SLIPPERS!

Sometimes even when you make things yourself once finished, they're not really to your liking. These slippers have unfortunately entered that category. Maybe it's because I struggled with the pattern at first although once I got properly started, the pattern was not difficult at all!

No doubt they will wallow somewhere in the depths of my bedroom and will be much welcomed on a cold winter's night when I can't get my feet warm.

I've already cast on for a pair of socks for Charlotte, still using Drops Big Delight but this time in a different shade. I'll have to go shopping again for more so I can finish them and make a pair for Jessica.

This past week I've had 2 visits to the oesteopath for treatment to my knee. It was so much better that on Saturday I was able to potter outside, just snipping at dead heads while Michael repotted herbs and broke up the wooden herb trough which now after a few years was beyond repair.

Some shrubs and trees are already showing signs  that spring is not too far a way. A pleasing thought, yet this Monday morning we've woken to another dusting of snow and a pretty dull and miserable day.
My knee is once again painful, (I don't think the cold weather helps), and I've been back to the oesteopath this afternoon for more treatment with another appointment booked for Friday.
My Mum would say that it's not nice getting older but she's nearly 90! I'm in my 50's and at the moment I feel like she does. It says something when my favourite companion of the moment is a tube of Bio-Freeze!!!
Hopefully next time I post I will be pain free, so less grumpy and I will also post some pictures of my sock adventure.

THE BLANKET CONTINUES TO GROW

I've seemed to have put on a bit of a spurt with my blanket this week. I must say I'm not very good with my time management when I've got more than one knitting project on the go and knitting a waistcoat for Jessica, plus having the yarn ready to knit one for Charlotte has pushed the blanket to the end of the list. But when I went to the wardrobe in the spare room last week and saw the large bag containing the large amount of yarn that cost me a considerable sum of money, I thought I really must get on with this before I find I haven't quite got enough yarn and in view of the time its taken for me to knit it up, it's been discontinued. 

I've now completed 3 out of the 7 panels and have plenty of sewing planned for this afternoon.

As promised, here is a photo of the little chilli plants that I grew from a tin, a christmas present from my god daughter Rachel. One seems to be struggling a little but I'm ever hopeful and the others are doing so well in my little greenhouse. With some sunshine and TLC they should grow quite quickly now.

We have in fact experienced some sunshine today and indeed yesterday. Are things brightening up at long last? This clematis is bursting out in flower in our garden. I just hope the rain and wind doesn't come along and give it a battering!

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend too!

TINY TEARS' NEW CLOTHES!

Whilst rummaging through my old patterns last week in search of my little green book on how to crochet I came across some dolls clothing knitting patterns that I'd completely forgotten I had.

 2 year old Jessica just loves dolls, calling them all her babies. Her first port of call when she comes here is to head up stairs to collect Tiny Tears but she's always concerned that the poor doll has no knickers!

So I've spent a few days away from my blanket squares and finding some oddments of wool have knitted the doll a new outfit, all finished ready to surprise Jessica when she comes here on Wednesday. 

 I think she looks pretty good for nearly a 50 year old baby!

Unfortunately I didn't find my crochet book but I do have hooks ready and willing. I haven't crochetered for about 30 or so years but I'm looking forward to getting back into it, I just need a refresher on what to do!

Meanwhile the sky blanket continues to grow and grow and I'm pleased that to date I haven't missed a day. 

The garden is now beginning to spring back into life, I love these little dwarf tulips. We've already planted potatoes in containers but in the next couple of weeks we want to crack on with vegetable planting.
I've been a bit lacking on the "planning" this year!

FINGERLESS OR HALF- FINGER GLOVES, THAT IS THE QUESTION?

In my last post, I mentioned that my next project to make was gloves. I found a lovely pattern on www.ravelry.com  by Lucy Hague  entitled Hands of Blue. I think it is a really pretty design and I've enjoyed making them up as far as the knuckles. The trouble is this is the first time I've knitted gloves so have found that beyond that, it has been a little tricky. I decided to make a half finger pair at the beginning of the week but after stumbling with the first finger, I changed my mind and altered my plan to fingerless. By Thursday I'd changed my mind again and met the challenge of knitting the half finger pair. Currently I'm just about to knit my second finger and am still persevering. 

Although I have now got myself in rather a muddle with my row counting and rate myself with only a small chance of both gloves being the same size. It's a bit like my sock knitting scenario!

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A couple of pictures for you of some of the poppies in my front garden. I thought I'd better take them quick as the rain isn't being kind to them. 

It's strange, we moan that we need the rain and when we get it, we moan again!

There's no pleasing some!!