Starting as I mean to go on

Did some spinning last night, my first for ages. Really enjoyed the soothing rhythmic action of it, very therapeutic! The fibre is mum's Luscious superwash merino and it spins like a dream. Will try to find time to finish it up this week. It's going to be aran weight singles to make another Coquille from Knitty.com

Still feeling very raw although I have some great friends helping me through. It's extremely hard for everyone but DH is obviously finding it the worst. I'm here for when he needs me which I hope will be soon.

Did you read yesterdays list? I forgot to add 'Taking more risks' to it. I made the appointment for my nose piercing, tomorrow at 10am...please send me a virtual handsqueeze at that time as you know I'm no good with pain lol! I've also started spening more time with friends as I invited myself and Sullivan round to hers after group today, nice coffee Lee :)

Going to book my tattoo tomorrow, hopefully for sometime around my birthday so I can save up for it. Definitely a fairy theme, not sure where though...

I finished these little trousers for my friends new baby boy. The pattern is Blu

and a very easy knit. I really didn't get on with the seaming though and opted to sew the up regular fashion using mattress stitch. I wasn't very good at the embroidery either...

We have poorly babies at the moment. Emilia and Madeleine are recovering from a bout of Norovirus but Sullivan has been hit hard. I keep thinking he is better and then he is sick again.


I hope we are all better by Friday because Mum, Barry and Maisie are coming to stay for Easter :)

Make sure you visit Barry's blog - he hasn't posted since last August and writes such lovely things.

Happy Easter!

I'm not sure if I'm back...

But here are some photo's for you :)


This is Emilia's dress for the Christening and Wedding we are going to in May and July. I love it! It just needs a hook and eye above the zip and it is finished. I love the old fashioned design but funky fabric mix. Madeleine is having a dress in the same fabric but a different style.
Look what arrived in the post this morning. No, Not Madeleine! Mum has made her and Emilia a beautiful summer dress each. She looks so cute and is over the moon to have pockets! I'll get a photo of Emilia in hers after school. Thank you Mum. I love you x

Look what else Mum has made. Don't you just adore Emilia's skirt. It is a Knitpicks pattern, made in shine sport and just looks beautiful. Her fairisle skills are amazing. Even though it is cotton, it will wear well in the winter too. Maddie can't wait until Millie grows out of it!

12 weeks and 1 day today. Still waiting for my appointment for the 12 week scan. My midwife only works on thursday so I have to wait until tomorrow to find out what has happened to the appointment. It should have come through last week. I just want to see this baby so I can relax and start enjoying growing!

I've had an amazing round of Secret Pal from knitty this time. MaryAnnLucy was my pal and she has been amazing. I'll post photo's of my haul tomorrow hopefully, along with the beautiful Hoover Blanket she made for me.

I've finished a cardigan for Emilia, from the RYC Mother and Baby book. It was meant to be for Maddie but after washing it fits E perfectly! I've started a different one for Madeleine. Photo's soon.

Thanks for sticking by me and waiting for a post, I know it has been a long time. I'll try to keep up again.

I haven't been idle

See! I've made a pair of baby trews! From Last Minute Knitted gifts, knitted in Rowan Denim. I think I will give these to a friend who has recently had a baby and make some more for me to keep later on. This is Emilia's surprise fairy dress for her birthday. I went through loads of boxes in the loft, got all my material out and had enough to make her this. It's not finished yet but I have a couple of weeks yet.
Something else for Emilia...The Boho Blocks jumper from www.interweavecrochet.com. I'm making the smallest size but adding a row of dc/sc around the edge to make each block slightly bigger. I may have to make a few extra for her long arms!

I googled this jumper to see if anyone else had made one, the only useful link I found was this !!!

This is the beginnings of Maddie's surprise fairy dress for Emilia's birthday. Knitpicks shine sport worsted, this is a glorious yarn, so soft and comfortable in the hands. I'm going to make her a skirt of taffeta, with an over skirt of tulle and net to wear with this top.
Time for bed now - I promise to be more chatty next week. Have a great weekend xxx

Happy Days

I received my 3rd wonderful parcel from my Knitty Secret Pal on tuesday - look she even got the post office to print SP on the label ;) Absolutely beautiful packaging, Her DD chose the tissue paper and I just love it! Look what was inside, the complete kit to make a Maud bag from Get Knitted including pattern , yarn - brown sheep Lamb's Pride, 2 pairs of Addi Premiums and the metal handles you felt the yarn over, 2 fantastic wartime Woman's Weekly magazines - these are beautiful and give you such a sense of history and pride in being a woman, butterfly notecards, more fabtastic stickers, sweets - sherbert pips, millions and toffees, Jelly Bellies for DH, a hedgehog for Maddie and a squirrel (still wrapped in this photo) for Millie. We all feel super cherished, thank you so much Penelope Pitstop xxx


I've just started working on Ester from the new Knitty which came out last night. I'm using yarn I bought in New Zealand, JJ's 10ply montage. It's knitting up well but is a little bit scratchy so I'm hoping it'll soften up with a conditioner rinse.

