Busy Bee

I have so much to tell that I am going to i think divide this post into three sections firstly

GIFTS
First up is the pic of some of the things that Mary brought for me on Thursday.
Mary's Pressie

I'm sorry its a little out of focus but the light has been so terrible here and if I used the flash you lose how beautiful the beads are. The pictures underneath have sparked off several hundred ideas.
Next is this wonderful trio,
Jacquelines pressie

Aren't they fantastic they are characters from Tim Burtons The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy: And Other Stories ,I love Tim Burtons style and these are fantastic if you get a chance check it out. I am now trying really hard not to go and try and find the rest of the collection, I am being very good.

KNITTING
Knitting wise look

sock one


I finished a sock, I know it looks a little strange but I really do have big feet and they fit reasonably well for cuff down socks, I even managed the grafting on the toe with out getting to frustrated :) The reason that I managed to get my sock complete was a very long afternoon at the hairdressrs, now I know that I am usually in there for a couple of hours but this turned into a five hour marathon, now I wasn't in there having some fantastic very complicated haircut technically challening no it was just to redo my colour (the same as before) and a quick trim (which in the end took precisely two minutes) but unfortunately my poor hairdresser who is the only one I will let cut my hair was swamped and she was trying to work on several other customers at the same time and I was the least awkward so I was very petient and sat knitting in the corner with towels wrapped around my head (my normal five minute hair treatment actually ended up staying in my hair for half an hour, I did get really nice soft and smooth hair though) So I arrived say at 2pm and finally left at 7pm, three cups of tea later and one complete sock.
Now I was very tempted to consider this a finished object and cast on for the boa, but no I was soooo good and immediately cast on the second sock.
Speaking of socks I have signed up for the Sockpalozza for the very first time, in the beginners section of course don't feel quite in control of my sock knitting yet.
On the spinning front here is the latest yarn

latest yarn


still unamed but I am hoping it might be drying in the studio but as none of the others are completely dry yet after many days drying I am hoping that it will all be dry before I head off for Silkwood.

NIGHT OUT

recognise anyone


Do you recognise anyone in this pic?
We had a great night out on Saturday watching the band that Jacqueling sings in called The Inhibitions, now I haven't seen a live band in a while but this was a fab evening and the band were great. This although hopeless as an actual photo as you can't really read the image is my favourite image froom the evening.

fav image


The barnes studios were well represented to support two of its students.

Motley Crue


A fun night was had by all.
And yesterday I went over to visit Silkwood for the first time on what seems like forever and had a wonderful time surrounded by fibres of every description and of course the cats and the bunnies.

Ok four things still struggling with the computer and still can't use MSN messenger and now blogger keeps eating my entries.

Happy Birthday to me

Well ok not me, its what I consider My Blog birthday, although my archives go back a little longer this is the date a year ago I really started to blog or should I say on occasion moan and whinge. I have made some good friends through this site and I thank you for all your support through what hasn't been the best of years and as a celebration if you drop by and leave a comment after this post I will put you in a birthday draw and the lucky winner will recieve a hank of my handspun plus a few little other knitting goodies. Oh yes I'll make the draw on Monday evening.

So my bit of self indulgence over and done with I am having a fun week, on Monday night after a wonderful home cooked meal at Luciana's (sorry for the spelling) and Dans and doing battle with their new printer look what Luciana gave me, apparently they were her Mothers who was a great spinner from what I have seen as have gained part of her fleece stash before and these are just beautiful, not pictured is a beautiful elegant silver which has lots of posibilities.


lurex heaven


Wednesday it was our knitting group in Putney which always fun, especially as the travelling is so much less than other groups, there seemed to be lots of socks on the needles including my dreamweavers. Jill was wearing her new boa (now a good blogger would have instantly whipped out her camera at that moment and taken a wonderful shot but I was obviousley not on the ball) I have been so good though as I haven't cast one on although am really really tempted especially when Jill told me how quickly she knitted it....but no I must resist.

