New Year Destash

I am destashing - again. Take a look at my FSOT on Ravelry!

http://www.ravelry.com/people/dodo/stash/trade

I have a new addiction - Knitting gloves!

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS 2010

1. To stop spending money on silly things!
2. To clear my overdraft.
3. To knit from stash and only stash
4. To try and save up for things instead of using credit.

Gloves!

I am having a go at making some gloves to match my winder coat. I have never tried them before so it'll be interesting to see how I get on!

Swing, Swagger, Drape

This book is wonderful and I am feeling inspired! There are several designs that I shall be attempting over the next few months!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!

Look who was moonlighting as a checkout assistant!

SUSIE SCARF

The sample shows the pattern slightly different - I sort of modified my design as I went along!

Snow - AGAIN!

We’ve had more snow overnight! Admittedly not a great deal but it has made the ‘bit outside the backdoor’ pristine again!

My lovely son cleared out front steps and the steep path yesterday then went and ‘borrowed’ some grit from the bin up the hill and sprinkled it over for me so that I’m not stuck indoors. I want to get the council to put up a rail next year as I can’t see the ice out there - black or not - and I don’t fancy falling and damaging myself. Amber did help a bit but she was wearing her pj bottoms so got a tad cold.

We also took the cats out on their leads yesterday - Jasper kept diving into mini drifts in the garden and his brush like tail was covered in snow, and Oscar timidly walked about then laid down in the snow and started crying. When Amber picked him up he was shivering!

I am hoping OH will venture over this afternoon as I need to do some shopping in Iceland!

Yaayyyy!

The Susie Scarf is finished! Really pleased with it and I promise to post a photo asap. Bit behind on the photo front as I haven't had my computer for over two weeks and have been using Ryan's.

Am now making a Baby Alligator scarf for the little boy next door for christmas, partly as a thank you for the use of his mum's freezer last weekend.

Susie Scarf

After being consigned to the naughty corner for a couple of months, I am finally getting to grips with the Susie Scarf and hope to have it finished this week. I just couldn't find the right stitch pattern for the 3rd band but have overcome that with good old double moss stitch and am way past that now - I am on the 6th band, and there are only 9 to do.

Amber .......

.... went to the Clothes Show Live on wednesday and has come back feeling very low about her weight. Much as I expected, all the clothes were in small/medium and Amber is more like large and likes her clohtes baggy probably to hid the plumpness. She is cross with me for asking to speak to her head of year (unfortunately a man), as I think she needs support at school for all sorts of reasons. While she was out all day she never ate anything but pigged out a bit when she got home.

She doesn’t eat properly at all - loves chocolate, crisps and any type of proceseed chicken (dippers etc) with chips, but won’t eat vegetables in any shape or form. When I was her age I was about to be diagnosed with diabetes so have never really had the same problem although, after been prescribed insulin a year later I did balloon.

I’ve told her that, if she wants to slim down, it has to come from her and she has to try but she is pig-headedly saying that the doctor can give her something to take. She is not morbidly obese so healthy eating/exercixe is all the doctor will suggest, and exercise doesn’t feature in Amber’s world. She has asked me to buy anything she likes to eat when I go shopping next but I don’t want to se her with an eating problem/

Trouble is, all her friends are like stick insects which doesn’t help, as were all the models at the Clothes Show.

The Art department at school aren't helping either. Amber has become an 'Art Leader' which involves helping other kids with various art techniques, loads of the GCSE students have joined and the Art teacher has ordered size small for all the girls and size large for all the boys!

Not so bad day ....

Well I went to the doctor on friday and we talked about changing my anti-depressants which will take about 6 weeks as I have to tail off the current ones and then start the new ones so I am not starting to tail off until next weekend so that I am still on a fairly good dose for christmas.

Also had to sweet talk OH again as I found out the exact amount I was over my overdraft limit at the bank and he very kindly took pity on me - again. It’s a good job I have access to the Bank of OH or Beachy Head would sound like a good option!

Had a good afternoon at our Knit’n’Natter christmas party yesterday and managed to get on with Ryan’s scarf. Hope to get it finished today but he wants me to make it even longer (and it is soo boring) that I shall block it to an inch of it’s life instead.

The In only have one more dischloth to do and the world of knitting is my oyster - well as long as I only knit from stash!

