Araucania Ranco Multi Socks - My Current Obsession

So ... am I going over the top about this yarn? It's on here, it's on the shop blog (with more details about the .. well .. details), and it is on Ravelry.

I absolutely love it and it is all down to TB. He was left on his own with the Designer Yarns rep and he ordered it without a word to me. I don't care - I just wish he had ordered more colours.

I have just turned the heel on the first sock and I have tried it on - you almost purr when you put your foot in it. Honestly, I dont remember ever going on so much about a yarn, not even my favourites (LH Impression, LG Luxor, LH Grace, R Tapestry, etc). The colours are amazing and I am going to use them all - even the ones we haven't got in YET.

Seriously worth dying for - even if it has already been hand dyed in Chile. But I won't be chilly with these little beauts on my tootsies (and the rest of my leg-ends of course).

I'll tell you something else .. it knits up really quickly. I can't believe how far I have got on with it in the short time I have spent doing it. I keep saying it looks like a bruise cos I am using the bluey/purply one but that's my powerful descriptive skills fur ya.

I can't decide which one to use next. Hmm, decisions, decisions. Mind you, the ball looks like it has hardly been touched. I'm going to weigh it when I finish the first sock to see how much there is left.

We got the second Araucania book at the same time and it has sock patterns for the Ranco as well as some garment patterns, so you never know I may rustle up a wee thing to wear with it. but I am not forgetting I have a helluva lot of things to finish yet (that I haven't listed under any labels in Ravelry - too scared to see it in black and white, oh and colour if I put pics in too but I don't think the camera could take that much work) and start (that I haven't listed ..... )

Anyway, off to the Land of Nod. Hope tomorrow morning my phone alarm hasn't vibrated so much that it has fallen on the floor so that I am really confused cos it is ringing and I don't know where the noise is coming from cos I'm half asleep and I am feeling about like a feeler cos I don't have my glasses on yet and then find that the back has come off about an hour later when I go to wake up TB and wonder what that is lying on the floor and thank god I haven't stood on it and broken it.

Ravelry

Well folks - I've been invited and I've joined up. Yes, I'm now a Ravelryer.

Bloody Hell! I've hardly got time to do this and I'm now in Ravelry? When do these people get time to knit never mind have a life? It's pretty good though. You can list your stash and your projects and your needles etc and there are loads of groups to join as well. You can be in there for hours and hours.

Anyway, just thought I'd put in a wee post just to let you know I haven't gone into hibernation. So now I have done that, I am off to catch up on some other blogs before I head off to see MWM and WM.

Will post some foties next time.

Byeeeee.

Dragon's Den

How could I?

How could I forget Dragon's Den when I was scheduling my Soap Night. So change of plan. 9pm Dragon's Den. 10pm ANTM. Only next week, Prison Break might be back on and I will have to re-schedule .. again! Who said watching soaps made for easy viewing?

Anyway, had a (very) quick look for the You-doo Doll featured on last night's show. Couldn't find her website (well didn't look very hard) but it is for sale on a few wesites including this one. Good luck to her, I say!

Had a chuckle at the teacher's presentation - but who am I to chuckle? I have to do a presentation on Mon 5 Nov to a group at a local church. Oh, BTW, does anyone have any unusual yarn I could borrow to show? Not for me to knit with!!!!! I would like to show some yarn from unlikely sources. I have cotton, bamboo, soya bean fibre, crabshells and possum. I am going to see if I have time to do a wee sample using carrier bags and I have a UFO knitted with wire and beads. And if you think, at least I'm not looking for money like the teacher was, think again - they want me to take stuff to sell. Won't sell much if they have all nodded off!

Hee-hee. We were asked to a group before. We thought it was just to take a few bits and pieces to sell. Turned up at the hall .. well, to cut a long story short ... I ended up doing a half hour off-the-cuff presentation with TB looking through the window in the door, pointing and laughing. Later, after we were asked to judge a sewing competition (!!), when we were sitting having tea and cake, we were asked how much our fee was. I nearly drowned the woman with tea spray as I choked telling her we didn't want a fee and they should keep it for their funds or give it to charity.

Lesson learned - before you enter the dragon's den - be prepared!!!!!

Off to do some paperwork, continue with Muti-directional scarf done in Tapestry (soya bean fibre - guess what for), go to Hamilton and head for Livi to see TAH and get a baldie. Oh and possibly do a bit of ironing and other sundry housework stuff. Oh, nearly forgot - try to get a small bit done on shop blog????

Day off - bah humbug!

See ya, wouldn't want t'be ya!

Dangling Dangly Bits

Good evening visitors. How are you?

TB has been watching football (the makems) and is now watching the Grand Prix so I have had the opportunity to catch up on some blogs. I can't believe how long it has been since I last visited. We are not talking days. We are not even talking weeks. We are talking months!!!!

I was going to do the shop blog but I have left my camera in the shop and photographs that were meant to be put on are either still on the camera or have been downloaded in the shop. Not much use then!! Guess I'll have to do it tomorrow and there will be a greetin' match tomorrow cos I'll get pelters for being on the computer. Oh, not because I'll be in the back shop and not in the front shop, but because someone will not be able to get into their precious football forum. I am going to join it on the quiet and noise him up. lol

Anyway, I have a cunning plan to buy a laptop and use it when he is playing on-line poker. I can sit at my Gran's bureau and tap away to my heart's content, with the telly on, and I won't have to get off to let him on cos he has a game in ten minutes. I love my bureau and I'm so glad we have finally brought it round from MWM's. Gonna have to get a French Polisher to give it a good going over - it had years of abuse from me years ago (including a big blob of Tippex which I don't want to go picking at. Pesky students!)

So - have just about finished the Freedom Spirit hat with sideburns - just have to attach the dangly bits to the sideburns. (These are technical terms for the uninitiated.) I have decided to finish a UFO every wek until they are all done but that doesn't include the stitching ones. The knitting ones are mainly finishing off, the stitching ones are WIPs. There is one stitching one I do want to finish though. I want to give it to MWM for her Christmas - well, she was meant to get it two years ago when I started it.

It's gone all quiet downstairs - Grand Prix finished? Don't hear that damned annoying Sky music so he can't be checking out the channels. Oh no. It's Star Trek. he has it on Series Link.Sorry, I am not a Sci-Fi girl, although I don't mind one of the minging ones he watches. I just don't tell him.

Never mind, tomorrow night is Soap Night. Only complaint is that River City isn't on a Monday. But ... ANTM is on at Nine and Prison Break is on at ten. Yippee. Soaps from seven til eleven. How sad am I? But soaps good for a knit-along and I have (another) cunning plan for that. More later.

Sunday night has become 'Running About Hamilton With Tables And Chairs' night while we await our delivery of new ones. Never, ever ever buy from Furniture at work. Delivery is usually 7-9 days? Looking more and more like 7-9 months, never mind 7-9 weeks. Shuda gone to Ikea but they didn't have what we needed. We need them for the Beading Group that meets on a Monday morning in the shop Craft Room.

