What?, its February!!! Gosh hasn’t time flown this year. Because we are independent thinking women we thought we would have our Christmas do in the deep dark days of winter which is when after the heady days of New Year and Christmas with the family, a woman needs a treat, just for her. So this is what we did, we had lunch, and a very pleasant lunch it was too.

But before lunch we started with breakfast. The Almanack does look after us extremely well, being able to toast the odd slice of bread just when you fancy it is quite appealing, especially on a cold and damp February morning. There was a very good turn out, it was so nice to see so many of us. I’d received emails from those that were unable to make it so I knew they were there in spirit if not in person.

I’m often staggered by how this group is growing, with such warm, good humoured women, who are a pleasure to know and meet every week. My thoughts sometimes wander to that day in August that I sat on my own willing people to come and join in the knitting fun, never in my wildest dreams did I think it would grow into something as wonderful as this. So I would like to say thank you to each and everyone one of you, it is you that make the knitting group as amazing as it is.

Enjoying coffee at The Almanack,

knitting needles in hand.

Sadly not everyone could join us for the meal, but the 13 that were able to (and how’s that for a spooky number!) enjoyed our lunch at The Green Man who did a fantastic job, the meals were all superb, you couldn’t fault them. And being it was 2 for 1, there was much merriment when it came to pay the bill. In fact, there is talk of a repeat at Easter, which I think is a very good idea.

So, Happy Christmas everyone and may all your knitting dreams come true.

in Stratford upon Avon today, so we trotted over for a walk along the river. I managed to grab my latest pair of socks before heading out the door. It was cold, but bright so made the perfect photo opportunity. It was very nice to be in the sunshine, it was just what we both needed. Later we strolled around the town and enjoyed a coffee together.

These socks are a Cookie A confection, Angee which has been a pleasure to knit and has turned into a really beautiful pair of socks – but then I wouldn’t expect anything less of a Cookie A pattern.

They are made with Wollmeise 100% in Miss May. I love Wollmeise I am completely addicted to it and Miss May did not disappoint.

I think Eric has got his paws well and truly under the table, look how comfy this pussy cat looks.

We have a sneaking suspicion that these pussy cats were pre owned by a knitter, because as soon as my knitting comes out, they plonk themselves onto my lap for a cuddle and quickly doze off, even though they occasionally get a gentle whack across the head with a long 7.5 mm knitting needle!!

Whilst I was chatting to her friends about knitting and quilting,

she joins in with an “Oh Yes,”

“I know what I want for Christmas” I’m thinking, It is January isn’t it!!!

“Oh” sez I.

“I want one of those Christmas tree skirts,” and then proceeded to wax lyrical about the one I had made.

I reminded her that I hadn’t finished it, I am still sewing beads on..

so she said with glee..

“Well, it will give you a whole year to make mine”

Game, set and match to my mother me thinks…

Our new to us pussy cats seem to be settling in beautifully. Florence particularly loves a warm lap on which to lay whilst enjoying a good ear rub and gently batting yarn and needles with her paws. Eric prefers to lay on a warm lap, enjoy the ear rubs whilst then gently rolling onto his back so as you can give his tummy a tickle, at which point he nearly falls off your lap!

I haven’t had lap cats in my life for a very long time and I’m really enjoying them. They have such wonderfully soft fur, especially Eric’s who should be called Cashmere as his fur is just dreamy.

Meet Florence, her colourings remind me so much of Willow,

Isn’t she adorable.

And then we have Fat Cat, I mean Eric, (the boys named them!) whose only goal in life is to be loved. (and fed) This is him cuddled up on my lap.

I love his markings, I think he is very handsome.

I’m entitling this photo, “There may be trouble ahead”

I’m working on the premise that they will soon realise that they can’t get to the budgies and will become bored.

Although Eric does seem keen to explore all angles.

I really enjoy my knitting group, I can’t believe that what started with just me on my own in August, a couple of print outs and a knitting magazine or two has grown into such a wonderfully chatty group of fifteen to eighteen women who love to come together for a natter. I think if everyone came together the numbers would grow into the twenties, three more came across us today and wished to join in and have promised to come next week. It seems to grow every single month.

I especially enjoy their comedy, I love women’s humour, its fun, its not harsh or brash or difficult to understand as to why you would find that amusing, its good and I love it. (I also like my sons humour, but they are gentle and young and I hope they remain so)

So, when I mentioned that I was not going to be buying wool or yarn of any description this year with the proviso’s in place of Wonder Wool and Knit Nation, they heckled,.. they did, it was quite shocking.. I would have thought they might have understood, but no they heckled and then they questioned me… Questioned I was! As to what I had in my stash.. I don’t even explain that to my husband, if he can’t work it out, I’m not going to tell him.

