Favourite Uncle

No knitting yet this evening, but about to sit down. Pressure is on - got to sew up last glove for my Mum's present and just realised that my Uncles's 75th birthday is on Friday. Which definitely warrants a special gift - not just because of the auspicious age he has reached, but his birthday only comes round every 4 years. By my reckoning that actually makes him almost exactly half my age!
Anyway, what can I knit in one evening? Time limits my options somewhat, so I've decided on hat. I have some pebbly coloured Rowan Spray which will do the job I think - infact I have only really had success knitting it into hats and scarfs and crocheting it into rugs. I did make a green cardigan for myself in it (my favourite colour), but I've only worn it twice - it's destined to be frogged and re engineered into a rug.

Gotta go and get knitting!

Men who knit

Not much time today - a pile of household chores to do. I have no idea how people find time to iron. the only thing that is ironed in this house is my husband's shirts, by me, on a Sunday afternoon. My mother in law is shocked that I don't iron Milly's clothes and when we go up and visit she makes a point of washing and ironing all Milly's clobber. I think I'm meant to feel guilty, but I don't. I just wish she lived nearer and could pop round once a week. Some domestic goddess, me.

For a bit of light relief, check this out; my husband sent me a link to it earlier today.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2jYa_rJyG18

I'd be worried about my bloke stealing my stash though!

Half a pair

Here is one unfinished glove. Very pleased with the overall effect. Still not sewn it up. But moved back to husbands jumper now, which is A Good Thing....

I was chatting to a friend last week about writing this blog and trying to encourage her to do the same (as unlike me she has something worthy to write), and I'm so pleased to say she has (and has even chosen the same template as me!). Karen's blog puts mine to shame and is about an altogether more serious topic: in her words "This blog will be an honest, warts and all description of my life with my autistic son. The ups, the downs, the good times, the bad times and the unexpected".

James and Milly are the same age. I met Karen on a dark and dismal January day in January 2004 at an NCT postnatal group when our babies were only a few months old. I have watched James grow up and experienced Karen's ups and downs in the early days after James' diagnosis, and the day-to-day difficulties of coping with James and the delightful, but sometimes mischievous Bea. But despite being so close, reading Karen's blog twice reduced me to tears.

http://livingnotdrowning.blogspot.com/

Karen is having an evening of respite tonight and coming round for a crochet lesson. Last time I tried to teach her a few weeks ago we were in a pub, and a couple of bottles of wine put paid to any serious attempts at crocheting. With better luck we will crack it this evening.

Glamorous Gloves

I've decided. Glamorous gloves it is. In fact after a few false starts, I have already completed one (of course it needs to be sewn up). I settled on left-over Louisa Harding Grace & Glisten from my shawl project and added an old Jaeger mohair yarn with silver (Jaeger Mohair Spun with Glitter) that I had picked up at a charity shop. I'm very pleased with the finished effect. Pics to follow later....

Today is such a beautiful sunny day, if a little cold. My old bike is being mended and we are all going out on a family bike ride to the park. Yesterday was mainly spent in the garden clearing overgrown flowerbeds and getting out the most evil prickly plant I have ever seen. Still not sure what it was, but my legs now look like they have been attacked by a cat, despite fact I was wearing jeans at the time.

Managed to remember to pick up some seed potatoes today as well, so they are now enconsed in the cupboard under the stairs to "chit" (I believe that is the technical term!

70th birthday dilemma

No posts for a few days. Ive been struggling to work out what to knit for my Mum, whose birthday is in two weeks time, and I've just found out its her 7oth. Latest idea was to create a scarf using left over "Grace" and Sari Ribbon from my shawl, but after completing half of it I decided I didn't like it & it was duly frogged. (Much too thin and curling at the edges). So, what to make? It has to be a quick project as I've only got till the end of Feb.....

A Day of Completion

A few day's since my last post, but with good reason. I heard late on Friday that my sister in law was coming to visit on Saturday, and her completed jumper was sitting complete, but not sewn up on my 'shame' pile. I hadn't been able to face sewing in all those ends. But her visit spurred me on and so on Friday night I completed her cardigan, plus the shawl (even though I had worn shawl out on Thursday night - without adding flowers to collar)

But I think they both look great. What do you think?

Friend came round on Saturday night and saw my completed shawl and is desperate for me to start hers. But alas, I was waiting for a delivery of the Louisa Harding 'Grace' which forms the main body of the knitting, so all I had to be getting on with was husband's jumper (which he is now unsure whether he likes - tell me now, whilst I am on the sleeve, PLEASE! Not when I am halfway up the back). I was very tempted to start another project, but resisted. Very pleased with myself.

