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In fast motion...
as this it seems to me a bit at the moment. I just looked forward to Friday afternoon and the start of the weekend, now it is Sunday and tomorrow at half past five the alarm clock will pitiless claim to get up:
Unfortunatly I'm a bit sagging at the moment... but knitting works and so I can report the finalization of a Christmas present.
This
Bonbon I
'Baby Cable Rib' from Charlene Schurch 'Sensational knitted socks'
Opal 'Blues' 6ply are the snuggle socks in the 'Creative Package' for my Mum. Apropos snuggle socks: The both Cornwalls and the autumn flowers finally arived at their receipient in London. She was absolutly thrilled and it was a lot of fun to read that. L'Aubergine didn't grow on the other hand. And for a little while I needed the needles for another project. I really wanted to knit something for myself and so I startet on Friday Saturday (from new) 'Amethyst' after a pattern from Drops, a sleeveless pullover in a form, which is very popular at the moment and which I like very much. I choosed the yarn 'Bel Air' from the ggh:  And yesterday I also opend the this year handicraft shop floor. It's time now, last year for this time I was finished!  I wish you all a good start into the new week!
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Report of the Week
The week startet with a long dentist-session and ended with a real highlight, particularly the visit yesterday in Hamburg.
During the week, L'Aubergine grew a bit:
 Well, yesterday I went to Hamburg. The reason was a special knitting meeting of some Hanseatic Knitters (Ravelry-Group). The Hamburger Wollfabrik had their autumn special sale and so this was the first meeting point. The train ride was a bit hard (I only say soccer...) but afterwards I met at the main station some of the participants, amongs others my dear friend Gesche (only German). On the trip I finished the first part of my mothers Christmas Socks:  A bus and a short walk brought us really fast to our destination. There we met some other participants, and further ones came a bit later, too. Alone or in pairs we started our way through the halls full of colourfull yarns. Some bought more, some less... and even two where strong enough to resists any of the shown temptations. My bought was more modest, one reason was, that I couldn't really decided, which yarn to choose for one of the planned bigger projects. 
Yarnmix in Blue
100% Merino very fine for a Lace-Shawl
Sockyarn, very soft and nice to knit After everyone was happy with her boughts, the group devided itself on the available cars and we went to the 'Skipper', a restaurant on a ponton in a part of Hamburgs harbour. There we met another knitter and now the whole group knitted, chatted, marvelled and had a nice... late lunch. Close to half past five the time was over for me and some others. At the main station each went it's own way and I started my way home. A wonderful day layed behind me, with many new nice acquaintances, so i met the first time Tinapersonally. I really hope, that I will have sometimes the possibility to participate at such an event... although Hamburg is not so far, sometimes it's even too far. Today here we have a real nice Autumn Day. But soon the sun will go down, and I think I will sit down later with one of my knitting projects. Tomorrow the new week will start.
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I'm still alive
and so I have to show a lot of pictures. But I have to tell, that it's not only my fault... I wanted to post last Sunday but Wordpress, where I have my German blog was so slow so it wouldN#t have been much fun to start.
So, let's start...
For example I finished the Autumn-Flowers:
Autumn-Flowers
River Rapids from Sockbug
Handgefaerbt Autumn-Subscription These socks will travel to London, together with the Cornwall-Socks. In the end my acquaintance there couldn't resist the thought of cosy warm socks and is really looking forward to them. But the Autumn-Flowers will be a surprise for here, I didn't show it to her. For her little son I knitted in two days Cornwall-Minis from the rest of the Cornwall-Yarn. 
Cornwall-Mini
Par 5 motives matching 48 stitches
Handgefaerbt Merino extra As I needed here only 48 stitches I took the ribbing and the cable from the original pattern and arranged them so that they match the lower count of stitches and rows. Here both pairs together:  After a busy weekend I finished on time the Birthday-Shawl for my colleague Inge. She was very delighted about it and wanted to send my again to the Bremen Christmas ferry...... 
