I'm Huntin HAAAAGIS

DSCF0084
Originally uploaded by MissMcNastie

The weather outside is frightful, there's no fire to be delightful and I do have places to go, so turn off the snow RIGHT NOW or I'll have a hissy fit.
Last night was Burns night so I had a nice wee Glen Garioch but no haggis. We're doing a belated Burns night on Sunday instead with Haggis, neeps, tatties, the works. This does pose a slight problem though.
Where does one hunt haggis in Germany?
I've been up die Bergen and through die Wälder and no haggis to be seen, not even a sniff of one. They're much happier in their natural habitat (see photo) and trying to find nice mountains like this in the Berlin area is slightly problematic. You see, other than the slight incline into Prenzl'berg, Berlin is as flat as a pancake. Anyway to cut a long story short, we're resorting to a raiding the freezer of one of my Scottish friends who managed to bag one last time she was home.

Now you may think that these wee beasties are really cute and cuddly but they're not. They're very ferocious  and when startled, can do some serious damage. I once had a very nasty finger wound from one. It stopped me knitting for at least 30 minutes.
Talking of knitting. Harriet's Betties got frogged. Yes its the pattern is stretchy, its lovely, its lacy etc but I realized that I really would need to measure her legs etc and I had to decide that approximately 3 cm before I started the ribbing on sock 1. So forgged they got and I did something completely unorthadox. I went out and bought a present. I got her a very good book and I also managed to rattle off a bandana/scarf/shawl thingumie with some left over lace yarn. I managed to get it done and blocked with2 hours to spare before I met up with everyone. Not bad at all really.
My 3 projects (yes I'm trying my best to keep to the no more than 3 on the go resolution) at the moment are Gloria which has been retrieved from the naughty corner, partially frogged and re-knitted. A jumper (sweater) for Frank and a wee pair of Neefje Steefje socks. I did find 3/4 of a 'squew' sock on the couch but I think that's desined for the frog pond. I don't really like it and it looks strange. Maybe just some plain vanilla socks with that yarn instead. Hmm dunno really. I'll think about it.
I've also been to London (work thing) and while there I managed to go visit Liberty's again. I should just forget that shop is there but I love it and something drags me past it every time I'm in the area.
It smells nice, the staff are friendly and they have fantastic sales twice per year. They also do mail order now. Anyway I stopped in there not intending to buy anything and I nearly managed. I put down the orangy kidsilk aura which was on sale for less than half the price because it was too orange, I put back the Kim Hargreaves book that was screaming for me to buy it AND the other Rowan book which had some scrummy things in it. I was walking past the table with piles of bargins on it and on my way back to the lift to the exit when I spied it. There sitting on the bargin table like a siren calling to me were some white boxes with half price written on them. Of course I had to look and that was it, I'd made a fatal mistake, I'd opened the box and fell in love with the lovely half price pure cashmere dk which was nesting in there and looking all soft and cuddly. Well in for a penny, in for a pound. I bought the box even though its baby pink and not exactly my colour but I couldn't leave it alone at that price. AND I also bought 4 balls of kid silk haze in silver. Why, I'm not exactly sure but I know it that it was good idea at the time. I reckon I'll make my mum a nice cardi with the cashmere and I'll have a think about what to do with the kid silk haze.
So in order to make room in my stash for the new commers, I'm doing some stash knitting. Frank's jumper is from some dark grey aran which I bought with the intentions of kniting an Aran jumper for him but he picked this one himself so he'd better like it.

The Highway to Hell

Harriet's Purple Betties
Originally uploaded by MissMcNastie

is paved with broken New Year's Resolutions and too many WIPs on the needles.
But I had to! Honest. You see we're supposed to have this secret Santa thing on Saturday. Yes I know that its either late or very early indeed but somehow, that's just the way that its happened.  Anyhoo, the reciever of my secret Santa present likes purple, likes knee-high lacey socks and loves hand made things and since I'm a lunatic and need to put myself under enormous amounts of pressure, I thought 'hey, lets make this person some purple lacey knee-high socks/stockings for secret santa'.
I started theses off in Zauberbal in a nice pinky purple - black purple colour and attempted to knit them in magic loop. That kind of backfired so they got frogged back to the toe.
I then decided to keep going but on 3 needles as the pattern suggests. and then I realised that if I wanted to get these babies finished before the Jan 15th 2012 then I'd better get some thicker yarn and some bigger needles so they got frogged again. This time all the way.
I then cast on with wollmeise in a nice purpley colour and got nearly to the heel of sock one when I realise that the center wasn't lined up properly so I frogged again and panicked.  I mean I know I knit fast but 2 knee high's before saturday and only the toe and 2 pattern repeats finished!!!
Anyway, got a phone call to postpone the secret santa until the 29th so the pressure is off but I will finish these babies before I start anything else. I need to finish a project.
I did manage to knit and finish socks for the neefje while on my way to NL over the weekend. He was very pleased and shoved them on his wee feet straight away. He also informed me that his wee sister likes her wee neckerchiefs but that he's not to fond of his crockodile scarf and mittens. He thinks they're too scary and that he would like socks instead. Very nicely done. First the praise bit and then the blow. Diplomatic career ahead of this one I think :o)

burn babe burn

There doesn't that make you feel a bit warmer?

