the wool sanctuary

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Ok, I have a very good reason for not posting on here for ages. I have been using Instagram to post instantly it is so much easier than writing on here as I can do it through my iPhone or iPad when I am away from home, which has been quite a lot recently. I have tried to post on here through my iPad and iPhone but I can't work out how to put a picture on. Confusing, confusing, confusing. Hang on stomach ache! Ok, fine now. I am extremly excited about the inpending or is it impending, anyway not so far off launch of my first book 'Janet Smith Can't Knit'. I can't bl**dy wait. I have worked incredibly hard to get it published, I hope it lives up to expectation. So far, from those who have seen it, Rowan, people who buy off Rowan, such as John Lewis, Create TV (?) there has been some really good feedback. That makes me so incredibly happy and warm inside.

These are some pictures that Rebecca Roundhill has taken for the book. There are three current designs that will be in the book, the rest are new designs. I don't want to show you those yet, I am talking again like someone is reading this. I catch myself sometimes writing on here like I am addressing the whole world is , I know the whole world doesn't care so apologies for coming across as being arrogant. Ok, just going to have to lie on the floor for a minute, ok back now.

To the left of the house, is a picture of a cat. Take a good look and let my friend Claire know if you see him. He has gone missing, he is called Oz. I hope there isn't a cat thief in Horsham, I know there is one in the Thornbury area. I lost Timothy, my dog once. I was very upset, the thought of possibly never knowing what happened to him really frightened me. He finally turned up a little old lady had found him and taken him home for some tuna. She was a bit nuts, and Timothy thought it too, I could tell, he rolled his eyes at me when she was talking to me, she was eastern european I think. I thought she was lovely, she worked at a dog rescue centre. I told Timothy he was lucky she didn't rehome him. He was very blase about the whole situation. That dog was so laid back, it was the death of him eventually. Didn't look both ways when crossing the road, the first I heard about it was when I was watching Total Recall with my stepdad (Pete)and someone called to say they had found him on the road. I was devastated. Pete was crying because I was so upset.

 
I have been teaching myself to crochet, it is incredibly addictive and now that I have all the knitting patterns for the book finished,I feel I can have a go at other craft, such as crochet and my hand quilting. Look how this is coming along, only taken me 4 years.

I am really enjoying it though and have already got big ideas for my next one. Ok enough about crochet and quilting, lets talk about Knitting book no. 2. Thoughts so far, book of cushions (not traditional shapes), baby (different- weird), jumpers (sloppy Joe shape but different), giants (use your imagination). I love the environment but am starting to resent losing, what feels like, an hour of my life every week sorting out the recycling. I have started to throw the odd piece of paper or piece of card in the black bin. I know it is wrong but I feel my life is taken over by bin management. Stand by, another quiliting picture coming up. All hand quilted by the way, I think I have already mentioned that. Should I have another crumpet? Yes, I distinctly heard someone say 'yes'.

Ok, one more quilting picture coming up then rubbish out then bed. My book launch/signing is possibly going to be at Waterstones in Weston Super Mare. I went in to see them yesterday whilst mum and I were in town and told them about my book, they were really keen on me promoting it in their store. It is all going so well, it is seeming too good to be true. For this reason I am expecting to die before it is finished. Ok, if anyone is listening out there and I do die, go missing or am unable to communicate due to a virus, then can who ever you are, please make sure my book is finished and published and all the profits go to my sister (Janet Smith). Also, could you put my rubbish out, you have to do it Wednesday night, because if you hear the truck (one of about 5 that come) on Thursday morning you nearly have a heart attack because there simply isn't enough time. Crumpet, I'm coming.

A long, long time ago, I can still remember....

Sorry it has been so long since I wrote on here. I have discovered Instagram and other social media vessels. I am trying to work out how to use my iPhone to write my blog but not quite worked it out yet. Give me time and I will be so up to date with technology you will think I am stalking you I will be posting so much. I threw out some Marks and Spencers sausages into my mum's back garden when I went to see her the other week, they were out of date. Heald Green must have very fussy birds.I watched a magpie eat one, spit it out then fly onto the fence and wipe his beak.

Since we last spoke I have done the photoshoot for my book. My friends Claire and Stuart kindly let me use their house, I absolutely loved the whole experience. My friend Gayna modelled as well as Claire and Stuart doing their bit. I am already designing for book two. It is looking likely that the book will be out in July/August, it will be £12.99 and have 12 designs in it.

My book is called 'Janet Smith Can't Knit'. It is dedicated to my mum who taught me to knit and to my sister who is rubbish at knitting. She once knitted a yellow batwing jumper, it took her about 2 years to knit it, and that isn't putting it down for a year and then picking it up again, it was from knitting it wrong so many times and having to undo it. She finally finished it but it was so dirty from being handled so much that she decided to wash it. It stretched so much that she ruined it and had to go in the bin. I don't think she has knitted anything since.

