December - end of the year

There's a lot of things need finishing here. Pink mittens, pink poncho, leftovers jumper, endless handwarmers and socks for the museum. Time to look back and reflect on the good things this year. Brilliant event in March. four figure donation to the museum. Extra event in September, quieter, but still a contribution. Invitation to the Old Bailey on the back of my success. Knitting in public. Visiting sock factories, lecture about Smedley's archives plus small exhibition. Tour of Nottingham's historic Lace market. After teaching the rudiments of circular sock knitting to two modern day apprentices, Matt and I made a return visit to Urgo in Shepshed, who make bespoke medical hosiery for diabetics etc. I was really impressed that the order contains the customer's name at every stage, and the order number is knitted in sideways. It is finally packed by a real person, and can get back to the customer within 7 days of ordering. Even the warp knitted bandages (allegedly on a "crochet knitting machine")with 800 threads were fascinating to behold. Matt made a video and slowed it down to a speed one could actually see. No wonder they wanted the apprentices to see knitting at our speed! The Christmas event at the museum was as good as ever, and the chestnuts were back! I toasted some crumpets in the cottage with my mob cap on. I've never been 100% happy with my head gear for my Victorian costume, but had a brainwave mid-afternoon, and put my Shetland shoulder shawl over my head, securing it with a fine paintbrush grabbed from the teashop. It stayed on the rest of the day. The frameshop was candle-lit for the last couple hours, it was really wonderful. We experimented with optimum distances for candles and globes, and the amount of light that could be had was amazing.

November

Made a mini jumper with Rudolph on the front for advent calendar pockets- but you have to be told it is a reindeer. Back plain,, knit tight, front far too loose. Need to address that if making more, perhaps different size needles, Whole thing bloomin' fiddly anyway, thinking about adapting pattern to kit all in one (but top of sleeves are shaped. Sigh.) Had been using Drops Flora wool/alpaca mix for handwarmers, four pairs. Enough left over to use all four shades to make a fifth pair, which will keep because it is so soft and warm. Drops is such an economical buy. These are pair no. 546 - isn't that remarkable? Had another stocktake from the museum today, sales going really well in all areas.

It's all go in Nottingham

Did Nottingham Yarn Expo on Sunday with the trusty team of Matt and Anne. Getting the big case there on the bus is no joke, I'll swear the street up the side of Debenhams gets steeper. All in all a good show, nice and steady, talked to a lot of people, handed out even more museum leaflets. Sold five of my items and two books, and Matt sold his very first pair of socks. With some museum shawls and Santa egg cosies, took about £200, of which I think £150 goes to the museum. Sent the rest of my handwarmers and heel-less socks off to the museum to catch the Christmas trade, and now I can can a short break from thrashing around making HW and HL for a bit. Celebrating 235 years of knitwear, John Smedleys put on a lecture at the Uni. Next Monday we are off to a visit to G H Hurts Shawl Factory in Chilwell, organised by Matt. At home, finished third of second batch of "retro" fluted tea cosies, and started on gloves using scraps. So long since I did any I had forgotten parts of the pattern!

First Frost

First frost this morning, along with some fog. Brrr! Made a long Victorian style nightdress with crochet trims. The wider trim is an elongated bookmark, the narrow trim is a treble foundation cast on with the same cream edging as the wider one.

Baa Humbug

What an easy-peasy pattern this is. On the circular machine, 60 rows, taking care to end a quarter of the way round. Then Kitchener grafting one end the usual way, the other end inside out to about three-quarters (because I prefer that!) then turning, stuffing and working out how to do grafting from the right side. Add a head and am I-cord or similar scarf and that's it. In other knitting/crochet news, I am sewing a nightdress which calls for a ribbon-threaded lace trim. Found a good crochet pattern on Rav, just got to work out how many stitches to start with as it's made lengthways. My tension is rubbishy slack as always, but it won't matter as it will be sewn down. In getting the cutting board down from the attic, decided to investigate the contents of three bags up there. One has produced a few items for the museum tombola, another bag is full with stuff for local jumble sale, the third was sorted and has gone in the bin. Is there any more up there? What do you think! I've saved a few pieces which might eventually make it into my knitted bunting, similar to the one I saw at Yaradale. It doesn't all have to be Fair Isle.

