the stitchwitch knits

Big day tomorrow...........

2006-10-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

........the second annual Vale Knitters Knit-In at the village hall. Wonderful - a whole day of knitting,t alking about knitting and drinking tea!!! Sponge cakes in the oven as I type. Have a selection of knitted items to show, and some stuff for the bring & buy table. This year the proceeds are going to the Magdalen Project - http://www.themagdalenproject.org.uk/magdalen_project.htm

Looking forward to it. Will report back over the weekend, hopefully with some pics too.

Scottish Knitters Blogring

2006-10-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

Just found out about this, and have to mention my Scottish connections here for membership approval!!

All my maternal ancestors are Scottish; although I was born in London, I lived in Scotland from the age of 7. Mother and maternal grandparents were Scottish. I consider myself Scottish as that is where my heart lies.

How'd I do? ;0:)

Pumpkin hat

2006-10-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

Based on a pattern by Barbara Breiter, I added a leaf and tendril. Love this, for a wee baby............not having a wee baby (and not sure it would suit the goats:) I am about to knit one for myself too. MC was from one of the knitting group, unwanted, and the stem and leaf were from the stash.

Alan Dart gnome finished.........

2006-10-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

At last! He's been knitted for a while, and I made him up today. He's a happy looking little chap, quite pleased with him. A group in rainbow colours would be nice................:)

KNitting blogs............

2006-10-18T01:17:00.000-07:00

I spent 3 hours almost late last night perusing a large number of knitting blogs - there are some serious knitters out there!! Mostly quite inspiring, so must get my knitting skates on. Time definitely not wasted, I can knit at the computer!

The Perfect Sweater?

2006-10-18T01:15:00.000-07:00

Some kind soul on my Forum pointed me in the direction of this "perfect sweater" from Mason Dixon. ON paper, it looks a really good pattern, so thought I'd give it a go if I can find some suitable wool. I like the fact it has shaping at the waist, and the design with the moss stitch neck is lovely. Hope it is as good as it looks, would be a useful pattern to adapt for stripes, etc. Time and knitting will tell.

Still knitting...........

2006-10-17T05:18:00.000-07:00

Ashamed to say I mislaid the rechargeables for the camera, so am well behind with my knitting photos, so sorry for that. I've lots of bits and bobs done, some for National Knitting Week event with the Vale Knitters on Saturday. All will get up to date this week, and more pictures psoted up here. Presnetly doing tiny teeny clothes for premature babies and some dishcloths for an auction on a Forum, nice easy stuff, but after Saturday, will need to find something to really get my teeth into. I think I might do my own thing with the rather lvoely tobacco coloured Shetland from the stash................

Knitty.com mitts

2006-08-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

Found this pattern over at Knitty.com, called "fetching". Knitted up in a very nice wool, feels so soft like velvet. These are for me :)

Now knitting another pair for a present for someone. Recommended pattern.

Stash busting...............

2006-08-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

..........is what I've been doing this morning; halfway through now. Got it all out, need to put it back again! Found some very nice wools I'd forgotten about, lots of ideas for projects and things, and sorted some cones out for the boot sale, which I will never use so they can go. Feeling very virtuous and excited about all the knitting I can get on with without spending any more money :) I found alpaca/wool, silk/wool, lots of random dyed and odds of sock wools, most of a crochet blanket I can now finish with all the bits and bobs of DK I found (very thrifty), grogeous pure wool aran, some of the organic Kerry wool I bought last year and thought I had finished - loads of stuff! Very happy............

What next?

2006-08-14T01:02:00.000-07:00

I knitted up the fingerless cable mitts from knitty, please with them. Will take a pic when I get new batteries in the camera later. Have started a plain garter stitch blanket for those in-between-knitting-moments - doing 6 ft strips, but in blocks, so it looks like patches. Started a crochet one too, so hopefully will be cosy for the winter; not that it ever really gets that cold down here.....
I got a knitted up but not quite finished cardigan on LETS on Saturday, so will pull that back and re-knit it into a cross-over top for me; there's quite a nice pattern in one of my knitting magazines. Somewhere.......... The woll is a drak raspberry colour, quite pretty. Need to start thinkng about Christmas knitting of various types soon as well.

Where does the time go?

2006-08-04T00:40:00.000-07:00

Almost a year now since I started this Blog!!!! Lot of knitting under the bridge, but would liek to do even more. Need another day in the week solely for knitting I think, that would be nice. Just had a trawl through the archives.:)

And for my next trick..............

