A tender moment between husband and wife

Today saw a trip to Taste of London in Regents Park. It was disappointing -the stalls and people behind them were good but it was disorganised and too crowded. The organisers were hostile and despite an entry fee of £35 a head we got thrown out at 4pm so the next load of punters could be jammed in. The food I had was great but the crowds put me off going to quite a few stands. We spent quite a lot of time drinking cocktails at some vodka tent. I won't go again. This was one highlight though...

Don't they look amazing? We bought a pouch of them and Pooch is going to make risotto. I love mushroom risotto. As well as mushrooms the dream team was also present, a la Meado and Denning.

Ladies, they're available and 50% of them are actively looking for love. The other is kind of passively open to opportunities as long as I don't set them up. He hasn't done too well at the end of my cupidesque activites in the past.

Getting out of SE london was a bit epic today as the jubilee line was down. Getting back thought was worthy of a 3-page saga with supporting chorus. Had to wait 45 mins to get on the third boat that arrived because of the crowds. Only thing that kept me from garotting someone with my circular was having gone to the Liberty sale beforehand. Rowan Silk Cotton £25 for a full pack.

Am trying not to instantly cast on this since I just spotted it on Ravelry. Think it will be perfect. Also a full pack of Rowan Summer Tweed also £25.

They also had tonnes of kid silk crack for half price too. Never really liked it though myself so left it alone. Lots of other cotton though and a fair few other bits as well as masses of japanese tourists taking photos. Definitely worth a visit if you are nearby.

Today made me wonder, how many photos are we each in the background of that we don't know about? Or even in the foreground. Look at this guy for instance.

I was a bit squiffy by this point and so taking quite a lot of photos but there he was sitting in the middle of a space on a bar stool looking pretty suave and so on yet undoubtedly alone. The stool was in no man's land between the proper tables and the bar. Definitely not at the bar. Just standing there all by itself. Intrigued me. I once had my photo taken in Camden for a japanese fashion magazine (streetwear type thing they have nowadays in one of those free london evening papers - the yellow one, not the purple one.) I was with my sister Sian and I like to think she was impressed at my stylishness but I think maybe she saw it as further evidence of how fricking weird I looked. I never saw the magazine (in retrospect, was it a fashion mag or did I have my skirt tucked into my pants or did I look hairy or something more specialist?) just as I'm guessing that guy isn't into knitting blogs so will never see himself in public view. Er yeah, no conclusion to come to on that one.

Answers to questions in recent comments:
1. Yes, they are real.

2. Where is the baby cardi pattern from in the last post? It is from "Impact Moda Issue 7" available from McA Direct or their shop in Edinburgh. It is something insane like £7 (for one book!) but does have some lovely basic pattern in it for babies and toddlers. Are at least 3 other things I want to make and am teaching a beginner class (at work!) next week so will be perfect for that. Pattern is on Ravelry here.

3. Tawashi patterns. The octopus isn't by me - I got it in a swap but there is a list of Tawasi pattern on Ravelry in the Tawashi Town group forum. It may be one of those? The ones I made are the furry mitt (my own pattern) and the flower.

4. Whether or not it is summer in the UK at the moment is the start of a discussion likely not to end til the rain stops. And that could be some time. Actually it hasn't been that bad but apart from some lovely sunshine at the beginning of May we haven't been doing so well so far. Today being the first day of summer of course means that it is all downhill from here so expect a return to thermals any minute.

Librivox, Swap-Bot, ... and some other stuff (picture heavy)

I have finally got on with my part in a collaborative project on Librivox. It is a knitting book from 1800 and something called Exercises in Knitting by Cornelia Mee. Project Gutenberg freetext version is here for anyone to look at but it is written in old-school words and certainly isn't easy to decipher for modern knitters. Plus no pictures. So the Librivox group is updating the patterns and swatching and then recording. Deadline is 1st Oct and I am really excited about it! I've taken number 30, swiss pattern for edging mittens. Initial swatch without matched decreases...

Second, and my favourite, pairing k2tog and psso.

Lastly I tried pairing k2tog with k2 tog through back of loop.

I'm going to record on sunday. Woo ha!

Other things making me happy are the packages I've had from swap-bot. The all things red swap...

The socks are awesome - have worn them already.
Pants swap (well, we all need them right?) (mostly)

Newbie swap

I also took part in a swap on Ravelry for Tawashi. This is what my partner sent me.