Oh, and Jasper seems to be his old self again although he is not keen on having tablets and drops! The other night he spat his tablet out and we couldn't find it - it was stuck to Amber's cheek!

Yesterday = very bad day.

Jazz and Oz had their ‘operations’ but Jazz isn’t well and the vet bill ended up being half as much again through x-rays, antibiotics and more eye ointment. It seems he has a mysetery problem with one of this lungs - it has ‘doughnut’ shapes in it but the vet wasn’t sure whqt it was hence the antibiotics. He has to go back next week for a check up but the consultation has been booked as post-op so thqt I don’t get charged for it. Luckily David was there as I had £100 earmarked for the two ops and microchip for Jazz (my sister had Ozzie done when he lived with her).

Went to pay in Asda for some clothes for Amber, was going food shopping too, and my debit card was declined, luckily David was with me. Have to go back to Asda tonight as the top is too clingy for my voluptuous daughter and I managed to buy one pair of trousers in a size 18 (thought I’d got a 14) and the other pair, which fit snugly, turned out to be a 16 (again on a 14 hanger).

Started getting panicky about money so have cancelled my Noro Silk Garden (put by at Kangaroo) and they’ve agreed to take back what I’ve already collected and give me arefund (approx £50). I was having second thoughts about the project anyway and if I decide to go ahead with it, I can buy the yarn later on. Was saving £3 per week towards Unravel in Februray (have £21 at the moment) but dad has got my Avon for me which is £21 so that has to be used and I have decided not to go to any knitting shows in 2010.

All this, together with my sister/neice, is just too much for me at the moment so Frances (aranfran) persuaded me to see the doctor and get my anti-depressants changed as I have been on this brand for over 10 years and obviously need something different. We also talked about ‘treats’ for me, and when I have knitted up two or three (depending on size) lots of stash I am going to treat myself to one of the knitting books on my Amazon wishlist. We are also going to work on getting my bank account back in order.

To cap it all off, my computer decided to go wrong AGAIN and now I am using Ryans AGAIN.

Christmas ....

is less than FOUR WEEKS away! Still have to get something else for David's dad and a couple of bits for Ryan and am waiting for the last bits of Amber's to arrive but then it is all done - i think!

The 'boys' are being castrated on tuesday but I am a bit worried about Jazz as he seems to be really thirsty and not hinmself at the moment. Probably nothing other than him sensing that something will be happening soon!

I am also struggling with the low position of the sun at the moment - I try not to go out on my own when it is too bright but I have got a nice new stick now so shouldn't trip myself up when I hit rough ground!

Poor Jasper

Jazz has had cojuntivitis since last weekend! We took him to the vet on monday and he is having drops twice daily which he is definitely not keen on, and I am now £34 worse off! It has now affected both eyes and we are hoping Oz doesn't pick it up

The vet did say that he could have problem with a tear duct but, if that is the case, I would be able to use my viscotears which will be a lot cheaper (I'm exempt from prescriptions).

Jazz could also have a fur ball as he has a cough and keeps retching (has been sick a couple of times) but there again he might have cat asthma!

Having a bit of bother ....

.... finding some beads that will fit onto the braid for the bag to store crisps!

Ouch!

I’ve got a really sore wrist probably pompomscarfitis. I can’t hold anything heavy for long and I am trying to knit but having to be a bit slower than normal (only stop knitting when bandaged etc) as I don’t want it to get stiff or anything. Trouble is I have one more christmas cake to get made today and am a bit worried about getting it in the oven!

I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANY POMPOM YARN AGAIN!

Yayy!

Finished scarf numero 3 and have started numero 4!

Getting there!

Finished Aunti Ann's scarf yesterday (at last!) and am a quarter of the way into the third pompom scarf!

I have decided I want ALL the christmas knitting done by the end of next weekend (15th) so that I can concentrate on something for me but I am going to finish Bounced Checks which I am definitely going to turn into a blanket for Oscar who, I am sure, feels the cold.

These two kittens we have are so funny - yesterday Jasper managed to get himself shut in the bathroom and, when I resuced him, I think he was sure that Oscar had puched him in and closed the door! I know how it happened though, Jasper likes to play with the crack between the door and the wall when the door is open and must have pushed the door closed himself.

