The holiday photo album could be long, very long indeed. We have an arrangement where ‘himself’ takes photos on a snazzy all zoom and buttons camera and I take snaps on my digital thing. We compare notes back home. I take flowers and scenic shots …….. I never know what he has until later. Glimpses of myself in shots I’d rather not know about (I am not photogenic) and landscapes usually. This is my selfy….

Blue Beyond Cottage was marvelous – cosy and chic!! Do take a look  it is lovely and such welcoming people, Colin and Susan. Soooooo peaceful and just what we needed.

The Weather was….  I think it is in Shetland where sunshine is a ‘break in the weather’ so Tiree has many such breaks in the weather.

I seems so long since we returned from holiday I need another already. Thought I’d share a few more photos before it fades completely into the autumn mists…..

 

 

 

We won’t get into the discussion on what is chicken, what is hen. I’m from farming stock and suffice to say hens are what run about ….

Maybe this isn’t hen …………anyway.

Version One was complete by Sunday night. in Aran wool, either all circular or some straight. It has changed the nature of the class/es but as a three day event (6hour) it is very do able.  It comes in stages and covers all the proposed knitting techniques – Fairisle, Circlular (knitting in the round), charts and sewing up!!!! (I know circular knitting don’t have side seams but this has beaks and bottoms),  even 3 needle bind off and it can be down sized to a phone cover for those with only a day to spare  …oh clever? It requires stuffing and a strategic rock!!

Perhaps a comb?

Version 2 tomorrow maybe I’ll get round to washing it too and a new pattern with chart

come and have a go ………

The plan- to find an idea for the Fairisle beginners class (October Events) something a bit different, big enough to show up in the window and easy!!. I had come across this pattern for a doorstop in Lucinda Guy’s book Northern Knits Gifts. Its similar to the Fancy Hen cushion pattern by Ella Austin and is very Scandi which I like…… Chickens in two colours strictly not Fairisle I agree but would you start with a Kate Davies (Colours of Shetland) complete jumper or one of her less complex mitts like Jazz Hands ?

Saturday afternoon I have 2 hours to show basic concepts (people can come back as often as they need) and all knitting takes time and practice. So it might not be true ‘fairisle’, but it has to be wool. At least covered some of the bases. Working colours like this has similar elements/pitfalls: reading the chart, two threads working at the same time, the floats at the back, potential puckering, the tangle and twisting together of the yarns. I know its still ambitious…….

 

I started a sample yesterday. The Lucinda Guy is done in 4ply on 3mm needles (I used a skinny dk as I knit a bit baggy) that was all I achieved –revisit idea.

This is simple on colours and has a few too many long floats but for a beginner relatively simple. It is done on circular needles and that is another 2 hour event. Completed item is appealing but it needed to be simpler.

Adaption – aran on straight needles (not completely traditional but …) and pencil, graph-paper (printable knitting graph-paper) and alot of rubbing out later — mark 11 has begun and is looking much more promising. Still won’t be “done” in 2 hours but …….

we might have a simple chicken by ….. Tuesday?

 

Coming back from a little holiday , yes lovely, yes peaceful, yes I want to go back now.

Has been …… manic.

I have rearranged the shop a bit, taken in the New Lanark Mill Chunky, knit a few samples, finished the Cambrian Crochet sample (that is a later when it’s ready pattern), finished a this year’s mitten kit (in 2 colour ways), and started the Ecclefechan sample…

 

Sorted out some October Events

AND the various nights of frivolity have started again Join us for:

 

on a roll and pheew heavens I need another hoilday