teabythesea

Project 365: Picture 365

2009-01-05T10:35:00.001Z

The last one! Photo 365 of 365. The last of one whole year. Phew. Of course, the beady-eyed of you will notice that because the year in question was the leapy 2008 there should have been 366 photos all told. But I forgot one. Way back in July. So I am ending my year on 365 after all.

And here it is, the very last one, taken approaching midnight after the champagne had been opened and we'd eaten as much leftover Christmas pud as possible:

And here's to not having to take a photo every day in 2009! Well, not having to take the last minute rather crap photo when I've been uninspired all day and it's nearly bedtime. I shall continue to carry my camera around with me and be click-happy though for sure.

And now, hopefully, for a very jolly old 2009...

Project 365: Weeks 49 - 52; mostly December

2009-01-05T09:45:00.002Z

In which I frantically prepared for Christmas in many respects (which meant a fair amount of late-night knitting was accomplished), the decorations were pretty, the family arrived, and I didn't burn the turkey.

Project 365: Weeks 45 - 48; mostly November

2008-12-31T18:40:00.004Z

In which, erm, stuff happened. Mostly indoors by the looks of it. I expect it was raining:

Project 365: Weeks 40 - 44; mostly October

2008-12-31T18:27:00.003Z

In which more chairs were restored and upholstered at the expense of several pairs of marigolds, cotton was dyed and knitted, and I even ventured bravely further into the world of crochet:

Project 365: Weeks 36 - 39; mostly September

2008-12-31T18:12:00.003Z

In which I returned to Aberystwyth, began to restore furniture at college, walked around a lot, and occasionally fitted in some baking and knitting:

Project 365: Weeks 31-35; mostly August

2008-12-31T17:39:00.005Z

Okay, okay, I haven't posted any of these pictures for months and months and months. However, they do exist, and in a fit of nearly-the-end-of-the-year organisation, here they are. One left to take. I haven't taken any yet today, so all the pressure is on...

Weeks 31-35; mostly August:
in which I went galivanting around the UK (Hay-on-Wye, Brighton, Norwich, Sheffield) and Spain (Madrid, Leon, Picos d'Europa, Granada). Lucky old me:

Project 365: Weeks 29 and 30

2008-07-29T14:41:00.003+01:00

In which I again entirely failed to post a proper blog entry! And, ahem, you'll notice a gap. It's the first time I've forgotten to take a pic this year, but there's no excuse. I shall have to make amends. Nevertheless here we are; printing, knitting, attempts at crochet and some random other things; including a dog hair moustache and some pigeon shit:

Project 365: Weeks 27 and 28

2008-07-16T19:50:00.002+01:00

Sometimes when I look back over the thumbnails of the last couple of weeks' photos I have a little trouble believing that they were taken so recently. If it weren't for Project 365 I never would have taken most of these. And it's so nice to look back over them when I come to post them here, and realise all the things I've done, that I have already forgotten about. Admittedly that sometimes includes making people stand under lights at nearly-midnight, holding a cardboard tube up to their face whilst I stand on the sofa taking pictures of them grinning at me like a madman, or finding abstract patterns in the washing up (in this case after a particularly disasterous curry which was so revolting that we actually washed the spices back off the vegetables - beat that), but in the end I think I like these pics the most:

Project 365: Week 26

2008-07-04T10:20:00.003+01:00

In which I finally picked up Wicked and carried on knitting (just the sleeves left now!), and apparently just took random pictures of other little things from my week. Knitting night continues and I particularly like this photo of Carol speed-knitting:

Project 365: Week 25

2008-06-24T19:20:00.003+01:00

Nearly half way through the year! Week 25: in which I was brought a delivery of Percy Pigs, the sun set once or twice, I took a sneaky-peak around a tumbledown abandoned woollen mill, and made meringues which turned out to be easy but caught me out timewise so that they didn't get eaten until midnight:

The Old Mill

2008-06-24T18:44:00.004+01:00

Visiting nearby friends at the weekend who live in an old mill, they happened to mention the neighbouring mill hidden in the woods. Well, naturally we insisted on going to take a peak... Lots of stinging nettles, a river crossing, and plenty of peeking through windows later we discovered this:

Yarn still threaded across the looms, spinning wheels, and shelves full of colourful bobbins that look like they've been left just as they were abandoned, whenever that was. The roof is now falling down, and a couple of trees have fallen onto the waterwheel at the end. It's obviously been like that for a long time, but it is amazing. Not museumy touristy this-is-how-we-once-lived amazing, but genuinely untouched amazing, like peering through the (albeit very dirty) windows of history. There were some electric lights strung up dangling from the ceiling so it can't be fairy-tale ancient, but I am guessing they were powered by the waterwheel. I'd love to know when it was last working. I must do some research!

