Wibbo's Words

Taking up where I left off

I thought I would take up blogging again where I left off in 2018. It's hard to believe that more than a year has gone past since my last post, in spite of lots of good intentions on my part. I'm a bit of an expert at putting-off-stuff-until-tomorrow.

So, what's been happening here? Nothing of note really - it's been one of those fallow years where I've felt as if I've been marking time rather than forging ahead. I've read a lot of books and listened to countless audiobooks while despairing about the state of this country and the government. And I feel it's only going to get worse after January 31.

In other news, I'm beavering away on several new knitting and crochet designs. There has been much swatching.

The models are now finished but instructions still need bashing into shape before the patterns are tech edited and tested. Why does everything take an age?

Best of 2018, part three

Apart from wall-to-wall Spotify or Planet Rock, my best listening during 2018 has been this:

Favourite guitar player plus brilliant singer plus damn good songs; Living the Dream has it all...

Best of 2018, part two

My best nine posts on Instagram this year are mainly knitting. No surprise there then.

From left to right, top row: Outlander shawl knitted several years ago and finally blocked, new design Colifichet, new design Wrap of Ages. Middle row: garter stitch wrap using oddments of sock yarn held double, Outlander blocking, Wrap of Ages pattern shot. Bottom row: Frankensocks, no-knead wholemeal bread straight out of the oven, new design Random Precision, large size.

I'm @wibboswords on Instagram if you want to check me out...

Best of 2018, part one

I listened to a lot of audiobooks this year, partly because I've been busy doing hours and hours of sample knitting for new designs.

My audiobooks of the year are Chris Ould's Faroes Trilogy, The Blood Strand, The Killing Bay and The Fire Pit. Matt Addis gets a special mention for his superb narration.

My top two fiction choices are William Shaw's Salt Lane and John Harvey's Body & Soul - both excellent reads.

Non-fiction best-of-the-year are The Spy and the Traitor, Ben Macintyre, and Viking Britain, Thomas Williams.

This and that, Friday style

Knitting: new design samples for mitten patterns.

Baking: no-knead wholemeal bread; recipe and method from The Quince Tree. I've been making three loaves at a time and freezing them; I haven't eaten bought bread at home for a couple of months.

Eating: 'tis the weather for making and eating homemade soup. A stewpack of veg for £1 makes a fair amount of soup.

Drinking: New York Breakfast and Ginger Spice teas from T2.

Music: mainly Daily Mixes  and my own playlists on Spotify.

Listening

I listen to a lot of audiobooks; they're perfect listening while I work.  I have an Audible subscription and also download audiobooks from Brighton & Hove Libraries free BorrowBox service. There's list of this year's books (including physical books, e-books and audiobooks) on Pinterest.

This audiobook is my best non-fiction listen so far this year; it's an incredible story that sounds like a good spy novel but it's all true. 

 

In the pipeline...

I'm working on some new designs for fingerless mittens. I've swatched for this design several times already and I'm finally happy with how the stitch pattern, needle size and yarn work together.

The yarn is Drops Baby Merino; a lovely soft sport weight yarn. I'm surprised how good the stitch definition is. More soon!

And another....

I hate the amount/style of betting adverts on the radio (I mainly listen to Planet Rock). The adverts are shouty and style betting as 'exciting', 'unmissable fun' and 'smart'. There's nothing smart about betting; it's how to get yourself in debt and the only people who get rich are bookmakers.

This tiny Victorian moneybox is my reminder never to bet; it's made from china and has a slot across the top which is chipped in several places. It belonged to my grandma who gave it to me when I left home in the Sixties to go to art school. She told me not to be tempted by betting on anything; her mum used to raid the moneybox when she'd run out of money to bet on horse racing, using a knife to slide out the coins, hence the chips.

Did she win bets and make her fortune? As you might expect, the answer is no.

A little rant

Long time no see!

I've decided to resurrect my blogging schedule after dallying with social media far too much lately. These days, Instagram is so full of adverts and pushy posts from people trying to sell their wares that it's become much less pleasurable to scroll through. I don't do Facebook and even Pinterest is getting to be much the same as Instagram - it's buy, buy, buy all the time.  I find that Twitter is still enjoyable as long as I don't read much in the way of comments.

I choose to pay for this blog so there are no adverts here. And there never will be.

I will, however, still show photos of my new designs and provide Ravelry links, but that's about it!

Spirality

Now available as a Ravelry download here. 20% discount until midnight GMT on May 14 using coupon code SPIRAL.

Happy knitting!

Let's do it again

I took more photos of Spirality earlier today; the light was better and I simplified the background. I'm happier with these shots!

The pattern should be up for sale in my Ravelry store tomorrow.

And here's another...

A new design, that is. It's been test-knitted and the pattern has just gone off for a final whizz over by my tech editor.

The design is called Spirality, a cosy ribbed cowl long enough to go twice round your neck. Knitted in DK weight yarn, the pattern is due for release in a week or so. I have two more new designs in the pipeline; the first is finished and photographed and the second is still at the knitting stage. I'd better go and get on with it...

Swatching

Trying out new stitches and an idea for a possible new design.... 

Released today!

My latest design, Colifichet, is available to buy on Ravelry here. Get 20% off the pattern price by using the coupon code frippery from now until midnight GMT on March 20.

A reminder

I've recently moved all the posts on Jan Eaton's Book Errata from Blogger to a new home on Typepad. 

Almost ready to go...

Here's a sneak peek of Colifichet looking rather gorgeous...

The pattern will be for sale on Ravelry at the beginning of March.

Took all of January

to feel completely recovered from the bout of flu. The last week or so I've felt really, really tired and had no energy at all. February has marked a shift and I'm much more like myself and back to designing.

This design is Colifichet, a lacy wrap which is almost ready to launch on an unsuspecting world! I blocked it yesterday and it's almost dry and ready for photography. Once that's done, Colifichet will be for sale on Ravelry with my other designs. On the needles is another wrap design in a gorgeous shade of green:

Back in the land of the living....

Well, I'm almost there after three weeks of flu. My hacking cough has gone, I no longer have a head full of cotton wool and food tastes like food instead of cardboard!

In other news, I'm working my way through all the Harry Potter audiobooks again. I've nearly finished Book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and  thoroughly enjoying them. Stephen Fry is a genius narrator and makes the books perfect knitting listening.

Two other things - I'm seriously delighted that the wonderful Def Leppard have released their back catalogue on Spotify (other streaming services are available...) and the new Magnum album sounds pretty good after a couple of listens. I love my music!

New Year's Day

I'm happy that it's the first day of a new year today. I find New Year's Eve difficult; I'm sad about the people I love who are no longer here and the evening turned into a bit of a misery wallow. I miss my dad at this time of year even though it's now 50 years since he died.

On to more positive thoughts. The first day of the year is like the blank page of a nice shiny notebook waiting for me to begin. I don't make resolutions any more (resolutions are inevitably broken = failure = beating myself up in my head) but this list did amuse me this morning.

These are Woody Guthrie's New Year Resolutions for 1943 (image from @haymarketbooks on Twitter) and I shall endeavour to Stay Glad and Dream Good in 2018. 

Season's Greetings

The tree is up and decorated...

...and I'm wishing you Merry Christmas and a very happy 2018!