Winter Moon...

...is actually the name of the yarn but it is such a pretty one that I wanted it for the title of my post. It is a blend of merino and cashmere from Posh Yarn. My regular port of call for yarn porn.

I don't knit anymore but gosh, this is making me wish I did.

Latest Bits

These are some shell and crystal stitch markers and a skein of beaded blue faced leicester yarn. Now I have yak to ply and skein up as well as silk to dye. This is fun!
Have a happy, busy day.

Of Shawls

Remember this? Intended for a beautiful shawl collared cardigan for me

has instead become a beautiful shawl destined for a friend's 50th birthday gift.

Indeed, it is tearing the old heartstrings a bit that I will have to give it away but I suppose that is a good sign really, isn't it? (if you click on the pic above you can see the pattern a bit clearer)

So I am not complaining, really I am not but I love this yarn and it was a difficult realisation that of all my stash, this was the only yarn I had that was plentiful enough, lovely enough and bulky enough to be worked into a shawl by this weekend.
I have tons of lace weight but I find it tricky to work with and there was no way I was going to get a lace shawl sorted in a week. But I am almost there with this one. It is worked in double trebles on a 9mm hook so it is a mile a minute affair and this pic was taken after roughly an hours work. Now I only have a few more rounds to do and a border and there we are.
This was done so terribly last minute because only last weekend did I finally believe that we were going to be able to make the party. However, thanks to the Wonderful Sharon, who is having the twins, V and I are off for the weekend on our own for the first time in eight years! Woo hoo! Rose is going to the MIL's as usual and so off we are to a country house hotel, with a super posh birthday bash (black tie and evening gown affair, probably cocktails and champagne too) in Sussex don't cher know... I am trying hard not to look forward to it too much but it is hard work.
So, I've got my frock, V has got the DJ (and rather spiffy he looks in it too) what more do we need? Fine weather and clear A roads for a lid down road trip.

Latest Yarn

Emeralds & turquoise, violets & boysenberries, infused in black. Outrageous, playful, colorful, enigmatic. Vibrating life force in each and every feather.
Description: An ever so slightly heavier version of our silk thread. Still thread-like, just a step up from cobweb.
All measurements are approximate.
Content: 100% Silk
Weight: 3.5 oz / 99g
Length: 1,125 yds / 1,028m
Gauge: laceweight

The picture and above text comes from Blue Moon Fibres

I have been looking for the perfect yarn to do an Icarus shawl for about a year. I have bought one or two but for some reason they just didn't look right or feel right. I don't know, one of those funny annoying things. I am hoping, however, that this is it. Silk and plenty of it in a beautifully dramatic colourway and due to the bird like name - Rooky- rather appropriate I feel.

Ahem...

May I suggest marscapone cheese and really good raspberry jam as a filling for today's cupcakes?

Yes, I know I am hacking on about cake an awful lot these days. Don't worry, it will soon pass off. Only another ten or fifteen recipes to go.

On the yarn front, I am crocheting this for Faith and Jonathan's baby, in a delightful lemon hinted yarn in a sensible easy care blend but with a touch of cashmere to unsqueak it. Don't you find synthetics squeak when you work them? I don't much like man made fibres but what use is a handwash baby blanket? This baby is due any minute now really. Poor Faith must feel like she has been expecting forever and, once again, I am making this at the absolute last flipping minute. It is a dinky little project though, it really looks as though I am working on something (to muggles at least) but it is in reality very very easy.

In other news, I have overdone the gardening rather in the last few days. And after hacking, chopping, raking, lugging and burning eighteen months worth of neglect I was naively surprised to find myself a bit below par this morning. Consequently, I have been confined to quarters by the CO, robustly told that I am not to pick up secatuers for at least a week and that he will attempt to master the secrets of the washing machine for the next few days. I am having a holiday folks. Pass me my crochet ...and put the kettle on will you?

Have a snug, cashmerey kind of day.

