Anyone who knows me really well , knows I love my local city , Glasgow ! And I love nothing better than spending time in the many Museums and Parks it has , so I was very pleased when the Tramwayknits group held its "Spring Fling" at the Burrell today. The Sun shone ,the company was great , and we did our knitted Flower swap.
And what a Flower Swap , there was a full bunch of flowers in one gorgeous crocheted flower scarf , there was a beautiful kidsilk haze creation , a beaded flower with tweed leaves , and (my contribution) twirly aran flower with boucle leaves . I never got to see the rest as two small boys were pulling me away to go home!
There was a LOAD of wonderful knitting/crocheting books and magazines on the table - we took particular interest in the Knitted Lingerie book, underwear aside it did contain some great outerwear , some of it inspired by the fashions of the 1940's.
There was also a LOAD of gorgeous yarn , Heather had brought some beautiful silk and silk mix yarn. The Manos del Uruguay silk mix was a gorgeous red colourway , and the silk aran was wonderful acid shades of pink and orange . And the stole Heather was crocheting was in a wonderful shade of turquoise/sea blue .
In fact there was quite a bit of the crochet going on today. Alice had on a lovely crocheted cardi , Heather was crocheting a stole, there were lots of lovely crochet books on the table including the Erika Knight book my sister bought to knit a lovely camisole (Personally I would need to knit/crochet something to fill the camisole but thats for another time! lol)
I had brought my 3 years old WIP sweater today to add another few rows , but I had wished I had brought my WIP cotton top instead. I may dig that out this evening when children are sleeping .
And on to FO's - the HP socks are FINIS ! However , Junior feels they are a bit tight - aaarrgghh! So on to pair number two , then perhaps I can give pair number one to Jnr Junior. I always knew there was a positive side to having more than one child ! lol
Having a few problems with electrical things just now - Vacuum cleaners packed up and the camera is slowly falling to bits. I'm tempted to buy the toy version of things as they seem to last longer!
So. I am sitting in Cafe Flava after having been at the dentist (crown/gum problems and a freaky x-ray, yeuch!), and Irene and Fiona (healthy outdoorsy mums , do lots of walking , cycling etc.) came in and joined me. I was sitting at my favourite seat by the window , feeling the sun on my back (Oh. Joy.) and knitting the HP Phoenix sock, which is NEARLY done.
Irene managed to persuade/coerce me into volunteering for the school fete , and then quipped , "ooohh, have ordered my first ball of sock wool , or rather sock kit from get knitted , I am going to knit socks at last!" She'll be clickety clicking at Flavaknits night yet , or perhaps on Flavaknits mornings!
Talking of. Didn't manage to Flavaknits last night as I was out at the theatre. A group of us went to see Mamma Mia at the Clyde Auditorium , and it was such a laugh. Wasn't sure if the scent of fake tan was coming from the actors , who were looking quite "healthy" , or the girl next to me , but it was rather strong. And of course you can guess what happened when the song Souper Trouper was sung ? *
I think most of the songs were accompanied by the audience , either by singing, dancing or both!
It was a really enjoyable show, I loved the music , and I think I was taken by surprise with the comedy in it. To quote a friend , "its pure cheese but great fun!"
Being out so late did mean that I missed reading the bedtime stories to the boys , but I think Gran and Grandad managed just fine. What I find amusing is that when I read these books , I sometimes come across references to knitting in the unlikeliest of stories. Last week , we came across some in Roald Dahls , Danny Champion of the World.
DH is worried , says I'm getting obsessed with knitting . This from the man who visits the Golf shop on a weekly basis!
* Hint , something to do with Glasgow
Just like the weather of late , I keep changing what I'm doing!
Just now , I am almost finished the HP Phoenix socks. Sadly they are a teensy weensy bit tight for junior , so jnr junior will inherit the first pair , and I will have to knit a second. Now that I am using the usual heel turning method , I actually like the yarn (lets not talk about the "new" method I tried - least said soonest mended etc. etc.)
Received an email from Sunshine yarns about their latest HP inspired sock yarn - I. RESISTED. Although it was VERY tempting.
Now at present I have "several" projects on the go - so why did I feel the need to start winding another ball of sock yarn ? I should really say that it is ADHD , but its the lovely colours of the yarn that kept calling out to me everytime I passed the yarn basket. Its very berry , dyed by Jon of Easyknits down in London. I bought it last year at the Stitch and Bitch Day sponsored by Iknit London.
