Sunday 27 April 2008

A Collection at the Burrell!

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!

Friday 25 April 2008

Four Seasons in One Day

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

Wednesday 23 April 2008

|Changeable

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!

Wednesday 16 April 2008

Finishing Things!

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!

Tuesday 15 April 2008

Garden sounds!

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!

Friday 11 April 2008

On a diet , a yarn diet !

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 !

Friday 4 April 2008

Come my friend , sit down with me

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 !