Not Socks

I'm loving all the groovey socks that have been popping up on everyone's blogs lately.
Socks make fabulous portable projects; small, light, easy to shove in your bag and go, making them easy to work on when you find yourself with a little time on your hands.....but....I either wear boots or flip flops, so my socks could only be shown off in my own dingey little apartment.....sooooo, I'm using my sock yarn to knit a little cami - and I like what I see so far - here's a WIP shot of my take on Razor Cami:

Not one to work often with skinning needles, (too results orientated), I'm enjoying this little project - the pattern is very easy to follow and, in my opinion, is working up very prettily. I love self striping yarn and may have to snag some from our talented friend over at Yarnmonster! - check out her etsy sale!

In other news...I was bemoaning the fact that I have been abandend this holiday weekend as the tall fella is working up in Canada - AGAIN! - well, it's not a holiday there! I was feeling a little blue and complained to him that I needed to be treated nicely under the circumstances...
At around 3:30 yesterday afternoon, I nipped out to get some lunch and passed a small woman carrying a very large and exotic-looking flower arrangement and I almost said something to her about it, but my conserative Britishness held me back.
The day had a strange feeling - I couldn't put my finger on it, so I bought some scratch tickets for the 3 other people in the office, hoping that it would mean that we wouldn't have to be in that office much longer!
On returning with enough food to feed a small country, I was greated to the very same bouquet I had seen earlier!



The shot doesn't do it justice, so here's a close up to see the fabulous colours:










Thank you boyfriend!!!!! I miss you!!!!

Ohh, and none of the scratch tickets were winners!

Happy Indepence day to all you Americans!

P.S. My lovely friend, Melissa just called to invite me to the beach tomorrow..I was worried about my big fat tummy being on display, but she's 6 months pregnant....say no more!

Hot Damn! (summer in the city)

Sorry for the lack of knitting content in this blog of late.
My excuses are:

1: Can't show stuff that's going in my book just yet.

2: Can't show baby stuff til baby is born - don't want to ruin surprise for the mother.

3. Annabel hated the stuff I designed for her birthday, so didn't get any shots of those items, but hopefully her mother will tempt her into them and take some pretty pics for me.

I also wanted to experiment with some summer "anti-air-conditioning-cover-ups".
I love the heat, but don't like air-conditioning. Maybe it's because I'm from a country where it gets hot so rarely, that I now bask in the heat every chance I get.
So, when I step onto the cold subway, into a shop or when my co-workers up at this end of the studio can't take it any longer and I give in to their cries for cool air, then I get too cold so I designed these three comfy knits.

In true lazy-girl style, these three beauties do not have any seems to sew!!! (ooh, except the underarms of Limey!)

Cover-Up No. 1. Is adapted from one of the patterns in my book, so I can't give you the pattern. It's made from the deliciously soft Blue Sky Cotton in a wonderful, (at least for me), shade of Lime. It only took two skeins, so I have two left to make something else with.
Here's Limey:


















Cover-Up No. 2. This is such a simple and quick knit - worked on BIG needles with just a bit of shaping for the front and back neck, then a 3 needle bind off to finish. I used Cascade Quatro, which, being wool is an unusual choice for a summer knit, but I'm a bit mad like that!
I'll post this pattern soon, if anyone's interested!
Here's Sack o' Spuds:



















Cover-Up No. 3. Started life as a doctored Picovoli. I wanted more of a flared look so I went all crazy with the big needles and a lacey stitch. It's worked in Cascade Quatro again, because I liked the colour. (what is it with me and lime green lace?).
Anyway, if you're in the market for this madness, I'll post the pattern as soon as I can get around to it.
I give you Moo-Moo Madness:



















I'd like to thank my production assistant, Lauren, for climbing the stairs to our roof yesterday lunchtime and taking the spontaneous shots.
I appologise for my lack of styling and modeling expertise - as I said, it was spontaneous!
Looking at these shots also confirms that I need to loose my book-weight, gained whilst not exercising for months on end!

I have a couple of finished bags to show off too - I'll get around to it one of these days!

Enjoy the sunshine!!

Annabel Turns Two: Part I

Your boyfriend arrives home late on Thursday evening after a a long drive and a greuling few weeks of hard slog in the frozen wastelands of Montreal..what do you do?
A. Make him a nice dinner?
B. Run him a hot bubble bath?
C. Pour him a refreshing beverage of his choosing?
or
D. Tell him that he has to turn around and drive you to New Hampshire, so that you can attend your friend's daughter's 2nd birthday party and no, you won't be sharing the driving because you'll be too busy knitting a baby blanket?
Arh, yes dear readers, I am that selfish! But I did let him sleep for a couple of hours before setting off, so I'm not all bad!
Actually, I did offer to share the driving.....

