We interrupt this Vienna Tourist Board Broadcast...

...to give you the summary of my Finished Objects for 2005.
No doubt I'll forget something and have to add it in later.
If I change colour, it's just for fun, not a link.

OK, here goes...

Cardigans
Emmeline fromRowan 28 in Kid Classic
Fern from Rowan 36 in Jaeger Odessa

Shawl
Triangular Garter Stitch Shawl in Filatura di Crosa Pixel

Scarves
Wavy from Knitty in DB Maya for Jonathan
Branching Out from Knitty in Rowan DK Soft
Bias Scarf in Phildar Rivage
Multi-Directional in Noro Aurora
Flora from Knitty in Alpaca, Kid Classic and Kid Silk Haze
Horseshoe Lace in Jaeger Alpaca for Mary
Embroidered St. St. Scarf in Softwool for Debbie
Drop Stitch Scarf in Colinette Giotto

Socks
Ankle socks with turn-down cuff in Regia Mini Ringel

Gloves
Mittens in Limbo Mexico

Bags
Just bag singular, Felted Bag in Rowan Big Wool and Big Wool Tuft

Accessories
Midge Repellent Head Scarf in Filatura di Crosa
Hairband in Colinette Giotto

Household
Hot Water Bottle Cover in DB Cashmerino Aran for Rowan Exchange
Coat Hanger Cover with leaf edging in same for same

This is just the Finished Objects, not the soon to be finished, frogged or neglected projects.
So, what does this tell me?

1. Next year knit some more things for other people.
2. Next year knit more full-size garments and fewer scarves.
3. Carry on enjoying internet resources.
4. Keep up the stash busting.
5. This should reassure my sister-in-law C, who thinks I never finish anything. Here's 18 things just to keep you going for this year.
6. Gosh, it was fun, let's do it all again next year!

Our normal information broadcast about Vienna will resume shortly.

In the meantime enjoy the New Year Celebrations, and I hope 2006 kicks off really well for you.

Back safe and sound

Back home safe and sound after a wonderful holiday in Vienna (and a rather trying extended day in Schipol Airport Amsterdam, but that's history).
Don't want to bombard you with all the details at once so I'll just give you the low-down gradually over the next few days, and a few before- and after- snow pictures.
Absolutely loved the place and had the romantic chill-out break we both wanted. Success!

Parliament Building; facing Volksgarten; 26th December.

This was actually the coldest day of all, too cold to snow.

I got the early stages of chilblains on my shins where my socks stopped. Wore tights even under trousers from then on.

Didn't realise how cold I was until I came into the warmth and then I warmed up too soon and my legs were nipping like blazes!!!

What a difference a day makes!


Statue of Mozart; Burggarten; Dec 26th.
Big celebrations scheduled in Austria in 2006 for his 250th Anniversary.











Now with Snow glorious Snow, Kathleen, Shilasdair hat, Biggy Print Scarf, Limbo Mexico Mittens (that's just what's visible! - Made good use of my handknits while we were away.)
The snow was all very picturesque and idyllic until it came to trying to leave the airport.













The Hofburg, which seems to comprise of the Imperial Appartments, Lippanzer dressage school, and many historical and cultural riches.
Alas, we only had time to admire from the outside, hence the sketchy knowledge.
We went through that big archway and found a courtyard with stately buildings such as the National Library, and the Volksgarten with its bushes all covered in sack cloth to protect against the frost, aah.
Facing us after a short walk were the Art Galleries. We visited the Leopold Art Museum.




Okay, you're getting the idea now, aren't you? First there wasn't snow, then there was snow :-)

Hofburg again.


If anyone tells you Austria is a very clean country by the way- believe them. All the public buildings looked extremely well maintained, as if they were freshly sand-blasted.


I have given much more detail in this entry than I first intended to, so I shall leave you before I bore you senseless.
I have plenty more to tell you over the next few days, including knitting content, wow!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Guess we'd better start getting ready for the New Year, eh? x K

Happy Christmas

I won't be around for the next few days so I will wish you all a Happy Christmas

while I get the chance.

I leave tomorrow for Vienna, and trust me, I'll fill you in about it when I come back.


Best wishes and Compliments of the Season. Kathleen x

A change is as good as a rest!

HOORAH, starting to feel like myself again! Have hung up the Christmas cards and
got out the crib. We're not bothering with a tree this year because we are going away.


Anyway, thought I'd show you some cross stitch for a change. These are some mantelpiece Christmas decorations I made last year and found when I was in the cupboard for the card holders.

We have Santa on a rustic background with holly and stars in his headpiece, backed with mulberry paper and framed behind glass. (You can't really see all the white stitches on his beard but the flash was far too reflective so I did without.) I used some of that bendy metal stuff to hold it in. You know the kind that is just malleable enough to bend into shape and cut, then it sets.


