Golly, last updated 11 weeks ago. poor knitting blog. I am neglectful. That's because I have been too busy knitting. One day I may get around to posting pictures of finished projects. Maybe.

I think there has been:

1) The cabled socks of infinite complexity. They are a thing of beauty and great joy. Oh yes.

2) A cardigan from the bargain penny-a-ball purple wool with sparkly bits in. It is horrifically itchy. I think I'm going to have to charityshop it. Now I understand what something of such beauty was doing in the bargain heap.

3) A pinky / purply/ dark red/ heathery sort of coloured thick hooded jacket for Iona. Surprisingly seasonally apt.

These three all came from the stash so it was almost like being good. Sadly since then I have strayed from the straight and narrow of not-buying-wool.

First I spotted some denimy blue cotten/linen mix in the bargain bin. This has been transformed into a cabledy sweater. I had some trouble with gauge because it was weirdly finer than it should have been, so I aimed big and decided it would belong to whichever small person it fitted best (lucky they all have the same colouring, eh?). Benedict seems to be the lucky winner.

Then I was tempted by new colours in Twilley's Freedom Spirit. Ooops. I am a hopeless addict of this yarn. It is just so joyful. La. The blanket has more pretty squares. I love the squares. I will love my blanket. Maybe it will be done by winter?

Current projects: I have done one of http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTmonkey.html done in some wonderful Trekking sock wool, sort of blues and purples. I've just finished the ribbing on the second one, but am not in the mood for it.

I have promised big daughter a Swallows and Amazons sweater. I'm planning on using the lilac cotton cashmere that I bought bargainously off ebay (note: I do not see the point of this blend: it just feels like ordinary splitty cotton, maybe slightly less hard on the hands, yet ordinarily, it is ruinously priced). We are currently fighting over the contrast colour. She wants a wishy washy kind of blue. I KNOW chocolate brown would be absolutely perfect. We may compromise on navy. I have charted out the back, with the legend "Better drowned than duffers" and have just spent this evening pixellating a sailing boat for the front. It remains to be seen whether this is a triumph or disaster.

I have a plan for a Gather project but still have not located the essential lime green yarn. Hmmm. Time is running out.

I have bargain John Lewis sale yarn for two more small people sweaters stashed in the wardrobe. I think the habit is getting out of hand. But it was so pretty. And half price. That's got to be an excuse, yes? There is pale pink Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton for Iona ( I really like the feel of this one, it's sort of sheeny) and the most gorgeous greeny bluey shade of Debbie Bliss Stella for my boy (this one looks annoyingly splitty, but the colour is to die for).

I keep having fantasies about just how I might knit these two lots up. It's an addiction, I tell you... See how I can blether on for hours...

Damnblowblastandbloodyhell. One of my dinky little wooden sock needles has just snapped. Right in the middle of a row of the splendidly cabled sock. I have managed to rescue all the teeny weeny stitches but am now sulking cos I don't know if I will be able to do the heel on only 4 needles. Mind you, it will take me some time to reach the heel as it is rather fiddly. Does anyone know if this tends to happen with very fine wooden needles?

I am off to email Web of Wool in a politely assertive manner to ask for a replacement.

I am having pattern love. The cabled socks are now in progress, and are truly fiendish. Lots of little mini-cables, done without a cable needle. Magnifique. Do I love Jim enough to actually let him WEAR them, do we suppose?

Dear friends, I have something to confess. Today I bought ( a little wool )

I went here and bought wool for a penny a gram. What you see there is approximately £24 worth. Oops. Might have got carried away. Just a tad.

I have spent a happy afternoon making plans and knitting swatches.

These ( two balls of sock wool )
are destined for the cabled pattern.

The odd balls are going in the patchwork blanket stash.

These ( greens )

remind me of some of the gorgeous Colinette yarns I was stroking in Whitby last week. I'm thinking a scarf.

The purple is rather wondrous. At first glance I thought it was a ghastly novelty yarn, but on closer inspection it's a wool/alpaca blend, twisted through with sparkly tinsel strands in a rather subcontinental way. I am in love. It is calling out to be mine, but I only have 500g so I am cunningly calculating. I have swatched on 5mm needles ( for your edification )
and done sums, and reckon if I knit up the smallest size of ( this here pattern: )

it should come up just the right size and the yarn should last out. We shall see.

I have spent an awful lot of time over the Easter hols knitting teeny weeny blanket squares whilst reading. It is a fine way to pass the time. Much stroking. I am starting to feel the need to go shopping to reinvigorate the stash...

( several photos of the work in progress )

I have found this pattern and am sorely tempted...

Baaaaaa!  Ah, I have been secretly hankering after a knitting blog for aaages, and now Helen has persuaded me.  It is all her fault.  Oh yes.  Now I suppose I shall have to find something to post in it.