tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-441234293102925682012-01-26T12:29:39.011ZSaffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.comBlogger6191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-28740124047061664242012-01-26T12:19:00.004Z2012-01-26T12:28:27.307Z

Well, OK, maybe not monogamy exactly but I *do* really want to finish some projects.Specifically I'd like to get these done by the end of month SKA deadline:SKA deadlines are entirely meaningless. If I finish I'm entered into the prize draw - the chances of winning are slim and I'm not concerned about the prizes, BUT the notion of having a time to be done with this project and to move onto the

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-78551553174577890722012-01-19T14:35:00.003Z2012-01-19T14:38:25.434Z

I'm working towards my first big deadline of 2012 - the next two are both next week (I start working towards them on Saturday). I can barely calculate when my next quiet work moment will be and so I am demanding non-demandingness of my knitting:Even this it seems is pretty tricky. I have just spend much of my lunchtime tinking back purl rows... who knew garter stitch could be so tricky?

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-8533591277618827602012-01-13T12:58:00.002Z2012-01-13T13:03:50.797Z

I've finished spinning and plying the merino/silk sample from Colourful Designs:A quick count suggests there might be just short of 45 yards in this skein... so what to do with it? It's not been washed yet so I'm unsure about wraps-per-inch but I suspect it will come out as a light fingering weight.Ideas?

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-61647752548402585842012-01-12T15:00:00.006Z2012-01-12T15:15:10.685Z

Last night I sat down after dinner for a little bit of time at the wheel:This is a Fibreholics sample (20g). 70% Merino, 30% Mulberry Silk Top from Colourful Designs in colourway Sweet Peas.Tonight I hope to finish off the spinning and chain ply it. I've no idea what it's going to be but I quite fancy knitting with it this weekend...

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-90566547233701178852012-01-11T10:29:00.002Z2012-01-11T10:37:05.775Z

I have not been knitting. Back at work for but one week and I am already so tired I can barely form a knit stitch at all.This morning I rummaged through my bag to find this:Perfect.(And tonight, perhaps I'll take that early night after all...)

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-49620017544379809002012-01-10T13:42:00.005Z2012-01-10T13:55:05.627Z

We're a week (and some) into 2012 and this year I'm challenging myself with three simple resolutions:This is a follow-on from this years (I think) improved behaviour with regards to yarn buying. I felt like I bought less last year than the previous year... but did I? This year I just want to get a grip on exactly what my stash looks like and how it changes through the year. No promises to use

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-77624286248549693232012-01-04T15:19:00.008Z2012-01-06T11:10:07.815Z

Another New Year!I have mixed feelings about 2011s knitting. In numbers, 2011 looks similar to 2010. 19 finished projects (plus a swatching experiment and a mini sock). There were more (documented) failures though - socks that are still in hibernation,(rav 1 & 2) a scarf that was just too scratchy,(rav) and a shawl where a beautiful yarn conspired to hide a beautiful pattern(rav). Plus a barely

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-18584389131008986082011-12-07T15:09:00.003Z2011-12-07T15:09:00.348Z

It's been so long since I actually finished these mittens. The yarn was bought for this pattern two Christmases ago with the intention of a quick gift knit. Now that they're done I'm not sure I have anyone to give them to!As I discovered knitting the first pair, this yarn is pretty scratchy to knit with and masks nearly all of the pattern. That aside, they're quite nice mitts (I quite like the

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-72453178798046745352011-12-06T10:20:00.000Z2011-12-06T10:20:02.132Z

Finished with near perfect timing - the bandana cowl (pictured here with my Verity hat, finished at a this time last year):This was a super-quick travel project: cast on during a flight to Germany. Having arrived, it was colder than expected but a 3 hour lecture slot provided the perfect opportunity to bind off and weave in ends - done!It doesn't look like anything special but this pattern is a

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-28032457815226117612011-12-05T10:12:00.005Z2011-12-05T10:20:34.998Z

Knitting on a deadline, part 1 (the completed part) of 2:I finally cast on the second of these last night, if I don't finish Santa won't be able to leave me any presents :(Pattern: Falling Snow Stocking by Jennifer Hoel.Yarn: Stylecraft Life/Special Chunky (I can't remember which right now).Mods: Upped the pattern from 64 to 80 stitches (this thing is huge) and added an extra chart for the name.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-24114581686938088632011-11-13T17:16:00.004Z2011-11-13T17:31:43.431Z

A quick look at my geocaching statistics tells a nice little story:Four caches, four countries:My most-Northerly find is The Mackintosh Church in Glasgow, Scotland and was actually found very recently as it was the venue for the Glasgow School of Yarn where I took classes with Amy Singer and Stephen West. That was, sadly, the only cache I found that trip, as I just wasn't feeling motivated to go

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-36236392072677987852011-11-11T16:26:00.001Z2011-12-05T10:42:32.058Z

It's been a while, but my last post was the first of three about classes at the Glasgow School of Yarn, the first birthday celebrations of The Yarn Cake - Scotland's only dedicated knitting cafe. Of the many classes/workshops on offer I picked three (a 'Hermione Granger'-inspired time turner would have come in rather useful for getting to try some of the others). Friday afternoon's workshop was..

