Back at the sewing machine

Yesterday I returned to my sewing machine and managed to find some energy and enthusiasm to finish my two grey skirts (for work) that I started a few weeks ago. Unfortunately I appear to have lost weight (did I SAY that!?) well its unfortunate in the sense that the skirts are hanging off me and I've had to adjust the fit which was a nuisance mostly because I dislike and avoid alterations at all costs and its annoying to have to alter a brand new garment - bah!
HAPPILY, however, it prompted me to try on a lovely denim skirt made years ago in a super purple colour where I'd reversed the lower hemmed patch and embroidered in toning purple thread a sort of "design" which I've not been able to get into for years and it FITS! hurrah!
Actually what this REALLY means is that if I can fit into IT I can fit into the PATTERN and to prove it I made up another "work" skirt which means I've found a pattern that FITS that matches the yardage I've got of the super faux suede I mentioned ages ago (also in purple! which should be trendy as its the "in" colour).

Possibly the time spent at sewing machine and on ironing/pressing has aggravated my shoulder? anyway I'm up - again - sigh with it feeling like a firework has gone off in my shoulder radiating down to elbow AND my stomach aches but I feel .. enthused! I daren't switch the machines ON at this early hour, it would surely wake the cats if not the husband!

Turned the heel and worked the gusset yesterday on sock.2, hope to crack on today with it further! the library tells me another book I've reserved has arrived! and I've picked up a copy of Knitting mag and my sub. copy of Threads have arrived, "today" I shall sit and relax and READ I think while I wait for my body to behave itself and return to normal!

(couple of patterns in Knitting mag that look quite nice and I've yarn in stash for, but I'm trying not to get sidetracked into more "new" projects at the moment)

Tesco had the copy of Sew Hip magazine on its shelves too! I had a quick look at it but didn't buy a copy (maybe I ought to?) it was a little too "crafty" and aimed at the more novice for my taste - I turned down a mag purchase opportunity??! but it certainly looked good and interesting from the quick glance through it! I shall, however, make a point of buying the next edition of Yarn Forward, I REALLY like this mag! (what I appreciated the most was the pattern's suggestions of yarn alternatives! I know I should work this out for myself, but I like to be TOLD what else might work as a substitute!).

The Gloves are on!

Hurrah the gloves are finished!
I've Ravelled it too and am resolved to add new projects as and when I go as its a nightmare trying to do it retrospectively and have given up on some things! Pics too have been updated to Flickr which I'm also resolved to doing in timely fashion in future.

A nice quick knit perfectly suited to evening (or afternoon. come to think of it, morning too!) sat with the family watching tv type of project and I would knit these again but perhaps in a more stable yarn as I found the typically Noro-y thick/thin lumpy bits then skinny bits a bit annoying particularly as two or three assorted fingers over the pair of gloves have large lumpy bits making me look like I've got sausages for fingers! The fingers are slightly longer than I need for my hands but I stuck with the pattern and will amend for further gloves.

I fancy Design 30 from my Noro Designer Mini Knits book next, as they are proper fingerless gloves but need to check in stash for suitable yarn as I'm not buying ANYTHING thats not absolutely essential due to now being down to basic sick-pay only and at this side of Christmas I can't rush off to buy yumminess at the drop of a hat no MATTER how much I fancy Design 2. I'm not a hat person, generally, but with the weather turning cold just lately I've started thinking perhaps a hat for out walking would be good.

You can see extracts of the designs here, and I quite fancy the mittens too - have noticed, generally, across a lot of knitty-blogs that mittens are terribly popular at the moment - perhaps I'll have a go?

Anyway, this is a super book and I would recommend it and the yarn is nice and suitably yummy enough to justify the total expense of the some £23 I couldn't really afford but just HAD to spend and its given me something to think about other than my blasted shoulder and gallbladder!

Back on track and general domestics

I'm back on track with the gloves and still hopeful I'll stretch the remaining yarn to complete it, my fingerless gloves in same yarn are just so WARM I think it will be worth the hope I can finish them!

