With Sleeves – FO: Coupland
And the day before we left for Denmark? I finished the last sleeve on David's pullover. Here he is, that dear man, posing in a snow-clad Danish forest.
Coupland Factoids: just a smidgen over 5 balls of New Lanark Aran in the "Bramble" colour way (I joined the sixth ball to do the ribbing on the second sleeve) and maybe 15-20 g of some Noro Kureyon leftovers (col. 124). Needles: 3.5mm for the ribbing, 5mm for the body and 4.5mm for the yoke/sleeves. And own design, of course. I continue to be head over heels with the slip stitch pattern I used.
So, in 2009 I knitted the following: 10 tops, 3 baby garments, 6 hats (my project page doesn't have the red beanie, for some reason), 8 shawls, 2 scarves, 2 pair of mitts and 1 "other" project. 32 projects?! Bloody hell.. I feel faint just looking at those numbers. I'll have less knitting time in 2010, though, so I don't expect I'll be able to match my 2009 output.
I do know one thing (okay, two things) about my knitting in 2010. One is that I will not be buying yarn for myself because The Christmas Elves (and myself) gave me a lot of new yarn. Two is that I will be getting more yarn because I am getting more professionally involved with knitting than I have been before (I cannot and will not say more on this, though), so the deal is to knit down my personal stash and keep the professional stash balanced. Exciting times ahead, it is fair to say.
What yarn did I get when I was in Denmark? Ahhh, this is the fun/scary bit. My gran gave me a sweater's worth of Hjertegarn Lima (rav link - this goes for all yarns mentioned) in a pretty grey-green colour, a sweater's worth of Løve Garn Iceland in a heathered grey (I'm thinking Manu, because the drape is really nice), 2 balls of Navia Uno in a gorgeous dark grey and a ball of Kauni in a purple/fuchsia concoction certain to make certain mortals swoon. David and I made our merry way to Copenhagen and things got a bit out of hand. 2 balls of Drops Delight, a ball of Fame Trend because I had been coveting socherry's haul earlier this year, some grey Drops Alpaca, and I found two hanks of the discontinued yarn I used for my Laminaria at a ridiculously low price. And then things got really bad/good when I unpacked my present from Bestest Friend: enough angora yarn to make a fluffy shawl, enough yak(!) yarn to make a gorgeous shawl (Bitterroot?) and, get this, 700 yards of laceweight cashmere yarn. My friend had raided this Swedish webshop for me and, gosh, I'm bowled over.
I meant to write about books because I have been reading a bit too and wanted to make an End of Year post about my year in books, but that shall have to wait.
Happy New Year, or as we say in Scotland, Happy Hogmanay everyone!
Catching Up With Myself
Sitting comfortably? Good.
Just before Christmas our computer finally died on us. This was not totally unexpected after some emergency surgery earlier this year, but still came as a surprise as the computer had been really fine and well until we left it for a few days in order to travel to Aberdeenshire (a journey which was traumatic enough sans computer death - we were stuck on snowy roads for nearly three hours as traffic stopped moving following a black ice accident). On our return there was no response. I went out into the heavy snow to get spare parts, but spare parts did not work. We had to leave the UK knowing that our little home was without a working PC. It was not a happy thought. As you might have twigged by this very update, we have managed to bring a swanky new PC into our life and I'll end this extended metaphor before it gets out of hand.
So. Holidays, then. Aberdeenshire was snowy and cold. Denmark was surprisingly less snowy and not as cold. I had fun introducing David to Danish Christmas traditions and we all enjoyed ourselves eating far too many home-made chocolate nibbles, reading books and watching TV. On the picture on the left you can spot a bit of my parents' garden (we loved watching the variety of wildlife eating treats left for them) and also a bit of the beautifully trimmed Yule tree (spot my mum's folded stars? She's thinking of doing craft fairs next year).
