Now I am depressed

 I have been working on the Lakemoor Vest. Really had been enjoying the pattern, done in two colours. Got the back completed without any problems, started the left front, and hit problems. I did the first part easily enough, but for some reason, I just didn't get the shaping right. Thought I would press on, because it should still work out. After all, I had followed the instructions. I did the right front, again following the instructions. But. . . when it came to doing the side section that is when trouble really hit. The pattern does not tell you whether to start on a wrong, or right side, and no matter how I tried to work it, things just were not coming out right. I could not get the right side to be the right side of the work. I tried on both fronts, and it just would not work out. So, it has come off the needles, and I am sulking. It looks so nice, and I bought the wool especially for this pattern, too. I think I am going to need to pick someones brain to help with this problem. because I really do want to do this vest. But, it is going to sit in the naughty corner until I am ready to face it again, and will hope that it will behave second time around. 

Shingles vaccine

 Got my free shingles vaccine today. It's the first of two shots. Still need to get Tetanus shot, Whooping cough and measles. Arm may be just a little sore after all this, but I would rather be safe. I have had whooping cough as an adult, and really would rather not get it again. I don't remember ever having measles as a child, but I do remember getting the chicken pox. For some reason I blamed the storm that the Wahine went down. In my child's mind, they were linked, as I remember that storm very clearly. Funny how as children, we can link events with something that happened to us. My two sisters and I got the chicken pox at the same time, I remember the three of us having to stay in the bedroom, and it was sunny; so we really wanted to be outside playing. 

You can tell winter has finally arrived - for this week anyway - it is a cold, dreary day here. I declare it an inside day. Even the washing won't get dry if I hang it up outside, so will be putting it through the dryer. Thank goodness we have the dryer, I think I would be truly lost without it, especially on days like today. At least I have a good excuse to carry on with my knitting, and reading. Not that I need much of an excuse for doing either of those things.

I finished something!!!

 I really enjoyed knitting this vest for my husband. He helped pick out the colours, and although you wouldn't know it - looking at the picture - he is actually happy with it. Weaving in all those ends after sewing it together was a pain, but I got it all done and dusted. I know it still needs blocking, but if he wants to wear it, I am not going to stop him. It is supposed to be loose fitting, as it allows something thicker to be worn with it. It is called Cappucino Vest, designed by Janette Mana. You know the best thing about it? I used yarn from my stash, and some a friend had given me - before it disappeared into my stash. How good is that?!?

As you can see, the back is slightly different than the front. I changed the order of the colours only a little bit, and took out a couple that weren't really working. Most of the wool I used is Ashford Tekapo, which I really like using.

I LOVE Fantails

 We had three fantails flying around the front door this morning. We have had two for a while, and I had thought we might have another one. It is so nice to see them fluttering around, and they are just so cute. When I whistle at them, I swear they whistle back!! Fantails are a good reason not to get rid of all the insects we have around  the house, because I know they are looking for them. 

On the knitting front. I started a vest for my husband, but had to unpick it - after I had gotten all the way to the shoulder shaping - because the bottom of the vest was bugging me. It kept curling, and I was ot happy with it. So, I unpicked the whole thing - or my husband did for me as I was at work - take note that this is a pattern done in strips of 6 rows of a colour, one row to break it, then another 6 rows of another colour. I had used 12 colours in all, so it meant a lot of colours for my husband to handle. Anyway, I started it a second time, still was not happy with the bottom, and have started it a third time - don't they say third time lucky? It seems to have worked for me at least, as now the bottom is no longer curling.  I just have to remember what I I did when I do the back of the vest - don't really want to have to unpick it all over again. 

Missing knitting mojo

 I am struggling to stay with one knitted project for more than a day. I know I have a few projects on the go, but I usually stay with a project longer than one day!!! I think since I finished the lace project, I have been doing simple - well, simple to me - projects. The jigsaw blanket is really easy to do, although I enjoy using the different colours. So I have been struggling to actually  my interest in my knitting. To try and solve that problem, I have started two new projects!!!  How typical is that?!? Two are vests for my husband, and I have plans for a third once the yarn arrives. I know, I should really try to get something finished, but once I finish something, I usually start another three, or four new ones. So maybe I've cut that off at the pass. Only time will tell. Tonight I have even started a pair of socks, something I've not done in ages. They are really simple, though. Spiral tube socks, and have no heels to worry about. If I had two balls of the wool I am using for the socks, I would try to make two at once, as I have two needles that are different colours, so would be easy to keep tabs on where I am up to. Well...sounds a good idea to me. But, I don't have two balls, at least not where I can locate them, anyway. Could always do them in a different wool, as I do have two of a different colour. Lets see how this pair works up first, then I can decide whether to do a second pair.

