Reviewing and plugging

The Best of Interweave Knits ( Our favourite designs from the first ten years ) is edited by Ann Budd : some good basic patterns interspersed with Interweave's great instructional pages called Beyond the Basics. Techniques include cast ons, working with two yarns, reading charts, short rows, seams and grafting. Their technique pages really are the best but there are corrections which can be obtained from www.interweave.com

Wrapped in Comfort - Knitted Lace Shawls by Alison Jeppson Hyde contains shawls and scarves. The scarves are pretty basic but the shawls are interesting and I'm looking forward to trying some of them; they are all similar in style and I would describe them as capelike.There are charts and written instructions.There is an inspirational story attached to each design which don't appeal to me personally but that's my personal taste.

I got a copy of the latest Knit Today magazine this morning and I offer a shameless plug for a pattern of mine which will appear in the next issue due out at the end of October.I designed it as a sampler scarf but in the promo picture it's modelled as a stole. It's amazing what professional photography can do for a product and I'm very pleased with the result.

Knitting group

As of last night I'm now the convenor of our knitting group. Tracey and Jo are going to the Isle of Wight and will not be around so often so I'm the keeper of mobile details for our members. We meet fortnightly on Thursday evenings at the Tower Arms in Richings Park, Iver, Buckinghamshire from 6.30 onwards. There is also a meeting on the first Tuesday of the month.We're happy to help new knitters and total ignorance is no barrier.New members welcome!

Please respond to this blog, leaving your contact details if you're interested ( mobile or email ).

Disgruntled of Berkshire

Three new books arrived today. One of them is the original orenburg shawl book "Gossamer Webs" by Galina Khmeleva and Carol R. Noble published in 1998. I knew this had corrections
so proceeded to the publishers website to print them off - www.interweave.com
While there I noticed corrections for the Twisted Knitters Sweater Book and also for the Best of Interweave Knits ( which I got in today's parcel ). Both published in the last couple of months and the latter is an omnibus of previously published patterns from Interweave Knits magaaine. Presumably the corrections for these patterns had been published previously.

Do these publishers not employ proof readers? It drives me crazy when you pay good money for a book and then find it needs corrections straight away.Anyway, I've printed off the Twisted Sisters corrections for Sue and I'm going to return her book with them tonight.

I've had some patterns published previously and I proof read them many times before emailing them to the publishers.I know any mistakes in the resulting print are not mine.

Having said this, Interweave and XRX are good at providing the corrections on their sites. It makes you wonder how many publishers just don't bother.

Rant over!

Visiting

See above for work on Clapotis.I'm on the straight part at the moment developing the ladders so it's easy to see progress.I may need the finished article soon - the weather has changed for the worse here.

Visited Julie last night for an extra knitting group meeting. Rabbit Sue was in the area and came to see us. She has moved to the Isle of Wight and is setting up a group there with Tracey and Jo who are about to move over to the island. Those of us left here may go for a visit next year. It was good to see absent friends including Danni amd Liz who we don't see so much of now. Good conversation, cake, chocolate and knitting - nothing better!

Snippets

These are my random thoughts for the day : I found a new knit blog which attracted me by its title alone - "My yarn stash IS my retirement plan" - see link on the left. I am at one with the author and her way of thinking.

Right now I'm saving myself for the Knitting and Stitching Show in October.I'm going on Sunday which is the only possible day for me; however it's also the day when I'm likely to get a bargain as suppliers, particularly those from abroad, reduce their prices so they don't have to take yarn home.This strategy has worked for me before, but it's a tough call between buying yarn when you first see it or waiting and hoping for a reduction in the late afternoon if the yarn is till there.

Something intriguing I saw this week was "Who do you think you are?" a family history programme. The subject this week had relatives who were taken into care and sent to industrial schools where they were taught a trade. There was a photo of very miserable small boys holding their knitting! Some had made considerable progress with their work. This was in the early 1900's and served to remind me of my grandfather who taught me to knit and who made all his own sweaters and socks. He was born in 1882.

