Bee Stripe Jaywalkers

One of my favourite sock patterns, I thought the thin stripes of Lorna's Laces Bee Stripe would work really well but just look at the black pooling. I did try to convince myself that the black abstract pattern added interest but it didn't work.

Frogged!

Bobbin Lace

Hendon library have started a Knit and Knatter session every fourth Thursday. Its a great idea and Lauren, the librarian, does a great job of making everybody welcome and sharing information. The group are very different to the Foyles group so it is really interesting. One of the ladies is about to retire to France and brought some of her lace to show us.


I have always fancied trying this craft. I always knew it would be time consuming but after discovering that this tiny little piece is about two hours work I really don't think its the craft for me. Here I must confess that I do have a cushion and selection of bobbins stashed in the loft.

Clapotis

I finally wore the Clapotis I began when the snow scrambled my brain. It knit up quickly enough but it took me until April to sew in the ends, just in time for the crocuses. Even the snowdrops were two months late this year.


I bought the Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb in Sweetie from Pauline at the last yarn swap. I love Lion and Lamb and have completed two other clapotis using this yarn. I admit the colourway is bright; Pauline hated it and eldest son said it was disgusting but I am a sucker for anything purple. The dropped stitches help to stop it being overpowering.....I think!

Bella's Mitts

For somebody who knits I have an amazing lack of scarves,gloves and not a single hat. How can this be? I suppose most winters here are so mild there's no real incentive but this winter caught me short and I had to resort to rummaging through the boys things to find a beanie which wasn't emblazoned with skulls and vaguely hygienic.


I tend to avoid knitting mitts/gloves because I am so careless I always return home with just one. I can't bear to think that I've wasted all that time. The shops could only supply cheap and nasty or eyewateringly expensive, so I decided to take the plunge. This pattern by subliminal rabbit is fun and knits up really quickly. I cast on at the Unravel festival but have only just got round to sewing in the ends . I used three skeins of Mirasol Sulka in Pepper. Thick, beautifully soft and a haze of colours makes this interesting. It is not a flat block of colour.


I have decided that through the year I will commit to knitting winter accessories instead of waiting till my ears are freezing and my fingers are numb!

Big Montana Tunic

Hiro brought me some chunky Noro yarn called Circus back from Japan. Mainly black and grey with streaks of cerise and lime green. I loved it but unfortunately he only bought six 100g balls. I rooted through all my patterns and couldn't find anything which didn't require more yarn. When I saw this tunic in Interweave, I thought it was the answer. I started with a rim of cerise around the bottom ribbing and was really happy with the way the yarn handled and the design. It flew off the needles but before I did the armbands I decided to try it on. Disaster!

The lines of bright colour formed chevrons. It was as if I had a huge arrow pointing to my boobs!

If I'm honest I knew in my heart of hearts that this was not the right design for me. Chunky yarn when you're top heavy is never a good idea. However, I loved the fact that it made my flat bum look rounded.

Unravel, a festival of knitting.

I've been reorganising my stash and finally got round to storing my purchases from Unravel, the knitting festival at Farnham Maltings. It was one of the best events I've ever been to, simply because it was a whole yarn experience; starting with yarnbombing in the car park and being greeted by Gotland and Southdown sheep at the entrance.Throughout the building there were sheep farming artifacts, displays of vintage buttons and knitting accessories as well as examples of finished projects.

The foyer pillars had been decorated by local groups with a variety of themes. I loved the humour and fun of the knitted snake and the intricate detail of Laura Rose Kimber's "little Treasures" inspired by children's stories and dolls houses. It made me think of Beatrix Potter.

I didn't sign up for any of the workshops but they were very reasonably priced at £12 to £20. The talks were free so I went to two.




The first was "The History of Fibres and Spinning" by Jan Blight. This lady really should write a book or do a podcast. Entertaining, informative and extremely modest, she is totally engaging. Jan was wearing a beautiful flame coloured jacket that she had spun, dyed, designed and knit. She knits in an instinctive manner allowing the yarn to suggest what it wants to be. Photos really don't do her work justice.

The second talk was meant to be "The Jarmson Sisters of Shetland" by Susan Crawford but the bad weather had prevented her travelling to do research. Instead we heard about vintage knitting patterns and rationing During and after WWII. It certainly explained why 3 and 4 ply patterns were so popular. I was intrigued by a pattern for socks that had no heel and was designed to grow with the wearer.These would be fantastic for my boys as they outgrow socks as fast as I can knit them.I must check to see if she has posted the pattern on her website.



The market place provided many opportunities for stash enhancement but I was very restrained; some merino and some laceweight from Coldharbour Mills and some zauerball that was very reasonably priced from Fibre Factory. I first discovered Textile garden at the Ravelry day in Coventry last year so was pleased to see them again. I bought some lovely ribbon and very cute Russian doll buttons. Many yarns have been added to my wish list.

The New Year got off to a great start with a traditional Japanese breakfast, sake and a trek round a very frosty Hampstead Heath. Then, like Hobbits, we went for second breakfasts at Kenwood House. A lazy afternoon meant I could complete my first project of 2010.The Ruffled Edge Wrap is from an old edition of Vogue, knit completely in garter stitch with lots of short row shaping. I had bought some wool boucle on eBay because the colours looked interesting and it was a bargain. The yarn is beautiful, I love the colours but they just don’t suit me. However, they are perfect for a friend about to have a shoulder operation. The drapey wrap is just her style; the colours will compliment her green eyes and auburn hair beautifully. Hopefully, it will be a great pick me up.

It’s hard to believe that I actually wrote the above at the beginning of Jan and its now February! Unfortunately, my laptop started making grinding crunchy noises and then died. My sons need to be resuscitated if parted from MSM for more than a few minutes so I have to beg to use one of their computers.


The wrap was passed on to its new owner who loved it! I’m pleased as a minor disaster meant it was nearly ruined. Second son, Koji, received a gadget from Santa to create a “Soda Geyser” using Mentos and cola. As there was snow on the ground, the terrible trio decided to set up in the lounge then detonate in the garden. A tube was screwed on to the top of the bottle, the safety pin set in place and the Mentos dropped into the tube. As he picked up the bottle to move into the garden, Koji didn’t realise that his foot was on the string attached to the safety pin. Panicked, he put the bottle in the middle of the room. Eldest son bravely ran out of the room and youngest son froze, wide eyed at the fountain of cola that was now hitting the ceiling. I screamed, leapt across the room and put my thumb over the eruption; forgetting that there were holes in the sides where the safety pin had been, so now there was cola shouting out sideways in two directions. Thank God the instructions recommended sugar free soda; we were drenched, the walls and ceilings dripping and my completed project in need of another hand wash. They should be grateful I have a sense of humour, especial when the physics of the situation was explained to me; how I’d made a terrible mistake trying to stop the flow of cola. Also how I shouldn’t worry, we had another bottle of coke and just enough Mentos to try again outside!