TGIF

TGIF. That's all I can say really. My week has been one of highs and lows. Mam was offically diagnosed with severe dementia today. I spent yesterday in the office sobbing at my desk in front of everyone I'm so overcome with the stress and worry of it all. I felt like such a fool. Took the day off work today to be there when the Dr. came to the house, even though I don't have any leave to take. Dunno what I'm going to do for the rest of the year!


Plus, after the Dr. had left, Mam went for me bald headed and accused me of trying to put her in a home. As if. She had me in floods of tears, God love her. I know she was just scared. Still, I have to look at the positives of it all, at least now I can hopefully get some help for them both. A home help would mean so much to them. Fingers crossed the health board will stump up.



In knitty news, an FO!

Pattern: Sunshine by Cookie A from Sock Innovation
Yarn: Pagewood Farms Chugiak hand dyed sock yarn in Rainbow Sherbet
Needles: 2.5mm
Aren't they fab? I finished them about 15 minutes ago and ran out to the garden between showers to get a nice photo with the daisies before lawn mower mad hubby probably cuts the lawn when he gets home.
These socks mean a lot to me. Started during a fantastically relaxing bank holiday weekend that had fabulous weather, and the return of my sock mojo.

So, now I need a new project!
Here's my thoughts so far:
1. A pair of socks for Alice, unsure what pattern yet
2. Noro striped scarf
3. The colourwork sweater I purchased the Shetland for
4. The Cold Mountain Stole from the latest knitty
5. A pair of socks for my Dad that would end up being a very belated Fathers Day pressie, again unsure what pattern
6. Any one of the fabulous lace patterns from Victorian Lace Today
7. Very Berry Shirt for Alice

My initial thought are to cast on two. One pair of socks (probably the ones for my Dad) and one larger project. I'm itching to try lace but my previous attempts have not gone well. Maybe a swallowtail shawl to start (again)? What would you guys recommend as a first attempt lace pattern knit in laceweight yarn?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Wonderful Wednesday

Phew! So much has happened since last Sunday morning!
We went out on Sunday afternoon and Alice bought herself a new bike with her communion money. It's gorgeous. If I were a bit smaller I'd being going for a ride on it!
John has bought a new-ish car - a 2007 Dodge Caliber 2.0 Diesel. It's seriously yum. He got a great deal on it too.
I'm lusting after a brand new Chrysler Sebring Sedan or a Mercedes E Class 2005. The Chrysler is sex on wheels and really highly specced too. Decisions! And no, we haven't won the lottery!

I'm so glad I came home from work today. Work has sucked the big one for the last few days, so much so that I'm seriously considering requesting a transfer to get away from my boss. :(
Anyway, when I got home today look what awaited me!
Not one, but two parcels!
The first one was my Wollmeise:

It's always wrapped beautifully in its own Wollmeise bag. Inside was:


3 skeins of superwash Merino! From top to bottom, Clementine, Sonne & Safran. And a packet of Haribo jellies. I'm fondling as we speak.

The second parcel was my Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool:
I'm so excited to get knitting on my first colourwork sweater from Knitting Around!
They also included a pattern for a lovely sweater. So nice! I love getting surprise extras in parcels!

The lowdown of the Shetland:

I got 10 balls of the grey, two each of the blues and cream and one of the mysterious green on the top left. I can't wait to get started! Don't the colours look great together?

This is definitely IT for my stash for the forseeable. I actually think i may go to Florida this year and *gasp* not buy anything. I have so much yarn it's obscene. Really.

Work thunders along on my Sunshine sock now it's the only project I have on the go. I'm about halfway down the second foot so I should be finito by the weekend!

Last night I got a great surprise too. One of my best pals is a landscape gardener and he arrived up with a plant for me. A Calla Lily that a customer wanted thrown out of their garden. It's a huge fully mature plant.