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-26141870995351385492011-10-24T10:57:00.005+01:002011-12-05T10:43:45.140Z

Last week was a relaxing pre-half-term chill-out with adventures to Birmingham and Glasgow. Presenting them in reverse order, I'm going to start with the end of Glasgow. And the final class I attended as part of Glasgow School of Yarn, the first birthday celebrations of The Yarn Cake - Scotland's only dedicated knitting cafe.Glasgow School of Yarn was a two-day event including a selection of

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-88183938789292673252011-10-14T10:20:00.002+01:002011-10-14T12:20:44.557+01:00

In an ever-intense battle to free up the needles, here's another pair of SOCKDOWN socks, this pair the first of a new year (where said 'year' starts in September):And the 'artsy' shot:The way the colour works with this pattern makes me think of an oily puddle with all its little swirls of colour. Not an instant favourite but definitely not terrible.Pattern: Crystalline Socks by Cailyn Meyer.Yarn:

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-2897461793828085882011-10-11T16:13:00.003+01:002011-10-11T16:22:09.428+01:00

Last week was Freshers Week (or Intro Week if you like to use its posh, non-exclusive name): during this Week annually it seems that, on a University campus, anything goes.For this reason, I brought my spinning wheel onto campus.Despite the fact that I do really enjoy spinning (and I really like how productive spinning on the wheel feels), I could probably use my fingers to count how many times

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-88271491639487666442011-09-27T16:58:00.003+01:002011-09-27T17:14:38.063+01:00

These were cast on as an experiment - I wanted to know how the Kollage square circular needles felt: were they easier on my hands/wrists/other? What I discovered is that, for me, these circulars are unusable - the cables are too soft and would rather kink through my stitches than let the stitches travel onto the needle. You win some, you lose some.To finish the socks I ordered some (square)

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-78768704816493199022011-09-21T07:50:00.005+01:002011-09-21T08:24:34.118+01:00

It's been quiet for a while, I'm on my second big trip of the month:From top left, clockwise:Lights in Yuanmingyuan parkThe Great Wall of ChinaView of the Marble Boat from Kunming Lake at the Summer PalaceClose up of characters on an arch/bridge in Yuanmingyuan park

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-55211992974260830762011-09-06T10:00:00.001+01:002011-09-06T10:00:02.211+01:00

This was a combination of two ideas: Use up one of those single skeins I bought without a plan.Knit a scarf/shawlette that I can wear easily on a regular basis. The pattern works pretty well with this yarn (although I do like the ones I've seen in solid yarns) but I haven't blocked it (yet?) and it rolls/scrunches quite a lot which hides any of the 'point' around the neck. I do, however, wear it.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-83888055981349050302011-09-05T15:51:00.004+01:002011-09-05T16:00:17.060+01:00

His socks are done! I really like this pattern, it's very effective and the braid at the top is really cute. It's pretty unstretchy and I'm hoping that it might help keep the cotton in this yarn under control. Pattern: Allgäu Socks by Susi Ferguson Yarn: Kraemer Yarns Saucon Sock in Ginger (MC) and Harvest Gold (CC) Mods: Nothing intentional - a couple of mistakes. Project: online on Ravelry.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-89852569815077296292011-08-11T11:00:00.001+01:002011-09-05T16:02:16.999+01:00

Deja-vu? I've knitted something pretty close to this before: On the right - the old; on the left - the new. This was a replacement for the previous leaf which has been declared 'missing in action'. In case you're wondering, the leaf is designed to hung from a tree (hence the loop) and secretly hides a tiny container (which itself hides a tiny logbook). The coordinates for the leaf are listed on

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-14788211208334919202011-08-10T17:00:00.001+01:002011-09-05T16:02:06.270+01:00

The first in a series of finished objects, I'm not too sure why they took so long to reach the blog. These are my Ribbed Ribbon socks. There's a lot to like about these, they're a reasonably straight-forward repeat but not so mindless that there's acres of time to get bored. The socks are a lovely green and the yarn is pretty squishy. I even thought to add stitches to the leg so I could use up a

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-78456914568261906522011-07-28T10:30:00.003+01:002011-09-05T16:01:56.598+01:00

Now this has been on the needles for a very long time... sort of. It was almost all knit and bound off - just the edgings and button bands to knit on but it just sat around waiting to be blocked... for a year. Still, here it is, the first pieced garment I ever started (and the second I finished ;)). Love it! I worried for most of the sewing it up that the sleeves were going to fall exactly in

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-75527268305428566042011-07-27T16:30:00.004+01:002011-07-27T16:39:12.596+01:00

I read a thought-provoking post about mistakes today on The Perfect Fit.As I've been plugging away on this week's WIP Wednesday project, the second of my Allgäu Socks, I've been able to see mistakes in the first that I never knew were there.Spot it? This is the underside of the sock and the mistake is more visible here than on the pattern section.There's two of these... do I care? Well, unusually

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-44827623590287805132011-07-26T09:00:00.001+01:002011-07-26T09:00:02.451+01:00

(If you missed it, part 1 is here).Go go decorating...Day 4: - Decision Made!Hobnob worked late into the evening in order to get the last paint onto the ceiling.(Don't ask what I was working on, it was work work and then it was cancelled - some holiday!)Day 5:Admiring the new light fitting and painting all manner of edges.Day 6:A few more edges and a to-do list for the next week or so forever.Day

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-21281460191653908962011-07-25T15:53:00.009+01:002011-07-25T16:09:17.006+01:00

This weekend (in a that's-quite-enough-decorating-for-this-week moment) we took a trip out to 'Catch the Wind' a kite festival in Morecambe:Lots of kites in all sorts of sizes, shapes and colours, in the above picture you can see two octopi (one green, one multicoloured), a clownfish, a blue fish, a set of dogs and a whole bunch of colourful shapes. (Also some sunbathers, the weather was pretty

