Fairytale Frog

New leaves are turning

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:31:00 +0000

While back-reading some long-neglected blogs on my bloglines tonight, I came across a post which truely cheered me up on a pretty dismal evening. And it reminded me how I felt about blogging and why I'm disappointed in the way I've let this one go. To be honest I never really got it started in the way I would like. But I figure promising to post more often is unrealistic, so quality and not quantity is the way to go. Tonight I have more quantity than quality, but baby steps - right?

Lots of photos! This cost me the price of a replacement camera, they had better be worth it!

Yarny Resolutions!

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:45:00 +0000

So I hmmed and haaed about whether I would put these out in public, given my amazing ability to think big and achieve nothing! But I decided celebrating a goal that no-one knew I had wouldn't be all that fun, so here we are :) Fairytalefrog's over-achieving resolutions for 2010:

1. 20:10 Holiday buying
The aim this year is not to buy yarn if I can at all avoid it. However, I am going to Vancouver and Seattle in February and I would be lying if I told you I won't buy yarn while I'm away. So in an attempt to justify the buying, I am setting myself a challenge. For every 20 stash balls knitted up between now and February 11th (departure date) I can buy ten balls while I'm away. If I don't make it to 20 I can't buy any! I'm already two down so this doesn't seem too impossible ... but lets just say I'm staying away from socks and lace right now!

2. Birthday Splurge
On my return from holiday I will be packing away the lovely new yarn, as an incentive for later when I deserve it. So throughout March up to my April birthday, I'll be aiming to knit up 2010 yards of icky yarn from the stash. If I meet this total I'll be allowed to buy something lush and expensive for my birthday treat. If not, well ... it's my party and I'll cry if I want to!

3. 'Tis the season
As in 2009 I did not finish one person's present in time for Christmas, this year I intend to tackle it early. I aim to knit at least one Christmas present a month throughout 2010, so that I am relaxed with plenty of presents come the festive season. However, I might have to skip January and make two in February as I'm still finishing the Christmas 2009 list currently ... ahem ... moving swiftly on ....

4. Rack 'em up
There's a common goal to knit 100 balls in a year, a nice round number that's good to aim for. However, I've got a LOT of yarn and 100 balls gone this year just isn't enough. So, seeing as I like these things that play on the year .... I'm aiming to use 201 balls in 2010. What's that you say about unrealistic? But it's less than one a day!

5. WIP 'em into shape
While on holiday in Berlin, well removed from the well-spread stash of knitting supplies across both mine and my parents' house, I was able to list 50 UFOs. That's a lot. I'm sure there's more. I'm not ruling out three figures, just so you know. So this year, they're coming down. I must completely finish 2 UFOs (ends woven in and everything!) before I can cast on for something new. And what's more, that something new must be completely finished or frogged before I can start anything else. Tough love.

So there you have it, some pretty lofty goals. And there is one more which is so crazy I'm not even paying it lip service right now. If I make it, I will report it .... but for now, I'll keep my craziness to myself. I'm not ready for the padded cell just yet!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2009 - a review

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:56:00 +0000

So 2009 is gone and, I have to say, I'm not too sad about that. It wasn't a great year for me. Nothing dramatic happened, no great tragedy or change of circumstances. But as the year went on I felt a less and less happy, more out of control, more stressed and like time was not on my side.

It was by no means the worst I've felt and in many ways there were some really good times. But I recognised a few old bad habits returning and for a while was worried that I was incapable of stopping it. But still I've become one of those people that sits and surveys how much there is to do, talks about how overwhelming it is and does absolutelty nothing about it.

Recently I felt filled with the renewed energy of a New Year, a refreshed mind and a new attitude for 2010. So I'm trying to look forward to a fresh start and make some changes. So far the knitting resolutions seem to be going OK .... I got the priorities right there!

Lest we forget

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:15:00 +0000

Slowly catching up ....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:39:00 +0000

When last I was here I was telling you about the up and coming Moonwalk, which we duly completed and gathered plenty of sponsorship money too. But I have not sorted out the (one, perhaps two) photos we have documenting the event, so the full story will have to wait for another day.

