Knitting on, and on, and on and on and on

You know when your are working on a project that is best described as never ending. Usually a bottom up shawl. Certainly in this case its ups and lows in the joy. its good its good, starting to remember the pattern and zoom. Then at the end of the row, it gone. Slogging it, slog, slog, some more slog (can you use the word slog like that? I suppose I should know, CGBF is an English degree with extra fancy stuffs. Don't remember what the non science Honours upgrade is called). Anyway (the prologue) knit knit knit, done loads, knit knit knit, must be almost there, been knitting for ages and then you hit the halfway mark. Halfway done, only halfway. You can just feel your sanity drain away as your eyes shrivel and dry up. Or that maybe the fact that I've ben staring at it or the tv all day. I love it, but when its the non pattern row Arrrggghhhhhhhhhhhh sob.

I feel rather stagnant today and I am having trouble with the blog. What do you write about and blaggh. Like everyone there are those little amusing things that happen in day to day life that you want to write about. But happens if someone at work reads about it? Everything is about appearances and to be honest its stressing me. A lot.

I was more than a bit of a pleb and in a fit of pride pointed out my Lindawings shawl to one of The Girls. Now The Girls (their formal title. Or description) are really nice, I like them. But still I am kicking myself, just agonising by what I did. Why did I do it? I'd gone up to get their opinion on a shawl colour for the Hap shawl. Told her about the other one and when the picture of my one came up I just didn't think. Oooh, that's my one. And now I'm almost no I'm actually dreading posting. She was busy at the time so I hope she didn't go onto it. What happens if she decided or decides to go back on. I feel awful.

So I'm going to think about the knitting/ yarn. I cut off the weaving (have I mentioned that? hmm). I found that the yarn, despite being part acrylic the outside frayed. I was weaving away and noticed that it was barely there. As worn as ummmm, a ummm, I can't think of anything that isn't rude. It was worn. Anyway, repaired one, ok, spotted another, it was the third that gave me the idea to stop and restart. But what did I do when I cut it off? I cut a heddle too. Superglue doesn't repair them may I just say. I've tied it to the back and when I rewarp it I'll do one per dent instead of every second one. I think the outer ones being forced out is what did the damage. I only hope it isn't to tight now and the fabric isn't going to be stiff. Can't have it being stiff and hard.


Ummm, the Lesley Blur shawl is finished. But it is tooooooo big. My tension is usually too tight so I over compensated and it was too loose and munched into a third ball of yarn. Ooops. Its for a short person. This is the same height as them. Which isn't going to work as a day to day wearing shawl, we'll lose then in the middle of it. Have to launch an expedition in the folds of the shawl to try and find her. But Anneylambie (who was second on the list for one of these) is taller and it my just work as a shawl-come-blanket. It is so cosy and it a tug of wills to not snuggle up to it myself.

My fingerless mittens are as far as I can go without the yarn I need. I've run out. Again. Same pattern and I've run out. Or used most of the yarn as warp lengths so its essentially out.

Harris Socks are coming alone. Not finished yet but they are my bussing socks so that's ok. I may get an aran pattern and use some of my Debbie bliss yarn to make him socks (because I think these maybe too small, lets hear it for denial and assorted flying manoeuvres to evade it. The. Sock. Shall. Work. I tell you).

Hat.
I'm ignoring it.

Ummmm. Think that's it besides the blue hand incident. This is one of those things I've been struggling to decide should I share. We were at an exhibition. A big one full of important people, very much best behaviour time. Chatting away to somewhere and I noticed a smear of ink. Wondered where did it come from and thought nothing much more. Few stalls on and there's another, larger smear. Think about it and no closer to figuring out where it came from. Few stalls on, same again. But this time from the balls of my fingers up is solid blue. I am having to chat and keep one palm downwards. And failing miserably. This is more than slight disconcerting.
It clicks, I picked up a pen and stuck it in my back pocket and its broken. has it dyed the trousers, does it show? What knickers am I wearing? Is my bum cheek blue? One of my work mates very kindly to a constant stream of "I'm tying my show lace, I'm tying my show lace" checked it out. no blue. Now to find a toilet. Frantic scrubbing to clear the hand which stubbornly remained faintly indigo to the end of the day. Now can I see enough of my bum cheek to see if its blue? Ha. Luckily it hadn't soaked through.

That's enough from me. I'm away to stare at the Lindawings shawl.

Weaving away. Finally.

Weaving away.

I took a day to recover and the next day (yesterday) I wove.
Tied up the front ones, tried to tie them on, used tightly tied yarn to try and strap them on (I can't believe I just typed that).
Then... I found the diagram of how to tie the warp on. I did the back ties wrong so the centre ones (10 strands each) were thicker, they bulged and took up the yarn quicker so the outer 2 were slack. And my written instructions were fallign out of lying funny and all the time I was intwined in the castle and through various inner parts of the loom with my head under the top board of the desk which was lunging at me in ita attempts to brain me. Arraggh. This instigated swearing, all of it. Especially when I discovered I finally got it reasonably even I was winding it the wrong way. Yea it came slack and I had to repeat it. Twice because the second time I didn't twig and got it wrong again. Finally. Wound the right way and....... only the outer 2 slack. Rummage rummage and....I found a stick that came in the kit. After a time spent back inside the loom (i'm so lucky its not carnivorous. Or if it is, that it wasn't hungry) I wedged it into the castle slot (its collapsable this castle. Incongrougous in its tradition namesake.) Hope that keeps it tight ((as a Tiger) how and in what way is a tiger tight I ask.)

