Lidls (enabling store)

I realise now that I seriously have an addiction problem. No, I am not hooked on drugs, only of the wooly variety. Last week a friend of mine (well I'm not sure now, if she is or not!!) told me that on Monday (bank holiday Monday) Lidls were going to be getting wool in. So in the back of my mind all weekend, is trying to get down to the local Lidl's and buy more wool. We ended up having a bbq and inviting a few friends (23 of us altogether). My Tesco.com shopping was delivered by 9.30 so by 10am I was at Lidl's trying to control my breathing (as wool shopping is very exciting). First of all I thought that they didn't have any, and then I found the shrine, I mean display box. The first two shelves, weren't my cup of tea, but then at the bottom I found some gorgeous sock yarn. So lovely. Only 2.99 for 200g. I bought some variegated and some plain. They are lovely. I haven't started any yet, but can't wait, but I am going to wait. This is just a small selection. I bought a couple of packs of the greens and the orangey browns, as the colours are so pretty. Apparently you can knit two pairs of socks out of one packet, so bit of a bargain.

At the weekend it was daughter number 4's birthday. She was 14. We went swimming as a family, with nanny and grandad too, and then had a chinese for tea. It was a nice day. I started to knit the little blue tank top, just in the car on the journey up to my mums, and have already almost finished the back. I know, I know, I have two or three other things on the go too, but some things are easier to take in the car, because at least you can talk at the same time. Plus, if I knit in the car, I tend not to criticise my darling husbands driving!! The lovely, lovely red cotton calico cardigan that I am knitting - well something awful has happened. I am well over the half way point, but I am on my last ball of wool. I have emailed everyone on ebay who is selling it, to see if there is anyone with the same dye lot, I have emailed Sirdar direct, no joy, and also everyone on the internet who sells it, and most of them, no joy. Apparently it's been discontinued now. I thought that I had enough. Trouble is as it's knitted from side to side, I can't even change the dye lot, how annoying. I think I will have to unpick it, I can't bear to at the moment. I am holding on to the one hope, that another supplier that I have emailed will come up trumps. Here's hoping!!

Storage

We all need places to keep our wool. This is probably what I should have, just this lovely little project basket, for a current WIP (work in progress). This is great, useful and portable, but too small.


Move on to this little beauty. This was a gift from a friend, and no I am not parting with it. It sits in my dining room, behind the door, so nobody knows what treasures lay inside. I tend to use this for my many WIP's. I can quickly put all my current projects in there, to tidy up if someone is coming round.

Then this sideways photo (can't work out how to turn it round) is one wardrobe in my room full of odds and ends of knitting. The baskets are great, as you can pull them out and look at the treasures inside. I have partly started things and whole packs of wool too. Maybe I keep it in boxes because then I don't feel guilty about all of the things that I have started, but not finished. Sometimes I pull them out looking for stuff, and end up finding things that I have forgotten.

Then in my lounge, down the side of the piano is this lovely yellow stencilled (by my mum) yarn box. This mainly has all my knitting needles in, and tools, like stitch markers, tape measures, scissors and the like. It also contains a jumper that I started for my ever patient husband, three years ago.

Then the beautiful wooden chest that my mum bought for me to originally keep my small (well it was then) stash of wool. This is like a deep cavern, you can bury things in here, and totally forget what is in there. It's great. Now some people may think that I am totally obsessed - well you are half right.

Some people get a real buzz out of eating food (ok that's a vice too), but I just love the colours, and the fibres. I love the books (I have a whole bookshelf) about knitting. Also if wool is in a sale, then I am so going to buy it. I have been trying to be restrained because I am saving to go to India. But every now and then I have a little blip. Such as yesterday reading a lovely blog, and there was an offer of if you buy the wool today, you get entered into a draw to win a voucher. So I ordered some sock yarn (you can never have too much) and lo and behold I have won a voucher to buy some more, how cool is that.

I have stopped browsing ebay, and I keep coming across these bargains which are calling out my name. I have to say "It's only a bargain if you need it" and "It's not a need, it's a want". Trouble is I don't always listen to myself. Off now to rearrange my stash enhancers a.k.a the wool storage units. Happy knitting.

Sleepover

This is what happens when you have your grandaughter over for her first sleepover. You teach her to knit!!Actually she is only 17 months old, so no way was she going to learn. When I put the needles in her hands for a quick photo opportunity, her eyes lit up with delight, not because she valued all the time and effort that I had put into knitting her a new cardigan, but because she saw a chance to be able to quickly destroy something of mine!!Bless her. Her cardigan is going well. I say that, I have done about half of the back.

