Why Yes, I Do Knit!

Two weeks ago I started my new "Friday Finds" feature, partly to post more than just my knitting and partly to encourage myself to post more often. However, I'm quickly finding that I'm STILL only posting on Fridays and the knitting has been all but forgotten.

Well, today is the day to rectify that (at least the knitting part, not the posting on more than just Friday).

And so, firstly...

:::Friday Finds:::



A set of vintage Size 14 (that's 2mm nowadays) Superfine Knitting Pins by Thos. Harper and Sons - Redditch, England.

See, see? It's already knitting related!



Held in the original wooden needle case and found locally, the label says "Full Set" and there are 4 pins inside, though I'm not sure if 4 is a full set or not.



The pins are a bit tarnished, though not rusty. I've read that you can clean old metal with vegetable oil and very fine steel wool, which I plan to try. I'll let you know how that goes.

Progress continues on Trinket.



I think I'm about a third of the way through, though I haven't bothered to measure yet - it's clearly WAAAY too short, so, really, why bother?



The yarn is Elann Silken Kydd in the pewter colourway. It's beautiful and lightweight, with a hint of silky shimmer. Gorgeous!

I mentioned a wee while back that I was going to be designing my own knitting pattern, which I have!

Almost...

I made a lovely pair of mittens, all I have to do is write the pattern, and as soon as that's done I'll post it here on the blog and make it available.

I just have to write it all down...and learn how to make a fancy word document...with swish fonts...and maybe some colours...and a chart...and do a photo shoot...and cut and paste some of those photos..and then make it into a pdf file.

Is it any wonder I don't post more often than Friday?

::: Friday Finds :::

One of the items on my mental checklist when I'm out looking through the vintage shops are old books with colour illustrations. Earlier this week I came across "The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini", translated by John Addington Symonds and illustrated by Salvador Dali.



I'm not going to lie, I didn't recognise the name Cellini, not having taken any classes in Art History, though I did recognise the name Dali, not being completely ignorant.

If you want to know more about either artist, just click on the links.

I've decided not to embarrass myself by nattering on about how stunning the illustrations are, I'm just going to let them speak for themselves...









It's no lie, that Dali fella sure could pick a paint colour, no?

And two more...

Last summer I found Hendrik Willem Van Loon's "Geography", with illustrations by the author. I fell completely in love with this book. Again, this was someone I'd never heard of before - though it turns out he's quite famous (I guess I should get out more).

If you want to find out more about Van Loon, you'll have to google him as blogger doesn't want to co-operate anymore today.



Van Loon's books are packed to the gills with facts and presented in a very engaging, airy style - aimed at the young adult crowd. Check out these fabulous sketches...







Also found last summer was Van Loon's "The Arts", a look at the Arts through the ages and how they related to their respective eras. Again, this is another book aimed at young adults, so it's written with a light and amusing touch.

There were two "bonuses" with this book, the original receipt,



and the original complimentary bookmark. It's one of the things I love about old books - the little treasures pressed between the pages - like a wee archealogical dig!



And, here are a few of the illustrations inside...











Fabulous-ness, yes?

Stumbling Over Roots and Branches

I recently stumbled over a tree branch. Family tree, that is. It's been very exciting. Jane and I have been working on the family tree for a few years now and though we've had fits and starts of information, it all pales in comparison to the treasure trove of photos and stories that arrived this week via another branch of the same tree (big thank yous to Gwen!). It's had the dual effect of opening discussions and ending speculation, and certainly given us all a big dose of history to digest. I'm going to leave it all at that, as I'm afraid you'd find it all very boring unless you were part of the family.

I've been thinking for some time that I should start a regular feature on the blog; something that would push me to post more regularly and also give my loyal readers (sounds grand doesn't it - but I can probably count them on one hand) a reason to seek out my blog each week. So starting today I'm going to feature:

:::Friday Finds:::

note: I might change the name down the road, I think I can do better than that.

Most people who know me, know that I'm always trolling through vintage shops and second-hand stores looking for objects that amuse me (or "objet qui m'amusent", hmm...sounding better already), so what better activity than displaying them on my blog? Oui?



Found recently, this fabulous package of sewing needles, probably from the fifties or sixties. Even better than the old graphics of the spat between two dogs and a cat, if you look out beyond the window, there's a tee pee and a half falling over tree - who thinks up this stuff? I can't see what this has to do with sewing.

The best part of the packaging is what's written at the top.



