Nigeno unplugged

Hey all!

A few days ago my marvellous kit was delivered from Quietus, and life has just been so busy I haven’t had time to give it the proper write-up it deserves. And because life is going to stay busy for the next week or so, I’m making this special verse-free post, to facilitate the voicing of my praise without the limiting contrivance of a poetic shroud.

So, here it is! Firstly in all its red-and-silver glory (click photos to enlarge):

And then, unveiled for the world to see:

This kit contains so much great stuff! Firstly Quietus had written me a poem, a gesture that really adds a personal note and makes the kit all the more special. Then came the goodies! First and foremost the hat and mitts set, which arrived just in time for the cold weather here in the Netherlands:

Quietus did a great job choosing contrasting colours for the hat, which I love. The mitts fit perfectly, and the cables are very elegant! Both have been doing a great job keeping me warm in the snowy weather over the last couple of days. Next, the yarn:

This photo really doesn’t do justice to the colours, with its delicious browns and caramels. The colours suit me perfectly (several people have already commented on that fact!), and merino/nylon blends are my favourite. Yay! Quietus also sent me two patterns: the Socktopia “Fawkes” socks, and Kristi & Kristi’s “Gentleman Socks”. Both patterns look great, and I can’t wait to try them.

Jelly Belly! My favourite American candy, and tons of them! I think I’ll mix them all up in a bowl and share them at New Year’s. Plus there were some m&m’s and another chocolate bar in the shape of a million bucks, but they’re already all gone now . I also got a “Great works of Cow literature” calendar:

This page is from December, representing Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Cowbell”. Other selections include “The Three Brisketeers”, “Bulliver’s Travels” and “Mooby Dick”. Hilarious! The remaining items in the kit were a wooden geometric puzzle (identical to one that I used to play with as a child but never solved), a book of Sudoku puzzles (which come in very handy on Sunday mornings), and a Ravenclaw pennant sticker.

Quietus, thank you so much for a  great kit. I know you had lots of other things on your mind during the swap, and I very much appreciate all the effort you went to! Hope your kit is everything you dreamed of, and I also wish you and the other swap members a very merry Christmas, and all the best for the new year.

Eugene.

Get your kit off

My kit is sent! I’m sooooo ecstatic!
But since this week has been insane,
And I’m exhausted, thoughts erratic,
I’ll keep this post to one quantrain.
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I see the kits are now arriving!
Excitement/expectations soar,
And now I feel like I’ve been skiving,
As Fleur’s kit’s still here on my floor.
But not to worry: this week’s mission’s
To organise a few additions
(Some special extras),  then I may
Send Lensky winging on his way!
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Slow and steady (again)

The reason that I’ve not been blogging
(For those of you who’ve wondered why)
Is: lately all I’ve done is frogging!
My knitting’s going all awry!
The only thing that’s been successful
(And, gladly, made my life less stressful)
Is all my spoilee’s knitting – that,
At least, is better than the hat
I’ve cast on now three times already.
The first time I’d misjudged the size.
The second time, to my surprise,
I dropped a stitch. Now, slow and steady,
The third attempt is on the go -
But double-knitting’s oh-so-slow!

Ensimmäinen laulu

“Setäni arvo siitä voittaa,
kun tauti hääti leikin pois:
nyt kaikki häntä kunnioittaa.
Paremmin eipä olla vois!
On esikuva muille hyvä,
mut mulle, taivas, piina syvä:
yöt päivät luona istu vaan
ees poistumatta tuumaakaan.
On kurjaa ulkokultaisuutta
puol’kuolleen luona hääriä,
kohottaa, peittää, kääriä
ja lääkettä ain’ antaa uutta.
Ei ihme, vaikka huoahtais:
periä piru sinut sais!”

Slow and steady

This week, my knitting’s going slowly.
Just like some awful twist of fate,
Designs just go against me wholly,
And simply won’t co-operate.
The pattern for my spoilee’s present,
Though well-designed and rather pleasant,
Turned out too small when knit at gauge,
And then too big. (Perceive my rage?)
The third attempt is going steady,
And should be perfect once it’s done.
My latest socks, however – fun?
I’ve started seven times already!
But, though I love a cracking pace,
It’s slow and steady wins the race.

Animalia 2

As Quidditch starts, and mounting tension
Takes over every waking thought,
There’s one more thing I’d like to mention
To help my spoiler (as I ought).
A look through these preceding pages
Reveals that I’m an Animagus,
Which means I have a beastly form
Unlike the human wizard norm.
The beast of land or sea or feather
Whose form I take is in this clue;
Check out my Ravelry (my queue)
And put these two (and two) together!
That should be all that you require
To find the creature I admire.

Homework

Please find below this week’s assignment:
A player here who shares my craft
Is Enna Kirts (she’s all refinement);
S. Mooney, captain of her draft,
Was born (like me) in bleak December;
E. Gorodok’s a non-Dutch member;
A brand new player’s Stella Quinn;
L. Wychwood in five swaps has been!
P. Phelps’s stash my stash is beating;
H. Bagnold knits, and crochets too;
My favourite colours (green and blue)
Are shared by my spoilee, Ms Sweeting.
And now, my homework done, I’ll go
And give them all a brief hello!

