I've been a bad blogger.

----Apologies----
I've been a bad blogger..... As I have failed to provide you with recent updates through the Christmas period. I didn't even try to post, what with working horrible, long hours over Christmas and getting 2 days off in 2 weeks worth of 9 and 10 hour shifts every day.... I lost track of my internet-y life. I am sorry.

My facebook is a mess, please don't pay attention to it,

My Ravelry hasn't been updated in so long it's starting to feel neglected.
I have a lot of other people's blogs to read (I read a lot of blogs, If you think no-one reads you're blog because there's no comments, chances are: I've read it, I'm just not much of a commenter... I'm trying to Change that though, more on that later
And Lastly(in this section) I have a good-ass blog to write. because people miss my blog (or I like to believe that they do.... the way you miss Grass when it snows.... but as soon as the snow's gone you wish you had made 1 more snowman, another snow-Angel... or stored a snowball in the freezer for a very good prank in the middle of summer ) pictured is Lady in the snow, so cute. ^^

---New Year---
New year is the time for resolutions! My last years one Failed around Febuary.... But I am determined to make these stick (these; yes, I'm making more than 1, 4 in fact)

1. Instead of making myself an unhealthy list of things to knit about a month before Christmas, I will be working on them all through the year. So excuse me if it's July and I turn up knitting a Gingerbread Man, or an eccentric scarf.... Socks aren't actually that weird but still

2. Update Internet Life more- that's Facebook; Ravelry and this Blog. I'm going to aim for at least 2ce a week. I have a new do-hicky on my phone which lts you post to your blog from anywhere, so I'll be using that almost religiously
3. Update my recipe book - some of my readers may know this, but I love to cook. I own more cookbooks than I can store anymore, which is why I bought a recipe book. this means that I can write down the recipe's that I like from a book and then send that book up to the attic, stored for when I get my own place and I can store them properly, near the kitchen.
4. Comment! - Every blog that I read from now on I will comment on. This is every blog from the mighty gathering of knitter-blog readers that is A YarnHarlot post, right down to blogs who; like mine, don't get very many readers. Tree Falling in the Forest and All that.

---OK, I know I've been avoiding it---
Yeah, there's a good reason why all the knitters that I listen to, and read start their holiday crafting as early as I did, but they only do 3, maybe 4 items...... I tried to do 8. doomed from the beginning, but I didn't know that until I started ALL of them and realised that NONE of them would get anywhere near done.

So I tried to stick to one, Craig's Cricket Jumper, But I realised too late that this was the largest project..... therefore it would take the longest anyway. Needless to say it is not done. None of my holiday crafting got done, except for a Singular Gingerbread Man and his tiny scarf. (Which I took with me to Larne's Inver Garden Centre, for their craft Fair; he was sold for an unspecified amount.... cus it was higher than the price even I was expecting.

Craig's Present is the thing I have been working on, it's around-about 70% done. I have 1 more pattern repest to do, then I have to do the V neck and the shoulders, then attach to the back, and knit the caps on the sleeves lol. It's looking to be more of a Valentine's Gift than a Christmas gift anymore :/ sorry sweetie.
Also sorry to Nadine - Her Xmas present was supposed to be something supreamly Guitar-hero related, but that didn't happen (she got coffee instead, something that I think pleased her at least as much as the still secret guitar Hero thing. She shall be getting her Guitar hero related thing tho, for her birthday, which is on Febuary the 13th (and she'll be 20! An old fogee like me :D)

---Apart from knitting and Job---

Apart from Knitting and my job :I havn't really been doing that much. There's beeen a few nights out with Craig, Like the Winter Formal in my Church, At which I felt we had to Dress up Quite a bit, So we I ... both of us got Craig into a suit... that was Fun. Apartently we look like proper grown-ups in this photo. Therefore I like it quite a bit lol.
We also went to a rugby match on the 29th of October (yeah, that was a while ago sorry) it was Ulster vs Munster. it was fun. But now I really want a rugby Shirt ....
During the incredibly snow-y winter it was difficult for any of us to see our friends; so we organized a night out to the Harmony Chinese in Glengormly. It was really just to exchange presents and Cards, while catching up on what everyone was doing, and having a very good meal. Tashi and I set out our plans for World domination.... all we need is money lol.

---The coming Year (2011) ---

Many of you may know that this year both me and My other Half will be turning 21 (woo-hoo!!!) That means there's gonna be quite a massive party coming up in our honour. We're thinking as close to our birthdays as possible (the 3rd and the 7th of July) so people try to keep that roundabout week sorta clear! People say I'm always hard to buy for so about 2 months before the party I'll post a small wish list here for both of us. You are free to use it/ don't use it, but it's just to give ideas. But because I don't want to think about it too much, I'll stop talking about this now :)
This year I also hope to be going to 2 weddings (maybe 3, depending)... or rather 1 Full Wedding and 1(poss 2) wedding receptions.
I will also be going to 1 fundraiser for my little cousin( I shouldn't call him Little - he's 19 and taller than me....) to go over to Malawi, in South Africa to help with something. I think he's going to help build a school or houses or something :). Gooooood Luck to him

