Rye Socks

As January nears its end, I still think of and attempt to accomplish my New Year's Resolutions.  I wish to remember Socrates' quote "The secret of change is to focus all your energy on not fighting the old, but on building the new."

I would like to try and concentrate more on finishing and focusing on projects/w.i.p.s.  I would like to be just as excited and motivated on finishing a project as I am thrilled to start a project.  I would like to not be overwhelmed by the amount of projects on the go.  With focus and some dedication, I would like to greatly reduce the amount of projects on the go at the same time.

I am working on these Rye socks by Tincanknits.  It is a lovely free sock pattern that the Dublin Knit Collective have chosen for a KAL (knit along).  I am knitting two pairs, one in sock weight and one in worsted weight.  I am hoping to finish the sock weight first.  The sock weight yarns are my own hand dyed yarns - Ellie and Ada Sock Yarn in the Prismatic Colourway.

Happy New Year!  Happy Saturday!  Happy Weekend!  Happy Knitting!

Lights Out

Sunday was a comically trying day.  My handbag strap broke in a shop when I thought was over the worse of it.  The night ended with the shock of the town's lights going out.  Note to oneself, buy more candles.  The top photo was from Sunday and when the lights went out.  I knitted for a bit by candlelight then headed to bed, laughing at the events of the day.

The Autumnal coloured socks are another pair of Vestigials by Hedgehog Fibres.  It is a colourway from one of the LHogan Sock Clubs that I dyed.  It is a 2 ply high twist merino and nylon yarn.  The other sock yarn I dyed as well and is going to be another pair of Vestigials.  I dyed this yarn when I first started dyeing yarn.  There is a time, a place and a pattern for every yarn.  You might be waiting years or minutes but it's great when it all clicks and comes together.

The sweater or sea of stockinette stitch is a top down raglan that I started years ago.  I needed another needle that I finally got.  It is two lace weight yarns that are knitted together.  I dyed both lace yarns.  Not that into lace shawls, so I might be knitting up my lace yarns as sweaters and cardigans.  I love the marled look at the moment. Marled definition

Green Sulley

This is the second pair of socks that I knitted with this stitch pattern.  Called this sock pattern Sulley because the first pair were knitted for a friend.  Named it Sulley after the character in Monsters Inc.  Every time that I see Sulley, it makes me think of my friend, Fluffy, which is nice.

I dyed this yarn with avocado pits and skins then overdyed it with a bit of acid dye.

Also have decided that my gauge is so loose with 2.5mm that I am going to knit socks with 2mm or 2.25 mm for the foreseeable future.

Voting In Ireland

Today, we are voting for whether or not to permit same sex marriage.  I hope everyone gets a chance to vote.  I don't like to push my politics on anyone but I do believe in marriage and I do believe everyone deserves all the benefits of it.

Let those who wish to marry, do so.  Respect everyone and honour the relevance of marriage and equality of everyone.

Vestigial Finished

This is my second pair of Vestigials.  Nice and easy pattern.  I love the stitch pattern Mistake Rib, it's my go to scarf pattern, delighted to see it knitted in the round.  I dyed the sock yarn.  It is a LHogan 4 ply wool with nylon and the colourway is Shady Shaman.  I was watching a lot of The Mighty Boosh at the time that I dyed the yarn.  Naboo was the inspiration for the colourway and name Shady Shaman.

The pattern is by Beata Jezek of Hedgehogfibres.  You can find the free pattern on Ravelry or on her website here.  And since, I am a fan of starting projects, I already cast on and started two more pairs.

Happy Knitting!

Winter Hibernation

It's very fair to say that I have been hibernating all winter.  This year, it is nice to see spring again and all the new things it brings.  I am excited about the longer hours and new projects to come.

Today is my day off.  I usually spend my days off walking Lexi, knitting, reading and watching Netflix.  I decided that I might start sharing what I have on my needles, my W.I.P.s.  W.I.P.s is knitter-speak for work in progress.

