A beautiful finish!

After consideration I decided to join Anniken Allis's "professional finishing" online course which commenced start of May and runs until the end of this week, I already had a baby cardi garment that needed sewing up so used this instead of the mock up half pattern supplied with the course.

I'm pleased I joined, no matter how much you think you know there is always more to learn and just picking up a few tips like placing and positioning of pins is enough to warrant joining in and signing up.  You can see the garment isn't quite finished - on Friday we tackle picking up and knitting the bands and buttonholes but already my lovely cardi is looked beautifully pressed?

Anniken also used her little butterfly clips and I dug mine out of my basket and used them too.  I also used my lovely curved darning needle purchased at recent NEC sewing for pleasure show.

Also beautifully finished - my intarsia and fabric backed cushion!  didn't take long to knit up I was anxious about joining the fabric back, but in the end it was a breeze!  I blocked out the front to a nice square 18" and overlocked all the raw edges before back stitching by hand to the front and then machining with a light zig-zag to ensure it didn't all come apart under strain of using and voila! a lovely cushion!

Almost finished is Patchouli, just the one sleeve to go and then I can properly "professionally finish" this garment too.  Its all blocked out and waiting for me to finish and block the final sleeve and then I shall sew up.  Next I need to sew the blouse that it was designed to be worn with but I'm rather putting off that task in case I miraculously lost a stack of weight.
I've not.  In fact, I've put ON.  And thats with being ON the "diet".  Can't understand it, my husband has also had a disappointing couple of weeks losing only 1lb.  At least his was a loss albeit a small one, very cross at jumping on scales to see I'd gained I did his trick of moving the scales about the floor in a bid to get the "lowest" possible reading.  In the end, though, I went for my usual place and just accepted it - when I first joined I did marvellously well and was well onto a winner even managing to do the tricky Christmas/newyear/birthday periods without a gain and now I wish I'd not bothered! bah!
The weather has been glorious over the weekend, in the end we didn't go out over the Bank Holiday and now the clouds are overhead and ominously black and full of rain no doubt, its putting me in mind to knit some summer weight garments and I hope to pick up the needles and rejoin Dingle to get that finished next.  I've come out from the naughty corner after giving myself a good talking to have decided I'm no better or worse than any of my knitty-pals and am back now on track for some serious knitting.

Last week we went on a girls' trip out to visit two local newly opened "wool shops" which were lovely and I enjoyed the day - I shall have to see if I can get a copy of the pics to share.
The Guthrie & Ghani shop was first on the trip, we didn't buy anything here and managed to look all over both the fabric and haby side and the yarn in a short space of time, I feel there is more to come from the lovely owner who was also entered into the wonderfully fun "Great British Sewing Bee" and certainly you could tell her passion for "sewing" will help her business to grow in strength.  The shop was reasonably busy and had a good atmosphere but unfortunately there wasn't enough wool to interest me on this occasion.
Next up was Stitch Solihull - sorry its a FB link to anyone who hasn't got one!  I don't think they have a website yet, they do have a Ravelry group if you search you'll be sure to find it.  A lovely little shop with plenty to choose from with yarns that are well known like Fyberspates and Malabrigo and Easy Knits etc - I bought some lovely stitch markers and some bits and pieces including a 2.5mm hiyahiya circ for socks.
The day ended with a pot of tea and cake!  we celebrated our first whole year as friends and part of a group that formed when our own lys closed down and we wanted to continue meeting and sharing our knitting and friendship - it was a nice way to celebrate new friendships and long may it continue!

I've FAILED .. (so much for bragging ..)

ok.  I've sat in the naughty corner and had a good think about it and I'm ready to admit I've FAILED and I'm SORRY.  well. a bit.  well.  not really.  not completely not as SUCH.  ok, I HAVE failed to keep to my resolve to not start "new" projects while I have things OTN's but then I couldn't not.  (thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it).

