tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90650062024-02-28T15:34:41.802+00:00The Wool PalaceCrafty life in SomersetMaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1105652075705508602005-01-13T21:31:00.000+00:002005-01-13T21:34:35.706+00:00Gone but not forgottenRight, I've made the decision. I'm moving to Typepad. Blogger has been great, but I'm finding Typepad easier. I still have to sort a few things out, so be gentle with me for now. Don't be a stranger - <a href="http://thewoolpalace.typepad.com/blog/">come on over</a>. Don't forget to update your bookmarks etc!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1105575393765057632005-01-13T00:04:00.000+00:002005-01-13T00:25:24.500+00:00An Unfortunate Series of EventsI had a hospital appointment today. The kind of appointment where you just know that you will be waiting for at least an hour after the time it says on your appointment letter. I didn't really mind, as it meant I had the morning off work and I knew I could fill the hour with knitting.
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<br />I took along the second sleeve of Hourglass Sweater, which I started last night at my knitting group meeting. (Very good meeting, by the way, our biggest yet). So, I did indeed wait almost exactly an hour past my appointment time, but I was knitting away and reading an old Sunday Times magazine, so I was having fun. I did have to put some effort into blocking out the conversations of other people about what medications they were on, how much they swelled up at night and how much water they needed to drink, but hey, it's a hospital, it goes with the territory right?
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<br />Appointment was over, so I went to work. Worked away, then left work. To get home I have to catch 2 buses, which is fine as they don't take long. First bus came and I jumped on. I pulled out the sleeve and knitted away for a few minutes. We got to Brixton, I stuffed my knitting in my bag and got off.
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<br />As I got off, I saw my next bus coming. The bus stop for bus number 2 is around the corner from the bus stop for bus number 1. If you walked, it would take about 5 minutes. As I didn't have 5 minutes, I ran. As I was running, I was thinking, 'I'm glad I wore trainers today' and 'I'm pleased I've started going running in the evenings again, I don't feel too out of breath running for this bus'.
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<br />I got to the bus stop and jumped on the bus. As I jumped on the bus, I felt a tug on my bag. Because I live in London, my first thought was that someone was trying to snatch my bag. I whirled around, to see nothing, except... a long strand of Felted Tweed hanging from my bag.
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<br />It seems that the ball of Felted Tweed had been jolted out of my bag as I ran. I had run, through the centre of Brixton, trailing wool behind me and even got onto a bus, still trailing wool behind me. The motion of the bus moving had then caused the wool to snap. Oh, how Toby laughed (and not in a nice way) when I told him.
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<br />If you are passing through Brixton, pause for a moment to remember the ball of grey Felted Tweed. She is sadly missed. Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1105399534293691232005-01-10T23:10:00.000+00:002005-01-10T23:38:23.640+00:00Socks and stuffSo, I got into Sockapalooza after all. Yay! I can't work out how to upload the button, any help would be gratefully received. It's lots of fun thinking about patterns and yarn to use. I've been reading my recipient's blog, trying to get a feel for what they might like. I had a look through my sock yarn stash.
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<br />It's mostly self patterning stuff, Regia mainly. This is fine for your every day sock, but I'm thinking I might splash out on some <a href="http://www.getknitted.com/acatalog/Lornas_Laces.html">Lorna's Laces</a> for this one. I did a pair of <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/PATTbroadripple.html">Broadripple Socks </a>in the Mixed Berries shade last year and I love the colours. However, I don't think that's the right pattern, as it really needs a yarn with a little elastic in it. Hmmm, time to get out the pattern books I think!
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<br />Before I start, I must finish the current socks, which are for Toby.
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<br />They are my second pair of short row heel socks, as I liked the way the last pair turned out. The self patterning yarn has done an interesting thing at the heel. It would have been even better if the stripes were in the same colour.
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<br />I'm about 2 inches away from the toe shaping of sock number 1, so really need to crack on so I can start on the Sockapalooza pair.
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<br />I've been working hard on Hourglass Sweater too. She doesn't really look that exciting at the moment. The body is done and here's Sleeve number 1 earlier this evening, before ER.
