It's cold outside and I can't wear mittens because they're not flattering to my hands!

Hello campers and how's the weekend been?  Normally, I write about knitting on a Sunday evening, but this evening, I want to talk about running and how amazing it can be.

It was the Winter Run today, a 10k race through Central London, which sounds pretty amazing, and really, really was.  I ran it last year before injuring my ankle, and it took me 1 hour 31 minutes, which was pretty slow, but I did it, and I got a medal to prove it.  I then signed up for this year in a fit of adrenaline based madness, and promptly forgot about it, particularly when I had to pull out of the Royal Parks Half Marathon when my ankle meant I couldn't really train for it.  In November, Hattie suddenly piped up about my big run, and I went and checked through my emails, and hurrah, I was signed up again.  Hurrah might not have been my actual first thought.

I did manage some training, after a long time of no running, and managed 10k a couple of times without too much pain and difficulty, so I knew I could do it.  Signing up for the Ealing Half Marathon made the whole "you just have to get on with it" thing easier, plus I've done a hell of a lot of exercise this year so far.  In January, I've walked, run and cycled 211.3km, according to my Runkeeper app, and more if you count the UP band data, which I don't at the moment, as the bloody thing is broken.  

Well, the Winter Run is done, and I managed the 10k in a mighty 1 hour 24 minutes, which is more than 5 mins faster than last year, and I'm so pleased about that.  I've still a long way to go before the Ealing Half Marathon, but I'm on the right track.

The only crap note is that I lost my lovely Peerie Flooers hat; at least I can knit it again, and this time it'll fit properly; the old one was a bit loose.  

The mental dust diet only allows me one proper food meal a day, and it's going pretty well considering.  I've still only lost about 7 pounds in 3 and a bit weeks, but I've lost it from visceral fat (what?) and not from muscle, and this seems legit, what with me standing on a scale with bare feet and a small electrical current running through my body measuring all my stats.  I'm definitely looking leaner and thinner; and my waist and bust have shrunk.  My hips have not.  This is not great, but lets stick to the positive.

Hurrah for running, and I'm going to do it again next year, and let's hope I can shave another 5-10 minutes off that time.

If you're thinking "Holy shit! Holy shit! A swordfish almost went though my head!" If so, then yes.

How does a crappy picture of an awesome skirt sound?

It's Jungle January over at Pretty Grievances, and I'm now feeling a strong sewing genius enough to join in.

I wanted a bit of leopard print in my life, and I saw this rather fine thick, stretchy-ish jersey on eBay, and snapped it up.  It's a bit more artificial, non-natural fabric-y than I usually go for, but actually, I wouldn't really want to wear a natural leopard print.  Ew. 

The fabric up close looks like this:

 

and it is awesome in every way.  It has minimal stretch and hangs really well.  I haven't worn it much yet, because I don't feel that it is suitable for work actually, but I wore it to my sewing course last Saturday (more on that later, when I'm on my computer with all the photos and not Simon's computer with the keys in the wrong places and the non-responsive keyboard, dagnamit) and I cycled from West Ealing to Chiswick in it and it fits really well.  I should probably cut a smaller size next time though. Woo!

 

 

Thanks Jessica, I do have to ACTUALLY. 

 

Anyway, here is the completed skirt in all its awesome glory, hanging in the window of my sewing room/Simon's office.

 

 

I have enough fabric left to make a three quarter length sleeve top.  Preferably with a BDSM zip up the top.  Hurrah for quick and dirty projects, I love them.





 

Well now I'm standing. Happy? We're all standing now. Bunch of jackasses, standing in a circle.

The first KNIT CHAT of 2016.  I've been meaning to write about the KNIT LIST before, but, you know, stuff happens.  No ablogogising.

Half my stash is in the storage unit, the other half is stored in the spare room in boxes and while not totally inaccessible, I will have to work on one project at a time, so progress will be even slower than normal.

The Rainbow Raglan: we are in a fight at the moment.  I ALMOST finished the body AGAIN and tried it on, and that bloody side boob thing is still there, and so I've ripped it back to the armholes again, and now we are not speaking.  I may well start knitting it again once I've finished my super Myrna.

Super Myrna: it is lemon.  It is beautiful.  It is sexy.  It is nearly finished, and just needs a second sleeve.  Big love for the sexy lemon.

Hexipuff Quilt: There are 237 hexipuffs done and sewn together and looking gorgeous.  Still.  No car journeys planned, so it might stay the same size for a bit.