Bunnies everywhere

Using Skip the N=Bunny pattern after the Kegworth event.

After September Socks & Yarndale

September Socks a very peaceful event. Everyone loved the lack of pressure. All the newbies made progress, some astonishing, from a non-working machine at the beginning of the weekend, to a pair of socks by the end. Matt and I both tried the Noughts & Crosses pattern. But involving 4 needles in crosses on a CSM, while JUST possible, was a tad too far, and we don't want to take this experiment any further! The lovely Jill gave me enough yarn to make 32 pairs of handwarmers for the museum shop The following weekend I went up to Yarndale by coach. What a long haul. Total of 7 hours spent in travelling compared with 6 hours actually there. But it was good. Met up with some very, very, old friends, who had stands. Bought enough yarn to make another 22 pairs of handwarmers, new needles with better points for finishing the socks, and some deep violet dye, as I can never seem to get enough purple. Purple always goes first in the shop. Planning to do some spot dyeing on skeins instead of messing about with sock blanks, as I found the dyeing of these less than satisfactory last time. Only things I bought for myself were Christmas cards and a Herdy mug. I wold have liked to have been inspired by a kit for something colourful, but it was not to be. Vastly impressed by bunting made from Fair Isle on one stand, and will now dig out all my old machine knitting samples and see what I can do.

September Socks

Designed as an "in-between" event, I am putting on another weekend for circular sock machine knitters at local hotel. 44 booked, 6 cancelled, so a bit quieter event than in March, which had demonstrations, workshops and competitions. By keeping expenses down to just ink and paper, I have done a little better than breakeven, and of course it all goes to the Framework Knitters Museum. I don't think the fun will be diluted though! Usual aches and pains getting things down from the attic today and wondering where I put certain items after last time. 8 bags with handles, one crate, the rolling cart for the Cymbal, and my overnight case. Amazing how it all goes in a Toyota Aygo with room to spare, when some week's I don't think I can get the weekly shopping in. New this time - a challenge on how to do my teacosies with flatweb on a CSM, and we'll be looking at selvages from Kathy's book. As a diversion, have downloaded a pattern for Danish mitten cuffs and had fun with translating it. In doing so I found a better way of crossing two elongated stitches, except they are now right over left instead of left over right. Pattern name is Kryds & bolle which a Google translate says is cross and bowl, BUT a plain Google search says is Noughts & Crosses or Tic tac toe. The first one makes best sense!

Cosying "up"

Much nicer! Nine pleats each side, and some held stitches for the top ruffle. Just need a few more stitches in that ruffle, and proper lace holes every 5 rows for the tie, then happy for it to go to Textile Emporium. Final weight 85 grams, so it is tempting to make one from a single yarn, thus creating another 15 grams of scrap, which is kinda defeating the object!

All cosy?

The mountain of left over sock yarn is still growing. Had the idea of a frilled teacosy - each horizontal hem takes 30 rows, but the row counter only progresses 10 rows. Dual purpose of eating up the yarn and triple insulation for the pot. An extra hem at the top is a bit bulky after gathering - perhaps a rib next time. Now, how about a vertically pleated one? What happens to the holes for gathering? Solution many be to put about two inches worth of stitches on hold at one side while doing the 20 rows for the hem, and knit them back with the final joining row. Either rely on the holes formed at beginning of pleats for threading through, although rather far apart,or make a lace hole every 5 rows.

Hang in there, Vera!

My mother-in-law was 100 years old at the weekend. 40 family members friends and neighbours descended on a beautiful farmhouse overlooking Skirrid near Abergavenny for a really lovely occasion. What to make for a centenarian? A simple coathanger with scribble yarn over a lavender liner, completed with a bag of lavender from my garden. She actually said "ooh!" when she opened it. Bless.

When in doubt, cover it with knitting

At last, I have bought a Smartphone. Persuaded to buy a "case" for it which in reality turned out to be just a back cover. So to prevent the screen from being scratched in my handbag (you won't see me walking round with the phone held out in front of me like all the 20-somethings round here), I set to and knitted a cover. It's two diamonds, folded points in envelope fashion with one flap up, one reversed so they sort of slot in to each other. I am finding that the Smartphone can do some clever things - I can put appointments straight on to my Google calendar, and read my Kindle on it. Best of all, I have got my Ringtone on it - the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. And so far have apparently spent only 16p on it!