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<br />I love ER - today was a very happy day for me, with Series 11 back on Channel 4. We have a strict 'no talking during ER' rule in our house. Toby often goes out on the night ER is on - he's doesn't understand. In fact, he's out tonight.
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<br />Excuse the brown mark on the sofa. Digital cameras pick up the strangest things.
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<br />Lastly, I'm thinking of moving over to Typepad. Has anyone else moved from Blogger to Typepad? How did you find it?Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1105310288479883792005-01-09T22:37:00.001+00:002005-01-09T22:55:41.383+00:00Lazy SundayIn fact it has been anything but lazy this weekend around here. As the children are back at school, we have plunged back into their hectic social lives. Josie had a friend for a sleepover Friday night and a birthday party on Saturday. Sam had football practice Saturday morning, went to a friend's house in the afternoon and then a football match Sunday morning.
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<br />I went out on Saturday night to have drinks with a friend for her birthday, so I was a little 'tired' this morning. Toby decided to take Sam climbing after football, so Josie and I had a lazy afternoon. We watched 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' and then I said I'd listen to Josie read her reading book from school. When she got her book, look what it was.
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<br />A book about a swift! How cool is that? The thrust of the story was that no one knew what this thing was, until eventually a lady buys it from them and puts it in a museum. Josie was very impressed that I knew straight away and she wanted to know why I wanted one of my own. This led to a discussion about balls of wool and skeins and how one transforms the latter into the former. Of course, she wanted to have a go. So I found some Magpie Aran I had lying around and we set to work. As we had no swift, we used the back of a chair.
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<br />Then I showed Josie another way of holding the yarn.
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<br />She started to flag a little, but we persevered.
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<br />The final result. Josie felt it was worth it.
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<br />I did suggest she could knit something with it now she'd wound it up herself, but she decided to take it to live with her doll in the bedroom. Ah well.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1105210157373100102005-01-08T18:42:00.000+00:002005-01-08T19:15:03.843+00:00Now we're cookin'The camera is finally up and running, so there will be a veritable orgy of photo taking chez Wool Palace this weekend.
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<br />First out of the traps is Cloud. She never got the attention she deserved, poor thing. I did carry her on my wedding day and she came to Rome with us too, but she was never properly photographed, so her she is.
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<br />Folded over, as I couldn't get her all in one shot. The colour is a little lighter than this.
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<br />Close up, showing the stitch pattern and ruffles at the edge. This is truer to the colour of the KSH - the shade is called 'Blood'.
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<br />Here she is, being modelled by Josie.
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<br />I really enjoyed knitting this pattern. I love the look of KSH, but haven't got on too well with actually knitting with it in the past. I started Birch, but frogged it and re-knit it with some Donegal 4-ply instead. I started Karis and loved the look of it, but found it such slow going. However, there seems to be something about this pattern that really suits KSH, or maybe I'm finally starting to get the hang of the yarn.
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<br />Anyway, onwards and upwards! I have more photos to take, so maybe another post tomorrow.
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<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1105053151257907692005-01-06T22:53:00.000+00:002005-01-06T23:12:31.256+00:00Busy, busy, busyI'm having an organising sort of a day, at least over here in blogland. I've sorted out my Bloglines feed and updated my Blogroll. If you haven't done it already, give it a try, it's very easy and saves times surfing through all your favourites to see if people have posted. I'm still planning to put up links to blogs I read, just not today.
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<br />In knitting news, I finished Rockstar and he certainly was a lovely furry little thing. I posed fetchingly in front of the mirror and even woke Toby up to take a look at him. So, why no photo? Well, my sister came round last night and I showed her Rockstar in all his furry loveliness... and she fell in love. Couldn't stop stroking him, fondling him. So, I gave him to her. He's gone to a good home. I've told her she has to come back prepared to be photographed with him.
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<br />Now I'm feeling the need to get back to large projects. I've still got a pair of socks on the go for commuter knitting, but I need something bigger for the evenings. I'm back on Hourglass Sweater. One of my Christmas presents was a set of Denise interchangeable needles, from <a href="http://www.woollyworkshop.co.uk./acatalog/Denise.html">here</a>, so I now have the requisite 30cm circulars to do the sleeves. I have been working on the body this evening and have about 1cm to go before dividing for the yoke, so I'm planning on casting on a sleeve before bedtime. I haven't used Denise before so it will be interesting to see how they compare to Addis. My camera should be up and running tomorrow, so hopefully there will be pictures by the weekend.
