Too ill to knit

Yes, it's true. On Sunday I was officially 'too ill too knit'. I had picked up a stomach bug from one of the boys and for the first time since having children (nearly six years ago) I was literally too ill to get out of bed. My OH hoped that if he left me to my own devices I would be able to pull myself together and join them downstairs - he even tried to tempt me by bringing up my knitting bag and leaving it at the side of the bed. But by midday it was clear that he was on his own parenting-wise.

When I shakily emerged after tea-time the house looked like a bombsite. It wasn't that DH hadn't been hard at work cleaning, feeding, entertaining etc it was just that 'stuff' was everywhere. It made me realise how much I (and all the mum's I know) pick up and tidy as we go. We really do multi-task without even thinking about it. I never leave a room without something in my hand destined to go in another room - I guess the Flylady mantra's have stuck with me more than I thought.

Anyway, my horrible tum meant a day off work on Monday and of course, plenty of knitting to make up lost time. I finally divided for the sleeves on Abotanicity - sadly it still isn't very photogenic. And I finally managed to begin a Ripple crochet blanket after lusting after those on the Ravelry group for ages. It isn't perfect but I am enjoying the soothing rythmn of the hills and valleys.

Abotanicity

Abotanicity
Originally uploaded by l.tilbrook

Officially still in love with this project. The colours are wonderful and it is a very relaxing knit but my - the rows are getting very long now. I think I need to end up with about 450 stitches before dividing for the arms and each row takes well over 15 minutes. However, I am trying not to think about rows and time spent and just enjoy the zen of it. Over on the Phoenix Knitting Forum we recently worked out our 'stitch per minute' (SPM) rate for fun. I think that I came out about average at about 30 SPM - I'm probably much slower in rib.

I did think about working out how much longer it would take to finish the yoke of this sweater but then I decided against it. There is the possibility that it would prove to be way too depressing - sort of like looking at Scarfell Pike (in the Lake District) from the bottom and knowing that you have to climb all the way up it and back down before you get your log fire and glass of merlot!

Embrace the peace and quiet of 2x1 rib and a glass (or two) of merlot and forget about stitch counts. That's my philosophy anyway, and I'm trying hard not to notice that the sweater looks much the same when I put it down after four hours of solid knitting.

Infatuation

With amazing service from Meadow Yarns my 3.25mm KnitPro tips arrived safely and very speedily. By happy co-incidence it was also my day off work and the two boys were safely installed at school. Yes, I know that the kitchen floor needed mopping and I really ought to sort out that slightly fuzzy something wrapped in clingfilm at the back of the fridge, but I felt the urge to cast on for my new project immediately.

Housework is definately overated anyway. After 5 hours of blissful knitting I realised several things:
1. I love the colours of the Trekking XXL
2. This project is going to grow very...very slowly, and as such will not make the most exciting of bloggable projects.
3. A new project is like a new relationship. Currently I am in the Infatuation stage - the project and I just wanted to spend all of our time together.

Travelling Scarf

P1280365
Originally uploaded by l.tilbrook

I just wanted to show off my completed Travelling Scarf from some lovely people on the Phoenix Knitting Forum here in the UK. It was a year long project and we all knit one section per month on a scarf, then sent it on to the next person on the list until finally it arrived back home with the person who cast it on.

I love it, not least because it is a beautiful reminder of the lovely people I have 'met' through the forum and a great expression of our craft.

The right tools for the job

I have finally caved in and bought the 4 x 100g balls of Trekking XXL required to make Abotanicity. I chose shade 419 which is a lovely muted range of heathery tones, great for casual wear with jeans, leggings etc.

Excitedly I sat down with a fresh cup of coffee to cast on and suddenly - horrors - I don't have the right sized needles.

Now I have been knitting for over 2 years now and during that time have acquired an impressive stash of Addi Turbo's, in addition to which my lovely OH bought me a set of KnitPro Symphonie interchangable needles last year.

I have 3.0mm needles and 3.5mm ones but do I have 3.25mm ones - No. I'm tempted to wing it and just go with the 3.5's but then it is going to be such a lot of knitting that I really don't want to have to re-do any.

Will just have to bite the bullet and wait a few more days before casting on.

Contenders for the 'C' socks

For the 'C' socks of the A-Z challenge I've narrowed the contenders down to the following:

Cusp
Clandestine
Circle socks
Court Line
Cauchy

As you can probably tell, I am torn between something more elaborate and Cookie A related (for me) or something more sensible and manly for one of the several men in my family who have birthdays in the next few months. Unfortunately, like many men, their taste in footwear is rather conservative and they have large feet. I've wanted to make Cauchy for some time now but I'm not sure how stretchy the resulting sock will be - something important when it comes to gifts. Court Line looks very smart but most of my man-friendly superwash sock yarn is in quite dark colours and I'm not sure how visible the pattern will be.

On the other hand I have some lovely Lorna's Laces sock yarn in a beautiful yellow/green shade which is just crying out to be made into Cusp or Clandestine.

Decisions....Decisions....

B is for BFF socks- finished

BFF socks
Originally uploaded by l.tilbrook

My 'B' socks are now finished, and very pleased I am to see the end of them. The good news is that I am now very happy with cabling without a needle and my, weren't there a lot of them in this pair of large men's socks. The bad news is that I didn't really take to this yarn. It was Regia Extra Twist merino sock yarn and whilst wonderfully soft and squidgy, it was more splitty than a very splitty thing - sorry but I can't think of a suitable 'splitty' analogy.
Now I have a few days to tackle those WIPs languishing in the knitting basket, before starting on the 'C' socks. Hmmm - maybe I'll just go and browse a few patterns first!