Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Loads of photos)

I've scored big time. Check this out. In fact I am in a deilemma about what order to put these pictures in but here goes.

You see my parcel from my secret pal was picked up this morning. It was huge. Massive. A great big box. First tick box checked!

I have never actually bought Interweave crochet but now NOW I am so taking out a subscription. The designs are really tres lovely as I'll be going on about ad nauseum in a minute. There is also a pack of notelets in lime and pink, a lovelt card with a ladybird on plus the most beautiful pen. Here is a close up of it against my dress. You see? Fated. Let's gloss over the fact I never iron and move on....

Then here is this beautiful notebook with 3 sections all different colours and some rather fab choccies of which about half have made it this far through the day.

And then just when I thought it couldn't get any better, check out what was at the bottom of the box..... (the cereal, not the Pooch - I include him for scale and also because someone said they couldn't imagine him with a shaved head. It's grown a bit now but here he is - and rather more of him than one usually finds on the internet)....

I cheekily asked whether she could find a small pack to send me as they are just SO expensive over here - about £8 a box!!! These are just the best thngs although I'm guessing they're not the healthiest. But boy oh boy.....Guess what I'm having for dinner... Mmmmmmmmmm.

Interweave crochet is jammed with gorgeous designs and this is the one that particularly caught my eye.


There was a knitted versin on the cover of Vogue Knitting about a year ago but it used SO much yarn and you had to start on dpns. This one has all the style but much less substance so I could wear it straight away and also finish it quicker. Just debating with myself which yarn to use. Cotton, obviously, but colours? Mercerised would be best. Hmmmmmm.

This one says it is really quick to do and I could do with a little cover thing for when the mornings or evenings are a little chillier than the midday sun.

This one caught my eye as it combines knitting and crochet although the crochet is pretty advanced so I might leave that til I get a bit better.

And this is a little something for when it gets cooler as I'll want to do it in wool. It says it is inspired by Kaffe Fasset which you can see pretty clearly. I'm even thinking of doing a first and using the actual yarn it talks about as the colours seem perfect to me.

Many of you will have seen Woolly Wormhead's latest creation which I just ADORE. Seriously. I've gone gooey over this one. As soon as I got home I tried a spiral with some scrap yarn (james C brett marble in case anyone wants to know).

That seemed to go pretty well so without further ad or planning I got out the two balls of Japanese Diakeito Diadomena which I got from Philadelphia. I know it's a bit unfair to compare yarns just because they are made in the same country but Noro? Norwhat? Forget it - put it on ebay and let all the suckers knit with it. This is the goods. There are no sudden colour changes and I only had one knot in the first ball.

I have got about twice as many as this now so will start tentatively structuring it later on. This will take some pins and more patience but I do love WW's so it will be worth the effort. It has also broken me out of the yarn doldums I was in. Let me just mention once again that she rocks and you can find some patterns to buy here as well as some freebies!

I have managed this spurt of creativity despite waking up with a splitting headache at 5am. I dozed a bit between then and 7 when Pooch fed me painkillers and orange squash. Sorted me until he added a bacon sandwich to finish the pain off. Have been trying to nap but is about 40 degrees and humid so have given up. Have decided to make meringues later on (thought they'd go nicely with my applejacks!) so it looks as if it might be another weekend of baking.

The move to the flat downstairs is now all confirmed and the holding deposit paid. I even brought some boxes home from work yesterday. The move will probably happen on the 30th....of this month! Slightly short notice but will be good to get settled somewhere a little more permanent. Means my ebay account will geta full workout and the charity shop doorbell will br ringing out if I can't shift things as I am overdue a clearout. I'll keep you informed about any yarny bargains that come along. I know there will be some Calmer and maybe one or two others. I think it's 4 balls of black and 2 of very dark grey - charcoal - so email me if you're interested. £1 a ball including postage maybe? Or make me an offer.

What a difference a day makes

Someone asked me what had happened to Monday on my previous list. I apper to have lost a day but I'm not complaining as it means its one day closer to the weekend.

So for completeness....
Monday: 0.25 hours
Wednesday: 1 hour

Glad we got that sorted. Pooch and I have a lunch date today and then at 5.30 I am viewing the flat downstairs. Apparently there is some football game on at the time but who cares about that. You see the landlady finally gave us notice and it turns out the flat downstairs is free from the end of the month. That really could be the easiest move ever.

Finally returned to NWKnitters last night in Golders Green. Was lovely to see everyone and what they were working on. Jane was working on a shawl in an amazing green yarn and I forgot to ask what it was. It was a pattern from Scarf Style. It made me remember Angelina. I bought the pattern quite a while ago but going back to the site now she has added some gorgeous things so i think it deserves another visit. I'm just not sure if its a tiny bit girly for me though.

I WILL have my camera back this evening to a slightly more interesting post is in the offing. Oh and finally everyone seems to have been to the opening of this new knitting shop in Putney. Stash looks rather fab and Nickerjac is teaching there which has to be a ringing endorsement. It is my official birthday on 4th July so maybe just maybe I'll take a trip out there around then for a few birthday treats!

Lists

Friday: 0.5 hours
Saturday: 5 hours
Sunday: 7 hours
Today: 0 hours

There's a number of things to be explained here....

1. The wedding is off, but the engagement is still on.
   
2. The MBA is deferred for 6-12 months.
3. I've got heat rash on one side of my neck only. (The left - my left - does this signify anything? I know if you have hot ears it means someone is talking about you and I have always assumed if you have one hot ear, the left for example - your own left - that means the person talking about you must be stage left somewhere.)
4. The table above is the number of hours Pooch and I have spent together on each day that is not sleeping or getting-ready-for-work-time. I will be tracking progress and quite possibly using the residual skills from my degree to draw a graph in excel.
   
