TV display unit

Ok this is the unit...and it's on it's way for only £22.26...bargain!!

The electrics are done!!

Ok so how could I forget to shout out loud THE ELECTRICS ARE FINISHED AND READY FOR US TO DECORATE!!!!

Tuesday teatime...work completed...thanks alot Paul! It was also £120 cheaper than the quote...which is always a good thing!

So on Saturday we are starting to decorate..bathroom first...ok, so with my back I'll be in a supervisiory role but still I can't wait!!

Oh and we bought furniture on Saturday!!! A dining table and 8 chairs and 2 sofas from Homebase for...wait for it...£523!!! (original total price £1500). They were in the sale and we got another 10% off on Saturday! Thank goodness we didn't buy them the week before when we first saw them!! We bought our paint on Saturday so we got 10% off that too!!

Can you tell I'm giddy about all this!?

The next thing I want is a tv display unit which is on sale from £249 to £62...however it is slightly too wide for our alcove, but I figure as it is self assembly I could cut it down to fit?? At this price I think it's worth a shot!! Especially since it's from my catalogue and I have £39.74 cashback, so it'll only cost me £22.26...a saving of £226.74!!! I think I've just talked myself into buying this!!!

Pic of my first parcel sent to Loving Hands Charity Knitting Group

I've copied this from the Loving Hands forum which shows the goodies I sent to them in my first parcel. I'm glad that they got them in time for the Teddies to be sent to Africa!

I sent them 12 bears, 4 blankets, 1 ball, 12 hats and 9 scarves. Thanks to Lou who took the photo and recorded what I had sent!

I've started making more teddies already. It sounds like the next challenge for them will be as Xmas pressies for children in Bulgarian orphanages. The Linda MacDonald Foundation sends items to them. www.lindamcdonaldfoundation.org/

Aliens/Monsters

Oddments of DK yarn
3.25mm needles
Stuffing
Buttons or alternative for eyes

Pattern:

c/o 4sts
1. inc in each st (8sts)
2. p all sts
3. as row 1 (16sts)
4. as row 2
5. as row 1 (32sts)
6. starting with p row stst for 15 rows

Decrease for neck shaping:

21. K2 tog to end (16sts)
22. p all sts
23. inc in each st to end (32sts)
24. starting with p row stst for 11 rows
35. K2, m1, (k4, m1) repeat to last 2 sts, k2 (40sts)
36. starting with p row stst for 6 rows
42. K row
43. (k3, k2 tog) to end (32sts)
44. P
45. (k2, k2 tog) to end (24sts)
46. p
47. (k1, k2 tog) to end (16sts)
48. p
49. k2 tog to end (8sts)

Break and Thread yarn through remaining stitches. With wrong side facing sew up seam, leaving a gap for stuffing, turn right way out. Stuff and close seam.

Gather round neck.

Add features to your personal style of alien/monster!!

Eyes:

Sew on eye/s to your personal style of alien/monster!!

Antenna:

Make 2 plaits and sew on a shown.

Arms:

1. c/o 20sts
2. c/off 5sts, k to end (15sts)
3. k to end, turn and c/o 5sts (s0sts)
4. cast off all sts

Sew c/o edge to c/off edge for 15sts leaving tube and 2 ‘fingers’.

Feet:

c/o 10sts
1. k to end
2. k to end
3. c/off 4sts, k to end (6sts)
4. k6, turn and c/o 4sts (10sts)
5. k to end
6. K to end
cast off all stitches

Sew to body as shown.

Still off work...

I thought I would be ready to go back today but I'm still stuggling and I jarred it again when walking my dog yesterday (twice actually, once whilst in the woods and then when we got back to the car!!) So I'm off work til next Friday.

We had the start of our electrics this week...we now have lights in the kitchen and a centre light in the lounge. We have plug sockets that can be used not at floor level in the skirting board! Still to be done is a new fuse box in the house and in the garage and some more plug sockets in the garage/studio for Darren. It'll all be done ready for us to start decorating next Saturday (we're off for 2 weeks)...won't that be fun with my back...I think I'll be supervising most of it!!

On a brighter note I finally sent my first parcel to Loving Hands yesterday. My total was 12 teddies, a ball, a few blankets and approx 12 sets of hats and scarves. I forgot to take photos of them and to count the blankets, hats and scarves! Oh well it was only for personal interest! I'll have to remember for next time, although Lou (the collector/organiser of all parcels does take pics and put them on the charity forum!)

