I didn't get the job :-(

But, I acquitted myself well at the interview, apparently, and my presentation was perfectly presentable. There was a lot of competition for the post and the person who got the job had already done something similar at Band 7, so had more experience than me. There's a certain amount of relief as well as disappointment. Thanks for all your well wishes -

Never mind: at least I can get back to my knitting now!

I've learned how to do a moebius cast on (as made famous by Cat Bordhi) for Prickle this morning for the Ravelympics COWL JUMP - I'm knitting the cowl in my handspun 3ply. Now this I CAN do:
And I've started the second toe up sock in Yarn Yard sock wool - it's working out really well... Just look at those lovely stripes on the sole. Do you think I'll have enough of the solid colour yarn to finish the second sock? And finally - just look at this gorgeous silk/merino mix roving from Yarn Yard (do I detect a theme here?) - I've divided the fibre into short lengths of mostly green and then mostly blue to spin - I've spun and plyed up one little skein and I'm well into my second. But then I spotted this - (I learn sooo much fr0m hanging around on Ravelry) - and so can't wait to have a go at Navajo plying 'on the fly' for the remainder.

JOB INTERVIEW - urk.

I'm going for a new job - if I get it, 't will be a promotion and a job-share - "Infant Feeding specialist midwife" - so just ignore me, till its all over, one way or t'other, thursday 14th. I feel sick: it's the first interview I've had in 15 years and I b****xed the last one and there's rather a lot of competition for this one.

Takes deep breaths - it'll be fine, just fine.

thanks for the award, Maylin! I'll deal with it after thursday!

Jacob Beanie Free Pattern

Materials: 50mg main colour (MC) DK (Actually used about 40g)

50mg contrast colour (CC) DK (used about 30g)

To fit head circumference 23" Gauge 12st x 14 rows = 2" over pattern

3mm round needle/set of dpns (for magic loop, or 2 circs, or small circ and set of dpns – whatever takes your fancy!)

3¾ mm round needle/set of dpns

1 stitch marker 1 large blunt darning needle

Destructions:-

With 3mm needle cast on 120st with MC.

Round one: being careful not to twist, join ends and *K1MC, K1CC, rpt from * to end of round.

Place stitch marker.

Round 2: Bring both yarns to front of work, P1MC, put yarn just worked down to the left of work and bring CC over, P1CC, continue thus to end of round.

Round 3: Keep both yarns at front of work, P1MC, put yarn just worked to the right and bring CC under it, P1CC. continue to P1MC and P 1CC to end of round as set.

Round 4: replacing yarn at back of work, K all stitches in MC.

Rounds 5 – 9 inclusive: *K1CC, P1MC, rpt from * to end.

Round 10, K 1 round in CC.

Round 11: change to 3¾ needle and work from line 11 of chart, setting pattern as follows:

*K2CC, K4MC, (K1CC, K1MC)x4, K1CC, K4MC, K3CC, K4MC, (K1CC, K1MC)x4, K1CC, K4MC, K1CC.

Rpt from * twice more to end of round.

Continue working from chart as set until 41 rows completed. Start decreasing.

First decrease, round 42:

*K1CC, SSK MC, K3MC, K3CC, K1MC, K1CC, K1MC, K3CC, K3MC, K2tog; Rpt from * x5 more to end of round.

Round 43 – no decreasing, work as per chart.

Rounds 44-49: decrease every round as per chart.

Round 50 no decreasing: *K1CC, K5MC Rpt from * 5 more times to end of round.

Round 51, decrease again. Round 51, *K1CC, Slip 1, K2tog, PSSO rpt from * to end of round

Knit 1 more round on remaining 12 stitches without shaping.

Now thread large blunt darning needle with end of yarn and pass through all remaining stitches twice to cast off. Sew in ends on wrong side and block to finish.

Phew, that wasn't easy - especially fiddling around with cheapie picture editing software to make the chart. Would anyone like to test knit this for me? I'm off now to walk the dogs - but I'm going to try and make it into a PDF later. Pics are of Jacob mark 3 with the pattern in the negative, solid main colour and handpainted contrast colour (dyed by the Old Piggery) - modelled by Seth's friend James (thanks James!).

Well - tiz done, for better or worse - I've managed to make the PDF AND get it in my sidebar. I know this is probably easy peasy to some (looks at Pixie's website with envy) but it took some learning for this technophobe - thanks for all the advice.

A Reversible lace pattern suitable for scarves amongst other things...

It's been brought to my attention by a fellow Ravelryite that the reversible scarf pattern I showed in the post of June 25th has disappeared off the web! This was a free pattern (the lace pattern taken from a stitch pattern directory) so I think it no breach of copyright to put the pattern repeat on here but if anyone knows differently then please let me know and I'll remove it.

OK>

The Stitch pattern is a repeat of 12 stitches and 9 rows.
There was a border of 2 rows of garter stitch at both ends and a selvedge of 2 knit stitches at the beginning and end of each row to prevent the edges rolling.

