So where were we?

I know, I know! I entice you all with a taster of the holidays and then leave you dangling! Shouldn't be allowed!

Actually, although I had a fantastic holiday and a well needed rest, I did get a bit down on my return. I guess it's not uncommon that when you do something so different, normal life seems a little flat in comparison. I've been busy, not sleeping well and had a temporary crimp in my knitting mojo finishing the 5th pair of Sock Madness socks so I focussed on other things. I've spent waaay too many hours trawling ravelry for the ultimate pattern for the perfect yarn, began prepping fleece towards next month's Tour De Fleece and on Friday this week, spent the day photographing and uploading a teensy amount of my stash to Ravelry so I can correlate it with patterns and work out a sensible destashing schedule.

I haven't really had the time or the heart to blog up to this point so for that I apologise but it does take time to resize and rearrange photographs as well as write a post. As I can only juggle so much in my life, there may be more gaps in the future but rest assured, when I can, I will post!

Anyway, where were we? One day into the mega-holiday and still on the eastern coast at Wicklow. We'd spent the day at Glendalough where we'd seen our first "Rapunzel's tower" (more about the true meaning later) at the monastery setting.

Despite being a magnet for all nationalities, there was room and space for everyone and it was a fantastic site for our first day. But it didn't stop there.....

After Avoca, we hot-footed ourselves back to Wicklow so that we could visit the Gaol that had been recommended by a work colleague of Pete's. Despite arriving one hour before closing, even trying to rush as much as possible, we still took nearly two hours examining the tableaux, exhibits and information inside each cell. It is an experience I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area as it gave us a whole different perspective on Ireland and its history. To be truthful, it made me realize just how ignorant I was about the Irish "troubles"; how any history lessons I'd had about such could only scrape the surface and I got a taste of the real-life stories involved.


Here's another of the stories, as we traipsed the town for the last time that evening, a park with the inevetable monument for those lost at sea.

There were signs of past conflicts both along the coastline...

...And more history on our doorstep, the Black Castle. This is where England and Ireland differ, a monument like this would be barricaded off and entrance charged but here, as in other things, you were free to scramble over and around the ruins. It actually gave me a better respect for the things we came across, these precious treasures left for all to see.

Then it was back home, footsore and tired to pack up and head on (after a second hearty "full irish" breakfast) to our next destination, a cottage on the south coast where we would stay for the full week.

It was raining pretty solidly throughout the drive and whilst we began by taking the small, narrow coast road, lack of photo opportunities and waterlogged patches drove us back to the bigger, main road. we broke our journey at soggy Waterford.

Grabbing lunch (and cake, get priorities right!), we pottered for an hour or so, had a smoothie then continued on our way. Unfortunately, early in the journey, we realised that the sattelite navigation was not charging so it was out with the map I had bought on the ferry to get us the rest of the way.

On later investigation, we realized that darling hubby, on eating a Kit-Kat had discarded the foil wrapper in the cubby where the cigarette lighter socket was situated and in a twist of fate, managed to squash a layer into the socket when plugging the sat nav. in, thus fusing the socket! Navigation got a little more interesting after that!


We arrived, mostly unscathed at our holiday accommodation which was, surprisingly, exceedingly chilly. We later discovered that, as the central heating was oilfired and fuelled by largish cylinders, occasionally there is an air block in the system when they're changed over weekly and it can stop the timed central heating kicking in and warming up. Luckily, by 5pm when it was next due to come on, we did get heat and start to thaw but before then it was a bit unpleasant. Not like we haven't had colder at home pre-central heating, of course!

Anyway, I got a little over-enthusiastic with the grape (and bopping around to the Eurovision...don't ask!), and ended up a little the worse for wear the next day. We decided that rather than heading out, we'd just explore the area and walk off the worst of it.

There was a leaflet in the cottage about " St. Declan's Way" so we followed the coastal footpath and came upon some more wonderful sights along the way.

There was St. Declan's well, reputed to have healing powers...

And this very Victorian pile was to mark another spring, discovered by someone (I forget who) who found the waters good for healing eye complaints!

In the afternoon, we took the car along the road, discovering, on our way, another source of yarny and knitterly goodness in the form of "Simply Irish"! After a short stop (and spend!), we headed on to Youghal (spelt yawl).

