One ball down... several more to go.
And, above is the start of a hat in what was left of the "Opal - Rainforest Flamingo". Then I got bored, so I stopped.
Friday, 23 March 2007
Stash Busting Progress
So, I finally finished off the ball of "Opal - Magic Sugar Almond" with these baby booties. I think they're quite cute but I'm just relieved to have used up the yarn, which by this point, I had gone right off.
One ball down... several more to go.
And, above is the start of a hat in what was left of the "Opal - Rainforest Flamingo". Then I got bored, so I stopped.
One ball down... several more to go.
And, above is the start of a hat in what was left of the "Opal - Rainforest Flamingo". Then I got bored, so I stopped.
Monday, 19 March 2007
Knitting up the left overs
Last Christmas, my Mam got three pairs of socks from me... start of the craze...and there was a substantial amount of wool left over. It has been sitting there, waiting for me to do something with it.
Well, now I have. Using the left over "Opal - Sugar Almond" (yellow) I've made a pair of gloves for a small child, and there's certainly enough yarn left over from just that ball to make some baby socks.
The blue hats came from some yarn left over for a jacket I made for my baby nephew. (I'm ever so chuffed with the pom-poms). These are for a charity based in Manchester called the Wood Street Mission (http://www.woodstreetmission.org.uk/) which aims to help out families who are having a tough time financially. They have collections throughout the year and at particular times for celebrations (at the minute it's Easter Eggs - deadline March 22nd). I'm going to aim to knit up my leftover yarn by Christmas.
(That in no way suggests I won't be knitting up "Tulip" or any of the other lovely things I plan to make this year).
Well, now I have. Using the left over "Opal - Sugar Almond" (yellow) I've made a pair of gloves for a small child, and there's certainly enough yarn left over from just that ball to make some baby socks.
The blue hats came from some yarn left over for a jacket I made for my baby nephew. (I'm ever so chuffed with the pom-poms). These are for a charity based in Manchester called the Wood Street Mission (http://www.woodstreetmission.org.uk/) which aims to help out families who are having a tough time financially. They have collections throughout the year and at particular times for celebrations (at the minute it's Easter Eggs - deadline March 22nd). I'm going to aim to knit up my leftover yarn by Christmas.
(That in no way suggests I won't be knitting up "Tulip" or any of the other lovely things I plan to make this year).
Friday, 16 March 2007
And I cast on...
Nothing last night. I finished my lovely "Opal Hundertwasser" ankle socks...
...which I'm now wearing. Then I did no other knitting... because I was teaching Vaughn (who came back to the knitting group) how to purl. He has garter stitch sorted, and I'm pretty certain that he now has purling under control - which really comes as a two-for-one option, to Vaughn's surprise, because he can now do stocking-stitch.
Next time, we're ribbing.
And below are some squares I made for Claire (who set up the knitting group), as she has asked us all to knit a couple for Water Aid - "Knit a River" campaign (http://www.iknit.org.uk/knitariver.html). The intention is to lobby governments - using the finished river - on the issue of access to safe drinking water.
...which I'm now wearing. Then I did no other knitting... because I was teaching Vaughn (who came back to the knitting group) how to purl. He has garter stitch sorted, and I'm pretty certain that he now has purling under control - which really comes as a two-for-one option, to Vaughn's surprise, because he can now do stocking-stitch.
Next time, we're ribbing.
And below are some squares I made for Claire (who set up the knitting group), as she has asked us all to knit a couple for Water Aid - "Knit a River" campaign (http://www.iknit.org.uk/knitariver.html). The intention is to lobby governments - using the finished river - on the issue of access to safe drinking water.
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Casting on?
I'll have finished a pair of "Opal-Hundertwasser" socks tonight, narrowly avoiding Second Sock Syndrome, but I'm wondering what to cast on next. Once these are finished I'll be down to one WIP (the malingering "Deep" or is it "Wave"?) which I do intend to finish this year...
So, I am intending to do "Branching Out" with the lovely laceweight Springtime Santa sent me, but I was planning on starting that at the weekend, rather than at knitting group tonight...
Or I could cast on another sock in the fab "Opal - Rainforest (Blue Frog). Again THANK YOU, Santa. But, I'm not sure if I'm in a sock mood. (EEEK!)
I'm also gradually using up the bits of sock yarn left over for baby hats and socks...but I think I want to start another project.
I really, really, really want to start "Tulip" (Rowan 41). I have the pattern. I have the yarn - gorgeous, gorgeous "Damask" and one of the ladies in "Ring A Rosie" showed me a knitted up piece. It's so soft and lovely and the colourway is gorgeous... and some Spring/Summer tops would be really useful...my stash being mostly Aranweight...so, it could be justified, couldn't it?
