Onwards

I am sorry that I have been missing in action recently. Nothing terrible happened but I just didn't have much enthusiasm for things. Been tinkering and sort of knitting and all those things that I'm really good at that mean I don't actually have to do any work of any kind. I'm bored with that now though, so have decided that this is the week when it all will change.

I'm planning on finally getting a website sorted out for selling my vintage and retro knitting patterns. I had a look around, asked a few people, read a couple of reviews and have come up with Mr Site as the most likely candidate. I like them as they offer a hosting plan, there is blog space and I can upgrade the site if it becomes super poplar and I need more space. Everything seems nice and simple and simple will be best for me as I am so easily distracted.

I'm just working out what colour schemes I fancy and how I want the menus to work and I will also have a mountain of scanning which I'm not really looking forward to but needs to be done. I also have to think about the pricing structure and what the postage costs will be too.

I don't have the cash at the moment to buy the package but I should get my redundancy money through by Tuesday so hopefully will be online by next weekend with a taster of what the whole site will look like.

Odd music

I've said before that I never used to listen to new music but then found blip.fm which has given me a whole new world of music that I love. I have come across some new things but it's also great to hear that so many others share my excellent taste in music.

That said there have been a few changes to blip the biggest of which is video streaming. Basically they have signed up with Youtube and now when you search there are a whole load of vids that come up first before you scroll down to the plain music. I don't mind this as it has brought up a whole new element to my listening that I had never considered before. In the past couple of weeks I have heard incredible rough versions of Elvis classics, Green Day wannabies, classical music played by ham fisted muppets, junior high school productions of Grease (is Grease suitable for junior highschool?) and every other musical horror known.

But I have also heard amazing versions of fabulous music that I would never have discovered as well. Delicate and unusual versions of Jimi Hendrix classics, small scale bands that really should be signed, nervous classical performers who delight the soul and just a few crazy people to perk up the day. So next time you hook into blip.fm go on the public channel and see if there are any treasures that you weren't expecting.

Sheffield Knit in Public Day

Saturday 13th June 2009

I am organising the Sheffield World Wide Knit in Public Day so I just want to shout a bit about it and where and when and what to bring.

The event was started a few years ago as a celebration of and for knitters (and crocheters). I knit in public every day as I travel on the bus or wait for things (usually buses) and it usually raises an eyebrow and sometimes elicits a comment from a curious and/or friendly bystander. But there are many knitters and crocheters who don't do their thing in public, which is a shame and they are missing out on being thought of as genuinely odd (which is a good thing) so this event gives them and all of us a chance to knit together: look on it as safety in numbers. Besides which we are armed with pointy things too!

So this year the main day is Saturday 13th June and we are holding the event in the Peace Gardens in Sheffield city centre from 11am to 3.30pm. You don't have to come along for all of the time, I know that everyone has things to do but just pop on by and say hello with your knitting if you are in the area. If the weather is not so good then we shall encamp to the Winter Garden and have fun there instead.

Please bring along with you your yarn/wool and needles and hooks and have fun in the sun. I'm going to bring along some spare needles and yarn so interested guests can try the joy of knitting themselves - it's always worth trying to convert more to the cause.

There is some public seating in both areas but feel free to bring along your own chair, stool or blanket if you want and sit on the grass.

There are cafes nearby but if you want, you could bring a picnic (no alcohol though as it's against council rules). There are free public toilet nearby and I hope that we have a grand day

Feeling better

Whoa - that last post was far too depressing for words so I am just going to do what I have been doing all of my life with depression and just sweep it to one side but will quickly say that the past week has been horrible and I have felt very very bad.

However, things are far more perky now and I have manage to get a handle on what is happening and am feeling much better. Really, the ostrich impression is a great trick but then what ever the problem is, mugs you later on so probably better to deal with it straight away.

Any-way, this past week I have been knitting socks for Sock Wars, have started a version of Shelley Kang's Blankie, have started another blanket and have actually started on sorting out my stash. Yes, I know, I always say that I should/have/will sort out my stash but I have actually started. I have got most of it in one place. It is now sorted into lace, 4 ply, double knit, aran and chunky weights. Now I need to get some boxes to put it in (I do so love Poundland). As they go into the boxes I'll start photographing them properly and then get the snaps onto Ravelry.

I've also realised that I have random bits of yarn that I no longer want or need so am going to wait until I have everything sorted and then get rid of the excess. Most of it is odd balls of acrylic and a little bit of fun fur type stuff so I should not miss it. I might knit up some things for charity but I never seem to have the time.

I have also been trying to organise a Knit in Public event for Sheffield and will keep you posted once I know what is going to happen.

I'm lost

Not sure where I am, nor what I am doing.

Almost as though I'm static and things are moving around me.

I want to engage with the world again and not feel so blawgh.

I would like to be able to see a future world where I feel settled.

I do not want to feel as I am at the moment but the hill is too high and I can't see the top.

What it at the top of the hill?

The great pattern destash . . .

. . . has started

I will be trying to list at least 10 of my collection of knitting patterns on ebay everyday. At the moment I also have a load of postcards and some other bits and bobs.

Have a looky see here and grab yourself a bargain.

I know this is complete and utter self promotion but this is a blog, which does rank as being one the most self obsessed activities that a person can carry out so I think that I am entitled to a bit of "BUY IT NOW BEFORE I RUN OUT OF MONEY AND HAVE TO SPEND MY OLD AGE EATING CARDBOARD AND GRAVY" pleading should be just fine.

So here is the link to your knitting pattern happiness and a few other things too.

Slightly Obsessed

I came across this on the wonder that is Twitter and I have become hooked.

I'm terrible at finding new music for a whole load of reason but mostly because I can't stand 'modern' radio stations. In the old days DJs knew their place, they were there to tell you a bit about the band or song and then play it - no chit-chat, no thinking they were funny but really they were just crass, no anecdotes about their girlfriend/mum/dad/dog/boyfriend/bus driver. They had a job to do and that was that. But something changed and everything in radioland went tits up and suddenly there were 1000s of 'personalities' out there all thinking they were funny and that their opinion mattered. I blame Steve Wright.

So I stopped listening to radio and my musically knowledge became trapped in the past with only a few things managed to penetrate. But now I have access to thousands of other people's choices with all the wonder and variety that music has to offer and I love it.

Check me out on Blip.fm - for more of my eclectic choices.