The Negligent Blogger

I haven’t blogged for so long!  I have been so negligent.  The summer holidays have been and gone and already we’re three weeks into the autumn term.  I spent most of the holidays having a wonderful crafty time and generally not missing work at all.  We had a glorious week in the Lake District (which stayed remarkably dry) and then we had a long bank holiday weekend on the south coast (which didn’t!)

I have had a terrible bout of startitis and currently have three shawls OTN, none of which is getting finished.  I also have a couple of pairs of socks. I have attempted Ifigenia but failed tragically.  I really can’t get the hang of it.  I knew it would be a challenge but it’s got me stumped!  It’s a shame as the colour I chose is beautiful and deserves to be knitted into a thing of beauty.  I am considering frogging her out and using the yarn for something else.

Now we’re back at school and it feels like I’ve never been away.  Tom is frantically filling in his UCAS form ready for next year.  He got an A and three Cs in the AS levels which I was very proud of but apparently ‘we wanted Bs’.  Resits are in the pipeline for January I think.  I don’t know where the time goes as he’s 18 in a couple of weeks.  18!  I can still remember giving birth to him like it was yesterday.  I’m so lucky as he has turned into a wonderful sensitive lad that works hard and is not a scrap of bother.  Not something I would say about a  lot of the others in his year group (or his brother! – just kidding Joe )

I have succumbed (with some coercement … hem hem!) and bought a ticket to the Knitting & Stitching show at Ally Pally again.  For research purposes only you understand.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself last year and hopefully some yummy samples will ‘fall’ into my shopping bag again this year.  I know for a fact that Jeni from Fyberspates is going so that is definitely going to be one stall I stop by.

Although I have suffered from Startitis, I have also finished a few things:

Simon has been whining on about having a pair of gloves for ages.  He asked specifically for this finger arrangement as he works outside and wanted to keep as many fingers warm as possible but still use his thumb and index finger.  I think they were originally designed for smokers although he doesn’t (and those nails aren’t his, they’re mine.  Just in case you were wondering )

This is a shawl called Little Leaves and it’s beautiful.  Very easy to knit and very effective once blocked.  It’s in one of my own hand dyes and there are little crystal beads attached but they don’t show up very well.  The shawl is for one of my Mum’s friends as a Christmas present.  My first one completed!

These are Hearts & Flowers Socks from the book Toe Up Socks for Everyone.  I thoroughly enjoyed knitting these and the little picot cast off is really pretty.

So you can see I have been quite busy over the summer!  I’ve also been practising my spinning and I think I’m improving!

We’re off to visit Bristol Uni. this week and I’m hoping to swing a visit to Get Knitted as we’ll be so close (well it would be rude note to pop in!) and I promise to post an update after my visit to Ally Pally.