So this week has been like the curate's egg - good in parts!
Work was mega busy because the boss is now on leave for two weeks. So at least the first half of the coming week will be spent doing all the little things that need to be done but didn't get done, because I was doing the big things that he needed to have done before he went on leave. The coming week also means attending the funeral of the friend who died last week.
On the positive side, yesterday I had my hair cut very short so I no longer look like I stuck my finger in the plug socket and my fringe no longer comes below my nose. I dyed it plum colour this morning, and so far the response has been very favourable. Yesterday was also Knit Group day, so time spent with like minded people always makes me feel better. And today I went on a workshop about knitted garments - the first knitting workshop that I've been on at which I never touched a needle! It was all about the maths needed to change patterns to fit you, your preferred yarn and your gauge. I think I understood it properly - I now just need the time to get started on a jumper.
However there has been progress on all the things:
I have stitched the middle section of the left hand border and started doing the back stitch on the engine. I will continue with the back stitch this coming week. Once that is done, I will go back to working on the border.
I am now up to point 19 on Hitchhiker. I rather think that this is going to end up as Hitchhiker Plus. The pattern is designed for 525 metres of 4 ply/sock yarn. I have 600 metres of laceweight, and my intention is just to knit until I reach the end of the yarn.
Finally I have just started the ribbing on my toe up sock. I shall be glad to move on to the second sock so that I can try out a different kind of short row heel. It appears that on one side of the heel I have a tension problem with my wraps, so when you put the sock on, there are holes. I have been told to try German short rows on the second sock as they might work out better for me.
In other news, Dad seems to be fine following his angina attack - presumably the new meds are doing whatever they are supposed to do - and the replacement for my colleague who left recently starts in three weeks' time. And I have something really nice to look forward to next weekend, which I hope to tell you all about soon.
So all the best to you and yours, and may the frog stay well clear of your needles.
Last week was not a good week, so I did not make as much progress as I would have liked. To put matters in a nutshell, my Dad had an angina attack and a night in hospital, one of my colleagues left the firm and one of the members of our Patchwork Group died. We were on countdown for my colleague leaving, and the Patchwork Group knew that the chances of our friend coming out of hospital were slim to non-existent, but all the same ... However Dad having a funny turn and getting whisked off to hospital was definitely not in the plan. He's fine now, on some different meds, but we could have done without it.
So what progress was there?
I made more progress on Baby Express than anything else. The engine is now stitched, but before I can back stitch it, I need to do the next section of border because there is an overlap between the two parts. I've got a busy weekend coming up so I will only commit to getting the border section done this week.
Next up is Hitchhiker. What with one thing and another, I only managed a further three points on this so am now at 12 of 42. I just love the colours in the yarn and am really looking forward to wearing it.
It was only when it was too late that I realised that the best way to show progress on my Toe Up Socks was actually to take a foot selfie. Knitting Magic Loop style means that the cable stops you presenting the sock in the same way as you can with double pointed needles. I did do some sock knitting in the hospital though.
I'm going to finish here cos I'm tired and blue, so wishing you and yours all the very best, and may the frog stay away from your needles!
Yup, I missed last week. Why did I miss last week? Because I lost my mojo! And why did I lose my mojo? Because I had to frog Hitchhiker. I waited so long to start that project and then I bodged it and then I had to frog it. It's a garter stitch shawl - you can't get much simpler - and I still managed to bodge it. Depressing, huh!
However, this week my mojo is back and I feel good, despite the extreme (for my part of the UK) heat. And here are some progress pictures.
Baby Express has come on well this week. The whole of the rear of the engine, including the giraffe, is stitched, so I just need to do the front end and the backstitch before moving on to the rest of the border.
This is my re-started Hitchhiker. I have done the first 9 points out of 42 so am slightly ahead of where I was when I frogged it. I do think the colour is gorgeous and am looking forward to wearing it.
And this is what is making me really happy! This is a selfie of my foot wearing my work in progress toe up sock, and as you can see, I have turned the heel. I did it at Knit Club yesterday afternoon - it took a lot of concentration so I didn't do much talking. Now I just have to keep knitting up the leg until I run out of yarn! Plus I have new needles - those are Addi Turbos that I am using (and for Hitchhiker) - and they are so much easier to use.
And in other news, I went to Slimming World this week and I have maintained - so still 11 stone 8lb. I am putting some of that down to the heat, because that always tends to affect my appetite.
Anyway, time is getting on so all the best to you and yours, and may the frog stay away from your needles.