Yvonne also joined us on Wednesday and after the knitting group we had time to go and find some lunch to catch up and of course this blogger has forgotten the name of the good greek resturant that looked like an eighties night club is. We had a couple of glasses of Retsina and put the knitting world to rights and a bit of arm twisting tot come down to the brighton show next month we wandered back up to the station popping in to the charity shops on the way just in case, no great finds I'm afraid.

And on Thursday Mary came down to visit, I always have a great time when she visits as she is so inspiring, I think this is helped by our love of colour and she brought me some great pressies (pictures tomorrow) and even though she is still with out voice we had a good chance to catch up via a white kindly invented by Dan and now have three thousand ideas running around my head. Well its getting late so more tomorrow, or should I say later today.

Pic Free

Ok so its not quite the morning but I have managed to catch up with my sleep actually managed a whole nine hours last night so feel a little more human now. All I can say is what awful TV there is on in the middle of the night, we seem to have a choice of watching people sleep in the BB house or a money making quiz show that goes on for hours on the otherside or if you are really lucky a triathalon or possibly a vintage american football game!!!
So the shawl has been carefully unpicked stitch by stitch and am back at the beginning of the fish so tonight the plan is to sit not in fronet of the TV but concentrate on these few rows to get them right as I really don't want to do that again!!! A little more done on the dreamweaver sock (I know not that exciting so no pic).
Spinning wise I managed to spin another yarn yesterday and I am now half way through plying it with my cadburies choclate lurex so hopefully pics tomorrow light allowing.
Had a reasonably peaceful noght at Youth Club as someone else had decided to do paper mache as the craft so I managed to spend some nice one to one time with the kids and a bit of finger knitting and pom pom making. It was nice just to have that time rather than rushing around trying to minimise the mess without curtailing any of their creativity.

Knitting Olympics Update I have been looking at Polly's Limbo socks for the socks, I did look at the jaywalkers but they won't fit me without some adjustment whereas the Limbo will without to much. Desicion desicions.

Hi and Bye

Having had a bad nights sleep last night (around two hours which was also quite disturbed with bad dreams) I am absolutely exhausted so all I am going to do for tonight is post the picture I promised of Saturdays yarn, I promise to catch up on all e-mails and a proper post in the morning.
Unnamed

Thank you

Thanks to Sue for sending me to JenLas blog for my Team GB button now all I have to do is get it in the side bar and linked lol
button

Aaaagghhh

Ok so I am not having a good computer day, blogger has just eaten my post so here are the edited highlights
Sign up for Knitting Olympics complete
Peacock washcloth and socks are my entries
Has anyone come up with a team GB button yet?
Spun a yarn have so far called Flirty Girty see below
New Yarn

Spun another yarn yesterday with daisy's in it pictures to follow
Having to undo my lace shawl to before the fishes as dicovered a dropped
stitch and couldn't pick up so not happy

My other computer problem being that My MSN messanger won't let me in and until this morning my hotmail account wouldn't let me in either, my own fault when I came online last night it asked if I wanted to update my service I thought well I have time so I agreed, my mistake it hasn't worked since I should learn to leave well alone. At least I've manged to check my e-mails this morning and I have just tried reloading MSN messanger and it still won't let me in which is very frustrating as it takes a long time to upload on my dial up system. Never mind I am going to go and spin and see if it will calm me down.

At Last

After what seems like forever I finally got back to see everyone at Liberty's for a fun night knitting. It was so nice to be back.

girls and glasses


It was a quiet evening only twelve of us in all (half of whom were bloggers), I even got some knitting done, I took with me my dreamweaver/catcher Opal yarn socks cuff down (a rariety for my much prefer toe up) as I am trying to be good and not cast anything new on until at least one of my other projects are finished.

Here is Polly inspecting Mary's boa

Polly and boa


I have to admit when I saw it on her blog I had to restrain myself from casting on there and then but I am going to make one but will finish something first.

