10 shawls in 2010

As 2009 ended with a challenge - to submit a picture for a calender for the LSG group on Ravelley. This is an online group of knitter who are not exactly your stereotypical granny. Swearing happens. A lot! The calender picture had to include something yarn-related, but otherwise anything goes. And my picture was voted in - I am Miss October! If anyone wants to check out the calendar (not if you are offended by nudity), the link is here.

So my challenge for 2010 is also a Ravelry challenge - to knit 10 shawls in 2010. As I knit my first shawl last year, I was really keen to sign up to this. I wasn't sure how I would get on with doing 10. Then I checked my last years projects and found that I had done 8 last year. So I should be able to do 10 this year.

The shawls I have cast on for 2010 already are:

Citron, from http://www.knitty.com/  - simple shawlette in malabrigo lace

Scheherezade from pink lemon twist.  Gorgeous, challenging stole in Natural Dye Studios angel lace, 1200m per 100g

The other 8 are subject to whim! This is a great challenge, and there are some gorgeous prizes available - both on a monthly basis, and when the year is up.  So it looks like my knitting obsession is going to carry on...

Last weekend's niece fest

I had a lovely day last Sunday. Went to London to see my sister and my two nieces. Mum was there too, and my Dad & Stepmum popped in for lunch so it ticked lots of boxes! Both E & G were adorable. G shown above at 1 week old. E is 23 months. It's a joy to be able to sit and snuggle a new baby. They are so soft and utterly trusting. Lovely! I gave them a haul of presents, some made, some bought. For Ravellers, you can see the baby blanket and cardy here, along with the cot toy.

For E, I made the owl hairpin - modelled above by sis - that I blogged about before (10 minutes and it's done!) and the megahit of the day, Teddy. She slept with Teddy and we played ball with Teddy and Teddy kept getting lost. Luckily in the same place so E kept on rescuing Teddy. Phew!

Aren't the girls lovely? So nice to be able to give girly things too. A change from my boy-dominated life!

First Blog

I've had such a crafty obsession recently that I thought it was also time I joined the blogging world. I have read so many blog with great links and ideas - not that I am sure that I will be up to the standard of most that I have read.

As an excuse to avoid cleaning the house, I've had a charity shop trawl over the past couple of days. On Wednesday, after waving goodbye to my 9yr old boy who was away on his first residential school trip, I headed off to Wooton under Edge. I'd decided that I wanted to try out felting jumpers to make them into things - first find your jumper!

Luckily in the first shop I went to, there was a hand knit jumper. Mostly brown, with darker brown and cream fairisle work. It was a bit pricy (around £4 I think), but I went for it anyway. It felt as if it was made from wool. A couple of shops later I found a lacy skirt for me, and a beautiful vintage silk dress. It's floor length and almost looks like a nightdress. I don't know what era it's from. There are hand sewn metal poppers hidden on the button band, with silk covered buttons on the front. It's the most beautiful fabric. I don't know what to do with it yet - but I couldn't leave it to go for dressing up! It cost £3.50, so bargain!! Pictures show full length and close up of the pattern.

Yesterday, I went into Stroud, and got 8 knitting magazines for £2, and then hit paydirt in the RSPCA shop. Wool!! A cone of pink wool - I guess it's lace weight, a smaller cone of a deeper burgundy shade, and 3 balls of fluffy cream - maybe thin dk? Anyway, very pleased. I'm thinking shawl. The yarns are pictured at the top of the post.

So this morning, when I couldn't sleep (for some reason my body decided that 3am was wake up time) and eventually gave up and came downstairs, I started cutting up the jumper that I had felted in the washing machine (worked like a dream). I'm making it into a tote, using the guidelines from http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/other_crafts/recycled_sweater_totes.php

It's looking good so far - but a bit too wide, Will decide later what to do. In the meantine, I am using some of the fluffy cream wool to stitch a decorative blanket stitch onto it.

So I think I'd better finish now - hadn't actually meant to start a blog right now (more cleaning avoidance...) so I'll go and learn a little more about it!