http://www.bettyknitter.com en-gb bettyknitter.com 2012-2-3T00:00:00Z bettyknitter.com http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#111689 Regular readers may recall a recent prayer I offered to St Antony for the safe return of my lost purseearphones. They have still yet to materialise but today Im making another visit to the subject of saints. I am a regular Tweeter and a few days ago one of my followees The Rev Richard Coles mentioned that 3rd February is the Feast of St Blaize who is of great interest to knitters. Amongst other things he is reputed to have shown the people of Jersey how to prepare and comb wool in preparation for spinning so he is the adopted saint of carders. This was just a small part of his skills because he is also the patron saint of wild animals he once talked a wolf out of releasing a small pig and he is also known for curing throat maladies having saved a child with a fishbone stuck in his throat from imminent death. Some websites refer to him as St Blaise but I quite like the z. Maybe he should be the patron saint of firefighters too To save you the bother I did a little research abou... 2012-2-3 09:07:48 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#111368 For the past 70 years there has been a radio programme of such simplicity that people have clamoured to be invited as a guest. Desert Island Discs is based on the premise that a person is marooned on a desert island with just 8 records three books and a luxury item for company. Two of the books are already provided The Complete Works of Shakespeare and The Bible or the chosen Holy book of the castaway. Each guest is interviewed about their record choices and there have been some surprising revelations in many programmes. I doubt that I will ever make it onto the actual Radio 4 programme but I had a blast drawing up my list. It would be impossible for me to rank one above another so the list is in alphabetical order. I hope you enjoy reading about my selections and Ive included a YouTube link for each song so you can listen in. After checking out my musical choices why not draw up your own list of Desert Island favourites 2012-1-29 11:40:35 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#111363 I wonder why we are not walking and fighting and asking for favours Meeting at midnight and avoiding all the neighbours Time is a distnace that you cant retract by miles If I saw you again Id smile Dont Call Me Baby Voice of the Beehive Everytime I hear this song it reminds of Torquay. I holidayed there a few times in the 1980s and it was such a beautiful town lots of interesting streets and a seafront too. It was always sunny and there were lots of bars and discos to visit. On one occasion I was in a nightclub and Jason Donovan was supposed to be making a guest appearance. It was at the height of his fame and the place was packed with young women eager to see their heartthrob in the flesh although I wasnt a fan and couldnt have cared less if he turned up or not. Anyway it got later and later and the DJ announced that he was on his way then after a while he said he was lost in traffic and after this the excuses for his nonappearance were coming thick and fast. Evidently so... 2012-1-29 11:22:15 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#111224 Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you But in your dreams whatever they be Dream a little dream of me Dream A Little Dream Of Me Mama Cass Elliot I cant remember when I first heard this song. It seems to have been in my head forever and its one of those songs that is so beautifully simple that anyone can sing it but not necessarily as well as Mama Cass sang it. When my eldest son was tiny one of our favourite bedtime rituals was to climb into my bed for cuddles and songs before he got into his own bed for the night. We had a wide repetoire and our particular favourites all had a nighttime motif of some sort so before settling down we would sing Mr Sandman Catch a Falling Star Fly Me To The Moon Blue Moon Moon River and Dream A Little Dream Of Me. My son would go to bed happy and I would be contented too. Along came Son No.2 and one day when he was very small I was feeding him and this song came on the radio. I found myself in flood... 2012-1-26 17:24:57 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#111092 So take the photographs and still frames in your mind Hang it on a shelf in good health and good times Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial For what its worth it was worth all the while Good Riddance Time of your Life Green Day I never tire of hearing this song. It reminds me of a time when my two boys were small and we would dance and laugh and sing together. Time really does grab you by the wrists directs you where to go and before you know it those small boys are taller than you and turning into young adults. There are several Green Day songs that made it on the shortlist including American Idiot Basket Case and the sublimely wonderful Redundant which proves that even rock bands can have a soft side. In the end I chose this because although the lyrics are few they say so much. This is my funeral song. I want the mourners to be shocked that my choice of song is called Good Riddance but when they listen to the lyrics theyll realise its really about making the most o... 2012-1-24 16:20:59 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#111026 Found guilty of no crime They were the best years of our lives Ill turn the last card down Let Me Go Heaven 17 One of my favourite 1980s groups was Heaven 17 and I was an avid collector of their records. Glenn Gregory was my teenage popstar crush and he stared down from my bedroom wall a hundred different pictures culled from Smash Hits. Others may have come and gone but Glenn was there all the way. He was the last pinup left on the back of my bedroom door when I had outgrown sticking popstar pictures onto my wall. I had to think long and hard about which Heaven 17 track to select for the Desert Island but in the end I settled for this because its a great song which barely bothered the charts peaking at no.41 if I remember correctly and was the last single they released before Temptation threw them into the Top 3. It also brings back bittersweet memories of another type of longing. When I went to upper school I noticed an amazing lad Ill call him N. He was absolutely dropde... 2012-1-23 20:04:26 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#110893 The time is right your perfume fills my head The starts get red and oh the nights so blue And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I Love You Something Stupid Frank and Nancy Sinatra Im the youngest of seven children and grew up in a house filled with music of all types. Various brothers and sisters were into The Beatles Bowie and Blondie amongst others and I attribute this to my wideranging musical tastes. My parents were brought up in a more sedate age so into the pop music mix were added the likes of Glenn Miller Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. Ol Blue Eyes was frequently singing in our house and I still love to hear him to this day. Choosing a favourite is very hard I nearly went for Summer Wind because he sings it with such emotion that you can practically feel the yearning for his lost love with every word but in the end I went for Something Stupid his duet with daughter Nancy who was one of the coolest people in the world in the sixties. I used... 2012-1-22 16:43:12 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#110763 From Westwood to Hollywood the one thing thats understood Is that you cant buy time but you can sell your soul And the closest thing to Heaven is to rock and roll Somewhere in my Heart Aztec Camera Ive been a fan of Roddy Frame ever since I owned a crackly cassette copy of High Land Hard Rain in the early 1980s. Theres something about his wistful vocals that I find hard to resist. This particular track makes it onto the Desert Island playlist because it marks a special time in my life when I had no worries I still lived with my parents so all my income was disposable and I could buy new shoes go out for meals and on holiday without having to think about paying electricity bills or council tax. I gave my Dad a cheque every month for board but apart from that I was carefree and could party every weekend. My wedding was planned for September 1990 so in 1989 I started work on my dress. I had always been an avid dressmaker and my first selfdesigned dress was made in 1982 so I had... 2012-1-20 08:43:19 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#110673 We should take a bus to somewhere else to something new Thank God were alive and bite off more than we can chew Do the things that just dont matter Laugh while others look in anger Stumble over fourleaf clovers And say goodbye to lonely banners Thinking of You The Colourfield The Sixth Form. Ahhhh yes a time when young people spend two years with their heads buried in books deep in study......or theyre partying like its 1999 and doing as little work as possible. I definitely belonged to the second category. My A level years were a whirl of parties pubs and discos with a little bit of work slotted in the gaps. There was a lot of what was referred to as free study time which basically meant students could skive off for a few hours. I would frequently sign in for the day go to the first lesson then make my way home get changed and get on the train for an outing to Leicester usually with a few friends for company. Its a miracle any of us passed any exams... 2012-1-19 08:51:03 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#110603 I once lived in Paradise when the love light shone in your eyes Oh baby what can I do when I still love you What can I say when I still want you What can I do What can I say Youll never know this way. What by Judy Street This song takes me back to my teenage years and in particular the Monday night disco at Ashby Road Sports Club. It cost 30p to get in pop and crisps were readily available and it was packed out every week. Just about every under 18 in town was there and a good time was had by all. The music was supplied by Purple Shadow Mobile Disco he played an eclectic selection and there was something for every musical taste. This all took place in the early 1980s and there were a lot of youth tribes around New Romantics Mods Rockers a few leftover Punks etc etc. It was considered cool to stick to one style but I secretly liked music of all types. The DJ would usually play three or four records of one type then as the genre changed there was a mass changeover on the dan... 2012-1-18 08:57:47 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#110531 Every castaway automatically gets a copy of the Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare plus one other book of their choice. Ive read many good books a number of mediocre ones and started a few that Ive never finished. Theres a small select number of titles that Ive read and reread several times over and would bear repeat readings with much enjoyment. Should I choose Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice or Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre A little romance on a lonely island may offer some comfort to a lonely woman. Perhaps I should go for the glamour of the Roaring Twenties and select F Scott Fitgeralds The Great Gatsby None of the above. I have chosen Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. Its a book that had been on my to read list for a long when I found a battered copy in a charity shop. Ive read it several times over and every time I enjoy it just that little bit more. To summarise it tells the story of a wartime captain whos had enough of flying dangerous bombing raids and he wants to ... 