Friday, April 29, 2011

Scarf, gloves and sun tan lotion

Guess where I will be holidaying?



That’s right, England, and due to the vagaries of the good old English weather I am having to act like a boy scout and ‘be prepared’.

I expect it has been the same for many of you, but round here last week the temperature was in the high 20s - flip flops, shorts and strappy tops were the order of the day, and many a lobster pink body could be seen. This week we’ve been lucky if it reaches double figures on the thermometer and the winter woollies are back out.

I’m off to walk the Cumbrian way, and who knows what the skies will throw at us, but never fear, I have it all, well as much as I can fit in the holdall – it’s OK, I won’t be carrying it myself, one of the conditions of saying yes to this adventure was that we used a baggage transfer service. The down side though is that I have no option but to walk if I want to be with my luggage at the end of the day as it will be moving on to the next B&B regardless of what I do. Just to be certain that I have the essentials though I will have one lot of knitting in my holdall, and a little project in my rucksack – well you never know do you?

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Little things

I'm in that awkward place at the moment. I have my next project all lined up and ready to go, but I don't want to start it 'til I go away shortly.
With my existing yarny stuff, I'm suffering from SMS (well if you can have Second Sock Syndrome why not Second Mitten Syndrome) and as for the Mystery Crochet Blanket - if I do another crochet mitred square I think I might scream! If I had known what I was taking on I never would have started it, much less bought yarn - yes, I know, me buying yarn from LYS, and at full price even !!! I can't not finish it now, but I hate these squares and there are 16 of them - I'm sure the designer was deranged, or masochistic or just plain misguided if she though 16 of the same, awful, square was a good idea. It should have been finished in time for Christmas, but it's not even going to be done for Easter - oh well.

Anyway, the point of this ramble was to explain why I have been avoiding what I already have on the needles filling my time usefully with small items.

First I made some Flower coasters to catch the drips at work - I still can't find a mug exactly the right size to use with the drinks machine, so when I have to whip it out just before the end I invariably get drips. I made two (in reverse colours) so I can throw one in the wash and still have one to use. After all it's no good using my own mug to save plastic cups and the environment only to work my way through a tree wiping my desk.

And then there is Little Bear, he's been quite unhappy ever since I had him, you see he is definitely a he - you can see it in his face, but he had a very feminine pink and lilac sweatshirt on, and he really didn't like it, so I finally gave in to him and knitted a custom made jumper in blue sock yarn, just to make him happy.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

The non-technical approach

I decided to take the non-technical approach to select the winner for my blogiversary draw, and as DD is looking after the nieces during the school holidays I thought I would enlist their help.

Littlest niece wrote the names on some paper and then of course I had to find a hat - because when you are 7, if you are told we are going to pull the winning name out of a hat, then a hat, and only a hat will do!


Now I don't do hats except for the knitted variety, so we settled on this one, (Coronet from Knitty in case you are interested) - I think it looks quite good upside down as a bowl!

And biggest niece had the very important task of picking a name from the hat.... and so the winner is.........



Congratulations Auntie Noo, if you could let me have your address I will send the project bag to you.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Follow the yellow brick road

Well the footpath across the field anyway.


DH and I are getting some miles behind us in readiness for our walking holiday (holiday being used in the loosest sense of the word!). In a few weeks time he and I will be walking the Cumbrian Way - 72 miles from Ulverston to Carlisle over 6 walking days. I'm sure I will enjoy it, but there are times when I am not sure how the word 'yes' came out when he suggested it - usually about 10 miles into the practice walks! Joking aside, I've always been a walker, walking at least 2 miles a day, plus 4 miles with friends every friday evening and DH and I often do a longer walk at the weekend, just to get away from it all and have uninterupted time together, but this will be my first long distance walk whilst DH has done several.

At the weekend we did 12 miles locally, and for some reason I was really taken with the view along the road under the bridge that used to carry the long disused Hawkhurst branch line



And further on I saw what has to be the absolute typical Kentish scene



It was a lovely walk, with perfect weather, sunny with a nice gentle breeze and we covered the 12 miles in a very respectable 4 hours including a few stops for snacks and a cuppa (there is no way I am walking long distances without my flask!).

My legs were naturally tired, so when we got back I put my feet up and was listening to the Simon and Garfunkel CD I recently treated myself to (to relive the past I think) and DD came in just as it was playing Scarborough Fair
(Are you going to Scarborough fair?/parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme/remember me to one who lives there/ she once was a true love of mine)

DD stood considering for a few moments, then said "It's odd isn't it? I mean, who on earth would suddenly say ' you know, I think I'll sing about some herbs today'?"
Actually, perhaps she has a point!


PS: There are still a few days left to enter my blogiversary draw - it closes on Saturday 16th April

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Blogiversary giveaway

It's my 5th blogiversary! I find it hard to believe but it is. So as is traditional I thought I would have a giveway. But what to give? - well since none of us can have too many project bags (well I certainly can't and I'm sure I'm not alone), I searched my books and patterns until I found just the thing, then dusted off my sewing machine, raided my stash and here it is.



Just right for a small project, or socks of course, the base measures approx 8" across and 2" deep, it is self lined and lightly padded.

So if you fancy winning yourself a new project bag comment on my blog, between now and Saturday 16th April, and I will randomly select a winner to send it to.

Good luck.