dolly dimple knits

"Party On Dudes !"

Hey party animals, seeing as it's my birthday this week I've decided to have a bit of a do - complete with party games and prizes :0) There will be a number of games running here the whole of this week with prizes distributed entirely at my whim, it is my birthday after all.

Some games will require a degree of skill and knowledge, some games you simply have to show up for. Alcohol is optional for all participants (tho' it may help) and prizes will be knitting related and largely (okay, entirely) plucked from my ample stash.

So COME ON DOWN and play"Quiz-A-Long-A-Dolly !!"

Answer the following questions (answers in the comments please) for your chance to win random stash bash number one :

1. What does Dollydimple mean ?
2. What star sign is Dolly ?
3. What is a dolly-grip ? - I've always wondered this when I see it in the film credits ....
4. What is the likely psychiatric diagnosis of a woman who thinks her online knitting diary has a personality of its own and is called ... Dolly ? (with a name like Dolly she really ought to have friends called Bunty and Effie who meet weekly for a knitting bee. Anyone want to start a blog called Bunty ??)

Now while you think that little lot over, here's something pretty to look at ...

I'm calling this Lily - for no reason other than I designed it for Lily, our friends' 2 week old daughter. One and half balls of DB Cotton Angora, heart in Rowan Kidsilk Haze, picot edge, heart swiss embroidered (except for crappy bottom bit where I tried to knit it in first) and you have one baby sweater :0)

This is for Hazel, my 6 year old, and is Sweet from Pipsqueaks. I think it was also in one of the Rowan magazines and possibly The Knitter's Bible (one of my favourite books) but I'm too lazy to go and check.

Originally it was done in either Rowan Cotton Glace or DK Soft but I've reworked the gauge using this link which I think Polly gave me ages ago, and I'm doing it in Rowan All Seasons Cotton which is a great quick knit, non-scratchy, machine washable yarn for kids. I LOVE the raspberry ripple ruffle at the edge.

And finally -

Somehow, the ripping isn't the fun I thought it would be but I'll persevere 'cos I think it will be a lovely, useful, cosy scarf / wrap ........ for summer.

"Now we are one" ....

Sod Easter. HAPPY BLOG BIRTHDAY TO ME !

Genuine knitting content and party games to follow. Honest.

Posted by Heather at 12:24 AM | Comments (7)

Totally bereft ....

of the power of communication that is. It feels like such a long time since I updated this blog that I've kind of forgotten how to - you know like when you use a pc all the time and then someone asks you to write with an actual pen / pencil ???? My handwriting always looks worthy of a not very bright 6 year old in these circumstances (worse if they're watching me do it :0p), so apologies if this entry reminds you of something similar.

I'm also speechless with the wonder of this.

A very bad photo of a truly gorgeous hank of Blue Heron Beaded Rayon in Blueberry. This just shimmers and was a wonderful gift from my Secret Pal, Bobby. Thanks Bobby - I LOVE it :0))

He suggests a summer wrap for it - what do you think ? Any favourite patterns ? Personally I reckon I could get away with just hanging it round my neck unknitted, it is soooo beautiful.

I've also been the lucky recipient of some gorgeous goodies from the lovely birthday girl Kay.

Kay sent me the yarn for this PLUS some of this !! How could I not love a yarn shade called "Hot Lips" ?? - it was clearly destined for me :0)

Hot Lips is going to get Flirty pretty soon I reckon (Flirty is the ziggy zaggy tank underneath the cardigan - there's a self-colour version too !)

So now my stash is well and truly enhanced I can confess, knitting has been somewhat limited recently. My Dad is out of hospital which is good but still needs a lot of care and help, which is time consuming. If I could work out a way to knit while driving between our houses believe me I would - I'm starting to get the shakes from yarn withdrawal ......

But I'm planning a big knitting weekend along with some blog celebrations ! This little baby turns a year old next week so drop by for the party. Cakes and party games guaranteed :0)))))

On the run

I've had a really hectic week this week. We almost didn't make our wonderful Crinan
break as my Dad took ill on the Friday - but a friend stepped in to look after him and we went. And it was FABULOUS. Just fabulous.

Crinan is a picture perfect Scottish setting. So much so that we found ourselves humming "Go Home wi Bonnie Jean" as we walked from the lock basin to the harbour. Slightly unreal. For those of you who don't know, most of Scotland is not like this. Really. Not like this. Nope.

The hotel itself is also very lovely - in an almost shabby chic, "we don't have to try too hard way". Filled with handsome young waiters in kilts and fairisle slipovers.

I was of course only interested in the quality of the fairisle. ;0)

When we got back though, despite his protestations, it was clear that Dad was quite unwell and on Monday night he was whipped into hospital. (Well, if you can call a 9 hour wait between arrival and finding him a bed "whipped" ...)They're still doing tests but at least he's in the right place and I'm sure he'll be fine.

So this week has been a whirlwind of running about Scotland and then between home and hospital - oh, and the minor inconvenience of work - which means VERY LITTLE KNITTING TIME !

I couldn't resist starting my Clapotis though as I am completely in love with
this yarn

It truly is the colour of a Jay bird's feathers. Look - it's just gorgeous.

And at least I know it will fit :0)

If I were chocolate ...

I'd eat myself. Or maybe not 'cos that would spoil the reason I'm so pleased with myself. Mr Yarn Pig is getting fatter and I have lost 9 POUNDS !! YAY for me !

So by way of small celebration I just ordered this

4 skeins of Colinette Skye in "Jay" from the lovely Sue.

I've finally succumbed to the lure of Clapotis (I know, I'm late for everything :0) ) I kept seeing so many gorgeous ones and at first I thought "No, no, there's way too many people doing this - everyone'll have one .... but then I realised that we knitters are still (gasp) a minority group." ! So I'm going for it.

As well as celebrating, I'm actually in mourning too.

I feel fabulous, I feel 9lbs lighter - I feel Butterfly is even more tooooooo big.

Honestly I asked a good friend what she thought and she said "Lovely colour but .... you kind of look like you're wearing your mammy's jacket ..." Enough said. Somehow I don't think this was what Lis meant by "Mommy Chic" ....

So the question of the moment is to felt ? to take in a la "Chicknits" ? or to FROG ?

I think felting might make it too stiff - I'd need to felt it quite hard to get it down to size and I just think that might make it hang funny. I could try zigzagging the seams and cutting off the excess but I feel quite nervous about that. So at the moment I'm leaning towards frogging (sob !)

What do you think ? Stop me now while there's still time if you think either of the first 2 options would work ! Please !

To distract me from my crisis I finished my Buttonhole bag (scroll to January 24th) :0)

This is one serious bag. Honestly, you could carry a brick in this thing - and that's before it's felted ! You will note I also stole Kay's patented measure it against a coffee cup method of sizing it for you.

The bottom part is Rowan Biggy Print in Razzle Dazzle, which I have to tell you does not go far. That little bitty thing took 2 skeins.

Rather than invest in another skein to finish the bag I used some stash Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran in Charcoal - 4 strands of it held together = 1 strand of Biggy Print.

Here it is after its first felting at 40 degrees and I'm going to have be a lot rougher I think. I've stuck it back in the NEW WASHING MACHINE (didn't think I wouldn't mention it did you ??) at 60 degrees and am waiting here quivering with anticipation .......... I don't get out enough really do I ?