Knit fast, Die warm.

2011-12-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

Wow I'm so bad at updating this Blog! I came across this link on a blog I follow and feel I should share blogging without obligation I started this blog to come in and track what I'm knitting really need to get a bit more organised!

I came down with flu this week so I'm reallyyyy behind on my Christmas knits, but I'm nearly there thankfully, hoping to be back to normal for Christmas day at my Mums hopefully!

The tea cosie is one I finished for a swap a month ago, I loved this tea cosie and really didn't want to send it away! the Apron is made by my next door neighbour, I was going to sew my own, but I really need to go to some classes as my sewing on a machine is terrible!

I really Hope you all Have a wonderful Christmas, and the very Best New Year, be merry enjoy time with friends and family

Love from Me x

Mr Ferret Stole my heart

2011-11-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Mr Ferret Stole my heart, is based on Mr Fox Stole My Heart from LittleOwlKnits, It was made for a friend of mine, and I loved making this guy and I want to make a proper Fox for me! maybe a black one .....

I'm doing a swap at a moment got to knit a tea cosie I love making Tea cosys <3

Hope your all well! have you started your Christmas Knits yet? I have eekkkk!

this post is full of mooping a feeling sorry for one self

2011-10-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have tooth ache, I didn't have tooth ache till I went to the dentist a week last Friday, he put a filling in and now I have terrible tooth ache. This tooth should have been whipped out a year ago liked I asked when I went first time- they filled it and didn't notice the infection! Went back the second time about three days later, for a different dentist to tell me I had a horrible infection in the root, he then clean and filled it, all had been fine for 6 months till I went back to dentist for a check up, and he said it needed a bit more filling adding to said tooth! now I'm In

PAIN

I'm feeling very sorry for myself I have topped up on pain meds, what are not helping at mo! I suffer from something called FMS so I have pain every day, but toothache is totally different, I feel sorry for myself, I'm mooping and god damn it I want SYMPATHY

sorry for taking up a post will self pity and moaning, but I really really hate tooth ache, will be ringing the dentist on Monday and one way or the other this bloody tooth is coming out!!!

I'm still knitting - at the moment a secret project for a swap I'm doing on Rav in the aplayfulday podcast group :)

now going to lay on the sofa and curse dentists

2011-09-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

eeekkk has it been over a month since I posted *blush*

I have been very busy with life recently.

I'm still here, busy knitting, sewing, crocheting, I will do a longer post soon I promise!

Goose Feather pen

2011-08-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

I had an idea a while ago and I have been mulling it over for a while and today I finally got around to making it, Ladies and Gentleman I introduce to you my First even GOOSE FEATHER PEN!

I have used a Biro so you have the loveliness of writing with a goose feather but the practical side that it can be used anywhere without the need for ink, after I have tried this out for myself and got a few friends to road test them for me, I will be making a few of these to sell :)

Just popping by

2011-08-04T05:25:00.001-07:00

Just popping in, I'm sat in the car waiting for R who is chatting, its raining here at the moment but so fresh a nice change from the horrid muggy heat we have had! I have lost my mojo slightly with knitting, I am plodding along with my swallow tail, but nothing is really hitting the spot craft wise at moment,hoping that changes before long.

Well he's back so I will dissapear for now

Xx

Lucy Bag nearly finished :)

2011-07-28T04:07:00.001-07:00

Its nearly done, loose ends to sort, sew the lining in as its just pinned at the moment, but I'm in love its going to be the best shopping bag in town!!

2011-07-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't shared my pretties from Fyberspates

2011-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Cant believe I haven't showed you all this Yummy yarn from Fyberspates isn't it just yummy?

we have some yummy sparkle lace (the purple on in the first picture) what is 75% Merino, 20% silk and 5% stellina and just a hint of pixie dust ;)

The second one in the first pic is cashmere merino DK in the colour-way hedgerow and is 80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon

The third one seen in the second pic on the left is from her lucky dip and all I know is its BFL sock in colours my friend calls swampy hee hee

I just love them all and cant stop squishing them now to pick what to make I'm thinking ishbel, damson and little-leaves

My new toy

2011-07-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

sad and neglected was I, sadly no owner to use me, In a cupboard I was put, till one day I was set free. now I have pride and place in the room! what a happy sewing machine I am
Tally Toyota

Sunday night sock knitting

2011-06-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Maru Mori brought me a pair of socks that she knit with her shepherd’s hands.
Two socks as softas rabbit fur.
I thrust my feet inside them as if they were two little boxes
knit from threads of sunset and sheepskin.
My feet were two woolen fish in those outrageous socks, two gangly,
navy-blue sharks impaled on a golden thread,
two giant blackbirds, two cannons:
thus
were my feet honored by those heavenly socks.
They were so beautiful
(from poem by Pablo Neruda)

Mr Mole :)

2011-06-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing

After all that Cleaning I think Moley could do with a nice cup of tea don't you?

Miss A Playfulday Is having a fantastic giveaway

2011-06-14T02:53:00.000-07:00

Everyone Knows I love this Podcast! If you haven't already checked it out you can find her blog by clicking the >>>Icon>>> on the right of my blog...see it? Excellent

Right were was I? ahh yes! She is having a fantastic giveaway

Knitting Goddess Hand Dyed Luxury Yarns.
I reviewed the 4 ply Merino tencel but what would you love to win? To enter the giveaway please leave a comment below before Sunday 26th June 2011, telling me which sock yarn you would like to win.
- Followers of the blog get an extra entry, so add a second comment to tell me if you are a follower.
- For a third entry, leave a third comment linking to where you have promoted the giveaway elsewhere! Good luck.

For those of you who can't wait for the giveaway to be announced and have to have some Knitting Goddess Luxury yarn now, please use the code PODCAST TEN at checkout through the whole of June 2011 in order to gain 10% off all purchases on yarn (excludes yarn clubs).

Isn't that fantastic and If you love her blog as much as I do and you drop her a donation if you feel her podcast is as good as I do, and you want to help Miss A playfulday keep it going you will also be entered into :

Donation giveaway: An entry to win 2 skeins of fine alpaca from Purl Alpaca Designs for every donation until the end of July 2011. I will announce the winner on the blog and 1st Podcast in August!