So cool!!! Check out this little buddy...now lurking on the side of the bath looking menacing but cute at the same time.

I have been doing some proper knitting too though. I had a bit of an anticlimax when I finished the main knitting on Mermaid. I'm still not sure about it. I haven't sewn in ends or sorted the bottom edge or the fastening yet. I've bundled it up to think about for a while. This is it on me.

and then Pooch took a fancy to it.

Bit gappy at the back though.

I've also been to Edinburgh this week and so used the most useful google map in the world to see where I should go. Jenners is basically John Lewis when it comes to knitting. But McAree Brothers (also online as McA Direct) is another kettle of fish. That place is basically what every knitting shop should be. 3 charming staff, one male (shock), helped me out. Great selection. Good prices. Lots of specials. Lots of notions. Lots of buttons! i.e.

They also had a good selection of models knitted up and there was one I just fell in love with. It doesn't happen often to me but I immediately bought the pattern book and even the recommended yarn. Here it is.

I have cast on but not having swatched I think I need to go up a needle size so am going to frog and start again.

So yeah, phew, hadn't realised how much I'd done since I last blogged. Almost forgot - I also went to the stitch n bitch world knit in public event. Here we are in Soho Square.

It was good but as I joined later in the day it seemed a bit of an anticlimax. Didn't know anyone there but soon got chatting - you know how an enquiry about a sock pattern can bring people together!

Flower power, and the football begins

Quite striking, isn't it...

Only took about an hour. Free pattern. Is my second tawashi for the ravelry tawashi swap. It's quite a lot bigger than I though it would be. Might be worth trying one in 4-ply for more of a delicate facecloth type thing.

Also the bag came out of the machine and is looking pretty good.

I'm going to add some inside pockets as I am permanently losing things like keys and travelcard inside even the smallest of bags. It's a kind of mary poppins effect.

The first of the euro 2008 games kicked off yesterday - just in case anyone hadn't noticed. I did my bit by attending the portugal game in the portugese district of london. Before yesterday I didn't know london had a portugese district but judging from the mass celebration resulting from just winning the first game I can assure you it does. Pooch and his mates have set up a blog again (they did all this for the world cup) and here it is. You can see the photos of all the celebrations which were pretty impressive. In case you want to visit the portugese district is between vauxhall and stockwall down south lambeth road. The cafe we were in was great and somehow for about 10 people being there for 4 hours drinking beer, sangria and eating it came to £100. We gave them a lot more as we were sure they must have miscalculated but even so compare that with just one hour in a central bar and it's definitely a good deal.

So that's it for me football-wise but it does leave me with quite a bit of free time as Pooch has committed to watching all the game again (same as during the world cup). I am slowly planning a cross-stitch representing my current point in life and had thought about challenging myself to do it while the football is on. I dislike watching cycling about as much as football so the tour de france KAL is out too hence my looking for my own challenge. But I think I'll enjoy it more if I don't stress about it so I'll just carry on getting the pattern sorted and then see how far I get before it all finally finishes in a few weeks time.

Finished objects and nearly finished objects

First up the crosswalkers are finally finished.

I do love these but my god they took a long time. I found them amazingly boring to make. Very simple pattern though so good for a beginner looking for something a little different to the usual.

Next up we have the shrug I decided I couldn't live without. One sleeve is done and pinned in place now. One more and sewing up to go. Modified the pattern a bit since way edging was done sounded bit like hard work. Is a Debbie Bliss pattern but came free from Prima. And on ravelry.

In the washing machine is my third felted bag. I made the pattern up as I went along but my idea was to make it look vaguely wave like with a chevron stitch. Don't think it has quite worked as intended but I like the effect. Is a blue and green variegated roving from Wingham. This is it unfelted.

I love looking at the stitches close up to see how the colours come together and change as the pattern moves round.

Lastly I've started another sock - look how far its come in a few days compared to those crosswalkers!

It's loosely based on the spiral method Heather was blogging about a while back. When I saw there was a KAL for spiral socks on the yarn yard group on ravelry I thought it must be fate and jumped to it. I've used some silkwood sock yarn that was a very bright pink and some lovely purple that I made my jaywalker socks out of. I really love how it is looking so far.

