Probably a bit of a cliched title, but appropriate for the date!
I've just said goodbye to the last of today's visitors after having a little get together with family this evening, and am currently sitting curled up on the sofa chilling out before I go to bed. I'm not one for ushering in the new year with champagne and fireworks, but it does seem an appropriate time to look back 0ver the last year, and forward to the next.
Let's face it, making resolutions is a fool's errand. There's no way that in the next year I'm going to be able to knit up all of my stash, and refrain from buying more yarn. Neither am I going to go on a fitness regime and end up with the body of a supermodel. I may manage to lose half a stone - I may not. It isn't the be all and end all of life. All I can say is that over the next twelve months I fully intend to knit 8 pairs of socks for next Christmas. There are other things on my to do list, but they're more maybes than definites, and if there's one thing I've learned over the last few years, it's that putting pressure on yourself unnecessarily is foolish to say the least. We all have enough to worry about in our lives without adding stress to what is supposed to be enjoyable.
I'd like to wish all of my friends a happy and healthy new year. Every year has its challenges, but it's friends and family who help us through in the hard times, and with whom we celebrate the good times. I'm thankful for my family and friends - you truly make my life a better place to be.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
And then there were two
Two February Ladies in less than two months. I'm pretty impressed with that!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Buttons
After finishing my February Lady (Ravelry link), I wanted buttons. I went to several shops, and although I bought some lovely buttons, they just weren't quite right for the colour of yarn.
Furthermore, I'm part way through another cardigan for Mum's birthday, so something that was just okay wasn't really an option, they had to be perfect.
So last week, I dug out some Fimo from my stash of miscellaneous craft items, and had a go at creating my own.
These are a mid brown, with a dark blue vein running through them. When they're next to the yarn, they're neither too stark nor too similar - in fact, they're perfect.
All I need to do now is sew them on.
Furthermore, I'm part way through another cardigan for Mum's birthday, so something that was just okay wasn't really an option, they had to be perfect.
So last week, I dug out some Fimo from my stash of miscellaneous craft items, and had a go at creating my own.
These are a mid brown, with a dark blue vein running through them. When they're next to the yarn, they're neither too stark nor too similar - in fact, they're perfect.
All I need to do now is sew them on.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
We're jammin!
Last week my mum and I drove out to see a friend of mine who has a couple of damson trees. Armed with my trusty pink bucket, we collected a fair few damsons, so on Sunday, the jamming began!
Before....
Naturally, I turned to Delia for a helping hand with quantities, so here there's about 2kg of damsons and 1.5kg of sugar. (This is after mum took her share of the fruit!)
Last time I made damson jam, there was a slight risk involved for anyone eating it, as I didn't quite manage to get rid of all the stones. To save people's teeth, this time, once I'd stewed the fruit, I sieved it to just get the flesh and juice before adding my sugar. Unfortunately, I can't see my wooden spoon losing its rather gory red tinge any time soon!
After bubbling away for a while, I poured it into my lovely new jars and ta-da! we have jam. I reckon the jars hold around double that of a regular jam jar, but this size was the cheapest in the shop, so me being me, that's what I got! Plus I still have two unused jars that I'm earmarking for home made mincemeat in a week or two.
Not quite as impressive as Laal Bear's jam exploits, but I'm still rather proud of it!
Before....
Naturally, I turned to Delia for a helping hand with quantities, so here there's about 2kg of damsons and 1.5kg of sugar. (This is after mum took her share of the fruit!)
Last time I made damson jam, there was a slight risk involved for anyone eating it, as I didn't quite manage to get rid of all the stones. To save people's teeth, this time, once I'd stewed the fruit, I sieved it to just get the flesh and juice before adding my sugar. Unfortunately, I can't see my wooden spoon losing its rather gory red tinge any time soon!
After bubbling away for a while, I poured it into my lovely new jars and ta-da! we have jam. I reckon the jars hold around double that of a regular jam jar, but this size was the cheapest in the shop, so me being me, that's what I got! Plus I still have two unused jars that I'm earmarking for home made mincemeat in a week or two.
