spinning, quick bfl / texel cross update

 Much of my spinning recently has been on the Nano but the Ashford E-spinner has been in use behind the scenes.

Anyone else had a problem with the foot control? I'm now about to start using my third one !! in six years.

Sill, the dye bag is filling up, ready for a run of reasonable weather.

This is 600 plus gm of the bfl x texel

and this is 200gm border leicester cross and 100gm ish of ryeland sitting in the middle.

I have a lot more washed fleece to work through and hopefully by the beginning of March I will have it all dyed up.

what's in the bag? part two Elephants

 Past adventures with a needle

Some elephant stitching..........

I know that there are more elephants around, I must have had a thing about this pattern :-)

what's in the bag? part one

 As the destash continues, I'm discovering old projects from when I was at college.

I pulled out this bag.

The bag itself was part of a prize from Sewing World back in 2007 when they asked people to design and embroider a heart. You may have seen the heart hanging in my workroom photos. I was a runner up in the competition.

I don't often win things !

These days, the bag holds many treasure, some are just starting ideas and some are completed projects. I've posted some of these before but a good few years ago now.

edited to add, I posted about this in 2008 and in the same post I mentioned six unimportant things about myself.

SIX UNIMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT ME

This has been really difficult to work out but I finally came up with these.

When I was about 11, I won 1st, 2nd and third prize in a photography competition because I was the only contestant.

We have not had a TV for nearly 20 years although the purchase of a computer 8 years ago means we do watch DVDs. 

 (Still no TV in 2024)

I loathed Domestic Science at school ( needlework and cookery) and gave it up as soon as possible

I have never made anything that I can wear other than the occasional piece of fabric jewellery. 

( now knit hats etc)

We used to have an arcade pinball machine in our 17th floor flat.

First rode pillion ( on a scooter) at around 6 years old.

( final ride as pillion was around the age of 56/57 when I realised that getting on and off the bike was getting difficult due to mobility issues)

Here's a sneak peak at the bag contents.

A day of weaving ends and finishing tasks.

 My first job yesterday was to make a start on weaving in the ends on my knitwear. I generally do this over a coffee and yesterday was no exception. I headed down to Waterstones, grabbed a latte and a pulled pork something and sat down to make a start.

After a while I noticed that a lady on a nearby table was paying a lot of attention to what I was doing. She introduced herself explaining that was Norwegian and has recognised some of the designs. She was also a knitter and knitted jumpers for her family. I mentioned that we had visited Norway a couple of times in the past and it turns out that we had stayed very close to the area where she had been bought up.

My new stop off was unexpected, I was heading to the bus stop when I noticed a coffee shop sign pointing up  a road that I rarely use. I followed the sign and yes, there was a coffee shop called vibe with a rather complicated menu of coffees and preparation's. Fortunately I spotted a much simpler menu and ventured in. Asking for a latte I realised that everyone else in the shop was possibly Chinese ? I heard the gentleman making the drinks mention that they had been back to Hong Kong.

I was warmly welcomed and I was heartened to see a young girl sat knitting, she explained that it was a scarf for the boyfriend. I should explain that we have a lot of Chinese students at Nottingham University  and one of the girls was wearing a university sweatshirt.

The coffee was lovely, smooth and very attractive.

I knitted a few rows before I had to dash for the bus.

I have finally finished the tiresome hat, still not totally happy but it will fit someone, somewhere :-)

a quick update before I fall asleep

 This stupid flu bug thing has left me exhausted, I've done a little stitching so week six is now complete.

You won't believe how many times I've ripped this hat back !!

and I'm still not happy with it.

The big deatash has stalled slightly but I'm making some progress...slowly Today I have uncovered a scissor sharpener

and rediscovered an old embroidery book

I'm now going to settle down and finish watching the Gilmore Girls :-)

more workshop clearout and some fleece to prep

 This is my workroom near the end of last year, today I have been sorting out some shelves, getting rid of yet more books and re-finding one or two treasures.

now looks like this, more to sort out but definitely better.

