New leaves are turning

While back-reading some long-neglected blogs on my bloglines tonight, I came across a post which truely cheered me up on a pretty dismal evening. And it reminded me how I felt about blogging and why I'm disappointed in the way I've let this one go. To be honest I never really got it started in the way I would like. But I figure promising to post more often is unrealistic, so quality and not quantity is the way to go. Tonight I have more quantity than quality, but baby steps - right?

Lots of photos! This cost me the price of a replacement camera, they had better be worth it!

Yarny Resolutions!

So I hmmed and haaed about whether I would put these out in public, given my amazing ability to think big and achieve nothing! But I decided celebrating a goal that no-one knew I had wouldn't be all that fun, so here we are :) Fairytalefrog's over-achieving resolutions for 2010:

1. 20:10 Holiday buying
The aim this year is not to buy yarn if I can at all avoid it. However, I am going to Vancouver and Seattle in February and I would be lying if I told you I won't buy yarn while I'm away. So in an attempt to justify the buying, I am setting myself a challenge. For every 20 stash balls knitted up between now and February 11th (departure date) I can buy ten balls while I'm away. If I don't make it to 20 I can't buy any! I'm already two down so this doesn't seem too impossible ... but lets just say I'm staying away from socks and lace right now!

2. Birthday Splurge
On my return from holiday I will be packing away the lovely new yarn, as an incentive for later when I deserve it. So throughout March up to my April birthday, I'll be aiming to knit up 2010 yards of icky yarn from the stash. If I meet this total I'll be allowed to buy something lush and expensive for my birthday treat. If not, well ... it's my party and I'll cry if I want to!

3. 'Tis the season
As in 2009 I did not finish one person's present in time for Christmas, this year I intend to tackle it early. I aim to knit at least one Christmas present a month throughout 2010, so that I am relaxed with plenty of presents come the festive season. However, I might have to skip January and make two in February as I'm still finishing the Christmas 2009 list currently ... ahem ... moving swiftly on ....

4. Rack 'em up
There's a common goal to knit 100 balls in a year, a nice round number that's good to aim for. However, I've got a LOT of yarn and 100 balls gone this year just isn't enough. So, seeing as I like these things that play on the year .... I'm aiming to use 201 balls in 2010. What's that you say about unrealistic? But it's less than one a day!

5. WIP 'em into shape
While on holiday in Berlin, well removed from the well-spread stash of knitting supplies across both mine and my parents' house, I was able to list 50 UFOs. That's a lot. I'm sure there's more. I'm not ruling out three figures, just so you know. So this year, they're coming down. I must completely finish 2 UFOs (ends woven in and everything!) before I can cast on for something new. And what's more, that something new must be completely finished or frogged before I can start anything else. Tough love.


So there you have it, some pretty lofty goals. And there is one more which is so crazy I'm not even paying it lip service right now. If I make it, I will report it .... but for now, I'll keep my craziness to myself. I'm not ready for the padded cell just yet!


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2009 - a review

So 2009 is gone and, I have to say, I'm not too sad about that. It wasn't a great year for me. Nothing dramatic happened, no great tragedy or change of circumstances. But as the year went on I felt a less and less happy, more out of control, more stressed and like time was not on my side.

It was by no means the worst I've felt and in many ways there were some really good times. But I recognised a few old bad habits returning and for a while was worried that I was incapable of stopping it. But still I've become one of those people that sits and surveys how much there is to do, talks about how overwhelming it is and does absolutelty nothing about it.

Recently I felt filled with the renewed energy of a New Year, a refreshed mind and a new attitude for 2010. So I'm trying to look forward to a fresh start and make some changes. So far the knitting resolutions seem to be going OK .... I got the priorities right there!

Lest we forget

Slowly catching up ....

When last I was here I was telling you about the up and coming Moonwalk, which we duly completed and gathered plenty of sponsorship money too. But I have not sorted out the (one, perhaps two) photos we have documenting the event, so the full story will have to wait for another day.

Today we shall be catching up on September's first completed project, for my family's latest addition. Back in April (I know, how could it have taken me so long?!) my cousin and his wife brought their little baby girl Ellie into the world. And oh! such plans I had to knit for her! Well it took some time, but she finally has a knitted item from the resident family knitter. I present to you Ellie's spring green baby shrug:



Now I had high hopes for all the knitting I would do for this new family member. After all, who can resist the cute baby knit patterns and quick finishing times! Yet here I am, nearly six months after her birth, and the poor girl has only received one little baby shrug. Well, there were many failed attempts before this, let me tell you.



