Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The kindness of friends and strangers

Every so often my guardian angel lets me know they are still there and that I am right to continue to have faith in my fellow human being. I mentioned very briefly that I attended the Iknit day in central London last month. What I didn't mention was me admiring the cardigan worn by one of the women helping out on the day. The cardigan was worn by Esther who promised to email the pattern to me. I have to admit that I thought that would be the end of it. How many times have a heard "Give me your email address and I'll email you the details" and never heard a thing. Shamefully, I assumed this was the case. Imagine my surprise, a couple of days later, when I received an email. Esther was not able to email the pattern but promised to post it to me. The pattern arrived 2 days later. Thank you Esther of Iknit.

Last week at Ally Pally (it seems so long ago), in my usual zeal, I accosted a woman wearing a beautiful green vintage cardigan. I think on this occasion she agreed to post it to me out of sheer fright at this crazy lady smiling like a Cheshire cat about to get the cream!! Again, the cynic in me decided that was the end of that and nothing would come of it. Today I received a vintage pattern and lovely note in the post. Not only did she send the pattern I'd been admiring, she also sent the entire leaflet giving me an additional 3 patterns - how fab is that? Thank you Sue Hall.

Last and by no means least, my friend Karin , whilst on vacation during the summer brought back these for me:

Karin knows I love Norah Gaughan patterns and the yarn is in my colours!


Added to that, yesterday she bailed me out of deep deep doggy doos. I grandly started the cable coat in the knowledge that I had 2 packs of Rowan Magpie aran in stash - and this yarn (very wrongly in my view) was discontinued a long time ago. Of course I forgot I'd used some of it for college projects, hadn't done the maths regarding yardage and then, very worryingly, found one wound ball almost decimated by an insect (I'm not going to mention the 'm' word!!). Since I've already completed one front and am halfway up the second front, you can understand how desperate I felt that it would all come to nothing. Karin came to the rescue with a full pack in the same colour and dye lot.

Truly, my faith has been restored and I am in awe of the kindness to be found in the sister (and brother) hood of knitting. These acts of kindness may seem like little things, but at the end of the day, these lovely people put themselves out for me and I am very grateful to you.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Fiddlesticks!

Don't you just love that word? This is not a random thought. I bought some Fiddlesticks Zephyr Wool silk lace weight yarn from Stash yarns a long while ago. It's been saved for a special occasion. Such an occasion has presented itself and I have cast on for the Print 'O the Waves shawl. I have a lover hate relationship with shawls and stoles. Love the look and feel of them but hate getting started on them. I tend to cast on then leave the work for months.

I started this shawl in August and left it in the corner. Now time is running out, I must finish it - as you can see, I've done lots and lots in 2 months......





To mix things up a bit I've started this cabled coat. I started on one of the fronts first to familiarise myself with the pattern. It is not that hard, but there is a long way to go.


This photo better represents the colour of the yarn



Sunday, October 12, 2008

And so to bed

It's a long good night for the allotment. It's been dug over and now it's time to leave it to rest for winter. I've decided not to put any winter vegetation in and just cover it with manure ready for the spring.

Well that's the plan, only no one told the weather fairies that it's supposed to be Autumn! There is sunshine everywhere - and its lovely.We spent Saturday wheel barrowing and shovelling manure and compost. Young man was in his element, with wood, nails and a hammer, building raised beds ready to fill with compost for next year. The only thing that does not hurt today after all the exertion is my fingertips - all the better to knit with, you might say!!


Monday, October 06, 2008

uncovered

The Estes Vest and my nearly new hair do

(actually I'm due another hair cut, it's getting too long now)




Estes Vest

Name: Estes Vest

Source: Interweave Knits Fall 2008

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK in Teal Blue

Needles: 6mm and 5mm

Started: 4/9/08

Finished: 6/10/08

For: Me

Comments: A little modification on this one. I added length before I started the waist shaping. I inserted a zip instead of toggles or buttons. I also lengthened the collar to stand around my neck instead of end at the nape of my neck. I knit the piping around the armholes, but used garter stitch as a front and bottom border. And as Karin pointed out, I used a contrast yarn for the pocket linings ( I was worried I would run out of yarn - I didn't in the end, but it makes for a nice touch). Apart form that, a lovely pattern full of cables and more cables. I used the yarn double through out.

Friday, October 03, 2008

Struggling

I'm dying to start something new - not sure what, but I have a few UFO's that need some attention. Need some will power....... The Estes Vest is so close to being finished. I bought a zip a few days ago and it's languishing in a corner on top of the Estes Vest!!

Finishing off the piping around armhole edge