yet more new projects

I'm blaming the heat for the insanity of casting on yet more projects. I have decided to give Branching Out another try. I am using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino with 5.5mm bamboo needles and after one pattern repeat am quite pleased with the result. This is my first proper lace project and am hoping it will be a xmas pressie for my mum. When i have completed a few more repeats I will post picks.
I attempted Short Circuit last night but it didn't seem to do the 'curly wurly' thing, i may not have been patient enough, and frogged it, but am def gonna try again later, probably making it slightly wider. The Booga Bag has yet to be cast on but no doubt will be in a few days as am feeling excited about felting. I will be using Noro Kureyon for it. The heat seems perfect weather as things dry so much quicker.
I finished Sophie really quickly and felted it just before we left for my parents, leaving it to dry whilst we were away. I am pleased with the result although i don't think I blocked it as well as i could have in the rush to leave the house. It was also an experiment piece so I wasn't expecting perfection. I like the stripe design I used and the two coloured handle.



The colours are much brighter, but indoor photos all dull down colour. I used Cascade 220 in 8885 (purple) and 8903 (green).

I did it!!

The Race for Life was on Sunday and although we were all geared up for scorching heat, someone was watching over us, as just before it started the sun went behind a cloud and didn't re-emerge until we reached the 500m left mark.

Mum and me before the Race for Life

I walked the 5km with my mum. The route was lovely and took us around Verlamium Park, St Albans. There were a couple of nasty hills at the beginning but once we reached the 3km mark it was flat and took us around the lake.

We managed to complete the course in 1hr 11mins, which we were both really pleased with as we both have on-going health issues. I was expecting to complete in about 1hr 30 and Mum was expecting to take about 1hr 45. We were both hot and bothered after but felt great. It was defintely worth it and i will most definetly be doing it again next year - although i think i will sign up for the Cambridge race as it has no hills (they were not pleasant)

Mum and me after the race, complete with medals!!

There is a link to my sponsor page to the right of this post, it will except donations up until 6th August, and any sponsorship goes direct to Cancer Research UK.

Fave Colour Swap Questionnaire

Favorite Color Swap Questionnaire

1. What are your top three favorite colors?
Pink and purple, i only have two

2. What crafts do you really enjoy?
Knitting is my main craft, but i also dabble in card-making and scrapbooking

3. What products do you really covet?
Lovely variagated sock yarn and anything that is nice.

4. What other activities do you enjoy besides your favorite crafty things?
I love reading, films, music and playing with my hamsters

5. Is there anything you collect?
Unfortunately i don't collect anything

6. What is your zodiac sign and/or Chinese zodiac symbol?
I am a Scorpio and the year of the dragon

7.What are your favorite…

…scents/smells?
lavender, ylangylang are beutifully relaxing but i also love the zing of citrus smells

…types of music and/or bands?
i like a variety of music. I love rock bands like chillis, green day , linikin' park etc but also love chilled out stuff like jewel, beth orton and norah jones. I also like classical as it helps me study.

…authors?
where to start...again i like all different types of books and am also open to suggestions of new authors...mainly because i have read all the books by the authors i like.

…animals?
I love my little hamsters, they are the cutest but i can't wait until we have a place big enough for a dog so i can have a West Highland White Terrier.

…places to shop?
whereever has a good bargain. I buy most of my yarn online.

…season?
Definetely Autumn (Fall), as i'm not crazy about the heat and i don't paricularly like the cold either.

…yarn/fabric/paper/other craft supplies?
I love yarn that is a bit different, I like natural fibres and variagted yarn. I have just started to felt, so feltable yarn is high on my list at the moment.

…candies or goodies?
I have a sweet tooth and like anything aslong as it doesn't contain dried fruit (e.g. sultantas, currants etc)

8. Do you have any wish lists?
amazon.co.uk

9. Are you allergic to anything?
I can't knit with mohair or angora as i am allergic to it. I am also allergic to cats and some dogs and i get very bad hayfever. I also have very senstive skin so have to be careful about what cosmetics and bath stuff i use.

10. Do you have any pets? What are they?
I have six hamsters.

11. Please include anything else you would like your secret pal to know about you- anything that would be helpful in finding you little gifts that you will really enjoy.
As i said i have to be careful about bath stuff but i like candles. I also like to keep my nails nice and i have a big collection of nail varnish. I like to find new and exciting colours for my nails.

wilting in the heat!

