Catch up...

An entire month passed and Summer has arrived.
Here's something I DIDN'T do:

The Hyperbolic Crochet Jam at The Royal Festival Hall on Saturday last.
I was flitting up to London to collect two of the four lads who had been on a madcap mission to paddle the Thames from source into the Smoke. Two of them had never set foot in a canoe before - and one of the paddlers last paddled thirty years ago! It's a flat water paddle - but steep learning curve nevertheless. They made it to Putney.

I worked late on Friday so couldn't set out until Saturday morning - so it was midday when I got to Putney, fully intending to leave DH and next door neighbour, Chris, in the pub while I went off to join Stash and Caught Knitting at the Jamboree. I so wanted to see that c(r)-o-(chet)-ral reef in the Hayward Gallery and join the fun - but Steve and Chris looked so tired and pleaded with me to take them home so how could I ignore them? :-(
Never mind - they owe me one! So I've made sure that they'll be available to do the manhandling at the K-TOG in October (yes - we're having another one).

Couple of weekends ago I manned the Knitting and Crochet Guild Stand at the Contemporary Craft Show in Bovey Tracey for three days, ably assisted by WyeSue and Imogen, with extra help from Jen, Christine, Mary, Jay and Jill. The weather was good, considering the rain that lashed the West Country in the preceding week, but blowy - Woolly Wormhead's hats tossed gaily around the site several times before we pinned 'em down. Imogen had the most amazing victorian sock making machine and proceded to make the longest ever scarf/sock over the weekend: She will eventually chop it up into smaller scarves but we managed to stretch the result from the stand right over to the main entrance.




Here we're half way...

It's amazing how blase the British can be about such events: lots of people were oblivious and stepped right on the scarf as we stretched it out.


That's Imogen wearing her Fabulous Terry Macey linen dress checking out the enormous scarf roll with Jay and WyeSue.

Syd is ever so patient - bless him.
















I also brought along the giant knitting needles DH made for me out of a couple of broomhandles and staircase nobs to play with.


- Several people of all ages and sizes had a go at knitting WyeSue's accumulated fingerknitted yarn (I'm still not sure about the glitter?!). One passerby suggested it should be an essential pastime for the pantomime Dame. Good idea.

A good time was had by all: we taught some people to knit (on giant needles as well as normal sized needles) and, of course, we fingerknitted. The crafts in the main marquee were beautiful - if a tad expensive for most pockets - but Imogen managed to get a fantastic Terry Macey linen dress at a bargain price not the least because it looked so good on her.

Alison Ellen was also exhibiting her gorgeous handknitted cardigans and hats - I was taking notes as they certainly have the 'wow' factor.
I managed to escape a couple of times during the three days - once to make a felt flower in the Children's tent (nobody noticed I was slightly larger and more wrinkly than the average customer) - and once to make an indigo dyed silk scarf and an indigo dyed index finger (where my glove had a hole).
The icecream was excellent (Thanks Christine). I finished a second BSJ in pinks for Jane's baby at the show.


ON the knitting front, I've finished spinning the Yarn Yard strawberry merino/tencel fluff and it made 75grams/206yards of fingering weight yarn - enough to do a small reversible lace scarf. Here's it on the go - it made 36 inches so I've blocked it to buggery (technical term a la Kate) and it's now drying and 48inches long. I put a hole (and a button) near one end, so I can thread one end through. It's good.
I also started Astrid's norwegian jumper knit-a-long and didn't like what I was getting. Those red blobs are supposed to be roses - and they involved carrying FOUR colours across the row. The gauge seemed too huge for the work too, so it had to go.I frogged it. Or not quite. I've started the City and Guild's handknitting course certificate 7922 (distance learning with Fiona Morris) so I need lots of samples of edges, hems, selvedges, castings on and offs for the first module. So I saved this cuff as an example of a knitted hem. Waste not want not. In the meantime, what to do with all this yarn? TO start with, an 'Inga' hat. Here's the beginnings of it:
I've nearly finished it now, and was so inspired by the idea that I've designed my own version, which has a shorter body, a six part decrease instead of three and a different pattern. I'm going to use my handspun Jacob fleece to knit it and I'll show it off when I'm done.


