A finishing of type day

Well what a day it's been in my house today. One little one with a tummy bug and a grisly bear for a daughter, great fun. DS is fine just worried now DD is heading for this bug, and after a very disturbed night last night I really hope not.

Havn't felt 100% myself either, hopefully all will be well again tomorrow.


So today I have done as much finishing of type stuff as possible. Firstly here are my grapy socks finished at last, and so comfy to wear, not that I should be as they are my mums birthday present. They are now washed and drying on an airer so mum should be none the wiser

Showing of the detail of the finished sock, and less the hole which I managed to stitch up, you wouldn't even know it was there.

And this shows both socks, just to prove I made the two, will be sad to see these go as I really love them, will definatly be making myself a pair, and I am sure my mum will love them just as much as I do.

This is my longest standing WIP finally finished. I started these when the rainforest 6ply first came out. Though these arn't the actual socks. As I worked the second sock on 2 circs I decided to compare with the first, and it was huge in comparison a good centimeter so I had to frog it. I doubt I would have finished them this month if it wasn't 6ply I was working with. Making these my 3rd pair for february. Been a bit quiet for orders, but the break has done me good and I have learnt a few new things. Oh and these socks are my dads birthday present, part of it in anycase.













Some of you may recognise this as DD's dress, well patience with things isn't my strong point and I got quickly fed up with this pattern, and decided that perhaps after all the effort it was a bit to much for a little girls dress.

I couldn't bear to frog it so cast it of and it is the perfect size for a head band and I shall wear it with pride it being my first proper go at a complex pattern. Thats if I can get it of my DD who has an eye for pretty things.



I enjoyied taking part in the dishcloth so much, and have enjoyied using my recieved cloth, even though it is to good for dishes it is lovely to use, I decided I must have another and here it is in a beautiful pink shade of peaches and cream cotton. Though it may be a while before it see's a dish as DD's doll is currently snuggled up in it.

Will definatly be making more of these for gifts, its definatly more fun using hand knitted dishcloths.
I do have more pictures to share of the other WIP I have sorted out today but my camera wasn't charged enough to take any more snaps. Also have new stash to display so will post them later on.

Though I don't really feel as though I have got very far, the actual knitting today has been minimul, mainly sewing in ends with a little bit of knitting. Had a few rows left on my dishcloth and all the longies just needed the ends sew in, most was on the tiger socks as had the foot shaping onwards to do. However it is so good to have finished 6 things off. I must try and finish my shawl but marches sock a month is calling, but will try to keep my WIP count to a minimum in the future.

First lace first scrapbook page

I had my first go at lace knitting yesterday evening using the forest canopy shawl pattern. Here is the result

I think that it look s a little baggy and over loose, so I am going to try a 4mm and see if I like that better. This is knitted on 5mm, and needs to be frogged anyway as I have made to mistakes which are pretty prominate in the picture.

Really enjoyied it and it was so easy, wish I had tried lace knitting before, I was viewing a Knit along thread about them and decided I just had to have a go. As I have no work on at the moment seemed a good oppertunity to try something new. JUst hope I can finishh before things get busy in a few weeks.

The second of my somethings new is this

My first scarp book page, quite please with it for a first attempt, was hindered by a broken glue thing, went to use it and the end of the tape came out. FOund it much easier to use after wards to just cut the lengths I wanted of to use, even if it was a bit fiddly and very very sticky.

The first picture is of Molly she is around 6 years old and is currently a lot more barrel shaped than this picture shows. She is totally mad and very affectionate. A beautiful dog and very playful and egar to please.

The second picture is our beloved alsation Wolf, sadely we lost him several weeks ago, he was Ten years old and his poor heart gave out. It was such a heart wrenching day, and it seemed so cruel. He was also a beautful dog, in his ten years he never learnt how to swallow his last mouth full of water so who ever was closest got wet. We called him the welsh whinge cause that was all he used to do at times, he had a lot to say for himself.

