aaaaaaarrrggghhhh............

completely forgot about "flash your stash" April 1st.

have neglected to take picures and am going away for the weekend. Important match tomorrow and sister and BiL arriving from New Zealand (hi Als & Cris, have a good flight!).

Ignore the button on the side bar, I may flash late or not at all!!!

Sorry.

BUT HOLD ON

Before I go ****NEWSFLASH*****


Postman has just been with my last parcel from my secret pal who revealed herself as...

Gabby

With a postcard of Powys Casle, looking very exotic and almost Mediteranean with those glowing colours,

a ball of Sirdar "Firefly" and a pattern for a scarf to knit with it.

A lovely night light in a rather classy glass holder and a ?Cow? ?Sheep? with a postcard holder on it's back. (I think it's a cow, it has horns and a cow shaped face, but it could be a sheep). Whatever it is it's a bit of a cutie.

Thankyou Gabby for being a great secret pal.

I have to admit that the game was up as far as identity is concerned a while ago, as I happened to post a comment on her blog quite randomly and she thought I'd guessed. I then had to go back through my history to see who's blog I'd commented on and ran her down that way.

It's been good fun. Thank you.

here's to the next one.

I forgot to reveal my identity to my spoilee in my last parcel and don't know if I should wait until she gets her parcel to let her know or just reveal myself anyway. I'm better at being spoiled than at spoiling I fear.

What a week

Back at work and a bit grumpy on Monday but things were looking up when I got home 'cos the postman had left a note to say that there was a parcel waiting for me at the sorting office. Perhaps this was my birthday present from Ro, which she had posted (first class) the previous Tuesday. Unfortunately I wouldn't find out until later on in the week, as I was back driving Tuesday and Wednesday, so not able to go to pick it up.

Finally got to the sorting office at seven o'clock sharp when it opened on Thursday morning and picked the parcel up. Yup it was definitely from Ro. Couldn't wait to get it home and open it and was overjoyed to discover that it was a swift. I've been wanting one for ages but hadn't found one. From what she'd told me about the size of the parcel I'd sort of guessed what it might be, but didn't want to be too definite in case I was disappointed. Should have known better, she's truly ace at buying the present that you want.
After phoning to say thanks I set it up and used it to wind a skein of "Cherry Tree Hill Supersock" Fall Foliage into a ball before work. Performs to perfection.

My run this week was quite quiet which was nice. The only problems were the A38 being closed due to an accident, so I got stuck at a drop for longer than I should have been. But I took advantage of the delay to have a delicious bowl of homemade soup in their cafe.

The following day I boobed somewhat by delivering an order to the wrong customer. This wouldn't have been too much of a problem, except the place I delivered it to the customer is never there so I just leave it on the doorstep. Half way through unloading it I thought "I'm sure she doesn't usually buy this much soya milk!"

CLANG

sound of penny dropping. Checks invoice, sure enough I'm in the wrong place. Load it back onto the truck and start again! Ooops! Finally found the RIGHT customer and delivered it. Talk about a blonde moment!!

I (unselfishly) volunteered to go into work this afternoon (on my day off!) to help out in stock control as it's the month end and so always very busy. When I got there discovered they didn't actually need me, so ended up picking in the warehouse instead. This was quite nice for a change, don't get to do it very often nowadays so it makes a change. Besides, the way the weather was today once I was out of bed being at work was as good as anywhere else, particularly as I couldn't see outdoors. Gawd wasn't it horrible ?

When I got home there was a padded envelope waiting for me containing the following...
50% Llama 50% wool, a birthday present from Ling. Isn't it lovely? I assume that she bought it in the US whilst on her holiday. Anyway I was so very pleased. I'm thinking of a Woolywormhead hat, but not sure which one yet.

The knitting blogosphere is certainly full of lovely generous people. Thank you Ling for being so kind and thoughtful.

Day out

but alas no pictures as I forgot to take my camera.

Went to the open day at the Knitting & Crochet Guild this morning. Decided that I might as well spring eighteen pounds for membership so I did so and thusly got in for free (if you don't count the eighteen quid obviously). Had a quick look at the collection that was on show which was cool, but necessarily limited as the space they have is not ideal for exhibiting (which is why they require financial support to get better, more permanent premises).

One of the guild members then gave a "hands on" talk about part of the collection. This was fascinating and I wish I'd taken the camera so that I could share it with you. We sat around a table, donned white cotton gloves and not only looked at but were able to touch some of the precious items in the collection.