I've just realised it's my Mum's 70th in a few weeks time. Have I got enough time to make her something special? I do have some left over 'Grace' plus some Sari ribbon and the 'Glisten' in silver, maybe I could make a luxurious, very glamorous scarf? Mmm, have to ponder that one for a few days..

Awkward Knitting

I don't know what it is about me - I think I just like to make things difficult for myself. Knitting on a crowded tube is really quite a challenge, but if I don't get my fix in the morning I'm just not ready for the day.

Next I tried to knit in a very crowded changing room whilst waiting for my daughter to finish her swimming lesson. Quite apart from the stares, I spend half the time trying not to drop the wool on the wet floor. Then I stuffed it into my bag, and by the time I'd got home I realised I'd dropped loads of stitches, so I'll have to start again. All that effort....At least they were only small flowers which will embellish my shawl. (which is very nearly done!)

And as soon as I sit down to knit this evening I know I will be pounced upon by my very eldery cat, who is in need of love, having been on her own most of the day, but rather than just sit on my lap, as soon as I start knitting she is just in my face - no other words for it - nudging me....aggghhhh.

Oh well, I think I'm going to get knitting. I have just received half the wool to make another shawl, this time for a friend, in the gold and pinks as featured in the pattern. But I can't start until I have received the Louisa Harding 'Grace'. Hope it arrives at work by Thursday, so I can start over the weekend. Otherwise it will back to husbands jumper....

Knit through those Sunday blues

To cheer myself up this dreary Sunday night, I thought I would try to do a roll call of all the projects I have completed in the past 12 months. When I start to write them all down it appears I am more prolific than I first thought. Shame I haven't got pics of everything though. 2007 was the year I made all of my Christmas presents. Mind you, I did start in January...

• Cream and blue cardigan in Rowan Ribbon Twist that I made for a friend. Finished off with some gorgeous blue vintage buttons. Lucky girl even got a matching hat this Christmas
  
• I finished off something I had started ages ago. It was sitting waiting to be sewed up for over a year. (I have a history of doing this) Shame on me. Anyway, I had knitted it several sizes too big for my daughter (just as well) and it's still too big now. It's a boxy jacket knitted in a green blue Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed . I couldn't find any "double-edged organza frill ribbon" ?? , so I finished it off with a crochet edging in a purple cotton and added a button, as it is still a bit large for Milly. I like the finished effect though...


• Circular rug in Rowan Biggy print "Allsorts". I crocheted this and made it up as I went along. I ended up getting a commission to make another one for a friend to put in her daughters bedroom. So easy & quick to make on a massive hook, but very striking.


• Favourite thing I made last year - Swing coat for my daughter in bright pink Debbie Bliss Stella yarn. The colour guarantees it is worn loads and everyone comments when she wears it as it is a really striking, simple design. All done in garter stitch. She is pictured wearing it on a trip to Jimmy's Farm in Essex (fab place, very family friendly, thoroughly recommend taking the little ones)
  
• I made several crocheted twisted scarves in Rowan Ribbon twist. Great effect but very heavy when complete


• 2 x asymmetrical wrap in Rowan Ribbon twist, one brown which I kept for myself and one grey which I gave to my niece. I wear mine all the time, especially at work wear the air conditioning is set to freezing all year. I will take a pic and post it, as it is a really useful item and very easy to knit. Knitted in SS, but you wear it on the reverse, which makes it quite unusual


• Random crocheted hat for Milly to use up some left over cotton. She loves it, but invariably wears it backwards


• Warm scarf for my husband using Rowan Spray. I knitted a cardigan for myself in Rowan Spray, but I've now decided I don't like it. One to be frogged. But yarn works really well for a scarf though. Lightweight and very warm. Just remembered I made another two of these. One for my dad for Christmas and one as a leaving present for a colleague.


• Loads of crocheted white parcel string baskets


• Crocheted parcel string table runner. thsi took ages but looked absolutely fab when finished. It knackered my hands -quite tough crocheting with string. This was a Christmas present for my sister in law.


• Spider's web beaded scarf in lime green which I made for my mother in law. Made with Crystal Palace Kid merino - a great alternative to Rowan Kid Silk Haze


• Mohair mix wrap for my Mum, beautiful purple colour which I finshed by hand beading around the edges.


• Green merino wool wrap for a nursing friend, made with Elvincraft Merino DK. Beautiful wool to knit with


• Grey 'circular' scarf for myself made with Elvincraft merino DK. Made the pattern up myself, and I have to say it's fab. Iwear it every day and it's really warm and very stylish...! I'll take a photo of that one too.

I'm going to stop for tonight as there are so many other projects from last year to be listed, and I am nearing completion of the cameo shawl...my knitting is beckoning me!

Until tomorrow....