January 2007 Archives

It was the second meeting of our knitting group tonight and we had grown from 11 to 16! It's great to see how other knitters have got on since the last meeting - some people had done a few more inches and some people had managed to finish last times project plus another and were halfway through a third! I'm about middling, still on the same project but I've completed the back and started the front. There's a lot of variety of knitting, a lamb outfit for a baby, a pig, 2 tank tops, several lovely jumpers and baby outfits and Alison? (trying to remember everyone's names) had a pattern for penguin jumpers - that's jumpers for penguins not jumpers with penguins on!!! and everyone knits in a slightly different style - including Diane's whose bends previously straight needles!

Here's the hat I've knitted over the last few evenings, crap pic of me but Paul's not the best photographer!

I went wearing my purple stripey tank top I had knitted last year, it's lovely to find people who notice and say that's great and I compared notes with someone who had also knitted it.

Today was extremely Spring like! so I got out there and did a bit of gardening and there's just loads of things putting out their new growth and my seeds arrived in the post so I'm feeling very enthusiastic and can cope with a few more winter days knowing springs not far away!

Here's some of the loveliness in the garden already:
Winter Jasmine

Hellebores about to open

Vibernum Tinus (which smelt lovely too!)

And Tiggy who likes to assist with gardening but thought the sun was a bit bright!

Went shopping in Glasgow yesterday (fab place to shop) and came home with 2 lovely balls of Rowan tapestry yarn in browns for a hat and some random other wool from the bargain bin which'll probably end up as hats too! then I got excited and started the hat while still being in the middle of the tank top so am torn as to which to knit this evening! I'd not knitted completely in the round before but am quite liking it despite getting the first row a stitch out in the pattern and not noticing until 8 rounds later - at which point I thought 'oh well as it's the first round it might look intentional!' and left it - it may just bother me forever though!

here's how I'm getting on with my tank top, rather pleased with the colours together, it's being modelled by my fab bag and Tiggy!? she felt the need to be involved.

It started snowing this morning rather heavily and roads were being closed - but by early afternoon it had all turned to slush and melted away, very boring! although it looks pretty still on the hills behind us (one of which is called Cat Law, I think Tiggy knows this and takes it literally!)

I went to our first knitting group tonight - in Starbucks coffee bar in Borders bookshop - when I got there it turned out that the person organising it couldn't come due to illness or something and they'd tried to cancel it but as we didn't know until we turned up the 11 of us that arrived had a knit anyway! We got free coffee and just had a chat and at the end arranged to meet up in two weeks time whatever happened, so it may get a bit more structure or it may just be a group of us knitting and chatting over coffee - either way it's great, there's only my nan and Maxine (noodlesanddoodles.com) who I know that knit and they're both hundreds of miles from me so just talking about knitting with fellow knitters was great! I'm getting on quite well with my new tank top project although following a pattern with some fairisle and four different yarns whilst trying to follow a conversation with new people was a bit tricky to not make a mistake, I'm used to sitting on my sofa not talking while I knit. I'll post a pic of my progress tomorrow, I'm off to bed now as it's getting late

Paul's often on about what a domestic failure I am - and yes I agree, last night I was in charge of dinner - bacon egg and chips and I burnt the bacon! but tonight I really proved I really am a complete failure at cooking - it was only a packet cadbury's pudding - he said "you do this - it's really simple, while I do dinner" I screwed it up! despite reading the instructions 3 times to get the process right we sat down to enjoy our Cadbury's pudding and it was a bit of a disapointment, so Paul retrieved the box from the bin to see what I did wrong - MILK NOT WATER! water makes crap mousse! and we've still got 2 left as it made 4. Sewing - fine, Knitting - pretty good, cleaning - ok, looking after pets - great, gardening - enthusiastic, cooking - CRAP! (despite my mum being a home economics teacher! though I do remember her rapping my knuckles with a wooden spoon in her class!) I'll stick to ironing and leave ALL the cooking to Paul!

Very excited - I got a call today about the knitting group at Borders starting next week! so off I'll go with my lovely new Jordana Paige bag and the project I just started - a Rowan sleeveless top (the one on the front of the no.38 magazine)here's the top, I previously knitted it in the colours recommended (which are far more purpley than shown) but I've worn it so much I'm doing another in green shades.

here's my bag looking like a lovely big handbag

and here's inside with all the specially designed pockets concealing my knitting!

Must share this funny story with you -I got home this evening and Paul said Tiggy (the cat) had been acting very oddly, staring up at the corner behind the door since he got home - but he couldn't see anything, so I had a look and at first could see nothing either - then on looking between the door curtain and the lining I spotted a furry bum and tail wiggling right at the top "maybe it's this mouse she's looking at" - daft cat must have let go as she came through the cat flap and the mouse seizing it's chance leapt up the curtains and had been hanging on for grim death all day! we released the poor thing, but Tiggy carried on gazing up there just in case there were more mice!

Well, it's been a long time since my last post so lots to mention! Firstly I was so ill over the whole of Christmas - starting with a cold and chest infection followed by a nasty reaction to the antibiotics (including a really attractive rash all over!) and then taking antihistamine for the rash I spent 3 days asleep on the sofa feeling like crap, I just about rallied enough to celebrate new year with friends on Bury although drinking probably wasn't the best idea! and just as I begin to feel a bit more human Paul has today fallen ill with what appears to be food poisoning! At least 2007 can only get better!

On a happier note my table was lovely, although the photo was taken rather quickly in between orders from Paul the Chef who had me running round the kitchen cleaning up after him all day.

I was also very pleased with the wreath I made for the front door (assisted by Tiggy who continued to prod the holly despite it being sharp!)

On the present front I was very very pleased with my Jordana Paige knitting bag! which I shall show pics of when I start a new project and move into it! I also had a stitch and bitch knitters calendar with a whole year of tips and patterns! And my wireless headphones for the Ipod are great - now Paul can sit and watch crap on telly while I knit to music anywhere I like!!

Bob the bunny's not too good lately, I'm having to bathe his eye daily and keep him clean as he's getting rather an old man now and keeps sitting in his poo!!

Anyway I'll leave it there for now, I can feel the twitch to start knitting now things are back to normal!

A Happy New Year to everyone!