PIF, prizes and live comedy

I sent out my PIF parcels last week and both have now been received, so I can now show you what I made!

In the end, after trying several other patterns, I settled upon the "Pashmina Cowl" from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I do recommend this book as it contains a lot of lovely useful patterns, including the famous Chevron Scarf. The first cowl for gilraen was made in Posh Yarn Emily, shade Digress:



The second cowl for blog-blethers was knit in Stroud Wool sock yarn (Socrates) from Violet Green, shade "Solent":



In the end I only had two rather than the usual three PIF recipients, so when the lovely Sarah offered to obtain some Koigu for me from the USA, I hatched a plan :-) In addition to the yarn I sent in return I whipped up a pair of Dashing gloves in Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran (shade Hero). I knew these were on her "queue" and I also knew she was awfully busy making gifts for other people, so it was a nice opportunity to surprise her with a wee handknit gift :-)



Not the most fantastic photo of mine, but Sarah does have better pictures on her blog.

My CPH is almost finished! Just the front bands to knit on, then washing/blocking, and seaming. Oh and sewing on buttons! I'm looking at making a couple of the sweaters from Fitted Knits next, probably Alexandra first, but I may just have to squeeze in a Forest Canopy shawl in some lovely PY merino DK that I've had for ages! My original FCS has been doing a sterling job keeping me warm in the face of air conditioning this winter, as has my Clapotis, so another one of those in Lorna's Laces this time is also on the cards.

I received this lovely prize from Liz at fluffyknitting this week, which I won in her blogiversary draw:



A skein of Lamb's Pride worsted in "Chocolate Souffle" (yummy), a pretty FQ of fabric, some choccy (yummy again), and this gorgeous set of stitchmarkers:



Thanks again Liz for my lovely prize!

I will be running a blogiversary draw this month, as it was three years ago that I first set this blog up. It took another couple of months for knitting content to appear but it doesn't seem like three years at all! Stay tuned for the details.

We had a great night out on Friday, as we went to see French & Saunders on their final UK tour. What we didn't realise was that this was the opening night of the tour! We'd found our seats and were sitting looking around before the show, when Mr DC said "Isn't that ..." and nodded over to where none other than Lenny Henry was walking through the stalls near us! I wasn't 100% sure it was him, although I have sat a few feet away from him a year or so ago during the filming of the last "Vicar of Dibley" episodes! Anyway it soon became clear that we were right as Dawn said some of her family were in the audience that night!

We really enjoyed the show, a clever combination of live sketches interspersed with filmed segments (allowing for more complex costume and prosthetics changes). We'd never seen them in a live show before (although obviously I've seen Dawn at the VoD filming), so make sure you go if you're a fan as this really is their last tour! There was some very funny rivalry running through the show, Vicar of Dibley versus Absolutely Fabulous for top sitcom and comedy goddess! It did culminate in a hilarious sequence near the end but I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't yet seen it.

My next theatre visit is in a couple of weeks, to see "Sleuth" with Michael Praed and Simon McCorkindale. Michael played Robin in the wonderful "Robin of Sherwood" of course, so I had to go to see this! I even managed to get a front row seat :-)

CPH progress

Time to post a progress picture of the CPH. Thus far the back and both front pieces are complete, and I've made a start on the first sleeve. This does tend to be put aside frequently, mainly due to gift knits at the moment.



Not easy to get any kind of decent photos this time of year, the photo has been tweaked a little to hopefully show up the cables a little better.

I've now decided upon my PIF gifts and have started the first one, I'm sort of aiming for January with these.

Here's something I made a few weeks ago, using two strands of aran weight yarn held together (Noro Kureyon and Jamiesons Shetland Aran):



It's the larger felted bowl pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. It went through two washes at 70 degrees and has felted reasonably well. It's certainly a lot smaller! I blocked it using a glass basin so deliberately crimped the top edge over rather than pinning it out flat. I have to say I prefer the way Cascade 220 felts, losing all stitch definition, whereas you can still see it in this piece. The original pattern uses Lamb's Pride Bulky in a single strand, I did wonder if using two strands gave the yarn a little less wriggle room.

This week I've also completed another knitted gift, which I can't yet show (you can see why CPH progress is slow!).

A couple of links which may be of interest:

Project Download - I saw this via Neil Gaiman's blog, tis for a very good cause.

Free Rice - found this via Piece of Beauty, it's a highly addictive vocabulary game, and for each definition you get right it donates 20 grains of rice via the UN. My best level is 50 (DH got this too), don't ask me how except I seem to be able to work out many of the words even if I don't know them! I'm not Googling them either! If you want to keep your scores go to Options before you begin, as it defaults to not saving them.

PIF gift!

I received a lovely PIF gift this week from Piglottie:



A fabby project bag made from one of Kaffe Fassett's amazing fabrics, and two handmade Piglottie Productions cards! I loved the first bag that Piglottie made for a swap in reds, yellows and oranges, and I was made up to receive one of my own. Thanks again PL, it really made my day!

I wish I was having some measure of success with my own PIF project plans though! I think I have settled on a pattern now, but not after much cursing at my own knitting ability this week - possibly the onset of a bit of a cold going through me.

Anyway - here's some pretty yarn!





Top to bottom - Posh Yarn Lucia in "Gigue", Posh Yarn Helena in "Evocative", and yarn Yard sock in "Sandstorm" with a 50g contrast skein of "Bitter Chocolate". Yummy! I bought enough Helena to make a tank top as I loved the muted colours and the idea just crept into my head ;-)