New Years, New Goals!

Looking  back on my goals I didn't do too badly :)

2014 goals from post on 31st December 2013 New Years Challenges:
B - make a vest for my friend (if she wants one lol) NOT DONE BUT BOUGHT THE YARN AND PATTERN!
D - make myself a pair of socks NOT DONE BUT BOUGHT LOTS OF YARN!
Still have B and D to do though I have cast on D, only ankle socks, and I am still hoping to make my friend a vest :)

New goals for 2015:
1- make a full pair of socks for myself
2- make a pair of socks as a gift
3- toys...I must make more toys now I have so many safety eyes and so much stuffing lol
4- keep my sons knitted tops, wellie socks and hats supply from drying out as he grows lol
5- get back on charity knitting, even if it's toys/clothes rather than squares
6- make a pair of scrappy memory socks

I hope you all accomplish your goals for the coming year and enjoy your celebrations for the New Year.
Happy Crafting!

Sock Yarn!

My opal sock yarn order arrived :) love the colours...
top: Chinese Whispers 8824
left to right: Chase 8825, Ecuador Elly 990, and Tiddlywinks 8820
wish I'd bought two balls of the Ecuador Elly coz I think others would like these colours too and I love them :)

Also my epic 1kg bag of toy stuffing arrived lol
Still have a lot of yarn on the way to me lol I need to knit faster, I know I say this a lot lol
Happy Crafting!

Boo!

I made a small boo crew family for my friend, not quite in time for christmas...the middle is my personal favourite :)
I used scrap DK on 2.75mm needles and 2.5mm DPNs for the icord tail. I reduced the number of stitches for the smaller two but the larger one is as written. I also gifted her this lovely daisy fondant fibre project bag, she's been struggling with just two small project bags for a while and I've only used it the once so offered it her for her large project to fit in :)

Saw this tattoo on intsgram and just loved it, a kitchener stitch guide, awesome! lol

I've finished my first sock, only ankle high for in the house, and have cast on my second. I'm using rico design hobby print 4ply I got from my FF secret santa 2014 package and I'm loving the colours :)
So much I want to make and not sure where to start lol Also need to think up some goals for 2015 and list them on here...do you have any crafting goals for the coming year?
Happy Crafting!

Christmas!

Merry Christmas for yesterday!

It's already winter, but I do need to do this...Game Of Thrones/winter knit mash up lol

My son is still poorly but he likes his presents, and I managed to build his wooden kitchen (even after a screw broke and had to hammer another hole to screw in a new spot lol).

He loves his take-n-play lion canyon, though took all morning to fix as instructions were shoddy and put the track on the wrong side n couldn't get it to unclip. I managed around 1:30pm but broke my mums metal nail file in the process, and injured my arm too lol

I got an awesome crocheted, detachable Olaf :) that I am well happy with :) I also got a socktastic book of things to make from socks, and chocolates, PJs, storage boxes and other cool and functional things. Family don't buy me yarn coz they wouldn't know what to get me from where lol and they wouldn't pay the prices I do lol

I tried buying from the countess ablaze boxing day sale, but everything I wanted sold out in around 7 minutes, cart only holds for 5 minutes if working properly, and that busy it may have been having problems...gutted I didn't get anything, but it saved me about £100 lol
I'm working on socks for myself (out of yarn from my FF secret santa) and a boo crew for my friend who put together a goodie bag of awesomeness :)
Happy Holidays!

Gnome for my boy :)

Since he keeps trying to steal gnomes I'm making for people I've made him his own, hope it cheers the poorly boy up a bit...

I used DK on 2.75mm needles and 9mm purple safety eyes.
You may keep seeing these for a while lol they're easy to knit and good little decorations of gifts :)
I will get to selfish knitting soon lol
Happy Crafting!

