SUN, SEA, WALKS, FAMILY......

Hello there! It's good to be back. I have just returned from a wonderfully relaxing week in North Yorkshire, where we met up with our family! We walked and explored and dined and supped, found forests and Roman Camps, beaches and art galleries, spotted birds and butterflies, ate fish and chips outdoors, visited a stately home, enjoyed amazing skies and views and generally had fun. I did find time to knit. It was good! Here's a snapshot of our week .........


I took several projects with me to get started on; more than I needed of course! But you never know and ... just in case .... Needless to say, I had more than enough and so not much actually got finished. I tended to knit only for short spells of time in the cottage or in the car. As always, I spent much more time looking at the stunning views, than actually concentrating on any knitting and made endless errors that needed large scale 'frogging'! Let that be a lesson learnt. Either knit or gaze but don't try to do both. This is progress so far........

Very Fetching! (completed)





These are such a quick and simple knit. The pattern is 'Fetching' by Cheryl Niamath. It's very well written and so easy. It would be a good pattern for anyone who is desperate to try out cabling for the first time. There is just enough to practice with and quick gratification of a finished project in about two hours. The pattern suggests one or maybe two balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. I found one was sufficient with very little excess. Always 'good'! They fit like a dream and the cashmerino is so gorgeously soft. I have no doubt that a few more pairs of these may be sprinting off the needles in the run -up to Christmas.

August Welsh Hills Socks





I gave you the details of the yarn and pattern in my last post. I managed to get one sock finished and have to get a move on to finish the other by the end of the month, as these are my August 'Sock Challenge' pair. They are going well and the pattern is easy to memorise. If I hadn't taken several other skeins and patterns with me, they may well have been completed. You know what it's like though. If you've chosen two or three great patterns and you've got two or three (or more :D ) skeins of yarn sitting there in the bag just waiting. It is impossible not to get started, even if it does mean having way too many WIPs!

Seascape Scarf



Oh how I love this yarn and the pattern. I've had it ready and waiting for a while now and once they had both jumped into the 'holiday bag', well ........ couldn't leave them alone for too long now, could I. Just look at the results so far. I LOVE it! Reminds me of the beautiful blue-green sea reflecting an azure blue sky at Robin Hood Bay and the cliffs and the sand and the stunning views as early evening falls and Scott and his humans swim and play. I'll remember; every time I wear my Seascape Scarf!

The pattern is Drop Stitch Scarf by Christine Voegel. It's another great free Ravelry download. I'm using a 100g skein of kettle-dyed Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend. It's perfect for this project as it is quite slinky and has a gorgeous sheen. I think I might be in love!! The pattern is a straightforward 8 Row repeat. Two rows involve yarnovers and two rows involve dropping the the yarnovers SMILE! The rest are just knit! It's very easy to memorise. I haven't got too far yet, but it seems to grow quite quickly on the size 5mm needles and the ball of yarn doesn't seem to be getting very much smaller, so I'm guessing that my 100g will make a perfectly acceptable silk and wool blend scarf, to remind me of lazy summer days.

Speaking of lazy summer days, I can't resist letting you see this lovely picture of Scott ..... he found the spade on a deserted, small beach at Robin Hood Bay and carried it all the way back up to the top of the cliffs, insisting it be thrown for him to retrieve repeatedly, as we all trudged up the steep incline; only to lose all interest in it once we arrived at the top. Typical! We love you Scott!



Wavy Yorkshire Socks

Here they are so far, one and a bit complete ..


These are my 'in the car' socks. I began them on the journey up and completed the first sock within about three days. It's a pattern I've used several times before and always produces a good result' It's yet another freebie - 'Waving Not Drowning Socks' by Violet Green. There are lots of really lovely patterns on her site, many of them free! I'm using a Trekking XXl yarn. Stripy yarns always work well with this pattern, which is 4-row, ultra easy but effective. Just great for long journeys!

No trip away is 'perfect' unless an ever so little yarn stash purchase has been made. Bearing in mind that I am off to the 'I Knit Weekender' in London in about three weeks time, I was very controlled and only bought two skeins of Regia (colourway 04451). What do you think?


Well I have just another week and a half of school summer hols left and my aim is to complete these projects. I do also have the cardigan I showed you last time and a smaller version of the 'Ice-cream Sorbet Bag' to finish. Hmmm ...... lots of knitting time required! Before I go let me leave you with another lovely photo of my grandog, Scott, taken last week at Robin Hood Bay.


AAWW! Such a cute boy!

Have a great week, whatever you are doing!