Belated White Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit

Not a peep out of me during November!

These mittens are felted and super warm.  I call them the dog walkers because I wear them whilst walking the dogs.  I need to make more!  I only put them through the machine once.  Might see what 2 times looks like the next time.

Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.

- Mark Twain

Let Me Tell You About My Best Friend

The last while was a bit mental and trying.  Poor, little Lexi wasn't well.  It was very trying and there were moments that I didn't think she was going to make it.  The local vet's are amazing.  They are wonderful people to deal with.  Lexi is much better.  It is so wonderful to see.  To say I am delighted would be an understatement. 

The photos are of the mittens, I will be wearing this winter.  I will probably make a few more.  Irish weather = rain and wet knitwear.  It is good to have a few pieces of knitwear on the go.  I dyed the wool and spun it.  Didn't like the outcome, so overdyed it then knitted mittens.  I really like the outcome now.  The budgie with Lexi is Grizzly.  He is my favourite budgie.  He is so tame and great to play with.  Lexi is well behaved lady.

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

                                                                                                              - Anonymous

Nepal

I have so many projects on the go.  Decided that I am not allowed to buy anymore yarn until I finish 3 jumpers.  Let's see if it lasts at all.  I got a bunch of yarn yesterday from This is Knit -Studio Donegal, my favourite.

I also I have some projects I need to finish so my personal knitting time shall be limited for the time being (tears on my merino!)

I will show what I am doing with the Nepal sweater that I am knitting with my friend Rachel. She is leaps and bounds ahead of me in our knit along.  I decided I was really unhappy with my first go, so I decided to do something different.  The colours are such a strong contrast, I found it a bit difficult to decide what to do.  I am going figure things out as I go, yarn providing will help design what it will look like.  I am happy that I went with my gut feeling.  Rip it out even if your heart is breaking!  

I am ripping out the grey with the yellow stripes.  It is still on the needles, waiting to be ripped.  I purchased the Nepal Yarn from The Constant Knitter.

I am also on a ripping unwanted projects out phase.  If I don't wear something, I am ripping it out to reknit it into something I will wear.  It is not easy but I do feel it is worth it.  I don't want "dust collectors" lying around not being of any use.  I am really into practical things.  My favourite things are practical wares that keep me warm (that I made!).

Sweaters Always Make It Better

I am on sweater making buzz/roll.  Trying to finish projects and keep starting new ones.  I am a cold blooded gal, so I am preparing for fall/winter.  Keep Warm 2013 Project in full effect!

I knit socks while I drink coffee in the morning, after eating my breakfast as I read.  I was reading Les Miserables but at the moment I am taking a break, When it is finished and ready for the public, I hope to share where you can go so you can read it.    Really enjoying it.

I love reading and knitting socks, almost as much as I love knitting sweaters.

I am knitting a pair of socks for my sister at the moment.

I just started a project or a knit a long with my friend Rachel.  Can't wait to see our projects done just to see what we do with the yarn we choose.

First sweater- I dyed and spun the wool.  Superwash Merino
Second sweater- I dyed and spun the lighter blue yarn and knitted it up with Garnstudio Drops Andes Navy blue yarn. (Super warm sweater!)
Knitted socks- I dyed a 2 ply high twist merino and nylon yarn.
Socks to be knitted- Socks for my sister.  I don't think my sister reads my blog so I think my secret is safe.

Create your own visual style.  Let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.

-Orson Welles

New Sweaters For Autumn

I have a habit of starting new sweaters!  I started this sweater and can't wait to finish it so I can start wearing it.  This is wine/aubergine/eggplant colour is one of my favourite colours.  The handspun was spun from batts from a couple of years back.  I spun it up when I got it but was saving it, I guess.
I know I knit the same style sweater all the time but I find it so wearable and I like mindless knitting so I can read, watch tv or talk.  The wool sweaters is my personal insulation in my cold house and has become part of my daily uniform of t shirt, jeans (and wool sweater.)
Tomorrow, I will be knitting a sweater with my friend Rachel.  We will be knitting a Top Down Raglan.
The budgie with Lexi is called Grizzly because he reminds me of a little blue bear. 

Before and After Sweater

I knitted this sweater following a pattern of a seamless, top down sweater - one size fits all.  Something went wrong.  I finally ripped it out years later and just finished reknitting it the end of August.
The coloured yarn was from Hobbledehoy batts and the rest was Blue Faced Leicester.  I handspun the lot.
The new sweater used 5mm needles and was knitted top down raglan.  I am much happier with it and I am going to rip out anything that I am not happy with and reknit it.  Frog/Rip it, even though your heart is breaking!
I am posting up handmade sewn items onto etsy.  Check out http://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/EllieAndAda?ref=si_shop  Some items are hand dyed.  Perfect for organising your knitting and crafting supplies or items in your purse.  There are pencil cases as well.

Socks and More Socks

The purple socks with the black heel was finished ages ago but I just weaved in the ends today.  I dyed the yarn and called the colourway Priscilla Purple.
Brian's socks are the blue socks were knitted with another yarn that I dyed.
The other socks are Schoppel Wolle Crazy Zauberball, that I purchased about 3-4 years ago in The RDS Knit and Stitch Show.

Hopefully, I will get my sock knitting mojo back and finish presents for loved ones and getting cracking on other sock projects.

I went apple picking on Sunday.  I didn't take any pictures because it was lashing rain.  I might take a photo of my spoils tomorrow.  

Movies and Sewing

A Year Older

I have had a great couple of days since I last wrote.  I went to my cousin's daughter's baptism.  It was great to see the family again and meet the new baby.  She is adorable.  I was eating celery that was part of the vegetarian food platter and she was staring up at me.  It was hilarious.  Perhaps, I chew louder than I thought.

I knitted baby Shannon another sweater and sewed up a box bag as a present.  Lexi is doing a final inspection.  The last photo is the most true to the actual colour.  I included some budgie shots. 

It was the quietest birthday I had in a long time but I really enjoyed it.

Knitting and Cake

I have a bit of birthday knitting to do yet.  Still slugging away and it is all late.  Lucky for me, the birthday folk are flexible.  Weird year for birthdays.  Our family's birthdays come in clumps and mine is the last one.  The July-August group have 2- 3 weeks between each.  Usually by the time my birthday comes around, we are all fed up of cake and borderline diabetic.  One year, there was so much sugar in the icing/frosting that none of us could sleep the full night until the cake was finished.

This year, my mother didn't want a cake.  My brother is crazy busy at the moment, so we will celebrate or I will make him a cake when he gets time off.  I don't think this soon to be birthday girl (me) will be having a cake as well.  I am trying out the Autoimmune Protocol Diet this summer.  Anytime, I try and go back on any of the no list, I am not well.  As much as I love cake, I don't want to be sick on my birthday.  It is mad to think that this is my first year without a cake but it is a worthy sacrifice to feel good.  (Not 100% easy all the time)

This is a raglan that I am working on and hope to finish soon.  It is actually a remake.  I followed a pattern that is one size fits all.  I must of made a mistake.  Not to worry!  I finally ripped it out a few months ago and finally started cracking this summer.  I have a lot of projects on the go.  I love starting new projects the most.  Trying to finish more projects!!!!

The mitten is knitted with some Studio Donegal and some of my handspun from batts I made myself a while back.

Birds, Box Bags and a Pup

The world is mud-luscious and puddle- wonderful.

- e.e. cummings