A sair fecht

All the sockets fused yesterday, the dishwasher began to leak, and the roofer who had disappeared turned up after we got someone else! All I needed was for Dolores the sheep to turn up and party with the kids, handing them joints, smarties and tumblers of Irn Bru!

On the up - Juniors class came joint second at the Inverclyde Music Festival, for singing games.

So Proud! Junior jnr can't wait to join in, kept yelling/singing during the performance. Am disappearing to my bedroom now to do some knitting - Grandparents are over and want to spoil. Joy.

Glasgow SnB meetup at the Tramway

Today was SnB meetup at the Tramway - there were LOADS of people which was great. However there were loads of non-knitting people, which kinda held up the lunches. As my Granny would've said - the stomach thinks the throat's been cut!

As Karen, our organiser, has been organising such wonderful events this month we decided to repay the compliment and presented her with a gift and card. We did a wee collection and Lynette kindly agreed to get a POSH YARN voucher, while I knitted up a wee beanie.

Knitters deserve something knitted.

There was a pink theme going on at my end of the table with India and Lynette both wearing pink tops, Jennifer with her pink bag (and pink prize scarf!), and me with my pink cardi. I didn't catch the name of the girls sitting next to Stephanie, but both were in Pink too - and it wasn't even Breast Cancer awareness week!

I took some photo's with the new camera - failed to get a photo of Lynettes fingerless mittens, Jennifers' scarf, or any of the prizes that Karen , our organiser had so kindly made. My prize mittens have been well worn and won't be on this blog until after a wee wash . Got a photo of Karen in her beanie, and a few action knitting photo's -see below (v. poor photography - need a lesson from simplesparrow, or her son)

If you want to see something to cheer you up (and a good photo), try here. My good pal Kathleen is a dab hand with the camera! Karen with her new Beanie - she's smiling cos she's got a POSH YARN voucher to enhance that stash with! Fingers flying, needles clicking, did you notice the knitted Birthday cake complete with candle! Knitters telepathy - all in the pink! I do apologize for the poor quality - Stephanie, I have not included the photo with yourself as it was NOT a good likeness. Hopefully the light in JL will be better on the 11th Feb. Crochet scarf is done,done done - still need to be blocked, but boy is it cozee! Catherine, who was a fellow crochet student last week at JL was crocheting the softest , loveliest twirly scarf today , and Ella resident crochet expert and teacher was making a little bunny. I can see this crochet thing becoming nearly as addictive as knitting (I said NEARLY!) Almost completed left side of Ribbon Twist cardi, and have started second mitten for GGD (Graemes God-daughter). Life is chug chug chuggin' along.

Today was the childrens' prize-giving at Church - Junior got an Excellent attendance and a book voucher - so proud! Also it was the start of Scottish Churches in action for Homelessness week, and a collection was made at the end of the service for this worthy cause. I can't imagine what it is like to be homeless, to have no fixed address, or to live out on the streets, it must be awful. I really admire people who put themselves out there to make a difference.

Tomorrow Katherine from K1Yarns will be on Macaulay and Co, on Radio Scotland (10.30am?) talking knitting with a few of her chums !

Emma - thank you so much for your welcome to the world of blogging - it really is becoming fun! (Don't believe my first posts!)

Got a new Camera !

Finally got a new Camera! Now I can show off the Ribbon Twist Cardi I've been knitting (and frogging and Knitting and frogging and Knitting). It is knit in the round, separating for armholes, back and sides. There is a loopy design at the bottom and on the cuffs of the sleeves (once I get round to doing those!).My purchase was in the John Lewis sale - a bargain at only £3 a ball.I'm hoping there are some leftovers , enough for a scarf or hat.

My Crochet scarf is almost done too - hooray, just a few more embellishments and a bit of blocking and it should be ready. Pictures a bit fuzzy - still getting used to new Camera.

Then I'm off to order the Stitch and Bitch Happy Hookers (how I LOOOVVEE that title).

I was at K1yarns on Thursday - got some wonderful hand-dyed yarn and some Twilleys Freedom wool. The Hand-dyed is incredibly soft and both yarns are going to become some nice cozee cushion covers. We had a nice little Burns Supper with a vegetarian Haggis (Pulses, beans and spices instead of Offal). Never got round to doing the Toast to a Haggis, although Junior has been practising some Scots Poem at school. HWWM&S was at some Burns supper in London (!) with his work collegues, something to do with the Whisky Society. Burns would have approved! Reading the Herald today , the funeral of Abbe Pierre was reported, Frances champion for the Homeless. Those in high office mingled with the humble at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

"If there is another world, he lives in bliss, If there is none, he made the best of this" Robert Burns.

