M.I.A.

Where has the time gone? I've been so up to my eyes over the last 3 weeks, I haven't had a chance to post at all.
I apologise in advance to those people whose blogs I usually comment on, I feel bad for ignoring you all!
It's been a real roller coaster ride. We got a complete new kitchen installed, and it's been a nightmare. The mess! The noise! The lack of a kitchen to cook in! At one stage I had the fridge in the living room. Which was good for speedy access to ice-cream, but that novelty wore off quickly. The kitchen is almost finished, tomorrow it BETTER be. It's just a last couple of niggling things. Pics next post, it's AMAZING.

I have been knitting though, I got loads done. I couldn't block any of it coz the house was so filthy with dust, so it all queued up and I did a huge block last night. Loads of FOs!

A fellow Dublin knitter lost her husband tragically young to Leukaemia last week and the funeral was last Saturday. It was the first humanist ceremony I'd been to, and while it was desperatley sad, it was also a beautiful send off for a lovely man. It was so personal.

In memory of her husband, a few of us have decided to knit some items for the hospital nurses and the Irish Cancer Society. Brendan bravely blogged his way through his illness here: http://www.zen.org. While he was in hospital, he took up knitting and was attempting his first lace project, the Party Lace Scarf. In honour of this, we all agreed to make one ourselves. Here's mine:


Pattern: Party Lace Scarf by Lisa Sisk, co-owner of This Is Knit
Yarn: Feza Kid Mohair, 1 skein
Needles: 4.5mm

It was quite emotional knitting this. I put lots of prayer & good wishes into it. I decided to make something else as well, every little helps, right?


Pattern: Multnomah by Kate Elsa
Yarn: Zettl Treviso Sock Yarn
Needles: 3.25mm

This was a lovely shawl to knit, nice & easy pattern to memorize.

I also finished my Kip Wip socks.

Basic 64 stitch socks with my usual slip stitch heel. Meh. I don't really like them. Should I donate these too? I haven't worn them.

I also whipped up this adorable baby bib:

Pattern: Whooo Loves Ya Baby by Elaine Fitzpatrick
Yarn: Granstudio Bomull Lin, 1 skein
Needles: 4mm

I loved making this bib. Can you see the Owl pattern? The designer has loads of cool bibs for free on her site, Down Cloverlaine. My owl obsession continues.

I've been off work for a week already, so 5 more to go! I plan on getting out & about a fair bit. I had to sit in every day last week waiting for workmen for the kitchen. Drove me nuts. I enrolled Alice in a week long summer camp at the local Aquatic Centre which started today so I have from 10 - 4 every day to myself! Squee! I started by going shopping this morning.
With the help of loads of lovely Twitter-ers I bought a dress! OMG! I never wear dresses, but I would like to feel a bit more feminine.
I settled on this one.



Sorry about the crappy picture, it was taken on my phone in the changing room so I could tweet for help! I don't like the cardi, I didn't buy it. I bought this yarn instead to make something:



It goes well, don't you think? It's DK weight cotton. Now I need to pick a pattern! Any suggestions?

I've loads more news, but this post would go on forever if I let it. I'll be back soon (promise) with kitchen pr0n. I heart my new kitchen!

Good knitting!

How was your WWKIP?

I had a ball at WWKIP last Saturday. There was a fantastic turnout, I was shocked! It was great to see so many knitters, and to catch up with friends. As usual, I brought my camera but only took about 4 photos which turned out really badly. Sigh.

I really struggled to pick a kipwip beforehand. I went up to my yarnrobe and stuck in my hand. This is what came out:



I bought this yarn last year in Sip & Knit in Florida. I'm not really sure why I did, I'm not the worlds biggest fan of tweed, let alone tweed sock yarn. Remember the clown vomit incident? Yeah. So I've no idea why I chose this one. I consulted the knitty oracle that is Twitter to find out what I should make with it, and Multnomah (Ravlink) emerged. I knit about 4 rows of it at WWKIP and decided it wasn't for me. Too much counting to do! It'd never work for chatting. So what to do now?



Plain socks. That always works. Or does it? One side looks nice:



The other? Not so much. I don't like the stripes. Sigh again.



But, I've started so I'll finish. Maybe they'll turn out better once I turn the heel, and I can make sure the weird stripes are to the back of the socks.

Some stash enhancement happened on the day too:



Mmm yummy Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton. This is Knit had a special offer on World Wide yarns on the day, so how could I resist? I've no idea what to make with them, but I fell for the colour. I think I'm having a green phase.

Some other knitting is taking place too:



I'm making a hot water bottle cover. That's a teddy bear. I don't know why. I'm making it with the recommended yarn, Lion Brand Homespun that I got in Florida too. It's YUK.



I suppose it doesn't look too offensive in the picture, but see the strand of yarn? It's twisted really loosely around a central thread, and it puckers up on itself all the time, resulting in lumps of twisty yarn. It also squeaks like a mother. The worst part? You see in the first picture there's three different bottle covers, a bear, ladybird and turtle? Yeah. I bought enough Homespun to make them all. Help.
Another thing about the yarn. Homespun? I think that gives spinners a bad name. Like they'd churn out stuff like this. Ugh.

In other knitting, I finished one Waving Lace Sock!



I'm pleased about this wip. So that's something! Once I finish my kipwip then I'll do the second one as a reward.

There's loads of other knitting going on, in case you think I didn't have enough wips! It's wip city round here. I can't show them though, they're all sooper seekrit baby knits for the TON of pregnant friends I have right now. I'm becoming more and more convinced that someone added something to the water here. They're springing up everywhere!

Good knitting!