What about that then two chance to win some scrummy yarn, and your helping promote/support a wonderful blog/podcast!

now off to take some photos of I am a Mole and I live in a hole...Yes its finished WHOOO

2011-06-12T01:55:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to sit down and right this blog for weeks now! its Sunday morning and everything is quiet so I might get it done!

the reason I have been so busy are these...

yup a litter of 7 Chocolate Labrador puppies 5 girls and 2 boys, a litter of two JR pups and recently a third litter of Labradors 5 Boys

I have been knitting to, on the needles at the moment I have I am a Mole and a I live in a hole, it can be found on my Rav page :)

just nipping in

2011-04-07T08:34:00.000-07:00

shhh I'm not here! just thought I would show you my first ever handmade cushion

have a great afternoon x

Lovely new pod cast

2011-04-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

Hello dears! what a beautiful spring day we are having! blue sky's, gentle breeze just glorious! my windows are open blowing in a fresh breeze, blowing away them winter cobwebs and boy they are a lot of them!

I hope were ever you are, you are having a good day! I have come across a gem of a podcast I thought I would share with you, I have her blog today via one of my knitting forums, if you would like to check her out pop over to a play ful day and introduce yourselves, you wont regret it, she has a very calming voice and enjoyed listening to the first pod cast immensely while sipping my cup of tea in the sunshine this morning.

im still working on my saroyan scarf that can be found on rav here its so nice to be working on something for me and not worrying about it getting finished and posted in time!

will have to be moving onto parents birthday presents soon, not quiet what Im making them yet so any ideas are much welcome

Im off now to enjoy this sunshine and hope you all have a great week
Tilly x

Rainy Tuesdays

2011-04-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

Good Morning on this miserable Tuesday Morning, I hope it finds you well? I'm working on something for myself for a change, the fish hats are finally finished thank god! my scarf has been on the go for ages, so hopefully as long as no one asks for something it will be finally finished HURRAAHH

Its been hard to get started this last week due to my FMS and CFS playing up, its terrible they are days I lie in bed mentally preparing myself for the pain of getting out of bed but, I look at the bigger picture of things happening in the world and get up and move

lets have a bit of a singalong- this is playing at the moment -The Killers- Human, never fails to cheer me up first thin in the morning as I sip the first cup of tea of the day.

time to pop to the postoffice have a good day what ever you may be doing dears

Tilly xx

Happy Mothers Day to all you mums

2011-04-03T02:49:00.000-07:00

Because mums are always there, through thick and thin, to wipe away our tears, and share our joys

Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful lovely mums out there

Lost in the past

2011-04-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

I have a confession - as of late I have become slightly addicted to...................well I'll just show you

yup the gorgeous troubled Mr Bates form Downton abbey played by the lovely lovely lovely Brendan Coyle (mmmmmmmmm)...I just cant get enough! I'm reading bates/anna fanfiction, these two better get it on in series two, or I will cry alot!!

apart from Bates I just the elegance it is between to eras and seems to be much softer

If you haven't seen Downton Abbey get yourself over to youtube or ITV player you will not regret it!

roll on series 2!!

2011-03-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

Hello long time now post been super busy just nipping in to show the my second fish hat ! just finished it for a friend love making these :)

Stitching

2011-02-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

Been a bit underneth the weather this last week, but have a few things to show you :) the first is a hankie I have done for a friend it is the Pi and for a friend who is called Pi reptiles :) ignore the wobbles its super zoomed in !!

I have two more Fish hats to make just waiting for the wool to arrive I do love knitting the fish hats :)

Finally managing to knit something for myself to! it can be found on Rav here im enjoying knitting this and its my "handbag" project :)

well not much to show today

Im off to get under the blanket and do some sewing, I hope you all have a great weekend :)

2011-02-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Me and R went for a wander around York today and what a day we picked! we had students making lots of noise on drums, collecting money for various charities and all dressed up in various costumes

we ducked into our favourite book shop to get away from the noise for a little bit, and enjoyed browsing, and R was very happy to find a book he hasn't got what is a challenge as we have a collection of around 600 books on wildlife and natural world!

then on the way back to the car we came across

this trooper been hard on them since the death star was scrapped ha ha

and keeping on the science fiction theme, we pass these on the way out of York and always forget to snap a pic! managed to get one on my phone this time!!

well I'm off to bed now as its been a very busy day

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2011-02-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

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When collaborating with marketers and PR professionals, I handle myself professionally and abide by basic journalistic standards.

I always present my honest opinions to the best of my ability.

I own my words. Even if I occasionally have to eat them.

2011-01-21T05:11:00.000-08:00

I needed some colour today so I have found all my favourite pictures of my bulbs last year, there just starting to peep through the soil at the moment so I'm hoping I will soon be able to open my front door and be greeted to all this colour!

I've been busy knitting and crocheting various things this week I have just finished a stripey crochet scarf for my brothers birthday, will upload some pics once I find my cable, I know its around here somewere!

I have now started on a pair of Suzies reading mitts for my friend in same colour I did mine in she liked them so much she had to have a pair!!

Im also planning a few things to sell over on Etsy just to fund my wool addiction hee hee

Right the dogs are all sat at the door giving me the puppy eyes must be time for walkies take care and

Run mad as often as you choose; but do not faint."
--Jane Austen, "Love and Freindship"

2011-01-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

Hello my darlings, I'm very happy to be able to sit down and do a post I apologise for my absence I have caught the dreaded Flu *cough* but im on the mend so I've made myself a cuppa and settled down for a couple mins here in blogland. How are we all? getting over the holidays?

I have been a busy little bee getting various things finished or started my first thing to show you tonight is my dead fish hat, It has been fun watching it take shape and its now swimming its way to my friend down south hope he likes it!!

The pattern is from Knitty and can be found here

also took the plunge and bought some Cupcake fabric to try *fingers crossed* and make myself something on the sewing machine have decided to try and make a bag even though when I saw it I did think it would make a really sweet skirt but thats a bit out of my experience so I will stick with a cut bag for now

and last picture has nothing to do with knitting or sewing but I just Love these tights, Im normally a fleece and jeans girl but im having a change this week and have a piny dress on and these woonderful tights

New Year

2011-01-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year !

Did we all have a good night?

my New Year was very quiet as me and rich both have cold *sniff* but it was nice to lay on the sofa and just relax :)

This Year I have wrote myself 8 goals what I would like to complete by this time next year

(1) Get Dreads-- Hoping this one will be done on my birthday :)

(2) lose weight- with my illness my weight really has crept up and I need to lose them its not going to be easy with my will power!!

(3) knit myself a cardi- have already done one for my mum but I would like to do a second

(4) get to grips with sewing machine- I really really really want to be able to make pretty things I am going to start with a patch work

...(5) do at least two cross stitches- hope I have time

(6) Open my own Etsy Shop- fingers crossed

(7) organise this house-haaa haaaa we will see on this one!

