tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56244223349679613412024-02-19T02:21:00.044+00:00A journey though my stashMy stash is rather epic. I'm trying to knit it down to a manageable level while maintaining a sense of the Cold Sheep philosophy.Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-15663801457762182062017-01-03T22:33:00.000+00:002017-01-03T22:33:36.089+00:00Welcome to 2017!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome to a brand new year with brand new ideas, brand new inspiration and brand new yarn! Only joking about the yarn part - despite my valiant efforts at cold sheeping last year the stash grew. A lot.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDrcibNvBDtP_ZD64G3t6jZRE_QcbhSX1rDtnqWbwRdUM0Z2r-VMGn6frf0SMxTaKnZDrO-4rPdfQ4N5FOx1CdNuybJndNW_LzH0lCJDXugUx9tF9mSGJXQNbKjl0ENCNWD8p9vvda23H/s1600/yarn-comic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDrcibNvBDtP_ZD64G3t6jZRE_QcbhSX1rDtnqWbwRdUM0Z2r-VMGn6frf0SMxTaKnZDrO-4rPdfQ4N5FOx1CdNuybJndNW_LzH0lCJDXugUx9tF9mSGJXQNbKjl0ENCNWD8p9vvda23H/s320/yarn-comic.jpg" width="260" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year I cold sheeped - as in, I didn't buy yarn. It was my goal to not buy yarn until the annual trip to Dublin in October/November. The only exception was if I needed an extra ball or two to finish a project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was doing well, I managed a few weeks then slipped off the sheep,hopped back on for a few weeks and then fell off again. Mainly because Fine Fish Yarns had yarn clubs. But mostly the yarn stash was decreasing, slowly but it was still going the right direction - downwards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then August happened and the floodgates were opened. The yarn flooded in for months! I'm still waiting on one more skein arriving from the Fine Fish yarn club,. Basically, all the manic knitting and destashing had been undone (166 balls), and now the stash is in the region of 53 miles (and 385 balls)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So no more yarn! It doesn't fit in its designated space and it threatening to take over the living room. So thats the stash I'm knitting up first. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH7oDNgBGIWzWGn6HVVBEJ8kQVS4jYG_RXoFKemXiH3-4pW5iFw7Vftysqjkfg0ABSfU0YRLhWDIDLpy_P2VL5MSVpGzK0Md8Baw855L5t5X5DGpiITP0EPlD6fvBVI01kmuq0AJ3N0cJK/s1600/20170102_105816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH7oDNgBGIWzWGn6HVVBEJ8kQVS4jYG_RXoFKemXiH3-4pW5iFw7Vftysqjkfg0ABSfU0YRLhWDIDLpy_P2VL5MSVpGzK0Md8Baw855L5t5X5DGpiITP0EPlD6fvBVI01kmuq0AJ3N0cJK/s320/20170102_105816.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's all sorts in this pile - hand dyed, sock yarn, chunky, cotton - a real general mix. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The good thing is that I've plans for most of it (socks, a scarf, mitts, slippers etc) so hopefully I'll get stuck in and get it all worked up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm trying to get the wips from the living room stash sorted out first - I've finished 2 scarves and 2 hats so hats this year (and its only the 3rd!) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OxOPko1RSeJRXsvlc7sTA6QWnpFiz-zalgJ-2LryMVV7QzuwH5B0k6vMvPulU2aQzHDmgZCCoBQmUUrizqEPX9q8q-il25-q1yPJ9-VHWeQo47RAkLft3XcUgaVShhjNFqPaYW1Buv1_/s1600/IMG-20170103-WA0002_medium.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OxOPko1RSeJRXsvlc7sTA6QWnpFiz-zalgJ-2LryMVV7QzuwH5B0k6vMvPulU2aQzHDmgZCCoBQmUUrizqEPX9q8q-il25-q1yPJ9-VHWeQo47RAkLft3XcUgaVShhjNFqPaYW1Buv1_/s320/IMG-20170103-WA0002_medium.jpeg" width="177" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a hat that I actually dreamt of one night in April, then decided it would be a good idea to try and knit it up.....the dream hat was <i>much</i> nicer but it was my first go at designing something so I can only get better. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See, I don't appear to like it at all cuz I can't even take a decent photo of it, lol. Maybe at the weekend I'll get a good shot of it and maybe even learn to like it a bit more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that the hat is done, I'm onto Hulk and Spiderman number 2:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKBX7HLAC7Jj8_NdK7BJ_1vye4CwaBbNhZGRxvsX9euJqeCWdlAhSywaVQbaQ8i-ZavQbjiNaHJ57axMmORR0zjweFlVMNzvNHDUFVyRL1lrzwx3VB-2Feb-7qaLofDLAyZR2BvqehCBK/s1600/20161214_193746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKBX7HLAC7Jj8_NdK7BJ_1vye4CwaBbNhZGRxvsX9euJqeCWdlAhSywaVQbaQ8i-ZavQbjiNaHJ57axMmORR0zjweFlVMNzvNHDUFVyRL1lrzwx3VB-2Feb-7qaLofDLAyZR2BvqehCBK/s320/20161214_193746.jpg" width="180" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGyMd3n9LhYezRKmlSGc0IDq7ihTAXewc1Z66f3aPZ2CIPtBfjGYOoOR3HVHaa74fnBgZ94QYUEHrLoAXUTNTbVofsXNBAAtqzArhWFWhyBcAAAPerUOJWFWHxTU3LVlcCtX3M-mfM42h/s1600/20161215_212055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGyMd3n9LhYezRKmlSGc0IDq7ihTAXewc1Z66f3aPZ2CIPtBfjGYOoOR3HVHaa74fnBgZ94QYUEHrLoAXUTNTbVofsXNBAAtqzArhWFWhyBcAAAPerUOJWFWHxTU3LVlcCtX3M-mfM42h/s320/20161215_212055.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I made these two for Christmas presents and others have seen them and requested their own,,,,the things you do for love, eh? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As well as these two, I've got a pair of socks on the go and another hat. Seems I'm in one of those hat moods which is quite strange since I don't wear them myself! Of course these hat are anything but plain, I'm sticking beads in left, right and centre! Why I do this to myself I'll never know, but I'm enjoying myself and thats all that matters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Resolutions?</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other than cold sheeping, I'm trying to get the wips sorted out. I've a blanket thats as old as the hills that I need to decide what to do with and a cardigan thats 3/4 finished. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoying what I'm knitting might be another one, no point knitting a project you hate after all. If I don't like the yarn then donate it. If I don't like the pattern then delete it. Its a hobby after all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what resolutions are you making?</span>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-51008019987105868222016-11-29T23:40:00.000+00:002016-11-29T23:40:12.399+00:00Secrets<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been AGES since I last wrote a blog post, and I think that's partly due to the disaster that was the vlog.....stupid computer screen kept blacking out and by making it come alive again the sound/picture sync was lost. I will try again some day but I think I need a better camera than the one built into the actual laptop. If anyone has any recommendations I love to hear about them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So whats on the needles??</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's the problem with Christmas, lots of stealthy knitting goes on so I can't show much. What I can say is that I think I'm nearly done with the knitting, just a sock really to go and a Hulk or two, lol,.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The world and his wife knows that I have an affinity for <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/stylecraft-special-dk">Stylecraft Special DK</a> and I have to say that a fair few Christmas knits are made out of it. The above project is bottle green and silver while the below is being made using lipstick and royal blue.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjM8opFqhMKY5wOr_5GZpG4QkeNOSSqGnHDAiNL7s1zLDdXJcHWN5sOg7IewoLZaFE46R4kA8vM8hPpUQ88IIucggLDC7GTVAIBFQ_KetiXccqZ1UokuCUj6rhb-dB4mTiqaSlvNsIz8d/s1600/20161125_174846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjM8opFqhMKY5wOr_5GZpG4QkeNOSSqGnHDAiNL7s1zLDdXJcHWN5sOg7IewoLZaFE46R4kA8vM8hPpUQ88IIucggLDC7GTVAIBFQ_KetiXccqZ1UokuCUj6rhb-dB4mTiqaSlvNsIz8d/s320/20161125_174846.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just have wee <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knitted-spiderman">Spidey</a>'s arms left to knit and then the fiddly details, but I have to say its such a great wee pattern that I'm going to buy the </span><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hulk-teeny-dude"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hulk</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and use Meadow green and Emperor purple to knit him up.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6h5MXjjMY9_edKRqdeTQutVwwkFyKFPxicUnRdrfN-gn0xJ1JM5SN6klxsN2U9JUCFGyCBfmcbai8F9YlOXYMEJ_OqK3hmEeN97r5QobCeCWAinw7bX0tGrDscv89ThhLHxykf7djKIEr/s1600/20161126_134147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6h5MXjjMY9_edKRqdeTQutVwwkFyKFPxicUnRdrfN-gn0xJ1JM5SN6klxsN2U9JUCFGyCBfmcbai8F9YlOXYMEJ_OqK3hmEeN97r5QobCeCWAinw7bX0tGrDscv89ThhLHxykf7djKIEr/s200/20161126_134147.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="112" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've also been knitting extremely secret things for the Christmas swap....so I can only show you a very unhelpful picture, lol. All you know is that its in <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/lion-brand-kitchen-cotton">Lion Brand Cotton</a> but I'm sure you could take a stab in the dark as to what its to become. This is technically finished, just the ends to go....and they'll probably be sorted 10 minutes before I need to leave the house to attend the very swanky Christmas outing (its in the Titanic complex this year, nothing but the best for us knitters!) </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What else have I been up to?</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWbic2aL_t1An59gRiPBWojY1wj_hgga6fXohZCi7OsySssSj0j2OI6o32fL59r8fsnQx1a-TUwhI26uIPTuIVFA7oTfJ-aX6XbAPFTZmdutKgLc98rVmLnyJ4dk1E-rn3vemLe9oEjzX/s1600/20161121_183055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWbic2aL_t1An59gRiPBWojY1wj_hgga6fXohZCi7OsySssSj0j2OI6o32fL59r8fsnQx1a-TUwhI26uIPTuIVFA7oTfJ-aX6XbAPFTZmdutKgLc98rVmLnyJ4dk1E-rn3vemLe9oEjzX/s320/20161121_183055.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've been bitten by the dyeing bug, and to date I've 6 skeins under my belt - all dyed differently to try out various techniques. I've 2 new ones to show off, a rather subtle one I dyed for a friend....I call it "Peaceful, easy feeling" and I really like it. Its not bright and in your face like some yarns I've dyed up. There's nice light and airy colours in this one, light blues, greens, pinks, yellows and silver. The recipient seemed to really like it which is the main thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In stark contrast is "Kiss the girl"! This one is greens, blues, pinks and hints of purples and it turned out completely different to what I had planned in my head (but it seems that these things always do!) but it is so much better than what I thought it would be like.</span><br />
