November 2008 Archives

I have enjoyed participating in NaBloPoMo during November. Hopefully it has helped me get back to blogging and also get my knitting mojo back.

As I said in the wee small hours much earlier today

Sleeve number 1 is off the needles

and

Sleeve number 2 is on the needles.

I also managed some sock knitting whilst waiting for my brunch / lunch to be served. David and I decided to have a couple of hours in Newbury this afternoon which began with a visit to The Square.

Just a few rows!

I think there will be knitting progress by this time tomorrow!

Have a good week.

X

I have at last got the winder out and Irish Jig has gone from this

to this.

This will be my next pair of socks but not before the other WIPS are finished. Whether that will be before the yarn arrives from the December sock club I don't know. They will both get knitted in the fullness of time. For now I need to concentrate on other things.

I hope you are enjoying your week-end.

X

Every little row counts even if they may be few and far between at the moment.

  This week-end I will be focusing on Tender and am pretty confident of having sleeve number 1 off the needles tomorrow.

Have a good one.

x

Tonight saw the last of this season's visits to the Corn Exchange to see Mark Steel. It is then in to the Christmas run and we shall be back to see Aladdin in a couple of weeks.

A few rows were accomplished on the sock. Must get at least one finished at the week-end.

Happy Knitting

X

No knitting today so no photo's to show of any progress. I have a lot of catching up to do at the week-end!

I have today received my Winter 2008 copy of Interweave Knits and just flicking through it it looks like there may be some interesting reading in there. A cup of hot choc and a second browse through it seems quite an appealing thing to do at the moment!

Bye

x

Knitting that is. Just a few rows of sock knitting but so few you wouldn't notice the difference in the photo from yesterday.

Work commitments this evening have meant I have only been home a short while and had a few domestic chores to see to. Early start tomorrow should  mean not a late night tonight but....it is already 10.30. I have the Bank's economist talking to 60 clients in the morning so need to be bright eyed - there are sure to be some tricky questions!

Kim Hargreaves new book Amber was released at the end of October and surprisingly, for a number of reasons at the time, I didn't rush out and buy a copy. I had a look at a friends copy recently which convinced me I need to get my hands on a copy, it is a lovely book.

I have plans Splendour

knitted in one of my favourite yarns Rowan Kid Classic. I am thinking the nightly shade? 

I am also planning a Christmas knit, another lovely design again in Kid Classic and I have yarn in stash to knit it with.

Whisper 

Whilst kid classic knits up quickly I think starting this Christmas Eve and expecting to wear it New years Eve may just be a little over optimistic. That said I don't plan doing much else over the break including work.

Ok - mystery blanket to finish first.

Happy Knitting

X

Progress on the sock that is.

I am knitting the heel. A busy week this week but it would be good to get past the heel and on to the foot! I have still to get the winder out!

The sleeve for tender grows again a little but not a lot. I think about 10 rows to go and then I will be on to the armhole decrease.

Sunshine across the UK tomorrow so enjoy if you can.

I have finished another pair of socks.

I may be repeating myself but this is Kaffe Fassett yarn which I purchased on my last visit to Web of Wool back in August.

That leaves just 2 pairs of socks on the needles thicker socks  and finer socks. I am not even going to try and convince myself I can finish both these pairs and the sock club socks by the end of the month. Especially as I haven't even wound the yarn for the sock club ones yet.

I think I will slow down the sock knitting. The box is full!

Have a great week.

Sunshine not the light showers they forecast. Will we have the sleet forecast for tomorrow? Let's hope this is a little bit of an overstatement!

Tender will keep me warm when she is finished that is. I do almost have a sleeve though, I am sure I am past the half way mark.

I think it may be a little wishful thinking to have this sleeve off the needles this evening and the second sleeve on the needles.

X

That is how many rows I knitted yesterday evening on the first sleeve of tender. 

  We were warned the age guide was 18+. David and I have been to see Ed Byrne at the Corn Exchange this evening. I was hoping to make progress with the socks whilst listening to the show as I have still to knit the Sock Club socks before the next batch of yarn arrives anytime soon after the 1st December - 10 days time.

