Little Lou's Knits & Nags

2012..knitty dilemma

2012-01-12T23:17:00.001Z

Hand knit poncho..gift from a lovely friend

After rearranging and sifting through the chaos that is my yarn cupboard I made a pact with myself that future knits would be:

Mainly for myself (I've knitted a lot for charity and as gifts but not much for me)

Well executed, finished and sewn up before another is cast on

Using yarn only from my stash...or bought from proceeds of destashing.

However, it's 12 days into 2012 and I have not cast on my first knitting project for this year yet. What's wrong with me? I have not lost my knitting mojo I am merely being indecisive..but it's driving me crazy.

Last Autumn I bought 5 balls of Patons Wool Blend DK.."enough to knit myself a sweater", I told myself at the time. It was an impulsive buy..I didn't have a pattern in mind but the 'sale' ticket was too difficult to walk by. The total price tag was less than £18.
The yarn is a really nice shade of airforce blue with a tweedy fleck about it and being merely a wool 'blend' it is machine washable (and not too itchy!).

Hours and hours (and days and days) of browsing patterns on Ravelry have shown me that my bargain buy may have been a phrase my husband often quotes.. 'a false economy'. All the patterns I favour are knitted in Worsted not DK...ahhh.

So my question is do I go out and buy some worsted yarn or keep hunting for a DK pattern?

Happy 2012 by the way!!!

Back to Blogging..Bye To Xmas

2011-12-29T00:07:00.000Z

Scottish royalty dontcha know?

Yeah, I haven't blogged for ages. I have a dozen feeble excuses but the most feasible is an amalgamation of pure laziness combined with laptop trouble. My Dell laptop was 6 years old..full of junk and barely ticking along which was not helped by our extremely slow Internet connection. Trying to post a single photo on this blog took an age, so planned posts were often abandoned midway.

On Boxing Day (after a couple of months indecision..and driving Hubs nuts by my incessant 'going on') I finally bought a new laptop. Being the frugal Scottish wifie that I am I didn't want to spend much money on a machine just for checking emails, online shopping and of course blogging. I'd seen spanking laptops with all the bells and whistles at purse tightening prices. I'd seen cheap laptops that were the ugliest pieces of plastic ever to exist and with processors not much more advanced than my old Dell Inspiron.

My new purchase was PC Worlds Boxing day special. It's a HP (Hewlett Packard) with a 2nd Gen i5 processor (which I have learnt is possibly more than I need to do what I do). The best bit is it was £399! Chuffed!

The photo at the top of this post is of my little brother and I on Christmas Day. It was a great day with my mum, bro and SIL here. My lovely husband did all the cooking. Despite good company, fabulous gifts and yummy food it's nice to get back to 'normal' again..lol.

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Easy 'Peasy'

2011-09-08T00:02:00.007+01:00

My W.I.P has become a F.O and for those who do not understand knitter's lingo I will translate. My 'Work In Progress' has become a 'Finished Object' and I can now rest my needles and breathe a sigh of relief. The pattern for this knit is called 'Peasy' and is available via the knitty haven that is 'Ravelry'. The pattern was not difficult but for me it was long and this is my first ever completed garment for myself..yup a cardi for the ole knitting lady herself..lol.

Circular needles to hold so many stitches

The pattern is a top-down raglan knitted on circular needles (but not in the round) It's knitted 'all-in-one'. You cast on the front left side, then the sleeve, back, other sleeve and other front. It means a lot of stitches and for this particular pattern a lot of long rows of stocking stitch. Easy but tedious. The front consists of a small lace panel which for me was an introduction to lacework.

After the lacework & sleeves completed

Pleased to report the finished cardigan fits well and although I took it with me today ironically it was too warm to wear it. Still I'm sure it won't be too long until this changeable Scottish weather denotes cardigan wearing opportunities.

metal floral buttons

September...and weather for soup.

2011-09-02T20:39:00.000+01:00

Recently we had our first organic veggie box delivered from Bellfield Organic Nursery and much to our amusement there was a couple of vegetables we had never encountered before. I think it's fair to say before now most of our vegetables came from a can...prewashed, pre chopped. In our organic treasure chest came 8lb of potatoes, 3lb of carrots, 2lb of onions, beetroot, lettaces, a savoy cabbage (complete with very organic slug!), courgettes, baby cauliflowers and the ones we pondered upon...a kholrabi and a romanesco.

Romanesco

Kholrabi

Over the last week of August and now into September we have seen the temperatures drop somewhat here in Scotland. We have not had the greatest of summers (unlike the heatwave England seem to have experienced) with only a few sporadic hot days some time ago now. Autumn is definately upon us..the nights are drawing in (it's getting dark out by about 8.30pm already) and the central heating has once again been switched to 'on'.

It seems to me it's time to look out those woolly garments and most definately time to make soup...yum! With a wealth of vegetables that's exactly what I set about doing much to my husband's dismay..he doesn't really like me in HIS kitchen..lol.

lots of chopping

let the cooking commence

stick tae yer ribs

The result was a very hearty red lentil and vegetable soup which even Hubs agreed was delicious. I have a feeling we are going to have a cold winter in these parts and my soup will be just the ticket in months to come.

The Alien Has Landed.

2011-08-30T16:38:00.000+01:00

Meet Arnold! I got a rare knitting request from hubs when he saw this pattern and as I took over a year to finish his last request (Sackboy) I thought I'd get started straight away to avoid nagging..lol.

'Arnold' (as he was named ) is around 16" from head to toe and around 17" from arm end to arm end. The pattern was from booklet called 'Irresistible Gifts to Knit', which was inside the Simply Knitting magazine.

The yarn is a new colourway (Aqua ) from Patons..part of their Fab Dk range but with a great self patterning effect and at only £2.20 (from my LYS..prices may vary) for 100g was a great buy.

Arnold now takes pride of place in the middle of our bed (...hmmm ever heard the expression 'three's a crowd'?).

Sun, Sudoko & A Sheepy Peg Bag

2011-07-27T22:54:00.001+01:00

My lovely husband is always busy..even on a sunny day he can't sit still for long. Yes, after a couple of weeks of heavy showers and a few thunderstorms the sun has returned. It has now been here for 5 whole days (it's Scotland..it won't last!). The dog and I have been sitting in the garden and whilst I amuse myself with alfresco knitting or Sudoku, Patch chases bees. The Hubs will sit for all of 5 minutes drinking his mug of tea before once again getting restless. Wash the car, clean the windows, move plants or put on a load of washing..I kid you not...and yes he is a keeper. It's fair to say he does most of everything that needs to be done around here and although he may not think so it's all totally appreciated. As far as the laundry goes, he does it with military precision and when he hangs things out on the line (believe it or not I can't reach) everything has it's place...undies on one line..pj's on the next and jeans and tops on the other. I like a man who is organised and Hubs is like this in everything he does which is handy when I am as scatty as they come (and have to write everything down to retain it!).

For months he has been complaining about the state of the peg bag which I have promised to repair or make a new one...needless to say it slipped my mind (time and time again!).

Out with the old...

Then we went shopping and a new peg bag was purchased..lol.

...and in with the new!

Sometimes it's the simple things that keep a harmonious home. Thanks Hubs for being such a star and agreeing to pose for some humorous photos for this post.

Seaside Babes..it's a knit thing

2011-07-10T21:25:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago I borrowed this pattern booklet from fellow knitter and friend, Mary. It's by Sirdar and is entitled Seaside Babes (pattern number 352 for those interested in purchasing). It contains 14 knits ranging in size from newborn to 7 yrs so it's pretty good value for around £6 (I will definately be buying my own copy now..lol). I'm pleased to report that I've already knitted 4 items with too much difficulty (but like most knitters..I hate the sewing up..sigh.)

The first item I knitted was a wee cap sleeved cardi with piquot edging in the first size (0-3 mths). It was my first attempt at this edging stitch so although it wasn't perfect I was pleased with how it turned out after I redid this part using a bigger needle so it wasn't quite so tight (I was knitting so tightly I snapped my Knit Pro acrylic needle,weep)

I also did this cardi in the same yarn (yes it's acrylic..please do not recoil yarn snobs out there) but in the age 1-2 year size as a gift for my friends wee girl. I think these knits would benefit from some kind of blocking or a damp press..but to be honest it's not something I usually bother doing with acrylic knits.

I then knitted this little tunic top in the 0-3 month size just to try the pattern..thinking I might knit the bigger size for friend's 4and a half year old if I liked it. The outcome is okay but it wasn't that an enjoyable knit..I had a bit of trouble lining up those blooming eyelets whilst shaping and I'm a bit concerned the neck might be a bit tight. I have 2 friends expecting babies this autumn so I'm hoping one of them has a girl with a reasonable sized head...lol.

My latest knit from this booklet..I'm pretty proud of..if I do say so myself (and I do). It's a bigger kid's size than I usually do (I like to finish projects quickly..hence the preference for small items) as this is an aged 4-5 yr old. The pattern is really easy but looks fairly effective so it's definately a winner. The picking up of 268 stitches for the button band was a bit daunting at first (I've only ever knitted the band seperately before..with like 5 sts at a time) but I took my time and managed to do it quite evenly. I even found some patience to sew this up neater than my usual bodged jobs...so thumbs up all round. It took around 250g (maybe less).

Now I'm just on the hunt for some suitable buttons...and thinking of those old fashioned leather ones..what do you think?

close up of easy pattern

One Woman Knit Camp

2011-07-05T22:22:00.002+01:00

Knit Camp? Well kinda,..on my lonesome..lol.

We have spent most of the day indoors...it's been raining. However, even in dreary Scotland we occasionally get some sun and the last couple of days have been glorious. Unfortunately, by the time our pasty skins get climatised to 'tropical' temperatures of 23-24C..it's over all too soon. Every year it goes like this..one day we are wearing our coats and the next we are sitting out back, perspiring in little more than our underwear. By the time most of the Scottish contingent hunt out the dusty bottle of sunscreen they are already sporting skin the colour of a cooked lobster.

When the sun was shining I went camping...in my back garden. Regrettably, I can't really enjoy sleeping 'under the stars' in recent years thanks to my sleep apnea which requires me to be hooked up to the mains on my Bi-pap machine each night. Not sleeping out didn't stop me setting up camp though..and to be honest it made for a great shaded area when the sun got too strong. Needless to say the tent was also favoured by my four legged friend Patch..who liked to hog the cushions.

Patch..happy camper

I even managed to find a few hours peace (between the neighbours cutting their grass/ dogs barking/ kids screaming) to get in some quality alfresco knit time. Then of course..like I'd already mentioned..the rain returned. The husband being the all-round humorous chappie that he is locked me out..cue the sorry sight of Little Lou trapped under canvas (hubs let the dog indoors...of course..lol).

It may not be obvious..but it was raining heavily here.

Amsterdam...there's cake!!

2011-06-23T21:24:00.004+01:00

Okay..here I am finally summing up our trip to Amsterdam (which was ages ago now). The weather was slightly disappointing considering only the week before we arrived Amsterdam had been experiencing glorious sunshine and high temps. It was showery but not cold (well not cold to us hardy Scots anyway..lol).

Here is a couple of photos of Dam Square in the city centre. The first photo is taken from the fifth floor window of Madame Tussauds. The second photo shows the war memorial also in Dam Square.

This is the Hubs sitting having a "much needed cuppa" in the Museumplein. We had just been round the Van Gogh Museum and although we appreciated the artwork (mostly) the place was mobbed, meaning you had to shuffle around the art exibits which got a bit frustrating after 5 floors. It could have been that everyone had the same idea as us to get out of the rain but I suspect from previous stories I've heard the place is always busy. We bought a print of Van Gogh's 'Bedroom At Arles', a painting I've loved since studying the artist at High School.

Van Gogh a la wax (Madame Tussauds)

I dragged my new husband in and out of almost every tourist shop in the city..despite our home already giving house room to numerous pieces of blue & white china in various forms of clog, windmill & kissing couple.

I relented from buying myself some fleecy clog shaped slippers (sigh).

I did purchase a small bar of chocolate just to have some Dutch chocolate. After tasting it I shall stick with my Mars bars (UK version..I hear the overseas variety suck...something crazy about low fat regulations or suchlike...meh).

I could now go on to flood this post with photos of 'funny tall houses' and canal after canal but hey you can see all that on the tourism sites I'm sure. Let me share with you now something close to my heart...food.

Granted I'm not a 'foodie' as such, I'm a bit picky to be honest but I do like a good dessert.

Exibit 1: vanilla cheesecake

Exibit 2: Apple Crumble Cake

The first was enjoyed by Hubs on an afternoon cuppa stop at a cute cafe off Dam Square called De Drie Graefjes. He has been searching for the perfect cheesecake (in comparison to this vanilla delight..I tasted it..it was amazing) since we got back with no avail. I swear every supermarket variety has been tried and tested (they don't do cheesecake in Scots bakeries on the whole). The second pic is the "awesome" apple crumble cake from Bakkerswinkel on the Waarmoesraat (I know I've gone all American in my description but 'braw' didn't quite cut it). This place is like cake heaven and I wish they did mail order..lol. I swear if I lived in Amsterdam I would weigh 20 stone.

Okay..before I say 'tot zeins' to Amster...here's the canal pic.

Honeymoon & Knitty Overlap

2011-05-28T18:09:00.000+01:00

Honeymooners

Its been over a week since me and 'Hubs' (for that is what he shall now be known as) got back from our wee honeymoon in Amsterdam. We chose that as our destination because I can't fly far (goofy lungs) and it was in Amsterdam we spent our first romantic trip away in 2002 (just before we moved in together). It was our tenth trip to the city but we hadn't visited in 6 years and imagined many changes but it was just as if we had never been away. It was nice to be somewhere familiar and we agreed to revisit some places and be sure to visit the places we had always meant to see but never quite got around to.

Going Gaga over the Lady

Day one it was raining when we arrived so we ducked into Madame Tussauds, somewhere we always avoided for no particular reason other than seeing it as a typical tourist trap. We surprised ourselves and had a great laugh cosying up to the waxy looky-likies of Lady Gaga and Justin Beiber. If you don't take it too seriously ,its a lot of fun.

I liked the way you could touch the exhibits and not just view them from afar.

When we left Tussauds we got checked into our hotel and along with maps we were presented with a 5euro discount coupon for the waxworks..doh!

We had booked into the hotel we had stayed in on our first trip which we envisaged as a being 'romantic' notion. Lol.

After unpacking and finding somewhere for a bite to eat (Italian..I had pizza, he had lasagne) we headed to Cafe De Jaren to meet some knitters. This light & airy, spacious former bank is the location for Amsterdam's Stitch 'n' Bitch group every Monday evening. It was great to meet fellow knitters and Ravellers especially the very lovely Alex who I had the pleasure of meeting (albeit too briefly) in Stirling last year at Knit Camp.

It was great to also meet with Andy, whose blog I have followed with great interest since 2007. He was kind enough to present me with a signed copy of his book 'Travels With Greeley' which I am glad to say without hesitation, I am thoroughly enjoying.

I'm only sorry I didn't have more time to speak with everyone at the group as they seemed like a great bunch.

If I ever visit the city again...I will make sure I'm there on a Monday.

Thanks also to a great husband who was most gracious in indulging my knitty obsession. He even accompanied me to a tattoo parlour where I completely lost my mind & got myself a knit related tat. I think it represents not only my love for knitting but the relationship Gavin & I share.

For those of you who don't get it..it's an abbreviation of 'knit two together'.

In my next post I'll share a bit more of our trip..knitting not included.

Sporadic Blogger's Lament

2011-05-27T23:00:00.001+01:00

I really want to get back into blogging more regularly (okay, how many times have I written THAT since becoming a sporadic blogger? ). I often have a lot to say for myself, some of which could be aired on a blog..some of which probably should remain in my befuddled head (for the protection of others as well as myself..lol). I like to share places I have visited, mainly local sights such as the beautiful coastal parts of Fife where I live (and the many cakes I eat along the way!!).
I like to discuss my latest knits, yarny purchases and fantasise about all the amazing things I want to knit next ..but never quite get get round to (sigh).
I enjoy sharing stories about the things that make me smile..especially my naughty little dog and my cheeky handsome husband ('husband', I'm still getting used to that word..I like it..'my husband'..lol).
Lack of this sharing is caused by many things but one of them is certainly not spending enough time online...I AM ALWAYS ONLINE (slight exaggeration but I'm certainly surfing the net at least a few hours each day). Here are a few websites I blame for eating those hours away:

Ravelry..of course. Knitters online paradise where you can share your penchant for all things yarny..browse patterns ,show off your creations and get lots of useful advise.
Wikipedia..I've been warned it's not always accurate but I look up everything here from placenames to pop songs.
I.M.D.B (Internet Movie Database). Often when watching a movie we'll say "oh he/she was in something else we watched recently". It'll bug me if I don't remember and I'll have to look it up so that's where IMDB comes in. Then I'll look up actors bio's and find out whose still alive (but perhaps no longer kicking).
Ebay..I hardly ever buy things (a lie) but I always look to see if things I have are listed and worth anything (but never sell them).
Facebook. Love it or hate it you are probably on it and like me have no doubt snooped to see if the cool kids from school are now fat or bald (or both).

Watch out..I'm 'getting ma blog on' and have a few posts to get written. In the meantime hop on over to my hubby's new blog..he's got some great photos on there.

P.S Be warned I'm experimenting with new blog styles..lotsa changing.

Married..17 days

2011-05-10T16:11:00.012+01:00

I have now been a married woman for 17 whole days..so felt it was only fair to share some photos with you. We had a wonderful day and evening with all our family and friends.

My dress was made from satin & tulle by a local seamstress, to fit my 4ft 6 in frame (thats height..not circumference..lol). Hubby's kilt is a contemporary charcoal suit with faux horn buttons & the tartan is named 'Hebridian Heather'.

My bouquet I knitted myself using a lily pattern by Claire Farrell Scope and improvising the roses & leaves. I then wired them individually before binding them all together (a process which proved sore on the fingers after a while).

I also knitted our cake topper which seemed to get more attention than the REAL bride & groom. I adapted the Alan Dart wedding cake pattern, omitting the cake & dressing the groom in a kilt instead of a morning suit.

I put a little heart under the kilt for discrection..haha.

It was a great day spent with family & friends. It was very emotional marrying my best friend and partner for over 10 years. Thank you Gavin xx

Married Now...eeeek

2011-04-24T21:01:00.004+01:00

******WE ARE MARRIED******

Just a quick snapshot taken on a mobile phone, hopefully more photos soon. We had a beautiful day. Fantastic being man & wife....and a great party to boot. More news soon..once I recover..lol.

10 days til Showtime

2011-04-13T23:24:00.004+01:00

Sorry folks, keep meaning to update my blog..just never seem to get round to it. So many distractions...knitting, Ravelry, Facebook..oh then of course there is 'real life' and our wedding. Yes, unbelievably it's only 10 days until Gavin & I tie the knot..time has flown by. Thankfully we are pretty organised so not too much to worry about...just a few butterflies..lol. I pick my dress up this Friday. I have completed my wedding knitty projects. All is good. Well almost..The Mister has been suffering some pretty serious eye problems and has been diagnosed with Reoccurring Corneal Erosion causing him quite a bit of discomfort and a few trips to the eye clinic. Wedding eyepatch jokes have been made (poor lamb).

Wedding Prep

2011-01-23T21:50:00.003Z

So, wedding plans are going well so far. Our date is 23rd April .. is now only an unbelievable 13 weeks away. The Mister and I have been together 10 years (how time flies!) and had talked about 'making it legal' for some time now..AND NOW WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING IT!!!

I didn't think I'd be nervous but must admit there are a few butterflies fluttering but it's more excitement than anything. "Our big day"..how strange it sounds.

The ceremony and reception are to be held in a local hotel where it has to be said, is impeccably clean with that old fashioned 'good service' (which seems to have become a rarity).

Hotel booked, celebrate booked, music booked, seat covers booked, invites out, rings bought, outfits in motion, photos arranged, flowers and cake still to be confirmed. I think we are doing okay!

I'm planning to be a proper little bride all dressed in white (yes white!!) and Gavin will be cutting a dash in a contempary kilt.

Hoping to get some yarny goodness in the mix somewhere too...obviously.

Goodbye 2010...

2011-01-07T19:00:00.004Z

...Hello 2011!!!

Yes, it's taken me longer than expected to get back on the blogging bus but I'm here now and intend to make it a long haul journey so if you wanna come along for the ride that is my simple little life, you are most welcome.

New year, new start? I was hoping so...last year was punctuated with so health ups and downs I never felt like I had a clear run at anything. Needless to say spirits got low from time to time from sheer frustration and cabin fever but you just have to get on with it and be thankful for what you have.

I'm thankful for :

The love of my Mister..he can be a grouchy sod but has a heart as big as a house and has stuck with me despite my health issues and ever growing yarn obsession. So this year after 10 years together we have finally decided to make it legal and tie the knot. I'll keep all the details for an extra girlie bridezilla post in a day or so.
A roof over my bed, food in my belly and a cosy little loyal dog by my side.
The health I have may not be great but whilst I can still, walk, talk and knit I consider myself pretty well off. As a UK resident I am fortunate to benefit from free health care and whilst many complain about they NHS system I am very grateful for what it does for me.

Key words for 2011 are: motivation, positivity and optimism.

Goodbye September

2010-10-01T17:33:00.003+01:00

Goodbye September..sorry I missed out on a blog post!

By now you probably think I have dropped of the face of the earth...but don't despair.
My lazyitis has just flared up...though I have been occupied by one or two things inbetween.

Exciting news though...the Mister & I have set our wedding date!!! I am to be an April bride!!
Promise I will divulge more soon.

Right now I am waiting on a delivery of fish & chips ..yum yum!

Knit Camp Part 3..Purchases

2010-08-26T22:28:00.009+01:00

Okay it's about time I finally showed you my purchases from Knit Camp. I was amazed how restrained I actually was considering the great wares on offer. I attended the Marketplace on the Friday and Saturday..I felt like a kid at Christmas! Saying that would you believe it if I told you I actually came home with money in my purse? Seems crazy now. I think perhaps I was overwhelmed having never been to an event of this size before and seen (and stroked) so many lovely yarns.

My first yarn buy was a neutral grey skein ('Blizzard') from Easyknits. Its 100% Blue Faced Leicester wool. I tried resist bright colours and buy a shade that would go with some things in my wardrobe. However, some pretty rainbow Knit Col by Adrafil soon caught my eye and begged to be bought (..and so it was done).

Next I stopped at Shetland Lace & Fair Isle supremo Liz Lovick's stall and picked up these cute stitchmarkers made by the lady herself.

After much deliberating at the Lomond Tapestry Centre stand I opted for their Angel yarn by France De Bergere. The ladies were very patient with my indecisiveness and also gave me a free pattern for a tunic top using this yarn after I cooed over the sample knit on display.

I gasped with glee when I caught sight of the Textile Garden stall..lots and lots of pretty buttons in every shape, size, material you could imagine. This is one of my favourite online shops that I recommend to friends and will continue to do so. This time I opted for wooden Scottie dogs..big & small.

My big purchase was Knit Pro interchangeable needles from Scottish Fibres. I knew these sets came in Acrylic tips but was bowled over by a rainbow colorway (once again). Having bought these I left feeling like a 'proper grown-up knitter'.

So, that's most of it (I think there's maybe a few odds & ends still lurking in my bag I may have forgotten about..hmm, I wonder?).

Knit Camp Part 2

2010-08-23T11:25:00.016+01:00

Okay I've been back from Knit Camp for over a week and I still haven't completed my blog posts about the event..oops! Well, here I am so if you are still interested let me share with you some more.

One of the nicest things to happen to me at Knit Camp was the opportunity to meet a fellow blogger. I have been following Alex's blog for a couple of years and enjoy reading about her life in the Netherlands. Alex is very sweet lady who I would have like to have talked to longer (or let her get a word in edgeways..I fear I 'blethered' too much..lol). I was very glad to learn she enjoyed her trip to Scotland and plans to return. I hope one day to get myself back to Amsterdam (previously a favourite holiday destination of mine) and perhaps pop in to their Monday night S'n'B.

The University campus where Knit Camp was held sits on the edge of a small town called Bridge of Allan. I didn't get the chance to stroll around, but I was fortunate enough to visit the absolutely amazing Allan Water Cafe. A sit-in chippy I had the most scrumptious haddock and chips I have ever tasted! (Cecelia this picture is especially for you!)

Followed by delicious strawberry ice cream (they had so many flavours!)

Enough about food (I'm just making myself hungry!). Back to Knit Camp and something to make the yarn lovers amongst you drool..the Marketplace

Despite some vendors pulling out before the event (understandably perhaps due to mixed messages on organisation) the Marketplace was bountiful. A great selection of stalls with the most beautiful goodies..making it very hard to choose just what to buy (sigh).

I've gone on enough for now so please be patient with me and in my next post I shall share with you just what I spent my kudos on (and some of my favourite vendors!)

KNIT CAMP...part 1

2010-08-15T22:12:00.012+01:00

I now have something to blog about..hooray! Last night I returned home from the UK's very first Knit Camp. Now for those of you who don't know let me fill you in a little...

Knitters came from all over the world to this week long event held in Stirling University's very picturesque campus (it really was a stunning location even to a native Scot). Classes were run teaching various knitting techniques and were led by some of the biggest names in international knitting circles.

However, not long before the actual event things came across somewhat chaotic. Many tutors flying in from the U.S learnt their work permits were not yet in place causing more than a few problems. Things eventually fell into place..tutors arrived and some classes rearranged. Despite a backlash on Ravelry (worldwide knitting forum) everyone on camp seemed really happy and pleased to be there.

As I was only staying for two nights I opted to stay in the Stirling Management Centre (a little more comfortable than the halls of residence so I'm told by fellow campers). At breakfast I was lucky enough to have the company of many of the tutors who all seemed to know each other but were very welcoming to this wee Scottish lady (who barely knows her combination knitting from her continental!). Norah Gaughan and Annie Modesitt shared their discovery of 'haggis dogs' which I'm glad to say I've never tasted (a variation on hot dogs I presume?).

On my first afternoon I attended Jared Flood's Koolhaas hat class (a pattern which I have owned for a while yet could not make head nor tail of!). Jared is an excellent teacher and very patient. He took the time to show the stitch technique to each one of us individually (it was a class of 12) and repeated the process if we didn't get it the first time (guilty). I was very nervous as I'm not a very ambitious knitter but I was there to learn and glad to report that I left with new skills.

I can now cable without a cable needle and follow a simple chart. I am also confident I can now complete the pattern...result!

Part 2...lovely people and pretty purchases

Hello July..where was I?

2010-07-16T20:38:00.005+01:00

Oh Heavens above!!..it seems dear little blog I have neglected you for far too long.

How can make it up to you?

I've been uber lazy watching far too much TV (including Wimbledon & parts of the World Cup). I've watched oodles of movies and also worked my way through HBO's 'Rome' & 'The Tudors' boxsets (watching all that romping caused me to drop a stitch or two, haha).

Will some photos of colourful knitting perhaps go some way towards making amends?

This is my latest project and I am considering it somewhat of an experiment. I needed to try new things and stop playing it safe with simple garter and stocking stitch projects. This is called the 'Old Shale' pattern but is known more commonly in the UK perhaps as 'feather & fan' . A while back (I'm talking at least 2 years!) I attempted a cardi in this stitch pattern and made a right old mess of it (it still lies abandoned in a bag way back in my yarn cupboard). I didn't take the time to try it out slowly and therefore quickly lost patience and interest.

I just decided to knit up scraps of acrylic in random colours but I'm starting to quite like the way it looks. 48 repeats should be suffice for a small blanket...so only 34 repeats to go.

Other knits in the last month have included a very ugly jumper in a very ugly yarn called Wendy Mosiac..ughh. My Knit Club bought 60 balls of the stuff when it was being sold very cheaply at Perth Knit Show. There was a very good reason it was cheap! Ghastly stuff. However I played my part and used up 5 balls to knit a jumper for Project Peru. I wasn't moved enough to take photos...it's no great loss..haha.

An old school friend of mine was very pleasantly surprised to find she is pregnant with not one but two babies. So, I decided to whip out my Dulaan pattern once again for two cute little twin sweaters. I used James Brett Marble DK and each one took only 90g of yarn.