And for those of you out there who are not aware, Hell has indeed frozen over. I've started to blog again :o)  We've had snow, ice and all sorts of freezing stuff going on for months now and even I'm getting bored with it.

Christmas and New Year were good not only coz I got really nice presents BUT also because Hogmany (31st of December) signified the last day of a horrible year.

I've not posted since August 2010. There are various reasons for that which I won't go into too much but basically 2010 sucked big time and I'm glad to see the back of it. On to 2011 :o)

2011 has started off quite well and I've got a couple of resolutions which I will try to keep. Number 1 on the list is to chill out and not to take things so personally which is going okay-ish. There are still certain people who still annoy me just by breathing but my new zen approach will hopefully help me to ignore their normal caustic personalities and not get upset with the mere thought being in the same place at the same time as they are.

Number 2 on my list is that I shouldn't have any more than 3 knitting projects on the needles at any point in time. One of them always has to be a protable project and one has to be selfish knitting. The portable and selfish can be one and the same but hopefully this way, it will motivate me to finish some things and not have 1000s of UFOs kicking around. About UFO's, I've been frogging big time. I had a stash clearout and a UFO tidy-up.

Number 3 is to try and be more organised. iPhone calander is a wonderful thing and so far, so good. I've been tidying out my e-mails and updating my stash AND throwing things out.

 Over to the side here is what I've got on the needles a the moment. This is my selfish and portable for now. Its in Anny Blatt - Lady Blatt and its gorgeous. So far its less than 1 ball of main colour per mitten and less than half a ball on the contrast colour. I'm now on the thumb of the first mitten so I feel secure in saying that. Considering that I'll have 2 of each colour left over then I might want to knit a matching hat or something. No point in wasting this gorgeous yarn.

the date for the big move is not yet set in stone but it should be at the end of March. Only 6 months over the original date of moving in but still we'll be getting to move in and I can't wait. I feel like I've been putting so many things on hold for so long now. Not just me but Mr McNastie too.

The good news is that we're both going to New Zealand for the rugby world cup this year and we have tickets for all of Scotland's games again including the big one in Auckland versus the Auld Enemy at Eden Park. Before we travel quite so far though, we're off to NL soon. Quick tour of the in-laws and back to Berlin with the usual haul of dutch goodies. The big NZ tour isn't until September anyway and I'm sure we'll have some mini trips inbetween so it won't all be work and no play.

Oh and you may have noticed that I've burned BerlinerBabe. 2010 reason's behind it but McNastie is here to stay.

Finished Objects

Finished Articles
Originally uploaded by BerlinerBabe

Objects in the finished object pile may appear to be more numerous than in real life.

There is :-

1x Evenstar
1x Gothic Baby Blanket
1x Anastasia Socks
1x Neefje Steefje socks
1x Super Carla (ends sewn in at last)
1x Citron
1x Coquille
1x Nightsong

Actually that's 8 FO's so not too bad really. Now I don't feel nearly so guilty about buying 14 balls of Drops silk tweed and another Hanne Falkenburg kit. I have no idea what to do with the silk tweed but it was too nice to leave in the shop especially when it was reduced to silly money. I blame Winni again. She is my dealer/pusher and told me that the wee LYS in Alt Tegel has a SSV (summer sale). Unfortunately Drops will be leaving their stock forever (something to do with Drops making things difficult for stockists) which is a shame but hence the summer sale. its a shame as I kind of like Drops but I suppose if I really want it, I can order it online.

I've got socks for Frank OTN and the stupid picture won't upload. Stupid stupid Flikr. Ach I'll sort it later.

I managed to get a bit of knitting done while on holiday. The Anastasia socks are for me and were completed not while cycling along the Elbe as that is a bit too complicated but at various stops along the Elbe while on bike tour.

Since the photos of Frank's socks won't load then the photos from the Elberadweg won't either :o( which is a bit of bummer as its very pretty. We were really lucky with the weather too and cashed in our luck when we booked the train back on Saturday and missed the high water and floods where we'd been staying. If anyone is looking to start a business, there is a distinct lack of campsites between Torgau and Meissen.

