Still here ...

Yes, I am still here, just very busy of late, it seems. I had part (a very small corner, it turns out) of a table at a craft sale last weekend and sold ........ 1 dishcloth! And, that was a sympathy buy at that! Ah well, there are only three of us instead of four at tomorrow's sale and, to be honest, I'm not too bothered. I've several bibs cut out and the first sewing done on them, but I don't think I shall be awake at 6 am to sew them in the morning as I was last week.

In other news I am really enjoying my new car, it is the most comfortable chair I currently sit in! I just want to drive and drive - in fact I think I did just that during the first week I had it - but I can't afford the fuel to do that every week. I am keeping well, though Mr T's back has been playing him up, but a few early nights should aide a recovery of that.

I have been busy with work of the housekeeping/cooking kind and, though it's tiring, it is enjoyable. Also, I have been to Scottish Country dancing these few weeks, and I think I am finally 'clicking' as to what my feet should be doing, as well as where they are supposed to be taking me! And, to cap it all I have been riding for two weeks now. Yes, a real live horse! Oh, I have missed riding so much, but when I sat in that saddle, it felt like home and I hadn't forgotten anything - well nothing important anyway, such as which way to face etc! And, Sam the lovely horse is bomb-proof, but will get a move on well enough that he doesn't cause me too much hard work. I just wave the whip about a bit and he pays attention (however, I would never hit him with it.) And, apparently when he gets a bit spooked the most he does is raise an eyebrow - just my sort of fella, eh?

I didn't tell Mr T before I went for the first lesson as I knew he would be 'anti' especially as when I'm ill it is him who has to look after me etc. And, he was a bit croxx when I told him where I'd been. But, there were no after effects as regards my back the following morning, or later on in the week. Well, nothing apart from the expected in the nether regions of course!

Hey ho, it seems that traveling about a bit albeit on my twinkly toes, in the auto car or in the saddle, appears to suit me. At blimmin' last, eh?

Sometimes....

Sometimes, people say, life gets them down. Sometimes, for me, it's people that get me down. When you get people being people, I suppose, but on top of life as well. Well, it can get tiring. Two examples.

one : people make a judgement about someone, based on what someone else tells them about another person.

F'instance a rumour was circulating, apparently, about a couple who I thought of as friends, about some financial thing or other. The person mentioned it to me and I was gobsmacked that such a rumour was going about.

However, I now realise that this person thought it was me circulating this stuff. Which it wasn't. It never would be. Really, living in such a small place it would be awful to tell anyone anything you know - and believe me, it is like livning amongst an exteneded family here. I really would rather the person ask me straight rather than tittle-tattle about me.

two : people don't like it if you get something they don't believe you are entitled to, or their relative couldn't get it and they really needed it.

But, I shall be driving the new, automatic car I need; and park it where it is convenient for me. And, I shall still go to country dancing, and dance as much as I am able (on medical advice) and sit out the ones that I'm not. Fuck 'em, eh?

Well now, where was I?

My first roman blind, made and hung at the landing window


Oh yes, knitting. Well, I'm still at it, though you wouldn't think so from the moans eminating from Mr T. Apparently, he's feeling push out of his own home by the vast array of knitting yarns, fabric and other crafty paraphanalia such as needles and beads and books. Ah books. Yes, well the amazon bill is rather huge at the moment, but I cannot resist 'a bargain.' And, then there's the magazines who all offer such lovely free gifts on the font of them, with the promise of more expertize if you only owned them.



He is right of course, we are overloaded with my 'stuff.' But, the reason is that I have no-where to store it all, let alone Use It. My argument is that he has two workshops in which to keep his tools - some of which, ahem, have never been used no less! Oh yes, same as my fabric etc. But, we are working on getting another room sorted out, but it takes gentle discussion and creeping along perseverance to get the bosses to part with any funds with which to pay for it all. A case of slowly, slowly etc....



In the meantime, Mr T is beginning to believe that I am obsessed not only with yarn, fabric and books, but shopping as well.



Hmmm, perhaps I should switch to shoe buying?

Mini Knitting Workshop - Answers

Erm, following on from my post about the knitting workshop, there were several remarks in the comments box, with people’s queries and disappointments about their knitting.

At the risk of acting like a ‘know-it-all’ I thought I’d take the time to give out some answers, if that’s okay? Read on if you wish to know or, if you already know the stuff, then you may leave the class – but only if you have a note from your parent or guardian, thank you.

Shirley: if you drop a stitch, try using a crochet hook to ‘hook’ the stitch back onto the needle. Don’t worry about which way it should go until you have it or they back on the needle. As you continue to knit the row, you’ll notice if the stitch is the wrong way round and can take it off and then slip it back on.

Blue Hands: the peaches and crème stuff will be perfect for your eco string bags! Hope you’ll post up some piccies when you’ve done some.

Apprentice: I’d love you to be in my class! Tension is the bane of every knitter’s life. You could try knitting a ‘swatch.’ On the knitting yarn ball-band there is a diagram of a crossed pair of knitting needles, which tells you which needles to use for that yarn. With those needles cast on 36 stitches and work 36 rows of knit one row, purl one row (stocking or stockingette stitch) (for some reason this won’t give you a square.) Now, in the centre of this ‘swatch’ measure out a 10 cm square and mark it with sewing pins. The stocking stitch is made up of what look like rows of ‘v’s’ and what you need to do is count the ‘v’s’ between the pins. On the ball band there should be a grid that tells you how many stitches there should be across and upwards – yours needs to match this for you to make the project to the correct size.
If there are too many stitches, then your knitting is tight and you’ll need to use a bigger size needle and vice versa, if there aren’t enough then you need a size smaller.
It does seem a bit of a faff and, if you’re new to knitting you’ll feel as though this will take you weeks to do, but it does help you to be able to wear what you knit! Go get that shrug pattern and give it a go. Go on.

Papoosue: you won’t belieeeeeeve what the gossip was …… ! I very nearly wet myself with laughing!

Mean Mom: see above for crochet hook action. Oh, do pick up those needles again, do!

Probably Jane: The scones were delicious, as usual! Thanks for the tip-off about the sock blockers – mine are on my way now, I hope! (I just wish we could get them here, though as the postage is dearer than the blockers, ouch!)

Wild Rose: the day was really lovely, and I’m looking forward to going on the Christmas flowers one on 6 November, too.

Well, if I’ve got any of this wrong, do please let me know, but this is how I do my knitting though, like most of us, I’m still learning after over thirty years, too!

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments – made I blush, it did!