Oh I need a new computer:( and Lammas as well

I need a new computer so I have to find things to destash:( For a start I am selling some Woolmeise yarn(too thin for me) a weaving loom , a jumbo yarn winder ,Adana printing press complete with trays of type etc.and well we will have to see what else. I have been looking around and found a place local to me that can do a good deal. They have been there 4 years so not fly by nights. Now I just need to raise the funds. Meanwhile I'm managing sort of.
It is almost Lammas, Lunasa, Lughnasa just a few of the names for it. One of my favourite turns of the wheel. A time of lushness, abundance. A time to say thank you for the growth of the crops, the harvest. I'll be celebrating with Mr Mog and whoever else turns up.

Tour de France KAL, I've finished:))

Yeah I've finished my 3rd shawl in 3 weeks and its blocking as we speak. Sadly the early learning play mats take away the colour somewhat I'll do a proper picture once its blocked and fringed. Maybe tomorrow, otherwise Tuesday. But it is finished:) Other pictures are from our walk on the promenade this morning. The tide was in and the yachts were out. The view across to the Lake District hills is very clear. Mr Mog took these:)
So what is the next challenge??
I think I'm going to hazard a try at one of alison's shawls from her book Wrapped in comfort
I love the stories that go with the patterns. It isn't just a pattern book per se.
Glorious day here today, blue skies and fluffy white clouds and a breeze. Makes up for no camp:)

no trip to camp, but plenty going on

Well I didn't make it to camp this year sadly:( Everything conspired against it so I decided the goddess was dropping big hints of "Don't go"
Mr Mog has had an irritating nosebleed for 10 days now, every day at least once a day a little nose bleed. Doctor has arranged for him to have blood and urine tests next Tuesday to see what is going on. It probably just needs cauterising but with his high blood pressure they are being cautious and I like that. I don't like seeing Mr mog under the weather, he is usually so well really.
Secondly my eldest grandson had to go for a biopsy yesterday. He has had an ulcer under his tongue for many weeks now and all medication hasdn't worked so doctor decided to do a biopsy to see what it is. He is only 11 and was very very brave through it all. He has stitches in and has to go back next Friday for the results. It is going to be a very long week waiting.I didn't want to be away while this is going on. They came over last night and he looked so drained poor love, couldn't eat although he has now. Its so awful when its your grandchild or child, you just want to take the problem away and can't do.
We didn't get a caravan and of course there has been much rain. The camp field was apparently ok but muddy which means camp will at least go on. I'm sorry I'll miss catching up with folks, but there is always next year.
I've been knitting(of course on the TdeF KAL. I'm hopeful I'll have my third shawl finished by the end of tomorrow even if it isn't quite blocked. 3 weeks = 3 shawls. Not bad:)

Tour de France KAL pictures and printing press anyone?

Here you go, finished and blocked Lammas shawl as part of the tour de france KAL:) I love this, the colours are perfect for me for lammas, the corn and the harvest. I've also uploaded a picture of the progress to date on shawl #3 for the TdeF KAL. More cherry/burgundy and also reflects the lammas tale of the death of John Barleycorn. For us all to eat the crops have to be harvested, hence the blood aspect.
I'm selling an adana printing press complete with what seems like thousands of type etc. pictures on my picturetrail if anyone interested.
picturetrail

Tour de France KAL final leg it could be 3 shawls:)

Well we are in the final stages of the tour de france . Although this for me has been one of the worst ones with the drug scandals etc, I've still enjoyed the cycling especially knitting along to it after the first fiascos:)
I have my lammas shawl blocking and hope to have pictures tomorrow. AND I may have a third one finished by Sunday:) I'm working with the sockapalooza yarn I won. I've mixed it with a burgundy mohair and I like the look of the mtogether. We will see what you all think when it is on the podium:)
I've been so appreciative of all the encouragement, especially in the first week. I couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you.

A few elemental figures to show you:)

I've been playing around with some elemental figures and thought you might like to see them:)The first one is ready for a hike in the woods I think:)
The lady with the bra was for a little fun, I see her dancing at the disco and getting carried away somewhat:) I think she has been overdoing the implants, don't you?
Three, four and six are fire figures and 5 is a spirit figure.
Now back to the knitting, its pouring down here today. We went up to the prom but got soaked to the skin so not much fresh air today. Still haven't found a caravan for loan for next weekend and weather forecast isn't good. I'm really looking forward to camp but I have a feeling this will be the year I miss:(

My first:) Tour de France shawl is finished:)

I am very pleased to announce that my first Tour de France shawl is completed:) I am also almost half way through another in shades of yellow to celebrate Lammas, which is coming up.
The pictures aren't too good because we actually have had a full day of sunshine here today. Making the most of it because tomorrow is forecast for yet more rain.
I love the finished shawl even though it is white and the moggie doesn't do white. Too messy to wear white:)
I'm pleased I didn't give in and stop knitting.
BTW the contest just leave a comment if you want the giveaway yarn and I'll contact winner for their address.