Quick Check In To Blogland

2010-06-10T23:33:00.005+01:00

Oh..hi there!

I am so behind with my blogging I don't know where to start. There is no exciting news that has kept me from you, or long-winded excuses. Just plain old laziness (and possibly a new found addiction to Mahjong on Facebook).

I'll leave you now with a little something that's kept me busy today. A favour for a friend who has just redecorated her kids room in a space theme.

Once I'd started it was quite enjoyable pottering about with paints again. Maybe this simple project will spur me to do something a bit more ambitious later on. In the meantime there is lots of knitting to be done.

I've just recently finished a new batch of Teddies For Tragedy. They are so quick to knit whilst watching movies with the Mister, but they take a bit longer to sew up and stuff. For a couple of weeks teddies 'carcases' have been lingering. Thankfully they are now done and will be sent off to orphans in Malawi soon.

Gavin says lined up they look like a teddy boy band. So I give you...'Bear-Zone'.

2010-05-20T21:00:00.009+01:00

Okay, it's time for me to share with you what I bought at the Knit Fair in Perth. Well, to be truthful I didn't buy a lot because I am saving all my yarn purchasing kudos for when I go to Knit Camp in Stirling this August. However....

I did buy a whole kilo of James Brett Marble Chunky because despite its acrylicness its beautifully soft and smoochy and the colours are wonderful. I bought the blue colourway as it reminds me of the beach...water, sky and sandy hues.

It was a bargain at £15 too.

There is enough in this pack to knit perhaps 2 jumpers...I need to check out some simple patterns.

At the British Yarns stall I bought some wool..yes REAL wool from sheepies. It's a Shetland 4ply in 2 very nice greeny shades that remind me of tweedy jackets often worn with kilts.

I did buy 4 balls but alas I must have dropped one on the train.

I tried not to cry too much but thanked the yarn gods that it was not my 'prize' buy I lost.

Ohh so now you are perhaps wondering what that may be?

Okay..I'll share..

It's a skein of lovely, lovely Colinette Jitterbug in the brightest colourway I have ever seen. It's called 'Mardi Gras' and I feel some party socks may be required from this. Any pattern suggestions?

Of course at £9.95 it wasn't really within the days planned budget (and I have a heap of sock yarn in my stash already!) but imagine my surprise when I opened my packed lunch to find this little letter and a £10 note from my beloved.

Isn't he a star because not only did he prepare my delicous sandwiches (I was in a rush as usual)
but he funded my yarn habit. He's a keeper for sure xxx

2010-05-17T17:50:00.015+01:00

On Saturday I attended 'Scotland's Only Knitting Show' in Perth with some members of my local knit club. We took the 45 minute train ride from Kirkcaldy to Perth then hopped on the free shuttle bus which took us up to Perth Racecourse where the event was held.

The knit fair is in it's third year, the location is great, the sellers fantastic but it hasn't really grown much since year one which is slightly disappointing. It is run by the machine knitter's guild so initially the emphasis was on machine knitting and although there are now more merchants catering for us hand knitters there seems something still lacking. I would have perhaps like to have seen more outside (it was a beautiful day albeit a teeny bit breezy) and perhaps even a bit of alfresco knitting going on. I think everyone was too busy filling their shopping bags to take a step back and just enjoy the day.

Also I forgot I had my camera with me (doh) until just before leaving..so hastily I snapped a few shots. Let me show you some of the good bits.

Some pretty handspun yarn from Ripples

Yummy Noro yarn..that I fondled.

I also met Jo Watson from British Yarns. She is also the lady responsible for organising Knit Camp 2010 taking place here in Scotland this summer.

It was really nice to met her in person as I am so excited about attending the event in Stirling this August. I've been saving all my pennies for this, hence the reason I resisted all the lovely yarn shouting my name at this fair.

I'll share with you in my next post what I DID buy and maybe the knitters amongst you can help me decide what to knit with it.

2010-05-12T14:08:00.000+01:00

Normal service will resume shortly!!

Knitting..it still happens

2010-04-23T19:45:00.015+01:00

I know I haven't posted about it for some time but there has been knitting going on. Granted nothing astounding but knitting all the same. The jumpers above are from a pattern on Feed The Children's charity website. I've knitted it a few times previously and its quick and easy. I knit the stripes in rows of 10 so I know at a glance exactly how many rows I've done. There's no raglan so shaping is minimal but my favourite thing about this particular pattern is the neck. You pick up stitches around the neckline ,knit 2ins of rib then double it over and sew the cast off edge inside. Its thick and stretchy with no need for buttons.

I've also knitted up another Dulaan jumper for charity. It's another speedy knit but it's really cute. Done in a nice yarn this can look really special despite it's simplicity. I use arcrylic for my charity knits..it's cheap and easier to wash.

Pictured are also 2 different baby mitt knits..handy (excuse the pun) use of odds and ends that linger in my ever growing stash.

Awaiting blocking is my third go at Mary- Heather Cogar's Simple Things Shawlette. I used some left over sock yarn..it took around 60g (of 4ply).

It's an unusal colourway..perhaps not everyones cup of tea. I like to call it 'Mint Choc Chip'

Also awaiting blocking (I find that process so tedious) is my own variation on the same shawl. I just did more of the yarn over repeats.

I used some Paton's Studio Mohair (now discontinued but still available at reduced price from MCA Direct) which I found lingering. I bought this yarn originally to knit myself a cardi which fell by the wayside.

Currently on the needles is another teacosy for a friend..share that with you when I'm done..hopefully after the weekend.

Country Air

2010-04-13T16:20:00.015+01:00

Good thing: I have been getting out and about with the Mister, in the car.

Not So Good Thing: It leaves me too tired to keep up with my blogging.

Irony: I've actually had some kinda interesting things to blog about.

So, first of all let me tell you about my day out yesterday..there was some spontaneity which occurred mostly due to the one day heatwave we experienced. I have no idea what the temperature was but it was warm enough for the Mister to don his shorts!! You read correctly..shorts..here in Scotland..in April! He is usually such a cold blooded creature and complains incessantly of not being warm enough.

We took the short 20 minute drive North to visit my dear Mother in Auchtermuchty (what a difference having the car makes..it used to be a 3-bus trip spanning 2 and a half hours!). I think it's the first time since we got our car 'Bella' that we haven't had the heating at max. We drove along with our sunglasses on, windows open, singing along to Lady Ga-Ga (well I was..and quite badly..ha ha).

Departing dear Mama's we headed in the opposite direction from home..seeing where the road would take us. We hadn't headed far when we felt a bit peckish and saw a sign for 'Loch Leven's Larder' and deduced that 'larder' meant 'food'.

It turns out 'Loch Leven's Larder' is the loveliest farm shop I have ever seen..a real find. As we entered the car park we were greeted by this particular friendly face.

Isn't she a beauty? Her name is Marmalade but she was too busy chomping on some huge carrots to give us much time.

The farm shop had some of the loveliest produce and a great spacious cafe serving scrummy food.
I did mean to take a photo of my meal but must have been so impressed I forgot and tucked in at double quick speed (it was a very tasty panini filled with locally produced chicken and roasted peppers with a side of salad and rice..yum!).

Situated between the Lomond Hills (seen in the very top photo..still showing tiny traces of snow) and the breathtaking Loch Leven (which I hope to get closer to and spend some time at another day), it was a really pleasant place to visit on a sunny day.

Post Script: Sun didn't last long..today is mostly cloudy and decidedly chilly..ah well.

Seafield And A Bit Of Sun

2010-04-03T23:11:00.006+01:00

I was reluctant to get out of bed this morning (nothing new there) as yesterdays forecast was rain, rain, rain. However, when I finally did awake from my slumber and draw back the curtains I was surprised to be greeted with beautiful sunshine.

Having made no plans and not being very good at spontaneity I didn't know what to do to take advantage of this surprisingly pleasant weather.I like to 'be prepared'..after all it was the Girl Guide motto and I was a super keen Brownie. So 'whittling wood' or 'making a campfire aside' I was at a loss for ideas.

The Mister and I ended up taking the short drive to the local beach. We live in a coastal town but our house is about 3 miles inland and although I've been down the promenade on numerous occasions I'd never made the walk to the shore. We thought we would check it out and see if it was a suitable place to take the dog now that he is ever so slowly getting eased in to car travel. (Patch has already managed 2 trips to the towns central park this week and enjoyed the woodland walk as well as trying to jump in the lake alongside ducks and swans.)

Seafield is a sandy beach with the ruins of an old harbour wall. I have been told that seals can often be spotted bathing on the rocks. The land behind our walk used to be the site of Seafield Colliery which closed in the 1980's (as many coal mining pits did). The towers now demolished and replaced with a new housing estate with sought after sea views.

Later after taking in all the fresh air we stopped for a burger...needs must.

Summer?

2010-03-31T23:38:00.016+01:00

The other day I stepped out into the garden to enjoy the morning sun and the beauty of our miniature daffodils as they caught the light.The Mister placed our newly purchased compost bin in a good spot, presumably ready for this seasons grass cuttings and the like.

Fastforward to this morning and it's a whole different picture.....
Thankfully most of that snow has melted throughout the course of the day but other areas of Scotland have been hit hard causing chaos. It seems the new wellies I bought just before Christmas are getting more wear than I bargained on. Hmm. Not happy.

A couple of weeks ago a friend asked me to knit some 'Hug' scarves for her neices (in super thick Sidar Bigga yarn). I was happy to oblige but at the time pondered who would need a thick cosy scarf in April. Now of course they seem the perfect gift....I may even have to knit one for myself before the week is out!

Butterflies & Big Spiders

2010-03-26T22:50:00.011Z

So, now as I write this post it is raining and has been for 2 days. However, when we did have that glimmer of hope that Spring was here and all was to be forever lovely..the Mister and I had a 'guid day oot'.

Yes, Tuesday past the sun was shining and having enjoyed our previous day at The Secret Bunker we opted to do something else fun. So we jumped in our motor 'Bella' and headed across the water to Edinburgh. Just off the city bypass is Edinburgh's Butterfly & Insect World and what a lovely little place it is. Having previously visited at the age of 9, I was glad to find it virtually unchanged (except perhaps for the stonking huge Dobbie's Garden centre next door).

You entered through the (well stocked and reasonably priced) gift shop and went into the immediate warmth of the greenhouses. It's a small place to visit but totally enchanting, like a tropical oasis. We found ourselves surrounded by greenery and butterflies of every colour and size fluttering around our heads. A running stream led into a pond which held the biggest koi carp I have ever seen and terrapins perching on the damp rocks. After taking in the sheer wonder of this room we headed onto the reptile and insect part of the building. My jaw dropped at the sight of a 16 ft python slowly slivering around its enclosure (we were told it only moved when it was hungry).

. Later there was a handling talk and we were allowed to hold a giant millipede (passed), a smaller python (which the Mister and I did) and a tarantula (I stood well back but The Mister had a go). The staff were mostly young but very chatty and very knowledgeable and their personable manner certainly added to our enjoyment of this place.

YIKES!!!

Secret Bunker

2010-03-24T22:19:00.007Z

It's been quiet on this blog I know but I'm here now and ready to fill you in on what I've been up to since last posting.

After shaking off that horrible cold which kept me out the loop well and truely for a couple of weeks I have been slowly catching up with all the little bitty things that failed to get done. I have completed a fair few simple knitty projects which I'll share with you in another post but for now let me tell you about 'fun stuff'

The Mister has been a saint (as always of course) taking care of me whilst I was laid up and so it was great to have some quailty time together over the past week with a couple of good days out in our motor 'Bella'.

First off he took me on a magical mystery tour and we ended up at 'Scotland's Secret Bunker'. An innocent looking farmhouse conceals Scotland's best kept secret for over 40 years..an underground Nuclear Command Centre where central government and military commanders would have run the country had the world been attacked during the Cold War.

It was fascinating stuff descending 100ft down into a labyrinth of rooms resembling something out of an old movie...like James Bond.

(photo above by www.photographicdesigns.co.uk)

It was a really interesting visit but perhaps more suitable for grown-ups rather than a place to take kids.. it was amazing to think that this underground place existed for years without most of us Fife residents being any the wiser.

We rounded off the day by a quick detour home to nearby coastal town Anstruther where we visited the R.N.L.I shop and then had (award winning) fish and chips overlooking the harbour.

I'll tell you about another good day out in my next post..............

Happy 30th Bro

2010-03-16T22:41:00.004Z

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BROTHER!!

Today is my little brother's 30th birthday. The photo above was taken on the day of his Christening when he was a just few months old and I was 5. Thinking back to a snowy day in March of 1980, I remember my mum coming home from hospital with a wizened face little mite and not being too sure what to make of him. All I remember was he was a boring 'new toy' because he slept all the time and I used to try and rouse him by shaking the pram ('gently' of course) everytime my Mum was out of the room.

Despite the 4 year 11 month age gap, it wasn't long until Mark caught up with me in the height stakes and on holidays in the mid-80's we were often (much to my disgust) mistaken for twins.

However whilst I retained my petite stature...the boy kept growing (and growing!). At 6 ft 2, he towers over my dinky 4ft 6 ins. Height aside I am still most definitely his BIG sister and never hold back from telling him 'what's what'!

Me & my brother today.

Sick

2010-03-06T17:42:00.005Z

March didn't start well for me I'm afraid...I caught a cold. When this little Missy gets a cold it's never straightforward..a box of tissues and cosy pj's simply don't cut it. Due to having shoddy lungs every sniffle makes me fear at the whole debacle which may follow. I am aware that I'm prone to bursts of over dramatisation but not as far as my health is concerned...poor health just sucks.

So, I got the cold and then got myself to the doctors for a course of antibiotics and after 5 days of sneezing, sweating, shivering and coughing up junk..I have finally turned a corner. Hooray!

The Mister still has me under house arrest which is just as well as even a walk to the bathroom feels like a 10 mile trek (as oppose to the 5 metres it possibly is). Television is driving me crazy and knitting just doesn't seem to be an option right now. Farmville is proving as addictive as ever although the Mister has proved his worth as a great farmhand when I've been out of sorts during harvest time.

Thank goodness for the love of a good man..albeit a bossy one.

Little Big Planet

2010-02-17T19:45:00.006Z

The little fella above is my latest completed knit, and what a relief to have him finished at long last. He has been a work in progress for almost a year after the pattern by knit designer Alan Dart was in an issue of 'Simply Knitting' magazine.