---Yarn Tales---

I was let loose with my Chrismas money and my work pay in a Yarn shop early December. I wasn't looking for anything for the Christmas Knitting (that didn't get done) but I was looking for things to do after knitting all the chrismas projects. I have in my mind that I want to make a Carigan for myself (I know: I still have a shrug on the go, I'm finishing that as soon as I get Craig's cricket vest off the needles and onto his back. I also wanted to do another pom-pom scarf, becasue the one I have at the moment is too fat and too short. I want a long thin one. 6 poms to a side instead of the 15 that I decided on last time. Rather than rip out my Hard work I wanted to buy another Ball. I found a pattern on the internet for the Cardigan that I want to make, it requires 5 balls of DK weight Yarn. I went to my LYS (local Yarn Shop) which is Selections in Carrickfergus.

(I've heard there's another in Newtownards and a few in Belfast but I dont know where...This is why I want to open A Yarn Barn for God sake!)

Anyways I went in and I looked about for a DK weight Yarn that there was 5 or more Balls of (6 was what I was actually going for, cus I'm on the larger side and it wouldn't do any harm to have an extra ball flying about) and I seen these (->)

There was 4 balls of 1 dye Lot and 1 of another. you can tell which one is the odd one out (the top one, label showing) but by the time I am finished you won't know where 1 ends and another begins :). I also Got a nice Pom-pom Yarn in an Almost Lime-green. (shown with Craig's Vest in the background) I love that colour, I might add some White Tassels, with some of the Green treaded through it. The shop didn't have any of the Can-can yarn that I wanted in Stock, But I have plenty to get on with without trying to Master a new Yarn. I might have it as an Eater Challenge for myself if I can find it instock.

I have been looking at the Deramores Website way too much.... I(link) love nearly everything on there and I really want to cut down on my Stash Yarn..... but some of them are sooooo good I might just have to spend my Winter paycheck online. At least it's better than looking at the Nimu Yarn page.... which is too tempting, because it wakes me want to knit something that I swore I wouldn't do until I am engaged, and that is Knit a Shawl. A Lace shawl (propably in White or in Purple) And that's only as a Challenge to myself (link to Nimu)

Also hilarious t-shirts about knitting have cuaght my attention (link) as well as buttons. they just make me giggle.

---I guess thats it---

I can't really write about anything else without sounding like a ranting Lunatic..... that is more than I do already. I may be getting a new addition to this blog that I hope everyone shall enjoy. just as soon as I figure out how to work it lol. I'll probably test it on this post; then test post it in about 3 days, just to see if it worked. Oh and before I forget: Lazy Kate Creates is giving away some gorgeous Yarn this week; all you have to do is comment (hop on by at Lazy Kate Creates) I've aleady commented :) and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for a good chance at the yarn.
I will blog again before the week is out.Until then; I'll be working on Craig's Cricket Vest and Nadine's Present. toodles :D

Last Picture: Icicles off my conservatory. looks cool as heck :)

Something old, something new, nothing borrowed and quite a lot of blue

Hellos everybody :)

Sorry for the lateness of this post, I have a very good excuse though (but that's for my fist topic)and don't worry about the title; I promise Im not getting married yet... It's the only thing I could think of for a title that surprisingly goes with all my topics today. So sit back, pour a glass of your favourite beverage (alchoholic or sissyjuice)and enjoy this bloggyness time.

I was up cavehill again this bloggytime, here's the best photo of about 175 photos

---Something old---
First off; I know I said I would bog again on Tuesday, a couple of weeks ago. I didn't. That's because I had a funeral to go to... And there's no easy way to say this... It was my grandma's funeral. She'd been fighting a case of dementia for some years; and it was expected, but not prepared for it emotionally.
She lived to a grand old age of 89. She would have been 90 next March. In her lifetime she had 4 children, all home births. She never had a holiday, and had never even been on an airplane. She outlived 2 of her children, and her husband. At her death she weighed 5stone if she was even that. She was a mother, a grandma, a great-granny and even a great-great-granny, she passed away on the 21st of July at 4am in her nursing home in her bed, I loved her and if Im even half of as good a person as she was, I'd be happy.

R.I.P Granny

---Something New---
Back to something a little bit happier :) I bought new Yarn :) and I think I have finally overfilled my Yarn stash bag. So much that I am contemplating clearing the entire top of my bookcase and just putting a freeking lot of Yarn; like right there. lol. sorry, no theres no pictures of my haul this time... I kinda stashed some of it away so I wouldn't let my mum know just how much I actually bought.... I was also given Yarn this week; but more on that later :)

I also tried something completely new this blogtime. I am trying to loose some weight, so I went to the Gym with my friend Jenni, for like the first time EVER. and I enjoyed it so much that I'm going to take out a membership this Tuesday and do this thing :D

