Hamper

Well here it is then, the hamper is all ready and full and waiting to be delivered tomorrow. There is so much stuff in there, much more than you can actually see and it is soooo heavy. There are the normal things like golden syrup and golden pineapple, golden rice and golden sugar. But there are also the more unusual things - Fortnum and Mason gold dragees, a golden wedding cup and saucer (so delightfully naff, I know it will make mum and dad smile) there are all the fabulous Norwegian gold things sent by Marit, a Gold Club pack of playing cards and yes, even Palgraves Golden Treasury of Poems (thanks for that suggestion Ann B). Whilst I opted out of the goldmine idea Wonderwoman, I did manage to find a postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge!!!

Sally I ordered the Goldfish crackers from the site you mentioned and they were really speedy and excellent. Mrs Pao the golden coins were found as was a huge one from Fortnum's. Amberpearl, sadly the goldschlager wasn't to be found in these parts and the on-line delivery was too massive, so that remains out, but great idea. Catherine, Gold Diploma wool is in there too.

Thank-you all so much for the suggestions. Prizes were offered up and a draw has taken place.

Drum roll please.

Marit and Mama,

please step forward to claim your prizes.

(please send your adresses, I am rubbish and have lost them!)

Frogged

The deed is done.

Hmm, wonder what I'll knit next! There is the case of a sock for September, but here I have a confession. I can no longer keep up with knitting a pair of socks every month and keep up with the other knitting projects. I am a slow knitter and have many other projects on the go. Very few of which are remotely nearing completion.

So I hereby close the Moogsmum and Stashbasket sock club. I shall still be knitting socks, but without the pressure of must finish by the end of the month. And I really, really must get on with this infernal Mystery Blanket (when all I really want to do is cast this on using a great many of the different small balls of sock yarn I have... mmm, stripey leftover cardi...) (anyone fancy joining me?!)

Holiday knitting

Well, what can I say? I was going to get sooo much knitting done whilst on holiday. I was going to catch up with the Mystery Blanket. I have been sent yarn and patterns to get it up to this stage...

But sadly mine only looks like this.


In my defence I did manage to complete 5 squares in Wales, but sadly I am still 14 squares behind and of course with September 1st only a few days away, I am likely to be 19 squares behind before the week is through. I am not enjoying this blanket anywhere near as much as last year's. I'm not very keen on the picture squares (there is an option to do something different, but all the 'different' squares are just stripy and I felt the whole thing would just be stripes) and some of the colours are not nice at all. That ghastly coral pink makes me want to heave! However, I live in hope that by the end, I shall love my blankie, though I doubt it!

My other holiday knitting was the August Sock - Nutkin. I went up a needle size, knitted the entire top section, tried it on and nearly cried. It was tighter that a really tight tubigrip. So the only thing for it was to pull it all down, cast on 4 extra stiches and start all over again.

The yarn is gorgeous - Martha how I love thee! - and I really like the way it's spiralling, BUT, Nutkin, I do not love thee. The pattern is great to remember, nice and mindlesss, but it twists like mad, I have really had to tug this to get it remotely straight on the sock blocker, heaven only knows what it will do on my foot. Oh, and short row heels? Not for me. It was lovely and quick, but I wonder how strong it will be. Unsure if these will last much more than a few wears.

In fact I now wonder whether or not to even carry on with these socks. Do I waste such gorgeous yarn on a pain in the bum sock that will be worn out in a few weeks? Or do I pull it back again and knit a sock that I love, with a harder wearing heel? What do you think?

Pull it down or carry on. Answers please...

Hmm, think I'm already guessing the answer there

Blowing hot and cold

Cannot quite believe it's been so long. I used to blog every day. Oh those were the days before I discovered ravelry I suppose! (And before a puppy arrived in our house who likes 2 hours of walks every day)

Anyway, as you may have noticed, we have now returned from our holidays. We are very lucky - 2 different places in 2 weeks. And how different!

This picture is taken of my 2 boys on Barmouth beach (that's up in North Wales). Miraculously the sun was almost shining so they wanted to make the most of it and go for a paddle. Insane children. This is the Irish Sea and it's bloody freezing. They did not manage it for long!

But what a difference a few days can make. Well, a few days and a lot of miles! Warm water, clear sea, golden sand. Bliss! My feet enjoyed the cool water as they had just been burnt on the red hot sand - please note cool water, not bloody freezing water.

This is a rare moment when all of us had our picture taken together - we went on a boat trip to view the grottoes around the coastline of Lagos in Portugal. It was lovely.

Last holiday picture now - me and the boys at Sagres Fort. Unsure if I have ever been quite so hot in all my life than I was up there. Mr Stressy thought it would be a good idea to walk round the perimeter of the fort. Incredibly steep cliffs surround this place, a couple of buildings and very little else. Hot and to be quite honest it would have been a bit boring, were it not for the beautiful views of that turquoise sea. (Marit, please note the bag I'm carrying - it went everywhere with me).

The Portuguese people are so fantastic - really, really friendly and very helpful - and best of all, they speak brilliant English. We want to go back again.

Knitting did happen, but not very much. I fell out with Nutkin and I remain fallen out with it. But more on that another day. Now I'm sleepy and am heading off to bed.

Back again briefly!

Just signing in quickly to show you my new socks - finally finished the July whatever you want to knit socks. I was knitting these on holiday and a lady saw them, was so excited by the fact that anyone could knit socks and offered to buy them from me. No way madam. These are made from Posh Yarn and they are mine, all mine!

About to start packing now to head off to Portugal and am wondering what knitting to take. Bought these 5 skeins of yarn and can't decide which one to use for Nutkin. Actually, I have already decided, I just wondered if you would agree with me!

The kindness of people

The kindness of people never ceases to amaze me. Remember I asked for some help with Golden things for the hamper? Well, Marit over in Norway put together a parcel and sent it over to me. Lots of goody golden things inside the most fabulous bag - you can't see it on the photo, but there are lots of little pockets round the outside to hold essntials like knitting needles and scissors. I know I shall never be able to work out what I ever did before I owned such a useful bag!

And look at all the Gold things! I am left in awe (actually I cried!) by Marit's generosity. Mwah! Thanks!

Tomorrow we are off on our holidays to Wales. Harvey was supposed to come with us, but due to his inability to travel longer than 5 mins in the car without throwing up, we decided to let him have a holiday of his own with mum and dad. An hour in the car to them, or 6 hours to Wales....

Already missing his wet nose and constant 'feed me please mum cos I'm starving' look!

Oh and just before I go, here's a cake I made a while ago but forgot to show you.

Bye all and happy holidays. See you when I get back.

A Warning

Yesterday I took youngest son and a friend to see Toy Story 3. I did not think to take any tissues.

Big mistake.

Be warned people, when you go, don't forget the Kleenex. Brilliant film, but blimey, it gets the heart strings of a mother!

Finished! (Well, almost.)

So I only have the backing to put on - which should be really quick, yes? Having said the other day that I only had 3,000 stitches left to complete, I was suddenly consumed with the overwhelming desire to work out how many stitches are in the whole blanket. I'm a bit of a maths geek at times.

I've made it roughly 171,630 stitches altogether - but that doesn't count all the Swiss darned ones - the geekiness had got up and left by this stage!

It has to be said that I am not pleased with the way it was put together - those 2 green flowers next to each other on the 3rd from bottom row will annoy me forevermore. Why did I put them so close? However, just as I refuse to frog, I also refuse to unpick, so they will stay there now.

And if anyone complains, then tough!