half Price Bargains

Well after all I said about not buying any more yarn and what does John Lewis go and do?  only reduce to half price all its lovely Fyberspates Scrumptious ranges!!
I bought two hanks of the lovely 4ply in Oyster and one in laceweight in Rose Pink and they are currently sitting inside my drawer on our coffee table making it look all pretty inside!  They will - eventually - be knitted up.  I plan to use the 4ply for the lovely Guernsey Triangle pattern gifted to me by a knit night pal for my recent birthday and the laceweight is just such a useful colour its bound to suit some pattern - possibly even another Ishbel?

Unfortunately it sounds as though the lovely Yarnwise magazine is going to be cancelled and stop after this current issue out in the shops.  I am disappointed as its one magazine I've always looked forward to right from the early "Yarn Forward" days - I wasn't in it right at the beginning but I do have issues from early onwards which I shall keep including this the last one.

I bought an issue of The Knitter which is my favourite of all knitting magazines to send to my swap pal in US in exchange for the lovely unofficial HP magazine - next to books are magazines I just love them. 
Waiting patiently now for Sock Society to come into the shop I have Rachel's self published book and will buy this one too I already have the Fine Art sock yarn in anticipation!
With all this you'd be forgiven for thinking I'm knitting up a storm - actually I'm not! I am mostly sitting in the garden reading my kindle!  I've got to about 30% of the way through LOTR and have downloaded another 3 books - I love my kindle its great and so easy to pick up and read.
Our son and my dh both bought the kindle fire and love them too I almost can't imagine how we managed without our "gadgets"!

There will be knitting soon I promise!  I've bought home two packs of wool for knitting garments for this season and will take photos and share details next time, perhaps I will have finished Dingle too.

Celebrations and Gifts

first off let me apologise for the long delay in posting update in my blog - the weather has been glorious here and I've spent most of it outside reading my kindle and enjoying a glass or three of wine in the SUNSHINE!  yes! sunshine!  and very nearly every day too!  We've found it to be pleasant later on in early evening and means that dh has been able to sit out after work and before we eat so its given us chance to all sit and chat about our forthcoming holiday.  We are off to Spain for a week and can't wait - lets hope the weather over there is as good.

now.  First things first - birthdays!  our no.2.son celebrated his 18th birthday - I've sneaked a photo of him because I know you like to see family photos (he doesn't know btw! so keep quiet about how lovely he looks if you see him!!).  We had a nice family meal out at local pub that does English and Indian food and ended with a cocktail for us and a "mocktail" for him.  We're lucky I suppose that neither of our lads have discovered drink yet although it make for some disapproving looks as dh and I fall about giggling - ahem!  it ought be the other way round?
Anyway reason for no.2.son having pride of place is that just after his birthday we got his A level results and place at his preferred choice of Uni accepted!  hurrah's all round we're very proud and happy here for him.   He has signed up already and received letters in the post including an invite for "parents" to attend a special afternoon end of of Sept to learn all about life at Uni - as neither of us went anywhere near a Uni we're both proud our lads are going and looking forward to hearing about "life at Uni" for the youngsters.

Staying on the "proud mum" bit, our no.1.son who is set to start his year 3 has received a lovely letter from his Dean confirming his "brilliant" start and mentioning lots of positives over his two years and offering an invite to continue his studies if he wishes - which he does - we're proud of him especially because we know he works very very hard at his studies.

Also on the birthday front ..

it was MINE too!  my brother came round with a bottle of JD which was very welcome! as you can see I've tested it ... hic ..
and thats not all - I am lucky to have some fab knit night pals and I received birthday cards and gifts which was lovely and a total surprise!

As well as lovely yarn and project bag I received patterns too including the lovely guernsey triangle which I've wanted for ages - I'm thinking of knitting it for the Great British BakeOff which starts again this coming week - or maybe socks!? hmm .. decisions decisions ..

While I'm deciding I'm currently reading and enjoying the lovely "unofficial Harry Potter" magazine that seems like everyone is talking about on Ravelry.

I tried to get hold of it through a UK yarn shop but they emailed to say it would not be distributed through UK afterall and I was lucky enough to have a US knit pal who was happy to do a "swap" of magazines - the patterns are lovely and there is plenty to read too - a very good magazine if you get a chance to a copy do get one.

On the knitting side not much is happening, I've knitted up to the armhole decreases on my jumper and have just started no.2.son sleeve for Dingle but I'm afraid it really has been too hot to knit and I've been reading my Kindle instead.  I finished The Hobbit and Pride & Prejudice and am now reading LOTR and am about 24% through.  I am pleased to be enjoying reading again and the novelty of reading off a kindle means I pick it up everyday.

