I love blogging!

You know, I love it when people drop in on my lil blog and comment. Welcome and hope you drop in often!

Firstly, something children related. For all new parents, you don't really need to spend lots on money on toys for children. They are totally happy playing with packaging - ribbons (slightly dangerous for the very young), bubble pack (until it pops no more!), wrapping paper (there will be a mess afterwards, my kids love making confetti) and boxes. Boy, they love boxes, especially big ones. Just look at how much fun they are having. With a little bit of imagination, it can be anything.
Next up something knitting related. I started Backyard Leaves from Scarf style a few weeks back. I've just finished the first half and it's been a dream to knit since the false starts. For the record, it's the first complicated thing I've knitted from a chart. It's been ripped at least 3 times. It's been left half ripped in frustation for at least a week. Suddenly, it all made sense and I've been on a groove ever since. Fingers crossed. Btw, I had some help from the bloggers on Scarf style knitalong. That is one huge knit-along!

I knitted the scarf in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in blue (sorry I don't have the shade number). The yarn was from my stash. I think I was going to make a sweater for Aidan when he was tiny but as he's 3 now, I'll just use it for me instead. Here's a little close up of the leaves. I have to say, the design is genius! Beautiful construction. I know, I know, it's been said already!

Itchy and Scratchy

The kids are driving me up the wall at the moment! The lil, lil one has chicken pox and boy has she got it bad! She's got spots everywhere and I mean everywhere! Thankfully, it's at the drying up stage. I thought that lil man had it too, but his one spot seems to have disappeared. He's had a fever for the last 3 days so I'm expecting the spots to erupt any day now.

Not much else to report on the knitting front. It's hard to do much when you are entertaining the kids 24/7 in the confines of the house. Thank goodness for cbeebies and videos and playdough and puzzles and toys and crayons and paint..................................

I have managed to finish the Thinking dress and it's a really sweet design. Sorry about the poor quality photo, there's been very little sun in grey and gloomy London! It just needs a button and quick iron into shape and Voila!!
However, this might be the last thing I'll ever knit for the kids. Remember the superhero cape drama, well this lil girl hates wearing dresses. Here she is when I put her in one to go to a party. To the powers that be, I don't really want a tomboy! I want a girly girl, one who likes dolls, and dress up and ballet (not football, which she truly loves!). Oh well.....

My baby is growing up

Just a quick post on my little baby achieving another milestone. Keira, my littlest one, who is 20 months old is growing up so quickly. We spent our Sunday afternoon dismantling her cot and converting it into a bed. She's not a baby anymore. I really can't believe how time flies (when you are having fun!) It feels like yesterday that I was pregnant with Aidan, who is 3 years and 3 months old. Now, I am thinking about planning Keira's second birthday in May. Before you know it, they'll be grotty, moody teenagers!

After all that..

After all the stress on knitting the superhero's cape, lil man has insisted that he definitely wants to be a pirate. He doesn't want a cape. No, not at all. No mum, I don't want to try it on. No.. No.. No... So on that note, I have decided to stop knitting that damn cape. I do have enough on my unfinished list and also much more appreciative recipients.

So I started on a new project. And I finished it in 2 days. However, I don't like it. So I am going to have to frog it. It's a beret in Rowan Big Wool in Ice Blue. It knitted up really easily on 10mm needles and it's a nice design. It just doesn't suit me. Anyway, I'll make it into something else. Here's lil man modelling it on my behalf..

I have also had a few interesting things in the post. One of it was the new Rowan magazine. On the whole, not very inspiring. There's not much that tickles my fancy. What really surprised me was the fact that liked the men's sweaters the most. Ash (although not in that colourway for a bloke), Warrior and St Mawes. However, the likelihood of me knitting a man's sweater is almost nil. But I guess never, say never. Not sure I get where Rowan is going with the Tribal photoshoot.

On the other hand, I am looking forward to getting the new Interweave magazine. Definitely some stuff that I would knit. The other exciting development, is the new Phildar website. Definitely much easier to use and looks like we can order yarn too. But don't quote me on it, I can't read/understand French. The new Spring Summer collection looks great. There's also stuff on the magazine that I would knit. Now, I just need more time and money.......

Help requested

I just had a birthday yesterday. After one's 16th, 21st and 30th birthday,it just seems rather normal and uneventful. It's mildly depressing to move up one age bracket. I am no longer a young and youthful 25 - 34 year old. It's a really good thing I'm not too bothered about getting a year older and how I look. What's important is how old you feel, and I feel like I'm still in my late 2o's.

On to more important things, I have 2 questions on knitting. Any help or comments will be greatly appreciated. Firstly, I have completed the Harry Potter scarf ( a few weeks ago) and made a small error. Here it is all completed. It was actually a very easy and mindless knit. Great for knitting on the go.Here is the error. I did the 3 needle bind off for both seams. However, I did one seam right side facing and the other seam wrong side facing ( as I couldn't obviously turn it inside out). Should I rip out the seam so that it looks neater and matching?? The perfectionist in me says yes, the lazy one says no. Hmmmm......... My other question relates to a new project. I am knitting the superhero's cape from New Knits on the Block, by Vicki Howell. The lil man has a fancy dress party to attend, and he fancied either being a superhero or a pirate. I've got a pirate costume sorted out. I thought I might make the cape anyway. In the instructions, on the increase row, it says, "k1,*inc 1 in next stitch, k1, inc 1 in next stitch; repeat from *". If I start with 40 stitches, I end up with 120 stitches. But in the instructions, it only has 66 stitches. This can't be right, can it??!!!I'm knitting the cape in Filatura di Crosa Zara (100% extra fine merino) in bright blue and the gold from my leftovers of the HP Scarf. This is what I have so far after some ripping out!