And with renewed determination I returned to my lace shawl, now the last you heard of it was I was about to start the first row of the fish, well I made a mistake on that first row and couldn't face unpicking it as I was worried that I was going to undo all the way back to the bubbles, but no it was ok it was just the one row and even managed to reknit that one row and am ready to go again. Also managed to finish the gusset on the socks and about an inch of the foot.

Well there was a lot of debate about the Knitting Olympics last night and as Mary pointed out we are going to have a large Team GB, definitely going to sign up and at least one other Skip North Attendee is game as well so I think some late night knitting may be going on for that last minute dash for the finish line. Still haven't decided on what yet.

Ok a New Day

Now fingers crossed I can get the last of these pictures up.
These are the pictures of my wonderful Christmas present from Yvonne.
Firstly these,
pressie 

The book is a wonderful collection of scarf patterns including a butterfly pattern which I did take a close up of but decided it didn't want to come out and play today.In the green tin are these wonderful sticth markers
Close up 

Butterflies of course (can you spot the running theme) I think they were from Curious Yarns aren't they perfect.
And finally this beautiful Pendant.
.glass 

Its beautiful foiled glass and you can't see the beautiful irredescent nature of it in the pic.
Knitting wise I am debating wether to take part in the Yarn Harlots knitting olympics, not sure what I would knit and it would end on the final day of Skip North, maybe other skip north attendees want to take part and we can have our own closing ceremony. Not long to go now till our adventure in Haworth have started saving for my spending

One of those

Ok so much for all the good intentions I had today, I should have just stayed in bed it was one of those that everything I tried to do I messed up everything I picked up I dropped it and so on and so forth and I am sitting here waiting for the computer to blow up.
To start with the couple of things that I meant to put in the last post and I forgot, as I still haven't got the hang of replying to comments to answer Ruth's question, yes I am very influenced by Pluckyfluff and am a regular visitor to the website as well as Jenny Neutronstar but I am also influenced by the yahoo group spinning on the edge that I was introduced to by Lixie also by the blog spinning on the edge, they all gave me the freedom just to use my imagination in my spinning and not to be confined by convention.
Also Dawn is right I did forget to point out that the walk to Sandown is all uphill which my calfs can testify to!!! but I am proud of myself I didn't succumb to a cab on Sunday and did walk but was very tempted.
So I am going to split the pictures between today and tomorrow just to cut down on the risk of the computer crashing.
Firstly here is my buys from Sandown I was actually quite good

lurex 


These are the lurex for cross spinning I picked up from Uppingham yarns at a very good price of £1.50, the cone at the very front in real life is the colour of cadbury choclate wrapper.

wool 


These were from Web of Wool. The canadian sock yarn I first saw on Daisy Chains site and couldn't resist any longer plus the yarn called punk how could I not buy a couple of balls
I also brought some paper to experiment with and a couple of stamps from my favourite Stamp company Dimension Fourth who did my name stamp for me.

And just to finish with is the yarn I spun yesterday

seaworthy? 


To come tomorrow finally my Christmas present from Yvonne and bunnies

One last Thing

Ok so the plan was to show you pictures of the show, my christmas present from Yvonne and of the small amount of goodies that I brought but had a daft moment and managed to leave the camera with all the photos on at the studio so I am afraid it will have to wait until tomorrow night.
Knitting wise I managed to spin another hank of yarn today and dyed some merino for another but no actual knitting, mind you after the rush comission peice probably wise to give my fingers a rest.
Another peice of good news is that Mermaids Nipple has been adopted and found a new home. I hope her new owner enjoys her as much as I enjoyed spinning her.

