Tea and Cakes

I’m working on the adorable Little Sister’s Dress at the moment. Or rather, I’m not working on it. Well, I knit, but then I unpick, and knit again, and unpick again. This is in no way the pattern’s fault. The pattern is excellent and makes perfect sense so far. Or, should make perfect sense.

This is how it’s gone so far:
Knit first 10 rows. Manage this fine.
Next I have to repeat rows 5-10 three more times. A fairly simple instruction, no?
Apparently not.
Instead, I knit rows 1 and 2 again. I realised my mistake, unpicked them, and managed ok for a little while.
Then I decided to just work the repeat two more times, instead of three. For no clear reason.
I joined to work in the round and worked a round before I realised.
So. Unpick a round. Follow pattern closely.
Finish all three repeats.
Join to work in the round. Work 2 rounds. Realise it looks a bit odd.
It would appear that where the pattern very clearly stated that I needed to purl, I decided to knit.
I have more unpicking to do.
Not right now though.
Now I’m going to bed with my book.
I know how to read. It doesn’t matter if I read my book wrong.

Reading this blog recently you’d be forgiven for thinking that I don’t really knit.

I do, and have been, although while we were away I managed 12 rows of a baby dress, two of which I had to unpick. Of course, I’d brought 3 projects with me, and picked up some special needles on the way (more on those in a day or so). My knitting mojo has flown right out of the window.

For the sake of having something round and round and simple to knit I made a cowl from some hipknits cashmere.

I don’t like it. It’s soft and yummy feeling but too big. I may rip it out and remake it as Michael’s lovely Man Cowl. Not sure. For now it’s just going to sit a while.

Before we went away I’d started on the Hemlock Ring Blanket. It’s great. I love this pattern. The rounds are quite big now though, and I don’t feel up to them right at this moment, even though it’s a very handy pattern for knitting a few stitches on and then putting back down.

I’ll come back to it soon.

So, that’s where I am at the moment. I have ideas, and other things to get working on, but I’m lost in books right now. Can’t stop reading.

Right then. My thoughts on these books.
I loved them, but I also hated them.

Spoilers will be included, so the post is after the jump, (sorry if you’re reading in a feed reader)
Continue Reading »

Cornwall was lovely.

I’d been down there twice before, once as a sulky teenager on a family break in Mevagissy, and once on a geology field trip.

The family holiday I remember very little of. I suspect this is because I was stroppy and sulky and antisocial and generally horrible to be around and I’ve blocked the whole thing from memory.

The a level geology field trip was mainly spent on beaches in the rain, mapping the layers and taking notes on the folds, or down mines. Actually, it was probably only one mine, but quite frankly that’s enough.

This trip was different. This was a few days relaxing by ourselves as a treat after lots of rushing around.

We stayed in Lostwithiel, a lovely little village with a pretty river to walk along and a surfeit of delicious places to eat. With only 2 full days we had to be selective about what we did, and I’m very happy with our choices.

We spent a day at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, which were beautiful and fascinating and I can’t recommend them enough as a day out. I’m halfway through the book written about the history of the gardens and their restoration and it’s really interesting.

The Jungle

Mud Maid

Giant Head

Our second day we decided to spend exploring some of Cornwall, ignoring the pull of the nearby Eden Project.

We started off in the little port of Mevagissey for a walk up above the harbour and to see if we could find where Merry lived.*

Then we headed off to just outside of Fowey, for a hike along the cliffs by Menabilly, the house that Daphne du Maurier lived in for a while, down and around to Coombe Farm.

Coombe Haven, a smugglers cove that I have no photos of because as we walked by it was playing host to a naked elderly man stood up to his knees in the sea.

While in Mevagissey we’d cunningly bought our lunch: pasties.

Cheese and onion pasty, and a chick pea and cumin one that was delicious. I now want to make everything into pasties.

After our big long walk it was time for a treat, so we headed into Fowey for high tea:

The Dwelling House is a grade 2 listed property, and serve absolutely fabulous teas and cakes. High tea in the garden was a delight.

I think next time we visit Cornwall we’ll be heading back there. I may have to diet first.

*Mevagissey is the model for Trewissick in The Dark is Rising books by Susan Cooper.

Boiler, Lost Gardens of Heligan

Dovecote, Lost Gardens of Heligan

House at Polridmouth Bay