"It's like a drug"

I really enjoy knitting for charity, it gives me chance to make some things I might not otherwise make, I can try out new stitches and techniques, if it's to be worn it doesn't have to fit a specific person it will always fit someone, it eats into my stash and lets me do what I like doing best.

I knit for various causes, if I see an Appeal that, er, appeals then I will join in, but there is one consistent cause I knit for and that is Knit-a-square. I feel it would be comforting, if I had nothing, to be able to wrap myself in a handmade blanket. I think it would give me physical and emotional warmth, and that's what I hope my squares will do for someone else.
I also knit hats and the occasional toy for them, and just because a blog post wouldn't be right without a photo, here is what I made in January....



So what's the connection with the heading? I hear you ask. Well, I was reading All for Orphans (the blog where you can follow the issues of the aids orphans and abandoned children that we are knitting for) and the latest post was about the article in the South African on line paper, City Press, in which they quoted Lindie Ngwenya – one of the leaders of the knitting movement in Soweto and part of Knit-a-square as saying

“Its like a drug,” Ngwenya explains, “When you are making a blanket, you think about the child who will receive it and that makes you happy.”

and that just about sums it up for me.

(You can read the whole post here and if you want to find out more there is information on the All for Orphans blog, on the main Knit-a-square website, or there is a friendly group on Ravelry.)

Where does the time go?

A couple of months ago DH and I celebrated our Silver Wedding - yes 25 years! and I've no idea where it went. It's been a wonderful 25 years, naturally there have been some good and bad, happy and sad, there is bound to be during that length of time. I've been so lucky, we met when we were 18 and have grown up together, and I want to be with him as much today as I did then (ahhh, sorry slushy stuff out of the way now!)

But what does one give to the man who has everything - well, as his life revolves around aircraft (model ones) both work and play, as soon as I saw this lace pattern I had the answer



It took months of secret bobbin twiddling and luckily 4 friends and I meet once a week at the house of our friend and lace teacher, to put the world to rights, drink tea, oh and do a bit of lace :) so I had the opportunity. Though there was one scary moment when DH insisted I show BIL my lacemaking as he was showing a keen interest! Fortunately, I suddenly remembered I had a small UFO on another pillow (see UFOs do have their uses) and all was well.
I'm pleased to say that DH was very happy with his pressie and it now has pride of place on the wall.

He makes me smile

I saw him through the crowd and it was love at first sight. There was something in his expression that made me feel all warm inside.

I tried to resist but it was useless, he kept catching my eye. It was then that I realised we were meant for each other. I made my way to where he was sitting and gathered him up in my arms. I took him ................

to the till and paid!



Now he sits on my kitchen window sill and grins at me every time I pass, and I just can't help smiling back!

Doing my bit

I always try to do my bit for the environment, you know, recycle what I can, turn off lights, walk not drive etc etc, but the one thing that has always got to me is those washing up sponges, you know the things, they are great at what they do, but they fall apart so quickly and all you can do is throw them out to be added to the landfill. I don't like using a cloth to wash up (though my hand made ones are always around for wiping the worktop etc) and I just hadn't found a suitable alternative until I came across Gherkin's Bucket and her Crochet Dish Sponge
I can whip them up quite quickly, and just used whatever I had in stash, doubling up the thinner yarns as necessary. I throw them in the washing machine, or dishwasher to clean them and when they finally die they can be recycled/composted. So now I can wash up with a clear conscience.

My first ever design

THE MOCK CABLE HAT


Well 'design' is a bit too grand a term but My first working out with a stitch dictionary, maths, experience and trial and error just doesn't have the same ring to it!

It's quick and easy - (I made it during the course of a film - a longish film admittedly but for me that's still quick) and has some interest with the mock cables to stop it from being boring, but it's simple enough that I could still follow the plot.

Feel free to use the pattern as much as you like (for non-profit purposes) but if you enjoy it, then please consider making one for charity, or popping a few pennies in a collecting box next time you pass one. Thank you.