Copyright

I was reading this blog and she had a post about copyright and I thought it was well put, so I've added it to my blog.
http://knittedtoybox.blogspot.com/

"Well its always a sticky subject, but it has to be done!

The Copyright of all the patterns on this blog belong to me!

Feel free to:
1. Distribute patterns for free (direct link as often as possible).
2. Make as many items as you like for personal or charitable purposes.
3. Sell any finished items made from my patterns (I would appreciate credit for the pattern, or a even just a link to the site, however its not a must.)

You MUST NOT:
1. Take any of my patterns and claim they are your own.
2. Sell any patterns for a profit.
3. Make kits with the patterns for profit.
4. Use my photographs and claim they are your own.

Even if these are not your own personal views on copyright they are mine so please respect them. Even though my patterns are simple a lot of work has still gone into creating them.

Ok I'll get off my soap box now, I hope that cleared a few things up for people, happy knitting."

I rather like how she worded this issue. Hope everyone else agrees!!

Really fed up

Well I saw the GP this morning and I've been signed of work for a week. He actually asked me how long I wanted to be signed off...would I have gotten longer if I'd asked???

So now I'm really fed up and in pain...lots of knitting to be done...I've just finished my 10th teddy for tragedy. I'll have to post the parcel tomorrow...or rather get Darren to carry it to the post office as it's a big bag of hats, scarfs, blankets and teddies!!! Wonder how much the postage will be...

blanket pattern written up

I've finally finished typing up my 2nd blanket pattern. I've added it to the post with the photos. Hope it's of use to someone.

Fed up

I'm fed up at the minute. Was in near miss car accident when an idiot driver nearly ran me off the road just outside work on Sunday. My existing daily leg/back pain has become unbearable at the moment and I'm off work. Can't get to see a GP til Friday (the day I'm due back at work). It's not good...keeping myself sane by knitting and watching dvd's. I've made more Teddies for Tragedy and I've designed a toy pattern. I'll type this up and take photos later.

Pain killers are calling...

Geometric Blanket

This is a recent blanket I designed...simple enough to do. In fact I'm sure that most knitters will be able to get the pattern just from these photos. If anyone makes my free patterns I would love to see your work too.

Here is the pattern:

Approx 200g DK
5mm needles

Cast on 120sts

1.gst 5 rows
6.k5, purl to last 5sts, k 5
7.knit
8.as row 6
9.k
10.k5, p5, k to last 10sts, p5, k5
11.k
12.as row 10
13.k
14.k5, p5, k5, p to last 15sts, k5, p5, k5
15.k
16.as row 14
17.k
18.k5, p5, k5, p5, k to last 20sts, p5, k5, p5, k5
19.k
20.as row 18
21.k
22.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p to last 25sts, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
23.k
24.as row 22
25.k
26.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k to last 30sts, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
27.k
28.as row 26
29.k
30. k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p to last 35sts, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
31.k
32.as row 30
33.k
34.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k to last 40sts, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
35.k
36.as row 34
37.k
38.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p to last 45sts, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
39.k
40.as row 38
41.k
42.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k to last 50sts, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
43.k
44.as row 42
45.k
46.as row 42
47.k
48.as row 42
49.k
50.as row 42
51.k
52.as row 42
53.k
54.as row 42
55.k
56.as row 42
57.k
58.as row 42
59.k
60.as row 42
61.k
62.as row 42
63.k
64.as row 42
65.k
66.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p to last 45sts, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
67.k
68.as row 66
69.k
70.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k to last 40sts, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
71.k
72.as row 70
73.k
74.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p to last 35sts, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
75.k
76.as row 74
77.k
78.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k to last 30sts, p5, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
79.k
80.as row 78
81.k
82.k5, p5, k5, p5, k5, p to last 25sts, k5, p5, k5, p5, k5
83.k
84.as row 82
85.k
86.k5, p5, k5, p5, k to last 20sts, p5, k5, p5, k5
87.k
88.as row 86
89.k
90.k5, p5, k5, p to last 15sts, k5, p5, k5
91.k
92.as row 90
93.k
94.k5, p5, k to last 10sts, p5, k5
95.k
96.as row 94
97.k
98.k5, purl to last 5sts, k 5
99.k
100.as row 98
101. repeat pattern from row 1 to 100

201. gst 4 rows


Cast off.

Lady and wierd toy

I've just taken some more photos of Lady cuddling her wierd toy and a ball I made for her at the weekend. I think she kinda likes them!!