Happy holidays.

Well, I've had a really great Christmas, lots of knitting and not allot of anything else! Got to be good.

I got a couple of great knitting presents, a lovely knitting pattern calendar from Marie, And from Anth I got Lantern moon needles, a novelty tape measure with a fluffy end, and a knitting magazine, OH, and two Kaffe Fasset books! How sweet is that?  I tried the lantern moon needles with some tussah silk I had left over from the shop. They are dreamy to knit with, so comfortable! I'll think I'll be collecting these.

The next picture I just have to show you because it's Sage being cute on Christmas morning, messing about in the packaging!

And finally my Noro cardigan! I'm very pleased with this, and here's why:

A couple of months ago, I had my colours done, because I often buy clothes and wool in colours I love, and then I am really disappointed when I knit them because the don't look right on me. So after much hit and miss, I had my colours done and I'm an autumn.

So in-line with the diagnosis I started buying clothes in those colours, and quell suprise they look great! Then I visited Getknitted before Christmas to get my Christmas noro project, and saw the wool, I was a little apprehensive because I wouldn't normally buy those particular colours but they were my colours! So I took a chance and made the cardigan. And weirdly I will wear it allot, because it just suits me! I can't believe I've been getting it wrong all this time. I also took a look in my UFO box and realized that all the things I haven't finished are jumpers which are not my colours.

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

The cardigan is knitted in Noro silver thaw, I had to completely adapt the pattern because it was written for silk garden, and it's SIlver thaw is a very different guage, but thankfully it fits great .

Anyway here is the cardigan:

Hampers.

My mum does the best christmas presents! Firstly she brought me a really unusual jumper, which I am wearing, a very strange shape, but looks amazing, I'll add a picure once the photo's on typepad are back to normal, and then her and dad made up the most amazing food hamper I have ever seen! It's huge, just Huge! She made it mostly gluten free, which is so thoughtful of her and amongst many things there were luxuries such as fabulous coffees, ammeratti biscuits, cheeses, dates, crackers, baby pears in almond sauce, lobster bisque, nuts, chocolates, dried fruits, wine, vegetable crisps, amazing curry sauces, and mango chutney, 2 different types of pesto, christmas puddng, shortbread, champagne, salmon, sardines....loads more .....I can't go on! There was also a huge box of luxury (snap) crackers (i'm not too sure if other countries have these, but they are tubes that you pull , they go crack, with a little explosion, and then you have a toy/gift a silly hat and a very bad joke!) and sprinkles of chocolate money. Amazing, What a fab present. Thanks mum and dad you are the best ever.

Spinning

I'm a little addicted to my spinning wheel at the moment, I spun some more of the turquiose and brown yarn for a freind, there will be some in the shop too, because it's a bit of a popular colour.

I also spun some orange and red yarn for the shop which contains lengths of puffy silk, its a huge skein or yarn and the silk makes it so soft.

I took a little trip to getknitted on the way to taking carmen to the the airport for the last time (sob sob) I'm going to miss her so much :-(

I have a tradition of knitting a noro jumper every christmas, and so this time I decided to try some silver thaw in this colour:

I can't wait to start, but I'm trying to save it for the holiday.

While I was there I got some noro tubu on sale and it's perfect for a scarf for Anthony  for christmas:

Hmm it does have the texture of a rug, anyone know of any manly scarf patterns for tubu?

Knitting experiment commences tomorrow, rather excited actually, I think this might be rather fun. we also have our stitch  n' bitch christmas party tomorrow evening as well I think there might be quite a bit of  food and alcohol involved!

I love holidays....