Oh and boys and girls, that extra centimeter really does matter. I had a really, really sore behind only a few days into the tour and that never normally happens. We discovered that my saddle was too far back so we moved it 1cm forward. It made the biggest improvement ever. Actually so much improvement that we managed 75km the next day. All in all we did about 500km on our bikes.

I actually enjoyed things soo much that I've decided to get even fitter and signed up for a new gym which has spinning classes. Not the wooly spinning stuff but the bike spinning stuff which I used to do ages ago and loved it.

Sod it socks

They're finished at last! Diana now has her socks and incidentally that's also one of her legs in them. Will get a better photo some other day but that's the best I can do considering that it's half time in the Germany v Spain semi- final and damn hot. Poor soul had to stuggle to get them on and then had to almost scrape them off. Too hot for wooly stuff.

....there's no place like home...

Yes, its another iPhone sock. So far, I've knitted 3 of those babies and that one up there is the 4th. No doubt I will be required to knit more of them so I won't say that its my last one but I think I might branch out in to fair isle or aran patterns for the next one. I'm getting a bit bored with stocking stitch.

It kind of started with mine then McGee at O's wanted one for his new ipod thing and then my boss wanted one. She really is the boss and I'm too scared to say no. That's not true, she's a good boss and asked me nicely and like the good little civil servant I am, I complied. When she got hers, she did what a good recepiant of knitted items should do, and showed it off to everyone within showing off range. Said showing off action however has consequences and another colleague wants one. That's the one now on the needles.

I must admit that even though I'm trying not to cast on anything new and yes 4 iPhone covers does count as casting on, its kind of helping me keep on the straight and narrow when it comes to finishing my current wips and ufos. I've now finished the Evenstar and gorgeous as it is, I was right, it should be gorgeous on somone else and not me but I'll worry about that after its blocked.

I'm made excellent progress on Diana's socks. I really just need her to try them on. I have spotted a (ahem) deliberate mistake on one of the socks but if anyone spots it then they're looking too close. Actually I might put a nice wee sparkly thing there or a bow or something just to make it different. And the Gail or Nightsong shawl has made tremendous leaps and bounds. My MIL thinks the pattern looks Irish and in the colour of green that's there. I would tend to agree. I'm on the last pattern repeat and then it calls for the edging.

Talking of edging. On the Evenstar (photos to follow when blocked and looking lovely) there are 2800 beads. And to the woman in the bead shop where I bought the beads, YES YOU CAN PUT BEADS ON WOOL USING A CROCHET HOOK WHILE KNITTING - Phew, glad I got that off my chest. She decided to tell me that i couldn't possibly KNIT with beads and a crochet hook. She wasn't even anything to do with the shop, just another customer but one that had to stick her nose in. She didn't like it much when I ignored her a and bought the beads anyway. Will take the shawl to the shop to let them see the beads on the shawl. They will like that, its a nice shop.

It may seem that I've not really completed a lot of things since my last post and that was...how many weeks ago? Well there's a reason for that. I've been traveling for work and when i do that, I'm limited to knitting time and to what projects I can take with me. The Evenstar was left untouched, I packed Diana's socks in the hold luggage (metal needles and not a chance of getting them on the plane) and the Gail was sneaked on in my hand luggage. I've been to Dublin (didn't get to the wool shop and was very sad about that), London (went to Liberty's and John Lewis but didn't buy anything) and the Hague (didn't have time for wool shopping).

I'll be back in London in less than 3 weeks but I doubt that I'll be shopping. I booked a much better hotel this time round (its a bit more expensive anyway) as the last one was awful and I didn't really enjoy the stay. The chamber maid came in a stilly hours like 8am. Aparantly you have to put up a DND sign if you don't want to be caught naked in the shower by the chamber maid at that time in the morning. And the italian boys down stairs from me really liked the spanish girls upstairs from me and would communicate through the window. I politely suggested that she either give him her phone number of that they go forth and multiply down at the bar. I think they opted for the 2nd choice. Oh and there was queue a mile long, bus loads of people queuing for the world's crappiest breakfast.

Oh and just another wee whinge to the courting couple who invaded my space on the flight back from Den Haag. Because of your slurping noises and severe lack of propiety, I got an upgrade to business class and you didn't. Neener, neener, neener. And even though the noises sounded as if you were auditioning for a low budget prn movie, you actually have to have sex to join the mile high club. I would class that attempt as FAILED

And to finish this off at last and to relate to the title. Now that I'm home and have finished the Evenstar, I can get right on with blocking it and getting started on finishing the Peacock Feather shawl which has been on my needles for an eternity.

