A Pink Post.

First things first. I won!! KnitYoga had a competion on her blog and I won this really cute little pin. I thought the little figures were metal when I first looked but they are really stiffened felt embellished with beads and sequins. Very sweet I can't wait to wear it.
Carolyns shawl was finished last night as you can see it has at least one admirer ( just as well she likes cats!) The picture with Tigger is a truer version of the colour.



Ok, it is official I think I have a lace addiction. MS3 is drawing to a close and I really have enjoyed doing it. Knitlesstolife told me about this Secret of the Stole if you are interested it starts October 5th
so I have signed up for that and I have also joined The victorian lace today group
which brings me neatly to my next bit of news. My mum gave me money for my birthday as this is all the lovely loot that I got.



I love the Britanny needles and am trying to collect a whole set though they seem quite fragile next to metal ones infact, Oriana stepped on my knitting bag just after I finished my stole and the 3.5 now have a crack in them. The heere be dragone shawl was mentioned whilst I was doing the MS3 and as we all like dragons in this house I decided I just had to have the pattern. I am now looking around for a bright red suitable for a dragon. The Victorian lace today has such beautiful patterns I am just drooling over them all. Elenya asked me how many shawls I need. The answer of course is none but who can resist?

The Duckling becomes a Swan.

Well I have caught up and passed the finish line. I finished knitting the MS3 monday night and up until the last stitch I really didn't like it. I had decided to do the wing as I wanted to follow the mystery to the end, also I knew if I had to knit the same again I would be shoving it in a drawer. I knew I had learnt alot. When I started it I could manage ten rows in a room by myself,in perfect silence. Then it got easy enough that I could do it in company. I had enjoyed the experience it is wonderful to check in with several thousand people every day and all be doing the same thing.
I have done lace patterns before but, I haven't done lace. So last night was my first blocking adventure it was a bit of a nightmare as I couldn't find my pins and I was blocking onto a towel. It still isn't perfect, I might have to get the iron out later. I have to say it was worth it because by the time the stole was stretched out flat on my floor I was in love. The pattern is unusual and probably not what I would have chosed but, it is so delicate I can't wait for an occasion to wear it.

A Wonderful Week in Wales

We, being the five of us and my mum, have just had the most wonderful week. It is the fourth time we have been and each time we have stayed in the same cottage. Unfortunately (for us)the cottage is going to be lived in permanantly so we will be staying somewhere else next year. we have all come home totally rested. We spent several days on Aberdovey beach in both good and bad weather the kids have become crabbing fiends- they just love it. we also visted the Animalarium there were loads of pets that had been abandoned on the 29th July i.e the start of the school holidays. I could have come home with lots of lovely rabbits, guinea pigs, raccons and especially this little guy.


He was kept in a garage for the first year of his life so can't speak but was totally up for being cuddled and fussed. I am not usually a bird person but he really was cute.
We also had a wonderful day in Portmerion. we walked miles, the little village is lovely but the woodlands surrounding it are just gorgeous they have rhodiendron bushes as large as trees amazing.


Mystery Shawl becomes Swan Lake
The other good thing about a week away was the amount of knitting I got done. I finished clues 4,5 and 6. It was revealed at the beginning of clue 5 that the theme was Swan lake.of course mine is grey so more ugly duckling!




Pretty Pink PI Shawl
I also started this pi shawl I made two last year one for me and one for the Rowan knitting exchange. This one is for my oldest virtual friend Carolyn. She knows that she is getting it as she chose the wool and then sent it from canada to me to knit up. I am knitting it on 8mm rather than the 6.5mm that it suggested on the pattern and the effect is more dramatic. The photo doesn't do the colour justice it is a proper barbie pink very lovely

Sorry to you all for having to scroll down so far, I am sure blogger used to wrap text around the pics but it doesn't seem to anymore.

Sleeping bunny

This is jewel, we are on rabbit sitting duty for some friends. I left the children in charge of her earlier whilst I cleaned out her cage and came back to find Oriana rocking her like a baby. She didn't seem to mind.
Finally a photo of Saffron and it's skirt. People seem to be falling into two camps love it - hate it. Mario hates it, says the front panel is pointless. I was a bit unsure when it was finished that it would either be too hot or too cold but actually it is quite comfy I think I will probably wear it mainly with jeans rather than a skirt but you never know!

Birthdays

Yesterday was my birthday. Quite a sedate affair for me as I was minding all day. I had a yummy afternoon tea shared with good friends we ate huge quantities of Argentian apple cake, strawberries, cream, and scones. The children made me a birthday cake which we finished off this afternoon Elenya read the whole recipe herself so I literally did nothing towards it except put it in the oven.
I love handmade gifts and I got two, this beautiful wall hanging from little blue tortoise. She is making a lovely block of the month quilt for herself and when I saw the poppies pattern for August several months ago I put a big hint in - I didn't really think she would make it. Anyway the poor thing is going to get feelings of deja vu as she makes the same again for her quilt.



