I'm a Peacock! (in the Scheepjes Spring-to-Summer CAL 2015 Flight of Fancy)

I have joined the Scheepjes Spring-to-Summer CAL 2015 (short for Crochet-A-Long)! If you don't already know, a CAL is where a group of people all make the same item in stages at the same time, comparing notes, sharing the joys and triumphs and asking for help if you need it on social media. It's also a great way to connect with other people all over the world who like crocheting.

This is a sneak peak at the Flight of Fancy shawl we'll be making, designed by Annelies Baes.

My Scheepjeswol yarn is already pre-ordered in the Peacock colourway, there's a choice of 3, you can be a Heron or a Hummingbird too! Deramores start dispatching the packs on 18 May; I'm hopeful it will arrive next week, we all start crocheting on 10 June. 

It's the first time I've ever joined in on a CAL, I'm really excited and I'm thinking it's going to be super-fun. The yarn sounds divine, a mixture of linen, cotton and acrylic. I'm so impatient for it to arrive! 

 #scheepjeswol #scheepjesCAL2015

Success!

My first pair of all matching socks made from self-patterning yarn is completed, I'm well pleased with them!

I pledge that from now onwards, I shall be attempting to make all my hand-knitted socks match when using such yarn.

New recycled glass earrings made from Talisker whiskey bottles

Two new pairs of earrings in my Etsy jewellery shop. They're made from recycled Talisker whiskey glass and sterling silver.

Drink responsibly!

Travelling wastes crafting time

I wish I could knit or crochet in the car. If I look down for any length of time, I start to feel nauseous. I can't even send a text or read a map for any length of time. All I can do is listen to music and admire the scenery, maybe doze off from time to time.

I can do nearly anything in a train, knit, crochet, read, you name it, the trouble is, I very rarely have occasion to use the railways these days. I used to commute by tube when we lived in London in my younger days and I was always knitting (and nearly missing my stop!) Even before then, I would take the train up to Leeds to go see Geoff during his college days, the journey was about an hour and a half out of King Cross on the 125 .... Bliss!

When we travelled to Bamburgh recently, it's a four hour journey in the car and something to be endured for the sake of the destination rather than enjoyed for its own sake.  If I had a four hour train journey, I would be so excited at the thought of that length of time for uninterrupted crafty time.

When we hit traffic due to roadworks around Newcastle, we were crawling along, I suddenly realised I might be able to do some simple crochet or knitting whilst we were going so slow but my carefully selected holiday projects, needles and yarn were safely stowed in the boot and not get-at-able. Mental note made to self to keep a simple project in the glovebox from now on.

Never has travelling in the car felt such a waste of time, I really don't like just sitting and doing nothing.

New yarn and matching socks

As promised to one of my regular blog commenters, Caroline, here's a picture of the latest additions to my ever-growing yarn stash

There are three balls of Stlylecraft Special DK in their latest "vintage colours" of Sage, Storm Blue and Parma Violet. I don't know what I'm going to do with those yet, I just wanted to have them.

The ball of glittery black loveliness is Sirdar Ophelia which was in the bargain basket. I've got a lined bag project planned for that.

Four different colourful self-striping shades of Drops Delight 4-ply, plus three balls in grey. I have in mind a granny style blanket made up of small squares, the grey will be used on the outer edge of each one to hopefully stop the colours arguing too loudly (that's the theory anyway). Not a bad haul for a little over £17! If the granny squares don't work out, I can rip them and turn them into socks, which reminds me ....

Coming along nicely! It's so easy to do this, I just wound one ball from the outside of a 100 gram ball of Opal Sweet & Spicy and one from the inside.  When they were roughly the same size, I cut the yarn and then unravelled the start of one of them until they were the same colour. 

No more mis-matched socks from now on!