Is this normal?

Just a quick post since, again, I'm on the packing trail.

Since I've been knitting for around 2 years now, I was sorting out the stash yesterday for moving and thought OMG. I knew I had a yarn problem, but for 2 years is this normal?

I know the well established knitters in the blogging community could look at this and say "is that all?!" but I thought I'd ask whether I am alone in gathering this much stuff over such a small amount of time. (This is the edited version too as I have dispatched of the stuff I wasn't keeping.)














(I realise it's not an awe inspiring picture being boxes and bags!)

Progress! (if only small)

I've actually managed to post something. Amazing. Of course it helps that I'm supposed to be packing and moving house so I'm not at work, but I promise packing will resume after blogging and a bath.

So this week I haven't gotten zillions done, but I have managed small, quiet, dignified progress.

*The DIY sock:











Here is sock #1 finished.Finally. It would have been finished a heck of a lot sooner, but I've been ripping bits out and re-knitting. It's nothing to do with wendy's pattern, just that I'd started off by putting lace in the leg part... got to the ribbing and it wouldn't fit as it was too tight.

Plus i was unsure about the lace so I ripped it back all the way down to the heel. So, of course, it takes longer to knit the same distance in ordinary stst, especially when i'm fitting about 5 rounds in during tea breaks at work!

It's a short one again as I don't like anything too high up the leg atm, so it's sort of ankle-to-mid-calf length. Plus the ribbing is right now as I increased the no. of stitches. Hurrah, just one more to go. (Of course, the hedera sock #2 must be done first)

*Antoinette

I may not have taken any pictures of her, but the progress was satisfactory on this one. Previously I'd gotten the back, L front and a sleeve done. Last night I managed to finish the R front and...here's the amazing part....I sewed the side seams together and picked up 184 stitches front the neck shaping on the front, down and round the bottom cast on edges of the fronts and back and up the other front to the neck shaping. Phew!

Usually I absolutely loath picking up stitches, but I had a secret weapon... I'd bought an extra long bamboo addi circular just for that particular job. It was almost enjoyable. So why did I do this mammoth task? I hate knitting sleeves. However I only have the other sleeve plus the collar to do now. I am proud!

Just so that this post isn't completely knitting related.... I took some pictures while I was out with mum, dad and great aunty Jose. We travelled from our humble abode(s) in Wednesbury to Tenbury Wells (which is a bit of a distance).
Although, I didn't actually take any pictures of Tenbury (duh) I took some pictures when we were on our way home and stopped in Bewdley:












This was the view whilst eating our fish and chips by the river.












These fellows and some ducks wanted some of our lunch. There are masses of swans on the river at Bewdley.












If you look closely, this is where they were nesting. There had to be at least 20 nesting pairs in that spot!













But best of all was seeing these little ducklings which were only a day or two old. Mum kept them pretty close and hidden, but I'm glad I got a shot. So tiny!!!

So that sums up yesterday. Today I have the drudgery of packing up my belongings (again) and sorting through the junk which I somehow accumulate for no good reason!

Long time no post!

Hi all

I've been so wrapped up in events lately that I guess I just haven't been too bothered about posting. I have been lurking and reading up on all my fave blogs though and even found a few new ones! There are so many out there now, so I just tend to keep to my few so I don't completely take up my whole time on the computer reading!!!

So where am I at now?
Well I'm 25 and a bit weeks now! I can hardly believe so much time had passed! I'm blooming nicely and I'm glad to report I haven't put on a great deal of weight...only about 1/2 a stone since before I was pregnant, but that was like christmas time so no doubt I'd put a bit on anyways!

Mum and baby doing fine, though I had a scare this week after falling over and hurting myself en-route into starbucks. Damn those addictive muffins! I slipped outside on the wet tiles as it was pouring down on Monday. I managed to fall on my right side and hit my head on the glass of the door.
The most annoying and upsetting thing was that not a single person helped me up. How's that for society these days. I got up, tried not to burst into tears and bought my muffin.
After that I burst into tears on the phone to my mum in McD's. I had a presentation to do that day at uni so I did my presentation (on foetal death of all things) and went to the hospital afterwards. Though it took them 5 hours to tell me everything was ok. Phew!

I'm moving house again! The 1 bed flat is far too small so myself and DB are moving into a 2 bed house so that there is more room for us and the baby when it finally arrives. The purse strings will have to tighten though, so I probably wont be able to splurge on yarn quite so often!

My latest splurges were some sock yarn. I had only knit 1 pair before in some Opal using a pattern that came with it. A success, but the bug hadn't bitten. Until now.
I saw a pattern for some lacy socks on Knitty called 'hedera' and decided to give it a go using some stash (shock horror) khaki 4 ply soft.












This is the first sock. I made it a little shorter in the leg that the pattern stated but it's beautifully snug and fits perfectly!













This is a close up of the lace pattern. For a 2nd go at socks, and with lace too, I'm quite proud of my achievement. Though I do have to make another one!

After starting this successfully, I bought some sock yarn from Get Knitted. I love this store and I've even been to Bristol with a friend to their open saturdays which are once a month. Such beautiful things and their sale stock is fab. I have gotten some real bargains.

I got some Hip Knits sock yarn in 'bouquet':











This is the pic on the site and I just couldn't resist....












so much so that I made it into a ball as soon as it was delivered!!! (God I need a ball winder for my birthday or christmas or something it took ages to wind!)

Also while I was looking at this I found a dye your own kit also from Hip Knits on the site...












and after seeing Daisy's success I had to give it a go. Though I wasn't as thoughtful and didn't take pictures while I tried it out. Sorry folks.













This was the fruits of my labour. And it does actually smell fruity from the Kool-aid!
I started the new sock today. I figured I'd get bored doing the second hedera sock (it's the same as sleeves... I lose the will to live) and so after perusing a few sock patterns I came across Wendy's blog and 'Generic toe-up sock pattern'. It's fab as it's easily adjusted (I have small feet) and leaves no seam at the toe! So I shall give this a go and maybe do something fancy for the leg of the sock to make it interesting.

I have been working on Antoinette from the new Rowan mag as well. So far I've completed the back, left front and a sleeve and about 1/2 way through the right front. it's quick knitting, but I have been distracted with the sock knitting.

As far as learning new skills i have done well this week with socks and all, but I have acquired something totally alien. I have been learning to crochet too. I figured it's a good thing as it's good for edgings and I have some freakish maternal will to make a blanket or something. The Happy Hooker book by Debbie Stoller is fab and I have gotten as far a crocheting in a circle. To me that's impressive as I couldn't make a single stitch a few weeks ago.













And there you have it!

I can't think of much else to tell. I shall try to be a better blogger but I guess it could be a while now I have to move again and no doubt the internet will be lost (boo hoo) for a small while during that time.

Hope to see ya again soon,
love Fi x