Project 365: Week 24

2008-06-17T21:16:00.003+01:00

In which I started my very first lace, got confused with the pattern, and then lost it when the cable fell off my circular needle, ho hum. Also in which I watched a very large swan inexplicably fly into a pedestrian crossing Trefechan bridge, grapple with him for a few moments, flop inelegantly into the road, and then wobble around holding up traffic and hissing at anyone who got anywhere near it. I was not as brave as this man who eventually managed to shoo it off the bridge, and back into the harbour.

Project 365: Week 23

2008-06-11T22:25:00.002+01:00

In which I particularly liked the dancing water!

Me! Me!

2008-06-10T21:37:00.003+01:00

Having just discovered that the internet meme is not, as I rather fancied, a corruption of Me! Me!, I am rather disappointed. The real (and by real, obviously I mean Wikipedia) definition is rather more technical. I will stick with my version, and answer one which if not directly tagged, has been directed at me surrepticiously by Elizabeth.

Here we go then:

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Hmm. In between the 2nd and 3rd years of my Geography degree in Aberystwyth I think. I seem to remember I spent most of the summer bimbling round mid-Wales collecting soil, and then digesting it in the laboratory. Little did I know this dissertation would be the start of the theme for the next 6 years of my life (I am now intimate with the soils of the mid-Wales mining field, and indeed the grasses and sheep that grow and graze on them)! I think I also escaped to Scotland to bum around for a while, but I couldn't tell you exactly when; 10 years and a lot of studying sheep has addled my brain.

What are the 5 things on my to do list for today (in no particular order)
Well it's late now, so there's not much left, but they are:
1. Finish this blog!
2. Upload Ravelry 365 photos
3. Make some dinner
4. Eat it
5. Collapse into bed
Edit: Now just the last one left!

Snacks I enjoy
Cheese, crisps, anything salty, and anything with avocado. Surprising it seems for a knitter, I am no chocoholic.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire
Buy a nice bit of land nearby and build a small, funky house, preferably with a hand-made lopsided character, and a studio to fill with crafty things, including much yarn. And then I have no idea! Charity yes, but how I would choose I don't know! Actually I wouldn't want to be a billionaire, I think it would be awful. Someone else can keep the billions.

Places I’ve lived
In order: Eastbourne, Brighton, Aberystwyth (and then Borth, Llanbadarn, Moriah, Rhydyfelin, Llanafan and probably other mid-Welsh villages that I've temporarily forgotten, and then back to Aberystwyth again).

People I want to know more about
Everyone. Including myself.

I've just read that back, and it is as dull as I expected it to be. I think it would be interesting to write it again another day, and see if it's entirely different according to my mood.
Edit: Okay, judging on this one, maybe not interesting.

Project 365: Week 22

2008-06-08T18:28:00.003+01:00

In which I purchased very dated magazine from a charity shop (which I nevertheless hope will answer all my sewing prayers, despite the scariness of the girl onthe front cover), knitted very little, made potato cakes, sought out bubbles; both geological and otherwise, and sneakily walked behind Sgwd Yr Eira (Waterfall of Snow) in the Brecon Beacons, even though that now involves merrily climbing over the barrier telling you not too. It's not safe. Don't try it at home.

Ooh, and I'm very excited: some people are knitting the tea cosy on Ravelry. I cannot describe how unbelievably chuffed I am that anyone has even gone and looked at it. Woo-hoo! :-)

Project 365: Weeks 20 and 21

2008-05-28T22:55:00.002+01:00

Ah, no blogging for ages I know. I have no inclination to compute at the moment. I've been revisiting my thesis (it has taken my 4 years to be able to face this; I am the queen of procrastination) and attempting to turn chunks of it into something that might pass muster under peer review. I've still been taking my pic-a-day though, honest, and here's the proof. And I'm afraid I haven't the energy to tell you any more about them, the papers have sucked the life from me. Gah.

Project 365: Weeks 17, 18 and 19

2008-05-13T21:04:00.003+01:00

In which I went on holiday, had a lovely time frolicking in the sunshine, and it's mostly knitting and flowers again:

Grannie's Traditional Tea Cosy

2008-04-25T11:27:00.008+01:00

Grannie's Traditional Tea Cosy is my copy of grannie's traditional tea cosy:

I wanted to make a new one like the old, which must be at least 80 years old, and still keeping the tea warm, although starting to disintegrate gracefully:

But I entirely failed to find a pattern for the traditional style, with the yarns used alternately, pulled across wrong side when not in use to form the pucker, and making the double-layer that keeps the tea, literally, cozy. So I made this one up as I went along by interrogating the original. I couldn't bring myself to top it with a pom pom. I hate pom poms. But it needed something, so I added some loopy flowers instead.

