Busy, busy, busy! - and a confession

It's been one of those weeks this week - lots on and the inevitable negative impact on stitching time.  And I have a confession to make - there has also been less stitching because I have learned to knit - again!

So, taking it from the top, on Bank Holiday Monday I went to see M from the Patchwork Group who taught me how to cast on, knit and purl.  I did knit briefly as a child, but it didn't stick.  Back to work on Tuesday with Pilates in the evening.  Wednesday night I had to go back to M's to get something for Mum out of her loft, and in doing so bashed my head on her ceiling.  Thursday was Slimming World plus Patchwork Group.  Friday night I stitched.  Yesterday I drove to Yorkshire to spend the day with a friend that I haven't seen for 10 years (2 hours each way), and then went to my parents to watch the last half of Eurovision so a very late night.  And finally this morning I drove to Leicester and back.

On the stitching front:

 I only achieved one block on Carnation this week, so that leaves another five to do this month.  It's coming on slowly - very slowly.

Corgi got most of my stitching time this week.  I have completed the top two rows on page 2 and the whole of his second ear.  The coming week's plan is to fill in the background by his ear, level things off and hopefully get down to row 5.

Nothing on Guardian Angels or on Train of Dreams this week due to my getting a grip adventures.  I had a lovely time in Yorkshire with my friend and her family, catching up on the years and getting to know her kids.  

The weather has been absolutely horrible - it drizzles, it stops, it throws it down, it drizzles, it throws it down, it stops very briefly and then it drizzles again.  It certainly made driving long distances this weekend "interesting" and if anyone mentions the word "drought" in my hearing this year after the winter and spring that we have had, I may well do them a mischief!

And now on to the new stuff - the knitting:

This is the beginning of my scarf.  What you see there is 40 rows of stocking stitch, although M informed me on Thursday night at Patchwork Group that I was doing my knit stitch incorrectly.  For those of you who knit, the yarn is a French one - Phildar Impact 3,5 and the colourway is Braise.  The next 40 rows will be in a basket weave effect, once I have clarified one small point with M.  I am going to add finishing this scarf to my 2014 goals.

And adding to my previous confession - this is (mostly) the yarn stash that I have accumulated in the last two days.  When I started thinking about learning to knit again, I bought the yarn that I am currently knitting with, one ball of the orange and brown (back left) and one ball of the multi-coloured (centre back).  On Saturday I bought the six balls of blue on the right hand side, and today I bought another ball of orange and brown, three more balls of multi-coloured, the ball of black, another ball of my current scarf yarn and the three balls of what is actually lavender colour at front left.  Most of this is the same French yarn, apart from the six balls of blue (which is Patons).  I think that I may have developed a little problem :-)

In other news, I put on 1lb this week, so am back to 11 stone 7lb.  However, I know what caused it so am not too bothered.  Next weekend is Open Gardens on my parents' road so, as my friend's wedding is off, I shall be running the tombola both days.  How much stitching/knitting I will get done remains to be seen.  I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that the weather improves as this year's charity is the local hospice.

Anyway, all the best to you and yours, and may the frog stay well away from your stitching.