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<br />I'm feeling 2 interests coming on for the New Year. Nancy Bush and beaded stitch markers. I'll say no more for now. Except that I'm <strong>gutted</strong> I missed out on <a href="http://alison.knitsmiths.us/">Sockapalooza</a> - that looks like a very fun knitalong.
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<br />Stop press - just went back to check on Sockapalooza - I might get in after all! I'm crossing everything.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1104771990954639472005-01-03T16:42:00.000+00:002005-01-03T17:06:30.953+00:00Out with the OldHope you all had a good New Year. We were child free, thanks to the kindness of my mother in law. We go to visit every Boxing Day, have a second Christmas with all Toby's relatives and usually stay for a few days, as she lives in a lovely part of the country. Sam and Josie then stay on for New Year and go to pantomimes, have sleepovers with their cousins, walk the dogs and generally have fun, while Toby and I get to live the single life back in London for a few days. This involves us getting very over excited, trying to do too much, usually having one spectacular argument (this year's was in the car on the way back from John Lewis and it involved a <strong>lot</strong> of shouting. I will just add that 'trying to do too much', doesn't include trips to John Lewis, I was meaning more visits to art galleries, cinemas etc) and starting to miss the children after about three days. However, it does mean we can pretty much do what we want for New Year, without having to think about babysitters, sleeping arrangements for the children and so on. Call me selfish, because that's what I am, for this week of the year.
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<br />Anyway, we spent the evening with lots of friends, eating, drinking champagne, playing parlour games (so much fun, I always wonder why we don't play them more often) and signing along to a karaoke game on PS2, complete with a camera to film you while you're singing. I think it best to draw a veil over my efforts; I'll just say I was forcibly stopped from completing my rendition of Destiny's Child's' 'Survivor'. The fun wound up at about 4am and it was bliss to wake up when we were ready (around 11am) and know there were no children to contend with while nursing a hangover. We are very lucky that we have such kind relatives who are in a position to provide us with this sort of freedom from time to time.
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<br />Not a lot of knitting has been done. I did half a sock in the car on the way back from Somerset, but I'm not happy with the heel, so am going to rip it back. Rockstar didn't get finished for New Year's Eve, but I made good progress on him (he feels like a masculine project to me) last night while watching dire telly, so he may be finished tonight or tomorrow.
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<br />In the spirit of resolutions and new beginnings, I did sort through a lot of my stash and pack it away in a trunk. I separated out the sock wool and yarn I have earmarked for 2 projects and left that on the top, so I have easy access to that. I should stress this is the main stash, which resides in our bedroom. There is still the secondary stash, which lives in the living room, beside the sofa. This consists of the more fondlable (sp?) stuff, that I just need to be able to reach out to - Koigu, Noro and various Ally Pally purchases. Then there is my actual knitting basket, one of those ones that has a wooden frame and sits on the floor by the telly. This is meant to contain whatever big project I am currently working on, so at the moment Hourglass Sweater is living in there. She will be resurrected very soon, I promise.
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<br />My other knitting resolution is to get on and take some photos of all my projects and post them, so you can see that I am telling the truth and not spinning some elaborate knitting blog scam. So keep your eyes peeled!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1104450521980451032004-12-30T23:43:00.000+00:002004-12-30T23:48:41.980+00:00I'm just back from celebrating the birthday of a friend whose birthday falls today. Instead of presents, she has asked that everyone give the money they would have spent on her to the appeals for victims of the tsunamis and earthquakes in Asia and India. This seems the right way to do things to me. We, who are lucky, can't stop celebrating important festivals and events, but we should find some way to think about those thousands of dead and thousands of missing, as well as the millions who are now suffering unimaginable loss and hardship.
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<br />If you can afford it, please give generously.