I also now have a Ravelry account, I'm Akitombo on there too; Feel free to add me if you're there. :D
I learnt about it through the numerous blogs I read, the amount of podcasts I listen to; I just never kinda thought 'Hey, I can use that too' lols. I have spent most of the last couple of days trying to reall all the stash I have littered about my house and name them.... haha; half of them are missing ball bands.... and I actually Found one with 2 ball bands..... that was strange.
Hello to my new Ravelry friends :D; I know there's only 4 at this moment in time so I'll name them, ravitar only:
flockewe ,  the-happy-hooker, LittleFire and Dulcinea
Hellos to all :)

There's also been a new arrival. Blog readers will know that my neighbour was expecting a baby the last time I wrote. Well ...Ashleigh had a little baby boy (god damn...) he hasn't got a name yet, but I think their deciding between Christopher and something else. I kept up with my promise and knit a pair of baby booties for the little Munchkin (==>) pictured In flowers that my mum got a while back.
The pattern was a Debbie bliss Pattern, I think it was from baby knits for beginners. and since its a boy I left off the frills.

Used Rico Cotton in a turquiose-y colour and Cast off in White to give a very thin stripy look about the top. They apparently dont fit him well ...yet.... as he's only a newborn... and I think I made the size for 3-4 months..... so they'll fit him by Christmas lol, even though I probably have enough to do for christmas.... a sweater for my beloved (he knows..... he seen the pattern)A secretive present for Nadine (which she has no clue what it is hehehehe) A little tiny thing for a couple of friends whom I like and I know would appeciate a little hand-knitted little thingy.

---Nothing Borrowed---

I'm still going to hell on the Garns Bolero, I think I will have broken the back of it by the end of this month (that's a very violent saying.... makes it sound like I'm hunting the yarn lol)

I'll then be on the sleeve.... I would have a picture of it up on ravelry but my Mum does not understand the concept of 'take a photo of only the knitwear; not my face, or my un socked feet'.... so it'll have to wait until I can get my beloved to photograph me.

However I can take photos of it; off me... like on a table... or doing a Harlot and arrange it artistically in something Green and leafy; so here's a good one. I'm about 65 to 70% done, I've got about 15 more inches on one side to do; then a furher 12 inches of the sleeve. then I might add a small collar; because the zig-zags of the decreases annoy me.

I have already went over the estimated yardage for the project, the pattern said 5 balls, I'm now on my 7th and I've got 2 more waiting in my project bag.... just incasy.

I was given Yarn this week; which I don't have a picture of ... I was given it by Jenni; my freind who I am trying to learn how to knit... I don't think I'm doing a very good job; if my facebook page hs anything to go by.... I think I've thrown her into a pit of insanity... I hope to recover herbefore she goes back to the states in September.

I have a couple of things I want to knit now for the baby.... especially these. they're baby booties in the shape of converse..... I feel an obsession coming on lol. I found the link on Ravelry (because it rocks like that) and now I want to makes them for baby next door.

I also have a couple of birthdays coming up; for friends and stuff... thinking about starting to knit them  something now lol :D and as she reads this blog..... I think, then I can't show it here.I will hopefully have finished it by her birthday.

---and quite a lot of blue ---

As I have already worte I am trying my hardest to teach my freind to knit. Her name's Jenni and she understands my weird teaching style better than I think I understand it myself lol. we're making a Market bag together; 9x9 square sides and a long scarf like thing for the bottom; handles too :D the pattern is copletely from my head and from Acyrlic yarn. next I want to introduce her to Merino... or maybe wool Baby blend. she says she wants to knit a lot of baby stuff; cus there always seems to be a want for it in America :D. So I am printing off a booklet for her of all the baby patterns that I think can be done by a beginner.... weither she will or not is a different matter altogether.

My bag that I am making will be made of different shades of blue; all of that Yarn that I got from Jenni will be made into something.... else.... Jenni's bag is going to be all bright colours.... yellow, white and shocking Pink....not my taste but it is certainally hers.

I'll let you know how it goes.

---Farewells---

By this time next week I hope to have blogworthy progress to report, but I'll not blog until Thursday (the 19th) so I can get pictures of the hopefully completed bags and see what else we've decided to knit before Jenni goes back to Americaland.

Write to you's all again next week; toodles

Luv from Aki XXXXXXX

Holy crap that felt like a long while

--- Alright;be prepared; this might will be a long one ---

Greetings readers of my bloginess; hope you've all been good. Quite a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks; so much that I'm trying so hard to remember some parts of it; however the photos on my camera might help jog my memory when I get to them; so hang tight.

---Announcements ----

• I turned 20!!!! (holy crap) I just noticed I have to change the side bar crap; cus it still says I'm 19... that'll be interesting
• My better half turned 20!!!! He loved all his stuff I got him... I think... the Lush was maybe a little step in the wrong direction but he loved his London Irish shirt I got him; which is a good thing.
• I baked a cake (more on that later)
• I got new knitting stuffs for my birthday(not too much but I'm allowed to order more :)  )
• My internet's been going incredibly slow (which is why this is going up today and not yesterday, it wouldn't even start yesterday; so I left it)
• I now remember what I was going to talk about first; so here we go

--- World Cup Knitting ---
Alright; the world cup's over (Congrats to Spain and extra special thanks; cus u won me a fiver from my better half (who still thinks I used some sort of witchcraft to make a European team win) which gets added to my Xmas budget)(and yes; I'm already thinking about xmas, much to the dismay of my local Yarnshop owner)
The world cup may be over..... but I'm not finished my World cup socks. I have in fact not worked on them since I wrote in this blog last. I have been working on something else... that you may remember.

