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.

Secret Pal 8

Much to my own surprise I have signed up and requested a pal in the US. It was definitely getting that parcel from purl power that did it. I love post! I also love stuff like what I was doing today, even though it was raining.

It started with a lovely massage from Timo and he was all dumbfounded when I gave him the tiny knitted top. The baby is a girl and is due next Thurs so fingers crossed for them. Then a meander around covent garden. Stopped off at the cath kidston store. Man, I love that stuff. Bought some divine red spotted fabric napkins and some pink spot paper ones. Now this was wedding research you see, so doesn't count as real money. Meandered into a topshop and got some new jeans and some wicked bad red polka dot shoes with bows on the toes - so minnie mouse! Then off to the V&A for some lovely japanese kimonos and the textile gallery. Plus a gorg t-shirt with a trompe-oeil tape measure on it. Oooo, lots of fun stuff.

After all this moshing about has made me mighty sleepy so have changed my plans. No kew gardens tomorrow but a day of lovely sewing and knitting. Seems it's going to rain anyway so probably for the best!

OK, now for the photos....






This sock is knitted with basically one strand of sewing cotton. I always look at this stuff with my jaw dropped....but...they didn't actully have anything else to do.


Lace making has never been tried chez byrne...


And finally the cake these fair hands baked last night - sooooooo yummy. Yarnstorm's recipe for squidgy date cake.

This episode brought to you by the letter T

First let us begin with tuna..

You see Pooch left me to fend for myself for one evening. You know how if you don't use your muscles they waste away? Well the same has happened to me with survival skills. I knew I would be providing food for myself but I stupidly counted on there being bread at home or a tin of soup. So there wasn't any soup so I could see the bread and thought I'd have tuna maiyonnaaaiiissse sandwich. Yum. I used to live off these when I was younger. So I made the tuna mayo and got my bread ready for toasting. The bread has a large amount of mould on it. OK, let's not panic here. I do a quick search for any form of bread product and find none. I see a box of cheese biscuits in the cupboard and any port in a storm right? So I'm heading for an evening meal of tuna mayo and cheese biscuits. I reach for the box and la Poochy has put an empty box of cheese biscuits into the cupboard open end first so it looks like a pristine box. I don't even eat that much cheese. Anyway. Now I have slightly warmer tuna mayo and nothing NOTHING to eat it with. So I just go for it and start lapping up the tuna. Frankly, tuna mayo is a leetle bit boring and cloying by itself. So I'm desperately looking through the cupboards and my eye falls upon the chocolate digestives. Digestives - a savoury cheese type biscuit right? So I get a choc digestive, take a bite of tuna, take a bit of biscuit and....No. It didn't work. It really was as disgusting as it sounds.


So what with all of the bad food and busy work stuff I haven't had much time for blogging. I had a 3-hour PRINCE 2 practitioner exam on Friday too which didn't help and then a weekend in the country with a rather sulky Pooch. We had a good long talk though and have sorted a few things out.

While i was away a lovely surprise was delivered - Look!

Two lovely magazines and...

Isn't this amazing? I immediately went online to find out about it. Here is the site. Babelfish does a very good translation of it too. Machine washable and divine! Could there be a better present? All this is from Helen and I love it - thanks for being so fab xxx

I have had a couple of other parcels by post recently. A lovely box of variegated machine embroidery thread which I will be using on my placemats...

A wicked selection of fat quarters going to make up the placemats in part.

The placemats will be made from these strips in what I hope will prove to be a funky way. I'll keep you updated...

Finally, anyone care to guess what this is?

Yes, I have finally fallen to the depths of cross stitch and am guiltily rather enjoying it. Wish to reassure you I'm still knitting though - have done 3 socks and almost finished a 4th in the last two weeks. Will be turning to the ewa's wool for my next pair!

Am off on leave all this week so hopefully will be blogging more regularly. xx

Bootstrap's bootstraps

There's a bit in Pirates of the Carribean where they talk about how Bootstrap Bill got weighed down when they ties weights to his bootstraps and the other pirate murmers "bootstrap's bootstraps hur hur hur". I mention this because I have made a watchstrap. You see the connection....

So here you have my watch.

It is rubbish. Just the strap. The face is fine. So let us dispense with the strap and here it is:

I decided to make this one out of plaited wire.

So now I have a bracelet that's also a watch. I'm quite pleased with myself in case you can't tell which is why I'm blogging AGAIN and have taken so many pics.

While I was writing this a phonecall came in announcing the imminent arrival of a VERY drunk Pooch. Batten down the hatches.

There's a hole in my bucket

Tragedy has struck, readers. It's not often I'll be doing this but feast your eyes on this pic of my lillywhite ass.

Yes, my beloved jeans are losing structural integrity and exposing my elements to the elements. I love these jeans. I have loved them ever since their first outing on the golden jubilee weekend. But now they are leaving me thread by thread. Once I have the new sewing machine in my paws I will begin a rearguard action but until then I'm getting a patchy tan.

Blocked Lucinda's scarf last night and is all dry and lovely today. It is mobair mohair boucle in these lovely pinky shades. When I first attended ally pally (a mere two ago) I came across the mobair stand early and astonished myself by spending a whopping £18 on a skein of about 200g. This was an unheard of expense at the time but this is the third scarf I have got form that skein so it has turned out a bargain.

Keen eyed observers will notice a hint of the clapotis about it as it is knitted on the diagonal with double spaced rows every 8 or so rows. The blocking has brought out the detail really nicely.

Not wishing to lie idle I have done the foot of Lucy's first sock. These aren't for her birthday but are just a general gift - a pair each for her and Louise when I go down there towards the end of April. If I was a nutter I'd say I'd do a pair for their boyfriends too but I think I'll see how that goes.