Seek paper. reject paper, I couldn't find paper I was willing to use so I used one of the sticks that came in the kit. Twiddle the twiddly tighteny thing to pull the warp tight. Push 1 nd 4 up, (aka do as the pictures tell me to). Pull some down, wonder why its sitting int he middle. vaguely wonder that is, then forget it, accidentially ignore it, ignorance is good sometimes. Stick the stick into the center of the warp. Pull out the reed pins and stick them into the castle.

Beat (oh didn't that feel good. I even like the sound of doing that, beating it. :) ) Beat the warp, finally ha ha, get one back. Ha. Lace my shuttle (its a stick shuttle) and put it through the warp. Right, what do I do nect, twiddle the castle paddles, swap them around. (sounds like a strange boat doesn't it? Makes it sound like it should have water wings and a inflatable duck ring.).

Figure that since its fraying and getting fuzzy that swap paddles then beat is better than neutral, beat, put into gear, beat. Do 5. Rejoice
Swap colours. Ignore wobbly edges, the fact I've pulled the green outer edges too tight and the first 5 rows are a bit loose. I can attempt to tightne it later

I can weave. Wow.

Now all I need is a warping thing. And a lie down.

Weekend weaving

You know vast quantities of cussing doesn't make the Loom Loom Loom Loom loom (sung top the He-Man theme tune thanks to all who wish to join in with my musical tendancies) work. I'm not even sure I swore directly at the Loom. If I did I can be recorded ab being definitly not a Loom fonz should such a thing exist. It may, it may not. My exposure to the fonz is what was shown on family guy on the Church of Fonzy episode. Not exactly an expert in the making. OMG I just got attacked by a fruit fly! What do you say to that? You'd think flying up my nose'd be bad enough, but why won't it go away?

I have, after 6 monthsish of crying ahem looking at the Loom and running away screaming in panic ahem panicing I finally got part of a warp on. Part, the back half. to do so I needed the following things

1 Me (calm and compus mentus)
2 Loom (made up) and loom kit
3 CGBF (support of many kinds)
4 yarn for the warp (King Cole Mirage in Istanbul and Edmondton)
5 a cup of calming tea (Yogi brand and rather yummy)
6 a bed with a wire head and foot board (seriously)
7 grief for not doing it before
8 contract to finish it by the end of August as motivation (lets hear it for panic and leaving it until the last possible day)
9 a generous license to cuss and a vide variety of cuss words (at the yarn, my own insanity for getting involved in this sort of thing, bits of the loom, dropped bits of Loom kit and CGBF)
10 most of Sunday afternoon
11 Pizza, decidadly not spectular onion bhajis and naan breads for noms afterwards. i wasn't inclined towards cooking or doing anything afte. Degenerating into a tempermental "want food, thirsty, Raaaar stressed, come here you" does not incline you towards culinary creativeness.

Having this warped up makes me long to go and finish my cabelled gauntlets and then hung out a glove pattern to keep the actual digets warm.

So what did I get done? Well I and CGBF (manual said I'd need a friend so I opted for CGBF instead. Immediacy is good. He didn't complain about being hijacked). But things that are hijacked don't usually complain do they. I should say he was kidnapped but that not really accurate, but saying he's a ship or a plane isn't accurate either.

Either way I had a "friend", I had yarn and I had a loom. Quick meditation to settle down and off we go.

Check the necessary list. Problem I have no warping board. Or cup of tea actually but the warping board seems to be a more of an essential (although CGBF would have started arguing that point, he soon changed his mind. His back hurt worse than mine.). I could make one but I have none of the wood and...no drill and the slight concern that I wouldn't be able to make it more robust. no point the pegs bending. See its a board, with pegs in so you can measure out the warp (yarn that go the length of the loom or the warp) without it tangling (which it really wants to do, trust me). Slightly more pressing is the self imposed deadline. So off we go. No warping board, can't measure it out. What is it? Scarves, of them, one for me friend Linda and one for me. Weavers apparently believe in doing things in bulk. why do one when you can do many. Well I'm limiting it to 2. 3 maybe good but the other person I'd make one for has a really pale creamy complexion and I think the colours wouldn't help her. But if this works I have some more of the green and some nice pale blue and I'll be able to send her that. What with her about to start into an Australian summer I'm sure she'll love it. Anyway, the yarn still needs to me measured.... Has to be and I don't think I can do it the way it says. So how do I measure it.

Hmmmm. Right, the long ways bit is the warp. Check the book and 5 sheets (10 sides of notes!) Arraggh no idea what's happening. Regress to the pictures that came with the loom. I need a good length and I have nothing to measure the warp with. Well I could go from the back stick thing which is tied to the twiddly back twisty thing with the dial nob thing on the side, make sure its the right way. Then I can pull it through the stringy bits that have been coloured in through the teeth thing. Then I can flail around with the tape measures of screams, make up a good length, twist around a chair (pin in place with CGBF, must not entangle around him. Provide him with tea and a book, that'll distract him) then to the bed post and back. CGBF, cool and thoughtfully suggests using the head and foot board. That's about right. Double the length (up and down) and no stick. Decide again 2 colours is good. Centre purple because its the strongest green, purple and half wide green on the outside...
Do the purple first then the green take them off and then tie them to the stick at the back which still needs to be a certain way around. Ok. Twisty twisty, some yarn flinging later.... we have warp. Cut it off utilise CGBF's death grip to hold it whilst I do a chain thing. Crochet in huge.
Right, besides a sore back we are ready to go.

