I'm in demand!

Its nice when your skills are appreciated!
Having finished several projects in a short space of time, I have been wondering what to cast on next. I had words to this effect as my status message on msn.
Catherine (Dave's daughter) said to me, if you are stuck for some thing to knit, you can knit some thing for me. Of course I will I said and asked her what did she want. A mobile phone cover, yep I can manage that no problem, she picked out some yarn from my stash (see photographing it all and putting it on flickr has uses beyond Ravelry!) and I showed her the pattern I had in mind. She asked how long it would take me, I said 1 day if I wasn't going out any where, two if I was. Some thing like this doesn't take long to sort out, she even offered me money for doing it, which of course I wouldn't accept, I enjoy knitting, and making some thing like this was just a pleasure!

Blueadt's mobile phone cover, in Fyberspates BFL sock, hannah's summer

I actually managed to learn two new techniques..apparently my ability to do a cast on to work from the bottom up was a one off, and I could not get it right or looking neat. So I learned to do a provisional cast on, knit one row and then picked up the cast on edge, joined it in the round and I was sorted! It didn't really matter in terms of the construction of the cover, I could have done it from the top down, but I really wanted to do the Picot cast off as it looked really nice, and that was the second thing I learned to do! And it turned out really nice if I do say so my self. Icord and recycled beads from an old bracelet later, and I had some thing decent to give! And she chose one of my oldest stash members, and I never realised how nice this yarn was going to knit up, so I might just have to use the rest of the yarn in some thing now...

And if that wasn't enough! I'm even trying my hand at knitting without a pattern..well I would have had a pattern, had I had internet at the time. Just before I went to London, my internet gave out, so I had an evening where I was stuck for some thing to do..so I went in search of some thing to knit..naturally none of my stored patterns interested me, I couldn't get online and decided I wanted a hat to take to London. I went stash diving and came up with some Rooster aran that I'd bought a few weeks earlier. Some improvisation and a few hours later and we had...

Ok so I had a mad amount of ends to weave in, but I was pleased with it! And we won't mention that when Dave tried it on, it suited him..
See I can do these things! Does that mean I'm a hardcore knitter or some thing now?

Forest Canopy Shawl

Remember this? http://stripysockmad.blogspot.com/2007/05/forest-canopy-shawl.html
My first attempt at a lace project, had a lot of hiccups and naughty corners on the way, but look at it now




Can't get over how happy I am with the result, really can't. Never once imagined it would look so nice, or even the fact I'd finish it! Feel like a proper knitter now :-D
(and did I really once say I wouldn't have more than one thing OTN at the same time? Oh dear...)

Evangeline Gloves

I had to to toss a coin to decide what to blog about first, but then decided it was only fair that I did my finished objects in the order I, well, finished them!

So here we go, the first of my finished objects is my Evangeline Gloves.
Of course, you know all about these by now, I've blogged about them enough, so will just post the finished photo!

Evangeline gloves, from Magknits, in Lorna's lace, Shepherd worsted, Black Purl

I naturally love them to bits, and I didn't even get a case of second glove syndrome because I was that desperate to finish them! I've worn them out a few times, its been warm enough (for me!) to go out without a coat on, but I like wearing them to cover the bottom half of my arms, and look cool at the same time..Already had them admired by a few people, yes I really am that clever :-D

I still had some wool left over, and in a fit of I need to knit some thing, I knitted up a headband that I'd seen on Ravelry, not that I wear headbands, I just liked the idea..and its still the cool black purl colourway

Headbangers knitted on 5.5mm needles also in black purl

I'll consider modelling it at a later date lol

Keep an eye out for my proud knitter moment tomorrow, going to show off some thing that has been a long time on the needles (tho if you watch my photo reel above, you'll see a sneak preview!)

London calling to the far away towns...

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
That went well!
As you know by now, I planned my trip knitting wise down to the last letter, and it did pay off.
I'd planned to start my evangeline gloves, mainly in honour of the band we where going to see and because it was a good pattern to take, small, not too complicated and would keep me interested.

I packed all my little bits up in a pencil case, and even took a spare set of dpns just incase I got some sock yarn I wanted to knit. I was all set!
The journey going down didn't take too long, but in that time I did manage to cast on, do the cuff, and 1 and a half pattern repeats, whilst Dave looked on fascinated, and asking me questions every so often on what I was doing, how I was doing it etc.

My little knitting bag was attached to the top of my rucksack so swung along behind me, complete with Ravelry badges just incase there was any people in the know around!
I didn't get any time to knit whilst actually in London, and in the end I only went to visit Stash yarns in Putney, but it was so so worth it. Lovely shop, great owners, and a wonderful stock of yarn. I stood in wonder at all the names of yarns I'd only ever read about and there they where right in front of me, I could touch them, see the colours, it was just fantastic. I really wanted to buy much more than I did, but I was really really good and spent £26 on two sorts of yarn, which I won't list quite yet as some is supposed to be for my UK swap partner and I don't want to give the game away just incase she stumbles across this post!

