A time for reflection and resolution

2006 was the year I hit a milestone birthday, which officially kicked me over the hill. I celebrated this momentous event in New York with people dear to me. It was a fabulous, fabulous time. Other than this, 2006 was another year of chaos.

2007 is going to be a better year. I don't say this out of desire and resolve, it's simply because there is no way it cannot be. The main reason for the chaos in my life is my home, the story of which is too long and boring to relate here, suffice to say that if you saw how I lived, you'd have me certified.

Renovation has been in the planning for oh so, so long. BUT it is finally here! In three weeks, I move OUT and the builders move IN. The new bathroom and kitchen units are being ordered and ohmygosh, I still can't believe it: by the end of February I will have a home I can live in. Of course, I'm not going to have any money for furniture, but that's ok, it will be renovated, redecorated, with room to move, CLEAN.

The impact this will have on other areas of my life cannot be underestimated; 1) I will be able to cook again, so my eating habits and health should improve, 2) living in a more organised and comfortable manner will reduce unnecessary spending, 3) I will be able to resume my studies.......... even little things like being able to come home from work, and drink a glass of wine on a sofa in front of the telly........... How can 2007 not be any better?

I am so excited about this, and so looking forward to this year, and even though I'll be walking further down the other side of that damn hill, I will be less stressed, much happier about life, rejunevated. I can see a whole different life ahead of me, and it's a good one. I even think I might be able to keep to some of my new year's resolutions, so, inspired by Crazy Aunt Pearl's list, I made one of my own, from which I am going to share one item: as soon as the renovation is complete, I am going to get a cat. While The Orange Cat Who Does Not Live With Me was never one for cuddles or lap sitting, I do miss feline company and I especially missed it at Christmas.

Right, I'm off out to see in the New Year with the I Knit London boys. Happy new year to you all!

All the partying this past fortnight has meant very little knitting, so even if I had time to post, I don't actually have anything to show! But on Friday, I went to the I Knit London shop, for an evening of food and drink and ....... knitting. It was a more sedate affair than other recent social forays, but just as fun, and I managed to work some more on the simple vest and the Oh So Beautiful Socks.

In a taxi on my way home, I realised I had left my laptop and other bags behind, so the next day, I was back and this time, I left the shop with my forgotten things and more besides. Then I drove to Loop, where I again left with more than I had going in. I haven't had a chance yet to take pictures of my swag, so I'll show you after Christmas.

I also managed on Saturday to get all the necessary preparations done, and the fridge is bursting with yummy food, including good wine to take to friends in the evening. No tree this year because of the renovation work, but instead a fabulous bouquet adorns the dining table, and with candles it's all going to look very festive. Can't wait for those lillies to open and give off their heady perfume. All that is left for me to do is, ahem, a little tidying up. Please ignore the background mess in the first photo - I moved the vase to get the best light for the picture. By the way, considering the pictures were taken with my mobile and at night, I think they aren't half bad.

On a final note, back to my lovely day at the yarn shops. In each case, as I was walking to I Knit London and then Loop, there was a ginger cat loitering. The Islington boy was quite amenable to a stroke or two, and also let me take his picture, and so with this feeling of love and goodwill, I wish you all a very joyous and peaceful Christmas.

For some time now, I have been planning to knit two lace shawls, one as a present for a friend and another for me to wear at her wedding in the new year. Now, you may be thinking that I'm trying to run before I can walk, because quite clearly, SIX FEET of Cozy doesn't count, what with it being such a simple pattern and all. Aha, but you see, I have been working on a more intricate lace pattern, albeit smaller project, for my secret pal. Obviously, my lips are sealed, but I can confirm that I have been bitten by the lace bug, and I'm very sore.

Of course, I have been desperate to get my hands on Victorian Lace Today, especially since the emphasis is apparently on rectangular shawls (my preference), I have scoured bookshops, I have made B drive me to other, larger bookshops and scoured those, I have telephoned other bookshops, visited LYSs, all to no avail: there isn't a copy of VLT to be had in London. When I first tried to order the book from Amazon UK, the dispatch time was 10-13 days, now it's 6-8 weeks!

With so many beautiful patterns available, in the end I decided on the Forest Canopy Shawl, backed up by these lovely examples here, here and here. This decision was partly influenced by the yarn I wanted to use, Posh Yarn's Lucia in mulberry, a cashmere/merino 4-ply bought months ago, but which just hasn't made it to a pair of socks yet. It is a little heavy for some of the more intricate shawls, but I thought would be perfect for the FCP.

So, after a couple of false starts experiementing with guage, the first night saw me get as far as the picture above. As you can see, it is a relatively simple knit, but not so simple that you can watch CSI at the same time (my yardstick). In the first picture, I've stretched it out a bit so that you can see the pattern, isn't it pretty?. Sorry, the colours aren't true in either picture, have to rely on my mobile till I get batteries for the camera.

On Wednesday I went to I Knit London at the New Players' Theatre. As always, knitting in convivial surroundings, meeting new people, catching up with the old, and of course, drinking red wine all added up to a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Even though I knew the lighting wasn't going to be the best, I took along the Knitty Cozy I started for myself some time ago. Yep, it's black, and yep, it's lace, but I know the [simple] pattern by heart, so I figured I'd be safe. Fool, fool! At some point, I made a mistake and although I did try to rip back a couple of rows and fix it, the combination of the afore-mentioned lighting, chat and *cough* wine all conspired to make it worse.

I put it away in disgust, and resorted to my on-the-go socks, whereupon the marvellous Stefan insisted on teaching me magic loop. At first I resisted, thinking it would be too complicated for me, but he made me knit a couple of rows of his own sock-in-progress to test it out. It turned out to be surprisingly simple, really SO SIMPLE, and really more logical than magical. So, having converted me, Stefan got me some 2.5mm Addi Turbos and I continued on my own sock. The little Addis are so smooth and pointy, and the little stitches just glide from needle to needle, I just flew through the next inch.

I was so excited to learn something new, but at the same time, I'm torn. I LIKE using DPNs. I dunno, I suppose handling those tiny bamboo sticks makes it feel more like knitting. I remember my first time with DPNs, and how lucky I was not to lose an eye; now, despite only having knit the grand total of three socks, I am completely comfortable working with four needles, and whip them out regularly on bus and tube journeys. (Harrumph, the circular is definitely better for travelling; I magic looped on the tube home that night, and didn't worry once about dropping stitches, dropping needles, snapping needles...).

Tomorrow, I'm going to catch up properly with both my secret pals. Last week, I sent my spoilee a small gift. Annoyingly, it will not arrive in time for Christmas (although it was bought and sent on the promise that it would, hence my irritation). Something else I have bought for her is still in transit to me; this particular item was quite difficult to find, not to mention very precious, so I hope it's just the Christmas season that is causing the delay and it hasn't got lost in the post.

