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Tag: Knitting

by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Who doesn’t love a good play on words?

So, to rewind, the morale in my team got pretty low – I won’t go into details, but let’s just say that it only needs one bad apple to spoil everything – and as such I wanted to boost moral.

Rewind further back, and there was talk of the big, big, big boss visiting our site, and what could we do, as a team, to stand out? There was several serious suggestions and then the more silly ones… How about a motto? And if we have a motto, we need a mascot, right?

So Engel and I got nattering and I asked if he could think of anything – he was thinking on mottos and I was thinking on mascots…after a lot of back and forth, Engel came up with the best ideas…

“Device will find a way” – a play on “Life will find a way” which is from Jurassic Park, and for the mascot…

The Reliability Raptor. As I work in Reliability and Raptor begins with “R” and Jurassic Park… It was tenuous enough we had a laugh and left it at that. Then with morale being low…

Time to get Operation Theropod Trouble underway!

And here it is, the Reliability Raptor, knitted following the pattern Velociraptor by Tina Barrett from the book ‘Knitted Dinosaurs’.

And yes, I know it doesn’t look like the one from Jurassic Park, but that’s because I wanted something more scientifically accurate – and who can resist fluffy wool?

So last week, this little guy came to work, with his credentials and a cute smile and well, by the end of the week morale was better than normal!

A contest to decide his/her name was run last week, and the top three are now being voted on this week. So next post I’ll be able to tell you if this guy is called Dendrite, Roar-y or Flapjack.

In non knitting news, I saw Rammstein the weekend before last, which is why there was no blog post in Monday. I was feeling far too tired, and needed to nurse my poor throat from losing my voice shouting/singing at the concert…

It was amazing!

And on that note, I shall leave you all until next week!

Wool Count

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 51 (3 since last post!)
Wool bought – 23
Wool given to me – 27
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 844 (Net difference: +1 I’m nearly at my starting total!!!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 3 Comments

This is, entirely, my sister Rabbies fault.

I mean, sure, as a knitter and spinner I would be lying to say I have a slight obsession of all animals that produce suitable fleece for my hobbies.

But Rabbie…

First of all, during the first lockdown, she and her husband kindly skyped us to help keep the kids sane. And one of the recurring ‘characters’ to these calls was a very naughty, very colourful, Drama Llama.

There was even a video of him having quite the adventure at a bears tea party!

Then, some time ago, after lockdown, we had a family holiday in Wales. Unbeknownst to the kids, their favourite aunt and uncle where joining us halfway through. We greeted them in the dead of night (8pm) and then bid them goodnight fully expecting the cries of pure happiness from the kids to wake us up in the morning…

I was in for a shock when I woke up – they had decked the place out with llama bunting and pop up cardboard llamas. We had llama cups, plates, napkins even llama goody bags!

Or where they alpacas? Cue a holiday of us going ‘Alpacalylse or Llamageddon’…

When we got back, I got the conservatory roof replaced to a proper one, not glass, and it was decided this new craft space should have a theme…

I have made llama curtains, we bought alpaca cushions, all the things from the Llamaggedon or Alpacalypse party decorate every thing I could creatively think of…

And of course, we needed a wooly touch, to help brighten the shelves…

Its taken a long time, a project between projects, a llama here, a pom pom there, an alpaca every now and again… and of course, the kumihimo braid – credit goes to Felix who chose the pattern,colours and did about three feet before getting bored!

Oh, and the llamas? Alpacas? Pattern is Tiny Alpaca! by Anna Hrachovec – available on her website.

Without further ado, I will see you next week, until then, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 48 (1 since last post!)
Wool bought – 23
Wool given to me – 27
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 848 (Net difference: +4 I’m getting close!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

And the chaos mentioned last weekend did indeed continue.

After the jubilee parties it was a trip up to Dundee, which Rabbie has outlined very well in her blog, but needless to say there was beaches, boats, pies, museums, adventuring, more beaches, painting and lots and lots of laughs.

It was the good kind of holiday where much fun was had by all, but also where I got to take a backseat and rest a bit. Rabbie kindly did all the driving, for which I am eternally grateful!

Now, I mentioned painting, in this case it was pottery painting and I am looking forward to the results! But there was more crafting than just that…

So long story short, I saw wool that had been hand dyed inspired by the various Eeveelutions. I was unable to get said wool, and subsequently Rabbie suggested we could do our own Eeveelution scarves… Seeing as I have a of wool, and she has a loom knitting machine…

I won’t lie, I am super happy with how they came out!

Rabbies Instagram post focuses on the classic trio – Flareon, Vaporeon and Jolteon, so I will give you just the close up of the Umbreon set we made, a classic and shiny colour way.

And with that, I bid you farewell for this week. I am knackered, in a good way, but also chipping away at all the things that have to be done when you leave the house for over a week!