1. Someone with the same craft as you (either those listed above or another one).
2. Someone who was born in the same month.
3. Someone from a different country.
4. A new HSKS Quidditch player.
5. A player who has been in 3 or more HSKS swaps.
6. A player who has a bigger stash than you! (And if your stash is the biggest, proudly say so!)
7. A player who both knits and crochets.
8. Someone who has the same favorite color as you.

Wish list

My salutations, Quidditch players!
I’m glad to be among your kind,
With wizards, witches, dragon-slayers,
And others with a sporting mind.
But ere I join ye wizards/witches
For fun times on the Quidditch pitches,
My wish-list really ought to be
My number-one priority.
So here’s the buzz on what I favour:
My fav’rite colors: greens and blues;
Rich blends, and complementary hues
(Like green and red). My fav’rite flavours
Are ginger, chocolate, cardamom,
And local things from where you’re from.

In terms of all things fragrant (smelly),
The citrus is my fav’rite smell.
My fav’rite sweets are Jelly Belly
(Though Bertie Botts I like as well).
And now the nitty-gritty: fibre!
I’m quite the natural subscriber
(A ‘yarn snob’, sadly, some would say)
So natural fibres all the way.
The one I use the most? Merino;
I like a soft alpaca twine;
Spun silk gives off a lovely shine;
These three in blends are so Nigeno!
Synthetic blends for socks are cool,
And handspun yarn just makes me drool!

My natural bent applies, moreover,
To needles too; I love the wood
Of Knit Picks Harmonies, and Clover
Makes bamboo that are just as good.
But ebony is also pleasant,
(Here comes a notion for a present!)
A six-inch set is on my list,
Size double-O.  (Do these exist?)
I can crochet, but knit by preference;
I spin as well, have woven too,
Love mathematics through and through,
And worship Zimmermann in deference.
Have any questions? Write to me!
(As long as it’s in rhyme – hihi!)

Attention Spoilers!

Today, through awful wind and weather,
An owl flew in far from her nest -
Exhausted, limp, and torn of feather,
I brought her in so she could rest.
But seconds after her alightment
I almost died from sheer excitement,
For then I saw the package she
Had carried was addressed to me!
My spoiler’s package! Yes! Fantastic!
I grabbed a knife and made a start
At pulling the whole box apart,
Then reconsidered – no, too drastic.
I’ll grab my camera, take it slow,
And make a little video.

I LOVE the bag! It’s sooooooo amazing!
It’s all that I’d been dreaming of!
And no amount of lyric praising
Could e’er express how much I LOVE
This bag. The colours – manly, muted;
The workmanship is indisputed;
The strap, the lining, pockets, size -
A wond’rous sight for knitters’ eyes!
Old canvas tote, begone! I curse you!
Good riddance to your crumpled weave.
But if you thought that I would leave
This ode at just one lousy verse, you
Had better think again – for now
It’s time to look inside… and WOW!

A knitter’s haven! Blesséd heavens!
My knitter’s haven! Oh my Lord,
I’m all at sixes and at sevens
Just looking at this knitter’s hoard!
Let’s start with fibre: gorgeous roving
In vivid colours, quite behoving!
They’re just the colours I would choose:
Such brilliant, deep and noble hues.
The sock yarn’s also quite befitting,
The bronze and blue of Ravenclaw,
And hand-dyed – who could want for more?
I know which yarn I’ll soon be knitting!
That plane trip to Australia now
Just doesn’t seem so dull, somehow.

But I digress – more package waiting!
The needles (Knit Picks Harmony)
She sent were great! I’m celebrating!
The pattern’s just my cup of tea:
Kate Blackburn’s Hareton Socks, and rather
A good idea for my own father!
And even the accessory
Liz chose was perfect just for me -
These tubes for double-pointed needles.
I’ve wanted these for ages! How
Could you have known? Amazing. Wow.
I ought to learn from one who wheedles
So artfully and on the sly -
I doubt I’d even dare to try.

But still the package isn’t finished!
Its goodness is still flowing out
Abundantly and undiminished,
And so too must my verse, devout.
Ms Wychwood’s curried all my favour
With shameless, cruel assaults of flavour:
With ginger bicsuits, chocolate treats
And Hagrid’s pocket Muggle sweets.
With scent she’s also proved alluring,
With gels for shower, shaving and
Deodorant for men – how grand!
So I’ll be smelling lovely, during…
SuDoku puzzles (Killer style)!
They’ll keep me entertained a while.

A precious knitted sock and sweater
I’ll hang upon the Christmas tree.
Liz couldn’t have done any better
Than this, her final gift to me:
A knitting journal, for designing,
For records, notes, ideas, (pining!)
So practical and full of style,
I’d wanted one for quite a while.
And now the only act remaining
Is to express my gratitude -
Alas, these words are far too crude -
My happiness defies explaining.
That’s why the best kit, I declare,
Should go to Lizzie – fair and square.

Eugene.