Anyway, so while waiting for folk to get home from where they have been so we can borrow their furniture again, I'm off to make some dangly bits dangle. Catch ya later when I have my camera.

Yes, I'm STILL Still Alive!

I can't believe it is over a month since my last post!

I haven't been in any other blogs, haven't updated the shop blog ... haven't seemed to have done much of anything really but it is now October and I haven't a clue where September went to!

Funny though, cos for not having done anything, I have been helluva busy!

So ... here is a picture I took at Stirling all those weeks ago. It is a picture of work done by an Embroiderer's Guild Summer Scholar and it is stitching done on slate. Yes, slate!

I have enough bother trying to motivate myself to stitch on fabric at the moment never mind climbing up on the roof to nudge a slate off for stitching. Although ... one of the things I have been up to is getting back to the EG (Embroiderers' Guild). Maybe I'll get one or two stitching UFO's finished. Oh, did I not mention that I have hunners of them as well as my knitting UFO's? Yep, another condition I have is CSD - Compulsive Starting Disorder. I just love starting things. (Er ... C&G. Least said, soonest mended. However, in my defence it is the sort of thing, ie education, you do over the autumn, winter, spring months and then you have a summer break. TB - we didn't have a summer though!?! Wheesht.)

So, here are some things I have to fill you in on:

• Stirling
• Insulin Pump
• Car off the road
• New ceiling in living room and ensuing coup of a home
• Mad David
• Noro scarf, slipovers, Baby Bamboo baby jacket all finished
• Tables and chairs and a big THANK YOU God for the nights drawing in
• Sundry items probably not worth bothering about ... but I like to drone on zzzzz

So I'm now off to bed - have a pile of things to do tomorrow in the shop (and that is Stitching Time, 14 Haddow St, Hamilton in case you had forgotten) and I want to be up and as fresh as a daisy (first time for everything).

Catch y'all later. Night, night.

Multi-tasking

Just to let you know I am still alive!

Back from Stirling and off for another skive next week - I'm off to Monklands every day next week to learn how to use my INSULIN PUMP. Yippee! I will be a real woman at last cos I will be able to multi-task. Yep! I will be be able to walk and pump at the same time. What's that? Real woman, is it? That kind of humour is more akin to that of a young boy? Ach, geeza brek!

Ever done that doing something and it happens in slow motion thing? Happened to me not 15 minutes ago.

Came upstairs with a coffee and a glass of Diet Coke. Put on the light with my elbow. Leant over to put the vessels on the desk and don't know what happened next but it happened in slow motion. O v e r t o m y l e f t I w e n t, a r m s a n d l e g s a k i m b o. C o f f e e a n d C o k e f l y i n g e v e r y w h e r e. L a n d e d o n m y a s s a f t e r s h r i e k i n g l i k e a b a n s h e e. How did I get so far from my starting point? Silly sod! Now sitting in a t-shirt and my knicks cos I soaked my fleece and joggies. Not a pretty sight!

Anyway, off to bed. Just wanted to let you know I am still in the land of the living. Still doing stupid things. And ... still not caught up any blogs. I will be up early on Sunday before TB gets his mitts on the pc and doing some blog reading - looks like I have a lot to catch up on!!!!!

Catch ya later. Might get some Stirling pics on.

ps Have you seen the new Rowan pattern book for Kidsilk Haze yet? I can see my Autumn resolution being broken soon. (It was to finish all - well some - of my UFOs.) Btw, it is (the book) available from Stitching Time, Hamilton of course!

I Don't Beeeeelieve It!

Just a quickie while the footie is on (Everton v Spurs or Spurs v Everton - Who knows? Who cares?) and before I go making notices and posters to take to Stirling. Yep! Sometimes I do take work seriously. What was that? Was that my conscience asking why I am so behind in preparations if I take my work so seriously? Ach, shut it. I've got my knitting projects ready and packed.

Well, I was taking it so seriously that I was down at the shop on my day off. We were making up fabric packs, pricing threads, making lists of what has to be packed last thing before we go, etc, etc. We were so engrossed that we didn't even break for a fag until 5.50pm, when we headed out the back door. (Yes, we have a back door now .... as well as 3 toilets. 3? Yes, 3!) So out we toddled through the communal corridor (close) to the first of the big doors and realised that all was locked and secure for the night. Oh! (or words to that effect!) Guess what. We were locked in. When we arrived at the shop, TB went back out and secured the front doors including the padlock on the storm doors. When I had to go out later on, I just used the other door. Unfortunately, amonsgst the things we are waiting for Rigsby to see to is the supply of keys to our new property - oh, and a handle to the outside of the door. Oh the building is lovely and secure - especially when you are last to leave and you don't have a key.

So ... on to the phone. Got BIL. 'Is anyone free to come down to the shop? We're locked in.' 'Oh. Do you want someone to come down and feed you chips through the window?' 'If the window could be opened we'd be out' (From their kitchen.) ... TMO ... 'Is Nan locked in the shop?' How did that happen?' BIL 'It's Nan ...she's a bit simple.' TMO 'Is she having a hypo?' TB 'Tell them it was my fault.' TMO 'They're as bad as each other!' (She's got great hearing being a teacher.) Me 'No, I'm not having a hypo. We're just locked in.' BIL 'Flora doesn't have any keys.' Me 'We'll put them out the letterbox.' TB 'How did she get in the other week?' TMO 'Hehehe' BIL 'How did you manage that?' Me 'It was David.' BIL 'Euan's just away out in my car and Gillians car is blocking Flora's' Me 'We'll wait.' TMO 'How did they get locked in?' BIL 'It's Nan - she's simple.' TMO 'Is she having a hypo?' Me 'No!' TMO 'Is the padlock shut too?' Me 'We're locked in!!!' BIL 'Someone will be down the now.'

That was the shortened version. Thank God I wasn't phoning a mobile! And how come everyone can hear everything being said?

And how come an old strange looking bloke with a collie was mouthing obscenities at me when I was driving along a road doing 30 mph (cos I was passing a speed camera but would have been doing 30mph anyway!) and he and his dug were jaywalking? Is it just me or does no-one bother with the traffic anymore and just launch across the road because the driver'll be done not them? BTW, try turning into Avon Street - nobody looks there.

Right - three fronts of slipovers to be knitted at Stirling and a sock and a half just in case. Yes, one front is the Grace slipover one - because I am sooo embarrassed taking the same thing every time I go to the Tramway. Y'never know, I might be wearing it next time. Mind you, I might get caught up in the enthusiasm at Stirling and start embroidering something. Nah! Going to finish my projuects, even if it is to prove I can!

So off to get some coffee and get on with the notices. I will have time when I get back to catch up with everyone on their blogs - I promise. Taking my camera with me this time so I will be able to post some of the work they do.

In case I forget - D - delectable? (Are you sure it was TB you met?) and SB2 - slightly cheekier? (Was that a wee implication there?)