Hopefully Blogger will be behaving itself too, so I can post some pictures!

Ah, mes amis, sorry for the lack of posting. A couple of trips away have meant little time for blogging, and not much more for knitting. I did take some sock knitting with me both times, but frankly my dear, there isn't much to show for it.

But I have made some progress on current projects; the simple vest is growing with the underarms shaped, and the back almost finished. BUT..... although I bought more than the yardage specified, I might run out of yarn, since I'm almost done with the fifth out of six balls. It must be because my row count is slightly under gauge. I'll see how it looks once I've started the front section and got a feel for the size and shape, then it might be a frantic call to Laughing Hens for a match.

I've also been working on some gifts. One is a present for my secret pal, so I can't show you any pictures yet, but I'm really pleased with it so far. The others are for recipients who don't read the blog, but they're in such an embryonic state (the knitting, not the recipients), that it's hardly worth taking a picture.

All in all a pretty dull post. I'll update later in the week, this time with pictures. Hope you're all on target with your gift knitting!

Mwaaah, I wanna play

In my travels through blogland last weekend, I came across these and these gorgeous tea-light holders on Knits and Pieces. This week, Jenna, the creator, added another. Go take a look. I imagine knitting with wire must be pretty hard on the fingers, but the results are so, so pretty and make great presents.

So what was in the pretty Laughing Hens package? Well, lookee here, only six lovely balls of Cashsoft Aran in aubergine.

I am so, so pleased with the shade; it's even nicer than I thought it would be. The yarn is for a simple vest I'm making as a Christmas present for my father. He's not got the best eye when it comes to clothes, and I wanted a colour that had a bit of life, but would work well with mostly everything. Neither does he look after his clothes particularly carefully, so of course the yarn had to be practical, but still nice to wear. What better than a machine-washable merino/cashmere mix? Ok, so the cashmere is the smallest element, but IT'S STILL THERE.

I was so impatient to cast on, but I swatched first using 5.5mm Addi circulars (heh, I swatched, you have NO idea how funny that sounds). I obviously chose well, because my stitch count was fine for the pattern's requirements, although row count a little under. (I'll never understand why that should be.)

There have been a lot of comments about the durability of this yarn, like this one in the Knitters Review, but so far I am really feeling the love. It is so soft and buttery to knit with, just feels heavenly to the touch. The swatch looks very neat, although if I weren't knitting to the pattern's gauge, I would probably drop a needle size, especially for a rib pattern.

After swatching, I cast on and knit this pretty quickly. It probably looks like ribbing all the way, but in fact that's 1.75 inches of K1 P1 rib and the same amount in a beaded rib. Easy telly knitting. The vest is designed to be knit in the round, and from what I can make out, there are no seams to sew, and while this simplicity of construction is perfect for a gift for my father, this is my first time knitting in the round other than socks, and I'm finding it quite hard to get a feel for the size of piece without having to take half the stitches off the needle. On the plus side, whenever I look at my work and ask myself how can I only have just knitted an inch, I remember that I've knitted an inch of the back AND front, yay.

Interestingly, the beaded rib produces a completely different and useable pattern on the other side. I actually prefer this reverse side and remember a cotton summer vest I made for myself using this very pattern over 20 years ago. Think it's a bit too fussy for my D though, so will keep the rib the "right" side.

After the alcoholic excesses of this week, it's been a happily quiet weekend spent watching telly, knitting and catching up on blogs and emails. I can't believe it's Sunday evening already and back to work tomorrow.

Knitting hiatus

Having worked on Cozy for so long, I've been at a bit of a loss for another big project for sitting in front of the telly. It isn't that that I don't have other projects on the needles or in the queue, but for one reason or another, none of them has appealed recently. I did start on a gift for my SP, but wasn't completely happy with the first two inches, so ripped it. Obviously, I can't go into any more detail here, since it's supposed to be a surprise!

Luckily, my on-the-go sock-knitting keeps me sane. Besides KIPing on the bus and in the pub a couple of times, I've stood in a taxi queue for half-an-hour twice this week, and each time, the absurdly slow wait was made bearable only by Shepherd Sock and DPNs.

On Wednesday I went to another great I Knit London knitting group meet, which you can read about on IKL's blog. I hadn't seen Gerard since Ally Pally, so it was nice to catch up with him and Craig. Which also entailed drinking far, far too much wine that night.

I received two packages this week. First, the blocking wires for Cozy. BTW, marvellous service from Heirloom Knitting; the wires were ordered on Friday and delivered on Tuesday, with email updates throughout.

Then, on Thursday, another prettily wrapped package from Laughing Hens, the contents of which I'll show you tomorrow.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done

Cozy is finished! Yeah, baby.

Just cast off. I will take pictures of the blocking process; yesterday, I ordered some blocking wires from heirloom knitting, but I'm not sure when they're going to arrive. Until then Cozy is sitting folded by my side, measuring 67.5 inches long and 15 inches wide. I'm just so pleased to be done with the knitting, so I can concentrate on other projects, what with Christmas and a couple of other knitworthy events coming up.

Not much other knitting to report this week. For a portable project, I cast on My Oh So Beautiful Socks again, this time with 72 stitches, but with such little progress, it's hardly worth noting here.

In blogging news, sometime during the week, I lost half my blog template. Don't know how or when, or indeed why, but I hope I've sorted it now.

With no knitting or yarny pictures, I'll leave you with a gratuitous picture of The Orange Cat Who Does Not Live With Me.

I'm on the home stretch. Cozy measures 48 inches, and I've just started the fourth skein of malabrigo. Trouble is, I'm getting more and more worried about the width; it's currently 17 inches stretched, but merino has so much memory, it keeps bouncing back to 15 inches. I am not convinced blocking is going to give me the additional five or so inches that I want. This is a present for someone, so ripping it is not an option. I thought about creating same-patterned panels to run either side, but even if the seaming was invisible, they would completely ruin the drape of the shawl, so I'll just have to add a border and hope block for the best. If anyone has any ideas or tips for blocking worsted merino, please, please let me know.

Time for a quick update, to show that in between weekends buying yarn, I do actually knit stuff.

First up, My Oh So Beautiful Socks in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. Several weeks ago, I turned the heel on the first sock, and it became painfully clear that the tent stitch (which shows off the different colours so prettily) combined with tight tension meant too small a sock. Hell, I couldn't even pull the cuff over my heel. I briefly toyed with the idea of carrying on and making the socks for a friend with much smaller feet, but no, the selfish gene is too strong. I just love this yarn and I love this pattern..... so it's been sitting in a bag out of sight these past few weeks, until I can bring myself to rip it out.