His name is 'Sackboy' and for those not in the loop he is the hero of Media Molecule’s PlayStation3 game 'Little Big Planet'. It's a fantastic game with great graphics assimilating various textiles with Sackboy actually taking the form of a 'knitted' character.

So, I began this the week I got the magazine then got distracted by some other knitting project or other. This week I awoke it from its hibernating slumber with the intent of completing it by Valentine's Day for The Mister (a big fan of the game).

I'd done the head, body and legs so just had to finish his arms (bit fiddly) and sew in the zip (awkward). However the buttons I'd previously purchased for the eyes proved to be too small (arghh). After a button run to nearby haberdashers I finally got my act together and my Sackboy was 'born'.

The Mister seemed pretty chuffed with his gift (better late than never) and so I declare this a successful knit.

Pattern: free link on Ravelry here
Yarn: Sidar Click Chunky with wool.

From Russia With Love

2010-02-16T19:14:00.004Z

I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day, especially if you were fortunate to spend it with the one you love. Maybe you are still waiting on that special person to share your life with or maybe you are more than content going it alone. Maybe you are a cynic and view Valentines Day as a commercial ploy to emotionally blackmail consumers into measuring their love against the amount of money they spend.

I think everyday is a day good enough to celebrate love, but if theres a day with cards and gifts..to hell with it..I'll take them.

This was the Mister and I's eighth Valentine's Day together as a couple and over the years we have marked the day in various ways. Year One, we took our first ever trip away together and spent a wonderful weekend in a city we grew to love..Amsterdam. Other years have included flowers, chocolates, jewellery, a Playstation 2 and post it notes all over the house.

Now we are older and wiser..the romantic gestures are most definately still there but the need to spend shedloads of money no longer feels necessary (The Mister may disagree..I'm sure he wouldn't refuse a 50" TV upgrade). Besides the 'man in my life' always gets the gift just right.

The photo at the top of this post is my Valentine's gift from Gavin..isn't it beautiful?. It's a piece of Gzhel, which is Russian pottery. I collected wooden nesting dolls for years and since I ran out of space I only really collect special bits and pieces on the same theme. This piece entitled 'Gossips' is the perfect addition to my treasures...I really love it.

What did I get him? A Blu-ray disc of 'Gran Torino'...I still haven't quite got the hang of romantic gift buying..but he seemed happy enough.

Bargain Hunting

2010-02-13T22:08:00.002Z

The dapper looking gent in the pic above (for those of you who may not recognise him) is the lovely Tim Wonnacott, antiques expert and presenter of daytime TV show 'Bargain Hunt'.

Whilst the Mister and I were browsing around a nearby antiques fair (as you do..well we don't usually but we did today!) we were fortunate enough to spot the film crew shooting some episodes of the show. Being a big fan of day time TV this was a pretty big deal for me (and the Mister seemed pretty tickled too). Shows like 'Bargain Hunt', 'Flog It' and 'Antiques Roadshow' have made antiques 'experts' of us all.

The format for this particular show for those who have missed out is something like this..2 teams of two hapless members of the public, donning either red or blue fleece jackets (bearing the shows logo) are given £300 to go and find 3 'bargain' items within the antiques fair. Each team is assisted by a (so-called) expert in the field of antiquities supposedly to prevent them being duped. Each teams items are subsequently sent to auction and the team that makes a profit from their spoils is declared the winner. The majority of the time the teams make a comical loss which seems to warm itself to followers of this almost cult show.

Here presenter Tim is seen chatting with a stall holder who has lent him some tartan apparel to reinforce the shows presence in Scotland.

Unfortunately..this happened to be the one day I forget my camera. Pictures come courtesy of the Misters mobile phone.

Oh and I didn't buy anything..too busy trying to get into camera shot...ha ha.

10 years of Gav & Lou

2010-02-06T22:48:00.005Z

Today marks the 10 year anniversary of the day The Mister and I first met. A decade ago I was doing a journalism course and went along to a classmates housewarming party. As a drunken student I took the obiligatory bottle of vodka but forgot a mixer. It was then a cute stranger with a bottle of lemonade made my aquaintance. 10 years on the strongest thing we drink now is a well brewed cup of tea.

He says I've given him wrinkles, I say he's made me fat.
Still, we are fairing not too badly thanks to lots of love and laughs.

Thank you Gavin !

We went for an afternoon drive and then out for a nice dinner to give 'his nibs' a break from cooking. He won't let me cook..I burn things (mostly myself!).

Patch is 8

2010-02-04T22:30:00.006Z

Yesterday was my beloved pooch's 8th birthday. Happy Birthday Patch!!

Now that you are a senior dog will you please do me the honour of growing old gracefully and start behaving yourself ? He has mellowed slightly over the years but the mail which drops through the letterbox each day is still fair game. Patch can be very loving though and adores a snuggle up (albeit sometimes too loving and my teddy bear continues to get the frisky treatment once in a while!).

Yesterday also saw the arrival of some pretty, pretty yarn at Chez Lou. Before Christmas I won 'Letter Of the Month' in Simply Knitting magazine and my prize was £30 of yarn from Serenity Knitting. It took me a while to decide what to order but here is what I chose.

Six balls of Artesano 100% alpaca in 4ply weight. The variegated colourways are from the Hummingbird collection with the red autumnal colours called 'pheasant' and the blue-green is 'lapwing'. The soft grey goes by the moniker of 'bon bon'. I'm hoping to use these to knit a shawl of some description and perhaps my first pair of patterned socks.

All pattern suggestions greatly appreciated.

2010-02-03T11:34:00.002Z

I finished the 'Tia' childs pattern I was knitting, I can't quite decide whether it was a sucess or not. I didn't do a swatch to check my guage and the yarn I used must have been thicker than that required. It came out wider and shorter than I envisaged but I'm sure some little kid in Malawi will be very grateful for it when its shipped with my Knit Club's charity donations.

The colourways of the James Brett Marble Dk are beautiful though and make a plain knit look much more attractive.

In January I also managed 2 other quick little knits for the Raven's Trust charity.

Birnie Loch

2010-02-02T12:33:00.010Z

On Sunday the Mister and I decided to go for a drive and ended up at Birnie Loch. A man-made lake, Birnie Loch was formally a sand and gravel quarry but when these resources were exhausted the company gifted the flooded pit to the local council. It has now matured into a small semi-cultivated loch and nature reserve and has been colonised by many varieties of wildlife including birds, fish, invertebrates, and plants.

Apart from the great scenery the main feature is undoubtedly the fearless swans who venture right up to the carpark area in hope of some titbits from visitors.

Despite the beautiful, bright, crisp, clear outlook , the weather was bitterly cold and the Loch was mainly frozen over. Although you can walk the mile-long footpath around the water..this was not the day for me to be doing that (having unwisely left my hat, scarf and gloves at home!).

So we retreated to Fife Animal Park next door and had a cup of tea in the cafe. We didn't visit the animal park itself but as cafe reviews go..this one didn't rate high. However, the kids returning from the animal section all seemed happy with what they saw.

Marble for Malawi

2010-01-27T21:59:00.003Z

Time to start another wee charity project after bringing home some more James Brett Marble DK from my Knit Club meeting. We are at the moment busy knitting items once again for needy children in Malawi.

I'm attempting the pattern above from Let's Knit magazine. It's called 'Tia' and is by designer Zoe Halstead. It's seems a very straightforward childs short-sleeved cardigan in stocking stitch and garter stitch.

I've got another few knitting projects queued up to get my stash down to a manageable level. Sadly that means I must promise myself no more yarn for now..but do knitters ever really stick to that vow?

Bella vs.Beast

2010-01-26T09:08:00.001Z

Now the worst of the winter weather is behind us (hopefully..have I just jinxed it?) our new car Bella well and truly needed a wash.

Here is the Mister hard at it. I was still indoors in my pj's with a lovely hot cup of tea..oops!

The photo was taken through the window..hence the glare.

Also indoors was pampered pooch, Patch. He was a little bit put out that his papa was giving more attention to that of the four wheeled variety instead of the four pawed.

You can't quite catch the contemptuous look he is giving Bella as he perches on the (badly scratched!) windowsill staring out.

Patch doesn't have much love for our new motor yet. He gets a bit anxious travelling. We are hoping to get him car trained quite soon so we can all look forward to trips to the seashore this summer.

Twee Tea?

2010-01-25T16:50:00.003Z

My latest knitting FO is the Strawberry Teacosy. The pattern is by Katya Frankel and is available on Ravelry as a free download. It was far easier than I expected and only really took a couple of nights knitting time. I just used some arcylic from my stash as its more for decorative purposes than perhaps actually keeping the tea warm.

I just wanted to knit something pretty for my friend F as she hasn't had the best start to 2010. Her step dad died suddenly on Christmas morning and she had to fly back from her festive break overseas. For the past month she has been a big support to her mum.

Flatmates in Edinburgh back in the day, F is now based in the South of England and I don't see her as much as I'd like. In happier circumstances she is a big fan of tea parties and so a colourful cosy seemed the perfect cheery gift. I also knitted a couple of matching egg cosies just for that extra twee factor. I don't think she reads this blog so the surprise shouldn't be spoilt.

Indoors..parts 2 & 3

2010-01-14T19:44:00.008Z

The snow has thawed now and there are only small traces left..but it's still cold so I will continue with my theme...

THINGS TO DO INDOORS ON A COLD DAY..

2. Online Shopping

Warning, this can be a dangerously addictive pastime but, if like me you love to find a good bargain...very fruitful.

My best buy in the January sales was this pair of real leather boots from French Connection.
I'd seen them before Christmas and had considered buying them then but I just couldn't justify the £140 price tag at the time.

So, imagine my delight when I managed to pick up a pair on Amazon at just £42!!! (big smile!!). They still have the pre-sale price on the box...I saved £98. That I like.

I didn't plan on taking the photo of a boot/dog combo. I think Patch was desperately vying for my attention. He is giving his pathetic face...don't let it fool ya.

3. Knitting..of course.

Sometimes you just long for a cold wet day to give you the perfect excuse to curl up with a hot cuppa and indulge in some quaility knitting time.

I have completed my first knitting project of 2010 (FO in 'knit-speak'..as in 'Finished Object').

I'm pleased to report I have knitted my first shawl..albeit a small and simple one. The pattern is 'SIMPLE THINGS SHAWLETTE' by Ravelry's own Mary-Heather Cogar. It took just over 50g of 4ply sock wool.

The hardest part was blocking it..I've never blocked anything before but I'm really pleased with the result.

Nice scarf..shame about the face (too much Rocky Road methinks..lol)

Rocky Road

2010-01-10T08:46:00.001Z

THINGS TO DO INDOORS ON A COLD DAY..

1. Make Rocky Road

My sister in law is always making Rocky Road and I have become addicted to it so much that I can no longer bear to wait for her next offering of chocolatey goodness. I decided to take the matter in hand and make my own...and as it involves no cooking as such knew it couldn't go far wrong!

Step 1: Getting the ingredients together.

Digestive biscuits

Marshmallows

Sultanas

400g of milk chocolate

100g of butter

Tin of condensed milk

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a 'bain marie' type stylee before adding in the condensed milk and giving it a good old mix.

Crush the biscuits roughly and add them , the marshmallows and sultanas to the chocolatey mixture. I also threw in some Malteasers as an added bonus.

Spread the thick gloopy mixture onto a lined baking tray and put in the fridge for as long as you can wait.

The three hours I managed felt like 3 years...I was practically salivating at the fridge door (how very hygenic, huh?)

RESULT?......YUMMY GOODNESS!!!

Souper Day Out

2010-01-09T13:40:00.012Z

As you have probably summised (wherever you are in the world)..we are still getting snow here in the UK. Fife is not the coldest part of Scotland luckily..but it's still pretty darn cold being below freezing most days and rumoured (I don't know for sure) to be as low as -12C at night. There is a small densly in habited part of the Highlands, a place called Altnaharra that was -22C...as cold as the South Pole...brrrrrrrr!

My new camera has not seen much outdoor activity..as it's just too cold for me to stay outside long enough to compose a decent photo. The strange picture above (I like to call it 'arty'..lol) was taken from a moving car.

We took a country drive the other day whilst the roads were clear. The intention was to visit knitwear designer Di Gilpin's new bothy studio at her home in Largoward but when we eventually found it there was no-one around. Ah well, her loss..I had money for yarn!

On the way home we stopped off at Blacketyside Farm Shop near Leven. Having passed it previously on the bus it was really nice just to have the option to stop and nose around.

As it was lunchtime we headed for the cafe and had a great bowl of homemade soup.

I had the chunky vegetable option which was delicious and the Mister plumped for the tomato which he rated a 9/10! High praise indeed.
The wholemeal soda bread that accompanied the soup was also extremely tasty.

He was too embarassed to be seen taking my photo in the cafe.(spoilsport)..maybe just as well!

2010...shucks!

2010-01-03T15:21:00.005Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I realise I'm not very quick off the mark, what with it being the 3rd of January already but 'hey'!

No, before you ask I have not spent the last few day recovering from a drunken stupor because against all Scottish sterotyping this little lady is teatotal (well..almost!). The Mister in I did not venture out but instead it was pj's and pizza then bed by 12.15am. Very sensible I think you will agree, considering it was around -5C outside!

We have been out for a few drives in 'Bella' as most of the roads around here have thankfully been clear. It's great being 'on the road' and the comfort of the car sure beats the old ramshackle buses. No more whiplash going over speed bumps...hooray!

For such drives and days out I decided to upgrade my digital camera. It must be said I am not very tech savvy so as long as I can point and shoot I'm fine. I found a very nice model with a neat little discount so I'm pretty chuffed.

My new camera is a Sony Cybershot DSC-W215 and is a definate improvement on my ickle Fuji 6mp camera I bought a few years back. Now I just have to figure out how it all works.

See somewhat reluctant model at the top of this post.

Not been knitting yet this year..must get back to it. I have my first shawl on the needles that I will show you later.

Bye for now and may 2010 be good to you or as they say in Scotland

'Lang May Yer Lum Reek' (who said it I dunno...not me!)

New Arrival

2009-12-28T09:10:00.001Z

Meet 'Bella'!

Isn't she beautiful? Yes, we finally have our new car..and she was home before Christmas which was our best present (to ourselves) ever!