It's mostly Sirdar Eco Wool, which is lovely to knit with, although needed the occasional twist as I went along to keep the strength. For anyone who's searching for something similar.... here's the pattern. I noted down what I did as I went, but this pattern has not been tested. If you find any mistakes, please contact me to let me know, and I will correct them!

PATTERN for a 4-cup/ 2-pint teapot

Materials:
2x 50g ball Sirdar Eco wool dk in shade 203 Brown (main colour MC)
1x 50g ball Sirdar Eco wool dk in shade 200 Natural/Undyed (contrasting colour CC1)
1x King Cole Merino Blend Superwash wool dk in shade 118 Red (contrasting colour CC2)
1 set 4mm needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Or any equivalent double-knitting yarn.
Gauge: 22 st and 28 rows / 10cm or 4"

The cosy is knitted in garter stitch throughout. Two colours are knitted on every row, and the pucker is formed by pulling the yarn not in use across the wrong side of the work. At each end the strands of yarn need to be twisted together before turning and knitting the next row. Two pieces are made and sewn together at the sides, leaving gaps for the handle and spout. The pucker at the edge of each piece has an extra stitch to allow them to be seamed more invisibly.

The pattern looks complex, but it isn't once you get your head around the colour changes!

Make 2 Pieces:

Cast on 98 stitches in MC using long-tailed cast on (thumb method).
Row 1 (WS): with MC k all stitches

Row 2 (RS): with MC k9, *with CC1 k8, with MC k8*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with CC1 k9. Pull the unused yarn across the back of the work as you knit. Twist the 2 yarns together at the edge.

Getting the tension right when pulling the unused yarn across the back of the work is not too easy. The first time I attempted it I pulled too tightly and the result was very narrow! My best advice is when taking up and using the next colour each time, first knit one stitch, and then gently pull the yarn until there is no slack (i.e. no loop of yarn at the back), but neither is it too taught, and still has some give in it. You are aiming for a width at the bottom of each piece of about 26cm/10".

Row 3 (WS): with CC1 k9, *with MC k8, with CC1 k8*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with MC k9. Remember to bring the yarn forward between the needles, and pull the unused yarn across the front of the work when knitting the WS. Twist all three yarns together at the edge.

Row 4 (RS): with CC2 k9, *with MC k8, with CC2 k8*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with MC k9. Pull the unused yarn across the back as you knit, and twist the yarns together at the end.

Row 5 (WS): with MC k9, *with CC2 k8, with MC k8*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with CC2 k9. Pull the unused yarn across the front as you knit, and twist the yarns together at the end.

Repeat rows 2-5 14 times, and then repeat rows 2-3 once. You will have 63 rows knitted, and end with a WS row.

Begin decreasing, staying in the colour pattern:

Row 64 (RS): with CC2 k1, *with CC2 k2tog, k4, k2tog, with MC k2tog, k4, k2tog*, repeat from *to* 6 times, with MC k1.

Row 65 (WS): with MC k7, *with CC2 k6, with MC k6*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with CC2 k7.

Row 66 (RS): with MC k1, *with MC k2tog, k2, k2tog, with CC1 k2tog, k2, k2tog*, repeat from *to* 6 times, with CC1 k1.

Row 67 (WS): with CC1 k5, *with MC k4, with CC1 k4*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with MC k5.

Row 68 (RS): with CC2 k1 *with CC2 k2tog twice, with MC k2tog twice*, repeat from *to* 6 times, with MC k1.

Row 69 (WS): with MC k3, *with CC2 k2, with MC k2*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with CC2 k3.

Row 70 (RS): with MC k1, *with MC k2tog, with CC1 k2tog*, repeat from *to* 6 times, with CC1 k1.

Row 71 (WS): with CC1 k2, *with MC k1, with CC1 k1*, repeat from *to* 5 times, with MC k2.

Row 72 (RS): with MC k1, k2tog 6 times, k1.

Leave these 8 stitches on a holder, break yarns leaving long tails and repeat pattern to knit a second piece. When both sides are completed, draw the tail of MC yarn through the stitches remaining on both pieces and draw together. Knot discretely.

Use the yarn tails to sew together the pieces using mattress stitch, leaving a gap at both edges for the teapot spout and handle.

