I just had a very strange experience. I was sitting here knitting and reading blogs (more later) when the doorbell rang. I went to the door and was met by a very polite young man (I would guess around 15 or so) asking whether he could borrow a spanner as his bike had just broken. I went round and opened up the garage and after some searching, found a socket set - note to self, next time, open it flat on the floor.
I proceed to fit all the sockets back in their appointed slots while the young man, whose name may have been Greg attempted to mend the bike. During this time, he mentioned it actually wasn't his bike, it was his friend's - and friend would be reappearing shortly.
In due course, friend did reappear at which point it became apparent that the bike wasn't friend's - it was friend's dad's. Furthermore, once the rear wheel was reattached, it became clear that same rear wheel was somewhat buckled (the periodic rubbing against the brake blocks gave it away). They then proceeded to argue about whose fault it was and who was going to be in trouble with 'Dad' and what other bike they might be able to canibalise a wheel from (whether front or rear didn't seem to matter, and it may have involved a bent axle....), before one of them said:
"We should go and argue in peace, leaving these lovely people in peace" - although I could only see one of me, as it were, it has to be said that they were both pleasant, polite (except possibly to one another, and even then they weren't unduly rude) and articulate, and generally restored my faith in the 'young people of today'. I must be getting old, but it's still encouraging when all you typically see is kids on the news stabbing one another.
Monday, 13 October 2008
Thursday, 9 October 2008
See - once a week!
Hurrah - as promised my second weekly post.
This week has been manic workwise which means that little else has happened. Having had a really fruitful knitting weekend, I have done practically nothing since. Except, well, yesterday. I got up at 5.20. I was in work at just gone 6. I finished work at 7.30, faffed for a bit and made it home by 8.30. Then I knit. I worked on my secret project for a bit, but I was aware that my ability to count to 2 had deserted me, so I stopped. I thought about doing some of Fascination, but that requires more concentration so, no, I was sensible and left it in the bag.
At that point, common sense deserted me - I cast on my Shetland Lace Shawl. The one I'm not supposed to be starting yet. The one that is really quite tricky and required me to count to 4 (I failed). I did manage 50 rows of it (this isn't a big achievement as to start with there are only 2 stitches to the row). Then I looked at it. The stitch marker appeared to have caused laddering. The cables / twists appeared to have led to laddering. By this stage it was nearly midnight and I really wasn't interested in the US presidential debate playing to itself in the background. I went to bed.
This morning, before leaving for work, I frogged. When I am awake; when I have progressed further with Fascination; when I have acquired a cable needle in something approaching the gauge at which I am working, THEN I will start the Shetland Lace Shawl. Honest!
This week has been manic workwise which means that little else has happened. Having had a really fruitful knitting weekend, I have done practically nothing since. Except, well, yesterday. I got up at 5.20. I was in work at just gone 6. I finished work at 7.30, faffed for a bit and made it home by 8.30. Then I knit. I worked on my secret project for a bit, but I was aware that my ability to count to 2 had deserted me, so I stopped. I thought about doing some of Fascination, but that requires more concentration so, no, I was sensible and left it in the bag.
At that point, common sense deserted me - I cast on my Shetland Lace Shawl. The one I'm not supposed to be starting yet. The one that is really quite tricky and required me to count to 4 (I failed). I did manage 50 rows of it (this isn't a big achievement as to start with there are only 2 stitches to the row). Then I looked at it. The stitch marker appeared to have caused laddering. The cables / twists appeared to have led to laddering. By this stage it was nearly midnight and I really wasn't interested in the US presidential debate playing to itself in the background. I went to bed.
This morning, before leaving for work, I frogged. When I am awake; when I have progressed further with Fascination; when I have acquired a cable needle in something approaching the gauge at which I am working, THEN I will start the Shetland Lace Shawl. Honest!
Friday, 3 October 2008
Once a week
OK, so I'm rubbish at posting on this blog regularly! So far I seem to have managed about one post per month. But I'm going to improve - really! I'm going to try to post once a week. (We'll see how long that lasts - if it's anything like my teenage diaries, it'll be about twice.)
So, this week I went to my first ever knit night. Having discovered the Reading Berkshire group on Ravelry, I went to Sticks and Strings at the Global Cafe. I had great fun and met some very clever, creative knitters. I took Fascination, but only did one pattern repeat before I decided that trying to knit lace whilst chatting to people I'd never met before wasn't going to work: I switched to Pip's Loops which are progressing well (onto the foot of the second sock).
I am expecting yarn. Yeay. I have ordered some lovely stuff, but it is for my SoSeSaSwa, so no more about that here. I have also ordered some Shetland Laceweight to knit my shawl. This is going to be a big project. My Dad knitted this shawl when I was a baby. I have inherited the pattern (it was going to be thrown away in a house move but I snaffled it) and now I want a go. It's knitted in the traditional manner with centre, edge and border and I've ordered what I hope will be a pretty pale grey. Very exciting - but a huge challenge. The upside is that when Dad made his he built a blocking frame with tacks in to pull out all the points - I just hope he still has it.
Anyway - to work, to work. If I can ever pursuade my camera to start downloading to the computer, I will be able to add piccies!
