SP12 Parcel 3 - the Reveal!

Tada!

Here's the parcel my SP12 upstream has put together for me for the third and final instalment of SP12. Can you see all those goodies? Can you?

Wow, so where to start. There's oooooooodles of yarn, but I'll leave that for a moment.
There's (top left) a beany sheep, who is so cute! I was very excited to see her!
In the middle of the picture you can see a badge with balls of yarn on. Very cool. I'll be wearing that for the knitting & stitching show, along with my Ravelry badge.
Above that you can see a felted bowl (which rocks!) and a tube of beads which I hope to make into something nice - I don't know what yet.
To the far right you should be able to see a sock-in-progress tube (with my current Noro sock in already!) - My upstream kept the other one of the pair - as I would have in her place. Who needs two sock-in-progress tubes? I only ever have one pair "in transit". Well shared, pal!

So, the yarn... There's some lovely cotton in plain and striped pink (bottom right)
There's some lush sock yarn from Hipknits (bottom centre)
There's... This "Llama Yarn" - which isn't made of Llama, that's the company name. After a look on Ravelry I think it's probably banana silk. Banana Silk! I've been dying to get my hands on some of that for an age! Woo!
Last, but not least: This is alpaca lace. I did some hunting on Ravelry again, and I think it might be Mama Ocllo. It's lush in any case. I'm already trying to decide what it aught to be... Ice Queen? Wisp? or something else?

So, Thank you for all of the parcels, Mazzam! I love everything from all the parcels! I just have to figure out what to knit with all this yarn!

Also, if you'd like to check out my downstream, I've been spoiling Kayb.

I've really enjoyed SP12. If you fancy playing in SP13, head over to the blog. I'm not playing - it overlaps Christmas and I'm not organized enough to manage SP and Christmas!

Spinning...

I've been spinning...
Pretty? I think so.
This is from the fibre that my SP12 upstream sent me in package 1. It's come up really pretty! I'm thinking now about what I could knit it into.
I'm not sure if there's enough for a Calorimetry but I might try that...


Oh, and I do still have a job.

Secret Pal 12 - Final Question of the Week!

If you were told you could never again buy yarn, what would your last yarn purchase be?
Never again buy yarn? That would suck. I guess I would buy as much undyed sock yarn as I could! At least that way I could feed my sock habit and also have fun with colour.
If you were told you could never knit again, what would be the last thing you’d knit?
I’d knit one of those “wedding ring” shawls, they’re so delicate – so the tale goes – that they can fit through a wedding ring. It would be ever so complicated, and take many hours to make, so my last ever knitting would last a while. Also, once finished it would be a wonderful heirloom.
In a given year, how many times do you buy yarn?
Too many?
Less than once a week, probably on average about once a month? < br /> Possibly more. < br /> Faster than I knit it!
And what is your favourite place to buy yarn from? A festival? A shop? Online? Dish your favourite places!!
Ooh, anywhere. I like to buy in person for the feely factor. But once I know I like a yarn I’ll buy it from where it is cheap or where the customer service is good. I like festivals (not that I've been to many) because of the range, and independent dyers!
Lastly, with Fall in full swing in many areas, what is the one thing you look forward to most?
I don’t like the cold, so Autumn is when I start to feel a bit gloomy. But, I revel in the fact that I now knit! I’m looking forwards to knitting myself (and one or two select others) lovely woolly knitted things. It starts to feel like Christmas is on its way too (seriously, my local supermarket already has Christmas Puddings on the shelves!) and I both like and dislike Christmas. I like spending time with family (mine and OH’s) and I like relaxing in front of a Bond movie on Christmas day!

SP12 Q of the week – w/c 25th Aug

Service Announcement:
Sorry, I know the blog is chocka with SP12 stuff at the moment. Normal service on the blog will resume once normal service in my real-life has resumed.
Thank you.

