Put a Cork in it (and other learning experiences!)

Hubby left a bowlful of these on the level. (long story, but basically collecting for bro who uses to keep kebabs in place on his Spanek- then he doesn't use them!). I got my kool aid-alike dyes out to finally have a play and they were there, staring (metaphorically) me in the face.

Guess what I did?

Well, I had to see if it worked...



I started a little cautiously, but they seemed to be making interesting marks...

...So I got a bit bolder...



...And ended up with something like this x hours later! The skein at the front (and middle, and back) is the longest ever skein which I had planned to do flame colours for Fawkes socks...before I got carried away cork printing!

It was fun, though, I started with the ballwound Angora that's been waiting to be dyed for months. I squirted dye neat thru the middle then spooned colours round the edges, wrapping them up and leaving for the dye to permeate a while before steaming. You can see one skein in the pic below.

Of course, the flipside of ball dyeing is the soggy skeinwinding in order for it all to dry properly which takes a good hour and a half!



Here are some skeins drying in the shade ( I was too lazy to put them out this morning!) You can still see the cork roundels which I really like and the fact that the colour intensity changes, a paler version on the back. I'm keen to see what this knits up like but lord knows when I'll get the time!

The lesson comes from the longest ever skein which, being clever, I carefully measured and tied at metre length intervals. WRONG!!! Great for marking, but crap for keeping put, out of the soak water it'd tangled up into itself so badly I had a hell of a job seperating it out to dye, an interesting time seperating it again to dry and a longer than average time to ballwind once dry.

That's something I won't do twice!

Still, it's now skeined to an acceptable length, been washed to remove any last dye residue and I will post a pic once it's dry so you can see the difference in colour.

On the knitting front



This is the back of the Blur Sweater, I've just cast on for the front so will get past the hard bits before Group tomorrow. I'm liking the colours, though they aren't my usual thing, but you know what a sucker for variegated yarns I am!



The Fresco top is growing though more slowly. Actually, it's mind-numbingly boring to knit (after the column rib I added to flatten out the bottom), if a stitch slips off the needle it can drop a few rows without a second thought which is a pain BUT it's so simple you can knit it in a darkened cinema ( yup, I finally got to see Harry Potter!), at least until you drop a stitch!

Some of the problem is that it knits up slowly on 4mm needles so you're never as far on as you think- black hole knitting?



I managed to snap this one of Floppy in his "other bed". He dragged a blanket from one of the beds and arranged it on the top stair, well, it was probably uncomfortable to lie on the wood after he chewed that square of carpet...twice. We will recarpet eventually, once we know he's well out of the chewing phase!

SP11 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I'm pretty easy going when it comes to yarn, I love natural fibres (wool, cotton, silk etc.) as long as they're soft (I have sensitive skin). I like space dyed/handdyed/handpainted and variegated yarns and even like acrylic if it's a pretty colour and soft. I have the wrong colouring for beiges or neon brights.

I am a sucker for laceweight yarn as it's not easily found over here, enough to knit a shawl (1200yds+), I love handpainted yarns and sock yarns (though I have a ton of them!) as well.

Big no-no's are scratchy yarns, yarns with glitter in them, fun fur and the like. If you have cats and are gifting from your own stash, please warn me so I won't go smooshing my face in them and I'll give them a wee wash first to save any allergies.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

One of those old knitting project holder thingies that has a wooden frame and fabric bag. Cheap 'n' cheerful, I must get more organised one day!

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I've been knitting on and off since I was 6, I'd definitely consider myself an advanced knitter though I vary my projects difficulty levels according to attention span!

I partly taught myself with help from my mum (with the harder bits!). I taught myself to do intarsia back in the eighties (Kaffe Fassett time!), but do have some issues with my tension in Fair Isle. I have done a lot of aran in the past but find really heavyweight stuff too much for my arms nowadays but have taken to lace shawls in a big way in the last 12 months.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

You can find my U.K. Amazon wish list here

and my U.S. Amazon wish list here

5. What's your favorite scent?

I like Fruity scents, green notes like Jasmine, but nothing overpoweringly floral.I don't really wear perfume but I love my Lush baths! My mum and MIL have kept me in soap for the next 10 years or so, best not add to the soap mountain!

ooh, ooh, something to wash the woolies wouldn't go amiss! I get thru a fair amount of wool washing liquid what with my mountain of sweaters and the smelly fleeces that need a good dunk in the bath!

