Apple Strudel Progresses in the Highlands

One of the benefits of living in North Yorshire is the proximity of Scotland for weekends away - and that, readers, is exactly how we spent our August Bank Holiday weekend. Even from this far north, it is still a fair way to travel, and I was looking forward to two long train rides - uninterrupted knitting time, in which I was planning to finish the Magic Loop Socks, and the Apple Strudel Cardigan.

Well. I wasn't feeling quite right on the way up, and got absolutely nowhere with either in six (yes, six) hours! I knitted three rows on the Apple Strudel before finding myself in need of scissors or a yarn cutter (had neither with me) and consequently getting in a tangle. I switched to the socks, but fared little better, as realised quickly I didn't have enough yarn to complete them - halfway through the second sock. I spent the rest of the journey fiddling about with  them, unravelling part, reknitting etc, but kind of knowing it wasn't going to work. In between I watched the beautiful Highlands roll by:

The purple heather is quite subtle in this photo, but everytime I see the heather in bloom, I want to knit a sweater in those greens and purples exactly...

So the following day I took a break from knitting, and we explored the small but perfectly formed town of Dornoch:

Alas no knitting or craft shops here, but there was a lovely display in the local history museum:

telling the story of the Herring Girls, who travelled up and down the country packing the herring fished by the men, and who were known to be great knitters, bringing different stitch patterns to all parts of the UK. The museum's curator was thrilled when I wanted to photograph this display, as the spinner and knitter behind it is his wife, and they keep the shetland sheep these wonderful socks are made from.

Later, I refound my knitting mojo and the Apple Strudel cardigan progressed very well on the train journey home today:

Almost done! And just in time - this weekend is traditionally the end of summer in the UK, and tonight it sure feels like it.

In which Spring Cloud goes to the frog pond, I reorganise my craftng space and get startitis for Carnival.

So I thought I had managed to break the drought with Spring Cloud - I am sure all due to Gigi's wise advice last week and the diversion of the Magic Loop socks (now on the second one) during my commute this week. In the evenings last week, I beavered away and Spring Cloud the second was completed, and in a flash of inspiration I nipped out to the Woolmouse to get some vaguely co-ordinating laceweight - and found this kid merino:

from Crystal Palace yarns, in the enchantingly named Kiwis and Mangos. Knitted the cowl neck - and, once again, hated it. The problem, I have decided, is the proportions of the sweater are all wrong - the cowl is too much for the short body and sleeves. It will never be right, so it's going to go, and it's back to the drawing board for the Gedifra Samina. I feel another Rav search coming on!
Feeling somewhat discouraged by knitting, I looked for other activities to do and over the weekend I was suddenly taken to change around our dining and "extra" room spaces at home, and in the process had to face the mess that is my crafting space, or lack thereof! I was vaguely spreading myself around different parts of the house, and feeling pretty unorganised with it, which is something I hate. So I now have a dedicated crafting space (or really corner) in what was formerly our dining room, and is now our "activity room" - our dining room has moved to the rear extension, making much better use of this space, which was formerly just a junk room, really! Here is my crafting corner, mid-way through the changeover:

It is looking a bit better than that now!  I also had to deal with the fact that my stash is completey out of control, following a donation of about 7 large bags (and I mean garbage bag sized) of mill end cones from a neighbour! In amongst it were some beautifully coloured laceweight (you can see them in the photo) and a bag of silk, so some of it will be staying, but I will probably Freecycle or donate the rest to a school or college for textile students to use. My neighbour also had a knitting machine going, but I think I have enough on the go somehow, with knitting, and dabbling in crochet, sewing, spinning and dying, and all with a full time job and 2 hour commute...

With Spring Cloud off the needles, the Magic Loops socks in my work bag for commuting, and the Apple Strudel quietly hibernating until autumn really hits, I found myself daydreaming about a new project. I had been planning a shawl of course (sweater, socks and a shawl), but during a trashy 90s romantic comedy I watched last week some knitware caught my eye and in leafing through my old Rowan mags, I came across some vintage Kim Hargreaves from the late 90s (Carnival from Rowan 27) that was similar, and might treat myself to a rustle around in the stash this evening to see if I have what I need for it.

A pair of socks, a sweater and a shawl

I have recently been catching up on lots of back episodes of the Knitmore Girls, and one thing Gigi advises has really resonated with me (actually lots of thing she advises resonate, but this one particularly so) - always have a pair of socks:

a sweater:

and a shawl on the needles. This wise piece of advice helped me forget my troubles with Spring Cloud on Sunday, as I reconnected with my pair of socks.

The socks are the "Winter Socks" from Bev Galeskas' little booklet The Magic Loop, and indeed are done using the magic loop method, which I have discovered I love for socks! The stitich pattern is a simple beaded rib, and they are chunky, hiking-style socks, perfect for the coming winter, as I like to wear thick socks with my knee boots.

The sweater is the Apple Strudel Cardigan from Yarn Forward, a bit further progressed than this photo, with only the sleeves and bands to do now.

And the shawl?  Well, I don't have one on the needles since the casting off of the Sand and Sea Shawlette. I feel a Citron coming on...

Irish Spoils

Dear readers, I have just returned from a week touring beautiful Northern Ireland, and had managed to stow the above two skeins in my bag by the time I returned. The red skein, although beautiful, is really nothing special - just a a skein of Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed - but it will do well for a winter hat, and Ireland seemed an appopriate place to buy it. This purchase was made in Fivemiletown, near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, at this unprepossessing but surprisingly well-stocked yarn shop:

The other skein of handspun Jacob was purchased from the spinner herself  (trading as Simply Spun) at a craft fair at the stunningly-located Ward Castle, near Downpatrick, County Down:

This is a stock photo, as my ipod had run out of battery while we were there - on the gloriously sunny day we visited, Ward Castle had been yarn-bombed with a bright pink piece of ?crochet hanging from the centre balcony, still attached to a skein of yarn. I saw a little bit of other yarn bombing in Belfast as well, so it seems the knitters of Northern Ireland are out, about and active!
I also had a task to complete while travelling - my Ravellenics project, Spring Cloud, for Linda. Well, the closing ceremony was last night and I finished to a degree. I finished, but am not happy with the outcome, so want to make some changes. I am, right at this very moment, debating whether to take another break from Spring Cloud while I think about these changes, or just charge on with them. I like to knit for other people, but this is starting to feel a bit like a chore!

I could do a couple of quick one-skein projects - I want some light slippers for wearing in the house in summer, as my winter slippers (sheepskin ankle boots) are too heavy for this time of year, but our wood laminate floors downstairs are too cold to wear nothing, and socks are too slippery, and I am thinking of making a smart hat as well, for a dressy occasion I have been invited to in late August. These might distract me and energise me to return to Spring Cloud - or I might struggle to ever pick it up again!