Today we shall be catching up on September's first completed project, for my family's latest addition. Back in April (I know, how could it have taken me so long?!) my cousin and his wife brought their little baby girl Ellie into the world. And oh! such plans I had to knit for her! Well it took some time, but she finally has a knitted item from the resident family knitter. I present to you Ellie's spring green baby shrug:

Now I had high hopes for all the knitting I would do for this new family member. After all, who can resist the cute baby knit patterns and quick finishing times! Yet here I am, nearly six months after her birth, and the poor girl has only received one little baby shrug. Well, there were many failed attempts before this, let me tell you.

First was the pink yoked baby sweater, which is finished (all except for it's buttons ... that seems to be a blocking point for me) but apparently MizzAdamz's six year old son could squeeze himself into it, if he so desired. So that went to the "present for much later in her life" pile. Then came the baby blanket, which had a promising start as I zoomed through the garter stitch centre, but failed miserably at the border (that one i'm sure will deserve a post of its own when I can face it again). And then came the knit-in-a-flash little lacy vest, which is gorgeous but probably would only fit her for a week. So that was a no-go ...... then I bought a lovely little dress for her (which of course I forgot to take a photograph of) and decided to make something to match it.

Cue a skein of Red Heart Soft Yarn that I had in waiting to be a cable scarf, one week of knitting on the bus and at tea breaks in work, et voila! One completed baby garment, in a size that might actually fit her in now or at least within the next year - success!

Now, this is not a perfect garment at all. Above is the pretty matress stitch side seam (which I love) but even it has a dodgy loose stitch at the bottom (which I believe might have something to do with the picking up of stitches for the rib and wish I had noticed and fixed before I gave it away). But the real problem was the ugly sleeve seam (see below).

Now, this was as neat as I knew how to make it at the time. But the very same day I was catching up on some blog reading and found this post on CrazyAuntPurl. So now I know and the next one will have beautiful seams, I assure you. But I'm sure this one will look fine on, don't you think?

Charity - Knitters do the MoonWalk

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:18:00 +0000

I know I haven't been about, but that's all going to change starting tomorrow! I will be taking part in a 5.5 mile sponsored walk with two friends around Belfast city centre. It's in aid of the Northern Ireland Hospice and it starts at 10pm (it's a Moonwalk, but I won't be doing it backwards).

What I will be doing is knitting - while I'm walking! There may be some injuries ensuing if I don't see lamp-posts, but it's worth a try! So wish me luck and there will be plenty of pictures to post afterwards!

Oh and if anyone would like to donate, here's our page.

Missing Mojo

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:33:00 +0000

I can't believe it has been almost a year since I posted here. What a disgrace!

And to add to the underachieving, I have no pictures of knitting to share *gasp* My knitting mojo has escaped me and I am struggling to knit at all, let alone finish or photograph anything. So while I knit in front of CSI and try to get something worthy of a post, I present to you my word:

Your Word is "Peace"

You see life as precious, and you wish everyone was safe, happy, and taken care of.

Social justice, human rights, and peace for all nations are all important to you.

While you can't stop war, you try to be as calm and compassionate as possible in your everyday life.

You promote harmony and cooperation. You're always willing to meet someone a little more than halfway.

What's Your Word?

(quiz link stolen from Gilraen's Knits)

According to that description, I should be entering Miss World! What do you think? Is this me?

Ravelry Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:35:00 +0000

As the title may suggest, all links in this post are ravelry links :)

So I have been on ravelry for a year now and I don't know how I lived without it (although I imagine procrastination was less fun and ran out quicker back in those days!). I love having my stash records with the wondrous location field (so I know where to find a particular ball of yarn ... well, if I've gotten around to adding it!). I love the forums, where I lurk all over the show and get lost in all manners of topics. I love being able to see patterns at the touch of a button and seeing everyone's else's FOs and comments (I read so many projects whenever I'm going to do one of my own!! lol).

So yes, ravelry I love you ... please never leave me! :D

And I have joined up for the Ravelympics and started Team Belfast SnB (I'm also in Team Stashdown). My event is the Sweater Sprint and I will be knitting Knitty's Emerald cardigan in Sirdar Cossack (Emerald colourway). So it's my Double Emerald project. I'll be in Donegal when the Olympics start, so plenty of time for my first ever sweater project.

And to keep a bit of photographic interest around these parts, here's a bad picture of a recently finished object. Can you tell what it is yet?

Shopping Spree!

