Two massive sleeves. Soon be time to pick up stitches for the collar. 

Tagged and ready to set in. 

Tricked!

Ha, he tricked me, he didn't take me to Glasgow Green, he took me to The Wallace Monument instead. Nice run through to Stirling, good walk up Abbey Craig, and up the 432 steps to the top. Very exhilarating and great view in all directions.
There is an exhibition on each level so you don't have to do all the stairs at once, thankfully. As you coiled round the narrow stone spiral staircase you could hear the audio visual display of the next floor getting closer. It motivates you to get excited about hearing about Scottish history, if only for a breather. It's very well-done actually.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and it was just what I was looking
for in an afternoon out.




Ben Ledi and the Trossachs.










And just in case, you're wondering, McAree Brothers is shut on a Sunday. Trust me, I looked!

I've finished my two big sleeves, which are only fractionally smaller than the front, but I've still got a bit of work ahead of me.

Added later: Forgot to tell you that the fajitas were delicious!

The best laid plans...

When I suggested to DH last night that we should "go a run in the car" on Sunday, he seemed quite enthusiastic, so I decided not to blog last night, in case I had some stunning pictures by the end of today.
Well, this morning I find that he would like a run to Glasgow Green (10 mins away) so he has plenty of time to marinate his fajitas.
I will not moan as I will get the good of the fajitas, instead I have taken a picture from the archive. This is our friend Roddy with Jonathan at the top of Doach Wood, near Castle Douglas. I am behind the camera.

The views are out towards Balcary Bay and Hestan Island on the Solway Firth. (You may have heard in the news this week that more cockle pickers ran into difficulty with the tides on this stretch this week.)
J used to have cottages to rent over at Balcary Bay, and his mum still lives nearby. In fact, d'ya wanna buy a cottage? He'll be putting the last one on the market this spring.

Had a great night out with some knitting friends on Friday night. Was treated to a look at Jill's beautiful engagement ring, fondled Theresa's KSH jumper, heard all about the wedding Heather had done all the sewing for, admired India's new hairdo and toe-up sock, and got to meet the well-travelled Irene for the first time. Hope it won't be too long till the next time, Irene!

In the meantime, enjoy scenes of Dumfries and Galloway.... :-)

(In knitting I am working away on my sleeves, and measuring, measuring, measuring.) 

Should I be afraid if...

... the model in the picture has rolled her sleeves up about six times?

(Sorry, this is the clearest picture I can find at the moment. Martin Storey Garter-Rib Sweater, Classic Knits for Real Women, All Seasons Cotton)

I've finished the increases on every fourth row on both sleeves simultaneously. I'm wondering if I should do the remaining incs on every sixth row as per pattern, or more frequently to get to the correct stitch count with less length. I need a certain stitch count for the raglan shaping.

The schematic is only helpful up to a point, I think the 'problem' is that although the sleeve length shown (45cm) is not bad, because it's a baggy jumper, your 45cm is not starting close to your torso, but on the fabric of the roomy body of the jumper.

Any thoughts gratefully considered....

Coincidence

I'm not a member of Project Spectrum, it's just a coincidence that I am showing you swathes of orange fabric!
Looking back in my archives I can see that I posted an ALMOST identical picture on the 25th of January. They probably look the same to the untrained eye, but I can assure you that this time I am offering you the back and the front of this garter rib jumper. The almost imperceptible neck shaping of the front is the only give away that there are two layers on top of one another.
I worked on this at our meet-up at the Tramway Theatre yesterday which was good fun as always. Some lovely new members coming these days, as well as old friends.
Still quite a lot of knitting ahead of me in the raglan sleeves and the cowl collar. Good job I am on Easter holiday now, plenty of time to get cracking!
Happy Knitting x K 

She's on the PC!

