Yarn, Masculinity & Choices.

I have finally managed to have a weekend free from work - well, the sort of work that pays my bills that is. No sewing for a whole two days after weeks of no break. January sort of eluded me apart from my forays into the world of mud & rain with Pepper dog, and thank goodness for those brief moments as I would otherwise have seen only my studio walls.

Seven day weeks with evenings included are hard. On the upside, how fantastic it is to know my work has brought me so much business. How lovely to think my designs are so popular and that is the biggest spur to me when I am almost weeping with gritty eyed tiredness and a desperate need to lie by the fire of an evening.

So, this weekend has been full of cleaning (much needed) and eating (much enjoyed) and generally lazing in or on my bed.

I am now in the midst of choosing a knitting pattern. Yes, another. Three projects are waiting to be finished and they can blooming well carry on waiting too! I want to choose a new pattern that calls to me, something I actually feel like knitting rather than working on some stuffed away project. Life is too darned short to worry over such things. I will finish them when the mood takes me and in the meantime comes the fun of new yarn...the picking of colours and texture, glorious texture. Breathes deeply in anticipation.

Mr Davey has also got has knitting mojo back & has worked two sweet hats for babies of friends and is now rapidly knitting up some socks for Lucy in a gorgeous soft tomato red & cream. I am most impressed! The photo makes the red quite harsh when it is actually more a nautical red or perhaps a Scandi type, if you know what I mean. Better images next time maybe.

A recent chat with an acquaintance surprised me. It seems the idea of a man knitting is still viewed as a sign of lacking masculinity. Oh dear me. When will things change? When will the notion of a man knitting or sewing or cooking or whatever cease to be worthy of any mention other than to comment on how gorgeous the yarn, how sumptuous the fabric, how delicious sounding the recipe? I truly do despair and frankly worry about the rubbish some children have to listen to when they are growing and forming their own ideas around identity. Hmm, I am on my soap box...climbing down as I type and posting a calming image to get the heart rate down.

Anyhoo, back to me! I can't decide whether to look ahead to spring (not mentioning which year I am thinking of obv) or to stay firmly in the chilly moment. My Pinterest board has plenty to choose from, as does my Ravelry queue. A little more looking & lusting is needed I think before I decide. It may just be a new hat is needed before any larger projects are started. Who knows but I am having fun looking. I quite fancy this Poolside pullover by Isabell Kraemer

  

or this gorgeous Brandied Cherry jumper by Thea Colman, perfect for chilly walks on the beach.

On the other hand I may go for something smaller for little granddaughter Scarlett (guilt smotes me down about now)

So many lovely choices! 

Are you knitting anything? x

P.S. those top three photos were 'borrowed' from eldest son Tom. Gorgeous aren't they? xx

The Reveal - Part Two.

Before the Reveal Part 2 I must just thank you for the lovely comments about our little cot quilt from the last post - so lovely to think you all liked it and hopefully it may have given an idea or two for any pending baby arrivals out there in blogland. Please do let me know if you work one yourself and I'll post a link.

Now to the results of Mr Davey's knitting where this gorgeous yarn - Twilley's Freedon Sincere Cotton DK for those who may wonder -

was worked with such love

into two little hats!

This wool is such a beautiful cotton blend with the creamiest of creams for the slightly larger one

and a heathery shade of pink for the tiny wee newborn one. I love the way the decreases lead to the little cord (which I believe is called an i-cord, though I have no notion why) which is then tied into a very cute knot. So lovely and so quick as Dave worked both of these within two days and that was obviously with many breaks for walks, games, etc...well, it was half term.

I love this yarn so much that I have ordered some for my next knitting project: Lurelei from my Ravelry queue (yes, I have finally worked out how to do a queue, though sadly not how to do an image link) in a gorgeous shade called Moonstone; more of this another time. Heavens, this is fast becoming a knitting blog!

Don't you hate buying wool that only has a batch number? How can someone not think of a thousand names when faced with such beautiful colours, merely resorting to labelling with an homogenous number which suggests a lack of connection with the wool itself? It is completely alien to me to have such a cold approach to something and doesn't seem to connect with the target audience either as most knitters I know are very in touch with such things. Thankfully, Twilleys are aware of our needs and have such beguiling names as Moonstone, Garnet and Malachite to tempt us with.

Anyhoo, enough of my ramblings. I will leave you with a bright splash of that ever-elusive sunshine in the form of our gaudy, can't-possibly-miss-me forsythia

and my Davey's dear hands (complete with their sadly bitten fingernails...sigh) knitting the second of the baby hats.

Have a lovely Wednesday x

The Continuing Tale of Headless Pip.

A mixed baggage of a post today with a little colour to start us off and make us feel that spring is out there somewhere, hidden in the grey clouds and intermittent drizzle, and ready to leap out at any given moment. Yes, a little optimistic, but it is nearly March after all and with that lovely thought in mind may I introduce the stunningly flamboyant flowers of the camellia 'Debbie' which is blooming right outside our kitchen window.



There are bright, fresh shoots appearing on the Rambling Rector rose, a present from my bestest friend for my birthday. I am having such fun planning on the best place to plant it, though I have almost settled on letting this manic rambler clamber through the hedge and up the old oak tree in wild abandon, showering the bed below with confetti petals and scenting summer evenings with its delicious scent.



And then there are the snowdrops still flowering for all they're worth. pretty scent if you get close to them you know.



