Escape

I hate being in towns when it is hot! Thankfully I had booked a day off of work today and Matt and I were able to escape for a drive through Kent ending up in Herne Bay for a fish & chip supper followed by ice cream.

I like going to Herne Bay, especially when it is quiet. The houses on the sea front make me think of the ruched tea cosies my Gran used to knit

We enjoyed a gentle stroll along the sea front watching the boats coming in and the jet skiers having fun

the journey meant that knitting was done

the pattern is Cayman from Yarn Forward and the yarn is Hempwol bought at IKL 2 years ago. I like the way this is knitting up.

My thanks to everyone who sent congratulations about the birth of my great niece, she looks a charmer in her photos!

Great news

I'm a Great- Aunt!!



Imogen was born on Thursday morning. It will be a while before I get to see her for a cuddle so a woolly hug is on it's way to her.

This has been the year of baby blankets, most of the others were finished so close to the deadline that I forgot to take pictures. I'd finished this in April so it made a guest appearance at Wonderwool.



I don't know the name of the pattern as it was from a vintage sheet of Gran's but loved the shapes it created.

The family link continued as I used 2ply from Gran's stash to knit it with and the clever girl managed to arrive on her Great, Great Uncles birthday - he has nominated this his best present ever!

Knit for Peace

I have spent a very enjoyable afternoon knitting in public for the Knit For Peace charity. plenty of people stopped by to see what we were doing - after all we were in one of the busiest places at the venue. It wasn't the public that held me enthralled but this character

There were two tables of knitters so I sat at the one with the best view of the gorillas. Introductions were made and within a matter of minutes it was clear that I was among friends of friends. I love this community of knitters.

The keepers kept commenting on how the gorillas were more active this afternoon; they spent a lot of time staring at the area we were knitting in and enjoyed playing with the knitting we gave to them (after full approval of the keepers).

people stopped by and donated some wonderful sweaters, hats and scarves. My afternoon's contribution was this

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most people who know me know that I love Kipling bags - it was only when I glanced at the table that I realized I'd brought my own colony of Gorillas with me!

Time flies

especially when you are up to your ears in work! Long hours interfere with home and social life but thanks to the traffic jams in London knitting progresses!

The Diagonal Square Tee is finished and worn to work one day last week, lots of compliments from other staff and I'm fairly pleased with it. The pattern was a a fairly easy knit; I loved doing the mitred bits and the simple lace bands meant I got double the pleasure. My only gripe is that I think it's a little too short - I was hoping that it would increase in length when blocked (lets face it - I normally knit so loosely that most sweaters drop at least an inch). It didn't - so it felt like I was somewhat exposed. Perhaps it will drop further with wear. I'll try to get a photo taken this week.

Next up on the needles was the start of my Rowan exchange gift, I've changed my mind at least 3 times but am now settled on a shawl pattern and the bus passengers are intrigued by the long edging strip of lace I'm knitting. I do enjoy the banter with other passengers and have the most amazing conversations with total strangers - this morning one of the regulars introduced me to his wife and he encouraged her to get her crochet out of her bag to show me - she's making a crochet lace table cloth in what looks like sewing thread - stunning but looks like it will take a lifetime to complete!

"Kate" is still in waiting, it's too big to carry around and by the time I get home at night I can't face knitting in navy blue. So the "home knitting" is a mindless blast of circular knitting using one of my favourite yarns, Rowan Summer Tweed, in a lilac shade (looks like I'm back on the purples!) I'm not working to a pattern as yet just basically aiming for a summer top for me but will make a final decision re style when I get to the armhole shaping.

Flaming Flamingo!

Ishbel is off the needles, blocked and worn!

Knitted with Sundara fingering silky merino in Flaming Flamingo. I loved working with this yarn and the colour is so cheerful. I think there is enough left to make the hat.

I did wonder about making the shawl bigger but decided against it, for some reason I wasn't enjoying the lace part of this pattern and couldn't get into the flow.

Here's what else is on the needles:

Kate is beginning to look as if the end is in sight

and my mitred project is at the plain and boring stocking stitch section

I've received the details of my Rowan Exchange Victim for this year, have the yarn all set to go , now all I need to do is find a pattern I like.

Plenty of knitting time today as I'm off to Birmingham for a conference tomorrow.... is 3 projects enough for one night away from home?

Impromptu knit night will be in the Briar Rose from 6pm tonight

Moving on

Well after the disappointment of Saturday came the lethargy of Sunday with very little being done - partly due to the difficulty in seeing (scratched my retina just to add to the fun on saturday!)

Today has been much better, I was able to see enough to do some more work on Kate - this has been on the back burner for a month or so as I managed to lose my pattern. It's now beginning to look as if the end is in sight. I have the back, two fronts, one sleeve + lace edging and the front bands completed.

So it's a sleeve + edging and the bottom lace hem to do. I'm going to hope I can see well enough to pick up the stitches for the sleeve tomorrow ( dark blue is not a good colour to pick up and short row in the dark!).

I've decided not to graft the lace edgings on but to knit them onto the live stitches as I go - I wasn't sure if it would work but the sleeve edging was a success so I'll stick with it. There will then be the fun of a hunt for suitable buttons....

Before all the joy of that I have the pleasure of root canal work in the morning - I say pleasure as I hope this is going to stop the pain!

