tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91223185675937739022024-02-02T04:32:01.828+00:00Little Lou's Knits & NagsA blog about knitting & life inbetweenLittlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-77054296192875284232013-04-17T15:36:00.000+01:002013-04-17T15:37:53.041+01:00April Intro..a little late..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>Disclaimer: I wrote this a while ago and forgot to hit publish.</em></div>
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Welcome April..how lovely to see you and you have brought some sunshine..how kind. Despite March being an eventful month I can honestly say that I am glad to see the back of it..it just didn't seem like spring at all with it being the UK's coldest March since 1962. Of course us 'hardy Scot's' are used to a colder climate but this year even the <a href="http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/61151/newcastle-student-dresses-snowy-spring-lambs-in-woolly-jumpers">newborn lambs</a> just south of the border are being trussed up in little sweaters..I kid you not.</div>
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So, looking back on my March (freezing temperatures aside)...<br />
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First up, we went to the theatre to see<a href="http://www.priscillathemusical.com/home/"> 'Priscilla Queen Of The Desert'</a>. The Mister & I are both fans of the movie version so were a little sceptical that the stage adaption could live up to that. However, it was absolutely wonderful from beginning to end..the music, the costumes, the whole performance was a kaleidoscope of fabulousness. Such a change from when we went to see 'Joseph' and were bored to tears..lol.<br />
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The next day I attended a long awaited hospital appointment to see a<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoliosis"> scoliosis</a> specialist. Many of you may know I had a series of spinal surgeries in my childhood but for those who don't..I have multiple curves (scoliosis &<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyphosis"> kyphosis</a>) which were fused to prevent them getting worse but unable to be fully corrected. <br />
After many years of being 'okay' the last few have seen me slow down due to considerable back pain. Last year I joined SAUK (Scoliosis Association UK) and attended a great seminar and it was there I met the consultant Mr Tsirkos who advised me to see him so we could check things over. Thankfully, there were no noted changes to my spine or metal implant and the pain is predominately muscular from years of gravitational pull against my curves. Surgery has advanced so much since the 1980's but the risks in my case are too great to proceed in that direction.<br />
After some initial disappointment at no 'miracle fix' I am currently looking towards hydrotherapy and acupuncture for pain relief alongside medication. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I see life from a different angle..lol</td></tr>
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Yarn is also a great therapy and it was a great thrill to finally have our very own yarn festival here on the East Coast (of Scotland). The very first Edinburgh Yarn Festival was astounding with great vendors from all over the UK and visitors coming from as far as Switzerland to attend. I don't think the organisers had any idea how popular this event would be..rumour has it they expected a conservative 500 people through the doors when infact over 1600 squeezed their way through the yarny goodness that was on offer. It was a feast for the eyes (and of course yarn fondling fingers!) but it got a bit much for this pocket sized woman after a while. I purchased what I could and left while I could still get a breath..not before a photo opportunity with <a href="http://www.ysolda.com/">Ysolda</a> of course.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think that's my embarrassed expression..oh dear!</td></tr>
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Other shizz that went down in <em>my</em> March...<br />
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<li>We got a new car and we have named her 'Doris'</li>
<li>The date has finally been set for the Scottish Independence Referendum</li>
<li>My baby brother reached the age of 33!</li>
<li>I taught my first knitting class</li>
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More about some of these things in later posts..I've ranted on enough for one day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy April Everyone!</span></div>
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Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-26719549352336823942013-02-10T18:28:00.000+00:002013-02-14T21:29:55.624+00:00Life Moves Pretty Fast...<em><strong>"Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it" ~Ferris Bueller</strong></em><br />
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Ten days into February already! 2012 flew by and it seems 2013 is doing the same..I guess it is something to do with getting old. Do you remember when you were a kid and the six week school summer holidays felt like an eternity? Alas, it's now 20 years since I left High School..how can that <em>be</em>?<br />
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One example of time passing this week is the anniversary of the day The Mister and I met. On the 6th February 2000 I went to a college friends housewarming party and met a lovely guy, but little did we both know that 13 years later we would be married and marking this occassion with tea and scones. Ain't love grand?<br />
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Not one to be left out, our four legged beastie had an anniversary of his own this week. Patch the Jack Russell 'terror' celebrated his 11th birthday and apart from some whitening around the face in recent years you would never guess he was now a senior dog. <br />
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He drives us constantly crazy and hardly a week goes by where The Mister fails to tell a certain pampered pooch that if he is not happy he can "move oot". However, despite their differences the bond between man and beast is a strong one and moments like this can't fail to warm my heart.<br />
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So despite all the little things in life that cause me complaint I simply have to look around me to remind myself what really matters..."my boys"..man & dog.Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-616615137298864242013-01-21T14:47:00.004+00:002013-02-14T21:28:07.613+00:00It's Snow Day Fir Going Oot<br />
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Today, I am having a snow day. "Snow day" is a Stateside term I have become familiar with recently and means a day in which things are cancelled or delayed by snow, heavy ice, or extremely low temperatures. <br />
Whilst conditions presently aren't too bad in my little part of Scotland it looks set to get worse as the day goes on and so my Knit Club tonight is cancelled. <br />
I'm not going sledging or building snowmen..I'll leave that to the kids. This little old lady will have her knitting out and a lovely cuppa by her side (and more than likely a small heat-seeking dog as well).<br />
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I shall also be flicking through my new knitting book 'Colours Of Shetland' by Scottish based designer <a href="http://katedaviesdesigns.com/">Kate Davies</a>. I have long since admired Kate's designs and been a fan of her blog so it was a great pleasure to meet the lady herself at a recent book signing in nearby <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittenweem">Pittenweem</a> (at a lovely little yarn store called <a href="http://www.thewoollybrew.co.uk/p/about-us.html">The Woolly Brew</a>).<br />