5. I have rejoined UKHandKnitters.
   

So anyway...

My secret pal tells me there is a parcel in the offing which is tres exciting! I have been really enjoying spoiling mine who has had a minor and major parcel from me and loved both of them. Next is a postcard as in interim - wool related naturally! I'm going to see if I see anything for her from woolfest. I got a few bits with sheep on last time I visited mum.

I was going to represent the list above in photo montage but Pooch has nicked my camera. Sod.

My major problem at the moment is that I am out of knitting inspiration so I am looking to you lot to inspire me. I just can't settle to anything. Maybe it's the heat but nothing appeals. So all suggestions gratefully received. It doesn't have to be knitting necessarily but just something to do in the evenings that I will enjoy and find interesting. Best suggestion will be rewarded with some postcards from my current ebay selection!

One of those "you don't want to know" things

Don't ask me nuffin about nuffin.

Littlelixie is selling her usual slightly weird selection of knitting. spinning and fibre accessories and stationary essentials over at ebay at the moment. FREE POSTAGE for UK buyers if you spend over £5. Am trying to get a button sorted so I can have a cool shop like woolly wormhead.

Fame by Proxy

The Guardian are featuring my 'just say no' icon by proxy. Have a look at this article and click on the last link that takes you to Daisy Chain's blog.

I'm just beyond pissed off with it all now. Don't get me started....

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me, bloggers.

I was looking for the proper version of this quote when I found this website. I seem to have spent a large proportion of today randomly talking about religion. But that's not an interesting part of today. Let's skip that.

Let us examine the reason for my being in a personal hell. Exhibit A.

The World Cup has landed chez byrne. I have been absent for some time as Pooch and I had a small, tiny, barely worth mentioning altercation on Thursday prompted by that very topic that necessitated me departing for mother's on friday evening. Then I got ill with some weird trembling, shaking thing and couldn't stand up on sunday so ended up being there til yesterday evening. Pooch has just informed me the shaking was a Pooch-withdrawal symptom. Yes, you guessed right, the wedding is still on, this week.

I guess I am feeling a bit miserable today because the true extent of Pooch's desertion has become apparent as we went through the timetable of games last night. Hmmmmmm. Let us not dwell on that.

Not much knitting been going on recently. Do you know what, I'm nackered. God what an awful post, sorry peeps. It seemed to start so well too. I might reuse that title another time.

Enough said

Sssshhhhh

It's gone pretty damn quiet out there in knit/blog world. Loads of bloggers aren't updating more than once every 10 days (Ok, I know I do that too) and I typed 'woolfest' into UKHandKnitters archive and there had been no discussion about it in the last month. All very odd.

Speaking of odd. Aha. I think I might have got promoted today. It was all very weird. I got i and sean and I had a bit of a disagreement about how I'd done something and whether it should have been done at all. Then half an hour later he asked me if I had 15 mins for a private chat. I thought I was up for a proper bollocking which was a little galling as I don't think that has happened since John made me manager and I tried to refuse to go on the outlook training. Must be about 3 years ago. Anyway, I gathered pen and paper and walked into the meeting room to find sean glowering in a chair in the corner. I sat down and he said "I've been thinking about your job satisfaction..." and I'm thinking - oh great, it's going to go all sarcastic - when he started going on about how he wanted me to be a kind of number two (in a good way) to him. It seems at M&S where he used to work such people were called PAs and were ranked between senior managers and directors. (In case anyone reading is also confused PAs in the english/normal sense are basically secretaries.) So he came out with all this stuff about how I'd be going to loads of meetings with him and do loads of operational stuff and see the real depravity of top-level office politics and when I spoke people would know I was speaking for him and all this. Plus that it would probably bring me in for a load of flack for being perceived as teacher's pet. Pah, I say to that. Let us not forget I was the first person in the Institute's history (from 1870 something or something) to actually fire someone. Don't talk to me about flack. The staff association holds no terrors for me. Oh no.

So yes. It seems I will probably get some more money but we're in the middle of a job review at the moment so my job was going to get upgraded anyway. There's no need for a title change although I can if I want to. Nothing will be announced. I'll just suddenly be more in people's faces, which I just know they'll love.


In knitting news I've been spinning the multi-red-dyed fleece I got from wingham in Feb. I'm drop spindling and have done all of ooooooooo maybe 15g. I was aiming for DK but on average I'd say it was 4-ply with motions into laceweight and aran. Apprentice spinners will be able to comiserate. I think I have about 50g of it all together so need to think of something to do with it after I'm done. I'm just setting the twist on the first spindle full so I should be able to knit up a sample tomorrow when it's dry. Have almost done the back of the summer top so that should be finished at the weekend.

In MBA news I have started my first assignment and it's bloody hard. Let's not talk about that.

Why am I blogging so late? (for me!) Yes, it's Pooch. It is of course an england warm up game today and he has yet to descend back into my warm, fluffy evening. I mean to say, look at this. Ladies and gents, allow me to introduce you to pooch and his unwholesome work. He's still editing this first post but hey, if you want to waste a month rolling round london with a bunch of friends who think the word 'period' is the funniest thing ever then now you'll know where to find them. Keep meaning to create a world-cup-free-zone button. Maybe tomorrow if I'm not doing something number twoish. Period, heehee.

