Long time passing...

Jeez, I haven’t written anything in weeks! I’m awfully sorry.

News news news. I finished my first sock. It was a complete disaster! I persevered with the second one, and having correctly placed markers it’s so far going much better. However, there’s soooo much yarn still around that I can’t believe I’ll use it all on this one sock, so perhaps I’ll frog the MunterSock and give it another go with proper length and everything.

I got a bit ahead of myself and ordered the yarn to make Hedera off Knitty. It started well, the twisted ribbing looked funky and aces. I got to the patterning section and everything went my arse shaped.

How had it escaped my knowledge that ssk wasn’t just sk1? That it was infact slip slip knit2tog?! Bleurgh!

So I frogged back to the ribbed section, but missed a couple of stitches when I tried to pick up so I’ve abandoned it until further, calmer, notice.

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Looking forward to the Bank Holiday Weekend. The Show is on Saturday, and then Sunday and Monday I get to spend with my fella as he is off. I know, I could hardly believe it myself.

I have, as yet, no plans. Suggestions welcome.

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Accidentally bought 5 balls of Kid Classic from ebay. I accidentally kept bidding on them until I won and accidentally won’t tell Andy. Ahha ahaha.

This is all I have to say to you...

http://www.davidbowieisverydisappointedinyou.com/

Socks schmocks

I’ve just realized that half my flaming sock is inside out, and half is right side out. How the Mangle did I manage that?

I’ll be honest; I’m beginning to get down heartened at my rubbish knitting skills.

We didn’t win the pub quiz at our local last night, either. We did get a bottle of wine for our team name – “Like David Furnish, Britain has an aging Queen”.

Not our finest hour, I’ll admit but I did get to take the Pinotage home.

And Andy wasn’t on the Shops Robbers and Videotape thingy on BBC1 last night, not even the back of his head.

So it was a crappy evening and this morning isn’t working out much better. It’s nice to share, even if I’m sharing a foul mood!

Socks and Docs....

I spent Easter knitting. Andy was working all weekend – crime never sleeps after all.

So progress was made in the sock departmet. Slow progress, though I can see how so many people can become addicted! The cuff went smoothly, as did the heel making and shaping. But then we come to the gusset. Oh my.

Not only did my markers both fall off, (which I didn’t notice until I got back to where I thought they should be) therefore mucking up my decreases. I also sneezed and in that sneeze, yanked a dpn right out of the mix. I believe I replaced it without dropping any stitches, but only time will truly tell. This is my first sock, and one can only learn by doing as my Grandma may once have said in her lifetime. Which is still going strong. Keep it up Grandma!

Just to clarify, Andy’s a policeman, not a criminal.

I really wish I could put up pictures and circle the bits that have so clealrly gone awry but for now just use your imagination!

Next project in the planning stage is the pin and red hoodie in the Stitch n Bitch Handbook, although Rowan Kid Classic seems a bit pricey, considering I need 10 skiens!

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I’m getting nervous about the show, I must admit. We’ve decided (by which I mean of course, The Director has decided) to put us in the All-England AmDram Championship. I don’t think it’s actually called that, but I can’t recall the correct name. I think that’s a very bad idea. My castmates and I are not bad, but we’re not all that either. After all, we’re some of the ones rejected from the Main Play!

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I’ve applied for jobs at ITV and the RSPCA. I’m quite hopeful as I’m happily qualified to do both jobs, and my lovely best friend who currently works for ITV has written me a glowing reference and sent it directly to the person in charge of my potential department. It just goes to reinforce, it’s not what you know….

She’s a sweetheart, and I the evil sucky friend, missed her Hen Party because I had to work all hours for this company who have just decided to let me go!

There’s no justice in the world.

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Oh, the Doctor is very much IN THE HOUSE. Enjoyed the episode on Saturday – very fun. I even prefer DT to CE if I’m honest. Looking forward to the werewolves next week and School Reunion the week after. Mapped out Saturdays. J

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Weird dream update – last night I was Geena Davis’s PA in Commander in Chief, but all the West Wing staff were there, including the late Great John Spencer. Weird, happy/sad dream.

Ooops, back to work...

Quiet Day

Not much to report today, I’m afraid. There’s been little progress what with rehearsals and work and everything.

Oh, for anyone reading who lives in the West London region and also happens to enjoy high quality am-dram, check out my peeps The Beaufort Players. We’re putting on some shows soon and it is a top night out. Also, they’re always looking for people so come along and tread some boards!

Back to the knitting:

I’ve made mental plans to try Picovoli again (featured in MagKnits and designed by Grumperina). Tried it once, lost count of my rounds and ended up with lopsided arms. Quite how I managed that, I have no idea! So, second time lucky I hope.

If the sock kit is here today (I hope against hope!), I’ll be taken with that for most of the weekend, but it will be fighting for my attention with Ratchet: Gladiator on PS2, which is not a patch on the first three, but it is new and I do like blowing up evil robots.

I’ll sneak out over the weekend when no-one is looking and hot-foot it to the local internet caff for a mini update. And also some help, I guarantee it!

Happy Easter!

Edit - fun fact - I didn't expect 2 people to read this page, let alone get 100 hits in 3 days.

Woo hoo. (nobody mention how often I check it... Shhhhhh.)

No it wasn't flaming safe!

Right, back from the dentist with possibly the worst bedside manner I’ve ever encountered. What a mega meanie.

I had to have 5 (count ‘em, 5) injections in my jaw hinge. Now I feel like the Phantom of the Opera, cos I can only feel one side of my face and I’m very very hungry but can’t eat anything till the numbness goes away. That’s not “doctor”‘s orders, I’m just afraid I’ll chew my tongue off.