We also made it to Copenhagen where the lovely Kirsten Marie graciously let us borrow her flat. This was a real treat as I usually see an insane amount of people whenever I'm in Copenhagen and do not really get to spend time in a city I called home for twelve years. Last time I saw 19 people in three days. This time we saw three people in 1-and-a half days. The rest of the time we just walked around the city, shot a few photos, walked some more, defrosted our cold bodies with super-expensive coffee (I had forgotten how expensive Denmark is!) and walked even more. Yarn shops may also have been involved, but more on that in a later post. Finally we made it out to regular blog commentator Darth Ken's flat for yummy food and great conversation. I continue to be ambivalent about my erstwhile home, but I cannot deny it was great just letting myself relax into a familiar space.
Scotland is still snowy, dammit. It is also really, really cold in our flat and I may have given in to this "heating the flat" thing because I'm almost wearing as much indoors as I am when I go outside. And we have a swanky new computer! Tomorrow's New Year's Eve (Hogmanay) and we are determined to have a very quiet night after the rather leisuredly busy Christmas.
So, tomorrow: an FO, some new yarn and a tiny bit about something else.
Flying Visit
We are currently in Copenhagen for a truly "flying visit" before we head back to our normal life in Scotland. We spent our time here just walking around and I realised just how much I love Copenhagen (which is just as much as I abhor most Copenhageners). It is a beautiful, almost serene, city which maintains a "small town" feel whilst having a good selection of delis, yarn shops (cough, cough), interior design and coffee shops. As I told David today: if I could keep BBC and British culture and remove a lot of Copenhageners, I'd be happy to move back to Copenhagen. I think that means I'll be staying put in Glasgow..
.. and can I just say that I'm really missing my own bed? A flying visit is terribly nice, but it'll be even nicer to get back home (even if that includes Glasgow weather, Glasgow food and Glasgow transport).
This Just In/Happy Holidays
Our home computer has broken down, so I'll be a bit quiet until we get it sorted (in the new year presumably). It could not have happened at a more stressful time - I am currently in an internet cafe trying to get our plane tickets printed and snow has come crashing down over Northern Europe so we might not even be able to fly out.
But, I'm an incurable optimist, me. Also, as I'm Away From Keyboard now, if you need to reach me, you will have my mobile number..
So happy holidays everybody and thank you for keeping me company in 2009. 2010 looks to be a really exciting year already and I hope you'll join me!
Lines
Like so many Danes I like straight lines, orderly things and being in control. I incorporate this slightly manic trait in my crafting in a myriad of ways.
Occasionally a project flies under the radar and I only mention it when it becomes a Finished Object on Ravelry. This little project was in danger of becoming one of those stealthy projects, but I could not resist shooting a photo this morning.
David likes his crocheted hats and I'm making him his third. The first was a bit too small (and the peak of the cap very wonky) but he wears the second version quite frequently. The third incarnation is made from a woolblend yarn (machine-washable!) and I'm playing quite a bit with the structural elements. Using UK crochet terminology, I have turned the half-treble crochets at the edge of the hat into single crochets crocheting into the back loop only. The firm fabric is a very pleasing result, but I really, really like how the resulting horizontal lines break up the vertical lines of the half-treble rows making up the hat itself. I won't have a chance to crochet the peak this weekend, but I'm pondering how to make it as pleasing to the eye as the rest of the hat.
And now for yet another instalment in my songs-of-the-decade rundown. Madrugada and their haunting song, "Majesty" . The Kids Are On the High Street is equally good.
More songs: Kylie Minogue: Can't Get You Out Of My Head. I suspect we'll still be singing along to this one in 2030. Lady Gaga: Bad Romance. Yes, it has just been released, but I cannot stop listening to it. Brilliant pure pop. Les Fatals Picards: L'Amour a la Francaise. France's 2007 Eurovision entry. Costumes by Jean-Paul Gautier. Song in the grand Plastic Bertrand tradition. It is a beautiful thing. And to round off this rather poppy segment, who better than Madonna and her fabulous Hung Up?
Making Plans For Knitting
In preparation for the new year, I have been going through my knitting queue and my stash. I know these things are subject to change, but I have made a few plans.