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:14:00 +0000

Ok so it's all Nikki's fault. First of all I was at her house for the weekend and on Monday she encouraged me to buy yarn from GetKnitted:

That's three skeins of Tofutsies (the black and white at the front is Nikki's), two skeins of Koigu KPPPM (unfortunately they are also Nikki's) and three skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in Tomato for my mum's birthday present (the Shawl Collar from Knitting New Scarves). I also signed up for the Lorna's Laces Sock Club - ooh the excitement!

Then she went into a LYS yesterday and discovered their sock yarn on sale for £1/ball, so I told her to surprise me with some (two 50g skeins blue and two skeins purple):

So, of course, I had to go in and check what else they had on sale today:

Two 50g skeins of Regia Stretch Crazy colour sock yarn, one 100g skein of Woolcraft sock yarn and two 100g skeins of Wendy Beach Baby - all £1/ball. And then I went and bought some non-yarn stuff too. But hey, I'm just spending my first pay check in advance! lol I start my new job on August 18th and I have lots of bus knitting yarn to keep me going now!

Random observation .....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:08:00 +0000

Casting off a sock on the top of a double decker bus navigating its way across a series of speed bumps is not fun.

Take note!

hangs head in shame

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:58:00 +0000

This is my first post of the year and that is embarrassing to say the least. I have a hundreds of pictures to upload that are still residing unopened on my memory card. I'm knitting, there is plenty of knitting ... a bit too much considering all the work related stuff I should be doing ...... but anyway. It's spring, this month I turn 26 and it's time to get things in hand!

Karin's destashing community in Ravelry has a challenge this month to spring clean the projects basket. It's just the sort of thing I need (my WIPs are in double figures and that's as much as I'm willing to divulge) so I'm embracing it fully ... and extending it ... I'm going to spring clean my whole life, including this blog. So more posts are expected here (where have I heard that before?) and hopefully they will be more interesting too .......

So, knitting plans for April:
1. Gather together all WIPs and frog, finish or schedule them.
2. Gather as much stash as I remember I have into one room, organise it and update it onto ravelry.
3. Finish at least 10 projects.

Just three things - easy, hmmmmmm ...... well, at least if it doesn't work out I can call it an April Fool!

Speed is of the essence .....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:01:00 +0000

At last! A step forward in the Christmas gift knitting department, no a leap! I discovered the wonder of washcloths as gifts and since Saturday night have churned out no less than five - marvel in the splendour:

From left to right we have the gift dishcloth and the nine- patch from Mason-Dixon Knitting and a bath mitt, eyelet dishcloth and simple ridge from the Lily Sugar 'n' Creme ballband patterns. So thanks to the wonder of fast dishcloths I now have 6 gifts finished. But plenty more to go! (Also, please excuse the vegetation, it's my sister's idea of Christmas decorations.)

Also I had to share - the love of yarn spreads to all reaches of this family you know. Here's my oldest cat Tia who has spent all of today sleeping in one of my yarn baskets.

Thank goodness it's only the odds and ends of acrylic, because no matter how much I love her, if she'd been lying on the merino we would be having words right now.

Now wish me luck, I have Christmas decorations to dig out and more presents to make!

In the holiday spirit ....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:14:00 +0000

... please forgive me for broken promises. I have been atrocious at keeping an account on here or on my LJ account. But I am beginning my New Year's resolutions early and am determined to get going here. :)

The Christmas gift knitting frenzy is in full swing at my house. I have only completed one gift so far and have at least 14 left to do. Am I mad? Why of course! I didn't realise it was being contested. But I have some pretty things to talk about first ... a gift to myself.

When we were in New York I had a slight mishap with my bank card and wasn't able to lift the last of my funds. So when we got to Purl Soho I was working on money I had borrowed from other people. Not a nice situation to be in. I wanted to get something so I bought some Bryspun flexible needles, but the Blue Sky Alpaca and the Koigu had to stay on the shelf. Again on our second trip to School Products (we liked that store), my hands had to stay in my pockets. (Everybody say awwww). But when I returned I had some money in my bank account, so I treated myself:

Lorna's Laces Swirl DK in two colourways - Mt. Creek on the left and Pioneer on the right. It's a lovely blend of merino wool and silk and I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. But at the moment, I'm just enjoying looking at it. *grin* And maybe stroking it occasionally.

