A week off
I have a week off, so finally got some time to post. I now subscribe to 15 blog feeds through bloglines, and you all put me to shame! Some of you blog several times A DAY!! I'm a BAD blogger.
Lots to report now though. First and foremost, I got my first package from my SP!!
Lots of goodies! Rebecca magazine, which I have always wanted to have a look at but couldn't bring myself to shell out for - loads of lovely patterns. CHOCOLATE - my favourite white chocolate, and with nuts! A sock pattern - for toe up socks, something I've been thinking about doing. This will galvanise me into action! 2 balls of Garn Studio alpaca in a beautiful purple. This yarn is so soft! I just want to pet it for a while. It's got to end up as something worn next to the skin - a seafoam stitch scarf perhaps...? And finally a CD which my SP made for me. Really interesting music. I think it must be local folk music from FINLAND - yes my SP is in Finland!
The package arrived on Saturday when we were in the middle of moving all the goats around as we're putting the bucks with the does for 6 weeks of naughtiness / doing their job. We have 3 breeding groups. We're putting all of our adult does in kid this year - that's 23 does, which means we'll probably have about 40 kids come next March! The most we've had before is 17, so there's some fun ahead there!
Anyway, Eddie went to collect the post from our lovely postie Jill, and came back and said "You've got a parcel from Finland". Woo hoo! But I managed to contain my excitement until we'd finished work, and finally at 7.30 p.m., extremely tired, achey and smelly, I opened my package. What a fabulous end to the day! Thank you so much SP, I love everything you sent.
Now, the fact that she is in Finland narrows it down A LOT. I think I know who she is, but does she want me to guess, or does she want to remain secret? Let me know SP!!
The other day, Sam suddenly started barking frantically out in the garden. Eddie went to investigate, and came back with this:
What the heck is it? A mutant caterpillar?? Look at the size of this thing:
No, I was informed, it's a Hawk Moth caterpillar. I have no idea how Eddie knew this, but he did. After taking photos Eddie put it back where he found it. I hope it hasn't been eaten :(
And now, an FO! Socks #2:
These were knit in 100% botany wool I bought on eBay. Lovely and soft. Knit on 3mm needles (using 5 instead of 4 DPNs this time), and I used a combination of Socks 101 from Knitty, the Sock Calculator linked to in that article, and the Universal Sock Pattern.
You might notice that the sock on the right is a better fit (well altogether a better sock) than the one on the left. I knit this one second, and as with my first pair, I knit the second sock much tighter than the first. By the time I finished the second sock I felt I had mastered:
Avoiding ladders
Avoiding holes where the stitches are picked up
In fact, I think I've finally cracked this sock knitting! Knitting this pair using basically a template rather than an actual pattern made me realise that I knit my first pair blind. I just simply followed the pattern, without the faintest idea of what I was actually doing. With this pair I felt I actually learned the construction of a sock, and it has given me a lot of confidence. So much so, I'm going to knit my next pair in the lovely cashmere sock yarn I got from Hip Knits, as I feel I can use it safe in the knowledge I won't cock it up! I think if I start them pretty soon I can also avoid the "loose first sock" syndrome - I do think this was just down to not being used to the DPNs, only having used them once before.
Klaralund is also coming on well. I'm on the last sleeve. The colours of the Noro Silk Garden are beautiful, but as ever when I'm knitting a garment like this I'm getting to that anxious stage. The "Will I cock it up when I put it all together?" stage. The "Is it going to just be a huge disappointment?" stage. I'm going to have my first go at seaming using mattress stitch, I'm going to do it when I've got plenty of time and can really concentrate on it, and am really going to do my best to make a good job of it. I hope it fits(!)
Lots to report now though. First and foremost, I got my first package from my SP!!
Lots of goodies! Rebecca magazine, which I have always wanted to have a look at but couldn't bring myself to shell out for - loads of lovely patterns. CHOCOLATE - my favourite white chocolate, and with nuts! A sock pattern - for toe up socks, something I've been thinking about doing. This will galvanise me into action! 2 balls of Garn Studio alpaca in a beautiful purple. This yarn is so soft! I just want to pet it for a while. It's got to end up as something worn next to the skin - a seafoam stitch scarf perhaps...? And finally a CD which my SP made for me. Really interesting music. I think it must be local folk music from FINLAND - yes my SP is in Finland!
