Lots of time to knit

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 17 September, after almost a month of tests and tentative diagnosis.

After initially thinking "I'm going to di-i-i-e-e!" I have tried to keep a positive outlook and as I am on paid sick leave for 6 months, at least I have lots of time to knit and work my way through my stash.

I may even get round to sewing up my projects which have been languishing in my bedroom for over a year.

I have been almost overwhelmed by the support of friends and colleagues and have decided to do as many enjoyable things as I can manage.

So far I have had one chemotherapy treatment - they are every 3 weeks for 6 months - and it was quite pleasurable in a weird way.

I have been told that my hair will fall out so have made a few woolly hats for myself and am getting a free wig tommorrow. So far my follicles are hanging on, which is disappointing in the extreme after Jan from the Bolton Knitting Noras presented me with an array of fantastic hats and a gorgeous crochet shawl on Sunday at our Bliss charity knit out.

I can't wait to wear them!

I have also completed a premature baby blanket and will try and get another one finished by Sunday when we are all meeting up for our monthly knit out at Costa Coffee.

Festie fever

Having just returned from a very wet Northern Green Gathering, I thought I would devote this monthly post (hmmm, must try harder...) to a description of the fun and frolics the Bolton Knitting Noras have enjoyed while on a tour of some festivals of ye olde England.

In March Lisa devised a cunning plan to get local women knitting a knitted garden. The knitted garden was duly put together for International Women's Day and has been displayed in Bolton since then.

In around May she further decided that the garden should be promoted to a "knitted landscape" and we should go on tour with it to festivals in the summer, teaching people to knit and crochet as we go.

Hoorah for Lisa!

Our first festival was the Larmer Tree Festival in July, set in the gorgeous Victorian landscaped gardens of that title in Wiltshire. We set up our gazebo in the Water Garden on Thursday and were busy throughout the weekend teaching the world, his wife and his kids to knit and crochet.

As we were only in action until 5pm, we had plenty of time to enjoy the wonderful world and roots music on offer and also the shops and fantastic food (to say nothing of the nice cool lager).

Our second festival was the Northern Green Gathering which was a very different kettle of fish. It was very much a festival as it should be / used to be - recycling was the name of the game and the organisers did it properly, with compost loos, designated places to put your rubbish and a nice chap called Compost John touring the site inviting contributions of food waste. The Larmer Tree Festival, like many festivals I guess, said they were green but it was really just lip service - there wasn't even anywhere to recycle the plastic cups they used in the bar.

That said, I really enjoyed the Larmer Tree Festival more, mainly because the weather was pretty good but also there was always some interesting artiste or band to go and see. The entertainment at the Northern Green Gathering didn't really get going until early evening and until then you just hung about "chilling" - not easy to do in heavy rain and gale force wind!

Our knitting workshops went swimmingly well on Thursday and Friday but on Saturday we closed to the public due to everything getting wet in the gazebo. And on Sunday the gazebo blew down so that was the end of that.

Ironically, the weather improved on Sunday afternoon so I enjoyed roaming the site which I hadn't felt inclined to do before and I also indulged in a spot of hawthorn brandy from the charming witches.

The Knitting Noras are on the road again on 22 August, going to Solfest in Cumbria - sans me though as I am going to see my family in London.

Wimbledon Men's Final bunting frenzy

While watching the Federer v Nadal Wimbledon final on Sunday, I managed to finish the festival bunting I started a few weeks ago.

I was knitting like a maniac for 5 hours, in between bellowing at the TV "Break his serve!" (Nadal couldn't hear me and I knew that) and pondering about how nice looking Gavin Rossdale from Bush is (and he was charmingly enthusiastic about the game too).

It was quite the most exciting afternoon I've had for a long time.

The bunting is for our Knitting Noras gazebo which we are erecting in the Water Garden at the Larmer Tree Festival from the 17 July. I am hoping it won't literally be a water garden as I don't have any wellies.

