“I am clever enough to know…”

“…that I am clever.” 

Although I do harbour some guilt for leaving my socks in the lurch (curse you, Second Sock Syndrome!) I am absolutely zipping through my Saco Stripes (Ravelry link here) vest top.

It’s surprising really, I’m trying to read a bunch of paperbacks so I can give them back to their right owners before I move (I know one box of books won’t make a huge difference, but it eases my sense of order).

So I needed to read 6 of the 7 Dark Tower books by Stephen King in just under a month. Didn’t think it was really doable, but I seem to be zipping through those as well!
So how I’m zipping through books and still finding time for knitting….well I seem to be creating time. Which makes a nice change.

In other news, prior to the desperate reading marathon (readathon?), I have been chugging along with baking. I have made:

• a lovely Victoria sponge (yes an easy one, but CB has told me repeatedly he doesn’t particularly like them…and he loved this one)
• a crumbly madeira cake (may have just slightly over-baked that one)

• cheesy biscuits (so good)
• rock cakes (that took me back to my childhood)
• CB made some crumbly apricot bars (which I have to repeat for, err, science…)

I’ve probably made other delicious things, but to be honest I’m constantly being so very fabulous it’s difficult to keep track of all of my many achievements!


*Quote from Mervyn Peake

“Everybody knows the war is over…”

“…Everybody knows the good guys lost.”

As you know I’ve been meaning to knit Confetti (Ravelry Link) by Veera Välimäkifor a while:

© Veera Välimäki

Using this wool:

Well I thought I’d be smart...and there was my downfall.

Using a strong colour against a light one, I was wary of the purple bleeding into the white once the top was blocked. To get around this/to check whether the wool would bleed, I washed the skein.

Initially I was pleased I did so, as some dye came out. I felt all pompous. And then I tried to dry the soaked skein.

It’s been a heatwave recently and I thought it would dry in no time. And the outside did! The inside however…. After a day or two in the sun, I had tried to unwind it on my drier (and gave up as it was BRAIN NUMBINGLY DULL. I think I then just got frustrated, pulled the middle of the skein out and pegged it directly to the washing line.

In some respects that worked. I mean, the wool dried.
But in other, much larger respects, it did not. I had a huge tangle of very fine yarn.

Ultimately, after an evening of winding, untangling and (sob!) a few tears and a few (okay, a lot) more swears, my wool is rewound. In multiple little chunks. It was either that or setting fire to the whole thing. 

But then when I cast on to make the top, I didn’t have nearly enough stitches to make a full circle on the needle. I checked – yup, I was using the recommended length. I shrugged, I used a smaller cable and – still didn’t fit. I could just about knit a round if I stretched every stitch and had really high tension on them all, but that is just not pleasant to work.

More tears, more swearing. Isn’t knitting supposed to be fun?

So cOmPleTeLy UnReLaTeD news, I’m now knitting a seamed top, Saco Stripes (Ravelry Link) by Pam Allen:

© Carrie Bostick Hoge

Using this wool:

Looks oddly familiar...

and things are going much better.

*Quote from Leonard Cohen

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure…”

“…and the intelligent are full of doubt." 

I’m not sure if I’ve talked about this before, but I hate change. Hate it. Even change for the better makes me super anxious and panicky.

My palms sweat, my heart rate increases, I obsess over tiny details and ruminate over decisions for long after I’ve made them.

I still debate whether leaving London was the right decision, and I’m constantly going back and forth over my current change. My logical brain says one thing, but the wiggly neurotic bits of my brain keep making me doubt myself.

“Sure you don’t like your current situation, but what if this change makes things worse?”

Advice tells you to write down what you’re anxious about, worst case scenario, and then assess whether it would really be so bad if that happened. You’re supposed to go: “The worst thing that can happen is I dislike my new job and have to get another!” and, because your worst case scenario isn’t so bad, your anxiety lessens.

But it isn’t so simple for me. Even if I come to a conclusion that the worst case scenario isn’t so bad, it still doesn’t stop my panic as the wiggly part of my brain doesn’t respond to logic. He just wants to tear me down, piece by piece.

I feel pressured. I feel as if I have too many things to do and decide and to finish and not enough time to do them. None of this is true – I have no things to do or finish, very few things to decide, and plenty of time in which to make those decisions.

I wish there was a magical solution to calm my brain, or silence the wiggly part of it.

