A little less conversation, a little more crochet please...

All this aggravation aint satisfactioning me.

Or should that be 'aggrivation'? Spelling has never been my strong point.

But yes the ol'crochet hook is out and about once again and creating a stir. This is the one and only pic I will be showing of what is being worked on until it's finished. Unless you are on ravelry in which case you can see it develop in my projects.

The pattern is simplicity itself and very satisfying - I can recommend it.

Apart from that I have been plugging away on my Marigoldaphobia socks and have just about turned the second heel.

I think I might finally be convinced that short row heels aren't necessarily the best choice for every single pair of socks I ever make. I've got the hang of heel flaps now (famous last words) and they do indeed seem to fit better even if they are much more long winded. You'll never get me onto dpn's though - magic loop is as far as I'm prepared to go.

Apart from all this creating I have survived my first week at work which went very nicely. There was a brief wobble on friday when the rest of my team tried to rank my seniority in terms of the current hierarchy and got spooked because it turned out somewhat higher than they'd thought. Conversation suddenly became a little more restrained but they relaxed again so i don't think it will be a problem. The people are all really nice and friendly and the work is interesting enough so I think it will be fine.

Discworld Group on Ravelry

Which Discworld Character are you like (with pics) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as The Librarian You’re the Librarian! Once a wizard, now an Orang-utan (due to an unfortunate magical accident), you refuse to be turned back for a few reasons: In this form, it’s easier to reach the shelves and hold more books; having the strength of five men makes people return their books on time; life’s great philosophical questions boil down to “when do I get my next banana?‿ You say “ook‿ but are usually understood well enough. The Librarian 94% Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax 75% Carrot Ironfounderson 63% Gytha (Nanny) Ogg 56% Death 50% Cohen The Barbarian 50% Rincewind 31% Lord Havelock Vetinari 25% Greebo 19% Commander Samuel Vimes 19%

Oh yeah I forgot - I is genius.

I had my first day at my new job today. Before going in and even after I got there I wasn't so much nervous as properly scared. Scared. It's not often as an adult you get the chance to be genuinely scared. And I have to say it was amazingly unpleasant. I just wanted to get out of there. First off my boss took me round to one of the local cafes and we sat there are talked through the job, the organisation and a bit of tangental general chitchat for two hours. I have to say she couldn't be nicer. Actually maybe she could. Maybe if she'd greeted me, handed me a red polka dot knitting bag filled with one of each of cherry tree hill's sock yarns plus some ebony 3.25mm needles and my selection of patterns written personally for me by the world's top designers and then led me to a meeting room and told me to go for it while reminding me of the pepsi max chilling in the fridge - maybe that would have been nicer.

I knew that working for my doofus old boss in that mind numbing job had sapped my self-confidence but this has really brought it home for me. It's awful really how much I let his behaviour affect me - actually believing for ages that it was my fault projects weren't working out when really experience has taught me they were doomed from the start.

As it was she talked to me about all the stuff she wanted to do, all her plans and hopes for the future, and I just felt more and more relaxed as I realised - I know how to do all this stuff. I did this job for 5 years already. All the stuff she wants me to do I've already done. Well not all because that would be boring but most of it. She tentatively asked how I'd feel about podcasting! The people are nice. The office is nice. The hours are good. The money is fine. So basically day one has ended pretty nicely and I'm certainly not scared anymore. I wouldn't say I was exactly looking forward to tomorrow but I'm certainly not scared and I'm looking forward to finding out more about what the future holds.

Hoorah!

You don't see a baby for ages then two come along at once

Hot on the heels of the blue cardi behold Maya sporting the latest in knitted everton shirts! She is about 6 weeks old and the hunk on the left is Daddy Fu.

It was secret santa at golders green this week and I did particularly well this year! Check out the gorgeous buttons and the crochet-lite which is the coolest thing ever - HOORAH!

Knitwise things have been going well. I started a pair of the aquaphobia socks in a lovely colourway called autumn marigold I got on etsy. I *really* like the effect of the slipped stitches.

It made me think - I am sure their are dictionaries of slipped stitch patterns so maybe I'll look into that. Also this is yet another pair on magic loop - I am such a convert.

My other news is that my first blog book has arrived. 250 pages odd of goodness. I am really impressed with the quality. The software they give you to use is very easy to manipulate and it practically creates the book for you. The one downside of the site (which is blurb.com) is that you can't sell your books unless you have a bank account in the US. Bit weird but seeing how no one is going to want a book of my blog apart from me not a huge problem!

Books of 2006 and 2007 are on their way too.

Of course the big news today is that it was my last ever day at the IOP. Was weird, to say the least. Felt kind of numb really. There are some people I'm going to miss and miss a lot but then there's a lot happened there that I'm quite happy to leave behind.