Help where can I hire a caravan?

Looking for help here please:) We are supposed to be going to a camp end of july for a weekend near Ripon. Sadly the loan caravan I was offered has fallen through. Due to health problems I can't really camp so I'm desperately trying to find a caravan I can borrow/rent for the weekend. As its peak time I've been quoted over £400 for the weekend. As I don't work due to illness this is out fo the question. I really want to go to this camp so any ideas gratefully received

giveaway and current progress on Tour de France KAL

2 lots of yarn for giveaway as a thank you for



the support during my king of the mountains problems:). Email your interest and I'll draw 2 names Wednesday pm.
Here you see the current progress on my white shawl for the tour. Not doing too bad is it? Also the purple mixed yarns one is growing as you can see.
Had friends this weekend staying over and the other night my grandsons so not a lot got done.
There is always tomorrow. I'm taking today as a rest day to recover. I love visitors but it takes a little recovery time for me nowadays.
Final pictures a couple of current views of the back garden now that Mr Mog has had his magic way with it:)

Goodies:)

Look what I received in todays mail:)
a gift from Joanna
a thank you for some magazines I sent her. And isn't it just my colour? thank you Joanna I'll enjoy knitting this
Secondly my prize from yarnapalooza arrived:) Again exactly me don't you think? Thanks Barbara for this.
I've a project in mind for both these yarns. Bet you can't guess what?
next post a giveaway and current progress on TdeF KAL

Fell off, bloodied but back in the saddle with new project:) and I'm a winner:))

Thank you all for your wonderfully encouraging comments and hints. Yesterday was a dreadful day but I'm back in the saddle all be it at the back of the race. I'm going for speed now, forget the king of the mountains. Yes I will have another go at the shawl and with thicker yarn. Just not now please? I feel bloodied and beaten with it for the moment.
So I thought long and hard about my knitting and it is therapy for me and it does help keep my fingers working. It helps me get through the pain days like yesterday, where nothing eases my poor bones. Not pills or creams or even hot baths. Sometimes nothing takes the pain to the back burner. But knitting, ah knitting makes my mind wander off to places new and the pain can't always go there. Maybe that's why I couldn't keep my YOs and K2togs in the correct place?
Whatever, I cast on for a chevron shawl from my favourite pattern. Justonemorerow.com.
Its knit from the top down and its a familiar friend. I'm using some white boucle and I think it looks ok. Will I finish it speedily? Watch this space.
Another bit of good news, or should I say great news? I won todays drawing in the Yarnapalooza draw:)
I'll let you know what goodies when they arrive:)
Right I hear Mr Mog calling, the tour highlights are on so I'm off to knit

Giving up knitting

Another post I know but I am so depressed at my failure to do simple lace:( I am seriously thinking of giving up knitting. What is the point if I can not do the simplest of patterns?
Really feel down now

tink? no I'd say stink Giving up on the polka dot TdeF Kal

Sad is the tale I relate to you:( As you can see from the picture the moggie and lace Bleuch!
I have just about had it with this forest canopy shawl and I'm giving up going for the polka dot jersey. I'm going for the speed instead. Lets try another shawl shall we? There are several reasons this didn't work and notice I didn't say excuses. Firstly I don't do good lace.
Secondly these arthritis hands can not feel fine yarn too good and that makes it hard. I will try again sometime with thicker yarn but not now. Not until the pain and embarassment have gone:) And Tink?? tink you say? I'd say stink . Why do I find it hard to do lace? I even followed Marianne's advice and put a flipping lifeline in. That took me 15 minutes because there again fine needle and fine yarn don't work well for me.
So I've fallen before we even get into the mountains and no stamina. I've tinked around 20+ times past few days and have you any idea how depressing that is? When one has managed to knit fine yarn for many rows and then has to say bye to it? I actually got up to 5 pattern repeats plus 16 set up rows, thats 56 rows to lose. Well I haven't actually lost the main piece as you can see. I'm thinking of framing it with a caption saying "no lace for the moggie" what do you think?
So its off to the yarn stash to find some for a shawl.

