The Great Exchange

The Annual Rowan Board Exchange is always great fun. As one of the organisers, along with Emma, Sue and Stéphanie, we take great delight in July, when the culmination of planning from March takes fruit and we start seeing all the lovely completed items.

Organising the exchange is far less nerve-wracking than doing the knitting. OK, I know that I said that it's not competitive knitting and that you're supposed to enjoy it. Believe me, I really enjoyed knitting mine too, but I did go through some of these things too.

Raise your hand if:
- you've started and ripped out at least once
- you had doubts at least 3 or 4 times about the colour, the thingy or whether the knitting or finishing was neat enough
- you started going through all the postings on the Rowan Board to see which patterns your recipient had knitted to just get a taste of what she likes
- you email at least 1 or 2 people for their opinion

But then, as you get close to the finish, I become like a kid waiting for Christmas... Rowanette Helen from Scotland got to knit for me this year. She sent her first parcel, WAY before the completion date, but as luck would have it, it somehow never got to me. In my experience, these things sort itself out, but Rowanette Helen, did not have my faith in the post office and went away and made me ANOTHER edgy thingy. (how sweet is that?) The post office ended up returning the package to her, because I never collected it from the collection point. (Now, I would had gone to collect it, if they left me a card to tell me that it was there. Come to think of it, they could had left me a second card prior to sending it back to Helen, but Helen finished the second edgy thingy and then got back the first parcel.)

She then sent BOTH of these edgy things to me and can I say that I'm over the moon? The package was wonderully wrapped and a feast for all the senses.

Since the theme was edges, Helen, outdid herself. Look at these fascinating edges?

How did Helen know exactly how big my hands are? They fit like a glove.

The alpaca is so soft. I wore those around the house in the summer, just because I couldn't bear to part with them. The stitches were so neat.

This is in Rowan 4 ply soft, a wonderful merino yarn. The stitch definition is superb.

Helen also generously sent along a lot of goodies.

These seeds should thrive in my garden.. and the best bit is that whenever I see them flowering away I would think of Helen enjoying the Scottish summer evenings.

Something wonderfully smelly for the bath and some Scottish wildflower seeds

I love scented soap. The soap scented the whole packet... a soft wistful perfume. Lavendar is supposed to calm the nerves. I was so excited by the goodies, that I was far from calm.

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Plaisir du Chocolat makes the mose heavenly chocolates. I had to take them away from my husband to prevent him from scoffing the lot. Not only do these chocolate taste divine, they also look divine.

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There were different designs on each of the chocolate. They are just too pretty to eat. Is there a way to have your chocolate and eat them too?

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In my excitment, I missed the last thing in the box. So the last sense to be tingled, was the hearing... not mind, but my husbands, when I shrieked, 'Honey you didn't throw the wrapping from my package away, did you?" after Helen mentioned that there was something else wrapped inside. A few scuffling sounds later (probably from Mr Tidy digging through the trash), I heard, no dear.. it's on the table.

Sure enough, wrapped in tissue paper was the last bit... wonderful, dangly and very girlie stitch markers.

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Thank you Helen for sending me the most delicious exchange presents. My husband thanks you too, as not only did he get to try some delicious chocolates, but this winter, he will be spared the torment of cold hands seeking his warm neck.

And if you want to see some what some of the other rowanettes got, you can visit :

- Kay
- Lis
- Minxxy
- Kristine
- Eva
- Andrea
- Thos
- Emma
- Nic

... and if I'd miss you off, let me know, I dug around but might had missed a few links

Finally, thanks for taking part in the poll to satisfy my curiosity ;-) and thanks to EVERYONE who's sent me advice on how to make that hydrangea blue again. This is a very good link that Kathleen sent. To be blue, I need to make the soil more acidic and it recommends aluminum sulfate (1/4 oz. per gal. of water), egg shells, coffee grounds, or ground up orange or grapefruit peels. Never one to waste anything, the hydrangea's currently getting some Starbuck's grounds and some citrus peels in the soil. If that doesn't work, I'll go get buy some chemicals... or blue dye.;-)

Secret

Just out of curiosity....

