Sunday 9 March 2008

Mostly about knitting.....honestly!

In another couple of weeks and we are driving down to the Alps (at least I can knit without worrying about security checks!). The destination is Vallandry, which is part of the Les Arcs ski area but will hopefully allow for some 'doorstep' skiing, rather than riding the Funicular each morning. When we left last month there was a real need for fresh snow & it has been arriving in abundance for the last week and looks like continuing for at least another week or so!

Now, about knitting! The ladies in the Ravelry 'At Home in Harrogate' are proving to be an evil influence!!!!! They encourage MORE yarn purchases and MORE time spent knitting, sometimes in THEIR company & alone and EVEN MORE time spent on RAVELRY engaging in reading & writing messages and STALKING other peoples projects!!!!!!!!! Its great! More of it I say! We met again on Wednesday, at my house. We had a really good laugh, started on a Forest Canopy KAL, inspected new stash & knitting book acquisitions and generally spent a great evening in the company of fibre fanatics! I am knitting the Forest Canopy shawl in Merino/ Lambswool DK from 21st Century Yarns, purchased with nothing in particular in mind at the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching Show. Others are using 4ply or fingering and there are over 500 projects on Ravelry to help(?) you decide what yarn/ colourway you might want to use for your Forest Canopy shawl. Its a fairly easy, intuitive pattern to use (I am using the chart rather than the written pattern). I have placed lifelines (a first for me) but I have not needed to use them yet. Its intended as a 'driving' project but I keep been tempted to 'just do another repeat'! The yarn is more 'claret' than 'pink' though!


Father in Law has requested socks, so socks he is getting. Ann Budd's Mock Wave Cable Socks in Drops Fabel colour 520. The yarn came from Scandinavian Knitting Design (very quick postal service), is 25% polymade & 75% superwash wool. The colours are great and its £2 for a 50gm ball!!!!! I am on sock two & its really knitting up well. I have left the foot in plain stocking stitich as the pattern produces quite a raised rib. I used 2.75 & 2.5mm needles (as most folk on Ravelry have done) rather than the 3.25 & 2.75 suggested in the pattern.
I have also made a little progress on Brigit socks but need to learn to cable without a cable needle. Mr J's garter rib socks are finished (I didn't need the extra yarn). The Trekking XXL colour 100 is fantastic -at least one 'At Home in Harrogate' member has some on the needles but isn't planning to match her socks with this yarn! What is that matching stripes stuff about Sue?

I have also bought a couple of books! Yup..... this means I plan to knit something with sleeves. I am drawn to a raglan jacket, with cables & things. I have bought some Aran in Heather colour denim from New Lanark Mills. This is a fantastic find! £1.80 for 100grams 100% wool aran yarn in a good range of colours (or 90% wool 10% silk) and £1 for 50gm DK wool.


My inspiration might come from this book, Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys and Arans by Gladys Thompson, I suspect it will come more under the heading 'general knitting interest' in my library, rather than an actual 'things to knit' book. It discusses & includes patterns associated with the different Fishing Villages around the coast of Britain & Ireland. The resulting Guernseys are increadible but I doubt I will be knitting on size 14 steel needles!

Oh and yes, I have knitted both mitts from 'Folk Knitting from Estonia'. Trouble is, they are both for the left hand!!!!!! I am just about laughing as I have plenty of yarn left for two right mitts!!!! I even remember thinking about needing to do the 'other hand'!!!! What an idiot! I need another holiday! Don't even ASK what school is like at the moment!

6 comments:

florencemary said...

Glad you're enjoying your Harrogate group! Lots of lovely knits as usual, and I love the colour of your Forest Canopy...

And I'm not sure whether to thank you or chide you about the New Lanark Mills link! Omigawd, the yarn! the colours! the prices! I'm really into tweedy homespun-type yarn atm, and with the added silk... my credit card is going to take a battering!

Heather L. said...

I love all your knitting! The socks for your father-in-law are beautiful! Love the colors!

I wish I had a knitting club -- I think it would be fun to find one/start one, although I sometimes wonder if having four little children around all the time might not make a knitting group a very practical idea. Maybe someday....but, I'm making really good progress on my latest knit -- another baby sweater. Everyone seems to be having a baby recently, so I'm keeping busy!

Joanne said...

I want to reach through the computer screen and touch your projects! Especially that Aran yarn. I am holding it together, just, by remembering everything I bought at all those festivals...Thank you for your kind notes on my blog! I do think about my "Americanisms" and the last post was full of them. Glad the good points came through. :)

Artis-Anne said...

Sounds like you are having alot of fun and I love you FC,it's on my to do list of knits and I even have the yarn lined up !!
I agree with Clarabelle re New Lanark Mills I am TRYING not to buy yarn but at those prices & I too am into tweedy type yarns at the mo too !!

Linda said...

The lace looks lovely. I like lace knits in the heavier yarns. Nice socks too. I have a shade card for the New Lanark Mills but haven't ordered, yet!

Joanne said...

Mrs.J., regarding your comment on my blog...I was amazed by how relaxed acupuncture made me. If the stress is really worrying, this might be worth trying. The needles are miniscule, like the smallest beading needle you've every seen...and the result? Whew, I'm so relaxed that I'm forgetting to work.:)