The camera is here and I'm wading through destructions. Can't wait to try it out - tomorrow, I guess. This new (toy) bit of technology can take really close up pics and has 'intelligent face recognition' ("Well that's YOU out", husband quips, quick as a flash). It can detect when the person you are photographing is smiling or blinking and take the pic or not. It can be set to take serial pics and make them into a panorama, and can take pictures at night and of fireworks. I don't have to adjust aperture or shutter speeds or anything complicated like that - although I CAN do that if I wish. Of course I'm hoping to get some really good close up shots of my knitting and fibre art. And maybe some of my new 'journal spilling'...

Had an odd day at work - arrived too late to catch the baby I'd been called in to Labour Ward for: the mother got on super-shockingly quick so I just got to do the paperwork and clearing up.
But it did mean I didn't have to go out of my way to pick the camera up from the local Comet Store.
I've got three whole days off now to play! (Though I really must draw some alpaca cartoons for Jean).

New Camera! One of the excuses reasons I have made for not updating my blog as often as I want to is that I don't have a working camera anymore. This just won't do, so I'm investing in a new one - that's it sitting on top of this post. I'm picking it up tomorrow - not a digi SLR (my pocket won't extend that far) - but got a good zoom lens and it's big enough that even I shouldn't be able to mislay it.

Good News! I got a letter from my shiatsu teacher Alex this morning - I passed my first year exams - I'm now qualified to give friends and family a really good shiatsu treatment - just got to complete 8 more sessions before I get my certificate. Want to volunteer to be guinea pig? This picture of a scarf blocking on disgustingly pink play mats is the result of a handspun yarn 'round robin' - the scarf has been all round Europe having stripes added by a dozen other knitters! We all started a 'seed' and passed it on - and we all got completed scarves back - interesting ay? It's very snuggly and warm and you too can join in a similar adventure by visiting the scarf journeys forum on Ravelry (THE favourite place to hang out and waste time peruse patterns and probably the one single biggest reason this blog doesn't get updated very often.)

And on behalf of the Spinners, Weavers, Dyers guild and all our various knitting groups, I am organising a coach trip to Wonderwool again this year (for my sins). Not so many takers this year, despite the coach having a loo on board (we were all crossing our legs by the time we got there last year!) Tickets only £20.50 roll up, roooolll up! Coach leaves Bovey Tracey at the ridiculously early time of 06.30hrs on April 10th and we don't get back till 8pm or so. And I won't be buying any more stash. no. I won't.

SNOW!

Woohoo, DEVON is cut off from the rest of the country by SNOW and I've not been able to move the car to get to work. So now I'm off until next week.
This means I've been able to crack on and finish spinning all the Batcat's catfluff for Gina - I've finished knitting the scarf and just need to knit a brioche hat to go with it and it's all done.
The final two skeins need the twist setting - I'm going to soak them now and then bash them against the wall outside (my favourite bit), before hanging them up to dry. Catfluff felts and matts really easily (it was just a load of matted pellets wrapped in a scarf when I received it!) - so it will need washing with care. I've spun it 50/50 with some falkland's merino, so it's lovely and soft, but still has some elasticity and bounce.

Nothing to do with knitting: Whilst queueing at the tills in Tesco on the way back from work this evening, I ran into Doreen Anderson - the mother of a young paddler at my old haunt, Teignbridge Canoe Club. Doreen had some exciting news to tell me.

Her oldest son Sam was a natural in a kayak - he would sit in a stopper eating a packet of crisps, his boat cresting the wave and perfectly balanced - minute adjustments made with just a little flick of his hips. That's him training in the picture. Awesome. This same young man is now British Freestyle Champion and will be in representing us at the World Championships next year. Woohoo! And to think I knew him when he was just a nipper!

I could just about stick my nose in a stopper, before getting washed off (upside down more often than not). Haven't been kayaking in ages - too cold and too busy knitting :-P

Way to Go, Sam!

