Tales from the gym

Its been a busy week again. Busy good though, no work for the soul-destroying 'proper' job and lots for Nicsknots so I am a happy Nic. I'm becoming a bit aware that this is getting to be a 'Nicsknots' blog and I can't work out what I want to do about that; do I want a separate blog for that and another for other bits? Who knows. At the moment, variety is the spice of life and i bring you random ramblings from the depths.....

Since Christmas, I have been attempting to go the gym more and I have made it there at least twice a week. Some times, I admit, I don't really stay for long but I'm there, what more do you want ;)

Now, I love people-watching, I would wear sunglasses all year round if it wasn't for all of the comments about me looking like the Mafia or something because it means I can watch people without them seeing me.

Take last night for example, I went to the gym with my sister. We walked in, it was just before 8pm and it was heaving, the place stunk to high heaven and I wanted to turn around and go home until I caught sight of a woman, perched on an exercise bike, hair looking immaculate, not an eyelash out of place or a bead of sweat on her brow, delicately (so that she didn't break a fake nail) leafing through a magazine while pretending to exercise. I went on the only available rowing machine, did a quick 1000m, got up and there she still was, reading away.

Next there was the bloke who is always there, half killing himself. While magazine woman was barley burning a calorie, Mr sweaty was on the cross trainer, leant slightly forward, sweat dripping down his forehead and landing on the control panel of the machine, seeing how fast he could go before either the machine died or he did. I don't know why but its compulsive viewing. Never mind the TVs they have on, playing random programmes, watching Mr Sweaty is better than any reality programme. Several times my sister and I have been concerned that he might just keel over from over-exertion.

After I had had my row, I went and had a play on the exercise bike. I have a kind of aversion to these things; I have a proper bike in the shed, when I ride that, I go places, I see things. At the gym I don't move. I get bored but, in its defence, when I am on my bike and am going up a hill, I'm talking proper Welsh hill rather than the namby pamby ones we have here, instead of carrying on, I just get off and walk (much to Ms annoyance) but when I am doing the X-country program on the exercise bike, when it gets to the hardest resistance, not unlike biking up Everest, I just get on with it, deal with the burn and make it down the other side and judging by how much my arse and thighs hurt when I fall off at the end, it must be doing some good. Anyway, there I was biking up Everest when two girls came in and sat on the bikes next to me, set them to the lowest resistance ever, I'm talking freewheeling down Everest now, and proceed to pedal super-fast while discussing their weddings and how they will be stick-thin in two months after their super workout regimes, you know, the one that they can carry on chatting through-out.

Ahhhh, I love the gym :)

Before I go, look what I listed today on Folksy and MISI. I love the Heather Ross material and it got the highest compliment tonight. M walked into the lounge and told me that he thought that they looked ace!! He never passes comment on my sewing.

The great Folksy blog-circle....

Well, there is a bit of pimping going on on the Folksy forums and it was suggested that we all feature another persons work on our blog for a bit of promotion so I am going to write about Dan Jackson. He blogs here and this is his Folksy shop.

You may remember that I featured one of his photos on my Folksy Friday last week...I'm not stalking you Dan, honest, I just think your photos are cool.

Dan sells prints of some stunning photographs such as this 'Willow Tree in Infrared'


As well as prints, Dan also does greetings cards using his 'little folk' photos. Great for all occasions.
Go over to Dans shop and show him some love :)

Blue (MISI) Monday....

Apparently today is supposed to be the glummest, most depressing day of the year. I love it when we are told these things, like we need to be told when to be down? I don't remember the media picking one day that was supposed to be the happiest, ahh no, because that wouldn't be as good a news story and they couldn't be jumping on the glum 'woe is us, the world is going to end' band wagon then could they?

I would like it to be known that the reason why I am in a fairly foul mood today is nothing to do with it being 'blue Monday' and everything to do with an inconsiderate husband husband coming to bed at 330 and waking me up, followed by an inconsiderate person parking in front of my drive this morning and blocking me out, followed by the inconsiderate head ache I have had for most of the day....unless of course I have all of these things because it is 'blue Monday'?

