Marsden

Marsden is a small village near us, and it is famous (at least in my agenda) for two things : the annual Jazz Festival and the high moorland surrounding the place.

In term of jazz, our pick for this year was Liane Carroll. We started the evening in our usual tradition, first stopping in a local pub famous for brewing their own local beer - then finally arriving in the Mechanics Hall for the concert itself. The concert was definitely a ten out of ten. I am not a big jazz fan but that was a beautiful live performance.

I heard the Local Council wants to stop this Festival due to whatever reasons. Just shows their level of competence and the level of understanding their own community traditions. Fingers crossed somebody will wake them up. Or vote them out.

One week later (last weekend - not yesterday, but the one before) , we've decided to go for a(nother) walk on the Marsden moors (surprise, surprise) along the three big reservoirs. Dedicated to a glorious autumn which definitely did not disappoint us.

Knitting wise I am only stashing all sorts. I feel lazy and can't decide on anything. Too many UFO's floating around. Bought some Silky Wool and some Noro Silver Thaw which was on sale.

I was close to start Lizzy then I've seen a few Lizzys on Ravelry and didn't like any of them.

Great thing this Ravelry.

I can easily see a few features I'd add or do them a bit differently - I guess I should try to write a nice intelligent feedback to them one of these days.

Spot the difference

How more stupid can I get?

No, it's not one repeat shorter - just in case you were going to count them.

It's the wrong f...ing needle size !!!

I am trying hard to get over it - wanted so much to get this out of the way - I feel like throwing the whole thing in the box again - FOR EVER.

Martha is coming along

The back is successfully finished with only 2 balls of yarn.

I've changed the pattern a bit, by inserting a 2-st cross on each side of the cable pattern. The rest is the same as the original. I will change the front parts as well - simply because I hate picking up stitches on edges - so we'll have different borders.

Anyway, I'm going to stop Martha for a while and try to sew the green cardi, which is floating around the house for a few months now.

Remember this?

And it needs buttons as well - I guess I'll have to take the train on Saturday and go in Leeds - I might find some nice ones in the market.

The past two weeks have been totally and absolutely hectic - I've been traveling non stop between several Universities for the Open Days. At least we managed to finalise a list of five - and now it's up to them to accept us or not. I would love to see my daughter going to Edinburgh - I was so much in love with the place - but it's only down to luck now I presume.

On top of all the traveling I've managed to pile some walking as well, on Sunday morning. I'm known to be restless.

This is the famous Stoodley Pike and the views from the tower, over the Calder valley, are really rewarding. I feel I've got full batteries again for a while.

Edinburgh and Martha

This is Edinburgh Royale Mile street, on a sunny Sunday morning.

We decided to travel up north during the weekend, in order to attend the University Open Day. Hopefully, fingers crossed, we might have a student there next year. Can't believe I am now sending my child to the University.

Arrived there right on time on Saturday afternoon, and went straight through half day of lectures, presentations and tours around the campus.

We loved the University and most of all we loved the city: majestic, vibrant and cosmopolitan. Since Sunday I keep thinking about relocation :)...

Knittingwise, I'm still not able to get over the past failures - so I'm not touching those yarns for a while.

Started Martha instead.

A good, healthy, relaxing stockinette portion. I hope this will get me back on tracks.

Voila, this is Martha from Rowan Studio Book 2, and this is where I am now, after one good session of knitting in the car, ripping, and knitting again. The pattern required to start with 4 repeats not 3.

I wish I could be more oriented towards understanding English language.

The Yarn is Rowan Felted Tweed in Melody, very nice and soft, but do not trust the color in my picture as it's obviously totally wrong, due to my stupid camera.

More Japanese Stitch Dictionary Books

Japanese Knitting And Crochet Patterns Books

I compiled this list for the Knitting Elegance KAL, and posted here by mistake. Then I thought I might as well leave it here as well - just in case somebody feels like becoming interested in Japanese knitting.

Knitting Patterns Book 250



Knitting Patterns 250 in YesAsia.com

Knitting Patterns Book 300



Knitting Patterns Book 300 in YesAsia

Knitting Patterns Book 300



Knitting Pattern Book 300 in YesAsia.com

Knitting Patterns Book 500



Knitting Patterns 500 in YesAsia.com

Knitting Patterns Book 1000



Knitting Patterns 1000 in YesAsia.com

Knitting Patterns Book 100 - Aran Patterns



Knitting Patterns 100 in YesAsia.com

Knitting Patterns Book 250



Knitting Patterns 250 in YesAsia.com

Crochet Patterns 300



Crochet Patterns 300 in YesAsia.com

Crochet Patterns 200



Not available in YesAsia.com

Weekend report

No achievements to report on the knitting front.

