Knitting news, no camera and falling trees!

I now definately have no blogging camera! Despite many attempts to get it working again it won't even switch on. (I have changed the batteries!) I will have use of a camera at the weekend and have some interesting stuff to take photos of. I have been asked to be involved in a very big project connected with www.knitonthenet.com but can't say any more about it at this point. Will hopefully be able to show you more at the weekend.

Can anyone recommend a good cheap digital camera that takes good clear close up photos. There are so many to choose from I don't really know where to start.

At the weekend we went to our friends' home set in the middle of a wood. One day things were wonderfully calm with the sun shining into the beautiful conservatory (can you imagine a more idyllic place to sit and knit?)



Then that same evening the wind and rain arrived. As we were eating our evening meal a huge branch from the nearest sycamore tree came crashing down on the dining room roof...





We were very lucky. It just seemed to bounce off the house. It completely covered the back door. Strangely enough, we all slept very well that night. I guess we thought once it had happened once it wasn't going to happen again.

(Photographs courtesy of Mr Ruby's far superior camera!)

for now
Ruby xx

Adaptions to frolic

My version of Frolic is progressing SLOWLY but successfully. I have knit the body in the round



and am very happy with the side seam shaping. I think it works really nicely. When I reached the bustline I thought I would try some additional shapings. Being of a 'fuller cup' I didn't really want the ribbing just to stretch and distort over my bust so rather than do the last round of increases I positioned increases in the front of the garment to create bust shaping - cups almost -





I hope this will make a better fitting garment. I am going to knit the sleeves in the round and join them to the body and work the raglan shaping all in the round. At this point I can try it on again and make sure it fits neatly around the shoulder or if necessary work some decreases before casting off.

My camera has just died again. Its very tempremental - I think I probably need a new one but I seem to go through cameras like water and they are expensive things plus I don't like having to throw them away. I have some swatches for my 'paper bag' from knitty, http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTpaperbag.html but as yet have not been successful photographing them. They will follow shortly.

Immediately before my camera expired I took photos of the beautiful wild foxgloves that the kind birds have brought into our garden. This is one of many:



Aren't they gorgeous.

Well, for now

Ruby xx

Doesn't time fly....

I can't believe its a week since I last blogged. This week has gone so unbelievably quickly that this afternoon I felt like someone had sneaked into my brain in the night and taken a whole week of memory out. I have been doing, and been very busy, but won't be posting any progress photos tonight. I will tomorrow. But tonight I'm packing my baby's suitcase. My daughter is off with her school for 6 days on a foreign language trip in Spain. We have to get her to school at 05.45 in the morning! So the last couple of days have been taken up with all the planning, shopping, clothes altering etc etc necessary for her to be ready. I'm going to miss her so much.

The one thing I've made absolutely certain she put in her suitcase is a safety pin. I usually always carry at least one safety pin and a mending kit in my handbag. However, after a tidy up of my handbag the above mentioned items ended up on my window sill and forgotten about. On Saturday afternoon whilst walking round my local shops in the sunshine (therefore without a coat!) the zip on my skirt broke! I had to walk round with my skirt pulled up and my sweater pulled down till we got to the nearest habedashery and bought a box of safety pins. My friend, also never goes anywhere without safety pins, but had, to attend my wedding, also cleared out her bag to make it sleeker for the day, and had also forgotten to return the pins to their usual place.

********* NEVER GO OUT OF THE HOUSE WITHOUT A SAFETY PIN ****************

How embarrassing. It did however stop me spending money on yarn in the habedashery department of my local store.

I have to return to my sewing machine now to taper a pair of denim jeans and shorten them by about 8 inches! They are the last thing to be packed.

I will post some WIP photos tomorrow.

but
for now
Ruby xxx

A walking river, wonderful wool in Wales & much more

First of all may I thank everyone who has sent best wishes to myself and Mr Ruby. You are all incredibly thoughtful.

This is the scene that greeted people as they walked through London on Saturday lunch time. The Wateraid river being carried through the London streets to Downing Street in peaceful protest.
What a fantastic sight.



Congratulations to everyone who took time out to carry a section of the river. It is now to be cut up into sections and passed on to be used, if anyone knows of charities who need knitted blankets/throws maybe you could let me know and I'll pass the names on.