Therapy, I guess.

*Quote from Bertrand Russell

"Remember when your mom used to drop you off at the movies with a jar of jam and a spoon?”

“You're so pretty.”

Do you know what you are, other than Philly Fans?
You are Jam Fans (other than those of you who might dislike jam, obviously).

I mentioned recently my bizarre and impulsive burning desire to make jam. Well I have acted upon that desire and am now a fully-fledged member of the jam-making club. If there isn’t a club there should be. 

I began with strawberry jam but, as I used fresh strawberries, it was rather a pricey endeavour (particularly as my first batch of strawberries went mouldy in 2 days, grr). Also I didn’t realise that strawberry jam is notoriously difficult to set, so mine is kinda sloppy (though it tastes fantastic!).

For my second batch of jam I used frozen berries - blackberries, redcurrants, raspberries and blackcurrants.

This has set superbly and (from my sneaky taste tests) is another winner on the flavour front.

I want to make another batch to be honest, but I think that would be more jam than can be reasonably stored and eaten!

*Quote from F.R.I.E.N.D.S

“Good night, Westley. Good work. Sleep well...”

“…I'll most likely kill you in the morning.” 

As expected, here is the other half of my special commission:

I think I forgot to mention in my last post - this pattern is Wedding Mice by Amanda Berry (Ravelry link here). Although I hate making fiddly little things Amanda Berry's patterns are very comprehensive - they walk you through line by line and include lots of pictures for reference. Unfortunately even with the best pattern I still have to rely on my wobbly finishing skills...

I still can’t look at either of them without seeing a million bits I dislike, but I have to bear in mind that people at the wedding will just look and go “aww isn’t that cute!” and then help themselves to food. No one will be looking as critically at these critters as I will.

Another annoying thing is that I’m pretty sure the real, human groom is wearing a blue suit and a green tie on the day, but I don’t have any wool that will work and I refuse to buy two new balls for such a tiny project which will be in use for just a few hours.

I love my friend, but I don’t love this project!

*Quote from William Goldman

"Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart…”

“…it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude." 

Recently there was a topic on Ravelry which asked who the most knitworthy person in your life was. For those not in the know, a knitworthy person is someone who appreciates the work and time and love that goes into a knitted item and wears/uses said item with love and pride.

Not everyone is knitworthy, sadly. Some people view handmade items as tat, and would much prefer something shop-bought. That’s fine, everyone is entitled to their own preference, but it’s good to know these things so you don’t spend hours on something you think of as extra special but they think is a bit rubbish. Feelings get hurt that way – both sides in fact, as the knitter feels their work is undervalued, and the non-knitter feels they’re being given half-arsed presents.

The  most knitworthy person in my life is CB. He is an absolute star.

The first thing I knit was a scarf for him. It was lumpy, uneven, and had numerous holes and mistakes. I can’t look at it without cringing, but he dutifully wore it all winter and only retired it once I had knitted him a replacement. He’s still wearing the hat I made him, despite the enormous seam up the back!

He encourages me, he supports me, he listens to me babble on about problems or patterns. He dismisses any shame I might feel for spending money on yarn and knitting paraphernalia, and he proudly sits next me at social events where I’m sitting there knitting like an old lady.

But despite being my knight in knitted armour, I rarely knit for him. Other than those two scarves and one hat, all he’s received are promises of future knits.

I have the wool all ready for a pair of socks and a jumper, but people keep having babies or weddings etc., and I bump CB to the bottom of the list.

To be fair to me, it’s because those projects are time-sensitive whereas his projects aren’t, but the result is still the same. I’m neglecting my most knitworthy person.

I’ve decided to rectify this and have started knitting him some socks. These will have to be done at the same time as other knitting, but at least he’s being prioritised as much as anyone else.

*Quote from A.A. Milne

“Inconceivable!"

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” 

I mentioned a little while ago that I had been tasked with a very special commission. Well, I’m now half-way through that project and thought I’d let you in on the secret:

My beautiful friend is getting married soon and asked if I could make her some knitted mice to top a cheese cake being served (not the main wedding cake! Do not fear Philly-fans!).

Now we know I am not the best at the finishing touches on projects (remember Griff?) and you may have noticed that this is ALL ABOUT the tiny fiddly details and finishing touches.

But I think she looks okay!

Now on to the Groom…

*Quote from William Goldman