How much more exicting is it to be making socks now? I notice Get Knitted have the third collection of Opal's Rainforest series - not such attractive colourways as the earlier ones in my humble opinion.

Multi - tasking

I'm very good at starting new projects, so I've started Clapotis. It was irresistible. I just love this knitting - pics when the ladders in the pattern start to appear. This won't take all my yarn so there will be some left to sit and wait for more inspiration.

This means 3 major projects on the go at the moment, 2 of which are comfort knitting. I was very grateful for these over the last couple of days as I have had bad news about an ex - colleague who is terminally ill. Knitting gets you through these times and believe me when I say life is too short to be doing stuff you don't want to do.

To paraphrase the actress Katharine Hepburn: "I do what I like. That way at least one person is pleased." How true!

Random thoughts

I've thought of a use for the Adriafil mohair I bought on ebay last week - a Clapotis scarf. This pattern was on the Knitty site in 2004; you can get it from their archive. I made one in the summer in a lace weight, but this will be a lot warmer. It's a great pattern to knit as you can make rapid progress while maintaining interesting knitting. Also, it's adaptable to whatever yarn you have to hand as long as there is about 750 metres. I wish I'd thought of it myself!

Meanwhile, there's more progress on the pi but not much on the baby shawl. I'm not in the mood for it at the moment.

I could do with going to a group meeting this week but there isn't one so I knit on in splendid isolation!

Lace triangles

I had read about this book but couldn't source it at Amazon. However, it popped up on Get Knitted site last week. I love triangular shawls and this is a useful primer on their construction with details on yardage requirements for various sizes and yarn weights. There are details for 4 patterns but I like it most for the inspiration it provides for the experienced knitter. I have written several patterns for plain triangular bordered shawls but this will help me to the next stage.

Some knitting was done at the weekend - the pi is growing. I must continue with my baby shawl at the same time or else the baby will be born before it's completed!

Pi on the Knitpicks

This is the Pi on my new circular needles. They're good to knit with and the connections are smooth and secure. I managed to leave the double pointed needles behind when I got to 144 stitches.

Maggie - if you're reading this - your needles will be back with you at next group meeting.

Now for a relaxing weekend and, hopefully, plenty of knitting.

Pi shawl started

Pi shawl started in Rowanspun 4 ply on 4.5mm needles. There is something very soothing about this pattern and I am enjoying it already. I had to borrow Maggie's needles last night at Knitting Group in order to start it. As it grows, I will be able to put it on a circular needle and return them to her.She is one of those organised people who has all her double pointed needles in a box. Need I add that I am not? I have at least 2 sets of 4.5's somewhere.

There has been some hilarity at group recently regarding old patterns which have been bought for recycling to other members. The pictures are so posed compared to the classy Rowan shoots we see now.Still, the basic shapes are fine for adaptation to modern styles.Amazingly Julie found a doll pattern she had been looking for so she was happy.

Sue has been buying sock wool again. Clearly she has none in her stash! However, no justification is needed amongst friends.

Lots of laughs last night about nothing in particular - that's what it's all about. The guys at the pub where we meet have finally stopped looking at us as though we're crazy!

More stash arrivals

Still not much time to knit, but more yarn is in the building. My Adriafil mohair ebay bargain has arrived and also the Kaffe Fassett sockyarn which I ordered from Get Knitted. Check them out above.Approx 1300 metres of stretch mohair - project t.b.a. The colour is more burnt orange than terracotta as described in the advert but I'm not unhappy with it.

The Kaffe yarn is fab! Great colours, as you would expect and it feels lovely with a firm twist. Will I be ordering more? Most certainly! The maestro has a new book out soon which is a reworking of one of his original books.This may be a future purchase but will need to see a copy first to check out how different it is from the original which I have in my library.

I'd just like a minute to think about anything other than work!