This is what I managed

Ready to do the heel - didn't think it was wise to attempt that under dimmed lights!

So I moved on

  and did the toes for the first of this pair. That leaves the toes for the second sock and the grafting to do and another pair of socks will be completed for the "box".

I am not sure I can manage another 45 rows on Tender this evening but we shall see. Maybe I should knit all week-end - looking at the forecast kntting may not be a bad idea - light showers tomorrow and sleet on Sunday!

Have a good one.

X

as the first sleeve for tender is on the neeedles but rapid progress needs to be made.

Can I knit 28 rows of stocking stitch this evening?

I had better get going. The week-end is almost here again, will tender have 2 sleeves by the end of it?!

X

Well 265 actually but I did get to see a Mystery Blanket in all its glory! 

Masterpiece of Liz Jenks

It has certainly inspired me to get on and finish mine. I had planned for it to be my Christmas knitting but as soon as I have finished

Tender

I will be knitting away on those last few squares. Debbie has confirmed my membership for the 2009 "Mystery Blanket" so I shall be ready and waiting on the morning of 2nd January.

Enjoy

X

David and I have been to see Dionne Warwick at The Anvil in Basingstoke. Dionne was excellent  and the knitting enjoyed the show aswell!

In fact confession a new pair of socks went on the needles especially for Dionne.

Schoeller Stahl Fortissima Colori Socka yarn purchased at Web of Wool back in the summer.

LOL

x

I managed a few rows on my sock this morning before going in to the office.

I haven't counted rows but I would guess I am half way through the foot. So by the end of the week I may have another pair of finished socks.

I am off to do a few rows on tender, every rows counts and is one closer to casting on the sleeves.

Happy Knitting.

X

A wet Sunday afternoon is good for knitting progress if nothing else.

This is the right front of tender. I have just done the second buttonhole, three more to go. I hope I have put the second one in the right place. I would hate to have to undo it all because I don't quite have the buttons evenly spread - I guess a risk I take. I was hoping to have the right front finished this week-end and be casting on a sleeve but it is looking very unlikely unless of course I knit solidly for the next 3 hours!

More rain tomorrow however Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are looking a little better. I am out and about a fair bit this week so must make sure I pack the socks as one never knows when there may be a spare few minutes to grab a cuppa and knit a few rows.

Happy Knitting.

x

The day started well. The right front of tender is on the needles and I was doing well this morning. Sorry no photos to show, the rest of the day has not gone well. It is now looking very unlikely that I will have tender finished by when I wanted to.

Let's hope tomorrow is kinder.

x

The left front of tender is finished.

I am now going to cast on the right front which I would like to finish this week-end but that may be a little optimistic. The weather forecast is cloudy and I have lots of non-knitting things I need to do aswell. My diary between now and Christmas is beginning to fill up and I don't want to be in a panic the nearer we get to Christmas.

Enjoy your week-end.

X

I am out so no photo's I am afraid. I am out at a Sporting Dinner at The Madejski Stadium, home of Reading FC. Guest speaker Martin Peters, comedian Gary Marshall and MC Barry Williams will be there. It is a late night so my plan to be casting on the right front of tender tomorrow night may be a little optimistic as I made no progress last night.

Roll on the week-end.....

X

A little later than I had hoped but still Wednesday so ok for my NaBloPoMo posting.

I am making good progress on the left front of tender with c. 50 rows still to knit. Hopefully I shall be casting on the right front on Friday night whilst Children in Need takes place.

Happy Knitting

x 

I decided I needed some fingerless mittens to knit in. My hands needed to be warm but I needed the flex of my fingers. Louisa Harding came to my rescue with "The Accessories Collection" book.

Gardening Mittens

These are knitted in Louisa's Kashmir DK yarn. I bought a couple of balls a while ago and this was the perfect excuse to knit it up. Very soft and very warm.

I have been Christmas Shopping this evening. Do you think I will have all my shopping done by the end of November? That would be a first but something I shall aspire to.

x

Yes I am still a little behind on this. However it WILL be finished before the year is out as I plan on doing Mystery Blanket 2009. 

