breispace

All around me people seem to be procreating lately, and it was time to supply the soon-to-be demand for baby garments. First there was the hat (from a free Drops pattern) for baby Fay, Maldwyn and Elizabeth’s v cute offspring.

Not in the traditional pink for  two reasons:

1. no cliche should be used without irony;
2. so she can support her daddy’s rugby team this winter.

Next were the caps for no less than four babies of colleagues and college classmates. I needed something fast, and so I decided to make simple umbilical cord caps from the first Stitch ‘n Bitch book, knitted with a double string of leftover sock yarn. Only 64 stitches in the round, rolled brim, finished off with i-cord. I had them all finished in ten days.

Another hat I had started on at last year’s winter banquet in Archeon will now be finished for the next one. I trimmed it with bear fur (or dog fur, I have no idea) from a muff I got from my dad’s girlfriend. It looks and feels quite spectacular, if I say so myself.

It’s going to be a toasty winter.

Last lessons have finished; the students have one last week of sweating and testing to get through and I have to mark the things they’ll have wrought. Then there’ll be a week of report meetings, deciding who will pass and who won’t, last-minute resits and tasks, and then all will be finished on July the 11th. In the mean time I still have one essay, one POP (personal development plan) and one evaluation to write, and hopefully then I’ll be finished for this year as well. Just to keep you abreast with other things, here’s a small overview of this last month.

About a month ago I got a call from someone who told me I had won first prize in the Swalmen Ceramics Market buyers’ draw; a flowery vase by a Polish ceramist called Bozena Wislicka. She doesn’t have a website of her own that I know of, so for other work you’ll have to google her name for images. About three weeks later, the prize arrived. I was hoping for one of her pots with red roses, but this one is nice too. The winged legged box on the right is by a German potter whose name I don’t remember, alas.

Today is Summer Solstice, but I’ve had proof of summer for a while: this was the garden a month ago (it looks more lush now) with M’s flax plants at the back and red shallots and rocket in front.

The strawberries and raspberries were ripening nicely (more raspberries to come, lots of yellow ones this year). Also in the picture: pumpkin (back) and tomato (front left) seedlings, to be planted later.

Last Saturday, the 14th, was worldwide Knit In Public day. The Dutch Knitters decided to celebrate by organising a canal boat tour of Amsterdam. M and I wore matching “Yarrrnn” Tshirts.

Knitters from allover the country joined us, including the Guinness record holder for speedknitting, and Dagmar (Ravelry link) from SnB Amsterdam Noord.

Good times were had by all. I decided to mark the occasion by starting a new scarf on a nautical theme; a wavy dropped-stitch pattern (free from Drops) in a suitably watery greenish yarn. This’ll also get me through the boring invigilating to come next week, once my Tucan sock is finished.

Piggy wasn’t doing so well last week: she was licking her fur all the time, a sign of her food allergies playing up, and something seemed to be stuck in/up her throat. So I took her to the vet’s, who gave her a shot for her allergies and concluded that she also had a throat infection and dental difficulties. I may have to get all her remaining teeth pulled. In the mean time she’s on soft food (canned and kibble soaked in water) and doing a lot better again.

Today, apart from Summer Solstice, is also S.O.S.A.D. (Strangely Orange Snack Appreciation Day), in celebration of all snacks orange, sometimes for no good reason. I didn’t feel like having Cheetos or anything with paprika on it, so I decided to have a bowl of orange rice crackers whilst watching Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train.

Happy Solstice everybody! Blessed Be!

I made my first real pattern! Not that I’ve never inventiknit anything before, but this time I had the good sense to take elaborate notes and record every step of the process. The result is a small but cute accessory in honour of the apple harvest: a “fruit cozy” to get my apples to work blemish-free. I made it from red Aran weight wool and green acrylic leftovers from Sheldon.

Here’s the pattern:
Appeltje
Wool: Phildar Sport’laine (Aran weight), col. Passion
Leftover DK or worsted: MC brown or dark green, CC light green.
Sock dpns : 5 x 4.5mm and 3 x 3mm.

Cozy:
CO 4 st, distr on 4 needles. Join in the round, being careful not to twist.
R1 - Kfb all st: 8 st.
R2 – Kfb all st: 16 st.
R3 – k all st.
R4 – k1, m1, k to last st, m1twisted, k1, rep on all 4 needles: 24st.
R5 – *k all st.
R6 – repeat r4*: 32 (4×8) st.
Repeat * * 2x until u have 48 (4×12) st.
Next 2 r: k all st
R13 - k1, m1, k to last st, m1twisted, k1, rep on all 4 needles: 56 (4×14) st.
K next 8 rows
R22 – k1, s1, k1, psso, k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1. Rep on all 4 needles: 8st decr, 48st.
R23 & 24: k all st.
R25 - k1, s1, k1, psso, k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1. Rep on all 4 needles: 8st decr, 40st.
K next 6 rows
R32 – k2, BO2, k2, bo2, k2, rep on all 4 needles: 24st.
R33 – k2, CO2 (backward loop), k2, CO2, k2. Rep on all 4 needles: 40st.
K next 2 rows, BO. Weave in ends.