'Square Dance'
Pattern from Birgit Freyer 'WollLust'
Uru-Yarn, bought at the 'Rewollution And than, last Saturday, I had a attack of starteritis... the weather was fine, Arne was on the road and I sat outside on the balcony and started several projects. However I have to admit, that only one of this projects has been finished in the way I started it, it's this one: 
Northcoast
'Slipped Stitch Rib' Charlene Schurch 'Knitting sensational socks'
6ply, unknown seller These sneakers will be a present for my friend Birgitta, who is not able to wear normal socks but needs something against cold feet. The parcel will start it's travel soon, too.  These socks will be a Christmas present for my mother. First started in the 'Elongated Corded Rib' from Charlene Schurch, I frogged it a bit and changed to the 'Baby Cable Rib', which I like much more.  The yarn for these socks I found a few time again. This must be from one of my first 'Wolldrachen' orders... I started the socks in the 'Baby Cable Rib', and decided then, that first, this pattern would fit very well to my Mothers Christmas-Socks and second, that I could start again the 'Socks of Kindness' as the yarn is a bit more thinner than usual. Unfortunatly the sock became too wide... so I had to frog again and choosed a pattern from the 'Vintage Socks' from Nancy Bush, the little shells. This fits perfect and I like it. As the socks have no special recipient, at the moment they are just a rucksack-project.  Last but not least this project. A shawl from the book 'Victorian Lace Today', knitted with 'Kid Light' from Schachenmayr, a yarn, which unfortunatly has been run out. As I had much problems with the central part, I started it new and have made a small change, which makes it much easier. The yarn is so soft and very cosy in a very dark aubergine-tone. Yesterday I received some fantastic books... among others from Alice Starmore 'The Celtic Collection' and 'Fishermen's Sweaters'. I'm blown away, so many beautiful patterns... why isn't it possible to reprint the Aran-book once again and sell it to a reasonable price?
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Report of the Week
This week I was still allowed to knit my socks. With this gorgeous Merinoyarn from Handgefaerbt. It was so much fun sashayed from the needles. They were finished on Thursday evening:
Cornwall
Par 5 Socks from Strickpraxis (changed)
Handgefaerbt Merino extra Hint: The blog is on German, but you can download English translations of the patterns. Against the instructions I knitted the socks with a turnover and made the cables a bit different. After a longer while (in September it fell out) I set out yesterday for Hamburg. One hour earlier than usual as directly at Hamburgs Main Station I was picked up by my friend Gesche and we drove on to Pinneberg (a small town outside Hamburg) to the storesale of the German yarn company ggh. We spend there around an hour and perhaps our output is rather modest  (In the appropriate Ravelry-group it was written, that some ladies left this store with bin liners full of yarn and other items). But it was so much fun (although from time to time new ideas whir through my mind, what could me made with this yarn or that colour...) and the jubilee discount of 25% at the end of the invoice (the company turns 25 years this year) was very nice. My purchase:  * 'Linova' in a nice orange... this was a special offer of 1€ per ball so I bought for an unknown summer project the whole parcel * 'Kid Melange' in super noble anthracite... I was desperate to try this yarn and the colour was a dream of elegance. It will be used for a lace-project. * 'Mystik' in a fantastic blue... just one of many beautiful colours. We spend a lot of time in front of this shelf and had many problems to decide what to take. I think to use these balls for a strait scarf with a lace pattern * Sock yarn was also added... one ball 'Hot Socks Othello' in purple colours and one ball 'Marathon Oxford' in the green variation * Last but not least a wonderful soft fleeceyarn. This will not stay here, after a remark of Arne I think about making a nice parcel of this yarn, a bamboo circular needle and a pair of socks to give it to my mother on Christmas (first I wanted to give it to her next week) Back at Hamburgs mainstation I purchased the winter edition of the Debbie Bliss magazine and the new Verena (a German magazine). After it we went to our friends with a little detour over a new shop we saw in the Moenckebergstrasse with fantastic spices (this time we bought nothing, but we stood there with big eyes, sniffing and marvelling... but next time with more time and free arms!) and we had a nice time together till we had to return to the station. Much driving in trains and suburban railway means a lot of time to knit. And so my current sock project grew well:  However at the moment they have been moved out of the eyes. As till the birthday scarf for my colleague is not finished, I'm not allowed to knit anything else.