Flibertigibknits and Crochets!

It was a special Knitting meetup today at John Lewis in Glasgow. Karen our organiser had asked Carol and Jane from the Haberdashery dept to come along and teach us crochet.

I am now crocheting a scarf, with doubles and trebles all over the place!

There was a great turnout again, and before the crochet lesson Karen has us all pass the parcel with the prizes being some lovely knitted items made by her good self. Being in close proximity to the yarn dept. was just sooo tempting. And yes I did purchase some yarn, but not the one I was eyeing up at the meetup. There was some lovely Rowan Country yarn which I think will make a lovely baby blanket, although it is handwash only . I got more of the yarn I was learning to crochet with (Rowan Little Big Wool) and now it is becoming a scarf! Pictures to follow once I get a new camera - Argos here I come! Poor Elaine couldn't make it today, she was feeling a bit poorly, and the buses on the Southside of Glasgow were being held up due to the demolition of a block of flats at Toryglen (area in Glasgows' Southside). These were the flats made famous in the Sony Bravio adverts, with all the paint flying everywhere. I actually thought the advert was for Crown Paints myself, but thats probably due to the fact when I see paint I think redecoration. Heather, thank you for your comment - my sister went into Glasgow on Thursday and there was NO SNOW! Thankfully it cleared up in time for me to go out to my Flava Knitting group that night, so there is indeed a God and he/she favours knitters!

Snow and Rain and stuck on a Train!

I am Exhausted

This morning I travelled in the car for over an hour in the driving, skidding snow. At one point I thought I would have to abandon the car, at another point I thought I would skid off a hill, and another I thought I would crash into the River as the brakes were NO USE. When I got home, Junior and Junior Jnr were happy to play out in the snow and make snowmen or to be precise a Snowman. Still no camera - heres last years Snowman!

I made soup - my all round winterwarming soup

Next I hear my husband (HWWM&S - He who wears Marks and Spencer!) is stuck on a train somewhere outside Manchester. The next I heard the train got into Wigan Northwestern Station.

Could you book me a hotel for tonight ? Somewhere central, easy to get to ?

Apparently his work booked him into somewhere in Preston - good going given that most of the major roads are CLOSED. On the Knitting front - I found a dropped stitch in my Ribbon TWIST card - I've been calling it Ribbon print, numpty that I am. There is nothing for it but to frog it back to the start of the arm shaping. Still the brittany wooden DPNS are great, no slippage at all.

The cost of roofs!

I got a quote from the Slater for the storm damage to our roof - OUCH! I know we will be claiming from insurance, but still it does seem rather expensive, however slaters are like gold dust, especially after the stormy weather we've had.

Kathleen - I would be most pleased if you link to my blog.

It is still early days and I am still learning to do things (like link sites!), and I'm not finding the HELP pages easy to follow. Visited K1yarns today to get a set of wooden DPNS and I couldn't resist a couple of balls of Artesano Alpaca in a pale olive green. I think I may do a little matinee coat for my cousins baby with it. I heard on the radio news that today was the funeral of Magnus Magnusson, presenter of Mastermind. His catchphrase

I've started , so I'll finish

will no doubt be etched on his gravestone. I believe he wrote a book on the History of Scotland, among many other things. Today is also the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Union between Scotland and England, and a public convenience (restroom?)in an Edinburgh restaurant is claiming to be the place where the Treaty was signed (obviously it wasn't a public convenience in 1707!) Magnus Linklater (who I believe is a neighbour of Jean Miles from Jean Knitting) wrote a good piece in the Times today -

there were riots and stonings in Edinburgh, but cheers in London where they thought there would be no more hassles from these unruly Scots.

or word close to that effect , my memory being appalling.

