At last.

Shamefully I have to admit to starting this project in August 2009.  I had been knitting about eighteen months by then and although I had knit up a fair few socks, I had only knitted up a couple of adult sized garments. Though I had managed to finish them with some degree of competency, my confidence deserted me with this garment.  I really wanted it to be special not least because the yarn was very beautiful and I loved the pattern.  This is Surface by Norah Gaughan published for free in Knitty, Winter 2008 and the yarn is Toft Alpaca DK in brown which I had splurged on at The Royal Show.  I can still remember the giddy feeling I had as I walked away from Toft's mobile shop, deliriously happy with my new found yarn, or was that the 1/2 pint of dry cider that I'd consumed with lunch!

This year I am finishing up garments that have been started and cast to one side for whatever reason, or they are to be frogged.  This is the most glamorous, the rest are socks, gloves etc, that are started and then casually cast to one side in favour of another project that I simply have to start. 

Today, we tootled off to Hanbury Hall which was very pretty, but oh so cold. But like a true professional, I cast aside my heavy outdoors coat, hat and very thick scarf to show you all my newly completed Surface.  I finished it on Valentines day and hubby was so pleased with the way I looked in it that he took me out to dinner. (must remember that little trick!) 

 Trying not to feel the cold.

 Hanbury Hall looking very pretty.

I love the depth of colours in this yarn.  It is not dyed, it comes straight from the Alpaca and if you look carefully at the yarn you see rusts and golds interwoven with browns and reds and blacks and the odd fleck of white hair that has gotten into the mix.  I love it, it is just so me.

The black hole called Bobbles.

First of all lets talk about the boy, this is how we see him most days whilst he is walking from room to room, apparently Eric quite likes it and is often half asleep whilst he is carted up or down the stairs.  The boy adores the cats and needs to cuddle one most of the time.  We saw the specialist last week and his fatty liver is slightly improved, looks like it might be a long job.  But it is improved no matter how slightly, the boy has improved his diet and is walking an hour a day behind the Castle and beyond!  So it is all good. 

I made a pair of Fetchings (free pattern on Ravelry) and a matching hat for a special lady's 80th birthday

my Mum loves this pattern because they seem to keep her fingers warm and she doesn't have to take off her gloves to get money out of her purse.  So I hoped they might be a suitable choice for a birthday present.

and I also made prawn vol au vents as my dish to take to her party, there was some really nice food there, a great time was had by all.

I made a pair of socks for a local lady copper (police woman) who has been nicking her husbands socks (that I had made) because they were so warm and cosy.  I thought I had better make her a pair before she gets into trouble with the law.  Apparently she just loves how they fit in her boots and the way that they keep her toes toasty warm.

I am nearly at the end of my cardigan that I started a couple of years ago. *cough*

and have been bobbling at all times of the day and night.

No matter how much time I spend bobbling I don't seem to get any closer to the end.  I am on my last push for the next few days.  It is completely driving me bonkers that I can't get this cardigan on my back and everything else has been left to one side, until this is finished.  

Normal service will be resumed, just as soon as I have finished the bobbles.

Liv in action.

First of all I must apologise for not writing sooner, it has just been a combination of being busy and because of that feeling shattered.  Unfortunately I always pay one way or the other but it has been worth it.  So thank you for all of those emails and private messages on Ravelry enquiring as to our health, we are okay.  Son no.2 will be back to see the specialists about his fatty liver soon and my doctors are slightly concerned about 'stuff' but we are okay.

So what has been happening?

My dad has had his birthday, so I took Mum and Dad and the boy out for a meal.  I think there was a mini competition of the impressive beards.

We had our wedding anniversary which was lovely.  And decided to as in way of celebration have a mini break in London.

We went to see the David Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy.  It was amazing!  We became members of the RA, as we are desperate to come back to see it again along with other galleries and exhibitions on show that we never seem to get to.  Mainly through exhaustion you understand. 