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<br /><a href="https://www.donate.bt.com/bt_form_dec.htm">Disasters Emergency Committee</a>
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<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1103897974770107932004-12-24T14:06:00.000+00:002004-12-24T14:19:34.770+00:00Deck the hallsWell, it's finally upon us. The presents are wrapped and under the tree. The turkey has been collected from the butcher, along with a lovely gammon which is currently bubbling away, prior to being baked this evening. Mince pies have been made. Wine will be mulled this evening. I was in Sainsbury's at 8am today to pick up the last veg and milk that we need, so now I'm feeling smug, as I went past about an hour ago and it looked like hell.
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<br />My present knitting is finished. ½ Clapotis is going to Toby's mum. I did a pair of socks for my sister's boyfriend, which I blocked last night and will wrap today. (First time I'd done a short row heel - and I liked it!) I did another flower washcloth, to go with some Body Shop smellies for Toby's brother's girlfriend.
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<br />After all that present knitting, I decided to do something quick and simple for myself. I bought some great eyelash yarn when I was in Norway a couple of years ago. If you are ever in Oslo, visit <a href="http://www.tjorven.no/">this shop </a>- I guarantee you'll love it. I've been looking for something to do with it, as I only have one ball in each shade. Also, I ripped back the Elegant Gauntlet I'd knitted, as I wasn't happy with how it looked, so I had 2 skeins of Koigu going spare. Koigu, eyelash yarn - it just had to be <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall02/PATTrockstar.html">Rockstar</a>! I cast on last night and hopefully I'll be wearing it on New Year's Eve.
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<br />Happy Christmas to all of you that celebrate. Happy Holidays to everyone else. Have a good one. Now I'm off to have a glass of wine - well, it is Christmas!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1103585224871178522004-12-20T23:27:00.000+00:002004-12-20T23:30:22.530+00:00Let it snowLook what I made!
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<br />You can make one too, if you go <a href="http://snowflake.lookandfeel.com/">here</a>. Who says we can't have a white Christmas?Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1103297619707224062004-12-17T15:17:00.000+00:002004-12-17T15:33:39.706+00:00Oh come all ye faithful..... to the shops, or so it seemed today. Things have been remarkably low key re Christmas around here this year. Normally by now I would have written several lists, one of presents, one of food, one of everything else that needs to be done. Toby would have bought several cases of wine (only because of the 5% discount, of course). This year I think we're a bit partied out from the wedding, so can't summon up too much enthusiasm for another big celebration.
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<br />However, as far as Sam and Josie are concerned, it's getting pretty exciting. So today I ventured up to Oxford Street, armed with Christmas lists from them both. First stop was Hamleys. First thought when I got in there was, 'Why the f... did I come here?'. This is what I think every time I go there. Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely shop, but it's just too overwhelming for me. There's so much to choose from that I can't make any choices. I ended up wandering around for an hour, then leaving with an art set that I could probably have bought in Clapham Junction.
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<br />John Lewis was a bit better. More of a shop than a tourist attraction. Josiah is now all sorted, but Sam is proving more of a problem. He is desperate for some PS2 game, but we have declared a moratorium on PS2/computer games for the moment. I guess I'll be hitting the Clapham Junction toy shops to see what I can find.
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<br />While in John Lewis, I just happened to find myself in the wool department. Where else would I go carrying three large heavy bags? I have to say I prefer Liberty's wool department to John Lewis as I think the yarns are displayed better, but Liberty doesn't stock everything that JL do. I was sorely tempted by some <a href="http://www.yarn-shop.co.uk/noro-yarn/noro.php/yarn/63">Noro Transitions</a>. Gorgeous stuff, especially Shade 02. But at £10.80 a skein, I thought I should wait until all the presents were bought. Our finances have taken a battering in the last few months. Still, it was hard to leave it in the shop.
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<br />One good thing about going to Oxford Street is the nice long bus ride home gives me plenty of time for knitting. I am doing a pair of socks for my sister's boyfriend, who is spending Christmas with us. I am almost ready to start the heel of the first one, so hopefully the pair will be done by the end of the weekend.