My St. Brigid it's turning out to be too small - the yarn is lovely but this is not a pattern for a DK yarn - unless totally redesigned. So that's one going back in the ball. Actually it's not in the ball yet as I like to watch it every morning. And I strongly think of doing another repeat and framing it. We'll see.

Now the next disaster. The new sock I started on a Japanese stitch pattern is too small as well - this one really went back in the ball.

Were you going to suggest it might be me growing bigger? Heard it a lot these days. It's already answered in the FAQ list. The answer is NO.

So I just frozen any new ideas waiting for my luck to change and got an old UFO from the UFOs box - hopefully I'll try to finish it during the next weekend. The weather is turning colder so I might as well spend Saturday indoors. It's the green cardi - made out of cotton yarn, on 6mm needles, and it's all rows of bubbles. It is absolutely killing my hands !!! but the good news is that it's almost finished.

A bit of progress on the garden front, as you can see, WE've done the baskets, plus a few other tubs.

and since then, my gardening partner moved her headquarters on the fence, watching them.

The weekend report on trips - just enjoyed what probably were the last summer days. The itinerary was Saturday in Lincoln and then a great Sunday in Felixstowe.

The main reason to go south was to visit some relatives, but all together it turned out into a good trip.

First stop - Lincoln Cathedral

then a stop on a popular street in Lincoln.

Had a smashing English breakfast in the Tea Rooms on the right, just have a look at the cakes. Didn't help my diet at all.

Should I stop complaining my sweaters are going smaller?

and that's Felixstowe on a windy Sunday afternoon.
Fish and chips - and seagulls. And lots of people around pretending to sunbathe in the crispy wind.

My first pair of socks

Anyone left on the this planet that never did socks? No? Well, I thought so.
Anyway - finally, here are mine. Aren't they gorgeous?



The truth is these socks were waiting for grafting for about three weeks now.
Somehow on Friday evening I had the sudden impulse to finish them. Went straight home, straight at the computer desk, googled for a grafting tutorial and did the grafting. It was really easy.
I never imagined it's such fun to knit socks - somehow I was never tempted to try. Maybe because in the back of my mind I was really intimidated by the whole folklore around the heel and toe shaping. Mind barriers are terrible things. I should stop reading knitting forums and just GET ON with the patterns.

Oh, yes. Another cycling weekend. We try to use every single nice day left - very soon there will be no outdoor activities till next spring.

A bit of gardening - more plants for the tubs.

And guess who's patiently waiting for the planting session?

Unfortunately, in the end, the rain started so the plants and the cat are still waiting.

St. Brigid

I've got three major UFOs around the house. Two cardigans and a pair of socks only waiting for grafting.

So just take a guess - which one am I doing? That's correct: none.

I've started St. Brigid (from Starmore's Aran Knitting).

Just loved the pattern since I first saw it, early in the year bought the book (and got bankrupt) then kept the idea hidden in the back of my mind till this last weekend.

The yarn is Jaeger extra fine merino DK (no, of course it's not from the stash :). Just ebayed it, a few days ago.

Simply beautiful to work with - 10 out of 10. Maybe a bit too thin for this pattern but I'm sure it will look great in the end.

Saturday morning swatch.

our Saturday afternoon cycling intermezzo along the canal

and Sunday afternoon first repeat ready.

The main challenge was to figure out the Celtic knot - finally somebody from Knitting Review pointed me to the original book explanation and drawing ( page 92 - Infinite lines), which are very clear, and this definitely put me on the right track.
Thank you wonderful people at Knitters Review.
I wish I could subscribe to Life Review as well and get all my real life problems sorted in the same manner.

Romanian Vacation

Nothing beats a good five weeks holiday in the sun, in the mountains, while living in your own house.


This is Poiana Brasov - main ski resort in Romania. The wide road winding down under the cable car is actually the most used ski slope in the winter : The Red Road.


And here are the Caraiman Mountains - 30 minutes drive from Brasov. These mountains make a fantastic climb - had no luck though to find somebody to go with (running out of friends interested in walking :), but I am becoming more and more obsessed to climb them at least once more in this lifetime.

