Totally Tubular

I've been dying to have a go at the Swizzle Vest in the Domiknitrix book but could not get my head around the tubular cast-on instructions in said book. So-o-o-o . . . cue ten minutes with my needles, yarn & knitstricken & hey presto - 45 stitches cast on & all ready to start ribbing :0)



So that's something else to add to my work in progress list, oh well . . .

Blogging virgin

Oo my first post on my very own blog. I'm sitting here wondering two things;

1) What do I write?

2) Will anyone care enough to read it?

I guess the answers are;

1) Whatever I feel like

2) Probably not but that doesn't matter





I've set this up mainly as a knitting blog since I want to design my own knitted dolls but I've no doubt that it will just become a random waffle. I'm currently at the stage of thinking about what kind of dolls I want to do (especially at around 3am when I just can't seem to drop back off to sleep after R's night feed) but over the last couple of weeks I've actively started going into yarn shops & having a good fondle. Maybe this time next year I'll be ready to actually start getting some designs onto paper . . .

Anyway this first post is just so I can stop my spanking new blog from looking scarily empty so I'm just gonna start with a little 'about me';

My name is Shirley (obviously), I'm 34 (eeek I can't believe I typed that) & I live in the East of Scotland with my hubby & my 4 children, 3 girls & a boy, whose ages range from 14 years to 10 months (big age gap? - maybe a tad). I'm a SAHM who really wants to be a WAHM (as per above) if I can ever stay away from the PC long enough to get anything done (curse you Mumsnet). I have a cat & a yarn stash that is steadily edging its way out of the cupboard & onto the bedroom floor (much to the delight of said cat). My stash currently sits at over 100 balls of yarn (I came home from holiday last week with 10 balls of Patons Moonglow & 7 of Sirdar Splash only to find an ebay parcel containing 5 balls of Sirdar Denim Ultra - a happy homecoming lol). I have definite plans for some of this yarn - a shrug from the Moonglow, fingerless wristwarmers from 2 balls of Noro Kureyon that I take out from time to time just to sigh over - but no idea what to do with the rest which is usually picked up in the bargain bin at the LYS.

I love to knit and crochet (the two are not mutually exclusive, honest) & have just discovered tunisian crochet which is fab! As well as yarn crafts I also fill my spare (ha) time by volunteering on the committees of our toddler group & our local Real Nappy Network - cloth nappies are THE BEST. I'm also hoping to start up a babywearing group soon as the best bit of 'baby stuff' I've ever bought has been my Mei Tai sling.

On the needles/hook at the mo;

Chunky tunisian crochet scarf
Ruffled beaded crochet scarf
Crocheted mai tai baby sling (just to see if it will work)
Knitted caterpillar toy
Baby legwarmers (on DPNs - aaarrrgh!)

Recently completed;

Fluffy scarf for M (dd3)
Cosy earflap hat for R (ds)
Knitted set of [ahem] male genitalia for a 60th birthday 'joke' pressie
Felted vase - the birthday lady's proper pressie
Knitted Dr Who doll (pictured) for M since she's too young for the action figures
Wool cover for R's night-time nappy

Right, enough waffling for now. I'm off to do some work.