Intertwine arms up, under and through loom bits, realisation how strange a plant Honeysuckle is because it wants to do this (needs to actually but at the minute so do I. Mutual survivorship is at stake-I kid you not) lament the tragedy that is the fact that there isn't anywhere else to put it besides this table. Lament also about how there is no space to move the table. try moving table. Stop straining. It hasn't moved, decline trying again. Tie it to the back stick which we have untied. Unwisely maybe. Spend 20 minutes getting tangled in the loom retying it because untying it wasn't the best idea. Consider tying the warp to it under a desk, the castle and between the heddle holder thing bits. Ah ha, I've just found a "Warning do not enter sign". Wonder if I should (after witing CGBF on it) (note that says should, not could) print that out and glue it to something of CGBF's, or the bathroom door or maybe the kitchen (that'd soo impress the owner). Oooh, my trousers.... or undies.
Take 5 minutes to sit down and fully appreciate how close to further insanity I have come. Literally I did not feel the breeze because I was in that tiny tiny space between the action and the breeze appearing. And that's the only reason I did not spot it. Scary. Contemplate taking a drink of calming tea it takes a
Next, check thing, its 10 dents per inch (DPI), ummm pull thread through every second one.

Right, unchain it, untangle it, rechain with longer length on the other end. Bang head, swear, get tangled, swear some more, get warp tangled (B^**£ry ar$e) untangle, get yarn in paper cut, swear profusely. Miss fact CGBF is almost hyperventilating at the language. Yell at CGBF. Swear, swear loads at and about the tangle. You'd thing there was some invisible cat tangling it right before my eyes. Just how much can it tangle? breathing=oxygen, not fuel for obscenities. Breathe and try to be at peace,be at peace with the yarn. Not that yarn, hand spun. I shall ply it later, reward myself, sooth my soul (ha ha haahhahahahahahaha ha.)
Brief prayer to whatever angels are listening. Untangle it WOOOOOOHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


Pull through the ties thing in order of the little flappy things. Shriek as little flappy purple sticks. Eeeek. There is nothing more alarming as the chink clink clink clink of something falling from something that was previously stuck..... B^**£ry have I broken it. Breathe breathe. Get the courage up to look and.... Well at least I know where the missing screw was hidden. Well no evidence of beer indicates why it may have come out of hiding. Obviously it took 5 months for it do fully check in there. Anyway, look at odd looking screw (that only implicates hardware items... I'm not helping am I?) decide not to swap it for the matching one. Place it with the other odd looking screws in the stash. Pill out Heddle (is that right?) The things that have holes in that you thread your yarn through. Watch CGBF disappear around the corner to watch Star Trek DS9. Leaving all alone, he just abandoned me for the TV and.... Morrow wind. Sob. i'll do that with his tea some of these days.

I need a break. Abandon it and follow Him and knit on the Blur Shawl (getting there, I'm very happy with its progress) I couldn't stand the thought of swearing much more in such a short space of time. You'd think I was channelling a Docker for a bit.

Return.
Feel glad I've already determined the middle tooth space (dent means tooth and I'm not sure if I should call it a dent. I'm also not entirely sure why I'm not sure about this) and marked it (yes its been marked, condemned as it were. Pity I didn't mark it by putting the tie through the two teeth on either side, so I could leave it on and not have to cut it off when I take the thing out -I think its the reed, but obviously despite making 6 sheets of notes I can't remember) with a blue length of yarn (acrylic-so it stays put).
Do one colour -pull through the heddles from 4-1 (right to left or back to front). Then pull through the Reed (sticking with my earlier delusion). Do happy partially chair based dance for the loom and do second colour. WOOOOHOOOOO.
Miss two mistakes, one colour isn't through a heddle, one is through one twice. Crap
I officially have a warp thing on the go.

All goes quiet. This, I can actually do myself. Facilitation CGBF to escape back through. Finish pulling them all through..

Light headed, stressed, sore throat and covered in yarn. Which was bought out with my usual standards of "natural"-colours or fibre. Its fraying. B^**£ry B^**£ry Ar$e.
Abandon it.
I will return within 4 days.

Regressing.

I just realised something.
Years ago I stopped reading books because of or for the pretty pictures. Now I read books for the content. And as I age (I still am convinced I'm 18. Recently i've settled for 23.) I learn to appreciate the content more and more. Do you know what I've realised? I'm again buying books for the pretty pictures..... Not just to look at as an "oooh, thats pretty" fairly luddite style appreciation addition. Heyy its free why not? But now I look for pictures to pore over and appreciate, as if I was 2.

Knitting books. Bought for the pretty pictures. And the charts.
Its true what they say, it keeps you youthful whilst you look old.
I am also delighted knitting is becoming trendy. Pity the rest of the world don't appreciate that more.

But I got some knitting books.
Victorian Lace Today Paperback by Jane Sowerby
Lace Style by Pam Allen
Shawls Two on the Go! (Vogue Knitting on the Go)

I'm not sure if the latter was a good idea. Its a US book and converting the needle size is harder when you've misplaced your needle gauge thing. Hang on actually, nope. Its misplaced. Pants.

