The FastDay Forum

[carorees]

I see from other threads that we have some keen knitters on the forum, so I've started a thread for knitters and other crafty types to chat about their projects.

I love knitting - on and off. I go through periods of much knitting and then the work lies forgotten for months. I am in an off period at the moment but my son says he is running out of socks and can I please make him some more?

I have had a long-standing problem with tennis elbow which means I can't knit for long without it getting sore. I am hoping the anti-inflammatory effects of 5:2 will ease the tennis elbow and allow me to get back to knitting.

I noticed a post about a knitter-comedian (sounds great!) and wondered if any of you had followed the hilarious blog (http://www.yarnharlot.ca/) by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee? She describes how she has to hide her yarn stash from her husband and has resorted to stuffing yarn down the arms of coats in the closet and inside the piano

I don't do many other crafts at home, though I do have a burst of jewellery making now and then. I get my real craft "fix" on my bi-annual trips to the Manor House Hotel in Devon (http://www.manorhouse.co.uk) which is a hotel that offers all manner of crafts and sports activities. It is incredibly good value for money with all the activities free or very nearly free and offering three large meals a day for less than the price of Center Parcs. There I do glass engraving, pottery, jewellery-making, embroidery and many other crafts. My best friend and I go with our kids while our husbands go off scuba diving. The kids do all the sports activities while we indulge in some crafts, often making Xmas presents as our hubbys tend to look askance when we return with "more tat" as they so charmingly put it! We are going to The Manor House in February and I am planning to make some smaller wine glasses so that I can keep to Dr M's advice on alcohol consumption more easily!

I remember my mum knitting and crocheting years ago, I did try but I really am not patient when I drop a stitch, many a scarf sat unfinished. I have tried making friendship bracelets with the girls though the patterns, although they assured me were simple, I found them not to be.
Jewellery making is my thing though I've not done any for a long time. At Christmas I finally completed a set of advent decorations which were circles of felt made into a pouch that had a seasonal picture sewn on also made of felt with ribbon to hang. It took me near on 4 years but I finally finished :0)

Hi Carorees
Have read lots of your posts with interest so thanks! Are you in the medical profession yourself? You seem very knowledgable.
It was me that posted about a comedian who's an ace knitter and uses very funny knitted props in her act. It's my friend and neighbour Elaine Devlin up here in Edinburgh.
Come to think of it, Elaine was the one who persuaded me to try 5:2. I should get her to come on here herself!
I like crafts myself but usually just end up looking at blogs and books not actually doing anything. Crafting could be a good way of keeping busy on craft days though!
Thanks for the links above will take a look and look out for Elaine.
Jo

[carorees]

Hi Jo

I'm a freelance medical writer so I'm used to researching science studies on the internet and summarising them. But I'm not medically qualified. In fact I've spotted that my best friend who IS a doctor has just joined the forum so I hope she doesn't spot any errors in my posts! She is a very talented crafts person so when we go to the manor house I'm in her shadow somewhat - but I don't hold it against her. She is a demon sock-knitter too! I won't mention her name...she can introduce herself if/when she feels she wants to.

I hope your friend Elaine joins...it will really help the sense of community to have people who are friends "in the real world" on here as well as our new virtual friends.

[Tracieknits]

I'm working on a lap blanket for my son at the moment. It's a box lace pattern - very masculine.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/box-lace-shawl

The pattern is for a shawl, but I'm using a worsted weight instead.

Hi All
That explains it Carorees - I thought you sounded like you had more of an in-depth understanding of the science bit!
I texted Elaine and told her to get on here so hope she does. She's pretty busy though as a physio and mum of three. Her latest thing combining the worlds of comedy,knitting and physiotherapy focuses on the pelvic floor - too hard to explain here but she's on twitter @GussieGrips so take a look if you are now intrigued!
Tracieknits, I was thinking you might pop up here and reveal exactly what it is that you knit! Sounds great. Photos please - I have already seen one of Moogie's dinner tonight! Which looked fab, by the way.
Jo

[Tracieknits]

Thanks Jo! Well here you go

This is the blanket, still in progress so it's not blocked and the lace isn't terribly easy to make out. Also with it is my knitting bag, which I knit and felted last year.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1055941335 ... 4924104530

And here's a necklace I knit from silver wire. That was a lot of fun to do.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1055941335 ... 8306861858

Great to see the pics Tracieknits! I love the blanket, lovely colour.

I never knew you could knit jewellery! I have learned something today

[Tracieknits]

It's a bit hard on the hands though - can make you almost feel arthritic!

[janeg]

another knitter here although not as much as I used to because yarn is prohibitively expensive and not very available- I miss craft and wool shops!
Would love to knit a cashmere cardi - would need to get the yarn mail order. And save up for it!

[Tracieknits]

I love knitpicks.com for affordable wool, but I think they stopped shipping outside of the US and Canada. Ebay is another good place for finding reasonably priced wool. I also love this company's wools, and they have retailers in the UK http://brownsheep.com/locate-a-retailer ... ed-kingdom I made the bag above using their "lamb's pride" wool/mohair mix because it felts beautifully.

Hi all, I'm not a knitter much to the dismay of my mother, who can knit anything.
My hobby is quilting. I'm in the middle of making a bedspread.
I also like to paint.

[Tracieknits]

Oh see, now I wish I was any good at quilting! I am terrible at it!!!!

Hi, I'll come clean and own up to being Caroline's best friend and a doctor! Caroline is far better than me at summarising papers and evidence out there on the 5:2. i seem to have developed the knack of skim reading lots of data and picking out major points but do tend to miss lots of the important detail. She is a great source of information on the science behind the 5:2 and has a brilliant memory of the studies she has looked at.

I am a keen knitter. I'm currently working on a complex cabelled cardigan/coat it's taken ages but I'm on to the last part of the hood now. It's done in thick merino wool so I stopped working on it in the summer because it was too hot on my lap, but nice to work on now in this cold weather. I'm on Ravelry with the same user name for those of you also on ravelry.

In the UK I get a lot of my yarn on line, black sheep wools and Kemps have some fantastic bargains always worth a look at.

[carorees]

Hi Niki *waves*, thanks for your kind words! It's nice to see you here.

Do you only get black yarn at Black sheep wools though?!

DS is in need of socks and I still haven't got back into knitting them...I got as far as getting out the knitting bag and discovered that the sock I'm on is probably about ready to start turning the heel but he wouldn't lend me his foot to measure so I put the work down again! Pathetic! You'll have to give me a kick and get me knitting again!