Being Grumpy and Being Woolly

Being back at uni isn't inspiring knitting. Inspiring me to skewer people taking English Literature degrees who think only elitist twats study literature and we should be looking at the Spice Girls instead (no really, that's what she said) So let's examine logic here, if the only reason for studying literature is social climbing and not never ever enjoyment what does that make her? There is nothing stopping her from studying popular culture.

What is it with people who don't like to read deciding to read Literature at University? If you want a glory degree English Literature at Huddersfield ain't going to turn many heads.

Yarn Porn Friday is a bit of a bust I'm afraid. I got a poorly tummy and frankly I'm just shattered. All I want to do is lie in bed and watch TV. But I don't have a TV. Anyway here's some Kureyon.

Embrace the Black

The reaction to my Yarn Porn Friday post was just brilliant. I moved last week and I just got the internet up in time to post it so I was a bit stressful. Add to that that I dislike wearing stuff made from variegated yarns and I'm don't exactly have a gourmet selection. And the debt that I'm going to be in for the next few weeks, don't forget the debt.

I'm glad you all like it anyhow.

Now I hope you don't think I'm calling myself an expert here, far from it, but I have had a lot of opportunity for trial and error. And on that note I'd like to offer the following suggestions for taking pictures in black.

1. Be aware of the difference in contrast between your view screen/finder and the picture. Mine is a tad lighter on the screen so I aim for a slightly washed out looking shot.

2. If you have a brightness feature it may help you pick up the detail better if you knock it down a few pegs.

3. Natural light. Or as close as possible. A bright sunny day helps but if it's natural you'll be able to get a better idea of colour and detail.

4. If you are going close up make sure you don't block the light. Use the macro feature.

As a big fan of any sort of gimmick I do love the thick/thin squiggly effect thingy although I don't know what a scribbly-gum tree looks like. I would say hi to Birstall but I'm at a loss as to what it is. The town in Leicestershire?

The sock still continues charming.

The Best of Black....

And a bright cheery Huddersfield good morning to you all.

Yeah right. It ain't raining but the gods of West Yorkshire do frown on sun. And the blog today had a distinctly West Yorkshire flavour as all my yarns for Yarn Porn Friday come from Holmfirth. Yup they're all Rowan, all stash and all black.

The Lurex Shimmer came in a Kim Hargreaves box. On the email from them it said 'PS: We could have dropped it in Firth Street as we are so close.' Which had me squeaking for days. I've moved off Firth Street now and, although the hat still remains unknit, I'm itching to place more orders.

The Yorkshire Tweed four-ply made the very first knitting post to this blog. Buggerd if I know where the hat is now though. I seem to have misplaced it moving. Although I'm very confident it will show up. I think I made the point in that entry that it was the first yarn I fell in love with.

I started the blog when my interest in knitting was revived by being in a long distance relationship. I didn't want to bore Tom with my projects so up went the blog. That and I wanted the attention. Tom is, of course, spectacularly supportive of my knitting so I guess I didn't need a blog for that reason. But the attention is nice.

The 4-ply Soft of Anna fame. Oh how I love working with it. The picture is of Ms Anna's lace.

Black KSH. When my rapidly deteriorated from cancer, when she died of it, and through her funeral (not the service, I'm not that insanely rude) I knit with KSH. I'll always regret not letting her add a row to my first project. I was too ashamed of the holes. This is Black KSH waiting for inspiration.

Big Wool Tuft. My aunt was with me when I bought this. The small shoulder warming project that I knit with it was knit around family. I think it was somebody's birthday. I ware the project quite a lot. And call it my dead sheep. Affectionately. I was quite sad when the discontinued it.

Happy Yarn Porn Friday.

Keeping things simple

My progress bars haven't been moving lately. Mainly because there are two socks so knitting one is 50% and because they are long 25% occurs after 20cms. And then there's Icarus. I'm too self-conscious to blog about it yet.

I also have TV knitting, for late at night or early in the morning when my concentration isn't great. A project where a dropped stitch can be easily fixed is the aim, so garter, stockinette, rib, or a very basic cable is fantastic. Especially when I wake in the night scratching my eczema. Need to sit and wake up to avoid scratching in my sleep and keep my hands busy to keep me from scratching while awake.

My current TV knitting is the finishing for my patterned vest. I picked up the armhole watching Red Dwarf and knit it during Newsnight. I'm back on the vest because I finished a Hot Head hat for my Dad. He's been asking for a hat for ages.

Pattern: Hot Head (Stitch 'n Bitch)
Yarn: Rowan's Yorkshire Tweed Chunky in some brown colour or other
Ya What: 12sts*16rows, 100m, 100g, 100% wool, Lot 19GA [Note to Dad: hand wash and dry flat!]
For: Dad
Why: He asked… oh a year ago?
Alterations: Fudged to make up for the gauge difference.
Opinion: I want one, me! It's such a great length and looks adorable with the brim up.

