I Love Yarn!

Unsurprisingly, I have caved in and bought some more Cocoon to make my Owls sweater! I've opted for Polar, a really lovely natural shade, but unfortunately the wool has come from two different dye lots, and I'm waiting to hear back from the online retailer, before I get started. I really hope that they can let me have all six balls from the same lot, as I think it would look a little bit odd. Luckily, I do have Cheadle to keep me going, and my Mum bought me 700 grams of navy blue Aran, so I'm going to spend some happy hours on Ravelry looking for the right pattern for it.

Mum and Dad came over this weekend for a visit to admire the new living room (which sadly is still picture-less). We had a lovely lunch of Yotam Ottolenghi's aubergine 'cheesecake' recipe from the Guardian Weekend magazine. I dished it up with a hot ciabatta loaf and a green salad and a bottle of very cold white wine. Yummy! After lunch we took a stroll up to Clarenden Palace in the glorious spring sunshine. A really lovely day.

Spring is on the Way

March is here and after three, pretty much solid, weeks of dismal grey rain, the sun is finally out. This morning, walking to the station past Queen Elizabeth Gardens it was bright, crisp and clear. There was frost on the ground, but the sun was out and it finally felt as if spring was on its way!

Except for a few notable highlights, the last three weeks have also been a bit grey. I’ve had a pretty stinky cold for most of it and I got knocked off my bike by a car. The cold has now shifted and I’m the proud owner of a cycle helmet. I’ll be battered and bruised for a few more weeks, but in the grand scheme of things, I count myself as lucky not to have been more damaged. I haven't been out running for three weeks now and I'm starting to get a little bit impatient to be back out there pounding the pavements.

On the up side, D has finally finished his MBA and it was with a well-earned feeling of achievement that we drove a beautifully bound copy down to Henley to hand in at the college. After years of slaving away in his little room on the top floor of the house, he is now entering The Period of Great Reflection which basically involves swapping business books for Heat magazine, watching a whole lot of televised sport and drinking many, many pints of lager at our local. We're making the most of all of his free time with trips to Stourhead, to the movies to see the memorable An Education (a well earned Bafta for Carey Mulligan) and out for dinner a couple of times too. We're also enjoying the newly-decorated living room, which looks lovely. We’ve got most of our new artwork framed, so as soon as they’re all up, I shall post a photo. (We went for the stoney white in the end.)

On the needles, Cheadle is coming along very nicely, but I am very tempted to break my vow of monogamous knitting and cast on Kate Davies’ Owls. Just need to get me some more Rowan Cocoon and I’m good to go!

My book of the month is the really rather lovely Salisbury in Detail which has been published by Salisbury Civic Society and includes a photo of my very own door knocker, Crombie the bull, as shown on page 41.

Back to Knitting

I have rediscovered my love of knitting! And it turns out that all I needed was some new wool. After a joyous bonus at work I have invested heavily in Rowan Cocoon from my LYS and have started on Cheadle by Marie Wallin as featured in volume 13 of The Knitter. It's a contemporary cable knit pattern with a giant plait horizontally across the middle with a ribbed waist and a garter stitch cow. It's a gorgeous pattern, that I hope will look fantastic and Cocoon is such a soft, gentle yarn to knit with, that I'm fully expecting that the whole thing will be a real pleasure to work up.

I have frogged, knit and re-frogged my leftovers scarf. I still don't know exactly what the wool is going to become but I'm hoping that, in its own sweet time, it will just come to me. I'd still like it to be a scarf, but am veering towards a pair of chunky round-the-house socks. I've also fallen head over heels with Kate Davies owls pattern. Until April the 1st, all of Kate's profits on this pattern will be going to Médecins Sans Frontières, to assist the relief effort in Haiti, so get on over to Ravelry and buy yourself a copy now!

Other exciting news is that D and I are going to have a beautiful new living room by the next time I post here. We're just living with a few swatches on the wall and have narrowed it down to two different colours; one a stoney white and the other a warm biege. They both have something to recommend them, but we're completely split on which will look best, so may end up tossing a coin to decide. Whichever we choose, I'm really looking forward to having somewhere serene and lovely to spend our evenings.