They both also appear when anyone goes to the loo, and OH thinks it funny when he goes with an audience until Jasper decided to sit right on the edge of the rim!

Meet Ozzie!

Ozzie is my sister's cat who has now taken up residence with us.

Mojo's definitely back!

I have made two scarves since friday, so am really pleased that the christmas knitting is actually being done! ! pompom scarf done, four to go!

Amber ....

.... has suspected swine flu and is on Tami Flu, and she has requested that I make FIVE of her friends scarves for christmas - I wouldn't mind but I have been asking since the beginning of August! Could be worse though - she could have waited until nearly the end of next month before asking!

Curtain Twitcher!

JASPER

I really don't know what I'd do without Jasper Kitten. He is such a loveable clown, even if he does get a bit overexcited at times (we all have the battle scars to prove it).

In the last couple of days he's taken to sitting beside the sink and playing with any water that might be in the washing up bowl, he's nearly got his head stuck inside a glass trying to drink from it and is very interested in how the boiler works. This morning he decided to curl up in the wash basin in the bathroom and play with the plug which he then tried to run off with - I pushed it into the plughole so Jasper promptly got hold of it with his teeth and pulled it out again! I got back into bed and he was flying all over it playing with a toy mouse until I could hear him chewing something - he'd only dug into a bag of yarn, pulled out a ball and was chewing the ballband!

Ryan had trouble going out this morning without Jasper who decided he wanted to go into Crawley too, and after Ryan left, Jasper sat in the window pitifully crying!

He is adorable!

Seem to be back on track ...... at last!

In the last week, I have finished the Ilga Leja waistcoat, the Mochi Plus beret and the Autumn Garden scarf! I have also made a painful start on my Susie scarf - my atrhritic finger is really sore at the moment and the Cotton Glace together with the 3.25mm needle and 522 stitches, is slow going to say the least.

Cast on yesterday and have achieved 9 rows, so not too bad I suppose!

Hospital

Had an apopointment to see on the of the Diabetes nurses on wednesday, with a possible view to having a continue blood testing monitor fitted for a week. Luckily, she decided not to do the continual test but we did have a long chat about my control and how I was coping.

She told me to disregard the consultants instructions to give myself a correction dose for readings above 10mmol unless it was really high. amd told me to stand my ground over wanting to keep my control running around 8mmol as I know my own body. She congratulated me on the all day breadings I did on tuesday which were fairly level between 8 and 11mmol, as this is apparently very hard to acheive, and said my HBA1OC was heading in the right direction.

She does fell that I should see a psychologist about my fear of hypos which stem fron being unconscious for hours at a time when I was pregnant with Ryan but we ere both a little concerned that the consultant appears to think/assume I am on steroids when I am most definitely not!

I came way feeling much hapier as the nurse congratulated me on being 'positive' about my diabetes and eyesight! Well i was on wednesday but am not like that all the time!

Finally finished!

In the Courtyard is finally finished - thank goodness. Not sure why I didn't enjoy knitting it - I had frogged the Jo Sharp yarn three times before though so that could have had some influence!

I am going to make White Lies Designs' Letitia to wear at christmas, so had 10 balls of Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Cassis put by at Kangaroo yesterday, and I collected three more balls of Noro silk Garden/Silk Garden Sock for the Noro jacket.

I have the Mochi Plus beret well underway for Sophie's 15th birthday next month, so am tentatively hoping the knitting drought is over!

I hate .....

yarn that splits! The Alpaca Se;ect I am using for the lacy shrug is so pretty and soft, just like angora, but it isn't spun tightly and so it splits. I am enjoying using it though.

October! Already?

Where has this year gone to? Time goes so quickly, I'm sure it must have something to do with Global Warming!

Gave up trying to design/find a pattern for a shrug in the Jo Sharp yarn so am making the In the Courtyard waistcoat pattern from Ilga Leja but, as usual lately, it is slow going. I need to find the perfect 'get me going' project so am making Amber's best friend a beret in CPY Mochi Plus for her birthday next month, and will possibly make her a scarf to match for christmas.

Have found the perfect dishcloth pattern for all knitters with the slogan 'knit now, dishes later' so I think I may be making a few of these!