The yarn is celestial merino from Gill at the woolly workshop (host of the byrne-wedding-knitlist). This particular colour keeps almost hurting my eyes. I once looked at a green laser (not directly, that would make you blind) that you couldn't see properly because the colour was saturating the receptors in your eyes. BoyAlex was doing an experiment with it and did actually explain it to me in physics words but they're long gone now. Anyway. The pink in this wool has the same effect on me as that laser did. But then Pooch thinks Lucy will love it so I am carrying on.

As you may have gathered from the chatty feel to this post I have again spent the whole day at home with no one to talk to other than you guys. Spent about 3 hours sleeping this afternoon and has left me feeling really disorientated. Am fine really apart from the 40-a-day coughing fits and incessant snoozing. Apart from anything else I have now missed 4 days out of the office including tues in bristol and only had 3 days in next week as I have the rest of the prince 2 training on thurs and fri next week so there might actually be a little bit of work for me to catch up on when I go back. Also not having gone in today means still no sewing machine. Which leaves me mildly concerned. I've already been sitting here watching tv and knitting for three days. Can I really take another two without going a tad stir crazy? The paint-your-own-pottery place is calling to me....

Ooooo Handbag

Yuck. I feel yuck. That Pooch....he's got a lot to answer for.

Have not managed to get much knitting done as I feel yuck. Would have been watching lousy films on video all day except Pooch unplugged the video about 2 months ago and despite repeated requests refuses to plug it back in because "It's easy - you can do it yourself". There is often this misunderstanding that because you have a physics degree you are 'good' with electrical appliances. This is what people with physics degrees do with wires. They tend to follow the same approach to plugging things in as the chef in the muppets does to cooking.

You know how he tends to err on the 'more is less' side of things and liberally fling flour and eggs around? Well physicists find something isn't working and think "Hmmm, there's an empty socket. Maybe if I plug this wire into it everything will work again." I don't do wires. I do cook a bit like the swedish chef though, which explains why lunch was nothing more adventurous than baked beans and frankly they haven't done much for the couped-up-waiting-for-the-happy-release-of-death atmosphere in here.

I have been thinking more about the whole bored/challenging thing and it doesn't make me exactly easy of mind. Let us take the Pooch as an example. Some people would say and many others would agree that life with Pooch follows a fairly simple equation..

Pooch = Challenging

He is a bit like a rubix cube where someone took all the stickers off and restuck them and now they're coming off a bit and there's 2 missing. BUT...could there come a time when I actually understand all the intricacies of the Pooch mind? I know he can't drink out of the randomly christened 'weed mug' and that he thinks things are going to hit him on the head all the time and that kermit is a god and computer games are not 'toys' and he can not leave the house without ironing his jeans and shoes have to co-ordinate with the shirt/t-shirt you are wearing and all of that. What if there's not that much left to learn? I talked to therapist louise about this at our last meeting and she told me about the 3/4 years cycle that relationships tend to get into where every 3/4 years there is a big doubt phase and re-evaluation and all that. Now Pooch and I sre due to marry 10 days after our third anniversary. Ooer. I'm not saying anything. I'm just saying is all.

Anyway, am feeling cold and coughy without my fluffy pink blanket. I'm pretty certain I'll never really 'get' Pooch completely so there's not actually anything to worry about. Pre-wedding nerves at 14 months? Weird.

Finished object and the lurgy

I have literally just this minute finished this little baby top for Timo's kiddywink.

I'm pretty pleased with it. The double stripe at the bottom and the appearance of the st st band were both, ahem, planned. Has anyone else ever done this? It was weird. I was talking to someone and looked down to find I'd done about 4 rows in st st instead of garter. Couldn't be bothered with unpicking so kept it in and made sure I did the same on the front panels.

I really like this pattern - it's from erika knight's simple knits for cherished babies and you knit it all in one and then sew up the sides.

Pooch has given me his manflu except it has obviously mutated and become painful on its way over to me. Have been in bristol all day on a business continuity workshop hence my earlier than usual bunking off. I was having a chat with sean the other day and was talking about how it was going and I announced my discovery. In order to find something interesting I need to find it difficult. Most things I don't consider difficult because it is just a matter of spending enough time on it. So its more of a patience issue. So what this means is that nothing is actually challenging unless you don't have enough time to learn the basics and produce something. So I need to do everything in very short timescales. Which would mean I'd be stressed and the likelihood of going mad again increases. SO. To summarise. I am going to be bored for many years to come. Or mad. It's a strange choice and perhaps requires a tad more thought.

Off to sneeze and work up hatred for Pooch and his mutated germs....

Why I do not exercise

Because it makes me feel so bloody awful. Been doing cardio stuff for 45 mins and feel absolutely disgusting. Anyway...

Have started a baby cardi for Timo, who is so wonderful at massages.

Two stripe purple which I thought was quite funky while not ommitting to any gender thing. This is some of the haworth stash. I have just reached a stage where I need a stitch holder and I swear these things are worse than stitchmarkers. This one looks like a massive baby pin. And it appears to be the only one I have left!


The sewing machine arrives tomorrow. Hoorah hoorah. Have a week off from 10th April so will be making it earn its keep that week.

Bought Pooch a rose at the weekend which is now looking purely wonderful.

We had a talk afterwards about buying things for people that they would actually want and appreciate but hey, I like it. Which is I guess the point of what he was saying.

Still feel like shit. I KNOW people say it will get easier with time but I've always loathed exercise and it never has in the past. God. Wretched exercise....