BBC date has been changed

As promised yesterday here are the photos of the triangular shawl that I made from 5 balls of Rowan RYC Soft Lux. As yet I do not know who it is intended for but I will take it along to the next Knit Out of the Knitting Noras and see what the group wants to happen to it next. This time I can't tell you which pattern I used except to say that I adapted an extremely old shawl pattern from a book (possibly Studley) that lost it's front cover years ago. I have done a couple of close up shots so that maybe you can follow the pattern stitch. The edging is, of course, my own as I didn't have enough yarn to make fringing. Sorry about the photo quality but as per usual it is dull and dismal here in Manchester. So hard to photograph brown when the sun doesn't shine.

I am still working on a 3 coloured scarf for one of the raffles that we are holding towards the calendar printing costs and hope to have that plus it's matching hat finished tonight. Bev managed to get in touch with the BBC and we now have a revised airing date for the film about our Naked Calendar that the Knitting Noras took part in. For those of you able to watch BBC1 we are now on at 9pm on June 4th. The programme is called The Calendar Girls - 10 yrs on. We didn't take part in the original W.I calendar we are just in the programme along with them.

Thanks for the birthday wishes Beansieleigh but shh don't tell anyone I am actually months older than Cher. We share the same age at the moment but in November I will gain another year. I was watching Loose Women on TV the other day and one of the panelists said that women pick an internal age and stick to it despite what their chronological age is. Until recently I would have said that my internal age was somewhere in the 40's despite the crumbling exterior that I look at (briefly) in the mirror each morning. I feel a lot better about myself if I don't look again after I have fixed my hair and make up (if I am going out). I hate those mirrors in the ladies rest rooms or changing rooms that can make even the most gorgeous look horrendously old and haggard. Well that's my thoughts but maybe it's just me that looks washed out and haggard and everyone else looks fine. We should campaign for soft flattering lighting in the ladies loos and changing rooms.

Talking about birthdays I once received a card and it said - Ladies of a certain age should sit in a flattering light and inside it said Maybe you should try sitting in the dark! - and that card came from a very close (at the time) friend! Wonder why she is not on my friends list now. I was only about 40 something at the time.

My neighbour's young daughter overheard me telling her mum about the TV programme and she said you are not all going nude are you? Oh that's gross. Out of the mouths of babes? Mind you at that age they think anything that isn't young, trendy and supermodel is gross so I take comfort in that.

Charlie's Christening

Today I went to baby Charlie's christening. He is the son of my niece's best friend. He screamed the church down and sobbed uncontrollably all through the ceremony which is unusual for him as he is normally such a placid child. We is teething and being weaned from the breast so I think he was hungry and frustrated at not being put on the boob. His dad tried to console him but he was having none of it until after his christening ceremony when they lit the candle. He stared at it for a few seconds and fell asleep. As the person near me remarked - I wish they had lit that candle earlier!

I didn't know I was invited to the christening until the middle of last week so I didn't knit him anything. I bought him 3 little long sleeved T shirts instead. Charlie looked very dapper in his christening outfit.It was made by his paternal grandma. She had some material left from the beaded wedding dress that she had made for his mum and made him a little waistcoat with it. From the back he looked like a miniature Elvis Presley with his bit of shimmer and his white trousers. He refused point blank to wear his sailor hat.

I think I am coming down with a cold. This is a surprise to me as since I started having the flu jab I haven't had a cold for the last 5 yrs. I think I am due another jab.

I have finished the main bit of the black shawl. I have the border to crochet but that takes quite a bit of crocheting as it is a couple of inches wide. I am hoping to finish it off tonight all being well.

Anne's finished birthday shawl

My niece Vicky came today and took the belated birthday presents of the black jacket and hat for Kath and sweater and scarf for herself. She loved Kath's jacket but thought she could not have one as the pattern is only for a small size on the pattern. I assured her that if she wants one I can adapt it to fit her so that might be a project for later. There is also a long jacket in the dreaded Doris Chan book that might fit the bill.

I also gave her the cream shawl intended for my sister in law Anne whose birthday is the 23rd. I made the shawl from an old book circa 1980. It was quite a simple pattern to make but I did change the edging as the pattern has a collar and a frilly edge which I didn't think Anne would like. It took approx 325 grams of Patons Fab double knit. I would have chosen a better quality yarn but as time was of the essence it was the best I could find at the time. Buster assisted in the photography by using his paws to point out the detail. He thought that I had spread the shawl out for him to lie on! Any wonky wiggly edges on the shawl are because as I was spreading the shawl out Buster insisted on helping. It isn't really lob sided honestly.

Today we went up to visit the Yarn Barn in Shaw. It's a very small shop but quite well stocked if you happen to like Sirdar. They had a very limited amount of Regia sock yarn and some sock kits but scant choice of needles, I only saw one set of bamboo and one metal besides the usual plastic pairs of needles. I hadn't gone to buy anything today just to browse for the future. My niece picked up a couple of patterns and I have noted some nice baby patterns if my niece's ex housemate has a baby girl next month. She has chosen not to find out the sex and has plenty of clothes for the newborn so I will make something appropriate for boy or girl when it is born. The shop has a lovely window display of 'loaned from Sirdar' display garments all in my favourite shades of lilacs and purples plus quite a few baby cardigans on display inside. The new owner plans to go online with sales in the near future. We shall no doubt visit the shop again as Vicky found the Sirdar chunky wool that she wants for a chunky cardigan and will buy it in the next school holiday. As a teacher she only finds the time to knit during the holidays. I saw quite a few interesting yarns in Sirdar that will work up well for future projects. I know where I shall be shopping for Xmas present wool. I wish we had gone up earlier and then I could have bought better wool for Anne's shawl.

I picked up Anna's crochet soakers again today. It's always a mistake to put things down half way through as it takes ages to remember where I am up to on the pattern. I never write anything down but I think I have sorted it out now and so will be crocheting those tonight.

Vicky chose the pale lemon and blue Opal for her toe socks. I wish I could have found a single colour as they are lacy but she seems to think they will look just fine in the random. I thought I might start them but I find that I am already using the needles that I need for my Tiger socks so that is another reason to push on with my second sock. If I go to the knit club on Monday I will only take the sock. The light in the pub is quite dim though and the wool is quite dark. Maybe I should invest in a miners helmet with a light?