Hello there!
Is anyone still there?! I've been gone so long - last post February 2nd!! How can that be??

I've started a new job and just don't have the energy to post too much at the moment. I also haven't had much energy for large projects. You'll be unsurprised to hear that Charleston, Keyhole and Juliet are still unfinished! But true to form I have started a few socks - I haven't actually finished any pairs yet but I started a few.

First up is a Blue Tweed Sock. I'm using Nancy Bush's Gentleman's Winter Sock pattern again from Vintage Sock Knitting. It works pretty well in stripes don't you think?



I've also started a pair of grey socks for Mr K (remember how much he likes grey?). This is the diagonal rib pattern from the Vogue sock knitting book (the real name escapes me). This book has woeful photography but after looking at other people's creations on Ravelry I could see that the sock was actually quite nice.



Today's final project is a Dream Swatch Headscarf in Posh Emily. I'll let it speak for itself.



Hopefully it won't be so long next time. Toodles x

Finally managed to take some photos so here is an update of where I am at with my current WIPs

1. My So Called Scarf
I ripped this back. The scarf was too light and floaty for the pattern. I really liked the pattern though so I might make it in another yarn,

2. Birgit Socks
I've finished one sock but the needle size was so small it was making my fingers ache! Have set this to one side but will finish the second sock eventually.

3. Denmark Socks
Finished one sock and nearly turning the heel on the second one. I LOVE this colour. It's "Cornucopia" from Posh Yarn. I've had it in my stash for over a year and kept umming and ahhing about it but now I've used it I really love it!

4. Keyhole Top
On hold but only have the back to finish

5. Charleston
On hold. Again. All that beadwork need real concentration and I don't have that at the moment.

6. Juliet Cardigan
I am determined to finish this this week...

Here are some pics of Brigit and Denmark....

I've been extra slack recently - many apologies! I started a new job and have not really been knitting that much.

I did however manage to finish one Denmark sock and a Koolhaas hat.

I have pictures of the Koolhaas hat. Promise I will take some of the socks over the weekend.

Also I have finally posted out the socks for Pay it Forward to Lisa at Native Knits - Lisa let me know if you don't receive them in th next week or so!

I had a couple of days off between finishing my old job and starting my new. I was itching to start a new pair of socks - I can't seem to go more than a week without casting on for a new pair! It's a good job I have so much sock yarn in my stash!!



These are Brigit socks in Posh Yarn Emily "Cheeky". I've been searching for the right pattern for this yarn for ages and I think I've finally found it! They look so good. I love this colourway too - I thought it would be too pink for me but the flashes of purple and blue really set off the red and pink.

I've started my own version of My So Called Scarf in Posh Yarn Lucia Prance. It's going slowly but surely. I love the way the stitch looks but I am not loving the fact that my fingers are completely blue on my left hand! I probably should have rinsed and dried the yarn before I made a start.

Here's a detail of the stitch:



I've also finally finished work at my old job. It's a very strange feeling. I was there for 4.5 years and made some really amazing friends but now I need to look forward to my new job starting on Monday. I'm quite apprehensive as I don't know what's expected of me but I am definitely looking forward to it!

Wish me luck!

At last all the Christmas decorations are down and the place is looking normal again, except for the spare room which is in dire need of a sorting out. Not tonight though.

There is one cat who is loathe to see the end of the holiday season with it's new smells and visitors. As you can see by the picture she was definitely sad to see the back of the tree when we took it down last weekend.

I've finished the Spey Valley socks and they fit a dream. I must say though I was rather flummoxed by the ending instructions for the braid stitch and sort of winged it. It worked on the second sock but not on the first. On the first all the rib was one stitch out of line which looks odd but which K says no-one would notice but me!

Next on the needles is a pair of gloves for K in Sophia Cashmere 4ply sock yarn from Posh. This is so soft - I haven't knit with it before but it was the perfect choice for gloves - really warm but also so soft on the hands.

Here's a pic of them so far:



The red stitching is where the thumbhole will be eventually. He hasn't tried them yet and I hope they fit. I might get him to try them before I go any further in case I have to rip them back. Which also gives me the excuse to cast on a new pair of socks. Tee hee!

I managed to get the yarn for K's gloves so will be starting those next...

So I have some Christmas knitting to show you.

First up is a pair of socks for K in Posh Yarn Emily Camoflage



I had originally bought three skeins of this to make the Hemlock Ring Blanket by Brooklyn Tweed but I didn't really gel with the pattern when I started it. I'll definitely try it again sometime but just not right now. It's a great colour and one that K approves of. K is very picky about his knitted sock colours - he likes them "non-girly" and green just about qualifies I think.

Number two is Juliet in Rowan Kid Classic. The colourway is Peat and I L O V E it. It's like dark chocolate with bits of milk in it - lovely!





Next up are gloves for K. He has requested black or grey so I have my eye on the 2 skeins of Sophia Blot on the Posh Yarn sale page. I have everything crossed that I can be quick and get them!

So I finally did it. I resigned last Monday. It feels very weird here at work. I'm slowly trying to hand over to someone that isn't actually here in the office at the moment as they are on holiday for Christmas. I am slowly realising how much knowledge is in my head as I try and get it all down on paper for my replacement.

The great news is that the new job is an hour closer to home which means that I can get home an hour before K goes to work and we can even eat together in the evening. It will make a big difference to my quality of life (hopefully providing me with even more knitting time) (10 hours a week is a pair of socks!).