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This one is projectless so if you have an idea what you could do with it, make me an offer and its yours! Its 100% superwash merino 4ply and is 375m.</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deadline? What deadline?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm in the midst of a deadline to knit a pair of socks for a fellow knitters daughter. Of course things like dyeing and procrastiknitting are getting in the way BUT last week I finished the first sock (this girl has feet the same size as my BROTHER! Thankfully the leg is on the shorter side!) and the second is underway....I took this snap on Sunday so I can see the progress I make. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm hoping to have the majority of the remaining Christmas knits finished by Sunday so I can spend the remaining few weeks on the lead up to Christmas frantically knitting the things I forgot about in the first place......and finally give poor Spider-Man his arms which I <i>know</i> I'll leave until the last minute! He can't be a web-slinger without arms....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dare I ask how your Christmas crafting is coming along? Or is that something we just don't talk about??</span></div>
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-79819306100135280952016-11-08T22:37:00.001+00:002016-11-08T22:43:01.988+00:00Everytime I look at you, I dye a little<div class="MsoNormal">
Sorry about the lack of posts the past few weeks – I did
have a vlog/podcast thing done but its rubbish. The sound isn’t in sync with
the video because the screen kept going dark on me… I’ll try it again this
weekend and see what happens.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At the end of August, I took the day off work and headed up
to Whitehead to <a href="http://www.thebankhousewhitehead.co.uk/lighthouse-yarns/">Lighthouse Yarns</a> for a dyeing workshop with Terri from <a href="http://www.finefishyarns.com/">FineFish Yarns</a>. I can not tell you how
EXCITED I was to dye something. I had tried many years ago with koolaid, a sock
blank and a microwave but I’ve shied away from using it because I didn’t want
it to fade away into nothing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There were too many of us to dye in the yarn shop, so we
hopped over to the community centre across the street, got our tables set up
and learned the mechanics of dyeing – basically there are none so just wing it!<o:p></o:p><br />
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So, after smothering the table with cling film, we picked
our dye powder colours and drenched the yarn with a mixture of warm water and
citric acid. The dyes were also mixed with the same solution and then the fun
began!</div>
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After that workshop I just couldn’t help myself. I ordered
some yarn blanks on <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Bare_Stroll_Fingering_Sock_Yarn__D5420145.html">Knitpicks</a> and some dyes from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=acid+dyes">Amazon</a>. I’ve only dyed up 3 skeins so far:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKIzacDjjK2dVs6jjnMu_I_0U6t2q7pKd9RiXBC4uwuH8xgQ7HvdqlelzTkVMbE2tYim_4sXGVH5E7VaerlU6rfK_eWtxqSb8S0O2hsnsaWc7HTQPST1gN1cJYkWVohl4lPDMtgJ1p03L/s1600/20161101_211310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKIzacDjjK2dVs6jjnMu_I_0U6t2q7pKd9RiXBC4uwuH8xgQ7HvdqlelzTkVMbE2tYim_4sXGVH5E7VaerlU6rfK_eWtxqSb8S0O2hsnsaWc7HTQPST1gN1cJYkWVohl4lPDMtgJ1p03L/s320/20161101_211310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I’ve plans for more…..once I scrape the money together for
more yarn blanks!<br />
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But there’s the problem. Does the handdyed yarn count as
stash? Does my stash increase with every skein I dye? Or should be counted as
an entirely separate stash?<o:p></o:p></div>
Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-8500818356691531802016-10-20T06:51:00.001+01:002016-10-20T06:51:55.390+01:00I made a thing!!!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MDAz6BUn9-U" width="459"></iframe><br /><br />
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Made a little podcast on Monday night - its short and sweet and took forever to get it to upload correctly! (started to reupload at 3am cuz I was thinking about it all night!)Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-61158999525505572462016-10-12T22:11:00.001+01:002016-10-12T22:11:39.154+01:00Annual pilgrimage planningIts that time again when I'm getting myself sorted and organised for the <a href="https://youdroppedone.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/tuesdays-update-didnt-happen-for-one.html">annual trip to Dublin</a> and I'm sure I'll need a rather large suitcase this time round....a bigger case than last time!<br />
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I'm at the point of the packing stage where I'm debating knitting. Do I take wips? Do I take something new and shiny and just for me? Or do I take some Christmas knitting with me?<br />
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This was one of the things I was tempted to bring. A fellow knitter has asked for help knitting socks for her daughter for Christmas and I volunteered.... so I was thinking that all that train time would be a good time to get the pair started IF I get my current pair finished (first one is very nearly done)<br />
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Or do i bring a hook and some cotton so I can practice my crochet?<br />
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Do I bring both? Do I bring none of them and bring something else?<br />
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Suggestions are most welcome!<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-24726356966817377032016-10-04T22:37:00.000+01:002016-10-04T22:37:53.625+01:00Hat Season<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1MYOsz_y5VUAzYGZ_iVB34zYAuZpj7N9kLKKPMVHjBHkaox49lvZ7FNCFDYkXq7YewdnS984s8W5CC_cap6RsH-zOyMcEjKMpwxFvacsUom7zfhRuVEtIxr5kI-63lKAP62Lc9t2YRMI/s1600/20160903_130514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1MYOsz_y5VUAzYGZ_iVB34zYAuZpj7N9kLKKPMVHjBHkaox49lvZ7FNCFDYkXq7YewdnS984s8W5CC_cap6RsH-zOyMcEjKMpwxFvacsUom7zfhRuVEtIxr5kI-63lKAP62Lc9t2YRMI/s400/20160903_130514.jpg" width="400" /></a>A few weeks ago, (August to be precise) Sharon opened the yarn floodgates and I ended up buying lots of yarn. This photo represents a lot of money! One particular purchase involves 30 balls of aran acrylic which I had never used before. I've only done something like that once before and regretted it, so I don't know what possessed me this time. In this picture I've bagged the yarn up in their colour family and then I promptly sat down in disbelief of what I'd done.</div>
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Then I had a wonderful idea - Winter is coming and so everyone in the world needs a new hat!! I've 36 balls of this stuff, I should be able to cover the heads of lots of people! Firstly, I decided the nephew needed a hat (even though getting him to keep it on his head is a minor miracle) and if he got one then his BFF should get one too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsUxxJ0Lvu9gs4CoM-l2DDm5CfubkoZWifdGFIKkQIEsrbRxsFemQBismGaU2lY7-OpiQrxWQdKs0bH-yO8rx6cW6mJd9yljL1Diw6fe7eQ7VA8BbJcOSIkuYyspUAUebUmPzKxs9PFhH/s1600/20161002_145953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtei9isV1erMPAHsscAGC-GsbZ75WAcr01Y5ApF6Et8GWYiEpuESwkVd9lfjtLS0xh1XgP8pjAOodrYoi9jMF6xE3ZoKP4wyg9ac-iIT157XSpv5etgdxEpN4FtG7QfrPun0JnLopnROgI/s1600/20161002_150013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>After a quick rummage thought the bags, I pulled out Seville Orange and Sky Blue. Quite a nice combo I thought. So I cast on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/helix-striped-hat">Helix Hat</a> in the orange for the brim for the first hat and the blue for the second hats brim. I sewed on some helicopter buttons and called them a job well done.</div>
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Even though its the same colours of yarn, the two hats look completely different!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtei9isV1erMPAHsscAGC-GsbZ75WAcr01Y5ApF6Et8GWYiEpuESwkVd9lfjtLS0xh1XgP8pjAOodrYoi9jMF6xE3ZoKP4wyg9ac-iIT157XSpv5etgdxEpN4FtG7QfrPun0JnLopnROgI/s1600/20161002_150013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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To continue the same but different theme, I knitted up two more hats in vintage pink and dusky lilac. Same thing again, same but different! (My Little Pony buttons on these ones though)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1MYOsz_y5VUAzYGZ_iVB34zYAuZpj7N9kLKKPMVHjBHkaox49lvZ7FNCFDYkXq7YewdnS984s8W5CC_cap6RsH-zOyMcEjKMpwxFvacsUom7zfhRuVEtIxr5kI-63lKAP62Lc9t2YRMI/s1600/20160903_130514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRAgBo1fTQX5dZUlhYVOlnxpXmAPg8PqGqizOjr8_iS5yC7lYC4cUZqByUOPxmXLrBiRl1gbuDD1TBMW8G5NvNKza6GAndBWAgoGnNR5ugcVjAZ_EHxnlnR-bJnROk0szSsfmND_H7K-8/s1600/20161002_145945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwzrpRIf83rB7bPJLRjuLBq28uzg470O7eM8zHgm0psaHBh0E0FDJ6rb4SzRThHmJ4kCnncZfIdRo6UihU4X24ze0C6IsJpDz_Rbbvo3YqHffCd2zXlv5vapRcikPQWw_9vId1sj8NK1P9/s1600/20161002_145925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtei9isV1erMPAHsscAGC-GsbZ75WAcr01Y5ApF6Et8GWYiEpuESwkVd9lfjtLS0xh1XgP8pjAOodrYoi9jMF6xE3ZoKP4wyg9ac-iIT157XSpv5etgdxEpN4FtG7QfrPun0JnLopnROgI/s1600/20161002_150013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtei9isV1erMPAHsscAGC-GsbZ75WAcr01Y5ApF6Et8GWYiEpuESwkVd9lfjtLS0xh1XgP8pjAOodrYoi9jMF6xE3ZoKP4wyg9ac-iIT157XSpv5etgdxEpN4FtG7QfrPun0JnLopnROgI/s1600/20161002_150013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><u></u> So how do the hats look on?? Well this cheeky chappy is almost 3 and is the nephew in question. He was asked to smile but pulled a face and stuck his tongue out instead. At least I can see that the hat fits with room to grow. <br />
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I did manage 6 hats with 2 balls of the yarn though - that's a lot of hats in my future. So what is this yarn? Well its <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/paintbox-yarns-simply-aran">Paintbox Yarns Simply Aran</a> and seems to be LoveKnitting's own yarn brand. <br />