Winter is not good for me

Winter is nice, but it is not good for my chest. It isn't even all that cold today, but for some reason my asthma is really playing up. Usually it has to be really cold before I have to start using my inhaler more, but it seems to have kicked in early this year. And don't tell me to breathe deeply, because I do, and it doesn't help. Keeping my chest warm helps.

I am also trying to use the cross trainer a bit more. I am hoping that by using it, both my chest and my hips will improve - I can try can't I? I am limiting myself to only a few minutes on the trainer, and that is because I overdid it the other day, and paid for it. Aging is not fun, especially when you have bad hips. Losing weight is not and easy thing to do, not when one like eating. I know, eat right. Easy to say, not so easy to do. Pity the good food is so expensive, if it weren't so dear to buy, I would eat more of it. Plus, it doesn't always taste the best. 

Another of my UFO's

I did say that I have multiple projects on the go. This is another of them. It is interesting to work and is charted. It is a reversible scarf pattern - yes it is cabled on both sides. Called Bain scarf by Lucy Hague. She is one of my favourite designers. Her patterns require knowledge of cabling, and I find it better to read the charts - for the cables, anyway. I can't remember when I started this pattern, but guess I really should try to get it completed this winter.

 These two pictures show both sides of the pattern. The stitches that are cabled on the other side, are slipped wiyf. It really is an easy pattern to do, once you get started. Because I can pretty much read my knitting, I can guess which stitches are slipped.

It's my birthday

 And I am officially a senior citizen today. Hard to believe I am now 65 years old, and a pensioner!!!!  I am still going to work, because I am not ready to fully retire just yet. I know my husband would like me to retire, but that will happen when I am ready. I will continue to be my annoying self, does age really change that? I am grateful that I have my health, can still read a good book, can still do my knitting. To be honest, I would be totally lost if I couldn't read or knit anymore. I am trying to get back into my walking, but the weather has not played a long these last few days, and I am not feeling like walking. I know I should, but that doesn't mean I do. I have to wonder if my back would improve if I did more walking. Having a broken back that never got treated does rather spoil things. Makes going for long walks a little difficult, but we keep going. 

So, what do I plan on doing today? Not a lot. Will put a load of clothes in the dryer, it's not dry enough to hang them out, then we plan on getting something nice for lunch. Have already ordered food from a really nice Mexican restaurant. I also plan on working on my log cabin today. I am doing the last panel, so really want to get that done. Can't say I really have much planned for today.

Edging problems

 I am working the last panel on my Log Cabin Blanket, and am pondering what edging to add. I really don't know whether to knit one or crochet one. If I knit it, do I pick up all the stitches, or do I attach as I go - and how wide to make the edging? If I crochet it, which in all honesty is a much easier option, then how many rounds to I do? Should I do a log cabin type of edging, which does appeal to me, again, how wide? I may even end up not doing an edging - horrors I know. I guess I will just have to see how I feel once I have this panel finished, and attached. I may even leave it to sit for a few days, while I look at it and decide.

Ten Stitch Blanket.

It's not that I really need another project on the needles. But when it comes to knitting, I just can't help myself. And this project uses up small balls of wool just nicely. I have no idea how big it will grow, but we we will see. Being only ten stitches means I don't really have to concentrate too much on it. I am using my 4-ply yarn, but that is because I tried it in DK, but was not happy with the result. I have plenty of DK to use up, and have another blanket pattern that has lots of cables that I will enjoy knitting up. I may even do the American Afghan, that also is a good way to use up wool. 

I really don't need any more blankets, either; but just can't resist doing them. 

Think this is now finished

I know, two posts in one day. That is not gonna happen very often. I think I have finished the bedroom now, and I am feeling rather proud of all the hard work both my husband and I have put in to it. I am hoping this makes the room look inviting. My husband says you only sleep there, but, I still want it to look good. It may only get used as a bedroom, but it can still look nice while doing that - can't it?

 I have added a couple of little plants to either dressing table, they aren't real plants. But I think they actually really finish the room off.