Waiting for..part 2

An afternoon of disasters and despite Matt's best efforts we didn't get to the theatre in time.. they wouldn't let us sneak in and stand at the back so we've come home....nuff said!

Waiting for...

Saturday night and a trip to the Haymarket theatre to see "Waiting for Godot" - it must be over 30 years since I saw the play and how could I resist a cast of Gandalf and Jean-Luc Picard!

I can't actually remember the last time I went to the Theatre in London on a saturday night and it's easily 20+ years since I came home on a night bus - wonder if the journey will be any more exciting?

I went back to work on Monday & discovered that the filing fairies hadn't been in and cleared up the mess of files on my desk. The gremlins had been in - very intermittent computer access, no access to email, new bugs in the software - so life is back to normal!

Still no proper news about the restructuring at work so lots of uncertainty; Matt's short contract ended and he's now out of work again - looks like this could be a summer of stash living!

Inspiration

Last weekend I was away with the Knitting and Crochet Guild Directors making plans for the AGM; revising policies; reviewing procedures etc and before anyone thinks that it was all work and no play- I'll show you the photos!

Saturday morning saw an early start when we drove from Haworth to Scholes for my first visit to Lee Mills the home of the guild's collection; library; unsorted resources and the infamous yarn mountain.

We had a very interesting talk about applying for museum status and looks like a whole heap of work needs to be done in that area!

Here's a few photos to wet your appetites for what is at the mill...

One of the first sights as you enter

a Door hanging believed to be French from the 1920-30's and behind it the cushion "Amy" that won the guild members vote one year.

I loved this example of a Cameroonian Man's hat

and the tradition of the Welsh Baby Bonnets

I love seeing the babies wearing these when I visit Wales - the only other place I've seen them so lavish was when I lived in Newcastle - wonder if its related to the mining communities that used to thrive in those areas.

A small portion of the boxes yet to be explored

and a small portion of the yarn mountain

I came away with 200 gms of yarn, a long discontinued Jaeger that lured me into the surprisingly small selection of purple yarns.

A quick stop at Coldspring on the way back to the hostel and that was soon remedied by buying a 2+kg cone of 80% Bamboo 20% merino in a deep violet shade for a mere pittance of the shop price if I was to have bought it by the ball ( I know exactly what I have bought as there is a single ball in my stash pile!!)

I came home on Sunday with my foot throbbing but my brain hasn't stopped buzzing all week!

Finished!

This scarf took me a disgracefully long time to knit. I'm not sure why, maybe because I was knitting it for someone else and it would not have been my choice of colour.

Maybe it was because it was a long rectangle and I find them boring.

Possibly it was because I was unsure of the dye effect.

The scarf took one skein of Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in a colour called Silver Birch. The scarf started mainly cream at one end and ended up with only cream highlights at the other end. The colour structure changed at the halfway mark and I can't help thinking that this would have made an odd pair of socks.

I also finished Ishbel - then thought I'd made a mistake on the last two patterns and was about to rip it out. Tonight I've been looking at completed photos on Ravelry and decided that it was obviously meant to look that way so will be leaving it! Photos to follow.

On the new knitting front I've started Helene Rush's Diagonal Square Tee using some Debbie Bliss Stella that had been marinating in the stash. I'm past the mitred section and onto the stocking stitch - probably just as well as I'm back on the pain pills which usually means I'm liable to make mistakes.

April? What April?

Life has been a series of ups and downs for the past few weeks, nothing major just a general malaise that has slithered into just about every area of my life.

Work is providing it's usual challenges compounded by a drawn out restructuring process and my boss leaving. My journey to and from work is taking twice it's usual time due to major roadworks at several stages en-route. I feel exhausted, both mentally and physically and was much in need of some downtime this weekend. This is partly due to a health issue which is proving to be resistant to medication so I'm now awaiting a date for more invasive treatment.

The month wasn't all doom and gloom so I'll leave you with a short photo essay of what April brought:

Easter saw my first trip of the year to Knole

Matt and I try to escape here whenever we can to enjoy lunch followed by a walk in the deer park

Some small knitting was done for a new arrival

yarn used was by Biggan, a superwash DK that comes in the most amazing array of 64 colours.

The following week saw me on the road atttending a work related conference in Leicester. I was fortunate to be driven there by another knitter and we made such good time we were able to stop for lunch, here's a view from the bistro

the town was Uppingham, famous for it's yarn warehouse - it would have been impolite for us not to have visited and made a small purchase or two. I have to say I was very restrained in my purchases - possibly as I knew that end of the week I would be in Wales for Wonderwool.

Matt and I managed to sneak in a couple of extra days to visit his Aunt and to enjoy the scenery. Why do they call these the Black Mountains?

We saw plenty of lambs but it was this character who caught my eye

he came up to the roadside every time we drove across the mountains

Back at Wonderwool the Guild had a new look thanks to Tutleymutley

and some of my shawls on display

I finally got to meet Amber Moggie and Mr Mog; enjoyed time spent with Ali, Liz, Terry, Jane, Lucy and Shirley on the stand and managed to squeeze in a few other "hellos" to stall holders and other friends but really wasn't feeling up to socialising.

The final sign of ennui was my purchases - I came away from Wonderwool with one skein of yarn from Ripples yarns; spare cords for my Knit Pro's; 2 patterns and 6 scotch eggs