The Hag’s Wednesday Word Up!

First post of many I hope…My plan is to start here and then add a podcast later on to coincide with my blog.

I will post a weekly ‘The Hags Favourite Podcast of the Week’ and this week it’s the ‘Bookish Stitcher Podcast’ this podcast is always warm, welcoming and knitfully inspiring! Give it a whirl why don’t you!?!?!

Now on to The Hag’s Knitting!

FO(s)

Only one this week I’m afraid….

This is the Godric’s Hallow Hat designed by Rebecca Beam she and the pattern are on Ravelry.com. . I knit this hat up with some stashed ICE in the Dancing Colors colorway 30% Wool 70% Acrylic, easy care for my son Jacob. It’s being modelled here by my husband Ian.

As a designer I’d describe Rebecca as down to earth! Her patterns are easy to follow, because she takes the time to consider the knitters queries and thoughts. I would recommend to any new or even seasoned knitter to knit at least one of the free patterns in Rebecca’s ‘Cissy’s Knits’ publication.

W’sIP!

As anyone who knows me and my taste’s over the last few months will tell you, I’ve come to love Ethereal Fibers the quality of the fingering weight wool is second to none…and I do not say this lightly! (Pun intended). I love it so much I’ve recently made another purchase from EF and as always Kellee was amazing…Always happy to help and perpetually making me smile! Anyway on to the project, I’ve chosen EF’s Starlight Sock 75/20/5:Merino/Nylon/Stellina blend in the Logofile series the colorway is Hamartia.(see photo right) Knitting the Jekyll and Hyde socks by Sarah Wilson also known as the Sexy Knitter, again on Ravelry.com. I’m finding this pattern easy to knit, but hard to stick too. Maybe it’s me, mind wandering etc. but I cast these on 3 weeks ago and haven’t worked more than 16 rows…just not sure why. The pattern gives a lovely texture…I’ll think on it…perhaps next week I’ll have some progress to show!?!?!

I’m casting on mittens this week for three of my grandsons. I’m modifying the basic Mittens for All pattern Red-Heart offers for free. I’ll be turning them into mittens with flaps as winter travel and outdoor play are two different things. Cars with heaters on require no mittens. Rather than fuss about taking mittens on and off 2,3 and 4 year old boys (or girls)…it’s simply less stressful for all involved to flip back the flap…and for outdoor play flip  it up again…and they’re off!

I haven’t decided on the wool so no pictures or information available to share yet, but I’ll post something next week.

Literature – Fantasy

I’ve started reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan for the second time. There are only three book series I can say I have read more than once and they are The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, The Gunslinger Series by Stephen King (3 times), and last but not least The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson (6 times).

Jordan (and later Brandon Sanderson who finished up the last two volumes with extensive notes from Jordan who sadly passed away) forces his readers into emotion’s ranging from fear to humour to outright anger and finally sadness/relief. These emotions are spread in good measure throughout the series. The books are so captivating that I found myself reading them during my conference calls, bad of me I know but none of my conference calls were nearly as interesting as the Two Rivers, the Ogiers, the Aiel Waste or the Aes Sedai.

The main character, Rand Al Thor, is no more than a teenager when he’s forced into the realisation that if he doesn’t save the world, there’s no hope for it. With folks to help and hinder along the way this small town boy visits new places…sleeps with different women, all of whom he loves and who all love him and each other in return (read it and you’ll understand). Without giving away anything, the plot thickens as new characters are introduced….this series climaxes with the ultimate battle in the last volume, in which we see the fates of the much loved character’s determined.

I give this entire series, each and every book, 5 stars…and recommend you start reading when there’s no one around…the weather is bad and you’ve nothing better to do than sit around in your pj’s with a cup of coffee!

Health News!

There is no real news this week…I’ve dropped another 2 pounds of what I refer to as my wedding weight.

What is wedding weight you ask? Well come sit by the fire and I’ll tell you….

Wedding weight are those pounds we gain during the first 7 or 8 years of marriage. Those ‘oh he/she loves me no matter what I weigh’ pounds, you know…

I’ve gain 55 of those lovely buggers since I married mine and even though, as sickly as it sounds, he still loves me…I DON’T LIKE THE WAY I FEEL….it’s not look, it’s feel. I feel, generally unwell.

So I’m doing something about it…if you have wedding weight drop it. Not him/her…just the weight!

The Hag’s Weekly Cut Those Calories Tip: I make up a 2 litre pitcher of this Twinings Blueberry and Apple tea…(4 bags per 2 litres of water) and drink that instead of juices or even calorie free pop/soda which is full of sodium…

I add some Splenda now and then if I really crave sugar but only by the glassful never to the entire container.

It’s great…and Twinings has all sorts of Berry teas I haven’t tried yet…so if you have let me know please!

Right well that’s all from me for now…I hope if you’re reading this you’re healthy, happy and knitting up all the wool you can!