It is official I was not born to appreciate the heat. I have managed to work how to feel slightly better but this involved lying still with fans blowing on me - not hugely productive. I have also suffered with the heat but never quite this bad or in this way. It feels as thought my entire body is made of lead. Apparently it something quite common in ME sufferers to be affected by extremes in temperature which sums me up I hate the cold to - but at least you can wrap up warm in nice handknitted woollies.
I have managed to complete the fan them flames scarf and will giving to my mum tomorrow so will get pics then. I have also abandoned the IHS as I didn't like they swatch I did using the Cascade 220 or the Noro Kureyon so have reassigned these yarns to felted bags. I have cast on the Sophie using Cascade 220, and have designed an increasing width stripe for the body of the bag using green and purple, the two left over skeins of purple I will probably knit Wavy. Three of the six Noro Kureyon will used to make a Booga Bag and as yet I haven't decided what to do with the rest, maybe and pencil case and minidisc case.
I am off to stay with parents from tomorrow until Sunday (the day of the 5km walk!!!) but will take many pics and hopefully have some more fo's to show you.

meet the family pt2

Not sure what's going on but it wouldn't allow me to post anymore pics, so I will have do a pt2. OK, three more to go. These are the newest, they are about a year old and are quite a rare breed. They are Roborovski hamsters and have quite a bit in common with that elusive yarn you yearn for. We had heard of this breed but never seen any, when on a routine trip here, we discovered that they had some - three to be precise. Like the other dwarfs they are social creatures and can live in groups, so of course we just had to get all three. We didn't need them, we had no room for them but we just didn't know when we would be able to get some again - sound familiar!. They are cutest and the funniest. Unfortunately two of them decided to bully the other one and we had to separate them about 2 months ago.

Pinky and Perky now live in a very cool cage (which unfortunately I have no pics of at the mo) called Creepy Castle. They are VERY fast, hence the not so great photo, and slightly insane.

There little brother, now lives in a Fairground and is the timidest hamster we own. He is scared of his own shadow, but once he realises you are not going to hurt him he will happily run all over you.

Finally, a picture of Peppers cage, for some reason unknown to me it wouldn't work in the first post.

meet the family

Today incorporated the mammoth task of cleaning out the 'babies' or to the initiated our hamsters. Whilst doing this I thought it was about time you met them. In total there are 6, and they live in 5 separate cages (two live together). All our hamster live in Rotastak cages except Pepper who has a traditional cage.
I suppose it makes sense to start with the oldest, who would be Bubble and Squeak. They are Dwarf Winter White Russian hamsters and are about 2.5 years old.

This is Bubbles cage, known as The Pink Palace, and the said hammie exiting her tube system. Do not be deceived by her cuteness she can be a little madame and a little slut - she likes only Karl and bites anyone else.

Squeak however lives in her Super Space Station and loves all. Originally they lived together but Bubble began to hurt Squeak so we removed her and they both happily live alone now.

The next hamster to come and live with us was Pepper (so called after Karl's fave drink 'Dr Pepper). He is a Syrian hamster and the most adorable thing on the planet. He has never bitten and loves everyone.

I've fallen in love (again)

I've just re-discovered the heavenly darjeeling tea. Whilst hunting in the cupboard I found an unopen packet, decided to have a cup and have re-discovered this wonderful liquid. I am afraid to say that I am a tea snob - I can not abide tea bags or 'normal blended tea'. It has to be loose tea and either darjeeling or Ceylon. Now I have rediscovered the joys of tea I think I will pick up some red bush tea when I go out tomorrow. My problem is that everyone I know raves about the Redbushcompany, but they only produce tea bags. Whittards however do Rooibus(African for redbush)loose so I think I will try that.
On the knitting front I have finished one of the socks for my stepdad - the pattern isn't to my liking although the sock turned out fine. I am going to wait a week or so before starting the next. Instead I have cast on using some Cherry Tree Hill Supersock from my stash, in Northern Lights. It is predominantly purple so fits in well with Project Spectrum. I am following the Ribbed Sock pattern, which I haven't tried before so should be interesting. I will post pics when I have more than 3 rounds to show.

all html'd out

I have spend a considerable amount of time over the past 48 hours trying to get my head around various html codes so as to customise my blog. With help from Karla and Lissa Explains All it is beginning to make sense and slowly but surely its getting there. I will be adding new links over the next week or so.

On my rounds I discovered a great new swap, favourite colour swap. I signed up immediately as it has three different price catergories so those of us who have less disposable income can still take part without a) skinting ourselves b)feeling bad that our parcels are not as great (in monetary terms) than others.

I have also signed up to project spectrum. So on my travels this month i shall be on the look out for purple randomness. I will maybe attempt to make something edible of the purple colourway. I will soon be casting on the IHS which will be my purple knitting project.

I am looking forward to a future project of a Noni bag and have joined the Noni bag kal in anticipation. I really want to make the huge felted carpet bag but feel this may be slightly adventurous for a first attempt and will probably make a one of the smaller ones from the same pattern. Although I am on stashalong I am allowing myself the free day and it may be taken up already this month, next month i have to go to London so will no doubt be yarn hunting there for the Noni bag. I was getting really excited because Stash Yarns isn't that far away from the hospital and was all set to visit only to find out they are closed that week - how gutting!!!!

New Yarn

My parcel arrived from Get Knitted today with the extra ball of Debbie Bliss cashmerino I needed to complete my stashbusting scarf and with it was the other yarn I treated myself to. My boyfriend was a bit disappointed as they used to put lollies or sweets in the parcels along with a pen and this time there was a nice smelly candle. He was looking forward to the sweets, I on the other hand appreciated the nice candle.