2012-1-17 09:22:37 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#110472 Every castaway on the fictional island is allowed to take a luxury item. Mine would be a herd of alpaca. Strictly speaking that would be more than one luxury item but as they prefer to live in a group it would be cruel to have an only beast. They would keep me company and give me something to care for. I would be able to use the fleece for warmth if it turns chilly and by foraging around the island Im sure I could find some materials to make a rudimentary spindle and teach myself to spin. I would search out some fairly straight twigs so that I could strip the bark then shape the ends by rubbing against a stone and Bobs your uncle lll have some knitting needles. They might not be Knit Pros but theyll do in a pinch. Addendum I later found out via the Radio 4 website that animate objects are not allowed as luxury items so Ill change my choice from a herd of alpaca to a tonne of alpaca fleece. That should keep me warm and busy for a long time. 2012-1-16 11:32:45 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#110321 Ive lost two things this week. The first was a pair of leather gloves does a pair count as one lost item or two but they were only lost for a matter of minutes before I remembered where they were. However I wont be able to get them back until next week so does this still count as a lost itemitems until I actually get them back in my possesion The second and more annoying lost itemitems is a little satin purse decorated with sequins. I have had this for many years and inside I keep the headphones for my mobile phone. Recently I watched a programme about 1970s music and they mentioned I Feel Love by Donna Summer which made me feel all nostalgic and I went on to explain to my 14 year old son that its a record best appreciated by being played at a very high volume extra bass with flashing lights etc in a disco. Or a nightclub. Or whatever trendy young types like to call an afterhours drinkdancecoppingoff establishment these days. This led to my purchasing a CD of Donna Summ... 2012-1-13 16:29:30 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#109689 He may be yours Mr Demis Roussos but hes certainly no friend of mine. Last night we were sitting snugly in the living room enjoying a spot of family TV time together when there was a strange low rumbling sound outside the house. We all looked at each other then it happened again. Being the nosy sort I got up to have a look and I was relieved to see it was just an empty upsidedown recycling crate being blown along the pavement. Thank goodness for that I though there was some kind of primeval beast on the prowl. Later on I was lying in bed listening to the wind whooshing past the window when a tin can danced a lively jig along the pavement before hurling itself against the iron railings outside my house. This made a loud clang which Im sure woke the neighbours if they werent already awake. I can imagine a whole streetful of people lying in bed listening to the assorted sounds of a windy night and wondering if they would ever get to sleep. When we first moved into this house over... 2012-1-4 15:09:49 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#109621 Ive never been a maker of New Year resolutions. I prefer to create my minichallenges throughout the year as and when the need arises so if youve come along to read a list of my impossible goals for January then youll be sorely disappointed. I use this time of year to look back on the previous 12 months to see how I have progressed and what Ive achieved that might have seemed impossible a year ago. Last March I went to London to give a couple of talks about knitting which was a pretty big deal to me Im not what you might call a seasoned traveller let alone a confident raconteur yet I accomplished both tasks and passed with flying colours. Also in March a friend in America sent me some gorgeous 4ply knitting yarn which was desperate to be made into a lacy shawl. However I have a long unhappy history with lace knitting. When my sister was expecting her child over 20 years ago I decided to knit the sweetest little lacy cardi in mint green ready for the new arrival. I attacked the p... 2012-1-3 17:00:12 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#108797 Yesterday I mentioned on Twitter that Im fed up of seeing all these Keep Calm and...... slogans on everything. It must have struck a chord because my comment was retweeted many times and I even had replies from a handful of people who agreed with me. I dont want to Keep Calm. Everytime I see yet another mug teatowel notebook Tshirt or any one of a seemingly limitless number of products urging me to Carry On I want to shriek loudly GET A NEW ORIGINAL SLOGAN It reminds me of those endless 1980s Tshirts with the big writing that bossed us around FRANKIE SAYS RELAX CHOOSE LIFE and a thousand other cutprice cheap market stall imitations. Fortunately that fad died a death quite swiftly so Im hoping that this current fashion will too. In the meantime a few words of advice......Hang On In There It Will Soon Be Over 2011-12-15 17:43:18 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#108578 Oh joy The Christmas gifts have all been bought the last one arrived this morning and the cards have all been written. Every surface has something festive on it and Ive made several dozen mince pies. However I havent eaten any because I cant stand mincemeat or indeed anything containing dried fruit. Whilst everyone else is tucking into Christmas Pudding I indulge myself with some delicious fancypants icecream instead preferably involving strawberries andor raspberries. The local Scouts are doing a local card delivery scheme so I called into my local parish church to avail myself of their services. For 20p per card they are sorting and delivering to most of the local villages which is a marvellous way for them to raise funds and it saves people having to queue in the Post Office. Which I had to do anyway because I had a parcel to post. Also five of my cards were going farther afield and I dont think the local Scouts deliver as far away as Essex. As expected on a Monday morning ... 2011-12-12 12:28:01 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#107331 It has been said that time speeds up as one gets older and I can certainly testify to that where has 2011 gone Almost at the end of November already and Christmas is heading ever nearer. What I like to call Christmas Creep seems to start earlier every year too with a lone local charity shop shyly displaying a few packs of cards at the tail end of August just testing the waters to see if the others follow suit. Of course they do and by the time September is half over they are all blatantly displaying their wares like hookers in Amsterdam windows. October sees a rash of Tinselitis breaking out in chainstores and pound shops across the land and by early November whole sections of retail establishments are devoted to things that glitter twinkle shine light up play electronic tunes and generally lend an air of good cheer to any shopping expedition. It never used to be like this. I had a Saturday job in a supermarket back in the Dark Ages and the Christmas wares rar... 2011-11-22 19:41:10 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#104904 I visited Alexandra Palace a couple of weeks ago for the Knitting and Stitching Show. I had a great day out with my friends and I got to go on the Underground too always a bonus for a hick like me My Knit and Knatter Group had been busily knitting squares for the Refuge Comfort Blanket Appeal so after spending a few days sewing them together I carefully folded the finished blanket in order to deliver it to the Simply Knitting stand at the show. There was already a big pile of finished blankets and it was a joy to add ours to the collection. Members of the Simply Knitting group on www.Ravelry.com also contributed squares for this collaboration. We decided to use natural neutral colours and they all go together beautifully. Theres a mixture of textured and plain stitches some multicoloured squares and even some appliqued ones. httprefuge.org.uk work with women who are suffering domestic abuse offering a safe haven often at shor... 2011-10-18 12:57:52 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#104285 October 10th is World Mental Health Day. Every year I stop to reflect on my own mental health and to say a prayer or two for others around the world who are suffering in their own private worlds. Some people and everybody knows at least one always make a big deal out of their health and feel the need to report every sneeze and pimple to elicit a sympathetic response. I am not one of those people. I shall try to explain my illness with clarity and truthfulness not because I want pity or special treatment but because theres a part of me that has been long hidden away. However its highly unlikely Ill mention again so make the most of it. Its very hard to write this because it makes me feel very exposed and vulnerable. When I was a teenager about 13 or 14 I was at the theatre during our annual family holiday. Sitting in the dark watching the onstage antics I was suddenly hit but the strangest most terrifying feeling. It was as if a heavy dark burden had descended on to me from now... 2011-10-9 22:39:13 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#104127 A long time ago before I became a mother the spare room was devoted to my dressmaking activities. I could nip up to my attic room for an hour or two sew for a bit then leave it all out until the next session. When the boys came along and the space was needed I packed everything away only fetching it out when I had some urgent repair job or a fancydress outfit to make. Its such a faff to get out the machine and all the other paraphenalia entailed with dressmaking only to have to clear it all away again in order to use the table for a meal. From time to time I get the urge to do some sewing and I decided that I would like to make a fancy tote bag. Some time ago I bought a lightweight taffetta curtain panel to cut up for a knitted bag lining and across the top there was an embroidered and sequinned strip which I carefully folded up for later use. Which brings me on to Todays Top Tip check out homewares departments for cutprice and reduced curtains and bedding which can be used fo... 2011-10-7 16:57:49 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#103603 I would like to apologise to my regular readers for the rather innuendoladen tone Ive adopted for the title of this piece. For any new readers a warm welcome awaits you but if you happened across my blog whilst searching for something of a more specialist nature then Im afraid youre going to be very disappointed. Ive done a few craft fairs in the past and its always a challenge to display my wares ooh missus effectively on a 6 tabletop. Some of my props include assorted baskets a couple of small tables to raise the height at the back and a pair of polystyrene heads. These were very plain and dazzling white when I bought them so they were made to look more artyfarty by covering them in squares of torn brown paper for a papiermache effect. I also have a false leg similarly covered and it looks very effective. I wrote about the trials and tribulations of my search for such a limb some time ago on this very blog. My next acquisition was going to be a mannequin in order for me to dra... 2011-9-30 13:10:28 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#103385 This is Sam. Ive known him for a very long time. When I was very small probably no older than three my sister bought him for me at a school jumble sale one lunchtime and when she gave him to me he became my constant companion. I adored Sam who was named after a radio presenter. We had a huge valve radio at the time the type in a big wooden cabinet with a glowing orange dial on the front and fabriccovered speakers. There were some slots in the cabinet which I could peer through and look at the glass valves and inhale that strange fuzzy smell that came out as they warmed up. I was very attached this radio from the exotic names on the dial Luxembourg Hilversum and Helsinki to the rich warm voice of Sam Costa. Naturally I had to name my zebra after my favourite DJ He went everywhere with me and had the honour of the best spot in the bed with me. That explains why hes such a flat zebra after many years of being rolled on each night. ... 