Whoosh...this is the summer going!

Hello,

Have you noticed? Or is just me that feels the summer, as always, is flying past! 

My job is a '52-weeks-a year' job so I do have to work over the summer, although I try to 

save as much of my annual leave entitlement as I can for the summer. I find myself trying to squeeze in days out and away with family and friends around work commitments. 

I do love the summer, I relish the opportunities to sit outside to eat meals  - eating 

breakfast outside feels so decadent, especially at 6am before I go to work, why is that?

I have to make the most of the longer (and hopefully warmer) days and spend as much
time as I can out of doors.

I am having fun knitting Rachel Coopey's Hartwith hat using Baa Ram Ewe's 

Titus yarn in Goathland. This is 4 ply yarn so for me it will take a while to complete this

 knit but there is something very soothing about knitting this cabled pattern.

 I have almost completed Susan Howatch's 'The High Flyer'. This is the second in a trilogy 

but silly me read book three first so I have in effect nearly finished the trilogy. It has been 

an interesting read although I have found the end of book 2 a bit laborious and tedious. 

This trilogy is being passed to a friend when read so that will be 3 more books off my 

shelf - YAY!

.I am joining in with Ginny's yarn along - please have a look at her great blog. 

Happy summer holidays to you all

xXx 

Five on Friday.....treats!!

Hello

We've all seen these blog posts before - a parcel of yarny-goodness arrives which sends 

the  recipient into raptures! I'm happy to admit that I am one of those people, a ball
of yarn makes me very happy!

So, this is a bit of a warning, if you are not into yarn-filled parcels you may wish to 

finish reading now

So....this week I attended a 2-day course in Oxford, and I returned home on Wednesday 

evening to two parcels, yes two parcels. The first was a bit of an extravagant buy. I had 

seen the making bookzine on blogger and instagram posts and thought it looked great

but sadly I couldn't find anywhere in the UK with copies still in stock so I decided to 

buy a copy from the US. It arrived very promptly and beautifully packaged and it 

hasn't disappointed. It's one of those bookzines I can just browse numerous times, 

without even making anything from it! 

Making has some beautiful knitted, cross stitch, needle felting, sewing projects and even

 more...with, as you might expect, some beautiful photography. 

Two of my favourite projects are this cowl

and this cardigan and hat. 

I'll have to make sure that I am a bit quicker off the mark with hitting the 'buy'

 button when making no. 2 is published!

My second parcel was from Meadow Yarn. I have been eyeing this book Toasty volume 2 

by Rachel Coopey for some time offering a selection of gorgeous and fun patterns for hats, 

and the odd scarf and pair of mittens. 

I also bought 2 more skeins of Baa Ram Ewe's Titus yarn - this time shades Aire and Filey. 

And ooo, how lovely my new shades look with my Titus remnants, lots of ideas in my head. 

And looks my holiday knitting might almost be sorted.... but on the other hand there are 

some lovely new Titus shades just launched!

I'm joining in with Amy's Five on Friday - thank you for hosting Amy!

Are you expecting any parcels? It is fun to receive them isn't it? 

Have a good weekend. 

xXx

Yarn along....stockings and The Heartbreaker!

Hello,

Well I've been a bit quiet recently but I'm still reading and knitting, and today I'm joining

 in with Ginny's yarn along. 

Here I am reading 'The Heartbreaker' by Susan Howatch.  I've had this book on my shelf 

for a while (as you can see from the photo it is looking a little jaded) and as I'm trying to 

have a de-clutter I decided this was a book I would read and then pass on. I am quite 

enjoying it but I certainly would not bother reading it a second time so I'm just happy 

that I know this isn't going back on the shelf - yay, a bit of space cleared! 

The only downside is that I was about half way through this book when I realised that it is 

the third of a trilogy and that I have the two earlier books also on my shelf and of course 

haven't read either!! Doh! I was too far through this one to put it to one side to start with 

the first book, so I am resigned to reading them in the wrong order, oh well....

As for my knitting, I've just started my 4th (of 5) Osen Christmas stocking. Each is knitted 

in a different colour way in gorgeous Titus yarn, although I'm not sure this is quite an Osen 

stocking as I have changed the Fairisle pattern to my own design. Hopefully, as it is only 

just July, I should get stockings 4 and 5 completed in time for Christmas!

