Sunday 26th July 2020

Hello friends, sorry for being MIA last week, we had an awful week after finding our old lady cat Connie passed away on the living room floor just a few weeks after we lost her twin brother Frankie. Coming on top of everything else I simply did not have the wherewithal to get the words out to you all. Luckily as always, I had my knitting and my stash to keep me sane.

The Knitting Toolbox

As a new segment, I thought I would give you a glimpse into my knitting toolbox, having the right tools for the job is an important part of any tradesman's ability to do the job well and it is the same for any knitter who wants to be able to expand their skills.

This week we start with the box itself,

I got my multi-layer hobby box from Lidl a few years ago but you can find similar at hobby shops or on Amazon and such like websites. Next week we will start to delve deeper and find out more about what I have in there, much like a ladies handbag you just never know what we might find.

On the Needles

As per usual I have way too many things on the needles to show you everything, like many knitters I have different projects on the go to suit my mood at any given moment. 

I joined a new group on Ravelry last week called The Testing Pool. This is a group where designers put a call out to ask people to test knit their patterns and check for any mistakes and such before publication. Within a few hours, I was lucky enough to be accepted to test the Jupiter Shawl by and new to me designer, Sambaknits, from Chile. Into the stash I dove and came up with this beautiful combination

The top yarn is from the Natural Dye Studio and is a Merino/Alpaca blend in gorgeous primrose yellow tones and feels divine to knit with. This was a gift from a good friend and had arrived just a few days beforehand so it felt very serendipitous to choose this yarn.

Below is yarn from one of last year's Rosie's Moments Beatrix Potter mystery boxes. The yarn is Merino wool and Donegal Nep in the Mr. McGregor's Garder colour. It is also a dream to knit with.

I have completed Section 1 of the pattern and am about 3/4 through Section 2

I must say that it is a very enjoyable experience so far and I will have a beautiful shawl at the end.

Finished Items

I only have one finish to share this week, or rather 12. 

Hubs and I nipped into our local wee Scotmid on Tuesday afternoon for a couple of items and we were speaking to a staff member who was saying how their ears were hurting with the pressure from the elastic on the masks we all have to wear here in Scotland when in shops. It is very easy for us shoppers to not realise how it must be for them as we can take our masks off after we have shopped but the have to wear them for many hours. I had seen these mask extenders popping up all over Ravelry in the last few months and decided that in the spirit of local support I would knit a few. They were so easy with each one taking just 30mins to complete that I managed a full dozen. Now hopefully wearing a mask for many hours will be much more comfortable.

Coming to my Needles Soon

Next week I will be able to share with you the full glory of the Stillness Shawl MKAL which came off the needles yesterday. I had such a good time knitting it that I really wanted to do another straight away. Luck must have been on my side as up popped Casapinka's The Sharon Show MKAL. This one will certainly be fun as it is not designed by Casapinka herself but by Sharon from Security her 1-year-old cat. I duly joined her group on Ravelry and will buy the pattern tomorrow. There will be 6 weeks of clues beginning with the first on August 7th, which gives me time to finish my test knit, and I have already chosen my yarn which has also been approved by Sharon herself.

I really love the colours and am chomping at the bit to get started but will have to be patient for a while longer. 

I think that's it for this week, thank you for reading my ramblings and happy crafting,

Mary

Find me on Ravelry as mazbil and on Instagram as The_Sunday_Sock

Blogmas Days 14 & 15

Hello friends, I lost yesterday completely to a migraine. I was in my room in the dark all day I just could not stand to be around any form of light. This has meant that I have very little knitting to share with you but I do have some.

I have tried to keep up with the advent shawl, just a little more of yesterdays and today's to do and I am all caught up.

 The theme of the night sky continues.
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The cutest wee buttons

 I said on Thursday that it was time to cast on a sock, I not only did one but two.

Now I have plenty to keep me entertained for a few days.

Time to pick up my needles, I leave you today with our boy, Frankie, looking as if butter wouldn't melt which is not always the case

Happy crafting

Mary

Blogmas Day 12

Hello friends, can you believe we are halfway through Advent already? Is it just me or are the days passing too quickly? I still have much preparation to do. Lots of wrapping and I still haven't bought hubby a birthday pressie, (how inconsiderate of him to be born on the 21st).

I caught up with the shawl last night when coughing and sneezes kept me awake.

And will add today's stripe as soon as I have finished here,

Hubby picked out the next colour for my Adventurous wrap and I have made a start on that

The yarn is leftover from socks I knitted in 2017 and is a Hubble Bubble from Ripples Crafts.

I also got quite a bit done on my scrappy socks but I am leaving taking a photo until they are finished, hopefully by tomorrow they will be done.

I leave you today with yesterday's supervisor of knitting,

Mysti is not a lap cat at all but will happily sit on the back of the sofa and carefully watch all proceedings.

Happy crafting

Mary

May Musings

Life

Frankie in hospital.

April was a wholly shitty month for us. Our beautiful wee boy cat Frankie nearly lost his life by eating some type of elastic which got would round the back of his tongue and ended up lacerating his stomach. We went on an emotional roller coaster ride whilst the vets at PDSA - Edinburgh operated again and again to save his life. Happily after the worst 3 weeks we got our wee boy home and he is back to his mischievous self with his fur beginning to grow back.

First day home

When he came home he looked a poor soul with almost half of his fur shaved off due to having had the operations, multiple drips and a feeding tube. He is also now eating us out of house and home which we do not mind at all as it was the fact he stopped eating and his weight plummeted that was the only sign he was ill.

Onward into May and life settled down for a while. This was of course not to last as now we have the worry of Bill's dear mum in hospital for the second time in two months with a fractured shoulder. Oh boy we could do with an extended period of calm. 

Onto some brighter news. I am delightedly proud to be part of a team whose workplace has gained a Certificate of Excellence from the Tripadvisor website. This means we are amongst the top 10% best rated visitor attractions in the world. My job has to be one of the best and I love what I do. Our wee place is in the back of beyond, but we must be doing something right if people keep giving us great reviews. 

Knitting

Yes, yes I kept on knitting through it all. I even got some things finished!

Elementary

First was an Elementary shawl a beautiful design by my good friend Cheri McEwan whose Dartfrog Designs can be found on Ravelry. 

Second was also a design by Cheri

Montego

This Montego was a MKAL over about 8 weeks and I think to date it is my favourite knitted piece.

I also managed to finish 2 pairs of socks for me

This pair were knitted using Wendy Happy. The bamboo yarn has been in my stash for years and finally I am knitting with it. I must admit it is not my favourite yarn to knit with, too splitty by far, and I will be glad to see the back of it. Mind you the socks are comfy.

The second pair were knitter with leftovers some of which you might just recognise from the shawls above

Both pairs were knitted to the Totally Vanilla pattern In the Socktopus book by Alice Yu. A great pattern and I learned so much. It will be my go to now.

Talking of Socktopus I have decided since I have the book I will take part in a KAL on Ravelry to knit every pair of socks. This will be a fun undertaking over the next 17 months and I am sure I will learn loads.

My other knitting plans this summer include taking part in Camp Loopy a fun virtual camp run by The Loopy Ewe. I look forward to sharing my adventures.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary