Monday 2 February 2009

Snow Day in London!

London awoke to lots of snow this morning.

As a Canadian I tend to dismiss most attempts at snow in London -- but even I will concede this is real snow. Apparently it's the most snow London's seen in 18 years.

I'm not sure if it's the fact that it's a Monday in February, or the general economic doom and gloom (possibly both) but Londoners have almost unanimously declared a snow day!!

London Transport has decided not to run any buses today. None. Zippo.

Most trains are running a cut back service and 3 of the Underground lines have shut.

I just returned from a walk to the park (stopping off at the grocery store on the way back) and there's a definite day off from school feeling out there. The park is full of sledging kids and snowmen and of course continual snowball fights. The grocery store was PACKED with people stocking up on snow day essentials like hot chocolate, crisps and candy.

I love it! (I will not love it when because there is no snow removal programme here the snow compacts and becomes ice and a simple walk to the shops becomes treacherous. I HATE walking on ice.)(But I'm trying not to worry about that yet.)

(And it's just started snowing heavily again!)

Of course you didn't come here for a weather report. You came here expecting to see knitted things and I aim not to disappoint so here is Miralda's Triangle. (Photographed yesterday before the snow began. What a difference 24 hours makes!)

It is from Knitted Lace of Estonia (yes, again). (What can I say, when I find something I like....)





The scarf was knit on 3.75mm needles using Posh Yarn Eva 2ply in a purpley lilacy colourway. Finished size is 58 " across the top with a 26 " drop.

Like Ene's Scarf (also by Nancy Bush) this one starts with casting on a billion (or 331) stitches and decreases evenly every second row until you're almost out of stitches!

Being an Estonian pattern it does have the obligatory nupps - but they are a bit more subtle in this scarf. It includes two stitch patterns I hadn't come across before: the gathered stitch and the 3 stitch cross.









The gathered stitch provides a nice accent row - here it's used before and after the large diamond motifs. It's a simple stitch - you knit 3 together but don't slip the stitches from the needle, then YO, and then knit the same 3 stitches together again - this time slipping the stitches off the left hand needle. This leaves you with 3 stitches on the right hand needle.




The 3 stitch cross is an interesting stitch and I'm keen to try it in a variegated yarn where I think it might be quite interesting.

The cross is worked over 2 rows. On the first row you slip the first stitch purlwise, knit the next tow stitches together and then pass the slipped stitch over (so 3 stitches become 2). On the return row you insert a YO between the two stitches (so the 2 stitches become 3 again).

18 comments:

Gale Bulkley said...

Pretty, pretty! So, how much snow is there?

Soo said...

I think so far we've had about 8 inches....but it's still falling! (And I'm the only person on my street, possible all of Greenwich, who has cleared the snow on the sidewalk in front of my house.) :)

Kate said...

Beautiful. :-)

Am also hibernating today. I'm very glad I have a full freezer and don't have to venture outside!

Moggle said...

I had to go to work :-( Yuk!

Gorgeous shawl though. I recently realised I can wear my triangular shawl as a scarf with a coat, and I'm keen to knit another one.

Opal said...

beautiful snow! i hope it warms up a little so that it doesn't ice up too bad. (is that right? i'm not wise in the ways of winter.)

gorgeous shawl! you are tempting me beyond belief into purchasing that book!

Yarndancer said...

Your shawl is gorgeous! I love the colour, and the pattern is fab! I'm also being tempted into buying that book!

Anonymous said...

I love the shawl - it is a beautiful combination of yarn and pattern. Amazon is holding my pre-ordered copy of Lace Knitting in Estonia hostage, and I want it now!

Nikoleta said...

I've been thinking about getting this book for a while now, and this post has made me really want it! So gorgeous. I'm going through a purple thing right now so I'm automatically in love with that yarn.

A ton of snow melted today and I just hope it doesn't get cold tonight and ice up the streets. Although, I've taken to hibernating this winter, I recommend that to everyone. Snow is fun to look at from indoors, and to play with when you can run back inside if it gets too cold, but it's never fun when the streets turn to slush and you're waiting for an hour in the cold for a stalled bus.

the Lady said...

Beautiful shawl!

LittleBerry said...

ohhh lovely I'd seen that in the book but dismissed it, yours looks much more attractive and enticing.... although I'm not a fan of decreasing sts in a triangle after Ene's scarf as it felt it was only on the last few rows the lack of sts made any noteable difference!

florencemary said...

Wow, you can certainly churn them out, Soo - absolutely beautiful, again! I might just have to invest in that book...

For once, the south of the UK has had quite a bit more snow than us in N Lincs; it rained here last night, and by this morning, all our snow had disappeared! Waah!

fleegle said...

As a former Quebec resident, I did have to laugh at the snow. But how wonderful to get a snow day in London! A miracle gift!

I sigh with envy at your fabulously beautiful shawl. It looks lovely and it much have been an interesting knit. I finally gave up on buying Posh yarn--I never was sucessful on the web site. I figured it was easier to find hand-spun whale fur yarn.

Having a really crappy time in
Costa Rica, seeing as how I am now in the hospital for three days. The hospital room is the only structure in San Jose that is not covered with razor wire. Worse, I am running out of sock yarn and there is not a single yarn store ih the entire country. Bah.

BadCatDesigns said...

I love my snow days, but we actually have good snow removal where I live, which makes it all better the following day! Your purple Estonian lace is gorgeous.

Agnes said...

Lovely! I have yet to make something from that lovely book ... later, later! :)
The other day, I heard someone on the radio joking that Londoners may be a little whimpy in regard to this snow storm. I am absolutely a warm weather person, so they have my greatest sympathy!
Take care and stay warm.

lv2knit said...

Soo,
The Rainey Sisters nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award! Go to our blog to read about it!

lv2knit said...

Lest you think I think you make a lot of mistakes, I am thinking of one problem in particular; the disembowelment of your blanket!!

fleegle said...

I am raring to knit, but the brain isn't quite up to anything more than plain stockinette yet.

And I do so love that triple cross stitch!

Bonnie said...

Very beautiful color and pattern!