Koigu excitement - my first two skeins and first project

 Hi, now I have had KOIGU merino 4 ply KPPM yarn on my wishlist for many years now and finally having had to spend an absolute fortune on my darling dog for her spinal surgery I thought why not?!
So I ordered my first ever two skeins from the skein queen colours as above.
I fell for both but the right hand one #160 will go to brighten up my new navy/white map coat for winter so I bought some navy katia merino baby 4 ply in navy from Masons in Abingdon and set to starting a cowl.

 I decided on broomstick lace , simple 6 st repeats with plain rows of navy half trebles worked in one loop only. I tried a 25mm broomstick but it seemed too large so am now working with a 15 mm one.

 Showing simple broom stick picking up the loops technique here. Hook through both navy loops,

 Grab Koigu yarn and pull through.

 Place loop onto broomstick or in this case a large knitting needle.

 and repeat until all loops picked up.

Then you simply work double crochets into a group- 6-7 in this case- of loops as you take them off the knitting needle again. A recently crocheted off row looks like the top row in this photo below:

I have decided on 3 rows broom stick with Koigu then 2 rows half treble (UK terms) with the navy merino. Using a 3.5mm hook. It's just so pretty isn't it? The colours are amazing, marvellous.

I will wait to see how far the yarn of one skein goes, I may order more if there is not enough.
But so far am very pleased with the results visually and it is also sublimely soft! RESULT.

Tower Bridge Day in London

We had a day out in London in August to visit Tower Bridge and to have dinner at the Shard, what a special day! This is a catch up, it happened what seems like a long time ago now.
The girls for some reason had similar outfits, nice to see JJ so relaxed.

We parked near the Tower of London, not been there before, then an easy walk to Tower Bridge.

City Hall, how I love to visit that building, it has amazing views and a superb spiral staircase inside

I like these mesh lions. First seen when I went to visit the sea of poppies last year?!

Traitor's gate I believe with the murky waters of the Thames washing up the steps to the Tower of London.

The Shard dominating the skyline.

Views from Tower Bridge.

Touristy blurb about bridges etc. We had to move fast as the girls were not impressed and hoped to go shopping soon.

Albert Bridge used to be a favourite of mine aged 14. So elegant and prettily lit up at night.

And of course I remember walking the Millenium bridge when it was still wobbling, before they fixed that issue of resonance and the twisting.

I love this turquoise and white and the grids and straight lines...

 The triangle window view amid all that metal.

 Loving the framing.

 London with all those cranes, this used to mean prosperity, but does it still?
 Not liking the dominance of the walkie talkie building. Prefer St Paul's.

 Moses Bridge: look closely! It's quite weird but intriguing. Walking between water instead of above it.

 Glasspanels in the over pass, had to demonstrate that feeling of height.

 Little size 3 ( European 36) feet... Jeffery clan inherited bunion and crossover toes, luckily only one foot, mum had it badly for both feet. My left foot must be dad's.

 Glass panels even for little scooters to scoot across.

 Yay, both together and not with our feet or heads cut off....

Bit of poetry to end with, there's more in a next post but this is enough for now.
Nursing Lucy and she'll need WC trips or physio again real soon. Brilliant that she's home again though. But she's got a long long way to go yet.