the wool sanctuary

Bathroom Wall Comes Down, Crash, Fame and Eggs

Check out my PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) I used when I knocked the plaster off the bathroom wall.

No, no, don't look at my feet!!!

I can't get warm today, it is freezing, even my calculator has his jumper on (good god, did I really just write that?). I am suffering from shock, on Monday night on my way home from work I was stuck in a traffic jam on the motorway. There was an accident on the inside lane, the police were closing the lane off so all the traffic in the inside lane was moving over. I wasn't in any rush to move over as the traffic was moving so slow but when an ambulance came up behind me with it's lights flashing I knew I had to move. I saw a gap between two lorries and indicated and made my move. Only the lorry driver didn't stop. He hit the back of my car and pushed me along the middle lane until her realised there was a mini cooper attached to the front of his vehicle. Luckily the lorry in front was moving quicker otherwise I would have been crushed. I am unhurt but mentally wobbly- nothing new there then.

Brrrrrrrr, cold iTouch with jumper on. I am so famous at the moment. There is an article in Woman and Home about one of my knitters, Sarah Brown, they came and did a photo shoot here, ti is about her taking up knitting and her coming the The Wool Santuary. I have had lots of sales and enquiries already because of it. It is the March 2012 issue, not in the shops yet, but available if you subscribe, it will be in the shops on the 6th Feb, I think. So just wait until the rest of the general public get hold of it. I will be well busy.

Speaking of magazines, these four bad boys are to be featured in Mollie Makes (the Easter issue). Not only that, they are going to be on the front cover, my first front cover (I hope they don't change their minds). I am well chuffed. Next month Vogue. It is only a matter of time before Anna Wintour gets in touch.

Before!

In Between!

After! Just in case any of you were wondering, there is still more work to do on this room!

Love is in the air, everytime I look around.......

I have been knitting love tokens. You can download the pattern from my Ravelry page. I forgot to put my New Years Resolutions on here at the beginning of the year, so here they are:

1. Tidy as you go along.

2. Be more organised.

3. Stop swearing.

4. Be more decisive.

5. Decorate bathroom.

6. Knit more.

7. Publish my book.

8. Go home more- book train in advance.

9. Dancing lessons.

10. Eat more licorice.

11. Help old people more.

I have broken number 3 already.

I caught the owner of the dog who has been leaving me a gift outside my house everyday for the past year in the act, the dog that is, not the owner. I confronted him and his response was 'well he has to go somewhere'. I was speechless, then told him to go and get a bag and clear it up, I said 'in fact, I will come with you to make sure you do it' then realised I had left my trolley with all my work in outside my house so decided against it. I did follow him in my car but he disappeared behind a bush or up a drive and I lost him. I have not seen him since and the gift remains outside the house, shrivelled and dry, wet now because it is raining.

The Mystery Knit is nearly ready. There will be only 20 kits available so if you are interested then please let me know, you don't have to commit by showing interest. I can give you some details that might help you make up your mind. It is knitted in Rowan cashsoft 4ply & Rialto 4ply, it consists of 10 colours, it will be around £100 and will be knitted over the course of 10 months. I have not located a violin teacher yet in Weston Super Mare. Can anyone help?

My Beating Heart, Earth Flight and Impulse Buys

I had no problem turning 30. It passed without worry or panic, but two weeks after I had had my birthday I woke in the night and sat bolt upright. All I could think of where on the 'Bath tub curve' by heart was. To those none engineers this means that any piece of equipment has a wear in and then an active life then a wear out period which on a graph looks like a bath tub. I couldn't think where on the graph my heart was after 30 years. I got over it, but can't help but thinking that at the age of 40 I have moved a substantial amount along that curve. Hang on, I am going to google 'bath tub curve' and see if I can post a picture. Don't go anywhere. Ok, I think you are best googling it yourself, not sure which one to post so I will leave it up to you.

Anyway, I am no longer worried about the 'Bath tub Cuve' I feel really good this year, like I want to take every opportunity that presents itself .Yesterday a string of events occurred that lead to me buying a violin. I love it, lessons start next week- I am not wasting any time.

My 'Mystery Mystery' is coming along nicely. It is not a Mystery blanket, but something else that I am not goingh to reveal just yet. I have my subject and have been busy designing. I cannot wait to share this with you once it is ready.I can tell you at this stage that it is going to be knitted in Rowan Cashsoft 4ply.

Back to being 40, just for a minute. When I turned 30 I really appreciated trees, mainly I couln't believe that something so big had just come from a seed. I would often stop to look at a good tree and really have a good think about how long it had been growing. Now I am 40 I have found a new love- birds. I have been watching Earth Flight in bed before I go to sleep, the main reason being I was hoping it would make me dream of being able to fly. So far I have dreamt about wrapping a crumbling christmas pudding and gate crashing someones wedding, neither anything to do with flying. I won't give up. I particularly like Flamingoes. No doubt I will be knitting one in the future. Ok, off for a piece of liquorice to eat in bed whilst watching Earth Flight. I do like barn owls too.