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<br />The rest of the Christmas knitting has gone well. I know I said I don't normally do it, but I think I might bet into it a bit more, as it's been quite fun working on lots of small projects. The scarves for my parents are done and posted. I finished my half-Clapotis, which I'm really pleased with; I think I will give that to Toby's mum. I ended up doing the Flower Washcloths from Weekend Knitting for Sam and Josies' teachers. I used oddments of DK Cotton rather than Chenille and gave them a little bar of soap with each one. I think that's probably going to be it, although I may squeeze in a scarf for Toby's brother's girlfriend, oh and maybe for his grandmother too...Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1102949093280872432004-12-13T14:32:00.000+00:002004-12-13T14:44:53.280+00:00Happy ClappyIf you haven't knitted <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html">this</a> yet, then you must. Go on, you know you want to. I know I'm behind the times, as loads of other bloggers have long since finished theirs, but I'm loving knitting Clapotis.
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<br />I'm using a cotton/silk blend from <a href="http://www.21stcenturyyarns.com/index.htm">21st Century Yarns </a>that I bought at Ally Pally this year. They only had one skein in the colourway I liked, so I'm doing a half size Clapotis, just 3 increase and decrease rows rather than the 6 specified. I started on Saturday and am just about to start the decreases after doing 12 sets of straight rows. The best thing about it is definitely making the ladders, there's nothing like dropping a stitch on purpose.
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<br />I know I'm supposed to be doing the children's teachers' presents and I will, I will - maybe tomorrow?
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<br />Friday night was my knitting group's Christmas do. We went to my favourite tapas bar and had lots of fun and did no knitting at all.
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<br />Sam is off school ill today, so I get to stay home from work and do lots of knitting while he rests on the sofa and watches videos. Bliss.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1102580451607968972004-12-09T08:02:00.000+00:002004-12-09T08:20:51.606+00:00Santa baby...So I'm starting to get back into the swing of things. And the swingiest of things at the moment is, of course, Christmas gift knitting. As a rule, I don't do a lot of gift knitting at Christmas time. Why? I think it's the whole knitting to a deadline thing, it just doesn't work for me. However, this year I was pretty organised and got a scarf done for my mother in early November - another version of Cloud, but in <a href="http://www.touchyarns.com/boucle_solid.htm">Touch Yarns mohair boucle </a>- yummm.
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<br />Then I thought I'd better do something for my father as well, so I've started a scarf for him too. I dug out some <a href="http://www.englishyarns.co.uk/acatalog/Products_Rowan_Magpie_Aran_and_Tweed_100g_21.html">Rowan Magpie Tweed </a>that I was given a couple of years ago and am doing a simple, quite slim scarf, in a sort of mistake rib. It feels good to be knitting with a fairly heavy weight yarn again. Sadly, this has yarn was discontinued a while ago now. It's a shame, as it's one of those yarns that really lets the quality of the wool shine through.
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<br />So I had thought I would leave it at that, but then <a href="http://www.alltangledup.com/">Polly</a> blogged about a great idea for little gifts (see the entry on December 3rd ). Once I saw that, I thought these would be great for Sam and Josie's teachers. I have lots of oddments of DK Cotton knocking around in various colours. I think I might buy some bath bombs from <a href="http://www.lush.co.uk/system/index.html">Lush</a> rather than soap, just to make it a little different.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1102369851223375072004-12-06T21:34:00.000+00:002004-12-06T21:50:51.223+00:00Ding DongSo, I came to the computer full of intent to post a witty, entertaining post all about the wedding and Rome, but to tell you the truth, I'm feeling a bit.. bleugh. The wedding was lovely, a really good day full of laughter and fun and good friends and relatives. Rome was wonderful. I've never been to Italy before and now I'm in love. But now I'm back; back to school and work and a flat with a leaky toilet cistern that I'm sure was fine before we left. Anyway, I'm very happy, but am just feeling a bit blue, so I'll just post some photos for you to look at for now.
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<br />Here we are after the event. Let me just say, I could <strong>never</strong> be a celebrity and face the paparazzi. There were only about 6 people taking photos and I started to freak out after about 5 minutes. Plus, I was doing the whole 'stand sideways, turn your face to one side' sort of thing that you read about for making the best of your profile or whatever. It didn't work, as you can see. Note Cloud - I had to get her in somewhere!
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<br /><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/294/2325/320/cropped%20family.jpg">
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<br />Us and the children. Josie suffered an extreme attack of shyness, so missed out on some of the family group shots, but she is all recovered here.