So I stuttered and I mumbled about having stash in every room that is available, apart from toilets, bathrooms and the boys bedrooms. And then the game was on,, they laughed in such cheery tones that I laughed like a drain too. And I had to explain (although I never gave them a final figure) as to just how many skeins of sock yarn I might have and how much area this took, and then these women who I dearly love, welcomed my honest approach and started to talk about their own stashes… I won’t reveal anything because you never know who is reading, but compared to some, well, I’m just a beginner.

Do you remember the photograph of the adorable pussy cat I posted a few days ago.

She left us for Rainbow Bridge on Saturday. I knew she was a poorly pussy cat (heart failure and congestion around her lungs) and knew her visit to the vets may well be a one way trip. Thank fully our vet is a practical man and doesn’t shilly-shally around what needs to be done. Which made everything much easier for my hubby and son no.2, this is why I was a little distracted on Saturday morning at quilting, If I’d spoken about it I’m sure I would have leaked quite alot, so it was best that I didn’t. Willow had had a very good 15/16 years for a feral pussy cat and she will be joining her brother Bramble under the Laurel hedge, I will miss her and her adorable pure white paws padding across the breakfast table in search of treats.

And this is where the guilt comes in. (I think guilt is part and parcel of being a mother, there is always something to beat yourself up about)

Last week we celebrated our 21st wedding anniversay.

gorgeous red roses from hubby

and stunning tulips from Noelle, thank you Noelle they were such a wonderful surprise.

On our wedding anniversary we normally have a trip out, this year I wanted to see what the RSPCA had to offer in the way of pussy cats. We have always had more than one pussy cat in our lives and I thought that Willow had looked a little sad and could do with some company. Sadly Willow suddenly became not just old, she became ill and I feel quite guilty about it all, but by Saturday we had spoken to the children and had planned a second visit. So mixed in with my guilt I think that sometimes you just have to say to yourself, that perhaps this is how it was supposed to be.

Anyway to get to the point of my witterings, there were two adorable pussy cats, brother and sister in exactly the same colour markings as Willow and Bramble. And they were being released for adoption on Sunday. Part of the rules of adoption is that the RSPCA have to see the whole family, so come Sunday morning I turf the 18 and 20 year old out of beds at the crack of dawn, (mind you they didn’t require much turfing, they were quite excited), point them towards the shower and we head off three quarters of an hour early just so that we were first in the queue.

We had a successful homecheck today and we pick them up tomorrow.

And to be absolutely honest I am rather glad that we found them when we did. Our home has been very empty without a pussy cat in it for the last few days. In all of our life together this has been the longest few days without a pussy cat in it and I just don’t like it.

I’m looking for knitting names for the pussy cats, hubby came up with Stash and Sable, which made me laugh like a drain..

I’d love to hear your ideas……

I first knit this scarf in December 2007 for son no.1. He loved it so much that he always wore it and eventually stretched it and to be honest I was just about to reblock it, he’d stretched it that far. And then, he lost it. He was very sad, and I was sad too, not only for the loss of his scarf but because I’d lost my very first pair of gloves that I’d knit in the same week. (I’m still knitting a replacement pair)

I thought I would be able to let him use one of the many scarfs that seem to be littered around the home of mandycharlie, and that was okay for a very short while. But then, he started to plead with me on a daily basis, often twice a day, sometimes even thrice, asking me to knit him exactly the same scarf. And how can you resist those big brown eyes.

So I cast on and knit just as fast as my fingers would allow me, every day spent knitting, looking out at the snow, wondering how cold my boy was whilst he was working just spurred me on. Last night I finished and this morning I have woven in the ends. This pattern is Sequoia knit with three balls of Soft Tweed Rowan in Bramble on 8.mm needles. I added 3 stitches to both sides, (total of 6 stitches) in a garter stitch pattern just to make it slightly wider. The first scarf used four balls, but my son asked for a shorter scarf.

When I presented him with his shorter scarf this morning……. he asked for a longer scarf…

I’m afraid he got what he was given, I know he’ll stretch this one out. It hasn’t been blocked as he needs the use of it today.

