Matlock in the Snow

A lovely weekend spent in Matlock. We had so much snow! I really wanted to record it, we had fun and it was beautiful.

And so is this, made by my clever sister for her back door. Gorgeous with the sun shining though it.

Snow Day!

If you read yesterday's blog post you'll recognise Dennis the Dove. This is him today! In  few weeks time I'll photograph him surrounded by daffodils. Am able to blog today as it's a snow day! I have been working though, so now I'm taking a break.

I've almost finished the silver top down I was making as a KAL with Mandy. So as I have had this pattern in my Ravelry queue for ages I thought I'd think about it next. I have these balls of Albayarn so I was thinking of a stripe. I only need use four of them to make the sweater or do I use all of them? Just don't know at the moment. First I need to get the right tension, and yes I do do tension squares, I know many don't. I just think that if I've spent money on the yarn and time on the garment I want to be pretty sure it will turn our the right size.

My blog posts lately seem to be very knitty. I did sew yesterday but as I made a gift and the recipient may well look at my blog I can't pop a photo on even though I'm very happy with it. Knitting is so easy to pick up and put down, unlike sewing with the machine, all that cutting up and putting the right thread in the machine and ironing of fabric etc. Once this term contract is over I'll be able to do more sewing.

Snowy Dove

It's been this sort of a day, snowing since eight this morning. I took this a few hours ago and so it looks even prettier out there now. The weather being what it was today I decided to do some sewing. A simple project which I can't show just yet but it took me ages. Mostly because when I went to get my big pot of threads down off the shelf I dislodged a glass jar of buttons which fell onto the tiled floor of the conservatory. Glass and buttons everywhere, it took me ages to pick them all up without cutting myself. Then my sewing machine kept tangling on the back of the work, in the end I had to take off the plate and give it a good clean. 

Now I'm sitting in front of a roaring fire with my knitting - fab!  

I Love Blankets

This is far as I have got with my Patchwork Sampler Throw. There are two colours still to use and quite a few more blocks to knit. I am loving it though. The yarn is from The Natural Dye Studio's Great British Wool Club from last year. The colours are moory and heathery and stormy skies, Beautiful. 

How could I resist joining this years new club, The Rainbow Club  . The first skein arrived this morning, this will definitely be another blanket although I'm really not sure which one. I have been looking at Debbie Abrahams book 'Blankets and Throws to Knit' so I'm sure I'll get some ideas from that, however, I'm open to suggestions.

Isn't this a gorgeous colour? It's called Combe Martin, it's double knit and lovely and squishy, not sure I can wait another month for the next one and the next.

I must get another couple of the squares done this weekend and I'm torn between getting on with my top down sweater, knitting squares and having to do planning and prep for school next week. Oh and a day out tomorrow visiting my mum, I shall either be knitting on the train or planning.

Silver Top Down

This is what is on my needles at the moment, it's the result of a friend of mine wanting to make an all in one, top down sweater. She wasn't sure how so we decided to make one together. It's coming together beautifully and I'm liking the effect of the shades of white to black with grey.

I'm also liking the fact that I should be able to make this with three balls of yarn and at £5.50 a ball, that's not bad. Project notes are here

I've Been a Bad Blogger!

I let Christmas and family and shopping and cooking and eating get in the way!! So here I am again, a new year and a new start. I began the year by finishing this. The Climbing Vines Cardigan it was a bit of a bugger to knit but the yarn was lovely and I like the end product, the colour is just perfect and if I loose a pound or two it will look great.

All change for me again as the new year brings a change in my life, I am no longer looking after my aged mother so am able to work more hours and as a result have a term contract teaching a year four class. I'm looking forward to getting stability and routine back into my life and also a bit more money as I have taken a financial hit by being a full time carer. This will mean less time for knitting and sewing for the time being and I was hoping to do some designing as I have ideas for tapestry cushions. But hey ho, there will be time for that later.

I found being a full time carer very hard, I clearly don't have the emotional strength needed to do it without becoming very low myself, I don't intend to use my blog as a forum for moans and whines but the effect of looking after someone with dementia and parkinson's has been significant and the impact on my life and my marriage has been considerable. I am glad it has come to an end. So new year, new start, work, social life, crafty life, here I come.