Update: 2:30 pm
Not content with current project or even the project after that (the fire yarn), I have bought yarn for the third item in my queue and it is here. I am in love.
I ask you, how could I, in my lowered state, resist a yarn that is from the Raven Clan...? Over a thousand yards of laceweight silk gorgeousness coming my way. And it is going to take long enough to arrive for me to finish at least the current project and get well into the second so, no project queue guilt for me. Hurrah!

The Ladybird and other stuff...

All done and I'm pretty happy with it actually. That doesn't happen very often, normally I am hard to please, but I think this little bug's ridiculousness makes me smile.

The weather doesn't know what it wants to do here and the sea born wind is bringing us everything from snow to rain to bright golden sunshine. I think it was bordering on gales last night and it is certainly very brisk out there now. My bin was last seen making a bid for the next county I think. I'll probably find it at the bottom of the hill tomorrow unless one of the neighbours wrangles it back home.

It is weird not having V here. I found it hard to sleep last night. Just lay there listening to the wind whistling through the wires, sleeping children scattered around me like dead bumblebees and I felt almost vulnerable without my man in the house. Maybe I need a big dog. I can imagine V's face if he was greeted by a dobermann on his return. Maybe not.

The girls are making hells own mess upstairs I just know it. They are already glittered out from card making this morning. Baking this afternoon and then I shall just bide my time until they zonk out tonight and I shall get to watch Beowulf I think or maybe 300 if it is in the video store. I like a chick flick as much as the next girl but Leonidas makes a chick flick all on his own. Which reminds me I need more chocolate :) Happy day.

Hope you are having a happy day too.

Update: 4:30 pm
It is always the same, whenever V bogs off somewhere I get just too bored and start surfing the yarn stores. Okay I surf yarn stores daily but when he is away I order stuff because he is not sitting with me making me feel guilty that I am spending his hard earned cash on stuff that I have an attic full of anyway. Not that he ever says anything but you know how it is when you are a yarn addict (hiding the yarn/fibre stash in black bags in the bottom of the wardrobe - I can't be the only person to do that surely?).
That said, and indeed I said it to myself just before I clicked on the "place order" button - I have a job of my own now, why not blow some of my money on yarn?... and a pom-pom kit for Rose and a 4 mm bamboo crochet needle (I don't have one remember and I want to make another baby blanket for Faith who is about to sprog any day now). Oh gosh yes, I bought some Debbie Bliss cashmerino for that little project. I ask you, how can anyone resist a baby yarn in cashmere and finest wool that is both washable and tumbleable and is called Pixie? I couldn't
And talking of irresistible, how about this?


Freedom Spirit 100% wool in Fire from Dragon Yarns. Isn't it stunning? All my favourite colours. I did not buy it because of Project Spectrum, but what a beautiful expression of the element. I have a pattern all set and waiting for this, a beautiful swingy, shawl collared cardigan from the best of Interweave Knits.

Right I cannot, absolutely cannot go to amazon from here. I will go and bake some cup cakes for tomorrow. Easter means pastel butter cream icing and plenty of little chocolate eggs. Then, as I could not get Leonidas :( I went for James Macavoy in Atonement. I love the way that man acts, still haven't forgotten him in Becoming Jane, so intense. Lovely.
So... have a great evening. I'm off to the kitchen while the twins are asleep.
ttfn!

Pretty

Camel down and tussah silk. I haven't set the spin yet and I am in two minds as to whether I should dye it. I mean, I probably will because fawn is not my colour and I want to make a shrug for myself out of it. On the other hand I don't want to spoil it and as I am almost a complete novice at dying there is ample opportunity for me to foul it up.
I am super chuffed with the ply on it too. I am not very good at plying generally, as I am usually in too much of a hurry to finish the yarn, stupid of me I know. But I concentrated hard and it took me ages, maybe an hour and a half.
So I'm off to get some white vinegar today (as well as the usual groceries) and maybe tomorrow I will have a go at getting it in the dyepot. Which reminds me, I need to get a dyepot too (a big saucepan that is all).