I can only assume that you could order them this way. When I saw them, of course I had to have them, as I'm a Harriett and my Mum is a Harriet, her Grandmother was a Harriett and her Grandmother's Grandmother was a Harriet (born 1828 - Dingley, Northhamptonshire). Of course, I had to have them, well worth the twenty-five cent asking price.

So there you go, my first "Friday Find". Let me know what you think of the new feature.

Also new this past week or so, I've decided to design my own knitting pattern.

I know, I know, that's a pretty big step.



It's going to be a pair of mittens, working title "Around Town", though that won't be the final title. I won't be showing too many details of the pattern, not until I've worked out all the bugs and have it thoroughly edited and ready to share. So there. I will say that it's stranded colourwork in fingering weight.



Also on the needles is Trinket by Kim Hargreaves, beautiful, and a thoroughly relaxing knit too.



And recently off the needles and blocked: Citron.



If anyone is looking for an easy project with fabulous results, this might be the one.



It could be worked in all different weights of yarn (I used lace-weight) and could be easily adapted to be much bigger if you desired. It would also look fantastic in all kinds of colours. Perfection.



Here's something else I like:

On and Off and On

That's the bag I've been using for my knitting lately, though last weeks motto should have been "Keep Calm Abandon Ship".

I had the worst series of attempts at projects. After finishing the Peak's Island Hood, which turned out perfectly, perfect and cosy...



I started work on the Liquid Silver Shawl by Rosemary Hill, which I'd been meaning to start for ages. Nigel got me the yarn for Christmas, I'd ordered the beads, the pattern was printed off and away I went. It wasn't too long before the dreaded "Rosemary Hill can't write a knitting pattern to save her life" issue rose it's ugly head. I've had a friend complain to me before about her patterns, how certain key pieces of information are simply omitted, but I insisted on believing that there was something faulty in how that knitter was reading the pattern (sorry Shelagh, I shouldn't have doubted) and that somehow I wouldn't have any trouble at all.

I was wrong.

I ripped out that pattern twice, the beaded border wasn't so difficult, though, why she fails to have a row 1 is beyond me - the pattern starts on row 2 and continues on to row 362. Why doesn't it just start on row 1 and continue to row 361? I've no idea...

I ended up ripping the border out once, on my second attempt I made it up into the body of the shawl, but quickly discovered that though the chart states that there is a 24 stitch repeat within each row (it's true, there is) Rosemary Hill has cleverly placed red line markers on the chart for 28 stitches. Urgh!

I tore it back a second time and decided not to bother at all, instead I'm going to make Trinket by Kim Hargreaves, it uses a similar yarn and beads. I'm very hopeful...

After all the unnecessary thinking (I'm just not up for it these days) of the Liquid Silver Shawl, I opted to knit the very easy Citron, from Knitty's winter edition. This entire wrap is just knit and purl (with increases and decreases) and was the ideal antidote to clear my head and feel accomplished. Sadly, I wasn't even a few inches into the pattern when I lost track of where I was and had to rip it all out and start over. I had been using a row counter, but it must have fallen to the floor and added 10 rows, because it didn't look right at all.

I started again and it's all fine now...



I'm working it in Estelle Super Alpaca Lace in charcoal, a gift from a friend at Christmas (Thank you Lori!). I love how it's working out, the pattern is very easy and the yarn gives the piece a very Victorian sort of air, I can see myself making a lot of these little shawl, in a variety of colours.

Also on the needles is a pair of Hat Heel Socks, another Knitty pattern, this one from Autumn of last year.



I'm not usually a fan of hand-knit socks, but these ones called to me. I think the unusual construction might just make them fit my feet. We shall see...



I'm using Twinkle Toes sock yarn by Dublin Dye Company, dyed by Elana, a friend of Elly's from Dublin. If I remember correctly, Elly gave it to me for Christmas in 2008, though it may have been for my birthday that year, I can't honestly remember. I like how the heel shows all the colours in the yarn, very bright and happy.

And that's the story of what's been off and on the needles lately.

I'm off now to bake some peanut butter cookies.

The Last Word (I Promise) on that Home Reno

I'm sure a lot of you are getting sick of hearing about the big reno of this year, but Jane requested better snaps of the back splash, and I'm about to oblige.

However, I'll give you a couple of shots of knitting first, that way if you're truly sick to the teeth of hearing about my kitchen you can just move on quickly.

I think I've mentioned before how I'm completely smitten with Scottish designer Ysolda Teague, specifically, her patterns. Well, recently I bought her pattern set Whimisical Little Knits 2, having bought book 1 last year, and I promptly started the Peak's Island Hood.