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Anne

Four Jobs You Have Had In Your Life:
1. Play Leader
2. Assistant to a Commodity Broker
3. Lecturer in Professional Practice in Fine Art
4. Shop Assistant in Knitting Store

Four Movies You Could Watch Over and Over:
1. Leon
2. An Affair to Remember
3. Muriel's Wedding
4. Awakenings

Four Places You Have Lived:
1. Barnes, London Uk
2. Grand Rapids Michigan
3. Hatfield Herts UK
4. Surbiton UK

Four TV Shows You Love To Watch:
1. Dinner Ladies
2. Mash
3. House
4. Stargate SG1

Four Places You Have Been On Vacation:
1. New York
2. Chicago
3. Port Harcourt, Nigeria
4. Western Isles of Scotland

4 Websites You Visit Daily:
1. bloglines.com which leads at the moment to 56 wonderful blogs
2. meggiecat - a wonderful blog which lists ffree craft resources on the net, I keep meaning to mention this site since I found it a couple of weeks ago, definitely worth a read through
3. Written Down - an art journal project that I am taking part in
4. Ebay

Four Of Your Favorite Foods:
1. choclate
2. broccoli - I know strange but I eat it most days
3. Really crispy cheese on toast
4. Rhubarb and banana crumble

Four Places You Would Rather Be Right Now:
1. snuggled up in bed with a loved one
2. New York
3. snuggled up in bed with a good book
4. Barbara Hepworth or Eva Hesse studio/exhibition

Four Bloggers You Are Tagging: (if you hate this, don’t do it!)
Ok struggled with this one as everyone seems to have done it or something similar or don't like doing them, so if you are reading this and haven't done it and feel inclined please do and if you do leave me a comment it will make me feel better.

Still more to come

Self Portrait Tuesday

Ok so my picture this week is pushing to the limits the meaning of a personal History Self Portrait but whilst I was in the Studio briefly this weekend I suddenly realised that my wall is a very good record of my recent personal history.

studio wall 


As you can see there is no real pattern to it except maybe a colour thing going on but it includes everything from a picture of Robin, the telephone numbers of his nurses, postcards from friends shows, pictures from places I visit and some great images that inspire me. So I hope you forgive me my indulgence.

More later

Totally exhausted

Ok I'm afraid another quick post as as my title says I am absolutely exhausted, not only from the show but a late night finishing a knitting comission and me sleeping through my alarm so I am going for an early night all ready for another day at Sandown tomorrow.
I promise on Monday I have some pics including pics of my wonderful christmas presents from Yvonne.
But I will leave you with a view of The exhibition centre from the train station just to give those who are planning to visit how far the walk is ( or you could cheat as there is a mini cab office just outside the station, which I haven't used yet but there is still tomorrow)
there in the distance 

One more Essay done

Just dropped in to put a quick post up to say a couple of things, firstly my yarn is up see doesn't it look great.
Secondly it was nice to see everyone at the Wednesday Knitting Group yesterday and seeing what everyone has been up to, unfortunately didn't make it to Liberty again but the good news is that we finished the second of Jac's essays all ready to be handed in tomorrow ( I really know nothing about Mathematics and Numeracy in the National Cirriculum well not enough to fill 2500 words).
And finally I hope I get to see some of you at Sandown this weekend.

Self Portrait Tuesday

I seem to have created a running theme, this is a picture of me and my other nan in her back garden, she was also an amazing woman, unfortunately she died when I was six but I have so many memories that we must have done a lot.

Teddy and me 



She was the one who taught me to crochet and first let me loose with a needle and thread, she also introduced me to plaster of paris and eating peas fresh from the pod. She saw me through chicken pox when I was sent to her house so my younger brother and sister didn't catch it and she used to make me my very own picnics to eat in the front room on a blanket when it was wet outside. I think to sum it up I am a very lucky person to have had two great women in my life.
Oh and the teddy bear, also an important part of my history, pooh lived at my nans house and I spent many happy hours sitting and playing with him, he shared many picnics, and his waist coat I still rememder my nan making for him it also has teddy bears on it).

