Clickity Clack, Wheels On The Track

Clickity clack, lickity spit, I love words that are onomata    onomato  words that mean what they sound. Onomatopoeic. You know what I mean. I love clickity clack, wheels on the track. Not only does it sound like a train  but it sounds like my knitting needles as I knit. Eh! Who am I kidding! I can knit quickly but not that quickly. It has been a while since I have done a knitting post. If knitting is not your ball, (pun) that's ok. Just scroll on by this time.

Now, what has been on my needles? I may have mentioned we just got a new little granddaughter. She is absolutely and lives in USA, but the world is a smaller place. We know we will see lots of her over the coming years. With her and my grandson living in different countries, I now can safely fall into the granny knitting trap. I can knit them matching sweaters,
safe in the knowledge they will not look like the Von Trapp family,  in matching outfits.

 

 

 This makes sense, grannies like to do this, primarily. My mother in law did. When knitting one garment, it is as easy to knit 2. These days you don't go into the wool shop and flick through the big folders of patterns all in their plastic sleeves. These days, you go on to the computer, ravelry is my site of choice. There you flick through the big online folders of patterns and make your choice. Patterns are much more designed these days, creative and inventive and that is reflected in the cost rightly charged by their designers. If a pattern is costing lots of £s, you want to get your money's worth. With that in mind I knit two "wee wowligans" designed by Kate Davies Studio Designs.

  I had knit one of these previously for my grandson and much as the alpaca grew and stretched with him, my son eventually boil washed it. It now fits on his teddy. Time for a new one. 

I used drops merino for both. A bright turquoise blue for my grandson, and mustard for my granddaughter. He got real buttons for the owls' eyes, sign of being a big boy now. And boy did it take a lot of buttons. She got embroidered eyes, which to be honest, were also much quicker and easier to do.

I have been knitting a striped sweater for myself. Plain red and red fleck alternatively. This is a sweater called Confetti by Veera Valimaki, accessible on Ravelry. My online friend Sue and I are going on a knitting retreat in November and we are knitting one each. That's right, a knitting retreat. It is in a convent on our north coast, 20 like minded knitters all knitting and knattering. I am so looking forward to this, not least to meeting Sue "in real life". As you can see, on a Saturday night I match my knitting to my clothes, my surroundings, and my wine! Oh, that's the white wine.

 

The red wine followed the next night.

 



What else? I have finished my Amos sweater, knitted in Shibui knits yarn bought in Philadelphia. This was knit holding two yarns together. The yarns are made from washed paper, I kid you not, silk and cotton. I have worn it and its very comfortable.

I am nearly finished a shawl. Yes, another shawl. This one is called Floating and is shawl no 2 in the Shawl Society designed by Curious Handmade. I only have about 14 rows to finish. When I say 14 rows, there are about 500 stitches in each row, so 14 rows is actually about 20%. Even so, the knitting is relaxing. I am looking forward to finishing this.

 I chose my yarn to remind me of the seaside at Newcastle, Co Down, where I first learned to float in the sea. No doubt screaming and splashing a lot as I did.

I have my yarn all set up for my next shawl. This is called Rockpool, again from this series. This time I have gone for greens and greys.

 Not all rockpools are idyllic. I thought of the green slimy murky rock pools in Groomsport, again in Co Down.

This was my husband's family destination of choice, all on a bus ride from home. Our kids loved day trips there too. I am looking forward to knitting this one.

Anything else? Yes. I am nearly finished a grey sweater for me. Only the neckline to finish and I can add it to the wardrobe. I have the sweetest buttons for this, need to get cracking on.

 

At least it has moved on from its project bag. Oh no, its still in there.

Another? Yes. I have been knitting a 30 year old sweater for my husband. Not that the sweater has taken 30 years, more that 30 years ago I knit him a sweater he loved. It was cream and a Guernsey style. He loved it.

 This year he asked me if I would knit him another, just the same only blue. I searched out the same pattern book on ebay and ordered it. I ordered the same Shetland yarn as before, only blue, and started knitting. Sez he, Helen, I don't think that's the same jumper. Of course it is I said. No its not. Yes it is. No its not. Eventually the photo album was produced. and its not the same jumper at all. Ooops. The jumper I am knitting now is one I intended to knit him, but never got around to.

Same yarn. Yes
Same pattern. No
Same colour. No
Well, one out of 3 isn't bad for a repeat sweater!

And lastly, some Christmas socks just to get you in the mood. The mood for sitting on the sofa on a cold night, the fire lit,  watching a move, with your loved ones, and drinking hot chocolate. I have this idea that there is a box of Christmas socks on the hearth for all the family. I don't know how my ever growing family feels about communal festive socks, but I love the idea. We did it last year, worked well with just me, him and the daughter with different size feet.

 

The socks were knit with these funny trapezoid needles, addicrasytrio needles. Three of them, and they have re invented the wheel. I love them.

Now, have I encouraged you to pick up your needles? Or have you left thinking, that girl needs a hobby!

Helen x