While I've been awol....

Hi everyone, Happy Easter to you all.
So I am going to fill you in on what's been happening here over the last little while that I've been absent from recording the video podcast.
As you know by now, I have had Vertigo for about 6 weeks. It is getting gradually milder, however, I do still get spells of it being full on and it's no fun believe me. That is on top of all my pre-existing conditions such as Fibromyalgia etc.
So here we go...
I finished my pink after thought heel socks by Laura Linnemann.

There has been progress on the blue socks too although not much.
I been knitting on Guston, for Dave for the #AMJKAL with Kristin who is Voolenvine host of the Yarngasm podcast. The kal is running from March 22nd until May 16th, so cast on, you may still have time to knit a knitworthy man in your life a jumper or sweater.
I have started and finished The Age of Brass and Steam Shawl, the yarn was some BFL handspun I bought from On the round. Rachel's shop is on Etsy. Go there and get enabled.

I have started a couple of new projects too, firstly I started a baby cardigan by Alana Dakos.

I have also started another cardigan for myself. Bare Branches by Alana Dakos from her second book, Botanical Knits 2, which I will be reviewing on Wednesday along with a digital copy to give away. Very kindly offered to one of you by Alana Dakos.

I have been busy on a new crochet project too, I know me and crochet, shock horror, here have a chair to sit down and recover for a second, ha. I've started a Granny square blanket for Kimberly. Not lots of little ones, but rather one giant one that I'm aiming to make big enough for her bed. I am using James C Brett Moonlight Sonata and it is really pretty, however, as nervous as I was about such a large piece, Kim loves it and it constantly thanking me and hugging me for my efforts.
My Moomin will get done soon though don't worry. I want the cuteness that is all things Moomin.

Ok so Spinning, it is getting lots of attention, I've been clearing some of my drop spindles ready to continue, also I have been spinning the prize choice for Bibite. It is very nearly done now, it is just resting before I ply it. As requested, very soon a skein of fingering weight hand spun will be flying off to live with her. I am very pleased with it too.

Now I did hint on the last episode that I was getting a new toy. Well I am now the very happy owner of the Ashford E-Spinner. Ahhh, I know, a month early for my birthday, but hey I am not going to complain that they had one in stock so it didn't mean waiting for it to be imported. Cause that would be daft. So I have done the rest of the original Sea Goddess Batt. The browns that were the last two colours. I like it a lot. So I have transferred the blue jeans and lipstick organic merino from fondant fibre that MaggieTN so very kindly gifted me onto it. I almost forgot the direction twist and once I got my head together it has been worked on some more. It is going so well I don't want to jinx myself by talking about it too much. it means on my less than great days I can still spin and make yummy yarn to knit with, without the pain or exhaustion that I sometimes get using my Ashford Traditional Wheel or any of my drop spindles.

My cross stitch for Niamh had a little more done. The outline for all the mane has now been completed, so next is the body outline.

Now something else that's new.....Tunisian Crochet. A friend sent some goodies for every one of us here in the Campbell household. Thank you very much Cazzynono. I will let Keira talk about hers on her show tomorrow and Dave will talk about his next time he records with me. Kimberly received two books, some yarn and a complete set of Tunisian Crochet hooks.!!!! She is, you'll excuse the expression, hooked. She will sit next to me and just start working on it. It is so lovely that she finally has a yarny craft she has clicked with. It has meant though that I have has meant I have had to join in the fun and learn a little so I can help if she gets stuck. She is good, no honestly, Kim has just clicked with it and I see it staying in her life for a very long time. Now Niamh was given some yarn and needles, she immediately cuddled them and chose to start with the purple yarn. I will show you soon what I received, so so cute.

I have dyed some yarn for a shawl by Boo knits since you've seen me which I will endeavour to show you soon too.
I have finally made the punis for the shop too. I have been having an Easter sale in my Etsy shop for the last two weeks trying to clear space for the more summery yarns and fibre I want to dye up. So until the 15th May (the day before my birthday)
There is 15% of everything in my shop here: www.etsy.com/shop/ellysknitinsanity

Nails this week are especially for Easter:

Have a lovely week every one and I will be back on your screens this coming week. Along with Keiras Second episode. Take care and look after yourselves and each other cause you are important.
Elly x

You can find me on Ravelry, You Tube and Instagram as Elspeth81
On facebook there is a groiup for Ellysknitinsanity too.
On Twitter I am now @Ellysknitinsane

Episode 36: Vertigo, please, just do one!!!