The good news is that I have had a good nights sleep so feeling a lot more positive mood today and got quite a bit done including a bit of frogging (you'd be proud of me Dawn I was very ruthless) a kit woumd and a couple packed up, some inspiration threads done and four hanks of handspun drying after having their twists set and I even managed to get home before everyone else and get in the kitchen and cooked myself a decent dinner:)

Losing the plot

Ok firstly knitting news, my shawl is still growing and the bubbles are now done and three more rows and I can start the fish and then its one more row of bubbles and then I start the fancy edging.
Spinning wise had another couple of succesful days
Here is a close up of Mermaids Nipples with my new label which I am still not sure about.

Mermaids Nipple 


I also managed this which I think will be called Rhubarb and Custard for obvious reasons

new yarn 


A parcel of hanspun was sent off to Woolly Workshop today to add to my section on her site.
Right now for the non knitting, well it was my first day abck at youth club this term and is was actually really nice to see the enthusiasm of these kids,they all arrived early of course and have given us a list of things they want to do this term including visiting Japan (maybe not this term), learning the violin, Karate, horse riding, Oragami, cooking (always a favourite) and a talent show so not much to aim for this term lol.
As ever it makes it a long day and returned home wearily but actually feeling hungrey for a proper meal for the first time in a while so arrived home to find a disaster area, now I have been very impressed with my brother since being diagnosed with Diabetes he has taken his diet very seriousley eating properly afresh food unfortunately that doesn't seem to have included clearing up after himself, I have tried subtle hints and tonight I asked him out right if he was going to clear up and all I got was oh yes in the morning so I just couldn't face it so I ended up just picking on junk again, I know it sounds trivial but it is really getting to me, I know I am not the tidiest person in the world but I just don't want to come home anymore to face all of his mess. It is the same all over the house, he leaves things where he drops them and nothing I say seems to make a difference, I even considered giving up my studio today and use the money I would save to rent a room elsewhere but that wouldn't work either, hopefully I am just having a bad day and tomorrow it will be all sunshine:)

Spinning Yarns

So the ear is on the mend, antibiotics definitely kicking in thankfully, my sleep still a bit all over the place but getting better. Did a little spinning yesterday and had a very nice meal over at Dan's place with his partner, his beautiful daughter and Kim, all beautiful vegiterian food finished off with wonderful baked pears. We also managed to hook them up to the internet so have opened up a whole new world.
After a late night a small detour around Maida Vale on the journey home, I had a late start today but got quite a bit done see

yarn 


Yes these are my yarns from the left with have juiced jester finally with its twist set, next is my Christmas Yarn with the red bows all merino in two different shades of moss green, next the new edition is Mermaids Nipples (thanks to Jac for that name:) which is merino with silk and sparkle with those wonderful pink bells, and finally the one on the end which so far is namless, it has overspun sections that looks like springs and mohair curls added in places, we were working along something like twisted pasta or how long is a piece of spring, unfortunately you can't see the new labels, still not completely happy with them they need a little refinement. We also worked on Jacs latest essay and we are almost there just a little more to go and we can start on the mathematics one.

Just put me down.....

Ok thats it I should be put down, now the pain from my ear was going beautifully and had finally worked out if I slept propped up I had no pain at all, I even managed to eat a proper meal for the first time in a long while, unfortunately I can't have checked the ingredients properly as obviousley something had nuts in, as some of you know they are something I have to avoid, it doesn't mean a rush to the hospital but basically just gives me a short dose of food poisoning, so after just settling down to sleep quite happily and was just drifting off when I felt that tell tale sign of pain from my stomache that it was not going to be a good night, in fact gave in on any chance of sleep by 5am. I did get some stuff done including the possible new label for my handspun using Latchboy font which I also worked out how to install on my computer.
So did return to bed around 9am and got a couple of hours sleep until being awoken by my brother hammering, now normally we don't see each other and he doesn't spend a lot of time at home but seemingly today hes decided that him and his mate were going to stay in and make as much noise as they could, the hammering followed by a game of darts in the hall ok own up who brought him a dart board for christmas) and now they are the other side of my bedroom wall playing some kind of computer game which seems to be leading to a lot of shouting and swearing. I guess looking on the bright side if I don't sleep now I might sleep properly tonight.
I decided not to venture out to Liberty, feel like I haven't been forever, also didn't get to the library either, also obviousley my big frogging day didn't happen but have been making a mental list of the things that are going.
Knitting wise here is the lates picture of the shawl, just a few more rows to the end of the waves.

