Spinning Sue

A Bit Of Catching Up

I wish I had more to show for my two weeks unofficial blog-break but the blurghs that caused that were also responsible for a distinct lack of progress in the knit department. I think I frogged and tinked more than I actually knit although I'm not quite sure how that could happen. ;-)

News first - I've quit my job and finish at the end of March. I've discovered that I don't want to be 'management' material so I'll be looking for something else to do. I made the decision quite a while ago but it took me a long time to find the courage to leap. Its the right choice I know because I feel so much better for it. All I have to do is survive the next five weeks and find something to replace the income with! Anybody need a dyeing, spinning, weaving, knitting, computer-tech-savvy helper?

On to the good stuff! I've finished a couple of dishcloths and have already misplaced one! The yarn in the pic was sent to me by my SP9 and is Lily Sugar 'n' Cream in Grape although my camera wants it to look blue. The other cloth is just the standard cream colour that you can buy on any market yarn stall for about a quid. The pattern on that one is hearts, of course, what with it being February and all. Both patterns came from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL Yahoo group.

Next, I'm halfway up the leg of a Koigu sock. This is such yummy yarn to knit with. Once again my camera refuses to show the colour properly - it is various shades of purple.

I've also cast on for the Cable Down Raglan from the Spring 07 Interweave Knits. Minimal progress on this I'm afraid. I just haven't had the desire or the concentration for it. The yarn is Cascade 220 that I bought last year but it wasn't the colour I wanted for what I had in mind to knit but I like it for this.

At the end of May, I'm going to become a great-aunt. I feel a bit ambivalent about it because my niece is way too young to be having kids of her own but what can I say? Whatever, its not the baby's fault so he'll be getting some Aunty Sue hand knits to keep his little self warm. My niece is in Australia and its heading towards winter there not that you'd notice yet from the temperatures they've been having recently. I'm knitting the 'Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono' from Mason-Dixon Knitting. Very easy and very quick - great nephy-poo might be getting more than one of these! The yarn is Sirdar Calypso 100% cotton I bought on sale last year or it may even be the previous year. Its stash anyway and not a purchase.

Still no new yarn purchased but boy-oh-boy is it hard! I have another even more important reason not to buy now - soon there'll be no income. Eek!

BTW, a note to my SP9. I haven't heard from you for a while and still don't know who you are! I know about a month ago you said a parcel would soon be on its way but I just wanted to let you know that so far nothing has arrived - maybe HM Customs & Excise have taken a liking to it!

Saturday Sky

Sorry for the unheralded and unofficial blog-break. I'll be back tomorrow with news, wips and FOs. :-)

Saturday Sky

Stormy Saturday sky. That's Bredon Hill in the background. Most of our snow has disappeared but Bredon always hangs on to his. :-)

Snow

I've lived in this country for about ten and a half years now and this is the best snow fall I've seen. :-) I've stayed home from work because its a 10 mile bus trip and the bus gets disrupted by even half an inch of snow. I think we've got about 4-5 inches so far and its still snowing heavily. Now I know I could probably get to work and it would probably take about 2 hours and then I'd have to get home. Who knows how long that would take. I've just heard on the radio that my bus is running on a truncated route and with delays so I think I've made the right choice!

Here are the pics. I'll probably add more as the day goes on. I love snow.

 

 

 

Fibre Swap

Hmmmm been a bit quiet haven't I?

I've just read about a fibre swap that may go ahead if enough people are interested. Its the idea of Shelby who has been a hostess for many of the Secret Pal swaps. If you're interested go here and leave her a comment.

Go on.... you know I have! :-)

Saturday Sky

A foggy, frosty old morning!

Keeping You In Suspenders

That was one of my Dad's favourite sayings instead of saying 'keeping you in suspense'. So sorry for keeping you in suspenders, but here (finally) are the books I bought on Tuesday at Get Knitted.

Noro books, Rebecca magazine and the Fiber Trends hedgehog pattern. I love hedgehogs. I think mine might be psychedelic though. :-)

I also bought Modern Classics by Louisa Harding. There are so many patterns in this book I would knit that it seemed well worth buying!

Finally, my amazing burst of starting and finishing things is continuing. Oh yes it is! Yesterday I knit a... errrrr... cowl(?) for Mum who was waxing lyrical about one she used to have. It was an incredibly quick knit with thick singles yarn (courtesy of Sue who kindly let me have it from her stash because I don't have anything suitable in mine) on 9mm needles. The pattern is on the Knit Picks site and is called the Janie Cowl. I changed the neck so that it doesn't fold over - this one is warm enough and bulky enough not to need the extra layer! It counts as a February FO because I sewed the ends in this morning. First day of February and another FO - I'm sooooooo chuffed! :-) Most important thing is that Mum loves it and says its just what she wanted.

I've frogged the Lorna's Laces sock - AGAIN! The yarn has gone back in the sock tub and I'm going to try to forget I own it. I've also frogged Turbulence. I just don't feel like knitting it at the moment. That means only two things on the needles! No socks!! I'm going to finish off the collar of Eris tomorrow and hopefully pick up the stitches around the neck for the body. Its fairly plain sailing from then. I've also started something lacy from Victorian Lace but I'm reserving judgement on it until its a bit longer. I've only done 6 rows and it doesn't look like anything much at the moment.