I loved the way the shops generally were little independents, not just clones of the malls we have over here. You were never quite sure what you'd find and inexpensive gifty shops were particularly rare beasts (along with wool shops!) but I was charmed by the colour and character...even if the pubs did look a little intimidating!

We looked around the museum and I gained the perfect baseball cap from the tourist information office along with some lovely suggestions for other places to visit, very helpful she was! Then it was into the local supervalue? (supermarket chain) for supplies and back to base again where the sun heralded our arrival. That was the one thing about this holiday, it rained every day but rarely all day. We'd usually arrive back, a little soggy around the edges from the day to clear skies and sunshine and locals walking along with ice-creams!

Hence we got some sunnier photographs that evening (and don't the days last longer down there?) of the historic site literally across the road from our accommodation....

Yep, there's another Rapunzel's tower, or more specifically a monk's belltower. They're relics of the years of invasions that Ireland had to put up with, even before the English put their oar in! Harking back to the medieval era, the door was set high up so that, on news of the latest marauders, the monks could grab their valuables, mount a ladder to enter and hide safely within. There are arrow slits at various points so that they could defend themselves and return once danger had passed. I still think the brothers Grimm must have heard about them!

This was the site of St. Declans Cathederal, the ruins of which were still standing and this was the shot we would see every time we left the driveway...

Click to embiggen and spot the fab. carving, it's amazing that given the worst of the weather it still survives so clearly!

Then it was back to the cottage which was warm and cosy....

To gaze out of the gable window in the lounge/kitchen at the stunning view...well, it was mostly stunning, it's just this is from when we arrived and it was a very wet day!

And that's where I'll have to leave the holiday for now, but be assured, there's plenty more to come!

In knitting, I finally managed to get a photograph of one of my Finished Objects!

It's the Kimono cardigan from the recent Noro publication - Flowers. And whilst I wasn't going to spend out on Furisode to knit it with, inexpensive Kaleidoscope and a little re-arranging of the pattern still produced a rather pretty sweater, even if the seamline is exactly at bustline (should have been lower!). Unfortunately, it has drawn much attention which though good for the ego, is rather tiresome when they ask for the pattern and it can't be provided so it has been replaced with something else for now.

I'm still not totally in knitting mode but circumstances did force me to complete the back of the next window project...

Knitted in Sirdar Calico, a cotton/acrylic blend, it should be the perfect summer knitting though I'm not terribly fond of knitting in cotton so it's taking a little longer than it should...

I have other projects on the needles right now but that's for another time. Hopefully a little sooner than of late!

Just a Taste....

Well, after a somewhat frantic early week and a (very) full day on Thursday travelling, we arrived mid-evening in Wicklow, our base for two nights and also the source of Wifi access yaay!!

As it's been so long since I last posted plus there's no guarantee I'll get coverage at the next venue in our little itinerary, I'm giving you a wee taster just for starters.

To begin with, a smorgasbord of our packed schedule today...


One of the no-doubt over photographed monuments at Glendalough (thanks Nadine!). It's actually at the site of a monastic settlement back in the 1200's but all it reminds me of is Rapunzel's Tower! Being disorganised, we bypassed the tour/information/leaflets but managed to pick up the essential bits as we went around.

This was one of the essentials ;-)

Hastily snapped as we waited for a group of Danish tourists to move on, they actually did the tour! I'm gambling on a Dale of Norway pattern but I have no easy way of knowing...something to aim for though!

We trekked uphill some to snap some waterfall shots...

(and boy, do my legs feel everry step right now)...On the way back, we discovered St Kevin?'s bed though it doesn't look too comfortable ;-)

Then it was onwards to Rathdrum via Laraigh? where we had tea (him) and scones (fruitless, yaay!) at a homely tea shop (for that read house....). Didn't stop though, we missed the parking and the main drag was very tricky to negotiate.

We did stop at a wool mill along the way too, following signs, I found some yarn to buy as well. Proves the internal yarn radar's still working!

Then it was on to Avoca, home of the fictional Ballykissangel...

And a rather famous pub as well as the Avoca handweavers studio.

We still managed to squeak in a visit to Wicklow Gaol on our return then later on walked out to find both the beach and the black castle but more about them later...sometime..........!