More about the trip to the Old Bailey

Because of my work with the Framework Knitters Museum, and the fundraising I have done for them, I was suggested as a candidate for an outing. The past Master of the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters last year, Liz Green, became elected as the liveryman Sheriff of the City of London. There is another Sheriff, an alderman, who inevitably becomes the next Mayor of London. They serve for one year and have to live in the Old Bailey so one is always on hand to support Her Majesty's Judges at all times. They take it in turns to invite "interesting" people to lunch with the judges. Liz decided this week would be themed craft and heritage building skills, and her link with our Chair of Trustees resulted in my invite. Her dad was Barrie Byford - you may have heard of Byford's Socks. It started off with Champagne in Liz's office for the seven visitors. The other six invitees were from the Worshipful Companies of Basket Makers, Furniture Makers, Woodturners, Pewterers (he wore hand-cranked socks!), Upholsterers, and Rachel, who has a Royal Warrant to make hats for the Queen. All very friendly and chatty, the official photo is above. Can't take booze into lunch, they stopped that 430-yr old tradition of claret some years ago apparently, you can only have water. Met the judges and went in, 23 of us in all. Quite simple lunch, pan seared fillet of hake with Pont Neuf Potatoes (chips!), strawberry tart, cheese board, coffee with chocolate mint, and then the judges went straight back to work. No processions, no ceremony. The judges either side of me, Anne Molyneux (who asked about the crocheted fuchsias I was wearing) and Andrew Lees, were very jolly and chatty, still in their robes and wigs. A really lovely outing, I feel so honoured to have been "picked". Keep knitting, it can be an exciting life!

A thousand thumbs

Today I completed my 500th pair of handwarmers for the Framework Knitters Museum. That's one thousand tubes knitted on the machine with the ribber in place, and one thousand hand knit thumbs picked up on 20 stitches for 8 rows. 160,000 stitches for the thumbs alone! 84 sts, 80 rows, for each tube equals 336,000 stitches, or 40,000 turns of the crank handle, and that's not counting the number of waste yarn rows or the times I have had to frog and repeat. If I had been asked in December 2010 (when I started) to knit 500 pairs, I would have either fainted or said "no" (or both). But truly, it has not been a hardship and has raised oodles of money for this charming museum, my second home.

Knitting landing me in court?

Well, looks where knitting can lead you! Thanks to my volunteer work with the Framework Knitters Museum, first they get me Knitting In Public in the Library then the local Co-op. Then comes an invitation to lunch with the Sheriff of the City of London and the prospective new Mayor of London The Sheriff is a judge and the lunch will be these two and other judges at the Old Bailey!

An unproductive time

As usual with my holidays, I packed at least four projects and a selection of needles in the hope of coming across new techniques or patterns in the French magazines. Alas, did not get the selection right this year, and the magazines are no longer inspiring. Finished the Country Bumpkin gloves with the diagonal wrist I wanted - but on 2.25mm needles and failed to twist the pattern to the opposite diagonal on the second glove. Then used those needles on a Lakritz sock pattern which called for 2.5mm but 2.75mm might have been better. Made a DK glove in Wrigglefingers anonymous pink on 3.25 for wrist, 3/75 for hand, which came out too big. Going to weigh remainder of ball at home to see if enough to make a proper pair on slightly smaller needles (not that I like knitting titchy glove fingers on four dpns......) I did make progress on my net curtain, ran out of thread, got more in supermarket but it needs re-winding as I don't like using it from the outside of a cardboard tube. I did get onto the second ball of yarn for the Pink Dreams Poncho though.

