Ravelry & Meeting with New Friends

Who would have thought that joining Ravelry would introduce you to new friends, not just on-line but in person ! Well that's just what did happen. One of the groups I joined had a lady 'K' who mentioned that she was about to visit her hubby working over here and wondered if anyone was in the area, and if so would we like to meet up. Well I jumped at the chance to meet a fellow knitter in person as these strange dinosaurs are so thin on the ground here (only got one significant other out here that knits) so thought it would be wonderful for us 3 to meet up.

I'm pleased or maybe 'ashamed' to say that I did no knitting during our visits, but 'K' did bring a stunning 'wedding ring pillow' with her to complete and we did let her do just a tad of knitting.

We had other things to do ... like visiting Desert Designs, Joffrey's for hazelnut coffee...and... cheesecake, lunch at 'J's' which was just fabulous with homemade 'sweet and sour chicken', 'sweet and sour veg', rice and homemade cheesecake. This was then topped with a little bit of 'Cherry Shisha' provided by 'J's' hubby. Now I had to give it a go but can't say that its 'all that' I'm afraid...it still had a taste of tobacco to me and I hate that but it smelled divine.
On another occassion we spent the morning pampering ourselves at the ladies centre with a manicure, pedicure and massage. Unfortunately we had planned on visiting the 'Latif Pastry' but we were too long in the ladies centre and prayer time came at 11.30am which meant everything closes down and won't re-open until 4pm. Luckily I'd mentioned my 'schwarma addiction' in front of my driver and he excited us by saying there was a place that opened after prayer time and sold them. So off we went for schwarma and 'freshly squeazed' juice...all for 13SR (approx £2.20)...oh how I'm going to miss them when we eventually return to the UK !

'K'... we had a lovely time and really would love to meet up again when you return for your next visit. Thank you for being such a lovely person and for the wonderful gifts you brought with you. Have a safe trip back to the US.

Ravelry...Thank you for such a wonderful site where it made it possible for us to meet.

Oh did I forget to mention the gifts ! Well they were just so lovely and such a wonderful generous gesture.

Here's my order (and gifts) which 'K' so kindly offered to purchase and bring with her on the visit:

First Socks from the Toe Up - Pt 2

Finished 11th June 2009
Half way there. Just the 2nd sock to get done but why is it that the first sock flies off the needles and the 2nd just strolls ?I really really am pleased (have I said that before ?) with my progress on this one and definitely going to make more from the book and maybe even try to knit 2 at the same time... sometime... maybe not next time!

Pattern 'Lacy Ribs' from the 'Socks From The Toe Up' by Wendy Johnson.
Yarn Rico Design, Hobby Print which, I believe, is a German yarn. It comes as a pack with 2 balls of yarn, a basic sock pattern, & 4 metal, size 2.50mm dpn's. Its a cheaper brand but I havn't had any problems with it and made several other pairs of socks from this brand. It was a last 'panic' stock up on sock yarn from my previous visit back to the UK in December, from my favourite wool shop 'Ann Louise' in Portsmouth.
Knitting Needle Size Pattern requires 2.00mm but I used 2.25mm, partly because I'm a tight knitter and usually go up a size,but also because I couldn't find my size 2's ! The dreaded needle eating sofa monster !

HEADLINES

This is just a quicky as I'm running out of time tonight for updating my blog as I've left it so long for all the bits and bobs happening during the last week, so here's a snipet of blog bits to come soon...

Ravelry Meet Up... with Kim from Saudi Stitchers

Joining a Quilters club

Piano & Recorder Lessons ... oh I bet you just can't wait !

& my wonderful prize winnings from 'Brownberry Yarns' (won via the 'Let's Knit' competition.

My First Socks from the Toe Up

This is my first attempt at knitting socks from the toe up using the figure of 8 cast-on method. I am knitting this pair as part of the 'Socks from the Toe Up' by Wendy Johnson, KAL on Ravelry.

I'm pleased with my first part of the sock and the sock is flying off the circulars. Again this is the first time I've used circulars and 2 of them at one time for that matter. It wasn't a smooth learning curve as I had to frog my practise piece 5 times but I got it in the end. Its just getting the position of the needles and then the tension to keep the toe tight enough. Once that's mastered the rest seems so easy that I just don't know why I put it off for so long.

I love the idea that there are no stitches to pick up for the heel but will see how that works when I get to it...which won't be long now.

Sock Wars IV Update

Wednesday 3rd June
I'm still here ! Not sure for how much longer but my nemesis that was 'Thorsgirl' is no more...Yayyyyy

I've a new assassin so I'm keeping a good lookout for any suspicious mail. Its now the weekend so I know I'm safe for a couple more days so can relax and watch the destruction going on around me. At the last count I think there were only 143 left alive so maybe I'll make it thru to the end.

I have one kill so am very pleased with myself. My target 'Padiham Knitter' was a worthy target and I took no pleasure in her destruction, but it had to be done.

I'm keeping a stealthy eye open for some SIP's (socks in progress) from Padiham's target, so lets see what arrives first. If its the SIP's then I need to be swift and get them onto their target immediately and hope for the best that the socks with my name on them don't get me too soon, so that I can have another kill to my name.

A Very Comforting Sound

This is probably the main sound associated with the muslim world and I originally would be woken up (and still do at times) at sunrise (around 3-3.30am), then again 20 minutes later, then 6.30am and again 20 mins later, then 11.30am and so on for 6 times aday. I also didn't think I'd ever get used to it, but I have and not only that I have grown so accustomed to the, now, familiar and hauntingly beautiful 'call to prayer' that I really do find it rather relaxing and find it a rather comforting sound now.

When we are away from Saudi I even find I miss it ... which is how I felt on a recent trip to Bahrain and couldn't wait to get back to Saudi and back to wearing the abaya and hearing the call to prayer. Oh dear a long cry from the early days, even though now its getting unbearably hot in the abaya (yesterday it hit around 118 o/F walking around the town) and again today its around 118o/F

Anyway listen for yourself, its only a few seconds worth, a very short snippet to show just how much a part of daily life it is and also how loud it is. There is me, my husband and my son and we are all talking but our voices are drowned out by the 'call to prayer'. Bare in mind that this is just one mosque loud speaker at the end of the prayer time, its even louder when they're all going.

EAP: There are much better recordings of the call to prayer which you can find on 'You Tube' but this is a short personalised clip.

Socks From The Toe Up

I received my book by Wendy Johnson a couple of days ago (almost 7 weeks I think waiting) but hadn't been able to get started on learning any of the new methods for casting on for a toe up sock due to the Sock Wars which I am now in a bit of a 'lull', 'quiet before the (desert) storm'. So Last night I pulled out those circular's and gave it my best shot.Now I'd been putting this off as I thought it was going to be so complicated but I'm pleased to report that it was really quite simple to follow the instructions for the 'Figure-Eight Toe' cast on. I feel ready to get started and will do so for the 'Socks From The Toe Up KAL' on Ravelry which starts on, 1st June. In the meantime I'll try a couple of other cast-on methods so I am ready to do all of the fabulous patterns from the book.