Now I've blogged I have to go onto the Royal mail site and make yet another complaint. It is just one thing after another with them nowadays. I put in an official complaint 2 weeks ago after 3 parcels were lost between the postman leaving the card here and the delivery office. Now I've gone down there for the third time to get a parcel I have a card for and they still can't find it. Another card was left on thursday telling me to go and collect the parcel 'tomorrow' as in yesterday and they can't find that one either. It's really tedious. And you just hear nothing from customer services. Everytime I go down to the delivery office it is different person. I guess the staff turnover must be pretty high but then that's not really suprising. The only thing I can think of is to pay (£50!) for 6 months for a PO Box. This still means I have to go to the delivery office to pick things up but on the other hand the postman will never take it away to try and deliver it which seems to be where the problems are occuring. £50 though to get my post delivered because they are so incompetant they keep losing it. I'm pretty pissed off. And are they just incompetant and losing my stuff or is someone there actually stealing it? It doesn't exactly encourage trust but then there's no alternative so I basically need to get used to being screwed.

Flu

Have had real pukka flu! I think. Anyway, was too feeble to knit or even crochet for three whole days which I think counts as some sort of major personal health disaster. The post yesterday was due to be followed by a proper one but ran out of puff. Much more human today and no good reason for not going to work tomorrow so back I go.

DB shrug almost finished - did ribbed edging today sat in front of 'Clash of the Titans' on TV. Narrowly escaped having to watch 'Sleepless in Seattle' which Pooch claimed to genuinely like because it 'makes him feel nice'. Not sure if that means warm/fuzzy nice or Meg Ryan nice. Either way is disturbing. Also started another felted bag. Pics to follow.

Tawashi Pattern - Furry Mitt

I tend to crochet in the round by spiralling rather than joining seperate rings before starting a new one. It means things tend to lean to one side in a diagonal type way but that doesn't really matter in this kind of thing. Spiralling means that when you get to the start point of the row you just crochet straight on into the next stitch and keep going round and round.

I used Peaches and Creme Worsted and a 3.5mm hook to give me quite a firm fabric. My mitt is roughly 10cm wide. Make bigger or smaller by chaining more or less stitches.

Uses: approx 30g worsted cotton, 3.5mm hook.
Finished size: 10cm wide by 14cm tall
sc = single crochet

INSTRUCTIONS

Chain 30 and join in the round. ##Keep the inside facing you while crocheting## This is very important because the loops for the loop stitches always form on the back of the fabric.
1st round: Work one round in single crochet.
The first 15 stitches are now 'the front' and are the stitches you are going to work the pattern stitch across.
LOOP/FUR STITCH:

1. Insert hook into next sticth as usual. Using finger of free hand pull up the yarn to form a loop of the required size (I used about 1.5 inches but is up to you). Using the hook pick up both strands of the loop and draw them trhough the stitch.
2. Wrap the yarn over the hook and draw through all 3 loops.

2nd, 3rd and 4th round: Loop stitch 15, single crochet 15
5th round: Work whole round in single crochet.
Repeat rounds 2-5 three times more. Your mitt should now resemble a tube about 11cm tall.
You're now going to decrease 4 sc per round to form the top of your mitt.
Next round: (1sc, sk1, 11sc, sk1, 1sc) repeat once more to reach end of round.
Next round: (1sc, sk1, 9sc, sk1, 1sc) repeat once more to reach end of round.
Next round: (1sc, sk1, 7sc, sk1, 1sc) repeat once more to reach end of round.

Next round: (1sc, sk1, 5sc, sk1, 1sc) repeat once more to reach end of round.
Turn mitt inside out and close top either using whip stitch or by using a line of single crochet to join the remaining stitched. Fasten off and sew in end.
Done!

Tagged...

I've been tagged by Nickerjac...

The Rules

Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1. What I was doing 10 years ago

I was 19, ending my first year of Uni doing my BSc Physics at Kings College London. Madness was pretty bad and was a bit dippy. I'd have just finshed my end of year exams and decided that a joint Maths and Physics degree wasn't for me. Would swap to 'just' physics in a month or two's time.

2. What 5 things are on on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order)

Cough, sniff, try not to be sick, bath, bed. I'm really living.

3. Snacks I enjoy

Chocolate! Blue bounty bars especially at the moment. And kit kats.

4. Things I would do if I was a billionaire

Buy a house with a craft room, do a graphic design qualification. No hang on, wouldn't need to do that because I wouldn't have to work. Go on a world tour fo all the knitting shops...

