Bath

Having a lovely time in Bath with my best friend. We caught the train up and stayed in a nice travel lodge, we went to the thermo spa, did lots of shopping and had a lovely picnic tea from marks and spencer. Quiet night in watching tv and more shopping tomorrow, even found where the shop called wool is , that's for tomorrow. Good times, only down side is she's not a knitter

Log cabin

No I'm not off on a quiet holiday to the middle of the woods in Canada, but it would be nice to! I have started to knit a log cabin blanket. I know, I know I wasn't going to start anything but I couldn't fight the temptation. If you look on YouTube for log cabin blanket there's a lady who does a brilliant tutorial, something like pink in colour ia her nam, and has a free patten to go with the blanket. I have some chunky in grey and cream and then found some rowan cocoon in my stash. It's looking food so far, I have only done 3 colours but I think it's going to look great. The other colours are jade green a maroon sort of red and purple so break it up with grey and cream and I think it will look good. Off to do one more row before work

I forgot to tell you

Funny how things turn out. I now have an iPhone, after all my coveting and then saying I wasn't bothered. A friend gave me her old iPhone 3. It's brilliant and I'm even blogging on it? The best thing it has cost me nothing and my phone contract stays the same, happy days

Ally Pally

On Saturday I went to Ally Pally with a group of six knitters. I wasn't going to spend much, and to be fair I didn't compared to some knitters with rucksacks full of spoils. This was one of the bags that I got when I bought some wool. What a great idea of recycling, basically it was two sheets of newspaper, folded along the bottom edge to reinforce it with string handles, strong enough for wool and needles. Great.

I saw this and thought that it would be lovely for a shawl. It's got sparkles through it, so I think it will look lovely knitted up. Only one problem, I haven't got a wool winder now, because I sold it on ebay, but I can do it by hand, patiently.

I love Knit Pro needles. I have a lot of them, because I usually have more than one project on the go at once. These are the cubics ones. I wanted to try them to see if they make any difference to my knitting. I bought one pair of 4mm as that's what I mainly knit with, to see what they are like.

Knit Pro again. Only sock needles this time. I have sock needles but not any knit pro ones, at least I will remember the size instead of keep measuring them.

Now this was a waste of money. I so didn't need any bamboo straight knitting needles, but they are so lovely with the polka dot ends on them. I bought 4mm needles but at least I will use them, not just look at them because they are so lovely. I did have birtday money to take with me, so I treated myself.

Then there is this Van Gogh sock yarn. I have sock yarn, and I have socks but I thought this looked lovely, it will be interesting to see what it knits up like. I was going to start knitting them whilst at Ally Pally while waiting for my friends, but didn't have time.

It was a great day, we left our home town at 6.45 and got there about 1015. There was so much to look at, I don't think that I would have spent loads more even if my budget was unlimited. I saw Jamieson wool and some lovely kits to make a fair isle cardigan, where the fair isle was just on the yoke, but it was £50 and I have so much wool to make jumpers, that can wait.

I saw Martin Storey there and Sarah Hatton, my other knitting friends didn't know who they were, so guess that makes me the knitting geek. We had a great day and mainly wandered around on our own looking at stuff, it was very crowded at points and very hot with all those thousands of knitters looking for bargains, that they didn't need!!We left about 3 and got home about 6.45 so a long day, but a good day.

I have decided to go with a knitted separate button band for my daughters cardi. Started knitting it and then realised I should have started with button holes so that I can space them properly, but then I decided to do it in two sections and join at the back, then I can make sure the button holes are spaced properly.

New job is going well, got a day off today with my hubby, so that will be nice, we may even go out for coffee.

All new

Today I had my hair cut. It was long, shoulder length, and long enough to have it up in a pony tail. Now it is not long enough to put in a pony tail. I have had it cut into a short bob at the back and longer at the front. I'm not 100% sure I love it, but my hubby does (and he didn't want it to get cut). I will have to get used to it I suppose.

Tomorrow start my new job, so that will be exciting. I am looking foward to new challenges, and working with a new person too.

I have finished the green cardigan, apart from the button band. I have sewn it all up, and it fits my daughter and she likes it, so now it's to decide how best to do the button band. I have been knitting slob hats (so my son calls them) in between. One was in grey, basically they are like a basic beanie, but knit much longer so the end sort of hangs down the back of your head. The grey one was a bit short so I gave that to my 8 year old, and now I am knitting a longer blue one for the 13 year old.

Off to make a decision about the button band, will look on ravelry for ideas.

All change

Well it's all change again here. I went into work last week, and was give a gift set, and told that I was employee of the month. I was so thrilled and touched. Then I said to my boss, "you may want to have that back, as I am giving my notice in". She was very good about it, and said no, keep it.

Basically I am going to be working as a private carer for someone I know, as part of a team, which should be a bit better for my family life. It means I am around in the mornings to get the kids off to school. The money will be a bit more, and the hours too, and I will be self employed, so will need to keep an eye on things a bit more.

Almost finished the cardi, on the final sleeve, then doing the horrid button band. Supposed to pick up and knit all along the sides and down the fronts etc, so not sure if I will do it that way, or knit and then sew on after, don't like either really, but must finish it properly.

Have really fancied making a crochet bag, but need to finish this first. I will not be distracted, I will finish this cardigan, I will not be distracted. I must keep saying that!!

Anyway I fancy a glass of wine and some chocolate. Can't have either coz not got any and skint too.

Will go and knit!!