WIP's and colourwork!

I have just discovered the marvel that is Ravelry! I have been a member for ages but never really got round to looking at it - now I'm printing off patterns for my stash like a demon! I always seem to get impatient and can't wait to finish one project so I can start another! Unfortunately this leads to lots of WIP's! I currently have 6 (that I can remember!)

One of these is an evil fair isle cardigan that I have been knitting for about 6 years now! It is my first and probably last ever attempt at fair isle - I did my usual trick of deciding I wanted to try a new technique and picking the most devilishly complicated pattern to try first! It would be beautiful if I ever finished it, however I now have the problem that as my knitting skills have improved over the past few years the tension on this cardigan varies greatly! I started out knitting the smallest size as I started pre-pregnancy and was a skinny minnie back in those days. I have completed the back and the two fronts of the cardigan and, although the fronts are slightly larger than they should be, the back is truly monstrous! It is larger than the largest size is meant to be! Oh well, one day I will finish it and hopefully be able to do some clever sewing up to hide the size differences! Otherwise my beloved cardigan will end up in the dressing up box for little miss E! Perhaps in future I will leave colourwork to my mother who is a master at it.

I am currently working on a frog jumper for little miss E (colourwork again!) and the beautiful swallowtail shawl. The shawl is going beautifully and I'm thinking of adding beads to it at some point. The frog however is driving me crazy!! Thankfully it's a single motif on the front which I have now completed. My mum assures me it will look a lot better when pressed. Personally I don't think it could look much worse!

That's all for now, will add some pictures to this at some point this week!!

The first post!!

So excited! Not really bothered if nobody reads it but it's nice to do!! I have just returned from a very exciting trip to London to visit Knit Nation! I really liked a lot of the stalls but found the venue a bit small, it was sooo crowded!! I loved the independant yarn makers and dyers but didn't really look at the larger shop based stalls like Loop, they weren't really what I went for. I think poor hubby nearly had a heart attack at some of the prices! I really cannot get him to understand the pleasure of pure silk or cashmere!!

My favourite stalls were KnitWitches and Tall Yarns n Tales. I bought some lovely yarns from both of these, including a dyeing kit from Tall Yarns which I am very excited about. Might have to have a go at that later today and post some pictures, even if it turns out dreadful!! I bought some pure cashmere and kid silk yarn from Knitwitches and I am going to knit the swallow tail shawl free pattern with it.

After visiting Knit Nation I dragged poor hubby round the Grace Kelly exhibition in the V & A. I swear he has the patience of a saint sometimes! I loved the exhibition, she was so elegant and classy and some of the clothes were absolutely gorgeous. I particularly liked a purple coat which she wore when she arrived in Monaco, would definately like one of those! I loved the simplicity of some of the outfits she wore and the way she accessorised.

My recently self-taught-crochet-skills are coming along well. I am making the little itty bitty doll clothes you can get from Purple Linda. I have shown my knitting/crochet guru (hubby's grandmother) and she was impressed and thinks I've nearly got it!!! I shall persevere!! My little munchkin is thoroughly testing the durability of the clothes I made, I think I will promote her to Quality Control!

Second attempt, not sewn up the ends yet.

First attempt at crochet, hubby thinks the jacket
should be in Battlestar Galactica!