dolly dimple knits

Fishcakes & Spaghetti

Some days I feel like I have nothing much to tell you. I rack my brains for hours trying to find something remotely interesting that has happened in my knitting life and come to the conclusion I HAVE no life.

Today is not one of those days.

I have had a great week. On Saturday I popped down the road (a mere 200 odd miles) to visit Emma and Sissel, who was staying with her for a few days.

What a treat - as well as the two of them, Emma had planned a somewhat wider affair so I also met Geraldine, Carolyn, Tracey and Sue Morgan ... which relieved me greatly as I found that I was not the only one who thought a 400/500 mile round trip for an afternoon of knitting chat was perfectly reasonable :0)

I'm not going to tell you anything more about our day as I don't want to steal Emma's thunder. Suffice it to say, I had a fab time, I WILL be going back and for those of us who think we are past mistresses of the stashing art - compared to Emma, we are mere amateurs. We are not even in the carpark outside the ballpark let alone in the ballpark. (See Alan, I've got practically nothing in my stash really ....)

It was a holiday weekend in our part of the country so I had a little more knitting time than usual too. Which was great but worrying.

Any minute now I'm expecting Donald Sutherland to stand before me screaming for I am surely about to be exchanged for some alien being. (I loved that film when I first saw it aged about 13 years old ... scared the pants off me and I couldn't sleep for a fortnight but that was the whole POINT of it for my adolescent self ...)

I know I'm about to be possessed because ..... wait for it .... I give you MORE finished projects. Woo ! Hoo !

These are the Herringbone Bootees from this book. Knitted for my daughter's best friend's new baby sister due to arrive in about a month's time. The main part is DB Baby Cashmerino with trim in some ancient, long-discontinued Edina Ronay Silk & Wool I found in my stash.

(I actually found I have almost 5 balls of the Edina Ronay yarn and it really is gorgeous to work with so now I need ideas for a project for it ?? Any thoughts ?)

I have finished (and worn twice !) the Noro Silk Garden Cable Raglan I have been banging on about - tho' I did forget to take it to Emma's the other day, sorry Em !

This is in Silk Garden Shade 34. I had to shorten the sleeves (which I almost always have to do with Debbie Bliss patterns - does this woman design largely for orangutans ... or have I got really short arms ??) and I chose to widen the neck and not make it so high as I thought it might be a bit scratchy under my chin.

And last but not least, I unearthed two WIP's from Behind the Couch and finished them. Fix within your mind's eye an image of a slightly rotund, grinning cat from a famous cheese region in England and you've pretty much got a view of me right now :0))))))

This is a little jacket I knitted to my own design using stash Rowan Handknit Cotton last year.

I actually finished it except for sewing on buttons and then for reasons lost in the dim and distant recesses of my memory decided I didn't really like it and stuffed it in a carrier bag. Cruel and unusual treatment really, it's not that bad ?

It's still a bit big for Rowan as I sized it for age 3 and she's only just 2 but hey, she'll grow.

The second rescued project is this

This is a gift bag I knitted to my own design again but using k1c2 yarn called Tartelette which I fell in love with over the internet.

Again I can't really remember why I didn't finish it last year but now it is done and is destined to be filled with make-up, jewellrey and other girly bits for my almost teenage neice's Christmas.

So all in all, a pretty good knitting week.

And to top it off, I'm going out tomorrow night too .... the mere idea, out with NO CHILDREN twice in one week ... I am trembling at the very thought of it.

Tomorrow is our 11th (AAGH !) wedding anniversary and to celebrate we're going to see these guys.

We came across them years ago, the first time they played the Edinburgh Fringe as a support act to Tom Robinson and LOVED them. Probably more than Tom Robinson who we'd actually gone to see ..... and now they tour the UK every year. HURRAH !

They're a kind-of, punky, folky, funny, completely surreal band from New York and a really good fun night out if you ever get the chance to see them. So you'll have to excuse me now as I'm off to practice my singalong words ...

"Oh Baby, Get Ready - for fishcakes and spaghetti
big, big romance tonight for it's,
fishcakes and spaghetti under the moooonliiigght ......"

It's progress Jim ... but not as we know it ..

Okay, I admit it - crochet in KSH is clearly not my forte.

I've done the first 6 of the 48 squares and hey look Ma !, they're NOT square.

Well, to be exact, some of them are square but more of them are kind of squinty - and not the same size - and kind of fuzzy in the pattern stakes ....

So what do think ? Crochet or crappy ? Bin it or soldier on ?

