The tale of an idiot

Picture the scene; it's Wednesday morning and I trek down to the village to get my hair beaten back into submission. Forty minutes later, it has succumbed and I traipse off the other end of the village to the haberdashers to buy yarn for "Christmas things". I buy said yarn (two balls of DK and one ball of aran) and go home. I get home, take the carrier bag out and look at the yarn. I swear (loudly and frequently). I've forgotten to buy yarn for the fingerless mittens and scarf set I wanted to make for my neighbour. I swear again. I write myself a reminder to go back down to the village sometime next week. I swear again.



L-R: yarn for Menknit item, yarn for two pairs of Cigar Gloves.



Things that I like:

The fact that my name spelt backwards means "Here" in Welsh.

My Mum's cardigan:

I have to come up with a better name for it than that, so here are the choices:

Her "true" Elvish name: Lanyare from http://www.elvish.org/elm/names.html

All from http://www.myprecious.us/name_generator.php

Hobbit name Aludda Smallburrow , Princess of the Halflings

Elvin name Cuthien Queen of Lórien

Dwarf name Clylla Zirak

Human name Eowirethien Envinyatar

Wizard name Arien , Lady of the Valar

Since she's not tall and willowy I don't think that the elvish names are appropriate, but I do think she's a bit magic, so I think I'll call the cardigan "Arien".

Progress so far (click on the picture for a larger view of the labels):



Books, lovely books:

I got A Gathering of Lace and Loop-d-loop from the library! I think that GOL might have to be "acquired" sometime in the future. There are quite a few patterns that have caught my eye (mainly in the shawls category) and I think I'll have a mass of the Olive lace weight left over after I've finished the mystery shawl.




Loop-d-loop is also really good. I love the riding jacket, the bias fair isle jumper, the slip stitch kilt (as a shawl though), the ballet top and the steek tank (the last two don't have photos, but Google and there'll be a ton). I'm not sure if this is a "keeper", but I can definitely see myself making at least one thing (the steek tank in Rowan Cotton Tape).




Something to brighten my day:

I submitted my "I'm knitting not revising photo" to Uknitty's competition to commemorate UK knitting week - and I won!

I got four skeins of Louisa Harding Sari Silk yarn:



(complete with lolly and pen)

I'm off to recover from the flu jab I had yesterday and watch Bleak House.

I *heart* the internet

I had a book.

Javede wanted the book.

I sent her the book.

She sent me some yarn.



The internet rocks!


Currently have my eye on ...

I'm really taken with this raglan jumper from the Dale of Norway Oberstdorf 2005 book.




The yarn it calls for is as follows:

17 of Heilo 0017. off white
2 of Heilo 5764. indigo
1 of Heilo 6031. pewter
1 of Heilo 5813. mist blue

If I bought the recommended yarn, it would rush me over US$150 (not including P&P).

So, I though laterally and found a King Cole Anti-tickle merino, machine washable yarn at Texere. The pallete of colours is incredable and the price is brilliant! Now I just need to find a source for the pattern booklet (not necessarily in the UK). Oh, and some money, and time, and a non-dissaproving look from my mum, and...


My Mum's Cardigan

I'm making a knit-from-the-top raglan cardigan with cables down the arms and front for Christmas, with Knitting from the Top holding my hand.



The very rough schematic (that's my mum on the right!).


The Swatch:



The cable is number 24.2 taken from this book:


The yarn is a cotton/acylic tweed called Plymouth Stone Cotton that I got from Elann (it all sold out in about four hours). It's Aran-weight (4.5 sts = 1") and I'm working it up on US7 Denise Interchangeables (I really love those, don't I?).


Amble:



This is the first sock. I have at least two more inches to go before I start the toe. Even though I'm not Jewish, I think a Yiddish-ism is appropriate here: Oy vey!



Mystery Shawl:


This is how I'm (supposed to be) keeping track of the pattern. I nearly made it to the end of Clue 2, when I did a quick stitch count and found I was six stitches in credit.
:sigh:
I tried "tinking" a few rows to pick up the error, but it wasn't happening. I ripped back to the end of clue 1 (thank you lifelines) and I'm half way through number 2 again. Everyone else is on Clue 4 (the edging).


My Winter knitting:

Janine (of Knitting on an Island fame) mentioned that my Christmas list was long. Hah! That ain't nothin'! Normally, I sew two camoflague waistcoats and a pair of trousers for my brother, knit a couple of pairs of socks, some mittens, hats and scarves and usually make one larger knitted item like a jumper or cardigan. This year is easy. Bring it on!

