Book review: London Craft Guide

Every so often I’m asked to review a book or give a shout-out on my blog for various things within the knitting world. It’s a fun part of the knitting world as I travel to shows and mee…

Source: Book review: London Craft Guide

Exposed by my children for what I really look like

It’s a funny thing. We never manage to see ourselves how others see us. I see a flat boring lumpy blob of a woman. Others tell me they see a beautiful caring, creative soul who is a wonderful friend. I’d like to see that person…one day.

Bridgette Tales

Flipping through the pictures on my phone, I see it.

My first reaction is shock. Who took this hideous picture of me?

Self-loathing and disgust swell up and threaten to bring me to tears.

Just as I am about to hit delete, my boy walks in the room.

“Do you know anything about this picture?” I ask him.

I turn the screen so he can see it. He smiles huge.

“I took that of you in Tahoe,” he says. “You looked so beautiful laying there. I couldn’t help it mom.”

“You need to ask me before using my phone to take pictures,” I say.

“I know,” he says. “But mom, seriously, look how pretty you look?”

I look at the picture again and try to see what he sees.

My daughter walks over and takes a look.

“That could be a postcard mom,” she says smiling. “You’re so beautiful. I…

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Joining in the Round

That is EXACTLY how I join in the round. Never on the row after cast on. Always after knitting 1 or 3 rounds. Works beautifully and has anyone ever noticed I do it that way? No 🙂

INSPIRATION KNITS

Ice Storm: Long Cowl with a long cast on to join in the round

How can you avoid the dreaded twist when joining in the round? Why, when you are reaaaaaalllly sure it isn’t twisted, does it turn out to be twisted a few rounds later? Is there any way to fix a twist?

There are a few tricks, for novices and more experienced knitters alike. I want to share these today because they’re relevant to the Slipstream mysteries.

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In which there is tennis and drains

It’s THAT weekend. The one where I stay indoors and knit in front of the tv with the tennis on. It’s the end of year seniors matches from The Royal Albert Hall. Last year and the year before, we went to see it live on the Friday but this year, the tickets are too expensive for a seat with unrestricted view and disabled access. 

Poor Steve is meanwhile trying to fix our blocked drain. It’s somewhere between our apartment and the one below us, just in that position you can’t actually get to.

Sulphuric Acid Drain Cleaner about to be applied. Hold yer noses, that stuff reeks.  

Litany Of Disasters

Truly one of the worst days ever. It was easier having my head cut open and having brain surgery than this day. 

1: Tomato Soup everywhere.

2: Washing Machine Flood. 

3: Blocked Sink Drain causing flood

4: Broken the WW Flyer on my mSpinner. 

5: Tea leaves spewed from canister all over the kitchen

6: Slippers have fallen apart only 2 months of wear. 

 

There, that’s it. Got anything else to heap on me? No? Sure? 

I’m off to bed. 

Spin, Spin, Spinnety Spin.

I’ve been using the above expression a lot this year. 

My life as a spinner changed forever earlier this year when Puddytatpurr said she was saving to buy and electric spinner. More specifically, a Mini Spinner from Hansen Crafts. At that time, I had no clue what that was, what one would/could do, anything at all about it.  

Anyhow, i was lucky enough to have an endowment come through during late July (yes, we’ve been in our flat 25yrs so end of endowment lol). Steve and I took a grand each from it and the rest has been spent on the big build at 47 Kings. 

I did some research into what electric spinners were and realised this would solve my co-ordination problem forever. I have a spinning wheel. She is an Ashford Joy and she is beautiful. I cannot use her. My brain simply can’t work feet and hands at the same time. Also, my swollen cankles make it difficult to treadle. When I walk, I have to watch my feet or I fall over so what chance is there of me being able to treadle and work my hands at the same time? Nah, not a hope. 

So,  I copied Puddytatpurr. I can’t and won’t call it anything else. She and I spent a mad Friday evening online ordering our mSpinners at exactly the same time. “One, two, three, press order button on the Hansen Crafts website”. 

Just over two weeks later the spinner arrived. Oh my goodness. Took it out of the box. Set it up in two minutes flat. Thought I would try plying yarn first rather than actual spinning. After all, at this point, I couldn’t wheel spin so was a little wary about any spinning other than on a drop spindle. Well, two hours later, beautifully plied yarn. Impressive eh. So, I pulled out a bag of fibre and tentatively tried to spin. OMG, OMG I’m spinning. Proper spinning with real yarn at the end of it. Yes, me, a spinner. My hands knew exactly what to do. They drafted the fibre, the mSpinner took it in and applied twist. I had yarn. That was August. I haven’t stopped spinning since. In fact, I have to force myself to knit now. I just want to spin all the time. Mind you, after four hours, my hands cramp up and I have to do something else until the next day lol. See, it’s compulsive. Another very good friend is waiting for her mSpinner now. I know it will change her life and make her feel more complete again.

i do occasionally use my drop spindles but am seriously thinking of selling a couple as I doubt I will use them again and it’s sad to see them sitting unused. I won’t say unloved as they are loved, just not used. If I go to friends and want to spin, or to Mum’s, I may take a spindle if it’s only for a couple of hours but, if it’s a trip away for a few days, my turquoise eBags  Crew Cooler II comes with. 

 

Ahem, Coughs Quietly

Coughs quietly in the hopes of attracting attention from anyone who may have read my blog in the past.

Hello. Yes, it’s me, the long time absentee.

I don’t know when I last blogged. Yes, I could look it up. No, I’m not going to as it will just piss me off that I haven’t felt I had anything to say in such a long time.

Weird times, depressing times with some happy spots in-between, just not enough of them to even consider them worth writing about.

We’re coming up on the five year anniversary since Steve’s Dad passed away. Yes, we are still in our small flat. It’s depressing being here knowing that there is a house being made ready for us but still unliveable. It’s quite ridiculous.
However, the kitchen is in at last. The sparkly quartz work tops look stunning. There is no running water, no electricity, no bathrooms, no utilities at all as yet. We are at the mercy of the “Trades” and await their work eagerly.

I still don’t know what’s going on health wise. I swap from Private to NHS on the 18th December and will have a whole new group of people prod and poke and hum and hah over me whilst they still won’t decide if my Florid Reactive Follicular Lymphoid Hyperplasia is Lymphoma or not. If it’s Lymphoma, chemotherapy will begin. If it’s still pre-cancerous, nothing will happen. Maybe more biopsies and steroids, who knows.

We’ve had a quiet year. Steve has been ill. Petrol prices have prohibited us from our usual days out and times away and he just hasn’t been well enough to think about driving to visit friends, family or places we love. Our poor cameras have been sadly underused this year. We are now 8,000 miles down on our average for a normal year and I have only taken 400 photos this year instead of the usual several thousand. See, I said it was depressing.

Buzz has been diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure. He’s being treated with a change in diet. The food has lower protein levels and no Phosphorous content. It makes the kidneys work less and hopefully, last longer. He is two months away from his 19th birthday so in reality, we know he’s a wonderful age and are lucky to have him.

I’m going to put knitting and spinning into another post. Thank you for bearing with me so far.

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House Progress

The Brickies have arrived!
It’s very exciting. Walls are starting to appear.
The 47 Kings album can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/47kings/

Milestone

Today is a milestone…

it is exactly SIXTEEN years to the day since my first brain surgery.