Slow dead slow and stop

Afraid there's not much progress to report here. I've had a bad few days, time of the month days. Unfortunately I'm still putting up with this part of my life, although they are getting less frequent they are also getting way more troublesome. I've had 4 pretty miserable days and I haven't really any progress to show for it. However I'm fighting a bad case of hovering startitis, my hands and mind have this almost overwhelming desire to cast on new things.

I have been harbouring the desire to make a February Lady Sweater for a while and after the recent entry by the Yarn Harlot on her recent accomplishment I've got the itch again. I even went into my stash and I think I've found the yarn for it. I have 2 enormous skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Alpine Baby. I will need to swatch for it as I'm not sure if it will fit the bill.

We were at friends for dinner on Saturday night and it turns out my friend could do with a pick me up, she is going through a bad patch. We have arranged to meet up for a day out next week and I'm considering wether or not I can manage to produce a pair of socks for her before then.

My Apres Surf Hoodie is growing inch by slow inch, I am a pattern off dividing the front for the neck and another pattern will reach the armholes so there is progress, just none to show.

I can't leave you without some photo to look at so I'm looking back through my finished photos, I'm posting a couple of finished items not on Ravelry just for your edification


This is a clapotis I knit for my MIL christmas a year ago, it's an Alchemy silk yarn, has a beautiful drape.


A pair of socks for DH about the same time using Lornas Laces colour Safari, this is one of my favourite sock yarns, chuck it in the washing machine, has a lovely twist to it.


A scarf I knit for SIL using Posh Yarn Eva 4 ply. This yarn has a beautiful drape due to its silk and cashmere mix. The colourways produced by Posh Yarn are unique.

Hopefully this is enough to keep you going, I'll try for some more progress for my next post.

Great Minds Think Alike, Fools.....?

What's that they say? Seldom differ.... I was just catching up on the latest from my blog list and found that my friend Katherine from Texas and I seem to have been of like mind. What better than something quick and satisfying - a wash cloth. While doing laundry the other day it became apparent that some of our store bought towelling wash cloths were getting a bit tatty. I hit the Peaches and Creme stash (yes I currently have a separate stash of Peaches and Creme cotton) and came up with a lovely bright yellow to match in with my bathroom towels. Here's the result



Tuesday evening I had a look through my stitch a day calendar and found Foaming Waves, what better for a wash cloth. The above photo I took Wednesday lunch time, by early evening I had cast off, resulting in ...... tah dah


I have to crochet a hanging loop and weave in the ends but it's done. A quick and satifying knit, just what I needed for instant gratification after the shawl.

BTW my sister got her birthday parcel the day after I posted it - fast post, it was posted first class. Got a quick text from her yesterday to say...quote "I love the scarf". As she was going out last night I haven't been talking to her yet, I'll let you know if she gives me an update.

Back tracking to last Friday I cast my February sock kit from the LOTR sock club - Hobbiton. Progress to date, it's a bit slow as there are quite a few cables. I've left out all the purls in this pattern, don't know why, just felt like it and I'm OK with how that works. The Hobbit holes continue all down the foot in the pattern but I'm going to have to work the foot in plain stocking stitch on this one. I have a lot of problems with odema in my feet and legs and if I work the cables on the feet I'll never get any shoes on over them. I love the yarn it is so squishy so I'll sacrifice a bit if the overall look to make them wearable.


So there you go an update on the newer stuff I'm working on. The slipover? Hasn't moved I'm still trying to decide about the sleeves. I've gone back to another WIP, the Apres Surf Hoodie, which has been on the needles since - can't remember exactly when but certainly before last September. I'll get up to date photos on that soon. It's on ravlery but not an up to date photo. The back is finished and I'm about half way up the front. I love knitting it as I always love knitting 4ply even though it's slower than worsted. No more detail I'll save that for another post.

Ready for posting

OK the shawl is now finished, totally. It's blocked, parcelled and ready to be posted tomorrow. That means a trip to the Post Office, my closest is 6 miles. It should get there in time for her birthday on Thursday. I hope she likes it. So anybody out there want to see a photo?

Can't hear you, you have to shout, it's a long way out here to the back end of nowhere. Still not hearing anybody!!!

All right so someone wants the final photo, me too, so here you are.


I dashed out during a sunny spell and quickly threw the shawl on the front lawn (looking decidedly shaggy after the winter and not yet ready for its first cut of the year)

I wanted to get a photo in good light and after blocking it is now too long to fit on the rug in the living room. My front garden slopes down so I apologise that it looks funny, that's due to shawl lying on an angled lawn and me trying to fit it all in one shot. I used the phone again for scale.


So now that you are all bored to death of what seems to be my only project I will have to keep you a bit more up to date with other projects. But not tonight, I like to keep something to talk about for another day or I'll run out of things to tell you. I promise that my next post will have other knitting photos and as I have a variety of projects on needles maybe you won't get bored.

This of course means that I will have to get back to some cleaning, cooking, laundry,... I no longer have the excuse of kntting to a deadline (groan). The dust bunnies have been sort of piling up, they are hopping about playfully round the rooms here and teasing poor Pepper (my fat, lazy cat).

DH spent most of the weekend working at his mothers. She had a leak in the drive and it had gotten progressively worse since Christmas. He contacted a plumber but they said to call them again when the leak was dug up. So he spent Saturday digging a hole in the drive and fixing the pipe, then Sunday filling it in again. He is now suffering from aches and pains and bashed knuckles, etc. A lot of hard work, but it is done. The water service had sent her out a 28 day notice to get it fixed or they would do it then charge her for the work.

So no more chat for tonight as it is late and I must post this, finish my surfing and get on to bed. Pepper is waiting somewhat impatiently now so that she can come to bed too.