Secret project

I had to keep it secret in case someone from work saw it before it was finished but they've seen it now so I can post the pics.

I'm not entirely satisfied with the end result but here it is anyhow. You see at work I have to wear a high-vis vest in the warehouse so I don't get run over by a picking machine or a reach truck, you can see my standard issue yellow vis vest hanging over the back of the living room door in this first photo.

However I fancied something slightly different but they only come in yellow and orange so when I saw some fluorescent pink yarn on my last visit to Coldspring Mill I had to snap up a skein. I am now the proud owner of a bright pink high-vis. vest (or a high-vis cardi as one of my workmates put it).

I did buy some reflective tape to sew onto it so I can wear it in the goods yard too but the vest is strechy and the tape is not so I haven't managed to attach it in a satisfactory manner!

I probably will wear it, only when I'm strolling around the warehouse in a stock control capacity not when I'm doing manual work; I don't want it getting dirty or getting snagged on a pallet. It's also a bit warm at the moment but will be perfect in the winter, gets a bit nippy in there don'tcha know?

PS. I remembered reading on someone's blog a while ago that she was using welding rods for blocking lace so yesterday I asked a chum at work if he had any welding rods and he's agreed to bring some in for me to try.

His comment "huh, should have guessed it was something to do with knitting!" Bless.

If you decide to try this, when they ask if you want gas welding rods or electric it sounds as if gas ones are better being finer than the electric ones and copper coated to stop them rusting, apparently!

Off the needles but not yet blocked

many thanks..

..to Knit Yoga and to someone else the name of whose blog I have forgotten for finishing their Swallowtail Shawls. They have inspired me to pick up the sticks again on mine.

I gave up at the beginning of the third chart 'Lily of the Valley Border 1' as was having a little trouble with the instruction to purl 5 together. I gave it a go with a crochet hook but still found it a bit awkward. On the unnamed blog I picked up the tip to slip3 p2tog pass the three slipped stitches over, so I've been doing that instead and it makes it a whole heap easier. I have now finished that chart and have embarked on the next. Of course, being lace and still on the needles it looks like a pile of pooh. (Well I'm led to understand that that's the reason anyhow!) But I am full of optimism that once finished and blocked it will look like a beautifully blocked pile of pooh!

Other news. I knitted up a pair of socks whilst the shawl was in the doldrums. These are the Dublin Bay Socks from the Knitterati blog. They're knitted in Lorna's Laces "Ravenswood" on 2.25mm aluminium DPNs. I love the detail down the side of the sock and the Partridge Eye pattern on the heel flap. I'm not so keen on the colour of the yarn though so they may be the first of my Christmas pressie knitting.

The inspiration for knitting the socks was that I'd dyed some sock wool with the remains of the Kool Aid that I bought a while ago. Unfortunately although it inspired me I was too impatient to wait for it to dry, hence the socks in a completely different yarn. Now I'll have to start a new pair of socks to use the yarn I dyed. Never mind, good portable project and you can't have too many socks, especially if you're planning to give them away and it will soon be the start of Socktoberfest! These may be another pair of Crusoe but using the number of stitches on the basic pattern that comes free with Opal sock wool.

Finally news on the spinning. I'm a bit fed up cos I was getting on pretty well with the new wheel whilst at Ro's but now I have it home I'm struggling a bit. I think that part of the problem is that I was spinning raw fleece at Ro's and I found that pretty easy. However we met up with the person who will be teaching me to spin in a couple of weeks time who was horrified to hear that I was spinning raw fleece and told me in no uncertain terms that it was the work of the devil and that I would probably die a horrible and lingering death from the crap that abounds in raw fleece (I exaggerate, but only slightly). So being a good girl (and Ro had given me some to play with) I dutifully tried spinning some Corriedale roving that she'd bought (I think at Woolfest). The problem that I'm having is that I can't keep the damned stuff together and the yarn keeps breaking. This wasn't happening before. I dunno if it's the roving, the way the wheel is set up or just me but it's very disspiriting. I fear that I'm going to have to wait until the course starts before I actually get any spinning done and I'm a bit peed off.

Never mind, back to the knitting!

It's been a while

But I've been kinda busy for the past couple of weeks or so. I have been knitting (and stuff) but got no 'photos at the moment so this is just a quickie to remind you I'm still here.

Had a long run this week and didn't get home till about eightish last night so a bit nackered. (For any new readers out there I'm talking driving not actual running. I'd hate anyone to think I'm in any way into exercise).

I saw such a nice sight on Tuesday evening whilst driving up the A38 between Bristol and Gloucester. There was a large field with a herd of cattle in it and they were all lying down together in the middle of the field in a big brown and tan and black circle. There was no reason why they should all be together like that, they didn't have to do it for warmth, it was a warm evening, it was purely sociability. I do like cows! They seem to have a sense of family! I know that they are herd animals but sheep are too and you don't seem to get the same sense of togetherness with sheep!

On the go

Why am I so rubbish at finishing things off, and could this be the reason that my house is so full of STUFF!?!

At the moment I have

• The Fake-a-gamo - Need to sew up, line and fit the handles,
• Swallow tail shawl - On the needles, got to a tricky bit on the next chart which involves regular purling five together! Kinda lost heart.
• Secret Project - Finished knitting but stalled due to lack of vital ingredient!
• Knit a river squares - These are actually not a real problem, they're my portable project but they do tend to clutter the place up a bit.

Of course by the time I do get round to finishing these things I've forgotten what size needles I used, lost the ballbands to the yarn so that I can't remember what I used or how much. Sometimes I've even lost the pattern too.

In addition to the above there are a load of new and exciting things that I want to start.

• Today I've Kool Aid dyed some sock wool using the bargain (£9.96) steamer that I bought weeks ago at Tesco especially for dying but hadn't got round to using. So having done that I need to start some socks (can't have enough socks after all!)
• Bought a spinning wheel so have to start spinning. Luckily this is still at Ro's, couldn't bring it back last weekend as the match was at a stupid time on Sunday so had to drive back up to Yorkshire straight afterwards and wasn't prepared to leave the wheel unattended in a parked car in Leicester for two hours.
• Haven't started Leo's Tigers top yet and the season started last weekend.
• Need new jumpers, I want to try a top down raglan, but I'm considering buying one (I know it's the end isn't it. To actually consider buying knitwear that you need 'cos you're too busy knitting fun stuff!!!

No doubt it will all come together in the end, meanwhile my home is disappearing under shedloads of kipple and I have no-one to blame for it but myself!

Extreme badness

Well, I did say that I'd been bad, and here's the extent of my badness!

Last weekend I went to Leamington Spa and picked this baby up. I bought it on ebay and I'm very pleased with it.

Had a go on Ro's Traveller Traditional the other weekend, but this seems much more controllable at low speed which suits me better.
I think that considering the cost of these new I got myself a bit of a bargain.
Here's a (not fearfully good) picture of my first attempt with it.

I deliberately took it out of focus so you can't see if it's any good or not!!

I'm planning to take a few lessons now, just so that I know what I'm looking for and how to achieve it. Wish me luck.

The secret project has suffered a setback. The thing I bought to finish it off arrived whilst I was in Bristol this week, but it's not what I want. (Downside of ebaying!) So I will have to go back to the drawing board on that one.

Darn it!!!!!