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Its great yardage, great price and its really soft and snuggly when knitted up. I haven't washed it yet though but I've been pulling balls out of bags, across floors and from under tables and it looks like it can withstand a lot.<br />
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Also yup, I knitted the coat he's wearing too. Its a Sirdar duffle coat <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/sirdar-380-chunky-baby-knits">sirdar-380</a> but the yarn is <a href="http://www.lovecrochet.com/james-c-brett-marble-chunky?utm_source=ravelry&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=UK%2BJamesCBrett&currency=GBP">Marble Chunky</a> (I love all their colours!) . I know it goes up to age 7 so he'll be getting another in a year or so. Still looks good 2 years on!<br />
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Suppose I'll go start another hat or 12, only 32 balls to go!<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-91907026785531467432016-09-27T22:13:00.002+01:002016-09-27T22:13:57.786+01:00Obsession<br />
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Sometimes there's a project you love to knit over and over again. Sometimes there's a yarn that you just have to buy every time you see (and do some online stalking to make sure you get it)</div>
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For me, my obsession seems to be sock yarn. I love it. There are so many brands out there to choose from - <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/sirdar-heart-and-sole?gclid=CMmG4b-ssM8CFdVAGwod70INlw&currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=133559233&utm_term=sirdar%20heart%20and%20sole">Sirdar Heart & Sole</a>, <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/regia-knitting-yarn?gclid=Cj0KEQjwsai_BRC30KH347fjksoBEiQAoiaqsbD-3pumTrB29kDdXAF59p9RQYxXWrmmFf1kaUn3akcaAuKB8P8HAQ&currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=90974833&utm_term=+regia%20+yarn">Regia</a>, my favourite <a href="http://www.sockyarnshop.com/">Opal</a> and the new sock yarn from <a href="http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/yarn/stylecraft-head-over-heels-all-colours">Stylecraft called Head over Heels</a> (which I may or may not have in the post....)</div>
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See, I've a sock problem. I've got sock yarn spanning a decade now because someone told me that "sock yarn doesn't count". Yeah right!! I've more sock yarn than anything in my stash at the minute (and another ball en route)</div>
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So, what draws me to sock yarn? It has to be the colours. If the colour doesn't grab my attention then nothing else will and I think that's the case for most people. Secondly, if its a yarn I haven't used before then chances are I'll buy it (the Head Over Heels is a perfect example. The Eiger colourway grabbed me and its a new yarn so I was sold!)</div>
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Many years ago in a yarn shop in Berlin I stocked up with <a href="http://www.skacelknitting.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.8821/.f">Trekking XXL</a>. I had 4 colourways, a red/black, a orange/cream, a green/cream and a black/green. Last August (that's August 2015) I cast on a pair of socks with the green/black with the intention of giving them to my brother for his birthday in October........they were only finished in August this year. Yes, they sat on the needles for a FULL YEAR!</div>
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I think this project suffered for two reasons. Firstly, I thought it would be a great idea to knit a pattern into the sock....it takes me an AGE to knit patterned socks. I get bored. I know, its strange that most people find plain socks boring, but I think they go very quickly whereas the pattern slows me down. Secondly, I found the yarn to be quite thin for a 4ply. It wasn't as soft as I was expecting, but then again the yarn had been in my stash for years and it looked like it was starting to felt. I would like to try a newly made ball of Trekking to see if they've changed the recipe or maybe I just got a strange ball. I did knit up one of the other balls 7 years ago for my dad. He didn't wear them for long as my brother stole them....that boy likes his handknitted socks and still wears them!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5Ws8W9DF5Dk2osWu17A9omTrmdrQePlWlQpy2wDZNBKLUe8qaliVk63bSVfye7dkGc42QC9QGfbV8FLtehkdez1pjXC6pU0ugiGyhJ2ok0Fa3IBgaf3gMvd5uJuW85TXt0CnjmwFdH-o/s1600/20160813_193928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5Ws8W9DF5Dk2osWu17A9omTrmdrQePlWlQpy2wDZNBKLUe8qaliVk63bSVfye7dkGc42QC9QGfbV8FLtehkdez1pjXC6pU0ugiGyhJ2ok0Fa3IBgaf3gMvd5uJuW85TXt0CnjmwFdH-o/s320/20160813_193928.jpg" width="179" /></a>Now, the Sirdar is a nice yarn and I really enjoyed working with it. The yarn was soft, springy and knitted up really nicely. Usually I'm not a Sirdar fan but look at the colours! Don't the just sing SUMMER at you! The big chunky colour blocks are good too (you know when you're knitting and someone wants you to do something? "Just wait til I finish this colour" and away you go) I've worn these socks a few times and they wash well too...a nice all rounder type sock yarn.</div>
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Sock yarn is great if you want to get your moneies worth out of a yarn. Its hours of knitting for relatively little. Most yarns I buy seem to be around £8 a ball and they keep me going when I'm out and about. Great project for travelling or commuting to and from work.</div>
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So, time for some finished socks then. Some are new and some are very old.....but I'm working on a new pair and have some new to be sock yarns lined up to try - <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Felici_Sock_Yarn__D5420165.html">Knit Picks Felici</a>, <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/lion-brand-sock-ease?utm_source=ravelry&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=UK%2BLionBrand">Lion Brand Sock Ease</a> and <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/debbie-bliss-rialto-luxury-sock">Debbie Bliss Rialto Sock Yarn</a>.</div>
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If you've never knitted a pair of socks, give it a go! You won't be disappointed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 yarns in these- black opal, bright Regia and pale opal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHmY8k8VZ7FdTugFAihE4lhyphenhyphengi2YKLVYyXAawkjqBuGQo4CGPgSielWgZtabQyfk2kJ_SdFot9l3wU7EXuzk87bSZ0S77Yg5kZ0No_1Jhe-txPDjomXEGnkPNUNIDjy-tUbC4vgMuDEut/s1600/20160924_110901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHmY8k8VZ7FdTugFAihE4lhyphenhyphengi2YKLVYyXAawkjqBuGQo4CGPgSielWgZtabQyfk2kJ_SdFot9l3wU7EXuzk87bSZ0S77Yg5kZ0No_1Jhe-txPDjomXEGnkPNUNIDjy-tUbC4vgMuDEut/s320/20160924_110901.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunshine Sirdar</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trekking XXL</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stolen pair of Trekking XXL socks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funky Opal socks</td></tr>
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-15400273107648664582016-09-10T10:21:00.001+01:002016-09-10T10:21:05.405+01:00Summer's gone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well that was a long summer break I took by accident. I didn't mean to abandon the blog for so long but time seemed to get away from me. But at least the month off has provided me with lots of blog fodder so that'll keep us going for ages!!<br />
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The last time I was here I was frantically knitting away on Echo Beach for the wedding. Well, it was cast off and blocked on the Thursday night, and here it is artfully draped over the dress:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to roll!</td></tr>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>What can I say about it? Its a lovely wrap, the yarn is delicious and the patterns not too scary once you get started. However, its too short. Now I put 2.5 skeins of the alpaca silk into it, and it was a bit awkward to wear. BUT all is not lost!<br />
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I was sitting in a hotel in Donegal, mulling over the fate of echo beach and coming to terms with the fact that I wasn't 100% happy with it, when, all of a sudden I had a flash of inspiration. I could lengthen it!<br />
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After a discussion with the knitters, it was decided that adding a few repeats was indeed the best option. Now to source the yarn which was going to be a problem as Artesano are no longer trading. I tried the place when I got the emergency skein - no luck. I tried ravelry, no luck there either. <br />
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In a moment of desperation, I placed an APB on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1474275096169099/">Stitch n Bitch Facebook group</a> and my search was successful! Andrea was willing to part with 2 skeins that she had and now.....now I'm just waiting on the time to rip the cast off and a chart back and carry on.<br />
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So you'll see a lot more of echo beach in the future!<br />
<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-6278195054081636232016-08-02T22:39:00.000+01:002016-08-02T22:39:06.868+01:00Echo BeachFor the past few weeks I've been working on what I once upon a time would have classed as a scary pattern. It has charts, yarn overs and dropping stitches!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iTSi9tKxyjPI1Vf5Bag4fqOIIDnqMTcWRU8G60CYs7gVxOJ-BZKU_yP6AnxQFre9l83SNd3GzazHKxJjsRqeskuHywvq87IUcyb6AAN-r2rKZ5qq0jD7WTsXIqZ0aSFBr2681UX6h7Fy/s1600/20160802_174518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iTSi9tKxyjPI1Vf5Bag4fqOIIDnqMTcWRU8G60CYs7gVxOJ-BZKU_yP6AnxQFre9l83SNd3GzazHKxJjsRqeskuHywvq87IUcyb6AAN-r2rKZ5qq0jD7WTsXIqZ0aSFBr2681UX6h7Fy/s320/20160802_174518.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iTSi9tKxyjPI1Vf5Bag4fqOIIDnqMTcWRU8G60CYs7gVxOJ-BZKU_yP6AnxQFre9l83SNd3GzazHKxJjsRqeskuHywvq87IUcyb6AAN-r2rKZ5qq0jD7WTsXIqZ0aSFBr2681UX6h7Fy/s1600/20160802_174518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iTSi9tKxyjPI1Vf5Bag4fqOIIDnqMTcWRU8G60CYs7gVxOJ-BZKU_yP6AnxQFre9l83SNd3GzazHKxJjsRqeskuHywvq87IUcyb6AAN-r2rKZ5qq0jD7WTsXIqZ0aSFBr2681UX6h7Fy/s1600/20160802_174518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>I'm talking about <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/echo-beach">Echo Beach</a>. Its designed for a laceweight yarn but I had seen a beautiful sample of it knitted in Artesano in <a href="http://www.theconstantknitter.ie/">The Constant Knitter</a> in Dublin 2 years ago. It was always in my mind and I had decided to knit it for my cousins wedding....which is in 10 days time. I think I started it a bit later than I should have BUT I'm over halfway there!<br />
