Whoops!

I've not shown you these socks yet have I? They are Spring Forward from Knitty summer 2008. Really easy lace pattern. I made mine in The Natural Dye Studio's Mirage - Merino and Tencel yarn.

I always, always, always hand wash my hand made socks. ALWAYS.....

Apart from this time. Oh blast I said. But I've cut the cuffs off and will crochet around the cut edges to make sure they don't fray too much. Maddie has a brand new pair of slippers!
This is Eddy, he's from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. Made using 2 lots of my very beginner handspun yarn. I think he is ugly but Maddie loves him :)

I've made this BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket) for a friends new baby. Hope it still fits as he is growing very well!

On the needles at the moment is a Milo tank top for Sullivan using Rowan Classic Luxury Cotton in a yummy bitter/milk chocolate colourway. Photos soon...

Oh, I'm feeling a bit sad because there is a man on his way up from Weymouth to collect Bluey. I think I'll commiserate with crispy chilli beef and ginger prawns for tea....

Blimey, almost 2 months!

Mr Nuff and the girls made a car out of a cardboard box, Sullivan attempted and succeeded to pull the wheels off!

I took the kiddlywinks to Stonehenge on our way back from escaping kitchen mess! Can you tell it was slap bang in the middle of our glorious summer? ;-)
I'm not sure Sullivan saw much but his bunny got a good chewing!

I've made some socks (still need to finish the second Spring Forward - Knitty.com summer 08), the yarn is Natural Dye Studio Merino Tencel, gorgeous, simply gorgeous!

The ones below are my 'learn to knit two socks at a time' pair. They'll fit Mr S soon - especially as he is crawling like a dynamo and managed to climb the stairs yesterday...! He's 10 months now.

Gosh, I didn't realise it had been so long since I blogged. I bet you've all given up on me! Life chez Faerynuff has been very busy. Mr Nuff has been creating a wonderful new kitchen for me all summer, I now have duck egg blue units and bright red gloss worktops! As well as fantastic double oven which actually cooks and a 5 ring hob with wok ring (still waiting for my new wok though darling Mr Nuff...)

Emilia and Madeleine have both settled well into their new schools, unfortunately it appears that Emilia has managed to get another dopey teacher. Poor girl, it's so unfair. No school photos yet, the pics are on my phone and I've lost my baby card reader.

I'm doing well, just started training to be a La Leche League Peer Supporter, I'm really looking forward to helping other mums have a good and rewarding time breastfeeding their children.

I started Slimming world last night, I'm 11st 4lbs and am looking to be 9st 13lbs as that is what I was when I got married - I need your support as chocolate keeps calling me!

Well, off to get Maddie from school now, I'll update again soon and I'll post the photos that have been requested :)

Getting back into the swing of things

So much knitting has been done over the last couple of weeks. I've been washed out but starting to feel better again now, my iron count was low so I'm hoping that all the iron rich food I've been eating along with the spatone I'm taking is helping boost things up. DH is fantastic, he is doing so much of the housework as well as decorating the front room.

I've got loads of pics to show you, but for now I'll just post the latest knits and a couple of the girls. Baby mitts, thumbless for easy on off ability. I'm not sure whether I should put a cord on these or not, any opinions?
Monkey socks - what a great pattern, I think I'll try to make some mini monkeys for the girls. Regia 4 colour. I love the way this yarn softens and blooms after washing.

Forest baby hat.
Camouflage baby set, so cute! I think I'd be happy with a boy if he got to wear this set! Jaeger baby merino, a wonderful yarn!
Baby hat from one skein and a pair of socks for school friend of E's who's mum has just had a baby girl.
The finished pinwheel blanket, it is the perfect size for a pram/crib/moses basket. I love it and I have plans afoot for a different one.
Tootsie baby hat using sirdar click dk. Not my favourite yarn but great colours.
And finally...I made the skirtsicle from Magknits in 2 days! I used 4 balls of Anchor Magicline cotton and the age 6 pattern for Maddie although she is not 4 yet! Lovely pattern but the sizes are a little small, perhaps I just have tall children!

Millie feeding a wallaby and holding a snake at Exmoor Zoo, she's a brave girl!
Maddie stroking a Skunk! Pooey!
Sorry for the pictures and captions post. I'm still getting tired easily and just doing this has worn me out.

Tomorrow - photos of Sock pal socks and a wonderful knitty SP parcel.

Chalk + 2 girls = ?

Just to prove we are starting to have summer now...a sunflower that the snails didn't eat!

As the weather has been wonderful today I shooed the girls into the garden while I had 'some' peace and quiet. What do two little girls do with jumbo chalks in the garden? Not colouring stones and rocks it seems....

It was too funny for me to be cross with them, my little punk rockers!
I made these 2 bags over the weekend, the green/brown is made using scarps of Kureyon, Silk garden,Texere Jamaica and Cascade 220. I have enough pinky/red/orange scraps for a larger one.

The purple pink one is made from yarn I bought in New Zealand, JJ's handpainted 8 ply which is a slightly heavy DK, light worsted I suppose?

This is what else I've been working on, but I can't say what as it is a secret...

Look what Mr. Postie brought me this morning, 4 balls of the most delicious bamboo yarn. I don't know what to use it for, any ideas? I love it! Thank you Faerlywell!

Sports day....We had a summer's day!

Just look at the concentration in these faces! Emilia only dropped her egg once :)

Yesterday was the last day of term for Emilia, the sun shone and the school managed an impromptu sports day. Each class did one race each - Emilia's was the egg and spoon race - then the pre-school children had a race although Madeleine was rather disgruntled that they had sellotaped the eggs to the spoons! After the races everyone, including parents were treated to Ice lollies. A wonderful morning :)

Emilia had an afternoon playing Tag Rugby which she loves and when I picked her up she had rosy cheeks and rosier shoulders. Bad Mummy wasn't expecting it to be so warm and sunny and hadn't put any sun cream or even a hat on her. *slaps wrist*

These are Emilia's socks, made in Regia cotton given to me by the wonderful MaryAnnLucy in the last knitty sp round. She's a sweety. I've still got 60g of yarn left so I plan on making a pair of ankle socks for Maddie and then using the remainder with another colour of Regia Cotton to make myself some funky socks. The pattern I used was from Vogue knitting on the go - Socks 2 and is the girls lace ankle socks. I love this book and plan on collecting more VK on the go books.

Better go, I've let Emilia play Make-up shops with Madeleine unsupervised....

Ali xxx

Oh yes, first day of the school holidays, dh away overnight and guess what time they woke me up...6am! Grrr! I sent them away to play Polly Pocket but couldn't settle.

Saartje's Booties

I saw these made by one the girls at the knitty coffeeshop on saturday morning, and finished this pair on sunday morning. I thought I had better make something in boy colours...just in case!

It's a free pattern, from Saartje

These socks are for Maddie, made in lana grossa Elastico. I'm not a huge fan of this yarn, it doesn't seem to have enough elastic in it for socks, but it is great to knit with. I think it would make a lovely summer top. The pattern is from Vogue Knitting on the go - Socks two.

I still can't work out how to put a slideshow on my blog, so please click on the album below for some photo's of our trip to Scotland.

Okay, picasa and blogger are not working together at all so I'll try again another time. ARRGGHH!

New Socks

Oh, the joy of handmade socks. Especially if they are made by your Grandma. Both my girls now have a special pair of socks made for them by my mum. I believe she used Regia 6ply for them but if you visit her blog you can find the low down on them as well as some other wonderful things!

I've got a lot to blog as I've not been able to for a while now but I'll save it for tomorrow as my little 'devils' need their tea!

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.