Balloons:

And a very sparkly diamond ring!

I have been wanting to marry Adam pretty much since I met him and realised he was the nicest man ever, so I was obviously over the moon!

We immediately drank an extremely expensive bottle of champagne my Grandad gave me at Christmas, and I can't think of a better occasion to do it!

We don't have a date yet because we haven't found a venue, but hopefully it will be soonish, and you can all watch me attempting to sew my own wedding dress and going mad with stress! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

My favourite project is still the Dapple dress, but I also like a lot of the cardigans and the Flicker hat. I should probably start with the hat, since if I tried to make a dress right now the odds of finishing it would be slim.

It's a lovely book though, and I like the flower theme, it makes me feel Summery!

These are some of the books I've read this year so far. Well actually it is most of them - Adam has borrowed 2. I wanted to document the leaning tower before it falls over - one more book and I think it will topple:

I wanted to read 52 books this year, but I'm actually a bit behind. I think it's because I keep picking 800 page monsters! Some of these were great, some were good and some were decidedly OK. I'd like to make a quick note on each one before I forget, but that's for another day!

Back soon with Mexico photos, if I ever get them all uploaded!

Check it out here. Kim Hargreaves never fails to make me want to knit everything she designs - I still look through the last book lustfully even though I've already knitted 2 things and am not actually knitting at the moment!

I never thought I would want to knit a dress, but this one, Dapple, is delicious. I also love Enchant and Jasmine - very elegant. I like them all though, so I bought the book already! I suppose I'd better start knitting again soon if I want to justify new yarn purchases!

The only way I found out is because I suddenly got a load of emails requesting a copy of the Hug pattern. Then I read all about it on Ravelry and found out the details. I have just spent the evening searching through the internet archive site, copying my patterns down, tidying them up, putting them into pdfs and uploading them - which I am more than happy to do (I would hate to see my designs die a sudden death if nothing else!) but yes, as I said, it would have been nice to be warned, so I could do it at my leisure and not from some massive cache that kept crashing and making me panic.

So here they are! In the next day or so I will update the information on Ravelry and on my free patterns page so everyone can find them without confusion, but in the meantime here are the links to the pdfs:

For Hug, click here.
For Kidsilk, click here.
For Tropical Sunset, click here.
For Nimbus, click here.
For Jessica, click here.
For Colleen, click here.

And now it is time to have a glass of wine and breathe a sigh of relief.

I just read this through and thought I should mention that these are all old patterns of mine - all the word docs disappeared with my old laptop, and since I thought they would be online for the forseeable future I didn't back them up - hence the panic!

I just got back from 2 weeks in Mexico. I will put some photos up here really soon - they are massive and it's taking me a while to get them onto flickr. If you know where my flickr page is obviously you can see the ones I uploaded so far! It was a fantastic trip, and felt far longer than 2 weeks.

I have been reading like crazy this year, instead of knitting. I don't know how people have time for more than 1 hobby! I will want to knit again though, especially as it looks like Kim Hargreaves is about to bring out another book and I'm sure I'll want to make everything in it!

In the mean time though, I really want to clear out my stash, and finished projects that I don't wear. I am planning to sell some projects, unused yarn and fabric, and give the proceeds to charity.

So if anyone is still reading down this photoless post, tell me what you think - is there anything I've knitted that you would like for your own? I'll try and get that going on this website pretty soon. Don't even think about offering to buy the caterpillars though, they aren't going anywhere!

I've been pretty tired and fed up lately, so I was pleased it was Easter last weekend as I needed a break. Adam and I rented a cottage in the middle of nowhere in Cornwall, I brought a big box of food and nice wine, and it was lovely.

On the first day we made a picnic lunch and went to Padstow:

I made the rolls with spelt flour, they are brushed with egg to make them shiny!

Padstow was great to walk around for a couple of hours - it's also probably fantastic if you eat seafood. Then we went for a walk along the coast:

It was so windy but very good views, Adam climbed down to the beach but I couldn't be bothered!

