Updated Projects

Jumper is coming along... onto the yoke now. Perhaps it will be finished for the Autumn at this rate!

Other projects in progress:

One sock... other one not yet cast on, these are for me this time. Working way through the self patterning Opal, looks quite nice and quick knitting.

Not quick knitting is the lace I have started.. lifelines at each pattern repeat and has had several restarts and lifelines coming in useful!

And finally, had a go at the BSJ pattern with some acrylic from a swap. Not sure about the yarn choice, will get some buttons to finish it off at some point. Good TV knitting though once you "get" the pattern.

Button It

Knitting has restarted on the RYC Lux jumper... on the 2nd sleeve then have to knit them into the body one-piece raglan style. Not had a huge amount of time for knitting of late but at least it is plodding along.

At spinning guild yesterday I did a button making workshop. Above are my attempts at a Dorest and a Yorkshire Button. The Dorest button is the one made over a ring, the Yorkshire is stuffed. Quite pleased with this new skill, but will need to practice a bit to master it.

I also bought some Soya tops for spinning, looks beautiful but slippy.

Stockholm...

... was fantastic.
Here are some pics from the Silk Museum

The weaving equipment is still used 4 days a week, it is a working museum. The factory closed in the 70s to be re-opened as a museum 20 yrs later.

Here are some pics from the floor with the equipment:



The office... just look at that wall of silk mmmmm
The looms

Patterns are "programmed" using a punch card system. These are the cards for the pattern shown.

Some mangle type devices for finishing the fabric

Upstairs was an exhbition about the history of the factory, although we were a bit confused trying to match the English translation sheet with the display at first. D sorted me out!

A display of sample silk made at the factory

Sample next to the original paper design (which later gets converted to the punch cards). Might get around to using this on something some day...

Famous "3 Crowns" design used for the Royal Palace

As above

More punch cards


And some Scandinavian knitting for good measure...

Woolfish Festival

Last weekend I headed down to St Abbs for the day... persuaded K to come along, Mum & Kicking-K.

Nice morning, bought some fibre from the Yarn Yard and a couple of other small things. Short post.. trying to catch up using someone elses internet connection.

Brr

So much for getting back to the allotment this week!

First post of the New Year...

Where has January gone... is the rest of 2009 going to woosh past as well. Maybe a bit like the bus today that just kept on driving rather than stopping to let me on :-(

Well the Christmas season was a nice quiet affair, I think we needed a bit of time at home after a hectic year. I got some lovely pressies, including some new spinning wheel bobbins mwhaha. One pressie was the Nigella Lawson Christmas book. To be honest she is not really my favourite TV personality.. in fact I can't actually sit through one of her programmes. The book is fantastic though... lovely to look at and nice simple instructions.

So nice in fact, I became a little too enthustiastic and decided I would make the traditional New Years lunch. First sticking point was buying the pork joint, which was quite specifically described in the book. Best idea I thought, take the book to a proper butcher who could help me. Well I took it down the road to Leith with me and I can't say I quite fitted in with the other customers in the shop and was quite the entertainment to the butcher and those in the queue when I took it out of my bag! But along with the sarky comments, he gave me a fantastic piece of meat which looked exactly like the picture. All plain sailing after that, apart from searching for ready prepared chesnuts in the couple of days after Christmas...

Dinner was fantastic, tastiest I have ever made I think. Perhaps I should give Nigella a break...

I wasn't too ambitious with the Christmas knitting this year due to so much uni work, so it wasn't too bad finishing things off. I will need to get some pictures up soon.

Anyway, no resolutions for me this year will just take it as it comes. Already blown the plan to reduce my stash by 2010 by buying several kilos of wool in the sales...looking forward to that package arriving though!

Big City

So I decided to check in the bag with the socks... better safe than sorry I suppose, but less knitting while waiting around for the plane.

First stop in London was I Knit... got a few Christmas presents (no not just for me!) while D looked for a nearby geocache in the pouring rain, he is dedicated.

What a lovely shop, so relaxed to look around and a really good selection of things. I will definitely add another visit to my list next time I am down. I spotted some Cash Iroha and Kid Silk Haze in the bargain bin which is now mine mwhaha.

For lunch, R met us at Picadilly and took us to St Alban, which was the best food I have had for ages. The place is just fantastic, service, decor, toilets... everything. Highly recommend it.

Saturday evening we saw Hamlet, which was really great. Pity about all the sick people coughing throughout... oh and the people that kept tutting when someone finished coughing... Shame DT wasn't there, but still very worth seeing and the understudy did a great job.

Sunday was a chilled out day around Harrow, then more shopping on Monday before heading back to City airport via The Who Shop.

Really needed a break, it was perfect timing.

The 9th already?

I was supposed to be all sorted for Christmas by the weekend, then I could enjoy our trip to London. Well maybe I will be if I finish a big pile of reading, 3 assignments and just about all my Christmas shopping in the next 3 days? Not looking likely, but was it ever?

Still I have Christmas knitting underway with just a couple of things to finish off, although I will find it hard to give some away!

This week I have learnt Magic Loop, which is working out great. I got some knit pick circulars.. the original rather than the wooden ones. The stitches just glide along, it is great, no looking back! But will they let me take it on the plane on Saturday?

Luke's Hat

Not the best photos since I just remembered to take them at 6.30am before I left for work... still dark outside.

November

Well I know a lot of bloggers have managed a post per day for November... perhaps I can at least just post something?
Projects I have been working on are socks for D for Christmas... just one foot left to knit so they should really be finished in plenty of time. A scarf with some of my handspun... which I am really pleased with, only I have run out of the handspun and it isn't nearly long enough so I am going to have to crack on with some spinning. Also a Christmas present which I will post after Christmas and then a duplicate of said present since D complained I give all the nice knitting away and he wants one too!