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I have a VERY sweet tooth, I love chocolate, fruity sweets, mints but nothing with dried fruit (raisins etc. though orange peel or ginger's o.k.). I DON'T do chewing gum, banana or cherry flavoured things, marzipan, coconut, apricot and cinnamon (and dried fruit!). I like good quality chocolate, milk or dark- my big yum ath the moment is Lindt Dark chocolate with orange and almonds- yum!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I spin, dye, cross stitch but mostly knit, design and modify knitwear patterns so they fit!.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) .

Pretty eclectic, nothing too heavy or depressing (Sting stuff gets stuck in my head and turns me mental!). No problem playing MP3's.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I seem to gravitate towards blue/greens but like purples and lilacs, reds, burnt oranges and chocolate browns, pinks (nothing too garish or neon). I really don't suit pale colours or beiges and LOVE Noroesque changing of colours as you knit through the ball so you end up with stripes (like Kauni). I like dark shades too though black can sometimes wash me out.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married but no kids. 2 Loony Labs (well, one elderly nearly lab, one nutty lab/staffy cross).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Come the colder months, yeah, the wind that comes off the Mersey can be pretty biting and dogs always need walkies, whatever the weather. I'm not a poncho person but closely knit hats or gloves (or felted so the wind doesn't get thru the gaps) always come in handy.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Anything that catches my eye! Lace seems to be creeping into a lot of my knitting recently, though I'm totally seduced by the Kauni cardigan. Socks are good 'cos they're quick to knit...except when they're not! Quick knitting (i.e. chunky yarns) give me instant gratification but I have also to have something stimulating the old grey matter too so I can chop and change as the situation, mood or intelligence suits.

I yearn to knit really complicated patterns so collect masses of beautiful yarns and designs but have to be in the mood to knit them else I make mistakes! I've been loving knitting the MS3 stole which I found intitally challenging until I made time for it and hope to knit another lace shawl/stole in the near future.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Lace Stole from MS3 (nearly finished clue 5!)-update, now on clue 7!, Blur Sweater (for knitting group), Fresco Sweater (truly mindless for travelling), Gansey Socks (LOVE cables and ganseys!), Eastern style cable Jacket (sort of got usurped by the sock!).

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Who doesn't? I certainly enjoyed knitting for my SP last time, it gave me the opportunity to spread my wings a bit and knit stuff I wouldn't necessarily knit for myself. I'm sure other knitters feel that way too.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I have most needles in most sizes in bamboo, metal and plastic/plastic coated metal. I have collected a few Addi's (circular), a Boyes set, a Knitpicks options set and a Denise set but hope to look for some lace circulars at some point and one day maybe try wooden DPN's like rosewood.

It seems no matter how many needles I have, there's always more to get.......

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I have a yarn winder but no swift (but that doesn't stop me!)

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Actually, less than 5 years old. I thought I wasn't going to be able to knit again until arthritis was properly diagnosed and treated and got rid of all my lovely yarn and patterns! Hasn't stopped me from acquiring a stash four times the size of the original since then though!

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I like Christmas but too many bad things have happened around that time for it to be my favourite. Easter can be good for the weather (if not my waistline!); but my favourite time would have to be Bonfire Night, closely followed by Halloween. I ADORE fireworks, crisp autumn evenings, the colours of the leaves turning though not the wet weather! I don't really celebrate Halloween, I just like the spookiness, the fun, the time of year. The fog rolling in over Whitby and the atmosphere it created, now that's Gothic!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

You mean aside from yarn, patterns, needles and other things knitterly? I like beads, big and small, lampwork, handmade, japanese, etc. I like unusual buttons, quirky etc. too.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

See Amazon list, I regularly buy Vogue Knitting but would love a copy of Knitters, Interweave Knits or Spin Off. I want to try lace circulars one day or wooden circulars (not bamboo). There are loads of online patterns I haven't quite got around to purchasing yet, e-mail me for a list.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I'd like to find out more about finishing techniques, innovative things to do with small amounts of yarn and get to grips with things like continental knitting.

One day, I'd like to make time to learn more than 2 stitches of Crochet. I hate when crochet tries to emulate knitting but LOVE the lacy, openness it can produce. Being a leftie, though, most instruction books can be annoying.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yup, I do socks amongst other things. I'm a U.K. size 5 foot which I think is 9" circumference?

23. When is your birthday?

5th June (so no good for this time!)

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

I'm 14959th in the queue with over 5000 in front of me so it may be a while yet!

We're all going on a(n) (autumn) Holiday, no more worries for 8 days or so!

Yup, I promised there might be something special in this post, last Tuesday, we booked a coach trip to....



...Here.