On the plus side, I actually quite like the lacey flower in the centre of the square it's just that in some of them it has more blob-like than flower-like qualities :0) This is only my third attempt at crochet in oh, about 30 years so I'm pretty much making it up as I go.

I'm assuming that my odd shapes are to do with the tension but for the life of me can't work out how to even it out ! What about blocking - will that even it out ???

Speaking of blocking, did I mention how mind-blowingly dull it is ?

How I would rather spend an evening in the company of Dave Dull the dullest man in Dullater than block my knitting ??

How I would rather carry out self-administered acupuncture with some blunt 5mm bamboos than pin out and block ???

Be PROUD of me then gals - be very, very proud. For here is my Noro Silk Garden Cable Raglan blocking on the living room floor !

Ta, da !

Credit to Becky for pointing out the advantages of top down raglan seaming a while back, the result being they fit together perfectly (if I say so myself as I take a modest bow !)

Of course the perfect raglans don't quite detract from the somewhat wider than I expected appearance of this sweater, nor account for the fact that I had to be ahem, fairly firm with the front to get it to measure the same as the back ( and yes, I did measure it whilst I was knitting the bloomin' thing !) - but hey, I suspect that this will end up a cozy-sloppy-joe-throw-over-my-jeans-to-pick-the-kids-up-from-school sweater so who needs perfect ? ! Ha ! I can feel all you perfectionist finishers falling off your chairs right about now !

It's not quite finished on account of me finding sewing up pretty much just about as dull as blocking but I will get to it - soon. Honest. Some day.

In the true style of the Emmy's, I should probably have titled this post "And I'd like to thank .... Becky !" - the Head Florist in the Prettyposies flower shop. As well as hot tips on raglan seaming she is most definitely the hostess with mostest.

If you look to the left, you will observe that I finally have my third column up and running (or should that be first column ? ... unless of course you're arabic and reading right to left ??)

Now that Dollydimple is 6 months old I thought it was about time to tackle my inadequacies and try to get it right. The fabulous Rabbit having tried the remedial approach for slow learners with some e-mail coaching finally recognised the true quality of the raw material she was dealing with .... and set it up for me ! A thousand thank you's !

The photos you see there are the Nicki Epstein borders an edgings book which I bought as part of my Dad's birthday gift to me (still swithering on the rest of the spend !) and a skein of handpainted silk and cashmere DK yarn I scored from eBay.

The yarn is destined to be a Christmas gift for someone - so what do you think ? Scarf maybe ? Anyone know any fab patterns for 350 yards of DK ?

And hey, guess what - you don't have to sew up scarves !

Jings ! Crivens ! Help Ma Boab !

It's almost another finished project ! Motoring along, I have almost finished the cable raglan sweater in Noro Silk Garden.

The front and back are done - I was knitting both sleeves together but stopped when I got to the raglan shaping. Since I took this picture though, I have finished one sleeve and am half-way up the raglan for the second. Oh happy day !

Assuming I don't fall at the final hurdle ( blocking and making up - bleugh !) this will be the first sweater I've knitted for myself in over a year. I have started others for me but I'm usually too much of a flibbertigibbet to actually knuckle down and see them through. Witness the shame of Elfin - one half sleeve so far - or Granny Squares - one crochet border to date ......

My success rate on projects for others is much higher so maybe I need to find another knitter with the same problem and we could work on a permanent swap basis and knit for each other ?? ( Applications accepted by e-mail !)

When I've not been working on the cable raglan I've been checking out the new Glasgow branch of VV Rouleaux (thanks Kathleen Y. for the heads-up on this one !) Of course, I made the fatal error of taking Alan and the children with me so it was a quick in/out buy what you need trip but I will be back for a much longer visit. Much, much longer.

Seriously, this shop has every ribbon or trimming a girl could want but this time I only bought some organza ribbon in lilac and some gingham checked ribbon in lilac and cream to use as ties on the bootees I'm planning for various babies in the offing. (None of them mine !)

My other knitting news is that I'm about to indulge in a bit of a Kidsilk Haze fest. I love this yarn. I know it tickles. I know it is impossible to frog. But it glows. Every shade from subtle to bright just sings to me - and when I was rummaging in my stash the other day I discovered that I had managed to acquire the odd ball or two ;0)

So I'm making the Maki scarf (not the sweater !) from Book 36 in this colour . The scarf is made up from 48 (count'em - 48 !) crochet squares and in the picture it looks to me like it could be worked with 2 strands tho' the pattern doesn't mention that so I'm just going to have to try it and see !