Gnomes! +

Firstly to Bekki, there are 4 photos...do not look past photo 3 or you will ruin your present from Caleb lol You have been warned!
I'd intended on making a few tree decorations for some of my favourite people this year...I was convinced though that I'd not have time. However, I've managed to make a few so far but still a few to go lol
All have 6mm black safety eyes and are based on the 'gnome is where the heart is' pattern by Susan Claudino but with fewer stitches :)
Mums is small and tear drop shaped... 2mm with DK, not again lol

Lorraine's is a little bigger but not much as on 2.75mm instead :)

Kaisse got a different colour and is lightly stuffed so not too heavy to hang on a small but real tree :)

I'll get more done hopefully but I have a poorly baby again so may be a bit late...
I've also been making presents for people with my son :) he likes red! lol it's the only porcelain pen that's running out coz he never picks the other colours lol but you can't buy the red on it's own and I don't need the other 4 in the set lol
They're for various people and have been dried then set in the oven.

Happy holidays and happy crafting!

woop woop...socks!

YAY! I finished my mums socks, and in time for christmas, and with days of not knitting coz I was too ill...very happy, not about being ill but for finishing of course :)

Opal sock yarn on 2mm hiya hiya needles with a fish lips kiss heel.

I basically made them up other than the cast on and heel that I had to remind myself how to do (cast on was Judy's magic cast on), I basically did a modified stretchy yarn over cast off and applied it to ribbing rather than just knit stitches, it might be a real cast off but it worked so it's ok regardless lol
Also finished the day before my birthday so can finally cast on a pair for myself, if I can choose from all my lovely sock yarn lol

And looking back on last years challenges from post on 31st December 2013 New Years Challenges:
1 - learn to knit two at a time socks (preferably two at a time toe up socks but think I better learn two at a time top down before I jump the gun lol) DONE!
A - make an item of baby clothing for my cousins current bump lol DONE!
B - make a vest for my friend (if she wants one lol) NOT DONE BUT BOUGHT THE YARN AND PATTERN!
C - make myself hand warmers DONE!
D - make myself a pair of socks NOT DONE BUT BOUGHT LOTS OF YARN!
E - make myself a shawl DONE!

Not too bad for the year, I still made a lot just not all I thought I would, my friend is getting the two at a time toe up socks (I didn't learn two at a time cuff down socks lol).
I'll have to think up more things to do for the coming year over the holidays.
Happy Crafting!

Octopus

Finished the octopus for the little girl from the Tesco tree :)
This one is variegated pinks/lilacs with cream and 9mm purple safety eyes, and again my son wanted to pinch it but got it wrapped and ready to go be delivered, along with the other gifts for the girl and boy...hope they're all liked.

The colours are hard to pick up, but it's super cute. I like this pattern, acht the octopus on ravelry. You can probably tell I like the pattern from the 9 or so I've made this year lol

My joints now ache a lot but it's a relief to finish them a week before xmas, more chance of them getting where they need to go :)
Happy holidays, it's nearly Yule/Winter Solstice for any pagans out there, then christmas is upon us...bring on the drama...
Happy Crafting!

It's a long one...sorry!

Sorry in advance, this one is a bit full lol finished objects, new goodies and my last glass making class objects.
I made some scruffy looking purple pom poms with the clover pom pom makers :)

Knitting wise, I finished the milo for baby Andrew on the Tesco tree :) baby blue acrylic with the giant cable twist going down the front.

My last glass fusion class I got back my fused pieces, these are the pendants made of iridescent glass. 

I also drilled the xmas decorations so they can be hung, two of the icicles were too thin for the drill bit she brought so they didn't get drilled. The snowman turned out a lot better than I thought and the trees a lot darker than I thought, though I still like them, wish all my icicles could have been drilled as they'd look cute on a tree :)

 

I made an order with countess ablaze when she had her twelve Caesars update. This is her roving, superwash BFL in colour King In The East, love the contrasting colours and how vibrant it looks, the plus side to roving is it can be spun or knit as a super chunky so I can decide when I get to it what I shall do with it.

This is superwash BFL aran from the 12 caesars collection Titus; My Friend, I have Wasted A Day. Love the rich blue/purples and I'm finding aran is a nice knit at the minute, not too thick and not too thin :)

And I got another Lady Persephone sock (BFL/nylon) in This Ain't A Scene coz they're all different and I liked it, this one is very different to the last one I bough, more mixed (the previous had a lot more pink to it).

