Farewell to Strilla!

A warm, balmy evening,

a full moon,

a glass or two of wine and pumpkin tortelli

with a view of floodlit castle

and good company,

what more could a girl want?

And all my knitting pals know that nothing beats a chat about yarn and anything else with a like minded gal. (not even George Clooney)

Unfortunately, this was only the second time that Maria and I met up. From Finland she has been researching at the local uni throughout the summer and after meeting virtually through our online computer knitting communitiy we hit it off in the real life too.
But as all computer buffs know, our friendship won't end here but will continue with exchanges of patterns, news, scandanavian roughspun and Italian merino well into the future.

Check out her projects on Ravalry (under Strilla).

When we visited Innsbruck in June I found this wonderful shop full of Shoppenwolle and I couldn't resist the colours of this bamboo, silk and wool sock yarn. Slate grey, purple and lime green. WOW

Once again ILGA LEJA came to the rescue with 'Tidal Streams' a stole knitted on the bias with voluptous flounces at the ends. You'll have to take my word for it that it drapes well as the family photgrapher is having fun at the beach with her mates this week.

Relaxing bank holiday weekend........

...or at least it would have been very relaxing if only that

dam kitten left my ball of wool alone!














We stayed in a very authentic converted farmhouse just the other side of The Apennines..Lunigiana





An area of very steep and deep forested valleys. Pontremoli is the capital.















Cut off from civilisation the farm overlooks the medieval hamlet of Mulazzo









Mulazzo by night.
Local specialities included chestnut tagliatelle and tagliata- sliced Florentine steak with mushrooms cooked at the table in a boiling hot terracotta pot










The sea breeze drifting up the valley enticed us to spend one afternoon at a fish resturant in Lierici










Shades of the Med.
In the distance the Apuan Alps where Michaleangelo picked up his marble.
In the foreground the pool.
Nicely set off by a ball of Schoppenwool sock wool.

In the HEART of the mountains

Hard to play down the reason for my month's leave from blogging. Four Saturdays ago, I came over all 'funny' in Lidl, of all places, and my husband decided we'd better stop off at casualty. I was sure they would say ' silly woman' after all it was blistering hot and the supermarket was over air conditioned, but instead I was whisked straight into the operating theatre where a blocked vein was burst open and a split vein stuck back together with 5 stands.

All very drammatic, I felt fine before and fine now. Am a bit pissed off over wasting 50 years NOT smoking NOT drinking NOT owning a chip pan and going to the gym when I could have been leaving a slovenly lazy life. Why me? one of life's little mysteries.

But what a treat. Ten days rehabilitation in a hospital in the mountains. Take a look at that view from the ward.

And although walking has been forced to take a back seat, the wool side couldn't have been better. I managed to make these two cardis whilst watching the last ten days of the Tour de France. What more could a girl ask for?

Thanks to all you lovely people who sent me cards and visited. Yesterday's check up was near perfect all I have to do is get back in those walking boots now.

Yes!

First felting project.



BEFORE










AFTER











Eat your hearts out Bally & Co.

Ambra and preyarn

For some time now Ambra (one of the rare cases of being under her own name on Ravalry!) has been raving on about this Evilla preyarn. To be honest I was not attracted to this rather original unspun 100% wool from Estonia. Quite frankly it just pulls apart as you knit it, and it smells of well ..wool. Perhaps it would be better for felting?

But the dear girl bought me not one but two balls of the stuff and out of respect I started on a Sagrantino shawl. Ambra has made some beautiful examples...check them out, but I soon gave up.

And then one of my favourite designers, Ilga Leja brought out a new pattern called Bermuda. The original is in a gradually self striping blue and the short row shaping and eyelet rows emphasise the feel of waves beating on the shore.

Just perfect for preyarn and this stunning colourway.

And, would you belive it, I really enjoyed making it whilst on holiday.

Still not totally convinced on its strength and almost praying that it would felt and hold together, I got carried away with the waves effect and added a few of my own to make it bigger.

But it DIDN't shrink or felt in the wash. Here is Isshan modelling the results.

Next project? A bag from the same yarn as my first felting project.

wool and walking in the Austrian Tyrol

Essential ingredients for a successful holiday (company apart) include walking poles, long cool lager, maps and knitting.

What about this for a Local Yarn Store ?!!!

Knitting on top of the world!

Traditional crafts

Bergogno held its first medieval festival on Sunday. Despite the heat we did the round walk from the car park to the house on the right, up and down Campola valley to Begogno on the left, up and down the valley to the Tibetan village and back to car park.

Vic entering the village.

We got there a bit early but some handicraft stalls were already set up.

There were spinners, bakers, stone cutters, shepherds...........

....and a man weaving straw chair seats...

And there was even one strange woman knitting......