Emerald Isle...

I started on Monday evening and have already got as far as the 4th chart ( out of 6). This is an absolute dream to knit and I'm using the recommended yarn - Jaggerspun Zephyr in Basil.

My trusty Denise's have been dusted off for this and so far, all is going well.


Here's a close up shot - not the best, I know but you get the idea..

Icarus...

....is now relaxing on the spare bed after a nice long soak and a bit of a stretch. I find blocking so much quicker and easier since I invested in the wires. The swear box isn't anywhere near as full these days either!


You really can't see where I had to join the extra yarn - thanks again Liz.


I'm really pleased to have this shawl finished and ahead of my deadline too. I want to be able to wear this when Dave and I go away for a long weekend next month. It's our 6th Wedding Anniversary and we're going to be heading off to our favourite place again...


If I can persuade/bribe Helen to model this for me once it dries, I'll post a few more pics.

Timberrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!

Don't let me loose in the garden with a pruning saw and mattock!!

Before......
After.....


Before....
After....
I really don't know what came over me... I'm really paying for it now though - thank heavens for Ralgex!

I also finished Icarus last night. Liz very kindly came to the rescue and dyed up a little extra yarn for me so that I could get to the end...


It needs blocking, but I will do that tomorrow when I have the house to myself.


I really can't tell where the original yarn ends and the new one begins, can you? If it wasn't for the ends that need sewing in once it is blocked, nobody will ever know!


I think this calls for a new project! Emerald Isle anyone?

Cherry Blossom..

With all the sunshine we've had over the weekend, this couldn't have arrived at a better time....


Pretty, isn't it..

Dog gone!

Monty has gone home this morning. It's very quiet.....it's amazing how quickly you get used to having a squeaky welly thrown in your lap when you least expect it!

The cats are looking a bit more chilled and dare I say smug, at his departure...

Maple Leaves wasn't really doing it for me and so I took drastic action and ripped the whole thing out! I don't know what it was exactly, but it had to go.


I've now cast on Reversible Lace Cables Scarf and am feeling a lot happier about it. This is going to take a fair bit of blocking when it's finished as unpinned, it only measures just 5 inches across.


The pattern is a lot easier to memorise and I've really got into the rhythm of this one.



It's not very easy to picture the detail, but I like it that this looks as good on the back as it does on the front.

This is the 'official' picture of it and shows the detail much better.

My Mate Monty....

Monty is my favourite dog and is staying with us whilst my sis is on holiday. The cats aren't too sure about him, but he's been staying with us for as long as we've had them. Monty lives with three cats at his 'real' home and to watch him groom himself, you'd think he was really a cat!

It was a lovely afternoon, so as part of my getting fit for 'Race For Life' in a few weeks time, we set off on a 4 mile walk this afternoon. It was glorious! We came across some wood violets...


...these reminded me of my mum and some of the walks we used to go on when I was younger. We came across quite a few other wild flowers, but my camera batteries decided to die after this picture so you're let off more nature pics for today!

On the knitting front, I've finished my Monkey Socks and love them.


Yarn - Cherry Tree Hill Potluck Supersock

My 'Easter Egg' this year was a skein of Fleece Artist Sea Silk. I've been longing for an excuse to give this a try and finally succumbed to some.


I've decided to knit the Maple Leaves Scarf with it, mainly because it was the only pattern that I could find with the right yardage. I cast on last night with a 3mm needle which is a whole size down from what the pattern recommends, but is the size recommended for this yarn and by this evening had got this far...

I Don't Think I'm Going To ...

... finish Icarus - that is!

I've just got time to pop my head above the pile of work I have here to show you how Icarus is coming on -

I have 10 rows of the last chart, the edging rows and the cast off to do, but am pretty sure I'm not going to have enough yarn to finish.

The remaining yarn weighs 6gms and my head hurts too much (from a weekend of stock taking and VAT) to work out how much I'm going to need to finish off.

Please send me your suggestions as to what I can do to get this finished... I think my options are to
a) Rip back to a repeat less of the body and re-do the charts that have taken me the last 2 weeks to knit
b) Figure out if I can use something else to finish the last few rows
c) Cast off now
d) Start a new project!!

Thanks guys - back to rolling around in lots of luvverly yarn (ahem, stock taking).....