J made me the pumpkin lady who is just so cute she stands about 6 inches tall and is all felted. I would have loved to try this process but it involves sponge which I am totally phobic about so that is never going to happen. It makes ms pumpkin all the more special!



I also realised I have been blogging for a year, eek that went fast. For anyone thinking of starting their own blog I would definately recommend it you don't realise how much you have accomplished until you write it down!

Oh I am gonna be joyful now!

It has been a bit of a strange week. Because many of the children I mind have parents working shifts I ask that they let me know from what time in the morning they are going to need me by sunday evening at the latest. Monday morning arrived and my mum took my two littlest off to Scarborough for the day. I hadn't heard from either family on Sunday and by 9.45 there wasn't any sign of anyone. So I decided to get a train to Scarborough and meet my children on the beach. I am glad I did it is the stuff that memories are made off. When they were told that they could have a ride on the donkeys, Inigo said "Oh I am gonna be joyful now!"






Tuesday morning one family turned up and the other family hadn't so I phoned them they didn't answer so we went to the park and had a wonderful day playing in the sun. When we got home the mum had left a message saying that they wanted me to work Thursday and Friday. I am only contracted Monday to Thursday for them and although I have minded for them on a friday before it has been as a favour. But, as they hadnt let me know what hours they had wanted this week and the fact the dad had thought it hilarious that his child had tripped me up last week I said no I couldn't do Friday. The mum said fair enough could I do wednesday instead and I said yes. Then the dad rang and yelled at me. I should cut him some slack he was striking on Friday ( he is a postman but never works friday) and did I really think I should be paid a week's money for one day's work. I told him he had a contract for four days and if he chose not to use them that really wasn't my fault at which point he slammed the phone down. I was shaking and upset but the mum phoned and apologised and said was I still ok for wednesday, they would be at my house at 6.45.
9.00 wednesday morning the mum phones and asks if we are going out as her child is still in bed. I said we were but I would wait for them. 9.30 came and she rang again and asked could she meet us in the park. I said yes and told her where we would be. Then she rang five minutes later to say she would look after her child herself that day and would I be ok for 6.45 thursday.
7.10 on thursday morning they turned up. We were on our way to the duck pond when the child anounces that he is getting a new childminder. As soon as I got home I wrote my resignation. I gave it to the dad when he picked up, I have given four weeks notice but, I hope that they don't turn up again. I was shaking when I did it but, I think I have definately done the right thing.
This morning the sun is shining, I have finished Saffron, Clue 5 for MS3 is due and Tigger has been playing with water balloons and now with yarn. All is good with the world.

Sunday knitting

I have had this little bunny pattern for a while, it is a debbie bliss one from an old Noro book. The cotton was a very cheap 4ply that I bought in Belgium ( I wanted to try it out before I bought a ton of it. I wanted something easy to knit whilst I wait for the extras damask to arrive, this seemed like the obvious choice. I have seen bunnies with moss stitch ears and I think if I was making it again that is the stitch I would use.I am sending her to camp as a little surprise for Elenya. The weather seems to be holding out for them so I expect they are having a wonderful time.

Clue three

Anyone who knows me well, will tell you I am not a morning person. The hours between midnight and 7 am are not my friends. If like, when the twins were babies I had to get up I did it with my eyes shut and kept it like that until I could go back to bed. But a funny thing has happened - I have woken up at 5am fours days this week (without benefit of yelling baby or alarm clock)and jumped out of bed in order to get a few more rows done on my Stole. I finished clue 3 at 6.30 this morning and am feeling quite chuffed with my newfound morning personality. The cats too are happy with this arrangement as it means they get breakfast early. The feline in the picture is my nineteen year old baby Tigger, he was purring wildly whilst I took the photo and is now sat on my shoulders purring even louder whilst I type.

Be nice to your welly footed friend.

This morning we dropped our baby in a wood. Ok she isn't really a baby anymore, she is eleven and so excited to be doing her first guide camp. The sun has come out for the day though I imagine it they will all be quite muddy by the end of the week. I would have liked a photo of her with her kit but she has such a large amount of stuff that she couldn't even lift it!

Clue two

There are have been lots of rumours circulating about what this stole might look like at the end. Some good, some bad and upsetting. The idea of swans appeals to me I hadn't seen it before I took this photo but I really can see little birds flying in formation and I am sure there is a Irish folk lore about swans. I guess I won't know for sure until the end. One thing I do know though, is that I have always done my yarn overs the wrong way. Much of my knitting abilities are self taught and this has never been a problem in the past but, then again I have never done anything lacey that was trying to create a picture rather than a pattern before. I was really struggling at the begining of clue two as the eyelet kept moving to the wrong side of the pattern. Anyway thanks to the internet I looked it up and resolved the problem.