Stashbusting

Lately, I've been trying not to cast on new things. I won't say that I've failed miserably because to an extent, I've been semi successful.
Hmm, let me think....... Finished objects compared to WIPS UFOs and new projects......... actually take that right back, i have failed miserably.
Okay so I finished a small lap blanket thing AND my new iPhone sock (see photie). I've also gotten stuck into Diana's socks which got lost, found, lost again and then frogged. This time I'm trying something new in that, i'm knitting 2 at 1 time. I have attempted that before but I gave up as too fiddly however, I appear to have gotten the hang of it now. Icidentally, Diana has only been waiting for her socks since September 09. Not good.

I think I'll be trying the 2 at one time method for more knee highs and stockings on the future. Keeps SSS to a minimum but I do seem to have developed leg length lethargy and i've not even arrived at the increases.

One new project which can't be lumped in with my lack of finished objectness is the rogue sweater which I will be casting on as soon as I have Berni's measurements. She also got a knitting menu for her b'day and chose the rogue.

I also managed to trade my soul for an Iphone. I love it. It's even got knitting apps. I do think that raveley should set up an app. If they did, my life would be complete and I would never want for anything ever again.

My evenstar is nearly at an end. Only 900 beads to go, block it, see if it suits me, decide that it doesn't and give it away to someone who will love it and hug it and call it.. Eh......Evenstar?

Pfaff-off

Well I didn't update my U2 at the Brandenburg Gate post and I haven't written anything for ages but I've been doing real life stuff like stressing about work and giftmas and doing social things and other rubbish. I've travelling a bit too. Had a nightmare over Christmas when they lost my bags with 4 hanks of Wollmeise and the giftmas presents in it. ANYWAY.....I'm back, I've finally stopped running around and now I can't think what to write. Typical.

Here's what I did at the weekend



Are you jealous?

I was down in the land of bier, brezels and wollmseise again with some friends and we had an excellent time. Good food, good bier, good company and lots of knitting time.

Seriously though, its not all for me and it will probably be my last Stash Enhancing eXcursion in a long, long time. Wait, did I not write that in October? I think I did but since I've just bought a flat, I really will have to tighten the purse strings and actually knit some of the stuff I've bought.

U2 at brandenburg gate

Report to follow.

Yrn Prn

This is where our Stash Enhancing eXcursion all began. Okay so the shop was closed because of the Wollfest in Vaterstetten but nevertheless we had to at least make the pilgrimige to THE SHOP.
We didn't get very far but look at all those shelves full of Wollmeise. It brought back memories of being a kid in a sweetie shop and not having any pennies in my pocket for even 1 soor ploom. Don't think Claudia had to wash her windows that week. Actually probably had to wash them twice just to get the drool off of them.


We did get to the annual Vaterstetten Wolfest though. Above and below is the stash. 2 hours at the wollmeise stand and kilos of yarn. We actually planned to fill the bath tub with it and get photos of ourselves in the bath tub but sensibility took over and we decided that the windowsill was probably the best place for a picture. Oh and don't worry, this is not MY personal stash but the combined orders of half of Berlin and the rest of the world. My haul has already been shared out with the other half of Berlin but planning on going to Pfaffenhofen some other time.

Here is what got started on the train. Julia Müller's Autum Leaves. Its the first time I've done anything double knitting and I kind of like it. I think I might knit a matching ipod cover but that will have to wait until the hats are finished. Why is everyone wanting hats for christmas this year? Okay so it does feel like winter has come early and even I've dug out my mittens and bought myself an new snuggly jacket so I guess I've just answered my own question but the problem is, I want to knit mittens and glittens and gloves (oh my)

Next off the needles will be a Gretel hat then a Struan hat and then the above mittens. Miss Daisy's Aran Pocket shawl is my wrestling project at the moment. Its so damn heavy and boring that I'm kind of stuck. Think I'll need to reseve some me time with a good audio book and the thing. I'm sure that once its finished Aunt Joyce will be delighted but until then....

Running is not going too good at the moment. I manged to jar my knee on Monday because of a stupid Audi driver who decided to turn right without looking and I had to jump off my bike rather quickly. I thought it was okay but it gets sore so we've been doing fast walking instead till it heals or feels better anyway.

From Hand Spun to Habitat

I am so very pleased with myself. Even if I hadn't spun the yarn with my own to hands, I would have been very pleased with the habitat hat. Its a bit big for me so I'm looking for a rather large and cold head to donate it to.

I completely over spun the yarn but that's a beginners mistake. The next lot I spun doesn't look nearly so strung out as this lot did so I think I'm a getting a bit more relaxed when spinning.

What Sari said in her comment about spinners not really missing knitting time is perfectly correct. Its more like part of the process of obtaining nice yarn. The whole whirring of the wheel and bobbin is kind of hypnotic and really is an excellent way to chill out and perfect for catching up with reading. Not the reading kind of reading but the listening kind of reading. I've discovered audio books and I'm getting addicted.

