Why do I still live in London...

When I could wake up to a view like this every morning? How beautiful is that? It is what I saw when I opened my eyes in Hebden Bridge on Saturday morning. A lovely weekend was had with some very good friends who I don't see as often as I would like to. We went walking, ate curry and drank beer, and even had a little culture at the Dean Clough gallery in Halifax.

The knitting on the train went quite well too.
On the left is a little bit of an upside down picture of the
Clapotis. I've done the first straight row and dropped my first stitch (which you can't really see but never mind). On the right is the start of my commuter knitting - a sock with the wool my SP sent me using the pattern from the March edition of Simply Knitting. I'm doing the early shift this week, so there is noone about to stare too much. However I am worried that as the week progresses and the knitting gets harder things may go horribly wrong if I knit at 6am. Maybe I will have to save it for the journey home. Hope all you Olympians are on the home straight.....

A big cheer to all the Olympians

Ooooh I forgot, I was going to send a big cheer to all of those Olympic Knitters for the week ahead. Go Team GB, go Team Clapotis, go Mary - they look like the most complicated mittens ever. And three cheers and lots of encouragement to everyone else - see the list of teams.

All set

Right, I'm all set for my treck up north... well not quite as I realised I have forgotten my toothbrush, but a quick trip to Boots on the way to the tube can sort that. I have the Clapotis; only one more increase set to go, I did some good knitting last night when Knit Club came to Mitcham again. This time we had 4 members as K came with a friend from work in tow. I also have the sock yarn my SP sent, along with the needles and also the pattern from Simply Knitting. How much do you reckon I'll get done in 8 hours (in total) on the train?
It's turned into a beautiful afternoon in London. I'll have to get a picture out of my office window as I am on the 17th floor looking out over St Pauls and the river. So much better than the London Eye! Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Le Clapotis

I have no idea if it should be Le or La or even if it is a noun at all. Any ideas K?
Here it is all 3 increase repeats of it so far in the yummy Hipknits silk. I am now tempted to buy some more stitch markers too after seeing these. Aren't they gorgeous. Thanks for the comment or I would never have seen your site!
Oh, and how are you liking my new sofa? Complete with my fluffy Mongolian fur cushion peeking in the background... a Christmas present from TT.
It was his birthday on Monday, unfortunately the only thing knitted was his bday card. I think I even forgot to take a photo. Oh well. One day I will think of something good to make him that he may actually wear (as long as it is not wool I will be safe). He has gone out for dinner with his parents and sister today. I am a bit sad that I am so far away that I don't get to go too; however I have had him to myself for over a week so i can't really complain. Plus we did go to "The Best Pizza Place South Of the River"TM to eat on his actual birthday. Go there. You will not be disappointed.

What else, oh yes, the wool I bought from Kerry Woollen Mills. Here it is. I bought 400g (two skeins) of cream (undyed) and 800g (4 skeins) of a gorgeous purple. The cream skeins are destined from my SP along with the wool fat soap but I am undecided on what the purple skeins are destined to become. I really want to make a tank top. However I think that I will probably make this from the alpaca I have placed with Yarnsmith. So I have to get my thinking cap on. Any ideas?
It is knit club at mine tomorrow, so maybe I'll have more photos for you. Then I'm off "ooop north" this weekend to Hebden Bridge to visit some good friends I haven't seen for far far too long; D&K. I told K about my socks today and sent her the photo, she thinks I am hilarious. It is good to be able to do something crafty as K is the most artistic person I know. Check out her fantastic works of art. Hoping to get lots of knitting done on the train, I think I might start on the socks from the wool my SP sent me with the pattern from the March Simply Knitting. I reckon the Clapotis might be a bit too big to try and transport around. Of course I am also very eager to start my next pair of socks. What is it about them?

