Turning Over A New Leaf

Leaf - page, page - book, book - bookmark!  Geddit?  Geddit?

:: sigh ::

Philistines.  I'm working with philistines.  But because I love you all, philistines or not, I would like to introduce you to my latest free pattern:

The Bookmarker Sock!

My little sister is secretary extraordinaire to the director of a large university library in Scotland.  On being asked, after spotting some lovely winey-coloured DK in a shop at home, to make her some socks for Christmas, I immediately thought of this charming herringbone-like pattern: a pattern which reminds me of the bookmarks I used to have when I was little!  That, plus a Dutch heel (because I’m in Holland) and a star toe (because she’s a star sister) completes my book-inspired, secretary-dedicated sock!

So, here, for your delectation, is a DK-using, cuff-down,

Dutch-heeled,

star-toed

little cutie, which works with solid, semi-solids, colour-change and self-striping yarns. With colour-change and self-striping yarn, you'll also discover the zig-zag counter pattern. (You see a hint of it in the petroleum-coloured socks.) We all love a good chevron!  For the burgundy socks I used Cygnet Double Knitting in 'Mulberry Mix', and the wonderful oily colours came from King Cole Riot in 'Dude'. 

As I've said already, this is a free pattern which you can find if you click HERE. Said click will whiz you off to the Ravelry page (which is accessible to non-Rav members, too) where you will find a link to the pdf download.

Simple as pie. Leaf pie. Om nom nom?

Weather Fronts

Outlook: gloomy, dull, with bands of soul-drenching rain.

Instead of 2011 being a kinder, healthier, more giving year than 2010, it has already taken me down a dark alley of US urban legend and roughed me up, with the promise, implied by two fingers pointing to its eyes, then mine, then its own again, of more.

Outlook: Stormy, with chance of being struck by lightning, or maimed  by metaphoric hail the size of golf-balls.

Not content with private pummellings, 2011 has also given me a public drubbing and strapped me in the stocks, in readiness for further trouncing, no doubt.

Outlook: Low pressure to the North will bring with it bands of meh.

Meh.

Outlook: A little brighter, with the chance of some rays of sunshine.

Ding-dong.  Well, actually, the doorbell to my flat doesn't do that cheerful 'Avon-calling' malarchy.  Hell it's not even a bell.  It's a buzzer that when set off, sounds like someone using a pneumatic drill.  Just to the left of your ear-drum. I'd give you some onomatopoeia here, but words, even made-up ones, just cannot do it justice.  So we'll say drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and give you a tiny, and not really close, sample of the real thing.

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  Hello?  (Thank heavens for intercoms. Even the ear-drum-tearing kind.)  Ja, hallo! Pakketje voor U.  (A small package? Oh - probably for the girl who lives downstairs.) Ik kom... (Followed by some careful negotiations of 2 flights of Dutch stairs, the steepness and general craggy-mountain-reaches-where-only-ropes-and-God-will-help-you of which have to be seen to be believed.)  Handtekening hier, alstublieft.  Ooh.  It's for me.  And has an enormous printed out address label with pretty things and a lovely font, and a return-to address which indicates said gorgeous-looking package is from my DS.

The time to scribble my signature on the receipt form and race up the stairs to open said pakketje has only been bested once.  That instance involved no signature, just a very full bladder, so least said...

Chocolate. Wool. Beaded wire-work hearts. Scented candles.  Niknaks. (Nom!) Make-up. More chocolate. Hair thingies.  A little hug-on-a-card. My favourite body butter. Apple and cinnamon tea-bags.  Still more chocolate.  And a metal sign that informs visitors that singing, dancing and swearing are not allowed in this respectable house.  (Oh, how I laughed.  And continued to do so whilst placing it at the bottom of the stairs by the front door to make sure that it's the first thing that people see.  And ensuring that they will laugh, too. People who know me, I can guarantee, will see that sign and, at the very least, give a hearty snort.)  Thank you, sister-mine.  Just when the clouds were settling overhead, you sent me a box of sun beams.

Forecast as promised: Rays of sunshine.

Happy New Ye... oh.

Oops. Where did January go?  I swear it just arrived yesterday, but I see the bags are packed to go and February is waiting at the door to take over the room. Then again, January is never a particularly pleasant house-guest, chasing away work and sneaking in unsavoury friends for long nights of playing the blues.

I must admit that January has been productive is some ways... apart from the all-night woe-fests, and there are some patterns coming together, including a very exciting project which is reaching fruition...

<--- ...using this, which is in a very special colourway!

More of which I shall leave for a later date, but I can say this one thing: OM NOM NOM NOM.  And I'll add a squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee for good measure.  Because I can, and because, basically, it is TOTALLY called-for.  Oh YES!  January Blues can't keep a good squeeeeee down, that's for sure.

Oh, and this lovely yarn knits-up prettily, too, with just the right balance of softness and stitch definition!  

You are welcome to have a guess at the name of the new sock - it's another sock using the theme of alcoholic drinks, so I'll be intrigued to hear what you come up with!  (If you know already, keep mum!) If you have any ideas, let the comment box know! ;-)

In other news, I got an amazing gift from a very dear friend for Christmas: 10 balls of Rowan Kidsilk and a pattern book especially for said Rowan Kidsilk, called 'Little Luxury Knits' by Alison Crowther-Smith!  SO WONDERFUL! (And bonus points go to my friend, as she knows the author personally.  Even more bonus points added, because said dear friend is a muggle!)

rowan kidsilk haze in 'ghost'

rowan kidsilk haze in 'putty'

rowan kidsilk aura in 'vintage'

rowan kidsilk aura in 'logan berry'

rowan kidsilk haze in 'hurricane'

and not a shawl in sight - bliss!

Sweet!  =D