Snowdrops

These lovely snowdrops were waiting for us on our back "lawn" this morning. They are so pretty and fragile looking I thought I'd better whip out the camera straight away.

Ok, now why not go over and pay a visit to my friend Mhairi's new blog Flavaknits .
She's got a new camera, some knitting needles and a crochet hook, and she ain't afraid to use them!

As I type this she's probably at the Glasgow Knitting Meetup, which I am missing as I am out in the countryside looking at snowdrops and pregnant sheep etc. x K

Call the SSPCA

Call the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

Or perhaps the SSPCA if you are north of the border.

I don't do pets as you know, but I feel sorry for this noble beast being dressed up like a dolly in a pram.
I would to see me try to dress up Wesley the Weimaraner who works at M and D's in such kit.

There are many things about Rowan I do like, but I think this Knitted Dog Coats or words to that effect is a step too far. Poor creatures.
I nearly piddled my breeks when I read Yarn in my Pocket's warning that a jumper made from Big Wool even makes a whippet look fat. Thanks very much for the links. x K

Photo essay part one

What happens when you pick up your Sunflower Yarn Swift from the postal depot and play with your Noro Hana 100% Silk which you bought from Get Knitted .
Too keen to get started to hunt for ball winder so just balled by hand.
Feast your eyes!

Photo essay part two

300th anniversary of the Act of Union

In 1707 the Act of Union was signed.

Here's a song based on a 1700s text brought to my attention by Dick Gaughan on the subject.

Independence AND harmony with our neighbours? Now there's an idea........

What's the spring-breathing jasmine and rose ?
What's the summer with all its gay train?
Or the splendour of autumn to those
Who've bartered their freedom for gain?

Let the love of our land's sacred rights
To the love of our people succeed.
Let friendship and honour unite
And flourish on both sides the Tweed.

No sweetness the senses can cheer
Which corruption and bribery bind.
No brightness that gloom can e'er clear
For honour's the sum of the mind.

Let virtue distinguish the brave,
Place riches in lowest degree.
Think them poorest who can be a slave,
Them richest who dare to be free.

Hope Dick sings this when we go to see him at Celtic Connections this year.

Kaleidoscope

Hiya,
I've been mucking about with our digital camera.
During the Christmas holidays I discovered all these different special effects that I didn't know it was capable of.
I'll show you some of my favourites over the next couple of weeks.
This one is "Kaleidoscope" and I've given you the before and after pix to compare.
You can adjust your centre point (within certain perameters) to get the effect you're looking for.
I think it looks cool.
You can do it with faces too, but I'll have to get permission before showing you some of them.



You may have noticed from my banner above that I am "Knitting from my Stash" Gulp.
Most of my New Year Resolutions are to do with the home, but I thought I'd come clean about my New Year "Aspiration" (see, I'm watering it down already) to knit from my stash for a while.
I always seem to skim relatively recent purchases off the top of the stash, and seldom dig deep into the realms of history, so I'm going to try to do that more. I have a couple of different exceptions (my niece is expecting again, yay!) and exclusions (I can buy top-ups for projects which need additional supplies) and jokers (trips to Paris, new season's products from the manufacturers) but I am endeavouring, in fact, aspiring, in fact, resolving to knit from my stash for the foreseeable future.
Wish me luck!

More Christmas Knitting Revealed

Ruffles from Scarf Style.

Thank you for the lovely comments on my Froth Scarf in my last post. Okay, as many of you guessed, some of my secret knitting a few weeks ago was the Ruffles Scarf from Scarf Style. I made it for Sarah (Mom's Knitting Again) who had been so generous to me in this year's Rowan exchange. I was conscious of the fact that living in Louisiana she may be better with a scarf for style rather than warmth as such, so this combination was born. Now I know she has safely received it and is happy with it I can show it to you properly. I was delighted with the finished product but I must warn you- doing the recommended amount of stitches in this yarn results in quite a narrow boa. (Which suited my purposes for the above reasons.)

I used Louisa Harding Kimono Angora shade# 02 for this. I purchased mine in Stitching Time in Hamilton, but I see Cucumber Patch stock this shade at the moment too. http://www.cucumberpatch.co.uk/kimono_angora.htm

I keep observing how I (and many other bloggers) return to the same colour combinations. This is the scarf next to the socks which the recipient Sarah sent to me! Magnetically drawn.

The corkscrew effect worked a treat.

It's Frothy Man!

This is the Froth scarf which came as a Members' Bonus with Rowan International last year. I chose the colour "Trance" as my renewal goodie.

Here is the pattern made up in "Heavenly" Kid Silk Haze and "Medici" Kid Silk Spray. I made the scarf both wider and longer than the original pattern, but I wasn't restricted by yarn amounts as you would be if you used the two balls provided. I basically kept going with the main shade until I had virtually run out of yarn from two balls (160cm) and made the ruffles with the toning colour. I M*A*Y have been able to eke out the edging by holding both ends of one ball of the contrast, but I was working to a deadline and preferred just to use two balls simultaneously.





I knew this was a lovely pattern because I had seen various versions knitted up at my Knitting Meetup Group and I have to say I was delighted how it turned out. The silk content gives a lovely gloss to the yarn too. Bearing in mind I made the scarf larger in all dimensions than the original pattern I ended up casting off 885 stitches for the ruffle - twice!!! (One long and one short edge at a time.) That's a lot of stitches, even for someone who has knitted a few shawls by now.

This was given as a Christmas present to my father-in-law's wife, Cynthia. She was delighted with it and it made all of those ruffle stitches worth it when she said that although she had knitted for others for years, no-one had ever knitted anything for her before. Well worth it. Another first is that this is the first time I have truly been at one with knitting KSH. Re-sult!
(By the way, "It's frothy, man" was a slogan used years ago for Cresta sherbet crystals you stirred into cold water to make a fizzy drink.)

Happy New Year everyone. Hope 2007 is good to you. xxx