Pictures

Here's the pictures from yesterday.

Quick post

No photo's until tomorrow but I've finished the handwarmers and I've made 2 brooches for a member of the GP LETS scheme. I put them on there and wasn't sure whether anyone would want them but I've done 3 so that's great. Still waiting on MISI to confirm/deny me my domain name so I'm not putting anything in the shop yet.

Supplies and more handwarmers

Ds1 had asked for some crafty bits from Myriad so I happily obliged ;-). I also added a couple of extra things for us. I've got some felting wool so we can make pictures and/or balls. I also got some wooden dolls with bendy arms and legs which seem to have wandered off somewhere, some wooden balls for threading/doll making, some stockinette and some mohair dolls hair for making dolls with. I only ordered these on Tuesday - given the state of the transport system at the moment - I am extremely chuffed that they arrived today. The service is always fantastic at Myriad.

This evening I sat and finished the handwarmers I've been knitting and then I sat and wrapped some red wool around the wooden frame for the Valentine mobile. I tucked the ends under at the start then wrapped the wool over the top, then when I got to the last one I threaded it through a needle and slipped in under the wool I'd just wrapped. This way I can just unravel it after Valentines day and re-use the wool without having to cut it.

Still here!

I know it's not like me to miss a day, never mind two, so I thought I'd just come on and update you on what's been going on here. Since the kids have been home educated we haven't been getting the official school photo for the family so there have been a few complaints ;-). One of my goals for January was to sort out photo's for each of the last three years where the boys are all together. I found 3 I liked, uploaded them to an online developer and they arrived 2 days later - yipee. I've now sorted them out and posted them off to the various family members. Goal one complete.

Goal two for January was to finally bring myself to sort out a plaque to go in the Garden of Rememberance where we scattered my Mum's ashes. I've never wanted to do it before, I always felt that once that was done it made it real - sounds completely daft, I know, but that was how it felt. As my first new years resolution was to look forward instead of backward with regards the death of my Mum it felt like the right time to do it - so I ordered it yesterday. It will take 3 weeks to be made, then we are having it sent straight to my Nan's house (she lives in the same village where Mum is scattered) where the parish clerk will pick it up and then get it fitted by the groundsman. Mum's birthday would have been on 6th March so I'm hoping that it will be done by then. Goal two almost complete.

I've started another pair of handwarmers for a friend of Ds1's. I've got one done and I'm half way up the second one (piccies tomorrow). I think I know what I'm making for the GP forum spring season table swap, so I may start that once I've finished this pair of handwarmers.

I have subscribed to Simply Knitting today as I got an offer through the post where you get 3 issues for £1 - fantastic. I can cancel the membership after that.

More handwarmers and some pyjama trousers

Finished the handwarmers for my sister this evening and I've finally started on the pyjamas for Ds3 - woohooo.

I laid the fabric on the floor and cut round a pair of pyjamas (x4) that he already wears. I added an extra inch and a half of fabric to allow for the seam and for bigger pyjamas.

Once I had done that I pinned 2 pieces together inside out and then did the same with the other 2. I'm now doing running stitch before I sew them properly. I'm still sewing by hand at the moment so they're going to take me a few days.

All sorts today

I've been doing all sorts today. I started off by making a cake before breakfast, then I thought I would make some beer with the hops we foraged last Autumn. It's really easy to do (instructions to follow later in the week). Later on I made a start on the handwarmers for my sister.

This is the first one finished, and I'm half way through the second one. Really want to start on the pyjama bottoms tomorrow, but we'll see what happens.

Decided on....

Well, it's been decided for me - I shall be knitting another pair of handwarmers then I shall be making pyjamas. Darling sister came to visit today, telling me that she's been telling her friends that I'm knitting her some, so I best get on with them hadn't I?!

Another hat!