It's a LONG drive from where we live, so we've decided to be civilised and take a coach tour, no more driving for Mister P and no cooking for me! We'll be staying in 3 seperate hotels, heading thru Skye over to the Hebrides for 3 days before heading back to the mainland. Most days have tours pre-organised, some of which we have done before and not always what you would do were you going under your own steam but we get to see parts of the British isles that would be otherwise hidden to us and that's worth it's weight in gold!

We were originally looking at Ireland but there didn't seem to be anything outstanding ; I'd have loved to do the Shetlands but it was cost prohibitive, maybe in a year or two. Hubby has a bonus coming in a month or so and we decided, what the hell, let's go for it!

I have a special fondness for the Hebrides because of the works of Alice Starmore and her beautiful knitting patterns so it will be exciting to see the island for ourselves, weather permitting! Of course, whether I decide to take a Starmore pattern in honour of the trip will depend on how much concentration it takes! Maybe I'll take a selection?

On the needles right now:
I've finished the back of the Blur Sweater, just need to get the lace part of the front sorted before knitting group (Tuesday); the Fresco top has grown some, mostly from waiting in queues (and bus journeys!); I have started my first sock pattern from the Six Sock Knitalong - the Gansey sock (I'm a sucker for them!) in cream Rowan 4ply soft and unfortunately have yet to find time for clue 5 of MS3 this weekend! Have to make some time next week.

Had a lovely Wednesday when Mel called by with my fleece and picked up her Kool-Aid-alike dyes (amongst other things!). I was midway thru a major stash re-organisation which has mostly been sorted and means all my cottons are in one place, my 4 ply stash is now spread over 4 boxes, Jaeger, Handdye, Commercial space dye and anything else so I SHOULD be able to put my hands to whatever I need more easily (fingers crossed!).

Mel's been dyeing today so now I know what colours the dyes make before I even get going! I anticipate having a wee dyefest tomorrow, in between FINALLY getting to watch Harry Potter on the cinema. Hence little opportunity to get concentrated knitting time in tomorrow!

SP11 continues apace, I've got my confirmation for this round, fingers crossed I'll get my match mid August as promised then it'll be all systems go again, knitting for my Secret Pal then probably starting the Christmas knitting.

Ah well, back to the sock....

New! Improved!! Now with Photos!!!! (and yarn, and F.O's and MS 3 blah blah blah)

Shock horror, we have normal service again!

(Or as normal as you can get when your service provider's not sent you a bill for your broadband service for 3 months!). Hopefully, things will iron themselves out, but it doesn't give me faith in their abilitles.

Anyway, when life gives you lemons, you....
...sell them and buy yarn to knit! (or fleece to spin).

Speaking of which....

..The first two bobbins worth of Portland fleece as promised. You can't really see but one has strands of Angelina fibre mixed in at different points for a bit of glitter and they both have dyed silk tops added in so despite me not really liking the look on the skein, I know they will knit up in stripes of colour that blend into one another.

I haven't actually spun any more yarn this week, I've been busy doing this...



...The Jackety coaty thing.
I finally finished the front rib mid week then spent the following day sewing it all together.



Wacky collar eh?
On the fit front, I think it does benefit from the shaping on the sides, the rib sort of waterfalls down the front if you don't pin it in just the right place and there is the tendency to baloon a teensy bit around the bottom but overall I'm happy.

Plus, the sun has got his hat on a little more often of late so it's way too hot to wear it! Seems like the wool knitting theory is working then!



Which is why this has grown too. The wool that has been used on this jacket (Jaeger Matchmaker) is a little scratchy to knit with so I'm hoping it will soften up a bit on wearing. Hopefully when it's finished, it should look like this (you can click on the pic for a better view).



I'll be on the straight and narrow with it shortly but until the shaping etc. is out of the way, I needed a simpler project for knitting group. I had considered Monkey socks, but perhaps I'm all socked out at the moment, or maybe I just needed to dive into the stash and come up with...



...this pattern. I'd picked up the Sirdar Blur and pattern just after Christmas. I started it on Tuesday but the chevron lace was a little taxing (what with all that nattering and all); so I've got all the hard stuff out of the way and it's plain stocking stitch all the way from now on, so, perhaps I'll have a little voddie in my lime 'n' soda come Tuesday!

Okay, 'cos it's variegated, you can't actually SEE the chevrons, but hopefully once it's spread out, you'll at least see the lace holes...maybe...?

Not a problem with this project though!

The MS 3 Stole Continues apace; I've completed clue 4 this weekend, no shortening, just as it was written, and boy, has it grown!

First, the close-up.