I finally did the fish lips kiss heel on my mums second sock :) I made a small mistake but think I covered it up ok lol, now just to get on with the leg, hoping these will be finished for christmas, but more likely is new years lol and if I put them down again mothers day lol though I'm trying for this side of the new year, I'm just struggling to knit on the small needles for long.

I went out for the day and it was crazy foggy, so I sat knitting on the bus while the world looked mirky and cold.

I also made a fondant fibre order...I can never resist a coupon code lol and I really wanted the last fungi bag, so I got it, along with some yarn...
Top line left to right: I Like The Rain (BFL/silk) lace, One Fine Day (BFL/silk) lace and Sweet Esacpe (high twist merino/cashmere/nylon) sock.
Bottom: fungi medium sized project bag.
The lace will likely be held double and I still don't know what I'm doing buying lace, it's far too thin lol but the yardage is great and they were on mega sale, I can also never resist a bargain, and they are rather soft and the lace will add a lot of drape.

I got two small free sample of fibre which I can have a play with soon, I have riff raff in the sock and it's lovely, wonder what it'll look like with me spinning it, other than a lot thicker lol

I finished the basic hat for the double time KAL by Joeli's Kitchen on ravelry. This is out of fondant fibre merino/nylon sock in colour moon and sixpence, it looks amazing knit up held double, a gorgeous colourway.

I finished another acht the octopus, this one is for baby Andrew, along with the ziggy beanie and milo vest :) my son claimed it for cuddles for a while but I managed to get it back, this one has 4 royal blue and baby blue tentacles and 4 royal blue and white tentacles coz didn't think I'd have enough baby blue for the tentacles and body...I was wrong lol it has 9mm purple safety eyes which I rather like.

I've made some tufty, scruffy looking burgundy pom poms with the same clover pom pom makers, thinking these can all be used as tree decorations if/when I get round to putting my tree up lol

I'm hoping to make another acht the octopus in pink for baby Debbie from the Tesco tree too, if I can get it finished in a day or two it should be in time to get to her before xmas :)
I kinda failed at making people christmas tree decorations this year, I'd intended making the snowball buddies and some gnomes too...maybe I'll do them through the year and give them to people next year...
Has everyone seen the new MKAL (scarfy shenanigans) by SwordofaKnitter over on ravelry, you should check it out, looks interesting, I'm hoping to do one though it may not be in time for xmas, and one of the skills is icord edges which I'm crappy at so a bit nervous lol
Happy Crafting!

Gidday & a little bit of spinning

We went on a santa special at the weekend, beautiful steam train, my son loved it...we had a crazy hail storm and it was rather cold...needless to say we wore our knitwear lol

After we got home I finished the gidday cardigan for baby Debbie (1 month old from the Tesco xmas tree). It's very cute, pink and white with pink fish eye buttons.

Today I tried to make a sock yarn double ball (Joeli's tutorial) for the doubletime KAL that Joeli's Kitchen is running (I'm rather behind) but I ended up with a big tangled mess and after only 20 something grams giving up and winding two separate balls...which one is bigger than the other and I lost 3.7g to yarn vomit that was all knotted and tangled...sad face! Yarn is moon and sixpence merino/nylon by fondant fibre.

Still hoping to make something when I can get the patterns printed. My printer decided to break after I put about £35 of ink in it...bought a new one today and it says error...called for support and it's faulty, need to return it to store and try another, if that one doesn't work I can try get a refund...it's all been very frustrating, especially this time of year when I have lots to make and I don't like working from digital patterns...please let the next one work...the gods cannot be that cruel on me right now...
Sorry tangent!
In other news I finally did a teeny tiny bit of spinning...11.2g of fondant fibre merino/nylon blend in the wild wild west colourway, I got about 8.2m/9 yards (I didn't check WPI), it was nice to spin and has gone in my box of hand spun samples which will one day make a very random cowl or something, with different fibres and colours :)
I haven't span in ages but wasn't ready to commit to the (approx) 50g I still haven't spun of the berry smoothie norboo that I started months ago...my mojo is missing!