I know a lot of people think lillies = death, but this has to be my favourite flower. I had these in my wedding bouquet many moons ago. I keep looking out of my front window at the plant and sighing. love love love!

It's blocking!

I can't believe it, it's finally blocking:

I really hope it fits once blocked. I got gauge, measured really seriously, but once finished it was a tad small. I put that down to the lace pattern. So, I've stretched it a bit for blocking hoping desperately that it will fit for WWKIP day on Sat. If it doesn't, this will be the 3rd thing I've made for myself that doesn't fit my immense frame. So, fingers crossed!

Other than that, I've finished the 1st Sunshine sock:

Crappy pic I know, but the light sucked when I took it.

I've loads more stuff going on; but no time to blog it tonight. Will update you all later!

I love socks

I love knitting socks, even when it's too warm to wear them!

They're so portable, the gratification is fairly instant, and they can be as complex or simple as you want. The range of yarns for socks is so spectacular that you can create some real beauties.


The pleasure continues long after they're knit too; every time I wear them I have an extra spring in my step, knowing I can still wear business clothes to work but I can have my funky hand creations displayed at the same time.

Take these ones for example:

Isn't it a beauty so far? I'm madly in love with them. I knit the whole of the leg on Monday and the rest last night at SnB. I love the colours of the yarn too, really vibrant and happy colours. Just what I need right now.

So. It's official. My sock mojo has returned and we are enjoying a passionate love affair. Steamy, even.

Oh and a happy note too. On my pc at home I have the weather here in Dublin and in Orlando displayed on my desktop. Yesterday the two were the same temperature! 25C. For some reason (duh) that made me insanely happy. I spent the rest of the day in a lovely dreamland imagining I was in Orlando.

Wish me luck for tomorrow, I've the doctors appt with Mam tomorrow morning and the public health nurse is coming in the afternoon to assess Mam & Dad for a home help.

Blissful Bank Holiday

Wow. I can't believe I'm in Ireland. The weather this bank holiday weekend has been absolutely stunning. Scorching hot all day, not a cloud in the sky. I've been up since the crack of dawn every day. It's too hot to sleep in the bed and I don't want to miss any of this gorgeous weather.

I sent hubby out on Saturday to "buy me a gazebo" for the garden so we could sit out more comfortably. (I keep thinking of Monty Pythons Holy Grail here - "Build me a shrubbery!")

Anyway, this is what he came back with:

Not a great photo I know, but it's early in the morning and I didn't want to wake anyone up opening the back door. It's a great gazebo, lovely and cool inside and the nets keep out the flies. I have sat out here all weekend.

Maybe this is what has spurred me on to complete some knitty stuff. I proudly present, finished Jaywalkers!

Pattern: Jaywalker Socks by Grumperina

Yarn: Plymouth Sockotta

Needles: 2.5mm dpns.

Can you believe I've finished them? I cast these on last Dec 30th! Longest WIP ever for me. But, I had enough yarn to finish them. I was so sure I was going to run out. Look how close it was:

I tell you I'll never knit with this yarn again. Horrible horrible. It was so sticky! It stuck to itself in big knots, stuck to the needles, stuck to the cast on tail all the time. It was such a pain to use. I'm not mad about the pattern either, I had to make the first sock twice as it came out so big, and the finished ones are quite tight round my cankles. Still, they're done!

Work on the February Lady Sweater continues merrily. I'm almost finished the first sleeve. It's hard going now as the garment is quite big and really warm on my lap in this weather. It's going to be gorgeous though. I just know it.

Anyway, today I am casting on for my first pair of socks from Sock Innovation. So excited! I've joined the Sock Innovation group on Ravelry and the pattern for this month is Sunshine. Very appropriate too!

Pic is taken from the Interweave Website. Hope that's ok!

So, I've decided to use this yarn for it:

It's Pagewood Farm Chugiak in Rainbow Sherbet. Really sunny colours, don't you think?

So that's your lot. I'm off to sit out in the sun!