The internet is a strange place

I spent a little bit too long today reading someone's blog that I possibly shouldn't have. Blogs are made for the public to read so there was no reason the writer wouldn't want me to read it but my reaction to it was difficult.  It made me think about the past, it left me feeling a little sad, a little lonely.  I was happy to find out about the writer's activities over the time we haven't been in contact.  I was really impressed with the amount of learning and embracing of life that had taken place.

What do I do with my time?

I knit.  I write patterns.  I spend time with family.  I now learn Japanese.  I watch tv but mostly I knit at the same time so that isn't a waste of time.  I work.  I'm slightly smug to say I enjoy my work and it doesn't bother me to go in every day, which definitely wasn't true of previous jobs.  I keep plodding onward. I've started to run but that is more like plodding onward for most of the time I'm in my trainers.

So really, I've nothing to feel bad about. I'm still moving forward and moving on and getting over it and growing and all those things that take time.  I'm content. 

When I was uploading the pattern for the Christening Gown I was pleased to see I'm building up a library of designs. I'd forgotten how much I'd worked on. It's a nice reminder of that last couple of years that were difficult in some ways but also challenging and productive.


I made these dresses for my goddaughter and I'm very hopeful that next week I'll have a photo of her modelling one of them.  The cream dress is made using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino which is very easy to use.

Hannah

The picture actually shows the back of the dress but that is where the interest lies I suppose. I used several different stitch patterns and gave myself a real headache writing up the different sizes.  In future, I must plan better.  I'll also try to avoid patterns that need sizing every so often to give me a break. This was published in Let's Knit, Magazine 40.

My tv recorder has just surprised me by waking itself up.  I think this means it's going to record something but I've no idea what.  I'm normally at my Japanese lesson at this time of the week so I don't see it happen.  Another example of things moving around me without revolving around me.

A little progress

I wasn't sure how to block this but in the end I just gave in and did it the only way I really like. Wash it and pin it out.

I was a bit worried about the reverse stocking stitch section, which are supposed to fold in on themselves, as I've now blocked them out flat.

I figured I'd better hurry along and block it and then make the sleeves.  I can always iron it into pleats.

I finished the next magazine project and am pretty pleased with it.  It's slightly smaller than I'd hoped but still grand.

On more boring matters, I've decided I can't buy a laptop until I've made enough money to pay for it so I'm going to try ebaying some clothes and things. I've ordered my sister to come round tomorrow to help out. I've been shuffling stuff round my bedroom - you know, putting everything on the floor onto the bed, sliding the bed, moving the things near the bed away from the bed, sliding the bed some more, grimacing at the dust and dirt, hoovering, moving the things away from the bed some more, sliding a cupboard, etc. Although the bedroom now seems larger there are several things that are still waiting to be rehoused. And I felt a bit lost last night, the rest of the house seemed very far away. I'm sure I'll get used to it.  So I need to finish the sisyphean tidying and take a look at the projects I've got on the go.  I need to write up the pattern for the magazine and then start one for the next month.  Back on that hamster wheel I go!

Anyone for tennis?

I had a lovely afternoon watching the tennis today. It was far more exciting than I anticipated. First we saw the Williams sisters lose in the doubles, then Laura Robson pull back in the second set to win in the girls singles, then flicked over to see Federer two sets down, watched him lose then flicked back over to see Nadal had lost a set. If that wasn't enough, Murray dropped his first set and played an unconvincing second but then woke up in the tie break and played well to win. Phew.
Amongst that, I did manage to finish the first of my Mum's birthday socks. I only had to redo the toe so it really didn't take long and I even grafted it up and it fits, hooray. I also had strawberries and cream.


Here's the front of the christening gown. I don't know why it's upside down.

I dug this little glove out of my drawer to take to knitting group last night. More on that another time.

Hot weather

I have single handedly ended the heatwave in the South-East. I bought a fan for my living room. Boom - torrential rain.

Well, it's still hot here but nothing like as bad as yesterday. My office is still very hot and stuffy though. I got soaked walking to my car but then as soon as I walked into my office, the water steamed off me. Based on yesterday's weather, I made a mental pre-emptive cancellation of my usual Tuesday night run (that is, run then walk then run then walk then run a bit slower then stagger then jog then stagger home) but now I feel a little bit sheepish as it was probably perfectly acceptable running weather. No matter, I had a lovely time playing Lego Harry Potter, one of my birthday presents to me.