Yep; that's the unmentionable Bolero; now re-christened the Garn's Bolero. I am now nearly at the neck shaping; which escapes me, I have to have 22 inches from sleeve to needles before I cast off for the neck arranging. I measure my work.... 20 inches, knit for a few rows and measure again... 20 inches.... I take my knitting to Craig's and  knit for hours infront of the television..... 20.5 inches.......ALL THAT WORK FOR 0.5 OF A FRICKING INCH ??? I know there is a black hole at the point where there's jointing of the sleeve to the body and it's just sucking in my perfectly good knitting; all like 90 inches (or so there should be) of it.
I ususally knit while I type this blog, a couple of stitches here and there; until I think of a word; or what I'm going to do next; and I'm doing that now, I will measure at the end of this blog and report back.
(I think that was well skimed over)

--- New stash ---

With money that I got from Aunties; Uncles and relatives I didn't know I had (Like 'here's a card from your cousin Laura' ....' I have a cousin Laura?') I bought enough Yarn to keep me busy for at least a little while. I bought 1 ball of the lovley sock yarn I was talking about Last time (in blue; because the Purple had already sold out :(, but I still like it), some Black Robin DK for a present to someone, some green Silcress.... which I dont actually know what to do with yet (what? it was a pound for like 50g of 25% silk/ 75% merino blend) and a GIANT ball of off cream aran weight wool (thats 980m; take a good look; cus its taking up about have the size of my stash cupboard.) which I'll be using up as soon as I get the Garn's boloero finished, for a very special pullover. and Finally the pomegranate cotton is ecause I dont think I have enough of it to complete the Garns bolero.

--- Baking ---

I had a baking day acouple of days ago. I baked a cake (victoria sponge with Raspberry jam and whipped cream in the middle) and I also made vanilla biscuits (which you can see in the background) which both turned out perfectly; so pefectly that Mum's letting me bake the cake again next week; which shows whe liked it :D all good.                                                             A little bit more of Extra news: I have a baby to knit for :D. My neibour at the back of my house is ready to pop at any given day. As soon as I find out the sex of the Baby I'm probably going to Cast on a pair of booties for it's little toesies. I actually have baby pink yarn, so I'm routing for a girl ^ ^

Also; remember the verigated scarf/shawl from last time? I added buttons (so I can wear it of course) and wore it out shopping last Wednesday. it kept my neck lovely and warm and I love the buttons.

----That wasn't as long as I had thought ----

Well; what with my internet cashing halfway through this post (thank God for Autosave) I think I've ran out of things to talk about.... On Monday I will be venturing up Cave hill again (providing it stays dry) with my digital SLR, my knitting and my better half. will hopefully post again on Tuesday with photos of that, and I think that by tuesday I will have gotten to the neck opening for the Garns bolero so I'll post for that as well. Until next tuesday; toodles       (|/)

                (^^) -Byes

(Oh yeah and the bolero now measures 21.4 inches.... knitting for stress relif actually does work..... surprisingly well)

--------Editor's note (aka; me) --------

Alright; my internet's bugging me; it won't up load my photos that I want it to, its seems now incapable of running two internet pages at the same time and in short it's annoying me so much I'm going to publish this now and try this again tomorrow. apologies for the lateness and absentness of all but 2 of the photos, I'll do this again tomorrow; I'm going to  go Knit myself out of the stress

-----The following day -------

Alright; that seems to be working again, on with the blog (I'll put this at the bottom;so you won't be disturbed :D

OK; that wasn't one of my best ideas

--- Socks aren't a good idea for me ---

Ok; I've fallen behind schedule; but only a little bit. I have 1 Sweet home sock done. Pictured => (sorry about the not so attractive leg)

the sock has a leaf pattern around the top; which is knit in such a way that it forms points at the top ot each pattern repeat. I knit it in a flecked cream yarn that I got about 3 months ago; its a Robin Yarn and I think I got it for £1.25 per ball. I got 2 balls, made 1 sock and have plenty left on one ball and the other ball hasnt even been de-labeled yet. great value for money; as I think I can get the sock out of the leftover bit; so I have a ball spare lol. the parren said 2 balls; I got two balls..... used a half.

You may have noticed that my other leg is not covered with socky goodness. I have had this sock finished since the 16th of June; I just havn't blogged about it because I thought 'leave it til the date that I said last time and start the next sock, so that it looks really good that I'd have like 1  and a half socks done well before schedule........... that didn't happen.... at all like I planned.

I finished on sock, tried it on, paraded aroud the house for a couple of hours showing it to everybody and getting compliments like 'wow, that looks difficult' or 'At least it makes your leg look tanned'

and 'when are you going to do the other one?'

