Daily Archives: January 31, 2008

I saw Andy Serkis today!

By monnibo | Published: January 31, 2008

I didn’t run after him, stop him, and meet him… but he walked past me on his cell phone on Argyll Street (he was headed towards Oxford Street) in Central London. WOW. It was actually him… no mistaking that face and those teeth! Onto other things… went Yarn Shopping in London today. Bought a few gifts and went to Knit Night at IKnit London. We went to Carnaby Street (which had the Shakespeare’s Head pub & restaurant) and then to Kingly Court (pictured below) to All the Fun of the Fair. They have some nice hand-spun, hand-dyed yarns that I’d never heard of before. But they also have a lot of random stuff – knick-knacks, buttons, vintage patterns, knitted paper chain, knitted tool with belt, knitted food. The whole store was decked out in cupcakes and cookies and hot cross buns… all of the knitted variety. They are all fair trade and knitted for the shop for sale. We went to Liberty’s (opposite direction from Andy on Argyll Street), who basically have a monopoly on Rowan Calmer. I was looking for a bright red for Chelle (she bought me some “going away yarn” that became my hot water bottle cosy) but none of the reds were bright enough. They were too orangey. And Cass – the browns were all… just blehey. The lighter one was kinda greeny and the darker one was too dark. Hmmm I’m not impressed with Rowan Calmer selection, athough the Rowan Handknit Cotton had a really [...]

Posted in Knitting, Out & About, Travel | Tagged Andy Serkis, england, london, travel | Comments closed

Topic of the Week #2: Magazines

By monnibo | Published: January 31, 2008

Q: Do you subscribe to any magazines (knitting or otherwise)? Or do you prefer to purchase magazines at the newstand? Do you subscribe online to any knitting magazines/newsletters? What does a knitting magazine need to have to catch your fancy and get you to fork out that well-earned cash? I don’t subscribe to any magazines at the moment. I sometimes purchase magazines, rarely knitting ones. The patterns just don’t draw me in. Although occasionally I really like Simply Knitting’s free gifts! hehe. The thing that bugs me about knitting magazines (and most craft magazines) is that I can’t flip through them (like I can with books at the bookstore). So I’m more inclined to purchase a book despite it costing more than a magazine, just because I can flip through beforehand and see if I really like it. I like to know that it’s worth my money. Right now I’m lusting over the Cables & Aran Stitch by from Harmony. I love stitch dictionaries! That’s why I bought “How to Knit” by Debbie Bliss.

Posted in UK Swap | Comments closed

She actually knits?!

By monnibo | Published: January 31, 2008

You thought this was a knitblog didn’t you? Well to be honest, it never began as one… back in 2001… on a different blog/server/name. But when I started getting back into knitting properly… I think it was mid-2005, and then strongly in late-2006, the blog sort of converted. It was very organic. So I know it’s been a looooong time since I’ve posted anything about knitting, so here is something: I’m working on a gift. {everyone groans and rolls their eyes} But I don’t think the recipient reads the blog, or if she does, she won’t know this is for her. So here is it: Partway done… does it look like a Penguin? Before I put the wings on, it looked like a Snowman. It’s from Jean Greenhowe’s Knitted Animals. If you look at the arms in this photo of the pattern – the Penguin is supposed to have different wings. Now look up at the duck wings on the cover of the Pattern Book, Yep… I used duck arms on Penguin.

Posted in WIP | Comments closed