Bicycle Adventures and Other Things
New finished object… Nice big, soft, warm jumper for me. Already packed away for a triumphant return in cooler weather.
Pattern: #whatamansweater by @nynneeh
Yarn: Pura Lana + Cashmere Lace by @gepardgarn from @myivoryroom – thank you Valentina for help with yarn selection
Needles: @hiyahiyaeurope sharps
Coffee and chat: The @knittingsos crew
I’ve written a detailed account of my attempt at riding the 2022 Transcontinental Race on a Brompton, which you can find here:
https://www.jameshouston.com/tcr/
Make sure you click on the lolly at the top of the homepage 🙂
A simple blue cardigan. This is the #yourscardigan pattern released this week by Naoko Ogawa @atelierknits_strandsoflife
It’s very comfortable and will be perfect for the cooler Autumn days. This is the first time I’ve done test-knitting (knitting a pattern before it is published) and the process went really smoothly. Test knitting also gives a deadline for motivation to keep knitting.
Knitted with West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite wool/silk blend in Regal 438. Size 6, on HiyaHiya needles.
In the early hours of last Friday morning, in Burgas, Bulgaria, I succesfully completed Transcontinental #8 ultra-endurance bicycle race. I arrived at the final checkpoint 25 days, 5 hours, and 43 minutes after setting off from Geraardsbergen, Belgium.
On Saturday at 5pm, I finished the Pan Celtic Race 2022 ultra endurance bicycle race.
I really wasn’t sure how it would go. My training had tailed off in the 3 months prior to the race. But I got the bike ready and packed the same as in the previous races – with a lot of spares and tools in case of mechanicals – as my top goal was to finish the thing.
But I pushed quite hard on this one, with more of a race mentality. So I maximised my day lengths by sleeping less, trying to be efficient at stops, and went at as reasonable pace as I could sustain.
View my photos I took during the race here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jameshouston/albums/72177720309492378/
I will be taking part in the Pan Celtic Ultra Endurance Race from 10 July 2022.
Another finished object! This one’s special as it’s for me 😂
Karin at the brilliant Beautiful Knitters yarn shop in Pimlico kindly gave me her own pattern for a tie, which I’ve knitted up in Positive Ease pure merino using HiyaHiya sharp circulars.
I followed the pattern mostly, but inadvertently went a bit off-piste for the main front section of the tie, as I didn’t add end-of-row purl stitches. It turned out ok as it gave those edges a rounded finish which I think looks quite nice.
The yarn has a really great (but difficult to capture!) colour and shine to it, and has a good weight and elasticity to it when knitted, so the tie hangs nicely, as well as being soft and silky.
I haven’t blocked the tie yet as I rushed to get it finished in time to wear to an event.
It was the 50 year anniversary of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars record release yesterday, so I thought it was a good time to visit some of the places in London with Bowie connections.
Thanks Andrew for joining me in this enjoyable quest, which ended up in Soho, where we enjoyed Simon Goddard’s enjoyable and informational ‘Bowie Odyssey 72’ book launch at 21 Soho Square.
The more you read, the more there is to know. I need to do some more research and then will revisit!
1. Bowie mural, Tolworth
2. David Bowie’s birthplace, Brixton
3. Group photo, Bromley
4. Recreation of same
5. Bowie bandstand, Beckenham
6. Book launch
7. Ziggy album cover
8. Recreation of same
A woollen sweater, nicely timed for summer 😅
Inspired by Icelandic Afmæli patterns, in blue representing Shetland, this design by Barbara Cheyne is the first piece of Fair Isle knitting I’ve done. I was drawn to this Vegar Jumper design as I think it looks elegant, especially in the cool blue and grey colours.
Pictures of the process are available in the story highlights on my profile.
If you have any suggestions for future projects, please get in touch.
Pattern: Vegar Jumper by @cheynebarbara via Shetland Wool Adventures Journal Vol. 03.
Yarn: Shetland Spindrift from Jamieson’s of Shetland
Needles: HiyaHiya sharp interchangeables
