What kind of knitting blog is this?

Just realised I forgot to post my last FO, my Edgar scarf. I've worn it into Paris already, it's perfect as it's still not warm enough to need a coat, but good to have a bit of extra warmth after sunset. Because it's so small, it fits in my bag when I want to take it of. Parfait!

FO alert

I finally finished my Twisted Tweed Socks. Except I'm cheating a little and leaving them as a WIP on Ravelry (albeit at 100%) so they show up in my sexy new sidebars ----> you like?

I had a small case of second sock syndrome here, which I can blame on moving to Paris and buying Noro. Unfortunately, in the break I forgot how to do the short rows properly. I still like them, even if there's some teeny tiny holes.

Inspired by this post, the onset of autumn/winter, and the need to keep my progress bars looking interesting, I'm going to cast on a pair of Dashing tout de suite with my new Monoprix yarn, and also have a little photo sesh.

More lovely French surprises

Things are ticking along nicely here in France, I've made friends with some cool au pairs via the medium of Facebook (no, really!) and I've even been playing out in Paris quite late. I live in the suburbs, which I now realise my least favourite place to be. I'd rather be in the middle of nowhere, or smack bang in the centre of the action, but in the suburbs you just get the worst of both worlds.

However, it isn't as bad here because Paris has amazing public transport that runs 24 hours, so I can catch a bus home from Montparnasse and use my Navigo card, and it doesn't cost me a penny. It drops me at my door too. However, the other night I was with a Texan girl who lives near La Defense (other side of Paris) and we'd been drinking (or rather, having drinks bought for us by some friendly Canadian tourists) near Notre Dame. After I put her safely in a taxi, I needed to get to Montparnasse.

So I hired a bike. Seriously. They have them on almost every street corner, you swipe your Navigo card and away you go. I cycled (sometimes on the wrong side of the road, always wobbly) to Montparnasse and it nearly killed me. My legs turned to jelly. When I got home, I checked out the distance, figuring it would be at least 6 miles. No. 2.5km. But I did take a pretty roundabout route.

Anyway, another nice surprise about being in the suburbs and using public transport was when I nipped into the Monoprix at Robinson RER whilst waiting for my bus. I've never seen it before, but it seems they have their own brand of yarn. I found this gorgeous Noro-a-like for only €2.90. I think I'll be making a pair of Dashing to keep my hands warm but my fingers free to knit in the coming months.

Aw, shucks...

What I like about France... they've already named a yarn after me!

Paris, Noro, Music... you do the math

Yesterday, I stumbled on the knitting department in Le Bon Marché just as a Sufjan Stevens track on my mp3 player reached a beautiful crescendo... I swear it was almost spiritual.

I walked away with some Kureyon for another Short Row Hat and my first skein of Silk Garden for an Edgar scarf. I must have got a bit lost in the moment though because they came to €21, which I'm sure is well over the odds.

What's French for spit? Or to be more precise "stop it, I'm covered in spit"?