I'm now tempted by Shetland Hap Shawls Then and Now and Heirloom Knitting both by-Sharon E Miller. Both books and a stack of gorgeous individual patterns in assorted weights can be got from her own website www.heirloom-knitting.co.uk. I've effectively banned myself from the website for another month until payday next month. Mid month....place bets on how long I'll last?
Well I'll delay because only one of the ordered book has arrived. Texts CGBF, THEY ARE HERE Wooohoooo:(.
Well now I'll delay until I've had a look at them then I'll decide when to get that pair of books. Because I am still bereft of a square pattern for the wedding shawl. I may need to trawl on Ravelry a bit more (which is hardly a chore) but it seems to be mainly triangle shawls that are available. But I did stumble (metaphorically speaking) on a Hap shawl, from there into these books. They sound fantastic.
Apparently Wool for Ewe is getting shawl patterns in which will be also fantastic :) .
I think I'm getting addicted :( (because of the cost and space that I do not have consumption) or :) cos I have more books and especially books that have knitting patterns.

But anyway Wool for Ewe. As if I needed an excuse to go there more often than I do. But I tend to save things up and go on a binge. Then a few days later I go on a second one. the most recent one involved me screaming a girly fashion. I couldn't help it, I didn't know the tape measure had a button on it. All I knew was that the tape got yanked out of my hands and a scream/jump ensued that caused laughter.

My workmates are slightly fascinated by knitting clubs (how can you be slightly fascinated? That's like saying something's slightly nuclear. Well they are wow, that'd be something to see without the intention of making the effort to see it). I mentioned about the Aberdeen stitch and bitch (which I got to go to last week :) ) and questions flew. What do you do? Knit? just knit? No we chat and look at books (and breathe, if its in a pub can drink, and munch crisps)


So how am I spending my weekend. Hope fully not filled with CGBF because he is going on a manly few days camping with whichever of the Bobs that have been rounded up and his birthday present.
Somehow I doubt but it maybe possible that he can prove to the Bobs that all things are possible by getting up early on a Saturday morning. That may not sound like much but it is. It is not only definitely much but was shocking, torturous and totally threw my last Saturday off. That may sound like over exaggerating but I assure you, its not.
Friday nights if he's about we sit and appreciate each other's company, blather and "watch tv/a DVD" (its just back ground noise). Whilst I knit. We stay up late (see the wee small hours together) and totally screw up our circadian rhythms because we are maddddd. We both regularly get up at 6 and find that regular hours is best for out health and detrimental to the frequency of falling asleep on the bus or "rickity mobile" that only bounces when I'm likely to and drooling down our fronts (seen it once, ghastly). SO CGBF sleeps in Saturday morning and I get up early. Do a bit of knitting, spinning, cry at that Loom, go on Ravelry and generally have some me time with the yarn. just me and the yarn or Roving. When I've had my me time then usually CGBF gets his breakfast in bed. But he got up early and it really threw me. No me time. Arraggggh. Poor guy.
Tomorrow, he's hopefully sleep in. Now I may need to drug him (http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/detail.html/herbal-teas/sleepytime)
, for this, but for the price of peace I'll happinly crack one out. For the record, he typicially gets told. Afterwards. For the other record, his parents know (they don't mind). bit I digress (The Prologue) they'll head off with some ingredients (I'll prepare them), set up the present- a cooking camping tripod, with a cooking bowl hung under it. They fire the food in, let it cook away. Short while later Nom nom nom.


Also I had... a moment... A female one.
Whaaattttt? is this not unusual? Female I am but not stereotypical when it comes to shoes... Not really interested.
I love my new pair of hiking boots.
Typically my inclination to shoes is, a few things, do they leek? Fit? cost a huge pile of money?
Well I got new ones which had an accident but that's by the by (can't like then when the side has split) and the new pair is grey and ..... Purple (with bits of black). Yes I am female,
I am female, see me be pleased by the colour (doesn't quite have the same ring to it does it). And be impressed by the fact that they match my socks. Well maybe impressed is the wrong word. And match is a bit strong but I do have purple socks (with black bits) (and vice versa) and they are so cosy.
Why is that good? Well it is very showing about the weather here that I felt the need to but winter boots in early August. And I have tried them (fairly gingerly) out in a puddle, but it wasn't too deep. And some wet grass. Rather than be ambivalent (I'll get there soon enough) I likes them. Its a great thing that I can afford new shoes when you consider that so many people cannot even afford food, let alone shoes.

I think thats me. Except for the fact I've just filled my shoe with fruit juice. Araggh Buggery.

Soo much to knit so lttle incentive.

Not only is this very late but I am really sleepy. And at work. I'm not that busy. But here we are after a lot of disruption to my Saturday morning I now finally have peace to blog. I like to be alone for this and since I'm at work he can't be distracting.He got up early and wanted to chat and I was rather suprised and about driven to distraction. Usually we stay up late, disrupt our sleeping pattern with chat and knitting (that'd be me). But no, he was up and loooking company. Anyway, I'm bored, therefore I'm daydreaming of yarn. Squishy squishy gorgeous lovely yarn. And I'm tired.

I have projects with me... well one project. The socks. But right now I'd almost rather count the number of feet in a single pair instead of work on them.
It'd probably be disastrous too I am that groggy and out of it. The only way I could focus on the would be if there were a sword of Damocles moment, but with a metal DPN instead of a sword. A pointy metal DPN, with knitting on them impaled on them. Waiting to become unravelled as they fell, to impale me. or I maybe was knitting with a tip-Ex paintbrush tipped knitting needle. It'd need to be a special type instead of a traditional proper knitting needle. That'd be thrilling.

