cartoon
After recently publishing an infographic about secret stashes, and another about my own knitting evolution, today's Knitting & Crochet Blog Week prompt did not seem entirely out of the ordinary. As is often the case with my doodles, inspiration for this came from my Mum who is a "regular knitter" and often looks at me like I'm completely mad. If you're visiting from KCBW, I'm sure you'll understand. 

KCBW day 3 - info graphic comparing a regular knitter with a knitting blogger.

If you're a regular Wednesday visitor looking for my WIPs and books update, you can find a summary of current projects on Monday's post. This coming Friday I'll be hosting the Crochet at Play book tour, and will have an interview with author and designer Kat Goldin, which I'm sure you won't want to miss. Next Wednesday I'll be reviewing The Great British Sewing Bee book and the Amy Herzog Class "Knit to Flatter" (which I'm half way through and absolutely loving) so stay tuned!

Do you know the difference? ( 4KCBWday3 )

After recently publishing an infographic about secret stashes, and another about my own knitting evolution, today's Knitting & Crochet Blog Week prompt did not seem entirely out of the ordinary. As is often the case with my doodles, inspiration for this came from my Mum who is a "regular knitter" and often looks at me like I'm completely mad. If you're visiting from KCBW, I'm sure you'll understand. 

KCBW day 3 - info graphic comparing a regular knitter with a knitting blogger.

If you're a regular Wednesday visitor looking for my WIPs and books update, you can find a summary of current projects on Monday's post. This coming Friday I'll be hosting the Crochet at Play book tour, and will have an interview with author and designer Kat Goldin, which I'm sure you won't want to miss. Next Wednesday I'll be reviewing The Great British Sewing Bee book and the Amy Herzog Class "Knit to Flatter" (which I'm half way through and absolutely loving) so stay tuned!

Happy Valentine's Day! This is a very quick update as it's a manic Thursday around these parts, what with one thing and another. Sadly there is very little progress to show you on D's socks as I have been preoccupied making Hilda, Hilda 2 and Mini-Hilda - the pattern/recipe will be available tomorrow.  I'll show you the socks next week when it might look like I've made progress.


After seeing the various finished socks appearing and discussing options for blocking socks / making sock blockers, I wanted to mention these handmade wooden blockers which arrived this week from whorldropspindle.co.uk
Sock blockers from whorldropspindles.co.uk/shop
Prices start from £11.70 and there is an option for a custom size if you have especially large or small feet. If you make a lot of socks, especially if you favour lacy designs that really benefit from blocking, I think these are a great option (and I love supporting craftspeople who make this kind of product!). 

Ok, so that's it from me, but here's the link for all the other bloggers and I know there are some fab finished objects out there this week so please pay them a visit:

Next Step Sock Knitalong - Day 22

Happy Valentine's Day! This is a very quick update as it's a manic Thursday around these parts, what with one thing and another. Sadly there is very little progress to show you on D's socks as I have been preoccupied making Hilda, Hilda 2 and Mini-Hilda - the pattern/recipe will be available tomorrow.  I'll show you the socks next week when it might look like I've made progress.


After seeing the various finished socks appearing and discussing options for blocking socks / making sock blockers, I wanted to mention these handmade wooden blockers which arrived this week from whorldropspindle.co.uk
Sock blockers from whorldropspindles.co.uk/shop
Prices start from £11.70 and there is an option for a custom size if you have especially large or small feet. If you make a lot of socks, especially if you favour lacy designs that really benefit from blocking, I think these are a great option (and I love supporting craftspeople who make this kind of product!). 

Ok, so that's it from me, but here's the link for all the other bloggers and I know there are some fab finished objects out there this week so please pay them a visit:
Hmmmm!
Sound familiar?
This year, like most other years before it, began with a list of resolutions (you can see some of them on this post). They were written with good intentions, but frankly, after a few weeks the things that had seemed important on Jan 1st were not so high on my list of priorities. 

The year started off with unexpected surgery and various health problems followed. They were much more important than learning to knit and read at the same time. D's career really took off - he did some great work including the official Olympic Legacy films and is now making the transition from editing TV programmes to movies (the film has not yet been released yet, but it's done!) It is a dream come true for him and I'm so proud of him for making it happen, but it meant we didn't see him too much for several months. That was a strain on all of us. Writing patterns was pushed to the bottom of the to-do list (where it remains). And so it went...

Overall it's been a good year - Mum relocated and we see her daily, we had a lovely family holiday, and things are ending on a peaceful and positive note. Looking back at my list now, I can see that one or two of the resolutions happened but it was co-incidental.

For 2013 I have only one resolution which is not to worry about ticking things off a list, but to be present and deal with life as it happens. That, after all, is the most I can do. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your visits and comments this year. There have been times when this blog and the lovely community it has brought, has quite literally saved my sanity. 

I wish you and yours a happy and peaceful new year. 

Sarah x

Resolutions?

Hmmmm!
Sound familiar?
This year, like most other years before it, began with a list of resolutions (you can see some of them on this post). They were written with good intentions, but frankly, after a few weeks the things that had seemed important on Jan 1st were not so high on my list of priorities. 

The year started off with unexpected surgery and various health problems followed. They were much more important than learning to knit and read at the same time. D's career really took off - he did some great work including the official Olympic Legacy films and is now making the transition from editing TV programmes to movies (the film has not yet been released yet, but it's done!) It is a dream come true for him and I'm so proud of him for making it happen, but it meant we didn't see him too much for several months. That was a strain on all of us. Writing patterns was pushed to the bottom of the to-do list (where it remains). And so it went...

Overall it's been a good year - Mum relocated and we see her daily, we had a lovely family holiday, and things are ending on a peaceful and positive note. Looking back at my list now, I can see that one or two of the resolutions happened but it was co-incidental.

