A Murmuration

Thanks to MysticVixen I came across this extraordinary piece of film. For the first few seconds I couldn't see what all the commentators were raving about, and then... well, have a look for yourselves. Extraordinary. I wish I'd been there.


Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

On an Acoustic Whim

Today I went off in the wonderful sunshine to see the Acoustic Guitarist of the Year Finals 2011 at the South Bank. It seemed a good way to spend a lunchtime and for the bargain price of only £3. This is the guitarist who won, with the song that quite rightly earned him the title. He was excellent.

Heard in the check-out queue

The woman in front of me at the check out said to the cashier, 'This is a replacement broccoli', and brandished a large head of broccoli florets. The cashier nodded knowingly.

Whatever could have happened to that first broccoli batch to bring about the need of a free replacement?

I will never know, but this link on the cancer-protecting benefits of broccoli seemed quite interesting. I borrowed the picture from here so I'll make a donation to the excellent Macmillan Cancer Support in lieu of picture fees and hope that's OK with the website.

Setting the tone for the New Year ahead - much more fun!

This should definitely be a feature on the London Underground. We'd arrive at our destinations in such a good mood. Roll on 2011 and much, much more fun than 2010.

Many thanks to the Going Underground blog for leading me to this. It made me laugh.

Nice jumper...

These are here for the knitting. Of course.

Seen giant size on the tube, on the southbound Piccadilly Line platform at Leicester Square.

Yes, I admit it. I laughed. A lot.

There was some other beef in the advert but it detracted from the knitting.

Broccoli?? Brussels Sprouts??

Something tells me this has been written by a non-knitter, or, rather, by someone just a little bit biased.

'A sewing up needle'?? Well, I suppose it does what it says it will do.

Best Blues

Best blue yarn 1: I had a request for colourful bedsocks for Christmas so cracked open my sole skein of the legendary Wollmeise yarn. Knitting with something that has grabbed the attention of knitters worldwide is always an experience to be anticipated. In truth, however, I get even more excited about lesser known dyers and always wish them eventual global success, but only after I've managed to buy some skeins from them first. Much as I applaud universal popularity such as that achieved by Wollmeise and Sundara, I am left a little sad that the yarns often then rise beyond my price range, especially with the extortionate Customs charges we are forced to pay on parcels from outside the EU.

For a truly wonderful exposition of a Wollmeise experience, look here. I admit to great envy at being faced with such a difficult choice.


Simple Skyp Socks
by Adrienne Ku (ravelry link)

Yarn: Wollmeise 100% Merino Superwash; 316.3 yards (289.2m), approximately 0.55 of the skein
Colourway: Am Kalten Polar
Needles: 3.00 mm


Best blue yarns 2 & 3: Two dyers whose blues have caught my eye and imagination are both talented, gaining in well-deserved popularity and, I'm sure, about to go global. Just let me acquire as much as I can from them first...

Skein Queen:



DK Desire in 'Indigo Dream', 100% wool.


Sparkleduck:



'Midnight Purple', a laceweight in ultrafine merino with silk

Another Competition and Best Snow-ness

Another Competition and Best Snow-ness

Best snow: Lapland snow pictures by SusiVilla. Scroll down to the last photograph in particular. We thought we'd had good snow here but this is the real thing.

Best snow outfit: Also by SusiVilla. As she says, a skirt in -30 degrees Celsius? Still, one can see why. What a skirt, and it only took 3 skeins of Noro Sock.

The White Ribbon Competition


Seeing as how my first ever competition proved a bit obscure I'll see if a variation on a theme is any easier. The first competition is still open, by the way. No one has correctly claimed a prize so far.

So, Competition Part 2:

Where is the knitting in White Ribbon (AKA 'Das Weisse Band')?
The film has just won the Palme d'Or and is fairly extraordinary. It is not a touchy-feely, cuddly film but it does have knitting in it.

Clue: only one person is actually knitting.

All correct answers will receive a prize.

Remember to EMAIL ME YOUR ANSWERS rather than post them here (otherwise it will be first past the post which may be short lived). Not all prizes will be knitting related, just in case there are non-knitting people out there.

How Not to Make a Pompom

This is how not to make a pompom. It was supposed to be the finishing touch for my new snow hat, based on the Sockhead Hat by bohoknits who very generously publishes the pattern for free. Ravelry link here.

One advantage of having snow and ice coat London for longer than usual was the opportunity to examine surreptitiously the enormous array of hats, mittens and scarves that appeared on people struggling to and from work, or even merely trying to stay upright on the sheets of ice that once used to be pavements. The more I looked at other people's heads, the more I wanted a new hat for the snow, and the more I couldn't see one that I thought would suit me. This new one may well not suit me at all but I think I may wear it frequently. It's very warm, versatile, and I like it, which of course helps no end.

I used three-quarters of a skein of sock yarn, held with a ball of Kidsilk Spray to add some extra softness and bloom. I omitted the Kidsilk at various random points to allow the colours of the merino sock yarn to shine through.

A few random rows with the Kidsilk Spray omitted to allow the brightness of the sock yarn to shine through.

More photos will appear when I've finished the pompom, or perhaps when I've decided against the pompom. Until then, here is the back of my head.

