Announcement (and FO)

We interrupt this blog to announce that forthwith the drinking of tea in the vicinity of laptops is strictly forbidden. At. All. Times. (Without. Exception).

I should explain. There was a small incident last week. One involving an almostly completely drunk cup of tea and a laptop. Despite my best efforts (tip laptop upside down, shake vigorously, blot any remaining moisture with hanky, swear even more vigorously, keep fingers crossed and leave laptop in warm place for a day or two) said laptop has taken ill and is with matron in sick bay. Not sure when she'll be back - and of course, until she is I can't do any work it's a bit tricky accessing photos and files.

No matter. I might have missed this week's making monday, but there is a wee something - or even fourteen wee somethings to show instead.

A small bevvy of hats for this year's Big Knit, which I parcelled up for Age Scotland. These hats will shortly grace the tops of Innocent smoothie bottles and each hat sold generates a donation for Age UK. The target was 650,000 hats!

In other news: I have been WIP wrestling, and got Deli (aka the cardigan of doom) out of hibernation. Since I had 4 of the 5 pieces already knitted, I thought I would block what I had and go from there. So, two sleeves, one back and one front were all washed and ready for blocking. As I got to work with the pins I noticed a hole, and then another and another. I'm not sure I can even say the word: m o t h. Apparently one has been nibbling at my knitting. So, there has been ripping and grafting and gnashing of teeth as I repaired and reknitted the three of the four pieces which had holes (and installed anti-moth measures in all my stash boxes). At the weekend I started knitting the second front (the last piece) and was gaily decreasing for the armhole when I thought I had better check that it matched the first side. It didn't. It wasn't quite as far out as the yarn harlot was, but it was still out, so there'll be more ripping and reknitting, and I daresay some gnashing of teeth too. Still, I did manage to finish my first handwarmer last night (after abandoning the cardigan of doom in disgust). I'm wearing it now. You know. As you do. Just to see.

FO: Purl Scarf

We've been tidying up and rationalising and getting rid of a few things here and there. A parcel of baby/toddler clothes for a friend, a bag of old work shirts for the charity shop (I had first dibs and have kept two for repurposing), a few toys which are a bit young for our two beans now. Perhaps because of this, and perhaps because a work colleague is knitting her first scarf, I had an itch to scratch. Some immediate knitting and stash busting gratification was called for. I knew exactly what I wanted to do - another of the purl scarves from last-minute knitted gifts. So, I reached into the stash and pulled out a super chunky jumper (another charity shop find) that I had partly deconstructed a while back.

I snipped and ripped and frogged and wound myself a big ball of the creamy yarn. Then reached into the stash for something hairy - a mohair yarn (bought in a charity shop years and years ago), and something smooth - a ball of unnamed DK (?Sirdar). I set to and knit and knit and knit - all through Harry Potter and the deathly hallows part 1 (twice). And then I finished, and I put it in my box of gifts, ready for a birthday or other deserving event/recipient to come along and claim it.

Pattern: Purl scarf, from last-minute knitted gifts

yarn: various from stash

Mods: omitted fringe

time taken: Friday 28 July - Sunday 30 July 2011

And, I made a dent in the stash to boot (half a jumper, plus three balls of mohair and one of DK yarn). There wasn't much left.

Other projects are coming along here and there. Drew is almost up to the armholes (again), and there has been quite a lot of sock action too. Husband sock no. 1 is finished, but no. 2 not quite cast on. The seriously stripey sock experiment was ripped (but I learnt what I need to learn) and is being reknit. And, then there are the innocent hats. I saw this the other day and realising that I live nobbut a stone's throw from Age UK's Scotland office, I thought I would join in. I've knit 4 so far, and as they take hardly any time I think there might be a reasonably large pile before too long...

Last night I got my sewing machine out to tackle the pile of mending/sewing bits and bobs which is threatening to take over the dresser. I finished another nappy (no. 6), repaired one pair of shorts and one pair of trousers (both belonging to the bean) and redecorated one of the jelly beans t-shirts to cover up the mysterious spots/stains which appeared recently. DH was pleased by the reduction in stuff/clutter, and I was just pleased to get a few more things done. Tick. It's satsifying, isn't it?