All Fingers and Thumbs

I often manage to buy postcards with the intention of sending them and then end up posting them from home having not managed to buy stamps or recognise a post box. This post is the virtual equivalent of that; I wrote it on Wednesday last week and then couldn't get the photos to upload. I thought I'd post it now as it is more interesting than the sixty billion loads of washing I've done since I got back. That and staring at my Mum's cardigan wondering whether it will be done by Christmas. All other Christmas knitting has been abandoned or delayed, but I think there is still hope for the cardi! Anyway here's San Fran: ------ I made it around most of town before the work part of this trip kicked in. Come rain or shine or fog I have toured. Two knitting shops have been visited - Imagiknit was fabulous, lovely range and George the Yarn Dog (not the staying still for a photo type of dog sadly) made the experience complete. Very little yarn was purchased! One skein of Ma...

A sock started to grow on the flight over – the biggest achievement was winding the ball from a very unruly skein. Not something I meant to leave for the plane and I certainly will be 100% prepared for the journey back. I know that knitting isn’t more important than human bodily functions but I would have loved it if my neighbours had managed to keep their legs crossed till I made it to the end of the winding. Still untangling made for a welcome distraction from the movie No Reservations which I can’t imagine I would have bothered watching to the end under more natural circumstances. I did envy Catherine Zeta Jones’ character her gorgeous apartment though. I think they spent a lot more time on the set design than the script for this film. Today we’re hanging out waiting for heavy rain to pass over as we have a mission to The Mission planned – lots of lovely things to look at in that neighbourhood including Imagiknit :o) The hotel is as charming in real life as I had hoped. It feels...

...ME! No I didn't gift my prizes back to myself but I did win the most wonderful set of comments. Thank you all so much - reading them was a like a virtual hug; so glad you enjoy reading here as much as I enjoy reading your blogs. So glad we have this unique community. Now the actual winner of the draw is the lovely Rose Red , Rose - I hope that you like your prizes as much as I liked choosing them :o) I had meant to do a drawing like Suzie's - just the prettiest prize draw I ever saw but life has overtaken me this week as has been typical for the last couple of months. Still relief in the form of this cute hotel is just a few more hours away: San Remo Hotel, San Francisco A weeks holiday here, lots of great yarn shops to visit - I can tell it's going to be a great December! Before I run off to pack I must say a VERY BIG THANK YOU to the fantabulous Piglottie for my wonderful PIF gift - not just a gifted knitter the Piglotster is a great seamstress and card make...

Tomorrow is a momentous day in the life of this little blog - 1 whole year old. While I have been a bit low on blogging/life energy for the last couple of weeks (see below for the latest in the series of "How Sarah Feels as Demonstrated by Her Cats") I have felt lifted by your get well wishes and have as ever been enjoying reading your blogs. I don't need to tell you all what a magic place the blogosphere is and I have very much enjoyed participating for the last year; I love this unique medium of communication and have come to value my blogging friends very dearly. I have been a very lucky blogger during the past year, not just in the lovely, funny and helpful comments people leave but also in winning many prizes and now it is time to offer up a blogiversary prize draw to say thank you. I've gathered a few things made by independents as the blogworld has introduced me to many wonderful small suppliers and home crafters. I loved spending time on Ebay and Etsy finding ...

After Monday things really stopped altogether here - not even any knitting going on, just lots of this: and not in a good "book finishing indulgent" kind of a way. Ugh. I think I must be on the mend though as I've managed a few rows on the cardi this afternoon. The knitting thermometer reading is looking better. Here's to a more fun filled fantabulous week next week.

I'm having a slow start to this Monday, a day off work and I'm making the most of it, here in my PJs at 10.30am, cat on lap about to head back to bed with a cup of tea to finish this book . Bliss. Headed back to see Chris' family this weekend and apply all hands to the pump on another slow starter. Chris' sister runs a holiday play scheme for physically disabled children. As one of the fund raising efforts last year we (the three ladies of the photo) made Christmas tags from recycled Christmas cards. We started in January and worked a weekend a month on it pretty much throughout the year generating masses of tags to sell and lots of lovely, fun crafting time. This year? We've talked it through, made some efforts towards it but until yesterday we hadn't managed a good session of actual creating. I think we just about made up for our slow start through a major effort, including some much appreciated help from the boys. Plenty of laughs along the way, though I thi...

