Fluffle is in his pocket, all's right with the world

So you turn up to a camp site in Wales. And it smells like manure. What do you do? We giggle and drive to the next field, light a fire and have a good time.

The rain kept off on Saturday. The only night I got to knitting around the camp fire. So only an inch in. Got some reading done though.

There are two sorts of book that I love. The first could be finished in an hour if I could read that fast. The second takes time. Time that you need to savour each word and the beauty of the prose. Fudoki was, still is in fact, the latter. I'm enjoying every second of the intricately woven plots, the beauty of the description, the fascinating characters. Johnson doesn't explain her world in that awful, clumsy, chunky way that is the feature of bad fantasy. There's no sense that you have to be filled in just this second. The detail of the world is realised naturally. With the action. Making it so much more natural. And Perfect.

Camouflage is definitely the first type of book. It's compelling, interesting and - in parts - shocking. It also switches through three different stories. With several different times spread evenly between them. I usually hate this. It's too easy to get attached to only one and skim through the others. But it worked.

Shopping trips where both successful and unsuccessful. No stereotypical Wales stuff. I was looking forward to some dragons and a T-shirt or two. No luck. I did pick up some Weaving Sticks from a craft fair (better than the knitted dolls and endless honey) and a black sun hat (see daft pic).

Now I'm back. To central heating and a curry.

See, I do knit!

New batteries in my camera means it’s… A Gratuitous Picture Post

First of all there’s the new hardware. It’s a BagSmith Tool Tote. And fits a very lot of things in. With the exception of most of my needles. Only ones up to 10” will fit. Most of my inherited and bought needles clock in at 14. Including those lovely copper plated ones popping out of the bag. I think they must have belonged to Great-Grandma.

On the needles is the bloody ugly baby cardi. That poor thing is going to look like a chicken when it’s born. I do love novelty yarns (especially railroad) but not for a cardi.

Onward to the FOs…

Pattern: Charlotte (Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 38) Yarn: Ribbon Twist in Rumba Ya What: 8sts*11rows, 60m, 100g, 70% wool 25% acrylic 5% polyamide, Lot 11B5 For: Me Why: Because I’m young, some people find me vaguely attractive sometimes, and I can ware what the feck I want. Even if it is a bulky poncho. Alterations: Gauge slightly tight. Opinion: Generally fun and fast. Already spilt curry on it.

Pattern: Marloes Sand Hat (Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine 40) Yarn: Ribbon Twist in Rumba Ya What: 8sts*11rows, 60m, 100g, 70% wool 25% acrylic 5% polyamide, Lot 11B5 For: Me Why: Leftovers + new magazine + cables = new hat Alterations: No earflaps, still not decided on bobbles. I’m not doing two but what do you think about one? Opinion: Can be worn hair up or down, very warm, absolutely lovely. Cables are great but you can’t really see them in the mag so I have extra shot of them just for you.