I know were not actually at the holidays yet, but it feels like it. I have a group of friends at work and we have so much fun, (they are all learning to knit) we have dinners and party's planned all the way up until Christmas, I'm the only English one, so I benefit from trying all the wonderful food that each of us cooks. Last weekend was firstly Carmen's farewell party on sat night, then our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, my first, and boy was it wonderful, I've never had pumpkin pie before, but I think it might become a tradition. Then yesterday was our German Gingerbread party, where we had so many different kinds of ginger bread and tea. Today for dinner we are having a traditional Spanish dish with beans and chorizo and lots of other things that Carmen is cooking us. Then  on Wednesday we have our social psychology tradition where we all go for lunch somewhere nice, and then late afternoon after plenty of food and wine we all go ice skating to the winter wonderland in Cardiff. OK, were not done yet! Friday is our staff party with a delicious Christmas menu...welsh style! (I love this party, the lecturers always let their hair down and there's enough bad behavior to keep us entertained for months.) Then Saturday night we are having a Mexican party, to say goodbye to my special Spanish friend Sole. Then of course we have Christmas. Let's just say I'll probably be rather fat after that. Oh and not forgetting our stitchn'bitch Christmas party. I've never had a  year like it, and will probably never have one again, so I wanted to document it.

So in the spirit of things I put up our Christmas tree, yes I know I'm a Buddhist, but I like to use the excuse that we are celebrating the pagan festival of winter solstice.

Here it is:

So knitting anyone? A couple of weeks ago I spun some yarn, and gave it to Carmen to work her 'I can't read patterns but I always make amazing thing's' magic and this is what she made:

And here's a picture of the back of my head with it on!

It is so warm!

OK then this afternoon we were putting some kits together for the shop when she spotted some fleece which she loved, so I thought I would spin her something a bit special because I won;t have the pleasure of her company because she goes back to Spain next week. So I spun her a very thick yarn with a serious amount of silk in it. Silk always seems like you should spin it thin because it's special but really it spins up so well when it's thick. Here's the result:

The shiny turquoise is the silk! I can;t wait to see what she does with it.

I will make some more like this for the shop, its so amazing.

Hooray!

Finally the shop is up and running! I've added a few goodies and will continue to add more as the week progresses.

So if you fancy receiving a newsletter, sign up for an account, and you automatically enter a draw to win a big fat hank of hand spun yarn.

Here is a little taster of things you can buy.....

gremlins

Just to add, as nothing ever runs smoothly, the shop isn't working quite right so it's offline until the little thing gets fixed. *sigh*

Won't be long though, and anyway there will be plenty more goodies to buy.

Back to knitting/spinning

Right so after lots of announcement things, I think we should get back to basics. Knitting and spinning. I acquired a Patrick Green drum carder last week, I am going to need it for blending fibres for the shop.

So here is a picture of the magical beast:

And here is part of an order of merino and kid mohair I was blending on it yesterday:

The colours are a little off, it's more purples and teals. I think Emma would love this stuff! There will be some heading her way as she is the one who often tries my blends and gives me such wonderful feedback.

I did actually have a heavenly weekend, I spent most of it in my 'Fyberlab' (our front bedroom) as my friends call it. I did tonnes of dyeing, blending and experimenting.

I always spin little skeins of things I have blended to test them out, here is a little one, it's got little mohair tufts, I love these, but the kid mohair needed a little more combing to get rid of the little slubby bits. It's seriously soft. I will make a blanket one day with all the little test skeins.

And finally Marie popped over and showed me her WIP, misty from scarf style, we were discussing what I should do with my Noro Yoroi and she suggested I make a misty with it! What a fab idea, it's more like a wrap though because I have used size 10mm needles. Here is the progress so far:

 

Oh and hopefully by this evening you will be able to buy yummy things from my shop here!

Update to the announcement!

I had a really great comment with a link about payment for people submitting projects to magazines. I really want to start as I mean to go on, and I understand how much time and effort is involved in developing patterns and writing up projects for submissions. So I think it is only fair to pay people for the submissions that are accepted and published in Cyber Fyber Arts. I already have a host of articles, but I need a few more projects, please contact me if you have any ideas and fancy submitting a project.

