bad blogger

I just had a comment on this blog about my owl sweater and it’s kicked me into updating. I am a bad blogger, I know!

Easter saw some sad knitterly news. I was visiting my parents and went to the loo. I got very cold feet. I guessed someone had been over energetic washing their hands and that I’d trodden in a puddle. No wetness on the floor. I turned my foot so I could see the sole and there was the problem. My first pair of socks I ever knit for myself (using my grandmother’s hand me down metal DPNs and short row toes and heels-oh yes, nothing like jumping in at the deep end)  had developed a hole on the pad of my foot. I know I could darn them, but they are looking remarkably thin EVERYWHERE! It does mean that my mum has taken pity on me and is currently knitting me a pair of socks, that is when I don’t interrupt her with my phonecalls!

That same weekend, saw me battling with a fried M.E. brain charting out and calculating the start of my dad’s Birthday Cardigan. I am doing a Saddle Shoulder Cardigan but without the pattern as I couldn’t justify the postage for one pattern from the states. I have EZ to hand and she is all about no patterns, so I hope Meg will forgive me. I managed to cast on and knit, and somehow twist the join, so had to restart!

Roll forward to now and this weekend I completed the body (I’m knitting this in DK-slowwwww) and have just joined the cuffs to start the sleeves. Dad’s birthday was beginning of May, but he doesn’t mind… I am attending a class in June at Uk Rav Day being run by Jared Flood on steeking. I am secretely hoping that I will have speed knitted this and steeked it before then, but as the workshop is weekend after next, I realise that’s a tad ambitious! I maanged to skein, wash and dry some more wool for the sweater, all in one day thanks to the gorgeous sunshine this weekend.

For dad’s birthday Simon and I joined my parents in Edinburgh for a week. I did NO KNITTING (except for maybe 2 rounds on my socks) but can see why so many knit designers are bred there. The city really inspired me. From stuff you see and think NO WAY why all of that in ONE thing, but some of it might be useful… to amazingly perfect things. I’m speaking of all things, art, clothes, buildings, scenery, even food… loved my time there. I will be emailing Edinburgh council about wheelchairy stuff though, I got stranded several times…

here’s to more updates.

Rugby + Lace

Rugby and lace knitting do not mix. I knitted a whole round of k4 YO k1 Yo k4 k4tog 20 TIMES before i realised that I should’ve been knitting a knit round. It really was an elementary mistake, as I shouldn’t be knitting anything but knit stitches into the previous rounds YOs. So I spent the first half of the Scotland game today, knitting that round, then promptly unknitting it! Managed to do the k round, then the pattern round and another k round in the second half. Glad scotland won too

A pic of me in my newly finished sweater (owls by kate) in New Lanark chunky knitting my lace (Girasole in 4ply), just before the rugby.

Old meets New

Last weekend whislt down at my parents’, we got a phonecall from my grandmother requesting some lace-weight yarn to knit some baby shawls. 2 things: She hasn’t knitted for years due to ill health and there are no babies on the family horizon.  Trawled through the britishyarns website and bookmarked a load of favourites for later perusal! Mum went and dug out one of the shawls that she’s had for over 30 years. When we were photographing other knitting stuff, we took some of the shawl; here they are

The photo evidence

before

after

in anticipation

looks like it might all be happening tomorrow. I donated the £15 this morning, despite my plans to pay a barber the first time…

Christmas, charity, hair, your opinion

I’ve been leaving my hair to be in need of a cut for a few weeks now, as I wanted it cut at the end of next week, ready for all things christmas. Last time I had my haircut, it wasn’t my regular cutter and she didn’t do a good job at all. So, I phoned up at the beginning of the week to guarantee an appointment only to find out that my hairdresser had left! York’s hairdresser’s are pretty inaccessible. I phoned one that looked promising, but apropos their telephone manner, was not suitable due to steps in the salon. I refuse to spend more than £20 a haircut as I have it cut every 5 weeks-it needs it when it’s short. I’m not sure that the hairdressing college is open, but if it is that does remain an option.

The other option is to shave my hair-grade 2 ish. I’ve done it before, when i was too ill to leave the house to get my hair cut, but my long lout hair was driving me nuts… It didn’t suit me particularly well, as my black bags under my eyes took over-plus I was about 1.5stone heavier then.

I then read yarnharlot’s recent entry where she mentions Knitters Without Borders (MSF fundraising) and I thought, I could donate my £15 I would’ve spent on having my hair cut, when I shave it off instead (mum has clippers, so  I really would be saving that money). I then wondered if other’s would donate too. I know my hair is short anyway, but… well anyway, your poll vote would be of interest to me. I’m a bit nervous of the chop, but may be swayed. Please be honest with your answers tho’ (karma is watching lol)

*EDIT: wondering if others would donate if I were to shave my hair off…

		

a brief comment would also be appreciated  

Shews cobwebs away…

Well, no idea if anyone still has this on an RSS feed or randomly still comes along… my absence has largely been due to lack of creativity. I was preparing and doing uni, until I realised that that was all I was doing. Literally uni, bed, study, bed and my health was worsening beyond that! SOOOO I’ve quit uni and am aiming to be back to knitting and occasional baking. AND back to buying gorgeous new boots. if those don’t make me feel funky again, i’m not sure much will!! Went into town specifically to try them on and luckily they fit-I kept them on-putting my trainers in my bag was easier than lugging around the boots in their box-some rather dishy guys paying before me seemed to agree! Got a free makeup case with them too-bonus. I resisted smart shiny shoes-once a year is a high cost per wear ratio. Right now though I should go and take them and my bobble hat off and knit/sleep as I have scrummy new worsted malabrigo and chunky misti alpaca waiting

The tale of Rowan Polar

Bought for a hoodie for myself… it was going to add too much bulk to my slimmed down self though. also not 100% sure about the colour for me.

an unfinished hoodie

unfinished hoodie from front

bought extra wool and it was then a finished sweater for simon, but was a bit skimpy and bulky again!

it was then made into something of a mystery parcel for Tom.

A brown paper wrapped box

YES, another hemlock ring blanket

and a candle flame shawl for my grandmother’s 80th birthday present. It now sits on the back of her chair

Clothkits + parcels

my sister and i sat in a tree wearing clothkits jackets and hats

I thought I’d share a photo of my sister and I wearing clothkits Jackets and Hats as kids. Ysolda’s post about the company and other’s mentioning these cute jackets that had lil pockets for toy stuffed animals, made me think of some scanned pics I have on the PC. Without a sewing machine or the ability to cut straight, I am still tempted by the clothkits kits… the kids stuff is just adorable.

absence makes the heart grow fonder?

well, I was going to update with a picture of a candle flame shawl blocking that I’ve knitted out of the same wool that I used for my friends hemlock ring blanket (the stuff that started as a hoodie) but alas my camera batteries need charging.

My lace was on hold whilst on holiday (only got 1 sock knitted in 10 days away!) in pretty funky location though!

and since I’ve been back, I’ve been busy on the candle flame shawl, ready for next saturday to give to my grandmother. It’s amazing how good this wool looks for blankets.

I’d also forgotten how satisfying blocking is. Once I’ve got the space organised seeing a blob become a shapely piece of beauty is impressive. Tom, I will block your blanket on Friday (so that it can take up as much space as it wants, as we’re away until the Sunday!)