236th blog entry

Yep, that's right, I couldn't think of anything more interesting to call it. I am demoralised, depressed and defied byt the rain rain RAIN IS IT NEVER GOING TO END??????? Yesterday was our one year pre-anniversary as on 26 May next year Pooch and I shall be marrying each other, at least that's the plan so far... we have been having a rather rocky week or two and had a big heart to heart (or head to head as is more our style) this morning and got some things sorted.

I am sitting here supposed to be studying when all I can see out of the window is RAIN. Here, this is some I made earlier.

Do you know how this makes me feel? Here is a hint.

So anyway. Hmmmm. So yes I suppose I might have been doing some knitting. This is the front of the summer (ha! what summer?) top I started last week. It's pretty simple stuff but I like the way the yarn keeps changing.

I also got these in the post:

Big ol'postcards with lovely fibre type knitting images on them. They were to be sold at Woolfest but I'm not sure now whether I'm actually going, or at least I am going but maybe not as a seller. However my SP will be benefiting from them when her first decent parcel arrives. She got the chocolate I sent her and was very happy so I seem to be doing my duty so far! Later today I'll be skeining up some yarn to make socks for Pooch and Tom. Pooch wants plain red ones but that would be a tad boring to knit up so I think I'll spice it up a bit more than that. Tom likes dark blue but again I think I'll make it a little more interesting than that! I might do Tom's with kool aid what with him being american and all. I'll update you on progress.

STOP BLOODY RAINING!

TomandDoug.com

Recognition at last as the UK fanbase of Professor Doug, joint author of 'gansta knitter'. These are his hands on my chest:


Episode 12 of their podcast (found at www.tomanddoug.com) mentions my adoration! I hadn't heard from Doug for ages - thought he had forgotten me. This episode is hilarious - I can't help laughing now when I hear their voices. What angels...

Photo catch up

I always seem to be catching up on this blog. Anyway..a quick run through life chez byrne in the last week or so. The regia silk socks have been worn and machine washed and are still as lovely and soft and vibrant as they first were.

And the bag crocheted on the flight to philadelphia has been lined and used and come through unscathed. It's actually a nice little thing although you wouldn't want to carry heavy stuff in it. The linen print would cope fine but the lining would detach in seconds.


These are the cute little antibiotics I was on (I wish I could photograph as well as Yarnstorm but nurts this will do)

And last in our catch up we haven't had any Pooch action on here for a while so here he is in the position he assumed for most of the weekend.

Poor little thing it turns out is not actually coping that well with me spending sunday cooped up in the spare room trying to understand what a market economy is. Actually this wasn't the whole reaosn I was in here because, and this is seriously exciting people, I created a database for my stash AND a separate one for patterns. For now I am truly the knitting geek I have always wanted to be. Loooookkk.....

Yes, I am aware that a proper geek would have done a screenshot but I had the camera to hand and...it's fine Ok? I made the questionable decision to ask Pooch for some help creating drop down menus and boy oh boy there's no doubt left in my mind now that this is not, never has been and never will be the 'right' way to do a database. In fact it should be referred to as a 'spreadsheet with a form' and I will regret not doing it the right way when I want to develop it further in times to come. Poor Pooch. I thnk it was nails on a blackboard to him seeing me just bodge together something that suited me and wasn't technical wizardry. But, people, how exciting? But, people, I have too much yarn. And no idea what to do with most of it. But I feel sure something will occur to me. I will now be able to carry this file around with me on my PDA and whenever I feel tempted to buy can see what else I have already that is similar or what pattern would be suitable for what I want to uy and therefore buy the right amount. Will this actually change my buying habits? Hell, no, I shouldn't think so. But guys, all my stash is listed on a little screen and its going to hae pictures and just how cute is that?

One of the things I have to report diminishing quantities of is this gelato stuff I got in Chestnut Hill.

I am makinga summer top from the summer tweed pattern book. It's going pretty quickly and despite an initial doubt I am liking the way it knits up. Should be nice and cool if the weather ever gets any warmer round here or it stops raining for 2 minutes.

So it looks like my new friend from Philadelphia is going to be back in London around my birthday at the beginning of July. This took some conniving but was good fun as MateTom and BusinessTom and I were exchanging emails to different accounts depending on which one was emailing who and so it was the kind of stupid thing that makes me laugh. The client strongly requested Tom be the one to come over and do the training after 'developing such a good rapport with our staff' during the last session. Can you believe there is a world cup game on my birthday so I am told by Pooch any celebrations are going to have to fit in around that. That is why I am pleased Tom will be here so I can go out and do something without being tied to a discussion of referee eyesight tests. Plus Tom is american so is bound to understand the whole independance day thing that I seem to have become so strangely obsessed by. There must be american pubs in london. I mean, there's a canadian one (hwek {spitting noise, in case this was somehow not clear}) so there must be american ones. I will find one, no fear.

Actually I feel quite bad about something I emailed Tom the other day. You know when you meet someone and you get on with them well but you don't really know them that well? I forgot we hadn't been mates for years and started on my little bandwagon about how too much stuff that I perceive as boring is bad for you and paranoicly, leads to madness. I really need to get over projecting my life onto other people. Talk about big headed apart from anything else. I sent an apology today so will see what he thinks after the weekend.

Lastly, Pooch was looking at flats today and noticed the one inside the wharf we look out over is for rent in two months time for the same money as ours. We are on 2 months notice and like the area so that would work out pretty darn nicely really. It's also being rented by the company who are selling this place and so we might be able to do some nice little deal. They are complete bastards but then I have only ever met one estate agent who wasn't so at least there's no doubt up front that they will screw us over if they get the chance.

