Good men are scarce (1609)

Which is why I am so lucky to have one! It was my birthday on Sunday and my lovely husband had secretly arranged for us to to go to a show on Saturday night which in itself was a great and unexpected gift.

I was also brought a delicious breakfast in bed on Sunday and showered with wonderful gifts, almost all of which were of a fibery/knittery nature.

• Double treadle for my Ashford Traditional
• Jumbo flyer and 4 bobbins
• 200gm Raspberry Alpaca tops
• 100gm Cashmere/silk tops
  
• Fitted Knits
• 2 lovely brooches, one of which is on a very knitty theme
  
• Needle holders
• Hair curler/straightener/crimper/spirally/twirly thingy
• Not Tonight Darling I'm Knitting
• The Natural Knitter

How lucky am I?

After my wheel was rebuilt with all its new parts I set to spinning some New Lanark batts. I am amazed the difference the double treadle makes, I am finding it so much easier to keep my twist consistent. A little more practice though, I think before I attempt the Alpaca or Cashmere/silk.

I find myself always torn between spinning and knitting it seems I don't have enough free hours in the day to do both. Given the time of year, however, I thought it prudent to begin some Christmas Gift Knitting.

• Garter stitch loop through scarf in Chameleon Colorworks Evolution Sportweight, Polar.

• Sirdar baby cardigan in Sirdar Pure Cotton DK, Bubblegum.

I have completed 2 projects in the past week.

• The Circle socks

• Tea Cosy from One Skein Wonders in New Lanark Aran, Cherry.

I have also finished, bar the felting, the Companion Bowl from One Skein Wonders.

I want to say thank you to all my lovely family who gave me such a lovely birthday, but you know you are just feeding my habit!

If you don't make mistakes you don't make anything (1896)

How very true, in my case at least.

Three times in the past week I have made grave mistakes. (Well I say grave, nobody died so all is not lost).

1 Trekker

I decided to knit this hat for Paul as he looks pretty awful in most hats and I thought this design would be more flattering. I suppose it might have been had I not (in a moment of stupidity) substituted 2 strands of aran for chunky (yes, yes I know now it should have been 2 strands of DK)
It came out so large my youngest daughter can use it as a tent. See here on my oldest daughter, looks like something out of Star Wars or The Hobbit.



















2 Handpaint Highlight Socks

Knit with beautiful Shelridge Farm in Strawberries and Cream I thought the slipstitch design would complement the colour perfectly. And so it would have done if I had slipped the stitch the right way on both socks. First sock slipped knitwise, second sock slipped purlwise. I know no-one else will notice, but I still know they're odd don't I? Oh and they should have both been purlwise! Plus they were knit from two different skeins and the depth of colour is different but that I don't mind as its not my stupidity at work.

Here they are, can you see the difference?














3 Circle socks

I loved this pattern when I first set eyes on it on Mhairi's needles. I coveted it, I lusted after it, I gave in and cast on with my Knitwitches Lilac yarn.
For some reason the circles on my sock came out square. Now the pattern is really simple, I mean REALLY simple. Surely it couldn't be me making a mistake. I wrote to the patterns author asking for advice so confident was I that it wasn't me. Of course as soon as I pressed send I realised that (perhaps unsurprisingly) it was indeed my mistake and stupidity had once again won the day.
Here's the squared circle














Fortunately this was as far as I got so frogging was not a major trauma. I have finished the first and am half way down the leg of the second sock. So far my circles are now looking, well, circular, hurrah! I won't celebrate too loudly though, based on my recent history stupidity is sure to raise its ugly head again very soon.

I take comfort from the proverb above though as I have made plenty of mistakes!

(Congratulations to Andrew, (my 17 year old son) who today passed his driving theory test. Watch out Gourock he'll soon be driving on your roads!)

Time and tide wait for no man (1390)

And how true! This Sunday October 6th 2008, was the final time that the beautiful QE2 sailed up the Clyde to her birthplace in Greenock. Launched in 1969 she came back to visit one last time before being sailed away to become a floating hotel. Its testament to the quality of her build and finish that she should become a luxury hotel in the very capital of luxury, Dubai.

All the family went down to Lunderston Bay at 10:00 to see her in past The Point, she's pretty close to shore at this stage and the views of her and the flotilla were fabulous. We were lucky to have one of our few sunny days which gave us fantastic views. Look!












When I see the photos I still have to pinch myself to believe I actually live in such a beautiful place, and am fortunate enough to be able to see such magnificent sights from my own house!
We followed her along the coast road to her berth for the day in Greenock. So many people had turned out to see her including some who had originally worked on her build.













It was equally inspiring to see her depart at 22:00, fully lit and horn blowing as she passed my dining room. The fireworks that accompanied her departure were noisy but lovely. See where she is now here.

The afternoon was spent knitting, I completed one of my Handpaint Highlights socks in the Shelridge Farm, strawberries and cream, I don't think the pattern really accentuates the colouring but they are lovely nonetheless. And so on to the second sock.














In between times I cast on and completed a new hat for my husband who it has to be said does not suit hats of any type as a rule. Trekker by Anni Howard is a loose fitting hood style hat and I think it has turned out very well. It's a little large but it suits him that way. Once it's blocked I'll post a picture. I think I may knit it slightly smaller for my son and daughters.

Last but not least here's Sparreholm, the bane of the last few weeks. I do like it but I think it makes me look quite large (but maybe I just look like that without it too).

Little birds that can sing and won't sing must be made to sing (1678)

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The Excellent Kay and Ann at Mason-Dixon Knitting