So much to do... Where to find the time!

There is so much I want to get done... I just don't where to start or where to find the time. I want to finish the Spiderman afghan some time this weekend. Only the embroidery remains to be done (and maybe the polar fleece backing - depending on how neatly I can get the embroidery done). Then I need to start on my other nephew's Scooby-Doo afghan... Where to find the time?

I also want to try knitting again. I've found a really nice pullover pattern. It's for a man's vest (I'm not so sure about the cable-thing just yet) as I want to try something very simple and plain for now. I've found a very nice tutorial on Continental style knitting... I'm sure this will allow me to get the gauge right on the pattern I've decided on. I'm hoping this will solve my loose knitting problem - needing to go down 2 to 3 needle sizes to reach the gauge is a real pain in the butt. It's worth a try.

Christmas is coming up... I need to get cracking on a few gifts. We have an agreement in our family regarding the giving of gifts: Each couple buys a present for one man and one woman. On Christmas day these presents are put together (marked man/woman). Each person chooses a gift (according to gender) and which is not their own and that's their present. We do, however, buy gifts for the children (so they are rather spoilt over Christmas). I want to make my gift this year. I've found a gorgeous handbag pattern (Starling Handbag) which I was thinking I could personalise with a flower or abstract embroidery stitch. I think that anyone receiving this would be appreciative - as they know the love I put into my creations.

I would like to make a few things to send home to my mom and sister for Christmas. I will need to send the presents by the end of September to ensure that they receive them in South Africa in time for Christmas. The postal service in the UK is fast... It reaches South Africa within a week. The problem lies in the sorting offices of the South African postal service... It will take 3 weeks to reach my mom after reaching the country! Luckily, I am able to plan ahead! The problem lies in what to make for them... I could make the bags - problem is my mom is not too keen on homemade things. My sister isn't really a bag person, so an afghan would be more her style... That means huge postal
fees for the afghan.

There is also another baby due in February next year who will need an "Aunty Queeny" blanket... My cousin is expecting. Her sister has just given birth to a gorgeous little girl, Angelina. I wish it was my turn to be having the baby. But, I can use their blankets as practice to perfect the art to one day make a blanket for my own baby. I live in hope!

I can't do anything before getting my Guinea Pig cage cleaned and giving both Fugde and Spike a good cuddle. So I'm off to cuddle... then I will need to get my butt into gear for the above hobbies... I might have enough wool in my stash to start on the vest.... HHHHmmmmmmm!

Bits and Bobs

Peter thinks that there should be a special "AA" out there for all people addicted to knitting/crochet/needlework in general. I'm thinking that this is a not so sublte hint that I'm a little addicted to making afghans and other needlework related items. The suggestion was pointed out once again yesterday when my nephew asked me if I ever leave the house without my "knitting" (crocheting by he doesn't know the difference). I suppose having crochet as a drug of choice is better than some others I could mention... I'm not a smoker and hit my limit after a single glass of wine... Crochet gives me my fix and I enjoy every minute of it.

I suppose the fact that I'm more likely to leave the house with my crochet bag instead of my handbag is a bit worrying, but not for me. I always ask whether I will be needing anything important before throwing my purse and mobile in my crochet bag. It's always a good when going to places or occassions where there is a good chance that it might not be my thing and this means that my crochet bag is by back-up plan... Is that so wrong? Some would say I was a little pessimistic - I would say I'm prepared.

Having nephews means that there is never a lack of projects to be made... having them so close in age means that I double up on everything too! One can't have something without the other having the same thing... Only the colour differs. Kids - you gotta love them (luckily at this stage I get to love them..... and then give them back to their parents when I'm done!). It's a win-win situation! We get all our private time and get to do the things we want, and we get to have fun with the kids without them becoming a burden.

My colleagues and I were having a chat at work about these Staff Development Days that the teachers have. We were wondering whether they would consider allowing the administration staff to have a staff development of our own... Needlework related of course... Not sure whether we should put the idea forward as a "stress-management technique". Would they find the idea as interesting as we did?

holds hands up and shrugs

I guess not. It's the thought that counts I suppose.