2011-9-27 16:21:00 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#103234 Keep Calm and Cast On Good Advice for Knitters by Erica Knight Published November 2011 Hardback 1634.99 Those lovely people at Quadrille Books kindly sent me a review copy of their new book by Erika Knight so I have cast my critical eye over it in order to present you with my opinion. The cover is delightfully retro with a lilac fabriccovered hardcover with toning purple endpapers. Theres also a ribbon bookmark attached to the spine a thoughtful addition for anybody that likes to mark their page without resorting to using an old receipt or folding over a corner. Inside theres a wealth of useful information and tips ranging from how to deal with untidy joins whilst circular knitting to the best type of ruler for measuring your work. Theres also a generous sprinkling of quotes from knitting experts including Jared Flood Meg Swansen and Brandon Mably as well as literary refences to works by amongst others Charles Dickens and Ruth Rendell. Theres almost 200 pages of bitesized nu... 2011-9-25 17:29:11 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#102892 Many years ago I took a course in woodwork at the local Tech College as we called it in the olden days. The tutor pressed on our group of Viscount Linley wannabees the importance of taking accurate measurements double checking them and only then taking saw to timber. We all found out sooner or later that this rule is very important for both the sanity of the woodwork tutor and the general outcome of the finished piece. A coffee table can end up considerably nearer to the floor than intended if the legs arent equal and need a bit more taking off. The measure twice rule translates well to other applications. Dressmaking quilting fabric crafts of all kinds as well as knitting all benefit from care and accuracy at the measuring stage. This was demonstrated to me last week when I was working on a design for a cushion cover. It involved shiny yarn and beads and the front was a joy to knit it featured an interesting pattern repeat with glass seed beads added at regular interva... 2011-9-20 16:54:46 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#102356 Some folks are dog people and others are cat people. Im definitely one of the latter. Ive had a cat or two around ever since I was small and Ive loved them all. My first was a huge black tomcat with fur so sleek it shone like glass and a purr like a supercharged motorbike. His name was Flash and when he came home he was a teeny scrap of a kitten and the total opposite to the large beast he would grow into. I was about eight or nine at the time and my older sister took me to fetch him from a schoolfriends house. On the way we stopped off at the local CoOp and picked up a cardboard box to carry him home in. When we couldnt decide what to call our new playmate it was suggested we call him Flash after the name on the side of the box. It could have been much worse he might have ended up being known as Vim Stork or Tampax. After a very short time he became the love of my life and I spent many happy hours playing with him petting him and as I grew into a teenager sharing the secrets... 2011-9-12 11:52:14 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#102009 Today I was expecting an email which didnt arrive. To cut a long story short I have three email addresses and the mail fetcher on the one I use most hadnt been collecting messages from one of my other accounts. When I realised this panic set in and when I retrieved the lost emails they included several requests for pattern clarifications a couple of charities asking permission to use my patterns to make fundraising items and some orders dating back several months. I was horrified. I always like to keep abreast of my correspondence so I spent a good few hours replying to all these people who must have thought I was at best an ignorant pig or at worst some dodgy character selling goods that dont exist. At least a third of the inbox comprised circulars newsletters and adverts so they were deleted straight away. Feeling rather pessimistic I didnt expect a great deal of replies so I was delighted when half a dozen people replied to me within half an hour. One lady even offered sympat... 2011-9-6 22:12:40 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#101343 Tomorrow is the August Bank Holiday so I am resigned to the fact that we are unlikely to have a proper summer this year. There have been several days of sitting in the garden but no prolonged periods of warm dry sunny weather to enjoy. So I am resigned to the fact that my summer dresses might get one or at most two more wears before they are ironed and returned to the wardrobe until next year. I like this time of year. The nights start to draw in and I can cuddle up on the sofa with knitting a kitty and a nice mug of tea without that nagging feeling that I should be doing Something Outdoorsy. As much as I love my little garden after almost 5 months of daily plantpot watering in my tiny plot I grow most of my plants in containers its nice to ease off a little and enjoy looking at the overblown begonias without having to jump up and give them a drink all the time. My creativity seems to enjoy an Autumnal boost too and I have several new designs ready to become reality. Ive spent t... 2011-8-28 17:12:18 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#99512 Everyone loves a bargain. Im fond of the bargains to be found on Ebay and yesterday I stumbled across a directfromthemanufacturer seller of knitting yarns. I ordered a pack of green mohairrich yarn with added sequins and the grand total for 8 balls plus postage from Turkey came to just over 16310. An absolute snip. I have in mind a scarf pattern which will be perfect for this yarn when a it arrives and b I can find time to design and make it. Anyway today I was idly browsing the Knitting Yarns and Wools section on Ebay and I found two balls of pink and shiny viscose for 1631.99 and only 8 minutes to go........I placed a bid and they were mine. Add the postage and they worked out at just under 1632 per ball. They are the same make as my sequinned green mohair from yesterday so WHY didnt I check out their website and get 8 balls for around 16310 including postage Oh dear. I am such a fool for the ending in a few minutes auctions. And Im a fool for pink and shiny. I am telling ... 2011-7-31 18:46:51 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#98625 The season might be summer but outside its more like late autumn the wind is blowing like fury and the rain is coming down in sheets. The optimist in me is hoping for some sun but it is the start of the school holidays so rain is more likely. My new babies are here in the form of Greeting Cards for Knitters. Each card has a photo of the item on the front and on the inside cover is a pattern. The facing page is left blank for the sender to write their own message. I like to think it will be something along the lines of Get Well Soon Have A Great Birthday or Thinking Of You rather than You Stink or Your Cooking Is Awful. Unfortunately I have no control over what other people write after theyve purchased a card so if you receive an offensive message its out of my hands. I will be adding new designs to the range in due course so you can either collect them to keep for yourself or give to friends. They would make a thoughtful present if accompanied by a skein of lovely yarn to make... 2011-7-18 13:04:42 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#97482 Theres an awful lot of choice when it comes to greetings cards. Whenever I need to buy one I am overwhelmed by the choice funny arty cute twee rude and so on. Some are well worth keeping forever and Ive been guilty on many occasions of buying something because I like the picture and I have no intention of ever giving it away. At a recent craft fair I attended I came home with a stash of beautiful greetings cards for me to keep. When I was small the ones I liked best had an activity inside for instance a dottodot puzzle a spotthedifference or even a colouringin picture. With this in mind I have been working on a series of greetings cards to appeal to knitters with the added extra of a knitting pattern On the front is a picture of a knitted item and on the inside is the pattern to make it. Each card is blank so a suitable message can be added by the sender and an envelope is included. A card along with some nice yarn would make a thoughtful gift for a knitting friend. I antic... 2011-7-2 12:36:47 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#96557 Yet again I am guilty of neglecting my blog. I must confess it has been over two weeks since my last entry and its not for want of interesting subjects to write about. Today I had a table at an Arts and Crafts event where I managed to sell knitting kits paterns and some felted delights to the general public. Its a twoday fair so I left everything set up and Ill be back there again tomorrow for another session. It takes place in a fabulous building which used to be an old hosiery factory. Theres a long history of knitwear production in my home town and this particular building is reputed to be the home of the longestrunning company in the world or the first to set up or some fact along these lines. I apologise for the sketchiness of my information in this respect. With the decline in the local industry due in part to cheaper imports and also because some manufacturers found it more costeffective to transfer their operations overseas one by one the great factories began to close d... 2011-6-18 23:05:03 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#95176 Everybody likes something for nothing. Unfortunately some folks like EVERYTHING for nothing including their knitting patterns. Since Ive been designing and writing patterns Ive met a number of people who think they should get them for free reasoning that theyve already paid for the yarn so why pay for the pattern too Ive given a lot of thought to this over the years so heres my summary of things to consider next time you expect a knitting pattern to be provided for free. 1. These Things Take Time In some cases a great deal of time. For example I recently finished creating a lacy shawl pattern. It took many hours of work from start to finish which included thinking up the design test knitting it writing out the pattern typing up and proofreading the pattern. All told I must have spent at least 100 hours on this shawl. How many other industries have people working on something for that amount of time for no financial reward 2. A Little Knowledge I know what Im doing. A lo... 2011-5-31 16:54:49 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#94844 Knitting is a very scientific pastime. Not only does it rely on numbers counting and sequences theres also the chemistry behind manmade fibres the biology of woolproducing animals and the physics of why one ball of wool is a different colour to another. Its something to do with Professor Brian Cox and his wavelengths. With this in mind it seems pertinent for an explanation of the current theories surrounding this subject. If you find some of the theories mentioned here a little alarming or even in some cases quite shocking rest assured that it all makes sense when you pick up yarn and needles. The Shawl Paradox This was first mentioned in a letter from Miss Sarah Mulligan to her mother in 1909. She was a very keen lace knitter and had much experience of the paradox every time she knitted a shawl. Miss Mulligan noticed that whenever she reached the midpoint of the pattern no matter how much knitting she did the shawl didnt grow any larger or her ball of wool any smaller. After ... 