The Wool Palace

Feats of trivia

It's almost time for Ally Pally, which means planning and plotting for new projects.

Before I do that, it would be prudent to look at the old ones and what I have planned for them.  Apologies for the iffy picture quality - I was rushing to get them done before the light went.

Toby's socks are motoring along.  I would really like to have them done before I leave for London on Thursday night.  I'm at the heel flap on the second one so I am quietly confident, but I do have a meeting tomorrow evening and a big lunch event on Thursday, so it's not guaranteed.  The Trekking colour way is 110, by the way.

I'm not going to talk about the other socks hanging around, as we covered that pretty well in the last post.  Let's move straight on to the rest of the knitting basket.

We'll begin with the worst.  You only have to look at the state of that cord to know this has been shoved in a bag for a long, long time.  Almost a year - I started it quite soon after getting back from Ally Pally 2006.  I have a crazy idea that if I buy some Addi Lace needles then I will pick it up again.  In reality what I will probably do is buy some Addi Lace needles, frog this and start something else.  Look at all those stitch markers just sitting there - for a year!

Let's carry on with lace shall we?  Shetland Triangle, in Handmaiden Seasilk.  Lovely.  But I need another skein to make it the size I want and I haven't been able to find any at Get Knitted or Stash, so I put it to one side.  Now I'm at that tricky stage where I've lost my rhythm with it and would have to spend a while working out where in the pattern I'm up to.  Nothing drastic or unmanageable, but enough to stop me picking it up of an evening.  The plan?  Carry on looking for the Seasilk I suppose, although of course I've lost the name of it by now; I think it was Mineral, or maybe Forest?

Garments next.  Salina, who was doing so well, has rather stalled.  I need to go back and check if I've finished the armhole shaping or not.  I may take her on the train to London with me.

Or I may take

my old friend, the Rib & Cable Jacket, or is the Cabled Blanket Jacket?  This has been around so long I've forgotten its name.  It's been waiting patiently all through the summer for me to show an interest in it again.   A measure of the length of time it's been around is that I have actually taken it out a couple of times, purely to check no moths have got to it.  Imagine how annoying that would be . 

The yarn was a birthday present to myself.  Will I finish it in time for this birthday?  Only time will tell, especially with all the temptations I will be facing on Friday...

I'll be there for you

It seems appropriate that I am considering socks at the beginning of October.  Or maybe it's not - is there a Socktoberfest this year?  I am shamefully behind in blogosphere happenings.

Anyway.  I have seriously fallen off the sock wagon, so I thought I should do a little round up of what is on the go.

Things didn't start well. 

I had completely forgotten about this one.  I only found it because I was looking for another sock in my knitting basket.  I started these for Sam, so long ago that his feet are a full size bigger now.  Did I tell you that Sam's feet are now bigger than mine? And only two sizes smaller than his father?  And that he's still only 10?  And that I've had to buy no fewer than three new pairs of shoes for him this week?  Trainers, football boots and walking boots, all in one week - my bank account is feeling rather fragile now.

Back to the socks.  I suppose I can unpick the toe and make it longer.  Or I could just stuff it back in the knitting basket for a bit.

This was sitting on top one of the speakers in the living room.  This yarn started off as a Pomotamus but I wasn't feeling the love, so it got frogged.  This pattern is Broad Spiral Ribbing from More Sensational Knitted Socks.  Like the pattern, but I'm still not sure about the yarn.  I remember stuffing them on top of the speaker so I could start these ones

which are the ubiquitous Monkeys.  Done in Cherry Tree Hill, Old Rose colourway.  I started these on 2.25mm needles but realised they would be too tight so ripped back and started again on 2.5mm.  I knew I had these somewhere but had to search the whole house for them.  Eventually they turned up on top of the chest of drawers in my bedroom.  I abandoned them because I was getting tired of having to refer to the instructions to remember where I was up to.

I was craving some simple knitting, so I started these.

Plain old stocking stitch socks, destined for Toby.  Once I started these, I realised that really, I'm happiest knitting plain socks.  I like to just be able to pick them up, knit away without having to look at instructions and let the yarn do its thing.  Even though these are 72 stitches, knit on 2.25mm needles, I know I'm going to finish these before either of the other two - which is entirely about me, rather than the patterns, I hasten to add.

And once I've finished them, I plan to cast on for some more lovely plain socks with some of this

and I can't wait.

Dirty pretty things

I've never really managed to get the hang of crochet.  Over the years I have bought several books on it and tried to teach myself, with no success.  When I was teaching knitting in London my hairdresser, an avid crocheter, came and gave my class a lesson, but I was still none the wiser.