After some initial registration mix up at the dealership we were given a later date of collection than first expected..the 23rd December. Although we were disappointed, being so eager to get our hands on our first ever car we knew it would be worth the wait.

Imagine our surprise when we woke up on the morning of the 23rd to see 5 inches of snow! This was not the best start to a day when we were to travel 40 miles to collect our new vehicle. We called taxis to get to the train station but many of them were not operating early morning due to the weather conditions. Then we had a phone call from the garage to say our salesman was stuck in traffic and would not be at work in time for our appointment. If we didn't collect the car that day we wouldn't have it in time for Christmas ruining all our arrangements...very frustrating (that's putting it mildly!).

We eventually got a taxi to the station...only to find after we had bought our tickets the train was delayed by 30 mins. It was quite a chilly half hour on that platform it has to be said.

Arriving at our destination we met with our salesman (who had too eventually made it in!).

Within 20 mins the Mister was in the driving seat of our lovely new Citreon C3 Picasso and on the motorway back to the homeland. Luckily it was now afternoon and all the morning chaos on the roads causes by the snow, was over.

We were just glad to get our blue baby home and safe. Christmas plans went ahead as arranged and it has been great just to get out and about whenever and wherever we want.

We hope 2010 is going to be a good year thanks to Bella.

Post Christmas Post

2009-12-27T21:40:00.003Z

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS!!

The photo shows our attempt at being festive. I can't believe it's the 27th and our decorations are still in place. The Mister usually starts dismantling them gradually on Boxing Day. Everything in our house has to be dogproof..hence the tabletop tree. It's decorated with little knitted stockings I did last year. Even our wall art has had the Christmas treatment..looks kinda sweet don't you think?

We had a nice smoothly run Christmas..you can't ask for better than that. No last minute change of plans, no family members playing the 'awkward card', no incidents or accidents. That to me is almost blissful and I'm very grateful.

Of course I was also blessed with an abundance of great gifts..which helps..haha!

We have a lot to be thankful for ..our best gift (the one to ourselves) will be revealed tomorrow!

Snow & Sockies

2009-12-19T18:53:00.007Z

Yesterday saw the first of this winters snowfall here in Fife. It didn't take long for my two cheeky rascals to dash outside for a muck around. Patch got very excited by the snow but after 5 minutes running around he sensibly retreated indoors to the warmth. The pooch is getting older and likes his home comforts far too much.

I haven't blogged since the beginning of the month when my Mister passed his driving test. There are at least two reasons for my blogging absence.

Reason 1: we have been car shopping and have chosen our broom broom (sadly it's delivery is taking longer than we'ed initially anticipated!).

Reason 2: I have been beavering away trying to complete my Xmas knitting.

Thankfully my brothers Fiance's Christmas socks were completed last night before they arrived today to exchange gifts..phew!

Here they are (right)

An unusal colourway perhaps but she seemed very pleased with the result as did my little bro with the pair I'd knitted for him.

The yarn used for both pairs was from Lidl and used about 75g per pair which worked out at less than £2 a pair.

Here's hoping they wash well. I attached some labels with washing instructions on the back.

On The Road?...Soon

2009-12-04T18:38:00.002Z

Yesterday the Mister passed his driving test..I'm so proud of him. Admittedly he's taken up driving a little later in life at the ripe old age of 37 but after only 2 months of lessons he's got his licence. Well done Gavin..YOU DID IT!!!!

Now we are looking into getting our own car and having some on-road adventures. To be honest it should also make simple things like trips to the supermarket so much easier (at the moment Gavin makes that trip in all weathers and loads himself up like a pack horse).

So, not too many more trips on buses on the horizon..hooray! Many of the towns bus routes have been cut and others are far too overcrowded. We will however try to make sure the car we eventually get will be fuel efficient with low carbon emissions.

December Already?

2009-12-02T20:05:00.002Z

It's December already..2 days in infact..crikey. I don't have a advent calendar this year for me to keep track of the countdown til Christmas. No mum, I'm not having a sulk at you for your lack of chocolate filled calendar buying! I have just accepted that at 34 I am perhaps getting a little mature in years for such things. The Mister was more concerned that the supermarket was out of stock of the doggie-treat advent calendars for Patchie Boy (and he says I pamper that pooch, tsk!)

Well, I didn't manage to complete NaBloPoMo this time around having only written 24 posts throughout November (you had to write 30 posts in 30 days) but I'm not too bothered. I will endevour to choose a month in 2010 and do it then (just to appease myself).

December started with a pleasant surprise as I made Letter of The Month in the latest issue of Simply Knitting magazine. It's the first time I've written in so was a complete shock to get printed. My letter was about the Pudsey bear I'd knitted (and a photo) from a pattern printed in their previous issue. I have won £30 of vouchers for online shop Serenity Knitting. As you can imagine I am chuffed to bits.

Dark, Damp & Depp

2009-11-25T23:46:00.004Z

Outside the wind is howling and the rain continues to lash down.

Inside we are fortunate to be snug and warm.

It's getting dark so early now, infact our lights have been on practically all day due to it being overcast. It means I don't stray very far from the homestead. Tonight it meant pj's on early for a dvd night with the Mister. Tonight's movie was 'Public Enemies' with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Gavin bought this as soon as it came out on Blu-ray at the beginning of the month but as we both wanted to see it he waited until we were both free to watch it together. We anticipated a really gripping movie..we were wrong. Unfortunately we were both left a bit dissappointed although it's hard to pinpoint why.

Johnny Depp stars as John Dillinger the 1930's charasmastic and elusive bank robber ,marked by the FBI as America's 'Public Enemy Number One'. It's a cat and mouse tale but didn't quite captivate me as much as it could have. Depp looked great as always..never really had much love for Bale (even in Batman he was just 'okay'). I did like Marion Cotillard, (as Depp's love interest)but not much can better her portrayal of Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose which brought international acclaim and multiple awards.

Fave Depp Movie: John Water's 'Crybaby'

Still trying to get the Mister to sit through the 153 mins of 'Australia'.

Going Chunky

2009-11-24T22:32:00.001Z

I've taken some time out from knitting the Yeti's socks (see Sunday's post if you're perplexed) and decided to do something more rewarding. By 'rewarding', I of course mean 'quicker and easier'...instant gratification..almost.

I had a ball of James Brett's Marble Chunky kicking about my stash which was just the thing. After a few hours of knitting/tv watching (ohh multi tasking...lol) I rattled up the ribbed hat and later whilst at my knit club managed to do quite a bit of the matching scarf. I really do champion this yarn in both the Chunky and DK version's as the colourways are superb. This one reminds me of sterotypical Scotland. No, I'm not referring to drunks and misers thank you very much..but rather all rolling green hills, heather and thistles. The yarn is so smoochy too despite being..dare I utter...100% acrylic!!!!

I'm not sure who the lucky receipant of this cosy set will be yet.

(I used a U.S link to the yarn but in the U.K it retails at around £3.75 for 200g)

Xmas Socks For Bratty Bro

2009-11-22T23:23:00.000Z

How about some quick 'knit' talk? Well, I'm currently trying to knit up some socks for my brother's Christmas and it is a slow, slow process let me tell 'ya. I'm only knitting the generic basic sock pattern but I'm beginning to wonder why on earth I chose to do it in 4ply yarn. It only ususally takes me a few days to knock out a pair for my own little size 4 tootsies (Eur 37) but brother dearest has big size 12 clown feet (Eur 47). Thus, this task seems never ending!

The yarn I'm using was a recent buy from budget supermarket Aldi. It was only £3.99 for 4 x 50g balls which is a bargain by any means. I thought the quality may not be superb (they do say you get what you pay for, dont they?) but it's knitting up fine. I chose the black/grey colourway for baby bro in the hope that they will actually be worn.

Now just to get the second sock done (sigh!)

All Nice Girls Love A Sailor

2009-11-21T18:19:00.001Z

Some members of my Knit Club are currently knitting hats for the Sailors Society

The Sailors' Society is an inter-denominational charity which replaces isolation with belonging amongst seafarers throughout the world. Through a network of Port Chaplains and Seafarers’ Centres, operating in 30 countries in almost 100 Ports, the Society aims to enhance and enrich the lives of the 1.2million seafarers who often lead dangerous and lonely lives at sea, many miles from home. The Port Chaplains visit thousands of ships every year, directly addressing the needs of seafarers - irrespective of a person’s belief or nationality.

The Mister's mum has been using this pattern from a vintage knitting booklet (lent by my mum) for some time and has produced loads of these woolly heid-warmers. I thought it was time I gave it a go. Quick and easy....and very stretchy.

This pattern is worked using 2 strands of Double Knitting wool together.
Using 2 different colours gives a great marl effect.
Using 6mm needles (old size 4).
Cast on 68 sts
Work in K2, P2 rib for 10 inches, ending on wrong side row
Shape Top
Next Row: K2 tog, P2 tog to end…(34 sts)
Next Row: K1, P1 to end
Next Row: *K3 tog, P1, rep from * to last 2 sts, K1, P1
Next Row: K1, P1 to end
Next Row: *K3 tog, P1 rep from * to last 2 sts, K1, P1
Next Row: * K1, P3 tog, rep from *to last 2 sts, K1, P1 (6sts)
Break off yarn thread through remaining stitches, draw up and fasten off securely.
Using a flat stitch, join seam.

Gavin wasn't quite so keen to model however!

Pudsey's Pounds

2009-11-20T23:17:00.001Z

Today was Children In Need day here in the UK. It's a great day where the nation really seems to come together doing all sorts of fundraising events for this cause. It's really great the way people get stuck in to raise money to help young people, from homeless teenagers to seriously ill children.

Events I've heard about include 'wear your pyjamas to work day', ladies getting their heads shaved, men getting their chests waxed, kids getting their faces painted, cake sales and much more.

This year I knitted the charity mascot 'Pudsey' and did a 'Guess His Birthday' amongst family and friends. I didn't give myself much time but managed to raise £16.50. I was delighted when my name appeared across screen during the telethon despite raising such a modest amount.

This years telethon event raised £20,309,747 by the end of the broadcast.

All Played Out

2009-11-19T20:11:00.000Z

Yesterday was a fun but exhausting day! My friend Penny came to visit with her 2 cheeky little toddlers. Despite only living just over 20 miles away we hadn't met up for some months..and my, how her little babies have grown. The little girl M, is 3 this coming February and now able to hold full-on conversations. She's quite the little lady and was very proud to inform me that she now wears 'big girls pants' and not nappies like her brother. Baby brother L, at just 16 months is almost as big as his sister. He's a sturdy wee lad with a huge mop of golden curls that his mummy loves (apparantly daddy isn't so keen and thinks it's time for a trip to the barbers).

We went to children's play centre 'Jumping Jacks' for lunch. Its a soft play place with indoor climbing frames and pools of colourful plastic balls. Little did I know when I entered the building that minutes later I too would be in amongst it all (hence the exhaustion!). It's times like this when you realise just how unfit you are...and how much stamina the little ones posess!

After lunch (most of which seemed to end up on the floor courtasy of Master L) we made our way back to my place where the kids proceeded to feed treats to Patch until he was almost fit to burst. Patch loves when little ones come to visit as there's always lots of carpet crumbs (saves me hoovering at least!).

Soon it was time for my guests to bid farewell..later their mum said they both slept in the car all the way home. I was kind of in need of a nap myself.

I had knitted them both hats but forgot to take pictures. Thankfully they both fitted well.

My Hero..An Ordinary Man

2009-11-18T21:55:00.000Z

My Grandad (1927-1986)

Dear Grandad,

Today would have been, should have been your 82nd birthday, but you left us far too early. I'm thinking of you today as I do most days. More time has passed since we've been apart than we ever spent together but the void you left is unfillable. Thank you for playing a leading part in making my childhood a happy one.

Because of you I could write my own name before I even started school. You bought me a calculator when I was 4 and explained to me the process of long division years before my teachers dared to.

Our favourite times were singing. Neither of us could hold a note..you were born with a cleft palate and were half deaf, I had an equally nasal tone..usually due to coughs and colds. However we loved to sing, often into a cassette recorder..I wish I still had those tapes.

You suffered a heart attack and had to take some time off work and at the age of 5 I became your chaperone. We'ed go walks...often to your favourite haunt the Bowling Green where I'd join in games of dominoes and go home with pockets full of coins from your defeated cronies.

You taught me how to play cards...you also taught me how to cheat at cards.

You worked hard..sometimes seven days a week. I loved visiting you in the butchers shop on a Saturday even if I was scared to walk past the pig's head displayed in the window. I'd kick around the sawdust on the shop floor while you served customers..sometimes sneaking me a piece of 'clootie dumpling' or giving my mum some 'potted meat' to help build me up.

There was a massive gap after you went away, but not just in my life. You were known by many and loved by most. You taught me that I was capable of achieving anything despite my size and stature..I only hope I haven't let you down.

List Goes On..And On

2009-11-17T11:50:00.000Z

Today my 'to-do' list is a long one...it's accumulated over days from uncompleted 'to-do' lists now all amalagmated into one. It's not made up of difficult tasks..just time consuming items or items I have been avoiding doing for far too many days.

Why make a list? I have no idea it's just some small compulsion I have to do. In the time I take to compile said list I could have completed at least one of my tasks .

Anyway, that is why I am not going to waste too much of my valueable/worthless time writing todays blog post. I'm going to try and just crack on. These are some of the interesting/mind numbingly boring things I wish to achieve today.

Hem my jeans (they are gathering dust, they've been waiting so long)
Write letters to penpals (always a pleasure when I have peace and quiet)
Renew my house insurance
Walk Patch
Place order online for clothes in November sale.
Get gift ideas for Mister's xmas (he's hardest to buy for..has everything!!)
Make sure courier booked for knit group donations to Project Peru
Write todays blog post ( yeah, yeah..I'm getting there)

That's just some..I don't want you to nod off with complete boredom. Best get on..!

True Blood

2009-11-16T17:56:00.001Z

Todays rant is about the importance of blood donation and the part you can play. Sadly, figures here in Scotland show that blood donations are decreasing yet the demand remains high. Unfortunately only around 4% of the Uk's population donate blood.

There are only 5 blood centres in Scotland but mobile units are set up in village halls or community centres all over the country and revisit every 13 weeks.

