We all get a taste

England Pull-over

Here's a shot of the completed lettering. I'm going to frog and reknit part of it because I was knitting in front of the television and not looking at my chart. Serves me right! I've only done the lettering 3 times... . That's the problem with being over confident.

Rare Yarn from Australia

I thought that I would show this little packet of yarn that arrived via Australia from my friend Lesley.

It is wonderfully soft and dye free, composed of alpaca and merino from the rare yarns company. Lesley should be the ambassador to all Australia and New Zealand yarn companies. This yarn is so gorgeous that I immediately zoomed over to the site to look more closely. It smells good too. Thanks Lesley ... my husband will probably want a word with you ...

Recipe Exchange

So much for the diet.... I'm taking part in a recipe exchange, initiated by Kristine and roped in by Jen. So far, I've sent out my Chicken Corn Chowder and received Baby Pecan Pies from Lesley, the owner of the *best food shop* (Sydney Business Awards) L’Antipasto Deli in Mosman/Nth Sydney Australia. These little pies not only look easy but just sound so delicious. I'm even thinking to make them to take with me to my in-laws for Christmas, instead of the chocolate drops that I normally bake... and those chocolate drops are really good. Thanks Lesley... for sharing this wonderful recipe with me and for agreeing to let me share it with the knitting community.

I've also received a lovely recipe for Belgian Cheese Balls from Stephanie. It looks delicious, except for the part about shrimps. I am not a seafood person. I could never abide fish, not even as a baby when my mom started me with fish for solid food. It all just tastes and smells so fishy to me. So, I'm going to have to find a substitute for the shrimps. I wonder if I can use broccoli, cauliflower or mozzarella cheese instead .... Thanks Stephanie.. for dispelling the notion that Belgians only eat moules and gaufres washed down with a glass of Leffe.

Something About the Way You Look Tonight

Thos sent me this link for ugly dresses. Some of these were so bad, they made my eyes watered. I was really having a giggle, especially with the condom dress. Hard to believe that anyone would wear some of these dresses. Thanks to Thos for sharing, obviously, as a man, you wouldn't have to wear any of these, so you can be pretty smug...

So, on the knitting front, not much to show. The England sweater is up the the lettering. I'm off to steam some yarn straight. The dark blue has been recycled from a failed daisy. Rather than hang in the shower to catch the steam, I've decided to give it a quick steam in the vegetable steamer. Not only will I have some freshly cooked cauliflower, but some straightened wool as well.

Sweet England

Yesterday's Rubgy World Cup match was exciting from start to finish. I watched part of the game, eventhough I didn't know the rules and didn't know what a scrum was. England managed to squeak by Australia with a 20-17 victory to take home the 2003 title. (Sorry, Lesley)

My current project, suddenly seems so appropriate.

In honour of this victory, I've charted out the following, to be fair isled on the back.

I'm making this for one of my nephews for Christmas. It's a project, entirely from stashed yarns. The navy (turkish plum) was from a failed Daisy. The cream was from an old Rowan freebie kit that I never made and the red was purchased from the Yarnhouse recently for a Debbie Bliss project. It's coming along really quickly, mostly because I've sized it for 3-4 year old, so it's not that many stitches to knit. It's loosely modeled on the Union Jack jumper from Debbie Bliss's Nautical Knits book.

Here's a bit of British trivia. The St George's Cross is the flag of England. The Union Jack is the flag for the United Kingdom, embodying the emblems of three countries united under one monarch in 1801. It is actually a combination of the St George's Cross (England), the saltire of St Andrews (Scotland) and the cross of St Patrick (Ireland). Wales is not represented as it was already united with England by 1606, when the first version of the flag appeared. St Patrick's cross still remain, eventhough only Northern Ireland remains part of the U.K. I find this stuff fascinating.

Note: The sweater was photographed on my desk at home. I'm very proud to say that my desk is not currently buried under a pile of paper, yarns and old mail... in other words NOT A TIP!. It won't last for long, but I just had to brag.

More Christmas Ideas

For a mere $179, you can get a hand-knitted, hand-beaded scarf... in garter stitch from Armchair World . Makes me want to get together with a few of my friends and start my own 'Scarf Art Company'.

For the geeks in your life, my geek contacts recommend a LED binary clock, battery heated sock or a mini spy cam, complete with audio *earsdropping* features.

Welcome to the Jungle

How does one knit after a few bowls of cidré, one or two galettes and maybe some moules? Dust off your Larousses, because Rowanette Stéphanie has entered into the world of blogging. Stéphanie is a wonderful knitter, churning out creations like Sweet, Dandy and China Clouds. Kudos to eagle-eyed Carolyn for spotting that link.

Christmas Ideas
So Christmas is just around the corner and you need some gift ideas for the knitter with everything? A visit to Debbie Abraham's site might help. Debbie Abraham is a fab British designer. I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop last year, where she assisted. She's young, energetic and just so enthusiatic, that you can't help but want to knit a sequin throw (sequins are NOT fun to knit with).

