An experience with complaining

it's not often that I complain, but whilst knitting this hoodie for Evie I noticed a real difference in colour between the balls of yarn I purchased, all of which were in the same colour and dye lot.

I didn't quite know who to contact so on Thursday night I e-mailed Sirdar and explained how the colour was different from ball to ball, and hoped for the best. You can see from the photo below how the colour is slightly different, and unfortunately, enough to notice in my opinion.



I received an e-mail back Friday morning, saying that they were sorry I had found a problem and they would send me a prepaid label to send the yarn back for examination.

I didn't read the e-mail until later in the day, and as I had half knitted the hoodie I explained that I was rather reluctant to send anything off and would they accept some photos of the problem.

Due to the time I sent the e-mail I didn't receive a reply until Monday, and when they did they said that photos would do fine. I sent them over and within an hour they sent another replying saying that they would replace the yarn I had bought with any other yarn to the same value.

So I chose some yarn and it arrived this morning!

The moral if the story is that don't be afraid to complain as there are some very good companies out there with very efficient and competent customer service.

Blog candy arrived!

I was lucky enough to be the winner of this wonderful yarn from Ellie's great knitting blog. There are two hand dyed and one Cherry Tree Hill in Pestp. I already know which socks I'd like to knit with this when I get the chance.


This is one hand dyed,

the Cherry tree hill

and the other hand dyed. What woolly lovelyness!

Some more goodies!

At the weekend we popped into town to get some jeans for Richard, and as we were passing I had to look in the local wool shop.

I spied this at a reduced price, so whipped some up to make a Christmas scarf for my Mum. I didn't really have a pattern in mine, but after searching Ravelry, I came across this So Called Scarf.

The pattern is really easy to memorise and the effect isn't too bad, although I think it would look better in a smoother yarn.

Here is my WIP,

and a close up of the pattern from the side view. Not too bad I think?

What a lovely package !?!

My lovely package of yarn arrived yesterday destined to be turned into some little rabbits for Christmas. My favourite is the Sublime Merino Angora DK, it is just so soft and will make lovely fluffy bunnies.

I have also been thinking about Christmas gifts (I know it's early, but if I don't start thinking about it I will never ger around to making anything.)


I bought this beautiful soft yarn to make my sister Cecile, which I made for myself last winter. She finds wool itchy like me, so this Merino wool shouldn't bother her at all as it is so soft and I don't find it irritating at all (I can't wear normal wool either for the same reason).

I think she will like the colour and she is always on at me to make her a beanie!


I also have plenty of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in my stash, so I'm planning to make Mum (and myself) a pair of Fetching wrist warmers. The pattern says that it only takes one ball, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I only have one in the dusty pink I want to use. I do have 5 balls of purple, so I know I can get some more from that!

Progress so far.......

I wanted to show the progress I am making with Leah's cardigan. I am pleased so far and have managed to do the decreases for the armholes without too much trouble so far - I haven't even had to undo anything due to incorrect patterning!!! (is that a real phrase??) I am looking forward to finishing this as I think I will be really pleased with the final garment.


These are the current socks I am knitting and I am not really getting the vibe with these ones. The pattern repeat is really straightforward, but I am bored already. I expect they will get finished eventually. They are the Jaywalker pattern by Grumperina and are well worth a go as they do look good, I just don't really have the urge with these - a bit like my lack of enthusiasm with the Monkeys!!

On another note our shower decided to stop working this morning. Luckily I phoned the fitter who did our kitchen - who can also do electrics - and he's coming over to put a new switch in, in the next hour or so. Not bad for Good Friday. I expected to be without the shower until next week. Leah didn't mind too much though, as it meant we had to share a bath this morning!

Another little cardigan

I don't know what it is at the moment, for some reason I just love making these little baby cardigans, they are so cute and quick to make! This is another for my friend who's baby is due at the end of May. I do hope she likes it.


I really like the lace pattern and as it is knitted in DK yarn it is super qick to make!


I have some other patterns in a similar style, so will probably make her some of those too. I have just enough of this yarn left to make her another two cardigans....

some colour work for the spring

I was having a look through some old patterns ready to throw out, when I came across a Patons Booklet with a lovely little fairisle cardigan and sweater set. I decided that I had most of the yarn in my stash already so it was a good project to tackle head on!

I have only done about 3 quarters of the pattern repeat and am fairly happy with the result so far. I haven't done anything like this for years, so it will be a bit of a challenge for me not to mess the pattern up - let alone get the increases correct for the sleeves!!! I am hoping this will be anive thing for Leah to wear in the summer when you have the cooler evenings, especially when we go to Cornwall!

