Getting windy

   The winds starting to pick up now, it wasn't too bad when I walked the dog this morning. We had a strong constant wind with a few strong gusts but nothing I haven't seen before, usually in November not September though. A little light rain last night and not much since but it is getting dark now so more rain my be due soon.

   I've knitted about 4 inches of the braided scarf, its looking good but a little tatty. I hope washing it when its finished will make it look better. The scarf seems to be knitting up fairly fast, I'm slower than normal as I'm still out of practise. I figure I can finish it in two weeks but don't hold me to that.

  Hope you all had a good weekend, have a good day and take care folks.

I'm back

   Sorry I've not blogged this week, I took a week off and forgot to mention it. There isn't a whole lot to blog about really, just some quick updates I guess. I should be back to blogging as usual next week.

  I think I have won the battle of the mice, I've not seen or heard any sign of mice for about a week. I think a couple of days of the poison being put out finished them off. I'll keep the poison down and keep an eye out but for now I think there gone. Just hope I don't get any more now the weather is cooling down.

   After starting to knit the scarf last week I had to stop, the needles and yarn weren't thick enough so the scarf wasn't wide enough. I ordered some tweedie chunky yarn and 6mm needles, got the yarn quick but the needles only arrived yesterday. I made a start again on the scarf yesterday, only a few rows but its coming along nicely.

  The weathers pretty warm today, a bit cloudy and windy though. Katia should be clipping the UK Sunday/Monday so the winds should pick up even more. The met office seem to be playing it down so I'm not sure how bad it will be. Last week we had gusts of 60mph, it was more like November than September.

  Hope you all have a great weekend, take care folks.

Stormy UK

  I've not started or finished any yarn projects so far this week so I haven't gotten much to blog about. I did a little spinning yesterday of the white Falkland and oatmeal bfl that I have, still have a long way to go there before I get anywhere close to finishing. I haven't gotten enough of that yarn yet to ply with.

  The weather was better yesterday but its gotten worse again today with heavy rains due soon, the rains should make the riots in the North West a wash out tonight. I'm not sure if the rains will spread to Birmingham and London so there may still be riots there tonight.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Stormy weather

   Walking the dog this morning I had my full winter gear on. Wellies, waterproof over pants, thick coat and even my gloves. The only thing missing was a warmer hat. I do love walking in this kind of weather though, its so quiet and peaceful. The dog loves walking in any weather, it could be raining molten rocks with visibility reduced to 3 inches due to pyroclastic flow and he'd still want to go out and play, he'd also expect me to go with him to throw his ball. Still, if the worlds going to end it would be a nice way to go. Playing with the dog, not being hit on the head with molten rock or smothered in pyroclastic flow that is.

  Hope you all had a great weekend, have a great day and take care folks.

Muggy

   Had a little bit of rain overnight and into the morning, nothing much really. Certainly not enough to put more than a drop or two into the barrel. Its very muggy out but I still put a thin jacket on due to the rain when I walked the dog. I think wearing the jacket made me get more wet than if I had run around naked. A nice breeze about now blowing through the house sure would be good.

  I got a little spinning done over the weekend but nothing else yarn wise was done. I need to find a couple of washcloth patterns so I can get back into knitting, will start that today. I've moved my long rug/mat back into the kitchen now its fully dry so I can now get at the chair I do my weaving on, now I just have to get into the mood for weaving.

  Hope you all had a great weekend, have a great day and take care folks.

Raining.

   Its been a very wet weekend and reading the weather folks today they're saying it could rain for the next 30 days and maybe longer. It looks like St. Swithin might be right this year. I've managed to refill all my rain barrels and then some, I could really do with more storage capacity but the bigger barrels are pretty expensive.

  I made a start knitting the crossed arrow cable phone sock in a grey cotton but after about 10 rows I've decided to frog it. I'm not happy with the cotton, its kind of fluffy and I think its a dish cloth cotton. I'll have to go through my stash and see what other yarns I have, I know I don't have any suitable cottons in a nice plain colours so might have to go with a sock yarn. I have a grey sock yarn and also a nice dark forest green sock yarn I could use as well. I want a plain colour that is easy to wash.

  I didn't get any weaving done, I'll try and get the clothespin peg bag finished this week. Try. I also want to have a go at back strap weaving and finger weaving. I think the finger weaving/braiding will help me produce some nicer fringes. I really struggle to make nice ends on my inkle pieces, my hemming needs more work too.

