ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES...

a Gust scarf ! [ I always rather hoped someone would sing that Commadores song to me ! And I've never read a trashy romantic novel ! ]
Loads of pics ahead. Hope you've got your knitting ! Plough your way through the knitting to get to my heartfelt thanks for all your love and support, and health update. Or not, as you choose.
Anne's patterns are incredible. They are so well written. As an experienced lace knitter with little time I enjoy just reading the patterns. Really ! She is such an intuitive knitter / designer. Her patterns are well worth the money. Meticulously tech edited, test knitted a number of times and very clearly written and charted.
I know that seems a bit gushy, but I've seen enough terrible patterns to really appreciate the good ones.
Gust one.

Beautiful cashmere laceweight from Fybrespates [ I am more than happy to link to Jen. Lovely yarn, reasonably priced, and she is lovely. Honest and honourable. She e-mails you when she posts your stuff, so you know when to ambush the postman ! ]. Not for this pattern, but perfect for this.
Attempt number two is some equally gorgeous yarn from The Natural Dye Studio [ The same comments as above apply }. It's their 100% Alpaca laceweight.

The yarn is lovely, and in the 'wisp of nothing around one's neck' spirit of the pattern. The colour is lovely, reminiscent of a rainladen spring sky [ no problem recognizing that ! ], but I wanted something with a bit more substance. A bit more 'me'.

This is Kim's fabulous sock yarn in Black Velvet. I love the yarn, and really love the colour. With my scarf in progress are two hanks of Opulence, a merino/silk blend, in the same colour. Here's a woman who understands the way of the dye. It isn't just a matter of chucking any old colour at a yarn and waiting to see what happens. It's about stock solutions, percentages [that'll be maths!], depth of colour, saturations, multiple over-dyed layers, keeping notes and understanding what you are doing. That, and having a natural talent, a love for what you do and plenty of patience. I really appreciate the time and skill that went into these yarns. I bet she can dye a luscious, deep, blueish black. Maybe I need to have a chat...
I'm waxing lyrical about these people because theirs are the products I am currently using and loving. There are many more. And some it's best to steer well clear of. Praise where praise is due, and all that.
So, I love my scarf. It's a touch heavier than Anne envisioned, but will be light, floaty and gorgeous, especially in such a rich colour.
The rest of my current knitting time is devoted to knitting second socks. I've had so little time to spend on knitting of late. Being ill [more on that later] is incredibly time consuming ! Not as much as looking after Oliver during the holidays though. :0)
We're coming to the end of the second week. He has unwound, slobbed, caught up on his t.v. viewing and eating. Me ? I'm exhausted ! I am not complaining when I point out that, as a physically disabled child gets older, the physical workload of the carers increases. Oliver only has the functional use of one hand and arm, and those have reduced dexterity. He needs someone to dress and wash him, help clean his teeth, to brush his hair, lift and transfer him. Even if he slobs on the bed he requires frequent adjustments to shift position, sit him back upright, etc. He needs someone to bring him what he needs, and make sure he can reach it. We try and help him be as independant as possible, but he'll always need that much help. He can't just go and get a drink, or his Nintendo, as any other eight or nine year old child can do. That is just the way it is, but it is something most people don't appreciate.
He is such good company though ! And he lets me knit a bit ! Quite the benign dictator, really. :0)

The Oxford Kitchen Garden [another great supplier of fab yarn] socks are coming along. I really love this sock yarn. Sadly the Marmalade orange has sold out. Again [cough, cough]. It's a joy to knit and my sock muse tells me it is very soft and warm.

This is another version of theScale Skin sock, this time with a picot hem top. The yarn is the fabulous Lucia sock yarn from Posh Yarn in ''Finch'', a nice spring colour. I love the colourways that Tony [Mr. Posh] is now dyeing, and Dee is a delight. Fab customer service, always. I love knitting socks with this yarn. It has a nice, firm twist and softens beautifully on washing, when the cashmere in the blend blooms.

I start my picots with a crocheted provisional cast on.

When I've knit enough rows I unzip the cast on and join the released stitches with the working stitches. A little fiddly, but worth it for the elastic edge.

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I wanted to thank you all for all your kind and caring comments and e-mails. Don't be offended that I haven't responded. It doesn't mean that I don't value and appreciate each one, just that I can't keep up !
I am loads better. I ended up taking a fourth course of antibiotics, which seem to have done the trick. The scarring is pretty unattractive, and the legacy of the cellulitis appears to be red and purple blotches and odd areas that look like sunburn. Isn't it lucky that I favour long skirts that flap around my ankles, regardless of the current fashion ?!
I think it will take me a while to fully recover, so I can only watch from an upstairs window as Oliver sets of, full of anticipation, on one of his adventures.