- I have long wanted to make a pullover out of Rowan Kid Silk Haze. After contemplating several contenders, I have decided on Peaceful from the forthcoming Rowan 47. Colour undecided as of yet (but not pastel pink).
- For my (mumble, mumble)th birthday, I was given the kit for Flyte. My fingers are itching to do a fair-isle project and i want to get this started before my (mumble, mumble, mumble)th birthday.
- Shawl-wise, I want to make Aeolian from Knitty Spring 2009 and Bitterroot from Knitty Winter 2009. I have not assigned any yarns yet, but seeing I'm continuing my laceweight knit-down in 2010, the yarns will be straight from stash.
- Seeing as I did not get around to making the Christmas Yule Pigs pot-holders this holiday season, they will be a good summer time project in 2010 (you know, if we get a warm summer, wool will be way too sticky..).
I think my knitting plans are fairly modest and very achievable.
Five more songs from the decade-almost-past: First, it's Guillemots with "Trains to Brazil". After Elbow (see yesterday's post), this marks the second politically aware song on this rundown. It's also incredibly, amazingly upbeat and a cracking pop song. One of my absolute favourites.
Also: Grandaddy: He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot. Their album, The Sophtware Slump, is one of my favourite albums and this is the lead track. Yes, it is nine minutes long, but it is also deeply affecting. I recommend listening to the entire album and discovering just where this song fits into the story.. Hawksley Workman: You, Me & the Weather. It feels very unfair that Hawksley Workman isn't an international superstar. An astounding voice and a gifted songwriter. Maybe the world can only handle one Canadian male diva singing super-dramatic songs about wanting to be a girl.. I Am Kloot: Twist. Overlooked British band that makes songs for those 3am nights. "There is blood on your legs .. I love you." Interpol: Slow Hands. One of the best singles this decade. Fact.
(and the title's a play on this ace song)
Catching Up
Christmas has caught up with me. We are leaving for Scandinavia next week (and it is rumoured to be very cold), we are heading for North-East Scotland this week (and it's rumoured to be almost as cold) and somewhere in between these two trips I have to finish David's sweater (because places are rumoured to be cold), do some Christmas baking, sort out some work things, make smart decisions about what clothes to pack, and get the last few Christmas cards sent.
And suddenly I thought it would be a great idea to cast on a cowl for my partner because the weather is taking a cold turn (and MooncalfMakes sounds very persuasive). Thankfully I have talked myself away from that particular ledge of insanity.
Yesterday I was given an early Christmas present by a visiting hand-knitted pirate (her visit was a present in itself, actually): 18 antique buttons made of dark chocolate. The box itself is gorgeous and obviously I shall use it to store my non-chocolate vintage button finds once I have finished the chocolate ones. Yesterday I also spent a really lovely evening dining out with some of my closest friends here in Glasgow. That calmed those pre-Christmas nerves a bit.
Thank heavens I'm not actually in charge of anything important such as, you know, Christmas food.
Now, Anna asked what my cultural highlights of the Noughties were. That question made me waste copious amount of time on YouTube tracking down beloved songs and film trailers.
One of the first songs that sprung to mind was "It Takes a Fool To Remain Sane" by The Ark, a Swedish glampop band fronted by the fluently-gendered(?) Ola Salo (appropriately enough, the son of a preacher man). Not my favourite Ark song (possibly this one?), but it is the song which kick-started a decade-long affinity for the band (which is a great live band).
Four more songs: Betchadupa: My Army Of Birds & Gulls. I am weak when faced with vaguely psychedelic pop from New Zealand - especially if someone called "Finn" is involved. Liam Finn's disbanded band came into their own with this song. The Delays: Valentine. One of the great lost singles of the '00s and a perfect pop song. Elbow: Leaders of the Free World. One of the very few good things to come out of the second Iraq war. Franz Ferdinand: Darts of Pleasure. Not the reason why I moved to Glasgow, but the first Franz Ferdinand album is the sound of Glasgow.