Mock Cable Hat
To fit from large child to small adult
(this hat is quite stretchy)

Using 2 strands DK held together
5mm circular needle 16”
DPNS or long circ to magic loop

Gauge
Approx 18sts to 4” over pattern (but as it is a very forgiving pattern a slight variation in gauge will not affect the finished hat too much)


Pattern notes
Mock Cable (worked in the round over multiple of 4 sts)
Rounds 1-3: [K2,P2] to end
Round 4: [K2tog but do not drop sts from left needle, k into first of these sts again,
drop both sts from left needle, P2] to end.

Directions
Cast on 64 sts, place marker and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work rounds 1-4 of mock cable 8 times

Decrease for top, changing to DPNS/ magic loop when necessary
R 1: [K2, P2] to end
R 2: [K2, P2tog] to end (48sts)
R 3: [K2, P1] to end
R 4: [K2tog, P1] to end (32sts)
R 5: [K1, P1] to end
R 6: [K2tog] to end (16sts)
R 7: [K2tog] to end (8sts)
R 8: [K2tog] to end (4sts)

Draw yarn through remaining sts, pull up tight and fasten off.
Either leave as it is or add a pompon or tassle and give to your favourite charity




Mine will be heading off to Knit-a-Square where, despite the name, they welcome hats and sweaters as well as 8" squares to be made into blankets for the Aids orphans and abandoned children of South Africa.

(With thanks to my lovely DD who willingly volunteered to model her mum's latest creation)

A KAL and a CAL

Well the KAS Cuddle is growing nicely, with chunky and DK held together on 8mm needles it kind of has to ;0)
I've even started knitting in my lunch break in the office - I've always been a bit funny about that, happy to knit in public I don't know, in the park, on the train etc but felt uncomfortable in the middle of those I do. Perhaps it's because in my new department we are all that little bit older, perhaps it's because I have discovered some of them are closet knitters too, perhaps it's this particular project but the other day when rain was forecast I thought 'what the heck', put my knitting in my bag, took a deep breath and pulled it out at my desk at lunch time (no rest room to escape to) and do you know what - no one batted an eyelid!

Not content with just doing a KAL (something I rarely do) I've decided to do a CAL as well, fortunately I could raid stash for most of it, and only bought the 4 balls on the top.

This is for the Bernat Mystery Afghan so look away now if you are doing it and don't want to know what Clue 1 looks like...mind you, it wasn't too hard to guess just from reading the pattern.

A Cuddle of many colours

I'm a bit late to the party (so nothing new there then!) but I have just cast on for the KASCuddle KAL and we are making these...

Sleep sacks for aids orphans and and abandoned babies of Africa.

My tardiness is not entirely my fault - the KAL called for 21oz of worsted weight in 100% wool, which is used double. Well at a quick reckoning that would be well out of my budget - but then I discovered (thanks to the Ravelry forum) that, as long as it's composition is labelled any other fibres are acceptable too. So I dived into my stash, and with a bit of (hopefully) clever yarn combining, I think I have come up with equivalent thickness in a reasonably high wool content, which should be nice and warm - it's just going to be rather multi-coloured, but I don't suppose the bubbies will mind.

Happy to help

As you have probably gathered by now I get a lot of pleasure from knitting for others, especially charity, and I don't believe I have shown my finished SANDS blanket, so here it is.


It may be a sad cause, but I loved every minute of the knitting, especially the knitted on border and will definitely be using this pattern again, maybe in other colours for baby shower gifts.

Now, I have finally got around to making something, small, quick and brightly coloured, which you may recall was my intention before I started the SANDS blanket!
I work for a very large company who are celebrating 70 years of being by having a Fete in aid of Kent Air Ambulance (our chosen charity for 2010), so when they asked for donations for the 'Made by Hand' stall I couldn't resist. I started by making some phone socks


Three at a time on two circs, using oddments of sock yarn - that certainly caused a few raised eyebrows when I got out my knitting at the Lacemakers group, but to be honest it was a lot easier than two-at-a-time socks - at least the yarns were different colours so there was less danger of carrying on without changing. I did get in a bit of a tangle though, until I mastered the art of turning in opposite directions at the end of each row!

