That stranded skirt I’m designing? It’s progressing, y’know:-

No further progress has been made on the crocheted house, but the yarn for the windows has arrived, so I need to begin swatching some glasswork.
Is it obvious that this post will be a tad desultory? Well the past few days have been a bit like that. I have some exciting secrets to reveal soon, but not quite yet. Rest assured, I’ll be telling you as soon as I can…
But look! I’ve discovered a quirky new stitch! Nothing seriously fancy, but a combination of stockinette with yarnovers and SSK’s yields this wonky loveliness. I found it in an old book at the library on my day off, and I have no idea whether it has a name:-

Anyway, with time off from work on frenetic psychiatric wards, there have been peaceful walks along the Ridgeway:-

For anyone not family with this bit of south-central England, The Ridgeway is Britain’s oldest ‘road’, a 5000-year-old and 87-mile path along slightly elevated ground, walked for millennia by herdsmen, travellers, soldiers, and latterly by psychologists-cum-knitters.
It passes close to our village and I’ve long loved this high(ish) wide path as a chance to escape the low-down life. There really is something about the Ridgeway that makes you feel the press of history. Maybe it’s because the path is so wide, and you can see so far from its (meagre) elevation that you sense its importance.

Back downhill at village level, we (the Toddler Twinnage, the Stoic Spouse and I) have had our first work-out in a shamefully long time at the allotment, digging over the beds in preparation for the growing of potatoes and much other deliciousness. Having taken over the plot less than a year ago, we’re still discovering its surprises, such as these hellebores:-

So now we’re at home, recovering from the exertion and, in my case, knitting. There is so much colour to come in these pages over the next few weeks, as well as the revealing of some exciting surprises. Stay tuned, and keep knitting/crocheting.
Loving the wonky stitch. I’m sitting here tapestry crocheting comtemplating going to bed. Maybe a grape refreshment before…
My heavens what a view. I’d be tramping the Ridgeway whenever I could with those views and sight lines. It is so nice to see a horizon, isn’t it, when you live in a town or city?
My hellebore is blooming here in Texas, too! It’s has white flowers.
Do you tramp and knit at the same time?
What a gorgeous window to another place and time. I think the oldest ruins here are Mesa Verde at 1300 and Chaco Canyon at 1100. Is the hellebore poisonous?
Love the fair isle pattern, it is beautiful.
Busy, busy! The walk on the Ridgeway sounds so appealing–I love the way England has so many fascinating places to walk.
Ooh, gorgeous fair isle! Even if you find the official term for Wonky lace, I think yours is more endearing:)
Awesome. I wish I could go for a walk there, just take my dog and a good book or magazine and spend a few hours out there. Enjoy it for me once in a while. 🙂
Love your new fair isle pattern, it is going to be beautiful.
I hope that stranded skirt progresses a bit further than what you have shared here, otherwise it might be considered pornographic. I do realise that your spring is rapidly approaching but I fear spring fever has you in it’s grip and your legs might have something to protest about if that skirt stops there (and other unmentionable parts that I just mentioned in passing…).
Good to see that glass of red. I prefer white but the imperitive word here is “glass of…”
I love wonky. Wish I could knit to take advantage of said “wonky”. Alas, I can only sadly lick the monitor…
That is a “path”?! It’s wider than our 2 lane roads! You could wander, prance, tap-dance, perform entire circus tricks on that stretch of ancient road but whatever you did has most probably been done before 😉
Sending waftings of the last of our spring to you. They only amount to 6C at the moment but I will spare you the colder ones. Have the best week and keep up that “glass of”.
Love the stranded skirt, but then I love fair isle. I spent most of my career working in a state psychiatric hospital – I know how much knitting helped me stay sort of sane – although over here if you work as a psychiatric nurse, you are expected to be a little “off”. Without knitting, I would have probably been much further off!
Love the promise of spring and less snow that the hellebore picture gave me/