UK Swap Question of the week #3 June 28, 2008

This week’s question of the week on the uk swap blog http://ukswap.blogspot.com/ is:

Q – Is there a TV programme you watch religiously?

A – I’m not a big TV watcher but I’ve somehow got myself into Big Brother this year and I’ve been following it quite a lot! (I know, is trash TV!) Other than that I do like to watch ‘Monkey Business’ and ‘Monkey Life’ which are about Monkey World in Dorset….. I love the Orangutans!

Q – What TV programme(s) do you avoid like the plague?

A – I hate soaps and all those celebrity dancing competitions! I also don’t like the Andrew Lloyd Webber things where he ‘tries to find a new star’ (and shamelessley plugs his west-end show in the process!)

Q – Is there a TV programme that you find works particularly well for knitting along to?

A – Friends is good to have on in the background.

Q – What was/is your favourite kids TV programme?

A – As a child I loved Bagpuss, Pigeon Street, King Rollo, Camberwick Green, The Flumps, Fraggle Rock, The Muppet Show, The Clangers, Mr Ben, The Mr. Men, The Wombles……. pretty much all classic early 1980’s kids TV!

Needle Felted Fairy Doll June 22, 2008

 This little lady is my latest attempt at needle felting, I’m very happy with her! I’ve learnt a lot from my mistakes on the alice doll and I’ve practised new techniques by looing at video tutorials on the internet. She has wings, is holding a crystal ball and has cute little ballet pumps. I found the hardest part was the fingers and the mouth. The face is hard to get right as just changing it by a few tiny details really alters the expression and personality of the doll. I’m quite keen on having a go at a larger doll next, the smaller dolls can be fiddly when you are working on the very tiny features. There are loads more pictures of the doll stage by stage on my Ravlery page (my ravelry ID is ’sleepknitting’)

If anyone is looking at this an thinking it looks tricky then I would say its not as hard as it looks! there are loads of tutorials online and the materials are fairly cheap. I bought a huge bag of merino roving on ebay that should last for ages!

Some progress has been made on the ‘bottoms up’ top, but I’ve got to go and do my planning for school now so probably no knitting until this evening now.

UK Swap question on the week June 20, 2008

This weeks question of the week on the UK Swap Blog (http://ukswap.blogspot.com/):

Q – Which three guests (alive or not) would you invite to a dinner party and why?

A – Firstly I would invite John Lennon (if I could bring him back to life!) as I think he was probably a very interesting person with strong opinions. Next I would have to have Vic Reeves as he really makes me laugh! Finally I would invite Tracey Emin, I find her fascinating and I love much of her art.

Found the camera! June 15, 2008

 

 

 

Here is the eyelets in the front of the top, I’m working my way up to the neck, then I have to do the same top the back and then graft the shoulders together. The rib has a great stretchy-ness to it, I’m hoping it will fit well.

Lately I’ve had a bit of a realisation about my knitting – When I first started knitting again I wanted to knit chunky yarns on big needles that knit up fast. The problem with this is I ended up with bulky and shapeless garments that I never actually wore. I’ve come to realise that if I’m going to invest money and a considerable amount of time in a knitted project then I actually want to wear it when i’m finished! I’ve moved on from bulky yarns to fine yarns in quality fibres that feel good to wear and knit up to a nice fabric. From now on I’m going to concentrate on using DK and 4-ply weight yarns with good natural fibres, I’m also concentrating on finding good fitted and shaped patterns, no more baggy shapeless tops and cardis! I think my choice of colours have changed too, I still love greens but I’m moving on to brighter greens and away from dark and mossy greens. I love purples and greeny-blues and I definitely want to knit more in these colours. I know that these projects are going to take longer to complete but I’m confident that I will get more wear out of them when they are completed! … watch this space

Where is my camera? June 15, 2008

If I knew where it was I could take a picture to show you my progress on the bottoms up top. I’m up to the eyelets on the front neckline and its looking good so far; I’ve now figured out where all the errors are in the printed pattern and I’ve ammended the pattern accordingly! (it is annoying when you follow a published pattern from a magazine and there are errors, you would think that someone would test knit it first wouldn’t you??!)

Anyway, my neck has improved a lot and I can actually move it now! It was incredibly painful for a few days, then it started to ease off, I’ve been back and fourth to the chiropractors which has helped a lot. I’m still seeing them about my back and hip problems too so I’m quite stiff and sore most of the time! I’ve been wondering lately if any of this is linked to my Coeliac disease and Osteopenia, so many of the health problems I’ve had over the years have been caused by the undiagnosed Coeliac disease that I lived with for for about fourteen years without knowing!

I’ve been busy working on the bottoms up top but most of my free time lately is spent at school trying to pack up my classroom; the school closes on the 18th July so there is only five weeks of term left to clear away my belongings before the demolishers move in. Its a very sad time at school for the chidren and the staff, the school opened in 1971 and some of the staff have been there since the mid 1970’s. My class are very young and they don’t really understand why the school is closing and why they are all going to different schools.

I’m excited about the new UK Swap that has just started, I’ve got my match and I’ve already started buying things for her parcel. Swaps are great, its like getting a birthday present (and the gifts are usually better than most birthday presents I get!)

Right, I’m off to find my camera!

Bottoms Up! June 7, 2008

Progress so far on ‘Bottoms Up’ top. I’ve just separated the front and back and am working the front section, loving it so far. Its a very stretchy top so it should fit well wthout being too tight. As its 100% wool its going to be quite cosy so its not going to be a summer top, I imagine I will be wearing it in the Autumn.

I’m still in a lot of pain with my neck, I found it very hard to sleep last night as I like to sleep on my side but I can only lie on my back. Painkillers and ice don’t seem to be helping, I’m worried it will last into next week. The Chiropractor thinks it will go in a few days but its just as bad this morning. I can’t move my head very much so I’m walking very stiffly, its really inconvenient as I have a load of house work to do this weekend!

I’m in agony June 6, 2008

I woke up with a horrible sharp pain in my neck today, I had slept funny and had some neck spasm. Its lasted all day, when I first got up I got out of bed, staggered to the bathroom and fanted! (luckily Tim was there) I didn’t go to work and got an emergency appointment at the Chiropractor this afternoon. He said I’ve slept in a bad position which has put a neck muscle into spasm which has caused one of the discs between my neck vertebrae to become inflamed and swollen. He gave me some massage and some painful bone clicking – ouch!

I’m sitting here not dosed up on ibuprofen and holding a packet of frozen peas to my neck! The Chiro thinks it will pass in a couple of days… I hope so. I can’t move very much or do anything, I can’t even knit!