Amazon has a good deal with Audible but beware people. Its only really cut out for ipod owners. I ended up buying an ipod just so I could listen to books. Don't get me wrong, since purchasing my new technological toy, I have had massive amounts of fun and still am; what with the music, the books and the new chip thingie for my running show etc. but that's not the point. The point is, I had to go out and buy either a new mp3 player which can also play aac files or an ipod. In the end it doesn't really matter, I've got the ipod and I love it but just to warn those of you who want to do the amazon book thingie, you need an ipod or a really up to date mp3 player. Check out their list of suitable devices before you commit.

Also getting a new wee personality to come live with us. A very sweet little rat called Tar. She should be arriving this afternoon :o) so I'm buggering off early so that I can clear up and make her welcome. I'm soo excited.

Oh and on the running thing. Charleen an I are being very good. Despite being slightly under the weather we went out for a run around the park last night and will be again tonight. I'm actually begining to enjoy this running malarky. Never thought I would.

Söd it

This is the beginning of the Södera Socks for Diana. I nicked BerlinBat's idea again and let her pick what she wanted and in what colour but with restrictions i.e. I pasted the photos from 4 designs which I though she would like and I wanted to knit into word. That way I wouldn't get landed with an uninspiring pattern and its something I've been wanting to knit for ages.

On a non knitting theme: I've signed up for the Berlin half marathon which is on March 28th 2010. I've already started the training which I'm enjoying as I'm training with a friend of mine and she has the same problems as me. We're both crap at self motivation and we both have short legs. Our pace matches quite well and we've got a wee bit of a rhythm going also its really difficult to let other people down so we manage to talk each other into things like going running in the rain.

I've also go a wonderful new thing. Its a chip which fits into my running shoe and the receiver plugs into my ipod. I no longer have to work out how far I run, what my pace was, how many calories I burned off etc etc. It does it all for me and plays my favourite music into the bargin. I just loaded more cds onto it last night. A wee bit of Metallica is great first thing in the morning. It certainly wakes up the brain.

The kromski is going great. I've taken fbz's advice and keep oiling the crap out of it. I've got 2 skiens of green stuff (BFL) hanging to dry in my bathroom and I'm very proud of myself. I reckon its alright for something I spun myself although I think you can tell that its the first thing I've ever spun. It will probably turn into a hat and if there is enough, some wrist warmers but I won't go casting on hats just yet. First the socks need to get finished. After that, I can cast on all sorts of wintery projects. Well maybe not; I'll get rid of some of the WIPs first.

Sleeping Beauty?

Spinning Wheel - check
(new)Bed - check

add them up together and what do you get?

Sleeping Beauty.........or the Wicked Fairy? As I'm in a good mood today I'll go with the Wicked Fairy side

I am now the proud owner of this lovely spinning wheel. Its a kromski minstrel. This is fbz's photo of my lovely new purchase, before I purchased it. Isn't it gorgeous? And you know what? It works!

I picked it up last night but unfortunately didn't get a chance to play with it straight away. My new bed got delivered on Tuesday and I still needed to build the drawers for under the bed so I was a good girl for a change and did something I was supposed to over something I wanted to. The good news about the drawers getting built and put under the bed is that I've now tidied up loads of stuff and have more room for fiber. Anyway, after the drawers and the tidy up, I was too tired to work out how to get things going so I finished off my
Aestlight instead. The wool is Wollmeise and the colour way is 'am kalten polar' but it makes me think of the northern lights which is kind of appropriate for a shawl called Aestlight.

Anyhoo, back to my new aquisition. Last night as I was too tired to work out how to spin. I had a go this morning before I went to work and I managed to get something which looks like yarn. I am very pleased with myself. I'm now champing at the bit to get away from work so that I can run back home and play with it again.

Even though I've had a spinning wheel for about 4 years I've never managed to get anything which looks like yarn at all. Okay so the 'old' wheel is a no name which I bought in NL for €8 including the petrol costs of going to pick it up. Its a really basic thing and it goes really fast and not really recommended for beginners but at that price, who's complaining?

Spittens

Live long and prosper......
At last night's stricktreff, we had a bit of discussion on what these should actually be called. The official pattern is 'Glittens' but Danni suggested Spockens and himself (when I got home) suggested Spittens. Well, whatever they should be called they're, well actually it's, knitted up on some purple Lanark Mills Aran weight and is very nice indeed. I know they were supposed to be in Wollmeise but that ended up frogged and this wool called to me from my stash. The wollmeise will perhaps become sotto socks and if not then I'm sure I'll find a use for it.

Himself thinks that the Sock Monster's mum will love them and if she doesn't then there is the nice drunk gentlemen whom I met last night who would like a pair but I think that's only because he was drunk and I was doing rude things with them. That however, is a different story entirely and would probably end up getting my blog x-rated.