Debbie has very kindly sent us a little something to finish off our blanket. I have filled the form in to sign up for 2009 and it will be in the post tomorrow so my place should be guaranteed. Apparently there is rather a "LONG" waiting list.

2009 will be the year of organisation.

I will make sure I am better placed to knit the squares as they arrive each month.

I will make sure I am ready to knit my sock club socks when they arrive.

I will have one "garment" knitting project on the go at a time.

Happy Knitting

X

I can't believe that is another week-end nearly over - where do they go? Anyway at least I have some progress with the knitting to show for it.

Bradley helped me turn the heel of the sock but not much progress was made on the foot. This afternoon I switched to Tender to make some progress with the left front which I cast on late last night - casting on 158 stitches in kidsilk haze at 11 o'clock at night is not to be recommended.

I would have made a little more progress earlier this evening but had a blip. I asked David to time me knitting 10 rows so I could see how much knitting time was roughly needed to finish this one. It took me 20 minutes to do 10 rows - shame I had to undo 8 of them as I forgot to knit the first 12 stitiches on a purl row for the front band.

Can I get up to the armhole this evening?

Happy Knitting

x

What better way to start it than with a coffee and some knitting. I have reached the point where the heel is turned so that is what I shall be doing tomorrow morning. Bradley is here this week-end so he will enjoy watching me do that.

Today is Xander's 3rd birthday so it was party time this afternoon. 

David and I had intended to go to a firework display this evening but it was wet and windy so we decided to stay at home in the warm. There is always next year! For now it is back to tender.

I did manage to knit the required 34 rows last night but I had to rip out 8 of them and at midnight wasn't going to knit them again. Tomorrow I WILL be casting on the left front. 

Enjoy your week-end with lots of knitting.

X

Not as much knitting time as I had hoped yesterday. I was invited to a wine tasting here. I did manage to escape the wine and sipped the water so I could make a little progress when I got home.

So can I knit 35 rows this evening to finish the back? A challenge but we will see.

X

Another train journey today but only a short one - 20 minutes there and back. Socks were in the bag but they didn't come out!

I do have some progress on tender.

I am shaping the armholes and with a fair wind I am hoping the back will be finished tomorrow evening.

Happy Knitting

x

Well I am not sure I managed 7 hours of knitting 

I have had an entertaining and eventful day albeit a long one!

It was good to see the sea and I have to say Torquay was a lot sunnier than Newbury and I avoided the rain. Lunch was taken here however the budget would only run to a ham and tomato sandwich - a little pricey. Full of holidaymakers no doubt looking forward to the firework displays ths evening.

Happy Knitting

x 

I have not had time to do any winding so the sock club socks won't be going to Torquay. Instead I am taking a "mate" to knit in some Regia 6 ply Country Colour, the shade is sylt. I bought this yarn back in the summer when I visited Web of Wool. 

This is before "boarding"

Happy Knitting

x 

This has been on my to do list for a while.

Tender

The design is featured in Kim Hargreave's book Nectar. I am using the same shade of yarn as the photo, smoke. I have a couple of black dresses that I thought this would look good with.

Progress too date

Happy knitting

x

I may be a little behind with the Mystery Blanket but I am up to date with the sock club. These were finished by the end of September so I was ready for the next lot of yarn!

Lorna's Laces Shepherd sock yarn in fandango

Lorna's Laces Shepherd sock yarn in Irish Jig 

I need to wind. I have 7 hours sat on trains on Wednesday and must make the most of the time. I am off to Torquay. It won't be all knitting though as the "crackberry" and mobile will be with me! However knitting does need to be in the bag and what better than a pair of socks in Lorna's Laces in Irish Jig. Although I may be better to finish the 2 pairs of scoks I have on the needles at the moment.

Happy Knitting

X 

What better way to spend a few hours on a wet Saturday

Coffee, muffin and knitting

There are lots of firework parties going on this evening and it is doing nothing but rain - such a shame. One should be able to put on a knitted jumper to keep warm not worry about having to keep dry aswell.

Happy Knitting

XX