Wow, it's been a while!

Yup, almost 10 months since I last posted here. A lot happened in those ten months. I ended a 5-year relationship, started another one, moved to a remote Scottish island, lived in a tipi, moved again to another Scottish island, and then moved back to my mum's house again. What a year. It has flown by so fast, and I have achieved so much.

I'll be heading back to the Isle of Rum on Wednesday 18th March. I am so excited, I can't even express it! I hope to keep blogging here and keep knitting too. Look me up on Ravelry (sareth) if you wanna chat, or look at my knitting projects.

On a arty note, last year, I agreed to take part in Sheena's 198 Countries Peace Project. I ended up making the Japanese and the American flags.





Pattern : My own!
Yarn : Cheap-o acrylic from stash
Needles : 4.5mm
Hook : 5mm
Time : 7 days
Cost : Free!

Yeah, so I didn't actually knit the stars on the American flag, they're just little silver sequins. Sue me!





Can you guess where mine is?? I'm famous!! Sheena is an amazing artist, and I am so glad that I could take part in such a thought-provoking show.

Nothing

I feel so bad - I was looking forward to taking part in a whole bunch of swaps. But I've recently decided to clear the clutter from my life and go travelling. So I really have no time to swap at all. Never mind the cost!

I have done a few small projects, like taking in trousers and adjusting t-shirts. I adjusted a prom dress for a friend last week - I'm not sure what I did with the pictures though.

And then, my faithful camera broke. I took it to the shop for a repair, but as it turns out, the camera is so old (3 years), that they don't make the parts needed for it anymore, and for the cost of repair I may as well buy a new one. So I did! A Nikon Coolpix. And I love it! I'm off to play with it now...

Two green finished objects

I love getting parcels in the post. Especially ones that contain gorgeous sweeties and the softest headband ever! (I'm not sure if it's the softest one EVER, but it's pretty damn close. I want to sleep with this on.)



The package came from laptitelili, all the way from France. The malabrigo calorimetry is beautifully knit. The green sweets are the oddest thing I've ever tasted. A strange mix of marzipan and chocolate. Very French! I've already knit up my hat, with the yarn and pattern included.



Pattern : Pi Topper Chemo Hat
Yarn : Bergere de France Sport
Needles : 4.5mm
Time : 3 days
Cost : Free, a lovely swap gift!

Here's the hat I knit for my swap partner, Gea, in the Netherlands.


Pattern : Cloche by Diane Mulholland (Yarn Forward issue 4)
Yarn : Recycled cardigan.
Needles : 4.5mm
Time : 3 days
Cost : Free, yarn given to me by my mummy.

I do have more to share, but I'm tired of writing and want to get back to watching Grand Designs and knitting my hoodie.

Meme - 7 things about me

I was tagged by Cal

The rules are:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


1. I love being part of a large family. I have 4 sisters and 5 brothers. I feel blessed to have them, and I can't imagine what being a only child would be like. There's always someone to talk to.

2. I crack my knuckles constantly. I'm trying to stop. Honestly....

3. I have an intense dislike for many textures. You know how most people get that weird cringe from touching cotton wool? Well I'm like that with velvet, soft towels, paint, pebbles, nylon, some makes of tights, ceramic, pottery of most sorts, and the list goes on...

4. I play bass. And I love it. But I hate slap bass. I just can't get the hang of it.

5. I have fused knuckles in my 3 little toes, on both feet. Since they don't bend when I stub my toe, this means they break easily! Only 5% of the world has this problem.

6. My favourite thing ever? Ice cold milk with raisins in it!

7. I have a stupid obsession with buttons. I recently bought a new chest for my collection, but they don't fit :(

I'm tagging...
1. Anne
2. Shunklies
3. Joanna
4. Rebecca
5. Vikki
6. Emerald
7. Danielle

I have no blogging friends :( So all these are picked off the UK Swap Blog.

F.O. - Socks!

Aha! I have mastered the art of socks...ok, so I've knitted one before (the one that Sean keeps bugging me to knit its mate), but this is the first time I've completed a pair for myself.



Aren't they pretty? I really enjoyed making these.
Pattern : 6st per inch sock/Ann Budd
Yarn : Shunklies sock weight in 'Orchid'.
Needles : 3.5mm
Time : A week
Cost : Free, since I won a gift certificate from the UK Swap Blog!