(8) eat more fruit and try and get pains to a point were I feel more human)

(9) try to cook or bake some different things

Late Christmas Wishes

2010-12-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

I hope we all had a good Christmas? Mine was Lovely except for laptop decided not to work anymore *sniff* but thanks to my lovely lovely Neighbour it is now working enough for me to use! My needles wear flying right up to xmas Eve but I did manage to get everything finished

Everything went down well and fitted like it should *phew*

I had a lovely day at the parents on Christmas day and got the best present ever a sewing maching, shes only little but I can see us having many happy hours together... well once I learn how to work her!!

I leave you with a poem I found

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas
and all around me
Was unfinished knitting not under the tree.
The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care
‘cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
but I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep; he was no help at all,
And the sweater for him was six inches too small.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.
Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash.

The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how much I still had to go.
Out on my lawn, I heard such a noise,
I thought it would wake both dad and the boys.

And though I was tired, my brain was a bit thick,
I knew in a moment, it must be Saint Nick.
But what I heard then left me perplexed-ed,
For not a name I heard was what I had expected

“move, Ashford; move, Lopi; move, Addie and Clover Move, Reynolds;
move, Starmore; move, Fraylic--move over”
“Paton, don’t circle round; stand in line.
Come now, you sheep wool work just fine!
I know this is hard, it’s just your first year,
I’d hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer.”

I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing,
Eight woolly sheep on my lawn all a’grazing.
And then, in a twinkle, I heard at
the door Santa’s feet coming across the porch floor.

I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,
And as I turned round, Saint Nick, I did meet.
He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe
And his clothes were handknit from above to below.

A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back,
and his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.
His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace,
A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.

The scarf round his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.
The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable,
And suddenly on one I spied a small label.

SC was duplicate stitched on the cuff,
and I asked “Hey Nick, did you knit all this stuff?”
He proudly replied “Ho-ho-ho, yes I did,
I learned how to knit when I was a kid.”

He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself for I’d thought up a plan,.
I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew he was tied to a chair.

He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap
Where I’d laid my needles and yarn for a cap.
He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two;
For the first time I thought I’d really get through.

He put heels on the stockings and toes in some socks
While I sat back drinking Scotch on the rocks!!
So quickly like magic, his needles they flew,
That he was all finished by quarter to two.

He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me.
And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon
“Next year start your knitting sometime around June!”

Author unknown

A special Happy Birthday

2010-12-16T10:06:00.000-08:00

Today 235 years ago Jane Austen was born, My all time favourite Author I had to do a special Blog post to everything Austen

Jane Austen was born In Steventon Rectory on the 16th Dec 1775, and is one of the best known Novelist she was educated in Cambridge and we were nearly robbed of her works in 1783 when Jane and her sister contracted Typhus and nearly died!

Her most famous work is of course Pride and Prejudice with the very dishy Mr Darcy, I have myself had a Love affair with Mr Darcy for neigh on 18 years after I first read Pride and prejudice when I was 10 years old, ever since the book has never been far away and currently lives beside my bed!

Who cant love the proud Mr Darcy and the Lively Elizabeth Bennet!

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

Next for me is the Handsome Mr Knightly In Emma who Doesn't Love Friends becoming Lovers, just look at Monica and Chandelier In Friends!

“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”

oo who doesn't dream of there own Mr Knightly

So Happy Birthday Jane! and without you my life would be ever so Boring as I wouldn't get to dream my nights away with Knightly, Wentworth and Darcy !!

2010-12-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

Good Afternoon everyone from a very very cold East Yorkshire, down to Minus 12 last night and were around minus 8 at the moment! I would be loving it if I had a lovely warm house to come to when I have been out but I dont! my boiler is broken and they are taking a ever such long time to come and fix it! getting tempted to get chimney sweep out to clean the open fire so we can at least use that!

Im stil beavering away with christmas presents but had a break for a coupe of days as I had my first order, someone at R's work wanted three doing I was so thrilled she wanted them it made me very happy as I never think my sewing is good enough for anyone to want!

I hope you all had a great weekend Sunday was out monthly trip over to York for a Reptile Meeting, before it starts we always go the Black bull what is a sizzler restaurant and mmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmm its always good! I came out feeling very full and happy and with unlimited refills of tea I was even happier!

My FMS is playing up this week think its the cold, I am feeling very sorry for myself but taking my mind off it with knitting myself a pretty little scarf/shawl I have linked to the pattern on Ravelry here its very nice and I'm enjoying knitting it will pop some pictures up when they is more to look at :)

If anyone is interested the doggie is Locke who is 10months old and is a Northern Inuit and a good but a bit big now foot warmer I have had him since he was 7 weeks old when he looked like this..must warn you will go AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Keep warm my darlings
Tilly

Tag your it

2010-12-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

Tag from here

Be extremely beautiful or extremely intelligent?

-extremely intelligent

Go without brushing your teeth for a year or go without washing your hair for a year?

-go without washing my hair!

Be Rich or Famous?

- Rich

Have an amazing shoe collection or an amazing makeup collection?

-shoes!

Be able to sing or be able to dance?

-Sing!

Be stranded on a Desert Island or in the Desert?

-Desert Island!

Have a Computer or a TV?

- Computer :)

Wear spots or stripes for the rest of your life?

- Spots!

Drink out of a Teacup or a Mug?

-Tea Cup mainly unless I need a big tea fix then mug

Receive a bunch of Flowers or a box of chocolates?

-Bunch of Flowers

Have a hug or a Kiss from someone you love?

-Hugs are always the best :)

Wear Converse or Stilettos?

-Converse all the way!

Meet Johnny Depp or Robert Pattinson?

- Johnny Depp

Be a Fairy or a Mermaid?

-Fairy!!

A Coffee or a Cup of Tea?

-Cup of tea and has to be Yorkshire tea :)

Pink nails or Blue nails?

-I dont have nails (I bite) but Blue

Live somewhere sunny or somwhere cold?

-Cold I would love Canada

Have an amazing house or an amazing car?

- Amazing house :)

Be kind or funny?

- Kind :)

Eat Sweets or Cake?

-Cake (carrot please)

Hold a Tarantula or a Snake?

-Snake definately! even though I own both!

that's one of mine;)

Wear a neclace or a ring?

-Ring

Laugh or Smile?

-Smile

Be hated or be a hater?