And here we have the photograph of him wearing it, My how he’s changed in the last two years. I think it would be a wonderful idea to have portrait shots of him wearing a new Sequoia scarf every two years, it will be really interesting to see how he changes.

This is just a quick catch up, thank you to all who left messages/emails. Its so nice to get support when you are feeling so dreadful. I’m slowly getting better, who knew it would take so long!!!

But I’m not wittering on about that this morning – yes I am blogging at a ridiculous hour, the snoring between hubby and the golden retriever was deafening, I gave up and got up.

Since we last spoke, there has been an eighteenth birthday of our youngest son.

He wouldn’t pose nicely for the camera, this is the best shot, there were many outtakes. I don’t know where he gets his stubborn personality from!!!!

It was quite amusing to find out that he is a happy drunk! His elder brother took him to the pub, a visit to the local hostelry is almost a tradition on your 18th in the UK. And after a few sherbets escorted him home, (he was under strict instructions to look after his younger brother!) whereupon I find this extremely tall and quite broad happy drunk hugging me and telling me how much he loves me. We gave him chocolate cake and put him to bed!

And there has been knitting as you might imagine although there seems to be more on the needles than off the needles at the moment.

I finished a pair of socks for the boy above, in a size 13 mens UK. Which is huge.. He loved them and they have been most useful to him in all this snow. These are Opal Hundertwasser in colourway Der Blaue Mond – 1432 knit on 2.5 needles with a 72 stitch cast on. (not only are his feet long they are extremely wide) I wasn’t sure about this colourway and all the way through knitting them I just didn’t like them, but yet when I finished them, cast off, sewed the ends in and held the pair together, I fell in love. It was most odd. You see even if the sock yarn fumes don’t put you under their influence, the power of the knitted socks will..

There was a hat.

I made this hat to keep the eldest of my elder brothers warm. As soon as A was able to talk and draw he was drawing dinosaurs and this was long before paleontology became fashionable through films such a Jurassic Park. He has been on many dinosaur digs all over the world and when he’s not teaching a class room full of young people biology or playing dungeons and dragons (or making interesting items for his games) his mind quickly wanders over to his first love – fossils. All holidays were spent with A wandering off fossil hunting, and even on a beach that you thought there was no possibility that there were any fossils on, it was just all sand, A would return with a bucket full and would then spend a happy few hours analyzing them. (fossil books always went on holiday too)

So when I saw this pattern for a Trilobite hat, I knew I had to knit it for him and off course there was only one colour that would completely work for this pattern – slate grey. The hat looks even better when its worn as it opens the pattern up.

So, may I present “A trilobite caught in slate”

A’s reaction was a treat. He just thought it was a hat, and said a polite thank you. Where upon I’m bouncing up and down in excitement saying “Look at the pattern, look at the pattern” and he looked and said, “Yeah, its nice, thank you” I’m still bouncing, “Look at the pattern – Its a trilobite hat!!” getting squeakier and higher pitched by the second..

And then he really looked at it, I could see his brain computing.. And then there was that Flash of recognition, and it was like watching fireworks coming out of his head, he was completely knocked sideways with it. His reaction was just perfect, he loved it. And it fitted him perfectly. I knit this on 4.5 mm needles as I wanted a generously sized hat using Rowan Pure Wool Aran.

There has been a little bit of knitting for me. I really like Fletcher by Jane Ellison and I’ve had the pattern and the yarn for over a year. Actually I didn’t have quite enough yarn so I asked on Ravelry if there was anyone who would be willing to sell me a skein or two of Noro Iro in the colourway and dyelot I had and not one, but two very kind people came forward. Isn’t Ravelry fabulous, so now I have more than enough to complete my project.

This is Noro Iro in colourway 58. Do you notice the delightful pure white paws that are obviously trying to drag my newly knitted back onto the floor for the pleasure of her own bed? This is Willow, she jumped up whilst I was photographing the back and marched across the fabric just to check if it was up to her exacting standards.

And this is her perched on her bed, which was a doggie coat for Holly our whippet until Willow decided that she wanted it. In the end I had to bow to her good taste and cut off the toggles and let her have it. Willows about 15 now, doesn’t time fly!

Earlier in the year I started to keep notes on what I had knit. Mostly I look around my home and think to myself that I haven’t knit much this year. Yet I always seem to be knitting, I feel lost in the evenings if I’m not knitting a row or too. Clearly from the list below it is evident that I do knit.