I've cast on a milo for baby Andrew (6 month old from the Tesco xmas tree) and hoping I can get it finished to go with his (full of mistakes) ziggy beanie.
I've wrapped my mums presents for her birthday tomorrow, and they're not even in xmas paper lol I'm a bit rubbish with wrapping lol she had her main gift a few months ago so just a few bits and bobs till xmas :)
And now I'm off to relax, and not fall asleep...my son is mischievous and with a very worn out mummy he may try wreck my house so I must stay alert...or as alert as a sleep deprived mum can be lol
Happy Crafting!

FO and gifty goodness!

I finished the second villemo shawl I was making for a secret santa at my craft group. All gifts are being wrapped and put into a box so we each pick a random gift without know who we are making for. I made the villemo shawl out of teddy avril DK from my LYS on 5mm needles. Hope the recipient likes it :)

Today I got another parcel of goodies, this time (for I change lol) I didn't buy them lol they are a thank you for buying so much from her gift from the wonderful and thoughtful Deb of Fondant Fibre.
She sent me three lovely purple rolags that are crazy soft, a mini mitten with a heart button on (a tree decoration), a hot chocolate sachet, a mini milky bar, a mini candy cane and a super cute xmas tree stitch marker along with a lovely note (and a coupon code...that could be dangerous lol). 

I'm also working on the gidday cardigan, have started the garter stitch bottom sooner and am doing stripes like the yoke.
My son is finally playing with the little knit cats I made months ago lol and it's so cold I wish I had enough time to knit myself a load of cardigans lol
Happy Crafting!

Secret Santa Awesomeness!

I'll start right away by saying, I want to knit all the things lol and also, yes I know I have a buying problem lol it's called lack of storage and I'm too slow at knitting lol
From Nicole C. Mendez on etsy:
100g BFL aran in stunning dark, autumny colours, colour called: orientalischer traum

top left: #114
top right: #111
middle: #112
bottom left: #113
bottom right: #118  
yarn is: Ringel sockenwoole (stripy), 400m/100g 75% woole sw 25% polyamid

I'm also making gifts for some children on the Tesco christmas tree, this hat is for 6month old Andrew, hoping to make either a toy or a milo vest as well if I have time. I also chose a baby girl called Debbie who is 1 month old, I'm making her a gidday cardigan, I'm about half way through the body.
This hat is called the ziggy beanie by tikki knits, it's a great hat but I have made a lot of mistakes, new stitches to me and getting confused on how to do them without a cable needle lol I'm hoping I've learned enough from this one to get it right on my second attempt lol

My fondant fibre secret santa (a swap in the forums) has arrived, and all my gifts were individually wrapped too (I feel like such a slacker, I didn't do that). I even got a little hallowe'en gift as that's my favourite holiday lol

Inside I got a lot of awesome goodies :) my swap partner (anniearch) was quite the detective!

From left to right-
top row: a card with knit print on it, some fibre testers (which are crazy soft), and a hand knit hat :)
middle: beeswax candle (for hallowe'en, bless her how thoughtful), sweets (might I add the cola and lemon are especially delicious), and some sock yarn (that is totally new to me and I love the colous)
bottom: fibre sample that has been braided, luxury dark mint chocolate, and a full fibre braid
As you can see she has got me sussed, everything is awesome and I'm so in awe of how much she put into it...I am amazed! A huge thank you to anniearch on ravelry :)

I don't have pictures of the other things I'm working on, but it's not much really, I'm hoping to make a second thing for baby Andrew and finish baby Debbies cardigan in the next week (fingers crossed), I'd like to get past my mums heel and finish her socks for xmas (pretty sure I'm gonna miss her birthday lol) and I'd like to make some xmas ornaments for some special people :) 
Hope you're festive preparations are going well...
Happy Crafting!