  Hope you all had a great weekend, have a great day and take care folks.

Still got water problems.

   The plumbers due back on Friday, hopefully for the last time. The leak behind the board is worse than I first thought so I've switched the water off, I can switch it on when I need water so I'm not living without running water this time but I'm mainly living out of buckets, jugs and bottles again.
  The mini heatwave we were having has ended, getting much needed rain. All my plants are doing well apart from the potatoes which I have written off. The slugs and snails mainly did them in but I've also been a little stingy with the water on the potatoes as I really needed it for myself the last couple of weeks. I didn't need too really but I didn't know that at the time. Better safe than sorry.

  I've still not done anything yarn wise, not sure why not. I've decided to force myself with some simple knitting and will knit a face cloth. I really need to finish the clothespin peg bag as well. Also need to do a little something for my sisters Birthday but time is very short for that.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Mini heatwave.

   Well I was wrong about the weather, the mini heat wave has arrived. Its a heck of a jump from 16c, 60f, to 28c, 80+f, in less than 24 hours and today is due to be even hotter. Tomorrow the temps drop back down to the low 20's c and after that they drop even further. The swift rise in temps makes it hard to adjust to the heat and by the time I do adjust the temps will have dropped to more comfortable levels. The joys of the English weather.

  Got the house cleaned, including the stairs. Had to shut the water off again as the plumbing has gotten worse again but have managed to speak to the landlord and a plumber is due tomorrow.

  Only gotten a tiny bit more weaving done but I did manage a little spinning. I should be able to get back into weaving now the house is cleaned. I should think about a new knitting project as well soon.

  Hope you all had a great weekend, have a great day and take care folks.

A windy year.

    Its still pretty warm today but the winds picked up a fair amount. It seems to have been an unusually windy year so far, we've certainly had gales much later in the year than whats normal. I've lost another tomato plant today due to the wind, it might survive minus a couple of branches. This is the forth tomato plant the wind has blown over so far this year though only one had fully died. I'm glad I have the poly tunnel to help protect my plants even if I worry all the time about it blowing away.

  The clothespin peg bag I'm weaving at the moment is almost finished, less than a cm and its done. I need to take some measurements to see if my idea for a two piece bag will work, I'm not sure I can wind on yarn/cloth with this loom I'm using. If this idea doesn't work out I might break it down into three pieces, one back piece and two front pieces. I'll let you know on Monday. Once I've finished the clothespin peg bag for my moms birthday I'll experiment with the loom to see how easy it would be to wind yarn and cloth.

  Hope you all have a great weekend, take care folks.

Pretty warm today.

     Its pretty warm here today, it might even break 80 f. The house is still pretty cool, being brick it takes a while to heat up but then it becomes oppressive during the nights. Luckily these warm temps will only last today then it will cool down again.

  I've not finished the clothespin peg bag yet, another two inches and it will be done. The shape seems to be working out, or misshape seems to be working out. I'll sew the bag together with the slit running vertical and make another one for myself after I've made one for my mom. I need to get some more cotton yarns.

   I'm going to weave my moms clothespin peg bag in two pieces without a slit in the weaving, the slit will be made when I sew the pieces together. It will be a lot tidier and with not split it should weave up very quickly. I've already ordered some buttons, a mixture of blues in different sizes. I hope at least some of them match each other.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Cold and dreary.

  Yesterdays weather seems to have been an isolated blip, today is back to normal cold and dreary and looks set to be this way for at least the next few days. My good tobacco plant is doing really well still, the folded leaf has folded in a different direction. I think its hunting for sunshine. The second big leaf I mentioned yesterday wasn't directly across from my first,folded, leaf but is a second growth leaf.

  I got more knitting done yesterday, I'm at least two thirds of the way finished on the tobacco tin pouch. I also finished warping the inkle loom and made a start on the weaving. The nylons a bit funny to weave with compared to cotton or that could be because of the long break from weaving I've taken. I'm keeping the piece roughly an inch across and the edges so far seem to be ok. I'll take pictures once its done instead of trying to describe the pattern, I was hoping to have finished the tin pouch for weekend pictures but that's not going to happen. Close but no cigar.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Nice day again

  Another lovely day out, still a bit chilly of a night though and some early morning frosts. I've got the vets today but when I get back I'll start preparing some compost ready for some seeds. I still need to get some main crop seed potatoes and I left a packet of onion seeds at my moms I need to retrieve.