Could this be the last time I blog from work?

So here I am just 2.5 days left to go before leaving the IOP for the last time as a member of staff. And so naturally I have been spending my last week catching up with stuff online, ravelry especially. And so I've been catching up on the Lolcat group and LMAO at the latest images. Here are just a few but more can be found here (but only if you're on ravelry and if you're not - what are you waiting for? Get on that waiting list!)

and my current favourite....

Genius.

Have had lots of good feedback about the podcast - it's my new theme music I am particularly proud of. Afterall how many people can claim to have successfully mixed Babylon 5, hip hop and paul temple? Also lots more interest in SkipNorth which is good - anymore for anymore? I've also seen the latest listener stats. Look at this: Iran, Japan, New Zealand plus the UK and USA posse's. Hello everyone!

The sunburst jumper is finally dry and on the byrne bod. It fits really nicely! I am very happy with this and now itching to get started on my next garment. I think it will be jumper for my step-dad to replace the never ending aran that was ended once and for all.

I also got this pic which was rather nice. This is tiny Aaliyaan wearing his blue cardi and hat that I made him. I think he is about a month old now! His dad keeps telling me he is wearing it practically all the time as it is a perfect fit. What a cutie!

A Podcast, a SkipNorth knitting holiday and some knitting

The first two kind of go together because on the latest podcast, featuring the best intro music I've ever heard, Nickerjac and I sit around nattering with her Andy asking us questions about it. It was really good to reminisce about SkipNorths of the past and the kind of shopping frenzies we've seen and also all the stuff we've learnt form other people. We also chatted about which workshops to run (off mic!) and I'll be posting in the SkipHolidays Yahoo group about them soon. Anyone who wants to be kept informed can join the group.

The holiday is excellent fun and I think excellent value too. For £165 you get two nights in the hostel, all meals (and good, locally sourced, huge meals they are too), luxury coach to take you round, specially organised visits to places like the KCG Collection and all materials for the workshops. There's also a cheaper option for people who would prefer to stay in a local B&B. The podcast gives loads more info. You can also find out more and book here: www.proudtobecrafty.co.uk/SN1.html

Oh and the podcast is here! Or you can find it on i-tunes.

So on to the knitting...

The Norah Gaugain sunburst jumper is finished but is in its third day of drying after a good block on friday. Here is yet another pic of it drying:

I am worried it is going to be too big but am saving up my worrying til the weekend when I'll be able to give it full throttle.

There has also been considerable progress on the socks I am making for a friend of mine.

All the details are on ravelry here. I keep going at it in fits and starts and when I really sit down with it the thing shoots along. I'm just about to start the heel of the second one so another few days should see it done.

There has also been some non-knitting going on in the shape of loads and loads of luverly button jewellery. I bought this book recently having shuffled backward and forward between different ones for months. This book is by far the best I've seen and I've already made three things from it. You see, I do love my buttons. This is one I've made as a goodbye present for a colleague. Lots of vintage mother of pearl.

Then this is a cuff using safety pins and buttons with shanks which are always a problem to the button jewellery maker as they don't lie flat.

I'm not actually sure about this one. I love the buttons but it's a bit big. I might put it on etsy instead.

Then in a non-crafty and wholly capitalist move I acted with lightning speed on a comment left on my last entry about duoboots.com. Now I did know about Duo already as a couple of peeps at Golders Green have bought them but what I didn't know is they had a sale on.

Oh yeah. And further more I ordered them friday lunchtime and they arrived at 7.30 AM......AM!! on saturday. Our postman only delivers after 11am on weekdays and suddenly one arrives at 7.30 on a saturday? That's just wrong. But they are good boots. I wore them on sat night and Pooch was very attentive. They are also a perfect fit round the ol'calves.

And finalllllly. Ann sent round this meme...which fibre are you?

Try it yourself here.

I have a theory

When you do a detox, apparently, you body releases all kinds of nasty stuff that would normally be stored within your fat reserves. This causes spots and so on. I say 'apparetly' as detox's are things I only read about never wishing to actually make a practise of it myself. And so my theory is born. I gave up the last of my mirtazipine roughly a month ago (leaving me with just half the prozac). One of the big side effects of that for me was increased appetite and a seemingly unrelenting desire for chocolate. Coupled with a lack of will power this lead to big old weight gain. Since giving up my sugar intake has plummeted, as has my appetite in general. I'm still eating plenty and manage a respectable amount of chocolate but it's not a compulsion anymore. The result is that my loyal fat reserves are slowly but surely being eroded.