Welcome back to this weeks episode.
Prize winners pm me or Dave on ravelry.

no fo's
wips
pink socks ~ after thought heel socks by laura linemann
gilded cardi ~
blue socks ~ top down after thought heel socks
so yarns are both made by www.fivemoons.co.uk
guston frogged
spinning
handspun: forest
. Into The Whirled fibre ~ www.intothewhirled.com
. sea goddess. by enchanted knoll ~ www.enchantedknoll.com
crochet
Moomin head ~ pattern is written by www.samigurumi.wordpress.com
deliveries
electric eel ~ available at www.fondantfibre.com
jumbo bobbin ~ www.SarasTextureCrafts.com
reflector ~ www.etsy.com/shop/voolenvine
shop: punis ~ www.etsy.com/shop/ellysknitinsanity

Episode 35: Just a quickie

Be Yourself, Knit Ewenique, Keiras Pilot Episode

Hi everyone as promised here is Keiras first episode.

Her yarn for her birthday was from www.yourmomknits.com
The finished spinning was a sample from www.fondantfibre.com is was polworth, silk & linen
The fibre and spindle set was from www.etsy.com
Her yarn for her Chinook was from www.penguin-soup.ca
The dishcloth pattern was written by Deb Buckingham and it is available on Ravelry or from Cooperative Press.

Episode 33: The Unicorn in the room

Hi everyone and welcome back, this week was recorded on Friday 7th March 2014, is another one with Dave, Knittmonkey on Ravelry, and Joey my puppy. It is the Dave birthday show people!!!

FO's: Dave Unicorn Cowl, designed by Ruby Knits, using bulky and chunky yarns.

Wips: Perceptions hat, photo coming soon on here, pattern needs test knitters please!
Norwegian Blue Socks, basic top down after though heel socks on 2.5mm 8" addi circulars.
No vivid squares this week, I've taken the week off!
Daves: Gilded Cardigan. Using Cascade Dolce on 3.75mm circulars.

Any mans sweater kal: Guston sweater using cardinal red.

Spinning: I've not done any spinning on my wheel,
Grenadillo drop spindle: Obligatory Box of chocolates, 2nd tribble.
Blue Delphinium and Forget-me-not spindle: Blue jeans and lipstick ~ fondant fibre, organic merino 100g, it was a surprise gift from my friend Flo who is MaggieTN on ravelry.

Cross stitch: none this week, Dave is starting his this week.

Purchases and Deliveries:
Lucid, from www.voolenvine.com
Rowan Wool Worsted in Grasshopper.
Knitter's Magazine from xrx publishing.
Dave bought Karbonz to swap for my symfonie tips.
I was gifted the Wispy Cardigan by Cazzynono which I will be starting soon.

Episode 32: Forgetful????? Yes!!!!

Hi everyone and welcome back to this weeks episode Sunday 3rd March 2014,
I'm Elspeth 81 on Ravelry, the group is called Ellys Knit (in') Sanity) as you will see I completely forgot I recorded last week with Keira,
The prize drawing video is up first then below is the main episode.

FO's: 50% of my Vivid blanket squares have now been finished. I have made 18 in five different yarn colour, all of them are made by www.fivemoons.co.uk my blanket will be 5 x 7 squares so it'll be lap sized.
Wips: Several projects on the go this week,
*Pink after thought heel socks, being knitted magic loop on 2.25mm socks, pattern by Laura Linneman
*Norweigan Blue socks, also with an after though heel but this time on 2.5mm 8" addi circular needle.
*Wild shawl, using Regia hand dyed effect yarn on 3mm needles.
*Perceptions hat, my design, for Keiras friends birthday gift. Yarn is from Natural Dye Studio, Phoenix base.
*SHHHHH secret project, ask rosebob on ravelry if you must.