So why am I feeling knitting bereft?
I have many projects. This should negate the previous statement you'd think. But you'd be thinking wrong. I am extremely bored and frustrated.

Hat-needs maths. Arragggggh
Shawl, bit big and for some reason it and I seem to enter a realm of stick when we meet. I'm not sure who is sticking to what, or maybe who is the most static, but we stick together. And it is an absolute bugger to knit when your yarn is stuck to the palm of your hand and shawl to the other arm. Whilst the unravelled length of yarn is acting like a clingy child and has glued itself to your jumper. Glad its glued to the jumper, I got flour down the front of my trousers and I'm unconvinced that hovering got it all out. I can't see any, but considering that hoover is the most useless piece of crap ever I'm doubtful it did anything beyond making my leg cold and spraying the kitchen with the flour and bread crumbs that weren't on my jeans. Pooft, all over the place in a dry ice/london smog cloud. I need a new hover.

Anyway (the prologue) I have 2 shawls,
1 too complex to do when sitting down totally focusing on it, let alone on a giggling clatter mobile (bus name changes dependant on what occurs to me at the time)
the other is too large to take on a but. 140ish stitches on a bus journey, not going to happen. 140ish stitches of static glue loving Mohair, also not happening. More chance of me knitting with my tongue that getting it done in a rattling bouncing Mrrrrrrrrggggghhhhing bus (there is a noisy one that makes horrible noises at random)which sooner or later willl fill with kids. I've not only started, doubled the length of this, but I've also had to rip it back. Same place, same error and I have no idea why or what I've done. I have stitch issues and ripped back to see where they originated so I could fix it. I located a dodgy looking bit. But I've ripped back to the previous line, so it should still be there. Its gone. What's the chances of it turning up when I start knitting again?

Ummm, my gloves, now I come to think of it. I should start the second one (requires me chasing down yarn and needles). No reason I couldn't start this other than lack of effort I shall dig it out tonight because the socks, are not doing it for me. Then once they are finished.... Another pair as festive present is needed too so if I can get on a bender that'd be great. I've also offered to make a pair for CGBF, I've managed to find manly colour for him that he liked. 407 All flamey reds and oranges with a deep rich (Claret 412) red for the cuff, heel, and toes. All Twilley's of Stamford freedom wool (the chunky one).
I'm definity into the pattern because Saturday past I finished CGBF's mum's pair. Also in Twilley's of Stamford freedom wool. This one nice blues (415, lookie here http://www.cucumberpatch.co.uk/freedom_wool.htm) that descended into the realm of disaster when I ran out of yarn. Nowhere had any. So I ripped the cuff off in the assumption that the green 411 CGBF picked (badly) or the navy (423) might work. Not a chance. Pants. Wool for Ewe got some in a few months later (took out the other colour I was after but got in a very nice different shades of purple one 413, I pretty much like anything in or with purple and this one is very nice). I have found 430. Which would have worked. Had I known it existed. Damn, you always find out about these things afterwards don't you.

Anyway (The Prologue) CGBF's mum's pair so don't match, there is more cables on one and I had to try compact one (strip it off my arm pushing downwards to compact it) and desperately stretching the other desperately trying to get that extra half cm to get them the same length. Tragicially for the gloves we were going out for Dinner with them and there was shrieks and tears of frustration and I gave up on doing repairs so they could get them at the time.

I also could start that pair for a mystery person (Hi :) I can't mention her in case she gets referred to this. CGBF's been threatening it :(.

Has anyone else noticed how they get dry eyes when they are tired? From what I've learnt, you blink and your eyelids lubricate (there has got to be a better word) your eyes. I blink more (especially when I have the tired stupid thing going then I blink loads in confusion). So your eyes lubricate, blink loads, lubricated more frequently. So how come my eye's are dry and gritty. Maybe they are off dosing somewhere and that's why they aren't working. Just abandoned me because I was alert and kept waking up last night. Some pleb's car alarm kept going off until well past midnight. So my brain decided the best thing, would be to wake up at random intervals just to check it'd stopped. Now personally, being the better person and ignoring it (sleeping) in is preferable. But nooooo, alert and suspicious my mind was. Actually CGBF doing his furnace impression didn't help so there maybe an aspect of survival instinct there too. Frazzle sizzle sizzle isn't be a nice way to wake up. I'm positive I have a hand shaped burn across my back. I can't say I enjoyed it much, especially when he decides to hold on. Persuading a sleeping person to let go isn't an effective use of time. Even if it is possible to escape he starts chasing me across the bed into the corner. In his sleep. But go to do something as simple as kiss his cheek any other time? 0-72 instantly. And into a bear hug/total body lock. the ones that mean you can't more or breathe at times. All without any indication or really altering breathing rhythm. Shocking lightning CGBF. Like a strange spring loaded Gryphon trap (how that'd work I do not know but it may just explain the really broad (and lovely) shoulders). I loves him.

Anyway thats me for the minute. But tommow (I hope) I'm going to write about...radioactive yellow gloop cake.

Shawls come, grow and unravel. Rapidly

I realised that I should be a bit more interesting on my blog.
What am I knitting, a shawl, one not happy (decidedly teenage acting actually, I've apparently got it all wrong), one fluctuating, a hat that only sees light on sundays as well as the Harris socks.

