Two steps forward.......

You know when your heart says 2.5mm and your head says 2.0mm. Well, I listened to my heart :( In my defence, I LIKE 2.5mm. It has a nice ring to it and I am sure that Dan Brown and Mr Da Vinci would find something particularly positive to say about this combination of numerals.

However. Karen of Karendipity-fame did say 2.00mm needles....but I ignored her advice and the little voice in my head (ok I admit to voices in my head....this was one of the quieter ones...so I ignored it....if it had been the louder "eat more ice-cream"...well we wouldn't be having this conversation....anyway, I digress...)

So although stunningly beautiful in my eyes, this progress so far will have to be frogged. I have thin wrists and arms (think pale, shaved Orangutang)...so a visit to frog-pond...so now you see it.....

So have a quick look at rhe braided cast on and the corrugated rib :(

Normal service has been resumed!!!!!

Well, life threw us a couple of curve balls BUT as they say "everyday above ground is a plus". Has a cetain ring to it, doesn't it???? Bet it was a fellow dour Scot who said that...answers on a postcard or comment please!

Anyhow...knitting has started again :) I have been on holiday in Turkey since my last post. Great stuff....sun...knitting...more sun....good food..reading...alcofrolic....more knitting. (I chucked in reading to show I have culture). I managed to give an impromptu crochet lesson beside the pool...much to Sinbad's embarrassment. Crocheting in a red polka dot bikini.

I made inroads with my version of The Yarnharlot's Earl Grey socks. I say "my version" not to impy I improved upon them but because necessity led to it. The necessity was the Pirate clan becoming parted from a bag at Bodrum airport. Thies bag had 99% of Mr Sinbad's clothes in it BUT lets get to essentials...it had my Earl Grey knitting pattern in it and some of my needles and crochet hooks. Fortunately I had completed both socks to the heel flap...so I had to wing it and recall what I could and improvise. If you are reading this Stephanie you will now know why there are subtle design-differences between your version and mine. Like mine have no cabling.......in fact these socks bear no resemblance whatsoever to yours. Maybe I should rename them the Bodrum Airport socks (bet Stephanie wishes she had thought of that name first...just rolls off the tongue). Here they are so far. They are knitted in one of the Yarnyards Special Edition yarns...this picture doesn't do the full justice to the Autumnal shades of the Sunset colourway.

I've also been knitting a dog coat. Whippet's feel the cold...especially in tropical Wales...so the search was on to find a pattern suitable for the undulations of a Whippet. Eventually found this customisable pattern...progress is good. I'm using Sirdar Denim Sport in a manly/dogly? Denim colour. He is not a great model and now moves off sharpish when I try it on him.

I can tell it's winter...I have an urge to do Fair Isle. So the hunt was on for a suitable pattern. I found two fabulous ones by Karendipity. They are fabulous in terms of both design and the actual patterns themselves. I think it's always hard for a designer to hit the right balance of enough information without making a pattern seem unduly complex/too abreviated or just downright ambiguous. These two patterns don't fall into any of these categories. They are well illustrated, have clear instructions, super tutorials AND (as if this wasn't great enough, inbuilt-chocolate breaks. The woman is an icon. Patterns are available in PDF and hard-copy

There is also a Ravelry Kal and another non-Ravelry KAL (see sidebar). Karen tells me that the secret to getting really good pattern-definition is to go for good contrasting tones. So here are my two narrowed down choices.

Option 1/

The Yarnyard Nude and The Yarnyard Fegrig ( oh how I love this yarn....the colours are a feast of Autumnal shades...far better than my photo suggests.

Option 2/

I also like this combination....very festive and cheery! This is Yarnyard Pillar Box (deeper in real life) and Yarnyard Nude. ()Two nudes in one post....I will be exhibiting in The Tate next :)

What do you lot think? I am going to knit the mittens pattern first and then the gloves later.