Replies, yarn

This is the Glacier LAke and Cygnus the swan. I've just spent several hours doing what I almost NEVER do, starting, unpicking and restarting a sock with the Glacier Lake (after giving myself backache winding it from my knees onto a loo roll while awkwardly reading my blogroll). I cast one 70 stitches on 2.5mm needles, though I usually use fewer stitches and 2.25mm needles. Couldn't remember my favourite tubular cast-on (and of course have no books), so just did a backward loop. That was loose enough, but I felt the whole thing was knit too loosely, and it was really pooling for me. I took the chance to try various stitch patterns - I know I want something I can knit and chat, so simple, but I'm against stocking stitch socks (not necessarily for rational reasons!) I tried Bex's GliB socks and liked the pattern, but not sure it and the yarn go well together; then tried this Nine-to-five pattern - needs plain yarn.

Then I went online, to Ysolda's blog where she has a great video of a different method of tubular cast-on. I obviously was so stressed about doing it right, it was really tight on 2.25mm! I shall try again (casting on on larger needles) and try the Mad Colour Weave socks, I think.

Anyway, Hi Kathryn, Jo and Ruth, good to see you here, glad you like Josephine, I do too. Yep, Jo, the list is long and utterly unrealistic, you know me. I care not a jot, cos I do it for fun! (And of course I have a secret hope that I will get all these things done...). Ruth - I have enjoyed the fiesta socks so far very much (oh, yes, they're not finished either and are in transit) - and I fancy those Herringbone ones from Knitty too. 

I'll stop wittering on like someone who hasn't talked to anyone for 24 hours now, shall I?

(Company tonight, though - out for  a meal at the Universal restaurant - for the Friends of Dorothy (ha, ha) lunar night do. Christine Manfield's new restaurant - she had East @ West in London, winner of many awards, so my expectations are high!)

Josephine's done (hello again!)

So, I've finished Josephine, and all the details are Ravel'd. It was quite an easy knit, really, and I'm pleased with it. It is growing, as expected, and the only hope is that it grows no more than I allowed for (ok after 1 day's wear, fingers well and truly crossed).

The Sisters who indulged us as part of a history of Queer Sydney yesterday were happy to be pictured with old Josie, too...

I suppose it might be an idea to write here about my knitting plans, though they are being somewhat kiboshed at the moment by the non-arrival of all our shipped stuff. I'm assured it arrived in Sydney on 12th February, and we were warned it would be 2-3 weeks till it would be delivered to us, but - well, I have to admit to having bought some yarn in the meantime. Two balls of reduced something-or-other superwash heavy DK/aran from Tapestrycraft to make my Ellie, pictured here armless and one-legged, reclining on the deck. Not sure what came over me, I'm usually pretty much agin the cutesy-pie stuffed toy thing - but I suppose Ysolda managed a not-too cute but rather appealing elephant with her Elijah pattern, and the grey/brownness helps too! 

Not sure who'll get him...

I've also accidentally bought some organic wool in dark sheep colour from Ecoyarns, a site I'd stalked before coming here. I've always wanted a black sheep coloured jumper, and this is  going to be it! I think it'll be a combo of Knit in Chunks and Silver Belle; that is, the construction of KIC (but in DK as this yarn is, rather than aran) but with the cable around the yoke from SB, and probably the cables form there for the skirt/body part, too. We'll see! I do plan to leave it with just capped sleeves, as I think that'll be a good temperature for here in the winter, and home in the Spring/Autumn.

My Ravelry queue shows all sorts of plans, such as Intoxicating from No Sheep for You (awaiting yarn in shipping= AYIS); Fifi from French Girl Knits in Calmer (overdyed by me) (AYIS); Mamluke socks by Nancy Bush for Kate's 40th birthday present (AYIS); a very bright (coral, orange, tomato) Mermaid by Hanne Falkenberg (AYIS); a lightweight jumper in Kauni effektgarn EQ and (I think) Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4ply, in black with coloured flecks - perhaps Venezia? Or a self-written pattern. Might use the Kauni against itself, alternatively, so rainbows in 2 directions (AYIS)....

Etc, etc. I have got a bit of sock-yarn here, from Knitivity (in Glacier Lake for Clare and Cygnus the Swan for me) and I do have all my needles (except those actually committed in the dratted shipping to the Twisted Float Shrug (one arm and a few more repeats of the pattern in the HUGE circle to go) and the Cablenet socks). Harrumph.