It was very easy to make: using 5.5mm needles (if you are a tight knitter like me) and double knitting, cast on 3 stitches and increase one sort of in the middle on the right side.

Carry on like this until your flag is big enough - I went up to 24 stitches and then cast off. I made each flag in stocking stitch with a border of 2 garter stitiches on each side (as my knitting always rolls up).

Make an icord of the appropriate length if you like (or use some ribbon) and presto! party / festival bunting!

It looks OK so far - I don't think there is enough bunting yet as Lisa reports that the gazebo is 10 feet wide but I made a 2 ft or so long icord and there are 10 flags on there.

I am previewing it at my swishing party on Saturday. It will be inside if wet.

We are getting up at 5am on Thursday to get there on time for the afternoon so I shall carry on making some in the back of Jacky's van so there may be enough by the time we get there!

World Wide Knit in Public day hits Bolton

On Saturday I took a big bag of yarn and needles down to Victoria Square in the centre of Bolton and joined 12 friends from Bolton Knitting Noras and 2 Oxfam volunteers for World Wide Knit in Public Day.

As I am sick of the fluffy cushion I am knitting and had frogged the lacy scarf, I thought I would start knitting some squares for the MOMM:1400 blanket project being run by Oxfam Manchester.

The aim is to make a blanket from 1,400 knitted squares, each square representing one of the 1,400 women across the world who die every day in childbirth or pregnancy because of a lack of healthcare or medicines.

I made 1 and half garter stitch squares and we got our picture in the local paper, The Bolton News. I look awful though so I am relieved the photo isn't on the website.

I particularly like this picture of Lisa because of the bemused looking chaps in the background.

Big hat, little hat

I finished Bob's Pirate hat about a month ago and presented it to him on the morning of Linsay's wedding on 31 May.

My first attempt, following the pattern but not using the right yarn was a lot smaller and fitted Roscoe (who is now 13 months old) perfectly.

Grandma Mary took some pictures of them in their dad and son hats but I haven't got them yet so when I get them I will attach them to this post.

Last night I also unpicked the whole of my friend Amanda's lacy stole (in the very nonvegan yarn Kidsilk Haze I'm afraid - it's a gift and she isn't a vegan in my defence your honour).

I started it in November last year, made several mistakes and then ran out of yarn in about March. I also decided it was more of a lacy scarf than a stole so not quite the thing.

As I was heartily sick of it, it has been languishing in my knitting bag ever since.

I did take some pictures of it though before I ripped it apart and feel quite sorry now as it looks quite good in the photos!

I need another ball of yarn I think and then I am going to knit Seascape, from this month's Knitty, which seems much more the sort of thing I wanted.

Yay! Accepted for Ravelry

So I'd better get blogging, quick like.

It looks fantastic and I feel really cool cos I know what everyone is on about now...

6,000 yards of woollen reins

Being a bit stuck for a project to take to the last Bolton Knitting Noras' knit out at the end of March, I found some R2 pink braid in my stash and decided to make a scarf with it.

Using size 20 needles, plus some Colinette Giotto, I used a lace pattern to make a very long and very chunky scarf.

The yarn is actually lovely and soft and ideal for such a project as there is no nasty itchiness round the neck.

I thought this might be just the thing to wear at Summer festivals - not that I'll probably get to any.

All I need now are some pink Hunter wellies to match and a spare 50 quid to buy them with.

Back again for good

Well, it's been 4 months since I posted so suppose I should start again!

I have been busy knitting (honest guv) and promise to try harder at this blogging lark from now on.

Here is a photo of my friend Is' little 'un Roscoe in his Pirate jumper I made for him. He is nearly 11 months old now and I have just had the jumper back for repair.

He is very energetic so his mum says he probably unravelled it himself but I think she is being overly kind and feel it has more to do with my shoddy handiwork.

His dad Bob has now commissioned me to make him a matching skull and crossbones hat so had better get cracking.