2011-5-26 16:27:26 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#93842 When I was 11 I started proper dressmaking. Using a sewing machine was natural to me I could choose fabric and turn it into something that I could wear without looking exactly like all the other girls at school. After a little while I began to experiment with design and before long I was drafting my own patterns and making all sorts of outfits. I was certainly different to the other girls by now by the time I was 15 practically all my garments were selfmade and although it didnt bother me I came in for some stick and no small amount of bullying from certain people at school. If youve ever seen the film Pretty in Pink it echoes my story except that I never managed to date any goodlooking rich kids. Anyway I carried on regardless flying the flag for individuality and honing my sewing knitting and design skills. There was one girl in particular a socalled friend who was forever making sly digs at my clothes and trying to undermine me but in retrospect I can see there was s... 2011-5-13 13:06:45 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#93038 Its been a few weeks since my last post. Ive been busy working on new stuff and enjoying the fabulous Spring weather weve been blessed with this year. How lovely to sit in the garden soaking up some warmth and knitting away peacefully. Early sunshine always seems a little strange to me the trees are barely in leaf and much of the garden is still asleep yet its pleasant enough to wear short sleeves and even I regret to say get a little sunburnt by underestimating the power of the April sun. The garden furniture had a wipe down the parasol came out from its plastic cover and Ive enjoyed eating outdoors. Ive also drank many many cups of tea whilst staring at the plants and watching them slowly reawaken after their winter hibernation. In case you havent checked out my Knit Kits heres a perfect design for summer knitting. Its a kit to make a set of cotton beaded doyleys. Heres the clever bit they are cunningly designed with a hole in the middle so they can be used with tiered cake... 2011-5-3 16:04:35 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#91309 Ive been knitting since I was about 6 or 7 which is a Very Long Time so it sometime surprises people to find out that there are things Ive never done with yarn and needles. For example Ive never tried that loopy stitch that goes around the edge of baby bonnets and knitting with doublepointed needles is another thing on my not yet tried list. Im also new to shawl knitting. To say Ive never made a shawl would be totally untrue because I spent the whole of my nine months pregnancy with number two child knitting a large acrylic 2 ply lacy christening shawl that was used once on his baptism day then carefully folded away and stowed at the bottom of the wardrobe. However it was a simple allover pattern with a border added on afterwards. What Im new to is knitting one of those fancy shawlette jobbies that seem to be around the necks of every stylish knitter the world over. The ladies at my Knit and Knatter have created many of these delightful wispy little shawls in assorted colours and... 2011-4-8 17:02:41 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#90250 My latest Ebay purchase arrived this morning a musical pendant locket. Ive never seen one before so I was both intrigued and delighted when I unwrapped it. On the front is a ceramic flower picture and when its opened up a tiny clockwork musical box plays Somewhere My Love. Inside theres a picture frame with a photo of an unknown man and judging by the clothes and hairstyle it was taken during the 1950s or 60s. My sons wanted to inspect this latest piece of tat and without a moments hesitation the eldest asked why there was a picture of Rick Astley inside. This led to much hilarity in our house were easily entertained and some wiseguy suggested the musical box should be playing Never Gonna Give You Up. Considering Rick himself wasnt born until 1966 according to Wikipedia so it must be true the picture must be of his dad. Now I am happy in the knowledge that I own the only Rick Astleys Dad Muscial Pendant in the world. I w... 2011-3-26 11:21:33 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#90100 Just when I thought I had it under control I suddenly find myself with a pile of started projects.......... 1. Sideways waistcoat 2. Cabled bag 3. Dark into Light colourwork experiment 4. Felted hats several 5. Cat toys more than three OH WHERE WILL IT ALL END 2011-3-24 16:48:21 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#89790 ....is where I was at the weekend. Theres something exciting about having cash and a whole load of places to spend it so I went a little crazy and bought some fine 4ply silk love the colour four skeins of multicoloured sari silk love the texture a considerable amount of sewon jewels must have the shiny and some new 4mm knitting needles just in case I losebreak the many other pairs I own. A bejewelled goldembroidered peacock motif also found his way into my bag as well as a copy of the Knitted Royal Wedding book. The main reason I was at Olympia was not shopping but to do a couple of talks about Colour and Texture Mixology. Its always a joy to meet other enthusiasts and this weekend didnt disappoint. I chatted to some lovely people from all over the UK who shared their knitting tales with me and hopefully in return they took home a little bit of my encouragement and inspiration. I find that talking with others finding out what makes them tick and the type of projects they do ... 2011-3-21 22:24:49 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#88878 Ive been knitting lots of little things just lately. A few small bags a couple of wee felted projects that sort of thing. I finally finished off a waistcoat that was started last summer so now Im ready to start on a larger project. Small projects are fun and interesting but like snacking between meals they somehow dont contribute much to that fullbelly feeling. I have some very pretty pink yarn with a hint of Lurex that would make a most becoming summer top and because I already have a cupboard full of cardis Im leaning toward a waistcoat. With any luck it wont sit languishing at the bottom of my knitting basket for six months waiting for me to sort out the buttons. Having said that the yarn has been hanging around in the cupboard for almost two years so a few weeks more wont harm it. Maybe I will start this new project tomorrow. In the meantime I shall go to bed and hopefully get a good long sleep not tiny little bitesized itty bitty naps interrupted by wakefulness. Night night. 2011-3-9 22:43:52 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#87679 My friends all know of my penchant for anything sparkly so it wont come as much of a surprise to them that Ive been collecting brooches since I was a teenager. Most of my pieces have been bought from charity shops some were given as gifts and a few recent acquisitions came from Ebay. Recently I finished making a bag in some wonderful handspun handdyed yarn from www.babylonglegs.co.uk. Ive made this design several times before and each time the front has been decorated with little rosettes made on a flower loom. There wasnt enough yarn left over to make embellishments for this latest creation so instead I added a brooch which I had recently bought from Ebay. The picture isnt very clear but the colours match perfectly. Heres some bags I made a few years ago which were also decorated with brooches. One of the great things about costume jewellery is its affordable and can be ch... 2011-2-24 12:10:06 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#86582 I realise I havent written for several weeks. Ive been busy working on some new designs knitting them up and writing the patterns as well as making some samples for a magazine so writing hasnt been at the forefront of my mind. I find it hard to get inspiration during the early months of the year. The sparkle of Christmas has been packed away and seems like a distant memory and the weather has been rather grey so Ive been staying at home in a state of semihibernation waiting for the Spring to arrive. Yesterday the sun came out and made everywhere look a lot more cheerful which always raises the spirit and makes the better weather seem a little nearer. Evenings are lighter too and it makes a pleasant change to cook the evening meal and be able to see things outside the window rather than just peering into the blackness. March is fast approaching and Im looking forward to the day when I can go outside without a coat sit on the bench and watch the plants start to reawaken. Last Autu... 2011-2-9 16:15:37 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#84788 When I turned 40 a few years ago I decided to mark this momentous occasion by doing something memorable. It had to be something I hadnt done before impressive possibly lifechanging and certainly a talking point for the future. Options available included having an affair not with my looks and figure going for a tattoo like a big girls blouse I chickened out or writing a book. I opted for the book. I dont have the imagination or storytelling skills for a novel so I wrote about what I know knitting. I spent many hours designing and writing patterns taking pictures making infantile sketches drawing never was my strongest skill and writing all the added extras that make up a knitting manual. This comprised an introduction how to instructions and drawings thats where the childish pictures come in and a liberal sprinkling of Betty Knitter Wit and Wisdom. When everything was done I jiggled it around on the computer until it looked nice and after taking advice from a friend who worked i... 2011-1-16 23:37:39 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#84015 The last gifts have been stowed away and the decorations have been carefully packed into their boxes so it must be January. Cold grey miserable January. Even the trees in the park look fed up as if they cant wait for their buds to burst forth. The sky is heavy with grey clouds and its one of those days that seems to barely get light before its dusk again. All in all a perfect day to plan ahead a little and look forward to some pleasures however tiny in the coming months. Ive already signed up for a couple of swaps on www.ravelry.com in the Holiday Ornaments Swap Group. The first one is for Chinese New Year so Im making a set of pretty decorations featuring lots of cheery red and gold. Next up is the Valentines swap so again lots of red will be involved to add some warmth to February. In March Im planning to visit The Stitch and Craft Show in London www.stitchandcraft.co.uk which should be good fun and by April we should be enjoying longer lighter days which will hopefully be a... 2011-1-6 11:46:46 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#82954 During the past week Ive been indulging my creative side by decorating the house with baubles and glitter. This year we have a bigger tree so the ornaments dont look quite so squashed together and it means I could buy some new ones and know they would fit perfectly. A while ago I found a box of old handpainted glass baubles in a charity shop and theyve been hung on silver ribbons from the living room light fitting. The edges of the shelves have bead garlands mini glitterballs and sparkly snowflakes hanging from them and the mantelpiece is home to three polarbears. In the dining room the mantelpiece has been covered with imitation greenery little white lights and assorted fake fruits. Theres also a robin and a fox with more mini glitterballs hanging from the top of the mirror. Even the kitchen has a string of multicoloured lights which lend a festive air to the most mundane of cookery tasks. Today I wrapped some presents. The first few are always pristine with neatlycreased edge... 2010-12-17 15:34:26 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#81759 Its snowing Proper white fluffy stuff Its nice to just sit by the window and watch as it slowly falls from the sky. The north of England and Scotland have been under many inches of snow for a few days now but as usual our little corner of Midlands has stayed largely untouched. The boys have been full of fury when the news reports tell of school closures Not fair We want the day off and theyre longing to get outdoors to fling snow around and build a snowman. Perfect knitting weather. Mug of hot tea maybe a biscuit or two or even a whole pack for the energy and a selection of warm and fuzzy yarns to play with. Ask me again in a weeks time when the novelty of staying in has worn off and Ive run out of knitting inspiration. Ill probably be desperate for Spring sunshine. 