Generally a busy day yesterday, our no.1.son is in his final year at secondary school and we spent the day between two 6th form colleges for their open days - a bit tedious but apparently is essential nowadays. In my day you just left and got a job! I left school 3months shy of 16 and was packed off to a stable yard as a "working pupil" (which meant I worked damned hard - usually 7am to 7pm 7days a week for 3 weeks with 1 weekend off in 4 only in 6months I only ACTUALLY achieved 1 weekend off! My LateMother and StepFather "fetched" me home shortly after! it certainly put me off and I was never so glad to be stuck in a boring office thereafter! at least it had closing times!!) along with 4 others where we "worked" in the yard in return for the tutoring in horse management and qual. in teaching riding. Great fun - at the time! marvellous to be away from home and learned all sorts of things, mostly to do with getting into pubs and drinking, mind! and I didn't actually GET to a college until I was about 22yrs!

Anyway, no.1.son wants to join the RAF and he's being as stubborn about it as I was about my choices with my parents at the same age, and, determined not to make the same mistakes as my LateMum, I've been persuaded to go along with him and find out a bit more!

We've narrowed his choice down to two colleges and he's sort of got an idea of what he wants to study too! DH got quite carried away and enthusiastic with one history teacher and we left them to it in the end and I think he nearly signed HIMSELF up for the course! I suggested to him that he look at going to nightschool himself if that interested! why not? he won't, of course! at 63yr he thinks he's too old!

Returned home to find that no.2.son 13yrs had really made HIS mind up that he was not going to local firework display and poor dh tried hard to be all threatening and insist he DID come but in the end I agreed he was old enough to make his own mind up and HE stayed home (to watch X-factor!) and we went out and got soaking wet and watched a few fireworks before retiring to the clubhouse for a few drinks and keep dry!

Frog the gloves and update

Well I've spent ages on Ravelry updating my pages and stash and am resolved to putting my projects up BEFORE I start them. I really should try harder! I'm certain I've missed some socks and stuff off but I've lost the will to continue due to pain in shoulder and stomach AND knee.

Unfortunately I knit loads last night to try and ignore the pain and realised this morning that I'd in fact knit a 2nd left hand glove! frogged back to the point at which I start the thumb and have decided to proceed even though I've got doubts about the yarn. Careful weighing of the left overs from project 1 in same yarn, diff. colourway indicates I could just do it if I don't mind two muddy brown fingers ..

Wishing now I'd not been a total ninny and selected the lower end of the painkillers on offer by my GP and gone, instead, for the upper end. Daren't phone and request a change, for fear of being struck off - I've been practically living in the Dr's this past month even I would ban me!

First glove finished (2nd cast on)

Seriously concerned am not going to have enough yarn to complete the 2nd glove and not sure what to do as its quite a unique yarn (and rather expensive!) in the event I'm a finger or two short!
Regardless I am pressing on and will see how it looks after I start the fingers.
Not sewn it up, yet, but perhaps I could afford to lose a bit off each finger however am reluctant to unpick and reknit.
You can just make out the pretty picot edge that will be more obvious after I've sewn the hem edge to inside.
SUPER quick fun project, enough to keep you on your toes with keeping check of where you are, but not too taxing that can't keep up with Coronation Street!

Slightly more promising on the pain front! didn't, in fact, need to frighten the GP, he wrote a prescription for strong painkillers, booked me in to local Hospital AND had a quick feel of my knee which he insists is NOT arthritic but agrees is rather clicky! Hopefully my shoulder will be sorted with the Physio next month and now, apparently, I have to get my gallstones sorted!

Tonight we have no.1.son's parents evening at School and apparently they are to have their OFSTED inspection soon and are invited to comment, anonymously if we like. I have and I don't expect any notice to be taken, but I feel better for saying it.

Design 27 : gloves

Design 27, gloves, from the Noro mini knits book using the 2nd of my recently purchased Noro Secret Garden Lite, shade 2013 which unfortunately is predominantly brown like the previous fingerless mittens. sigh .. (you can see a pic of the "short gloves" right at the bottom of this page).
Cast on last night after a particularly unsatisfactory Hospital appointment and reflects what I think to all the Dr's I've seen SEW far.

Noro fingerless mittens

Monkey sock.2 is progressing nicely, about to start the heel flap and once complete I can start to think about the next project. Still thinking of knitting on two circulars and having read the lovely Terry Ross's free tutorial on two pairs of socks on two circulars I'm feeling inspired to have a go!



Here I am sporting my new pair of Noro fingerless mittens from the YUMMY mini knits book purchased recently! Do you see what I mean about the colours? it does rather look as though am randomly wearing an odd/mismatched pair! never mind, they are nice enough and a very QUICK project. easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!