For 2013 I have only one resolution which is not to worry about ticking things off a list, but to be present and deal with life as it happens. That, after all, is the most I can do. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your visits and comments this year. There have been times when this blog and the lovely community it has brought, has quite literally saved my sanity. 

I wish you and yours a happy and peaceful new year. 

Sarah x
Congratulations to "Pinkundine"/Natalie who said she'd like to steampunk the reindeer! I hope to be back later today with some FOs, but at the moment it is looking a lot like this around here...

And the winner is....

Congratulations to "Pinkundine"/Natalie who said she'd like to steampunk the reindeer! I hope to be back later today with some FOs, but at the moment it is looking a lot like this around here...
I went shopping today (urgh!) and noticed lots of Christmas knits, and in fact lots of knitted things in general - everything from cushions to faux cable candle holders. It got me thinking about novelty knitwear and I realised we don't have any in our house. It's not something I'd be likely to knit - the effort that goes into producing a sweater means I wouldn't want to limit it's use to such a small part of the year - and I don't tend to buy knitted clothing.... but part of me would secretly quite like to have a proper full-on Christmas jumper. How about you?

(PS "The Knitter" in the cartoon is inspired my mum. She has watched that film a MILLION times. I wonder why?!?!)

Christmas Jumpers. Do you?

I went shopping today (urgh!) and noticed lots of Christmas knits, and in fact lots of knitted things in general - everything from cushions to faux cable candle holders. It got me thinking about novelty knitwear and I realised we don't have any in our house. It's not something I'd be likely to knit - the effort that goes into producing a sweater means I wouldn't want to limit it's use to such a small part of the year - and I don't tend to buy knitted clothing.... but part of me would secretly quite like to have a proper full-on Christmas jumper. How about you?

(PS "The Knitter" in the cartoon is inspired my mum. She has watched that film a MILLION times. I wonder why?!?!)

With only a few rows to go, I should be showing you a finished 22 Little Clouds today, but if you have been following my Instagram or Facebook feeds, you may have realised there is a new WIP and a new distraction this week. It's the latter I'd like to tell you about, as it has a knitting theme.
It began while playing with Little Miss and her crayons - I *really* enjoyed it (I was sipping Champagne at the time) and it got me thinking. A few days later I'd downloaded the Bamboo Paper app (good reviews, free demo version, why not?) and within minutes of playing around with it realised how much I've missed doodling - something I haven't done since having children, and certainly not since replacing paper notebooks with gadgets. I immediately upgraded to the full app (£1.49) and got scribbling....
Last night, while browsing Ravelry AGAIN, I came up with this one...
... I have a feeling there will be more!
For anyone who is interested in the app: I really like using it. I found a bargain stylus so I no longer have to rely solely on my finger, although using just fingers works fine, as you can see above. It is very intuitive, supports multiple notebooks and page styles - plain, various lines, grid etc, you can add up to 5 pictures from your photo roll per page, and it's easily exported either as a whole notebook or as individual pages. For drawing it does have limitations - mainly the small number of colours and only having a few different pen/fill options. For the style of rough, purposefully scruffy cartoon I favour, I think it does a perfectly good job.

Little Miss and I have had lots of fun with it - yes, it's simple enough for a 3 year old. You can see her portrait of D above, and she's been practicing writing her name and drawing on it - it's saved us a lot of paper this week. The demo version is definitely worth a try.

Before I go, I'll share an inadvertent Finished Object of the yarn variety. It came about when I ripped out some crochet ideas and was left with the chain. My Boy was with me and I tied it around his wrist. He hasn't taken it off since - it's his "Love Bracelet" and when he wears it he can feel my love all day. Bless him. Just goes to show that one woman's (s)crap can make another boy very happy.... so mind what you discard today!

Today's link is Tami's FO Friday. Have a great weekend!

FO Friday: Doodling

With only a few rows to go, I should be showing you a finished 22 Little Clouds today, but if you have been following my Instagram or Facebook feeds, you may have realised there is a new WIP and a new distraction this week. It's the latter I'd like to tell you about, as it has a knitting theme.
It began while playing with Little Miss and her crayons - I *really* enjoyed it (I was sipping Champagne at the time) and it got me thinking. A few days later I'd downloaded the Bamboo Paper app (good reviews, free demo version, why not?) and within minutes of playing around with it realised how much I've missed doodling - something I haven't done since having children, and certainly not since replacing paper notebooks with gadgets. I immediately upgraded to the full app (£1.49) and got scribbling....
Last night, while browsing Ravelry AGAIN, I came up with this one...
... I have a feeling there will be more!
For anyone who is interested in the app: I really like using it. I found a bargain stylus so I no longer have to rely solely on my finger, although using just fingers works fine, as you can see above. It is very intuitive, supports multiple notebooks and page styles - plain, various lines, grid etc, you can add up to 5 pictures from your photo roll per page, and it's easily exported either as a whole notebook or as individual pages. For drawing it does have limitations - mainly the small number of colours and only having a few different pen/fill options. For the style of rough, purposefully scruffy cartoon I favour, I think it does a perfectly good job.

Little Miss and I have had lots of fun with it - yes, it's simple enough for a 3 year old. You can see her portrait of D above, and she's been practicing writing her name and drawing on it - it's saved us a lot of paper this week. The demo version is definitely worth a try.

Before I go, I'll share an inadvertent Finished Object of the yarn variety. It came about when I ripped out some crochet ideas and was left with the chain. My Boy was with me and I tied it around his wrist. He hasn't taken it off since - it's his "Love Bracelet" and when he wears it he can feel my love all day. Bless him. Just goes to show that one woman's (s)crap can make another boy very happy.... so mind what you discard today!

Today's link is Tami's FO Friday. Have a great weekend!

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