2010-12-1 09:02:51 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#81209 I like to visualise the great diarists sitting at their desks quill in hand and inkpot to one side opening up large leatherbound volumes and carefully writing down their thoughts and observations. My last attempts at keeping a journal were over half a lifetime ago in the early 1980s and those slim volumes were so full of woe about why doesnt he fancy me and nobody understands me that they were consigned to the bin a short while later. Although I dont keep a diary in the traditional sense my entries on www.ravelry.com and indeed these blog entries serve as a reminder of what Ive been up to. My design notes also form a nebulous archive albeit a scribbled and unregimented one. I have several spiralbound A5 notebooks which I write my patterns into as I work on them and each book has added bits of paper sketches and even old envelopes with sums and drawings on the back. I dont have a particular system and sometimes I have several notebooks on the go at once but at least each pattern ... 2010-11-25 17:27:59 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#80648 I dont think Ive been so excited about Christmas for years. Somehow the promise of glass baubles glitter and fairy lights is filling me with cheer even though theres still 37 days to go according to Ebays handy countdown clock. Im not quite as keen as Matt on the Radio 2 Drivetime Show who has a wreath on his door already but I am full of anticipation for the Grand Decorating Day. By tradition we put our family tree up no earlier than the second weekend before Christmas and I certainly dont do it by halves. Every year we visit a local garden centre and buy a few or maybe fifteen new baubles for the tree so after 20 years of marriage you can imagine we have quite a collection by now. I dont do stylish toning decorations there are balls of every shape size and colour on the tree complemented by assorted shiny things hanging from shelves and dado rails. Out comes the old faithful tree looking a little scruffy but like a good friend I cant just cast him out into the cold c... 2010-11-18 16:15:43 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#80086 I love getting mail. Even boring things like bank statements mean that the outside world hasnt forgotten me and its a real thrill to hear the squeak of the front gate the twang of the letterbox and the plop of envelopes landing on the floor. If letters excite me then parcels make me delirious. Now November is here I feel the time is right to start Christmas shopping and this year Ive done the bulk of it already via that modern miracle our friend The Internet. Previously I have spent many a miserable hour wandering around the shops looking for suitable gifts only to give up and do exactly the same a week later but in a different location hoping against hope that the shops in a neighbouring town will offer a better selection. Of course they never do Boots and Burtons stock exactly the same merchandise in all their shops from Bannockburn to Brighton. This way I get to search for what I want compare prices place my order and wait for the postie to bring everything to me.... 2010-11-11 18:22:14 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#78878 Ive never had a stall at a craft fair before so when I was invited to take part in one I thought about it and said yes. Thing is that was way back in the summer and now its just over a week away. Ive been steadily beavering away making things to sell but Ive had a sudden lastminute panic. What if Ive got too much stuff Or not enough Will my stall look attractive and wow potential purchasers or will it look a mess And I thought it would be simple. Ive chosen to take a selection of gifts felted bowls and bespoke handbags my latest Knit Kits hope theres going to be some knitters there and some fabric project bags stitchmarkers and handmade buttons. Im also hoping to sell copies of my most popular patterns and with this in mind Ive prepared some samples so that people will see what a great pastime knitting is immediately buy a pattern and rush home to make their own hat bag or cardigan. In the midst of all the preparation frenzy my printer gave up the ghost two days ago. ... 2010-10-27 09:17:51 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#78345 Ive signed up to Twitter. Within a couple of minutes I had gained a follower which surprised me somewhat since I hadnt even entered any details about myself. Maybe Im a household name and dont realise it I am still avoiding Facebook. From what people have told me it can be a huge sinkhole that eats time and I already while away many happy hours on www.ravelry.com when I should really be knitting. I read that Twitter can be a useful business tool so thats my excuse for joining. If youd like to follow me on Twitter my username is BettyKnitter. 2010-10-20 10:30:18 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#77509 Im a country hick at heart so a trip to London is a Big Event for me. I didnt sleep well the night before I think I was subconciously afraid the alarm wouldnt go off so when I arose at 5am in the dark it felt very strange. The coach left at 6.45 still dark and we watched it get lighter as we travelled. Alexandra Palace is a huge place atop a hill and I had forgotten that the first BBC TV programmes were broadcast from there in 1936. A blue plaque commemorates this and the huge antenna is unmissable. Not sure if its the original or not but it impressed me all the same. Inside was a wealth of stuff for textile enthusiasts of all kinds. All kinds of crafts were represented including knitting of course sewing weaving spinning bobbin lacemaking embroidery of all kinds beadwork....the list is endless. I managed to spend a decent amount of cash but I brought home some wonderful yarns needles and buttons as well as several other bits and pieces. I was particularly taken with an Ameri... 2010-10-10 15:40:55 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#77181 ......are here After a few months spent knitting samples sourcing yarn and notions typing printing organising and finding space for everything I am pleased to announce the arrival of my first selection of Knit Kits. Inside the reuseable fabric tote bag is a pattern yarn and all the notions needed to make your own knitted creation. The collection includes a scarf bag baby bib cute kitty and my particular favourite a set of doyleys which are designed to fit on a tiered cake stand. Anything that encourages cake eating is always an excellent idea as far as Im concerned. My dream turned into reality when the large parcels started arriving. For once I could browse the internet for yarn without feeling guilty because this wasnt for me it was for my kits. One package arrived when I was out so a kind neighbour took it in for me. When I went to fetch it he offered to carry it for me and Im glad he did it was so heavy I could barely lift it Another delivery came in a huge box and... 2010-10-6 08:36:11 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#76632 The leaves of brown came tumbling down remember In September in the rain. The sun went out just like a dying ember remember That September in the rain. Tomorrow is the last day of September. The trees are still mostly green although theres a slight hint of Autumnal colour starting to creep in. The only exception is the stagshorn sumach in the garden which is a fabulous flaming red. The seasons seem to be shifting slightly out of sync these last few years. Not so long ago the trees were practically bare by midOctober but now they seem to hang on to their leaves well into October and even November. The only thing that Dinah Washington would recognise is the rain and we have plenty of that today. Im a huge fan of Autumn. The colours are beautiful and theres a certain indefinable smell in the air that marks the end of summer. Dry leaves on the ground are wonderful for swishing and kicking find yourself a pile and crunch away. Its a great moodlifter and guaranteed to bring a s... 2010-9-29 08:53:32 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#76187 My friend came round today and brought me a lovely big pile of fabric pieces. Shes having a clearout and thought I could make good use of them. Im also halfway and halfheartedly having a clearout and already have two bags of clothes for the charity shop as well as a few other things earmarked for donating. Although recycling has become more commonplace nowadays especially now that local authorities have got involved and issued every household with assorted boxes and bags its something thats always gone on albeit in a more informal fashion. I was a teenager in the 1980s and DIY clothing was all the rage so myself and my friends went to jumble sales regularly to look for cheap garments that we could butcher and remodel into something else. My bestever purchase was a 60s camel coat for 50p. One of the bitchy girls from school argued with me claiming that shed spotted it first. Why didnt she buy it then Ha underdog one bully nil. There were only two charity shops in town then Ox... 2010-9-23 17:39:43 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#75052 The last time I wore legwarmers was in the early part of the 80s. Everyone had them not just fitness fanatics and dancers. For my 16th birthday my thenboyfriend gave me two pairs in pastel pink and blue I suspect its because his mum worked in the factory that made them which were worn scrunched up around the ankles. Not particularly flattering but when youre 16 and trying to look cool these considerations go flying out the window. For some unknown reason I recently started to hanker after another pair of legwarmers only this time a more grown up version. They wont be crumpled around my ankles Nora Batty style but will fit like a snug kneelength sock without the foot. Ill be wearing them slightly longer too so they cover the back of my shoes. In my head Ill feel like Darcey Bussell. In real life Ill look like a middleaged fart trying to relive her glory days by wearing retro fashions. If you see me wearing them you may well hide a smile have a silent chuckle or suppress a guf... 2010-9-8 23:05:28 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#74394 Ive been busy working on some ideas for knitting kits. Each one will include a pattern yarns and any extra bits and pieces that might be needed to complete the project such as beads ribbons and so on. As an added bonus each kit will be supplied in its own recycled fabric project tote. The knitter will only need to supply their own favourite needles to get started. If you would like to receive details of my kits as soon as theyre available add your name to the mailing list and Ill get back to you within the next few weeks. Kits include scarves bags table mats and even knitted kitties so theres something for everyone 2010-9-1 18:08:01 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#73991 Ive just returned from a weeks holiday in Lincolnshire. Myself Hubby and The Boys rented a little cottage on a farm just a few miles from the coast. We had the best of both worlds outside our door was open countryside with big skies and friendly chickens or a short car journey took us to the seafront. Being a landlocked towndweller the idea of spending a week in the country with access to the ocean as well is a double delight. Every year during the second half of August I start to sniff the air testing it for that indefinable scent that marks the end of Summer and the onset of Autumn. Ive never been able to successfully describe it but its a faint smell of mown hay ready for baling mixed with a little bit of warmth a hint of tomato plant and a generous dollop of dry slightly musty air. I usually experience this