Eff-Ohh!

EDIT: my image server decided to have a day off (again) so I'm transfering some of my stuff over to Flickr.

That's right people, I have a finished object!


Front:




Side:



Back:




Please excuse some of the body-only shots. I was having a bad head day!


Pattern: Berroco Caroline Tank Top
Size: I worked it as the smallest size (33") and with the gauge difference it worked out perfectly to fit around 42-44".
Yarn: Rowan Cork (discontinued) in Hearten (an already discontinued shade anyway). I used about 7 balls, maybe 6. I started off with 15 balls and knit this with some of it. I used most of what was left.
Needles: US 11 Denise Interchangeables.
Notes: I used probability to determine whether each of the cables would cross front or back. See this post for more details. I wasn't super happy with the 1/1 rib at the sides, but hey - can't have everything! There is a mistake in the pattern with the final number of stitches that are left on a holder for the next band (they've overestimated).


Priorities:


Here is what I have on the needles right now (a shorter list than I'd thought):

1. Mystery Shawl 2 [lace]
   
2. Amble Socks [texture]
   
3. Martha Lace cardigan [lace]
   
4. Wendy wools pink lace cardigan (been a WIP since Moses was a lad so it can wait a bit) [lace]
   
5. I do shrug (still not cast on for the second half) [lace]
   

Here's what I need to start for Christmas/Somebody's Birthday:

1. A cable cardigan for my mum [texture]
   
2. Something from MenKnit for someone[plain] (no names here, just in case. Wink, wink!)
3. 2 pairs of Cigar gloves from Knitty.com [plain but with fiddly bits]
   
4. A scarf and a pair of fingerless mittens for A Friend. [plain]
   

I've joined the Peaceful Palms KAL over at Nona's to help me keep motivated with points 3 and 4.




Things I'd like to start (just for me):

1. Rogue (how long have I been threatening this?) [plain but with complex cables]
   
2. Picovioli [plain]
   
3. Ubernatural [plain]
   
4. Some more socks just for me [1 pair plain for TV knitting & 1 pair interesting for my sanity].
   

Suppose I'd better crack on then!

Free at last!

No more revision. No more writing until my hand hurts. No more crying in the middle of the day because I don't remember anything I'm supposed to have "learnt". In short, no more exams!!!! EVER (I hope)







Drinks are on me (as long as it's coffee)



Still have to do assignments next year, though.



The first paper (Oceanography) went quite well and I was reasonably pleased with it. The second one (Infectious Diseases) was always my weaker subject, but even having said that it was a 'mare. I had a stab at all the questions I needed to but considering the fact I had to produce an accurate and appropriate 600 word essay (along with data analysis and 10 "short" questions) without notes or a glossary - I didn't suck.

Random Funny Stuff:

(Out of 100, where 1 = normal and 100 = my brother)

Your score is:

110

Of all the weird test takers:

20% are more weird,
8% are just as weird, and
73% are more normal than you!

And, this is the one I'm most proud of:

5% scored higher (more nerdy), and
95% scored lower (less nerdy).

What does this mean? Your nerdiness is:

All hail the monstrous nerd. You are by far the SUPREME NERD GOD!!!

WooHoo!!!!! Bring on the Star Trek replica uniform!

Knitting? This is a knitting blog??

Why, yes it is! However, there no update pictures (yet) because there has been minimal progress. The Mystery Shawl was (I though) going quite well. That was until I did a stitch count last night and made it to 79 when it was supposed to 73. DOH! The Berroco/Probability tank is nearly done and I'm reasonably confident that I'll have it finished come the next post.

I'm off to enjoy a nice, stiff drink of Vimto and nibble my way through a large box of Licorice Allsorts!

Ta, Ta!

Dude - where's my knit?

An FO?!

In the midst of feeling like something the cat coughed up and not actually remembering anything I studied in the past 9 months, I did this:








Woohoo! Toasty feet ahoy!

Yarn: About 50g of "Pure wool DK" from Texere in Bradford
Needles: size US7 Denise Interchangeables
Pattern: Aunt Alm's Dorm Boots

That line down the right centre was my experiment with a "K2tog tbl" decrease. Hmm... didn't really work, did it?

Currently lurving:

This cable and lace pullover(or Le Pull in French - probably) - number 32. Anyone know what yarn weight this is? If it's a DK/worsted weight I have the perfect yarn in my stash for it.