I love going to visit my country cousins, especially Chris and Valda - they're as close to family over here as I've got. I've known Valds for eons- ever since she answered my ad for a room to rent, (written in coloured pencils and concluding with "I'm a nice person really" and a smiley face - well, it worked!), we were housemates in Liverpool, then she went to Boston for a year, (13 years ago!), the same time that I came to NYC as an intern. She met Chris and they became instantly inseperable. Both Chris and Valda and Chris' parents, as well as a few of their friends have helped me out with a roof over my head for a time when I was desperately looking for an honest living over here - so I am eternally grateful for their endless friendship, support, kindness, hospitality and damn good senses of humour!!
They also throw the best parties!
Even though it rained cats and elephants all day last Saturday, they still managed to have around 60 of their closest friends and family in attendence.
While Chris and the Cheesecake Bunny, (my taller half's new nickname), went off for beer and raw animal flesh, Valda asked Annabel if she'd like to show Aunty Heather what a fabulous finger-paint artist she has become - the following photos tell their own story:












Luckily it's washable - see how prettily the birthday girl scubbed up?



She can certainly put it away though - I don't think she stopped eating all day! Although, I'm not surprised as the spread was vast and very delicious. My offering? A plate of highly E-number filled "Froot Loop Treats" my own secret recipe



The kids loved em!
We had to use up some energy after all the sugar intake, so we played some traditional party games including musical bumps, musical statues, pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey. Luckily, as the weather was atrocious, we had the space in the playroom to do this and toys were strewn all over the floor. At one point I noticed this sad little face of a knitted bunny that was left all alone in one of the bins - i couldn't resist taking his photo

While the womenfolk entertained the little 'uns, the men were out in the quagmire of the garden doing what they do best, drinking beer, cooking meat and no doubt taking about sports - there is no photographic eveidence of this, as I kept well out of harms way, and the Cheesecake Bunny didn't want his mush on here anyway - he was too busy tending the grill. When I asked him if he enjoyed the trip during our drive back, he answered, "I cooked about 100 burgers".



Knitting content for this story will be reveiled in Part II, or whenever I get 'round to it!

And yes, there are probably about 50 spelling mistakes in this entry - no doubt I'll be hearing from Soft Jack with corrections....

Mo' Bloggers!

Just nipped into Knitty City last Wednesday, (which, if you haven't been to is a beautiful shop up near my neck of the woods and a welcome addition to the UWS. It's run by a very friendly and helpful staff - I'm not keen on the other place up here). I went in for some Cascade Quattro which I needed for a project I hope to offer as a free pattern soon....but more of that later.
After noticing a smallish spinning wheel near the counter, I enquired if the shop held spinning lessons, (now that I have all this spare time - hahahaa! The owner, Pearl, told me that they didn't have lessons, but one of their Men's Night's regulars might be able to teach me, then in out of the rain he walked. I introduced myself and had a very lovely chat with him and his wife - what a lovely and interesting couple - this whole knitting thing really opens ones eyes to more than just forming interlocking loops with fibre!
Check out my new friend's blog

The most cheerful grouch I have ever met, me old production assistant, also has a new blog - here's the multi-talented Tina, (who also has a fantabulous pattern in my book - hoorah!)

When I get a minute, (read: when my boss isn't bugging me), I'll add these blogs to my sidebar for easy linkage.
If any of my loyal readers also want to be added to my slowly growing list of blogs, then drop me your info in a comment.
Don't be affraid - I don't bite, hard.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels - Without the Pretzels

Jessamyn placed a tub of delicious chocolate covered
salt balls onto the big girls' table at the Point
yesterday evening. I haven't been able to get the
memory of their melt in the mouth flavour out of my
mind since.
I want them - I NEED them!!!
I did a little bit of googling this morning and found
this.
It seems that I am not alone and that knitters from all over like this combo.
Now, the important question is, who do I have to seduce into making these for me?

Baby Got Back!

I was worried about Babby Bobbi Bear when I first saw his image on the pattern - how on earth was he going to be able to walk with those tiny stumps for legs? But I couldn't resist his large-noggined cuteness so knitted one up for my baby newphew last year. That little bear is all the way over in Olde England, so I made him a brother for a baby due in September here in NYC.
He's made from untagged stash yarn in a soft and snuggly space dye and stuffed with - shock horror - more stash yarn..... yes, I have that much!
Although this bear is limb-length-challenged he does have the best little bottom I have ever knitted!! Check him out!


Bottom, Bum, Rear End, Seat... all polite and acceptable words to describe the plump body area we are obsessed with. While I was knitting this particular area I wondered why Americans call it a Butt? To me this describes the end of a cigarette, so I tried to think of all the other words for it, then it dawned on me BUTTOCKS!!! Butt is short for buttocks!!! Derrrr!!!

Edited to add: After looking at the photos on here, (he's much better looking in the flesh (?)), I think his eyes are a little bit sqinty - he may have to have surgery, just local though - nothing too drastic.......I hope his new owner doesn't mind, but we shared a snuggle when I took a well deserved rest here on the settee this afternoon - it's been a loooooong time!