Still can't upload pics :-(

However - I consulted the universe and got an unequivocal result:
I asked "should I retire from mdwifery when I've completed my shiatsu course?" (in order to pursue tutleymutley's further textile adventures etc etc...)

I asked the I Ching book of changes first (haven't consulted that book since I was a teenager, but my neighbour Sara has it so I had a go!) and back came the result:

"A well must be cleaned out from time to time or it will become clogged with mud."

Therefore the hexagram ching - the well- is followed by the hexagram of revolution, showing the need of changes in long established institutions to keep them from stagnating.

The removal of that which is antiquated : Fire below quickened by wind and wood. The entire movement of the hexagram is UP

Judgement: On your own day, you are believed. Supreme success furthering through perseverence. Remorse disappears.

The image: Fire in the lake. The image of revolution. Thus the superior (wo)man sets the calender in order and makes the seasons clear.


Sooo, I thought I'd get a tarot reading from one of the many online places to see what THAT said (while I was at it). Same result! uncanny:

I chose a random spread and got the 'twisting path' which is the one used where there are more than one potential pitfall lying ahead.

The card representing the first decision along my path was the Knight of Wands: the essence of Fire (again - at the bottom) - such a great conflagration. It represents one filled with vitality and passion for life. A sexy and exciting person, daring in their actions, cocky in their attitude and utterly without fear. Absolute sincerity coupled with violent emotions which swing wildly from one extreme to another. Boundless creativity and lust for a change of both place and pace. The rapid approach (or more likely departure) of something that sets your world ablaze. Often suggests travel or escape.

The card at the lower left represents the first false path which may lead me astray: Eight of Swords, or interference when reversed. Learning a valuable lesson from the unexpected consequence of prior decisions. Narrowly escaping criticism, censure and the imposition of external restrictions. Focussing on the crux of a problem and freeing oneself from a difficult situation. Coming to grips with a past humiliation or failure and moving on.

The card in the middle represents the second decision along my path: Death. A major change or transformation, possibly traumatic or unexpected. Freedom from the shackles of the past. A new beginning. Death coupled with rebirth, usually related to consciousness and lifestyle.

The card at the lower right represents the second false path which might lead me astray: The western Emporer, when reversed. Weakness in character leading to tyranny and abuse of wordly power. Loss of confidence and ambition coupled with the cold execution of the unthinkable. The inability to carry out plans or command respect. Being unreasonable and prone to fits of rage. A deceiver or demagogue.

The card at the top of the spread represents one possible mask of your true destination: The Ten of Cups (SATIETY). Fulfilment and joy in life and love. Feeling peace, tranquility and contentment in friends and family. Taking delight in ones good fortune.

Now, I know this might all be a load of bollocks, but I see it as tapping into my unconscious - or the universal unconscious. OF COURSE it's all down to how you might want to interprete the poetic language, the images but for all that, I reckon it all means YES - go for it! Retirement here I come!

Tutleymutley's textile adventures gonna Rock!

Life is just deliciously busy at present:

I've yet to hand in module one of the City and Guild's handknitting course, but I'm enjoying it enormously - I did a mini workshop with Sue Blacker of Blacker's in Launceston Cornwall at Wonderwool last Sunday, on how to recognise the parts and quality of an alpaca fleece - and found myself quoting from my yarn studies. So something is going 'in'.
Wonderwool was fab! Though I managed to miss an entire section (sorry to have missed you, Claire and Ambermoggie and Apricotqueen and Bexx). And we filled a 57 seater bus, all bar 3 seats.