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It was also great to see in person all the knitted samples that appear in the book. I especially liked the Puffin Sweater that Kate was wearing herself that day and hope to begin it as a project myself sometime this year. All the patterns in the book are knitted with wool by <a href="http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/epages/BT2741.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT2741/Categories/Yarns">Jamieson & Smith</a>, one of Scotland's last remaining traditional Shetland wool producers.Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-43758842310994036872013-01-20T16:21:00.001+00:002013-02-14T21:36:32.075+00:002013...I'm Back! (again)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me & My Mister</td></tr>
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One of my New Year's resolutions for 2013 was to restart my blog so here I am back on Blogger after a 11 month hiatus. Did you miss me? <br />
While I could fill this post with what I have been doing/thinking/dreaming of since I was last blogging I shall spare you all the details for now (suffice to say, you ain't missed much..lol). However I will be sure to reflect back on 2012 happenings in future posts to let you know where I am in life now.<br />
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Still married (20 months done!)<br />
Still knitting (increased stash of yarn!)<br />
Thankfully it has not yet got to the point where darling hubby has made me choose between the two.Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-55591603020384362902012-02-14T18:04:00.002+00:002012-02-14T18:06:01.876+00:00Happy Valentine's Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihUmFmPnrA6Tnop3dv8TIxLMB74H6NgMjFKhIIpxInJ-8bPXNccEhG47HjQTR00THkanI7-BQLO9Afx-LI8q5vAlhbPu4-p0rh7kemgXk2ccVQC_uFAsgWpLcmTtUWAozMnx45PEYJ2k1/s1600/DSC02592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihUmFmPnrA6Tnop3dv8TIxLMB74H6NgMjFKhIIpxInJ-8bPXNccEhG47HjQTR00THkanI7-BQLO9Afx-LI8q5vAlhbPu4-p0rh7kemgXk2ccVQC_uFAsgWpLcmTtUWAozMnx45PEYJ2k1/s320/DSC02592.JPG" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First cards as 'marrieds'</td></tr>
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Today is of course Valentine's Day, and in our house..the first as Husband & Wife. Some may be cynical about such a day..putting it down as commercialised nonsense but for me any excuse for added romance (and gifts!!) gets a big thumbs up. Bring it on!<br />
You can keep your red roses and champers however..I'm much more easily won over with a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit. <br />
Seriously, I am so lucky to have such a thoughtful partner..he always buys me the cutest little gifts that have obviously taken some thought and time and knowing that can be just as lovely as the gift itself. <br />
I received the sweetest set of Russian nesting dolls (to add to my collection) with messages of love inscribed on them, a knitting book, Russian doll earphones (I didn't know such a thing existed..they are too cute!) and some panties with dogs on that look just like my Patch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqBkDUPl_AZyp9IdA7ltVYco_uV_43ElBkgorPDXoB-fl0eJAB91ju_P-mBbVl1jmJIRU38zAdHQVZ-md9txWUfJZAtS2Qy0kw0HNyQbEoJJJnxVbX7p0gDNcXnBT0sAp7pF4jMTaYHwS/s1600/DSC02590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqBkDUPl_AZyp9IdA7ltVYco_uV_43ElBkgorPDXoB-fl0eJAB91ju_P-mBbVl1jmJIRU38zAdHQVZ-md9txWUfJZAtS2Qy0kw0HNyQbEoJJJnxVbX7p0gDNcXnBT0sAp7pF4jMTaYHwS/s400/DSC02590.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My romantic booty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What did I gift my husband? Monogrammed hankerchiefs, a pair of cargo trousers and some cherry nougat...who said romance is dead? lol.<br />
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As I write this he is cooking dinner (yes ladies..he is a keeper) and later we are going out to the cinema to see the Woody Allen movie 'Midnight In Paris'. If he's lucky I might buy him a hot chocolate..lol.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="background-color: black; color: red; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><em>Happy Valentine's Day to All.</em></span></strong> </div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-81639755347198991522012-01-12T23:17:00.001+00:002012-01-12T23:18:52.316+00:002012..knitty dilemma<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1LFoD_ue7T1GIWQ7kXrTvz6XbasH4MsBfHpULw64LUTIpAcs3IWfnGy_Uju7La6xvmwXgs0QYTKPD8ZBt2g2WFkYf_f9deRq4xlIk1bGZdb5M6FD0p9rPpHgPIuzCWPS1G0JFqeHuuLA/s1600/2011+camera+981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1LFoD_ue7T1GIWQ7kXrTvz6XbasH4MsBfHpULw64LUTIpAcs3IWfnGy_Uju7La6xvmwXgs0QYTKPD8ZBt2g2WFkYf_f9deRq4xlIk1bGZdb5M6FD0p9rPpHgPIuzCWPS1G0JFqeHuuLA/s320/2011+camera+981.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand knit poncho..gift from a lovely friend</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After rearranging and sifting through the chaos that is my yarn cupboard I made a pact with myself that future knits would be:</span><br />
<ol><li><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mainly for myself (I've knitted a lot for charity and as gifts but not much for me)</span></strong></li>
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></strong>
<li><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well executed, finished and sewn up before another is cast on</span></strong></li>
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></strong>
<li><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using yarn only from my stash...or bought from proceeds of destashing.</span></strong></li>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></ol><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Autumn I bought 5 balls of</span><a href="http://www.purplelindacrafts.co.uk/patons-wool-blend-dk-153-airforce-7045-p.asp"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Patons Wool Blend DK</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.."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. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So my question is do I go out and buy some worsted yarn or keep hunting for a DK pattern?</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Happy 2012 by the way!!!</strong></span></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-85945167222358972912011-12-29T00:07:00.000+00:002011-12-29T00:07:06.101+00:00Back to Blogging..Bye To Xmas<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Rh_hedykdsTOosIbwzHtLWGySebSbw_So3PSBxPbafGmLcomyBdB_6zj-PV4uK1MMJWfmhy8ThzQy2EfvAlvZRy_CXCe9txYhp89pv0KdiQj8EG44lMP0qNvLg_K6gVxnpEH6vbC8xqU/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Rh_hedykdsTOosIbwzHtLWGySebSbw_So3PSBxPbafGmLcomyBdB_6zj-PV4uK1MMJWfmhy8ThzQy2EfvAlvZRy_CXCe9txYhp89pv0KdiQj8EG44lMP0qNvLg_K6gVxnpEH6vbC8xqU/s400/019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scottish royalty dontcha know?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>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.<br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
