Storage

Spotted this yesterday, drastically reduced in a sale.........

Ideal storage for WIPs, magazines and other necessities of life..................

Steven has been unwell in school today, although he seems bright enough since he got home. Hope he's not brewing something up for the holiday.

Garden

I had the pleasure today of welcoming Nigel and Jane Hanson who come each spring to prune and put my garden in order.

They designed and built the garden about eleven years ago, one very hot summer.

Their own garden, the Willows, Trysull, near Wolverhampton is wonderful and well worth a visit if you're in the area on one of their open days.

Needless to say my garden is looking much less overgrown since their visit...............

............... and hopefully I shall have more time to tend it this year.

Off to Beatties today for Knit Chat after missing two weeks with Steven at home for the Easter holidays. He's returned to school now so back to normal, although a Bank Holiday and extra days off are looming on the horizon.

Forms

This is what I should have been doing today, filling in a heap of boring but important forms for Steven to claim the benefits he is entitled to...........

..........and this is what I actually achieved, the start of another sweater for Steven which is not essential and hopefully won't be needed until next winter, but I was keen to see how the pattern came out. It is very different from the last sweater I made in Limbo Mexico. I have 98 stitches on the needle, less would make deeper stripes.

Knitting is so much more satisfying than form filling.

Jacket.......

......... for Steven completed. This started as 'Jack' sweater from Rowan Junior. After I completed the back, I realised I had made a mistake in the stitch pattern. Each repeat should have covered 20 rows and I had only 6. So much tighter cables, I don't know why I didn't realise. Rather than frog the back, I decided to make the rest to match. I then decided a jacket would be more useful than a sweater so divided the front, added front bands and buttons. I used Sirdar Denim Tweed DK which is lovely and soft and machine washable, essential for Steven's clothes.

Here it is modelled by the recipient.

Yesterday I sent off my contribution to the Lutsk Orphanage appeal. I've always enjoyed knitting for children and when I worked in Residential Nurseries years ago, knitted constantly for the children.

Camellia

Something seems to be happening in the garden at last thank goodness, this winter seems to have lasted for ever. My camellia only has one flower open so far, as it is in a shady spot, but my neighbour's has put on a magnificent show, so I've 'borrowed' it for the photo.

As you can see, the large tree in the background is showing no sign of leaves yet.

The knitting for http://orphanknittingchallenge.blogspot.com/ is continuing. I'm really enjoying knitting small things which can be completed in an evening or two. Anything for Steven is taking longer than I have the patience for at the moment and garments for myself seem never to be finished. This is what I've completed in the last week.

Completed this week...........

............for the Lutsk Orphanage Challenge .

The yarns are leftovers from other projects, and charity shop finds. I'm hoping to get a few more items completed before the deadline in May.

Workshop

Spent an interesting morning attending a Knitting Workshop run by Debbie Abrahams in Wolverhampton Beatties. Eight of us learned the intricacies of Fairisle and were far more knowledgable at the end than when we started.

Here's Debbie, second from right and below three more industrious knitters.

Our project was to knit a fairisle bag, this is my progress so far but I had to leave early so will have to complete it at home. The yarn is Rowan Handknit Cotton.


Many thanks to Debbie, Rose, Beatties' Rowan consultant and to the catering staff for providing us with a delicious lunch.

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.