Thursday, September 28, 2006

My muse is having a break...

Just cast off another chunky lace shawl and have two easy capelets to finish for Holly then I'm lost.I just can't knit some plain cardigan I could buy in town but I have ten balls of a beautiful aran . Any ideas out there? I had all my Rowan books out but I've never really bought Debbie Bliss ones .Rowan have never really done aran except Magpie and Yorkshire Tweed types which are rough and not at all like the wool/silk mix I have .Does anyone know of a free pattern on say Knitty for one of those shrugs that is arms and a bit of back?

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Dr Who ?

Not being a fan I can't say I know the actor who plays him .That said I just watched his episode of "Who do you Think You Are ".It was very moving and thought provoking.I had enjoyed Robert Linsay's greatly with only the usual sick feelings about the generations used as cannon-fodder or working in awful conditions. Today ( and I missed the start) his Scots ancestors were forcibly moved in clearances , bad enough. Then it turns out his Irish/Scots family were staunch Protestants and in fact one an orangeman.The only light was a Catholic relative who had struggled in the Civil Rights movement against sectarianism .I could feel his pain ,finding out I had a bigot of any faith in my family would hurt .But in that dreadful situation it was so very sad. I thank God for a childhood in which my best friend was a catholic another a muslim and another a Jew. Apart from Nazma's dad carrying his prayer mat sometimes, Basia's parents trying to persuade me I'd go to purgatory I never had to think about any of it.Mum would have let me bring a Martian home .We have had some rather nasty racist incidents as a young couple but none lately .Now I hear words like "crusade" on the radio this week and despair when I hear a young man say he wishes to have Sharia law in Britain .I know I want the freedom to be a Christian and I want him to have it to be a Muslim.If Muslims become the majority I still hope we will live under secular law that applies to all citizens.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

New shade in Frizzante..

In fact my perfect colour combination of teals and plums. I bought six which will make a capelet for Holly .I find Silky-chic patterns are useful for it.I will combine it with another yarn or it's a bit wimpy . Posted by Picasa

Fiber Trends Squirrels.

"Get Knitted" have the cutest little pattern for squirrels. Gill at "Woolly Workshop" has some gorgeous new Crystal Palce wool for felting ( if you want) with a really cute bag pattern .

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Stange but true..

Yes folks I just found a site that wishes to "Reclaim the nipple". I never knew it had gone away and if it was a site to promote breast-feeding in public I'd understand ..but out on their own in British weather no thanks. There are certain private parts that none of us want to see plonked on the cheese counter as we buy and that sure is one of them. In some societies it's okay to go topless but I'd rather not here thanks.I've often thought clothes are such a mercy , all those attractive yarns , fabrics etc . To let the little poppets out alone we'd have holes in our clothes I guess and they'd get chaffed , sun-burnt etc.Serves me right for reading a blog on crafts with some rather odd links.

Pattern books to go with the new Sirdar range...

"Get Knitted" have them listed as arriving next week and I must say the baby ones looks adorable. I never thought to ask in my L.Y.S 'cos I tend to go my own way . I keep feeling the raspberry one because it is so soft.I think the whole difference is being all natural .I just wish they had plum and teal. I do like the new Louisa Harding silk/wool too . I ordered two skeins of Noro's new Kochoran no 47 and it was even prettier than it looks in the booklet. I also bought two Silk-Mountains to make a scarf .The jacket I like would cost about £120.00s so I will forget it .I think Kochoran is a good price because of the yardage.

Friday, September 22, 2006

"Sublime" a division of Sirdar..

I found this yarn in "Jacksons" ( no 2 L.Y.S) today . I was rather pleased as the Rose one is 75% merino , 20%silk and 5% cashmere .No microfibre here which is probably viscose which goes hard .I think it was a good price too much cheaper than Rowan.Too many pastel colours but the rose is to make a shrug for Holly. The yardage on the Kid Mohair is about 125 mtres but it is only £4.25 . It's nice to see competion for Rowan who I think charge a fortune for yarns with very little quality in them R.Y.C range in particular. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Poor little Benjy.

Very sad news about our Benjy who simply could not get a grasp on his bowels so will have to be put to sleep. I don't even want to think of trying again ..but then I said that when I mis-carried and Holly arrived a year later. Benjy was a kitten b.t.w and his breeder made the decision .

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

The moths celebrate..