But also I need some help. Before the cash crisis in NYC, I did manage to purchase some Koigu KPPM in School Products (might I say I love both that shop and that yarn). Some was for my sister and is currently being knit into socks for her. I'm using Wendy's toe-up gusset and slipstitch heel pattern as usual, with some changes in numbers for gauge etc. See?

Now my problem is a little loose stitch on either side of the heel where I join it back up to knit the leg. At first I thought it as coming from the instep stitches that sit on the needles unused while the heel is knitted, just a by-product of being left unused on the needle for so long. However, I've realised that is only the case on one side and on the other side the loose stitch is actually part of the slipstitch heel.

Excuse the less than great photography, i have yet to master macro settings, but I think you know what I'm talking about anyway. I'm going to darn up the little holes here and the sock will be fine, but I'd rather avoid it in the future.

Does anyone else find this happens with their heels or is it just me? Is there something I could be doing (or not doing as the case may be) to prevent it? Or is it an inevitable part of my knitting that I should just suck up and move on? Answers on a ~~postcard~~ comment please!

Tomorrow, tomorrow ....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:19:00 +0000

.... I love ya tomorrow,
you're only a day away!

No, wait .... that's not the right one .....

Start spreading the news,
I'm leaving today ...

Well, not quite today, but tomorrow I am indeed leaving and heading to the city that never sleeps for sightseeing, fun and (most importantly) plenty of yarn shopping.

See you in just over a week! (And I promise I'll post more then!).

I am back .....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:03:00 +0000

Fear not, I have returned. The interview was awful so I'm not moving anywhere any time soon. I have decided to give my PhD thesis a bit more space to be right before I rush it to take a full time job. So I'm on the look out for something part-time (working in a yarn shop would of course be the perfect thing right now) while I finish the write-up in the rest of my time. And I might even give some of my business ideas a bit of a run if I can find the money. So wish me good luck and let me know if there's any part-time jobs going in the Belfast area. Now on to happier things - yarn!

I have a lot of purchases which have not been shown and I'm a bit late for my promised post, but better late than never eh? Firstly we have the haul from way back at the end of August when I went to Waterford (Ireland) for a conference. I found a lovely little yarn store called Needles and Pins (I must admit this amuses me no end) and made a purchase or 14:

I got some present yarn (which has long since been handed over), some random blue acrylic which has already been knit into a competition thing (which could be a contender for you knit what?! if it was still around) and then what you see above. We have more random acrylic because I liked the look of it (this is what I need to stop doing because I have no idea what to do with it!), some Debbie Bliss pure wool because it was gorgeous and I had never seen it before and some Rowan Tapestry - on sale! Oh my, I was a happy child that day!

Moving swiftly on to a trip to the Ballymoney yarn shop, of which I had heard a lot. And it definitely had a good range, but alas no prices on the shelves. So after asking a million questions and getting confused at how much everything I liked was, I turned to the pattern books (which were priced).

I got the new Freedom Spirit/Wool book and picked out two winter sets that I liked, so the yarn was needed. The purply-blue is for a fingerless mitts and scarf set (I have boldly already cast on the scarf, bad knitter that I am). And the green is for a hat and gloves set. Also I got a little Rowan book because it seems almost impossible to find Rowan anything in Northern Ireland from my experience (please tell me if I'm wrong on this, I'd be ecstatic!). And the little Christmas Nativity book in the back is one my mum saw in Waterford but didn't get so I had to buy it for her when we saw it again.

And now we've reached Craft and Skills day at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, which was great! We met great people, talked forever and had a thoroughly fun day. Of course we had to go into the Bangor wool shop for a nosy as we were in the vicinity. And anyone who knows me knows that I don't just look in a yarn shop, ever.

My darling sister is after some knitted garments for presents so some Sublime and Peru books were necessary. I got enough Noro to do a full hat/scarf/mitts set for my New York holiday, some Sirdar Hug because it is so soft and some lovely Peru Naturals because I had to have it. And a little baby blanket book because I have become addicted to blankets. Some seriously cute buttons and sheep cross-stitch (for laughs and giggles) rounded off the swag.

Later that night we were heading out to Proms in the Park in Carrick, so had another nearby yarn shop to peruse:

I was good this time and stuck to the bargain bin. Got some pure wool (6 50g balls) for a cabled scarf I want to make from the pattern book way up at the top and 300g of cotton blend aran, all for less than £10. Can't do bad to that now can you?

