About Finger Knitting

On Wednesday we had the third session of our Arts and Craft Club. I remembered to take the camera with me. I blurred the photo on purpose, maybe not all parents would be happy to see their child on the internet.
Noor sees herself as the finger knitting expert. She loves to help other children when they get stuck.
Sales of yarn are increasing - some children have sent their family to shop for more yarn. Kids love novelty yarns!
One finished project done in Filati yarn.
I can't remember which type of yarn or what it is made off, I believe it was wool with alpaca. The yarn is very similar to Rowan polar. Sadly that yarn has been discontiued.
The hour of the Arts and Craft club just seems to fly by every Wednesday afternoon.
I have also been busy with my own knitting.
Perry is showing off the first finished sock of 2006. Now I have reached the famous second sock syndrome. Not only that but I have been having a clumsy few days. First I tripped outside and not only bloodied my knee, I tore up my favorite pair of jeans as well. My friend and I, we were on our way to Liberty's. Nothing is going to stop two girls from reaching Liberty's. I am just lucky they let me in there with trendy ripped jeans!
Not only did we go to Liberty's but we also shopped in Marylebone High Street. There is a shop that only sells ribbons. Amazing!
Back to the sock: When I reached the toes and was trying to knit two stitches together, I snapped the needle in half. I could not believe it, how on earth did I do that. I finished the sock off on four needles. But I don't want to start the second one like that.
I am waiting for my order of new needles.
Buying the ribbon has given me a new leap of life for my side tie coat.
Here are all my pieces so far: one left front, one finished sleeve, one back nearly to the armhole shaping and about half a second sleeve. I can see the end nearing. Only six more balls of yarn in need off being knitted away.
Hmm, what shall I start knitting afterwards?

More Socks

This socks are now for Noor. I started these socks about three times with a diffrent amount of stitches each time. The first two times I thought it was going to be way to big. In the end I reduced the number of stitches to 60 instead of the 74 stated in the pattern. They are now perfect for Noor. If I ever knit another pair of Jaywalker socks, I will only knit a very slim border or only a few rows of garter stitch.
Noor likes the way these Jaywalker socks are starting to look. She also likes to try on socks with the needles on.
I remember when I asked her to do the same thing about two years ago and she got totally scared. 

Lets knit socks

I needed to knit something in-between my other knitting. This yarn has been in my stash some while now.
Time to knit with it!
I just wanted to have something straight forward in a nice effect.
I started them Saturday evening and then contuied on Sunday.
Yesterday I have been a good girl and knitted a long stretch on my side tie coat. So far I have managed to re-knit through 5 balls of yarn.
Perry 'wants' to read some blogs.
I have started to write my blog on our old lap top, the Apple is amazing, but blogging is to much trouble.
My sidebar goes funny when I look at it on the Apple. I have tried to fix it, with a mixed result.
Perry likes to sit behind the Apple. Or maybe it is just a game of hide and seek.

Photographic proof

The left front on the left has been knitted on 4.5mm needles. The left front on the right is being knitted on 4mm needles.
Not only does it look neater, I have also gained a little bit in height. I hope that overall I will gain about one ball of yarn.
Both left fronts in the photo had 2 balls of yarn knitted up.
Yesterday the knitting god was not with us, I was reading a few blogs yesterday and most of them were about some knitting mishap or other accident.
On a positive note, I have started an afterschool club in Noor's school, together with my friend and knitting buddy. It is official called 'The Craft Club', we have started with knitting. Some kids have actually started to hand knit, others have become very good at finger knitting. A few kids have started doing the finger knitting at play time. Maybe finger knitting will become the latest kids craze!
Of course our own two kids consider themselves knitting experts and help the other kids with their finger knitting.
Hopefully I will remember to take my camera to school next week and take some photos of the work they have done so far.

Simple Maths

When I started knitting this way back in December, I started with a sleeve. A very clever thing to do, sleeve = tension swatch. I happily knitted about a third of a sleeve, measured out a 10 x 10 cm square counted the stitches and thought I was spot on.
Did I consider that I was knitting quite tense because of not using my favorite needles (they were with Rosy). Or that knitting with unusual yarn may give me a tighter tension.
Then I kept moaning that Debbie Bliss does not provide little pattern sketches in her books. It only gives the chest measurements and all the lengths. Lengths is easy, just stop knitting when reached.
Why, why did I not think of this before? 10cm = 18 stitches so therefore 88 stitches = 49cm! I mean how hard could it have been to figure that out!
Why did it take me 14 balls of knitting to come up with it?
There was me screaming: I am going to run out of yarn! Well maybe there was a reason for that!
Last night it all became clear just before the start of 'Desperate Houswives'.
Last night was the first episode of season two!
I started knitting again, while frogging at the same time. I now started with the left front. It looks so much better, I have nearly finished the first ball of yarn - again!
I better go and knit faster. Hopefully by next weeks episode I have something to show for.

