Summer Hat Completed

I have finished my Summer Hat! It's not quite as perfect as I would have liked. It has come out large and I have a large head to start off with. Perhaps a couple of needle sizes smaller next time. My tension is much looser on circulars, best to bear that in mind.

You can see that it is a little big. Still wearable, just a bit of an anti-climax. Perhaps when I'm in the mood I'll play with the pattern and adapt it to me. It is a very 'me' hat I must admit. I may feel more positive about it in the morning. I'm thinking of looking up similar hats.......

I did enjoy knitting it though, and I shall wear it though.

Summer Hat

I'm making the Summer Hat in Knit 39. It's a very pretty, lacy hat. Unfortunatley I'm having problems. I'm not following my own golden rules - don't knit when I'm tired and count, count, count. You can see where this is going. Most nights I sit to knit, I'm tired. I've not been stitch counting either. It started off that I didn't really need to as there was not too many stitches and it was easy to tell the start/end of each pattern repeat. Then the overall stitch count increased and being the brain box that I am, I never twigged on to use stitch markers. Of course with lace patterns, stitch counts are so important. In this one, one stitch out and it's noticeable. Plus there is increasing to contend with.

I've spent equal time tinking as knitting. I'm just having a break in tinking. I know where I've gone wrong, I think. It's two rows down. Tink, tink, tink. I'm adding stitch markers as I go. I could of, should have, finished this project a while ago. Oh the ode to knitting whilst tired.

St Bee's

This afternoon we had a trip to St Bee's. St Bee's only takes 10 minutes by car, a very handy and close beach to go to. St Bee's is famous for being one end of Wainwrights Coast to Coast Walk. I think it may also be noteworthy for other things, but I'm not sure what else.

Here is a view of St Bee's Head, the beach and one of the paths to the beach. It was lovely sunny day with a warm sea breeze. The air was clear and the Isle of Man was visible, as well as some of the off shore wind farms.

Here is a little more info about St Bee's and the Coast to Coast Walk.

It was Mary-Jane's second trip to the beach. She seemed to enjoy it much more than her first trip. We managed to actually get onto the sand. It was firm and wet, so I could push the buggy - handy! We hadn't originally planned to go to the beach, so had not prepared for it. We were going to Keswick, but by the time we got in the car to set off, we would've spent about half an hour there before having to come back to get Mary-Jane her tea and bed.

I took Mary-Jane's shoes off so she could feel the sand in her feet and try her paddling in a rock pool. She took well to the sand, the new sensation of something squidging between her toes. Next time we shall all be prepared!

I then tried to wet her feet, just a little, so she could feel the water lapping over her feet. She seemed to take to it. We shall be more adventurous next time.

Here is Mary-Jane and I. I think it's a lovely photo. One for the albumn!

We headed for the local cafe, had a cuppa and a cream scone before heading back. I like St Bee's Head. In the background you can see rocks. These are great fun to clamber over and investigate rock pools. Lots of fun and learning to be had. And that's before the actual sea is explored!

First Potatoes of The Season

The first potatoes of the season have been dug up. This is the first one to come to the surface.

Dear HK digging up the spuds. I can't remember what variety we used - I ought to keep a garden journal - but by gum I wish I could remember what they are! They are so tasty! They are creamy and smooth. A delight to eat. We had them boiled with the skins on with a very cheesy quiche that I had made. Beautiful.

HK pulling more of the tatties up. There wasn't as many potatoes per plant as the other varieties that we have grown.

Rhinog over-seeing proceedings, rather watching chickens.

Potatoes being washed in the outside sink that HK rigged up. We are planning to dig some more up .. We got enough for six decent size portions out of 6 plants.

