The Olympics is almost over

Thankfully.

I've knitted so much in the last few weeks and whilst it's been highly enjoyable I'm tired. Not of knitting, but of thinking about knitting. Here are yesterday's offerings to Bobicus Maximus, for which I was given two badges:




and





I also finished a quick hat yesterday which was intended to be a 'thank you' present to Doug for all his support of me knitting and not doing other stuff - but of course is a bit too small for him and makes his head look even bigger than it's 24", so this is obviously going to be Robbie's (his winter hat he says). One more thing to finish, a scarf, and then that's my knitting finished for the next few days. Doug says he gives me two hours. We'll see.

Our mad evening in Edinburgh

So, on Thursday evening we had our first time away by ourselves and what did I do? I went to a knitting group at K1 Yarns while Doug went off for a walk around the Festival. This is what the street looked like when I arrived at K1 Yarns



That was just after 6.00pm. Soon the street really filled up and I felt like I was in somewhat of a goldfish bowl. Apparently there has not been one week gone by, not even in the deepest, darkest depths of winter, where the K1 Yarn knitting group has not been photographed. Knitting. What is so amusing to tourists about a group of women (and later on a man as well) sitting in a circle with a few pots of tea knitting is beyond me. I must have had my photo taken 20 times in two and a bit hours. Hopefully we might encourage more people to pick up some wooden sticks and some yarn. All in all, it was the most bizarre and most hilarious knitting group I've been to. I have to admit that the initial reason for wanting to go was to meet someone in person who has designed some patterns that I have knitted and love, Ysolda Teague

It was interesting to hear from someone who is considered to be a leading light in knitting's new wave (if I can call it that) of what she's up to (see the Twist Collective, it's fantastic).

I'm glad that I wasn't the only knitting tourist there - there were two ladies from California and another from London (who was dressed as a scientist as she had just finished a play). All very interesting and I look forward to going back there next time we're in Scotland.

We then tried to go and get something to eat. There's a very nice looking Indian restaurant called Kushi's that we tried to get a table at (depsite being huge and in a beautiful building, there was a wait of 45 minutes), so we went down to the Grassmarket and ended up going to the most fantastic pizza place outside of New York. I have only once eaten such good pizza, at Ray's of Greenwich Village in NYC in 1993. It's called Mamma's and they do the best gluten-free pizza I could possibly imagine. We're taking the kids back there next time we're in Scotland. So refreshing to find a place that does gluten free pizza, and then one that's a fantastic pizza. Doug and I, for a little while anyway, felt like we were in our 20s, not in our 30s, as the music was loud, from about 10 years ago (U2 and the such like) and made me all nostalgic for the States. I lived there in 1992/3 and loved it. God willing we will be going back within the next few years.

Then the heavens opened and we went back to his mum's for tea, QI and a blether with his family. And of course, knitting.

On Scotland

I love Scotland. The countryside is so beautiful, colours are so rich (despite the dreich weather). I'm on a short break here at my mother in laws and had the pleasure on going up to Skye and Raasay for a couple of days. Yesterday, we visited a place I have long wanted to visit; Shilasdair yarns at Waternish on Skye.



The yarns are quite simply heavenly.


The best part for me was not so much as soaking in all the colour but was meeting Eva and seeing her dyeing room. She's such a lovely lady, and the kids really warmed to her too.




The lady working for Eva (didn't get a name but had on a fantastic Kaffe Fassettesque handknitted cardigan and beautiful silk skirt which matcher perfectly) was so fantastic with Robbie. He had a fantastic time helping stack the shelves and I had to get him a hank of aran red yarn to make him a hat as a reminder of his visit.

It goes without saying that I think a lot of the Scots. On our honeymoon, Doug bought me a book from Borders in Toronto called something like 'How the Scots invented the modern world'. You can see signs all around about what an ingenious people they are. Plus they make the best engineers too! I've been told that some of Doug's colleagues from Jaguar read my blog which I find absolutely hilarious, seeing as I'm sure they're not interested in the slightest in knitting. Doug will not divulge names, but you know who you are!!

I don't pay much attention to comments on my blog, I just see it as some kind of diary actually, but am grateful to said computer geeks at Jaguar for highlighting someone's comments to a previous post. I'm amazed that a fashion designer from Rio de Janiero has left a comment on here too (I had to translate the comment in Babelfish which was interesting!). Now get back to your CAD drawings! (I'm sure you must be CAD engineers but as I said, he won't tell me!)

Off to Edinburgh this afternoon, partly to see some of the Festival but mainly to go to K1Yarns. There was something in one of Yarn Harlot's books (I don't have time to read her blog but do read her books as I'm an avid reader) about knowing you're addicted to knitting when you plan holidays etc. around yarn shops and the such like!

I was very heartened to read that I can possibly throw in a couple of extra quick projects for the Ravlympics (I forgot to bring the Debbie Bliss aran project with me so need to make up by doing some quick projects!) and as it's Thursday morning I reckon I can throw in a couple of projects before Sunday's deadline.

It really is a very long time since I've been on here. I really do admire people who have the discipline to blog every day. Anyway, not very much to write about as I've been knitting so much recently. So much so I have even neglected things like housework (like I've never neglected that before!). I thought it would be nice to have somewhere to put the recent fruits of my labours, so here they are:
I knitted three hats in three days - one being a warm up (Urchin by Ysolda) and the other two for the Ravlympics. The last minute beret was actually almost entirely knit during the opening ceremony while the other one was knit on days 2 and 3...

I am not feeling particularly inspired to write anything profound; Zoe has been sick today and I've spent most of my day so far looking after her. All I can say is that I'll be glad when the WIP wrestling is finished, not that I'm looking forward too much to a far too adventerous cable knit. I should have realised that cable knitting takes so much longer than normal knitting (well, it is obvious isn't it?!) and that even Debbie Bliss might find it a bit difficult to finish her ribbon tied aran in eight days. No doubt I feel more inspired soon and write something almost interesting.