And at this stage I was done, after all I am very nearly unemployed and have to keep my pennies while knitting through my stash every night because I can't afford to go out (not much of a punishment really is it?). Or so I thought ......

The interview did not go well, so a little yarn purchase was necessary. I mean I was in England after all, and it was a very nice yarn shop and when was I going to be there again?

Excuse the odd photograph, it was an impromptu at the desk shot! Here we have some bargainous Rowan linen print (6 balls at £1 a ball), some Regia Bamboo sock wool that I have been lusting after for some time, some Kaffe Fassett Regia for the sister's Christmas socks and an almost edible green skein of hand-dyed sock yarn from Chile. I felt better immediately!

Now I still have about a million WIPs to blog about (I cleared out the yarn black hole in my dining room and unearthed an archive), not to mention the advent of the crazy gift knitting season (why do I have to have so many family and friends' birthdays so close to Christmas?) and my envy of my sister's newly created stash. But all that will have to wait - I have rambled on for quite long enough. Perhaps I can remember to come back more frequently in future :)

Hello and goodbye!

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:59:00 +0000

I know I have been missing forever and am going to be for a little while longer. Trying to finish the PhD thesis, getting a journal paper ready and preparing for interview all at once has left me seemingly unable to complete the take pictures-edit pictures-upload pictures-make a blog post cycle. But I promise that I will post all the masses of yarn, scary amount of hibernating WIPs and knitting news this weekend when I get back from the interview.

I promise!

Naughty but nice

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:15:00 +0000

Well I was a bit bad and disappeared from here without saying anything. I'm supposed to be on hiatus from all online leisure pursuits while I try to finish my PhD thesis in time for September 14th. Sunday is my day off and so I can do as I please, but some gift knitting got in the way on Sunday so I couldn't resist coming online today.

I must show off my yummy yarns from Ebay that I went mad buying when I last got paid!

First off we have 500g of Manos del Uruguay - twice! (one in a lovely green and one in a beautiful blue mix), with a skein of pink and yellow fyberspates sock yarn for the grand total of £20 - bargain!!

I then purchased some Kimono Angora (one calorimetry made from it actually) - it is so squishy!

I also bought some in another colour with some Rowan All Season Cotton in a blue-green (I love that stuff), some sock yarn and Addi's from Get Knitted and DPNs and a big box of balls from Texere (dear goodness the yarn volume, but why no ball bands?) but I don't seem to have any photos of those.

I do however have photos of the 50p a ball bargain yarn my mother brought for me from her day trip in Scotland:

And my first Secret Pal package, which I'm dying to get into but already have too many projects on the go!

And also some of my recent knitting, My So Called Scarf in yummy Manos:

I have been knitting a lot more but again no photos. I promise to come back on Sunday with a better organised post and more photos. Now I'm going to a concert - bye!

Yarn Weekend ....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:59:00 +0000

Last weekend has been yarn, yarn everywhere in a good and not so good way I have to say. First off a friend of mine, Lasairiona, had a knitting night at her house. Nikki and myself were knitting teachers for the evening, bringing two new recruits (Clare and Kerrie) into the fold. They did well, but with Kerrie having to leave early for her train, I don't think she got the real bug. Clare, on the other hand, knitted through the night, even knitting past the dreaded knitters shoulder burn and beyond. However, she didn't take her knitting home, so I'm concerned she too may have dropped away. We'll just have to keep on their case now, won't we?

I came to the knitting night in a bit of a foul mood however, as I had lost part of Las' housewarming present while I was out for mum's birthday lunch. I had knitted a cushion and was sewing it up, but when I got home I was cushion-less and distraught. Luckily my mother was able to locate it today in peacocks so I am much less upset.

But that reminds me, the mother's clapotis. I was hoping to get lots knitted at the knitting night and was staying at Nikki's to try and get more finishing time. However I forgot to bring extra balls of the yarn with me to finish it, although realistically it was not to be. Here's the current progress, just 7 repeats of the straight section done and 6 more to go:

So when it was agreed the clap was not to be finished, a new project was required and a quick one at that. Enter Calorimetry:

Well they're definitely quick and addictive! I did three this weekend! the back two are for the mama, one made from Kimono Angora and one from cream cotton. The front one is my own made from some Marble I purchased on Saturday. Oh yes, we had a bit of a yarn crawl. Nikki and I headed out for the local yarn shops that keep a lot of baby acrylic and not much else, just to see what they were like. Of course I found things to buy - what did you expect?

