ferdig - pajama bottoms

I've now finished the third pair of pajama bottoms that I bought material for when I was visiting my parents a little while ago. This pair is for me. Hoorah for lounging around in pajamas.

Now that the easy part of making the pajama bottoms is over, I think I'm gearing up to add another, related, project onto my ikke ferdig list. I've had this book for a little while, but haven't actually used it:

I'm thinking that it would be good to use it to make some pajama tops for me from the leftover fabric from making the bottoms. They've got a section on making a custom camisole pattern (the picture on the front of the book is the one that they make in the book) by drafting a simple pattern from actual body measurements, preferred style etc

So, I'll add it to my list and see what happens.

Work trough

Things are a bit slack at the moment work-wise, but I'm trying to stay productive. Yesterday morning I turned the compost heap - that was hard work - I don't think it had been touched for quite some time as there were bits of plates and other non-compostable things in it and it was quite dry in places. I took out about a trug and a half of compost, which I'll take with us to our new house. I put all the compostable stuff back, and added a bit of water near the bottom - so hopefully that will kick start it back into action.

I'm also starting the gradual packing of a few bits and pieces ready for our move at the end of May and also to try to get a few bits and bobs away before the visning (house showing), which we think might be next week.

I've also been having a bit of a think about what I can make from this wool that I have:

I bought it to make a cardigan from a Debbie Bliss book I have, but after I got about 15cm in I decided I didn't like it and so took it apart. I've got two thoughts at the moment: one is to make this jumper using either just the red I have, or getting a second colour like the pattern shows, and option two is this jumper without the funny scarf thing or bobbly edging - which would also test my Norwegian as the pattern will be på norsk.

I've also turned the heal on sock number 2 and am shaping the instep and trying to figure out where the best place is to join the next ball of wool on.

We have visitors this weekend, David's sister and her husband are coming to Trondheim. Depending on the weather I think we're going to take them to Kristiansund and drive the Atlantic highway, which we've heard is very pretty. We're also going to visit our new house and show them a bit around Trondheim and the area.

skitur

We went to try out the cross country skis we bought in the sale last week. We went to Malvikmarka - there was still a bit of snow, although it was pretty wet snow and a bit patchy in places. we went about an hour each way and ended up at a lake with a public hytta. The hytta wasn't open, but we sat there and ate our sandwiches before heading back to the car. It was quite a nice experience - although I think we could probably do with having a bit of a lesson with someone, if for nothing else than to tell us how to stop and steer! This is us at the end of our trip:

Just to prove that spring is sort of here - these are daffodils I picked from the garden.

I also started sock number 2 - keep the momento going before I fall on a different play.

I matched the start to sock number 1, which I think is probably the right thing to do, I'll just now have to figure out another join somewhere down the sock - I think it will end up being somewhere just past the heel.

half socktastic

First sock of my first pair of socks is finished and fits (I tried to take a photo of it on my foot, but couldn't manage by myself).

I'm quite impressed as I'm not a very experienced knitter and there were lots of new techniques to do - knitting in the round, turning a heal and grafting toes. I don't think I've done too badly - now I've got to do sock two - am wondering whether I should pick up the wool from where I cut it off at the end of this sock, or if I should try to find the same part of the pattern and try to make them match? David thinks I should try for the latter - and he's probably right.

I've really enjoyed knitting this, I like the wool and how it makes its own pattern, I like the scale of the project, I like the challenge of the never-before-done techniques, I like how it looks now it's finished and I like the way it feels on my foot.

midweek sock and seed update

I'm very impressed with how my first ever sock is coming along, so thought I'd better record the progress for posterity (and just in case I go wrong).

I'm just about to start the heel so have read the instructions again and again and have referred to some other blogs. I found one with lots of instructions and pictures so hopefully that will help a bit. Wish me luck!

In other updating type news some of the seeds I planted on Sunday have already germinated...

I think the ones there in the middle are turnip (snowball) and there's also signs of spinach and basil and purple sprouting brocolli. So it looks promising!

Sunday play

Now that we've sorted out a house to rent for June that has a garden and owners that are happy for me to make a vegetable garden out of some of it I thought it worthwhile sewing a few more seeds:

I've only sewn a few seeds of each as they need to be moveable. I've also potted on the few tomato plants I'd previously started before I knew if we'd have a garden at the next place, or not.

I also planted four potato tubers I'd kept back from some potatoes we bought at an honesty booth by the side of the road, in two biggish pots - they had chitted and needed planting and I wasn't sure what else to do - hopefully they will transfer OK into the ground once I get digging. We haven't seen sead potatoes for sale here at all - not that we've looked exceptionally hard. A play I'm going to have, maybe next weekend, is to turn the compost heap and bag up any yummy compost that is there to take with us.

Seeing as I finished my jumper, it was definitely time to start my first ever sock - I've wanted to try knitting socks for ages. I'm quite pleased with my first attempt.

ferdig

All sorts of things have suddenly been finished (well maybe not suddenly):

I had time on Friday to make David another set of PJ bottoms.

And this morning I finished off my jumper:

(and wore it into town) I'm pleased with both, although I'm amazed at how much easier I find sewing fabric than I do sewing together knitting.

And most importantly the surgeon general had time to go into theatre with the Tiger Ears. They're now recuperating after their operation:

So, a very productive few days. We also bought cross country skis in the Easter sales - I'm scared of down hill skiing after being persuaded to go a couple of times with David (who loves it) and having icy, no snow conditions, so this is quite a big step - but at the sale prices it seemed silly not to at least give it a go - now we just need to wait for the snow (there is a reason why they're on sale!).

And if that isn't enough for the week - we found a place to move to - it's a house further into town - 2 bedrooms and a garden, and with lots of other bits of rooms and space for us to live in. It's currently furnished with 60s era furniture, but once that's out and we've moved in we'll just have to live with the wallpaper.

Official announcement

Messers Dylan T. Monkey and Jamie T. Poppet are excited to announce the engagement of David and Deb.

We think they'll scrub up OK for the big day.

We're suggesting a rum and pilchard cake on the big day, with a bouquet of catnip and lots of bananas.

jumper front done

I finished knitting the front of my jumper last night (the bulges by the neck are the little bit of wool for knitting the neck band at the back when it's time). I'm really pleased with how it's coming out - I'm also very impressed that it's appearing to be the right size despite having a completely different wool, guage, needles - in fact everything. So - arms next.

We have friends coming to visit from the UK for the Easter weekend - we're going to stay in a flat at a marina a little north of here. It should be fun - I just hope the weather's as good as it was last weekend (sunny and dry) rather than how it is at the moment (cloudy and damp).

David's started his own blog called The Brown Cheese Adventures - he's going to keep a diary and musings on food.

First pajamas

One pair of pajamas down, two to go. I started these for David on Sunday from the material I bought while I was in the UK. It was a really simple pattern so I managed to finish them without them going on the ikke ferdig list. Hoorah. I think they look pretty funky, and David seems to like them.

I made them while David was bottling the plum wine we made at the end of last year - of course we had a try it too, and found it to be surprisingly palatable. We have no idea how much alcohol is in it though as I didn't realise you're meant to take a specific gravity at either end of the fermentation process and then do a calculation - I know for next time.