Early night for me tonight as I'm back to feeling tired all the time again. Sean has another project for me to do with negotiating a peaceful resolution to a mexican stand off when I get in on Monday so need to be nice and bright. Sleep well everyone xx

Ooo oo before I forget has everyone been to Woolly Wormhead's shop? I bought two of her patterns the other day and bought one of her hats (the hex hat - so so cool) on the Haworth trip. Mucho recommendations.

Buggery bollocks

You know how cooking is not exactly one of my strong points? Well I had it all sorted tonight with some mushroom risotto and some chiritzo to give it a bit of texture. Bit it tastes like poo!!!! God damn. And I can't find my camera cable so there's no pics of anything from recently. Man, I'm going to kick that camera cable's arse when I find it.

Ooooo, OK the penny just dropped. I've got PMT.

Just to skip topic I'm watching a programme about aligator attacks. Ewww. Maybe I won't go to Miami. This Janey woman - I don't think she's going to have a happy ending.

Back to a different topic, I bought the e-knit cards from Nancy's knitknacks more than a year ago. That's right, a year ago. I could never get them to work on my PDA which is what it is designed for. So then, and this is so so dumb, I relaised last weekend I don't have a pocket version of access or any database software. So, yes, Byrne, that might explain why this wasn't working. Reloaded it all today and we have contact.

Ooooo, sorry gents but I'm going to go off on a girl thing here - do any of you ladies get PMT like surfing? I don't surf so I don't really know but it's like I'm riding a wave that is moving really fast and I am very precariously balanced on my board. And every now and again a big wave will go woosh and I'm engulfed and then I come out again the other side and maybe it's calm again. Any actual surfers out there are probably wondering what the hell I'm talking about. It just keeps arriving in bursts.

Grrrrrr, definitely for the best that Pooch is out somewhere and I have the place to myself. Or if he'd been here I wouldn't have a bowl of congealing wallpaper paste substitute at my elbow. OK he's in trouble. OH MY GOD there's no chocolate in the house. OK people, you know what needs to be done. I'm for the Dooleys and whatever god damned sugary foodstuff i can dredge up. I'm really sorry to all the women out there who are cursing me for adding to the stereotype but BUT.

I have to go. Need liquor. If anyone reading this is male, I hate you. But only if you're reading it right now. Maybe.

Sunday update

This is one of the images I've been mucking about with while creating products to sell at Woolfest. I must catch up with Nickerjac to see what her plans are about going up there. From the sounds of it she has been as busy if not busier than Crazy Aunt Purl with lots of going back and forth.

Today I have been mainly eating battenburg cake in honour of Yarnstorm. In the post I've linked to you not only get her recipe for the cake but also get to see the wicked tea cosy she has knitted that matches it so perfectly. That woman is such a dude. If you have time look at the tulip post from a few days earlier - they are my favourite flower and she is such a good photographer it's a real pleasure to read.

I have also been slogging away through stakeholders onto marketing. I have almost finished session 2 so I *think* I am up to date according to the study calendar. Which is good as Pooch and I are off to the comedy club tonight for someone's birthday. And before then I want to line the bag Pooch gave me the kit for and that I made on the plane out to the US. It is a crochet mesh like a string bag in rowan linen print and is actually very nice although I never would have bought the kit for myself. I have chosen tonight for its debut. Hopefully I will actually locate the camera soon and be able to take a pic of that and the socks.

My secret pal has been in touch and sounds very lovely! She has asked me lots of extra questions including foot measurements so I'm hoping my heavy hints might pay off and I might get some hand knit socks. I know I've knitted myself tonnes but I have this idea that socks from someone else will be even more comfy than the ones I've done.

Time and timing

As worried about, my studies are already impinging on my knitting time. Finsihed the regia silk socks on two needles with the ribbed for her pleasure leggy bits but haven't had a chance to photograph them yet. Will try to update properly tomorrow.

Before I go, am getting very excited about SP8 and have added a button to the lefthandside. SP8, rah rah rah!

And lo! 12 hours appeared as if from nowhere

Mr Rancid Pooch the first has just phoned me to say he is irretrevably drunk and I must stand by to accept the wounded and dying. Hmmmmmm, spare room for him me thinks. (His doghouse, fnah fnah)

Is actually not that bad having a bit of extra time to myself to reflect as I just had my first MBA tutorial this evening. Where on earth did I think 12 hours study time a week was going to come from? Wow. That's a lot of time. So now I need a plan and am thinking it will involve starting work at 8 and knocking off at 4 and then sitting there with literally a different hat on for 2 hours after that crunching OU stuff. But then that has its drawbacks because people will still bug me about stuff, even with a stupid hat on. Perhaps, no, I already know that wouldn't work so am not going to bother typing it. Basically it's all going to mean far less knitting. Had my update with sean this morning and am not moving dept - in a move previously unknown at the IOP there has been an internal reorganisation and I have not changed boss, floor or building. Extraordinary. Actually since coming back from Philadelphia I've felt a new comfort in what I'm doing with all the strategy stuff. Therapist Louise told me ages ago that a healthy head doesn't seek external validation but then she's never had to devise a scorecard when your chief exec is a useless windchime and the senior management all hate each other. People are coming to me with all these questions about how things can be done to achieve this that and the other and it's reminded me that, admittedly, I'm the only one that knows enough about it to advise (I'm now correcting Sean when he comes out of stuff - yep, you just know he loves that!) but that it is all actually rather complicated and difficult for tiny british minds to grasp. (I put that last bit in in case Tom is reading and is thinking how easy it is for broad american minds to grasp.)

