Progress on Nightmare Before Christmas

This weekend was the first one since Easter where I had absolutely nothing due or that I had to rush through. I do have study to do but both my exams are around the 20th and 22nd of June so I have a little bit of time. Now I'm going to get back into study but because I'm home more as I don't have uni 2 days a week I am going to try and keep up with the stitching. 

As I gave myself this weekend to not study and I really really really need to get this project done. My friend's baby is now 4 months old! I focused on this project through Friday and Saturday. I managed another couple of rows. 3 more rows and I start to decrease so it will become quicker to complete. 

 

 I'm really excited with how it's turning out. I also stopped by spotlight on the weekend and grabbed some polar fleece to back this blanket with. Now to work out how to actually back it..... does anyone have any ideas? I've got a couple of weeks to decide anyway!

Here it is laid out you can see the pattern starting to really appear. I have got a couple more rows done since this and the girl is finally appearing as well! I'm actually now on the exact middle row and I've got to learn how to decrease again.

I am so happy to be stitching regularly again, it's so much like coming home!

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

Weekend Book Haul

So Lana had a performance this last weekend at a community fete. What is it about these sorts of events that I just can't resist the books? I am hopeless but a couple of these look really interesting! The top one I got spending the last of my book voucher I got for my birthday!

Have you read any of these? Any recommendations out of them? It's an odd mix of books but that is fairly normal for me.

The book I'm currently reading  is Snow Child by Eowyn Ivy. I'm really enjoying it and finding it an interesting take on this fairy tale.

I have 3 weeks until my exams and I'm giving myself this weekend to relax before focusing on study. I need a full weekend without having to complete an assignment or quiz. Classes are all done for the semester so that takes the pressure off as well.

Also this book is due back ASAP to the Library so I will have to curl up and read.

Tell me about what you're reading at the moment? Can you walk past a used book stall at a market or fete?

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

The EU Thingy

This is a quick announcement that I have now got a clicky thing at the top of my blog in order to comply with the new EU regulations.

But I also want to make it clear, I won't ever now or in the future use your information for anything other than what you intended it for. I don't have an email list yet so I'm not concerned about that it's really only the people who comment here I don't keep any one's emails for any reason other than to reply to your comments. I also wouldn't share them with others. In case anyone was worried.

Thank you,
Caitlin

Mud, sweat and tears!

So this past month and a half has been hell. Between getting Shingles and then trying to get myself back in shape to just handle everything I pushed too hard and managed to pull the muscles in both my quads. Thankfully not horribly bad, but I could barely walk and I had a week until Tough Mudder.

But with the help of my physio friend and a week of little exercise after little exercise I had no pain in my legs. I actually have come out of tough mudder with no pain in my quads at all as I went in with stronger quads than I've had in a long time but the rest of me is aching.

I keep mentioning tough mudder it's a 10km obstacle course through mud, water and up and down many hills. I did it last Sunday and if you follow my instagram you'll already have been bombarded.

Here I am at the starting line all dolled up and ready to run. I had no idea the fun and torture to come :D

 This was the first obstacle. It's a net we had to lift up.... we had no clue that this was the easiest that we would see.

 crawling under barbed wire and through mud, that they kept muddy through spraying with more water. :D None of us were clean and then we had to walk up a hill climb over 2 x 2m high walls, walk back down the hill carry a couple of logs and then crawl back through the mud and barbed wire. Good fun!

 Anyone want any hugs?

 This was my favourite obstacle. Hopefully the video will play later in the post otherwise hop over to my instagram and check it out. The things spun around and you had to push and pull to get people over.

 This one was water either side of these mud/dirt (more mud than dirt but hard) that you had to climb over. This side was easy but then we worked our way back around to the other side and that was shoulder high thingys we had to climb over.

 Finally at the finish line. We of course had to climb up the other side of this but then had the fun of sliding down!

 we'll see if this video works. If it does the top one is the blockness monster and the bottom one is the finisher. :D

 I am already looking forward to doing it next year and so is my daughter as she will be old enough then.

I'm a little sore still around the shoulders but otherwise I've come up pretty well and I'm going to be back to our regularly scheduled program ASAP as I'm starting to feel less tired. I think I'm finally back to improving!

Happy Stitching,
Caitlin

New leg warmers and Beanie

Well this post took way longer to write than I intended. I was in the process of writing and updating and then I got sick. It wasn't just a normal cold I ended up with shingles!!!! I think with the stress of trying to get my assignments in and also the collection of late nights and early mornings just ended up taking its toll and my body told me off. That's what I'm hoping anyway. .... any other option means many visits to the doctor to see what is actually causing it.  Sometime I might end up with everything worked out but I really don't think it will be today. Or tomorrow. Anyway I'm pretty much good now only the lingering stuff so trying to get back into everything but not push my body too far. 

But now I've updated you guys on the really important thing that has been going on in my life. I want to show off these two projects. The yarn used was the left over from the green star blanket. 

The first is just a simple beanie. It wasn't done off a pattern and I stopped increasing a row too early and it's noticeable when wearing it.  Oh well I still like it. Even if it is a tinge too tight.

Then this next project is just fun. I wanted to try some leg warmers. I'll see if they actually get used this winter to see if I want to make more. They might get used over my leggings to give a little more warmth. Also thought about using them over my workout pants that are 3/4 length to make them longer. But again I'll see if I actually like them before making more.

 Do you know how hard it is to get photos of your own legs???

I did use a pattern it was this one on ravelry. But I did have to add 4 rows to be able to fit them around my legs. I tend towards being a tight crocheter so not surprised. They were really easy to make just took time because they were my band project. (Only work on it on Thursday nights)

I like the simplicity of these and hope I fall in love with the concept because there are sooooo many pretty patterns out there for leg warmers. Given how cold it already feels I think they will be very useful. 

Happy stitching,
Caitlin