In an effort to rid myself of unnecessary emotional baggage, I've started attending a Saturday psychotherapy group - about every 4-6 weeks - I've committed to attending 6 sessions.
and alongside that, and complementing it, I've just started the foundation year on a diploma in Shiatsu. I've done one weekend (or one DAY actually - as Wonderwool clashed with the second day). I got together with a fellow student to catch up on what I missed (thanks Lorna)- and I've done what amounts to 4 elaborate back rubs on 4 guinea pigs. I've had some lovely compliments (they must want MORE) - perhaps beginner's luck? Nicest of all from a cranio-sacral therapist friend who said my touch was intuitive and good - with the right pressure, rhythm and warmth - he demonstrated what a 'poor' shiatsu felt like - hesitant, twitchy, lacking rhythm. My heart warms.

And I'm still working as a midwife and knitting, spinning, dyeing when I can.

Here's a lovely link for those hesitating with what life has to offer...
"The Little Rules of Action"
(That sounds as if I'm being rather smug - but I need this advice as much as anyone - I've often hesitated to jump in and DO because of self doubt and negativity and FEAR - I'll also fantasize instead of do - I've got an excellent imagination - but the reality is sooo much better).

“Talk doesn’t cook rice.” - Chinese Proverb

DOGS

It was so lovely to post on my blog - and get replies - thanks for popping by Heather, Ambermoggie, Rachel and M! (thus I am not alone and woman is not an island?!).

I've been sorting out the admin. for the coach trip to Wonderwool I'm organising on Sunday April 25th - I've hired a 57 seater coach and I've only 4 seats left to fill! Yay! Only problem is that I've got £8 more than I should have - so somebody has paid a deposit but hasn't been ticked off the list - so I'm going to be demanding money off someone who has already paid. Still - would be worse to have LESS money than I should have I suppose. Looking forward to seeing Ambermoggie and Wyesue in the Interactive corner at Wonderwool - there's going to be a meetup of Ravellers there I think. And I can get to have (another) go at longdraw spinning...

Anyway, while I'm sitting here doing this (and reading blogs, checking Rav, and drinking my new favourite comibination of Rooibos and a herby cinammon blend teabag, etc etc), my friend sent me this pic of Syd which made me chuckle.

It almost looks like he could lick the screen, doesn't it? Sara looked after him while I was gallivanting oop SkipNorth since DH won't dogsit. Poor motherless, smelly boy that he is. His mum Tilly died last September and I still miss her so much. Dogs live such short lives.

Gratuitous picture of my Tilly:

Since this post has a doggy theme I'll add this pic too:

This is a pic of WyeSue and Neil's Trigger: - He is an elderly staffy/yorkshire terrior cross and he took a shine to the chocolate muffin totoprype I'd just knitted. I've got to knit a dozen and I'm on my third. Don't ask.

Welcome 2010

Lost my blogging mojo somewhere there in 2009. I stalled mid-rant, writing an essay about an incident in my job too long ago to remember - well nearly. It WAS an incident that tested all the values I hold dear about midwifery so I WILL finish it one day.

So - here we are in 2010 and a fresh new start. Happy Knitterly Knew Year all of youse...
Here I am in a snowy Edinburgh and what a place to start the New Year in - thanks to Chris and Lynn for having me.

I am LOVING Edinburgh: the skylines are amazing, as the city has so many ups and downs - tenement flats have lines of chimney pots on top, and the castle looms over everything - and the sun sets over the back of it and sets the rooftops on fire… The snow just adds to its beauty. I’ve visited the BP portrait exhibition and wondered up the Royal Mile. I’ve also visited the Grass market and had soup and bagels in the ‘Elephant and Bagels’ cafe. Tomorrow I’m going to visit my old friend in the Kingdom of Fyfe (she lives in Tayport), so I’ll be travelling by bus across the Firth of Forth!

I had to get my knitting fix in so I visited the Craf-Tea Tree Tea House Knitters. This knitting group was really well attended - it must be HUGE when the weather is good - and the average age of knitters is half ours! The famous Ysolda was in attendance - she is really very talented and was wearing several of her own designs (that FIT) as well as the owl jumper (which looked cute on her). Nat was also there (my skipnorth friend from the Yarn Yard) and I succombed and bought SIX (yes, 6) skeins of her own dyed merino fingering weight yarn to do some more colour work. I’m thinking fingerless mittens. Lots of. (My entire 'Never Finish a Book' club want a pair of Nancy Bush Estonian mitts each - so that's a dozen I have to finish by this time next year). Buying this yarn means I have already broken one of my many new year resolutions (I repeat, ALREADY!).