My friend Jill attended one of her workshops recently and brought along a few cards which I have include below, so that if you can see some of the lovely things that she offers.

If you want to give a cushion or a bag and don't have time to knit it, there is a ready-made service available as well.

For the knitter with everything, how about a few handmade ceramic buttons?

It's a really unique gift and we all know, that the buttons really make the garment.

Just to add, she's running a special until 12th Dec, spend £34 or more and you get a free bag kit. All purchases until 12th Dec will be entered into a prize drawing.

Manic Monday

It was a manic Monday and today was a manic Tuesday. I am desparately trying to tidy/empty the wool room, in anticipation of guests this weekend. It's one thing to be a bad housekeeper, and to talk about overflowing stashes, avalanching/cascading down the stairs, but it's another thing to make one's guests climb over bags, boxes and piles of wool, patterns, books and miscellaneous paperwork from work related projects completed 2-3 years ago. I'm going to admit that my work desk is much tidier (only because, I have moved recently and had not yet unpacked the crates).

So not much knitting news.... did someone say that Christmas is around the corner? Yipes!

Rainbow Connection

Just a quickie... the Rainbow Noro Silk Garden Hat is done.

Click to see all the gory details.

It was a quick knit, once I got the right project for this yarn.

Take Me as I Am

So here I am taking this Myers-Briggs Test. Every time, I take it , I come out as a 'different' type. I wonder if it depends on my mood. I always come out as as 'Extroverted thinker', eventhough I would consider myself to be more introspective...and I am far too traditional to ever be considered **shocking**.

Thanks to Thomas , instead of knitting, I'm filling out questionnaires. Well, I don't think I'm an ESTP. Tomorrow, I'll do the Enneagram Test... and check for correlation.

Knitting Front

I've been frolicking as well. Here's what I've been up to..

I'm doing this in some Noro Silk Garden (a thick /thin yarn). I initially started a hat from the Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton book (aka Cornelia Tittle Tattle). Although Silk Garden and Kureyon are supposed to be interchangeable. They aren't. The hat was big enough to fit me around age 10. So I frogged it and tried again. Guess what, still too small. (note, I have knitted approx 150m and had nothing to show for it). So I dug out The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville and started again the Flat hat. It looks good and I'm hitting the gauge. That goodness, because normally I knit everything twice before I finish, I really don't want to make four go's at it. I'll try and finish and sew it up tomorrow. It' you're very lucky, Polar may even model it for you.

The Knit Stitch is an excellent book, both in technique and interesting garments. I wondered why everyone had raved and I'm now considering buying the Purl Stitch eventhough I have enough knitting books to last me through the winter. (as in fuel, not that they would ever get that close to a flame)

More on naff
This is for Kay of MDK. You wanted naff? Here it is:

Naff enough? The designs are unspeakable. The poncho blanket and that orange mohair... In honor of Ann of MDK's fascination with Al*ce Starmore, I've even posted a Starmore design into the Naff Hall of Fame. Men, for pity's sake, avoid the fair isle mohair.

Forgiven Not Forgotten

Inishmore

Inishmore, as requested by Ann of MDK. Inishmore was a lot of hard work. The twisting cables and all those K tbls. was enough to drive a girl berserk.

I made 2 starts at it. The first time using the Aran weight wool that the original pattern recommend. (That would had been so heavy!) The second time, I raided my stash and tried it with some DK weight felted tweed. This was an intense sweater and although it's not perfect, I love it because it has so many pleasant memories for me. I started and finished it about 2 years ago. The cast-on was just before my friend Jackie's wedding. I worked on and off of it during my brother's wedding. Conincidentally, I was wearing it when my friend told me that she was expecting her first child. I was also wearing it on the day that my god-daughter, Alex was born. So, you see why I love this sweater?

The neck is too wide, the sleeve a touch too long, and the body slightly too short. The pattern doesn't *pop* off the fabric, but leaves a very subtle cabling. I hope you can see it in these photos... because dark tweedy yarns are just not photogenic.

Here's the cuff and waist edging

Here's the cables on the sleeves

Here's the front

Although my first Starmore, it won't be my last. The design is superb and so well-balanced. It's no wonder so many people have knitted this sweater.

Kitsch

Sharon sent me this link. This is kitsch. Starsky cardigans , Granny square designs and ABBA are kitsch. I'm still on the lookout of kitsch knitting to photograph, so stay tune.

A message for Jub

Dear Jub,

Tomorrow is the big day. I just wanted to wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Welcome to the big 30.

Sincerely Polly

Who is Jub? That's Jub.

Footnote: Sorry girls, he's not skinny dipping... and he's already been claimed.

I Can't Hide

Dear Jub and Geek,

Now that you've found me, I might as well confess to a few other things that you might not have known about me. As you both know well, I have a very long memory.

Sincerely, Polly

Daisy
I haven't decided whether to unravel or keep the sleeve that I had started, so instead, I cast on one of the front. I am modifying the pattern as I go along, replacing some of the daisies with sprigs of leaves.

I'm not swiss darning this time.

