Pounds lost.....

Whoop, whoop = 3!  Yes, 3 whole pounds!  Unbelievable as I have not forsaken wine and have been slowly tyidying up the left over chocolates.  I have been quite restrained though (for me) and have done 5 sessions of the Pilates DVD (10 minute solution/Lara Hudson if anyone is interested in having a laugh at what a young body is capable of doing) and one session of Davina's Body Buff DVD - the legs and core section, which left me puffing, panting and decidedly red of face.  Even the warm up session was tough!  I am sooooo out of shape.

So, with that good news I am spurred on to be even better this coming week.  I'm in Finland all week where my boss informs me it is currently -20 C and snowing again - bliss.  It will be hard to resist the gluggi in those temps but resist I shall (try).

I must confess that I have dragged myself through the week, lacking enthusiasm for much except sitting on the sofa with hook and yarn but even that has not been terribly satisfying.  I got off to a good start with lots of Ravelry Block of the Month squares (got a nice little stack now)

Feeling rather confident my thoughts turned to Rosella and her pattern for a cotton heart pelmet curtain.  Anne and I had gone to her day course over at Heidi's a while ago, having come back to crochet after many years of absence.  Well, the day was really fun but reduced Heidi to tears and the need to leave to go and get her nails done!  You see, Rosella has been a crochet genius since the age of 8 (quite a few years have passed since then) and she presented us with a size 1 hook and a graphical pattern.  No written instructions, no terminology that any of us recognised (gates and legs being the terms used for chain spaces and trebles) - it was a challenge for sure.  Most of us abandoned our pathetic little attempts and have never been back.

This is the result of 4 evenings and one afternoon's dedicated work on it - mostly spent unravelling and starting again but I think I may finally have got the hang of it now..

I might have to take something a little less taxing on the plane with me.  Perhaps a few granny squares...

And in true Blue Peter style, here's something  I prepared earlier, part of my Mum's birthday present.  I started this last year and then wasn't sure if she'd like it but picked it up again so I would have something made to give to her on her birthday (last Wednesday)

Blue trim on one side

Pink trim on the other

She liked it.  Phew!

Wishing you all a safe and happy week while I freeze my ass off in Finland!  

(ooh, now there's an opportunity to drop many, many pounds if I lose my ass!!)

Jules

x

It's all Laalaa's fault

Since Mr Darcy did indeed seem to be tied up with Amanda and not likely to put in an appearance to examine my silky smooth shins I was at a bit of a loose end.  What to do.... I know, catch up in blogland.

Lynda sparked my interest in the Ravelry crochet along and now I'm hooked too!

I embarked on this month's 6" Flower Button Granny square....  hmm, mine appears to be somewhat smaller ....

Then I embarked upon the 12" Maggie square.... hmm, mine appears to be somewhat smaller....

Then I spent all evening making the 12" filler square, Enough Love to Go Around .... there was very nearly no love whatsoever after much pulling back and zooming in on the picture to try and work out what I was supposed to be doing (I'm really rubbish at following patterns) I ended up with ..... hmm, a wonky bit of lacy wool

Ahh, that's better - maybe it was worth it after all.  Blocking really does make a difference! 

Must block my squares more often instead of being in a rush to show and tell!

Must dash - got a Secret Santa present to make!

Jules

x