For the Top of the Pot:

Make a large flower with MC yarn. CO 97 st.
Row 1: k all stitches.
Row 2: *k1, BO15*, repeat from *to* until 1 stitch from the end, k1.
Break yarn and draw tail through the remaining stitches on the needle, and gather together, forming a 6-loop flower. Knot and use tail to sew to top of cosy.

Make a smaller flower with CC2. CO 67 st.
Row 1: k all stitches.
Row 2: *k1, BO10*, repeat from *to* until 1 st from the end, k1.
Break yarn and draw tail through the remaining stitches on the needle, and gather together, forming a 6-loop flower. Knot and use tail to sew to top of cosy, on top of MC flower.

In CC1 CO 3 st. Knit in i-cord to the desired length of loop, approximately 20 rows. BO and sew both ends of the loop to the top of the cosy.
There is a great video tutorial on i-cord at knitting help.com

Weave in ends on the wrong side, and there you have one Grannie's Traditional Tea Cosy, and your tea will be happy!

Project 365: Week 16

2008-04-24T19:33:00.001+01:00

In which the flowers are pretty, and the knitting is knitty:

The Urchin

2008-04-24T18:52:00.005+01:00

At a friend's house at the weekend I spotted a rather fetching beret. It didn't suit me of course, but it was rather nice, and upon admiring it, my friend agreed, but bemoaned its size. A little larger so you could tug it down around your ears was the desire. My knitting glands started twitching immediately. I'd been wanting to have a go at this for a while, but not for myself. Did I mention that beret's don't suit me?

Ysolda's urchin. In Jaeger Natural Fleece. Very quick, and very nice to knit with. Bulkier than suggested, and I used 9mm needles too, according to the yarn, and not the 7mm called for in the pattern. I only managed 7 of the 8 hat "wedges" before I ran out of wool, but I grafted it together anyway, and it's a perfect fit! Well, for me anyway. (Although it doesn't suit me.) Hopefully it will both fit, and suit, Judy. A couple of pics here, and hopefully I'll manage to get one of it being worn by it's recipient too!

Project 365: Week 15

2008-04-15T19:25:00.002+01:00

In which the tea cosy is nearly finished, but I am unable to take photos because the recipient (who is not due to be given it yet) has been ever-present, and would surely notice. Proper blog assured as soon as it is revealed! But in the meantime there was, er, well, apparently rather a random assortment of things, including a fried egg.

Project 365: Week 14

2008-04-08T19:02:00.002+01:00

In which Spring arrives, the top gets left off the toothpaste, Kathryn Williams and Neil MacColl are excellent in folky pink, and paint is peely.

Project 365: Week 13

2008-04-01T15:04:00.003+01:00

In which I stayed bythesea, went to a birthday party, flew a kite, and looked after other people's pets while they all went to the Big City.

Cabled Beanie in Action

2008-03-27T19:39:00.004Z

The cable beanie has triumphed after a minor setback when presented to its new owner. I made the mistake of trying to get away with my usual eco-friendly recycled wrapping technique. I wrapped it in discarded newspaper; the Cambrian News to be precise. Which meant that it was of absolutely no interest to a birthday 3-year old.

Problem solved by a sneaky delve into the already discarded sparkly wrapping from the morning's session, and a hurried re-wrap. When the newspaper was transformed into an inner layer, my gift magically became worthy of attention. And happily was then worn for the afternoon kite-flying at the beach. And it was a perfect fit over pigtails:

Project 365: Week 12

2008-03-27T19:23:00.002Z

In which the tea cosy grows, I get my new specs and find I can see everything clearly but concave, a friend arrives from Austria with a bagfull of lovely wool (sadly unpictured here, I will try and resolve this in future), and the sun shines.

Project 365: Week 11

2008-03-18T18:19:00.002Z

In which there was food, and drink, and even some knitting:

Cabled Beanie, with extra stripes!

2008-03-16T14:16:00.004Z

This week I actually managed to knit something, prompted by the imminent approach of the birthday of the intended recipient; and helped along by the fact that because she is only three, the project wasn't too large. And so, at the request of her mother, a hat - a cabled beanie no less; this one by Carolyn.

I'd not knitted any cables before but, as with most things, I found that when I sat down and followed the instructions the pattern appeared before my eyes. I am still astonished whenever this hapens, because somewhere in my brain still lurks the need to really understand something before I am happy with it. But with new knitting I find the only way is just to start doing it. And even with no real understanding, the cable starts to appear, and I am delighted.