Bye fur noo. Won't be there on Sunday. Off to Stirling. Nan in a van with a man. Oo-er missus!

PS What's orange and sounds like a parrot? Doh! A carrot! No I'm not having a hypo!

Photos as Promised

Noro Silk Garden Lite - I feel a slipover coming on It's Silk Garden but DK! (Get that other stuff finished first - TB) TB was quite excited when about 10 boxes of different yarns from different suppliers arrived yesterday. But then he got quite 'emotional' because the one he was hyper about never came! (Emotion - hint, hint Wait and see!) Then he was going spare cos he had to find room for it all. (Ha, ha. Can't blame me this time, can you Mij?) Wait until the back orders come. lolol

There's a Stranger in These Here Parts ...

... yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's been over a month. What can I say? Well, there was the world cruise to start with, then every single yarn producer that ever lived came to visit me and left me samples to try out and then I finished all my UFOs. It's my blog and I'll lie if I want to. In fact, you would lie too if it happened to you. (Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo do)

Actually I have managed to sneak on to show you my pictures of some of my new stash. (I'm not going to tell you how excited I was yesterday cos even I'm not that crude!) But ... guess who left their camera at work. Yep! However, let me just say Lang, Louisa Harding, Debbie Bliss and Noro (I'll not mention the others in case there are any yarn snobs reading this - you know who you are, India oh that slipped out lol.)

I'm not allowed to take any of it to Stirling with me - I have to take a bundle of UFOs to do while I sit between classes. TB is such a spoilsport. Mind you with no car and too far to walk to the bus stop there's not a lot else to do. I suppose I could go and take some of the EG classes but since I haven't bothered my *rse doing any of my C&G stuff yet I don't feel suitably artistically enthusiastic and especially not for stitching! So will get some stuff finished to save me going stir crazy.

Hmmm. Could always take your C&G stuff? Aye, right! Well, I might stick in my Drawing for Dummies book if there is room.

DAFNE and I are not hitting it off. So, I am going for a pump. And yes, my sense of humour has not matured any. Probably Septemberish. At least I won't have to worry about that at Stirling.

Have to go and do some more preparation work but before I go here is a worrying thought ...

TB and I set off for Stirling Uni on Tuesday morning. We stopped in Bridge of Allan for some lunch. Sauntering back to the car, we saw this old bloke with a stick trying furiously to get into the drivers door of a huge black Mercedes saloon parked by the pavement. We looked at each other with that look that asked a thousand questions, the main one being 'Whit?'.

On spotting the black Fiesta behind with who we supposed was the old blokes wife pointing like a looney to the inside of the car where she was a passenger and mouthing 'This one', we guessed he was trying to get into the wrong car. Now ... Mercedes - Fiesta. Both black. Easy mistake? Wife in passenger seat - old bloke driving? Yet again we looked at each other, but with a different look - the one that makes a thousand comments, the main one being 'Scary!'

Will catch up on blogs as and when. Adios for now!

PS Here is a big hello to my new friends from over the pond. 'Hello!'

Show-Off and Nothing Much Else

So I've not been on for a while so here are a few things to show what I have been nagged to knit recently.

First is a trainer sock, knitted with Regia - a blogland special.

Next is a cricket slipover knitted in Rowan Pure Wool.

Finally, a baby jacket knitted with Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and the wee hoodie knitted with the Debbie Bliss Astrakhan.

All of these yarns are, of course, available from Stitching Time, Hamilton.

At some time, I will have time to muck about with the html and get the pics spaced throughout the blog but until then you will just have to make do with this layout. Also, when I put pics on, the line breaks get lost so that is crap as well.

Was looking forward to going to Woolfest with Heather on Saturday, but decided against it (with the DAFNE 'n all). Damn! Bet it was great.

Went over to Motherwell today and took the risk of not carrying my passport! lol Met two friends and ex-colleagues for lunch. Caught up with some goss and found out Stephen finally got the promotion he should have got when I left. So ... congratulations Sooty!

TMO is off to Edinburgh tomorrow to have tea with a VIP. I'm not invited but my handbag is gatecrashing for me. See if the security spot that one.

Heard a joke today about the recent Glasgow Airport 'incident'. Should I tell? It's not pc. Tough, it's my blog and I can cry if I want to. They did it on Saturday cos it was Ramavan. (Shortened version)

Going on to the Purlescence site to buy some needles cos it is the summer sale. Was going to buy needles yesterday but kept getting disturbed and got an e-mail to day about the sale. Yippee! Wasn't that lucky?

That's all for now. Got some shopping to do and some checking out of blogs.

Byeeeee!

For D

On Sunday at the KnS I was wearing a top I had knitted (yes and finished!). D asked what the yarn was so here is a photo and the details:

Filatura Di Crosa 'Orchidea'

50g

35% viscose, 25% cotton, 20% acrylic and 20% polyamide

75m

8mm needles

Sari Ribbon and Kipping

Take a hank of Louisa Harding Sari Ribbon, wind it up into a ball and then knit a sleeve ... that is what I did yesterday.

Sit outside the shop and knit in public for WWKIP Day. (I don't reserve my kipping for special days - my usual spot for kipping outside the shop is across the road on the church wall, but only when it is sunny and, especially, warm. There is a dent that my bum fits into very nicely.) I knew these photos weren't deleted!

Must dash - TB will catch me.

How come when I haven't had a chance to check out blogs everyone has being going nuts with the blogging and knitting/other crafty crafts?

Felted Crochet Bag

At last, the crochet bag is finished - and felted! Not bad for a first attempt, even if I do say so myself!

Over at Livi last night for a baldie. TAH didn't believe I was learning to draw until I started to show Elsie how to draw a Wuzzy-Woo (don't ask!). She did it very well, so I am sure there are going to be Wuzzy-Woos all over the place.

Over to Monklands today - they are not talking if I get a pump, but when I get a pump. Hotdiggety!!

TB is sooo tired - wee soul - because I have to set my alarm for 3am to check my blood. Funny the things we can do on automatic pilot though.

Got a new book from Amazon. It is Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby. It looks fantastic and I am certainly going to have a go at at least one of the patterns. Just flicking through it, I can see there is a bit of knitting history in it too, so that will be fascinating as well. Think Kathleen will love it - if she doesn't have it already. You should have seen the size of the box it came in - TB just gave me that look and asked if I had been ordering from Amazon again. 'Looks like it,' I replied, ''but I didn't think it was a big book.' To give you an idea of the size of the box ... I got four bags of Freedom Spirit in it... for one book?

Can't decide whether to iron and then knit, or knit and then iron. If I iron first, I will get carried away and no knitting will be done, but if I knit first, no ironing will be done. Decisions, decisions. Maybe I'll just do some knitting and then go to bed. After all, I have to get up at 3 o'blooming clock again!

Okay, decision made. Finish here, visit a few blogs, make some coffee, have a wee look at my new book, feel all inspired so have to do a wee bit of knitting, go to bed early. Okey, dokey, evening sorted.

