and home by bedtime

I didn’t quite expect to travel so far today.  We’ve got exciting travel plans on the horizon but today was to be spent at home mostly.  It was only as I settled down in the late afternoon with a crochet hook in hand that I realised how far I’d been.

I began here.  Somewhere in Yorkshire. Aaah.

A couple of hours passed but that lovely crochet scarf/shawl wouldn’t go out of my mind.  I returned to my desk and pinned it to my Pinterest board in the category “I could do this – could I do this?” – because as some will know, I am not the most confident of crocheters.

I returned to Yorkshire and followed the link to France.  An interesting tour followed en francais before l hopped over a few countries to Japan, to find the book. 

Finally, I found myself in the USA, because my linguistic skills do not match my aspirations when it comes to crochet.

The result?

That strategically placed ball of yarn hides all kinds of sins.  But hey, who’s going to be examining it closely?

(you never know ;-) )

48 more flowers to crochet.

Of course, I had to come home via Bristol, to buy yarn, too. 

Update on Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 7:52PM by Gill Thomas

I was taught well.

Look.

The mojo returns

 

I’ve got my knitting mojo back.  Sorry to say, as well, Marion, that it was those dishcloths that did it!  Nothing like a bit of fairly mindless knitting to and fro to make me hanker after something a little more interesting.

Not to mention, more attractive.  (Though, like Nadine and Jordi, I do like those brightly coloured Mason-Dixon warshcloths)

Anyway, the creative urge led me to new (to me) knitting pastures, to mathematical challenges and unusual structures.  To Cat Bordhi’s sock book, to be precise.  My Hero is always pleased of a new pair of socks and  Jordi  assures me that the shapes and unusual structures are remarkably comfortable.

 

I thought the Tibetan Socks would be a good starting point.  I’ve knit the learning socks a while back, so didn’t think I needed to do that over again, but I did measure my hero’s feet and calculate the “magic numbers”.

After that, it was a cinch.  Though I’m not a fan of toe-up socks from previous patterns, I stuck with it the other night whilst sitting with our two small friends and bingo, the toe was done.

Not only that, but

Ta Da!!

Two toes done.  Yes, I thought that, since this was a complicated pattern which needed a bit more working out than a plain old sock does, I’d knit two at the same time (notice I didn’t say “knit two together”…for what good would that be?!)

Of course, I haven’t got to the complex bit yet and am simply working my way up until E – in my hero’s case, that’s 3.5 inches. I’ve got the letter stitch markers all prepared and will follow the instructions to the letter. It’s going well and I’m not bored.  Yet.

A shame he won’t wear prettier colours on his feet, though.  It’d be way more fun to knit fuchsia pink.

catch up

A quiet few days it seems, but that usually means that there’s plenty going on, keeping me out of mischief.

I’ve been busy in the studio, making things which can’t be revealed just yet and yes, learning something new every day.  Yesterday’s lesson was that however many blue threads I possess, it doesn’t mean that I have the right blue to repair my sweater.  Oh well, I went for the right hue if not quite a dark enough tone and muttered the old “done is better than perfect” saying to myself.

Today, I’m preparing one or two bits for our WI competition tonight.  I’ve made a card, printed out a photo featuring a tree, the bread’s rising as I write and I’ve found a suitable item for Class 10.  It was no trouble at all to find my entry for Class 9! 

One of our members came up with this pattern for a knitted poppy which has been doing the rounds of a nearby village.  So, sample knit and pattern printed out to take along tonight for donations for the Poppy Appeal.  How quickly it comes around again.

Finally, in my spare time (!) I’m aiming to play along with Team Tolstoy.  I succumbed to the temptations of the new Kindle recently and have loaded it with 79p’s worth of War and Peace, ready for the off.  As you can see, I’ve been in training during the last few days.

Anyone else fancy the challenge?

Voilà.

Just finished the Bola scarf, so named by Mark, who described it “like one of those Gaucho things for catching horses”.

So, I did what anyone does these days and googled  “gaucho device catching horses with ball at each end” , thereby learning all there is to know about the boleadores.

Now there was an unexpected learning opportunity.

The original idea for my Bola scarf came from this book published (in French) by La Droguerie.  There are so many original ideas in there, it’s one I return to time and again.  No worries about the French either, for the diagrams are clear enough for anyone with a little basic knitting/crochet skills and a bit of imagination to follow.

Gadget Girl

It’s quite well known in these parts that I’m a bit of a gadget freak.  Usually, at work anyway, the gadgets are usually some bit of electronic paraphernalia which I decide I can’t live without and which ends up in my handbag along with all the other, well, gadgets.

But I can do low tech as well.  Hands up who knows what this is? 

It’s really easy to use – simply open up one half and begin to wind with yarn.  Close it up and do the same for the other side.  Cut using sharp scissors and tie around the middle with a secure knot.

Pull it apart and give the pompom a shake.

Trim and attach to the end of two metres of French Knitting.

Repeat a few more times with different colours.

Time for the next gadget.  Any guesses?

It’s a Daisy Loom.

After winding several times over each pair of pegs, the centre is secured with a few stitches.

 

Slip it off the plastic frame and stitch to the end of a couple of metres of French Knitting.

See where we’re going with this?