SP11 update, spinning fun (and MS3 completed!)

Well, after an unfortunate pairing in Secret Pal, I now have a new hostess and a new person to spoil. I can't tell you much about her (or I will have to shoot you!) as I need to keep the mystery but she's quite like me which is lovely and looks like she should be easy to spoil rotten!

It's still early days but the planning's been pretty thorough today in readiness for my stash trawl tomorrow, aah, the things I will rediscover!

In a fit of I-don't-know-what on Saturday (and lack of sleep), I spent the entire day finishing the Mystery Stole. You can just about see the "wing" at the top...



...Here it is in more detail, it's not been blocked yet (no time!), and it does look odd all laid out like this But I bet it'll look better actually on a human being so both fronts drape and the changeover is not so stark.



The wing on its own would make an interesting shawl, as would repeating the other halves and grafting them in the middle. But not yet...

There are plans afoot for it to recieve a nice new home, once it's been properly blocked. I'm pleased that a humble yarn performed so well and that beading with a beading needle tutorial was inspirational! Sorry, I can't find an easy link, if anyone wants to put a comment in the box, I'll do a pictorial tutorial myself, it's so easy, I showed Mel it in a minute yesterday- no more threading beads on yarn!

Speaking of the aforementioned lady...



...This is us at a Guild member's house yesterday. Once a year, the Cheshire and Liverpool guild members meet up in Elaines garden to knit, spin, weave or whatever is their fancy. It's an amazing place, it feels like you're in the heart of the countryside yet a few minutes drive from civilization and her house is right next door to a converted windmill!

The day was a little late this year because of the bad weather in July and so when I got the e-mail, I asked Mel if she'd like to join the fun. We were two of three spinning, me on my new Joy (yes, I fixed the squawk!), Mel on her Traditional. It was sunny in spells and shady in spells so no one baked, perfect weather, really. I set to spinning some more of that gorgeous merino blended top from my previous Secret pal, Charity, Mel her own handdyed top! I'm wearing Charity's shawl to keep the chill off in the cool bits and the sun off my neck in the hot bits, v. useful! I've got my eyes shut, as usual, most pictures of me are with my eyes closed or half shut, I can't help myself!

Other knitting continues anon, the back of the Fresco top is now finished, the gansey sock's well into the foot and despite looking decidedly skinny, fits a treat (it's stretchy, you see!); the Cabled Jacket got a few more rows done on Knitting night and I've spent most of today doing personal shopper for my mother (and dealing with the accompanying complaining!). She now has a couple of key items to make up an outfit and I have the beginnings of a headache!