Shiny, shiny, shiny boots of leather

I can't stop singing that - it is venus in furs by The Velvet Underground and it is currently being used in some ad for some trashy tv show to appear on BBC soon, autumn schedule or something. The ad is so memorable I have no idea what the program is. I do remember that being used in a tyre or car ad some years ago and LOVING the track.

Aha! I remember the show is to be called something like "Shiny Shiny bright new hole in my heart" or something - no idea what its about nor do I care but the track is washing round my head over and over. Must admit I never read the lyrics till just now, didn't realise what it was all about in my youth when I dashed out and bought it *giggle*

Anyway what news!?

Funeral Blues:

Phew where to start? OK so the second funeral went OK - we set out early in the morning of the funeral and I drove Mum down to Bognor on the south coast. We arrived with about 20 minutes to spare and I shoved the black dress on as best I could with as much modesty as I could in the car, while parked in the car park that was next to an office block. By that stage I just wanted it to be all over.

We found the church and waited there. The service was better than that for my Godfather but hey I don't think you could have gotten worse! After, we followed the funeral cortege to the crematorium. A short service was held there and one of Jim's nieces read a piece she had written. Then it was all over, just like that. Very different to a burial.

We went back to the house after, met a few people I'd never met and then we headed home. When we got back to Mum's we both had a lie down for a couple of hours. Then we went to dinner to try out this new Tapas bar that had opened in the area. I have to say it was very good - we were rather cold though (yes cold!) as we sat outside and the weather was not the hottest then. Since then of course we have had no let up and the weather has been boiling hot!

knitting news:

On 5th August I am heading to Folkestone in Kent to learn how to spin in a one on one tuition with Sue Chitty from Hilltop Spinning I am so excited I can't tell you. I really can't wait to try this out - the fantasy of spinning my own yarn and being able to then produce a finished object with it is possibly going to become a reality (at least some time in the next year maybe!!). I am told one should practice for 15 mins a day until one gets it as one wants it. I was looking at an Ashford Joy wheel - it is very small and portable, it fits into a special small sized backpack which you can take anywhere. As space is a premium here in London that seems my best bet - though I am told that the Ahsford Traditional is really one of the best to learn on. I guess once I've spent time with Sue I'll be able to make a decision as to what would suit me best and go from there.

I really am SO looking forward to it and writing about how it went after!

Swap Pal news:

So the wonderful swap pal who sent me two amazingly soft and fluffy clouds of Debbie Bliss alpaca silk has sent my second package. In it were three balls of the most gorgeous coloured yarns I've seen - I foresee these being put to use in a gorgeous wide scarf that will show off the colours brilliantly. Not only that, I was sent two stitch markers in my birthstone which is Amythyst and last but by no means least a copy of Yarn Harlot by Stephanie Pearl McPhee! I had seen the book at Amazon and had considered getting it several times but it remained on my wish list - I'm so glad to have a copy of it now!

Anyway so THANK YOU CRISTY from Knittinghelp.com swapathon for the gorgeous gifts *hugs*


So during the family crisis I have actually managed to knit a little. I finished soleil but it is a HUGE disaster cake. I have totally messed up the short rows - not to mention the extremely messy wrap and turning - I should have watched Amy's video first /sigh. It will have to be frogged but I have put it to one side in dispair for now.

My brother lives in Sydney, Australia and it is rather cold there at the moment what with it being winter and all. He used to have red hair - alas like the rest of us with age it has lightened somewhat and got rather more smudges of grey in than any of us would like! Anyway I have knitted him half dome from the new Knitty. I was not overly happy with the pattern - my guage was spot on but I needed more than one ball of the red and the decreases seemed to not match up with the number of stitches. Could just have been me not concentrating but I was SURE I had concentrated and counted correctly. I'll make another at some point and alter it slightly - will make the grey border 2" tall instead of 1.5" and I will begin decreasing at 4" instead of at 5 - I made the large adult size.

Anyway in all its glory once it was shoved on my head it looked ok - my seaming is horrible but hey you can't see that if you put it at the back =P