Well, there is also the alternative to have a barbecue with friends, in less higher places.

Another very nice surprise while being home was going through my old wardrobes and boxes, and finding my 20 years old knits.

In those days, knitting meant a totally different thing then it does now. We had no yarn shops or written patterns. It was hunting for old wool sweaters in charity shops first, then recovering the yarn and wash it, then trying to replicate patterns based on magazines covers or any foreign patterns we could share.

The last step was the most interesting one: creating the charts.

At that time I was working as a computer engineer in the helicopter factory and we were using the huge digital plotter we had in the design department to draw the charts, mostly in the evenings, after the working hours. Knitting charts at the aviation standard :).

None of this excitement is left in our days. We buy ready made patterns and then go for the identical yarn in order to avoid a bit of math. Then the madness to get the gauge. And some of us would not even read a chart but knit after written words.

Where is this world going ?

Anyway - back to reality. I finished my second sock while being in Brasov. I'm just waiting to get inspired to decide to learn grafting. I am a bit intimidated by the idea but we are slowly getting there - I found a few links about it.

No, I am not cheating - that is the second one.

I've been infected

It's the Sockbug (from Sockbug :) - and guess what, my first pair of socks is emerging right now !

Can't wait to finish this pair - I'm so excited how easy it was to figure out 'the sock technology'. For the next pair I think I'll move into creating my own design.

The only problem with knitting socks is that I spend A LOT OF TIME trying them on every other row. Just can't resist.

Obviously the black and white background is my cat - she is fascinated, as always, by any new thing WE are doing.

Yarn : Colinette Jitterbug (one skein)
Pattern: Rapid Rivers Socks - basic and easy to follow - I like this approach.
Modifications to the pattern : one repeat less for the leg - mostly due to yardage constrains.
Overall experience : priceless. For everything else there's Mastercard.

Japanese lace top finished

I discovered a few Japanese knitting books on different blogs few months ago, and since than, my own Japanese collection of patterns is growing.

I started knitting this top in April I think, based on a chart from this great stitch dictionary:

250 Knitting Patterns, book which I can't recommend enough.

In the meantime I joined KnittinginJapan group and even started a KAL for these books - so for more details and photos you'll have to move on the Knitting Elegance KAL.

One more photo here, from a great weekend in London : the Tour de France started in England this year and it was just spectacular to watch. I was so impressed I might even decide to go on my bike again :).

GGH Bali - what to do with it...

Just received 700 gr. of Bali in light green and lots of other balls in all sorts of different colors, and guess what, I have no idea what to do with it.

I did a small swatch for something I originally had in mind (long story), hear this now: I've even washed it,

but I'm still not keen at all about the look and feel of this yarn.

50% acrylic.

What did I expect?

Lovely colors though - any suggestions ?

WWKIP Day

Last Saturday we decided to go on the same regular trip along the Rochdale canal (this time the bit between Rochdale and Todmorden) , basically because we've got no car at the moment, and getting anywhere around the canal by bus is easy enough.

Obviously got my knitting with me this time, in order to celebrate the Knitting in Public Day.

Right, that's how it started. A bit deserted, isn't is? Maybe this was the point where I realized it was the wrong choice of trip :).

And here is me, in the field, after one hour of walking - determined to knit a few rows for my new Japanese top (and still hoping for some public to turn up).

Well, it wasn't all so bad after all - in the end I had two ducks and their chicks watching it, a few sheep on the hill plus a fisherman nearby.
Really - it should be good enough for Yorkshire Knitting in Public Day.

Sandra Lace cardigan - finally finished

Have you seen my new motto?
Less blogging is more knitting - so from now on I'll (try to) be short.



This is the finished thing and it's just perfect - my daughter worn it already and she looks to be very pleased with it. Now - to get my teenager excited about a knitted sweater, that's something :).

An image of the original pattern here, and it took approx. 4 balls of yarn.

I used the original Lang Mohair, it's basically identical with Kidsilk Haze.

I'm happy it's finished - another one out of the UFOs list.

Time to cast on :). Want to see what I'm up to next ?

Visit my new blog: Knitting Elegance - it's all about this new Japanese knitting craze.

Those patterns are just great and I blame it all on fleegle.

You can join now or you can join later :).
Resistance is futile.
You'll be assimilated.

