I have the Clap!

Clapotis that is! :o)

This is me concentrating on taking a photo in the mirror but using the mirror as a guide to see the LCD screen of the camera... does that even make sense?? LOL
I love my Clapotis, i mostly hated knitting it as the cotton silk was like knitting with garden twine only thinner and harder but the resulting fabric is just gorgeous, it is JUST the right size too, both length and width and i just adore the colours <3

Here's what it looks like when you compare the two ends. My tension was definitely affected!!
The smaller end is the starting end when i was using a metal needle, then i changed to bamboo and obviously as i became more comfortable with the pattern it loosened up quite a LOT!!

OOPS! I've fallen off the (band)wagon already!

I wasn't happy with another swap parcel i was making up. It's complicated but basically i was going to make a hat then the strikes happened and some deliveries were delayed and i decided not to make the hat, then i dithered a bit and waited for something else to arrive and then i just plain old got caught up in "other stuff" and put the parcel to one side and now that's late too *extremely embarrassed and annoyed*
So, last night i decided to make the hat! For some reason i have had a hankering to try Fair Isle so i found a lovely easy pattern in Simply Knitting and cast it on at about 8pm, and then at approximately 11pm i cast it off :oD
It was SO easy! OK, it was only one round of Fair Isle every 3 rounds and it was only two colours and it was only K1A, K1B, repeat around, but i really got the hang of it! It would have been even better had i actually used two yarns of the same weight but i got confused :o(
It looks OK though, and hopefully it will fit the munchkin it's made for *crosses fingers, toes and anything else that's available for crossing*
So, there's no stopping me now, December will be cast on a proper Fair Isle pattern month, i quite like the idea of some mittens or handwarmers maybe... Ooooh, i saw a pattern somewhere that's gloves or handwarmers, i shall have to hunt for it again cos it was lovely :o)

NO-vember will resume tonight with either Hexagon Blankie getting a go or some more Clapotis. Is hould do blankie really as it's a gift and Clapotis is only for me :o)

I'm liking NO-vember so far!

So i've joined in with NO-vember and decided that this month the only new thing i am allowed to cast on will be my socks for the SAM. I didn't really get off to a good start as i wanted to make an extra gift for a swap as i have ballsed it up and missed her birthday and not only that but the parcel has to get to America yet :o(
So, i cast on some of the gorgeous Debbie Bliss cashmerino DK that came on Friday (Thursday? Who knows!) from The Knitting Parlour and started a pair of handwarmers on the way to Santa Pod on Friday. I got one done up to the thumb then realised i didn't have any other yarn with me so couldn't do that special thing for the thumb gusset! DOH! Still, i was clever *giggling* and started the second one from the inside of the ball! YAY! I got lots done on the drive home too and finished them off tonight which means the parcel can go off tomorrow :oD

This also means NO-vember is properly underway and to start it off i picked up the Fish Blankie and sewed in all the ends, so that is now finished, i just have to decide whether to give it to him now or wait til Christmas. Hmmmmm, he's a tiny baby, i doubt he'll be very aware that he's getting Chrimble pressies so i may pop round this week and see if he likes it :oD
Next up was the Clapotis! I started it months ago and then got caught up with other knitting so it's nice to pick it up again and know that i may well finish it this month :o)
I'm doing it narrower than the pattern suggests as i don't know how much yarn i have and i'd rather have a long narrow one than a short wide one (OOOOERRRRRR Missus!!) and tonight i dropped my first stitch :oD
It was fun! I'm just glad i have obviously knitted it correctly as it unravelled down to the edge and didn't go any further ;o)
One down, many more to go!

Done some decorating!

Working on a new layout, found it via a trip through some blogs and i can't remember whose it was but it was someone from CTnY so thankyou whoever it was! *lol*
It still needs some bits adding to it, like the sidebars need my lists and buttons back in them but that will have to wait for another day, it's taken me long enough just to sort this much out!

I'll be off until Sunday night camping, it was Bloke's birthday yesterday and a friend's birthday on Monday so we are having a combined birthday camping weekend :oD
Than Monday will be spent washing and having a tidy and then i'll be off to Southend to visit with Mum before her op on Tuesday, sorry the blog seems to have taken a turn down the "Mum is ill" route but it's preoccupying me quite a bit :o(

So, all this means that i don't actually know when i will next be able to update the blog, hopefully i'll be able to sneak on Dad's computer at some point ;o) You've all been so supportive these past weeks that i feel it only fair to keep you updated too!

Knitting content: This months sock pattern has been chosen, i am going to make the Cottage Garden socks from PinkLemonTwist in the July YYC yarn as it just screams cottage gardens to me :o)
No further progress on Clapotis OR MS3 i'm afraid, i'm not sure what i've been doing but it hasn't left me any knitting time *lol*

Have a great weekend girls, keep your fingers crossed for dry weather for us :oD

*HUGS*
Fran x

I promised you knitting content...

and here it is!
First up, the Clapotis WIP. I'm up to 84 stitches with a total of (i believe) 107 to aim for.
I can't say i am really enjoying it, the yarn is a cotton/silk mix, i'm finding it a little harsh on my hands and a lot slippery on the Addi so i'm going to try and locate a circular bamboo to try. Hopefully the lady at Bodkins will exchange the 3mm one i bought for the MS3 as i never used it, but we shall see. If all else fails i have the cheapy bamboo circulars i bought from the eBay seller in Hong Kong and i'm sure they will be fiiiiiiine :o)
I AM loving the colour and the fabric though, which can only be a good thing. This is my take-along-alternative-to-socks knitting and i've been working on it on hospital visits and camping trips cos i've hated knitting the Sassy socks SO much i could only do a few rounds before i had to put them down!