The pattern suggested I used whatever cast-on I like, and as I very much like the simplicity and speed of the long-tail cast-on, this was my choice. However, I usually make a mess of the join when beginning in the round, so I found this tutorial for a 3-in-1 jog-less join by Techknitting. I have to say, for me, it didn't quite do it. It was a great deal neater than my normal attempts, but jog-less it was not. Sigh. Maybe next time.

I used Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Spirit which is absoutely lovely, but I found I had to go up a needle size and CO 126 rather than 108 stitches in order to get the right gauge. Of course I thought, having weighed several existing woolly hats at the 20-30g mark, that one 50g ball would be quite enough for one toddler hat. But no. How naive of me. It was only a little short, and so rather than go for another ball, I switched in a couple of bright pink stripes at the crown. I am still not sure if this was a good idea. My queries about whether or not I have made an ugly hat have met with telling silences and face-pulling. But I quite like it. I will have to wait and see how it goes down with the birthday girl.

Oh, and it's also big enough to fit me so, er, maybe I could have just cast on 108 stitches, and just used the one ball after all. Ho hum.

Project 365: Week 10

2008-03-12T10:38:00.002Z

My first week of redundancy, and thus much easier to take pretty photos; I've been able to spend many more daylight hours at home and out and about rather than in the office. I avoided taking a photo of the job centre, even though that seems to have been the main location of the week.

This week has also included my first day in my new part-time job: in the knitting shop, which is much fluffier that the office ever was, and also my 30th birthday which involved much eating and merriment and oddly, a conker competition. Sadly I didn't manage any conker action shots, but anyway, here is my week:

Project 365: Week 9

2008-03-05T11:09:00.001Z

Project 365: Week 8

2008-02-25T22:27:00.002Z

Project 365: Weeks 6 and 7

2008-02-18T19:07:00.003Z

On a rather subdued note, I have been away for a couple of weeks, staying with family and attending the funeral for my Gran. This sad occasion took me down to London and Brighton, where most of these pics were taken. As you can see, the weather was perfect the whole time.

Norah Stafford 1921-1998

2008-02-06T13:13:00.001Z

There's not much going on bythesea at the moment. A quiet week for me, and a sad one as well, for I lost my Gran on Wednesday. I am sure that she is much happier wherever she is now, and am feeling pretty philosophical about it. Nevertheless there is a gap, and regret over all the things that I wish I'd taken the time to learn from, and about her when I had the chance, but stupidly wasn't interested in when I was younger. She's not had an easy time of it recently and I hope that whatever she's doing now, she's having a ball. With love, Kerenx

Project 365: Week 5

2008-02-05T13:42:00.000Z

Not such a great photo week I didn't think; I lost my enthusiasm somewhat. I'm hoping I'll find it again when it starts getting a bit lighter. Coming home from work in the dark seems to sap all my imagination.

I was especially annoyed to have missed the waterspout. It happened yesterday, according to the news, and the pictures indicate that it was over the sea right outside my flat, and lasted a couple of minutes. And normally I would have been there, but of course yesterday I was in the office instead, and missed the whole thing. Bah. I have resigned myself to substituting the thwarted photograph of stormy nature-in-action with a late-night slightly blurry picture of my hideous wallpaper instead.

Here are the pics I did manage to take:

Project 365: Week 4

2008-01-28T18:27:00.000Z

A round up of Week 4, in pics:

Lovely Posh Yarn

2008-01-26T19:54:00.000Z

Here is the lovey Posh Yarn; Laura in Pot Pourri. I have no idea what I shall do with it. It's 4-ply, and amounts to 1300ish yds. I thought I might have a go at some lace in shawl form, but to be honest, the wool is so lovely it deserves to be made into something that I would wear much more often. I can't decide if pretty tank top would work or not. Would it?

Coming Unspun

2008-01-26T19:35:00.000Z

My second attempt at spinning, this time at home, on my own. I didn't get very far. It looked like this:

And when I let go...

Back to class for me.

Fidgeting

2008-01-25T16:48:00.001Z

Here is a glimpse of some of that new yarn I mentioned. It's hand-dyed Chunky Peruvian Highland Wool from Violet Green, and it's lovely! This is the scarlet, balled up ready to be made into a Fidget.

I have a skein each of scarlet, blue velvet, and aubergine (I was expecting dark purpley, but really it's black - however it's still so nice I'm not complaining!), and they are all destined for the same thing. The Fidget is my one-skein project of choice for the year of the thirties, which for me and my old school friends, is this one. Eek. And so I am knitting four. It's a very quick and easy knit, especially with chunky yarn.

