Garden

I seem to have been neglecting the blog recently. I didn't realise it was so long since I posted. Not much to show on the knitting, although progress has been made on several projects. I've started the second Kureyon sock, and so far the stripes are matching, which pleases me.

I've also made some progress in the garden. Sadly, not my own work, but something that needed to be done. This cherry tree has been ailing since I had it pruned a few years ago. Last year it lost its leaves mid summer and looked dead. I gave it a chance to revive this spring, but it was not to be.

So it is now reduced to a sweetly smelling pile of logs.

I don't have an open fire myself, but have a friend who burns logs so they will be going to her, when she can arrange transport.

Also garden related, my tomato seedlings are making progress, if a little slowly. However it will be a few weeks before they can go outside, so should have grown a bit by then.

Back to Knitting

Yes, some knitting has been progressing; first, socks. Top, we have Colinette Jitterbug on my favourite Magic Loop. Bottom, St. Ives sock wool, yes your eyes don't deceive you, I thought it was about time I tackled the dreaded DPNs. Can't say I am converted, I seem to spend a large amount of time picking up dropped needles and stitches. After all, I now have eight needle ends to lose the stitches from.

Next, yet another BSJ, just needing cuffs and buttons. Yarn, some unlabelled acrylic from stash.

Finally, I spotted this in a local charity shop yesterday.

Ideal storage for ' special' needles including some Peace Fleece from
Woolly Workshop.

Off to the NEC tomorrow, all being well, to help Fred on the Relax and Knit stand, so may see some fellow Bloggers.

Thoughts on Terrorism

I heard on the news this morning that one of the men being held on suspicion of the recent car bomb attempts in London and Glasgow, was a hospital Doctor. It makes you wonder how someone dedicated to saving lives, could be plotting to kill people.

It takes me back to the 1970s, when I worked in a residential nursery, in London, and shared the care of six babies, with an Irish nurse, a pleasant girl, easy to get on with, kind and loving towards the children. She went on holiday and never returned. The next thing we knew was that the police were looking for her in connection with bomb plots. Her flat had been searched, and explosives found under her bed. As far as I know, she has never been found, although her boy friend was arrested some time later. I had great difficulty in believing that the person I had been working with was a terrorist bomber.

Back to more mundane matters. I have been working on the ASJ and made a little progress, the front bands are nearly complete and I've chosen the buttons. Just the sleeves to finish. Not much point in showing a picture as it hasn't changed much from the last time.

I got a little diverted by another BSJ (baby clothes are so quick to make!) This is intended for a village show later in the month. I used Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino.

Recovered

Just about recovered from my visit to Gardener's World Live last week. I found walking around for about five hours, extremely exhausting. There were actually three shows, Good Food and Good Homes as well as the gardening show, too much to see in one visit. I did see some conservatory blinds I liked, but no furniture.

I'm afraid the ASJ is in the waiting area at the moment as I'm making a few small things for Kisiisi as light relief, and to use more of the stash, which seems to get no smaller.

I've completed another BSJ, double knitting, approx. 20" chest. I love the way this has turned out; the joy of this pattern is the way each garment is so different from the others, and you're never quite sure how it will look.

Now I have to find some suitable buttons.

I also have some tiny jackets, for the smallest babies, and hope to make a few hats.

The flooring in the conservatory is being fitted on Monday, so disruption again for a while.

Not much done in the garden this week, due to the wet weather, but here are a couple of pictures.

Peony Sarah Bernhardt, and Rose New Dawn.

Snap!

I've just completed socks for Steven and see on his blog that Colin has been using the same yarn and colourway!

The ASJ is getting very unwieldy now, so I need socks for when I KIP.

The jacket is now on two 40 inch circulars and I am about to start the body extension. It is starting to look like a jacket.

I haven't blogged for a while as life has been quite busy. It was good to meet up with Rose and Steph (briefly back in the Midlands) at Fiona's house last week, but sad that I had to leave early due to an unscheduled visit by workmen ( why do they never choose a convenient time to come?) The flooring in the conservatory should be fitted soon, then I can start to consider furnishings. I also have to get window blinds.

Chester and ASJ

I ventured a little further afield on Wednesday and visited Chester and had an enjoyable day there. I did the usual visit to the cathedral and walk around the walls, not the complete circuit although I have done that in the past.

I also shopped in the 'Rows' and, of course, visited Stash where a few small purchases took place.

My ASJ is progressing, a little more slowly as the first enthusiasm has worn off. Also, I discovered a dropped stitch and had to frog several rows. However, I am approaching the neck shaping. Here is the progress in the last few days.

While I was in Chester Cathedral I bought this .............
.......... a copy of the Green Man misericord which I thought would be appropriate to hang on the wall in the new conservatory.

Progress

The ASJ has made progress. I'm finding this an easy knit so far, although I have hit upon a snag. I started the diagonal increases on the first instead of the second row, which means I may not be able to make an invisible join when I start knitting the sleeve extension.