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I am trying to concentrate on finishing this cardigan.  I am great at starting new knitting projects.  I am finished with the body and have started the first sleeve.  The pattern is Ombre by Tanis Lavallee.  This is her website/blog.  I dyed the yarn.  It is lace weight yarn held double.  It is a result of a dyeing experiment.  It has resulted in the knitted fabric to be a bit marled.  I am not following the gradient directions this time around.  ( I would love to do this pattern again)

The box of tricks are some stitch markers that I made and the scissors are a prize from a Christmas cracker from a zillion years ago at my Aunt's house.  It was so long ago but I vaguely remember one of my male cousins winning them and giving them to me.  I use them all the time so they were a great inheritance.

Goodnight Winter Hibernation.  Good Morning Spring.

Finishing Projects

I started this sweater ages ago.  I guess I really didn't want to knit it during the warmer months this summer.  I'd like to finish it before starting another sweater or any other projects.

I finished the Vestigial socks.  I love them.  They are knitted with a smaller needle and only have 56 stitches.  I normally knit plain socks with 2.5 mm.  I would tend to be a looser knitter.  Also because the Vestigial socks are ribbed, they are a nice fit.

I also dyed the yarn used in the second pair of Vestigial socks.

Barley And Madeline

 The hat pattern is Barley by Tin Can Knits.  It is a great free pattern.  It is a bit slouchy and fits my head nicely which is what I love in a hat right now.  I highly recommend the pattern and I see myself knitting a few more of these.

The yarn I purchased a couple of years back!  2011!  haha!  A yarn has a time and a pattern, some take longer to figure out.  The yarn is Madeline Tosh 80/10/10 MCN Worsted, colourway Toulouse- Lautrec.  It is a stunning yarn and I completely understand, Madeline Tosh's popularity.

Actually, after I made this hat, I stuck it in my bag and it fell out.  I couldn't find it anywhere.  I went out for a walk with Lexi (the regal part beagle above) and she stopped and I couldn't budge her.  I noticed what she was sniffing, it was my hat!  I dropped it on my road on the way to the supermarket.  It must of smelt like me.  I was delighted.  Even the story of its recovery makes the hat more adored.

I made another hat, Cocoon, I had a look for it today.  Hopefully, I will find it.  I guess due to Ireland's changeable weather has me in a habit of taking hats off and tossing it wherever.  It's another free pattern that I love.  I didn't even get a photo of the Cocoon hat.  I knitted the Cocoon hat with leftovers of my grey and yellow Drops Nepal sweater.
I have another one casted on in blue.  I like to order slightly too much yarn then use the leftovers to make hats and mittens.  I like having a good collection because in Ireland, you can get rained on each time and nothing is nicer than a warm, dry hat!

Off The Needles - Socks

Off the Needles!  I just finished these.  It's as dull as dish water outside.  It's a bit gloomy and grey.  I like how these are bright and cheery.  Reminds me of Easter colours.  Makes me want to eat jelly beans.

The weather is pretty dismal. It's just one of those days.  I'd love to drink a litre of coffee but it'd do me no good.

Happy Belated New Year

Happy New Year!  I know it is a bit belated.  Hope that all had a great Christmas.  I enjoyed mine.

Good food, good company and a load of yarn to knit and I don't need much more.

I was great at keeping the old New Year's Resolutions at the beginning of the month but need to get more disciplined again.  I guess New Year's Resolutions are not just for January.  I have mixed feelings about January- There is a great feeling of renewal but it is also a tough month.  It is really grey, dark and cold.  I will try to make peace with it.

I have been sticking to some resolutions- I have been doing a bit of sewing at the weekends and have been enjoying it.  I said I would sew on a Saturday, getting fabric ready on a Friday night so I can just sew on Saturday.  I have been just making things for myself to organise things.  I will photograph other items that I made the week before.

I have been dreaming of a giant boxbag for so long.  I wanted to make a bigger project bag that would hold a sweater.  This one will definitely hold a 4 ply sweater project.  I got the fabric in Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland in a 2nd handshop.  It is a bed sheet.  I had the same print growing up.  I thought I would just use it to practice.

The small zip bag is made with hand dyed fabric, fabric that I dyed myself.  I don't know what I will use it for. At the moment, I have some pens and a notebook in it.

My mother made me a lovely bag that I must photograph.

The knitting is the mon-petit-gilet-raye .  I have been enjoying knitting it and am going to cast on another one right after I finish this one.

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

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

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.