(I read this on a blog - sorry can't remember where, to give the credit to the right person :)).

Sandra lace cardigan ready - well, almost...

I went back to actually finish the blue wrap cardi, as my daughter is impatiently waiting for it. I had to take a break at some point, as I was begining to have enough of all this never ending knitting of small parts.


Finally all ten of them finished.

Now I am in THAT stage where I really sincerely and trully hope that Sandra Magazine will send me a message saying how impressed they are with my work on their pattern and that obviously it will be a pleasure for them to assembly the whole thing for me if I might require this...I am sure lots of people know what I mean.

It's never going to happen, is it? so I better look for my bloody needle now. Do not expect miracles though, I need good day light for all the edge stitches spotting, in all this mohair stuff.

A bit of update of the weekend adventures.

End of April is always the bluebells season in the crags around Hebden Bridge, the weather was great, so we decided to go for a walk in the woods.
To cut the story short: the day started with me being misleaded about where we're actually going (which always pisses me off in the end), got the wrong shoes (because I was sure we are doing a different (and much easier) trail), then walked through a river for about four miles and got totally wet in the first two minutes (I didn't have my proper walking boots on, did I?), got lost, refused to jump in a thirty meters high hole despite my partner reassuring me that it might be safe, arguments and shouting, got lost (mentioned this one before?), climbed for ever through mud and stones towards light, ended up on private land surrounded by wired fences, jumped the fences, seen a deer, had to face the owners, found out where we are, finally fully realised we are indeed lost, hurt my foot, long walk back to Heptonstall, happy ending up in a pub. Long live Timothy Taylor.

Yes, you can see a picture of the bluebells now.


Two days later now, I am looking at this image and can't stop thinking what a great day we had!

Alice Starmore Tudor Roses is here

Two days ago I finally decided to buy a copy of this book - firstly because it is still available quite cheap from Jannette Rare Yarns (and nightmares of the stock disappearing were haunting me for a while now), and secondly because I wanted to start a new sweater and I think I want to go for a pattern similar to Catherine Parr.
And obviously because the dollar went down against the pound :) and I can afford it now that it's 'half price':).
I should not really joke about this as this is bad news for my friends abroad buying things from UK.
I got the book in the post yesterday morning - so this will make a 'next morning delivery service' - 5 stars for Jannette here. And what a beautiful book.

So now it's between the Baltic and the Catherine Parr patterns. O maybe a combination of them?
Would Catherine Parr have wanted to be associated with the Baltic Sea?



Anyway, I'm going to use some light blue DB merino aran, which I bought two years ago, and some dark blue cashmerino leftovers, both from my stash (points here!), just so I'll clear more room for more yarns.
Makes sense, I hope :).

Libbi cardigan

This cardigan was love at first sight when I first saw it on the Helen McCabe's website. I like bubbles, so these patterns are definitely for me.
First I thought she is selling the kits - but no, it's not the case, it's the finished garments you get.



So I am approximating my own pattern, based on her pattern. I don't know if this is ethical or not - anyway I try to feel better about this by advertising her website here. Somebody might decide to get one of the ready made sweaters she is selling. They are beautiful.

My modifications : instead of four lines of bubbles I'll have three lines and I will have to imagine the cables and the repeats.

I had another attempt to start it, a few months ago, with Aurora 8 but I did not like it for some obscure reason so I've ordered some thick cotton from elann : Online Ravenna - green. I wanted some nice strong green.
This is the green on their website.


but it's not quite what you get. What you get is a much more psychedelic yellowish version of it, which looks a bit like this (can't capture the color right ).
Anyway - it's a very strong fresh green and here is where I am now. I've started it last Sunday. I have no idea if I'm going to ever wear this color - but I need to do it.


Obviously I did abandon everything else.

I am going to need more yarn probably; it is disappearing so fast on 6 mm needles and with all these bubbles. I never order enough, I've got 750 gr - WHAT WAS I THINKING ??? - but it will be a good occasion to get something else as well with the next delivery. The only problem is that the cheapest delivery from Canada in UK is taking 6 weeks.

It will not be cotton ever, I decided I do not like cotton - never used it before - but it is so demanding, especially the k3togs.

On a more optimistic tone : my climber is climbing and attempts to covered the old, long time unused antennas.


This is always great news when nature knows its ways to cover all the technical crap we're polluting the planet with. A big well done to the climber !