SWEATERS AND SOCKS .............

Goodness, I had no idea it had been so long since my last post. How time flies! I've had knitty bits and pieces on the go, but been really busy with schoolwork and this and that. But at last I have a couple of finished projects to share. Both of these pairs of socks are gifts that were promised sometime before Christmas and true to my word, once Christmas and New Year were out of the way I cast on. I just haven't been terribly speedy.

These beauties are knit using Stylecraft 'Head Over Heels Boho' yarn in colourway Neva. I love them so much and found it hard to part with them this afternoon, as they were carefully wrapped in readiness for the Post Office tomorrow. I just love the bold striping and gorgeousness of the colour combo. It's the first time I've used a Stylecraft sock yarn and I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised. My eldest daughter has requested a pair in the same colourway, but she may have to wait for Christmas! ;-)

Then there are these little lovelies. How cute are they? Ive had this Regia 'My First Socks' yarn in my stash for some time now and at last it's been put to good use. These are for a two year old, but I chose to make them a little on the large side, so that they will get some wear. She may have to grow into them! The colours are super sweet and by some stroke of luck I had two balls, as one would not have been sufficient.

This weekend has been a lovely pottering weekend, and with the weather so blooming cold, I've made time to just relax and catch up on yarnyness and household bits and bobs, whilst keeping snug and warm in my Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal Tweed Guernsey sweater.

Recently, I was surprised to learn that Debbie Bliss yarns are no longer going to be produced. I have made countless baby and toddler garments from the beautiful 'baby cashmerino', and this weekend decided to seek out enough of the glorious gold merino and cashmere for a second sweater. It is so so warm and washes beautifully.

Cast on starts tonight! HOORAY!

SOCKS DONE.... SOCKS BEGUN.......

Oh my goodness, what's this you ask? A PAIR of sock toes peeping out! Well yes. you would be right. I love this pretty yarn so much and so, that it seems, does the sock knitting fairy who waved her magic wand and sprinkled sock mojo fairy dust all over my needles. Suffice it to say, I love them!

Just look at those gorgeous Arne and Carlos stripes of pattern and that beautiful deep blue. Regia Pairfect have come up trumps with this super duper yarn. 

No sooner were they off the needles than this little ball of gorgeousness leapt into position. I had spotted the Stylecraft pretty Head Over Heels Boho colourways over on Instagram and knew I didn't need but knew I had to have.

This colour way is Neva 3125 and a pair of Dave socks will shortly be winging their way to their new forever home. These beautiful patterned yarns just call out for 'just another row' or 'just another colour stripe' to be completed. I'm hoping these will be done in a week tor two!

Here are all four of my chosen colour ways. I love them all!

LIBERTY SOCKS....

Well, I just had to pop in, although very briefly, to show this loveliest little sock that is just hot off the needles. My knitting time still seems to much reduced at present, but I am ever hopeful that more knitting hours will begin to appear in my days! ;-)

This delightful little number is made using Regia Pairfect yarn colourway 09138. I spotted the yarn along with a display sock in Liberty's back before Christmas and just knew I had to have it. I just love how the yarn works so perfectly, producing the solid colour cuff, heel and toe. The second of the pair is already underway and I may even have a pair by this time next week, as long as the knitting gods are on my side. Wish me luck! :-)

MINI-RAINBOW SOCKS

Well here they are!!! Pretty aren't they?  The yarn is 'Stride' by 'The Knitting Swede' and I'm pretty much in love with it. I really should have used a different heel, so as not to disturb the flow and regularity of the pattern, but never mind, I still love them!

There have not been many finished projects over the last however many weeks, as I have been seriously trying to get a move on with Isaac's blanket. Blanket crocheting over the summer is not as much fun as it is once the nights start to draw in again. Well now they have, so I have no excuse. Next mission is to finish it! Watch this space!

SUMMER.......

 Hello my lovelies! Good to be back after an overload of holiday shenanigans. I've had a lovely summer, spending time with friends and family. In between North Yorkshire and Provence I met up with my dear pal Josiekitten to dabble in a spot of yarn dyeing. She had bought me a kit for my birthday and one for herself too.