Then we have a Christmas tree on white Aida between some pre-printed snowmen. Both are "Daydreams" designs which were bought in the needlecraft shop in Castle Douglas before it closed down. (It used to do wool, but now it's gone the Gem Shop does wool. That's Galloway logic for you. Anyway, I'm not complaining because the Gem Shop is very good for yarn.)

I really enjoyed doing both designs because in my book, cross stitch is fabby in small doses, which is certainly the case here. The Daydreams kits are not cheap, but they are really easy to follow and pretty effective I think.

Go and enjoy your preps. x K

Pressies ahoy!

Okay, now that the recipient has opened this and seems pleased with it, I can tell you what your sneak preview was last week.

It's a scarf I made for my friend D in a German wool called "Softwool" by Schachenmayr or Nomotta, can't quite tell by the label. It is edged in a fluffy eyelash called Calista. Bit of quick embroidery in KidSilk Spray and the centre of the flower in the fluffy Calista. Got this yarn in 2002 in Frankfurt in the Karstadt department store. I was so naive, I saw all these blue Santas and I was amazed to think German Santas were all blue until I eventually realised that it was only this shop's Santas which were blue like their signs etc. Would be like having green and gold Santas in M&S. Only took me, like, three days to realise. :-o



Quite pleased with it. D tells me that the rusty coloured bias scarf I made her last year is pretty well travelled. Has gone on her city hopping breaks with her this year. Next year maybe she can get something other than a scarf if she's really really good!


Kathleen modelling scarf before embroidery was added.

Not much knitting to report

Feeling a little better, starting to acknowledge that Christmas is a week today.

Not much knitting to report, just an inch on this, two inches on that.
I have however added a clock and a weather pixie so I have kept my hand in with the blog.

Did I ever tell you I have frogged and totally sidelined Bay from Rowan 36? I couldn't be bothered swapping needles sizes every two rows so I just went for what I thought was a good needle size and stuck to it.
Now, I am not a small woman, but the resulting fabric (all six inches in length of it) would have fitted Santa Claus better; it has been chopped. Not really frogged, just sitting there. And also, I was doing my stripes in self coloured KSH and toning KS Spray, the stripe definition was lost. I did actually swatch, but in the small scale swatch the change in yarn looked kind of subtle, in the garment sized version it looked verging on the non-existent.
Oh well, plenty more fish in the sea.

Christmas cards or Giotto hairband?

So, did I write the Christmas cards last night? No, I don't think so! Instead I made a hair band with some of the rest of my Giotto. Made it on 6mm needles this time for more body and used knitting-in elastic at the same time.
Meanwhile I sat with my headphones on and did a spot of German learning for my imminent trip to Vienna.

Maybe I'll do the Christmas cards tonight?...?...?




Both sitter and photographer feeling and looking mighty sleepy this morning.

From shop to neck in jig time

Here's my finished drop stitch scarf in Colinette Giotto, shade Cezanne. Have provisionally given it a knotted fringe, but I'll see how I feel about that in the next few days. I'm thinking I'm going to keep this for me, but you never know. It was a fabby quick knit and I really like the effect. I only bought the yarn on Friday, what a good girl I am becoming. (Are you listening, Santa?)J says he thinks Cezanne is an appropriately evocative name for this colourway.
It took just over one ball, which was great. If I had made it just a little narrower (this one was 25 sts on 9mm) I'd have got away with one ball. I've got plenty left so that's not an issue for me, but if any of you fancy making it you'll know the score. It's also a thought for me if I ever need a present PDQ. I am going to try to make a scrunchy with some of the rest of the ball. And, as for the "Misty" I luckily dipped, I'm thinking a traditional shopping bag???

When I saw Jill on Saturday, she was making a Multi D in Noro Aurora, what a fabulous idea!

By the way, I taught someone to knit yesterday! We worked for a while on a chunky smooth yarn I had around and then when I left her she was a few inches into a fairly broad scarf in Rowan Chunky Print in a zingy shade which was her motivation. Bet she's wearing it at next knitting meetup in the Tramway in January.

Secret Santa, he aint daft. Some Colinette Giotto in Mist. Oh mist, what will you become? 

Very knitty weekend

I've had a fun knitting weekend I can tell you. On Friday evening I went off to the 10% discount night at Katharine's shop, K1 Yarns, Queen Margaret Drive (link in sidebar). I bought, amongst other things ;-) some of this Colinette Giotto in the colourway Cezanne. One of the best things about K1 yarns is that you can get things you can't otherwise source locally. Can you believe I'm already making headway with this, it hasn't been in the house 48hrs yet and it is on its way to becoming a drop stitch scarf. I'm loving the way it shows off the colours.