- Hated

Wear Pearls or Beads?

-Pearls

If you had to choose,lose your sight or your hearing?

-Hearing :(

Have lots of money or lots of friends?

-Friends :)

Love or be loved?

- Love :)

Lots of Snow

2010-11-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is delightful, and since we have no place to go let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2010-11-27T04:46:00.000-08:00

Good Morning from a very white East Yorkshire, we've had a little bit of snow fall during night we have a couple of inches with more due over weekend and next week.

Im not complaining though as I love snow!! I blame it on growing up in the Highlands of Scotland I get like a little kid when snow is predicted!

I'm slowly working through my xmas list and on the needles at the moment is my dads sock in Kingcole, first one was finished in the early hours of last night and I'm now casting on the second I'm trying to beat second sock syndrome, for some reason the second sock alwasy seems take longer, anyone else suffer from SSS ?

Have a great weekend and keep warm everyone!!

Tilly xx

yucky weather you stink!

2010-11-24T04:13:00.000-08:00

Its Horrible, dull and damp here in East Yorkshire today its very sad, I don't mind a crisp cold, but this damp cold really gets into my joints and causes me all kinds of problems, but never fear I'm not going to spend a whole post moaning

I thought this post I would explain why I go by the name Tilly were in fact my name is Clare...

well for as long as I can remember its been a family nickname for me Tilly Marie, I don't know where it came from there is rumours its after the book Tilly trotter by Catherine Cookson, as I have long curly brown hair, and Im a bit of tomboy, but its always been Tilly and I actually prefer it to Clare, so that's why on forums, and blogs I'm Tilly

while I'm doing a post totally not on crafting I will also tell you about FMS, I was diagnosed last year when my health took a huge nose dive, actually it crashed and burned into a side of a mountain then nose dived into the ground! I went from cycling to work 7 miles each way, walking my dogs, 4 miles each day and beating for local shoots on the hilliest parts of Yorkshire, to not been able to walk without aide, not been able to walk some days at all, feeling exhausted, and been in constant pain, Im hoping one day I will be able to get back to the normal me, but its going to be a long hard slug.

It was actually due to my health that I took up Kniiting again as it keeps my brain busy when my body cant cope with it :)

Sorry for rambling but thought I would cast some light on who I am :)

Thanks for reading
Tilly

quick post

2010-11-20T02:54:00.000-08:00

OK a quick post I really shoulnt be on here so ssshhhhhhh. But I HAD to show you my soap!! Its made from the left overs of Bio dieseal, what is boiled and played with just like chemistry at school, till you get this

TAAA DDAAAHHHH

this one smells of lavander it now needs leaving for a week to set properly, then it will be wrapped up and given to realtives and friends for christmas :)

better be off before R find me on computer have a good day my lovelies

Tilly xxx

time to start thinking about Christmas

2010-11-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, cinnamon lattes, getting wrapped up warm, Christmas markets, card writing....

I'm working down my Christmas list at the moment will get some photos sorted when I find my camera has to be around here somewhere!

Have a great weekend

Tilly x

today Im mainly

2010-11-12T04:58:00.000-08:00

sewing! these are my grandad's initials what I have sewn onto a hankie I'm doing the same for my other grandad to :)

Current works in progress

2010-11-11T10:57:00.000-08:00

I really havent been keeping this up to date and I apolgise my FMS has been very bad and I just want to hide myself away when its this bad but the pain has gone back to normal every day pain, I have been crafting (keeping me sane)

The first pic is of a lavander bag for my grannies xmas present I have not sewn anything for around 10 years so Im quite pleased with this little bag

But it now has me itching to do more, so for both Grandads I'm going to hankies with names on :) think a sewing machine might be in my future to!

second thing to show today is my mums scarf Im just loving it very easy pattern for a great effect its a rav pattern but can be found on this blog for non Rav users http://www.spudandchloe.com/blog/2010/01/leaf-free-pattern/

Havea great Weekend everyone I will try and post sunday

Clare xx

remembrance day

2010-11-11T04:54:00.000-08:00

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Well Mother nature must have heard me!!

2010-10-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

Well Mother Nature must have heard me moaning! This morning it was cold, and the leaves had started falling YAYYY

Actually tonight is very cold I think they will be a frost in the morning first of the season!

I'm now off to get cuddled under my blanket and do a few rows of crochet blanket number two, Have a wonderful evening everyone xx

Autumn

2010-10-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

Am I mistaken are we not in October? shouldn't we be well into Autumn? shouldn't I be crunching through the leaves of orange and gold, as I walk the dogs? seems very late this year, I am still seeing swallows and butterflies!

Were in the middle of a huge house clear out, we keep reptiles and have quite a few empty Vivs so were sending them down to a friends farm to go in his barn, so everything is gettinga good tidy and de clutter! Just wish we could find a new house now, we really really need to move.

New layout

2010-10-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

What do you think of the new layout, I've been doing some decorating thanks to shabby blogs, I love it very very much :)

Saturday was going well till about half hour ago but we wont go into it just say I could Kill R about now!

I have finally started my second crochet blanket I love the wool, so soft and snugly and cheap to! its stylecraft DK and I got it from here Special DK 100g

Hope your all having a great Saturday :)

Nearly done!

2010-10-04T02:59:00.000-07:00

Seem to be doing this for ages but it is HUGE Nearly done now just got the edging to do :)

a Ta-dah moment

2010-10-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

A quick post as my bed is calling me but I had to show you before I went up the final finished fingerless gloves and Cowl set I LOVE them so soft and warm!

Ignore the slightly tired looking me it's quiet late and I was feeling less than awake hee hee

Night Night my lovelies and thanks for looking xx

Sleep hath its own world, A boundary between the things misnamed Death and existence: Sleep hath its own world, And a wide realm of wild reality, And dreams in their development have breath, And tears and tortures, and the touch of joy. Lord Byron

Still raining!

2010-10-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the moldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the moldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

Still Raining here, think Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem sums it up completely, I'm buried under my blanket knitting way, listening to the wind and rain outside, I wish I had a conservatory to hide in and listen to the rain landing on the glass, I find it very relaxing:)

Horrible rainy day

2010-10-01T05:31:00.000-07:00

This is My motto for today "Stay Calm" I am a little bit frazzled around the edges, its also raining and bleak, looks like we have jumped straight into winter and missed Autumn, I hope we get a few nice days Autumn is my favourite season of them all, picking berries making jams and sloe gins, rustling through the leaves falling, collecting conkers....

