End of Secret Pal 7

Whilst I was writing my last post this morning the postman knocked at the door with a parcel It was beautifully packaged but I couldn't wait for DH to come home from work so no pics of the packaging I'm afraid. Inside a paper Liberty bag I found:


Rowanspun 4ply in maroon & gold


rooster almerino aran


Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed

The pattern book contains a pattern for 'Mount Olive Socks' pictured above with the yarn but it needs 4 x 50g balls. A quick search on the internet revealed few internet stockists & none had the right shade let alone dyelot. The 4ply skeins gave me the idea to do stripey socks & I found 2 balls at Coldspring in a beige/gold colour for £1.99 each so they're on their way to me now. I had to buy them today as I start Stashalong tomorrow.


Secret Pal 7 gifts

There were a LOT more chocolate eggs than pictured above. Sometimes a woman NEEDS chocolate, just like she needs a hotwater bottle & a handful of painkillers & today was one of those days The few left are for DD tomorrow. I tried very hard to save her more but am weak.....

With these goodies was a card revealing my Secret Pal 7. I had read her blog last month but didn't make the connection - well done! I love the maroons in the yarns & look forward to knitting them.

In turn I was sending to motherofallneedles who apparently reads my blog but also didn't make the connection! I think she enjoyed being spoilt & already has a FO with some of the yarn that I sent to her.

Finally to end - as DH was taking the above photos, Tia had to be in on the act. She tried tripping him up & finally took to rolling around on the floor like a kitten to get his attention:


Tia

Nearly the end of the week

DD went away on a school trip at the beginning of the week to Whitby. They went swimming & fossil hunting - both of which she has done before especially the former. On Saltwick Bay she found some fossils:


ammonite


belemnite
These are on huge rocks (well huge if you're only 10) & very heavy so the poor little thing nearly broke her arms bringing them back. Click here to see the second one in more detail.

She returned home filthy, exhausted & hungry for some fresh food. The hotel served 'child friendly' food - she was given a vegetarian sausage, chips, beans & mushy peas (she HATES mushy peas). DH asked her if she wanted one of his homemade lasagnes with oven chips when she came home & got this reply "No more chips, I've had enough of them" - which made us both laugh. She fell upon the bowl of salad & cleared a plate of pasta. She didn't get much sleep as one of the girls in her room was a snorer - sounds familiar!

We on the other hand got plenty of sleep as it's amazing how quiet the house is without her presence. We woke up to the alarm clock (or my gobby neighbour) rather than to the sound of a herd of elephants clattering down the stairs. We also made the most of it & went out both nights which is unusual for us.

I've also made some progress on my Mothers Day sock:


Garter Stitch Rib in blue Opal Sugar Almond Magic

Pattern: Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks . Here you can see the pattern more clearly.

Steph asked if I dropped any hints. How subtle is finding the ball of yarn in a sale & telling her that I'd love this yarn if she was stuck for a pressie for me???

I chose a sale yarn as I didn't know if she was paying for it but DH stepped in & saved her from parting with her grubby pennies. I've recently done the same with DH for my birthday next month. My justification being that he never knows what to get me & I'd rather something that I'd love than something that would get put in a cupboard & never see the light of day

Mothering Sunday

Bunch of Flowers


Opal Sugar Almond Magic Yarn from Get Knitted


card from DD (spelling isn't her strong point)


Tete-a-tete in the window box


Crocuses in my front garden

How do visitors come to my site

Firstly I want to apologise for my cheesy title - it is the exact title in the drop down menu on Webstats4u the tool that I use to monitor the amount of hits I get & I couldn't think of a better one.

I find it interesting to see what words are used to find my blog & thought I'd share some with you.

Firstly my once regular visitor who searched for me by using 'blueadt' has returned after a 5 week absence - I'd love to know who you are.

Knitting obviously features heavily & the most popular search terms are Sirdar and Firefly & this post is probably responsible.

Entrelac is a popular one due to my yet unfinished Entrelac Shawl.

Opal Jaywalker & occasionally Tiger Opal Rainforest Jaywalker isn't as regular as you'd expect but I imagine over time this this post will generate a lot of hits.

I also get a lot of people finding this blog due to this post about Monkey World.

Legs a kimbo found me due to this when I blogged about Blue being a pain in the a*se when I groomed her.

Others have found me by searching for 'Cashmerino Cone', night, shimmer, cornflake & loft but still the weirdest has to be Lick my instep. There are some 'different' people out there!

Torture Tuesday

DD was like a dead thing in bed this morning - nothing would rouse her. In the end DH resorted to licking his finger & sticking it in her ear - she slowly rose from her pit, hair everywhere & body heavy.

It turns out that she swam about 4400 meters last night: 220 lengths in a 20 meter pool which included 11 x 100m heart rate sets & an 80 length warm up. I've worked it out at 2.75 miles in two hours. No wonder the kids call it Torture Tuesday!

She puts both DH & myself to shame. Tonight is her night off & I'm swimming. I won't be able to match her but will do more than I normally do. I'll try to get her to have an early night tonight but it'll be a struggle.