Here is where the Christmas knitting gets serious. I've been dithering about whether to knit Mum a Christmas jumper. I have a couple of scarves planned for her and with everything else I want to make I was thinking I might use the time well elsewhere. I have had the yarn for the project an age but hadn't found an inspiring enough pattern to get me past my misgivings. Till last night. A procrastinating knitter with Ravelry at her fingertips is bound to find just the right pattern to add that edge of hysteria to the gift knitting proceedings. This is a free pattern from Straw.com/Crystal Palace Yarns but I'm subbing in Rowan Plaid. Ssshhh don't disturb it, but this looks like a certain sock making some progress again: Do you feel a sense of d éjà vu? Is this the 400th picture of this toe? Still with your never flagging encouragement I'm convinced we can get this sock knit! Though would you believe I went wrong again last night? Well of course you would! Shall we hav...

Not two rounds per row then? The saga of the LMKs continues, I clearly spoke too soon last night when I claimed the worst was past and will spend tonight trying to get the toe back on to needles and get back to where I was last night when I actually read the pattern. I'm going to put this baby on some dpns this time; I hereby pronounce magic loop as too fiddly for me. Crossing that off the list of things to try.

What fun Socktober has been. I've had the pleasure of reaching my goal of finishing Esther and making a start on the LoveMeKnot Socks this month. It's been touch and go with the LMKs, and thank you all so much for the tips and the encouragement. I knuckled down to the unpicking last night and I think I am past the worse on the first of them now! Socktober gave me the required push to finish up the Esthers which were starting to languish, to take the plunge on the toe ups and I got a pair of Christmas gift socks done as well. It's also been lovely to see so many knitted socks out there in the world. I am a confirmed sock knitting addict (eleven pairs since last November). I love that they allow me try to try out new techniques and real complexity but on a manageable scale. Seeing this little row drying on the radiator reminds me of how far I've come with socks; my first pair (far left) are well loved and I thought they were great at the time but when I put on my...

My beloved was a little camera shy when I asked him to model his lovely new hat; I guess you can't blame him as it was before 7am and he was on his way to the gym. I can guarantee there will never be a photo of me taken under those circumstances appearing here! I had to get some photos in while it was light though and he does get the hat remember. Though actually come to think of it he was supposed to get the hat as a reward for coming to a lovely yarn shop with me :o) thus this is the Salzburg Souvenir Hat. This now means I have used (well made projects with - the ends don't count) all my tourist yarn from my last trip and can definitely buy more on my next trip - yey for San Francisco in December! Pattern: Skye Rib Hat by Dreamcatcher Yarn: Lana Grossa Dasolo Stripes (87% wool, 13% Polyamide ) 1.25 skeins Needles: 4mm long metal DPNS and short bamboo dpns Started: 27 October 2007 Finished: 29 October 2007 Notes: This is officially my perfect Beanie pattern - makes ...

...entertain a girl with a cold! Who knew it could be so much fun to see your blog title spelt out in pictures of letters :o) Make your own entertainment with Spell with Flickr . I think Lixie mentioned this on her recent podcast but it was when I saw it in action on Terrie's blog that I got how cool it is. As my brain is slightly addled by this evil infection I am capable of knitting only straightforward things this weekend. Dreamcatcher's lovely hat pattern is just the ticket: Thanks again Dreamcatcher for sharing this pattern, it's racing along and the other half is anticipating a warm bonce soon :o) I've managed to finish up my second Christmas gift too: Pattern: My So Called Scarf Yarn: Rowan Plaid - Moonwave , 2 skeins Needles: 8mm Wooden Straights Started: 14 October 2007 Finished: 27 October 2007 Notes: Is this the single most knit scarf after plain garter stitch? There...