I sat down on my sofa and cast on for the other sock. Craig arrived, congratulated me on the sock that was still seemingly glued to my left leg and we watched football. This is where it goes haywire. I get bored very easily, especially of things that I have done before; which is why socks are not a good idea for me; because in order for them to be wearable you have to make 2..... the same pattern twice. I didn't like it; the points at the top that amused me to no end last time.... now annoy me.... and my head thinks 'wait, we've done this row, cus I remember it.... from the first time or this time?.......hmmmmm'

So to make it so I can make the other sock without confusing myself I tried to make another small project; so I can erase the memory of the sock pattern from my mind. I went to the yarn shop and had a look about. I wanted to make myself a shawl; or a cowl (a cowl is a short thick scarf that can fasten closely around the neck; its extremely warm and comfortable, and uses less yarn than a full scarf)

and I remembered a free pattern I got Knit today magazine a while ago; it came with size 13mm needles (that's not a typo, they're massive ==>

pictured with a 4.5mm needle, which I learnt with, which feel big to me now. these feel like I'm knitting with smartie tubes or pritt-sticks)

and checked the yarn requirements of the cowl / shawl / shrug / throw-over-shoulder-thing

It says that Sidar Escape would be good. I know that they come in 50g (70yard) balls so I was looking for 2, maybe 3. I was searching the bagain remnants bin for something else when I came across 2 balls of Sidar escape. same colour and same dye lot, £1.25 each. considering 1 ball is normally £2.30 I grabbed them and brought them home with me. Along with a ball of  Sidar Click that's like a violet/white striped yarn..... which I plan to make......nothing in particular out of lol.

So I knit for a while...... with the incredibly large gigantic .... colossal needles and they worked fine.... I learned that I could knit perfectly and watch TV at the same time.... which freaked out my dad quite considerably. I finished within one day.... and here it is ====>

I.Love.It. the varigated, striping yarn contain colours that I love and its knit in such a way that if you grab the two corners and shake it it gets bigger lol. And for £2.50 its not a bad cowl / shawl / shrug / throw-over-shoulder-thing.

It didn't work though.... its been ages and I still dont want to knit the other sock.... but I was in the yarn shop and they have THE most beautiful sock yarn in the world, just as you'd go in the door, it comes in many many colour variations, but I like the blue variation the best...... closely followed by the purple..... I might buy 2 balls of both..... and just keep them in my stash; just to look at a to feel.... and to roll about in like a cat when I feel like it..... and I cant do that when its in the store, so I have to buy it. I need £20 spare moneys to get said yarn.... I also need a pattern that would show off the varigations beautifully..... that could be difficult.......

I also want to make this.... it made my eyes boggle when I seen it on my favourite blog ever (yarnharlot, link at the side of the page, the wool-house one)

But she's using lace.... and laceweight is expensive..... too expensive for me to even think about...... but I still want it lol.

---Summer days ---

I have an actve better half.... and while this is good for my waistline and my lungs its whenever he takes little notions like 'its not raining, lets go for a walk' or 'its mindbogglingly sunny, lets go up cavehill'

The latter of these ideas happened not once, not twice, but one and a half times. yep; I know. Let me explain. The first little expidition to Cavehill; I had brought my knitting to his house because 4 matches were on that day and I thought; hey why not; his mum crochets so it wouldn't be that weird. I get there and within 15 minutes of getting Lunch we were out the door; in his car; with his sister with the idea of 'lets get to the top of Cavehill'

We look at the map and decide the shorter, quicker route up the rockface rather than the lovely pictureesce view... because we've been told to be back to his by 5, and apparently this'll be quicker.... we start and have to stop halfway like a tenth of the way up... because I'm dying..... couldn't breathe and my legs were screaming to me to stop or they'd fall of me.

We decided to go a little further (up to the 'Cave') and I sat in the grass with my boyfriend's sister, Lindsey, as my better half scales the rest of the way to the cave. he reports back that the path gets worse, steeper and more broken. (pictured) He looks at my redened face and we decide to head back.

2days Later and a little more prepared (with water, trainers and snacks) Craig and me scaled the hill, using the longer, scenic route. We got lost...a little but soon found our way back to where we went wrong. Here are a few pictures from near the top.

It was awe-inspiring; being so high up that you can't even hear the traffic anymore. We reached the top to find that there was info point telling people what they can see from the top. it was made of wood and looked quite heavy. The first thingthat came to my poor, air-starved brain was 'Who in their right minds hauled that all the way up here? lol' and then shortly after 'I wish I had of brought my digital SLR'.

---And now....----

I'm sitting here with a glass of Rose Wine (Hardy's, bloody gorgeous) and slowly sewing buttons onto the cowl / over shoulder thing. this will be my last blog post as a teenager, because on Saturday the 3rd of July..... I turn 20. it is the end of an era..... but also the start of a new one. and since it's my birthday my mum has allowed me to spend my birthday money online this year; which means yarn.... and books about knitting....... and just a lot of stuff :) however I am not aloud to buy anything until it is all over and done with; and my other half's birthday is done too (with is on the Wednesday after mine; creepy eh?)