In the meantime, I have wound another skein of LLSS to start again and cast on. Since I actually like my very tight gauge for socks, I shall keep using the same needles, but this time increase the number of stitches in the round. Here's a close-up of the pattern.

Now I know that a strong flash and a crumpled sheet does not a good photo make, but I wanted to show you progress on my main project, approx 33 inches of Cozy using two skeins of malabrigo pure merino.

I'm utterly delighted with the shawl so far, although it's much narrower than I'd like (you can see the end nearer the camera is wider from my constant stretching). I'm hoping that aggressive blocking will sort that problem. I'm much quicker with the repeats now, but I don't have much time for knitting at the moment *sigh*, so progress is not as quick as it could be, but I make sure I knit at least one repeat every evening during the week and catch up at the weekend.

According to the pattern, this is the half-way stage, so, having run out of malabrigo, I went back to Stash Yarns on Saturday to buy another two skeins. Stash really is a fabulous shop, and into the bag with the malabrigo fell a ball of Louisa Harding's Grace in plum and a skein of alpaca silk plus assorted circular and bamboo needles. The photo below doesn't really show the colour of the alpaca (below right) at all well (believe me, the flash version is even worse), but it's a deep plum colour. Simply gorgeous.

Remember my plans for a Cozy for me? Well, I cast on the Jaeger extra fine merino aran on straight needles, allowing for the different gauge by adding two more repeats across the needles. Since the wool is black, my intention was always to have this as a portable project, particularly suited to long car journeys in daylight, Saturday afternoons at I Knit London and the like; I even took it to Ally Pally (all that sunlight in the Knit and Relax and Knitterati Glitterati areas would have been ideal, but in truth it never even left the car). Several weeks since casting on, I have barely finished the first repeat. It's not just that on-the-go-daylight-knitting opportunities have not been there, I'm not really sure the gauge is right. The fabric (all two inches of it) is stiff and tight. It could be that I need to knit a few more repeats for it all to fall into wonderfully soft drape-y place, but even B has noticed that I am simply not feeling the love (heh, B's appreciation of knitting is a concilliatory measure to appease me if I'm feeling irritable).

Me: Did you [find the phone charger/call the builders/pay the bill]?
B: Er, no. What [phone charger/builders/bill]?
Me: The [phone charger for the mobile, with the dead battery/builders supposed to be renovating the flat/bill that has "reminders" in red all over it] that I asked you to deal with a hundred times already.
B: Er, no
Me: I told you etc etc..... very important etc etc..... you never listen to me etc etc..... how many time do I have to tell you etc etc..... why do I bother etc etc.....?

Pause

B: Darling, have you bought any yarn this weekend?
Me: Ooooh yes, I went to [Stash/Loop/IKL] and I bought some [Debbie Bliss/Jaeger/malabrigo/Cherry Tree Hill] and..... and...... and...... [more excited chatter]
B: Because the black one isn't working out.
Me: EXACTLY, you're so clever, you're such a wonderful man for listening to me and taking an interest in my crafty pursuits etc etc....... I'm so lucky etc etc .......
B: *sigh of relief*

Last Saturday was a day of irritation and stress, interspersed with short bursts of knitty goodness. Knitflicks at the Ritzy was showing The Devil Wears Prada, and since my trips south of the river are not as frequent as they used to be, I decided to combine a visit to Stash Yarns to pick up some more malabrigo pure merino for Cozy (progress report to follow in next post).

After a tortuous drive, due to 1) a dreadful standstill at the Wandsworth one-way-system and 2) road works in Putney, I was not in the best of moods when I finally arrived at the shop, but my mood lifted as soon as I stepped through the door. Luckily, I had phoned ahead to make sure the malabrigo was there, so there was no disappointment on that front, and a little chat with Michelle, the shop's owner, and a look at the new (and older) yarns made for a very pleasant and calming 45 minutes. Pictures of purchases to follow.

Unfortunately, there was no way I could avoid the road works traffic and it took me just under an hour to get to Brixton. The programme had already started, and the box office closed when I arrived at the cinema. I know I was in an irritable mood and probably over-sensitive to the minutes ticking by, but you know Mr Cinema Manager, in order for the public to see films, they have to buy tickets, and get this for a novel idea, for them to buy tickets, the ticket office has to be OPEN, dammit. Whilst I screamed silently, other people waiting were more vocal and eventually the duty manager opened up the office.

Miraculously, the film had not yet started, hoorah. I chose a seat and sat down, then a minute later, moved again, and again a third time. The screen for the showing was small, with dreadfully uncomfortable (through age and much use) and dirty, ripped seats. It was certainly not conducive to knitting. Worse still, it was half-term, and in the front row were three pre-teens, who walked and talked throughout the film.

All in all, the experience was nothing like the usual at the Ritzy. As for the film, it wasn't the satirical look at the fashion industry I'd been expecting, but thoroughly entertaining nonetheless. I loved every minute of it, and the clothes, ohmigod, the clothes...........

After the film, I braved more bad traffic to get to I Knit London. I wanted to see the Cherry Tree Hill supersock they had recently got in store, buy a few things for my secret pal and then relax in the shop and perhaps sew a few blue squares together. In the end I only bought a set of dpns and the first issue of Yarn Forward. I'd forgotten that Gerard and Craig were in Bracknell for the Unravel festival, but got to meet Stefan instead, who was just as helpful and charming as the boys, if in somewhat odd attire. While I was there, a lady came in to learn how to knit for the baby she was expecting, how cool is it that she felt that she could walk in and ask to learn? When I left the shop, she had needles and yarn in her hand and was looking very happy.

So I headed back north of the river. In total I’d driven about four hours but very few miles. Before going home and closing the door on the world, I stopped at my local, where over an excellent Thai red curry and a large glass of pinot grigio, I finally relaxed and read Yarn Forward. It's had rave reviews from bloggers so far, so I'll reserve my thoughts for another post.

Thanks to a little judicious shopping yesterday, my camera is again talking to my pc. Having uploaded the photos, I was really tempted to edit previous posts and replace all the bad pictures taken by my mobile, but I have decided just to focus on future posts.

However, it does mean that I can update on something long overdue, namely Sock Wars. These are the marvellous socks knit in Koigu that killed me. How lucky am I? Sent also by my assassin were lip balm, chocolate (um, already eaten) and raspberry and pomegranate tea, but even without these wonderful goodies, I am so absolutely delighted with the socks. Thank you Geeyouknit for a fabulous package.

This is the sock and remaining yarn (and small thank you present) that I sent back to my assassin. As posted previously, I could have started (and perhaps finished) the second sock, but t'was not to be. Unfortunately, Geeyouknit has also been killed, so I'm not entirely sure where the socks are at this moment, but hopefully they are on their way to Spooky Knitter. Sock Wars was a lot of fun (and these pictures are soooomuch better than my mobile's).



