Rough Day

Bit of a whinge-fest today - I've felt a bit icky all day, and it's been raining, which never helps. Then I've had to cover late-ish at work, got caught up in what appeared to be a flash mob of cars in the City Centre (30 minute queue for about half a mile, then everything disappearing, without anyone appearing to have turned off) and now Flickr's not playing with me. So Grrrrrr!

But to try and look at some positives, I'd like to thank everyone who has left comments on the blog over the last few posts. It makes me feel better to read them, and it doesn't half perk me up and make me feel that the world's not completely full of twits (just the car in front of me ;-)). I knit, largely for me, and it's lovely that you think that I'm doing some nice work. I'm always a bit funny about posting photos - I think I'm "showing off" sometimes, and possibly showing myself up (especially when I see some of the work others do) - so thank you again for your comments and keep them coming (now I have an ego, I need to feed it!)

I've been poddling along with the knitting - I have finished one of the Tyrolean Stockings, and I love it. I've been wondering if I can get away with wearing odd socks, as I'm really getting a compulsion to wear it. It's the lovely cabled design, coupled with Dee and Tony's wonderful Helena wool in Myrtle - toning greeny variagated loveliness. But, it's twin is having to wait, as I've begun Hanami No 2 - this time for a Christmas present. I'm using the same Colourmart Cashmere as before, and have managed 2 repeats of the basketweave so far. I'm using the second Tyrolean as a motivator - there's 7 repeats of the basketweave, and I found on my first one that if I'm not going to muck up the pattern, I need to break every now and then, so it's one repeat of basketweave to 12 rows of sock at the moment, to keep the variation. It's not that I'm getting bored, but giving myself a little bit of a change every now and then is helping me stay fresh at it.

And I've been so good this week - I have not dipped into the Posh Yarn shop this week, as I am building up quite a stash, and think I should get cracking on using some of it up before I indulge again... I do try to be good - but sometimes my halo slips a little and there's something I've got to play Fastest Finger First for!

And - if anyone liked the Mystery Stole 3 - Swan Lake that's a couple of posts further down, but didn't get onto the sign up in time, Melanie has now relased the pattern, which includes the stole as knit, plus directions for a Symmetrical pointed stole, plus a divine double winged version. For us UK knitters, the pattern's on the good side of bargain at $6, and can be ordered via Melanie's Blog. I found it a challenge, but tackling one chart at a time, and not thinking about the final item meant I could knit it one stitch at a time. Melanie's directions helped as well - I found the pattern easy to understand.

So - back to Hanami - it's a lovely knit and it's keeping me sane this evening.