Currently in Progress


I haven't mentioned Shedir lately, as I haven't spent any sizeable chunks of time working on it. I find I really have to concentrate on what I'm doing, otherwise it all goes wrong. For some reason cables have this effect on me, where lace doesn't (not to the same extent, at least). So I've been knitting a row here and there and have now done the first few rows of the second repeat. What makes it worthwhile for me is seeing the pattern emerging - otherwise I might not bother with what I find to be quite hard work. I'm using Felted Tweed for Shedir, and it's pleasant, but not one of my favourites. Thing is, I can't say why. I like the way it looks, more than the way it feels to knit with. Having said that, I like the way it feels once knitted. Weird.

I'm also still working on the second of Nick's socks, which I started back in April last year. The fact that each sock has 90sts isn't a good enough reason for this delay. I just got bored. The slipped-stitch-rib pattern isn't interesting enough to keep me, well, interested. On the other hand, I have to look at it whilst knitting, so it's not exactly mindless knitting.

I've resurrected the Edwardian Lace Stole as a wip in the last week or so. You may remember I started this back in August and, having completed one half, just stopped. Again, I think I became bored with the same old stitch pattern. Anyway, when I picked it up again I immediately liked the feel of the Kidsilk Haze with the bamboo addis, and wondered why I'd left it for so long. I mean, I can knit this pattern while Charles chatters away, or the TV is on. Now, there are only three more repeats to knit, plus the top edge. Don't hold your breath, though. You know it could still take me a few months.

I want to knit a little hat for Charles, from the Elizabeth Zimmerman, Knitting Without Tears. It's the snail hat and I need a yarn that can do approx 7-8 sts to three inches. Cripes! That's big. Anyone know of anything nice I could use (wool - something natural)?

Before I go, thanks for all your comments on my Forecast. I'm enjoying wearing it.

On Not Having Enough (Yarn)


Here is my latest Forecast, knitted with eight balls of Debbie Bliss Felted Tweed (I think), on the needle sizes recommended in the pattern. My first Forecast was knitted in Cascade 220, which is very soft and springy, compared to the Felted Tweed, which is much rougher and stiffer. I actually prefer the stiffness of the Felted Tweed for Forecast - it makes quite a robust fabric and the ribbing on the cardi is more flattering in the Tweed, as it holds everything in slightly! Heaven knows what will happen when it's washed (I haven't blocked it). Anyway, half way through the first sleeve, I realised I wouldn't have enough yarn. It was pretty easy to suss this out, as I'd had two balls left with which to do both sleeves, and as I'd got through three-quarters of one ball before the first sleeve was half done, it was safe to assume I wouldn't have enough for two long sleeves. That is why I knitted them to just above the elbow. Having done that I realised the shape needed balancing out, by adding more "weight" at the edges, hence the frills. So, on to the button bands - again I didn't have enough yarn and decided that the cardi would look quite cool with buttons on the lower half only - and that's what I did. It was so quick to knit such a tiny button band, and very rewarding when I saw how much I liked the result. I think this is my favourite knitted item. By the way, I'm wearing my sunglasses because I looked pretty frightful without them.

The neck warmer I'm wearing in the photo is knitted on 7mm needles, from one ball of Sirdar Vegas (which is representative of the type of yarn available where I live - you know what I mean?) Anyway, I was suffering from yarn deprivation when I bought it. I intended to knit a scarf but didn't have enough. That's why it turned into a neck warmer (I sewed the two ends together). Putting prejudices aside - I really like it and will probably make another in a different colour. Where so many knitters dislike the boredom that results from knitting the same thing twice, I seem to like the known territory. I must be so boring.


ADDED LATER...........Sorry everyone - it's Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed, not Felted Tweed, (what a donkey I am). £1.77 a ball from Jannette.

Baby Cable Rib

I started these socks on Saturday and finshed them on Thursday. Usually it takes me ages to knit a pair of socks, especially if they're not just plain stocking stitch, so I'm really pleased. The baby cable rib pattern is from Sensational Knitted Socks - a very useful book - and is on 56sts and 2.5mm needles. The yarn is Opal 4-ply.

I have actually finished Nick's sock, which I started last April. I've just cast-on 90sts for the other sock. So now I can look forward to loads and loads of 3 x 3 slipped-stitch ribbing. It's okay though, as I'm finding that these days I'm content to sit and knit and don't really mind what it is (if it's my "mindless" project of the moment). I used 47g out of 100g for the first sock so I'm hoping I'll have enough for the second. I should have, as I have 6g to play with and that's quite a lot, I suppose. But then, you know what my tension is like, so it may be a bit hair-raising towards the end.

My hair is dark brown again, by the way. Now I can wear my funky/odd clothes again without it all being too much.

Six Weird Things

I have been tagged by Kathryn (before Xmas!), Forbidden Knitter and Cherry, to list six weird things about myself. This was difficult as, although I sometimes think I'm weird, I couldn't think of why! I still can't, so I've just grabbed six out of the air:

I have to put tins, packets, spoons (everything, in fact) up the right way, even on the conveyor belt when shopping. Packets and tins absolutely must be opened at the top. I don't know what might happen if I forgot one day. I could never forget, so it's not an issue.