Specs:
Debbie Bliss merino DK, 100% merino wool in burnt orange.

I went to Ally Pally this week for the Knitting and Stitching Show. It was my first time and it didn't disappoint, it was eff-ay-bee.

I loved being able to look and touch beautiful yarn that I have been drooling over on the internet. It was particularly exciting that Cheryl Potter from Cherry Tree Hill was there, and I came away with a skein of Supersock and a pattern for a vest that I am going to make for my father.

I went with Gerard and we focused on the yarn stalls. We both thought the new Sirdar range, Sublime, looked like Rooster, yarn, brochure, image. Talking of Rooster, did anyone see the fabulous knitted sofa cover? Now, that would look very nice in my study.

I would have loved to look at all the other non-knitting stalls, but I'm glad I didn't. I would have ended up buying things and starting new projects, and right now life is simply too chaotic to allow for any other crafts.

It was great to see Gerard being recognised so much - hopefully, I will be seeing him and Craig behind their own I Knit London stall next year! In fact, one of the best things about the day was meeting other knitters, bloggers or LYS owners, although one person was heard to say that their shop was too high-end for Ally Pally. Oh, we laughed about that over a glass of wine in the pub afterwards. Miaow.

Comments, what comments?

I have just found unpublished comments left this week by my Secret Pal and by my Sock Wars assassin over two weeks ago! It turns out comment moderation was activated, but the email address for notifying me was one I used when I started blogging way back in 2001. I hardly ever look at this particular email address, as it's now just a repository for email from strangers who generously want to share their massive wealth with me, if only I would just give them my bank details, or those good, good people, who, naturally concerned for my health and wellbeing, keep me up-to-date with the latest pharmaceutical offerings at very fair prices.

Back to the point: I have updated the email address for notification, and removed comment moderation altogether. Many apologies for seeming to ignore you guys, honestly I had no idea, and I do appreciate you dropping me a line.

Hello Secret Pal

Secret Pal 9 has begun. Well, actually, it doesn't start until the 15th, but the questionnaire has been posted, and we have been matched. I've already visited my spoilee's blog, and am really looking forward to spoiling her. So, for my secret pal (hello wherever you are!) and anyone else interested, here are my answers to the questionnaire.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I have mostly knit with DK wool, sometimes cotton. This year, I've started to use different textures and weights, and am pretty much open to anything at the moment. With all the lovely choice of natural fibres available, I can't see the point of acrylic on its own, although undoubtedly there are practical benefits, I mean who actually enjoys handwashing?

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Um, nothing. They are usually poking out of my basket, alternatively I find them under the sofa, under the bed, in the bed. Some of the roll-up holders are so pretty, but all the straight needles I use are 35cm long, which tends to limit the choice. One day I'll make one. I have a set of pretty coloured Boyes interchangeable circulars which came in a practical, but oh-so-ugly (olive-beige, plastic cover, nasty) zipped pouch. Any rogue Addis get stuffed in there too.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
My mother taught me about 30 years ago, and I've been knitting ever since, but there is always stuff to learn, for example, I knit my first socks this year.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, but it needs updating.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
Fresh, lemon-y smells rather than sweet, musky ones (although they are nice too!). I am not keen on vanilla. I love seaweed or watermelon scents.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Although I DO like chocolate, crisps are more my thing. I prefer salty or sour things (margarita, anyone?).

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
Crochet, sewing, tapestry, card-making, albeit I haven't done any of that for years. I cannot spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
In my dreams, I am on a dark stage in a smoky club, singing my broken heart out à la Judy. When I'm not a diva, I listen to a wide range of music, from Sinatra to the Sugababes, Crowded House to the Cure. I was a teenager in the 80s, so own a lot of punk and goth music (love those jangly guitars). My current favourite band is the Killers.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I've always loved purples and pinks (dusky tones though - bright pink is a big no-no). Currently, I am strangely drawn to burnt orange and all greens (really, my younger Goth self would be horrified). Not keen on brown on its own, but love it mixed with, say russets and gold, autumnal colours. The colour blue is very evocative (the sky, the sea), but I have no blue in my home and very little in my wardrobe (jeans). Looks great on men though.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live alone. I have an orange cat, but last year he moved to live in a house with a garden. He doesn't call or write.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Hats don't look so great on me, or rather, the hats looks great, I on the other hand look utterly ridiculous.
Scarves - love 'em. What's not to like? Quick to knit, makes a great present, transforms a so-so outfit to a great one. Love scarves.
Mittens - sorry, knitted gloves are not for me.
Ponchos - pass; not entirely sure what this means. I love shawls, but ponchos? I think I had one as a child.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Jumpers/sweaters, although I'm really enjoying shawl knitting at the moment.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Socks, scarf, two shawls, jumper, cardigan

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Handmade or bought, all gifts are treasured.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
35cm straight, only because that's what I am used to, and I think they have all been aluminium. Am still a bit of a circulars newbie, and only on flat pieces so far. DPNs tend to be 5 inch bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No. I wind yarn using other someone else's arms or various inanimate objects.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Six months. A fabulous jumper with bell sleeves, using a gorgeous purple Jaeger DK. All knitting done, just can't bring myself to sew the pieces together (because then I can no longer pretend that it's gonna fit).

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas and new year, and so many others.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Stationery. Candles. Green glass. Bills. Clutter.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I subscribe to Interweave, although I haven't received a magazine yet, that's my only subscription. I buy the UK's Simply Knitting off the shelf sporadically. There are loads of things I would love to get my hands on, too numerous to list here. Most of the overseas yarn that I covet, I try to find online, but I suppose what immediately springs to mind as hard to get are the KnitPicks products, especially the needles and KIPer bags, because KP do not ship outside North America. Bad KP, bad!

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Loads! Finishing techniques, magic loop, toe-up socks.....

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Socks are a great portable project, and sock yarn is luscious. My feet are a UK 5.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

ETA: this post has been sitting in my drafts folder for a few days now; bizarrely, I want to answer each question with my life story. Sorry for rambling, I'm not so good on short answers.

Gee, I don't feel so well

As soon as I had her email address, I googled and checked out my assassin's blog, but as there was no mention of SockWars, I figured she was one of those who hadn't been keeping up with events and was in the dark about her target. I relaxed. I stopped knitting my socks.

Fool, fool! For, as I write, my assassin's socks are winging their way over the Atlantic to me. Upon receipt, I shall die and must send her my own weapons (currently consisting of 3/4 of a sock) and target's details.