Directly below him is Amber, we got her in 1994 I think and she had problems with her eyes, well one really where she had a displaced nerve I think making her partially blind. It was a sad day when her body gave up on her. She was a beautifull dog, nicknamed waggy bums as when her tail went her whole back end went as well. She was loving but totally stuborn if she didn't want to go she would slam anchors. I loved her from the start.

And finally, Ben. Where to I start - Ben has a long story, and a lot of childhood centiment attatched which is a little little sad. He was my best friend when I was little, I didn't have many friends and I was painfully shy. He and I went everywhere together, well more I went and he came to fetch me. I went to school and he turned up looking for me, my parents had brought him before they had me and worried how he might react, but he took me in his stride, and lost all his whiskars to a year or so old me plucking them. My mum said all she could see was his leg twitching, and it wasn't till later when they looked at him they relalised what I'd done. They never grew back either.

My dad had to have him put to sleep when I was 14, as he came home and he'd had some sort of fit. He had been having troubles with his heart, and the only thing left to do for him was putting to sleep. My world just fell apart, I felt like I'd had my friend torn from me, I was so distraught. I even told my dad I hated him and ran away, well untill it got cold anyway. Until that point it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me, and I missed him dreadfully, and even 13 years later I still miss him. I know now that he was a dog, and didn't have human status like I thought when I was younger. But I still ache for him, my best buddy.

My sister thinks me strange but when my son was born I could only think of one name for him and that was Ben, in honor of him and how good a friend to me he was, even if he was a pain turning up at the school gates looking for me.

And when I said I hated my dad, I didn't not really and it pains me to this day that I said such a thing when he obviously hurting as much as I was, maybe it was the wrong thing because I didn't get to say goodbye, which seems to have been a set pattern as people and animals have left us. Saying goodbye has been something that has been important to me, and before wolf went I got to say goodbye and tell him how much I loved him, it was sad but I was glad. But seeing him like that eyes ready to go and body failed I realised why my dad had done what he had to spare me the extra hurt, and as I have got older I have learnt that it's not the saying good bye thats important, its what you do, dropping round spur of the moment, making the effort and giving all you can to the person, thats what important. My gran once told me special people never go, cause special people leave an imprint of them on your heart to be with you always.

I feel truly blessed

Well this week hasn't been the best, in fact it has been down right awful. I have learnt something, that no matter how hard things are I am blessed, both with a loving family and wonderful friends who are there for me and offer kind words of wisdom when I need it the most.
Most of these people I have never met, yet their kind words have ment the world to me, so today I am counting my blessing, friends and families, and I will find something to smile about no matter how grim things are or difficult.

So something cheerfull for today

This is my beautiful little daughter, she is such a joy to have around, she is always laughing and giggling, she is a real breathe of fresh air to have around. How can I get down in the dumps with her around.

She like her mum is a huggy monster, and loves nothing more than a good hug.

Here she is modeling her new charity shop clothes, It isn't often I find good kids clothes around here, This outfit cost me a tiny £1.50 and there is another pair of trousers and a bob the builder teddy too.

And this cheeky looking chap, as proud as punch wearing a t'shirt he designed himself in kids club, he is getting rteally cleaver, I can't believe that he is almost 5 years old, well in 5 months anyway.

He is the total opposite of DD, he doesn't stop talking, and is on the go from get up to bed time, he has so much energy and lacks the ability to sit down for more than a few minutes, I'm sure he has ants in his pants half the time.

And another one of DD, we had fluffy post this morning. A few days ago I was looking through the cloth nappy addicts forum anf came across a fellow WAHM who had listed on ebay, well I just had to have a look, and fell in love with this nappy, it almost seemed fate that it should be in her size.