shawl 


This picture shows the colour of the yarn a little better.

colour 


I am going to have to learn how to photograph lace knitting a bit better, probably will improve when it is finally off the needles.

Spin another tale

Ok so I spoke a little too soon about the pain and ended up until half four this morning even venturing back online to try and find some distraction at around three, I was very good though didn't buy a thing, not that I didn't try :)
So finally managed to get some the antibiotics from the doctor but now want me to see a dentist as it has moved into my jaw, I know what is going to happen I will go to the dentist, it will cost a small fortune just for them to send me back to the docs but fingers crossed with the anti biotics things should subside.
So I didn't manage to frog as I wanted but is on the list for tomorrow, but I did get some spinning done. This first one is of a yarn I spun a while ago but have just finished setting the twist using the lovely butchers hooks that Jac found for me, this is now dry and ready to ship.

yarn 1 


This one is a yarn that I needed to ply with another and managed to find some wonderful boucle in the right colour so has created a wonderful textured yarn which is having its twist set as we speak.

It looks better in reality 


I also span a chunkier yarn in moss green with red bows very christmas wreath like and also this small sample of this

a little dark 


So tomorrow is now frog day .

Just One More Day

Another day at little less earache, now just jaw ache but at least an appointment at the doctor in the morning hooray. I must admit its not as bad as it has been and I am now at least getting some reasonable sleep but will be grateful to be better again.
Did go to the studio today and mamaged to clear a little space and I have formulated some plans for furniture rearrangemant.
Knitting wise I did get some more of my shawl done and hope fully after tonight I might get to the end of the waves so I will hold off until tomorrow for the pics of that. I have decided that tomorrow I am going to tackle a lot of the projects that I have on the needles in the studio that I am necer going to finish and to frog them and rescue my needles, I plan to be ruthless.

Self Portrait Tuesday

This months theme is
Personal History

Explore the cross over between self portraiture and family photography. This challenge can be as simple as revisiting old family snap shots - to tell a story

I must admit I am finding this a bit of a challenge for several reasons, firstly not many family pictures exsist they are far and few between, probably a relievf in some cases no nude shot of me in the bath as a baby lurking lol. SO I am really looking forward to this as weeks to come.

Nan 


My first picture is simple this is my Nan, besides being told continually that I look like her and have been known to be called by her name (Gwen) she is one of the most important women in my life, whilst my Mum and Dad spent time arguing why neither of them had time for in they're life for me and my brother when they divorced my Nan just took us in, we all squashed into her little coouncil flat and I even shared a room with her for a few years, she showed me what a parent should be and how to love, she also made the best butterfly cakes in the world.

New Years Day

So firstly here is a quick pic of the shawl as it grows, see the sand dollars complete and the start of the waves, those rows are now getting really long (well for me anyway :).

lace 


Well I have been reading a few blogs whilst trying to rediscover all my links and have read a lot of resolutions, I am never any good at these but I thought I might try a couple of knitting ones.
1. To finish at least one of the four jumpers I have for myself on the needles ( probably the modular one as it is closest to being complete)

2. To complete the lace shawl including the i-cord top

3. To spin a hank of yarn a week on my new wheel so it pays for itself.

4. Design a new label for my handspun

5. Reorganise the studio, it has too much stuff in it so some radical moves I think will happen.

I think that is enough for now, I am not sure I will keep all of those but the one I would really like to keep is the lace shawl as I have got further with this lace project than any other.

Oh and of course there is the sucess of Skip North. I can't wait.