Poorly 'puter

Haven't been able to post for a few days as my computer has been a bit under the weather. Amber got a new phone and tried to load something onto it via the hard drive which knocked out some operating system but we are back and running as normal now.

Now what's been happening here ...

Didn't get Susie's remains back which is probably a good thing as I can remember her as she was, still feeling very down though. Am going to get some sort of shrub to remember her by - something prickly but pretty.

Frogged the Eleonora shrug as the pattern simply wasn't working. Showed it to Debbie Abrahams on the DYOK workshop and she agreed that something wasn't wuite right with the instructions. Am now using the yarn to make an Ilga Leja waistocat pattern.

Really enjoyed the workshop but am a bit flummoxed as to how to sort out sleeve heads so I may well go on part two again! I did, however, design a scarf in Susie colours which, I hope, will be for sale soonish!

I did have a lovely birthday with wine at Kangaroo!

Oh, and I've bought two new tops from M&Co. I think they fit OK but they are a lot more fitted than usual so will take a lot of getting used to. I intend to be a lot smarter when I go out!

Not again!

Overspent again!

I have decided to to make any major purchases of yarn etc. until the my bank account is extremely healthy.

jo xx

Ryan ....

... has had his engligh GCSE re-marked and has now got a 'C'!

Sad news

My beautiful baby, Susie cat was killed on the road outside our house yesterday morning but I didn't know she had died until lunchtime today when I finally heard from the RSPCA inspector. I thought it was strange that she didn't appear when i called her for her breakfast and when the kids came in from school they'd seen someone putting up signs to say a cat had been found. We managed to get through to the RSPCA but they had been told it was a tabby cat whereas Susie was calico/tortoiseshell, and they gave me the numbers of some local vets to try, but when no-one had treated a cat, I knew something bad had happened.

The RSPCA inspector said, from my description, it was Susie and that he hadn't seen such a beautiful cat for a long time, he is going to try and get her back for us but she was taken to the RSPCA centre in Patcham and their day for 'body disposal' is wednesday and I won't know until friday if we can bury her.

We will get a shrub to remember her by, and it will probably be something a bit prickly to match her personality.

Jasper (kitten) is going to be an indoor cat whether he likes it or not, but will be micro-chipped and we bought him a cat harness with a lead this morning so that Amber can take him for walks.

Updates!

First update, Ryan's over the moon that he has more hits on his blog than me but, I didn't get my counter until my blog had been running for over a year so, guess what, I don't care!

Second, very worried about Frances who is currently in hospital suffering terrible chest pain and is constantly in my thoughts.

Third, not getting on very well with my knitting at the moment (well haven't been for ages now). Have finally finished the first sleeve of Eleonora and now have sore fingers from the needles piercing them, so hoping the back will be a little easier. Not doing so well my the clapotis in the RAK shawl-a-long since Auntie Ann kindly told me she wanted a scarf 'the same lenght and width as last year's but in a different pattern and style', and have made a slow start on the blanked squares for the Macmillan Blanket appeal.

Fourth, it's the 'Design Your Own Knits' workshops this week and I think I am feeling a bit overawed already! I know what yarn I want to use and roughly what I want to design but, if I tried hard enough, I could probably find a pattern for one!

Plus, I managed to lose my glasses on saturday! I was sure they were in my bag when we left home but after dad dropped us in Forest Row, Ryan and I went to the Craft Shop and I hadn't got them! I only had my Oakley sunglasses which only have distances lenses so I was really struggling. My sister drove us home to collect them and they weren't there either! I eventually decided to ring the pub where dad dropped us and, someone had handed them in - thank goodness!

A Short Message From Ryan

Ah, hello! I'm Ryan, i dont usually get onto my mums blog but i have a good enough reason....ok it's a childish one but i'm winning! My blog has 11,963 hits! Wahoo!

Shawl-a-long

I have had to change my mind!

The yarn was far too dark for me to see so ........ Instead I am going to do a spot of christmas knitting - Auntie Ann's clappy!

Update on the Ryan situation.

Ryan is to do a business Course which covers english and maths, and will be equivalent to 4 GCSE's at A* to C grade (he already as one C) - 5 are needed, with merit or ditinction, to enter 6th form, and we are waiting to find out if there were marking inconsistencies on his paper which could lead to a better grade (currently D). Apparently, employers generally require a C pass in maths and english before employing.

