More photos of Blue Curacao

Here are some more photos of Deb's Blue Curacao shawl. It is so hard taking photos in between the rain showers and with my web cam indoors which alters all the colour. I am pleased with the way this shawl has turned out mostly because I loved working with Rowan Cashsoft aran and because I managed to get a single point, well fan, on this shawl for the first time.

I have another shawl wet blocking outside at the moment. Wet being the operative word as I have to keep an eye on the rain or it will be wetter than when it went outside. I will post photos of it tomorrow. It is just a triangle shape shawl that I ran up yesterday (sign of an idle day or what?)

I am still thinking of small items to crochet for the Knitting Noras raffle and have come up with a few thoughts but nothing on the hook so far. Planning takes much longer than the crochet sometimes.

I have had an e mail today from a friend who has just come back from a holiday in Tenerife and said it was hard coming back to all this rain after wall to wall sunshine out there. I wish that he could have brought me some sun back in his suitcase and I am getting really fed up with this wet weather.

I haven't spoken of my knee in the last couple of posts. Let's just say nothing has changed which is why I am in the house 24/7. I think this is why I am feeling so miserable about the weather. When the sun shines I feel better inside no matter what ails me.

I am the same age as Cher

Today is Cher's birthday. She is 63 - the same age as me. I know, I know you can't quite believe it as obviously I look so much younger. Pause here while you to fall on the floor laughing. OK so I don't look younger than her but at least all of my bits (lots) are my own and I haven't had inches of skin removed by a scalpel. It's just pure jealousy on my part although I doubt if I would be brave enough to go under the knife for vanity even if I had all of her money. I will just stick to slapping on the wrinkle cream that we all know doesn't really work but we keep on buying it just in case. I might get tempted into having at least 16 pints liposuctioned from by belly and thighs if I could afford it.

I have finished Deb's Blue Curacao shawl by Doris Chan. It is made in Rowan Classic Cashsoft Aran which is lovely to work with. It has 57% extra fine merino and 10% cashmere. She has the honour of having the first shawl that I managed to make absolutely to the pattern. Doris Chan was kind enough to point out to me where I was going wrong when I asked for advice on Ravelry. Thanks to her explanation and following the close up photo of the bottom fan, showing it from it's start to the edge, that she sent to me I managed this one just fine. Yeah for Doris! At the moment the shawl is outside drying from it's wet blocking. There isn't a mistake on the shawl edging on the bottom left hand side by the way. It was just me I put a pin into the wrong place on the edging which I have now rectified. More photos tomorrow.

Another dreary day but at least it is not raining. I really wish that the summer would arrive and bring some sun and warmth with it.

I am off to think about which crochet project to start next.

The calm after all the excitement

I think that I am starting to calm down after the excitement of the last couple of days. Firstly I would like to thank everyone who stops by and leaves comments. I really appreciate them even though I rarely mention it on the blog. You really lift my day ladies. In answer to a couple of comments I have copied the link to the TKN blog to take pre-orders for the calendar and if you click on my blog title it will take you there. If you know that you are definitely going to buy one (or more)once they are available it would help us greatly to get a general idea of how many we are needing to order from the printer when the time arrives. The more we order the cheaper the printing costs will be but we don't want to over order and be left selling the calendars to any people passing by. Mind you I am up for a bit of pouncing, if needs be, provided they let me "mug" the handsome eligible men of my neighbourhood and frisk them down to find their wallets. I think the threat of that alone will make them give me the money for the calendar and run!

Ailsa I will definitely sign a calendar for you and will even throw in a personal appearance for free, as I can't guarantee it will be signed before posting, if I can find the right bus to your area. I will do anything legal to sell a few calendars as all the money is for such a good cause (Christie hospital for anyone who might be reading this blog for the first time)

The soon to be famous "As seen on TV crochet sweater" is progressing and is starting to get sleeves. I still have no idea of the finished result as I now only have 2 balls left and really need longer sleeves and a bit more on the body length. The tie is actually at empire level on me (downside of having boobs) so although it looks long enough on the photo it is still stopping at waist level on me.

I have started another Blue Curacao shawl in Rowan Cashsoft Aran for Deb one of my fellow Knitting Noras. The colour is closer to the photo of the ball rather than the start of the crochet one. The weather is so dull today that the camera flash brightens up colours and makes them appear lighter.

I am making this shawl and a couple of others for fellow Noras as my personal fund raiser for the calendar. Before any copyright police start screaming at me I am not infringing the copyright rules of patterns (or at least I don't think that I am) as I am not selling them or asking for any money from the shawl recipients for my labours. I am using their own wool and saying that if they are pleased with the end results then please give a donation to the calendar fund. One day I will have a site and be able to sell some of my crochet but until I can use some patterns that are all my own designs that idea is still a pipe dream for me.

I am hoping that I might settle down to some crochet today as the old knee could do with a rest after my walk up to Tesco yesterday but looking around me I think I do need to make an effort to tidy up. I love chaos when I am crocheting and it usually looks like an explosion in a wool shop all around the house. Having said that eventually I take a hard look and think enough is enough - it's time for a tidy, dust and hoover, I think today is one of those days.Perhaps if I can find a cupboard with some empty space so that I can scoop it all up and hide it in there?