What is your proudest knitting moment?
Well, after my first garter-stitch scarf (which I knit way too wide!) and bag (another square) I decided to branch out into something more interesting. I picked up a “kit” for making a massive throw, which is still technically on the needles. I’m mad proud of my first socks, which are here: It’s a plain sock pattern with the coolest yarn I could find at the time. It’s Opal Feelings 1702. Although there are holes where I picked up the heel flap, I got confused and decreased every row on the toes, and the cast on is a little tight as I only knew how to do one kind of cast on, I love these, my first ever socks. They’ve allowed me to go on to knit lots of socks!
However, I’m also proud of my first ever sweater This was for my boyfriend. He was very patient as I cast on in December 2007 and didn’t finish until July 2008! However, he’s worn it more than once since then, despite the sleeves being a little longer than he would prefer! I think it looks great on, and that’s the thing that makes me proud of it, it’s wearable!
Hopefully I’ll be really proud of loads of other finished objects to come too!

I’m also proud of myself every time I learn a new technique to make my crafting better. I was really pleased when I learnt a different cast-on to use on sock-cuffs, making them stretchier. I was really proud of the cabled scarves I made at Christmas. I was proud of myself when I made a mistake on the monkey socks, realised I couldn’t live with it, dropped the stitches down a couple of rows and fixed it without having to tink or rip-back!.

What is the one thing that you can’t get right?
One thing I can’t get right? Hmm, that’s tough! I bought some cotton yarn and tried to knit a lace cardigan for my Mum (she didn’t know about it, thank goodness). It was hideous yarn barf. I made mistakes, I hadn’t learnt how to decrease in pattern, I didn’t swatch – basically I did everything wrong! But, I’m putting those demons to bed as I’ve cast on for – you guessed it – a lacy cardigan for my Mum! This time I have slightly more forgiving yarn (still cotton, but much softer) and I have pre-read the pattern. I understand what I have to do. I still didn’t swatch, but I can live with that.

If we’re talking about areas to improve in, though, I can talk about that!

• Learn to knit faster. I know this just requires practice (and an easy pattern) but I’d love to be able to finish a pair of socks in a week. It takes me about 3 weeks, or more, at the moment.
• Read charts better. I can figure charts out, but I still like written instructions.
• Design more, and better, patterns. I’ve butchered a basic sock pattern to make my own lacey sock pattern twice now, only one success. I am working on understanding how the patterns work for these things so that I can better design my own versions of them. That includes clothing, bags, socks, whatever I think of!

Secret Pal 12 Package 2!

I know I already blogged twice today, but I just had to post about my recent parcel.

My secret pal shipped this latest installment to me, and it arrived on Friday, but I only had chance to collect it today!
You might be able to see what there is, but here's the list anyway:

• Sock Yarn from Cinders Knitting - isn't it fantastic colours? I'll have to try to find out more!
• Yarn Harlot's latest book, "Things I learned from knitting..." - I've read the first couple of things, it's very funny!
• 70% cocoa chocolate. Yum.
• Some pretty and nice-smelling soap
• and a lovely card

I'm really pleased with this package! The yarn and book are so fab, and I've already begun munching the chocolate.
Thank you Secret Pal, whoever you are. I'm still unable to decipher the return address, and my blog stats (yes, I looked in the end) are no help.

SP12 Q’ of the week (w/c 18th Aug)

What is the best thing you've ever received in the mail/post?

That’s such a hard question! I love getting post of all kinds though. Some of my favourite post is as follows

• Packages from swaps – I love getting such thoughtful and interesting packages. I’ve been involved in five swaps (including SP12) and have received great goodies each time. read more about SP11 here, here and here, the Discworld “box” swap here and the discworld sock swap here, and the CSI swap is here. Plus see here for my first package in SP12 which was fab!
• Letters, from anyone really! I do like letters from my Aunt in America. I also enjoy thank you letters and invitations. Isn’t handwritten post a lovely thing?
• Yarn. Whether it’s yarn from UKarma (a swap group I belong to) or whether it’s yarn I’ve ordered, I love getting yarn in the post. With many of the companies that I order from shipping so quickly it’s almost like being in a shop!

I don’t like receiving bills or junk mail (show me someone who does and I’ll show you a mad person!). However, I don’t consider takeaway menus to be junk mail. That’s a service!

I am very excited today because I finally have time to go to the sorting office and collect the parcel that is waiting for me, and has been since last Friday. I was so busy over the weekend (York-Edinburgh-York-Gainsborough-York in three days) that I couldn’t go on Saturday, so it’s had to wait. I don’t know whether it’s the Noro I ordered from Stash or not. (they had a sale, I suspect it’s all gone now.)