I'm on the PC tonight, not the lappy, so I have pictures. Hurrah!
This is the fruit of my labours while waiting to be discharged from Jury Service. I did all of the blue knitting while hanging around in the Court buildings, then added the white edging and flowery shell buttons afterwards. Using this famous Sirdar Indigo takes a little longer than other yarns because you have to do the whole washy shrinky thing.
I think it looks like a skate fish and DH thinks it looks like a kite, but trust me, when I am walking in the countryside in the Isle of Mull in July this year it will keep the sun off my head (I reckon it will be glorious weather, he he), my hair out of my eyes, and the pesky midges at bay. To answer your question from a couple of days ago Carol, the midges are not a problem at this time of year, certainly not where I live, but give it a few months and they'll be out in force!
I don't have any daylight pictures, or ones of me wearing it yet, but I can show you last year's model which did me proud, again on the Isle of Mull.
In other knitting I am seaming, picking up stitches, darning ends and generally panicking about the stripy child's cardigan! Hope to show you the completed garment very very soon.

Last year's midge scarf on Mull!

 

Smooth Start for Scotland's Smoking Ban

Anatomy of a reader!

He he, I've got you guys and gals sussed - I get a dozen or so comments when I acquire vast quantities of yarn, and next to nothing when I give you a unique insight into the Scottish criminal justice system, tells me a lot! :-)
Oh well, you'll just have to humour me then when I tell you I am delighted about the ban which has come into force today in Scotland - no smoking in enclosed public places.
Yippee! I am delighted by this forward-looking move by the Scottish Executive and it means not only will people who work in bars and cafes etc be spared all the passive smoke, it means I will be able to breathe, knit, chat, breathe, eat and breathe in cafes round the city.
I think it will also be great because I worry for my friends who don't smoke during the week but have a smoke after a few drinks. They associate it with a night out, but they're not hard-core addicted as such. I'm sure the thought of having to go outside will make that "social cigarette" less appealing and they'll greatly cut down or give up.
I know there will be teething problems with this, but all round I'm really looking forward to it. Must say, I enjoyed the smoke-free pubs on the recent Dublin trip.
I also know it's not a cure-all and acknowledge that there are things which I could do to impact on my own health bla bla.
Feel free to say if you disagree with me, but if you're in the mood for a vitriolic rant, save it for your own blog.

Btw, yes I do knit, I do own a camera and I haven't forgotten your headscarf question Carol.
All the best, K x

One down, forty nine to go!

Okay, now do you see why I wasn't going to go on about my haul? Haven't had this many comments for a while! :-) Thank you for them all.

Well, as you all know, I do not stash, I buy yarn for a project then use it all up ;-0 It's Lent too.
I used up one ball of my Sirdar Indigo today while waiting in the "Unempanelled room". I'm surmising that's a room for people like me who haven't made it on to a panel of jurors yet. As around 40 of us sat in a what is like a wee Airport Departure lounge some people read the same paper about a dozen times, some made huffing and puffing noises and I made a headscarf for myself in Sirdar Indigo, wouldn't you know? One of those wee head kerchief things I discovered last year. Kite-shaped, yo each side of a centre stitch on R/S rows. Made it, as in I've finished it. I have a few embellishments planned up my sleeve though, so it may be a few days before you see it on here.

We hung around for ages, with a lady coming in every now and again to say basically stay where you are, or go for a cup of tea, and then we were let away. Dismissed, bye bye, don't come back.

Well, if only all duties were as easy as that one. And I've got the best part of a midge-repellent scarf to show for it!

Guilty m'lud

1. Yes, I am guilty of buying 50 balls of Sirdar Indigo. The man was giving me his sales pitch about it being discontinued and all, and I am enjoying making the stripy hoodie in it. Have finished the sleeves and hood. Managed to get round the stripe irregularity problem by doing the sleeves and hood self-coloured, using the main shade. I still have to sew it together, do the edging, wash it, sew in the ends and insert the zip. Still got quite a lot of work ahead of me. Will definitely all be done by the time I see Miss Anja at Easter. I just hope it will fit her.........
2. I am on Jury Duty this week! Or Jury Service as they call it now. Must grab a portable project to work on during the down time, which is apparently quite liberal! It's at times like this I wish I had a wee sock on the go...........

