Sunday 26 September 2010

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW......


................ SKIES ARE BLUE! So says the song. Sadly the skies are NOT blue here in the east of the country. It's been a particularly wet and windy weekend, but yesterday, we did awake and open the bedroom curtains  to this marvellous sight. I just love a rainbow and this was a spectacular one. The glimmer of sunshine needed to aid the process, didn't last for long and I made the easy decision to get my schoolwork done early and then snuggle down to a day of knitting and relaxation. Heaven!

Oscar made the decision to stay under the covers!


 I had time to notice the ripening red crab apples just ready for preserving...


.....  and these beautiful autumn crocuses (Colchicum autumnale) in flower.....


...... and watch the birds feeding; mainly blue-tits and finches.




I managed to finish the Jules socks that have been on the needles since the middle of August. They are for my eldest 'lovely girl's' boyfriend's sister :) She has size 10 feet, and boy, did I notice the difference in the quantity of knitting required. I even broke into a third ball of Regia!


The pattern was very well written and easy to follow and I just love the waffly pattern. It suits a solid or semi-solid yarn perfectly. Hopefully they will be winging their way to their new home sometime this week.

Today, I picked up the Pomatamus socks that I'd begun on holiday. I had noticed that I had split the yarn and also YO' d incorrectly at the start of the pattern. It really wasn't that obvious, but I knew I just had to rip back and start over again. Here's how the pattern was looking....


....but here are the errors....sorry about the lack of focus! I can' re-take, as I've already ripped back :)


The pattern is not difficult, but you do have to concentrate, as each of the 22 pattern rows are different. Hopefully, I will regain my place on this one later this evening.

Whilst busy relaxing, I noticed a new sock KAL on my pal Josiekitten's Ravelry page. It's the 'Through the Loops' Mystery Sock 2010' designed by Kirsten Kapur.


 It  'kicks off' on October 1st, with the first pattern installment of five. Kirsten recommends a solid or semi-solid yarn, so I chose a skein from my stash (pat on the back for Snoopydog!). It's  'KNITWITCHES' Blue Faced Leicester with nylon, which has been there for a while as I didn't think I liked the colour too much. But, once wound into a lovely little yarn cake, the subtle colour changes are really lovely.The yarn is beautifully soft too.  I just have to tell you, after last weekend's wool winding fiasco, that there were no probs with the yarn winder this afternoon, Josiekitten!!!!!! Oh ****** I hear her cry! What do you think?


During the week, I received a lovely parcel from Josiekitten. She had been keeping her beady eye on the Ravelry shop pages, on the lookout for the arrival of a new batch of 'Ravelry in London' tote bags. They were only available at 'Knit Nation' to those people attending the last night party. We were not there on the last night! We loved the bags! Thanks Josiekitten, the bag is just fab.


So, maybe I found 'the land that I dream of once in a lullaby' this weekend! A 'land' of doing not very much. It doesn't happen very often, but it's sooo sweet when it does.

Sophie was very pleased that her Grandma was enjoying a relaxing weekend....


Hope you've had a good weeekend too!

18 comments:

Kathy said...

Hi Ros, I love your photos of the blue tits and a cute photo of Oscar.He looks very cosy in there. Inca never took to her crate, so that was money wasted.
Those socks look far too complicated to me ... I haven't got much further with my waistcoat. I suppose I just don't find knitting compulsive ... it's more of an effort for me.
Have a good week Love Kathy xxx

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

That Sophie is just the cutest little button...
Love the rainbow and the birds at the feeder... I think they're kicking into overdrive and eating like crazy before the onset of the cooler weather.
The socks are beautiful too.
Have a great week.
Susan x

Teje said...

Hello Ros! How lovely photos from the garden, I love to watch birds! Oscar looks so comfortable under his blanket! I think those colours are beautiful and the pattern also!
Best wishes Teje
Ps. Nero sends hugs!

bellaboo said...

Sophie is such a little darling...what a cute picture! Infact all your photos are great.I remember once actually seeing where a rainbow ended...but sadly there wasn't a pot of gold there! :o)

Wyatt said...

We have the fall crocus too. All your pics are so lovely, but the best one is baby Sophie!

Wyatt

Sarah said...

Hi Ros,
Your weekend sounds perfect-well apart from the school work that is! Love Oscar and Sophie-both so cute in their photos and Sophie's hat is lovely! We had good weather yesterday but it worsened today. Hope it brightens up tomorrow. Have a good week too!

Unknown said...

Hiii,
Glad you liked our pictures.
Yeah, you are so right, mummy feels extra guilty after leaving us for longer than usual and we get special walkies!!!
your pics are lovely...that rainbow shot so resembles one we caught earlier this week. guess nature is as beautiful everywhere!
have a grrrt week ahead,
wags, gin n bud n mummy too

josiekitten said...

I'm so pleased that you're joining me on the mystery sock KAL - we can help each other out with any difficulties! Glad to see you have everything ready for the off with your project bag too! LOL! Have a good week. x

Stadtwaldvogel said...

Thanks for sharing the wonderful, wonderful, wonderful pictures! I love your bird feeding station! Your Jules socks are very pretty and you had a lot to knit! Great!
I will join the KAL, too, and hope we will have much fun together!
Yours, Julia

Molly the Airedale said...

What beautiful photos! Mom is loving the autumn crocus. Ours aren't standing upright any longer :-(

Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch

Kate said...

thank you for such a wonderful window to the world outside. I loved it. Love Kate xxooxx.

melissa said...

gorgeous gorgeous nature pictures! but oscar's cuteness beats them all!
until of course that last picture and then sophie clearly wins the cuteness-cake!

love the socks too!

Lyn said...

What fantastic photos, that last is ace!
We did have a fun weekend thankyou. Hope your week is as relaxing as weekend looked!
love
Lyn
xxx

Willow said...

Hi there!

I had a very busy weekend with a long long driving trip with my husband. Long trip=lots of knitting time :)

Love your photo of Oscar!

Unknown said...

Love, love the new look...you go, girlfriend...

What fun you have been having while I was away. So much to see and read. Stunningly, fun pictures as always. So, glad to be back around with all my friends in blogland.

Kate

Tracy said...

Hi, Ros! Just LOVE the photos of Miss Sophie in her knitted finery, and sweet Oscar a-snooze... aaawww... That Ravelry bag is wonderful! And so are those socks...you are the Sock Queen! ;o) That rainbow is heavenly..*sigh*... We're just back from our little impromptu trip to London, where it was often quite cold & windy. But we had FAB time! So now catching our breath, doing laundry & all sorts, and checking in with friends. :o)((HUGS))

JacksDad said...

What beautiful pictures! It was 102 degrees here today :(

cmv said...

oh goodness, that Sophie could not be more adorable! so cute!
happy to hear there are rainbows on your end and i am totally in love with the color of your 'knitwitches' yarn. beautiful!