Worldwide KIP Day

Hey Folks ... how'ya diddlin'?

TB took some foties today. I was sitting outside the shop knitting in honour of WWKIP Day (and because it was roasting in the shop!). However, only one appeared when I was downloading them. Must ask tomorrow if he deleted the others. Like the t-shirt? Was washed when I came home tonight so I can wear it tomorrow.

Yes, tomorrow I make my return to the Tramway for it is KnS day. And, indeed, I will be kipping. Here's hoping there will be no drama (haven't been since that incident). However, I have returned from the planet DAFNE and I am controlling my diabetes admirably. Not! Still at the tuning stage - fine-tuning will come later. (She said optimistically.)

I have started a new blog, DAFNE Disciple, to get the boring medical stuff away from here - for this is my knitting blog and all I seem to do is talk about my health (or, lack of it). Haven't posted on it yet. Lucky to get two mins to post on here - trying to get some nagged2k projects done as well as my crochet felted bag (remember that one?).Oh ... and ... giving it ZZZZZ on the couch - am knackered after last week.

So Heather is going to have the abbreviation SB2, because I have two SBs on my list. Don't worry SB2 - it does not stand for Senior Bitch - and I will not crumble under pressure to change it to CB to avoid confusion!!

So, off to bed - if I can get to sleep for singing about coloured outer garments. D ... AL-W is Andrew Lloyd-Webber (and since he has been in my living-room every Saturday night for weeks now, I have dispensed with the formalities of titles!) and I was referring to 'Any Dream Will Do' or 'The Josephs'. Lee won and Keith was second (as I predicted). However, I thought Ben would get through, as the punters favourite, and come third. But my faith in the Lord was restored last week when he booted Ben out - so just as well I had no money on it. (Ben was a nice cheeky chappie type but he couldn't hold a note in a bucket.)

Anyway, off to bed. Will have a wee sticky-beak on some blogs first. Have to get up at 3am (yes, 3am) to check my blood. The way I am, and will be, going, I will be able to hold my needles a new way - am testing my blood so often I will have holes in my fingers so I'll be able to put the needles through them (think Edward Scissorhands). Oo-er, hope I don't get piles.

Nightie, night.

Quick Catch Up

Just a quickie....

... finished DB hoodie and it is in shop. Will take a fotie when I am back in.

... not in this week cos I am on the DAFNE course. It's soooo cool - we get to play with plastic food!

... almost finished front of Rowan slipover and got back out, just to see how it looked - as you do. That's funny. Yes, had misread the pattern for placing the cables on the back. Finished front. Frogged the back when I got home today. (Croak, croak.)

... you girls and your jealousy. Murrrrrrder for him most likely, if he was even to remember, and I was only 11, so had no basis for comparisons thank you very much.

... TAH - too much information!

... D - and you're an accountant! Cool!!!!

... Heather - haven't got an abbreviation for you yet (softlee, softlee, catchee monkee). I can so empathise with Al. Nice to know these things don't just happen to me.

... omigod - cos there is one - AL-W booted out Ben at last!

... off to to prepare for River City after a wee quick look at some blogs.

Catch ya later

Added later (after reading D's list of 8 things) - I repeat, and you're an accountant! Cool!!!!

8 Things About Me

1 Most unusual place I've knitted.

Wired up in Law hospital ITU where I spent three months. Well, a girl needs something to do.

2. Scariest thing I've done.

Arranging to meet someone I've met on the internet. We're still together after three and a half years and I love him to bits.

3. Most famous person I've snogged.

Jim MacPherson (Taggart) when I was 11.

4. Biggest gamble(s) I've taken.

Opening my wee shop, extending it and then extending it again.

5. Most important thing to me.

Aside from the obvious, the shop's reputation. It's probably the worst thing about me too cos it is worth more to me than money (sorry accountants) and makes me the worst businesswoman in the world.

6. Most stupid thing I've done.

Decided to go for ... breaking my elbow in Lanzarote between checking into the apartments and actually getting into the apartment.

7 Most surprising thing I've done.

Getting my diploma in maths while doing my degree cos I am really, really crap with numbers.

8. Furthest away place I've visited.

Thailand. Went there on my own for a holiday.

Okay D, you are het.

Lucky Dog!

So ... at the weekend, I only got as far as Newcastle while D got to NY (lucky dog!). But .... look what WM got up to!! Now that is one lucky dog!!

Up to Hairmyres today. Saw doc. Being referred to Neurologist. She said there is always a long waiting list for Neurology - unless they suspect cancer. Guess who is not looking for an appointment anytime soon.

Anyway .. what about this ... left car park at 11.50am. Sun was splitting the trees. Window open. Radio on. Shades on. Jacket off. Blower on cold. Gorgeous. Back to shop. Couple of customers came in at 1pm. Just down from East Kilbride - where it was hailstones!!!!! Imagine that. What a change in an hour!

Remembered to lift Addi Turbo so off to finish DB Cashmerino Astrakhan. (Remember - they are all available from Stitching Time, Hamilton.) And it is Friday so I have a date with Ugly Betty.

Catch ya later!

Boring Post About A Load of Old Codswallop

Ello peeps.

Just to let you know I am still in the land of the living.

What has been happening? Too much for me to relate in one sitting but I'll give you a wee taste.

Unlike D jetting off to to NY, I hit the road to NC (Newcastle). Didn't pass Jimmy Nail, but did pass several people speaking Geordie. (Howay the lads! Whereye ganin bonnie lass? Away man woman!) Actually the last is TB's customer banter and I hear it all the time. Got the DB hoodie all but finished - 'oh dear I don't have a 4.5mm circular needle so I'll have to get an Addi turbo' (she lied). Guess where I got one - yes, you've guessed, Stitching Time, Hamilton. And guess where it still is. Yes, you've guessed, Stitching Time, Hamilton. Keep forgetting to put it in my bag.

C&G folder came - yippee. Was a bit daunted at first but I am getting into it now. The art and design bit was the bit that terrified me but I am feeling all artistic now. Anyway, I have loads of the materials for that from when I started doing the same course for machine embroidery (but had to stop cos I broke my elbow and couldn't drive through to Cardonald - yes another long and boring story - eh, TAH? lol). But it is all laid out so you know what you are doing.

Down at NC I went swanning into Borders with my list and got nothing on it but did get Drawing for Dummies and a cool knitting stitches book (like I don't have a million of them). Sat sketching in the car on the way home as I started working my way through the drawing book and TB was getting mad at me cos I kept shoving my sketch pad out shouting 'Look what I've drawn. Look. Look.' Am in the process of planning a logo for my designs. (lolol, aye right!)

