Frantic Friday

Everything seems to be happening today. My mother-in-law is coming to stay for the weekend so the house had to be tidied and cleaned (it's not really big enough for two of us, so to accomodate three, it has to be immaculate). Food had to be bought so that I could get straight on with supper when I get home from work. On top of that, I expect to hear about a grant application I made for a new research project and another application I made for some travel funds so I can attend a conference in Trieste this summer. If anyone out there is harbouring any ideas about working in biological research being glamorous and well paid, think again. The hours are long, the pay is moderate at best (especially considering the length of time it takes to get qualified) and every three years, you have to compete against all the other researchers out there to win grant money to allow you to keep your job! Anyway, rant over and on with the knitting...

I've put Klaralund to the side for a few days as it's boring going round and round on the body and the yarn colour (a dark blue-green) - whilst being a colour I love and am looking forward to wearing - is pretty hard on the eyes in the evening. Instead I've knocked out another square for Lizard Ridge in beautiful pinks, reds and purples (colourway 124) and am halfway through another square (colourway 183). These squares are the ideal small project when I need a fast injection of colour on a grey Glasgow evening.

I really need to get started on another baby gift too. A friend of mine is due to have her third child next week and I've not cast on yet. I'm planning a set of hat and baby socks in a fawn 4 ply cashmerino yarn (can't remember the make). I've made this set before for another friend's baby and it's a really quick knit so I should be OK time-wise.

Here are another few items from my back-catalogue:

The socks are bedsocks / slouching socks for my sister to match the hot water bottle from a couple of posts ago. They are knitted in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino aran and Noro Silk Garden (84). The pattern is Austin from the Jane Ellison Noro Knits book. Personally, I would't knit these socks in the silk garden again - it's too scratchy and shrinks a bit, even with careful washing.

The shrug is the Paris Loop by Stephanie Japel. I knitted it in Noro Transitions that I bought in the Glasgow John Lewis sale last year, when they decided not to stock Noro any more (dreadful decision). It's a really versatile little poncho top which is beautifully warm and I've worn it far more often than I ever thought I would.

Finally, some baby socks knitted for a friend's 3 month-old last year. The yarn is some left over Opal sock yarn and the pattern is this one (scroll down a bit to the hat, sock and mitt set), which is the same pattern I'll be using for the baby which is due next week.

One last thing - a big GOOD LUCK to the Scottish rugby team who are playing Italy in the Six Nations this weekend. I'm off to Murrayfield to watch the game with the resident radiologist, his mother and a friend and I can't wait!