It`s going to take forever!

I won the yarn on eBay, and I`ve started Thermal

but it feels like it is going to take forever. The yarn is a 50% cotton, 50% Acrylic mix in 4ply, and to achieve tension I am having to knit on 2.75mm needles! A whole jumper on diddy needles! what was I thinking. Actually, it is quite nice to work, lovely and light on the hands, and I am enjoying using the Boyes Needlemaster circs, nice and pointy and smooth, except the join where I am having to gently coax the stitches passed, but even that isn`t too much of a trial. I keep checking the joins as I have heard some stories of them coming unscrewed and I don`t fancy having to pick up 240 sts, but so far so good. The colour is actually greener than this photo - I had hoped it would be as it seems, but though it is called Peacock, I would realistically describe it as nearer jade when you see it in real life, Oh well, guess that is what happens when you rely on monitors and the internet and get a bargain, I mean, I can`t really complain about winning the yarn for a whole jumper for £6.65 including postage, now can I?

My other recent purchase was the Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl Pattern . Those naughty folk on the Angel Yarns Forum have driven me to it! They had a Knitalong and I have seen so many lovely shawls that eventually I had to give in. Well, I do have a ball of Opal Sock Yarn that will never become socks (because I don`t like knitting socks, but please don`t tell anyone because I feel very much like the odd one out) so it seemed like the perfect excuse to buy the pattern so I can use up some of my stash. I was really impressed with how easy it was to buy and download the pattern - never done that before. I must press on with Thermal first though, and get a fair way into that before I cast on for something else, but that yarn and pattern do keep calling to me!

Where have I been?

Just a quick post this time and not even knitting related, as the throw has been throgged sorry frogged, as it just wasn`t working, though I have since thought the pattern would make a nice baby blanket done in pastel colours of DK. (but no bubs to knit for and lots else to do, so that is a `maybe one day` project)

I have started Thermal from Knitty, but there is not enough to show yet.

I did find this interesting though

create your own visited countries map

and it was fun to see where I`ve been, even if I couldn`t find the Canary Islands. Mind you, half of the places I have only been to for the day as part of a cruise.

Charity Knit IV - and DD`s birthday but I get a pressie!

What on earth???

Oh, I think I see....

Yep, I was right!

Well, since it was me who was knitting it, I guess I should have been right! This little chap is for the Baby Pack Project using their pattern, and I have to say I was a little unsure of how he would turn out when I first started knitting, but I am very pleased with the end result and it`s lovely to think some little tot (possibly with nothing else to play with) may get pleasure and comfort from him. Oh and the yarn was the free ball from `The Art of Knitting` which I picked up for 10p in a charity shop!

And for those of you observant people, the first two photos are taken on a car seat! With DH still not being allowed to drive (you have to wait for a month after a stroke before they will let you back behind the wheel) I have been taking him to the Model Flying club on Saturday afternoons, and in fact it has been quite pleasant sitting in the car in the sunshine, listening to the radio, with my flask and my knitting for a couple of hours, while he joined his friends to play with fly his aeroplane - I doubt I would have knitted had I been at home.

And yes, the title was right, It is DD`s birthday but these lovely tulips are a present to me. It is a tradition my Dad started when she was little. Each year, on her birthday DD gives me a plant, or some flowers to say thank you for being her Mummy (as if being her mummy wasn`t reward enough). Initially Dad bought the gift himself, then as she got a little older he took her to choose and now at the age of 14 she has taken over the role herself. She used to get as excited about giving me my plant as she did about getting her own birthday presents - bless. And I can recall one year having a polyanthus shoved under my sleeping nose at 5.30am!, and another year a small heather (which dad had carefully made a protective cardboard box for) being presented enthusiastically upside down - it survived, though a little battered.

Look what my Daddy made me...

I have been coveting a swift for ages, but knowing I wouldn`t use it a great deal (sorry to confess but a lot of my knitting is in acrylic especially as much of it is still using my ancient stash, and/or for charity) I couldn`t justify the cost - then it suddenly dawned on me - my Dad is a dab hand with wood, tends to be a little on the industrial scale mind, having learnt all he knows when he worked on the farm and everything had to withstand the rigours of the outdoors or the animals. So armed with a picture I went to smile sweetly. Now with my Dad you always underestimate, for example if he asks what you want from his allotment and you say a few beans for lunch, he will turn up with a carrier bag full, bless him, so I scaled my request accordingly and hey presto - it`s perfect! Having been a human swift for many hours himself as a child he thought it was a brilliant idea and set to immediately. And best of all it didn`t cost me a penny - he is such a hoarder (is there such thing as a stash of wood?) The main bits were once upon a time a table, the dowel is from a cot (probably not mine though I wouldn`t put it past him to still have some of it and I`m in my forties!) and the washers are freebie CD`s.

I think he is a clever old stick and I am very lucky to have him.

In case you are wondering what the yarn is, it is Colinette Giotto, ready for my throw, which I have now started but there isn`t enough otn to make it worth a piccy yet. I have discovered however that it is not very portable which sounds like an excellent excuse to start something else - I have Thermal from Knitty in mind and will be hovering over the computer and eBay this afternoon hoping to win that yarn I have fallen in love with. (but then you already know how much I love a bargain so I`m sure this won`t surprise you at all)

I have also been busy reading, I came across this book on my trip to London a few weeks back and couldn`t resist It`s my party and I`ll knit if I want to! by Sharon Aris and although the book is based in Australia I found it very interesting and was surprised how many names and companies I had heard of. The synopsis ......

`Knitting as the new feminism? You bet. This is a lighthearted, philosophical look at why knitting is back in fashion and the fabulous women (and men!) embracing the lost arts of their grandmothers. Knitting is in a major revival. Knitters have been spotted in parliament, in pubs, at the cricket. And they're not just over 50. They're young, sassy, professional women. What is going on here? This is third-wave feminism in action. The previous generation made the workplace the centre for action; now it's the home front. This is a feminism that enjoys a career but doesn't think that a career alone is enough. Answering questions such as: Is it okay to knit in public?; Is it okay to share needles?; and natural versus synthetic?, Sharon Aris tells you how to knit yourself to happiness and truly embrace the world of your grandmother`

...says it all really. It was a great read, I enjoyed her excepts from her knitting diary, and found lots of things throughout the book that I could identify with.