I showcased Liv throughout my visit to London and it seemed to be going down a storm.  For those that don't know, this was the piece of knitting that was carted around with me whilst son no.2 was very poorly recently.  It kept me sane in what had become a world filled with pain and anxiety and one where all I could do was cry, in-between comforting our son. A sock wouldn't have had the same comforting effect but this, when I knitted, stitch by comforting aran weight stitch was to me a god send.  And I am most glad that I started it the week it all went wrong and only later realised that the pattern was called Liv, (my photocopy which I made from the original book didn't have the title on, it was only later when I checked the book I realised)  which was when we were two weeks in and it had become very serious.  Of course that made me cry even more, but it also gave me hope, that somebody up there was doing strange things and sending me a message of hope.  That and that there were many, many people, world wide, many with pointy needles that were praying for my boy by this point.  I still weep at the thought of that and am so very grateful. 

Liv was designed by Martin Storey and I made it with Rowan Scottish Tweed in Aran in colour way Lewis Blue.  I haven't weighed it yet so I can't tell you how many balls I used. 

Back to the trip.  (I am keeping this brief because I need to get to bed!)

We went to the British Museum, I'd never been before. 

I like it when buildings make me look small. 

There was a very scary cat. 

And I loved this ceiling and feeling of space in the museum. 

I would have gone to see this building just for this. 

And a chap playing a harp very beautifully in the underground. 

And we did lots more, notably seeing Quentin Blake's illustrations at The Foundling.  Don't forget to look out for there free app. 

Dishcloths.

Years ago, (many, many years ago) my nan used to knit her own dishcloths. They were sturdy and used to last for ages, not like the flimsy things we have these days. I saw some dishcloth yarn in Birmingham market last year and cast on, but must have been side tracked by something knitterly and put it down. I found this started project the other day and have enjoyed knitting these cloths in the late evening when all I want is to settle down with something soothing.

It will be interesting to see how they last. Another thing that tickled me is that the unbleached yarn is very pretty and all the rage and put together with a nice bar of soap from the French market which appears once in a while and tied up with a pretty ribbon it would make an ideal present which is completely on trend.

Even the boys have shown an interest in them and talked about their usefulness compared with the shop bought cloths. I find it very interesting when knitting leads me down a path I least expected - talking about dishcloths with son no.2 could not have been predicted, but I am very amused by it.

Banished.

It was son no.2's birthday yesterday and what he decreed would be a perfect birthday present would be to banish us from our home for the 'whole' day. He was hoping for us to stay out overnight so that he could have a 'free one' as they call it in these parts. Unfortunately we disappointed him on that score, but we realised we would have to make ourselves scarce on the day, so he could relax and have his friends around. Although why they wouldn't want me around making them pizza and popping in and out of the living room for the odd little chat, I have no idea.

We decided to take this opportunity to visit an art collection that has been calling to us for a while. So we gaily booked inexpensive train tickets to London and decided to do this trip on the cheap, meaning no expensive restaurants for us, just cheese butties, bottled water and a few biscuits. With our passes for the underground in hand, we set forth.

We arrived in Euston and quickly made it to Bond Street via the Northern and Central lines. Where we found we were much too early, so had a quick wander around Selfridges which was quite enjoyable. The meat counter was interesting with some nicely aged beef that made us hungry just looking at it and a full array of game, both feather and fur with which to tickle the taste buds. After half an hour or so of amusing ourselves as we drifted around the store it was time to head off to our intended destination.

Although on the way we saw this wonderful window display from Selfridges made entirely from pans and lids.

Within just a few short minutes we had arrived at

The Wallace Collection, It is currently in an extensive programme of refurbishment so I am unable to bring you the frontage of the building in all its glory. As we entered the building we both gasped and realised we were in for a real treat. I won't bore you to tears, the website is extensive, but I will leave you with just a few highlights, tiny details on which to ponder.

with five generations of collectors there were treats to the eye at every turn,

and even what would normally be simple details in a room have become highly embellished

with the most exquisite detailing

The Wallace Collection's stunning courtyard is the glamorous location for Oliver Peyton's cafe and brasserie de luxe. I have to say the service is impeccable although we only stopped for a quick coffee the speed and attention to detail was noticeable. The menu looks very attractive, to be considered, perhaps, on one of our future jaunts.

This painting was one of my favourites, although there were so many I really don't think I could have a favourite. The laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals painted in 1624. The amusement in the mans face is quite captivating and it took quite some time before I was able to walk away.

We took five hours of intense viewing before being able to leave, we loved this collection and will be back for more. As we say if its good enough for Michael Winner (he had his evening reception for his wedding here!) its good enough for us.