You know what I'll be casting on don't you? :-)
So, I am intending to do "Branching Out" with the lovely laceweight Springtime Santa sent me, but I was planning on starting that at the weekend, rather than at knitting group tonight...
Or I could cast on another sock in the fab "Opal - Rainforest (Blue Frog). Again THANK YOU, Santa. But, I'm not sure if I'm in a sock mood. (EEEK!)
I'm also gradually using up the bits of sock yarn left over for baby hats and socks...but I think I want to start another project.
I really, really, really want to start "Tulip" (Rowan 41). I have the pattern. I have the yarn - gorgeous, gorgeous "Damask" and one of the ladies in "Ring A Rosie" showed me a knitted up piece. It's so soft and lovely and the colourway is gorgeous... and some Spring/Summer tops would be really useful...my stash being mostly Aranweight...so, it could be justified, couldn't it?
You know what I'll be casting on don't you? :-)
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
Books
As I was walking into work this morning, looking at all the daffodils that have sprung up in the park and gardens, I started thinking about how quickly this year has been passing. I then had a conversation with a friend about books, so I thought I'd give you a brief review of the books I've been reading since New Year.
(These are in order of reading rather than preference).
1. "American Gods" - Neil Gaiman
It sounded like a great idea - a story that would be right up my street... as people emigrated to the New World, they took their beliefs and their gods with them. As time passed, they adopted new gods - television and shopping - and forgot their old beliefs. So what happens to the Eastern European, African, Scandinavian, Far Eastern and Celtic gods when they're forgotten about?
Unfortunately, I didn't like the style of writing which I was very disappointed by because I loved "Good Omens" (Agnes Nutter's prophecies about the world ending one Saturday teatime) which he wrote with Terry Pratchett.
2. "A Feast For Crows" - George RR Martin
I love George RR Martin's books - especially the "Wild Cards" series - and this is the fifth in an 'epic saga' of dragons and battles for kingdoms. The story has sprawled so much that this novel is actually volume one of a two parter - so many characters that he divided the story. It works and this one ends with several harsh cliffhangers - I'm actually concerned about the characters I don't like.
However, I'm a bit miffed that volume two still isn't in the shops yet.
3. "The Kraken Wakes" - John Wyndham
What can I say? I adore John Wyndham's books. I'm a bit of a sci-fi buff. This is one of his best - intriguing story, vividly portrayed. (See also: "The Chrysalids" and "The Midwich Cuckoos" and "Trouble with Lichen", in fact, just read them all... though "Lichen's" ending is a bit irritating). One of the most amusing incidents in the book is where government scientists are considering the possibility that aliens from Jupiter may be visiting the Earth: "Well, we can assume that they have technology similar to ours."
Similar? Visitors from Jupiter - yes, that's people from planet Jupiter, not Jupiter, Tyne and Wear... and our technology is similar?
4. "Consider Her Ways" - John Wyndham
This is a collection of short stories - all of them brilliant. In many ways, I think Wyndham was ahead of his time, with his opinions on society, politics, media and feminism. "Oh where now is Peggy McRafferty?" explores an Irish girl's attempts to become a film star... with some twisted results.
5. "The Children of Men" - PD James
I read this some years ago and I still haven't seen the film with Clive Owen. There's a bleak future ahead according to PD James but while her description of a possible British society sends shivers up and down your spine, some of her placings don't feel right. The childhood of the main character who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s feels more akin to my Mam's childhood than mine.
6. "Cell" - Stephen King
What a fun novel - there's a virus spreading through mobile phones turning everyone into zombies. I always knew the damn things should be avoided! It's not as detailed as "The Stand" but it's a brilliant 'end of the world' type novel. One sentence I had a problem with is where he described a man kitting out with guns as being excited as a young Muslim suicide bomber. Is there any need for such reactionary statements?
(And no, I haven't been feeling particularly down whilst reading these 'end of the world' prophecies).
7. "A Modern Utopia" - HG Wells
This is more of a philosophical discussion about how a world Utopia would work than a novel. It was certainly interesting though HG Wells had some scary ideas about eugenics and 'undesirables'. The most interesting sections are where he focuses on society and people, but these are also the shortest sections.
8. "All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses An Eye" - Christopher Brookmyre
I love Christopher Brookmyre. His books are brilliant - usually a mixture of politics, satire, interesting violence (e.g. "it was raining liquidised mercenary") and rantings about people who play their music too loudly and park their SUVs on double yellow lines, leaving their engines running.
