Simplicity Is Where It's At

In the whirlwind of daily life and all busyness that it entails, I love to work on simple projects to relax, to meditate (cannot do the classic style meditation where you sit still - although garter stitch allows me to achieve perfect inner stillness, I am not kidding you), and to enjoy the texture and softness of wool. This is precisely why I came up with this scarf design.



I have plied together Stitchville 1-ply alpaca in charcoal and light brown minute mohair loop from Habu. To add a finishing touch I have worked a sequence of short rows at the end and when I have reached the point where you start going 'sideways' I have switched to mohair loop in cream, which resulted in a contrasting triangle.

It was a true "vegging out on the sofa" sort of project. No complications, no challenges, no fuss - just straight forward garter stitch... et c'est tout!



If there is anyone out there interested in joining in the Advent Calendar knit along here is a few thoughts on that subject.

1. I am trying to identify a wall in the house, which would display my knitted Advent Calendar to its best advantage. It needs to be good size clean and clutter-free space. 'Clutter-free' is the easy part, as generally there is not much going on on our walls. However, 'good size' is a different matter. Options are few and far between. Another consideration is to display it in the strategic place, so that we can all keep an eye on it and share kids' anticipation as we're getting closer and closer to the Christmas holiday (this is exactly where the appeal is for me!).

2. Depending on the chosen spot I will then settle on suitable scale. The great thing about doing things this way (as opposed to just buying a calendar and then finding a spot that will accommodate it) is that in my case these two are interrelated and are dynamically influencing each other, as I obviously have a concept for the calendar and know roughly what shape and form it will take!

3. Think about your favourite yarns (preferably left-overs). Dive into your stash to fill in the gaps. Get a 'bouquet' of needles handy. We will also need a crochet and a large simple hook in the wall where the calendar will be displayed.

I am aware that I have used the word "calendar" quite a few times in this post and am hoping, against the logic, that I am not fixing your expectations too much. Remember, this ain't just any Advent Calendar - it is its contemporary counterpart.

My Kind Of Pet

This pet is currently on the needles, becoming... Ouch! This sounds a bit sadistic. Don't you worry, I'm just teasing you!

Advent Calendar KAL

Today I was browsing through a children's mail order catalogue particularly interested in Advent Calendars. We haven't done this ever as a family and I do need to pull myself together, because if I don't kids will grow up and it will be too late to provide material for some fond childhood memories. That will not do! (I do treasure mine.)
I saw some really cute ones and some ordinary ones too (mostly wooden)... And then I thought to myself

"Silly you. You can make a better one than any of these! And of course it must be knitted!"

You are invited to join in, you knitters out there...

There will be an Advent Calendar KAL button and N is going to make it! So watch this space. Ideas are brewing here. This is so exciting! I just love the idea of making a family calendar that is OUR advent calendar and it will be unique and wonderful. But that is not all - the grand plan stretches over 3 years so that every child can claim their own calendar in the future (it will come in handy if they decide to start a family one day).

Part 1 starts on the 28th of November when we (it would be so much more fun if others cared to join in!) find out - in detail - what we will need for this project (as it is not hard to make a rough guess given that knitting will obviously be involved:)

The Knitting Extravaganza report to follow shortly, as I forgot my camera and am waiting for the pics someone else has taken (lucky some people have their heads screwed on more firmly than mine is!) May I just say that it was a fantastic night out. I'm going to let you in on a secret here. Cocktails at Hakkasan are just out of this world. Pleasure enhanced by talking to a fellow knitter whilst sipping them, and yes, we did manage to touch on other topics than just knitting!!!

It's so dark, I cannot possibly take a decent photograph of my favourite skein of yarn of the moment (you know, I'm a changeable creature). It's gorgeous, I repeat, GORGEOUS skein of bright orange sari silk from The Good Yarn Stall (but of course!) and I already know what it's going to be. Not telling though.

Knitting Extravaganza

A knitter's life is quite simply not complete without at least one Knitting Extravaganza in a while. Well, if you haven't made it to one yet (and they are not terribly in the mainstream, you know?) than here is your chance to do it in grand style!

Where?



Jarndyce
46, Great Russell Street
(opp. British Museum)
Bloomsbury,
London WC1B 3PA

From the doorstep you will see:



Yes! The British Museum (although not exactly from this angle).

Jarndyce is a fantastic place with bags of history...

"No. 46 Great Russell Street was built c.1735 as part of a development by the Duke of Bedford and stood opposite the late 17thC Montagu (or Montague) House, the site of the present British Museum.

At the time of its construction, it was on the edge of Central London; to the north there was little development. A map of 1755 shows ‘Southampton Fields’ surrounding Montagu House. No. 46, like its neighbours, was built as a private house and would have only come into use as a shop in the 19th century.

During 1825-1850, the new British Museum building was under construction and No. 46, along with its neighbours, was given a face-lift. The fronts were rebuilt and stuccoed to make them uniform and fitting neighbours for the new building opposite, but the interiors remained untouched, retaining the original panelling and other features." cont'd.

Well, once a year this antiquarian bookshop becomes the home of The Knitting Extravaganza. The event is organized by The Good Yarn Stall and Stitchville will be there too!

And this means that there will be A LOT OF YARN!!! And this is the whole point!

I'm getting a little carried away here. No point in telling you how wonderful it will be if you don't know...

When?

Thursday 20th November
6.00 - 8.30pm

The last question is:

What am I going to wear?

Stitchville Yarn Boutique Now Open

In case you were wondering where have I been and what have I been doing...

Stitchville has now its very own yarn boutique, which... Well, if you want to find out more have a peek. And yes. The deed pretty much accounts for my prolonged absence. But I have returned with renewed enthusiasm and plenty to write about, and apparently much more able to love myself (as in "not beat myself up" for being a dreadful blogger over the last couple of months:)
It seems that there is time for everything (as poetically stated in one of the biblical poems), and my blogging time is up again!

Pleased to be back from the land of servers, code and rather generative (read "not very structured") management. I need tactile things to recover from all this.

I am able to type at this wee morning hour (!!!) thanks to a quadruple coffee I had YESTERDAY afternoon, but even that is wearing thin now so I'll finish with an image and off I go to B.E.D.