I had better break off here and batten down the hatches for Pooch's arrival which will no doubt be stormy. He told me he was celebrating because he had 'saved sony' today at work. I feel certain I will be hearing all about it the moment I hear his key scratching at the door and go to relieve him of the burden of getting it in the keyhole.

SP8 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
Recently I've been going heavy on machine washable wool but cotton is good too. Sock yarn is frequently found in my stash. Basically anything that feels soft - absolutely no scratchy acrylic but soft acrylic is good. Chunky would be good too - have bought way too much 4-ply recently.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a needle roll I made myself which I love - I also use jam jars. I tend to have one in each room in case I get an urge to pick up a pair and start something. I also just bought a crochet roll last week which is felted pink and orange wool.
3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I'm pretty advanced - I've done cable, intarsia, fairisle. I've tried and loathed entrelac. However, I am definitely not a perfectionist so will tend to have a go at anything new and just live with it if I have to bodge the first few rows.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No, sorry.
5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Vanilla - I am ALLERGIC to lavender so please be careful as I won't be able to go near anything that contains this.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Do I ever. I lurve chocolate. Favourite is probably dairy milk. I don't like Herscheys as it's too sweet.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I do spin but not very often. I am supposed to be getting a wheel but am just drop spindling at the mo. Developments in this have stalled as I have just started an MBA so all my spare time has vanished.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I have an mp3 player. I love listening to classic detective audio books. I'll try most music but do not like wailing women like Maria Carey or teenybop bands.
9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
I like red best but have totally overdosed on it recently. I am getting quite into knitted flowers so any colour that could be made into a flower would be good - plus green for the leaves!
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am engaged to the sweet Pooch and we'll marry in May 2007. No pets but I love cats (Pooch is allergic, despite his name).
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
All except ponchos. The madder the better really.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
What I knit most frequently is socks. But this is more a convinience thing really. Actually I do really like hand knitted socks too and my family and friends have discovered how great they are too so I keep on churning them out. I also like small things like bags or jewellery that give a quick reward or larger things in chunky yarn.
13. What are you knitting right now?
Socks. Actually, I have two pairs on the needles. Plus a cabled aran jumper. Plus a garter st jumper. Plus a baby jumper. Plus I'm about to start a scarf for a friend.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yep!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I used to hate circs, now I'm converted. I have a set of denises. I also love crystal palace bamboo as they are just so damn smooth. I prefer shorter needles - about 20cm. I HATE double points. I hate them, they hate me, it's a mutual thing.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Both.
17. How did you learn to knit?
My mother and a kit combined.
18. How old is your oldest UFO?
It's the cabled aran. It's not so bad though - only about a year and I get it out and do a few rows every couple of months.
19. What is your favorite holiday?
I just came back from an awesome time in Piladelphia. But it's the people that make a good holiday. My favourite scenic wise was Morocco - Marrakesh in particular. The culture and scenary there was amazing.
20. Is there anything that you collect?
Buttons - I love them! I get them to use though, not to keep. I have quite a collection of hairclips and tend to fling on a couple whenever I feel like a quick pick-me-up.
21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I don't like simply knitting or knitting magazine. I have a subscription to Vogue and usually buy InterweaveKnits. I haven't tried Interweave Crochet - not even sure if Vogue has a version like that but would be interested to see a copy.
22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Tunisian crochet? I think that's it - the one where you keep the loops on the hook. I did want to try lace making but am doubtful I really have time for it. During SP6 I got into dyeing and have been doing some of that on and off since then.
23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Am a size 7 UK size and yes, I sure do make them. No one has ever knitted me some socks (hint hint).
24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
4th July - no, seriously! I'll be 28 this year.

I'm back (Long post warning)

It's a bit weird to be back to be honest. Yesterday I spent most of the day looking at this kind of thing.

Then the plane landed and I was in the midst of this.

On the way back I did cheer up a bit though because everything is so green and lucious and that wouldn't have happened without a fair dollop of the wet stuff.

Let me get the good stuff down though before I drop off to sleep. One thing I noticed about US yarn shops is that they are not that obvious. This is the one I went to as soon as I arrived and which remains my favourite.

This was the most obvious. Another....

....didn't even have a sign. It did have quite a good yarn wreath on the door though which is an idea should I ever come over all twee.

However, a lack of presence doesn't mean I didn't manage to get sorted (sorry for those double negatives). Possibly my favourite acquisition are the crochet hooks I went out there wanting to get.

Then there is some lovely cotton with a multi colour acrylic twist. I *really* like this bu have no idea what to do with it.

First lovely haul plus...

...the books I got at the same time.

Nicky Epstein's Knitted Flowers is all I hoped it would be. This knitted bouquet thing could really have legs - even knitted table centres as well maybe?

Another day another yarn store. This was from Loop.

And then this is my arrival from elann.com

I spent a lot of yesterday in Amish country part of which was a quilt museum - oh yes, nice.

The quilts were divine. There were mostly traditional and historic patterns but there was also a display of new handkerchief quilts. I really rather like this idea - would mean you could highlight the pattern on, say, a kaffe pattern even more by quilting it as the centre panel on something.