in my own back garden but this year I caught a whiff ever so slightly whlist I was at the coast. Obviously sea air cant suppress this gentle aroma. When Ive shared my t... 2010-8-28 15:32:35 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#73234 Every knitter has made a mistake or two along the way. Whether its a dropped stitch casting off a neckline so tightly that it would struggle to fit over a cucumber or making a total cockup of decreasing the front edge of a cardigan at the same time as shaping the armhole edge we all have woeful tales of where we went wrong. I came a cropper in spectacular fashion earlier this week. Ive done a lot of felting bags and bowls and Christmas baubles so I had no reason to expect that a felted heart would cause me any problems. The yarn was 100 wool which Ive felted successfully before so I knitted two heart shapes stuffed them with some wool fleece again this had been triedandtested sewed up the gap and headed for the kitchen. Im a big fan of using the washing machine for felting and have always had great results with this method. However it seemed a little excessive to run a cycle just for a Happy Heart so I filled the sink with oohthatshot water and detergent and the halfsink held the... 2010-8-19 17:51:04 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#72446 Ooooooh I had a fun time this afternoon. Theres a wooden chest in my officeworkroom full of yarn but because space is tight theres usually several boxes baskets and other assorted items on top of the chest. I rarely look in it mainly because I cant be bothered with the faff of taking everything off the top then putting it all back on again. Inside is yarn for felting from woolly 4plys up to thick fuzzy mohairs. Im having a stand at a craft fair in November so I thought it might be a good idea to make up a few items now instead of leaving it until October. Its been so long since I looked in the chest Id forgotten what a wealth of textures and colours were in there. I passed a happy halfhour rummaging through my forgotten gems and chose a bagful to make some things with. So for one day in its mundane life my humble battered and muchused box was transformed into a real Treasure Chest. 2010-8-9 18:51:25 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#72123 I was doing the ironing at the weekend. One of the garments was my sons Tshirt with an Ironman logo on the front. I could use IronMan around here I thought he could probably steam through a basket of ironing in no time whilst I got on with some knitting. Maybe he would even put away all the freshlypressed clothes and stow the ironing board back in the cupboard. What a Hero This led me to consider the possibilties of other domestic superheroes. I personally have no use for BatMan but CreepyCrawlyMan would be of great assitance when theres a spider or moth to be evicted from the house. Plantman would be a boon to the busy gardener who has little time for weeding and his sidekick WaterMan could be booked for keeping your garden nicely hosed whilst youre on holiday. ShopMans special powers would enable him to whizz around the supermarket select all the necessary groceries take them through the checkout pack the bags properly he knows what hes doing no potatoes on top of the eggs w... 2010-8-4 17:11:24 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#71532 For most people an aroma place name trinket or song can transport them back in time and stir up some wonderful memories. In my case it was some 1970s orange Tupperware that took me back to childhood. I had spotted it on Ebay a set of two cylindrical orange canisters with sunray lids and a small stylised flower motif and was delighted to find I was the only bidder. My canisters which Im pretty sure have never been used arrived today and are currently sitting on the kitchen worktop whilst I decide what to use them for. Back in the days when it never rained the summer holidays went on forever and it was ok to eat sweets I spent a lot of time at the next door neighbours house. There were three sisters of a similar age to myself so we played together fell out together and made up together. Their mother Mrs Ridley was a wonderful woman who was always welcoming and would often include me on their outings to local parks. She had a motorcycle with a big covered sidecar and we would all... 2010-7-28 16:14:41 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#71161 I dont know what to knit. I really have no idea. My waistcoat is practically finished and only needs buttons my blanket is an ongoing project to do when I need something that doesnt take a lot of thought and thats it. I have a whole world of yarn in my spare room and the other day I went foraging through it looking for inspiration and found none. Personally I find its either feast or famine when it comes to ideas. A couple of months ago I was so busy that designs were coming to me at a furious rate and I could barely knit fast enough to keep up. Now the torrent has dried up to trickle and Im left scratching my head and wondering when the next good thought will percolate through my brain. No worries. Its happened before many times so during these quiet times I do a spot of gardening reading or general recharging of batteries. Before long I will be off again knitting like a demon and scribbling down my patterns as I go. It only takes a magazine article piece of artwork or a bea... 2010-7-24 18:07:56 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#70610 I spend a lot of time in my little garden either knitting pottering about or just sitting and looking at the plants. I have passed many hours in contemplation and decided that one of my borders was in need of a revamp. Calling it a border is somewhat misleading its more a collection of little holes dug along the side of the wall with plants in them. Over the past few weeks Ive been mentally visualising what different configurations might look like and in the end decided that a gentle curve would be most pleasing. The edge of the lawn anothing misleading name for what is actually a patch of uneven grass is defined with some very attractive old blue bricks. I used a hosepipe to mark the shape of the new lawn then lifted the blue bricks and placed them along the hosepipe. When I was satisfied with the shape I called my assistant gardener. Over the years Ive spent many hours planting tending and watering the plants whilst Hubby has been called upon to do tasks requiring a little mo... 2010-7-17 16:38:21 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#69191 Aromas have the power to conjure up memories from years ago. For some people the smell of baking reminds them of homemade cakes piled high on a plate after school for others a whiff of perfume brings back thoughts of teenage romance and snogging behind the bike sheds. Earlier today I was using some fabric glue and the smell transported me straight back to childhood. Bostik AllPurpose was my adhesive of choice back then mainly because I liked the smell and the way it made long stretchy strands which could be peeled off my fingers. If I wasnt gluing I was using sticky tape and my family named me The Sellotape Queen. At school there was a very odd product called Gloy which came in a tub and had the consistency and colour of lard. It was okay for thin paper but anything heavier than newsprint would cause it to give up and dry into a big lump. There was also some strange runny brown stuff in metal tubes that was supposed to have fabulous sticking power but the best it could do was s... 2010-6-29 22:03:52 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#68765 There are some things that a person wants to keep quiet about. It could be something mildly embarrasing such as owning all of Donny Osmonds LPs and one of them is actually signed or watching This Morning every day because you find Philip Schofield sexually attractive. This type of thing is totally harmless and the worst that could come of it is some gentle teasing from your mates who really have no right to be taking the piss because they fancy Adrian Chiles. At the other end of the scale are things that could cause major humilation if people were to find out for instance a liking for nude gardening you need very tall fences if this is your preferred way to pass the time outdoors or knitting with manmade fibres. Ill gleefully admit to the latter. I have many balls of manmades in my collection and Im not afraid to shout about it. The knitting world has gone terribly posh in the past few years and theres a definate oneupmanship about the yarns one chooses to work with. Once upon... 2010-6-24 18:18:49 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#68496 A couple of weeks ago a friend had to miss our weekly Knit and Knatter because she was waiting in for a parcel to be delivered. The item was not even for her out of total unselfishness on her part she was staying in to take delivery of a package for her Beloved. I suggested that knitters should have a scale of charges for their partners to adhere to at times like these. A minor inconvenience might incur a fee of 50gr woolacrylic mix whereas a major putyourselfoutbigtime could cost as much as a whopping 600gr cashmere for a cardigan. I have drawn up the following Scale of Charges. Its totally flexible so if your other half has annoyed you to a greater or lesser extent feel free to adjust the payment accordingly. You may if you are patient keep a running total to save up for a larger payment although this can cause palpitations in some cases. Its wise to warn your partner in advance if this is the case since most people dont keep enough cash in the house for a impromptu visit to ... 2010-6-21 12:04:54 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#67978 Ive never been one to deny myself the pleasures of yarn buying but there came a time when I realised that I had more yarn than I could ever hope to use up in several lifetimes. I consciously made an effort to use more stash and buy less new yarn and up to a point its been working very well. However sometimes I have to give in to temptation and Buy Something. I dont know if its the thrill of acquiring something new the irrational need to spend money or because I cant resist a bargain but I found myself last week plodding through the Knitting Yarns section of Ebay. A twinpack of coned yarn in two very attractive shades of raspberry pink slipped onto my laptop screen and that was it. I gave in to temptation and placed a bid. Two hours later the yarn was MINE all MINE Ive bought some excellent yarns from Ebay over the years. Not only does it satisfy my yarn yearnings it also means I get to receive parcels which is always exciting as you can probably guess Im easily pleased. On the ... 2010-6-15 10:42:12 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#66437 Not really its actually been quite delightful. Sun and blue skies for most of the week although today has been overcast and a little drizzly which was as good a reason as any to go to the cinema and look at Russell Crowe in Robin Hood this afternoon. Ive been thinking of all things festive this week hence the Christmas lyrics in the title. Im not so organised that Ive done any shopping writing cards or planning what to eat on Boxing Day it is only May for Petes sake but I have been trying to get into some sort of seasonal mood. This has been rather hard considering that my clothing this week has included suntops and flipflops the world and his dog are talking about summer holidays and it stays light until almost 10pm. The reason for the incredibly early Christmas chez Betty is knitting of course. I was asked to design some festive patterns for a magazine so my thoughts this week have turned to snowmen baubles holly and tinsel. Anyone who knows me can vouch for my enthusiasm for... 2010-5-29 17:58:49 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#65163 This is a game for one or more players. Usually it will involve naming a person of the opposite sex or same sex if you prefer and deciding whether you would snog marry or shove them off a cliff. Just for the record I would snog David Tennant marry James May and shove Russell Brand of a cliff. It occured to me that this game is fully transferable to other things such as food TV programmes fashion clothing flowers and so on. Its probably more appropriate to rename it Like It Love It To Bits or Send It To Hell because I for one dont like the idea of marrying lasagne or snogging daffodils. Obviously this is a knittingrelated website so my primary concern here is which yarns I prefer to knit with. Like It Pure wool cotton silk mohair smooth textures fuzzy textures interesting manmades Love It To Bits Bamboo alpaca ownbrand merino from my LYS anything shiny Sirdar Escape King Cole Mirage chenille anything with viscose Send It To Hell Pompom yarns knobbly linen Snowflake invented... 