i'm back

I've just got back from Spain. What a difference with the weather, London is much colder than Valencia. We spent Christmas in Pucol. It was kind of strange. Seeing and feeling the bright warm sunlight on Christmas Day.

This was part of our Christmas starter.........................

Valencia consisted of EATING, SLEEPING and of course KNITTING.

Stay Blessed and Have a great night.

one for him and one for her

I'm off to Spain in the morning, so I thought I'd upload pictures of two of my latest garments. One for him and one for her. Both of the garments below are for clients. Ahhhhhhhhhhh... but hey the next 10 days knitting in Spain will be all for moi. That's right, some selfish Christmas knitting.

God Bless and have a wonderful Christmas and I'll speak to you in the new year. Keep those fingers moving and knit.

it's been forever and a day

Sorry it's been so long, but here is some eye candy...

Speak to you soon.

my bad...

Sorry Miss (my daughter); I forgot to publicly congratulate you on your GCSE results. Well

CONGRATULATIONS

(I've just shouted it out to the whole world)

My daughter obtained six A's and 4 B's.

A in Mathematics, English Literature, English Language, Art and Design, Textiles Technology and Media Studies
B in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and French.

Well done babes. Continue to focus and you'll be able to become and do whatever you dream.

Love you from Mum.

not the end I expected

The Olympics and the life of my nephew ended yesterday.

Charles Junior Hendricks 24th May 1990 - 24th August 2008
aka CJ

He was fatally stabbed to death. Young people put down the knives, carrying a knife is not glamorous nor does it make you a man. You have just taken the life of a young innocent child.

Charles you are gone but will never be forgotten.

help

Yes, I was over ambitious with the Ravelmpics. 8 projects in 17 days, what was I on ... surplus morphine from my operation must of been residing in my body.

I have only completed 5 of the projects so far. I'll post some pictures soon, hopefully tomorrow.

See you soon, I'm back on the knitting. I've only completed about 45% of my Forecast Inspired Coat.

HELP.

yet another one.................

... fini.

ravelympics

I've signed up for the Ravelympics.

In the starting block.................

• Forecast Inspired Coat - Hand Knit
• Floral Fan Neckwarmer - Crochet
• Knotted Hat - Machine Knit
• Baby's Round Neck Jumper - Machine Knit
• Baby's Floral Round Neck Cardigan - Machine Knit
• Baby's Floral Dress - Machine Knit
• Frill Neckwarmer - Machine Knit
• Adults Asymmetrical Polo Neck Jumper - Machine Knit

I wonder if I'm being over ambitious since all of these will be my own designs, and I'll have to swatch, write and knit all of them in 17 days.

I'm just waiting for the games to begin.

God Bless

on and off the needles

On the needles .... I just love this pattern - Forecast. It's looking great, although the yarn is beginning to push me over the edge. I purchased it in Philadelphia last October and I think something had attacked it in the yarn store. The thing keeps breaking ... I WANT TO SCREAM. But I shall overcome.

I using the forecast pattern as a starting block and then going off in my own directions as my mind tells me to. So lets see what I'll end up with.

Here's what it looks like at the moment...

And just off the needles .... Another Slouchy Copy Cat Hat. I just love this pattern. This is the brightest one I've knitted so far.

I need to find another hat pattern to cast on tonight.

God Bless and Keep Knitting.

for you film fanatics

If you enjoy short films you need to watch this.

finally

I've finally cast on this....................Forecast.

It has been queued in my Ravelry notebook since 16th November 2007. Finally the time has arrived.

I'll keep you informed of my progress.

the yarn devourer is completed

This creature devoured yarn like I've never seen before. It had me on on the edge of my sofa which had never happened to me before. This monster consumed 3.25 balls of Rowan Cocoon and 3.75 balls of Rowan Kid Classic. I finished with just 9cm of yarn to spare, knitting from your stash can be nail biting. But what a beauty!!!!!!!! I'm so looking forward to Autumn just to be able to wear this yarn devourer.

I've named her 'Ruffle Edged Scarf'. Would I make her again? Yep, but using slightly lighter weight yarns, as this baby weights a ton (well half a a kilo to be more exact). Imagine carrying that around your neck.

Well let me present to you the completed 'Ruffle Edged Scarf' formerly known as Morning Train Knock-Off Scarf by Megan Rogers.

without the pink frill

with the pink frill

on my daughters neck 1

on my daughters neck 2

on my daughters neck 3

I told you she's a beauty.

Just in case you want to make one. Here are the details:

Started: 6th June 2008

Completed: 4th July 2008

Pattern: The Morning Train Knock-Off Scarf

Materials: Rowan Cocoon and Rowan Kid Classic

Colour: Cairn and Pink

Needles: 5mm Circulars, 5mm and 8mm Hook

Modification: Frill until contented or out of yarn.

