Monthly Archives: August 2007

See you there!

“What are those Knitting Scout Badges all about?” I hear absolutely no one exclaim. It was Diane who mentioned them to me. I used to be a regular Cast On listener but I’ve got out of the habit of listening and hadn’t heard about Brenda’s splendiferous new idea. Because we all like being given awards and badges, she has come up with the Knitting Scouts. I am obliged as a Scout to explain the badges and why I have been awarded them, so:

1. The “Talking Knitting” Badge – Required for all Knitting Scouts. The recipient must conduct himself/herself in such a manner as to talk knitting whenever an opportunity presents itself. Not easily fazed by looks of disinterest from friends or the act of “zoning out” by well-intentioned loved ones.

Yep, that’s me. *evil cackle*

2. The “MacGyver” Badge (Level Two) – The recipient must demonstrate clever use of a knitting tool in a non-knitting-related scenario. For instance, recipient has used a strand of Regia Bamboo to slice cheese, or repaired a small appliance with an old metal knitting needle.

I have unclogged my vaccuum cleaner with a straight needle. Don’t know if it repaired it, but poking stuff usually has some sort of result.

3. The “I Will Impress You With My Math Prowess” Badge - The recipient is a whiz at substituting yarns and calculating gauge, can space increases and decreases evenly and is fully comfortable with the basic math encountered in all knitting projects.

I wasn’t sure about this one, because I don’t consider myself to be even slightly whizzy with numbers. But I can manage to knit something that fits so I think it counts.

In other slightly podcast-related news, the Crosshatch Lace Socks appeared in the What’s On Your Needles Wednesday section of Lime & Violet’s Daily Chum which just about made my entire week. Don’t read their blog if you’re on a yarn diet. Or do read it, but try to avoid all the yarn pr0n, because they also find some great links to really useful stuff, like this widget which allows you to upload a photo and see a palette of coordinating colours – great for designing knitting projects around a theme – the seaside, or a view of the countryside. I could take a photo of my yarn stash and use it to design a blanket which uses the colours in my yarn stash. No, wait… um…

Alas, I’m behind on their podcasts, too. So if anyone wants me, I’ll be knitting and listening.

*fidgets*

But still, certain people are trying to persuade me to cut my knitting. So in an attempt to conquer my fear, I am taking part in Diane’s Steekalong. My Bagpuss-coloured swatch is done, and ready for the really scary part. *wibbles*

Look what I got in the post today!

My gorgeous Sockapalooza 4 socks, knit with Socks that Rock yarn. Sorry, that should be SOCKS THAT ROCK! in “Nodding Violet” colourway, which is all purples and greens and TEAL (ha ha Beardie!) and gorgeous. They fit like a dream over my fat ankles and wide feets and if it wasn’t so bloomin’ hot here today I’d be wearing them right now. But at the first sign of a cloud, they’ll be on my feet, believe me!

My pal was Sally (who is blogless, sadly). She also sent me this cute little set of stitch markers and the spare yarn. And the LABEL – proof that my socks do rock indeed! Thank you ever so much, Sally! I will treasure these socks forever.

And proof that taking photos of your own feet is doubly hard when you have a star-struck cat:

I knew I shouldn’t have got her a Facebook of her own.

A dancing sheep, just for Ann!

The first person drawn out of the hat was Fizz! Can you email me with your address (I must have it somewhere, but it saves me hunting) and the Mmmmmmalabrigo will be winging its way to you, fighting through postal strikes and floods!

My silly little blog is two years old today!

It’s interesting to see exactly how my knitting has progressed over the past couple of years. I’ve done my first lace, my first stranded knitting, created my own designs, and increased my yarn stash by an embarrassing amount. Maybe by the time the next anniversary comes around I’ll have braved steeking!

I started this blog mainly as a means to record my knitting projects, and it’s never been the aim to start delving into my personal life. Also, I am not a writer in the way that wonderful bloggers like the Yarn Harlot are. (And I’m not sure why I put the link in there because I’m sure that everyone who reads this – with the exception of my muggle sister – knows the url by heart!) But I can write knitting patterns and seem to sometimes be able to put stitches together to make something not half bad, so mustn’t grumble.

Anyway, because it is an anniversary, there needs to be a present. Remember this?

This skein of Mmmmmalabrigo laceweight will be the prize in my first ever blog competition! Just comment on this post if you would like to win it. First one out of the hat after I close comments on Sunday evening will win.