Progress

I'm making great progress on the Spiderman afghan for Alex. The actual afghan is almost done. I'm hoping to get it done by the end of the week. I still need to do that actual picture in running stitch. Not sure if Alex will give me time to put the polar fleece backing... But I will try to explain to this quite hard-headed 4 year old that the backing is necessary.

The blanket should last Alex at least 2 years... He's really little and it's the perfect lapghan for when he's older and is watching movies or playing computer games.

I should be able to get a better picture of it next time (I live in hope) and it should be almost done at that stage!

I've also been informed by my other nephew that he is expecting to have a Scooby-Doo blanket of his very own... Seeing as Alex is getting one.... An Aunty's work is never done!

sighs and makes list of colours needed for Scooby-Doo.... searches Google desperately for a Scooby-Doo picture to print on to graph paper for a pattern...

There's work and there's WORK!

Okay, the idea of taking note of exactly how many hours I work on an afghan is sooooooooooo not going to happen. The reasons being:

1. I tend to forget to write down when I'm working on the afghan, and
2. Working on the afghan is supposed to be fun...
   

So, I will only keep track of how much (gulp) I actually spend on an afghan... That should be easy enough.

The Spiderman afghan is coming along nicely. I managed to buy the red yarn yesterday and started joining it to the blue which I had already done. I'm hoping fingers crossed that I will be able to get the red part done today and the rest of the blue finished by the end of next week. Then I could do the back-stitching of the Spiderman next weekend... That should be good.

I'm off to work on the afghan... Oh, and bring in the washing which I did today...

To sell or not to sell?

I've been asked by sooooooo many people if I would be willing to sell some of my baby afghans. I'm not sure what to tell them. Most of the people that ask the question have never actually made something themselves. They don't realise the time and the love that goes into every project. Would they be willing to pay the amount I ask for a blanket? Would they think that the price was outrageous?

I'm going to make a baby afghan. I'm going to take photos of the progress and keep a diary of exactly how many hours it took to make, make note of the money I spent on the materials to make the blanket and then put a price on the actual article. I will then take the finished article to work and enquire from my colleagues if they think that the price was reasonable - giving them the information on how many hours it took to make... This would be my experiment to find out whether or not it would be worth while trying to sell my handmade items (either via eBay or in some other fashion... Carboot sales could prove productive).

Let the experiment begin!

Why do I BLOG?

I'm going to explain why I'm doing this. This is purely for you to understand why my blog is going to be sometimes strange (and mostly senseless) to some.

For many years my release from crazy thoughts (which tended to float endlessly in my skull) was to put these on paper. This resulted in many, many, many, many (you get the idea) books filled with the biggest load of gobble-dee-gook.

When I went to university I met my one and only true friend (the only girl friend) that accepted me for all my craziness and never judged me. Even though many trees were saved by me talking to this special friend of mine (and yes, she does exist!) I was only able to cope with my strange thoughts by sharing. Once the university studies had ended and we had to move our seperate ways, I found that emails were my link to sanity. This meant that for the last 6 years my poor friend has been the recipient of all my crazy thoughts (via email).

After reading a self-help book (for reasons that I may or may not share at a later stage) I have realised that this was very selfish of me and I was being extremely thoughtless by unburdening myself on said friend.

Hangs head in shame, threatens to throw herself off a cliff to repent.

For the sole purpose of maintaining my friend's sanity I have decided to keep up with the therapy sessions... via this blog. Okay, that should be: for the purpose of maintaining my friend's and my sanity.

This way I will be venting, but only those who want to know about my peculiar thoughts will read them.

Problem solved!

So feel free to read whenever you want. But you have been warned. I have loads.....

Holds arms out as far as they will go.

of issues!

Crochet/Knitting group

I'm soooooo excited. I've found a local crochet/knitting group with members closer to my own age... Whhhoooooohoooooo!



*jumps around in victory dance*



Okay, so I'm a little sad... Small things tend to make me VERY happy! This is a good thing - you can just imagine the reaction when I get a HUGE surprise!



I'm having a "Gee I'm glad I'm me" moment... excuse me.

It begins

Well, this is the beginning of my blogging. I'm hoping that this will be a way for me to share my views on certain things (be they crocheting tips or other).

It's quite exciting to be able to do something this outrageous... Okay, for me this is like taking a trip to the moon! I'm not the bravest person out there!

Bare with me, this might be my saving grace.