My firepit has been restored........ bring on summer

My firepit has been restored ready for the summer!  it was looking pretty rusty so it's been red-oxided inside and out, then covered with heat resistant black paint inside and around the rim, and copper hammerite around the outside.  I'm disappointed with the copper colour (seriously none of the central heating pipes in my house are that colour, this definitely looks more brassy) I'd have liked a more pink/red tone to it, but it's fine and it'll hold a good few sausages! - next year I might re-do it red!! ;)

Knitting News...

It's been a long time since I talked about my knitting, I tend to forget that not all of you lovely blog readers are also on the CTnY Forum so here is my knitting news! ;)

Firstly, I started, and finished a Drops pattern in Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora. I'm not totally sure I love it, but I like it well enough if that makes sense. No photos yet as I need to block it properly (which may account for the so-so attitude towards it)

Since then I have started (twice) Inamorata.... a pattern I am totally in love with, and am determined to make "just -so" So far I have started it in Drops Cotton Viscose, which is a gorgeous yarn, but maybe not really right for this design.  It is made of what appear to be a million strands and has absolutely no give whatsoever (I thought the viscose might give it just a tad, but I was wrong) it's also very shiny which doesn't come across on the photo.  Don't get me wrong it's a lovely yarn, but I think this top would be better in something a little more forgiving. Having said that I'm still going to try to make it work.... just because I'm stubborn!  I started the pattern as written, but it starts at the top and is knit down, so the first bit you do is those little cables at the top.  My knitting was really spectacularly crap, so i frogged that last night and cast on with a provisional cast on where the pattern changes at the empire waist line (for want of a better description) I'm going to knit that bit first, and then try the little cables again hoping that the weight of the bottom will help even out the stitches.  If not I'll just change the top to another stitch pattern! 

All this knitting and frogging has led me to realise that I'm not the best at matching patterns to yarns.  I chose good yarns and I chose good patterns, but I don't always pair them up in the best way!  Sometimes this is down to budget limitations, and sometimes it's because when you buy on the internet things don't always come the way they looked like they would (!) , but other times I just don't realise (until I start knitting when it becomes glaringly obvious) what kind of yarn is called for in a pattern.  It's a skill i definitely need to work on!

Anyway, hopefully some photos soon!

Things to do in the garden

The weather has been perfect this last week - sunny but not hot, just the perfect weather for getting all those little spring chores done without over-heating.

So, today I have re-painted the fire-pit. It was originally a gorgeous copper colour, but that has turned to a rust colour now (!) and the only decent colour in heat resistant paint, is black (I don't fancy a green fire pit!).... so for now the inside and the outside top rim are black, the rest of the outside is still "rust coloured" but I don't think that's too much of a problem...... yet anyway!

The chicken house is also having it's annual re-paint, a creosote alternative that hopefully will help with the red mite situation (it was already showing signs of infestation, little blighters)

I also popped to B&Q at the beginning of the week and got a few cheapish bedding plants to put in my tubs.  I really only grow herbs in the tubs, but my garden doesn't have much colour due to it being mostly vegetable and useful plants! so I thought a little flowery halo round the herbs was in order...... pictures to follow if they all flower! ;)

Right, back to it then, eh?

17th April 2010 - Spring!! ;)

Finally

The sun is shining, the bread is in the oven, the ham in the pressure cooker, the sausages under the grill, I have an abundance of eggs (36 at the moment) (I won't be eating them all in one go!) My potatoes have been planted and now I can sit in the garden and enjoy a lovely lunch ........ eeeeeeeeeeee don't ya just love the spring time!

How do you celebrate

I've just finished a spreadsheet which I had put off for far longer than I should.  But, by way of celebration I treated myself to an egg and bacon roll!! (and very good it was too!)

So how do you congratulate yourself when you've done something you've been putting off?

Knitting Competition in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

I've been asked to blog about this and spread the word amongst the knitting community! - Feel free to also blog or put the info in any forums or ravelry groups that you think might be interested.


Knitting Competition in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Get creative and support a great cause.
Hand knit or crochet a tea cosy inspired by Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Blooming Great Tea Party, which asks people to get together and host a tea party anytime from June 12 to July 12 to help raise funds for the charity.

The experts at Simply Knitting Magazine have provided two basic tea cosy patterns (one knit, one crochet) as a guide for your design, which should fit a standard six cup tea pot. You can either adapt the basic patterns provided, or design your own from scratch if you prefer.

To make a winning tea cosy, find out all you need to know about the Blooming Great Tea Party and to download an entry form at www.mariecurie.org.uk/teaparty

The competition will be judged by Cath Kidston, Simply Knitting and Marie Curie Cancer Care, based on entries to the following categories:

• Best Tea Party Cosy
• Best Creative Cosy

There will be a winner and two runners-up selected for each category, and the prizes will be selection packs of Cath Kidston and knitting goodies.

The competition will close on 31/08/2010, any entries received after this date will not be entered into the competition.

All tea cosy entries must be accompanied by an entry form, available from www.mariecurie.org.uk/teaparty or call 08700 340 040

Entries should be sent with completed entry form to
FREEPOST
RSCK-ECXB-LBSS
Marie Curie Cancer Care Knitting Competition
PO Box 621
Wetherby Rd
York
YO26 0EX

Happy Easter

Just popping in to wish everyone a Happy Easter. We're taking it nice and quietly Chez Noo.  Hopefully the rain will hold off long enough to mow the lawn at some point over the weekend, but other than that it's just me and my knitting!

Have a peaceful weekend x