head to toe!

I've finally finished the Eton cap for Jen's pal Hannah. Knitting with black wool slowed me down and then I had a horrendous cold last week, I was sneezing so hard that I made myself dizzy. So nothing got done on the pointy sticks- it was too hazardous, I could have poked myself in the eye. I didn't like the idea of sneezing all over someone else's hat either! So now the two teens have similar but not the same hats- that is quite radical!

Jack was home briefly yesterday for a dental appointment, and after I'd dropped him off at the clinic I got distracted by these funky boots. The shoe shop W. Mason's still had some sale items and these were calling to me. They're fab! the Italian leather is very very soft, and the heel is about the highest that I can manage. I'll have to get Jack to come come more often- it's good for my bargain hunting!

light and dark

it can be very grey in Scotland at this time of year, some days it's as if the sun hasn't been switched on at all, so I've invested in a SAD light to make sure that I get enough bright light during the day.  I've been sitting beside it for nearly an hour each day knitting away on the black Eton cap for Hannah (it will be a while before I knit with black again- it's hard!).

So far, I'm fairly impressed with the light box, and hopefully it will have the desired effect and perk me up in the winter months.

The hat is making good progress too. I have to crack on with this so that I can cast on a sweater for my Mam. I've got the yarn for it and just need to finish this hat for Hannah and then I can cast on the lovely, light coloured, easy to see dusky rose wool.

The football was pretty good at the weekend- despite our main goalscorer, Darren Bent, suddenly leaving to go to Aston Villa, the team kept it together and beat Blackpool 2-1 at Blackpool, keeping us 6th on 37 points.
(Kieran Richardson scored both of ours.) It's so good not to be in the relegation dogfight at the bottom of the table where 4 points separate the bottom 6 teams. D's team only drew 1-1 with Spurs, conceding the equaliser in injury time, which is very annoying for them. Still, they're 8th at the moment with 30 pts, so not too bad, although D would prefer it if his team was in 6th place and mine in 8th!

a Zen state of mind

I've been enjoying watching Rufus Sewell in Zen, the BBC adaptations of Michael Dibdin's crime novels set in modern day Rome, almost going into a trance like state watching the gorgeous Italian scenery. Oh and Sewell's easy on the eye too!

I'm working on my Landgirls top while I'm enjoying Sunday night tv as I've found that I can only work on Hannah's Eton cap in natural light. It's hard knitting a lace pattern in black wool! Arrgh my eyes!

The plots in Zen are not so much whodunnits but more of who-is-covering-it-up-and-for-which-political-group. Very enjoyable all round, and quite a contrast to Larkrise to Candleford which screens just before Zen. This has become a bonnet-soap and not an awful lot happens, but it happens so beautifully.

At least the TV has taken my mind off my football team's inept display at home to our local rivals Newcastle. They played us off the pitch and deserved to win but we got a last minute equaliser when the ball bounced off Gyan's chest and into the net. What a relief, at least we got a point and remain 6th. Sadly, one of our best players, Darren Bent has requested a transfer, and it will be a terrible shame if he goes, he has scored some cracking goals.

Nevermind, I'll take my mind off it by watching Glee tonight and make a bit more progress on Landgirls. Glee makes me laugh so much, I won't achieve a state of inner calm, but I will get a bit more 2x2 ribbing done!

pretty things

I finished Jennifer's Eton cap today- huzzah!

The patttern was well written and I'll certainly look out for more designs from Laura Martos.

Jennifer looks fab in it, and it will keep the chill out while she's waiting for the school bus at 8 a.m. The mornings are certainly much cooler now. She still won't wear a coat yet though.. maybe next month. sigh.

Before I cast on for some almost matching fingerless mitts for her (same wool and beads, but different pattern on the cuff) I'm trying to get a bit more done on my landgirl tank/vest. I'm nearly finished the collar on the back then I can cast on the front, which shouldn't take as long as there is a very deep v- neck.  But there's so much that I want to make! I need to spend less time playing silly computer games and crack on before the weather turns really cold (well. that's me told!)

I got a lovely surprise in the garden today. I'd planted the gladioli corms quite late, and only expected them to green up and not to flower, but today I saw this. How pretty! Much like my daughter.

fried green tomatoes?

or green tomato chutney?

what shall I make with this year's tomato crop?
hmmm.... it's not quite as successful as I'd hoped.

(for scale purposes, the coaster is slightly bigger than 10cm/ 4ins sq !)

I think I'll not bother growing tomatoes next year, my garden is too cold to have them outside, and I haven't got space for a greenhouse. I'll stick to potatoes, raspberries, runner beans and apples instead.

I'm having more success with Jennifer's Eton hat, thankfully, there's only one more pattern repeat and the crown shaping to do. Then I'm going to make her some fingerless mitts in the same khaki baby cashmerino and decorate them with the same beads.