String & leaves:
CO 4 st on 3mm needles in MC, knit i-cord for 33 cm or to fit around widest circumference of apple cozy.
Change to CC, k 1 row: r1
R2 – k1, m1, k2, m1twisted, k1: 6 st
R3 – k all st, distr onto 2 needles.
R4 – k1, m1, k1, m1, k1. Rep on 2nd needle: 10 st
R5 – k all st.
R6 – k1, m1, k3, m1twisted, k1. Rep on 2nd needle: 14 st
R7-10: k all st.
R11 – k1, k2tog twisted, k1, k2tog, k1. Rep on 2nd needle: 10 st
R12 - k all st.
R13 – k1, slip next 2 st as if to k2tog, slip next st, k3tog twisted (from the right), k1. Rep on 2nd needle: 6 st
R14 - k all st
R15 - slip 1st 2 st as if to k2tog, slip next st, k3tog twisted. Rep on 2nd needle: 2 st
BO, weave in end.
String cord through holes in cozy, then pick up 4 st at the other end and knit another leaf.

Piggy finally wandered in again last night, after having been away for five days. I had begun to worry that she might have ventured outside the block and couldn’t find her way back, or that she’d be locked up by some estranged person who was hoping to win her sympathies. But she looked fine, well-fed, and had only one dirty paw to show for her absence. After feasting on Felix she wanted to curl up on the pillow beside my head and keep me awake by purring loudly (it’s amazing how much sound a 5 1/2 pound cat can generate), but I banished her towards my feet where she belongs. The next morning there was a familiar puddle in the hall; that’s gratitude for you.

Yesterday’s Stitch ‘n Bitch Day was a success. I bought some scrumptious yarns: two skeins of rough silk in autumny green and brown, purple and jeans-blue fingering weight hemp , and 150 grs of Kauni wool in a beautiful superlong blue-grey-purple colourway. I hope the lady who sold it to me has some more, so I can finally knit one of those beautiful patterns from Knitting out of Africa.
The workshop on speedy / more efficient knitting techniques was a bit frustrating: holding my thread in a different way felt really strange and you have to persevere for longer than just an hour before you can reap the benefits, but it got me interested in trying Fair Isle with both colours in the left hand. By the time the workshop was over Debbie Stoller’s new book was sold out, so I didn’t get a chance to take a look at that, alas. She really does speak excellent Dutch by the way.

Sorry for not posting for so long. It’s been a hectic couple of weeks leading up to the autumn half-term holiday, and blogging just felt too much like a chore. On the knitting front some things have been finished while others are on the brink of finishing. New projects have been started or wool purchased for them, my Ravelry page has been updated, more or less (apart from pics, but M has promised to give me a hand with that). Last week I bought the wool for M’s and mine Rogue Hoodie KAL (that’s Knit-A-Long for Muggles), which we hope to start after the SnB day on 3 November.

At work some problems are threatening to arise as there’s still no proper replacement for our hallowed-but-still-leaving Head of English, and many of us will have to teach extra classes and design planners to let groups work independently. Being compensated for it really doesn’t make much of a difference, since I just don’t feel I have the time to both teach more classes and spend enough time on my own studies. Oh, and knit, of course.

(You know, having an SO at this time would be lovely, but it would also go at the expense of my knitting. Although… watching TV together while knitting wouldn’t take a lot of extra time, and I wouldn’t mind having sex instead of reading before bed every once in a while, heehee… That’s me: always willing to make a sacrifice and thinking of new ways to multitask, even in not-as-yet-existing relationships )

More not-so-good things:
My washing machine broke down a few weeks ago, and last week I found out it’s going to cost me at least 350 Euri to have the parts replaced. And I’m only facing more breakdowns soon, as the thing is seven years old and these machines aren’t built to last more than ten. How sick is that? So I may have to buy a completely new one, which will set me back for at least 500. Yippee.

More good things:
Last Monday I bought a handmade Scandinavian pullover at the Noordermarkt for only 10 Euri; the shoulder part is made of dark grey Loden material, and the body and arms are knit in the round and steeked. I need to finish the inside of the collar (also a Loden-like, green woollen cloth) and move the hooks ’n eyes on the collar slightly outward so it doesn’t open once hooked. I wore it on a trip to the Ardennes last weekend, and whilst cycling through drizzle on Sunday, and it kept me snug and warm at all times. Plus it looks good with my enormously wide black and tartan skater trousers. Score!
Also scored: some orange and black woollen cloth in a fine fishbone pattern, which will make a nice new viking winter dress. A steal at 3 Euri a metre. Now I just have to find a way to get out the tiny unauthentic purple flecks.

After browsing the Westerstraat / Noordermarkt markets, M and I went to the Afstap anniversary sale where I bought Addi sock dpns, a needle measuring thingy cum yarn cutter, and bulky Rowan wool for a waisted pullover (“Erin” from the Ribbon Twist collection) in a beautiful purply-brown colour. I got the size 10 & 12 needles the following day and have already finished the back section; it’s only 33 stitches wide!

I’m on my half-term now, so I don’t have to stress out over things so much. Today will be set apart for some home chores, blogging and Stitch ‘n Bitch. On the National SnB day in two weeks I’ll be doing a workshop on fast knitting techniques so I can cram even more knitting into my ever-fuller days .

Beautiful apples are coming off my apple tree, and after pruning I’ll have some lovely wood for new nålbinding needles…

Ambivalent / both good & not-so-good things:
I have a lot more studying to do this week, as the first test assignment for Literature is due in a few weeks and I’m a bit behind on my other subjects. I’m starting on that tomorrow. There’s also some marking waiting in the wings, but that’s just part of my normal workload. These aren’t as complicated as the last test I had to mark, so I may ask M to give me a hand again.