Also managed to find time this week to make a tiny hat for Luke, who wasn't due until after Christmas but has made an early arrival. I was thinking I would make something after the Christmas knitting but so much for that plan! Seriously though it sounds like he is doing well and hopefully will grow into that hat quickly. I do have a picture of hat, just need to find the cable to upload...

On Monday I went to the Habu workshop at K1, so I know understand the principles of Japanese style knitting patterns. To be honest they make a lot more sense than the Western ones. There were some lovely garments to try on too, but to be honest the kit prices are a bit out of my budget at the moment so just bought some yarn which will probably make it into a scarf at some point.

On Friday we had a small party for a friend who is leaving Edinburgh, the big party was last night but I didn't make it out. I am sad to see her go after 8 years in Edinburgh, but it sounds as if she has wonderful plans ahead.

Saturday was the annual craft show at Ingliston, a bit disapointing in terms of the shopping list I went with but overall a nice way to spend a morning. The spinning guild was there, maybe next year I will be able to commit to things a bit more and help out. This time next year I should be nearly finished my MSc, what a scary thought.

For now I need to get back to writing about Strategic Environmental Assesments..... would rather be knitting but has to be done.

Hand spun

On the train to leeds knitting hand spun for the first time. A little lumpy but so nice because its mine...

Our Special Day

We had some special lego figures made up... what do you think of the likeness? We used this pic for the invitations and then the figures went onto the cake, with the addition of a lego Dylan we managed to find from a shop in the USA


We made the cake ourselves, freezing it several weeks before so we only(!) had to panic about the decorating and the icing a couple of days before the big day. We decided on a combination of cupcakes and a bigger cake for cutting... problem was everyone was so full from the fabulous food at the venue we had trouble fitting in the cake afterwards. Some went back in the freezer (not sure if you are supposed to do that?).
We also did the table decorations ourselves, D searching high and low for the right colour napkins and me doing the beaded napkin rings. Got some beautiful orchids for the centre which are still going strong.
This is the view from the window of the venue - Edinburgh Castle

We had a fantastic day and I am really glad we did the little bits and pieces ourselves. My lovely sister also made me a very thoughtful present and knowing that she is not practiced in anything crafty it meant a lot to me, I am sure there was a lot of sweat and tears involved.

It was great to see/speak to our friends and family on the day in various forms, it wasn't possible for everyone we love to be there but we were thinking of them all. We received a number of donations for our nominated charity, Scottish Borders Donkey Sanctuary and I know they will be put to very good use.

I'll try not to blush

Right months without even a picture, that is a bit embarassing really but I do have an excuse coz I am now MARRIED :-D

So I am too shy to put photos of myself on the internet for all to see, if you know me and you want to have a peak you will need to email me.

I will put some proper material on soon though, because I have a LOT of non me pictures to post of what I have been up to.

RHS & WoolFest

Harvest coming in thick and fast now.. haha I wish. But we have had some tasty strawberries and this week a lovely dinner with home grown new potatoes and mangetout.

Couple of weeks ago was at the Royal Highland Show with work. Who do you think this looks like??
Took home some lovely arbroath smokies

And D also won us a holiday!!!

This weekend we went down to WoolFest, just for the day. Hopefully next year we will have more time to stay over but things are just a bit manic at the moment. Saw some really sweet sheep

An alpaca
And I think I might be in love with this bun... perhaps a future Mrs Dylan??


Tried to be fairly restrained but ended up trying to squash 2 fleeces in the boot. One is partially washed and actually it is quite fun, smelly but fun. Will need to get on and wash the rest to make the flat smell a bit better.

Summer

First mange tout almost ready. Year 1 allotment growing is going well although the weeds are fighting back. Best thing so far the 5 tasty strawberries! Lets hope we get some more. Off to woolfest tomorrow. V excited but must budget due to wedding plans. Going to be a bit of a drive but i hear it is worth it. Ravelry badges arrived yesterday so i wont need to make one tonight!

CAL

Started this for a Ravelry Crochet a-long... not much time for crochet or knitting lately though :-(

Happy Easter

Just starting our holiday weekend. D was delighted to find his egg was a double yoke, what are the chances.

Spinning

Hmm a long time since I have posted again. Things have been busy, we have been flat hunting lately at weekends and also trying to get our place tidy.

I am planning on getting the train in this week fingers crossed for the weather, so might get a bit of crochet/knitting done.

A couple of weeks ago KG and I went to a spinning open day down at Haddington with my wheel. We met spinning fishwife who very kindly showed me how to set it up and get going. She is an excellent teacher and I actually managed to spin something much better than I expected.

This weekend we both joined the Edinburgh guild and someone helped me with plying. This is the plyed wool before washing:

Not sure what I am going to make yet... I washed it tonight so we will see what it is like when it is a bit dryer.

Anyway I have decided I love spinning! Now, just need to find a flat where my wheel can come and live full time...

Other news

Managed to get a ball of acrylic stuck on the light. Got the train a few times to work this week while i got my car puncture fixed so been making some crochet progress. Not had much time otherwise with new job and my course. On saturday i hope to get my wheel up and running. My stash has been reorganised into categories. You know you have too much if you have categories! Sadly hk closed last week. It was one me my fav edinburgh shops. To comfort myself i went to k1 yarns opening day. It is different but a nice shop too.

Not much crafting but

Yup we are engaged!