tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-238114312012-02-16T02:49:14.198-08:00'Seize the day'. Or the yarn. Or the fibre! Thoughts and questions about the things that interest me, in hope that you'll be interested too, or be able to answer the questions...sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.comBlogger1721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-41510016241153282982011-11-24T08:08:00.001-08:002011-11-25T07:11:40.674-08:00

At the end of the Depot tour we handed back the hi-viz vests, piled into the vans and headed at some speed (we were running late) for the Haworth Scouring Plant, itself once a cashmere processing plant, passing other disused cashmere processing plants and discussing the sad, rapid decline of the industrial north. We parked outside a nondescript building, with odd scraps of fleece on the ground

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-39216677590323775792011-11-23T06:24:00.001-08:002011-11-23T08:27:09.158-08:00

It's been a long time. I have excuses and reasons, primarily that I began blogging to record my adventures in fibre, but it turned into a way to record walks and hikes and my interest in the history of the British landscape and the people who live in it. Sadly we've had fewer walks this year and so I spent my time outdoors enjoying being outdoors rather than documenting the experience. The same

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-50040415603067210152010-10-31T20:02:00.001-07:002010-10-31T20:02:11.533-07:00

Bast Fibres, sorry, Fibres. We were the noisy ones, so noisy that Jacey came to find out what we were doing. Several times. Sometimes we were pounding fibres - the flax strick needed only hackling to be ready to spin, but pounding the finished skeins with the beautiful wooden mallet on a chunk of the tree that fell on the studio softens and polishes the yarn. Sometimes we were singing. But most

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-74214489954121658382010-10-26T05:04:00.001-07:002010-10-26T05:04:13.838-07:00

And no photos on my phone, only on the camera and no way to transfer them here. In short: Stephenie summarised the characteristics of bast fibres as a group, talked about the cultivation of flax (including the story of an abortive DEA raid on one of her 4' by 8' flax plots (lush, green, what else could it be? Flax???). And then we learned about prep. Retting, rippling, breaking, scutching,

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-91604585162429642772010-10-25T04:07:00.000-07:002010-10-25T04:07:00.840-07:00

Lake Lawn is a maze of glassed-in corridors connecting residence blocks and various function centres. Having spent Friday learning the layout I knew where spinners were likely to congregate; I headed for the well-lit tables in the window alcoves by the deli (coffee and hot chocolate). And as if by magic, spinners appeared. Old friends and new. We sat and spun and talked and knitted until the deli

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-39016169255147158622010-10-24T06:05:00.000-07:002010-10-24T06:15:40.890-07:00

The view from the balcony at 0730 this morning.Breakfast was a cinnamon-pecan thing from Panera; while stuffing goody bags yesterday pm, someone mentioned there is a Walmart just 'over there', about 10 minutes walk. So I walked, out of curiosity. Never been to Walmart before: it was huge, full of stuff, butnot the fabric sweater (fibre) storage bags I was hoping for. I did buy a 'Texas' muffin

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-51589173070817393042010-10-23T06:29:00.000-07:002010-10-23T06:29:01.009-07:00

The long day may have been worth it: I woke at the usual 0500 this morning and faffed around for an hour (the upstairs(!) tv(!) doesn't work) before essaying my morning constitutional. It was dark. Lake Lodge has a lake:Eventually the paved path becomes a track through trees:I found a sign:Faced with the task of taking a photo in the dark, the iPhone does its best to emulate a flashy thing from

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-32932969731440779142010-10-22T14:42:00.000-07:002010-10-23T03:41:05.893-07:00

Sitting at the departure gate for the flight to MKE I turned the phone on to check my email and noted the time: 2240. Given I lay half-awake in bed from about 0400, this feels like a very long day. GO Shuttle does what it says on the tin: after 15 minutes, just time to buy replacements for my lost-but-unmourned headphones, Amy and another UK SOAR attendee were assembled. Arrived at Lake Lawn

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-32149865642739454242010-10-22T13:04:00.000-07:002010-10-22T13:05:13.379-07:00

Started at 0734 today, as the road from our house led to the M25 and that led to Heathrow. As usual, allowing 30 minutes for delays meant fewer delays than usual; I spent about 2 hours in the airport time warp before the gate was announced. I love liminal spaces, the desire to move made concrete. Now, after a movie and a hot meal - it was hot, but the bright yellow gravy was rather startling; I

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-55227829133253088432010-07-07T02:39:00.001-07:002010-07-07T07:41:03.679-07:00

It's a grey day in Flatland. I should be working, but my mind keeps drifting north and I remembered I did promise a post about Woolfest. Oh, no they're not. You can't pull the wool over our eyes.Seen just north of Blencathra.I think Woolfest, which is held in Cockermouth, in the Lake District, was the first of the UK spinners' gatherings. There aren't many bricks-and-mortar shops selling spinning

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-9578465471813010102010-06-28T03:16:00.000-07:002010-07-07T07:42:27.666-07:00

Confession time: although I've done a lot of research about grading and sorting a spinning fleece, enough that I feel I should know how to do it, I've only dealt with two fleeces in my spinning life. I'll share my experience of the third fleece with you, in hope that it helps someone as nervous as I was when I unrolled my first fleece. If that's you, take heart: it's less difficult than you might

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-83422816068480632452010-05-19T04:47:00.001-07:002010-05-19T06:42:15.996-07:00

Is one extremely long post once a month equivalent to four much shorter posts? That's not a real question! Honestly, if I had more time I'd post more often, but it does take quite a lot of time to write this much. Perhaps I should try limiting myself to 140 characters :-)Anyway. His ankles are still not allowed to walk, so last Saturday he cycled 80k while I walked 13.7 miles. More accurately, he

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-51228244774823398602010-04-18T04:12:00.000-07:002010-04-18T07:53:28.940-07:00

It's a long time since we'd had a long walk, and it's likely to be longer still, as his ankles have a doctor's note. He's encouraged to cycle, but not supposed to walk. So on Saturday we conducted an experiment: normally we're almost always found as a pair, but at 1130 I headed up the hill and left him in the carpark at the Ladybower Inn setting up his road bike for parts unknown (but likely to

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-80853619095728110032010-03-09T08:38:00.000-08:002010-03-09T09:09:33.647-08:00

Crumbs, it has been a while. But I haven't been idle. First and still foremost in my mind is the story of the 2010 Ravelympics. For those who don't know it, the lighting of the Olympic torch at Vancouver not only marked the opportunity for athletes from across the globe to strive for gold; knitters and spinners across the globe also set off on personal journeys to try to achieve their own goals.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-50614299730761020832010-01-24T06:05:00.000-08:002010-01-24T07:28:03.524-08:00

On the Ravelry group where I seem to be living at the moment, there's a thread for the 'Year of Making Stuff'. In it we egg each other on to greater feats, and enthuse, and feel inspired even while turning pale green with jealousy at some of the items some of us make. We're all making beautiful things, and learning new ways to make beautiful things. Sara Lamb's book Woven Treasures: one-if-a-kind

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-65506967942511216742010-01-03T06:25:00.000-08:002010-01-03T07:53:56.084-08:00

New Year's Day dawned bright and so crisp it was downright *cold*. The hard frost meant the local clay would be frozen if I left early: a good day for a walk, and the history of the site I had in mind seemed appropriate for what we think of as the first day of a new year. I drove to Clopton, the best-preserved and most well-documented deserted medieval village (hereafter DMV) in Cambridgeshire.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-82962570268058074082009-12-25T04:49:00.000-08:002009-12-26T06:10:28.691-08:00

Some years ago we were fortunate enough to be able to stop making the traditional Christmas treks hither and thither across southern Britain to see and be seen at various family celebrations. No more do we join the thousands of other motorists forced to sit patiently in tailbacks and traffic jams, worrying about whether the Aged Relation will be worrying because we're late for tea (no mobile

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-69655717948842701132009-12-21T01:51:00.000-08:002009-12-21T03:36:53.577-08:00

^1: if you don't know the origin of this phrase, I suggest you obtain a copy of 'The Princess Bride' (book) by William Goldman or the 1987 film of the book, make a cup of your favourite warm beverage and settle into a comfortable chair for a pleasant afternoon.How to identify over-twisted singles: if they wear ruts in your fingers, your singles may indeed be over-twisted.There's more to the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-49243980567508040252009-11-28T06:43:00.001-08:002009-11-28T09:24:05.424-08:00

for local people... (joke credit: The League of Gentlemen)So over on Ravelry Lynn promised she'd post a local walk if I did. Mine starts in the village, with a photo looking back at the Old Bakehouse, the cream building on the right. The bakery closed decades ago, long before we moved here in the late 1980s; the house and outbuildings housed a variety of small businesses until last year, when

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-87044612271783207382009-11-15T02:37:00.000-08:002009-11-15T08:56:55.075-08:00

But I have more than memories.Spirit Trail 'Blue Jeans' silk/cashmere and Spindlewood spindle, 10g, birds-eye mapleWhen I was trying to decide whether to try for SOAR I spent a lot of time googling for hard information about it. What actually happened? OK, it was clearly memorable, even life-changing, and people had fun and drank a lot, but what did they learn? Having been, I now understand why

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-45578499853888608312009-10-29T21:06:00.001-07:002009-10-29T21:06:32.979-07:00

I walked to the Lodge for Registration with some trepidation: I knew *nobody* here In Real Life, only as digital entities on Ravelry and via email. I'd tried to memorise ravatars, but I'm bad at faces, and pictures of someone's dog or favourite FO are no help at all...Abby was unmistakable, and gave me the first of many, many SOAR hugs (for which I later gave her the beer I'd brought from England

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-42865378840034044512009-10-25T12:52:00.001-07:002009-10-25T12:52:23.430-07:00

Mt Bachelor at 0730 this morning. After a brisk walk during which I saw a family of otters in the river!!! And a deer. And a dead garter snake :-( I decided to try the gym. Which was good - but the spa pools afterward are even better. Registration next, then the fun really begins :-)-- posted on the move

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-47917001935154284652009-10-24T14:55:00.000-07:002009-10-24T14:56:02.315-07:00

Almost there-- posted on the move

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-10421829245048247632009-10-24T11:17:00.000-07:002009-10-24T14:54:45.515-07:00

As it has rained every second day of this roadtrip, I was not surprised to see the parking lot full of puddles on Friday morning. Even deserts need some water. This section of road was so familiar to me. Even after 40 years I recognised some of the grades, the turns, the landscape. One of the strangest things about this trip is the speed with which the landscape became? reverted to? familiarity.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-85374164768305702172009-10-23T22:42:00.000-07:002009-10-23T22:43:07.723-07:00

A hotel in the centre of Nelson seemed a good idea late on a wet afternoon, but the nightlife proved excessively noisy. Who'd have expected nightlife on a Wednesday evening? And he's pulled a back muscle lifting my suitcase. So we were not at our best as we headed west on Hwy 3.I drove, ostensibly to save his back.That's checking the side mirror, not sleeping. The cloud dropped, then lifted.We

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-79428855308992019962009-10-21T18:10:00.001-07:002009-10-21T18:10:53.138-07:00

