New finds and first attempts

Our new find at the weekend was a fantastic local restaurant ‘Les Rosbifs’. This family-run restaurant is at Cold Overton, a village in Rutland, so we didn’t have far to travel. Even so, we did slightly lose our nerve on the way there as we drove down a remote road, seemingly to the middle of nowhere. We were just about to turn around and try another route when we happened upon the lights of the restaurant:

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This photo of Les Rosbifs at Northfield Farm is courtesy of TripAdvisor

As the photo shows, the restaurant is based at Northfield Farm and prides itself on using fresh local produce. The steak I had was from the farm shop, literally feet away from the restaurant – it doesn’t get much closer than that. The food was delicious and the service was efficient and friendly. The restarant was perfect for a cold winter’s night, especially as we managed to get the table next to the wood-burning stove, but I also think it would be a great place to visit in the summer when it might be possible to sit outside (or maybe not, if we get another summer like last year!).

My first attempt is knitting a sweater from the middle (or that’s what it feels like). I’m knitting up the Chevron sweater pattern, based on the sweater worn by Sarah Lund in the third series of the Killing. I’ve knitted sweaters from the bottom-up and from the neck down but I think this is the first time I’ve ended up knitting in both directions.

The Chevron sweater in progress

The pattern tells you to cast on with waste yarn and knit 4 rows (that’s the pink wool in the picture). With hindsight, I think a simple provisional cast on would make it easier to pick up the stitches. I then knitted the body in the round up to the armholes, knitted the sleeves flat and then joined them all at the yolk – it’s in aran-weight wool on large needles so knits up very quickly.

So far, so good. Now I have to pick up the stitches just above the waste yarn and knit short rows downwards from the side seams to the centre of the chevrons and that’s the bit I’m a bit tentative about. Has anyone tried this yet and, if so, have you got any tips?

Thanks.