Revisiting old hobbies

I may have got slightly carried away by this one.

Believe me when I say, “Theres more”!

Decisions

Spinning Complete and ready for knitting in to something impressive, righto.

I am calling this Light fingering (sockish) and there are 535 yards. My science is never exact. With hindsight I wouldnt have combined the black but I’m sure knitting it up will bring out the other colours again.

 As I’m home alone next weekend I’m taking the opportunity to Cast something on with this, impatient to see what it come out like.

So, on to pattern choices. I think it needs to be seen all the effort it took.

Help!

On the list are 3S Shawl, Pimpelliese and Wingspan

However there are always Aestlight,  Medusa and Wast Side.

 What do you think?

All suggestions gratefully recieved.

Never far away

Couldnt not mention socks this month, at least once.

I have been a member of The Knit Love Club run by Socktopus since it started with the exception of 2011, which of course I regretted immediately I saw the patterns Alice had designed. So I’m back this year and will be trying the Sokkusu yarn for the first time.  However, I have to confess to not finishing off my 2010 socks so I aim to be good and do those first.

Top is the first  yarn for 2012s club, then we have A Verb for Keeping Warm which is for Crowley finally there is some Wollmeise for De Stijl.

 

You thought not finishing 2 pairs of club socks was bad, well. This is the yarn for the Knit Magazine Sock Club 2011. Some of it very nice indeed.  We have Skein Queen Entwist, Wollmeise, Yarn Yard Crannog (rare now), Sparkleduck Jenny, Hipknits Merino sock yarn and Rico Superba Poems.  

Plus, in the P-hop scrum in York I snaffled another Skein  of Skein Queen Entwist which was from this club. This is “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”, I’m thinking I should read the book when this goes onto the needles.

 I think, even though a few of the colours arent what I’d choose which is surely the point of joining in these clubs, I will use all the yarn and knit all the patterns not necessarily as intended.

So onwards and upwards, I have 4 pairs of socks on the go at the moment. None of the above, yet!

Keeping Up

Spinning I promised and spinning I have been busy with. I have tried to do at least 20 mins each day, so the wheel has become a fixture in our Lounge.  After a few test runs with sample fibre. I ferreted in the cavernous cupboard and dug out some Yarn Yard Superwash BFL which I thought might be an easy option for a not very proficient spinner.

The plan worked.

This is the first attempt.

 Which I thought might ply with this. More Yarn Yard BFL.

 At least I thought until I saw how these colours were spinning out. 

 Back into the cupboard and I unearthed some Winghams Merino bought from Woolfest in 2009 (I think!). 

Whilst it will be a far better match its sooooooooooooooo boring to spin. One colour, those who know me will understand.

Hopefully they will get finished this weekend. Not quite sure what to put with the Turquoise yet. Wish I’d taken more notice to my chain plying teacher.

 

Hats Off

I am not a hat person, I have never found one that suits. Despite this I have knit 6 since Christmas, they are gratifyingly quick. Thankfully I know a few hat wearers, more keep appearing as production increases.

Druidess Beret

Rivendell

Houzuki

There was another one of these but I don’t appear to have a photograph.

This is mine.

  Even someone who takes great pleasure in laughing at me in hats says it’s not too bad! Who cares when it’s below freezing. Knit in Noro Cash Island which I am glad to say is good for this pattern but is a horrible yarn for a tight knitter, how many breaks. Pattern is Wurm and I’m knitting another one already.

Spinning Wheel is coming out this weekend, stay tuned.

Buttons

Oh no it isn’t, Pantomime that is.

A few Saturdays back I was killing time prior to Hairdresser incarceration, can you tell I enjoy my visits,  wandering the streets. I believe they refer to them as North Laines hereabouts! Streets to me.

Upper Gardner Street has a Market on a Saturday, street closed and stalls selling all manner of things. One caught my eye, lots of Fabric, Bindings, Ribbons and boxes and boxes of Buttons.  Whilst studying the button mountain the stall holder shouted all £1 a box or card…..well you can’t refuse a bargain like that. Project in mind or not. So being in a rush I gathered together a box and 3 cards. £2 super bargain.

 

Also in this street I spotted a new deli which said Cafe with Rooftop views. That went on the list for future reference. Last weekend on shall we say a crisp Saturday morning we wandered in to town in search of breakfast. the walk allows this treat.  Guess what, the Button man was there, stock a little depleted but we managed to find a few more boxes.