Modelled pic will hopefully comes when I give it him… and if it fits.

I have a wonderful new book. The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe. I bought it because I have a reoccurring brain fart when it comes to M1. Can not remember it. So I thought I could use a little reference book to pop in my bag. It's so wonderful. I compulsively read it cover to cover.

The book contains tips for the new knitter. It takes you through all the cast-ons, bind-offs, your knits and your purls. Everything a beginner needs. Of course it's much more than that. It offers tips for worming, starting lace, toe up socks, colour work, washing… well everything that an experienced knitter wants to ask to0. There is also a great resource section it the back.

Anyway, it's fantastic

Tails of Huddersfield, Heywood, and Beyond

COFFEE AND SOCKS
1

Written By Clare Burgess

SC1. COFFEE SHOP. WOMAN SITS KNITTING HER ANNA SOCK, MAN SITS EATING

MAN: What are you knitting?
WOMAN: A sock
MAN: Just one?

THERE IS NO LAUGHTER

END

Yesterday I got my new keys. And saw my new room. And oh, oh, I'm so excited! I've planned what I'm going to cook next week and put all those cookbooks in the room. Fluffle posed with them but came back. Obviously, I can't leave fluffle. My keys are bleeding heavy now. The move in happens on Sunday.

It was also wet blocking day. I'm taking advantage of still having access to a washing machine that does just a spin cycle. I made a right mess of it. The floor, sink and machine that is. Not the blocking. I accidentally left the tap running and… well we had some awfully wet towels afterwards. And bathroom mats and floor come to think of it. I had to block in the bathroom we still needed to wash up.

I have a bit of old news too. On the 11th September a review of mine appeared. I only found out yesterday. You can read it here.

Books, Breasts, and Forgetfulness

I have a system. It is, in actual fact, somebody else's system but I'm not going to mention who in case they'd rather I not.

The system is that if you loose something and can't find you sit or lie down and mope. The action of the moping will cause the thing to be found. It works for us. Which leads me to the moral of my half arsed story. Sometimes it's good to have a tantrum, to mope, to cry, to whinge, to rant. And why am I saying this, today of all days? No fucking clue, I'm actually quite cheerful. In fact I'm running around squeaking because I'm moving out soon!

Oh yeah… knit blog. I'm going to guiltily shuffle my feet over this one because I left my knitting bag at my Mums when I brought some books here. Speaking of books my Librarything now has the majority of my craft books in. So I have a special little craft book thingy bellow my novels. I'm hoping that it will show something other than Stitch 'n Bitch books eventually. Maybe if I hit reload enough.

Anyway. The pictures show the result of frantically trying to pick clothes out to visit Tom the weekend before last. I was getting an early train so I thought it would pay to be efficient. It only made me more neurotic. I couldn't find anything I wanted to wear. So I snipped some holes in a plain black tank fed some ribbon through (recycled from a size 12 corset… what was I thinking, other than not being able to close something past my breasts is a great look) pulled and tied. In the space of a Simpson's episode it went from a sack to a sack that draws attention to my breasts. The idea shamelessly stolen from Generation T

It also appears I got spammed yesterday. I don't delete any comments as a policy (unless they are flaming somebody other than me) so if you are wondering why they are still there, that's why.

In Praise of 4 Ply Soft

If I said yummy, yummy, yum, yum, yum well it would be a damn good summery of how I feel.

Let's start with when I bought it. I ripped the yarn out of the bag and gave it a good squeeze. It's so soft. Definitely lives up to its name. It's as squishable as new fallen snow. Only warm and made of wool. And it knit's up fabulously. The four two-plied strands really show the stitch definition. The picture is crap but shows the definition.

Knitting the sock took a bit of practice. I had to rip to the cuff and one of the panels still looks crap. I'm not one for completely ripping so I just fudged it and I'll wear that bit in the back.

'It's just porn Mom…'

I had a manic knit a couple of days ago and so I've finally finished the front of my patterned vest! Finally. Alright. I have to do all the finishing but whoooooo. Yes, whoooooo. I bought the wool before I left for uni last year, finished the back in February. Had it on sticks through sickness, death, break-ups, back-together-ups, valentines trips, Christmas, birthday parties. Jesus, I need more will power! And the ability to stick to one project.

To celebrate I went around every haberdashery, fabric and knitting shop and stall in Bury. The silver buttons are for the vest, black fabric for the shawl (must get better scissors I've already mauled it). Leftover fabrics to learn to sew. Or improve really.

My best find though was literally a find. It was in the grass as we where walking my Grandma's dog around Burrs. It's a green and purple (?) Harris Tweed flat cap. I'll take pictures when I've managed to wash it. Although I'm dreading it.

At the moment I'm about to cast on Icarus (yes, that one) and, for something simpler than a lace shawl, Anna the lace socks from the last Rowan.

Yes kids. In black.