The forecast had said a weather front was due, so we were not surprised by fog and low cloud as we left Coeur d'Alene. I'd forgotten how North American cities and towns sprawl out along major roads, mall after car dealer after mall; UK planning regs prevent this.The road heads north, through narrowing valleys. Trees line the road, dark conifers a perfect backdrop for fire-gold aspen and birch.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-55321870059756699342009-10-20T20:51:00.001-07:002009-10-20T20:51:19.851-07:00

After a leisurely breakfast at the Co-op in Bozeman (wi-fi! Excellent muffins!) we spent an enjoyable couple of hours in the Museum of the Rockies. We thought it was very well done indeed: they've tried very hard to engage the visitor, getting us to think about what the dinosaur bones tell us about the animals. The text is simple but elegant and, when a technical term is needed, it is explained

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-50934284626393069832009-10-20T17:15:00.002-07:002009-10-20T17:16:00.551-07:00

Dinner at Ted Turner's bison restaurant that night was the first time in six years that we'd all been in one room. The trip to Yellowstone on Monday was the longest period we'd ever spent together. It was good. The road led to Livingstone and a great breakfast at Chadz, then on through the mountains to a high, dry valley: more sagebrush and grasses. An exclamation from the back seat: "There's a

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-34415690327790627152009-10-20T17:15:00.001-07:002009-10-20T17:15:46.154-07:00

An uneventful Air Canada flight ended in Calgary, Alberta, where we spent three days with family. I renewed my love affair with North American food, we wandered through malls bemused by the mass, volume and variety of STUFF available. On Sunday morning we headed south in convoy with more family to visit yet more family in Montana. Southern Alberta is as beautiful as I'd remembered, so beautiful

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-65114567843149584192009-07-23T03:49:00.000-07:002009-07-23T08:36:42.412-07:00

This is a long one. You might want to make a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate before starting...So instead of camping just south of Kylesku, we spent Wednesday night in a hotel in Inverness. If you've never carried a pack in weather that hot you may not fully comprehend the sheer blissfulness of our first showers; I was also slightly horrified by the salt encrustations on my underwear. Drinking

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-31220813136077965212009-07-08T01:58:00.000-07:002009-07-08T04:09:07.501-07:00

or, as I prefer to think of it: bad timing, but a good time.As you read this, bear in mind that I am very, very bad at hot weather. I was born and raised in a cold country and I just can't cope with heat. Unfortunately, our second try for this coincided with an unprecedented heat wave across the UK, with temperatures exceeding 30C in southern England: even Scotland was in the high 20s (unheard of

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-22005913544603775322009-06-13T03:02:00.000-07:002009-06-13T03:39:51.233-07:00

It's usually considered best to start at the beginning and proceed to the end. There's no end in sight, though. A couple of weeks ago I watched with interest as a friend blended her colours for the Rampton Project 2009 on her Louet drum carder. I eventually asked if I could borrow it, and recently I tried it for myself. I don't think I've put the Romney fleece on record (can you sense my

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-893386859258350972009-05-31T02:01:00.000-07:002009-05-31T02:54:48.202-07:00

It's a British expression, usually used by a footballer when asked what it feels like to be on the losing side. I'd never thought much about what it meant, but now I know: it's feeling emptied, as though something integral to your being has been ripped bodily away. In short, we bailed the trip on the second day. It started well...In fact it started with hilarity. That's the tourist information

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-19559164368591924982009-05-18T00:14:00.000-07:002009-05-18T02:58:39.216-07:00

Saturday was a good day. We try to alternate hard and easy weekend walks and, as our date with the Sutherland Trail approaches, we're reluctant to push really hard: if we overstrain our knees now, we'll regret it. Reason for a London walk :-) The unforgiving pavement makes even an 8 mile/13km walk seem hard, but the low mileage leaves our knees happy – and we get to eat good food and see strange

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-42594071927733688232009-05-12T02:28:00.000-07:002009-05-12T02:44:28.227-07:00

Two. Three...It occurred to me that if I had a blog app for the iPhone and if I had a signal and if I had dry weather I might be able (if not asleep) to post during our walk. 'signal' is extraordinarily unlikely, but I'm testing Blogpress just in case.It seems to do words. There's a button for photos, I feel compelled to press it...The world did not end (well, it wasn't a RED button) and it seems

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-50181558939834280732009-05-10T09:12:00.000-07:002009-05-10T10:00:01.473-07:00

Silly things to do on a walk: No. 1Imagine walking across this vast field on a lovely sunny afternoon. Be invisible (it's your imagination, you can do it) so as not to disturb two people having an intense discussion, one waving something in its hand in the air. Drift closer and discover it's us, me and him, trying to work out what/where that distinctive 'lump' on the horizon might be. Could it be

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-2300558119093232292009-05-03T06:23:00.000-07:002009-05-03T08:35:15.413-07:00

RIP, Aeolian ShawlPhysical and mental. Let's get the mental over first. In short, my cunning plan proved to be a turnip: yes, a hammer trumps a bead every time (ok, might take two or three careful blows) but, where my trial beads turned into glittering dust, those on the shawl shattered into shards. Sharp ones. After cheerfully demolishing about 20 beads I realised the fragments had cut the yarn

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-61817583822306376762009-04-26T06:31:00.001-07:002009-04-27T01:04:05.053-07:00

That's what this is. Remember that post about colour blending with handcards in which I mentioned the 2009 Rampton Project? I said I was going to make a bag for my head? I've made some decisions since then. (Well of course I have, that was weeks, er, months ago. Bother. Where has the time gone?)I'm going to make something based on Susette's p-chullo pattern, a simply beautiful hat available free