This was a first time for me using acid dyes, so it was very hit and miss, but I have to say I am really happy with the end result. We both chose to dye our skeins light grey before proceeding with the colour sprinkles. The yarn is pure merino, so I'm pretty sure mine will end up as a scarf, as the yarn will not be hardwearing enough for socks. What do you think?

I did take a newly cast on sock project with me to Provence, but in the beautiful heat I did far more reading than knitting. However, I've been inspired by the gorgeousness of this fab yarn by 'The Knitting Swede' and as if by magic the first sock is complete!

The little flashes of rainbow colour make for pretty addictive knitting. You never know, I might have a finished pair by this time next Sunday.

Just as last summer, the younger Miss Snoops and I spent a beautiful and very relaxing week in Provence, taking in the sights and chilling beside spectacular lakes and inviting pools. Clear blue skies and hot sunshine are almost guaranteed and there is more than enough choice of pretty villages to see, delicious french cuisine to be enjoyed and friendly locals to chat with. All in all, we had a really lovely time.

Sadly, summer is now at an end and tomorrow it's back to school! Wish me luck!

LITTLE BEAUTIES .......

I've been absent a little too long my bloggy friends and for that I am truly sorry. Since the summer holidays began three weeks ago, i've been waaaaaaay too busy with family shenanigans to manage to even pop in for a quick hello. But never mind, here I am with yarn and socks to delight you. What more could you want!

I didn't manage to get to Fibre East this year, as my daughter and her family were staying, so my dear pal Josiekitten asked if there was anything I would like her to bring back for me. 'A couple of pretties!' was my reply and she certainly didn't disappoint! Just look at those little beauties!

Just look at this gorgeousness. It's Travel Knitter's Tanami 4ply in just the best colour way EVER, 'midnight fireflies'. It's the softest of soft baby camel and silk. I LOVE it! It will become a gorgeously  warm and snuggly scarf. I'd lusted after this little beauty since seeing Travelknitter's pics on Instagram. I'd missed her updates two or three times, so imagine my delight on receiving my very own 'midnight fireflies!

As if that wasn't enough beauty to behold, how about testing your eyes on this precious little baby. Aren't the colours just wonderful? It's hand dyed BFL with 25% nylon for sock strength, in colour way 'blackened rainbow'. It' just beautiful! 

 Last up was a hat kit with the pattern by the wonderful Woolly Wormhead and the yarn collection dyed by BabyLongLegs. I can't wait to get going on this one!

I've just got back from our annual family week together in North Yorkshire. We had a really good time as always, with lots of forest fun, beach time, good wine, Adnams gin, evening board games (when the little people were tucked up in bed), great food and each other. I even managed a little sock knitting. 

This yarn was a special edition produced by WYS to celebrate Yarn Shop Day back in May. I'm loving the colourful stripes! Hopefully won't be too long before I have a pair to warm my toes when the Autumn chills begin to creep up on us. 

This week I'm catching up with Josiekitten as we have a sewing and dyeing day planned and then next week I'm off to Provence with the younger Miss Snoops. I'm really looking forward for some guaranteed hot sunshine!

Hope life is treating you well, wherever your small corner of the planet may be!

SUNNY WEEKEND..........

Well hello little socks! Long time no see! I really should pay you some attention and get those needles clicking. I really like the stripes, but plain sock knitting in navy blue? I should have know better! It's not the most inspiring choice, but now I am sock number two, I can see the end may soon be in sight. For that reason only, I am marching forward with my task! 

The little hoodie that I had so hoped to show you this week is now complete but awaiting seaming.... another urrrgggghhhhhhh!!! I hate seaming and will need to do a bit at a time I think. With that plan in mind, the shoulder seams are now joined and the hood is attached and shames, so just the side seams and sleeves to go. 

To be honest, I've not had much time for knitting this weekend as the younger Miss Snoops has been home and we have made the most of the warmer weather and sunshine to enjoy the outdoors with Oscar.

 These little cuties certainly aren't very old but were enjoying the sunshine with Mum!

Oscar was enjoying the sun and water too, as always.

Love this boy to bits!

