Fingers crossed for a full recovery!

The vet has just rung to say he has finished surgery and all seems to have gone well. Just wanted to share that with you as I am more than a little happy! Am optimistic for a good outcome but am still aware of the possible problems. Will let you know more when I have news.

Today's the day!

Thank you to all who have sent me kind wishes and thoughts today! So in the true art of distraction I have scrubbed the kitchen rug and the patio. I have hoovered (nearly) all of the dog hairs up from the kitchen - those who have ever had a Labrador will know what I mean! I have eaten half a family size (extra, extra large) bag of Maltesers - sorry Lottie I know you had your eye on those. I have made goodness knows how many cups of tea and coffee (him indoors is working in his office upstairs today) and I plan to actually hoover the stairs! Yes the stairs! The job guaranteed to upset my back but at least I will feel useful. Any thoughts on other really rubbish jobs I can do today? Ooh maybe I should clean the dining room - or is that a step too far?

I have also taken the photo below to show you the spinning that I have been up to. The finished yarn is the first 'proper' wool that I have spun (I have practised a lot though) but need to practice more. The pink / red bat is a work in progress and I have spun about 40% of that bat. The green is still to do. Will report more later the kettle is calling again!

Bats and Boxes!

I am sorry I didn't manage to get the pictures of my bats up last week (they arrived on Wednesday) and I started spinning straight away. The reason being that this allowed me to be in the kitchen with the dog, keeping an eye on him without me just sitting watching him. He seemed to enjoy this and several times he came and sat with his head on my knee. So I have finished spinning and plying one bat and have just begun on the second. I will need more practice to get the lace weight and sock yarns that I would like to spin but I have enjoyed just trying at the moment - plus it doesn't require much thought so that is good for me at the moment.

So tomorrow is the big day and doggie goes for his heart surgery - if it works then he will be away for several days. Thought I would put up a couple of pics that we took over the weekend just as a record of him.

In case you were wondering we are starting a new box swap - it was the first swap that prompted me to start this blog in the first place and as a result found some lovely people who also happen to enjoy knitting.

Happy and Sad!

Hey there! If you wondered where I was well I have been sitting on the edge of a cliff (metaphorically speaking). My poor doggie is sick and will most likely need heart surgery to fix him. This should make him completely better but we are waiting for the surgeon to come back from his holidays - hope to hear today. It has been a horrible 2 weeks watching him constantly. Am hoping this week is a beter week.

On a brighter note I managed to get not 1 or 2 but 3 bats of posh fiber last night and am quite excited! Hope it arrives soon. Doggie and I like spinning he is quite happy to be near me just sleeping or watching my wheel go round so it should give me an excuse to sit outside with him! I am sorry that you thought I was trying to out do you Allison I have had my wheel for years now - I had it for ages and it was missing some vital parts (I bought it in an auction) and then I found a local lady who showed me how to use it and had the extra stuff that I needed to get going.

The wheel was played with for a summer and then I got fed up with the carding of the fleece as it was a bit messy to do inside and it went back into the garage until you got me excited about spinning again. I am hoping the the posh bats are alot less messy and I can enjoy doing it again. And yes I did get over excited and buy too many bats but they are so lovely! I am not very good with a drop spindle as I try to spin too fine and it breaks and drops the spindle and then I get cross with it! I can't wait to see the yarn come out from all of our efforts.

Bat pictures as soon as they arrive - I promise in the mean time hope all is well for you!

Oops!

Ok so I saw your roving Alison and thought mmmm! I then thought I must get my wheel out and have another go! Yesterday along with washing, lawn mowing and weeding plus a station run I managed to spin a bobbin full of the roving that I had in the gargage (it looks like a Jacob, someone gave me some pre carded to play with ages ago). Sitting on my new patio with the dog and spinning was the best thing ever (well for a while now anyway). I think I have the courage to get some of the 'posh' bats I have had my eye on for ages.



Its not that I really need it I have a whole Jacob fleece and an almost whole white fleece but this looks so much more fun (bright colours and no carding to do). All I need to do know is figure out how to spin for sock weight and my life could change forever!



That sounds a bit sad doesn't it - I really must get out more!



Oh and by the way 5hrs to get to the gusset on a sock sounds pretty impressive to me (knitting on the road always slows my needles down). It made me think - we spend at least 4 hours driving when we go to Norfolk, what on earth have I been doing with myself all this time?????


Its just me by myself today so lets see what else I can manage to get done!


PS which pattern have you used on Harry and how has it come out?

Catching up!

Here are my three little egg cosies that I made for easter (2 of them went away as body parts and came home assembled!) just wanted to show them to the world as I did actually have them done for Easter morning.

Also finished in at Easter were 1 of my beanstalk socks (see below) and a blind for the bedroom window (at last).

Startitis has attacked again and now have added to the wip pile a circle sock (in red yarn - am not likeing the colour but love the pattern) and a lace weight scarf / shawl. I just need to control these urges to cast on but no it seems impossible.

Him in doors is away tonight and tommorrow night so lets see what I can manage to get working on while he is away. More later ........

Open day success!

Well I am back from Norfolk and from open day arranging! After many sleep interupted nights of worrying we managed a huge 235 visitors - for a tiny village like ours that was pretty good I feel.

In all of the chaos of the day I still managed to buy myself a set of peace fleece needles, some lime green and fushia sock yarn and a new book I have wanted for a while 'Sock knitting with hand painted Yarn'. I have also promised myself a visit to the Threshing Barn near Leek as there were so many other lovely things on the stall and I was just too busy to buy them all!

I have also cast on my circle socks which I have been promising to do for a while but as all if my dpn's are full I am using my harmony circular and the magic loop (one at a time though).

I will put up some pics soon, but wanted to say Hi I am back again now.

PS Allison where are you - nothing from you for a while now, I hope you are just busy.