I had to get a close up of the beads 'cos you can't see them at all on the full pics.

This is it in all it's glory. I did most of the two pages last weekend but would have felt bereft of weekend action if I hadn't reserved the last 40 rows for Friday!



It's steaming ahead now, the many rows of the same sort of thing did start to get a bit repetitive, strange 'cos I would have said I liked things to follow the same pattern, easier to remember etc. but on this one I've liked not knowing what happens next, it's added to the mystery.

Somewhat less mysterious is probably my oldest UFO, finally tracked down amongst the stash.


It's an Alice Starmore design from the Celtic Collection book (with modifications)- can't remember the name but I'll have to add it to my list on the UFO along. Still, the overall odds have to be good, I think that's four down off the list now!

The Ebay stuff went well so I'll have a nice little pot for a few refresher lessons and now the last loan payment's been made, we may be looking for a new (to us) car in the near future. We should be getting some vital pointing done on the outside of the house this coming week and Mel's promised to come down so there's fun for all the family! There'll be goodies for your perusal, Mel, hopefully it'll take your mind off the sad news (and out from under Jak's feet!) at least for a while.

There are plans afoot for a rather special holiday with he and me, so keep your fingers crossed for Tuesday!

I am still here, honest!

Sorry for the lack of pics on this one, I felt if I didn't post something soon, another whole week would flash by and as I'm unlikely to remember what happened last week by next week (hope you're still following!), I thought this would be better than nothing.

I've been a busy bee and spun both bobbins of yarn into two handsome hanks. Well, actually, not so handsome hanks, but I know that they'll knit up extremely nicely as we've been here before with the cinderella fleece (formerly known as the S**tty fleece!). I ended up going for plain old navajo again so the stripes won't be as long as anticipated BUT they're shaping up nicely all the same. I sort of spent an entire day finishing it, pushing myself way beyond tired so understandably, I'm having a wee rest from spinning right now.

I have however been tackling my UFO's, and the jackety coaty thing now has 4 1/2" of its 6" front rib done. With over 200 sts per row and the fact that you can't see the difference between knit and purl stitches in anything other than bright sunlight (which we haven't exactly had in abundance), I do feel that's something to be proud of. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, just about!

This weekend, the latest installement of MS3 has focussed my attention, this time 2 pages with around 70 rows per page ( it's 2 weeks worth). The pattern's settled somewhat so it does knit up more quickly and the fact that hubby did overtime Saturday did leave me a full day to get stuck in so we're onto the 2nd page now. it seems to be growing at a great rate of knots somehow, all of a sudden. I promise I'll post some pics when I get a moment.

Anyway, the reason why this blog is pictureless and indeed late is mostly down to the fact that Virgin, our service provider, in their great wisdom decided to terminate our broadband service on Friday afternoon. We waited the appropriate time to see if it was a fault then phoned them, got the runaround, complained and finally got a supervisor to agree to waive the charges as it was not our fault we were on a premium line, it was their screw-up.

Anyway, an hour later (11.35pm), we finally had service back again (no explanations), but it had knocked out the router etc. so the only way we could access the internet was downstairs with the laptop via a cable and no way of connecting with the other 'puters to get pics. It was only on Sunday afternoon with the help of my brother that we got everything working smoothly again (I type this with fingers crossed for, as I was typing this post, we lost internet again, but luckily for a short burst!).

Ah, the joy of the internet, you get used to it then something goes wrong!

Saturday, however, was an exciting day. I got my Ebay books thru ( I spent £138 on FOUR Alice Starmore books- when we had £200 in the account for the end of the month!); Took the dogs round the park then usual postie arrived with my pre-ordered Harry Potter- perhaps not so cheap as ASDA but saved me spending megabucks there in the process! Amongst the letters was also a bill from British Gas who have so hopelessly overcalculated our usage that we had a bill with a credit of £104 which, luckily, they automatically refunded so we don't have to live on bread and dripping after all! YAAAY!!! We also got a £15 quarterly gas bill, ditto previous comment, ditto timing.

I am, however, resisting the charms of the Potter until I have read the rest, in order. We're up to Goblet of Fire so we're halfway there! You forget all the subtle nuances that they leave out, or switch inthe films, so it's been refreshing to re-read them again.

My ebay stuff finished on Sunday evening with fantastic results, so I'm waiting for payments to trickle in and for ebay to work out why it won't let me send the second highest bidder a second chance offer (technology again!). Mama is due for a visit tomorrow so what remains after she's had her pick will probably be listed over the next fortnight or so.