I really need to make myself some more gloves too, the chillier weather is getting to my fingertips. But I feel like I'm being drawn to making myself some more socks. I was flicking through some Cookie a patterns yesterday and I had a terrible craving for some new socks!

The football has been mixed this weekend, the big teams not giving their usual performances: Arsenal were beaten 3-2 by West Brom at the Emirates, Chelsea were beaten 1-0 by Man City . Today Man Utd drew 2-2 today with Bolton and Newcastle lost at home 2-1 to Stoke.
It seems like almost anything can happen. And yesterday at Anfield anything did!

Sunderland drew 2-2 with Liverpool, scoring our first goals at Anfield in years! But it as one of those games full of incident- Liverpool had one goal disallowed, should've had the next goal disallowed for assuming the ball was in play when it wasn't, gave away a penalty which was fair, but a worse situation was not seen as a penalty and didn't have Gerrard sent off for an elbow in Danny Welbeck's face. Ref, we wuz robbed! It could've been 3-1 to us. However, if we'd been told beforehand we would get a point, we probably would have taken it.

Looks like my Eton cap has been the most successful thing this weekend. Result!

( I'll see how the revamped blog goes before I decide if it's a success or not.)

minnows and magpies

I've been listening to quite a few football commentaries this week for the latest round of the Carling cup. If it's an exciting game the commentators can hardly breathe, and almost need oxygen after the game, but for other games the on-pitch action is so limited that the commentary diverts into
a) the weather,
b) the size of the press box and
c) the food (if any) on offer to the press.

Sadly Tues nights clash between Sunderland and West Ham provided a lot of talk about the weather, which apparently was quite nice in Sunderland that evening ...sigh.
West Ham played much better than we did, winning 2-1. I can only assume that the players were still shellshocked by drawing 1-1 with Arsenal on Sat and forgot to play on Tues! But, at least W.Ham are a Premier league team too, and our new man Gyan scored, so not a total embarassment.

Still it meant I got a few more rows done on Jennifer's Eton cap.

David's team Newcastle (the Magpies) took on Chelsea last night. Chelsea have a 100% record this season in the league and haven't lost at home in yonks. I have no idea what the catering was like at Stamford Bridge as it never got mentioned by the commentators once! The game was fast flowing, packed with incident and Newcastle won 4-3. (their first win there since 1986!) But like us, Chelsea will be softening the blow by thinking- it wasn't penalties and they are in the same league.

The same can't be said by either team on Merseyside: Everton were knocked out by Brentford (in League 1) after the game was 1-1 after extra time and went to penalties. Liverpool were dismantled by Northampton (lge 2), losing a 1-0 lead to draw 2-2 and be beaten on pens. A good year for the cup minnows.

All very exciting, but I had to pause my knitting in disbelief hearing Newcastle win and Liverpool lose.

And that's not on, Jennifer needs her hat!

simple pleasures

I'm really enjoying knitting the Eton cap for Jennifer, the pattern is so clearly written and it is knitting up beautifully in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.

I had a lot of fun threading the beads onto the wool too after I'd learnt about the clever beading needle which splits in the middle to make the eye, rather than having the eye at the end, like traditional needles. Now I feel the need to bead everything in sight!

I decided to treat myself to another Addi circular needle with a short cable which is brilliant for knitting small circles, and the Addi points whisk through the soft cashmerino like the proverbial hot knife through butter. (Which is just as well as Jen is keen to get this hat!).

Two packages of flower bulbs came through the post too and I'm looking forward to planting tulips for the spring and cyclamen for Autumn 2011.  Watching the new shoots push through the soil is as satisfying as watching a piece of knitting grow.

Keep it simple, Susan (or stupid, whichever)

I've started so I'll finish

cool penguin heat-pads

eventually!
(I'm no Mastermind, obviously)

I've just finished a set of heat pads/ oven pads for a swap package which should have been finished in May. OOPS!




aargh! my eyes!

This is my first attempt at double knitting and in hindsght I would have used two colours which had a stronger contrast as I've found that I can only knit double knitting in broad daylight. (and of course there is so much strong sunlight in Scotland... that's my excuse for the delay anyway!!)

It was a lot of fun trying a new technique and now I can post this off to my swap partner and tackle my ever lengthening list of "things I MUST knit" .



Mu-u-um! you must knit this for me!

 The temperatures have dropped suddenly this week, going from 18C on Fri 10th to 11C on Friday 17th and there is a distinct chill in the air so I have cast on for a new hat for Jennifer today.

It's from Yarnforward and called Eton cap by Laura Martos. I've got some Khaki babycashmerino to use and found some wonderful beads to use at The Bead Shop , Haddington.

Hopefully I'll get this finished for Jen before spring comes!