Monday 23 April 2007

The House of Flying Knitting Needles!

Hi everyone!
Sorry I have been away for a while but it has been due to circumstances beyond my control, namely Mum not being available to type for me.

Firstly because she had to go back to work last week, so hasn't had as much time and secondly because of the 'great knitting disaster'! Notice the title of my post!!
Read on and I will explain.

One evening last week, all was calm in my house.
Dad was watching TV, so were the tiddlypeeps and myself. George was dozing and Little Mummy was deep in sleep land, which is nothing unusual, she sleeps most of the time!
Mum was knitting her Forest Canopy shawl, muttering things like yarn over knit one, yarn over knit two, which doesn't mean much to me but seems to keep her happy!!! Now and again she glanced at the TV but wasn't really bothered about it.
So as I said a calm, peaceful evening, until .................... all of a sudden this yell and a rude word, which I can't repeat, came from my Mum (who is normally the calmest of all of us).
Everyone looked round and poor Dad was the one who dared to ask what the matter was (silly man, I kept my mouth shut). Apparently Mum had accidentally caught her left hand knitting needle and pulled it out of about a dozen stitches (at this point she had about 180 something on the needles and was getting close to the end). Dad tried to comfort her, but made the mistake of saying 'just pick them up again' (even sillier). Mum screeched that she couldn't just pick them up and tried to explain about the yarn over things making the holey pattern and the leaf pattern. Dad still trying to be helpful (I tried to tell him) said he couldn't see the leaves and (trying to be more helpful but failing miserably) what difference would a few more holes make anyway! (Has he got a death wish?)
At this point Mum went a bit purple in the face, (I think she may have called Dad a name but I was trying to run for cover), and wrenching the needles from her knitting threw them across the room! (Narrowly missing piercing my ear!) Then she left her mangled knitting on the floor and stomped off to bed. Not being one to miss a bit of comfort I curled up on the wool and went to sleep, until Mum came down again and put it all back in her bag, then stomped off again. That is a lot of stomping for my Mum!

Hence, the name of my post, very witty I thought and now Mum can see the funny side of it (just) so she agreed to type it.
She knew she should have put some lifelines in, but didn't (she has now)!!
I think she's remembering the pattern better after all that practise with the first attempt.
Anyway, due to this all other knitting has been abandoned and Mum is on a mission to finish the shawl. Dad has even agreed to buy her more wool for another one (to keep the peace I think).

Thank you to those people who made suggestions for the next sock wool to be used, I decided on the Peacock, but did laugh over the Crazy Frog and Crazy Peacock idea. Mum has put the progress bar up but hasn't started yet.

This knitting business is a bit dangerous sometimes!

Monday 16 April 2007

A Trip to the Doctors and Some Knitting News

Today Little Mummy (TJ) had to go to the Doctors in the car. She doesn't go in the car very often because she doesn't travel very well. Unlike me who loves the car and goes on long expeditions with Mum, Dad and the tiddlypeeps. Anyway back to Little Mummy, she had to go for a stingy needle thing and a check up. The Dr said that her heart was very good for her age, which was very good news. She had her toenails cut, which she hates having done, so she was very, very wriggly and slightly cross. She has also lost a bit of weight so has got to have more carbohydrates with her dinners, good job she likes rice and pasta!
Then it was time for Lightning Jack (Mum's rabbit) to have his teeth trimmed, he was very good too. Lightening Jack is a wild rabbit (who is now very tame), Dad found him paralysed when he was a baby so he came to live with me and my family. Now his legs are all better and he can run very fast, that's where he got his name from.

Now on to my Mum and her knitting. She finished the Dreamcatcher socks, seen below with me. More of me than the socks, but hey, you've seen three pairs of Mum's socks already and there could be more to come!




Because look what I found in Mum's stash cupboard!!!!!!!!

Five, yes FIVE , balls of sock yarn!!!!!!!

From the left,

  • Opal Rainforest Frog
  • Opal Rainforest Peacock
  • Opal Rodeo
  • Opal Dreamcatcher
  • Opal Crazy

I didn't know peacocks lived in rainforests, so I think that is a pretty silly name. The colours are good though.



So, which one do you think that Mum should knit next? Anyone out there please comment because Dad is getting fed up of being asked to choose one and Mum saying 'Oh, I didn't want you to pick that one!'