COLD, Princess Margaret, Carer

I am cold. I have spent the day in some gun sheds- no heating. I came home on a coach that had - no heating. I drove home, with heating but was still frozen with numb toes. Got home- no heating. Now sat in the lounge, lots of layers and a portable heater. I phoned Princess Margaret (Annie) and asked if I could come round and have a bath but she was on her way out, but she did send round a plumber. Above is Princess Margaret (named after Annie). A scarf to knit over Christmas because it doesn't make much concentration but is highly addictive to knit. I am wanting to knit another one but am only stuck on what colour to chose. It is available in a kit for £35, please see my website or e-mail me for more details.

I have been looking after my neighbour. He came out of hospital two weeks ago after having his right foot rebuilt and social services said he was capable of looking after himself, I despair. So I have been doing my bit for him. I go and check he has had his dinner then do some shopping, pay some bills and get his pension for him.

Ahhhhh, recycling tomorrow. Just off to put the rubbish out, to get a bit colder than I already am! Will put some better pictures of Princess Margaret on here soon.

My Poor Knees, Meadowgate and Older People

Last Thursday night at around 7.45pm I fell over in John Lewis just inside the door near the carpet and rug department. I went flying, it bloomin well hurt, a lady came over to see if I was ok, I just told her I was in shock but alright and thanked her for stopping. When I got outside I noticed my right knee was bleeding quite badly and my tights were ripped. It was awful, where is your mum when you need her?

Anyway, never mind my knees, I was 40 last Saturday, I was at Cowslip at the time and Jo and Stephen really spoilt me, it was lovely, they organised a meal with some really good friends and I was a complete show off, I am not going to deny it, give me an audience and there is no stopping me- this is why I don't go out much, there is no controlling me. Anyway, the point of this story is, when I got back on Sunday the next day there was a letter from the NHS saying 'Now that you fall into the age group 40-74 you are entitled to a free medical!' 40-74, what the????

I've not really had much chance or time rather, to talk about Meadowgate, our second holiday to the home of Kirstie Allsopp. It was a fantastic rest as last time. I took so much knitting, but I was really strict with myself this time. Instead of filling the car with yarn and forgetting most of my clothes and toiletries like I did last time, I packed a small bag and took things that I needed to finish off. I made some amazing yellow leg warmers and gave them to Thea, I made a tea cosy for my stall. Just left you a minute then to make Tiffin to take to work tomorrow, I am mulltitasking. Where was I, oh yes knitted a lovely shrug in Kid Silk Aura, I have loads of the stuff. And I did lots of quiliting, we went to Cowlsip for a hand quiliting workshop, it was brill. I will take some pictures of my quilt that I worked on. I started it five years ago, it is a slow burner.

I went in the sea at Meadowgate, it wasn't cold, just really refreshing. I forgot my costume though so had to go in in my nightshirt and walking boots, Ursula Andres I was not. You couldn't swim in it though it was too rough. I discovered the fantastic washing machine when I had to wash my nightshirt so decided to do a wash of all my smalls. Unfortunately I left them to dry on the Aga and when the Sunday roast was being cooked someone trapped my knickers in the oven door. This unfortunately jammed the door and Jim had to release them with a wooden spoon. They were burnt but still wearable.

Me comfortable in my knitting attire at Meadowgate.

Beach at Meadowgate with Carolynne, Steph and Sarah. I have been really really busy designing. I have designed a scarf for Christmas, there is nothing Christmssy about it, but it is designed as a project to knit at Christmas. You can pick it up and put it down without thinking too hard about it. I will post a picture of it on here in time. All these promises.

Look what me and Annie saw in Sainsbury's. Yes, it is some of the hats we made for the smoothies for Age UK and the good news is that now I fall into the 40-74 age bracket I expect to be getting some of the money raised by Age UK. Ok, off to put the chocolate on top of my Tiffin. Oh I got an iPhone for my birthday. I have had it nearly a week but still haven't got a cover for it so carry it around in the box it came in in my handbag. I sometimes can't get the lid off quick enough when it rings. If my knee goes septic I will put another picture on here along with one of the nordic scarf I am knitting, don't think I mentioned that did I?

New York, New York so good they name it twice

I went to New York for 9 days, it was amazing. I can't wait to go back. What is going on with the flies in the UK? I am sat in my lounge writing this and there is a massive fly stressing out. He is not the first one I have seen today but he will be the last as I am off to bed now. I will continue this tomorrow, can't think straight just back from Cowslip in Cornwall. I had a stall at the Christmas Craft Fair.