I had a GREAT time. One of the reasons for this is Tom, who I may have mentioned in a previous post. He is the guy who came over the install the software and train me on it 2 weeks ago. We really clicked and it was pretty clear from when he first got to the IOP that we would get on really well. As well as generally being there to answer my dumb anglo/american confused type questions during the conference he offered to take me to Amish Country because I'd mentioned I wanted to go to the quilt place. He'd mentioned that he had two motorbikes and I keenly accepted a lift although was a bit wary of going too fast. But then...it turned out I am a complete speed junky and kept telling him to go faster. I so have to learn to ride and get me one of those things. Sat went so well we met up again for yesterday for the museums (philadelphia art museum and the rodin museum - easily the amost equal of the one in Paris.) When it came to time to say goodbye I was genuinely sad and managed to shed about 3.5 tears in the taxi (a major feat as you other pill poppers out there will know). Here are the two of us flaked out on the grass in front of the museum (incidentally, if you get a chance to go check out the asian art wing. They have rebuilt whole buildings in there and the decoration and exhibits are jaw dropping).


I've offered him our spare room any time he comes to london because it is his favourite city but neither of us know when we might meet up again. Boo :( Plus there is the small problem of explaining this to Pooch who is bound to think there was more than friendship in it. In fact being honest had the Pooch not been the one and only Pooch for me then I probably would have jumped him. But having made my commitment I now find attractions to others (because it's not like everything shuts down just because you've found 'the one') quite amusing and a way of having a laugh with myself. Is this a terrible thing to say? Pooch has quite a little portfolio of 'real' (i.e. accessible) women he would twirl his moustaches at were I to allow such a thing, including my best friend! I've had to start trying to find Joe attractive in retaliation. And that's a real effort.....

Pooch has been sublime while I have been away - the flat is very clean and he has left me tulips and lots of post it notes in unexpected places telling me how lovely I am and that he loves me. He's coming home early tonight and I can't wait to see him - he really is unique and I love him completely. Hoorah!

Dear God, please, not more wool

Are these words you ever thought you'd hear me utter? You see I really feel I might actually have overdone it on this trip (don't ever quote me on this though Pooch, my sweet). I made a trip to some place...maybe called Chestnut Hill.... to visit a couple of yarn stores that were within 10 mins walk of each other on the same road. They both had admirable ranges of yarn from all over the place at prices you'd expect plus a good selection of needles and things (one shop also had a white cat with one eye - at least it only opened one eye during our stroking session so I might be making a hasty assumption here). And I could barely bring myself to buy anything in either. In fact I just shopped in one and then had a TWO HOUR bus ride to get back to Philadelphia because a bus broke down or something. I took the bus instead of the train thinking it would be, as my american uncle once said to me 'a fascinating view of small-town-america' and yeah, you know, it was. And was. And was and was and was for TWO HOURS!!!

However, one reason for the fatigue is that my elann order showed up so I now possess more cotton than any woman should plus some peruvian alpaca silk in 'parchment'. In fact I was looking over my haul from this trip and considering there are still two days left it is impressive to say the least. But I do think Pooch may be unhappy up to some point, although his having missed me will counteract some of that.

The Pooch has been sending me very sweet emails since i departed London and has suggested we stop shillyshallying (another phrase, along with higgledypiggledy, guaranteed to get any american laughing during a business discusion) about and get married asap. Told him to remain calm as having tried on the dress to end all dresses I am damn well not missing out on my opp to wear the wretched thing.

I feel I am rambling slightly because you see I am EXHAUSTED. I did a small amount of carousing last night ( 1 smirnoff ice) and got back here at 10.30 (that's 3.30am in the UK) having had the conference dinner under the dinosaurs and been promised live snakes to stroke that turned out to be a parrot that jigged up and down if you sang it 'happy birthday' and some sort of lizard that looked like it has been sat on. Then at 2am here the desk jockey rang me. I picked up the phone having hit the alarm clock a couple of times before realising it wasn't that making the noise only to have him apologise in my ear and then spill forth the memorable sentance.... "But I didn't wake you right?" Didn't wake me? My good man, you may be riding sidesaddle on the front desk at 2am but I am safely tucked in and catching sleep I possibly should or shouldn't be having because I'm all confused with the time difference. Considering I had another hard morning conferencing today I am pretty sure I should have had an uninterrupted 8 hours. Anyway... I sat through the first session and realised I hadn't taken in a word because I was wholly absorbed in not falling asleep in a comic lurching forward and hitting pencil with head that then cartwheels off and smacks the speaker in the ear type way. The onyl way, and I mean I really considered all options because I know this is not the most professional thing to do, was to get out el sockies and start knitting away. It was only st st so I never took my eyes off either speaker or the screen except to take notes. And sure enough I found it much much easier to concentrate but I feel I may have reinforced the english's reputation for downright weirdness.

I feel I've lost the thread again and am writing far too much considering I can't upload pictures. Let me at least give you a googled taster of what tomorrow promises. First a little....

Then some....
Before very likely finishing with a...

(I was going to put a picture of a cheesesteak here but they are so gross to look at this would really not be a good thing)

Had been in Philadelphia less than three hours when....

I spent $200 in rosie's yarn cellar. F*ck. No one is to tell the Pooch. You see I had to go there because I have to stay away until at least 8pm (I'm 5 hours behind here). And what else are you supposed to do when you can hear the yarn calling you from your hotel room? Off there now to think about the consequences of my actions....

Missing the Pooch but the people here are *so* friendly so all in all everything is good.

Philadelphia here I come...