The Cashmerino isn't shown here but there is the Noro Kureyon (Shade 164 ), Cascade 220 (shade 8885) and Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (Natural)

I am going to make another Fan the Flames from this as a Christmas present for my Nan. I thought that the natural colour was a good colour choice as it will show of the lace effect on the ends whilst being neutral. I haven't ever used this yarn before but know it is very popular. I hope to make some socks out of it soon.

The Noro yarn is going to be used to make a Irish Hiking Scarf, I have got enough yarn to make matching cabled wristwarmers either Tua Cha or Fetching. Noro is a yarn that I have wanted to work with for a while but as so much of it contains mohair (of which I am allergic) I am somewhat limited but the Kureyon is 100% wool. I am very excited about casting on this project but will refrain as will make the plain scarf first.

This is the Cascade 220 in a gorgeous deep purple. I will use this first to make the IHS,and wristwarmers and then use the Noro for the second one. Both of these will be for me but I am planning to make an IHS, cable wristwarmers and hat for my best friend but am unsure at the moment to which colour to use.

If you are beginning to see a pattern in that all my yarn is either green or pink/purple I'm afraid that I absolutely love pink and purple and have many clothes/accessories etc in these colours but also have a lot clothes/accessories in khaki green and brown. I will make an effort to branch away from these colours but can't promise too much.

The Tua Cha wristwarmers are now finished and I am just waiting for the autumn to wear them. I plan on finishing the Fan the Flames scarf in green by the end of the week and casting on the IHS. I may well cast on the voodoo wristwarmers or the maybe a more challenging pair of socks. In the mean time I want to make a pink hairband from some Sirdar Tufty I found lying around especially for the Race for Life and maybe yarn allowing will make some simple wristbands.

Maybe it will work this time!

Why is it when you have some cool pics to show the world the technology decides to censor you? I am in love with my (single) Tua Cha (pattern from knitty) and can't wait until the pair are finshed. The second was cast on last night. I am really sorry this has been discontinued as the colours are so lovely and perfectly match my duvet cover).

More pink...trainer socks, just like normal socks but with less rib and only 3 or 4 rounds before heel flap. They are great stash busters as use up less than 50g of yarn and perfect for wearing in summer. These are made with Opal Rainforest in Flamingo.

I manged to do absolutely no knitting today which is unlike me. I will have to make up for it tomorrow. My pedometer arrived yesterday so can take it out with me when i go training tomorrow. How exciting!! (oh dear! I must get a life)

Buttons Buttons & More Buttons

I have at last discovered to add buttons - of the virtual kind, with links, to my blog. I have to say a BIG thank you to Karla for her e-mail as it helped enormously. In gratitude I have added her button to my links so all can visited her blog. I am feeling really pleased with myself as two weeks ago would never imagine I would even attempt html and was so envious of people with lovely brightly coloured buttons on their blog. I have a link to my sponsor site if anyone is feeling generous and wishes to sponsor me for the Race for Life.

I have plenty of knitting pics to show both finished and wip.

WIPS

This is a lovely wrap that eventually has buttons on it so has the look of a poncho about it. It is made in Patons Coast and Patons Washed Haze Aran. The Coast doesn't have the best texture when in a ball but knits up to a lovely heavy drape. It ia just garter stitch interspersed with drop stitch (the washed haze aran bit). I also have a pattern for a matching bag. Below is a (slightly blurry) close of the stitch detail.

A while ago I ordered some Cherry Tree Hill Supersock from Get Knitted and chose this a my free pattern. It is called Fan The Flames and is designed by Sue Morgan. I have use Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino Shade 503. (Yes I am having a green phase at the moment) It was supposed to be one of my stashalong projects but I only had two ball of the yarn and 1/3rd through realised would need another - but as the purchase was to complete the project its not so bad. This is just the fancy end section there is then a length of garter stitch and the same pattern the other end. I think if I make another I will do the main scarf section in stocking stitch but will finish this as it is.

Of course as I have a pair of socks otn, these are trainer socks using Opal Rainforest yarn in flamingo. They are great as use up less than 50g of yarn. I have already made a pair for my stepsister, complete with matching knitted gift bag and want to finish mine by July 23rd so I can wear then for Race for Life - being pink and all. I was going to show you them along with my gorgeous Tua Cha wristwarmers in Debbie Bliss Maya but blogger is playing up and won't seem to upload my pics. Will go have a tantrum (i.e. shout and boyf to make it work who will look at me perplexed and I will do it myself).

Brain Hurts!!!

Spent today at an open day for University of Cambridge and found out that i will be one of 14,400 applicants for 1 one of 20 places on their graduate entry medicine course. I found the day very enlightening and although they drilled home the realism of disappointment still made you leave with a glimmer of hope. I have other unis to go and look at but will def apply to cambridge anyway - as they say, you've got to be in it to win it!
For my sins I have agreed to do the Race for Life in two weeks with my mum. What was i thinking - 5Km in this heat. It should be good and will no doubt get pics of us before and after the torture. Wish me luck!