Happy New Year!!!!

Oh dear! It's been a long time again! But I haven't been idle. I finally managed to knit these socks, with the Tofutsies yarn I was so kindly given ages ago. It knitted up really nicely, lovely and soft, in this pattern, Tidal Wave, from South West Trading. The next picture is more of a close up of the pattern, but not particularly clear.

Thanks again Shannon in New Mexico for this lovely yarn.



















I haven't been idle again though. But I have been remiss in giving the things away before I took photographs to put here. I knitted another baby cardigan, similar to the one I did last year, but in different colours. I have another one to do for another baby, but haven't yet decided what to do.
I've done some things for a friend whose daughter is going to be a maid in the local Gala court in June. I knitted a cashmere shawl in the Faceted Gems pattern I did a while ago, and said never again, and not for anybody else. But it was easier this time, having done it before. It turned out well, but I didn't take pictures! I've also made the dress. It's a lacy top with with plain white satin skirt. It's got a cross over ribbon detail on the back. Depending on how it looks, I might knit the shawl again. I'm not sure it's long enough. So maybe I'll remember the photos.



































The parents of the kids involved in the Gala Day are expected to raise funds for it. So I offered to knit kids socks with my leftover bits. This is the first one, but I can't do my usual and have exactly matching socks, as there isn't enough yarn. I hope it doesn't put people off buying them!

At last!

I've thrown Fee off the computer again to do this. I really must get some sort of networking system here. It's like a guerilla raid trying to get online! Reconnaissance - is she there? Is she nearby? Have I got time to rush in, blog etc and get back out before I'm assaulted from behind? Anyway, here I am.

I haven't been idle since last time. I've done 3 pairs of socks. One of them, for my mother in law, I handed over before I remembered to take photos. But she seemed to like them so I hope they are ok.

The next ones were a bit more of an undertaking. Long socks for big feet! Based on an idea Fee saw online - Monster socks- I gave it a go. It's short sections of the different sock yarns we had between us. If you look carefully you'll see socks that have already appeared here. Here they are modelled at Culloden battlefield the morning after I finished them.































These are done in Opal elements. Soon have no room in my sock drawer!

Oh dear , it's been such a long time!

And in that time I haven't been idle!

We went to Switzerland on holiday, Fee blogged that. It was a good week!

Since my last post, the lace has undergone a reincarnation. I had another disaster with it, and ripped it all out. I started again, with a few sections less and on normal needles. It was rather long when I took it off the other needle, and since I wanted a scarf rather than a wrap, I cut it back a bit. It is now finished, but not yet blocked. Something to look forward to!

You can see different stitch markers this time too. Rather than use all of Fee's markers, I got some from knittiotherapy, also known as Sue. You maybe can't see them properly, but these are beautiful butterflies in different colours on golden wires and purple beads on silver wires. Some of them now in use in the socks below!
These socks were done to "test drive" a pattern from Sue. They turned out really well, very pretty socks and fairly easy to do, as long as you can count.
Different pictures because of the comments about them being small. They fit my feet!

I also knitted a pair of socks for a friend at work, but I forgot to take photos before I gave them to her. Opal yarn again, in orange, black and white.

































And talking of foot size. I upset Fee by saying that this looked like a clown foot. It was nasty on 2 counts, because she has no control over the size of her feet; and because she hates clowns!

Anyway, this is going to be a knee sock, using the leftover yarn from all the socks I have knitted, along with some from the balls I haven't started yetand some that Yorkie brought when she came to stay for a weekend.

Another pair of socks!

Finished these tonight, after starting them on Saturday after Woolfest.
Got the white silk/wool mix at Woolfest and did the first one by Sunday night.
Feel really nice on.
Now to finish the baby cardigan and decide which of my many new goodies to use next!

Sadness and success

I finished the second Anne sock last night, and passed it on to the chief grafter, who did her usual good job for me. I 'm pleased with the result, the stripes in the yarn seemed to almost match the sections of the pattern.
