Pooch and I went out to spend a few hours romantically sharing...the trocadero at piccadilly circus. For non-initiates this lovers-lane-of-london is full of teens playing that game where you have to jump on the dancepad in a specified way that culminates in you having the visual equivalent of an epileptic fit to music. There are also loads of slot machines and racing games etc etc. Pooch truly lost himself in the star wars game - I have never seen him so intent - while I excelled at the bash'em game where you have to hit rodents with a mallet as they pop-up. Pooch professed himself to be slightly concerned about my level of concentration as I played two rounds of this game. It's true - I feel at home with a mallet in my hand.

We also had dim sum (Mmmmmmmmmmmm) and as a result of my winning the obviously-chelsea-are-going-to-win-the-cup £5 bet I got some chinese sweets in one of the little supermarkets in chinatown.

Aren't they lovely? The shop itself was a visual wonderland that I feel Yarnstorm, Nickerjac and others would have adored. There is the downside that you basically have no idea what you're getting unless you recognise the pictures but what the hell, it adds an element of danger to life!

Speaking of danger does anyone else actually quite like it when your plane hits turbulence? I always end up thinking to myself that it's a reminder that I'm alive and that life is a finite thing. There you are right up there in the sky and nature is chucking you about a bit and having a laugh. But then I've never had it really bad - like when you just suddenly drop. Because planes are occupying my mind a great deal at the moment because I have a 9.5 hour (plus waiting times at heathrow) flight to do tomorrow. My MBA has begun so I have to do some of that but otherwise there is knitting and reading and hopefully snoozing. But then I need to work out whether snoozing is actually a good thig or whether I should stay awake. Considering the average weekend sees me taking a respectable number of naps I don't expect to do the whole thing awake but then I may end up with the tweenie from hell sitting next to me so who knows.

My shopping list for Philly includes
> susan bates crochet hooks
> red heart/lion brand type cheap and fun stuff for the floor cushion
> cotton based sock yarn
> lots of things for others, including baby lotion and eye drops. Weird? Yes.
But most of all I am looking forward to having a proper pretzel. Can you believe the ones in pret are actually.....b.a.k.e.d? It's a travesty. I have an offer from Tom, my trusty consultant, to show me around and I think contrary to my norm I will take him up on one of the days at the weekend. Normally i would keep very much to myself and then end up hiding away in my room in the evenings. But this time I have a cocktail party on the wed, dinner with the dinosaurs in their natural history museum on the thursday and so why not keep busy with other stuff the rest of the time?

Speaking of sock yarn (some time ago admittedly) I went pretty OTT on the knitting yesterday - largely because Pooch and I sat down to The Godfather so I had three hours to occupy my hands. This is the second of the curious yarn hanks Pooch bought me a few months back. It is one of the two skein ones that they seem to have stopped doing and this may be a good thing as they gave me this sea green to go with it and after a few rows I had to stop. Yuk. However, now I've ditched the small skein and am happy once more. I'm using 2.75mm but think I could have done 3.25 quite easily as it's knitting up pretty tight.

Don't ask em why I'm knitting it up so tight. I just am.

In other news did you see Crazy Aunt Purl met a guy and then he totally did the dirty and stopped calling? What an arse. CAP is the coolest dude and I now hate this man for being mean. At least she's getting the creeps out of the way early though so she must be getting to the point where there are only nice boys left (but not tooooo nice ;) )

My final act is to draw your attention to the weather forecast for Philly - bright sun and 22-26 degrees. Yeah baby. I'll be away for a week so see you on the other side xx

Finally, some knitting

It's been a long slog but I finally finished the petal shawl from elann.com. Here it is unblocked.

Now here is where we get to a funny story. I finished it and so I decided to block it. Ok so far? So, I pinned it out on our spare bed because it is too big for the table. So anyway, it covers most of the bed. Then I sit back and take it easy - watch babylon 5, drink water, paint my nails etc etc. Pooch phones and he's pretty drunk and incoherent but says he'll be home soon. Hah! I go to bed and then at about 1.15am arrives....the Pooch. Oh yes. And here we go....

P: BYRNE, Byrne, Byrne, Poor Pooch, Byrne.
A: Good grief. Come to bed.
P: Oooo noooooooo (nooooo, noooo, nooooo in voice of emperor paletine in star wars)
(Cue various stumblings etc)
A What are you up to?
P: Oh dear Byrne. I think.... poor Pooch. Think I shoud sleep in the other room.
A: No Pooch, you have to sleep in here because of the shawl I'm blocking.
P: Byyyyrrrrrnnnnnnneeeee.
Now this is where I should have got my camera out and recorded the performance because it was prime Pooch. He lay there on his back with his paws in the air making a mixture between groaning and wailing noises - the kind of sound casper would have made had he grown up into a ghosty adult and had a hard night on the diamond white. He was adament that he couldn't sleep in the same bed as me. By this time I am out of bed and stumbling around trying to get him to undress. Anyone ever tried to undress a drunken adult male who keeps slipping in and out of consciousness and who has done his belt up in such a secure manner that not even julian clary could get in there? I had to NEGOTIATE with this drunken nutter just so he could go to bed without his jeans on.

He's still determined to sleep in the spare room so I lay a single duvet over my precious (and damp) shawl and tell him to lie on top of that. I tunr my back for 2 seconds and a drunken pooch is now semi naked and lying right on top of my damp shawl with the single duvet over him. I got to admit I started laughing. Getting him off the shawl was complicated by the fact it was pinned out and he was (thank god really) wearing his underpants. Cue humourous scenes of Pooch with snagged pants. And me laughing some more.

Strangely the shawl survived the night and the morning found it in an awful lot better shape than the Pooch. Here it is wrapped round me in snuggly wonder.