 

The contents.

Breakfast was yummy and I can highly recommend The Small Batch Coffee Company for the caffeine fix. Conveniently not only do they Roast in Hove they have a coffee shop in the centre of Brighton too.

So I am well stocked for a few lifetimes.

Sheddites on tour

I may have mentioned, appx 12 and 24 months ago, about a gathering that happens in York. It appears to be an annual event now, no complaints from me. It is a gathering of crafty people, as in Knitters, Crocheters and Spinners with a lots of other skills thrown in for good measure. Hence a dressmaking class taking place in front of me.

We knit, spin, talk (of course), eat cake, drink tea although I believe those staying overnight within the confines of the Convent (not Nuns) may have tried something more warming (see Sloe Gin and Raspberry Vodka).

On the Saturday of this weekend we have a swap of unwanted yarns, fibre, books and tools in aid of p/hop. This is the table, well there were about 4 this year just for yarn. More arrived after this shot. It is rather amusing to watch people positioning themselves and their prey before time.

 There is also a Secret swap with a £10ish limit but you are also allowed to make an item or donate stash. I always worry that I have done too much/too little and this year was even worse because I knit socks for my partner, would they fit. I can honestly say that despite it being secret the lady in question gave the best reaction I have ever had to anything I have knit so regardless of anything else I had a happy glow. My gift, much eaten by now also included this lovely Brooch, made by Susan hopefully you can see the detail.

 Finally, who could go to York and not visit. This is Bettys Stonegate, which is known by one of its former guises “Taylors” by me and many other York residents I suspect. Its doesn’t have the huge glass windows for posing but does have lots of real fires for you to hug on a cold day. Perfect.

 One BIG problem of this sort of weekend, being inspired by all the clever people you socialise with. I have printed off 9 patterns this morning. WIP’s will be growing in number. Wouldnt miss it for the world, see you in 2013.

Pass the Tonic

Gin, Gin, Gin!

Amazing what a soaking and a piece of wood can do to my knitting.

Dragging of Heels

Finally I have finished something. I believe has been loitering under the WIP mound for over a year. Okay so in these pictures it is still on the needles and has yet to be blocked but I am in the process of a sewn bind off.

Pattern: Summer Sliding by Jeannie Cartmel

Yarn: Yarn Yard Clan

Shade: Gin Sling (if my memory serves me right Gin was involved) 

If I’m being honest the reason I have got my finger out is because having donated all my sock yarn scraps to deserving sock blanket makers at last years Yarn Yard Gathering I found this was the only yarn suitable for Baby socks of the Boy variety. These are needed for this years gathering which is next weekend!

Close but I should make it.

Will be back with a blocked picture later this week.

 

 

Picture This

We are only in the 3rd week of January and already since Christmas we have been to the cinema 3 times. These visits are becoming like buses!

So, my potted reviews and opinions. I appreciate one of these has received much criticism in more ways than one.

First up is the Hollywood version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I have read all 3 books, if you haven’t please be patient with the first one, it takes 70-80 pages to suck you in but after that the rest is compulsive reading.

This film is closer to the book than the Swedish version and is well done. All that said I personally prefer the Swedish one, perhaps because I saw it first but I even found the subtitles added something and Daniel Craig is very slick for a journalist.

All this said we wil have to see the next 2 aswell.

Next Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows.

Brilliant, Robert Downey Junior and Jude Law compliment each other perfectly and Stephen Fry is well cast as Mycroft. Also Noomi Rapace, the original Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

This to me was better than the first one and I had to be persuaded to see that. .

Haven’t the BBC done a good version too, Martin Freeman takes such a good part and how Benedict Cumberbatch keeps control of his script I do not know.

Finally The Iron Lady.

Without getting drawn in to any of the controversy surrounding this I went because it was Meryl Streep. As a child of the 60’s I had generally had very little interest in polotics when Margaret Thatcher was PM so I found the history side of things very interesting and as deep as I would probably ever need. The acting by NS and Jim Broadbent, as Denis was as youd expect brilliant. The Cabinet had some surprise appearances very well made up, Anthony Head as quite a convincing Geoffrey Howe.

Next on the list

J Edgar (anything with Judi Dench).

WE – Possibly, one person is putting me off and they arent even acting.

The Woman in Black – Brilliant when we saw it on stage. Just have to give Danial Radcliffe a chance to prove himself.