We had a quick pit stop and ate our cheese butties and then resumed the plan which was a quick trip to the National Portrait Gallery We walked back to Bond Street station and caught the Central and then Northern lines to get to Leicester Square, a few short steps and we were there. We nipped up to the second floor to view the Tudor and Jacobean portraits and then realised it was time for more coffee so stopped for a little rest and I knit a few rows of the sock I was carrying before setting off for the rest of the pre planned jaunt.

So back to Leicester Square and caught the Northern and then Central line to Oxford Circus. Now the cleverer ones amongst you will have noticed that we have just gone back on ourselves, which seems a bit daft, but not once you realise that now

it is dark. Regent street was looking very pretty and was

full of people enjoying the January sales. The atmosphere was wonderful and we gained a second wind. (thank goodness)

Which was just as well, as we were aiming for Liberty. Liberty was enchanting, all lit up like a Christmas tree, it was lovely to see her again, especially in this setting as I have never seen her during the dark or at this time of the year. We quickly entered and I found a comfy seat on which to deposit an exhausted husband whilst I entered the fray of the January sales with renewed vigour. Liberty has so many pretty things that I must come back when I don't feel quite as tired.

Next we hastened over to

Carnaby Street, viewed as one of the best displays of Christmas lights by Time Out, London. Oversized mistletoe chandeliers with berries that change colour in time with the music. They were fun.

Feeling we could do no more, we headed back to Oxford Circus and took the Victoria Line to Euston.

Our train was waiting for us, so we boarded, and settled happily into our seats.

Later at home, hubby worked out our costs for the day and found that our underground travel, seven trains, four journeys had cost us the princely sum of £7.00 each. I still find the tube incredible, how quickly and easily it is to move around London. Especially with trains coming every couple of minutes and then the price, it is ridiculously cheap.

There may have been a little something, something for me to admire on the train on the way home, after all I am female, I am never too tired to shop. The lovely assistant at Liberty was just marking the Rowan down to half price, there was a cardigans worth of aran felted tweed in a mandycharlie colour, what was a girl to do.

(I am off to scratch one of my new year resolutions off the list, its only day two!, still I did get the exercise in!)

And so the end is nigh.

We will certainly be glad when this year is over.

Although I always think it is a little sad to think like this, it is like rushing your life away. And I try not to do that.

We have been blessed with our family still intact, I am sure you all know how much that means to us. And I now know much more about the pancreas than I ever thought I would. There have been new and stronger bonds formed with all members of our family but especially our sons because of son no.2's trials and tribulations. It is not over yet, his liver is playing up, a fatty liver they call it, we all have fingers crossed that in the normal way of things he will slowly get better and not become the great performer that his mother is (me) on autoimmune diseases I have known and loved. Only time will tell.

Hubby and I have been having fun exploring London again this year with a lively programme already in place for the start of next year. There are three trips planned already with one culminating in a workshop at Loop which I am very much looking forward to.

My knitting is progressing well, I have knitted 2 cardigans and a waistcoat for myself, along with being in striking distance of finishing the cloak that kept me company whilst we were in hospital(s) with the boy. There have also been hats and scarfs and socks, lots of socks. I make the mistake of knitting a pair with love in my heart and then being badgered to knit more for the very lucky recipient. You would think I would learn wouldn't you. I also need to photograph lots of projects to show you what I have been knitting, the photography part of the equation of the blog has fallen by the way side.

I must get to grips with my City and Guilds on hand knitting as this was pushed to one side what with everything that went on. So I am going to have to organise myself a weekly/monthly calendar as to what I am doing.

The hand sewing group and patchwork was also pushed to one side, so I am looking forward to picking that up again.

What are my new year resolutions?

Firstly, I am going to start with a classic resolution - lose weight, exercise more. I have just had a pep talk from son no.2 as to why this usually fails and I realise I will have to put in quite a lot of effort to organise myself to make it a concrete part of my routine. I shall work on it.

Secondly, I am going to stash bust this year by finishing all projects that have been started or bought for (especially in the way of quilts). Within this I am not to purchase yarn/fabric unless in very small amounts as a memory aid to a wonderful day out, much in the way you might purchase a tea towel embossed with the subject you visited on a day trip. It is wonderful whilst rummaging through my stash to come across a pretty skein of sock yarn only to be reminded of a wonderful day out or holiday, often accompanied by hubby, the whole day comes flooding back. Or a purchase may be made if I need some extra fabric/yarn to finish a project.