Lost in Transit...(WARNING, PHOTO HEAVY!)

Yeah, I know, it's been a whole month since I last blogged and it hasn't gone unnoticed (you know who you are!) ;-)

Still the weather has gone through a few changes but by now is heading in the right direction with a few natural prozac courtesy of firstly displays of crocus and now varying levels of blossom. I just had to photograph this magnificent Magnolia bush before the wind and weather took it past its best...


Sadly, by this time next year, there's a chance it may be no more. The doctor's surgery where it is planted is up for sale due to a major move to a new puropse-built unit at the local hospital (along with around 4 other practices) and it's unlikely to remain in it's current rambling Victorian format. Still, fingers x'ed someone else is as enamoured as me eh?

Anyway, how to compress a month's blogging into one post, hmm, tricky! Well, at the finish of my last post, I was gearing up to Skip North, but I managed to squeeze in these little beauties before I left...



Unfortunately, it appears I don't have a completed photo (oops!) but I'm sure they'll appear in the fullness of time (after a wash). They were sock blanks which I dyed myself and then knitted a toe-up purlless Monkey pattern to allow me to make the most of the sock's colouring. One day, I'll get around to making those blanks for myself.

Anyway, Skip North, where I managed to take a single photograph on our return from the KCG...

But you'll have to wait for another post for the majority of it as the weekend deserves more than a single photo (and I need to grab all my Skip North goodies!). Suffice to say, yarn and fibrely goodies were purchased and a great time was had by all. I probably got fractionally more sleep than the previous year being in the B+B over the road from the Youth hostel but was not impressed by the ten-mile rat run over very narrow roads both there and back. Thanks Tom Tom!

On my return, I had some extra fibrely goodness waiting for me...

This was the second part of my Spinner's swap parcel from sylvchezplum on Rav. She'd ordered these yummy batts and the lovely alpaca fibre below...

I've had such a lovely range of fibres and colours from this 3-part swap that whilst it was hard to find the time to produce the fibres in return, I've had such wonderful stuff in return.

Still there wasn't much time for relaxation on my return as the Thursday before the Skip North weekend, the first round of Sock Madness began. Whilst I couldn't knit while driving (darn it!), I certainly did on the long coach journeys between locations (though not in the evenings) so returned with my competition socks like this...


A little extra elbow grease on Monday and by 4pm I had finished...


And yes, Floppy really did want in on this particular photo (or was it the patch of sunlight?).

This actually shows them a little better...


Being a wee bit short on the foot, I ripped the toes back and did a longer decrease so by that evening they were really finished!

By Tuesday, the weekend began to catch up to me and I was rather jaded so guess what was waiting for me on my return from knitting group?


I returned home and there was a couriers card through the door, they'd left it with a neighbour. I went round expecting a small packet or parcel and there was a hoofing great box waiting for me! Some time later once I'd figured out the treadle-attatching and oiled and adjusted and oiled and adjusted once again, I had my new wheel!

Not that I've had great swathes of time for it and me to get acquainted but the more I do use it, the more I like it. It has a softer take-in than any other wheel I've had apart from my original Kromski but because of this, it compacts the fibres less as it draws them in and leaves a bouncier, squishier yarn at the end of it (with hopefully mpre yardage?).

This was the first bobbin I spun, one of my own hand-dyed tops that I navajo plied to keep the colours together...


Perhaps a wee bit underplied but nice to spin, even when the original fibre had felted a bit so was reluctant to draft.

I'm currently working my way through the lovely batts I was sent most recently, they like to be spun fine so I'm taking my time (in between everything else!).


There's flashes of golden sparkle in amongst it and I've split the batts to keep the colours together. I plan to navajo ply this one too for strength and keeping colours together. It might take a while though!

So, The last Guild meet was 28th March, a talk and workshop on Indigo Dyeing...


Thought you might like to see a few piccies...


...dunking in the dyebath...

Some of the tie-dyed fabrics waiting for the air to turn them blue then a second dip....

...And on to the airer to finish the process. There were some wonderful effects...


I think this one was clothespegs...

...A fantastic starburst....


So many pretty fabrics to choose from!

Then it was onwards preparing for Round 2. I swatched.....


..and swatched....

...and swatched....