Debbie Bliss Beaded Cardigan

I'm still working on the Debbie Bliss beaded cardigan. Knitting with beads can give a stunning effect but it does make it go a lot slower.

Here's a close-up so that you can see the beads better.

The yarn had been recycled from the Frilled Sleeve Cardigan that I started in 2003. I ran out of yarn when I got to the second sleeve and left it in my work basket for nearly 2 years. Suddenly, I decided to do something about it and ripped it to start a smaller sweater. I love the Debbie Bliss Wool Cotton and was devastated when it was discontinued. It's a much nicer yarn to knit with than the Rowan Glacé.. must more forgiving on the hands.

It took me ages to find beads in the right size and shade of red. I remembered being annoyed with all the knots in the yarn, but by unravelling, I was able to make many small balls so the knot problem isn't an issue, I just made a new ball whenever I encountered a knot. Hopefully, this time, I won't run out of yarn.

Ladder

I'm done and I love the way that it looks, even if it took ages. Cabling without the cable needles does go faster but I did this with addis and I find the tips aren't pointy enough to really dig into the stitches.

These were worked on 2.5mm needles, and 70 stitches. The pattern is by Pam Gordnier and if you want it, you'll have to join the Six Sox Knitalong... but I warn you, the patterns are highly addictive.

Regia silk is ... so soft!

Here's the artistic shot, the chutes-n-ladders are actually panting in the heat.

Regia silk is ... so fine!

I really couldn't capture the depth of the colour in the mid-day sun, so I moved it all to the shade and this photo seems to capture the colours best.

Regia silk is ... full of depth, the wool and silk together is a wonderful combination!

Regia silk makes ... me a little selfish! Do I really have to give these away..? sniff

I read somewhere that mid-day sun is very harsh and can make things look a bit washed out. The best time for photos is early morning or late afternoon, when the lighting is softer and more forgiving.

... and my hydrangea?

It was blue when I bought it 2 years ago and still flowers blue. Here's a shot of it, right before it started pinking out.

Please ignore the weeds in the pot... just too hot to deal with them at the moment

Bad Day

Some days, it's just better to stay in bed.

Trying to attempt something easy, a pair of sock... I fished into my sock stash and pulled out this lovely Opal. One of my favourites bought a long time ago. I dipped my fingers into the core, looking for the end...

That's half the skein that came out and I still couldn't find the end. So I gave up and started knitting from the outside, after shoving the glob back inside the ball. I'm dreading the part when I actually get to that glob of yarn, which will be a right tangled mess. Where's my mom when I need her? She's really good dealing with these kind of problems!

I went out to the garden to take my pictures and then I noticed, my hydrangea.. blue flowers have gone muddy pink. sniff... I know that I said that I wouldn't mind, but I think that I prefer the blue.

Not to mention that I went to the NEXT sale and had my foot maliciously stomped on by a 4 year child. The shop was packed and hot. The kid obviously didn't want to be there but the mother obviously didn't care. It was a toss up as to whether the kid or the kid's mother had worst manners, since neither felt the need to apologise and the mother had a go at me for being in her child's way. ahem... obviously, she's a mother and he's a kid so that makes me the bad guy with the bruised foot.

tomorrow's got to be better

Across The Muddy River

The River Stole

The river stole was knit in an angora, merino, and polyamide laceweight yarn. It was bought a while ago and was milled in an Italian mill but I don't more details than that. I bought it because I loved the dusky pink and I was promised that it was lovely and soft, and would be even lovelier and softer after washing. Can you tell that I'm a salesperson's dream?

Now for something retro

It's hard to be a productive knitting when travelling. I did however managed to finish some socks. The socks on the bottom are more representative of the colours on the skein.