Don't you just love him.....

My life is so hectic nowdays that the batch cooking New Years Resolution has become vital. This was proven beyond all doubt when we were both ill a few weeks ago & still managed to feed DD healthy home cooked food every night. DD is currently swimming 4 times a week & I swim the 5th night so am hardly ever in.

Sometimes I'd love to just be able to veg in front of the TV but then I hardly ever watch TV. Is that because I'm never in or because I don't like what's on? It's a bit like the chicken & egg question. It's really convenient being able to come home from the school run, grab a couple of meals out of freezer & shove them in the oven, preparing something quick to go with them whilst they cook. I started doing the batch cooking but slowly & surely DH has made it his 'baby'.

Look what he created on Saturday afternoon whilst I froze outside in the garden for the first time this year, pruning the hedge & removing the dead climber that I hacked to death at the end of last year & then carried on my frozen state by walking the dogs in freezing wind:


Chilli


Thin Crust Pizza


Deep Pan Pizza


Herb Bread

The Chilli is now frozen in individual portions, the thin crust pizza & half the deep pan were demolished on Saturday night with the herb bread. The rest of the deep pan pizza was enjoyed by DD & I on Sunday. She had an away meet & enjoyed swimming in a 50 meter pool for a change. I took the opportunity to work on a surprise knit only to discover after a couple of hours that I'd been using the wrong size needles so all my work was frogged when I got home

Whilst I'm writing this he's also throwing together lunches for all of us tomorrow. Normally I have a production line going at night & make up 3 of everything but tonight it's his turn

Finally - Tia has been moaning that Monet has been getting all the limelight so here she is again in her usual position. She gets up to eat, use the tray & scrounge for milk & cheese but at nearly 19 she deserves to be pampered


Tia

Finally - It's happened to me.....

The Tiger Opal Rainforest Jaywalkers are finished:


Tiger Jaywalkers

Started: November 13th 2005
Finished: March 17th 2006
Yarn: Tiger Opal Rainforest

These socks have taken a stupid amount of time to knit but are only my third pair & with hindsight I wasn't ready for this pattern. I got stuck LOADS of times but have made it (phew). The heels don't match but the toes are tidy. Annoying the colour has pooled again & this time is really noticeable across the front of my ankle.

They fit perfectly & I'm definately going to use the life line in every sock from now on. Part of me wants to undo the toes on my first pair as one is looser than the other & re do them but I can't be bothered.

Finally some cat pics again. Tracy asked about Monet's eyes - she has the most beautiful green eyes but the flash bounced off them in the last photo. So here she is again looking very comfortable, hanging off the sofa.


Monet


Monet

Still here

Thanks to everyone for your comments & emails. They're much appreciated. It's a real mix of things but I think that Ruth has probably hit closest to home. So close in fact that she recommended on Sunday evening that I take to my bed when I had in fact spent all day in bed listening to Knit Cast and Cast On on DH's laptop, as DD was luckily whisked away by my MIL for a snowy visit to her cousins house. But I couldn't handle the sticky sweaty feeling that you get from staying in bed all day so got up mid day & had a bath & washed my hair only to need another bath before I went to bed as I was too hot (again).

I managed to solve the problem that I was having with the Tiger Opal Rainforest Jaywalker and this was my progress last night:


2nd Tiger Jaywalker - progress at last

I had wrapped the slipped stitch on the first row which wasn't called for in the pattern so I've no idea why I did it in the first sock. This sock however fits perfectly & I wanted to duplicate it.

Also a photo of the aforementioned yucky project:


Blue Snowflake blanket

This is possibly the simplest knit of all - 108 stitches cast on, 4 rows garter stitch & then with a 4 stitch garter stitch edging the body of the blanket is knitted in stocking stitch. I'm allowing 150g of yarn which is also the amount I have left in my stash - funny that isn't it! I'm now onto the second 50g ball and am pushing ahead in the mindless knit stakes which to be honest is probably what I need right now. This blanket is for a certain little baby boy born two weeks ago who has already recieved these & also these bootees one of which was knitted whilst I had Black Eyed Flu:


Blue cable bootees

I didn't know the gender of the baby but played it safe making a pair of blue bootees as my neighbour is having a boy next month so I knew that there would a home for them somewhere soon.

I'm still feeling low but it'll pass at some point when the black cloud is ready to drift away from my head & leave me to be my normal bouncy self. I feel so tired like this and have had a couple of beers tonight to make it easier to me to sleep when I hit the sack. So I'm going to leave you with a couple of cat pics just because I have them & because the girls were looking particulary cute tonight:


Monet


Tia in her box

One off the list...

Boat Neck Sweater

Boat Neck Sweater in Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran - now on the way to Canada.

the blues....

I'm feeling really low at the moment & have done for a few days

No one thing that I can put my finger on - rather a build up of everything & I can feel myself slipping downhill.

Not much knitting happening which isn't good given the size of my WIP's list.

I have a confession to make.....

