Skys

Now these were both taken from the same spot in my garden.

A nice sunny day from this angle....











But I think (know) it's going to rain soon !!!


I dont think we have any rain since Thursday, but they say that tonight is going to be bad again and telling people not to go out...

Good job I have lots of knitting and baking to keep me amused - better do some study as well.....






And my fish have decided that they want to show off, this is probably half of them and from the movement under the lily pads there are lots of babies...

And now I need to get back to emergency birthday knitting - three of us are celebrating in the first week of September and I've arranged to go up north in a few weeks for a swap of presents. So instead of having five weeks I've only got three - and I still haven't decided what to make, good job I can knit fast when the need arises......

How I managed to stay dry...

I went away, and missed some of the worse - I also live on a hill so there is no chance of the river getting up this high, but it does make for inventive travelling plans - good job I dont have sat nav the lady would have been shouting at me lots !!!

The rain came down last Friday worse than ever, by the end of the day most of the main routes out were closed. My plan was to go to Liverpool first thing on Saturday, to get to friends for a barbecue... as it was I left mid morning when the M5 reopened.
I'd been checking on lots of websites and thought the A40 through Gloucester would be ok - it is away from river at Ross.... What I didn't realise that it is near the river at Gloucester. I've never seen so many abandoned cars - some facing the wrong way on the duel carriageway...
But there was no water on the road - I still cant believe I managed to get though as it is one of the roads that was still closed yesterday...
I was even more worried when the services on the M5 was shut - people were still camped on the southbound carriage where they had been all night....

The journey up north took 5 hours instead of the usual 3.

I realised it was bad down here when I started to get texts on Sunday asking if I was ok. Looking at the news I couldn't believe how I'd managed to get out when I did - any later and I would have had to stay and miss the funeral.

So what did I do whilst waiting for an afternoon funeral - yes I went to a wool shop.

This is Knitwise in Smithdown Road, Liverpool. If it had been there when I was at school I would have even more stash - just down the road from where I used to have to change buses !!

I was good only came out with a birthday card...






My brother has cats.

They were only sociable when I was packing to leave ....

This one was a bit interested in learning to knit, but not enough to move....








And the girlie cat who took no interest in balls and pointy sticks...











And I had to take Loopy to Penny Lane.

And it wasn't raining !!!!










And this is what has been keeping me amused - variation on the Kauni cardi. Rainbow colours were 60 turns on the ball winder, natural colours were 80 turns, and then joined (split & spit) into one ball.
I stayed up until late last night finishing the body. I joined the shoulders with 3 needle bind off matching the pattern.
I did do a couple of rounds on an arm - think I'm going to join the wool so that I get stripes of the same length as the body...

And while I was in a sale bin at Colinette on Wednesday I met Frankie who was camping nearby... I hope I didn't do too much enabling - look forward to seeing what it will all become...

And now I think I'm going to try and mow the grass, I dont think it has rained yet today..

If anyone is in the Ross on Wye area on Tuesday morning come along to the the Market House - it's the yearly cake sale for Air Ambulance, how many cakes can I make in one day ? This was last years effort...

No longer a mystery

The Mystery Shawl 3 from Goddess Knits.

Knitted in yarn that I got from the Swedish ladies at Harrogate last year.









It ended up larger than I thought... perhaps it's my blocking that's doing it.....

And I will not be posting another completed shawl next week !!!




And I remembered some more 4 ply !!
I blame Alice Starmore for this, I got her Tudor Roses book ages ago and keep on meaning to make things from it but never quite manage it!!





Might not be around for a while got to go up to Liverpool.
Sleep well Uncle Harry, now at peace

Cheeky Question...

Someone asked me if I have any oddments of 4 Ply.
In answer to her question, there might be a bit of 4 ply in my stash....

This is the size of the largest 'cakes'
about 250g

This part of my stash fills three tuff crates...

For those that don't know it is Colinette original 4 ply pure wool - they were getting rid of it and it was a bargain... and I probably have more than most people ever did....



The purples, and blues and a bit of natural...