I bought another bag of Mill-ends from Colinette and had at least six new bits for my shawl in sea and sand colours .I got an "Enigma" that is possibly "Mardi-Gras"which Holly adored.The trouble is it is very difficult to knit unless you knit it alongside another yarn .I have learned to love "Silky-Chic" but as pretty as "Lasso" is can't because it catches on skin .So I shall investigate scarf patterns later and have to say it's a fabulous colour .I rather like the "Point-Five" in it as P/F takes the colour well .It's a little heavy but makes fab collars. I supose next weight down is "Skye" .One of the major E:Bay sellers of Colinette has gone and another only takes Pay-pal which I won't have so it's a little annoying.I must go to Whitby next year so I can browse in "Bobbins" .If I could choose a new colour-scheme for Colinette it would involve a petrol blue.I see Rown has pure wool D.K back but it look really boring after "Colinette" although I started my knitting life with the old version .It's expensive compared to the same by "Wendy" ,why pay £1.00 a ball more unless you must have a certain colour?

Blogger drives another soul to Bedlam...

well nearly , luckily I was so busy reading Mark Steele's article in todays "Indie" that I only swore once and tore my clothes twice. It's all about the sort of parents who would change religion to get little Aubergine into the right school and are startled when forced to meet parents who have never been to Provence. Holly found three books by him so it's a trip to Waterstones again. For the non-English I really don't know if you realise the class system is still up and running and in fact is possibly getting worse.
The paramedic with a blog on Libby Purve's radio show this morning was brilliant too ,very funny.Sitting next to Rupert Everett who is as mad as a Yorkshire tea-cake I felt for him but Rupie was very sweet to him ...from a way other World though. One of Libby's best features is a mix of guests from all walks of life ...not exactly Melvyn Bragg who has caused severe brain damage on several occasions or bored me near to tears with some academic who loves their subject but is only one of two people who understand it the other being currently posting on their blog how terrible all us Clapotis knitters are being so "sheep-like" ..what a compliment !!!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

"Spam ,spam,spam,spam"

Altogether now Python fans...I am soooooooooooooooooooooooo sick of Chinese spam .I think I get 20 a day all trying to sell me sick things .I sent one back with some choice words probably only make it worse .I block them all but back they come.I remember Colin wishing he could innundate their mail boxes maybe with sock patterns or adverts for pyschologists.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

6 scanned sections of shawl...

put together by Holly..about 3/4s of the total. Posted by Picasa

"But my dear it's the very latest"

I finished my lacey shawl last night rather as expected it's about 30 stitches less at one end ( don't ask!). I think the asymmetrical look is the thing don't you? I was so chuffed with the fact that the colours and yarn were different every two rows I didn't care.I'm not a planner more a spontaneous nutter . I will post pictures soon ...honestly it is only P.G not X-rated.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Section of no2..

Thank-you T.K !! I'd be in an asylum if I had to knit this . Posted by Picasa

Section of Holly's new cardigan..

Thanks to T.K Maxx Posted by Picasa

Very small section of "autumn"

I finished this a week ago ..it's a huge rectangle with many more autumn colours. Posted by Picasa

Section of Shawl...

I bought in T.K Maxx for £16.99 .It's not cashmere but is 100% wool.I love the colours. Posted by Picasa

Friday, September 15, 2006

Friday in town..

I have to go into town at least once a week to do my M&S food shop which is then delivered. Anyhow that was a bit of a chore as the whole dept. has moved around so I forgot a co
uple of essentials.
I had a look at John Lewis's yarn dept but no sign yet of the Debbie Bliss Cashmere I wanted to feel. In fact it is SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOO boring. What did surprise me is that I wanted both "Knitting" and "Simply Knitting" this month.One had a Colinette pattern I have wanted but is in "Lasso" .I will knit it in another D.K multi. In fact they were both interesting even from an ads. point of view. I bought Holly "Interiors" for drawing inspiration. She had parted to go to "Waterstones" . Jeff was with me so we looked around a few places we don't usually go .H.M.V had "Cromwell" but hadn't phoned me . Then on the way home we passed T.K.Maxx where I bought Holly two cardigans ,very fine and lacey and at £16.99 great value.If I could knit them I'd be proud as punch.
The deli. was next for some smelly goat's chees and matzos and Anton Berg's chocolate!
We love a film so popped "Cromwell" on ...oh dear ,oh dear ...what can I say it was full of mistakes/lies/stretched the truth . The shouting like a maniac was true .The Queen was a devious little horror who looked very unlike the dance loving , play loving woman she was. Dorothy Tutin was small enough but looked so like Geraldine McEwan that I kept expecting her to say "au resevoir" ( Mapp and Lucia fans will know that one). They seemed to lose a couple of years and if Sir Alec hadn't played the King fairly well it would have been truly awful . Some-one please make a decent film about this period. We also watched Simon Sharma on The Stuarts this week , not a love affair but he comes across as patronising , smug and pompous. As historians go give me Michael Woods and even Terry Jones.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Mum's health..

Thanks for the mails of concern.It turns out that she has Shingles ( always loved the sea-side).Anyhow she'll need lots of care and attention but it is a relief ,as nasty as it is that it is not something fatal. Thanks for caring.