On other news, it is half term and Rose has managed to go down with tonsilitis of all things so she is floppy and wan, mooching about the place. Eden has a particularly juicy cough but is quite happy as usual. Lily is fine - the tiniest of the three and tough as boot leather.

Well, sitting here typing butters no eggs. It is a beautiful day outside. I wonder what I am going to do with it?
Hope you have a bright sunshiny day too.

Weights and Measures

cashmere on niddy-noddy

Three bags full
and that's just the start...I have an attic full

How much yarn do I have exactly? Sorting out the stash for the felting day with Zoe made me think. So off to Birdie the soap maker whom one would have thought should possess accurate scales and she does, good enough for rock music as one might say. And she has a niddy noddy. Now that is not a sentence one hears every day "Excuse me, can I borrow your niddy-noddy?" but there you are. A pleasant evening, playing with yarn. Plus a casserole. Yum.

And I have rather more good yarn than I thought and rather more fibre...but you never can have enough, can you?

5pm

Amazing what a few hours will do innit? I'm feeling fine now and why is this? I'll tell you...three little words

Orange merino yarn.
This was part of the haul from the winghams sampling day.
From fluff to yarn in just eight days. Oh my gosh, I rock!

Pure merino in orange & merino and tussah silk blend in flame

Singles

Plied (fancy as usual)

The finished skein, steam set and drying on the bannister
ready for the needles this evening.
I am so chuffed

Quick! Call the Yarn Police!

Argh! Eyelash yarn!

Now I believe that a sight like this sends most knitters reeling for the aspirin. But I love the stuff. It is quick to work, soft and pretty. An unbeatable combination in my opinion. These are scarves destined for Rose and a friend of hers. They took me a morning to do which is an issue at this point in my crafting life. I have less time lately and eyelash supplies a quick fix of cute.

Just a Bit More Yarn...

Plied Kermit Merino Chunky

Seascape Tussah Silk. Roving spun into lace weight.

These yarns are everything I love about spinning. Texture, colour, vibrancy, luxury and usefulness. There is not a hobby like it.

Just a Bit More Yarn...

Finished yarn

Man made, who knows what is in it.

Turquoise merino, thick n thin (leftovers)

From Fluff to Finished

Combi, crocheted in double trebles and dry felted yarn ball to fix if desired

So chuffed with this yarn...had to take another pic

tiny ball of lace weight parrot

Plied up with parrot lace weight single

Turquoise thick n thin

Turquoise merino top

Parrot acrylic top

Finished Object

Carol's scarf

Made from the Jacob Humbug and it took a bit more wool than I thought it would! I made it using a really simple technique to make it curly and it only took me an hour or two to do. The wool is rather coarser than I hoped it would be, I wouldn't want a jumper out of it, but it is okay for a scarf worn over a coat and it is very warm.

Wow!

Blueberry Hill by Posh Yarn

Wolves I tell yer, wolves! Who'd have thought that it would have been such a frenzy! I got the giggles it was so bad. There I was at 6 sharp, poised as I said earlier. But it was no good. The fastest 'putor wins I suppose. I missed both the yarns pictured below but managed to snag my third choice, blueberry hill, a lace weight 100 per cent cashmere and I had to shift I can tell you.

Still, very happy with it and have decided that I will do Icarus in this which gives me a few more days to finish cobweb and think of an equally lovely project for the Samba yarn that I originally bought for the Icarus but somehow it just didn't gel. I think I will do something from Victorian Lace Today with it, perhaps the small shoulder wrap, but that will be sometime next year I think!


Update
Yarn arrived on 4th July, hurrah! Really quick service Dee, thanks. And I have spun 100 per cent cashmere yarn, so I knew how soft it was going to be, but whenever I do something it never quite meets my approval. This yarn is absolutely scrumptious, it is called blueberry with good reason, it has a purple bloom running through it and it is a soft matte texture. What a pure pleasure it will be to work it. Yay!
But first Cobweb, which needs to be ripped back three rows :( and I am dreading it. The Sherriff has had such a nightmare with ripping back Kid silk and she is an expert, what's a poor moron like me supposed to do?