What to do with Rowanspun?

This is my reed green tweedy 4 ply Rowanspun ebay bargain. There are 10 hanks - total 1480 metres - so I'm thinking may be an E Z pi shawl. I've made a couple of these for other people in the past, but this one would be for me. That's only my first thought and I'm going to be thinking for a while!

First weekend of the ice hockey season so far and two wins on the board. My team is Slough Jets - you can check them out at www.sloughjets.co.uk - I'm looking forward to a top season.

Work is manic, so knitting is on the back burner at the moment but I have to do a little every day or else I get withdrawal symptoms. Back to normal shortly!

Ebay stashing frenzy!

I've had some good ebay stashing over the last couple of days.

I got a "Buy it now" bargain last night - 10 hanks of Rowanspun 4 ply tweed in a dark green for £19.50. I know this is a deleted yarn, but I do like it and there will be enough for what I want.

My major bargain is 10 balls of Adriafil stretch mohair in terracotta for £8.50! I have used this yarn before and it goes a long way. This was from a yarn store close down sale, so the owners sad loss is my gain. RRP was £35.

There's a lot of Noro around on ebay at the moment and I'm sorely tempted but am resisting!

Boo to the person who outbid me on a Furla handbag within 20 seconds of the auction ending. I hope you enjoy it. I so didn't need another handbag! ( Since when did need come into the equation? )

In case you think I am a total ebay tart, this has been my first buying visit for a while. Why do I feel the need to justify myself to strangers?

Mind you, I am currently "watching" several other possibilities for stash enhancement.

Knitpicks - part deux

Sue had some knitting on the Knitpicks needles last night. The general consensus was that they are GOOD. The join between the needle and cable is very smooth and the screw in join is secure.

Sue , Tracey and Maggie were knitting samples for a knitted devore class they are going to shortly - sounds strange, but learning a new skill is always useful I guess. The samples were in various very fine yarns on very small needles so you have to be really keen to make them and then burn holes in them - I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

I'm currently working on my 3 ply baby shawl having decided to adapt the commercial pattern as usual. Nothing worth looking at yet - it looks like a heap of white yarn and I'm washing my hands a lot! Will post pics when finished.

New Year 12 students at school today so the real work starts now. I have rediscovered the joys of having groceries delivered - less time in the supermarket and more knitting time. Got to be good!

Knitpicks

I have just received my Knitpicks interchangeable needle set from Get Knitted. Haven't tried them out yet but I think I might prefer them to my Denise set as the needle points are metal rather than plastic. I do use the Denise ones, but only in emergencies, although I have heard of people who use them all the time instead of regular needles.

The Knitpicks ones come in a good zip up wallet and have ends which screw into the cables. However the points are stored on a flimsy piece of cardboard which is not so good.

I've read several reviews of this product on American blogs and all of the ones I've seen are favourable. My friend Sue has some and will find out what she thinks at knitting group.

You can never have enough needles!

Turncoat

I was very excited to receive this from amazon.com today. It's a new book from Interweave Press and comprises knitted kimono patterns. There is a brief history of kimono types and hints on designing your own kimonos. Most of them are knitted in aran weight yarn ( U.S. worsted ).

I'm not too keen on some of the colour choices, but if I look beyond that, there are a lot of styles I would like to make.

I really like the " I am not a sweater knitter " button that I posted last time. However, if kimonos are classed as sweaters, this makes me a turncoat. It's my prerogative to change my mind!

Back home with a detour!

I am officially at home, having survived a trip to aged mother.

On the way home I made a detour to help choose a wedding dress for number one son's fiancee.

A fun afternoon was had but no details can be divulged regarding the dress - top secret! Suffice to say she will look like a princess and I will now have to turn my mind to "mother of the groom" outfits. I will try to choose something tasteful and elegant - in other words totally unlike my usual mode of dress!

Hope you like the button which I downloaded from Grumperina. Non - sweater knitters unite!