I do have tiny feet. I got perfect gauge for the pattern, so I cast on 44sts for the child large, but they're a smidgen too big. I should have gone for the child's medium. I'm a freak of nature with my tiny child feet.




The yarn was a real pleasure to work with - so much orange! I really like Shunklies yarn, and I'll definitely be buying more. I really love how the two socks are different, so I'll always know which one is the right/left one!

UK Secret Swap - recieved!

There are few things that can make me feel better during a hard weekend. This certainly did the trick....



WOW!
Two handspun skeins, 4 balls of gorgeous just-my-colour 100% wool with a pattern, buttons (never fails), a stitch holder, two types of tea, some pretty art to spruce up my craft room and candles.


And a close up of the most beautiful buttons, and handspun!

All I can say is thank you! I do like being spoiled (being one of 10 children, there's no such thing as spoiling in our house). Thank you, and I hope the package you recieve is just as lovely.

F.Os and W.I.Ps

I'm tired and grumpy. I can't be bothered to do anything. I'm a big grumpy grumpo.

So here's some photos of recent craftyness, to prove that sometimes I can be productive...

Green aran weight cabled fingerless mitts for Sister Number 4's 15th birthday.

Pattern : My own.
Yarn : Stylecraft Ltd Special Aran with Wool
Needles : 4.5mm DPN
Time : A week maybe?
Cost : 0p. Stash busting!


Blue hat for me.

Pattern : Adapted from Felicity
Yarn : Random blue
Needles : 4.5mm circs and 3.5mm DPNs
Time : Two days
Cost : 0p. Stash busting!


The bags I made for the UK Swap Blog


Two knitting totes, with detachable zip purse and space for needles and notions. And one really badly sewn on Ruin Me Designs label. Real proof that I should never hand sew!


And two W.I.Ps...

Re-sizing and re-backing a patchwork blanket that my mama made.


Making a rather large quilt for my bed, using up all my cotton scraps.


See. I can work when I want to.

W.I.P - Pi Shawl and a mystery gift!

My little Pi Shawl has grown, although quite slowly! I've been a big knitting slacker lately.

At the end of January...


Now look at it!


Ugh fuzzy photos suck. Next to it is something I recieved from my secret UK swapper pal. Me love this book! I've read the first chapter already. Thank you, whoever you are!



Another thing that's been growing is my bonsai tree. I planted 7 seeds at the start of January, and finally sometihng sprouted! It's the tiniest thing in the world, but I love it.

Topic of the Week #3: Project Process

Q: What is your process when planning a project? Do you shop for yarn and then find a suitable pattern? Do you find your pattern and then go out to buy the yarn? Or are you stash-busting? If your stash is out of control, how did it get that way?


Normally, I just buy yarn whenever I fancy it. I've only bought specific yarn for specific project about 3 times. I usually buy the yarn first, then find a project to suit it.

However, the situation has now changed - since I'm stash busting, I have to use what I can find in my stash. My stash isn't massively out of control, but when you add all my yarn, fabric, trimmings, buttons and whatnot, it's just madness! I'm on a big de-stash this year, and vow to get rid of a lot of stuff. The main reason being that I moving out within the next year, and I want to move as little crap as possible. After all, I'm not the strongest person in the world.

Topic of the week 1 and 2

I'd like to point out that I'm very forgetful, so here's the two previous TOTW that I forgot to post.

2. Q: Do you subscribe to any magazines (knitting or otherwise)? Or do you prefer to purchase magazines at the newstand? Do you subscribe online to any knitting magazines/newsletters? What does a knitting magazine need to have to catch your fancy and get you to fork out that well-earned cash?

The only one I currently subscribe to is Yarn Forward. It's had a shaky start, but I really want to support an independant magazine, with something more to offer than the other British knitting magazines.

A knitting magazine must have articles - I love to read while I knit, so a good legnthy column about entrelac or cables is always good. And of course, pretty patterns are a bonus.


1. With 2008 in full-swing, do you have any knit-years resolutions you are trying to keep to? Stash-busting? Knitting just for yourself? Gift-alongs or starting Christmas knitting early? Do your knit-years resolutions affect your other resolutions? Such as watching your spending, or putting yourself first, or even loosing weight (yarn weight....)?

Stash busting! Always with the stash busting! I have a stupid amount of yarn, and I really need to shift it. I can't resist sale yarn, or a cashmere sweater that dying to be unravelled. I've got to learn to be content with what I have, and only buy when necessary.