As Summer into Autumn slips
And yet we sooner say
"The Summer" than "the Autumn," lest
We turn the sun away,

And almost count it an Affront
The presence to concede
Of one however lovely, not
The one that we have loved --

So we evade the charge of Years
On one attempting shy
The Circumvention of the Shaft
Of Life's Declivity.

2010-09-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

I am tired! sat here just looked at clock and it's nearly 11pm when did it happen did I blink and Miss Thursday? I am finally managing a few rows of knitting of the Cabled feather cowl before my bed starts calling my name, need to finish it as its part of the set I'm knitting for my Cousin's Christmas present, I think I have already shown you the Fingerless gloves, in lovely 100% merino I am VERY tempted to keep these myself!

Now my dears I hear my bed calling and I leave with you with one of my favourite Lord Byron poems well just the start of it

HE walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

First Xmas Present finished

2010-09-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

So happy to have the first one done A quick post as I'm off to physio In a min that should be fun HA! but heres a pic of my lovely 100% Merino "fecthing" fingerless gloves!

Vintage

2010-09-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Late 1800's Lady

I was reading Tilly Rose Blog and her wonderful article about the age gone by from the elgant 1850's to the swinging 20's and the whole elegance of the eras, in todays world its jeans and t shirts then it was pretty knitted items and hand sewn dresses, what happened when did we stop spending the time on ourselfs?

I mean look at this lady <<< very elegant, don't you think? For me the draw is the Romance of the time gone by I LOVE the elegant dresses, the fine crocheted shawls. the beautifully decorated hats

Early 1800's

So what's stopping us girls putting some elegance back into our days? It could be something as simple as a beautifully hand knitted Lace scarf, or even a gorgeous scrummy capelet like this wonderful lady is wearing

So come on girls lets bring some Vintage into our days!

Friday Blues

2010-09-10T04:14:00.000-07:00

There's a sort of blue mood over the household today, R has had a bad time at work with the guy he works with (i could turn the air blue with words about him!)

Im Hoping this mood will lift soon and we can finally see sunshine and happier times ahead, please send lots of good vibes that we can sort out to move to the house of our dreams! till then Im hiding under my crochet blanket and im not coming out!

snapdragon Fliptop Mits

2010-09-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Im Just loving these! they are going to bring some sunshine when the winter days arrive, these were supposed to be for my Cousin....But...... I think I will keep this pair and do a second pair for my cousin hee hee

feeling sorry for myself after my second trip to dentist, had to have my tooth numbed and drilled out due to infection, fingers crossed I wont have the pain I have had the last week!

Clare

2010-08-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

well what a busy couple of days I have had, finally managed to get enough energy up to give the garden a good clean! they were so many nettles I have no idea were they came from but they have been chopped, hacked and stamped into submission!

Now its time to tackle what used to be a lawn and is now a dust bath!!

the puppies are a week old now were does the time go, wont be long before they are driving me mad and I will be wishing them gone, but when they do go to new mummies and daddies I always feel sad and the hours very quiet :)

Im not very good at this blogging lark am I

2010-07-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Not that anyone reads it but I wanted it to be a kind of diary of how my knitting progresses

I joined in one of the knitting swaps on a forum I am a member off, well more of a lurker most of the time! the swap was "Afternoon Tea" so to my swap I sent the following: knitted tea cosy taken from a pattern I found on Rav called rosie posy tea cosy, a white tea pot, 50 afternoon tea bags, a bar of scrummy choc, 2 balls of pure merino and a sheepy mug :) swapee liked it what was a big pphhewwww from me!

Now waiting for my swap to arrive cant wait !

Feb Lady Sweater/cardi

2010-06-30T05:22:00.000-07:00

Been a while since i last posted mainly due to fact i broke my leg! but has meant more knitting time heres my gorgoeus lovely FLS cant wait to finish this!

WIP on a rainy saturday afternoon

2010-05-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

what a typical bank hoilday weekend! RAIN RAIN RAIN but im not grumbling as meant i got a day of knitting and plenty of tea drinking!

First work in project is this HUGE crochet throw im doing for my bed its a long time project and is around 400 stitches long

and this is my FLS so so pleased with this

Painful wednesdays

2010-05-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

Havent posted in a while everythings is ticking along as normal, were finally enjoying some sunshine so have started to tidy up the back garden so it looks less like a mud pit and more like a garden, was going well to i busted my knee its very painful and having to hobble on my crutches typical! dos mean i have more knitting and crocething time, i have two things on the go at teh moment the first is my LFS and yes i did split the sleeves very pleased with myself! second is a nice no brainer trebble blanket just rows after rows, using up all the spare bits of yarn I ave laying around

sorry for all the typos Im a bit high with pain med lol

Peace at last

2010-05-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

after a busy day finally time to sit down and have some knitting time, pic is off the start of my FLC what is now much further on done two buttons just one more button hole and 13 rows before i move onto the next part, really enjoying this lefts hope it is wearable when finished!

As its been a nice day I planted my lupin seeds and there now on my window sill, tomatoes are still alive and hopefully will reover from there shaky start

Hoping you all have had a good day Clare xx

Lazy Sunday Mornings

2010-05-02T02:57:00.000-07:00

dont you love a lazy Sunday! everything peaceful, a nice bug cup of tea, and radio two bliss! after been busy yesterday I did manage to cast off my baby blanket its finally done! cast on FLC had to make two new stitch markers as it said to use 6 but its actually 8 and i only have 6, now sorted and i'm now on row 6 the start of the button hole, fingers crossed it goes well. will update with pictures when they is more to see :)

my lettuce seeds are peeping through the soil they have come up quickly they must like my kitchen windowsill.. sadly my tomatoes seem to have a problem :-( the edges of the leaves have curled im hoping they pull through!

Today's picture is of my lovely apple tree in the front garden it is full of blossom this year :)

Clare x

Happy May day!

2010-05-01T03:10:00.000-07:00

1st of May hasn't it come around quickly, did many people get up to watch sunrise? I was up with the larks was a lovely morning and me and the dogs took a walk to welcome may in was lovely as no one around at 5am best time of the day i say! now home with a nice big cuppa while I browse the forums and blogs and do some knitting :) while listening to Jonathan Ross on Radio two

today's plan is finish of my heart baby blanket so i can cast of cardi still very nervous think they may be lots of frogging in my future but you never know but as my little pic says ...If life was easy..where would all the adventures be?

right of I go finish this blanket off have a lovely bank hoilday weekend Clare xx

wednesday madness

2010-04-30T04:26:00.000-07:00

well its turned into Friday laziness as we have had a very busy couple of days. with the nice weather I decided to get into the garden and start sorting it out after the bad winter, going to take some doing but hopefully in a a few more days it will be more garden and less mud hole!!

