Astrid knits her way out

Paris Classic

Last weekend I was in Paris with friends.  There is just too much of everything there: people, food, bridges, buildings, the coffee is too grande and the chickens at the butcher: chop the head and feet off for god's sake! The neck is too much for my stomach.

 

But there is also too much beauty. 

At the Louvre I saw this. Look with how much refinement it is made: the bird and the little fellow. It just makes me cry.

What else did I do?

Walking, walking and a lot of walking too,

having lunch au bord de la Seine,

standing under the eifeltower,

looking at tres chic paris,

and at the facade of the notre dame,

going underground,

admirering the underground art,

the established art,

and leaving hundreds of books and souvenirs untouched.

Did I have time to knit? Yep: in the car on the way in and out.

What did I knit? The clapoutis of course: thats the thing to knit in Paris. But do I have a photo of it? No. Stupid me: I could have had a photo of me just like this: 

But noooo..........Now I have to go back.

homespun!

Years ago I was the proud owner of a Louet spinningwheel. On the blogs I saw so many knitters making their own yarn that I got inspired to try spinning again. But I was sure that I got rid of it years ago.  When I was complaining about it to my mother she said: "it's still here on the addic." And there it was: a bit dusty and there was a thingo broken. But nothing that couldn't be fixed. Oh glorious happiness!

Last sunday I went to Jose who I concider as a spinning expert: she has experimented a lot lately with spinning and dying: read her blog! We sat in her cosy garden with a lot of fleece around us and it was like I never had a spinning pause of nearly  30 years! At the end of the afternoon I left smelling like a stable in need of cleaning, but now I was in the possession of three beautiful fleece and a lot wiser. In return I gave Jose my latest six blox socks. Thanks again Jose!!

Today I dyed two skeins. After that I want to twine them with plain white wool. I feel like a self supporting woman seeing the skeins of wool: I have knit, washed, kissed and dyed them: Look at me: I did what has done thousands of years and I am part of a tradition.

In the evenings I return to the clapotis: I am doing section 2 now.

busy busy busy

I have got too many things on my hands:

1. retro-socks:

The motif reminds me of my youth: when all the boys wore sweaters with simular motifs on it. As if all the mothers had one pattern. The colours were not as bright as my socks, but dark green, sort of dark red and off white.  (no, not x-mas sweaters, they had to wear them all year long.)                     

                     

Because it is intarsia, it can't be knitted in front of the telly. And I always want to knit while watching.

2. sampler

My mother had started a sampler in 1970 but never finished it. Yesterday she gave it to me. I am planning of filling in the blanks. Embroidery is fun but I cannot combine it with watching television.         

                     

WARNING :

IF YOU ARE MY SISTER DO NOT,

I REPEAT: DO NOT READ FURTHER.

YOUR PRESENT IS AT STAKE!!!!

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3. Clapotis

                                    

I am going to knit a second Clapotis although it is a bore to knit. But I have got good reasons for it:

1. I love my sister very much

2. It's her birthday soon: 29 th of September 

3. She has made me a beautiful quilt for my birthday

4. and last but not least: the clapotis is a perfect project while watching television 

               

Oh I wish I had a river....

Oh I wish I had a river

I would skate away on...

Joni Mitcell.

But now I am a river:

At 4145 miles from your furthest extremity to the Mediterranean Sea, you outdo the Amazon to become the world's longest river. The piranhas hate you.

Beneath you lies an underground river with six times your volume. You kept this remarkably quiet for several thousand years. In fact, you're full of mystery; your source wasn't discovered until 1862. You're also full of water. And crocodiles. And nuclear pharaoh machines that run on light and can see through time.

Which Extremity of the World Are You?

Latvian socks

Look at my 76- year-old  mother and tell me: doesn't she look great with her Latvian socks?

About the knitting:

I followed the pattern just as Nancy Bush described it: a picot start and a total of 10 repeats on the legpart. The picot edge looks wide, but once you wear the sock it fits perfect.