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<br />We had arranged for one of my sisters (it ended up being the youngest, as she got in the room first) and Toby's best friend to be the witnesses. When we got in the room, the Registrar asked us if we would like Sam and Josie to be our witnesses also. We didn't know they could do this, but thought it would be a great idea. So they got to sign the register too. I think this is my favourite picture so far.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1102336131140923452004-12-06T12:26:00.000+00:002004-12-06T12:28:51.140+00:00Lunchtime diversionHooray, the new <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/index.html">Knitty</a> is here!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1101643473952179172004-11-28T12:03:00.000+00:002004-11-28T12:04:33.953+00:00Mr & MrsWe did it! I'm an honest woman now. Thanks for all your good wishes. We had a lovely day. I finished Cloud, although Josie spent more time wearing it than me. We're off to Rome tomorrow, so I'll give you all more details about the wedding when we get back.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1101298354343585782004-11-24T13:10:00.000+00:002004-11-24T12:12:34.343+00:00Somebody stop me<a href="http://www.getknitted.com/acatalog/Accessory_Patterns.html">Cloud</a> is coming along nicely. I am about one third of the way through ball number three, so hopefully she will we done and ready to block tomorrow. While knitting away last night, I found myself wondering if I would have time to knit Josie a poncho to go with her wedding clothes...Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1101121804085695422004-11-22T10:47:00.000+00:002004-11-22T11:10:04.086+00:00The Long and Winding RoadNo pictures yet I'm afraid. We converted to broadband on Friday, but then on Saturday our line was disconnected somewhere under the streets of London. Apparently it can't be fixed until Tuesday, so I am phoneless, emailess and internetless at home. So this is a short at work post - I don't think I can start taking WIPs out at work, take photos of them, load the photos onto the PC and upload them to my blog. I haven't actually checked with my boss, but I think I know what the answer will be.
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<br />So, less than a week to go until the wedding! Great time to have no phone, it's not like I would need to speak to caterers, the venue or even friends and family is it? Anyway, I thought this would be a great time to start to try to knit something for me to wear on the big day. So, I thought, what would be the best thing to knit quickly? I know! Why don't I knit something lacy, in a really fine yarn? This strange idea came to me on Friday night, obviously buying the dress had sent my confidence levels soaring into overdrive.
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<br />Anyway, I had 3 balls of Rowan KidSilk Haze in my stash. They were originally purchased for Birch, but I did that in Donegal Lambswool 4 ply so I had then earmarked them for Karis, which I love. However, even in my current state, I know that I cannot finish Karis by Saturday, so I got them out and cast on for <a href="http://www.getknitted.com/acatalog/Accessory_Patterns.html">this</a>. I knitted the scarf version of this about a month ago, used some <a href="http://www.touchyarns.com/boucle_solid.htm">Mohair Boucle from Touch Yarns</a> that I bought at Ally Pally, so I know the pattern is very easy to follow.
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<br />I was right, the pattern was a easy and effective as I remembered. However, KidSilk Haze <strong>lasts forever</strong>. I have been knitting solidly since Friday evening and have only used 1½ balls - the patterns takes 3 balls to make. I have five evenings left until I get married. But now I'm in too deep, I can't give up. I will finish it. I will also (in those five evenings) buy myself some shoes, buy Josie some shoes, buy myself some jewellery/corsagey type thing to jazz up the dress, go and pay the caterer their deposit, confirm final numbers attending (without access to my email due to problem mentioned above), take Josie for a haircut, make 2 costumes for Sam & Josie's school play, write to the school to let them know that Sam & Josie will be missing next week off school, phone the hotel in Rome to confirm our reservation and airport transfer (will be interesting to do this without phone or email) and of course, do the usual cook dinner, wash clothes, oversee homework, read bedtime stories sort of thing.
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<br />All in all, a nice quiet, relaxing week.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1100875788870506192004-11-19T14:39:00.000+00:002004-11-20T10:04:01.940+00:00I'm so excitedThree comments! You wait a whole week, and then three come along at one. Thanks everyone - it's nice to get feedback, especially from lovely people like yourselves.
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<br />I did read them all yesterday and wrote an entry, but then Blogger went down and I lost it all.