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-72949288811237367302009-03-28T02:38:00.000-07:002009-03-28T03:59:18.302-07:00

Here's a recipe for cinnamon-pecan-raisin sticky buns. With the dough rising at cool room temperature this batch took about 8 hours from start to finish; I made the dough at about 0900 and took the end result out of the oven at about 1700. I froze half, and we're eating the rest for weekend breakfast reheated sticky-side-up in a 100°C oven for about 8–10 minutes. I used a pan 13"x8"x1.5"; if you

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-58288506106511971972009-03-24T05:25:00.000-07:002009-03-24T07:20:04.478-07:00

We haz it. Life feels a bit like an avalanche might at the moment, just at the start when everything is slowly but inevitably obeying the force of gravity, with me balancing in the middle juggling rocks. The goal? end? is our walk in Sutherland. The rocks are training for it, checking and acquiring gear, work, cutting the lawn, doing the ironing, knitting and spinning and just... everything.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-54518030767604818062009-03-16T08:45:00.000-07:002009-03-16T09:55:44.793-07:00

or Why we get up at 5am to drive 3 hours to the Peak District :-)There's a New Toy at the end, so persevere!We are in training for the spring backpacking trip. Seventy miles across Sutherland (northern Scotland was Sutherland (southern land) to the Vikings) from Lochinver to Tongue. The plan is to allow 5 days for walking plus a day for playing on Foinaven, finishing with a couple of luxurious

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-8241217387185875632009-02-28T03:46:00.000-08:002009-02-28T06:01:49.244-08:00

Well, actually they're made of singles and win. Simultaneously. Isn't that clever? They are clever. I learned of them from Abby Franquemont and, just after Christmas 2008, when I decided I could not spin another millimetre on my Victoria, I wound the singles I'd created so far for a 2-ply project off the Louet bobbins into plying balls with the intention of trying the technique.That's Treenways

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-7747682644786789902009-02-24T02:11:00.000-08:002009-02-26T02:26:34.858-08:00

So... we marched on through the damp, me feeling terribly guilty that the wet tent made his pack even heavier than before (this trip had been my idea, after all. I'd said I'd do it with or without him). Near Kirkton Farm the path runs past an open cowshed full of straw. It was about 0745 when I said rather wistfully that it would have been a good place to spend a dry night and then, as two

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-58188520223433708002009-02-23T08:25:00.000-08:002009-02-23T14:34:25.382-08:00

This time last year we'd been enjoying (if that's the right word) long day walks at least once a months for about 6 months as we prepared to walk the West Highland Way, 95 miles from Glasgow to Fort William, camping and carrying all our food. We've had a difficult time the last two months, with him bruising/cracking a rib, then he was busy, then we both had 'orrible colds, then it snowed. And so

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-63628735126645736622009-02-14T03:06:00.000-08:002009-02-14T06:15:20.558-08:00

I wish I could think of a better title, something that describes the fun and wonder. You'll just have to try it for yourselves!I'm starting to consider the details of the Rampton Spinners 2009 project, which is to blend and spin the coloured merino in the bag at bottom leftinto yarn and knit that yarn into a multi-coloured bag. The rest of the bags are there because I'm feeling... inventive.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-55068647324535794092009-02-06T02:06:00.001-08:002009-02-06T03:35:23.969-08:00

That was the view from my office/spare room window yesterday, and it's the same today. Some of that melted, but more fell this morning; in fact, it's falling now. Normally I do the shopping on Fridays, but after 30 minutes at 20mph I'd done 1/4 of the journey. Not worth the time. It's difficult for people with 'proper' winters to understand why 2–4" of snow is disastrous here, but... we don't

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-38536122351721363802009-01-31T02:57:00.000-08:002009-01-31T03:53:59.085-08:00

If you've ever wondered where that cold went, the one you had when you were a child, the one that moved from your throat to your lungs to your head and gave you nights that lasted an aeon because you couldn't breathe and your throat hurt, and then you had to cough and you realised that your throat really hadn't been hurting at all, because the cough made it hurt so much more... I've got it. I'm

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-76264413853380491802009-01-26T05:37:00.000-08:002009-01-26T07:32:31.663-08:00

You must be cold. Let's get moving. Ahead of us is the secondhand book fair under Waterloo Bridge. Unfortunately I've found that, like some cakes, it looks better than it is. Only worth the delay if it's raining, which it isn't. Up the steps onto the bridge, remembering the impact of Anthony Gormley's Event Horizon in 2007 (unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me that day). I love the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-8125414996547791652009-01-23T03:47:00.000-08:002009-01-23T05:05:13.919-08:00

I'd show you, but why would you want to see a picture of rain? Just shut your eyes, hold a melting icecube over your head, and imagine you're in England. I suggest we go for a walk. Just a minute while I get my gloves...Probably my fastest knit ever, started Jan 19, finished Jan 22 and that includes unpicking a join at the wrist of one glove, picking up the stitches on the palm and knitting back

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-2520488119399714322009-01-19T03:31:00.000-08:002009-01-19T04:32:48.715-08:00

Truly, I do.As a knitter I honestly never thought about the number of plies/strands in whatever I was knitting, except perhaps as a measure of thickness. Laceweight had two plies because two plies are thinner than three plies of a given thickness. Obvious, innit? Other yarns? I am slightly embarrassed to realise I never thought about it. Colour, fibre, softness, weight, gauge, price? Of course.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-68871860167666496082009-01-12T07:52:00.001-08:002009-01-12T08:51:15.441-08:00

It's very nearly 12 months since I last posted. A year in which I've done a lot, learned a lot, and (best of all) learned something of how much more there is for me to learn. I feel as though I've been gathering pretty pebbles as I walk along the edge of the sea. Now I have a double handful of beautiful stones and it's time to start setting them into patterns to see what they mean to me, and