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-15781458983226038722011-07-20T16:54:00.010+01:002011-07-25T21:54:31.147+01:00

This week's WIP Wednesday is a little bit different:Day -1...Lots of chaos in here, it's all going to have to be rehomed before we can start work.Day 0...Good, what's next...?Day 1: - Let's Go!Sugar soaping you say? It doesn't look any different to me.Day 2: - Decisions, DecisionsNine tester pots, two colour schemes and finally a few decisions made.Day 3: - Paint inside, cat outsideTime to start

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-73175324031662613862011-07-14T11:13:00.000+01:002011-07-14T11:14:03.450+01:00

Um, that'd be one then...Total 1 books:Delusions of Gender: The Real Science Behind Sex Differences (Cordelia Fine)This book has quite mixed reviews on Amazon and my feelings are broadly similar. The book is highly critical of pop-science gender books and yet delivers something that feels broadly the same. On the plus side, there's lots of interesting research referenced - lots to follow up -

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-80996517570203439382011-07-13T11:30:00.000+01:002011-07-13T11:30:00.894+01:00

This week's WIP Wednesday, second socks:In orange and yellow, what will be a pair of Allgäu Socks for the lovely Hobnob (His). These are a slow and steady project - not terribly exciting to knit but satisfying in appearance (if you like bright colours). I do like the way the stitch pattern works in the pattern. Top-down on 2.5mm needles, progressing slowly.Project: online at RavelryIn a very

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-749004065587720782011-07-12T16:54:00.004+01:002011-07-12T17:07:59.528+01:00

For quite a long time now I have bought clothes I loved and then never worn them because I felt them to be appropriate to some particular time or occasion that I simply never encountered.As I've got older (most noticeably in the last year or so) I've somehow started to realise that (as long as the clothes aren't wholly inappropriate) its ok to wear them in my normal everyday circumstances and

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-25619079051544230672011-07-06T14:47:00.004+01:002011-07-06T15:08:36.860+01:00

This week's WIP Wednesday:Cast on for a new project today. My supply of sock needles was looking a little thin so I ordered two 2.25mm Kollage square circulars as a bit of an experiment. (I ordered from YarnBox if you're wondering).When the needles showed up last night I felt the need to cast on. Rationality held me back a little, so this morning I dug out one of my untouched Natural Stitches

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-15356230953248484452011-07-04T14:21:00.002+01:002011-07-04T14:38:45.209+01:00

I love greens. This is the first of my July Sockdown socks (project online at Ravelry.). The pattern is Wendy Johnson's Ribbed Ribbon Socks from Socks from the Toe Up. I've had this book for a while now and not knit anything from it so was glad to have an extra kick of motivation. I normally don't go for lace on socks but I liked the way this one looked and figured it was worth a go. As it is, I

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-63744414716145619122011-06-03T09:41:00.002+01:002011-06-03T09:41:00.306+01:00

A lovely simple shawl perfect for mindless background knitting:Pattern: Lavalette by Kirsten Kapur.Yarn: Flamboyance Yarns Elysian in colourway Frosted Hedgerow (Fabulous Yarn Club Yarn January 2011).Mods: None.Project: Online at Ravelry.Knit, blocked and finished in just over a week.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-6341713273639935552011-06-02T14:26:00.004+01:002011-07-12T17:33:30.382+01:00

It's been a while...Total 8 books: American Wife (Curtis Sittenfeld)KnitLit: Sweaters and Their Stories...and Other Writing About Knitting (Linda Roghaar & Molly Wolf)KnitLit (too): Stories from Sheep to Shawl . . . and More Writing About Knitting (Linda Roghaar & Molly Wolf)Confessions of a Shopoholic (Sophie Kinsella)Shopoholic Takes Manhattan (Sophie Kinsella)Shopaholic Ties The Knot (Sophie

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-90440138493352508422011-06-01T17:05:00.006+01:002011-06-01T17:19:54.619+01:00

This week's work-in-progress is a Sock Knitters Anonymous SOCKDOWN challenge sock...It's the first of the month and accordingly my WIP is a brand new pair of socks cast on this morning. Unexpectedly, it's the second time I've cast on this project in two days - yesterday I had the date wrong! Fortunately, I also noticed that the yarn couldn't really be described as self-striping (stripes nowhere

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-81611509517492032622011-05-24T12:52:00.001+01:002011-05-24T12:52:00.535+01:00

Last week I had a bead-purging session in the attic (land of all crafts) and Hobnob took some photos:This is the new box of 'Brownie' beads - I did have Brownie beads sorted by colour but they get mixed up every time and I needed to let go of that particular obsession.Now I just need to find some good crafty projects for the beads I've hung on to!

