Happy Birthday Misty

Misty Mitten is 2 years old today, but unfortunately we have had to cancel her birthday party and she won't be having any cake today as she is a poorly kitten.

Over the weekend she had a very tight tummy and really yowled and hissed when we touched her or tried to pick her up. She was very sleepy and slept most of the day on Sunday, and all of Sunday night. I took her to the vets on Monday, who were fantastic and gave her a thorough examination. After an x-ray they decided that she may have a kidney infection and be constipated. Poor little thing, no wonder she was yowling. She had got some laxative paste (which she loves eating) and a liquid anti-inflammatory. She is currently fast asleep on my pillow, as we have to keep her in for the rest of this week, and she is living in our bedroom. Of course this means that I get to cuddle her all night long, but this is no hardship!

Knit-a-long

The knitting group I go to have started a knit-a-long. This is where we all make the same thing. It was Penny's idea, she picked a really nice bag to do. Well, I have casted on 3 times now. The first time I was just finishing the first row and pulled the wrong needle and all the stitiches came off! The 2nd time I had done four rows and it was suggested that we do the larger of the two bags as the small one was very small, so I undid it and started again on the bigger size. Last night I casted on for the 3rd time, knitted 4 rows, started the pattern bit and found I was following the small bag pattern and had the wrong number of stitches left over!! So, today I will cast on again.

I am off to the UK tomorrow for 4 days as my dad is 70 on Friday. I am only taking hand luggage and can't take my knitting with me, but Penny suggested I start another bag over there andpost it back - good idea. I would feel very odd sitting there in the evening with no knitting to do.

Gettin' knitty with it!

I have definitely got the knitting bug. It now seems strange to sit and watch tv in the evenings without having some knitting to do. So, you can imagine how I felt when I had finished my two projects without having another to go onto!!! Thank goodness the wool I had ordered on Friday arrived on Tuesday morning, very speedy service I must say.

I have taken photos of first two knitting projects. They are both the same pattern, which had been given to me by Penny, The Pearly Queen. She had two balls of a lovely beigy/creamy chunky wool which I fell in love with, but there was not enough to do a whole garment. Looking on Kemps Wool site I saw that they also did a lilac version of the same wool. I ordered some of the lilac and some cream yarn. The plan was to make one gilet totally out of the lilac yarn and another one from the beigy one and the cream one together (well, two rows of each).

I loved knitting them, and love wearing them. They were knitted on 10mm needles, which meant that they 'grew' quickly. The pattern was very simple, although I needed help when it came to edging the armholes, I had never 'picked up' stitches before. The yarn is gorgeously soft and snuggly but at the same time very light in weight. It would make a lovely summer jumper for those slightly chilly evenings.

I am now making a jumper for myself from a wool that when knitted looks like Fairisle but without all the hassle, and a new wooly hat for Ian. I have also got some fabulous aqua coloured cotton yarn that I am looking for a pattern for.

Spring is certainly on its way here in the Limousin. My little Iris Reticulata are flowering their hearts out and the crocuses should open any day now.