Then it suddenly occured to me - they didn't have mobile phones in the 1940's (doh) still the lady organising the stall said she still wanted them as they were knitted and that was an old-fashioned skill (not sure if I should be pleased or offended!.
However I went on to crochet some Bookworms


Which only took a few minutes each, and came out rather cute, even if I do say so myself, though I will put that down to Michelle's lovely pattern rather than anything I did.

The Eternal Optimist

Or at what point do you frog?




I’ve been knitting this Moebius Scarf, from Simply Knitting, forever – or so it seems, and I am not enjoying it one little bit, in fact I am having one of those ‘whatever possessed me’ moments.

I really don’t like Rowan Milk Cotton – it makes my fingers feel dirty, it’s not soft and it smells funny. I hate doing moss stitch and the rows are endless. I’m not happy with the colour changes either, I like a nice clean change, not the loops from the stitch below interfering with the new row, and as for carrying the yarn you aren’t using up the side, well there isn’t a side so it looks horrible, added to which I can’t even imagine myself wearing this thing!



And yet I’m still plodding on in the vain hope that it will get better, that I will like it, that I will start to enjoy moss stitch (though heavens knows why I am even considering the possibility – I’ve hated it for the last 30 odd years, so what’s going to change now?) you see, I’m the eternal optimist (or downright stupid, perhaps) and so I knit on



And



On



And



On



until


Ah, that’s better :0)

Walking our socks off

DH and I enjoy walking and more often than not we do a few miles on a Sunday morning, but DH is in 'training' for The West Highland Way (95 miles from Glasgow to Fort William) so we thought we'd up the mileage a bit for this walk. Just for a change we hopped on the train and I knitted my way up to London. We made our way to Paddington Basin (no sign of the bear as we passed through the station, much to my disappointment) and, after a quick coffee and Muffin to fortify us, we set off along the canal.


The Weather was very pleasant, which unfortunately made the tow path rather busy. I'm not quite sure how we walked all that way without seeing one of the multitude of cyclists ending up in the water! They were swerving and speeding and infuriatingly dinging their bells even when we walkers had already flattened ourselves against the sides despite the fact that pedestrians have right of way over bikes on a towpath - in fact, one or two were pretty lucky I hadn't thought to take my walking pole with me!!! and I'm certainly not usually given to violence or even unkind thought but really!! (Grumpy old woman gripe over!)



We passed by Camden Market and I resisted the temptation to turn in - but oh my, did that food smell good.



And carried on with a backward glance at Camden Lock, and on we walked keeping a nice steady rhythm and eating up the miles til at last



The end was in site, with Canary Wharf in view we knew we were nearly there and made our way via the Underground to the train and home again, tired but happy after a lovely day out.

In all, from door to door we did just over 13 miles, and much to my amazement my legs weren't the least bit stiff the next day - DH was moaning though, despite being much fitter and more used to walking than me. Perhaps I should take his place on the WHW next month instead ;0)

Workshops are like buses!

It has been ages since I've seen any workshops that appeal, and then two came along in a week.

I went to Knit Nation on Saturday and took the Spinning for Knitting class with Merike Saarnit, it was brilliant. I had dabbled rather unsucessfully before, but it just wasn't the same trying to teach myself and, I discovered, having the right tools for the job makes such a difference - previously I had tried to spin with a bottom whorl spindle, but now I realise a top whorl is the way to go for me.
Merike is a wonderful teacher, patient but not patronising, kind but firm - she had us spinning in no time at all, and we tried all manner of fibres, and had a little of each left to bring home and practice with too. Sadly there were no spindles to buy in the Marketplace (missed business opportunity there, methinks!) and it has taken me a while to decide exactly what to buy online, but I am now waiting anxiously for postie so I can have another play.


Before and After

And because I am ridiculously pleased with my efforts, here's a close up...

My first Handspun

Then, on Thursday, I went down to Kangaroo near Lewes, East Sussex for a Tunisian Crochet workshop run by the lovely ladies from Denise Interchangeable Needles. Barbara taught us in the morning, again she was an excellent teacher, with a pleasant laid back style (and a lovely american accent), and we picked it up very quickly. Using an 8mm hook and Rowan Cocoon (oh so soft and gorgeous - I think I'm in love with a yarn!!!) our little bags grew rapidly, and after a hasty break for lunch there was no structured teaching so I spent a most enjoyable afternoon finishing my bag whilst chatting with the other students and to Linda (who owns Denise needles) about anything and everything, UK and USA. It was such a good day I was not a happy bunny on Friday when I had to go back to work and couldn't chat and play with yarn and hooks all day!