Recently I have had a spate of minor niggles such as swollen glands, itchy legs (don't ask me), restless sleep and nausea. It struck me earlier today that this could be all the mank I'd been safely storing finding its way out. So having had a particularly rough night last night there would appear to be only one logical solution.

I have to. It's the only way I'll feel well again.

Believe it or not the Sunburst jumper I blogged about last time is nearly finished. Just goes to show how quickly that bulky yarn knits up compared to the old 4-ply. Its been an interesting knit but I wish they'd found room for a few extra schematics. I've added some notes to the ravlery pattern page to help others out. The front and back are done and look good.

It was the gussets that had me worrying and puzzling for a bit but once I realised they went form the underarm to the waist and the silly neckline wasn't in fact the neckline but the raglan shoulders too it all went swimmingly. You can just about see the triangular gusset in the pic below. Short rows and a good idea.

But my god it has used up a lot of yarn. Going to be quite a monster once it's done.

Yesterday saw the last of my xmas parties with 'the gang' showing up chez pooch/byrne.

Good fun was had by all although it did seem a bit much for some people.

ARUN WANTS YOU...

TO SHAVE HIS CREEPY MOUSTACHE OFF

Awooga!

I am so very addicted to the mighty boosh nowadays. I bought series 1&2 on dvd before christmas and pooch and I have watched them all. I watched most of series 3 on bbc 3, watched the live show on tv around new year and have now bought the radio shows form itunes. I can't decide which one I like most but then I remember that I don't need to decide - I can like them both. I think however that I might be coming down on the side of Howard aka Julian. He is quite Pooch-like and rather handsome in a tall, northern kind of way. He's the one on the right below.

Then there is Vince aka Noel. He is a pop-tart who hovers between goth and emo with skinny legs and big hair. He is attractive in a rather more obvious way but that doesn't mean he should be dismissed. He's on the left in the pic above and on the right in the one below.

The Mighty Boooooooosh, the mighty boosh....

Xmas and new year are now long gone and were hugely enjoyable. There were two major parties, one thrown by us and one at Leah's.

This young man excelled himself by pulling on another girl's knee high boots (and doing them up - I need to find out where she got them as I'm too chunky for my old ones and Dann's no flower fairy), donning a bright pink wig and mincing around the room. I was trying to teach him how to walk in heels and he did get quite good towards the end of it. There is a video which I hope to get hold of sometime soon....

I finally finished the hourglass jumper from Last Minute Knitted Gifts at Golders Green on wednesday. I like finishing things there - they are so much more appreciative of the effort involved than the Pooch is. I *really* love the jumper. It fits very nicely and I was tempted to cast on another one straight away.

Instead I have cast on the sunburst jumper from an ancient copy of Interweave. It is a Norah Gaugain and involves medallions on the front and back which turn into a top down raglan type of thing. Photos when it gets a bit further along.

So here I am at work again biding my time. Notice has been handed in and resignations made official. My last day is the 18th and I start the next job on the 21st. Quite exciting. Not quite sure what to do with myself for the next few weeks.

2007 round up

I don't know how common this is but I have an almost physical dislike of numbers that end in a 7. They make me do that thing with my nose that emotion used to make me do in the dim past before therapy stopped it. Seriously. So 2007 never boded that well for me. But all in all I think it's gone pretty well. This year has seen me...

1. Get married
2. Cut 75% of my meds
3. Go a whole year without therapy (first since about 1999?)
4. Get a new job (Yipppeeeeeeeee)
5. Join ravelry, and thereby get a grip on all my WIP, UFOs, stash and queued projects.
   
6. Knit some mighty fine objects, some of which I've put photos for below (in no particular order and largely depending on whether I could find them in my photobucket account)
7. Hosted my first ever baby shower and become "Auntie Lixie" to the cutest baby I've ever seen.
8. Reached episode 13 of the podcast, with a 14th being planned.

And probably more that I will think of the minute I publish this post!

I'm astonished to find that this is just a small part of what I've finished off this year. But it's not just the finished objects that I am grateful for - this year also saw the end to the never-ending-aran-jumper started for my step dad in 2005. Long may it rest in peace. The front, completed and ready to go, will form part of a lovely quilt for feed the children in the near future.


This time last year I was giving voice to all sorts of plans and it is of course the traditional time for resolutions. But I think I'm just going to see what the year brings. Pooch and I have been discussing things to do with buying a flat and I would like to see that happen next year but who knows which way the market will go next.


Knit-wise I am very happy with the year and with my current stockpile which would see me through at least one nuclear winter. This doesn't mean there won't be a little stash acquisition during the year, especially at SkipNorth which is shaping up to be oh so good. But I no longer feel compelled to buy all I can and am now much more committed to quality over quantity than I was in the past.