So I will be blogging again on the 16th; right after this blog post I'm going to try and re-do the layout.... because the purple's not really doing it for me anymore.Even I don't know what I'll end up with so it'll be a suprise for me too. I'll be a year older and so will my better half. Incidently:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luv you lots and lots XXXXXXXXXX

(sorry; thats a little bit early; but still the effect counts :) ....)

Happy Sunshiny blog

----- Deal ------
I have the hat finished. the bunny Hat. the one that when I wear it keeps my head abnormally warm. yeah that hat. My other, better, half lost a little bet with me.

E: Almost finished my hat
C: no ur not; you still have to close it up
E: yeah; that'll only take 5 minutes, less actually
C: no it won't

E yeah it will

(E looks at TV; sees it is 2 mins til half time on the football and forms a deal)

E: bet I can get it done before the 2nd half

C: that's impossible

E: ok; If I win then u pose with the hat and if u win then I pose with the hat.

C:............. deal

Well he lost lol. so without further ado the next part of the blog.

---- 1 finished hat; 1 found....I think ----

I cleaned out my Stash the other day; and found this at the bottom.... I don't remember what it was meant to be but I think it was a hat.... before I started the bunny hat.

I can't find the pattern for it; nor do i know what row; or even what pattern to do. and I didn't even know I had 5mm DPNs.... weird. Good bye little unknown thing. we'd have a small funeral or case File.....if I knew what you were.

This was quickly froged back to its original state and since there is a little over 400g of this colour I think I feel my first pair of me sized socks when I touch that yarn. screw the little socks, I'm thinking nearly knee highs lol.

Is thinking about something a little bit special for a certain person... I just need a pattern and Yarn (and probably needles, cus a knitter can never have too many lol).

---- In other news ----

Lady was staring at something for qite a long time while I was knitting at Lunch. she doesn't usually just sit at the back door.... and if she had wanted out then she would have barked or came to just look at me (as if to say 'uh; hello? bathroom?') So I went to see what she was staring at.

It seems the pigeon Mafia has decended on our Garden. I swear they stayed in that 1 spot for like 15 minutes; I was knitting the unmeantionable shrug, so I could watch)

----Goodbyes ----

Yep; that's it from me; by the time I next blog to all you loverly people I will hopefully have finished or be within toasting distance of finishing the unmeantionable bolero.

Luv from Aki X

Progress!

--Hello all you loverly people :D --

Well Easter is nearly upon us and I for one am loving how close it's getting. As any holiday means that my better half is getting off Uni. Which means we can spend more time together than usual, which is always good.

---- UFOs -----
UFOs = 5
Yeah; I added to them instead of finishing anything, simply because I had to. In my last post I said that because of a fatal Bus incident I ended up buying Yarn, well on Monday I went into Town and bought new Needles... to work this Yarn. I bought 6.5mm (cus they had no 7mm) DPNs and they're uber thick, after getting used to tiny needles for a long time I am finding it difficult to  not stab things with them, say, my arm, my knee, my nose or my eye. All of which got at least one needle poked at them in the last 48 hours. But all for the better, because I'm starting another Hat. a White Hat. I'm going to call it 'Cottonbud Hat' because I swear If I ever wear this Hat I am going to look like a cottonbud. its about .... ohhhh.... 20% done.
As expected I have not made any progress with the bunnnies or the once.apon.a.time-fox-now.not.a-fox amigumi in the past 48 hours, I was more concentrating on my 2 hats. The cabled Hat I was knitting before, I have decided to add Rabbit ears to, kind of flopping down the back and insteped with Pink for its inner ear and the cream of the hat for the outer bit. It will be sooooooo cute when I'm finished with it :)

Also thanks to GB Craft with the tiny's I now have 3 big balls of Yarn that are in very...pinky colours, colours I refuse to use unless there is just cause to do so...which there is.

Yes I will be adding (yet again) to the UFO count with THIS->
Isn't she cute? She's the 'Best Bunny' from Lionbrand Yarns. its a free pattern and its also Ideal to use up my leftover pink and Yellow Yarn.
I'll have to Edit it ever so slightly; cus it's made for Crochet and... I can barely crochet anything but an endless chain. so I'm gonna try to Knit it instead.I'll let the blog know how it's going. And I'm probably going to start it as soon as I finish the post on this blog lol, Lets be honest it IS the season for Bunnys :).

--- Finished items ---
none....... an I'm not happy about that.

