Knitting - November 2003   back to knitting blog

30-11-03

What a week......all I seem to have done is work work work all week!  I can't complain, term is almost over, phew!  But that's why I'm not updating much at the moment - there is rarely anything to report!  I have finished the second front of my Debbie Bliss Hoodie though - no new pictures as it is just like the back, but half the size.  I have cast on for one of the sleeves and hope to make some progress on that this week if I have time.  Just after I finished the right front, I thought I'd do a bit on Alison's mittens/fingerless gloves for a change. They are in Regia 6 ply, in a shade with pinks, reds and purples - they are gorgeous!  I was enjoying watching the colours emerge so much that I finished the first glove.  I've put a picture of the glove over in Current Projects, but I'm hoping the whole project will be finished quite soon (deadline is 31st December).

I went out for dinner on Friday and wore my Dot tank, as well as the beaded necklace and knitted wire cuff that I made!  I love wearing things I've made!

Back to some very complicated chemistry now.......

23-11-03

I've had a good weekend - I had such a hard week that I decided to take the whole weekend off, and I spent a lot of time doing crafty things!  I've finished my knitted wire cuff, and wore it out to a chemistry dinner on Saturday, along with a beaded hairclip that I made.  I've also finished the first front of the hoodie and started on the second - I've finished the ribbing and just starting on the cable pattern. 

I've put up a jewellery page!  We've been making so much pretty bead jewellery in my flat that it seemed a shame not to show it off!  Knitting is still my favourite hobby OF COURSE, but beading is a lot quicker and great fun!  It's so brilliant to be able to make a necklace in an afternoon - and beads are really cheap as well.  I'm now working on a tiara with sparkly black, white and frosted beads.

18-11-03

I'm back in Oxford, but I had a lovely time at my parents.  The craft fair was good, but really expensive to get in!  I didn't buy a lot, just some beads for myself and Alison.  The bead shop near my parent's house had a stand, and they were really helpful and friendly (as always) - they explained how to make a necklace with several strands, and what wire I need for a tiara, so I ended up getting most of the things I wanted from them.  I went home and spent the afternoon making a necklace with 4 strands - it was great fun!  No pictures yet, but hopefully soon.  I've also had to redo some of the wire knitting and it will look a lot neater the new way I'm doing it.  I'll have to explain properly with some pictures (which I don't have any of), so enough of that.  I also had a nice time bitching to another knitter who was there about how there is almost no selection of yarn in the UK.  I know I can order things internationally but it's so much better to see things in real life before you buy them.

In knitting news I am now up to the armholes on the first front of my Debbie Bliss hoodie.  I know I already said, but cashmerino aran is SO nice to knit with!  This jacket will feel lovely on the skin.  I've used up 4 of the balls so I am over a quarter of the way through, and it would be really nice to have it finished by Christmas.

11-11-03

I felt like I couldn't update until I'd finished mum's socks....I finished them yesterday evening!  I'm glad they're done as now she can have them when I go and visit, and I can get back to my cashmerino aran hoodie!  I'll probably cast on for one of the fronts later (in a break from work).  It will be nice to be back knitting on larger needles.

Anyway, I've stuck a picture of the socks over in photos, and hopefully I can get one of mum proudly (?) wearing them as well!  I hope she likes them and they fit.

The beads came yesterday, and they are gorgeous.  I found out that there is a craft fair in the Birmingham NEC when I'm at home, so me and mum are going to go and explore it.  I think it will mostly be general crafts and not yarn, but that is just fine as I'm still Stash Bashing, and hopefully there will be lots of beady supplies.

05-11-03

I have FINALLY finished the first of mum's socks - there are definitely gnomes taking it upon themselves to unravel my knitting while I sleep, I am certain of it - socks never take this long, surely they don't?  Go away gnomes!

So I have accomplished nothing of note so far this week (apart from 30 sides of A4 on organometallic chemistry, and I've not yet finished!  How can they set so much work?  Help!), but luckily crafty treats are in store!  Me and Alison have ordered beads from here so we can make necklaces and tiaras and things to match our ball dresses.  I've made a bit of jewellery before, so I will set up a jewellery gallery where we can show off our progress. 

I also realised that I never put up pictures of my wire knitting (to make a cuff).....I've finished the knitting now and just need to get hold of some wire cutters so I can complete the project.  There is an amazing bead shop near my parents house, so I'll probably find some there when I visit them in 10 days.

Oh well, back to the chemistry.......

02-11-03

I've not done very much knitting - nearly finished the first of mum's socks, but that's about it!  However there are a lot of photos of Alison's hat over in finished projects, complete with dancing photos and the like!  I'm going to visit my parents for the weekend in 2 weeks, so I've set my new goal for mum's socks as 14-11-03.  If I make it I'm allowed to buy the Stitch 'n Bitch book!  I decided that books are exempt from the yarn ban - it's not as if I ever buy knitting books anyway, just the occasional pattern book.