Thursday 24 February 2011

Chasing my tail



This is a post I meant to write up over Christmas, but other things happened. Now I am back in "getting the house and garden ready for sale" mode again, and despondent that there is still MORE painting to be done, and repainting, and the garden looks like it's been trashed by a herd of elephants . . . But I DO have some seeds started and now I've managed to get some biodegradable pots, I can get a lot more things started. I have Peas and Nasturtiums sown so far, and spuds chitting, oh and Sweet Peas soaking and about to go in pots today, and bulbs bunged in out the front, for a nice "kerbside appeal". We were also happily cutting down the overgrown pussy willows which made it look very unappealing out there (and are going to be replaced by post and rail fencing) when the chainsaw gave a couple of apologetic coughs and died on us . . . It is now in for repair. "They" said they were very busy and it will be three weeks!, so we may have to borrow Next Door's . . .

So, briefly, I have been knitting in my spare time, having discovered (at nearly 60) that I can actually deliberately MAKE holes in knitting. I will thank my eldest daughter for this as she was knitting something very complicated-looking and asked me to do a few rows for her one night. I found I could do the complicated-looking sl. 1, k.2.tog. and p.s.s.o. ! Oooh! So I have been knitting a lacy shawly "thing" and am about 2 feet further along than this photo:



In the book, it is knitted in a ribbony yarn and looks like this:


And this is the neck warmer which my daughter knitted.




Seen from the back . . .


It is really warm to wear though I'm not sure if I'd see myself in one . . . Doesn't really go with jeans, wellies and an old fleece, which is what I tend to live in these days . . .

8 comments:

  1. Ha! I've also recently just learnt K1,S1,PSSO and have been attempting to knit my daughter a very fetching hat using Sidar Echo Wool. I say attempting because at last count I'd 'started' at least four times over having managed to create holes where holes shouldn't be - at this rate she might get to wear it in a couple of years time! Love the look of your shawly thing, if I'm very brave (and ever finish the hat) I might have a go at something like that myself!

    Kate :-)

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  2. That all looks very impressive and complicated to me. I am re-learning the most basic knitting skills after years of knitting nothing!

    The neck warmer is a good idea. It looks like something the Victorians would have worn. Is it a modern invention or does it have a history?

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  3. You don't sound as though you are short of jobs down there - knitting looks good - that neck-wrmer is quite fetching.

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  4. I haven't knitted for ages, you have made me start thinking about it again...if I ever get time off for good behaviour LOL

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  5. How lovely BB. Sounds as though you have a busy patch ahead again. I don't think when you have got all this done you will be wanting to do any painting for quite some time.

    Just take care

    Pattypan

    xx

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  6. K&K - it's a learning process. . . I have ripped this shawly thing back dunnamany times until I decided that, errors or not, it would still be pretty and warm . . .

    DW - It's very Tamzin isn't it? She found the pattern on line I think, and couldn't resist it.

    WG - too many jobs, not enough time . . .

    Kath - I have to be in the mood for knitting. Now I've started, I just have to plod on with it. I really want to be doing some x-stitch, but I'm NOT in the mood for thatt.

    pattypan - lovely to see you my dear. Ah yes, the dreaded painting, and here's me with a poorly shoulder after I fell flat (well, given my physique, not QUITE flat) last week . . .

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  7. Oh thats a yummy shawl pattern, Im still stuck on plain knitting. Started some socks years ago and am stuck as I dont remember how to continue. Oh well am more in the quilting groove at the moment! Carry on! Good luck with the painting, so much more work than anticipated. Uck.

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  8. Your lacy knitting is so pretty and I love the neck warmer, it's both warm and also very pretty.
    Maybe you are meant to enjoy the pussy willow before it's cut down:) They are so pretty in spring though they do get over enthusiastic about growing and spreading.

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