That's my nappy diet well and truely broken, though, this is the first nappies I have brought in 6months, I also brought a size 2 nappy that can be used from birth for my friend who's pregnant. But you have to admit it was worth it for the smile on her face, she absolutly loves it. Such a shame it needs a cover, nappies this beautiful shouldn't be covered up. It's also a shame that she is potty training, at the moment she still needs a nappy for out of the house. I think she is weaning me off my addiction slowly bless her. Her big brother did it all at once when he was just over 3, well apart from bed time in anycase.

And here is a close up of the nappy, still in her pj's here, my pictures are in the wrong order.

Do click the picture for a larger view, did I say that this is made from bamboo fabric! it is gorgeous, so soft and dreamy, the outer is made from cotton. I think in the summer it will be getting used boosted and without a cover to show it off.

In knitting news.

I have done very little this week, I still have 3 pairs of longies that need the ends sewing in, the down fall of strippy pants I suppose. I still havn't tried my boyes needles and my denises are held up in customs, don't these people know how hard it is to wait for these things, fancy holding up a nessesity like that. Looks like I will have another week to wait again!

I have also almost finished my mums birthday socks, I nearly got myself a clip round the ear when I suggested to her she could have the left sock for her birthday and the right for mothers day. I think I best make her another pair.

Have also recieved my scrapbook kit, and the glue stuff which I ordered. This is to make my dads 50th birthday present. I have sgrounged pictures of my gran and my mum, so have a good amount, though it appears that my family arn't the best picture takers. I have a small pile of my dad from a few months to around 8, a few from when my parents met and their wedding photos. Then mine and my sisters baby pics, and a few of us growing up, I'm sure I could get a decent book out of them, there will just be loads of gaps, but at least he will have them as a record, and plenty of pages that he could fill himself.

Once I get started I will post up pictures, as long as you all promise not to laugh at my baby and child snaps, I am sporting some hideous hair cuts!!

Back on track

Well what a week it has been so far.

It's half term and the kids are both full of cold, great fun. I still have my head ache and my neckache, though nowhere near as bad as it has been and seems to come and go. On the upside I got loads of knitting done

Some of it is secret though, but I can tell you I have made 3 of my summerwear samples and it's been fun, after over a year of playing with different yarns I have finally found one that works for the patterns that I have. Only a few more samples to go and I will disply them here for all to see.

One thing you can see is the new addions to my ebay shop, have spent several hours searching out and listing a lot of stuff in at reduced to clear prices if you fancy a look - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Natural-Knits-For-Nippers

The other things you can see are these

Boyes circular needles arrived yesterday from the US, I love the colour, just not sure I like the look of them theres no give in the cord like Addis which are so flexible, when they come out of the packs they are the same as when in the iykwim. THe cords also arn't all that supple so fairly rigid.

I brought 2 2.75mm for knitting socks, a 3.25 and a 3.5 for 4ply yarn and a 4mm for DK, thought I had a 5mm in there as well but must have forgot to order it. Will have to have a go at testing them out asap, they do remind me of the cheap pony circs that I had though. Will report back once I have finshed the many things I have to do, I think my first task with them will be using the 3.5 to knit my daughters dress, I have a rather nasty looking pony circ on it at the moment and the paint is all chipped and not nice to work with.

Other things knitted this week include 2 strippy pairs of longies, just have the ends to sew in. been putting it off allday, the prospect of 30 ends at least per item isn't that nice. I also have a 3rd pair on the needles at the moment that have one leg to go so may finish that tonight and leave the end sewing till tomorrow.

One final thing before I sign off, I started my mums birthday socks. It's not until the 17th of march so I had intended to only do a small amount so they could be my march sock a month entry but look what I did.

I only have a cm to go before starting on the toe decrease. I have to say I really enjoyied this pattern, so much so I just couldn't put it down, plus the wool I am working with is so divine Pink ribbon yarn from http://www.theyarnyard.co.uk/ . The pattern was created by fellow member Audrey and the pattern is available on her blog http://www.stitchintime71.blogspot.com/

I only did 4 repeats on the pattern instead of the 6 so not quite long socks not quite ankle socks either. For some strange reason I ended up with 2 stitches too many to pick up and a rather nasty looking hole which is visable in the picture. The other side is perfect. I had this same thing happen when using the regia pattern, but not with the jaywalkers I did first, not sure what I have done wrong to have such a gappy mess.