Oh yes - did I tell you? I've been given four Jacob sheep fleeces. Since I won't be able to cope with one, let alone four, WyeSue very kindly took one away. In exchange, she showed me how to wash it mass production style: Take one dustbin (or in my case, one old waterbutt) and fill with as hot water as possible. Boil lots of kettles. Add Washing up liquid. Add fleece. Leave until gets cold. Place fleece on makeshift rack in garden (plastic coated chicken wire balanced on bits of trellis fence and wheelbarrow) and spray liberally with hosepipe. Soak dog while at it. Leave in sun to dry and if it rains? Well, it just gets rinsed some more! Spin lots and lots and lots. Now it really wouldn't be good to leave you with this image of yukky yukky Jacob fleece soaking water.

I leave you with a picture of the first flower that my peony has produced (planted out last year - when it was just a wee slip of a thing). Much prettier.

Just a quickie update before I head off for work...

Thanks for the encouragement - I wasn't fishing for compliments. Was I? Glargh!

I've frogged the Trellis Fence Scarf - I couldn't bear the mistakes shouting at me. I've started Swallowtail instead. And the pattern suits the mini Handmaiden yarn so much better, I'm really getting into a rhythm - which is how lace knitting should be, I guess. I can see where I'm at with the budding lace repeat so it's easier to tink if necessary. But I've put in a lifeline this time, just in case.
I WILL revisit the trellis scarf pattern one day, but with a finer lace weight yarn.

Meanwhile I've finished another BSJ - this time in pinks and purples, in Lang 'Silkdream' which is wonderfully soft - but so much more expensive now. Part of its attraction was its very reasonable price - its now not much more cheaper than other 'designer' yarns. This BSJ is paying for the course of acupuncture a local vet gave Tilly.
I've also finished spinning the Gotland - only got 4 small balls weighing 70g, which won't be enough for CandyPi, so I'm going to stripe it with Maylin's purple dyed angora goat fleece - and I've spun up my first chunky 25g of that.This picture of a golden hare was to compensate for not having any pics of knitting originally - I was playing with collage - it's so much fun to mess about with glue and bits of paper and gold leaf! The quote is from a Ted Hughes poem. The picture of the golden hare in the moonlight came first, but the quote seemed apt.

"The Big-eyed, up eared hare I hold is solid flame of living gold..."

I've been given a challenge! OOo I do love a challenge...

Went to the Devon Guild of Weavers, Spinners, Dyers meetup on Exeter last Saturday and met Norma. Norma was very kindly fiddling with some of the scoured Shetland fleece I bought at Wonderwool(fiddling=teasing out VM and combing). Norma had brought along a large paper sack filled with little paper bags, each in turn filled with beautiful (smelly) Black Gotland fleece. The challenge is to spin up this fleece and make an item however you like (knit, crochet, weave) and then write up a couple of hundred words on the process. I can do that. In fact I can't wait!

Copied from the British Gotland Sheep Society I found this:

"The breed was first established on the Swedish island of Gotland by the Vikings with Karakul and Romanov sheep brought back from expeditions deep into Russia and crossed with the native landrace sheep. The Vikings were great seafarers as well as sheep farmers and took these animals on their extensive voyages to provide meat and skins along the route. Hence the spread of these Northern short-tailed sheep and the development into related breeds such as Goth sheep, Icelandic, Finnsheep, Shetland, North Ronaldsay and Manx. Primitive horned Gotland sheep still exist on the island of Gotland today. The Gotland Peltsheep (pälsfår) or modern Gotland has been developed in Sweden since the 1920's through controlled breeding and intensive selection, producing a true multipurpose long wool sheep, yielding good flavoured close-grained meat, furskins and soft silky lustrous fleece. In Britain we refer to these Gotland Peltsheep simply as Gotlands."

The fleece itself has a long staple and a slight crimp - and is a beautiful lustery (is there such a word?) black with hints of silver and grey. I spun the first skein on my drop spindle, without washing or carding - just teased with my fingers.
The next skein I carded lightly which did make the spindling slightly easier. I've yet to wash these two skeins, to set the twist.
It's very similar to the Ryeland to spin, except maybe not quite so soft. I'm trying to keep the single chunky as I've decided to knit another Woolly Wormhead hat from "Going Straight" - probably Candy Pi. I like Dulcie too, but I think the yarn will suit Candy Pi better. It's working out at about 8-10 wpi.

I'm using the drop spindle because it's so portable. I can spindle and walk the dogs at the same time (which is just as well, as Tilly is so sloooow).

I've finished the Sonnet, which is the first ever item I've spun on my own spinning wheel. It looks like a yak herder's jacket and I'm very proud of every lumpy bumpy bit of it. And it's lovely to wear too - soft, warm, cosy!
Pictures when I get DH to take one.

