It rained on Midsummer Eve, it rained on Midsummer Day and it rained again today! If anyone mentions the word "drought" to me any time soon, I may do them a mischief. I know I go on about the weather a fair bit, but when there is a seasonal element to your relationship with the Black Dog, a soggy summer is not very beneficial to your state of mind. I could quite happily ship all this rain to California, where it would be properly appreciated!
On a lighter, brighter note I have a finish and two starts to report.
The two headbands for littlest niece were finish finished the day before her birthday. When she opened her present, she put the first one (with the flower) on her own head and the second one (the lace one) on her sister's head. So I'm counting that one as a success. And my Mum really likes the leaves!
However, having finished Hermione's Socks last week and then the headbands, I had nothing left to knit. I still need to finish finish my handwarmers, but I had nothing on the needles, which made me very fidgety (addicted much?). So this weekend I started two new projects.
The first new project was my first pair of toe-up socks. As it is just over 3 months since I did the workshop on these, I had some problems with the cast on. My attempts at the Turkish cast on resulted in holey toes and my attempts at Judy's Magic Cast On resulted in bad language as I kept dropping needles and getting nowhere. So I went back to the yarn shop where I did the workshop and got the owner to show me how to do it again. And lo and behold we have a toe!
My second new project is "Hitchhiker" by Martina Behm. I have been waiting to start this shawlette for quite a while now. I bought the pattern on New Year's Eve but have only now found myself in a position to put yarn and needles together. It's called Hitchhiker because when finished, it will have 42 points. I'm using a lace weight yarn instead of the sock yarn it was designed with, so my shawlette will end up somewhat lighter weight. The pattern is nice and easy and I'm enjoying the process as well as looking forward to wearing the product.
And finally Baby Express. I think I've made some good progress on this since you last saw it and when the back stitching is all done, it is going to look very nice indeed.
I think that's everything for this post - I don't have any other news to tell you. So all the best to you and yours, and may the frog stay away from your needles!
It threw it down at the weekend, absolutely threw it down. Why am I having to wear serious wet weather gear in the middle of June? And it meant that our family barbecue on Saturday had to take place indoors, so not so much fun for the kids. Anyway, sorry this is a bit late but we had family visiting this last weekend, which was great. Baby snuggles with my cousin's 4 month old who we had only seen in photos before now - a lovely little boy who was very laid back about being cuddled by complete strangers. And she keeps the mittens and booties I knitted when he was born in the change bag!
Anyway, progress has been made. I have a finish and a part finish to report.
The finish is Hermione's Socks. I grafted the toe of the second sock and tidied up the cuff on Saturday morning. So I now have three pairs of hand knitted socks. The next pair will be toe-up socks, but I need to get my part finish completely finished first before I cast on.
The part finish was the first of the two headbands that I am knitting for littlest niece's birthday. Having blocked it to get the lace pattern to show better, I wove in the ends and sewed on the buttons. Job done! The second headband needs grafting together and the leaves and flower stitching on. The deadline is tomorrow night cos the birthday is Wednesday.
And finally Baby Express - having now met the baby it is for, I really want to get this finished. The engine is coming on nicely and I reckon I'm more than halfway there with this piece.
I didn't go to Slimming World this week because it was Patchwork Group, so nothing to report there.
I could really do with a good night's sleep, so I will love you and leave you, wishing all the best to you and yours, and may the frog stay well away from your needles.
It's hard to believe that it is June already - where is the year going? At least the weather seems to be slowly coming to terms with the fact that it is supposed to be summer, so that's a plus!
If you look carefully at the left hand side, you can just see the first elements of the engine coming into being. I have also started to back stitch the track in that area. Plus next weekend I get to meet the future recipient. My cousin and her family are coming up next weekend so I'm looking forward to snuggling the little one.
I still haven't quite finished the second headband for littlest niece, but I have knitted a flower to go on it. I'm now wondering about a second leaf or a second flower and a second leaf. However I have less than 10 days left before her birthday so really need to crack on with this one and get the other one blocked and buttons sewn on.
And the end is in sight on Hermione's socks. I finished the last repeat on the foot today, so with a little luck I may be showing off a finished pair of socks in my next post. And then I will be casting on my first toe-up pair (if I can remember how to do the cast on I was taught at the workshop).
In other news, I have a new car! Things haven't gone quite as smoothly as I would have liked, but I now have a 58 plate Citroen C3, which drives very nicely, thank you. All I have to do now is pay off the credit card :-(
I also went to Slimming World this week and have lost 2lb, bringing me back down to 11 stone 8lb. And today I did the Race for Life to raise money for cancer research. I took my stopwatch and am pleased to say that I managed to walk 5km without stopping in 41 minutes 39 seconds, including the traditional sprint finish. If any of you have either done or are going to do the Race for Life this year, I wish you all the very best - major Brownie points!
Back to work tomorrow, so all the best to you and yours, and may the frog stay away from your needles.