He will be taking re-sits for english and Matchs in November but gets another chance in the spring but he still has to do this business course.

At least he knows that he has only got himslef to blame for this predicament so ....

Ryan

Feel better today now that I have managed to get hold of a member of staff at school.

Ryan is definitely down to go into 6th form but will have to do a Level 2 Business Studies Course to resit his maths and english (I have also given my permission for the school to get his papers re-marked as they think there were some inconsistencies in the marking), provided he gets a merit or distinction in that, which is equivalent to 4 C passes at GSCE, together with the C grade in Reistant Materials, he will be able to go on into his other courses next year.

I hope that makes sense, I had to type it out quickly before I forgot what the nice man said!

It fits beautifully!

I tried Freda on and am pleased with the result! She's a bit itchy but I will have to live with that!

BTW, this is a rare photo of me!

It's finished!

Freda is done! Haven't tried her on properly yet but am quietly confident ....

Lovely yarn ...

I was introduced to Rowan Alpaca Cotton by Amanda at kangaroo yesterday, and I will have to make something in it very, very soon! It is sooooooo soft!

Yarn

My yarn for my Noro Jacket has arrived at Kangaroo and I had a quick look yesterday! It's Silk Gardne/Silk Garden Sock in shade 8 - blues, purples and greens, and I am going to buy it with my birthday money next month.

Ryan ....

.... didn't do as well as he could have in his GCSE's and knows he should have worked harder and revised.

He is prepared to resit those that he can (ICT for example) but we're not sure what will happen for his 6th form courses. He will find out next week when school starts.

Planning a clothes shopping trip ...

... at the end of September.beginning October with Helen (another knitting pal). We are of a similar size and, as I usually only have myself to approve of my purchases, she is coming alon (or rather, taking me) as an adviser!

Should be fun!?!

Feeling quite confident ....

.... that Freda will actually fit me! I have completed one sleeve and have the back/fronts knitted to the armhole, one front finished completely.

It is more fitted than usual for me and Frances will be very pleased if I actually like it as she keeps nagging me to wear more fitted clothes!

Supergirl ...

or Ryan as he's better known!

He went to a fancy dress party at the weeknd and walked round Crawley Down complete with a blonde curly wig. He wondered why he was getting tooted by several motorists!

Jazzy pix!

This kitten should've been called Joseph as he currently has a pink chin and four blue paws - he loves to play with pens! But he is very loving, and very vocal especially when he's tired!

Seriously Overdrawn!

So have lots for sale!

Rowan Big Wool
Rowan Felted Tweed
Debbie Bliss SoHo
Lion Brand Microspun
Patons Smoothie
Malabrigo Silky Merino
Sirdar Denim Tweed Ultra
Sirdar Foxy

Yet another week ...

.... goes by!

Ryan gets his exam results on week on thursday, so we're getting a little bit jumpy. I wish it didn't take so long for them to come through!

We have had a few dramas this last week with Amber being ill (severer constipation), and the toilet being blocked (nothing to do with Amber!).

My knitting is very slowly growing - I am nearly up to the armholes on the Freda cardigan. I am knitting the fronts and back in one piece which I didn't think would work out, but it seems to be working out OK.

Knitting for 2009

Right, my list of projects for the rest of this year (I want to get rid of some stash)

Tumbling Triangles Ruana (entirely from stash)
Dream in Colour cardigan (Cascade 220)
Clappy for Auntie Ann
Noro jacket (new purchase with birthday money)
Cat coloured scarf
Sugar Scarf (Araucanie Ruca)
Shrug (Jo Sharp yarn)

Oh, and to finish Freda and Bounced Check.

Kangaloonies

I've started a group on Ravellry for those (mad) people who go to the knitting group at Kngaroo every thursday,

Am I mad?

I committed myself to making the jacket in the Noro Volume 26 book yesterday! It's a very 'elaborate' pattern and Amanda (Kangaroo) is going to run a blog to make my progress, and has ordered the yarn for me. The pattern calls for Kureyon/Kureyon sock but, as there doesn't appear to be a sock version of the shade I liked (and Kureyon is a bit scratchy), I've gone for Silk Garden/Silk Garden Sock which will cost more but will, I think, be worth it. I am going to buy the yarn with my birthday money so won't be starting it until around October 1st.