I always thought I would go out in the first round, but I might have had a fighting chance of getting further if I hadn't been so complacent. Never mind, it's been great fun, and I can help my assassin by knitting as much of the sock until the package actually arrives. Elizabeth, I'm really looking forward to receiving your socks, even if they are full of all of your sad.

Another week of knitting goodness. Monday I went to John Lewis, where I changed my mind about the DK for SockWars and bought this ball of Cashsoft. I've been wanting to try this for some time, and thought socks would be a great small project to try it out, plus add a little special softy goodness to the gift. I swatched on Friday, was relatively happy with the result, went back to JL on Saturday to buy another ball........ to find that there wasn't a single ball left of the same colour, let alone dye-lot.

So I bought two balls of DB merino DK in a deep orange. So far, it's been lovely to use, but I'm not convinced that it's a good yarn for socks (especially those with a stretchy rib pattern - unless they were only ever to be used slouching on a sofa in front of a fire).

The SockWars pattern is simple and suits DK - (with a more robust yarn, these would make great socks for men) and I knit the leg, turned the heel and picked up the instep very quickly. Quite a few of the warriors had finished their socks in a couple of days, although with no homes to go to..............

..............due to power outages and resulting IT problems, the onset of war was delayed, dossiers still have not been sent out resulting in much confusion and some resentment. This is a great shame, because by all accounts, the Yarn Monkey has organised this war on her own, while looking after her family and keeping down a job. If I had been affected by a hurricane, I'm not sure that emailing 700+ knitters their dossiers would be very high on my priority list, and the fact that she has obviously had to overcome huge obstacles to provide us with enough information to make a start is nothing short of amazing. I wish the kill-joys would remember this is supposed to be fun.

In other knitty news, I went to two knitting groups this week; on Tuesday I went to Angelknits, the first time in months. I do like the Rose Inn, but that evening the lighting was dreadful. Still, it was nice to catch up with people. On Wednesday the Phoenix hosted another excellent evening at the I Knit London club, which you can read about here.

Cozy is progressing slowly. I had a slight setback, when I had to rip out a few rows to correct an error, and as I've said before, frogging this yarn in this pattern is not fun. But I love the pattern so much, I really want to make a shawl for myself, so I bought some Jaeger extra fine merino aran in black.

After John Lewis, I paid my first visit to Loop. Just like Stash Yarns, the shop is much smaller than appears on the website, but Oh. My. God. What gorgeous, gorgeous yarn. I particularly fell in love with the Be Sweet yarns [tagline: creative products with a conscience]. As soon as I have finished both Cozies, I'm going to buy me some of this dang good stuff and knit me a piece of heaven.

Anyway, obviously I couldn't leave Loop without buying something; a couple of sets of bamboo dpns, my first Addis, and this, one skein of Debbie Bliss pure silk. I'm going to see how far it goes into making a scarf - using the Cozy pattern OF COURSE.

Right, that's me done for tonight. Must stop buying yarn and concentrate on some actual knitting this week. Hopefully, I'll have some pictures of some FOs soon.

Last night I wound one of the malabrigo skeins into a ball, and cast on Cozy (twice in fact, having realised after four rows, that I was five stitches short, gah), and in very little time I was completely miserable. This afternoon, I picked it up again, telling myself that after another row, it would all fall into place, but coming to the end of the first repeat, all I had was an ugly mess.

It was clear that the yarn-overs weren’t creating the required holes. So, I logged onto Knittinghelp, and with the help of one of those nifty little videos, realised that I was creating a purl yarn-over rather than a knit one. So, I ripped back to the rib and started again.

And immediately saw the difference. I've now completed three repeats, and absolutely LOVE THE PATTERN. Pictures to follow soon.

I don't usually work with this yarn weight. It's a worsted yarn, but is heavier than aran. Unpicking stitches has sometimes been a little sticky, but otherwise, it's very easy to knit with.
The Boyes have been such a great investment. I love the fact that I can delve in for any needle size. I was a little worried about using circulars again, my KSH experience still not forgotten, and to be honest, a bit confused how you use circulars on a flat piece. Nevertheless, the logical way turned out to be correct, and I quickly got used to them. Due to my tight tension, I do sometimes have a bit of trouble moving stitches from the cable to the needle, but I love the way I can stretch out the piece for a good inspection, and the fact that I can toss the work aside without anything falling off the needles!

Another week, and more yarn purchases, but not for new projects. Earlier in the week, I received Lucia sock yarn from Posh Yarns, one skein each in Mulberry and Scuffle. The Scuffle was initially intended for my Sock Wars assassination target, but since yarn specifications were announced, they are both now headed for stash. Must. Not. Touch. Till. Two. WIPs. Are. Completed.

Today, I bought a ball each of Rooster's DK in grape and DB Baby Cashmerino in red. One of these will be my actual DK for the Sock Wars. I also bought 3.0mm, 3.5mm and 4.0mm DPNs, and, with six days till war, now I just need to find the time to swatch.

Progress on My Oh So Beautiful Sock continues slowly. I took it to my first Knitflicks visit today to see Black Dahlia. I really did enjoy knitting at the cinema very much, although the film's story required one to concentrate all the time, as does picking up the instep stitches. Needless to say, I lost the plot several times, and was looking forward to talking about it with the other knitters in the café afterwards.

Only there was no café afterwards. I was a bit sad about this, as I'd really wanted to thank Claire for organising it, but there were no knitters in the bar, so after a wander round the crafts on display in the foyer, I took myself off down the road to I Knit London, where Gerard informed me that the café at the Ritzy was upstairs. [I really could kick myself, as I have actually eaten there before].

Anyway, I had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon at IKL. I bought the Rooster and DB, Gerard made me cups of tea, and I spent a couple of hours knitting and chatting.

I have long been wanting to knit my first shawl, and after weeks of surfing research, finally decided on Cozy (how cool does that chick look pairing it with jeans?). Having found the perfect pattern, I then spent a lot of time looking for the right yarn; given that this will be my first attempt at shawl knitting, requires a lot of yarn, must (if successful) match both casual and work wardrobes, I have looked at and considered a mind-boggling number of different fibres, textures and weights.

Then this week, I decided to knit the shawl for someone else. This made the correct yarn choice even more important, and so I took myself off to Stash and came away with two skeins of malabrigo pure merino wool in pagoda. It's a bit thicker than I would have liked, but the colour is just so gorgeous, a deep autumnal russet (not as pink as these pictures. Just hope the shawl's intended recipient loves it as much as I do.

I've never really had a stash, although my knitting basket has always contained balls of leftover yarn or one-offs bought for swatches. And because I've always concentrated on one project at a time, I have never accumulated yarn that doesn't get knitted into something straight away.