Thoughts and prayers with Canadian bloggers.

This is all the more shocking being Canada .We seen even here to have at least two shootings a week .This casual ability to take away the life of another human being seems that it will never be solved until we smelt all weapons and learn that they were a vile invention by a very backward human race.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Knitting at a constant pace..

I get about 6inches done of my shawl ..so it should be a couple of weeks then I can start one in my all time favs teal and plum. Then I must knit something , anything, in Colinette's "Morrocco" .Point-Five is too heavy so I guess it will have to be one-zero. I love the jacket on the front of the "Lasso" book but it is impossible to knit and worse I'd melt in the stuff.So here's hoping that rumour of a new D.K is true and soon.If not then maybe "Prism " but it must be that colourway .I hope I might adapt one of the new Noro jackets that is in "Iro" as it's about the same as "Prism".

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Firecracker..

Not a good view but take my word it has square 1940's shoulders and Holly loves it ..hooray ! It is in Venezia F/C and black "Freedom" .Just cast on 52 stitches and cast of four to shape it for the back and two split sides as she won't wear ponchos et voila a bit of velvet ribbon and a capelett is born . Posted by Picasa

A truly evil mother....cackle.

Having finished the Jean Plaidy on Henrietta Maria I came to the conclusion I usually do with the not so good but not so awful novels.You just need a certain amount of facts about a character which you then string together with a few words. Ms Plaidy's generation's morality seems to pervade the book , i.e woman gritted their teeth lay back and thought of France .A few bad births and we might all have I guess but I'm betting the nuptials were as enjoyable to the rich as they are now. The whole thing smells of Hollywood with those few couples who are life-long partners and the rest ..well put it about . Anyhow Holly could write this stuff so I have duct-taped her to the word-processor .Anyone think historical novels still sell? Having heard Antonia Fraser's on radio 4 I don't really think she is a much better writer. Note for Henrietta ..honey if you ever did think it was all your fault forget it ...The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre was on your parent's wedding day and those Puritans were looking for a fight .Hope you are dancing your "sin-filled" shoes off in Heaven.

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Sirdar's "Organza"

Couldn't help buying two balls of this yesterday even though I havn't a clue what I am going to do with it.Like "Sari-Ribbon" it wouldn't be soft to wear so I'll use it as a trim .We looked in "East yesterday and they had scarves for £35.00s that were a bit of sheer material with patterns that were just something" like Point-Five"machine sewn on in either stripes or flowers. Then we looked at the knitwear in "Per Una" ..the quality is terrible even the cheapest Turkish yarns would have more body. As mass production knits the yarn must be stretched to it's maximum..one wash and it's probably a limp rag fit to clean with.In reality this yarn is a bit more teal .
Anything stripey reminds me of the French Revolution ( no cheeky I wasn't there) so I have to look at H.B's costume books for a Madame La Farge type item. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Has to be squashed into the scanner now so ..

looks like I will finish it ! The next thing you know is I'll be going for laceweights and one of Gill's fabulous patterns. A book is on it's way from E:Bay so that will interrupt for a while . I found some Trendsetter yarns on a U.K site yesterday and was about to order a couple when I noticed they cost more than Noro's finest .In fact "Tonalita" is the same mix as Wendy's "Fusion" but twice the price . Kendra's "Matilda Jane" so inspired Holly I ordered the pattern thanks to Ysolda ( the designer) agreeing to a cheque. I particularly love Kendra's colour choices. Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Thalia is the bottom ribbon....

Just using up half balls etc.I am soooooo bad at lace that even this simple one has me gritting my teeth . As long as it's passable I'll be happy. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Translations on the net.

Yesterday I found a really excellent biography of Henrietta Maria on a German site that allows you to read nearly a whole book for free ! Anyhow I translated it and then spent an hour having Holly in fits . I would have thought German easy to translate but no...every time the word mother was used it was pre-fixed by "nut" .Henny was always "it" never her and King Charles was her "man" not her husband.The names were Jakob , Karl ,Henrich but she was still Henrietta . The best bit had to be when her nut/mother came to stay and they had trouble shifting her back off to France. I learnt more than I wanted to know about the difficult births she had ..a sideways baby in those days ....I got pains just thinking of it .It all got to sound like a blues number when she lost "her man" .
I also found out why Charles 1st is in the same tomb as Henry V111 and Jane Seymour.My sister had visited St. George's chapel last year and was disgusted presuming they had started bunking them up for space .It turns out his burial party put him there because Parliament had a hole dug in the floor for him .It went into more detail than I wanted when a Victorian had opened the coffin to check it was him....he'd been embalmed it appears so was fairly intact . I don't think any bio. will ever be as much fun again.

Sari-ribbons.

Just got a little parcel ..the orange/magenta one was half price and the navy/purples is new. I love this stuff but it would be too harsh for a whole garment. Posted by Picasa

For Ruth ..

also from "Finery" Posted by Picasa

Finery..