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-3294134933004245922011-05-23T17:40:00.003+01:002011-05-30T22:38:25.712+01:00

Last Wednesday I was planning to take a trip to Barrow-in-Furness. By train this is usually a pretty quick journey, but right now they're doing some work on the viaduct from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands and the replacement coach services put on are taking rather longer than the train might usually do - I therefore *needed* to take a knitting project.Current projects include two garments (one to

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-73020863148148811492011-05-13T20:35:00.004+01:002011-05-13T20:42:24.393+01:00

Four months in the making, Hobnob's Jagged socks are finally complete and modeled:I think this pattern is lovely. I really like the way the cuff looks and the whole pattern looks particularly well defined in this yarn. They're now glued to Hobnob's feet with a declaration that he is wearing them for the rest of the evening and tomorrow.Pattern: Jagged by Kirstin Kapur.Yarn: Kollage Luscious in

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-75573835816767928122011-03-31T22:17:00.003+01:002011-03-31T22:34:47.628+01:00

Inspired by...Day 4: Whatever happened to your __________?Write about the fate of a past knitting project. Whether it be something that you crocheted or knitted for yourself or to give to another person. An item that lives with you or something which you sent off to charity.There are a lot of different aspects to look at when looking back at a knitting project and it can make for interesting

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-90549368882870766552011-03-30T22:28:00.005+01:002011-03-30T22:49:05.823+01:00

Inspired by...Day 3: How do you keep your yarn wrangling organised? It seems like an easy to answer question at first, but in fact organisation exists on many levels. Maybe you are truly not organised at all, in which case I am personally daring you to try and photograph your stash in whatever locations you can find the individual skeins. However, if you are organised, blog about an aspect of

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-23871303476989925682011-03-29T19:49:00.004+01:002011-03-30T22:46:33.254+01:00

Inspired by...Day 2: Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. Have you learned any new skills or forms of knitting/crochet (can you crochet cable stitches now where you didn’t even know such things existed last year? Have you recently put a foot in the tiled world of entrelac? Had you even picked up a

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-73422723174438598302011-03-28T15:01:00.024+01:002011-04-12T22:57:58.840+01:00

Inspired by...Day 1: Part of any fibre enthusiast’s hobby is an appreciation of yarn. Choose two yarns that you have either used, are in your stash or which you yearn after and capture what it is you love or loathe about them.I have many yarn-related thoughts, but today I thought I'd use this as a great opportunity to finally post some of my handspun efforts. Back in November I posted about my

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-49071808053875118712011-03-03T09:50:00.003Z2011-03-03T09:58:28.145Z

One oversized snail taking on some University grass:Glad it's finished, not a pattern I love. I do, however rather like the orange yarn. It's Patons Linen Touch which I've used for a couple of projects now (Helix, Infolab Baby Sweater and a hat).Pattern: Garden Snail by Hansi Singh.Yarn: A selection of blue mystery yarns from ebay and Patons Linen Touch in Mandarin from Lancaster Indoor

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-46654629681495979442011-02-24T15:37:00.003Z2011-02-24T16:10:31.309Z

I've been on another startitus kick and combined it with some sort of sock kick. I did manage to reign it in at a piffling two projects (but I may have patterns printed and yarn gathered for at least three more pairs of socks...). This is one of those new projects, started last week when I spotted a £2.60 sock yarn in my local market and thought that 'it would be rude not to at least try it':The

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-12864549703617264612011-02-09T15:52:00.003Z2011-02-09T16:02:42.269Z

This week's work-in-progress is almost a finished object... almost!You wouldn't necessarily recognise the item from this photo, but it's a shawl - Citron - from Winter 2009's Knitty.I've been working on this since a plane journey last month - the yarn was wound, pattern printed and a wooden needle all empty and ready, a perfect travel project. The knitting is really quite mindless and it's

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-27911655437802920122011-01-24T15:06:00.005Z2011-01-24T15:32:56.862Z

I sat down last night and finally got around to starting one of those knits I've been meaning to start for a while - even better, I finished it too :)My plan was to pick a leaf pattern and knit it up in some bits of green Zauberball leftover from my Honeymoon Socks. I flicked through my 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet and settled on an Oak Leaf. The pattern calls for DK weight yarn so I held the

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-44569403504395848272011-01-11T10:10:00.002Z2011-05-13T20:42:13.029+01:00

A first finished object for 2011, this is Gwen, a cardigan in super-bulky yarn. I cast this on during the evening of New Year's Day and was done with the knitting by the third. I then spent the next few evenings learning how to do mattress stitch, shoulder seams and set in sleeves (not necessarily in that order). Putting it together was surprisingly enjoyable, and here it is:Pattern: Gwen by Kim

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-5362891975493692482011-01-10T12:14:00.007Z2011-01-24T15:33:10.475Z

2010 was the first year where I would definitely have called myself a knitter right from the off. Having moved on from that first scarf in 2008, I spent 2009 progressing through a variety of projects with varying degrees of success until, somewhere on the Natural Stitches sofa, it finally clicked.So in 2010 I've been pushing my knitting boundaries, and I've produced 19 projects - one of which

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-42978249430088644612011-01-09T12:27:00.001Z2011-01-24T15:32:56.872Z

My final finished object for 2010:A pair of real, actual fitting colourwork socks. I thought this might be inachievable, but they're complete and they go over my heel, all is well! Pattern: Hot Waves by Lynn DT Hershberger. This is my second pattern from The Joy of Sox which I like very much (the first was Make-Up Socks) - so many beautiful patterns.Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in colours

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-26106639537337860462011-01-08T22:12:00.004Z2011-01-24T15:32:56.877Z

Another Christmas break FO:The lovely Aphrodite socks! I think these socks are fabulous, I will either knit these again or another of Jeanie's patterns - perhaps both. Once again I've been let down slightly by my photography skills and/or the poor winter light, but I promise these really are stunning socks. The yarn is a lovely colour. I finished these on the 28th of December and for reasons

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-65594844345209773472011-01-07T11:38:00.003Z2011-01-24T15:32:56.882Z