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I had gotten a dress last August and wanted to pick the teal out...so I ordered some yarn from <a href="http://www.artesanoyarn.co.uk/">Artesano</a> and picked the <a href="http://www.artesanoyarns.co.uk/4-ply-Wool-Yarns/4-ply-Alpaca-Silk-All-Colours/">Alpaca Silk</a> in the Drake colourway. Isn't it lovely!<br />
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Its a really nice yarn to work with. Its a 50g skein but has a good yardage in it (219yds) and the wee skein seems to last forever. I don't think I can say anything bad about this yarn....except that the alpaca does make me sneeze sometimes, lol.<br />
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So I was knitting away quite merrily, dropping stitches every now and then just to mix things up, when I had a rather disturbing thought.... I've nearly 6 repeats of the chart done but I don't think its going to be wide enough!<br />
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Sunday afternoon was spend hunting though ALL the online yarn shops trying to find another skein in the Drake colourway so I could have it on hand just in case...and emergency skein if you will. Well, said skein arrived today so I can breathe easy for another while, just the ticking clock to worry me now.<br />
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As for my project, she's getting lots of love and attention at the minute:<br />
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I'm not sure if its the phones camera, or the new laptop, but the colour doesn't show up properly on the screen (you'll need to see this on the Artesano website, its a beautiful colour) So here we have the dropped stitches. <br />
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In the pattern there are two options for the dropped stitches,1 or 2. I went for 1 and it looks alright to me. The 2 dropped stitches just makes the pattern stand out a bit more I think. <br />
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See my cute little stitches, they're so soft and smooth I can't help but rub my face in it lol. As I said above, its just a lovely yarn and really quite reasonably priced. Without the emergency skein, the whole shawl/wrap would only have cost £10 to make....you couldn't buy one for that amount of money!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaIVAxhbGiHevv8rM5a3PmoN5NEeRkLTMqzxQ_vSxVe4quzy5HN6RTzHczcSewvNlQBy1a_7H8CcU2Ni8WvpINPhWPUVbX8DaZx8necsG4W5agNudWTHpjt6tFTaCY5jmfUykzRX688Yp/s1600/20160801_201456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Here's a shot of what I had knitted so far on Sunday night, you can se<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaIVAxhbGiHevv8rM5a3PmoN5NEeRkLTMqzxQ_vSxVe4quzy5HN6RTzHczcSewvNlQBy1a_7H8CcU2Ni8WvpINPhWPUVbX8DaZx8necsG4W5agNudWTHpjt6tFTaCY5jmfUykzRX688Yp/s1600/20160801_201456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaIVAxhbGiHevv8rM5a3PmoN5NEeRkLTMqzxQ_vSxVe4quzy5HN6RTzHczcSewvNlQBy1a_7H8CcU2Ni8WvpINPhWPUVbX8DaZx8necsG4W5agNudWTHpjt6tFTaCY5jmfUykzRX688Yp/s320/20160801_201456.jpg" width="320" /></a>e how the whole thing will look when its done. If you look closely, you'll see Buzz Lightyear and Jessie from Toy Story on the stitch markers.... the project lives in a Toy Story project bag at the minute too, lol. Have to let the inner kid have some fun you know!</div>
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For project bags and things, check out <a href="http://slippedstitchstudios.com/">slippedstitchstudios.com </a>but you might get hit with the customs charges. For a more locally made project bag of any size/design, my good friend <a href="https://amillionpaperstars.wordpress.com/">Jaele</a> would be willing to discuss your requirements and make you the project bag of your dreams. I've a few of her creations.... I must hunt them out and take snaps to show you.(the rubber duckie one and the my little pony ones are my favourite!)</div>
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Can't stay here all night chatting, back to the knitting! </div>
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-77950276076481016532016-07-31T11:36:00.000+01:002016-07-31T11:36:03.112+01:00Silence is golden<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
For the past few weeks we've had 2 visitors here at Stash HQ....my sister and her Westie. <img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3RXsSG2wXI1nPyr_HsKP6wXeS8YcONFwVT15QF6Wad34IgL1ARGId1X-9Ia6z7Y4bBSINruCNN96p-pFfxf2fW7oW6xmQZRTzTHCcIM_jDBPbh5fDoptFqRonUTa464tjegA7skwhMc1/s320/IMG-20160706-WA0003.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="180" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4rJ0DkkzMj4DgPI17HoNtKrKx7pRRVdJbbV8LztZLjRXGFKKCeUNXfwaSM55DRrejF73LB7ohG3eniKrQEhi1RI0LEcjMJ9h-Ct5MAoOoRVpfgijEhtp9jgUoAaBE-DRVwy0Kjrmn8_z/s1600/20160711_102802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4rJ0DkkzMj4DgPI17HoNtKrKx7pRRVdJbbV8LztZLjRXGFKKCeUNXfwaSM55DRrejF73LB7ohG3eniKrQEhi1RI0LEcjMJ9h-Ct5MAoOoRVpfgijEhtp9jgUoAaBE-DRVwy0Kjrmn8_z/s320/20160711_102802.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="180" /></a></div>
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My sister only knits in my presence so that I stop nagging her about how great a hobby it is, how you can make the item you see in your head exactly as you imagine it etc. So in the above photo, she's keeping me happy by knitting a mitt. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglbkRtzQdafYfqhEIR_s9TbTwwFOsDbNJTVjoWAcpTVltMLAY4Lm9O76d0G_9zDZIYLnw26ZoLLyEbjtHuyuvFmgLTG0PXMas4ARwBXzC6QCW3Sm6vRIPvnMcghVDX63K3viuqUoa0wKW/s1600/20160713_105459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglbkRtzQdafYfqhEIR_s9TbTwwFOsDbNJTVjoWAcpTVltMLAY4Lm9O76d0G_9zDZIYLnw26ZoLLyEbjtHuyuvFmgLTG0PXMas4ARwBXzC6QCW3Sm6vRIPvnMcghVDX63K3viuqUoa0wKW/s320/20160713_105459.jpg" width="320" /></a>She actually finished them, and was rather chuffed with herself (as you would be) so she started another pair. The yarn she used was <a href="http://www.deramores.com/stylecraft-cabaret">Stylecraft Cabaret</a> in Rainbow and they're really pretty. The yarn has a strand of metallic thread running though it which makes them shiny...thats probably what drew her attention to them in the first place actually. <br />
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As for the pattern, it had to be something easy that she could follow without too many complicated stitches and no purling! So one pattern sprung to mind - <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-stitch-mitts">Ysolde's garter stitch mitts</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LRpLhtMOfIdv1EzuhQI1TkWEeYhmZ423hNHTwJ2S52zJbBIV6d1DBeR6u3tuv25uG-7wnYbjFukMX2BWzFGkiA8vjR-I3hRXPVs8ZnvTa0U-19H3zb2hcuZ1L2DxmMZMED3QfP5_L_VV/s1600/20160716_161231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LRpLhtMOfIdv1EzuhQI1TkWEeYhmZ423hNHTwJ2S52zJbBIV6d1DBeR6u3tuv25uG-7wnYbjFukMX2BWzFGkiA8vjR-I3hRXPVs8ZnvTa0U-19H3zb2hcuZ1L2DxmMZMED3QfP5_L_VV/s320/20160716_161231.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Even I managed to rustle up a pair or two of these. There are 2 pairs of these, honest. For his I used <a href="http://www.loveknitting.com/adriafil-knitcol">Adriafil Knitcol</a> and knitted the pattern up as written. For mine, well I've a thick wrist so I made the mitt a repeat wider and it fits well. As for the yarn, well I received this skein in the Christmas swap a while ago and thought that it would make perfect mitts - its <a href="http://www.finefishyarns.com/">Fine Fish Yarns DK</a> in a lovely blue called Innis. <br />
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The gruesome twosome left on Wednesday and Friday, so the house has been very quiet without them. Himself keeps looking for Gibbs and is a bit disappointed when he remembers that he's gone home (seems he was a bit mopey which is a victory for us, lol) and I've a mitt to fix for the sister.....but I am getting loads done on my shawl.<br />
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I did get new yarn this week, all the way from Australia, but I'll leave that for another day.Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-61391652968818582702016-07-21T15:21:00.001+01:002016-07-21T22:42:53.252+01:00Max<p dir="ltr">A few weeks ago, in the looming days before World Wide Knit in Public Day, the hubby and I took a little trip on the Stenaline from Belfast to Cairnryan. I had gotten very cheap seats in the St Patrick’s Day sale (and, with hindsight, I should have bought a few more seats) so it was a very cheap day out.</p>
