Tuesday 15 March 2011

A long time

Well it's 6 months since I last posted here, then autumn, now spring is on it's way. No excuses really, just being busy with getting on with life. Work has been very quiet the last couple of months but that's quite usual for this time of year, it will all start to go mad again once we get into April & the new tax year.

I've been doing my fair share of knitting & spinning & have even taken up the crochet hook again to make a blanket out of granny afghan squares. Even taught someone at Guild how to crochet properly & it seems she can't put her hook down now! Always good to pass skills on to other people, so much is in danger of getting lost.

On the knitting front I've made a lovely chunky jacket out of James Brett Marble Chunky in the sort of blue/turquoise/purple colourway. I even had a compliment from a lady on the doctor's surgery today to say how lovely it is! Always good to get compliments about your handiwork. I've also made the inevitable couple of pairs of new socks, some of my old ones have just about become unwearable, although they're fine under old boots for walking. I'm knitting a Traveliing Woman shawl at the moment out of some sock yarn in burgundy/pink colours as I wanted to try the pattern out before using it for some handspun which I spun for the sole purpose of making this shawl. It is an easy feather & fan type pattern, but I don't know if I want to make more of an effort to use a more difficult lace pattern for my own handspun. I will have to think on it some more. The advantage is that it's an easy to remember pattern though.

I'm crocheting a blanket out of bits & pieces, had some yarn that I'd bought to make a cardigan for my Great niece, but I really didn't like the colours so put them together with some other bits & pieces that I had & it's going to make a really cozy blanket.

Spinning wise I've been doing a mix of merino & alpaca which is coming out a lovely mottled heathery effect chestnut & cream. I'm hoping to get enough out of it to make a waistcoat for me. I've also got some merino on my Bee. I'm a bit disappointed with that little wheel which keeps having bits come loose & despite spending ages cleaning it, as I think the previous owner must have used the wrong sort of oil, it is still hard to get the tension from slipping & needs far more TLC than my Lendrum which I really do still love to spin on. I can sit & spin on that almost all day without really thinking about it, I feel so lucky to have got it.

Going back to the doctor's surgery bit, I've got cellulitis again in my leg, which is an infection in the cells, I think this time it's from insect bites. My leg started to hurt & swell up Sunday week ago & by the Monday night it was really hot, swollen & sore, so I went to see the clinic nurse & she put me on antibiotics. Went back Friday & then again today & it's still not gone, so back onto another course for another week. This isn't the first time I've had problems like this, seems I'm rather prone to it, I don't know if this sort of thing runs in families but I know both my Brother & Cousins have had problems with this type of infection as well.