Fine Wool Crochet

I have been knitting in my new chair as you can see. I am making a baby cardigan and have made the two fronts as well as the back but I haven't taken photos as yet. I love this pattern - well I do until I have to sew in all of the tails! It is so useful for using up those tiddly bits of yarn. The only fault with the pattern is that the cardigan turns out rather short and I always forget this fact until I have made the back. Perhaps I should write on the pattern to work more rows.

I rather like Crafty Andy's suggestion that my chair needs a mini bar. I am sure that the manufacturer could have put one in the arm rest. Perhaps I should write them an e mail with Andy's suggestion. Drunk in charge of a recliner chair - now there is a thought Ha Ha.

I have been studying my Fine Crochet book and have decided today after perusing lots and lots of web pages of stockists of lace weight to order some Grignasco Merino Silk from Violet Green. I worked out the yardage of several lace weights and decided that this one was value for money at £12.99 a skein with 1,400 metres on each 100 gram skein. I will no doubt be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome again by the time I have wound 2 skeins of this wool. I do have a ball winder but it doesn't like it when the ball gets too large. It starts going all lopsided. Some of the lace weight is so expensive. I have no doubt that the yarns are lovely but the prices are a bit rich for my pocket.

I will probably need a Valium and a couple of glasses of rum and coke to fortify myself when I start crocheting something this fine as I have been spoilt lately by only crocheting thicker yarns. The finest yarn that I have used lately has been 4ply. Gulp.

I went up to the shops today and just managed to miss the down pour. It would rain when I have just paid to have my windows cleaned! I felt sorry for the poor lads as they had to clean a few years of grime off the bedroom windows as it has been a long time since I had a window cleaner or used the hose the wash them down. They were very good and even cleaned inside the porch and the kitchen window for me as I can't reach either of them any more. I used to have to kneel on the worktops in the kitchen to clean the windows so since my knee problems I just haven't managed to be able to do that.

I will let you know when my wool order arrives and post photos on the blog. I had better polish my magnifying glasses for the first chain row and all of that counting. As the order probably won't arrive for a few days I will indulge myself in a bit of thicker crochet and knitting until then.

Buster is supposed to be arriving tomorrow for a week. I still have the old recliner in the lounge so there is not much room for him to chase about. I called in the charity shop today to see if they did want it. They said leave a message with the van man. I said I did that yesterday and he hasn't got back to me. Everyone says Recycle as much as you can but it isn't that easy. No-one seems to be interested in this chair even when it is free on Freecycle. It's a shame as there is a lot of life left in it and it is in better condition than some of the furniture for sale in the charity shop. I am getting Freecycle mails as I am typing and someone is even offering an old brush! I wonder if anyone will want that?

Next door's cat is waiting at the patio doors for me to let him in. I am not letting him in tonight as the last time he came in he sprayed somewhere and I couldn't find it and the whole house stank of cat spray for about a week. Sorry Puss you are not coming in again. I think that I have a sign on the patio door saying all cats and dogs are welcome here. They don't seem to bother anyone else.