Not being a red girl I only have one lot of really bright red & yellow...

Above was taken from the left hand side, just by the cat who didn't want to move...

And then there is some coned green/grey mixture, enough to make several garments I think !!

A cone of more tasteful red and a couple of brown.

The rest are the smaller oddment sized balls (apart from the violent pink/purple mix at the front right)





And then the earthy mix - greens, browns, orange...

As you can see I haven't got that much in plain colours but more than enough to try some fair isle.

I admit that there is some more but that has a reason for being (and might become one of these -pdf file) I've just got to work out how long the stripes are and how to join it all together....



So in answer to the cheeky question - yes I have so a little bit of oddments of 4 ply.

The approximate weight of the stash - would be about 13 kg, (2 stone sounds worse...)

Think I better get knitting....

I have really been knitting...

And I can actually show some as well !!

As some of you know I have a bit of a reputation of an enabler.
Well last weekend I become an official enabler - I was made a Director of the Knitting and Crochet Guild at their AGM.

At the AGM there was a competition, as it was on 07/07/07 we were asked to make something to do with sevens...

I give you the Dance of the Seven Veils.
In seven rainbow colours
With seven different lace patterns..

She did win first prize, with Mary's wirework coming second.

Pictures of the other entries are off the Guild website.







This has been on the needles for a while.
Shetland Garden Faroese Shawl in wonderful Alpaca that Rhonna sent me last summer.

It ended up a lot larger than I was expecting - I was glad I got several packs of the foam mats to block it on - it took 8 mats...

Tip to tip must be about 6 foot !




And these are my Rowan Exchange socks that will be going in the post tomorrow.

Cherry Tree Hill winter socks (think they are silver birch) with the free Cherry Tree pattern

The Autumnal socks are Opal ( I think, label got separated from yarn...)





I've managed to wash all the fleeces I got at Woolfest - two are soggy at the moment. One is partly carded, thanks to Spike (one of my better Ebay purchases)

I appear to be a lace mood again - wont share until they are done as they dont look at their best at the moment (yes two shawls at once)... I haven't started the Mystery Stole yet and am not sure if I will, when I joined there were less than ten members - do I want a stole that is so popular ? Suppose it would make a good Christmas present !! I'm thinking ahead, got a feeling that I promised my brother an aran jumper, at least it will be shorter than the one I made last year for his partner.... dont start me on the practise of putting knees in jumpers whilst sitting on the sofa - I could have easily done her a jumper and a throw....

I'm wittering better go and try and finish another shawl....

Woolfest

I'm back home after a big adventure, and a long time in the car !!

I met lots of people, including Ambermoggie, Badger, Alicat, Joy, Wormhead, with her Mum and Auntie, Susoolu, Carrie-Anne, knit-tigger Sarah Sarah Helen Alice Jane and Laura, Jo, the Cleveland Fibre artists, Pat & Linda from Down South, Doreen and her husband, and lots more people...



I didn't take as many photos as some, but here are some sheep waiting in a pen










And these were their friends in the next pen just after having a hair cut...

I wasn't paying enough attention on the breeds, all too exciting ....







Some black sheep with bracken attached










And some cute Alpacas...









This is the balled addition to stash - I got two packs of the wine from Jamiesons - it was rude to leave it behind at a bargain price.

The other ball is one of nettle, I blame Ruth Lee for that one....





And some fibre - the packs are going to go with the green that I have already spun (foolishly I didn't take a sample to match against so went for a contrasting colour)
The Merino & Silk came from Winghams, Ruth got them all out for me and then suggested which one should come home with me - sometimes it is not good when the stall holders know you !!!

And then there is a pattern for Sue the Ewe to please Susan.
Two packs of glove needles from Scottish Fibres.
And some Ashford Dyes from Winghams.

I also got some back copies of Interweave Knits and Spin Off magazines.

And then there were a few fleeces, an Organic Cotswold and a Hebridean, and one from Linda (which is already in a water bath...)

I'm booked in again next year, so see you then :-)