Yesterday, the Mister took himself down to the local theatre (as in dramatic theatre not medical theatre) where he visits 3 times a year to give blood. He has now given 22 times and unbelieveably is the only person I know that gives blood regularly.

It really bothers me the excuses that some people give for not giving blood:

I'm too busy (it only takes an hour of your life 3 times a year!)
I'm on medication (most medications do not affect blood donations..as long as you say)

I'm scared of needles (it's ONE needle!)

Admittedly there are people who are unable to donate for instance if like myself you have had a blood tranfusion in the Uk since 1980. If you are unsure whether you are eligible or not it's worth asking..you really can save a life.

In the 1980's I was fortunate enough to receive blood tranfusions after all of my spinal surgeries and again in 2000 following a road traffic accident.

Just think about it.

TV..(Televison not Transvestite)

2009-11-15T23:26:00.000Z

Tonight was a good ole telly night in our house. Yes, it must be said I do watch television every single day but it's not that often the Mister sits with me for a whole evenings worth of viewing. The truth is he usually slinks off after an hour or so muttering something about 'waste of tv licensers money' or suchlike. I think with the winter nights drawing in..curling up on the sofa is appealing to him more (lots of tea and cakes works for him too mind you).

We began with Harry Hill's TV Burp which we both love. The show presents a satirical look at the previous week's television, including extracts from TV shows with added sketches, observational voice-overs, and guest appearances. Harry Hill's unique brand of silliness is a great start to a nights entertainment and makes us laugh out loud.

Next up was 'All Star Family Fortunes' which is a good gameshow but the All Star bit is often slightly ironic as your left going 'who?'. Classic 'shout out the answers' style TV.

X-factor is still eliminating the acts..this week saw the flick for Rock Wannabe 'Jamie afro' who we decided weeks ago was a 'one trick pony' (and he wasn't even very good at that). I'm currently backing Danyl to win, his voice is by far the best but he's faced a bit of a media backlash for being too confident.

Tonight also saw the start of the new series of 'Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here'..just what we need more Reality TV (I loooove to hate it!). Once again the celebrity tag reeks of irony as you are left trying to figure out where you might have seen then previously. This year's washed up contestants include 80's glamour model Sam Fox and ladies favourite TV Chef Gino Di Campo. The biggest surprise was perhaps Hollywood's suntanned Mr Debonair George Hamilton who seems to have star struck all the fellow jungle campers. Everyone seems very likeable... for the timebeing. Give a week and it will be like 'Lord Of The Flies' in there...much more interesting.

Okay..I'd better give my square eyes a rest and get off to bed. What's your must-see Tv?

Swine?...I'm Fine

2009-11-14T23:21:00.003Z

Ladies and Gentlemen, you get the full range of emotions here at 'Little Lou's'..oh yeah. Yesterday I expressed 'trauma'..today I give you 'self pity'. Okay, truth is I'm feeling kind of sorry for myself because I got my Swine Flu vaccination today. Needle + arm = ouch.

Once again I'm over dramatising (it's a talent), I've been through worse..it was only a jab..lol.

I should be feeling quite fortunate to have received the injection as NHS Scotland has received just under 550,000 doses of the vaccine, about 40% of the total required for the 1.3 million people in priority groups. I qualified due to chronic repiritory condition (my only qualification I might add unless you count 3 paltry Higher grades).

The number of people in Scotland suffering from swine flu has risen to over 21,500 .

Over 900 people had to have hospital treatment since the outbreak in April.

I temporarily gave up my volunteer shift as a play assistant on the childrens ward of my local hospital as kids are said to be the main carriers of Swine Flu. Maybe I can get back to jigsaws, glitter and glueing now I'm vaccinated.

It's an international concern but you can only really worry about your own backyard.

The mister seems to think I'll look like this in the morning.....cheers xx

Knitting is My Therapy

2009-11-13T23:00:00.003Z

This may be a brief post..I'm a bit traumatised. Please don't fret it's nothing serious just my inner drama queen at work. I guess I'd better explain.

Tonight was movie night in our household. We busied around before getting settled for the night which consisted of baths for the Mister and myself, pj's on, tea brewed and munchies at hand. Then let's not forget the dog who gets let out for a toilet stop, given a treat and wrapped in his blanket for 'curtain up'. I've never denied he's a pampered pooch!

Tonight's movie was the 2003 remake of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'...and there the trauma lies. Blood, guts, anticipation and plain old fashioned fear. The thing is I'd watched it previously, not long after it's original dvd release but this was much scarier. Personally I blame Blu-ray and DTS-HD sound set-up..the blood was brighter and the screams much louder.

When the movie began the three of us were huddled together in the darkened room but ten minutes in I made an excuse that I HAD to knit (and so the light was turned on). Needless to say for the remainder of the film I tried as hard as I could to hide behind my knitting or cast my eyes down to the pattern I know off by heart.

Yes, I'm a wimp..that I will confess. The truth is I never watched horror movies before the mister and I got together..unless you count the old Hammer films I watched with my mum as a kid (they totally freaked me...lol). The Mister is a big fan of this genre and so I eased myself in gently. Over the years we have watched a great number slasher flicks..some good (Hostel)and some just plain awful (Splinter). Is it disturbed to say I may just be getting used to scenes of severed limbs? Just not tonight I guess.

Street Life

2009-11-12T21:49:00.005Z

The other day fellow blogger Andy wrote about Google maps in his post so I'm kind of poaching that topic. The reason being is that I love the introduction of the 'Street View' function..infact it's fair to say I am fanatical about it. There are those whoever are not so keen.

Privacy campaigners tried to introduce a legal challenge over the launch of Google Street View in the UK. It is understandable that some people are uncomfortable with Google making an enormous photo album of 25 towns and cities, but that doesn't make it illegal.

People who happen to be in the street at the time the Google camera car took photos in the area have their faces blurred which surely meets with the Uk Human Rights Act.

Someone who I have personally talked with on this subject feels that perhaps it is just another tool for would be terrorists or even an aide for potential thieves or even bombers.

Some celebrities have expressed that it may give added encouragement to stalkers.

I take a less serious view on the matter and think its a great tool for those like me that are perhaps not so good with directions or conventional maps. If I am going somewhere unfamiliar I can virtually 'walk' it first and instead of remembering 'left' and 'rights' I can recall what buildings look like or shops I may pass on the way. Maybe that's a girl thing?

Besides, I use it for virtual travel too. When I was last in Paris (pic above)I fell ill on the last day and missed out on a few sight seeing moments. Looking at photos didn't give me a sense of knowing 'what was where', but another 'walk' with street view put things in perspective a little more.

I think it's a great way to check out the location of holiday accomodation before you book so you can get a feel for the area and judge whether it's all you hoped.

I also use it to reminice about my old stomping grounds in Edinburgh..checking out if my favourite drinking holes still exist!

Maybe I feel a bit more chilled than some of Street View's protesters because my house (and indeed town) is still off the radar and I still posess my privacy. The camera car has been seen in the area over the past year so maybe my humble abode will pop up soon who knows?

Reading and Rememberance

2009-11-11T20:45:00.011Z

Today is Rememberance Day. It marks the anniversary of the end of the First World War but it's a day when fallen soldiers from all conflicts are remembered. Traditions include two minutes of silence at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (11:00 am, 11 November), as that marks the time (in the United Kingdom) when armistice became effective.

I have just finished reading a really lovely novel
which in part tells the story of one man's fight to survive during the Great War in 1917. After escaping from a POW camp in Siberia the character Moritz Daniecki travels over 3,000 miles on foot to find the girl whos love gave him the will to survive.

The book is 'Random Acts Of Heroic Love' by Danny Scheinmann and is a pretty remarkable debut novel. It's not as lovely dovey as the title suggests but it can be quite moving.

It flits back and forward between two tales of love and loss. The second being that of Leo Deakin set in 1992 who wakes up in a South American hospital to find out his girlfriend is dead.

The two men from different worlds and different times are connected in an emotional climax of this great read.

I have recently joined a website called Goodreads.com where you can compile a database of all the books you have read and leave ratings and reviews. You can also compile a 'must read' list for the books you haven't quite got round to yet. It's a great way to find other novels by authors you've previously enjoyed or books on certain themes. Some authors even leave feedback to readers questions. So if your a book fiend, go check it out.

Other Stuff: I have over 75 items of knitting sitting in my spare room. No I haven't been clacking my needles in super quick time..it's all the work of Kirkcaldy Knit Club who are sending some great knits away to charity Project Peru. Well done ladies!

Fave Snack Of The Day: Not been much of a snack day...time to make up for it now. So..what's for eating?

Dog's Life?

2009-11-10T21:58:00.005Z

Humiliate Your Dog Day? (I'm not one of those people who dress up there pets..it was a momentary blip).

My dog is the ultimate oxymoron..like 'loveable rogue'. He is the bane of my life and the apple of my eye . He drives us crazy but our house would seem empty without him.

Patch is a Jack Russell 'Terror'. These dogs are well known for thinking they are bigger than they actually are, therefore they have no fear. He is the only pooch I know who isn't scared of fireworks and instead of cowering under the bed like most animals he wants outside to watch.

We have had Patch in our lives for over 5 years now and occassionally we kid ourselves he is calming down. He still continues to attack the mail and harass any visitors into giving out treats from 'his jar'. On the upside he sleeps more as he gets older and loves his cuddles.

Kids flock to him when we go out walking..he's got a regular little fanclub (I may as well be invisible).

He has funny little ways like throwing the big chunks from his dry food up and down the hallway (and rolling on them). He has some not so funny little ways...like humping my teddy bear!

He loves cherry tomatoes and cheese but won't entertain any veggies.

He waits by his bed at night to be told to get in, and then waits to get tucked up.

Sometimes it feels like he is the owner and we are the pets.

Other Stuff: I haven't watched any great movies in a while..anyone got any good recommendations?

Fave Snack Of The Day: Cadbury's Caramel..dreamy with a hot cup of tea..yum!

Fundraising & Funds

2009-11-09T22:32:00.007Z

Remember the Pudsey Bear I knitted? Well, I decided to use the little yellow critter as a mini-fundraiser for the charity he represents..Children In Need. I've bought a small box of chocolates (as an extra incentive) and will be asking friends and family to 'Guess Pudsey's Birthday'. Participants simply have to choose a date from my small diary and pay 50p a pop.

Other money raising matters. My Knit Camp 2010 fund is ever increasing and now stands at..... ...coming along nicely! Think of all the lovely yarn I buy. Only another 152 to go! The registration for the workshop classes isn't until January..I have no idea what I want to sign up for yet. I'm hoping there are some classes on perfecting the basics, maybe cable or intarsia.

Other Stuff: I was recently sent (by a lovely lady on Ravelry) the Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket pattern..looking forward to making a start on that soon.

Fave Snack Of The Day: Not strictly a snack but feel I have to mention the delicious dinner Gavin cooked tonight (to be fair he always cooks..I burn toast!). Red Thai curry..yum!

Take That & Party

2009-11-08T21:41:00.005Z

Last night after watching X-Factor..I was convinced I could sing as well as any of the contestants. In the light of day I have climbed off my high horse and know I am tone deaf..clearly I was just caught up in the atmosphere!! I'm always singing around the house but can imagine it's not an entirely pleasant experience for anyone misfortunate enough to be within earshot.

Back to last night..I preceeded to switch off the TV set and switch on the PS3 for a round of Singstar. I love Singstar..it gives the opportunity to be a Diva in your own home or the ability to upload your warblings to the Playstation network for all to witness..if indeed you're brave enough (usually I'm not!).

After murdering tracks on the Abba, Queen and Motown discs..I was delighted at the release of the new Take That disc.

I Heart Take That.

If you are unaware of the sheer joy that is Take That..let me summerise as quickly as I can.

Boyband from Manchester formed in 1990..uber cheese.
String of hits..25 million record sales
Fanbase as crazy as Bealtlemania.
Member Robbie Williams quits in 1995...band break up 1996.
Reform as a 'manband' in 2005 (without Williams).
Massive success once again with 'grown up' tunes.

It was against all my better judgements than to ever like Take That..but try as I might I just couldn't resist. By day I was waxing lyrical about Morrisey's intensity and by night I was dancing in my bedroom to T.T. Eventually I 'came out' about my fondness for Take That and embraced it wholeheartedly going to see them in concert and taping every TV appearance.

They saw me through some hard times too...it was Take That videos that kept my spirits up when lying in ICU after a road accident in 2000.

Needless to say I totally murdered all their tracks from the Singstar disc..but it was fun.

I will leave you with their very first ever music video..it's sure to make you smile too.

DO WHAT YOU LIKE....indeed.

Aloha!

2009-11-07T23:35:00.006Z

Some days I get no mail, some days the postmen are on strike. Yesterday the mail arrived at 4.30pm and was not worth the wait. Today however was different..and a little spooky.

I got two lovely postcards through my letterbox this morning (and 'hooray', Patch did not eat them!). The spooky bit was they were both from Hawaii..from 2 different people, who don't know each other. Even more coincidental is that both senders were on the same island (out of the many that make up Hawaii). What are the chances of that?

The first card was from Karen, who I have known since we shared a student flat together in Edinburgh....13yrs ago!! She is a Fifer like me but has travelled and worked all over the world. A few years ago she married and settled in San Francisco. Her hubby joined the U.S Army and they have just received their first official posting...to Hawaii! Her Facebook page is full of glorious photos of sunsoaked beaches. Looks like the knitted scarf I gave her when we last met up (before the posting) won't be getting much of an airing!!

The second postcard is from Cecelia, a really funny lady and fellow knitter who I got to know through the international knitting site that is Ravelry. We have been exchanging letters for over a year now and I look forward to perhaps meeting her in person one day. Cecelia lives in New York but grew up in Hawaii and was back visiting family and friends.

Hawaii seems like a dream to me...beyond paradise.
I grew up watching Elvis movies and I remember Hawaii featured in a few of them..my favourite being 'Girls! Girls! Girls!'. It was also the setting for the movie for 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' which featured Russell Brand in speedos quite heavily..not altogether unpleasant on the eye.

Fave Snack Of The Day: Gavin gave me one of his Empire biscuits..nice chap.

Still Raining

2009-11-06T19:03:00.006Z

picture from http://dryicons.com/

I really like the picture above..it really sums things up around here...WET!