Vegan Pal 2 package received

I got my Vegan Pal 2 package today from Cainna in the USA. It's great, a magic yarn ball or orange and beige kinda coloured yarn, teabags, a pen, a notebook, a knitting gauge, some stitch markers which will come in handy. a recipe for butternut squash soup and red pepper dip and lots of stickers.

Stripe immediately started sniffing in a frenzy at the teabag so he approved of that bit.

Blog Action Day - wot I did today.

I was told about Blog Action Day by one of the moderators of Bolton Freecycle and as I have already blogged about using plastic bags to knit with, I thought I would help this global environmental effort by ruminating on how I help the environment.

I have knitted with recycled materials - the aforementioned plastic bags and also video and audiotape. I hope to do more of this in the future.

Also, my stash is so enormous I am working through it and only knitting with yarn from my stash. This will taker me about 5 years to use up so I haven't bought any new yarn for about 6 months - this has had a lot to do with me being broke as well though!

I am also a member of my local Freecycle group and so try to stop household goods and other things going to landfill.

The other great thing about being involved in Freecycle is that I have made loads of new friends in the Bolton area; some of whom are quite creative types. Having lived in Bolton since 1989, I can safely say I have met the most interesting people within this last year through Freecycle.

I am also a keen bookcrosser, which means that I sometimes buy new books but those that I do buy I pass onto to others through bookcrossing. That's the theory anyway - I now have so many books in my house I can't see the floor in some rooms; at least I am saving money on carpet and floorcoverings...

If I can't pass books on or they are too old and battered to be read anymore, I recycle them through the wastepaper collection run through the local council.

It is "bin day" tommorrow so I have sorted out my plastic, tin and bottles ready to go into the green crate, which is collected every fortnight. I also have a bulging bag of wastepaper. (This is collected every week by a company called Paperchase, who raise money for Bolton Hospice I think).

I also demanded a huge green wheelie bin from the council when they came available. They were understandably reluctant as my house isn't big enough and posh enough to earrant a big bin all of my very own. They have been proved right, unfortunately - I only have a small back yard and an even smaller front garden but I still should be filling it to the brim every fortnight. However, usually I only manage a few pathetic onion and potato peelings which lie sadly at the bottom of the bin.

So I should try harder at that really.

I also help the environment by not driving a car - this is more because I am too poor to afford one and also most importantly, I am useless at driving! I have the attention span of a flea, get easily distracted by Lloyd Loom chairs outside shops and the like while driving with an instructor and cannot grasp the concept of clutch control. So I have never managed to pass a test.

I should be a green bike rider and pedal everywhere but I am useless at that as well. I do toy with the idea of buying an adult trike every so often and enjoy dreaming about cycling to the shops like Catweazle. In reality, I would probably show the same road sense demonstrated when driving and thus be a danger to small children, old people and animals of all description.

The other thing I do daily to help the environment is being a VEGAN. People try and make me feel guilty about the rainforests being burnt in order to grow soya but I take no notice - that soya is being grown for cattle feed, not my milk, so there. (I have no idea if this is true).

So I am a bit of a flawed eco-warrior really but I probably do more than most people, maybe.

Under the Hoodie

In the last month or so I've been busy knitting, rather than blogging which is the way it should be really I suppose!

Having owned the wonderful Stich n' Bitch Handbook for years I thought it was about time I attempted to make something from it rather than just looking at the pictures.

I have lots of Sheena Anne acrylic mohair look yarn which I have accumulated over the years (I think it used to be sold in Poundstretcher) and I thought two patterns in particular would give me the ideal opportunity to use some of these up and reduce my enormous stash.

Having made some gloves and a stripy beanie (which doesn't suit me) from some dark and pale green Sheena Anne I thought the Under the Hoodie project would be ideal to use up the rest of the balls I have.

I also incorporated a trim made from some bright green Sirdar Valentino that Bev passed onto me when I started knitting again.

It didn't take me long to knit at all; about 3 weeks and I am particularly proud of getting the pocket in the right place.

Here it is in progress:

And here it is more or less completed. I just have the sleeves to sew on now so should be done within the next five years.