First was the pink yoked baby sweater, which is finished (all except for it's buttons ... that seems to be a blocking point for me) but apparently MizzAdamz's six year old son could squeeze himself into it, if he so desired. So that went to the "present for much later in her life" pile. Then came the baby blanket, which had a promising start as I zoomed through the garter stitch centre, but failed miserably at the border (that one i'm sure will deserve a post of its own when I can face it again). And then came the knit-in-a-flash little lacy vest, which is gorgeous but probably would only fit her for a week. So that was a no-go ...... then I bought a lovely little dress for her (which of course I forgot to take a photograph of) and decided to make something to match it.



Cue a skein of Red Heart Soft Yarn that I had in waiting to be a cable scarf, one week of knitting on the bus and at tea breaks in work, et voila! One completed baby garment, in a size that might actually fit her in now or at least within the next year - success!



Now, this is not a perfect garment at all. Above is the pretty matress stitch side seam (which I love) but even it has a dodgy loose stitch at the bottom (which I believe might have something to do with the picking up of stitches for the rib and wish I had noticed and fixed before I gave it away). But the real problem was the ugly sleeve seam (see below).



Now, this was as neat as I knew how to make it at the time. But the very same day I was catching up on some blog reading and found this post on CrazyAuntPurl. So now I know and the next one will have beautiful seams, I assure you. But I'm sure this one will look fine on, don't you think?

Charity - Knitters do the MoonWalk

I know I haven't been about, but that's all going to change starting tomorrow! I will be taking part in a 5.5 mile sponsored walk with two friends around Belfast city centre. It's in aid of the Northern Ireland Hospice and it starts at 10pm (it's a Moonwalk, but I won't be doing it backwards).

What I will be doing is knitting - while I'm walking! There may be some injuries ensuing if I don't see lamp-posts, but it's worth a try! So wish me luck and there will be plenty of pictures to post afterwards!

Oh and if anyone would like to donate, here's our page.

Missing Mojo

I can't believe it has been almost a year since I posted here. What a disgrace!

And to add to the underachieving, I have no pictures of knitting to share *gasp* My knitting mojo has escaped me and I am struggling to knit at all, let alone finish or photograph anything. So while I knit in front of CSI and try to get something worthy of a post, I present to you my word:

Your Word is "Peace"

You see life as precious, and you wish everyone was safe, happy, and taken care of. Social justice, human rights, and peace for all nations are all important to you. While you can't stop war, you try to be as calm and compassionate as possible in your everyday life. You promote harmony and cooperation. You're always willing to meet someone a little more than halfway.

What's Your Word?

(quiz link stolen from Gilraen's Knits)

According to that description, I should be entering Miss World! What do you think? Is this me?

Ravelry Anniversary

As the title may suggest, all links in this post are ravelry links :)

So I have been on ravelry for a year now and I don't know how I lived without it (although I imagine procrastination was less fun and ran out quicker back in those days!). I love having my stash records with the wondrous location field (so I know where to find a particular ball of yarn ... well, if I've gotten around to adding it!). I love the forums, where I lurk all over the show and get lost in all manners of topics. I love being able to see patterns at the touch of a button and seeing everyone's else's FOs and comments (I read so many projects whenever I'm going to do one of my own!! lol).

So yes, ravelry I love you ... please never leave me! :D

And I have joined up for the Ravelympics and started Team Belfast SnB (I'm also in Team Stashdown). My event is the Sweater Sprint and I will be knitting Knitty's Emerald cardigan in Sirdar Cossack (Emerald colourway). So it's my Double Emerald project. I'll be in Donegal when the Olympics start, so plenty of time for my first ever sweater project.

And to keep a bit of photographic interest around these parts, here's a bad picture of a recently finished object. Can you tell what it is yet?

Shopping Spree!

Ok so it's all Nikki's fault. First of all I was at her house for the weekend and on Monday she encouraged me to buy yarn from GetKnitted:



That's three skeins of Tofutsies (the black and white at the front is Nikki's), two skeins of Koigu KPPPM (unfortunately they are also Nikki's) and three skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in Tomato for my mum's birthday present (the Shawl Collar from Knitting New Scarves). I also signed up for the Lorna's Laces Sock Club - ooh the excitement!

Then she went into a LYS yesterday and discovered their sock yarn on sale for £1/ball, so I told her to surprise me with some (two 50g skeins blue and two skeins purple):

So, of course, I had to go in and check what else they had on sale today:



Two 50g skeins of Regia Stretch Crazy colour sock yarn, one 100g skein of Woolcraft sock yarn and two 100g skeins of Wendy Beach Baby - all £1/ball. And then I went and bought some non-yarn stuff too. But hey, I'm just spending my first pay check in advance! lol I start my new job on August 18th and I have lots of bus knitting yarn to keep me going now!

Random observation .....

Casting off a sock on the top of a double decker bus navigating its way across a series of speed bumps is not fun.

Take note!