In Knots

This is a progress picture of the Celtic Knot Stole. It might not look like much but if you knew the number of times I have frogged, redesigned, and re-knitted this over the past week you would understand my joy at being safely on my way - I'll hurry up and finish the pattern repeat so you can see what it is actually going to look like. Besides, my faith in the blocking process has increased dramatically,so I‘m not too worried that it isn‘t looking that great right now. I’m so addicted to seeing the beautiful transformation that sometimes I haunt lace knitters’ blogs waiting for that final photo!

By the way you might notice the un-ironed sheet in the photograph and I am hanging my head (if only slightly) in shame. My Mum is one of these incredible women who even when working full time managed to iron everything (even the tea towels). I will never be able to do this - I find it hard enough to stay on top of the other housework. So tea towels and duvet covers rest easy - I will not iron you.

The Kim Hargreaves’ top (Hawthorn) is coming on well. I’m using it as my on-the-train knitting and I’ve almost finished the back. I’ve also ordered the wool to make a pair of Eunny’s Endpaper mitts. This will be a real challenge for me as I’ve only ever knitted big blocks of colour before. But I’ve been seeing so much amazing colour knitting going on that I couldn’t resist trying some myself.

I'm going to make an effort to post on this blog once a week from now on. I keep letting the days slip by.

"Seize opportunity by the beard, for it is bald behind."

When I was little my parents bought me a set of modelling clay called Fimo. You probably remember the stuff - it came in bright coloured little blocks and cost so much that it seemed very precious to an 8 year old. Anyway, I would dream about all the stuff I wanted to make with this clay but I was so worried about wasting it that I would only ever use tiny amounts to make miniscule things. Eventually one day I decided to risk it all and make something incredible but when I came to unwrap the clay I found that it had gone hard and crumbly and difficult to use. That is what my New Year’s resolution is going to be this year - I don’t want to be nibbling at the edges of life only to find when I come to take a big bite it has all gone stale. This year I am going to grab my opportunities by their beards like the title of my post (a Bulgarian Proverb - don‘t you love it?) suggests.

I did make a huge list of resolutions to post but then I realised that really they all boiled down to this - having the confidence to do the things I want to do.

Knitting content? Please take a look at my finished Jaywalkers! Plus my resolution applies to my knitting too. Less procrastination: more knitting.


Pattern: Magknits - Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Hip Knits Cashmere sock yarn (sorry I don’t know what the colourway is called but it is pinks, rosy reds, and greys. This yarn is lovely and soft but feels very strong and hardwearing. The only downside is it is a little bit 'splity' but not enough to make it unpleasant to knit with - I'd definitely use it again.
Needles: Long story but started on my Monkey Sticks and then moved on to Blue Sky needles both 2.25mm DPNs.


I’ve also started a reading blog to record all the books I read in 2007. Just because I thought it would be fun. I’m not going to post there as often as on my main blog but I wanted a way of remembering what I had enjoyed this year.

The Knitting days of Christmas

What a Christmas! Monkey and I have finally returned home after our festive trip round the relatives and I have managed to heave my mince pie-enhanced figure onto the sofa to do a bit of blogging and of course a lot of knitting.

First of all let me show you all the lovely knitterly gifts I received from my generous relatives. I think that the fact that I am totally obsessed with knitting means that pretty much everything I got was wool related! Anyway, you may wish to step back from your keyboard to avoid drool related problems as you read the list below:

For the first gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

A Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the second gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits*,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the third gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the fourth gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

three sets of markers,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the fifth gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

A book of Finishing Techniques,

three sets of markers,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

For the sixth gift of Christmas,

my family gave to me,

A clever needle sizer**,

three sets of markers,

cute blue sky needles,

Two Kim Hargreaves’ kits,

And a Knit Tin full of goodies.

*Buttercup and Fay
**Absolutely adorable you have to check out this link.

I received lots of other lovely non-knitting gifts too. The best of which was a slow cooker (Crock Pot)! If anyone has any good recipes please let me know.

Over Christmas I knitted a Jaywalker, as pictured in true Christmas style above (this has to be the most popular sock pattern ever doesn‘t it? I think I am the last person in blogland to knit one). Notice the “a”- I’ve only knitted one so far but I’m part way through the second and I’ll post some better photos of them when I have a pair. I have to admit I’m not a big sock knitter but I’ve really enjoyed knitting these and I love the Hip Knits variegated cashmere I’m using. It is so soft and it is interesting waiting to see what the colours will do on the different parts of the socks. So maybe I won’t leave it so long before I knit a pair of socks next time. Although finishing something and then having to knit the exact same thing all over again is a bit annoying. Maybe I’ll just knit odd socks from now on…

Anyway I’m going to go and ponder on my new year’s resolutions.