It took a whopping 11 balls of rowan cashsoft aran so was an expensive project but it is pretty lovely and should keep me warm on the plane to....AMERICA. Oh yeah, I leave on tuesday morning. So I know what you're thinking, "What knitting is she going to take with her?".

Well.

Do you remember this bad boy?

It was going to be Rob's xmas present but this is the back so far so it's not exactly going quickly or to schedule. Anyway, this is what I'll be taking with me. Plus maybe some socks. Just for variety.

Yes, I have been doing much research into philadelphian wool shops and frankly it's good news. I am very excited! Plus I ordered a load of stuff from elann and am getting it delivered to the hotel so no crazy postage or customs charges - hoorah!

So just a couple more bits to catch up on before Dr Who kicks off.
1. Respect my t-shirt.... remember gangster knitting by tom and doug? Well this is the photo from it.

2. Respect my bed covers. I just can't get enough polka dots.


Ok, got to go as now Dr Who has actually begun. Will post again before I depart!

Man Utd and cushions

Let's try this as I've seen it on a couple of blogs recently. This is manchester united not doing anything much.


Yeah, so my one time appearance at a football match was on the occasion of possibly their most boring match of the season where they appear to have thrown away any chance of winning the title. Anyway, all done now.

Apart from that we had a lovely weekend and spent saturday exploring hebden bridge. Which is where I came across Attica.

I've seen their ads in magazines plenty of times but hadn't remembered where they actually were so was a really nice surprise. Was a good shop with lots of the usual debbie bliss, rowan and noro. Plus some british breeds stuff so I am afraid I did splurge on a pack of blue faced leicester dk which is lovely and soft. Am thinking maybe tubey? Although might be too hot. I'll see. Means I must reset my counter!

Pooch's mum gave me an easter egg half filled with white and dark bunnies and eggs which was very much appreciated! When I unwrapped the egg (the contents disappeared on the train back) it had this lovely pattern on which reminded me of some of the embroidery in my previous post.

I've been feeling unhappy about all the 4-ply I've been knitting recently so went for something chunkier when I got back. Got out 5 of the colours I had been doing the kaffe v-neck in and knitted the back of the cushion quickly. Was very satisfying seeing it grow so quickly so really must leave socks behind for a bit or will bore myself silly.

Here are the two bits together. I sewed up 3 edges and put a zip in the 4th and here we have the lovely cushion with the tape measure cunningly draped to hide the muck up in the middle where my three needle bind off missed a few stitches.

Today the Pooch and I are off to art4fun in west hampstead after careful negotiations. Pooch seems determined to paint a mug and I suspect it will be yellow as this is what he is mainly wearing today. I want a nice jug for cooling summer drinks and whatnot. We will see what turns up!

Pooch is/isn't ill (delete as appropriate)

Pooch rang me at lunchtime yesterday to tell me he was seriously ill and to stand by. He went off to the doc (private, female) and told her his list of woes and she told him he was coming down with pukka full-blown flu and should go to bed immediately and stay there for the duration. (She also asked him if he was depressed as he 'looked it'. A: He's from Manchester so this is his default face. B: Depressed people don't have to look depressed.)
So home he comes laden with paracetamol, juice and grapes plus some random medication the female gave him and hops into bed feeling all the symptoms he told the doc he had coming on. Evening falls. Pooch eats a hearty dinner of sausage and mash and goes to bed all happy. Moning breaks. Pooch sleeps in and waked up quite fine. Flu? I think not.

Now let me list the ways in which this has affected my life....

1. This is MY freaking holiday. It is not supposed to have a mangey Pooch sitting in the middle of it.
   
2. I was worried I might be contagious so didn't go to my knitting group making it THREE weeks in a row I haven't gone now.
3. I was unable to really ....play.... with all my wool because Pooch gets antsy about mess.
   
4. So I had to go out unexpectedly.
   

Anyway. I went out before he had felt able to declare himself a germfree zone and mooched about and didn't have fun and then came back to find him perfectly fine. (He maintains he is very achey....pah.)

On the plus side, I got a baby crochet pattern book out of it when he went merrily off to the supermarket to buy rancid fishcakes which he has just forcefed me. And the accompanyment? Lettuce..... with vinegar. Mmmm mm. Pooch is saying this is all lies but we know who tells the truth round here right?

Anyway, perhaps I do have just a tad of PMT but he is still a complete poo.

In other news, Flossie asked if I knew of any contemporary cross stitch kits. Let me draw your attention to this site. I found these when I went to that show at Olympia a few weeks back. But basically Black Sheep is a safe bet for having something to satisfy all tastes at a decent price - just bear with the site as it is a bit clumsy to surf but there are hundreds if not thousands to choose from and all well categorised.

In other other news, I have started the ewa sockwolle that Helen so lovelyly gave me. It knits up very nicely - I was worried it would be hard to knit because it is made up of a selection of thin strands but in fact its been fine except one strand seems to keep getting slack so I'm guessing that one's made of something different. But it's not a problem and I'm loving them. In fact, and if this doesn't prove I'm mad then nothing will, I am making these for Pooch. Not that he deserves them at all. Pooface. The camera is awol again or I would show you their loveliness.

Now for fear of boring you I must explain by pre-absence for the next few days with the news that I, Byrne, am to attend a Man Utd game in Manchester tomorrow. I agreed to this before Pooch revealed his true depravity of the past few days but I wish to assure you I will be knitting while their ugly players storm the field. Amen.