And I'm quite taken with the twisted moss stitch. Well, I am now that I've worked it out! On her pattern, Robin Dodge requests that followers try everything they can to fathom the stitch out themselves before mithering her about it, and who can blame her!? I first went to see the tutorial video on knittinghelp.com (where it is referred to as k-b, for knit one below), but well, it didn't really do it for me. I was inserting the right needle upwards through the purl bump of the stitch below rather than right through the stitch to the other side, and then getting into a mess. In the end I found a diagram on learntoknit.co.uk, for knit one below in Fishermans Rib, showing the needle poking right through the stitch to the other side of the work, and it twigged.

The first one was knit in Rowan Country superchunky, which is beautiful but, as roving, easily breaks while knitting. It also curled itself up into a tube, despite being in moss stitch. When I wet it to block, I realised that this one will have to be worn only in dry conditions... it stinks... I thought of wet sheep, but others mentionned dettol. I have been advised to leave it outside to air, and I will. It's OK when dry, but hmmm, I'm not sure I'd want it round my neck in the rain.

Anyway, here they are, and the wonderful skeins from Violet Green:

Project 365: Week 3

2008-01-21T20:46:00.000Z

I haven't even had time to squeeze in a normal post this week, and I find it's time to put the next lot of photos up! There has been knitting, mostly scarfy, and happy deliveries from Violet Green and Posh Yarn, but more on that later. For now, the Week 3 pics:

I've had to start carrying the camera around in a plastic bag after it came a cropper in a rain-sodden rucksack. It seemed to survive the ordeal, but I'd better not risk it again. More sunshine please.

Project 365: Week 2

2008-01-14T21:13:00.000Z

It's great to look back over the week's photos and remember all of the things I have done. I'd forgotten about half of them already! I am completely unable to take only one photo, and if I carry on at this rate my computer will be stuffed with pictures very soon. And of course then I find myself agonising over which ones to choose for Project 365. On whim today I have chosen these:

My First Spin

2008-01-12T21:03:00.001Z

Today I joined the Ceredigion Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, and spun my very first... well, not quite skein, not really even a bobbin in fact.... spinnings!? And here is the result:

If you look really really carefully you might see some very neat thread that my teacher Rita spun to demonstrate, underneath all of that tangly stuff that I covered it with. I don't care though, tangly or no, I spun it, and I shall be proud! I have already forgotten all the right words to use to describe it. I've borrowed the Guild wheel too; it's sitting in the corner of the bedroom (where Dog won't be able to chew its legs) and I am armed with a bag of Welsh mule fleece, an old pair of carders and what looks like a dog comb, but is apparently in fact a worsted comb. I must make sure I have a go tomorrow before I entirely forget what to do. It will be a very special day if I ever get to wear this stuff, in any form!

Project 365

2008-01-11T14:22:00.000Z

I decided to join Ravelry's Project 365! Coincidentally I found I had at least one picture from every day of 2008 so far, and so that seemed like an auspicious start, so I might as well carry on if I can. I'm not promising great masterpieces of photography, but I think this will make me notice what's going on around me a bit more, and that can only be a good thing. I will try and post the photos weekly, and so here we are, with the first lot:

Flash Flooding

2008-01-11T11:48:00.000Z

More terrible weather. Well, I might as well conform to national stereotype and moan about it! Wind and hail leaving us with a haildrift:

A great high tide, high-wind, large swell combo. The barriers were entirely washed from the prom, and I held my breath as a car tried to drive through this, hovering near the phone just in case...

And a walk to work that left me so soggy I had to tip the water from my bag into the sink when I arrived, and spread out all my paperwork on the floor to dry! These are the steps onto campus turned into a waterfall. I'd already sloshed through water over my ankles as the floods were over the kerb and the pavement was trying its hand at being a riverbed.

I think the flood only lasted half an hour or so, which is almost exactly the time it takes to walk to the office. Perfect timing eh?

The Fry Up

2008-01-07T18:43:00.000Z

Tapas is wonderful, but a fry up has its own beauty too:

And was enough to get me out on a walk, and give me enough energy to brave the woodland warnings:

Although in the end the forest creatures turned out not to be all that scary, and were easily won over with a cup of tea.

UltraComida; Before and After

2008-01-06T12:24:00.000Z

Ultracomida, we love you. I was diverted from my quest for a fry-up on wet windy Friday due to seemingly Aberystwyth-wide cafe-closure. Just as well, because fry-up was thus substituted for tea and tapas Ultracomida-style, where I easily (and promptly) transformed this:

Into this:

And then bought a load of delicious cheese in the deli on the way out to prolong the experience, and take a little slice of Ultracomida home. My favourite is a hard smoky goats cheese made in Wales somewhere, whose name I can never remember, and have to describe every time I go in, which makes me feel like a bit of an idiot, but the staff kindly humour me. Delicious.