SP12 – Q' of the week! (4 and 11 Aug 2008)

w/c 04/08
Have you ever entered your knitting (or anything else) in the fair? Would you ever consider it?
I’m sure that at some point I have been entered into some kind of dancing show at a fair – in fact I’m pretty sure that my dancing troupe performed at some kind of farming-based show when I was younger.
However, I’ve never baked cakes, made jam or knitted anything for a fair. Perhaps one day the great Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (or wherever I live by then) shows will have these sorts of events one day, then I would probably enter – if only to support the craft!

w/c 11/08
What Olympic event would best describe your knitting/knitting style?
I always have lots on the go at once, so I guess I’m a decathalon-style knitter. Also, like the athletes who compete for the multi-discipline medals, I am not the best at any one thing, but I am a pretty good all-rounder. I even crochet*!
I actually entered the sock-putt for the Ravelympics, but I think I may not finish. I’m that putter who has made it to the event but who drops the shot on their foot. Ho hum.

* I actually enjoy crafts generally, I’ve only come across one craft which I don’t find thoroughly enjoyable and that is cross-stitch. Don’t get me wrong, I like the end results! I just don’t have the patience when doing something like that. Perhaps my mistake was choosing a big cross stitch to begin with. Maybe I should have picked a bookmark or greetings card size instead of the one I have which is a foot wide.
Otherwise, I have begun my first quilting project (it has chickens on). It’s been on hold with the curtains needing to be made and with the move into the craft room.
I have also taken up spinning (as you may already know) – photos of the nice spinning stuff to come eventually too. I find spinning very satisfying. It’s pretty relaxing too, although too much spinning results in arm-ache.
I’ve got some yarn to dye too, but I’m waiting on something to dye it with. A lovely lady in the US is sending me some Kool-Aid to have a stab at Kool-Aid dying. I might have a go at food colouring dye too. I figure I should begin with the stuff that can’t kill me or make me ill!
I also have stacks of stuff for making greetings cards with. That’s pretty fun, and although I think the initial outlay is quite high, now we can make a card for most occasions at the drop of a hat!
I’m also interested in learning how to make jewellery, not least so that I can have a stab at making stitch markers. I’ve spotted some “make your own soap” and “make your own candles” things on e-bay which I find intriguing too.
How cool would it be to make soap, make a washcloth and then make a packet for it, all using your own skills? Brilliant.

Question of the Week (w/c 28th Jul)

What is your favourite supper for a hot summer evening?
Oh, now that depends. Am I cooking it?
If I am cooking, I like to do grilled fish with salad.
If my OH is cooking, I love barbeque! We do corn-on-the-cob, sausages (the good ones with 80% meat), steaks, fish, chicken skewers, and I make potato salad and sometimes I make salsa too.
If we’re going out, well, I still think sea-food is a good choice, or Mexican food. And a Margarita, no ice with a salt rim.

When we were in Florida last year OH and I spent a couple of days in Clearwater (if you get the chance, go there – it’s beautiful and relaxing!). One of the evenings we walked from the hotel (nobody walks in Florida, it was an interesting experience!) to a sea-food place the other side of the flyover. (I know; how romantic does that sound!) But it was really nice.

I’m afraid I can’t offer any recipes. I kind of throw things together and hope for the best when I cook.

SP12 – Q' of the week! (23 June 2008)

What is (are) your favourite place(s) to knit?
Gosh, that’s tough. I guess the most social place I knit is in a local pub every other Tuesday with the York Stitch n Bitch. There are usually a handful of us there, and the pub we go to (Brigantes) serve lovely fruit beer!
Otherwise, I like to knit in front of the TV, or in bed! I knit anywhere that I’m comfortable really.
If the weather was better I would like to sit outside in the sun to do some knitting too.

What supplies (besides yarn & needles) make the setting perfect for knitting?
I like to have a cup of tea, though if I get engrossed I end up with a cold cup of tea! Generally I have a nice blanket (sorry – not one I’ve knit, yet!) and something mindless on telly so I can concentrate enough on the knitting. I have the box-set of Sharpe which OH bought me for Christmas that I’m working through, but anything which can be “watched” without actually having to watch is good. On a warm day I might replace the tea with a gin-and-tonic, but only the one!