These included three beautiful 18thC. beaded misers purses, some knitted and some crocheted. The colours were absolutely lovely and so bright still and the work was so fine it made your eyes hurt just to think it was done by hand. There was a white cotton knitted Victorian bedspread which weighed an absolute ton.

A crochet sampler book and a sampler piece about four inches wide and four foot long. There was a shawl knitted in linen (probably, though apparently at the time other vegetable fibres were in common use such as nettle) and probably dyed with coffee which again must have been done on the tiniest wires possible.

We were shown three of the most beautiful Irish Crochet dresses which were probably made up by nuns for export to Britain from pieces of crochet made by Irish women during the famine as a way of raising money to feed their families.

We were shown a christening gown and shawl which had a story attached of a sailor who was given the Merino roving by family in Australia, brought it home where it was spun by his mother and then knitted up by an aunt. The gown and shawl were a wedding present to him and his wife but the marriage ended "without issue" so they were never used and no-one else in the family wanted them.

There was a lovely crocheted cardigan in rayon from the thirties which wouldn't have looked out of place worn today; a jumper from the forties knitted in space dyed wool (which I assumed was a modern invention) but both sides matched up perfectly (dunno how they did that). As well as some more modern items (including a particularly repellent crocheted bright yellow (raffia????) trouser suit.

There was other stuff too which I've probably forgotten now, but it was worth it to go and get the chance to get up close to some of this stuff.

I managed to be quite good and only bought a tiny part of the yarn mountain and some laceweight merino in pansy sort of colours, dark purple and goldy yellow I've been inspired to try my hand at some lace.

Worth a visit, mainly for the talk. But well worth supporting. Apparently now the V&A have stopped collecting domestic knitted and crocheted items the Guild is the next port of call, so they need financial support to keep our knitted heritage alive.

Who this sweet child?

....... today she was forty five, (and the little lambs was eaten long since)

Happy birthday to me.

Just wanted to share this

If you look in my sidebar you'll see a link to the Matt Hampson Appeal. This is an article that appeared in the Sunday Times about him.

article

SP7

Good golly, will you look at this. Whilst trolling about yesterday morning trying to decide if it was worth the effort of getting up and getting dressed, the postman came.

And look what he brought me!!

More lovely goodies from my secret pal.

A pair of handknitted wrist warmers/mittens, which fit like a glove (LoL) and will be perfect for keeping me snug whilst using the computer (at home and at work). They're done in something nice and soft and silky feeling, I don't know what it is. But I love the colour.

It was so nice to get a handmade gift that I was immediately inspired to use the wool that I'd bought to send to my spoilee to make something for her instead. So now I have a secret project on the needles and I'm having a re-think on Crusoe as I'm not sure if I should soldier on and find they don't fit or give up now and start again (again).

Also in my parcel was a copy of the latest issue of Knitting magazine, which has a couple of patterns in it that I'd like to give a whirl. I've ticked the ones I like but not sure how well it shows up.

Retro, the dress I wouldn't wear as a dress, but shortened I'd like it as a jumper; like the neckline.

Inuit, the slippers would have to be done without the furry bits or the bobbles.

Inca is the childs jumper and it's nice but i don't know anyone with children.

Zest is the green cardigan and I really like that just as is.

She also sent a pair of Brittany birchwood needles which are just gorgeous and lovely and smoooooooth and delicious. If they weren't so pointy I'd want to cuddle them. I've decided that I could quite easily get into using posh needles and here's my lovely secret pal who has sent me not one but TWO pairs . Bless her she is FAB! (I'm using the clover DPNs that she sent me last time on my secret project)

She also sent me a pretty flowery card which is now on top of the telly so I can see it when I look up from my knitting, and all this was beautifully gift wrapped. Thank you so much.

Just hope that I can spoil my spoilee as much as my spoiler spoils me! (betcha can't say that five times really fast!)

Crusoe's Progress

Okay I know I'm getting my classical literature mixed up, but this is sock related (surprise!).

I frogged the first attempt as I decided that they were never in a million years going to fit me, and started again on needles one size up (2.5mm). I'm still not entirely convinced that they'll go over my ankles (particularly the manky one), but we shall see. If not I'll just have to give them away (sob).

Started them yesterday afternoon and carried on at Knit & natter yesterday evening. Seem to be the sock lady now (was doing my Jaywalkers at the last one). Someone had brought along a copy of the spring Interweave Knits magazine, there are some great patterns in it. I may decide to subscribe!
Anyhoo, here's the detail of the stranded pattern on the socks, I think this yarn suits it quite well, but you have to be very close to get the best effect, don't think anyone gets that close to my feet.