Using 4mm ( or American size #6 ) needles, cast on 52 st. (the original pattern was wrong here and said 54st!)
Knit 2 rows.
Begin pattern:
Row 1: K2, *yo, K2tog, rep from * to last 2 st, end with K2st.
Rows 2 and 4: K2, P to last 2 st and K2.
Row 3: KNit all st.
Row 5 and 8: K2, *sl1, K2tog, PSSO; K4, yo, K1, yo, K4, rpt from * to last 2 st and K2.
Rows 6, 7 and 9: K2, *P3tog.,P4, yo, P1, yo, P4 rpt from * to last 2 st - K2.
Rpt these 9 rows until the scarf is the desired length,
Knit the last 2 rows and then cast off (or bind off if you insist on wanting US terms)

Hope this works for you.

I cast on 40 st (but any repeat of 12 + 4 will do) and my scarf was 36" before blocking, 48" afterwards.

Spinning 3 ply...

I've also been spinning a little, though not so much of late...

I've only ever andean plied yarn from my spindle spun singles, to date - but I wanted a thicker yarn to knit 'Prickle'. So I decided to spin up what is now my default thickness of single - and three ply it, making a lazy kate from a shoe box. This was a first - but I was pleased with the result - despite its obvious overspun ENERGY! It's spun from hand dyed merino/tencel (I think - I bought it from Maylin at Wonderwool and I can't remember). I haven't washed it to set the ply yet.

Some knitting (for a change) and a wedding...

Have been concentrating on knitting a pair of toe up socks in some sock yarn from The Yarn Yard (as well as knitting the final version of the Jacob: nearly finished it, will put it up with the pattern next week). This yarn was a present from Stash and has been sitting in mine for at least a year... The pattern is Wendy D Johnson's double eyelet rib sock and it really suits the yarn. I've turned the heel on the first sock, but this picture was taken earlier in the week. It's so portable - which is just as well because I went to a wedding last Friday and it was really easy to take this along in my bag and whip it out when the opportunity presented itself. Me, obsessed? nah, mate. Doesn't the bride look lovely? The wedding was held at Haldon Belvedere - you can see this building for miles around - in fact it's up such a high hill that we were worried the bride wouldn't make it - she was fabulously late (an hour!) - as she was being driven in an ancient Austin by our neighbour (who bought the car off of Ebay!). If you climb up to the top of the tower you can see in full circle - the sea, the moors, home! The event went on into the wee hours - good party. And in the evening she's a singer in the band - (Oh bladee, oh bladah, la la la la life goes on!) That's the bride on the mike (she sang three songs) and the groom on the keyboards - and they played the fastest version of 'Superstition' I've ever heard, amongst other things.

Jacob mark 2

Here is Jacob mark 2 - slightly smaller than the original handspun:

I like the single corrugated rib, and the Fiesta Ballet alpaca/tencel yarn is so soft and shiny, it's beautiful to feel. I also think the braided edging looks snake like. But I think the hat would be better with the main colour as a solid and only the contrast as handpainted. Will have to do ANOTHER one. Thanks for all the pointers for making a PDF. Very helpful.

Ginny's PHOTO MOSAIC MEME -

Must be the day for Flickr toys: while I was perusing Ginny's blog, I noticed she'd combined a meme with a montage, so if you'd like to have a little fun too then simply

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name? Terri
2. What is your favorite food? Pasta
3. What high school did you go to? Whitland Grammar School
- which didn't work, so I tried WG School - that did!
4. What is your favorite color? Green
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Couldn't think of anyone off the top of my head (how boring am I?) so I chose Harrison Ford who I liked in Witness and who is supposed to look like DH
6. Favorite drink? Pint of Real Ale
7. Dream vacation? White Water Kayaking
8. Favorite dessert? Cheese cake
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? assertive
10. What do you love most in life? my family
11. One word to describe you. artyfarty.
12. Your Flickr name. Tutleymutley

And my result?
1. The Dark Path, 2. night @siem reap* 06, 3. 1958 Bramdean school, Exeter, 4. From above..., 5. Harrison Ford Portrait (Blade Runner), 6. Pulling a pint of real ale at the Punch and Judy, 7. Untitled, 8. chocolate-coffee cupcake with mocha ganache and mascarpone cream, 9. Friday Night. Walkies., 10. brazilian children's day, 11. Untitled, 12. IMG_0318

STEVE - warholised! Just popped over to Maylin's blog and noticed she'd put together a beautiful montage of all the coloured yarns and fibres she loves using flickr toys. (We have the same taste methinks). Had to go check these toys out myself and created this! My DH in the silly hat I knit him... mmm. What a great gadget. Would make great cards.

Helsbelz - you got an email I can contact you on?

The response.

Sheila replied really quickly AND the woman is on vacation - howzat for service.

She said

Hi Terri,

You needn't mention my hat...as far as I'm concerned everything I've ever designed as been heavily inspired by something I've seen, but thanks for asking.

