Finished

Yes, I've managed to finish some knitting, and it was the socks, Steph! They are being worn as I type.

Not quite finished, but heading that way, my conservatory. There is still the internal plastering and electrics to be done but it is taking shape and I'm very pleased with it.

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.

Out with the old.......

.........in with the new, hopefully. Yes, tomorrow work is starting to replace this.......

with a brand new conservatory, twice the size, and rotproof!

The main problem I'm going to face is that my computer room is on the right and to get to it I shall have to take a flying leap from the kitchen door, in the centre, to the door on the right. I shall probably be faced with a large hole especially while the foundations are being dug. This means I may not be able to use the computer for a while. My washing machine is also in this area, so no washing will be done.

Now Steven is getting some respite care, I'm managing to get out more. Yesterday, my mother and I spent the afternoon at Wightwick Manor, a national trust property in Wolverhampton. It is a late Victorian house and a shrine to William Morris. Very OTT but somehow it works.

The gardens were not at their best, despite the early spring, as nothing much was flowering except the wisteria.

Farewell Rose

Today our Beatties' Knit-Chat group said goodbye to Rose, our leader and mentor. She is off to pastures new at RKM wools in Shrewsbury and I'm sure some of us will be keeping in touch.

Yuca's children had joined us as it was school holidays, her daughter already knits and her son kept us entertained with 'cats cradle'.

Easter Flowers

Not much completed knitting to report, lots OTNs but not finished.

So here are some treats from the garden.

The Pulsatillas (Pasque Flowers) always make a good show at Easter. I originally had red and blue varieties too, but they disappeared and left only the white, which seeds happily in the gravel.

These pale blue Muscari (Grape Hyacinths) are not as prolific as their darker relatives unfortunately, and are multiplying very slowly.

Most of these are growing close to the house and are likely to be trampled when work starts on the conservatory, so I think I shall have to pot them up until work is finished.

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.

New Jacket

Here's a picture of Steven in his new jacket from Rackety's.

I saw this firm mentioned on Emma's blog and thought it would be ideal for Steven. It looks like a conventional front fastening jacket, but actually fastens at the back, so is much easier to get on and off. He also has a foot muff, but will probably not need it until next winter.

Updating

I've been updating my links, much easier with Beta. Mind you , looking at the list of blogs I check regularly, I think I need to get a life! I've also changed the template.
Nothing much to report on the knitting, another BSJ, still waiting to have shoulder seams stitched, and buttons attached ...........





and some progress on the 1940s jumper.







I'm feeling the urge to cast on for a sock as I don't have one OTNs at the moment, and this won't do.
I'm still on the yarn diet, although the stash isn't noticably reduced. I have made one book purchase with birthday money. There are one or two patterns I might try, though not, I think, the cover design!



In the garden pool things have gone very quiet. After the flurry a few weeks back, most of the frogs disappeared. A few have come back but no frantic passion and no sign of any frogspawn. I'm sure I've had spawn by this time in previous years so what's the difference this year?

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

Let it snow!

The snow promised yesterday arrived this morning. Not much before 9am but it has been coming down steadily all morning so we have quite a covering now in Wolverhampton so Roo will be pleased!

This should mean a good knitting day, but as the lad is not at day care today, because of the snow, I have to keep breaking off to attend to him. Needless to say, he is thoroughly enjoying lazing about.

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.

Early bloomers.......

........and some late ones. Yes, the sky really was that blue this morning.

The snowdrops are popping up in various places around the garden.




The hellebores are blooming well............

...........and the Winter Iris have been flowering their socks off since October. Unfortunately slugs, and the weather, have taken their toll, so they're looking a bit chewed.

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

Quick Post

Just a quick post to show an F.O. Socks for Steven in Hipknits sock yarn.

Simple toe up pattern with short rows toe and heel, K2 P2 rib.

I won't have much time for blogging or knitting next week as I have a friend coming to stay.