Happy Christmas!

Hello Folks!

Well it's here.

The last week of school was very tiring, parties, Christmas Lunch and the trip to the pantomime in Cheltenham.  The pantomime was hilarious and went well (for our class) although not so well for the younger class (someone threw up.)   I knew there's a reason why I like KS2.

As promised here's our class tree decorated with the felt decorations the children made.  We (teacher and me) were very proud of them.

I didn't really enjoy the Christmas shopping this year, I'm not sure why, I usually do.  There was a moment in Primark that made me laugh whilst I was buying glitter candles.  The (young) assistant said that she'd put the candles in a different bag as I didn't want to get glitter on everything.  I laughed and told her I worked in primary school and we LOVE glitter.  She gave me the I've got a right one here look.

DS announced that he fancied making a gingerbread house, so we've been busy over the last two days. It was a major feat of civil engineering and is still standing (at the moment)  it is also fairly tasty although we're informed we're allowed to eat it yet.  Look! there's even a dog kennel.

 My birthday has been and gone (another year older eek!)  Mr Clicky got me two 400g balls of Apollo Aran to make a cardi that Romain and me saw on the Rowan Stand at Ally Pally.

My friend gave me a lovely book Animal Hats, I'm sure I'll making some out of it.

The Friesian cow is fun

 but I think my favourite if the Koala.

I've set the Christmas Table and scattered silver glitter on the black floor tiles in the kitchen ~ sooooo sparkly ~ and it's time for mulled wine I think.   Don't forget Santa Tracker from Norad so you can see when you need to be in bed, he's in  Yemen as I write.

Well, just one to say......HAPPY CHRISTMAS.  Hope you have a super day with your loved ones.

Byeee..............Clicky Needles.

Christmas is fast approaching.

Hello All.

Another week passed and not post from me.  I, like many others in Blogland have been busy with Christmas 'stuff'.

Without further ado, I need to show you the masks I made for the sheep and donkey for the KS1 Nativity.  I am ridiculously proud of them.

The Nativity was a great success, not a dry eye in the house, with the angels stealing the show.

We've had a hectic time at school, not helped by my teacher who decided that our class of 31 children should make felt decorations.  It's been a major triumph, with some real sewing stars appearing.  Everyone decorated their shapes and blanket stitched around the outside.  If one more child asks me to thread their needle.................

I've been putting up the tree and decorations at home but it's not finished yet, so pictures of them all later!

On the knitting front, I've been keeping up with the Olivia Jumper and all the moss stitch.   My stripy blanket is nearing completion and I've got another couple of squares off for the Phoenix Friendship Blanket.

Whilst we were decorating the living room I moved a yarny basket and this rather bright orange, pink and red self striping yarn fell out so I made it into a hat.  You're very lucky to have a photo of me for 2 reasons. 

1.  I don't like having my photo taken and 

2. I don't wear hats. 

 I thought the hat looked ok but Mr Clicky made a comment about teapots and 'my granny would have made that.'   Huruumph.

Anyhoo, I think I've about done.  I'll see you soon with some sparkly decoration pictures and the felt shapes we've made at school.

As always have fun...........Clicky Needles.

Little Blanket Ta-Dah!!!!

Hello Folks.

Well, time has marched on hasn't it?  At least the first weekend of December has seen some frost and an end to all the rain.  Nativity rehearsals are well under way at school and Christmas decorations will be on my job list for tomorrow.

I finished the little dolly blanket for my neighbour's granddaughter and I gave it to her on Friday.  She hid behind her granny for a bit and then gave me a huge smile and announced she'll be using it for her new dollies at home.

 

 I joined the squares 'on the go' and added a few rows of trebles for the border.  

I've  made some Christmas Garlands with the felt and ric-rac I bought at Ally Pally.   I think they will be suitably bright to match the colour scheme this year.

 

I added a few more rows to my Beach Stripe Blanket, not much more to go now.

As I had my bag of bright acrylic out  I couldn't resist a larger granny square.  I'd forgotten how much I enjoy a granny square and I think I might make a few more and join them together.  Who knows where this may end up?  I've not mentioned this to Mr Clicky however, as he will be giving me his "do we really need another blanket?" look.

Of course, all of these little projects are UAT ~ Uterus Avoidance Tactics.  

Let me explain.