I am the worst (best?) hypochondriac I know, except for most members of my family. I am thinking of getting "help" as it's taking over my life again. This is not a good weird thing. It is very bad.

I absolutely cannot be too restricted (eg, someone pinning me down, in fun). I was once wrapped in a carpet as a child (by other children) and have never forgotten the feeling of claustrophobia, even though they kindly left my head poking out. I go ABSOLUTELY CRAZY if anyone attempts to hold me down, even if it's just my hands.

Like Cherry I often throw an impromptu disco for myself and Charlie, or on my own. I can get into quite a euphoric state dancing to cheesy tunes (even Cliff Richard.....). If you've never tried it, do. You might surprise yourself.

I don't answer the phone. I like to be able to choose who I speak with, and when. You can imagine how much I detest my door-bell ringing.

I eat strange combinations of foods. I don't mind if they don't go together, as long as I like each food. I went through a phase of having tuna and sprouts every day. I love sprouts and still eat them several times a week, as a snack.

Well, that's six. I could do a few more but wouldn't wish to bore your pants off.

Back on the 3-Minute Miracle



First I will update you on the hair situation:

It was bleached for three hours in total and we did get it to quite a good lightish yellow. However, after application of the ash-y tone, it was still quite yellow. I found a darker ash tone, which produced a more believable shade of dark blonde on a strand test. Unfortunately, however, the area on my scalp where I did the strand test (I'd had enough of cutting chunks off on which to perform various tests for the bleaching process) was stinging and there was no way I'd cover the whole head with something that stung. So I admitted defeat and dyed it bright pinky-red. It won't be staying that way - it's just you have to dye it red and then brown, otherwise it will go green. And yes, it has happened to me before. I remember sitting on the beach at Brighton and someone remarking how I well I matched the seaweed.

Please note that the red patch you can see is dye, not a sore patch (I'm very lucky I don't have any of those).

I have been doing some knitting, in between ruining my hair with the bleach: some more socks (I thought I said I was off knitting socks - all that has changed now I can Knit to Fit) in Opal and the stitch is baby cable rib (which is very simple and requires no effort). I cast-on 56 sts again and it seems okay. So far.

Thanks for all your advice on the Bad Word Situation. I'm still ignoring him and will see how it goes.

Must go and stop my lunch from burning.

HAPPY 2007 TO YOU ALL, MY FRIENDS!

Orange Socks and Hair to Match


Well, I started Shedir and completed fourteen rows before I realised that it would be too big and that I didn't like the flippy-floppy fabric I was creating. The pattern called for 3.25mm needles but I was using 3.5mm, as I was too impatient to wait for the right size to come in the post, thinking Christmas would delay them. But they arrived the following day (from Kangaroo). I sould have waited but my impulsive, impatient and demanding nature just would not let me. And of course I had to frog all that work and start again. Shedir is the kind of pattern I have to give at least a little of my attention to. For instance, I can't just knit Shedir mindlessly whilst giving Grumpy Old Women/Men the larger part of my attention, which explains why I've still only knitted fourteen rows on the new needles. Instead, I finished the socks I started a month ago, in Lana Grossa Fantasy, colour 4833. At last I have knitted socks that fit perfectly (for a change). Usual top-down formula, 56 sts, on 2.5mm needles. Yeahhh. But will I use the same number of stitches with a cable/lacy pattern and get the same size? I'll let you know.

My hair is now orange. No, really. If it wasn't so unbelievably patchy I wouldn't mind it. On Wednesday I got restless and attacked it with the bleach I'd had sitting around in the cupboard for a year and a half. It would have been okay but I left too much hair at the root area whilst bleaching the lengths, so when I put the bleach on the roots, the centimetre closest to the scalp went blonde but the other two centimetres of "root" didn't have time to get as light as either the nearest centimetre of hair, or the lengths. This means I have orange hair with a brown/orange band near the roots and then blonde roots. Needless to say, it looks really stylish! Lucky for me I have a habit of walking about in a bright pink fully sequinned hat (it's an original Liberty hat but looks like a sparkly swimming cap), which doesn't show any hair. I'll get some more bleach today but have no idea how to go about evening it all up. Maybe I should do all the dark stripes, rinse and then do the whole thing again, once it's a uniform orange. Better be careful. Don't fancy a chemical haircut right now. Not to mention the brain damage bleaching gives you. Watch this space.....

By the way, Kathryn, I haven't forgotten your tag

And also, the orange-hair photo really does make it look better than it is - quite nice, even. Don't be fooled. And I look really shagged out in the hat photo, but that's what comes from having the cold from hell and drinking wine for hours (on Boxing Day). Still avoided a hangover though, as it was more a slow but constant intake, rather than lots at once.

Has anyone any idea how to get an almost-three-year-old to stop shouting out BOLLOCKS all the time? I've tried ignoring it but it hasn't worked and though other people find it funny, I'm way past that now. I swear if he shouts it out in Tesco I will just die on the spot.