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-28225348295431379162008-01-29T03:15:00.000-08:002008-01-29T04:32:05.901-08:00

I've had email asking how I am, and Sue (go and look at the sideways truck! You have to be Well Hard to live on a hill :-) awarded me this when what I really needed was a swift kick to remind me that there's a world out there. Oris that 'in here'? No excuses, just apologies and a brief explanation: this is the start of mybusiest time of year. Starting in mid-December, a goodly proportion of the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-57222604757761883112007-12-26T04:03:00.000-08:002007-12-26T05:07:30.891-08:00

Not merry, because that would require too much energy :-) Anyway I'm better at spinning, knitting and reading than merrymaking, and I'd back him at sitting and reading or watching TV against anyone else in the world. So I splurged and ordered a roast from my favourite butcher (in Ludlow, halfway across Britain. My environmentalist halo is sadly askew), bought several bottles of good wine during

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-82517751157732653442007-11-21T02:08:00.000-08:002007-11-21T03:19:19.433-08:00

My husband would say so. But what I mean is that I should post more often. All across knitting blogland people are saying the same thing, so it's contagious or seasonal. Knitting gifts takes time. And bits of that cold are still, STILL lingering. I've had a mild sore throat for three weeks now, and at the gym or Pilates all my energy runs away, like water down a drain, about 45 minutes into the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-87710143432523223992007-11-12T01:20:00.000-08:002007-11-12T04:13:58.437-08:00

So there I was at the beginning of last week, ensconced in my corner of the couch, virtually surrounded by yarn and knitting books, almost enjoying my cold. I had the projects I was knitting, alternating hard and easy, I had the radio, books to read, with hot chocolate or a quick hit from New Style of Heirloom Knitting when I needed a bit of excitement. I'd been looking for a copy of that ever

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-36912519296500164102007-10-26T04:12:00.000-07:002007-10-26T05:13:55.159-07:00

The kind that affects my head and throat, not cryptographers. It's not really that bad yet, but he had it last week so I know it WILL be. So I'm getting things done while I have the energy. I've done the shopping, stocked up on soup and the ingredients for soup, and stuff that will become a giant vat of stew so I can say "Never mind me, leave me to die here, there's stew in the refridgerator for

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-53244142697201033862007-10-15T05:21:00.000-07:002007-10-15T06:31:51.715-07:00

Now you see it. Spinning wheel and lazy kate as I left them Sunday afternoon when the oven timer pinged to say my afternoon was over. I didn't even fill the bobbin! Note the chair pointing sternly, steadfastly toward work as it has all Monday morning.Aaannnnnnd...Now you don't.The results of my visit to the Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace last Thursday.I prepared properly by

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-17515632069642816482007-10-01T01:38:00.000-07:002007-10-02T03:28:59.229-07:00

Or at least I feel as though it is. That's part of the 'Shoulder Shawl in Cherry Leaf Pattern' from Victorian Lace Today, in Mini Maiden 'Periwinkle'. A rod for my own back: 'shoulder shawls' don't really appeal to me, I prefer something a little more like a hug (especially if it's to be a gift). So I added 5 pattern repeats. Which wasn't a problem, as the body stitch pattern is easily memorised.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-19317058262813910452007-09-11T00:01:00.000-07:002007-09-11T01:09:39.041-07:00

It's one of those things you just don't think about. It's there when you need it, so you use it. It's his, but I often wear it if I need something warm when working outside in the winter. Gran (his paternal grandmother) knitted it; I knew that much, and I'd guessed it was a gift when he was younger because it's relatively small. It's a sturdy, quite glossy wool (with my new-found knowledge I

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-5492025446005632382007-09-04T08:50:00.000-07:002007-09-04T11:01:51.265-07:00

Dear Mother,Do you remember the strange, mis-shapen ashtrays I used to bring home from the summer ceramics kids classes? The vases that only held water and flowers if they were braced upright with plasticine? Well, this is the fibre equivalent of one of those ashtrays. It's the Wool Peddler Shawl from Folk Shawls, handknit by me from my very own, very first handspun yarn project, a blend of

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-59234370466353988312007-08-23T10:08:00.000-07:002007-08-24T07:18:58.703-07:00

None at all. Just work and sitting and knitting and reading and stuff. I'm sure I'll get around to cleaning again sometime, but fibre is just so much more... exciting :-)If I had a picture of my Wing o' the Moth shawl I could show you a picture, but the first attempt (6-ish repeats) was frogged earlier this week. I have learned another lesson: USE A ROW COUNTER or ALWAYS STOP IN THE SAME PLACE.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-60065226527318392892007-08-20T01:27:00.000-07:002007-08-20T03:02:19.825-07:00

All those who emailed to ask how things were going. I'm a bit stunned, really: I hadn't realised I had acquired so many friends in far away places. If I could, I'd host a party for us all. (Does anyone else script the music for things like that? I've even made notes about what those attending my funeral should be forced to listen to enjoy :-)Yes, it's OK. My in-laws left for Canada on Friday;

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-34726487835380618822007-08-05T09:14:00.000-07:002007-08-05T09:45:24.534-07:00

In many ways. My in-laws were to have left today, but my father-in-law was poorly when they arrived and was hospitalised in a frantic rush that lasted 12 hours on Thursday. These were the travelling socks that day; I've put them aside to wait for happier times. I want to enjoy wearing them, not be reminded of hours spent sitting in Emergency Assessment. He's improving, out of Intensive Care this

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-36076105217097920222007-07-30T01:08:00.000-07:002007-07-30T02:12:59.726-07:00