If you've followed my blog for a bit you might remember that DD went with my S-I-L to Ethiopia last November.  The Charity is called Midwives@Ethiopia: various health professionals teach local midwives best practice and how to improve maternal health.  Here's their website.  If you scroll down you can see  my S-I-L in the stripy t-shirt with my DD.

 Here's my post about their trip last year.  I knitted a few hats which they took with them.

A little while ago I got a request from S-I-L, could I knit some uterus' (uterii???) for her to take out on her next trip?  

"No problem," I said, "Easy."  

So far I've finished two and a half.

Two have been knitted in the round, the third I'm making flat, slightly less concentration needed.  S-I-L would like 100.  She's going in May.  That makes five a week.  I'm fed up and I'm only on the third, so UAT will continue.  

Oh dear.

The work they do makes a real difference and these are used as teaching aids.

If anybody is taking pity on me and would like to help out by making one I'd be hugely grateful.  The pattern can be found by clicking on the pattern tab.  Thanks.

Right, time to go now. Tomorrow 'll be chopping down a Christmas Tree from the school field with the Head and decorating it.

It's not really work, is it?

Byeeee.................Clicky Needles.

  

The Elves have been Knitting.

Hello Folks.

I'm pleased to tell you that I'm better and almost back to normal, whatever that may be.

I happened across a this pattern this week for a knitted clock cosy.   I knew I had to make one and wasted no time.  As soon as I started trying it on our bathroom clock the Clicky Needles' gang started to make derisory comments.  I couldn't have it at home.

I knew however, that our Reception class would be appreciative of my efforts and carried on.

I waited until the class had gone out for gymnastics and snuck into their classroom.

The class has been looking at the story of The Elves and the Shoemaker and have already found a shoe that the Elves made when they left some felt out.

When they returned from gym they squealed with delight and told their teacher that the Elves had been back again.

Mr Clicky and me have been painting the living room this weekend.  It's taken us 4 months and 8 matchpots to find the perfect colour, when we decided we still couldn't quite be bothered to get the brushes out.  Anyhoo, with Christmas on the way we decided it was time to get on with it.  We'll need new curtains as well, so I'll let you know how that goes.

Whilst moving things out of the living room I came across some squares left over from granny blanket so I'm joining them together to make a dolly blanket for my neighbour's grand daughter.

Sorry about the rubbish photo, it's so dingy here with all this rain.

I found some bargain lilies at £1.20.  They smell fabby.

I've been into town and bought a few Christmas pressies, and came across this lovely ribbon in Wilkinsons.  £1.00 each, 3m on the green and blue.

 And lastly, I popped into the sewing shop and got some spotty fabric to line my Crochet Lucy Bag.  

 The ric-rac will be used for Christmas decorations, watch this space ~ although if the decorating is anything to go by..............

That's about it for now.

As always have fun........Clicky Needles.

The Lurgy

Hello Folks.

A bad start to today's post.  I have the lurgy.

The germ ridden kids at work have given it to me.  I've been off since Wednesday ~ full of cold, with a blocked up head, popping ears and a runny nose.  In fact I'm trying not to snot on the keyboard right now. 

The older I get the more I seem to pick up bugs and the more I ache, which somehow doesn't seem fair.

This morning Mr Clicky suggested a quick pop out to Asda in Cheltenham, not for a food shop, just a mooch around and I did find a few things there to cheer me up.  If you've followed my blog for a while you'll know that it's fair to say I'm obsessional about my Christmas decorations.  This year I'm going for jewel colours ~ a new thing for me ~ so these will fit the bill nicely.

 

 I couldn't resist these glittery tea lights.

  I also got a set of fairy lights for £5.00 ~ you can never have enough ~ and an Ideal Home Magazine which I wouldn't usually buy but it had a 2013 Calendar and some Christmassy ideas.    Actually I have no want or need to have the ideal home, and if I look up now I see cobwebs on the ceiling and marks on the carpet.  

I started the back of my Olivia Jumper, the front with all the cables is too much my aching head.  The moss stitch has a 

a lovely rhythm to it, but is now making my arms ache. Huh!

 

That's about it for now I think, I'm off to curl up by the fire and go to sleep.

Have a fun week...............Clicky Needles.

Bimbling Along

Hello.

Life has been carrying on in the Clicky Needles' household much as normal.  I missed my usual post last Sunday, partly because I didn't have a lot to say and partly because DS was using the computer for homework. 

When I was ready I got sidetracked other people's lovely blogs; still better late than never.