Naff
Lesley asks, what is naff? I would think that the closest definition would be *tacky* or bad taste. This doesn't really give the true essence of the word, so I dug out some examples.

Let me say that some naff designs are very intricate. Take the Queen of Heart sweater. I wouldn't want to be caught dead in that, although I can appreciate the time and effort to chart the design and the skill required to knit it, likewise for the mountain/tidal scene. Words don't describe the that red chunky number with the detachable sleeves and that trendsetter sweater with eyelash yarn, lineback shoulders, in shades of yellow and orange ... honestly, even if we poured Gisele into them, these sweaters couldn't be made to look good.

Please note, naff is not equivalent to kitsch. Kitsch is cool, naff is not.

All Shook Up

It would appear that my pleads to the postman did not go unheard. Mail came this week... let me repeat, a lot of mail came this week. Mostly some bills, some direct marketing (aka to the rest of the world as junk mail... sorry Kristine) and 2 bijoux.

From the very generous and side-splitting Ann. It really put a smile on my face, after a long, hard week.

The inscription in the back of the card read:
It was her gently splayed fingers that first drew my attention to her hands, long pallid fingers curving to knob-like ends. So prehensive. See the veins beneath the blue-white skin.

Are these the veins?

This is a gorgeous yarn, and I 'm going to make myself a pair of socks from it.
Thanks Ann for the wonderful surprise.

From P&M Woolcraft, I got this

I subscribe to InKnitters for the technical information. The patterns are really naff. Check this out. Who in their right mind, would wear a Checkers sweater... and the v-neck thing ... yuck! I thought this stuff went out of style in the seventies!

I'm sorry

Dear Mr. Postman,

I want to apologise if I had offended you in any way. I solemnly swear to cancel my multiple subscriptions to LL Bean, la Redoute, IKEA, Habitat and anyone else that provide catalogues in excess of 250 pages. Clearly, I can survive with 1 copy of each of these as it is unnecessary to have one in the bedroom, study, bathroom and sitting room. I also promise to stop getting myself onto every conceivable junk mailing list in the world, clearly I have been insensitive to your needs. I understand that these actions alone should reduce your mail load by 50%.

Please, if you would just tell me what I need to do, so that I may redeem myself. It is very cruel to continue to punish me by with holding my mail. Surely, you must feel my pain by now? I promise to change, I will be a better person, just as long as I can have my wool... and my Winter Interweave.

Sincerely, Polly

Intarsia

I recently gave a few of my closest friends, access to my wool room. They didn't spend long in there, possibly due to fear of sudden movements causing an avalanche. So, they missed seeing an examples of 'Polly Does Intarsia'.

A long time, ago, I was a fearless knitter. I would regularly attempt (note, I did not say finish), 3 skein garments. I feel in love with this from the Annabel Fox Wessex Collection. It remains one of my favourite books, as the motifs are just simply gorgeous.

You can't get a sense of how wonderful the design is, without looking at the motifs close up.

The knight, on his charging steed. I never could stop the edge from rolling and I blocked and pressed it.

The griffin, proud and true. My absolute favourite motif.

The ship bound for the next battle.

The twisted braid collar was the perfect finishing touch.

I finished this many years ago, in 1995. I still recall knitting this on the overnight train from Paris to Florence. What was I thinking? There must had been over 12 colours in all the motifs. This was not a very portable project, fortunately, none of the yarn escaped.

Look at me

Click me for the Project Details

It's done and was dried on my feet. Aren't they gorgeous? (If you think that they look a bit misshapen, I'm going to ask you not to insult my feet!) They're are very warm. If I were to do them again (oh yes, I'm going to do another foot), I would cast on fewer stitches (36 instead of 40). That's not because I have weedy ankles, but because I like wearing my slippers without socks.

In all other respects, they are perfect ... thanks Theresa for a wonderful pattern. My husband, will no doubt send you thanks, nightly as well.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

My echo knitting project with Jen has yet to start, but suddenly, it's really cold in the south east of the UK. So, last night, I started on a pair of Fuzzy feet for me.

Felting isn't an exact science, it's kind of a finger in the air thing, but I made some recalculations from Theresa Vinson Stenersen's original Knitty pattern to accommodate, 2 balls of Rowan chunky print in Girly Pink.

Cast-on - I cast on 40 stitches
Heel Flap - 20 stitches - slipping the first stitch on every row. I did 20 rows total
Heel - Row 1 p11 instead of 13
Row 2 K5 instead of 6
I ended with 8 stitches as well on the heel turning

Gusset - I picked up 10 on each side. for a total of 50 stitches.

This gives you a sense of how ridiculously large the slippers are prior to felting.

I'm not a fan of big chunky or should I say clunky needles, but doing these on 9mm meant instant (well near instant) gratification. The chunky print is very loosely spun and plied. Using 9mm gave a fairly loose gauge. I would had done this pattern without recalculating, if I had a larger foot. As is, I used the entire ball (100g) per foot, and had only a teensey bit left.

Now, off to do the felting, should you hear a large squeal of horror eminating from the southwest London, that would be me, finding the fuzzies overfelted or something.