So, more knitting news, I’ve been continuing the monkey sock. I’m part way through turning the heel now. I still love the yarn and the pattern! I have been writing down ideas for another self-designed sock pattern, but I don’t know when I’ll have time to knit it, or what yarn I will use. Perhaps when I have a go at the Kool Aid dying I will use some of that. Before I do that I want a niddy noddy though. And I probably need to clean the kitchen.

I have also finished the back of the Urban Vest. Well, the stitches are on hold as it calls for the three needle bind off. Also, it has me cast off the neck part and then pick up stitches for the collar. This seems silly to me, so I’m leaving them live like I did on manly. I think it will be fine (though I don’t think I can do that around the V at the front, which would be easier, wouldn’t it? Sadly, some of it is vertical – no stitches to leave live) though I am playing with the idea of not using casting off as my method of decrease at the V. I think that the pattern calls for me to cast off one stitch at the v edge every so many rows. I was wondering whether it might look nicer if, once I’ve divided for the neck, I simply decreased with a left leaning decrease on the left side of the V and a right leaning decrease on the right side (as you look at it). That way I could slip stitches along the neckline for picking up, which might be neater. Also, then I can decrease on the same rows either side of the neck.

I’m off to the gym tonight. I’m feeling pretty good about the gym-going at the moment. I have accepted the fact that I’m not going to get any lighter if I’m building muscle. I am instead measuring myself with my tape measure. Before I began at the gym I wrote down in a notebook my hip, waist and bust measurements. Each time I complete one of the phases I will write down the new measurements. As I’m not making it to the gym 3 times a week (I think we average about 5 times a fortnight, which isn’t bad) that’s not too often to get measured. I do think that I’m still eating too much, and too much rubbish too. I tend to have a chocolate bar or crisps which I think is my main downfall. I have weetabix in a morning with a good helping of fresh fruit at the moment (strawberries, raspberries, now blueberries and blackcurrants, all from the UK!) and I have sandwiches at lunchtime (two rounds of seed-crammed bread, usually meat, often salad) and we have reasonable sized dinners. Either my idea of a reasonable dinner is actually unreasonable or there’s something funny going on.

SP12 – Q' of the week! (w/c 14th July 2008)

What is your favourite type of project to take along on holiday/vacation?
I’ve only really been on one proper holiday since I started knitting. The whole family (my parents, sister and her fella, me and my OH) went to Florida. I took a sock with me then. It didn’t get knitted on much. When OH and I went to Bruges I took a sock too, which didn’t get knitted on much – do you see a theme?
Anyway, I think I would always take something small enough that it’s not in the way in case I am just too busy to knit. I’m pretty frugal with my packing, so I can’t imagine ever taking more than I need – if anything I’d run out. Socks are great in so many ways, they’re portable (I have one in my work bag for lunchtimes, or on the bus between sites) and even if there’s a pattern to follow it usually fits on a sheet of A4 and can be stuck in a bag. I use the doody bag that I got in a previous swap for sock projects. the only thing that worries me is that my needles might get broken!
We’re going to France in August, so I’ll be taking whatever sock I am working on at that point. I was thinking about taking Clapotis too, (I put it in babelfish and it told me that Clapotis is Lapping in French, how interesting!) But I don’t know if I have enough yarn of the appropriate weight! (Actually, I do know. and I don’t have enough.) I could make a thinner version with the “Greek wool” (Remember the legwarmers? I frogged them.) which I have around 600m of.
In any case, I’ll have to put any knitting I have in my case, as we’re not allowed knitting needles on planes (I might turn all Buffy-but-evil with the 20mm wooden ones, clearly) so that means that I’ll have to take an alternative. Crochet! I don’t know what I will crochet, or with what. I only have a couple of plastic crochet hooks (the metal ones are also banned) so I’m a bit limited there. Ho hum.
If you have any good ideas about patterns that can be crocheted in short flights (about 3 hours) and don’t require oodles of yarn… let me know? :)

What a Day!

Today has been fantastic; we went to the Great Yorkshire Show…but more about that later.
Because, on the way home, I picked up a parcel. And that parcel was from my secret pal!

And what was in that parcel? Well, let me tell you.