Knitting slump

I seem to have a bit of a knitting slump. There is no knitting worthy for showing off.
Hence a photo of Perry. He likes to sit in the window. Not just any window, but the top window. Neighbor's have rang our doorbell to tell us that we have a cat hanging half outside a window. I feel that he is clever enough not to fall out of it.
Otherwise he has good pet insurance!
Back to the knitting.
Well first up are the Jaywalker socks. I am nearing the heel of the first sock. I may have broken more than one needle. Yesterday when I wanted to start knitting, while Noor was at Kumon, I found I had another broken needle. Very annoying, I tried to knit with the broken needle. I ended up with a splinter in my finger.
Visit http://www.curlsandpurls.prettyposies.com/ and you can see that knitting can be dangerous!
As you can see, I am still working with the Apple, all last posts have been done on our old laptop!
Again back to the knitting: The side tie coat! It is still there. I have now knitted up a back to the armholes and a left front nearly to the armholes. Is there something wrong with my knitting _ I know I am not going to have enough yarn. Four more weeks until we go on holiday. I will/ want to wear this coat!

Green Knitting

Astrakhan is not the easiest yarn to knit with. I must have been slightly mad when I decided to knit this coat.
I can't even remember whether I bought 17 or 18 balls of yarn. Unless I have hidden a ball somewhere, I have 17 balls of yarn. So far I have knitted up 9 balls and have two sleeves and a back near the armhole shaping.
Again I have reached a stage where I am worried that I am going to run out of yarn. I may put the back to one side and start knitting the two fronts up to the same level. Then it will be easier to judge if I have enough yarn left. Or I just wait for the Debbie Bliss free gift to arrive. I am sure it is the same green Astrakhan yarn.
Yesterday I did also not manage to get as much knitting done. Because I needed to get a new phone, I had cancelled my old contract way back in December. My husband kept telling me that the phone company would not cut me off, but that is what happened yesterday morning! I was left with no mobile (cell) phone.
Here is my new toy!
I even managed to change Lloyds picture over. Every phonebook entry had to be manually transferred via Bluetooth.
That took a lot of my knitting time away.
I know that buying a phone is a time consuming business, I was well prepared. I knew what phone I wanted, which network and I also had looked at the different stores and their deals. We went to the mall knowing exactly which store to go to and I had also got my Jaywalker socks with me.
After the initial sales chit chat, I happily took my knitting out and wanted to start knitting away. Shock - Horror, one of my beloved Brittany needles was broken in half. When did that happen? I don't know! I felt like crying...
I shoved the knitting back in my bag and sat there being bored and miserable.
Sadly we went to the mall that sells no knitting yarn! Otherwise any 2.5mm needles would have been welcome.

Dreamcatching Jaywalker

My little project for on-the-go knitting. The coat is growing OK, but pictures of just a big green blob of knitting seemed a bit boring to me.
I am always amazed how a simple pattern can create such a wonderful effect.
The yarn is Opal Dreamcatcher and the pattern is the well known Jaywalker.
I have downsized the pattern to fit a smaller foot. I will also knit the leg a bit shorter.
I tried to knit yesterday while I watched Noor play tennis, but my hand and fingers were getting to cold. I wish I could wear gloves and knit.

From all of us

Eid Mubarak
Today it is Eid. We are getting ready for a family gettogether.
Noor got a new suit. This is the Eid were kids get new clothes. Most of my sister-in-laws will also wear new clothes.
Hmm, maybe I should start another project.
Just a small little one.

Little Zahra

This is my little niece Zahra, she is the youngest daughter of my husbands oldest sister.
She is 16months old.
I knitted the tank top for her.
I knitted the size 9-12 month but I lengthen everything to fit the 12-18month range. Usually Debbie Bliss patterns are big, this one was no exception.
I had nearly three balls of Baby Cashmerino left, I still have about half a ball left over. I have seen my niece wear it, under her clothes. My sister-in-law had to turn the whole bottom border over, otherwise it would have been to long. I hope she gets good wear out of it.

It feels weird to have only one project on the go. I am also surprised how long it takes me to knit up one ball of the Astrakhan, I thought with 70m per ball I would be able to knit up two balls in one evening.
I have set myself a goal, we have just booked ourselves a week on Majorca in February. I want to wear it then. Hopefully it is going to be nice and warm during the day and I can wear the coat in the evening to snuggle up. I have now two finished sleeves and have started on the back. The collar is knitted on, no long finishes with this coat.
Maybe if I spent less time in the evenings with Noor's Nintendo DS dog I can knit more. Noor wants to get more virtual puppies and I earn her the money by talking her puppy for competitions!