...and swatched! All ready to choose from when the pattern was finalised. So which did I choose?

None of them!

On the evening before the pattern arrived, I had a brainwave and located my only skein of Wollemeise sock yarn (bombeere) and matched it with a single 55g skein of Posh yarn Eva 4ply (cashmere/silk) which on it's own would not have been enough for a pair of socks. So actually, it was quite frugal ;-)

I knitted like fury from 2.30pm Saturday 4th April to find at 9.30pm the leg was too narrow to get on :-(

Still, undeterred, I ripped back a soul-destroying 30 rows and started again, faster and better second time around. By the time I got to Monday afternoon, my eyes were shot, my hands screaming but I was so close I could almost see the fiinshing line....



8pm, I snapped this photo, e-mailled it and we finally got to eat. Thank goodness for Indian Buffets! They were still not exactly finished as this time, they were too looong so that was the next task for Tuesday.

I came in 5th in an incredibly fast division. I may never get that high up the rankings again, may even get knocked out over the next couple of rounds but I can truly say these were the fastest pair of socks I ever knitted and that's what I will take with me from this time's competition. That, and some more damn fine socks ;-)

Of course, that kind of punishment has to have payback and by Tuesday evening, I was beginning with the mother of all headaches that lasted a full 3 days along with stiffness, pain and nausea. I still did my bit at the FACT gallery on Wednesday demonstrating spinning and managed a full 3 hours before my energy dipped out. Still, Thursday I stayed home, the lovely Nadine came visiting with bagsful of goodies and I did a little light knitting...just to keep up the skills, don'tcha know?


So, the first of a pair of socks with yarn dyed by my good self, this one's been screaming to be knitted for a while now and it's good to have a mindless project amongst the level of patterns for Sock Madness this year. I may cast on the second and leave it as a WIP before the next round depending on what time I have (and whether I need the needles!).

As Nadine wanted to learn Moebius knitting, I started another wee project...


Knitted from some pure silk yarn that was a freebie from the previous Skip North, I completed it this morning after losing my pidge podge at Haworth. A nice, quick(ish) project and yummy soft!

In between rounds last time, I completed the Twilleys cardi complete with temporary buttons (photo to follow) and a pair of Crofter socks for Nadine (oops, forgot to photo that one too!); so now I need too plan ahead for the next window project...


Knitted in Sirdar Calico, it will be a summer lacy sweater (but a long way off yet!). This time, I'm using metal needles (brittany birch and this yarn do NOT mix!) and it is a pretty easy knit but does need a wee bit of concentration (lapses make interesting patterns ;-)

I've also been dabbling with a crochet pattern but more of that later too. Round 3 could be anything between a few days to a week away so I'll keep to simple stuff to keep my reflexes sharp but my brain intact! I still have most of a lace clue to knit and the mermaid cardi beckons on the horizon now I've worked out the swatch tension but I'm still lusting after something really complicated to get my teeth into. Maybe after the madness?

Today we had a day together after a weekend of family visitations and ended up in Chester where we discovered a food fair...Some time later, we staggered back to the park and ride laden with goodies, a very nice citrus cheesecake plus some yummy chocolate puds, a mix of olives, some cheeses, game pie butternut squash pasta...proabably more I've forgotten!

We feasted on tomato and chorizo mussels this evening, very nice, followed by the cheesecake. We'll eat well this week!

Best Laid plans

Well, when I signed off last week, I was waiting for the central heating to be fitted, going to be dyeing on the Sunday and hoping that nothing went too adrift...

I'd spent so long on friday/Saturday moving, shifting and otherwise organising that by Sunday I was exhausted and as it happened, nadine was tied up too so we put it off to this Sunday. Unfortunately, time constraints meant there wasn't an opportunity today either but we shared a nice lunch and knitted and chatted anyway. I'll try to make time to dye the stuff I've soaked this morning so the water doesn't go mouldy over the next few days.

The central heating was fitted with only a few minor hitches, the fitting which usually takes 3 days was done in 2, as many pipes as possible that could be routed under the floorboards were routed there and a very clean and tidy job was done too. They took the vast majority of the rubbish away with them and now we have warm rooms and a swanky wireless controller. I dread to think whet the next gas bill will be but it is a lot more relaxing to be in a warm home!