<p dir="ltr">He packed his book and I, obviously, packed my knitting - there were still a lot of creatures to create for the WWKIPD!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrovkS2ArNYCcIE6Dfef5LW3o-HyrjPSjNhxtIegaW7QmBhLMIWL5i5LnngLaf4eYJnkabMfzmZGm5t9P0uvHpaCTgAT0iPez40QbWj-taSg8fifLOr1mxDFL3NR4xuoFv4rcQti3G9_f/s1600/IMG_20160611_072218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrovkS2ArNYCcIE6Dfef5LW3o-HyrjPSjNhxtIegaW7QmBhLMIWL5i5LnngLaf4eYJnkabMfzmZGm5t9P0uvHpaCTgAT0iPez40QbWj-taSg8fifLOr1mxDFL3NR4xuoFv4rcQti3G9_f/s320/IMG_20160611_072218.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="WordSection1" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">While on the trip we got upgraded to the very posh Stenaplus all because the captain couldn’t let us on the bridge (It’s a long story)!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">So, we’re sitting in Stenplus in our big swirly leather chairs drinking the free wine (well, he was, I wasn’t) when something happened</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">From my needles a little ladybug was born!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk-b3nbg8Qodm_UMWrBIRmyzk4fy-c1gEJDBu1U0zAjEMBMQ8QUbt5ptoLTDvxfdhPtgWiNcRFqGyZi8qU0PauahjWtoIyfMMNA_FHicwdj6oXVSHq7_OVUsgctTyw5kEkGpxokCXQhkZ/s1600/20160611_163316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk-b3nbg8Qodm_UMWrBIRmyzk4fy-c1gEJDBu1U0zAjEMBMQ8QUbt5ptoLTDvxfdhPtgWiNcRFqGyZi8qU0PauahjWtoIyfMMNA_FHicwdj6oXVSHq7_OVUsgctTyw5kEkGpxokCXQhkZ/s320/20160611_163316.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is Max.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Max is rather a shy little ladybug.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMqxRwfi_GCuKNO2u1P4hvl8Qbat32blmqlbIpTIgjDEu2aFBZn2i2Z4A4tT6FUx35EypTVHUW_CYsHAR1B6T_v1tKFIgF8DPGGatqzEGelwJouwOiTHMXHuDRahyphenhyphenjEnpyEiEcA9J1l-Z/s1600/20160611_115018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMqxRwfi_GCuKNO2u1P4hvl8Qbat32blmqlbIpTIgjDEu2aFBZn2i2Z4A4tT6FUx35EypTVHUW_CYsHAR1B6T_v1tKFIgF8DPGGatqzEGelwJouwOiTHMXHuDRahyphenhyphenjEnpyEiEcA9J1l-Z/s320/20160611_115018.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shy but with a curiosity about the world around him. He stared out the window trying to work out where he was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u2Tg-flb-NnRpe0bM45a9jstAUkorNfcT-O8_iY0LBmDhMumc1CmsCv1rMSiDbhzQjVE7m5IY1jwKNUZCejEjW9fMJLvsULop0_4cPOmDSe5od4FBW7qeo4GFeNjlM4F5WP-NzD-PFya/s1600/20160611_131603_LLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u2Tg-flb-NnRpe0bM45a9jstAUkorNfcT-O8_iY0LBmDhMumc1CmsCv1rMSiDbhzQjVE7m5IY1jwKNUZCejEjW9fMJLvsULop0_4cPOmDSe5od4FBW7qeo4GFeNjlM4F5WP-NzD-PFya/s320/20160611_131603_LLS.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All that looking and staring didn't help him, go he tried logging into the ships computer....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilW6pE5xn6OMM61SHR4C0tkGd6g6W7VUjaTOWFSnUJicdh0J6YBSbdl2sitD1aQQ5lMREds3H3U2tMx-keRC63M8KRKQch-7b5jvWSEQ_VKUyHc47uIklNy4CmvTcR3-jFJpeRkXpqwNXW/s1600/20160611_131637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilW6pE5xn6OMM61SHR4C0tkGd6g6W7VUjaTOWFSnUJicdh0J6YBSbdl2sitD1aQQ5lMREds3H3U2tMx-keRC63M8KRKQch-7b5jvWSEQ_VKUyHc47uIklNy4CmvTcR3-jFJpeRkXpqwNXW/s320/20160611_131637.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But that didn't work. It drove him to drink!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-Ws_afLZjBYvWw2URbNEYJi-BZj3oLCaTl_NPGdEqdOvvrKdw6e4WtL_th1E1P6h64Pn1_XKHELJIqP0nwrsFN4K4iqyUKA5mftOQKphNSAXGm2Ll7qkzF4NjtNQco9fXa30Esd1nbWu/s1600/20160611_131705-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-Ws_afLZjBYvWw2URbNEYJi-BZj3oLCaTl_NPGdEqdOvvrKdw6e4WtL_th1E1P6h64Pn1_XKHELJIqP0nwrsFN4K4iqyUKA5mftOQKphNSAXGm2Ll7qkzF4NjtNQco9fXa30Esd1nbWu/s320/20160611_131705-1.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And donuts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijH5tHPkPwCpmOzefOBeZOUxUnPCXYV7b0Hgl70Ge_PQgpTApEsGxgpDlOvuIxBCbUTiqyMin5aNfuxXSC7DVTnUqcNTuI-UO9-cSbdu090UGSWb7Yj4yyr8GhHud0E7P4kMKmG70ysH1Y/s1600/20160611_131741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijH5tHPkPwCpmOzefOBeZOUxUnPCXYV7b0Hgl70Ge_PQgpTApEsGxgpDlOvuIxBCbUTiqyMin5aNfuxXSC7DVTnUqcNTuI-UO9-cSbdu090UGSWb7Yj4yyr8GhHud0E7P4kMKmG70ysH1Y/s320/20160611_131741.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ahhh! Tartan biscuits! Scotland must be involved!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-kLx8PB827_r-KvFeJ7p5WBNlh1jdAoyQCDuj7fMcXY6RRA5ELSBXwlAzc-iOT0n9s6pjbxqNM7AmtPZjOSHp4HF4iXYeh9cfzD0L3EOfMck4VZZpMjpd6L7l8D178uHAvp9cP9D-FDx/s1600/20160611_131803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-kLx8PB827_r-KvFeJ7p5WBNlh1jdAoyQCDuj7fMcXY6RRA5ELSBXwlAzc-iOT0n9s6pjbxqNM7AmtPZjOSHp4HF4iXYeh9cfzD0L3EOfMck4VZZpMjpd6L7l8D178uHAvp9cP9D-FDx/s320/20160611_131803.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He wondered if this magazine would help</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_SvwCXw4MSujUjrMe7tOst6jRbzV_T4ArvLMqxPTOR8gxEk84dqZdmo2JXdqhNS3V_ibm2LFS6XHH-s1qpXVPfM-_DDt5ftcGXDZyUBBLKdFXvc-wWnEh6qmatNL2DjIfrwMFHut7gb2z/s1600/20160611_131851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_SvwCXw4MSujUjrMe7tOst6jRbzV_T4ArvLMqxPTOR8gxEk84dqZdmo2JXdqhNS3V_ibm2LFS6XHH-s1qpXVPfM-_DDt5ftcGXDZyUBBLKdFXvc-wWnEh6qmatNL2DjIfrwMFHut7gb2z/s320/20160611_131851.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ah, he could see land! But he still didn't know where he was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYPVhRFfmD6g7Y2PBOht8PBwTPqUkmfm9q3FzHeoBv5WxGx882FCvtp2JjYUa-HmM0zwCR6ChhY-rMtAMJ3MVzP7a8oSjdSf2pAacqyv-jW_Gj5LwxnY7JT3g7OjQ81RNPj2bH5W-hu1c/s1600/20160611_131947-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYPVhRFfmD6g7Y2PBOht8PBwTPqUkmfm9q3FzHeoBv5WxGx882FCvtp2JjYUa-HmM0zwCR6ChhY-rMtAMJ3MVzP7a8oSjdSf2pAacqyv-jW_Gj5LwxnY7JT3g7OjQ81RNPj2bH5W-hu1c/s320/20160611_131947-1.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Luckily Max met two other ladybugs, Marcus and Marian. They told Max that he was born on the journey home from Scotland </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUb40k6qffI65nKe6vCDwkmLdmi88t9QsI4fNmGDXLILIflt6ABK8GVoxWuwdv7eZAlCjlBlJYC8BU-_MJ3iEtIItDDFgjKUYTdmud2oFDNbUfPou981WhA3NplIL_F11QcJpRZS5ppwKo/s1600/IMG-20160611-WA0022-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUb40k6qffI65nKe6vCDwkmLdmi88t9QsI4fNmGDXLILIflt6ABK8GVoxWuwdv7eZAlCjlBlJYC8BU-_MJ3iEtIItDDFgjKUYTdmud2oFDNbUfPou981WhA3NplIL_F11QcJpRZS5ppwKo/s320/IMG-20160611-WA0022-1.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And that he would now be living in Northern Ireland!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEwdk6sGCDz1eoQYsA1gdU0nZkDPqcLb2Sf1phYhy1P2t4Fx-PAFW8zIDWI4Sob8_6ul0C_yFAM5VNqL1nUoLy8Pw5zbdjBxvK71Ylh_R3fFP0RdHr5J4VAJBezR6QNnraMFddmTbbf9K/s1600/IMG-20160611-WA0028.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtEwdk6sGCDz1eoQYsA1gdU0nZkDPqcLb2Sf1phYhy1P2t4Fx-PAFW8zIDWI4Sob8_6ul0C_yFAM5VNqL1nUoLy8Pw5zbdjBxvK71Ylh_R3fFP0RdHr5J4VAJBezR6QNnraMFddmTbbf9K/s320/IMG-20160611-WA0028.jpeg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Max, Marcus and Marian moved into our house after that journey. I would like to say 'and they all lived happily ever after' but alas that's not true.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Marcus and Marian went to our World Wide Knitting in Public Day and spent the day playing games with the children...and they never came home. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Max likes to think that they're having fun playing every day....maybe one day he'll see them again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOc3h5oSYfXfHxB8r6qGFAr-pnrqy-Sx0TU0n8yIUDhOnEGgYv4ww_uFr8-qXs4WjSvGkr95YZG26I0uV0jZF4tZoN08KY7oJIl40ypQwzZuSLHMaOTGC9TYg2yR-N3oiqUst9iJm54V1f/s1600/20160611_131512_LLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOc3h5oSYfXfHxB8r6qGFAr-pnrqy-Sx0TU0n8yIUDhOnEGgYv4ww_uFr8-qXs4WjSvGkr95YZG26I0uV0jZF4tZoN08KY7oJIl40ypQwzZuSLHMaOTGC9TYg2yR-N3oiqUst9iJm54V1f/s320/20160611_131512_LLS.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-76466593360149203362016-06-21T19:06:00.001+01:002016-06-23T10:34:47.618+01:00Rather hectic<p dir="ltr">It's been rather crazy around here for the last two weeks or so, all in preparation for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1612631422360865/?ti=cl">worldwide knitting in public day </a></p>
<p dir="ltr">We had a brilliant day, and Jaele wrote a great blog post about our day over on our group blog <a href="https://downthecraftingrabbithole.wordpress.com/2016/06/20/wwkip-day-2016/">down the crafting rabbit hole</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Hopefully this will give you an inkling of the amount of work Jaele's put into organising it all. </p>
<p dir="ltr">And what have I been doing?  I'm media management. I'm the one gearing everyone up on Facebook, learning how to use twitter and being snap happy on instagram.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It doesn't end there! Jaele and I were on radio last week promoting wwkipd and the week before that I was in the paper!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Wanna read it?<br><br></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-n_P1txeoEBD2hjZ16vWl0My0dDYFB_Oj6O0mBLzgj7ai-h-rf_JA9U_syj8D9Q0tUCEhRvxYOEIRP2OYDcWRdWkrm6KUTiZaiYiaLuPzNCeyprnfrlSThwUHgY7IKkX1Wg8-wBmx9Tq/s1600/IMG-20160612-WA0006-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-n_P1txeoEBD2hjZ16vWl0My0dDYFB_Oj6O0mBLzgj7ai-h-rf_JA9U_syj8D9Q0tUCEhRvxYOEIRP2OYDcWRdWkrm6KUTiZaiYiaLuPzNCeyprnfrlSThwUHgY7IKkX1Wg8-wBmx9Tq/s640/IMG-20160612-WA0006-1.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-79288470045568406762016-06-07T21:06:00.001+01:002016-06-07T21:17:04.426+01:00Feel the burn<p dir="ltr">Our <a href="https://downthecraftingrabbithole.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/secret-squirrel/">world wide </a><a href="https://downthecraftingrabbithole.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/secret-squirrel/">knitting</a><a href="https://downthecraftingrabbithole.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/secret-squirrel/"> in public</a> event is quickly approaching and on Sunday I realised that I had a lot of work ahead of me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">While I had managed to knit all the bits for creatures while at <a href="http://www.clanaboganhouse.co.uk/">Clanabogan House</a>, I hadn't actually sewn anything up.</p>
<p dir="ltr">First was the easiest...<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/springtime-wreath-butterflies"> the butterflies </a></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr4G7s1AaojFdj3Hh_n7EV_EoxoKhv5DInrjoHdMHNMFoCffgKlgk5w9EP3pxuHK9oNMYps1vs-wxeoulNI-Z2Iiz5B-K8FSrBoCH6AeRhwZZDg2vjwk_7f6-fY3XsLn1hXv1uElG0k1a/s1600/20160605_124735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzr4G7s1AaojFdj3Hh_n7EV_EoxoKhv5DInrjoHdMHNMFoCffgKlgk5w9EP3pxuHK9oNMYps1vs-wxeoulNI-Z2Iiz5B-K8FSrBoCH6AeRhwZZDg2vjwk_7f6-fY3XsLn1hXv1uElG0k1a/s640/20160605_124735.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then it was Margarets turn to be finished</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_uw9tlCZx8GDchO-vo7PayHhdLWqDKLFeTpWAM_efC6rP_z55C6IXoCQHGEdwjWeC0RyK2HEhh546GLno0b-9SGLfRWFZ76ISQ357L8jkqvE5CmI4F0nGQQleRuCIzO66jVesTsuW4sO1/s1600/20160605_132858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_uw9tlCZx8GDchO-vo7PayHhdLWqDKLFeTpWAM_efC6rP_z55C6IXoCQHGEdwjWeC0RyK2HEhh546GLno0b-9SGLfRWFZ76ISQ357L8jkqvE5CmI4F0nGQQleRuCIzO66jVesTsuW4sO1/s640/20160605_132858.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After Margarets debut, I spent forever footering with ears, tails and debates about whiskers. Eventually Basil was ready</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRW0539z82h5xqIsk7-JNud40OtfE-8OmpaZVCuaP-rs1E5g78txWp7ds5AxyBWZklgxnh1kUHNC7hYmZmE_e3NKVbJp-fKYtcADQNm1FrFJPnNpJlqTjR5VJ01BqkU8LW-FYjBRI8qGSy/s1600/IMG-20160605-WA0020.