My new purchase was <a href="http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-g6-1240sa-15-6-laptop-charcoal-11361470-pdt.html">PC Worlds Boxing day special</a>. 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!<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!</span></strong></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-25777104109073081562011-09-08T00:02:00.007+01:002011-09-08T00:18:45.902+01:00Easy 'Peasy'<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoAde3FCI3LcDFMHvfDJC-5QqdDwS5jfu5A5wHZAJzkIxkJo11V20fYSxSDNHA36n7yPR-IQAelRZBKIv2fdCXRiEHANh-xAgJJHn248-wZOWsaW_f4pE_6F_cneS8lqwS2Jhhiroq2sq/s1600/DSC02391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoAde3FCI3LcDFMHvfDJC-5QqdDwS5jfu5A5wHZAJzkIxkJo11V20fYSxSDNHA36n7yPR-IQAelRZBKIv2fdCXRiEHANh-xAgJJHn248-wZOWsaW_f4pE_6F_cneS8lqwS2Jhhiroq2sq/s400/DSC02391.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1_W8Q84t7Dn8r1Etd19hq770tnDzc0143FPUgD-ikuFEWEMiE0Jd0zhhhInGc9mw-M4KZ01qLQvgNYhG3tMuZQ5qFF5OJDue5dfFnMy8f6VH1pWadeAtu2Wk1a73JBxHHXjpTAGAYlRV/s1600/DSC02334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1_W8Q84t7Dn8r1Etd19hq770tnDzc0143FPUgD-ikuFEWEMiE0Jd0zhhhInGc9mw-M4KZ01qLQvgNYhG3tMuZQ5qFF5OJDue5dfFnMy8f6VH1pWadeAtu2Wk1a73JBxHHXjpTAGAYlRV/s320/DSC02334.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Circular needles to hold so many stitches</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span></div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwmWE1bXBKrMH9Nv3ZL0ZzlXyenK6eL7wMVfhnJNDluieEli6_0gutqAJ4ot7RiMGXyZajZWHO95_B9oGi8WdjKvvwUD5kap0wtli2J4kV1Xn8TSnrupwYt6kBPkBp4I0bY25pVFBCGuv/s1600/DSC02368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwmWE1bXBKrMH9Nv3ZL0ZzlXyenK6eL7wMVfhnJNDluieEli6_0gutqAJ4ot7RiMGXyZajZWHO95_B9oGi8WdjKvvwUD5kap0wtli2J4kV1Xn8TSnrupwYt6kBPkBp4I0bY25pVFBCGuv/s320/DSC02368.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">After the lacework & sleeves completed</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8Bn1X7OHgCOdjhJo4RVdG-7wGo3ErQ0qONg9sIqw5z8VIYbSebMcWokNkCkCE6Nz2zBFn_4jPsZ5qBykjKzKi0rYYgxefhywVTUhpMGdsCdTGM8aeASfrfKpPZHmcjnVZPgKssWmuZwM/s1600/DSC02395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8Bn1X7OHgCOdjhJo4RVdG-7wGo3ErQ0qONg9sIqw5z8VIYbSebMcWokNkCkCE6Nz2zBFn_4jPsZ5qBykjKzKi0rYYgxefhywVTUhpMGdsCdTGM8aeASfrfKpPZHmcjnVZPgKssWmuZwM/s320/DSC02395.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">metal floral buttons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-18453211313955100802011-09-02T20:39:00.000+01:002011-09-02T20:39:04.974+01:00September...and weather for soup.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1ciawstjXWoy0dNfFlM-qSD9PLTcWIb6nRvE04v3lbAVwaTNpviDwk7LIURTgFlhckqdoh_GZZOxcN3a2C_kbHSRtE0jyixSkBFyeKwoqxDd15GCgKQg-UYAK6bYVLBP07MpZOaq4TAT/s1600/DSC02380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1ciawstjXWoy0dNfFlM-qSD9PLTcWIb6nRvE04v3lbAVwaTNpviDwk7LIURTgFlhckqdoh_GZZOxcN3a2C_kbHSRtE0jyixSkBFyeKwoqxDd15GCgKQg-UYAK6bYVLBP07MpZOaq4TAT/s400/DSC02380.JPG" width="400px" xaa="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently we had our first organic veggie box delivered from </span><a href="http://www.bellfield-organics.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bellfield Organic Nursery</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 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</span>.</div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYLR54MXfKWHJJJTgyUBpT8padcSOKRhYjmsKYOMpdvzBaydWyEKBBpBMl-5CG99vZ_6jWq_CrnzKN3cbhmKQ_W8zfjGACUZnJzRAbvRhlXbE8-Wk883pc2-uAuAYSPoJB-blNq2a1RHq/s1600/DSC02382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYLR54MXfKWHJJJTgyUBpT8padcSOKRhYjmsKYOMpdvzBaydWyEKBBpBMl-5CG99vZ_6jWq_CrnzKN3cbhmKQ_W8zfjGACUZnJzRAbvRhlXbE8-Wk883pc2-uAuAYSPoJB-blNq2a1RHq/s320/DSC02382.JPG" width="320px" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romanesco</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zDYB5EVNOzPkIfQhQBwgu8o9TG8s2hW-VAK2XK6JIEpg7ZNavyHS1F0f0tJ865A03YrlujqHTx2PI7hKZRD-LXvw80NHEjLgX2jSXfspfZrWLYD-z-1AKqDgjYE0-gnU0p-36NJeK3yd/s1600/DSC02386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zDYB5EVNOzPkIfQhQBwgu8o9TG8s2hW-VAK2XK6JIEpg7ZNavyHS1F0f0tJ865A03YrlujqHTx2PI7hKZRD-LXvw80NHEjLgX2jSXfspfZrWLYD-z-1AKqDgjYE0-gnU0p-36NJeK3yd/s320/DSC02386.JPG" width="320px" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kholrabi</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikr3RcD6HizCK9-jcX6dQNrI6OQ11zNfPIpUSKcC7aNf6sS0LFpDQJR5GyiGh0mAaCed8gaiaSGrrac4GPmzaRGIRcJ6oxPxmKn___4dwKQxE6z1YqTk88xPMUVyU41z6TwY_xCR5KWyaM/s1600/DSC02383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikr3RcD6HizCK9-jcX6dQNrI6OQ11zNfPIpUSKcC7aNf6sS0LFpDQJR5GyiGh0mAaCed8gaiaSGrrac4GPmzaRGIRcJ6oxPxmKn___4dwKQxE6z1YqTk88xPMUVyU41z6TwY_xCR5KWyaM/s320/DSC02383.JPG" width="320px" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lots of chopping</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAlp1lLieO2zEAqxcAQ2QNfshZQ7oAnJhAPCv_umVsyrVMAH2sQeV-iU1oaEnTiwVReuMYhVGPInQIGZhIt3EDDCZPDdrRfplaODlEwQhh6RSyQeaIPMqRJFSXcs2GJ728PqZEEY9Y-lb/s1600/DSC02384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAlp1lLieO2zEAqxcAQ2QNfshZQ7oAnJhAPCv_umVsyrVMAH2sQeV-iU1oaEnTiwVReuMYhVGPInQIGZhIt3EDDCZPDdrRfplaODlEwQhh6RSyQeaIPMqRJFSXcs2GJ728PqZEEY9Y-lb/s320/DSC02384.JPG" width="320px" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">let the cooking commence</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfb0zKmgaN-sufwcGpHpUciS03LlD424OHF4k1ZS0KW2QyJX0RRx1UL4FY0qfevEFsgAuPzMNOsxGua1O6upjwJPUTHDRvJFo5jZSZPzDY7Oa_LYHowxOYmLn0TAgLGjCL07jl4SAejqoq/s1600/DSC02388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfb0zKmgaN-sufwcGpHpUciS03LlD424OHF4k1ZS0KW2QyJX0RRx1UL4FY0qfevEFsgAuPzMNOsxGua1O6upjwJPUTHDRvJFo5jZSZPzDY7Oa_LYHowxOYmLn0TAgLGjCL07jl4SAejqoq/s320/DSC02388.JPG" width="320px" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stick tae yer ribs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-26044737629575667932011-08-30T16:38:00.000+01:002011-09-02T21:06:18.887+01:00The Alien Has Landed.<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqpqFxhdlyPK-_4q38kgr7qfwAaQ-Xa_cFdfVAX-nhP18VJ6yzwi2Y-px7w6YpOQUEbdgi9wTMDPMuABa4xetx2Y-gj5fvdTa6o1BWg0o8SW3gFlkhpTQXLgvoIS6nJ_emRq0bxSYv9B9/s1600/DSCF0739AAA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqpqFxhdlyPK-_4q38kgr7qfwAaQ-Xa_cFdfVAX-nhP18VJ6yzwi2Y-px7w6YpOQUEbdgi9wTMDPMuABa4xetx2Y-gj5fvdTa6o1BWg0o8SW3gFlkhpTQXLgvoIS6nJ_emRq0bxSYv9B9/s400/DSCF0739AAA.JPG" width="372px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'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 <a href="http://www.theknitter.co.uk/2011/05/06/irresistible-gifts-to-knit-v2/">'Irresistible Gifts to Knit'</a>, which was inside the Simply Knitting magazine.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepgCeWyFGJs1QqRRmiL17YQE2Mao7YMCzDVlophjROAgZD2I0qPuD194kz6JePPEw6MjtP1DBblIhmZX-zlKxNJ217ZQknbA71dkTcAYloub9pC8FTJ6-Hgv0EybwhoV1JMMz8hBAY3qT/s1600/DSCF0749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepgCeWyFGJs1QqRRmiL17YQE2Mao7YMCzDVlophjROAgZD2I0qPuD194kz6JePPEw6MjtP1DBblIhmZX-zlKxNJ217ZQknbA71dkTcAYloub9pC8FTJ6-Hgv0EybwhoV1JMMz8hBAY3qT/s400/DSCF0749.jpg" width="400px" xaa="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arnold now takes pride of place in the middle of our bed (...hmmm ever heard the expression 'three's a crowd'?).</span></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-52784783265786324062011-07-27T22:54:00.001+01:002011-07-27T23:01:45.186+01:00Sun, Sudoko & A Sheepy Peg Bag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMKY8Gp8XU8xVFm1r1_HDqk9Mp03IalYrMFy9b8GXv_MmzcgJftyLm1ULt4_T5QGZCcQyu-cNAIH-_j97pXHnnTwrOYwIjD_MlMyyZeIKzVnibQRTgcKxJAqAPnlW2XQ1BqIzJR-mNiLm/s1600/gav+grass.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMKY8Gp8XU8xVFm1r1_HDqk9Mp03IalYrMFy9b8GXv_MmzcgJftyLm1ULt4_T5QGZCcQyu-cNAIH-_j97pXHnnTwrOYwIjD_MlMyyZeIKzVnibQRTgcKxJAqAPnlW2XQ1BqIzJR-mNiLm/s320/gav+grass.bmp" t$="true" width="279px" /></a></div>My lovely <a href="http://weegavin.blogspot.com/">husband</a> 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!).<br />