There are two proviso's,

Firstly, babies wait for no one, so baby knitting is allowed and applauded. There can be nothing more delightful than knitting for a baby, it really is one of life's great joys, and certainly one to treasure.

And the other is that I should always be able to knit vanilla socks. Often the projects this year will be too large or complicated to take out and about with me. I find a sock is the perfect companion whilst chatting at knitting or waiting for appointments.

And another wish more than a resolution is to spend some quality time with our boys this year. It is so very easy for days to become weeks and then months with no real commitment to do this. Even if it is only to spend a Sunday having lunch once a month followed by a game of Monopoly. One can dream.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I wish you all a Happy New Year, and most of all to have fun with whatever you are doing.

love Mandy

Tatty Bye Fred.

Action shot of Fred our Piñata being decimated. I particularly like the lollypop frozen in mid air.

Happy Christmas

May I introduce,

'Fred' our snowman Piñata. You will have to excuse that fact that Fred doesn't have a pointy orange carrot for a nose, he has had to make do with half a tomato and a runner bean for his mouth, what with the price of coal these days.

He is packed full of goodies and is now ready for the day itself. Me - I am still in my jim jams... hubby has been doing battle this year with the marauding crowds, he has arrived home safely with turkey and all manner of goodies and has already opened the box of chocolate biscuits!

We are having a quiet Christmas, mainly because everybody received their Christmas presents ridiculously early this year, - the boys wanted theirs early and I couldn't say no and then I had the sewing machine, still we have a few small items to unwrap. We have games galore, the Monopoly and Trivial Pursuits has been dusted off. A new game of Connect Four has been purchased. I am the Queen of Connect Four so it will be fun to find out if those boys can beat me yet. The boys are arming the Wii with new games and if all else fails we have Happy Families and Poker to play.

After everything that we have been through this year I am just very grateful to be spending time with my family, we all realise just how lucky we are to have each other.

So, Happy Christmas to you all, I hope everyone has a wonderful day and finds time to relax and enjoy themselves doing what ever you love to do.

Lemon Curd

Two of the three White Star hens are still laying every day. We knew that this hybrid was a very good layer, with promises of 350 eggs per year per hen, but those examples are when there are ideal conditions, i.e. an extra source of light when the dark days come. Just to explain, it is said that a hen needs eight hours of good daylight to produce an egg and will simply go off lay when she isn't getting that, after all mother nature wouldn't want to produce baby chickens in the middle of winter. We are two days off the winter solstice and according to this web site The Weather Channel are receiving 7 hours and 42 minutes of daylight. This is the maximum which doesn't account for those very dark dreary days we so often see in the winter.

Anyway, my point is, normally we have been without eggs for quite a few weeks, you normally see the last of the eggs in November and they are definitely not producing come December. But we have two that are still laying every day, it is a real treat, but one I am not prepared for. Son no.2 doesn't appear to be eating eggs like he used to, which was 5 at a time! You never know we might have freshly laid eggs on our Christmas breakfast table, that would be wonderful.

But until that time, I needed to come up with a plan to use a few of the surplus bounty up and after buying a high end jar of lemon curd at Shugborough's Christmas Candlelight Evening. I was unable to save this jar of curd until Christmas and surreptitiously hid it at the back of the fridge, behind the mayonnaise and big jar of pickle and ate it mouthful by mouthful over a couple of weeks until there was non left! Even though the boys knew and would tease me that they were going to eat some, they left me to my little game.

Well I did feel a bit guilty about that and starting researching how to make lemon curd. I'd made a banana curd when I found a glut of banana's on a shelf in our local supermarket for 5p a pound and that was delicious, but had not attempted lemon curd. I have memories of a few of my home economic class mates making lemon curd one week and there seemed to be a very panicky feeling even with the use of double pans (bain maries) to prevent curdling that it had put me off trying to make it.

Well things must have moved on a little bit, because it seems that with the addition of a little cornflour in your recipe, it stabilises the eggs and it becomes simplicity to make.

One can see with the ingredients that you could never call lemon curd a health food! Seriously it only took twenty minutes to make this, even though we doubled the quantities. Hubby gave the jars a quick wash and sterilised them in the oven whilst I found new sealing rings and sterilised them. I grated the rind, cracked the eggs, beat the eggs, diced the unsalted butter, measured the cornflour, weighed the sugar, hubby squeezed the lemon's and then we added the lemon juice. Mixed it all together and put it on a medium heat, stirring all the time until it bubbled and let it simmer for a minute or two whilst we still continued to stir and that was it.