FO: Cobweb

Pattern: Cobweb from Rowan 40

Yarn: Rowan Kid Silk Haze (shade Hurricane)

Needles: 3.75mm my trusty Denise interchangeables. (How does anyone knit without them?)

I finished Cobweb! I actually finished on Sunday but I’ve had to wait until I finished work to get some daylight photographs. I’m pleased with it, although I wish I had an outfit to put on the dummy that would go with it but I couldn't find one - let's hope my brother's girlfriend can!

I didn’t crochet the flowers that are supposed to go down the neckline as I though in this colour it might look a bit much - what do you think I've still got time if you think it would look better?


I also sewed the front edges together so that it is pulled on over the head rather than fastened as a cardigan. I think that I like this, but I did it mainly as I couldn’t find the perfect button.

Anyway, now that I have finished Cobweb I’ve been finding it hard to decide on what to knit next. I’ve finally started my Kim Hargreaves’ kit, which my Mum gave me last Christmas. It is Hawthorn in the Cocoa colour way.

I’ve also cast on for some lace. I didn’t enter the Snow White competition as in the end I was too busy to get things sorted. I was silly leaving it so late but I’ll knit up the pattern anyway. Maybe I’ll enter the January competition…

Also I’ve been doing a fair bit of stash enhancement. Aren’t all these yarns gorgeous? What I love about buying lace weight yarns is that you only need a couple of balls to knit an entire shawl.

Jaggerspun Zephyr in Basil and Ruby
Posh yarns Arabella in a stunning colour called Swoon
Merino Lace weight from Heirloom lace . I also bought some blocking wires from them which I can’t wait to try out. The people who run the site are lovely by the way.

I had an embarrassing incident when I went to the last I Knit London night. It is a long story but my Mum phoned the bar to check I’d got there safely and got the waitress to come over to the group to check. There was me trying to look sophisticated with my gin and tonic and addi turbos flashing away and in seconds I felt like a school girl who has stayed out too late! Everyone laughed at me! Not only that but she used my maiden name which got me very confused and enabled me, unfortunately, to draw even more attention to the incident by debating whether the message was actually meant for me. At least everyone in the group will remember my name from now on…

That’s all my knitting news for now. I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas!


photos

Slow progress

I’m being so slow with Cobweb, not sure why. But I’m determined to get a move on and finish so that I can’t get on with something else. Just one sleeve left to go. I am going to do a few quick little knits and definitely some lace as soon as I’m done. I have a design for some lace that I’m thinking of entering in the Purlescence competition but I’m not sure whether to or not yet.
Last week was so much better than the week before, especially going to the ELDS and meeting Gosia. Even Monkey enjoyed the show and we bought a glass penguin Christmas tree decoration from one of the stalls.

I love Christmas trees, but they have to be real ones (sorry for the non-sustainable approach but we do shred it afterwards!) and they have to be decorated in a higgedly piggedly style. I like collections of decorations that people have built up over the years and which have memories behind them. Here is a picture of our tree (I know it is early but I’d have one in June if I could). The new penguin is on the left.

Here is a meme that I saw here and here and couldn‘t resist. One word answers, no explanation.
Yourself: dreamer
Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): Monkey
Your hair: chocolate
Your mother: kind
Your father: mischievous
Your favourite Item: Bear
Your dream last night: Searching
Your favourite drink: Grasshopper
Your dream car: train
The room you are in: lounge
Your ex: forgotten
Your fear: loss
What you want to be in 10 years? mother
Who you hung out with last night? Monkey
What you're not: tidy
Muffins: English
One of your wish list items: this
Time: variable
The last thing you did: knit
What you are wearing: smile
Your favourite weather: calm
Your favourite book: Beneficence
The last thing you ate: sandwich
Your life: contented
Your mood: peaceful
Your best friend: two
What are you thinking about right now? fire
Your car: feet
What are you doing at this moment: waiting
Your summer: anticipated
Your relationship status: loved
What is on your TV? aerial
What is the weather like? wild
When is the last time you laughed? morning
Who do you tag? anyone