A Blatant Plug...

I make no apologies for doing this - I need to sell more from my website (see link on the right of this blog to GreenGreenPlanet.com) and what could be nicer than a new Knitting Project Bag? Fairly Traded, all hand made in Madagascar from sustainable sources...every one of them is unique.

These are imaginatively called 'Polka' and also come in bright pink and in Lavender. Plenty of room in one of these for a good sized project and all your other belongings - take one to Knitting Group maybe? p.s. Kerrie Allman of Hipknits has one of the Chocolate Coloured ones....

This one is called 'Jacaranda' and is a LARGE basket for large projects (or your shopping). I love the design on the front , don't you?

How Eco-Friendly would you like to be? These Handbags are made from really soft woven hemp and each one has a hand-carved horn decoration on the front. No two bags are the same. These are also fully-lined and come with zipped pockets inside.

There are more details of sizes and prices here and if you are outside the UK and would like one of my lovely bags, please email me for Shipping Costs - sales [at] greengreenplanet [dot] com.
You can also find lots of other lovely eco-friendly, All Natural gifts and treats on the same Website at very good prices.

Plug over (for now, I may be forced to do this again sometime) now back to the Knitting/Dyeing/Felting......

Interweave Knits Honeycomb Socks

From the Fall 2007 edition - this is one of the staff projects (you can download the pattern and 6 more toe-up patterns here Knitted in Silkwood 4 ply Sock Yarn, Bluebells colourway. The yarn is 100% wool and isn't particularly soft but the finished socks will be good for winter.

I like the colourway - all blues and purples - and the fact that this yarn produces subtle stripes and no pooling. Unfortunately there are 3 reasons I don't like the pattern. Firstly, the honeycomb stitch around the leg produces a tight fabric with little stretch and the sock is VERY difficult to put on as it won't stretch round my heel. Secondly, I don't like the fact that the honeycomb has the purl stitches in front, I prefer one with the knit stitches in front instead. Thirdly, I am a bit of a perfectionist and I don't like the way that the rib pattern on the foot morphs into the honeycomb stitch - the two patterns don't line up properly. (See photo 2) On the positive side, this is now the basis for a sock pattern of my own that really fits my foot....

Watch this space - this sock is going to be frogged back to the beginning of the leg and redone (in my opinion) properly.

FFBE Contest

What is your favourite yarn for felting and why? I haven't done much felting, that's one of the reasons I joined this swap. So far my favourite is Noro Kureyon because I like the way it stripes during the knitting and they way they look after felting.

1 person not from the USA - Katie B is from New Brunswick, Canada - she is here.

1 person with a dog - Laurie D has a dog called Bailey - she is here.

1 person with a child - Tonia, she is here

Do you prefer October or November and why? November I think because it's usually colder and crisper than October which can be just horribly damp. I'm also a sucker for Guy Fawkes - Toffee Apples, Parkin, Tomato Soup drunk from a plastic cup next to a HUGE bonfire and best of all - the fireworks. I love fireworks!