Silent Sunday

One Outfit, Three Children, 5 1/2 years!!!

Silent Sunday

Crafting in 2014

A handmade Christmas

4 pairs of Father Christmas socks, a pair of Nordic inspired socks for Hope, slightly to the right of he picture Hope's Nordic inspired hat!!

Silent Sunday

A pile of unfinished Father Christmas socks!!

Pre chemo

Just over a year ago I posted about how much I loved knitting things for children. Since completing hope's blanket I have realised his true this is.

Children's projects are portable and quick to knit up.

Since finishing Hope's blanket which consisted of over 20,000 knit & purl stitches (no I haven't counted, but 125 stitches multiplied by 160 rows...) I have completed a scarf for Imogen, a Christmas present for someone and am in the middle of a Scandinavian inspired hat and sock set for Hope for Christmas. 

Then there are the Father Christmas socks for my big two and a new hat and scarf for Isaac. I really feel like my knitting mojo has returned. This may be because I can't bear to think of all the money I have spent on wool over the past 8 years going down the drain if Tony decided to just bin it.

So keep your eyes peeled for more project pictures coming when I can prise the scarf from Imogen's neck.

Tying up loose ends

The title of this blog is kids, KNITTING, and Guiding.

I talk a lot about the kids, I have talked about guiding, mostly I talk about cancer. But I don't talk much about the passion in my life, crafting, especially knitting, cross stitching and sewing.

11 months ago I started watching a fantastic drama on BBC 1, Sunday evenings called Ripper Street. At the same time I started a new project for the ever expanding bump. Nothing fancy, a baby blanket. Both Isaac and Imogen had blankets knitted for them by my mum and called them their Grandma Blankets. The new baby would need a blanket and I had found the perfect pattern in one of those books you see in Garden Centres across the country.

I had bought the book, I had the wool left over from other projects, this wool came from my bobble cushions. Which incidentally I have finished, but still need to buy the foam to go inside, I must get round to that soon!!

Ripper Street gave me an hour each Sunday to sit and knit which should have been plenty of time, but unfortunately the back pain I started to suffer during pregnancy meant I was unable to sit for long periods of time.

By the time Hope was born I had completed all but 50 rows. I was on the finishing stretch, but 3 children and the absolute exhaustion just put all thoughts of knitting out of my mind. I religiously carted the project around. It came to my parents house and back, it went on scout camp but it never left the bag.

A couple of weeks ago, Ripper Street returned for a second series. Suddenly there was the motivation I required to complete the blanket. I could not let two series go without completing Hope's blanket.

There is also the added bonus that my pain is much more manageable now with the morphine, paracetamol, oromorph combo, so yesterday and last night I managed to get to within 5 rows of completing it. And this morning at 10.25 I finally finished Hope's 'grandma blanket'.

I am so proud of what I have achieved. Hope has her blanket and I have a new found love of knitting again, fuelled by simple projects which can be completed quickly and are portable.

So next up, something Imogen has been nagging for for a long time. A pink, purple and cream scarf.

Let's get casting on!!

Sunday Crafting

Sorry, things have been quiet on the crafting front here at Knitting Novice HQ recently.

This pregnancy seems to have really taken it out of me. 

Well before Christmas I started a Flower Fairies Cross Stitch. Its a tiny little thing, but I have not had any motivation to pick that up, so it is sitting neglected in a box. This was spurred on by the fact that I had a look at all the Flower Fairies Cross Stitch kits I had (9 or 10 I think) and thinking actually it would be really nice to get them all done so I could sew them into some sort of wall hanging.

You may remember my joy when I learnt to crochet. However that joy has been short lived. All I can seem to manage is flowers and things I can complete in one sitting. Anything that involves counting rows, decreasing or increasing is a massive fail. I have tried and tried and tried. I follow so many bloggers & twitterers that love crochet and rave about how easy and quick it is, and I know this must be true as I have managed to do flowers and Imogens huge Granny Square for her cushion. But to actually make something else - a toy or even a heart seems to be beyond me. I have you tubed, I have ravelry'd, I have followed tutorials for Attic 24 and Mollie Makes and have decided that I will stick to flowers.

So you can see why I have become quite lethargic and mojo less. 

But the last couple of weeks have given me a kick. I was sitting looking at the storage pouffe full of wool and the shelf full of knitting books and realised that at some point in the next 8 - 12 weeks I am going to have a new little life to clothe and care for. I know that when that happens my 'me time' will be severely curtailed and so I need to spend some time using up some of the wool I have. Added to that both of the other 2 have had hand knitted cardigans, hats, blankets and toys from mummy & grandma when they were born. I realised I needed to kick myself (not really obviously) and get knitting. 

I am currently knitting a lovely stripy diamond pattern blanket for bump, have taken 3 books out of the library which have some lovely ideas for using up some of my stash. I have also found the socks I made when we went away at October half term and the hat & mittens I knitted for Imogen after she was born and I was bored stupid in hospital.

And so my knitting mojo has returned. I will stick with crocheting flowers and the occasional ball and granny square and accept that I am far more skilled at intarsia, socks, knitting in the round and generally using 2 pointy sticks than I ever will be at using 1

March madness

Wow, March already. In knitting novice news - the 29th signalled my last trip to Guildford. I saw my consultant and despite having felt shocking for the last few days I was still healthy enough to have chemotherapy. I finall talked to him about what happens next. He said I would receive an appointment for a CT scan and then would have a follow up. When I told him I already had a date for a follow up he was slightly confused but said that as long as my CT scan is before the follow up then it will be fine.
In knitting news - after almost 2 years I finally finished my bobble cushions from this book and have started a new project...... 12 knitted boobs from this blog for a breastfeeding counsellor friend of mine. So far, 2 down, 10 to go. In family news - littlest novice survived to her 2nd birthday and we celebrated in style with a trip to Drusllas zoo including a ride on Thomas the Tank Engine and some feeding of Lorrikeets.

