General bits and bobs.....

Just a quick reminder that my giveaway deadline is on Sunday at midnight UK time. I have added to it as I said and I hope that it will be useful or you could add it to your friends stocking at Christmas.

Well due to work my pillowcase tote is still not finished! I have had a bit of help starting a knitted cardigan. I have not knitted a garment since I was still living at home because I would often need my Mum to bail me out when it all went wrong. However, I have found a pattern that is supposed to be an ideal garment for a beginner.

'Lets's Knit' magazine.

I can knit but just not follow patterns if they are too complicated. I still need help starting because the diagrams in the mag did not make sense, and it was not me being thick either (makes a change!) So Iris, who is a member of our little sewing group, gotme started and now all I need to do is not ruin it. Here is it so far.....

At long last my knitting is starting to look more like the picture in the magazine. I do like reading knitting magazines even though my knitting is not good enough to actually try much of the content. So I have collected several pairs of bamboo needles and I really like them. They are kinder on the hands and wrist too. So if you have problems with your hands when knitting then try bamboo needles instead. My Mum has swapped to them and she swears that they have made a difference as her hands can often hurt when knitting. Yet it does not seem to be anywhere near as bad now. Has anyone tried Bamboo needles? Have you noticed any difference?I am using Rowan Little Big Wool which is quite a bit more than I would normally pay which is why I MUST finish this cardigan and that it is wearable. OOhhh the pressure of a proper knitted garment!! I will just keep going and I will let you know how it goes. Whilst visiting my parents in October I went to the village wool shop and saw a rich dark navy blue wool by SIRDAR called 'WoW' and it certainly is. It is like knitting with rope, using size 9 needles and it feels like soft velvet.

I already have a set of blue handles which I knew would go very well with this wool so I decided to knit a bag using moss stitch and add these handles. I would like to take to our staff do Friday week, but that might be a bit optimistic in terms of time but I will still have a go to meet that time. Mmm, we shall see. I have also been making another Christmas Swap which is finished, just the final touches to do, then off in the post it will go.

I am off to Bristol tomorrow for a course and hubby is driving as we intend to stay after the meeting and go to Ikea (fabric here I come!) and on Saturday to do some Christmas shopping for Sophie while she has a sleep over at Grandma's and Grandad. I hate being away from Sophie for even a night and the only thing that makes it a bit better is that she is looking forward to going to stay the night with them. I said that I would ring her while we were away but she said that I did not need to. My little girl is growing up (sob sob).

Well I need to get some brain sleep so that I can get my head around the finer points of a new GCSE Textiles Specification tomorrow, remember it clearly and be able to tell everyone else at work on Monday.

Bye for now and yes I am going to take my knitting with me.

XX