As it is Remembrance Sunday DS' rugby match was stopped at 11.00 and they observed the two minute silence.  They played two matches today and won both of them, so a happy boy.

School has been a bit manic for me, on Tuesday I went on a trip to @Bristol which is a great fun, hands on Science Centre.  The following day we had a Science Subject Ofsted Inspection so we're now awaiting the report to see how we have done.

Mr Clicky and me went to see Skyfall on Friday.  I'm a Bond fan and enjoyed it Daniel Craig very much.  I won't give anything away if you've not seen it.

As we've had a cold but sunny day I've pottered around the garden tidying up a bit.  This is certainly a change from last Sunday which was wall to wall rain and snow.

I've carried on with my Olivia jumper, the sleeve is now finished.   It is close fitting and I'm a bit concerned that it is too tight under the arm, we'll see.

I've started a scarf in that Sublime Wooly Merino I got in Ally Pally.

It's just stocking stitch as I want it to roll inwards.

I've received some more squares for my Friendship Blanket.

 The ones I'm making for (last!) month need to be jewel colours.   I had several stash dives hoping to find something fitting but unfortunately I found nothing.  Why I looked a second time I'm not sure ~ was anything new going to turn up?  Anyhoo when I was in Stroud with Mr Clicky yesterday I found this which should be fine.

I'm going to get cracking on that later.

We've had some new photos from La Petite Maison. Why not pop over and have a look?

That's about it for now I think, as always have fun.

Bye for now........Clicky Needles.

Half Term Over

Hello All.

Half term in Gloucestershire has finished and it's wet and a bit miserable.  I haven't really done much, I did have plans to paint the living room, but that didn't happen.   This morning we took full advantage of BST finishing and spent the extra hour in bed with cups of tea.

Mr Clicky and me have had a trip over to France at the start of the week to work on La Petite Maison, you can read all about it here.  It was very tiring but we had lots of laughs and wine too.  We left DD at home and DS went to stay with my Mum and Dad.  A big thanks to them for having him and putting up with his incessant chatter.

I have got a few things finished. 

A One Row Lace Scarf ~ pattern here ~ made with a ball of King Cole Mirage which had been hanging around in the stash for a while.  I think it'll be a Christmas Pressie for someone.

  I've started the Olivia Jumper with the Woolyknits Aran that I got at Ally Pally.  The sleeves are an easy remembered pattern and I'm very much enjoying it.

I took my Abalone Waistcoat to knitting group yesterday, finished the collar and cast it off.  I had picked up 1 stitch for 1 row and the fronts were a bit wavy.  Romain assured me that if I gave it a good steam press it would sort out.  I tried that today and unfortunately it didn't work, so I've taken the collar off to knit it again.

That's about it from me I think, I'm not looking to going back to work but hey ho.

Bye for now, have fun...................Clicky Needles.

Ally Pally Purchases

Hello.

Me and Romain had a great time at Ally Pally on Sunday .

Straight away I bumped into somebody I went to secondary school with (what are the chances?) 

and then Romain and me went for a jolly good ferret.

A beautiful Shetland rainbow.

 The things that I bought.

Felt circles and stars and some ric-rac braid.  More on that in the weeks to come.

 Lovely bright buttons because you can never have enough.

 Woolyknits aran

 to make this jumper.  I tried it on and it was very nice.

 Another 3" big button. 

 Sublime Luxurious Wooly Merino.  Two balls of each colour for a scarf.

This is a coaster, but I've made it into a fridge magnet.

Knit Pro cable connectors, useful I thought.

A little caddy bag given to me by Romain, she got a magazine subscription and this was the freebie, but she's already got one.

 There was so much to see and some fabulous work by the fashion and textile students.  We had a super time, squishing and ooing and aaahing.  The qiviut yarn (Musk Ox) was soooooo soft, but way too pricey for us.

The knitted village.  I'm not usually into this sort of thing but it was amazing.

All in all a very tiring but enjoyable day.

Right, I need to get off now because me and Mr Clicky are off to France to La Petite Maison.  We're going with B and S, so it'll be the first time Mr Clicky will see it and the first time all of us will be there together.  I'm trying to remember all the tools we'll need, hammer, pick-axe etc, and make sure there is enough food for DD whilst we're away.  DS is going to stay with my Mum and Dad.

See you soon.

Have fun.............Clicky Needles.