Of course I have no idea if it will fit my enormous bulk...

The second project is Pin Up Queen by Annie Modesitt. I doubt I shall look like a pin up queen in it once finished, but a girl can dream.

I am using six balls of white Sheena Anne that I got from a charity shop and the gauge seems about right. I have decided to do the neck and front "busty bit" in a mixture of Jaeger Siena cotton in a pale coffee colour and some white Patons Cotton Splash I picked up somewhere or other. This is because I thought a mohair-ish neckline might be a bit itchy and also a bit of texture over my bosoms might be a good idea.

I started it last weekend, just before the latest meeting of Bolton Knitting Noras and I have completed the back already.

Marvellous what you can get done when off work with a sore throat.

How to cut up a placky bag...

Further to massive public demand (well, one request!) I will dedicate this post to instructions on how to cut up a plastic bag into strips suitable for knitting.

These instructions are my take on those given in Simply Knitting (October issue I think) .

First take a plastic bag:

Cut off the handles (top part) and the bottom (seamed part)

You will now have a big plastic tube.

Now fold the plastic tube up so that there is about 2cms showing at the top.

Cut into the rolled up part of the bag so that there are strips of about 2cm wide. Do not cut up to the top of the bag (if you do, it isn't the end of the world but you will have short strips and you will have to tie the strips together).

You should then have a piece of plastic with plastic strips hanging down.

Cut into the top part of the strip diagonally to the left so that you get a continual strip (like orange peel).

If you cut too enthusiastically or too straight and get shorter strips, don't worry, you can tie them together.

Then roll the strip into a ball and repeat with more carrier bags, knotting the strips together as you go.

Presto! A ball of plastic strips...

Recycled knitting

After extolling the virtues of recycling at the Rivington Freecycle Festival in June I have been exploring knitting with plastic bags.

Following on from the Festival, I was asked to do a talk about knitting to a local ladies circle in early August.

I had to talk for an hour - normally I don't have a problem with this but was a bit worried about being sensible about knitting for a whole 60 minutes. I thought if I did a practical demonstration and gave them some ideas on how to knit with recycled materials that would go quite well.

As I guessed, many of them were senior citizens and quite a few of them could knit already (and were probably much better at it than me!). So that was quite a good plan.

I dismantled a couple of videotapes and also 2 audiotapes and made a small bag from some Patons Splash I had left and the video tape.

I think they thought I was a bit barmy but some of them had a go, I gave away some yarn (one of them was making Easter chicks) plus they paid me a tenner! At least it was a memorable talk...

And I bought 2 jars of homemade jam.

Since then, I have finished another bag made from plastic bags which I have donated to my good friend Linda to show to her friend Pam who runs a health food shop in Manchester.

I said I would sell them for £10 each but I was a bit drunk at the time and they do take quite a long time to complete.

Plus knitting with plastic strips is hard on the old hands.

I am now knitting with yarn again - what a relief!

Bookcrossing scarf project

As an obsessive bookcrosser and knitter, when I was given another chance to combine the two (after knitting a square for the Bookcrossing Afghan), I jumped at the chance.

The scarf arrived with a lovely journal full of handwritten entries by people who have knitted a section of the scarf before me.

I spent last Sunday afternoon happily combining green and blue cottons in a stripy pattern and then a considerable amount of time trying embroider my bookcrossing name onto it with silver thread.

I only had room to do "VEGAN", an E and an R - put them all together and you get VEGANER so the KNIT(T) bit was represented by a small red cotton square.

That was quite enough for me and I retired to bed exhausted.

The scarf is now winging it's way to the next participant Minkymoo 76.

For details of the scarf's progress see here:

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4321318

Vegan Pal 2

I have been invited to take part in Vegan Pal 2 and herewith are my answers to the questionnaire:

1. What is/are your craft(s), & how long have you been doing it/them?

I am a knitter, using only non-animal fibres. My mum taught me when I was a nipper, I knitted until my early 20s, gave it up and started again with renewed enthusiasm about 5 years ago.

