Monday Monday

Another bank holiday weekend when I have failed to arrange to visit the seaside. I have a little list of things to do, and one was to cycle to Wolverhampton along the canal. Considering how urban the area is it’s lovely and country-like. On the way there I saw perhaps twenty blokes fishing, including one in a wheelchair. On the way back said wheelchair was loaded high with fishing equipment. Not only was it a fine mode of transport but it was probably a lot more comfy sat staring into the canal sitting in it than on one of the standard boxes. I was impressed with the bloke’s resourcefulness. Sadly no baby ducks, but there were a couple of families with baby coots, confusingly with fluffy red heads like moorhens.
I’ve joined freecycle and got rid of a spare vacuum and a bookcase so far. I’m now poking in cupboards to see what else can find a new home.



The knitting does continues. This very poor picture was my oldest UFO. It only needed buttons sewing on, so I trotted up to my LYS last Saturday, bought some and to save losing this set (the third I’d bought for this jumper) promptly sewed them on while listening to the Eurovision song contest. I personally think it’s lost a lot since most countries have opted to sing in English. I voted for Germany and Finland. As the cardi no longer fits me I’ve sent it to Niece Number three (and the russet rucksack to her mother)

The rain is currently preventing me from hacking the buddleia down. It’s almost as wide as the house due to not being trimmed at all last year. I shall just have to carry on cleaning.

Footwear

I’ve started something new – socks. The last pair I knit was for my Tudor clothes a few years ago. As the socks in Rutt’s book are shaped to the leg, that’s what I did with some fetching blue two-ply Shetland yarn bought from Uppingham Yarns a few years previous. Then I just had to knit and dye yarn for another pair. Some Leicester Longwool roving was lovely to work with, but disappointingly didn’t take a very strong red when I dyed it with madder. As I have produced redder shades on other wool I realised the reasonably tightly worsted type of spinning affected the colour take-up. The red socks are lovely, and were much admired but alas no longer fit. Or rather one still fits but one of my ankles is now larger than the other due to an accident last year (tore my Achilles tendon dancing the gay Gordons, like you do). There are two possible routes – take out the foot of one and re-knit, or knit an entire new sock. I’ve opted to do nothing for the moment, as both choices depend on me finding the spare yarn in the stash.

The current work-in-progress will not be worn on Tudor days as the yarn is mottled pink – dyed by me flicking dry powder in a stockpot. As toe-up socks make sense for an unknown quantity of yarn that’s what I’m doing, and am enjoying it so far.

As I have nothing planned for this weekend I will try and complete the middle stripes of my jumper for dad. I’m knitting all four jumper pieces at once so the stripes match as I have unknown quantities of yarn in the three shades of grey.

There is a theme here for random lengths of yarn.

Hobbits

It was the annual Tolkein weekend at Sarehole Mill just gone. That’s near where Tolkein was boy and allegedly the mill and the Bog gave the lad ideas for his future writing. I have tried to read Tolkein but gave up after only a page or two, and have never seen the film. So this weekend was devoted to people with velour cloaks, pointy ears and swords, and to top it all there was a Wand Workshop for the kids.

I wanted nothing to do with this but my Guild goes there to do its crafts and so I spent two days spinning and batting off the Sleeping Beauty comments. And contradicting the parents who were explaining to their offspring that I was spinning sheep (I was onto the angora rabbit by then). I do enjoy explaining to men (and believe me it’s the blokes who think of the engineering) how the wheel works, or showing off the softness of the fleece to small friendly looking children. Two were stupid enough to put their hands near the flyer when it was going round, and I managed to resist swearing at them.

So I produced in total three variegated skeins of Navajo plied wool as part of my planned carpet bag for the Guild competition in November. Plus 3 skeins of chunky white fleece (breed unknown – it turned up on my doorstop with 5 others in a bin bag courtesy of friends of friends), and some finely spun angora singles.

Psst

In readiness for a couple of long train journeys this weekend to visit a Great Aunt I've cast on the back of my aran cardi. It's good to be at this stage when travelling as it doesn't weigh as much or take as much space. The cardi is dark green, can't remember the book it's from but it's twisted stuches rather than needing a cable needle so doubly travel-friendly ie there's nothing else to lose.

and for Secret Pal 8

What is/are your favourite yarn/s to knit with? What fibres do you absolutely *not* like?
Faves are wool or wool mixes or other natural fibres. Not a great fan of eyelash or similar yarns or 100% cotton.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Mugs or jamjars in every room, random boxes for the shorter ones.
3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
30 years – intermediate. I have always enjoyed experimenting but have realised in the last year there is still an enormous amount more to learn and try.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No
5. What's your favourite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Lilac
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favourite candy?
Very sweet tooth, chocolate is my favourite thing, milk, white or dark but never coffee flavoured.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I spin yarn and dye it too. I used to sew and have a pile of fabric patiently writing for me to uncover it (and three sewing machines). I even have a loom but that’s as dusty as the fabric and less likely to be used.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Folk, real pop like Abba, a bit of rock and 16th century choral music. Really not sure about MP3s but my computer can play music.
9. What's your favourite colour? Or--do you have a colour family/season/palette you prefer? Any colours you just can't stand?
Favourites are reds through purples to blues and greens. Not awfully keen on brown and yellow.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
Just me, not even one cat to call my own. I have to make do with going ahhh at the Daily Kitten
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Scarves and hats. Not mittens or ponchos
12. What is/are your favourite item/s to knit?
Something that needs attention and concentrating on. Bags and jumpers as objects.
13. What are you knitting right now?
An aran cardi, entrelac bag, counterpane bag, plain jumper for dad, stripy rib jumper, an Inca patterned bag.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Circular metal ones. I’ve never tried bamboo.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Both. And I love them.
17. How did you learn to knit?
Taught at school by a school mate when aged about 7 after both my grandmas had given up. Since then I’ve just happily tried out new things.
18. How old is your oldest UFO?
Possibly a couple of years. I can’t actually remember when I started it and the terrible thing is it only needs a couple of buttons sewing on, but I have lost two sets already. When I finish it Niece Number Three will be getting it as it doesn’t suit me.
19. What is your favourite holiday?
Visiting museums, stately homes and cathedrals, and looking at really old textiles including clothes.
20. Is there anything that you collect?
No, apart from more wool and books on wool and the occasional sheepy thing. I’ve just had some new shelves built to house the library.
21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I don’t subscribe to any magazines. I really like the look of the Rogue hoodie.
22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
To try and design without making a complete botch-up
23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Very occasional. English size 4/European 37
24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
November 4th.

a grey day

This is the last of the yarn for the plain jumper I am knitting my dad. As I’d knitted a jumper for my mum, I gave dad a sample skein at Christmas with “Work in Progress” written on it. At this rate I will finish it in time for midsummer when of course he will not be needing it, even in England.