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My shop is open

Finally, it's live - my shop!

I've been selling my wares on Etsy (and more recently Folksy and Misi), but I wanted more control and less fees ;)

So here it is, take a look:

Snowy Scene

This was the car park at work yesterday. There's 1600 parking spaces normally, so all that snow was shoved to the edges. Sorry about the poor photos, they were taken on my mobile phone (and it was foggy):

Snow Day

I guess I won't be going to work today!

Brighton Knitting Safari

Come and see me at the Brighton Knitting Safari on 8 November - I'll be selling sock blanks (hand dyed and undyed), stitch markers and maybe some other knitterly surprises:

Sock blanks in the UK

I was fascinated with the idea of sock blanks - sock yarn knit into a fabric that you can dye yourself. I couldn't find anyone in the UK producing these, so I'm making them myself!



You can get them from my Etsy shop.

You can see how I got on dyeing my first sock blank here.

Bella Paquita?

Bella Paquita has been on my wish list to knit since I first saw it on Ravelry last summer.

I knew I wanted to make it in Karabella Aurora 8, but once again I'd fallen for a yarn that you can't blimmin' get in the UK! How often do I do that? Oh, about every project...

Anyway, I found an online shop in the US that would ship to me (don't ask how much the postage was, it's embarrassing). Now I had the colour dilemma - here's my shortlist:

Let's have a poll on which colour I should go for...

I'm a Bad Blogger

Oops, I've forgotten to post about some finished projects.

In no particular order, here they are:

Sirdar Denim Ultra Sweater
I started this in March 2007 and finished in October. It sat around waiting to be sewn up for ages. It came out okay, a little short in the body, but I wear it quite a lot.


Debbie Bliss Not-Hooded Striped Top
I started this in September 2006 (yup) and finished in January 2008 (yup). Again, it sat around for ages waiting to be sewn up. It's a miracle it still fits - just goes to show DB's sizing is generous! It's hoodless, because otherwise it wouldn't have been finished forever... I love Baby Cashmerino. DD likes it, she always says "Mummy made this for me" whenever she sees it. Awww...

Sunday Market Shawl
Made from two balls of Noro Cash Iroha, I love it! Free online pattern, thanks Knitfish.

Queen of the Waves

by Ilga Leja

Woo hoo! Finally blocked and ready to photograph.

She took seven months (on and off), three needle changes, some swearing (when I discovered I hadn't picked up all the errata - you can't tell unless you look really closely) and 767 yards (700 m) of Fiddlesticks Country Silk yarn (in colour Lagoon).

I started with Denise interchangeables but it was virtually impossible to slide the yarn overs across, so I bought a long bamboo fixed circular and that was better. Then I got some Knit Picks Options from Get Knitted at Ally Pally last year and they were so much easier. Things flew along after that. And the stitch count was a lot less by then, so I guess that helped too!

I was going to get a photo by the sea but it's too darn cold, you won't catch me in Brighton on a cold, windy, winters day...

Mum's Christmas Socks

You have noticed a theme here I think...

For some now unremembered reason, my family traditionally give each other socks and pants for Christmas. Dad even went so far one year to make a small washing line, pin some socks and pants to it, wrap it up and present it to us on Christmas morning. One of my favourite Christmas memories, I laughed so much over that!

Anyway, onto these socks... They are Opal 4 ply in colourway Streifen blau-sand-braun. I used 2.5 mm needles, magic loop method. The pattern is Blue Horizon socks by Darlene M. Thompson.

Daddy's Socks

Dad's Christmas socks.

They are Regia Jacquard Color 6-ply in colourway Polar. I used 3.5 mm needles, magic loop method. The pattern was from Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks; 6 stitches per inch basic sock. It's an adult medium.

The last Christmas date to New Zealand was fast approaching, so I had to make the second of these in one day. Phew!

Viva Las Vegas Socks

Socks for mum's birthday this time. They are colourful, yes?!

They are Regia Jacquard Color 6-ply in colourway Las Vegas. I used 3.5 mm needles, magic loop method. The pattern was from Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks; 6 stitches per inch basic sock. It's an adult small, and as mum's feet are only a bit bigger than mine it was easy enough to try them on and get the length right.

She's even worn them a few times. And it's summer over there... That's love for ya!

Jungle Socks

Another pair of socks for my brother, this time for Christmas.

They are Regia Crazy Color 6-ply in colourway Jungle. I used 3.5 mm needles, magic loop method. The pattern is Thuja from Knitty (Winter 2005). I was very very close to running out of yarn on these socks, with those big feet of his!

Tiger Socks

I made these socks for my brothers birthday in November, so haven't shown them until now just in case he dropped by the blog and the surprise was blown!

They are Opal Rainforest in colourway Tiger. I used 2.5 mm needles, magic loop method. The pattern was from Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks; 8 stitches per inch basic sock. It's an adult medium (he has size 10 feet). There was definately enough yarn left over to have made a larger size.

Christmas 2007