The next day we went to the Eden Project - which was the main reason for coming to Cornwall for us. It has massive "biomes", which have different climates inside each one - there is a rainforest in one and a mediterranean climate in the other.

They are full of amazing plants that grow in parts of the world with similar weather - in the rainforest we saw gigantic palms and banana trees, and cocoa pods growing on the trees! They also have exhibits, and there's a lot of emphasis on the environment etc.

The mediterranean one has citrus trees, aloes, and the most amazing tulips, I know it's a hackneyed phrase but it really was a RIOT OF COLOUR.

It was great, everyone should go! Back soon with crafts, although I won't lie to you, they will probably be food rather than complicated fairisle jumpers.

Click here to see more and read details!

I'm currently reading a lot of books in my spare time, but at the weekend my mum bought some Noro Kochoran for me to knit into a cardigan for her. I think the fact it is for someone else will force me to knit!

It's not horrible, at all, but definitely a bit blah. I always think that a bit about the summer ones anyway, but I think this one was particularly so. Also, there seemed to be less in it compared to usual. Only the 3 main sections, and no other bits and bobs inbetween.

Here are the things I liked:

Gabi:

It's really pretty, but I'm not sure I would make it, because all those squillions of wide rows of lace might drive me mad.

Geno:

This is the only design I think I will actually make (if I have time! But I genuinely would like to). It's so pretty, and wearable, and I love 4 ply cotton. Good job!

Granite:

This is a very nice shape but might be too much st st to actually stomach making it!

There are a couple of other things I think are very wearable, but those ar the main contenders. Now! Here are the things I don't like!

Gauze:

This is some crazy spiderman shit right here. I am drawn to the crazyness, but I don't think it works. Sorry.

Chevelle:

Catalina:

Those are both boxy, unflattering, and the kind of thing you might dress a child in. The first one is also too colourful. Apologies to anyone who is busily making either of them!

And that's about it! What do you guys think? And do you all think I should make Geno as well?

Last weekend I bought Rowan 43, and also Rowan Studio 8. I've never particularly liked the Studio magazines until this one - there is the occasional nice item, but lots that are vaguely bizarre or boxy as well. Or the pattern is in some 4-ply yarn and looks awesome but it would take me over a year to make it - no good for slow knitters!

I liked lots of things in Studio 8 though, so I bought a copy and enough Scottish Tweed to make the Kimono Style Waistcoat. I have knitted a grand total of 6 rows and already feel like the project is dragging! Haha that's why I'm blogging about it instead of getting on with making it!

The yarn is really not very soft at all! I think it is making my hands dry. I hope it feels ok to wear over long sleeves... I like the tweedy goodness though. Maybe it's just a comedown from cashmere?!

I always buy the Rowan magazines mostly for just looking at, and I'm not sure I'll make anything from this one. There are a couple of things I like a lot, but as always I never feel as inspired as I would with a Winter magazine. There are some things in there that I REALLY am not sure about as well - have you guys seen the jumper or cardi or whatever it is with spider web under the sleeves? That's pretty nuts. Also there is some seriously boxy, too colourful stuff in there too. Maybe it deserves its own post actually now I think about it - back with that in a couple of days!

I think that the thing I always liked about this blog was sharing my hobby with other people, and for that to be fun you have to read and comment on everyone else's blog as well as making your own one as interesting as possible so people will want to read it too, and for some while now I just haven't had the energy to do either. In fact to be honest I haven't really had the energy to even do much knitting of my own, and I can't see that changing any time soon.

It's all very annoying, because I still see lots of things I want to make, but I'm literally can't be bothered to see any of them through to the finish. But I was touched (and surprised!) that there are some people out there who seem to miss me, so I thought I would try to be less self-punishing about the whole affair and actually use this blog. Even if it won't be all knitting.