I'm using Adagio by Skacel leftover from this project, recently finished. (I'm not sure what possessed me to buy 20 skeins of this yarn, even after finishing this second project I'm sure to have five to six still left.) I'm loving this pattern so far, I haven't reached the shaping for the hood part, but it just makes so much sense to me to have the bulk of the knitting in the central part of the scarf and the sensible closure on the front so the piece lays flat against the chest, not adding any bulk under a heavy winter coat. I also heartily approve of the use of vintage buttons.

I'm going to say it again, I love Ysolda.

I'll show you the finished project when I get to that point.

I finished the Kauni cardigan that I'd been knitting off and on since October.



The Kauni colours are fantastic, the only downside to this yarn is its "naturalness", if they could produce this kind of colourway in a superwash merino I'd buy reams and reams of the stuff.

Over the last few years I've been on a "gotta try that" sort of kick, where I see something advertised or being used by some other blogger and I rush out to experiment with the same thing myself, and I have to admit, that though I've found a few textiles, or patterns, or techniques that are keepers, I've found an awful lot of things that just aren't for me.

And so...

I think this year will be a year of a more (brace yourself) prudent me. Not to say that my blog title won't accurately describe me - I fear it shall - but I'm feeling the need for more thinking and less doing.

******I can hear friends and family snickering as I type******

Alright, on to the reno snaps.



I'd like to mention a few final numbers that are important to know in the event you plan to embark on a similar sized home renovation.



1/3 - one third, people. That's how much bigger our house is now - seems like such a small number, and yet it's a whole heck of a lotta' space.



72 - the number of days we had to wait between ordering the stove and when it was finally installed, that's a fair wait.



18 - the number of months we ACTUALLY went without a stove. The true story is that the stove that was here when we bought the house quit on us in June 2008, a repairman let us know that whoever installed the stove did so and THEN installed the kitchen floor (did I mention that there use to be someone who owned this house who thought they were some kind of fabulous Mr. Fixit - he wasn't). This is what pushed us to do the reno when we did.

Now stop and consider that for a moment - 18 months with no stove or oven, only a hotplate and a small toaster oven; 18 months of cooking for the family (Christmas, Birthdays, Wednesdays) with less than adequate equipment. I'm a saint.



186.5 - that's the number of feet of baseboards I painted. Remember, I did all the painting on the second level. If 186.5 feet doesn't sound like a lot to some of you, then get down on your hands and knees and just, say, wash the baseboards in an average sized room, then picture sanding, priming, sanding, painting(first coat), sanding, and painting(second coat) in five of those rooms.

Its a lot.



2 - that's the number of times I found myself shopping at the local supermarket wearing my slippers. I was a tad overwhelmed at times.



1 - one fabulous finished project. Hooray for being finished.

Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

A Fear Conquered

How was everyone's holiday? I didn't mean to take an extended break from posting to this blog, but then, I suppose, I never intend to and yet...always seem to manage.



I finished Incognito for Ian's Christmas. It was a hit!

I asked him to "act naturally" for some photos...







Nicely done Ian...

and it fits Gus too!



Do you remember way,way back in the Autumn I was working on the Kauni Cardi? Yes? Well, it came time to cut the steeks back in October and I just couldn't quite bring myself to take the scissors to my knitting, so I set the project aside. I'd been telling people that the sewing machine was packed away due to the reno and I couldn't possibly dig it out and use it (that may have been a slight exaggeration). However, last week I decided since the year was ending it was time to clear out old projects and , if not finish them, then at least progress towards the end. One evening between Christmas and New Year's I thought I should take a look at where I was in the pattern (it was exactly where I'd left it, needing to run it through the sewing machine), and so, decided to unpack the sewing machine...

...and then well, just, perhaps, run the sections through the machine, which I did...

...and then, without even stopping to think (I'm clearly still exhausted from the reno) I grabbed the scissors and cut, cut, cut...

I hadn't even stopped to get the camera in order to document the momentous occasion.





so, that was that, steeks done, no problem.

Now, it's onwards to the sleeves...



I wonder what Yoda would stay, "Try not. Do!" I suppose.

On an unrelated note, let me show you one of the new calendars (I love calendars) that I have in the house:



Arthur Rackham - fabulous pictures - and my frind Bruce will find this one extra special..



He gets double the number of birthdays without aging an extra year! Sadly, November 9ths are out of luck this year.