I am going to have a book launch party. You are all welcome to attend, it will be in Weston Super Mare or the Bristol area around July. So all keep July free, I want to see you all. Every single one of you who has shown interest and supported me in what I am doing, I thank you all. I have eaten too many vegetables today, think I might have to go and lie down. More news next time on the bathroom x

Easter, Mollie Makes and Traffic Wardens

I had two rabbits once. Thumper and Ben. They both died the day before we moved house and I didn't have time to bury them properly so  buried them with their feet sticking out of the ground. Sorry Thumper and Ben! I wouldn't want another rabbit, I am allergic to them the two I had used to bring me out in a rash and make me wheeze!

My friend Yvette had a white rabbit, it was huge, the size of a small pig. All the children who lived nearby would come and look at it. Yvette sometimes took it for a walk on a lead.

Ok , enough about rabbits. I am on the cover of Mollie Makes this month, well not me personally my egg warmers. I am famous. I haven't seen the magazine yet but I will be getting a copy this weekend.

I hugged a traffic warden on Saturday. She was about to give me a ticket but I talked her out of it and just thought that she probably didn't have that many people hug her so put out my arms and she was happy for me to hug her.

Ok enough of all this nonsense. My book, my book, my book. The photoshoot for the book is next Saturday. I nearly have everything knitted. Lisa and Morag, are very kindly helping me out. I have a fair bit to do myself but am confident that it will all be ready for Saturday. Rebecca Roundhill, who did the photos above will be doing the photography and the shoot will be at Claire and Stuarts in Horsham. I am really looking forward to it. If you would like to go on the mailing list for news of my book being published then please e-mail me and I will add you to the list. I can tell you that is going to be £12.99 and worth every single penny - I promise! You would be absolutely crazy not to buy it.

Ok, if you are taking part in the Blog Hop for Mollie Makes, you need to visit Selina Lake http://selinalake.blogspot.com/ next. The prize for the winner is a Rabbit Felted Fascinator kindly donated by From the Wilde http://www.fromthewilde.com/shop/. All you have to do is start from http://molliemakes.themakingspot.com/competition/join-our-easter-bunny-blog-hop and hop around the blogs and add up all the rabbits that you encounter on your way.

Bathroom Wall Comes Down, Crash, Fame and Eggs

Check out my PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) I used when I knocked the plaster off the bathroom wall.

No, no, don't look at my feet!!!

I can't get warm today, it is freezing, even my calculator has his jumper on (good god, did I really just write that?). I am suffering from shock, on Monday night on my way home from work I was stuck in a traffic jam on the motorway. There was an accident on the inside lane, the police were closing the lane off so all the traffic in the inside lane was moving over. I wasn't in any rush to move over as the traffic was moving so slow but when an ambulance came up behind me with it's lights flashing I knew I had to move. I saw a gap between two lorries and indicated and made my move. Only the lorry driver didn't stop. He hit the back of my car and pushed me along the middle lane until her realised there was a mini cooper attached to the front of his vehicle. Luckily the lorry in front was moving quicker otherwise I would have been crushed. I am unhurt but mentally wobbly- nothing new there then.

Brrrrrrrr, cold iTouch with jumper on. I am so famous at the moment. There is an article in Woman and Home about one of my knitters, Sarah Brown, they came and did a photo shoot here, ti is about her taking up knitting and her coming the The Wool Santuary. I have had lots of sales and enquiries already because of it. It is the March 2012 issue, not in the shops yet, but available if you subscribe, it will be in the shops on the 6th Feb, I think. So just wait until the rest of the general public get hold of it. I will be well busy.

Speaking of magazines, these four bad boys are to be featured in Mollie Makes (the Easter issue). Not only that, they are going to be on the front cover, my first front cover (I hope they don't change their minds). I am well chuffed. Next month Vogue. It is only a matter of time before Anna Wintour gets in touch.

Before!

In Between!

After! Just in case any of you were wondering, there is still more work to do on this room!

Love is in the air, everytime I look around.......

I have been knitting love tokens. You can download the pattern from my Ravelry page. I forgot to put my New Years Resolutions on here at the beginning of the year, so here they are:

1. Tidy as you go along.

2. Be more organised.

3. Stop swearing.

4. Be more decisive.

5. Decorate bathroom.

6. Knit more.

7. Publish my book.

8. Go home more- book train in advance.

9. Dancing lessons.

10. Eat more licorice.

11. Help old people more.

I have broken number 3 already.

