Summer Dress for Summer

inally able to report that I've completed the summer dress for my niece, Summer!

No photos of her wearing it yet, unfortunately - though she did try it on - as it's autumn and she's already begun wearing layers.

Here's the dress on the flat:

And here it is hanging:

 I've got to get back to the kilt hose, but first - more socks on the Magic Loop! Here are the ankles started:

Blog Awards!

hanks so much to Nicki Elson for the One Lovely Blog Award!

Don't forget to head over to Nicki's page to watch her book trailer!

I hereby bestow this lovely award on...

Zia, who creates lovely patterns

Anne at Wool-tyme Kingston, cos it's one lovely store

Susan, because she recently featured a lovely piece of crochet

Stephanie, for Enrique

...and...

Helen! Knitting buddy extrordinaire!

Vintage Patterns

raft of vintage patterns, all found here!

As If I Needed New Patterns...

ipping through to tell you about...

Véronik Avery, who has a new book out, featuring some truly gorgeous designs.

Knitting 24/7: 30 Projects to Knit, Wear, and Enjoy, On the Go and Around the Clock (Stewart Tabori and Chang 2010) is reviewed here, and available here.

I've got to finish these dresses and start on something new!

And, All Beatrix Potter All The Time - here's a recent post on Beatrix Potter, to go along with my photos here and here of knitting in some of her books.

Okay, so I'm a little behind...

've been forsaking my knitting projects and have been busy wrapping up the first draft of my latest novel. Also, I'm hosting a writers' houseparty on the Compuserve Books and Writers Forum! Invitations are up now, so if you're a writer, come play - everyone's invited!

Helen, however, has been knitting up a storm: here's her cowl neck sweater and a leaf pattern tee.

I'm only a few rows away from finishing the second summer dress; then I've got to make one more, and then start on socks for Christmas gifts...

Football and Knitting?

ho'd have thought that football season and knitting would go together? Yet Kathleen of Knitting Daily is right, while the men watch game after game, it's a perfect time to get together and knit.

Of course, you don't always need football as an excuse. Any ol' movie or tv show will do for me. Still working on dress #2, which is taking longer not because I've been slacking lately *cough* but because I chose to make the largest size given in the pattern... That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Meanwhile, a question for you:

Harem Scene

ourtesy of the wonderful website, The Orientalist Gallery, here is a 19th Century painting by Rudolph Ernst, featuring spinners:

Knitting Funny - Don't Try This Yourself

ajor spew alert!


A hilarious post from the Panopticon, courtesy of Pam.

I'm still laughing.

Almost Complete...

issing only the crochet round the collar! On to the second one, in green...

New Pattern and Promised Photos

have started a new pattern! The only UFO I have at the moment is the kilt hose - I'm halfway up the calf - but it's too hot to be knitting in alpaca, so I've chosen a cotton pattern to make for my niece's and goddaughter's upcoming birthdays.

The pattern is here, but I've reproduced one of the images below:

Also, as promised, here are two beautiful photographs of Hortense, taken by Ani: