Giving Thanks

Lexi and I celebrated two years together yesterday.  We took this photo to capture this momentous occasion.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, one of my favourite holidays.  I love spending time with my family and eating- just two of my most favourite things to do.

20% off with the coupon code THANKS in the Ellie and Ada Etsy Shop until December 1, 2014

A bit of Bach

The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.  It's a great sentiment to live by.  It's funny to pair these words with a picture of my Gran's music box that plays Irish Eyes Are Smiling.  Keep Smiling x

Sulley Socks

Mondays are my days off.  I spent most of today knitting.  I started a pair of socks yesterday.  I am using Wendy Roam 4 ply (2002 Derwent- colour)  I got it at This is Knit.  It is such a lovely colour.

I tend to knit socks using the magic loop method on 100 cm circular needles.  These directions are best suited for this method but easily converted to using dpns.

I cast on 60 stitches with 4 ply/sock yarn on 2.5 mm needles.  Arrange 30 stitches on each half on a magic loop.  

I knitted 2 x 2 rib (k2, p2) for one inch. 

Knit 2 rounds.  

Next round,  k1, p1 for one round, then knit 2 rounds.  Repeat the last three rounds to form the pattern.  

Knit in this pattern for 7 inches.  

For the heel flap, work on half of the stitches only. (work on one side of stitches - that's 30 stitches) back and forth in a slip stitch pattern.

Row 1 (RS): *Slip 1, Knit 1

Row 2 (WS): Slip 1, Purl to end of the row

You will be working back and forth on these 30 stitches and repeating row 1 and 2 a further 14 times.

(You will have worked 30 rows in all).

To Shape the Heel:

Row 1: Slip the first stitch, p16 sts, p2tog p1, turn

Row 2: Slip first st, k5, ssk, k1, turn

Row 3: Slip first st, p6, p2tog, p1, turn

Row 4: Slip first st, k7, ssk, k1, turn

Continue in the same way by taking in one more stitch every row until all the stitches from the heel flap are included, you will have 18 stitches on this needle.

Gusset Shaping:

Knit across the heel, pick up 16 stitches from the side of the heel flap.  Pick up the slipped chain like stitches and pick up an extra stitch if you have to for the gap between the heel flap and the top of foot.

Knit across the top of the foot in pattern (30 stitches)

Pick up the same amount of stitches on the other side of the heel flap (make sure there is no gap again)

Round 1: Knit across gusset until there is 3 stitches left, k2tog, k1 and before the top (the pattern part) section, knit across front in pattern, k1, ssk, knit across rest of gusset/round

Round 2: Knit across gusset, knit across top section in pattern, knit till the end of the round.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 30 stitches left on the bottom section and the 30 stitches left for the top patterned section.

Foot:

Knit sole (bottom) stitches and knit in pattern the top section (pattern section) until the foot measures 2 inches less than your desired length of the heel.

Toe Shaping:

Round 1: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts on back, k2tog, k1. Repeat on back of foot.

Round 2: Knit around.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 12 stitches on each half/24 stitches in total

Then graft the two sides together using the the kitchener stitch.

Repeat for other sock.

Hello November!

It's hard to believe it is November!  It was a warm October but today is chilly and I have a fire on and decided to spin some wool before dinner.  I haven't been spinning as much but I would like to go through my spinning stash before getting any more.  It's a cozy evening here.

I finally started that scarf for a friend that I have been meaning to knit.  I hope to make a huge dent into it tonight.  I am also knitting hats.  I want to knit hats with knitted linings.  I even saw hats in Lidl's that have fleece lining.  I knitted my sister a hat a couple of years ago and my mother sewed a fleece lining in it.  I might look into making some of those. Also mittens with lining....  Operation Warm!

Lexi loves wooly blankets.


New socks that I knitted.  Love the colours.

Christmas Is Coming

I have some Christmas Cards in the Etsy Shop.  There will be more going up, so keep an eye on the Ellie and Ada shop!

