Birthday card

Writing

Guilty as charged, I have nothing to report. I met one of my writing group for coffee today, and we had a good old chat, so I did a lot of thinking about writing, but no actual words on screen.

Tomorrow is another day.

Knitting.

It's a friend's birthday on Saturday, and many of her friends are arty and creative, leaving me feeling very inadequate (that's not hard to do). So I thought I'd knit a birthday card. Ages ago I bought some blank cards which can be used to put in your own artwork. My knitting is my art, so I made a card. I was thinking of doing a whole "happy birthday" message, but although I was working in 2.5mm needles, I was still using DK yarn. so the tension wasn't really fine enough for that. The top and bottom details are in silver, which doesn't really show in the photograph, but they make it a bit sparkly and pretty. I hope she likes it, either because it's great, or because it's funny.

Inability to finish..........

Knitting
I seem to be suffering from my usual reluctance to finish anything. Brenda's cardigan is coming along well, I've now done the back, both sleeves and one of the fronts, but I'm lacking enthusiasm to make the other front.

I'm getting very cheesed off with the lace pattern - I like a challenge, but this is what I call "anti-social" knitting, as on some of the rows it's hard to hold a conversation at the same time as working my way through the pattern.

It's always when I'm at this stage that I get really excited about the next project(s), but as this is a Christmas gift, I must simply persevere, and be very glad when it's over. You'll hear the singing when I've done the last row of lace, I can tell ya.

Writing
I was beginning to worry that I was having the same problem with my novel, but thankfully, I've got my Mojo back where that's concerned.

It is a bit soggy in the middle (why am I soft in the middle, the rest of my life is so hard....) but now we're back, we have a structure, we're working towards a climax - it's all rather exciting!

Writer talk, and charity work

Writing.
On Friday, I'm going to a writer's talk by Jane Wenham-Jones. I'm looking forward to that. I must confess I've not read any of her books, but I like her articles in Writing Magazine, so it should be good, and will hopefully help the motivation.

Knitting
I've started one of my charity dog coats (for K9 knitters, see links below). I thought I'd try something different this time, and work it diagonally. It's a bit of at use-up coat, the pink I've had for years, and am now sick of (and then a friend gave me a load of wool, including about 400g in the same colour), and the variegated I got ages ago, and this is what's left of a cardie, so it's nice to feel as though I'm working through the stash.

Have a good weekend.

Adding pictures and patterns

Dear All,

I've added pictures and patterns today.

The pics are of my work in progress - Bren's cardigan, Mandy's scarf (both Christmas presents), and "the never ending baby sweater" so called because I pick it up periodically and do a bit, then put it down again when a knitting deadline looms.

Enjoy!

Chapter 17 is finished

I went very soggy in the middle for a while, but chapter 17 is now finished, and I feel like I've picked up the pace again. Not only that, I've been able to drop a few little clues to guide the reader towards the end, without being too laborious (I hope).



I'm nearly 75,000 words in, and I really feel as if I might get the first draft finished by the end of the year after all.



As a little reward, I allowed myself listening to Open Book (radio 4 - listen again), whilst knitting. It was a joy - even if I immediately unpicked what I was making (it was an idea for a "domino knitting" dog coat, but I don't think it's really going to work in its original incarnation), it was still nice to combine two lovely things for half an hour.



It has made me feel better, as I've been somewhat low of late, so it's nice to feel as though I'm making progress.



I made a couple of knitted roses over the weekend. I'm fairly pleased with how they've come out (certainly the best leaves yet), but they still need a bit of work (and more petals!)

Messing around with my blog

I've been messing around trying to get an interesting background - this is actually a picture of one section of my "sampler sweater", a garment designed to use up some stash some time ago. Each colour has a different stitch pattern, and as you can see, it was a circular needle, yoke all in one go job. I swore at the time that I would not make another like that - I'm a big girl to make sweaters for, and man that was heavy work!

It is one of my favourites though, being long and cosy for the winter days we've got coming up.

Now, back to the novel - chapter 17 awaits.

Shopping

Today I went to the new yarnstore I'd been told about.

It had a great selection of stuff, but the top of end of the market. I bought some Araucania Quellon (like the piccie, but more of a russet/blue combo) to make a scarf for my sister-in-law for Christmas.

Then best beloved went off to see Stiff Little Fingers in concert, and I hit the computer. 1200 words on Chapter 17 (thank God! I thought I was hitting a real dry spell), and I read through the work of members of my writing group. One of the group is absolutely brilliant - the way she constructs stories and characters - she is just fantastic. I am envious of her talent. She's currently doing an MA in writing, and thinking of going on to a D.Phil - personally, I think she should just go and get published, but what do I know?

Now I shall look through stitch pattern books - this makes me happy in a strange, possibly even sad way!

Come on England!

It's late in the day......

.... 11:20 in the evening to be exact, but I've got a busy head.

My new bamboo circular and dpns arrived today, along with some pretty stitch markers. I must make nice needle cases - perhaps a sewing job for my holiday later in the year.

Work is dull - I don't want to be checking files and fannying around with spreadsheets - that's my problem.

When I got home I put together a proposal for a book on knitting and emailed it off. When I tell people about it, they seem unsure - perhaps because it's unknown territory for them, or perhaps because it's rubbish. There aren't any other books around on the same subject, so does that mean I've found a niche? Or is it simply a crap idea? Time, and that terribly nice editor, will judge.