If you look in this picture you will see (starting top left, moving around clockwise)
Some Dairy Milk melts. Yummy! OH and I have both had one of these already and they’re lovely!
Two balls of Rowan Kidsilk Night. That’s the one with the sparkly bits in!
A lovely card with socks on, and some handmade (I think) stitch markers, including one with a fish on!
Two balls of Rowan Damask in a delightful pink colour (woo, love pink!)
Some top, which my pal tells me that s/he uses for wet felting, but that s/he thinks can be spun. The colours are again fantastic!
And a drinks coaster about being grown up, which is hilarious!

Wow, I feel so spoiled! Thank you so much secret pal, whoever you may be, I will really enjoy all of these things!

-o0o-

Now, moving on to the Great Yorkshire Show.

For more pictures, check out my Flickr, by clicking on the image!
It was such a fun day! We saw sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, alpaca, tractors, crafts, cheeses, flowers, food and the top of the Queen’s Landrover!
My favourite part was the alpaca.

I bought a ball of alpaca double knit from Toft Alpaca who offer a range of Alpaca goodies on their website – go check it out!
I also, while petting the Alpaca, was encouraged by OH to go see what they were selling on the British Alpaca stand. They had bags of fleece, and encouraged by OH, I picked one up. It’s from a local Alpaca herd in Kirkbymoorside. There’s 600g here and it was £10. I think that’s good, but I confess that I don’t know. And so now I need some carders, as this is uncarded, unwashed fleece. Whoops!

SP12 Question of the Week - w/c 7th July

Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday?
I love holidays! I don't mind where I go as long as I have good company! I do prefer to go somewhere warm though, I am a beach-bum at heart.
While I can spend an entire week sitting on the beach, even I concede that it's nice to do something while on holiday, so I also like there to be something cultured to do, visiting ruins or museums, watching shows or even just browsing the shops.

Where is one place you’d like to go?
One place? I have to pick one?
I can't do that, I'm afraid. However, I can give you my top 3:

1. Egypt - I would love to see the pyramids. I don't know much about Egyptology and the study of the pyramids and the mummies, but it looks and sounds so interesting.
2. Japan - I briefly studied Japanese during my A levels (not as a full A level mind) and I found the whole culture fascinating. Also, I love Japanese food (well, the sort we get in England at least) so I would have a great time trying lots of different food! And, I know how to say: Konnichiwa, watashiwa Tsuki des, samurai dewa arimassen (which means "Hello, I'm Tsuki, I am not a samurai)
3. California, the Grand Canyon, Nevada, Area 51... I could do it all in one holiday, surely?

"I'm a Designer" and "Shopping Spree!"

I’m officially listed as a designer on Ravelry now. Woo! Better get designing!

My Ankh Socks are available as a Rav download!
I’m looking forwards to completing the rest of the hat I’ve been working on (With the cables and the bobbles) not that it’s really hat weather at the moment. Not that sort of hat anyway.
I’m going to be designing some more socks. I’ve got some lovely yarn and an idea about [deleted to keep it a surprise]… and intarsia. Dum-dum-duuuuh.

So, I’ve been on a bit of a shopping spree. There was a free postage weekend at Texere so I thought I’d have a look and see what they had. I ordered around 800g of stuff, plus a ball winder. The stuff was 200g of top for spinning and 600g of yarn!

There’s two 50g bags of black top for spinning, and two of pink. I think I might do some “barber pole” plying with some of that. I’m experimenting basically.
I also have one 50g ball each of charcoal and pink alpaca sock wool. Yum, yum, yum! It’s so soft, so warm! I love it. that’s the stuff I’m planning the pattern I mentioned above with. It’s going to be my first intarsia (maybe). I just hope I have enough yarn.
I also have a 400g cone of un-dyed 4ply sock yarn. (I didn’t get the lambs’ wool, because I thought it would be a waste for my first dyeing attempts.) I’ve been Karma Swapped some Kool-Aid by the blogless Bea, so this cone will be waiting until that arrives from America. Perhaps I’ll find someone selling niddy-noddys at the Yorkshire Show next week.
Last, but not least, I bought two balls of Noro Kureyon. In a red-purple-blue-ish colour. It’s lovely, though I don’t know what I am going to make with it yet. I’m thinking about one of the striped scarves I’ve seen, where you take your two balls of Noro and you begin at one end of one ball and the other end of the other ball (the idea being that the stripe sequence is reversed on one ball) and then do something with two rows of one and then two rows of the other. Or perhaps I’ll do some of that complicated looking intarsia where you have a plain colour as the background and use the Noro as the contrasting colour. I guess I’ll just stash it for now while I decide :-)
I also bought some more sock yarn (which OH was condescending about) from Tofutsies, the one with chitin in. chitin is crab shells, I gather. It’s meant to be hard wearing. I got that at the same time as some other stuff for my Secret Pal. I have some more bits I want to get, but then the first package will be ready to go.