Went to Monklands to see about this insulin pump. Spoke to the Sister and the Dietitian (both very nice) and then to the doctor (very nice too). You have to go through a lot of processes before they even consider you as a potential candidate to be put forward for one!!! There are only ten, yes ten, in the Lanarkshire Area per year so they are very careful about candidates, as you can imagine. Anyway, I was given a a folder to record food, blood sugars etc and an appointment for three weeks time. Then I went into the doc. She was sooo young .. and a consultant! (Must be getting old.) She was lovely. And not just because she thought I had the medical credentials (hah!). There is a course they run eveery so many months and there is an 18 month waiting list for it. She wanted me to have priority so guess who is going on it from Monday (all day Mon - Fri). A cancellation had my name on it. Yippee. The course is about DAFNE. On Friday we finish at lunchtime and go to the pub for lunch cos part of the course is dealing with eating out. lol oh .. pub lunch is not on NHS! They reckon that some candidates manage so well with this way of managing their diabetes that they can manage without a pump, so maybe I won't need one. Going onto a pump is the next step after DAFNE cos you pretty much manage your diabetes the same way except without having to inject.

Anyway, blah, blah, enough about that.

Off to Hairmyres tomorrow to see about my leg (the nerve thing). Was there a fortnight ago and the doc I saw there (also very nice) seemed to be interested in doing something and she has put her money where her mouth is by phoning me on Tuesday herself to tell me she wanted to see me and the receptionist phoned a couple of hours later with the appointment for tomorrow. I can't believe it. Are things changing for me?

Heather posted a comment on my last post telling I was het. So I have to list 8 (interesting) things about myself. Harumph! Only eight? lol Still thinking about that one (or how will I whittle them down?) Heather has done it and so have Kathleen and India. Wonder if D has done it yet. Maybe I'll tag her if she hasn't.

Soon be KIP day. I'm working so the only KIP I'll be doing is sitting knitting at the table in the ST:designer room (in BH) in front of the window if it gets quiet later on. TB is threatening to get a red light above the table but I don't know why. Have started some try me samples in there - so far got some LH, DB and Rowan on pins - some on bamboo and some on metal (not aluminium). As for Stitching Time, have the Sirdar order in and have ordered some the Baby Bamboo.in it. Aw, it's sooo soft. (The rep looked like an undertaker, lol)

Okay, enough is enough. Going down to do an hour of knitting, or perhaps some sketching? Maybe I'll just have a bath and contemplate eight interestings facts (right now I'd be pushed to think of one - oh wait, I can get a pint glass in my mouth, does that count? And there was that incident in the toilets of the church hall when I ... nah! That's just gross. Well, what about the time when we were on a cycling holiday up the Trossachs and we hitched a lift in a van up The Rest and Be Thankful and ... hmm, TAH, would that count as interesting?) Nope, will have to think about that assignment.

Going downstairs - TB has some sci-fi rubbish on. Gimme strength. Byeeeee.

ps Taped the Josephs when we were away. Sad or what? Ben, Keith and Lee for the final. Lee to win. Want Keith to win. Still wondering why Ben is still in.

IT'S HERE!

It's here!

On two pages I looked at - OMG!

Taking it to Monklands to look at while I wait to see about a pump. lol

More later (on both subjects.)

Catching Up

Three posts in one day. Get a life or what? What's a girl to do when there is football on the telly (WBA v Wolves) and there is broadband lying idle? Will go down for a cosy bit of quality time (lol, TB watching football and me knitting, - at least we will be in the same room on the same settee!).

So, Sunday. As I said before, Carol's crochet tutorials went down very well. Even TAH had a go at crochet (she won a crochet bag kit on the tombola and thought she'd better learn how to do it) but sorry besie mate, you looked as if you were in pain and I did have a wee inward snigger to myself. Mind you, I noticed she had her tongue out while she was doing it - I do that too. Hmm .. strange .. nobody mentions in that in the 'Learn to Crochet' books. Nor are there wee pictures of a mouth with a tongue hanging out. Wonder if your tongue hangs out longer, the longer the stitch. lol double trebles and you're licking your elbow. lol

Heather was there with her daughter Rosie. She was having a go too and Heather started on a jumper that had a crochet ..er.. bit and was getting on with it like a house on fire. Rosie is lovely, and so is Rowan. I had the pleasure of meeting Rowan last week. Heather brought a beautiful bouquet of flowers for us for the shops birthday. It was gorgeous, what am I saying, it is gorgeous. Thank you Heather. What a wonderful gesture.

On Monday, I trotted over to Stonehouse to have a consultation with Dr Zoma (Rheumatologist) about my Lupus. Oh, have I not mentioned that little beauty? Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (aka SLE or Lupus). Now there's a story and a half, but it is boring and I do so want to get down for the quality time I mentioned (ie I want to get on with my knitting - DB slipover in Donegal Tweed Aran) Anyway, I'm not convinced I have it. Well .. a very small percentage of Lupies test negative for it, but get a false positive test for Syphillus. Guess who falls into that lucky group!!! Yep, my life sucks! lol So, appointment was 11.10am and when I did I go in? Yes, 12.50pm. Guess when I sewd up TBT? It was done a bit too quickly for my liking but I kept thinking I was going to be called. More blood taken.

Tuesday, Day off. Oh, what work to be done inside and out. So, sat in the garden in the glorious sunshine with my Jamieson's Cobweb Ultra and got tore into the free pattern from Heirloom. I have only ever worked from a chart when working with colour so that was a new experience for me. But, I quite enjoyed it and managed to get through it okay. I did up to the 40th row on the chart as I couldn't be bothered thinking about counting and watching patterns etc. Might have a go tonight after I have watched The Apprentice. (Recorded - footie on)

Wednesday and back at work. Took some photies. Kathleen, I cannot tell a lie. TBT was photographed on the table in ST: designer room (imagine it in Bradley Hand ITC font) - not on my work surface. Wouldn't have to worry about a flash reflection there. lolol Went to shops to see if new Knitting magazine was in yet but it wasn't. If TB reads this - I popped down to the Post Office to post a parcel and there was a massive queue. When I got back I had a hypo so guzzled some Lucozade. Yuck - gave me wind. (TMI) Came home, had tea, did some books stuff, came on here.

Have decided I must finish some UFOs. God, I hate sewing up and especially when it is nagged2k stuff. It's a dirty job ...

Quick look at some blogs. (Hark, I hear a midget with coffee and biscuits. Back of hand to forehead - I feel faint!!) See what tricks Kathleen has pulled out of the hat this time. Will give Mhairi's a miss - she's going to NY soon and will be rubbing it in and not even offering to take shopping lists with her when she is going to be having sex in NY anyway. (Only kidding Mhairi - have a great time!)

No time to mention others ... only got 8 mins before I go downstairs and shatter TB's peace. Oops, I mean share some quality time with my beloved.

Catch y'all later.

There's Always Something Better To Do ...

Well ... I was at home and I was in the garden and it is for the shop (ie work), so does that count as housework and gardening? Jamieson's Cobweb Ultra (yes, it's available from Stitching Time, Hamilton).

Coffee and fag break time. And it's raining. Perhaps I'll go out the back now (ie now we have one lol)

Mini Shawl

Jamieson's Ultra mini shawl posted while I have a piece ... oops, sandwich. Looks like there's holes where there shouldn't be holes, but it's a shawl and shawls are meant to be holey and it is for the shop and shop things get holey ... enough with the excuses!!!