Had a piano lesson this evening. It went quite well, and then because I was home alone I sat watching TV (Location, location, location best and worst places) and knitting. I finished the first sleeve of my friend's cardigan over the weekend, and I'm near the top of the second one, so I'm happy to feel that I've got the worst bits behind me.

Went shopping for handknitted second hand sweaters today, and was delighted to find two in my local Oxfam shop. This is the same shop I bought my doll in last week - it would appear to be my new knitting supplies emporium!

Sweet dreams all.

Knitting and Stitch Show

I went, I saw, I shopped.

It was a busy but great day yesterday at Ally Pally.

It was hot, crowded, you couldn't get into the learning curve stuff, but it was a good day, and I bought loads of wool.

Being a girl from a provincial town sadly lacking in decent knitting shops, it was great to see yarns that I normally only read about in the knitting mags.

It was a question of "get thee behind me, visa card" once I got to the Black Sheep stand, as I had promised myself that it would be cash only day, and I nearly spent £60 using my plastic, but with ultimate self control, and not a little regret I put the yarn back, and stepped away from the stand.

The only disappointment was the lack of needles/accessories around. The only needles I found were some pretty glass ones (far too noisy), Lantern Moon (beautiful but very expensive), stainless steel (I was after bamboo or wood), or a small selection on a few stands of Britanny needles, but these were frankly more than I wanted to pay, so I came home and hit ebay instead.

That aside I found a great book of crochet stitches (which I'd been after for ages - I thought I was going to have to write one myself), and loads of yarn.

It was also a good day on the writing front, as I chatted to folks (including editors) of four knitting mags - all of whom accept proposals from freelances - time to get writing and knitting!

Stuffing a fairy's leg

Being a keen knitter can lead you to odd pastimes. Two days ago, I was making a (crocheted) fairy for a charity fundraiser at work. The phone started to ring, and the thought going through my head was "go away - I'm stuffing a fairy's leg".

Today, I picked up a doll in my local Oxfam shop, who will become the model for my hand knitted dolls' clothes on ebay. She's the right size and a pretty doll, but her hair was a bit of a mess, so once I got home today, I was washing a dolly's hair. I think I should have conditioned too (!), as it was still a bit untidy, and I managed to break the teeth from a comb while trying to sort it out.

I've got it more or less straight, but it does look a bit like that awful Posh Spice haircut that so many women had 5-10 years ago. Do you remember the one I mean? The front was smoothed down into a bad Adolf Hitler impersonation, and the back was sticking up as though the woman had just got out of bed. Whoever thought of that one?

We had our writing group last night, gathered at mine for a discussion of one of Ros's short stories, the first page of Mary's detective novel, and chapter 13 of my opus. It was a useful evening. The lovely Bronwen came along; sadly her father died on Monday, and so it's a very difficult time for her, but it was good to see her, and she seems to be coping very well. We meet again in a fortnight, so I'd better get writing.

That's all for today - off to the Knitting and Stitch show tomorrow - can't wait!

Work, work work.

My, my my

It's been a busy time, chez Lah Lah.

I've been knitting all summer, and have made a few bits to put onto eBay, including my golfer's tea cosy and my cute little Father Christmas cardigan (see pics).

They're now up for auction, so I hope to make a vast fortune (!) soon.

On the writing front, I've just written another 1200 words. I know where I'm going with the novel, but over the last few weeks I've had a reticence to start tying the threads together, and bring the book to a climax.

I would like to say that it's because I'm enjoying writing it so much, that I don't want it to end. More realistically, however, I know that when I've finished first draft, then I have to start editing, and that's the less fun bit.

Perhaps I should do the whole management speak bit, and think of it as an "opportunity".

Or then again......

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life....

.. and I'm feeling good.

It's only 8:16 and I've just managed to write over 800 words on the novel. It had occurred to me that my protagonist (Ursula) would have had a conversation with someone, but I hadn't actually written that chat! Now I have, and so I feel better. I haven't written much this week, so it's good to feel that I'm back on track.

Also started the sleeve on my friend Brenda's cardigan/Christmas present yesterday, so making progress there too, it's one of these patterns with a lace at the bottom, and then plain. Not looking forward to the sleeves, as they'll be a bit boring to knit (I'm not very fast, and get bored easily), but I've made a start, so it's all good.

Off out tonight with my writing group, who have never seen me drunk before. Could be a fun evening!

Excited

Hello all.

Today I am very excited.

Firstly, it's my birthday tomorrow, and I'm about to reach the age at which life begins (allegedly).

Secondly, my ticket came through for the Knit and Stitch show at Alexandra Palace next week. Hooray!

I know that I shall go there thinking "I must not buy wool, I must not buy wool", and will come away, laden, thinking "I must not tell Rich, I must not tell Rich". I believe, however, that best beloved, the boy Rich, knows that I am likely to come away with wool/yarn, and although I have a cupboard full of stash, it takes up less room than his vast collection of football programmes, and has infinitely greater potential.

I've been leafing through the show guide working out what I want to see, but I think that the answer is "everything", so it will be a comfy shoes and Kendal mint cake kind of day.

Bring it on!

Chapter One?

Hello world,

I'm Lesley - usually known as Lah Lah, and this blog is about my twin obsessions, writing and knitting.

I'm 67,000 words into a comic novel, and working on a cardigan for a friend, and a few little bits for ebay. My biggest problem is time!

Keep tuned for the next thrilling instalment!