I bought my tumbling tom tomatoes for the hanging baskets so out of the way the dogs and easy to pick, Now all I need is my strawberries and I will be a happy girl!!

Had to show you my gorgoeus Tulips again they make me smile every time I walk out my door and see them!

MY new needles have arrived so I have everything I need to cast on Feb Lady cardi, just need to take the leap its very scarey!!Bye for now Clare xx

Sunny Tuesday afternoons

2010-04-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

been a glorious day today sun shining today has been a good day, finally picked wool for my cardi got to love Boyes £1.35 for 100g!! pictures doesn't do it justice its a lovely green/blue just what I wanted!

so now just waiting for my Delivery of the needles i need and this weekend I will cast on and start my first major project, I'm scared and excited all at once!!!

Finally some pics from my garden this afternoon

2010-04-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

been a while since I have posted on here, been busy with one thing or other, I am not planning on starting my first big project! I have wanted to do something more than gloves, hats and blankets so I took the plunge and have decided to knit Feburary Lady Cardi what can be found on Rav, its designed for larger woman so is perfect, cant wait to cast it on!

Baby blanket

2010-01-25T07:54:00.000-08:00

Coming along nicely tend to do this relaxing on a evening watching tv as no brain power is needed!

2010-01-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

Second square getting slightly better!

First attempt at crocheting

2010-01-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

I am very proud of myself one of my new year resoultions was to learn to crochet welll

T DAAHHH my first every piece of crochet it is a square but will be blocking, I am very proud of it and hope it will soon have lots of friends so it can be made into a nice warm blanket

I wouldnt have been able to do it if it wasnt for this wonderful tutorial on one of my favorite blogs

http://doyoumindifiknit.typepad.com/do_you_mind_if_i_knit/2009/05/crochetpatterns.html

If it can teach this woman to crochet it can teach anyone!

Apart from Crocheting I am mid way between finishing a pair of Knitty.coms dashing armwarmers in purple for a friend

and a few rows into this http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/babyafheart.htm for a friend who has a baby due in March

2009-12-30T01:13:00.001-08:00

you know when you have finally got all comfy in bed and its nice just to lay there comfy and relaxed that was me at 6am, then woodie (black labrador) started to bark woodie NEVER barks unless something is wrong, I was out of bed, dressed (kind off one sock on and jumper on inside out) and into the garden in about 10secs flat, richards Call ducks had decided that they wanted to run around in the garden and not in there pen and were walking in front of woodies kennel blooming things.

its now 09:13 and I am trully utterly tired out, but on a good note I have got lots of knitting done

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow

2009-12-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

East Yorkshire is covered in snow, I love how it makes everything look so beautiful from the trees to the roof tops, and the silence that is brings I love nothing more than getting wrapped up and walking the dogs early in morning nothing around and soo quiet.

I have finally finished my arm warmers for my dad heres the proof I like them so much I am now Knitting myself a pair!

first attempt of cable to took a while to get my head around but I love the affect

ssqquuueeaalllllll

2009-12-15T07:59:00.000-08:00

I am so over excited its unbelievable and no its not because christmas next week, no because finally after 4 years of looking we might have finally found out dream home wwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

its a lovely little bungalow with a couple of acres and lots and lots of trees!

cup of tea anyone

2009-12-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

Treated myself to a new huge cup for my tea.... just perfect size to have while knitting

Peaches and cream 100% cotton in a lovely rose pink the finishing touch for my Mums Xmas present will become a a Butterfly face cloth to go with the lovely homemade soap .... its so nice I want one!!!

New Calander

2009-12-05T14:55:00.000-08:00

A nice new calendar for 2010, Most popular Monte Picture nice hey and a bargain to £1!

and fact about Monet

main focus of Monet's artistic production during the last thirty years of his life. Many of the works were painted while Monet suffered from cataracts

Update on Chi Scarf

2009-12-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

Some pics of the my ickle dog scarf still a few bits to do but its coming along, cant wait till see them on the dogs there for!

Scarves for dogs you bet!

2009-12-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

My friend has two lovely Chi's (chihuahua's) and the get cold around the neck apparently when there out in there coats ...so I am knitting them two tiny ickle Chi scarves, will update with pictures once I have finished them and they have been received but heres a pic of one of them :)

Other than dog scarves I have decided my terracotta plant pots are borning, so gong to make some stripey pot holders to jazz them up a little

Current work in progress

2009-12-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

these are what I am knitting at the moment as you will tell from the posts before I have had trouble with the cables, finally got the hang of them and I hope soon they will be armwarmers

the pattern is from Knitty Spring 2007 and are called dashing, they have been frustrating but now I am glad I carried on with them and they are coming along nicely

I might even knit myself a pair of these once I have finished these

diaster

2009-12-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

Note to self DO NOT EAT NEAR KNITTING just spilt sweet and sour sauce on them now need to wash it gently still on the needles..........

various pictures

2009-12-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

pheww

2009-12-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

seem to have cable down now, *fingers crossed* armwarmers are now coming along nicely so might be a chance they will be finished for crimbo and not buried in my "to frog" box!

Found a great and addicting blog makes me want to try crocheting just so I can make the little birds! heres the link http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/page/4/ dont blame me if you spend hours reading it heehee

getting more used to my camoille tea now have to admit it does help me sleep even if for the first week it was eewwwwwww

going to go back and snuggle under my blanket and spend the afternoon knitting

I HAtE CABLES

2009-11-29T13:52:00.000-08:00

RRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE CCAABBBLLLEEESSSSS

now I have got that of my chest , what is with them, were they made to check how far a knitter can throw there knitting needles, to make me more grey than gran at 28? they look good but why are they so hard, is it just me or am I just been totally utterly dim?

I mean I am only trying to do this pattern http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTdashing.html i cant see why I am making such a hash of it

coming back to life

2009-11-08T07:35:00.001-08:00

three weeks of sneezing coughing and winging none stop I am finally starting to feel like a person I hate been Ill !!

yar from granny

2009-10-22T03:14:00.000-07:00

Just got a parcel from my Granny full of Yarn has one ball of Rowan what hopefully in the near future will be this http://racheliufer.blogspot.com/2007/10/robins-egg-blue-hat.html

2009-10-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

bloody laptop is broken screen keeps falling off great fun!

missing my Senna cant wait for her to come home, lets hops she comes home with a belly full of puppies

finshed my shalw

2009-10-20T14:22:00.001-07:00

what a day

2009-10-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

what a day went over to take Manchester to take my friend the puppy I have given them, they are made up with him and he has settled in all ready bless him. dropped senna to be mated but she wasnt playing ball she has stayed over for a few dirty days!

from Manchester we went to pick up some show standard mice there HUGE! but gorgeous fingers crossed for lots of pretty babies eventually

and the rant of the day?