We stupidly hung some washing out today..hoping the dry morning would last..it lasted about 25 mins!

By the time I realised the rain had started the clean laundry was wetter than it was when it came out the machine.

Whilst hanging the clothes around the house to dry I started singing to myself 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me' by Travis. it got me compiling a list (I'm a list fanatic..weird huh?) of songs that had the word 'rain' in.

Here's what I've got so far:

November Rain - Guns & Roses
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - B.J Thomas
Purple Rain - Prince
Singing In The Rain - Gene Kelly
Sunshine On A Rainy Day - Zoe
Rain Or Shine - Five Star
Naked In The Rain - Blue Pearl
It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls
Rain - Madonna

Got any others?

Other Stuff: I am totally appaulled by Sky1 (tv channel). Tonight is 'Michael Jackson' night which is fair enough ,but at 10pm there is a 'live seance' show. 'Spiritual medium' Derek Acorah is going to try and converse with MJ from beyond the grave. I don't want to be accused of slander but Mr.Acorah is a joke. He used to appear on 'Most Haunted' and 'speak' with ghosts in haunted houses. The shows producers claimed he knew no previous history of the locations but I'm sure all the alleged ghosts would be listed for all to see in the visitors guidebook. As for Micheal Jackson millions of us (fans or not) have been bombarded by Wacko Jacko stories over the years so what is Mr.Acorah going to reveal that will convice us MJ is really conversing. Watch it to find out? Not a chance!

More importantly.. Fave Snack Of The Day..Gavin just presented me with more French Fancies..he's a keeper (or should I say 'feeder'?)

What A Guy..

2009-11-05T21:57:00.004Z

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

What's all that about? Well the 5th of November marks an annual celebration here in the UK called bonfire night or more correctly 'Guy Fawkes' night. It commemorates the downfall of the Gunpowder Plot on this day way back in 1605 when a number of Catholic conspiritors (including a Yorkshire chappie named Guy Fawkes) attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London.

The group of rebels (against the Protestant monarchy)were led by Robert Caseby but it was Mr. Fawkes who was put in charge of the actual execution of the task. He was caught and so the whole of his gang were hung, drawn and quartered (accept Fawkes who broke his neck on the gallows and died instantly...they were to be quartered alive..he escaped that fate).

The tradition came to hold a bonfire on the anniversary of this discovery and burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes to celebrate his demise.

When I was a kid my Grandad used to take me down to the local park where everyone gathered round a huge bonfire and watch the colourful fireworks in the sky above. We'ed eat hot soup to keep out the cold and those brave enough would edge up to the huge fire to toast marshmallows. Before we went home we would buy toffee apples that I'd end up getting stuck to my mittens.

Sadly, nowadays due to safety measures, public licences and high insurance rates there are hardly any public bonfires. I hate the fact that people can still buy fireworks over the counter at supermarkets and hardware stores and let them off in their gardens or worse in the street. Where is the sense in that?

Tonight Patch and I are safely staying in. Luckily he is not scared of the bangs of fireworks outdoors but he gets a bit worked up and tends to let out a bark here and there. At the moment he is fast asleep under a blanket (giving off not-so sweet doggie smells I might add!).

Other Stuff: Had a no-knitting day..it happens.

Fave Snack Of The Day: Yorkie biscuit...might need another.

Socks & Scones

2009-11-04T21:16:00.007Z

Here's a pic of those socks I finished yesterday..I'm not sure they quite go with the sandals but then it's not exactly sandal weather these days anyway. I realised just how much I love hand-knit socks as they are so much more comfortable. It's a great feeling to look down at your covered tootsies and think 'I made them'.
I really envy those who are clever enough to knit lace patterned ones (like Alex).

So whilst the mood took me I decided to cast on another pair using the Opal Harry Potter yarn I bought some time ago. It's a variated wool in hues of blue, green and even a bit of dark red. I tried taking a photo but the colours came out all wrong.

I made another kitch purchase today..do you want to see?
I've always wanted a cake stand..for girlie afternoon teas. Now I just need to make some cucumber sandwiches and keep the cake supply topped up (oh the hardship!). It may even inspire me to bake some scones...but I very much doubt, safer buying some..lol.
The cake stand has a similar design to the Jessie Tait Midwinter tea set I got from my Nana before she died. It's in my mums attic...time to retrieve it I think.

Other News: I can't believe Channel 4 have made a drama reconstructing Gary Glitter's 'child porn' court case.
Fave Snack Of The Day: The Halloween limited edition French Fancies (as seen on cakestand)

Hooray For Carnies!

2009-11-03T22:17:00.007Z

Another day of heavy rain..another day indoors for me. A dark afternoon was spent watching a few episodes of my Carnivale dvd boxset.

Set during the American Depression in the 1930's Carnivale follows a travelling 'freak-show' with a supernatural twist. It's another example of HBO's great dramas but despite winning 5 Emmys it was canned after 2 series. The characters are fascinating and the cinematography really well done.

My favourite character in the show is most definately Samson, the diminutive manager of the carnival. Played by Michael. J.Samson who was in another cult series 'Twin Peaks' (as the man in the 'red room' who talks backwards). I loved Twin Peaks..even though it freaked me out.

In Carnivale I think the role of Samson is a really positive one for a disabled actor as the character is looked up to and respected with no mention of his stature. Standing at whole 4ft 6ins myself..I love this.

Other news: I finished knitting a pair of stripey socks using the yarn I got for my birthday back in April. (pic soon)

Fave Snack Of The Day: Laughing Cow cheese triangles

Light Of My Life?

2009-11-02T19:38:00.005Z

Meet a new addition to our household. He goes by the name of Mr.P and is an illuminating little fella to say the very least.He is my new utterly kitch desk lamp and I adore every bit of him ,from his cheery bright yellow shade down to his comically placed on/off switch. Some may find him tacky or offensive but I think he is charming..do you?

I first saw this style of lamp on one of my visits to Amsterdam, in a little boutique on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. It was a little out my price range at the time.

Six years later imagine my delight when I saw the little heren on an online auction site for much cheapness. Granted the original version was ceramic whereas my Mr.P is plastic fantastic..but hell that just adds to his kitch value for me.

Other stuff: I'm skipping my Knit Club tonight..it's too damn cold..I'll knit at home.

Fave Snack Of the Day: Individual pot of Hartley's Blackcurrent Jelly..yum.

Hello November & NaBloPoMo

2009-11-01T20:16:00.012Z

November has come around again and I have decided to once again attempt NaBloPoMo..yup thats 30 blog posts in 30 days. I did manage the task last year so it shouldn't be too difficult..however, I reckon I have become even lazier in the last 12 months. Yes..even lazier. Some will ask if this was even possible, by some I am of course referring to my Mister.

He just went through to the kitchen and I asked him to bring back as much goodies as he could carry...lucky for me he complied. This may be a short post...a fat piece of carmel shortbread awaits (as well as oodles of other eats!!).

I'm lying on the sitting room floor (with my laptop..obviously) and the dog is using my ass as pillow. The Mister is behind us on the sofa and has already consumed his second piece of aforementioned carmel shortie. In Scots lingo he has to be what's known as a 'gannet'!

We are watching X-Factor...and I'm admitting to it. It's the 'talent' show us Brits love to hate year after year. When everyone sitting at home all of a sudden become singing/dancing/fashion critics and shake our heads when decisions don't go our way.

The photo at the top of the post is of my pretty little pumpkin. When I was a kid pumpkins weren't really imported to Scotland like they are today and we had to make do with turnip lanterns. I just want to say hollowing out a pumpkin is so much easier..lol.

My inspiration:

You can see it can't you?

Okay so I've another 29 posts to squeeze out this month..any suggestions what I could ramble on about?

Edited to show turnip lantern:

Staying In

2009-10-29T22:00:00.003Z

October is almost over..crikey! Is staying in the new going out..if not it should be.
I have hardly been out the door lately as its been cold and wet. I'm kind of over obsessing about not catching a cold as it inevitably turns into a chest infection for me which is no fun at all. Swine flu cases are few in this area but there have been some fatalities..another reason I'm semi-hibernating. 20,000 people in Scotland have contracted Swine flu..with no sign of a decrease in figures yet.
Some people may say 'if you're going to get something, you'll get it no matter what precautions you take'...which is fair enough. Like I said..I'm probably over-obsessing but with only 26% lung capacity even a common cold is a full on drama.

Still staying in has its good points too...lots of knitting, tea drinking, lying in bed curled up with the dog, catch up TV, wearing cosy handknitted socks, reading Crime novels, writing letters and thinking of making soup (I haven't got round to actually making it yet).

Happy Halloween for tomorrow folks.

Pudsey

2009-10-17T17:19:00.003+01:00

Outside..the sky is clear and the sun is shining but it's COLD. The mutt and I have been our daily stroll and are now happy to be in the warm. That dog likes his comforts and is currently sprawled on my bed under a wee blanket (despite having not 1 but 2 dog beds scattered around the house!).

So..colder days and darker nights mean more knitting time I think.

My latest project only took me a few days to knit, stuff and sew up. I was happy with that quick turnaround..I love it when I actually finish something!!!

Meet Pudsey Bear..for those of you who may not recognise this sunny coloured chap he is the mascot for 'Children In Need' charity telethon here in the UK. The pattern was in the latest issue of Simply Knitting magazine and is by Alan Dart. My Pudsey stands at 7 inches tall and I've plenty of yellow yarn left so he may well get some friends.

Children In Need day is on Friday 20th November and this year marks its 30th anniversay. Last year the telethon raised over £20million.

Collector Or Hoarder?

2009-10-12T14:15:00.009+01:00

The Mister is minimalist..I am not. The question is am I a collector of things or just a hoarder of ANYTHING? Looking around this room I can't quite decide. This is just one corner of our spare room..where I'm permitted free-reign with 'my stuff' and as you can see I have taken full advantage of that. Some of the collections of items are surely those that every home has...books, dvds, cds and some are personal to me. The wall shelves in the above photo are a kind of non-collection..just little bits and pieces gathered along the way.

This is possibly where the hoarding factor comes in..I'm kind of over sentimental about worthless trinkets..lol.

Prime example: my Krankies button badge that I got from the Scottish comedy duo when I went to see their show and was one of the kids who got to go on stage. It was my 10th birthday...yup it's a pretty old badge..haha.

One of my collections has spilled over into the hallway..my Russian dolls. They are housed in a small cabinet (only half of which can be seen in the photo) and are often admired by visitors.

I've stopped collecting for now as the cabinet is full but still love matryoshka related items from banks to buttons. I even have a Russian Doll cocktail shaker.

Most of my collections just sort of happen. Thankfully none of them cost too much as most I've bought from ebay or car-boot sales and some are presents.

What do you collect?

All About Knitting

2009-10-09T15:31:00.008+01:00

Ta-da! My mitered square blanket in its completion. I will be sad to see this go as its my first blanket and so colourful but happy to know it should find a good and worthy home via MacMillian Cancer Support. The 40 squares (and way too much sewing up) have produced a single bed sized throw..definately big enough to keep someone warm this winter.

As you can see there was no set colour pattern..just a case of using up all the little pieces of yarn cluttering up my stash. However, now if I were to go out and see a brightly coloured ball of wool..I think I'd snap it up for blanket number 2!!

My Knit Club are currently working on projects to send to Project Peru..a charity that supports children in shelters over there. Our first batch of knitted donations were so greatly appreciated that we have been moved to knit more.

Inbetween squares I managed to complete a tank top in James Brett Marble Dk. My photos dont do the yarn justice but its really beautiful, soft and wait for it...acrylic! Before all you yarn snobs recoil in horror check it out for yourself..you'll be surprised at its wool-like texture and smooshiness.

I found it at Diane's Knitting Yarns for only £1.50 for 100g and this 28inch chest vest only took 200g.

I've another one on the needles now...after that maybe I will get my Xmas gifts started!!!!!

Other news..
The Knit Camp 2010 kitty is slowly building and I have booked my accomodation. I was disappointed when informed by camp organisers that their accomodation bookings could only be booked for the full 6 days. I wasn't sure if I could cope with being away from home that long (for health reasons and of course because I'd miss my Mister!). Anyhoo, the self catering digs are off campus and I wanted to be nearer the hub of things...so...I splashed out a little and booked myself into the Stirling Management Centre. I hear it's where the tutors are staying so maybe I can smooze for a few extra knitting tips over the breakfast table..haha.

Duvets and Dvds

2009-10-03T17:43:00.002+01:00

Fear not fellow bloggers (and of course non-blogging readers), I'm still in the land of the living and though not much to report, my knitting needles are still clacking. Update soon.

Hope you are having a good weekend..it's very windy outdoors here in Fife so I'm staying in.
Duvets and dvds await.

Wee Hats...Big Knit

2009-09-13T10:29:00.000+01:00

This week I sent off my mini hats for the Innocent Smoothie 'Big Knit' campaign. Little hats will be placed atop bottles of Innocent Smoothie drinks in Sainsburys stores throughout the UK and for each adorned bottle sold the retailer will donate money to Help The Aged.

I used up my teeny tiny bits of yarn left over from my squares and managed to get together 30 assorted little tammies.

I Am What I Am

2009-09-12T18:59:00.003+01:00

Last Wednesday my friend B and I had a night out at the theatre, but it was no Shakespeare or Chekov for us...it was pure cabaret. We were fortunate enough to bag tickets for the hottest show in town..The Ladyboys Of Bangkok. At first when the lights went down and the music began..I was hesitant. This was not through any predjudice but because the first performer to enter the fore couldn't have been farther from the beautiful kathoey I was led to believe I was here to see. I soon learned this was the 'comic turn'..and a great recurring act throughout a entertaining show. The all dancing, all singing (okay 'all miming') ladyboys were indeed both stunning and enchanting. From the overtly risque 'Dont'cha Wish your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me' to the more traditional and utterly superb drag number 'I Am What I Am'...I was hooked.
What a great fun night out.

Charity Knits

2009-08-29T15:02:00.008+01:00

It seems to me I do an awful lot of knitting for charity and perhaps not enough knitting for myself (infact no finished knitting for myself!). I'm not trying to pat myself on the back..the truth being that the charity knits are easy (a.k.a 'idiot-proof') and perfect for doing whilst watching TV or dvds. I watch a lot of dvds...hence the the high production of knitted items for the charities.