So yes, it's basically been a good one, despite the number 7 featuring so prominently in the year. I've got a little something to share with everyone. It is something I filmed Pooch doing about 6 months ago. This is pure gold, with Pooch at his muppet best. For those people with sound he is complaining at first that his 'arms bend back' but it is what happens when he notices what I'm doing that really keeps me coming back to it to watch over and over again....

Happy New Year everyone!

Xmas post

Have had a really rather lovely xmas - just me and pooch at home enjoying ourselves and relaxing. Knitwise it has been rather frustrating as I spent most of the holiday so far making the hourglas jumper from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. This is it when it wasn't wrong - I really like the colours and the yarn and the size and everything but I have completely cocked up the raglan decreases.

I am going to have to rip it back to the armpits which is terribly irritating. On the plus side I have tried it on and know how long it will take to knit and what I need to do differently next time so should have it within a week.

I managed some sale shopping this week and hit both liberty and john lewis on oxford street. As ever they had the same stuff at the same discount - roughly 50% off a load of jaeger and rowan and the DB Astrakhan. Also some Noro at John Lewis which I bought some of for a special project I'll be blogging about on ravelry to keep it out of the way of the recipient's eyes! Liberty's sale was on the whole better if only because they put the prices on things. John Lewis left it for you to guess or deduce. Bit odd. Got two full packs of matchmaker dk at Liberty in two shades of purple. Have done pretty well for purples recently really.

Xmas itself brought lots of goodness. Take a look at this little lot!

Two calenders, domiknitrix and fitted knits, both of which I have been after for quite some time.
My absolute favourite present though comesfrom Nic who made me the *most* beautiful shawl! Pooch agreed to model it for me.

In't it amazing? The yarn is cashmere. It is so lovely to have around my shoulders!

At first Pooch was quite reluctant to model but then he seemed to get strangely into it.

My second favourite present has to be one of the ones from Pooch. How can you not smile at this...

A gift tag sellotaped to a satsuma. Genius.

I've been having a stash clear out and now have a bag of stuff to swap at the yet to be organised yarn swap which I keep thinking I should organise. I had suggested it to a few people who seemed up for it. The Foyles group have had a couple where they have one table for free stuff and one table for stuff for sale which I thought sounded like a good idea. We could have it at Starbucks and people can get their fill of tea and cake at the same time.

With my final day at IOP coming up there are a load of things I need to get sorted before I give back my work laptop. It's amazing how large my 'personal' folder has got in 7 years so there's a lot of patterns and images that need transferring elsewhere. One of the things I started and hadn't finished was the blog book I talked about a month of two ago and on the podcast. I have finally submitted and ordered a copy of "Lixie Knits It 2005"! I had great fun putting it all together and have already started 2006. As I said at the time I was worrying about how blogs are only as permanent as the website hosting them and I didn't want it all just to vanish one day.

Breaking News

I got it!

Hopefully my last day here will be 18th Jan. How happy am I?!!!!

Brrrr

London is fricking freezing today. I still haven't warmed up after my journey in. Plus I suspect Pooch has poisoned me and so keep feeling really sick. Some might say I was in a bit of a grump but that would be a shallow interpretation as I leave that kind of thing to the Pooch. One primadonna is enough in any household.

Through incessant listening to 'Santa Baby' I have kind of managed to get into the festive spirit. Also through intensive staring at our christmas tree which is now surrounded by an embarrassing quantity of presents.

Our families are just so generous! Can't wait to get unwrapping... Have high hopes of a knitting book or two in amongst it all.

We had some lovely news chez byrne at the weekend - a little baby girl arrived to two of our mates (the first baby in Pooch's gang) so of course this prompted some furious knitting. I'd already knocked out the blanket and everton top but these took just a few hours and are so amazingly cute - even more so in the flesh!

Pooch is now demandaing some 'thumbs shoes' of his own.

I have also cast on the hourglass jumper in last minute knitted gifts using the yarn I got at ally pally 3 years ago. I've had it constantly on my mind as I really liked the colours and the feel of it but had never come across a pattern that seemed right for it. But...I think I may have cracked it.

It is two different colourways of fibreworks but they share quite a few colours and so striping them is making a rather pretty fabric and using the 4.5mm instead of the 3,75 gives it a nice drape too. Am going to concentrate on knitting this over xmas.

Something I've hesitated to mention because I don't want to jinx it is a job interview I had yesterday. It is for a Head of CPD at a similar org to my current one. I *realllllllly* want this job. Really. I should find out either today or tomorrow. Its been ages since I was in suspense like this - since I started at IOP in fact. I am so desperate to leave this place that it's going to be a double blow if I don't get it - mood and ego!