end of October, so we need lots of warm things...I already have a few but no harm in trying something new :)
And on that crazy long explanation I think I'm off lol lots to knit :) and my friend is coming round tonight (hopefully we'll get some The Great British Sewing Bee or Hair watched lol I talk too much sometimes).
Happy crafting! 

Milo finished + Blackcurrant started

The Milo for my son is finished :)
He hasn't tried it on yet as not been in the mood (still not fully himself), hope it fits ok: came out at 22" chest and he was a 20" chest before the large weight loss (from being ill) so hope it lasts a while lol The yarn is Safari chunky and the dye lot is Antelope, looks kinda like a tabby cat :)

I've cast on the Blackcurrant Shawl, but having looked at the pattern I may keep it to a triangular (rather than having the small triangular shapes at either end) as I'm not sure my brain could cope with that many M1L and M1R increases on one row. It's kinda a pain enough with 4 per row, mainly as I'm rubbish and can never remember which is which to know which I do where. My brain doesn't work properly most of the time lol The two yarns held together look nice, sorry the photo isn't greatly colour accurate but you can see the differences in yarn well on it. (Yarn from Woolstack.)

I've fallen in love with thin yarn and large needles though (for shawls obviously), so been naughty and ordered some more...will show you when it arrives...but I wouldn't have if it wasn't for the coupon code in Knit Now Issue 32 (10% off and the site has free p+p for orders over £20), check out Polly Jane Yarns :)
If only I got all these sites enough orders I got discounts more often lol I have a yarn addiction incase you hadn't noticed! And books! And DVDs lol and just general stuff haha
Anyway, on that note...I'm off.
Happy Crafting!

Yarn!

As my previous posts say I haven't done much actual knitting lately due to a rather poorly boy, just picked up the needles to carry on with his Milo vest, not far off finishing now :)
I also received my order from Woolstack which am happy with. I now have the large set of Hiya Hiya interchangeable circular needles :) along with some gorgeous new yarn.
Opal "Little Prince and the Fountain" sock yarn - this looked stunning on screen, the colours were rich and the mostly orange colour made me think of my friend who loves it, so bought it the the intention of making her some socks (even if it takes me years to actually get them done lol), upon arrival the colour isn't as orange and has a slightly pink hue to it so not sure if she'll like it so much now :( my friend over at Joeli's Kitchen uses it for socks, which always turn out gorgeous so look forward to seeing how they turn out. Not looking forward to tiny needles though, Gonna try 2mm but have a feeling my knitting is so loose I may need to get some even smaller needles :(

Malabrigo Merino Rios Yarn Arco Iris 866 - a stunningly soft aran weight yarn with soft colours that range from greens, yellows, oranges and purples with blues too. This is what I call a "face smushing yarn" it is just so soft you wanna stroke your face with it. In my impatience I may have started winding it into a ball manually at my mums and got it all in a tangle :( so instead of being in two fairly even balls, it's in 4 rather odd sized balls...

Malabrigo Lace weight yarn Pagoda 023 and Amoroso 157 - really, super soft lace weight yarn (again face smushingly soft). I used my ball winder for these ones but I still managed to mess up the winding :( The yarn is really thin and I kept snagging the strands and kinda accidentally snapped it a little...well a lot I gave up starting new balls and just rejoined and kept on winding. Bad me!

I bought these two yarns with the intention of holding them together to make the Blackcurrant Shawl. It's really nice but not made one like this before so hope it's nice and brain numbing or relaxing to knit. 
And on that note I'm off...
Happy Crafting!

nothing done :(

my son got acute tonsillitis just over a week ago, he's now also developed atypical pneumonia so needless to say nothing has been done. hoping he'll improve soon as it's getting hard, especially as I now have a cold and sore throat. feels weird doing no crafting! hope everyone else is, please feel free to post pictures in the comments to give me something to look at.

Sick baby = no crafts

My knitting has been put on hold due to a poorly baby, he's got tonsillitis and is rather worse for wear so he's getting all my attention. He was shaking terribly, but burning up (40 degrees C), sick and just so ill, with such high temperature he had to visit the hospital, where we found out it was tonsillitis (after a fight to get a look in his ears and throat). He's on antibiotics and it's taken 3 adults to get it in him so far (meant to be on them 4 times daily for a week, gonna be difficult).
I've a headache, probably from not sleeping well and worrying.
Had to cancel my friends visit which was really gutting but hopefully they can come up another weekend in the not so distant future.
Hope you're all well and happily crafting! :)