  I finished the red plait cable bookmark, thinking I need to do some Iphone socks now. My eureka thing was knitting a live Icord as a button loop, started well on one side but didn't look good on the other side. 
   I have another plan for it that might work, knit half a row, turn cast off to the middle, knit Icord, slip Icord stitches back onto the needle, knit half a row, turn cast off remaining stitches. No that wouldn't work, first part would need knitting twice, then the second part would need knitting twice too but at least that way I finish at the end and not the middle. I need to experiment.
  I did find another method for making loops for button holes that might be better, the Icord might be a little thick for a button loop so I might go with the other method. I'll still have a go at doing a live Icord though, just to see if it can be done.

  I didn't bbq the chicken yesterday but didn't eat it either so I can bbq tonight. Was thinking what I paid for the chicken I should of got a whole one and cut it up myself, heck of a lot cheaper and I'd be left with the carcass to make stock and the dog would be happy with the bits he'd get too.

  Vet time, hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Headache

   I've got a blinding headache so a short post today. Weathers really nice today, if this headache shifts I'll be bbqing some chicken later. I'll get the garden started this week by planting some seeds indoors and maybe setting up the poly tunnel.

  I've nearly finished the red cable plait bookmark, got a couple of ideas for a few more. I also had a eureka moment for the Iphone sock fastenings, more about that another time though. Going to lie down for a bit.

  Have a great day folks, take care.

Bit of everything

  Rained hard over night, woke to drizzle and by the time I took the dog out this morning the sun was shinning. Now theres a good stiff breeze blowing and the local weather lady says there might be thunder and hail as well.

  I got the book on weaving yesterday, weaving and spinning but its mainly about weaving and seems to be very good. It was the book I was bidding for on ebay and dropped out at £18 then found it on abebooks for £0.63p. Its in excellent condition, so happy I didn't win the bid now.

  Today I want to get some spinning done and finish the plait cable bookmark. I might also do some finger weaving, get back to basics sort of thing. If not I'll get the carder out and do some more blending but think it will be the weaving today, I might even make something this time.

  I got the last issue of the art of knitting magazine today, these are the magazines I got when I first started knitting. There ok and were a great help in the beginning but because there spread out for so long I think books are better. Guess now I will be £10 a month better off so can buy more books or yarn.

  Hope you all have a great weekend, take care folks.

Still mild

   No sunshine today but its still pretty mild. I had a bath yesterday and for the first time this winter I didn't put the heating on, this is usually a weak point for me as I usually have the heating on full blast when I have a bath. I've gone through the figures for my gas and its looking very good, so good really I should check the math again.

  I didn't get all that much done yesterday knitting wise, I did however start spring cleaning. It will probably take me until next year to get the cleaning finished. The bookmark with the simple cable plait is coming along though, I did manage to get 3 pattern repeats done. I think I'll finish the bookmark tomorrow.

  No real plans for tomorrow but I will try and get a little more blending done and a lot more spinning. Still no picture posts even though I have a couple of things to photograph, I keep forgetting to charge the batts.

  Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Sun shiny

  Its really nice out today, sun is shinning and its warm too. I want to set the poly tunnel up but have nothing to put in it yet so may as well wait. I'd like to start some seeds today but am in two minds on whether its too early yet, I think I'll wait until the weekend and see how the weathers looking then.

  I had a go at the five fold cable bookmark in the blue sparkly yarn but its a bit of a pain to knit with so I frogged it. I'm now knitting a simple plait cable with the cotton yarn I got last week. I've never done this cable before but its as easy as rope cable and looks almost as good as the five fold. I'll use this plait cable again with the blue sparkly yarn but on a full moss/seed stitch back ground.

  Maybe bbq tonight though it still gets dark pretty early. I'll have to see how hungry I am later. Its the sort of day to spend some time in the garden so I might clean up a little out there and turn the compost again.

 Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Nice Weekend

  Not a bad weekend, though I didn't over exert myself. I got some blending done on the Saturday and I spun some of the batts on both days. I finished the slip stitch two tone blue and green Iphone sock. I closed the Iphone sock with kitchener stitch and it went well but I don't like the corners, there a bit too sticky out. Oh well, another thing for the pile.

  I was bidding for a book on ebay, weaving and spinning, but lost the auction at around £18. Had a quick google and found the book through abebooks for £0.62p so I'm happy about that, I'll have to look here more often.