Socks, yes, that all pervading force in my life at the minute. The socks.
I've just finished the ribbing a few days ago on the second and already made my, "bugger it its not noticeable" mistake. I did 3 of 1 set patten lines instead of 2. But since this yarn unplies itself rapidly when you try to unpick it I declined to unpick it and pull it back a stitch at a time. This stuff cannot be ripped back by the row (circle maybe? they aren't rows because its knit on the round. Maybe its I can't pull them back by the round instead. Makes more sense). These need to be picked back stitch by stitch. 60x5= lots. So no, I'm not doing that for ummm.... calculator says 300. No. Not doing that. I have as much chance of getting those stitches back on easily as pizza has surviving 10 minutes in our house. Or our ripe blueberries around that thrush that only seems to eat them when I'm looking out the window. How does it know? I look out, it flies down and starts pieing out (to pie, you pie, she/she/it/they are pies. Think being an utter gutbag). Its a right chubby bird dicing with death I tell you. How they haven't stuck in its throat I can't predict (stretchy oesophagus muscles must have all the flexibility of new knicker elastic that is about to be twanged by someone annoying who has no sense of self preservation. Just like that thrush). I hope this increases the chance of it surviving to breed next year. More thrushes are a good thing.

Anyway, I digress (The Prologue) the sock, its coming along fast (oh how I am delighted), I have some pictures of it with Marvin on my work computer. I can't put it on but I'm going to (updated) I've ordered the computer at home another bluetooth dongle so I am a bit better at adding pictures. I also need to put on the hat and shawls.

Ohhh Shawls. The nightsongs (or Lindawings as its becoming considered) had a mistake so I needed to rip it back a bit. So it was set aside. Not only because I was a bit downhearted, but because I am a bit of a pattern anti fidelity pattern hussy. Yes I was enamoured with the Lesley fuzz (that almost sounds wrong. No actually it sounds wrong, completely wrong.) But its had a bit of a misfortune. I have no idea what I've done, but I've done something and I have toooo many stitches. 10 stitches do NOT appear out of nowhere and considering I consider myself able to count, I must consider that the numbers of stitches are correct. Therefore I must consider a mistake. Thats a lot of considerings. But this requires consideration is required. So every day I rip back another few rows and when the sob starts. I stop. And work on the Lindawings shawl.
Just so I can go form one thing that is heart wounding, to something that can turn me into a bloodshot eyed screaming raving loony. Well more screamy anyway, I'm already a vocal and screamy person to tell the truth. Maybe I should have more practice knitting from patterns before starting something as large as a shawl. But no matter. Why?

I love this pattern. Jam ahem wedge the worksheet in a book and let it unfold as you knit. And you do see the pattern unfold (maybe this is normal with all lace, I've never done any before so I can't tell). I love the pattern now I am ish becoming ish able to read the pattern. Enough to know when I have muncked up or if a yo is in the wrong place. I am back into the habit of doing a few rows every night. Even if it is the equivalent of a few rows. That is to say I've ripped the same part of a row out several times because the upside down Y thing with the vertical line going down to the same level as the forks of the Y is not looking right. Its poaching on a stitch from the next leaf and that's not right. That happened last night and despite knitting over over an hour, I only had 2 lines to show for it. And I feel pleased, because it doesn't matter that its only the second repeat and it was hardly any stitches. I got it right and added to it with added yea, I was right, that wasn't right. What did I do wrong? I have no idea. but its fixed now and I'm happy.

Other News, I have persuaded a friend to allow me to make her the Aeolian shawl (Knitty Linky). But the shoulderette form, and I've picked the yarn. Its here http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/epages/BT2741.sf/secDuF_fBWppSg/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT2741/Products/%22Lace%20Yarn%22/SubProducts/L20B . The colour L1A is the pick for the wedding shawl.

I really adore what these people do. Putting things into context two of my uncle have sheep. And when I was speaking to one he said it was hardly worth the effort selling them. They get a pittance. If it wasn't for the fact it was wet and he hadn't been able to shear them I'd have bought one of his. As it is I don't want to post raw wool so he may keep me something in the winter clip. these peopl buy the wool from 80% I think) the local crofters for a decent price, sort the fleece and sell it. In the natural colours and dyed. I love that idea. Which is why my cousin (the aforementioned uncle, who is as awesome as his daughter) is getting her weddig shawl spun from it.

What else. We made plum jam, which is very sweet (i'd worry about my pancreas, but these things seem to be purely decorative, I don't eat them). The last one is also distinctly part of, or a member of a closely related part of a section of society which has a fearable faction within it, it truly is, a widely feared faction in society. Because you can't tell which is which and are you going to be safe. Widely feared for many reasons. Terrors of society, yes, (some, the feared bit) with their strage hair colours, piercing stares, cutting looks and comments and tuts as well as the most scary fact. The fact that they look at you and they know, irrespective of whether or not you've been good, they know you haven't. And they know.Your.Mum.
Yes. Its da da daaaaa its the.... blue rinse brigade. Complete with handbags and glasses. you don't see them much up here.

i've forgotten where I was going with that train of thought. Ummmmmmmmmm.......ummmmm.....ummmm....still no idea.....ummmm....that hasn't helped. crap.

Oh yea, the last jar (which has a half jar) has a purple perm rinse. The ring was hot and caused it to bubble and we didn't do anything about it in our vain attempt to quick-get-it-out-before-it-all-sticks-to-the-insides-of-the-maslin-pan.
Its a purple rice jam. Ahem, purple rinse jam. Get it right. It amused me.

