A 5-minute video giving an overview of a recent project to program an inkplate4 Tempera e-paper device to show me the live times of my local trains. It works well and e-paper is a suitable medium as I’m only refreshing the display once per minute. Watch the video here:
James Houston
More wool certifications
I gained two more certifications in wool from Woolmark Learning Centre – ‘Introduction to wool processing‘ and ‘Sustainability and wool‘. It’s a really useful resource for learning about wool. 🐑
Everyday Sweater
I can’t believe I actually finished a jumper not in summer for once.
This is the #everyday_sweater pattern by @atelierknits_strandsoflife knitted for Min.
I used two yarns held together:
🧶 No Waste Wool @knittingforolive in chocolate (RWS certified, 50% recycled wool, 50% extra fine traceable non-mulesed Merino) from @myivoryroom
🧶Titicaca by @holstgarn in Frv. Mahogany (100% alpaca)
I was initially going to knit it with a contrasting hem, but I didn’t like the look of it. I made some test swatches and decided to go with a two-colour fisherman’s rib with the more orangey yarn at the front and the deep brown at the back. It looked quite good, but I kept making mistakes and having to undo huge chunks, so in the end I just went with the standard 1×1 rib, which l think looks great anyhow.
As per usual, knitted with @hiyahiyaeurope circular sharps and moral support by the @knittingsos crew.
Oatmeal sweater
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
Transcontinental Race (on a Brompton)
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 🙂
Blue cardigan
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.
TCR 2022 – Done!
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.
Pan Celtic Race 2022 – Photos
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/
Pan Celtic Race 2022 Links
I will be taking part in the Pan Celtic Ultra Endurance Race from 10 July 2022.
Blue Tie
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.