I'm doing science and I'm still alive

OK so I'm not doing science but I am still alive. Yay for references for Portal also.

This is just a me dropping in to say I am back from my holiday, my unpacking still isn't quite finished and the whereabouts of my camera are unknown. Not a great deal of knitting was done whilst I was away but I did finish the first circles sock and start the second one. My shawl hasn't progressed at all, nor has the second sock for my husband or the never ending sleeves of my cardigan.

My knitting has been going so slowly as I have struggled to find the time to actually sit and knit, I aim to change that and fit in more knitting time even if it's just making sure I knit a round of sock or two whilst tea is in the oven. Everything has been so hectic over the last few weeks but aside from finishing unpacking I do feel like things are calming down a little.

We have got two busy weekends ahead but they don't concern me too much. Our house is in a maintainable state of tidyness and we're on top of the washing, the garden needs attention but it wont stop raining and as long as everything is wet it will continue to grow and we can't cut it back, this makes me sad.

Yesterday I ordered the yarn I need for the two Christmas gift knits I intend to complete, this is part of why I really need to get on track with knitting more frequently. Both my mother and my mother-in-law have requested lace (though I'll be using 4ply, not laceweight) so I'd better get started soon if I actually intend to complete these projects and finish some items for myself.

If only I had staff to do all the boring things like housework whilst I knit away happily...being a lady of leisure and not requiring a full time job OR having a full time job where I could knit at work would also help!

In an attempt to make up for the lack of pictures an amusing tale of yesterday when I went to see my mother:

Me: What are you knitting mum?

Mum: It's a cardigan for my niece but I don't think I'll have enough yarn, I've knit this much sleeve and still have one sleeve to go and the button/neckbands/making up but only this much yarn

Me: Get your scales out and weigh how much that is and how much your current sleeve weighs, maybe there'll be enough

>>>The 4 rows or so off finished sleeve and knitting needle were weighed, the empty needle was weighed and weight subtracted off sleeve in progress with needle and remaining yarn was weighed. What was done of the sleeve weighed about 20g and there were 45g of yarn remaining<<<

Me: You might just have enough but probably not, why don't you use a contrasting colour for the button bands? That could look nice if you then get buttons in the colour of the yarn you used for the rest of it. Alternatively you could pull back your sleeve and do short or 3/4 length sleeves, then there'd be enough yarn

Mum: I don't know how to do shorten the sleeves and wont different colours look stupid? It doesn't make sense, the pattern said 200g and I had two 100g balls of yarn so I should have enough

Me: Well how many yards of yarn are there in 100g? You're not using the same yarn as the pattern, it might not be the same length of yarn

Mum: What?

Me: Different yarns, even if they're both DK may have different yardages, you should check

Mum: Well they're both acrylic, I'm sure they're the same

Me: Did you check your tension?

Mum: My tension is always perfect, I don't need to check it

Me: Maybe your tension is out and that's why you don't have enough yarn

Mum: I've never checked my tension, I've been knitting for 50 years, how long have you been knitting? I've never run out of yarn, my tension is always right

Me: You never run out of yarn because you always get extra, give me a tape measure

>>>I measure to find my mum is knitting 18 stitches and 27 rows to 10cm instead of 22 stitches and 30 rows<<<

Me: Your tension is wrong, no wonder you're running out of yarn, also this is going to be bigger than it's supposed to be across the chest

Mum: My tension is perfect though

Me: Well maybe life is teaching you a lesson, you had to go wrong once at some point. You only have two balls of this yarn don't you? There is no extra in this colour is there? You've had it in your stash for ages haven't you?

Mum: Yes

Me: I believe you are experiencing what is commonly known as sod's law, it's all explained in my Yarn Harlot books, want to borrow them? They're good

Mum: ***things I will not repeat here because there may have been some swearing***

I believe the child's mother may be relieved that there is not enough of the shockingly bright yarn to finish this cardigan and I tried to sooth my mum by offering her some nice, subtle yarn from my stash in cream, lilac and pink with which she could knit a new cardigan with yarn left over and not in a violent shade of highlighter pen yellow.

I promise photos in the next post at least of the finished circle sock if nothing else.