Bank Holiday Bluster

August 27th was Bank Holiday Monday. The day was more so reminiscent of a blustery, cold, wet, dim Autumn than tail end of the Summer. Depressing... It is a little known fact that people living in the north east of England are advised to take extra vitamin D supplements due to the lack of sunlight. Also, a taxi driver told me, last Winter, that he had a Norwegian passenger who said it was colder during the Winter in the north east than it was in Norway! He said she was grumbling that she couldn't cope with the 'damp', that the coldness of the season in Norway was a dry cold rather than a wet coldness. I've lived here (by choice) for the past eight years, and I've only this last year gotten out of the habitual need to sneak a hot water bottle on the morning bus journey into work during the Winter....

Anyway. I spent Bank Holiday Monday with my parentals. We kept company in the morning at home. Dad crosswording, Mum doing her lovely tapestry and some geneology research, and me (going nearly cross-eyed in the dim daylight) getting into one of four crochet projects on the go at the moment. This is my version of the 'Flowers in the Snow' blanket by Solveig Grimstad (from Ravelry, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flowers-in-the-snow). If you are unfortunate enough to have not signed up to Ravelry, or choose not to indulge in such delicious yarn adoring procrastination, then she (Solveig Grimstad), has provided an excellent translation of her pattern (using US crochet terms) with photos, on her blog, which you can access here: http://solgrim.blogspot.co.uk/2009/06/sirkel-i-kvadrat.html .

Note to self: This beautiful design is called 'Flowers in the Snow' for the reason that each motif/square is meant to be bordered in white. I, in the throes of 'Intent to Destash', chose navy blue around apple green, teal and purple flowers. Dim days + dark borders = strained, peeping peepers! However, these are a combination of my favourite colours and they look fabulous together nonetheless. Here is what I have completed so far:

The other project I am working on is 'Nancy's Waves Scarf' by Cori Dodds on Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nancys-waves-scarf ), which is a free pdf download. I am using a Regia sock yarn ( 4 ply, wool and nylon blend). The yarn colours crochet out beautifully with the pattern, however, I am suprised how 'scratchy' and rough it feels and wonder if even using a little conditioner when I block it is going to make it any softer?  The link on Ravelry offers 'yarn ideas' for the project, and I'm thinking that when I do this again (lovely Christmas gift scarves), I might choose something more luxurious like Mini Mochi, Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball, Noro Silk Garden, or Araucania Ranco Multy.... However, those choices will mean new purchases and conscious avoidance of Intent to Destash!...Oh woe.

The Artful Adorner has taken a blog break to write out a hundred times 'I WILL destash!'.....

This is my Nancy's Waves Scarf thus far:

After lunch, we got on the bus into the city and spent a pleasant hour or so wandering around the Laing Gallery. The two exhibitions at the moment are 'The Family' and 'Quentin Blake' illustrations. My favourite 'Isabella and the pot of Basil' by Rossetti is out on loan alas, but I was delighted to see another favourite, 'Cat in a Cottage Window' by Ralph Hedley, remained for viewing pleasure. We convened for coffee and tea and cake in the Laing cafe before heading back to the bus stop home (their Rocky Road is delicious!).

I have not abandoned my art journal exploits, I managed to complete two A5 size pages for the day on some scrap paper (that I will paste into one of my books). Before I sign off, I 'd just like to mention that my parents saw a fantastic Rolf Harris exhibition in John Lewis (Newcastle upon Tyne), which is on at the moment.

Oooooooh, tomorrow is Woollee Wednesday!