Wednesday, November 16, 2005

I'm back (for now)

Very very sad news on the family front, but I am conscious that this is first and foremost a knitting and crafts blog, not my personal journal, so I don't want to talk about it too much. The only thing I do want to say is that I was very touched by all the kind and sympathetic comments from blog readers, some from by now quite familiar people and others from people not quite so familiar but just as thoughtful and kind. Thank you, all of you - your best wishes, thoughts, and prayers were much appreciated and helped me during those difficult weeks. I usually reply to every comment left on this blog (as long as I can find an email address somewhere), and I will reply to all your comments individually, but it may take me a while...

For now, I am going to show you some knitting, because really, this is what this blog is all about, isn't it? Knitting has been a great help, actually; it's been good to be able to remain busy with my hands, so I have done quite a bit of knitting recently.

First of all, I have finished my Socktoberfest sock (yes, yes, I am aware that it is now mid-November, but at least I didn't succumb to second-sock-syndrom!). I haven't bothered washing and blocking them yet, but I don't think it matters too much:

They fit well and are very comfortable. I have been wearing them all day today!

Then, I started My So-Called Scarf (link to the pattern is in the bar on the right) to use up my two skeins of Manos del Uruguay, part of the Honeymoon stash, bought in New England this August:

I'm about half-way through the second skein, and I am getting a bit bored with it. I like the stitch pattern (a kind of herring bone?!), although I think I would have preferred the scarf to be a bit wider than it is. Then again, since I have no way of getting hold of more Manos anytime soon I couldn't really go and change the pattern, because the way it is looking now is that with the width as it is it will just about be long enough to be comfortable, using 2 skeins... In any case, I get bored with scarves, so I can't wait to get this one off the needles.

I also managed to finally find my way to the Post Office to check my PO Box and look what I found there - my Knitty Board Holiday Secret Pal had sent me two little parcels:

What you see is one ball of Noro Kureyon in a colourway ranging from pink to purple to red to orange to blue and green. It's lovely! The grey stuff in the plastic bag is Angora fibre, apparently from my pal's own bunny!! Isn't that fabulous? I've never spun Angora before, so I'm looking forward to having a go. There were also two tea sachets - peppermint (which is a favourite!) and orange spice black tea, which sounds very intriguing, as well as two knitting themed cards which I think may be handmade and look very pretty. Thank you, Holiday Pal, this was a lovely surprise and cheered me up quite a bit. :)

Today I also managed to finally wash and block the separate parts of my IK Greek Pullover. Not much to look at, but we all know how well black photographs:

I still haven't managed to get hold of any chiffon, which is no real surprise, considering that I haven't been able to even go to a supermarket in the last two weeks, but I have decided to just sew the parts together for now so I can wear it. I can always add the chiffon later when I get the chance to get to a fabric shop.

And finally, do you recognise this:

Yes, it's the Cashmere sock yarn that I bought at the Ally Pally and that turned out to be completely tangled. It took me weeks to wind it all up into a ball, but it's finally done...

And now I will attempt to read some blogs - I'm glad to be back.

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:20 pm

    As this is your blog, you post whatever you damn well please on it with no apologies to anyone ;-)

    You're still in my thoughts.

    Your Secret Pal

    p.s. know the purple yarn I sent you? Is there anything at handpaintedyarn.com that catches your fancy?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous1:17 am

    Good to see the holiday packages arrived. Small, but heart-felt. The big one is on it's way.

    Kool-aid, huh? Do you do much dyeing with it? Would you like more, more, more? What colours/flavors do you like? This I can get in a snap...

    Best knitting to you...Your Holiday SP.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4:00 am

    Hmmm, I am always aware of people raving on in their blogs about health politics whatever - but look - it's your blog and it is sometimes the best thing to purge online and let it all out - you know we don't mind - cause sometime we may have to do it too.
    And in that case you know you have some nice friends to give you encouragement in your time of need. So after that little diatribe - hope you are picking up the pieces ok....:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Welcome back Iris.

    I agree with what others have said - it's your blog so post about whatever you want. I know it's in no way remotely the same as your situation, but when we lost Pig Pen I found it a great help to have somewhere to write about it. It really can be very cathartic.

    Your socks look fabulous (I never bother blocking my socks!) and the scarf is coming on great - love those colours.

    What a fabulous package from your Holiday SP. Glad it cheered you up.

    Take care.
    C

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry to hear things haven't been going so well. Hope it all sorts itself out.

    I LOVE the colour of those socks. They look great.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Agree with all the other postings! - so it's primarily about knitting, OK. Doesn't matter though - post away if it will help ...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous10:37 am

    It is your blog - so tell us what youwant, we will still be here.

    But fab socks - love the colour. And looks like you have a good gift pal!

    missed you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Glad to see you are back somewhat. Still thinking about you and yours!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous2:17 am

    Glad you're back and I hope that things get better. Though it is a knitting blog, it's still about you. :)
    What pattern did you use for the socks? I love how they turned out and they look very much like a pair that I received in a sock exchange.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:09 pm

    Glad to hear from you again and sad that things are not so good. My thoughts are with you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love your Soctoberfest socks! They're lovely =)

    I'm sorry that your family is having such a hard time - mine has been through all kinds of horror here lately, too, so you have my sympathy. **hugs to you and yours**

    ReplyDelete