Email me on FyberspatesATbtinternetDOTcom

Announcement

What a couple of week's I'm having, all good, lots of new ideas, projects etc. Firstly the knitting experiment is taking shape, the first experiment will look at the effect of knitting and cross stitching on rumination in depression, there is lots going on with this, update will be as the project develops. I have to say many thanks to future publishing (they publish simply knitting) because they are being very generous, with helping as much as they can.

Secondly I am going to launch an on-line fiber magazine 'Cyber Fyberarts' a similar idea to Magknits and Knitty, but it will be dedicated to fyber arts.

It will contain lots of spinning, and felting and lots of other fabulous fyber related projects to get your teeth into. Articles on techniques, and even a resident 'Spin Doctor' to solve all your spinning woes. ( I have someone in mind for this, she just has to say yes.....!!)

There will be articles on all sorts, from people who Nurture the fyber and their fyber producing pets, and a regular spot on the ways in which fyber arts are used in the community, and how it relates to health/ mental health.

And tonnes and tonnes of really really fun stuff.

So, basically, this is a very broad call for projects for the first issue, which will be at the end of January. You need to have new and innovative ideas for projects, how about spinning projects/patterns? Felted things? Come on people I know there are projects in you just dyeing to get out....

This will be a really be a great e-mag, and your chance to get published with your projects......

Email me on FyberspatesATbtinternetDOTcom

eBAY.

I did a little spinning this afternoon:

Its for sale on Ebay here.

When I say picture post.......

Ok, So it's been crazy and so struggled to squeeze in time to update. But found a spare half an hour and 'Oh my goodness' there are rather alot of pictures!

So lets start with the completion of ally pally. Here are some of the things I brought:

This was from Touch yarns, I love this!

Ahh, and so was this... ...Um and so was this. See a pattern here?

I went back everyday for something new, I couldn't keep away, It wins the fyberspates award for best wool stall, apart from Get knitted ofcourse!

Here is Marnie stood proudly at her stall!

I did aquire a hank of cherry tree sock yarn, which was screaming at me for the whole show:

So now to non show things, I've been doing some dyeing inspired buy autumn and by my trip to the show:

The silk boucle, and a very fine mohair, soon to be available from Getknitted, it is a limited edition yarn.

Then a couple of new colourways inspired by all the falling leaves in cardiff.

So what else? Working on a few patterns for the sock yarns, and fibres and blends for spinning will be available on my website soon, ooh and hopefully some hand spun scarf kits for christmas, here is a taster of the yarn you can expect:

Alexandra Palace knitting and stitching show Part 1!

Thanks to everyone that came and said hello to me! It was so much fun meeting people that actually read my blog! And it was so fabulous to meet Tracy, she looks even more fabulous than in her pictures.

I had the most amazing time, it was absolutely mad and so busy, but I did get to to make some woolly purchases which I'll blog about it part two.

One of my favorite things about the show is the exhibitions, there were the most amazing knitted things. My favorite was a huge saucy machine knitted magazine cover it was hilarious. Have a read!

My second favorite was the knitted furniture, I especially like knitted armchair, I'm sure I would make one of those, now if only I could find a pattern......

Table close up:

Chair:

Ally pally here we come!

So, I'm just about to leave for the knitting and stitching show at ally pally, and here is a little picture of sage whilst I was packing earlier:

I think he wants to come with me.........

The yarns all finished and loaded in the car, by the time you read this I'll be on my way.

I'm on the Getknitted stall, Please come and say hello!!!

I'll be back monday with tonnes of pics etc.

Bye for now........

Jumpers.

Why did I start this blog in the first place?.... well one of the reasons was to document my knitting so I could record exactly all the things I knitted.

So breaking with tradition, I actually have some pictures ....

Firstly the Noro tank I was knitting a couple of posts ago. I need to get it knit in my DK for a sample for the knitting show in Alexandra Palace the week after next, and I need to check my instructions work, then it'll be available on the website.

I may ditch the frills and go with a moss stitch edging. It's a rather revealing jumper, I got tired of knitting frumpy things and fancied something a bit more fun.

Any thoughts?

OK, and for the cat lovers this is what sage thinks of it. Cheeky Boy!