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRW0539z82h5xqIsk7-JNud40OtfE-8OmpaZVCuaP-rs1E5g78txWp7ds5AxyBWZklgxnh1kUHNC7hYmZmE_e3NKVbJp-fKYtcADQNm1FrFJPnNpJlqTjR5VJ01BqkU8LW-FYjBRI8qGSy/s640/IMG-20160605-WA0020.jpeg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After Margaret, Arthur has to be my favourite. He's from an issue of Let's Knit magazine which came out a few months ago</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_BtsN1TYfQP-LajgHExvxVcJfCpJ04w-Cq-u8Q_GeGtwvdcMtUuNSMwiu49U_Khj37R0n6z2I6E2-BoIPYbez32ZRRp3otbMoS_vysFwJbkmCHS__jxE6SFguSr5ES2dDKgRnVgASKZ5/s1600/IMG_20160605_150359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_BtsN1TYfQP-LajgHExvxVcJfCpJ04w-Cq-u8Q_GeGtwvdcMtUuNSMwiu49U_Khj37R0n6z2I6E2-BoIPYbez32ZRRp3otbMoS_vysFwJbkmCHS__jxE6SFguSr5ES2dDKgRnVgASKZ5/s640/IMG_20160605_150359.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Each creature was knitted using the acrylic which comes with magazines, you know the stuff I mean, "knit this toy tonight" type stuff. I don't knit toys cuz I'm rubbish at faces so I managed to find a good use for it all. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I do have 3 more mice to put together and I'll think about some more ladybirds. The knitting is the quickest bit, all the stuffing and sewing takes forever.</div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-64139229678075837192016-06-01T22:25:00.001+01:002016-06-01T22:29:22.444+01:00Late again<p dir="ltr">But it's not my fault. It was a bank holiday on Monday and that completely threw me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So what have I been up to this week? Well because the weather was so good I thought I'd block some shawls for Helen</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqn33n6NoPzc8O8O9oMPOL6KkDOOKY37w_mR2UDy6cloTe0N5ZGUWKqhzSSPNbTK91L8ajxK_W2RlAzFcP3q09j-qtXoMBldNzOMDshxlzt9ICLiDtv0fr5fZIFOKp7mBjMrLCWEr56_F/s1600/20160530_124131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqn33n6NoPzc8O8O9oMPOL6KkDOOKY37w_mR2UDy6cloTe0N5ZGUWKqhzSSPNbTK91L8ajxK_W2RlAzFcP3q09j-qtXoMBldNzOMDshxlzt9ICLiDtv0fr5fZIFOKp7mBjMrLCWEr56_F/s640/20160530_124131.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then I decided that the sock was boring and I started a charity knit</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDDmudaVAo-ZGV11Zob56P93zhryxlvj40HJeLqlSi8yJ9gIojLp-GIbnGJjWBwA0KrGeAucJmNdLkV19XYvNZIZ5VSuyuY_EHEaoNvxoKFhXL5NYMju8p_IOM11s_Yd94qxdn367-_ME/s1600/20160530_171604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUDDmudaVAo-ZGV11Zob56P93zhryxlvj40HJeLqlSi8yJ9gIojLp-GIbnGJjWBwA0KrGeAucJmNdLkV19XYvNZIZ5VSuyuY_EHEaoNvxoKFhXL5NYMju8p_IOM11s_Yd94qxdn367-_ME/s640/20160530_171604.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mostly I've been clearing out, dropping stuff into the charity shop and gardening. Hot sunshine doesn't seem to make me want to knit for some reason. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tomorrow though I'm getting these creatures finished once and for all!</div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-13008264727515533922016-05-25T08:07:00.001+01:002016-05-26T18:37:33.947+01:00Glorious weekend <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last weekend was our 4th wedding anniversary....and to tell you the truth, it feels a lot longer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To 'celebrate' we went away for the weekend to one of our favourite places, Clanabogan House B&B.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The house is set in its own grounds and is covered in bluebells </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe6Qm5ATfqzX5f8zNoKuFDI88cfyt7UqAUY48aYG_j5cbXFhsdoGVtOlb79Vt_H6xA6xV9bp2lmnwcJFGqRyAY59QgRIxd3iSTXmcqi6eihsEXcBt_HahmV7Lg40ZpPd_C88RKccXjbHE/s1600/20160521_094708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe6Qm5ATfqzX5f8zNoKuFDI88cfyt7UqAUY48aYG_j5cbXFhsdoGVtOlb79Vt_H6xA6xV9bp2lmnwcJFGqRyAY59QgRIxd3iSTXmcqi6eihsEXcBt_HahmV7Lg40ZpPd_C88RKccXjbHE/s640/20160521_094708.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There's a yew tree tunnel that used to be the entranceway to a house which is no longer there</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UTW4bYXq5ET5HDNP6fYayDX9UsK6HhGWtARhP65MzzsESqusw4DK8DJZRkqz9uTPdCGweaSCg5um_QD3eTePD9WZDcH9pjjYVmpxotYJvuBsfVZ6Ns6tLOHAdYLpL4G8oc9LESoqdHvV/s1600/20160521_094948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1UTW4bYXq5ET5HDNP6fYayDX9UsK6HhGWtARhP65MzzsESqusw4DK8DJZRkqz9uTPdCGweaSCg5um_QD3eTePD9WZDcH9pjjYVmpxotYJvuBsfVZ6Ns6tLOHAdYLpL4G8oc9LESoqdHvV/s640/20160521_094948.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A rather old copper beech tree which was struck by lightning (that's why it's lopsided, bits fell off but it kept on growing)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCak8QaZGvp4vrc8uiZQcuGIya530rQcZxmOe00qoPSxeY1SscBqRNrwQbhB3dig5v_NJr9YnLRQUAG-lKzRjFOhzxzYs1TJRdphgQMm8RQ8Nx6x65a-gIx2Ao6XCLUTbLtH_XIVaRzPm4/s1600/20160521_100047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCak8QaZGvp4vrc8uiZQcuGIya530rQcZxmOe00qoPSxeY1SscBqRNrwQbhB3dig5v_NJr9YnLRQUAG-lKzRjFOhzxzYs1TJRdphgQMm8RQ8Nx6x65a-gIx2Ao6XCLUTbLtH_XIVaRzPm4/s640/20160521_100047.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And this is the house itself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStEDaRPjQbLThQTIKyf_fyHFH1joVztXlOMOT0FCFSU2XtI_3Lt25efI3e2igZwAI7a5Md0CoH-wEv5yZ6Lw9bBJZdTFIL6oaqbzxBemwC9fXzuLd5DgPm73w7IGxB03laljXS71wuzh8/s1600/20160522_110448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStEDaRPjQbLThQTIKyf_fyHFH1joVztXlOMOT0FCFSU2XtI_3Lt25efI3e2igZwAI7a5Md0CoH-wEv5yZ6Lw9bBJZdTFIL6oaqbzxBemwC9fXzuLd5DgPm73w7IGxB03laljXS71wuzh8/s640/20160522_110448.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGouIrOIPWPMyMLz843w1oeMUTYXmSQteLP3dtpLnmCwbFFdVH9ODd-rMbMSTgbVSipZ2i73SdM0g5_NpaDOIsCKCmu633mi9MKyhfhHwk3V5YDazelNhIfkS23dsLGqhL91o7cBoyGmq1/s1600/20160522_110315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGouIrOIPWPMyMLz843w1oeMUTYXmSQteLP3dtpLnmCwbFFdVH9ODd-rMbMSTgbVSipZ2i73SdM0g5_NpaDOIsCKCmu633mi9MKyhfhHwk3V5YDazelNhIfkS23dsLGqhL91o7cBoyGmq1/s640/20160522_110315.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I spent the weekend knitting creatures for the woodland themed treasure hunt at world wide knitting in public day in June </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjad6k_O_J6BrCUHbDSedTvHHNGfvqn2_5_zNg9hTk2tfZqzAu8QBfXxk23xxgK4yMArF9Ko-eo78P-S9srMT2wYgdJSVl762xKFTpfuewIq8S9cZyokyO7wx6kBewAR8P8D2Kn8vgDZ5_k/s1600/IMG-20160520-WA0012.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjad6k_O_J6BrCUHbDSedTvHHNGfvqn2_5_zNg9hTk2tfZqzAu8QBfXxk23xxgK4yMArF9Ko-eo78P-S9srMT2wYgdJSVl762xKFTpfuewIq8S9cZyokyO7wx6kBewAR8P8D2Kn8vgDZ5_k/s640/IMG-20160520-WA0012.jpeg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There were butterflies (as above) and ladybirds (below) I knitted the bits and now they're due to be stuffed and sewn.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2o_jjNv78xiAiGeoZWfBbDFIYXS2zHVdjdkH9ub4HC5eU52OXvdJRHm2SmHZL-XPm1LVK9nRkD8ZP98gdQiynHAOeZEEOL9FvnCc33YST51ARondhmzN0IL8AS-_tIkobR6vflqvox5sn/s1600/IMG-20160523-WA0007.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2o_jjNv78xiAiGeoZWfBbDFIYXS2zHVdjdkH9ub4HC5eU52OXvdJRHm2SmHZL-XPm1LVK9nRkD8ZP98gdQiynHAOeZEEOL9FvnCc33YST51ARondhmzN0IL8AS-_tIkobR6vflqvox5sn/s640/IMG-20160523-WA0007.jpeg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, there was yarn....and stitch markers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PxvqJqlLQfzehwqgAGRF5PcMtI6YL-ImVHLiHQm7gFq81V3HzSDA7yWY3scZOfxRAv2kLWrAH3LX1x7Ih64NGz79a-ZvDB6iSrghaDUKplIyQ-veRvxoD1-dXtRsivMf3vz6bGWgcInz/s1600/20160521_204504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PxvqJqlLQfzehwqgAGRF5PcMtI6YL-ImVHLiHQm7gFq81V3HzSDA7yWY3scZOfxRAv2kLWrAH3LX1x7Ih64NGz79a-ZvDB6iSrghaDUKplIyQ-veRvxoD1-dXtRsivMf3vz6bGWgcInz/s640/20160521_204504.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0zkNrHJcO69Q1PaLqVFIfRgT5zqK2xfP8yav1VwRxsZMgSQN6DDBgJrDS-w14avFsktboOopsDqhkTuORpAnug-pzeXcH93dLtOic7sxQMlYgkjT-NGka1Nwk3eeN1nHn0rqpvMVrzCl/s1600/20160525_072847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0zkNrHJcO69Q1PaLqVFIfRgT5zqK2xfP8yav1VwRxsZMgSQN6DDBgJrDS-w14avFsktboOopsDqhkTuORpAnug-pzeXcH93dLtOic7sxQMlYgkjT-NGka1Nwk3eeN1nHn0rqpvMVrzCl/s640/20160525_072847.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSMDBh3T-J53Nb8Ro7MduUGvLgQUUrLAWOQrzX5P72mZi88pJxrXYe8w1mx0MEEwxEopbI-zLSanu_ISDS4LBS4DvfTP0NBo-C-7Jgil5lbwsB1vH64NUuuGIySVBLN48Eil4LnpT4Q3o/s1600/20160525_072900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSMDBh3T-J53Nb8Ro7MduUGvLgQUUrLAWOQrzX5P72mZi88pJxrXYe8w1mx0MEEwxEopbI-zLSanu_ISDS4LBS4DvfTP0NBo-C-7Jgil5lbwsB1vH64NUuuGIySVBLN48Eil4LnpT4Q3o/s640/20160525_072900.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now I'll get back to finishing my butterflies </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-46853663922440782242016-05-17T20:51:00.001+01:002016-05-17T20:51:55.871+01:00Just leaving this here<p dir="ltr">Follow the link for all the biz on this year's World Wide Knitting in Public Day!</p>
<p dir="ltr">https://downthecraftingrabbithole.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/secret-squirrel/<br></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyAgiEiAMKbbr784Li0mZqZf_bbx9RLnvIyROBwxJvzqgZMrno2Qm48A_pZRHr9KEzsNjC4JEB6kmrrdeMui5auA4Z0ONTPwbhtoiGSxN5qwlZvQZJ7-0-dzRLc49R5Iv-Ls4ESkkltsV/s1600/IMG_20160517_165633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyAgiEiAMKbbr784Li0mZqZf_bbx9RLnvIyROBwxJvzqgZMrno2Qm48A_pZRHr9KEzsNjC4JEB6kmrrdeMui5auA4Z0ONTPwbhtoiGSxN5qwlZvQZJ7-0-dzRLc49R5Iv-Ls4ESkkltsV/s640/IMG_20160517_165633.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-37891566206474081122016-04-26T16:48:00.001+01:002016-04-28T08:35:48.932+01:00Once again<p dir="ltr">This Friday I'm leaving work and heading back to donegal, hoping against hope that it's not as disastrous as last time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm planning to knit ALL the things this weekend (as you do) and am trying to work out what to bring.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Firstly, if I try really hard I should be able to finish the shawl thing<br></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UtODi8EKvt83KsUZ6Ibw83H6YnzaGFcVJbywYL3816jeegsZ7nzqyU5_Sc_GRRcaPxqh8lRmdEZnTz5rcLL59Uml1hCYqznRYVTMdCAcEqPjQCH_UtqmK6DtaRWyTRuKCKUTJHAqpJWA/s1600/20160421_191053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UtODi8EKvt83KsUZ6Ibw83H6YnzaGFcVJbywYL3816jeegsZ7nzqyU5_Sc_GRRcaPxqh8lRmdEZnTz5rcLL59Uml1hCYqznRYVTMdCAcEqPjQCH_UtqmK6DtaRWyTRuKCKUTJHAqpJWA/s640/20160421_191053.