OLYMPICS AND RAVALLENICS!

What an exciting start to the weekend. The Olympic Opening Ceremony on Friday evening was truly magnificent. Congratulations Danny Boyle! I seem to need 60 hours in every day now; 20 to knit, 20 to watch the Olympics and 20 to keep my life in order.  Oh, and  even a few extra to enable my participation in the Ravelry Ravellenic Games 2012. I am a member of TeamKnitspot and although my training didn't go too well in the run up to the event, I am now on track to potentially win a medal ;-). I've entered the'sock' and 'one skein' events and marked the start of my search for stardom by winding my yarn on Friday evening, at 8.58 p.m. precisely and casting on at 9.30 p.m.

I'm going to be working on Anne Hanson's 'Summer Fun' sock pattern, using a skein of Hazel Knits yarn in colourway Lime Granita. I received in a swap from my friend Kat in the U.S.A. It's a high twist yarn that gives wonderful stitch definition. Here's progress so far.....

 ............. such a prety, summery mint green. It's a colour that is quite a way outside my usual colour palette, and yet I LOVE it!

It suits the pattern really well too. It's a relatively quick knit with an easy to remeber pattern. The motif looks like little upsidedown ice-cream cornets!!! YUM! Best I get a move on with these, if I want to qualify for a medal.

Progress has also been made with 'Color Affection' . I'm onto the three colour striped section now, with short rows. The pattern is very easy and surprisingly addictive, although I have to admit to getting ever so slightly irritated by the muddling of the three yarn three yarn threads that needs sorting at each colour change. The yarnover after the first stitch on each row seems to be working out well and keeping the edge from becoming too tight. 

 I'm loving the colour combo!

 The weather has been glorious here in the UK over the last week. As always, I like to just chill in the garden for the first few days of the school holidays, and not have to talk or think too much!! I read and sun worshipped, with a little bit of knitting thrown in for good measure, when the sun was less fierce. My younger daughter begins her training contract with a London law firm this coming week and will  be moving to the city, so we have enjoyed some quality time together. On Thursday we packed a picnic and set on for the coast. We live very close the very beautiful North Norfolk coastline and have a favoured route around the coast that we enjoy immensely. Oscar joined us on our day trip..........

A great day out! 

Looking forward to more Olympic viewing this week. Have a good one everyone!

COLOR AFFECTION

Well here it is! I've started and so have the summer holidays. HOORAY! Very little knitting got done during the last week, as there was still so much transfer information to prepare and collate at school. However, on Friday evening I breathed one big sigh of relief and cast on my 'Color Affection'. Hopefully, it will be completed in time for annual family gathering at the cottage in Pickering, in August. It wil kkeep my shoulders warm on cooler evenings whilst we are sitting outside.

As you can see, it is very simple to knit in basic garter stitch. I was eager to get as far as the first striping, at least. It took me a little while to decide upon the colour order, but I have to say that I came down on the side of starting with the lightest colour and ending (the outer edging) with the darkest.

This pattern is currently one of the most popular on Ravelry and I spent some time reading the mods that many knitters have made. I decided to go with a yarnover before the second stitch on each row, to ease the edges. I am a fairly tight knitter anyway, and so far the plan appears to have been a good one.

It's the perfect project to help me wind down and ease into the hols!

It's going to be 'all change' in September when schol resumes, as we bade farewell on Friday to our current headteacher who has decided to retire. It will be a time of uncertainty, as well as change, as new brooms like to sweep clean. Our new head is a female and surprisingly, it eill the first time I have worked under a female head throughout my teaching caree. She does seem very nice and I'm sure we will all rise to new challenges and a fresh outlook. Until September though...................... let's not talk or think about school!

Have a good week everyone!