Another finished project

Just thought I'd show you these.

From knitting for dummies, the simple socks. I love the ease of the pattern, but not the way its written.

Next up.... Finishing the cube cushion

No longer a wip

So in the effort to live up to the 'knitting' part of the bog title here is my latest finished object.

From simply knitting May 2011, pretty post, knitted in Sirdar Summer Stripes, shade 0311.
It is a little big for her at the moment, but drapes beautifully and the colour changes make it really interesting to look at.
Next up finishing the dk socks from 'knitting for dummies'

Drawing a (PICC) line under it

Sorry about that, I just need to let you all know that I have my arm back. So, on Wednesday I drove across to Guildford because I knew I would not be having any 'proxy oxy' as defined on many bowel cancer forums. On speaking to my oncologist it spears that i was given a higher dose/regieme than is normally used. I should have questioned this but didn't think about it at the time. I think I will in next time, if I remember!! Then he said those amazing words 'i think that your PICC can come out' This means that tomorrow morning I can have a shower and not wrap my arm in cling film. Although this is a useful skill I have acquired over the last 5 months I can't see it being something I will advertise on my cv! If you think it sounds easy I urge you to try and wrap your own bicep in cling film one evening and let me know how it goes. So the PICC is out, the skin is very dry and shares in palmers cocoa butter are going to go sky high as this is the only thing that tackles my really dry skin. I have also started thinking about the direction of this blog once the chemo has finished. I hope you will still stay with me because I think I may start boring you with some of my craftyness. There will be pictures, rants about difficult patterns and hopefully some finishing of long term UFO (unfinished objects) and an update on my WIP (work in progress). I shall tell you about what I have OTN or OTH (on the needles or on the hooks) and show you my wishlists of projects. My first UFO I really want to finish are the bobble cushions I started when Imogen was 6 weeks old. I can't find a link at the moment but will make sure i do before long.

& another thing

So I have talked a lot about the cancer and its effect on me and the family and the treatment I have received from the NHS, but not much about the other things this blog is supposed to be about....knitting


Since spending time in hospital I have definitely rediscovered my crafty mojo.

It reads 'Joanne, 22 September 1981'

I made this for my sisters 30th Birthday, based on an idea in Making magazine issue 9.














I have also had a lot of new babies to knit for.


Harriet Affinia Buck was born on 21st July 2011
Max was born to Amy & Matt on 31st August 2011
Baby Boden - Worsfold is due anytime soon & I believe Baby Stavrou - Kania is due at the start of 2011.


I love knitting baby things. The toys are so simple but so easy to make interesting with different stitch patterns and textures, or different stuffings to give interest. For 2 of the babies I have gone with this flower 

For baby Max we went for a few other little bits a pieces too. 


Baby clothes are so satisfying to knit. The Debbie Bliss Simply Baby book has some great quick & easy knits that are knitted in aran weight wool so they knit up nice and quick. I knitted Max the little shrug from the Debbie Bliss book, and at the same time thought that I would knock up another hooded cardigan for Imogen. See addicted to baby knitting.


The other two babies will also get some kind of toy and probably a cardigan as well. 


It used to be the remit of the 'Grandma' to knit for new babies. I want to change that perception. Knitting is so theraputic, rewarding & fulfilling. I love the comments when the kids or me are wearing something I have made for them.


Theres one more thing that having cancer has made me do, learn to crochet. 


I had managed to make a foundation chain before but hadn't been able to take it any further despite following numerous videos on you tube, and countless diagrams. At Beautiful days I took advantage of the craft tent, auntie Jo & sleeping children to sit and learn. It took about 20 minutes and less than a month later I made these

Crochet flowers - pattern courtesy of Mollie Makes, issue 3

 Not bad for a beginner I am sure you will agree. I have a veritable crochet garden & am suddenly thinking of all the ways I could use these in the future as I can knock them up in an hour or so!!


And one final photo. 

I knitted this the day before my operation, from a kit that came free with Simply Knittting magazine and it also helped to reinspire my crafty mojo.

February

Well, February was fun.
A Valentine's day to forget and a last minute dash to a&e for a digested 5p. On top of this there was the disappointment of having my breastfeeding counsellor interview cancelled and the news that the census want me to work for them. This was followed by the realisation that I will have to be in Brighton for 8.30am in March!!!
There was a high point, my little pie turned 1. Yes I, at least for the next four months am the mummy of a 1 year old and a 2 year old.

So what does March hold?
I need to knit some birthday cakes as presents, finish Sharon's birthday present, and crack on with the bobble cushions.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

A new start

So I am making my 2011 resolutions slightly earlier than normal and intend to keep this little snapshot of my mundane life up and running now.


So I am a mum to 2 gorgeous kids.


Isaac is my terrible toddler, mad about trains - especially steam trains and very loving to his little sister
Imogen (christened Genie by Isaac), she is a crawling, standing, whirlwind who loves watching and chasing her big brother.


What about me? 


I am currently a stay at home mum who knits, cross stitches, bakes (mostly cakes and cookies) & tries to fit in a bit of reading here and there. I am also a Guider and have been involved in Guiding since I was 7.