Well, I shouldn't go short on cloths for a while..

My health hasn't been too bright lately with the ol' cfs/me thang driving me up the wall, making me feel unhappy and useless! Knitting, amongst other things, has been too much to pick up, I have several projects on the go and haven't had energy or focus for them.

I got really fed up of myself so I turned to knitting some easy washcloths after taking part in a cloth swap on Phoenix Forum. My swap buddy said she loved hers, and hubby took a shine to them and 'comissioned me' to make him some for some chocolate! He says to me that I have a job for life now! LOL! I think I will be putting my prices up though..

The good thing with these cloths is I can make them without too much strain on the joints etc, and they are even dead easy to make if I've taken to my bed. I use short 4mm needles, so any night knitting I manage to keep to my side of the bed without causing any danger to hubby sleeping.

I have a bit of an addiction going at the moment for Peaches & Creme 100% Cotton Yarn, I've made two orders so far from Create & Knit. Super fast service and delivery from them, that's helping my new addiction! There are soooo many colours, plain and patterned - I'll be going back a good few times before I'm bored.

Also loving the new Phoenix Forum - it's such a lovely community of knitters - and great company when I'm having bad days - to be able to dip in and join in the chat, see other knitters work and learn something along the way. A great distraction and uplifting too.

Added a few photos of my latest creations ;)

Needles Galore!

Wow, I finally got around to listing my knitting needles on Ravelry at long last. Worthy of a mention, considering I've been wanting to do this for months and months. I didn't realise how many I had, from my nicest ones that hubby bought me, to not so good freebie ones from magazines and some hand-me-downs. I even found my 'learner' knitting needles, old size UK 10's , aawwww..

I took a couple of photos amidst my chaos today: the pile of knitting needles on the bed and my messy table with knitting stuff all over it, burying the keyboard and making the pc bleep!

Last night was the first night in maybe months, I've lost track - that I managed a better number of hours sleep. I woke up with a sense of relief to find that it wasn't 2 a.m or 4 a.m!
The weather has been fine and bright today, and cheering to see - it was pleasant to open the windows and hear the songs the birds were singing. What was that bird? The one that sounded like a squeaky supermarket trolley?

As the sun is going down, I'm feeling better than I did yesterday, and I've achieved something that's been bugging me for months :) ;) Not bad at all..

My new next month resolution - concentrate on my knitting

My latest project is Dawn Adcocks Sock Yarn hat pattern and it's the first time I've had to do a provisional cast on and 'pick up' live stitches. I'm half way through it now, and back to to the cast on edge to do the second side. Well, It didn't go quite to plan, the cast on didn't unravel very easily and I had to unpick each one individually - but still, I didn't lose any of the stitches so I'm very happy with that. :) I will have to practice my invisible cast on before I do that again. DH chose the yarn and he is really pleased the way the colours are knitting up. I'm using Opal Yarn, Rainforest 3, Oskar the dreamer 2035 - shades of blue/cream/white.

Also I've made our granddaughter a fluffy scarf using Wendy Chic, just a ordinary garter stitch scarf. I reserved a little yarn back to make a matching dolly scarf for her favourite doll. She's very pleased with it because it's shiny and glittery.

I decided to make a new months resolution for March - to make more time for knitting and myself! I've already ordered some yarn - and can't wait for it to arrive!

CFS/ME

Very disillusioned with myself at the moment - flare up of symptoms and senses are sensitive, noise and light a bit much.
After waiting and waiting, I'm at last going to the CFS/ME Self Help course and have met some really lovely people, both sufferers and NHS people that run it.
I'm finding that there are not many surprises in the course so far, they're going over ground that basically most of us have figured out for ourselves over the time we've had this condition. Not dismissing the fact that what they are telling us is very useful, and worthy of being reminded of. I still have a few more sessions to attend, so can't give a complete opinion yet.

I have been trying to follow a lot of their guidance, but we are all different and these theories are not a cure all, and I'm finding that my condition is fluctuating madly at the moment and insomnia is a problem. I'm trying hard to keep myself distracted and active without pushing myself too far which has been very hard going. As long as I pace, the best distraction for me when I've some energy, is my knitting, photography, knitting forums and Ravelry and listening to the radio. I'm finding 'house, going out and life things' require too much physical and mental energy at the moment.