Small Trees On Society6- And FREE SHIPPING

Today, I listed this print - Small Trees on Society6.  Many might groan- No Christmas stuff before Halloween!  I'm sorry!  This is for the early birds, the ones that get their Christmas shopping done in October.  I dream to be so organised!  I love the idea using the Small Trees Tote bag to help me with the Christmas shopping in Dublin.

To help with shopping for loved ones or just to shop to show a little love to yourself, FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING is available at Society6.  Only by clicking into this link.  Promotion expires October 12, 2014 at Midnight Pacific Time.  * Offer excludes Framed Art Prints, Stretched Canvases and Rugs.

Budgies on Boards

Budgies on skateboards.

Knitting and Stuffed Animals

This is one of the skeins that I dyed first with avocado skins then overdyed with some acid dyes.

Yesterday evening, I decided I could take some photos for the blog of what I dyed with the avocado skins and over dyed with some acid dye.  It was too late in the day for photos.  The light was terrible and I photographed them anyway.  These photos aren't great and I apologise.

I finished the tan and handspun sweater.  Now I need to weave in the ends. I would like to make some mittens with the leftover yarn.  I had a great weekend.  I decided to try to rest up a bit in getting ready for the busy times ahead of me.  I can't wait to get back working with my sewing machine!  I miss my weekend sewing.

 Lexi is still behaving with the stuffed animals.  Maybe because she is a mature lady of 2, she is not shredding them and is just playing with them.  It is great because Lexi gets so excited anytime she sees a stuffed animal.

This is Lexi playing with Molly's toys when she was a pup.  This is almost two years ago.

Lexi, in our kitchen, a month or so after we got her.  This photo was taken December 2012.  These photos crack me up.

Sunday

The goal for today is to finish this sweater.  It should be quick and easy enough.  Just a matter of doing it!  I started two new hats and a pair of socks yesterday.  It's not like I finished any projects!?!

I dyed some yarn last night.  I boiled some avocado skins and stones to make dye.  I dyed some sock yarn with the avocado dye. The colour achieved was similar to old lady tights. I added some acid dye to four of the five skeins.  I partially dyed them, keeping some of the avocado dyed areas.  Maybe using avocados to dye fabric gives a more exciting result.

I am going to attempt this sleeve and watch the series Daniel Deronda on Netflix.  I just finished rewatching Downton Abbey.  It is such a shame that Netflix only has 3 seasons.

I am hoping to make some more chutney and use up some more apples.  I think I will try to make soup as well.  I made some chicken stock and really need to use it today!

Apple Crumble

I was home during the week and my mother and I made some apple crumbles.  It was fun.  Delicious fun!

I am wrecked today!  Wish that I could snap my fingers and the ingredients for tonight's dinner would be delivered to the front door.  I think I'm going to spend this wild Friday night with a dose of Netflix and knitting.  And maybe some Lexi snuggling.

Flowers

I took pictures of my knitted socks and my first attempt at gardening (this year).  I have somehow managed to keep these flowers alive.  They are amazing since they have practically died but have been revived many times.  Some family members are much more green thumbed than myself but I hope to learn as I go.

Wonder what the neighbours thought of me photographing socks on my feet.

The socks are plain knitted socks- what many knitters call vanilla sock pattern.

I dyed the sock yarn.

Toys

Lexi got a stuffed animal at the car boot sale.  Her eyes light up and gets very attentive when there is a stuffed animal on the scene.  I decided to try her with stuffed toys again because before she used to destroy and eat them.  It wasn't good.  Now she is a mature lady of 2, she has just been playing with the toys the last couple of days.  I am still keeping an eye on her.

Socks are finished!  The Vestigial pair is finally finished.  I finished a plain pair of socks as well.  I almost finished the first sleeve of a sweater.  I also found a ball of yarn that I needed to find to finish a sweater that I spun and needed to finish the sweater.  Didn't even go looking for it and I wouldn't of found it.  It was in a project bag for another sweater.

Haven't sewn a stitch in a while.  Maybe this weekend.

I made applesauce.  It's my not favourite thing to eat but I had nothing to eat for breakfast.  I added too much sugar and it was like eating apple pie filling.  I added more apples.  Now I have lots.  I hope it's nicer now.  Going to make more chutney, hopefully this weekend.