Woolfest - Part One

Just photos of the animals today. Whilst I enjoyed my first visit to Woolfest I have to say that I felt so sorry for the poor animals. It was far too hot and a lot of the sheep were panting. The alpaca's faired better as they had been shorn as you can see from the photos. I didn't write down any names of the brands of the sheep but if you click on my blog title it should take you to Eadaoin's photos and she was far more efficient than I was and gave most of the sheep labels.

I didn't take many photos of the stalls and the ones that I did take I will post tomorrow with more details of the show. Ambermoggie may have some photos of the stalls on her blog today or tomorrow and as Ambermoggie and Mr Mog had the advantage of taking the photos before the show opened and before anything was sold I am sure that their photos will be great and a lot more viewable than mine. Keep an eye out for her blog posts.

For now I am recovering from am extremely hot and tiring day and sorry to say it about the sheep and alpacas but you did smell dreadful!

The toe up sock bites the dust

As you have probably gathered I was not happy with knitting the toe up socks. I would have continued with them but when I go to the Knitting Noras Knit Out today I discovered that there was something drastically wrong with the heel and I had the wrong number of stitches on the needles. I was counting and reading the pattern and could not find out exactly where I had gone wrong and Vicky said why not undo it and start again because you are not really happy with it. I bit the bullet there and then before I changed my mind and unravelled it. The sock is now a half inch long and the wool is rather ravelly as it has been undone twice now. I should hank and steam it but I really can't be bothered. It will unkink when it is washed.

The second granny square shawl is finished but I am not sure whether I like it now it is finished. It is rather bright bu maybe it will grow on me. I ran out of the purple and had to use a similar shade for part of the fringing but it is not too noticeable as I spaced it in and between the original colour and not in one block of fringe. I bought most of the purple and green so once again I haven't used up much of my stashed yarns. I still haven't made up my mind what I want to make next so tonight I will knit some on the socks.

It sounds like the ladies had a good time at Woolfest although the general opinion was that it was rather crowded and I would have struggled to walk through the people which was exactly what I was afraid would happen. It would have been nice to go and see the different wools and knitting paraphernalia. Maybe next year. I will check on Ambermoggie and Vicky's Blog later to see if they have posted photos of their trip. Vicky took her daughter Perran and Lisa took her daughter Storm so it looks like there will be the next generation of budding Knitting Noras blossoming sometime soon.

When Vicky kindly came to give me a lift to what might be my last Knit Out for a few months she brought with her some Knitting Books that she had read for me to look through. If I get bored with my sock knitting tonight I will browse through those. Maybe I will be inspired to start something from one of the books for my next project.

Woolfest and The Borrowers

My Knitting Noras group have gone on a coach trip to Woolfest in Cockermouth today. I wish I was going with them but I know that it would have been too much for me. I would have held everyone up with my slow walking and constant need for a seat. I will be seeing a lot of them tomorrow at the monthly Knit Out so hope that they all have wonderful tales to tell me and bring the goodies that they have bought. It is a yearly event so I will have to save my pennies for next year. There will be different dyers, spinners and wool manufacturers there. I think it's mostly the "little" people of the industry rather than the moguls but I will find more about it tomorrow. I am with them in spirit. You lucky girls.

I always read Doris Chan's blog http://doriseverydaycrochet.blogspot.com/2008/06/forgiven-not-forgotten.html
and today I dared to leave her a comment. No - not that kind of comment! I know I don't always understand her crochet instructions, as my former posts will tell you, but I do admire her as a designer. Her taste is not always exactly my taste but that is the whole point of designing. To make something different than the norm. To please everyone all of the time would be boring. I don't think Doris would be too unhappy with my adapting her designs anyway. I think she would be rather pleased that she has encouraged me to do my own thing using her themes.I always credit her with the inspiration when I make something.

Anyway today she was talking about the book "The Borrowers" by Mary Norton from her childhood. I have always been blessed with a vivid imagination and as a child I loved that book. I read it, and it's follow on books, until the covers wore off them. I also imagined that I had a family of little borrowers living invisibly in my house who made use of small household items like sewing cotton bobbins to make their furniture etc. As a 7yr old I would try to stay awake to see if I could catch them as they came out from behind the skirting boards on their evening excursions. I never did of course but that didn't stop me from believing they were there! Hey who am I kidding I still believe they are there. I live alone, apart from Buster, so who else pinches the little things that I leave lying about? I thoroughly recommend the book to anyone who has imaginative little girls - or if you still love reading children's books.

I had a wonderful afternoon yesterday. I got invited, with a couple of King's Arms knitters, Rachael and someone whose name eludes me ( I really am getting terrible at remembering names) to an afternoon of knitting/crocheting at Charlie's house. We were made very welcome and the afternoon just whizzed by and I was truly surprised to find it was almost 7pm when I got back home. I hope I didn't wear out my welcome. Her husband was unfazed by the sight of 4 crafters in his lounge when he arrived home from work eating a table full of nibbles. Now that is one good husband. My ex would have freaked out! Charlie has one of those kind of houses that make you feel at home from the minute you enter. I am very sensitive to atmosphere etc and I won't stay long in some of my friends houses. Not because I don't like my friends but there is just something about their houses that makes me feel uncomfortable and I cannot relax. I don't tell them of course. My mother brought me up better than that! P.S - Charlie don't ever throw that sofa out. It is far too comfortable.

Today I have food shopping and cleaning to do. I really hate the way cleaning eats into my crocheting time but Buster makes it a must. He is a very hairy dog who despite constant brushing and hoovering (please don't report me to the RSPCA - he loves it) sheds all over the house. I have thought of collecting his hair and getting it spun but am doubtful if I could wear a dog hair scarf as I think it would be very itchy. Buster is wearing his sad expression today as he gazes out of the window watching the rain. He didn't get a walk yesterday and boy did he let me know. He won an Oscar for sulking performance last night! I am trying to persuade my son to come and take him for a run with his dog on Sunday whilst I am out on the Knit Out. He really enjoys being with them for a few hours. I feel that he needs the companionship and exercise of someone younger and more energetic from time to time.

I have finished crocheting all of the squares for my second granny square shawl and so will hopefully finish that off later today. I still haven't made a decision on the next project but I need to make some squares for the Oxfam appeal and make some kind of contribution to the knitted chandelier that the King's Arms ladies have been working on. I thought perhaps some crochet flowers or a lacy trim for the edge. Everything they have made so far is a silver grey so I will have to search for something suitable in my bit box. Maybe a bit of very pale blue will fit in with the colour scheme. That will occupy me until I make a decision as will the toe up socks if I ever get around to finishing them.