First sock design

S6301368,
originally uploaded by curvyjax.

A bit of a change from shawls - I couldn't find a pattern for this yarn that I wanted to make and that would fit my hobbit-feet, so I made this one up. And I'm really pleased :)

Shawl No 4

This was supposed to be added to my gift pile. But now it's not. It's mine, all mine!

And on a slightly related note, while I was making jam at the weekend, P and B had a joint project on the go. B had seen me trying to spin with a drop spindle, and he liked the look of all that twirling. So, using an old CD, a piece of wooden dowel and some leftover bath sealant strip, they made a spindle all of his own. And here he is, making yarn, deep in concentration. Isn't he cute?

Rhubarb and strawberry jam

I knew what I was doing for dinner (Nigella's Express chilli) but I didn't know what to do for pudding - it is a weekend so I do try to actually do something pudding-y rather than providing yoghurt. I had bought a pack of Sainsbury's value strawberries yesterday and got them out of the fridge. Some were very overripe, some under... not very promising. And then I remembered the rhubarb I had liberated from the feral allotment a few days ago and frozen. So, on a whim...

..... I decided to make microwave jam. I've never made microwave jam before, but didn't let that bother me. So I cooked the rhubarb with a little ginger, added the strawberries, lemon and sugar, took out the ginger and microwaved again. At about the time the jam boiled over I decided it had reached setting point. In the meantime I had sterilised a few jars, but none of this really addressed pudding. Until I remembered the ready made sweet pastry flan case I bought, on a whim, a few weeks ago. Jam tart. Delicious!

And an extra 3 jars of jewel-coloured home made jam. Made in around 25 minutes.

Occasionally, I feel like a proper Mum!

Second shawl of 2010

Well, it's February, so it must be time for shawl no. 2. In fact I finished this a couple of weeks ago, and was waiting to get some great photos before posting about it. But since my skillz are lacking, here's what I have:

Pretty, no?

I also finished my Vine Yoke Sweater (another design by the utterly gorgeous Ysolda) and IT FITS OVER THE GIGANTA-RACK PEOPLE!!!!!! Looky... (again, poor pics, sorry!)

The reason that it looks as if it is gaping a little over the belly is that one of the 9 buttons I bought mysteriously disappeared, so I was missing one. The children swear they know nothing about it, but I have my suspicions...... Anyway, after this was taken, I moved the top button to the middle, so problem solved.

Especially unflattering picure of my bum - but it does show how nicely this cardigan goes in and out with me.

There have been other things on the needles this month, but these are definitely my highlights.

Half term trip to Cornwall

We made a last-minute decision to go down to Cornwall during half term. We stayed in a 'lodge' at Hengar Manor near Camelford. We went back to Tintagel and the Eden Project, both places that we went to last Easter when we were in Cornwall with our friends. Lots of rain, but glorious sunny spells in between.

Eden featured Shaun the Sheep and flowers appearing

And the boys relaxed

A good time was had by all.

Leotards in action...

B & J had their first competition today. Here they are in one of the set moves. They did really well until they forgot a bit of their routine! But they didn't let that upset them and they carried on. They came in 3rd in the boys under 11 pairs, so they have both come home with shiny bronze medals, and seem pretty pleased with themselves.

Of course there were only 3 pairs in their group, so a medal place was likely......

Domestic Goddess?

I've had an odd sewing urge. I have been doing difficult leotard sewing - B & J have their first competition in a weeks time - and thought that since all the sewing stuff was out I would do something for me. So, using stash fabric (from Ikea), I made Amy Butler's Domestic Goddess Apron (from Five Valleys Designs - thanks Kirsty). The main fabric was really a little heavy, but I love it so I used it anyway. It's bizarre - has goats on humpbacked bridges, and snow topped mountains. Anyway, I was really pleased with the finished product - it's a very detailed pattern, which took quite a lot longer to make than I had expected, but I will make it again.

Possibly not most flattering modelled over a heavy handknit sweater, but it is winter....

See, I do actually have a waist, honest! And several chins....

Do you like the mountaineer? And the fighting goats? Mental!

Will post pic's of the leotards when I have managed to make 2 pairs of matching shorts ( don't hold your breath!). Was in Ikea today, and saw another mental print, with a huge red fox, pink squirrel and a red-eyed rabbit. I plan to make a bag with that......

1st shawl of 2010

Finished! More of a scarf really, although someone with smaller shoulders than mine could wear it as a shawlette. But it's a gorgeous dark olive green, in beautiful soft baby merino lace yarn (Mmmm, mmmmalabrigo......) and I'm pretty pleased with how it looks.

This is last night's snow deposit, and it was still gently snowing when I took the pic. Schools open though, for now. Yippee!

Now I just have to decide who to give it to. Or if I should keep it for myself!

Snow Day

A snow igloo (not made by us!)

A giant snowman in the background of the giant snowball fight

B & J's snow castles

J's not-so-giant snowman

I decided that it was the perfect day to make a new hat. The matching cowl is on the needles.(Yes, P, I did borrow your coat - Thanks!)

And I made Nigella's Snickerdoodles. There were lots of them, but they were too delicious to wait until they had cooled. Yum x

10 shawls in 2010

As 2009 ended with a challenge - to submit a picture for a calender for the LSG group on Ravelley. This is an online group of knitter who are not exactly your stereotypical granny. Swearing happens. A lot! The calender picture had to include something yarn-related, but otherwise anything goes. And my picture was voted in - I am Miss October! If anyone wants to check out the calendar (not if you are offended by nudity), the link is here.

So my challenge for 2010 is also a Ravelry challenge - to knit 10 shawls in 2010. As I knit my first shawl last year, I was really keen to sign up to this. I wasn't sure how I would get on with doing 10. Then I checked my last years projects and found that I had done 8 last year. So I should be able to do 10 this year.

The shawls I have cast on for 2010 already are:

Citron, from http://www.knitty.com/  - simple shawlette in malabrigo lace

Scheherezade from pink lemon twist.  Gorgeous, challenging stole in Natural Dye Studios angel lace, 1200m per 100g

The other 8 are subject to whim! This is a great challenge, and there are some gorgeous prizes available - both on a monthly basis, and when the year is up.  So it looks like my knitting obsession is going to carry on...

New year, new decade - what will happen next?

Well, another year has passed. Blogging has been sporadic.


We had a quiet new year, to say the least! But, as I sat with P & M, I remembered New Year 10 years ago. We had rotten colds and we saw the millenium in whilst lying in bed with our 10 week old baby watching the fireworks on TV. This year the same 3 people saw the fireworks on TV, all with rotten colds! There was a certain symmetry to it, that I appreciated! The twins hadn't quite managed to get to midnight, and it was the first year that M did. It's been a life-changing decade, going from one brand new baby to 3 ever-growing boys, from full time worker to full time Mum, from Lancashire to Gloucestershire and from poor to comfortable to poor to poor to even poorer to ok to comfortable again! P has gone through nearly a job a year since the twins were born, and it's given him strengths he wouldn't have had otherwise, but a bit of same-ness would be useful now!


I hope this decade will give us a little more stability. We are starting with change - P handed in his notice just before the New Year and will start his new job after his notice period. We might even see him sometimes now!


So all in all, despite all the challenges we will face, I am optimistic that the next decade will be the best yet.


I hope your New Year brings you all the joy and happiness you could wish for x