Happy knitting and/or reading!

xXx

Birdsong....and Ginny's yarn along

Hello,

Once again joining in with Ginny's yarn along. 

So I am re-reading Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. 

I first read this book several years ago and thought it was quite good 

and decided to have another go at it. 

I think my current opinions on it are very similar to those when I read it the first time. 

"It's quite good" but not a top 10 favourite.

The descriptions of life in the first world war trenches is impressive. 

 Knitting continues to be "those" socks for younger son, but I am on the home run.

 One sock finished, and turned the heel on the second sock so the finishing line is in sight! Yippee!

And today's photo is rather special: I took it outside in warm sunshine, yes, warm sunshine. 

Thank goodness I was working at home today and could nip outside to appreciate even just a few  minutes some very welcome sunshine.

Do have a look at the gorgeous yarn Ginny is using, it reminds me of a green meadow full of summer flowers.  

I hope you have managed to enjoy a bit of sunlight today!

                                                                                  xXx

And P.S. (all non-football-fans look away now): 

well done Leicester City on winning the Premier League!!! 

Yarn along.. blue thread and stripey socks (still!)

Hello,

Once again joining in with Ginny's yarn along. 

Looking back at my yarnalong post of 2 weeks ago, I can hardly believe that I have yet

 to finish younger son's first sock! But boy, these men socks seem to take much more 

knitting than socks designed for my size 5 feet! 

I can happily zip along knitting socks for me as I know the size perfectly and a quick

 count of rows every so often, and then I'm off again. Whereas with this unfamiliar sock 

size I have to keep stopping, finding my tape measure, deciding how much I should stretch 

the socks while measuring them and cogitating whether I have reached the desired size 

yet, while also having a slight concern in a corner of my mind as to whether I'll have 

enough wool for a second sock. 

In comparison to the relatively slow progress in my sock, and despite an initial inability to concentrate on Ian McEwan's 'Atonement', I eventually got 'into it' and loved it! I think it 

might even become one of my top 10 favourite reads! McEwan gives very detailed 

descriptions of everyday happenings and objects, but it all helps to build the tension. I

 couldn't understand the purpose of the postscript at first but on reflection I can see now 

how it explains much of the story - I shan't say more in case you wish to read it.  

Now onto my next book 'A spool of blue thread' by Anne Tyler which has been 

recommended by several people - I'm looking forward to it!

And finally, thank you to everyone for your kind comments on my last yarnalong post. 

The family/child-related problem was eventually sorted last night, just over 2 weeks after

 it first raised its ugly head. Two weeks of stress, albeit it in peaks and troughs, and now

 time for some calm again in the family.....

Wishing you a peaceful week

xXx

Yarn along... stripy socks and Atonement

Hello

Here I am joining in with Ginny's Wednesday yarn along. 

I recently finished a pair of socks for me 

(I hope this link to the photo on my instagram account works!) 

Younger son seemed particularly taken with them and asked for a pair of very bright 

hand knitted socks. And of course if someone actually asks us to knit something for them, 

we get very excited, and so I rushed off to scour the internet for suitable wool and came
up with the above. Yes, son approved, wool was ordered, arrived 2 days later
and off we went, socks cast on - weeeee........ 

But I am having to knit a larger size than normal and making a few other adjustments. 

I tried them on his feet yesterday and he was wiggling and giggling like

 a toddler - he's nearly 20!! But I am enjoying knitting these - those bright colours

 can hardly fail to lift the spirits can they?

As for my book, well I have read a couple of Ian McEwan's books and really

 enjoyed them. We are reading his 'Atonement' for our book club. Sadly, I haven't read 

far into the book yet as my mind has been distracted by family events, you know those

 sort of 'children-related' events that occur every so often and that stress the heck out of

 you. Anyway, given time, as with all of life's little ups and downs I'm sure our 

present bumps will soon be smoothed...

I hope you are enjoying your current read!

xXx

Yarn along!

Hello

Joining in with Ginny's yarn along this week. 

So I'm reading 'The Nazis: A Warning From History'. I wonder how many of you remember 

this as a BBC TV series back in the late 1990s. I have read this before but as part of my 

mission to de-clutter I decided this was one book I would read once again and then pass
on. I am making slow progress though as I get distracted by facts and find myself
continually stopping to look up lots of extra details on Wikipedia. Still, it is quite nice
to be distracted in such a way. 