Tracy very kindly knitted up some socks in a new colour (pink grape fruit) for me, (she will get them back, I'm not that cruel). They are so cute, she is a master sock knitter!

If you click her name you can see them on.

Here they are:

what's been goin on.....

So I blew my microwave up the day before yesterday, it had wool in it, not really too sure why it happened, but the house stinks of burnt plastic.

Serious knitting research disscusions are taking place today, very exciting.

Dyeing loads of stuff for the knitting and stitching show in Ally Pally, which is great.

Results of the questionaire will be published in Simply knitting, yes really! Thanks for all of those who took part in it, there will be more stuff in the future......

And here's a picture of a naughy boy:

We went out for drinks the other evening, (and Tracy I did have one on you! take a look, she's steeking today!) because anth was supposed to have finished his Phd thesis finally. SO there was me all glad that finally I might get some attention again. Anyway next day anth says 'oh, I can't take it to be bound yet because I need to do one more check.' So we are here today and he's still checking. He promised it will be finished today, but I don't care any more, I don't believe him one little bit. :-(

Still at least the naughty boy gives me his undivided attention even if being near fluffy wool is part of the bargain.

Knitting experiment

Hello!

Remember I mentioned a while ago about doing a knitting experment? Well, wheels have been turning, and I have the support of one of my bosses Ulrich, and some other great people as well, so turns out we could do something pretty fabulous!

So to pinpoint exactly what we are going to test I need answers to some questions from you! Yes you!

You can post replies here at the knitters review forum:

http://www.knittersreview.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42227

or have a read of them below and emial me your answers!

I want to know about how you feel when you are knitting?
What do you think about whilst you are doing it?
Do you think about your projects when you are not knitting?
How does that make you feel?
How does it effect your mood generally?
Do you do other things when you are knitting?
Do you choose different projects for different times, or when you feel different?

I really want you to really reflect on what is going on while your knitting.

By the way you automatically get entered into a competition to win fyberspates sock yarn if you answer the questions for me!

This study is going to be huge! Please contribute, it will make a difference to other people's lives in the future.

Evening!

Well! I'm having a great week, lot's of secret projects on the go and the website is nearly up and running, I'll post a link soon! And having predictable hair makes all the difference in the mornings! All the more time for knitting.

So here is the monster! Notice the size of the little bobbins on the right compared to the monster's ones?

It's a single drive which is different to my other spinning wheel, so it took me half an hour or so to get used to it, but I'm nearly there. The bobbins are so big that even after spinning loads this is all I had to show for it!:

So anyway saturday, all my aunties and me took a trip to Getknitted and boy was it fun! they loved it, I brought some noro silk garden and some lushious Lorna's laces silk and wool, I think it's the Lion and lamb. it's for a pair of luxury gloves! I'll post a pic soon.

Here is the tank I am making from the noro:

Signing off now for sausage and mash!

No hair and new wheel!

So I went and did it, I had all my hair off. I was so nervous, but I love it.

Here I am,

My face isn't quite as pointy or skinny as it looks in the photo. One of the reasons I had it cut was to give my skin a break, it's not too good at the moment and I think it needs a product free life.

Anyway exciting thing number two: I got my spinning wheel in the post this  morning and at the moment it looks like this:

See the two disks to the right of the wheel? Those are the bobbins. We are talking seriously big. Its an ashford country spinning wheel. I can't wait to put it together, but it will probably be sunday.

It's anths birthday tomorrow and hopefully he will nearly have finished his thesis. I am desperate to have him back to normal. I miss his laughter.

Oh by the way, check out the fyberspates silks at Get knitted, they look lush!

Winning results.

Congrats to Anita for winning the competition.

Thankyou for all the names you suggested, we finally decided to go for Angie's suggestion 'Brighton Rock', so thankyou. I am going to work on another rose colourway.

There will be lots of new yarns soon at Getknitted, there is my DK, which is up, and also some really pretty silks.