This is where my surprise of the week came. As we came in to Stash, I sat Dave down at a table, joking about a man crèche, and he sat being very patient whilst I wandered round. Without me realising it, he'd sat down near the debbie bliss yarns (which I wasn't there to see lol) and noticed the Cashmerino yarns. He recognised the merino part of the name and started to talk to me after we left the shop how he'd seen merino used in some sort of cycling jumper, usually used as a base layer (think Thermal from Knitty) and then said he was thinking of commissioning me to make him a custom one!

Well that was it then, I was off, in my element, questioning what exactly he wanted, how it would need to be constructed for cycling, and then we started to talk yarns and patterns, explained about gauge and yarn weights and what achieved what where, and how. It was brilliant! Never had some one take such an active interest in my knitting before, apart from other knitters. I really enjoyed talking to him about it, and course, have more than certainly agreed to make him his jumper.

I have since realised there is no such pattern at all really for what he wants and it is going to be a case of measuring him up (ooer!) and turning those measurements in to the finished article. I've already sought out advise on how best to achieve this, as lets face it, I've only been knitting just over a year, and found that the best thing to do is to get my self a copy of Ann Budd's handy book of sweater patterns as not only does this contain basic patterns, it also gives all the instructions for making your own patterns, in what ever gauge you need. So if I want to knit a 4ply ribbed jumper, with holes in the cuff for thumbs and longer at the be, I'll be able to suss out the dimensions using this book, and once I've done that, I can get the yarn I need (going to be black naturally!) and get cracking with my commissioned work!

Any way, after all that, the final concert came and went, and it was time to come home again, and I got in a 4 hour knitting marathon on the train coming home (came home a different way than we went), in which I got a lot done, in first class no less, so I had plenty of room to spread out (picture above is on the way home, you can see I had nearly the whole table!) and 4 hours seemed a lot less when I was knitting away quietly to my self and not one person batted an eyelid, tho how often do you see some one who is obviously a goth knitting unless you know other people? Well I know I don't, but I do know some one else who is like me!

It was a good week, in terms of the knitting stuff and what we went to do in the first place! We spent a fantastic time in London, going to 4 gigs and meeting new people, and I'm sorry its all over now. But I'm sure some thing similar will happen, and we'll get to do it all over again!

This is what several days of late nights does! Dave, me and new friend Jamie, chilling in the pub!

Swap stuff!

Well well!
Today I was going to blog about my trip to London as that does need a space all of its own, but it was knocked in to second place by the arrival of my UK swap parcel!
Oh boy have I been spoiled.

Imagine my face unpacking all this

Oh my giddy aunt and I didn't have to sell any children..

I could not have asked for a better swap partner, look at all that stuff! I'm in heaven! Punk knits AND Pretty in Punk, undyed yarn and kool aid, Artesano Hummingbird, wildfoot sock yarn, Hello Kitty pencil case, note book and pencil, a flashing pen (that is so cool), dark mint truffles and some chibi darning needles!
Fi, you are an absolute star and I love you!!!

And, and if that wasn't enough, whilst I was away, I got another swap related parcel from the stash busting swap on Angel Yarns. (idea being you knit any thing, using yarn from your stash)


How gorgeous is that? Its a wrap, knitted out of Tess Dawson Baby Alpaca in Cherry, and oh boys its soft! Not normally a pink fan but I can make an exception for this one. Thank you so much Allybea!

Knitting heaven today!
The great London trip stuff tomorrow..I'm off to squidge more yarn...

Rainbow Child

A name that is certainly fitting of my daughter thats for sure!
I started this project last June when the magazine it was in was published. As soon as I saw it I wanted to make it, even tho Neala was not in the size ranges for it, she was going to be eventually!
Its been an on/off project, I'd pick it up every so often and do a few rows, and then leave it again.
I'd actually finished knitting the main parts of it a few weeks ago, but it was going to need blocking before I sewed it up, and of course I put off doing it..but then I got a spurt of energy on and got it done, hood knitted, and the crochet border done in the space of about 3 days, just in time for Nealas 3rd birthday.

Now I mentioned a crochet border...which is interesting seeing as I can only vaguely crochet, my friend Kirsty showed me how to do trebles when I went down to see her and apart from that and doing chains, and slip stitches, thats all I can do. So the idea of doing a whole border in crochet did worry me slightly, and I was going to leave it until my next knitting group, but I was in such a good mood for finishing it, I decided to give it a go.. Ok so its not identical in any way to the original, but its as near as I could get it with my limited skills.
I did a double crochet base layer, treble crochet over the top of that and then chain 5, and slip stitch in to the treble over the top of that, and I was very happy with the result. The original pattern did do some thing similar, but was 2treble (eh?) and then another row after the chain 5, but I decided I was happy with what I'd done (before I messed it up!)
Out of all my projects so far, thats the one I feel I've accomplished the most with, and of course, I was chuffed when Ravelry asked to use my photo for the main pattern page, my daughter is in the lime light! Just as she likes it of course....