One last picture, hope its clear enough to see a close up of the Grapy pattern

Will post pictures of this weeks finsihed works when I actually finish them!

Not a good knitting week

I had such big plans of the things I wanted to make, but due to the headache from Hell I've been unable to do much. In fact I have lost my main knitting time in favour of going to bed before 10.

Now I am a night owl, and never in bed much before 2am so this is very unlike me. My neck is also sore so makes me wonder if perhaps I have pulled something thats maybe causing my headache, something viral, a migrane pending, who knows just hope it goes soon.

Have been feeling a little better the last day or so but not enough to deditcate my usual 6-8 per day to my needles. I have finished my february socks

And here they are modeled by my Son, I hope they fit my friend, she is a size 5 and think I got confused beween 2 patterns regarding the length, the first pattern I used said to make the foot 2 inches less than the actal measurement the work the toe, did the same with this on, but it's ended up a lot shorter. I think they would definatly benifit another inch in length.

I also started making DD some socks out of the remnats from my january jaywalkers, not got very far as finding the tiny circumference on 2 circs very fiddly. Got another half inch to go before starting on the heel. Will probably leave these for a bit as I have many other things on the needles that need my attention. I have almost finished the skirt on the flirty skirty I started last week, though as I have been unable to find out what the black thread is made from I think it is destined to be just a skirt.

I also came across a opal tiger sock Istarted last year with just the grafting to do on the toe, this sock is huge

I had earmarked them for myself but the foot is far to baggy, so these will be my dads birthday socks. I should really be working on my mums birthday socks as hers is much sooner. But I have DD's sock on the needles and I am also waiting for a delivery of boyes circular needles from the the states. Have ordered them in a size larger as I find my guage is a little off with the 2.5's I have been using. Have also ordered 3.5's, 4, 4.5 and 5mm. Gone a bit needle mad the last week or so, as I also have a denise interchangable set on order, the website says instock from the 17th so hopefully not much longer to wait.

Think I will probably leave these socks for now as I am working on 1 40cm and 1 30 cm which is a bit fiddly, my other 3.5 is stuck in DD's dress but waiting for my denises to do the body of the skirt.

One final WIP picture, I started this yesterday, and have done a fair bit considering the lack of time i have put in this week.

It is a large pair of longies made from a tweedy style shade of peacefleece and a solid colour also peacefleece. I have another half an inch to go on the rise then it's onto the legs.

The stripes towards the right of the picture are larger than the main cover, this is the rear of the pants where I have used short rows to add extra room to the rear making them suitable for bulky nappies.

DD has half claimed these but I she needs an XL for Bed time really, shame really as a large fits her so well for daytime but she is no longer in nappies during the day at home anyway. Really the only time she has a nappy is for bed, and an all in one for creche and when we go out an about, if it isn't far then a wool cover over a shaped nappy or if we are going far, or she will be sitting a pitterpatter nappy wrap, sounds strange but I miss using my cloth nappies full time, even more when she is no longer in them.

Some works in progress

Well my previous post didn't go to plan, I was going to load my favourite video clip into an entry but it just kept coming up with a box with a red sqaure. I would still like to share this video but will have to try via this link instead, Ihope it works, it is one of my favourites and always cheers me up.

http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/Cathie_album/?action=view&current=Picture042.flvurrent=Picture042.flv


Now to my works in progress, I have knitted nothing but soakers and longes for the past week so have decided to have a change



This is the start of a flirty skirty, it is knitted in the round so seamless. I have used a beautifully soft boucle style yarn, that says it's 100% merino, but it has a thread running through it which I assume to be a cotton or polyester type thread. This won't effect it's use at all as a nappy cover as the wool content is still going to be high. I'm trying to find out what this thread is.I will update when I find out for sure. To get this far into the project has taken almost 2 hours, but the result is worth it specially with blocking. The remaining work on it will take around 6 hours. This is a size medium and will be listed up on ebay once it is finished.








