I just had to do some crochet

I have been knitting for days and was getting withdrawal symptoms for my crochet. My friend Zuleika has been working on a pattern for Mary Jane type slippers so I tested out the pattern for her to see if I understood the way she had written it out. Breathe easy Zu. I did understand. I was supposed to go and buy some aran to make a pair but I am such an impatient person that when I decide to do something I want it NOW!. I found a ball of red aran of dubious origin and made myself a pair. I did think at the time that although the label said aran it looked rather thick. These slippers have turned out great but too big for my tiny feet (size 3-4) so I will have to make the effort to get some aran wool of the right thickness for another pair and donate this pair to my niece. If you like this pattern then contact Zuleika through the link to Life in the Zu (scroll down and see my favourite links) as you all know I am rubbish at attaching links to this blog. I must learn to link one day it would make my life so much easier! Her photos of slippers are detailed and not fuzzy as mine are. I suffer from shaky hand whilst taking snaps. I move the camera as I press the shutter so things come out very blurred sometimes.

The knitting is progressing although I am a little concerned how narrow the sleeve is looking. It's a good job that my sister in law is size 8 with slim arms. I have not been impressed with the way that the pattern has been written out (it had a mistake on the 6th row!) and the sleeve on the pattern photo has distinct points at the beginning (as did the body) but the instructions tell me to go straight into the main pattern so I had to improvise and use the start of the body for the sleeve edge to get the sleeve to match the body. I never used to have this problem with patterns when I had a shop. You just bought a pattern and knitted it. None of this searching Ravelry and the net for Errata pages as with every knit and crochet book I have bought recently. What is wrong with everyone lately. If they could get patterns right a few years ago how come they can't now? You would think with all the modern equipment that they use in printing these days that checking and amending BEFORE printing would be a doddle. Almost every pattern I have used lately has had mistakes especially the ones from the US. I am sorry but if I am paying £12+ for a book I expect it to be right first time. I wouldn't want to read a best seller book and find huge chunks of the plot missing or sentences that didn't make any sense.

I managed to dry some washing yesterday even though I had to take it in from the rain twice. Some summer we have had in the UK this year. It think it was summer those few days when I was in hospital and so I missed it this year.

My back is not liking all this rain and is telling me so. I was doing really well until this last week when I feel like I have taken a step backwards. Maybe I have been doing too much but it is hard to sit and look at dust bunnies without getting the urge to dust. I am not the most houseproud person in the world but after 6 weeks my house is looking very untidy and a bit grubby. I never thought that I did an awful lot of housework but obviously I must have!

The sun is bravely trying to shine so I will have my shower, get dressed and try to tidy up a bit before Loose Women on the TV at lunch time.