Time to catch up on those last FOs for 2010. Haruni was finished on the 4th December, right in the middle of the UK's early snowy cold snap - not great weather for photographing a shawl!Here's a shot of it dangling over some (unattractive) railings in our local park.And here's a photo showing a bit of the lace as I wore the shawl over my coat. This turned out not to yield great photos either.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-68418748809438048672010-12-08T14:56:00.005Z2011-07-12T17:11:19.778+01:00

This week's work(s)-in-progress include a new pair of socks, and a slowly-progressing older pair of socks. First the new...These are my Aphrodite socks which I'm knitting for the Ravelry Sock Knitters Anonymous SOCKDOWN Challenge November (I cast them on on November 30th so they will just scrape in if they are finished before the deadline).I think this pattern (Aphrodite by Jeannie Cartmel) is

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-10805259781426906172010-11-27T09:12:00.001Z2010-11-27T09:12:00.843Z

When I'm not knitting, working or Guiding, I occasionally go looking for a Geocache or two. Geocaches are containers that are hidden at a particular set of coordinates. They typically contain some sort of log book and may also contain some small toys or other goodies. At the moment, I'm not doing much in the way of finding, but I do maintain six of my own geocaches including one next to the River

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-77628472529449457092010-11-26T10:48:00.007Z2011-09-05T16:02:57.456+01:00

On Thursday lunchtimes a small group (read 'very small') of folks at the University meet to knit (most often)/crochet/spin, eat lunch, and chat. This Thursday, as I pulled my intended knitting (the second of the October colourwork socks) out of my bag, I realised I'd forgotten the pattern. Since the pattern starts with a non-standard toe, I clearly wasn't going to be working on that. Instead, I

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-44753917787175670772010-11-22T22:32:00.004Z2011-01-24T15:32:56.890Z

These should have been a very quick knit, but they fell off the radar after the first hand was done. I finally cast on for the second one at the start of last week and, after knitting two and a bit times, both mitts are finished!The following pictures look almost summery against that nice green grass, but I am wholly convinced that it is in fact much colder in reality.Pattern: Improvised.Yarn:

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-14248415867722447462010-11-21T15:43:00.005Z2011-01-24T15:32:56.894Z

Another finished object! This was my 'quick win' project which I cast on earlier in the month because I was beginning to feel like I would never finish anything and so all those things I was itching to cast on would never get their chance. I was hoping that a quick knit would help me find some motivation to get going with some finishing things off.Verity did knit up very quickly, and before the

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-49470338379027305692010-11-13T15:50:00.009Z2011-01-24T15:32:56.899Z

Over seven months have passed since I cast off this Finished Object, but I've finally got my backside into gear and woven in that last end. So here it is, my Summer Scarf:Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery.Yarn: Kraemer Yarns Sterling Silk & Silver. Bought at Natural Stitches, Pittsburgh.Mods: None.Project: Online at Ravelry.Having originally knit this up far too long, I now have plenty

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-80550148117813173152010-11-11T15:38:00.005Z2010-11-13T14:44:52.345Z

A few posts ago, I made a passing reference to my attendance at a handspun spinning workshop with the intention of dedicating a proper post to my adventures later on. It seems some time has passed, and some not-unrelated bits and bobs are wanting to make their way into the blog, so here goes...8th OctoberMy somewhat-disappointing birthday has just passed and I am wondering how to treat myself.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-82090848789104195532010-11-10T15:22:00.004Z2010-11-10T15:34:26.446Z

This week's work-in-progress has been on the needles since October the first, and since then it's moved only occasionally and very, very slowly. Why? Well, it turns out I haven't actually spent any time knitting it...So here it is - one lonely almost-sock:So far so good.Just 7 rows to go until the ribbing, then go back and knit the heel, then start the other one. Lovely.---(This is the Hot Waves

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-66530050915581678192010-11-03T13:56:00.003Z2010-11-03T14:05:52.805Z

I was beginning to feel like I would never complete any of the projects currently on my needles, and I had so many things I was itching to cast on. So on Saturday I finally gave up and started this week's work-in-progress, a Verity:(you can view the project on Ravelry, here)A few days later, and although it may not be obvious from the picture, this hat (just in case you were wondering) is almost

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-65176986974420070742010-11-02T23:22:00.005Z2010-11-03T13:48:13.913Z

Our cats are clearly old and boring...Kirkby tried to bite my knitting needles for perhaps the first two evenings of knitting ever. Then she clearly decided that she'd exhausted all knitting needle related excitement. Molly never bothered with knitting at all.Apart from that, I've had the yarn from one fair isle mitten knotted for me when I accidentally left it on the floor. Since then, I've

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-78713554526755923072010-11-01T22:02:00.004Z2010-11-03T14:25:47.428Z

A tale in 15 parts...1) A while ago now, the Mosey legwarmers I was knitting sat around waiting to be finished. The reason was simply that I did not posses a set of 4.5mm double-pointed needles.2) Coincidentally, around this time Kollage had brought out their square double-points which I quite fancied trying. I looked up their UK suppliers and placed an order with the one that had an online shop

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-52508662563260326202010-10-27T16:30:00.003+01:002010-11-03T13:49:34.825Z

Spotted this in a thread on the Ravelry forums, it's sort of neat, but... doesn't the yarn get dirty? Or are everyone else's floors cleaner than ours?