There were 12 other knitters and crocheters there: including Tiffin (aka Liz) who taught me to CROCHET! She assured me that there are ONLY FOUR STITCHES - 'scuse the shouting, but I’m a teensy weensy bit disbelieving here. I demonstrated the four stitches to her satisfaction, and - who knows?- maybe this will be the year I actually crochet something other than just a trim for my knitted things. (I did crochet a granny square blanket when I was a nipper - but that was a long, long time ago!). Liz was crocheting (very rapidly) one of those anigarumi things (sp?). I don’t generally like crocheted fabric - but she was using an indigo cotton like yarn and it looked cool.

Last year was full of fibre. I'm hoping this year will be the same - XXX

Susan Boyle.
I've just watched this clip three times in a row. Wow. Apparently it's the third most commented on clip on youtube! It's the change in the faces of the audience and the judges that gets me. And that heavenly voice. Fantastic camera work: capturing that cynical audience before and after and maybe there'll be a few more folk who won't make assumptions based on appearance as a result.
And I can carry on being a fat, middle-aged, non make up wearing, grey haired, crook teethed, mutton jeff woman who isn't completely invisible wherever I go as a result.
I haven't got a tv so thanks to the knitter who directed me to this link. Made my day!

Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009 - The most popular videos are here

Here's a 1999 track of her singing "Cry Me a River".


See also Tanya Gold's take on this underdog makes good phenomenon.


I'll post something about the hollowing later. ah, good intentions.

Blogging without Obligation...

I was glancing at MsHanane's blog - a knitting blog conversation between two friends, one Jewish, the other Muslim, which is interesting enough in itself, when I noticed this link in the margin. What a great idea. The following is shamelessly copied:

Blogging without obligation
~because you shouldn't have to look at your blog like it is a treadmill.
~because it's okay to just say what you have to say. If that makes for a long post, fine. Short post, fine. Frequent post, fine. Infrequent post, fine.
~because its okay to not always be enthralled with the sound of your own typing.
~because sometimes less is more.
~because only blogging when you feel truly inspired keeps up the integrity of your blog.
~because they are probably not going to inscribe your stat, link and comment numbers on your tombstone. (nor are folk at work likely to remember you after you're gone - tiz friends and family wot count).
~because for most of us blogging is just a hobby. A way to express yourself and connect with others. You should not have to apologize for lapses in posts. Just take a step back and enjoy life, not everything you do has to be "bloggable".
~because if you blog without obligation you will naturally keep your blog around longer, because it won't be a chore. Plus, just think you will be doing your part to eradicate post pollution. One post at a time. . .
f you feel the same way feel please free to grab the logo, make a logo or whatever you would like to do.

Welcome to the Letter S (I feel like I should be on sesame street)

On Aknita's knits I Spotted this meme with a letter theme. Interesting I thought, so I followed the trail to Soctopus and asked Missmalice for a letter - she gave me the letter S. Easy peasy lemon squeasy Methinks. Does Alice know that I'm married to an S, have a son S AND a dog S? (not to mention spinning, spinning and more spinning and sheep).

The idea is that you ask in the comments for a letter and one is sent to you at random. You then blog about ten things you love beginning with that letter.

Here we go then:

1) I'm married to a Steve. This is a rather old picture of he, before the front room got painted (it takes us a long time to decorate). He does not like his picture being taken. He is loyal, funny, kind, patient, an excellent cook, much better at tidying up than me, and a good friend. We've been married 26 years this July and lived together for a good long time before that... (and if I don't get off the computer soon, we may not be together much longer!).