---- Goodbyes ----
I know this has only been a very short blog (and with only one picture of something that I'm preparing to do, not have done) but U have to appreate that it has only been 48 hours since my last post. at least 20 of those were sleeping, 3 were GB (trust me; I cannot Knit in GB without 10 people coming over'what u doing?' 'knitting' 'is that a bunny? ' yes'  'can I play with him' 'no' 'why' and it goes on) and I spend a long time on Facebook everyday. so the lack of FOs was expected from the start really. I hope to have at least one of the Hats done by this time next week, along with a good part of Best Bunny and the tiny Amigumis that now call the space infront of the pencil jar home.
Until next Wednesday then - Toodles XXX

Random bits of UFO and a confession

------ Greetings ------
First off; before u say it, I know, the blog is a teeny tiny bit......late. by about a day or two.... infact in 4. Never the less I made blogging my new year's resolution, to blog once a week, every week for the entire year, and by God I am gonna do it! *determined face* so I'll blog today (Monday) and again this Wednesday; then on every Wednesday from here on, well, I'll try to :)

--- UFOs ---
No, I have not been kidnapped by midgets in Green (although it was St.patricks day and I did see a lot of green)In the knitting orld UFOs stands for UnFinished Objects and is used to mean; things that are on needles; Half of things (like a cardigan...with no arms or front done yet) or pairs of things (Socks, gloves ect where u've only made 1 so far).
I am therefore going to make this a regular installment in this blog and catch u up with unfinished knitting (or other) projects I haven't done yet. so lets start this this week.

UFOs = 4

2 bunny Amigurumis (one pink and one white)
I started these right after the first Amigurumi Bunny, these ones never got that much attention, one because its pick and the other because I used sock stich, with makes it tiny looking.
1 Cabled Hat in the making (the scary looking 5 needled thing)
I found this pattern on the web, so Far it hasn't gave me that much bother; apart from being mind-bogglingly scary looking at 10 in the morning lol.
The bright orange ball of Cotton actually is the beginning of a Fox amigurmi that I am making. The white circle on the stomagh is annoying me and I want to start it again but I cant think of what to do with this random square of knitting I have done.
+And thats it for this weeks UFOs+

-----A confession -----
Well; know a couple of posts ago...... when I said I was saving up  for just after Easter to Knit my first big project? well last week; not only had I decided on the Yarn to use I had found a pattern and realised I had all the needles; all I needed would be the Yarn.
Until...Thursday happened. I had made up my mind to go into town and get some much needed retail therapy, through going into craftworld and buying all round me. Well I won't go into details but I missed the damn bus... through no fault of my own. I was not getting all dressed up for nothing, I was buying something. So my local Yarn shop called to me. I went in and I bought THE most softest Wool imaginable ( and I can say wool (not Yarn)because it is mostly (51%) wool) it's Sidar's Big softie super chunky wool, in a creamy white colour and in chocolate. I will be making hats. from both I want enough of the white left over for bunny ears and the top but that probably wont happen, its only 50g (x2) of the stuff.
I also got my hands on some Sidar Click chunky in an almost Cinnamon Colour with flecks of Green and black. it looks about right to made gloves out of, or wristlets at least

--------Finished---------

Because I want to learn all things to do with knitting and quite a large part of that involves socks I wanted to knit a sock. just to get used to patterns and how to turn the heel and do the toe ect. it was finished all of 3 days ago and given to my dog. yes I know; teeth and yarn do not go together, but the sock was only an experimental piece, and because of that I diliberatly made it dog-sized. It amuses me because it looks like some sort of diseased tounge if she has it in her mouth just right. lol

I also baked a Cake this week in GB; it was a classic Victoria sponge with strawberries on the top. however we don't whip enough cream for the top of the cake so the strawberries were just sitting there, with a very thin layer of the cream skimmed ontop. Looks lovely doesn't it.

----- Goodbyes -----

While writing this blog today I have actually knitted more of the hat than pictured, but that'll have to be on Wednesday's Blog, when I'll have even more of it done.

So until...well 2 days away, toodles X . X

These things are getting Longer....

Greetings everyone!!!!

 = = = = = First thing is First = = = = =

First off I'd like to just say 'Hellos' to everyone; I didn't think I'd get any followers; but I got 2 :) I was so happy when I logged on and it came up 2 new followers! I know they're ppl I know and care about so all the better; cus now I know that at least 2 ppl read this blog and I'm not just typing for nothing.

So hello Nadine and Craig :) I luv ya both!!!! (one obviously in a different way lmao) and without further ado :)

---------Ummm....yeah....Mother's Day..... ------------

Readers of the Blog will know that I am knitting some sort of Amigurumi for Mumsy for Mumsy's Day. However; because of GB putting more and more pressure onto me; Avon complications and general hooha I wasn't able to get the bear finshed. I have got the Main body, Face, ears and 1 arm done and attached. The other arm is on my pointy sticks and I'm making the dress on another pair, which is just started. Which I have pictured as some sort of progress.
Knitting this last night I noticed how big it was. I wanted to make it so that my mum didn't need her glasses to see it; but I actually wanted to get it done; so 3 ft high was outta the question.
....I dunno why that blue button is there...... I think I was thinking about putting it on the dress.... I can't remember lol.
Further progress is needed of course and I will show the finished Amigurumi next week....probably...

= = = = = = =My Stash of Yarn= = = = = = =

This always happens.....let me explain.........when I get paid for something that I do.....like Avon or Teaching Jewellery..... I always get a random amount of change (as in; not notes) that I don't know what to do with .... pound coins that I hate to carry around with me and that sorta stuff.

ThereforeWhenever I know Mum want to go into town I usually put the coins of this in my pocket and I call into the Yarn shop and buy myself a new Amigumi cotton or some random cheap yarn. This  means I have an abnormally Large stash for someone my age.

