I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Mandyknits.....

Here are the rules:

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

”Weird things about me:

1. I have a wormery! Yes lots of wiggley little worms who eat my kitchen waste. I don't have a veg garden yet to use the casts on, but this year I hope.
2. I love cold beans out of the tin. It come from being pregnant and needing to eat all of a sudden. I could not wait to heat htem up, so just had them right out of the can. Problem is, I still like it now!
3. I'm a LARPer - yes thats weird enough for all 6. For years I have spent weekends playing or running fantasy 'murder mystry' weekends - great fun - see Whispered Tales for my lastest games.
4. Some of my best ideas come to me when I'm on the toliet
5. I've started 'Extreme Knitting' - #1 Giant knitting needles made from broom handles
6. I love starting projects, but ne so good at finishing htem - maybe thats quite normal really with knitters?

My "taggees" are: Tammy, Patty, Rachel and Penny - the others have already done it

Media overload

Well this week has been a wirlwind of Media for the Coventry Knit-Wits....

Monday - the Press Launch of 'Made in Coventry' and Knitting in the City Centre

Tuesday - Article from Monday in the Telegraph - see here

Friday - Article from Monday in the free paper

Saturday - Photos and an interview in the Liquid Bar by the Telegraph, who want to do a story on us as we meet at the bar that wone the Godiva Awards and is Coventry's only non-smoking Cafe Wine bar.

Then on BBC Coventry & Warwickshire radio with Coventry RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteers Programe) as part of their Christmas Knit & Knatter

This all must mean that 2007 is looking good for the group!

Secret Pal Parcel arrives!

well my SP has been very sneaky, or she was given the wrong info by her Post Office

I received an email 3 days ago to say that my parcel was in the post, but it may take some time to arrive - about 2-3 weeks. Imagine my suprise when it arrived this morning!

So inside there was:-

• A treasury of Magical Knitting by Cat Bordhi - she's noticed that I was raving about hte second one. I can't wait to get started on a Mobeius scarf!!



• Purple 100% wool yarn - this will go on a Mobeius 'Boot' or bag for me (I hope)



• A Knitted Fet Bag book - Pursenalities by Eva Wiechmann - 20 yummy bags to knit & felt, too many to choose from.



• The softest purple eyelash yarn I have ever felt!!



• The knitters handy guide to Yarn Requirements - fab for whenI'm trying to work out how much of my handspun I need for a project



• and finally - pretty delicate stitch markers perfect for socks knitting!

All I need now is the time over the Christmas break to knit for meeeeeee!

Post 100

Wow - I've been blogging for over a year now and here is Post #100. 3997 people have visited my blog since I put it up and the map shows viewers all over the world 2719 visitors since Jun 12th 2006!












So what am I currently working on:-

on the needles

• Fred #5 - this will complete my current orders @ work, but 2 more have placed orders for after Christmas. It looks like I'll have to do a Fred a month to keep up with hte demand for next Christmas. I have not dared to take the Needle felted Gnomes into work or I'll end up making lots of them too.
• Lily' Bolero - this has been put on hold while I worked on Christmas stuff, but it would be good to get it back on track as it only needs the sleeves and edging.
• Bobble hat for Dad - Christmas present. I've spun the Jacob fleece in blends of white & grey/brown and then knitting a simple bobble hat. His current one is over 20 years old and showing its age.

Not quite on the needles yet

• Fluffy scarf for Mum as a Christmas present
• My contribution to the Spinners Guild Jacob Lamb - I have a body to do. I have some of the fleece spun. but brought more back from the Guild meet yesterday and have washed it ready.
• A Red & Black beannie hat and matching scarf for Oliver - this would be nice for Christmas, but I think that I am going to run out of time.

Plans for next year's projects

• A snuggly lap blanet/throw for our laounge. I'm thinking deep reds & golds
• Plan the Octopus for the Seascape challege @ Coventry Knit-Wits - we need to get started on this as 'Made in Coventry' is coming up fast - more on this soon
• Fingerless gloves for me - maybe out of the sock wool that I dyed
• Socks for me
• Baby clothes for Sally's little one - she knows that she is having a girl & due in April. I'd like to make the pretty matinee coat that I did for Lily

Fred Strikes again!

I created the first Fred last year. I sat him next to the TV to admire him and see how he would look ready for Christmas and forgot him. The next morning Oliver came down stairs and discovered him.

"Mummy, there is some-one in the lounge!", was the call.

I had to think quick and come up with the Christmas Gnome flange to explain.... This is a very special Christmas Gnome who has been sent by Santa to keep an eye on you and report back so that Santa knows how good you have been. Oliver decided to call him Fred and the name has stuck.

Fred sat by the TV all through December, with Oliver giving him updates each day on how good he had been, but also how bad his friends at school had been! He gave him note to Santa to Fred and the very next day had a reply which he thought was great! Fred was an immediate hit and Oliver was the best behaved child ever just because he thought Fred might be watching.

Am I a bad Mummy?

Well the story continues....

At work there are two new second time Mums with older children who have been, well not quite being perfect. So I told them hte story about Oliver and his Fred, which got the immediate response - 'I need one!' So needles out I set to work.

3 Fred's later and a fourth to go I got the report on Fred #2. Fred #2 has made his mark on little Charlotte. Each day Charlotte would give her Mum grief over getting dressed, especially putting her tights on. The day after Fred arrives with a special note from Santa and Charlotte is the best behaved child ever! She realises that she does not have to throw a full blown 'paddy' to get her own way, a polite 'Mummy that is not very comfortable' will do.

Fred #3 is going to Mitchell, who has yet to recieve him. Fred #4 is the Green & Gold one in the picture next to the original Fred (Grey & Red), who has a rustic appeal and will soon be joined by a Grey & Red Fred #5 who is still on the needles.

More on Felted Gnomes

I have found a fab needle felting website and have put my gnomes into a competition - see here. they are amongst quite stiff competition though...

Seascape Challenge

I have been looking for a new challenge for the Knit-Wits in preparation for next Year's Godiva Festival and other knitting days that we may attend. I kept coming back to the idea of a giant Octopus that children could sit on and play with the tentacles. I had a vision of stripy tentacles being knitted by several people simultaneously and people could sit and knit a few strips so that lots of people contributed.

Then the idea moved onto fish and seahorses, then star fish and fluffy sea anemones. Then I thought, hey how about a seascape scene with lots of sea creatures and seaweed.....etc...etc. It would be so tactile and fab for children to play with. Coventry has just had a new hospital built, so it may be useful for the children's ward. I'll have to give them a ring. So I have set the group the challenge... more news as the plans form

Knit-Wits is a year old!!

Coventry Knit-Wits is a year old! I started the group in November last year, which has grown and grown each month. We now have 8-12 regular members each week and have great fun swopping ideas, knitting, crocheting and of cause drinking the legendary Hot Chocolate.

I you want to know more about Coventry Knit-Wits, then visit our blog

We even got National Press this month by getting into Simply Knitting, the UK's leading klnitting magazine!