I do like the secret swaps. The Sox swap has been entertaining and it’s nice to know who is sending you stuff, but it’s also fun to try to work out who on Earth has sent you the fab goodies in a secret swap!

Two Questions of the Week (w/c 30 June 2008)

1) What yarn (that you don’t have/haven’t used) would make your stash “complete”?

At the moment I’d love to have the Louisa Harding yarn to make some of the patterns from the Hummingbird collection, but it isn’t cheap!
I guess that this changes every time I queue a new pattern on Ravelry! A couple of days ago it would have been some proper baby yarn to make some nice baby things for some upcoming babies (not mine).
Last week it would have been some nice aran to make the Brea Bag with.
Before that it would have been Noro sock yarn but I bought some :-)
I guess my stash is complete, in that I look at it and smile, that I can go pet the lace-weight from Violet Green or the sock yarn from The Natural Dye Studio if I need cheering up. I know that I have enough that I could knit for a while without running out, which means there’s enough.
Of course, that wouldn’t stop me buying more!

2) What yarn do you never want to be without?

Sock Yarn. I’m on my fourth pair of socks, my second pair for myself. I love socks, I love knitting socks, I love wearing knitted socks.
Of course, one could get bored only knitting socks, so I wouldn’t want to only knit socks ever again. If I could only have sock yarn then I’d have to knit with it double, treble or even quadruple stranded to make more chunky things.
And if I had to choose specific sock yarn? Oh, I would be torn. As I’ve mentioned above, I love the hand-dyed yarns. But I do love the self-striping yarns too, Opal rocks! Any self striping is good, mind you, but I’ve mostly used Opal. So, don’t make me choose a specific one!
Oh, unless I could be a bit vague with my choice, and say I’d never be without pure wool yarn. (I know it’s not so hardwearing on socks without the man-made content) there’s something homey about a smooshy soft pure wool yarn. I’m knitting Manly in pure wool for OH, and it’s so nice to work with! (I am about a third of the way through the second sleeve)

SP12 – Q' of the week! (w/c 23 June 2008)

What would you consider the perfect amount of stash?

Well, the perfect amount of stash eh?

There should be enough for you to be inspired by it, but not so much that you’re overwhelmed by it.
Ooh Pretty not Oh my God I have more Yarn than I could ever possibly knit!

There should be enough to keep you going for at least three months, in case you lose your job (a bit like savings in the bank)

There should be enough that non-knitters can’t figure out why you need all that yarn but not so much that your OH wonders why you need all that yarn!

There should be enough that you need additional storage for it (otherwise it’s not a stash) but not so much that you find yarn everywhere.

SP12 – Q' of the week! (w/c 16 June 2008)

As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?
I don’t really remember the holidays as a young child. I think I probably missed my friends and the learning which I enjoyed.
As a teenager, though, things were different. I didn’t really fit in at school, so the holidays were a relief for me. I didn’t have to listen to the taunts about my looks (or lack of them), my ten-to-two feet and my knock-knees, my big bum and small boobs, or my lack of fashion sense (my jeans were never Lee or Levis, my jogging bottoms were never Adidas or Nike, my trainers were rarely even Gola*) All school based activities were an opportunity for me to be mocked**
So the relief from the teasing and taunting, the chance for me to once again be secure in myself.
Also, I looked forwards to (and still do) not having to get out of bed so early! As a teenager I would regularly sleep in until noon or later. This was partly because I was tired, partly because there was nothing to do and partly because I then stayed up until 2am or some silly time!

