This blog has now moved to

I'm not sure why but this is a project that has languished about for quite some time. Looking at the project page  on Ravelry, I started this all the way back in July! The pattern is Pop Spots by Juju Vail . I whizzed through the spot part quite quickly and really enjoyed it, but the knitted on edge put me off a bit. I think it was because it's such a large shawl. It's quite a combination of yarn. The background is a strand of Rowan Kidsilk Haze and Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace and the spot yarn is local indie dyed yarn by Chroma Yarns - Chroma Merino Silk Blend . The border is two strands of the Rialto Lace. It's really quite a snuggly shawl, mixing the Kidsilk Haze with the Rialto Lace makes a lovely fabric.

I've recently finished two pairs of socks. The first was intended as a Christmas present for Mr but it's very hard to try and knit a pair of size 11 socks in secret and on a deadline, so it was after Christmas that they were finished. His favourite colours are black and burnt orange together. So when I saw the yarn on The Knitting Goddess stand at Yarndale, it just had to be bought. The colour name is just great too, "Where There's Muck There's Brass". The pattern is Paper Moon  by AnneLena Mattison .  My ravelry project page . The pattern didn't go up large enough, so I had to alter it. The largest size went up to 70 sts, mine were 77 sts; I added the extra stitches within the garter stitch bands. I worked them two at a time on circulars from the toe up. I'm a toe down kind of girl but I tried them for a change. Though I did manage to use up every yard of yarn this way, which definitely gets a tick in the pro column. They look all wrinkled on the sock...

I can finally show you my finished Follow Your Arrow shawl - pattern by Ysolda . For those that haven't taken part, it's a mystery knitalong. There has been a clue released each week for 5 weeks. Each clue has two choices. I've particularly enjoyed having a choice because there was bound to be a clue that I like more. My Ravelry Project page . I love garter stitch, so whenever that was part of the clue, I tended to choose that one. My final choices were ABBAB. I used two different Eden Cottage Yarns for the shawl, which I bought from Woolfest, see this post . I've really enjoyed this knitalong and think the finished design is lovely. 

Back to the knitting... The photo of this has sat on my computer for awhile, been a bit too busy to blog recently.  The pattern is Zuzu's Petals by Carina Spencer , which I made with some of my handspun, blogged originally here . Handspun Zuzu project page . The yarn is faux cashmere, 18 w.p.i, 268m/100g. So from fibre... to yarn... To Zuzu's Petals. It's a lovely idea, a small shawlette shape but worked as a cowl so it's not going to fall off. Another plus, is it doesn't take a lot of yarn. I have a few projects on the go at the moment. I've been wanting some very warm mittens for awhile now. I thought some Fair Isle ones with a lining would do the job. Another handspun yarn project, I blogged about the yarn on the same post as the faux cashmere. The pattern is Narwhal Mittens by Ysolda Teague . Handspun Narwhals project page . I've completed one full mitten and the outer mitten for the other. They are sitting unknitted at the moment because other project...

On my birthday trip to London, last week. I did manage to squeeze in a visit to the Loop, Islington . I had lots of plans but managed to narrow it down to a reasonable amount. I received Fair Isle Style, edited by Mary Jane Mucklestone from Mr for Christmas. There's lots of patterns in there that I'd like to make.  The first one is Kulli Cowl by Ysolda Teague . I'm not normally one to go with the exact yarn that the pattern calls for but since I was going to Loop and they stock the yarn. They ended up at the till with me. Though different colours to the original. Incidentally, I seem to have ordered the yarn from Jamieson's of Shetland to knit the Babsie Bird from the book too. I really liked the colours. I bought a skein of Wollemeise Pure 100% in Silberdistel. An unusual colour - a cross between a pine colour and a deep teal. The plan is to make an  Imagine When  shawl by Joji Locatelli . I got Juju's Loops book too. The patterns are gorgeous but what really ...

That was a long holiday break. My birthday falls near Christmas too and it was a special one this year, so we've been away for a bit. I did get some lovely knitting-related presents this year. Some special skeins of yarn from my lovely mum - waves"Hi Mum" Two skeins of Quince and Co Chickadee A skein of Brooklyn Tweed Loft in the beautifully named "Button Jar" shade. And a few knitting books. My birthday weekend was a trip to London, which was just fabulous. One of the places we visited was the Natural History Museum (I've been plenty of times but Mr has never been). Not only are the exhibits fantastic but this time around I really appreciated how gorgeous the building is. The little details are just incredible. Here's just a little sample of photos. Ceiling of the Central Hall (Natural History Museum) Carved columns (Natural History Museum) Central Hall (Natural History Museum) Stained Glass Windows (Natural History Museum) Huge decorative lights (Victo...

Last year, I showed you all the Christmas Tree decorations . This year, it's the turn of the fabric decorations. There is quite a bit of Christmas bunting around the house but found it difficult to get a good photograph, so you'll have to imagine how pretty it looks! I did make some shelf bunting for the mantlepiece in the lounge.  The tree is in a different position this year, which gives us a bit more room but big downside is I can't easily get to the knitting books in the case behind it! I made a Christmas quilt that comes out a lot earlier than the rest of the decorations (at the start of Advent). It was hand pieced from lots of Christmas fabric scraps and machine quilted with a radiating star. The most recent addition to the tree is a wee cheesy Christmas jumper - decorated with beads, sparkly thread and embroidery. The mini coat hanger was a struggle to make but it had to be done. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!