Finally here is my pixie jumper!

Firstly, ignore the messy kitchen. We are tiling right now and replacing architraves and stuff and everything is in piles at the end of the kitchen where I stupidly got lovely other half to take these photos. Honestly my house is not usually this messy!

I got called Santas little helper when I wore this to market just before xmas. Personally I love it and its very warm. I have never before knitted a matching hat and jumper either so this really is a first.

I started this 8 years ago and gave up but managed to knit loads when was off work sick a few weeks ago - daytime TV is very rubbish. Anyway here finally is the finished garment. No pattern used for either jumper or hat so all my own design. The sleeves are a bit long but other than that its great.

hood finished at last

Well I have finally finshed the hood on my new jumper. Very pixie-ish. Really have got to post a photo. Will have to get M to take it. More than likely will need to wear the thing too so you can see tho would have prefered to remain faceless. Still here we go........Just gotta do the sewing up / construction bit now and round the neck!

And I have one whole ball of lime green and two half balls of both lime and turquoise to find a use for. Legwarmers????? Scarf?? Dont really need any more scarves since have enough of one type of another to fill a large suitcase so maybe legwarmers or even socks or gloves. Dont usually go for matching stuff either tho seem to be getting lots that matches with this venture.

The yarn is actually DK tho I have been using double to give me chunky and it also means I get solid turqoise and lime and a marl version too with only needing the two colours so works a treat. I will have to have a think about this cos looks like I am getting a whole look for very little work really. I will pick up round the neck tonight.

Today is going to be a really long day cos was up at 5am to make bath bombs to stock up for markets. Dogs were happy tho cos they got to go our very early. Reggie actually kept jumping up and kissing me. Very cute so long as he doesnt break any teeth cos his head is very hard and he keeps jumping into my face and it wouldnt be the first time!!

I have started my 2nd 25kg bag of bicarb too so now wondering if I should buy more. It took so long to come last time that it might be best to get it in early rather than have no stock. I also need sweet almond oil and cannot get any. It used to be cheapest in Tesco but they have stopped selling it so now I will need to find a supplier fior that to and need to do asap since have only about 100ml left. Cant get over how quick I am getting thru supplies now I am actually trading. Still I am selling lots so should be very happy about that.

I want to experiment with Eco soya candles next. We will have to try em out so could be a good one to do over Xmas hols since we will get round to actually lighting them then! usually we seem to have candles lying around for ages till Xmas comes along. It would be nice to have some natural Eco candles rather than the usual parafin wax. We need another line for the stall too. Intending to make some new soap over xmas too. Will need the forum to give me feedback too since I will hopefully add it to the range if any good. Also got to think of a new bath bomb mix for spring / easter since cant have the Christmas ones too much longer. Its a shame cos they are selling like hot cakes - mind you probably thats cos they smell Christmassey. Mind you maybe I can do same perfumes for both soap and bath bombs. Christmas will be fun I reckon. Lots of experiments. Maybe a citrus mix for spring???? Hmm. Also I would like to make some soap with my own special mix of essential oils cos I have been trying several out for months now and finally I have come up with a really nice mix. I have already made moisturiser with it so going to try to do it as soap and bath bombs. A complete range maybe like a signature scent - or am I getting silly now?? After all I am just a market trader in the end!

good weekend

Well markets went well. Saturday was pretty quiet but Sunday was so shockingly busy. Everyone else reckoned they did badly next to last year. We did very well. But then tis coming up to Xmas and we were not there last year so we dont know what we might have made had we been. I am encouraged anyway. On the other hand most of the stalls were selling things for £100 plus and we are pretty cheap at £3-4 for most expensive soap and £1.49 for a giant bath bomb. Maybe even in a recession we will be competitive enough that people will buy since they are comparable items to many that cost a lot more! Had to make bath bombs for 2 hours before work today and M is going to buy some ingredients to enable me to be able to make more tomorrow cos we sold so much stuff I need to try and replenish for next weekend! have so far found we sell tons of lavender, floral and geranium bombs. I should ofcourse find this wonderful but having to work makes it hassle to make bombs! I suppose when I am finally self employed I will get a routine and it will al get easier. Right now I am trying to juggle a regular and very boring job with my own companys needs and its not easy fitting it all in. I need an accountant I reckon but no idea if we will make enough to justify the expense! I am now so far behind with company books its getting scary! Anyway the best sellers so far are packs of 3 mini bombs for £1 and the floral and Christmas bombs. Not surprised about the Christmas ones it coming up to Xmas but I am very surprised no one is interested in the Orange or Lemon bombs cos I love them and so does M. Still if there are some left we will have luxurious baths at xmas. Tho to be honest if there are none left I shall make us some! I am considering doing a promotion this week to get pepes spending something like spend £8 and get a free - something tho not sure what yet! Will have to see what we have lots of thats near end date maybe. Or maybe promote either the Lemon or the Orange bombs cos I reckon if I could get people to try em they would come back for more! Then I could promote something different the week before xmas! As for work ......am still not going to lunch in cafe and have started to go out now. They do not like it. Surely tho you should have freedom to relax away from work during your lunch break! It really is just too much being stuck in a greasy spoon ( tho they call it a Bistro! but really its a bacon sarnie type greasy spoon!) I think perhaps I am just an antisocial git maybe! Ah well. Why should I be forced to spend my precious lunch time with folk who cannot be with me when I eat without insulting me for being a veggie. I have put up with it for a whole year in an effort to try and be normal if thats the right word. I hate the food - they have hummus or hummus for me! They have poisoned me 4 times and definitely given me "off" hummus more than once and I hate spending my time there. Its just not a break. Besides the fact you come out smelling like a chippy! The problem is we are expected to go cos the company pays for lunch! I prefer to bring my own sarnies and have been eating far more healthily since I have started to so do not want to go back to their greasy food. Also the weight has just fallen off me and I have not even cut down. If anything I am eating more! Its simply unreasonable to be forced to go every day. If it was just one day a week I wouldnt mind. In my previous job I used to go to the pub with work mates every friday and it was a team bonding type of effort. It was not every single day tho! Its not as if I like any of em. I dont hate em either just dont really care! Other than that I am finally on last few stiches of my hood - for the jumper I have been knitting. It now has a tail like a pixie hat developing and I am really looking forward to wearing it. Then just got to sew up and do the neck edging and will have matching jumper and hat for xmas - well if I get it finished in time anyway. I am aiming for that. Then will start on this recycled sari yarn for a spring top of some sort tho unsure what exactly to knit as yet! Infact I have some piccies of jumper so will try to attempt to post here later. Hey life can only get better!!!!!!!!

knitting again

I have knit a new jumper and when trying to make a hood for it actually made a wonderful hat. Well the hood didnt work so i altered it. Thats the trouble when you dont use pattens. I have also bought some yarn from helen at Yarntraders in New Zealand. It arrived dead quick and is beautiful. Its also Vegan. Found info on if at vegan knitting blog and wnet on to investigate. Its recycled rayon made in nepal , fair trade etc and is made from recylcled saris and I wuld recomment to everyone. Going to post both my latest new jumper and show you what this yarn is like and what it knits up like in due course ( have to sort out how to use this didgital camera first). Infact lack of digital camera knowledge currently inhibitting soap website. How can it be that I can build a website and not understand how to use a digital camera. sad am I!