Back to the point. When I got home from stricking and treffing, I cast on the 2nd spitten so that I wouldn't get scond spitten syndrom which I've heard, can even effect vulcans but I'm sure that with a bit of concentration, I'll get the 2nd one finished this weekend.

The next project to finish after that is Miss Daisy's (Aunt Joyce) aran pocket shawl. It was just getting too heavy for me to schlep around and also it was just far too warm to have it sitting on my knee while knitting. Its 100% alpaca for crying out loud. 100% Alpaca = heat stroke when the outside temperature is averaging on 30°C for weeks on end.
Actually scrap that. I'll hang off and wait to see if the temperature rises again. If so then the shawl from the firey depths of hell will just have to wait. I'll cast on some nice boring socks for himself.

Off to London next week. Not for I Knit but for work. Still I do hope to bring a few goodies back. We'll see. It all depends on whether or not I can drag my colleague into a wool shop or not :o)

Sumer Knitting

This might not look very summerish but its a lot lighter to knit than the aran pocket scarf I was knitting for Auntie Joyce.

The aran pocket thing is just to heavy. It even makes my knees sweat when I'm knitting it.

This is for Niece Wies aka the sock monster (see last post). I got a bit frustrated making small thumbless mittens so I frogged and knitted this instead. Its cute isn't it. I've got loads of pink stuff left so I'm going to knit a negative of this and hope that its not too pink for the wee yin.


I think she'll look dead cute in it anyway.














This prime example is of the blue snowflake mittens order by my nephew. they are actually from Selbuvotter. NHM#5 if you really want to know which pattern number etc. The thumb is a pain to knit as its so wee but they turned out very nicely even if I do say so myself. I've still to knit the 2nd thumb but since I've got LFIM stricktreff this afternoon, I reckon they'll be finished sometime today.





My SIL is up next. She's getting Glittens or Spock Gloves as I like to call them. they are very handy things and I think she'll like them. I originally wanted to knit her other gloves but I managed to knit them big enough to fit himself and I know that her hands are a lot bigger than mine but they're not that big. Anyway I'd started them in the wollmeise blaue tinte which I've got loads of and to be honest, that's not really her colour so they got frogged, turned into Neefje Steefje Selbuvotter and she's now getting Wollmeise Rosenrot glittens. Red is much more her colour.



I'm still on my self inflicted yarn kauf verbot but I have just purchased a 2nd hand kromski spinning wheel with accoutriments. I won't be picking it up till mid Sept as soon to be ex-owner is out of town. She's downsizing and getting rid of the wheel and I've always wanted a wheel like that. This of course means that even though I'm on a yarn diet, I won't be on a fibre diet and can then spin my own stuff. There is a way around everything.

Off to LFIM stricktreff now. Lemon Iced Green Tea Frappechino here I come :o)

p.s. its 30° in my office at the moment which isn't as hot as yesterday.

Sock Monster

Ladies and Gentlemen. Roll up! Roll up! Roll up and witness this amazing discovery for yourselves. The ever elusive sock monster has at last been photographed in action.

This rare and exotic creature which is often believed to lurk in washing machines, praying on random socks has now been unveiled. Its not a horrible monster as once suspected. Its my niece and when she's old enough, she will write and apologise to everyone out there who's socks she's eaten.

The real story is that I needed a small project for on the train on my way to NL and this young lady's big brother had asked for brown socks. He's three and he likes brown at the moment (van Gough also when through a brown phase) so I knitted him brown(ish) socks. What one gets, the other needs to get too but brown socks for my niece well, it wouldn't look good on her so she got some pastle coloured stripey things which she immediately stuffed into her mouth. I think she likes them. Her big brother also likes his socks but not that much that he wants to eat them. He now wants blue mittens with snowflakes. I have one finished and I'm working on the other one so he'll have them for the winter. This of course means that the little sock monster will have to get some too but I'll knit her's without thumbs so that her Mum won't have to fiddle.

Loads happening since my last blog. I've managed to finish a few things and start on a few more I finished the whisper cardi, a small laminaria and the feather boa. I also finished fishnet stockings for my sister and the super karla but the border will be going to the frog pond as I don't like it. Will be thinking up a different border and eventually getting around to it.

Apart from the mittens for my niece and nephew and their mum (she's getting glittens) I'm trying not to start anything new for a while. I've also put myself on a yarn diet again. This time seriously. I'm really, really proud of myself so far. Since my mum has left (4th Aug) I haven't bought one single ball of wool, not even when i saw the new sauberball colours. The above mentioned socks were from the stash (leftover opal Owl and Candy Stripe I think) and the Glittens are being knitted up on Wollmeise which is also in the stash. I have to remind myself that wollmeise is not just for petting. It really is brilliant to knit with. Steven's mittens are from Blaue tinte and some white Lang's Sockenwolle which was in my stash.

