Snowy Monday

Today is Monday. The first day of term, and for many the first day back at work since Christmas (hey - I live in Scotland and they are serious about hogmanay here...). It was snowy - quite snowy by Edinburgh standards and enough to make the drive to work somewhat trying.

Perhaps this is an appropriate moment to show you 2008 first FO: the christmas socks.

It's fair to say that I would never ever have chosen this yarn for myself (ye-es), but as I was yearning for some sock knitting, it did the job. Clearly this is an 'in production' photo, but I havent yet managed to remember to photograph the real things and thought this might do in the meantime...

New Year: New Resolutions

A new year has begun and I have decided: 2008 will be the Year of Thrift.

I've suddenly realised that I'm tired of accumulating stuff and I want some time off from consumption and shopping. That means no new clothes, new shoes or new yarn (really). My stash is full - in fact it's overflowing, and it will do my head (and my marriage) good to use some of it! I like the feeling I get when things are in order; when I can put things away without having to cram them into their designated spaces; and when the house starts to look vaguely tidy.

I've also resolved to finish off current projects before starting new ones.

This is going well so far. Last night I finished knitting the peg bag that I 'gave' to my mother for christmas. Well I wrapped up two pegs and told her that a peg bag would follow. My excuse for this tardiness is that I was ill at a crucial point before christmas and lost a whole evening of knitting, and then my mother distracted me from the task by giving me some sock yarn and a sock pattern for Christmas. Obviously I had to cast on and get going with these - and then finish them off - before I could get back to the peg bag. I know, I know - but that was last year and this year It Will be Different. Here are some pics. I particularly like the way the fabric follows the curve of the hanger...



My final resolution of 2008 is to sort out my finances. They arent exactly in a state - I earn more than I spend, and I know roughly how much money is in my account at any one time. It's just that I've accumulated some of those policies and insurances that might or might not do the same thing, and I really should decide if I need them all....

while the cat's away

My husband is out. And I'm alone (not counting a sleeping baby bean) with lots of knitting, my stash and my knitting books. I've been having a lovely time.

on top of all that tonight we had our newly recovered sofa delivered. it's covered in a lovely pale green linen. probably not the best choice with a nearly walking and sticky of finger small boy in the house, but hey: why cant you be stylish and have children? people seem to manage it in the ikea catalogue.

sigh.

anyway, progress on the knitting front has been made. The second felix sweater went in the post to a small person who was one last week. The purl scarf for my brother's girlfriend is finished (just) and I also finished my husband's scrap hat. The lining worked out well in the end - after a bit of jiggery pokery. In fact it's so snug and warm that i'm tempted to 'borrow' it, if you know what i mean...

oops

Oh dear. For months and months I've been a good girl and have been dutifully using up my stash.

But last week I fell off the wagon and gave into yarn temptation. Twice.

The first time was in a charity shop that I pass by each week. I couldnt resist a few balls of some unknown (man-made) yarn in pale blue and pale green. Just right for knitting something small for a (small) boy I know who is nearly one. It was only 50p a ball, which is almost free. And I got some dpns for 50p a set, a Rowan pattern book, and a few other vintage paper patterns for my collection.

The second time was yesterday. I bought some sock yarn. Well if I want to knit some socks, I need some sock yarn.... and I havent got any in my stash. Well I have, but only enough to knit a heel, a toe or some socks for a small boy. I decided to take advantage of the hipknits december sale to order some of their yummy sock yarn. I havent knitted any socks for years - the last time was when I was doing my PhD and I shared a flat with a maniacal sock knitter (surface scientist). The pairs I made at that time were not a great success - one pair shrank and felted in the wash, and I did not pay enough attention to the other pair, so much so that one was several inches longer than the other one and I never managed to correct the mistake...

I've put a request in for a book about sock knitting for christmas. Hope I'm lucky.

hats off #2

we went out at the weekend. it was cold. it was windy. my husband wore his new scrap hat, which I finished last week.


the other evening he complained. he said his new hat wasnt very wind proof .

and your point is?

so. I'm knitting a lining. something snug and cosy (and rather an alarming blue colour, so just right for a lining). As the hat is knit in the round, I just picked up stitches about 5cm inside the roll brim and have been making a siamese twin for this hat. It wont be wind proof either, but I'm hoping that he'll appreciate the love even more now.

hats off

First things first. I must not blog at work. I must only blog at home (I am currently at home. Which is Good). That goes for knitting too.

Oops.

Today I took knitting to work, to knit over lunch. Well, when you've got to knit a first birthday gift in less than a week, then needs must. Of course, things on the first birthday side of things would have gone a whole lot quicker had I not diverted myself by knitting my husband a hat last weekend. I made one for this brother (christmas gift) and he said he wanted one too. He asked for a red one - but there were two problems with this. The first is that I do not have a stash of red yarn with which to construct such an item (and since I am on a yarn diet, then stash diving is all I'm permitted). The second problem is that red really isnt his colour. But I dont have the heart to tell him. He got a bluey, greeny number instead.

It matches the one I made for his brother, and one I made myself a couple of years ago. When I got into the office this morning, my colleague was admiring it and asking if I knitted it myself. 'Yes' said I. 'Wow, it's so lovely.. can you make me one too?'

Hmmm. Well yes, but I'm afraid there are more pressing things in my knitting diary at the moment, e.g. first birthday of friends child, christmas, first birthday of own child (how did that happen?) and all the babies from our ante-natal group, and the many UFOs .... Still, flattery will get you everywhere and I've got a bit of pash for knitting hats at the moment.

how did that happen?

Gosh. it's a lifetime since I was last here. literally. a baby bean came along at the end of january and i've barely had time to blink let alone blog since then. he's worth it naturally, and i have managed to squeeze some knitting in here and there (mostly when he's asleep and I'm not at work).

But hey, good thing come to those who wait, and I can now get into my blog from work. Shhhhhh.