Losing Its Reputation
"Denmark is losing its reputation for being a good world citizen." - Naomi Klein
Danish police arrest 150 demonstrators as world leaders arrive at Copenhagen conference. Mainstream groups such as Friends of the Earth have been barred from the conference centre ("Every delegate from the international environmental campaign group arrived at the centre this morning to find their badges were no longer valid."). This follows the highly controversial preventive arrests by Danish police earlier this week, the arrest of a German spokesman for Climate Justice action, police raids on climate campaigners and, lest we forget, a warm welcome for President Mugabe by Danish PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen.
"The Copenhagen conference is fast becoming an international shambles." - Andy Atkins
For me, I welcomed the incredulity on the BBC news readers' faces as they interviewed a spokesperson, Henrik Suhr, for the Danish police force, the use of "preventive arrests" and Mr Suhr's insistence that "if you do not want to be arrested, you should not be demonstrating" (let me draw your attention to the UN's own Universal Declaration of Rights and, in particular, Articles 19 and 20). The BBC journalists' reaction were very different to the type of journalism I had grown used to in Denmark in the last decade or so.
And as I'm typing this, a climate deal seems increasingly unlikely.
The Queen Susan Shawl
I was rummaging around various knitting sites for an unrelated reason, when I came across the story of the Queen Susan Shawl.
The Queen Susan Shawl is a collaborative project on the Heirloom Knitting forum on Ravelry. Several knitters had noted an old photo of a lace shawl in the Shetland Museum photo archives and together more than thirty knitters have recreated the pattern based solely upon the photo. The Queen Susan shawl pattern will be released early 2010 - and it will be free.
Meanwhile, the Shetland Museum has been very enthusiastic about the project and even has included the Ravelry group in their Call For Papers for a forthcoming knitting conference in the Shetlands.
I always get slightly misty-eyed whenever I come across stories like that. Am I going to knit the shawl? Probably not right away as the scale of the project is quite daunting, but someday I would like to try my hand at a proper heirloom-quality Shetland shawl.
Right now, though, I've realised that we are off to Denmark NEXT WEEK and David's sweater is still not done.
Being a Reader of Books
Firstly, today is a sunny day. It is so strange to see rays of sunlight spill into this room, so I wanted to make a little note of that.
Secondly, the new Winter Knitty is up. If I weren't still working on David's sweater, I would cast on for Mr Darcy for him.
Thirdly, I just finished reading AS Byatt's The Children's Book this morning and I have all these thoughts running through my head.
Yesterday I wrote briefly about whether I connect with favourite authors because they have shaped my ways of thinking or I connect with these authors because they mirror the way I think? The egg or the chicken?
When I go on one of my solitary walks, I often get sentences or lines of poetry running through my head. Sometimes I just "hear" fragments, other times I get an entire stanza. The regular visitors include Dante Gabriel Rossetti's Silent Noon, DH Lawrence's Gloire de Dijon, and John Donne's Holy Sonnet XIV. Most often, though, I hear TS Eliot. It runs the gamut from his most famous works like Prufrock and the Waste Land to lesser known pieces from Inventions of the March Hare. I view the world through words and many of these words came from Eliot. I am vaguely amused by this - after all, I am not the first nor will be the last to define myself using others' words.
And so AS Byatt. I first read one of her books one week into my university years. All these years later, Byatt is one of those very few authors whose entire oeuvre I have read. I connect with her books - they are filled with solitary bookish women surrounded by a far too material world. Last night I watch an interview with her and closed my eyes when she said: "All I ever wanted was to live a life of the mind." In a world defined by emotions, feelings and exteriors, I am drawn towards her books of ideas, thoughts and interiors.
The Children's Book is exquisite. It is a messy book insofar as it describes a messy world and also is also slightly messy structurally. A proper review would be far too long - you can find good reviews and synopses elsewhere - but it suffices to say that I really liked it. I re-read the final fifteen pages twice and I suspect I will revisit the novel just as I have revisited several of Byatt's other novels.
But am I drawn towards Byatt because I am a solitary bookish woman (bound by class) who just wants to live a life of the mind? Or have I become a solitary bookish woman because I spent my formative years reading books by AS Byatt (and EM Forster)?
Thoughts of a dry brain in a chilly season.