Coffee time. Byeee.

Home and Garden

Well, here it is .. the LH cardi completed and on display in the 'ST: designer room'. Yes, the new bit is open to the public and has been christened 'ST: designer room' (but in Bradley Hand ITC font that I can't seem to copy and paste onto here). There are a couple of wee bits to be sorted but we have to wait for Rigsby to get his finger out for that! Have been trying to get some (decent) photos to post but since my camera doesn't have a wide-angled lens, you will just have to take what you get for now!

Today has started well - have managed to get my fingers covered in super glue so far. Hmm .. must remember to be more careful in future.

Going to do some housework and some gardening. The house is a manky tip and the garden is an embarrassment to the neighbourhood - the weeds in the drive are going to do some serious damage to the car never mind the state of my normally lovingly tendered borders. Grass? My garden is giving back what the rain forest is losing! But .. I've been busy.

TBT is finished but haven't taken a photo yet - there was a big shadow over it so I'll wait until the sun moves round a bit. I've noticed that some bloggers take to artistic outside shots, but with the state of my outdoors setting, inside will have to do.

Sunday was our big UFO day and it was .. different. The crochet tutorial seemed to go well. Carol Meldrum is sooo nice. I will make sure we invite her to take some classes once the meeting room is up and running - probably after the summer.

TB is glued to the telly cos big Big Sam is joining The Magpies today. The news conference isn't until 1 o'clock but, as always with football, the build up is just as important. I reckon with Big Sam and Fat Freddie they will have to strengthen the ground. lol

Okay, off to do some work. I am upstairs and the dandelions are tapping the window. I hate dandelions. Oh .. and slugs. I really hate slugs.

Quick Skive

Just making some coffee ... and the computer is quite close by. Watched pots and all that...had a quick look at some blogs. Jeez, everybody has been going nuts with blogs and knitting, crochet, patchwork, dressmaking,etc. Not me tho'!

Just wanted to say - Paris Hilton, beauty and excitement. I have been trying to think of what to say on this for days but words fail me. End of.

Kettle boiling. Byeeee.

Sunday Morning Quickie

Just a quickie before we head off down to the shop.

Going to do a bit of painting and cleaning and moving stuff about.

Last night, I managed to finish the centre of TBT and the second sleeve of the LH cardi. Need more wool for the peaks of TBT and just the sewing up and edges of LH cardi to do. I'll see how I am after today. But, yippee, two UFO's nearly done. Thinking ahead, I don't know whether to finish something lurking in one of the bags of UFOs or start something else! Decisions, decisions!

Don't feel guilty about going to shop and not doing garden - it's raining. But .. the garden has never looked so bad in all the time I have lived here. It is really really needing work done. BIL borrowed the lawnmower and hasn't returned it yet (it better still be working - they have a huge garden with lots of lawn to be mown .. and .. I reckon one of the boys has had the dubious task of doing the mowing and they aren't the most careful). I emember when I moved in here, I used to .. wait for it .. clean the lawnmower very carefully after each cut with a cloth and hot water so it was as good as new. Now? TB cuts the grass so I daren't even look at the state of it!

Okay .. off to the shop. Bank Holiday weekend? Well, I suppose I don't work in a bank. Mind you, I reckon we all work for a bank in one way or another!!

ps You know I don't do politics on here ... but ... what a fiasco last week? Cor blimey!

No Fork n Hoe, Just a Fork

Well, day off and work, work, work but then no-one said self-employment was going to be easy!!

It is the shop's fifth anniversary this month (five years!) and we have been sorting out the special prices we are doing for May. This is a sort of thank you to all our customers for their custom, loyalty and support over that time and as a welcome to new customers. See the prices listed on the shop blog.

Did 4 rows of TBT after breakfast and then picked it up again at lunchtime. Did 2 rows, no problem, did the third until the end and discovered I had 2 stitches left to do instead of 1. Aaargh, not again. TB laughed and 'Not again!'. I placed it gently on the carpet and left it there. I will have to start marking down the rows as I do them. 1, 2, 3,4. 4 rows, 4 rows! This is getting beyond a joke. It will not beat me. If it is the last thing I do (and it might just be that,cos it is going to be the death of me) it will not beat me!

Sat out in the garden for lunch (before I picked up TBT) and it was lovely. So warm. But .. I was horrified at how much work is needing done out there. I love my wee garden. It is where I get lost in my own wee world. When I did the 9-5 routine, I would go out at the week-end with my headphones on and work away quite oblivious to what was going on around me. Now, I like to do it mid-week on my day off when lthe neighbours are at work and it is nice and peaceful. No music blaring, no grandkids screaming and no having to stop for a blether. (Miserable sod that I am!) I don't use a hoe for the weeding - I get down on my kneeling pad and use my wee fork and give it laldy. I live at the top of Hamilton and we have bad drainage problems - the water streams down from the higher up fields - so the weeds thrive with their own private watering system. But, they don't reckon on me with my Frustration Fork. Oh, how therapeutic!

There are loads of cats about and they all use my garden as a shortcut (lazy things) so when WM comes for a visit, she gets the scent and goes nuts. But she is a wee porker and can't get throught the fence like the cats do. Thank Goodness! I also have to lie the wheely bins on their sides so she can't get throught the gate at the side, otherwise she'd be off and I'd have to go chasing her. She loves that - thinks it's a game - she turns back and laughs at me and then runs away again. Honestly, the ways she runs and jumps about, you'd think she thought she was a wee lamb. But she is my baby, ma WM

So no knitting today apart from the bit I mentioned earlier, TBT put me right off for the day. maybe I should just leave it for a while and finish the LH cardi. But, I like it (when I am not *rsing it up) and I'd like to see it finished. Going to display it with my wee baby doll.

But for tonight, I am off to bed with my hot water bottle. I reckon I will be out for the count as soon as my head hits the pillow. So nighty, night.

Whodunit? - TBT!

No salutations today - straight in! Must get this off my chest ... guess what!

Didn't touch that blasted thing all day. Went to MWM's after work. Told her about Saturday (sorry - the sad tale of poor Agnes) and last night. She laughed. I started to knit (after double checking what row I was on). MWM laughed again as she asked if I was doing the correct row. 'Oh, ha, ha. Very funny.' After about 20 stitches, I had a nagging doubt about what I was doing. Checked again. Yes, I was doing the wrong row ... AGAIN!!! MWM went into one of her giggling fits and TB just shook his head and carried on with his sudoku as I had to take back the stitches and start again.

That blasted thing is going to be the death of me. One thing I have never had bother with in my sordid medical past is high blood pressure but believe you me, that blasted thing is going to have it going through the roof.

So, my beautiful mini-shawl is forever more going to be referred to as TBT (that blasted thing). If they are looking for a script for a new episode of Taggart, they can tell my story and when the cry goes up 'There's been a muuuurder', no-one will ever guess that TBT did it.

