I tried. Really, I tried hard.

Have you heard of the chippie (crisp to you Brits) scarf? WKM has a picture posted here and I was so entranced by her fabulous work that I thought I would give it a go.

My plan was to make it for a friend's birthday (beg. Feb since you ask) and even splashed out on some NORO in a colourway I thought may suit her. This in itself makes me saintly as I have never really got the appeal of Noro.

WMK very kindly supplied me with the pattern and I set about casting on. The trick with the chippie scarf is that although this first stage may take several years and wear out either your fingers or your needles the actual knitting is only nine rows worth.

This being Britain I first had to juggle the needle size conversion then realised that I couldn't be ar*ed to actually go buy the right ones and so began by using 9mm rather than 10mm figuring this wouldn't make much difference. I'm sure it didn't.

What may well have been an issue in my increasing concern with this project was this obsession the Americans have about knitting with sticks. Or not. Nearly every recipe I see from the U.S. is knit in the round , either dpns or circular needles. I only possess one set of ea. of these and even together they wouldn't come close to 10mm so I started with straights.

No seriously. And I was okay for the first few rows. But then when the increases meant there was over 300 stitches on the stick things began to get a little tricky.

I sent out a distress call and WMK came dashing to my rescue with not just one but TWO circular needles. Figuring this was a bit excessive I carefully put one set away and kept on going. A few more rows of increasing and I was up to over 600 stitches!! AND they were stretched over BOTH sets of WMK's needles.




By the time I got to the end of the eighth row my fingers were starting to cry real tears and the wool was never going to last through to casting off so I let it sit in one of the increasing number of knitting bags to fester develop for a little while.

But last weekend I had had enough. This chippie scarf, much as I loved it, was going nowhere. So I dedicated Saturday night in front of the telly to restructuring my scarf-in-progress.

This is the result.

But I am hoping I have a new home for waiting for it.

CK's scarf.

All visitors to this page please note that there may be an example of cultural difference embedded further on. I cannot be entirely sure because after so many years the differences between Australia and Engerland start to bleed together a little (no, stop laughing. Seriously). In Australia we describe that reddish-browney colour as Marone(one pronounced own) or possibly Maroon(oon pr. oon). I couldn't remember which and CK is no help as he has the spelling ability of a poorly educated monkey made of knit (no offence y'all) and Princess C-W was asleep. So I chose at random.

Okay now someone may have to pinch me b/c I may actually be dreaming.

On Wednesday night when I was knitting up scarf for tropical s-i-l CK commented on how lovely (okay, not his word) it was both in texture and colour and would I please knit him one?!?!?!? (Here comes the dreaming bit) A little surprised I kind of nodded and smiled politely b/c CK does not wear scarves. Certainly not scarves which can only be described as having aspiration to pink domination of the Universe. 'Although' he said, 'I would rather have it in a colour more like the maroon running through this one. Yeah, I would like one of these none intrusive scarves in a (wait for it) serious maroon.' So I am on the hunt b/c straight away I have a Christmas present ticked off the list.

Anyone know where I can buy a chunky yarn that is soft but also comes in serious marone? (Am willing to run to cashmere b/c he's worth it).

On a completely different note we have just one more sleep to go here at Trash Towers before Sylv's broomstick lands and the kids were getting excited. The letters for the banner have mostly been made, I had said they were both allowed to get up at dark'o'clock to come get her and the enormous Spring Clean of their rooms was complete except for a final hoover.

Why were? Last night about elevenish poor old BabyMan lost his last three meals all over the side of his bed (sorry too graphic) and after his evil mother forced him to take a shower he went back into a freshly made bed in a room stinking of carpet cleaner and febreze.

Well he has survived the day, staying at home with Dada being sick boys together on the couch. (CK was recovering having had the remnants of a molar taken out of his head yesterday). There was a lot of lemonade, Maltesers (don't ask!) and Star Wars movies.

OH DEAR!!!!!! I spoke far too soon! I have just cleaned up again after a repeat episode of last night - bleaugh :-{

I have to say the past 24 hours have been hideous.