Not quite as impressive as Laal Bear's jam exploits, but I'm still rather proud of it!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
February Lady
Ever since seeing KraftyKoala at our knitting night on Thursday, I have been obsessed with making a cardigan just like hers. She's recently finished the February Lady Sweater by Pamela Wynne, and so she turned up wearing it. I wanted one immediately, but had set a little embargo on casting on any new projects until I had finished the two baby garments that I was mid way through.
So, last night, while Captain Jack Sparrow was prancing about on the TV, I completed the second baby garment, and happily cast on. I'm only knitting in a cheap aran that's 75% acrylic/25% wool, but I'm really pleased with the results so far. I really can't see this taking me too long to complete, which is just as well, since I want it NOW! I can even see my making one for mum for Christmas if I can find the time.
So, last night, while Captain Jack Sparrow was prancing about on the TV, I completed the second baby garment, and happily cast on. I'm only knitting in a cheap aran that's 75% acrylic/25% wool, but I'm really pleased with the results so far. I really can't see this taking me too long to complete, which is just as well, since I want it NOW! I can even see my making one for mum for Christmas if I can find the time.
Monday, August 31, 2009
How to lose a bank holiday in one idea
This post is not as cryptic as it may seem. When Chris asked me on Friday what plans I had for the weekend, I has a list of maybes. The one firm plan I had was to spend Bank Holiday Monday in practising my sewing skills and making the Bette dress from Sew Magazine. Well, you know all about best laid plans! I then proceeded to think that this weekend would be an ideal time to finally clear out the junk that has been collecting stealthily in our attic, and do a car boot sale.
Sunday passed in a blur of loft ladders and long forgotten posessions, and by the time tea time rolled around I was dead on my feet. This morning I prised myself out of bed at the unholy hour of 6am (even earlier than I get up for work) and set off to a well known car boot sale. Only to find that due to the inclement weather during the night it was cancelled.
However, the car boot angels were obviously working for double pay this morning, as a fellow car booter wound their window down and offered to show me another venue. Off we went along the M55 and I found myself on the outskirts of Blackpool by 7.15.
Five hours later, I had £129, a rosy face from the wind and rather less junk than I had set off with - not bad for a morning's work!
If only there was such a thing as Bank Holiday Tuesday, I might actually get that dress made!
Sunday passed in a blur of loft ladders and long forgotten posessions, and by the time tea time rolled around I was dead on my feet. This morning I prised myself out of bed at the unholy hour of 6am (even earlier than I get up for work) and set off to a well known car boot sale. Only to find that due to the inclement weather during the night it was cancelled.
However, the car boot angels were obviously working for double pay this morning, as a fellow car booter wound their window down and offered to show me another venue. Off we went along the M55 and I found myself on the outskirts of Blackpool by 7.15.
Five hours later, I had £129, a rosy face from the wind and rather less junk than I had set off with - not bad for a morning's work!
If only there was such a thing as Bank Holiday Tuesday, I might actually get that dress made!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Sensible September is nigh
Chris and I have decided that the time has come to have a few weeks of sensibility in terms of food. We both lost a considerable amount of weight a few years ago, and since then have sat back with our chocolate and crisps and watched it creep ounce by ounce back onto our bodies, all the while never intending allowing it to stay. However, there comes a point in time (usually where you find that your baggy jeans look like poorly fitting skinny jeans) where you have to say enough is enough, and take action.
Today we sat down with a diary and several recipe books (or rather, I sat down with the recipe books while Chris played Madden 2010 and contributed with the occasional "mmm, yes") and planned out our meals for the next two weeks. Armed with a shopping list we hit Morrisons and bought all of the necessary ingredients.
Doing well, you might think. Not quite - we then had a rather big sandwich each, followed by a cake. Then we hit the hut for our tea.
Got to enjoy our last few days before September hits! Tomorrow its the roast chicken and stuffing that we should have been eating today.
Today we sat down with a diary and several recipe books (or rather, I sat down with the recipe books while Chris played Madden 2010 and contributed with the occasional "mmm, yes") and planned out our meals for the next two weeks. Armed with a shopping list we hit Morrisons and bought all of the necessary ingredients.
Doing well, you might think. Not quite - we then had a rather big sandwich each, followed by a cake. Then we hit the hut for our tea.