In the introduction there is a quote from Karl Jaspers, a German-born philosopher

"That which has happened is a warning. To forget it is guilt. It must be continually 

remembered. It was possible for this to happen, and it remains possible for it to happen 

again at any minute. Only in knowledge can it be prevented."

I'd like to think that was true but sadly I am not wholly convinced. 

As for these socks, oh boy they are taking me an age to knit. I've been suffering with that 

awful cold/cough bug that is going round and I haven't even had the energy to knit. 

Instead I have sat and read.... not a bad substitute.

Happy reading/knitting!

xXx

'A Man Called Ove' nearly over, and Osen continues...

Hello,

Once again, joining in with Ginny's yarnalong. 

• Book progress: 'A man called Ove' nearly finished. I have enjoyed this more than I anticipated and it hasn't at all matched my preconceptions of it. It has even brought me to the edge of tears in a couple of places, the moments when Sonja puts her finger in Ove's palm. Why do I get so upset about that??

• Osen Christmas stocking: this is progressing quite well, helped by a long drive south last Sunday for daughter's football match. The slowest part for me is now knitted - just rows of stocking stitch mainly to come, with a bit of interest to be found with the after-thought heel.

• and why the use of bullet points and subheadings in this week's yarnalong post? Because I feel this is one piece of advice that I give over and over again at work as part of my role. "It's helpful to use bullet points, subheadings and white spaces to make it easier for the reviewer to read your sections". Yep, I've got the white spaces too. Clearly bringing my work home with me. Mmmm, maybe I need to get out more!

How is your knitting progressing? Are you enjoying your current read?

Hope you have a good week - daughter and I are crossing our fingers for some snow, even a bit of sleet would be very exciting, but I think we may be looking to the skies in vain.

Best wishes

xXx

Yarn along - Bad Pharma and Folksong scarf!

Hello,

Joining in with Ginny's yarn along, and because I am not working today for a

change I'm posting this surprisingly early for me on a Wednesday.

 

On the needles:

my second girl's chunky scarf in Sirdar Folksong.

This scarf is for daughter and so mostly gets knitted when she isn't around.

 

The first one I knitted for daughter was safely stored in my gifts cupboard but was

summarily called into service about two weeks ago. Daughter had been invited to a party

and had forgotten all about until a friend rang from the pizza restaurant for the birthday

 meal and asked "Where are you?"!

 

So we had to find a gift immediately and I suggested we gave this scarf as a gift.

Daughter of course hadn't seen it and said how nice it was, and asked whether it had been

intended as a gift for her. I had to admit that it was so I promised I would knit another one

for her. I think Sirdar have discontinued this wool but thankfully I managed to find

some more on ebay.

This should be finished in time for Christmas.

 

My book:

Bad Pharma by Ben Goldacre.

Loving this book!

This book describes how data in medicine is misused and unused, and so doctors

 are making decisions, such as prescribing drugs without having a full picture of a

drug's efficacy and side effects.

Loved Ben's previous book too Bad Science, especially the chapter on Gillian McKeith.

 

Happy reading and knitting!

xXx

Yarn along!

Hello, 

Today I'm joining in with Ginny's 'yarn along'.

 I'm making some progress with my Osen Christmas stocking knitted in Titus yarn. 

This yarn is so soft that I think I will be wearing this Christmas stocking, rather than 

hanging it up hopefully on Christmas Eve! 

Progress on this has slowed recently because I've been distracted by crocheting 

little red Christmas gift bags.  

I am making even less progress with 'The Full Cupboard of Love' - I just don't 

seem to be able to concentrate on reading at the moment. 

Looking forward eagerly to my next book!

xXx

PS Thank you for all the lovely messages left on my last post - and for all the offers of drives on which to park my campervan! Fun times beckon!

Answering a distress call: yarn along

Hello!

Thank you for all your comments to my "yarn along" post last week. 

Some of you asked what I thought to the book I was reading 

'The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters' and I have to admit that I have 

abandoned it, at least for now but maybe forever. 

I found it quite hard going reading the letters, keeping track of who was writing 

to who, and as it was a huge book I realised it would take me some time 

to finish it. From reading a portion of the letters you can glean an idea of 

their style of writing and their personalities and I think that is sufficient for me. 