I caught the owner of the dog who has been leaving me a gift outside my house everyday for the past year in the act, the dog that is, not the owner. I confronted him and his response was 'well he has to go somewhere'. I was speechless, then told him to go and get a bag and clear it up, I said 'in fact, I will come with you to make sure you do it' then realised I had left my trolley with all my work in outside my house so decided against it. I did follow him in my car but he disappeared behind a bush or up a drive and I lost him. I have not seen him since and the gift remains outside the house, shrivelled and dry, wet now because it is raining.

The Mystery Knit is nearly ready. There will be only 20 kits available so if you are interested then please let me know, you don't have to commit by showing interest. I can give you some details that might help you make up your mind. It is knitted in Rowan cashsoft 4ply & Rialto 4ply, it consists of 10 colours, it will be around £100 and will be knitted over the course of 10 months. I have not located a violin teacher yet in Weston Super Mare. Can anyone help?

My Beating Heart, Earth Flight and Impulse Buys

I had no problem turning 30. It passed without worry or panic, but two weeks after I had had my birthday I woke in the night and sat bolt upright. All I could think of where on the 'Bath tub curve' by heart was. To those none engineers this means that any piece of equipment has a wear in and then an active life then a wear out period which on a graph looks like a bath tub. I couldn't think where on the graph my heart was after 30 years. I got over it, but can't help but thinking that at the age of 40 I have moved a substantial amount along that curve. Hang on, I am going to google 'bath tub curve' and see if I can post a picture. Don't go anywhere. Ok, I think you are best googling it yourself, not sure which one to post so I will leave it up to you.

Anyway, I am no longer worried about the 'Bath tub Cuve' I feel really good this year, like I want to take every opportunity that presents itself .Yesterday a string of events occurred that lead to me buying a violin. I love it, lessons start next week- I am not wasting any time.

My 'Mystery Mystery' is coming along nicely. It is not a Mystery blanket, but something else that I am not goingh to reveal just yet. I have my subject and have been busy designing. I cannot wait to share this with you once it is ready.I can tell you at this stage that it is going to be knitted in Rowan Cashsoft 4ply.

Back to being 40, just for a minute. When I turned 30 I really appreciated trees, mainly I couln't believe that something so big had just come from a seed. I would often stop to look at a good tree and really have a good think about how long it had been growing. Now I am 40 I have found a new love- birds. I have been watching Earth Flight in bed before I go to sleep, the main reason being I was hoping it would make me dream of being able to fly. So far I have dreamt about wrapping a crumbling christmas pudding and gate crashing someones wedding, neither anything to do with flying. I won't give up. I particularly like Flamingoes. No doubt I will be knitting one in the future. Ok, off for a piece of liquorice to eat in bed whilst watching Earth Flight. I do like barn owls too.

COLD, Princess Margaret, Carer

I am cold. I have spent the day in some gun sheds- no heating. I came home on a coach that had - no heating. I drove home, with heating but was still frozen with numb toes. Got home- no heating. Now sat in the lounge, lots of layers and a portable heater. I phoned Princess Margaret (Annie) and asked if I could come round and have a bath but she was on her way out, but she did send round a plumber. Above is Princess Margaret (named after Annie). A scarf to knit over Christmas because it doesn't make much concentration but is highly addictive to knit. I am wanting to knit another one but am only stuck on what colour to chose. It is available in a kit for £35, please see my website or e-mail me for more details.

I have been looking after my neighbour. He came out of hospital two weeks ago after having his right foot rebuilt and social services said he was capable of looking after himself, I despair. So I have been doing my bit for him. I go and check he has had his dinner then do some shopping, pay some bills and get his pension for him.

Ahhhhh, recycling tomorrow. Just off to put the rubbish out, to get a bit colder than I already am! Will put some better pictures of Princess Margaret on here soon.

My Poor Knees, Meadowgate and Older People

Last Thursday night at around 7.45pm I fell over in John Lewis just inside the door near the carpet and rug department. I went flying, it bloomin well hurt, a lady came over to see if I was ok, I just told her I was in shock but alright and thanked her for stopping. When I got outside I noticed my right knee was bleeding quite badly and my tights were ripped. It was awful, where is your mum when you need her?

Anyway, never mind my knees, I was 40 last Saturday, I was at Cowslip at the time and Jo and Stephen really spoilt me, it was lovely, they organised a meal with some really good friends and I was a complete show off, I am not going to deny it, give me an audience and there is no stopping me- this is why I don't go out much, there is no controlling me. Anyway, the point of this story is, when I got back on Sunday the next day there was a letter from the NHS saying 'Now that you fall into the age group 40-74 you are entitled to a free medical!' 40-74, what the????