Got to enjoy our last few days before September hits! Tomorrow its the roast chicken and stuffing that we should have been eating today.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
New beginnings
In less than a month I'm starting a new job. It's a twelve month secondment in a team that i've wanted to work in for a while now, and I'm really looking forward to it. I don't think it's really sunk in yet that I'm leaving the team that I've worked in for six years, and am merrily going through my working days leaving everything tidy for whoever takes on each responsibility once I've gone. I know that I'll be sad when the time comes, but at the moment it doesn't seem to have had any impact on me at all. The thought has occurred to me that I may use this blog as a communication tool with all the people I'll miss, but whether they'd be content to weed through the knitting talk is another matter entirely.
On that note, I've been working on a few projects over the last few months; River Rapids by Sockbug, using a Regia/Kaffe Fassett yarn, and Flame by Kim Hargreaves, using Rowan Linen Drape that a lovely lovely lady from my knitting group gave to me. The socks only need a toe grafting, and the jumper has around 10cm of the neck left to complete. Pictures to follow!
On that note, I've been working on a few projects over the last few months; River Rapids by Sockbug, using a Regia/Kaffe Fassett yarn, and Flame by Kim Hargreaves, using Rowan Linen Drape that a lovely lovely lady from my knitting group gave to me. The socks only need a toe grafting, and the jumper has around 10cm of the neck left to complete. Pictures to follow!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Creativity
These are a pair of mittens for my Nana's birthday this weekend. Now, they're special to me for three reasons:
1) They're for my Nana, from me and I made them.
2) They're Rowan Soft Lux, which is my current favourite yarn.
3) I made the pattern up myself.
Yes, I did italicise that on purpose. I can't say that it was all my own work (I took and modified a cable pattern from a book, and also, ahem, 'borrowed' the shaping from another pattern) but I still feel a certain sense of achievement in that it wasn't a straightforward working through of a pattern, and therefore I feel that I am allowed to say I made it up. Put it this way, it's the closest I'm going to get to designing something - I got the logic genes, my sister got the creative ones.
Anyway, here they are:
There are a couple of errors in there, but I'm afraid that they'll just have to add to the handmade charm of the gift. I'm sure Nana won't mind a dodgy cable when her fingers are toasty warm!
1) They're for my Nana, from me and I made them.
2) They're Rowan Soft Lux, which is my current favourite yarn.
3) I made the pattern up myself.
Yes, I did italicise that on purpose. I can't say that it was all my own work (I took and modified a cable pattern from a book, and also, ahem, 'borrowed' the shaping from another pattern) but I still feel a certain sense of achievement in that it wasn't a straightforward working through of a pattern, and therefore I feel that I am allowed to say I made it up. Put it this way, it's the closest I'm going to get to designing something - I got the logic genes, my sister got the creative ones.
Anyway, here they are:
There are a couple of errors in there, but I'm afraid that they'll just have to add to the handmade charm of the gift. I'm sure Nana won't mind a dodgy cable when her fingers are toasty warm!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Stash Busting 2009
I have what's known as a stubborn streak. It doesn't come out all that often, but at the moment it has chosen its course and is not permitting the purchase of yarn (or even the visiting of yarn shops). This means that I'm going to actually knit up some of the yarn that I have. I've already cast on some gorgeous pink/purple Natural Dye Studio alpaca laceweight to make the Model 1 cardigan from Sandra magazine, and have earmarked some more of my stash for 'real' projects. By real, I mean actual garments that I can have use from. Don't misunderstand me, I like mittens and hats and socks as much as most knitters, but sometimes it's nice to know that you're making something that you'll get wear from, rather than a hat that will be worn three times this winter, only to be replaced by another creation next time it goes cold. With that in mind, my current vogue is for cardigans and jumpers that can be worn in real life, at work or at home.
The only problem at the moment is that while my stubborn streak is active, my knitting mojo is somewhat intermittent, so how likely it is that my stash is knitted before the stubborn streak gives in is as yet unknown!
The only problem at the moment is that while my stubborn streak is active, my knitting mojo is somewhat intermittent, so how likely it is that my stash is knitted before the stubborn streak gives in is as yet unknown!
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