Simon's Cobblestone jumper: round and round and round I go, where I stop, I do not know.  *sigh*

Simon's massive man socks: Need more yarn.  I'll buy some after my BIG RUN next week.

This One's for Parties Vintage Jumper: Grumpy

The Yellow Petrie: Being stored.  I'm thinking about it.

Rainbow jumper for Hattie: I'm very much afraid this will be for Nicholas instead, it seems much, much too small for her.  I'm still working on the sleeve problem, I might make them sort of top down.  I know what they'll look like in my head.

These are things that are waiting to be started.

A circle blanket for Robin

Cream and Beige Coco style boatneck striped top

Sun-Ray Ribbing Vintage Jumper
Ishbel scarf thing
Waterhouse Mittens

Mini Hetty cardigan with sleeves for Lucy 

Bright Rainbow Blanket for Lucy
Burton Bear cowl for Hattie

Minion blanket for Hattie

Finished:

Vianne
Wisteria
Elwood Mittens for Lucy
One MASSIVE MAN SOCK
Weather Blanket
Separate but matching vests for twin boys
Urchin hat
Peacock mittens

I've found a great website with ALL the Parks and Rec gifs.  What fun.

Why are my arms so weak? It’s like I did that push-up last year for nothing!

January.  It's been interesting cycling around West Ealing in the morning.  I lost the feeling in both feet and in my thumbs at one point, despite two pairs of gloves and three pairs of socks.  Super.

We went back to school on the 4th, and I've been running around like a maniac since then, what with all the SENCO-ing and the teaching and the looking after children and the knitting and the sewing and the exercising and the mental dieting and all sorts.

The mental dieting is actually going quite well.  I'm mostly not hungry, until it gets to about 4:30/5, at which point it gets a bit much and I end up eating celery until I feel better.  Unfortunately, celery can't really replace, I don't know, bread, pasta, rice, chocolate, sweets, biscuits, shortbread, alcohol, fruit juice, sausages or crisps, but I'm eating a lot of it, and sometimes I even have some homemade hummus or low fat guacamole, so I get my treats!  I don't hate it and it is working, I've lost nearly 9 pounds and about an inch off my entire body, so I'm sticking with it for a bit longer.  It's not sustainable, I know that, and it goes against the whole healthy eating, real food philosophy, but, fuck it, I want to be slim, and this is the easiest way to do it.  Who knew that practically no food and all the exercise would lead to massive weight loss?

I'm sure next week will be better.  If all else fails, there's always beating people around the head and brushing my hair endlessly.

That really got out of hand fast

Happy New Year!

As usual, I have all sorts of grand sewing and knitting plans for the year, most of which will probably fall by the wayside to begin with as we have the conservatory at the back of the house removed and replaced with a more permanent extension.  The builders believe that this will take 6 weeks.  We may well disagree about this in the middle of March when it is still a bomb site, but let's be positive and take their word for it at the moment.  

I usually sew in the conservatory, at the dining room table, and cut out on the island in the kitchen, so I will need to have an alternative place to do both these things soon.  I've cut out a Black Watch Francoise dress, and a Skater Dress for Hattie, and before the 21st January, I want to cut out a whole lot of different things.  These might well be or include a Lady Skater, another two child Skater Dresses, a cherry print rockabilly top, as discussed before, a grey Coco sweatshirt which I'll iron hot-fix glitter on to, a leopard print knit fabric skirt, a sweatshirt for each of the girls which will have a unicorn head hot-fix glitter-ed on it, and a grey and white striped Coco dress.  

The only thing with a deadline is the cherry print top, and I should be able to make that in an evening or two.  The rest of my fabric has gone into a box or three and is in the storage unit now.  Some of my wool will be going into storage too, although I will also vacuum pack some and put it in the loft.  This is, as you can imagine, a really traumatic time for me, particularly as I can't even buy more fabric to make pretty things with, or wool, as we will be basically be living in one room downstairs which will be a massively amusing experience.

Looking at that list, it seems quite intimidating, but it's just a bit of cutting, putting in bags and writing words.  The sewing can wait, as I'll be mostly using Simon's office as my sewing room, which will involve a lot of tidying up.  This is one of my skills, so I can't see any problems in our immediate future.

I suppose all the upset and arguments and stress be worth it in the end; it's costing a small fortune, and is going to give us the same amount of space, and moan moan moan, my diamond shoes are too tight.  Still, shiny new kitchen and a downstairs loo!  Dream big, people, dream big.