I am itching to cast on for some Monkey socks to cover the transportable, not too difficult to remember, new thing category. Most of my current projects are either more complicated or large to tote so it does make sense, doesn't it? Oh yeah, and I found the zip to the Noro cardi, no excuses now eh?

Endings and Beginnings SP10, MS 3, UFO's and stuff

Wow, there are a lot of endings in this post!
Firstly, the final Jaywalker is complete!


I can FINALLY get on to something else- depending on how virtuous I feel, it could be another UFO ( See below for further news!), or one of my 3 current projects- Spinning ( no, I couldn't resist playing with the Portland, think last time- ONLY BETTER!); Eastern Jacket and Adamas Shawl.....

Watch this space...............

SP10 FINALE!
I can't hold it in anymore, I got my second (and final) parcel thru the post this morning!!!!!!!


There's a cute drawstring bag (did you make that yourself Charity?- it's lovely!), 2 patterns, some pretty photos - whose yarn stash is that one?

But there's more.....


....A knitting book that Charity messaged me about a week or so ago- it was on my Amazon.com mailing list, I'm chuffed to finally have a copy! There were 3 little dinky sachets of woolwash in different scents PLUS 2 pretty fridge magnets, one with a pic of Seattle, her hometown....

....Here it is in all it's glory, a magnificant skein of Socks that Rock in stunning- Fire on the Mountain!

But there's even more!

...This wonderful shawl which was folded within the cute bag- it's amazing that you had ANY time with moving, changing jobs and getting ill to knit any of this! It's a lovely mix of greens, browns and greys and it feels nice too!


The front points can be flung over opposite shoulders, short poncho style, or left to drape down the front as in the pic- you'll notice Trouble had to get in on the act!!! (Hint, bottom leftish-his nose!)

...And this was the second fridge magnet, I LOVE the sentiment, I'm the most untogether person out there!

So this, for me marks the real finish of SP10. Thanks, Charity for all your hard work, I hope you had fun too! You'll have to post what you recieved, I don't think I've seen anything yet?

UFO NEWS

I FINISHED ONE!!!!!!

Two, actually, It may have taken me 5 hours to sew in a zip by hand ( and leave me with a blister!), but another project ticked off the list.

Whether it actually does anything for me fashion wise is another issue, but, hey, it's Colinette, it must have cost me £30-£40 from the bargain bins to create so it's damn well going to get some wear!

The second was finding, then frogging the front of the hideous fluffy thing which will at some future date be transformed into a less cabley, more streamlined sweater.

MS 3 Clue 3
I sort of got seduced by the fleece over the weekend, so it took until today to complete the last 25 rows. I am still in there, still enjoying myself and will no doubt be in withdrawal this weekend when there will be no clue 'cos of Harry Potter Book launch.

It's growing, isn't it?

Still not sure how long it will end up, it's meant to be 77", but whether my tension is anything like, who knows?

I've been looking at the designer's blog/site, and I have to say, I LOVE her shawls/stoles!

I may have to purchase one or two next month, to continue with once MS3 is over, we shall see!

I have been following another fellow blogger of late with particular interest as she is a designer who blogs about the processes of designing and then sells you the patterns when it's all finished and written up. WELL, I have been seduced by her BEE FIELDS SHAWL!

I've waited a short while for it to become available as a pattern and now I've got my greedy mitts on it!

Do you see a certain lace element taking over?

Talking of all things Potter (yes, I've pre-ordered!) I've been watching the films in order and racing thru the books in order to fully re-acquaint myself with all the little bits. I appear to have developed a fascination with the Knitwear! Not exactly unusual, himself usually raises eyes heavenwards as I scan programmes for suitable candidates, but I've got a bee in my bonnet about Molly Weasley's outfits in Chamber of Secrets. The first, the Housecoat which a version of is in Charmed Knits - but I want to tweak it to make it MORE like the original- even though what I know about crochet, I could write on the back of a postage stamp!

The second is far more complicated, it's the lacy/cutout sweater she wears during the floo powder incident and later at Diagon alley. It's impossible, so, I want it.....

...I mean, I've drawn little diagrams on the back of the nearest envelope (also a common occurrence), it's sort of boucle shapes roughly resembling horseshoes held together with bars of thread. I mean, it could be devore, some cutout fabric, I really need to get it out of my system fast 'cos I know it'd drive me nuts- BUT...if I could make something that was IN THE SPIRIT, a little more user friendly?

A Lovely Surprise!! SP10 stuff

I must admit to feeling a wee bit sorry for myself of late, the throat thing has been getting me down, especially the idea that I have to wait 3-4 weeks for it to go away/go back for tests to see if it's anything more sinister.

