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

That's another one hooked ....

And another little lamb joins the fold.  Rachel Number Two (or Gypsiee as she is affectionately known for reasons we had best not go into in the public domain) - already an aficionado of knitting from our Winter sisterhood meetings - has joined the crochet junkies!

Harriet is totally hooked, getting very adventurous to the point where I need to have a go at the pattern first to see if I can help her!  I must confess that I am not that good at following patterns (or recipes as H likes to call them) as Lynne will attest following my union jack tutorial debacle   I'm more of a visual/have a go learner but I'll have to get better otherwise the girls will be leaving me in the dust and we'll have to rename the granny square a 'girlie square'!

Much tea and chocolate required to aid the concentration (for the girls) - me, I needed a glass of wine as Rachel seemed intent on crocheting backwards for a while, bless.  She's got the hang of it now though and will have a blanket before long no doubt since she does have wool and 'sticks' at home for making her links and going down the rabbit hole with:) Don't ask!  Where there's a will there's a way x

 Harriet's also quiet smitten with patchworking - and look at this for her first attempt!

A very justifiably proud young lady!

Rachel Number 1 is now totally torn - she's got a granny square patchwork blanket on the go, is making a crochet cardi - her own design in single trebles but now she wants to make slippers, quilts, hats, ties, the list goes on - 

there'll be no stopping her.  If only there were more hours in the day!

Watch out ladies - the young competition is hot on our heels. 

The crafts will live on.  Yippeeeee!

Thank you to all you lovelies who have left me comments - I get a huge boost knowing you've stopped by and appreciate your every word.

It's raining, chilly, getting dark early ... 

that must mean it's soup weather - zippitydoodah - our favourite!