Well this week I had a little bit more than normal so along with baby Pink cotton for Amigumis I got 4 big balls of Sock Yarn. they were marked down in price because their kinda christmas-y colours; so I got them ofr like 1/3 of the price. 2 Balls of Red flecked with black, white, orange and grey and cream flecked with different browns and greens.
I also want to start my Xmas kniting.....(yes; already) because I want to give each of my friends their very own....little knitted gift :) So there's 2 Balls of Mureno wool in Toffee and in a 30% Grey.
All in all I think I spent £5 on wool that would have normally cost me well over £20 4 months ago. Good job I say.

= = =One last thing= = =
I'm wanting to start a big project sometime soon, like a sweater or a shawl for myself. I'll probably end up with a wrap thats quite light.

So instead of buying new Yarn for the next couple of weeks I'm saving up to buy 2 big Balls of....A dark puple coloured Yarn .... and maybe a Champaine colour to Patern it... I'll probably buy it around the easter holidays; but probably won't get it done til the start of Summer.

And while I was writing this blog; inbetween writing things and thinking what to say I managed to knit the other arm of Truffle (that's what I'm calling her). legs and dress to go lol :)

Until next time :) tara

Experiments with Lions...

Hello again. This is the non-mushy version of my valentine's week lol

-------Knitting-------

As of last week I completed my first ever tiny amigurumi, so, still in the swing of things I wnted to do more of them, to create a menagerie of Amigurumi (lol) so I prowled the internet and found some free patterns...in crochet...which I'm not too comfortable with doing...

There were'nt very many knit patterns for Amigurumi, except for the bunnies which I already knew about......so looks like I'm going to have to re-learn myself how to crochet.......eugh

------Non Amigurumi related knitting ----------

I found that I had 1 ball left over from the church sale's Scarfs, so, while I remember how I am going to Knit myslef up a scarf with that wool, I started last night and by the time of this post I'm about 3/4s of the way through it, I'm going to leave a little bit of the wool for tassels, which my GB officer showed me how to do, (after the sale lol) so with the speed I'm currently going at I should have the scarf done for the weekend, then I am going to concentrate on my knitted bags that I'm doing.
I need to work out a way to make the bottom of the bag stiff, like a 'Bag for Life' bag. I also need to work out a wat of tuning the fabric 90 degrees so that I work in a square, or bag shaped. Handles are also an issue.

------Little things I found out -------

While experimenting with wool and my 4mm needles (trying to do a cableing pattern, and failing) instead of ripping out the wool and starting again I cast off, then I joined up the wto ends, wanting to make something out of it at least. Finished , I looked at it and realised it looked a little bit like a Lion's Mane. (pictured) My Amigurumi senses kicked in ad I quickly (in my head) made the Bunny parren bigger and yeallow, like a Lion. I am hopefully going to get the new cotton wool in a sandy yellow today, so the next of my Amigumi menagere should be done by next week. (hopefully)

So that's it really, Lots to do this week, I also want to scrapbook a bit with the Valentine's tihings I got just before the weekend, with pics that I took while we were together :)

That's all, I'll blog again next week. Have a good Pancake Day (lol)

Byeeeeises

1st ever Amigurumi - White Bunny

Greetings

Yes,yes,yes, I know it's an extreamly long, unmentional time til Easter, however I found this gorgeous free knitting pattern for a little Amigurumi Bunny Rabbit. (link in free stuff label; when I re-find it) and I couldn't resist. I looked at the material list for making it and seen it needed Size 2mm (US size 0) knitting needles. I didn't even know they went that small. I searched my local Yarn shop and they only stocked needles sized 3 til 14mm.

Downhearted I wondered into a Barnardo's store, which I sometimes go into, for craft supplies and just general material, and the cashier behind the desk had a bucket...filled with knitting needles....to the brim... and there was a sticker saying '1 pair -49p 1 double ended -20p' ... I rushed over and began searching.

I found size 2 needles! I also bought size 3, pair of 6mm, another pair of 5mm and a 5mm double ended. I also bought a crochet hook (4mm/size 8). all in all, what would have cost me £15 in a normal Yarn shop only cost me £2. The size 2 needles are so tiny! it's like kniting with very long cocktail sticks lol.

So, I got my new stuff home and got out the bunny pattern and the white cotton I decided I would use and started. It took a little while to get used to the small needle size, but I managed to get though it with no mistakes. I made him so that he's sitting, cus then he looks better on my desk. and I found a little White pom-pom for his tail.

Now I just wanna make a whole family :), all in differnet colours, and make clothes for them lol.

Now that I've tried my first Amigurumi I want to make a whole lot more. So I'm probably going to get a book or check on the internet for patterns.

------ Valentine's Day ------

I'm planning on making my boyfriend something for Valentines (which is this weekend) I've already planned it and half-finished it, so that'll be a nice surprise for him. I can't write it here yet, cus he might read this through Facebook.

So I'll post that next week, completed and tell ya all how he liked it :)

Much Luv Aki