Clever how life works..... innit??!!!

I succumbed to the amazing yarn at New Lanark Mills, but was somewhat restrained in only buying 1 ball of of the 100% wool in DK, and one ball of the Donegal Silk Tweed, 90% wool, 10% silk in aran weight, with the intention of tension swatching and generally have a looky-feely!!!!!
This is the Aran Donegal Silk Tweed in Damson.

Well....... that all arrived at the beginning of the week and was shushed upstairs whilst I got on with other things (namely the divine CPH which I'm loving making!)

Then last evening, out of the blue, I got a PM on the poultry forum, asking for a favour. A pair of mittens is needed for a friend of a friend who has arthritis and can't get gloves on...... well how perfect is that??????
Believe it or not it's not that easy to find patterns for enclosed mittens, so I've kind of made up my own, which I will write up over the week. These are just a quick fix/stop-gap I think some lovely thin sock yarn mittens would be lovely as we move into the (hopefully!) spring.




So the verdict on the yarn is that it's fab! - It's fairly soft for a yarn of 90% wool content... I don't think you could wear it next to your skin, but it's certainly perfect for cardigans and over-garments. It has a lovely twist and doesn't split at all, and seems to hold a pattern beautifully. And just to cement it's beauty ...... it's a flippin' bargain!!!!

A touch chilly!

Well most of Britain has been blasted by 3" of fallen snow - not so here :( We got some snow showers yesterday but nothing really stayed. It is flippin freezing though. My sister and I have been out running this morning and although we warmed up nicely with the jogging the tops of my legs were ice cold to the touch when I got home. We're doing well and on week 3 of the couch potato plan but we need to keep up now to be on target for running the whole 5km's on 7th June. We have 10 weeks, and it's a 9 week plan and we're on week 3...... but as made apparent by my Bump the other week, things can go wrong and we don't want to leave it til the last minute to be running for 30 mins. And it's flippin' hard when it's so darn cold out!!!!!


In this weather there really is only one thing for it!!!! :-

Knitting!!!!!

Firstly I finished my Express Lane socks from the new online magazine The Inside Loop . I modified the pattern by knitting a slipstich heel ('cos I like them!) and shortening the leg by one pattern repeat. I also did a sewn bind off (bottom of that page!) because I am wholeheartedly sick of socks that I have cast on or off too tightly!!!! - These are perfect, very, very stretchy. And the yarnover method of short rows is so much neater than the wrap and turn. - Great pattern.Secondly, I have started a Central Park Hoodie. I am knitting the second size, and have modded the pattern to allow for a little waist shaping as I really need a fitted cardi at the moment. I also will be putting buttons on it as I've seen loads on Ravelry with buttons and think that looks best. (Jo028's is one of my faves but she hasn't blogged about it yet - when she does I'll link to it!!! But she has made some great cardi's lately so you should check out her blog!) The back is coming up spot on size so it will be a snug fit, but I can always make the fronts the next size up if I feel like I want more ease when it's done.

Well I do hope you're all keeping warm. Happy Easter!

Whoooo Hooooo the new F1 season has started

And what a start!! - Great race and won by our boy Lewis ! I have to admit, even I , got a tad fed up with it last year..... a lot of petulance from almost all the drivers at one point or another, and all that political nonsense. But here we are at the start of a new season, with no traction control, a good new set of drivers and the cars all looking like they're up to the job. YAY!

A little bit of flirting!

This is the first time all the chickens have been together - and there has been a little flirting going on! (I have spent much of the afternoon with a cup of tea in a garden chair...... laughing!!!!!

My Boy's all grown up!

He has started to crow - and it is truly the sweetest little crow I've ever heard (I may not be saying that in a few weeks when he doesn't stop all day!) It's not terribly loud and he only seems to do it for a little while around 8 am...... mind you the effort he puts in he wouldn't be wanting to do it for longer! My 2 old Welsummers have started their summer "chats" too. Now they are noisy beasts. clucking and moaning away. I do (so far) actually prefer the sound of my little fella! He's still not staying though - a male silkie is no good to me unfortunately, however cute his crow is.