But recently, I can't stop starting new projects, and my current squeeze has been left in the cold while I flirt with these:

Stitchdiva's curlicue ruffle scarf.
After gushing over the pattern and yarn [in my last post], I cast on and knit a couple of rows. I have never used circular needles or knit with KSH, and I started the project in poor light, using only a side lamp. Suffice to say, I didn't enjoy the experience at all, and my initial enthusiasm quickly died. I still love the scarf and will definitely persevere (you gotta learn somehow, right?); I'm hoping that once I master KSH, a few presents could come out of this, but for now, this is on the back-burner.

My Oh So Beautiful Socks
A project of love. It started one warm evening after dinner at Chez Med, finishing a bottle of red in their covered outside area, when B held out his arms for me to wind Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn into a ball. I started the leg during shopping breaks last weekend, and took it to IKL's launch party. This is my travelling project, I knit it when B is driving, in the pub, standing in queues.

I love this yarn, it's so soft and so pretty, definitely my favourite sock yarn (haha, total experience to date = TWO). The pattern is simple to follow, and I think some presents could follow from this too.

Sock Wars
The arsenal (yarn and needles) has taken everyone by surprise: double knit and 3.5mm or size for gauge. Double knit? I confess I'm a bit disappointed by this because a) I had ordered a skein of cashmere/merino yarn from Posh Yarns and had been looking forward to knitting this for someone; and b) socks will be finished more quickly, and although I fully expect to be out of the war in the first round, my actual knitting and involvement appears to be even less than I first thought. Oh well, it's still a fabulously fun idea, and I'm excited to be part of it.

Cozy
My first attempt at shawl knitting, more yarn shopping yesterday, details to follow in next post.

Finally, back to my older WIPs. Remember DB's ribbon-edged cardigan [from now on to be called Ribbon]. As I've mentioned countless times before, I knit very tightly, but even with larger needles, I cannot get guage. A couple of weeks ago, I just felt that what I had knitted so far, was too small. So I frogged it. The resulting ball looked very sad.

I swatched again, but in the end decided to start again using the same needles as before, but trying to relax my tension. A few inches in, I am pretty happy with the result, it's just that I have so many other projects on the go, that I haven't got very far.

As for Marlowe, I still haven't done the neck edging. So near to completion, this is in danger of becoming a UFO.

I have six projects on the needles, and Christmas presents waiting in line. I know for some this is a pathetic number that they deal with on a daily basis. It is, however, too many for ME. So, I've decided not to buy any more yarn or start any new knits until two WIPs are finished. Hah!

Edited to add: um, I've just signed up for Secret Pal 9. I've been planning to for a while, and it involves more buying than actual knitting, so it doesn't count, right?

I am so sorry for the quality of the pictures in this post, but I'm still reliant on my mobile and I simply cannot wait for my camera to behave.

So, first up, on Friday evening I was in an area in South Oxfordshire I know very well, and somehow on my way home absent-mindedly missed my turning to London and got lost, and in my resulting attempt to find my way back to the M40, drove even further westwards (helloooooo?) and ended up in Oxford, drove through a red light (not intentionally!) and almost lost it at a crucial roundabout moment. Eventually I got back to London, drove to Ikea (thank heavens for midnight closing), with great will and determination made my way round the store without looking at any of the goodies, and only picked up what I really came for (you know how HARD that was) and like a blinkered horse made my way to the check-out, where with a sinking heart I realised that I had left my plastic in the car. And I was desperate for the loo. Really, it was a miserable evening.

I remember a time when you had to walk the entire Ikea store just to get out again; fortunately, times have changed and so has their attitude. The store at Neasden has recently undergone a massive restructuring (jeez, you can even take your trolley to your car), and I was able to nip out to the car park and back again to the queue in less time it takes to write about it. The staff were absolutely fantastic and I am very grateful to them.

Anyway, this is all irrelevant; I am just setting the picture. I want you to understand how fed up and tense I was when I finally arrived at home late Friday, to find a package at my door, the contents of which were:

I have long been lusting after the KnitPicks needles (and still am), but having followed the discussion on AngelForums, was convinced to try the Boyes and ordered them from Woolly Workshop on Wednesday, and received them on Friday. [Fantastic, top-notch service from Woolly Workshop.]

The next day I went shopping for (clothes, make-up, shoes, and) YARN.

I bought these for Stitchdiva's curlicue ruffle scarf, which I have been wanting to make ever since I first laid eyes on the funky pattern. There are three yarns of different weights and textures used in the scarf, and I agonised for weeks about the choice. Eventually, I bought two balls of KSH, one in Marmalade, one in Majestic (contrary to what the photo suggests). They aren't both destined for the scarf; I really fancy the idea of an orange scarf, but can't decide on the colour for the edging, whereas I know what I'm doing with purple, and as it happens, later that day, at I Knit London's new shop (more on that in a minute), I bought a skein of Araucania Natural Cotton in a dusky pink, which is actually one of the edging yarns used in one of the scarf's kits. I still have a third yarn to choose for the purple version, and still looking at options for the orange.

I'd also been looking to buy the 9mm 80cm circulars required, but in a rare coming together of wants and needs, that particular problem was solved by the Boyes order. So, am set to start the funky scarf.

Finally, a quick word about the newest LYS in London, I Knit London, run by the indefatigable Gerard and Craig. I went (albeit late) to their opening day, to see the shop and marvel at their yarns. I also fondled a skein of sparkly yarn costing £30+, it was beautiful. Please visit them if you are in the area. Gerard and Craig are wonderful people, knowledgeable and charming, and they are working hard to make I Knit London a success.

I am a Daffodil What Flower Are You?

Found courtesy of Daisy.

And there was me thinking all this time, I was a delicate and precious orchid.

FO - first socks

So it eventually occurred to me that a broken dpn did not mean the end of my sock knitting. [I've only been knitting for over thirty years, go figure.] I think it's because I'm such a novice when it comes to socks, and still dependant on rules Thou shalt need five needles for the heel rather than looking at the big picture.

But the knitting fairy waved her magic needle, and in a flash I realised (not without some embarrassment) that with the aid of some holding yarn through the unused stitches, I could work quite happily on the heel flap, then a judicious spread of stitches on three needles (hey, that's how it started, right?) meant I could turn the heel and shape the instep.

I had a lot of time on my hands last week, and I stormed through that second sock, STORMED I tell you, and tonight I finished and grafted the toe. My determination was fuelled by the desire for a FO, so that I could cast on the Lorna's Laces socks without guilt. Also, it was important for me to practice as much sock knitting as possible, to allow me at least a fighting chance in the upcoming Sock Wars.

