Watching the Tour de France
Spoiled For Choice July 4, 2016
Do I watch Wimbledon or the Tour de France? Exciting days on the Tour and now at Wimbledon Andy Murray is about to play Nick Kyrios from Australia. Mark Cavendish’s winning sprint finish today was fantastic. It doesn’t get any closer than that. I find that Serena had a convincing win in her match. Now let’s root for Andy Murray.
Tour de France Spins Along July 9, 2009
This beautiful picture of the Tour de France cyclists appeared in the Irish Times this morning. There is something hypnotic about watching the cyclists pedalling along. Does the repetitive motion bear some similarity to knitting? I feel the compulsion of that repetitive motion when I try to knit as fast as they are cycling. I’m rooting for Nicholas Roche, nephew of Stephen Roche, the 1987 winner of the Tour de France. Stephen used to live just around the corner from us here in Dundrum.
All eyes, including ours, are on Lance Armstrong, now back on the Tour.
This book of beautiful photographs tells the story of Lance Armstrong’s 2004 Tour
Final Report – Tour de France KAL Projects August 2, 2007
Project 1 – Pinwheel blanket
Pinwheel blanket, a nice circle
Project 2 – Yellow tank top
Yellow tank top, waiting to be pressed
3. Medallion blanket
Medallion blanket at an early stage, compared with pinwheel blanket
Medallion blanket turns into a knitting disaster?
Medallion blanket, too many stitches, and it was never going to lie flat. Folded in half, can it morph into a neck pillow? Suggestions welcome.
A case of referred book reading July 29, 2007
Doctors talk of referred pain – well, this is a case of referred book reading. Jean’s mention of Kristin rereading The Egg and I by Betty Macdonald sent me to one of my bookcases to search for my copy. I don’t have it – but I do have Betty Macdonald’s Onions in the Stew which I see was set on one of the islands in Puget Sound near Seattle. A marvelously entertaining book, autobiographical, and first published in 1955.
On the shelf next to that book was Pleasure by the Busload by Emily Kimbrough and published in 1962. Another treasure. And that made me think of Our Hearts Were Young and Gay by Emily Kimbrough and Cornelia Otis Skinner. My mother and one of her sisters travelled to Europe together in 1932. They were followed by my two older sisters in 1950. Young and gay hearts indeed.
Jean mused about Stephen King and life in rural Maine. Well, I have recently read Linda Greenlaw’s The Lobster Chronicles which I enjoyed very very much. A modern picture of life in rural Maine. And for an older book, it’s not so long ago that I read Sarah Orne Jewett’s The Country of the Pointed Fir. For life in rural Maine 150 years ago, this is a classic.
Pictures to follow.
The Tour de France is over – a very exciting ending on the Champs Elysee. Now I have to finish the book I am reading about Lance Armstrong.
Elderly lady July 27, 2007
I guess I’m still hurting over Henrik of the Sea Stallion calling a 70 year old lady whom he met in Kirkwall “elderly”. Am trying to think of a good reply. Well, o.k. maybe I have to accept “elderly” but it doesn’t mean I’m folding up my knitting and sitting still. In some ways I would love to be 50 years younger and physically able for the Sea Stallion adventure. On the other hand, I don’t mind being a spectator – and I have had lots of wonderful experiences and still look forward to many more.
In addition to following the progress of the Sea Stallion, I am obsessed with the Tour de France and the Tour de France KAL. Only 1 more stage and then the final stage to Paris. I finished my first project for the Yellow Jersey,
Pinwheel blanket
am all but finished with my second project,
Front and back of yellow tank top.
and will still be working on the 3rd project when the race finishes. The 3rd project is well under way. 
This is another circular blanket in the making. Seems to be going more slowly than the pinwheel blanket shown in earlier posts. Either I am slowing up or the yarn is finer.
In keeping with the Tour de France KAL I have been doing a few sketches in my art class. Here are a couple of my efforts.
Cyclist under way
And another sketch, interrupted by a 10 minute monologue from another member of the class who wanted to tell me about her favourite cat “Bobbie”.
She thought I wanted to draw a cat – what I was trying to concentrate on was the chair. Work on the cat still has to be completed. The more she talked, the more I thought I would go back to bicycles. And then at the end of the class, the teacher thought my chair and cat were far better than my earlier efforts with bicycles. Oh well. Earlier in the morning Ian had suggested my theme for today should be the Highland Games which I had been reading about on another blog. – hmm, I thought, homegrown vegetables for the Home Industries competition. Another member of the class did come up with a very good watercolour of carrots – well worthy of an entry along with real carrots, if she were so inclined. Next week what will my subject be? Should I try sketches of people knitting? like the person I saw knitting on Cable One while the Sea Stallion was under tow across the North Sea?
Knitting along July 24, 2007
The knitting continues with the start of another project before finishing the last one. This is the start of another circular blanket. This time I am following a medallion pattern. All in the interests of stash reduction and the Tour de France KAL
I have all but finished the yellow tank top – just have the sewing up to do.
And my other project on the needles is the border for Hodge Podge 4.
That’s the knitting update. For lawn bowling and reading news – well, some wins, some losses. The Book Group’s choice for Thursday night is A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes. What a wonderful book – a modern classic first published in 1929. I look forward to the discussion.
Looking for ideas July 19, 2007
Leigh Tate’s blog about her weaving on her new Glimakra loom has inspired me to have another look at some material I wove a while ago. 
Now I’m looking for suggestions as to what to make – the material is woven with rug wool – I could sew 2 few panels together to make a blanket. Or I could make curtains. Or cushion covers?
Meanwhile I continue with the yellow tank top for the Tour de France Knitalong. A generous friend found some more of the yellow wool in her stash and she sent it to me. It’s slightly lighter in colour – maybe the yellow I had went through the dye twice. It will be fine – just means the back (or the front) of the tank top will be slightly paler.
A burst of enthusiam July 17, 2007
Having finished the pinwheel blanket, I have felt inspired to finish a few other projects lurking in the almost completed pile. Here are some of the results. a crocheted knee rug, 3 rugs, a bolt of cloth, pictures to follow. All this activity inspired by the Tour de France Knitalong. I see that I didn’t win a prize in the KAL draw on yesterday’s rest day – but I did win my lawn bowling match – so that was a plus for the day.
The yellow tank top is coming along well – about 3/4 of the back. The other knitting project in my enthusiasm for finishing is to sew in the ends and do a border for my knitted blanket Hodge Podge 4. Pictured below are Hodge Podge 3 and Hodge Podge 4.
Hodge Podge 3 
Hodge Podge 4
Yellow tank top on Stage 8 Day of the Tour de France July 15, 2007
Here’s my next project for the Tour de France Knitalong – the baby tank top knit in naturally dyed yellow. I’m about 6 inches along – I’ve shown it with a couple of completed baby items. The yarn, 100 % Irish wool, originally white but dyed with weld. The mordant we used was alum. I’m not sure whether I will introduce other colours or not as I get further along.
The colour yellow is one of my favourites and I have a yen to knit a gansey for myself in a nice yellow. The baby tank top project is part stash reduction – must reduce my stash before buying any more yarn – will see at what point my resolution weakens and I order some Norwegian Heilo in an attractive yellow.
One other semi-knitting related item – I’m reading a very good book by David Kennard, A Shepherd’s Watch – through the seasons with one man and his dogs in North Devon.
And a sketch I did the other day in art class of a Stage winner in the Tour de France.
Janet's thread 
