"Tuesday's Blogging" for Want of a Better Title
I've had both boys off from school with Slapped Cheek Syndrome these past few days, so not a lot has been done in the Melody Yarns household - I've been able to attack a bit of the ironing pile this morning but it took over an hour to iron the boys' tops, and I've done loads more washing to boot :-( There's always a full basket of washing to be done, but I really don't know why or where it comes from as there are only two adults and two children living in the house.
I should add that Danny is fully recovered and Matthew over the worst part of the illness, so I should be back at work on Thursday. Thanks to everyone for their good wishes for their recovery.

Stashalong Confessions
I've been amazingly restrained on Stashalong this time - okay, so it's only four days in - but four days is four days right? I've been motivated to decrease my stash this time rather than increase it, so I've sold some more yarns to members of the Angel Yarns forum, and stuff that hasn't been sold has already gone on to an eBay auction . I have swapped some Sirdar Breeze in a lovely lilac pastel colour for some Hayfield Cotton Rich DK in a more neutral biscuity colour, so at least I have swapped my pastels that I wouldn't knit for a colour of Cotton Rich that I will knit up. I swapped with Hectorshouse - a very lovely lady! Depending on the shade of biscuit it will be either for me or Mum I guess.

Swapping yarns during Stashalong is a good idea I think - like stash enhancement but without the outlay, and you get rid of stash that you wouldn't maybe use even though it's perfectly good quality yarn. I've also managed to sell some of my excess Sirdar Town and Country sock yarn that I bought to knit socks for my Dad, so the sock yarn stash is decreasing too. Again, any that hasn't been sold through the Angel Yarns forum will have been listed on eBay by now ;-)

I had a knitting parcel delivered this morning though - my Brittany Birch straights and the ball of Ladybird Opal sock yarn that I'd been craving for weeks and weeks. I bought it on Saturday morning after all, I'll just extend my Stashalong until midday on 30th September if necessary to compensate for buying it on the first morning of the new Summer Stashalong...... *wink* My Debbie Bliss book is unfortunately out of stock at Get Knitted at the moment, but they've promised to send it along as soon as it's back in stock.




Works in Progress
I cast on the stitches for the back of ‘Tide' from the Louisa Harding Beachcomber book, but couldn't decide whether to knit the small size or the medium size; the small size was a bit too small, the medium size too large. I'd done a tension square on 4.5mm needles, but only achieved 21sts with my 100% Cotton DK and the pattern wanted 20sts per 10cm.Of course I'm not using the yarn stipulated in the pattern book - it would cost about £70 to knit a cover-up that is made from nearly 100% nylon, and I didn't want that.

Instead of using 4.5mm needles that I intended to use, I decided to use 4mm needles instead. I'm knitting the medium size as my tension will be 22sts instead of the 20sts per 10cm, so by knitting a larger size than I need with a corresponding tighter tension, the cover-up will be a better size for me when it's finished. I've also decided to knit the longer version of the cardi, but with the short sleeves. So mods all round with this project. I might need an extra ball of cotton though, so I'll ring the yarn shop today to see if they can put a ball of yarn aside for me, just in case.

Anyway, here's what I've done so far - the lacy scalloped pattern at the bottom of the cardi is really, really easy to knit and a doddle to remember:




Cheers to Denver Jon for rightly reminding me about my lovely bag kit that he bought for me last birthday; I haven't started it yet as I've kept to more simple things during my enforced rationing away from the needles, but it will be an excellent project to take to Wales with me as something that I can pick up and put down easily. I bought some bamboo bag handles from Get Knitted ages ago for this bag project, as I thought that I would prefer a bag with grab handles as opposed to a long strap, and I hunted down some lovely black silky fabric for a lining for it too, so you see I am all ready and raring to go with it, I just haven't started it as yet.

And as it's the 4th July today - a very Happy Holiday to Denver Jon and everyone on the other side of the Pond!!