* Actually, the whole brand label thing was me trying to make a statement. Some of my friends would turn up entirely clad in Adidas or Kappa as though it made them cool, I refused to wear any of the trendy brands, the closest I came was some Umbro trousers with the poppers down the side, and that was because the ones from the cheap shops wore through too quickly!
I still try to stick to my “no brand names” policy, but it’s more complicated these days. If I think that you get what you pay for then I don’t mind paying a bit more, but I will not pay silly money (£40/$80) for a t-shirt just because it says “Adidas” on it.

**Actually, I guess almost everyone is either mocked, or else they have to conform. Conforming isn’t something I do easily. Okay, so I’ve done the “middle England” lifestyle of school, college, university, proper job but I’ve done those things with pink hair, too-short skirts, hobnail boots and sleeping through class. Rebel without a cause?

Lots to say...

Since I have so much to write about today, I’ve split this post into a few subheadings. Feel free to skim through to the bits that might interest you, and skip over the bits that you find dull.

Thank you everyone who left comments about Aston, despite his small size he is much missed.

The weekend just gone
At the weekend we went down to Cambridgeshire to “Livestock” which is a mini-festival that one of OH’s friend’s family put on. There is live music, barbeque and optional camping.
Last year I drank an entire bottle of pink wine and was then quite grumpy. This year I pre-mixed some gin and tonic instead, and was much more sensible. I was still cold by the end of the evening, but nowhere near as grumpy! The music was okay, I’m not really into live bands to be honest. The company was pretty good though, OH’s brothers both chatted to me, as did several of his friends. That was nice! I do quite like most of OH’s friends, which is good.
I always find it quite surprising when people in general are still in touch with lots of their old friends from school, university or whatever. Without wanting to be mean, I’m not really bothered whether I see my old school friends again (with one or two notable exceptions, you know who you are), I can see whether they have jobs, houses, babies, husbands etc on facebook without actually having to talk to them! But lets not get started on facebook…

Fantastic Beef
While at the farm where “Livestock” was happening, I was informed that we could buy some nice beef from said farm. So we headed back the next day to Barton Ley Farm to pick up some beef. We got several joints and some steaks, some stewing beef and some mince (yum to all!). Last night we tried some of the rump steaks we had selected, and mine was the best steak I have ever had, ever. It was big, juicy, tasty and the sliver of fat around the edge was soooo flavourful! If I was asked to choose only one meat to ever eat again, it would be beef from this farm.
So, if you’re in the Cambridge area and need some beef for the freezer, call by Barton Ley and get some beef. You will not regret it!

CSI Swap Package
Remember the CSI Package that went to Athens, Greece? Well, it arrived in Athens, Alabama! Woo! I’m so glad that it got there, now I can stop worrying about it and get on with my other swaps!
Oh, and I can’t claim back the cost of the original postage because I don’t have a receipt to prove I posted it. Poo.

Becoming a designer
I have designed some socks for my Discworld “Music with Sox in” swap. I’m knitting the second one now, and then I’m going to publish the pattern for the socks on My Knitting Blog as a free pattern. I haven’t decided whether I’ll just write it up or whether I’ll make it a downloadable PDF (or whether I can do that on blogger) but it will also be available on Ravelry for those of you who want it and can get there.
I will not be publishing it until my swap partner has received the parcel though, as I want the socks to be a surprise for her. If I’m feeling really exciteable I might knit them again in a different colourway for myself, then I can see how adaptable they are (they’re made for UK size 7 medium feet, hopefully!)
If all goes well, I intend to design more patterns. I might then start submitting some to Knitty or other online knitting magazines. I don’t know what the rights for such patterns and designers are, but it’s something I’ll look into.
And hopefully the hat will be finished and up soon/eventually!

SP12
SP12 continues. I’m beginning my scheming for the first parcel. I have an idea for what to send, but I need to track down appropriate items in appropriate colours at appropriate prices!
I have no idea who my upstream is, which is good, though I haven’t done much digging to try to find them. I’ve still managed to resist checking my blogger stats, but I’ve come close once or twice!

Well, that’s all for today I think.

SP12 – Q' of the week! (13 June 2008)

What is your favourite summertime drink??

