Present in the post and in person!

I do like it when I get presents in the post and even better when I get them in person, especially at the moment when I am fighting yet another lurgy! – I know, I know…my immune system seems to have to gone on a winter break to mongolia.

L’s mum M has been in York this week (sneaking off to texere without us!) and she bought me some of her stash – she’s so nice to me! We met up for a couple of hours at L’s, yesterday and spend a couple of hours snarking at Hornblower (really not sure about Greg Wise as a frenchman…..Lucky Emma Thompson is all I have to say!) and knitting and drinking tea.

She gave me 5 balls of lovely navy blue  country style dk – which will either be mitts for the boy or some hexagons;

and 6 and a bit balls of Bonus Aran in gorgeous high summer sky blue (although it says its denim blue)  – you know, between her and L they seem determined to inject colour into my world

This morning with a stock delivery from my mum I found this amazing little 1923 knitting booklet!

“The Patons Universal Knitting Book”.

Its got patterns for everything from childs clothing, to shawls, to vests, mens and womens jumpers, socks and stockings and even teacosies! What fun! This is the photo of the sock patterns photo page.

(Plain stocking, Ribbed Stocking, Ribbed Stocking for a child, Stocking with turn over tops, Ribbed socks, Openwork Socks, Striped Socks, More openwork socks, Men’s Golf Stockings, Men’s Striped socks, Men’s Heavy socks, Men’s Ribbed socks, Men’s Light socks, and 3 fancy tops for stockings…And breathe!)

Now, I just have to decide a) if I can allow myself to start another project and b) which one of this treasure trove I want to start with!

Getting Up Steam

…both in the energy stakes and in the conversion of water to gas.

Me and the fella went to the National Railway museum at the weekend to see the new steam engine – the Tornado.

Its enormous, shiny, beautiful and actually new. Its been built to run on the mainlines and will be pulling the gorgeous old Pullman carriages from Kings Cross to York. Unfortunately all this gorgeousness comes at a price and tickets will cost in the region of £450 to £500 pounds a person…maybe if I win the lottery?

My fascination for steam trains possibly stems from many many readings of The Railway Children as a child – my desire to own flannel petticoats, especially red ones definitely comes from here! – and my new found love for Ivor the Engine which was decidely rekindled  when the fella acquired it on DVD just before Christmas. (They have soft toy Idris the Dragons at the NRM!)

My love of Victoriana, Steam and the ingenuity of the industrial revolution meant that with the emergence of Steampunk I was bound to love the creative outlets it provides – Oh of course there are people who are mainly intent in making money from it, but still it does provide me with an excuse to indulge in the things that interest me.

The comic Girl Genius is great fun and has a wonderful steampunk edge to it, as have the writings of China Mieville and to a certain degree Philip Pullman.

Theres the wonderful Steampunk Magazine for those who are interested and the wonderfully silly Brass Goggles blog.

I’m not as actively involved in the steampunk scene as I’d like but unfortunatly it mainly seems to be in London or the states at the moment.

Now, should I do an outfit decorated with steam engines, airships or cogs first?

Coming up for Air

……Also known as Germs and Christmas ate my Knitting.

Happy New Year everyone!

Between getting ill myself, the usual run up to Xmas, the fella getting ill, and then me getting ill again on Xmas day of all days,and the fact I am still getting over it means that my festive/new year season has been someone characterised by my being grumpy and nesting on the sofa with a duvet….

I got one of my fella’s Xmas socks done….at this rate I’ll have the second one done by valentines day!

The purple is my favourite duvet cover on the huge feather duvet I’ve been camping under between making cups of tea and going on various trips out of the house including one to the Texere open day a couple of days ago at where I got yarn for my Neaty:

and my Victoriana Bed jacket:

All thanks to my Mum and Dad . The mill was amazing, a really riotous display of colour and texture, and the staff were so friendly and helpful. It was packed with people – Spent half my time saying excuse me to get to look at things or just get past. Its definitely a place to have a budget at – I had a list I’d made from the website and stuck to it!

Over the festive and new years season I unfortunatly developed a case of startitis – casting on right, left and centre.

I’ve cast on for a pair of really tall socks, a bobbleless tea cozy, and some lace edging – the only one of which I have a decent photo is the lace edging :

Its called Basic Lace Trim and I found the pattern on the Lion Brand Yarn website. The Lang needles I’m using are soooo slippery though, but they are the only 1.5mm needles I’ve seen.

And of course I want to start swatching for neaty and the bedjacket but I have socks to finish for my fella and birthday socks for my sister to start….

Damn this creative urge!

I also got two books for xmas that are also making me want to be more creative :

and a cloth doll to work on and…and..and…

Relax!

Its strange but why is it always that when you have the least time is when you most want to be creative?