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<br />I was full of gloom and despair as I hadn't been able to find anything for the wedding, after 5 hours traipsing up and down Oxford Street, around Selfridges etc, all on late night shopping day and in the rain. Fun, fun, fun! I did manage to get an outfit for Sam and some new pyjamas for him too. The pyjamas were pretty essential as he is going to a sleepover tomorrow and the ones he is currently wearing have holes in the knees (yes, I am a bad, slack mother). I popped into Liberty and picked up new 2.5mm dpns and some 4.5mm dpns for Hourglass Sweater. It was a mark of how depressed I was that I didn't even go and join the Rowanettes meeting in the cafe. Sorry girls, if any of you are reading this, I wouldn't have been good company.
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<br />Fi asked about the Hourglass Sweater. I don't think it requires an hourglass figure, it's more that it has shaping at the waist, which the book says,'flatters most women's figures'. So there you go. Digital camera is at work at the moment (actually it belongs to work, but I can borrow it sometimes) so I will take a picture on Monday, which will hopefully show the shaping.
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<br />Thanks for all your kind words about the wedding. The good news is that I did find a dress today! All that wandering around yesterday, today I went into <a href="http://www.frockbrokers.biz">this shop</a>, which is very near where I do voluntary work on Friday mornings. An hour later, I was walking out with a new dress. I'll keep the details secret for now, but I'm very pleased. It's by no means a traditional wedding dress, but it fits in with the feel of the day, or how I want it to be.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1100651243843735862004-11-17T00:16:00.000+00:002004-11-17T00:27:23.843+00:00Not muchknitting over the last few days.
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<br />Saturday was my Not-Hen-Party. Wedding is now less than 2 weeks away!
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<br />The actual meal was fairly sedate, but I managed to stay up very late with my sisters afterwards - putting the world to rights, as you do.
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<br />Consequently, on Sunday, I felt - let's just say, delicate. Luckily Toby looked after the children all day. I did get up for lunch, but then retired to bed to watch Pollyanna. Toby, meanwhile, had rented the children some totally unsuitable DVD. But heh, it was my Not-Hen-Party. I will return the favour for him next weekend when it's his Not-Stag-Night. My sister did make guacamole with them, so they had some sort of constructive activity for the day.
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<br />I managed to rise from bed Sunday night and finish Josie's 2nd sock and cast on the first of a pair for Sam. I finished the first one Monday evening and am about halfway through the second one. Once that's done, it's on to one of the sock patterns in Lucy Neatby's book for Toby - I fancy trying a short row heel.
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<br />Hourglass Sweater has stalled. I think I secretly am wishing for 4.5mm dpns for the sleeves, as I'm not convinced about the Magic Loop method. I am off to Liberty on Thursday night, if I'm not wedding dress shopping (did I mention I don't have anything to wear for my own wedding?), so will try and pick up some there. I also have a strangely bowed 2.5mm dpn - I didn't know bamboos could do that, so will have to get some replacements for them too, if I'm not wedding dress shopping. Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1100303537446355402004-11-12T23:49:00.000+00:002004-11-12T23:52:17.446+00:00OK, so now I'm confused. I'm pretty sure I posted the last entry - including photos, but it doesn't seem to be showing up. Maybe it's just my view? I'm not sure. It's too late at night to worry about it now. It's also Friday which is wine, takeaway and varying standards of comedy programmes on Channel 4 night, so I'll leave it there. Hourglass Sweater is growing - almost time to divide for the yoke. Then I just need to try and work out the magic loop technique, as I haven't got a small enough circular to do the sleeves. Wish me luck. Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1100210849563203072004-11-11T21:44:00.000+00:002004-11-11T22:12:37.150+00:00It's so SurrealSo Tuesday night was knitting night. My knitting group meets in a pub, as do lots of London groups. As pubs go, it's pretty good - not too smokey, nice comfy leather sofas and that bar staff are nice to us. There was a reasonably big group there this time - about 8 of us. For the last couple of months it's just been 4 of us, the 4 that started the group, at each meeting, so it's good to see more people coming along.