Randomness in lieu of actual knitting content:

Have you ever noticed that Australian fast bowler Brett Lee:



Looks really like Beavis (from Beavis and Butthead)?

---

April, can you contact me using the link in the sidebar (called Mail me! under the "Links" label) with your email address please. It didn't come through with your comment. Communication by leaving comments on other people's blogs is so time consuming and, as we all know, I am lazy energy frugal.

Knitting Amys Knews:

Still just the three of us. We're getting a might lonely, you know. So, if you know an Amy (or an Amie or an Amiee), let her know that yes, there is a knitting (or crochet, or crafting) ring just for us!


I'm not slacking, I'm supporting a cause:

For Uknitty in honour of the UK National Knitting Week:






This is me not revising for my exam on Friday.

TAG, you're it! Pass this on.

http://uknitty.blogspot.com/2005/10/im-not-slacking-im-supporting-cause.html

Snooker Loopy

Loop-d-Loop

I've ordered this book from the library (no sign of it yet) but I've been browsing through this Yahoo Photo Album of the book and, Javede, don't take this the wrong way, but it all looks terribly German. I don't mean that in a negative way but, if you had a German Student exchange programme at school, you'll know what I mean! I'm interested in the steek tank (as seen here) and I'm thinking about using the rest of the Rowan Cotton Tape left over from Ribbon ll-back.

EDIT: I should clarify what I said. I don't mean it in an insulting way to say something looks German, it's just the style of it reminds me of all those high school students I met during the exchanges. I actually like some of the styling - it's very free and individual. Sorry Javede! Forgive me? :)

Uber/Very.

Speaking of Germany, look what I "acquired" to knit Ubernatural in:




5 honkin' big balls of Sirdar Denim chunky in "Slate Blue". The tension of this yarn is exactly twice that called for in the pattern so the two-times-table will come into force big time! This is, of course, after my exams and after I've knit Rogue, and Martha, and that lace cardigan that's been a WIP for two years, and a ton of socks and ... Or I could just cast on anyway because, erm ... well I need some TV/Football knitting - don't I?

Super Trooper.

Do you like my new profile figure?


It got it from Stor Troopers. Betcha didn't know I wore glasses! They are only reading ones though, but since I stuck myself next to a computer I thought I'd better be factually accurate! Apart from the fact that it's a UK size 12 and I'm well, errr... not, it's pretty good. Although, it does seem to bear a striking resemblance to Jennifer Garner. Weird!

It's a Mystery!?



Well, I know it's a lace shawl, but other than that it's a mystery!


And Finally:

Since the joke of the week went down well last time (with Peatbogfaery, anyway), here's one more:

Top Ten Things that Never Happen on Star Trek

10. The Enterprise runs into a energy field of a type it has encountered several times before.

9. The Enterprise goes to visit a remote outpost of scientists, who are all perfectly alright.

8. Some of the crew visits the holodeck and it works properly.

7. The crew of the Enterprise discovers a totally new lifeform, which later turns out to be a rather well-known old life-form wearing a funny hat.

6. The crew of the Enterprise is afflicted by a mysterious plague, for which the only cure can be found in the well-stocked Enterprise sick bay.

5. The captain has to make a difficult decision about a less advanced people which is made a great deal easier by the Starfleet Prime Directive.

4. An enigmatic being composed of pure energy attempts to interface with the Enterprise's computer, only to find it has forgotten to bring the right leads.

3. A power surge on the bridge is rapidly and correctly diagnosed as a faulty capacitor by the highly trained and competent engineering staff.

2. A major Starfleet emergency breaks out near the Enterprise, but fortunately some other ships in the area are able to deal with it to everyone's satisfaction.

1. The Enterprise is involved in a bizarre time-warp experience which is in some way unconnected to the late 20th century.

From JokeTribe.


Don't expect this to be a very regular feature, but during the northern hemisphere winter, I think we need some good jokes. So, I throw down the gaunlet to all you geeks and nerds out there: tell me your favourite geeky/nerdy joke by emailing me at ape182uk[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk and if I snort coffee out of my nose, I'll post it.


Ta, Ta.


P.S.:

Apologies to those who haven't had the pleasure of The Two Ronnies, but today marked the passing of a true comic genius, Ronnie Barker. He's the only person who made me laugh so hard I thought I had developed a hernia (The Hieroglyphics sketch, for those who want to know).