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Algarve-Impressions (7)
Another quiet day... (Well, the tail of our days here passed much more relaxed than at the beginning).
We went to the Westcoast, to the cork oaks and the beach, Praia d'Amado. It's so fantastic and we spend some time there.
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Algarve-Impressions (6)
After that long day in Lisbon we allow the day to begin quietly. Nach dem langen Tag in Lissabon ließen wir es natürlich etwas ruhiger angehen. Having a goods night's rest, breakfast in peace and setting out veeeeery slow.
For example to Lagos. A little village with such a nice town center, which we haven't visit since our arrival.
After this, we went to the beach, but not to our part, more close to Lagos.
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Algarve-Impressions (5)
Someone, who voluntary sets his alarm at somwhere around four o'clock am on vacation must be absolut crazy. We did it that day because we went to Lisbon via bus. We bought the tickets the day before (to early for the desk and buying in the bus is not possible) and so we stand in the dark early morning at the bus terminal of Lagos.
In a modern comfortable overland bus we first went to Praia da Rocha, Portimão and Lagoa, before it went to the motorway to the North. I didn't see much of the beautiful sunrise: I felt asleep shortly behind Lagoa. Refreshed I woke up some times later... on the screen was a film  and we were somewhere in the Alentejo, I guess. More than three hours for one way is of course perfect for a book of Rebecca Gablé and so I put my nose deep into the first part of the Waringham-Trilogy (I don't know, if the books of this German author appear in English, also one of her favourite themes are the English Middle Ages. The direct translation of the title would be 'Fortunas Smile' and the German book has a bit more than 1000 pages).
Arriving Lisbon, first we had to buy some tickets to us the tube from and to the city centre. Arriving there, we decided to visit the Torre de Belém, what was not possible the last time.
So we went to the tram. We left a bit too early but this was absolut ok... first the tram was full to bursting and the walk was really nice. Very intelligent we left the Portugal guide at home (which contains Lisbon), otherwise we would have spend much more attention to the Hieronymits-Monastery 'Mosteiro dos Jerónimos de Belém'. So we went very fast to the emigration memorial 'Padrão dos Decobrimentos' at the waterside of the Tejo. It's not easy to take a picture of it. Before the memorial a map has been embedded with all the Portuges traces in the world. Unfortunatly the map is very popular.
For 2,50 € it is possible to use the elevator nearly till the top of the monument. The view is great, even on days when the weather is not perfect. But the is one bad thing: Small persons are discriminated! The brickwork balustrade is so high the I (1,53 cm) had really problems to look over it for a longer time. Nevertheless I made two films and some photos. Downstairs we went to the basement, where we took a look to the current exhibition and used the toilets.
Next was the Torre de Belém, a very nice fortress close to the mouth of the Tejo. We made some photos, but we didn't enter. An entree in unknown amount, cameras vorbidden and a queue... we where satisfied with the outside views and the model.
Back to the centre we went with a historical tram up in direction Alfama. What a fun! The streets are often so narrow and the little tram is so fast. We left at Sta. Luzia. This time we dind't walked up to the Mouraria (as last time), we went to the Miradouro da Graça. There is a little terrace with a little diner and some benches under mall trees. Here we made a little break and enjoyed the view over the city. And on this beautiful plaza I knitted a bit.
We went down, passing the Sé (cathedral). Arriving down at the Baixa, we strolled through the shopping streets, ate at McDonalds and whiles away the time until we had to get back to the bus. The trip back to Lagos ran uneventfully, I spend it busy reading, sometimes watching and in deep darkness we came back first to Lagos and then at the house.
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