I've finished this for a while but I didn't want to post them and spoil the surprise. The recepient had admire them many times, stroked them many times in my presence and when I slipped away to pay for some patterns, I arranged to pay for the yarn and the skeins were slipped to me, before I left the shop. It was a very covert operation and I think no one sussed out the amount of guile required. If the Liberty security guards were to review the security tapes, it would had probably looked suspicious, but I did have the receipt to prove that I'd paid for it ;-).

Retro Rib in muddy colours.

Now the retro rib worked really well in this stretchy regia and I made it selecting colours that the recipient liked. While the colours are indeed harmonious, they are not colours that I like. In fact, these colours look very muddy to me. The colourway is called skater and this is the regia stretch (a safe choice if you've any doubt about size of recipient's feet, since it really, really stretches.)

Retro Rib in muddy colours.

I did enjoy working these socks but I do wonder what is it with colours and why some people like some hues with a passion and others despise those same shades, with the same passion. I might hasten to add, I don't despise these shades and together and it's very apt for Cumbria knitting. The browns echo Hadrian's wall and mud that one must get with all that rain while the blues echo the sky and the lovely waters in Derwent.

Now I hope that the recipient likes them and that they keep her tootsies warm.

And next up the plate?

Something really girlie of course ...

In Debbie Bliss wool cotton.

This is the beaded cardigan from Debbie Bliss's Special Knits. Aside from the babies being gorgeous, the designs are really nice. I'm making this for a friend that is expecting early next month.

...And The River Flows

Phew, just finished this and posted it 'more or less' within the deadline.

This is the River Stole from Fiber Trend, made for the Rowanette Edgy Exchange. Every year we run a little exchange on the Rowan Forum . It's always fun and we always try to theme it. Mine, you posting something that you've spent a lot of time working on is a bit nervewracking. Things go missing in the post, held up in custom or sometimes arrive in an indescribable state.

As long as we don't take it too seriously, it's OK. It's not the knitter's fault that things get lost... and I have had some really lovely things that I treasure and use throughout the year. Each time I use these things, a warm fuzzy feeling emerges... someone made this for me ... ! In case you're wondering, I signed up for this. I blame Valentina, Jacqueline and Kris for encouraging me.

Photographing this stole was a lot harder than I thought. The stole is approx 6 feet long and very light (less than 85g). Next time, stop me if I start knitting long rectangular things. I'm sure that I would had finished it sooner, if I didn't keep stopping to meansure the progress. (Whaddaya mean, I knit all night and gained ONLY 4 inches!)

You can see how 'see through' it is. Yes, she's light, but the angora gives her warmth. She's also fine enough to wear as a scarf.

Here is the side edge.

This is the very sweet picot edge, which I blocked to give it a more picot-y feel.

Blocking was another experience, as it was touch and go, whether I had to go get another sheet.

Of course, the stole got to enjoy the view of the garden beside the hydrangea. Yes my lawn is brown ( in fact browner than when this picture was taken. ). Its been hot here and while there isn't a hose pipe ban, I've been far too pre-occupied to remember to water me lawn.

I'm posting the pictures now because it's arrived safely in Bristol. .. and I know that Rowanette Carol's got it. Honestly, it was hard choosing the yarn for this project...(not because Carol was difficult, she's lovely), but as she's surrounded by such lovely things, all day long, it was hard to find something that she wouldn't had seen before.

A Darling

No doubt you've been wondering, how long does it take to wind up 500g of hemp. The answer is 3 hours and that means getting the husband to help out occasionally. Not too often, because that's how arguments start...

Over 2 evenings, I wound and wound, until I finally got a whopping great ball. It was so big that I could barely hold it up in one hand.