So, on Saturday I went off to help our India, also known as Midsummer Night's Knitter over at her blog Twelfth Knit, celebrate an important birthday last month. I'm not sure what age she turned, but she doesn't look a day over 26. Jill and Heather from Dollydimple were already there, nibbling on the appetisers. India seemed really pleased with her goody basket we had contributed to, and I'm sure it will be well documented over on her blog in the fullness of time.

Anyway, what did Secret Santa give me but some gorgeous Colinette Giotto in the Misty colourway. He must have known I was lovin that yarn! It seems to go quite a long way as well. Had a good laugh, good food, good wine, good company, what more can you ask for ?

Then today I went off to the last Knitting Meetup before Christmas at the Tramway. We talked about everything today- cabbages and kings. Thoroughly enjoyed it. And now, I'm rushing off (that's why I haven't done proper links) to sing in church. Yes, again. Yes, I am still loaded with the cold, but you can't keep a good woman down.

All the best, happy knitting, K x 

Loaded!

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my last photo. We Donnellys do seem to scrub up okay.

Talking of photos, here is a sneak preview of what I have been knitting these past few days. I have taken this cryptic artistic crop so as not to give the game away too much. I'll give you all the project details after Santa has been!

So, loaded? Won the lottery? No, 'fraid not, loaded with the cold. Head so so fuzzy. Things I would normally take in my stride have seemed like a major challenge to understand, never mind tackle. Heid full o cotton wool. Didn't feel like going to the knitting meetup in Mono last night, just wanted to snuggle up with duvet and Corazon. (Large soft toy puppy.) Anyway, definitely on the mend and now that the cough is not keeping me up I feel more on form to face things.
I'm building up my energy for the weekend! ;-)

Helen, Anne, Meg, Mary and Kathleen

Today I received some more beautiful pictures of my sister Meg's recent wedding. There are some absolute beauties in there I must say.

These most recent ones were taken by Darren Griffiths. These are my four lovely sisters. From left to right Helen (no.3), Anne (no.1), Margaret/ Meg (no.2) Mary (no. 4) and Kathleen (no.5 or no.8 if you include the boys.)
Mary, the one next to me, is the one who will receive the Alpaca scarf from the last couple of days' posts.

Have you seen the latest issue of MagKnits ? I like the bags and the way you can actually see the designs this time. Usually the photos on the main page are a close up of some detail or other. I would rather see the whole thing at once, like they've done this time. I've never actually knitted any of their designs yet. Since I finished the Alpaca I've been working on my Regal Silk Multi-directional scarf. Beautiful colours. 

Don't get too comfy with that scarf!

This is the Jaeger 4ply Alpaca scarf I've been working on for some time. I was determined to get it finished before I meet up with some knitting chums next Saturday because I drew the yarn for this out of our "Secret Santa" bundle last Christmastime! Mind you, a year is not excessive in stash terms.

I was given 2 balls of Jaeger Alpaca in shade 393, a rich plummy shade ( I think this yarn may be discontinued, I'm not sure) and some beads which for the sake of completeness are J3001007. (J says I would get far more comments if my entries weren't so detailed!) I added an edging in Rowan Kid Silk Haze in Dewberry, left over from my Flora scarf in October.
The yardage on the Alpaca is a whopping 201 yds or 184m.

The stitch pattern is "Horseshoe lace" which I took from the stitch library in Debbie Bliss How to Knit. although it is widely available. I enjoyed knitting it although I had to put markers after each pattern repeat to keep myself right. Probably didn't need them after first few repeats as you can see the alignment of where the skpo and yo are meant to be. I've been knitting for yonks and I still need these crutches, ah well, whatever gets you through the night!

This scarf will probably be a Christmas present for a family member, but not one who reads this blog. I can hardly bear to part with it, we have become close friends and we've been through a lot together, but that makes it all the more of a gift.

Thank you Secret Santa 2004! 

Right side, beaded edge just visible. 

Right side of pattern "Horseshoe Print". 

Reverse side of scarf. Vertical knit line quite clear.

Happy Saint Andrew's Day!

Best wishes to everyone, especially
Scots,
Greeks,
Russians
and anyone whose name is Andrew.

Lang may yer lum reek. 

Jaeger 4ply Alpaca Before Blocking

Here's my finished Jaeger Alpaca scarf before blocking. I'll give you all the pattern specs tomorrow when you can actually see the stitch pattern I'm talking about!

It's now all pinned out on the living room floor; something else to trip over.