The other quick project saffron looks like this. Unfortunately the damask that I bought online is not a good colour with the handknit cotton so I am going to have to try and choose another colour I am tempted to go for the cream coloured one just for ease. What I wouldn't give for a decent wool shop in the area. The lava colour damask that I bought is going to be turned into a peony also from rowan 41 for the mother in law ( good aren't I). I am hoping I might get the wool to make me one for my birthday.

What a day!

It started off really well. I woke up at 5.30 so half an hour earlier than I needed to. So I managed to get a few more rows of clue 2 done. Then my mindee arrived half an hour late (I should have known then). I decided as my children were off for the day with DH and the inlaws, the mindee and me would go off to a play gym for the day. A good idea until the mindee trips me up- I broken my beautiful new britany needles and have severley twisted my ankle, I am in serious pain. I can't put any weight on it as soon as my family comes home I am off to casualty.

When the door bell went.

On wednesday my rowan exchange gift arrived from the wonderful knitter, Kira of Tasmania. Funnily enough the illusive Kira was my exchange partner last year and as she says we must be a good match. I am inclined to agree as I can safely say I love everything that she has ever sent me. I say illusive because last year I had no way of thanking her except on the Rowan site.This year I am glad to say I do have a return address.I was so moved by my beautiful gifts, they made me cry, such a wonderful present.
First things first the season she was knitting for was Summer and she made me this fantastic shawl.



I was kind of hoping I would get something like a shawl or a scarf but this is above my wildest dreams. It is 50/50 wool silk hand painted from the knittery and so soft! The weather is not great here it has to be said but I wore it with jeans around the supermarket on wednesday, and I am wearing it now as I type. But not only did she send me this, she also sent loads of other goodies.


Some beautiful handpainted sock yarn ( now I definetly need a book of sock patterns what with this yarn and the ladybird one), a pair of 4mm Tasmanian Oak knitting needles which is greatly appreciated for my growing collection of posh needles. Two large pieces of fudge , jaffa orange and irish cream - delicious. some salts to go with fish, applepaste to go with cheese and a wonderful fruit tea! The fruit tea is amazing it is loose so no horrid wax bag taste which is what you usually get with fruit teas and the longer it stews the sweeter it gets, ideal for summer as I think you could probably drink it cold with ice as well as hot.

whooo hooo clue 1 is done!

Ok it has to be said everyone else starts clue 4 tomorrow but I knew that it would take me quite a while. Not to mention the complete do over at row 58 it had been going really well Ihad the right number of stitches and every thing but for some reason my yarn overs kept disapearing on the edge of the border. I though I would just pull back a few rows and that would be that but I ended up in a real tangle so the only thing to do was snap a chunk off and start again at row 1. This may be because I have threaded all of my beads even though we were told not to. It isn't really because I am a rebel just that I couldnt find my tiny crochet hook and I figured by the time I found it I would be in such a bad mood that knitting anything thing as delicate as this would be a complete no no!
I am still a little unsure about the colour it really isn't very exciting however it does look quite good against the carpet so may be it will grow on me.
I just finished the first clue today I would have complete yesterday but the door bell went at row 87 and that was so exciting, I couldn't do anymore.

Yippee the postman came!

Well thursday morning arrived and so did my lovely yarn, JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool Silk in Pewter. It feels lovely, I was a little unsure of the colour when it arrived it really is very subtle but, I have decided it is the colour of cobwebs so just the colour for a spider! Although it arrived on Thursday I couldn't start until the following day as I had to finish this.


It is filled with lavender so smells fantastic. A birthday pressie for a friend. Happy Birthday J.
The MS3 is now under way I am at row 37, it is slow progress but it seems as soon as there is even a hint of a lace chart being looked at and everyone wants to talk to you. On friday evening I got it out and Husband wanted to show me stuff in the paper, kids wanted to tell me stories from school. So I put it away and started knitting some more of Saffron, I sat in silence for the rest of the evening typical!!

Oh summer loving!

Here is me wearing a dandelion and a butterfly skirt and the sun came out for the piccy. I finished the cardigan last week and the two skirts I was making today. The skirt fabric I bought from Crista's Quilts on a whim a couple of months ago it is so bright and happy just the thing for summer days. I tried a couple of patterns before I settled on Butterick 4461. The sizing on the pattern is a little strange but the finished skirt is exactly what I was wanting.The Dandelion christened my lovely Britany needles that I bought a couple of months ago and I have to say they are fantastic!! I don't know about other knitters but I like to try knitting with my eyes shut (just incase I ever lose my sight I will still be able to knit) and you know you can knit whole rows with these lovely needles because they don't stick at all!! I have cast on Saffron from also from Rowan mag 41 and they are long enough to hold both front and back fantastic, sorts my urge for two at a time! I am knitting it in Carmen Rowan Handknit cotton which was also in my stash and will go with the other skirt I just made. Why may you ask am I casting on more stuff when I am making ms3. Well my lovely yarn seems to have been lost in the post. The woolly Workshop has sent me out another lot today so hopefully I will get something tomorrow and I can start clue 1 before clue 3 is released. If they don't arrive tomorrow it will be next week as we are expecting an other postal strike on Friday.