So it was a lovely surprise to find a jam-packed yellow mailing bag on my doorstep when I returned, somewhat wearily from a friends house.

This was what I found inside...


....peeking out at the back there is a lovely handknitted cotton washcloth in springlike greens. yellows and blues, the whole package was wrapped in the green tissue you can see at the back and tied with the lovely cord you see at the front.

Romelda had warned me she was sending me a birthday present and told me it was a cloth BUT she didn't tell me about the other goodies she sneaked in! She'd bought me EZ's Knitter's Alamnac AND Knitting Workshop ( which costs an arm and a leg IF you can get it over here!), PLUS she'd sent me the cutest card I've seen in ages!

Romy, you have spoiled me rotten and I thank you, you've made my day! (But you are a VERY naughty girl!!!!!). Just you watch out, there'll be something in the post back at'cha given time!

I've met some amazing people thru SP10, and I feel honoured to have taken part, I know I've put my heart and soul into those packages I sent out and I know others have too. SP11 is now signing up, ready for matches in August and the round proper starts again in September. Plenty of time to knit warm wooly things that'll actually be useful! I hope I get to make new friends next round too!

Thanks too to Mel for checking on my wellbeing today- she keeps in touch to check I'm alive! She's got a few bargains from her LYS but I'm not jealous! I've found a source of HALF PRICE Debbie Bliss PURE SILK!!!!!!

A Trip around the World in one Day!

Hubbie has been off today, having a break from some pretty intense work stuff (which he'd put off for long enough!). In typical fashion, I've picked up, at best guess, a virus (so the doc says) which has left me with a lump in my throat- literally, and the energy of a snail.

So, instead of decorating the bathroom, we took a little time out for a trip 'round the world...



...There's the Roman Boathouse.....



...The Swiss Bridge....

...The Lake that, no matter what angle you are at, you can't see from one end to the other.

We omitted the Swiss Alps (Giant Rockery) , there was just too much to photograph.

So, where were we?

Birkenhead Park...yup, amongst the heart of a very busy town, there's a whole heap of peace and quiet, and plenty of wildlife too...

...Okay, I DID have to crop the photo a bit, but the squirrels were pretty tame (and fat!), I reckon they get fed plenty by passers by.

Itwas a lovely, peaceful couple of hours, we explored both halves of the park, the more cultivated North end and the more natural South end, with another big lake, full of Canada Geese.

Built in 1847, Birkenhead Park was the first of its kind and Central Park by all accounts is modelled on it. It's amazing what's so close to your doorstep, I'm sure in the past it'd been left to rack and ruin, but it's so pretty now, with renovation still going on, the most recent aspect, planting all around the shorelines which will make things even prettier in time to come.

So, it's back home, to check the e-mails ( and collapse in a little puddle), and there's a lovely one from Mel, who waded thru mud on Sunday at the St Helen's Show, brave soul! And another from my SP Charity who's sent me a lovely pattern from Blue Moon Fibre Arts and there's promise of the 2nd package being posted soon! Can't wait!

Some genuine new doggie pics, Biscuit and Floppy concerned for my wellbeing?

Naah, they're after food and Walkies, of course!

I've been Dye(ing) to show you this one! MS3 update and Woolfest Goodies!

As promised, the full colour pallette of the latest dyefest extravaganza!

From the top, there's Navy (same sort of patchiness as last time, must need shedloads of dye for an even result!); Turquoise, Plain old fleece (as it's not discoloured).

Middle row has pale Bottle green, Emerald green and a Khaki? sort of shade that happens when you mix brown and yellow that's not terribly colourfast.

Bottom row has a Red that looks Pinky, Blue and strong Bottle green ( I chucked half the pot in!)


You can see why I'm not so enamoured by the laceweight at the mo., can't you?
It's begging to be spun, particularly now it's all dry and taking up a whole chair!

The 5th Jaywalker kind of went walkabout but luckily came home again in time for the weekend. It's all done bar the grafting, so now there's only one more to go!

I've been asked what modifications I made, basically there are sixty somethng stitches on the needle rather than the original 76. The pattern has been altered by having a 6 stitch gap in between increases and decreases, rather then the pattern's 7 and using 2.5mm needles with loose tension rather than the advised 2.25mm.

The throw has grown too, but just a bit.


Maybe by next post, you'll see the difference more.

MS3 NEWS

I finished Clue 2!

I am so loving knitting this pattern, there were only 50 rows this time, I nearly thought I'd complete them on Friday night, but when, at 11.30pm I noticed a couple of errors four rows back, I knew it was time to call it a night.

