Question

How do you make yourself feel really old? Go to see three bands at The Standard where it has a 16+ door policy.
Ok so I am not quite in my twilight years yet but I think I have settled into maybe a quieter music taste. Now you are asking yourself if you knew that this wasn't going to be your taste why go, well Andy's son-in-laws band A13 where playing and ended up headlining as the fourth band didn't turn up.
Now the first band Amber Void loud noisey but kind of interesting but not my style at all (for a more musical review check out Andy's blog), the second band King Rat was a bit of a suprise, not only to me but also to the crowd of sixteen year olds dressed in black to as they sounded like a cross between Pink Floyd, Placebo and a bit of Marillion thrown in for good measure. Funnily enough they cleared the floor and we moved forward and I have to say that I would love to go and see them again, go check out their website for some downloads and see what I mean.
So finally we come to the main event, what we have come here for waited outside for 40mins to be let in as the sound check ran over and an afternoon paranoid as to what would be suitable to wear for this kind of thing. I had been a little worried because I had only ever heard recordings before and I thought I might have to force some kind of enjoyment but I needed have worried their musicianship was fantastic and found myself bobbing up and down quite happily, no need to make up compliments I was impressed no end. 

Aqua Swirl cushion

So this is after its first vist to the washing machine, it has been in again since and I think that it will have to go in for a third go as still not quite as flat as I would like .
Other knitting news I have resisted all of the sea silk or lace weight Lion and Lamb that keep calling to me in the store asking to be knitted into a lace shawl and have concentrated on a mini sock design for my sock class.
Just one last thought on the newspaper publishing my blog, I have spent a lot of time blogging about knitting over the last year or so but they seemed to have chosen three entries with very little knitting content, I am sure Wandsworth was gripped by my installment about cooking a casserole. 

So here it is

Yes that is my blog being published in a newspaper in fact it is the Wandsworth borough news attached to a very nice article about Stash. Now I don't have a problem with it being published but there are a couple of things, firstly an email just asking would have been polite, I know that I put my work on the www so anybody can read it but I never use my full name on my blog but has listed it in the article which concerns me a little. I think it is a bit of a grey area whether they have infringed my copyright but hey I guess its the only time I am ever going to be published.
It has been an odd couple of weeks I have started at Stash and given my first classes there which have been great fun. I have also been in the store when lots of familiar faces have dropped by, thats one of the things I missed about not working in the store anymore catching up with everyones knitting. We have now set up a whole new set of classes, check over on the stash website:) 

Look Apples on My tree

Just a couple of quick notes, firstly my mobile has locked up on me so anyone trying to get in touch with me I'm sorry if you e-mail me I'll give you another number to get me on.

Secondly apparently my shawl althought beautifully made by Knititherapy it was actually a belated birthday present from a secret knitter, well who ever you maybe (I think I have a clue) thank you ever so much I absolutely adore it.

I promise a longer entry tomorrow to explain why my first ever casserole was news worthy. 

Look what I got :)

Look what I got in a suprise package. Isn't it beautiful, it is from Knitotherapy who is the most amazing crocheter. It is absolutely beautiful and not something I would ever attempt myself, in fact was so taken with it that even in the blazing sun on Saturday morning before I headed for work I was wrapped up in refusing to remove it.
It arrived all wrapped in beautiful rose paper. I will try and take a close up of her beautiful stitching whne I get back tomorrow.
It has taken me so long to blog about it because we have been travelling again well only back to Barnes, we were working at the Youth Club on Monday night and decided to stay over at Dads as we had tickets for a pilot being filmed at the BBC Tuesday night so staying over gave me chance to pop back to studio and say hi and pick up post.
In the end we arrived over an hour before the doors opened and were just hanging around outside and debating what to do as with my previous experience of Jonathen Ross and not getting in I was a little unsure about wandering off when a BBC studio audience women approcached us thinking that we were for the audience for Paul O Gradys live show and we said we weren't and explained we were just deciding what to do for an hour and she asked if we would like to see Paul O Grady and not being one to turn down a free ticket we accepted and actually it was quite fun with Juliette Lewis and Anthony Head as guests, we then went back out and queued for five minutes to get back in for a recording of There's no F in Script which turned out to be a version of whose line is it anyway and as an added bonus they were recording two episodes. Some of it was very funny, please don't ask me the names of the comedians that were taking part as I can't remember but if it ever airs look out for the interprative dance section it was absolutely hysterical.

And finally a bit of knitting, to answer Brigid's question the cotton Angora is exactly on the mark for the tension, I actually did a tension square (shock horror). I have finished the front of the cushion and am now working the back in the round. 