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-91945497938425466782010-10-20T15:05:00.003+01:002011-01-24T15:32:56.902Z

First pair of completed socks for the Sock Knitters Anonymous SOCKDOWN! Here are my September Socks:Pattern: Make-Up Socks by Kristen Kapur (a pattern from The Joy of Sox)Yarn: Fyberspates Sheila's Sock in colourway Russet. Bought online at Fyberspates.Mods: None.Project: online at Ravelry.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-24767281512948510502010-10-18T10:34:00.009+01:002010-11-03T13:50:32.555Z

It was a busy week last week. In the strange world of academia deadlines are prophesied as long-distant events that will one-day come to pass. And so they stay, forever in the future, until... like a thief in the night the long-foreseen deadline is suddenly upon you and people are finally prepared to dedicate some moments of their precious time to writing a few words for that paper you hope to

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-53900780642777208182010-10-06T16:31:00.004+01:002010-10-06T16:38:00.525+01:00

This week's work in progress is still my September Socks/Socks for September: They're actually progressing quite well. They were held up for a while as I've been at a conference and got zero knitting done on my travels but now the heels have been turned and before you know it I'll be halfway up the leg (hopefully). Although the pattern is getting a little more repetitive as I progress, I am

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-20126487220403348712010-09-22T16:21:00.004+01:002010-09-22T16:41:03.928+01:00

So, on Monday I mentioned that:1) I have an issue with startitus at the moment2) I'd cast on a project that wasn't quite ready to be declared yetSo here it is...This week's work in progress is... a pair of fingerless cabled mittens! I ditched the original idea for a picot cast-on (too bulky) and replaced it with a twisted german (my default variant of long-tail) cast on. This is much better

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-91906131087808756592010-09-21T09:42:00.007+01:002010-09-21T10:06:11.936+01:00

Last Tuesday I started my September Socks, my first attempt at participation in SOCKDOWN - a challenge to knit a pair of socks a month (except August - everyone needs a break now and then) as part of the Ravelry group Sock Knitter's Anonymous. The options for September were:1) Any pattern in black or white or both (but not grey).2) September's mystery sock pattern in black or white.3) Any pattern

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-56603613705086164782010-09-20T16:35:00.000+01:002010-09-20T16:35:23.129+01:00

Something about the 20-somethings of September must breed startitus. I was just going to write a little blog post wondering how I got from having all my projects under control, even being an entirely monogamous knitter for a while, to this...Six projects on the go, plus one I haven't actually put into Ravelry yet because I cast on over lunch today and I'm not sure I'm happy with the cast on yet.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-5668706400642280492010-09-20T16:22:00.001+01:002010-09-20T16:23:55.765+01:00

My Ravelry Blog Swap box is off on its way to its destination:

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-34515553905344098752010-09-18T18:56:00.005+01:002011-09-05T16:03:03.766+01:00

One not-so-little snail creeping across my carpet: And outside, where perhaps he might better belong: Pattern: Garden Snail by Hansi Singh. Yarn: A selection of blue mystery yarns from ebay and Patons Linen Touch in Mandarin from Lancaster Indoor Market (a leftover from the Infolab Baby Sweater). Mods: Dropped the needle size a bit to reflect the DK weight yarn being used. Used even smaller

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-84637248603950614982010-09-16T17:11:00.000+01:002010-09-16T17:11:12.111+01:00

As promised, here's the bonus item from the Ravelry blog swap (seven parcels opened over seven days, my parcels gifted by Fiolinn in Norway). Remember back at the start when I mentioned that there was 'a roll of paper that looks suspiciously like it may contain some sort of knitting pattern'..? Well, here it is:And inside was the pattern for Lori Law's Sleepy Hollow Socks, which I first

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-24321936034232506542010-09-15T23:51:00.002+01:002010-09-15T23:52:51.267+01:00

Final parcel (almost - look out for one last bonus post tomorrow) from the Ravelry blog swap (seven parcels opened over seven days, my parcels gifted by Fiolinn in Norway):And the label read:Inside was a yummy Zauberball and a really wee lavender bag *sniff*:Now this didn't photograph so well (not helped by the late hour at which the picture was taken) but it's a simpler colourway than the one

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-18861962652527662442010-09-15T16:09:00.004+01:002010-09-15T16:19:39.753+01:00

This week's work in progress is my 'September Socks' - my first attempt at participation in the Sock Knitters Anonymous ongoing SOCKDOWN challenge.This is the Make-Up Socks pattern from The Joy of Sox and it's the project I was getting excited about last week, I just had to wait for the book to arrive :). This is one of a number of patterns I'm gagging to knit from this book - I love it!The yarn

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-3367885084763542482010-09-14T22:46:00.001+01:002010-09-14T22:47:34.701+01:00

Eek, we're already on parcel number six from the Ravelry blog swap (seven parcels opened over seven days, my parcels gifted by Fiolinn in Norway) - only one more left :(. Still, here's number six, all artfully wrapped:And on the label...And inside, the wrapping revealed:Three goodies for embellishment: some pink organza ribbon, a large white button and some vintage white lacy ribbon/edging. I

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-73121344283084663932010-09-13T23:26:00.001+01:002010-09-13T23:27:33.160+01:00

Here is parcel number five from the Ravelry blog swap (seven parcels opened over seven days, my parcels gifted by Fiolinn in Norway):So well wrapped, I'm sure once I get the tape out for mine they will look nowhere near as artistic as these. Here's the reverse of the label:And here's the treasure:Nom, nom, nom! Thanks Fiolinn, I look forward to trying this :)

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-424560681096365372010-09-12T23:12:00.005+01:002010-09-12T23:43:14.047+01:00