In reply to Helen's comment, the ASJ is worked on a different principle to the BSJ and you need to have the pattern as the size is based on your stitch gauge and your personal measurements so is different for everyone.

There is also progress on the conservatory which has now been plastered and has electricity.

I've also had someone to measure up for flooring to cover the mess the plasterers made.

The bad news this week is that I have strained a muscle in my back. Lots of lovely sitting and knitting you may think. But no, I still have the same household chores to do, Steven to feed and bath, just at half the speed. Hopefully, the Ibuprofen will start to kick in soon.

UFOs and WIPs

Oh dear. I looked at my basket of WIPs this morning and despaired. I'm sure some of them are going to end up as UFOs if I don't get cracking and complete them.

Trouble is, I'm bored with them all and longing to cast on something new. I really must discipline myself and finish something, probably the socks, as they are nearest to completion.

It's here........

......... at last! The much anticipated Yarn Forward magazine arrived this morning.

I haven't had much time to look at it yet, but there are some interesting articles, quite a bit on socks and a charming baby Kimono. I can see a long session with a cup of coffee, once Steven is fed.

The conservatory build is progressing with the minimum of disruption, although access to the computer has been limited. Hopefully, construction on the top should start on Monday.

I was told to keep off the wet concrete (goes without saying). When I returned from a visit to the wheelchair clinic with Steven I found this.......
......a row of prints leading to and from the back door! Too small to be any of the builders, further investigation proved it was a neighbour who was looking through the kitchen window to see if I was in! Although she swore the concrete was dry.

NEC

On Thursday I was at the Sewing for Pleasure show at the NEC Birmingham. I got the impression that there was rather more knitting content than last time. Of course, I broke my yarn diet, with a modest stash enhancement ............

The Alpaca sock yarn, from Web of Wool was particularly yummy.

Edited for Steph - The unlabelled yarn is from Riverside Spinning, handdyed merino . The man selling this had no website, he said he only sells at shows. It was very reasonably priced and he also had mohair.

I stopped briefly to say hello to Yvonne, Fred et al, but I was with my cousin who is mainly a cross stitcher and had a different agenda, so we moved on. I did take along a knitted Teddy, who has been languishing under Steven's bed for several years, to join Shaun the Sheep's PickKnit. I didn't contribute towards the Knitted Garden, but thought I should donate something this time.

Respite

Things have started moving on the respite care for Steven. Two lovely ladies arrived on Thursday evening, bathed and fed him and got him ready for bed. Unfortunately he then 'played up' all evening in the only way he can, threatening to be sick, so I was kept busy. Hopefully, he will start getting used to new carers.

On Sunday, they came for the afternoon, so I had a meal out and visited the new Cold War exhibition at RAF Cosford, very interesting, free, and bliss for young boys (and girls) if they are interested in aircraft, rockets etc.

As for knitting, two items have floated to the top of the pile of WIPs.

The sock is making slow progress as it is my KIP project. However, I'm now past the heel.

I've also started a new top for Steven. It is going to be a raglan Hoodie, but I'm not sure that the self striping yarn is the best choice for this design as there is no way the stripes will match up.

Here is progress so far..........

.........and the yarn is.....

Pure wool, machine washes like a dream, and the first sweater I knitted in this is still soft after two years of machine washing.

Now must take myself into the garden to mow the lawn, the sun is shining atm but rain is threatened later.

Just in time

I managed to complete this at the weekend.

Just in time as it happens, baby Harvey arrived on Saturday. According to his Grandad, he is a big lad at 8lb. 12ozs. so it was lucky that I decided to make a larger BSJ as the others would have been too small. So a parcel will soon be winging its way up to Yorkshire.

I will soon be invaded by builders as I am having a new conservatory built. The
Garden Room, Large Porch , I have at present, has started to rot and it's doubtful if it will last much longer. So, a good opportunity for a bigger, more comfortable room and another knitting area!

Here are a couple of before photos. As you can see it is a dumping ground at the moment so must get on to Freecycle and unload some of the unwanted junk. However, the chair was made by my Grandfather as a nursing chair when I was a baby, so I shall be sad to see it go.

Signs of Spring

Lovely sunny day today. Spring seems to be arriving with the pond heaving with frogs (but no spawn yet) and Mrs. Robin collecting nesting material. The crocuses 'Pickwick' are opening once the sun gets to them.




My regular appointment at the diabetic centre was accomplished there and back in an hour, and that included a blood test! I barely had time to get out my knitting, I'd prepared for a whole morning session.


Some knitting has been completed recently. Another Baby Surprise jacket in Colinette Jitterbug 'Marble' and Rowan 4ply soft.

....... and a couple of charity knits. A lap blanket for the local Hospice........

............ and a hat for BISS

Progress

Yes, I am making some progress on my Stash Busting, and no new yarn was purchased during January. It remains to be seen whether I can be as successful through February.



I have one F.O. a Baby Surprise jacket. Another is on the needles but I forgot to take a photo.









The Log Cabin Afghan is making progress although so far I haven't seen much reduction in the bags of ball ends that I'm using. I think they're starting to breed!

