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Sunday 7 February 2016

new year, more blogging?

well, I had planned to do more blogging, but that was not to be. shortly before christmas I started to write a new entry - but before I could finish and add pix - our computer was attacked by ransomware - which made me loose all pictures and files that I didn't save elsewhere - quite a lot, because I neglected moving things to other media - and got punished for this! we refused to give in and pay, which of course meant that everything that was encrypted was lost:( by now the "box" is working again, but of course all the old files remain lost. I was furious (still am, though less vocal about it:) - but decided to try and find a positive side to this: loosing all the stuff means that I don't have to sort through the whole collection to decide what to keep, what to print etc...
 
of course it also means that I lost the pictures of the stuff I made during the last few months, so what you see here is only the very recent stuff that was still in the camera.
Because I don't have a local yarn shop, I tend to buy my sock yarns in batches. this is the latest haul. the red and red/green/white is a special edition from here - I liked the free pattern provided, so decided to order some for a sock knitting friend in germany and for myself - we can share the red!  
I also bought some sock yarn with angora, two balls of sock yarn with cotton (not for socks, but for baby "dolls") and a sock yarn, where the photo on the homepage looked more purple and the name - something with grapes or wine? - sounded more purple as well:) turned out more blue than anything, but never mind, it will be used eventually... just not for myself I'd say!
 
the yarn with angora was used to knit bed socks as a gift - very cushy, soft and warm - though maybe less durable than normal sock yarn? 
before christmas I had made a seasonal wreath as a gift - but of course the photo of that one is lost. never mind, I have to admit that I like this one for spring much better anyway:) I tried to find spring flowers, daffodils, bluebells, forget-me-nots, a fat bumble bee and of course - living in ireland - a shamrock won't go amiss. the idea is to make other flowers that can be added - or exchanged depending on the seasons (sunflowers, poppies, fuchsias etc. come to mind). the flowers are only attached with pins, easy to exchange. I have quite a lot of sock yarn in storage, in colours suitable for flowers, but I think I have to dye a nice green or two myself, because I haven't found suitable greens - I don't want to pay a fortune for indie-dyed yarns, when I only need a few meters for a leaf or two!
 
 
this project took some time to finish - a denim vest for my grandnephew. it turned out to be a bit too large, but I am quite sure he will grow into it:) the yarn is real denim yarn = will change colour during washing and wearing. the problem wasn't in the knitting - I just couldn't find a suitable zipper that opens at the bottom, in the right length and colour. eventually I admitted defeat and asked a friend in germany to get one for me...  
I have made quite a few wrist warmers in similar style. for the first one I followed the pattern "elf clobber" , but with every pair I made I changed it slightly. the red is a simple k2/p2 rib, alpaca dyed with lac, the grey is a mix of silk and merino. this is the last in the series, and here I left out the crochet bit altogether to replace it with ruffles, simple increases of purl sts in between the k2 from the rib. the grey is finished with an attached i-cord, to keep the edge from rolling up.
 
may I introduce you to another adoptee in this household? before christmas, on a dreary, wet, windy and cold day DS came home late from school - carrying a little bundle in his bag, a bedraggled, wet and half-starved kitten! of course we couldn't just throw the little fellow out, so my son had to cycle back to town in the yucky weather to by cat food for kittens! that has been about 3 months ago - see the result:) after a bit of debate we named him Mr Pringles (part of it is from "the green mile" and the mouse mr jingles, the other part from my sons's favourite snack - pringles). he is quite affectionate, loves cuddles and purrs as if he had swallowed a small car:) of course he has silly ideas and is up to no good when bored - but he's so cute with it that it's hard to be annoyed at him for long! I did learn my lesson though and started to pack away beads, tools, yarn balls etc. when pausing in my work! too much temptation for a cat teenager maybe?:)
 
I also joined the online guild of weavers, spinners and dyers again. the land group, where we meet every second month, is alright, but doesn't give me much in the way of inspiration and certainly not much in learning new techniques. we seem to cater mostly for beginners of all kinds of crafts these days - and given that I dabble in most of them myself, I rarely find anything that interests me and provides a challenge. so I am looking forward to several of the courses online during the coming year - and hope that I'll find enough time to try my hand at some new things!
 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

danke dass du die neuen schönen socken zeigst..und mir gefiel besonders dein frühlingskranz.. ich bin ja nicht so eine dekotante..aber der ist zauberhaft..

zu reißverschlüssen.. da ist es wirklich auch inzwischen sehr sehr teuer geworden.. leider.. daher mache ich lieber knöpfe..

und deine katzengeschichte..da ging mir das herz auf.. leider darf ich keine tiere mehr um mich haben.. aber früher wäre die auch bei mir adoptiert worden.. so musste ich im letzten jahr eine zugelaufene katze, nachdem sie zu gerne bei uns einziehen wollte. lieber zum tierheim bringen..aber habe noch vorher operation am auge bezahlt.. so kam sie erst zu einer tierärztin..das war mir wichtig..also ich wünsche dir viele so schöne frühblüher..bei mir sind die noch sehr zaghaft.. liebe grüße wiebke

Delighted Hands said...

It's so nice to have an update! The socks and wreath are beautiful!
The vest is just right for the dreary rainy weather! But the KITTEN!!!! how wonderful to see you kept him! Good for you!
I'm so sorry for the computer hack; it is so unreasonable and unnecessary-I'm glad you didn't fold to them, moving ahead is just what you needed to do!!!

Woolly Bits said...

Wiebke - ich haette garnicht den platz fuer viel deko - der kranz wurde auch verschenkt:) wenn bloss die blumen draussen schonmal so weit waeren! die narzissen haben teilweise schon dicke knospen, aber bei dem wind warten sie besser noch mit erbluehen, sonst sind sie gleich wieder hinueber!
die reissverschluesse - der preis ging eigentlich, bloss ist es oft schwierig, wenn man nicht grad nur 0815 sucht! da merke ich dann wieder, dass ich fast am ende der welt wohne - und bin dankbar, wenn ich aus D schuetzenhilfe bekomme:) bei knoepfen ist es oft genauso schwierig, was passendes zu finden - das kein vermoegen kostet!
und die katze hat sich wirklich gut eingewoehnt. es ist schwer, solche findelkinder wegzugeben, wir muessen nur aufpassen, dass es sich hier nicht rumspricht, dass wir tiere aufnehmen - sonst haben wir in nullkommanix noch mehr findlinge vor der tuer:)

Cindy - I have a problem with giving up found kittens/dogs etc. - I could never foster any, because I'd have to keep them all:) the kitten is very affectionate and even gets on with the small dog - it's lovely to watch them play together!
and the computer hack is extremely annoying - but that's life, the downside of technologies?

Elke Schwarzer said...

Der Blumenkranz ist ja niedlich, der passt zum Frühling!
VG
Elke

Woolly Bits said...

Elke - ich werkel gerade an ein paar neuen blueten, diesmal eher sommerlich, mohn, fuchsie etc... die idee war, dass man sie je nach jahreszeit umstecken kann, allerdings kann man sie natuerlich auch einfach bunt durcheinander auffuellen. es macht spass, solche eher kleinen projekte zu arbeiten, bloss das viele faeden vernaehen nervt etwas:)