Here are some Gloves knitted in the foxglove DK:

The great thing about these are that they are knitted on two needles! I'll publish the pattern soon.

Next up a shot of a scarf made of the silk boucle:

And here is a close up:

The colours in this photo are pretty true to life.

Thanks to everyone who purchased the 'Oliver special'.

I think I am going to have all my hair cut off, and have it really short.....

Old Rose and a competition.

Lots going on as usual, focusing on making patterns and dyeing yarn for getknitted.

I have a new colourway which I am extremely fond of, but I'm not too sure the name is exactly right. So perhaps people would be kind enough to tell me what they think about whether the yarn and the name fits, (forget strawberry's and cream though, it's too pink for that). And if you do, they enter the chance to win some sock yarn in that colour. (I will pull a number out of a hat corresponding to the number of comments)

So here goes:

This is the flower which inspired the yarn colours:

This is the yarn drying on my washing line in the garden:

It's a little creamier in real life,  I so am desperate to make some socks with it.

So tell me what you think (be honest now!) and you will be entered into a competition win two skeins of Old rose sock yarn.

Oh and I have started tracking Sage's obsession with sleeping in boxes, he's such a cutie pie, he always sits with me while i'm dyeing and spinning.

Here is the first photo:

Socks!

I am going to do a superduper post soon, I have purchased so much nice yarn recently it really deserves blogging about, however until that time, please take a look at Tracy's Blog and see her pansy socks made from my sock yarn, they are absolutely amazing!

I love knitting too much.

So, firstly there is a new shade of fyberspates sock yarn at Getknitted this is called wild foxglove and matches the colours exactly of a foxglove randomly growing in the middle of my Mother's lawn. I have to say this is my favourite of them all.

I am now on holiday for 4 weeks!!!!! I have so much to do, designing, dyeing, and generally getting the business on it's feet. It's so exciting.

I have spun loads and dyed loads, so i'll post some pictures soon. Today I received an unexpected copy of vogue knitting, and I have to say, this issue is amazing, I did get tears of excitement this morning when I read it. And I am so compelled to make the cardigan on the front, its so 'arty farty', (a nice term to describe things which are ... well, a bit more on the arty side)  exactly the type of knitting I adore, and the types of things I can only hope to design one day. So I am going to try and dye my own wool and knit it.

Hopefully now I'll do more regular posts now I am at home, but you know me.....promises, promises!!

Spinning.

As usual it's mad here, the sock yarn is selling well at Getknitted so I'm due to dye some more this evening.

At the weekend I went to a massive Art show in Oxford called 'Art in Action' It is absolutely amazing, lots of artists from all over the world showing you how they do their work. Weirdly however knitting isn't considered an art a such, there was knitting  done by knitting machine in the textiles tent but the hand knitted work was in the market tent, as opposed to the textiles tent. I'm not too sure I agree with that, so I guess it's up to me to change it!

As for spinning I have been thoroughly enjoying spinning my dyed fibres at the moment, so here is what I have been up to:

Firstly some silk I spun, this is the most successful silk I have ever spun, mainly because I think I prepared it properly first which meant spinning wasn't agonizing and was actually much quicker than I have found it in the past.

Here is is:

Secondly I blended some merino, kid mohair, and wendsleydale and spun a singles yarn, it should have in theory turned out the same as the turquoise yarn I spun a couple of posts ago, but actually it's a little different; more fluffy, however I  did add some Angelina fibres to give it a little sparkle. These bats were meant for Emma, but I couldn't help myself, they were calling me to spin them!

Here's the yarn:

Finally here is what is on my bobbin at the moment:

It's some merino from the same dye lot as above. I will ply this because it's quite quick to spin, and I'm getting lazy doing all these singles yarns.

More business news, there will be a fyberspates shop website which is currently being built, this will be concentrating on hand spun yarns and fibres for spinning. Plus the possibility of more hand painted yarns but most of those will be sold by Get knitted. I'll post the link soon when it looks a little more near completion, It is officially due to go live in Sept.

Phew!!