Potted it up into hot sterilised pots.

and it made 3 x 1.5 lb jars and a little extra.

This was a zesty lemon curd, next time I am going to try one without the zest to see what the difference is like. It is is very lemony and just a little bit sharp before the sweetness of the sugar and richness of the butter overtakes your mouth, make some yourself, it is so much better than the shops.

Degas

Last Saturday we headed into London again, this time to see Degas and the Ballet at The Royal Academy of Arts. I first came across Degas whilst looking around The Burrell Collection in Glasgow at the tender age of 22, he never left me. So when I realised that this exhibition was on and it was very near to ending I had to come and see some more of Degas works.

Seeing La Repetition again was like walking into a familiar home that has the warm smell of scones baking. This was the very work that grabbed my soul and kept it prisoner all those years ago, I have never escaped from the beauty of it. I am no great art critic, I am simply glad that art is in my life, if only in a very small way.

If you would like to have a peek at this exhibition and have iPhone, iPad or iPod touch there is an iTunes app which is very good, Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement Royal Academy of Arts, London. Cost £1.99

We stumbled out of here at about 12.30, we had taken three hours to view the exhibition and then ate our sandwiches and fed the pigeons our crumbs on these benches in the square. And then were ready for the fray!

I'd taken a couple of photo's of Fortnum and Mason just as we had arrived earlier,

as can be seen buy the hour on this timepiece.

Fortnum and Mason is so pretty at this time of year,

it sparkles,

and shimmers,

and glows.

After a little light shopping, (to be revealed later in this post) we headed out to Sloane Square, to see VV Rouleaux and there wonderful ribbons. I'd seen an idea for a velvet cushion made of ribbons which I had wanted to try out, but because of the festive time of the year some of the colours were not available to me, maybe next time. We then popped into Peter Jones and I bought a couple of balls of Lima by Rowan which is 84% baby alpaca, dreamily soft and very warm yet light, waiting to be knit into a new winter hat.

Next, Hubby negotiated the underground, I just make sure I don't lose sight of him as he zips along, fully confident on where to go, he quickly got me to Islington. We found Camden Passage very quickly and were met with such a pretty sight. We were that entranced by all this loveliness we nearly walked past our goal,

and when I turned around from admiring another shop to find this, well, it took my breath away. Loop has grown and grown in just the few short years that I have known it and often is the only purveyor in the UK of exquisite yarns from all over the world. I warn you, Not to have your credit card handy whilst looking through Loop's website.

As you can imagine, there were goodies galore, and it was great fun exploring, I bought something home as you might imagine. Well it was just calling to me, in colours that I adore and all of a sudden it was too late. I'd bent down to pick it up and by that time I was lost and gone.

Wollmeise Lacegarn in Gazpacho. It was Christmas and my colours all rolled into one. What was a girl to do.

And by that time we were hungry so we headed out to the Chinese Quarter. The previous week we had been unable to find our favourite restaurant so we did a little research on the net and found that they had closed down but that their Chefs had gone to, Feng Shui Inn so we headed straight there. On the way we saw quite a few Santa's who had had been enjoying their Flashmob in Trafalger square earlier, we had hoped to get their but spent too long enjoying the works of art.

We know these guys are great at sea food, so started with the seafood dim sums and a scallop apiece.

and then I settled into enjoying the best lobster I have ever eaten. I don't normally give accolades like this, you know I have had lobster straight off the boat and cooked it myself, I've had lobster in some very lovely restaurants, maybe it was the wine and the atmosphere, but this was gorgeous, lobster in a sweet and sticky chilli sauce. Hubby enjoyed his eel in black bean sauce before picking at my lobster. This restaurant was extremely busy, but they still did a good job on service, it has reviews that are up and down on the net, although some of the reviews are rather old. For us it is going to be our turn to restaurant until we deem otherwise, it was very, very, good. (and considering it was lobster in the centre of London, not that expensive)

All gone.

And we safely brought home our own little jewel. A beautiful hand blown cut crystal, decorated with gold, Christmas tree decoration from the hallowed halls of Fortnum and Mason. We shall treasure it always.