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<br />So there we all are, knitting away, talking about things, then Helen decides to take some photos to record the event. Then, suddenly a man sidles up and asks if he can take a photo of us too - 'why?' we ask. His reply, 'It's so surreal, to walk into a groovy bar and find a bunch of girls knitting'. Hmmm. The use of the phrase 'groovy bar' about a pub down a side street in Clapham on a Tuesday night was his first mistake. Anyway, he took his photo, we took ours and went our separate ways (he went to a table in the conservatory with his friends).
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<br /><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/img/294/2325/320/Group%202.jpg">
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<br />Here we are looking askance at the man having the 'surreal' experience
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<br />So, anyway, back to knitting (just ignore him).
<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1099996913310780722004-11-09T10:31:00.000+00:002004-11-09T10:41:53.310+00:00Grrr<span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Bad day yesterday. The whole afternoon was spent dealing with grumpy 8 year old with Zoo Tycoon issues, namely his wanting to play it and my refusal to let him. Our moods can be summed up by these examples from his spelling homework:
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<br /><em>My mum is horrible.</em>
<br /><em>I feel terrible.</em>
<br /><em>It is possible that my mum will become very angry.</em>
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<br />He had to go to bed straight after his bath.
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<br />I then spent almost 6 hours sewing up a bloody elephant that I had rashly agreed to knit for someone. 6 hours sewing up - this is why I don't knit toys. The last toy I knitted was a teddy for my younger sister when I was about 10. Not a coincidence I think that this was the last thing I knitted until I was 26 and pregnant? No more toys for me. I was actually paid to knit this toy - but no sum would be enough to knit something that takes 6 hours to sew up. My own fault really, I should have said no.
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<br />After all that sewing, I did a little knitting while watching the final of The Sopranos, which finished at past midnight (why Channel 4?). I managed to do one more set of increases on the Hourglass Sweater - 14 rounds in total. Only two more to go before I divide for the yoke.
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<br />Off to my knitting group tonight. Details are on the </span><a href="http://www.castoff.info/messages/thread.asp?id=1202"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Cast Off website </span></a><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">if anyone's interested.
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<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9065006.post-1099911884892617022004-11-08T18:44:00.000+00:002004-11-08T11:04:44.893+00:00Scary...<span style="font-family:times new roman;">So I thought I'd dip my toe into the world of blogging. Things didn't start off too well - the first two blogs I tried to set up have locked somewhere in the process, so here's hoping this one goes better. I certainly hope so, as I don't think I can come up with any more names for the thing! The house is, not so much a wool palace, as a wool shack, in need of some serious redecoration (and stash reduction), but that doesn't have the same ring to it does it?</span>
<br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">No pictures today, as I don't think I can even start to handle that, but current WIPs are the Hourglass Sweater from </span><a href="http://store.purlsoho.com/purl/products/books_patterns"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Last Minute Knitted Gifts</span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, which I'm knitting in Rowan Felted Tweed which I've had sitting in my stash for the last 2 years, just waiting for the right project. It's the first sweater I've knitted in the round, so I'll be interested to see how it goes. I'm using my new rosewood circulars from </span><a href="http://www.scottishfibres.co.uk/acatalog/Wooden_Circular___Flexible.html"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Scottish Fibres</span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, which are lovely, better points than my bamboos and very smooth joins.</span>
<br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Bus/tube knitting is socks - almost always is. Current ones are just in a basic sock pattern from </span><a href="http://www.knittinguniverse.com/books/purl/purl.html"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The Purl Stitch</span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">. I recently bought </span><a href="http://www.getknitted.com/acatalog/Other_Books.html"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Lucy Neatby's book</span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> (I know it's been out for ages), so I think I will try something a little more interesting for the next pair.</span>
<br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Am also knitting the 'Elegant Gauntlets', again from The Purl Stitch. I am using some Koigu that I got from </span><a href="http://www.getknitted.com"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">getknitted.com </span></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">a while ago. I really like them, although husband thinks they, 'look like some Victorian thing'. I finished one this weekend - cast it on Friday night and finished it Saturday night. Hopefully I will get the other one done by tomorrow.</span>
<br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">So that's it peeps. Welcome to my wild and crazy world!</span>
<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14052870314396484195noreply@blogger.com0