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm onto the 7th wedge/stripe of 10 so not far to go</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then there's some other wips like my brothers socks which have been hogging a needle for far too long</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDcDh0q6JBYl9EoWzTLbAlcA4DsTKq-Nr5zX23U4L0Na2qdSBFhfN6gnBx_jm4go9BF753Jz2ZM2vBVrAUsb1n6B7s6g01ukpR0Zo1JdgVYE75ioUdQ4T3K05jJDy3eYoZ52wqhzY-5tr/s1600/20160426_211253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDcDh0q6JBYl9EoWzTLbAlcA4DsTKq-Nr5zX23U4L0Na2qdSBFhfN6gnBx_jm4go9BF753Jz2ZM2vBVrAUsb1n6B7s6g01ukpR0Zo1JdgVYE75ioUdQ4T3K05jJDy3eYoZ52wqhzY-5tr/s640/20160426_211253.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Or I could just start something new with this lovely skein!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPAkbU86ktm-gA4g-Yf_znLJHp5VU13sghQKb5j3r9SlY1eDKg4BP82Q9RKEJ8N1oPgIcgz5bvPOrwCFd4BNthqXroX9oSRbzUwk3A5jd1_HXX9BHfsPIVGIIHhts6_4fy0E_LKbaDAfy/s1600/20160427_074823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPAkbU86ktm-gA4g-Yf_znLJHp5VU13sghQKb5j3r9SlY1eDKg4BP82Q9RKEJ8N1oPgIcgz5bvPOrwCFd4BNthqXroX9oSRbzUwk3A5jd1_HXX9BHfsPIVGIIHhts6_4fy0E_LKbaDAfy/s640/20160427_074823.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-24595391908364801762016-04-20T08:19:00.001+01:002016-04-22T17:34:21.876+01:00Enough is enough?<p dir="ltr">Last week I was hunting though my stash for one particular ball of yarn.  Now, my stash is in 3 locations - living room which is rather small, under the stairs which is a packed tub of sock yarn and upstairs where the majority resides.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Given that I hadn't seen the yarn kicking about the living room I reckoned it was upstairs but in which of the 4 tubs and numerous bags would it be in?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Taking a deep breath I got started. I tripped the first tub out....it's not there but ohhh look! I've been looking for that ball for ages!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tub 2 was the same as was 3. By tub 4 I had a small pile of yarn beside me and still no sign of the pink merino I was after.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Now tub 4 is different from the others. This tub has a few project bags with yarn in them. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgXFCHae0ku5yJCDjUkUNB9O_SCVJPbPGSdXZrajB-03MFJMvxZVdgpRVJhK_UcCIJZ61cwzMeQN6HqGw_CxZhMyeHqOtfWoEwQS1Jyiks8dxpFMMXe4PDhuyrdfjYfCvXQoHZ8c1Fn_e/s1600/IMG-20160412-WA0005.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgXFCHae0ku5yJCDjUkUNB9O_SCVJPbPGSdXZrajB-03MFJMvxZVdgpRVJhK_UcCIJZ61cwzMeQN6HqGw_CxZhMyeHqOtfWoEwQS1Jyiks8dxpFMMXe4PDhuyrdfjYfCvXQoHZ8c1Fn_e/s640/IMG-20160412-WA0005.jpeg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-42007771332014639872016-04-12T21:41:00.001+01:002016-04-12T22:00:37.667+01:00Heavenly weekend <p dir="ltr">I'll admit now that I completely forgot about the blog last week but I'm making up for it now.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I had a very happy knitting weekend. After a fun filled morning at the Mourne Archery Centre, the hubby and I took a dander round Newcastle. It was a lovely sunny day unlike this week</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmq_WNclx2vZBBEWwCFFx3EWzhhl-fV6AtPh4ywfetNbX3HYQ7EPfu-JLtyiRaNKpbwX4J3x7FtK1UxHazdf8SiDYwwS6511k5Xrh7VOTsZ7oLkNktVw1_2a-HhEv6kgJs-oELnMvcBqt/s1600/20160409_155154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmq_WNclx2vZBBEWwCFFx3EWzhhl-fV6AtPh4ywfetNbX3HYQ7EPfu-JLtyiRaNKpbwX4J3x7FtK1UxHazdf8SiDYwwS6511k5Xrh7VOTsZ7oLkNktVw1_2a-HhEv6kgJs-oELnMvcBqt/s640/20160409_155154.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoY8m1FU9CtNwJsYSH426HsKqTDaKQkQSYm-yNQCYYc2Zw269zp3DRtq0iHY_YiJzX1RNhWAAqbfQhz8cgeCGMLxSTnh7-7n8GZSDtasqtqO6Yf6EzV26OK-m-oSJyA7pNh9Jd079FaOA/s1600/20160409_155215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoY8m1FU9CtNwJsYSH426HsKqTDaKQkQSYm-yNQCYYc2Zw269zp3DRtq0iHY_YiJzX1RNhWAAqbfQhz8cgeCGMLxSTnh7-7n8GZSDtasqtqO6Yf6EzV26OK-m-oSJyA7pNh9Jd079FaOA/s640/20160409_155215.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc_xFxi2Q4r2fEwSBoowKfPgHk0CZBdqUVsyG5hFTMVg6s9ucjEiD4xzl-AvrVZVhqwBHJHeCkdLTY6r8A_GujcPAwfNPemyEXIWXiexL0ZYCvh4fDpB6VOxf2aHjuL4swuONHrqsybfT/s1600/20160409_155942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLc_xFxi2Q4r2fEwSBoowKfPgHk0CZBdqUVsyG5hFTMVg6s9ucjEiD4xzl-AvrVZVhqwBHJHeCkdLTY6r8A_GujcPAwfNPemyEXIWXiexL0ZYCvh4fDpB6VOxf2aHjuL4swuONHrqsybfT/s640/20160409_155942.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When in Newcastle I usually visit Margaret in her Wool Shop. I used to be in Newcastle on a monthly basis for the Archery but it's been over a year since we were last there. In that time Margaret has moved to bigger premises and it's like a TARDIS! The place is wall to wall yarn</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJvWh8OW2aU89R2kxqEzVYk24aJpJ1ohUDT6UHue1BWHwQLmqeZg_UnvowsvIcMR_oBxXwHNWMbr2uRTs7vwqM_FPTYe187Yuo64sgEj0-u5dlHp3Mv-lj0ftD6tgHLNiUaROIpNms52i/s1600/20160409_164444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJvWh8OW2aU89R2kxqEzVYk24aJpJ1ohUDT6UHue1BWHwQLmqeZg_UnvowsvIcMR_oBxXwHNWMbr2uRTs7vwqM_FPTYe187Yuo64sgEj0-u5dlHp3Mv-lj0ftD6tgHLNiUaROIpNms52i/s640/20160409_164444.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On Sunday the knitters met up in a cafe in the city centre and we knitted and chatted all afternoon. I even managed to finish my 42nd ball for the year so I've decided to aim for 150.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJoJ-9VbZ5wdAvSrlfZuVQoRGABusEwXEVtJ_Knfe9Jm0OxOfu-06qd5o4SwYrAgw-EEtPVPw0eyKpOKRUgRPUtmb5WCCV4hsLZiLO8VdTYjTQ6z1Oae8PhhkzpXDQw7zPQ8GbuxvVH8v/s1600/20160410_141943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJoJ-9VbZ5wdAvSrlfZuVQoRGABusEwXEVtJ_Knfe9Jm0OxOfu-06qd5o4SwYrAgw-EEtPVPw0eyKpOKRUgRPUtmb5WCCV4hsLZiLO8VdTYjTQ6z1Oae8PhhkzpXDQw7zPQ8GbuxvVH8v/s640/20160410_141943.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The most astounding part of the weekend came late on Sunday afternoon after half the girls had left. I cast on a shawl. While this may not sound like an amazing thing, I have resisted the lure for many years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I finally caved and cast on Pendulum with some Botany Lace in a nice strong blue. 3 days later it's still the same size as I've not worked on it at all!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWyB7LiZpMgdoP63yga3Vf-jiIc4r9zZFvjK4NttlH7PQJEa1HGnSHfsj-tNeHI7p-JD50nTGlvMLngpKkf0NmM2D-LLymDo_Gt9OZbgHJ2tErVRrhpZljVHzJMNQ4J6uJtUrHdWMJ3lwy/s1600/20160410_171858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWyB7LiZpMgdoP63yga3Vf-jiIc4r9zZFvjK4NttlH7PQJEa1HGnSHfsj-tNeHI7p-JD50nTGlvMLngpKkf0NmM2D-LLymDo_Gt9OZbgHJ2tErVRrhpZljVHzJMNQ4J6uJtUrHdWMJ3lwy/s640/20160410_171858.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, the knitting group is 9 years old this week so tomorrow we are have a swap...I'll take lots of pictures!</div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-70063073697378746962016-03-29T14:51:00.001+01:002016-03-29T14:57:42.659+01:00Grand day out<p dir="ltr">The hubby and I are currently relaxing in County Donegal. To say it's been a traumatic few days would be an understatement.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We arrived on Saturday in torrential rain and flicked on the boiler only to be greeted by billowing smoke and a rumble only a sleeping giant would make.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Choosing to ignore that, I lit the fire - it took a good half hour before it would catch. But finally it did and, with tea in hand and the gentle rumbling in the background, I put the TV on....only for a loud pop and the smell of smoke to issue from it. The TV died. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We decided a dvd free weekend was now on the cards...so yesterday we went on a wee drive around the coast.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ws3fB65LplaIOEqgYI1aknE-qEVCa9v2hJrBOvc9PBI7ZuDBOCV1CpNXZ73qySTBVXODv_Rbzksa4_b7eP813L1hBl0gr-7bE9pxHR6IB2amwAZ_Hz3_cCKvsJ9ch2Y049tUcSqg8ELb/s1600/20160328_153047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ws3fB65LplaIOEqgYI1aknE-qEVCa9v2hJrBOvc9PBI7ZuDBOCV1CpNXZ73qySTBVXODv_Rbzksa4_b7eP813L1hBl0gr-7bE9pxHR6IB2amwAZ_Hz3_cCKvsJ9ch2Y049tUcSqg8ELb/s640/20160328_153047.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5LBbuP1hhhO54k0o7RVSh-DgCd65pVhDGD0ndNndpjQ3Dx9qN8lg4bK_My4KAZfKnEny4cnY9UIjUjRsMdLe6Msd61Y58Ys38G8E8_jWjOQeuzsjPDW-JNK0CSs0Fi8xSa4nAq4mgswS/s1600/20160328_153709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5LBbuP1hhhO54k0o7RVSh-DgCd65pVhDGD0ndNndpjQ3Dx9qN8lg4bK_My4KAZfKnEny4cnY9UIjUjRsMdLe6Msd61Y58Ys38G8E8_jWjOQeuzsjPDW-JNK0CSs0Fi8xSa4nAq4mgswS/s640/20160328_153709.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lW6ePxjOh0b8XXkan0IfCGefd3rAK2R-XDD-1jQ9X3YeaTM8kho4UaYjcCHAz0clHj1agEnataU4Bw0gVq8t6kAQthQmcJFA2zY5yyDZ2_5z3T5SD3owra6D_cDJDO1R5ZGMMDmnug7p/s1600/20160328_154153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lW6ePxjOh0b8XXkan0IfCGefd3rAK2R-XDD-1jQ9X3YeaTM8kho4UaYjcCHAz0clHj1agEnataU4Bw0gVq8t6kAQthQmcJFA2zY5yyDZ2_5z3T5SD3owra6D_cDJDO1R5ZGMMDmnug7p/s640/20160328_154153.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And that's where the nice day ended. We ended up with a flat tyre on the way back to the house and had to get a man out to change it for us...after all that stress I decided not to leave the house again and just sat and knitted all night. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnk_gu1HNlechBDVQ_A1nPEUcXlaa3IbRBeXIT3sTefvS_A-EYq4oT_7qochXJrtGHQ4whE79YZ8Q0rURSajdG04MQMa5v_rDb5pcGJ5enr73_vfh9Z2lE84jT_66f3IhXOyUnSzDjySg/s1600/20160328_181241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnk_gu1HNlechBDVQ_A1nPEUcXlaa3IbRBeXIT3sTefvS_A-EYq4oT_7qochXJrtGHQ4whE79YZ8Q0rURSajdG04MQMa5v_rDb5pcGJ5enr73_vfh9Z2lE84jT_66f3IhXOyUnSzDjySg/s640/20160328_181241.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2UkmV034wQRmHQH5DO1cJrZRD6t5_6Bpiknu_wmptKF4k25R3kd96cDIOTaiG-yDa0ff5PP7EokrbsGZHGkHqTdEln85V4VqimfhnovdvSrjwRdhUQUSPn_KVI9wOFIWkdmfttfCTSqz/s1600/20160328_180547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2UkmV034wQRmHQH5DO1cJrZRD6t5_6Bpiknu_wmptKF4k25R3kd96cDIOTaiG-yDa0ff5PP7EokrbsGZHGkHqTdEln85V4VqimfhnovdvSrjwRdhUQUSPn_KVI9wOFIWkdmfttfCTSqz/s640/20160328_180547.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi90mMzwECXC4IHaN0-i8iZF53cyJsmZyy_s1lUMwAGB9gTXmmD4TfJ3Phf2UB2O9BFSMKuNrANkkgv3NHBAqObkC9F7RJbpzPcPC5fU70oCv8zm6KyW5H_oc_NG9sUlj7GYp_-vEclHJn/s1600/20160328_181528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi90mMzwECXC4IHaN0-i8iZF53cyJsmZyy_s1lUMwAGB9gTXmmD4TfJ3Phf2UB2O9BFSMKuNrANkkgv3NHBAqObkC9F7RJbpzPcPC5fU70oCv8zm6KyW5H_oc_NG9sUlj7GYp_-vEclHJn/s640/20160328_181528.