A Crafty New Year

2008-01-03T18:15:00.000Z

Happy New Year to All! The bustle of all the celebrations has finally died down; everyone I know has kicked off the last vestiges of family stress/flu/vomiting bug/whatever else has been plaguing them, and I feel like we're all ready to start this whole new year. And because fluey-party-non-attendees have left me with food aplenty leftover, what better way to begin than by having all the neighbours over to drink gin and tonic and help me eat an enormous christmas pudding?The last couple of days have seemed rather subdued after the seasonal shenanigans, which has been good as I've been able to get round to a few jobs that have been waiting for a while. No sooner were the last of the christmas cards made and sent out....

...than I realised I was going to need some thank you cards to follow them. Arghhh. Ensuing chaos today with poster paints and potatoes in the production of some rather less sophisticated SpudPrints. OK so they're not high art. Now I realise why kids paintings look like they do - it's really difficult to get a good print from a potato! But they do have a certain charm. Hmmm, SpudPrint.

I was rather more pleased with the Fimo! I didn't even know you could still buy it; not having been tempted by mini-modelling since the last lot of hideous animal earrings I shudder to remember I made aged about 12. I was given a few blocks for my birthday last year but they had languished in a drawer until yesterday when, having bought some more for a friend of mine, I thought I should really have a go myself. The bright primary colours are far from what I would generally choose myself, and I did stare at the blocks for a while before I could think of anything to do with the stuff. The packets helpfully suggested napkin rings (for my many many erm, napkins? As if), jewellery (not really me either, plus visions of the teenage Fimo versions), and a dolls tea set (Just No). So, what!? Probably someone out there has some great ideas of nice things to make with the stuff? In the end I made a load of beads to use as light pulls, which actually I am very pleased with and are cheering up little corners of the bathroom no end!

There's still loads of it left, so if anyone has a suggestion, I'd love to hear it!

Knitting The Christmas Bunny

2007-12-30T03:15:00.000Z

Knitting the Christmas Bunny is not a good idea if you wait until the middle of December to start it! Bunny is based on the pattern for Elijah, and pictures of Pink Rabbit by Ysolda on Ravelry, with a few changes to the original pattern, but knitted up in the same way. I had to knit the head three times before I managed to work out the double central decrease for the face. This knitting malarky has a very steep learning curve!

Bunny is a Christmas Bunny because she was knitted for Mum as a present (and took a lot longer than the mug cosy for dad!), and hence the stress trying to get her finished in time. She was finished, in the (very) end, and Mum was delighted, and has since named her Lopsy, which I am not convinced about.

The pattern is not diffcult, and is very clearly described in the original Elephant pattern. The tricky bits for me were knitting the first few rounds of the arms close to the body when the already-stuffed bits got in the way, and some of the K2togs where my tension was too tight. The needles suffered a critical casualty with only an ear and a half to go, and so she was finished with one needle smaller than the others - because this is rotated, I don't think you'd ever tell - it was either that or wait unitl after Christmas when I could buy a new set!

The finished article:

The changes I made in the pattern were:

To omit the trunk, and use three central decreases every other row to form the face.
To knit the legs longer and thinner, and to omit the purl row that gave the Elephant flat feet.
To add some short rows in the arms so that they curve slightly forwards and downwards from the shoulders, and to omit the purl row for the paws.
To make the ears much longer and wider and rabbity, and pick up the stitches on four needles in a 'V' shape to give them some shaping as in The Pink Rabbit pictures. The ears get 2 stitches wider every 10 rows, and are finshed by symmetrical decreases on every row until 6 stitches remain, which are finally grafted together.

And I was very pleased with the result:

And Bunny got on very well with Elephant of course; they are made of the same stuff!

Oh, and Dad like his cosy too!

I hope everyone had a brilliant Christmas too, and a very Happy New Year.

Elephant Adventures

2007-12-11T02:18:00.000Z

I am mightily relieved. After three weeks of terrible weather, frequent drenchings and gales that have kept the storm door permanently in action, I awoke this morning to glorious sunshine. The cabin fever has lifted. And Elephant came out with me to see the world...

Elephant woke up to see that the big grey door was finally open, and she ran out onto the balcony to see what the world was doing. Suddenly all seemed sunny and peaceful, and she spent some time watching the boats going by, which seemed like a very fine thing for boats to be doing, and she wondered if she could join them.