In more ways than one.This is from a book called that I bought in 1980. Full of dresses made of antique lace , silks and snippets of Liberty's Tana Lawn. I would still wear this stuff .Sadly it gets harder to get old bits of lace etc in charity shops but I have a stack of Liberty print snippets as I made most of Holly's dresses. Posted by Picasa

Sunday, September 03, 2006

So fabulous !

This is a 19th cen. Russian capelet .It is made by encasing the finest down in little nets ..just exquisite .I am seriously wondering if I could replicate such a thing . Posted by Picasa

Kaffe's Classics..

Had to make an emergency trip to town as our milkman didn't come yesterday and we have goat's milk. I found a new secondhand bookshop and got "Kaffe's Classics" for £2.00s .There are an awful lot of patterns I have but really big clear charts.Then to our horror we dicovered that half our Waterstones had been sold to a clothes shop so it's boarded up and what is there is such a squeeze.Holly got a fabulous book on 19th century costume and a Susan Hill she's wanted for ages. It used to be a lovely open airy space to browse now it's a "scuse me" cram.

Still waiting for Cromwell to arrive so..

As it is so long since I saw it I decided to look up reviews on the I.M.D.B .I was amazed at the intelligence as a lot of semi-nuts post on there.I guess it's a serious subject so attracted a different crowd. Some ( most in fact) were very humourous especially about Richard Harris's performance. Gob-smacked amazement that an Irishman would play the guy was common and shared by me .But it's the amount of shouting that got the most comments.All was going well a history teacher wondering why Prince Rupert was like Liberace for example when the nut turned up. This weirdo's whole comment was that the King often looked sleepy and quiet and a bit out of it was because the Queen was a nymphomaniac ( of course he didn't know the word so went into detail we could never know). Is therea porn version going around? Not with Sir Alec rolling around with Dorothy Tutin please .

Saturday, September 02, 2006

To be fair..

this is me circa 1962 ..would I have worn this as a teen ager ...NO ! Posted by Picasa

Last three posts were inspired by the many bloggers whose children no longer want to wear their knits..

creating a small feeling of useless redundancy and a tear or two...not to mention an outbreak of frogging.

Peace breaks out..

and a hug as the new Zanzibar capelet is half finished. Posted by Picasa

Two out of 40..

Yes she is still willing to wear this silk-garden waistcoat even though it sent her into a coma..things are going well.All capelets are acceptable still so that's another six items. Posted by Picasa

Peace treaty signed and sealed..

Yes Holly will still wear this one ....more negotiations to come . Posted by Picasa

Friday, September 01, 2006

Odd Balls..

Nothing quite like an odd ball bin at the L.Y.S. I often find better things than in the sales. Yesterday I got four All Seasons balls in a mottled cream and purple ,one in purple and a purple lone Kid Classic . All at half price but when you realise what the full price was it seems a bit steep.
A really lovely knitter and blogger has been so kind to me I wanted to send her something special .I asked what she is short of and she said magenta so I dived into my stash last night . I was also searching for inspiration as I'd like to make a starry night shawl .
Then I notice some of the new Louisa Harding yarns are starting to come in and have to say there is a new Sari-ribbon that is just right .Also Thalia looks lovely .It is a shame the new boucle is such poor quality but it really is weak and tears so easily. I don't think it would be possible to wear a whole garment made from Sari-ribbon unless you enjoy suffering but it is the perfect trim .

More on badly made films and T.V ..

Holly and I just have the bit in our mouth and are off on this one. The most awful film we own for strange anachronisms is "Jackie ,Ethel and Joan" . After that period dramas like the original "Forsythe Saga" seem to be very bad at leaving out the era in which they are made i.e very sixties hair-styles. This was common but they seem to have a lot more research now. We are waiting for a copy of "Cromwell" to arrive ( which I have seen and hate Richard Harris's performance ) .It will be interesting to see how they deal with costumes .The only help they have are portraits which might be falsified in many ways. Then period furniture etc. If I remember Cromwell is too swashbuckling for my liking and if Prince Rupert was portrayed as he is in history books audiences would have been rolling in the aisles. Hopefully at least the decor will look authentic unlike that at Hickory Hill in J,E and J .There is obvious 1980's stencilling and rag-rolling everywhere. They seem to have Joan wearing late 1960s dresses in the early part of the decade.We are not experts but some things are so obvious. "Cromwell" being a high cost production will try harder I hope but it is ages since I have seen it. There was a series on Charles 11nd here recently which I avoided as it was nothing more than a sex crazed romp with an attractive actor . I hope there was more to the man and such nonsense is just plain boring. There was a pretty good series about Queen Victoria and her many links to other royals in my teenage years that was very good.