Getting there.

I feel a huge need to celebrate. I have gained a huge amount of weight back. On 6th February 2012 I weighed 5st11 oz. My bmi was 13. All due to unknown gastro problems( still unknown too). Today I am 7.6.5oZ. Hooray me. My goal is 8 stone which is my healthy natural weight so almost there.
Oh and my teaching myself to spin is going really well. I've spindle spun all day today and has a lovely day. Pee draughting, spinning, wet setting the yarn. Repeat 3 times. :-)
Oh and spring is almost here.

More spinning

Here's more of my hand spun. From the last 5 or 6 days

14grams

So I now have spun up 14g of mixed roving. I got 14 wpi which is a dk weight. Perfect

My new hobby

Today is day 3 of teaching myself to spin on a drop spindle. Full update blog soon

Been busy...

So today I've made a project bag using a night sky and stars fabric. It's especially for my Celestarium shawl. I have put the yarn, needles, beads and stitch markers in all ready to go. I have a few more wips to finish though before I allow myself to cast on.
The other item I finished is a Tardis phone sock for Daves birthday. He loves Doctor Who and has done his whole life.
More makes to show tomorrow if I'm alright. My flu went but left me with a nasty cough. It has become so bad that I've torn something inside my diaphragm and it hurts to do more than breath slowly and shallow. Absolute agony. Doctors now. Bye for now. Elspeth x

Smallness and bigness

So, last night Niamh my youngest daughter asked me for a new wand. After talking about it she settled on a flower wand and chose the yarns from my collection of fivemoons mini skeins. Purple multi and pink sparkle multi. Well I used the star pattern that I used to make my mother-in-laws scarf from vogue knitting 25th anniversary issue. I created this with pink lined blue beads and she loves it.

I also finished my Golden Xale shawl I started last november for a lap but put it away until a couple of days ago. Cast off this evening and it's now blocking. It's made using James C Brett Moonlight Sonata in the mixed gold. It measures 13" ish by 71.5" and I love it. I didn't stick to the pattern but I added about 600 silver lined clear beads and it looks great.

Have a lovely day wherever you are and do a little boogie to the radio x
Bye for now Elspeth x

Pictures 15th February 2013

Daves cowl/snood
My shopping spree was super fun.
Dave spoilt me yesterday for valentines with a pattern, needles, yarn, stitch markers, pink crystal beads and fabric for a project bag. I did make the peacock skirt.
I also made a project bag for my bay side pullover.
Just about recovered from this flu so give me a few more days before I do s full post. Take care and have a great day. Elspeth x

Part 2 of 3 Absence makes my heart grow fonder

So part two of my catch up.
I decided this year to start sewing my own clothes again. I haven't really done more than alter things for myself in a couple of years and I've missed it. I've made items for my children but not me. For example, I made Niamh a skirt for her birthday last week and she loves it to pieces. She'll model it when she isn't so swollen with flu.
As well as lots of yummy yarn, I have been buying some beautiful fabrics, as well as some purely just for fun because they took my fancy. So I'll just post some photos then explain what each is for.

Ok so top down, squirrel fabric is for a long sleeved mid shin length dress, I've always wanted people to double take a look at what they think the print is and it'll make me giggle every time someone does.

 The Japanese garden fabric is going to be a kimono shaped long top, about thigh length, I saw it and thought it was too beautiful not to wear.

The yellow mouse fabric is now a very happy socks in progress bag.

The knitting sheep made me giggle and it will be made into a shawl project bag with a silver ribbon.

The peacock fabric is (on me) a knee length skirt in the making. All the pieces have been cut, I now just need to get all the flu riddled people better so I can use my sewing machine without giving us all a headache.

The green festive fabric is for Christmas 2013 knitting projects. Basically I've decided that if the yarn for all collectively knitted gifts doesn't for into this bag, it isn't getting knitted. So pair of mitts or sock fine, maybe a wrap, also fine, jumper...not a chance of a flying monkey. Self preservation of sanity.

The beautiful and best until last gold leaf kimono fabric will be being transformed into a dress. I want to be able to wear it year round so I'm having to go with it being as long as it can be, but without traditional sleeves. In the summer it would be too warm with sleeves, and in the winter the sleeves wouldn't really be of help with layering as its cotton. So some form of straps that will allow me to layer both under and over the dress.

I also have more projects I'm doing, but they are upcycling. I'll present those as a before and after series when they're all finished in a few weeks. Don't rush creativity people or it becomes a chore to get done rather than a pleasure to sew.

Anyway folks, my projects are calling to me so I'll update the last part in a few days.

Take care of yourselves and be creative.

Imagine what a crew of fireman made entirely of cats would do to figure out who had to hold the wet hose!!!!!!! Ha Ha Bye