Himself has also been hinting at more socks. I have (thanks to my dealer Winni) managed to aquire some black Wollmeise so that will be getting turned into some boat sized socks for Frank. He's not really into the coloured stuff although he does say that the colours are nice but just not for him.

I also found some cute dress patterns on the net for Niece Wies so that will use up some of the wollmeise too.

Will try and update a bit more.

Diet Schmeiet

The WIP (work in progress for you muggles out there) wrestling is going well but the yarn diet isn't. Last night I turned up right on time to the stricktreff and was rewarded with this.... 3 hanks of Wollmeise. 2 in Sündig and Verrucht which means sinful and naughty (fits me precisely) and the other is Herzblut which is a bit difficult to translate. It literally means Heart's Blood but its other meaning is nice too. In english we would say that someone is your 'heart and soul' well in German you say that someone is your heart's blood.
As I was saying - I got to stricktreff on time last night and Suddenly these appeared on the table; 'for sale'. There was more but I managed to reign myself in to 'only' 3 skiens. The way the Wollmeise shop is set up just now is good for the Wollmeise herself but not so good for me who never seems to log on at the right time. So now I leave the buying on the website to my jammier (scottish word for those with more luck than the average person) stricktreffing friends. Lucky for me, sometimes the colours aren't quite what they expected so I get to enhance my stash :o)

Back to WIP westling. I'm still on the Whisper cardy but hopefully that will be finished for the weekend or by the end of it anyway. I've had a few episodes with this and it ended up in the naughty corner for a few hours while I went looking for a pattern to cast-on. I know that I'm not supposed to be actually casting-on right now but the act of looking for a pattern to cast-on isn't a crime during WIP Wrestling weeks however the act of casting-on itself is. Anyway I found what I was looking for, remembered that I hadn't wound the yarn and anyway, I was WIP wrestling so I couldn't.

Its at this point I realised that I have a particular behavior pattern when it comes to knitting. I seem to get annoyed with a particular project for some reason, put it in the naughty corner and cast-on with some nice new yarn which is screaming at me to do something with it. I then continue with the new project until it does something to displease me and ends up in the time out zone with the now forgotten about original project. The WIP weeks appear to be teaching me to alter this particular tick as I didn't go wind up the new yarn and I didn't load up the sticks. Instead, after finding the pattern I wanted to start, I stomped over to the sin bin and found Berni's socks. She's only been waiting on those since January and Ive got some WIP mittens to finish for her too.

I'm still itching to cast on something new but I'll think about it over the next 2.5 weeks and if I still want to cast-on the old shale shawl then I will. I think the wollmeise violet lace weight I have will be perfect for it.

Now for something completely different. I resigned from the 7's. Its been a long time coming but I've realised that I wasn't giving it my best and when you're not doing that, its time to move on. This year will be my last year in an organisational function. Its really difficult to put my feelings about this into words. If you include this year, I've been doing the 7's for nine years in total and when you do something for that long, you kind of get attached and its difficult to let go. I'll miss the buzz but I know that if things ever calm down for me, I'll be able to go back to it.

Wee Duckies

Easy knit for Easter. Just stuff the head and stick a chocolate egg in its bum and Fanny's your Aunt, an almost instant Easter pressie.

Materials

3mm needles

Double Knitting yarn

Instructions

Duck

cast on 26 sts, knit 1 row.

increase 1 st at beginning of each row until 42 sts (17 rows including row 1)

row 18 - cast off 11 sts and knit to end

row 19 - cast off 11 sts and knit to end (20 sts left on needle)

row 20-27 knit

row 28 - k1, (k2 tog) x9, k1

cut yarn and thread through remaining sts and pull tight. Sew up duck's head, back and tail. Leave seam along bum open for head and choccie egg stuffing.

Hat

cast on 24sts

row 1-8 - knit

row 9 - k4 (k2tog)x8, k4 (16 sts)

row 10-13 - knit

row 14 - k1, (k2 tog)x7, k1 (9sts)

row 15-22 - knit

row 23 - k1, k2tog til end (5sts)

cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull tight and sew up.

Scarf

Cast on 50 sts

row 1-2, knit

cast off

sew in ends

Stuff head with whatever you want, cotton wool, capok, stuffing, brains......

add eyes and beak.

stuff choccie egg in bottom and put hat and scarf on wee duckie :o)

What a not so scotsman wears under his......bathrobe?

Well he wasn't wearing his kilt when he tired them on but he has got rather strapping legs for the socks AND they look really good.