2. Are you a vegan, vegetarian, veg-curious, veg-friendly or other?

I am a vegan (hence the non-animal fibres - I don't use silk either)

3. Is this your first swap, or have you done previous swaps before? What makes a swap enjoyable for you?

I have never been involved in a knitting related swap so I am intrigued. I have swapped books and things before though and enjoy the random / surprise element of it.

4. What is/are your favorite color(s)? Do you particularly dislike any color(s)?

I'm not a big fan of yellow (to wear) as it doesn't suit my pale and uninteresting skin tone but I like most bold colours (particularly red)

5. Do you have any allergies (such as pets, foods, fibers or cigarette smoke)?

I am lactose intolerent. (Hence the veganism). I used to be allergic to most animals but now I only start sneezing in the presence of rabbits.

6. Do you have any companion animals? If so, name(s) and type(s)?*

I share my house with a lovely ginger and white male cat called Stripe. He is very well behaved while I am knitting but likes to gnaw at the moving needles sometimes.

7. Do you collect anything?

Books, 1950s artefacts and yes, yarn. It's not an unmanageable mess, it is a carefully gathered and extensive collection.

8. Do you have a favorite vegan food, snack or dish? If no fav that's vegan (for those who aren't vegan), what's your favorite food? (Hopefully your pal can find a vegan version!)

Here in the UK we can buy a vegan non-dairy chocolate called Swiss Couverture. It is gorgeous and the most creamy tasting vegan chocolate I have ever tasted. Before becoming vegan, I researched it carefully and once I found out that I can still eat cake, chocolate and chips I was converted. I like most food but am not keen on stuff that is supposed to be good for you such as wheatgrass juice.

9. What are some of your favorite/least favorite tastes/flavors? (e.g. sweet, salty, chocolate, crunchy, smooth, tart, sour, spicy, thai, whatever - Help your pal get a feel for what kind of recipes you might like and/or never ever make.)

I will try anything!

10. What tools/supplies/accessories for your craft(s) are you wishing you had but don't? Also, what do you have TOO many of? (basically a wish and anti-wish list)

I would love some of those needles which glow in the dark - ideal for knitting in the cinema or a dark pub. I ditched most of my circular needles when I got a set of Denise interchangeable needles but would love some bamboo ones.

11. Are you on Ravelry? What's your handle?

I don't know what that is when it's at home with it's hat on so I guess I am not on it.

12. Is there anything else you would like your pal to know about you?

I'm a nice person!

13. What scents do you like/dislike?

I like most scents I think - don't have any strong feelings on this one.

14. Do you prefer fall or Halloween or some other Autumn theme?

Not bothered really. As an April baby I've always preferred Spring.

15. Just for fun - tell your favorite Halloween or Autumn related memory.

Playing conkers at school and discovering the delights of black peas when I moved to Greater Manchester.

This is so intriguing! I can't wait for this to get going.

Let's all recycle now, c'mon let me show you how...

The lovely Lisa organised the first ever Freecycle / Natural Earth festival recently. It was held at the Art and Photography Centre at Rivington on Sunday 24 June and was a great success.

This photo shows Jackie from Bolton Knitting Noras and others having a go at making woven rugs from fabric under Lisa's supervision.

I decided to organise a stall to promote recycling and also publicise my local knitting group, Bolton Knitting Noras.

The plan was to knit with strips made from plastic carrier bags and so show visitors the possibilities of using recycled materials to make something new and unique.

As I am an exceedingly bossy and busy person, I also had a Bookcrossing stall set up next to my knitting stall - both attracted a lot of interest during the day.

Up until the last minute I wasn't sure if I was going to make it so I was rather unprepared; however, in the days before I made some plastic bag samples, some small knitted flowers and created a small bag from 6 cut up Morrisons carrier bags.

I was going to sell the flowers but ended up giving them away to young visitors.

