December

Finished the Advent Calendar, now on its way to London.

November

A new wool shop opened in Loughborough last month. Selling mostly King Cole. So I trotted along and duly bought a ball of every colour of the sock yarn. And knitted it. Scheduling clashes meant that instead of Knitting History Forum, that weekend I did shop/reception duty at the museum on the Saturday, and Winter Woollies at Nanpantan on the Sunday, so had to have higher "stock" levels than usual. As before, the Bargain Box got far more attention than the good stuff, but did sell two pairs of socks and publicised the museum. Made a bit of pocket money for the Knitting & Stitching Show at Harrogate. Now got 18 pairs of socks, 11 pairs of handwarmers and 6 pairs of gloves stored. Started using some ends of yarn to make silly socks, as getting rather overwhelmed with remnants, far too many for blanket no. 3. Found another wool shop online selling off Sirdar Heart & Sole old colours at virtually half price. Shetland Hap was finished and blocked. Wish I'd put it in the spinner after soaking, it dripped everywhere. Decided somebody had to take the initiative and started setting up the organising for a Circular Sock Machine Weekend in Kegworth. FWK Museum will be open on the Saturday, so people can go there as well. (Museum has got new manager from next month, but she is unlikely to change the opening hours at this stage). Within first week had 20 positive replies, which is my break even point, hoping for 30, so some funds can be raised. Also sent for a very expensive book from Norway, heavy, so postage heavy, AND ridiculous bank charges. The silly sods got themselves mixed up and sent it me twice, but letting me keep second copy. Decided to raffle it for museum funds. Raised £90!.

October, Socktober?

After a lovely holiday in France, came home to find there has been a run on my new style heel-less socks in the Museum. Just about ran out of yarn so a hefty order (by my standards) has gone in to Wool Warehouse. For once, I ignored all the Drops Fabel shades and chose a mix of several different brands. As I am demonstrating at Winter Woollies at end of November as well, have now got to work twice as fast to replenish shop stock, some for show and some in hand. Manager of museum is going on to a different job, wonder if inevitable changes will affect the Textile Emporium. On holiday, completed Sami (Lapp) mittens for Erika, don't think she was impressed though! Then I was asked to do some Vegimal Tupin (from the Octonauts) things for hair elastics for her. Really fiddly. One advantage was that in looking for the crochet cotton, found some snowflakes, so one less job for the Advent calendar. Really disappointed that the Knitting History Forum as been put back by a week, it clashes with some many other things now. First time I will have missed it.

Advent is coming

I have now put together the advent calendar "quilt" with wadding and backing and a couple of loops at the top for a bamboo cane. As at today, I have 16 items for the pockets. Planning to write a little booklet of the origin of the items to go with it, and have treated myself to a copy of the Enid Blyton Christmas Book I enjoyed so much as a child.

See Life but not at Sea Life

Saturday was Granny's Annual Treat Day. This year it was the Sea Life London Aquarium. Rather boring, and I don't think even the five kids, ages 2 to 14, will request a return trip. However, lunch afterwards in an Italian restaurant went down very much better. A short burst at an adventure playground and carousel afterwards was also appreciated. In the afternoon I schlepped up to Islington and bought the Estonian knitting book I had browsed on my last visit. What an eye-opener, very inspiring, itching to do more mitten designing. Patterns must be easier than those bluetit mitts I did last year. I suppose I really ought to knit the Fleur de Lys mitts I designed as well. And must crack on with the advent calendar knitting, this has to be completed by 14th November

Sock it to me

Such a little thing, but a joy. A contact on Ravelry had made kiddie socks using every other needle on her machine, but with a hung hum. She wondered about using a rib. Well, I wondered too, and it does work - every other ribber needle and every other main cylinder needle in place. The machine behaved beautifully and I think I can use this model to teach students at the museum. Half the work, half the time, and probably half the frustrations and twice the satisfaction.

My Perfect Meal?

Tonight we had Prawn Cocktail Duck breast with mini-roast (n the duck fat), asparagus etc Apple meringue Followed by an F&M violet cream All homecooked.

May be Christmas?

It's only the third of May - why am I thinking about Christmas already? Well, I bought a Christmas advent panel. 24 little pockets to fill and have delivered before 1st December. In reality, before mid-November, my usual trip to London for the Knitting History Forum, so it's only six months. The basic calendar has been put together - but oh, those pockets are so tiny! It's going to be quite a challenge to find items small enough. I am cheating on some red and white items, but reversing the colours. They've also got to be recognisable - some patterns are so tiny they are just blobs. Off on usual French holidays soon - whether I do any Christmas knitting there is doubtful. I have got the patchwork dog to take to the Club, to keep in with their theme. The weather here the last week has been cold enough for snow - and we got it. Better improve over there!

Marching past March

I'm not a very frequent blogger, am I? At the end of March the "Season" started with a typically freezing cold Lambing Day. It seemed quiet to me, as I was tucked away under the Granary, and most people seemed to ignore my There were a few "returners" from previous years though. April started with Machine Knitting Show, with the ever faithful Margaret. We had a steady stream of people chatting to us, very enjoyable. One lady was inspired enough to bid of a circular machine on eBay, all the way from Canada. A couple of weeks later she happened to pop in the museum when I was on shop duty - such a happy coincidence. I will be giving her lessons later in the year. The same day, we had a visitor all the way from Phoenix in the States, whose ancestors made silk gloves in Borrowash, a village about 10 miles from me. Lots of lovely stories, including a photo of a Sampler made by one of his x times great grannies in 1823. It's going to be a quieter season this year, having decided only to do four shows or events, other than usual stuff at the museum. Just don't seem to have the same energy, and unwilling to drive a lot God job, as a silly shoulder pain has been going on since I put the Christmas dekkies away in the attic - obviously overstretched myself. For this reason, and the creaking knees, have set on a gardener. I think we still have to "shake down" together. She seems slow, but thorough. Perhaps I am being impatient and expecting miracles from someone younger and fitter.

Leap into the year

How did I miss January? Just come back from a perfect weekend with my grandchildren. It takes four hours door-to-door to Guildford, but is well worth it. The house extension is going well, with a brilliant new vaulted bedroom for A and L. Not tv makeover standard stupid, but beautiful and liveable with. Lunch was in the Weyside Inn overlooking the river, all the kids behaved themselves, very pleasant. After tea I went back to London. lasagne in the flat with Pol Roger followed by violet liqueur, vermouth, and a 100-year old Madeira which was totally not to my taste, but an experience nevertheless. Next morning interesting conversation with three and a half year old E. Night before she had requested her bedtime book was read in the original French, then morning was English and some Japanese counting and animal naming. Then long cold walk to a play scheme and outdoor park, another pub lunch. Bookshop to buy ancient enlarged maps of the area for J's birthday, plus their local and very well stocked garden centre - got interesting purple lettuce seeds. J was tempted with an olive tree, but is going to wait until after their hols. Even though London is supposed to be a bit warmer, there was a bitter cold wind, can't believe the tree would survive without protection. Somehow it took 3 hours to get home - really could leave the flat later for the bus to St P, as I was there 30 mins before scheduled departure. Do my legs ache today?