Not waving, not drowning.....

....just doggy-paddling like crazy.

I am definitely trying to do too much. My unexpected nap attacks are outnumbering my knitting times, and that is Not Good. I can't remember the last time I read anything, and I'm falling down on my blogging.

I really don't want to give up any of my small number of activities, but I'm going to have to cut down my attendance at Quaker meetings to twice a month, especially if I want to keep attending my Knitting and Crochet Guild meetings. Plus I am going to have to be strict with myself about afternoon rests and sensible bedtimes. (Note to self: 'sensible' does not mean 1.30am just because the next episode of 'Lost' is on late. This is why we have a VCR.)

Dratted stupid illness.

Anyhoo....

Knittage has been done, despite it all. I've just finished another item for Knitting magazine which I love. I mean, I like all my designs, but this one is really cute :)

The only hint I can give you is: watch out for the pompoms. Oh, and it's burgundy.

Kate at Knitting has about five of my designs in hand now, so it's time for Christmas present knitting! So far I've produced three facecloths and a scarf.

The facecloths are in Anchor Magic cotton, from the Knitting and Crochet Guild online trading site. They're very simple - CO3, and work every row as (K1, YO, K to end). When you get up to 55 sts, then work (K1, YO, K2tog, K1, psso, K to end) until you're back to three stitches again. This actually produces a kind of diamond shape, rather than a true square, so I always add a hanging loop to the cast-off corner to make the shape less obvious :) Each cloth takes one 50g ball.

Because Anchor Magic is self-striping, you end up with a diagonally striped cloth, which looks quite cute. I'm packing a colour-coordinated soap in with each one.

I was hoping to do everything from stash, as my finances are tighter than a new shoe at present, but the scarf confounded me. I had two balls of Sirdar Foxy in Sable, bought at Pins and Needles, which only got me half a scarf. I had to force myself to go online and buy yarn. Goodness, how I suffer for my art.....

Actually, it was quite handy, as it also gave me an excuse to buy a pompom maker from Angelyarns. It's fab, and much less hassle than drawing round cups and cutting out cardboard! (You can find it here. Go buy one. You won't regret it.)

I've also made three little blankets for my friend Keryn - well, for her little friend Hannah's dolls, actually - and I'm now working on three beanies, before I get onto the snazzy sweater my sister has commissioned from me.

There's also the matter of two unfinished pairs of socks for myself, and the Lucy Neatby Celestial Merino which is crying out to become a Clapotis.

And I'll be able to blog about all of them - what a lovely change! Don't get me wrong, I love my designing - but I would love to be able to blog about it too.....

What I need....

I find it difficult sometimes to write about my knitting, because so much of it is for the magazine. I'm supposed to keep that quiet, because of 'commercial sensitivity'. I can tell you, however, that Kate, the editor, tells me that my Volcanic wrap was a big hit on the stand at Ally Pally, and that they handed out lots of the correct pattern for it!

Of course, I can write about the latest craze in Blogland - putting '(your name) needs' into Google and seeing what comes up. Heather needs:

• Men - now!
• a female parent who can help show her appropriate ways to attract the attention of guys
  
• a childhood
• to start wearing a brassiere
• two therapists
• to find the right balance between emotions and logic
• some support
• to stick to her career as a country artist
• to realize that although you can become the "It" girl fairly
  quickly (as Entertainment Weekly named her), you can just as easily lose that
• a variety of intellectual pursuits
• to be kept moist

OK, I'm off to get a drink. At least I can do the last one....