Here comes the rain

It is clearly September. I know this because I had the window open at work today and after half an hour I realised that the raining sound was rain coming in the window and landing on the files on my windowsill - oops.

I also know this because my deep longing to show you the finished Frenchman's Creek socks has been thwarted by (a) the fact that it is raining and (b) therefore it was dark when I got home and (c) the socks themselves are not dry, despite being pinned out yesterday evening. The weather is on the turn.

The socks themselves look like this at the moment:


That is most of the pins that I own, pinned out by H and me for an hour. H was terribly worried that he was doing it wrong but he's done brilliantly. More fool him, unlike the hand-spreading vs ballwinder and swift he won't be able to buy me a mechanical device to do blocking pinning. Having said that he did ask why I didn't just bend arc blocking wires so maybe I need to get him onto that!

Having emptied the sock needles I promptly filled them up again; first of all to prove that good things come in twos:


I can't wait for there to be a little pair of baby hands to wear these although life being what it is, the bambino will probably have outgrown them by the time I get to meet him or her. I hope it's a her - H's generation of his family has 4 boys and 4 girls (and 2 wives but we don't count) so this baby will tip the balance. Plus I think Aunt A would love a little girl.

I've also started a little something that may or may not come in a pair:

A little while ago those of us of the Tsock Flock Club persuasion got a little package called the Tsock Tsuspense Package: Part 1. I don't know what it's going to be I only know that it is red and my favourite red at that. The Tsarina has said that we may want to knit two but not that we will need to knit two to avoid looking lopsided so my bet is that it is a Christmas stocking. Only time and the good offices of the Royal Mail will tell (note: flattery is intended to ensure that my post arrives in a timely manner - take the hint).

Speaking of sock clubs I have started the fourth Socks that Rock club sock but I don't have a picture at the moment (see above reference rain). It's very pretty though.

Now then. It is 1st September 2008. On 30 November 2008 (I think) my lovely sister-in-law Lulla turns 30. In honour of that auspicious birthday I have been making her a cross-stitch. I have been making it since at least a year before we got married but have failed to complete it in time for either birthdays or Christmas. I therefore declare before all of you as witnesses that for the month of September my evening craft will be this picture. I am over half way and I think I should be able to finish before the end of September giving me ample time to finish the baby knitting before the hoard arrives.

There are a few exceptions:

1. Knitting will continue on the train.
2. Knitting is allowed at Knit Night (otherwise it would be cross-stitch night and that would be odd)
3. Knitting is fair game this coming weekend for (a) the IKnit day and (b) my Socktopus spinning class on Sunday. Plus train rides both ways.
4. The same is true for the following Sunday for the same reason.

Let the needle and silk commence.