I really loved making these socks. There is something incredibly satisfying in seeing tangible, practical yet pretty results in such a short time. In truth, there were times when knitting with four needles was awkward and fiddly, and Sock Number Two is not as perfect as its older brother and they could both do with being a little bigger, but this has been a huge learning curve for me and I am pleased as Punch with them (and with myself), and proud to add this skill to my repetoire. So, meine Damen und Herren, I present to you my First Socks.

Yarn: Opal Magic in purple
Needles: Schoeller & Stahl bamboo 2.5mm
Pattern: Simple top down sock pattern from Web of Wool.

Ha ha, I have signed up for Sock Wars, organised by the indefatigable Yarn Monkey. And I haven't even finished First Socks number 2 yet. This will be my first exchange and I'm so looking forward to it, although fully expecting to be out in the first round!

One of the appealing aspects for many participants is the stash-busting opportunity it provides, but the only sock yarn I have in my stash, the lovely LL Shepherd Sock yarn pictured below is destined for me. What it does mean, however, that until the Sock Wars pattern is revealed, I can buy more yarn in readiness. Oh my, the hardship.

As one of my bamboo dpns is broken, I've ordered another set of five, this time in aluminium. First Socks was the first time I had knitted with non-aluminium needles, and although I have no complaints and will continue to use them, bamboo needles are not the most robust tools (another one has bent slightly), and it doesn't hurt to have a sturdier pair to hand (literally). I really like the look of the Knit Picks nickel-plated needles, but they don't ship outside North America. What a shame, they look so pointy and so stylish.

Pictures at last

The pc and camera still haven't resolved their differences, so these are pictures using my phone of the Lorna's Laces Shephed Sock yarn.
The colourway is the Purple Club, but unfortunately the colours don't show so well in these photos. It isn't as blue in reality, and the purples are actually quite vibrant, but I am desperate to start knitting with the yarn, so cannot wait for better photos.

While Blogger is allowing photo uploading*, here are [more rather blue, that's a brand new white pillow case underneath] pictures of my gorgeous PINK cardigan.

* Just like other bloggers, have been exasperated by Blogger's unwillingness to upload pictures, and spent ost of the evening working with my Flickr account, which also wouldn't work for me. Much swearing later, I gave up, and suprisingly Blogger suddenly had a change of heart.

I've been wanting to update on knitting progress for ages, but for some reason my camera and laptop are not speaking to each other, so while they sort out their differences, I shall have to give up loading pictures.

It's been too hot (and in so many other ways too difficult) to work on Marlowe, but I finished the last main piece at the last I Knit London meet, and have started picking up the rib around the neck.

As [ahem] already mentioned, I failed my Knitting World Cup challenge. I completed First Socks number one and cast on First Socks number two on the day of the actual final, but since then, progress has been slow, partly because I have broken one of my dpns and partly because ............

........... of a new project. After weeks of research on the internet, I had a short list of candidates for my next main project, and finally, one Saturday went to John Lewis to look at pattern books and compare yarns "in the flesh".

I don't know how I'd missed this before (probably because I usually switch off when it comes to the colour blue), but the moment I saw the ribbon-edged cardigan, in Debbie Bliss' Cathay, I knew she was the one. The pattern itself is simple without being boring, the cardigan looks stylish and the organza ribbon on the cuffs and edges adds a pretty detail. Better still, Cathay comes in the most beautiful dusky pink, a colour to fall in love with. Really, for one who agonises over yarn choice, it was an absolute no-brainer, and I had the yarn, book and needles in a large JL bag, before you could say "swatch". Of course, I simply couldn't wait till I got home, so, over an enormous cup of tea in Costa Coffee I tested my gauge. As usual, my square was too small (I am a very tight knitter), so I bought another set of needles (and more accessories) - not entirely sure why, as I DO HAVE needles at home. By the time I left John Lewis for the third and last time, I had spent four hours there and the staff and I had got to know each other rather well.

I'm generally not a big fan of knitting with cotton as it's less forgiving of imperfections, and this yarn has a tendency to twist, so actual knitting is interrupted too often by me having to untwist the yarn. But I am captivated by the colour and I just love the feel of this cotton/microfibre/silk mix as it moves through my fingers, it's like knitting with cream. Although the pattern is simple, after only 20 rows in, I was stumped by the positioning of the shaping decreases, resulting in me having to undo and redo the first five inches or so several times. I have searched the internet for other bloggers knitting the same pattern, but mostly came up with DB's baby cardigan in the same pattern. In the end, I fudged a solution, which although not perfect, is just about acceptable. Nevertheless, it's disheartening to encounter a problem right at the beginning, and I just hope I don't get to the end and suddenly realise my mistake!

Finally on the knitting front, coming back from our lovely break in Devon was bearable only because I knew a package from Get Knitted, would be waiting for me. My knitting goodies consisted of two lavender sachets, an organza bag, the Sock it to Me - Conversion Guide, two sock patterns (including that for My Oh So Beautiful Socks) and two skeins of Lorna's Laces Shephed Sock yarn in the purple club colourway. It is simply beautiful, and all I do is stare at it. I will post pictures as soon as technology allows me to!

Normal service will resume shortly

So, yesterday was the hottest recorded July day in Britain. However, according to the Beeb, forecasters expect a bank of showers coming in from the South West to cool things down on Wednesday night and into Thursday, but the weekend should still be very warm and humidity will be high.

Typical. Just as I am off to spend a couple of days in the, um, South West, relaxing and being pampered, it rains.

See you in a few days, and hope you don't all melt with the heat. Really, ice cream helps.

Progress report

Alas, with just under five days left to the final whistle, I fear that I have failed my World Cup Knitting challenge. Current state of play can be seen on the right, First Socks no 1 almost finished, and First Socks no 2 not even started.

Still, it's been a busy month on the social front, and I have been working on Marlowe as well. Even without these excuses, and despite my poor performance at the Cup, I am absolutely bursting with pride at this picture. My First Sock, and just look how beautifully he is turning out.

My sock has shrunk

I had successfully completed the heel flap and shaping, picked up stiches for and was already shaping the instep, when I simply lost concentration of where I was. I decided to undo some rows, but the more I unraveled, the more difficult I found it to pick up and start again. So, as you can see from the mound of yarn to the right of my suddenly shortened sock, I have gone right back to the cuff. I am so behind schedule.

Anyway, it's an absolutely glorious day, hot and sunny, but I am staying in. I've been out almost every night this week, so am grateful for a day relaxing. A certain football match is on in just over half an hour, so I will take up First Sock and try to catch up. (I'm not really interested in the World Cup, but secretly will be pleased if Ingerlund win today).

No posting for a couple of weeks............ been remarkably busy. Here's a quick catch-up:

1) A visit to Bath to watch Somerset v Middlesex. My only experience of cricket so far has been trips to Lords. Bath couldn't have been more different: smaller obviously, which gives the whole experience a more informal feel. Jon introduced me to the tradition of going on to the pitch during lunch, where children played cricket with their dads and men stood admiring the wicket. Apparently, you could do this at Lords up until about ten years ago.

Jon had prepared a wonderful picnic, and during the game, I did my bit for KIP and worked on Marlowe (which Jon found very amusing). When it got a little chilly, I tried to get him to put the finished back around his neck and shoulders, but he was too embarrassed. After the match, we walked around the beautiful city centre, and then drove through the surrounding picturesque countryside.

2) A trip to Lords to watch Middlesex v Surrey. Packed ground, lots of silver-haired gentlemen in blazers, completely different atmosphere. Always very amusing to watch a certain contingent attempt a Mexican wave, which is never really taken up by the majority anyway, and which completely dies when it reaches the members' enclosure, where half the blazers are asleep and the other half resolutely sit with their arms crossed, scowling at the riff-raff allowed in these days

3) Lunch with Jon at the White Hart in Chalfont St Peter. Perfect pub with a restaurant and garden at the back and really amazing food. Consistently award-winning.

Consequently, I have been neglecting my sock knitting. I picked it up again earlier in the week, and got as far as the instep, but lost concentration somewhere and am going to have to undo right back to the ankle. Only 10 days to the end of the Knitting World Cup and I haven't even finished the first sock. Anyway, here is a picture I took of it, before I turned the heel. (Apologies for poor picture quality.)

Knitting World Cup 2006

Hooray, I've signed up for the Knitting World Cup. My project will be my challenging First Socks. More later.......

Stairway to heaven

A very depressing day at work - I could have done with a glass of wine and chat at Angelknits tonight, but had to forego the pleasure and come home to do (unrelated) stuff. All the way home, my mind was going over the events of the day, and preparing myself for the not so nice evening ahead. I think I was muttering to myself as I climbed the stairs to my flat.........

....... to find a parcel propped against the door - my Web of Wool sock starter kit had arrived! (So quick too, how fab are they?)

It sounds daft, but this wonderful surprise completely elevated my mood, I think I might even have let out a cry. I didn't open it straight away, just concentrated on stuff for the next hour, had a lovely shower, then sat down with my goodies. I had ordered the yarn and kit myself, but, what with this being my first sock, didn't know what to expect. Inside was a ball of Opal yarn, a pattern, a leaflet about Woolfest and five tiny needles. So I cast on.

One and a half hours later (half of BB6 and Lost), I had only knitted two rows of the rib. It's sooo hard handling four needles and goodness only knows what the fifth is for. Socks 101 says that eventually you find a comfortable way without the needles stabbing you in the palm, but quite frankly I'm surprised I didn't lose an eye tonight. But I am sooo enjoying it. I can see that what I am doing at the moment isn't particularly complicated, but it's all new and challenging enough to keep me very, very happy.

Update at 1:22 am
Knitting more quickly now, although still fiddly and still on the rib. I also know what the fifth needle is for - picking up those pesky dropped stitches! *smile*

Can you spare any change?

I knew that this month was going to be tight financially, but only nine days into the month, I have just £75 left, and that's not even my money, but what's left of my overdraft.

eeeek - a quick review of what I will need to dispense with:

1) Driving to work (petrol, parking and congestion charge = one small fortune
2) Pizza - I am astonishly lazy at the weekends and the pizza delivery boys are my best friends. My figure and my heart will thank me for this hiatus.
3) Going to the spa tonight with Sarah. Can't even remember the last time I pampered myself, looks like I will have to wait a little longer.
4) the Debbie Bliss tab button cardigan from wish you were here. Very annoyed about this, as I had planned to have it ready in time for my department's away day at the end of the month.

The fourth one is quite distressing; knitting is essential to my wellbeing, what with all the crap going on in my life at the moment. I still have the top of the front of Marlowe to complete, but my OCD dictates that I can't work on Marlowe at home. Luckily, just minutes before I checked my balance, I had just ordered the sock starter kit from Web of Wool. I can't wait till it arrives - I've never knitted a sock before and I think the complexity and size will be the perfect project to keep me occupied till pay day, when I will book a day of beauty treatments, and buy lots of yarn.

Right, I've been indoors all day missing the glorious sunshine, and it's a beautiful evening - am off to a barbecue tonight. A few bottles is small outlay for a good time with good people.

The Big Knit In

After several hours in traffic (roadworks in Kings Cross, Angel and the A13), I finally got to the The Big Knit In at Brighton's Grand Parade campus. I arrived too late to see the speed trials or the fashion show (gah), but managed to look around at the various tables and the yummy yarns and books (so much better than on line). Really, really wanted to buy the latest Debbie Bliss book, so that I can start on the tab button jacket, but without any yarn to start knitting, it would have been too frustrating.

I contented myself with a glass of wine and sat and knitted a few rows of Marlowe. Then I visited the art exhibition in the foyer. If I'm honest, I don't spend a lot of time in galleries, but I really did enjoy this one, partly because of the work on show, but also it took me back to another age. In particular, I remembered my first love, Peter's exhibits, while he was an art student - I even featured in them - and all the hard work and preparation for them.

More traffic on the way back, but really, the weather was so fantastic the entire day, you couldn't really complain. I even managed to get a couple of chores done, so all in all, an eventful day for me!

Gin and sausages

Went for a drink with Jon tonight - it was a very mild evening so we went to the Edinboro Castle and sat outside in the garden. I very happily did some knitting, and Jon even helped wind the yarn, when I had to unravel a rew rows. An excellent evening.

More knitting groups

Ok, so I'm a bad bad blogger........ been silent for a few weeks.

However, have been busy on the knitting front: Marlow (as someone called it, a vision in purple) is coming along nicely. The majority of both the back and front is done, and I am currently nearing the top of one sleeve (which I must have undone and restarted a hundred times).

More interestingly, I have been very sociable both on and off the knitting scene. I have been to Angelknits a couple of times - a very nice, friendly (and expert!) bunch in a cool pub - and I have tried - albeit failed - to go to a couple of other groups.

This week I tried to go to the iknitlondon meet in Soho. The bar was very crowded, although I could see some knitters already there. Being a bit shy, I waited outside for Nikki, who had said she might be coming too. As I was waiting, a couple of girls came out, "I know they're very trendy with their knitting, but do they have to do it at the bar?" A few minutes later, a couple came out saying, "how cool, sitting there knitting!"

Two out of three brake lights on my car are not working (as pointed out by a police office and a white van man on separate occasions), so can't travel until that's sorted, but I am still hoping to visit as many groups in London as possible, even if only for the one time - trying to show support in my small fashion.