Sockhead Hat

Yarn 1: Sunshine Yarns Twist Sock Yarn in Costa Rica (I used about 297 yards/271 metres)
Yarn 2: Rowan Kidsilk Spray (shade 569 Clay), 1 ball
Needles: 3mm (I used magic loop method)

Modifications:
a) adding in the Kidsilk Spray
b) I worked 6 inches of stocking stitch for the body rather than the 9 inches suggested
c) there may be a pompom if I can remember how to make one properly

Friday's Bests

Best thing I listened to today: Jenny Agutter's choice of Lise Meitner for "Great Lives", Radio 4. Listen again here, if you so wish. Late-night BBC reminiscing about a great physicist who later eschewed public recognition for her work in nuclear science, having first been disregarded herself because of being a woman. Picture borrowed from a site entirely dedicated to pictures of famous physicists. Who'd have thought it?

Best mittens of the day: these Antler Mittens by Alexa Ludeman.

Bests

Best colours of the day: these ones, put together. Drawback: now I need to replicate them throughout and that's easier said than done with Noro.

Best sound of the day: the laughter of an orangutan being tickled. Seriously. Radio 4, midnight, last night/this morning.

Best sensation of the day: a single, melting Italian 'gianduiotto' on the tongue

Best smell of the day: fresh laundry

Best decision of the day: to leave work on time and go home

Is it just me...

... or does anyone else thinks this looks very weird?

Flying objects

There was a moment this evening when the seconds stood still. I'd put away some very slow-going, very important knitting that I've been doing for several months, folding it carefully into a neat pile while I had my supper.

Since I am in decadent holiday-week mode, supper was a piece of (rather crispy) pizza balanced on a plate on my lap on the sofa. Just as I tried to cut into the crust the whole thing skidded off the plate and flew across the room ... straight into the tall paper carrier bag where I'd put the knitting.

It was a few moments before I could bear to look inside.

The relief: it had landed face up and the knitting was safe. Phew.

Prize time...

I saw my first conker of the year on the ground this week. Autumn is setting in again, with a wonderful deep heat and low light. This signals that I have passed one year of having a blog. That must mean I have a bloggiversary. Does that mean I am a 'real' blogger? Who knows...

I feel that now that I might be edging towards being a person-with-a(n occasional)-blog it is time for a competition. Yesterday I went to see Julie & Julia. It had mixed reviews but I don't really care about them as it provided escapism, diversion and self-indulgence, and lots of pictures of food. It also included some knitting.


So, the competition:

Where is the knitting in Julie & Julia?

All correct answers will receive a prize.

Email me or leave a comment here. Not all prizes will be knitting related, just in case there are non-knitting people out there.

Swirls

It's quite lucky that I do not live near Windsor Button in Boston. Their collection of silk organza ribbons takes up an enormous rack. Such beautiful colours. Such temptation.

Buttons from Boston

There are very few advantages to finding myself in A&E and then in bed ill for a fortnight when I was instead supposed to be on a fortnight's holiday from work. One good thing was the opportunity to play with treasures found during my New England visit. Buttons galore.

Confessing

There comes a moment in conversations when I 'confess' to my big secret.

In the last few days I have found myself revealing to two separate people that I knit.


Conversation 1:

Man 1: 'You knit?....' [man physically recoils in his seat, and scrunches up his face]...'Do you have cats?'

Me: 'No... why?'

Man 1: 'Well, it goes with the image, doesn't it?'
[if it's possible for anyone to recoil right out of the room, at this point he would have done.]


Conversation 2:

Man 2: 'That ball of wool... do you knit, or is it a plaything for a mischievous cat?'

Me: 'It's mine... I like knitting.'

Man 2: 'Really? ... Mm. I can imagine you reclining on a chaise longue, with wool running through your toes...'


Now that's more like it.

All the fun of the Fair

A couple of weekends ago, unfortunately on a rather grey day, one of my favourite annual events took place: Barnes Fair. The village green is filled with hundreds of stalls and displays from local craftspeople, charities, schools, artists, businesses and restaurants. It's possible to find anything from fairy cakes made by the Brownies to beautifully glazed pottery, hand-crafted sweaters, bric-a-brac galore and pots of herbs.

The trick is to cast aside lengthy deliberations and guilt at treating oneself: the things seen there tend not to be seen again so are worth grabbing immediately. I once found an early Heal's oak table and four matching chairs just as I was about to move into a new home with no furniture. However, I am still kicking myself for not buying a 1950 three-tiered red cake stand with white polka dots I saw one year. I know, I know, it's a strange thing to hanker after but afternoon tea with treats on a cake stand... one of the best things ever.




There are certain traditions to be upheld, such as watching the procession of decorated school children pass by on floats and assorted animals (always a diversion in the middle of a city) and eating Thai noodles. This year I was particularly taken with the intricately carved vegetables next to the Thai noodle stall. I suddenly wanted to take a class in how to transform a turnip into translucent white lace. There may be a class, the woman told me, but not quite yet. I will be first in the queue. It looks like a very peaceful way to pass a few hours.



Thai vegetable carving. The lacey turnip is top centre, between the carrots and in front of the melons.

The sounds of the fair are always augmented by peculiarly actorly tannoy announcements which usually contain a gem or two. My favourite this year:

"For all those of you who are concerned about Ben, the shire horse that collapsed during the procession, don't worry - it seems there was a horse whisperer in the crowd. He whispered to Ben who was able to get up and is now fine."

Intriguing. Exactly how many random horse whisperers are there in London?

Coming soon... American Adventure

So, I went to America, to knit, to talk, to wander, to squidge wool, and to watch a whale. The full account is germinating, while pesky work deadlines pile up.

In the meantime, a glimpse of Squam Lake, and the view from my cabin.

Public Transport

Cheering. Or slightly spooky. Or both.