Float'n'purl

Resisting Tempation

On Saturday I just happened to find myself in Chester visiting a couple of friends who live at either side of the city which meant walking from one side to the other past Stash! Well, that's not completely true as Stash is down an alley way for those who've never been before and not on the "way" to anywhere but I could feel the draw as I was getting close.........but I'm proud to say that I RESISTED TEMPTATION and stuck to my yarn diet. I didn't however stick to any "pattern diet" - I mean who ever hear of cutting down on patterns? They're part of research and involve reading (which is good for you I hear), plus a source of inspiration!! So I came away with a copy of "Pure Silk" by Debbie Bliss which is gorgeous. I'm not a big Debbie Bliss fan but I love every pattern in this book (and the silk is gorgeous too but I resisted!). I also bought a copy of Louisa Harding's new pattern book for summer "Beachcomber Bay". They didn't have any of her new yarns in yet but I certainly like the look of some of the patterns and it would be quite simple to substitute other yarns for those in the book.

On the needles: yet again I've started something new! I've been resisting this for a while but when I spoke to my friend Liz yesterday who is expecting her baby NEXT WEEK I thought I'd better get a move on with this:

Its the hooded sweater from "Special Knits" by Debbie Bliss - didn't I just say that I didn't like Debbie Bliss? Oh, well I take it all back, I do like her kids patterns. I'm knitting it in the Cashmerino Aran, shade 502 which I bought as a "neutral colour" but Liz has since told me she's having a little girl so I might add a flower or something. Mind you Liz is not what I call a "girly" girl (or woman) and I'm sure she'll appreciate anything as long as its not pink!

View from my back door!

Well its not quite a back door as we don't have one on the boat so this is a scene from the boatyard this morning. I've seen this on a few blogs where people have taken pictures from outside their door and its quite nice to see different environments.

So far this weekend has been mostly about cleaning and now I'm thoroughly fed up with it! I did meet with Paul's (and now my) accountants yesterday to sort out going self-employed and I told work on Thursday that I'm leaving so my new job is starting to feel real now.

As for knitting - nothing much is being done at the moment. Last night we were dog sitting for our friend so in exchange I've negotiated a bath later (we don't have one on the boat and its the one thing I miss), then we're hopefully going to see this at the pictures tonight as I'm feeling boat bound at the moment!

So what to do now until then. The choices are:

1. clean my study which is a tip and has to be sorted out if I'm going to be working from here
2. tackle the huge pile of ironing
3. knit/ spin while watching this on DVD

There's no choice really - for the sake of my sanity it has to be no. 3. Now the decision is knit or spin..........?

Its a first!

Surely nothing can replace the joy and pride of your first knitted piece from your own handspun - and if you've dyed it and felted it too for the first time then is its ok to be ecstatic? Ok so I'm not going to win any awards but here is my Booga Bag in all its glory! In reality I only partly felted it as I was happy with how it looked and you could still see some of the stitches but it still needs to be lined since my homespun was a bit thin in places. I'm also not too happy with the colours as they turned out a bit muddy but since reading Deb Menz's book I hope not to make the same mistakes next time.

Here are the details:yarn - handspun 2ply Merino and Falkland pie dyed with Gaywool Dyes in Alpine, Oak and Cranberry. Pattern available here.

I loved knitting this with my new Addi Turbos and I love knitting in the round. Not just because I'm hopeless at and HATE SEWING OF ANY KIND but because its more comfortable.

On the needles: oh, and did I mention that I've started yet another project without finishing several others.......... its Swan from Colinette Tagliatelli in Lagoon colourway.

I've finished the back despite having a few problems. I realised that although this is a really simple pattern with no.15mm needles its not so easy to knit with a tape yarn and maybe I was being a bit too self assured and not concentrating enough! Anyway, my aim is to FINISH THIS BEFORE MOVING ONTO ANYTHING ELSE (ok, how long will this last?).

Oh, and the needles were made by my friend Janet who likes wood-turning as well as fiber crafts...........she's too clever by half!

Stashing is such fun!

Firstly, can you visit my friend and spinning teacher Averil who has just started her own blog!!!

Thanks for all of the lovely comments on my (potential) new job. Still no news yet whether or not it will go ahead but I hear some more news on Friday that gave me some hope.

And so to update on the Colinette stashing experience!! First off the Turner sisters and Averil went to Colinette a few weeks ago and brought me back a shade card and a hank of Giotto, some of which has become this.

Its a bracelet or necklace with fresh water pearls attached with wire and mother of pearl love hearts all bought on ebay. We have Averil to thank for showing us how to make these, inspired by this site. I've also just received some more goodies today to make some more!

The wooden needles were made by my friend Janet who is also making wooden crochet hooks and I'm trying to persuade her to make matching knitting bags and needle holders. More on this later I hope...........

Anyway back to the 2nd picture of stash - from left to right is a hank of Prism in Lichen, Mohair (from the sale room), four hanks of dark blue/ green Giotto to knit Aine, Zanziba in Velvet Gold and a cream/ gold hank of Giotto also from the sale room. My main aim was to get away from pinks which seem to have dominated my choice of colours so I think I achieved this fairly well!! The cream/ gold hanks are for a couple of scarfs but I'm not sure of patterns yet. But what I can say is that this is DEFINITELY MY LAST YARN PURCHASE UNTIL WOOLFEST (and you are my witness). Did I mention that Averil has booked all of us into a B&B she went to last year so we're definitely going! I can't wait as I was really annoyed that I had to miss last year when I was too busy with my thesis.

As for this weekend: we had a wonderful time in Scotland both at the plot and visiting my family. The weather was great and yet again I had to pinch myself when we saw the got to the plot. It all still seems unreal. I always feel like we're trespassing when we're there!  We're both itching to get building so I really have to concentrate on getting the planning permission in soon.

Update Update - (a couple of whiskeys later) I've just had the phone call confirming that the job is going ahead! By a strange twist of fate I'll be working on a new building for the master's course I've just finished at CAT. It's almost too good to be true. I've waited all of my career for a job like this - lets hope its everything I've hoped it will be!

Dyed and Gone to Heaven!

Oh how wonderful it was to finally arrive in the car park outside Colinette Mill shop. Apart from the fact that I was suffering from a stress headache after driving through a snow blizzard to get there then being overwhelmed with colour texture and lots and lots of lovely yarn I loved every minute! Did I spend too much...........silly question really but then most of what I bought was in the sale room so I was acutally SAVING money by being there!! Sorry no pictures yet of my purchases and we're off to Glasgow and the plot this weekend (snow permitting) so I can't post again till next week - sorry!

Oh and why was I in Wales yesterday? I had a job interview for what is my dream job and got it ...........but it all hangs on a particular project getting funding so I'll know more next week. Needless to say this would be what I've spend my whole career working towards so I'm really excited (and its only 10 miles from Colinette - dangerous!).

Hopefully more good news next week. Keep your fingers crossed for me!