5. Places I have lived

Born in Margate, lived in Herne Bay all of childhood. In London have lived in Finchley Road, Camberwell, Leytonstone, Leyton, Stratford, Tottenham Hale, Dollis Hill, Willesden Green, Willesden Junction & Canada Water.

I tag... RoxyKnits, PurlPower, Knitting on the Green, and Jane.

Steptoe and Son live again

This actually happened outside my flat on saturday. I don't want to come across as a curtain twitcher but it was too funny not to stop and watch.

When I first came across them I walked past on ym way back to the flat. They had obviously just lost stuff off the trolley and were putting it back on again. They were almost done and just setting off again. Then disaster strikes....For reasons Pooch and I were unable to fathom they kep trying to go over the bumps.

Each time they went near the bumps the whole lot keeled over and they'd start again. For the first couple of times the younger bearded guy just stood and watched. Not moving, not saying anything. Meanwhile the drunk older guy ranted and raved at the injustice of the universe. As they finally headed off Pooch and I were both singing the Steptoe theme tune...

Anyway...have rejoined SwapBot after about a year away. Looks to have got a lot more cliquey since I was last there but am being more selective about which swaps I've joined. I did fall for a stitchmarker swap though and have done pretty nicely out of it. Looks at these babies!

Yum! I also treated myself to a new 4mm denise single. Mostly because I keep running out of cables. I do love my Denises. Definitely my favourite of all the interchangable sets I've had. Woolly Workshop of course - where else?! Still my fave online shop.

I was surfing etsy the other day and came across some circular needle holders. I rather fancied one but didn't fancy the $48 price tag. Ta da!

I made little shrinkydink buttons for each pocket so I could see what was in it. I literally only have these 7 needles since I always use my Denises but they come in handy for the smaller things sometimes and magic loop.

Finally, another treat in the post. Two tawashi books!

Joined the Tawashi group swap on Ravelry. Thought would splash out so my swap partner gets some nice ones. OK then, and for me too!

Progress at last

I've finally finished the body of my mermaid.

Let me assure you this was no mean feat. Almost 800 rows, all garter stitch. 3 colours, short rows, increasing, decreasing. All crazy. On and off for literally months. But it is looking quite good. Only thing is there are still the two sleeves to go. Ah well...the end is in sight.

Pooch and I have had a rather difficult weekend. It was my first proper PMT since coming off the meds and he had Man U winning some cup or league or something so emotions were running high on both sides. Thankfully though we have good friends so Joe helped scoop Pooch off the pavement and Lou has sent through this amazingly appropriate mug. The red is absolutely perfect too. I had thought about getting the full size poster and putting it up in the place of the Man U painting in the front room but the mug is a good sub plus Pooch gets to keep his picture.

Yay for mates!

Naughty words

Don't watch the video if you're easily offended. Some very naughty words.

That is a video of Matt Berry looking quite amazingly sexy. He and Rich Fulcher did a very good job ona weird night in Soho on Monday. I thought it was just going to be them two but in fact they were just comperes. Here is the best of my photos:

Rubbish, huh!



So, um, not a lot else to say really. Work has been manic so not much else to say. Pooch is gearing up for the euro football next month. What shall I do to occupy all my free time while he is away? Was wondering about a knitalong or a challenge. Anyone got any ideas?

Skirts and Chickens

I made a skirt!

It's a pretty simple wrap one which took about 2 hours from measuring to finished. It's from this book, which I bought a few months ago and have been meaning to do something with ever since. I found the fabric in a shop in kingston when I was there giving a talk last week. Here it is closer to:

Elephants and zebras doing sums....what could be better?

Pooch and I have had a rather lovely bank holiday weekend doing not much in particular. Tonight brings a comedy night with Rich Fulcher, aka Bob Fossil, and Matt Berry, aka Dixon Bainbridge or Douglas in the IT Crowd. He's dreamy. I just read his wiki page for the first time. I had no idea he'd done all that. Hmmmm, clever too....an added bonus.

Back to Pooch...he has bought me a new chicken to add to my blossoming collection of....2. Here is the new one.

Here's the gang.

Now I've got the following scenario in my head. Let's say Matt Berry is surfing before the gig tonight and comes across this reference to him. Then he reads the thing about the chickens. He puts me down as a crazy chicken lady. Then our eyes meet tonight across a crowded venue and then realises I am the aforementioned crazy chicken lady. Turns away. Snogs someone else instead. Poo.