Had a lovely morning at Cafe Flava , my favourite haunt. The weather was appalling , and I had spent the previous day washing , drying and ironing until night time , so thought I would reward myself with a morning of sock knitting . It was a lovely surprise when Margaret walked in to join me , as I hadn't seen her for a while (she'd been in Tenerife for six weeks , now THAT is how to spend the wet windy winter !) and it was great to catch up .
All to soon it was time to pick up jnr junior from Nursery , and spend the afternoon cake baking . Not a bad life really .
Goodness , the Sun has appeared , must go and hang another washing out!
The batteries for the camera need recharging , so more photbooth photo's - here it is , the Cocoon crop cardi, with my wee doggie brooch !
And here is the Jamie Possum Handpaint beret - brightens up the grey cardi!
And sights! Look sun , and me knitting in it! The shade of grey requires much light before being knitted , especially since this was the colour of the sky all last winter.... and autumn..... and summer!
Clickety click , as I finally finish my cropped cardi in cocoon , from Rowan Studio 7 . I am not knitting the tying ends 50cm long , as I would have children swinging from them!
I am so desperate for sunlight that I am blogging out in the garden.....good grief , so forgive the bad photo's , they are courtesy of photobooth on my laptop. Couldn't find the USB cable in my knitting bag to download photo's from the camera , desperate times require desperate measures, or some other misquote .
Its not quite sitting the way I had hoped , as it sorta gapes open , and the tying ends are a bit chunky , but it looks okay for now.
Better photo's tomorrow , just so happy I've finished this one , time to log it on Ravelry!
When we were visiting friends in Perth , we went into the town centre on the Sunday . Now everyone that knows Perth , knows there is not much to do there on a Sunday , except go to church - perhaps St Johns Kirk.
As we passed it that Sunday morning , we heard the beautiful choir singing , it was quite lovely . We could hear it quite clearly from outside the church , as the town was so quiet and peaceful .
I went to look at a few of my old haunts , some which have changed quite dramatically. Some still the same , like my old flat in a 250 year old building , in the towns' Watergate . Now when I lived there , there was no wee arty shop next door , the door to the close was blue , and there were no lights or secure entry to the close - a change for the better I think.
Tidying out my yarn stash the other day , I realised I have quite a lot! Especially since I visited New Lanark and was tempted by their gorgeous new chunky wool (10 balls!! ) . I have quite a few projects outlined for most of my stash , but it may take me several years to realise them all!
So , with the exception of a few special skeins , I am on an official yarn diet ! I have bought a notepad to mark down what projects I intend to start/finish this year , and I stuffed a large proportion of my yarn in one of those vacuum sacks. You know the ones , you get them at Lakeland , stuff your clothes etc. into them , then suck out all the air to make them look smaller .
Except with my yarn , they don't look small , in fact it lives up to its name of Sac(k)! lol
However , I have allowed myself the odd pattern book - DB Donegal Tweed Pattern book . Very beautiful , except that in true DB style all the patterns knit up to almost twice the original size (okay a bit bigger )- at least they warn you about in in this book!
Notice the gorgeous buttons - got these at K1yarns the other day as I couldn't resist .
Have been spinning a bit too - still learning , but improving ever so slightly . Here are a few skeins . Fancy dyeing the natural merino yarn , as /ithink it would take it well . Not so sure about my kitchen though !
and have a chat and a cup of tea , ...... with perhaps a big slab of cake, or a scone with butter and jam, maybe a pancake(drop scone) , or just a plain digestive!
How I love food!
And Knitting !
This is Possum Handpainted yarn , that I got at the SECC in March , it will be a beret. How I love these colours !
How I love yarn !
Handspun , hand-dyed , Scottish angora from Skye , by teohandspun from Di Gilpins' shop in Perth .
Was visiting Perth at the weekend for an 80's Party , but had to do a little shopping beforehand , so visited Di Gilpins' shop in George Street . So much temptation , but I restricted myself to only 2 skeins , the angora and this ...!
This is the second one - Colinette Iona in Monet colourway , it really is the colours of Monets' paintings , so divine ! It is surrounded by my Froth Scarf , done in Rowan Kidsilk Haze , colourway ? why Heavenly of course!
And how I loathe , I mean love to Spin (no not the cycling exercise) , lookee , some yarn on the bobbin at last. Fibre is courtesy of New Lanark , and is really lovely. The chocolate brown fibre has longer ....fibres , and is a little courser but spins finer. The cream fibre is merino with shorter...fibres , and I keep spinning it quite thick. But am improving.
I think Kiwi and I are going to get along quite fine !
