Knit 2013// Knit Life

So a new year; means a new lust list!!!! Here are just 4 of my lusts for 2013:

 

 

Wholehearted by Erika Flory

 

I have become a huge fan of shawls (I have my own shawl pattern release coming very soon); and I just think this one is beautiful - I think it would try to make it in similar colours.



 

Regina by Carina Spencer

 

I absolutely fell in love with this hat the second that I saw it; it's simply beautiful.





Pekoe by Laura Chau

I do want to knit a sweater this year; I'm not sure that this one will be my first but it is on my sweaters I love list, it's very simple in the front but the back is super pretty.

 2 Hands Make a Heart by Mari Chiba

And lastly, these mittens are amazing!!!! I'm not sure I need to say anything else about them.

So what's on your lust list for 2013? Are you making plans already? I'm going to get my WIP's finished before I cast on anything else....... so wish me luck. And Happy 2013!!!!!

V xo

2012; A Knitting Retrospective//Knit Life

I can hardly believe that today is the last day of 2012; tomorrow will be a new year - and that brings new knitting challenges and new life goals. But before that can begin, I felt a retrospective look at 2012 was in order. I thought I had finished alot more projects that just these ones this year; however some of these were big projects and obviously I was sick for a portion of the year. So here are most of my FO's and one of my YOP's (knitting in public):

I'm actually really proud of myself for knitting this much in 10 months; I started this blog back at the end of February. I've fallen really in love with knitting; and I'm starting to like crochet a little - although it's slightly more complicated than I expected. Knitting has thrown up some complications, and I have much to learn but I love to learn and grow in my hobbies - so it's pretty perfect.

Lastly I want to say thank you for reading/following my little blog; I reached over 10000 readers this month - which is amazing. I hope you continue to stop by in 2013 - I have alot more to give: interviews, knitting goals, WIP Wednesday's and hopefully at least a few FO Friday's.

So I guess the (actual) last thing to do is to say a big HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all; I hope your 2013 is knitty.

V xo

Christmas//Life

Well it's officially Christmas Eve here in Scotland, I can't believe how quickly December has gone in. I have been knitting like crazy to get my Gran's shawl finished - it's pretty much done and I'm really happy with it. I'll be sharing pictures in the next week or so, I promise. I will also be looking for pattern testers for this knit before I release the pattern in the New Year.

I just really wanted to pop by and say MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my lovely followers and readers - I'm so excited for 2013 and the direction of my blog.
V xo

Knit Plans//Year of Projects

Ok so in all honesty I've been pretty bad at keeping up with my year of projects, um project. Thankfully this runs from July to June, which still gives me over 6 months - great huh??? So I think my first goal is to get all of my current WIP's finished!!! At the moment I am working on a shawl for my gran's birthday - I shared that on Wednesday. So here are 4 WIP's I want to get done in the next couple of months:

 

Luxe Hooded Scarf:

This has actually grown since I took this photo, it's such a pretty pattern - and I'm going to work away on it once the shawl is done - I want to wear it this winter!!!!

High Plains Drifter
This too has grown since this photo was taken, I'm really excited to get this done and posted off as it's for a good friend of mine:

Owl Poncho
I was really enjoying this knit before things got hectic and I got sick. I'm about halfway done though so I want to get it done - I really want to wear this before winter is out too:

Sylph
This is my first and only lace weight project; it's super fun to do but quite complicated. I hope to get this done so I can wear it in spring:

Of course if you look at my project page over on Ravelry; you will have realised that I missed a project, yup my come josephine afghan. I'm still loving this project but it's going to take ages to do and it's a pick up when I feel like it project - I don't feel like I need to rush getting it finished:

I'm quite excited to get these projects finished, so I can complete at least a couple of my goals from my year of projects - wish me luck.

V xo

Queen of Hearts//WIP Wednesday

I started this shawl earlier this year, but now I've decided I want to give it to my Gran for her birthday (she's 79 at the end of December) so I'm knitting like crazy on it. I'm really proud of this shawl because it's my own pattern (which I will be releasing next year). It's knit in Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo which is just a gorgeous yarn to work with; it has gorgeous movement to it - I can hardly wait to get it finished and wrapped up!!!

 Here is a little bit of a close up on the detail; it's not great - the light in our living room is odd right now:

 In other news, last month I won some yarn and pretty buttons over on Life and Yarn or Yarn and Life in her anniversary giveaway. The yarn is super gorgeous, I'm excited to find a pattern to knit this into; any ideas? It is The Spun Monkey, DK, 300 yards:

Lastly it's been super hectic here lately, we finished painting the living room; got a new 3-piece suite and decorated for christmas. I also spent this morning at school helping with last minute bits for the christmas fayre this afternoon. Holly is continuting to do well, she has a new playpen (Santa came early for her) and is loving all the attention from the cats. I'm now off to start baking for our after school's club tomorrow.
As usual I am playing along with Tami and Ginny; I'm excited to see what everyone is working on - this season excites me!!
V xo

Agnes Hat//Review

When the lovely Faye, over at Buttons and Beeswax, asked for people to knit some of her designs, I jumped at the opportunity. I quickly decided on the Agnes Cabled Chunky Bobble Hat!!!

 I admit that I was freaking out when I printed the pattern, I was scared that this pattern was going to be too complicated for me; it took me over a week to actually cast-on. Then I got to the end of the brim and noticed a quite large mistake - therefore I had to frog the whole thing and start again. I was beginning to feel that this hat had something quite major against me.

 However I cast on again, and got cracking - it took me 11 days but I got it finished at the beginning of this week - and I LOVED knitting it; it knit up beautifullly, and although it was complicated, Faye's pattern writing is excellent - I cannot fault her at all. I'm excited to knit my next pattern of hers, and I urge you to go take a look at her patterns over on Ravelry and knit something of hers RIGHT NOW, go on - I know you want to .

 I guess all that's left is to say a huge thank you to Faye for letting me knit one of her gorgeous patterns; I need to decide what I'm doing next.

Lastly I thought I'd share another picture of Miss Holly, I accidently dropped mealworms on the bed -you would have thought it was christmas, she was so excited!!! We love her so much, she's the perfect addition to our family:

I'm excited to see what everyone else has finished this week; so I'm playing along with Tami!!
Have a great weekend, V xo

FO and A New Baby//Knit Life

Ok so I will be doing a proper FO post on Friday as I want to do a review of the pattern then - so come back to get the low down on this excellent pattern; I  had a great time knitting this hat and my lovely wife has claimed it as her own:

 Ok so a new baby? Not an ACTUAL baby but this little pretty:

 So I had my name on the list for a pygmy hedgehog from a fabulous breeder in Edinburgh; I was expecting my email sometime early next year telling me she/he would be ready - however a couple of weeks ago I got an email saying that this baby was available now and would I like her. My wife and I had a discussion and decided that I could be her mummy. Her name is Miss Holly Marie, and I love her so much - she's got a lovely personality; she already loves my boys, some of the cats and her nana (my MIL). She is obsessed with dried mealworms, eats dried catfood and has tried apple (she's not sure). Here she is in her home:

Note the cute log cabin; she loves it in there!!! The purple fleece is a bag for her to sleep in - she is crazy about it. And she loves pushing her toilet roll tubes around and playing on her wheel. I am so in love with her.

Thanks for stopping by; let me know what you think of the hat and Miss Holly.
V xo