For the boys

I got the sweater vests finished before going to see the boys tomorrow.  I took the photos and then noticed that the bottom red pattern is different on the two vests!  I knew the top would be different as the bigger one had more rows, obviously.....

For Laurie

For Rufus

I went through the last two bags of yarn and this is what I decided to keep

actually the 4 large balls of white at the back I'm not keeping bit on the shiny side for me

I now have two bags to go to the Medway ladies on Thursday.  I've sorted it all and bagged it up to make it easier to look through.  Hopefully they will find something they like.

I spent the afternoon trying to find a home for everything I have kept.  Basically I don't have enough room in my cupboard to see clearly, so I will get some plastic storage boxes and have another sort.

I have a big bag of yarn set aside for the orange shades Ten Stitch for Rufus. I just need to get on and finish the one for his bedroom.  I then have pinafore dresses to knit for twin girls due soon; would you believe I have to go buy yarn for these, unless I can convince the youngest to go with something from my stash.

Just a peek of whats coming through in the garden

Because its Wednesday

I don't have any WIP photos to share today.  The ten stitch is in the same position as last week.  I finished Laurie's vest and have nearly finished with the one for Rufus.  I will share photos on Friday.

Today we have sunshine and its around 11C which is a vast improvement on last week.  It is also very windy, but I got my washing dried outside which is a bonus. I've put some polyanthus in the borders and pots,  there are some definite signs of spring in the borders, bulbs are poking through and new growth on some of the perennials, which means I need to get out and start having a tidy.  Weather looks good for tomorrow too.

I am slowly getting to grips with the new car, seems really alien having to remember to keep changing gear.  It has made me realise just how lazy driving an automatic is. Still each day is getting easier, it has been over 20 years you know.  I know my family think I'm crazy, but the older you get the harder it is to adapt to changes.

Peter came home with another bag of yarn last night and he has another to bring tonight (he cycles to work) he found them left in his truck after dropping off on Monday.  Rachel and I are going to sort through it all again tomorrow evening.  I passed the crochet blanket, squares and associated yarn to a knitting group member who knits/crochets for a African Baby Charity, she will finish off and make up baby blankets with the squares.  So nothing is going to waste.

The yarn fairy called today........

and left lots of bags by my door.

A friend has been clearing her loft and came across her late mothers' stash.  She had planned to throw it away - she's not a knitter.  Luckily she mentioned this find to my husband and he suggested letting me look through it first..... phew!! I have him well trained.

Anyhoo, this is what there was.  Sadly I had to throw out some of it, due to the fact that it was so old it had started to rot.  I found that anything without a bit of acrylic had to hit the dump pile.

See the grey fleck, there was at least 25 balls of this and it is all dumped!!

I was very good; I went through each bag and sorted it all into colour themes. Then I went through it again and decided what I would use in terms of types of yarn, colours, weight etc.  I now have four bags that I won't be using myself.  One has lots of small amounts which I will give to a colleague as she crochets.  The second will go to my knitting group to share out.  The third has a crochet blanket half made up, with lots of crochet granny squares and the yarn for more, all pastels not my kind of thing, so I plan to take it to the charity shop. The fourth is the rejects which will go in the recycling bin.

That leaves me with this lot, along with some patterns - which I also sorted through, there were 2 folders worth and 2 bags of toy stuffing (always handy)

I now need to sort my stash cupboard and try to fit it in.  Some is already earmarked for the Ten Stitch currently being worked on, and there is some orange yarn so I can start another Ten Stitch as requested by Rufus.

The give away pile - the pile in the middle is going to the Medway ladies

Many thanks Cherry, it is very much appreciated.

6 months already

This weekend Laurie turned 6 months it seems hardly any time since he was born.

Here is a comparison of Rufus and Laurie at 6 months

Will I have time for any knitting?

With a busy weekend ahead, I am wondering if I will have time for any knitting. Laurie's slipover is coming along nicely. Back and front completed.  It will look much better once the ends are all in and its blocked.

This evening we have Anne (MIL) and Pat coming for a Burn's Night Supper.  It will be the usual, Haggis, swede and mashed potatoes. This year I plan to add celeriac to the mash as I like the added flavour.  For dessert I am making Nigel Slaters' Marizpan Berry Cakes, but instead of blueberries I plan to use blackberries and make a blackberry and apple compote to serve with them.