Looking at the positives, I'm getting the hang of wielding a crochet hook and I've successfully completed a whole cowl project knit completely continentally left handed with Norwegian purl too AND I've knit a hat and a half .. I had to sneak them in amongst other legit projects so thats where the failure creeps in.
Also, I'm about to "fail" dismally as I still have sock 1 to complete and I've already signed up for the May/June sock kal on Coop Knits ravelry page to coincide with her lovely new sock pattern book - sigh - but what can one do?  I have to join in!  I've already discovered I'm very much a "process" knitter but also I'm a very "social" one too - I have to knit the in thing, I have to join in and do what everyone else is doing, I can't help it! someone drops casual comment about a beaded lace KAL and voila! I'm signing up too!  (I've not.  in case anyone is looking a KAL, although there are some from Laura Nelkin in her group .. sigh .. and thats another problem - I've signed up for all the knitting classes going in Craftsy, and I've also signed for Anniken's finishing course too - I can't help it! I wants to be doing something and joining in!).

Pictures.  before I bore everyone to death.  While sat in the naughty corner contemplating all my projects on the go, I took photo's and have updated my Ravelry projects pages and resolve to NOT fussing and losing confidence, I needn't ruin what I've got started by getting upset, I've got over myself and am now resolved to finishing SOMETHING.  anything.  just start FINISHING.

 First off, here's ME wearing the lovely Ripple Cowl which looks nothing like it does on the main page, but that might be my extra loose knitting as I was only using my left hand. 

This is North Lyme a hat I'm knitting using Rowan Baby Merino silk dk and its for no.2.son who requested a second hat!  I also received a voucher and invite to pre purchase a new ebook of hat patterns for babies and adults - Playful Woolly Toppers - and I also signed for Crafty's hat knitting class too ..

My foray into crocheting is coming along slowly, I've a feeling I've done a bit more on this since the photo and a FB pal noticed it seeming to come in smaller as I progress and I am now worried I've decreased by not going into all the chains, this is the difficulty in learning something by yourself without an expert to hand to look at it.
cough.  luckily for me I DO have an expert pal - cough - SALLY - I may bring this along for inspection!!
The pattern is lovely and straight forward - notice I didn't say EASY?  (actually it IS easy, its just I can't get the hang of it and have to keep stopping and backtracking and counting every few stitches).

Patchouli is designed to accompany a blouse I'm in the process of sewing.  I did say I was sewing again?   Not as much as I used to but I have missed sewing and dressmaking in particular, and I've bought a Burda blouse pattern and have almost sewn a toille to sort of nearly FIT.  And thats another failure.  After changing meds I found myself suffering the known and very common side effect of INCREASED appetite and weight gain.  And I have gained weight - lots of it!  The GP, however, refuses to switch the meds as he declares me the best I've been in years ... considering the last few times I've seen him he's been backing himself into a corner and/or slamming his fingers in his own drawers in attempt to get through the tedium of ME sat in his room this is progress.
I've got to put up with it and learn to deal with it.

 No.1.son has gone home back to his Uni digs for the rest of the term and I am trying hard to continue to knit his socks but with no deadline AND the added distraction of my new book purchase of sock patterns I'm going to have to be very strong to resist flinging this aside and diving into new socks!
The socks are actually knitting up quite fast - just "plain" knitting and the sequence of pattern and colour is nice, my son has confirmed he likes them so I must finish them!

The lovely Rachel has got a book out! hurrah! at last she's printed a sock pattern book where all the socks are immediately ones I want to knit!!  I pre ordered as soon as it was announced and this week it arrived! extra early she sent out the copies and mine dropped through the letter box on Tuesday.

As you can see, I've already picked out my sock yarn!  Rachel is proposing a sock KAL for two sock patterns May and June and I've got my eye on WillowHerb - do you think it would look terrific in lime green?  I bought this sock yarn last year and have waited for a nice pattern and feel this is it.