Four stitch, four stitch, repeat. Four rows, four rows. No shaping, nothing. Just a square. How can it be soooo infuriatingly damned hard to get. Bloody hell! You'd think I'd just knitted garter stitch scarves for the past hmm, hmm years and this was my first foray into the world of pattern and that maybe I should have attempted stocking stitch first!!

City and Guilds. City and Guilds? Aye, if each module is to design and knit a garter stitch scarf on 25mm needles in different types of yarn!

Rant over. Going back to get TBT out and give it Hell. I am trying sooo hard not to go there as far as the peaks are concerned. Cross that bridge when I come to it. (Will probably zip through it only to run out of wool two rows from the end. Calm down, Nan)

Oh, oh! Reading 1 - Newcastle 0.As if TBT wasn't giving me enough grief, TB will give me a post-mortem when I go downstairs. My life is the pits.

Teaching Your Granny to Suck Eggs - Part 2

Will I never learn?

Slept all evening then went downstairs for supper. The mini shawl was winking at me, so I picked it up and did a row. Did it wrong. Did the row one pattern instead of the row three pattern. Took it back. Did the row again, then knitted a row. Took some coffee to TB (on the computer, as usual!), came back down and knitted a row. Er ... hadn't I knitted a row before I took the coffee up? Yes. Took it back.

Did three rows and had to take two of them back!!

What was I saying about painkillers and heaters? (Okay, it wasn't a heater - it was a hot water bottle ... but ... a rose by any other name ...)

Going to bed in disgust!!!!!

Teaching Your Granny to Suck Eggs

Don't empty the shredder without unplugging it first. You may accidentally switch it on.

Check documents before shredding. The reverse button doesn't join up all the shredded bits.

Don't do this ...

A reader's story. She has asked that her identity be changed to avoid a (bigger) rid neck.

Agnes woke up on Saturday with a really painful leg/back. She so wanted to stay at home to feel sorry for herself but manged to get dressed and get to work. The painkillers were taking longer than usual to kick in and although she had been trying to keep busy, the pain was foremost in her mind. As a result, she decided to do some knitting to see if that would take her mind off it.

Feeling cold and shivery, despite the weather being a bit warmer, Agnes switched on the heater, sat as close to it as possible and continued with the little project she was working on. It was a pretty little thing - a mini baby shawl. Agnes had chosen the pattern carefully, something simple with a little texture. A little sample of knitting to show customers the beauty of Jamieson's Ultra (Scottish, woollen and fine). The pattern was simple - a texured square centre with a band of peaks around the edge - and Agnes was working on the centre square as she knitted. A four row pattern (two of which were knit) and a four stitch repeat (the first and third row wre identical, except the third row started four stitches along). Just the thing .. not as boring as stocking stitch but just enough to have her thinking while not thinking.

However, Agnes should have known better. As she knitted, she could feel her eyes rolling then closing.Oh no! Not the lethal combination of strong painkillers and direct heat from the heater? But yes! Agnes had forgotten her bad habit of falling asleep anytime, anywhere without warning and that the application of heat was a particularly nasty catalyst. She had not even considered the evil 'drowsiness' side effect of the tablets she was taking to help her through the day.

As she knitted, she snoozed. As she snoozed, she would come too with a start. As she came too with a start, she would check her knitting, make any adjustments necessary, then carry on knitting ... but the cycle would begin again .. and again.. and again. Finally, there was no option but to proceed with the antidote.

On her return from partaking of some fresh air, Agnes decided that perhaps it was not a good idea to knit while she was capable of sleeping on the job. In addition, she had almost been caught a few times. Thank Goodness for old-fashhioned shop door-bells.

Agnes put her knitting away with a sigh, but as she did so, she had a quick check to make sure all was well with the rows she had completed during this time. They looked fine!

The workday finally over, Agnes headed home, looking forward to an evening of relaxation. She would watch Monarchy for an hour, then the Josephs and then Casualty and do lots of knitting all the while. The evening went to plan, surprisingly for Agnes, and by the time she was ready for bed, the centre of the mini shawl was half-complete.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning and after breakfast, Agnes had a wee peak at her knitting in the sunshine streaming through the window. One glance was all it took to see the awful sight of a mistake half way down. Probably, this woud have gone undetected, but Agnes knew it was there! So much for the easy pattern! And, with the sound of 'Croak, croak' ringing in her head, the task of frogging was undertaken. Right back to where she had started the day before.

Agnes vowed then, never again to knit full of painkillers right in front of a heater.

So ... don't knit when you are likely to fall asleep while you are doing it - unless it is stocking stitch or a pattern where any mistakes are glaringly obvious.

Hmm. Something similar happened to me! Anyway, I have a sore leg/back too. Yes, just like Agnes.

I was sooo looking forward to the SnK today. It was in a different venue and I hadn't been for a while. However, I'm afraid the sore leg won the 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go' debate. I wouldn't have enjoyed it and I'm finding it harder to put on the 'face'. You know, the 'I'm fine' look. I think my eyes are giving me away. However, the reason I wanted to go despite the leg was that I had offered the shop as an alternative venue while the Tramway was unavailable and I didn't want anyone to think I was in some way peeved at not being chosen. Plus, what if people thought I wouldn't have turned up if the the shop had been chosen and they were left hanging about outside. (Er .. I would have been there with bells on and a smile cutting my head in two). But TB said that they'd understand and no-one would think anything of the sort. If I went today, I'd feel the worse for it later and it would do me good to have a rest. So .. stayed at home and slept through it. Painkillers are taking longer to kick in - usually about 11am but afternoon now. IMHO, I'm sure I have a urine infection again and by coincidence have the nerve thing too. Gonna take some p** to the doc tomorrow if I remember.

By for now ... and remember the wise words above.

Balls for Shawls

Look what arrived today. Yippee! Don't want to put it out yet - want to wait until we are putting stuff through in the 'Designer Room'. BTW, I think I am using that name so much that TB is coming round to it. lol Got Ultra and Cobweb Ultra. It's lovely. No sign of Yarn Forward magazines though!

Have taken a ball each of Ultra and Cobweb Ultra and I am going to knit two wee mini shawls with them for display. 'What, not full size ones?' Aye, that'll be right! And they still wouldn't be finished by the time I retire, so no way. I have decided what I am doing though. I am going to use the Cobweb Ultra to do a mini Heirloom Knitting Daisies Shawl using 4.5mm needles. I had a wee go at starting it tonight but got to 30 rows and noticed a wee hole where there shouldn't have been a wee hole, so .. croak, croak. Wanted to get the LH sleeve done anyway, so wasn't too bothered. In addition, I want to use my rosewood 4mm needles to do the Ultra mini shawl (using them for LH). I am going to use a Patons pattern and cut it down to about 30 x 30 (cms, not ins! lol) It has a plain-ish centre and just one border (of peaks), so it shouldn't take (too) long. TB suggested I use one of the (Heirloom) patterns that came, but I think the glare he got was enough to let him know that that was pushing nagged2k just a bit too far! Anyway, I have my eye on one for myself and that will keep me busy for a wee while.