It's a real nice thought that we are nearer Spring time now - and I'll be glad when the lighter days are back again. Our granddaughter brings much light at home at the moment, it's wonderful how she brings something new into each day.

I've bought yet another 'How to beat CFS/ME' book called The Perrin Technique - I've not had the brain to read it yet, it looks daunting, I've flicked through the pages and noticed headlines such as mercury fillings.. I've got dentist on Friday so wondering if I should read that first?

Enough now..

Time to Blog!

Knitting Front:

I've been enjoying my knitting, so great to be knitting again, therapeutic and grounding - but I need to pace myself which I'm finding very difficult - when you are so 'into' what you're knitting, personally speaking - I find myself trying to ignore anything that tries to interfere with 'my time'!

I have this little all wise 'voice' in my head at times. I say little - the image I have is more a 'jiminy cricket with a megaphone' shouting 'STEP AWAY FROM THE KNITTING!!'

I know this wise voice is right - so many times I have messed up knitting by thinking 'just one more row'. I'm just like a big kid who doesn't what to go to bed at times!! Oh well.. I'm learning..


I'm now onto my third pair of socks, I'm finding the colour of the yarn addles my vision a bit, bit of a pain counting the stitches but my lamp with magnifier really helps.

My second pair of socks are finished, I've had a few headaches with the toe section of the second one, and was baffled why I was having problems. I think I was knitting with two bunches of bananas and not hands that day!

CFS/ME Front

Not happy at the moment, disillusioned in a word. Since coming back off holiday I've been really rough with flare up and mostly stuck in the house, shouldn't have been so suprised - but I was hoping that with taking vitamins, omegas, DRibose etc that things would be much improved.- I just got my hopes up like you do. Back to pacing and being 'kind' to myself - hope it doesn't take too long so I can go out again. Knitting has just been so valuable in saving my mood.

I saw the doctor before my holiday, and we tried changing the tablets, I don't think that's working, and had to resort to the high dose co dydramol again last night - the back problems have returned much to my discomfort! Still, mustn't grumble. I don't plan to write about my CFS/ME every month - it would be just too repetitive and I want my blog to be positive, so as much as possible I'll try and stick to that!

On that note.. Back to pacing, time to rest.

Catching up again...

Just come back from a week down devon way - so nice down there, shame about the weather, but at least it was more reasonable than last week and August!! The accomodation was self catering and it was just lovely.

Catching up on the Knitting front, I at last finished my socks that I started about 2 years ago at the begining of the month!

I was so chuffed and quickly cast on the next lot while the enthusiasm was high and I had enough battery! LOL! The penny seemed to drop, and I was enjoying knitting them.

Knitting the first of the second pair of socks seemed easier, and I feel more relaxed with the dpns now.

I took the 'second' second sock on hols with me, and I finished casting off on Saturday (but hadn't cut the yarn thankfully) when I noticed a run/ hole near the toe! I was mortified for a moment, how did that happen?!

Yesterday I used a circlular needle to pick through stitches below the start of the toe, and knitted back up to the start of the toe decrease - so hopefully I shall be finished on my SECOND pair of socks tomorrow forces permitting!

I joined Rowan last Friday afternoon, as when we visited Bovey Tracey I popped into Spin A Yarn, to say hello - and fell for a Rowan cardigan up on a hanger - will try to find a picture later when I get the magazine/pattern, and I'll blog it's progress when I get around to starting it. I've got the yarn ready in anticipation!

First though I have socks to make and our grandaughters Tiger jumper that I started in January!

Love our little grandaughters t shirt!

On the CFS/ME front, I coped pretty well with the holiday, albeit at a very slow pace and minding everything and planning ahead carefully with lots of rest breaks, a few blips but I hope that my trial self therapy etc using the info in the book I recently bought, and the beefy multivitamins and omega tablets and DRibose sugar played a big part in surviving the week - still got a way to go but you have to keep optimistic and give things a chance. Needless to say (to those of you who know CFS/ME from personal experience) you won't be suprised to hear I spent a good deal of time over the weekend resting still and sleeping in bed with flare up and exhaustion!

Back to pacing, so I will 'sensibly' sign off now.