The fair was amazing as usual and, and, and it was my 40th birthday yesterday, so I was spoilt rotten by all my friends there. Kirstie Allsopp was there on the Friday filming for her Christmas special that I think goes out on Christmas Eve. We said hello and had a hug and discussed the flies at Meadowgate then I got told off by her for talking whilst they were trying to film. I didn't care I had just seen my friend Claire who makes the most amazing jewellery, her business is called 'Elsie Hates Harvey' you have to look her up and buy from her because she is both nice and talented.

Ok, I've changed my mind, I am not going to bed yet, I need to talk about the weekend and Meadowgate and New York, oh I am all over the place. I am always so inspired when I go to Cowslip and this visit was no different. I have come home bursting with ideas that I can't wait to get started on. Whilst I was there I bought some material to do some more hand quilting. I am going to do a cushion for my mum for Christmas, boring boring boring, you don't want to hear about this. Lets get back to the knitting. I am designing a scarf currently, it is textured as apposed to coloured. I was really inspired when I was in New York to design some pieces that are texturised. I have eaten about 1,000 maltesers today I think they have made me go funny. Off to bed. Will be back to write something coherent tomorrow.

Thank You Dean Friedman

Thank you Dean Friedman. Last night I sang Lucky Stars with Dean Friedman at The Arts Centre in Bath. I absolutely loved it. You can see the film on my facebook page. I will try to link it in here. Click here, see if this works. Ok, let me tell you a story now about my book. To cut a long story short I turned down the contract with the publishers. I found out they were not being truthful with me about 'stuff', can't really say anymore. So I came to the decision that I could do a better job on my own.

Debbie Abrahams put me in touch with a graphic designer, who is going to help me to self publish. I am really looking forward to working with him and being in complete control of what the book looks like.

I can't stop eating at the moment, I know it will pass, but I am just really enjoying eating- anything. I have just had two bowls of coco pops. I am going to go to bed soon just to keep me out of the kitchen. Not long to go until the Knit Club holiday at Meadowgate. Kirstie Allsopp's new programme started tonight and I saw her new book in Waterstone's today. I designed placemats and coasters for the book. I didn't like what I designed, what I wanted to do didn't work and I found myself frantically knitting something to send the next morning when the deadline ran out. They obviously didn't like them either because they only used the coasters in the book- nobodys' perfect. (Is that apostrophe in the right place?)

 

An Accident and Popcorn

 
 
Is it wrong to spray your popcorn with water then sprinkle more sugar on it? I have been away for a week on a training course. I loved being away but just ate and ate and ate. I stayed in the officers mess, it was big cooked breakfasts, lunch and a three course meal in the evening. AS WELL AS a huge amount of breaks all day with biscuits and my secret stash of whispers, milky ways, crisps, bananas, and fruit pastilles, a sneaky McDonalds. It just went on and on and on.

 
I have had an accident. It rained last Sunday, it was terrential so I got my scooter out and went on my way to Blockbusters to return the DVD I had borrowed on Friday night. I got soaked, I loved it but when I was crossing the road, I picked up the scooter and it swung round and hit me in my right shin. At the same time my left leg connected with it pushing it into my leg even more. It flippin killed but I did not let the pain show.

 
A week on, I have a blue shin and a blue ankle. I will be doing a Mystery Knee Blanket next year, please let me know if this is something you might be interested in. Now what should I have for tea?????? Beans?

Kirstie's Homemade Home Letters - it's about time!

 
I have put the pattern for the knitted letters on Ravelry, you know the ones I designed for the title sequence for Kirstie's Homemade Home. It has only taken me two and a half years to write the pattern. The letters can be knitted in any weight yarn. The ones I did for the titles were in Rowan Wool Cotton and Rowan Cashsoft DK for the words and Rowan Big Wool for the individual letters. Not sure why I decided to write the pattern tonight but knitters have been asking for them for a long time now, so the wait is, at last, over. Here is the link the the pattern.

 
I am freezing, I ran a bath just as I started to write the pattern for the letters, just went to get in it and it is freezing cold, so have emptied the bath and have put my electric blanket on instead.

 
I have a plan, I am going to suggest that as a team building exercise  my colleagues renovate a bathroom- my bathroom. There will be a cooked meal in it and a knitting lesson for them all. I will suggest it tomorrow and let you know how I get on.

 
Did I tell you that when I went into Bristol on my scooter, the night of the riots, I wore my best underwear? I had heard on the news that people were having the clothes stollen off their back. If I was going to be on the national news stripped I wanted to look my best - matching underwear all the way!

 
It is Knit Club this Saturday, I have 20 ladies coming to knit, chat, drink tea/coffee and eat toast. I am pacing myself with the cleaning this week, I will start tomorrow thought, can't be bothered tonight.No mad rush at 6am this Saturday. Just going to put the onion away.

Wallander

 
 
Last night I dreamt I was Wallander. No knitting tonight, bath then bed, can't even last through New Tricks. x