I’m comforting myself with the knowledge that tomorrow or Friday I will have a lovely Opal sock kit in dreamcatcher to occupy my time, and take my mind off the teeth.

All other projects are on hold, as it’s getting absurd. I counted it out and despite the fact that I have only been at this lark for 4 months or so I have 5 things OTN.

5. One of this week’s lottery numbers methinks. Speaking of the lotto, me and Andy won £10 on Saturday. That completely make up for the last 28 weeks where we haven’t won anything…

Is it safe...?

Not knitting related (don’t throw me off the webring, pplllleaeaaassee).

I’ve a dental appointment in T minus 1½ hours. I really don’t want to go. I’m not scared or anything, I just hate the way he disapproves of my lifestyle.

He doesn’t say anything, but the way he sighs when he tells the nurse – in code – what he’s looking at reminds me of how my parents would look and sigh at my report cards. They weren’t angry, just disappointed.

It’s not like I don’t brush my teeth, but I’m not exactly mad on flossing. And I do very much like red wine. And coffee. And just colouring my teeth in with black marker so I look a bit like a pirate. (I haven’t done that last one since I was at least 12… Promise).

I know I need to have a filling today, and some “professional cleaning” – which in my opinion is something that hired hitmen do – so I’ll be having injections and dribbling on the bus. Dentist is in Shepherd’s Bush, so at least I’ll fit right in.

Wish me luck, I’ll tell you all about it après lunch.

Gasp! Dive! Dive! Dive!

Okay, I took the plunge.

I’ve just ordered my first sock kit from Opal. Should be called My First Sock Kit and be made by Tomy.

I had to go to ebay as the colours available at Angel Yarns weren’t exactly masculine, and these will be Andy socks in Everton Blue.

I’ll be honest, I can’t see it happening. I have bad dreams about dpns. They chase me around Hall of Mirrors…s…s.

I’m very much looking forward to the Easter weekend, lots of knitting to do – and Andy’s working all the time, so all I have to do is get up, knit, get dressed around 2, pass a Hoover around the house at 4, put tea on and pretend to be all housewived out when he gets home at 8.

*evil Machiavellian laugh*

On the Redun-dun-duuuuunnnnnn-dancy side of things, I applied for two jobs today. And the chances are that we will be house sitting for a friend for quite a few months and won’t have to pay any rent. That would make my job searching slightly less frantic and maybe giveme the chance to concentrate on something I actually WANT to do.

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Weird dreams again last night. Do you ever have dreams so crazy-vivid that you’re almost more tired in the morning than you were when you went to sleep? That’s happening a lot lately. I could take out a Starbucks franchise in my office kitchen with the amount of coffee I’m having to drink to stay awake. If anyone tries to tell me I’d be better off with Ginger or Peppermint I’ll rub ground beans in their eyes.

Yes. Yes I will.

Fat Mouse

I finished my first “make-up” project – Cheese of Chalk and Cheese from Simply Knitting issue 14.

The only thing is I’ve not “made-up”. I haven’t any stuffing, and really REALLY can’t sew. So the poor mouse if sitting in pieces in my knit box. I’m glad I haven’t made eyes and mouth yet, or it may break my heart to have to look at him lying around all decimated!

Now that’s done, I’m having to think of something else to occupy me. And by occupy I mean distract from the flaming strap of that bag below.

There is the new issue of Knitty, but I’m not overly interested in anything in it – although the socks without toes could be tres handy in the summer. Not that you know yet, but I can’t stand socks. Some sort of adverse reaction to the sound of them rubbing together… bleurgh.

Still attempting the free-form summer bag, but because I’ve not done any working out it’s now just a bit of a cylinder. Time to frog and rethink!

On a happy note, I’m very much looking forward to more of Season Seven of West Wing. Of course, not for the sad episode that deals with John Spencer’s death, but the Johs/Donna centric ones make me happy. J

On a sad note, my boss has told me it’s 85% likely that I’m going to be “laid off” in the near future. As I’ve only worked here 11 months, I won’t even get a package, just a pat on the back and (hopefully) a good reference.

Anyone looking to hire out there?? I’m very good at everything. Except maths. Obviously.

I'm attempting to create this bag. A bag for All Seasons, by Paloma Parra.

It's going... alright. The yarn was well priced from BanYan Tree Yarns, and the pattern is very easy to follow. Until we come to the strap. I’s going to be a massive circular piece that the sides are stitched to. Sounds pretty rickety to me!
And I’m not very good at making up either, these pieces will lie around until PMIL (Pseudo Mother-In-Law) comes to visit and sews them for me.
Dearest boyfriend is most unhappy with this situation – and the fact that I’ve begun a new (freestyle) bag with this one in tatters has not brightened his countenance.

Odd that.

On a non-knitting related note, I have just been informed that I might be made redundant. This blows on many levels. I couldn’t even have a drink to commiserate because I’m currently on antibiotics. Thanks for that, the Family Wisdom Tooth.
As there is no drinking on the horizon, I will be knitting and watching WW for the weekend.

For a 25 year old, I make an excellent grandma!

Oh, It's On!

In an effort to keep up with my buddies on the old Angel Yarns forum, I’m starting my very own Blog.

Now this is a beginner's blog, written by the raw and bleeding fingers of a novice. There will be times when I am so gob-stoppingly proud of myself for making a sock, and times when the tears are a-flowing because I Just. Don’t. Get. It.

Mostly there will be times when I forget to blog, and always there will be no pictures, because I haven’t got a camera, scanner or computer at home.

Now. The mission statement of this blog is to combine two things I love – Knitting and Graphic Novels. Yeah, alright, comics.

The pinnacle of this will be when have a knitted Superman T-shirt and a knitted WonderWoman … lasso.

Don’t mention crochet… it’s just plain wrong.