In keeping with my new obsession with Spinning, I've taken leave of my senses I've joined the Yarn Yard's fibre club.
Look what arrived this morning!


Strawberries! And it's not even Wimbledon time!

I've been asked if my poor old Ashford Spindle still spins after it's encounter with the Jack Russell. It does, it does! But the yarn can catch on the rough bits if I'm not careful. I can't sand it down as the wood used is so soft and I don't want to damage the balance or lose more wood, so I'm leaving it. But here is the compensation:

I'm proud to present the Goldring 'Sweetheart' and a little sweetie she is. She's very petite and light and spins like a dream. I've put some alpaca skeins (-the fleece was a pressi from Maylin along with other goodies, a while back) with it to show how excellently she spins.

And finally, I've had a severe bout of startitis of late. Must be because I've finished Sonnet and it went to my head. So I've started Bettna with the yarn I bought from Coldspring Mills. The colours aren't my favourite - the yellow reminds me of baby poo, but they're nice enough for half price noro. This is a lovely sit in meetings/watch telly/take to the pub and keep hands busy whilst mouth goes into overdrive project
Then I've also started the French Trellis scarf from 'Victorian Lace Today' - I've made a few mistakes already (I can see where I've forgotten a yo once and I seem to have added one in another place!)- but, after doing 5 repeats of the pattern I'm not frogging. THIS is why I don't knit lace. It's a scarf! I keep telling myself that it won't show! Here is a very bad photo so you can't see the mistakes...

I've also started another Wellington Hat for Seth's friend Oak, and a sock and I've got to knit another BSJ for a client who gave Tilly acupuncture - so it's a barter/payment - and I think I got a good deal. I'm not allowing myself to cast on anything else until I finish at least a couple of these WIPS. My friend Cath said this blog is getting boring. But then, she's not a knit

:-)

Must try and update blog more often - little and often is the key, nest'ce pas?

(We have been busy at work of late: The Group had four - yes, FOUR! - home births last week, and I've also been weathering a family crisis - pathetic excuses - I have found time to gallivant as well - but a spot of gallivanting is what keeps one sane methinks).

A FO!

Here's the finished Wiggle Socks for baby Ollie:

They are really soft to touch!

And I'm so pleased with the results, I've decided to use Cat Bordhi's magic number system to use the alpaca/wool handspun to knit a pair of 'philosopher's socks' from the same book. And I've started on the toe today. I can't believe how satisfying it is to see a yarn I've spun myself turn into a garment. Lor, I am such a geek.

More handspun baby socks:
I purchased Cat Bordhi's 'New Pathways for Sock Knitters' Book One, t'other day - and thought a pair of Charlie's Wiggle Socks would be a good project for using up more of my handspun rainbow merino from Wingham Wool Works. This is the last of the rainbow merino (I bought just over 100gm of fluff in three different colourways and I'm very tempted to purchase some more) - and it's a wonderful ginger/rust/gold/green colour - reminds me of the hedera leaf. I've already spun and knit up the first wiggle sock - it looks great and feels so soft. This is a very bad picture of the first little sock before I used EZ's sewn cast off - taken in the sun this morning. Then I took the dogs for a walk and spun the rest of the fluff you can see on the table above. This is the finished single spun yarn nestled amongst the violets. That's a better representation of the colour than in the first picture.
And here I am about to andean ply it.

Isn't that granite waymarker great?

Meanwhile, Tilly the arthritic one had wondered off and got herself lost. MUCH drama - she is deafer than me so can't hear me shout her name! Fortunately she's got a tag on her collar with her name and my phone number (as well as the vet's). A certain kind Donna picked her up about a half hour later (Tilly had been busy retracing our footsteps) and Donna phoned the vet - who advised her to take Tilly to my neighbour's (as my neighbour's daughter works at said Vet's). Meanwhile, Syd had decided to take advantage of my distracted state and roll in a dead sheep. One bath later and alls well that ends well.

DOG EATS SPINDLE...
Aaargh!

As may have been observed, I've been obsessed with using my Ashford drop spindle since I bought it at Skip North.

It spins so fine - and it's portable and I can do it while I'm walking the dogs. Tilly is so slow these days, what with her arthritis and the fact that she likes to sniff every blade of grass en route - our walks take twice as long, so spindling is ideal while I'm waiting for her to catch up.

Here's a skein of angora/wool that I spun from the fuzz that my secret pal sent me way back in July . I can see the progress I've made - it's so much more even than anything I've done so far, I think. I photographed it outside with some grape hyacinths - it's been lovely weather the last couple of days - like someone pulled a 'Spring' switch! DH saw a swallow. Beware though - snow showers forecast for the weekend...