I'm on vacation and have limited computer time, so I've gotta go but please feel free to do whatever you like with any part of the hat... it really is just based on traditional Norwegian hat shaping.

So there you go! How levelheaded is that? Some people are just so sensible. Anybody want the pattern? And just how do you make a PDF file?

A Tale of Two Cities Hats or
When does a modified design become an original?

Thanks for all your kind comments on my FOs - How do I find time to do my knitting/spinning? Easy - I try to avoid housework!

Artisanne asked if Inga was my design - NO! It's a lovely free pattern by Sheila Macdonald of EWEnique fibers - However it inspired me to knit another. There were many comments on Ravelry where folk thought that Inga was too long. Personally I like the longer length - I like to wear it flopped over and I thought it begged a tassel. But I could see where they were coming from. I also liked the diamond form of the design which became part of the decreases, but I wanted a hat which had six decreases instead of three to make less of a mitred effect. So I got out my graph paper and roughly drew in much smaller diamonds - then doodled a design to try and ensure that there were no more than 5 stitches to strand the yarn across. I kept the braid/herringbone edge because I like it - the first time I used it was on Karen Neale's KAL gloves for handpainted yarn (which I still haven't finished - they only need two fingers and thumb to complete!). So the only thing I kept from the original was the number of stitches cast on and the braid edge. I added a corrugated rib to stop the brim from rolling.

This is INGA: and this is my Jacob (so called because I knit it in my handspun Jacob fleece) :

Mine is much more of a beanie. So with so little of the original remaining - is this my design or not? Interesting question, ay? I asked the question at the Knitting and Crochet Guild AGM last weekend (will write a more detailed update on that fascinating event at a later date!) - and the consensus seemed to be that if you'd changed 20% it was yours. Where did this figure come from?

I'm in the process of knitting it again - this time with a single corrugated rib and in handpainted Ballet yarn (from woolly workshop - lovely stuff - alpaca/tencel and so soft) - and I'm really excited at how the colours are making a fairisle effect without the effort of changing colours frequently - and the randomness adds to the interest.

I've emailed Sheila Macdonald to ask her opinion on my publishing the modified pattern for free use on here. I'll be interested to read what she says.

"Time for bed", said Zebedee...

SEVERAL FOs:Reversible Lace Scarf

As I mentioned in the last post, I finished spinning the Strawberry coloured merino/tencel blend that I got from the Yarn Yard fibreclub and knitted it into a reversible lace patterned scarf. Just as well, as Natalie is posting the next parcel this morning.
This is how the scarf looked preblocked. I only had 206 yards/75g at the end and knitted up what looked like a very short scarf at 36inches. I blocked it to buggery (technical term a la Kate) and am really pleased with the result. Blocking took it to 48inches! Because it was looking so short I added a hole to pass one end through - which looked rather unsightly, so I added a pink tinged pearly button. Our neighbour Sara invited us to celebrate her 40th last night - how timely! Reckon this scarf will make an excellent presi.


Next: The completed Gotland Fibre Challenge. I knitted a sideways Woolly Wormhead pattern called CandyPi. I didn't have enough gotland yarn to make it, so I added some of maylin's purple angora goat yarn. The end result was soft but looked like a radioactive warning device! Needed someone young and hot to wear it so it went to Leah for her 21st birthday present.


Here's the finished Swallowtail Shawl - really my first lace project of any size. I did knit a cardigan years ago in 4 ply silk to wear at my wedding , which was my own design and part lace, part cable (and a very similar colour to the scarf above coincidentally). However that's so long ago (25yrs!) I can hardly remember it. And I knew nothing of blocking then. It was knitted in mini handmaiden and I love the way the colours have pooled in its tail.
Can't remember whether I posted a pic of these alpaca socks... They'll probably wear out quick as they've no nylon reinforcing the heels and toes. I used the alpaca wool mix sent me by my secret pal ages ago - from Vermont- to knit Cat Bordhi's philosopher's socks. However I realised I'd run out of the purple colour way before the end, so I decided to add some 100% cream alpaca as a 'design feature'. I was on the last stripe when I ran out of the purple - I only needed two rows worth of purple to finish the darned things (agh!). T'was then I thought of Maylin's purple dyed goat fibre - very similar colour, n'est pas? so I spun up a teeny amount for that last couple of rows. Can you tell the difference? I'm keeping these.
To finish off the list of Finished Objects for this posting: The Inga Hat. I was knitting along with Astrid - a norwegian cardigan. But it wasn't turning out for the best as I mentioned in yesterday's post. (Call them roses???) So the yarn will have to be used for other things. The first of which will be this Inga Hat. I'll keep this one too.

The last picture is of the felted flower I made in the kid's craft tent at the Contemporary Show. I stuck two size 14 needles in the middle as a couple of 'stamens' . That's my goldring spindle sitting beside it in the pot my son made at school. It was great fun and I'd like to do some more felting.

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.