My lovely friends Anthony and Jen turned up to help me run both the stalls - Anthony did sterling work talking to people about bookcrossing while I knitted with plastic bags. I met a young "eco-warrior" from Wigan - he tidies his school and picks up litter, and his dad, a councillor is going to invite me to knit with recycled materials at Wigan schools with the kiddies.

I also sold some Knitty badges and made the grand total of £8 which helped pay for the band's lunch.

They were called S R Gents and were wondrous to behold; I loved the slouchy hats - Tom Waits is one of their friends on Myspace apparently and I ain't surprised as he's been wearing a selection of fine hats for years so I reckon he knows what he's talking about.

http://myspace.com/srgents

Lusting after the band aside (who, me?), I had a great time promoting knitting and chatting to people about recycling. Anthony took a picture of me and "my wares" I think the stall looks lovely though I say it myself, wish I was as equally photogenic (shame about the chins)

Vicky from Bolton Knitting Noras has devoted a page of her wonderful blog to the event, which is rather more professional than this sad attempt:

http://web.mac.com/vhjeffery/iWeb/Site/Blog/ECC684F6-6C4E-4BD2-933E-CE933DBFD99B.html

There is a great picture of me and Jen in action with our needles.

I really enjoyed the event (particularly the performance by the gorgeous band S R Gents and their equally lovely hats) and will definitely do it again.

Lisa has vowed never to organise another one though; go on, Lisa, you know you want to.

Fluffy cushion festival

The other day I found 3 cushions that Bev had donated to me; one blue and two cream.

They are rather magnificent and fluffy and after being left in my spare bedroom where my cat Stripe has been enjoying lying on them the cream ones are now gracing my newish Robin Day sofa.

I decided to knit a dark brown one to match and it is going quite well. I am using the fluffy acrylic Ostrich yarn I got a while ago and using 7mm needles.

It will probably look rubbish when it is sewn up however.

There's nothing like an English Summer...

and this weekend's dreadful weather was NOTHING like an English Summer (except, unfortunately, it was).

I finished my Mash poncho on Friday, just in time to wear for the Chester Folk Festival.


It was a fun project, despite several false starts; the original version was too small and the knitting was too tight, then when I changed to 15mm needles it was too loopy.

I also kept dropping stitches so until I hit upon the wizard wheeze of using a smaller 6mm needle to pick them up I had to keep starting again.


The sewing up was a bit of a challenge too - took me ages to work it out. Here it is after I'd lashed it together:
And here is a detail of the stitch, with my chubby arm underneath it.

It is not as big as the one in the book but I am a lot wider then the willowy model so that might be why.

And then in traditional Bank Holiday weekend style, it was too cold and wet to wear at the Folk Festival so I will keep it for when summer does arrive...

It's ponchotastic...

As I am still off work I decided to start another knitting project yesterday.

I am making Mash from the Viva Poncho book, using some Colinette Giotto in raspberry which I have had for ages.

This is a bit of an experimental project as I am hoping to make one in turquoise shades for my good friend Amanda. Just the thing for her to swan about on the beach at Goa, where she goes every year, the lucky so-and-so.

So if it works out, she'll be getting one too.

Last night was spent untangling the skeins, using my lovely little wooden tool thing I bought at Habu Textiles in New York.

I have cast on 30 stitiches on some 10mm (or so) needles, it is easy but also a little bit more challenging than the garter stitch scarves I've been churning out recently.

It doesn't look wide enough at the moment but I will carry on regardless and see how it turns out.

Bookcrossing blankie and baby blankie

I have created a square for the Bookcrossing afghan / blanket which is being put together and then will be auctioned at the UK Bookcrossing Unconvention in Brighton at the end of June.

I was trying to do one with an interesting VK symbol on (for Veganknitter) but this was much too hard and I thought my brain would explode, so I settled on knitting a square with a V on.

I used some cream Rowan cotton and it looks OK - it could be better but I only had until the end of May.

My friend Is has also sent me a lovely photo of Roscoe's baby blankie in action - here he is with grandmother Mary. All together now, aaaaah.