  The weathers getting cold again but no snow for me, just rain and more rain. I was sort of hoping for a little bit more snow before spring, its the kid in me. I do love the snow, but not too much. 
   I need to start thinking of getting the garden started, think another week and I should start some seeds indoors and maybe set up the poly tunnel. I need to get some more potting compost, seed potatoes and some big pots. I turned my own compost yesterday and its looking really nice, think I will have enough for all my needs this year.

  Going to start a bookmark today I think, just not sure on the design yet. I might keep it simple but complicated looking and do the five fold cable with moss/seed stitch back ground, or do a moss/seed stitch border with reverse stocking stitch background with a five fold cable in the center though that might make the book mark a little too wide. I'll let you know what I come up with, no idea what yarn I'll be using yet either.

  Hope you all had a great weekend, have a happy Monday and take care folks.

Blending & spinning

   It was looking sunny when I got up this morning but by the time I walked the dog the sun had gone and the clouds rolled in, its now looking pretty dark and gloomy. There is definitely a chill in the air with a stinging wind. I put the heating on last night, I didn't really need it but wanted to dry some bedding. I think I will need the heating tonight though.

  The blending of the white falkland and oatmeal bfl went really well and was extremely enjoyable and relaxing. I've not blended it all, maybe about half of it, it took a lot longer to do than I imagined but I think thats part of the relaxing aspect of it. Slowly turning the drum was very meditative.
  The colours of the blended batt/sliver/top/roving(?) are a very light oatmeal or off white colour, not great but not bad either. I've mixed the fibers in pretty well all across the batt, if I was using dyed yarn I can see how you can have fun blending the colours in stripes vertically and horizontally. I will be getting some dyed yarn so I can have a play blending, I really should get some kool aid and do some dying myself.

  I spun a little of the blended batts yesterday and they draft really really well and spin up very nice. I'm very happy at this point as I was worried they'd all drift apart. Its been awhile since I've done any spinning, before Christmas, but I haven't forgotten a thing and was spinning pretty thin yarn for the most part, I even think I'm a lot more consistent but we shall see next time I spin. If the yarn stays thin I'm going to 3 ply it, reading about 3 ply in my new book and it makes a lot of sense, 2 ply being flat and 3 ply being triangle and more of a round shape.

  Over all I'm very happy the way things turned out without a single problem with the carding, I was worried about tearing the yarn to pieces. I even managed to knit a few rows on a sock, a pretty productive weekend really with a bit of blending, spinning and knitting done. No weaving though.

  Hope you all had a great weekend, have a great day and take care folks.

Blending today

  Its another nice warm day out, even better than yesterday. It did rain all night last night so the grounds muddy, other wise I'd have the washing on the line today. I can't put the washing on the line when its too muddy because when the dog runs around the garden he flicks mud spots all over my nice clean washing.
  If I'm hungry around 3 I might fire the bbq up, I have buns and burgers in but no green stuff apart from a little cress. Suppose I could see if theres any dandelions up in the front garden or even go the little shop. Nothing wrong with just eating meat though, theres steak and pork chops in the fridge and freezer and I have potatoes. Hmmm might fire the bbq up after this cup of coffee.

  I'm going to set the carder up today to blend the oatmeal bfl and the white Falkland tops I have, 200g of Falkland and 100g + left overs of bfl. I should be able to see whats going on clearly but think using dyed tops might of been a better idea to start with. I got the ashford book of carding awhile back and theres loads of information in there on blending and using the carder so I shouldn't have any major problems. I hope. I'm sure I'll have a lot to post on Monday about how I got on, with luck it will be a good post and not a nightmare of ripped yarn.

  Have a great weekend and take care folks.

Warm again

  Its pretty warm out today, probably get by without a coat. The clouds to the east, over the moors and hills look sullen though so not sure how long this nice weather will last. I don't think I've put the central heating on at all this week, that should help with the bills.

  I got the complete book of hand spinning today, not had a serious look at it yet. Its pretty thick so will take me a while just flicking through it. Looking forward to reading it this afternoon, relaxing on the couch with a cup of coffee or two. I probably have the time to set up the drum carder but will wait until tomorrow when I can have all day at it, and all day Sunday too.

  Found the part of the socks that had the pull in them that made me frog them, a single strand of ply had snapped. I've done a flying sort of repair on then and carried on knitting. I didn't really want to unknit them again, even just a row or two. I think they will be ok, they look fine and the part where its at isn't under much stress.

 Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.