Drawing a blank

Thanks to a massive miscalculation of other people's wants, I was left with five sock blanks on my hands in March, which had cost me £10 each plus postage These are single thread blanks. I identified the top end first (it doesn't undo from the bottom at ends of rows), and put four together in two pairs for dyeing, with the aim of getting roughly matching socks. Didn't want to be rewinding from inside then outside then getting lost where I was. I found I still had Procion Dyes from waaaaay back, even though I have now got rid of all my natural dyestuffs except for a bag of madder. Procion is ideal for this. There wasn't enough citric acid for the whole lot, but Googling showed I could use white vinegar as the fixative. One pair red, yellow, blue. This has provided enough to make one pair blue, one pair red, and just squeezed out a pair of handwarmers from the leftovers of each, red migrating to limey yellow. One pair red yellow brown, speckly. Last black small spots of red down one side, blue the other, leaving a lot of white - knitted up speckled. Also had a skein of undyed - that came out lime green with aubergine, not quite what I intended! Very little white left in this one, and had to re-wind to make it spiral. If I ever get round to doing it again : A good big single sheet of thick polythene, lots of newspaper, and don't try to flatten clingfilm on worksurface first. Squeeze blanks as dry as possible. Use weights, pegs, whatever, to flatten the blanks out fully to get right to the edges. Mix colours and gets strengths much weaker for paler colours. Consider flecks of dry dyestuff then using a water spray over them.

Re-establishing machine and preparing for hols

Because of illness, I am now only just getting the circular machine up and running after the show. I have decided to put the row counter sensor in a different place, but it keeps twisting round the mast. Hey ho. Finishing off another mitred square cushion, this time keeping pretty much to a purple theme, with all four corners same solid purple. I was inundated with cushion interiors from a friend, some are 16 inches, some are 23 inches - the latter may not get used as they will take so much more work and would have to charge more, say £35, and I don't think customers to the museum shop would want to pay that. Also getting ready for holiday knitting. I have made part of a pair of gloves on the flatbed as I want to try out a handknit cuff pattern that is best done in the round. Standard working for hand, but it seems to have come rather short. Easily remedied when I pick up stitches, but it looks as if the thumb gusset starts too high up. This may all work out when the gloves are completed. Gloves should be snug anyway, mittens shrug-off-able. That's my excuse. A couple of days after posting this, I found and downloaded a booklet on 12 different sorts of glove/mitten cuffs. This should provide extra fun!

Machine Knitting Show

'Twas the annual show at Long Eaton on Sunday. Sales zilch! PR priceless. And now I have a bad back from hauling the machine around.

Wriggletoes

After the Kegworth event this year, Jill of Wrigglefingers paid for her table rent in yarn - two armsful of it! She said that if I made items for the museum it would actually raise more money than if she paid me in cash. What a brilliant idea! She gave me the equivalent of 19 pairs of socks or 38 pairs of handwarmers. This is just the first nine pairs, all labelled up ready for Machine Knitting Show at Long Eaton this coming weekend. I never sell much there, but will aid the display. Back to a few handwarmers now, then it will be more mittens then gloves on the flatbed, because I bet when I go into the museum the stocks have gone down again. Almost time to take on an apprentice?

After the event

Lest I forget. Couldn't get in room early as other conferences going on, but my lot were so eager/pushy and I don't think I reacted very well. And why is it people only offer to help you unload your car when you are on the very last item? At least I didn't have six machines from Swifts to handle this year, and the four inch (actually three-and-three-quarters) Griswold's Stocking Knitter, the Harrison V-bed and the odd shoe stitcher machine were picked up beforehand. Hotel refurbishment very much NOT finished, had impact. Nothing was on time first day, had to Have Words. Better the second, and had a long meeting afterwards to improve matters for next time - nearly all down to lack of communication between one set of staff and another, plus not advised of change of menus. Niggles did not affect overall enjoyment, especially the Tartan Hose - mind-blowing. Probably 58 in the room on Saturday- not squashed, despite having to put some tables T-shaped for yarn mountain and wonderful extra competition entries. So may push up to 65 after cancellations next. Persuaded by Margaret, actually paid myself for giving the talk workshop (signed by Paddy for Marie). Sold all aprons and needles bought in and amazingly made £1435 for the museum. Still cant believe it, did not think we would even match last year's £590.