A few years ago I read 'The Mitford Girls: the biography of an extraordinary family' 

by Mary S. Lovell and I think if you are interested in learning about the Mitford sisters this would be my first recommendation. 

So I have moved onto Ian McEwan's The Child in Time. I have found this quite challenging to read in parts with detailed descriptions of issues I have not considered before, but I have also found it amusing, insightful and sad. 

And as to my "answering a distress call" - a few years ago, on a whim, I knitted 

my work colleague a phone sock, and I have to admit it always surprised me quite 

how much she loved it, so when she changed her phone she asked me to 

knit her a new, slightly larger sock, which I was more than happy to do. 

However, a couple of weeks ago I received a 'distress' text from my colleague saying 

she had lost her sock and would I knit her a new one. Of course, once again I was 

more than happy to oblige and so here I am knitting a new one! 

Joining in with Ginny's yarn along on a much-drier-than-forecast Wednesday. 

xXx

One messy cosy: Six Mitford sisters. Yarn along

Hello, 

Well I'm still struggling with my tea cosy - I feel I have been knitting this for 

many months and it is taking me far longer than it should. 

My problem is that I need to have an empty pot to use as a model, 

and an empty pot is rarely seen in our house. 

Also, I need a good hour or two to really crack on and get the 

pattern sorted, but at the moment I never seem to find that elusive hour or two! 

 So while I do battle with my tea cosy I'm reading The Mitfords: letters between sisters.

What an interesting family, especially the close links of some family members with Hitler.

 It makes fascinating reading. 

Joining in with Ginny's Yarn along.

Best wishes

xXx

Bulging Brains...yarn along!

Hello

Here I am joining in with Ginny's yarn along. I haven't joined in for weeks so 

it feels good to be back. 

Now, dare I admit that I'm currently reading a book from the Horrible Science series

 "Bulging Brains". For those of you who may not know, these books are written for children

 in a humourous style. There is also a series called Horrible Histories. We have just a few of

 these but as the children are, well, hardly children any more, I've decided it is time these

 books found a new home so I am reading them and then taking them to the charity shop. 

I'm still knitting my Snowflake table runner - I say still knitting...it has progressed little

 recently because I've been cross stitching little ornaments instead like this one and these.

But I do feel a growing urge to finish this table runner!

Happy knitting and reading

xXx

A geographical miscellany!

Hello

Thank you for the lovely comments you left on my last post - I appreciate you taking the time to leave comments and I do enjoy reading them.

Today I am joining in with Ginny's yarn along. My yarn along this week has a distinctive geographical flavour. 

Firstly, I am re-reading Alexander McCall Smith's '44 Scotland Street', based in Edinburgh. The first time of reading I didn't enjoy this book as much as his The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency but I thought I would give it another go. 

And as for my knitting, well I recently purchased Nordic Knits written by Martin Storey, which has some beautiful projects in it, many using my favourite yarn of the moment, Rowan felted tweed dk. 

And so on my needles I have just started knitting the Snowflake Runner using the colours 

Seasalter (a light denim blue) and Clay. 

It does feel a bit strange to be making another table runner when I have only just finished a Christmas table runner but I think the snowflake is not so 'snow flakey' that it means I can only use it over Chritmas - I think this will be adorning our dining table for a few months of the year!

What have you currently on your needles? Are you desperately trying to finish off Christmas presents? Have a good week!

xXx

My cottage by the sea and still Felix!

Hello, well, after completing two knitted projects this week, yes two, I have gone back to knitting my own little bit of paradise by the sea.

I posted about this kit here.

My friend also bought this kit and completed her own little cottage long ago and it is so cute! Although she did say that sewing the roses round the door, or in other words, sewing on the beads, was a bit tricky so I'm not looking forward to that bit.

I am still reading The Map of Time by Felix J Palma. This is taking me a looong time, but only because I have been distracted by other events and so I just haven't been reading much recently.

Some nights I have been so tired that by the time I get to bed I don't even bother trying to read, instead I turn the light off immediately,

 and thankfully I am one of those people who can fall asleep within seconds! 

Joining with Ginny's yarn along.

**    Happy knitting    **

xXx

My shawl is nearly there!

Yay,  I've nearly finished my Sirdar Freya shawl. 

I haven't exclusively knitted my shawl this week - I have also added an inch or two to my socks.

As to my book, I'm still reading The Map of Time by Felix J Palma and 

I am about one third of the way through it. 