That said, here is some knitting:

It is one end of a scarf - I found some Debbie Bliss Pure Cashmere on sale, but it was still scandalously expensive, and I could only afford enough for a scarf. Which is this much, incidentally:

Look how smooshy it is:

Also things I have knitted that I couldn't be bothered to show you but maybe I will soon:

1. I finished Storm from Kim Hargreaves book.
2. I knitted Calm from the same book.
3. I have knitted about half of some crazy waistcoat thing from the Kidsilk Aura book.
4. I made up a lacy fern scarf from KSH in meadow.
5. Argosy only needs blocking.

If you are on Ravelry you can see Storm, but hilariously enough I still haven't even taken photos of Calm, this is because now I live alone there is no one to take them, and when I see my boyfriend at the weekend I would rather spend my time cuddling him than making him take photos of me in jumpers.

I bought yarn! And have in fact almost finished knitting Storm, Big Wool is good like that, for instant gratification:

It's all in one big piece! Now I just need to sew it together, knit edgings etc.

This is the armhole:

And here are the buttons - I think mine is exactly the same as the one in the book!

Also I bought the yarn for Calm:

I was not in favour of Kidsilk Aura at first, because the yardage is so crappy, but this jumper is knit at a loose gauge and so only needed 6 balls - not too bad.

Initially I wanted to knit this in the round, to avoid the seams showing up too much, as it is a sheer fabric. But I realised it would cost so much to get all the needles I would need I couldn't be bothered. Lets hope the seams don't bother me too much!

I don't know how the institute does it, but they have done a very good job of making these advanced stage exams bloody difficult. Well, just one more 4 hour torture session to go (yes, you heard me, FOUR HOURS), and I might actually have something to say on this blog again.

The very minute I noticed it was available, I bought the brand new Kim Hargreaves book, Heartfelt. I really love her designs, and already have lots of her kits on my to knit list (which is in my head and very disorganised). I seriously think the new book is gorgeous - I want to knit almost every single thing in it. The only thing I don't want to knit is the Bless shrug, and that's only because I already have one! So I am very excited browsing through this book - I've had a few months of no knitting, and I can't think of a better thing to make me start again.

So although I have about a trillion things on the go already, tomorrow afternoon I'm going to go and buy the yarn to make Storm - that's the nicest thing in Big Wool I've seen in a very long time, and it will be really quick and I'll be back in my groove again; also Calm, because it's very pretty, and I will adapt it to knit in the round, because I don't like seams on see-through garments; and finally Bonnie, because I love it, and I also love another of Kim Hargreave's kits which is in the same yarn - RYC bamboo soft, but I've heard a lot of people say it is splitty as hell, so I want to test it out on a hat to see if I can stand it before I make a great big long tunic.

Is that enough extravagance for finishing the worst exams ever? I just hope beyond anything I pass them this time and don't have to do them again!

I had hoped to come back to this blog in a blaze of glory, with a big festival of finished knits, and photos of me romping about with lovely shiny hair modelling them, but the chances of that are ZERO, so here instead is what I'm sporadically working on at the moment:

1. A fairisle cardigan. This is the one I was secretly knitting, hoping to submit it to knitty or something, but 3 weeks of not knitting at all scuppered my chances of meeting any deadlines, so you might as well have a look here! I've not actually reached the fairisle part yet, I've just done the body, one sleeve, and the beginnings of the second sleeve:

I want to do snowflakes on the fairisle part - I spent one lunchtime trying to get the snowflake just right using knitter's graph paper, and making people choose their favourite! In most knitting patterns I looked at, snowflakes either seemed to be crazy 4 pointed things (wrong!) or massive, so I am very pleased with how mine looks (we'll see how it looks knitted up - I'm going for the one in the bottom right corner):

The snowflake will be the pale lime colour, and then I want to do some zigzags and dots using both the pale lime and sage green - I hope it looks good! If I ever get round to the yoke we will see!

