D-rum, d-rum, d-rum,.....

d-rum, d-rum, d-rum, der--------um carder.

Sky blue pink.

Red dog.

All 100% merino and well ploofy!

Tessellating lace and fur babies.

Tessellating Lace Socks by Kat Haines (pattern is on Ravelry). Knit in the medium size on 2.75mm circs using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Envy. Took about 1 and 1/4 skeins.

Nice pattern to knit, very well written and pretty too.

Lottie and Lou-Lou are becoming really good pals.

Conkers McBonkers sleeps well apart from the snoring, farting canines and even when asleep manages to look disdainful.

Mmmmm sleepy, cheesy paws!

R.I.P Snuffles

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Originally uploaded by loobles2002

Poor little piggie - we'll all miss you, even Lottie will miss stalking you in your run. Grandma and I will miss laughing at your merkin and I'll miss your piggie seranade when I'm putting the washing on line.

Pretty and ploofy

Finished yesterday, 104g Merino, Navajo plied, approx DK weight.

Fibre from Jo at Lime Green Jelly http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=105164. The photo gives a really accurate idea of the colours -they are a rainbow of happiness.

Spring is starting to be sprung

The Dafs in the garden are starting to break through, you can see more yellow than green.

The Snowdrops are in full bloom.

Primroses are popping up through the leaf litter.

Crocus are turning the flowerbeds into a burgeoning carpet of colour.

** All pictures are courtesy of J who wanted to experiment with the macro setting of his camera. Taken this morning and I (proud Mum etc) think they are pretty good - much better than I can do.

Mona - take two.

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Originally uploaded by loobles2002

Finally another WIP off the needles. Can't even remember when I started these, think it was November 2008.

Mona by Cookie. A. Second pair I've made, lovely pattern but on both pairs I've suffered from 2nd sock syndrome.

2.25mm dpns.

Spunky Eclectic, Skinny Sock - colourway - Neopolitian. Very soft, very pretty.

Lovely

Thank you.

We had a lovely day

at The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton, West Sussex.

The weather was totally glorious, it was almost impossible to believe it was still February. It was nice enough to have a picnic. We also indulged in tea and cake outdoors too.

Suzanne aka glittrgirl was down for a day or two, so we also had good company and much natter and some knitting. Plenty of wine quaffing too.

I made a new friend, he didn't say much but had beautiful soft oxblood colour fur and really liked having his ears fussed. We may see each again, I gave him my number.....wonder if he'll call?

Friday night M and I went to see Ray La Montagne at The Dome Theatre - Wow what an amazing performer. We abandoned poor Suzanne (couldn't get a spare ticket as it was sold out and completely packed) to the chattering of J, her ears did look at little red when we got home but I wouldn't have missed the concert for the world. His support was Priscilla Ahn she was really good and got the thumbs up from me for using a kazoo and a ukulele in her performance - wonderful stuff.

Now I must catch up on abandoned chores/laundry (yawn) and maybe a little more knitting am still musing over lace........

(photo's by J except the Snowdrops which M took).

Scarf with Clarence Border

Pattern from 'Victorian Lace Today' by Jane Sowerby. Knitted on a 3.75mm circ using 1.5 balls of Rowan KSH in a deep maroon/red colour. I started this last summer and it's been and on and off project. I whizzed though the first and second borders, it was the boring 4 row repeat in the middle that slowed me down.

The ever faithful camping roll is a wonderful tool for blocking long stuff! And Ma's dinning room table is the perfect length even when it's not extended.

Not the best photo but I feel like shit this morning and my sinuses are so inflamed that my head hurts so any pictures at all were an effort.

I haven't decided what to do with this as I don't find KSH easy to wear and originally I thought it would be a gift for someone but I'd be over 6 months late and am not sure on reflection if they ever wear it anyway.

It is perfect for around the shoulders - like an old fashioned tippet - great for summer evenings. I shall ponder it's fate a while longer.

I love the book though and am determined to get some other stuff off the needles so I can make something else from it. I have a plethora of lace yarn to use and my fingers are itching. I am still attempting to keep my WIP's in order and to finish off older stuff.

On the needles at the moment I have....

Sahara - oldest project and it's resting as I have just the sleeves to do and just am not in the mood.

Maja - Like this but it keeps getting put aside as gets more cumbersome to knit.

Mona Socks - got a little bit of 2nd sock syndrome here - did with the first pair I made too.

Tessellating Lace Socks - love it am on foot of sock 1.

Hey Teach - take 2 - another knitting love affair - just had to make a 2nd one and am whizzing up the back.

Rhineback - adore this but oh boy is it heavy to knit - it makes my hands ache and M moans that as I'm using Addi Turbo's that the clicking distracts him. I will finish this but it is a long term project now.