God, dontcha LOVE those colours?

Back again

Well it was a mixed weekend. Tigers lost their match (we was robbed!!) but we had a pretty good time apart from that.

We pootled down to Bristol on Friday morning, stopping off at The Evesham Wool Shop which I'd seen advertised in Simply Knitting. Had tried to go there when I was driving and had a drop in Evesham, but I got there before it opened so missed out that time. Anyhow, Ro bought some cotton by a Spanish company called Katia in lovely vibrant colours. I persuaded her that she should buy a crochet hook to go with it so she did. I was remarkably restrained and bought NOTHING!!!!

We stopped for lunch in Bristol at La Ruca, which is a shop / cafe that I deliver too. They were a little surprised to see me on a Friday, but we got an excellent lunch there. By an amazing stroke of luck I went into the toy shop next door where I have bought sock kits before now and they had a skein of Opal Hagebutte sock yarn, which I'd seen on ebay the week before and sort of hummed and ha-ed over but not bought. So I decided that this was Kismet, and promptly bought it. It's lovely, I've started Crusoe with it, but fear I may have to frog and cast on more stitches than the pattern calls for.

After lunch we continued on to Cardiff and booked in to our hotel. We had been planning to go out and do stuff, but we were a bit tired after our particularly good lunch and it had started snowing so we stayed in and Ro started to crochet her cotton into a scarf and I began knitting the slippers from Simply Knitting using some wool and acrylic from my stash; and we did that for the rest of the evening (we sure know how to have a good time!). We also took pictures of our finished Tiger feet. I've hit a bit of a full stop with the slippers as the pattern doesn't make ANY sense at all, so I've done the soles (remembering to reverse the pattern for the second one even though the pattern fails to point this out!) and the ankle part, but need to figure out the upper toe part.

Saturday we went into Cardiff and wandered round the shops during the morning spotting fellow Tigers fans (the socks were as far as we went in the "dressing up like a tiger" stakes) and opposition fans and fans of the two teams playing in the second match. In the afternoon we went to the stadium and watched both games (I'll draw a veil over that part), then went for a meal and back to the hotel for more knitting / crochet etc.

After breakfast on Sunday we checked out of the hotel and drove back down into Cardiff where we took a picture of Rose outside the Millenium Stadium (doesn't she look tiny?).
We also went to a little street market just over the river from the stadium where we bought some Wild Boar and Dragon sausages (that's what it said on the packet anyway!). We also bought a chocolate cake for my other sister and her family for looking after Gracie for the weekend and Ro bought some fudge and toffee for her colleagues (including some chilli fudge which we were given a taste of and boy was it GOOD (also very HOT).

We then drove back stopping at the Wheatsheaf public house in Northleach for lunch and arrived in Northampton to watch my nephew in the quarter final of the colts cup (or some such tournament) only to find that the match had finished about a minute before we arrived. (But his team had won so that's okay!)

Anyhow, got back to Huddersfield today after an action packed weekend! Now I need a proper rest.

We're off to see the Tiggers......

Powergen Cup semi final v Wasps

Millennium Stadium Cardiff

Saturday 4th March 2-30pm.

I'm going down to Ro's this afternoon and then we're driving down to Cardiff on Friday and making a weekend of it. Hoping the weather and road salt isn't too rough for poor Rose.
Rose is Ro's car (geddit?). She won her in a raffle at the end of last season, you can't see it in the picture, but her roof is signed by the entire England world cup winning squad.

Wish us luck, we've been a bit off form recently and it's a long way to go if we don't win.

Hey ho!

I STILL haven't finished my tiger feet, sort of half way along the second foot. I should manage them by Saturday. I parked up in the market place in Northleach on Tuesday night and went to the Sherbourne Arms for my evening meal. It was lovely to be sat in a comfortable settee in front of a roaring fire with my knitting whilst waiting for my meal to be cooked. Got a few rounds done but was afraid that I'd fall asleep there so after eating I went back to the truck and bedded down for the night. Blimey it was cold that night. It's the first time that I've done an overnighter that I haven't been totally cosy wrapped up in my duvet. Mostly I was okay but my nose was freezing! I'm seriously considering knitting a nightcap!

Still not sure about my next project, though I'm tending towards a pair of slippers, I'll let you know.