Knitting aside its been a hectic and stressful week all round.
First off our elder son had to return to Uni early for a dental appointment, his temporary crown then promptly fell out after 3 days and then he rang to tell his he'd been asked to present a talk at some Student "do" - the nerves are jangling ! I tried to convince him he'd do a good job and we've all got our fingers crossed for him for Saturday!  Least this way he's not got time to panic?
On what should have been his last day at home, spent with him in the evening before up early to drive back our other son announced he'd been having eye problems and had self diagnosed himself with a detached retina, after ten mins this had progressed to total blindness and the end of his life.
Of course I scoffed at this but when I saw how upset he was I phoned our local Opticians and got him an appointment for the Tuesday - our other son's last day - and arranged to leave work early to take him.
He was ages in with the Optician and then came out and advised the Optician was writing a letter and that he'd got to go to HOSPITAL. ... .  The Optician put the fear into us by telling me to not delay, to take my son immediately to the Eye Hospital .. "detached retina"  was mentioned .. when I asked for the tel. no. so I could get directions, the Receptionist kindly copied me a map and the Optician advised we go NOW!

DH was still at work so I managed to get hold of him and squeak down the phone that he was needed NOW and should leave work NOW and come home NOW .. not to PANIC or WORRY but we had to get to the Hospital before 7pm.  poor dh promptly got home in good time and I managed to calm him sufficiently to look at the map for directions while giving him the outline of the saga of the eyes and the appointments.  (he hadn't known about it as I'd not mentioned it, feeling certain that it was "nothing").  After convincing dh we had an emergency on our hands as being the best way to get to the appointment dh then reverted to type - he has a phobia about Hospitals and anything medical - and managed to somehow "throw" his car keys at the car and underneath!  I was practically howling at him for being an idiot after I came across him lying UNDER the car road side out without knowing he'd dropped his keys I thought the idiot had got himself RUN OVER!!  Poor son was shaking by the time we got to the Hospital and when the Receptionist asked what we were there for I managed to squeak that our son had a detached retina and we'd been told to attend promptly and without delay .. the letter, however, although mentioning vague possibilities was somewhat low key about it so I ended up looking like over fussing hysterical MUM.

DH and son were quivering wrecks while we waited the THREE hours to be seen - first by a Nurse - the same one we'd signed in with - this time she put the wind up us by saying the Dr would advise what operation, laser treatment our son MIGHT need and we waited for an hour to see him.  by which time we were all stressed and could just manage a squeak at him when he pronounced our son's eyes to be "healthy" and free from any detachment retina or otherwise ..  are you SURE? I asked .. quite sure he said - but added "if it doesn't improve, gets worse or you worry then return to us immediately" and we came away after spending four hours in a waiting room to face the hurdle of grocery shopping and food preparation.  The kids had fish and chips and we had a ready meal ours not until after 11pm!

anyway.  its sorted.  his eyes are settled and at least he has had an eye sight test too and these are fine!
families eh?  this is one reason I knit - its a great sress buster!

Socks, needles and crochet!

First off I am managing to stick to my resolutions for this year to NOT cast on squillions of new projects just because I fancy starting something OR I feel bored with something OTN's and its been hard but I have stuck to my resolve and am pleased with myself.

Update, then, my ripple cowl is still going along slowly but surely - this is the project I cast on with a view to knitting in the continental style with Norwegian purl and its going well if a little slowly.

My socks for no.1.son are finished - he requested another stripe pair and also chose a ball of Regia Jacquard at "his" LYS a branch of Franklins near his Uni digs when we last visited him and as they are self patterning I am knitting a "plain" vanilla sock.
A few weeks ago I made enquiries from Knit'n'Caboodle about the Karbonz range of needles and at the weekend I finally heard from them that they had a pair of 2.5mms and did I still want them?  At £8.50+ postage they are a little pricey BUT I am so pleased with them that I feel its worth the money because this is my usual sock-knitting sized needle and I can report that they are LOVELY to knit with!  Just enough of a satisfying "click" from the tips as you knit, but the stitches are held in place on the needle and not slip-sliding as I feared they might do.

