Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Tuesday geekyness

As anyone who knows me in real life or who has been reading here for a while, I love Doctor Who. I started watching it when I was only about 4 and Tom Baker was the Doctor. So when I found out last year that a Doctor Who exhibition was coming to Glasgow, I knew that I had to get there. Its being held in the big local museum, Kelvingrove, which is a gorgeous building with lots of different exhibits. My favourites are a Salvador Dali painting Christ of St. John of the cross and Rennie Mackintosh/Glasgow style galleries.

I had a great day and took quite a few pictures which I've embedded a slide show of below. I've also included a picture of the random old police box that sits on one of Glasgow's busiest streets and always cheers me up a little when I see it.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Friday progress

I'm continuing to make some progress on my goals for this month but I fear I may run out of month before I run out of goals.

I have finished one of the pairs of socks that I currently have on the needles - Plain stockinette socks in Lorna's laces shepherd sock in Jungle stripe.

Jungle stripe socks

I've also made a start on the latest Socktopus sock club socks - Over the garden wall toe up socks by Loumms creations. The yarn is Artist's Palette sweet feet in sweet pea.

Over the garden wall sock wip

Toe up socks are a new thing for me so I'm learning a lot. Mostly that they are easier than I thought they would be.

Finally I've finished the side panels for Japanese Octagon box. I really want to get this all finished up soon as it will look perfect in my bedroom which has a lot of oriental bits and pieces. Last week I finished redecorating my bedroom and this would just set it off perfectly.

Japanese Octagon box part 1-8

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Tuesday update

As I mentioned in the last post, I've finished the Blue lacy Cardigan that I've been knitting this past few weeks. Its another design by Ysolda Teague - Liesl. and its knitted in New Lanark aran so a truly Scottish production.

Liesel completed

There's more pictures of it on my Flickr page if you click on the picture.

On Monday evening, I knitted up a little bracelet kit that I had bought last year at the local stitching show. Its 0.3mm wire threaded with beads and was really easy to do.

Wire knitted bracelet

Part of what inspired me to knit up the bracelet was that I'm planning to wear it later in the year. My cousin's son is getting married in June and I'm invited to the wedding as my sister and I were very close to him as children. My mum's extended family is huge so family weddings get a little big if everyone was invited. On Monday, I spent the day shopping for something to wear to the wedding with my mum and sister. I'm not a big fashionista or particularly girly so I needed their help to find something as they both are. After a lot of looking, I was persuaded to try on a dress. I'm more a jeans/trouser sort of girl so I was really surprised to find that I really liked it. Now I need to find or make some sort of cardigan/shrug type thing to wear with it.



Whilst I was in the shop, I also tried on a embroidered top which appealed to my cross stitching side. I'm hoping that we have a summer this year as I decided to buy it and want the chance to wear it.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

An Easter bunny

Happy Easter everyone. I've spent today relaxing with some chocolate and knitting. This week I've finished a little Easter project - An egg cosy.

Bunny egg cosy

I also finished my lacy blue cardigan today. Pictures to follow once its blocked. I'm hoping to have a few finishes this week as I've got some time off.

Friday, April 03, 2009

A variety of finishes and some progress pictures

I've been catching up this evening with some of the things I've been making lately. First up, a finish from last month, Violets by Shepherd's bush. I'm not sure as yet how I'm going to finish it.

Violets

At the weekend, I made one of my previous finishes into a biscornu. The design is a freebie that I got with a package of Dinky dye fibres from West End embroidery at the Harrogate show a couple of years ago.

Dinky dyes biscornu

A couple of weekends ago, I made my first visit to a new and very lovely bead shop that has opened in Glasgow along with a couple of people from my knitting group. Its a fabulous shop and I'm planning a return visit soon. Whilst I was there, I picked up some purple beads that I've made into elasticated bracelet. You can see two of them below.

Purple beaded bracelets

Whilst I was there, I also bought a watch face, some glass beads and silver spacers that became this watch and bracelet set. Its a slightly late Mother's day present for my mum which I hope she like. She doesn't read my blog so its safe to share here.

Beaded watch and bracelet

In my goals post, I mentioned that I've made some progress on Autumn watergarden and Japanese Octagon box so I thought I'd share some progress pictures. I'm enjoying my stitching again thankfully.

Autumn watergarden pic 2

Japanese octagon box pic 3

Not much else going on here. I'm working this weekend on night shift then flipping back on to day shift on Tuesday, which I am very unimpressed about but I'm off work the following week. On Wednesday, I saw my GP and I've got sinusitis, which would account for the facial pain and general washed out feeling I've had lately. I have some antibiotics to take which are making me feel pretty sick but at least they are helping.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

March progress and April goals

For March I hoped I would

1. Finish my Central Park Hoodie - I only have a little bit of each sleeve, the hood and the button bands to do so its achievable - Yay I managed this as you can see from the last post

2. Finish one pair of socks currently on the needles - again achievable as I'm on the second sock of one pair - Again I managed this as per my last post.

3. Stitch at least the first part of Autumn Watergarden - Not quite but I made some progress.

4. Finish stitching the box side of Japanese Octagon box and make a start on at least one more section - Well I've almost finished the box side.

In addition I managed to start and finish Violets by Shepherd's bush and make a previous finish into a biscornu. I've also been doing a little beading of some bracelets and a watch strap.


For April I plan to

1. Finish a Lacy cardigan that I'm currently knitting. I've only got the sleeves to go.

2. Finish at least one pair of socks

3. Start and finish my Socktopus April sock club socks once they arrive.

4. Finish at least part 1 of Autumn Watergarden and try to finish part 2.

5. Finish the box side of Japanese Octagon box and start the next part.

6. Stitch my part of a group wall hanging project that I'm part of.