Then I started swatching. I usually don't swatch but the tension on cara was 45 stitches to 10cm and I was a bit worried about achieving that tension. Even on the smallest needles there was no hope. Then a lightbulb went off... nothing wrong with my tension, but a problem with the instructions. Good thing I cleared that up. Then, whoosh I was off. Be careful, there's also an error on the lace edging. The good ladies at the house of hemp will put up an errata shortly.

After a few days...

Dontcha just love the colour. It's going to be very lightweight. (Must wear industrial underwear with this to spare the blushes.)

This is going to take a while to finish. Tiny gauge, and I'm altering the pattern to make the body longer (honestly, you don't want to see my belly) and I'm adding sleeves too. For those of you that have asked, most of the patterns in Hemp Hugs have been written to fit a UK12, that's roughly a US8.

A Ladder I Can Climb

Another sock project, yes, really. This is the chutes and ladder pattern from the Six Sox Knit-along. OK, I'm going to admit to not finishing or even starting the last sock in the last knit-along. So sue me... I'm joining in again because I like this pattern.

Dawn's socks looked fabulous. My socks are being worked in the burgundy Regia Silk. The Regia silk is diiii-vine to knit with. I can really feel the silk in it. It's so soft and the sheen is fabulous.

Regia silk is ... yummy!

The pattern is fairly easy to memorise and very easy to work using a cabling without the cable needle technique. It's my portable project and needs to be finished before the end of the month.

Hampton Court Flower Show

I made it to the Hampton Court Flower show yesterday. Great fun, even if it was cold and grey. Not nearly as crowded as I thought that it would be. Gardeners are a hardy bunch though and would no doubt brave hail to get there. I happen to spy this fellow, probably more appropriate for a baronial mansion than a small London garden... but isn't he just adorable? For about £10,000 he and his mate could move in with you.

Please, can I keep him, he followed me home

Finally...

Thanks to everyone for expressing their concern on the terrorist attack in London. In Chinese, I would say 'Yull sum' .

'Yull sum' translates directly into English as have heart. Less literally, it means 'so thoughtful'. It's a hard one to translate because its meaning goes a bit deeper. Maybe one of the Chinese bloggers might be able to express it more eloquently.

Thinking of you

Thanks to everyone that has called, e-mailed or contacted mutual friends as to my whereabouts. Yes, I'm alive and kicking and all family, friends and colleagues are present and accounted for.

When I started blogging, I was adament that I would maintain a knitting blog but what happened today was just horrific.

First, the news of the explosions on the tube were caused by power surges.
With the creaky London Transport, reports of power surges causing explosions was not only plausible but likely. Most Londoners travelling on the tube were not surprised. Afterall, many of us have suffered delays caused by flooding, signal failures, leaves on the tracks and power failures. We aren't surprised by the transport system failing, but rather that despite all this, it still manages to get 3 million people to work daily.

There was even joking on the floor about the whereabouts of a certain French mayor and whether he has an alibi. For many people in the office, a terrorist act was far from our mind, Transport for London was the culprit and once again it had failed.

Then, the news of the another explosion, on a London bus, with pictures of the wreckage.

Disbelief, who would do such a thing.... We were just chosen to be an Olympic host. Soon to be followed by horror... those poor people. Then the realisation that not everyone was present and accounted for. Emergency procedures were distributed recently in the firm, but it would appear that very few people actually read them. Immediately, we began procedures to account for all team members. Mobile networks were jammed, then crashed altogether. It wasn't until mid-day that all personnel was accounted for. Hotel room bookings started at 11:00 to reserve places for all critical staff.

People were unsettled, due to the building proximity to Moorgate and Liverpool station. Police had cordoned off the streets and security told people to stay inside the building. Never had I seen the canteen so full. The food was nourishing but the canteen staff had problems coping with so many hungry people.

Then, came anger.

How dare these people bomb my city! How dare they kill and maim so many! How dare they make me feel unsafe! How dare they disrupt my train service and make me walk miles in the heat and my heels!