An early start and some finished socks

Leah decided to get up early this morning - and by that I mean slapping both Richard and I in the face (not hard!) unitl one of us decided we had no choice other than to get up! So I drew the short straw as Richard has work today and got up at 6.25 am!!! That is EARLY for me!

It wasn't too bad, we just snuggled up on the sofa and watched a little TV.

I finished my Monkeys off this morning by grafting the last toe and this is how they turned out. The yarn is from Babylonglegs and is lovely, I just don't think that the yarn and the pattern were quite suited.

We had breakfast at about 7am (still early) and I couldn't resist Leah in her pyjamas and dressing gown eating her Marmite on toast! She looks so cute :o)

I love the bed hair too!! She's now having a nap so I can have a bit of a rest as I'm a little tired also.....yawn.......yawn............

A little jacket for my friend's baby bump

Here are some photos of the matinee jacket I have made for my friend's baby which is due at the end of May. We don't know what sex the baby is until it pops out (!) so hopefully this will be suitable for either a girl or a boy.

Whilst I was making this I didn't think I had made the body long enough, but once the sleeves were set in it looks about 100 times better! I like the lace pattern it uses, very vintage! In fact its from an old pattern and I thought it would be good to do something a bit more traditional for a change.

I used an acrylic yarn as it will be easy to wash and dry, and although natural fibres look better they don't really wash as well.

I really like the picot edging on the neck - something I haven't done before funny enough, but was pretty easy with a good effect. I hope she likes it!

The yarn I bought (for Leah of course!)

I had a lovely day out at Olympia II yesterday, although it wasn't as good at the show at Ally Pally. I didn't get much really, just a couple of magazines I hadn't bought yet and also this lovely Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran which I will be able to make something lovely for Leah from.



I have a Debbie Bliss book which has a couple of sweaters which would be suitable - although they are for boys, I think this lovely red would really suit them and so look good on Leah. The one I think I will most probably knit for her is the Hoodie although Ravelry doesn't have a picture!

I do love this yarn so I'm looking forward to knitting it for her.

This is how it's turning out......

Here is a closeup of the fabric I have knitted for Leah's cardigan using the Sirdar fresco yarn. It is lovely and soft and had a nice feel about it, even if it is a little bright (I should have enough left over to make a vest tp for the summer for myself, but that's a different story).


I decided to post a picture to show how the yarn patterning has varied. To be honest I should have knitted each piece with two different balls and alternated the rows, but I didn't think that the yarn would have such a strange effect. (in fact that's what the pattern for the vest top suggests so I should have known better really - although that pattern only arrived yesterday).

You can see how the left hand piece (the right front) varies from the back and the one on the right (the left front) so I hope once the borders are knitted on it won't actually show up that much. I just hope Leah will wear it as it it will be one of her more 'funky' items of clothing!

I need help!

Does anyone else have this problem? I have started to make a cardigan for Leah using the Sirdar Fresco yarn I bought from my LYS. Its quite bright, but don’t mind that too much, what I don’t like is the pooling of colour! AArrgggHH, it’s a nightmare! I made the back and the pooling didn’t start until the armhole decreases, but as it hasn’t happened too much it’s not a problem. The same happened for the left from and again not until the shoulder decreases, so it’s something I can live with. Now I have already ripped back the right from once as the pooling was happening continually and it looked down right daft next to the left front.

So any tips how to stop this happening? I tried skipping a bit of yarn to stop the same colour being knitted on top of the previous row, but it wasn’t working. I think it just depends where about on the ball you start and you can’t tell until a few rows in….HELP PLEEEEEASE!!!!!

My latest FO

This is my photo of the finished hat (from the top) and I am really pleased with the final product. I'll have to get Richard to take a photo of me modelling it as it looks even better on (well it does in my opinion!)

The Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran was so lovely to work with and being 100% merino wool it is just so soft to touch and wear.

Its being modelled by a bowl (!) here in a kind of attempt to block it - not really working as Leah keeps pinching it!

New yarn and new project

As the weather is still cold and we have had more snow (it didn't last till this morning though) I thought I'd treat myself to a hand knitted hat in a gorgeous colour.

I chose this Debbie Bliss Ralto Aran as it is 100% Merino wool and feels lovely and soft. I sometimes find wool itchy but this is not going to be a problem :o)


I have found a lovely pattern in issue 10 of Yarn Forward magazine and the pattern is called Cecile. The pattern in the magazine isn't correct but the errata can be found on the link I've provided. Good Old Ravelry!

I'm hoping that it won't actually need as much as two balls of wool, so I will be able to make another for someone else!

Look what I got in the post......