Saturday is a busy day.  We pick up our new car first thing, then back home, pick up Anne (for her birthday treat), into town, lunch at Jamie's Italian, then Anne and Peter are at the theatre, they are going to see 39 Steps, and I am going to look round the shops (there may be some yarn shops involved here).  Then its pick them up, home, wash, change and then its out to dinner with work - La Mimosa - cue more Italian here.  We are celebrating 20 years of Kitchensmiths Ltd, so if you are local and in the market for a new kitchen this year watch the local press for details of some exciting news.

Sunday - will be getting to grips with the new car and its features, putting all the gear that I cleared from the old one somewhere and hopefully enjoying some milder weather - they are forecasting 9C but rain, like we need more rain.  Mind you tonight we are forecast heavy snow, then rain.  The snow of last weekend is still with us so I see that we are going to be very soggy for some time to come.

I hope you have a great weekend whatever you are up to. Stay warm and dry but most importantly have fun

WIP Wednesday

Today has been positively balmy at 0.5C, well lets face it, its better than than yesterdays -8.5/-2C.  We still have laying snow which is slowly trying to melt, but we did have a few new flurries this afternoon - not forecast.

On to the WIPs.  I have 2.  The Ten Stitch is coming along.  On round 7 now.  When I showed this to Rufus on Friday, his first question was where is the orange?  You may remember he wanted an orange coloured blanket, his mum said no.  So now I am allowed to make him another blanket, for his playhouse at home.  Its knitting right?!

The second WIP is a pair of sweater vests/tanks/slip overs, whatever you want to call them, for the boys. I am using this pattern , making the back plain and doing the front with a random fairlisle pattern, basically whatever takes my fancy.  The yarn is a mystery DK from the charity shop.  Seems to be knitting up fine, so can't complain.

On the reading front, these are my current reading materials, the first I'm particularly excited about

For a forth coming trip (-:

 Rebecca passed on the latest Phillipa Gregory - signed copy no less.  Not sure that I am enjoying it too much, seems that she has covered this over and over again, but we will see how it goes

I may regret buying this book as its set in the same era 1400's, same historical characters.  It will be interesting to see how another author handles this.  I'll let you know once I get started on it

Picked up at the charity shop yesterday for 50p

Enough.......

The drive to work was interesting, -8.5C and freezing fog.




I felt physically sick by the time I got to the A14.  I don't think I have ever felt so disoriented.  I was so pleased to finally arrive in the car park and turned the engine off, even if it is like a skating rink!  The snow is still laying and showing no signs of leaving any time soon.  I'm just thankful that the roads I use to get to and from work are clear.

I want sunshine, I want warm.  The heating in the showroom has been playing up and we have been cold there too.  A nice man came this morning and sorted it out but it still wasn't up to temperature before I went home.  Luckily I keep an extra cardigan on my chair, and I certainly needed it.

Its still foggy and -2C (forecast to be -6C before dark); I decided to give knitting group a miss this afternoon as I didn't want to drive home in the foggy dark.  Some will say pathetic but actually I'd rather sit home and knit, OK I'll need to talk to myself, but at least I'm safe and warm.

it was snow Sunday too!

the snow continued from around 10:30 this morning and hasn't stopped all day, not particularly heavy but enough to cover everything from yesterday and more besides.

Laurie and parents came to pick up Rufus.  We had a family roast lunch, Rachel and Stu walked down to join us, then it was a case of shall we stay or shall we go for the Jones family.  In the end they decided to go home and managed to get there safely.

Our visitor returned to the garden this afternoon, actually coming much closer to the barn this time

Our side patio which is fairly sheltered but as you can see still a fair amount of snow.  What the chances of it all being gone by the morning drive to work?

Snow Saturday

Yesterday it snowed all afternoon, quite fine snow, so we didn't have too much but enough to satisfy a small boy (big one too).

snow plough came in handy

After the snow, came the cushions - I had been smothered earlier, but luckily the camera was in the house!

Carpet picnic lunch and then a nap

Whilst he was asleep we had a visitor to the garden.  Photos taken through glass so not the clearest, plus I had to keep very still as he sensed I was there