Wool Count

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 47 (10 since last post!)
Wool bought – 23
Wool given to me – 27
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 849 (Net difference: +5 the net goal is looking a lot healthier now!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

The bunting has been taken down, the cake eaten and the tea drunk, but the chaos continues!

My sister Rabbie hosted a jubilee party yesterday, I did help with painting bunting and decorating and putting together sandwiches, but my main contribution was these cuties:

A set of little crowns! Made following the free pattern Innocent Big Knit Crown hat by Kay Massingham.

I hope you all had a great weekend, and as the chaos continues, I shall see you all next week!

But first, an official word from Outbreak:

Bow before me, minions, it is I, Her Royal Meowness, Queen Outbreak the first. Do not pander to the princess Poppy, thief of dreamies and scritches! Marvel in my cuteness!

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 37 (2 since last post)
Wool bought – 23
Wool given to me – 27
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 859 (Net difference: +15 I’m gonna aim for net zero my the end of the year I think. That’s my big goal!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Apologies for not posting last week, it was, well, a week. A week on top of a month on top of a year.

If it wasn’t for the fact I have my hopes pinned on a number of upcoming events, I would start declaring ‘roll on 2023!’

My health has been an ongoing issue, its my lungs, and now also my nose. I genuinely don’t know how my sister Rabbie put up with the near constant nose bleeds she used to get as a child… The problem has been identified, (I never want a camera shoved up my nose and down my throat ever, ever again!) and although minor, it does mean surgery at some point ahead.

Surgery where they have to knock me out. I don’t like being unconscious on an operating table, but I was laughed at when I enquired about just having a local maybe…?

But this isn’t the straw that broke the camel’s back. What finished me off was the frantic and panicked news from my mother in law that the had been burgled. The only thing taken was the car keys and the car itself, but it’s given us all a good fright and has caused a lot of upset and toppled a lot of plans.

The insurance has coughed up a temporary car after many, many phone calls, and after many more explaining why an elderly couple required children’s seats, managed to get that sorted to.

Bless, my mother in law was still upset though that out of everything that was lost in the car, the seat belt covers I had knit years and years ago we’re lost and couldn’t be replaced.

Cant be replaced? Ha!

She was very happy to receive these!

Now, the post I meant to post last week, was about the cute and demanding Princess Poppy. I’ve explained the story before about how this 14 year old cranky sweetheart arrived, and how a few hearts where broken in her wake, so I decided to make these:

Want to see them with the princess herself?

And with that, I shall bid you farewell. Its been a very fun but hectic weekend just gone, and there’s much more fun and chaos planned for the one coming up!

Until next post, stay safe!

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 35 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 34 (Engel took pity on me and bought me 11 balls of wool, four of which are particularly soft and squishy!)
Wool given to me – 16
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 861 (Net difference: +17 – maybe I should just give up on the wool count this year…)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

I think I can safely say, with complete honesty, in both heart and mind, that I am burned out.

Or as Engels current favourite T-Shirt says, Error 404, out of Meow-tivation…

Which actually ties into the only thing I’ve managed to work on and finish:

The pattern used for the hat is a free pattern – Two by Two by Anne Gagnon – which makes for a lovely, stretchy hat that can fit both a little head as well as a big head. Apart from Engel. I had to add extra stitches.

And once more, I find myself writing a blog post where I lament knitting a hat for his giant XXL motorcycle helmet sized head and how I won’t knit another again…until forget and knit him one regardless.

I added my generic fluffy ears on top and he finally has a masculine hat, with cat ears, that actually fits him just right…

And on that note, I bid you farewell until next week, when I will hopefully have my Meow-tivation back again…

Stay safe!

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 34 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 23
Wool given to me – 16
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 851 (Net difference: +7 – still working on this!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Dont believe me?

And yes, that is a tiny bihorn hat he’s wearing. “What about his army?” I hear you ask…

There it is, marching one hundred strong! “But what of his enemy?” I hear you ask…

There she is! The Evil Empress Poppy!!!

Ok, I may have gone just a little, teeny tiny, bit mad, but who wouldn’t after knitting so many polar bears?!

(Pattern btw is free, it’s Polar Bear by The Knit Cafe Toronto.)

The purpose of these is to be Christmas ornaments for Christmas 2022, after I discovered 60 penguins wasn’t enough last Christmas. I was 12 short, so I planned on 80 polar bears.

Then Rabbie suggested it should be a centurion of polar bears, a polar bear garrison if you will.

And then I got brain fog with covid and there was 101. So the extra became Na-polar-eon at Engels insistence and the chaos ensued…

You have probably guessed that things have returned to normal, and I use normal very loosely here, in my household and yeah, it is, slowly. We’re all tiring out a bit too quick, and I have some issues with my lungs but other than that, yeah, getting there.

Its been a welcome break to the plague or drama or something or another.

In non knitting news, I’ve been dabbling in other fabric crafts – nothing too exciting, but it’s been fun doing some upcycling!