As in a very small festival of socks... Thank you to the people who emailed to ask if we were affected by the flooding: we are lucky in so many ways. If this area DID flood we'd be the first house under water but, as this part of the UK is drier than many notably dry places, we were fine. Just a bit damp under grey skies, depressed and over-worked. One bright spot in the last fortnight was the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-88423168599936839142007-07-19T01:08:00.000-07:002007-07-19T02:32:26.621-07:00

But I'd prefer things the other way around. Ah, well. What it is to be an adult. Nonetheless, look: socks!These are winter house socks for him, although my foot thinks that's unfair. The yarn is interesting: it's a pure Wensleydale Longwool aran weight from Cross Lanes Farm, bought at Woolfest because the yarn has a lovely sheen, is a perfect denim blue heathered with black, and I've been

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-50198651503040600262007-07-12T07:08:00.000-07:002007-07-13T02:10:25.650-07:00

A bit like Slow Food, I hope. One of my capillary-feed drawing pens has started flowing too fast, so I have to stop frequently to allow the lines to dry. It takes about 15 minutes to enter the right mindset for other work and I don't dare spin (time flies as fast as the spindle), so I thought I'd start drafting another post. Partly because I've got to acknowledge the laurel accorded to me by La

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-2184111078263005072007-07-10T01:14:00.001-07:002007-07-10T02:32:44.159-07:00

I'm told that's what I used to say when I was much, er, younger than I am now. And somewhat smaller. We've been in Scotland! Camping! In the rain! (no surprise there if you know Scotland :-)That's me, grinning inanely. With luck you can't see just how silly I look when happy even if you click for big. If you can, feel sorry for him: he says that's my characteristic expression. That's a 35l Atmos

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-43608974275785406292007-06-26T04:10:00.000-07:002007-06-26T05:10:18.137-07:00

Even when you're not having fun.I can still remember the look of utter exasperation on my mother's face when, many years ago, I whined about being bored. Ah, those golden days when summer holidays lasted forever, or at least until school started. No time for boredom here, and no golden days either: it's grey and cold and wet, but at least we haven't had any flooding. I've been apologising to my

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-77956120598747181382007-06-12T02:58:00.000-07:002007-06-12T03:21:25.274-07:00

A Fabulous PerpenSOCKular pattern!Pattern: Sidewinders Socks, a play in V Acts from Nona.Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight in Rooster Rock.Comments: Got gauge (gauge is crucial) on a 2.5mm circular, which produces a slightly looser fabric than I'd normally knit (I prefer 2mm). No matter, the fit is PERFECT and I love this sock. It's a witty, elegant pattern (the toe shaping is wonderful) that

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-72619160031782037102007-06-07T03:20:00.000-07:002007-06-07T04:50:40.134-07:00

Life is currently throwing just about as many balls as I can handle given two arms and the occasional judicious use of my teeth. Others might deflect balls by bouncing them off their heads, but I want to catch and keep everything I see. I'm like that.Nonetheless there is another pair of socks in my drawer:My Ugly Socks.Yarn: Tofutsies 722 'Stand on your own two feet' (I think).Pattern: my own.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-52261788084772833512007-05-22T04:49:00.001-07:002007-05-22T10:23:06.960-07:00

The view from our bedroom window. Thanks, Mindie -- the knitting karma landed!Started September 2006, finished May 2007 (stockinette is boring).Yarn: Lisa Souza laceweight merino in 'Wild Things'Pattern: Mim's Seraphim ShawlModifications: first and most obvious, I converted the triangle into a square. What was I thinking?The pattern called for 800–900yds fingering weight yarn and 3.75mm needles;

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-35554386407737687422007-05-21T05:13:00.000-07:002007-05-21T06:41:58.284-07:00

sister/brother/friend/client/printer/cat (please delete as appropriate)I regret that I have been unable to reply to your letter/telephone message expressing concern/angry email/plaintive meow. I was exploring space-time with Dr Who/paralysed from the neck down by sudden illness/isolated from the rest of the world by a total electricity failure/desperately trying to finish knitting a shawl. I hope

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-71870714202441746622007-05-16T09:29:00.000-07:002007-05-18T08:52:07.893-07:00

Not one of those purple things! They're English bluebells, not triffids. But just imagine you could see tiny people down amongst their leaves... can you tell it's Friday?I've only got 13 rows plus the bind-off to go. Barring accidents, I will survive and I'll have yarn left over, probably about 1200 yards. Might be some time before I feel like knitting with it again!I've been tagged for the '

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-14364709425085889952007-05-15T01:23:00.000-07:002007-05-15T02:54:26.825-07:00

It has fangs. It's devouring the second ball of laceweight as fast as I, its slave, can work. Eight hundred stitches in circumference means progress is slow but steady; I do an hour before I start work, for example, and well over an hour every night, plus whatever time I have during lunch. Only 21 rows and the cast-off to go and then I'll be able to see the pattern complete (it's Mim's 'Seraphim'

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-42686038880188734412007-05-08T02:22:00.000-07:002007-05-08T03:39:10.376-07:00

Knitting and spinning after geography, I promise.Traditionally May Day Bank Holiday weekend (that's the weekend just past, with holiday Monday) is the first weekend of the year when the urban/suburban British head for somewhere green. Many go for the garden centre option, where they can contemplate over-priced plants (£3.99 that's nearly US$8 for a 6" tomato seedling!) and water features while

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-24708143653165192072007-05-02T08:18:00.000-07:002007-05-02T09:25:43.659-07:00