2) The dog who is lying at the foot of the armchair is Tilly. This (you may have noticed) does NOT start with an S. BUT she is the mother of Sydney. Therefore Sydney is her Son (that's two 'S' for the price of one. Sydney was born (with his 8 littermates) during the Oz Olympics. Sydney - geddit?

Here he is waiting for a stick, with Tom the collie waiting to beat him to it. Syd prefers brightly coloured toys that squeak to sticks, usually. So that's Stick and Squeaky toys too (two more S that is)

Here he is having his ears played with (which he adores) and a Sneaky pic of one of my latest FOs - mazzmatazz's ocimum gloves from the Guardian knitting extra a few months back (remember that?) knitted up in my handspun.

3) I also have a Son called Seth. That's two more S. Seth is a great galumphing bear of man (6'4 and size 14 feet) and he gives great hugs. He has inherited his Dad's sense of humour (warped) and is also a great cook and raconteur as well as being a sensitive sausage. He is very people centred and popular. Unfortunately he has inherited my housekeeping abilities. I love both of my men.

4) My Sister is not an S but she is my Sis. Jane is three years younger than me, and fitter, and taller and more intelligent and slimmer. But I love her despite all these things. She teaches Science in a girl's school in Eire. Have I a picture of Jane?

Yep, here's one of her talking to a local yokel down in Cornwall, when we walked 80 miles of the SWCoast Path together, three years ago...

5) I love Spring and Strolling through the lanes around here, with the Sun shining and the snowdrops in abundance. (How many S in there?). Haven't taken any pics of the snowdrops so you'll have to take my word for it! I'm so lucky to live in Dartmoor National Park. This picture was taken on my walk across the moors to Postbridge - to the Hollowing Weekend back in January.

6)I also enjoy Solitude and Solo walking.

You CAN see me in this picture of a viaduct on the West Devon Pathway - I'm the little shadow in the gap in the wall at the top of the viaduct shadow. walked from Tavistock to Plymouth over a couple of days and camped out wild with the dogs - great fun.

7) Spinning, Sheep, Spinning Wheel, drop Spindles...

I'm obsessed, what can I say? I have a golding and an ashford spindle (the one chewed by Jack Russell and which still spins great), and a couple of others too. I also have my lovely, my preciousSS. my Lendrum spinning wheel (which I haven't photographed yet?!)

- but here's what she looks like (pic of distant relative). I've been spinning about 18 months now, and it has always felt like coming home. 8) S is for Skip North and Stash Expedition (SEX) Extraordinaire:

The weekend of 20th March over 40 of us will meet up in Haworth Youth Hostel to Spin and Knit in Public and be whisked around the LYS of Yorkshire, not forgetting the KCG collection and yarn mountain at Lee Mills.

The youth hostel itself is amazing - this stained glass window looks over the master staircase (and I love Stained glass too) - the building used to be owned by the mill owners and has gone through several incarnations before YHA took it on.Here we all are in the front room last year, cooing over stash and knitting, crocheting, knattering... I'm starting to feel the excitement building now. Love it, love it.

9) S is for a sweet tooth I possess, the stodge (think Stew and dumplings for example) I enjoy and the slim waist I long for - the two (three?) being mutually exclusive.

10) and finally a Sigh. The sigh I make when frogging. I have STARTITIS and have upped my WIPs the last week or so... One of my projects on the go is Apres Surf Hoodie by Connie Chang Chincio. She is lovely person btw - We're having a ravelry kal of this hoodie and Connie regularly drops by to offer encouragement. I'm making this hoodie into a cardigan in drops alpaca (I love the colour) - It took me a couple of starts on the lace before I finally could read it - the force is with me now and I'm on my fourth repeat with no (noticeable) mistakes. I'm making the fronts and back all in one to the armholes - that's a very long row to frog!