A Plea Specifically to Alice........

Or indeed anyone that knows the answer (which is probably everyone except me). You know I'm knitting the Shedir hat? I just looked at the chart. Hmmmm. Does it read from left to right on each line, or right to left, or zig-zag from one to the other? Maybe I should be able to tell by looking at it, but....no hope there! Actually, I'm thinking that once I know how to read the chart it's going to take me at least a month to learn and remember what the symbols mean. But I'll have a go.

I would really appreciate some assistance................Thanks, blogfriends.

Odessa (number 4)

I can almost knit these with my eyes closed (so to speak), I've knit so many. Again, this is in cashsoft, though with large, glossy, black beads this time.

I have one more Odessa to knit, this time in Ballad Blue (one can never have enough Odessa hats). Then, it's on to Shedir.

Best Pic I Could Get....

Well, here you are, you lot. The best picture I could get. You know how children never stop moving.

Recently Frankie was saying she didn't understand why so many people are so mad about knitting socks, for several reasons (you know, small needles, you have to knit two of them, etc, etc.) Frankie prefers to knit hats, and if you look at her blog, you'll see she is excellent at doing so. I like knitting socks, but it's hit and miss as to whether they'll fit. I still wear them, though, whether they're like little boats on my feet (the Koigu stranded stitch ones I made), or whether I have to endure them like you would a tourniquet, cutting off the circulation in an alarming manner (the pink lacy ones where I lost the feeling in my finger for a couple of months, due to knitting on 2mm metal needles). So, I'm taking Frankie's lead, and knitting hats for the time being. Having spotted Alice's Shedir, I must knit that. I've never worked from a chart before, unless you count Forecast, which you can't really, as that pattern was so simple to memorise, you didn't really need the tiny chart in the first place. I may not be up to the task, but I've ordered a ball of Rowan Felted Tweed, in Carbon, anyway. You know, hats are relatively quick to knit, there aren't two to be completed every time, and you get to show a hat off to all and sundry, unlike socks. And hats don't get snagged on our dodgy floors in this house. Not like my socks. I only have one handknit pair left unscathed now - the others all have huge holes in the heels, where I caught them on "things".

I did finish my skirt (I forgot to mention it) and am very pleased with it. I just put four huge darts around the waist area, and it did the trick of shaping it enough. As the fabric had a lot of stretch in it, it didn't need a zip - I just slip it on. No photos yet, as I can't get a decent one.

It's Christmas-time!

I know, I know, it's been so long since I've posted that I've almost forgotten how to do it. It's that time of year when we have so much more to get done, and also I've just been kind of revelling in feeling festive, which means a lot of "sitting and taking in the atmosphere". And which also means I still haven't written any Christmas cards or wrapped any presents. At least I have my tree up now. We've had the same one for seven years and it's still thriving, which is incredible, given my track record with tending anything green. Mind you, putting the tree up isn't a problem - it's taking it down again. One year I couldn't be bothered to take it down until March, as I'm often reminded by my friends. The tree became an adorned skeleton in the corner of the room. I couldn't understand why it offended so many people. I was 20 and had just bought my first house. I think it was my way of saying I could do what I wanted. Well, that and drinking brandy at 10 in the morning before a stint of the dreaded Christmas Shopping Experience. Not so that I was too much the worse for wear, you understand; just a little fuzzy around the edges. Sometimes I think I could do with that now, but I couldn't face drinking so early in the day. And not more than about two and a half units at once. Boring, I know, but I don't want my first hangover in twelve years. I'm rambling - sorry.


The above photo is of some completed knitting. Charles didn't own a scarf, which is very sad, as we do walk, and often high in the Chilterns where it's often quite exposed and very windy. So I knitted another Odessa hat, this time in Cashsoft DK, in Navy. That didn't solve the problem, so I knitted a scarf to go with it. In Cashsoft again, Navy and Ballad Blue. Just as well I hadn't been on the brandy, or it could have been green and yellow.


As you can see, it's a simple cable pattern, crossing this way and that to make a lattice (I particularly like the way the pattern makes a crinkly cast-off edge). The cashsoft is soft and lovely to wear, though it has a tendency to show wear very quickly, which makes me fuss terribly. The pattern was from Scarf Style; it's Braided Mischief by Teva Durham, though I didn't use the yarn suggested, or the same size needles. Mine was knitted on 5mm needles, with 54 sts. There was a cable row every four rows, so it was relatively fast to knit.

In addition to the scarf and hat, I've also knitted some self-patterned knee-high socks for Charles and half of one candy-coloured sock for myself. And now it's a race against time to get another Winter Companion knitted for my sister's birthday on Christmas Eve. This time there are many more beads (every four stitches and every six rows) and I've cast-on 25 % more stitches and used a 5mm needle, instead of 8mm. It remains to be seen how it turns out.

My Edwardian Lace Stole hasn't been touched for literally months and the red Forecast, for weeks.