Also new "on the hook" is my first (proper) crochet pattern! 
I have been following Staci's "crochet for knitters" series of videos and though I've had to grapple with the US vs UK abbreviations and terms for crochet, I have just the right yarn to crochet the lovely rugged ripple blanket that is free and accompanies the series - today I am "hooking on" - is that right? one doesn't "cast on" in crochet I'm told, so what does one "do"?  I'm told they "start a project" but that doesn't sound technical enough for me so I am "hooking on" ..
I did my sample to get the techniques right for the stitch and the increases and decreases and the patterns calls for 12+3 so I will work out how many to give me a nice throw over for one of my sofas.

sample to work the stitches and inc/dec's

no.1.son's stripe stocks

no.1.son's vanilla socks

A day out - The Sewing for Pleasure show

Had a lovely day out on Friday! I went to the NEC for the Sewing for Pleasure show with a pal from knit-night and met up with my long-time knit-pal-Sally who also attended and we had a great time - despite the weather quite a few people turned up but it was comfortable, we could get to the stalls but enough to make an atmosphere.

To be honest although I am more of a knitter these days than a sewist, I do still like looking at sewing fabrics and notions but since my shoulder froze a few years ago I've not done much so although I enjoyed looking at these I didn't buy anything!

What I did get I was pleased with and it included a lovely shawl pin, some curved knitters needles for sewing up which I was thrilled to get! and a set of "something beady" which we all fell on in the hopes it was the same gadget that another knit-night-pal showed off recently which is a handy tool for transfering the bead onto a stitch with a little hook a little like a crochet (but not!).  Anyway, it isn't. and we each bought a set which cleared the stall holders stash and even he didn't quite know what they were for but for £1.50 we didn't seem to mind!
Put me in mind, briefly, of a trip to a show many years ago with my long time sew pal Ann, who was the rather loud voice of reason in asking LOUDLY "what, then, is the PURPOSE? what do you DO with it, then?" to the tea bag folding demonstrating man who up to that point had crowds surge upon him for the little packs .. the point? aherm. the point ISN'T the point they just .. well .. you can stick them somewhere!? .. on a card, .. maybe .. ?  Ann didn't give up, she said they were pretty, they did give you a couple of mins excitement transforming from a flat sheet of tissue paper into something prettily folded but once folded WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT.
what you do, I suspect, is get another one and fold that ..

Anyway the crowd melted after they realised that Ann's voice of reason made sense and saved money and the stall holder managed to grit his teeth and carry on but I don't think we were popular.

So. it just shows.  if one person gets all screechy and excitable, it doesn't take long for it to spread and everyone wants it so we've all got tubes of beady something or others ..

I didn't buy yarn. well ok, I bought one hank of mohair from a stall selling lovely yarns but it wasn't that sort of show - it was just a corner on most and a few of the usual like Black Sheep so I didn't get to put my resolve on not buying yarn put to test.  I did, however, get a pair of knit pro cubix needles and a few other bits and pieces - crochet hooks and back issues of magazines etc.

We watched the fashion show and ate our lunch so had a sit down, and were done by 3pm and home just after 4pm so all in all a grand day out!

the only yarn I bought

the snow didn't put us off

show goodies

What you want most in weather like we are having is a good old fashioned hot steamed pudding!  This weekend I made of Delia Smith's treacle sponge and enjoyed a bowl of custard - yumm pudding and knitting!

This morning the lovely ladies at Knit'n'Caboodle sent me a pack of karbonz dpns which I'd put on my wish list a few weeks ago, and what with the cubix needles too I am going to have to strengthen my resolve to NOT casting on a fresh pair of projects just to try them out!!
I promised Julie I'd let her know how I get on with them but I must finish my son's socks first.
Luckily its a quick knit and a familiar pattern, I am already turning the heel on sock.2 and when they are done I shall cast on for the Regia yarn I bought from Franklins.

Lastly! at LAST I am learning to crochet!  I can do useful bits with a crochet hook mostly self taught although a few years ago I did attend a "basic beginners" class but as I've not done anything since, I class myself as a novice but following the lovely Staci of very.pink who has done a series of free video's of crochet for knitters, I felt inspired to try out the rugged rippled blanket pattern and have plans to make one as a throw for my sofa.