I've also cast on for another project. My cousin is keen for me to dress appropriately for the 1940's weekend in September, so I've started a 1940's jumper. This has involved a considerable sizing up from the 34inch bust size all my genuine patterns seem to be (was no one any larger?) and this is the progress so far. Progress will be slow as the wool is 4ply.

I actually have a large amount of the green wool but at least half has been chewed by moths so tends to fall into short lengths. This doesn't matter too much with stripes. This was a charity shop find so I can't complain.

Completed socks

I actually got round to completing my latest socks yesterday evening. The yarn was from Hipknits, but was missing a label so I'm not sure of the fibre . However it is very soft and I would guess that it is Alpaca. To be honest, I'm not sure that they will stand up to hard wear so will probably be lounging-round-the-house socks.







The yarn was D.K. weight, needles size 3.25mm. knitted toe up with short row toe and heel, magic loop. The pattern, Single Eyelet Rib courtesy of Barbara Walker's First Treasury.

Finished with a Picot edge as a cast off edge would have been too tight.

Stash Reduction

I've started the New Year by trying to reduce my stash to managable proportions by
Knitting from Stash. I don't know how long I shall keep it up before falling off the wagon, but will try to continue as long as possible. I've started by trying to use up all the odds and ends for my Log cabin Afghan. These three bags are just some of it. If I can reduce it all to just one bag I shall feel I've achieved something.







I received these this week, but they don't count as a purchase for this year as they were chosen and paid for at the end of December............







This is Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn. On the left, Popsicle, lovely colours but much greener than I expected so not really suitable for the project I had in mind; on the right, Marble.
The Popsicle was intended for a Baby Surprise jacket for a cousin's baby due in the spring. As I don't know the sex I think I will end up knitting two. I eventually started in Jaeger 4ply Merino and some left over Lorna's Laces, colour Jaypond, which I think will be more acceptable for a young baby. The Marble will hopefully make a more 'girly' one. This is progress so far.........

Happy New Year

Well, all the festivities are over and it's back to the old routine. Steven went back to his day centre yesterday so I have more time during the day for essentials, such as knitting and blogging.

First, I was tagged by Steph to list the six most weird things about myself, so here goes, rather late I'm afraid.

1. I love chocolate, cream cakes, puddings etc. Nothing weird in that you may think, but I am diabetic and I know I shouldn't eat them, but I do and suffer and feel ill afterwards. Therefore I try not to have them in the house.

2. I drink very little alcohol, an occasional glass of sherry or wine to be sociable. I don't enjoy the taste and to be honest can't see what all the fuss is about. I would rather spend my money on yarn ( or chocolate.)

3. I don't drive. I lived in London for many years and never felt the need to learn. Given no. 2 above this is considered a waste of a non drinker by others in the family.

4. I also have never smoked.

5. I seem to have a need to be untidy. I feel uncomfortable if I'm sitting down without being surrounded by yarn, magazines etc. Of course, this leads to frantic tidying when visitors arrive.

6. Jobs always get put off until tomorrow, or preferably the day after.

Most people have done this already, but if not, consider yourself tagged.

Now for some knitting content. I'm trying to knit from stash as a new year resolution so have started a Stash Buster log cabin afghan. Here is progress so far.

I'm trying to use yarn that I'm unlikely to need for any other project so some of the colours are a bit dull. However it's a nice mindless T.V. knit and a good way of use up small amounts of yarn, mostly D.K. or 4ply doubled.

At last

I returned home this lunchtime to find a parcel on the doorstep, containing these.........







....... and on opening them these were revealed........

Yes, my long awaited sock club yarns from Hipknits have arrived. Lovely colours and the cashmere on the right is so soft. I'm sure they'll all make wonderful socks, and all for me! No one else is getting their hands, I mean feet, on this!

Some Christmas knitting has been completed and is now on its way to new owners.

These Booga bags haven't felted as much as I'd like, but it's too late to do anything about it now. I think they're quite acceptable though.

The yarn was Noro Kureyon.

Frustration

I've been having a very frustrating time recently trying to contact Hip Knits. In August I joined their Sock Club, and hoped to receive a skein of yarn each month for four months. In September I got the first skein and Steven now has new socks (see previous post.) Since then I have received nothing. I emailed Kerrie in November and received a reply saying that the missing yarn would be sent the next day, but so far nothing, and no reply to other emails. Has it got lost in the post or not yet been sent? Looking at comments on the Hip knits blog I see I'm not the only one having difficulty making contact.
On a more successful emailing note, Steven now has his picture on Radio 4's Window on your World, page 2, photo number 31. All the photos were taken at 5pm on Tuesday 5 December.






On the knitting front, I'm working away at Christmas presents, both to give myself and for other people to give ( you know who I mean Chris!) Here is a small sample of progress.


Very plain so far but I hope to add a decorative ribbing at the top. Wool came from Texere. No problem contacting them and a speedy delivery. As you can see, I've already started the second sock to avoid Second Sock Syndrome