Wibbo's Words

Still here....

Yes, I'm still here and there has been knitting. Lots of knitting.

A couple of Find Your Fade shawls (Rav link) - the first was planned and was a 50th birthday present. After complaining bitterly to myself about all that damned garter stitch, I  tried it on and liked it so much that I promptly knitted another one in different colours just for me. Lots of boring, boring, boring garter stitch but the way the colours blend together is so gorgeous that the pain is worthwhile! I used Malabrigo Sock which is beautifully squishy.

I'm working on two new patterns for sale on Ravelry. Both are rectangular shawls featuring multiple stitch patterns. The first design, Mysteria, is now at the tech edit/test knit stage and I hope to have styled photos to show soon. Go on, have a little teaser of a couple of Mysteria's stitch patterns....

I've finished the charts and written instructions for the second design, Colifichet, and knitted the model. More soon!

In situ

Almost done! I still have a couple of small cushions to cover with crochet (you can see one of the cushion pads below the lamp) then I'm back to my Big Knitting Project, Celestarium (Rav link). 

Now, let's see...

For most of this year I've been busy sorting, clearing, chucking, charity-shopping all kinds of stuff. I probably have still more stuff that I need but it's now down to a more manageable size. I don't collect things any more but do get attached to those I have, particularly to books. 

There has been knitting. And frogging. This blue number is one of my better efforts.

A beaded Summerleaf shawl for a friend's birthday - details on Ravelry.

I'm back to low carb eating and feel better/have more energy than earlier this year. Have a nice crustless quiche - this one is broccoli and smoked mackerel.

The builders have gone, the scaffolding is down and my balcony pots have new plants - a blue daisy (Felicia amelloides), a scented pelargonium (Concolour Lace) and a yellow-flowering plant (below) that had lost its label.

 

Can anyone identify it?

Yellow, red and a cat

Two shawls; two colours; same pattern (Rav link); both gifts.

Flossie doing her thing on the windowsill and ignoring strategically-placed cat beds in favour of the carpet.

Usual Saturday stuff

Washing socks,

blocking a shawl,

and answering a pattern query on Ravelry.

Coughs and sneezes

Herbert Mayo Bateman, from the "Coughs & Sneezes Spread Diseases" series commissioned by the Ministry of Health, England, 1942, image © The National Archives.

There has been a lot of coughing/sneezing over the past week or so; I'm feeling much better now so here's a quick round-up of what's been going on here. 

The amaryllis flowers are now over, but were lovely while they lasted.

A new LYS has opened in the city - YAK Yarn and Knitting at 16, Gloucester Road, Brighton, BN1 4AD. Opening times: Tue - Sat 10am - 6pm, Sun 11am - 4pm. I managed a quick visit before the cold germs struck. YAK's official Grand Opening is this Saturday, February 7th, 2pm - 6pm.

The 2014 Advent Calender Scarf is coming along nicely; I have four more patterns left to knit. The impossible-to-photograph yarn colour's darker/richer/nicer in real life.

We have lift-off...

It's that amaryllis time of year again; this bulb was a Christmas present from Julie. Two buds have appeared so far - more photos when the flowers arrive.

I'm finally getting my teeth into a Ravelry KAL (knit-a-long for those of you who haven't come across the term KAL before). It's the 2014 Advent Calender Scarf (Rav link) and you got one clue/chart every day during Advent. What with one thing and another, I didn't start knitting until January. The photo shows days 4, 5, 6 and 7; the scarf is knitted in Wollmeise Lace-Garn, colourway Flaschenpost.

This is Jackie with her lovely granny square blanket in the Jubilee Library, Brighton. The Knitting Group meets at the library every Tuesday from 10am to 12 noon. If you knit or crochet, do come along and join us!

It's that time of year again...

I'll be at Cornerstone's Christmas Market on Saturday, December 6, with hand-dyed yarn, stitch markers and beaded jewellery. The market is open from 11am to 3pm - there's no charge to get in, so do come along and say hello!

Book stuff

I've finally got round to listing the known corrections for my crochet and knitting books on a new blog, Jan Eaton's Book Errata.

The titles include 200 Crochet Blocks, 200 Knitted Blocks and 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns. The books have been reprinted several times and as I always pass errata on to the publisher, you may own a newer edition without errata. Please be aware that the titles are available in both UK and US Editions.

