Sick of this stupid cold

Spent the whole weekend sneezing and filling the flat with soggy tissues. Nice eh? It started on Thursday evening completely out of the blue which meant that I had to miss Knitflicks on Saturday - most annoying as I was really looking forward to watching the film and I haven't been to a screening in ages. Was all hyped up to go to the flower market on Sunday as well but the thought of all that pollen cuaisng me to sneeze on unsuspecting punters put me off.

Haven't been able to do much tidying or purging in the flat which means that poor Gruff will only have a little corner for his stuff when he moves in this weekend!! Oh dear, should get my skates on really. But what's offered some consolation is a little dusky pink, picot-edged beret that I started on Thursday (hmmm,.... love the tweedy colours although I think it'll go down in my memory as The-beret-I-made-when-I-had-that-nasty-cold-that-didn't-want-to-go-away).

This cold has meant that I can't enjoy my new status as unemployed bum although I have a telephone interview later on which is just as well - don't think I'm likely to impress anyone with my red nose and blotchy, watery eyes. This is my second interview with a big, prestigious, slave-driver, bumper profit making American-Jewish bank - yes, THAT one. I'm already pretty chuffed that my CV made it through to the interview stage. Har, har.... when I told Gruff he was completely oblivious and therefore unimpressed about what a big deal it is that they took the time to see me - it's what I adore about Gruff. IfI get the hands free thingy to work, I could even continue knitting my beret as they grill me about important banking stuff. Hee hee!

Clyde bag and crocheted flower

Not sure what kind of flower I was trying to recreate but it took several attempts and in the end I ran out of time. Man, I can be so anal sometimes about getting it perfect.

Little Clyde bag served me well except I tried to stuff it with too many things and the bottom just barely held out. First felted item though and it's mildly addictive. Instead of using a taffeta ribbon as instructed - I cut up the sleeve of an old silk shirt that I had ruined in the wash which coincidentally matched my dress - happy days!

Little red hat gets glammed up for the ball

I had problems with the finishing of this little red delight - a whole raft of questions flooded my mind, ribbon or no? what type? what colour? and then Gruff suggested a flower which prompted some frenzied crocheting. It ended up being placed on the Clyde bag and substituted with a leather hair thing which made it look slightly more contemporary. A bit of a cobbled-together hat but I love it.

Hooking & Felting

To all you non-crafters out there - this is nothing seedy. Gail & I went to a crotchet workshop at Fabrications which was run by the talented Rachel Matthews who has written some great books about twisting fibres.

Concentrating & absorbing information was hard with a hangover and I felt a little disabled. Just using one tool and one main hand felt strange and abnormal. It's a bit like going from skiing to snowboarding, the terrain's (yarn's) the same but you have less equipment and more liberty to 'free-form'. Knitting is more regimented, technical and perhaps austere whereas crotcheting feels more wanton. Hmmm,... haven't really got a preference and I did wonder whilst I was struggling why I was putting myself through this when I've already got an knitting obsession. Seems slightly sadistic! I am a little smitten with being able to create alien-like, oddly-shaped items of woolly blobs see my jellyfish like thing above.

In preparation for the wedding this Saturday, I have also been felting with the much loved Yorkshire Aran Tweed.... not sure how it's supposed to look but I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Other more mundane news - I have handed in my notice! Har har!!!.... Will miss my 14th floor office and the lovely view of the London Eye that twinkles in the sun. But I feel relieved so that's definitely a sign that it's the right decision. It's a bit of a shame as I'm getting along with the girl I previously posted about. We have been getting along recently i.e. she gave me an easter egg - and yes, chocolate is the surest way into my affections.

Also got offered a job in Hong Kong which meant a lot of agonising navel-gazing and thinking about whether to leave this smelly old town and future life-directions. I've been free-forming too much without any coherent overall vision. It might be nice to be back in Asia and the post-holiday blues inducing a bit of london fatigue has kicked in. Guess I have to sit down and write out a proper life-pattern to follow. Hmmmm,....

Crucial yarn maintenance

Some lovely Debbie Bliss Maya yarn that needs to be wound up. I think this will be used for Mong's Acorn hat which I'll use Woolly Wormheads hat pattern for.

The flat's been in dire need of a good clean and I have been distracted with planning for the holiday, hats and other good and far more interesting things. So yesterday evening, Gruff and I decided to tackle our ever-increasing muck together in a joint effort of mutual support. Gruff had the pretigious task of cleaning the bathroom (doesn't it look sparkly?) whilst I was in charge of tidying up - fair enough since most of the mess is knitting related and most of the toilet's mess is erm, Gruff related. In the midst of all this, Gruff came up to the bedroom and caught me off guard.

Gruff: Where did you put the....(suspiciously) what are you doing?

Me: (guilty look on my face) Erm,.... nothing, I mean erm.... (brightly) I'm organising.... (Trying to look busy & occupied)

Gruff: (resignation in his voice) You're playing with your yarn aren't you?!!

Me: Nooooooo.........., (unconvincingly) I'm organising it.

Sigh,... sorry Gruff! But it urgently needed doing. There was a pressing requirement to stash my stash so that I can erm, take stock. Kind of... have decided to monitor my yarn addiction and I'm setting aside a strict monthly yarn budget since I know that strict abstinence is impossible.

More (blue) stuff on the go.

The nobbly mess on the left will be transformed into a hoodie this weekend for my baby nephew Alex. Long overdue - this was supposed to be his x'mas present - oops!

The blue stuff above is my Sidar sea cushion that's been my telly/movie project as it's just a straight st st. The yarn's got such nice hues in it that anything complicated and cabley would just detract from it.

Le slouch hat - hmmmmm.....

Love this hat - am slightly anxious though that it's not formal enough for a wedding and I'll end up looking like a complete berk (i.e. the strange wedding guest).

Will seek the advice of the wise ladies at K's & P's tomorrow. Not even sure if it needs beads etc as the seed stitch gives it a nice texture which suits the tweedy flecks. Am glad that the weather's confounded expectations and turned chilly for April as it means that i'll be able to wear this for another few weeks.

Le Slouch is replacing the space in my heart that's been left by the 'Duck' glove of my knucks that was lost on the number 8 bus. (sniff, sniff). I've even been tempted to call the 'Lost & Found' department of London Transport in a vain effort to retrieve it.

Jaeger yarn

This is the yarn for my ripple along blanket. All that remains is for me to learn how to crotchet! Bought this at the X'mas Liberty's sale where they were reduced to £2 a ball... which of course meant I had to buy loads of it. Love the colours though, earthy and natural. Will have a play on the random stripe generator this afternoon to see what it offers up.

Oh what fun awaits!

Fun with wild plums

Bought the yarn below so that I could make the bag on the left. This has now been used for Le Slouch which I started on Thursday evening and finished on Sunday. One of the fastest projects I've ever completed. Plus I had enough left over to make one side of the bag which will compliment the hat nicely. I am truely IN LOVE with this yarn - the first thing I did this morning was to knit a couple of rows with this. How sad am I? But what's even more tragic is that this yarn has been discontinued!!! (Maybe that's one of the reasons I love it so - it's an endangered, extinct species?) Why do yarn companies do this? Have been scouring the tinternet this whole weekend to search for more in this and other shades. Will let you know how the mission ends.