Long train journey

I've been visiting friends oop north this weekend, and now i'm on the train home. The journey is quite lovely, there is some glorious scenery through yorkshire and derbyshire and i get the chance to do a few hours knitting.
The whole experience is enhanced further by having the first class carriage to myself, the puppini sisters on my Ipod and the sun shining in through wispy clouds.
Bliss.
I've made inroads on this garter stitch scarf for O'neill so he'll be happy too. X

Get Knitted, Ladybirds and pictures

I went along to Get Knitted on Saturday for the big ravelry meet up. I got there quite a bit later than everyone else, so it was a bit daunting as I entered and saw twenty or thirty people sat around knitting and chatting. I came over all shy and didn't actually introduce myself to anyone, apart from a lady whose name badge said she was "swroot" - which I took as a Unix reference... She was investigating the Koigu as I was, so we had a little chat about sock yarn and patterns.

I came away having spent a substantial amount on yarn and a modest amount on fabric for the marimekko quilt I'm planning. I've cast on for a scarf for RH, and stashed enough sock yarn for the forseeable future.




Here is current progress on the Bellatrix sock:

I've actually got about 2/3 of the way along the foot, so almost finished the first sock really. I think these will be the quickest socks I've ever knit if the second one goes as fast.

The stalled Clapotis:


And to round off this multi-media melee, I'll leave you with a picture of one of the many minibeasts with whom we share our home. There is a colony of ladybirds in the flat, who mostly live in the spare room but roam about on the floors and walls occasionally. You'll always see two or three between the front door and the living room, and they come in a wide range of colours. Most are either black with two big red spots, or red with big black spots, but we've had yellow ones and many-spotted ones too. Here is one which took a particular liking for the Gin:

New trix

It seems the hiatus was a fleeting one, since after a quick run and early bath the other night, I decided to cast on a new pair of socks. I've finished the latest monkeys (photos to come I promise) and the Clapotis is getting too big to cart about on the train now, so I decided to ball up the Black Purl and cast on for Bellatrix.
The pattern is incredibly quick and easy, and unlike others I don't seem to be suffering from gauge issues on the dropped stitches. I started them tuesday night and am on to the heel flap of the first sock already, which is fairly quick for me. RH has decided he wants a pair of socks too, so I promised once the Bellatrixs are done I'll knit him a nice pair. At least that will give me something else to buy at GK on saturday - one can never have too much sock yarn!

So my shopping list so far for saturday goes like this:

4mm circ for the BSJ
Suitable yarn for a scarf for RH
sock yarn for RH

I'd quite like some of that Cascade variegated yarn as well, and of course there's the great range of quilting fabric they have up there... I'm sort of planning a quilt to go with the FatBoy beanbag we've just inherited from some friends who've emigrated, it's a marimekko one with the big red unikko flowers all over it. I'm thinking of using the mini unikko fabric as a backing, then using reds, black, white and maybe a little green for the patchwork side.

I think thats a long enough list for now!

K

Stumbling Mice

I'm stumbling to a standstill with my knitting, which just won't do.
On the one hand, I've got this glorious cashmere busily twisting itself up into a clapotis which is now an unwanted gift. It's not my favourite colour choice, the pattern isn't nearly as challenging as it once was back in the day when it was the second thing I ever knit, and I get the feeling the yarn would be put to much better use elsewhere. Of course I still have a scarfless husband who demands satisfaction, so more yarn must be purchased to fulfil that need, but I feel almost criminal for wasting this gorgeous cashmere on a garment that no-one really wants. However, I can't get to most of my other knitting as its beyond Cardboard Mountain in Spare Room country, so I've been half-arsedly knitting on the Clapotis in the hope it would turn into something I really loved. Which hasn't happened yet. I could gift it I guess... ooh and as I typed that I remembered it's a good friend's birthday soon, one whom I haven't seen for over a year. Perhaps it will wing its way to her!

I love it when just writing stuff down helps solve your problems. I'll be knitting on that Clapotis with renewed vigour as soon as I confirm she likes the colours...

Ok this seems to be going well... next will be the BSJ. I'm feeling quite "meh" about it, partially due to my choice of needles - what was I thinking doing it on straights?! - and partially because the yarn is quite dull. And to be honest I'm not excessively fascinated with the genius of the pattern, however hyperbolic the surface becomes, its still just increases and decreases. I should just stick it on the right needles and finish the bugger really. Before the recipient gets any bigger.

So I could do with some more inspiration I think, I'd really like a nice warm hat for myself, and i wouldn't mind knitting another set of mittens or maybe some gloves. We're hopefully heading off to Paris in the spring so accessories for that trip would be glorious. I also need to put together a list of things I'd like when I go on the Big Day Out to Get Knitted, which is only a week away. I don't want to just aimlessly buy a few skeins of things I like the look / feel of, I want to purchase wisely with an intended project in mind. Any ideas will be gratefully received!

XX
K