I also have mimbres vest to finish off (THAT involved steeking - another 'S' but not a love I guess); french beret started to use up some handspun; scarf in touch yarns laceweight boucle to finish off; couple of my own designs to finish; felted clog booties to knit for brother in law;socks to complete. Sigh again. The list goes on.

I was going to discuss Somnambulism but I think this post has gone on and on enough already.

This has been good fun and thanks to Aknita and MissMAlice at Soctupus.

If anyone else would like a random letter to blog on, please do ask and I'll pick one out of the Jacob hat for you.

Bosnian Slipper Socks...

I'm giving the old bod a holiday after the holiday overindulgences...

With moral support from my ds, am following a vegan, wheat-free, alcohol-free diet for January... and have yet to shake off this stinking headcold. Haven't particularly missed anything yet, even chocolate. Must have really over indulged at Christmas.

Now I'm off to tempt myself at the pub- parentcraft reunion!

(mind you, have been invited around to friends' for supper on Saturday, and I promised to make profiteroles for dessert - ho hum).

Back home, finally, and seven couples turned out into the cold, with their babies. Noone wanted to go home! I love seeing nervous mums with bumps metamorphose into confident mums with babes.

One particular couple I cared for antenatally had come over from Bosnia where they are involved with community voluntary work, to have their baby here. Being the avid knitter that I am (really? Yes really!) I commented on the mum to be's beautiful handknitted slipper-bootees. So I was really chuffed when they presented me with a pair of Bosnian handknitted slippers tonight, as a gift.
These are different from the booties I'd admired, but still fascinating - I've been trying to work out how they're constructed - I'm even tempted to pull one apart and reknit it! They appear to be knitted in segments with the sole going a different direction to the instep/top. The cuff is definitely knitted last, in the round. The heel appears to be a standard dutch heel, but with really long gussets. This is they:
Whatcha think? Any ideas?

SICK NOTE

I wasn't called out last night, which was just as well, as I spent the night tossing in bed with aching limbs, streaming nose and sore throat. I stayed in bed with a book (Affinity by Sarah Waters) all day and didn't knit a stitch. I'm sure it's just a bad cold and not a dose of the virulent bronchitis/flu that's doing the rounds.

I got a letter from Carolyn Hillyer about an interesting weekend jaunt I'm signed up for, coming up at the end of January: "The Hollowing" a special all womens' retreat up on highest Dartmoor.

Sister Moon comes but unseen, time dissolving through her eyes,lonely witness to what has been as the circle road moves on…

Within the silent stillness of the hollowing woman, caught in the marrow of ancient bones and far inside the cauldron of crows, rests one seed that holds the key to the restoration of life. So we create a journey of germination and renewal as we pause before the last out-breath of winter, held at a turning point within the protecting hands of the oldest guardian, and guided by the visions that wait behind our eyes. A time for mending, dreaming, tending fires and travelling gently, supported within the circle of women and nurtured by the ancient land.

I've been told to bring the following items:

• A piece of yarn approximately 3 metres in length, that I have filled with the energy of my journey and my land between now and the gathering - washed by rain, blown by the wind (frozen solid if the weather continues like it is!) lain at my hearth, worn around my belly.


• A small simple gift that I've made, (out of wool, bones, something from nature) to carry and offer when we make a ceremony of remembering fire.


• A few words to share with the circle on our first night to describe my winter journey so far.


• A personal totem, piece of nature or item of significance to me, to represent me on the central shrine for the duration of the weekend.


• Since I can expect to spend some time in the roundhouse (an amazing building built as our ancestors must have done, by Carolyn and her partner Nigel - that's Carolyn in the entrance in the picture above) I must bring wellies and shawls and blankets to wrap up in and drums and rattles and torches to keep the night at bay.


• Women who came to the first workshop (I didn't) should bring their spindles and death totems (which sounds rather alarming!?)

The yarn and small gift and spindles are no trouble - but words to share? Death totems? What have I let myself in for?

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.

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.

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?

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.