2006-08-04T00:34:00.000-07:00

.........not sure:) There are a trillion things I want to knit, but I will probably make a start on stuff for the up and coming National Knitting Week in October. Someone has suggested "knitting for Christmas" as a theme, as it is in October; brainstorm with daughter yesterday came up with several ideas - knitted Christmas dinner among them! Also the usual elves, snowmen, etc. Would like to do some really good decorations I think, so will look into that - possibly using materials other than yarns...........who knows what will erupt from the end of my needles this time.
Have just signed up for the Sock KAL at the Knitty Coffeeshop; mystery sock knitting, new to me, where you have a pattern and no picture. Should be interesting.

Off to delve into my stash and see what's there.

Queen of the wild frontier............

2006-08-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

Finished today, modelled by The Bean. Love this hat, and it's for me!!!!

Knitter's Retreat

2006-08-02T00:22:00.000-07:00

I just realised that I hadn't put a link to my newish knitting forum - Knitter's Retreat - a haven for handknitters.

http://www.boomp.com/board/index.php?mforum=knittersretreat

Must have been the hot weather.........:) Bit cooler now, so more comfortable for knitting too.

Funky Mittens!

2006-08-01T23:35:00.000-07:00

I knitted these yesterday - lovely wool from a Blue Faced Leicester sheep in a gorgeous turquoise colour: I added the fluffy edging. Based on a papttern from Stitch'n'Bitch book with a few modifications from me. Destined for a present, but I am going to keep them, they are so soft and warm!
Have now started on my Davy Crockett hat for a laugh!!!

Finished jumper

2006-08-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

Done at last.......... the completd top, plus detail of the stitch pattern.

Jamaica cup of tea?

2006-07-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

I designed and made this for a competition in one of the knitting magazines, but couldn't find the details in time, or the magazine to send it in, so I now have my very own Rasta cosy!!

Finished!!

2006-07-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

Finished the Shetland lace top at last - seems like an eternity, but very pleased with the result, just needs buttons now. Will do that tomorrow, and get a pic up here. Isn't it lovely to be able to choose what to knit next? I feel a Davy Crocket hat coming on................

Currently on the needles

2006-06-28T05:40:00.000-07:00

This one is for an upcoming competition; a Shetland lace jumper in very traditional colours in Old Shale pattern; wanted to knit this for years, so here we go!

June..............

2006-06-26T00:30:00.000-07:00

Been very hot here, up until yesterday when it poured down! Some days, too hot to knit, but I've been doing a bit. I knitted a dozen pull on hats for the Chernobyl children who are visiting Sherborne in July; we are doing hats, scarves, etc as a group effort by the Vale Knitters for giving to them.
I started my jumper for the National Vilage Show - a rather nice 5 ply Guernsey wool Eriskay Gansey, but on re-reading the show schedule am not going to take the chance as it's not really a garment "for cooler evenings" - don;t want to get chucked out for NAS. So, plan B - lace weight Shetland jumper in Old Shale pattern going well so far. Will try and get pics up soon. Dishcloths ordered to get done too.

Update

2006-04-12T05:18:00.000-07:00

March seems to have passed me by altogether:) However, I did knit three pairs of socks and two pairs of gloves...........Now into April, I finished Bean's tanktop, which is below. Started a 2ply lace jumper, but not sure if I will finish it or even get as far as the the end of the ribbing; we'll see. Decided I don;t like the wool I am using for the fair isle, so that has been put aside for the moment. I need to get up in my stash cupboard and find something spectacular for a competition I am doing this year. Wonder what's in there?:):):)

Knitted three course meal challenge.........

2006-02-26T09:02:00.000-08:00

I found on the net a Winter Olympics knitting challenge, to cast on a project during the opneing ceremony and finish it ion the last day of the winter olympics. I posted up about it on my Forum,a nd someone challenged me to knit a three course meal, so here it is:

Starter is prawn cocktail, on a bed of iceberg lettuce with lemon and parsley garnish:

Main course is cheese and onion quiche with baked potato, spinach and green beans:

Pudding is rhubarb crumble and cream:

Had a laugh knitting this, will ahve to think of something to follow up with. Made a change from hats.........:)

Still knitting...........

2006-02-20T05:50:00.000-08:00

.....need to, to keep warm:)
Have done a pair of socks as half of an order, and a pair of gloves for myself.

