Just a quickie

Thanks to Daisy for reminding me about this - how could I have forgotten to blog about it???

My first design for 'Knitting' magazine is in the October issue, which hits the newsstands in September. It's a beanie hat, which I called Binky, but which may have been renamed to tie in with the theme of the issue. The November issue has one of my wraps in it. After that, I don't know what's in which issue.

The socks are going well, although I haven't worked much on either pair this week. In answer to Mary Anne, I work on dpns - I have worked on circs, but I prefer dpns, especially the different-coloured metal ones I got on eBay. (I won a bunch of bue, green, pink and gold ones in a variety of sizes.)

I've also discovered a new (to me) heel stitch courtesy of Mary Thomas. It's a very simple slip stitch pattern, which has one row of (sl1, P1), followed by a whole row of K. I haven't used slip stitches much, and I love the thickness and the texture of this one.

Lastly, a quick plug - Richard has put a whole load of stuff on eBay for me, under my seller name of heathercawte. There are quite a few knitting books there, and more to come, so feel free to browse.

Joy of Sox

I'm feeling a lot brighter today, so I thought I'd make the most of it and bash out a quick blog entry!

I love knitting socks.

I love trying out new heel types and patterns.

I love the smallness, lightness and portability of socks. Not that I have to port stuff all that often, but even so :)

I love how quick they are to knit.

I love how comfy and warm wool socks are.

I love knowing that they haven't been produced in a Third World sweatshop.

I love the way people look at me in amazement and admiration when I work with dpns.

I love how people really thank you for handmade socks, in a way they just don't seem to do when you make them a sweater or a hat.

I really love the magic of turning heels.

None of this was much consolation on Saturday when I had to unpick two socks. I knit pairs of socks concurrently, alternating between them (as opposed to one inside the other, which is really magic, but which I have yet to try). This means that, when I finish one, the second is so nearly finished that I don't suffer from Second Sock Syndrome. Sadly, it also means that, when I make a mistake on one, I usually make it on both before I realise what I've done wrong.

The bigger problem with this mistake was that the wool I am using is a tad splitty, and picking up a whole round of stitches looked so messy that I ended up frogging the whole thing :(

My consolation is that it's a pretty quick pattern, and is making back up fairly quickly. Still - frogging two socks.....

My other consolation is that, although these are the socks I am making for my sister's Christmas present, they are not the 'This Little Piggy' socks (from 'Socks, Socks, Socks') which I originally intended to make for her. Those have individual toes, and duplicate-stitched pigs on the legs, and, had I made an error on those, my screams would have been heard on the moon.

I'm also making a pair for myself with printed yarn (some Fortissima Colori by Socka, which I've had in my stash forever), and I've just made a pair of black socks with Feather and Fan cuffs for my mother.

If you've never tried socks, this website is a brilliant place to start. It has a great range of free patterns, advice, lessons on techniques and stuff.

Great jubilation

The Doctor Who scarf is finished! (Photos to follow....)

And I'm posting! (Briefly, but there you go.)

And.... RICHARD, THE BEAMISH BOY, HAS PASSED HIS DRIVING TEST!

I am so proud :)

Littlelixie tagged me about my idiosyncrasies, so here goes:

1. I can't bear pictures hanging askew. Not even slightly. Richard uses this fact to torture me for fun.

2. I am terrified of the Epstein sculpture of St Michael and the Devil at Coventry Cathedral.

3. I cringe at bad punctuation. (I was a proofreader, and an English teacher. I can't help it.)

4. If I am playing cards, I have to put all my cards into suits, and then into order within the suits, whether or not this is advantageous within the game.

5. I am given to random quoting from radio and TV comedy shows. Luckily, the Beamish Boy does this too, so I don't feel as weird as I should when I do this.

I'm off now. I'm still not very coherent, and this has used up my daily quota of brainpower. Back soon......