Fishtail socks

Here are the luxurious Alchemy Fishtail socks knitted in Sanctuary (70% wool, 30% silk). They were a joy to knit and they are wonderful to wear.
They are wonderful socks to wear at home on a lazy Sunday while knitting. Maybe tomorrow will be such a Sunday.
Here is a view from the side. I did not knit the heel as in the instructions, I knitted the normal heel and then did the same with the toe.
I only have a little bit of yarn left over. Maybe enough for a little catnip mouse. But do I want Perry to have a mouse made with Sanctuary yarn?
This is my current on the go project. The Astrakhan Side Tie Coat.
Finally the first sleeve is done and I am about half way up on the second one.
This yarn gave me a bit of problems when I started to knit with it, I was also worried that I would be unable to count the rows. Then I kept forgetting to turn the wheel on my row counter.
But I am now sure that I can count the ridges on the edge of my knitting.
My Debbie Bliss le club membership is up for renewal. I am not sure if I want to or not, I believe the new free gift is the same green Astrakhan.
Has anyone already got their free gift?
Oh, and last night Noor was the King once more.
I had given another cake to my friend, it was her birthday and she also got the King.
My Mum in Switzerland had to go to the bakery and order a cake with a king in every roll for a county minister meeting. So no-one is going to feel left out!

Epiphany

In German speaking Europe today is known as Drei Koenige (Three Kings).
In Switzerland this is the traditional cake. It is called cake even though it is more of a bread. In one of the six smaller rolls is a plastic king.
The person that gets it, will rule for today.
My has saved the cardboard crown and the plastic king for me. This morning all I had to do was bake the cake.
I can honestly say I have no clue where the king is hidden. I weighed the rolls but the one with the king weighs the same with it.
Usually Noor wins it.
Perry came to the kitchen and joined me taking the photo. He is not much of a kitchen cat, our Lloyd was always in the kitchen. Perry only turns up if he is really hungry.
Is he saying: I am the king?
I have spent all day with our two computers. The old laptop has got a new lease of life, it is now wireless and can be used anywhere in the house.
Since I have not been able to read many blogs over the last two weeks, I totally missed the Stashalong deadline.
Well I can have my own knitting from stash three month. I love the idea, but Iam not to keen on the order of not buying any yarn.
After having seen the Rowan preview that may be not that hard to keep.

Rosy

The day that I wanted to post photos with Rosy was the day that AOL cut us off from the internet!
Here they are two weeks late.

I got the label with the Simply Knitting December issue. The label matches the colour a lot better than the zip. I am still hunting for a better match. My friend loves the cardigan but she also wants a zip that matches better.
I feel like getting my own zips dyed. I will have to talk to my father-in-law but he is away until February. He sells sewing notions wholesales to clothes manefacturies. The problem is I only want one matching zip and not 1000.

Back online

Finally we are back online.
Now it is just a question of getting used to blogging with our new computer.
Changing from windows to apple has been a pain.

Here is as promised a picture of Noor and the giant buttonhole bag.



There is a funny picture over on Ann and Kay's blog with William Shatner. It is about the worldwide buttonhole explosion.

Hopefully I will get used to the Mac a bit more and be able to do more with it.

Happy New Year

Thank you all for reading my blog.
We have finally figured out why we can't access the internet. We are switching providers and the old one has cut us off and the new one is not ready! I acutally thought that we would only lose about a day or two. Now we have been without internet for about two weeks and it looks like we will be for yet another two weeks.
Now to knitting news.
Having no internet should have given me more time to knit but it hasn't.
My Mum has come from Switzerland, Amar was off work and Noor had no school. We have been out and about a lot.
Noor had a wonderful birthday, she want to thank all for her birthday greetings.
Tomorrow school starts again, my Mum has gone back and Amar will also go back to work.
Now to my new stash addition:
20 balls of Debbie Bliss Merino Aran in pale blue
20 balls of Rowan Cotton Tape in a bright red
20 ball of Rowan Linen Print in a bright red mix
I have excuses for it, my Mum really liked the Linen Print and she saw something in the Beach Cool book that she likes. Her birthday is in May!
I have knitting three project with the Cotton Tape before and I liked knitting with it. I just have to decide on a project.
My husband found the Cotton Tape, he likes bright colours.
There is nothing I can add about Debbie Bliss yarn, they are just so lovely. Since the yarn is an Aran I can use it for any nice Aran pattern.
Last night I finished my fish tale socks. That Alchamy yarn knitted up very well. Shame it is so expensive.
Then I had another look at my side tied coat. I had started on one sleeve and knitted up one ball of yarn then I dumped it in my knitting basket. I also started the back while we went to pick up my Mum at the airport. Then I thought it lookded to big, even though my tension is spot on, I was also getting worried whether I would have enough yarn. So I frogged the back and I will knit a size smaller.
I just have to make the bigger size sleeve fit into the smaller front and back.