... and then it got stuck in my foot

As snazzy as the layout is here at Vox, the editing is a bugger. So, I've managed to get over to Dreamwidth!

My new blog address is http://lottie.dreamwidth.org and I've been up to quite a lot of stuff, so come and have a look. :)

I've had a lot of stuff on, I think - plus a few commissions, which made me really happy!

I've had a custom order of price tags with website address printed on them, they turned out like this:

Single

I've also made a lens cap for someone overseas:

Lenscap

Tye's pastelly seashell socks

I finished these socks for Tye today! They only took me four days because I knitted with two sock yarns together, and did two at a time on one long circular needle. They went by a lot faster - 15 hours, compared to 27 hours! - and they're really thick and warm. This is good, because Tye had asked for winter socks and I only had skinny sock yarn. Two threads together makes good wintry socks. :)

So here is the Ravelry page, and I've included a photo for your enjoyment.

Worldrecords1

Hello again!

I just thought I'd let you all know about Folksy.com, a relatively baby UK craft-selling site. Like Etsy, but without all the annoying listing/viewing of currency in $USD. Also, small and community-ish and not too bad with the prices.

Come along and buy something or sell something! There's loads of fascinating stuff. :) My shop can be found here.

A weeny bootie

I finished some of Saartje's Booties recently - I made a pair to test out whether I'd like to make some for the various babbies that are popping up all over the place suddenly. I wasn't happy with the seams, though I'm sure a newborn wouldn't mind. I've decided to just make weeny socks instead. Frances loved the first one so much that I gave it to her, and I'll be posting the second one to Sheffield to be united with its twin. :)

PostCrossing handmade cards

Not strictly speaking knitting, I know. But.

I'm taking part in a Round Robin on the PostCrossing forums, and that means I have to send four people a postcard on the given theme. I'll then get a postcard from each of them. My theme is All About Women, and my cards must be handmade, too. So I sent one off yesterday, and here are the last three I made today. :)

(For those of you who aren't addicted yet, PostCrossing is a website for people who like to send and receive postcards - each postcard has a random recipient and a tracking number so you know it's reached its destination. Lots of fun! Sort of like my other hobby, BookCrossing.)

I printed some pictures I liked onto photopaper, then layered tissue paper and thin strips of coloured card around the edges to hide the white borders. Then, because I was worried that the glue wouldn't hold out through international mail, I used a needle and thread to overstitch the borders. I am quite pleased with the result, hence the blog post!

Steve got home and saw them and said they were very professional! Yay! Mind you, he is a builder... ;)

As the people close to me now know through the ongoing whining etc, I have a new knitting injury that is forcing me to take a break from my favourite thing - I has RSI! DOOOOOOM!

I have strange inner sharp achy pains inside my right upper arm and shoulder. Not very good at all. On the other hand, until it goes away, I can do things like write letters and cook! Hurrah! :P

I am dying to finish Paul's scarf though, I've only just started. Ravelry link.

Cabbagestitch

This scarf is stretchy, cuddly, warm, and looks the same on both sides. It has a pleasing diagonal twisty pattern. It looks good in all kinds of yarn. Tip: Use needles one or two sizes up from your usual for the chosen yarn. As far as I know, this can only be done "throwing" style (with the yarn in your right hand).

This scarf pattern isn't really a pattern, so much as a stitch instruction.

Ready... steady...

Take some delicious DK yarn, and some size 4.5mm straight needles. Cast on 40 stitches for about 7 inches wide.

1. Slip the first stitch of each row knitwise.
2. Insert the needle into the next stitch knitwise. Wrap the yarn around both needles. At this point, it will look a bit like knit-two-together (k2tog) because you will have two "stitches" to knit into one.
   
3. Continue as if it's a normal knit stitch - lay the yarn between the needles, pull it through with the right hand needle, slip the old stitch off the left needle.
4. Do as many rows as you like and cast off with a stretchy technique.
   

   Paul's finished scarf

Credits!
I learned this stitch from my ex-boyfriend's grandmother, Celia. She was using it to make dishcloths, for which this stitch is ideal. I'm not sure why it's called cabbage stitch, but I imagine that the rows look like a field full of tidy rows of cabbages. I have since learned that the actual stitch is very similar to twisted drop stitch!

Mother's cardigan

As you can see, I have finished the cardi - and you'll be thrilled to know I weaved the last end in at two minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve!

I've started some socks for Becka and a scarf for Paul. I've also finished Grace's wrist-warmers, and I'll try to post a photo if I can.

Exciting news! I got a set of Knitpicks Interchangeables! I am using them for everything, because I can!

I think I'll write up a pattern for Paul's scarf, but I'll check it doesn't already exist...