The animals went in two by two...

well actually they didn't but that's a whole other topic. Today is MONKEE DAY!



The monkees spent the weekend in the sorting office :( but they were very good and they didn't eat the sweeties




But I did.



Whilst my back was turned they escaped!

HP 41 was smart, she headed for the high ground.


HP45 was not so lucky. She was grabbed by the small person, forcably introduced to the rest of the gang (what is the collective noun for monkees? Troop?). And I can personally vouch for the security of the arm/body attachment, it has been well tested :)

NB Small people cannot stand still when they are excited about monkeys :)

Once HP45 (henceforth to be known as Mummy Monkee) had been abducted and confined in the small person's bedroom to 'look after' the baby monkees, HP41 agreed to a photoshoot to more perfectly display her beauty, well, I think she's beautiful!Small person will not be placated. A little background here. I was 'volunteered' to knit Miss McManus a monkey for the end of term 'going up to the next class' present, Small person also wanted one for herself, it's only fair (fare?) I bought the yarn and then stashed it, and stashed it has remained Kerry's monkee sale seemed the perfect way to exit with dignity intact and monkeey provided without actually having to sew up all those seems! But oh no! Small person says HP41 will not 'do'. Apparantly Miss McManus' favourite colour is pink and she needs a pink monkee. Hmmm! May have to knit monkee after all :)

Thank you Kerry, it was worth a try :) Small person is happy, Mummy Monkee is happy (whether she likes it or not!) and I love HP41 even though (or perhaps because) she is not pink. Sigh! Better go make a monkey.

Thank You Mum.

A while ago I said I'd show you my Mum's knitting. My Mum always apologises for her knitting and points out any errors. Please don't, it is excellent. When she visited recently she brought the yellow cardi with her and asked me if it was alright for her to continue making little things for my foster baby! Of course it is! If the baby waited for me to knit her something she might have to wait a long time and she'd probably get a nice lacy scarf! Ha. Thank goodness for Grandmas, especially foster Grandmas.

Thank you Mum.

It's great having a Mum who knits, unfortunately she lives a long way away so I don't get to go to the LYS with her very often, or to chat knitting. But the very best reason for having a Mum who knits is that it was she who taught me to knit.

I was 6.

When we did knitting at school I remember being the only one who could already do it and I helped the teacher to cast on for the other kids :) That's a good memory to have. Thank you Mum.

As I have got older knitting has become a very important creative outlet for me. I have never been any good at drawing or painting or anything 'arty' but now I know that I can do knitting. i enjoy knitting, it stimulates parts of my imagination that nothing else touches. It makes me happy, contented, successful. I love knitting, thank you Mum.

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Whilst Mum was here I was able to give her a copy of Yarn Forward which has my first 'in print' article in. I had an article in CQOnline (waves to Belle who edited me :) for that) and this feels like another good knitting thing.

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I bought some extremely squooshy yarn for the Anne Hanson snow shawl. I'd like to recommend this yarn seller, the yarn is gorgeous the packing was excellent the postage was quick and the communication by email was very speedy and friendly. Now do I do a triangle or a square? Such a dilemma hehehe, my life is full of such happy decisions, aren't I lucky?

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Garden Party is stalled just past the corner of the border. I have been captivated by the Swallowtail Shawl KAL on Ravelry. Just finished the buds pattern repeats and now I begin the nupps. Hah! My first nupps.

Nothing to see here, move along, move along...

More GP border, just about ready to turn the corner Yay!

Yarn Yard

This week I have mainly been knitting this

adding this

like this

and buying this

whilst surfing this.

The Garden Party is coming along fine, just adding the border, I may be some time....

The yarn is Natalie's bamboo 4 ply which she custom dyed for me, isn't it lovely I think it may become my Simurgh. I liked it so much I wound it straight away. Natalie was brilliant to work with (ok she did all the work) and kept me in touch with what was happening with friendly emails all the way, if you've ever thought of asking for some custom dyed yarn, I'd say 'do it!'

Update

Nearly finished the body of the GP shawl, just the edging to add, I say just ... it may take some time.

Meanwhile a few yarn photos to keep you busy, first Yarn Yard bamboo




last weeks Posh



and this weeks Posh with Dee's lovely photos







now I must go on a diet :) and I must knit faster

Oh apart from the lovely purple Natalie is dying for me :) and the hite I have ordered for the shawl from Knitspot. I think that's it, for now. But I am going to a show on Friday which might have something, I am intnding to look for needles, last time I was there I was interested in quilting so I don't remember how many knitting stands they had. i'll let you know :)