So, in 'honour' of blue Monday and because I opened a MISI shop on Friday, I bring you blue Monday; things that I like that are for sale on MISI, that just happen to be blue :)

Firstly 'Blue Heart'. I have a thing for necklaces at the moment, I love them but I don't wear them enough....

Next up are these ace booties. I love them, shame I have no baby to wear them, eh ;)

Lastly, look at these amazing party shoes!! I'm not a girly girl and I would fall off these but they are amazing.....
So, here is my MISI shop. There isn't much in it at the moment and I haven't decided if, ultimately, I am going to put the same things in that and my Folksy shop but I figure you can never have too many places to sell your wares and it looks like a good place, I hope I sell lots there :)

Well, I should go and create a culinary masterpiece in the kitchen. I have been sewing all day so no housework has happened, I'm supposed to be going to the gym tonight and I quite fancy hibernating.

Sunday skulls!!

I've been having a clear-out over the last week or so and have come across a few things that I didn't get around to taking photos of before the weather got rubbish and things that I started making and then didn't get around to finishing. I also found some skull and crossbone project bags.
The first one has a tiny flaw in the fabric. I didn't notice until I had finished making the bag and I was doing a quick check around to make sure that everything was looking good. I was going to keep it for myself but I decided that I would offer it for sale on Folksy with a pic of the flaw and at a reduced price so it is here, with a picture of said tiny hole.

I've also listed another, perfect one so if skulls are you thing, get clicking. I am really pleased with my photos this week. The weather here hasn't been that good but my 'studio' in the greenhouse seems to be working well. My family all think I am insane when I go off to the bottom of the garden, armed with duck tape, lining paper. camera and bags but I don't mind when the results are so good. I'm just a bit concerned about what I am going to do when my tomatoes start growing and they want their home.....

Friday Folksy Four!

Well, its all a bit manic around here as is usual at the moment and I want to post things, I have pics and stories to tell but time is a bit short so I have a compromise; here are some ace things I have found while I have been working on Folksy this week.....

The first thing is this t-shirt called 'Woe for Woolies', made by Joiscurious. She has some ace t-shirts in her shop as well as some lovely little brooches.

Next up is 'Looks like the work of a cereal killer' by Dantography

Dan has some ace prints and also has started selling them as greetings cards. They are on my favs list for when I next need a card.

Another t-shirt, this time from 'Total Radness'. It's called 'Spokes'
I love this because I always struggle when I am looking for t-shirts for M. He doesn't like 99.9% of shop bought (I know, who can blame him but you have to wear something, right?) and he would totally wear this!!

Lastly, for those of us who are looking for something a bit more feminine, here is 'Earth IV'. I love pretty prints, I want to make my house look prettier and I think this would look fab somewhere in my world ;) Have a look for more at 'Woollybutterfly'

Warming your head....

Now then, this weeks (or should that be, last?) UK swap blog was about hats. I'm all about hats, I seem to knit lots but I never have the one I want ;)

We have the hat that I made for an Operation Christmas Child the year before last.....



Hmm, it came out a little too small. L uses it as a hat for one of her dolls now.

I've just finished knitting two fairly boring brown ribbed hats. One for my brother and one for J, who wanted a hat like his Uncle which was lucky since the first one I made was too small for my brother....



See how his eyes are the same colour as his hat. Hehe.

So questions..

What is your favourite style of hat?

Hmm, my problem with hats is that I never know if I look a prat in them. In previous years, this has stopped me wearing them and meant that the only hat I wear in a black fleecy hat with ear flaps but now I am older, I have decided that I don't care what I look like and I will wear whatever I want and not care what I look like. This doesn't mean that I have the bottle to wear some of the funkier hats out there but I do wear more. I am loving berets this year and made myself the Meret for the first Woollywormhead KAL. I love the hat but its too small for me. Lou, aka the hat thief, decided that she would have it but after wearing it once and casting it aside, I gave it to a friend whose little girl, I hope will wear it more.

I also love beanies and stuff with ear flaps.

Do you have a favourite yarn for making hats with?

The Meret was knitted in Malabrigo. Its the first time I have used it and it was lovely and not itchy at all. I have a skein of purple left and I think I might need to knit a (bigger) hat in that.