Left Right, Right Wrong

Here are my first socks! As you experienced sock knitters out there can tell, the one on the right is a bit wrong. This was sock number one. I knew something wasn't right when I came to the toe shaping and I just didn't have enough stitches where I should. It has ended up with the shaping on the top rather than on the sides, like the second one. But really, it fits, it was my first attempt, I know where I went wrong so I don't care!

TT and I had a wonderful time in Ireland. Killarney and the surrounding area is beautiful. We were even blessed with some good weather, take a look at this photo. It could be summer not February. This is taken from Valentia Island right at the tip of the Iveragh Peninsula in Kerry. The two little islands you can see to the right of the picture are the Skellig rocks. In the summer you can take boat trips out to these; according to Lonely Planet they are "bird paradise".
There are some more photos here if you would like to take a look.

Coming home was a bit of a let down.The flooring people had made a bit of a rubbish job in places. After much complaining and everyone blaming everyone else they have come and made a decent effort at fixing the problems. I have no luck whatsoever when it comes to builders/tradesmen. So, if you are thinking of Karndean flooring, I thoroughly recommend it; just don't get All Floors in Croydon to fit it. However, I have to put it behind me. I now have flooring throughout the whole flat, and my sofa's came yesterday too (and they are every bit as good as I expected). It finally feels like a home I want to be in! Oh yes, there are more things to do but we are on the finishing straight.

What else? Oh yes, my next project. I have been working on some handwarmers in the brown ribbon twist to match my scarf/hat/bag. I have one done as they are so quick. Going to start the other on the tube today. Then it is Clapotis.... or maybe something of my own design cooked up from some very lovely aran wool I bought in Ireland from Kerry Woollen Mills.... more on that later.

Happy Valentine's Day (in a loving non-commercial type way)

New floor

Look look look..... I finally have some proper floor in my flat. Since the event known as "The Flood" over Christmas last year I have been living in a building site/half finished flat. However, at last I am at the stage where the end is in sight and there will be no more plywood to walk on. I am very exciting about this. It looks fab too... however now I notice more than ever what a horrid colour the front door. Another nice project I see. Hopefully when I come home from work tonight it will be all finished. (Touch wood, as I never trust tradesmen.... I have had so many bad experiences).
I think I need to go back to TK Maxx and check out their stripey doormats again. I think that is what it is definately missing :0)
On the knitting front, I managed the front of TT's birthday card last night, pictures later just in case he decides to try and find out what I have been doing with my time. Oh and I got this picture yesterday of little S in his pullover. Not the best picture as it is from a camera phone but worth sharing.
Off to Killarney tomorrow. We are staying here. I hope it will be ok. Wish me luck with the driving! (and the sock knitting). Off to print out the Clapotis pattern.

A sense of direction

After a night out with my dad on Tuesday I have finally realised where I get my obsession with directions, maps and knowing where I am going from. I absolutely hate it if someone else is in control of the directions. I hate surprises when I don't have a clue where I am being taken. If I am going on holiday I am not happy until I have a map. It turns out my dad is the same!
He came down from Wolverhampton on Tuesday evening as he had won some tickets on Capital Gold to see his most favourite band ever, The Hollies, play at Cafe du Paris just off Leicester square. Mom hates London so didn't want to come which meant I got to go. Horay! They were the band I always listened to as a child, as my dad had their records on constantly. We met up in Leicester Square, he had been there for a while even though I was 10 mins early. He had already been to find the venue (this is just the sort of thing I would do). After the concert, which was really good in a tiny little venue, I said we should walk upto Oxford Circus as Dad needed to get the central line. Obviously I knew where we were going, but he insisted on looking at his map! Then I took him on a little detour up Carnaby street, and he insisted on looking at his map again. I know if it was the other way around I would have been itching to see a map to get my bearings. Like father like daughter eh?
Anyway, on the knitting front nothing has been done since Monday morning. Here is the sock so far... hopefully I will manage to finish at least one on holiday!
I have also decided that if I can find some brown tweedy like wool I would like to make a tank top.
I was thinking lots of ribbing at the bottom and big v neck. Needs some more thought.