Nearly but not quite

So ok almost fully up and running just the camera cables to find now:)

Now you may have noticed the little icon on the right, well as if I didn't have enough to do me and Andy have signed up for the challenge, now you have to remember that I cannot write and the longest thing I have ever managed is an 8000 word disertation let alone any work of fiction but hey I am up for a personal challenge, I know I have little hope of completeing this but its a good way to push myself (in a fun way).

So until tomorrow when there will hopefully be pictures I will leave you with this Meme

"Borrowed" from Kizlode who borrowed it from Nanny Ogg who borrowed it from Westwing who borrowed from Subville.
A - Available: NoA - Age: 35
A – Art genre: St Ives Movement

B - Best feature: You would have to ask someone else that
B - Bike: A red Raleigh as a Christmas present when I was about nine
B - Birthday: 17th May 1971B - Book: - Too many to mention

C - Crush: a grape (an English reference)
C - Car: Don’t own one
C - Comedian: Victoria Wood/Robin Williams

D - Day or night: Much more of a night person
D - Dream Car: Vintage Cherokee Jeep
D - Dogs or Cats: either

E - Egg nog: Bllrrrrgggghhhh
E - E-mail :- A wonderful way to keep in touch
E - Eggs:- Poached, fried, boiled with soldiers, egg mayo, Omlette…………

F - Favourite colour: Red
F - Favourite Band: At the moment The Magic Numbers but could change by tomorrow

G - Gummy Bears or Worms: Worms

H - Hair colour: Under the red dye its very salt and peppered dark brown
H - Height: 5’11’’ish
H - Happy: As often as I can be

I - Instrument: Piano and recorder as a small kid, guitar as a teenager.
I - Idol: John Bell, he would hate that description though

J - Jewellery: A glass heart from Yvonne, other than that not a lot
J - Job: Good question, I guess you could call me a knitting consultant of a fibre artist or just self employed
J - Jail: Never

K - Kids: None except all of those kids I have worked with over the years who I still have a great attachment to
K- Knitting :- Lots and lots

L - Longest car ride: Choice of two here it was either the journey between Ibadan and Onne, Port Harcourt in Nigeria or a greyhound journey from New York via Niagara to Grand Rapids Michigan
L - Last kiss: Andy just now
L - Local: Don’t have one yet
L - Lyrics:

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,
They slither while they pass,
they slip away across the universePools of sorrow,
waves of joy are drifting through my open mind,
Possessing and caressing me.
Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world,
Nothing’s gonna change my world.

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,
That call me on and on across the universe,
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box they
Tumble blindly as they make their wayAcross the universe
Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world,
Nothing’s gonna change my world.

Sounds of laughter shades of earth are ringing
Through my open views inviting and inciting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like aMillion suns,
it calls me on and on
Across the universe
Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world,
Nothing’s gonna change my world.

M - Milk flavour: Banana
M - Most missed memory: I wish I could recapture some of my memories with both of my grandmothers as they were both very influential in my life
M - Movie last watched: Purple Rain

N - Number of Siblings: 1 sister, 1 brother and one half brother
N - Nickname: Nic, Niki, Maureen (don’t ask) Sue (don’t ask as well) Tigger

O - One wish: To be happy and settled
O - One regret: I try not to do them as if you keep looking back then you lose time in your future.

P - Part of your appearance you love: Quite like my tattoo but that’s about it.
P - Pets:- I had cats as a child then there were the mice, the fish, the dog, dwarf hamsters, another cat and at the moment we haven’t got any but there are discussions about rats going on and of course I get to enjoy all the cats and rabbits at Silkwood

Q - Quick or Slow?: Both

R - Reason to smile: Andy, being creative
R - Reality TV Show: I say to myself every time that I won’t get sucked in but still do

S - Song Last Heard: Something like Simon Webbs new single in Asda (not My kind of music really)
S - Silver or Gold: Silver

T - Time you woke up: About 8.30 – ish got up about nine
T - Time for bed: Depends when I have to work, if I am working the next day I have to have at least 8hrs sleep.
T - Ticklish: Yes, very

U - Unpredictable: - Rarely
U - Underwear: either big and comfortable but sometimes a bit of lace and silk can make a woman feel good

V - Vegetable you hate: Brussel Sprouts
V - Vacation spot: Woolacombe, Devon

W- Worst habit: Mothering people and worrying too much
W- Where are you going to travel:- don’t know quite happy where I am at the moment

X - X-Ray: Jaw and teeth lots, hands, chest can’t think of anything more

Y - Yellow:- One of the few colours I really don’t get on with

Z - Zodiac Sign: - Taurus

 