Bonne Bouche Bag in Tunisian Crochet
designed by Barbara Kreuter

Ten thousand gallons of 4* please!

Well despite the weather - rain, mist, drizzle, fog, downpours, more mist, oh and did I mention rain? - we had a lovely time. On board ship was, of course, superb, gorgeous food, lovely staff and no housework!! but even through the bad weather you could still see and enjoy the beauty of Norway and the Fjords, and we have a very good excuse to go back again.
As you can imagine we took tons of photo's but here are just a small selection.

Couldn't resist this shot of the Ventura berthed at Olden.




Bergen was a lovely town, the old wharf, Bryggen is so attractive even in the rain, I bet it looks wonderful in the sunshine - these old timber warehouses are included in UNESCO's World Heritage list, most are now used as artists studios or restaurants



The narrow little streets and alley ways behind really fascinated me - wouldn't fancy have to traipse all the way up these steps with heavy shopping when they are icy in the winter!


In Flaam we took the scenic railway up the mountain, with sheer drops and a very windy track it made for an interesting ride, there was even a 5 minute stop for photo's at one point, and this is a scheduled train not specifically for tourists - can't imagine BR doing that!


Leaving Olden, I just love the way the mist hangs in the valleys.


A day at sea with little to do, DH decided to be an arty photographer!


And no set of pictures from Norway would be complete without a troll - I thought this was the sweetest we saw (yes saccharine sweet I know) especially as she was wearing a traditional Norwegian cardigan

Getting my priorities right

It's tatty knicker week in the Model household - yes that's right we are off on holiday in a wee while and all the good stuff is packed, but I've made sure to get my priorities right



I have Rowan Milk cotton on the left to knit a moebius scarf from Simply Knitting, and Panda Silk from Crystal Palace Yarns on the right for Annis from Knitty, though I thought I'd use beads rather than nupps, and of course I have a knitting novel - if you like something light and fluffy with a bit of fibre thrown in then I would recommend Maggie Sefton's Knitting Mysteries.


You may have guessed from the travel sickness tablets - we are off on a cruise again, this time to the Fjords, I'm really looking forward to it, lovely scenery, a bit cooler than the melting weather we've been having here lately, and the only thing I need to think about where food is concerned is shall I have this, or shall I have that (or both possibly!)

Talking of food, I popped down to see Mum earlier in the week and found her cooking lunch - it does worry me sometimes that at 79 she is still deep fat frying, and when I saw her draining technique I was even more concerned - she assures me she only uses metal needles as she doesn't think the plastic ones would be strong enough!!!!!



I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

Lace and Tea

Rather a good combination I think.

I belong to Tonbridge Lacemakers who meet on the second Saturday of the month, and we take it in turns to 'do the teas' (well some of us take more turns than others, but isn't that always the way) and yesterday I and a couple of friends had volunteered. It's not an easy task keeping everyone happy. Until I started doing this I would never have realised how easy it is to upset older ladies by not making a cuppa properly - me, I'm a tea bag in a mug girl, but oh no, that would never do, teapots at dawn if you tried that!
Fortunately (and surprisingly) it is easier to keep the old dears happy with the cakes we provide for afternoon tea - and this time I chose Ginger and Lemon





I did manage a little lace between kitchen duties, and finished a bookmark - designed by a friend, it should have been larger but I missed the bit in the instructions which said "photocopy and enlarge to 150%" - Oh dear, just as well I read small books then isn't it ;0)

Forgive me Blogger...

for I have sinned, it has been a long time since my last post....

I don't know what happened really - but I'm back.

I've still been knitting of course, made loads of squares for Knit-a-Square and lots of little oddments but my latest decent sized knit has been



Debbie Bliss' Alphabet Blanket

Using Sirdar Snuggly in Vanilla for my Little Cousin's bump due any day now - poor girl pregnant in this heat. I'd forgotten how nice it is to work in 4ply, though it was a bit of a challenge with hardly any two right side rows the same, and a little way in I didn't think I would make it in time, but having worked out a minimum row rate per week I felt more motivated and voila.