Finished Objects

Sunshine Clappy scarf


Spring Green bag

Another week goes by ....

.... and it's now AUGUST! Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye, so by then end of this month, I think I'd better have made a start on Auntie Ann's clappy.

I'm still not in a brilliant place with my knitting, I have no motivation and don't seem tobe be able to concentrate for long. I have, however, managed to finish the JL Salvia clappy scarf which took over a week, and have started a Ballet Lace scarf in the Tempted Hand Painted Glam Grrl which has REAL silver running through it, progress is slow as I seem to be forring at least one pattern repeat a day. I have also made a tentative start on Freda from Noro Catwalk in Silk Garden after being nagged (Frances) about knitting things too big.

Frances is going to be the recipient for my Liesl (yes, it's too big for me) which everyone liked at Knit'n'Natter yesterday but I'm not too sure whether I will make another one for me but then I do have that rather lovely Scotian Silk ....

Jasper is growing well and a right bundle of mischief but we did have to hold a mini funeral for Fidget, one of the younger hamsters, this week. We have tried to introduce Susie to the kitten but neither of them will entertain the idea - lots of hissing, spitting and growling!

Another week and a new addition!

Meet Jasper, Amber's new kitten. He is nearly 8 weeks old and is a little furball of mischief!




Amber sold the Axylotls last weekend and the is the replacement but Susie is not very impressed to say the least - there is a lot of spitting, hissing and growling going on!

Not had a brilliant week - I am very tired and depressed. It didn't help yesterday when Dad and I found an envelope with my name on it in mum's handwriting. It was a birthday card which I am saving for my birthday - mum said years ago that she had bought me a lovely birthday card and then misplaced it, so this is probably the one. Although the card hasn't been written in, she obviously meant it for me. It's now sealed up and on the shelf waiting for 17th September.

Knitting and me haven't really bonded this week. I started a scarf with some JL Salvia yarn FIVE times! I tried a stitch for the Harmony lace & eyelet book twice and wasn't happy, then cast on a lengthways pattern which went wrong, so I found another one in the Ripple pattern book, did a couple of inches and didn't like the yarn so the yarn was frogged again and I've now reverted to old faithful and am slowly knitting a clappy. Frances wants to start our KAL this week and she wants to try and keep up with me - I think I;ll be struggling to keep up with her!

However, I finally managed to pay for my Lady Godiva yarn which arrived yesterday and it is GORGEOUS! I think this is destined to be an Antique Lace waistcoat (Ilga Leja).

Weekly update

As days seem to whizz past, I think weeklu updates are the best idea!

I've had a good week for finishing off - have finished the scarf for Linxy (spelt right now!) and I finished Liesl last night. I'm going to reserve judgement on Liesl until it's blocked but I do think that maybe the Malabrigo wasn't a good choice after all. I did run out of yarn and used some Cascade 220 in a toning colour so ....

I definitely can't knit lace when David is here so Frances suggested I knit a dishcloth when he's around, which meant I have ordered some Peaches & Creme! I am going to look for a simple bloero/shrug pattern. or knit some of Bounced Chek too.

Frances and I are going to have a mini knitalong! We are planning to make a Pasticcio Circular Vest - Frances is using some aran from her stash and I was going to use the coned yarn I bought from the Old Mill in Hailsham last year. On friday, Frances decided to knit a swatch in it for me and I am so glad she did! It was the highest quality 'squeaky' aran which, when knitted, felt exactly like a pan scourer! Consequently, I am making the vest/waistcoat in Noro Silk Garden from my stash and the coned yarn is being sent to the charity shop!

Ryan went ot an end of year 'Burn your Books' party last night, and I got several calls, the last one being after midnight, with him wanting to come home, so now more parties for him for a while! He has to resit some college exams tomorrow so I should've really made him stay at home and revise. He did put his application in for weekent/holiday work at the Hotel so fingers crossed!

Amber has sold the Axylotls at last so we currently are down to 4 hamsters, 4 gerbils, 4 African land snails, the skink and, last but not least, Susie. She is obsessing about getting another kitten so watch this space!

