Back again...

Long time, no blog; once I got back to work after Easter it was full steam ahead there for the last couple of weeks before recess, and I was spending evenings getting ready for a long weekend away at my folks' - for my nephew's baptism and to visit my lovely cousins in Hexham. Here's a pic of my brother, sister-in-law and Baby A in the church - the shawl was much admired by the ladies of the parish. Baby A himself was so unimpressed by the whole business that he slept straight through his baptism, but woke up to observe a huge buffet and a beautiful cake... [At the precise moment this picture was taken though, he'd discovered the pocket in his trousers, which was obviously much more interesting than the cake his Auntie Catherine had decorated so well...]

Not a lot of knitting was done last month - but I did get one very long-term present finished. Over the last couple of years I've completely lost the urge to stitch, but I started this for my cousin Kevin's wedding to Kate which, as the observant will note, happened just over two years ago...

So long ago was it, in fact, that they've been way more productive than me, and now have this little chap, Baby O... in a hat knitted by his mum (who's on the waiting list for Ravelry...)

We had a lovely couple of days mooching around Hexham (despite having to shelter in the bandstand because of hail!), and a very nice lunch at Bouchon - Baby O got breadsticks and pieces of pepper while we ate duck gizzards, sea bream and Toulouse sausages...

All the knitting I'm making progress on is for other people, and secret - or in the post to its destination... Except this:

Embossed Leaves sock by Mona Schmidt, from Favorite Socks, in the current Rocking Sock Club yarn (STR mediumweight, in "Lucky") - I've been looking for the right yarn for this pattern for a while... For the first time ever, I may have SSS with this pair - my brain and hands find the cast-on extraordinarily difficult, although the result is very good. I'm going to have to take it on my daily commute - if it's the only thing I have to knit, I'll get on with it...

I haven't been completely hermit-like after work though - the lighter nights have perked me up somewhat, as usual, so my colleague B and I have been over to IKnit a couple of times - last Thursday night's was so busy that Gerard borrowed my camera to document the sheer number of knitters ...

including a couple of familiar faces...

It was great. Am hoping to be there again on Wednesday, at Ely on Thursday and in Hove on Friday - have yarn, will travel...