Followed this up with some fibre prep, Border Leicester cross, as I want to empty as many of the pillowslips of fleece as possible.

I'm now going to pop my feet up and watch some nonsense on catch up tv :-) As it looks like we are no longer heading to the coast for our usual dose of January fresh air, the room sort out will continue, shelf by shelf.

A frosty start

 The temperatures have plummeted this morning leaving the frost on car looking very impressive.

I ventured out to buy some fresh veg and make some lace in a favourite coffee shop

and wrapped up the trip by watching the workmen dismantle the big wheel on the Christmas fair.

new years day

 Since I'm still feeling under par, today has been a gentle day of yarn winding, Blackwork embroidery and a little knitting.

I need to venture out tomorrow but our planned trip away is on hold, partly due to me and partly due to the weather forecast of snow at the weekend.

Final spin of 2024

 Saxon Merino' dyed in the fleece by Babylonglegs, Spun over the last couple of days, washed and dried today.

I picked out the blues and greens and ended up with 50gm of this.

Its slightly darker and more peacock colour in real life. This will be the next knit, probably a couple of headbands, once I've finished the hat that is one the needles at the moment.

2025 plans, should I make any?

Good question, I have a few targets for 2025 apart from the usual lose weight, get fit, save money etc that everybody seems to come up with every year.

Realistically none of the above will be achieved but I do need to complete a few things. The workroom tidy up being one of them although I have made a start and thrown out a large number of random cables and pieces of obsolete technology, thus freeing up a couple of drawers in my desk.

I have made myself a sort of bingo card where each box relates to a shelf/cupboard etc and I can cross them off once completed.

book destash in progress

I do need to spin the contents of the pillowcases stashed in the corner and in the big bag thus making way for the 2024 fleece that still needs to be washed.

Cross stitch projects to be looked at and hopefully one or two finished before starting a new one.

Otherwise its business as usual, a bit of this, a bit of that depending on my mood and as usual I will blog my process.

Unless anyone has any requests? more embroidery, lace,  travel etc ??

In the meantime I am still coughing, still knitting

Sorry its been so long

 Unfortunately I've been busy, then ill and haven't had chance to post any kind of update. We have just decided to cancel our Christmas trip as I now have a wicked cough which would be a nightmare in the van. 

Quick knitting update, I've now finished the third fair isle beanie, this time using the yarn unravelled from the shawl that I fell out of love with.

These are all knit with Bowmont (Shetland Merino cross ) and Shetland.

brrr, its been cold and breezy

 Hi, we popped over to the coast last week for a few days. No van this time, instead we spotted a nice rental at a reasonable price, 10/10 rating and fully refurbished just 2 years ago.

Walked in the bedroom and the handle to the ensuite fell off !! thinking it was a new 'thing' I left a message for the owner. Looking through the guest review book where everyone said that the property was awesome etc we noticed that the handle originally fell off in July, August, September and November. We made a list of small problems and won't be going back again not just because of the numerous niggles but the open plan layout meant that it didn't feel comfy.

Plus I felt like I needed a degree to work out how to use this.

The first day was bitterly cold with a strong wind by the sea front, This was down at Hornsea and we retreated to the leisure centre to watch the waves break whilst enjoying hot drinks and a bite to eat.

The next day we did our usual round of the charity shops in Bridlington. Ian picked up a couple of books and I bagged a jumper and a T-shirt. The T-shirt was new and at a whooping 50p something of a bargain.

We visited the new sculpture at the Railway Station, lovely attention to detail, even had a starfish in his bucket along with his spade.

I liked the cat fussing round his legs.

On the way into town we passed a couple of old shop frontages.

and checked in on the harbour.

Our last day was damp and cloudy so we went to the auction house for a while, bid on an antique sampler but was outbid by a dealer then off up to Flamborough head for lunch.

You can see the rain coming in across the sea. All too soon it was time to come home, still we will return next year.