Last night I ran out of fuel on a major bend just 20 yards from home, right in the middle of what constitutes our local rush hour. Lots of cars, lorries and a few tractors. So I was out in the dusk directing traffic, having taken Babyman home first to the man with the swollen face.

A friend from up the road rescued me and went off to buy fuel but forgot to ask which I take. This being a small friendly town she rang my next door neighbour who walked down to find out. All good on Tina's return and having sliced down a plastic bottle to fit into my tank (seriously, not making any of this up) I was able to move my car off to one side.

Yes, off to one side rather than away because just as I turned the key another motorist ran out of fuel literally two yards in front of me! Tina and I push started him so he could limp around the corner onto the flat and by the time I got back to my car there was a nice policeman waiting (Really truly this all happened!). However, after a detour to the petrol station, I made it home safe and sound.

So I am hoping this means that tomorrow is all pre-disastered and the trip to the airport will be fine. The banner is so cool, I'll take photos tomorrow.

Paranoid? Moi!

I am toying with the idea of getting a visit counter but am put off by having it read in single figures for the next millenia.

I haven't started writing this page b/c I am aiming for world domination beginning with a foothold in blogland, but at the same time it is a pleasant feeling to find folks with a shared view of the world. So, I would find it a little discomforting to click onto my page and automatically have my attention drawn just to whether the numbers have changed since my last visit. (I'm guessing it would probably take me several days of hourly visitoring before I realised I was pushing up numbers!!!)

Generally I am not an unconfident person and I am extremely happy that anyone chooses to spend their time reading my thoughts but still .... I remain unconvinced.


However. On the knitting front, with the end so clearly in sight for my ISE 5 scarf I have begun something new today. There are some who may call it premature to begin another project prior to completion. I prefer to call it 'on the ball'.

Where on Earth?

Have found this fabtastic link on pink icing and couldn't resist. It maps for you where you have been in the world and gives you a percentage. Have a look at the bottom of the page for mine.

So now confession time. I have been to all the places shown but so many of them just passing through the airport. But that counts right? Right?

My only place I haven't touched yet is Africa.

Must. Get. To. Africa.

Must. See. Elephants.

Am feeling less than my best this morning so have had several lazy hours on the brown couch (we have three - yellow, brown & inferior) meandering through the 'innernets'. Am I the last person in the world to hear about Yarnstorm taking on the London Mediarati? Given that Radio Four can be heard from every room in the house it is crazy that I missed the whole thing!

But having read through the posts on her page and also 'The Article' from a Sunday broadsheet I am left stunned. Is it just envy and jealousy? Why is someone enjoying the 'gentle or domestic arts' so threatening? Surely as a feminist the author should be applauding the developing community of creative folk and interested parties we have online?

Whether one is just an observer of the crafts, arts, domesticity and skills or an active participant is irrelevant. I will never paint like Matisse/Kandinsky/Goya etc, etc but I can still appreciate their work. I had an email conversation with digital artist Linda Johnson (can't remember her stage name) asking about whether the more traditional home -based crafts could be considered art. Her belief is that art is self-defining. Not 'I am an artist making a cup of coffee, ergo the coffee is art' but when skill and ability are deployed to create a beautiful object which leaves the maker satisfied and pleased this should be recognised as art.

taking time for a cup of tea for the soul I suggest five minutes at trek's philosophical musings. You should all go read, it is good for the heart, soul and wool stash justification.

Blurry knitting update

Remember how cocky I was about the scarf for my gorgeous tropical niece? Yeah. I frogged it this morning. All the way down to the end.

After 700 hours of knitting it had only reached about 13", hardly enough for a scarf. Plus the pattern kept eating stitches. No seriously, I cast 38 stitches onto 3.5mm needles and had to keep adding one every 10 rows. By the time I had had enough there was only 32 stitches on the needle!

So now it is back to plain old garter stitch on 8mm needles and I'm already up to the same length again. My plan is to finish it off and then add a flower to make it a little prettier. Will post photies soon.