What hat patterns are in your queue at the moment?

Lol. Have you got all day? I have 19 on there at the moment so maybe I will give you the edited highlights. My favs on there are Gretel by Ysolda, Alfie by Woollywormhead and Greenery Hat by Lilith Parker.

Do you have a favourite handmade hat that you (or someone else) has made?

This hat. I dyed the yarn and love the mottled effect it had because it wasn't fully dyed....I meant to do that ;) and the pattern was perfect for the Valentines baby that I was knitting it for :)



Right, I have tea to make for the starving masses.

Good intentions.

All of these posts and no mention of 2008 recaps and resolutions. Aren't you impressed?

I've been looking at some peoples blogs and felt really rather unindustrious in comparison to the amount of things they have done or made in the last 12 months but then I was just updating my projects page on Ravelry and I haven't done too badly. Of course, I have started more things than I have finished but that's life, eh ;) I've started and more importantly finished 18 things of a knitting variety and that's not including a few things I seem to have forgotten along the way.

Obviously this year I would like to finish more things before starting loads more and to knit from that damn stash! I didn't really add that much to it last year but I have a lot to go at from my initial buying of vast quanities the year before. I have cunning plans for it though so all is ok.

Anyway, this post wasn't actually supposed to be a recapping post, it was about my good intentions tonight so.....

I had decided that I would go to the gym tonight when I got up this morning. I admit, I am really bad at going to the gym, I have membership, I know how many times I have to go to the gym or swimming to make it worth me keeping my membership, I know I should really cancel the subscription but if I do then I'll never go and at the moment I do go once or twice a month and swim once a week. Ish. So, after tea, I got all ready to go, I felt all energised and actually wanted to go which is something that never happens, I drove there. It was shut! How bloody rude!! Saturday night, surely the place to be is the gym? What, its not? Ahh damn. I'll have to sit here in my gym kit and imagine I am working up a sweat on the rowing machine.

Friday inspiration on a Saturday...lap warmers.

Look at this, I'm on the ball this week, in fact I might even be the first to comment on the UKswap blog.

So we're talking blankets and the like. I have a problem with blankets. J and L both have a lovely single bed and a bit sized blanket each made by my Grandma in crocheted granny squares. She used left over yarn from jumpers that she had made them so not only do they have ace blankets but they are memories of old jumpers and when they were diddy. I love their blankets and wish I had one like them however, the darling husband has an obsession with blankets and as soon as he sits down on the settee, he has to pull a blanket out, wrap himself up and that's him done for the day/evening. When he has finished with it, the blanket is then tossed aside and old muggins here has to fold it and put it away and I feel like I spend a lot of my time folding the blankets up. The blankets in question are horrid pink efforts, more like thin quilts that came from his Grannys house which makes it even worse. Maybe I would be happier if they were pretty and hand-made or if they stayed upstairs!!

Having said all of this, I am going to answer the questions ;)

What has been your favourite finished blanket/lapghan?

I haven't finished any blankets. My fav finished ones are the ones I mention that my Grandma made for the little people.

Do you have a favourite pattern that you'd like to make in the future?

Lizard Ridge!! I have started it and done all of about half a square so one day maybe ;)

Do you have a favourite type of yarn for making blankets/lapghans?

Well I started LR in Wendy Fusion. I like the idea of using the lovely luxury yarns that patterns ask for but I also don't have the money to fork out £200 + for a blanket so I go for the inbetween.

UK swap catch up...warming your neck and hands :)

Back again as promised with my catch-up post......

What is your favourite neck warming pattern?

I really like the intricacy and all of the cables on this 'Irene scarf'
but maybe not for me, I see that as a bit more masculine. I really want to make this 'Chevron scarf' for me. Maybe it would be a good use of some of that sock yarn? Hmm.....

Do you have a favourite FO?

I loved this stitch pattern when I was making it and I was loath to give it away when I did but I had knitted it for Operation Christmas Child and I knew that it would be well received and worn and promised myself I would make another one for me and maybe Looby. It was of course 'My so called scarf' knitted in one of the many balls of Debbie Bliss Maya that I bought a few years ago.

Is there a style of neck warmer you particularly like?

