mcknitty’s Neighborhood

There's an online group called fibreholics at www.thefibreholics.co.uk who are a group of spinners and dyers.   I don't know how many of you know about PhatFibres - the American etsy shop which have limited boxes of samples of different yarns and fibres produced by small companies and individuals.  If you are lucky enough to get one of their boxes - I have, but you have to be on the ball as soon as the sale starts - you receive this box full of usable samples of fibres and yarns.

Well fibreholics is a UK based version of the same thing although slightly better organised I think.  You can buy a large box or a small box of 20g samples of yarn and/or fibres produced by the members in the group.  Boxes are either yarn or fibres - but there is nothing stopping you from buying one of each which is what I have just done.  Again it's a limited offer and if they're out of stock you have to wait until the next round.

The point about this is that you receive these samples - 20g enough to make a small item - potentially very useful for C&G sampling, but you also get discounts and coupons in the mailing for the member businesses.  So if you want to try something a little luxurious but don't want to fork out a lot of money in case it isn't suitable - this is ideal.

I have had a Phat Fibre box from America but of course all the coupons etc are for American shops which is not really ideal for someone in the UK.  Having a UK based group doing the same thing is perfect.  And feeds the need  :)

I recently made these for a swap "Something Blue" these are "Veyla" by Ysolda, knitted in Koigu 100% Merino Yarn.  This pattern is beautiful to knit. Would I make again?  Most definitely, would make a lovely Christmas Pressie. Wonder what colour my sister would like for her Christmas? (Good job she doesn't have access to this blog, I have just given the surprise away hahaha)
Anyway on to the pictures:

Veyla with red nails

Veyla posing

Well I have been laid up in bed most of the week. Due to complications of flu and an infection a few weeks ago, the side effects of all the drugs they gave me....now got more tablets to combat this!!!!

So not much done this week. Going to spend tomorrow and sunday catching up and doing some more work on module 1!!! She hopes!!!!

I have finished my scarf though, half way through the aran jacket now, and still no further on the baby surprise jacket, I am going to finish it tomorrow!!! She says!!! LOL

will certainly finish the cast on/off section and the edging section.....

HAve fun......

started my samples of casting on and off today!! took me ages to work out the double cast on method, I actually quiet like it now.

Still going on the back of the aran jacket, double moss stitch!!! taking ages never mind, it will look nice when done.

Did my first pilates class this morning....starting to ache now....lol it will be worth it when I get myself toned back up again, hopefully in time for my summer holiday and I can feel comfortable in a bikini again!!! we shall see.

happy knitting

This is what I'm doing when I should be doing my C&G cast offs!  Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman - knitted all in one piece.  It took about one week to knit - I'm please with the finished result.  It's for my neighbour who had a baby girl last week.

Photo

had a great afternoon in the yarn barn sitting and chatting and knitting bliss.....

Bought some wendy allegra to make a scarf thought I would put a pattern into it, seafoam, but it doesnt look right, so thinking just plain old stst is best for this yarn....

I am looking out for a slouchy beret pattern now to go with it..........

nearly finished the baby surprise jacket yeah at last............

going to make a start on the casting on and off exercises tomorrow, still need to get some paper to mount them on though, may call at staples of pilates in the morning..........

fun fun fun.......

finally managed to find a victorian outfit for wednesday, well it is actual mrs Lovett from sweeny todd but the right era, so I hope I will get away with it! had to go to two fancy dress shops to find something though, the first were useless!!

Finished the first frnt on the aran jacket tonight!!! yeah making progress with it now...

and marked my books and planned year 9 up to the end of the unit!!

had a busy day all in all.....

I played with some wool - blended it with nylon then dyed it.  Blending step was great but dying part became the disaster. 
Photo 1 shows the mattered mess I ended up with - oh dear I thought - loved the colour and decided I had to rectify this.  So I armed myself with a wool comb and painstakingly teased the fibres free and put the whole lot back through the drum carder several times.  Photo 2 is the result so I am now happy as I now have wool I can spin. 

Lesson- next time spin  the wool before dying it would far easier.

Felting process was a bit hit and miss.  The slippers started off in a pillowcase - one stayed, one escaped, so consequently felted to different sizes on the first wash.  Tried to shrink the larger to the same size as the smaller, ended up smaller than the larger, but more comfortable to wear, so tried to shrink new larger to new smaller, and ended up with smaller still!!  A bit of bending and stretching solved the problem, they are now both roughly the same size and probably the most comfortable slippers I've ever worn, but not going to win prizes for the sexiest! 

I've done the splitz a couples of times on our wood floor.  Does anyone know where I can get some Grippies in the UK?

Just got back from the K&S show at Ally Pally.  Can't say I was particularly overwhelmed by the knitting stands - there didn't seem to be that many amongst the other craft stands, and there was a fair amount of dross - what is a nail bar doing at a K&S show, and handbag stands?

Whereas last year I took loads of photos of the Embroiderers Guild regional finalists work, this year I didn't even bother to get my camera out.  Having said that the Embroiderers Guild - The Art of the Stitch - exhibition was very inspiring.

I bought a new knitting project from a collection called Filati (Lana Grossa collection) made with Cinque yarn in a vibrant sunset orange shade - it's a wrap around top.  I'm really excited about knitting it.

Also bought a wonderful book to get inspiration for the C&G course - Contemporary Knitting for Textile Artists - by Ruth Lee.  She knits with anythings that linear and flexible and comes up with some amazing results - very 3D.

I'm not sure I will bother with the show next year.  I preferred the iKnit Weekender in September - much more focussed for the knitter, and not as heavingly busy.