Another quick one. I've just arrived in Holmfirth in West Yorkshire, ahead of tomorrow's judging for the Stylecraft competition at their mill in Slaithwaite. If you entered, very good luck! I can't wait to see all the colours that you've sent in (although I'm a teeny tiny bit nervous about the objects that might have been sent in!!) I know that they've received loads of entries, so it'll be quite a (happy, colourful) task. Here's the view from my hotel room: rubbish photo on iPad camera because Continue Reading
This Isn’t Going To Work, Is it?
A quick one, my fine friends, because I'm knitting against a deadline. And for now, the deadline seems to be winning. :-( I haven't even drafted this post on paper; just opened the little flap in my brain behind which all the crazy lives, and let it all dribble out uncensored onto the keyboard. Consider y'self warned. And maybe fetch a stiff drink. So Tuesday is Stylecraft judging day with Lucy from Attic24, and having self-imposed this ridiculous deadline of designing/knitting a new skirt to Continue Reading
Thank You, People :-)
A quickie, because I'm busy knitting. But I wanted to post a wee bit of enthusiasm because there's a chance that maybe, just maybe, the Yorkshire Skirt will be done by Tuesday's deadline (if I employ a team of minions to weave in the ends and block it on the back seat of the car on my way north). Look! But mostly I've come on here to say thank you for all the kind words and suggestions for my sore, knit-weary hand, and also for the encouragement. You're kinder than I deserve, and I appreciate Continue Reading
In Which Life Conspires Against Knitting
My first thought when I woke up this morning was... "Ow." My second thought was, "Owwwwwwwwww. Ow." The over-ambitious design-and-knit-a-stranded-skirt-in-10-days insanity plan just got even more unfeasible. Lately I've been having problems with the knuckles of my right hand two littlest fingers hurting if I, (i) knit/crochet too much, and (ii) surf the net on the iPad continuously and insomniacly from 2am to 5am, and (iii) spend too many nocturnal hours indulging the Toddler Twinnage's wish Continue Reading
This Is Crazy, No? NO?
I know you’ve all been there: the three more pairs of gift socks still to be knitted and it’s 10pm on Christmas Eve. Or the exquisite, fit-through-a-wedding-ring bridal shawl that the bride really needs like, erm, tomorrow, for her wedding, and you’re only half way through the working the lace. OK, I made up these exact scenarios, but to a knitter/crocheter, they’re normal and completely understandable, right? But I think I might have over-stretched myself this time. The knitting in question Continue Reading
Spring! Don’t Jump Out At Me Like That!
WOAH-there. Spring, where on earth did you, um, 'spring' from? That was a bit sudden. A few days ago I was pondering whether our log supplies would last the month at our current rate of huddling in front of the log-burner, and whether I could afford another lorry-load of logs, and whether my stinking head-cold was turning to bubonic plague (being prone to diagnostic melodrama), and now I'm sitting in my parents' Herefordshire garden, enjoying these colours whilst the Toddler Twinnage rampage Continue Reading
Brick By Brick
How long does it take to construct a house? Roughly the same amount of time regardless of whether the house is built of bricks and mortar or crocheted with yarn, it would appear. There are too many houses going up on the fringes of our village, and their progress pretty much matches that of the house I'm crocheting which is, by the way, going to be a bag. The front of the house will have all the fancy windows and climbing roses and details and neat roof-tiled shenanigans, whereas the back is Continue Reading
The Blog Post Of Many Things
That stranded skirt I'm designing? It's progressing, y'know:- No further progress has been made on the crocheted house, but the yarn for the windows has arrived, so I need to begin swatching some glasswork. Is it obvious that this post will be a tad desultory? Well the past few days have been a bit like that. I have some exciting secrets to reveal soon, but not quite yet. Rest assured, I'll be telling you as soon as I can... But look! I've discovered a quirky new stitch! Nothing Continue Reading
Patching Up The House (With Knitting)
A day's leave from work is a chance for some full-on knitting. I've been working on the stranded skirt that I'm designing:- I also had a temporary craft-swerve into decoupage, but only because I found a way to do so that involved knitting. Allow me to explain. We have a pug-ugly mirror in our house that the Stoic Spouse bought when he was young. The frame is plasticky beech-effect laminate that's so orange, it looks like it over-did the fake tan. It's not even properly trying to look like Continue Reading
The Ivy-Covered Camera Knitted Camera Strap That Sneaked In Ahead Of The Post About Crocheted Christmas Decorations
I know, I know, I said the crochet paper chains were coming next, but this post sort of barged in front. How very rude! Apologies on its behalf - it was badly brought up and has no manners. So, have a seat and tell me, are you ready for Christmas? You are? Ooh, you’re well ahead of me – I’m so disorganised. I’ve got a good present idea, though, that you could knit for the photographer in your life. Or maybe you’re keen on photography y’self, in which case you might be able to use one of these Continue Reading