I'm also working on the Softly cushion from Book 34 which I'm trying to knit up in two shades blended together. I'll let you know how that one works out. Not sure yet - could be good, could be completely yeuch.

Now don't all scream at once but the 2 KSH projects are Christmas gifts. Yes, I KNOW it is only September but I also know my average turn out rate so these could be gifts for Christmas 2005 !

Still on a roll ...

Flushed with success in finishing my Extremities Exchange gifts I'm really on a roll now and have finished my Hot Pink "Poppy" from the Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora book.

This is for my neice's birthday at the beginning of November so I am incredibly ahead of my usual up to the wire, last-minute, deadline approach having it finished already. But it was a quick knit .... 5mm needles .... thick soft yarn .... ah bliss !

Apart from of course, the minor irritation of them getting the yarn quantities so bloomin' wrong.

I knitted this in the largest size, for which the pattern said 6 balls were needed - but I only used 3½ so I've got loads left. I don't really mind as I'm sure they'll find a happy home in my stash but I don't understand it.

My gauge was spot on and the finished measurements are exactly as noted in the pattern so how come I have 2½ balls left ??

Actually, I find this happens to me quite often - especially with Rowan patterns for some reason. I don't mind a little left over (better than running out !) but more than 1 ball seems a bit much of a comfort margin.

Taking Stephanie's suggestion, I have decided to pick up on my Noro Silk Garden Cable Raglan Sweater.

I'm using Shade 34.

It's been a WIP since last autumn so it deserves an airing - plus I've already done the back (last year !) and am half way up the front so it could be another quick turnaround if my stamina holds up :0)

( This is so not like me. 3 finished projects in 3 weeks and a 4th on the way. Am I ill ? )

At this rate, I might even get on with finishing that Elfin sleeve I started last October ......... no promises mind you !

Friends

Sunday was great. Sunday was another chance to meet up with some of the other Glasgow/Edinburgh Rowanettes, spend several hours, chatting, laughing, fondling (yarn that is ... nothing more exciting !), consuming vast quantities of cake and finally, succumbing to the less than subtle hints of the JL cafe staff - taking ourselves across the road to Langs whre a number of slightly more alcoholic beverages were consumed. No knitting in Langs though on account of not wishing to be drunk in charge of a sharp implement ....

For about a year now a few of us have been meeting up every few months - sometimes in Glasgow, sometimes in Edinburgh - and it's always great fun.

Last weekend, there was me, the "mysterious" India, Jill, Kathleen ... and er, Kathleen. (It's a popular name in Scotland !) On the needles, a mix as eclectic as you could wish.

Jill and Kathleen H. (previously D.)
were working on a Booga Bag in Noro Kureyon Shade 124 and Wavy from the Rowan Cotton Tape Collection - tho' I don't think Kathleen was using Cotton Tape ?

India, who is notorious for her camera shyness - or at least she is after the awful and grossly unfair photo I posted of her previously ! - was working on a Charlotte's Web Shawl but using Noro Silk Garden (I think ? !) instead of Koigu.

Kathleen Y. brought 2 projects with her. She first of all finished off a little bag to go with some matching socks in Opal yarn and then moved on to an altogether more, ahem, interesting project.

This was a Patons pattern, for what can only be described as a fluffy, eyelash bomber jacket with a ribbed border.

This jacket would make Calista Flockhart look heavy.

And you certainly wouldn't want to wear it too close to any naked flames - not ideal for Bonfire Night.

In her defence though, I can tell you that Kathleen was knitting this - and the much more fabulous socks & bag - as samples for her new yarn shop, to be opening soon in Troon. And hey, she's a business woman, she has to cater for all tastes ! ( What's the betting it proves one of her most popular sellers ?!)

I carried on with Poppy in Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora but I'm not showing you that as I'm nearly finished so I'm saving it for my next post - oh, the anticipation ! Plus I'm even more camera shy than India so there was no way my ugly mug was featuring !

The star attraction though was undoubtedly what India was wearing.

Now, I have been known to make the odd, uncomplimentary remark about ponchos - I just don't have that strong a need to re-live my childhood.

I also have a strong suspicion I would look a total eejit in one ... more than a passing resemblance to a marquee with legs, perhaps ??

But isn't this gorgeous ?

This is a very crappy photo of the very BEAUTIFUL Karis that India has knitted in Kidsilk Haze Candy Girl.

She hadn't blocked it so it's a little shorter than the one in the book - but do you know, I think it works even better ?