2010-5-13 09:37:11 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#64921 I used to be a oneprojectonly woman focused on the job in hand from cast on to sewing in those final loose ends. Over the past couple of years Ive found myself straying away from this project monogamy and I must admit to becoming a Knitting Tart. Ive become strangely addicted to the rush of excitement that a new project brings and want to spend all my time with my latest love. However this heady feeling rarely last long before I am tempted by another goodlooking pattern or attractive yarn and the first project gets left half finished in my secondbest knitting bag. The hardest part is facing up to the fact that occasionally a knitting relationship has come to an end and theres nothing else to do but unravel and start again. Knitting Tarts of the world unite We may be fickle but we always have some knitting for company and as the saying goes variety is the spice of life. Its just that some of us like it spicier than others. 2010-5-10 09:46:26 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#64683 Yesterday I returned to a bag pattern that I designed a couple of years ago. There was nothing intrinsically wrong with it in fact I was rather pleased with the shape but it somehow didnt feel finished. At the time I remember thinking of what to do to add the final flourish and I pondered this for many days on and off until eventually it quietly slipped to the back of my mind where it has rested ever since. Anyway I decided to have another bash at it so I chose some nice summery yarn from my stash and cast on. This morning I had my Eureka moment and now I know exactly what Im going to do to transform it from a soso bag into a So Fabulous bag. All it took was a browse through a gardening catalogue to prod my brain into action and now Im on track for the big reveal of my latest baby. Im a perfectionist and like all my designs to be just right so thats why they sometimes have a long incubation period. I have a stack of halffinished ideas that have been abandoned because something... 2010-5-6 11:44:01 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#64215 Theres a theory currently going around the Interwebs that knitting in cars can be fatal. Obviously if youre knitting and driving at the same time theres going to be some risk involved but the theory goes that if a passenger is knitting in the front seat and the airbag goes off they will be stabbed in the chest and suffer a nasty death. This got me thinking about just how dangerous crafting can be. As an example some years ago I managed to stab myself in the finger with a pair of very sharp storkshaped needlework scissors. The pointy end went into my skin for about 1.5cm which doesnt sound a lot but it sure smarted and left a nasty mark. Ive also managed to draw blood on many occasions with pins and needles both whilst sewing with them and inadvertantly losing them in the carpet. What the eye fails to detect can be reliably found at a later date with a bare foot. There was a girl at school who managed to sew through her finger with a sewing machine ow and who can forget the stern... 2010-4-30 11:02:15 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#63970 Dear Father Christmas I know its only April but I wanted to catch you early before the rush later in the year. When youre bogged down with requests for Barbies and Scalextric sets my letter might get overlooked so make yourself a nice mug of tea and settle down to read my requests. First on my list dear Santa is TIME. More please. There isnt enough of it to go round and when it eventually finds its way to me its usually ran out or theres very little left. An extra hour a day or even two if you can manage it would be most welcome. After time my next request is SPACE. I know Im lucky enough to have a spare room to call my own but the cupboard is full to bursting and I cant seem to find the sofabed any more. I think it must be buried under those packs of yarn. The computer table takes up another big chunk of space and the cat has to curl up in a little ball when she wants to sleep because theres no room to stretch out. Please Santa can you make my room three times as ... 2010-4-27 12:58:29 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#63655 Oh how wonderful it sounds. A sunny day a free afternoon and a chance to get a lot of knitting done. That was my plan but I didnt get quite as much done as I expected. I arrived back from meeting a friend in town around midday. The washer had finished its cycle so I hung out the clean towels to dry then wrestled with the parasol. Back indoors to make lunch corned beef cob cheese and onion crisps and a pleasant fifteen minutes passed sitting on the garden bench eating my meal and listening to the birds. Knitting time I fetched my almostdone right mitten sat down and cast off. Botheration my scissors were indoors so off I went to fetch my little tin. Back outside I cut the yarn and finished the mitten. A pot of tea would be nice I thought so off inside again to boil the kettle and gather together the things I needed to cast on for a new project. I took outside yarn needles and notebook then returned to the kitchen to fetch the teapot milk jug and mug which were waiting on the... 2010-4-23 19:11:52 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#63567 Ive had my Bernina sewing machine since 1985. Weve gone through a lot together suits curtains blouses cushion covers wedding clothes and alterations to name but a few. My lifelong love affair with the Bernina brand started at school age 11. My first ever selfmade skirt a circular number in white cotton printed with tiny squares was sewn on a school machine. After taking off and reapplying the waistband three times because the teacher said it was wrong then taking it home and mum saying its not wrong its a miracle that I persevered with dressmaking but by then I was hooked. At home my mum had an oldfashioned treadle machine which was great fun to use and I passed many happy hours pedalling furiously away. My older sister had a Brother machine which she would let me use if I asked nicely. However good these sewing machines were I still longed for a Bernina. When I changed to upper school I chose Fashion and Fabrics as an O level subject. By this stage I was making practically a... 2010-4-22 09:48:25 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#63098 Oh dear. Fingerless mittens. Ive made many a pair of gloves over the years but I dont think Ive ever had to unravel one four times. Its a new design Im working on and I keep making silly mistakes a dropped stitch here a miscalculation there. Maybe I should just quietly put them back in the bag and walk away for a few days. By the time I get them finished it will be too warm to wear them I hope. 2010-4-15 18:14:36 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#62779 Today I went to an Open Studio Event. Babylonglegs httpbabylonglegs.blogspot.com has a wonderful dye studio not far from me so it was a good excuse to go and see what she does and how she does it. It must be wonderful to have a dedicated space to turn blank yarn into fabulous colours and I was inspired by all the lovely hues that she magically makes. I was particularly taken with a oneoff handspun yarn in a mixture of blues and greens called Celebrity Masterchef II which was whispering ever so softly asking to be taken home and knitted into a bag. How could I refuse Out came my purse and this lovely yarn became mine I recently designed a fanshaped bag which is knitted from side to side and although Ive made a couple in plainer yarns I was keen to find something selfstriping that would be suitable. My latest purchase fits the bill perfectly so as soon as Ive finished faffing around with my current project Ill be ready to cast on. In the meantime I shall admire its good looks and... 2010-4-11 17:54:01 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#62424 After a few weeks of being unable to think about topics to write about Im back in the saddle at last. I like to keep my writing muscles well exercised but sometimes I have to admit defeat and go away until inspiration strikes. And how it has struck Spring is well springing the sap is rising and my grey matter is swirling with new ideas. On the knitting front I have a bunch of ideas for new patterns which I am steadily working my way through and this morning I received a parcel of lovely yarns to make into samples. Ive had a few thoughts about offering a Knitting with Beads workshop for a while and my ideas are now turning into reality. I could just do a demonstration hand out some beads and yarn and wave goodbye but that will hardly inspire people. Im working on some samples for beaded projects that could be started during a workshop then the attendees can take them home and finish them at their leisure. Im hoping to offer four possibly five designs so that each person will get... 2010-4-7 16:32:18 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#60133 My late father was The Original Recycler and its his genes that are responsible for my waste not want not mentality. His shed was stacked from floor to ceiling with all sorts of useful things jars of screws and nails lengths of metal car parts unidentifiable tools and most interesting of all to a child anyway an oldfashioned wooden football rattle. He could probably have built a car using all the bits and pieces in the shed with enough left over for a couple of atom bombs and a small block of flats. One of his favourite activites was a trip to The Tip. He would take a token bag of rubbish and usually come back with something interesting much to my mothers annoyance. In those days The Tip was basically a big heap of rubbish in a field supervised by a man in a hut. People could drive in add their rubbish to the pile and have a look to see what everyone else had dumped. Dad became friendly with the man in the hut so he would save toys for me and once I got a Lego train set whi... 2010-3-9 12:25:56 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#59901 When I wrote about my empty building in February there had been no signs of life there for years. This week scaffolding was erected all around and workmen have started to strip the roof. Being such a tall building its hard to see exactly what theyre up to but it looks as if the tiles have been carefully stacked on the scaffold boards so they can be reused. I feel very pleased that this wonderful place is coming back to life and I shall watch with great interest as the work continues. Lets hope that should it reopen as a shop its a good one thats worthy of such a beautiful building. 