First up was The Wool Shop in Glengormley. I feel this shop is underperforming as it has lots of unused space and whenever I go in, there is never anyone else there. I would love to work in it though, to get an idea about ordering and salesmen and of course, because I could knit all day. Alas, I have a PhD to finish. Anyway, purchases were as such:

A funky sheep-covered project bag, 2 balls of BabyFab in a nice green mix (green is my current colour of choice) and another random ball of Jarol Hyde Park because I like the colour. I boght a random ball of that in Carrick too, and while I had no clue what to make with it, I went and bought a single ball of another colour. I don't know, sometimes I get like this.

Then we headed across the street to the pound shop, which, despite the name, has more than just pound-a-ball acrylic. So I added to what I bought before. They had a new colour of the King Cole Wool mix aran weight KwiKnit. So I bought two more balls of this colourway to add to the two balls of the other two colours I bought the week before. Because you know, I really need more yarn and all that. < / sarcasm >

Next we got back into the car and headed for The Patchwork Goose. Now that was an experience. When we arrived there were three people in the shop ahead of us, so we couldn't get in. Nope, it's not a tiny shop, it's just that all of the products are piled en masse in the middle of the floor from wall-to-wall, with small path from door to till. I tried to pull a couple of balls out of a wall pile and thought I was going to start an avalanche, but the crisis was averted. Nikki bought nothing and I think that was on principle because of the mess. You could tell she was dying to give the place a good tidy. However, I didn't let a bit of disorganisation get between me and some yarn acquisition. So here we have it:

3 big balls of Marble Chunky, because I like Marble, had never seen it in that weight and the colours were nice. 2 balls of Rio because I have lots of it but not in that colour. And two balls of an Elle Gold that I'd never seen before and felt gorgeous.

As we left, we noticed a sign on the door about opening hours. Sometimes she opens up as early as 9am, somedays it's 12 or 1. She usually closes at 5.30pm, but it might be as late as 9 or 10. Some days she doesn't come at all, but she's usually there unless she's someplace else. That pretty much sums up the shop, but it does give it a bit of an Aladdin's Den factor - you never know what you might find!

Next we were onto Wee Ellie's Wool Shop, which is one of these yarn shops with kids clothes. I don't get that, they weren't even knitted. But again, purchases were made:

Lots more Marble, some to match what I've got, some new colours and more of that Supersoft Baby stuff because I'd not seen that colour or wanted another ball to match what I've got.

All in all I have no idea what I'm doing with it all, but I like it. Oh and a lot of Ebay yarn came too ... but I'll keep that for another post. It is rather lovely if you ask me, but then, I'm biased!

Getting serious

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:01:00 +0000

So Ravelry grabbed me with both hands and has had me recording stash like a good 'un. Despite my sister's cries that I'm just inviting people to steal from me (who knows where I live huh?), I have been up to my eyes in balls, camera and laptop. So far it has been mainly acrylic going up so that I feel the momentum to document the rest (and not look like all I have is acrylic). I like acrylic, it has it's place and I use it quite a lot, but I love all types of fibres and so people need to see the full mix to get an idea of what sort of a knitter I am.

What sort of knitter am I? Eclectic I think. I very often knit things and not use them, which leads me to believe that I am either all about the process or that I should choose my projects more carefully in future. But hey, it led me to think, so that's a good thing right?

I've been trying to photograph my current wips as well and this is no mean feat, as they are spread to the far corners of ~~the known universe~~ my house and are often dropped from my cognitive understanding. I cast that on? When? No you must be mistaken.

Anyway, photos at hand, a post is long overdue!

The wip that is getting most attention at the moment is a modified play cube from Nursery Knits by Zoe Mellor. It's going to become a storage cube for more stash, I think, if it works when it's done. This is two of the six squares this afternoon, but after a jaunt to the cinema to see Transformers I now have nearly 3 squares - joyous! (And a great film)

Not so joyous however is the fact that I should not be knitting that at all, I should be knitting this:

That is the increase section (almost completed) of my mother's clap, which is supposed to be finished for her birthday .... on Saturday. Ahem, yes, perhaps needs some attention there. But you see my entire cotton stash appears to have gone missing, so I have a reason for holding off thus far ... perhaps my sister was right about documenting my stash ... except it went missing before I got on Ravelry .....