I starting sending people home at 3pm. There were severe disruptions. I called my husband and he travelled westward to meet me at 5:45. We walked to the mainline station and managed to catch a train home. Transport for London had pulled all stops to try to get as many services up as possible. There were no tubes and severe disruptions, but if you're willing to walk and find alternatives you could generally get home.

Now, there's just sadness

I'm relieved to be home and thankful that all my friends, families and colleagues are accounted for. I thank God that not more were killed...and hope that that number will not increase. The bombs went off at 8:50am, the height of the rush hour... I am a pessimist but I am also a realist. It could had been much, much worst. Anyone taking the tubes at that time would understand how packed they are. I hope that all of you and yours are well and safe and if you have a moment, don't forget to tell your friends and family how much you love them, because the time that we have together is so precious... and can so easily be snatched away.

Sitting at my desk, writing this, I feel a great surge of sadness, that people would do such a thing to another. May God have mercy on their soul.

Morning train

After coming back from Cocklemouth, I literally, emptied my case and repacked it for a trip to Paris. Now, travelling for pleasure is great fun. You can get up when you want, wear whatever's comfortable and go visit whatever you want, when you want to. Travelling for work if different. You have an obligation to look *smart*, spend time with colleagues, clients and vendors and most of all, it's not a time to slip off and go yarn shopping or seeing friends... well, you can slip away, discreetly for a night. Now, I'm going to admit that most of the Paris pictures weren't taken by me. Aside from the dead-give-away-ness of leafless trees in July, it was hot and I was too lazy to whip out my camera every few minutes. I just like having photos to illustrate what I'm yakking about.

Upon arriving in Gare du Nord, I sweated like a pig. It was hot and humid. The blanket of humidity was enough to make me not want to get out of the train! Paris in heat and humidity is dreadful.

Eurostar really takes the hassle out of going to Paris

Of course, I also forgot, July is the start of the annual summer holidays in Paris. So travelling was a bit of a challenge, as the Parisiennes debunked enmass to somewhere cooler and altogether more pleasant. Imagine traffic queues starting about 15 miles outside Lyons.

Tink, Kate and tadpole ... ok, so you can't really see tadpole, but if you didn't know Kate was expecting, you certainly can't tell it from her figure. As for Tink, she's got the most lovely hazel eyes, and I'm really sorry that my camera flash made her look a bit possessed.

I did managed to make time to visit with Tink and Kate, who taught me the pleasure of yakinikudon. We visted an Anny Blatt shop called Boutique Pelote in the Marais. Funny, I knew this shop when I was in Paris, the hubby (in pre-hubby days) and I used to stroll down rue des Francs-Bourgeois on Sundays, because lots of shops were open and there were lots of really nice restaurants in the area.

Tink also reminded me the pleasures of sitting outside on summer evenings sipping kirs (white wine with cassis liquer). Very civilised, I might add. The best bit of course, was I got to go back to my old stomping grounds.... Mouffetard. It was like a stroll down memory lanes.. the days when I did my shopping at La Mouffe before going to work.

La Mouffe

Rue Mouffetard is one of the city's oldest streets - a remnant of an old Roman road to Rome via Lyon. During the day, there's various mongers lining the long windy streets, selling vegetables, flowers, fresh fruits, meats, fish, poultry, and and lots of odds and ends. At night, it's all gone and the restaurants and bars open up. There are lots of old buildings, higgley-piggley squeezed together. I used to live towards the end with the Eglise St Médard, much more markety than touristy. It only took me a month to realised how lucky I was to find a flat in that area.

Eglise St Médard

Thanks girls, for a fabulous time. Finally, did you see what Tink made me? Aren't they gorgeous? Reminds me of a conversation with Mary that sometimes knitters spend so much time knitting for other people that we don't have very many handknitted things to enjoy ourselves.. so when Tink made me these, I was really touched. I don't have many hand-made socks, so these are especially appreciated.

They fit and in one of my favourite colours...