After my trying to sneak off with the Lorna's Laces the other day, and Mum being ashamed of not starting it, look what is now on the needles. Mind you Mum keeps muttering about not being sure if she likes the way it is knitting up.



Something about the strong contrast of the cream with the other colours!!! Don't ask me, I'm just the model. What do you think? Since taking the photo Mum has knitted a bit more and is still ot sure!

I'm off for some handsome sleep now, one day that blonde Afghan may come along and I need to be ready for her!

Saturday 14 April 2007

The Unwanted Scarf

Let me tell you the sad tale of the above.

One weekend George's boy came to visit, he very kindly drove Mum to the LYS where she purchased Freedom Spirit wool in the shade Storm to knit a multi-directional scarf. George's boy looked at and FELT the wool and said that he LIKED the colour.

So Mum thought that without George's boy knowing she would knit the scarf for him and leave the fringe off. Then she would send it off to Bristol as a surprise.

Mum worked devotedly on the scarf, and I should know, seeing as how my favourite spot in the whole world is next to my Mum on the sofa, and seeing as how I was under that particular wool while she was devotedly knitting it!!!

When the scarf was finished she wrapped it very carefully and sent it off on it's way to George's boy, thinking all the time how pleased he would be and how warm and snuggly he would be.

Aaaaahhh! I hear you all think, what a lovely story.

NO! NO! NO!

George's boy rang up and said 'I don't really like the colour Mum'
(What! Thought Mum, you told me you liked it.) then he said 'It's a bit itchy too' (What! Thought Mum, you felt it.)

So then my poor Mum started to weep uncontrollably into her lace trimmed handkerchief (she didn't really that's to add to the drama!), while George's boy apologised profusely and begged to be forgiven (he didn't do that either. Well, he did apologise but didn't do the begging bit, more drama).

My poor Mum is still traumatised by the whole thing and has not knitted a scarf since. She hasn't even got a picture to post as it was done before I started my blog. But maybe somewhere out there George's boy will see this and send it back so Mum can post a picture, and I will wear the scarf!!
(You will then have to ignore the answer to the random question in my profile.)

Thursday 12 April 2007

A Little Unfinished Business

Hi there, I thought I'd show you a bit more of Mum's knitting, or rather Mum's unfinished knitting. She is very good at starting projects and then getting sidetracked by other more enticing items that come along. She doesn't agree with me on that though, how strange.

I think I'll let her explain this little pile of goodies.


The Freedom Spirit tank (on the right, shade Bliss) is the second one I'm doing so it's not quite so exciting as the first and it's just stocking stitch. However it was going along quite nicely until I got caught by the sock virus.

All knitters know about the sock virus.
  • Stage 1 Me, knit a sock, why? Who knits socks these days?
  • Stage 2 Everyone else has got the virus why haven't I.
  • Stage 3 OMG I've caught the virus, I want sock yarn NOW
  • Stage 4 I haven't got any socks on the go, PANIC

So the moral of that is you should always have a pair of socks 'on the go'. (Opal Dreamcatcher socks)

The baby cable sweater I had to start before the baby was no longer a baby. Even now I have done a larger size so I will get it finished before this happens. Also most people knit first sizes and I wanted to do something for when she was a bit older.

(Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, Pink) My first ever go at cables!

See, there is logic behind my bits of unfinished business!

Not sure if I believe all that, sounds far too like excuses to me, but if it keeps her happy, I'm happy.

Just one more thing though, what's this? Obviously yet another project in the making!!!!

Think I'll sneak off with this before Mum notices.


Lorna's Laces sock wool shade Seaside. very gorgeous!!

Apparently that's for a Forest Canopy Shawl, that was supposed to be started at the same time as Kazza's (look for the post on the 15th Feb)and obviously wasn't!!

Mum says that she is still going to do it!!

I should think that will be round about the same time as I take up knitting!!!!

Just thought you'd like to see one more pic of yours truly, pointing helpfully to the project I think needs to be finished first.

Wednesday 11 April 2007

A Hard Day's Night

This is a short post as I am preparing for a night shift. Dad is working nights this week so I am in charge at home. Mum has been knitting while I have been catching a few zzzzzzz's on the sofa in preparation for the long night ahead. I am very experienced in security work which is just as well since Dad often works nights, mind you I do have plenty of backup!

