Loooong Sooooocksssss

I have been knitting away at home through the dismal grey days. Lots of bright colours to make me feel toasty, these are from my newish book, Knit your socks on straight.

It is very difficult to photograph long socks whilst wearing them, a bit like playing twister. I did not worry about trying to colour match the stripes, I pull the yarn from the middle and just go with it.

This is James C Bretts Lakeland liteweight chunky in colour K10, it is lighter and brighter in real life. The pair takes 2  100g balls and knitted up in 2 evenings.

I just love the heel stitch, the book calls it "Eye of Partridge", it is formed by alternating slip stitches on the right side, I quite fancy it for a jumper.

Apart from knitting I have been a bit housewifey, a bit gardnerish and a bit bookworming.

It is possibly my fault that it rained today, not only did I clean windows yesterday but I watered  the  whole  garden and then fed all the pots and the greedy guts plants.

Please don't shoot me, I have more sewing and knitting to do.

I am still grumbling away inside about the sewing bee, the final was a closed book as to who would win, but I am not sure that either really deserved it. It may just be that the last 2 series have had such amazing people that the standard set is too high. I have been sewing for many years and would never ever enter for something like that.

 That shirt! rows of pin tucks! glad it wasn't me. I made one dress with pin tucks, screwed the pattern up, jumped on it and binned it. 

Then the evening dress, in a DAY, you would wait at least a week with any seamstress. Anyhoo enough already.

My roses have blackspot, I have treated them all, removed the affected bits and burnt them, fed them all and now hope for the best. I take comfort in the fact that Monty Don was doing much the same last week.

The climbing peas are standing up reasonably well to the wet and wind. They are quite tasty but next year I will be going back to Victoriana Nursery for my seed. Their variety is stronger, clings to the supports better and I prefer the taste.

I am still to try the carrots although the first lot are ready to pull. The Purple Sprouting Broccoli plants are looking very strong and the garlic will be pulled soon.

My rhubarb has been growing apace and the strawberries are doing well despite the weather. I will have blueberries this year and hopefully honeyberries next year, my 2 plants are set to take over the garden, if not the village.

I have little else to say for today so am off to make tea. No surprise there then.

                          TTFN                                           PAM