A ship in a bottle

I love the latest exhibit on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. Nelson's Ship in a Bottle looked fabulous in the sunshine yesterday and you couldn't have a more appropriate location for it. It's the closest Lord Nelson's been to his ship in 200 years.

Knit One (and Other)

On Monday evening I went to see One and Other (aka "the plinth") in Trafalgar Square in company with Felix, Lara, Brenda Dayne and a bunch of other knitters. We were all there to see Marian Cinnamond who was up there knitting on what looked like a sleeve between 6 and 7pm.



It was such a delight to meet Brenda who is the host of Cast-On my favourite knitting podcast. I've been listening to Brenda's while I knit for around four years now so it seemed perfectly normal to be sat alongside her in Trafalgar Square in the sunshine knitting and watching her swatch for another Liesl.



Felix was also swatching but on the gigantic needles with the ultra-chunky Swaledale rope yarn from Prick Your Finger.



Lara braved the very mucky floor and knit on her sock.



It was really fantastic to see the people on the plinth and to feel all the energy and enthusiasm around the project. If you're in London in the next couple of months I really urge you to take an hour and head over there - it's really inspiring. In fact I was so inspired that I've just signed up for the ballot now.

It's not a race, but am I winning?

Felix and I were going head to head on our surprise projects last night in the pub. I was about 4 hours knitting-time behind her but Felix is working a larger size, with mods which means more ripping-out potential. Is it enough to compensate for (as Felix put it) my handicap of a nine-to-five job?



I'm about 6 rows (and they're long rows) from the end which might mean that I get to do the astound-your-friends flipping it right side out bit at work. That would be cool. The only downside about this whole project is it's taking far less yarn than I thought it would - so much for a stashbuster!*

In other news I plan to be in Lun-don on the evening of Monday July 13th when not one, but two knitters will be doing their fibre thing up on the 4th Plinth. I can't stick around for the second slot between 10 and 11 due to boring things like last buses but I'll be there between 6 and 7 for sure.

* but this is fine really because this yarn would make an a-ma-zing sideways garter stitch scarf for someone this Christmas. Lucky I like my garter stitch.

Tea and garter stitch

Both very soothing and very much required to counteract the tension of the Murray-Roddick semi-final. I'm knitting the flower to send to Anne Makepeace who will be knitting, and sewing knitted flowers onto a blanket on the fourth plinth on Sunday July 26th. I'm gutted that Murray lost, Roddick just played too well, but there's always the US Open and it will still be a splendid final on Sunday.

Project lunchbox* - week 1 review

After a very helpful discussion with Felix and Lara on the subject last Sunday I was inspired to pack my own lunch every day this week (I never usually manage this). The trick, apparently is to prepare things the night before whilst cooking dinner.



Monday - potato salad with green beans
Tuesday - rigatoni in amatriciana sauce
Wednesday - M&S style fruity cous cous
Thursday - left over pork pie and pickled onion from the pub (this feels slightly like cheating but I'm going with it)
Friday - cous cous with red pepper, onion, sultanas and basil (above)

If anyone has any particularly exciting ways with cous cous that they'd like to share, I'd be thrilled to hear about them.

* I find that I stick at things better if I give them a title and commit to them in public.