Wowzer, wowzer, wowzer

I have been trying to post to my blog for three days now ! How frustrating - each time I've tried I've not been able to get into it to actually post - pooters drive me mad when they don't work ! Grrrrrrr.

So, I have been busy with my knitting. I have finished all the bits for the Diagonal Front Cardy - all I have to do now is block it and finish it off - why is that the bit that always takes the longest - the knitting of this garment has not taken that long at all, currently it has been sitting on the arm of the sofa for about a week waiting to be finished off - why can I not muster up the enthusiasm to get it done - is it the thought of having to transfer all those stitches that are on holders to bits of yarn and then back again ? is it the worry that I'll go to the trouble of finishing it off beautifully and then the sleeves will be too long ? I am currently contemplating the idea of sewing the sleeves up with a different coloured yarn, finishing off the cardy and seeing how it fits and then if it fits well, finish it off in the right yarn and if it doesn't undo those monkey length sleeves and do them again - what do you think ? A good plan non ? I am almost certain the sleeves are going to be too long - they seem to be of gargantuan proportions and my arms are not that long - I hate sleeves that hang off the end of your arms and you are constantly having to pull them up - especially on something like this that has no fastenings on the front and is bound to fall of your shoulders all the time - I think provisional sewing up will have to be done, or I could ruin my eyes even further trying to unpick the same coloured yarn.



Well, here are the finished component parts, I just need to get moving with the rest of it.

I have also been getting on with Ballerina - I have stalled a little bit on this one at the moment - it's not that I don't think it's lovely, it's just that all that garter stitch on 3mm needles was getting to me a bit and since I finished the Pink Dream I didn't have anything chunckier to alternate it with. Still I am well underway on the second sleeve and before long I'll be doing the last front and voila - just the finishing to do again ! I have joined an Hanne Falkenberg knitalong - but can't remember how to get the button to appear on my blog - my brain is really mushed right now. One lady on there has just finished a Ballerina and she did some different things with the finishing - doing a striped front band and cuffs - I really like it, what do you think ? Is is better than the original - here is the tinkered version



and here is a link to the original version - I couldn't post the picture here - don't know why BALLERINA

I really like the striped front band and think I'll give that a go.

Well, here is my Ballerina so far - so near and yet so far !



I have also - in my infinte wisdom started another Clapotis - I am not sure who this is for - it depends how it turns out. I wanted to knit it for a friend for her birthday, but I really think I'd like to knit her one in a snuggly soft yarn and all I had was some DK cotton from Texere in Delphinium. I really like the colour, but boy does it leak when you are knitting with it - I end up with blue hands every time. Also, it comes on a cone and I was merrily knitting away and came across a sellotaped join - so I just cut the sellotape out and rejoined the yarn at the beginning of the row and now you can clearly see a colour difference in the knitting. It don't think it will matter on this because once you have got all the dropped stitches in there it will break it up and you won't notice, but if I had been knitting a jumper or something I would have been very annoyed to get such a colour change - it's obviously a different dye lot and it really notices. I am enjoying knitting the clapotis again, it is one of those patterns that requires a little bit of concentration, but not too much and that is perfect TV knitting, not too boring, but not too demanding. Anyway here it is so far.



On another note, we went to see Status Quo last night and it was fabulous (let me just state for the record I am not a fan, but we don't get that many people coming to perform in Oman so you have to get your kicks where you can !) - I got to meet the band before the concert and got their autographs - who knew that they were so old and frail in real life ? still on stage they've still got what it takes - they knocked our socks off - James and I spent the whole night dancing away while our more sensible friends stayed on the side line complaining that it was too hot to dance - well you were gonna sweat if you stood still or not - so you might as well have a laugh is what I say - and we were drenched by the end of it. The concert was outside at the Intercontinental hotel and the temperature was about 38 degrees and over 80% humidity - who needs a gym ! I am knackered today though so Jacob and I are having a relaxing day - James has gone diving - more fool him ! It's tv and knitting with plenty of tea for me today - until this afternoon when Jacob has a Birthday party to go to from 4.00pm to 7.00 rather a funny time for a three year old B'day party don't you think ? Jacob is usually in bed at 7.00pm so it's going to be an odd night for him.

Oh yes - I seem to be having a problem with my blog - all my entries are being duplicated if you scroll down - you'll see what I mean - anyone got any ideas about how I can cure this ? Or do I have to start up my blog all over again ?

Well I'd better go - my knitting is calling me.