Maylin sent kindly sent me some purple dyed yarn from her own goats (along with a load of other goodies) when she heard I'd got my spinning wheel (and as a birthday present) - I've only just got round to spinning some of that up - one of these skeins was carded before spinning, the other wasn't.

Anyway, DH and I were invited round to a friends for supper on Saturday, so OF COURSE I took my newly acquired spindle to show it off - that’ll teach me - got talking, drinking and then suddenly realised it had disappeared. Looked around, and after several minutes found it. In the dogbasket, being gnawed on by my friend’s Jack Russell.

Now I realise what soft wood it’s made of! It still functions - after a fashion - even with great gouges taken out of it. Look at those teeth marks in the shaft and the huge bites in the whorl - in the pic below.

Here you can see the little skeins of yarn I've been spinning from the 'rainbow' dyed merino from Winghams Woolworks in Wentworth (the same fuzz that the Saatje's bootees were spun from).

I felt in dire need of consolation and ‘tlc’ (t’was such a shock, you understand), so I’ve gone and ordered a Golding RingSpindle all the way from the States as compensation. See the Purpleheart 2" 'sweetheart' spindle on this page. Well - it had to be, you all understand, don’t you?

I've had a touch of 'startitis' of late too - I won't own up to all the castings on, but I will show you the Baby Surprise Jacket I finished. I've wanted to knit the BSJ by Elizabeth Zimmerman ever since I first read about it - the construction looked fascinating. I finally got around to ordering the pattern from the Schoolhouse Press and it arrived promptly. Had to cast on immediately - used (washable soft left over) stash I already had (feels very virtuous!) - and tried the fibonacci stripe patterning. It knits up very quickly - only took a couple of evenings to end up with this:

And here it is all sewed up. I made a teenytiny mistake in the shaping on the left front which only I know about, right? Noone will notice if I don't keep going on about it. The little coat reminded me of a Chinese smoking jacket, so I used Chinese type metal buttons (that have also been sitting around in my button box) to fasten it with. It has a home already - I caught a neighbour's baby on Monday night (lovely home birth) - and turns out these colours are Mum's favourite. So this cardigan goes to Baby Isla with lots of love.

FREE TIBET

I feel strongly that we (as in the UK) ought to boycott the Olympic Games in China if the violence continues in Tibet.

For an update on what's happening, Joy (Indiajoy on Ravelry) lives on the Indian side of the Himalayas and is getting reports from friends in Tibet - see Joy's blog. My heart aches for Tibetans and I feel helpless to do anything except wring my hands... the very least I can do is help spread the word.
I just signed an urgent petition calling on the Chinese government to respect human rights in Tibet and dialogue with the Dalai Lama. (though I'm not sure how effective petitions are!) But it is really important so here are the links:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/98.php/?CLICK_TF_TRACK
After nearly 50 years of Chinese rule, the Tibetans are sending out a global cry for change. Violence is spreading across Tibet and neighbouring regions, and the Chinese regime is right now making a crucial choice between tougher crackdown or dialogue.
President Hu Jintao needs to hear that "Made in China" exports and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will have the support of the world's people only if he chooses dialogue. But it will take an avalanche of global people power to get his attention. Click below to sign the petition - in just 3 days, the campaign is almost half way to the goal of 1 million signatures!
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/98.php/?CLICK_TF_TRACK Thank you so much for your help

Walking Women Lake District Holiday Part 1.

Saturday 16th February

I should have dropped off the dogs at Karen's en route, but I didn't, so, of course, I was running late. My train pulled out of the station as I was passing the main entrance. I was so close the time of departure was still up on the TV screen - but had gone by the time I reached the platform. And the Station Clock was 5 minutes slow!

Eventually caught the 11o3 train to Lockerbie via Birmingham, instead of the 1022 to Carlisle and had a breakfast roll and a decent cup of coffee (I do believe us Brits have finally got the hang of making coffee!) whilst I was waiting.

This all meant I was about half an hour on my connections for the rest of the day - and missed supper and introductions at the Glaramara Centre in Borrowdale. But I did get to sup 2 and a 1/2 pints of good ale in the pub at Keswick, in front of a roaring fire, and chat to Debbie and Richard (some walkers I met) instead.

I've walked 'the mile' which is a path on top of the sea wall sandwiched between the beach and the railway line between Teignmouth and Dawlish many a time, waving at the passing trains. It made a change to be on that train watching the surf instead of paddling in it. I also saw a heron in the marshes as the train passed the Double Locks in Exeter.

