It's blummin freezing

I absolutely, most definitely, unquestionably, hate Winter, Well January and February for sure, London is currently freezing. The lack of sunlight just turns everything including me limp and grey. My hair has no lift due to lack of fresh air, and sunlight, my skin looks dull, my fingers are cold, I have to wear thick woollen socks from the minute I get up right through till I go to bed. Every inch of me is covered up when I go out, and it's not much different when I'm indoors, The lighting in my photographs is poor to put it kindly, and generally I think it's a crime that winter has to be so brutal. I'm longing for the hint of spring and a whiff of warm air to blow. This is when my inspiration will really kick in. I'm just longing for some light cottons and fresh colours. In the meantime, I can only think of chunky warm knits.

a striped sweaterI

I'm a little partial to some stripe in my wardrobe, and with a low stock of this berry red yarn, I figured the best way to make it stretch would be a striped sweater. So last night I decided enough of knitting orders, and take a few hours to knit up something new, (It seems an age since I had time to do this) I also have plans to knit this same style sweater but in cotton (no stripes) and a thinner knit, suitable for summer days. so it was imperative to kick start with this, to enable me to work out the drape on the cotton version. any way. I was rather chuffed this morning, when I asked my son to take some pictures, he said 'did you make that', Yes I said, he replied 'it's well nice' :) So I'll take the complement with grace, thank you.

I thought it was gone forever

Oh how happy was i when I thought I'd just do a quick internet search for the this yarn, I'd managed over the past 2 weeks to find a small stock of the brown alpaca mix yarn, which made me a happy knitter, but I never thought my luck would be in to find any of the brown mohair, but bam, there it was, a small stock just clearly waiting for a good home. It's now here, and we are both loving each others company :). so whilst this stock lasts, I can create another 3 - 4 of these sweater.

Grey mohair and silk evening shrug

The evening firefly shrug

This week has been quite a struggle, Mr iLE AiYE and I came down with the flue and have suffered simultaneously all week long,it's been a real battle trying to keep my eyes open, knitting in-between sneezing, couching and generally feeling totally rubbish. This morning i felt a tad better, so before this custom order went out in the mail, I pulled myself together and got some images done. This is similar to the original evening firefly shrug, but the shades are a mix of gold, amber, black and silver.

I was missing there for a little while

It's been mighty hectic over here, since November I could hardly lift my head up from my needles, it's now easing off, and I can see a few minutes coming free each day. So today I thought I'd treat myself to some summer trousers. I chose these. I think they will be so comfy, and lots of fun, they also come in black, which I might be tempted to, if these ones are a hit. I love all the variety of ways they can be worn, and the thin cotton which will be perfect for those really hot summer days which we're obviously going to have one or two of here in london. :)

They don't make um like this anymore

Due to either my ageing years, or endless knitting in dim light, in the middle of the night, I've recently started wearing reading glasses, which has got me obsessed with looking at glasses, thinking of glasses, even this morning I dreamt of glasses. So when I saw these I was quite taken by the style, (not so much the rounded shape) but the jewelled rim and that brass ram like effect really attracted me. So I thought I'd share.