This is a close up of the lacy detail, sorry its a little on the dark side.






This is the start of a pattern for a dress that I am designing and my first proper go at knitting lacy patterns, it has been frogged at least 6 times before the pattern finally clicked in my mind. It has taken hours to get this far as I find it hard to sit and concentrate for a long time on it so its a half an hour here and an hour there type job.

Dishcloth swap

Am going to post several messages today this being the first to catch up with everything.

So this first post is about a dishcloth swap I took part in, this involved making one dishcloth and sending it to another member with a clue for the recipient to work out who you are. So this is mine


A beautiful cloth made with peaches and cream cotton in shade cellery. Also recived a bottle of cocoa butter hand cream and a oceanus soap. I must say I didn't have any idea who could have sent it, so much trawling through old post was needed, and finally came across Aknita - so thank you so much Joy for my beautiful cloth. If I can ever pinch it back from my DD, I don't think I would use it for dishes, maybe something nice for a vase to sit on.


I really enjoyied taking part in the swap, though it was a bit stressfull waiting to hear if my recipeient like her cloth, I always feel nervous when knitting for someone else. Unfortuanly I didn't take pictures prior to sending it.

Reinstating my blog....

... and sweeping away the tumble weed. It has been some time since I last thought about writting in this. So will start with a quick update.

Due to my website being a pile of *$@£ I have now moved all my instock items into an ebay shop - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Natural-Knits-For-Nippers

My website is open but looking very sorry for itself, and as I am totally rubbish at remembering passwords I have been unable to update it. One day I may remember it, or I may get an e-mail reminder of the password, which for some reason don't get through.

Not much has been happening, shop wise I have babylegs and freshwear goods on sell through as, well they don't seem to be selling so when they are gone there will be no more, unless I recived loads of e-mails asking me otherwise.

Have also been busy knitting up all the wool I have hand dyed myself

All of them are made with bluefaced leicester aran and are beautifully soft. THey are also all made from my own pattern which I finished of within the last month.

It was, well it wasn't fun to do though it started of that way towards the end it was quite stressfull trying to get everything to work. But I am so pleased with the results it makes it worth it.

My designing plans now include dresses, and a double knit weight soaker and longies, I have also brought some 4ply hand dyed merino that I think will make lovely shorts for the summer.

I have also recieved a beautiful range of 100% pure cotton of which I plan to make summer wear out of. I hope to be releasing what these items are within the next month. The yarn comes all the way from america so I won't actually be keeping loads in but ordering it as needed due to the high cost of customs on large orders.

In other news, I have joined a sock a month challange on this knitting and craft board - http://craftythreadsnyarns.myfreeforum.org/index.php

Basically you knit 1 pair of socks per month to qualify for the months draw to win a fabulous skien of yarn from fellow member N who hand dyes the most beautiful sock yarn - www.theyarnyard.co.uk

Here are my efforts so far

January's entry

These are made using opal rainforest 4ply in shade Dr fish and are knitted to this pattern - http://www.magknits.com/Sept05/patterns/jaywalker.htm

My first proper attempt at a patterned sock, well any socks really. These particular pair a gift for a friend.

February socks

These are also for a friend who is slightly smaller of foot than me, they are made with casscade snazzy stripes 4ply sock yarn, which is nicer than the opal to work with. These socks are made to the regia sock pattern.

The second sock is on the needles and I have just finished the foot shaping. Was hoping to have them finished by now, but live sort of got in the way. I have till the end of the month.

Think that is it for now, will definatly make more of an effort in future to keep up with this