Have started a tank top for The Bean, and am in the middle of knitting a three course dinner that someone challenged me with on the Forum. Have just finsihed the green beans.......

Christmas knitting

2006-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Did ahts and scarves for my two: dark green scarf and brown beanie for EJ, Dr Who scarf and hand dyed yarn beanie for the Bean (very appropriate.............).
Also managed two scarves for nieces in funky modern wools - very successful and nice and quick to knit.

Still here..........

2006-01-13T05:56:00.000-08:00

Still working on the Fairisle, progress slow but noticeable. Re-taught my daughter knitting, and at 14 compelted her first scarf for her friend's Christmas present; excellent stuff! She has started strips for a blanket now.
At Vale Knitters, we are almost a year old now; one project this year will be knitting hats etc for some of the Chernobyl children who come over for visits to the area.

I've been knitting sock orders, have an order for a hat the same as the one that Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall bought from me, and generally trying to think of things to knit to reduce the amount in my stash.......................
Have inspired some of the ladies on my Forum to take up sock knitting, and have done a Masterclass with pictures to help them along. We made a short video of me knitting too, just to test if we could get a video up on the computer and get it to work - very successful, so there will be more of that. Someone has requested help with a knitted dalek, so................ :) :)

OH's new hat

2005-12-06T00:43:00.000-08:00

It's going to be cold tomorrow up on Salisbury Plain, so OH requested a warm hat. Done in high wool content 4 ply, close fitting with the Chevy bow-tie motif on. He loves it, thank goodness:) :) Busy doing Christmas scarves at the moment too.

Latest sock order done

2005-11-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

Finished four pairs for the latest order - next lot on the needles already:)

Been a while...............

2005-11-24T07:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a few things I've done in the meantime:

Knitted earrings from copper wire:

And a knitted poached egg................why not?

Latest batch of dishcloths for the kitchen:

Currently working on an order for 4 pairs of socks, 3 1/2 pairs done.....

Shore Lines by Di Gilpin - book review

2005-08-31T04:25:00.000-07:00

Just a short review of this wonderful book:

Quite simply, one of the nicest knitting books I have read.

It finally arrived this morning from Amazon, after quite a wait, but well worth it.
15 very beautiful patterns in Harris Yarns.
Gorgeous photography, interspersed with lines of poetry and very inventive layout, which bring it bang up to date to fit with the new interest in handknitting

Have earmarked a couple of patterns already, to knit for myself
Quite inspirational, and recommended.

68pp, softback, ISBN 1-904485-33-2

Website is here:

http://www.handknitwear.com/index.html
_________________

Hat done too

2005-08-27T04:08:00.000-07:00

This is for me, this time! I love this simple pattern adatpted from one I found on the net; knitted on a circular needle and dp needles as you near the top, I concocted this from bits and pieces I got at the Scrapstore. Love the colours:)

Zigag socks finished

2005-08-27T04:06:00.000-07:00

These are done now, patchwork socks from my stash

On the needles

2005-08-25T00:41:00.000-07:00

Started an Aran jumper for myself, but don't know if I like it or not, will have to have anothr look and a re-think. Started a hat as well - I love knitting hats on round needles; this is with some wool I got from the scrapstore - pure wool in lovely earthy colours, so will amke it strippy and use all the bits up. Got a pile of netting strips as well to knit into a bag I think, but the colours are a bit dodgy - the pink and black together look like a tart's underwear:) We'll see..........Finished the second pair of socks for an order - tried a new zig zag pattern in patchwork colours. Pattern doesn't show much until the socks are worn, though. Will post a pic later. Want to try some spiral socks without heels to see what they are like. Need more knitting time.............

Current Work in Progress

2005-08-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

This is one of my WIPs - a traditional Fairisle, knitted in the round. The pattern is from a book I bought back in the 1980s and have just got round to knitting this for myself. Labour of love, but it grows failry quickly. Hope to get it finished for this winter:)

Hen Hat

2005-08-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

I made this last week as part of a challenge on my forum (http://www.mrsl.forumsplace.com) to make a hilarious hat

Hello and welcome.............

2005-08-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Been inspired by a couple of other knitting blogs I've looked at today, so thought it was high time I had one of my own! I'll post in here of my knitting exploits, as I feel I'm just not knitting enough compared to some other folks...........:):):)
Now, off to do some knitting.