I've looked at all the granny squares and ripple blankets springing up over the blogosphere in the last year or so, but still didn't feel I could join in.

Then, this week we had a crochet workshop at my village craft group.  And suddenly, my brain clicked into gear and I started to understand.  Like lace knitting, it's much easier to do something when you know why you're doing it.  The doubles and trebles and turning chains started to make sense.

Since then my brain has been buzzing and my fingers itching.  I've dug out my DK cotton remnants and my crochet books and have been hooking away.  Technically I've got a long way to go, but I'm certainly enjoying the learning process.

Weekend catch-up

I am trying to get back into more regular blogging, although work and life in general continues to conspire against it.

We had a busy weekend.

Our hall has gone from insipid yellow to 'Entrance Hall Pink'.  I didn't know the name of it when I picked the colour, but it's nice to know that Farrow & Ball agree with me on what colour a hall should be.  Unfortunately it's still covered in horrible woodchip, but at least it's a better colour now.

After picking the colour, I left Toby to do the actual painting, seeing as he's about 100 times faster than I would be.  I indulged in a little garden centre shopping.

My plans for summer planting schemes failed miserably this year, but I had good success with my tulips in the spring, so bought some different ones to play with this year.  I went back today and got crocuses and a few other things to naturalise in the corners of the lawn and under the hedge.

I have been doing some knitting as well.  I've had Salina on my to do list for ages now and decided to make a start while we were on holiday.

I had some Felted Tweed left from my Hourglass Sweater that turned out miles too big and had to be frogged.  I had washed the yarn and reskeined it and put it away to wait for a project.  This seemed like the right time to bring it out.

I'm knitting the body in the round and have just divided for the armholes.  I've added 5cm to the length but plan to do the rest as written.  Must hurry up and finish it so I can start the Tangled Yoke Cardigan...

Where people often meet

Well, that turned into a bit of a longer break than anticipated.

I am surfacing from a couple of manically busy weeks at work, with not an awful lot to tell you really.

Holidays seem like such a long time ago.  Our week in Cornwall was a bit too much of this type of weather

and not enough of this

It wouldn't have been so bad, but we were camping and spending every evening in a tent in the rain gets a bit wearing.  I think next year we'll go for the cottage option.

Dorset on the other hand, was gloriously sunny.  However, the only photos I have are of the children at the beach and I'm not keen to put up pictures of them in their swimsuits all over the internet, so you'll have to take my word for it.

So now we're back at school and work and I've been able to start thinking about a little knitting.  I haven't had a chance to look through the new knitting magazines in too much detail, but have totally fallen in love with the Tangled Yoke cardigan from the new IK.  So much so, that in what is a very unusual move from me, I've even ordered the yarn from my LYS in Taunton - I'm going for a dark brown version.

I'm going to try and look through Vogue and the new Rowan this evening and see if anything else catches my eye.  Any suggestions?

A compelling sense of familiarity

Guess what?  There is enough in a skein of Koigu to finish one Diagonal Rib sock.

'But Mary', I hear you ask, 'How can you know this when you've only knitted another centimetre or so since the last photo?'.  Ah, well, you see, I actually knitted the whole sock, even grafted the toe.  I was very happy but then I started to think that seeing as I had quite a bit of yarn left over, I should unpick the cast on edge and add another ½ inch to the leg.  Can you see where this is going?

Yep, I completely messed it up and after an hour or so of poking and prodding and dropping stitches and swearing, I realised that I was going to have to rip out the whole sock and start again.  So I did.

At least I know I have enough yarn for the whole sock, when I get it done.

Can't wait to start on the second one.

Measuring the marigolds

Thank you so much for the good wishes about my driving test.  What a difference a week makes!  What I didn't tell you is that the day after my driving test I started a new job.  So I've gone from working from home, not driving, to driving myself into Taunton each day to work in an office.  It's all a bit strange, given that I haven't worked in an office for almost a year and even before that I worked from home two or three days a week.  Strange, but in a good way.

So, given that we live 8 miles outside of Taunton, plenty of driving is being done each day.  Public transport isn't an option from here; the bus from the village leaves at 9.30am, when I'm already at work, and comes back at 12.30, which is a bit early really, so car it has to be. 

The new job is part time but I'm still doing some work from home for my other job, so together they make up virtually full time hours, which is taking a bit of getting used to.  I have done a bit of knitting on the Diagonal Rib socks.

They are coming along well, the Koigu makes a very nice fabric.

As you can see, I have turned the heel and am past the gusset.  My Sockapalooza pal's feet are 9½ inches long and I have just under 20g of yarn left.  Do you think I'm going to make it?

Fancy feet

Yes, it's Sockapalooza time again.  I got my pal's details at the weekend and preparations are being made.

