Recent Projects

Hallo,

Recently I have been back in Durham, and that means more work, less knitting. I have managed, over the past three weeks, to fit in a bit of knitting here and there however.

My Italian tutor from my first degree, who is now a very dear friend (I'm not a teacher's pet, I swear..) broke her leg! I thought I'd cheer her up while she is stuck with her cat at home, so I sent her a letter and a little Fatcat Creation: a headband.

Here I am modelling it in the most stylish way possible, obviously:

She is addicted to purple, her leg cast is purple too, so I made the headband purple. It's a pattern I came up with myself, and it's cable knit. She seems very happy with it.

The second project I have just completed is another jumper. This one was for ME this time though. It is a chunky knit, and a bit baggy and croppy, and I love it.

 Here's me loving it...

 There's me waving in it...

This is it at the early stages...
And that's what it looked like before I had finished the second sleeve and sewn it all up. The words 'sew', 'sewing', and 'sewn' I always read out like 'siuuuu' and 'siuuuu-ing' and 'siuuuu-n' and have to re-read them as 'so' 'so-ing' and 'so-n'... Anywho! that's my latest knit update. Next project is yet to be decided, but will probably not happen until after my exam on 21st May, boo.

Today.

An afternoon spent,
Moping around,
Not doing work.
Just feeling down.

Put the kettle on,
Jeuge yourself up,
Straighten your desk,
Turn the music up.

Now turn it down,
Can't concentrate.
Right. Here we go.
Damn it's so late.

Stop looking at the clock,
And checking Facebook.
Have a sip of tea,
Work: let's take a look.

Agh there's so much,
Still left to do.
Panic, panic, stress.
What's wrong with you?!

OK. Got my cuppa,
My desk is all neat,
Phone is on silent,
Could do with something to eat...

NO. This is it.
Time to do this,
Page one, line one.
Get through, bit by bit.

The clock's ticking by.
Been moping all day.
Can't get rid of this feeling,
I'm down, stuck this way.

Sort yourself out.
Have a break - break from what?
From working so hard?
That's something you've not.

What would Sarah say?
She'd say dance around,
Stick on loud music,
Get the bad energy out.

Alright then, Sarah,
I'll do it for you.
You're here in spirit,
You're pushing me through.

Stop writing this poem,
Stop moping around.
Start doing some work.
Stop feeling down.

The Mohair Sweater

FINALLY I have finished the mohair sweater that I was commissioned to make for a very good friend of mine.

The friend in question has a taste for quality, hence the choice of wool: mohair. She needed a replacement of an old favourite and couldn't find the same one anywhere. I mentioned that I love knitting and she jumped at the opportunity. The pattern I used can be found here, the wool here.

There's Ruby making sure I'm doing a good job.

The most annoying part of any knitting project is blocking and sewing it all up:

Blocking, for those who don't know, is the process of flattening out your work and making it the right shape. The technique I used was to gently hand wash the pieces, and then to pin it out neatly onto a towel, letting it dry properly. I  did the front and back first because I had to stitch the shoulders together and knit the polo-neck straight onto the work.

For the sleeves I had a brain wave left it on the Aga, it dried a LOT quicker than the front and back.

 And then the absolute worst part - for me anyway - is sewing it all up. However, anything is ok if Ruby is keeping me company.

Here it is all wrapped up nicely - despite the fact that it was ripped open immediately, as my my friend was so excited to see it.

I have decided my new 'design name' is "A Fatcat Creation". My nick name (and all my user names) is Hatbat the Fat Cat, so I felt it was fitting. I don't even like cats... I also have a friend who has created a new cocktail, and on my suggestion he is naming it 'The Fat Cat'. Yesssssssss.

I have already moved onto my next project. It is another jumper... but it is in chunky wool this time so will grow a LOT faster.



After the chunky knit sweater I will be moving onto another chunky project. Miffy made a blanket a while ago using chunky, green wool. She has given me the left-overs (of which there is a considerable amount) and I am going to make something out of it...

Any ideas for what I could make.....?

Spring has Sprung

What an original blog title...

But it's true, the weather is reflecting my good mood. I have finished for the term - a stressful end, if ever there was one - and now I am home and enjoying a proper Sunday.

This was me at the end of term, I had my 24 hour translation to do so I made my work space as clear and productive as possible. The tulips and daffodils (inspired by my little sister) really helped. So did the Milka..

When the 24 hour translation was finished I had one more trip to town to make in order to hand in the paper version, and do my last errands before packing to come home. Despite the grey skies, I was in a very good mood, so I made my own blue skies. I got these sunglasses a while ago from eBay because I had a mad Janis Joplin moment, listened to her greatest hits album, and got a pair of these for £2.99.

Once packed, all that was left was for me to have a restless night's sleep (I don't sleep well when I have an early start.. like 05:30 yuck); then travel home for EIGHT HOURS the next day. The largest chunk of my journey was pleasant: a train from Durham straight down to London and first class no less - it was cheaper, when I booked, to go first! My friend Will lent me a book called 'Bonjour Tristesse' and I spent most of my 8 hours reading that or sleeping. It is a fantastic read so far, I highly recommend it.

Yes! I have started knitting again! I knitted this heart and sewed it onto the front of a card for a friend to wish them a happy Easter break. I forgot to take a photo of the finished heart, or the card, but I have one of it half-way there. My slippers are from Miffy's shop a couple of winters ago, the make is Haflinger and they do loads of these designs that go across both feet.
 Home! This is actually a photo that my brother took and sent to me, I love it so much. This is Ruby and she is such a queer sometimes. Wouldn't have her any other way though.