Next Up:
Kristin, (Voolenvine on Ravelry) who is hostess of the YarnGasm Podcast and I are doing a joint mans sweater Kal, running from Saturday 22nd March to Saturday 3rd May. Any mans sweater is ok, time to knit for the men in our lives, there are prizes up for grabs for completed projects, Kristin is offering two of her beautiful skeins of yarn and I'm offering a skein of my yarn and a project bag. So four prizes, yummy.
*I will be knitting Guston for Dave as I owe him a jumper as the last one never got finished then frogged. It is going to be Cardinal red and lovely on him as he has brown eyes with red flecks on his iris, rare eye colour indeed so he can certainly wear most shades of red as you will see.
Thread for the Kal is in the YarnGasm Group on Ravelry HERE

Spinning:
*I've plyed the Dove Dale Sample from www.fondantfibre.com which is 60% polworth, 20% linen, 20% silk. from one rolag which weighed 6grams I got 27.5 yards of an end to end two ply on one of my drop spindles. I love it and have placed the pre-order for keira and I both for rolags. Keiras are being dyed ballet pink especially for her because Deb knows how super girly Keira is and how great she is at ballet.
*On another one of my drop spindles I have spun the first of my Tribbles from the Obligatory Box of Chocolates Dave bought for me from www.gourmetstash.com I want more in lots of colours people.
*Sea Goddess is not getting any attention on my ashford traditional wheel.

Health Check: My health has been a rollercoaster these last few weeks and I wasn't able to talk about it last week with Keira, I try my best to protect my girls as much as possible from my poor health. My medications are causing very severe side effects which can be as bad as my illnesses some days so I'm weaning off them all gradually, I have collapsed a couple of times, had severe pains for hours on end, my intestine decided to start playing nasty games again and I've lost a bit of weight again because of it. Tip of the iceberg people. I'll leave it at that!

Etsy: update Tuesday 4th March 12noon GMT www.etsy.com/shop/ellysknitinsanity

Nail: Essie, warm & toasty turtleneck

Episode 31: Our Friend Deb....

Friday 21st February 2014

Hi everyone and welcome back, today Keira is being co host as we do a book review for Dishcloth Diva Knits On! by Deb Buckingham, published by Cooperative Press and was gifted to us for this review. I hope you all enjoy the full show.

Pearl Dishcloth by Deb Buckingham knitted by me.
Gladys Dishcloth by Deb Buckingham knitted by Keira
Dishcloth Diva Knits On can be purchased here for both Book or Ebook. The digital version is approximately £6.11

Important announcement for younger viewers, Keira will be starting her own video podcast Called 'Be Yourself, Knit Ewenique' it is aimed at children around her age who enjoy knitting, spinning and general crafting for fun. It will be recorded the first day each month, and is her way of encouraging other kids to be creative. She will be doing her own book, yarn and pattern reviews too. Please show support and let your children watch and comment to her. She is now on ravelry too, but you must pm me Elspeth81 before friend requests will be accepted. 



Fo's:
Lonely Tree Shawl by Sylvia Bo Bilvia
First garter stitch square towards Niamhs blanket.
4/5 more squares towards my Vivid Blanket by www.tincanknits.com

Ravellenics: I did my lonely tree shawl, who else has finished their item?

Wips:
Me: Vivid Blanket, using 6/7 different yarns, 5 are by www.fivemoons.co.uk
Chinook by Ali Green using Drops Cotton Viscose in colour #32. I am exactly halfway, which is 22 points. Now to decrease.
Afterthought heel socks by Laura Linneman using fivemoons selene.
Keira: Chinook using 'Draculaura' on Tuxedo Glitz by Penguin Soup, which Ginny dyed especially for Keira, go visit her shop here
Frogged: Wimberley got frogged due to pattern eratta and no corrections published.

Next up knitting:
Elly: Wild by Hiroko Payne / The Hare And The Crow, I will be using Regia Hand Paints ~ turquoise 8850. ( instead of magic cake ruffle shawl)

Spinning:
Still spinning my first Enchanted Knoll Happy Hooves Club Batt, Sea Goddess. on third colour now!

Sewing/ Cross Stitch:
Just a small amount on Niamhs

Deliveries/ Purchases:
From www.fondantfibre.com  sample of English Blended fibre in 'Narwhale Song'
Hand Painted Yarn in 'Love Letters' and 'I kiss the name you sign' both are 75/25 superwash merino, nylon.
From www.3irishgirls.com Carys BFL in 'Meg' with a 1/4 skein of 'Amy' both are the 100% BFL base worsted weight.
From www.enchantedknoll.com Happy Hooves Batt Club in 'Crushed'  4oz superwash merino with extra sparkley bits.
From www.ravelry.com I bought another new pattern because it is perfect. Look  I will be knitting it using Rowan Tweed Creative worsted in the Lavender Heather # 0712 colour.
From  Gourmet Stash on etsy here Dave bought me: Fibery Tribbles 2oz *limited Edition* 'Obligatory Box of Chocolates' Yes I am very happy indeed.

Nails: Essie nail lacquer ~ lilacism with butterfly stickers