Knitting in public (transport)

On Saturday I headed off to deepest, darkest Croydon to help Felix celebrate her birthday.

This is what my journey would look like if you could put the whole thing into the tfl journey planner. Note the sneaky pit-stop at Liberty on the way back.



Of course a journey that long does allow you to get a lot of knitting done. I cast on for a Pomatomus sock in the Old Maiden Aunt sock yarn from Ravelry day on the first train. By the time I'd drunk two-thirds of a pint of beer at Felix's i had this much.



And by the time I reached home again I'd completed two whole repeats of the pattern.



I love how the scaly pattern looks in this yarn and I love how the yarn looks in this pattern - they're really a great match.

We set up a mini-knitting circle at Felix's party with myself, Gemma and Ruth and later Kirsty and Felix herself whenever she could spare time from being the birthday girl.



Ruth knitting a 'round the world' hat.



Felix photographing the ball of yarn cake.



Felix being serenaded by brass quintet.

It was a lovely afternoon with good ale, a lavish barbecue, and two kinds of trifle - fabulous.

I had to leave around quarter past five but quickly realized that I wasn't going to make the 6:20 train and so made the best of it by making a stop off in Oxford Circus to visit Liberty and John Lewis (only because Liberty doesn't have zippers). I came away with some lovely Amy Butler fabric and a Cabot halter pattern.



It's not actually a Cabot halter - it's a bit more than that and I'm thrilled with how it's turned out. Proper pictures on Wednesday when I'll be wearing it to the Encaenia* garden party. I only hope that I haven't put the mockers on the weather in the same way that I did for Ravelry day by making something specially for the occasion.

* Oxford University's honorary degree ceremony.