Here are my recent FO's. Fetching from Knitty summer 06 for my Sister-in-Law's birthday. Made in Debbie Bliss Alpaca silk - not quite thick enough for winter gloves but lovely for spring ones. Maddie is modelling her new Polly cardigan from Classic Bambino, made in Debbie Bliss wool cotton. I love it! And for me we have Short and Sweet from The Happy Hooker in Adrienne Vitadini Julia cotton. Busy,busy, busy!

And finally, a little funny from Maddie....

Maddie - "Mummy, there aren't any heights in here are there?"

Me - "Heights? No."

Maddie - "That's good cos Millie is scared of heights."

She must have thought "heights" was a new name for monsters or something!

oh, I'm not sure what happened to my photo of fetching. Mum, can you help?

Oh, ferrets!

Just a short post today, we've had visitors this weekend and I am tired!

It was great to see them again, all three girls played like angels :)



We went to The Milky Way yesterday and had a good time, not sure we will be back in a hurry though. Emilia was chosen by Norman the ferret man to take part in the ferret races which she enjoyed...although she says 'They Stink!' It's not a great picture but does the job.



I finished this a little while ago and it has given me loads of ideas, I'm off to tinker about with some knitting needles and silk in a minute!




It's the Lacy Thong from InterweaveKnits.com and it was extremely simple and enjoyable to make. I used pure silk as the pattern suggested.


I have done some baking this weekend, scones and sticky cinnamon buns, no photos I'm afraid!

Snowdrops, baking and Double Scoop!

I finally finished E's double scoop from Knitty, mainly knit in Patons Washed Haze aran with a little bit of peter pan Darling for the cone and RYC soft lux for the chocolate. I've made it nice and big so it will look good over a swimsuit at the beach. It's taken me about 6 months off and on to finish this! I did the back stripy as well as the sleeves because, well, I felt like it :)

We went to Hartland Abbey for Snowdrop Sunday this weekend. I was full of sinus/migraine pain but I was determined to enjoy myself, and I did!

I love this picture, I wanted to take a photo of the dusty window with all it's paint brushes and flower pots but the girls wanted to see what I could see, so they are in the photo too :)

This is why we came.

I still did some baking this weekend, more pumpkin scones for lunch, a white milk loaf and some scrummy lime butterfly cakes...all gone now!

Right, I'm off to put some knitting magazines on Ebay.

Have a great day, love Ali xxx

Ribby socks

I was going to title this post 'Ribbed for her pleasure', but as these socks are for my MIL I thought better of it ;)

They are based on the pattern in Easy Knitted Accessories by Jeannette Trotman. I used the same yarn and needle size, my only changes were knitting them in the round instead of flat and continuing the slanted ribbing down the foot.

I could show you the chocolate fridge cake I made this weekend, but it's all gone. So no weekend baking pictures today! I'm off to snuggle Maddie as she has a nasty cough.

Happy Monday (you're twisting my melon, man.) everyone xxx

Oh, the felted gloves are from The Happy Hooker, it's the Ladylike Gloves pattern.

Odessa

I made this to go with my new coat, believing the weather men that we were going to get snow and ice. It has been cold, but not too cold and we've had rain and no ice. A blessing for some perhaps?

The pattern is Odessa by Grumperina, made in Rowan Calmer using 4.5mm needles as I seem to knit tight with cotton yarns.

Excuse the dodgy selp portrait, but don't you think I did well taking a photo of the back of my head? Ok, so it is really Emilia :)

Oh, Maddie still has blue hands. And wouldn't hand prints have been a wonderful memory...too late now :(

Yarn Pron returns with a sock

Some yarn for all you addicts out there. Colinette Prism in Florentina, a wool/cotton mix.
I finished my first decent pair of socks. I love them. The pattern is from interweave spring 05 think and is called Cable Rib Socks. Knit in Fleece Artist basic sock. Absolutely gorgoeous!
Here's a good blog. She hand knits beautifully (in fact she taught me), she's a whizz with the knitting machine and takes absolutely stunning photos. Have a look, she'd love the feedback. Love you, Mum! xxx

Fairy Penguins....

wearing jumpers!

I got this from PP's blog (www.purlpower.blogspot.com).

So, who's for a knitalong?

http://www.abc.net.au/canberra/stories/s1392592.htm

I found the little camera!

So here are the very final FO's of 2006. I'm not going to write much as I must get on with the housework!


A bag made for a lady who needs to use both hands to go up the stairs. It goes around her neck and is for a book and glasses. The inside of the Marie bag, lined.

The Marie bag...but what is picklish fingers Maddie up to?
One pair of slippers
Another pair of slippers...
Z's Twinkletoes, made in Lana Grossa elastico.