Another Market Bag And A Summer Hat

Another Market bag hot off the needles tonight! I'm pleased with it. I used Patons Sorbet on 6mm needles. I ended up with 21 stitches per dpn for the base with 24 pattern repeats for the main body of the bag. The top band is 4 ridges and the handle is 42 ridges. I used a 3 needle cast off to join the handle. I may use a kitchener stitch next time. And there will be a next time! Mum has grand plans for these bags, judging by the amount of yarn she has bought to make them! This one took from 4 days to complete. Mainly evenings. So they are quick and easy to do.

Last night I was gettting a bit fed up with it, I think too much orange and counting the frogged bag it was the third bag I have done in a row. I'm not fed up with it, and wasn't tonight. Perhaps it was because the end was in sight. I'm eager to cast on another in a different yarn, a tape sort (I can't remember the name of the yarn) to see how it comes out.

I bought the new 'Knit' magazine today and I have fell in love with a hat pattern. I haven't felt this fired up about a pattern for a very long time. I wanted to dive into my stash to see what I could use, I had a few things in mind. I want to use my stash rather than buy, if possible. I asked HK if he could open the barn for me (at 8pm) so I could go rummaging. I was then gently reminded by HK that I aready had some knitting on the go, and that I should really wait till I'd finised and have a look tomorrow. Perhaps that was my motivation for finishing the Market Bag. But I sooooo want to make this hat. It's similar to a straw hat, but it's lacy and made in 4ply cotton in a round. I just know that this time tomorrow I'll have started it. I just hope I have the right size needles - 3.25mm dpn's and circular. I may detect a cloud on the horizon. I shall check my sock needles, got to have something there. I'm excited.

What's On My Needles

On my needles at the moment is a Grrlfriend Market Bag. I'm using Patons Sorbet, Nectarine colour. This is it's second incarnation. The first Incarnation I followed the pattern, but by about half way through it was plain that it was going to be massive. So I frogged it all and went for a 21 stitches per dpn base. It seems a much better size. I'm getting a bit fed up with seeing it at the moment. The only thing to do is to go hell for leather to get it finished and not stop along the way. In truth, I'm not far off doing the band, so it isn't too bad.

I'm nearly half way through the Thora Scarf and a little way in on the shawl for knit club. I haven't done anymore on the ABC Blankie. Bad Me. Anyhow, must go, Braveheart is about to come on the telly and I want to watch it. Oooooh all those lovely men in kilts running round the highlands. Just enough escapism to make me be far away. HK may be on a promise, if he's awake when I go to bed!!!

Cake Decorating Talk

Beckermet WI (and others) were invited by Keekle WI to a Cake Decorating Talk. As you can guess, this floated my boat. I attended with three other Beckermet WI Ladies. The competition was a cake slice. The talk was given by Ruth Hall aka Mrs Vicar from Mrsvicarcakes.com in ?Penrith. I'm glad I went.

Ruth demonstrated how to decorate a cake using fondant icing (the ready to roll stuff, I'm not sure if it's called the same in the US). To stick the icing on, instead of using a jam, Ruth used a fudge type topping, a pre-made one, a Betty Crocker one. I've never used fondant icing, and was inspired to. When I'm feeling in the mood, I think if I'm not in the right frame of mind then I might not get it right, it's one of those things for me.

Once the icing was on, Ruth showed how to put spots on the cake. Again this was an easier than I thougth technique. Simple but effective. Then she showed how to put an icing ribbon around the cake to finish it off. The finished cake was then raffled off. I have never wanted to win a raffle as much as then!

Ruth also gave a slide show of some of the cakes she had made. Amazing. Along the lines of 'Ace of Cakes'. I would love to have a go at the molding of figures etc. Ruth said that if you were anygood with plasticine and play doh, then you should take easily to this sort of cake decorating. Perhaps I may have a practice with this and start small.

Refreshments were served - tea and a selection of home-made cakes, an open sandwich and a sausage roll. Needless to say I didn't win the cake, otherwise I would be unbearable, really unbearable! However I did win a chrysanthemum plant. And I won the cake slice competition. I entered a 1910 silver plated cake & pie slice.

So watch this space, to see when I am brave enough to try this decorating technique, I will at some point!