I have only really worn scarf scarves but the more I see the little scarf-lets, the more I am intrigued and wonder if they would keep me as warm. There sure are some lovely patterns out there at the moment and they would use less yarn so a good way of using up odd balls...see how my mind is working at the mo; Use. Up. That. Stash!

And finally, moving onto hand warmers.......

So, what is your favourite winter warmer for your hands?

Well. I am going to totally honest here, the gloves of choice at the moment are some purpley alpaca gloves that I bought from a market a few years ago. They are so warm and also thin so I can still do stuff with my fingers when wearing them, always useful on the school run and when in the park with little people ;) Obviously this is because I haven't found or knitted the perfect handknitted hand warmers. Yet. Hehe

Do you have a favourite pattern or finished object?

Gloves scare me so I have put off making them but I may have to have a go in the new year. I knitted Fetching, as I'm sure quite a lot of the knitting world did but I was a bit disappointed. I made them in some lovely Wollmeise merino in an ace colour but in my impatience to wear them, I didn't make them long enough so they don't keep enough of my fingers warm and are relegated to warmer cold day wear. I know, you are all looking at the pattern pics and you can see how they're not supposed to come up *that* high but I could have made them longer. If I wasn't so damn impatient!!What is your favourite yarn for gloves/mittens/handwarmers?

Hmm something warm (obviously) but hardwearing. I worry about merino because surely it would pill? (although having said that, my Wollmeise hasn't). I've just finished a hat for J in alpaca and he says that it is too hot so that!! My hands are always cold. Colourwise, I like bright and I think you can get away with it for hand warmers without people thinking that you are rather a bit odd....well maybe you can't but thats my thinking and I'm sticking to it.

Are there any patterns out there you would love to own?

These Lola fliptop mittens. I love them and have been working up to buying the pattern and knitting them since...oooh well they have been on my Rav queue since March 2008 so for a while ;)

Right that's me all caught up. I need to run because I have just discovered that swimming lessons re-start today and I had thought they had another week off so I have to sort swimming stuff out and gym bits too because I have a rather scary urge to go to the gym while they swim.

UK Swap...warming your feet

I started doing the 3rd round of UK swap on Ravelry then I got all busy and have missed the last two inspiration blog post thingys but I will catch up but first lets do this week before thats late too!! Here goes.....

What is your favourite way of keeping your feet warm?

Socks. Lovely proper wooly socks and if they are still cold, slippers.

Do you have a favourite pair of socks you reach for to keep your toes toasty?

Yes but rather sadly they aren't hand knitted simply because I haven't got around to making many pairs for myself. My fav socks are some bridgedale ladies wool hiking socks in lilac. They are my 'best' socks and if I'm cold, I have to put them on.

Is there a pair of socks/slippers you have been wanting to make for ages but haven't got around to?

Funnily enough I have just been having a look at my Rav queue to get rid of some things that I am never going to knit, come on, I hve 4 pages of patterns, I need to get rid of the old stuff so that I can add new beauties ;)
So socks that are still on there that I want to make?? Bellatrix by Monkey Toes They are so funky if a little scary to make. I'd be worried that the dropped bits would run but I do *need* these in my life at some point.
I love this photo of these Drops slippers and keep thinking I could make them but other peoples don't look quite the same so I wonder if maybe they might not work out quite right......
Also I like the Flutter-by socks by Shannon Robalino. Do you notice a theme? I like funky stitch patterns on socks....so why do I end up making boring plain ones??

What is your favourite finished object that warms your feet?

I haven't finished many things for my feet so not too many options to go with but I love my 'Happy Socks'. If I'm feeling a bit down, I put these on. How can you be sad or grumpy with bright pink feet?? They are the first pair of socks that I made for myself and the first pair I made using two circulars. Much neater than my attempt with dpns.


What is your favourite yarn to use for socks/slippers?

Well I appear to have rather a stash of sock yarn and there are rather a few that I'd like to get my hands on but for Christmas, I got some Babylonglegs merino/bamboo mix yarn and it is sooo soft and bamboo is such a clever material so at the moment I am loving that and I can't wait to cast it on....Better get on with finishing some other things first then!!!