Here is parcel number four from the Ravelry blog swap (seven parcels opened over seven days, my parcels gifted by Fiolinn in Norway). Unfortunately, this is one of a few parcels that wobbled around a bit in transit and so had escaped most of its wrapping. Still, here's the label...And the contents:Two skeins of 123 Luna Wool - a 100% wool worsted weight yarn - as Fiolinn says, ideal for felting.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-47160742788944925832010-09-11T22:41:00.004+01:002010-09-12T23:26:35.220+01:00

This is parcel number three from the Ravelry blog swap (seven parcels opened over seven days, my parcels gifted by Fiolinn in Norway). Unfortunately, this is one of a few parcels that wobbled around a bit in transit and, as a result, weren't quite so artfully wrapped as the others. But still, here's the label...What a world of possibilities! So here's what was inside the parcel:These are quite

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-71867910259144039702010-09-10T23:22:00.008+01:002010-09-10T23:37:49.392+01:00

Here's parcel number two from the Ravelry blog swap (seven parcels opened over seven days, my parcels gifted by Fiolinn in Norway):And the lovely label read:So now I have a suspicion what this might contain, but I'm not big on speculating about presents - squishing and smelling aren't really for me - so I move on and open it.A little organza bag containing 6 stunning stitch markers. I really love

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-80746473834113704862010-09-09T22:36:00.001+01:002010-09-09T22:39:51.077+01:00

I've posted a few times recently about a blog swap I'm participating in. In this swap, which was spawned on the Ravelry bloggers group, Eskimimi has matched up participants such that everyone will received a parcel from one person and will send a parcel to another different person. In each case, only the person sending the parcel knows about the partnership - the recipient doesn't know who is

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-89588632367579309882010-09-09T14:23:00.004+01:002011-09-05T16:03:10.070+01:00

A heavy, squishy, warm shawl thing for me! (photos by Hobnob) Pattern: Colonnade by Stephen West. Yarn: Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky, in colourway Emerald City and colourway Londonberry, from Natural Stitches, Pittsburgh. Mods: None. Project: online at Ravelry.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-43037960076428335052010-09-09T12:05:00.004+01:002010-09-09T12:31:20.524+01:00

On Sunday night whilst I waited for Hobnob to finish watching James Bond (yes, I know there's more than one; no, I don't know which one it was - they all look the same to me) I got a bit distracted by yarn.Ruth had been knitting with some Fyberspates Ethereal (a 4ply cashmere/silk blend) on Saturday which she'd bought in the sale because of some very slight colour imperfections. I figured that

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-14474106564238314092010-09-08T13:54:00.023+01:002010-09-08T17:00:22.883+01:00

This week's work in progress is 'Helix' - hopefully the final item for my Ravelry blog swap package. Pictured is one (almost complete) part out of two. Can you guess what it is yet...?Done guessing? Click to show pattern information.Click to hide pattern information.This is the Garden Snail pattern from Amigurumi Knits. I wanted something small to knit so I could put a handmade item into my

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-62606242521551907072010-09-06T16:11:00.010+01:002010-09-08T16:55:26.885+01:00

Yesterday lunchtime, there was a knock on the door and I got excited. I'd ordered some new DPNs from p2tog.com so I could put the last bits together for the knitting bloggers swap I blogged about recently and she often hand delivers to me if she's passing through. So, I grab Hobnob's keys from the back door and open up, only to find... a postman holding a parcel!Two exciting things to note here:1

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-70186212229971325742010-09-01T17:33:00.003+01:002010-09-01T17:50:13.023+01:00

This week's work in progress is the lovely Colonnade Shawl. This was a pattern I stumbled upon whilst scouring Ravelry for reasons to buy some really quite squishy Cascade Baby Alpaca Chunky.Having gotten well into Chart B on my Haruni, I figured another new project would be needed for this years Transformers holiday (am I ever home at the moment?) and so I took yarn and needles for two projects

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-7673931097569904962010-08-16T23:16:00.005+01:002010-09-08T16:55:10.777+01:00

The lovely Eskimimi has organised a knitting bloggers swap on Ravelry, and so I've been shopping...£8.60 at Cocoon (plus about £3 for some new stitch markers for me, where do they all go?). And £12 at Fyberspates (and I was restrained and didn't buy anything for me at all).At least as exciting as buying for me, I do hope my partner likes her treats. I've just a few more bits to get and then I can

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-53689737265070175992010-08-11T08:47:00.000+01:002010-08-11T21:00:23.067+01:00

This week's work in progress is the lovely Haruni. I first encountered Haruni at Natural Stitches (website | Ravelry link) where David (Ravelry link) was working on his (Ravelry link) in a lovely rich dark blue.Since I needed a new project for Armenia (rather than carrying lots of partially completed projects), I thought Haruni would be the perfect candidate as there was some nice thinking

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-23301038655055078632010-08-08T13:53:00.004+01:002010-08-08T15:34:29.087+01:00

So it's been a while because we have been camping and so in a land of no Internets. Since my last post, time has passed roughly as follows:Friday: visited a cultural museum/historic site with Simona & Lilit (two young Guide Leaders who have been guiding us around Yerevan and accompanying us to the recruitment/activity days). This was followed by a visit to an Armenian/Lebanese restaurant which

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-47142548179362050002010-07-29T15:19:00.002+01:002010-07-29T15:25:02.947+01:00