This one is one of his best. His main character has never so much has had a parking ticket in her life, until the situation changes... Other fantastic titles are: "A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away", "One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night", "Quite Ugly One Morning", "Country of the Blind" and "Be My Enemy"... which he wanted to call "Fuck this for a Game of Soldiers".
9. "Havoc, in it's Third Year" - Ronan Bennett
Set in the 17th Century, just before the English Civil War, this is about a secretly Catholic coroner investigating the murder of a baby, by its Irish mother. Ronan Bennett doesn't seem to go in too much for a lot of detail, but the paranoia and hysteria he describes makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
10. "Until I Find You" - John Irving
This is the first John Irving book I've read for a while, having gone through a phase of reading every one I could get my grubby little mitts on and then being disappointed by "The Water Method Man" (vile main character) and "Son of the Circus" (disjointed).
His books are always a little weird ("The World According to Garp" and "The Fourth Hand") with characters with mother fixations ("A Widow for One Year" and "A Prayer for Owen Meany") and very small characters ("Hotel New Hampshire") but I love all of these and "The Cider House Rules".
"A Prayer for Owen Meany" broke my heart. I was reading the ending on a flight from Amsterdam and because I was surrounded by people, I couldn't cry...but it's all so dramatic I had to finish it. That evening I read it again, so I could have a damn good blub.
So, those are the stories so far... plus a few others for good measure.
(These are in order of reading rather than preference).
1. "American Gods" - Neil Gaiman
It sounded like a great idea - a story that would be right up my street... as people emigrated to the New World, they took their beliefs and their gods with them. As time passed, they adopted new gods - television and shopping - and forgot their old beliefs. So what happens to the Eastern European, African, Scandinavian, Far Eastern and Celtic gods when they're forgotten about?
Unfortunately, I didn't like the style of writing which I was very disappointed by because I loved "Good Omens" (Agnes Nutter's prophecies about the world ending one Saturday teatime) which he wrote with Terry Pratchett.
2. "A Feast For Crows" - George RR Martin
I love George RR Martin's books - especially the "Wild Cards" series - and this is the fifth in an 'epic saga' of dragons and battles for kingdoms. The story has sprawled so much that this novel is actually volume one of a two parter - so many characters that he divided the story. It works and this one ends with several harsh cliffhangers - I'm actually concerned about the characters I don't like.
However, I'm a bit miffed that volume two still isn't in the shops yet.
3. "The Kraken Wakes" - John Wyndham
What can I say? I adore John Wyndham's books. I'm a bit of a sci-fi buff. This is one of his best - intriguing story, vividly portrayed. (See also: "The Chrysalids" and "The Midwich Cuckoos" and "Trouble with Lichen", in fact, just read them all... though "Lichen's" ending is a bit irritating). One of the most amusing incidents in the book is where government scientists are considering the possibility that aliens from Jupiter may be visiting the Earth: "Well, we can assume that they have technology similar to ours."
Similar? Visitors from Jupiter - yes, that's people from planet Jupiter, not Jupiter, Tyne and Wear... and our technology is similar?
4. "Consider Her Ways" - John Wyndham
This is a collection of short stories - all of them brilliant. In many ways, I think Wyndham was ahead of his time, with his opinions on society, politics, media and feminism. "Oh where now is Peggy McRafferty?" explores an Irish girl's attempts to become a film star... with some twisted results.
5. "The Children of Men" - PD James
I read this some years ago and I still haven't seen the film with Clive Owen. There's a bleak future ahead according to PD James but while her description of a possible British society sends shivers up and down your spine, some of her placings don't feel right. The childhood of the main character who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s feels more akin to my Mam's childhood than mine.
6. "Cell" - Stephen King
What a fun novel - there's a virus spreading through mobile phones turning everyone into zombies. I always knew the damn things should be avoided! It's not as detailed as "The Stand" but it's a brilliant 'end of the world' type novel. One sentence I had a problem with is where he described a man kitting out with guns as being excited as a young Muslim suicide bomber. Is there any need for such reactionary statements?
(And no, I haven't been feeling particularly down whilst reading these 'end of the world' prophecies).
7. "A Modern Utopia" - HG Wells
This is more of a philosophical discussion about how a world Utopia would work than a novel. It was certainly interesting though HG Wells had some scary ideas about eugenics and 'undesirables'. The most interesting sections are where he focuses on society and people, but these are also the shortest sections.