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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!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0LVfgj3FYPfx6GmDF4GsVO-DlZp6DujM2QvrNLDTE8qOl_t04gdUjv4OnBliCiGUrHl4LSCWMpWcF7ccKE27wbFwRbgv8M0ss9JgErK2ajlEJ4Xa6yQKLZ06S1JIj6iCqiGsuVOUcDvF/s1600/DSC02344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0LVfgj3FYPfx6GmDF4GsVO-DlZp6DujM2QvrNLDTE8qOl_t04gdUjv4OnBliCiGUrHl4LSCWMpWcF7ccKE27wbFwRbgv8M0ss9JgErK2ajlEJ4Xa6yQKLZ06S1JIj6iCqiGsuVOUcDvF/s320/DSC02344.JPG" t$="true" width="304px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out with the old...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then we went shopping and a new peg bag was purchased..lol.</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQkPu3kLhDS-CW7B3uNbte2yjMaC5Ld1rX00KTKOx2J4lEvtwaS3HMW4n6VVz78gOnfpis7LB7Mx5KvqqSZmpJqmc3y_tzpmgc72FV7pAa167jiT3T7c-GdFopYASgs9vA2g-vHnD36OB/s1600/DSC02348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQkPu3kLhDS-CW7B3uNbte2yjMaC5Ld1rX00KTKOx2J4lEvtwaS3HMW4n6VVz78gOnfpis7LB7Mx5KvqqSZmpJqmc3y_tzpmgc72FV7pAa167jiT3T7c-GdFopYASgs9vA2g-vHnD36OB/s320/DSC02348.JPG" t$="true" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and in with the new!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sometimes it's the simple things that keep a harmonious home. Thanks Hubs for being such a star and agreeing to pose for some humorous photos for this post.Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-54180839072654815942011-07-10T21:25:00.001+01:002011-07-10T21:26:05.244+01:00Seaside Babes..it's a knit thing<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eBu1up3uk_chnUnISt-HPZOWaaQ6J7UDJjiPVw-GDg3_gra01ZczIi68vkAffe4rX0hn9L5_4PKqXcgV-grk27gW_eod3lHGGmr7-pJKLaiN1uSZnSJTz7zkL4eS5I72h5Zj-EFHNdcI/s1600/DSC02291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eBu1up3uk_chnUnISt-HPZOWaaQ6J7UDJjiPVw-GDg3_gra01ZczIi68vkAffe4rX0hn9L5_4PKqXcgV-grk27gW_eod3lHGGmr7-pJKLaiN1uSZnSJTz7zkL4eS5I72h5Zj-EFHNdcI/s400/DSC02291.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">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.)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">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)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegDLkUyXEV1OeQ6iU5rqZNahHYOxZByzeLXwhDDiPcHadyppdCWYpQOsXt87o4W4oyDhqTGEJTNvlhQA6Qf27OxGiW-16mV-oCn43cfvF9EPkynfP4aGdxYrszMR_-Cn7wwGR_A0_x4vs/s1600/DSC02281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegDLkUyXEV1OeQ6iU5rqZNahHYOxZByzeLXwhDDiPcHadyppdCWYpQOsXt87o4W4oyDhqTGEJTNvlhQA6Qf27OxGiW-16mV-oCn43cfvF9EPkynfP4aGdxYrszMR_-Cn7wwGR_A0_x4vs/s320/DSC02281.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6bddYS9bZ4WDHLnoqsuY8C1jSV31QkP44ruPy8A3ieuOCux-AAHLzGmMFH-ETLIzgKB3SgG7U18VezqH-cqCKehHIlMJDHUGwKOfc1oVpozes0M6vRucBrw5zuw41qa_zPHVBag8ruej/s1600/DSC02288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="height: 15px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 277px;"> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS88_bgkMvgj4HZtrrDH-yaRRyf_o3L-uHhK4OIP0eXxwjUo4h4iHFVXiF6oLzvcKnoy4irG6mNT2Dq5sfe5x52wAKbhdmAwBInwZFgO_GX72p0w_kzUxct53Q7CTjWh0njmWpPTa-jhYp/s1600/DSC02290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS88_bgkMvgj4HZtrrDH-yaRRyf_o3L-uHhK4OIP0eXxwjUo4h4iHFVXiF6oLzvcKnoy4irG6mNT2Dq5sfe5x52wAKbhdmAwBInwZFgO_GX72p0w_kzUxct53Q7CTjWh0njmWpPTa-jhYp/s320/DSC02290.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6bddYS9bZ4WDHLnoqsuY8C1jSV31QkP44ruPy8A3ieuOCux-AAHLzGmMFH-ETLIzgKB3SgG7U18VezqH-cqCKehHIlMJDHUGwKOfc1oVpozes0M6vRucBrw5zuw41qa_zPHVBag8ruej/s1600/DSC02288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6bddYS9bZ4WDHLnoqsuY8C1jSV31QkP44ruPy8A3ieuOCux-AAHLzGmMFH-ETLIzgKB3SgG7U18VezqH-cqCKehHIlMJDHUGwKOfc1oVpozes0M6vRucBrw5zuw41qa_zPHVBag8ruej/s320/DSC02288.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div align="justify" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6bddYS9bZ4WDHLnoqsuY8C1jSV31QkP44ruPy8A3ieuOCux-AAHLzGmMFH-ETLIzgKB3SgG7U18VezqH-cqCKehHIlMJDHUGwKOfc1oVpozes0M6vRucBrw5zuw41qa_zPHVBag8ruej/s1600/DSC02288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>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. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBngyLMY-L6lfkRASt-fLW5kN1KEOvLo621Y3fBrPeloyHd86WAne50A-JgbMbnKPsnLXYSAMmt1oKZziWovEnRqcvSHwtoldqgWgn1EN_SFF75bJTTYTHmyPjodyancl-L4QQBEfAmOm/s1600/DSC02284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizBngyLMY-L6lfkRASt-fLW5kN1KEOvLo621Y3fBrPeloyHd86WAne50A-JgbMbnKPsnLXYSAMmt1oKZziWovEnRqcvSHwtoldqgWgn1EN_SFF75bJTTYTHmyPjodyancl-L4QQBEfAmOm/s320/DSC02284.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wLYWHhB_TDBkXImuH1k2GvSPohGUPZ_2CW4FtL-PTQusC9U4tIy08SSbpq7Qn5w5l2X9XKYVp1IWA7LEzG-ve4Yx5meQ6o5nkpgSgr8a73QrkqtpsL-Fpde1Z6O4Fc490ARMUVIJNhAc/s1600/DSC02285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wLYWHhB_TDBkXImuH1k2GvSPohGUPZ_2CW4FtL-PTQusC9U4tIy08SSbpq7Qn5w5l2X9XKYVp1IWA7LEzG-ve4Yx5meQ6o5nkpgSgr8a73QrkqtpsL-Fpde1Z6O4Fc490ARMUVIJNhAc/s320/DSC02285.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
Now I'm just on the hunt for some suitable buttons...and thinking of those old fashioned leather ones..what do you think?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrf6OGjLqxvBs-1ykUaZzQ15ih2-U-5NggZD8sDnYEszemTNCZF0lc3BKPAx_3IoszuqDI30K20TuUN1dtAw4nZMRvITQmI5GNpPgfbBprW71g5-dFmQDn3_xlTKQRnPN0Zo9G3OHiEg3z/s1600/DSC02286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrf6OGjLqxvBs-1ykUaZzQ15ih2-U-5NggZD8sDnYEszemTNCZF0lc3BKPAx_3IoszuqDI30K20TuUN1dtAw4nZMRvITQmI5GNpPgfbBprW71g5-dFmQDn3_xlTKQRnPN0Zo9G3OHiEg3z/s320/DSC02286.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">close up of easy pattern</td></tr>
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</div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-30536571405496788612011-07-05T22:22:00.002+01:002011-07-05T22:26:22.624+01:00One Woman Knit Camp<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtIymC1P0I2K4T69-ud_UD7T1nTOEI9dw7t5A2Psu6P6WMKXhkwimelgpVoDhk3WK_tRukKkedRFUIPdoz6BVeEjhrReTIVpck9LL6-rzzNY76Q1UqOMxK0BZWvp9paRFRwWlNRF-kA-R/s1600/loucamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtIymC1P0I2K4T69-ud_UD7T1nTOEI9dw7t5A2Psu6P6WMKXhkwimelgpVoDhk3WK_tRukKkedRFUIPdoz6BVeEjhrReTIVpck9LL6-rzzNY76Q1UqOMxK0BZWvp9paRFRwWlNRF-kA-R/s400/loucamp.jpg" width="300px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knit Camp? Well kinda,..on my lonesome..lol.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We have spent most of the day indoors...it's been raining. However, even in dreary Scotland we occasionally get some sun and the last couple of days have been glorious. Unfortunately, by the time our pasty skins get climatised to 'tropical' temperatures of 23-24C..it's over all too soon. Every year it goes like this..one day we are wearing our coats and the next we are sitting out back, perspiring in little more than our underwear. By the time most of the Scottish contingent hunt out the dusty bottle of sunscreen they are already sporting skin the colour of a cooked lobster.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkwwGGiOUcBgeIdHhAFjbozTGANU3et1wTRWjCWzCZFiluXcNRGgUMzu80Ajho0RzKIUwPjJBj7uawDRRLYsCGD8iP0aui9h6Aj-cHxQywpHq1_3R-XmS3RrDNvbIjJdFXJjpJwzLnLIh/s1600/DSCF0647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkwwGGiOUcBgeIdHhAFjbozTGANU3et1wTRWjCWzCZFiluXcNRGgUMzu80Ajho0RzKIUwPjJBj7uawDRRLYsCGD8iP0aui9h6Aj-cHxQywpHq1_3R-XmS3RrDNvbIjJdFXJjpJwzLnLIh/s400/DSCF0647.JPG" width="340px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea">sleep apnea</a> which requires me to be hooked up to the mains on my <a href="http://youtu.be/zxujj4_HdEI">Bi-pap machine</a> 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. </div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfzMUprHiup0smnaoSgyDt2IIm4cs7ie-FJdx6sa5HXVg-uTHKKNpQjdWnNWFzxp-x0E570ozR1aSwF51-PA_py_FYQHijZ_Ga83CQGdXq2d7gLVgIBlcfMSxb_KwcrZehWDFYr9JTZKt/s1600/New_1_DSCF0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfzMUprHiup0smnaoSgyDt2IIm4cs7ie-FJdx6sa5HXVg-uTHKKNpQjdWnNWFzxp-x0E570ozR1aSwF51-PA_py_FYQHijZ_Ga83CQGdXq2d7gLVgIBlcfMSxb_KwcrZehWDFYr9JTZKt/s400/New_1_DSCF0649.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patch..happy camper</td></tr>
