A Tale of Three Ones

Yesterday I finished one sock.

It's the first sock I've ever knitted and I'm quite pleased.  I did a short row heel and managed to not have any gaps or holes (although I did unravel it a few times to achieve that!). It's self patterning sock yarn just incase you thought I'd used loads of different colours - it's clever stuff.  I think the 2nd one will be quicker and easier.

A few weeks ago I went to the local silk mill sale and bought silk in the sale for £15.00 a metre and made one curtain for my dining room door/window.

It only needs one curtain as it's really window dressing as the window/door is internal.  Apparently the silk would have retailed at over £100 a metre when it was sold commercially a couple of years ago so I got a good deal.  It hangs beautifully and drapes onto the floor looking very opulent.

And today I spied one hellebore peeping up through the snow.

A sign of things to come.

Winter Reflections

No, I'm not going all poetic or philosophical on you, I mean these reflections:

Our snow only really arrived yesterday and the stillness of the river made the reflections really clear today.

Everything looked really crisp and clean and as you can see I was the only idiot  person having a walk down there today.

I'll leave you with the tiny snow covered cones of the Alder tree (I think).

Keep warm!

Nearly Narnia

Remember my favourite tree tunnel through Elveden Forest?  Today they were like something out of Narnia

beautiful, but not especially nice weather to drive in so I was quite relieved when the school I was heading to phoned to postpone our meeting.

Looking up it was possible to imagine Mr Tumnus arriving to greet me - but he didn't, and I'm now safely tucked up at home.  Hope you're all safe and warm

Knitting and Unravelling

A few months ago I bought some wool to make this cardigan pattern (it's a Drops Garnstudio pattern and wool).  As most of it is plain it was quite boring to knit but the wool was nice and it didn't take much concentration so over Christmas I did a lot of it.

I enjoyed knitting the yoke, all those different colours and about 10 days ago I finished it.  Then I tried it on - it was ENORMOUS!  The yoke was so deep that the arms started 1/2 way down my body, making the sleeves about 6" too long!  So I unpicked half the yoke (quite therapeutic really), redesigned the pattern with a 1/3rd less rows and re-knitted it.

Last night I finished it for the second time. It's still a little bigger than I'd have ideally liked but at least it's wearable now.

It's nice and warm, which might be useful as we're due snow this week.

As you can see I had some additional help when measuring :-)

I was going to show you the self patterning sock yarn I've got, but I can't find it (ho hum, must tidy up properly)!  But I am also thinking about another cardy - I have these wonderful colour samples from Holst Garn 

and am trying to decide between these two patterns.

Breckon by Amy Christoffers
Found here on Ravelry

Lorelei by Tonia Barry
Found here on Ravelry

Any preferences?

Oozing With Inspiration!

Today I took a trip to London.  To the V and A.  I love the V and A, I spent many, many hours (probably days) there as a student but haven't been for years now.  How can you not love somewhere with staircases like this?

But I hadn't come for a general look round, I'd come to this exhibition

Image from V and A website

It was inspirational.  So many, many beautiful costumes.  There was no photography allowed in the exhibition but I bought some postcards (and am now regretting not buying the book!).

Costume for Elizabeth 1 - Elizabeth the Golden Age 2007

Green Curtain Dress - Gone With The Wind 1939

The information in each room was fascinating and the use of ICT to enhance the exhibits I thought was brilliant (once I'd got used to the photographic heads moving!).  This picture from the exhibition website shows some of the costumes in the final room (and you spot the two sides of Cruella Deville?) with the films projected through the gauze 'wings' hanging from the ceiling.

Image from V and A website

It's on until the end of January, booking in advance is essential, but if you get the chance to go I'd really recommend it.  I'm buzzing with ideas from it and if I had the time I'd go again.  All the details are here. 

And after I'd had a quick look around some of the rest of the museum (I'll save those pictures for another post) I headed off here as they had 30% off some fabric.

Well it would have been rude not to have done so, wouldn't it?!

A Walk Into Town

I needed a few things from town today but couldn't face the battle for car parking so I decided to walk.    First I walked through the churchyard at the end of my road and then down the long hill into town.

Past one of the three silk mills we have here (I didn't go in the shop this time, I'm waiting for the after Christmas sale!) and through the park.  

The totum pole is one of several in the town that were carved for the Millennium.

Then I arrived in the market hill where Thomas Gainsborough watches over proceedings from on high!

It was nice to see some mucky fen celery for sale, complete with root (we used to fight over who got to eat the root as children).

After I'd bought the few bits I needed I headed home but not along the road this time, instead I walked down this path to the river

where a swan was doing some preening and stretching!

The low winter sun and the still water made beautiful reflections.

 After crossing the railway line I was nearly home.

Back through the churchyard with its ivy covered gravestones and this funny little partially buried grave cross - I wonder whose grave it was marking.

Then through the kissing gate to home.

I hope you enjoyed the walk, next time I think I need to wear wellies as I did end up rather muddy!

A Cold and Frosty Morning

We had our first proper heavy frost this week, cold enough to blacken most (but not all) of the dahlias.

Frosted echinops seed heads

and frosted echinops leaves, curling like a knarled old hand.

Just the edges of the ferns were frosted, as though they'd been dipped into icing sugar,

but the hollyhock bud had a major dusting.

The frosted rose petals glistened in the sun

while the frost on the eucalyptus seemed to intensify the bluey grey colour.

The Vibernum Farreri buds had also been sharply frosted

but those higher up were already catching the sun and the frost was melting into tiny droplets of water.

It never ceases to amaze me how these winter flowers can cope with being frozen and then still open and fill the air with scent.

It's supposed to be another cold one tonight - I hope you all keep warm, I shall be found in front of the fire with my knitting :-)