After watching for a while she thought she'd got the hang of it, and set off to commandeer her own vessel and take it out for a spin. Or a swell. Or a sail. Or whatever the word was, she hadn't quite got the hang of the terminology yet. Or actually, of seamanship generally, and it wasn't long before she was in trouble. The waves were much bigger close up than she had thought they would be from the safety of the balcony. And it wasn't long before she found she had to grab the life buoy and make a break back to shore.

Where, exhausted she pulled herself up the beach to safety.

Safe at last she rested for while, pondering exactly where she was and how to get home again. She found herself surrounded by all sorts of other things that had washed up in the storms, and set about seeing who and what was around to help her.

At one point, thinking she might find help from some local lobsters, she found herself stuck in one of their houses, and finding noone at home, had to haul herself back out on her own.

Eventually she found herself in some kind of beach garden, and she came across the strange creature who lived there. Although the creature looked a bit odd, Elephant had enough courage left to ask the way back home, and was even given an old quill so she could write down some directions. And thus armed she set off again.

She'd not gone far when, happily, she came across a friendly giant who understood straight away where Elephant was trying to get to, and could see that she'd had a terrible ordeal and needed a hand. Elephant found herself swept up and carried away. She gratefully curled up inside the giant's coat and drifted off to sleep.

When she finally awoke, feeling a lot better, she looked around and discovered that she'd been taken all the way home, and eagerly tucked into a huge bowl of soup, happy to have had her first great adventure.

Quite a big adventure for such a little Elephant I'd say. And not in time for Ysolda's competition sadly, but so nice to finally be out being silly in the sunshine again. I hope someone out there gets some pleasure out of the resulting photos too!

The Mug Cosy

2007-12-04T00:32:00.000Z

I finished it, and it's worked out OK. The base was a bit haphazard, but flat enough to keep the mug upright, and it does indeed fit all of our mugs! I just hope it'll fit Dad's too....

No more blogging today; must get wrapping.

Knitting Under Siege

2007-12-02T21:55:00.000Z

I'm still under siege from the storm today; the sea and sky are angry, and Dog made a dash back home after the shortest possible walk. So of course, there has been much more tea, and a chance for crafty things. I was going to take Elephant out for an adventure. (More on the elephantine adventures that are going on all over the place at the moment at their source; Ysolda.) But even she doesn't want to go outside today, and has been getting into knitting instead. And erm yes, Elephant turned out to be a she when I'd finished her - she hopes that Elijah won't take any offence from the inference from his pattern!

The project in question came about as a result of some desperate thinking about what I could knit Dad for Christmas. He's probably got enought scarves and woolly hats without me adding to the pile, and frankly I didn't think I'd have time to make any socks. Although I usually seem to find myself with ideas rather above my ability, this time I have learned my lesson from previous frustrations (I am not a stranger to throwing the thing across the room!), and decided not to knit sock to a time limit. Instead I have plumped for the tea-related option. Not being one for the tea pot, (Dad is a mug man, often whisking it away, tea-full, to the chilly workshop), I thought instead of the MugCosy. I'm not sure if such things already exist; I'm sure they must do, at least for everyone who doesn't have a vacuum-flasky mug on standby. But anyway, what a good way to use up some of the random yarn heap that's occupying a sizeable corner of the spare room. I'm making it up as I go along, and this is what it looks like so far, and I've even managed my first ever buttonhole, and yarn over, of which I am (not so secretly now I'm telling you) quite proud! Oh maybe that's not strictly true, there was a YO in the cast-on for Elephant, but although I did get that to work after a few tries, I'm not entirely sure how I managed it, or even if it was true to the pattern.

I'm knitting it as a flat piece, and intending to sew it together at the end, leaving a hole, but including a flap with buttonhole so that it can be connected again through the middle of the handle. I'm also knitting the main piece in 2x2 ribbing so that it should be stretchy enough for several mug sizes, or at least it should fit all the ones I can find in my cupboard! I also want to give it a base for extra cosiness, and so to the next quandry to fathom.... I'll have to let you know how it turns out. I might need lots more tea.

And more chocolate spread - a very sad sight the empty jar was this morning. Half a slice only; I had to make it up with marmalade. Chocolate orange anyone?

Tea by the Sea

2007-12-02T00:32:00.000Z

Okay, and so for my first proper post. It's definitely been a day for tea, but being by the sea has not exactly been relaxing. It has pretty much been like this all day, with constant gales and occasional hail to go with it.

Although this morning we were treated to just enough sunshine for a rainbow, and I managed to get the dog out for a walk withouth getting too soggy. And of course, there's been plenty of tea, and comfort food.

Cheese and onion on toast, and organic pork and garlic sausages. And what could be better for my first post than food and the weather!