Update: sorry it's a long one

Knitting news!
I finished sock 1, I only have a crappy picture so I won't post it but I can assure you that sock 2 is on the needles and going well, hope I can get the heel stitches to pick up as neatly on this one as the first :) The yarn I'm using is knit global in the navy colourway (for cuff and heels) and the plum colourway (for the leg and foot), I'm really liking them together and I'm enjoying the new addi needles (not too sharp for my fingers).

The blanket is growing but is slowing down, it's starting to get heavy to carry out if I don't know I'm going to work on it, but I did do some calculations to figure out how much yarn I should need for a fairly decent sized blanket.

Test knit yarns, I did a swatch in some patons colourworks aran, in the orion colourway. I like the colour but think it needed to go down a needle size so will save it for a different jumper.

The cascade eco + arrived in the shire colourway and I decided to cast on the second gooseberry pie test knit with it. Hard to capture the heathered colour but it's a beautiful, deep green.

The test knit is doing ok too, slower than the first time I knit it but I've now finished the body and sleeves, need to join it up in the round and start the yoke.

Spinning news!
I finished spinning the Polwarth fibre on my wheel, I got 264m from 101g of a 2ply. It's a little more pink looking than I'd hoped but think it's just how the colours lined up. The fibre was from Owl About Yarn and is in the amethyst colourway.

I prepped some super soft BFL fibre from Fondant Fibre to start on my wheel.

I started spinning the BFL and it was so soft it wanted to spin super fine, but it kept breaking so now I'm spinning it a bit thicker.

I'm still working on the Prudence rolags from Fondant Fibre, I've two left to spin then the singles will be finished and ready to ply.

New news!
I bought the final yarns for the ten stitch blanket, think there may be a couple different dye lots but should be ok as it isn't a garment.
I got some random fuzzlings and random rolags from Fondant Fibre to play with on both my wheel and spindle.
My second Penguin Soup Guardians club shipment arrived, the colours are beautiful and the stitch markers are coloured to represent different characters. 

I saw this and it made me chuckle, coz it's kinda true lol 

Also, I made chocolate nests and attempted to make rocky roads for the first time. I assure you (and everyone who tried one agreed) they tasted nicer than they looked lol I think I added the mini marshmallows when it was too hot coz some melted, but still tasted yummy :)

I feel like this sometimes...

Sorry it's such a long one but think that's pretty much everything for this week :)
Happy Crafting!

Update: knitting, spinning and new things

Knitting news!
I finished the helical hat (by woolly wormhead) in my the yarn tree sparkle sock held double in the chocolate frogs and jelly slugs colourway (from my Harry Potter box) and I love it :)

I've started my first pair of socks in months, I bought some new needles as was having problems with my hiya hiya sharps splitting my finger open and causing too much pain to knit. I was recommended addis and so they are what I bought and so far so good, sharp enough to do what I want but not so sharp my finger hurts or splits :) I bought an 80cm to magic loop as I do with hiya hiyas but found it difficult so have bought 100cm now instead and am finding it easier. I'm knitting the front of the sock with the lace pattern form The Bird's Dead, Dru Socks (by sparklepunk-creations AKA Lisa Tomko), with twisted rib at the back of the leg.

Possibly the neatest I've ever picked up heel stitches, rather proud lol doing the slipped stitch rib heel (from the vanilla latte pattern, free on ravelry). Also I've done a contrasting cuff and heel, not sure if I'll be doing the different toe too yet or not. I have made some mistakes on the gusset decreases but think I'll be able to get away with them :)

I finally started a blanket for my son, I'm doing the ten stitch blanket (free on ravelry) with cascade 220 superwash quatro in butterscotch, green tea and pink haze (I'm using the very pink knits tutorial technique). It's listed as a worsted but feels more like a DK, I intended to use 3.5mm needles but picked up 3.25mm and I'm not ripping back so it'll use more yarn (I think) and be a bit smaller over all lol This is the wrong side but I prefer the clean look so will likely use it as my right side :) I have made a couple of small mistakes but think it's look ok so far, I'm using the ridges on the right side (my wrong side) to weave in the ends as I go.

Spinning news!
I'm spinning some Polwarth (from owl about yarn) on my wheel in the amethyst colourway. Finished the first half and started the second so will hopefully be plying soon.

I finally picked up my drop spindle again lol this is still the Polwarth/merino/bamboo rolags (from fondant fibre) in the prudence colourway, I've 4 to go then the singles are done and will be ready to ply, probably on my wheel lol (lazy me).