So, having cheered you just a little I hope, I now intend to take it further with yet more comedy shots of the headless Pipany. Actually, the aim is really to show you my lovely new summer top knitted for me by the newly-ish taught and highly talented Mr Davey. Isn't it pretty?



I can't tell you how hard I find it taking pictures of myself. How does one pose? What look does one adopt? Grief, I so couldn't be Kate Moss...well, obviously that goes on so many levels!



Anyhow, enough of my preening. The top is really comfortable, much heavier than it looks so should be quite warm I think and has the prettiest hemline. I can see me wearing this on the beach a lot this year as long as we get some sun of course. Thank you Dave and for anyone interested, the wool (which is more like fabric ribbon) is called Sirdar Surfer and is on sale at Blacksheep Wools for £1.00 a ball - this top took 5 balls. Easy to knit with and very fast too. Oh, and that's me looking incredibly uncomfortable as my head is finally revealed.



This was the sky earlier this morning and it doesn't look set to change. A dirty sky full of glowering and forboding, a sky set to pour its cargo stright on my head whenever I step through the door.



I think it may be a day to snuggle down on the sofa with this...I wonder if Isabella will agree?



What are you up to today? x

A Slow Unfolding (and a long post).

Signs of a waiting spring with the slow unfolding of new life. I find more sweet crocus every time I step into the garden, though the absent sun means they are not lighting the scene with their starry faces, petal thrown wide to celebrate the gentle warmth.



The first of our primroses peeked its head above the cold soil and said hello with a soft yellow almost-unfurling of skirts, deciding at the last it seems to wait a little longer before shaking them out completely. It had only stopped flowering a short time before Christmas, so I guess it deserves a little rest.



The winter flowering cherry slowly, slowly fattens its tiny buds. I love this dainty plant with its elegant branches which suddenly explode into masses of beautiful blossoms making me feel spring is truly here even if it is really too early to be so.



I received the loveliest surprise from my dear, wonderful friend Diana this week in the form of the most beautifully decorated envelope containing knitting patterns. How perfect is that! Actually, how perfect is the envelope which Diana decorated with a collage of all varieties of witch hazel, one of my very favourite plants (yes, I know I have lots).



There is the most amazing witch hazel along the road from us which is now a mass of bloom scenting the air with the most beautiful and delicate perfume. I almost crash the car daily as we pass by in my attempts to negotiate the busy road and drown in the breathtaking beauty of this most beguiling of tiny trees.



Isn't it beautiful?



And there was one of Diana's equally beautiful photographs which is now firmly in place on the fridge door where I can gaze often as I virtually live in this one room.



And knitting patterns...woohoo! I think I may have to show you these in another post as they are so gorgeous, but I am desperate to start a new project and just having these to look at gives me the incentive I need...



..to keep going with this. I have nearly finished the back - 2cm left to do - and can honestly say I don't know what I think of it. It is light, soft to the touch and warm, but so odd that it needs to be completed and made up before I can commit myself.



It certainly isn't a grabber in photgraphs taken on such a dull day is it? Well, I'll stick at it and see how it goes. I hope I like it as I can't bear wasted effort and I really could do with a jumper like this.



In contrast, Mr Davey's knitting goes on apace with the last sleeve now started.



It is so lovely and I am really proud of his first attempt at a garment other than a scarf. I do love Crofter wool!



Well, that was a mammoth post, so I will leave you now with a huge thank you to dear Diana for making my week and another thank you to those of you who made it to the end of this post without losing the will to live!



Have a wonderful weekend x

A Long Wednesday Wander.

Not a lot going on here at the moment apart from the clicking of knitting needles. Projects move on and new ones are started, but more of that in a moment. Last night I could be found clicking away on the camera rather than knitting pins as the fire's rich light called to me to preserve it for those dull days ahead.



The more it flickered the closer I went with the lens, the hypnotic flames curling fingers of orange up the chimney.



Hot, molten, liquidy heat....such bliss.



Anyhow, enough of that. Much excitement for Isabella this morning as a little fishing boat arrived on the quay on the back of a lorry. "That's not right," she announced to the driver, which I suppose is true really.



The tide was in and the river was quite busy with boats moored all around.



I love the contrasts of textures, the peeling paints and rough rope with a myriad of different knots, the names of which I have no idea.



Home again and look what I spotted peeping though the weeds while feeding the ducks.



Which led me on to look for more signs of spring.



And the more I looked, the more I found as is so often the way... if we only remember to look.



Ok, now it's on to the comedy part of the piece. I wanted to show you my tank top which I actually finished knitting on Sunday morning, wearing it out to lunch with friends Sunday lunchtime. I am so very pleased with it as it fits perfectly and I actually finished all the seams properly for the first time ever - what a differece that makes I can tell you. Unfortunately getting photographs has proved a challenge as it is dark early in the day and too dim again later on; this means I have tried to photograph myself! Welcome to Pip's Comic Gallery!



Please try to focus on the knitting and not the fact that I am clearly headless (deliberate I may add)



Suffice it to say that this was a very quick and easy knit, one to do while watching the tv, and is so lovely to wear that I have virtually lived in it since Sunday. It looks fab with jeans and over floaty dresses and smart skirts too. I really recommend trying it.



I'm already well into my next proect now - a jumper in soft charcoal wool with a bubbly sort of texture, but I think I have gone on quite long enough for today. Thank you to those who made it thus far and I'll get me back to my paperwork now (yes, you can see why I waffled on so long now).



Have a great Wednesday x