Just because ....

A call for help ....

A Knitty friend asked for help knitting chemo caps for a young boy with cancer. Of course, being a knitty, I jumped at the opportunity to help ... but because I can't get the soft yarn needed for a cap, I knitted him a small teddy which I hope helps him when he gets his chemotherapy.


















Of course, we all send him lots of positive vibes and hope he beats it soon.

I am such a lucky *itch

(That's a "w" not a "b"!!)

I strongly believe in the principles of Wicca, which have a lot to do with communing with nature and preserving our fragile world. I don't practice a formal religion, probably because of the Catholic boarding school upbringing I had - but I do believe in meditation and doing unto others ... Not many of my friends or family share my "religious" views, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that my spoilee (downstream) in a recent Secret Pal Swap, shared the same interests. And imagine my absolute delight when she sent me a surprise in the post .... look what I got from her :



A book of spells (already used a couple of them ....), a gorgeous silver charm (already hanging around DD's neck), cards, stickers, seeds and ....
















A small broom (besem) complete with spell to protect our home ... (here DD incants said spell and attached besem to the front door)

Thank you Pal
Seeds of Friendship grow strong and Blossom!

Oh no, I've been tagged TWICE

Ha, I have been tagged...
This is a new thing! A first! I have been tagged by Pixieriot and Maryannlucy. Just you wait, I will get you back one day!! It's ok if I combine them, hey? Thinking of 14 people to tag just hurts my head!!

These, apparently, are the rules... Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Ok, that I believe is it, now to think of 7 random things:

1. I am more an animal person than a people person

2. I am actually shy and introverted .... YES I AM!!

3. I never get road rage ... well, I didn't till I came to Abu Dhabi

4. I have never had a massage, manicure or pedicure - can't stand other people touching me

5. My handbag contains all kinds of everything, including the kitchen sink

6. I hate my hair and wish I had the guts to "Britney" it

7. I never throw anything away - I have heaps of tomato sauce sachets, empty toilet rolls, cardboard boxes, broken watches, unloved jewellry and 6inch long bits of yarn - one day we will NEED them ........

..now to tag my 7.......I think I will tag...(and please don't hate me ...)
bookrump http://blogs.litfan.com
sandykins http://sandykins57.livejournal.com
lisa http://thechickenhouse.blogspot.com
zanne http://knitty-zanne.blogspot.com
cooknknit http://cooknknit.com
piewacket http://piewacketknits.blogspot.com
thea http://babycocktails.blogspot.com
(Good luck - it has taken me all frigging afternoon to find 7 people who have not yet been tagged and who I think will not seriously injure me for tagging them!!)

WINE BLOSSOMS have arrived

I wanted to send my Secret Pal something special, something nobody else had, something knitted (of course), something that would remind her of the fun she had in the Spring Fling...... so Wine Blossoms were invented:


WINE BLOSSOMS
(Which Wine is Mine)

Wine Blossoms
are a colourful way
to identify wine glasses
during a party.
Each guest gets a uniquely coloured blossom which is
easily removable when they use a new glass

DD and I sat for days working out the logistics - some were too small to fit around the stem of the glass, some were too bulky, some looked like grandma's night-hat, some were too floppy .... but finally we think we hit on a winning pattern. What do you think?

My Local Yarn Shop (LYS)

I have to force myself not to hyperventilate when I go into my Local Yarn Shop -
which is one of only two in the city - the range and choice is sooo overwhelming ....

The lace section :














The embroidery section














The wool section :

A Knitting Parcel from Heaven

(Well, it is from an angel at the very least!!)

A RAK parcel came today - completely out of the blue (the VERY best kind!!) It felt like Christmas, my birthday and Chinese New Year all rolled into one. Look what the angel sent me :
Firstly, notice the exquisite box - it screams class, but it also screamed "Open me, open me, open me ..."


Okay, I admit, I ripped into the box with my car keys, there and then - in the car park - well, there was NO WAY I was going to wait until I got home - forgetaboudit.

A bag with not one, not two, but three skeins/hanks of THE most incredible sock yarn - ACTUAL, REAL sock yarn. (I have never seen a skein of anything in real life, and I have never seen or felt or smelt or snuggled real, live sock yarn. (But I did today - right there in the PO car park - with a glazed look of love on my face, too!!)

Then out popped some dpns - bamboo, no less - never seen those before either!! And two circular needles to play with and a really useful booklet for notes on my adventures in sock knitting land. Oh, oh, oh..... it couldn't get any better, could it? .... it all smelt so delicious - just like honey, why? Because the angel had added some Bee Bar lotion too.

DD and I had a tug of war over possession of the plastic carrier bag - the little brat won!

















Then we fought over the yarn - hah, this time I won!


















And the yarn is now sitting on my laptop, where I can see it and snuggle it while I surf!!










Thank you Lori aka Crazyknits - you are simply the best!!

Heritage Village crafts

A recent visit to the Heritage Craft Village intrigued those of us with an obsession with handmade craft objects .....

Like this guy (who was up to his neck in weaving!) :



















A Work In Progress



















Samples of beautiful woven silks :























Looms for making larger tapestries and carpets :



















The finished products

My next project ...

Can you guess what it is .... no, not an XXXXXXXXXXL jersey for DH, guess again!

The princess gets a toy

A story with pictures!

Once upon a time there was a Princess ... (aka Brat Cat)

One day the Princess asked her humom to make her a nice knitted toy ...

"Please make me a nice knitted toy, please, please, pleeeez"














"You feel sleepy, you will make me a nice knitted toy ..."















"I WANT A NICE KNITTED TOY!"















"MY TOY!!"














"MY toy!!"














"DESTROY MY TOY!!"














"Oops ..."















"It is so tiring being a Princess ..."














The End !!

...and a baby blanket

More baby jerseys finished

Baby jerseys are such fun to knit

Someone asked me to knit some jerseys for her first grandchild. What fun it was - casting on 20 stitches instead of 120! BTW congratulations Janet on baby Jack ... have fun spoiling him.

Sand in my Yarn and Yarn in my Sand