PurlyQueen

The time has come ...

2010-02-07-09
Originally uploaded by PurlyQueen.

... for me to learn how to darn.

Off the needles - hallelujah!

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Originally uploaded by PurlyQueen.

My knitting malaise may have something to do with this baby blanket.

Some projects seem to drag on forever - this was one of them. I find blankets very montonous to knit - even the cables lost their allure after about 20 rows.

But blankets do look gorgeous when they're all done - and the recipients love being able to take their new babies out in a hand-knitted blanket.

The pattern is from a Debbie Bliss book. I thnk it was the Baby Knits one. And I managed to eat into my stash. I used a packet of Patons Fairytale that I bought the best part of a year ago.

I'm very pleased with the blanket, but the next one will be knitted on 9mm needles!

Where's my mojo?

I'm in a funny kinda mood at the moment. I've started four projects (two pairs of socks, plus a sweater and a pair of legwarmers for Matthew) since Christmas, but I can't summon up the energy to commit to any of them.

Perhaps I'll feel better in a couple of weeks. 

Or perhaps all I need is a yarn shopping trip to lift my mood ...

Hope you're all having a great Christmas.
I've back at work for a couple of days, but it's a small price to pay as I will be off for just over two weeks, starting tomorrow!

Kemps Wool Shop --
http://bit.ly/Qa2vv ) -- has a consignment of cheap Regia sock yarn at GBP1.20 a ball. I've just ordered a load!

A Lidl warning

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Originally uploaded by PurlyQueen.

The news that Lidl* was stocking sock yarn heralded a stampede of bargain-loving knitters who wanted to get their hands on the £2.99 packs.

Egged on by tales from my fellow Foyles knitters about the colours to be had, I went to my local branch, in Cricklewood, and bought two packs of grey yarn.

I realised that there was another branch a couple of miles up the road in Kingsbury. So I stockpiled enough grey and cream packs to make an adult-sized cardigan.

While visiting my family in east London, I couldn't resist buying some more in the East Ham branch. Goodness knows how many packs I ended up with.

Then the news broke on Ravelry. Lidl was to recall the yarn. Once I knitted with it, I realised why. The yarn was labelled as superwash - but it most certainly isn't.

I used some as a contrast in a pair of socks for Matthew. The toes felted after a couple of wears. They hadn't even seen the inside of a washing machine.

Some will say, 'well, you get what you pay for,' but I disagree. I am just glad that I hadn't made the socks for someone else or started on a cardigan for myself.

Lidl is a chain of German no-frills supermarkets. To get customers through the doors, they'll sell a range of themed items at dirt cheap prices. I can't wait for Gadgets Week when I can buy a 'home planetarium' - though I'm not sure £49.99 is such a bargain!!

Sight for sore eyes

I was so impressed with this rainbow that I made Rob stop the car so that I could get out and take a photo on my phone.

Top socks

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Originally uploaded by PurlyQueen.

These socks saved me from catching trenchfoot in Ireland.

We stayed with Rob's uncle, who lives just outside a village called Castlegregory on the west coast of Ireland.

Now no-one goes to Ireland in November hoping to catch some rays, but I had forgotten how wet and damp it gets.

I was grateful for all my my hand-knitted socks, but these Trekking Jaywalkers were the business. Not only did they fit like a glove, but the yarn also stands up to being machine washed and tumble-dried - which is more than I can say for my Colinette Jitterbug socks.

Creature comforts

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Originally uploaded by PurlyQueen.

I found this intarsia cushion in my loft yesterday. Rather than leave it to fester in there, I thought it would cheer up my office chair.

This was my first (and last, so far) attempt at intarsia.

The pattern is from a Rowan magazine five or six years ago. I made the main body with an Elle variegated acrylic. The 'trails' were made with some mohair yarn that I think I inherited from another knitter.

As you can tell, I don't believe in a 'tidy desk' policy. Journalists never have organised desks!

View from the London Eye

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Originally uploaded by PurlyQueen.

My sister and I took my mum up on the London Eye this afternoon.
It's my favourite tourist attraction in London - you can see right out to the suburbs - even on a rotten day like today.