A little garden re-designing is taking place chez Snoops' too! We made a little trip to the local garden centre yesterday to make a start on the planting choices. Can't wait to see them in situ!

GRANNIES........

It's been a pretty relaxing half-term week here chez Snoops'. There's been time for knitting, time for crocheting and time for sewing. Whoohoo!

I finally managed to complete the Opal Advent calendar project, with the twenty-four mini skeins making six colourful socks and forty-nine small granny squares (one extra using up a few remnants). I've made one more from some other remnant Opal yarn so that fifty squares will make a lovely five by five square cushion front and back. 

I've just loved working with the array of colours and pattern mixes and never tire of wondering what the next little bit will turn out like. I have to say I haven't been disappointed with any of the outcomes. Some of the mini-skeins seemed to work seamlessly into the next with little obvious evidence of colour change, whereas others needed to make a statement as they made their entrance!

Choice of colour for the borders and joining was the next consideration and after trying a blue, red and grey, I finally settled on this Opal neutral solid to best show off the beautiful colour pops. So far, it's looking good. 

This little grannies are so, so pleasing I could go on forever with them. I'm about halfway with the edging, so pressing on over the next few days with a little bit of hooky here and there interspersed with little people fun and play.

 There's also been time for another contact print cushion. To say I'm a teensy weensy bit hooked on these would not be the whole truth. This is a second cushion for my youngest daughter; the first one having been very well received! ;-) I'm liking the introduction of larger spots this time!

 It's also been a week for occasionally photographing my feet!

The pair above were the first ones I made when I began knitting again in 2008, 'encouraged' by Josiekitten, who had already spotted the future potential of some very, very beautiful yarn online and across the pond! I used some Opal sock yarn and......... they're still going strong!

These 'Monkey Socks' by Cookie A were my second pair. I'm guessing the sock bug had already bitten as these were also completed in 2008. The yarn is also by Opal and, as you can see, they are still very much in the prime of their life.

In 2010, these were my first pair of Magic Loop. I'm still not the greatest fan of the technique I have to say and still turn first to my DPN's for sock knitting. 

It's been lovely to relax and not actually have too much planned for the week! Happy, happy!

SOCK DRAWER

Good evening! Sorry to have missed you last week, but I spent a very lovely weekend in Manchester visiting two of my children and their families. I have to say there has not been an awful lot of knitting going on chez Snoops' over the last week or so. My Advent socks are almost there, with just the last sock to complete. I'm loving the great colour match between yarn and needles! 

I've been dipping into a rather unusual read this week. It's a surprisingly interesting read by Marie Kondo, called 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying'.......... hmmmmmm! So, in true Marie Kondo spirit, I gave my sock drawers a makeover. I'm rather liking the fact that you can see every pair, as you make your selection for the day.

I've also managed to make space for a few more pairs!!!

We woke to a reasonable covering of snow this morning, that had  fallen upon us silently overnight. It has been bitterly cold and rather dull and miserable today, so a very rare stay 'indoors day' materialised.

There was time to get some sewing organised and started. So, a bit of measuring and a little cutting and the pieces were ready for another contact cushion. I really must move on to try other things, but at present I really love making these gorgeous covers.

I played around for a while with the colourful squares, but still change things around as I began the sewing together.

Here we go! This will be a second cushion for my younger daughter's flat.

It doesn't seem at all possible, but this was the photo taken when Oscar first arrived in our lives seven years ago today. He was the sweetest little pup on the planet and I can't begin to tell you how much joy and love he has brought to our family over the last seven years. He is smart, playful, loving and such a beautiful boy! 

This week has also seen me trying to choose a replacement tree for our back garden. Our magnificent Weeping Willow sadly died last Spring, after contracting HoneyFungus. The tree was enormous and very old and succumbed after being pollarded the previous year; essential for such a large tree in a city centre garden. I felt ridiculously sad about it's demise, but cheered at the prospect of another lovely tree gracing it's spot. The new tree has to be of a variety that will be unaffected by any fungus left in the soil and so, I think my choice will be this beauty. It's a Malus (Crab Apple), but just look at that beautiful blossom. Roll on Springtime!