Well London is just 10 days away..I did decide it was only fitting that I should be knitting my evangeline gloves, seen as I'm going to be seeing the band that sings that song and inspired my colour choice. I did buy some Lorna's laces black purl and its gorgeous, my only problem at the moment is not casting them on! Its on the table in front of me as we speak, with printed pattern, and needles, just begging me..I really want to start them but I just want to have some thing interesting to do on the trip! Only thing keeping my hands off it, that and I've got two deadline projects going which really need doing before I go away.
Can't stop singing Evangeline now..any one would think I'm excited about some thing...

Just how much planning for a trip to London?

Ok so I'm obsessed, I admit it! Last time I went on a trip of any substance like this, I didn't knit and so read a book and listened to my ipod for a few hours, but this time, I'm a fully fledged knit in public person so I've got to make it look good.
My first thought was I need a bag, and not any bag, it had to be fairly specific for what I needed. It had to one I could clip to a belt loop, big enough to hold my work without my dpns sticking out of the top and also at the same time, being able to hold all my essentials, scissors, crochet hook for mistakes, stitch markers etc but not so big it was going to be a problem hanging from my waist.
Well I have to say it took a while, but eventually, by fluke of course, I found the perfect bag at the Yarn and Fiber company. Free shipping over $50 to the uk..*insert evil laugh* (we counted it as my christmas present mum, seen I bought Martin some thing and...) So I treated my self to my Kauni yarn (that is going on my next lace project after I finish my FC shawl) and a ball of Noro kureyon sock wool (can never have enough..) and this lovely Sereknity bag in a purple Batik. It is gorgeous! And of course, perfect for my needs.

Then of course, I've got a bag I can hang on a belt loop..I needed a decent pair of pants to travel in with said belt loop, Tesco to the rescue! £10 pair of black combat pants, perfect.
Next thought was well I'm more than likely going to be knitting socks, so thats 4/5 loose dpns in my bag..I don't want to stab any one with them thru my bag (cause you know I just would) and I don't fancy having to pick up stitchs if my knitting goes wandering whilst its being stored. Now this time I knew there was a solution. Work in Progress tubes. They are cool, they cover my dpns up whilst having a slot to let what ever is on the needles hang thru and safe. I'm doing well here!

Now I'm only left with one teeny tiny little problem.....what the hell am I going to knit?! It can't be some thing I've already started because I want the motivation of a new project, I want it to look good so I look cool doing it and people will be interested in it, but it can't be so complicated that I can't manage it without instuctions.
Of course my instinct is to get some jazzy sock wool and do some straight socks that will look good regardless of pattern, but I want some thing that will keep my mind busy.
I will tell you what is winning the battle at the moment and thats my evangeline gloves from magknits. My black purl has arrived to do them in, the pattern doesn't look *too* bad and would be interesting to do (could always tape the pattern to the seat in front of me..) but am I mad for wanting to attempt cabling in the round on a train?! I think I might be, but I'm open to suggestions! 17 days to decide....

On a different note, the new UK swap that I've gotten involved in is well underway! I'm having a great time chatting to the person who is sending stuff to me (don't know who she is of course!) and I hope we will be friends after all this is done. I'm busy stalking my person and leaving blog comments. Naturally going to London is a good oppertunity to buy some thing I normally wouldn't have access to so I'm hoping to get her some thing nice whilst I'm down there, and a few things for me because like I just said, I don't usually get the chance to see some of this stuff for real! I'm planning on at least 2 shop visits, to Stash Yarns in Putney and All the fun of the Fair just off Carnaby street. There is at least one other one I want to visit if I can, but I think I might be pushing it with 3 yarn shop visits, I know we are there for 4 days, and I've managed to off set one shop visit by telling Dave the Converse shop is round the corner on Carnaby street and I'm sure there will be a pub or some thing equally as interesting to him in Putney, I might not be able to pass off another shop..but two is enough, and from what I can see I've chosen well. And there will always be other gig/london visits in the future..
Ok see how I changed the subject and I STILL ended up talking about my London trip? Thats how excited I am and I've not even gotten on to the subject of why we are going in the first place and thats for 4 gigs in 4 nights for one of the best bands I listen to who are sadly calling it a day and these are the last gigs they are doing. Its going to be an absolute blast, and if I can walk in a straight line on the way home, it will be a bloody miracle!!