One stop shop at John Lewis Store, Oxford Street

Another week has flown by and the local schools will be finishing for their summer break.  We live on the route of many school kids attending both Infant, Junior and Senior schools and so there is a lot of traffic as well as the teenagers walking past.  So by the end of the week, 19th July, the road will have much less traffic and the buses will be a lot quieter too.

At Christmas 2018 I got a great gift from Frank and I think I posted about it but I shall repeat myself a little, he got me this book and the yarn to make the socks on the front cover.

Frank said the lady in the store went through the yarn needed and purchased them.

I decided the other day to start knitting them and it is an absolute joy however, one of the colours was incorrect and that was the reason for going back to John Lewis Store, Oxford Street today.

I was so eager to start the Fir Tree section and when I realised that the colour was wrong, I could have said a few chosen words but was a good girl and didn't.

Frank went to the Stratford John Lewis store but they did not have it and that was the reason we went to Oxford Street today.

I am going to sound like a right bore now!  I really hate crowds of people, I would have much rather purchased them on-line but because we took the Grandchildren back to their Mum yesterday, we went to London.

Frank loves it, he thinks nothing of getting on a train or bus and seeing where it takes him whereas me, I like to go get what I want and then come home.

Anyway, we got the green fir colour that I needed and also got an extra ball of white for the socks because I don't think the one ball that I had was going to be enough.  They had the samples on display in John Lewis and they are so gorgeous, I cannot wait to do some more.

You can see the purchases we made in the photo above and it is a gorgeous green colour.  In case you're wondering what the name of the pattern is called, it is Cabin in the Woods.  The pattern book has got such a lot of lovely sock patterns and I know I will be doing at least 3 of them.

We also got a set of Knit Pro Symphony's double pointed needles which start from a size 2 mm.  We had a look at the Prym DPN's too that Arne & Carlos said that they use but oh boy, they are £10 for one set.

I decided a while ago that I wanted to challenge myself with my knitting and doing colour work is a challenge.  I was put off a bit when I knit the Latvian Mitts because there were 3-4 colours per row which I got rather frustrated with.  Also, when you watch a lot of youtube podcasts and the techniques that others use when they do colour work it can get a bit overwhelming so when I started these socks, I thought I would just do them the way that is comfortable for me.  So because it is only 2 colours at a time I am not going to knit with a colour in each hand, I am just going to do it my way.

As I knit I drop the colour, grab the other colour and then keep doing that.  I also keep the balls of yarn on my lap and pulled from the centre so the balls don't roll around.

I do know that I have quite a few sock patterns that I want to do but also after watching a podcast on youtube called Ellinesscrafts I have felt inspired to knit a garment.  Here is the link for Lorraine's podcast.

 'https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaBo4oNYesohizAOQ-VUBjw


I do hope you find the time to have a look,  I binge watched them all over a couple of weeks and she is very inspiring.  She only podcasts once a month, doesn't get into too much personal life or opinions etc and just concentrates on the knitty gritty stuff.  Lorraine has made such gorgeous summer tops and I definitely have a few on my to-do list.

WHAT'S NEXT

We had a lovely fish and chip dinner in John Lewis's so I don't have to cook a meal today and that means more knitting time.  I am going to finish this blogpost up, grab another drink and start on the next part of the Nordic Socks and then maybe, I will do a bit of ironing. 

I have Doctors in the morning and am going to request blood tests so I have to fast from tonight and boohoo, I cannot have a cuppa when I get up which is gonna be hard.  But once I've had my blood test I can come home and knit.

I have been progressing well on my Hedvig Crochet Blanket but must admit I want it finished now, it is a big project and I should have waited till nearer the winter time to do it.  Never mind, it is going to  be a great heirloom piece when it is finished.

Have a good week and hopefully, I may have a finished pair of socks to show off!

Hello July

Hello and welcome back to my blog,  I did not post last Sunday because I did not have much to show and to be honest I was quite knackered last weekend.  

I have been working on my Hedvig Crochet Throw by Arne & Carlos and have made 110 flowers and  started to crochet them together but I had to stop crocheting for a few days because it was causing me pain in the base of my thumb.  I was still knitting and that does not seem to effect my hands like crocheting does.  

WORKS IN PROGRESS

Frank bought some Debbie Bless Rialto Luxury Sock Yarn which was on sale and he gave them to me and asked if I could knit him a pair of socks out of the green so of course, I obliged.

The photo below was taken last night (Saturday) in our garden around 7pm because it had been such a lovely warm day and I wanted to enjoy using our new little Bistro Table that we bought from Wilkinsons.  

I spent most of yesterday evening right up to nearly 11 pm watching a podcast called Ciasbod whilst knitting on the 2nd sock.  I started it that morning for something to knit on whilst I was at my hairdressers and then after the days chores, I sat in the garden till about 8 pm and then came inside.  

It is such a lovely colour green, blue, beige, yellow and there is some black in there too, Frank loves them and I intend to knit another pair.

My Gypsophelia Socks have sold 2 patterns and I was so chuffed that someone was interested in them.  I am yet to wear them at the moment because it has been so warm here but no doubt, the weather will change.  It has today actually, it started raining last night as I went to bed and it continued right through till the morning, it wasn't heavy rain but enough to water the garden.

BOOKS

Frank was at work the other day (he is a Gardener in Islington) and a lady who owns a rather posh house put out a load of books for people to help themselves and it just so happens that she did it as Frank and his team were driving past.  

He grabbed the above book and it is like new.  I told him who Clara Parkes was and he hinted that he liked a few patterns in the book so looks like I will be busy!

CHARITY SHOP

This photo on the left shows some stickers that I picked up at my local Charity Shop and were only 50p each.

I intend to put together a folder of all my patterns that I have designed and wanted to make the folder pretty so I thought that these would be perfect.

They had quite a few stickers in the shop but these ones really caught my eye.

THE WORKS

The Works is a shop that has opened up at The Heathway Shopping Mall not far from where I live and I just love that shop.  It sells stationary, books, notepads and a whole load of other stuff too and it is great for getting little pressies too so I have picked up a few bits for Christmas gifts./

PLANS

I have been thinking a lot lately of sorting out some yarn, matching it with patterns and putting them aside so that I have planned my next lot of knitting that I want to do.

My yarn stash is getting a bit big now and I don't like the thought of it all sitting about waiting to be made into something.  

The lady Cia on the podcast Ciasbod has created herself a Yarn Bingo Sheet and she has marked on it squares and inside each square is written the yarn and a pattern that she intends to use it for.

Then what she does is as she completes a projects she colours in the square and when she gets coloured squares in a row, she treats herself.

Doesn't that sound like a good idea plus you can control your stash.  

Please take a look at her podcast, you have a choice of watching in Swedish or English and she is so inspiring with the jumpers, hats and mitts that she makes. Plus she lives in a lovely old house with her two gorgeous dogs!

Oh well, I am off to start planning my folder and the rest of today's activities.

Have a good week and I will return next Sunday.