I sold a few items from my stash, so decided to treat myself to a few nice items instead of saving the money :o)

I bought some lovely supersock merino from Cherry tree hill which feels so silky soft and will be a delight to knit with. The colourway is 'Monet'


I also got a lovely skein of yarn from Malabrigo which again is beautifully soft, just a shame my camera doesn't give the colour any justice, it is just divine!

I also took part in a group swap via the Fuzzy Mitten group in Ravely and received this great swap from Bluesocks.

As well as the darling puppy she knitted for me she included some RYC cashsoft in pink to make the puppy a jumper and also some Colinette cadenza to knit my little pup something else. She kindly included a little pressie for leah - in the way of a Winnie the Pooh book and also a piece of kendall Mint cake (famous in the Lake District where she comes from). What a great swap!

Isn't this pup so adorable? She even knitted her a blanket to keep her warm on her journey South to me :o)

I decided to treat myself....and Leah of course!

As I'm still waiting for my kitchen to be finished, I thought that I would treat myself to some lovely yarn! I got these from woolhunter and not only are they beautiful yarns, they are very reasonably priced too.


From left to right they are - cherrylicious, totally tropical and tizz wozz. I can't wait to use them.

I also visited my local yarn shop and they had a sale on. I rummaged around and found these...

...four balls of a rainbow mix.....

...six balls or a blue mix....

...and 10 balls of a purple mix - all for £10! It knits up exactly like Sirdar Snuggly Bubbly which I have used before, so I should be able to make Leah some nice little cardis with it :o)

Some goodies to show you......

This morning, after doing all the ironing and cleaning, Leah and I (well mainly me) decided to pop out for a bit to a local supermarket to pick up some avocados and plums and for some reason my brain wanted to take a detour into town. I needed to get my friend her birthday request, so I thought it rude not to go along to my local (well nearest decent one) yarn shop, to look for something nice to make my bunnies from (I am still practicing so have not used a good quality yarn so far).

I saw this Sirdar Eco wool, which comes in lovely undyed colours, and has a wonderful feel to it to. Just right for a little bunny boy or girl.



These are the three shades I chose, all good for bunnies......



..... and a little closer look at them here.


The next thing I want to show you in my next sock book purchase - I can't get enough of them at the moment, and once I have practiced enough from various patterns, I'd like to create my own designs from different stitches and lacework you can find in most knitting magazines.

I ordered this from Amazon and it arrived yesterday - pretty quick delivery - and I was intrigued to see what was inside. I always find that although the internet is great for shopping, I still never quite know what is going to arrive or what it will be like, especially if I haven't seen the product 'in the flesh' before (sometimes you can see things in the shops but get thm cheaper online, which is great when you can net a bargain).

I was suprised to see what was inside - but then if I actually read the title properly I should have guessed (little box of socks!)

Here's a selection of my favourite designs in the pack - what i like is that they are each on an individual card, so they are really easy to take about with you (if you knit on the go) and are also really easy to manage at home (if you knit whilst watching TV with your feet up on the sofa!)

We are going on holiday to Austria soon, and as we are staying in a hotel, someone - i.e. me - will have to stay in the room of an evening to make sure the little pudding is ok. I know that hotels are safe and we could leave her there, but as things have happened in the past, I would never forgive myself if something happened to her whilst we enjoyed ourselves downstairs. It would also break my hear of she woke up and no one was there to give her a cuddle!

Anyway, back to the subject in hand, I think these would make a great addition to pack in my case for something to do in the evenings - that or to read a good book (of which I will be taking a few ..)

What a bargain!!!

I am always on the lookout for a bargain and couldn't believe my luck when i came across this Debbie Bliss book today in a charity shop for 30p!



Its in great condition and reatailed at £12.99 when it was first published which makes it an even greater find. the designs are great.....

.....here is a quick glipmse inside. There are lots of things that will be suitable for both Leah and William, and the yarn is east to purchase or substitute too :o)

I also came across this is the newsagents at £1.00 a ball - I use this yarn all the time so I was thrilled the find it and even know what project I'll be using it for (a tank top for William to keep him warm over the winter).

Luckily he is only 6 weeks old so I only needed a small amount of yarn...

My eBay purchase arrived....

I was pleased that my yarn arrived safe and sound - although as I was out my kind postie left a note for me -'in the black bin by the back door' needless to say it was safe and dry; good old Royal Mail!

I was surprised how good quality it is considering it was onlt £1.79 a ball, great for socks - I even have the next pair lined up (the sock pattern I posted on my blog a few days ago), so I'll let you know how I get on :o)

I bought it from Cheshire Yarns who have a great selection of different yarn, all at good prices!

My yarn arrived!

Can you believe that my yarn arrived already! I on;y ordered it yesterday so what a quick delivery service that was. I can't wait to use it :o)

Here's a closer look.....