Cool, calm and collected

He was, anyway. So was I, externally. Inwardly - well, that's another story. People tell me that abandoning their first-born at the school gate on the first day is wrenching - leaving the DSM at the hospital entrance was likewise. he was adamant that he would be fine on his own, with iPod and knitting (Noro socks, very cool.)



He was - the cardioversion worked, with just one zap. Didn't have to harness the old lightning! So, fingers crossed he is back to what passes for normal around here. It could revert to an arrhythmia, but we are hoping not, and the procedure could be done again in that case, anyway.

Woo, as they say, hoo.

In other news....

Went to the Mid Lancs Guild Open Day last Saturday. We used to be members there, so it was nice to catch up with old friends. It was a super day, lots of vendors and lots of cake, of which we freely partook. Well, not freely, but at a modest charge......even brought some home with us. Oops.

I bought a couple of spindles, some cashmere and a bit of milk protein fibre. All quite restrained, really. I had wanted to win the raffle, oh, so very much:



But didn't, dammit. Some of Freyalynn's fibre, worked on by all the Guild members and put together (always a challenge) by Sarah. If you recognise yourselves, own up!








Images from the workshop I did last Thursday. Some of this is stuff I will never do again (like the hideous "puffapaste" or whatever the idiot stuff is called, unless on the bottom of handknit socks), but some of it lends itself to what I am already doing and I am looking forward to trying a few bits out.







This last I really do like and didn't try to take any further in the workshop, needs a bit of mature reflection to see what might be done with it.



Then, we have the eye-popping cow parsley dyed skein - it is much brighter than it appears on my monitor. I haven't yet done the followup dyebaths, I have been a bit distracted one way and another, But I Will.

Followed by some spindle spun yarns - an odd bit of random dyed that I think will make a good bowl, and then some cashmere (mauve, lavender or what you will) and silk (blue) to become in the fullness of time, a bag. Well, soon, I hope. I have a teeny pair of merino/tencel wristwarmers to complete (did I ever say I was a slow knitter? well, I am) and then I can start.

And then there is the spindle spun scarf - worked quite well, I think. I have made a beaded "woggle" to go with it, but I am not sure that I like it. Need to think on..... but I was, with this, quite pleased with my own inventiveness - I was in danger of running short on yarn and having very skinny ends. So I did some judicious short-rowing which has, I think, covered the deficiency pretty well.

I think that is about it for now. I am hoping that soon things will seem calmer (what, with Woolfest and Summer School coming up fast?!?) Then maybe I can get down to planning some serious projects rather than all this bitty stuff. Still, I do actually enjoy it. Whatever is created, the process can be fun and even satisfying.

So, off to The Ridge for a meal. I felt - and he agreed - that we needed a quiet, pleasant celebration of sorts. Pity it is not a bright, sunny evening, but you can't have everything, eh?