I was busy the following day with a needlefelting course, see the fruits of my labours below.

However, as soon as I got home, it was straight to the needles and on the home straight. I finished around 7.30pm, and I have to say, it was definitely easier than last week.

I think I must be getting into the stride now, the beading's becoming more natural, I have a great setup with the laptop- I don't use a printed pattern, just enlarge the pdf 'till it's big enough for me to see comfortably and count as I go. Far less mistakes to correct this time too!

These are my needlefelted pieces from the day, it was really lucky that Mel had time off post Woolfest, so she came too and we had a really girly day out! Mel, you have to post a pic of your psychedelic cat! The poppy's not quite finished yet, so you'll be able to see it completed sometime!

In other knitting news..

...This is the first pics of the eastern jacket I mentioned last Monday. My theory being, that knitting warm wool in bad weather would encourage good weather (which it is uncomfortable to knit warm things in!). Well, in the week since I began, there HAS been rain, BUT I actually have had far less wet feet 'cos there's been a whole heap of not wet weather too!

Here's the cable close up, I'm really loving knitting it, even if it does grow more slowly than a lot of recent projects.

MOUSE UPDATE!!!!!

It's currently fingers crossed that the (multiple) meeces have found a new home thanks to this little gadget. Hub has cleared up the mass of mouse poo around the microwave area ( I know, Lovely, isn't it?) and so far, fingers crossed, there's no more appeared.
Long may it continue.

WOOLFEST STUFF

My eternal gratitude goes out to Mel who, armed with a shopping list and some pennies, did boldly go forth unto the event that was Woolfest, and, verily, didst bring me prezzies...



500g of young goat mohair from Crookabeck? Angoras. The tips looked well mucky (as mohair often is), so it got a dunking today. The worst of the muck, unfortunately appears to be a heavily veged fleece (serves me right for not picking before!), so there'll be some heavy picking once it's dry.



She also got me some luscious merino silk from Wingham's stand as well as the 72" niddy noddy I'd asked for- the only one in the whole show! That green mix reminds me of Kermit the frog and the right hand front purple is really vibrant in the flesh.

They'll go perfectly with these...

..colours I picked up from Winghams a while back. Not totally sure what it'll be yet, aside from wearable, it can stay on the inspiration pile for now.

There's still a hoofing fleece to come, but she also got me these as a birthday pressie!


There's a threading hook in wood with a 1" and 1/2" WPI tool attached (never lose it again!); a cute sheepie keyring and a fabbo gingerbread sheep ( which by the way was delicious- It got eaten as soon as I got a piccie!). Mel, you are a real sweetie!

The Adamas shawl is looming again, now, thanks to the kindness of my knitting group, I have plenty of stitch markers!

On the top are Donna's Sheep and dangle beaded things, Lyndsey from group whipped up the lilac flower and heart markers on the top row, made a pile of others for samples then gave me them all!

The bottom row was given to me by another of the members, Jean, and I was given another free pack of stitch markers from Simply knitting a few months back so now, I'm ready to go...

...apart from the fact that I've lost the run of the pattern...D'oh!

I'll have to trawl the computer and see if I can find the pattern- it appears in a fit of zeal, I accidentally deleted Charity's e-mail with the original attachments. Double D'oh!

Biscuit despairs of me!

Part Knitter, Part Duck!

Living where we are, we've mostly avoided the worst of the British weather, being somewhat higher up from the Mersey and therefore extremely unlikely to be flooded out of house and home ( though the water pressure's diabolical!). My heart goes out to those poor Yorkshire souls who have been driven from their homes for probably countless weeks by rising and sometimes contaminated floodwaters.

I am however mildly teed off that I end up with wet feet EVERY DAY! Having out of necessity to go around the park at least every morning (the poochies can only cross their legs so long!) and also not having the sort of feet that will comfortably fit into the average wellie or otherwise waterproof footwear, I am beginning to feel like a duck!

I am sure if this continues I will be developing webbed feet! Despite the rain having stopped by the time I went out this morning, I STILL have soaked feet because of the rivers of water flowing down the footpaths, seeking out any low point. The lake had long since overflowed and was taking up most of the path around its edge and I could only watch as more and more water poured in. Typically, I had no camera so you''ll have to use your imagination!

The wool socks have however come in useful round the house whilst waiting for the training shoes to dry out. On that subject, the third pair of Jaywalkers continues to grow, using the 2.5mm needles with the modified pattern certainly takes less time which is a godsend by pair three!