My knit club have just sent a huge box of knits to the Raven's Trust, a Scottish based charity which ships all kinds of aide to the needy in Malawi. Amongst the vast haul we gathered together were about half a dozen baby cardis I did some time ago (pictured on the right).

I've also knitted up quite a few kiddies Dulaan jumpers over the past few months..they are quick and easy and ever so cute.

My mum is now knitting them too!

My knit club recently decided to knit squares for an appeal launched by The Knitter magazine & MacMillian Cancer Support .Having previously knitted some mitered squares (after seeing them over on Liz's blog) I have decided to see if I can tot up 40 to complete a blanket. So far I've done 22..it's proving great for stash busting purposes.
I'm loving all the bright colours..infact I'm growing rather fond of this forming blankie. I can't keep something I intended for a good cause so I will just have to do another one for myself later. I manage a square (or near enough) per dvd watched...I think I knitted up 2 re-watching 'The Sound Of Music'..it's a long movie.

We've still got 'Australia' to watch..148 mins of movie= another 2 squares?

Needs Must?

2009-08-27T21:43:00.002+01:00

I need to moan.

I need some motivation
I need to go and get myself a long overdue haircut
I need to take my Mister out for a nice meal to thank him for taking care of me
I need to get an outfit for a wedding I'm attending in Sept
I need to keep my wool stash under control..and in one place.
I need to give clothes I don't wear to charity

That's just a few things on my TO DO list for the next week or so..I'll get back to you and let you know what I've done ..but for now..

I need some chocolate!

Knit Camp 2010

2009-08-19T16:43:00.010+01:00

This post is purely for knitters in the know...or those who want to be. You have been warned!

Yes, surely if you have ever bashed two needles together with a bit yarn inbetween you will have heard by now about Knit Camp 2010. If not..where have you been? Sit back..let me tell ya.

In 1974, knitting guru Elizabeth Zimmerman (right)established the first knit camp in central Wisconsin (a tradition that is now carried on by her daughter, Meg Swansen).

Since I joined the international knitting forum that is Ravelry I have been intrigued by all the various camps which take place..but always it seems..in America.

Roll on 2010..Knit Camp comes to Scotland!!! I can hardly believe it..only about an hours drive from me. This event will take place in Stirling from 9th - 13th August 2010 (with 'Ravelry Day on the 14th) and is being organised by those at British Yarns.

So what happens? Well..Knit Camp 2010 will take over the whole of the Stirling University campus so that knitters from all over the globe can gather together and share their enthusiasm for the craft. There will be workshops from well-known knitting designers such as Jared Flood (pictured), Franklin Habit and Ysolda Teague (these are the only names I recognise from an extensive list..but I'm still learning about this kinda stuff!)

I'm hoping to stay over for at least a couple of nights and perhaps attend a workshop or two. The university accomodation is £45 a night and Jared Flood's workshop is apparantly £80!! With this and the obligitory stash building it's going to be an expensive few days. Thank goodness it's almost a year away...plenty of time to save up.

That my friends, is exactly what I have started doing..here's the proof.

How much raised so far?
The grand sum of £18 and 90 pence.

You gotta start somewhere right?

I'm going on my own but hoping to bump into lots of fellow Ravelry members and knitty bloggers.

Are you going? Hope so!

Book Worm

2009-08-13T16:33:00.000+01:00

Having ploughed my way through the 14 books I got for Christmas (and a couple more I'd picked up along the way) I desperately needed to replenish my reading stock. I received regular mail from Bookpeople and upon seeing their summer sale decided to place an order.

Now I am all for quaility over quantity but was over the moon to scoop 19 paperbacks for a few pence over £25! Since Christmas I have been reading mainly biographies and decided this time to opt for some fiction. Amongst my haul is 10 tartan noir books by Fife-born crime writer Ian Rankin, WW1 trilogy by Pat Barker and Alice Walker's (The Color Purple) first novel.

The others I know nothing about apart from reading the small 2 line synopsis. The first I have chosen to read is entitled 'The Luminous Life Of Lilly Aphrodite' by Beatrice Colin. the back cover reads:
" Decadent, tantilizing Berlin in a Germany torn apart by war at the turn of the twentieth century...
The illegitimate, orphaned daughter of a cabaret dancer, Lilly Nelly Aphrodite's early life -and that of her friend Hanne- is one of reinvention. Transformed from maid to war bride via tingle tangle nightclub girl, she lands in the heart of the glamourous motion picture world and quickly becomes one of Germany's leading silent film stars"
The book reads more addictively than this synopisis..the style is really gripping.

15th August sees the beginning of Edinburgh International Book Festival..I'm hoping to get along for the day.

Anniversary Flowers...for ME!

2009-08-12T16:52:00.004+01:00

Today I was grumpy. After getting out of bed twice to answer the door..(I am not as they say a 'morning person') the door went a third time in the space of 30 mins. I was almost ready to combust! However, upon answering the door (still in my pj's of course), I was greeted by a lady with the most enormous bouquet of flowers I have ever seen...and they were for ME!!
Today marks the 5th anniversary of Gavin and I's engagement...he can be such a sweetie. He also had me made a special card and inside he wrote,

" Our wee story...6th February 2000 we first met,

7th November 2001 we became a proper couple,

12th August 2004 we got engaged.

The rest is still to be written..."

Can I just rub in how lucky I am once more?

The bouquet contained lilies, gladiolus, carnations, crysanthemums ,roses and had to split into 2 vases. The fragrance of the blooms fills the house.

Alas from me, the thoughtful hunk of gorgeousness got nothing (but my love). I may have to send out for a chinese takeaway tonight to relieve my guilt. They do say a way to a man's heart is through his stomach...let's hope it's true.

Sunshine On A Rainy Day?

2009-07-24T19:36:00.019+01:00

After days and days of rain..I thought we could use some sun,
........even if it is only in flower form.

I thought I'd share with you the journey of our 2009 sunflower competition.

My pal Penny and her family have had a sunflower growing contest between them all for years..it's become quite serious stuff apparantly.

Anyway, Gavin and I thought we would start our own 'floral rivalry' and scrounged some seeds from the bird food mix.

We started out at the end of April (when the weather was much better than it is now!!!)

2 flower pots each..2 for Lou, 2 for Gavin and of course 2 for Patch (he didn't want to be left out).

Yup, as you can see..Patch likes to get his nose into everything!

After a few weeks the seedlings were transported from the little pots on the window sill to bigger

planters on the patio. We didn't have enough wooden stakes so my plastic knitting needles came in very handy as you can see!

Then a few weeks later..we got some blooms!!! ( and the sun was still shining!!!) They may not have been the tallest sunflowers ever but they certainly cheered me and since this pic was taken we have had ooodles more flowers!

So who won the comp? Who else.....The Mister (I'll win next year..just you wait!!!). He looks pretty smug huh? Grrr...lol. Well done Gavin xxx

Button It!

2009-07-21T18:44:00.014+01:00

I wanted to share with you my latest purchase..lovely lovely buttons. I collect wooden Russian nesting dolls so imagine my total glee when I found these beauties on a newly discovered website Textile Garden.

These Matryoshka buttons are amazingly detailed in a pewter finish and worked out at less than 55p each...bargain!

I'm hoping these little ladies will inspire me back to my lace cardi which has slipped into quiet hibernation due to a decrease mishap.

Of course my shopping basket didn't stop there..I must have a thing about buttons because when I see some cute ones I have to buy them.

Like all the unknitted yarn I seem to have..my button stash is forever growing.

Well, at least my button stash is tidy and doesn't take up too much space.

It seemed pointless just to order one set..so here's the others I bought from the same shop. I thoroughly recommend them as overall postage was only 85p!!

Lovely, lovely buttons!!

Hip To be Square?

2009-07-04T19:56:00.005+01:00

I have been knitting out in the garden the past few days (when it was cool enough to sit out..what a heat!). Still working on my lace cardi but needed something that required less brain power for my alfresco afternoons. So, yesterday I began knitting squares..yes I know hardly a step forward but these ones are easy and pretty cute. I found the pattern over on Liz's Knitting blog and thought it might be a great stash buster for all the yarn that continously tumbles out my wardrobe.Patch the dog pretending to look like a tiny, innocent little cherub..don't let him fool ya!

The turned corner effect on the squares is cleverly created by knitting 2tog twice in the middle of every second row. I began (as Liz instructed) by casting on 72 sts.

First row: K34, k2tog twice, K34

Every second row: Knit

Third Row:K33, K2 tog twice, K33.....and so on.

I'll keep at this inbetween other knits and maybe Patch will get himself a blanket!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY..to Stateside readers

Fings Wot I Made

2009-06-27T10:08:00.002+01:00

Last night I reverted back to childhood and made these yummy marshmallow treats..lucky I took this photo when I did as there is not many left!

As well as the knitting I have also recently tried my hand at card-making after receiving all the basics for my birthday and many generous bits and bobs from fellow Ravelry members.

New Shoes & St.A's

2009-06-26T18:13:00.004+01:00

The Mister and I went to St.Andrew's on Wednesday and I got me some funky new shoes from the Superdry shop. I already own a pair of blue Superdry plimsolls but when I saw this tartan version, my patriotic side must of kicked in...I HAD TO HAVE THEM!!

St.Andrew's didn't turn out as sunny as we'ed hoped so we didn't venture to the beach. If you don't like golf and all it entails..it's kind of a boring town to be honest. Famous for it's prestigious university we saw lots of students in their graduation gear and lots of extremely proud looking parents.

I stumbled across knitwear designer Di Gilpin's shop after reading about it on knit site Ravelry. It's a very small yarn shop tucked away through a pend and up some stairs.

Once inside it's like being in someone's front room..with higgildy piggidly piles of yarn everywhere. I made a small purchase for a friend..but manage to resist the temptation of increasing my own stash.

Summer Knitting

2009-06-24T20:20:00.005+01:00

Yesterday was a scorcher (for my non-Scottish chums..anything above 20C in these parts is indeed a 'scorcher' aka 'an extremely hot day').

We didn't have any plans which meant "housework or hobbies?"

Needless to say I opted for hobbies and took advantage of the sunshine to do some alfresco knitting.

Here is a picture (albeit, not a very pretty one!) of me trying not to drop any stitches whilst wearing my very dark sunglasses and listening to the new Paolo Nutini album on my I-Pod.

My current knit (I've been doing a few yet haven't taken the time to blog them lately) is in yarn I bought at Perth Wool Show last month. It is an un-labelled double knit (worsted weight) in very subtle variated reds. It's a cheap (yet not nasty) arcrylic which is ideal for my first attempt at the pattern.

I'm knitting a summery cardi for myself. Yes..I'm finally getting round to a garment for myself..hooray.

Fingers crossed it will work out as I'm knitting the biggest size of a children's pattern and I didn't do a swatch (oops). It's also my first go at a lace pattern, a simple yarn forward stitch. So far I am quite pleased that the holes in my knitting are only those that are meant to be there!

The pattern is from the knitting magazine I subscribe to 'Let's Knit'. The patterns can be a bit hit and miss but when I saw this I immediately loved it. It's called Aloha and Hawaii ( one being short sleeved and the other long. I am yet undecided which sleeve option to go for..it depends how bored I get.

Hope everyone else is experiencing some nice weather wherever you may be. xx

Birthday Boy

2009-06-20T18:03:00.003+01:00

The Mister had a birthday yesterday! We marked it quietly (well as quiet as it ever gets in our house!) ..just a quick trip to the shops with a necessary stop-off for tea and cakes!! Previous years have been spent Nessie spotting on Loch Ness or picnicing with pigeons at the top of the Eiffel tower. This year Patch was happy we were celebrating at home..as he is always keen to assist in the unwrapping of parcels.
Gavin was very touched by the gift of this gorgeous birthday cake made by our pal Barbara.
The card at the top was made by me to remind him what a handsome fella he is...even if he is getting on a bit..haha. Hope you had a lovely day (which was rounded off by a rather yummy chinese-takeaway!!).

Boozy Nights

2009-06-14T22:28:00.000+01:00

Thursday night I was 'out on the town'. My old flatmate (who now lives in San Francisco) was passing through on her way to Sweden, so we met up in Edinburgh and spent the day shopping and catching up. At night we had dinner then visited all our old haunts from 'back in the day' ('96-'97) which made us feel very sentimental if not a little more 'long in the tooth'.

2009 -Lothian Street

Drinking Blueberry Cocktails

1996- Lothian Street.Drinking..

ANYTHING & EVERYTHING!!

Knit In Public Day

2009-06-13T23:13:00.005+01:00

Today was World-Wide Knit In Public Day and a few members of my knit group and I congregated in the Memorial Gardens to knit and picnic. We sat in the sun for an hour and a half speaking to passers-by ( some knitters , others just curious!) before the clouds formed and the rain came down. We took refuge in the nearby Museum and Art Gallery who welcomed us and all our knitting paraphenalia ..situating us in the upper gallery next to the Jack Vettriano paintings.

I got a quick sneaky pic of half the group before the heavens opened ,no one wanted to pose!!)

Hot Day, Hot Chips

2009-05-30T20:08:00.004+01:00

Today was the second scorching hot day in a row (that doesn't happen too often here in Scotland believe me!) so the Mister and I didn't want to waste it hanging around the house. We took the bus up the Fife coast to Anstruther.

Anstruther was originally a fishing village, and is home to the Scottish Fisheries Museum, (which we popped into albeit briefly..just for the gift shop!) but its main industry is now tourism. Pleasure craft moor in the harbour, and there is a Royal National Life Boat station based here (we went in to view the craft and visit the gift shop...I like gift shops!!!).

We also couldn't miss the award-winning fish and chip shop, Anstruther Fish Bar. We enjoyed some very tasty haddock!!

It's A Dog's Life

2009-05-24T23:29:00.002+01:00

I know, I know..an update on what I have been up to is long overdue.....but until then........

....I just had to post this picture.

My silly mutt Patch, loves bubbles but gets impatient waiting for me or the mister to blow them. Amazon had a sale and problem was solved. Patch now has his own bubble machine which produces a ‘gizzillion’ bubbles. Now me and the mister can kick back and enjoy watching our mad wee dog exhaust himself chasing bubbles around the garden.

Not dead

2009-05-16T14:58:00.001+01:00

I'm not dead..just lazy. Be back soon!!