All Fingers and Thumbs

One of the things that I was most surprised to discover about myself last week is that I'm really bad at having fun. Even things that are fun must serve some other purpose and can bring out the inner critic. Like say, knitting? Or most recently and very clearly sewing ? Why yes indeed! Sometimes it seems crazy how many times it takes to learn a simple lesson. Enjoy the path, who knows what, where or when the end is. So this lunchtime I took advantage of the fact of working from home today and did something I love to do so much, but never do because I never have anything to do with the final object. Messy, happy, cut and stick of pretty pictures. I'm off to do some more, just for fun.

It's been quite a revolutionary week in my world. On Wednesday I went to London to attend the start of a programme of treatment for ME at the Optimum Health Clinic . It's just over five years since I was diagnosed this time around and lots of things slotted in to place to make this the time for this action for me. It was a totally amazing and inspiring experience and I am feeling confident that they have the answers to what has been happening for me - if this is something that affects you or anyone you know I'd really recommend you have a read of their materials . Of course everyone is different and needs to find the right path to recovery for them but they recognise this and are successfully treating a lot of people diagnosed with ME/CFS/Fibromyalgia through their holistic, integrated approach and I am so pleased that I am now amongst the patients on their books. Briefly, as I understand it, what it seems is going on for me is an initial multi-system burnout caused by...

The news is good - I sewed without swearing! I tried to have fun and it worked for about 95% of the time. I spent a lot of time just sewing lines on the scraps of the shirt and that was great fun. Only a few moments of angst once I was on to the official item and it was a cruel choice of dark blue thread to really see what my seams were made of. Slugs and snails apparently! I find hard to believe my foot is dictating the speed, I'm sure the machine chooses but after Saturday's session I have hopes that one day it might give me some say in it - until then I think my next task will be something with seams on the safely on the inside out of sight. Oh and no-one tell Bingo that it's a hankie and not a little mat made just big enough for all four paws to fit on. Okay?

I started a new scarf on Thursday. I really wanted to start on Levens designed by the very creative Lily Kate France . I've been wanting to make it since I first saw Amanda post about it . However Mother's Day is approaching and as much as I wanted to knit Levens for my Mum I couldn't see her wearing it very much. So when I found myself adding 'buy a Mother's Day present from Etsy ' to my to do list I took the inner knitter in hand and gave her a little pep talk. There had to be a pattern out there I really wanted to knit that would fit with the yarn I had on hand here and my Mum's style. A quick browse through my favourites on Ravelry and enter Feather - I'm knitting it with sock yarn to get a skinnier scarf of the type I'm sure the recipient will love and I'm loving knitting it - definitely the right pattern for now and it means I can make a Levens all for myself one day soon. Yay! I'm off to sew a hankie after lunch - thank you everyo...

Believe me the air was blue with language a tad worse than bobbins as I did battle on Sunday with the sewing machine. It was not meant to be a battle. It was meant to be a simple, pleasant exercise with a useful item to show for my efforts at the end of it. My sewing is not getting any better by looking at the machine and willing it so, practice is required. When I saw the beautiful simple handkerchiefs that clever Kate ( who needs our positive vibes at the moment as she recovers from a stroke ) created from an old shirt it seemed like the perfect project. A few straight seams did not sound too daunting, it seemed like it would be a good confidence booster, a little bit of fun. Two and half hours later not so much really. Oh there's a hankie but it's got half the sewing it was supposed to have and what sewing there is, is really not up to scratch. I even managed to scorch the fabric with the iron. Worst of all the experience was not enjoyable. It started out so well, a lovely...

...are really fun to make. From my three balls of Baby Bamboo came this sweet little set: Pattern: Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo Jacket 1866 Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo: 126,127 and 131 Needles: 4mm Knit Pro Interchangeables Started: 16 January 2010 Finished: 5 February 2010 Plenty of room for some 'design' features even on this simple little pattern, necessity being the mother of invention and all that. Yes I did forget to make a button hole, though I am in love with the spotty ribbon ties so that was clearly meant to be. Whether the little bubs will have long enough arms to cope with my misreading of the pattern remains to be seen, though I like the little fold back cuffs I created. I skipped the matching beret pattern for the cutest hat in the world which also happens to look a lot more practical. I have no experience of trying to keep a beret on a baby's head but ... Pattern: Aviatrix Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo: 126,127 and 131 Needles: 3.75mm for r...

... Wendy has now received her yarn ball (and I'm glad to say was as impatient as I to get to the gifties but did so much better than me with the photos.) Yay for the pigeon that flapped all that way. Anyone know of any vacancies to become a professional yarn ball swapper? If so I'm there. One of my favourite things about this all was choosing the yarn, we both agreed on sock weight and gave some hints on colours and then we had to take the plunge. I wanted to get something as uniquely British as I could to make it likely that it would be a different yarn for Wendy. I dithered a bit but then the lovely Clara P came to my rescue. I got The Knitter's Book of Wool for Christmas and have been dipping in and out of it with glee ever since. When I first heard about it I wasn't sure I really needed it as it's easy to just think 'wool' and I wasn't sure I'd get much chance to buy different types easily. Then I thought about the little experience I have...