With Daddy trotting [and sometimes having to run !] along, softly coaching the chick in the ways of the road.

I fully intend to knit more, blog more and be well. You too, okay ? :0)

I HAVEN'T DISAPPEARED ! I'VE JUST BEEN A BIT ILL. *

* A little dig at myself, the mistress of understatement. I told the doctor that I didn't ''feel so good''. I'll write more about that later. So you can choose to give it a miss.
I'd say ''au revoir'' to all those that have unsubbed from my bloglines feed, but as they've left there's no point ! :0)

It's nice to have a few days off. Gives a person a chance to work through the chocolate mountain now contained by our house.

I've done very little knitting, or anything, over the past few weeks. I did finish my first Pay It Forward gift, which I really enjoyed making. I'm really hoping that I've 'read' the recipient correctly, and they will love these. I'll link to their new owner when they arrive [if she likes them !].

Another variation of my favourite Scale Skin Socks pattern [details up on ravelry, or get the pattern, Snake Skin Socks,here ]. These are knitted from Posh Yarn "Emily", which is a plump, soft, lambswool/ angora/ cashmere blend [80% / 10% / 10% ]. Quite thick compared to sock yarn, but lovely for slobbing socks !
I love the fabric this pattern makes. It has a tweedy, almost woven quality to it.

The designer of this pattern is fund raising for medical equipment for her son, and is selling this pattern as part of that fundraising effort.
Another blogger is selling a sock pattern, using this stitch pattern, as her own, recent, design. I think that is immoral. I won't link to her, but have removed her from my bloglines list. A small gesture I know, but there's not much else I can do.
[An aside : I'm not talking about this particular blogger here, just generally. It is very difficult to blog about someone's dishonesty or dishonourable behaviour without looking like a complete bitch ! Unfortunately that can allow some people to carry on with lying and cheating unabated. What can one do ?]
I've tweaked this pattern, changing the cuff or heel, but wouldn't dream of saying those socks were my design.
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So. I've been really quite ill...
[continues as an extended entry]

"PLEASE, THANK YOU AND SORRY !"

"Magical, magical words ! "
One Christmas in the late sixties [I think] we were taken to a musical/panto at London's Festival Hall, called ''Give a Dog a Bone''. This was a song, which is pretty much all I remember about it ! I remember much more clearly going to see the Kirov Ballet, numerous times, and Topol in Fiddler on the Roof [in 1967]. That left a much deeper impression and clearer memories. We were culturally so spoilt ! That's what I miss most about London. Hours spent in the V & A, The Royal Academy and The Tate [well, all the galleries really] and the theatre. Going to the Albert Hall for concerts. Later going to see bands or films in town, catching the night bus home from the West End. Anti nazi League marches, Rock against Racism at Alexander Palace. Now I really couldn't cope with London. The crowds. Feeling overwhelmed. We change so much as we travel through life, don't we ?
Where was I ? Oh yes. It's mainly sorrys and thankyous from me today.
Sorry for taking so long to post. The physical toll of half term, and caring for Oliver alone as Allan is away for work so much these days, and my continued health issues, have rendered me incapable of much ! Don't misunderstand. I really enjoy days spent with Oliver. It's the single handed transfers and lifting that do me in ! Still, I manage.
I've been sitting down to blog, getting my camera set up to download, then falling asleep. Waking up with mouse still in hand, having lost the feeling in some extremity due to my, sudden, awkward sleeping position. I'm turning into an old biddy. I need my naps !
So. I must thank everyone, again, who has been involved in the blanket projects in some way or other. Michaela and Kay in particular. Michaela [that links takes you to the post about the latest blanket] e-mailed me to tell me that she'd been stealth sewing. Here's U.K. blanket 4.

Next thing I knew, the draw had taken place. I was just assembling this post ! No time to alert you all. Well done to the winner.
I think Michaela is happy to see the back of this project ! I suspect she is blanketed out, and sick of having to deal with me ! :0)
There is, I think I am right in saying, one more blanket from Kay. The amount of work that goes into assembling these blankets, especially with care that Michaela and Kay have taken, is astounding. Mere thanks are not enough. Thank you so very, very much girls. We are beyond grateful.

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Two weekends ago the lovely, charming Heather came to visit. It was wonderful, and we were all sad to see her go home. It was a delight to spend time in her company, to get to know her better, and to like her more the more I knew. A beautiful, intelligent and strong woman full of joie de vie, I am honoured to be able to call her friend.
Not just because she gave me a lovely shawl/cardigan stick !

It is beautiful and I love it. A wonderful gift, as is the precious time spent with friends. I really value my true friends. Even if I owe them all e-mails !!!
I was going to write more about this, but really need to go to bed ! Another time.

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I knit. A bit. I must indulge myself a bit more. I love knitting a lot too !