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipbv4DrEdNKQt9y5YM6T0yJSakC5gQzdpvwf3FzS-xy8K4UBBsf32U6PKIuHwQkFlEu-EMOO4i6uwC0SnXo9AjGOuhFX_OMT9_oW-Wdao4_xDKvUXU4vPr5k-QAkZaJ-MbihSJRyFzaP7/s1600/20160328_182543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipbv4DrEdNKQt9y5YM6T0yJSakC5gQzdpvwf3FzS-xy8K4UBBsf32U6PKIuHwQkFlEu-EMOO4i6uwC0SnXo9AjGOuhFX_OMT9_oW-Wdao4_xDKvUXU4vPr5k-QAkZaJ-MbihSJRyFzaP7/s640/20160328_182543.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzi5DafyPB2nQk8YhYPksv9zw1OIuWzo8d6LdsSYdbWeEwPbkFOuaWYZjbzaxVUZN5-ty-AksSauUe4mD-rLunFYS7Hy7dQ8ZiwMi6pVhzGKfH1qMdxK0YRXnriXUNBdzi9qAuMDElxNy/s1600/20160328_192211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzi5DafyPB2nQk8YhYPksv9zw1OIuWzo8d6LdsSYdbWeEwPbkFOuaWYZjbzaxVUZN5-ty-AksSauUe4mD-rLunFYS7Hy7dQ8ZiwMi6pVhzGKfH1qMdxK0YRXnriXUNBdzi9qAuMDElxNy/s640/20160328_192211.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-82996372347548819742016-03-22T22:09:00.001+00:002016-03-22T22:13:14.471+00:00I cheated<p dir="ltr">Last week I brought a pile of projects to knitting that needed their ends woven in. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Conveniently for me Helen had forgotten to lift her knitting so volunteered to do the ends. And so, we finally have finished things: </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UPdwJQsBmNFeqJ4y6En-I0MR_8msg6GWhT7GQEgvB3jtJGP23TYsYFXGeJ6Ju4EN09rPKorKM32tURAlx2dCUdKvNjCF3VIy8NsdkLOq6EqsLtwkjs3enTsoaDQgWbufVzHlUboZjzF2/s1600/20160317_181342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7UPdwJQsBmNFeqJ4y6En-I0MR_8msg6GWhT7GQEgvB3jtJGP23TYsYFXGeJ6Ju4EN09rPKorKM32tURAlx2dCUdKvNjCF3VIy8NsdkLOq6EqsLtwkjs3enTsoaDQgWbufVzHlUboZjzF2/s640/20160317_181342.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDm3Azn1udUcFp0mTWIr8ktfLaiUzGwUga-cENMqbOVd3fl61Gh2Y_7OhhkdeY8nSd9Y9jn0oK3-onXOaX_oZ5bMKWgrpVmkWwqEZGYVGicpYYv-X1CCsztIH84iwtmxR2I7_VZQMWsZ6I/s1600/20160317_181253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDm3Azn1udUcFp0mTWIr8ktfLaiUzGwUga-cENMqbOVd3fl61Gh2Y_7OhhkdeY8nSd9Y9jn0oK3-onXOaX_oZ5bMKWgrpVmkWwqEZGYVGicpYYv-X1CCsztIH84iwtmxR2I7_VZQMWsZ6I/s640/20160317_181253.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYV9GlI05OELR3JENEjHHTuJVjrFD3ecJbAwC5zsfPH-jZDLTVvBJ4yqwpPsp55wt20Gp9PKa4oivfqOL8_gW7ho39DUuk8gCxXk32NgfMKoGbKwJ4ZezXwReYSpAUREBjnwmofdQYHUh/s1600/20160317_181216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYV9GlI05OELR3JENEjHHTuJVjrFD3ecJbAwC5zsfPH-jZDLTVvBJ4yqwpPsp55wt20Gp9PKa4oivfqOL8_gW7ho39DUuk8gCxXk32NgfMKoGbKwJ4ZezXwReYSpAUREBjnwmofdQYHUh/s640/20160317_181216.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaLCfOIMOKkha-aoy1JgOwjGMTvbSHkb7H-5lEVluEyA5TFDRPnM9t5x-ocnyfRfmC5EvBeRPlNV1KJrndklrXZLp6Zte_9Vd-LIskffg1u5K4KXlU0WEgwAAADU7AKSHaxnNPv4RPLv4/s1600/20160317_181142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaLCfOIMOKkha-aoy1JgOwjGMTvbSHkb7H-5lEVluEyA5TFDRPnM9t5x-ocnyfRfmC5EvBeRPlNV1KJrndklrXZLp6Zte_9Vd-LIskffg1u5K4KXlU0WEgwAAADU7AKSHaxnNPv4RPLv4/s640/20160317_181142.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOUkGWqFas6D00FiwgldUROj-5kaxDtbPaNUI__eYicsl3mYYGIDCa-JHNmgc4poSXfP6N4cjKgMditNVWDQqP7Sw97cOKAAFspsgtsXfJH9xL3Sq85emD3I08hsZCKaZ1IdSUaenQG79/s1600/20160317_181120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOUkGWqFas6D00FiwgldUROj-5kaxDtbPaNUI__eYicsl3mYYGIDCa-JHNmgc4poSXfP6N4cjKgMditNVWDQqP7Sw97cOKAAFspsgtsXfJH9xL3Sq85emD3I08hsZCKaZ1IdSUaenQG79/s640/20160317_181120.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-50363915178036983812016-03-16T22:16:00.001+00:002016-03-16T22:16:12.080+00:00Just a note<p dir="ltr">I was going to blog last night as usual but I was in the middle of finishing the big blanket, and I decided that was a priority. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So while I'm off work tomorrow for St Patricks day I'll get the ends sorted and take some photos.</p>
Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-47360057636676606442016-03-09T22:08:00.000+00:002016-03-09T22:08:28.375+00:00And finally....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj135ht4HTXaSdoIvRGqd7uCWV6YVARto4npMe6-p4DUk4G4FezI6GYJlw5EeKs1DuViKlsso-zuQBunq6AIv5hIbahCu_RS59oJW_IpVJCBtyhsaFmy_e5Ec6IBL9CnzboFhrpV2YOd9DV/s1600/20160302_173858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj135ht4HTXaSdoIvRGqd7uCWV6YVARto4npMe6-p4DUk4G4FezI6GYJlw5EeKs1DuViKlsso-zuQBunq6AIv5hIbahCu_RS59oJW_IpVJCBtyhsaFmy_e5Ec6IBL9CnzboFhrpV2YOd9DV/s200/20160302_173858.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supersoft Aran</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A while ago my (for all intents and purposes) sister in law asked me to knit a jumper for my nephew. They're a very knit-worthy bunch (they love their socks and hats) so without further ado, I rooted round my ravelry library and decided that <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flax">Flax</a> would be the perfect pattern. It was simple but with enough in it to keep me entertained. Once the pattern was located, it was time for the yarn. Despite having loads of yarn, Aran/worsted weight is not something that I have in abundance. I was able to come up with one yarn option, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/sirdar-supersoft-aran">Sirdar Supersoft Aran</a>.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDYGhczx8AkIf6rlW6Jvtl7B1cSFxE_EQYJ-FxWNqgjXxwRlF0C6grNztQgc7dJNya5zJ0HXxitt0ndqwQmhZqSOLQrQ8mNW0jot34J8H22LFO7w8BoLqqDTrRpu7QVrQGiwISyhOMJzv/s1600/20160303_192538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDYGhczx8AkIf6rlW6Jvtl7B1cSFxE_EQYJ-FxWNqgjXxwRlF0C6grNztQgc7dJNya5zJ0HXxitt0ndqwQmhZqSOLQrQ8mNW0jot34J8H22LFO7w8BoLqqDTrRpu7QVrQGiwISyhOMJzv/s200/20160303_192538.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice stitches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Despite what the yarn says, its not that soft never mind supersoft. Its 100% acrylic so what did I expect. It does have a nice stitch definition though so its got that going for it. So anyway, I cast on age 2-4 and knitted merrily and contently.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXvMZfsajoB4FB_yb7uKjsHRERQcEG9cFsgkd_WTn0rBgiQfhnEexgao1sAbKFLSZbOzixpfEOgKTZyJw5_UBr_q9XJD-Cx5VMeTZbV03e9E26EjFBAmy_x0ePjSXvKy6AkVhOTgQ09eG/s1600/20160302_185901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXvMZfsajoB4FB_yb7uKjsHRERQcEG9cFsgkd_WTn0rBgiQfhnEexgao1sAbKFLSZbOzixpfEOgKTZyJw5_UBr_q9XJD-Cx5VMeTZbV03e9E26EjFBAmy_x0ePjSXvKy6AkVhOTgQ09eG/s320/20160302_185901.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ta da!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The sleeves took longer than they should have - I seem to have an irrational fear of knitting sleeves in the round, particularly on something thats relatively tiny. I eventually got there with some moral support and, in a flash, the jumper was done.<br />
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The next step was to wrestle it on the nephew to see how it fitted. After a lot of struggling (have you every tried to put a jumper on a sick toddler) it was decided that it needed two things - a stretchier cast off and to be an inch longer.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4hyphenhyphen1xRhVZU1yHYLsAXY55oyCQQSzrcC-Bts3e7yKxuvc6feTMwR3liVgGgn91OKQP52m7h0G95-JZs_bhECNVCayl-zpRYLTOGsudNYT9kkI9hMw1nY2TYww3lmvj7xcpQYu34W9CwiF/s1600/20160302_190002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4hyphenhyphen1xRhVZU1yHYLsAXY55oyCQQSzrcC-Bts3e7yKxuvc6feTMwR3liVgGgn91OKQP52m7h0G95-JZs_bhECNVCayl-zpRYLTOGsudNYT9kkI9hMw1nY2TYww3lmvj7xcpQYu34W9CwiF/s320/20160302_190002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor little flax</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Poor little Flax, this is the "before picture", before I took scissors to the bottom of it and cut off the cast off. The ribbed was unravelled and that I knitted that into the body to lengthen it. Then the rib was redone.<br />
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Finally (again) little Flax was done and, following a spin in the washing machine, it was ready to be given to its new owner.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64Bxp0Tu6jtAx0RWoe_Sv2FUJHbRbvHQUTTfAFb9XJtMxcltjAzGRB4ZW4Yaf3dPF6rAx0Ughz7gB69U996uBOt3BOZfrg-Ao7wpoXviNe468WsoJfvs00n2VrGebp7BdCcQOsmFBs8ur/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64Bxp0Tu6jtAx0RWoe_Sv2FUJHbRbvHQUTTfAFb9XJtMxcltjAzGRB4ZW4Yaf3dPF6rAx0Ughz7gB69U996uBOt3BOZfrg-Ao7wpoXviNe468WsoJfvs00n2VrGebp7BdCcQOsmFBs8ur/s320/1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">happy new owner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Remember earlier I said that the yarn was far from soft, well the trip in the machine did wonders for it. It didn't become "supersoft" but it certainly did soften up. Its a jumper thats ready for some rough play with an adventurous toddler and it'll hopefully do him for a year or so.<br />
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The jumper seems to fit the nephew well and so, in true auntie fashion, I've started another one for him in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/cascade-yarns-cascade-220">Cascade 220</a> in a nice teal/blue. Hopefully the sleeves won't be an issue for me this time.<br />
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<br />Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-29897380627491194592016-03-01T20:05:00.001+00:002016-03-01T20:05:23.375+00:00Bleugh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJW2xD1kPyUvL9gNQ4lHHEjBwPBX0xESBrivu_dcmshgzjVikufbFMUEGC0_7cEEVcQ_hVLEpg_auf508hGZuxGlWcuVOzpfmgVmRbhLObdYQJXizyGkDFIqk8HIKUxqMom4y9YA4ClM8W/s1600/Sick-images-for-whatsapp-dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJW2xD1kPyUvL9gNQ4lHHEjBwPBX0xESBrivu_dcmshgzjVikufbFMUEGC0_7cEEVcQ_hVLEpg_auf508hGZuxGlWcuVOzpfmgVmRbhLObdYQJXizyGkDFIqk8HIKUxqMom4y9YA4ClM8W/s640/Sick-images-for-whatsapp-dp.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624422334967961341.post-39780624495271815802016-02-23T21:41:00.001+00:002016-02-23T21:41:14.129+00:00Must knit faster<p dir="ltr">Not much of a blog tonight.... trying to knit as much of this pile as possible. I'm finishing off the 3 blacks at the minute which I think is great as I only started them last night!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Got to love multistranding!!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmil2jJURttVAJir1U_ihrworRlrLznOaf20Z9X5IeW8yLy75zvFJu8OhT7DgT4QFEAeGj42hWvNuTyRDAtMKHad5fWjwB0jYqdZPatyYfPnBINFVg0ZbsXxExbl6HWQ4sQlNL3pQzztix/s1600/20160221_191920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmil2jJURttVAJir1U_ihrworRlrLznOaf20Z9X5IeW8yLy75zvFJu8OhT7DgT4QFEAeGj42hWvNuTyRDAtMKHad5fWjwB0jYqdZPatyYfPnBINFVg0ZbsXxExbl6HWQ4sQlNL3pQzztix/s640/20160221_191920.jpg"> </a> </div>Nikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02452460521372720006noreply@blogger.com0