So far we've completed two recruitment/activity days in nearby towns/villages. Both days went well but the second day has resulted in the opening of a Guide unit in that village which is very exciting.Today was a rest day (after a training we were planning to run was postponed) and we used it to visit the genocide museum in Yerevan. We had an English guide who talked us around the displays

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-51251982555251674452010-07-24T09:55:00.003+01:002010-07-24T10:04:43.650+01:00

So, I've fleetingly mentioned GOLD (once here, and then a second time here), and I had the greatest of intentions to follow those brief mentions with some actual information. Unfortunately, as is the way, I totally failed to do anything about letting people know what was going on and now I'm in Armenia!So the story begins in October last year when I attending a Guiding weekend called INTOPS (

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-33932024187205218412010-07-20T21:14:00.005+01:002011-01-24T15:32:56.913Z

Lizi wanted some legwarmers...(Top photo taken by me, the other two kindly and more artfully taken by Hobnob)Pattern: Mosey by Susan Power.Yarn: Patons Wool Blend Aran, in colourway Beige, from The Indoor Market, Lancaster.Mods: None to speak of.Project: online at Ravelry.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-9552210323813089822010-07-20T12:42:00.004+01:002010-10-28T11:15:11.571+01:00

So, back in April I bought myself an iPod touch. It had been playing on my mind and when I suddenly found myself in the Apple Shop on Regent Street, London, it felt like it was meant to be. The new iPod goes everywhere, if only as a more portable web browser than my laptop and as a way of saving trees when geocaching (I still need the GPSr though as the iPod doesn't have the built in GPSr that is

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09046416342897579055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-84242504816944964632010-07-03T10:50:00.004+01:002011-09-05T16:03:45.553+01:00

I still have a whole host of projects on the blocking/finishing pile, but here is the first completely finished object since the wedding... I started these socks on the plane at the start of the honeymoon and finished them off just after we got back. Pattern: Smoking Hot Socks by Monika Steinbauer. Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball from Natural Stitches, Pittsburgh. Mods: 64 stitches wide

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-77677279142164920892010-06-30T15:40:00.003+01:002010-06-30T15:52:34.094+01:00

It's coming up for a year since I first discovered Eskimimi's blog, it's still fabulous and... as of today Eskimimi has launched her own hand-dyed yarn - it's awesome. She blogs about it here, and the shop is hosted by Etsy, here.I've just bought this lovely yarn:(image grabbed from Eskimimi's shop on Etsy)Which is inspired by blue hydrangeas, the same flowers as in my wedding bouquet:(photo by

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-62704935151658577982010-06-04T22:33:00.000+01:002010-06-30T15:40:19.670+01:00

I meant to take pictures of the many things we made but I mostly didn't get chance. Still, here are a couple:Table plan:Place card:I was surprised at how well the crafting all worked out. Some was a bit last minute but it all looked lovely once it was done.

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-31187349661194354832010-05-26T10:58:00.004+01:002011-01-24T15:32:56.921Z

Apologies for the somewhat infrequent posting, it seems this wedding business consumes rather more time than I might have expected. Still, we're nearly there now...!---This is the first Finished Object for a while, I was trying to be all monogamous with my knitting. It was kind of going quite well. I finished all the projects I had on my needles with the exception of the Lace Ribbon Scarf (Summer

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-56413954883209469092010-04-28T14:16:00.003+01:002010-04-29T14:35:13.945+01:00

Here's the third of my knitcroblo blog posts. Mimi asks..."Write about a knitter whose work (whether because of project choice, photography, styling, scale of projects, stash, etc) you enjoy. If they have an enjoyable blog, you might find it a good opportunity to send a smile their way."Well, I'm with mooncalfmakes here, Eskimimi's projects always offer me some inspiration. I love colour, and

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-47107388602971000802010-04-27T09:47:00.002+01:002010-04-28T11:39:01.717+01:00

Here's the second of my knitcroblo blog posts. Mimi asks..."Blog about a pattern or project which you aspire to. Whether it happens to be because the skills needed are ones which you have not yet acquired, or just because it seems like a huge undertaking of time and dedication, most people feel they still have something to aspire to in their craft. If you don’t feel like you have any left of the

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-9475597222366837112010-04-26T13:43:00.001+01:002010-04-28T11:38:12.849+01:00

Here's the first of my knitcroblo blog posts. Mimi asks..."How and when did you begin knitting/crocheting? was it a skill passed down through generations of your family, or something you learned from Knitting For Dummies? What or who made you pick up the needles/hook for the first time? Was it the celebrity knitting ‘trend’ or your great aunt Hilda?"KnittingI first started knitting in a variety

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-55652268599318244732010-04-22T16:30:00.005+01:002010-04-22T16:36:52.672+01:00

(image from this post at eskimimi knits)Look out blogging world - starting Monday knitters and crocheters worldwide will be blogging about yarn, projects and all things fibre-related. The lovely Mimi is running the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week - during which bloggers will post on a given topic each day. Full details can be found on her blog: here. I'm looking to use it as a good excuse to get

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44123429310292568.post-86417791660332484672010-04-04T15:24:00.004+01:002011-01-24T15:32:56.925Z

Intended for this Christmas but started a little late, now to be kept for next Christmas...Pattern: Snow Chain Mittens by Jessica Fielder Yarn: Stylecraft Brushstrokes in Rose Blush (a truly horrible yarn to knit with, it really irritated my skin).Mods: None as such, but did follow the suggestion to invert the cables on the second mitten.Project: Online at Ravelry

Saffyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08051776878244912892noreply@blogger.com0