Frances got Amber some crickets for the skink on friday and, althoughn they are supposed to be silent, they keep chirping. Amber told me that she was watching something on TV with crickets in, and the ones on the table started talking back!

Been a bit lazy in blogging this month - sorry!

Big News Flash!! I've acutally done some housework! Yesterday I cleaned the kitchen, including the floor! Now that you've all scraped yourselves off the floor ....

Amber has started her GCSE courses - she is doing Art, History and Textiles (not her first choice but she's quite happy) as well as the usual core subjects.

Ryan has finished his placement and, hopefully, his exams so is now a free man. He is sort of looking for a summer job.

I've managed to make the Patching it Up bag from the Knitter's Bible - Knitted Bags, a Daisy washcloth, am 2/3 through a scarf for a friend of Ryan's and am attempting a Liesl jacket/waistcoat.





I have such a list of planned projects at the moment it's quite scary! These projects include a clappy for Auntie Ann (Christmas) and

Ilga Leja In the Courtyard
Ilga Leja Antique Lace
Mitred Diamond Bag
Eleonora Shrug
The Big Shrug (if I can get hold of the pattern)
Pillowcase Bolero
White Lies Designs Shrug
Bold Diamonds Vest

I think more hours in the day are required!

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Look where I found Susie this morning - snuggled right up to the gerbils!

GREAT NEWS/SURPRISE!!

Last night Sue, the lady who runs the Free Church youth group phoned to say that Amber had been given a sponsored place on this year's camp! A member of the congregation had offered to sponsor a child (pay for the place at the camp in August) and Amber had been chosen as she had expressed an interest in going but we couldn't afford it. This means from 17th August for FIVE whole days, she will be on holiday and Ryan and I will be able to spend some time together (if he isn't working)

Amber will spend the week under canvas and with her friends - I think it will do her good!

MORE GOOD NEWS!!

My faith in felting has been restored, well sort of ... it took FIVE goes (2 x 6odeg, 2 x 40deg and 1 95 deg) to felt my bag!

Mental note to self - don't use Kureyon unless it is absolutely the only yarn available for a gelting project!

Have had a fairly good week starting with getting my magnifying glasses at the Low Vision clinic last friday - it's amazing just how much I can't see!

Have finished my Firebird shawl, started a scarf for Ryan's friend Linzi and started a felted bag (to restore my faith in felting after the last disaster). On that subject, Frances came over today and we thought up a way of making use of the aftermath of felting the Kauni yarn - watch this space!!!

I am getting addicted to knitting lace/lacey patterns for some reason - this must be my new phase! I have quite a strong urge to make some of Ilga Leja's gorgeous lacey waistcoat patterns. Frances is pleased as she is trying to persuade me to start wearing more fitted clothes but doesn't realise she's got her work cut out for her!

Going to Forest Row tomorrow as my sister is moving soon and wants me to help her pack. Blooming cheek! Whenever I've moved, I've had to pack EVERYTHING myself!

Sad news today with the announcement of Michael Jackson's death. Not that I'm really a fan but he was only a couple of years older than me and I suppose I consider his music to be part of my youth in many ways.

Yesterday ........

....... Ryan was going to cycle into Crawley for college so I walked up to the village with him. Half way up the hill he realised he'd left his cycle clips at home so asked me to hold his bike while he ran back and got them. It must have looked really funny to the passing traffic - someone in very dark glasses, standing with a bike and holding a white stick!

Knit Today

To see a couple of photos of me, look at the Club of the month in Knit Today (latest issue). It is featuring East Grinstead Knit'n'Natter. I am at the end of the back row on the left in the main picture and am also at the back (funnily enough) of the picture taken on one of our trips out. Amber is at the very front of the main picture sitting on the floor.

DISASTER!!!!

I felted my Spring Green Bag yesterday and it's felted together in places! Never using Kauni again!

It is partly my fault and the yarn TBH. I used a different programme on the washing machine to normal which was a bit too vigorous but, heigh ho, we learn from our mistakes! Not happy though as I have just ordered the cords to make a Kumihimo braid for the handle/drawstring.

Frances is going to have a go at separating it tomorrow so watch this space!

HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY AMBER!!!!

Spring Green Bag ....

... it's now taking me TWO hours to complete one round but I do have 1600 (yes you did read that right) stitches! I have three more rounds to do, then I can cast off and felt it! I wonder how long it will take to cast off?