She came to stay as it was my number one daughters wedding anniversary, so her and hubby went out for a meal, and a night away. My daughter was warning me about my grandaughters nocturnal activities - basically she sometimes wakes up, and screams, and screams. So I thought I had better have an early night. I woke up at 5.30 and was instantly worried that something was wrong, as she hadn't woken up. I crept up the landing to check on her, and she was still asleep, so I went back to bed, and she didn't wake until 7.30. So that was lovely.

My daughter and grandaughter have had to come and stay as they have some work being done in their house. It's nice, but also difficult. All my children (5 of them) are at home from various holiday activities, and then we have number one daughter, and grandaughter. And we have been going stir crazy as it has been raining, and raining, and raining. She took her home to sleep tonight, as she didn't sleep well last night. I did hear her crying, but for the first time in my life when I heard a baby crying, I could just pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep!!

Bought myself a little treat today. Not wool, I know, shock, horror - but I bought myself some new knitting needles tips. They are Knitpro symfonie wooden tips that screw on to a wire, to make circular needles. I love them, they are so cool. And I bought myself two new wires, as I have so much stuff on the needles I needed some more. Well you've got to have a little treat now and again.

Next time I may show you some of my stash, and my stash holders, as I have a new one - thanks to a friend - you know who you are!!Happy days.

New projects (again)

My brother and his wife are having a baby in November. It's very exciting for them. They weren't going to have children, and then they changed their mind. I bought these two lovely patterns and wool to knit some little boy things (as they are having a boy).

This is one pattern from the new Debbie Bliss book that I found. My daughter loves this, but unfortunately Cashmerino isn't the cheapest of wools.

Look at this lovely, lovely book. I happened to be in the neighbourhood of Carlys Crafts (the naughty shop) in Winton. The lady in there has so much yarn porn and naughty books - it is so tempting. So as you can see I gave in to temptation. This book has lots of lovely patterns in. My eldest daughter happened to be with me, and she ended up buying the wool for me to knit one of the cardigans for my grandaughter, so I am itching to start it. The cardigan pattern is in the middle, with the flowers, but she has chosen navy blue and two shades of pink for the flowers. It looks so nice. I so want to cast it on, but I have one hat to finish. I finished the hat last night and then realised I had done 2 rows too many. Which is annoying, because I have to unpick at least 6 rows to get the pattern right. Off to correct that, then I can get started on the cardigan. I do wish I could knit as fast as I can type, I would get loads done!!

Busy Day

Well, got the sock knitting sorted out with the lady last week, so that was good.

Today is a baking day - all day, as long as the chickens can keep up with demand!!My 3 girls are off to camp tomorrow (hurray), two of them have already had an argument - about a mug (I know how ridiculous!!)So I am making cakes for them to take to camp. I have 3 dotty mocha cakes in the oven at the moment, and I am hoping to make a chocolate cake, and some cookies too. The day could well drag, as it's raining, we are not going out anywhere and they are all hyper about going away tomorrow, so they are all irritable too. I just have to remember to try and keep calm (not easy)

I am ploughing my way through hats at the moment. I have finished 2, on the brim of another, and then I have another to do. And in between times I am still ploughing on with the red calico, and that is well over half way now. I started a sock too, only because I have knitted one, about a year ago, and thought it was time that I started and finished the second one of the pair.

I have been going to the sales and trying to buy myself some clothes for going to Inida in November. I did quite well, and I am probably about there now. I need to buy hubby some shoes (as he doesn't do sandals in England) but will probably want to wear them over there. I have been advised that it's modest dress, no clingy clohes or cleavage on show. So that's good, as I will feel at home there then. I am back on a diet now, need to shift at least half a stone so that last years linen tops aren't quite so snug. I actually stuck to it yesterday, which is quite amazing. At least I have a focus now. Well must go and do some more cakes, and knitting in between batches. Happy days.

ho hum

Sometimes I can never think of a title, so there you go, ho hum, that's about the extent of my brain power today. Had a nice day today, well nice afternoon. Went to visit some family who had come down for a holiday in a localish holiday park. We went for lunch, after church, and then the kids had a swim in the pool. It was really nice and relaxing. I took my knitting but didn't end up getting it out of the car.

Last month our knitting group was club of the month in one of the knitting magazines. Through that a local lady contacted me to see if someone could help her with sock knitting. So to cut a long and boring story short, I am going to meet up with her for an hour tomorrow, to try and help her. I am not an expert at knitting socks, but I have done 2 pairs and 3 odd socks, so I know sort of how to do it. I just hope I am ok at teaching it. I'll let you know how I get on. In fact it may inspire me to start some. I quite fancy doing some with a pattern on, but will have to see how I get on. I have 5 hats to knit for another friend. I have done one so far. Still ploughing on with the red cardigan, over halfway through now, and still got one sleeve to finish on a baby cardigan. Will I ever get anything else done.