The agony of choice

Oh what is a good girl supposed to do? Advice someone please.

Posh Yarn have their sale on today and there is possibly the most stunning selection that I have ever seen on their rainbow glory pages. It starts at 6 and it is first come first served. There is no way that these yarns are not going to get snapped up so if I want them I must be poised like a coiled snake at the keyboard on the dot of six. And here is my problem - church starts at half five. Oh no.

The conversation goes like this...
But I haven't been to church for three weeks and am feeling the lack...but I need that yarn...but I want to go to church...but that yarn is beyond lovely...but I haven't danced in such a long time. Arrrrgh



Look at the pictures and then say you don't feel my pain.

My foot is hurting man!

Natural Jacob top, spun chunky

I haven't spun in any amount for such a long time and then I go and spin up about 250g of Jacob in one evening. Destined for a good wide scarf for Carol, I'll probably have enough over to make a Christmas present for somebody else as well. So spinning for about two hours and then plying it up takes a bit of doing and my poor ankle is not used to it anymore. We'll see how I am tomorrow, Church and dancing should shake a few of the knots out of the the old tendons there!

I had forgotten how soothing spinning is for me. Todd watched me work up an afternoon's spin, about 50 g of parrot acrylic in single lace weight and he made a comment along the lines of that it was so monotonous that I really would be happy working in a factory - well...yes. I have worked in a factory in the past and I enjoyed it very much actually. But there is more to it with spinning. There is the regularity, the rythm, the chance to make good or foul up with every turn of the wheel ( always a knife edge with me) and the wonderful fact that it occupys the hands and part of the mind, leaving the rest of the mind to sort things through without the rest of the thought processes getting in the way. I have never prayed with a rosary, but I should imagine the methods are similar. I pray a lot when I spin. That probably helps with the calming influence too I suppose.

Lily's cardi

This pic is of a cardigan that my mum knitted for Lily, Eden has one also , but that needed a wash almost immediately. I thought it was so cool I had to take a photo of it and boast...

More Cobwebs

That cobweb made me think about the pic I took ages ago of my cobweb shawl that I am attempting from Victorian Lace Today. Here it is. I reckon a spider might live in it if I paid her enough and gave her a blanket to keep out the draughts from the random holes that are not actually in the pattern, but yet are there in my version.
Every other knitter I know would rip this back to the beginning, but I know enough about myself to know that if I ripped this little sucker back I can kiss the shawl goodbye as I would never have the heart to start again. So, it is my Persian flaw cobweb shawl. Reminding me (as if I were not already amply aware) that only God is perfect.

Icarus Update

And my Posh Yarn arrived this morning too. Off to the library tomorrow to enlarge the Icarus chart and then I'm off!

Huzzah!

Just a Bit More Yarn

Rose Basket - plied on bobbin

Rosebasket singles - on skeiner

Rosebasket Tussah Silk Roving - from Wingham Wool

Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Liquer arrived this morning. This is destined for the cobweb shawl in Victorian Lace Today.

The Rosebasket tussah silk was hanging around in my stash for ages. I loved the colour, bought it and didn't know what to do with it. I blended a bit in felting and carded some up with white merino to spin but nothing really grabbed me (though I am proud of the cot blanket that I made with it). Then came Victorian lace today and I thought. I reckon I could spin up some silk fine enough for that. Now however, I have seen the Kidsilk haze and realise that the rosebasket is probably just a little shy of being DK. Far too hefty, but I will give a scarf a go from it, just on bigger needles. I have over 600 yards of it for goodness sake and I strained my foot spinning the lot and plying it, so it can't just sit there.

I will see how the Jewel Box silk compares for weight and colour and something might be contrived with that. Or not, it's going to be fabulous anyhow.