Easter Holidays and lots of fluff.

Hello there!

The Easter Holidays have arrived, not that it makes much difference to me at the moment!

Some more taking it easy I think.

As Sunday was another fab-u-lous sunny day Mr Clicky and me went for a wander around the local area.

This double flowering cherry was lovely.

(Our) Forsythia was looking good....

and the daffodils on the verges were great too.

After our walk we sat in the garden surrounded by birds.  

Whilst a buzzard soared above, a gang of sparrows crossly chirped because we were in their way and a pair of goldfinches gathered fluffy clematis heads for their nest.

The male stood guard

and the female collected the fluff.  The came again and again.

A pair of blue tits have claimed this nest box we put up several years ago.  They are the first occupants. They've been busy pecking away at the hole ~ it's not quite to their liking.

 (An)other neighbour popped in with some Alstromeria ~ more flowers, I'm feeling quite spoilt.

On Saturday I visited Mother Goose in Nailsworth, a fairly new yarn shop.

Here's my little bag ~ I'm obviously still in my green and purple stage.

Drops Delight ~ a fluffy sock yarn......

... and more fluff, Gedrifa Easy Soft Mohair/Nylon/Cashmere mix, only 1 ball but only £1.80 it would have been rude not to..

..and some lime green/purple/pink raffia.  I love the colours in this.

On the knitting front I finished a pair of socks for Mr Clicky Needles, in a sombre colourway.

I made these lovely socks for Mr CN before, he doesn't wear them though ~ a bit too bright for him.  I'm going to frog them and use the yarn again.

Here's the promised progress on my Jacket.  I'm loving making it, can't wait to finish.

That's about it for now, we're having lazy mornings and lazy days, although wrapping up a bit more, as it has gone very cold.  Glad I don't live in Scotland with all that snow they've had.  How can that be? Sunburnt one week, snowing the next.  The weather's gone mad!

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

Still Here!

Hi there!

I'm still here!

Thank you for your comments which are cheering me up no end!

Last week I received these in the post from my wonderful friend B, who said when I felt well enough to scatter these in the garden I was well enough to go back to work.  

At the moment they are still in the packet and it turns out she was right.

Feeling better I did go back to work, but unfortunately by 2.00pm on Monday the energy went down and I came home.  I managed Tuesday morning but went home at lunch time and today I woke up feeling rubbish, so went back to bed and slept for the morning and spent the rest of the day sitting in the sun.

It was great to see the children again, and I feel so guilty for not being there, but they are just too tiring!

The weather is just fab-u-lous.  Not right for the time of year but fabby all the same.

Here's some pictures of the garden which is merrily flowering away and looking good despite me doing nothing with it.

I love the way when you have some primroses and auriculas near to each other you get.......

 beautiful crosses like this.

 These double white primroses go back about 15 years, a present from my late Aunt to my Mum, they've been divided and re-planted many times and are a lovely reminder of a lovely lady.

On the knitting front this is how my Phoenix Friendship Blanket is looking so far.  I've asked for less pale blue now as I think it needs a zing up.

I'm half way up the back of my jacket, having finished the fronts and it's looking good ~ she says modestly! ~ pictures next time.

Righto time to finish now.  Again thanks so much for your lovely comments they mean a lot.

Let's hope the sun stays for a bit.

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

Back Under The Blanket

Hello Folks!

I still wasn't feeling all that well last week, so I decided enough was enough and got a blood test at the Doctors.  Turns out I'm very anaemic.  I'm taking loads of iron tablets and the Doc is trying to find out what is causing it.

I had a chat with my lovely boss and we decided that it was best for me to stay at home and get better. Stop soldiering on and just rest.  She even gave me instructions to 'sit down and knit'. 

How nice is that?

I've done a bit but to be honest, I've not even felt like knitting, so in the main I've been dozing under the blanket.

My lovely neighbour gave me these tulips to cheer me up.

I am slowly making this jacket from Designer/Vogue Knitting.