When I'd finished Kitchener stitching the toe and sewing in the starting thread I did a wee happy dance all round the flat. I reckon that now I've done kilt socks, all other socks will be a doddle. Even socks for his nibs will be easy in comparison to those monsters.

The pattern is a heavily revised version of the John Anderson kilt hose. I knitted them top down instead of toe up. I used normal dpns and I did different decreases. Neither himself or myself like the v's created by ribbed decreases in some patterns so I did staggered decreasing. I will write up and post the pattern just in case anyone wants it. Although who in their right mind would want to knit kilt hose for a 6'3" rugby player?
Nobody answer that one please.

I've made this sound like a chore and it wasn at all. I liked the interesting cables and once I'd got the leg decreases worked out and done, the repetision knitting was good. The constant row counting between each cable was good to keep the brain active and the foot was really good tv knitting. I watched all sorts of rubbish while knitting the foot on the last sock.

I've now cast-on the jumper for my Mum. I've also frogged it and re-cast-on, frogged and re-cast-on a few times. I actually knitted a swatch this time round because the wool I'm using is not only a different brand but a different weight. The swatch knitted up exactly like it said it would in the pattern then I started kntting in earnest. My gauge was all off so I switched to a smaller set of needles then I couldn't get the right number of stitches cast on. THEN I did the mobius thing again AND THEN I finally got the right number cast-on and discovered that I had the wrong needles again. I decided that sod it, I like a really stretchy cast-on anyway so I started to knit. Knitting kept getting caught on the cable so I investigated to find 3 sets of ickle bunny teeth marks which was catching the yarn. Luckily for her, I was knitting on the knitpicks harmony series and could change the cable. Luckily for her, I still had a spare one of the same size. Luckily for her that she hid under the couch so that wee boss couldn't shave off her fur and take up spinning. As if I could do that to that gorgeous wee bunny.

Brrrrrrrlin

Well its snowing again. I like snow so I can't really complain. I like sitting inside and watching it fall outside. One reason I like it so much is because it extends the knitting season by a couple of weeks. Also people are still using their chrismits and scarfs and it makes everything including that big ugly pick-up truck look pretty.

I don't like it when I step out of the door and fall on my bum because its just covered up a huge patch of ice that even my made for mountaineering boots go for a skite on (skite is scottish word for sliding or high speed. Not to be confused with going out on the skite (also scottish) which means going out with friends to a pub or club and drinking copious amounts of alcohol). Yes, the skiting without the alcohol happened this morning on my way to work and made my jeans rather wet. Not amused

To the left is a bit of a reward for doing all that knitting recently. More Malabrigo. This time pink frost and its lovely. My mum's colours realy as it doesn't, under any circumstances, go with my hair. Red and baby pink do not mix. Also makes me look bluer than I actually am. If I was any bluer, I would be a smurf. All I would need is a white pointy hat and you could call me Smurfette. I got the Malabrigo from our stricktreff 'dealer'. I mailed her to see if she still had the Wollmeise natural lace weight and if she could bring it for me and she brought this too. I'm on a yarn diet!!!!! I will not be lead into temptation. Okay so I dramatically caved into temptation but that's not a bad thing when it comes to Wollmeise or Malabrigo for that matter AND I have been knitting like a fiend recently. have a look at the pickies below and you'll see that himself's aircraft carrier sized socks are almost finished. All I have to do now is the heel and the foot and then Fanny's your aunt, they're finnished.

My trip to the Hague and Paris were both sucessful in certain ways. TH was okay despite the nasty person who decided to express his problem with my weight on a busy shopping street in the city centre.
Unwanted, rude and sometimes downright offensive opnion expressing is a national sport in this country so I try not to get offended. I've been told that the opionee's are just being honest and do this for the good of the opinion receiver's health and looks however, I'm not entirely convinced. Down right nastiness and the desire to make oneself feel good by making others feel bad about themselves seems like a more likely explaination.
The conversation went something like this.

rude cheese head: you're fat
me: excuse me?
rch: you're fat
me: well you're ugly
rch: you're still fat
me: well I can diet but you'll still be ugly.

I did manage to see a few friends there which is always nice and I got to stay in a big posh hotel which was nice too. The best thing about NL is that I can watch BBC1 and 2 there.

Paris was nice too. I didn't get to La Doguerie which is actually good because they have some new books and I would have needed check-in luggage after all. We had fun in the Thistle Bar (one of 3 scottish bars) I know it sounds silly, being scottish and going all the way to paris and then going to a scottish bar. Not living in Scotland kind of makes me homesick sometimes and going to a scottish bar makes me sick of home and anyway, I can buy walkers salt'n'vinegar and irn bru there. Also I wasn't really on a weekend break, I was on national service. We got beat by France but it was a good game and its much better than being beaten by Eng.