Tuesday 13 November 2007

It's Still Cold in Here

Yep. Over 3 weeks later and British Gas 'Emergency Installation Service' continues to leave me cold! I won't bore you with the details of the incompetence of British Gas (that's what work colleagues are for!) but in summary I won't have heat until Friday at the earliest.

This has resulted in me being pretty dang grumpy.


On the knitting front I spent the week pondering my 'what next' project.

A leading contenders was the Forest Path Stole which has been ready to go since May - and is the pattern responsible for my current obsession with lace.

Also under serious consideration were The Spring Shawl from Heirloom Knitting in a blue or red and the Winter Wonderland shawl.

Naturally a Niebling or two called to me - but I decided that I would hold off on Niebling until the new year.

Anyway in the midst of this pondering I received an email from my niece asking if I could knit her some mittens. For reasons unknown to even her, her current heart's desire is a pair of knitted mittens. And she also mentioned that her mom (my sister) wants some of my 'fantabulous' socks. This talk of Christmas knitting reminded me that I wanted to make my other sister some mittens which reminded me that in the summer my mother had asked for a pink sweater 'with some cables or something'.

And all of this made me wonder how long I had to knit before Christmas. And the answer was - 'not very'.

Egads!


Time to get Christmas knitting. The past few days have been full of mitten book buying and yarn shopping. As luck would have it Ann McCauley left a comment on my blog a couple of weeks ago which led me to her book The Pleasures of Knitting. It arrived last week from Amazon and has some lovely designs I think I found the perfect one for my mom - the Dollar Cable Cardigan.

Of course Christmas knitting raises a blog challenge which I haven't yet got a solution for. I can't really talk about the patterns or gifts here. (Except for my mom. My mom lives in a 'no internet' bubble. There is no chance of her stumbling across this blog. None. Ever.)

PS - Despite icicles on my fingers I have done some knitting. Here are 3 ready to be stitched up tea cosies and an almost pair of socks.


15 comments:

susubee said...

If I had to think about knitting two pair of mittens, a pair of socks, and a cabelled sweater in the next month and a half, I would probably hyperventilate. In fact, I'm feeling a little dizzy just thinking about you doing it!

Are those more loopy sheep cozies I spy there waiting to be sewn? Are you sure you're knitting those? It's not some sort of loopy sheep cozy invasion by way of your house, is it? They're multiplying!

Lacefreak said...

You have a lot of things to choose from for projects! I have the Spring Shawl pattern and also that issue of the magazine as well but the other two I don't have in my collection. Guess I'll just watch you knit them:-) I am shopping on-line for Xmas gifts since I never knit stuff for Christmas.

LittleBerry said...

I was only thinking this morning you should have heat by now... roll on Friday then.... I'm relieved that I'm coming to the end of my Christmas knitting can't believe you're just starting I'd be having a nervous breakdown....

I think I@d go for the Spring shawl...

Holly said...

Stay warm, Soo... I'm feeling your pain (or make that chill), because my water heater is on the fritz. I am not waiting on British Gas, though, here in Indian, U.S.A., I'm using a good old-fashioned plumber, who will be here today! Yeah! Anyway, I am in love with the Winter Wonderland Shawl, so that's my vote, but it sounds like you need to focus on your Christmas projects a bit now! Good luck with that, the clock is ticking (and I can hear it oh-so-loundly in my ear!

Knitelly said...

I have had several horrid experiences with BG which have made me weep, so I completely understand your frustration.

The Forest Path shawl is in my queue, all the versions I've seen so far look wonderful, but I've also seem many comments on its tedious knitting!

Linda said...

I just can't seem to knit to deadlines like christmas, I just sort of freeze up! Best of luck with it all!
Go and camp out in the British Gas offices to keep warm, I am sure they would let you have a cosy corner!

Anonymous said...

Oh I hope you have heat soon!

Isn't forest path lace entrelac? *quails in fear*. Still if you can beat a neibling, you can do just about anything!

Beverly said...

When you get back to lace after the holidays, I vote for the Spring Shawl, but for selfish reasons. I bought this pattern a couple of years ago, intending to make it to wear in my wedding. Time constraints prevented me from doing it, but I would love to see a finished one. May be just the inspiration I need to start one for myself.

z's momma said...

I like the Spring shawl.

That said, I've had Forest Path on the needles for months now, and after ONE tier, I'm a tad bored. Best of luck on your holiday knitting AND getting heat.

Jacqui said...

Was tat 'emergency', 'installation' and 'service'? Filed on all counts then! Hope you are warm soon.

Forest Path is on my 'to do' list too, maybe after Christmas :o)

Jacqui said...

Do you have heat? *fingers crossed*

Viknits said...

Ooooh decisions! Thanks (not :p ) for reminding me how little time we have befrore Christmas, I'll sleep better for it tonight :p ;)

Hope you have heat, I don't know how you're coping (well apart from wearing lots of layers I imagine). So much for "emergency" eh!

Vik xx

Modelwidow said...

Hope you are now warm and cosy.
Wow, you`re going to be busy between now and christmas - good luck. If it were me, I`d be writing out the IOU`s now :0)

Kathy said...

Oh Soo, those patterns, they are so me....
I already have the two Alpaca yarn co patterns, Forest is OTN, the other is waiting for the right yarn to smack me upside the head and say knit me.
I think the Burda is the same one I just got on ebay, and I long to get the spring shawl pattern. That will have to wait until the new year.

Sandy said...

Thanks for visiting my blog. :) Your FO pictures are absolutely stunning!