I first saw the magazine whilst at knitting group in January and I think it's fair to say I was speechless!

It is lovely and my favourite thing - cables. 

 All over.  

*swoon*

 It soon became apparent however, that it would be very expensive to make.  It's a chunky yarn, so I set off on a internet trawl to see what I could find.  

Eventually I came up with Jarol Sweet Briar Chunky.  I've used Sweet Briar Double Knit before, so took a chance and ordered it. 

 Where did you get it from? I hear you cry. 

 Good old Kemps.  

Should have tried there first!  It came in at £22.00 instead of the £80 + that others would have been.

It is 70% acrylic 30% wool with a lovely squoosh.

A nice simple pattern not too much concentration needed.

 I sent off my Phoenix Friendship Squares for last month. 

 More cables! Three this time, as a parcel had gone astray to this partner in the past so I made an extra one.

That's about it, I think.  

I'm off to have a quiet time.

As always, have fun.

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

Here it is Folks. The Ta-Daaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!

Oh,  I am soooooooooooooooooo happy with my Summer Granny Blanket.

Looking at my Ravelry projects I started it back in May last year.  I knew it would be a long term project. 

 A few squares when I fancied it, no pressure. 

I hit it full time in January when I got to a project impasse. 

 I was very good about sewing in the end of the squares as I went along.  
I sewed some on on the beach on the family holiday.
Lots in my lunch hours at school.
When DS was at rugby and DD was riding.
When I came to join, all the ends had been tackled.  

2112 ends altogether.  

That would have been tedious to do at the end.

 I added the shocking pink part way through and I'm so glad I did.  It gives a real zing.

 All of the 352 squares are different.

 The squares were joined through the back loop.

I love, love, love it.

Can you tell?

 And the best best thing about the blanket?  It has cost about £11.00 to make.

The yarn is Marriner Special Double Knit. 100 per cent acrylic.  I got it from Shaws the Drapers.  

  I've quite a lot left over.  Another blanket perhaps?

Probably, but I'll have a break from blanket making for a while I think.

Scavenger Hunt February

Scavenger Hunt February

I've struggled a bit this month, because I've been a bit out of action but here goes.

Empty

No more Christmas Sweeties.

 5 

Miniature Narcissi 

 Black and White.

Mr Clicky Needles' and my cars.  (I get the big one ~ hehe!)

 Leap Year.

I wish I had a workroom that looked like this.

 In the Sky.

No clouds and one plane.

 Music

I know Chris Moyles is a marmite thing, but he wakes me up and makes me laugh. 

 Train.

Sadly not seen much action lately.

 Cupid

Couldn't find any arrows!!!

 Love

I love this felt bead necklace.

 Crowded

Can't get many more needles and hooks in there.

Heritage

My Mum's Cluedo set from the late 1940s early 1950s.  My DS and his cousin were playing with it at half term.  

Food

Spotty Fairy Cakes

Righto I'm off to check out everybody else's offerings.

February Mosaic

Nothing much woolly in this one!

Better!

Hello Folks!

As you may have guessed from my lack of posting, A Bit Under The Weather went to feeling pretty ill.

I went into work for an hour on Monday and decided it was a bad idea.  The children were their usual lovely entertaining selves but I couldn't cope with them.  So home it was and more sleeping.

I'm better now but not still not back to normal.  (I look forward to the day when I'm normal!)

I'm hoping to get back to work next week, I've missed half of February!

The weather has got warmer so I ventured into the garden and found some plants in bloom.

Some Narcissi 

 and a beautiful spotty Hellebore from my lovely friend Romain which she gave me in the Autumn.  I have lots and lots of Hellebores, but this is my first spotty one.  Just beautiful.  Thanks again Romain!

 I've been playing Scrabble on the iPad with Mr Clicky Needles, this cracking score sadly wasn't mine, but his.

 101. Huh! How annoying.  

Needless to say he won that game.

Well, I'll say goodbye for now, my next post should be a

 ta-dah!

Have a good weekend.......Clicky Needles.