God Bless.

i'm off the operating table

Hi ya.

I'm off the operating table and out of hospital. I'm at home now, being looked after by my mother and daughter. I can't tell you how bored I've been this last week.

I was a bit ambitious with what I wanted to achieve in hospital and only knitted half a beret, which had to be pulled out at a later date. I blame it all on the morphine. Boy, did it my head spin. On the day of the procedure I was self administering morphine into my system every 5mins and then slightly less on the following day. I HATE PAIN.

Anyway onwards with the recovery.

Since having being discharged, I've completed another slouchy copy cat hat. I just love this pattern, once I'm finished here I'm going to start another one.

Take a look at the pictures below and make up your own mind about the beret.

Started: 29th June 2008

Completed: 2nd July 2008

Pattern: The Slouchy Copy Cat Hat

Materials: Artesano Ltd 100% Alpaca DK

Colour: C743 Green with flecks of grey (yummy)

Needles: Knit Picks Interchangeable 3.5mm and 4.5mm circular needles

Modification: Started with 96st

I have to say this yarn is fantastic and this is my favourite version that I've knitted so far.

Speak to you soon.

i maybe quiet for a while

Just to let you know that I maybe quiet for a while. I have to be at my local hospital for before 7am in the morning for surgery - I'm due to have a myomectomy. And I'm first in the queue ...NICE.

Keep checking back because I've just packed my hospital bag and it includes four knitting projects, two knitting books and one knitting magazine. I pray that the morphine works really well, because intend to leave that place with complete items.

See ya. Speak to you soon.

my new wip

Hiya

I know I've been a bit quiet lately. Life here is very busy. Work, work and more work. I need sometime to play.

This was on my needles until yesterday, now I'm using my crochet hook on it. It's a scarf. I know we are almost in summer and I'm working on a scarf. Well the weather here is still lousy and so I'm preparing myself for winter.

I'm hoping it will be finished by the end of the week, but that will depend on my work load this week. I have a couple of hours until it's time for bed, so I'm off - need to get hooking with my crochet hook.

I will see you soon. God Bless

they speak for themselves

............. meet Gretel.

it's my birthday

Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me,
Happpeeeeeeeeeee Birthday....Can you hear him singing? Mr Stevie Wonder himself.

In fact, it was last week Wednesday. Look at these small treasures that my postman delivered to help me celebrate the day, gifts from family members.

What else could a knitter ask for? YARN.

A friend (an ex knitter) asked me if I wanted anymore yarn. She was trying to get rid of her stash that she had managed to built up over the years. Of course I couldn't refuse. I ended up with about 15 black bin liners full of yarn. All I need now is a place in my home for them and about 6 more pairs of hands to knit it all up.

If you are reading this Ms H - THANK YOU once again.

I'm off, I need to get some knitting or reading or knitting or reading or knitting or reading done...........perhaps I'll try to do both at the same time.

Tomorrow I'll upload my latest project. It's almost finished, just about 10 rows to go.

God Bless.

i've done it

I've done it. I've made my first sale on Etsy. The beautiful number below is on it's way to New Zealand. I wish I was travelling with it. Oh well, I can continue to dream.

I'll be back..............soon. See Ya.

etsy

I've finally done it and uploaded some items in my Etsy Store. Yeah Yeah.

I'll upload more next week.

See Ya.

bad blogger, bad bad blogger

I'm a bad, bad blogger. I forgot my first year blog anniversary:-(

It was the 27th April.

the latest creation

Howdy,

I'm back as promised. It's a fantastic day today. The sun is out, people are smiling and I just want to be out there laying on a beach enjoying it all. Unfortunately the nearest sand to me right now is out on the balcony..................that's right, balcony. In my nephew's sand pit.

Anyway here is a picture of my latest project.

It will eventually become this. I'm using Brown Sheep Cotton fleece in Periot. It's really really nicccccccccccccce.

See you soon. God Bless.

hey, hey, hey

Hey hey hey, I'm back.

Did you miss me? I hope so.

Tomorrow I'll post some pictures of my newest project.

God Bless.
Joy

please forgive me

Please, please, please forgive me if I'm absent for a while. My laptop has just dead. I'm typing this entry at work, we have an inset day today and I'm early. Anyway back to the laptop, not even 3 years old yet and it cost me £1,800, for what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whats more annoying is that I hadn't backed it up for a while.

I'm off. Going to start researching new laptops. This time a cheaper model.

God Bless.

listening to advise

It has been so long, nearly 1 whole month.