There has been no movement on the pineapple jam and I'm so not doing it on my own. I'm not a fan of pineapple (too sweet) and It'd be much more fun score out soothing to let/get CGBF do the chopping of it into the necessary bits instead. For me anyway.

Anyway, culinary delights. mine has been the new dish kits the spice shop in Aberdeen has got in. I love that shop, there are so many fascinating things you can look at. As if you were a 5 year old instead of a mature (ah ha hahahaha I don't feel it) adult. I love going in there, just so many new things to work up your bravery towards trying to see what you can make. We got Biryani which was amazingly good. Cooked it with carrots a leek, courgette and mushrooms (what needed eating). And what was nice (in a not nice way) There was actual small chunks of the spices that went into it which shows its not flavourings that goes into it. Its natural and every bite is different and its smells lovely. But that's the bad thing, you get little hard chunks. Potential Mouth food shrapnel but nothing serious. we also got Laksa (I think) that needs coconut milk added. It has tamarind paste and you need to cook it for a bit before the horrible unholy wretched stinking smell departs leaving your house reeking. Once your past that stage though, it sweetens and it smells much nicer and you get a lovely dish with a nice bit of heat behind it. But I do add a whole tin instead of a half to make it more manageable. Mee Goreng is also really nice.

I'm obviously experimenting in the far east food and loving it. Sadly score out tragically it doesn't always agree with CGBF's inner workings. But my Thai green curry can be very hit or miss. But it'd help if I measured stuff out rather than firing in anything that needed to be eaten as well as stuff I fancied. Then watching a splodge of the paste in with a tin of coconut milk. I'd say pouring but its a thick paste so in order to get it off the spoon that you almost have to swing around your head like that highland throw the hammer thing. But with a with a sudden downwards swoop instead of an upwards one finishing with a whack on the pot to add a sudden stop before it will come off. Last night's was very think and when you eat it the burn hits you "bloody hell this is HOOOOTTTTT burny burny burny Hotttttt". Then when it fades away there is taste. Then you repeat. Sometimes you let it get almost cool then you try it. but nope. That BURNNNNNNNNNN is still there.


One last thing... Its my little brother's birthday in the coming weeks (almost 3). So therefore its time to start panicing about what present to get him. The one without a neck. They don't sell necks.
I have no idea what to get him. Crap.


The actual final point... I have not wove anything. Or warped it. I live in fear of it. I cried then I yelled at CGBF. :(

Shawls and misfires

I realised that I should be a bit more interesting on my blog.
What am I knitting, a shawl, one not happy (decidedly teenage acting actually, I've apparently got it all wrong), one fluctuating, a hat that only sees light on sundays as well as the Harris socks.

Socks, yes, that all pervading force in my life at the minute. The socks.
I've just finished the ribbing a few days ago on the second and already made my, "bugger it its not noticeable" mistake. I did 3 of 1 set patten lines instead of 2. But since this yarn unplies itself rapidly when you try to unpick it I declined to unpick it and pull it back a stitch at a time. This stuff cannot be ripped back by the row (circle maybe? they aren't rows because its knit on the round. Maybe its I can't pull them back by the round instead. Makes more sense). These need to be picked back stitch by stitch. 60x5= lots. So no, I'm not doing that for ummm.... calculator says 300. No. Not doing that. I have as much chance of getting those stitches back on easily as pizza has surviving 10 minutes in our house. Or our ripe blueberries around that thrush that only seems to eat them when I'm looking out the window. How does it know? I look out, it flies down and starts pieing out (to pie, you pie, she/she/it/they are pies. Think being an utter gutbag). Its a right chubby bird dicing with death I tell you. How they haven't stuck in its throat I can't predict (stretchy oesophagus muscles must have all the flexibility of new knicker elastic that is about to be twanged by someone annoying who has no sense of self preservation. Just like that thrush). I hope this increases the chance of it surviving to breed next year. More thrushes are a good thing.

Anyway, I digress (The Prologue) the sock, its coming along fast (oh how I am delighted), I have some pictures of it with Marvin on my work computer. I can't put it on but I'm going to (updated) I've ordered the computer at home another bluetooth dongle so I am a bit better at adding pictures. I also need to put on the hat and shawls.

Ohhh Shawls. The nightsongs (or Lindawings as its becoming considered) had a mistake so I needed to rip it back a bit. So it was set aside. Not only because I was a bit downhearted, but because I am a bit of a pattern anti fidelity pattern hussy. Yes I was enamoured with the Lesley fuzz (that almost sounds wrong. No actually it sounds wrong, completely wrong.) But its had a bit of a misfortune. I have no idea what I've done, but I've done something and I have toooo many stitches. 10 stitches do NOT appear out of nowhere and considering I consider myself able to count, I must consider that the numbers of stitches are correct. Therefore I must consider a mistake. Thats a lot of considerings. But this requires consideration is required. So every day I rip back another few rows and when the sob starts. I stop. And work on the Lindawings shawl.
Just so I can go form one thing that is heart wounding, to something that can turn me into a bloodshot eyed screaming raving loony. Well more screamy anyway, I'm already a vocal and screamy person to tell the truth. Maybe I should have more practice knitting from patterns before starting something as large as a shawl. But no matter. Why?