It took a while to get going, it took even longer to "get" the sequence of dec and inc's and I'm still not completely certain I'm doing it right, but doing it I'm going to!  Here is my sample:

A grand day out and some finished knitting and some NEW knitting OTN's

Firstly! Elise is finished! I am so pleased! it was a quick knit on 7mm's and the cable was interesting enough to make it worth while but easy to memorise once I got into the swing of it.  I knit the back and then did  the two fronts at the same time as I was aware I'd occasionally knit the wrong "pattern" and I wanted it at least to match even if I did repeat errors.  which hopefully I didn't! but who is checking/looking!? not me!

Next I finished off Ice Queen! at last, this has been hanging around for ages, I did it as a KAL a while back and I think we all gradually stepped away from this project but its a shame as once I got back into it it knitted up nice and quickly except for the two picot cast off edges!  the bottom one took me solid 2.5hrs to unravel the waste yarn, pick up live stitches and then bead the edge! was it worth it? yes! all in all I'm pleased with it and plan to wear it to the knit group tonight to show it off.

yesterday we visited our son in his uni digs to take him to the dentist to FINALLY (after some 14months and three dentists later!) get his root filling and crown done.  the dentist is in the town centre, so I couldn't resist popping in to Franklins when we realised we were half and hour early for the appointment - the family sat in the "wool corner" looking forlorn and I bobbed about looking for something to buy.  In the end I opted for a ball of sock yarn which my son chose for socks and a clover soft touch crochet hook because finally I have found a pattern I want to crochet AND I have the yarn already - more on that later!  I picked up another cable for the knit pro needles as you can never have enough cables can you?

Tomorrow I am going to the Sewing for Pleasure stitch show at the NEC, its been years since I've been and I am going with one of the knit group pals and can't wait - the last time I went it was a good show so I have high expectations.

The diet is not going well.  We are going to have a determined joint effort and if we don't get our act together will cancel as its too much to spend money on if we are not doing it properly.  the meds I am on are holding me back, the GP agrees that the side effect includes feeling hungry and weight gain but says that the medical benefits out weigh the down side - but its not HIM getting fatter!?

Pictures to follow ..

my brother, David and I

my brother, husband and no.2. no.1 sons

Elise - cocoon yarn

me with husband and brother, no.1.son at the back

no.1.son at his uni digs

sock yarn

me! wearing Ice Queen!

my continental project! ripple cowl

purchases made at Franklins

Sewing! a quilt!

As well as knitting there has been SEWING! hurrah! I finally dusted off my sewing machine and sewed a quilt!  I have made it from a free pattern called Delilah and it involves cutting strips of fabric, slicing them and adding strips before trimming and eventually cutting to size.
It measures 36x36" inside the borders, and this is my limit for machine quilting!
I can't say I enjoyed the machining process, it was a lot of fabric to manhandle and my previously frozen shoulder objected to my spending hours at a time on it too!

Anyway, its done and I'm pleased with it!  Thrilled, too, to get my mitred bordered just right - not completely perfect, but good enough!  My long time sew pal who is a quilty expert pointed me in the right direction and I managed the process easily enough!

applying the borders

the blocks pieces together

my fabrics each 0.5m

adding strips to make a block

my lovely corners

I cut all the strips in one go!

before quilting!

After quilting (but before pressing!)

my lovely machine - Bernina Artista 170

Finished knitting cardigan

My New Year's Resolutions to be more organised with my knitting are working!
I am using a notebook and diligently filling in where I am at when I stop and managing to resist casting on for squillions of projects and its paid off in that I have one cardigan knit! and one half way up the back! hurrah!

Elise

Dingle

I enjoyed knitting Elise which is on 7mm's and it chomped the yarn satisfactorily quickly enough to make me want to stick with knitting, but I prefer a 4ply or dk for knitting with pleasure - even though it does take for ever on tiny needles!

Still OTN's is the sock I am knitting for my son, and recently cast on is the Ripple Cowl that a knit-club-pal gifted me for Christmas present - I am using this as my "continental" knitting project having recently completed Anniken Allis's on line course.
Talking of online courses, I think I have signed for just about every knitting class now!! New is the from the inside out lace class and I have a yarn in mind! more later!