Swatch

Those of you who know me in real life may be surprised by an actual swatch. Swatching is something I rarely do but this is for a garment (a change from my usual sock/shawl/blanket repertoire). The yarn is Kilcarra Aran Tweed (discontinued) and it's been in my stash for far too long. I'm thinking shortish and boxy along the lines of Tweedy Stripey without the stripes.

What's on the needles?

I've knitted several stripy TGV's this year, mainly as gifts so not bloggable until after Christmas. This TGV is for me using Dream in Color Smooshy leftovers in Happy Forest (Thanks, Jutta!) and Knitting Goddess mini skeins in shades of violet. 

I usually have a crochet blanket on the go - this one may take some time because the squares are only 7.5cm (3 in) across. I'm using superwash DK oddments mixed with two strands of sock yarn in pink, red, blue, purple, turquoise and grey.

These are my only WIPs, apart from a couple of pairs of socks. But I do have plans!

Colours and Walter

The pattern is TGV (Rav link) and the yarns are Wollmeise, Yarn Yard and assorted leftover sock yarns. I'm shameless and will scrounge leftovers from anyone...

The chap sitting down is called Walter; I'll share his story tomorrow.

Learning to knit, 1916

Bank holiday...

...and it's a sunny one for a change!

I have socks to knit, a new pattern to crochet and a pile of audiobooks from the library to keep me happy.

I also have a living room to tidy and stuff to put away but they can wait....

Flossie's soaking up the rays and making a cat-shaped shadow.

There's bread in the breadmaker and butternut squash soup on the hob. Hope you're all having a lovely day whatever you're doing!

Random thoughts

1. I have dirty windows. Thanks, seagull.

2. I'm bored with crime fiction - too many similar plots, mutilated corpses and renegade detectives.

3. Mislaid my knitting mojo. This happens every now and then and it's a temporary loss.

4. Week 5 of this cold. Please go away.

5. The Faithfull Companion is either grumpy or going to hack up a hairball. Or both.

It came back

The cold, that is. I felt better for about four days then the sore throat started again. And the rest. I'm bored now but starting to feel better. Spring has sprung and we're hurtling towards when the clocks go forward so life's not all bad.

The shawl is now finished and blocked as is this crochet one, made for and modelled by my knitting friend Valerie (she loves orange).

As ever when the right weather occasion arises, Flossie is on the carpet roasting her ribs in a patch of sunlight.

 

That was the cold that was

A particularly beastly cold has been had. You know the sort - no voice, hacking cough ('twas a 3-bottles-of-Benylin-event), sore throat and snot. Lots of snot.

Not much happening at Wibbo Towers as a result of the above - a little gentle sock knitting done, books read, audiobooks heard. I also started this

which is looking rather good (and the pattern doesn't need much concentration). The yarn came from Woolly Workshop a good few years ago; it's a wool/silk/nylon mixture which should soften up nicely when washed and blocked.

Socks

I'm finishing socks today - four pairs down, seven still to go. Left to right: Regia Aquarell, MSSSY self-striping birthday yarn dyed by Liz, Rico Superba Mexico, two pairs of my own hand dyed Trekking, Lana Grosso (I think), Regia.

I do like it...

...when a plan comes together.

This one didn't. Nice yarn though...

Catching up

Well, we're storm-battered here on the south coast but luckily there's no flooding where I live. I can't imagine how awful the flooding must be in other parts of the country. Today (just for a change) it's sunny, dry and the sky is blue.

What have I been up to this month? Not a lot really - I seem to have been skulking indoors knitting and reading or drying out coats and gloves for most of February. One highlight was yesterday when I met up with fellow Brighton & Hove blogger Sarina for a lovely lunch in town. Sarina's blog is here: Sarina's Allsorts.

I seem to be frogging more metres that knitting them these days. I cast off a stripey garter stitch shawl  (see previous post for pic) this morning and the more I look at it, the more I think I'll frog it. I tried it on, looked in the mirror and the word that came to mind was 'frilly' which was not good...

In other news, I'm listening to The Leopard by Jo Nesbo read by the wonderful Sean Barrett, and reading Raising Steam by the even-more-wonderful Terry Pratchett (real book) and Flappers by Judith Mackrell (Kindle book).

Flossie is being her usual charming annoying self and refuses to pose for any more of 'those candid photos' ;o)