So, this week I went to my first ever knit night. Having discovered the Reading Berkshire group on Ravelry, I went to Sticks and Strings at the Global Cafe. I had great fun and met some very clever, creative knitters. I took Fascination, but only did one pattern repeat before I decided that trying to knit lace whilst chatting to people I'd never met before wasn't going to work: I switched to Pip's Loops which are progressing well (onto the foot of the second sock).
I am expecting yarn. Yeay. I have ordered some lovely stuff, but it is for my SoSeSaSwa, so no more about that here. I have also ordered some Shetland Laceweight to knit my shawl. This is going to be a big project. My Dad knitted this shawl when I was a baby. I have inherited the pattern (it was going to be thrown away in a house move but I snaffled it) and now I want a go. It's knitted in the traditional manner with centre, edge and border and I've ordered what I hope will be a pretty pale grey. Very exciting - but a huge challenge. The upside is that when Dad made his he built a blocking frame with tacks in to pull out all the points - I just hope he still has it.
Anyway - to work, to work. If I can ever pursuade my camera to start downloading to the computer, I will be able to add piccies!
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Knitting Blog?
I never intended this to be a knitting blog, but it seems to be turning into one. I have signed up for the SoSeSaSwa, and here are my answers to the questionnaire .......
1. Favourite colours and fibres?
Blues/pinks/mauves and not acrylic otherwise I'm pretty happy (maschine washable is a bonus!).
2. Things to make my toes curl?Acrylic (just finished a jumper - yuck. It squeecks!).
3. Beginner / Intermediate / Advance?
I'd guess probably intermediate. Just starting my first lace project. I've been knitting socks for nearly a year, and I've probably topped 20 pairs in that time.
4. Wishlist?
amazon.co.uk where I'm under 'Judith Daykin' - it has lots of Yarn Harlot on it so you'll know it's me!
5. New techniques?
How to do Intarisa without it looking a misshapen mess.
6. Favourite: snack, book, movie, music?
This is so difficult....um.... Chocolate, Pride and Prejudice, ChickFlicks generally, Jazz/Swing (Michael Buble, Jamie Cullum etc.)
7. Favourite items to knit?
Currently, socks - lack of sewing up is great, and they're done before I'm bored, but I'm enjoying my lace shawl too.
8. Patterns top of my queue?None particularly. There are some in there, but then I'll find some yarn I like, and go looking for a pattern to go with it.
9. Other hobbies?
Singing. My teacher wants me to take up opera, but I'm trying not to get that fat!
10. About me?
I'm in my mid-thirties. By day I'm a corporate tax advisor and by night I knit. I started knitting as a kid having a number of knits in the family (including my Dad - and I have the yellow dress to prove it!) but have only got really into it in the last year or so, when I discovered that knitting doesn't have to be with the nasty man-made stuff that I was previously aware of. I do crochet a bit, but less than I knit. I'm probably a product knitter, although I am increasingly enjoying the process - I find it very relaxing once I'm in the zone. I prefer to work with small needles, as big ones make my hands ache.
1. Favourite colours and fibres?
Blues/pinks/mauves and not acrylic otherwise I'm pretty happy (maschine washable is a bonus!).
2. Things to make my toes curl?Acrylic (just finished a jumper - yuck. It squeecks!).
3. Beginner / Intermediate / Advance?
I'd guess probably intermediate. Just starting my first lace project. I've been knitting socks for nearly a year, and I've probably topped 20 pairs in that time.
4. Wishlist?
amazon.co.uk where I'm under 'Judith Daykin' - it has lots of Yarn Harlot on it so you'll know it's me!
5. New techniques?
How to do Intarisa without it looking a misshapen mess.
6. Favourite: snack, book, movie, music?
This is so difficult....um.... Chocolate, Pride and Prejudice, ChickFlicks generally, Jazz/Swing (Michael Buble, Jamie Cullum etc.)
7. Favourite items to knit?
Currently, socks - lack of sewing up is great, and they're done before I'm bored, but I'm enjoying my lace shawl too.
8. Patterns top of my queue?None particularly. There are some in there, but then I'll find some yarn I like, and go looking for a pattern to go with it.
9. Other hobbies?
Singing. My teacher wants me to take up opera, but I'm trying not to get that fat!
10. About me?
I'm in my mid-thirties. By day I'm a corporate tax advisor and by night I knit. I started knitting as a kid having a number of knits in the family (including my Dad - and I have the yellow dress to prove it!) but have only got really into it in the last year or so, when I discovered that knitting doesn't have to be with the nasty man-made stuff that I was previously aware of. I do crochet a bit, but less than I knit. I'm probably a product knitter, although I am increasingly enjoying the process - I find it very relaxing once I'm in the zone. I prefer to work with small needles, as big ones make my hands ache.
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Of holidays, computer games, and knitting
Ahg- it's happened again. It's nearly a month since I last posted. In the last month I have -
Done some work
Knitted quite a lot
Been on holiday
Got a year older
- and probably other stuff as well.
We went to Northern Ireland for a week and had a good time despite some wetness. The DH got food poisoning, which did slow us down for a while (I wasn't insured on the hire car) but now we're back home and back at work.