I've not really had much chance or time rather, to talk about Meadowgate, our second holiday to the home of Kirstie Allsopp. It was a fantastic rest as last time. I took so much knitting, but I was really strict with myself this time. Instead of filling the car with yarn and forgetting most of my clothes and toiletries like I did last time, I packed a small bag and took things that I needed to finish off. I made some amazing yellow leg warmers and gave them to Thea, I made a tea cosy for my stall. Just left you a minute then to make Tiffin to take to work tomorrow, I am mulltitasking. Where was I, oh yes knitted a lovely shrug in Kid Silk Aura, I have loads of the stuff. And I did lots of quiliting, we went to Cowlsip for a hand quiliting workshop, it was brill. I will take some pictures of my quilt that I worked on. I started it five years ago, it is a slow burner.

I went in the sea at Meadowgate, it wasn't cold, just really refreshing. I forgot my costume though so had to go in in my nightshirt and walking boots, Ursula Andres I was not. You couldn't swim in it though it was too rough. I discovered the fantastic washing machine when I had to wash my nightshirt so decided to do a wash of all my smalls. Unfortunately I left them to dry on the Aga and when the Sunday roast was being cooked someone trapped my knickers in the oven door. This unfortunately jammed the door and Jim had to release them with a wooden spoon. They were burnt but still wearable.

Me comfortable in my knitting attire at Meadowgate.

Beach at Meadowgate with Carolynne, Steph and Sarah. I have been really really busy designing. I have designed a scarf for Christmas, there is nothing Christmssy about it, but it is designed as a project to knit at Christmas. You can pick it up and put it down without thinking too hard about it. I will post a picture of it on here in time. All these promises.

Look what me and Annie saw in Sainsbury's. Yes, it is some of the hats we made for the smoothies for Age UK and the good news is that now I fall into the 40-74 age bracket I expect to be getting some of the money raised by Age UK. Ok, off to put the chocolate on top of my Tiffin. Oh I got an iPhone for my birthday. I have had it nearly a week but still haven't got a cover for it so carry it around in the box it came in in my handbag. I sometimes can't get the lid off quick enough when it rings. If my knee goes septic I will put another picture on here along with one of the nordic scarf I am knitting, don't think I mentioned that did I?

New York, New York so good they name it twice

I went to New York for 9 days, it was amazing. I can't wait to go back. What is going on with the flies in the UK? I am sat in my lounge writing this and there is a massive fly stressing out. He is not the first one I have seen today but he will be the last as I am off to bed now. I will continue this tomorrow, can't think straight just back from Cowslip in Cornwall. I had a stall at the Christmas Craft Fair.

The fair was amazing as usual and, and, and it was my 40th birthday yesterday, so I was spoilt rotten by all my friends there. Kirstie Allsopp was there on the Friday filming for her Christmas special that I think goes out on Christmas Eve. We said hello and had a hug and discussed the flies at Meadowgate then I got told off by her for talking whilst they were trying to film. I didn't care I had just seen my friend Claire who makes the most amazing jewellery, her business is called 'Elsie Hates Harvey' you have to look her up and buy from her because she is both nice and talented.

Ok, I've changed my mind, I am not going to bed yet, I need to talk about the weekend and Meadowgate and New York, oh I am all over the place. I am always so inspired when I go to Cowslip and this visit was no different. I have come home bursting with ideas that I can't wait to get started on. Whilst I was there I bought some material to do some more hand quilting. I am going to do a cushion for my mum for Christmas, boring boring boring, you don't want to hear about this. Lets get back to the knitting. I am designing a scarf currently, it is textured as apposed to coloured. I was really inspired when I was in New York to design some pieces that are texturised. I have eaten about 1,000 maltesers today I think they have made me go funny. Off to bed. Will be back to write something coherent tomorrow.

Thank You Dean Friedman

Thank you Dean Friedman. Last night I sang Lucky Stars with Dean Friedman at The Arts Centre in Bath. I absolutely loved it. You can see the film on my facebook page. I will try to link it in here. Click here, see if this works. Ok, let me tell you a story now about my book. To cut a long story short I turned down the contract with the publishers. I found out they were not being truthful with me about 'stuff', can't really say anymore. So I came to the decision that I could do a better job on my own.

Debbie Abrahams put me in touch with a graphic designer, who is going to help me to self publish. I am really looking forward to working with him and being in complete control of what the book looks like.

I can't stop eating at the moment, I know it will pass, but I am just really enjoying eating- anything. I have just had two bowls of coco pops. I am going to go to bed soon just to keep me out of the kitchen. Not long to go until the Knit Club holiday at Meadowgate. Kirstie Allsopp's new programme started tonight and I saw her new book in Waterstone's today. I designed placemats and coasters for the book. I didn't like what I designed, what I wanted to do didn't work and I found myself frantically knitting something to send the next morning when the deadline ran out. They obviously didn't like them either because they only used the coasters in the book- nobodys' perfect. (Is that apostrophe in the right place?)