I'm thinking texture this time round, but have to settle on the yarn as well.  I'm on a bit of an economy drive at the moment due to my London job finishing - which wasn't unexpected, but as yet I haven't been able to get anything locally to replace it.  Isn't writing job applications boring?  Especially when you don't get the job. 

Anyway, one of the benefits of a healthy stash is that one doesn't always have to spend to find something good.  I've had a little excavation this morning and pulled out a few contenders.

I think either of these would look good in the Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks.

Going down the variegated route.  I think the Fleece Artist would suit the Friday Harbour pattern from Knitting on the Road.  The Koigu, I'm not sure, maybe one of Anna's patterns?

More Koigu, this one is subtle shades of pink and lilac.  Spey Valley appeals, as does Small Capitals from Sensational Knitted Socks.  Small Capitals has the benefit of being knitted toe up, which would be good given the relatively short yardage of KPM.  On a different note, have you seen there is a sequel to Sensational Knitted Socks, appropriately titled, 'More Sensational Knitted Socks'.  Anyone seen a copy?

Of course, before I can start, I need to clear those sock needles.  Pomatomus is proving to be a reasonably quick knit (but pretty hard to photograph well).

One down, one to go...

Mwah

Thanks guys.  I was feeling pretty low about things yesterday and your comments really cheered me up.  I did follow the wine and chocolate route, although in hindsight I think I would have done better on a wine and cheese pick-me-up.  The idea of chocolate always seems good, but in reality I'm just left with a sugar rush and a slight sick feeling.  The wine was good though.

So I'm booked in again, but this time I've got a bit of a longer wait, which I think is a good thing.  I feel as if all I've thought about for the last month is driving, so I plan to carry on practising for the next few weeks and not think about the test.  And that is my last word on driving for a while.

I lost my knitting mojo for a while there as well but thankfully it's on its way back.  I put in a spurt and got a couple of things finished.

Clapotis-lite is done.

From 3 skeins of Lorna's Laces I had 25g left, so that's about 2½ skeins by my reckoning.  I used 3.25mm needles and followed the pattern as written, but obviously got a skinnier scarf.  It's about 9 inches wide and just over 6 foot long.  The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Ember colourway, bought from Get Knitted on their opening day.  I tried to take a picture of myself wearing it but the light wasn't very good; I'll try again when we get out sunshine back.

Continuing with Lorna's Laces, Sam's socks are done too.

I'm reasonably happy with these; however, as Jeanne said, when you could do with some pooling you don't get any.  The colours are Camouflage enough, but I'm pretty sure they don't issue striped camouflage trousers in the army.  Also, one sock has significantly more brown in it than the other.  I did the socks top down, 60 stitches in 3x2 rib.  They are a little tighter than usual on Sam, probably because LL is a little thinner than the Regia type yarns I tend to use for him.  But he's happy with them, which is the main thing.

I've signed up for Sockapalooza 4 and am looking forward to finding out who I'll be knitting for.  In the meantime, I started another sock.

I fancied a change from rib or stocking stitch so am having a go at Pomatomus, in some Trekking, from Get Knitted again.  It's also given me a chance to use my new Clover 2.75mm which I'm finding much more to my taste than Brittany's.  The pattern requires a fair amount of attention but I find I can still keep half an eye on the TV so it's my current evening project.

Before I go, just a reminder for non-antipodeans that today is Anzac Day.  We will remember them.

Sunny days

Hooray for Daylight Saving!  Last night it was still light at 7pm.  The sun was shining, Toby got home from work early and we all spent about 3 hours in the garden.

For those of you who were worried I might have stopped knitting, here's my latest WiP enjoying the sun.

It's all crumpled, as is the way of lace but it will end up as a Shetland Triangle, in Handmaiden Seasilk.  Now, a question for all you shetland trianglers out there.  I have googled for STs (I'm not going to keep on writing it out in full) in Seasilk and there are a few, but they don't say whether they managed to get one as written out of one skein.  I don't want it any smaller, as I don't think it would be that wearable but I'm reluctant to shell out another £16.00 for another skein if I don't need it.  Plus, my skein says it's Mineral but I have to say it looks a lot more like Forest on the Get Knitted website.  Any thoughts?

I'm also reluctant to flex any more plastic as the results of last week's hangover fueled e-shopping spree have been arriving.

I have a couple of ideas for sewing projects taking shape in my head.  They aren't clear enough to share with you yet, but once I've got them sorted out I'll let you know.

Want to see what I spent most of my weekend doing?

I know we should have dug them last month, but we had to mend the fence and do a few other things first.  Easter Holidays start next week.  I guess I'll be spending a lot of time in the garden...