So congratulations to me!!!

Keyhole Top
Originally uploaded by charleyfarleypie

This is how far I have gone with the Keyhole Top. In fact after I took this pic I finished the front completely.

It's really mindless boring knitting though so I picked up the needles for Charleston again last night. I've finished the straps on one side and have the other front side to match and then it's onto the front. Since I started Charleston earlier this year I've knitted more lace things so I am hoping I will be able to read the pattern a bit better for the back. Why don't Rowan ever include charts for lace?

Lisa's embossed leaves
Originally uploaded by charleyfarleypie

Here is detail of the socks I am knitting for pay it forward for Lisa from Native Knits. Yes you guessed it - they are embossed leaves socks in Posh Yarn Emily Ripen. I am a bit jealous to have to give these away actually but I know that's not in the spirit of the thing!

Dee did the Seven Weird Things meme today so I thought I would follow her lead:

1. I can't ride a bike. I've tried countless times to learn but really I have absolutely no balance or co-ordination. Two things I think are very necessary for this.
2. I've had chicken pox twice. Very rare apparently.
3. I eat Marmite from the pot. It's...just...sooo....good. Most people think that is just disgusting rather than weird.
4. Despite having passed my driving test in 1993 I haven't driven a car since. Except the trip back from the test centre (and that was with my instructor).
5. Until I was 18 I bit my nails to the quick. Then suddenly I just stopped. To this day I have no idea why I stopped.
6. I have completely flat feet. No arches at all.
7. I had an imaginary friend called Rebecca until I was 5. We did everything together. My parents even had to lay a place at the table for her and put food on a plate for her at all meals.

So there you go. Definitely weird.

For the last week I've been in and out of work, in and out of a cold I cannot shake. I hate feeling this run down and sick - I'm not normally a sickly person. I could count the days I had sick from work in 2006 on one hand but this year it all seems to be catching up with me. I've had 4 colds and a nasty bout of flu, taken the first course of antibiotics I can remember in a very long time and had 3 days off with stress induced exhaustion!

I put it all down to the amount of travelling I do to get to work. My job is near Heathrow and I live in North East London. To anyone that isn't aware of London geography, that is a REALLY LONG WAY. It takes me 2 tubes, a train and a bus to get to work (approximately 1hr 45 each way each day). K and I worked it out on Friday night: in the 4.5 years I've worked this job I've spent something like 6 complete months travelling. There's the potential to pick up alot of bugs there..... It's definitely time for a change. I have something in the works that hopefully I'll be able to share with you later this week.



I have been putting this sick time to good use of course and have nearly finished Sadie!! Gasps all round I am sure. I have half of one arm to finish and then just the seaming up of the arms and attaching the arms to the body. I can't believe I waited this long to finish this, It's been on the needles for nearly a year - just goes to show what a procrastinator I am!
I also finished a Le Slouch for my mum as she was admiring mine during her visit last weekend. It's a wonderful colour - it really "pops" and I'm sure she'll love it.

I am sick again today so more socks on the needles and blackberry at hand. Luckily it's Thanksgiving in the US today so I don't expect to be too bothered by e-mails and I have tomorrow as holiday as my folks are coming to stay.

I knitted all of the sock you see here this morning. which is really good progress I think. hopefully I can get this done by the end of today. I'm itching to finish up Charleston!

I also had a little helper today although I'm not sure what she was helping with.... Sleeping? Being fluffy?

My migraine from last week seems to have been the precursor to a cold that has me bundled up on the sofa. Watching rubbishy daytime TV and snuggling under the quilt is where it all happens today.

Here is some eye candy:




These are the no tears socks for pay it forward. The yarn is such a beautiful colour - I can't believe I waited so long to use it!

Sadie and Charleston

I have two projects that have been on the needles for a while, languishing in my half finished objects box waiting for me to get on with them.

Sadie - from Rowan 39 - knit in Rowan Wool Cotton (colourway Misty)
I have one sleeve left of this to knit. It's actually quite a quick pattern - the sleeve is only one ball of wool.

Charleston - lacy camisole with beads also from one of the Rowan magazines. I ran out of beads on this months ago and have been rather slack at picking some up. Finally I have some.

I'd like to finish these two by Christmas. There is really no reason why they aren't already finished except my general procrastination!

Spectacular failure!

I've failed miserably at NaBloPoMo by not posting since Wednesday! I have been busy though:

Finished the Embossed Leaves socks and made some progress on the No Tears socks for "Pay it Forward". Pics to follow later this week!

I still don't have details for Jeanette and Helen who posted on the Pay it Forward post. Can you comment again and let me know your e-mail addresses so that I can contact you to arrange sending you your gifts.

Migraine

Sorry no real post today except this. The migraine is descending and I need to get to bed as quickly as I can....

Delurk!

According to my hits counter (not sure how accurate this is) I've had over 500 hits to this blog since it started. It's heartening to know that there is someone out there reading my random thoughts!

It would be good to know who you are though so today is declared "Delurk Day"! If you are reading the blog today please drop me a comment and say hi. I've found some of the regular blogs I read through comments on other peoples blogs. It's always great to see what other people are working on or writing about. It definitely gives me inspiration for furture projects and blog posts.

No Tears Socks for Pay it Forward

I've chosen the yarn and the pattern for my first pair of Pay it Forward socks. It is No Tears Socks by Dee Bamford. Pattern can be found on the Posh Yarn website .