The Republic Hat by Nicole Reeves in Adriafil Lama colourway Brown (64)

Lavender in Winter Beanie by Vicky Hammerstein in Adriafil Lama colourways Grey and Brown (74 & 64)

Seaman’s Cap by Brenda Zuk in Colinette Iona colourway Summer Berries.

Hawthorne by Tanis Gray in Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend in colourway 6610

Two Amanda Hats by Gina House in Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica in Reds and Purple and Black.

Two Amanda scarfs inspired by Gina House in Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica in Reds and Purple and Black.

Emerald Cardigan by Amy Swenson in Rowan Scottish Tweed Chunky in colourway Lobster.

Mandy’s cutting edge of fashion tank top – 07 V-neck Vest by Elena Malo in RYC Cashsoft Aran Brown 020

Tartan scarf by Anna Tillman in Kidsilk Haze Trance 582 and Rowan Tapestry Moorland 175 & Lakeland 180

Kiri Shawl by Polly Outhwaite in Wollmeise Lace-Garn in colourway Terra di Siena.

Pi Hat by TChemGrrl in Rowan Pure Wool Aran Praline and RYC Cashsoft Aran light beige.

half of a Surface by Norah Gaughan in Toft Alpaca DK Chocolate 208

Sir Lancelots magical jacket – Ribbed Baby Jacket by Debbie Bliss in RYC Cashsoft Aran, Red (10)

Seaman’s hat for a friend – Seaman’s hat by Brenda Zuk in RYC Cashsoft Aran, Red (10)

Socks

Cherry Tree Socks – Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in Fall Foliage.

Fandango Socks – Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in Fandango

Show off Stranded socks by Anne Campbell – Fyberspates Sock Yarn.

My Country Garden Socks – Cherry Tree Hill Supesock in Country Garden.

More socks for Mandy – Austermann Step colourway 55

Embossed Leaves by Mona Schmidt in The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga in Differential Grasshopper

Spring Forward to Sunny Days by Linda Welch in Wollmeise Sockenwolle 100 % superwash in Baba Jaga.

Stripey socks – ball band lost.

Thick Grey socks – Schoeller & Stahl Limbo Color in Grey.

Charlie’s Cheesy Wotsit Paw Prints – Pyewacket Socks by Kristi Schueler in Handmaiden Fine Yarn Casbah Sock in Sangria.

Lost label Socks – lost label.

Redcurrants and Stinging Nettles – Johannisbeer und Brennessel 100% Wollmeise.

Mum’s Emergency Socks – Regia Kaffe Fassett colourway 4355

Spey Valley by Nancy Bush in Peace, Love & Misti Alpaca Hand Paint sock yarn in colourway Taos.

Socks for a huge footed male, Opal Hundertwasser in 1432 Der Blaue Mond

Lizard Ridge,
9 squares.

My knitting plans for next year, (how are we saying this twenty ten, or two thousand and ten? I think I’m sticking to twenty ten) they are simple.

1. It is going to be the year of the cardigan for me. I love cardigans, I do, I prefer the flexibility of not overheating (its probably my age!) I’ve concentrated on socks this year, mainly because I needed a stash to keep my feet warm and I will still knit socks, but I would love some super warm cardigans to choose from come next winter.

2. When I do knit socks, I will probably be looking for a patterned sock. Bayerische, may even get tackled this year. That is my holy grail and one day I will knit it.

3. And this plan is quite scary – my stash is threatening to overtake my home. I have some beautiful wools to choose from, really stunning and now is the time to use them. So… (and this is so difficult to type) I don’t care how tempting the bargain is or how much I desire that particular colourway, I am going to knit from my stash. If I need a couple of balls to complete or compliment a project that is fine, but apart from that it must come from the stash. I can however buy beautiful needles and books, I couldn’t live without books and magazines. (well I could obviously, but I prefer not to) I can also swap yarn. – that is allowable.

At the moment I could probably knit at my current rate of knitting for several years just from my stash. Especially with the amount of sock yarn I have, its time to make a serious dent in it.

I feel slightly panicked about this idea, I’m hoping this panicky feeling (and who knew I’d become such a consumer!) will lessen as the time goes on. Especially when I start using some of the most beautiful yarns that I have carefully stored away.