I finished the day-glow handwarmers yesterday (Ds2 has disappeared with them) so I thought I would start on a hat for myself (not the first one - I just never seem to get the sizing right) with the same wool that I made my thumbless handwarmers with. I used Soulemama's hat pattern and added a few more stitches so the gauge was right this time, then knitted away. I finished it this evening but the bloomy thing still doesn't fit!!!!! I like my hats to cover my ears and come down to my eyebrows at least but it's too short. I'm just not meant to have a hand knitted hat for myself :-(. Maybe it's because I haven't found the right shade of wool yet - purple really isn't my colour. I'll just have to look much harder won't I.

Can't decide whether to try the pyjamas next or knit the handwarmers for my sister :-/.

I love knitting

I sat down yesterday evening and decided I would knit myself some handwarmers with some of the wool that came in the bag of bits from Lucie. I managed to get one finished and another one started (I had to force myself to go to bed). I decided that my second pair would be thumbless, so following the pattern mentioned, I cast off the four stitches then carried on knitting. On the next row round I cast on 4 stitches using the backward cast on method. The wool is gorgeous and just makes you want to keep knitting. I finished those this afternoon and then started on DS2's pair (I got told off yesterday because I hadn't started his after I'd finished Ds1's warmers). So I got that finished and have now started on the second one. Must photograph the other handwarmers as well.

While sorting out all my stuff over the weekend I found this bag of rose petals that I'd been using for making cards. I'm going to use these smaller ones in some more bath melts with some rose essential oil.

What a day

A lovely lady from the GP Forum was selling a load of material so I bought some for my stash. It arrived today in the post - how lovely it all is. It includes some blue velour, some from Laura Ashley and some from John Lennon. She also had 'free for postage', a bag of wool bits which I grabbed with both hands ;-). How gorgeous, thanks very much for the bargains - just need to find somewhere to house it all.

My brother and sister also came round for tea so we could sort out my Mum's craft bits. I'll go into it more tomorrow as I feel drained, but just to say that we didn't get it all done (in 4 hours)!

I will just add that my sister wants me to knit her some handwarmers, so that has made me feel really good.

Keeping busy

Had to keep busy this evening otherwise I would have ended up in a terrible mood. I'd started some more handwarmers yesterday after I finished that hat (just had to keep knitting) so I carried on with them. Got one finished and I've started the 2nd. My eldest has claimed them already. There are actually 3 more pairs that I have to knit for people, then I would like to experiment and knit some ribbed ones and some with just a hole instead of a thumb piece. I've actually bought some 4.5mm DPN today to see if they knit tighter with this wool as I don't know the weight of it. I'm actually not that sure what size needles I'm using now - I thought they were 5mm but they look so much bigger than the 4.5s. Must get a better ruler to measure them :-).

Bargains OR Must stop buying things

I've felt like I was going mad these last few days as I've had no time at all to myself. So this morning I went to town by myself, yes I said by myself, for 3 whole hours ;-). I went to the charity shops and the library and it was great. On my travels I found the same Jean Greenhowe book that my Mum had (she knitted us and the grandkids a scarecrow each) for 79p, a stitch encyclopedia for £1.50 and a large bag of wool for £3.00, fantastic.

When I got home there was a parcel waiting for me too. Another ebay purchase 400g of red and black pure wool for £9.50. I will knit a hat that hubby will wear ;-).



While I was out I wore my handwarmers and they were fantastic.

A pair!

I have a pair! I couldn't help it I had to keep knitting until I'd finished the second one. Still looks just as tatty as the first but I love them.

Lazy day...

......with regards the housework ;-). I got carried away this morning after I'd repaired some jeans and sewn a button back on one of the cushion covers - I thought I'd just start one of those handwarmers and see what happens. The pattern is from here http://a-friend-to-knit-with.blogspot.com/2008/09/toasttoasty.html which I found via the Soulemama blog. I've no idea what weight of wool they used so I just thought 'sod it' and did mine with my lovely Twilleys Freedom Spirit soul and some 5mm double point needles. The wool is not quite big enough so they look a little untidy, but I don't care I love them. Must cook the tea (at least) then I can start the other one after.