2010-3-6 12:26:43 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#59346 I cant resist a bargain. My spare roomofficestash warehouse is full of yarns that were bought in sales and rescued from bargain bins. Some of these yarns are odd balls from charity shops and leftovers from previous projects but there are also many full packs ready to be converted into cardis. My wardrobe is already fit to burst with cardis in various styles and colours but I always seem to need just one more. I used to be a jumper person but that changed a few years ago when I was looking through my pattern collection and happened across a booklet from the mid 1980s. It was a supplement free with a magazine and I had worked my way through and knitted practically every design some of them twice or three times. Anyhow I decided that I would knit one again a large cabled jumper with saddle sleeves and a high neckline. What a mistake that turned out to be. In the mid 1980s I was a skinny slip of a thing and photographic evidence shows that sweaters hung off me in that oversized ba... 2010-2-27 10:40:42 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#59086 The Winter Olympics. Hours of TV coverage filled with lithe Lycraclad athletes doing exciting fast and sometimes downright dangerous things on snow and ice in the hope of winning Gold Silver or Bronze. Then afterwards they pack up the thermals and all go home to prepare for the next time. Im not in the least bit sporty. Theres not enough Lycra in England to go around my butt but still I dream of one day being able to whizz down an icy tube on a teatray at 90 miles an hour or grab some air as I shoot vertically out of a halfpipe. My personal Olympics are of a more sedate but no less challenging type. www.ravelry.com is hosting the Ravelympics a challenge for knitters crocheters spinners weavers and dyers. The basic premise is that whatever challenge you accept it must be started and finished during the timeframe of the Vancouver Olympics. There are lots of categories to choose from and the Ravthlete can choose from such varied disciplines as Hat Halfpipe Flying Camel Spin Cable ... 2010-2-24 09:40:14 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#58219 One of my previous blog posts 20 January 2010 described my adventures with knitted spirals and Im pleased to say that the instructions are now available as a downloadable pdf file so you can make one too. Click on httpwww.ravelry.compurchaseelizabethjarvisdesigns30106 and you will be directed to www.ravelry.com where you can purchase your pattern cost 1631.50 and take a look at my other designs as well. 2010-2-11 18:22:07 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#58077 Today I made a cake. Not a fabulous one but its edible. I have been trying for years on and off to bake a good cake and I cant seem to get it right. I follow the recipe measure the ingredients carefully set the oven to the correct temperature and still the cake comes out mediocre at best. Anyway my friend visited today so I asked her opinion and she suggested that next time I bake it for less time and at a slightly lower temperature. My friend Ill call her M is a Baking Genius. Her chocolate brownies taste divine her cookies are amazing and she also makes the most meltinthemouthmarvellous fudge. A few years ago she baked a cake for my mums birthday it was scattered with little sparkly stars that were actually edible and it was a truly magical treat. Many decorated cakes hold a lot of promise but the inside rarely lives up to the outside with a centre that has the texture and flavour of loft insulation. However Ms cakes are as delicious to eat as they are gorgeous to look at... 2010-2-9 19:34:01 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#57729 Theres an empty shop in town that Im rather fond of. Its an old building dating from the early to mid nineteenth century and is of very pleasing proportions. When I was very small this shop was occupied by Noons the Haberdashery Shop. The doorway had a mosaic floor featuring the local coat of arms and NOON in large letters. Walking in was like entering a wonderland of buttons ribbons fabrics and embroidery supplies and to the left of the shop through an archway was the Ladies Undergarment section . I dont remember ever going in that part. The main shop had huge glass counters with wooden drawers in a stepped arrangement in order to see the goods easily and the assitant would pull out whichever drawer the shopper wanted to inspect and put it on the countertop. I still have my first embroidery hoop bought from Noons cost 52p written in ink on the outside. ... 2010-2-4 18:36:38 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#57433 A few years ago I knitted myself a long waiscoat. The yarn was beautiful pure wool in earthy tones with an uneven twist which gave the finished fabric a lovely texture. I should have known better. Im a big lass and chunky yarns on a chunky body just make the wearer look even more well chunky. I wore the waistcoat a few timesdecided it made my bum look like a bouncy castle then it was folded carefully and went to live at the dark end of the wardrobe. Last week I was in my favourite charity shop and on the reduced to 1631 rail was a handknitted tank top in the same mottled shades as my waiscoat. I examined the tank top and it looked unworn so I quickly paid up and took it home. Its way too small to fit me but after a therapeutic session of unravelling I will have some yarn to play with I dont know what the fibre is if Im very lucky it will be wool and I can use it for felting. If not its still pretty and I will definately find a use for it. A while ago a knitting friend boug... 2010-2-1 09:16:01 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#57065 I was watching my son and his friend playing on the Xbox 360 the other day. They have a preference for noisy messy wargames which usually involve bumping off as many computeranimated characters as possible. I asked them why there arent any nice console games featuring flowers bunnies knitting and chocolate. I got a dusty answer which I guess I should have seen coming. In order to rectify this definite gap in the market I have written a proposal for a new userfriendly compelling and challenging console game. Nintendo Sony and Microsoft take note. Knit Challenge 3000 Your mission is to choose a design purchase sufficient yarn make your garment and finally take part in the prestigious Catwalk Show. Along the way there are various pitfalls and mistakes to avoid as well as some exciting bonus levels to be found and unlocked as you go. Level 1 Lets Go Shopping Knittyville has four yarn shops as well as two department stores all scattered around the city centre. Starting at the b... 2010-1-26 19:25:23 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#56712 Theres a wellknown urban legend amongst knitters regarding The Boyfriend Sweater. Many have laboured for countless hours out of devotion to their beloved only to have their carefullycrafted garment consigned to the bottom of the wardrobe never to be seen again. After a few enquiries along the lines of have you worn it yet but no actual sightings of it on his body the knitter quietly resolves to never waste their precious knitting hours on HIM again. In some cases it even leads to the end of the relationship altogether as the knitter realises they would be better off finding a soulmate who loved both them and their creations. I fell into this trap once. He loves me so therefore hell love something I make for him. How wrong a girl can be It was 1986 or maybe 87. I decided to knit The Boyfriend a Jumper I know hindsight really is a marvellous thing so I bought some brushed chunky in black. Very fuzzy. Very black. And the jumper ended up very large which at the time was rather fashio... 2010-1-22 13:12:40 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#56568 Ive been intrigued recently by the North Pacific Gyre. Its an area of the Pacific Ocean where currents meet collecting debris and swirling it round in a neverending collection of trash. There are smaller ones in other oceans but the North Pacific is the biggest. httpmarinedebris.noaa.govinfopatch.html This link has more information written by proper scientists. I wanted to make my own gyreinspired piece of knitting so I set to work. Like the ocean gyres mine would be made of leftovers so I raided my stash for suitable yarns. Circular blankets usually start with a tiny number of stitches in the centre and increases are worked on each round as the circle gets bigger until eventually there are several hundred stitches on one circular needle. I didnt want to do this so I did a little experimentation. My aim was to create a spiral from one long strip starting in the centre and curling round until either the blanket was big enough or I was bored with the project. So I started out wit... 2010-1-20 09:15:36 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#56566 I found the Perfect Buttons for my cardi. httpwww.buttoncompany.co.uk is a marvellous online shop selling buttons buckles beads threads and kits. I love their Lucky Dip bags and colour assortments and I found my Perfect Three in a Girls Night Out selection pack. This particular pack was full of pink and purple buttons and I enjoyed sorting through them to see what I got. A while ago I ordered a Pearly Kings and Queens pack which was full of the prettiest buttons imaginable. If youre starting a stash like the excitement of mystery packs or are looking for The Perfect Button I can highly recommend The Button Company. 2010-1-20 09:06:43 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#56216 I went on a little trip round my local charity shops today. I didnt find any yarn but I bought a purple chain belt to dismantle for the beads 1631.95 a pair of bamboo bag handles 20p two pairs of chunky clipon earrings 1632.00 and a little inlaid wooden box 50p. All that fun for less than a fiver and I had a good chinwag with one of the volunteers in the Mind shop as well. I dont wear clipon earrings. I tried it once when I borrowed some fabulous diamante jewellery from my sister but after that lobenumbing experience I stuck to pierced earrings only. So dear reader you may be wondering what exactly I have in mind for the clipons I bought today. In a flash of inspiration I decided they would make fantastic bag decorations so although I have nothing they can adorn at the moment it will inspire me to make something that I can use them for. The big drawback with earrings is that they only come in pairs. Theres a design theory along the lines of odd numbers which says that when usin... 2010-1-15 10:15:09 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#56042 My shortsleeved cardi is finished now and is in need of fastenings so my first stop was as always my Button Tin. I passed a pleasant halfhour or so sorting through the delights within but this time I couldnt find exactly what I was looking for. The lid went back on and it got me thinking about buttons and fastenings in general. After much deliberation and thought I am pleased to offer my definitive guide to the perils of finding that elusive Perfect Button. 1. The Button Tin promises so much but delivers so little. However much I enjoy having a casual browse through the many hundreds of buttons pressstuds old currency and curtain rings contained within when push comes to shove and I need a button for an actual project I rarely find anything suitable. 2. Sorry Madam I only have five of that style. Ive lost count of the number of times Ive tipped out the entire contents of The Tin spread them all over the table sorted through them and put the rejects back in The Tin then found o... 2010-1-13 09:39:58 http://www.bettyknitter.com/page2.htm#55774 It looks terribly pretty outside with all that snow. Its a real winter wonderland and its nice for the kiddies to finally have enough of the white stuff to build a snowman go for a slide around or just sling it at each other get wet and cold and come inside complaining that theyre wet and cold. I like to look at snow but I much prefer to see it through a window. I can think of no better reason to stay inside with a bag full of wool and needles and a head full of ideas for what to knit next to keep the chills at bay. Currently Im working on a nosew sideways cardi with cap sleeves. It seemed like such a good idea when I started it but now those minisleeves are looking rather inadequate in the face of such chilliness. I have a bag of lovely squishy superwash merino to knit a hat with. Its a new design and after being complemented on mine I will be starting work on the official one to give to a friend. After being worn to death for the past few weeks mine is looking a little flabby... 2010-1-9 12:17:06