Farewell to summer

Hello! I'm making the most of the last day of my summer holiday. Officially schools in Norfolk went back today, with training days today and tomorrow. We worked today's hours one Sunday in July. How I moaned about having to go into school at a weekend then! But how I'm enjoying that final 'extra' day of holiday now!! It feels like an unexpected treat!

I have lots to share with you today, so I'll get cracking. When I returned from Germany at the start of August, I'd completed one each of two different pairs of socks. Well both socks now have partners! The first is a plain vanilla pair for one of my University friends, who requested a blue/green colourway. I think this Trekking yarn fits the bill perfectly, don't you?

The second finished pair is Roger by Anne Hanson. The yarn is Bugga!, quite simply, pure joy to knit with. Mr JK asked me who they were for once I'd finished them, pointing out that they were knit in 'his' colours!!! 'Paws off, Mr JK, these are mine, all mine!' It is a lovely pattern to knit, so I expect I'll knit him a pair too!

My Fall in Full Color project is coming along. I finished the first half of the Longshadows scarf a while ago, and need to cast on the 2nd half pretty urgently as before too long, the next project will be arriving! The photo isn't great, but I'd just rescued the scarf from Flo, who thought it ought to be her new blankie, and was kneading it with great urgency and a glazed expression!

I've been working on another test knit for Anne Hanson. It's a lovely cabled winter warmer of a knit - it could end up being a jumper or a cardigan. At the moment, I'm leaning towards a cardigan, but there's still time to change my mind! I'm using some Cascade 220 that I bought from Loop last Christmas. I'm about half way up the back now. This is what the pattern looks like.

I did some more dyeing over the weekend - two more skeins of superwash merino and nylon. The first colourway I've called Autumn Crackles. It's a lovely mix of autumnal shades.

The second skein I've called Midnight Sky. This could be the perfect yarn for a pair of Roger socks for Mr JK!

I've enjoyed my first real venture into yarn dyeing. It would be lovely to be able to dye some yarn to sell. One day, maybe!! Here are all four skeins that I've dyed so far - from the top we have Lagoon, Autumn Crackles, Midnight Sky and Chocolate Cherries.

I don't think I told you that I won a prize for my spinning in the Tour de Fleece on Ravelry!! I was part of Team Superfleece, and I won a prize for the most yardage spun by a new spinner! My prize was a $30 gift certificate at Briar Rose Fibers. I chose two fibres that I've not had the chance to spin yet, some Wensleydale and some Cormo. The Wensleydale has quite a crimp to it, and feels quite wiry at the moment.

The Cormo fibre is very, very soft. I just love the dark, intense colours that Chris has used.

In fact, I've already started spinning up the Cormo, and the colours look fab! As there's only 1.5 ounces, I'm going to spin it up as a single and see what I can make with it. Maybe a neck warmer.

With school looming, I've been giving some thought to this term's Knitting Club projects. For the first half of term, we're going to knit squares to make into blankets to take to the cats' home. When we rehomed Florence and Elsie, they both came with their own hand-knit/crocheted blankies as a little bit of security. Elsie loved hers and would snuggle into it. I reckon that we ought to be able to knit a couple of blankies between us.

For after half term, I wanted a project that would be perfect for selling at the school Christmas Fair. So I've come up with a little Christmas tree, decorated with buttons, sequins and beads. I know, thinking about Christmas in September!!! But you have to plan ahead! It's a simple pattern (details on my Ravelry project page) but one that I think the children will enjoy.

Well, I think that I might go and make myself a mug of tea. Let me share with you last Monday's tea. Homemade crumpets, one day-old homemade raspberry jam and a pot of tea! Enjoy!! xxx