OK; that wasn't one of my best ideas

--- Socks aren't a good idea for me ---

Ok; I've fallen behind schedule; but only a little bit. I have 1 Sweet home sock done. Pictured => (sorry about the not so attractive leg)

the sock has a leaf pattern around the top; which is knit in such a way that it forms points at the top ot each pattern repeat. I knit it in a flecked cream yarn that I got about 3 months ago; its a Robin Yarn and I think I got it for £1.25 per ball. I got 2 balls, made 1 sock and have plenty left on one ball and the other ball hasnt even been de-labeled yet. great value for money; as I think I can get the sock out of the leftover bit; so I have a ball spare lol. the parren said 2 balls; I got two balls..... used a half.

You may have noticed that my other leg is not covered with socky goodness. I have had this sock finished since the 16th of June; I just havn't blogged about it because I thought 'leave it til the date that I said last time and start the next sock, so that it looks really good that I'd have like 1  and a half socks done well before schedule........... that didn't happen.... at all like I planned.

I finished on sock, tried it on, paraded aroud the house for a couple of hours showing it to everybody and getting compliments like 'wow, that looks difficult' or 'At least it makes your leg look tanned'

and 'when are you going to do the other one?'

I sat down on my sofa and cast on for the other sock. Craig arrived, congratulated me on the sock that was still seemingly glued to my left leg and we watched football. This is where it goes haywire. I get bored very easily, especially of things that I have done before; which is why socks are not a good idea for me; because in order for them to be wearable you have to make 2..... the same pattern twice. I didn't like it; the points at the top that amused me to no end last time.... now annoy me.... and my head thinks 'wait, we've done this row, cus I remember it.... from the first time or this time?.......hmmmmm'

So to make it so I can make the other sock without confusing myself I tried to make another small project; so I can erase the memory of the sock pattern from my mind. I went to the yarn shop and had a look about. I wanted to make myself a shawl; or a cowl (a cowl is a short thick scarf that can fasten closely around the neck; its extremely warm and comfortable, and uses less yarn than a full scarf)

and I remembered a free pattern I got Knit today magazine a while ago; it came with size 13mm needles (that's not a typo, they're massive ==>

pictured with a 4.5mm needle, which I learnt with, which feel big to me now. these feel like I'm knitting with smartie tubes or pritt-sticks)

and checked the yarn requirements of the cowl / shawl / shrug / throw-over-shoulder-thing

It says that Sidar Escape would be good. I know that they come in 50g (70yard) balls so I was looking for 2, maybe 3. I was searching the bagain remnants bin for something else when I came across 2 balls of Sidar escape. same colour and same dye lot, £1.25 each. considering 1 ball is normally £2.30 I grabbed them and brought them home with me. Along with a ball of  Sidar Click that's like a violet/white striped yarn..... which I plan to make......nothing in particular out of lol.

So I knit for a while...... with the incredibly large gigantic .... colossal needles and they worked fine.... I learned that I could knit perfectly and watch TV at the same time.... which freaked out my dad quite considerably. I finished within one day.... and here it is ====>

I.Love.It. the varigated, striping yarn contain colours that I love and its knit in such a way that if you grab the two corners and shake it it gets bigger lol. And for £2.50 its not a bad cowl / shawl / shrug / throw-over-shoulder-thing.

It didn't work though.... its been ages and I still dont want to knit the other sock.... but I was in the yarn shop and they have THE most beautiful sock yarn in the world, just as you'd go in the door, it comes in many many colour variations, but I like the blue variation the best...... closely followed by the purple..... I might buy 2 balls of both..... and just keep them in my stash; just to look at a to feel.... and to roll about in like a cat when I feel like it..... and I cant do that when its in the store, so I have to buy it. I need £20 spare moneys to get said yarn.... I also need a pattern that would show off the varigations beautifully..... that could be difficult.......

I also want to make this.... it made my eyes boggle when I seen it on my favourite blog ever (yarnharlot, link at the side of the page, the wool-house one)

But she's using lace.... and laceweight is expensive..... too expensive for me to even think about...... but I still want it lol.

---Summer days ---

I have an actve better half.... and while this is good for my waistline and my lungs its whenever he takes little notions like 'its not raining, lets go for a walk' or 'its mindbogglingly sunny, lets go up cavehill'

The latter of these ideas happened not once, not twice, but one and a half times. yep; I know. Let me explain. The first little expidition to Cavehill; I had brought my knitting to his house because 4 matches were on that day and I thought; hey why not; his mum crochets so it wouldn't be that weird. I get there and within 15 minutes of getting Lunch we were out the door; in his car; with his sister with the idea of 'lets get to the top of Cavehill'

We look at the map and decide the shorter, quicker route up the rockface rather than the lovely pictureesce view... because we've been told to be back to his by 5, and apparently this'll be quicker.... we start and have to stop halfway like a tenth of the way up... because I'm dying..... couldn't breathe and my legs were screaming to me to stop or they'd fall of me.

We decided to go a little further (up to the 'Cave') and I sat in the grass with my boyfriend's sister, Lindsey, as my better half scales the rest of the way to the cave. he reports back that the path gets worse, steeper and more broken. (pictured) He looks at my redened face and we decide to head back.

2days Later and a little more prepared (with water, trainers and snacks) Craig and me scaled the hill, using the longer, scenic route. We got lost...a little but soon found our way back to where we went wrong. Here are a few pictures from near the top.

It was awe-inspiring; being so high up that you can't even hear the traffic anymore. We reached the top to find that there was info point telling people what they can see from the top. it was made of wood and looked quite heavy. The first thingthat came to my poor, air-starved brain was 'Who in their right minds hauled that all the way up here? lol' and then shortly after 'I wish I had of brought my digital SLR'.

---And now....----

I'm sitting here with a glass of Rose Wine (Hardy's, bloody gorgeous) and slowly sewing buttons onto the cowl / over shoulder thing. this will be my last blog post as a teenager, because on Saturday the 3rd of July..... I turn 20. it is the end of an era..... but also the start of a new one. and since it's my birthday my mum has allowed me to spend my birthday money online this year; which means yarn.... and books about knitting....... and just a lot of stuff :) however I am not aloud to buy anything until it is all over and done with; and my other half's birthday is done too (with is on the Wednesday after mine; creepy eh?)

So I will be blogging again on the 16th; right after this blog post I'm going to try and re-do the layout.... because the purple's not really doing it for me anymore.Even I don't know what I'll end up with so it'll be a suprise for me too. I'll be a year older and so will my better half. Incidently:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luv you lots and lots XXXXXXXXXX

(sorry; thats a little bit early; but still the effect counts :) ....)