Weather, wool and warmers

Well, it looks like we have just completely bypassed autumn and gone from the end of summer to miserable beginings of winter. I was hoping to blog about this (photo from last week)...



The beautiful harvest weather, the warm afternoons, the gold light.... instead I am bloggin about this (photo from this morning)...



Flippin' cold, blue, icy light with rain, wind and chance of snow. What went wrong?

Oh yes, and on the subject of 'what went wrong'... do you remember my lovely urban aran, which I finished while I was pregnant? I excitedly got it out to see how it would stand up to the chilly winds...


Uh huh... this is urban aran, finished in all it's painstaking glory .... on my husband!!! (sorry Mr pjs, I couldn't resist your 'I'm unimpressed' pose) Clearly I'ma knitting idiot...it drowns me and I look completely rediculous in it. So in the end it's a good thing that i knitted it in a colour that suits my hubby cause it looks great on him and at least one of us has a cosy jumper.

My little sister growed up and left home to go to uni this year, she was away for one week when the weather changed and she realised she hadn't taken her warm clothes.... so I made her a little 'so-you-live-on-your-own-keep-warm' present... a neck warmer. Hope she will like it.

Triumph...at last

Well, here it is finally..... Urban lanark, finished and sewn up (not blocked yet though)...


Sadly, the bump means I couldn't do what I enjoy most when I finish something.... so it's being modled by a cushion and my bench.

New Lanark

Yesssss!

I ordered this wool last week (yes, just last week) from a mill in Scotland near where I grew up (they opened an online shop).

And it arrived already....

Check the label.... traditionally produced wool.


I ordered 'Woodland Haze' A green slightly flecked with browns and blues.



And hopefully, if it ever arrives, I will have the pattern for this

Which, I think, paired with the lovelly green aran will work out nicely.

I also ordered shade cards and will definately get more wool from them. If you are planning a jumper or something similar, lovely wool... I highly recomend them. Prices and shipping are really good.... new lanark mill

street smart

All that urban gorgeousness made me finally splash out on the patons street smart pattern book. Yes I may never have the knitting capability to finish one. Yes I may have to frog repeatedly. Yes I may be out of my depth but gosh-darn it I'll try!!

this is the one i am in love with...
The unfortunate truth is... even if I finish it perfectly, even if it is a masterpiece, my lifes work.... i still wont look as good as everyone else in it. fluff!

ok enough moping. oooh I am also waiting on my elizabeth zimmermann book... knitting without tears (how very apt) I saw a hat in it that I deeeeeesperately want. Its getting really cold here now too and i want to have my hat .... ok so I have others (many) that I could and probably should wear but the other one will be fabulous.

Progress on the advent calender...well... its now tablecloths.... i decided that the advent calender can be next years gift and this year they are having quilted christmas cloths. mmmm. so am about 1/2 way through number 1 of 2.

I am trying to only give handmade gifts wherever possible.

Hmm I think thats about all for now. Or at least, it should be. off for a cuppa