Birmingham Show

Went on a flying visit to the NEC yesterday morning. Dropped in on the Knit and Relax stand and met Yvonne, Fred, Sue and others (sorry but I'm hopeless at names).
I didn't have much time so I had decided in advance what I was going to look for and hopefully buy, and luckily managed to do both.

First I wanted to get some pure wool Aran to match this Colinette which I've had for a while but not in a large enough amount to make anything. By great good fortune Undyarns had an exact match.

I'm hoping to make an Adult Surprise Jacket once I can pluck up the courage to cope with all those stitches on the needle.


Then I wanted some Limbo Mexico from Web of Wool to knit Steven a Sweater. I used this in a different colourway, to make him a sweater last year. It is wonderfully soft and machine washes really well. I bought a couple of extra balls to make sure I had enough to match up the pattern in the yarn.

Finally I treated myself to a larger size Addi Turbo needle and this book which I've wanted for a while.


Then I turned my back on the rest of the goodies, and came home, congratulating myself on being so restrained.

Lutsk

Froggie would a Wooing go.......

........and my pond is full again. They disappeared for a while when the weather turned cold but are back in full force and croaking loudly.

I thought this was very amusing and very true. I will have to speak out and admit 'I am a Knitaholic.'

To put my addiction to some use I've started knitting for the

Lutsk Orphanage Knitting Challenge organised by the Coventry Knitwits.

I already have some things completed and have just finished these socks and hat.............

Time is a little tight as they need to be ready by May.

More completed Projects

The Jaywalkers are finished, ends darned in and pressed.

They are very comfortable to wear but needed a little alteration at the toes as I have very short, stubby feet.

Also in the spirit of Stashalong and Project Spectrum a baby's jacket made from odd balls of stash yarns, probably destined for charity.

Blogger seems to be taking forever to upload images today but think I've finally succeeded.

Lent Lunch

I've spent the last couple of days nursing a cold, my head feels as if it's stuffed with half my stash.
Missed out on my weekly Knit chat at Beatties as I went to a Lent lunch in aid of, I think, Christian aid. Soup, bread and cheese and a donation to charity. I took my knitting along and managed a few rounds of the Jaywalkers. The lunch was held in Claverley, a village a few miles out of Wolverhampton.

Spring ?

Spring must be coming, the frogs have reappeared in my pond this week. They are very late this year, I usually start to see them in February. I hope the freeze over night and sprinkling of snow hasn't put them off. At least there is no frogspawn yet to get frozen.
Not much news on the knitting front. The Jaywalkers are progressing and a Jacket for the lad is awaiting front bands and stitching up, my least favourite task. I have completed a baby sweater in Sirdar Country Style 4ply destined for Feed the Children.

Oh dear..........

......... more snow this morning. Steven nearly didn't go to school, but eventually the transport driver relented and pushed him up my snowy drive. I have a doctor's appointment later which I would have had to cancel.

My snowdrops are lasting well this year due to the cold weather. These are, I think, Atkinsii and grow much taller than the common Snowdrop. I planted one bulb 'in the green' about six years ago and it has increased well and I think will need dividing soon.

On the knitting front, the first Jaywalker is completed and I'm about to cast on for the second. The yarn is Fairground from Curious Yarns.

Completed project

At last, I've managed to complete something. Some baby bootees from Zoe Mellor's book '50 Baby Bootees to Knit'. This was a special request from one of Steven's nurses so I've asked for a donation towards school fund raising.

I'm also working on yet another of EZ's Baby Surprise Jacket, and, as usual, have a sock on the go.

This morning we should have been going to a children's craft event at our local art gallery, but Steven is not feeling too good this morning. He's been sick a couple of times and there is lots of tooth grinding going on. Hopefully it won't mean a hospital visit, but the bag is packed and by the door just in case!

Quick post

Not a lot to report. Steven was off school today with a cough so a trip down to the Docs this morning. No antibiotic, just an inhaler.
The Jaywalker socks are progressing, now past the heel on no. one.



My birdtable has been busy with lots of visitors, including a Blackcap and this fine fellow........

.........who seems to have attracted a mate. Another Robin has been following him around, and not been chased away. So there should be some nest building before long.

Back again.......

........ to the hospital, unfortunately, and I thought we were doing so well. Since Steven had his treatment for gastric ulcers, two months ago, he has been a much happier chap and no vomiting until Monday evening. However, we came home yesterday and he's back at school today. He bounces back pretty quickly after these episodes, better than I do, in fact.
Knitting news, I received this the other day from Curious Yarns .................

As you can see, one skein has been rolled into a ball. I took it into the hospital to fondle and found that the arms on the hoist we have to use, to lift Steven, made an excellent skein holder. I'm now about to cast on for Jaywalker socks for myself, although I have plenty of other WIPs I should be finishing.

Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone. I've made one or two resolutions which are knitting related.......... maybe this year I will complete something for myself other than socks, and also complete projects which have been on the needles far too long. Chief among these is a throw knitted on Vivian Hoxbro Domino Technique.It is so nearly completed, just needing a few ends darning in and a suitable edging, and has actually been in use. It is knitted entirely in scrap yarn, the black coming from Texere's free offer a while ago.

Before Christmas I took the opportunity to visit the new Haberdashery/ Yarn department in House of Fraser ( Rackhams) Birmingham. Nothing very exciting but a fair selection of the usual, Rowan, Jaeger and Paton's.

Merry Christmas

Happy Christmas to all my visitors. Just a couple of seasonal pictures of the fantastic German market which is held in Birmingham every year. Apparently it is so good that tourists are even visiting from Germany!

Sunset

Not much time to blog at the moment, but had to share this wonderful sunset with you, taken from my back garden, looking towards the Clee hills.
Also a picture of a completed project, oh yes! This is Beginners Triangle from a Gathering of Lace. It is about to be wrapped for a Christmas present.

The yarn is a lace weight Merino from Tormentil's EBay shop.

Lots more photos to follow, when I have time.

Snow

A day off school for Steven due to this, which arrived yesterday afternoon...................

It looks very attractive but causes me endless problems, one being having to help dig out the school ambulance which, rather unwisely, ventured down my steep drive yesterday. Eventually they made it back to the top and presumably delivered the other pupils safely home. At least the children seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I managed to finish Steven's mittens, so he had toasty fingers when he got in.

I now have a day indoors so lots of knitting time, although I know I should be sorting out some of the chaos that surrounds me.

Back home

Another stay in hospital for Steven, back home this morning. This time he had a bad reaction to some prescribed medicine, his tummy is so delicate at the moment it can't take any extra strain.
I've arranged to have my bungalow professionally cleaned, it is in such a state at the moment due to lack of time on my part, that it is even upsetting me ( and I'm the least house-proud of person I know.) So I should have a sparkly clean house for Chistmas.
I've made a little progress on Steven's mittens, but not much time for knitting in the past few days.

Early Arrival

I've just spotted this in the garden.

It looks as if a slug has had a nibble, but despite this it's lovely to see Iris Unguicularis blooming so early. I normally see the first flowers towards the end of January.

This cheered me up after a frustrating visit to the G.P. to get our flu jabs........ they've run out of vaccine. We couldn't go earlier due to Steven's hospital admissions. It cost me £10 in taxi fares, too.

On the needles, I've just started a pair of mittens for Steven in Regia sock wool.

Back to normal......

.......well almost. Steven is now back at school. I've been sorting out some of the chaos of the last few weeks. Had to stay in all day waiting for someone to come and service Steven's hoist, so far no-one has arrived ( 6pm). Did manage to complete some knitting, my Lorna's Laces socks. Sadly, they are too large for me so are destined to be a Christmas present.



I've also finished my first Knitted Babe from the free Rowan pattern. This is Fifi, resplendent in her feather boa. I used mainly remnants from my stash, mostly of unknown composition except for some Sirdar Foxy. I decided to make the arms and legs from I-cord. She is also going to be a Christmas present.

Another Crisis

No blogging for a while as we had another dash to hospital on Monday night. Steven was discharged yesterday with new medicines. I'm now working on when rather than if he has to go back and keep a bag ready packed.
Although we had to move quickly, I found a sock in the bottom of one of the bags so had something to knit when things calmed down. No photos yet as I still haven't got my camera sorted. Now off to get the chaos of the last week cleared up.

Half Term

Not much time for anything this week as Steven's off school. On Thursday we visited the daycare placement that has become available. He was very relaxed and seemed to enjoy himself. He met two young people who used to be at school with him and greeted them with a smile, so I think there was recognition there.
I'm having very little time for the garden these days and have had to resort to paying someone to cut the grass - oh the shame of it!
I've managed a little time to knit but, as I have the concentration of a gnat at the moment, only small projects. I've started a Knitted Babe from the free Rowan pattern, possibly destined for a Christmas present, but can't get the eyes right.
No pictures as my camera needs new batteries.

Completed Project

We came home on Tuesday evening. So far, touch wood, Steven's new medicine seems to be working, on a very low dose at that. He was back at school today but for one day only, day off tomorrow then half term. Where do all these holidays come from? I'm sure I never had so many.
The mittens are finished and delivered. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo. However I can say that they were a successful use of the self patterning sock yarn, and a pleasant change from just knitting socks.
I was hoping to show some photos of works in progress, but my camera battery has just died on me, so here is one of Steven from the archives...............say Ahhhhh.