That was the only good news of yesterday though. My beautiful and special horse Connie was put to sleep yesterday morning. She had been diagnosed with laminitis two and a half weeks before, and given the standard treatment, foam pads to support the soles of her feet and relieve the pain. After 2 days seemed to be making progress and the pads were removed. The vet had warned me that big horses were more at risk of serious consequences, simply because of the weight carried on the front feet. I already knew it was a serious condition, but the horses I knew of had sore feet and needed careful management. When I looked for more information, I found a study which showed that around 80% of cases made a reasonable recovery. But 20% didn't. At that time I didn't know where Connie would end up. In the worst case scenario the membranes holding the hoof to the inner structures of the foot (the laminae) die, and the hoof can actually fall off.
Anyway, a few days later she was in pain again, so I increased her dose of painkillers, then when that didn't help got the vet out again. He put the foam pads back on her feet, and she was instantly more comfortable. Another vet visit and she looked ok, but the vet felt the pads should stay on a bit longer. So after 9 or 10 days with the pads, the vet came back on Wednesday to check her out. Both the vet and myself were shocked by what we saw. Instead of the soles of her feet making a depression on each side of the frog ( the central soft structure in the foot) they were actually bulging out. This indicated that the worst had happened and the internal structures were sinking, confirmed by depressions round the top of the hoof. She put the pads back on and arranged to come back on Friday. If the condition had stabilised there was a chance to help Connie, if it had got worse there was only one option. And I don't need to tell you which way it went. When the vet examined Connie's feet the depressions had got worse, and there was a section of hoof which had started to detach from the skin. As soon as I saw that I knew what was going to happen.
The vet was brilliant with me. She explained what she would have to do, left me with Connie for a while, then did her best to make it easy for us both. The end was swift and peaceful, Connie just lay down and went to sleep. It must be the worst thing I have had to do so far.
Fee came with me, and she was fantastic too. It would have been much worse without her there, even though at first I wanted to spare this experience. She told many of her online contacts what had happened, and all of them sent virtual hugs and support. Thank you all, it is wonderful to know that all of you, whereever you are in the world, care. Even those with problems of your own. I really appreciate your concern, and send the same back to those who need it.

Oops I did it again!

What have I done? Oh dear! More sock yarn! With a little help from a friend (Susann in Germany, thank you for doing this), I bought an Opal selection pack and minis. Fee thought these were "soooo cute"!

I really must buy no more yarn for a long time now. I have enough to keep me going for weeks!






Once again my stash has been enhanced by the kindness of one of Fee's knitty contacts. Zanne in Michigan sent me this. Thank you Zanne, it's beautiful.










The socks I did with Sue's yarn are now finished. Fee made the hangers to show them off.












But they look better in their rightful place - on my feet! I have since worn them to work and found them comfortable and warm.


And once they were finished, I got back to the Anne socks. Number 1 of those is done, number 2 yet to be started. But you'll have to wait for the pair to see them properly!

Long time no blog

Finally got the chance to blog again. But I had to kick Fee off the computer. It's a real pain only having 1 internet connection! One of these days I'll get organised with a router.
Anyway, this is my next project since the last blog. It's Schaefer Anne, being knitted in Jaywalker.
It's knitting up nicely, as you can see. But it's on hold for a while.





In the mean time, these are in progress, using the yarn Sue sent me and the pattern Hedera. Once these are done the Jaywalkers will be finished.
















And I succumbed again! I'm waiting for a single colour to go with it. Maybe it's at the Post Office now! Or maybe the parcel that couldn't be delivered is a big box of Opal that's coming from Germany! That was a moment of madness. But it sounds like good stuff. I now have enough sock yarn for about 6 months. But can I stop buying?

Socks, presents, ponies

The second sock from last week, finished in something around 24 hours. Pictured after a day at work.











After the first sock was done, it was admired by Fee. Who shortly afterwards brought me a Simply Knitting magazine and said you can do me these with the leftover yarn. So here they are, hot off the needles! Anal again, to get them to match.









This is what kept me back from my socks for a week. Took a fair bit of time, more than socks do! However it has suffered from being knitted at one point in dim lighting using 2 similar colours. So spot the mistake and tell me if you think it is ok or should I try to do something about it. Unfortunately I didn't notice until after I had grafted the shoulders and done the front and neck bands.


























Now to 2 presents my lovely daughter gave me! This one today, just in time to find a pattern for my next lot of yarn. That's tomorrow's decision.












Fee went to Loch Lomond last week with her friend and brought me back this lovely vase. It is perfect for my bedroom, which is in deep red with the rose motif.

Thanks Fee!













An update on a previous post. Connie and Fee tonight. We had just been to Tesco and bought pretzels. After I had given Connie her normal, horse, feed, Fee decided to offer her a pretzel. She nibbled it delicately until some of the other horses came along and disturbed them. This horse eats almost anything except wormer!She loves cream eggs, crisps and now pretzels.

Finished socks

Second sock was finished last night around midnight. And on the feet around 7 hours later! This is after a day at work, a trip round the supermarket and some time feeding Connie.
Next one is started, in Opal Lollipop. Not enough yet to see the pattern properly, but as I've been told, it's addictive! So it won't be long before there's another one here to see.

No SSS here

Just to prove that I have actually started my second sock. And I was anal and started it about the same place in the yarn as the first one!

Sock Pron!!

Now that I have access to a camera again, I can add pictures of what I have been knitting. I have just been dragged round the garden, knitting in hand, while my daughter took pictures of the the yarn I have been given in the past week.

My husband gave me a kit of bamboo needles with Opal Magic yarn, which is now a sock and a bit.