Lockdown socks

Nicely time-consuming! Vertically striped legs which have to be grafted. Then stitches picked up for the top rib, and same number of stitches picked up for the foot area to be worked on circular machine. No heel shaping, and a handknit spiral toe.

Two-yarn gloves

Just two yarns used in these as had larger quantities of both, Drops Fabel Blue Sea and Yellow/pink. One glove uses the yarn as A,B,A,B, the other as B,A,B,A. I think they go together quite well! For more blue, just look at this clematis that has taken over my eucalyptus tree! As the weather has turned very warm, I will probably be spending more time outside now, and less knitting.

How time flies

Eighteen years ago my first grandson was born. Due to the virus lockdown, he won't be having a fun day of celebrating today. Why is it that the years go so fast, but the days so slowly? I am completing handwarmers/gloves/socks for the museum shop at the rate of one pair a day, such a huge stockpile there will be in three months time! Plus of course, using the leftovers - these have four yarns in them- can you tell?

After the Event

Knitting Twenty Twenty welcomed 58 people to a weekend of slightly chaotic but blissful sock machine knitting. Thanks to a contact, we ended up with no fewer than 19 machines to sell on commission - and sell them I certainly did. One buyer tickled me by saying I should work for United Nations because of my persuasive powers. I really didn't want to have to take any heavy machinery back home with me! "Hard work" wasn't in it, four months of preparations, awkward requests, the occasional silly person, PayPal glitches, stupid person in a parcel depot who mis-typed my address.... but I raised £1708 for the Framework Knitters Museum. I have since received some very nice thank you notes. Life is going to fall rather flat now. I think I was lucky with the date of the event - no snow, no floods, and before the government restrictions on movements with regard to Coronavirus - so many of the devotees must be over 70, as indeed I am myself, of course). There is only so much knitting I can do in a day before my arms start aching, I am not going to find being cooped up easy, and losing yet another holiday to outside circumstances is not going down well. I had put a couple of projects by to start on holiday, as per usual, will be breaking them out now. One is a pair of mittens with a big fat sheep whose tummy contains little sheep. Another is getting on with the sunflower filet kitchen curtain now I have found the correct replacement cotton yarn. I am nearly halfway up that now - but again, two complete rows and my arm and wrist start hurting.

Not your average garden gnome - or owl!

Gnome with a bobble hat and a full mophead of hair. Filled with out-of date-lentils. Mostly knit in the circular machine, finished off the taper of the hat by hand knitting. Although a red pompon was called for in the original pattern just did a bobble of knitting and stuffed it with a miniature ball of wool. No embroidered features, just that nose which is a piece of the face grasped with elastic band. Wonder what would happen if I left it outdoors? Here's a shaky owl. Being stuffed with out-of-date rice, he is growing fatter and fatter as it settles.

Knot a Tube

I have been wanting to make a Celtic Knot cushion for some time. Found I could stuff as you go SAYGO?) the tube on my sock machine. Made too much, so shortened it and made the simple love knot cushion as well. The latter can double as a draught excluder! I would love to be able to do a more complicate Celtic knot, and there are certainly plenty of ideas on Pinterest, but it is so difficult to calculate the length needed.

New Year - out with the old, in with a bit of "new"

Having a rigorous clear out of old magazines. Why I kept some in the first place now escapes me, couldn't find much to inspire. Saved 8 out of about 80. Spotted a nursery/nursing rocker in local antique shop. Went back a week later and bought it. Very low seat, very high back, very neat wooden rockers and perfectly balanced. It is going in my knitting room as my "thinking" chair. I had found half a cushion cover int he attic (bit more clear out from there as well), so rapidly machine knit a back to go with it for the chair,. The old rush bottomed chair that used to be there has to go out, and this might mean the tip. Pink mittens - finished. More progress on hand dyed top down chevrons jumper. Sadly, none on poncho or crochet curtain...