Hurrah for piccies!

That's better. I hadn't realised just how monochrome these photos were - but thinking back they are probably accurate, the sky was laden with snow.

I am very delighted because I have DONE SOMETHING this week!
Over on Ravelry, the delightfully bonkers lot in The Chocolate Teapot group are braving a knitalong, making a throw a month at a time (a square at a time? I think you know what I mean).

Not only did I manage to knock a pattern together BUT also, eventually (after rather a lot of muttering, chocolate, muttering and chocolate) managed to write, chart and publish the pattern.

Go me!
It is for this:

Made from aran weight, 5mm needles, but of course can be made using any weight wool although then the size of the squares will vary. It is much easier than it looks (unless it looks easy, in which case it's pretty much as it looks!), and has a moss stitch border. It is charted and written, and hopefully makes sense.
Available here:
january-teapot-square
(hopefully). Will also try to link it to this blog.

I have a cardi pattern almost ready to launch too, just a couple of bits to tweak, and a pair of fingerless mitts lined up.
It feels damned good to be doing something, getting this dullard brain to start working again. I can only do it in fits and starts, but am getting better at making the most of the on hour here and there when my hands work.

I hardly dare say it out loud, but they don't feel quite as painful today. Still very swollen, but I can bear to rub cream into them which I certainly can't when they are really bad. I would cross my fingers but that might be pushing my luck!

Why yes they ARE pirate pants. I keep meaning to try making underwear (I refuse to call them PANTIES), and suspect that these will remain on the table for weeks before making their way, unmade, back into the bag. But I started. So I might continue.

A better day.

Today has been pretty good. By anyone 'normal's standards it has probably been dull as ditch water, but to me, yep, pretty good.

I have seemed to slip into a lazy persons routine - I am sleeping later (or at least lying in bed later) on a morning - when I first left work I was trying to get up at 7ish every day to try and maintain some sense of normality.

Lately my body simply hasn't coped with that and I am now surfacing around 8ish 9ish - the other day I got up at 11am, had a bath, made a nest on the settee with a pile of throws (before I fell down) and slept all day, literally. I suspect that was an ME crash rather than the RA. The routine at the moment involves eating toast or something around midday, taking tramadol etc, pottering, putting away the washing up, catching up online and doing the washing if needed.
Then - back to a warm bed.

This little knackered body is really liking the warmth of the electric blanket, especially my kneesies, and I think this snooze time is helping me to have a few half-decent hours for the rest of the afternoon. If I don't actually sleep it is just as beneficial to simply lie in the warmth.

(Told you it was dull!). On a really good day I even - wait for it - walk to the corner shop and back. I know, tis a wild and wicked life I lead.....

For the last two years my Dr has told me to listen to my body, but the guilt of doing so little has over-ridden this sound advice until recently, when my body has given me little choice in the matter. Having an ME / RA crash is the most bizarre thing - it literally feels like someone has pulled the plug on what energy was there, it is like that feeling when you are about to faint. I can't fight it and have to just go with it, hence a nest on the settee as getting upstairs is impossible when it's that bad - these are the times I am very glad I live alone because I can just close my eyes and ignore everything.

I am also getting better at not planning 'crafty things' - eg the knickers I plan to make, the two dresses, the bags, the crows .... I have the ideas, the materials but not often the energy. That's OK - I am allowed to NOT do them until I am up to it. So at the moment I am (verrrrry slowly) clearing away the things I know I won't be tackling anytime soon, to make some nice space for when I DO feel up to it, if that makes any sense. Which it probably doesn't. The idea is to try and lessen the feeling of guilt and uselessness because I have not achieved (by achieved I think I often mean 'made / created') something that particular day, because the day/hour/5 minutes will come when I do make things and that will be fab.

I dunno, does this make any sense at all? Making things is such a big part of 'me' - to not make much anymore is a bugger, for wont of a better word.

Knitting happens quite a lot (hands willing), mainly because it is something I do sitting down in my cosy corner. Couch potato knitting. And of course knitting is (usually) soothing. Unless it's that time when I am pondering what to cast on next and what with and why can't I find A SINGLE BLOODY PATTERN I LIKE from the mountain that I have AND WHERE IS THE WOOL etc etc etc.

Today - today has been OK, maybe because the sun has been shining. The washing almost dried on the line, my body has co-operated quite well apart from the fibro in my neck, I haven't had to have any of my anti-nausea tablets, I am enjoying my knitting and I have thrown out some clutter from upstairs. That will do.

I hope today has been a good day for you, too.

Chunky. Knickers.

In which some knitting actually gets finished.

health:
same old, same old. Had my scans done this Tuesday, nothing new to report. oh - the nodule on my right elbow needs looking at apparently, it is becoming more pronounced in the scans and is a sod when I am trying to get comfy in bed. I am back at hospital towards the end of the month, presumably to see if I am going to be part of the RoActemra trial.

Usual aches and pains, plus absolute exhaustion thrown in for good measure - I think being more tired than normal is the result of the Norovirus. I am doing a lot of snuggling in bed with my leccy blanket on, usually for a couple of hours early afternoon - even if I don't sleep my knees in particular are very grateful for the warmth and comfort.

But until I hear about this trial it's just a case of plodding on.

What's that you say - you want to hear about theFinished Knitting? Oh go on then.

 I am so so happy with this - tis a Christmas pressie for my daughter, she tried it on last week and I needed to redo the sleeves as she likes them really long. She rang my mum later on to say how fab the jumper is, so I am really happy.

Highly recommend this pattern, it is extremely quick and very easy, yet I think it looks much more complex than it is.
It is a James Brett pattern, in mega chunky wool. I would love one but I am too chunky as it is ....

Have also amlmost finished Christmas knitting gift #2, piccies to come asap.

Am typing with one eye on the window as it is blowing a gale and I have washing out - my knees don't want to do a sprint start to grab anything that flies off!

I am slowly but surely turning the living room into a REAL living room as opposed to a junk shop. Furniture has been moved (slowly, carefully, and with price paid the following day). Inside one cupboard I found a depressing sight:

Books, lots of books
How can books be depressing, I hear you think - easy. The majority of these are simply too heavy for my hands to hold. Bugger. And I know a Kindle would be a huge help, but I like BOOKS! REAL BOOKS! Pah.

Anyone fancy tidying my sewing table for me please? I have the urge to make myself some knickers.

Truly.

I love this pattern:

Love the vintage styling but even as a lover of larger pants, I suspect the pattern as it is would have the bow somewhere near my chin!
I plan to cut them down a tad - and if anyone thinks I am in danger of getting old before my time with granny pants, I am making them from skull fabric. So there.

I don't have an overlocker sadly, but am hoping I can still manage - I have knicker elastic aplenty, an assortment of fabric and a black teeshirt to chop up for - ahem - gussets.

PS the word 'panties' should be banned.

Never thought I would get the word 'gussets' into my blog. My life is now complete.

So watch this space for my knickers.... you have been warned.