I'm now snuffling down some tea as it's time to go to my lovely local knitting group. As always, I have nothing simple to take with me. I was supposed to cast something on before I went but Lego HP was faaaar to fun. I also didn't take a picture of the front of the Christening Gown that I finished last night so all in all, I've been a bit slack. At least I learnt to fly my broom.

Following the teachings of Master Oogway*

I went to my first professional seminar yesterday. I didn't know what to expect, I didn't really know where it was, I didn't know if I'd get a seat on the train, I didn't know anyone there (or worse, I might bump into someone I used to know but didn't want to meet). I planned for the worst - that it would be boring and that everyone there would be exceptionally strange and I'd probably get lost on the bus. Further insult was that I had to get up with the dawn chorus instead of rolling out of bed at 8am to stumble into work around 9am. I set my alarm for 6.45am, people. That's before 7am! I left the house at 7.30 and caught a train at 8. Oh, what a wonderful train. I felt like a failure for not driving (why did I feel that way, why does the motorway taunt me so? compounded by the free parking permit) but when I saw that mostly empty carriage and pulled out my knitting, I felt like a champion. Trains are underrated and in this case, it was exceptionally convenient for me to get a train. I knitted for about an hour on the christening gown, didn't get lost on the bus, was pleased to see that the other delegates were a normal cross-section of society. The food was great - I was expecting a paper plate and a few sandwiches but it was a proper steak pie sit down hot meal. With a chocolate mint mousse for afterwards. The lecturer was very good and made a potentially sleep inducing subject mildly interesting at times. I was pretty tired by the end of the day but very smug about how it all went. I really shouldn't fret so much in future. It could equally have been disastrous but fretting about it? Will that solve any problems in advance? I think not.

Something happened this week that pushed my buttons and I started churning up about trying to make someone else behave how I wanted them to. And then I just realised, Master Oogway has the solution. Forget about the illusion of control. This person will do what they want regardless of how I react so there's little point in expending my energy on it. I should just relax and enjoy spending the voucher.

I'm trying to apply Master Oogway's teachings more to my life. I'll let you know how it goes.


*He's the tortoise in Kung Fu Panda, but obviously you knew that already ;)

Swatching

Today I posted my next and for the time being final project to Let's Knit (and I'm so excited about this one, I can't wait to see it in print). I haven't put in anymore submissions and I've not been struck by any inspiration for a magazine project so I've decided to work on something a bit more personal. It may turn into a pattern I sell but that isn't it's main purpose. I've been asked to be godmother to my friends' daughter and I've decided I want to knit her a pretty dress as a special gift, possibly on approval by the parents, for her to wear at her christening. Ok, ok, I confess, I daydream about swanning around at the christening, having people congratulate me on the stunning gown that I've created and could I possibly be their best friend and maybe be interviewed on tv and move to Hollywood and try to take over the world.

Ahem.

I'm also on a drive to not buy yarn. I have lots of yarn and also I buy lots of other things so in my infinite wisdom, if I don't buy any yarn then I must be saving money. My stash isn't huge, it's mostly sock yarn and there tends to be only one or two skeins of each type. My initial reaction to trying to use something in my stash is that I couldn't possibly have anything even remotely suitable and even if I did, I wouldn't want to risk running out part way through. It's true I almost gave up on the whole idea having gone through everything in my main chest of drawers but then inspiration hit and I looked in one of my other yarn boxes. You know, the one that doubles as a bedside table and is underneath another bin of yarn which has the bedside lamp on. That one. I fell upon this gorgeous yarn.

It's Scrumptious by Fyberspates and it certainly lives up to its name. Scrumptious is a silk and wool blend, so it's sheeny and soft and light. It was a gift from Jeni when I helped/hindered her tidying up her shed. I definitely helped her spend money in Ikea. I think it was a sample she had, I'm not sure it is an existing weight - perhaps a sport weight. I'm using 3mm needles and am aiming to make a dress to fit a 1yr old. She gave me enough for a jumper for me but it's been waiting for over two years to be knitted (I lovingly fondle it every so often) so this seemed like a very deserving project. I'm enjoying having a long deadline and complete freedom to knit and design whatever I fancy. And no pressure because 1yr olds treat all clothes the same. It's not love or hate, it's just a receptacle for spare breakfast. An handfuls of mud. And maybe some dibble. Hmm, I hope this yarn's washable.