Its Tea time - and a bit of Dairy Milk

I am quite alone - Daddy and Junior are at a Parent and Son Evening at Anchorboys, Junior Jnr is in BED (fell asleep during Wallace and Gromit and the WereRabbit). So I am quite alone save for a cup of tea (well china Mug, it does hold more), and a bar of Dairy Milk Chocolate. Have just found out that my cousin is pregnant, and even better news she's NOT in a relationship (believe me, the NO relationship is a big bonus). I am very excited as it presents more knitting opportunities, as well as being able to bestow some treasured baby items to her. But I found myself getting distressed when she turned down my cot and asked if she could offer it to a friend - MY BELOVED COT TO A STRANGER! Truth is I get so attached to these things (you did not want to be near me when I gave the Pram to a well deserving charity) , that I feel I can only pass them on to family. So do I sell it on, or do I keep it for my other cousin ?? Mmmmm, we shall see. I have stalled on the Ribbon Print Cardi, which is ridiculous given that it is kntting up so quickly on 12mm needles (fabulous addi turbo's), so I need to pick up those pins again, before I get distracted by knitting beanies. I love knitting beanies, it is such a quick fix, and its my own recipe. In fact I've not knitted one for myself yet, but I will abstain until the Cardi is finished. Here is one that made its way to NY, NY at Christmas time, along with a beautiful little red bag. The beanie is knitted in Lana Grossa Luna purchased from my LYS, and the bag is made with Mobair Mohair hand-dyed/hand spun yarn (purchased at the SECC Hobbycraft exhibition, coming again in March, hooray!). My LYS will be a bit less local, but the owner is only moving to the next town, AND she will be stocking ROWAN (Big Cheer! or in local parlance, ya beauty!) Also on the retail front, good old Marks and Spencer are planning to substantially reduce their carbon footprint over the next five years. I am alone no longer - Daddy and junior have returned!

Braw Bricht moonlicht nicht the nicht!

Or it will be after the lovely chilly day it is today. (Lovely Bright Moonlight night) Am wearing my Kid Classic jumper (again) in a bid to keep the cold away. Still haven't got a picture of it due to the out of action camera - need to get to town and get a new (cheap one!) Have also decided to try and co-ordinate my hats/scarves etc. - may require some more purchase of yarn and knitting (NO will power, not until the pennies run out!) Ah well Park Life awaits, Junior Jnr needs to burn off some energy.

Eventually I got the Hang of it !

This is the 3rd post I made tonight so yes some of the ones published below may look like they are repeating themselves! It worked - At last! No all I have to do is work out the link thingy and get some of my chums blogs linked - hurray for Firefox. Back to my depressing book about the Irish Potato Famine - knitting tomorrow! Projects on the go :- Ribbon Print Cardi, Mohair Sweater, Alpaca Socks, Little Mittens for little Kittens.

Sunday Meetup - Prizes

Okay, here is the posting I lost - forgive me if I have repeated myself in the THIRD posting today. Thea - I took some of your advice - I downloaded Firefox and lo and behold I can get pictures and everything now - The Hallelujah chorus is playing in the background here! Here is a picture to spice things up a little - its the sweater junior jnr WON'T wear. Thank you India and Kathleen for the comment son my first post. Today was the Glasgow SnB meetup at the Tramway cafe, and in between asking for the music volume to be lowered (does anyone really ask for the volume to be raised when they are in a cafe ??), it was lovely to see everyone and have a chat. There were some new faces too, Cate, Thea and Anna, Cate was the soft green afghan (I think), Thea the Chunky scarf and Anna the Kidsilk Haze stole. I was wearing my recently finished Kid Classic sweater, and Elaine had brought along her recently finished Kid Classic Hoodie which she was persuaded to model. And she had used mattress seaming AND 3 needle castoff on the seams, much applause all round! Thea and Kathleen gave me some pearls of their wisdom re downloading pictures on to blogger, so I will work on it this week and try to get some piccies up on this blog. I'll also need to purchase a new camera as Junior Jnr has broken the old one - Pennies from HIS account I think for that! Then we had the quiz which was to guess the yarn name, type, composition etc., and I won a prize. Here's hoping I can get to my Flava knitting group this Thursday - the roof on the Block of Flats (appartments) blew off during on of the various storms last week. The joys of living near the coast.

Smell the coffee - its Flavaknits

I knit. I drink coffee. I knit and drink coffee in Cafe Flava so here is Flavaknits. It could have been Tramwayknits, as I knit and drink coffee there too.

Flavaknits has arrived !

New Year Resolution Number 1 - Set up Blog ... check! My knitting is better than my computer skills which doesn't say much about my knitting , but hopefully over the next few months I'll get up to speed. And with a little help from my SnB fellow bloggers - India Kathleen Elaine Heather Nicola and a few I've forgotten - hopefully I can make the next few posts more interesting! And include some photo's.. of knitting and things. Lets hope this works