I’m hoping for a much healthier year next year, this was not a good year for Mandycharlie. I saw my rheumatologist today etc etc, he’s just diagnosed the pain in the side as pleurisy. Whether its pleurisy or strained intercostal muscles, it flippin’ hurts. I’m on my fifth course of antibiotics, I’ve had five lots of blood tests, one xray – (still waiting for results) huge amounts of painkillers etc etc. He thinks that its going to take two to three months to get back to normal. All I know is that I couldn’t walk far if my life depended on it. My breathing is completely whacked out (a common side effect of pneumonia apparently) and I’ve an appointment with a physiotherapist to get my breathing back into line. So at the moment I don’t think I’m going to be playing for another month or so.

I’m okay really, I’m a bit low as you might imagine, and it probably wasn’t a good idea for hubby to be refitting the kitchen just while I’ve been this poorly, but basically I’m okay and its more a question of having a little winge. *grin*

So, I’m just going to have a little break from blogging, just to let you know that nothing dire has happened, I am over the worst I just need rest and recuperation.

See you in a few weeks,

Happy New Year!

I thought I’d update you all today on my pneumonia and the small amount of crafting that I have managed to do. Generally I’m steering myself towards a better place, last week was good on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, but Friday I deteriorated much to the concern of my doctor and so the weekend was filled with an anxious husband and children badgering me to go to the hospital. You can imagine it can’t you “cough” – “go to the hospital” (ignore it) “Cough, cough” – “go to the hospital” (ignore it) “Cough, cough, cough” , accompanied by slight retching sounds as gasping for breath whilst clutching ribs, – “GO to the hospital” …. Female of forty odd years stands her ground and whilst gasping for breath manages to scream at her family that have collected around her “Will you lot just SHUT UP!!” Family dissipate until the next round of coughing where upon they regroup and have another go.

This morning, well, I don’t feel quite so ill as I did at the weekend, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I was feeling brighter and my right lung is really hurting. I think that’s to do with all the coughing I have done for the last few weeks, but I’m definitely feeling… not as ill.

One of the benefits of being ill is you get to watch as much television as you are able, although mostly your bored to tears by it. But there was a rare treat on last week which I thoroughly enjoyed, Kirstie Allsopp’s Homemade Christmas. One of her projects really tickled me, her Christmas stocking, although the cost of her chosen materials didn’t. I was deeply shocked by how expensive her materials were, mohair bear at £75.00 a metre for a three year old, maybe not. What I do love about Kirsty is she has an enthusiastic bubbly personality and obviously loves crafting. I like that.

So on Thursday Kirstie’s idea of a Christmas stocking wouldn’t leave me alone. Fortunately my sewing machine and other crafty materials are still downstairs. (See mother there are some benefits to not being house proud!) So it was not difficult to set everything up.

I’ve been collecting material, this is a tip for patch workers or would be patch workers that come across my blog. Fabric sample books are wonderful for patch workers, even the heavy materials from furniture suppliers are well worth having. And generally, they are free. They are just thrown away so if you can get in there first before the schools, local charities or perhaps someone else that has read this blog, do it. I’ve even been known to ask at shops making curtains etc when out on a day out.

So, this stocking that you are about to see was made with material given to me from my local shops, (I’ve got that wrapped up so don’t even try!!!) a little wadding and material left over from my Christmas skirt, I bought the jingle bells and Christmas rope – which were in my stash. So sum total I think including threads, would have been about £1.50 for this project.

I started with choosing the back and lining of my stocking.

That was a bit tricky as most samples are quite small, but occasionally you do get a bigger bit and I was lucky that I had a lovely red to use.

I really enjoyed this part, I gathered together golds, creams, reds, rusts and greens, of various textures, they just look so pretty. It was great fun.

Next I made a pattern out of some tissue paper that I had saved. Cut out my wadding and then started to sew random patches onto my stocking shaped wadding.

I then trimmed all of the materials up and embellished my stocking with Christmas rope. Next I cut out the backing and lining materials,

and sewed them together. And that was the tricky bit. Trying to remember exactly how Kirstie had sewn them all together in one go and how it would work. My brain was doing backward flips at that point as it was desperately trying to work in 3D.

However, I managed it first time!

It was right sides of the backing and front together and right sides of the linings together, placed on top of the backing side. Sounds weird doesn’t it.

Then once sewn up, pop your fingers in between the front and the backing and turn inside out.

and you have a stocking.

I used some quilt binding that was spare from my Christmas tree skirt. And I added a couple of jingle bells – because anyone that knows me knows that If I can add a little musical interest to a Christmas item, I will. They do make it absolutely wonderful, because they work on another sense, its not just visual its auditory and it really brings Christmas alive in this stocking.

The completed stocking. Its not perfect, but its mine and I love it so.