Lets try that again

My last entry was eaten by blogger so will try again, just to let everyone know that we have moved in safely and have now got a phoneline up and running and we are back online so I promise to answer my e-mail tomorrow.
Thank you for all your kind comments, more tomorrow hopefully with pictures

Just a quick note

Justa quick note to say that I am going to be missing for a few days as we are moving over the next couple of days after spending a couple of days in Barnes packing up over there and will be back online as soon as NTL sort themselves out.
I will be in the Stash On Saturday though so anything urgent you know where to find me.
See you all soon 

This is going to be a bit of a photo heavy entry I am afraid, I am trying to catch up with all the Ally Pally news before we break down the computer before we finally move (more of which later).
Well I left you last after a long and wet setup last Wednesday, it was a long day mostly down to the unloading arrangements there as it was never designed for such large shows so the loading bay only takes about eight vehicles at a time so you can imagine the carnage

So Thursday Morning we had to go to the bank to collect the money for the deposit on the house to hand to the estate agents so made a late start for me on Thursday but did manage to get there in time to meet up with mumblings, who I first met when I taught an extreme knitting class(another of her classmates dropped by earlier in the day too), so had a brief chance to say hi before more customers (and friends turned up) 

Next was Hila from When the going gets tough who I had found through Ingrid’s blog and who I was able to help out with a ticket to a Di Gilpin Workshop and in return I got a chance to go to A Ruth Lee Class on short row shaping (more of this later too).
I was also visited by half a dozen bloggers and liberty knitters and if I try and list them I would only forget one of them so not even going to try all I will say is a big HELLO to Katherine’s mum hope you enjoyed the football match :)

I also managed to catch up with Debbie Abrahams who was working on the Rowan stand as we know each other from when I booked her for classes at creations, she is so sweet and can’t wait to see her when she comes and teaches a class at Stash later in the year.

On Friday unfortunately Les and Tess couldn’t be there so the wonderful Sue and Ruth stepped up and both spent the day helping me which was wonderful as although not the busiest day it made loo visits a lot easier plus when there are those sudden mad invasions of people you actually manage to sell things for the right price. It was also a nice chance to catch up with both of them as we tend to only see each other at shows.
The good news on Friday was that we got the keys for the house, not that we were going to get much of a chance to get anything done in it before we move but the theory was there. 

Saturday turned out to be the busiest day and very very foggy, even so I managed to sneak off the stand to do the Ruth Lee Workshop about short row shaping with Wye Sue and Ruth, it was absolutely hysterical, a lot of laughter later I was actually greatly inspired but my ribs ached from the laughter.

On Sunday Little Lixie came along and helped out so again I managed to sneak off the stand and do a workshop with Prudence Mapstone based on the bullion Stitch, it was fantastic what I wouldn’t give to do a full workshop with this woman on Freeform. I also got a chance to have a really long conversation with Lucy Neatby about Happy Stitches and her new DVD’s I can’t wait till the two she is producing on socks comes out, I thin k I will definitely be ordering both. 

Altogether it wasn’t the most successful show for us but a lot of people were saying the same thing, a lot of customers really interested in things but not the usual big buys.

Talking of buys what did I manage to come away with, actually I was quite restrained, Susan from Loop arranged for an Addi Turbo I was desperate for to be brought from the shop for me, two Jill Vosburg patterns from Taj Crafts, A couple of other balls of yarn for secret pals and some Hip Knit Cashmere and I also managed to get a copy of Yarn Forward which I think is fantastic, the bit I like the best is that there is actually a pattern in it that I can actually just go away and knit for me (very rare being an ample woman) without having to do any alterations at all plus some really interesting articles, it far surpasses any of the Uk knitting magazines to date. 

Ready Steady Go!!!!!!!

We finally managed to set up the stand last night even with the most horrendous storms, thunder and lightening thrown in for good measure. We all got absolutely soaked but I think the final display is quite impressive. I have of course managed to photograph the stand in a direction that you can't see any of my stock, will try and take a shot from another angle a bit later.
Will be running a little late myself this morning as we are going to pay our deposit this morning and pick up the keys for the new house !!! But will be there by 11am so drop by and say hi. 

Knitting!!!!

So here it is actual knitting yes its part of my ongoing clapoti,
my travel knitting so it hasn't grown much in the last few days as kits are being amassed.

Not had the best of days didn't seem to get into the day really sort of drifted between things without really getting them done but we did get some good news fron our letting agents that all our credit checks have been passed and in fact we can have the key before our contract starts so we can have a chance to clean it up a bit and make a few measurements before the big move.