I've absolutely loved browsing Folksy for some affordable artwork and have made some purchases from TerrorDome, Lola's Room, Tim Irving and artquirk. I can hardly wait until they arrive and we can put them up with some of our own art.

Currently working my way through The House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Grant - completely mindless, but oh so readable!

January – The Longest Month of the Year?

It's been three weeks, since I last posted here and it feels like it's been even longer. I don't know if it was to do with going back to work, or D being away, or the fact that I've been busy every weekend, but it just seems as if January is taking an age to pass. Still, I'm sure that it's taking longer for any of that you out there who have decided that January is the month to detox!

On the upside of the last three weeks, we have had some lovely, lovely snow. No I know that there are some people that hate the snow. Yes, it makes it difficult to get out and about. And yes, it is cold and wet. But still, I think it's just beautiful. There's something about the pure, brilliant white snow on the fields that just brings a smile to my face every single time I see it. Every day, I get up early to either walk (or in good weather, cycle) to the station, and there is nothing nicer than being the first person to walk through the newly-fallen snow. Heaven!

This weekend D and I found ourselves with a little time on our hands, so we took a trip for the first time to Salibsury City Football Club, to watch them humping Histon FC 3–0! We were in the old men's stand, and it was so much fun. It was alos pretty cold, so the celebratory dances did wonders in keeping us warm! I've also been out for a good long run in the sunshine and spent a couple of hours up in my den with my lovely Janome serwing machine. It just purrs! Here's a snap of the dress so far; pockets are on, side and back seams are together and the sleeves are nearly finished.

To round off a lovely weekend, D and I are having our Burns' Night supper a night early tonight. It is, of course, a veggie haggis and I'm dishing it up with the traditional buttered neeps and tatties. Yum, yum! (I only hope that there'll be enough left over to have again for lunch tomorrow!

On the needles, I have picked up my study blanket again and I should hopefully finish off my crochet scarf in the next week or two...

New Beginnings

Happy New Year and happy new beginnings to you all! 2010 has arrived and I wish that the year brings you only happiness. No great resolutions were undertaken by me, but I am hoping that this year will be as good as last and I shall endeavour to enjoy every minute. D and I got off to a rather nice start with a trip to Bournemouth for a stroll along the beach in the afternoon sun. It was quite buzzy and busy, and a great start to the year.

I've already started enjoying my new sewing machine. I laid out the pattern for my new dress and realised that I could really do with a pin cushion to help me out. A quick search of Threadbanger and Craft lead me to Planet June's tutorial for an Offset Square Wrist Pincushion for which I put my Janome into good use for the first time yesterday afternoon. I think that it might have to be a weekends only project as it feels as though I want to spend sizable chunks of time on it. I promised pictures as I go along, so here are the pattern pieces so far.
On the needles right now, I still have the study blanket and the lacy tea top, both of which are having a bit of a rest, so I'm using up my odds and ends to make up a stash-busting crochet scarf. (Accompanied in this picture by the stunning grey velvet bag that my sister gave me for Christmas!)
Off the needles, I am enjoying re-reading The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper, I've started running again, and I've also had a lovely night out with my dear friend Piney to see New Moon. Lastly, I'm loving listening to some new music thanks to an iTunes voucher from David. This week on my iPod it's been largely Scouting for Girls, Paloma Faith, Muse, La Roux, Jay-Z and The Temper Track.

The Eve of the Year

Merry Christmas to you all. Sorry that December didn't see me writing much, but I've been really busy finishing (and in some cases starting) the handmade Christmas gifts that everyone got this year. Mum loved her Shalom cardigan, Dad wore his Danica for a Boxing Day stroll with the dogs, Rich certainly seemed chuffed with his Deathflake Simple Pleasures hat, and I'm hoping that Amanda will put her bookcover into action when she starts her new job in January. Luckily, everyone seems to have really liked their presents, which was a huge relief!

