Friday 25 September 2009

Knit Yourself Thin

Why hasn't anyone written a book with this title? Even if that was the title and the subtitle was "(not)" that would be fine. It would still give us hope. Why is it that knitting doesn't make you thin. Imagine how skeletal we'd all be if it did.

I was thinking about this while I looked amongst my (possibly) several hundred knitting books for the one book I needed for a fairisle chart. I've had this book close at hand for about a year and have been planning this project all that time. Last night I cast on the collar and did the nexk shaping for my first ever steeked cardigan. I reached out for the book and....it's not there. I can't find it. WTF? Where is this fricking book? It's been in exactly the same place forever and now it's not there.

Possible explanations:
1. Pooch has moved it. Unlikely. It was in the bookcase and he only tends to move things that are on 'his' chair.
2. Cleaner has stolen it. Unlikely. It's an old book, not rare, quite specialist and she's never shown any sign of this before.
3. The aliens who arrive nightly to make my sciatica/back/neck worse took it. Unlikely. Their activities have surely been concentrated in my bedroom while I sleep and on the mothership. Doubt they'd do into the front room unless the driver wanted to relax while the others got to it.
4. I've moved it. Highly likely. The codeine has made me really wacked out and I am forgetting all sorts of things. But where would I have put it? I've looked everywhere I'd normally put a knitting book. I admit that is practically everywhere though but really I have looked (and have twice had to remind myself what I was looking for) and I can't find it.

Bugger.

Before I go any further I must say that Secret Pal Roo has sent me an amazing second parcel. I will post photos tomorrow, as long as I can remember where I've put the camera.

In the meantime here are some photos of my latest FO which I took before I lost it. (The camera, not the shawl.) It is the Trinity Shawlette which is a P/Hop pattern. Great pattern.
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I wanted something where I could wear the point at the front and wrap the ends around. It's a bit too triangular for that but still work pretty well. Love the yarn too - Araucania that I got at the Ravelry Day in the summer. Or was it spring. Meh.
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This is actually my first lace shawl. I've done a scarf and some lace as parts of other things but never something all lace like this. I loved the blocking. You can see the kids floor mat thing son the table in the back of that photo. Genius whoever first thought of using those. I love the way blocking makes the edges pointy too.
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Pointy!

I went back to the doctor this morning and got some more painkillers. She's advised working from home as much as possible to avoid the stress of the tube. It's not so much the tube itself as the getting to and from the station and getting between platforms. You really appreciate how rubbish disabled access is on the Tube when something like this happens. The Jubillee line is pretty good but the rest are just dire.

Monday 21 September 2009

Yay for Pooch! (and a give away)

Look what he sent me at work today!
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He's in america so this was a complete surprise. What a sweetie.

Since Pooch left there has been mucho knitting and I made a whole ballaclava over the weekend.
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It's not my usual style but my colleague loves it and immediately started doing IRA impressions. He works in membership and thought it could help with collecting subs. It also gave me a chance to use my denise crochet hooks. Very neat for picking up stitches.
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To finish - does anyone want this?
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It is the Buttercup top in DK cotton in poppy red. It's not badly made, though I say so myself, but I have done my usual trick of making it too big. I'd say it is a UK 16 and I'm happy to post it anywhere in the UK for free on the understanding that you pay it forward.