Mind you considering the state of my mother's Christmas present, I really shouldn't be surprised by my lack of clapotis.

Yes, that is the VD, still knitting completed, still not sewn up or lined ..... *sigh* My poor mother, thankfully I buy her presents too!

And to confound all this knitting what I shouldn't be, I cast on another sock yesterday:

This is a plain round and round sock with Opal Neon yarn and 2.5mm Addi's. You see the new Addi's came, so I could finally use some Opal and I had ripped out a plain sock that had gone a bit ~~funny~~ interesting, tension-wise, in the middle of the foot. So you see, how could I resist?

The Widdershins I have cast on and then abandoned because of cabling on itty bitty needle difficulties have nothing to do with it, I tell ya!

Nothing!

Ravelry

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:11:00 +0000

I'm in. I may be some time.

A close call ....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 21:10:00 +0000

Thank goodness for that! I had been telling a friend that I was getting panicky about my Ravelry invite, that perhaps I hadn't signed up right (I know, you type in your e-mail address and click a button - what can go wrong? I have paranoia issues, what can I say? So so I signed up with a different email address of mine ... or so I thought .....

Ciara kindly told me that you can now check your place in the queue, so i hopped over and typed in my blog email address.

Sorry that email address is not on our signup list

I told you something can go wrong! When I'm involved, something can always go wrong!

so I typed in the back up email address I used the second time (my personal email) and it says July 10th 2007. No I scream (internally, didn't want to scare the pets), I had signed up a whole month before that!!!! I'd signed up with the same email address twice!

After a few moments of heavy breathing and knots twisting in my stomach, I realise that although the date is the second date, my place in the queue is as it should be. There are 541 people before me in the queue. That can't take long now can it?

PS If this situations causes internal screaming, heavy breathing and cold sweats, you know the knitting addiction has become a problem

Weekend of quick finishes ...

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 10:33:00 +0000

This past weekend was a holiday weekend here in Northern Ireland and while I won't get into the historical and political connotations of that holiday, I will tell you about what I did with my four days off in a row.

I knitted.

No surprises there then. It was the weekend of quick finish projects. Like the simple ribbed hat I made with one of the balls of Noro Kureyon I bought in 'The Wool Shop' in Newtownards. I must go back there and stock up with more stuff. I mean you'd think you'd get these things in a capital city, but no - you have to leave Belfast to pick up the good stuff!

Then I also finished the evil sideways scarf that broke my Denise's interchangeable needle cord. *Grrr* Luckily they have a guarantee and the owner is kindly sending me a replacement way out here to Northern Ireland. And the scarf is quite nice despite it's evil actions.

I also made my first ever mini sock with some Opal Neon sock yarn. Isn't it cute?

Here it is beside the toe of a me-sized sock for proportons sake.

And I was also knitting a little present which shall remain invisible until it has been received and then will turn up here somewhere :)

Of course I have many more projects not finished and yet many more I want to start. Behold the knitting basket of random projects-to-be:

hmmm, what shall be next? After all, I need something to distract me from thesis hand-in in 8 weeks, house repair for sale, trying to get a mortgage without a job lined up for after the PhD, trying to find a job and generally, you know, breathing and stuff. *eek* The boss threw a spanner into the works this morning by giving me details of a job I was interested in, may actually be qualified for, pays well (ok make that very well) but involves moving to England. *sigh*

Well, now ....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 22:25:00 +0000

... it has been a while. Between non-working cameras, being sick and all manners of busy, I have many unblogged things about which I would like to blog. I realise that was quite possibly the most grammatically incorrect and just plain bad sentence to be written in a blog this year, but it's late - cut me some slack.

Anyway, as I have a ton of new photos just released on my computer, I'd better get started. Let me introduce to you my first ever baby item - the cabled sweater:

This started off as a present for someone, but crossed wires aplenty meant it is no longer headed their way. Someone mentioned giving it to charity but I have a strange connection with it that makes me unwilling to give it away. This is probably due to the whole evening I spent with it, attempting to do the neckband.

