« April 2007 | Main | June 2007 »
Off to China!
May 19, 2007
I can't quite believe that Adam and I are flying to Shanghai TODAY. I'm excited, but also a little bit scared, since I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to properly think about the trip!
I generally agree with the commenter in the last post, who said I won't be knitting as much as I think, but I thought maybe because we're covering such large distances, and taking lots of long train rides, maybe I would find myself doing some more holiday knitting than usual. I hope so anyway! I am taking the Blue Sky Alpacas cotton, the blue Tapestry I was given for my birthday (see a few posts ago) and some fluffy yarn to crochet a scarf - I had the brainwave that I can take a plastic crochet hook on the plane when I can't take knitting needles!
So see you all in 3 weeks! Comments all off to stop pesky spammers.
Posted by jen at 07:15 AM | Comments (0)
Lollypop sweater
May 16, 2007
I realised, after I posted my close up of super stripey knitting last time, that I forgot to say what I'm actually making! I wanted to make some sweaters with yokes this year, and although I want to design some with pretty fairisle all around the top I thought it might be good to start with one in a basic shape to get the measurements right. I hope you know what kind of sweater I mean, I don't know what the technical term is, but one where you shape the yoke like a circle - so decrease up to the neck by doing lots of decreases in 1 round, then knitting several straight etc.
I do also really like the shape of those sweaters, so I decided to make a super stripey one, since although stripes are the easiest form of colourwork, I also like them best! So this sweater has a fitted body and sleeves, and the yoke will finish early so it's a bit off the shoulder - that's the idea anyway!
So I already did the body, and am almost done on the first sleeve:
I am wearing another set of stripes in that photo, and they don't match!
In other important news, Adam and I are going to China on saturday, for 3 weeks. This seems to have come along really suddenly! I'm very excited, and currently planning what knitting to take...I might take my Blue Sky Alpacas cotton to knit with, and try and come back with a new top - is that too optimistic?! Either way, I'll try and update before I go!
Posted by jen at 08:14 PM | Comments (11)
More birthday celebrations!
May 13, 2007
Thanks a lot for all the birthday wishes! The celebrations continued yesterday evening, when Adam and I had a party for my birthday, with lots of guests and lots and lots of food! We made an outrageous amount and are still feasting on it now. Here's a photo of just some of the food - this was nowhere near all of it, there were also 2 pizzas, 2 massive garlic breads, and loads of dessert!
I also really liked how these strawberries came out, we dipped them in milk chocolate and they looked and tasted pretty super:
On a crafty note, here is a spider that one of the guests made (it wasn't a themed party or anything, it just lives in her car!):
Also the caterpillar put in an appearance, and seemed very pleased with itself!
And now onto the knitting! I showed off this Debbie Bliss yarn when I bought it, a couple of months ago, but was wondering if I could knit something with it to submit. I like what I'm making, but I'll never make any deadlines, as I'm going on holiday in a week, so maybe it's time to show it off here! I'm making my first ever sweater knitted in the round - I'm not sure why I've never tried this before. I quite liked the body, but I am hating wrestling with dpns for the sleeves, yuck yuck yuck.
Either way here are some extremely bright stripes:
I think I'll slob around all day and knit some more now!
Posted by jen at 03:56 PM | Comments (4)
It's my birthday, my b-b-b-BIRTHDAY!
May 09, 2007
Hi All!
I've been off the radar a bit the last couple of weeks - general business has been getting in the way of crafting and blogging! Although, you will be pleased to here that I had enough yarn to finish knitting the sublime sweater, and it's half knitted up already :)
It is my 24th birthday today, and although I've been in work it's been a pretty super day so far! I don't think I've ever had so many messages from friends wishing me a good day, and that's a very nice feeling indeed. I had some awesome presents, the main one being an extremely small and sexy mp3 player from Adam, but also so many crafty presents that I thought you might like to see them!
My parents gave me this outrageously expensive pie mould, it is the same as my Dad's and I've been wanting one for ages. They actually gave it to me a few days early, and I made a practice pie! These were the fillings that I layered up inside:
And here is the pie!
Adam's cousin is a really good crafty lady too, she makes cards for friends and to sell, and she made me this card:
She remembered that I like caterpillars! I was genuinely very touched that she remembered and made me this card xxxxxx
Also my lovely friends Bernard and Caroline got me yarn!
It's gorgeous, what should I make? Any ideas?
Also Adam got me a painting kit from the Tate, I can't show it as I haven't done it yet, but I'm very excited to try painting for the first time since school.
Well, that's it from me today, I promise I will be back in the next couple of days with knitting!
Posted by jen at 06:11 PM | Comments (25)