The package arrived on Saturday when we were in the middle of moving all the goats around as we're putting the bucks with the does for 6 weeks of naughtiness / doing their job. We have 3 breeding groups. We're putting all of our adult does in kid this year - that's 23 does, which means we'll probably have about 40 kids come next March! The most we've had before is 17, so there's some fun ahead there!
Anyway, Eddie went to collect the post from our lovely postie Jill, and came back and said "You've got a parcel from Finland". Woo hoo! But I managed to contain my excitement until we'd finished work, and finally at 7.30 p.m., extremely tired, achey and smelly, I opened my package. What a fabulous end to the day! Thank you so much SP, I love everything you sent.
Now, the fact that she is in Finland narrows it down A LOT. I think I know who she is, but does she want me to guess, or does she want to remain secret? Let me know SP!!
The other day, Sam suddenly started barking frantically out in the garden. Eddie went to investigate, and came back with this:
What the heck is it? A mutant caterpillar?? Look at the size of this thing:
No, I was informed, it's a Hawk Moth caterpillar. I have no idea how Eddie knew this, but he did. After taking photos Eddie put it back where he found it. I hope it hasn't been eaten :(
And now, an FO! Socks #2:
These were knit in 100% botany wool I bought on eBay. Lovely and soft. Knit on 3mm needles (using 5 instead of 4 DPNs this time), and I used a combination of Socks 101 from Knitty, the Sock Calculator linked to in that article, and the Universal Sock Pattern.
You might notice that the sock on the right is a better fit (well altogether a better sock) than the one on the left. I knit this one second, and as with my first pair, I knit the second sock much tighter than the first. By the time I finished the second sock I felt I had mastered:
Avoiding ladders
Avoiding holes where the stitches are picked up
In fact, I think I've finally cracked this sock knitting! Knitting this pair using basically a template rather than an actual pattern made me realise that I knit my first pair blind. I just simply followed the pattern, without the faintest idea of what I was actually doing. With this pair I felt I actually learned the construction of a sock, and it has given me a lot of confidence. So much so, I'm going to knit my next pair in the lovely cashmere sock yarn I got from Hip Knits, as I feel I can use it safe in the knowledge I won't cock it up! I think if I start them pretty soon I can also avoid the "loose first sock" syndrome - I do think this was just down to not being used to the DPNs, only having used them once before.
Klaralund is also coming on well. I'm on the last sleeve. The colours of the Noro Silk Garden are beautiful, but as ever when I'm knitting a garment like this I'm getting to that anxious stage. The "Will I cock it up when I put it all together?" stage. The "Is it going to just be a huge disappointment?" stage. I'm going to have my first go at seaming using mattress stitch, I'm going to do it when I've got plenty of time and can really concentrate on it, and am really going to do my best to make a good job of it. I hope it fits(!)
posted by Carolyn at 12:28 pm
5 Comments:
That is one large caterpillar! I'm most impressed.
I'm glad you like the package! The helpful lady at my LYS told me that two balls of the alpaca would be enough for a pair of socks if one is so inclined. I didn't get a glimpse of her feet (maybe they're tiny?), but she showed me a fairly long scarf made from one ball, so she just might know what she's talking about.
That country bit always gives me away. Not much to be done about it, I suppose ...
That caterpillar! What a monster!!
And what a lovely parcel you got from your secret pal - I'm all excited about SP6, which is my first round. I just got my pal to spoil and I'm already starting to think about what to buy... :)
Oh, and I forgot: the music is the soundtrack from the movie Amélie. I was in such a hurry there was no time to make a sleeve - it'll be in the mail eventually.
wow, top posting! that is not just a catterpilla, that is a beast! Great SP package, I just got my first one through and it really brightened my week up.
EWWWWW! Thats a Very large catapiller for sure! yuk!! lol
Lovely package form your SP for sure! SHe's so sweet lovely lady!
Great socks, too!
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