</tbody></table> I even managed to find a few hours peace (between the neighbours cutting their grass/ dogs barking/ kids screaming) to get in some quality alfresco knit time. Then of course..like I'd already mentioned..the rain returned. The <a href="http://weegavin.blogspot.com/">husband</a> being the all-round humorous chappie that he is locked me out..cue the sorry sight of Little Lou trapped under canvas (hubs let the dog indoors...of course..lol).<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginE3Ofg8kEhdQSO0QPyagZckbt5JfIyi3flyQpJLcVJZ6dN_nHTj0CEFTwpW36_yeydJJ9DNGugYz5gwWxAf88YF4RuAM3Ewxd96VPOacqyLi7X3-PQ4ujfS_OfOFZV0WSFjhDfyWS9wC/s1600/DSCF0644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginE3Ofg8kEhdQSO0QPyagZckbt5JfIyi3flyQpJLcVJZ6dN_nHTj0CEFTwpW36_yeydJJ9DNGugYz5gwWxAf88YF4RuAM3Ewxd96VPOacqyLi7X3-PQ4ujfS_OfOFZV0WSFjhDfyWS9wC/s400/DSCF0644.JPG" width="397px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It may not be obvious..but it was raining heavily here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-90428243942175211092011-06-23T21:24:00.004+01:002011-06-24T16:58:22.245+01:00Amsterdam...there's cake!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CE61O8wfUGz4Dt8BMnYeS70JUMeyBXoV93OB38yq8mCZlyKN6XPoPuqvko0KtMf4qoLw3-vvSH7YINRW3gXSKPEw7j5SaVki3jLLGbOEZdHuG06Iuu4ba2XIvKNtAeRfCgb1QOckT_Jf/s1600/DSC01971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CE61O8wfUGz4Dt8BMnYeS70JUMeyBXoV93OB38yq8mCZlyKN6XPoPuqvko0KtMf4qoLw3-vvSH7YINRW3gXSKPEw7j5SaVki3jLLGbOEZdHuG06Iuu4ba2XIvKNtAeRfCgb1QOckT_Jf/s400/DSC01971.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW6fF2hbAGux4FJ3s9bH6A4kWCdmKka4OYP9smVEpyz2LRK7ETYZ58Mr0JACDKPLn-NMep0q174DFQdE87ghl1mlnfIZVPIkysTpqTHuek99TZsVbHgVvAbovPd94ZVbrfWBk8Grp0Bq8/s1600/DSC02035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNW6fF2hbAGux4FJ3s9bH6A4kWCdmKka4OYP9smVEpyz2LRK7ETYZ58Mr0JACDKPLn-NMep0q174DFQdE87ghl1mlnfIZVPIkysTpqTHuek99TZsVbHgVvAbovPd94ZVbrfWBk8Grp0Bq8/s400/DSC02035.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwTENllbcgZ9lDc_kJuCwVu1XiLzT9WEpxokUw_osG7GCDZWEpc7ftx1PMCpmGCZ28ifa1EmExCQDaogB6xrBGzkgCeeJffY9lym-brE_XfExzKctsIY4ZKU6QYN3j6jYG-EOsAUflEvZ/s1600/DSC02016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwTENllbcgZ9lDc_kJuCwVu1XiLzT9WEpxokUw_osG7GCDZWEpc7ftx1PMCpmGCZ28ifa1EmExCQDaogB6xrBGzkgCeeJffY9lym-brE_XfExzKctsIY4ZKU6QYN3j6jYG-EOsAUflEvZ/s320/DSC02016.JPG" width="320px" /></a>This is the Hubs sitting having a "much needed cuppa" in the Museumplein. We had just been round the Van Gogh Museum and although we appreciated the artwork (mostly) the place was mobbed, meaning you had to shuffle around the art exibits which got a bit frustrating after 5 floors. It could have been that everyone had the same idea as us to get out of the rain but I suspect from previous stories I've heard the place is always busy. We bought a print of Van Gogh's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedroom_in_Arles">'Bedroom At Arles'</a>, a painting I've loved since studying the artist at High School. </div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA68cNJQ6LnyLibqwQ9Ki2CKXUBD8lQ7AyvBXR73yThmswQIhi7T3cEqPdWI3xV6Z5LFIH1uK9BAQ_U5TWvV8PiWU6DCa8rzhvmT4X0O1r8p6e6JZzvC4P_bml0iqoik6QTu0z4KfyJOft/s1600/DSC02000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA68cNJQ6LnyLibqwQ9Ki2CKXUBD8lQ7AyvBXR73yThmswQIhi7T3cEqPdWI3xV6Z5LFIH1uK9BAQ_U5TWvV8PiWU6DCa8rzhvmT4X0O1r8p6e6JZzvC4P_bml0iqoik6QTu0z4KfyJOft/s320/DSC02000.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van Gogh a la wax (Madame Tussauds)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I relented from buying myself some fleecy clog shaped slippers (sigh).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">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).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">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.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Granted I'm not a 'foodie' as such, I'm a bit picky to be honest but I do like a good dessert.</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T5bJLKdLHNw4aDLPBAv6ZyRRGVmi7Xyq6LYrgUKuwKo3h5OO8-UI7C07qNhpsbhfFWucUr3zc6Mgz3oF0tk-gDMf2Taa9bbMcmHebrzlc1JkwG6Nudqu0MokEC5NQQv16gwdWlcMP75c/s1600/DSC02144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T5bJLKdLHNw4aDLPBAv6ZyRRGVmi7Xyq6LYrgUKuwKo3h5OO8-UI7C07qNhpsbhfFWucUr3zc6Mgz3oF0tk-gDMf2Taa9bbMcmHebrzlc1JkwG6Nudqu0MokEC5NQQv16gwdWlcMP75c/s400/DSC02144.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exibit 1: vanilla cheesecake</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqkES8sY5R2OfuJBN3OngP4YAmwyYzXX7cjeTKa6Mn2M3G3NQM67jlNG_kZf4tdxN5NfQ5X-r6hznhrXWcykAQxi51mdKiwZCjvC0BX2irGhfGS9-BJh4MRvj9Sls8K8jZPcKMcZyyYas/s1600/DSC02039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqkES8sY5R2OfuJBN3OngP4YAmwyYzXX7cjeTKa6Mn2M3G3NQM67jlNG_kZf4tdxN5NfQ5X-r6hznhrXWcykAQxi51mdKiwZCjvC0BX2irGhfGS9-BJh4MRvj9Sls8K8jZPcKMcZyyYas/s400/DSC02039.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exibit 2: Apple Crumble Cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The first was enjoyed by <a href="http://weegavin.blogspot.com/">Hubs</a> on an afternoon cuppa stop at a cute cafe off Dam Square called <u><span style="color: #810081;"><a href="http://www.dedriegraefjes.nl/">De Drie Graefjes</a></span></u>. 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 <a href="http://www.debakkerswinkel.com/amsterdam-centrum">Bakkerswinkel</a> 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. <br />
<br />
Okay..before I say 'tot zeins' to Amster...here's the canal pic.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNo-UXRBDAVklqmJanrlk9kqUV4Y7r3bMC2zo0VUhgH0BHGWG8Jc0QYus1fwWOW4T7nmBIVhDuF7vntNO_vNrXJYCp0VLnNgDkRtrUA91v0VJ3ACANhOHmfPNEoV1mAa0dXRBMws9VqhV9/s1600/DSC02139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNo-UXRBDAVklqmJanrlk9kqUV4Y7r3bMC2zo0VUhgH0BHGWG8Jc0QYus1fwWOW4T7nmBIVhDuF7vntNO_vNrXJYCp0VLnNgDkRtrUA91v0VJ3ACANhOHmfPNEoV1mAa0dXRBMws9VqhV9/s400/DSC02139.JPG" width="300px" /></a></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-14977120810767152292011-05-28T18:09:00.000+01:002011-05-28T18:09:33.778+01:00Honeymoon & Knitty Overlap<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnW9kfnuADivYGLV75ierkks9GjwujSsqrh-tM1rLxVz7swiWRZEOVn56GP8T7Nswf4FD8JQFjcYPtvYW7TRhyH0sETmQYccTpbbr8ossLnbnL7Pywh6HVxxLySxlFSgT_dY8V1Odv3Sw/s1600/DSCF0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnW9kfnuADivYGLV75ierkks9GjwujSsqrh-tM1rLxVz7swiWRZEOVn56GP8T7Nswf4FD8JQFjcYPtvYW7TRhyH0sETmQYccTpbbr8ossLnbnL7Pywh6HVxxLySxlFSgT_dY8V1Odv3Sw/s320/DSCF0147.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honeymooners</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its been over a week since me and <a href="http://weegavin.blogspot.com/">'Hubs'</a> (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. </span></div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TQEhj6XMtTwQ3iT-X1CYm1SbXrzweBaxv9ipsONEYJlB9qkmpkLq9oLnOy13VKb8eZe96_76kCvb8qECLHONIHrsCkzq5ok1tEXt0PAtP9ibM6gksbCDhcAZ8EojCtipGwXOnP-XmBFi/s1600/DSCF0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TQEhj6XMtTwQ3iT-X1CYm1SbXrzweBaxv9ipsONEYJlB9qkmpkLq9oLnOy13VKb8eZe96_76kCvb8qECLHONIHrsCkzq5ok1tEXt0PAtP9ibM6gksbCDhcAZ8EojCtipGwXOnP-XmBFi/s320/DSCF0108.JPG" t8="true" width="213px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going Gaga over the Lady</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Day one it was raining when we arrived so we ducked into <a href="http://www.madametussauds.com/Amsterdam/en/Default.aspx">Madame Tussauds</a>, 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.</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I liked the way you could touch the exhibits and not just view them from afar. </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">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!</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We had booked into the hotel we had stayed in on our first trip which we envisaged as a being 'romantic' notion. Lol.