Life, Knitting, Games & Gardening

I know, not very good at keeping up with the blogging!

Life

Lots been going on since August.  I’ve lost 2 stone, for a start! I still have a long way to go, but it’s a good start.  Also means I am happy to try Clomid for the first time, so get those fingers crossed for us!

Knitting

My latest knitting ventures have been in response to the October Challenge on Downsizer.  I’ve done a head cosy for myself, which was originally going to be for my Secret Santa gift, but it suits me more than it would suit them…honest ;)  And I’m about 2/3 way through a sock, which is possibly going to be the secret santa pressie.  I’m doing a chunky sock, using Sally_in_Wales’ chunky sock knitting pattern which is the only sock pattern I’ve so far tried.

Ooh, ooh, you didn’t get to see the finished Sackboy, did you?  Well, here he is:

He’s a lot bigger than he looks, here he is in the palm of my hand:

He was knitted from an Alan Dart recipe, the pdf is here. My husband absolutely adored him as a birthday pressie, he sits proudly on his desk apparently.  I was asked to make more by his collegues, but I told them they couldn’t afford my time to make it worth my while because it was a bit of a faff.

I’m looking at creating a Katamari Prince pattern myself atm, I can think of a few people who would appreciate those for Christmas…perhaps just little ones though.

And the garden?

The garden is dying down now, we’ve got garlic chives and red-veined sorrel in the greenhouse for winter, and rocket and mizuna in the garden.  Still have the last of the courgettes on the go, but not being very productive, the sweetcorn will be getting pulled up tonight or tomorrow, so we should get some short cobs to eat off those, and the Fartichokes are ready for pulling up, but I’m leaving those in for as long as possible.

We’ve put 20 or so purple sprouting broccoli and calabrese in as well as some pointed cabbage.  We need to get the overwintering onions and garlic in this weekend ideally.

Overall the veg garden has had it’s most successful year yet this year, the chillies have been excellent, as have the courgettes.  The garlic was overshadowed by the spring cabbage, which in turn was turned to lace by nasties.  Not so good.

We also grew wonderberries, which I’m yet to fully harvest, as we’re not keen, they’re a bit bland and remind me of a not so sweet melon.  A pie made of those and apples has been recommended.

Add comment October 19th, 2009

Sun is shining

The sun’s out again at last, overall yet another wet summer here in ’sunny’ Surrey…again!

Currently on the needles at Chez Fee is the last arm of a Sackboy (pattern) for Paul’s birthday, his head, legs and other arm are stuffed and ready to go, I need to dismantle a pair of old jeans to pinch the zip from it before I can stuff the body.

Oh, that reminds me, I need to buy two little black buttons for his eyes too.  All of this before Thursday!  I’ve also got the beginnings of a scarf on my other needles, for the ‘Scarves for Women’s Refuge‘ collection on Downsizer and had a reply from Bliss about knitting for Frimley Park Hospital premature babies. They welcome blankets, hats, scarves and booties, so no doubt I’ll knit up some hats at least.  Such good causes, how can they be ignored?

Work is keeping constant, and yesterday Sites by Fee were awarded the contract to redesign the Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames website.  I’ve also decided to work a bit longer on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and have Wednesdays off.

When I was working for IBM (in my corporate monkey days), I always said having Wednesdays off would make the perfect week, and wouldn’t mind putting in the extra time throughout the week so that I still met my 37 hours.  I’ve been self-employed for over 3 years now, and I don’t know why I haven’t done it sooner.

The garden is mostly looking good, if a bit weedy (grrr), the broad beans and peas have just finished as the courgettes and runner beans pick up their pace and could feed a family of 10, never mind just us! We had the first good handful of raspberries at the weekend, as the blueberries come to an end. Wild strawbs are still providing a bit of yumminess to my breakfastand our dwarf pear has three lovely pears growing on it for the first time in the three years we’ve had it (in a pot).

The pond was being taken over by the watercress, so it got a bit of a hair cut.  Paul reckons it isn’t edible, something he read in a foodie magazine about watercress in ponds, but I’m still here!

Getting itchy feet for a bigger garden again at the mo, there’s a fabulous looking farmhouse for sale in Portugal that really got us wondering, it’s only £170,000, has 15 acres, plenty of space, an orchard, olive trees, grape vines, but unfortunately it’s in Portugal and we’re not really up to moving abroad we don’t think.  We can dream though.  Go and dream yourself, www.quintadopinheiro.co.uk.  Found it while looking through the properties for sale on Green Shifters.  Ooooh, such a temptress, hehehe.

Add comment August 11th, 2009

Knitting Addict

Since the last post in October I have become a bit of a knitting addict.  So far I have knitted in the region of 20 completed items, including several cuddly toys and I’m now knitting a poncho for myself for the upcoming festival season (if I get it finished in time).

Mike had a penguin, Alfie a cheeky monkey (that was as tall as him), Zach a bunny and a mushroom rattle, I’ve also knitted a lamb egg cosy (tres cute), several scarves and hats and now have a pair of socks for Paul under my belt!  Yep, knitting in the round has been accomplished, woop woop!

Lamb Egg Cosy

Mike’s Penguin

Add comment May 21st, 2009

Learning to Knit

I learnt to knit when I was wee, and even managed to knit a cardigan for my niece when she was born, mint green and white stripes it was.  To be fair, I started knitting said cardigan when her big sister was due, but didn’t get it finished in time

Anyway, when our friends had a baby recently, baby was in the most scrumptious strawberry hat, a bit like the one on the right (even cuter on a newborn baby girl).

So, I decided that enough was enough, I’d been tinkling with the knitting needles a bit over the last few months, but I was so slow that I wouldn’t get very far, just give up, so I had to sit down and persevere.  So I did, and I’m now knitting!

Here’s what I’ve made so far:

 Knitted bunny for Baby Sears (naked, blind and dumb at this stage)

Knitted Santa hat for Alfie

Knitted silly Christmas hat for Baby Sears (not yet born!)

 And now I’m knitting a jumper in time for the arrival of Baby Sears next month, using the Debbie Bliss boat neck jumper pattern from Baby Knits for Beginners (I’d highly recommend that book for new knitters) .  So far I’ve done the front and one sleeve, and started on the back, so more than half way through.

Add comment October 2nd, 2008