While they were here and with floorboards up, it was not useful for me to be moving about but the enforced stay in the lounge did wonders for my knitting...

Yep, I completed the Xmas Mystery shawl!

It hasn't been blocked yet, mostly because it's so BIG but I've decided against overdyeing it. The gentle sagey green kind of won me over as I knitted it and somehow looked much bewtter knitted up than in the ball. It was a great project to knit and I've even managed to get over the hurdle I had with Mystic star and am nearly on the last (very big) clue! Having no real access to alternative needle sizes or UFO's definitely forced me to carry on with it!

I also did a bit of spinning...

Started at guild and finished at Made on Thursday I really enjoyed the finished yarn. It was fractal spun and whilst the original fibre I dyed wasnt terribly soft the colours were very nice so I'm glad I spun it. Only around 3oom so I'll need to think what to do with it that isn't close to the skin.

I also got an extra surprise at guild last week...

My post - Xmas present from Susan. They're Fetchings in Knitpicks Heather and they're gorgeous! The metal heart says "made with love". Ttoally unexpected but very lovely anyway.

I got my Spinner's Swap Parcel on Monday too...

My first ever plait of Spunky Eclectic fibre, super squidgy BFL in just my colours, merino/silk hand dyed for me, a sweet knitters brooch with needles and a ball of yarn, chocolate, hand cream and a sweet little sheep chocolate shape that I might never eat 'cos it's too cute!

Oh yeah, and by Friday, I had another surprise...

These arrived from blogless Rosemary for helping her with an abortive shawl project. I LOVE Nancy Bush and have virtual fingers crossed right now that I'm successfully booked into her full day class at woolfest. I telephoned to check the letter had been recieved and the lady on the phone said that whilst she didn't have the booking details, she didn't think any of the courses were full up yet so it's looking good, YIPPEE!!!!

Being a bad influence, the poor woman's followed me into Sock Madness, I don't think she quite knows what hit her yet, I was explaining the basics and she was stunned! I hope she has fun 'cos at the end of the day that's what it's all about but it does make us all a bit crazy too (or in my case, crazier than usual!).

Speaking of the Madness, I stayed up 'till past midnight my time last Saturday to sign up and Friday night I scaled the left side of the eiger that constituted the back room right now followed by hours of winding to shortlist these beauties...

There are handspun, handdyed, dyed by others, commercial, self-striping and solid yarns in all the colours under the sun. I did toy with the idea of knitting all seven rounds in shades of red but I have too many pretty yarns so I decided not to limit myself and just go with whatever I felt.

In the process of unearthing this lot, I also happened upon these...

Four skeins of luscious Cashmere Silk laceweight in a colour perfect for a new knitalong I've joined, Mystic Roses. Serendipity or what? I'd totally forgotten it and with yarn like this, it's a crime. I shall enjoy knitting this one!

Of course, there has to be a bit of flipside and that is that since the central heating has been fitted, the noise it makes firing up in the morning is helping me to lose quantities of sleep. By Saturday, I realised I could put the timer forward and actually got a full 8 hours last night, that's much better than all week. Basically because they routed the pipes under the floorboards and joists, they need time to bed in and in the meanwhile, the cracks and thumps of the wood expanding and contracting as the heating courses through wakes me up without fail and I can't get back to sleep afterwards. I figure either I'll get used to it or need less sleep but in the meanwhile, performance is definitely impaired!

I kind of hope I've recovered some by a fortnight's time as I'll have to drive myself to Yorkshire for Skip North and I need my wits about me for certain stages of the motorway. I've still got time but not loads so I may need to resort to herbal or prescription tablets if things don't improve fast and keep fingers x'ed I'm not doped up for the rest of the day. Still, that's in the future and with the pace of life decreasing, it may not be necessary. I'm still glad for everything that's happened since Xmas and next thing after Skip North will be the arrivel of my NEW WHEEL! It's been ordered and a deposit taken and I've an estimate of the end of March for delivery. I will, of course blog on it's arrival ;-)

This week I've a dental check-up :( , a potential trip to Stash :) and plenty of knitting...with maybe a little dyeing and spinning too. I'm not doing any rearranging this week so anything packed away can stay packed away for the time being while I recover and get my circadian rhythms in check.

See you next week!