2. Argosy using the blue tapestry my friends gave me!

I like the pattern a lot - I started it on holiday and because I hadn't knitted in weeks it took me a while to get into it again, but now I'm enjoying it. I'm probably about half way through. I love the colours in this yarn - one patch came out really pale:

I am thinking of buying some more yarn very soon - I know that seems ridiculous when I'm being so rubbish at the moment, but there are all kinds of things I want to knit right now so I'm not sure I'll be able to resist!

It feels so gorgeous - I keep making Adam touch it and I don't think he could be less interested.

Anyway, as well as the projects I mentioned in the last post (I've not bought any yarn for them yet, I need to finish something else first!), I have been spying all kinds of other things I really want to make.

I've had my eye on this Alexander McQueen cardigan coat thing for ages, I think it's pretty wildly awesome, and I could start it soon and then spend all Winter lounging around in it. I did a large amount of googling, and found that a similar pattern was in the Vogue Knitting Holiday 2006 magazine, then I did an even larger amount of googling and found this image of the design. I don't like it anywhere near as much....I'm not sure if that's just the colour (I really like the dark grey of the original), or the different sleeves or what. Then I found that someone had made it and adapted the sleeves, check out this version on Craftster! Way to go Craftster lady, that looks fab!

I'm unsure whether to bother ordering the magazine though, since I'd change the sleeves for sure and also do a rib instead of garter st border, and by that point maybe I should save the money and just copy the original as best I can. Also it's hard to tell how shaped it is, and I can't imagine it is shaped very much since the cables are so close together and don't change, maybe it's all down to the belt to give it a waist. And if so I'd definitely want to shape it as well. Although, it will probably cost about £100 to make, so maybe I should be following a pattern.....any thoughts?

While I was on Craftster, I also found this free pattern for a hat, isn't it gorgeous! I might make that as well, ESPECIALLY since now I know I can buy Blue Sky Alpacas yarn in Bristol.

Also I finally decided what I'm going to make with my lovely blue Tapestry:

I have been using Ravelry loads more lately since I've had a little more free time (although mostly for browsing and seeing what patterns of mine people have made! I need to get a flickr account and get on there properly), and I saw several really pretty Argosy scarves made from Tapestry. That is perfect, I am so glad I looked, Ravelry is awesome! I might get started on that very soon.

I'm glad I at least feel inspired to knit lots of things at the moment, I just hope I can complete some of them before I lose interest again!

I thought the best way to fix it would probably be to pick something totally new, which looked fun to knit and definitely was somebody else's pattern! I haven't knitted anything that wasn't my own pattern in so long, I can't even remember what the last thing was! So I got 2 of the new season Rowan magazines - the main one no. 42 and also the Kidsilk Aura one. They are pretty good! Although, I have a MAJOR gripe with Rowan 42. One of the models is ludicrously skinny, seriously, check out these thighs:

OH MY GOD. I am pretty small myself - I would knit myself the smallest size on offer in any Rowan magazine, and yet I am literally a hippopotamus compared to that model. I really wish they would use normal sized models, for a lot of reasons, but also because at least then people would be able to tell if the knitwear would look any good on them before committing to make it. There ought to have been more photos of some of the items as well - some just had one where you couldn't see the whole thing properly, or the model was leaning all over the place. I really enjoyed the feature where members of their staff were wearing several of the projects, that made me see them in a different light and made me want to knit things loads more than the photo shoots.

For example this tunic top:

I am definitely making this! Also in the same colour and I'll probably get a ribbon for it exactly the same too, I love it.

I liked 2 things in the Kidsilk Aura magazine. Firstly this stripy vest:

It looks very wearable too, although I'd probably use different colours. Also this wrappy thing would be boring as hell to make but I really like it anyway:

The only beef I have with that magazine is that the yarn is SO expensive! It's £5.95 for only 25g, and you need well over 10 balls for most projects - ouch. Still, I think I'm going to get some yarn and start one of those projects very soon - I'll probably start with the lovely tunic from Rowan 42.