Hedgehog Knits

Adventures in knitting from the eastern edge of Canada.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

MoSI-ing along

(Note - This post was written a couple of weeks ago while in Manchester... but I lost the internet connection before I managed to get it posted.)

Back in Manchester yet again, on a very short visit this time.

I did knit in public on WWKIP day on Saturday, in several different airports and in international airspace. Unfortunately the sock that I started and knitted on for most of the journey was too big and has been ripped back to start over.

On Sunday, after trying rather unsuccessfully to sleep all night on an airplane, I stumbled over to the Museum of Science and Industry - MoSI there on this trip. - in Manchester. As the museum is not open in the evenings, this would be my only chance to get there on this trip. It is a huge place, with more to see than one person can possibly take in in a day, and happily, with free admission. I only had three hours, so I beelined it to the Textiles Gallery.


Luckily, I got there just in time for the daily tour and demonstration of all of the working machinery - old restored carding machines and machines that draft out cotton fibers, and spinning machines, and bobbin winders, and automatic looms. I learned about block printing and trademarks and how Manchester used to be a world centre for textiles manufacture. Cotton was certainly king here.


Knitting has been scarce lately, as I have been just stupidly busy with work and other commitments. At least this one will be a very short trip - just one week.

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Friday, June 06, 2008

Blocking never gets boring

This will just be a short post tonight to show off my newly finished Swallowtail Shawl. Because who doesn't love a good lace blocking shot?



I gave it a soak in a Eucalen bath and threaded it onto the wires this evening. Hopefully I'll get around to taking FO photos before the weekend is out.

It's been a busy few weeks chez Hedgehog Knits, with travel and meetings and not a lot of fun. And I'm off to Manchester again in a week. At least the weather has improved, so I've been making time to get out walking and biking. So long for now.

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