So...knitting! What's been happening? Well, firstly a trip up to Chester for the day, in the deluge, was enlivened by a trip to Stash Fine Yarns. It's up Godstall Lane, very near the cathedral, and is well worth looking up. Only a tiny shop, but one of the best window displays I've seen for a good while. A quantity of Scottish Tweed (yum) and (drum roll) Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn came home with me.
The Noro is destined I think for something lacy and shawl-like, it's far too nice to hide away in boots (another reason I don't knit socks - I live in boots, so no-one ever sees my socks!) I might skein and wash it first, it seems very "stringy" and I have a feeling it might bloom if it had a bath. It's the most gloriously unusual colourway, of purples, yellows and oranges (as far as I can tell, there's probably fluorescent green in the middle, knowing Noro) It reminds me of crocuses, which is why I bought it, it being Spring and all. The tweed is destined for a crochet project, which is on my Ravelry as a spiral cardi, but it might be a vest yet. I need to try it on and do some more cogitating on the matter. Here it is at an early stage:
I finished off another crocheted cardigan, in the Patons Essence that I got on sale (£5.99 - hee hee) - its from a DROPS pattern, but I'm not crazy about the fit. That's probably down to me subbing a worsted weight yarn with a chunky...ahem. Anyway. It's resting at the moment while I try and think up how I can get it to stay on my shoulders properly.
I got free yarn! In the post! From magic pixies! Well, ok, I won a competition, in Knitting magazine (I think) and got a skein of Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn. It's in the Ginger Cinnabar colourway, which is a lovely mix of golden yellows and oranges. Very cheerful on a snowy day. It's reclining in the yarn bowl in the dining room, chilling with the Kureyon Sock.
Finally, last weekend, I was here:
and I wish I still was :-(
A weekend away in East Lothian was just the ticket. Fresh air, snow, not many photos (sorry, never got chance, the weather was fairly awful) I got to see the sea, which is vital for me for a successful holiday, but even I, hardy Staffordshire lass that I am, did not venture onto the beaches. There are limits to what I can tolerate, and that was WAAAAAY beyond them. Could have done with a week up there in all honesty, but there you go. Can't have everything. Ideally I wanted to go to the Western Highlands, but it's a bitch of a long way when you're driving on your own, and anywhere half-decent was already booked up. I'm glad I didn't go up that far now in a way, because it meant I got to see a bit of Edinburgh instead, and the snow, whilst bad, was not impassable - I dread to think what it was like further north...mind you, looking at this photo you wouldn't believe it!
On the matter of Edinburgh. I didn't see half of what this lovely city had to offer, and it kept hailing on me, but, Edinburgh Council? You listening? Sort out the tourist tat shops. There are way, way too many, and they are all utterly shite. £20 acrylic "kilts" *cough* thistles on everything, Tam O' Shanters with ginger hair attached, £10 sporrans...the list goes on, and I'd rather not think about it because it makes me angry. It is a beautiful city, with some wonderful architecture and friendly people (even the drunk guy on the train was polite) and yet they allow it to fill up with drivel. I'm sure someone will say "but this is what people want" - maybe, fine, provide it then, but not in EVERY BLOODY SHOP. Maybe I just missed the good bits. While I'm ranting, just for those of you who may wish to purchase a kilt, a proper kilt should be 8 yards of good wool, should fall fractionally above the knee and will probably have to be made to measure so that the pleats fall just right on you. You do not get them for £20 from a cheesy tourist shop. OK, rant over. Sore subject for me.
However, I would like a thistle tattoo... :-)
1 comment:
I totally agree about the tartan n tat shops in Edinburgh. They're a menace, and other shopkeepers hate them too. The council seems to (halfheartedly) try to persuade the worst offenders to stop playing loud music outside their shops - but the peace only lasts a few days before the eardrum assault starts up again.
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