I have knitted one shawl in the past. I did it for MBN when she was expected. I was too busy f*rting about knitting this and that that I left it a bit late and had to go like the clappers to get it finished before she was born. Luckily she was 3 weeks late and it was finished in time. However, it put me off shawls for life - especially with all that pinning and stretching nonsense - so MB and SB didn't get one of their own. But ... now I feel guilty and am considering doing them one each now. 21 and 18? They won't think I'm mad, they know that anyway!!!

So, I'm off - just a little one tonight. Actually, I'm off to get rid of this eye make-up. My eyes are gowping. Must be needing a new mascara.

Nighty, night.

ps (Added later) Have put first Blogland Special on shop blog. Worth a look! ... and thanks Heather!! Link sorted.

Eats Shoots and Leaves

Don't worry - it's not the awful panda joke. Instead, I'd like to introduce you to Toonie. This is Toonie the big one. Jamesie, the wee one, is too busy posing beside the Wendy Pure to have a tea-break, do some knitting and have a photograph taken!

Because my two new little friends are black and white, there was only one way to go as far as names were concerned and that was down the Newcastle United road. Toonie is after Toon Army and Jamesie is after St James' Park.

I thought I would get a little assistance from TB, since he is a Magpie, but, no. All I got was a shrug of the shoulders, a shake of the head and some inaudible muttering. Well, inaudible apart from the words 'crackers', 'getting' and 'worse'.

So, Toonie is knitting a little something with the Wendy Pure in a beautiful soft shade of pink. He should have gone for one of the other colours, because the wee cross-over cardigan is in that shade, but once a panda has made up it's mind ... Perhaps, when the rest of my Rowan bamboo yarn (eventually) comes in, he will knit something up in that. Mind you, it is sooo long since it was ordered that I can't remember what colours were ordered. Meantime, there is a lovely beige-y shade sitting on it's ownsome thinking it has been stood up!

At shaping of LH cardi right front. Was so pleased with my progress, I had to go and get a new dummy so it would have something to wear it when it is completed. Hope the dummy fits it! Never mind, if it doesn't there will be a bit of clothes swapping then I can knit up somthing else to show off.

CG update - nothing back from Fiona yet. Honestly, it's like waiting for the exam results coming (well, like it was in the days when the exam results came in an envelope through the letter-box). Mind you, since I don't know if I will hear by post or by e-mail, I am jumping on my mail-box every two minutes, so, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose! lol

India is going to be doing it too, so there is a wee gang of study buddies (is there a collective noun?) building up. So, in the words of he who shall forever remain nameless, d'ya wanna be in my gang? C'mon Kathleen, you know you want to!

Designer Room update. Opening through is completed. Wall lights to be removed, then room painted and carpet cleaned. There are sheets of sticky stuff on the windows and I am dying to get it off. I had a wee poke about at it and it is going to be a marathon task. However, I have a few bottles of Sticky Stuff Remover at the ready. (Right, how can this question not deserve a pure sarky answer. 'What's that for?' Not once, but twice, TB set himself up for 'Removing sticky stuff.')

Got my new stick-y out signs put up outside (not much use inside) and it's great. It feels even more like a good old-fashioned, wee wool (and not forgetting, sewing) shop. I love all these 'American' style shops, they are wonderful, but they are not me. I see the 'Designer Room' in that sort of vein but I wouldn't put any money on it being like that after a wee while. lol, when I think about how the shop was when I opened. lol Goodness, I thought then that if in five years time and things were going well and the chance to get next door came up, I would expand. Wow! I would never have thought that I would have been in next door and going in next door again!

That's all for now folks. Off to watch The Apprentice and finish the right front and, hopefully, start the sleeve. (But not before I have done a wee bit blogging and seen what has been going with people who have lives.)

Missing you already!

Capital Afternoon Out

Hi there!

Not long back from Edinburgh and what a beautiful afternoon it was. Sun was shining and it was warm. In fact, it was warm enough to sit outside for lunch and then again for a light refreshment on the way home. Lovely!

Popped into HK Handknit.co.uk. What a lovely shop! They didn't have the Addi Turbos I was looking for so I'm afraid I didn't buy anything. However, every cloud has a silver lining - I manged to get a panda at last!! In fact, I was so exited about getting one that I bought two. One big and one small. I have done every shop in Hamilton to no avail and was even considering Ebay but - yippee! - job done. All I have to do now is give them names and I can get them knitting and posing with the bamboo yarn in the shop. Little one posing and big one knitting. (Will have to cast on for it though!)

We were heading home and I decided that, since we were in the vicinity, I would go back the other way ie via the airport. It was rush hour but didn't seem too bad. We had seen a nice wee pub on the way there and thought we would pay it a visit going home so that we could miss the traffic but since the route was changed we thought we would stop somewhere else.

The traffic was getting heavier and heavier and by the time we had reached the Gyle, it was necessary to stop for a comfort break. I was driving (and I'm not drinking these days anyway) so I was happy with a coffee but someone wanted a pint. The guy at the Information Desk (hee-hee) pointed us in the direction of The Ritz across the way from the shopping centre. So it was there we sat outside in the sunshine having a wee drink (and me doing my knitting).

Time to leave, traffic all gone and a quick jaunt over the M8. Wrong! Roadworks! Onto the M8 and a quick jaunt home. Wrong! An accident at Harthill and a tailback a mile long. Football traffic.It took an hour and a half to get from The Gyle to Hamilton. Guess we shouldn't have stopped but then don't think TB could have kept his wee legs crossed all that way. Mind you - could have popped into TAH's. Ah well, it was a lovely afternoon until the journey home.

So, up to armhole shaping of first sleeve of LH cardigan. It was meant to be the right front but when I was decreasing the ribbon stitches to start on the angora, I discovered I had cast on too many stitches. However, luck being on my side for once, the number of sttiches I had corresponded with the sleeve pattern, so the right front became a sleeve. Will finish that tonight and sew up what can be sewn up. I'm now looking for a wee black velvet dress for the lucky dummy that is going to be wearing it. (It's going to be too small for TB, too bad!)

Actually, HK .. had some beautiful ladies garments on display. Must ask Carol if they borrow them or have them knitted up. I tend to stick to baby/toddler things because they knit up so much quicker but ... I know some suppliers lend display garments but I like to knit with the yarns and wash them etc so I can give a better account. I have had people knit for me in the past but it's not the same. Well , for a start it's not my knitting! (Does that sound .. hmm .. d'you know what I mean?) I do have some customers whose work I really admire, but they are always busy doing other things and then there is the horrible, horrible issue of how much to pay. Aaaarrghhh!

Getting tired now. You can tell, cos the garbage is even more garbage-y than usual.

Night, night. Sleeve will just have to wait!

PS Kathleen - you can start the C&G course any time and take as long as you like. Don't wait for us to finish, jump in and have a couple of study buddies for morale support.