What do I like to drink in the summer? Well now, that all depends on what I’m doing! If we’re talking a nice refreshing drink while I’m sunbathing in the garden then it would have to be real lemonade - you know, the kind that is pale yellow and not fizzy. Yum.
If I’m relaxing in a pub garden with some friends on a warm summer evening then I’d probably opt for a gin and tonic (slim line, no ice) which is summer in a glass!
When I am on holiday I like to drink cocktails, so I’d have a tequila sunrise or margarita (anything with tequila in!!)
However, if it’s your typical British summer, I would probably want to cosy down with a nice cup of tea preferably Yorkshire Tea (you can get two cups from one bag, you know) or some nice Earl Grey.

Shh, it's a secret

Well, SP12 has started (Well, officially it begins on the 15th). The chatter, on Rav and on some blogs, is already going. Brilliant!
My hostess seems great; we’ve already had a lot of contact from her. I’ve had the cutest e-card from my upstream with some cute doggies on. (How did s/he know to avoid cats?) I’ve also been trying to behave myself and not go hunting for someone who could be my pal. I have even decided not to check my blogger stats because there might be something there that gives him/her away. Oh, okay, I’ll probably look. But not yet.
I’ve been fascinated by the information I have found on my spoilee. S/he has good taste, which is cool but makes it all the more daunting for me. I’ve also had an email back from him/her (de-gender-ised in case s/he is reading! If you are, you’re a cheeky so-and-so)

I have a couple of ideas about how to keep secret for longer. We’ll see how they work out.

In other news………actually there is no other news. Life is just happening at the moment. I’ve got a bunch of books on spinning and business (not linked) on order, and I’m scouting out a couple of sewing books I am interested in. I still have some money off at WHSmith so I will have to check there before I buy elsewhere.
No, we are going to “Livestock” again this year. Hopefully I’ll get less drunk than last year (I drank a whole bottle of pink wine and then several cups of random cider. I was grumpy) and hopefully I’ll have my legwarmers ready by then, even if I don’t have any more of an outfit! (eek)

So Much Coolness!

On Saturday we made a trip to the Farmer’s Cart, one of the local Farm Shops. It’s my favourite of the two we go to, and we had extra reason to go because they were shearing the sheep there this weekend. The weather was pleasant and we stayed for lunch (I had one of the best carrot and coriander soups I have had ever!) and dessert, and then we did some shopping too. We bought some lovely local free range chicken, some pork loin and some minced beef. Easily enough for the week!
We also got to see the guinea pigs and rabbits, the piglets (aww), goats, sheep and the pony. I think the donkey that made the nasty mark on my other jeans was also there, but he wasn’t being friendly.
Ans we had a go on a tombola. OH and I both got a winner, some bucks fizz and a painting of York Minster from on the wall outside where I work!

The trip to see the sheep shearing inspired me, and I actually got out my “learn to spin” kit from Nancy’s Knit-nacks. It came with a little bit of fibre, a drop spindle and an instructional DVD.
First I tried “worsted” spinning. Then I tried “woollen” spinning. I got on better with the second way, but that could be because I had already done some spinning. In any case, I now have 4.3 yards of what could be described as Yarn Barf (or “Designer yarn”), plus a further 8.6 yards of what is almost decent yarn. (and a bit more on the spindle still)
And I’m hooked.
Completely, I spent most of Sunday (once I had spun all the fibre I had) searching the internet for online suppliers of not only fibre, but fleece and even spinning wheels. I think I will hang fire on the wheel until I get to grips with the spindle properly. Then I’ll save up and buy one of the cheaper wheels (I quite like the Ashford Kiwi, and it’s not the most expensive!).
Of course, that means I’m researching fibre and looking for good books (Spin to Knit has been recommended so far, I’m considering that!)
I also have been knitting some legwarmers (which seem to have warded off the bad weather so far). I’m using the random Greek wool that I used for the Evening Star shrug (all that time ago!) because I still have loads. It’s knitting up really nicely! It’s a 50% wool/acrylic mix, which I don’t usually go for – I prefer to get a higher wool percentage, and possibly superwash. However, this is soft and smooth and pretty! I don’t know how it washes yet (I haven’t dared wash the shrug!!) but with a fairly high man-made-fibre content, it should be fine.

Secret Pal 12 has begun! I am quite excited about it! I had lots of fun in SP11, and I hope that this round is as much fun. Which reminds me – I am planning on donating something for one of the contests, I just have to decide what, and get it in the post!!