I am also distracted by my spinning at the moment and reading - so am knitting less than normal - I am sure it will balance back the other way soon, it normally does.

One misty, moisty morning....

One misty, moisty, morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
There I met an old man
All clothed in leather

All clothed in leather,
With a cap under his chin.
How do you do?
And how do you do?
And how do you do again?

The weather this morning recalled this nursery rhyme to mind. The first two lines are exactly what I can see out of the window. The downs and the sea have disappeared completely.

I can still hear birds, that are in the giant climbing rose outside the conservatory, cheeping but apart from that the fog is blanketing the noise from the world within its damp embrace.

I like this one called Fog by Carl Sandburg too....

The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over the harbour and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Bat(t)s for a birthday

My birthday present from M - an Ashford Drum Carder, along with a whole heap of lovely fibre.

Two of the three bat(t)s I made this afternoon. 85% merino, 15% alpaca/silk blend. (is it 1 or 2 t's in bat(t)s?)

Spinning up the first bat(t )- the colours will go perfectly in my bedroom or if not I have a lovely frock in theses colours that would benefit from a lacy wrap.

This is a lovely gift from a lovely lady - Thank you so much.

I have been spoilt by family and friends alike and want to say thank you to everyone who is making/has made today so special. I've been sung to (thanks Sis), I been taken shopping, been bought lovely things and am being fed my favourite goodies too. I must turn 42 more often.

J bought me a lovely birdwatching book as I am always moaning that I'm not sure what bird is what when we are away and M also got me mini noculars - same reason really, his are pukka ones that require a forklift to look through!

Pretty much a totally spiffing birthday all round.

Stolen from 'The Daily Risotto'

Your Word is "Love"

You see life as possibility to form deep connections with a few people. Relationships are the center of your world, and you always take time to bond with those you love. You are caring and giving. You enjoy helping those you love. And when it comes to romantic love, you feel passionately ... even in a very long term relationship.

What's" Your Word?

More skulls & more socks...what a surprise!

An early birthday pressie from Big Sis, a mini hottle-bottle with a knitted skull cover. Very dinky. I love it.

Finally got around to finishing these fairly plain socks that I started in January. These are knitted in EasyKnits Bamboo mix, colour way Strawberry shortcake, on 2.5mm circs. The yarn knits up beautifully and the colour works really well. The yardage is also good and I have enough left for a pair of fingerless mittens.

I like the effect of the reversed wavy line which runs down the front of each sock - though I cursed myself for adding it as I lost count of the times I went wrong and had to fiddle and fix to make them match.

Setting the twist

Annie and Kate told me about severe yarn chastisement to set the twist (I'd not come across this before) so I tried it out, very cathartic.

The above are merino/silk (green) and pure merino silvery grey that needed plying and got my attention over the weekend. I gave them such a beating - I won't tell who or what I was thinking about as I did it.

This is merino from Limegreen Jelly (approx 50g - I have another 50 to spin) which I plied this morning. The picture is pre punishment! It seemed harsh to beat such pretty yarn but I did and it is now hanging, feeling a little warm and sore from a thrashing against the bathroom wall!

River Rapids Socks by Sockbug.

Made for Ma for her birthday so a UK size 5.

Lorna's Laces, Shepherd Sock in Lakeview. Knit on 2.75mm KnitPro circs.

A lovely pattern, well written and a good knit - complex enough to keep my attention but easy enough to follow that it makes great movie/TV knitting. Plus as it's written for 2 circs no fiddling or twiddling required.
I will make this pattern again and have queued more of Sockbug's patterns on Ravelry.

Pig-bat - a new definition

Do you remember the missing pig called Gavin? Well here he is now. His days of glory as 2nd most favoured toy are done (Lotties Blue Fing is her best ever toy).

So, meet Gavin II - the Tamworth lineage.

She loves him already. She stole Loobles bed and gave him a good chewing until he glisten with dog drool - yum!

I went to Annie's (http://upknitcreek.wordpress.com/) and I made a bat on her drum carder.

It is 'floofy' and purty. It spins up luverly. I want one!

Snow fun

The girlies love to play in the snow. It is hard to believe that Loobles will be 14 in May, she charged about as much as Lottie.

Lottie lost the Kong.

The latest Border Terrier beauty aid - 'The Snow Eternal Beauty Mask'.

J is still out there hooning about he'll have a good appetite for the homemade chicken soup I'm making for lunch.

Just for comparison...

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Originally uploaded by loobles2002

Lottie a year ago!

She looked sweet but she wasn't. She was evil.

It's been a year....

since this exploded into our lives. What a little beastie she has been? Led us a merry time and now finally she is just starting to settle down (a weeeeeeeeeenie bit).

She is the happiest dog I have ever known, she's self-contained, funny and stubborn and I am utterly under her wiry spell!