While we were away I discovered that while he takes photos (and he takes LOTS of photos) I can knit. This resulted in my turning the heel of a sock on the Giants' Causeway. Unusual, and I got some funny looks, but it kept us both happy.
Also while we were away, we also bought a Wii Fit (we happened to find a shop in Londonderry that had them in stock) so I am now trying to exercise regularly - it might not be as good as going to the gym, but it's much better than nothing. If I can keep this up I might cancel the gym membership (I don't seem to get any fitter or lose any weight just by paying them every month).
DH gave me a DS Lite for my birthday too, so when I'm not Wii-ing or kniting, I'm Brain Training or playing Zelda. I really should tidy the house instead.
Done some work
Knitted quite a lot
Been on holiday
Got a year older
- and probably other stuff as well.
We went to Northern Ireland for a week and had a good time despite some wetness. The DH got food poisoning, which did slow us down for a while (I wasn't insured on the hire car) but now we're back home and back at work.
While we were away I discovered that while he takes photos (and he takes LOTS of photos) I can knit. This resulted in my turning the heel of a sock on the Giants' Causeway. Unusual, and I got some funny looks, but it kept us both happy.
Also while we were away, we also bought a Wii Fit (we happened to find a shop in Londonderry that had them in stock) so I am now trying to exercise regularly - it might not be as good as going to the gym, but it's much better than nothing. If I can keep this up I might cancel the gym membership (I don't seem to get any fitter or lose any weight just by paying them every month).
DH gave me a DS Lite for my birthday too, so when I'm not Wii-ing or kniting, I'm Brain Training or playing Zelda. I really should tidy the house instead.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Tempus Fugit
I can't believe how long it is since I last posted. In theory that means I should have something to say, but in practice.....?
Last Saturday we went to GoApe in Thetford. It was great fun but quite hard work - it was also dark by the time we finished which added to the challenge. I could definitely feel it for a few days afterwards though as the odd muscle complained. On Sunday we went to see WALL-E which was also fun (if rather different) - a great movie for the kids, although we were all grown-ups. Over the course of the weekend I also discovered that my husband has the nick-name 'Tart' within this particular group of friend - not quite sure how I feel about that one!
Work continues as ever. It has been quieter than sometimes over the last couple of weeks, probably because the boss is on holiday, but I'm sure I will soon be manic again. Elinor (from work) had her baby last Friday, and Linda (not from work) had hers on Monday: two more bouncing baby boys. Elinor forwarded a VERY cute picture of her big boy (2 years old) holding her little boy.
This Friday, my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew are coming to stay: I'm then taking them to the airport on Saturday. Will be lovely to see them, but I need to go an sort out the house .....
Last Saturday we went to GoApe in Thetford. It was great fun but quite hard work - it was also dark by the time we finished which added to the challenge. I could definitely feel it for a few days afterwards though as the odd muscle complained. On Sunday we went to see WALL-E which was also fun (if rather different) - a great movie for the kids, although we were all grown-ups. Over the course of the weekend I also discovered that my husband has the nick-name 'Tart' within this particular group of friend - not quite sure how I feel about that one!
Work continues as ever. It has been quieter than sometimes over the last couple of weeks, probably because the boss is on holiday, but I'm sure I will soon be manic again. Elinor (from work) had her baby last Friday, and Linda (not from work) had hers on Monday: two more bouncing baby boys. Elinor forwarded a VERY cute picture of her big boy (2 years old) holding her little boy.
This Friday, my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew are coming to stay: I'm then taking them to the airport on Saturday. Will be lovely to see them, but I need to go an sort out the house .....
Monday, 7 July 2008
Another week
Had a good (but busy) weekend. Went to Mum and Dad's on Saturday for a leaving party for Pip and Stu. They don't yet know when they'll be going away, but they will at some stage so various Aunts, Uncles and Cousins were collected. It was fairly chaotic, but still fun and the weather stayed fine which was good since we were out in the garden.
Weather wasn't so good yesterday for the church cricket match - I went with Jayne to deliver the tea but didn't stay around to watch. Being a philistine, I only watch live cricket if it's sunny and I can read a book or do some knitting at the same time.
I have cut out the fabric for my new dress and discovered that I do have some needles for sewing stretch fabric with the machine. I just hope that the fabric has sufficient stretch - otherwise I won't be able to get the dress on. It's quite green but hopefully it will come out alright. I also managed to get thread and interfacing today. Easier to do dress making when you actually have thread!
Off home now to start stitching before music practice ...
Weather wasn't so good yesterday for the church cricket match - I went with Jayne to deliver the tea but didn't stay around to watch. Being a philistine, I only watch live cricket if it's sunny and I can read a book or do some knitting at the same time.
I have cut out the fabric for my new dress and discovered that I do have some needles for sewing stretch fabric with the machine. I just hope that the fabric has sufficient stretch - otherwise I won't be able to get the dress on. It's quite green but hopefully it will come out alright. I also managed to get thread and interfacing today. Easier to do dress making when you actually have thread!
Off home now to start stitching before music practice ...
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