The book would be so much better if it included swatch measurements after felting. This is exactly why I'm reluctant to knit this hat, even though I needs it (but with a Saltire instead). My full rant is in the reviews section.

So much for 'Punk' knitting - exact yarn only - no substitutes if you want a good first time result. 

If I'd realised that most of the patterns were felted, I wouldn't have bothered, what with it being an American book and me being in the UK. Substitution would only be viable if the book gave before and after felting swatch measurements. The instructions to just fling the item in the washing machine and see what happens, with the proviso at the very back the best way to ensure the same results is to use the exact yarn, isn't very helpful in a book which is being sold across the Atlantic.

How disappointing it would be to knit the intarsia Union Flat hat, put it through the washer and then the thing is the wrong size. 

A special friend has asked me to knit something from the book for her. It took me trawling through over fifteen websites before I found one with the right colours, who shipped to the UK, and had a sensible attitude towards shipping costs, e.g. not just give us your credit card details and we'll charge you later, or massively overcharge and then refund later.

So - pretty pictures. Yup. I'm reserving final judgement until I have an FO.

I paid 99p for a single black pen, but that was an introductory price and I can't remember how much it was going to be full price. The packs started at around £4.99.

After cherade9's post, I looked round the Staples website. They have the mini pen packs in other colours. A trip to Staples may be in my future.

http://tinyurl.com/3bxk53

I couldn't see any on the WH Smiths website. But there is a Sharpie UK website http://sharpiebuddy.co.uk/sharpiebuddy.html

So - these much sought after items are now available in the UK.

Has anyone else seen the ad? I thought it was kinda amusing.

I've seen Sharpies in WH Smiths, just in blue, black & red though. Have you seen them anywhere else?

Enquiring minds need to know   

Oooh, I like these patterns.

I so want a shrunken head bag!! 

The bowling bag sounds cool, but there isn't a picture yet.

My bf goes off to kill things on his Playstation, then apologises for abandoning me - quality crafting time!

When he wants to pounce for kisses etc, he does a countdown while 'stalking' across this room. This gives me time to either scream "No, busy, complicated!" or make safe whatever I'm working on. But when I play the busy card, I have to pounce him when I've finished that bit.  It's one of those Unspoken Rules.

I found that tickling him while he was doing mid-fight or such like on the PS was an effective training mechanism. 

That is brilliant. What a thoughtful friend you are  When you make more, please share pics with us.

I learnt to knit when I was about three. I knitted random squares which I sewed up to make skirts for my dolls. The first thing I made from a pattern was a pair of trousers for my Action Man, and they're still in my doll box in my parents' house some 25+ years later.

You can see my knitting change radically between one leg and next. On the first leg I crossed all the knit stitches, and on the second leg I didn't.

I was given a choice between knitting trousers or a jumper. The jumper looked more difficult so Mum got that job. I was actually ordered to knit something for the doll to wear.

See, I'd saved up to buy the Action Man to be a boyfriend for my Sindy dolls. I got impatient and as soon as I had enough money to buy the cheapest one, I got him. Except, he was a Desert Action Man, and he had boots, a hat, a pair of shorts and a gun. I lost the shorts the same day I brought him home, and for some reason my mum objected to my playing with a Action Man who was nekkid apart from his hat & boots  I think my gran said something about it being disgusting. Hence being ordered to knit him something, and The Choice.

I think I was about nine or ten.

I got this yesterday and it has some great stuff in it. The price is £2.99, has 58 projects in it and is available until 23rd March.





I mucked up the scan a bit, so the second page is reversed  but it's still readable.

Some sellers are already selling individual pages on ebay!

That is a great necklace - it looks so expensive! Well done. I like the button closure thing too. I'm not too hot at beading but I know someone who is, so I'll 'persuade' her to help me