Confession Time

Ok so I know I have hundreds of projects on the go but yes I have cast on another, this is the sexy ribs pullover from the Big Girl Knits book, not that you can tell from this picture I have something like 360 stitches on here and have to work three inches in rib before I can do anything exciting. Its using some of the cotton angora that I brought from Cold Spring Mills last year and have three cones in this colour which should be plenty. I've really enjoyed knitting in it so far, I know other people have had problems with this yarn splitting but so far so good.
I've decided to join in the fun over on the Hipknits blog where to celebrate Kerries birthday she has posted thirty things about her and invites us to join in and we have the chance to win 30 GBP of yarn from Hip Knits. So here goes

1. I hate brussel sprouts (thats the easy one) I don't care what you do to them I still dislike the taste.
2. I am the eldest child of four, I was the one they experimented on which explains a lot.
3. I had my jaw broken at 18 for medical purposes.
4. I love burnt broccolli, when you stir fry it and it catches and goes a little crispy, I have no idea why its just one of those things.
5. I have a fine art degree in sculpture which is my first love.
6. I learnt to weld, wasn't very good but my braizing isn't to bad.
7. I have had a full body cast done.
8. I am tone deaf when it comes to singing
9. I hate the colour peach
10. I can't wear wool (well only on my feet as in socks) I can knit with it fine just can't wear it.
11. My eyes are quite light sensitive so not only do I suffer in this heat I get really bad head aches from the light if I am out in the sun too long.
12. I hate washing up but love ironing for some reason!
13. I have been up the empire state building even if I clug to the building for dear live s get really bad vertigo, can't get past the first couple of steps on a ladder.
14. Love tequila but usually after three shots can't stand.
15. Qualified to work in a playgroup, and did for a few years
16. Have been a youth worker for 18yrs
17. I have never wanted kids
18. I can cook for a hundred people but struggle for two, so either we have way too much or too little.
19. I have sung on stage at the NIA at Birmingham and in London
20. I was artist in residence at the childrens festival at Greenbelt a few years ago (I love that festival)
21. I have five different e-mail accounts in a vain attempt to be organised using one for buisness one for ebay and so on.
22. I have appeared in the New Scientist on as many as three occasions to my knowledge.
23. My brother appeared on the cover of the Lancet
24. I am a drop knitter
25. I love boye needles
26. I want a tatoo on my feet ( we are working on the design still have been working on one for ten years now)
27. I play on a PS2 reguarly ( good for working out your anger and frustration)
28. I am terrible at remembering birthdays
29. I am exceedingly stubborn and independent.
30. I love photography and would love to have my own dark room.

Ok that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be so I am now off to go and photograph a wonderful present I got in the post yesterday.

Knitting In Public Day

So here is the start of the aqua swirl cushion, well in fact have got a little further with it now, it is growing really fast. I got the centre colour started at Liberty, where it was good to catch up after a couple of weeks away and then yesterday I helped out at Stash for a couple of hours and got a few more rows done.
I have the knitting in public thing all sorted for the day, well it was kind of taken care of for me as I am working at Stash all day so they have some wonderfully comfortable chairs to sit on so may get a bit more done between customers. If anybody wants to come and knit to that would be great there are a few other chairs :) 

A Big Thank you

I know that I have been rather slow in responding to comments on my blog but I just wanted to say a big thank you for all of you who have answered my querys about the garden and all the encouragement, things are growing so fast I can't believe it, especially the weeds.

The tomatoes are coming on as treat and look like they might actually produce the odd fruit, I am keeping on top of the tangle weed and enjoying every minute of it:) 

Shock Domestication

Look how domesticated I'm getting this is my first ever casserole, now I have to confess the sauce is from a packet and I ran out of room for green stuff and maybe went a bit mad with the pearl barley but it was edible.
It is strange learning to live together, my time with Robin was slightly different, I am actually eating at regular times and proper food, I am also trying all sorts of things that I haven't done in years as I guess when you are cooking for yourself for so long you end up sticking to the same things after a while and now we have something new almost every night.
Its also strange sharing space with someone, I have spent so long in my own place that suddenly there are all sorts of dilemmas like draw alocation, hanging space and where you keep the cleaning products and so on and so forth, I am sure this is really boring for all of you that have been there done it and got the T-shirt but I am still revelling in the new experiences. 

Stash

Wow is all I can say, and yes I know I am a little biased as they do stock my kits and I am going to be working in there occasional and oh yes teaching too but the collection of yarn at Stash is amazing and I wanted it all but settled with the yarn to tackle this project, Its the Aqua Swirl Pillow from Pick up Sticks but of course being me I had to change the colour so instead of brown I am using a dark turquoise and am using to slightly different pinks for the swirls. I forgot how nice Lambs pride is to work in, I worked in it a couple of years ago but have forgotten how soft it is. I managed to restrain myself from getting anything else although could have easily emptied the place. If you want to see pictures of the store check out Knitaround, Ingrids site and the Wool Palace 

At Last

Finally as promised a picture of the necklace in action, probably not the best picture of the beide but the only one where you can see the necklace clearly.
Am now back in Bagenham after a weekend away at Silkwood with the bunnies just in time to celebrate Andy's birthday. More on all of this later plus news of the stash opening.