Bad,Bad,Wicked,Wicked!

I am supposed to be being good. But Yesterday when I was wandering around blogland I stubbled onto the Yarn Harlots blog and she had just written about Mystery Stole three and how she had been bamboozled into joining. I thought well it can't possibly harm to have a look. Anyway the upshot is I joined, bought more yarn from woolly workshop( I will show you this when it arrives) and bamboozled someone else into joining with me. It wouldn't be so bad but the Kal I started last August the butterfly is still at the frill stage. I also bought a shawl to make when I went to Harrogate in the autumn and I haven't even wound that into balls, so the chances of me blazing ahead with this and not starting other stuff is probably not great.It is in the form of 7 clues the second of which comes out today. If you want to join in this is the last day to sign up I hate working charts but clue one looks fairly straight forward so hopefully I will be good and get on with it.

Rowan Exchange Bag Pattern

The bag that I made was based on Amanda's Squatty on knitting daily but my eyes started to glaze over when I read the pattern so it became this made up pattern:- chunky wool from coldspring mill knitted double. It is equivelent to Rowan Polar in weight. on 10mm straights cast on 15 sts. garter stitch till you like the length. I think it was 60 rows pick up stitches on 7mm circ 30ish on the long sides 15 on the short. every other row k2tog at first corner ssk at second corner(so the decreases lean in on the shorter sides.) stop when you think it is big enough. Cast off. cast on 5st knit until long enough to go over your arm cast off. Cast on 5sts knit till will go over top of bag as closure add magnetic clasp and crocheted flower ( I am not very good at this so the two flowers are stitched together.)It is all very quick I finished it in less than a day.

My exchange gift is finished.

I finished it all yesterday so quite pleased with myself as I am ahead of the deadline. The bag that I eventually made didn't need felting as it is a perfect size to go over your arm so I left it as it was. It seems to have been popular around this house both daughters have made a play for it and Elenya has put an order in for one of her own. I just hope I can remember how to do it. It may require another trip to coldspring mill as I am out of the relevant yarn. There is a postal strike here today so, unfortunately it wont be leaving here until monday. Hopefully it will arrive with it's new owner by the end of next week.
My needles haven't rested I have cast on the back for Dandelion from Rowan 41 on wednesday evening and am half way up the back. It is in a colour called Diana which I have had in my stash for about 7 years. I bought it to make something for the eldest daughter when she was little and then decided I didn't really love the colour. However it is a perfect match for a summer skirt that I am making so I shall try and finish them in time for the glorious summer weather that we are definately due.

The felted bag.

Knitted

This was my project for the weekend. I enjoyed making it as it was pretty mindless (which is what I really need at the moment) and had the distinct advantage that it used a tonn of yarn. I am really trying to down size as I almost can't get into the box room for the inordinate amount of yarn and fabric that I own. It has to be said that the fabric is the biggest culprit but the yarn is bulkier.It was very quick to make. The body of it and the handle are knit then the flap is crocheted.
Crocheted

I would have completed it on Sunday except I couldn't find my 8mm crochet hook. Once I had felted it I put it in a dye bath to even out the colour in my impatience to see what it looked like I plunged my hands into the dye bath without gloves. The result being I have grape tinged hands and nails - very attractive! I think it has turned out very pretty but too big to post as a little extra! What about felting it again I hear you cry. Well it is also very heavy as I doubled the yarn up to get the speckled effect and I fear that if it is shrunk again it will make it to stiff. So as I have still more of this yarn I am going to try again. The last one was a pattern so although I am not going to follow that again I shall use the principles just making it just a little smaller.
Felted


Dyed and Dried!

Brand new computer, brand new camera and exchange socks

The new computer arrived yesterday and I am back on line.Yippee, I have checked out all my favourite blogs. I have taken pictures with the camera. These are the socks I am making for the Rowan exchange. They are a wonderful colour they remind me of ripe summer fruit - plums mainly. The feet seem quite big - I really hope they fit, they were supposed to be knitted on a 3mm and a 2.5 and I have knitted the whole lot on a 3. If not I guess I will have to have them back to do over. I have seen a gorgeous felted bag I want to make as well. I am going to knit this one from stash trouble is I dont have a suitable colour so I am going to knit it in blue and pink stripes and then dye it red. I am hoping for wonderful purples............ hmm might be lucky!