dolly dimple knits

Waiting

Well, maybe not all waiting. There's some procrastinating going on too. I feel like I'm stuck in some giant limbo waiting room at the moment - some of it my own fault and some of it not.

I'm waiting for a letter so I'm pouncing on the post on a daily basis only to find bills, offers for new credit cards to let me run up more bills, offers of loans to let me pay the bills whilst running up even bigger ones, garden furniture catalogues and yes. More bills.

I am not good at waiting. At all. Patience may be a virtue but who wants to be a good girl ?

I'm also procrastinating. Big style. I'm working on a design project for Kerrie.

I'm using Atacama Alpaca shade 501 which is just gorgeous to knit with and reminds me of Raspberry Ripple ice cream but I can't get beyond the sodding armholes !

I've been at the armholes 3 times and ripped it back 'cos I wasn't happy with it but now I think it's given me designer's block (does that exist ??) I keep going to pick it up and then finding a million and one other more vital things to do - like defluffing the rubber seal on the washing machine or trying to find matching pairs of each and every one of the 99 trillion pairs of Polly Pocket rubber shoes we own. I've got a longish deadline (end of September) but I kind of have the feeling I might be up till 4 in the morning on 30th September trying to meet it. :0(

I've also been procrastinating by knitting the first of these

These are the cable socks from Debbie Bliss "Home" in baby cashmerino. I changed the heel to use Wendy's short row heel as the one in the pattern had a funny line of holes running along each side - but other than that they're a quick and simple knit.

Try not to hate me but they're the first of my Christmas gifts too.

Yes. I know. I'm sick. But think of them as procrastination not forward planning and it'll help.

It's good to be me :0)

Spoiled. Rotten. Totally.

Being a knitter who gets gifts from knitting friends is always a joy.

I have been so spoiled I'm almost (but not quite !) ashamed. Knitting friends sent me gorgeous handmade notion bags & stitch markers (you can't see the stitch markers 'cos they're already in use :0)), and from India and Jill an amazing Woolfest goodie bag filled with recycled banana fibre yarn (which looks incredibly like raw silk ??), handmade buttons, rosewood needles, silk brooches and sheep. Yes. Sheep. Don't ask.

Being a knitter who gets gifts from non-knitting family which show they have been listening is utterly wonderful. Not to mention incredible. Most unlikely. And the first time this has ever happened.

My sister (who went shopping in Stash Yarns) gave me -

Eight skeins of Malabrigo in Damask Rose. Soft. So soft. So unbelievably happy. :0)

AND (Yes peeps, I did say AND !)

One skein of Tilli Tomas Silk Disco Lights in Ruby Wine and one skein of Tilli Tomas Ritz Ethereal Delight. Died and gone to heaven. It's possible I may not knit with these for a while as I just want to hold them muttering something about "preciousssssss....."

And that was only the knitting gifts. I'm not even going there on the fabulous jewellrey, perfume, Dr Hauschka, DVD's, breadmakers, sculptures, personally made-up just for me tapes of favourite music .... I could go on but I think I've made my point.

Next year I'm planning to turn 40 again. Just on account of the quality presents ;0)

Well, Fancy That !

40 - and still breathing. Who'd a thunk it ?

Posted by Heather at 07:08 PM | Comments (13)

Lush - a picture heavy post

As well as the hard things, so many good things have happened this summer that I thought a quick picture essay was the best way to catch up.

Prom Night - I can't believe my baby girl is about to start secondary school ....

We've done lots of this this summer.

We went here for a week of relaxation. This is a really special place. Steve and Lynne, the owners, are amongst the nicest people I've ever met and their place is just beautiful - with views over to Skye, the Western Isles and the Torridon mountains.

As a child I spent a lot of time with my grandparents in Badachro - a few miles down the road from where we stayed - so it was a bit of a voyage of rediscovery. I'd forgotten what lot of empty space there is up there. We'll definitely be going back :0)

We did a bit of sailing ...

and, eh, "fishing" ......

But mainly, we sat about drinking wine and looking at the view ...

I also managed to fit in a visit to the John Lewis sale for a little more R&R of the yarny kind -

I'm obviously having a green phase - which is good. I used to wear green a lot of the time (even got married in it and may show you the photies one day !) but I've been a pink and purple gal this last wee while.

I really scored as I managed to lay my sticky mitts on some (okay enough for a sweater ...) Rowan Calmer in the discontinued shade Peacock, some DB Alpaca Silk DK in shade 03 and quite a lot of DB Cashmerino Astrakhan in shade 09 and a skein of silk too :0)

The knitting underneath the goodies is the back of Fruit Salad which I'm rushing on with to make room for a new, super exciting, secret project - which I'll tell you more about another day. Suspense killing you, huh ?

But now I'm limbering up for -

Yeah. I know. Me who doesn't do socks. That's where 3 beers and half a bottle of red wine will get you gals. Just say No.

Anyway, I needed a drink to recover from my sister's phone call. She's been shopping ..... in a YARN shop. She who does not knit. She who "just doesn't get it". She who's just spent over an hour (not that impressive to us professional yarn shoppers I know but she's a beginner ..) here.

Don't get carried away tho'. She hasn't been converted to the dark side. She was birthday (gulp) present shopping for me !!!!!

A fact which she phoned up to tell me. BUT she wouldn't tell me what she bought. Cruel and unusual treatment I'd say. Wouldn't you ?? The suspense is killing me now .....