Its raining, the wind is blowing, the heating is on, and I want comfort food……Fortunately we have a big box of apples from the orchard of my fiance’s parents farm. I’ve already made a gluten free carrot and apple cake, but i still had a load of apples left. Then I found this recipe in my Phil Vickery Gluten free cook book (Its a great book worth getting for anyone on a gluten free diet) Its an apple compote – basically apples, sugar, cinnamon all stewed up and smelling divine. I’m going to enjoy eating this with my yoghurt this week…. it tastes a lot better than it looks – honest!
Ooops, I knit it again!…. October 31, 2009
Yes, and another one…. I love this beret, so soft, and again, matches the lace scarf made in the same James C Brett Merino. Cheap and cheerful knitting for the Autumn.
I’m still struggling to fit knitting in around my job and wedding planning, hence it being quiet here on my poor neglected blog…. but I did cast on a baby blanket last night.
Yes, Another twilleys beret! October 31, 2009
This is the fifth time I’ve knitted this pattern – I love it. made in Twilleys Freedom Spirit in a green/purple colour to match the lace scarf. Warm and cosy and just my colours.
Unplanned knitting August 13, 2009
I’ve had two nice weeks away on the future-in-law’s farm and had plenty of time to knit – bliss!
This is ‘Falling Leaves Scarf’ by Traci Heiner (available as a free Ravelry download) and I knitted it on 5mm needles in Twilleys Freedom Spirit, not sure of the name of the colouraway but the photo is very accurate. Its anice scarf to knit (but there is an error in the pattern download on R16) when I had figured out the error it was an easy knit. Its blocking at the moment and I think I will make a hat to go with it. This was an un-planned knit! I’d actually run out of knitting to do whilst I was away and I managed to find a shop in the village that sold wool and found the pattern on Ravelry!
Finally, I finished the cardigan! August 12, 2009
Its was started a year ago… and I’ve finally finished it! This is the blue Patons 100% Cotton DK lace cardigan that I’ve knitted for my future mother-in-law. It was neglected for a long time, I’m afraid I put of knitting it as the lace panel was never ending! This is the second one I’ve knitted, I made one for myself a couple of years ago in a toffee colour. I’m pleased with how its turned out but I’m also pleased to get rid of it!
Its been a while June 13, 2009
My poor neglected blog……. I’ve been away for some time, life is hectic at the moment. To be honest I’ve not had much knitting to share so there was not much to blog about.
My job has taken over all of my free time – in my last school I used to have time at weekends for knitting, in my new school I work all weekend and evenings too – So not much time for knitting.
Any free time I do have has been spent on wedding planning – which I’m really enjoying. So far we have booked the venue, photographer, band and bought my dress. Next on the agenda is bridesmaid dresses – I think I will have to get on with that in the summer holidays.
Anyway, I finally have some knitting to share (its in progress but this is the most knitting I’ve done in months)
This is the lace panel from the lace front cardigan I’m making for my ‘mother-in-law to be’. Its Patons 100% mercidised cotton dk – the pattern is not on Ravelry – I can’ remember the pattern number but I made one for myself a couple of years ago – so scroll back on my blog or visit my Ravelry page to find out more! This project has been a burden, I’ve not had much time for it and the lace panel requires concentration, its not one for kntting in front of the TV! I will be glad to get it done and see the back of it to be honest.
This is something I started last night on a whim. I was home alone and decided to have a Friday night free of school work – I rummaged in my stash and found some Debbie Bliss Merino DK in a mushroom colour – I wanted something quick and easy so I though I’d make a baby garmet. I know a couple of people who are expecting at the moment so it may become a present. Its ‘Moss Block Baby Cardigan’ by Jennifer Lori – available free on Ravelry. Very soft wool and machine washable so great for a baby cardi. I’m enjoying the blocks of moss stitch, its a very satisfying thing to knit.
Summer holidays are fast approaching so I will hopefully have time to get back to knitting, there are loads of unfinished projects in my knitting stash and bags upon bags on wool just crying out to be used!
I am still here! February 20, 2009
I’ve not fallen off the face of the earth…. I’ve been very busy (excuses, excuses) Alas, I’ve not got any knitting done for weeks – its all been wedding planning! My new favourite passtime is wedding planning, and I quickly realised that its a mammoth task. Its like having another full-time job.
Anyway, I will be back, and I will do some knitting at some point. I’m just having fun with other things at the moment!
Knitting Resolutions 2008 December 22, 2008
I’ve been thinking about new years resolutions and this prompted me to look back on the ‘knitting resolutions’ I made at the start of this year….. how ambitious I was!… I know most people fail at new years resolutions, perhaps I set too high expectations for myself?! Last years resolutions are as follows:
1. Stash bust – I have done this to a limited extent. I have knitted from my stash and I’ve sold on and traded things that I was never going to use – I’ve even got my mum knitting a top for me that I was never going to get around to doing! However, I have ‘added’ to the stash to, so technically this resolution is a FAIL.
2. Try more felting – I purchased a load of New Lanark aran and bought a pattern for a felted bag with the intention of making it…. and its still sitting around in my stash. I’ve incurred another FAIL.
3. Get out my fear of colour knitting and try intarsia – No progress made here what so ever. I’ve never attempted intarsia or fairisle and its looking unlikely. To be honest, I’ve not actually seen any colour knitting projects that I would want to knit yet. Maybe I will change my mind when I have more time on my hands (like that’s going to happen) but for now that’s a – FAIL.
4. Try to join a knitting group – well, as with most resoloutions I started well but fizzled out. I did go to the Birmingham Stitch and Bitch a few times, but to be honest its a bit too far away and since I started my new job I no longer have free time at the weekends. Guess what? its another – FAIL.
5. Learn how to knit two socks at a time on two circulars – I bought the book, I looked at the book, I chose a pattern and I purchased the yarn…. and its all sitting un-knit at the bottom of my stash box. FAIL.
So, what have we learnt? Claire cannot keep her new years resoloutions! I think I was too ambitious, in an ideal world where I don’t have to work and spend all day knitting I would have achieved all this – but life gets in the way don’t you find?
Since I made these I joined Ravelry, which is a blessing and a curse. On the upside you can research patterns, organise your stash and your queue and gain inspiration from others. On the downside there is just too much choice and temptation and you end up with a huge queue of things you intend to make (fat chance!)
So this year I’m not going to make any resolutions, I do intend to knit from my stash and I would like to complete the projects I’ve talked about, but no resolutions! I suppose I should step out of my comfort zone and try something new, like cables or the ‘two at a time’ sock method, but I’m not going to commit myself!
How gorgeous? December 21, 2008
Yes, I know I said I was off to get knitting…. but I have not moved from the sofa as I’ve been sucked into the world of online knitting….. and I’ve discovered that the new knitty is up….. how gorgeous is this pattern?
http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter08/PATTsurface.php
Yep, this is going right to the top of my Ravelry queue!!
