Oh we do like to be beside the seaside...sort of

Well, I did promise some more photos and I've a spare hour or two so I guess there's time for a quick blog ( without the copious amounts of alcohol that I needed to pluck up the courage and write my first piece!) Anyway, in a vain attempt to shift some of the post Christmas flab, we went strolling along the prom to new Brighton. In a less than clever move, we then bought and consumed nice hot donuts thus undoing any possible good.

It was still cold and very overcast (as you can see), but I made sure I took some pics of the stuff along the way. This is the first- a number of cast metal plates meant to represent the sand and the prints in it, so there's tiny handprints, footprints, paw prints, lines tracks and squiggles. There's even meant to be a musket trigger somewhere amongst it all but we couldn't find it. It's amazing how many things you just walk past that can be really interesting if you just take the time to stop and look.

So this is the same Liverpool scene with a very moody skyline, it was definitely less windy than the other day (thank goodness!) but still a bit nippy, hence the donuts to warm up. And no, I'm not calling them doughnuts 'cos you get them from the bakery and they're totally different from the donut sellers who cook them in front of you, they smell better than they taste, have to be eaten hot and are weirdly fluffy but sink like a stone inside. I'm generally very picky about my doughnuts!

This is a bit out of sequence 'cos it's a post christmas knit, but himself was wearing it on aforementioned walk so it kind of follows on. This was one of those eureka sweaters, went to Abakhan just after Christmas, money burning a hole in my pocket (as it does), looking for bargains and there wasn't really anything (that I haven't already got eight million packs of back at home).

So, I'm looking thru the pattern books for inspiration and come across this one- to himself I say, "I bet you wouldn't like that one" (as he never does). I went into shock when not only did he like it, he chose the same colour as the pattern and it was available! As you will discover, I adore variegated yarn, I'm a sucker for it and I particularly like Wendy Fusion for the colour changes so now have packs in three different colourways!

Anyway, being a 5 or 6mm needle, (can't quite remember), it knit up fast then had to go on the finish pile 'till I got around to fitting a zip, possibly my all time most hated knitting finishing thing at the mo. I currently have 3-4 jumpers waiting for sewing up/pockets/buttons etc. and have to wait for an appropriate time to sneak up and attack them (which isn't now!)

And finally, the lace sock pre: frogging.It's all very pretty etc. particularly on my spanking new Susan Bates needles but being clever, I used a 2.25mm needle set and it's too darned narrow! So it'll be back to the old second hand 2.5mm and like it- it was a little disheartening to pull it all back but I'll just get in the habit of doing the 16 row pattern each day and it'll soon grow again.

It's a really pretty pattern and even though I'll only wear the finished socks on the warmest days with my sandals (so maybe 3 times a year) , I wanted a real change from my standard sock pattern that I've done to death.

Anyway, that's plenty for now, thanks to Kath and Anne for their comments, blog ettiquette etc. to follow as and when I work out how to do links etc. 'Till then, you can just lump it!

Next time, Cheesylove has hearts, will I ever knit more squares for water aid and whatever simple knit I can find for Knitting group this evening. I will also start adding my fave knitting publications as and when I can work out how to work the linking thingie. Those who know me know I have to have every knitting book under the sun (once you've weeded 0ut old and extremely unfashionable, baby and beginner books); plus I keep dragging my local library into my obsession, they've added at least six more knitting books to the library on my say so and I'm in there every week ordering interlibrary loans.

see you soon