Destashing!

All you ravellers,

please have a qhick look here for some bargains http://www.ravelry.com/people/dodo/stash/trade

Spring Green Bag

I am really getting on wuith this now - hope to have it finished in the next few days. There are several people who are keen to see the finished product!

Scorpion

Amber has seen the light! She has sold her scorpion and senisbly used some of her birthday money to buy a fish tank for the fish so that the lizard (who escaped on saturday only to be find under some socks asleep) can go back in the large tank.

Trouble is she is now on about getting a dog AGAIN!

FINISHED!!!

Kimono jacket finally finished except for the edging which Frances is going to help me with!

I think I'm on a roll - I now only have TWO UFO's!

Just thought I'd share this with you all ....

Susie and her luch, I mean the Gerbils!

I think Susie thinks her lunch is being delivered to maintain freshness! The black one, Sooty, does seem to like teasing her!

Was a teeny bit naughty!

I am soooo bored with my Kimono jacket that I bought some more yarn! I got some Freedom Gorgeous in a lovely shade of aqua for a scarf and ball of Four Seasons Hot Socks too!




d worry, I've slapped my own wrist!

Not been around!

had a problem logging on to internet so have been out of action for a whole week! But this has mean loads of knitting and catching up with recorded TV shows!

I have finished Amber's clappy - took nearly THIRTEEN months!

I have done the back and am well over halfway up one front of the Joji jacket, which has been hibernating for a long time! I shall keep going on this until it's finished 0 provided the weather doesn't get too hot and ticky too quickly!

Frances is making me finish some stuff before I start anything new and it's driving me mad!

Finished birthday knitting ....

.... so now I'm resurrecting my kimono jacket which has been hibernating since 2007!

Escape!

We had panic stations on friday evening - the scorpion (aka Houdini) escpaed and we had to hunt it down! Ryan evenutally found it under the fish tank stand!

We also have one less hamster at the moment because Honey has gone to stay at one of Amber's friends' house!

May Mayhem RAK

I got a lovely May Mayhem RAK yesterday - theme stripes from MIAOU. There were some lovely biscuits (handmade?), a stripey frog beanbag, stripenotebook, buttons, stripey ribbon (not pictured), King Cole Mirage DK and a lovely washcloth.

I know what I'm going to use the yarn for!

New Addition - meet Darth Vader!

Ry's Prom!

Julie and Phil

were trying to tempt me yesterday with their new wares (http://www.fibrefactory.co.uk/cubecart/index.php). They've just started selling some gorgeous cashmere yarn and have started to stok a felting version of the Zauberball yarn. After my birthday I will definitely be buying some of the Fuschia (sunset colours)!

I've been a little bit norty ......

...... and treated myself to some gorgeous recycled sari silk - the photo really doesn't do it justice! This may be destined to become a Counterpane Carpet Bag!

LOOK WOT I GOT!

Thank you Gill (aka Rosewhite) for my lovely April Hand RAK!




I got Wine and Roses mitts - beautiful!
Hand-dyed, handspun BFL in 'dodo' colours - you certainly know me well!
Uddlerly Smooth handcream - yayyy!!!
Bag handles
handmirror
Handmade rabbit - cute!
handbag patterns - naturally

Talk about being spoilt!

Couldn't decide ....

.... which pattern to make for Frances, so, after a little discussion with Liz I came to a decision, and I got on really well last night.

BUT, as Frances reads this blog, it is top secret!

Knitting Progress

My Bounced Check has stalled - am going to run out of the main yarn and have been hunting for an alternative BUT I found some Painted Tiger yarn in my stash which is nearly the same so am going to use that .... I think.

Am halfway through the Luffle Scarf - love the Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk!

Dug out Joji from the wardrobe with a view to frogging BUT have decided that I will try to finish it off!

Am planning a couple of projects for Frances' birthday on 2nd June

I'm hooked!

on braiding!

Problems, problems!

I am definitely not going to have enough of the random yarn for my Bounced Check jacket so i think I may have come up with a suitable alternative. I am going to add a completely different colour which will then be used for the edging too.

Ffingers crossed!

Finally .... The Spice Caravan Robe!

I hope to get a photo of it being worn sooner or later!