Tour de France KAL, oh woe is me. Help needed frogging

Oh woe, oh woe is me:(
I was trundling along quite nicely with my Forest Canopy shawl. Enjoying it after all the frog pond visits. We were becoming quite an item. Then, what happens? I go wrong and not content to go wrong I don't realise til I've finished the next 2 rows. Well if I'm honest I did notice but hoped I was wrong and that it would magically right itself. Guess what? It didn't.
Now I don't want to have to pull back it all. Not unless it is absolutely the final resort. I'm hoping some kind soul out there will have a method for say ripping back 3 rows. To save this poor little moggie from being downcast.

Let's go fly a kite and while we are at it lets knit for the tour de france:)

This will be picture heavy. Mr Mog took me up to the prom to watch the kite festival today. The weather was perfect, enough wind for the kites without being too much of a gale. The promenade was heaving. We arrived just after 12 when it started and left around 1.30 because hunger struck and I was feeling a little under the weather. It was an incredible experience to see all the kites aloft. Some very very large ones, tiddlers and many in between. It was hard to take photos with all the people around but Mr Mog managed. This new camera has a sport mode and that was perfect for the moving kites. I managed 4 more rows of the TDeF KAL shawl last night. More today while I watch the highlights of todays race.

Tour de France KAL, my prologue and sheep, what sheep??

'll no doubt be


I've done my prologue, what you can't see is the amount of frogged yarn on the ball:( I knit, I frogged, I knit I frogged. Several times, more than several times I frogged the darned thing:( What is it with the mog and lace? Or specifically sock yarn and lace? I can't feel the darned yarn with these arthritic fingers and that doesn't help. I also can't get the hang of the YOs etc. But here we have 24 rows of the Forest Canopy Shawl. Not the diamonds one although similar. I figured after almost a dozen attempts at the diamonds one I'd have a rest. I got so frustrated I cast on a mixed fibres shawl. Think I may go in for the speed jersey as well, just for a little light relief:)
T'other picture is a little something I picked up in a charity shop. Namely 5 sheep. I thought I'd take them for an airing on the prom and they loved the figure so much they wanted to be photographed with it:)
You'll no doubt be seeing more of them as they seem to be outward going sheep. Tomorrow they are going to a kite festival, they don't have a kite yet but Mr Mog is thinking of making them one. Watch this space

A weird thing about me:)

I just read on someones blog where they asked for one weird thing about you and suddenly remembered this:)
I add up numbers in my head and the number that relates to a letter(as in A =1) also try to make all numbers in sentences add up to 10 (the ones in my head not when I'm speaking GG)
When I was young I used to be convinced I had something to do with codes in the war, although the war finished a good few yearsbefore I was born
Stay tuned later for some photos:)

Tour de France KAL I choose the polka dot jersey:) Also elemental dolls if you want one

I've decided to change my Tour project and I'm now going for the king of the mountains, the polka dot jersey:)
I am attempting Natalie at the yarn yards pattern the Dappled Diamonds lace shawl. Proper lace please note:)
This mog is not afeared, no sirree I will give it my best shot:)
Mr Mog helped me wind the yarn, sadly the woolmeise decided to be uncooperative here you see the result:(
You can also see the swatch I did to see if the pattern was doable for me in fine yarn. However it doesn't really show to advantage with this so I'm on Woolmeise Sockenwolle Colour Veilchen. Will I do it? I'll certainly give it a go:)
Now how do I add the button please?
I'm also on with another ocean lace stole for fun:)
Also i had lots of lovely comments about my elemental figures. I don't sell them but I will gladly trade for other artwork or yarn things if you want one. Email me direct please

SP10 final package from Yvonne

Here you see the fabulous final package I received from my SP Yvonne. As you can see she outdid herself:) From socks to candles to incense ingredients. A fan to keep the moggie cool this summer, toiletries that smell gorgeous.A book to journal in and a teatowel with windmills. A sheepish card(GG) and the bestest of all MYC(Mystical yarn creations) silk yarn 3 skeins. What can I make that will do this justice? Isn't the colour divine
Thank you Yvonne for being my SP this round and for the gifts.

Woolfest both people and stash

First 2 pictures. Here you see the glorious gifts from Jo
who I finally got to meet:) It was so wonderful to catch up at last and Jo is exactly as I pictured her, a lovely person and it seemed as if we had always known each other. The yarn and gorgeous cat will be treasured. Thank you Jo. Unfortunately my camera phone doesn't show the true depth of colour so you will just have to imagine it:)
Next the haul. Buttons and 2 skeins from Jenni at Fyberspates. have tried to show the skeins separately but its hard to see the lusciousness of the colour.










Then we have photos:) Firstly Carrie
English Jo, Jenni from Fyberspates, Natalie from the Yarn Yard,
Finally some fibre on the hoof as it were:)