While I was really excited by this book when I started reading it, it isn't turning out quite as I was expecting and I'm not enjoying it quite so much. But having said that, it's an easy read and a bit different so I'm happy to continue with it.

Joining in again with Ginny's yarn along.

Happy knitting!

xXx

Yarning along on a sunny September day

Well thank you to everyone who commented on last week's yarn along post 

- your comments were lovely to read 

but I fear that you may all be expecting something spectacularly stunning to emerge from my yarn and needles and that you might find the end result disappointingly functional. 

I really hope that isn't the case. 

 Anyway, I have made good progress with my shawl during the last week. This is an easy knit, 

just plain old stocking stitch with the odd couple of rows of garter stitch 

thrown in to break up the plainness.

I took these photos in the garden - we are enjoying some beautiful sunny days here in the UK. 

The mornings have been misty and I love driving to work through a particular village where the mist lies low over the fields and at the time I am driving the sun is just poking above the mist, 

a huge orange orb.

And as for my book.... I have just started reading "The Map of Time" by Felix J Palma which, so far, I am enjoying very much but I think it will take me some time to finish as it is a loooong book.

Joining in with Ginny's yarn along. 

Best wishes

xXx

Yarn along: Queen Victoria and "brushed winter cotton"

I work in one of those frustrating offices which is stifling hot in the summer and cold, with chill breezes in the winter. So last year I knitted myself a shawl to keep at work and I LOVE it! It has been so useful, I just throw it over my shoulders when I'm sat at my desk and feeling cool, and throw it off again when I need to leave the office. 

So I then thought I would probably make good use of one at home too - I work at home quite regularly and it's easy to get cold when sat still at a desk working. 

The first shawl I knitted using Sirdar Freya in First Frost 851, a blue colour (as the name suggests!) I do enjoy knitting with this wool  - it is light to knit with, a bit fluffy and very warm. Sirdar describe it thus:

"Freya is Sirdar's beautifully soft, brushed winter cotton. This gorgeous yarn comes in a range of gentle tweedy colours." 

 So when I was in Filey last week and was browsing in a great craft shop there called The Beachcomber, it took me very little time to choose 4 more balls of Sirdar Freya for my next shawl, but this time I chose grey, Gosling 857.

I cast on last night. For my first shawl, I made up a simple pattern and as it resulted in a shawl I was happy with, I am following the same pattern. It is such a quick knit for me too. Perfect!

And as for my book, I am reading "Queen Victoria, her life and times 1819-1861" by 

Cecil Woodham-Smith which I am enjoying very much. 

Joining in once again with Ginny's yarn along. 

xXx

Sock wool and travel kettles!

Hello

Last week in Ginny's yarn along I said I was about to start reading The Amateur Gentleman, but actually this never happened. I have come away on holiday with three fifths of my family (eldest son is away doing his own thing in Romania), and strangely for the first few days I couldn't settle to reading any book. In fact I struggled to settle to anything while sat on a train, flitting from reading a book on George Washington (which remains uncompleted), a puzzle book and my knitting. I think my brain just needed a complete rest.

Anyway I am now back reading and my current read is Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith which I am enjoying, a story so far set mainly in Russia in 1953. Before starting this I quickly read Of Mice and Men, always a good read.

As to my knitting, well I'm back to the old portable project of sock knitting. I am now just knitting the heel of the second sock so making some progress.

In typically British fashion, I do enjoy a cup of tea, so even though I have had to pack lightly for this holiday I still managed to find room in my suitcase for my travel kettle which I have now had many years. Of course the kettle doesn't really take up much room because I stuff things in it when travelling, and this time I found my kettle was the perfect receptacle for ....... spare sock wool!

So, what are you reading and yarning this week?

xXx

This week's yarn along

Hello,

Joining in with Ginny's yarn along. I am just about to start reading that tatty old book in my photo.

It has been languishing on my shelf for years. I can't even remember where it came from but it is a book printed in a small old fashioned font, my favourite, so I am looking forward to getting stuck into it. 

As to my yarn work, this week I have crocheted a few more rows on my blanket (after having to pull 6 rows out when I realised I'd used my yarn in the wrong order - argh! So frustrating! It's good to see that the blanket is still growing.

I wonder what you are reading, and what yarn project you are creating this week. 

Enjoy the rest of your week

xXx