I am missing knitting this already! It's like when you are reading a really good book - you want to know how it turns out, but you miss all the characters you got to know on your way through. I love the way it looks and the way the edging is scalloping up, drawn in by the lace pattern above.

All the project details tomorrow... 

Get yourselves some passports, we're going to Vienna!

Siegfried (left) and Sonya (right) will have to get cracking and apply for their passports as we're off to Vienna for Christmas!
These two tiny pups are our latest additions to the family and were bought to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
The monkey, Santa Cruz, has already stowed away on trips to Rome and Paris so he is an old hat.
All this is history now as they are joining us on our five-night trip to celebrate Christmas in Vienna. We leave on Saturday 24th and I am so excited!!!
Jonathan has sold the cottage he lived in before we got married and I have talked him into viring just a little of the proceeds for a Winter Break. He was thinking of somewhere like the Canary Islands but I am so glad he went with my idea of going somewhere cultural. I am so lucky!

Knitting news? Kind of - I haven't really been in the habit of photographing works in progress, but I have been working on *Jaeger Alpaca 4ply lacy scarf *Heathery sock *KSH Jumper a little like Bay from Rowan 36 *Scarf with German "Softwool" from trip to Frankfurt in 2002(See, I told you I was lucky!). Been hitting the stash again! 

Well travelled Santa Cruz (or Toby Cruz) with his Roma earring. He wanted his navel pierced but I put my foot down. 

India has got a blog!

Decided to check out this Sunday Girls thing on at Mono last Sunday. Felt funny going to Mono on a Sunday. Tramway on Sunday, Mono on Tuesday is the usual deal.

Anyway, maybe I'm too literal, maybe when it says "from 3pm" I should arrive fashionably late, like 9pm or midnight or something. Well, to sum up, it was a bit of a non-event. By the time I left I had not witnessed any craft stall, any DJs, any live bands, any discussions. There was evidence of a baking stall though. There was one redeeming feature though, and it wasn't the cake stall, it was the fact that India or Midsummer Night's Knitter as some call her, was there. As you may know, when India arrives, that means the party has started!

She has succumbed to our subtle persuasion and has gone and got herself a blog! Although she is just starting out, she has text, photos, a weather pixie, links, counter, the whole shebang!
Call in to see her at http://twelfthknit.blogspot.com/ and say hello. Preferably in Gaelic!

By the way Heather, I did sling my Loopy scarf because I was finding it too hard to control the KSH on such big needles and the results were shockingly uneven. I would consider doing it again though. Just on big needles not enormous great ones.

Day out to St. Andrew's

Kathleen, Multidirectional Scarf, and Di Gilpin's shop, St. Andrew's


These past few days we have had some of that crisp, cold, clear weather with blue skies which lets you wrap up warm and get out and about, so J and I decided to head off for a run in the car.

Although this morning wasn't quite as nice we decided to make a go of it anyway and ended up in St. Andrew's. It was a lovely scenic drive up through the towns and villages of the Kingdom of Fife.

I quickly did my homework this morning when I heard where we were going and checked the internet for yarn shops, and came up with
Di Gilpin who has a shop in Burghers Close, 141 South Street, St. Andrews. After circling the town for a good while we found a parking space just beside the remains of "Blackfriars Abbey" and lo and behold, Di Gilpin's shop was just seconds away. Although the shop is up a close, it is easy to find as luscious yarns are hanging up on butcher's hooks at the entrance to the lane. Enjoyed my visit to the shop, which has a bazaar feel to it - what look like bargain baskets are just in fact the main stock. And of course, if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. No prices on any of the branded stock, which includes Rowan, RYC, Debbie Bliss, Louisa Harding, Noro, Lana Grossa and Colinette, to name the ones which jump to mind.
The only prices were on the handspun yarn and the knitted garments which Di Gilpin had designed. They were a little out of my league with a 120g skein of handspun cashmere blend at £56. Yes, my typing is not letting me down here. There was also a lovely cardigan with autumnal motifs like acorns and russet leaves which I really liked which was £351.50.

We had a good browse and chose some yarn for a Multidirectional Scarf for J, which will be quite similar to mine, although we went for Noro Silk Garden, which doesn't have the sparkly bits my Noro Aurora scarf has. Chenille yarn has always appealed to him so we bought some Rowan Chunky Chenille for yet another Multi-directional, in for a penny, in for a pound. Incidently, my Noro Aurora has barely been in my home for one month and now it is a finished object. My stashing days are over! No, I don't believe it either.

We did have a lovely day, although the nights are fair drawin in, as your granny would say, and we didn't have too long before the sun started setting and it became bitterly cold. We had just enough time and light to see all we wanted to see and take a few pictures into the bargain. Enjoy! 

Some of the colours in my Multidirectional Scarf made from Noro Aurora.