Knitting Nineteen

Here I go again. Another Going Round in Circles Sock Machine Extravaganza weekend in Kegworth. You would think it would get easier doing it for the third time, but it is just as much time spent on the computer every day for about four months, and fielding daft queries and being patient with people who don't read information correctly the first time. If they all turn up it will be a bit of a squeeze - 60 people this year and probably the most that the rooms will hold, with all the machines, sales, displays, etc. I wish I had training in crowd management! ... and breathe.

Heaving up my either hand

Robert Herrick wrote this Child's Grace some 400 years ago Here a little child I stand heaving up my either hand, cold as paddocks though they be, yet I lift them to to Thee For a benison to fall, On our meat and on us all. A paddock was a frog or toad in dialect, in case you didn't know. That had to be explained to us as school as well. Yay! Developed mittens that fit either hand. On the sock machine, long writs then pretty much like the heel-less socks with a 5x1 rib. The handknitting decreases faster, afterthought thumb cut in, handknit 20s sts, 25 roounds. Then also played about with the 12 st repeat Little Lithuanian pattern. Started with a turned-under cuff, 60 sts for a mitten on the Knitmaster. Tried to sew the seam as invisibly as poss. Again, afterhought thumb over 20 sts (machine knit this time, and seamed). Top handknit. Then, having bought the book Saltwater Mittens (Newfoundland), spotted another 12 st repeat pattern called Nor'easter. Very clever, repeat is only 6 rows but the overall appearance is of waves moving diagonally, and the light and dark ares re exactly the same. Devilish tricky to do the punchcard though. This will probably look better as gloves, plan first pair to be pink and white as in the book.

Now knitting

Griswold's Stocking Knitter is now knitting with a combination of old needles and my (also tailless) Cymbal needles. Seems quite tolerant of the mix. However, my ribber needle are too long so going to try experiment of chopping off the ends. Use a hairband for a clasp band and another one for a make-do buckle. Crochet kitchen curtain - just started the base of the flower vases. In other news - no more signs of mice in the attic, neither have they taken the bait.

Dyed in the Wool

Many years ago, 2003 in fact, when I was in the Knitting & Crochet Guild, I had some old dyestuffs to play with - the lac going back 70 years and still viable, Scottish Crottle wrapped in 1963 newspaper. These had belonged to Kim Wright, a well-known spinner and weaver, who said he had married his wife "to die for him". We had some of his items in the Guild's Collection. Some years later it went back to the family, but my book about the experiments lingered on in the library. The Collection is now on the move to another village, and today I was was asked if I wanted that folder back. I declined. However, it got me thinking, about all the natural dyeing I used to do. I did demos of spinning and dyeing, and kept a couple of basketfuls of rainbow dyed wool. One of the baskets I even wove myself, under the guidance of Maggie Cooper. http://www.maggie-cooper.com/. I’ve given up doing demos in cold outdoor locations now, and the stuff is just lying up in the attic. As part of my mission to empty the attic by bringing down at least one item every time I have cause to go up there, I am going to bring all the spun wool down and knit a top down jumper rainbow fashion. Red near the neck, then orange etc, but occasionally mixing them up so it’s not a sharp division of colours. Maybe even insert some natural Shetland in there. When I did my Walnut 'n' Wensleydale, the pattern was word of mouth from my friend Bea, but turns out to be the Oddball Sweater by Ann Tudor who credits Mrs Winkler as far back as the 1950's. Would prefer a cardi, but have noted other people’s comments on saggy bias front edges when they tried this. Basically cast on 80 sts, double increases at four equal points until it is well over the shoulders and at armhole level, then divide for back front and sleeves. These are worked circularly, two points of increase, two points of decrease until long enough, Match stripes if you can! Have also, almost accidentally, acquired a very old "Griswold's Stocking Knitter" (note the apostrophe), probably dating back to before the association with I L Berridge. It's not the 60/30 combo I wanted, but a non-standard 4 inch cylinder 84/42, so is probably going to cause a headache. The needles appear to have been adapted from longer ones by having a bit chipped off. I've brushed the rust off and oiled it and put it back together but it's not behaving as it should and I am now tired out. Tomorrow is another day.

... and another New Year

Hap Yoke cardi in final stages. Making more tea cosies and coat hangers for the museum. Nothing thrilling! Estonian Socks & Stockings book came for Christmas, wonderful wealth of techniques to try out, if I ever get round to them.