Look what we got

Look what our postman delivered this afternoon. Shi and Almicar sent us some of my favourites 'Oreo Cookies' now I know what people are saying that you can buy those here, well I don't know why but they don't taste the same at all. I am being very strict with the rationing of them as I want to make them last as long as possible although all I want to do is eat them all in one sitting.

Other food news is that our cooking skills are increasing in leaps and bounds we made a turkey lasagne last night from scratch with no real recipe, even the bechemal sauce worked, the last time I attempted to ake any kind of white sauce it tasted of flour and was very very lumpy. Who knows maybe I'll try pastry next:) 

All aboard the Sky Lark

Look I have been successfully killed by Siewsim from Canada. They are knitted from Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe and the colours are absolutely beautiful. Thy also included some beautiful stitch makers which have been put straight to use on my clapoti.
I think I have managed to redirect my targets unfinished sock straight to my assasin, this has all been such fun and have got to talk to many new knitters in the process.
Besides doing my duty at youth club on Monday night I have been winding kits all hours and they are everywhere Andy is now becoming very proficent at winding skeins with a Niddy Noddy, so this has meant little knitting time, between the kits and packing up the flat :) 

Look who Andy introduced me to this afternoon,
this is niggly nelly fro Noah and Nelly a childrens cartoon from the early seventies from the same people who did Rhubarb and Custard and the best thing about Nelly is that she knits all the items that they need to get them out of trouble on their adventues, so this afternnon I have watched her knit cuckoos for cuckooless clocks, lawnmowers, drilling platforms and pumps, a giant piggy bank for talking money, a wind machine so the flags on the moon would fly properly, all very surreal. I have to say that I don't remember it at all but it is very odd, oh and everything is knitted in red wool. 

Secret Pal 9 questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I don’t think I dislike any yarn they all have their place and uses.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have a couple of needle rolls plus a very nice vase

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I cannot remember when I learnt to knit it seems that I have always been knitting, as for my skill level I guess I am somewhere between intermediate and advanced but I love a bit of a challenge.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I have an Amazon wish list and Stash hold a wish list for me

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

I love vanilla but when I was in the states last I fell in love with some candles that smelt of sunwashed Linen and storm watch

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Oh most definitely but I am allergic to nuts so have to be a little careful.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

You name it I probably have tried it, at the moment I am having fun creating ATC’s and patchwork but I love all crafts and always interested to try something I haven’t done before, oh and yes I do spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I love all music, in fact the only thing I don’t like about music is that some people feel the need to put music into boxes rather than just listening to it. Yes my computer and stereo plays MP3’s

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love colour but am not to fond of the whole peach/orange and yellow range but then again there are always exceptions

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live with my partner Andy and will be our 8 month anniversary in a weeks time, pets wise we aren't allowed to have any in our present

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I wear all of those except ponchos but can’t wear wool against my skin

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Anything that’s a challenge, the more complicated the better

13. What are you knitting right now?

Lots of things , socks, the swallowtail shawl from Interweave knits, dolls clothes for Andy’s grand daughter, a clapoti for me, I could go on and on and on

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

I love hand made gifts anybody that takes the time on a project for me is wonderful

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Mostly circulars but then again I love those short aliminium Susan Bates

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I own a couple of ball winders and I have the loan of Yvonne’s swift.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Don’t even ask

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas I guess well the run up to Christmas anyway

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Dust, house work…. Ok have a bit of a thing for china tea services

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

The only magazine I buy every month is Interweave Knits, and I can’t think of any patterns I am desperate for .

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Anything new and challenging

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I am most definitely I have just been killed off in Sock wars, I am a size 10 UK will get the tape measure out a bit later and add further messages but I can say that I do have swollen ankles so usually only knit myself ankle socks.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

17th May 

Yarn and tribbles

So finally an entry about knitting. This is kind of
what every surface in the flat looks like at the
minute, Andy spent the afternoon pairing up sock yarns all ready for their labels for Ally Pally and I continued winding kits, I have a couple of new things for this year.

Knitting itslef I am still making slow progress on the comission but am persisting but I have also finalyy fallen under the Clapotis spell I have tried a couple of these on and have found them the wrong shape for me far too short an to narrow for a wrap and too thick for a scarf, so I have narrowed to generous scarf width and making it far longer, I am using hand dyed cashmerino which was originally intended for the curlique blanket but decided the yarn was far too busy so used some for my socks ofdoom (which have been posted) and have enough left to make a nice luxurious scarf and possibly matching hat but will have to find a suitable pattern. 

ooopps

I seem to have missed a vital word in the last entry, just to make it clear we are not moving this weekend we are moving the weekend after Ally Pally so we are still in the box packing phase.
I promise a proper blog entry later