I've been enjoying this last weekend of 2006.
Yesterday afternoon was spent knitting at "Chez O" and spending time with some of my very favourite people. Jacinta was on hand with her camera so you can see a photo of my current WIP - a Hap shawl. I love the way the yarn is working out - the centre square has been finished and I'm amazed that the stripes match! Tonight's plan is to pick up the outside stitches and start the lace.
I stopped off at Harrods on my way home and picked up a couple of items for my wardrobe at an incredible price but failed to find the new coffee machine I wanted. So today I dragged Matt off to Bluewater (his idea of hell) and within an hour had located the coffee machine, a new toaster, new towels for the bathroom and a new outfit to wear tonight!
I also found a couple more balls of Jaeger Extra Fine Merino in Red Ink to add to what I bought in Liberty's sale - Now all I need to do is track down 4 more and I have enough for the pattern I have in mind!
Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy New Year
One of the great things about holding a group in a public space is that you never know who will drop in. Look who turned up last night!
It was great to meet Ann of Mason-Dixon Knitting in person. Lovely too to see Sue's niece Beth again and a late visit from Shea, Johanne and friends.
Not everyone in the restaurant was as nice - the people on the next table gave the management a hard time saying we were too noisy, not the sort of people you expect to find in Liberty's and that we got preferential treatment.
He informed them that we have a standard weekly booking for the tables and have done so for 5 years, that actually it was one of our quieter nights and that they love having us visit! - Nice to be appreciated!
The holiday started well when amongst all the chaos at Heathrow we managed to meet Matt's cousin exactly as he arrived! We had a good journey down through the most incredible fog - at times it felt like driving through alien landscapes - particularly scary on the Severn Bridge when we could not see the road, the bridge or the river.
There were lots of presents (and no photographs due to no batteries) and I have to say that Knitters give good presents!
To my Secret Pal 9 - the gloves fit perfectly and the Knitpicks needles will be put to good use.
My other friends spoilt me with Colinette yarn; a knitted hat; illuminated needles ( great fun); christmas cookies and a perfect pair of socks.
Matt received a pair of hand knit socks as well and is a very happy man - he spent most of xmas day holding his feet out to admire them!
The family presents were their usual mix - anyone suggest a use for 20 balls of Foxy?
A good journey back today and I'm now trying to get organised for back to work in the morning.
On the knitting front I started a Colinette throw in greens and have also begun a Hap shawl using the Kauni Effektgarn EM yarn I bought from www.wollsucht.de I love the way the colour changes are working out.
Yesterday morning I grabbed a couple of skeins that needed winding into balls and decided that would be a good way to pass the journey.
The skein of silk is now a huge knot
The skein of wool is getting there but the ball is now so big it hurts my hands to hold and wind. I don't want to break it as I'm intrigued to see how it knits up with it's long colour changes.
One more day at work, tonight at Liberty's and then off to Wales in the morning via heathrow to collect a very important surprise package - Matt's cousin is coming home for xmas and we get to deliver him to his unsuspecting mother!
I'm finally getting into the xmas spirit (not the alcoholic type either!)
My present shopping is done, family presents despatched, some cards written ( a few even posted) and I've got 2 days at work left to go.
Family parcels have arrived, there's a few extra packages as well so it promises to be a good one.
On the knitting front I'm tinkering - I haven't been able to see past the deadline for the ballet cardigans so have no specific project lined up to work from. There is plenty on the needles but nothing grabbing my attention.
There's two shawls, a Best Friend jacket, a Di Gilpin jacket, beaded lace scarf, wristlets and Mary Jane slippers - none of which appeal for this mornings commuter knitting and I have to leave in the next 10 minutes and have about 3 hours of travelling today - shall I start another new project?
This week has been a fun week for Secret Santas. First there was Liberty's, then the work one and finally the KCG!
Here's Polly showing her package at Liberty's
Jacinta's Secret Santa made sure she was warm and colour co-ordinated
Joan came along and brought a very special item to show us
She has just retired as a midwife after many years of service in the East End of London. She brought one of her retirement gifts to share with us - the knitting done by two of her "mothers" who she had taught to knit - what a special way to retire.
Chrissie came all the way from Singapre to visit us! I do love her version of "Elfin" - one day I may pluck up the nerve to tackle all those ruffles!
I finally finished my part of the xmas knitting and managed to finish sewing them up at 9.30 am yesterday. By 10.30 they had been handed over to my sister ready for the girls for xmas day! Thanks to Wye Sue for her help - I'd never have made it otherwise!
A saturday sky picture of my sister Kate enjoying churros and chocolate as we explored the Frost Fair on bankside .
She has been quite ill for a few years so it was good to spend a day out with her whilst she was well and on good form. We managed a little present shopping at the craft stalls and a lot of eating and laughing as we explored London's South Bank and Covent Garden.
I got home to find that Matt had worked his usual magic and sorted out my laptop and mail problems. One of my accounts kept downloading mail from 3 months ago every 15 minutes! A 800+ emails a time I was close to despair!
I did get trigger happy with the delete key so if you've written me and I've not answered I'm sorry!
One of the emails that did get through was from my SP9 mom so here's the answers to her questions:
what is:
1) the oddest gift you have ever received (not asked for)
5 yards of knicker elastic - a present from my Father!
2) the oddest gift you ever asked for
A kite flyers banner/ feather.We used to go to a lot of kite festivals and Matt and his friends had many kites decorated with images of Nagel's women. I said i thought it was time I had one with a male and Matt commissioned Helene Morgan to make one for me for my 39th birthday.
3) the oddest gift you ever gave
a chimney lintel - Mum decided she wanted a working fireplace so we all chipped in and brought bricks, cement etc to make her wish come true
4) the worse gift you ever got
A salmon ( I'm allergic to fish!)
I spent 2 days xmas shopping and have very little to show for it but at least 2 packages made it to the post office today! Still no non-yarn ideas for myself (apart from a few more knitting books!)
The pink knitting continues but the end is in sight - just as well as they need to be packed by friday night. I really want to be knitting something more interesting but can't decide what to motivate myself with.
My rotten mood continues mainly due to a broken tooth last night and a morning at the dentist today. I've been scared of the dentist since I was a child and broke a tooth trying to see over the counter in the local fish and chip shop - wonder if that's why I don't like to eat fish? This time I tried a dentist known to Matt - very patient and very expensive!
The only thing that has made me smile today is this I've always enjoyed advent calendars
I've just found this link britknitcast and really enjoyed listening to some of the conversations from Harrogate
Today is my first (and hopefully only) day of xmas shopping! I've decided that I'll head to Bluewater and not leave until I've accomplished it all.
Sounds good in theory but when I have no clue as to what anyone in my family wants this could be a recipe for disaster. Mind you they have had exactly the same answer from me!
Why is my head bursting with ideas of a knitting variety and I can't even drag up a suggestion for anything else - my family have decreed they will not buy me any more knitting stuff this year!
I'm hoping the trip will at least lead to coffee and cake with Yvette and if it goes on late into the evening I might even manage dinner at Carluccio's.
I thought I'd escaped xmas knitting this year but my nieces had other ideas. The pink ballet cardigan is slowly getting there - part of a sleeve, bands and ties mean the end is in sight with a deadline of next friday for delivery.
That leaves me with a hat to go in the post tomorrow; gloves to finish for wednesday and then freedom to work on my own projects. Which one shall I start on first?