Whilst knitting it I promised myself that my next project would be something small, quick and brightly coloured, so as soon as it was off the needles I started knitting this......


Ooops! wrong on all three counts, but having seen the urgent appeal over at SANDS for blankets for their Always loved, never forgotten Memory Boxes I couldn't help but cast on - I'm enjoying the garter stitch, and looking forward to the lace border, which I will be knitting on with a little guidance from those lovely folk over at Ravelry in the British Knitter's SANDS appeal thread

And just to prove I am not completely devoid of colour in my life, though not usually given to impulse purchases, I couldn't help myself.
I've no idea what I am going to wear them with, but they make me smile when I look at them, (and I have been doing overtime lately so I deserve a treat)...Sad eh?

The quick and the slow

DH and I went up to London to walk along the Regents canal so of course I needed a little something to knit on the train, this little chap just fitted the bill perfectly, magic looped with stash DK he came out a whole 4" tall, and only took the journey to and from London to knit. Should make a nice little handful for a babe in the next Baby pack project pack.

As for the slow, well the Yarn Forward blanket had it's ups and downs, plenty of problems with the patterns but it's done - took 5 months to make but I'm really happy with the results - I think DD is too judging by the fact that she is currently snuggled under it on the sofa watching TV.

I made socks !!!

I've just finished the socks I started to take on my walking trip in May, and do you know what - I enjoyed making them! simple pattern sock stew which I adapted to knit two at a time, toe up on two circs. Rather enjoyed them, I'm beginning to think I may be converted :0)



I'm even thinking of casting on another pair !!!!

Pins and Needles

I found a lovely pincushion pattern when I was browsing the web (as you do) and couldn't resist. I used the remains of a fat quarter that DD had chosen for her GCSE textiles (their brief was to choose something to represent themselves !), and thought it would be nice to have a matching needlecase. Then I decided the original pattern for pincushion came out too big for what I wanted, and made a mini version.


I was really pleased with the results, and the pattern is written so well.

I am still knitting, honestly! I have finally finished the squares for the YF Mystery blanket, and now have to sew them all together :0( and decide on a border. I think most of us over on the Ravelry knitalong were rather disappointed at the way Yarnforward suddenly abandoned us. Five months of knitting, giving us different themed squares each month and then suddenly when we were eagerly awaiting clever ideas of finishing, we were told we could crochet them together, back stitch or mattress stitch .... oh and add a border if we liked!
Oh well, hopefully I will have a picture of the finished article soon. Having added a few more squares myself to make it bigger, I now have the wonderful task of sewing 35 squares together. (I'm sure it won't be all that bad, if only I could get started!)

Sad sewing and Beautiful butterflies

Every so often I feel the need to do some 'sad sewing' I'm beginning to think it could be related to anniversaries of my own losses, but I don't wish to dwell on that and work it out, so I just do my sewing, send it off to Bonnie Babies and get it out of my system. So this is the current sad sewing


burial gowns
Now onto more cheerful things. It was such a beautiful day yesterday, the sun was shining, the bees were buzzing and the butterflies were having a wonderful time on and around my buddleia, so I got out DH's posh camera and had a play





And the last one is not for anyone who dislikes insects - this butterfly looks quite evil in close up, it's face when it fills the screen is sooooo ugly!!!

Strange thing for a knitter to buy

Well that's what DH said anyway, but I was browsing in a charity shop and saw this bag of knitted squares (well moss stitch rectangles actually but let's not get picky) and decided they needed to be put to good use. When I went to the till the lady said " Oh, I'm glad you are buying them, they must have taken someone a very long time to knit" to which I politely agreed and somehow managed to refrain from adding ' but it didn't stop you only charging 50p for them did it?'

Anyway, after playing around for a while I came up with a layout I was happy with and a couple of evening later I had this....



which will wend it's way with my next Baby Pack Project pack - Very satisfying to have created a brightly coloured little blankie and put someone elses hard work to good use.