First time about to cast off - that doesn't look right, I'd better rip it out.
Second time halfway through cast off - no, wait, it was right the first time.
Getting ready to knit it for the third time - is that shoulder seam sewn up wrong? better unpick it ....
Halfway through unpicking - nope, it's supposed to be like that, I'm just holding it funny %$^&^%&*!!!.
Then finally (a minute or few later), it was done. Thankfully. So I feel it needs to stay with me so that I can see it looking gorgeous on a little one and know it was worth all of that.

Speaking of frogging, meet the Donegal sock as she looks now:

Yes, she is no more. A number of unfortunate circumstances conspired against her and so she had to be ripped.

There was a distinct tension issue going on when I returned to the sock with a new zeal for removing DPN ladders. Incidentally the ladders are gone, but so is a good fraction of the width.

There was also a bit of an unsightly hole where the ribbing had changed to stocking stitch, I had a sneaking suspicion they were going to be too wide, were knit top down when I prefer toe up and were really meant to be jaywalkers but I was watching a film so went for the no-brainer instead, but these were not the most pressing reasons for frogging.

No indeed, the broken needle was the curse of the project. The straw that broke the camel's ~~back~~ needle, if you will. I have joined with Jolene in the lamenting of our broken cocktail sticks! Love bamboo as I do, I am starting to feel the need for metal only sock needles lol. This injury took place in my bag somewhere from bus stop to back door, but they feel pretty fragile in the hands too. Another one of my bamboos also broke in a 3mm size and I wasnt even using it - I ask ya! When I have my wool shop, some fine day in the future, I will sell single DPNs for just this eventuality.

But anyway, ripped she is and Jaywalkers will be the pattern of choice, once I have enough working needles to knit the thing without giving myself a splinter.

But I feel the need to balance that lot of moaning with some happy, happy thoughts. So here's a quick run through of some nice things to be happening arond these parts recently.

New member for our Belfast SnB. We love her, she is great, she is never allowed to leave us or we will hunt her down and steal all her stash (I hear there's lots).

My first ever knitted dishcloth. Repeat after me: instant gratification.

Bead shopping! oh how I love it!

Also you see the itsy bitsy crochet hook i finally got for beading the MS3 (membership closed now so I hope you're all signed up). Here it is so far (I'm up to row 80 of clue 1 so far and loving it!).

Now that was a mammoth of a post, and yet I still have more to say! It will have to wait :)

I admit defeat ....

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:13:00 +0000

... the dolls are not going to be finished for this evening. Due to mistakenly thinking I could do two in a week (as well as you know, working and stuff) I ended up getting two half-done and nothing finished. Luckily I had finished one ~~months ago~~ earlier. Meet my aunt's birthday nurse (she is a nurse herself, honest it's not that weird a gift!):

Note the beetroot, sunburnt look as this was done back in the day when I had no skin tone yarn (now I do - third time lucky lol). Also note the bad embroidery which gives her a wonky eye and a pursed mouth. I think toy knitting isn't my thing ... I should stick with bags and scarves!

So at least one thing will be delivered this afternoon when we arrive in their neck of the woods. And to make up for the mad toy knitting I attempted this week, I'm talking only pretty things for myself to knit on the trip down and whenever I get a chance while there. I have brought the swatch for Mystery Stole 3 and two lots of sock knitting (neither of which is the sock I started in Donegal - bad me!). The knitting one thing at a time mantra has been thrown to the wayside a little. But I will try to get back on track after the weekend. Honest.

I got mail!

noreply@blogger.com (Fairytale Frog) — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:34:00 +0000

The camera issues are still aplenty (including some evil misplacing) and so I have not been here, but there has been a lot of knitting and I have a lot to show .... when I ever manage to get a camera and batteries and daylight and the knitting all at the same time. Someday.

But getting to the point - I got mail. More importantly - I got yarn mail! Yes my Sarah's Yarns order arrived yesterday (quick, wasn't it?). All my little lovelies turned up, wound in the cutest little balls I have seen and in individual sealed bags to keep them in their gorgeous state. I ordered 3 2oz balls in Ebony (for Mystery Stole 3) and another 3 in charcoal (because I wanted them). Any suggestions for the Charcoal colourway are greatly appreciated.

I was really impressed with Sarah's Yarns and will definitely buy from her again. The yarn is great, wound and packaged excellently, sold at a wonderful price and I received it so quickly! All round excellent shopping experience. And she sent me a colour card for the Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool Silk line, so how can I resist ordering again?