Happy Knitting. x K

Added later: Wash it, let it shrink, sew it together bla bla bla bla

SECC

Okay, I wasn't going to outright lie to you, but I was going to mention the daylight lamp I bought at the SECC for Jonathan's birthday and how wonderful it is for knitting, cross stitch and for screwing tiny little computer parts together in our spare room.

I wasn't really going to go on about the balls of Sirdar Indigo (see Blue 'n' Stripy #2) I bought from Black Sheep.

I wasn't going to bring up that I bought 50 balls of it. Yes, five oh. I should be able to make about 10 grand niece's cardigans or so with that. Ahem.

I've let the cat out the bag elsewhere so I have to come clean here. At least it's all different shades of blue. :-)

Mad March

What do you do when you feel a bit delicate after too much Marques de Riscal the night before, when you've done all your singing in church for the weekend, when it's not a Stitch n Bitch week, when you can't go to town because you spent all your money at the SECC, and anyway, there don't seem to be any buses on?

Why you go to Alexandra Park of course!

While there I saw many's the snowman, some Olympians of tomorrow sliding down the slopes with bread crates (luge-Glasgow style), dogs faithfully trying to retrieve snow balls for their masters and plenty of snow art. But the most remarkable thing I saw was a man skiing down the slopes.
Skiing down the slopes in Alexandra Park?!? Or should I say 'piste'? Think I've seen everything now! 

They left three hours ago for a pint of milk. 

Where, oh where has my little dog gone? 

Poor expectant duckies on the pond.  

Alexandra Park Fountain 12/3/06 

Blue 'n' Stripy #2

Okay, let's try again.

Here's something I've been neglecting lately, it's the back and two fronts (hidden) of a Sirdar Indigo reverse stocking stitch hoodie I'm making for a young member of the family.

It's a lovely pattern, it was taken from a Women's Weekly Knitting Special. You use four different shades of yarn. (It shrinks in length like Rowan Denim.) I was musing on why I've shelved it for a few weeks and I think it's because I have some tough maths ahead of me - I adjusted the length without taking into consideration how it would affect the stripe matching for the sleeves, and I don't quite know how to approach it.

I thought I was doing well knitting the fronts and back together to minimise ends, but I still have nineteen million to sew in. I thought it would look too clumsy to carry the colours up the side, but now I wish I had at least carried the main mid-blue colour. Ah well. I am waiting for word back from Miss Anja's mum to see if it even worth my while to finish it in its current size. Soon see.

Off to the Creative Stitches show at the SECC this weekend. Any of you going?
All the best, K.

Blue 'n' Stripy # 1

If you like things which are blue and stripy then you've come to the right place.
How'd'you like my Jaywalker Ankle Socks? They are identical twins made from Regia Mini Ringel 4ply. I got the pattern from MagKnits Sept 2005 and thoroughly enjoyed knitting them, and because I knit them simultaneously I didn't have that psychological barrier of the endless second foot. I'm going to knit socks this way from now on. They took me five weeks, which is not exactly speedy, granted, but it sure beats my record.


My grafting is also getting better each time, so a success all round. I'm really happy with them and I don't think it will be too long before I make another pair, or maybe Jaywalker mittens next time
This second shot shows off the chevron pattern. (Excuse the camera strap.) I also like the slip stitch heel, which I've never done before.





In other blue stripiness I can show you the back of Deep from Rowan 39. It isn't quite as tiny now that it is off the needles, thankfully. What you can't see is the plate of spaghetti which is all the ends to darn in, but I can't show you that because I know some of you are of a sensitive disposition.
Watch this space for progress on Deep and another blue stripy creation in Sirdar Denim. It has stalled a bit, which is a nightmare as the intended recipient is getting bigger every day.