In order to keep my sanity, I have actually cast on for a new project! In the theory that, when you take an umberella, it won't rain, I am knitting the Eastern Style Jacket from Wendy Mode in Jaeger Matchmaker pure Merino. I live in hope of blisteringly hot weather which will make knitting it uncomfortable! Fingers crossed!

Pic to follow

Ah well, knitting group tomorrow, the first Smoke free session ever! Bliss!

Wow, what a busy day! Even busier week!
So what have I been up to?...

...On Monday I wound ( and wound and wound) the LONGEST SKEIN EVER- I tied it in 1 metre lengths and there were 17 ties so I guess it was pretty long- before shrinkage. The yarn was a 50/50 Cheviot and Alpaca 4 ply in a light grey to start off with. All the "to be dyed " stuff went in vinegar water overnight.

So, Tuesday was dye day.Above is the skein after dyeing, it's all one long length wound back and forth to dry! I did a little "splodge" dyeing of some commercial 80% Wool DK, that's what's drying at the back. The Alpaca looked really mean and moody because it was wet ( the flash kinda cancelled that bit out) but that paled as it dried.

As it dried well, Wednesday involved lots of re-winding, first onto the ball winder and then into useable skeins. Of course, I forgot all about this and was later complaining how my arms ached!

Anyway, here's the finished skeins, all 185g. Interestingly, I found another skein I dyed a while back in almost exactly the same combination of colours! however, as each colour is a metre strip, it should stripe up well. I've roughly the same amount of yarn again left on the cone so I've still to decide whether to repeat the procedure all over again or do something different! Watch this space!

On Wednesday, I joined up to MS3 so by Thursday, I decided I really needed to pull my finger out and get the sample square done.

It's actually a humble 20% Mohair, 80% Acrylic but it was the right thickness and the right colour and, above all, it looks pretty. I did try a pure Alpaca 4 ply ( to keep up with the fibre snobs) but it looked hideous and, surprisingly I either didn't have enough or had the wrong sort of colour or thickness despite having a stash the size of a small country so it also saved me from buying any more!

For those that don't know, MS3 ( Mystery Stole 3) runs for 7 weeks, the first clue (first 100 rows) were posted on Friday ( afternoon here) and I completed it around 1pm Sunday. Sign ups close at the end of this week ( I think) so there's still time to join if you wish.

Pretty, n'est ce pas? I love the celtic cables round the outside and whilst I will admit to an odd grey hair or two ( concentration's the key). I mostly found it enjoyable, particularly adding the beads without stringing them on the yarn first (though you can't see them in the pics!).

So, what else have I been up to? Well, I started the 2nd pair of Jaywalkers last Friday...



...However, this 'aint them! The sock fairies have been kind and pair 2 was knitted up in every spare moment and finally finished Friday.



Just to prove I've not just done another closer pic of my original socks!

Pair 2 have made it to their new home and I've actually cast on for pair 3! I'm cheating a wee bit here, though, using 2.5mm needles rather than 2.25mm and a little jiggery pokery with the stitch count so they don't look too wide. The flip side is pair 3 is knitting up even faster than before ( which is necessary with so much else on the go!).

Also, through the week, I have been washing fleece ( the second half got washed today) and dunking in the dyepot. It's a lovely creamy Portland fleece and mostly very soft with very little rubbish in it ( which has been nice). So far today, we have a pot of Navy and Blue to add to the Turquoise and Red of Yesterday and the pale bottle green of Friday. I'm debating as I go as to whether to limit the colours to a palette or just pick up whatever dyejar is to hand, I guess I will find out when there's no more fleece left to dye!

The more regular readers will perhaps enquire as to the 5 bag challenge? You know, spinning, reducing fleece etc?

Shall we say crashed and burned?

Truth is, I haven't touched either wheel since I posted and with newly dyed fleece calling, it's doubtful whether I'll continue on the lace route. I will try to devote an hour to it later in a make or break (pardon the pun!) situation to see whether I can stick to it for a wee bit longer. Or not.

I've also joined a UFO-along. I have so many NFO's, I need a boot up the backside to finish them so just maybe this'll do the trick. I plan to root them all out this week so I can make an honest list of them all then perhaps a frogathon to reduce some back to stash.

I also have cravings to knit something EXPENSIVE. I'm surrounded by gorgeous, premium quality wool yet stuck knitting socks ( which I had to BUY wool for) and lace stuff. I may just have to cast on ONE MORE THING just so I feel like I'm making a dent in it all ( however slight!)

Floppy doesn't really care so long as he gets fuss once in a while!