Where have you been? What have you been doing? I'm just guessing that these are a few of the questions that you may be asking. Well, I've been here, playing about with the batch of over twisted yarn (all 12.5 kilos of it). Telephone calls have been going back and forth between me, the yarn agent and the yarn manufacturer. With very little joy. I even sent a completed garment knitted from this batch of yarn. The yarn manufacturer replied saying 'there is nothing wrong with the yarn', their 'technicians' have tested the batch. Please.......I've used this yarn for the last four or five years, I'm no novice with it and there is definitely a problem here.

Can they not see!

So I sought advise from my knitting mentor......

"Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crisis" Elizabeth Zimmermann

Stay Bless and Highly Favoured.

Joy

work-in-progress

Hello there.

It's been a long time since we've talked. Life is so busy at the moment, work, my business, my daughter; what can I say? I know, "Lord, I need an extra couple of hours in my day. How about it?" Anyway let me just get on with it, otherwise thats another 30 minutes or so lost.

I've been very productive this week and have completed 6 fine knit shawls. The 7th one is on the machine as we talk, but I'm bored with just going back and forth with the machine carriage so I'm taking a break from the knitting machine.

I plan to knit another 12 or 13 of these shawls over the next week or so. Let's see what this week has install for me.

In the earlier part of the week I knitted a baby's jumper (well one design but many samples). Now, this garment was one of my own designs, something I was experimenting with.

Sample Number 1 - REJECTED.

Sample Number 2 - REJECTED.

Sample Number 3 - REJECTED.

Now all three of these samples were coming up with the same issue. I thought the first two samples were errors I made, but after completing the third garment with the same problem I became a little suspicious. I later realised that the problem wasn't with the way that I was knitting the garments, but with the yarn. It had been over twisted, so once used it begun knitting on the bias. This was only evident once the garment was completed and I tried sewing them up. All the seams were twisted at an angle. Yikes!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully the problem will be solved after the Easter Weekend and the company where I purchased the yarn from will replace it. I mean it did cost me £350 give or take a few pennies.

Anyway God Bless. Remember that God loves you. He sent his only son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Now thats is true LOVE.

done!

Some of my latest projects.




Hope you enjoyed them.

thank God spring is almost here

Let me apologise now for yet another pictureless post. Hence the title 'thank God spring is almost here', and with spring we should begin to experience lighter and longer days. Then I'll be able to take some decent pictures of my finish pieces during the evening, once in from work.

This week I haven't been as industrious as last week. I've only made the following

• 4 baby blankets
• 2 felted organic looking scarves
• 1 baby's jumper (that I knitted twice and the pattern is still wrong)

Thank God for the invention of the knitting machine.

My LYS has moved to 106 Lower Marsh Street. Yes, I know, all you Iknit followers already know that, but there maybe someone else reading this who didn't know. But now they know, because I've just told them. Anyway they opened yesterday morning and I visited them last night after work (around 7pm). The new shop is FANTASTIC. More space for new stock:-)

Talking about new stock (stash for you and me) I've been really good. It's the middle of March and I haven't purchased anything this month. Oops. I've just remembered. I have!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was just about to give myself a big pat on the back, for my great self control. Oh well there is always next month.

See ya. I'm going to have a afternoon nap, before starting work on some reports that I need to write.

God Bless.

i feel like the ant

'The ants are a people not strong. Yet they prepare their food in the summer;' Proverbs 30 v 25a

Why you may ask. Well, this week I've machine knitted

• 11 baby blankets
• 1 shrug
• 1 pair of fingerless gloves

I've done this whilst working and running a part-time business, no wonder my head is aching right now. I NEED TO SLEEP.

I'm off.

the power of transformation

We are so blessed. God has not only given us life, but also the creative ability to transform and to create. It's so awesome what we can do.

I turned this....................

into this..................................................

elbow length fingerless gloves

They're still a work-in-progress.

I can't and won't take the credit for this pattern because it's not mine. But I will say THANK YOU to all of you knitters out there who from the kindness of your heart publish your creations for others like me to use. Thank You once again.

Once finished, I'll update you with pictures of the completed item and I'll give you the full rundown of what yarn and needles I used. I guess you already know the yarn that I'm using from the picture above. Yes, it's another Cascade 220 creation.

Keep watching this space, because I'll be posting some freebies soon.

May God continue to bless you with creativity.

double take

You've seen it before, back in September 2007. I just decided to knit it again in two new colours.

Enjoy.



Speak to you soon.

another flying visit

Just popped in for a flying visit. Sorry for yet another short post, but it's late and I'm tired, it's beeeeeeeeeeeen a long day. Anyway I've lots of projects that I need to share with you, so I'm just going to post some pictures of a couple of them now. One pattern two different looks.

Here we go.........................Ready? I hope so.

Let me introduce you to............. Felicity the First and Felicity the Second.






These were both fun and fast items to knit (taking a couple of days each). I did make one modification to the pattern, I casted on 90sts instead of the amount stated on the pattern.

Stay Blessed.