</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LIqW0gnblo9_SnrxsxTrhYfmhu6M0rGMBJiwnF2OG5iUFHz_9b5T9qlL4CA_k6TteWo4yBACqGSDOkdRjL6Ti50Ji2arUAKGBZGc-cBWYD9YQdpEYOpnAW0NTYHCICHX4k0z4W8JJacs/s1600/DSC02013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LIqW0gnblo9_SnrxsxTrhYfmhu6M0rGMBJiwnF2OG5iUFHz_9b5T9qlL4CA_k6TteWo4yBACqGSDOkdRjL6Ti50Ji2arUAKGBZGc-cBWYD9YQdpEYOpnAW0NTYHCICHX4k0z4W8JJacs/s320/DSC02013.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">After unpacking and finding somewhere for a bite to eat (Italian..I had pizza, he had lasagne) we headed to <a href="http://www.diningcity.nl/cafedejaren/en/index.html">Cafe De Jaren</a> 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 <a href="http://underdutchskies.com/">Alex</a> who I had the pleasure of meeting (albeit too briefly) in Stirling last year at Knit Camp. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BKGUPzAngfZpRLMXePvii5oi_wOI3v8aWN1qKumKLvvcnZtpqvXwiA1uZEp5tmGfJ_geczC30o-_ENaHsB06tWpA4OYa4jjFLc0bdwHCiu1acr_nfeEDuxOz3ISJJi0pJttw-zzz0pH9/s1600/DSC02012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BKGUPzAngfZpRLMXePvii5oi_wOI3v8aWN1qKumKLvvcnZtpqvXwiA1uZEp5tmGfJ_geczC30o-_ENaHsB06tWpA4OYa4jjFLc0bdwHCiu1acr_nfeEDuxOz3ISJJi0pJttw-zzz0pH9/s320/DSC02012.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was great to also meet with <a href="http://andyinamsterdam.com/">Andy</a>, 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. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I'm only sorry I didn't have more time to speak with everyone at the group as they seemed like a great bunch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If I ever visit the city again...I will make sure I'm there on a Monday.</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9QfiN_zbIvcfNvcOjQVrsJOfgJh4oV5d8Mn5PyFE4Zqh9umY9Gy3T3wy6RWVKgdzqCOCSKUGnH0vkWj0rqMFJsNKEsh35jZXnd-T07eDq13eJ6vw_yAt28hOyC45sJpU7vbPjh-10-vL/s1600/DSC02148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9QfiN_zbIvcfNvcOjQVrsJOfgJh4oV5d8Mn5PyFE4Zqh9umY9Gy3T3wy6RWVKgdzqCOCSKUGnH0vkWj0rqMFJsNKEsh35jZXnd-T07eDq13eJ6vw_yAt28hOyC45sJpU7vbPjh-10-vL/s200/DSC02148.JPG" t8="true" width="170px" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">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.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">For those of you who don't get it..it's an abbreviation of 'knit two together'.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In my next post I'll share a bit more of our trip..knitting not included.</span></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-70798560319604425002011-05-27T23:00:00.001+01:002011-05-27T23:20:10.269+01:00Sporadic Blogger's Lament<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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!!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">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</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">get round to (sigh</span>).<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">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).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">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:</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="https://www.ravelry.com/account/login">Ravelry</a>..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.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page">Wikipedia</a>..I've been warned it's not always accurate but I look up everything here from placenames to pop songs.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/">I.M.D.B</a> (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).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/">Ebay</a>..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).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook.</a> 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).</span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watch out..I'm 'getting ma blog on' and have a few posts to get written. In the meantime hop on over to my <a href="http://weegavin.blogspot.com/">hubby's new blog</a>..he's got some great photos on there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">P.S Be warned I'm experimenting with new blog styles..lotsa changing.</span>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-90686197137902327662011-05-10T16:11:00.012+01:002011-06-27T14:20:01.304+01:00Married..17 days<div><br />
<div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh5Nr3WOVRSHnYktncK0fpwA5IqRN2iiGC4Tjf0Wx4CnrEVNxZbcBVG-nX6DYXtlwrrEPR8oCU4me6GUNrPoRhN7kiHwJHO-UImLVWu2ifs2q6DaF8PqBwWcCFvbsRunUDwbc5mkF8AR-/s1600/IMG_2760.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605111151879593330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCh5Nr3WOVRSHnYktncK0fpwA5IqRN2iiGC4Tjf0Wx4CnrEVNxZbcBVG-nX6DYXtlwrrEPR8oCU4me6GUNrPoRhN7kiHwJHO-UImLVWu2ifs2q6DaF8PqBwWcCFvbsRunUDwbc5mkF8AR-/s400/IMG_2760.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 276px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 433px;" /></a><br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMuAnUMbclTwkoqPhFQhH_bYX76XTgHqkGIHLsIOFZ_y0oWGJEvumhaFs5dlNQgGQ0fD9lh1ENWzzwhawM4iQULufTsiOiW2yklGFeoFIC16AvfGee6tdJs4ObHFui-0Ikv2iFiJZMT-i/s1600/IMG_2759.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605107521377490018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMuAnUMbclTwkoqPhFQhH_bYX76XTgHqkGIHLsIOFZ_y0oWGJEvumhaFs5dlNQgGQ0fD9lh1ENWzzwhawM4iQULufTsiOiW2yklGFeoFIC16AvfGee6tdJs4ObHFui-0Ikv2iFiJZMT-i/s400/IMG_2759.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 483px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 337px;" /></a>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.<br />
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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'.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMNrd9OEInRgGUITtI6pvmqC61Z-CK7swZZoET4CzBXWmwqOhzGB6wcxxZzNL2RJJgPxBASWBwXmYsB1lMQjHLnkjV-pT5qgVkO0oko8t4r052BHgSRLsD56sfGIUHhY_Q3iMP5eTfzmm/s1600/IMG_2735.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609510505901087234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMNrd9OEInRgGUITtI6pvmqC61Z-CK7swZZoET4CzBXWmwqOhzGB6wcxxZzNL2RJJgPxBASWBwXmYsB1lMQjHLnkjV-pT5qgVkO0oko8t4r052BHgSRLsD56sfGIUHhY_Q3iMP5eTfzmm/s320/IMG_2735.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 177px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 289px;" /></a><br />
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<div>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).</div></div><br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-VB9SNUcN5We2JaRrvE3SshhU8hJ-TNA-D1vtTr__MyY1oK363wWnW5JCMnoQiGaLOgEtz3CXd7rXtaEJOUjDHKiWua6HpW4NEdLMrPXpxpHNRPr7paIJxb2Yxk0c6NO7ocDyqHZv_Ck/s1600/IMG_2980.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609507873851690642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-VB9SNUcN5We2JaRrvE3SshhU8hJ-TNA-D1vtTr__MyY1oK363wWnW5JCMnoQiGaLOgEtz3CXd7rXtaEJOUjDHKiWua6HpW4NEdLMrPXpxpHNRPr7paIJxb2Yxk0c6NO7ocDyqHZv_Ck/s320/IMG_2980.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 214px;" /></a>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. </div><br />