I can't resist them. Show me a hole in the pavement and I'm there, inspecting the bowels of the earth (aka water/sewer/electricity mains), looking for archaeology in the layers of history that form the sides of the hole. In knitting, a hole can be a bad thing (think moth or not if you can't bear to) or a good thing. Either way, the absence attracts interest. This is true of people, too. Think of

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-3911649202817403732007-04-23T01:57:00.000-07:002007-04-23T03:46:52.579-07:00

It's grey and just that bit too damp to put the washing out. On the other hand, after considerable expenditure and about a fortnight of hard labour in the garden, we might be able to sit outside next weekend and, well, just sit and contemplate our accomplishments. I think the electricians have finished with us bar submitting the final bill; the house is festooned with green&yellow earth wire and

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-8604918150958750202007-04-10T02:42:00.000-07:002007-04-10T03:08:58.061-07:00

That's what he said I must be when, last night, I cast on for the BMFA Sock Club 'Monsoon' Socks almost as soon as I'd finished the Amber Monkey socks. I delayed only to cook/serve/eat dinner and wind the Monsoon skein into balls. He said it again this morning, when I abandoned my book for the socks as soon as I'd eaten breakfast. But look, they're so interesting! I hadn't tried garterstitch

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-22409535823149094352007-04-07T07:22:00.000-07:002007-04-07T08:08:42.865-07:00

Home Sweet Home :-)I've forgiven him the photo of a yarn shop window; he brought back a tin of maple syrup (we were running low), a dinky little bright green ipod shuffle (the cord on my old one is absolutely disgustingly sweat-stained), and 2 skeins of qiviut. And a lot of washing. These socks are perfect in circumference, but still slightly too long. I may just knit a toe or two to see how

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-1874423052894818222007-04-02T07:45:00.000-07:002007-04-02T08:30:52.215-07:00

and very, very educational. If you like this kind of thing.I recently revealed the Ugly Yarn, a mottled skein of orange and blue and white created by plying a singles of random lengths of blue, orange and white with a singles of blue. I decided to try Navajo plying to see if that made a more attractive pattern.My first and second efforts. My word, but that takes coordination! 30 minutes once a

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-44157953543486968062007-03-31T05:16:00.000-07:002007-03-31T06:30:17.261-07:00

I wonder who will be deeply disappointed when Google offers them this? Best not to know.Now, if I'd just thought to have a couple of empty wine bottles in the frame... but the recycling was collected that morning :-) They are seriously weird things, though. Much more humanoid in their imperfections than a dressmaker's dummy will ever be. Joanne asked whether the duct tape dummy can be amended?

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-37886742917115956072007-03-28T07:54:00.000-07:002007-03-28T22:39:14.449-07:00

Well, it is. It looks better in the photo than In Real Life; the reddish chair emphasizes the blues. I won't knit with it - the Freecycler can have it - but I've learned a lot during the 2-3 hours made flesh, er, yarn sitting beside me. At this stage, new to wheel-spinning, I much prefer the drop spindle. Even at a slow speed, feeding fibre evenly and regularly (for some values of 'even' and '

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-8065839217115343182007-03-26T08:47:00.000-07:002007-03-26T09:21:16.750-07:00

Two hours Sunday morning:Can you see the difference? I can't either. Except for 'A' which is where I removed the giant dandelion that's been mocking me all winter. 'B' is an olive tree that's survived outside for the last 10 years. Just barely; it would help if I remembered to water it occasionally. Even an olive tree needs some water when planted in a tub. 'C' is the path to our door, which is

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-2198598295320649832007-03-21T08:32:00.000-07:002007-03-21T10:02:03.475-07:00

1. Choosing gifts for people I don't know. By definition my stash is a store of yarn I like, I want to keep. I don't like all of it as much as I did when I bought it (I think there is something in the 'wool fumes' theory explaining impulse purchases), but nonetheless yarn in the hand is worth more than yarn that might materialise in the future. Gift-giving ties me in knots, I'm not sure why. I

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-33291310519547197312007-03-18T12:28:00.000-07:002007-03-18T13:30:23.113-07:00

in part due to intermittent internet access. Probably rock-solid while I was out. Also in part due to the cats and I having the house to ourselves. It's very quiet indeed, and I get to drive his car (Polo TDi) which I must confess is quieter (and nicer) than mine (ancient Polo 1.4). Don't tell my car I said that, or it will seek revenge. I must remember to do 'Six Weird Things' sometime. I want

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-9123260859114642472007-03-13T07:20:00.000-07:002007-03-13T09:00:32.614-07:00

To celebrate the end of the Hateful Socks (news just in: one foot is too tight because he's got one foot bigger than the other, and he's decided he doesn't like heelflap heels, so I may end up with them in my drawer), I joyfully dug out my skeins of Kirsty's 'Seat by the Fire'. Visit her blog to see pictures of a puppy so sweet that she should carry a Government Health Warning. Thoughts of Monkey

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-81710386371943933212007-03-10T13:49:00.000-08:002007-03-10T14:17:00.490-08:00

of not very much knitting at all. The hateful socks are almost finished, with only an inch or so of ribbing remaining. Next will be socks for me (what a surprise) on the small needles. The next garment proper... ah, well. It was going to be this, in a different colourway; I've even got the samples. I have no idea whether that sweater would suit me, but I love the design on it. Then Eunny posted

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-71946175563061391052007-03-09T02:01:00.000-08:002007-03-09T04:45:31.847-08:00

Day Two 0730. Note the air bubbles: this looks promising. Alas, I had to go out for an hour or so. When I returned (10am) I weighed out the remaining ingredients:540g bread flour260g bottled/spring water1-2tsp table salt I use 1 heaped tsp, which gives a very mild bread. If you're accustomed to commercial loaves, try 2 tsp.but don't add everything all at once to the incipient dough; hold back