I have made a number of knitting decisions and treated myself to a bit of an book buying spree this week. I have purchased a second hank of the beautiful Lorna's Lace yarn (from Get Knitted) that my secret pal got me and an equally beautiful pattern to make myself this pair of socks.



I haven't knitted socks for quite a while so hope I dont' get SSS.

I have also purchased some Lana Grossa Royal Tweed to make this sweater out of Stephanie Japel's Fitted Knits



I was originally going to make it the colour as in the photo but couldn't get the colour in the UK so have opted for this lovely blue with mustard flecks



My final knitting purchase of the week was Runway Knits by Berta Karapetyan of Karabella Yarns. What a lovely, lovely book. There are so many very wearable, elegant, well shaped garments in the book I don't know where to start. The shaping Berta has done on many of the cabled garments is just sublime.



I think this is going to be a very well used book. Classy, quality designs.

I have been going through a very favorite book of mine called Blueprints of Fashion by Wade Laboissonniere, which shows pattern envelopes from the 1950's. It doesn't actually include the patterns themselves but the inspiration it provides is limitless. I am working on a number of ideas combining 1950's fit and drape into knitted garments. I should have some illustrations in a few days.



I have also finally decided which yarn to use for my second Sexy Knitters KAL which is Rusted Root



I have purchased some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Holly Green. I saw one of the other lovely sexy knitters wearing this and finally knew it was the right colour, and then found out that I could get it in the UK which I hadn't realised. Its an incredibly economical 80% cotton/20% wool mix. 215 yards to 100g ball for less than £4 per ball. It only takes 4 balls to make a medium Rusted Root sweater.



I haven't started knitting with it yet but it feels lovely. The merino in it adds just enough softness. I have pressed on with my Frolic in 4ply cotton on circulars but progress is slow, though attractive. I'm definately going to need at least one project to knit alongside it to keep me going.



This is where I'm up to, have just started increasing after working waist decreases and working straight for the waist. Love the colour combination. Don't know when I'm going to finish it though. The needles are Susanne's bamboo circulars that I get from Scottish Fibres and they are gorgeous needles. Very smooth to knit with. They don't seem to get much press but I love them.

And my last treat, three wonderful craft books, at least one of which I know the entire blogging world seems to be talking about.



All three are very nice books. There is a bit of duplication in the projects and you probably wouldnt need all three unless you are obsessed like me. My daughter found the Lotta Jansdotter very easy to follow and loved the clear paper patterns that came with the book. She is doing Textiles GCSE and is finding it very useful. I wouldn't like to pick a favourite although the Jansdotter book is beautifully made. There are things in each of them that I will use.

And finally, I am off to Wales at the weekend to Wonderwool Wales, celebrating welsh wool, yarns and craftsmanship. I will no doubt buy even more yarn, and might possibly not fit in my house for very much longer. Its a good job my beloved really, really loves me or I could be in real trouble.

for now
Ruby xx

WEDDING BELLS

I hope the image above gives a clue as to my recent blogging absence. I got married last Friday. It was a wonderful day shared by close family and friends. Unfortunately in the week leading up to it I didn't get very much time to knit! Which is really very unfair. However, I took some knitting away on honeymoon with us, but, sin of sins, forgot to pack a sweater, and when the weather turned I felt very stupid.

We only decided to get married 7 weeks ago and am very proud of how we managed to get everything organised. I don't think I would change a thing. I bought my dress from Monsoon Wedding range 'off the shelf' and felt like a million dollars (without spending it).

We have spent a few days in the Lake District at a beautiful old hotel, in a room with its own balcony were I managed to sit and knit. I received a wonderful gift from my Secret Pal just before we left. How cleverly thought out - a crystal champagne flute with a hank of champagne coloured pure silk yarn from Habu Textiles inside. I must have the best Secret Pal ever.



Finally I have lots of news on the knitting front which I'll blog about over the weekend.
but

for now
Mrs Ruby xxx

Paper Bag update

The yarn for Paper bag featured in Spring knitty can be purchased direct from Habu Textiles.
This is the direct link to the product page on their site:

http://www.habutextiles.com/webfile/n-24.html

I am working on some samples to show alternative yarns, however the best yarns to use are Sport or Aran weight with a stitch tension of 19sts.



Will not be blogging for a few days but will be back early next week with news and photos.

for now
Ruby xxx