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<div>I put a little heart under the kilt for discrection..haha.</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmmM9F97HIXi0QBKWMB2OiDOAbEe7Jj2ToFlJaP7r255ZhBa5M1tB1LbEmSM73vfGL-CcA_8LTyBsJ2ZEEu2xbNP6uglnkQ4frrjrRYYti31FwjRWHzZFSrIzbd1pzmxgfrYL8CbvPbIA/s1600/216034_104542609633991_100002347560968_43728_5510564_n.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609508847619477762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmmM9F97HIXi0QBKWMB2OiDOAbEe7Jj2ToFlJaP7r255ZhBa5M1tB1LbEmSM73vfGL-CcA_8LTyBsJ2ZEEu2xbNP6uglnkQ4frrjrRYYti31FwjRWHzZFSrIzbd1pzmxgfrYL8CbvPbIA/s320/216034_104542609633991_100002347560968_43728_5510564_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 180px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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</div></div>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</div></div></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-44185716722082899562011-04-24T21:01:00.004+01:002011-04-24T21:06:29.661+01:00Married Now...eeeek<div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">******WE ARE MARRIED******</span></div><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599243209304729218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WeiI_iBE0SQPnfSl1cvygsmvaPJEa2zoAzNAQy7Wth-JKvIQJtzWM65y76iyi6oVYgvdJMXw9LJEZdwmBIfOSTSvU_QUyuSser86CNUXR7MbfpfujU31frPAdm550bsPK1DAKOwyC-h7/s400/wedding.jpg" />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.</p><br /><p><br /><br /></p><br /><div align="center"></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-35401649263063154372011-04-13T23:24:00.004+01:002011-04-13T23:36:30.410+01:0010 days til ShowtimeSorry 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 <strong>our wedding</strong>. 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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recurrent_corneal_erosion"><span style="color:#6600cc;">Reoccurring Corneal Erosion</span> </a>causing him quite a bit of discomfort and a few trips to the eye clinic. Wedding eyepatch jokes have been made (poor lamb).Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-41799843800960135352011-01-23T21:50:00.003+00:002011-01-23T22:08:00.978+00:00Wedding Prep<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkj0i-x2RUddZSw0rSAxYAf-CDhsjWgUjV4fyl1wur3-0hA-3K1VxedMYCjul0iiq1m3aJspkf2A2GsK5M7STglUcEfzyL39wmeqsxJ1ke3CmhpdiVD1EycSCxnV4FvclIPCjA6ayIOiW/s1600/cookie.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 369px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565502101833965458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkj0i-x2RUddZSw0rSAxYAf-CDhsjWgUjV4fyl1wur3-0hA-3K1VxedMYCjul0iiq1m3aJspkf2A2GsK5M7STglUcEfzyL39wmeqsxJ1ke3CmhpdiVD1EycSCxnV4FvclIPCjA6ayIOiW/s400/cookie.jpg" /></a><br /><div>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!!! </div><div> </div><div>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.</div><div> </div><div>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).</div><div>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!</div><div> </div><div>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.</div><div> </div><div>Hoping to get some yarny goodness in the mix somewhere too...obviously.</div><div> </div><div> </div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-87360825566729274702011-01-07T19:00:00.004+00:002011-01-07T20:01:22.077+00:00Goodbye 2010...<strong><span style="font-size:180%;">...Hello 2011!!!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></strong><br />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.<br /><br />New year, new start? I was hoping so...last year was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">punctuated</span> 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.<br /><br />I'm thankful for :<br /><ul><li> 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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">bridezilla</span> post in a day or so.</li><li>A roof over my bed, food in my belly and a cosy little loyal dog by my side.</li><li>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 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">NHS</span> system I am very grateful for what it does for me.</li></ul><p>Key words for 2011 are: motivation, positivity and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">optimism</span>.</p>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-61793201606870799052010-10-01T17:33:00.003+01:002010-10-01T17:39:15.673+01:00Goodbye SeptemberGoodbye September..sorry I missed out on a blog post!<br /><br />By now you probably think I have dropped of the face of the earth...but don't despair.<br />My lazyitis has just flared up...though I have been occupied by one or two things inbetween.<br /><br />Exciting news though...the Mister & I have set our wedding date!!! I am to be an April bride!!<br />Promise I will divulge more soon.<br /><br />Right now I am waiting on a delivery of fish & chips ..yum yum!Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-52575369962163444602010-08-26T22:28:00.009+01:002010-08-26T23:46:46.567+01:00Knit Camp Part 3..Purchases<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbsEwEO8Q4vOngM6PBnjOHOspYFFNJMwvAJQFhxG1Ro3Np6hTmyhtAgwxEJ0rvwxbx4AYxUyAUnSi44oWT2EjNpv1N4LIPEM2E9AKU2VENFDooM6QwCQlviGkByggSXEkdaFxD_5U5Utf/s1600/DSC01193.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509842351964776050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbsEwEO8Q4vOngM6PBnjOHOspYFFNJMwvAJQFhxG1Ro3Np6hTmyhtAgwxEJ0rvwxbx4AYxUyAUnSi44oWT2EjNpv1N4LIPEM2E9AKU2VENFDooM6QwCQlviGkByggSXEkdaFxD_5U5Utf/s400/DSC01193.JPG" /></a>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 <em>and</em> 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 (<em>and</em> stroked) so many lovely yarns. <div><div><div><div><div><div>My first yarn buy was a neutral grey skein ('Blizzard') from <a href="http://web.me.com/jondunn/EasyKnits/Home.html">Easyknits</a>. 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).</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509838140244728082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJU3XfO6SumW0f82qgL2ScFYA3LlVteADZY1GUhy5faonk3-7acF5vlgPyek7irhgFJVx9Pi0flLGDaVfq4IwqJKTlsjJ0PE9O8bWB-vOcgGcTF5WvQL66U63Qxz4FihT9sOr0yoyezfxF/s400/DSC01243.JPG" /></div><div>Next I stopped at Shetland Lace & Fair Isle supremo <a href="http://www.northernlace.co.uk/">Liz Lovick's </a>stall and picked up these cute stitchmarkers made by the lady herself.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509841010644666370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyP_ruLAoWW0bKXAJ4XXpo0C6vnIDzRrpxpBmGRCLMtCtc-r8KvRmsOEY-FVKvImY4L5uav6nKXJ54RyQAeM_jIbf7j96drWlflsTAg4l5N_skFa55zWsA_MoQE3x9nb2w-NjCBK6SW2Z/s400/DSC01253.JPG" /></div><div>After much deliberating at the <a href="http://www.lomond-tapestry.com/index.html#hometop">Lomond Tapestry Centre </a>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. </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509840778212185986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF1Gi1hn3BSdE2TR6jlVv3fPQ0_AlIyX657nUZS0aTAFVMnvJK-JErWl3B1ae8mAn5LjYaSerarCUmS7OUl7dDIN54nf5I9ElIlHR8k-0LrrN0l7wB7uPrkxYXxYlXU2M350peyE4MEw4/s400/DSC01244.JPG" /></div><div>I gasped with glee when I caught sight of the <a href="http://www.textilegarden.com/">Textile Garden </a>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.</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509840200300427506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYWUApoAPqijx1fQdPefucKbe6mxcDMlMrIJ3E5M45gn2CrGEEJ0TZJVQmik7AQqc6sxVIuv3DpcYNwAo0bnJqQ5QkMgC4qbOmPk7sGQ_aPzzCNIW9jhyphenhyphen6TFgjQQY3vh9kjt_4B4cQg5G/s400/DSC01252.JPG" /></div><div>My big purchase was Knit Pro interchangeable needles from <a href="http://www.scottishfibres.co.uk/acatalog/KnitPro_Interchangeable_needles.html">Scottish Fibres</a>. 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'. </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509839966686325058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8kY4MYSMPCETdr9P2362-HDT9F9z5pNNJ8JYA80OBBGpYH06MLkSmEC_xYujD9Em-xud-xIeiDKQ7tEP26SdoY6OlCcxsNxgH-A0VjFLx_K2rKstdj8-wRNt4r0WviyS3R6F8oJFfGhk/s400/DSC01249.JPG" />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?).