New news!
I got a fondant fibre order;
Top left - mixed BFL in the teal dream colourway
Top right - super fine Shetland in the sherbet dip colourway 
Bottom - corriedale/merino/gold sparkle in the firecracker colourway

My the yarn tree autumn themed box arrived :)
Top left - sw merino/nylon/gold stellina in the blackberry bushes colourway (super stunning)
Top right - autumn themed stitch markers
Bottom left - marzipan fruits, apple scented cupcake soap and mini chocolate
Bottom right - sw merino/nylon in the harvest colourway
I'm always happy with my the yarn tree boxes and am signed up to loads through the end of this year and into next year lol I'm terrible I know lol

My mum finally said my stash is getting too much lol I'm basically a hoarder lol I have a half wall sized wardrobe almost full plus plastic boxes on the floor in two rooms, plus a couple shoe boxes and clear plastic bags hanging up in my wardrobe and now a blanket quantity on the floor which I literally just have no room to store it lol Buying yarn and fibre cheers me up on bad days and gives me beautiful squashy things to squash my face in in but it is getting kinda crazy. I keep trying to not buy (not including signed up boxes) but then I see a coupon code or a pretty update and I want it lol I just need to knit and spin faster lol

In other news!
There is a spin along with the stitched together podcast group on ravelry, the geeky girls podcast are having an autumn craft along (knit, spin, crochet etc.), a hat along with the pink haired girl podcast, a hand spun along (knitting with your hand spun yarns) with the fondant fibre group, and shawl knit along with both FO & dye podcast and swordofaknitter podcast groups. See each groups threads for rules and prizes.
Hope you're all having fun and enjoying the start of the school year, my son is for sure :)
Happy Crafting!

Test knit - gooseberry pie

I finished the gooseberry pie jumper, designed by Joeli's Kitchen. I tested the 23" size in cascade eco + yarn in the pumpkin spice colourway, on 5mm needles. I did add 1" to the body and 1/2" to the sleeves as my boy is thin and long lol but other than that I did as the pattern suggested. I tweaked the decreases at the neck (by 1 stitch) to make the ribbing line up (it doesn't for all sizes) but spoke to the designer about it first. I used the stretchy yo bind off as even going up needle sizes it was too tight to get over my sons head lol

I'm really happy with this, so much so I've ordered more yarn in other colours lol will ask if she wants me to test the next size up or I could make her bramble fern jumper lol After I got to the neck she suggested she may be adding in some short rows on the back so if I make another I'll ask if she wants me to test it out with those as it is a little high at the front of the neck, but think it should be ok, will only see that with wear.

Hope you all like it, I do, think it's super cute :)
Happy Crafting!

Update and collections lol

I have a few (shark) egg cases from last year, and my friend collected me a couple more while he was on holiday. We only have a couple of shark eggs and quite a few ray eggs wash up on the shores of Britain, the shark eggs I have are small spotted catshark/lesser spotted dogfish,pictured is one from my friends holiday and is from a blonde ray, this type is very smooth. I'm building up a mini collection lol well 4 is hardly a collection but I'll keep my eyes peeled on the beach for more to bring home :) Fingers crossed one day I'll have an awesome mermaids purses collection to show off :)

This is true, on bad days my stunning collection of yarn and fibre can help cheer me up lol 

Speaking of stunning yarn, this is sw merino/nylon/stellina sock yarn in the Chocolate Frogs And Jelly Slugs colourway from the yarn tree, this was in my Harry Potter box and I love it, the colours are so rich I needed to knit it...so I'm holding it double to make myself a helical hat (by woolly wormhead).

I finally finished spinning the dreaded Jacob fibre lol it looks really nice but it shed far too much for me, and is actually a little itchy to handle, at least for me (I have stupidly sensitive skin though). I spun the singles and got it plied in time for the #ggksummertime KAL too, any left over singles have been binned coz I couldn't face handling any more and didn't want to ply it with other left overs. I got 119m from 85g of a 2ply which I'm rather happy with, or my math sucks and I've totally calculated it wrong lol It's had a soak today and is drying, I'm thinking even if it softens up a lot it'll be gifted as I didn't enjoy it and someone else may appreciate it more than me :)

Still deciding on my next wheel spin as I've so much to choose from lol (stitched together is having a spin along this month for 100g, should be able to manage that, especially once little man starts school).
My spindle still has the prudence rolags on, got 1/4 more to spin then it's plying time :)
Happy Crafting!