late October

The weather is turning colder here but the leaves on the oak trees are still green.

The ash trees are already bare, a few yellow leaves still clinging on

The skies looked stormy here today but of course this is nothing when compared to the storm approaching the eastern United States at he moment.

Thoughts and best wishes from this side of the Atlantic - hope everybody stays safe.

knitting update

Firstly my completed knitting, Warriston by Kate Davies. I started knitting this jumper more than a year ago and finished last week. It hasn't been a favourite knit. The wool is Shetland Aran from Jamieson and Smith which isn't as soft as I would have liked though it does seem to have improved after washing.

I cast on for the second size and then realised that it would swamp me so I decreased as I knitted the body so that I ended up with the right number of stitches for the first size by the time I got to join the sleeves.

The cowl neck gave me more problems and didn't sit well at first so I stitched it down which stops the neck stretching and gives a neater shape. I like the i-cord edging around the cowl, sleeves and pocket edging which gives a smart finish.

The weather here is turning colder this weekend and we are off to Shetland in a few days so it seems I finished it just in time.

My current knitting is a complete contrast to Warriston, I wanted something more delicate and I am now knitting with laceweight fine kid mohair. This is the Fantail Lace Scarf by Jenny Cook. I bought the hand dyed mohair from the Wool and Willow shop in Hay-on-Wye. I am enjoying knitting with this soft luxurious yarn.

It is difficult to photograph part knitted lace so I pegged it out on my washing line to take a picture - excuse the slight blurriness, it was a little breezy! I am just over half way through this scarf and it will be my travel knitting on holiday.

cobwebs

Intricate cobwebs on a quiet morning.

Shetland holiday planning

We are off on holiday in a couple of weeks and I am enjoying looking forward and planning things to see and do..

We have had several family holidays in Shetland and been blessed with wonderful sunny weather perfect for walking and exploring the many white sandy beaches. I've wondered what it would be like to visit out of the main tourist season and now that we are going there in November, I shall find out.

I have been looking at maps and guide books and we have subscribed to the local paper, The Shetland Times, for the six weeks before we go. The last few weeks I've had some up to date Shetland reading matter coming through my letterbox every Saturday morning. It is wonderful to be visiting a place that has a story about lace knitting as the lead article in the weekly paper. The new book just launched is a Legacy of Shetland Lace.

Ideally I would have liked to be in Shetland last week for Shetland Wool Week but working in a school limits the dates that I can take my holiday so November it is.

I am hoping for fine weather and planning some walks but if we have a wet week there is the museum, art gallery, the new cinema and our favourite coffee shop. In two weeks time we will be there, so excited.

here in October

Autumn seems late this year, the fields have been ploughed all ready for next year, but the oak trees are still green.

Berries and seeds are in the hedges and verges. I picked blackberries earlier this week but that will be the last batch, its getting late in the year now and they have lost their flavour and are soft and watery. Perhaps the devil did spit on them on Michaelmas day.

The beginnings of some autumn colour, the sycamores are often one of the first to turn.

misty October

I love days like this. The world seems very quiet and peaceful when the weather is misty.