8. "All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses An Eye" - Christopher Brookmyre
I love Christopher Brookmyre. His books are brilliant - usually a mixture of politics, satire, interesting violence (e.g. "it was raining liquidised mercenary") and rantings about people who play their music too loudly and park their SUVs on double yellow lines, leaving their engines running.
This one is one of his best. His main character has never so much has had a parking ticket in her life, until the situation changes... Other fantastic titles are: "A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away", "One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night", "Quite Ugly One Morning", "Country of the Blind" and "Be My Enemy"... which he wanted to call "Fuck this for a Game of Soldiers".
9. "Havoc, in it's Third Year" - Ronan Bennett
Set in the 17th Century, just before the English Civil War, this is about a secretly Catholic coroner investigating the murder of a baby, by its Irish mother. Ronan Bennett doesn't seem to go in too much for a lot of detail, but the paranoia and hysteria he describes makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
10. "Until I Find You" - John Irving
This is the first John Irving book I've read for a while, having gone through a phase of reading every one I could get my grubby little mitts on and then being disappointed by "The Water Method Man" (vile main character) and "Son of the Circus" (disjointed).
His books are always a little weird ("The World According to Garp" and "The Fourth Hand") with characters with mother fixations ("A Widow for One Year" and "A Prayer for Owen Meany") and very small characters ("Hotel New Hampshire") but I love all of these and "The Cider House Rules".
"A Prayer for Owen Meany" broke my heart. I was reading the ending on a flight from Amsterdam and because I was surrounded by people, I couldn't cry...but it's all so dramatic I had to finish it. That evening I read it again, so I could have a damn good blub.
So, those are the stories so far... plus a few others for good measure.
Sunday, 11 March 2007
Completed Pressies
Here are the finished gloves and socks ("Opal Petticoat"). This is actually 'hot of the press' as I finished the second sock ten minutes ago.
Will Power
Will power is something I have in abundance at present, as in "I will go shopping". Every time I post on the subject of reducing my stash, how I'm going to do it, what I'm thinking of knitting, it's inevitable that I will end up buying more yarn. Even after the words of encouragement, there's always that bargain. Even Aileen at "Wool" encouraged me - and selling wool is her business.
I always thought that a public declaration of intent would make me stick to my resolution. :-) I thought this might embarrass myself into keeping my word. Nope, it's more of a 'red rag to a bull'.
I was visiting my Mam this weekend and we headed out to check a few of the LYS in the area. First stop... "Kemps" in Sunderland. They mainly stock "Sirdar" and "Patons" but they also have "Twilley's Freedom Spirit" at £2.19 a ball... Well what else could I do? I bought enough to make another Wrapover cardi for me! (In "Fire").
Then we headed over to Whitley Bay and "Ring a Rosie" which is a lovely shop stocking "Rowan", "Noro", "Debbie Bliss", "Louisa Harding" and "Sirdar". My Mam bought some "DB Cathay" in a gorgeous green to knit "Georgia" ("DB Summer Essentials") and some gorgeous "Sirdar DK Cotton" in turquoise (her favourite colour) for a lacy cardi.
Was I good? Was I hell as like... "Rowan - Damask (Basalt)" which is a lovely deep blue with hints of violet to make "Tulip" (Rowan 41).
I give up. We can consider Resolutions 1 and 2 soundly trashed, whereas 3,4 and 5... I've actually done. :-)
I always thought that a public declaration of intent would make me stick to my resolution. :-) I thought this might embarrass myself into keeping my word. Nope, it's more of a 'red rag to a bull'.
I was visiting my Mam this weekend and we headed out to check a few of the LYS in the area. First stop... "Kemps" in Sunderland. They mainly stock "Sirdar" and "Patons" but they also have "Twilley's Freedom Spirit" at £2.19 a ball... Well what else could I do? I bought enough to make another Wrapover cardi for me! (In "Fire").
Then we headed over to Whitley Bay and "Ring a Rosie" which is a lovely shop stocking "Rowan", "Noro", "Debbie Bliss", "Louisa Harding" and "Sirdar". My Mam bought some "DB Cathay" in a gorgeous green to knit "Georgia" ("DB Summer Essentials") and some gorgeous "Sirdar DK Cotton" in turquoise (her favourite colour) for a lacy cardi.
Was I good? Was I hell as like... "Rowan - Damask (Basalt)" which is a lovely deep blue with hints of violet to make "Tulip" (Rowan 41).
I give up. We can consider Resolutions 1 and 2 soundly trashed, whereas 3,4 and 5... I've actually done. :-)
The BF laughed heartily when he saw the new goodies. Apparently, he was laughing at me rather than with me. Joy of my heart, he is.
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