Got a deal of knitting done whilst reading Stephen King's "The Good Guy" - suitably light and engrossing. Wouldn't want anything that needed concentration, particularly as a load of inebriated football supporters boarded my carriage at Crewe, waving cans of Newkie Brown, and singing very different versions of "Show me the way to go home" to the one I know. One of them must have been rude to a WPC as he got strong armed off the train at the very next stop: seemed a bit OTT as they were all quite merry and not at all belligerent. A British Rail Transport cop offered to escort me to another carriage - but I'm not at all bothered by a spot of insobriety and a few rude, boisterous songs (I've heard worse language in the labour room!). Anyway, I took my HAs out.

Coming in to Penrith, I could see mountains, hills in the distance - all a bit steeper than my beloved Dartmoor. The picture is of the ruined castle opposite the railway station, lit up by the setting sun. By the time I got off the bus at Glaramara - pleasantly tiddly and ready to socialise some more all my fellow walkers, bar a couple, had gone to bed! Dirty Stopins!

I have a room to myself here, and get to bed earlier than I have done in months. I'd forgotten my toothbrush and the sink made gurgling noises. I've decided to go 'high' tomorrow!

Woke up on Sunday 17th February to a glaringly frosty scene outside the window and peaks with snow topping. My first time in the Lake District and the weather looked to be amazing! There was a choice between a 'Intermediate' and a 'High Intermediate' walking group - so I joined the 'high' group with our guide Polly and her dog Dylan. Poor old Dylan had had to have a pin put in his back leg as a pup, and it was giving him arthritis at the tender age of 3 1/2yrs. The vets had recently operated in an attempt to remove it, and failed - but despite this he had plenty of Spring as you'd expect from a Springer - just had a noticeable limp by the end of the day and a bald patch.

Here we all are gathering outside the Centre...
WE were the largest group today, with a much smaller group walking the 'Intermediate' hike. There was a large range of ages on the holiday, with the youngest woman in her 20's and the oldest in her 70's. The majority had come unaccompanied (lots of women had left partners and children at home!) and many were returners - Walking Women's Holidays (WW) are ideal if you want organised walks with congenial company - I often like to go off on my own, but this adventure took the effort out.

The walk was fantastic: up the road to warm up, (the picture looks back at the outdoor Centre) past Stonethwaite School (lots of 'thwaites' around here) and then gradually climbing up through the trees, to open moors and icy streams tumbling down...

all the way up to Dock Tarn.

We stopped here for a midmorning snack. Then on over the hill to be confronted by glorious views.

On down the hill, with the ice making so many different sculptures for us to admire, to a frozen lake where we stopped for our packed lunch and went in to the lakeside cafe for hot chocolate. The ducks were performing that entertaining activity of trying to land on the frozen surface - digital cameras have that frustrating delay after you click the button, so I missed the action shot. There were also lots of children and grownups smashing the ice at the edge and sliding large chunks across the surface - we decided it's probably such fun because it's like harmless vandalism!

See the little teddybear above the door?

And off we go again, to walk alongside a river and into the woods...

In the woods there was a river that had to forded: some folks had trouble and got their socks wet. I crossed further back upstream - deeper water but bigger rocks!

The path led us down through a steeply wooded valley to emerge by Lodore Falls - and the Hotel by the same name, on the shores of Derwent Water. This is a picture of the falls themselves, but it was getting dimpsy and they were in heavy shade. The sheep are Herdwicks - they were all over the place. And that's a picture of the Hotel Lodore with the wooded valley that we clambered down behind it.

And so we wended our way back along the flat valley to Glaramara, with Polly tempting everyone with the bus: nobody took her up on the offer, but I wonder how many would have followed if just one had caved in? We'd hiked somewhere between 9-12 miles: Kathy and Alison tried to work it out with a map and a wheelie mileage calculator thingie later that evening. I thought it was a great walk - varied terrain, fabulous views and the weather was perfect. Even better - we've got two more days of similar walks to look forward to! WE had a good three course supper and I finished off the evening with a pint of beer (keg, but beggars can't be choosy) and knitting in front of a log fire (there were four of us knitters). You'd think I'd have slept like the proverbial log, but the room was too hot and there was a huge mirror on the wall by the bed which was most off putting - who knows what lurks in that land of Alice? I didn't figure out how to turn the radiator off until the next morning so had to resort to opening the window wide...