Knit for victory!

What a night, was anyone else woken up at 4am by the thunder and lightning?  It was amazing, I love a good thunder storm and I saw the bolts of lightning instead of just flashes in the sky.  Actually this happened at Glastonbury so I don't know why I was so excited but hey ho.  Oh and it's just started up again!

A few people have asked how I got on at the Cheshire Show, where I entered this knitted cushion.

Highly commended!

I'm really really pleased, ok it's not an actual prize but they must have thought it was alright!  I think their comments were fair too, I didn't quite get the colour changes right but I'm super pleased with my seams and apparently so were they

It says "An attractive design idea.  Beautifully worked seam joins.  Take care to keep knitting more even".  I can't argue with that.  Now bring on 2015!  As a WI our group also came 2nd with the most number of prizes for a new group, which wasn't bad considering we didn't even know that this was a category.

Thanks to everyone who convinced my to block my wonky blanket called 'Muriel'.  The lovely Christina explained that this has happened because I've started to crochet each row from the same end, instead of alternating my stripes.

I had a bit of a wobbly and was going to start over but I just couldn't get inspired, so I thought I'd try blocking it and I'm so glad I did!  I should have taken photos at the time because I've added a few more rows so its started to slant again, but I'm feeling a lot more positive about it now.

I'm absolutely loving this knitted retro blanket...

It's such a rhythmic pattern and I love the colours which I tried to keep to the original as closely as possibly, although I left out brown because I don't have any.  I'd definitely recommend the pattern and it makes a nice change from crochet ripples ♥

Better get off now, we've decided to our for tea so I need to get ready.  I can't decide if I'm looking forward more to the food or the wine ;-)

x x x x

A wonky blanket; help required x

Once again all of my friends have decided to have babies at once, now I may be exaggerating a little but I can count 4 who are due between September - November; there are 8 other months of the year guys!! Joking aside, I know it's not as simple as deciding when you're due date is going to be, but if my friends could plan with me first that would be great haha!

I'm currently working on two blankets and this is where I need help.  I used a random stripe generator on a site called Biscuits and Jam which is great for getting a finish that you want while still being random.  Randomness isn't something I've previously been good at so this tool is fantastic.

So far it's a complete crazyness of colour and I'm really hoping that my friend will like it.  Looks ok so far right?

But why has it gone so wonky!!

At this point I can't restart, but if there's something I'm not doing right which is making it lean like the tower of Pisa then I'd love some tips.  I'm using UK Double Crochet (US Single Crochet) and starting from the same end on each row.

I'm not sure whether pinning it straight and blocking it will help, so yeah, if anyone has any tips or advice please let me know!

My second blanket is going much better, although this is now the third attempt at getting the pattern right

It's a pattern called Rocky which I bought from Ravely, by a designer called Suzie Johnson.  It isn't all that complicated but I found until I'd established the pattern that I kept mis-counting, so on my first attempt I completely messed it up, attempt number two was nearly there but I'd missed the increase at the start on one of the triangles which didn't get any better the more rows I did, so I started again.  Attempt number three (as in the above!) isn't perfect but even I can't tell where I've had to increase or decrease to get back on track so I'm sticking with it.

For a baby blanket it's a lot wider than it needs to be but there is absolutely no way I'll be starting again!  This will probably be for our new niece or nephew so it can last them forever ♥

I'm going to enjoy some more bloggy reading and catching up on what you've all been making while I've been awol! Back soon!

x x x x

Glastonbury 2014

*writers block!* 

It shouldn't be that hard to come up with something to say, I've been very busy after all...  I'm back from Glastonbury and ready to get back into normal life.  *sigh*.  It's the same every year, I go, never want to leave, come home and feel very blue about it all.

It's not all bad though, I've decided to start looking for a new job because I want to do something creative or challenging and unfortunately my current job offers me neither of those things!

I'll share some of my favourite photos of the weekend and then it's onto knitting and crochet talk because I NEED YOUR HELP ♥

I never usually write a great deal about Glastonbury here but I've realised that the little things are all becoming a blur from years gone by!  So, things I did, learnt and would like to remember from 2014...

• Camping under pylons isn't as bad as I thought
• Camping 10ft from a bar is a good thing
• My poncho was an excellent investment
• Take more long socks and less leggings
• Don't take chocolate, it melts and I don't eat it
• Fruit snack pots are breakfast winners
• Go with your gut for clashes (London Grammar vs Kasabian, London Grammar won, best set of the festival!)
• Cream tea was a winner
• Hanging out at the Circus on Saturday was a good choice
• As was getting a Glastonbury Free Press poster (should have got the type face one though)
• Getting a coach was remarkably less stressful than driving
• Arcade Fire, Dolly Parton
• Making a leather bracelet in the craft fields
• The electrical storm shut down!
• Visiting the London Underground tent

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