My name is blueadt & I have a serious yarn habit

It has all been organised recently and I now have 6 (yes I did say 6) large boxes occupying Vinces' room & there's no way I can go to 7. So prompted by Ruths' example I've applied to join Stashalong. I'm going to do a month at a time & for me patterns & books definately DO NOT count.

To further shame myself I've compiled a list of my WIP's to kick my butt into gear:

1. Tiger Opal Rainforest Jaywalker - the first heel isn't correct but I love it. However so far I've been unable to recreate my mistake & get two matching heels but I will keep trying.


2. Entrelac Shawl - this hasn't been touched since August last year so I've got to get on with it.


3. Dumpling in Rowan Big Wool given to me by my Secret Pal 5. It started off life as a scarf but I didn't like it so it got frogged - not everything makes it on here. The knitting is finished & I just need to block it & sew the sleeves in.


4. Boat Neck Sweater in Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran. This has been finished for over a month & I've got half a sleeve to sew in.


5. Baby blanket in Sirdar Snowflake. Yucky yarn but great for baby blankets - stash reducing project.


6. Crocheted hat for DD in Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran. Has been frogged a few times & I need her with me when I'm working on it to keep trying it on her.


7. Simple shoes - this is 66% of what I achieved the other week when I had 'Black Eyed Flu' not much but it took loads of effort. They need sewing up & another pair knitting as a friend is having twin girls soon.


8. Cream cotton baby jumper - found recently in a basket in the loft - probably about 8 years old. Just needs another sleeve, I hope my tension hasn't changed too much


9. Fingerless gloves - first glove has a thumb. Knitted in blue varigated machine washable wool bought last week at The Skep

I'd better get on with it....

Another parcel from my SP

sp7 presents


Cook Book & Spatula


Bath foam & mitt


SP7 Scarf


DD modeling scarf

It's snowing!

view from the back bedroom window


Snowy fields

As DH went into 'her' room to take the photos a little someone had to come out & see what was going on!


Vince making a bid for freedom

Skipping North

I had a good time at Skip North even if I was like a zombie on the last day due to lack of sleep. I spent most of the weekend hanging around with Toady (my secret secret pal ), Ruth, Sue and another Sue who is for the moment blogless. We all spent the weekend travelling on a mini-bus touring Yorkshire's yarn outlets & other desireable jaunts.

First stop for me was Coldspring on Friday afternoon, before I got to the Youth Hostel, where I bought a 510g cone of Silky Tweed for 2 pence per gram.

On Friday afternoon Lixie & Nickerjac ran some workshops so we could all learn some new skills. Under Lixie's careful tution I created these:


Stitch Markers

I didn't have time to finish one pair (middle sm) but DH has been a total sweetie & bought me a set of pliers to do them at home so there will be a pair soon.

Nickerjac very patiently tried to teach me to spin with a drop spindle but I wasn't very successful. To be honest I was useless & now have far more respect for those knitters who can spin their own yarn.

At The Skep on Saturday I got these beauties:



Pink Pencil Roving


Green Pencil Roving


Blue varigated machine washable DK wool

The roving was £4 for a 200g hank & the blue varigated 50p for 50g - yes that's 2p & 1p per gram! The blue wool isn't dyed perfectly but as it's a varigated yarn it looks ok. Can anybody guess what I've started with it?

Next we went to Bombay Stores. I can't do dress making so didn't go mad on fabric but I couldn't resist this beautiful silk:


silk

I also got some beads to make my own stitch markers:


Long colourful beads


Purple egg shaped beads

After that we went to the Knitting & Crochet Guild in Holmfirth

I was amazed at the 'Yarn Mountain'- masses of yarn for, yes you've guessed it - 1p a gram! I was quite restrained here as I was aware of storage limtations at home & conscious that I already have plenty of yarn but had to get these as DD loves black & red:


Rowan Cork


Jaeger oddments

The Jaeger Baby Merino will be ideal for booties. The green/red 4ply varigated yarn in the middle was another bargain from the The Skep & will be used for socks.


Opal Silk Sock Yarn

This Opal Silk was also a bargain at only £6.50 for 100g.
I managed to get the following books which I had been trying to buy for ages: Last Minute Knitted Gifts, Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac & Cat Bordhi's 'A Treasury Of Magical Knitting'. As a member of the Knitting & Crochet Guild I got a 10% discount on the Opal Silk and books. I also had a brief look at some of the Guild's collection on antique knitted & crocheted items & they were wonderful.

On Sunday morning we went to Wingham Wool Works in Wentworth - all I can say is WOW! I was pretty good & didn't buy any yarn but I did treat myself to these:


Merino roving


Rainbow Merino Roving

Which with the aid of these I want play & learn Needle Felting

It was definately worth going & I enjoyed being with other knitters talking yarn & also not being a wife or mother for a few days. I didn't get a lot of sleep which marred it a bit & so was glad that I didn't have a very long journey home.

Lixie & Nickerjac are already talking about organising another trip next year - so I'd better get on & use up some of my stash!