I love this pattern. Jam ahem wedge the worksheet in a book and let it unfold as you knit. And you do see the pattern unfold (maybe this is normal with all lace, I've never done any before so I can't tell). I love the pattern now I am ish becoming ish able to read the pattern. Enough to know when I have muncked up or if a yo is in the wrong place. I am back into the habit of doing a few rows every night. Even if it is the equivalent of a few rows. That is to say I've ripped the same part of a row out several times because the upside down Y thing with the vertical line going down to the same level as the forks of the Y is not looking right. Its poaching on a stitch from the next leaf and that's not right. That happened last night and despite knitting over over an hour, I only had 2 lines to show for it. And I feel pleased, because it doesn't matter that its only the second repeat and it was hardly any stitches. I got it right and added to it with added yea, I was right, that wasn't right. What did I do wrong? I have no idea. but its fixed now and I'm happy.

Other News, I have persuaded a friend to allow me to make her the Aeolian shawl (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring09/KSPATTaeolian.php). But the shoulderette form, and I've picked the yarn. Its here http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/epages/BT2741.sf/secDuF_fBWppSg/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT2741/Products/%22Lace%20Yarn%22/SubProducts/L20B . The colour L1A is the pick for the wedding shawl.

I really adore what these people do. Putting things into context two of my uncles have sheep. And when I was speaking to one he said it was hardly worth the effort selling them. They get a pittance. If it wasn't for the fact it was wet and he hadn't been able to shear them I'd have bought one of his. As it is I don't want to post raw wool so he may keep me something in the winter clip. These people buy the wool from 80% of the crofters (I think) for a decent price, sort the fleece and sell it. In the natural colours and dyed. I love that idea. Which is why my cousin (the aforementioned uncle, who is as awesome as his daughter) is getting her wedding shawl spun from it.

What else. We made plum jam, of which there are two things to note.
The first of which is very sweet (i'd worry about my pancreas, but these things seem to be purely decorative, I don't eat them, neither does he from what I can tell).
The second point is also distinctly part of, or a member of a closely related part of a section of society which has a fearable faction within it, it truly is, a widely feared faction in society. Because you can't tell which is which and are you going to be safe. Widely feared for many reasons. Terrors of society, yes, (some, the feared section) with their strange hair colours, piercing stares, cutting looks and comments and tuts as well as the most scary fact. The fact that they look at you and they know, irrespective of whether or not you've been good, they know you haven't. And they know.Your.Mum.
Yes. Its da da daaaaa its the.... blue rinse brigade. Complete with handbags and glasses. You don't see them much up here.

I've forgotten where I was going with that train of thought. Ummmmmmmmmm.......ummmmm.....ummmm....still no idea.....ummmm....that hasn't helped. crap.

Oh yea, the last jar (which has a half jar) has a purple perm rinse. The ring was hot and caused it to bubble and we didn't do anything about it in our vain attempt to quick-get-it-out-before-it-all-sticks-to-the-insides-of-the-maslin-pan and it set with the bubbles. Which are a paler purple than the rest of the jam. Before anyone thinks about suggesting scum, there wsan't any on it at that stage.
Its a purple rice jam. Ahem, purple rinse jam. get it right. It amused me.

There has been no movement on the pineapple jam and I'm so not doing it on my own. I'm not a fan of pineapple (too sweet) and It'd be much more fun score out soothing to let/get CGBF do the chopping of it into the necessary bits instead. For me anyway.

Anyway, culinary delights. Mine has been the new sauce kits that the spice shop in Aberdeen has got in. I love that shop, there are so many fascinating things you can look at. As if you were a 5 year old instead of a mature (ah ha hahahaha I don't feel it) adult. I love going in there, just so many new things to work up your bravery towards trying to see what you can make. We got Biryani which was amazingly good. Cooked it with carrots a leek, courgette and mushrooms (what needed eating). And what was nice (in a not nice way) There was actual small chunks of the spices that went into it which shows its not flavourings that goes into it. Its natural and every bite is different and its smells lovely. But that's the bad thing, you get little hard chunks (I got 2 bits of cinnamon). Potential Mouth food shrapnel but nothing serious. We also got Laksa (I think its spelt that way) that needs coconut milk added to make a rich creamy sauce. It has tamarind paste and you need to cook it for a bit before the horrible unholy wretched stinking smell departs leaving your house reeking. Once your past that stage though, it sweetens and it smells much nicer and you get a lovely dish with a nice bit of heat behind it. But I do add a whole tin instead of a half to make it more manageable. I love that it hasn't been so processed that its been already cooked through to make its fragrant. Mee Goreng is also really nice.

I'm obviously experimenting in the far east food and loving it. Sadly ahem tragically it doesn't always agree with CGBF's inner workings. But my Thai green curry can be very hit or miss. But it'd help if I measured stuff out rather than firing in anything that needed to be eaten as well as stuff I fancied. Then pe lting in a random splodge quantity of the paste in with a tin of coconut milk. I'd say pouring but its a thick paste. So in order to get it off the spoon that you almost have to swing around your head like that highland throw the hammer thing. But with a with a sudden downwards swoop instead of upwards ending with wacking the spoon on the edge of the pot for that sudden stop movement required before it will come off. Last night's was very thick and when you eat it the burn hits you "bloody hell this is HOOOOTTTTT burny burny burny Hotttttt". Then when it fades away there is taste. Then you repeat. Sometimes you let it get almost cool then you try it. but nope. That BURNNNNNNNNNN is still there.



One last thing... Its my little brother's birthday in the coming weeks (almost 3). So therefore its time to start panicing about what present to get him. The one without a neck. They don't sell necks.
I have no idea what to get him. Crap.


The actual final point... I have not wove anything. Or warped it. I live in fear of it. I cried then I yelled at CGBF. :(