Which brings us to... A FINISHED OBJECT!! Shock Horror! Yes, the Sassy socks are finished and have been put to special service. I figured that as i wasn't enjoying knitting them they obviously weren't meant for me and so they have been put in a special parcel and will be arriving at a certain young lady's house any day now. I hope the new owner likes them WAY more than i do *lol*
Good points: Loved working them toe-up from the same ball, no row counting or measuring - YIPPEE! Once i got the hang of the cast on the toe went well and the short row heel was a doddle as long as i wasn't distracted :oD
I worked an extra inch of stocking stitch on the heel side of the needle, just to make sure it fits a bit better as i find the short row heel can be a bit too shallow then resumed the rib up the leg but i didn't stagger it, i left it 3x1 to the last 6 rows where i switched to 1x1 just for fun. It should give it a nice grip on the leg but not pull too tight on the edge that way, i hate having sock marks from too tight ribbing. It's strange, once i had decided that they weren't for me and were going away to live with someone else the knitting seemed to go quicker and i found i didn't hate them as much as i thought i did. I hope they don't feel like they've been knitted with hate in my hands *lol*

And finally for today... my progress so far on the MS3.
I am on chart B of Clue 1. Ver slow progress i know, but i am taking my time with it and only doing it when i feel calm and can concentrate and lately that just ain't been happening! I really love the beads, they look perfect and reflect the lilac yarn so well. I am toying with the idea of using a different bead for the centre section but i'll cross that bridge when i come to it. Natalie's merino laceweight has been so lovely to knit with, and even with all the tinking (damn those missed YOs!) it's retaining it's springiness and softness wonderfully :o)

Speaking of Natalie... she's been very naughty and reduced lots of sock yarn and i caved in and bought a skein. It could have been worse though, a whole lot worse! I was dithering over which i wanted more "neuf" or "36" - i had already decided i wanted "trente et un" which is a blend of gorgeous purples fading to lilac but the other two are HOT! Lipstick red to pink and Scarlet to pale orange, i was SO good though, rahter than just saying "ah buggrit, i'll have all three cos i can't decide" which is good for Natalie but not so good for me, i decided to have just ONE skein! Tht's right, i was RESTRAINED! I've renewed my sock club for another 3 months too, that means when this one runs out i will have had 12 blue packages through my letterbox of yarn that i didn't choose and i've LOVED it! Thanks n :oD

Been and back again

I have barely had time to breath lately let alone blog :o(

In knitting news: The Sassy Stripes toe-ups are waiting for a heel and i am waiting for a calm few hours to do the short-row heel in! Not long to go now though until they are finished. I really haven't enjoyed knitting them :o(
I should start thinking about my next pair now really, i am liking the SweetPea pattern from Knitty and have some pretty pastelly sock wool that would look nice with a bit of lace.
I also have some Sirdar Town & Country sock wool that i got in the sale at £1.50 a ball, it's being discontinued which is a shame but i hope they will bring out something to replace it. I picked up two black, two grey, one red mix and one grey mix with the intention of doingheels and toes in a solid and the foot and cuff in the patterned and having the rest of the solids as spares for using up leftovers in future.
The Clapotis is coming along nicely, i am still increasing and have 66 stitches at the moment, only another 51 to go :oD
MS3 is on clue 2 with clue 3 out tomorrow and i have yet to start mine! I want to, i really do but for some reason i am scared to! I also need some quiet time to do it in and that's not happening!

On Sunday we went down to Brighton to watcht he "Paddle round the Pier" event and to have chips on the seafront. It was a lovely day, the weather stayed dry and it was hothothot! Luckily there was a man giving out free bottles of sun block but even after two applications of factor 15 (i probably should have used more and applied it more often *oops*) i still have a little bit of sunburn on my arms and one side of my neck.
On Monday i went back to Southend. Mum's friend is getting married in August and Mum is making the wedding dress and two bridesmaid dresses, she also said she would do the flowers and make the cakes! After some delegation, i was put in charge of the flowers and Bloke's Mum was offered the chance to make the cakes which she reluctantly agreed to do. You know what it's like, everyone else likes your offerings but you don't and Ivy is just like that. She will make a cake three times over if she doesn't think it's good enough and was unsure that she would be able to pull it off but i think it'll be fine! *crosses fingers and toes*
So, Monday i was going to do the flowers but we couldn't find the tape so it meant a trip to the shops. This had to include a trip to the LYS as they have a half price sale on Rowan yarns and patterns. I picked up some Felted Tweed, one ball each in rust, purple and teal (i think, it might be green) as i wanted to make some Knucks at some point and £2.38 a ball is great value :oD
Then it was a mad dash round several florists trying to find tape. Nobody had any! Bizarre! Just as bizarre is the fact that there are three shops selling Crocs and yet none of them have any plans to stock Georgies! Madness!! *lol* We managed to get some tape after a flash of inspiration from me, and also some nice wide leaves to edge the Bride's bouquet so that was gooooooooooood :o) Mum went off to WW and i went home to play with the flowers. You know that thing i mentioned, where you don't like you own work? I hate the flowers, i think they look tatty and amateurish but Mum and Jackie both liked what i had done so far when Jackie came round for her dress fitting so i guess that it'll be fine *crosses fingers and knocks on wood* ;o)
I'll try and remember to take pictures when i am down there next week.
News on Mum... she definitely has a tumour on her left kidney, she goes in next week for a retrograde pyleography and then we think it'll be the 6th August for the op to remove the kidney. We are hoping it hasn't had time to spread to the bladder or anywhere else. We are also hoping that this is an isolated cancer and not a secondary tumour.

I am trying to remain optimistic, i am also trying to deal with it.

I'm failing on both counts.