Socks, Books and Computer Woe's!

About three weeks ago my computer was attacked by 14 Trojans and 6 virus's, a friend cleaned up my hard drive for me but I am still unable to connect with the Internet so I'm borrowing my DH's computer for this.  

Also due to a pain problem, now hopefully going away, I have spent more time reading than knitting, it helped take my mind off the problem.  I love historical novels, especially those by Elizabeth Chadwick, she writes about real people and events, weaving a wonderful story around them.  I also like adventure and have just finished Nicholas Evans book 'The Smoke Jumpers' - he is also the author of 'The Horse Whisperer' among others.  I was in tears several times whilst reading the The Smoke Jumpers.

When I finally regained my ambition to knit I started on a pair of Chalice Lace Socks in Claudia's hand painted yarn, Seashells, I wanted to do a seashell pattern but didn't care for the one I tried out and ended up choosing the Chalice pattern instead, but was very happy with the result. 

Then I started another pair with Lorna's Laces Seaside yarn and chose the Fishtail pattern.  The yarn has a natural striping effect which is on the soles, but the Fishtail pattern changed the striping to a speckled and textured effect which I really like.  The yarn was a gift and once I had started I realised there were two different dyelots, so I actually have two odd socks, but I don't care, I love them.

I had also started a pair for my DH Jim, in brown 'Whiskey' - it has a slight blue fleck in it, and as it is a fairly dark shade of brown I chose to do a plain 3 knit, 3 purl rib, I'm about two inches above the heel flap right now.

I haven't taken any photo's of the finished pairs yet but as soon as I can get them onto my computer, then transferred to a disc and then onto Flickr, I will add them.

I have bought two of Alice Starmore's books via Amazon, 'Sweaters for Men' and 'The Celtic Collection' - next month I will send for her 'Fishermens Sweaters' book.  In October the book containing the St. Brigid pattern is to be re-published, so I hope to buy that one too, I certainly can't afford the present outrageous prices of the second hand copies.

Now that my pain problem is under control we have started playing Petanque on Sunday afternoons again, and in May will probably play on Wednesday evenings too.  We treated ourselves to an early wedding anniversary present (April Fools Day!) and bought ourselves a set of steel boules.  Our aim seems to have improved with them!!

One of the Petanque club members is a sheep farmer, he offered me another fleece, a beautiful Jacob this time.  He has a flock of Jacobs and lots of lovely little lambs, they were  all bedded on thick straw and looked so clean and cute, some had tiny budding horns.

I still have the four other fleeces to wash as well, so I hope my back behaves...!

Spinning Wheel

My Norwegian style spinning wheel, It is a working model but spent several years as a shop window decoration, the shop is now closing down so it was put up for sale.

I have never done any spinning before but hope to learn PDQ! I have two Ryeland fleeces and two black Welsh Mountain fleeces to scour. They will also need combing or carding but as combs are so expensive I think I am either going to have to buy dog combs and brushes, or make my own combs using harness needles.


I've had a couple of practice runs on the spinning wheel, the resulting yarn is nowhere near perfect but not too bad either, although on the second practice it did run away with me a bit, and I could have used a longer pair of arms! The result was too much twist in the yarn.

I'll get there in the end, I just hope my cats don't get their whiskers in the way!

Sheep Shearing Day

Hector the Big Tup waiting his turn.

On Friday 10th July my friend Pat called me to let me know her little flock of Ryeland sheep were being sheared that morning, so Jim and I grabbed our camera's and took off for the farm. The Ryelands have very thick, soft fleece, it covers their eyes so the can't see where they are going most of the time, and it also goes all the way down their legs to their feet. Pat has two Tups, Jamie and Hector, plus four Ewes and a number of lambs born this year. The lambs are adorable, a couple had to be given extra milk by bottle and one earned itself the name Safeway, and I think another is called Morrison! I bought both Jamie and Hector's fleece, so now I need to learn how to clean and wash them etc., Followed by carding and spinning.

One of the lambs:

"Am I next?"

"Hey Maa, you do look funny!"

"I don't think we want to go there!"

Hector is almost shorn.

Hector leaving with Jamie following.