From the sublime to the ridiculous

It took me five weeks to make the socks, five weeks! I`ve decided that two at a time on magic loop is probably the way to go, but I have to confess that I won`t be in a great hurry to make any more. I`m pleased with the finished result, but as DD reminded me when I was looking at sock wool last weekend, I spent the entire time I was knitting them moaning!


Two toe-up socks on one circular needle
in Schoppel Wolle, Admiral ombre 1702
using a 100cm, 2mm Hiya Hiya circular needle
I`m hoping the tram lines will disappear after the first wash, and if I`m honest I may have to undo the cast off and try a different one as it isn`t really stretchy enough, it`s fine when it`s on, but it`s the getting it on, if you see what I mean.

I then went to the other extreme, and using the 20mm needles that came free with Let`s Knit, and a ball and a half of 3 Suisses Claridge (circa 1973) that I picked up for 10p at a bootsale last year, I created a garter stitch scarf in an evening. It`s actually quite cosy, and there is a slight colour variation which doesn`t show up in the picture, this is destined for one of my Christmas shoe boxes (yes I know it is only February but I`m going to reduce that stash somehow).


From 2mm to 20mm needles !

Good enough to eat

DD and I went down to Brighton yesterday to the Creative stitches and Hobbycrafts exhibition, which was, frankly a bit disappointing. If you don`t make cards or cross stitch, then there isn`t much for you. DD was looking forward to the "Stunning display" of costumes from Strictly Come Dancing - and there were 5 dresses!
But we were impressed by the Gingerbread House.
I knew about it, and even knitted a few flowers and leaves for the garden, but I hadn`t quite realised how large it would be, or how impressive in the flesh. It was nigh on impossible to get a good picture of the outside because of the number of people around it, so DD being tall raised her camera above the other heads and took this great picture of the inside.

I just loved the knitted photos

and for some reason the flower pots appealed as well

However, we couldn`t help but find our blood pressures rising as we sat in the cafe area along side and listened to some women of a certain age decreeing rather loudly that they just couldn`t see the point of all that knitting and that it was a waste of time as nothing could be done with it, unless of course it was dismantled and the toys given away and the squares made into blankets. I was so tempted to explain to them that apart from being rather an achievement involving over 500 knitters, it was actually raising money for charity - but because of their arogant dismissive tones I didn`t trust myself to be civil.

And just to prove how disappointing a show it was for us - I came away with .....a circular needle and a pack of jump rings. Yep, that`s it!

At last...

Why is it that whenever I am enjoing a cuppa some one always wants something? It`s become a standing joke in our family that I reply the same way so often that when the Grim Reaper knocks on the door I will say it to him too - and have it engraved on my tombstone.

So here it is...

Tombstone Generator