No sleep and ilness while trying to knit

Well here I am 2.20am on Saturday morning and what an eventful week I've had. Last weekend was good got a few ideas for Christmas present. Sorted out my nieces birthday stuff 3 days before Christmas, and she will be 23 years old she's our only niece and we love her to bits even though we don't tell her or see her enough. Sunday morning woke up with no voice which is not unusual for me as I have nodules on my voice box so any change in the weather or basically anything bye bye voice, most people now would say "oh that sounds fun" but its a pain. I once taped my voice while I had lost it cause in my head it doesn't seem that bad, but listening to it back boy was I wrong it sounds scratchy and dry. Well Monday let me tell you was not the Monday I was expecting I felt like a had been in a boxing ring over night, all my muscles were crying out in pain and heat, my body felt like I was on a hot stove and that was the start of my four days in my bedroom with TV, cats and cold drinks for company. I didn't even knit during this time and let me tell you that was horrible, felt like I had lost my hands, I adore my knitting could and do spend hours dreaming over my "getting bigger" knitting book collection, over my ever "expanding wool stash". Reading and planning my projects whether I can bear to give my knits away or be selfish and knit them all for me, its hard decision's to make when your a knitter and one I should be able to cope with but I cant. So like I said here I am when all are asleep typing away listening to the Ashes and Broad has just got Johnson out. Another of my loves is Cricket I don't understand it all but I love to watch it, my Hubby plays in the Summer and is a great way to get a tan. Also am drinking decaf coffee do you think that will help me sleep, I doubt it but hey ho.

 

 

So like I said knitting has been a no go but today off I went. I made three dishcloths as gifts for friends and family. As you can see in the picture a kaleidoscope of colours. This is my first adventure into dishcloths when I mentioned this to my Mum she told me it was the first thing she ever knitted so it seems this new found love is a slightly delayed in my life. I now have five done so far of "Grandmothers favourite dishcloth", such a lovely and quick project, cast on 4 sts knit one row. Next row, knit 1 wrap wool round front of needle knit to end of row. Repeat this row to you have 44 sts then next row, knit one, knit 2 together wool round needle and knit 2 together. Repeat his till you have 4 sts left and cast off leaving one st on needle and make a crocket loop. Why oh why have I not found this great knit before love them and much more hygienic to wash your dishes with and what a great way to use your cotton wool stash.

 

 

                        

 

 

 

 

I also had a go at knitting a cloth with some writing set in, it's meant to say "love to knit with my friends" and it could be going to one of my knitting ladies at the Tuesday Club but as yet am undecided and so it might stay at home with me, going to try and knit one in another colour and see what happens might look better in a darker colour!!

 

Well while I've been writing this two more wickets have gone and too many runs have be made but we've still got time left and it might rain.

 

Am off to meet Susan Crawford of  www.susancrawfordvintage.com  I follow Susan on face book and met her at the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show a few weeks ago and what a lovely lady, and her knitting designs are just amazing and I want to knit everything I look at. Go have a look at her sight and see what I mean and you fall in love to. Well on Thursday up came a message that she had some yarns that need a new home and so I left a message thinking that I had no chance, but should not have given up so fast, and like I said off to pick up the stash and cannot wait to make some exciting designs with what ever is coming my way. Will keep you posted of what happens and makes I knit.

 

I have wanted to design some thing for ages and as I am not a very positive thinking lady didn't think I could but I have start to design a head band and matching hand warmers I have already wrote the plan up and started to knit and will keep you updated soon I am quite chuffed with myself for finally giving it ago and lets just take teeny tiny steps and see what happens but how exciting to start something new.

 

This is coming to a close I am finally beginning to feel tired but knowing me and I do well, as soon as I go back to bed I will be wide awake, but who knows. One last thing I am going to knit some mini jersey bunting for the Tour de France which is coming though Harrogate over the weekend of the 5th and 6th of July 2014, you can get the information and pattern details from  www.baaramewe.co.uk they have two shops one in Harrogate and the other in Headingly, Leeds. This is a great idea for everyone who watches the race to see us Yorkshire knitters at our best and hope fully encourage many new knitters or welcome back knitters.

 

Happy knitting in knitting land loves xx

 

PS by the way England are now bating and its 9-0 so fingers still are crossed.

December Wool

Well here I am writing blog number two and I'm loving writing ideas that come to me to write down for you all to read and I hope you all like reading it.

Couple of weeks ago while out with Hubby we dropped into a pub for lunch and there in the corner was a lady knitting. She was not alone but with a partner and he was reading his paper and was a lovely sight all they needed was a roaring fire and it was the perfect setting and got me thinking how many of us knit in a public place?  Seeing people knit in a public place should happen more often and as I'm writing this I'm trying to work out where my first attempt out and about should be? I always go to my knitting group every  Tuesday morning but that really doesn't count as public will have to go to local coffee shop and get my needles out. So come on lovely knitters lets get out there and do it in public.

Talking about knitting group we had our "wool swap" yesterday organised by Fiona Drake of Catch-e-Monkey you can find her on facebook. Wool swap is where our group go through our stash and find all those unloved balls of wool you thought you where going to use but didn't, we hand them in and we do a swap. If only one person puts their hand up for the wool then its yours if more than one of you then you throw a dice highest number wins.



 

My wool winnings so many ideas in here just need time to knit them.

 



I seem to hate this time of year and have decided that I am a summer person, but as I'm writing this I think of Sunday morning when Hubby and I went for a lovely walk along the canal the weather was just right and we loved it . By the way Hubby is now clean shaven and back to the face I fell in love with.

This photo looks odd but its me being artistic and looking at the reflection in the water. We went to get some holly for our lounge as I was putting the Christmas decorations up, I know early but I love planning where it is all going to go and love when the blinds get closed and all the twinkling lights and candles are lit, it means Christmas is coming and even though I am  51years of age I don't care I do still get so excited there I've said it is out there I'm like a little kid counting the days down and how many sleeps I hope that feeling never leaves me and oh yes the whole house gets decorated, including the bathroom

Knitting as usual is taking over my life so many things to do and not enough time to get my needles clicking away, but I have done my beret for www.cityknits.co.uk 
The wool was Katia Oxford in a lovely blue it is made of 50% wool, 45% acrylic and 5% viscose. It is 50grs in weight and has 125 mts or 137 yds in length. It was so soft to knit and would use again in fact already am woops more knitting.

 

I knitted the beret in a day and was so lovely to knit as it changes colour as you knit you only need one ball for the beret so works out quite affordable. I have been wearing it have had a few lovely comments. The following pictures shows it in different stages of its life.

 

This one is the ribbing one I haven't done before and really enjoyed it and will be using it again on other projects. You can also see my gorgeous yarn holder it sits on the floor next to me and my two lovely cats are fascinated by it and would love to play with the wool it holds but know Mum won't let them.

Know we are up to the decreases and as you can see the colour as changed a lot and looks amazing.

 

This one all knitted and ready to wear, the colour changes are just wonderful and the pattern so easy to do and one I didn't need to keep looking at it to see where I was.

 



 

A close up of pattern and wool looks even better. I used my ever faithful Knit Pro Interchangeable Circular Symfonie needles, I love these and use them for everything I knit and would recommend these to everybody so much so my lovely Mum has started to buy them and loves them too.

Well this blog comes to an end, have a dog to walk slimming world to go too knitting Christmas pressies to finish and another knitting group to go to later on tonight so busy busy.

 

Buster out walking. 

Happy knitting in knitting land x x