It would have been a better rest if I hadn't been draped in pink Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino! Pink isn't my colour at all, more Little Mummy's thing, and it keeps making my ears twitch as mum pulls the yarn from the ball. However I am not about to give up my favourite spot on the sofa so I put up with it.

Mum's also been watching Bones on the TV which is one of my favourite programmes, I also enjoy Dog, The Bounty Hunter but I don't think he's much good, I've never seen him find a Bounty yet!

Tuesday 10 April 2007

Introductions

This is my beach. Not my own private beach unfortunately, but the beach that is five minutes away from my house. It's a very good place for walking, chasing seagulls, picnics in the summer and generally relaxing and watching the world go by. This picture was taken on a very cold day, you can tell by the colour of the sky that it wasn't very good weather. I decided against a paddle.




Sssshhhhh!!!! Here is my little mummy asleep. She spends a lot of time asleep because she is getting on a bit (she's 16!). Also she is pretending to be shy and covering her face with her paw. I think she looks cute. My little mummy is a Princess, her name is Tessica Jayne but she also answers to Princess TJ, Tessie Toes and Little Britches but mostly we call her TJ. She likes pink things so I told mum to write in pink just for her.


This is my mate George, you saw his nose yesterday! George really belongs to his boy who lives in Bristol, (not far from a very good LYS Get Knitted!), but he can't have George in his flat so I let him live at my house. George's boy is my mum's son. When he comes to stay George is very happy. George is sweet like chocolate, because he's a chocolate labrador cross.



This isn't a member of my family, just a cheeky sparrow picking up my hair to help make his nest. Good job I had a shower! I like to help out the local wildlife. I have got a pet sparrow who lost his mummy, his name is Fidget, he looks like this one but stays inside.


Now to the most important person, me of course. I just wanted to show you the enormous Easter egg that dad bought for mum. I think that when they say dogs aren't allowed chocolate because it makes them poorly, it is just so I can't have any.

I've had a bit of a lazy day today. Mum was very busy doing lots of sorting, clearing up and throwing out stuff. She called it spring cleaning, I kept well out of the way. Mum is off work this week so is catching up on some jobs. She hasn't done any knitting for two days! She was very pleased this morning because the postman brought her the Fall 2006 KnitScene magazine she bought from the USA. She wants to knit something called a Central Park Hoodie. Next time I will tell you more about mum's knitting. Between you and me she's not a very quick knitter, but she is getting better. Plus she doesn't have that much time to knit because of all the other things she has to do.
I'm off for my tea now, see you next time.

Monday 9 April 2007

Who's a clever boy then?

Look who's learnt how to put pictures onto his blog. And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Well 7 isn't old and from the looks of it ....... I learnt!

Plus I spend a lot of time laying next to my dad on the sofa while he plays with his laptop and pretends to be very busy. S0, it stands to reason I pick up the odd tip here and there. This is very useful for my mum as she is too busy making dad cups of tea or knitting!





So here are some knitty type things that my mum has done. These are her Opal Tiger socks. You can also see my mate George's nose. This was her first pair of socks ever, and the first thing she knitted on four needles.
She's only just started knitting you see, and because I am still debating whether or not I need a knitted dog coat, she has to practice on other things!



Now for the next item, more socks ......yawn!
These are Opal Musica and before you think it the little pair are DEFINATELY NOT FOR ME!
Firstly, I would need two pairs, secondly, no way Jose would I be seen in socks and thirdly, should I wish to wear socks they would be way, way too big for my paws!
They are actually for my mum's friend's grand-daughter to wear in her wellies.

All in all I haven't had a bad day. Apart from the shower this morning! Mum said I was getting a bit whiffy, how rude! I'm not keen on the shower bit, but I do like the hair dryer afterwards. That isn't common knowledge though so please keep it to yourself!

The Billster

Hello everyone out there.

This is my first post, done with a bit of help from my mum as paws aren't too good on a keyboard. Because of this I have employed her in a purely secretarial capacity, in other words, I talk and she types. I am, I have to say, a very extraordinary dog, as you will soon discover through reading my blog. My mum couldn't do without me, and wouldn't want too. To be honest I couldn't do without her either, who else would share their Cappuccino with me?


This blog will be a chance for me to air my observations on life, my mum (and her hobbies, mainly knitting and other crafts) and the view from the sofa.

There will be photograph's, when I learn how to put them on, but I don't do autographs.