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were spent with my family at my sister's house and we ate like absolute kings! Amanda really went to town - she even handmade our crackers! (I think that Rich, her husband, might have helped with mine as my cracker gift was a pair of raw Brussels sprouts! There was also a lovely blue teapot brooch from Folksy, which came after I'd enjoyed the sprouts.) On Boxing Day, David and I headed down the A1 to visit his twin, his wife and their five-year-old boy. We're finally back home and enjoying the peace and quiet of a few days off before we go back to work in the new year. New Year's Eve itself will probably be spent curled up on the sofa at home. I should probably start thinking about some resolutions. Hmmm.

David bought me the beautiful Janome sewing machine that you can see on the right. What a thoughtful gift. This has, of course, has meant that a trip to John Lewis in Southampton to purchase a pattern and some fabric. I'm really looking forward to getting started, and I'm also looking forward to making something for myself for a change! I've chosen a pattern for a dress and a t-shirt that look as if they should (hopefully) be quite easy. Some lightweight denim for the dress and a rather fabulous retro print for the top. I'll take photos as I go along, so watch this space...

Well, Christmas has been and gone and it's time to look forward to the forthcoming year as well as to reflect on the year that has nearly passed. All in all, I'd say it's been a pretty good year; a happy year with lots to treasure and celebrate. It's been a creative year for me and I've enjoyed working on numerous projects, whether they be knitting, crochet, jewellery making or needlecraft. I've loved exploring Etsy and starting my own online shop on Folksy. At work I continue to help produce some of the most beautiful books and I've been lucky enough to be promoted too. The recognition means a great deal to me. I've had a couple of great holidays in Cornwall and Tuscany and I've read some wonderful books. I've been delighted to watch my best friend meet the man of her dreams and fall in love. And I'm thrilled that my sister has finally left her ghastly job for pastures new! Mum and Dad have been out and about on their travels, helping people wherever they go. And David continues to be David - clever, thoughtful, funny and wonderful. So here's to friends and family, and everyone out there - may next year be everything that you hope it will be.

When Knitting Goes Bad...

I do like to keep this blog as positive as I can, but sometimes it's just not possible, and as far as knitting is concerned, this week has been one of those that I would really rather forget! Last Sunday with the Poultry Cross Knitters I quickly finished up Mum's Christmas present, and then spent the rest of the session doing one row on the Lacy Tea Top and then unknitting it after realising that I'd made yet another mistake. (Sigh!) On Wednesday, feeling more optimistic I took it in for my regular knitting club at work, only to find myself making yet another mistake. Determined not to have a top with holes in all the wrong places (and being a bit of a perfectionist) I decided to very gently unravel the whole thing on the way home, only to discover that Kidsilk Haze really does not like to be unravelled. Cue a spot of yarn-rage, quite a bit of frustration and what you see in the photo to the left is the result. Grrr! The good news is that I was visiting my sister this weekend, so could buy a replacement ball and I've got straight back on the needles and have cast on the same project yet again.

I also bought some lovely soft Rowan Cocoon, which will hopefully be turning into a skull beanie for my brother-in-law. I've found a really nice pattern on Ravelry (which I think I'll just be able to enlarge) and a seriously cool motif chart from Reliquary Arts. Just need to cast on and get started now.

At work, the Walker Books Christmas Craft Fair was a resounding success and I sold a very respectable number of bracelets, rings, earrings and brooches, and received orders for a further three rings. Between the ten of us selling we raised over £60.00 for Shelter, so that was something that I think we should all be proud of.

All knitting disasters aside, I have had a really lovely weekend starting with a visit to my sister on Friday night to vote for my brother-in-law's locksmith-decorated tree at her local parish Christmas Tree Festival, followed by a trip to the pub and a leisurely morning spent wandering about the village, taking in the knitting shop, the tea-shop and a newly opened florist – a very gentle start to the weekend! One last treat of the week was a super Sunday lunch at the Carnarvon Arms, a wonderful pub near Vodaville. Just lovely, but four hours later, I am still feeling quite full!