Swaps and stuff!

Hmm it seems Allison thinks we are traitors for buying YF but my reasoning was this - it was only hipknits that let us down and I don't shop with them but the magazine range it actually good (I don't subscribe though - still don't trust that bit) but my newsagent stocks them and I am supporting her. Plus I think that YF is one of the nicest mags on the shelf bar my occasional treat of 'The Knitter'. Any way I like it so there!


Now back to beading - Claire I would love some banana silk sounds fab what weight of it do you have? and what sort of beads would you like in return? Currently in my stock I have size 11's, size 8's and size 6's plus toho and miyuki triangles in size 10's. I also have large and small drop beads, long bugles and size 15's (teeny tiny beads). I have a large range of colours in most of the above and will post pics once I know what you are interested in. I am happy to swap beads with anyone else who fancies some - I wondered if weight for weight would be OK so 100g say for 100g (any combination of beads and colours). Let me know what you think?

Barbara asked about beading books - my favourite book is 'The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving' by Carol Wilcox Wells but there are newer and better books out there that explain things better. One thing that I have found is that Americans describe things differently to us and it can be confusing (I had 2 American ladies in my classes a while back and it took me a ages to work out how to explain things 'their way' ).

I have as a swap item a copy of The Beaders Bible by Claire Crouchley - it has been on my shelf for a while but is in good condition - it has good instuctions on Peyote, brick, and square stitches plus loom work and then lots of 'pictures' to bead - if anyone fancies this then please suggest a swap.

So that's it for today - am hoping to go with Lottie to get a prom dress later (will have to take the unfinished Tilia with me), they didn't do stuff like this when I went to school Bah humbug!

I am still here - just!

Sorry I have been watching but not participating in blogging recently as I have felt so shattered after this cold (it is really pathetic to feel like this) and have just been doing the barest necessities to get by!

All the same I have been thinking that we haven't done a lot of swapping lately and as I have a ton of stuff that I don't need anymore perhaps we could do something soon. My idea is this - I have so many beads how about I offer up some as a package (I will put up a picture on the blog) and if it interests you then offer me something from your stash. Let me know what you think or suggest something else we could do (perhaps an Easter type swap box thingy). Your thoughts please girls?

So pretty!

This week I have been full of a horrid cold but last week I finished this:
How pretty is it? It was a gift from a lovely friend ( you know who you are) and I loved making it so much that I am going to get some more of the pretty green wire and make something else using the leaf flower idea.

Am off back to the sofa now to finish feeling sorry for myself, not even managing to go away next week as Dave's car is still not fixed (grumble, grumble). Happy knitting, will be back to my more cheery self again soon!

Look what I made!

It is the Elizabeth Cowl from NDS and it only took me a couple of days to do (in between work of course) but I love it - just what I needed to keep me warm with this fresh set of snow we have just had.

On Saturday we went down to Wolverhampton to collect my new car, sadly I didn't get to drive it home though as I had to drive the borrowed one home - I have only been out in it a couple of times since on fairly short journeys as yesterday was really snowy here, I will take some photos to show you once it is not covered in snow as it is so cute and dinky! In fact I parked it side ways across the drive as it is so small but it didn't go down too well, him indoors had a sense of humour failure and just yelled at me about wearing out the tyres! I think maybe he is missing his car as it is still not mended and is making him rather cross. Fingers crossed they get the bits soon!

Year of the crochet!

I am fairly new to crochet and last year I started the lovely 'Lula' scarf from here (www.thenaturaldyestudio.com/queenies-lula-crochet-scarf-pdf-pattern-3280-p.asp). I put it down to work on other things as the crochet was not flowing for me (it was not the kit it was me). But at Christmas I put in my Santa box a kit for the stunning Clementine wrap and couldn't help but have a go at the motif (sorry Barbara) using some spare lace weight that I had and I found that I loved it - alot- in fact those little motifs kept me sane through my usual Christmas nightmare (although they took ages to do).

So this then prompted me to pick the lula scarf back up again and I have nearly finished it (again I am still quite slow), plus I have about 6 projects on the go as well. So bad girl that I am I signed up for the January motif club, which arrived yesterday, and also I purchased the Elizabeth cowl pattern and some yarn to go with it which also arrived yesterday - had to have a go at that straight away - it would seem that I am 'hooked' on crochet currently! Something has to keep me sane as we are still without wheels, mine should be arriving at the weekend but the news on Dave's is not good at the moment (we still may not be able to go away at half term). I even had to borrow my Mum's car last weekend so that I could refill the freezer and larder. At least I won't have to carry stuff from the Co-op this week! Hopefully I will be able to show you pics of my new little run around very soon (no soft top though Allison sorry to be a disappointment).

Bye bye car!

Just a quick one to say that my poor old blue car is going today, I have had her from new and we have been through some stuff together so it is with sadness that I say bye bye especially as she could well be going off to the crusher, that part really upsets me as I am sure that some 'boyracer' would love to tinker around and fix her up again.

It is going to still be another week until my new car arrives (DVLA need to transfer the reg over) but otherwise it is just waiting for me to drive!

Long, long ago!

You may recall that sometime last year I bought a set of Harry Potter sock wool, well I have been using some of it to make what Lottie calls 'glittens' a cross between gloves and mittens although technically the real ones have a flap you can pull down over your exposed fingers!

Firstly I made some from 'Tonks' but they were worn as soon as they were finished so I never got to show you and then I have just finished the ones I have been making for 'him indoors' to wear whilst he works - it is cold in his office even with his heater so they keep his hands warm

while he is working, they are made from 'Draco'

I managed to find a well worn tonks to borrow for the picture.

Also I have rediscovered a pair of gloves I made for me from 'Harry and Ron' but one of them still has ends to sew in, that is one of the reasons I don't make many gloves but the glittens churn out like vanilla socks.




I have also got a pair of monkey socks on the needles in the 'Harry Potter' colourway but they have been put down since I started to do the Christmas knitting.

I was counting up the pairs of socks that I do have on the needles at the moment and it totals 5 pairs so I think a spot of finishing off is called for - I did cast off one of my 'circle socks' last night but I now have to cast on for the other one.... hmm. I also have a large number of other projects that need attention so for now I am going to try a spot of finishitis and see how far I get. Will keep you posted on that!