FO Friday 56: The Seekrit is Out

Well, this is the least I can show you:


A tiny ball about the size of a large marble, which is what's left over after the completion of the Seekrit Projekt.

'Course, that really is the least I can show you. But since I'm in an expansive, friendly and generous mood (let's not say exhibitionist or proud), I will reveal the Seekrit Projekt in it's entirety:




































Posed over a recently painted wall just up the road - I needed a light background to show the shawl at its best; I had to wait til the kids were at school to do this in case my eccentricity embarrassed them ...

As for the Madeline Tosh laceweight 'Prairie', colorway 'Briar'. Hmm. Yes, it's nice. 840 yards/768 metres, which is good. But it is still only merino wool - and not especially soft, at that. The color is lovely, but again, I don't find it to be jaw-dropping. So I don't think that it justifies its price tag of £25.00 (approx. $40US) when in the USA it retails for $25 (approx. £16) , a considerable difference that I do not believe is due to merely the shipping costs.

Don't forget to check out Tami's Amis for other beautiful creations ....

WIP Wednesday 58: All ....

.... Wiped out. Well, I am this week: the second week of term and everything is happening - Mini Diva's classroom tour yesterday, today the hearing test review, followed by swimming and gymnastics after school. Also today is Destructo Boy's classroom tour.

Tomorrow I have a meetup with the friend with whom I am planning her little boy and Destructo Boy's joint birthday party, the grocery delivery, and optician's appointments for both children. Sebastian is also due to return to the vet for a checkup this week. My sister is over for a visit starting tomorrow. All of this means that I have done little to no knitting, and minimal soapmaking.

Far more importantly, it meant I didn't have time to meet an old friend for coffee; not even when he upped the stakes to offer lunch out: my friends will know how much it wrenched my soul to turn down good food cooked, served and washed up by someone else. Let alone the wine.

So there has been no progress on the Vintage Lilac Cabled Sweater, but I have cast on for a Seekrit Projeckt using Madeline Tosh 'Prairie' 100% merino laceweight in the colorway 'Briar'.



When I can draw breath again, I shall catch up with all the WIPs over at Tami's Amis ....

WIP Wednesday 55: Weekly Ramble

So this week is feeling very odd - the kids are at their Nanny's (my MIL), DH is (of course) at work, and the house is terribly quiet, as it's in the nature of all three cats to be generally noiseless, and Sebastian is unusually subdued - there's no itching and scratching, and a huge improvement in his skin, as he is back on antibiotics and steroids. I think he may be missing the children. I almost wrote 'as well' at the end of that sentence, but caught myself just in time.

I have indulged myself with grown-up food; I have stayed up very late to see the end of a film: 'Something's Gotta Give' - I kept waiting for Jack Nicholson to break into his old, tired mad/crazy persona, but he didn't. This film was refreshing just for that. And my goodness, does Diane Keaton ever play a woman who is not nice, and does not scream and wail ? I have watched trash TV: 'Teen Mom' and 'Teen Mom 2', which make me wonder exactly how Americans bring up their children so that they end up without boundaries, discipline or respect: Jenelle and Amber, I'm looking at you.

But this is not an essay on what is wrong with modern youth, but rather a show-and-tell: first, the usual suspects:

We have just shaped the bottom of the armholes of the front.

And Uber-Cool Brother's German Herringbone Rib Scarf:

which is probably about 1/3 of the way through.

As if these weren't enough to be getting on with, last night I cast on for a beret for Mini Diva, using the ball of Robin Piccasso Chunky left over from her lacy vintage sweater . (Yes, Calophi, I had totally forgotten to post the pattern as I promised: it'll be in the mail today). It's the Beret in Fisherman's Rib with Picot Brim, and I wish I'd read the project notes of the other people who have knitted it before I started: it is not written very clearly, especially considering the version of Fisherman's Rib used is rather unusual - Google is my friend, and it turns out that this version is German in origins. We will persevere, and see how it goes:

And I suffered a couple of 'moments' because I simply could. not. remember where I had put the skein of Madeline Tosh laceweight in 'Briar' .... so spent some time running around the house like a complete nutter searching for it obsessively ....



I advise you to head over to Tami's Amis where there are sane people ....