Will leave it here for now as I have cthulhu to prep, and I will convienently not mention that I bought six more balls of wool at the weekend – these are for a project coming up, honest!

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 32 (3 since last post)
Wool bought – 23 (Up 6)
Wool given to me – 16
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 852 (Net difference: +9 – really need to work on this!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

A very short post today as I am very, very tired after finally getting to work and doing a full day.

Last week was spent shaking off Covid and the kids returning to school. Except…after day two of school I noticed Felix had some red spots…and in the morning…yep. covered.

Our new feature for this blog: What plague has hit the house this week?

Answer: chicken pox. Both of mine had them around 2 years old, so I was surprised to see them on her. I imagine her immune system is low and the chicken pox took its chance, but regardless, it’s been pretty rough for her.

My loving response to it?

A very cute pair of The World’s Simplest Mittens by tincanknits in cotton to stop her scratching her spots at night. And to help take the sting out, I added a few cats from Covered in Cats Cowl by Marna Gilligan from her book Cat knits.

Felix will hopefully be back at school tomorrow, the last of the pox has scabbed up this morning and the oldest spots have begun to heal.

And thats it really. Oh, I did get a small break of freedom and may have accidentally purchased 9 balls of wool but…I don’t really care right now, I feel I deserve a treat. Even if it’s the right wool and colour for a super cute jumper for Inkling…

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 29 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 17 (Up 9)
Wool given to me – 16
Wool gifted to others – 1
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 849 (Net difference: +6)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

Hello everyone, this is going to be a short post as Covid has once more hit the house…sigh…and just in time for the second half of Easter break, when we had made a bunch of plans to see various friends and to go to various activities and check outs museum exhibition…

As you can guess, none of this has happened. Besides sleeping and tasks necessary only for basic survival not a lot has been done the past few days.

Which is why I will share my mother’s day knits. Like last year, I received chocolate roses, and like last year, I knitted roses to replace the chocolate part so I wouldn’t feel guilty…

And here they all are together. Like last year, I also knitted these using handspun wool.

And like last year, I followed the free pattern Rose by Libby Summers.

Now I am going to go back to my nest on the sofa and continue my quest to breathe normally…

Until next post, take care and stay safe.

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 28 (0 since last post)
Wool bought – 8
Wool given to me – 16 (I did mention I won a competition, right? Three gorgeous skiens of sock wool!)
Wool gifted to others – 1 (But I felt bad my friend who went with me didn’t win anything, so I let her have one)
Wool handspun – 3

Total – 835 (Net difference: -2)

Sigh, I need to get those needles clicking and get back on the sheep…

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Remeber how I said last week that it was a short post as I was super busy? Well, sit down, grab a cuppa, and let me regale you on my adventures.

Last Monday saw me in Wales, we had arranged last year to have an Easter holidays trip there with my good friends J and S, their first date and his eventual proposal to her took place in Cricceth and all of her childhood holidays were in Wales.

I was flattered that they invited myself and the whole family to spend a week with them, though I was also worried that they had bitten off more than they could chew with having my two little terrors in tow…

After watching my two use S as a climbing frame and then make a sand dragon with him, I knew this worry was unfounded. Only three days after the holiday and they’re already trying to organise the next with us so clearly it was a good holiday for them!

There was a beach trip every day, the weather actually held long enough for this every day to my amazement, with sand dragons and sand cats and rock pooling (Engel found several fish, crabs and shrimps) and of course, shell collecting. I managed to find the perfect one, shown in the photo above, as a button for my sea urchin inspired tea cosie.

The ball of wool that I mentioned that I had purchased on Monday was for this very project – I had spied a naked teapot when rummaging around the cottages cupboards and my terrors had spotted a dried sea urchin on the shelves. Some banter later and I was convinced to knit a sea urchin tea cosie as a thank you gift.

I winged the pattern in the end, but it was initially based off a free Ravelry hat pattern Sea Urchin by Robin Celli

Other activities in Wales was the rabbit farm (I fed alpacas, and managed not to steal them!) Lots of beach visits, some rambling, the slate museum, two different little mini railways and a visit to the Naked Spinner where I bought some very nice coloured fleece…

It was sad to see the holiday end, but it was immediately followed by a wool show near Mrs Ratman, and I only walked out with 6 balls of wool. I showed great restraint!!!

However…I may have just found out that I had won a prize draw that I entered…when that arrives, I’ll go over it then.

There was an Easter trail yesterday with another friend and her little one which knackered me out…but the kids had a ball. Or an egg?

One other thing happened this week, but that is something I will go over at a different time.

Till next week, take care!

Starting total – 843

Wool used – 28 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 8 (Up by 6!)
Wool given to me – 13
Wool gifted to others –0
Wool handspun – 3 (I got the spinning bug and whipped up two pretty skeins)

Total – 833 (Net difference: -4)

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