Didn't we have a lovely time...........

Isn't this what summer is all about?

The longest sock I've ever knit

All 5kms of it! Well I suppose, strictly speaking, the sock isn't 5km but that's how far I walked with my Gourock SnB friends whilst knitting at today's Race For Life.


I had to learn Magic Loop (thanks Kimberly for the last minute lesson) so that I could walk without the fear of dropping my DPNs. Turns out I really like Magic Loop and it's so fast too, well it has been so far on this vanilla sock at least. I'm using Meilenweit Mega Boots which is knitting up really nicely. I haven't done a plain sock since I first learnt to knit socks and strangely I am really loving this sock.

The day was great fun including the warm up aerobics complete with knitting, thanks to the nice man who held on to me as I almost fell (I didn't want to let go of the knitting you see).


This is where Kimberley dropped a stitch whilst negotiating a particularly tricky aerobics step!


We were really lucky with the weather which was bright and dry without being too hot, though the ground around Eglinton Country Park was still pretty muddy in parts. There were only a few casualties (dropped stitches) and we finished the course still knitting. (Kimberly, Rhona and I brought up the rear, Marion had Pete the dog and he wasn't hanging around for us and Mhairi had been told she had to win the race by her youngest son so she had to make it over the line before us!)


I managed to raise £185 against my target of £100 so I am very grateful to everyone who sponsored me. Perhaps by next year we'll be able to run whilst knitting! I wonder how much you would all sponsor us for that?From left: Rhona, me, Kimberly, Marion, Mhairi

On to more sedentary knitting. I completed a pinwheel pram blanket for Paul's cousin's baby when it comes. I'm pleased with the way it turned out and will definitely do it again. It's knitted with Adriafil Ice Cream which is 80% wool but so soft and snuggly.


I finally blocked Paul's Flaming Filey and finished it, he likes it so that's a good sign. Maybe he will even wear it.


My whirlpool socks are destined to be frogged the swirl pattern is pulling too tight and I don't like the way the beads sit. You can see what I mean! The yarn is far too lovely (Cherry Tree Hill) to be used on socks that I won't wear.


The sock started on RFL is now finished and I have started on its partner.

I have also finished knitting a square for Sandy's Stitches on The Bridge panel, but had to frog it twice to get the proportions right. It should only have taken an hour but actually took three! (Sorry no photo before I passed it on to Mhairi for her square).

Finally I have made a little more progress on my Unicorn scarf but I think I already mentioned the yarn just seems to go on forever so this could turn into a scarf Dr Who could be proud of.

Just look what the cat dragged in.......

Friday night at about 10p.m. Bitsy (the cat) skulked in clearly having been up to mischief. On closer investigation we saw something in his mouth, flapping its wings. We gave chase and as he dropped his little victim and it flew through the house we realised it was a pipistrel bat! This isn't the first time he has caught a bat but it is the first time one has survived.

We managed to trap it under a pan and found the Bat Lady on the internet. She gave us advice on how to put the poor wee thing into a box with a roost and some water. The next day we took him over to Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust. I've never been there before but what a fantastic place it is. It's set in 20 acres of land in Beith and is entirely funded by public donations. They will give him antibiotics and then contact us when he has recovered to release him back here where he belongs.

Here he is:


On to knitting. My unmatched pair of socks is finished and I am not hurrying to knit their partners as I'm happy to wear them as they are.


I started my May socks which are the Whirlpool Socks from Knitting socks with Handpainted Yarn. I really don't like the way they suggest incorporating the bead so after three repeats of the pattern I have changed to a more straightforward technique. The finish is much better but I am worried that the spiral pattern and small needles (2.25mm) are resulting in a tight fit. I need to put the sock onto a circular needle to check whether it fits. Frankly if it doesn't I am happy to frog it as I'm not feeling the love for it yet!

Maisy turned 5 on May 1st and despite us all having been laid low by a bug, we had a really lovely party attended by 20 of her wee pals. She was totally spoiled and received some quite fabulous gifts.


My Unicorn scarf is coming along nicely and is about 3ft long with no signs of an end to the yarn. The yardage is 400m but it feels like more. I love the feel of this yarn so soft and always slightly cool to the touch. The objective of the Unicorn club is to guess the composition of the yarn aided by a series of clues over the next 9 months. I'm thinking Angora or Alpaca with secell or silk. I think I need to get a few more clues before I make my mind up. The scarf is knit with my April Unicorn and I have now received my May Unicorn. Sadly I can't remember the name of the colourway but it is a subtle combination of pinks, reds and oranges.

I have had lovely news this week too, one of Paul's cousins had attended the fertility clinic to begin a course of IVF only to be told she couldn't have the treatment as she was pregnant! So I am now knitting for this special baby as well as another due in July to another of Paul's cousins.

I really need to get quicker at knitting as I have so many things I want to do! My poor spinning wheel is not seeing much action these days.