<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-60683253158575787062010-08-23T11:25:00.016+01:002010-08-23T12:33:35.176+01:00Knit Camp Part 2<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508553922740381906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpZ1IeMGe4dEk_eigtzzdxgzieEWTY-tQ8m5ZmDLs7FV7_pd0N-IR-0XX3Gc4gp5gYhjtdY5tHZJaQVPN7-IieK4QwC9PCGwG1aSBhy3i8fXE_ZHi9XdlK44wdH61ZuqT9sj4AUuQ1i7L/s400/DSC01192.JPG" />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.<br /><br /><div><div>One of the nicest things to happen to me at Knit Camp was the opportunity to meet a fellow blogger. I have been following <a href="http://underdutchskies.com/">Alex's blog </a>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.</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 336px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508553064333606834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2VOF7c2FwHUH0bOQ9-1NyogUoedyBwY_aAEWL8JF4j-PhGyKhDl85isLdDBLSZKvOy-yWKV1UdhAPtmWHX3gXc-Zcg-Z42dlfg8Y28A5OyFYAy6zESzgwdYe8SDyO_Hpc4u5qA0vzr8x/s400/DSC01232.JPG" />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 <a href="http://www.allanwatercafe.co.uk/">Allan Water Cafe</a>. A sit-in chippy I had the most scrumptious haddock and chips I have ever tasted! (Cecelia this picture is especially for you!) </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 361px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 231px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508556037858008290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UV1p8wf1i1VE3_kAgIxVIA2m6bn3c3RoWG9KuA54EjdF4PtB5MtX0M1DvhQyh1K8fj7g9xG3h6cRgfNhQOrJD2vk2L8fTR3s5ercW2VhyemVglMg73cXNnthjeBm6b15RR8bcoe6SM2F/s400/DSC01163.JPG" />Followed by delicious strawberry ice cream (they had so many flavours!)<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 339px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508556039676666978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIFE93-fR6vjxEX0YSnIigYDEcjnMgqNbstOq_U5ReN5n9Zv-2wjij2ud7AhNNrKp3zi4bCG7qqG6T1A6l3AxAvUbhf9UXCi3UFZkD4BRgpxzjSxN4723d0rcMYV1OnUWxozQF-Kc3rq7/s400/DSC01164.JPG" /></div><div></div><div>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 <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_erGA_OvZIuXvfP5615kHh1YlIoWQ_xm3KsW_d-CAEhZuMIDb4veKFlB8weUIVuvfZj4zDg51wsA1Eyg68wf98eMyTHFdRLBQpWVeZ9hSEbYktoT3YRoNhG_tjhFYhe6UCQ4wFYceaYr/s1600/DSC01203.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 334px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 195px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508560731301648354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_erGA_OvZIuXvfP5615kHh1YlIoWQ_xm3KsW_d-CAEhZuMIDb4veKFlB8weUIVuvfZj4zDg51wsA1Eyg68wf98eMyTHFdRLBQpWVeZ9hSEbYktoT3YRoNhG_tjhFYhe6UCQ4wFYceaYr/s200/DSC01203.JPG" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClhyphenhyphenQ9ric8WKpopjJDUlW1aiIhkdqhSKbbL_l9JbL_ahAo0sWvZJ1CHTObYFN-s8JzAbOhxffU3_Y48MSuxiB7Qcj3QSqWissqDf7wNVClSbwQk62op5KQD6b-Ew2YjMrVgYMURmtHSdn/s1600/DSC01204.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 324px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 197px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508560721335187682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClhyphenhyphenQ9ric8WKpopjJDUlW1aiIhkdqhSKbbL_l9JbL_ahAo0sWvZJ1CHTObYFN-s8JzAbOhxffU3_Y48MSuxiB7Qcj3QSqWissqDf7wNVClSbwQk62op5KQD6b-Ew2YjMrVgYMURmtHSdn/s200/DSC01204.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd2a0OmAgJKNjIAJsUV2TA59x-MEvNCIVsTxhfJD-yhWlrXAqYttDVE7zvnlqU0Q8Wzfzx6wbyE_CrO77Q_SRDjaFU3Fir-KOdPioafY1D3zViyyM7nMvQhTKKSq5SXydEEjiSdMQuByT/s1600/DSC01236.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 336px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 204px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508562340753516658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd2a0OmAgJKNjIAJsUV2TA59x-MEvNCIVsTxhfJD-yhWlrXAqYttDVE7zvnlqU0Q8Wzfzx6wbyE_CrO77Q_SRDjaFU3Fir-KOdPioafY1D3zViyyM7nMvQhTKKSq5SXydEEjiSdMQuByT/s200/DSC01236.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqe8gn3I6q4L4LVrQuYFf3oakGrlC9eIRtGmemlDJ8XqfabADmH1BpP5kKFV79S258WA_O0C2XW_KSuh0nrU4teEkuui7hyphenhyphenkZFVM6fTD1dN7gUI7WTSCQmE8XUdM7Sdz7KjDnMD-CLJjgN/s1600/DSC01239.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 202px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508562352921792738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqe8gn3I6q4L4LVrQuYFf3oakGrlC9eIRtGmemlDJ8XqfabADmH1BpP5kKFV79S258WA_O0C2XW_KSuh0nrU4teEkuui7hyphenhyphenkZFVM6fTD1dN7gUI7WTSCQmE8XUdM7Sdz7KjDnMD-CLJjgN/s200/DSC01239.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />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).</div><div>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!)</div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9122318567593773902.post-85142088272766792742010-08-15T22:12:00.012+01:002010-08-15T23:24:29.283+01:00KNIT CAMP...part 1<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 415px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 257px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505763393992004658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilD8T_D75kZlNBOTDbBfIVBYeascH847zTMHvAt8nfZhMDgReCyB6-xv1aC_JfF06_rnYt9dh65hcHDNJ7w5mdVHMxxpW7KC_DPtjA02mdGbb6M7vHT44r3VtVPxMIBuPTT1IBVR7vDhtU/s400/DSC01179.JPG" />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...<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>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. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505765287445667426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DzDSHu1uyni4_ZrGqGYSt5rEnDHnWQvkneoCrXshcF9Y3SHuQ6tbKJUG11bo7pcwEGNAUpQLtgZ2IemST8WAkk3L-3FeW54HkHQ-c8oHcnOljX4aEBmFrtyR4AaD4_wSnjmX1mxBNveL/s400/DSC01169.JPG" />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.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWxzd-nJk-9rhA8ZZ5VhEDfcj25Kr2MFmDA3GoLtOIV9JT2MrI4Y183UsKmq8CQcVQQEnsV_KVrBWA5xe-v44GWBADcy_9gz5f-gGDOZTk6uXfLw4JLFdf8yUbOWrFedrlHd_iCar7Ea2/s1600/DSC01210.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505759236265612754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWxzd-nJk-9rhA8ZZ5VhEDfcj25Kr2MFmDA3GoLtOIV9JT2MrI4Y183UsKmq8CQcVQQEnsV_KVrBWA5xe-v44GWBADcy_9gz5f-gGDOZTk6uXfLw4JLFdf8yUbOWrFedrlHd_iCar7Ea2/s200/DSC01210.JPG" /></a>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?).<br /><br />On my first afternoon I attended Jared Flood's Koolhaas hat class (a pattern which I have owned<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAPERsA-3XRI1hIjniHSAqmdZBGtLidmYxZpJ3K63_OGATbhcAXVnb4Kb9tXQv8npCEtJduUEqERhV4W-tC5xFNXY_qSHm_gpbzPJD5RE3axhthOmaaYR5c4scCtbUgpnZRRSF-LYsS_t/s1600/DSC01162i.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 275px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505761003647962994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAPERsA-3XRI1hIjniHSAqmdZBGtLidmYxZpJ3K63_OGATbhcAXVnb4Kb9tXQv8npCEtJduUEqERhV4W-tC5xFNXY_qSHm_gpbzPJD5RE3axhthOmaaYR5c4scCtbUgpnZRRSF-LYsS_t/s320/DSC01162i.bmp" /></a> 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.</div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgtogwN4_vnCTu-xNmndwNcuBUTb_MHw0gkJHY0AJ045i0Yyd3b7xJWdebFtMg2wxJEr-bIDbx-Ju9Zs3GRoSRe3-HfilTbm2Lopz_3Mg_1LN6822IHna3N8wHdhgS-L1djpKCloGexYE/s1600/DSC01254.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 312px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505763940856852658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgtogwN4_vnCTu-xNmndwNcuBUTb_MHw0gkJHY0AJ045i0Yyd3b7xJWdebFtMg2wxJEr-bIDbx-Ju9Zs3GRoSRe3-HfilTbm2Lopz_3Mg_1LN6822IHna3N8wHdhgS-L1djpKCloGexYE/s400/DSC01254.JPG" /></a><br /><div></div><div>I can now cable without a cable needle and follow a simple chart. I am also confident I can now complete the pattern...result!</div><br /><br /><div>Part 2...lovely people and pretty purchases</div><br /><div></div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Littlelouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16463649001714654235noreply@blogger.com3