 This morning I had my first proper Sunday in ... 10 weeks to be precise (it has felt like a long term...). The dogs came and lay ontop of me in bed this morning and after a bit of fidgeting I took them for a walk. We went down to the beach nearest my house - living on a small island means there are lots of beaches - and we were only out for half an hour, but when we got home I played with them in the garden for a bit too. Our garden is looking the best it has ever looked this spring. I love these daffs around the base of the old apple tree..

And I love these pink flowers - I don't know their name.. I'm no horticulturist - underneath this romantic bench. We never sit on it, so why not make it a feature?

Looking at this photo has made me realise we (or perhaps just I) need to fill the bird feeders...

Wallpaper

Knitting still isn't really happening right now, but I'm going home on Saturday and I know I'll crack on when I'm back with Miffy.

In the mean time I still have other things to blog about!

I am now half way through my Masters

One of the modules in my Masters is a work placement module, which gives me the opportunity to see what it is like in the 'real world' of translation. I have applied for a company that has a link with the University, and it also happens to be the company that I really want to work for when the Masters is finished! Fingers crossed I get in for the June/July internship, then I will wow them with my allure (...) and they will BEG for my return in September..... Well that's the plan anyway, but I am well aware that these things rarely happen so smoothly, so I am ready for new applications too.

The dream job is based in Bristol - they have offices all over the world, but the Bristol office is the one I want. I can't help but get a tiny bit excited about the future now that my application is out there. I have started looking at interior designs and mad wallpapers on Pinterest, inspiring me for the first apartment that I will rent...

Ignoring the trainers, this wallpaper is quite Alice in Wonderland..

Obviously my first apartment will be reasonably priced and look just like this..... yeahhhhhh

I really like this mad wallpaper, especially the doggy and the duck... maybe I'll just create my own and it'll have Ruby all over it?

I think this is a notebook cover, but I still love it. Definitely going for the idea of one mad wall and the rest nice and simple.

So! There's another blog post of ramblings, hopes and dreams... I really hope I get the internship for June/ July, but if I don't I will keep trying.

Laterz.

She's Back

It has been... a while since I last blogged. I haven't been knitting that much lately, and I have been busy with my Masters. Why am I back? Well, actually, I have lost a knitting pattern and I went through my blog to see if I'd taken any photos of the pattern so that I could google it again, and it was on going through it that I remembered how much I love posting on here.

SO.

Self-Confidence is Becoming

Since my absence I have subscribed to a lovely mag called Oh Comely, it is really inspirational and easy to dip in and out of. I read an article this morning about someone who doesn't like alcohol and, despite the pressure from lots of social situations, manages to stick to her guns and is perfectly happy not drinking.

I found this pretty inspirational, not only because I've given up alcohol for lent, but because this woman was perfectly comfortable in her own skin. I think that is really becoming in a person, and a woman does not have to be bolshie or loud in order to be self-confident.

However, I still love a cold G&T with lots of lime....

Style, Please

I have always loved French style. Always. I am reallllly obsessed with Breton tops at the moment though. I have one in my wardrobe, it is a real St. James one, a hand-me-down from Miffy, and I have worn it to death almost. All I seem to do in my moments in between translations is look up Breton tops on eBay, Amazon, Instagram and Pinterest.

They cost money though, and I am trying to save up for 'the real world'.

What Now?

I am now half-way through my Masters degree and have worked out what I really want to do.

1. I want my own dogs.

2. I want to be a translator.

3. I want my own place to live.

In that order, obviously. 

But for now, I have to carry on working hard, applying for jobs, and messing about on Snapchat...

Messin' about in my new beret

Knitspiration #5

 

The title of this post should be sung to the tune of Vonda Shepard's "Sweet Inspiration" (changing the word 'sweet' for 'Swedish'), I have provided a link for those unfamiliar with this song:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TVQB7oOsJ0

It has been a whole month since I last blogged, this Masters seems to have gotten in the way lately. Today I have assigned some time specifically for this blog, so sit back and enjoy the following Knitspiration post, which is a mixture of Christmassy, Swedish, colours and a pug.

 

 
I love these Swedish colours, they're a bit Christmassy, and they look very snug for this cold snap. I think it's the fact these colours are quite soft, and not bright like a lot of things in fashion lately. I love fashion, don't get me wrong, but I'm starting to find that with highstreet shops copying the big designers, the neon trend is looking a bit... plasticy and cheap lately. These soft colours are refreshing and sweet.

 
The same can be said for this jumper, I love the Christmas feel to it from the reindeer, and I think that softer scoopy neckline would be flattering on most people.
 
 

 

 
Here is a cluster of some more of this inspirational colour scheme (complete with hot blonde babe). I think those Christmas label ideas are stunning, and if you used a stamp then you could rustle a few up in no time. I'm also a big fan of ribbon, I definitely do not have enough in my life.

 

 
These photos are not very big today, so I am clustering them for more interest. Here we have some real Swedish Swedeness:
Beautiful waterside houses in amazing colours, an excellent pair of clogs and a stylish Swedish girl. I love the wholesome feel to these images, I'm feeling inspired for the January sales....

 

And here's the pug, why not?