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-48520562470950762262007-03-09T01:31:00.000-08:002007-03-09T04:47:34.846-08:00

As promised to Jo. If you're not interested, come back tomorrow to help me celebrate the first anniversary of my first post.I've given date and time from the timestamp of the photo, so it's accurate. Note that our kitchen is relatively cold, so your bread may rise much faster than mine: yeast works faster in warmth, which is one reason that 'bread likes to be big' as my baking instructor used to

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-85965852438241431152007-03-08T01:19:00.000-08:002007-03-08T01:59:26.371-08:00

You decide.The box was smaller than I'd expected for such a momentous purchase, and not at all heavy. Shipped on the day of my order by P & M Woolcraft. If I'd had a car I might have spent a morning collecting it in person, but the amount I might have spent on additional stuff while I was there doesn't bear thinking about.A copy of the assembly instructions is the first thing to be seen. Seems

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-69072269796547175102007-03-06T06:23:00.000-08:002007-03-06T06:56:26.985-08:00

a happy cyclist* by the insects on its teeth, how do you identify a happy knitter?FO: Eunny's Endpaper Mitts. In Jamieson & Smith Shetland 2-ply. Despite buying Montse Stanley I couldn't get the tubular cast-on to work for me, so I used my favourite long-tail cast-on instead. I was running low on gold (as one does), so skipped the set-up rows for the tubular cast-off and used the decrease

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-36945234749665026962007-03-05T07:33:00.000-08:002007-03-05T08:32:02.311-08:00

That's the short story.Slightly longer:Imagine a hall that could hold perhaps 120-150 people. Thirty-odd (I didn't think to count, but it was at least 30) chairs are arranged in a huge ovoid around the walls. There's a fibre person in every chair. Most are in their late 40s or older, but there are several who are perhaps in their 20s. There are knitters, there's a rug-hooker, there's a display of

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-1851523017249043732007-03-02T09:02:00.000-08:002007-03-03T02:45:45.425-08:00

It must be time for a landscape. Remember the photo of the barrows on a snow-covered hill? This is the view from the top of one of those barrows. Click for bigger. We're standing on the Middle Chalk at about 95m OD (Ordnance Datum, which is mean sea level at a location I can't recall), looking across a vale averaging c. 30m OD of clays (Lower Chalk, and Gault) to a ridge you can just see in the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-22445916390654053582007-02-28T01:52:00.000-08:002007-02-28T02:32:46.737-08:00

Just a little bit mad, about 30° askew from reality. It's all your fault, the praise for my sweater (I will wear it to Pilates tonight) was the last straw. As evidence I offer:Eunny's Endpaper Mitts in Jamieson and Smith 2-ply shetland. Not the best colour choice to show the patterning, but the combination of heathered gold and purple is rich and warm, like some baroque brocade. Now that winter

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-13691214931098345102007-02-25T05:05:00.000-08:002007-03-06T07:05:15.930-08:00

That's Sundara's aran silky merino in a non-repeatable colour, black over blue used to make Wendy's 'Something Red'. I had 5 skeins, 1000 yds of the yarn and used about 3 1/2. I have plans for the rest... this stuff is so soft I want to wear it next to my skin. Oh, and the colour scarcely ran at all when I washed it which, in my limited experience, is extremely unusual for something this dark.

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-54443054831163327802007-02-23T03:20:00.000-08:002007-02-23T04:13:05.847-08:00

As in 'concrete example of knitwear design'. This is a sweater chosen for me by the consultant at Liberty, after she'd assessed my character and body shape. Note (if you can from the bad photo) that it's marginally too big for me: I'm only 5'4", but my 38" bust means off-the-rack clothing that fits my height will be far too tight across the, er, chest. One reason I drifted into wearing over-size

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-67442996238066667492007-02-20T01:41:00.000-08:002007-02-20T03:34:31.338-08:00

How to build a sourdough starter.First, a bit of knitting for those who aren't interested in bread...The Alligator (pronounced 'amalgamator' in this household. Don't ask.) Socks in his chosen yarn, Lorna's Laces in 'Forest'. The instep is a twisted rib, basically four rounds k2xp2 rib, then k2t, slip that back onto the left needle, knit the left-most of the original k2 stitches, then put the

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-60263231836096791342007-02-17T07:48:00.000-08:002007-02-19T10:25:31.782-08:00

"Yes. Why do you ask?""Because there's this frequent sound of dropping something.""IT'S NOT FREQUENT."*He was sitting downstairs on the sofa and I was sitting in my chair in front of the monitor listening to back issues of Quirky Nomads and, yes, spinning. By which you may take it that I met that work deadline. I even considered skipping a blood doning session in order to meet that deadline,

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-40673708321998202542007-02-08T01:18:00.000-08:002007-02-12T06:09:57.403-08:00

It's so frustrating. I've been thinking, I have so many ideas I need to crystallise as words on... whatever this is. It's not paper, it's better (for this) because I can add pictures so easily. I have a duff toe (it's getting better) and a skein of Colinette sock yarn and a copy of Norsk Strikkedesign and a fabulous summer top knitted in cotton from Liberty as souvenirs of Saturday in London. I

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23811431.post-28676086852695355602007-02-07T02:57:00.000-08:002007-02-07T04:26:06.111-08:00

For your compliments. Honestly. You've all got remarkably good timing, too... it's been a difficult week so far. First, we've had an outbreak of electricians which, with unerring lack of intelligence (see? My fairy godmother gave me a bust. When there are so many other more useful things I could have.) I'd arranged for the beginning of February because that's the time of year when having no power

sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16291326380557787987noreply@blogger.com3