Elsewhere everything is pretty normal no more news no outings or anything, like I said at the top its been mostly sat outside enjoying the weather and reading - its been a good summer and I'm looking forward to the autumn.

Update but no photos

There is still some knitting OTN's that is progressing, and a new jumper gone on them too but no photo's yet to share.
Our son has come home from Uni and passed his year 2 exams with a really good result that is promising over all for him as he waits to sit his final year this autumn.  We're waiting now to see if he can get any summer work to top up his bank balance but so far nothing!  everyone is anxious as we have no.2.son waiting for his A level results next month and hoping for a place at the local Uni - all our fingers are crossed, you can cross yours too for us if you like! ha!

Knitting continues on "Dingle" I am now on the 2nd sleeve ahead of sewing up and knitting the pockets and collar it will be done soon and I am "enjoying" Wimbledon while I knit.
The advantage of knitting is that it can be done while watching tv with the family and with two lads and a husband you can imagine there is a lot of SPORT on our tv!

I have not yet CO for Willowherb - although I had intended knitting it for the May/June KAL in Rachel's group, in the end I decided to concentrate on FINISHING things before starting something new but it is still there in my minds eye queue to knit next.

My kindle has been read this last couple of weeks, I've read The Hobbit and am now 40% through Pride & Prejudice and am queuing books up to follow, I shall take it on holiday when we go away later in the year.  It can be read in brilliant sunshine as I found out last Sunday when I sat out and read all afternoon in the sunshine and yes I've got a patch of sunburn too!

The weather is still horrid but I've finished the SOCKS!

A pair of plain socks!  but lovely to knit with this yarn I finally finished them and can now commit to the lovely Willow Herb Rachel Coopey socks from her super new book!
Too late now to join in on her official May/June KAL for them, they were on my list of socks to knit from this book so I'll enter them for the summer of socks instead, that way I shall feel a part of the group but not shiver under stress of doing them in a week!!

I like to knit whats going on!  and this isn't the best course of action for me, I start loads of things, get caught up in the excitement of being part of it but then it all sits there in my project bags I've got surrounding my "knitting station" aka my sofa/table making me feel guilty! and stressing me out that I have started but not apparently FINISHING anything some time soon.

SO. with this in mind I am being very mindful of finishing before starting .. Dingle has just 1.5 sleeves to go before I can start to assemble and hopefully this will be done next week or so.  I am enjoying knitting with this yarn and it feel lovely as a knitted fabric too, I will share photographs when its done.

Nothing new OTN's this month but plenty of ideas in the queue stages.  Happy knitting!

We collect our no.1.son from his Uni digs soon - can't wait to have him home for the summer!  Plus I hope he likes his socks - the socks above are actually shown on no.2.son who agreed to model them provided I kept quiet about it.  which I have.  nearly.  still.  the blog doesn't count does it?

finally.  the weather is still horrid but this time because its too HOT! more to the point too sticky!  I've had an awful few days where my funny heart AFib thingie has started up and I'm certain its the exertion in these conditions thats triggering it. 

Horrid weather but two finished knitted items

HORRID weather! go away! I dislike the rain and its bad timing for me as I booked this week off from work!  Mind, part of the reason was to get into the sewing room and make a blouse! 
I have in fact made a blouse - a test run to see how the pattern goes together before cutting into my "good fabric" I'm fairly pleased with it but not completely.
Its been a while since I've sat at my machines and I have to say the overlocker didn't do a great seam finish and my machine played up a bit with its tension so it wasn't quite as enjoyable project as I had thought it would be!

Anyway it just needs button holes and buttons sewn and then its done and I have some nice fabric for another try - I will post details of pattern and pics next week.

FINALLY I finished the striped cardigan after following Anniken Allis's online continental course on finishing techniques and I am pleased with it although its destined for display rather than for use which seems a shame.

Also finished is Patchouli which I knit to go with my "good blouse" as yet not made up - weird to think I've knit a garment before I've sewn one but I have been procrastinating some time over this but at least I am ready to go!

Back OTN's is Dingle and I have just started the pattern sequence on the left front and going to concentrate on this as my garment knit.
Almost at the heel is sock.2 and I have decided to finish this pair and then start Rachel's KAL for her may/june challenge for her new sock book - if I don't make it in time then too bad but I have got to start FINISHING stuff before starting anew.
If anyone has any tips or cures for startitis please don't keep them to yourself - share with me! please!

Cold again with this dull and miserable weather we are looking to book a weeks holiday this summer but really with the chances high for wet and rain will we have a look in for good weather this summer?

Finally, family news and our no.1.son reports a set of really good top marks for his latest set of pieces for his uni course and both our lads are taking exams very soon so please wish them and others also undertaking tests and exams the very best of luck and hope all gets the results they deserve.

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!