DANGEROUS drivers, is it really worth risking yours and someones elses life for a couple of seconds? twice today I have seen someone driving really dangerous and within half a mile 27 drivers with no seatbelts, after losing a cousin at 15 due to someone driving to fast it really makes me angry

DONT RISK IT LIFE IS WORTH MORE THAN GETTING SOMEWERE A COUPLE OF SECONDS QUICKER

2009-10-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

mmm What to knit friend has a baby girl due in Febuary and want to knit something as have a lot of baby white yarn, but what to knit! I better get my thinking cap on!

as for the random bumblebee pic I just love them, if it was not for them we wouldn't be here any more, there are beautiful and need our help

so do your bit for bees, simply but planting bee friendly plants like the budleah commonly known as the butterfly bush, and also what this bee is collecting pollen from in the pic

knitting fills my days, not to mention the living room, bedroom, and closets.

2009-10-16T05:23:00.000-07:00

Knitting for me is just not the pride of making something, or seeing it come together, knitting for me is therapy, it takes my mind of the pain and lets my brain shut down.

I can sit in my favortie chair in the corner, needles in my hands and for a while forget the stress and pains of daily life.

Knitting is the best therapy ...

so how many have you read

2009-10-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

1. Don Quixote Miguel De Cervantes
The story of the gentle knight and his servant Sancho Panza has entranced readers for centuries.
Buy Don Quixote at Amazon.co.uk

2. Pilgrim's Progress John Bunyan
The one with the Slough of Despond and Vanity Fair.
Buy Pilgrim's Progress at Amazon.co.uk

3. Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe
The first English novel.
Buy Robinson Crusoe at Amazon.co.uk

4. Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift READ
A wonderful satire that still works for all ages, despite the savagery of Swift's vision.
Buy Gulliver's Travels at Amazon.co.uk

5. Tom Jones Henry Fielding READ
The adventures of a high-spirited orphan boy: an unbeatable plot and a lot of sex ending in a blissful marriage.
Buy Tom Jones at Amazon.co.uk

6. Clarissa Samuel Richardson
One of the longest novels in the English language, but unputdownable.
Buy Clarissa at Amazon.co.uk

7. Tristram Shandy Laurence Sterne
One of the first bestsellers, dismissed by Dr Johnson as too fashionable for its own good.
Buy Tristram Shandy at Amazon.co.uk

8. Dangerous Liaisons Pierre Choderlos De Laclos
An epistolary novel and a handbook for seducers: foppish, French, and ferocious.
Buy Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Amazon.co.uk

9. Emma Jane AustenREAD
Near impossible choice between this and Pride and Prejudice. But Emma never fails to fascinate and annoy.
Buy Emma at Amazon.co.uk

10. Frankenstein Mary Shelley READ
Inspired by spending too much time with Shelley and Byron.
Buy Frankenstein at Amazon.co.uk

11. Nightmare Abbey Thomas Love Peacock
A classic miniature: a brilliant satire on the Romantic novel.
Buy Nightmare Abbey at Amazon.co.uk

12. The Black Sheep Honore De Balzac
Two rivals fight for the love of a femme fatale. Wrongly overlooked.
Buy The Black Sheep at Amazon.co.uk

13. The Charterhouse of Parma Stendhal
Penetrating and compelling chronicle of life in an Italian court in post-Napoleonic France.
Buy The Charterhouse of Parma at Amazon.co.uk

14. The Count of Monte Cristo Alexandre Dumas
A revenge thriller also set in France after Bonaparte: a masterpiece of adventure writing.
Buy The Count of Monte Cristo at Amazon.co.uk

15. Sybil Benjamin Disraeli
Apart from Churchill, no other British political figure shows literary genius.
Buy Sybil at Amazon.co.uk

16. David Copperfield Charles DickensREAD
This highly autobiographical novel is the one its author liked best.
Buy David Copperfield at Amazon.co.uk

17. Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte READ
Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff have passed into the language. Impossible to ignore.
Buy Wuthering Heights at Amazon.co.uk

18. Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte READREADREADREAD
Obsessive emotional grip and haunting narrative.
Buy Jane Eyre at Amazon.co.uk

19. Vanity Fair William Makepeace Thackeray
The improving tale of Becky Sharp.
Buy Vanity Fair at Amazon.co.uk

20. The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne
A classic investigation of the American mind.
Buy The Scarlet Letter at Amazon.co.uk

21. Moby-Dick Herman MelvilleREAD
'Call me Ishmael' is one of the most famous opening sentences of any novel.
Buy Moby-Dick at Amazon.co.uk

22. Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert READ
You could summarise this as a story of adultery in provincial France, and miss the point entirely.
Buy Madame Bovary at Amazon.co.uk

23. The Woman in White Wilkie Collins
Gripping mystery novel of concealed identity, abduction, fraud and mental cruelty.
Buy The Woman in White at Amazon.co.uk

24. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland Lewis Carroll READ
A story written for the nine-year-old daughter of an Oxford don that still baffles most kids.
Buy Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at Amazon.co.uk

25. Little Women Louisa M. Alcott READ
Victorian bestseller about a New England family of girls.
Buy Little Women at Amazon.co.uk

26. The Way We Live Now Anthony Trollope
A majestic assault on the corruption of late Victorian England.
Buy The Way We Live Now at Amazon.co.uk

27. Anna Karenina Leo Tolstoy
The supreme novel of the married woman's passion for a younger man.
Buy Anna Karenina at Amazon.co.uk

28. Daniel Deronda George Eliot
A passion and an exotic grandeur that is strange and unsettling.
Buy Daniel Deronda at Amazon.co.uk

29. The Brothers Karamazov Fyodor Dostoevsky
Mystical tragedy by the author of Crime and Punishment.
Buy The Brothers Karamazov at Amazon.co.uk

30. The Portrait of a Lady Henry James
The story of Isabel Archer shows James at his witty and polished best.
Buy The Portrait of a Lady at Amazon.co.uk

31. Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
Twain was a humorist, but this picture of Mississippi life is profoundly moral and still incredibly influential.
Buy Huckleberry Finn at Amazon.co.uk

32. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson READ
A brilliantly suggestive, resonant study of human duality by a natural storyteller.
Buy Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde at Amazon.co.uk

33. Three Men in a Boat Jerome K. Jerome
One of the funniest English books ever written.
Buy Three Men in a Boat at Amazon.co.uk

34. The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde
A coded and epigrammatic melodrama inspired by his own tortured homosexuality.
Buy The Picture of Dorian Gray at Amazon.co.uk

35. The Diary of a Nobody George Grossmith
This classic of Victorian suburbia will always be renowned for the character of Mr Pooter.
Buy The Diary of a Nobody at Amazon.co.uk

36. Jude the Obscure Thomas Hardy
Its savage bleakness makes it one of the first twentieth-century novels.
Buy Jude the Obscure at Amazon.co.uk

37. The Riddle of the Sands Erskine Childers
A prewar invasion-scare spy thriller by a writer later shot for his part in the Irish republican rising.
Buy The Riddle of the Sands at Amazon.co.uk

38. The Call of the Wild Jack London
The story of a dog who joins a pack of wolves after his master's death.
Buy The Call of the Wild at Amazon.co.uk

39. Nostromo Joseph Conrad
Conrad's masterpiece: a tale of money, love and revolutionary politics.
Buy Nostromo at Amazon.co.uk

40. The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame READ
This children's classic was inspired by bedtime stories for Grahame's son.
Buy The Wind in the Willows at Amazon.co.uk

41. In Search of Lost Time Marcel Proust
An unforgettable portrait of Paris in the belle epoque. Probably the longest novel on this list.
Buy In Search of Lost Time at Amazon.co.uk

42. The Rainbow D. H. Lawrence
Novels seized by the police, like this one, have a special afterlife.
Buy The Rainbow at Amazon.co.uk

43. The Good Soldier Ford Madox Ford
This account of the adulterous lives of two Edwardian couples is a classic of unreliable narration.
Buy The Good Soldier at Amazon.co.uk

44. The Thirty-Nine Steps John Buchan
A classic adventure story for boys, jammed with action, violence and suspense.
Buy The Thirty-Nine Steps at Amazon.co.uk

45. Ulysses James Joyce
Also pursued by the British police, this is a novel more discussed than read.
Buy Ulysses at Amazon.co.uk

46. Mrs Dalloway Virginia Woolf
Secures Woolf's position as one of the great twentieth-century English novelists.
Buy Mrs Dalloway at Amazon.co.uk

47. A Passage to India E. M. Forster
The great novel of the British Raj, it remains a brilliant study of empire.
Buy A Passage to India at Amazon.co.uk

48. The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
The quintessential Jazz Age novel.
Buy The Great Gatsby at Amazon.co.uk

49. The Trial Franz Kafka
The enigmatic story of Joseph K.
Buy The Trial at Amazon.co.uk

50. Men Without Women Ernest Hemingway
He is remembered for his novels, but it was the short stories that first attracted notice.
Buy Men Without Women at Amazon.co.uk

51. Journey to the End of the Night Louis-Ferdinand Celine
The experiences of an unattractive slum doctor during the Great War: a masterpiece of linguistic innovation.
Buy Journey to the End of the Night at Amazon.co.uk

52. As I Lay Dying William Faulkner
A strange black comedy by an American master.
Buy As I Lay Dying at Amazon.co.uk

53. Brave New World Aldous Huxley
Dystopian fantasy about the world of the seventh century AF (after Ford).
Buy Brave New World at Amazon.co.uk

54. Scoop Evelyn Waugh
The supreme Fleet Street novel.
Buy Scoop at Amazon.co.uk

55. USA John Dos Passos
An extraordinary trilogy that uses a variety of narrative devices to express the story of America.
Buy USA at Amazon.co.uk

56. The Big Sleep Raymond Chandler
Introducing Philip Marlowe: cool, sharp, handsome - and bitterly alone.
Buy The Big Sleep at Amazon.co.uk

57. The Pursuit Of Love Nancy Mitford
An exquisite comedy of manners with countless fans.
Buy The Pursuit of Love at Amazon.co.uk

58. The Plague Albert Camus
A mysterious plague sweeps through the Algerian town of Oran.
Buy The Plague at Amazon.co.uk

59. Nineteen Eighty-Four George Orwell
This tale of one man's struggle against totalitarianism has been appropriated the world over.
Buy Nineteen Eighty-Four at Amazon.co.uk

60. Malone Dies Samuel Beckett
Part of a trilogy of astonishing monologues in the black comic voice of the author of Waiting for Godot.
Buy Malone Dies at Amazon.co.uk

61. Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
A week in the life of Holden Caulfield. A cult novel that still mesmerises.
Buy Catcher in the Rye at Amazon.co.uk

62. Wise Blood Flannery O'Connor
A disturbing novel of religious extremism set in the Deep South.
Buy Wise Blood at Amazon.co.uk

63. Charlotte's Web E. B. White READ
How Wilbur the pig was saved by the literary genius of a friendly spider.
Buy Charlotte's Web at Amazon.co.uk

64. The Lord Of The Rings J. R. R. TolkienREAD
Enough said!
Buy The Lord of the Rings at Amazon.co.uk

65. Lucky Jim Kingsley Amis
An astonishing debut: the painfully funny English novel of the Fifties.
Buy Lucky Jim at Amazon.co.uk

66. Lord of the Flies William Golding
Schoolboys become savages: a bleak vision of human nature.
Buy Lord of the Flies at Amazon.co.uk

67. The Quiet American Graham Greene
Prophetic novel set in 1950s Vietnam.
Buy The Quiet American at Amazon.co.uk

68 On the Road Jack Kerouac
The Beat Generation bible.
Buy On the Road at Amazon.co.uk

69. Lolita Vladimir Nabokov READ
Humbert Humbert's obsession with Lolita is a tour de force of style and narrative.
Buy Lolita at Amazon.co.uk

70. The Tin Drum Gunter Grass
Hugely influential, Rabelaisian novel of Hitler's Germany.
Buy The Tin Drum at Amazon.co.uk

71. Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe
Nigeria at the beginning of colonialism. A classic of African literature.
Buy Things Fall Apart at Amazon.co.uk

72. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Muriel Spark
A writer who made her debut in The Observer - and her prose is like cut glass.
Buy The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at Amazon.co.uk

73. To Kill A Mockingbird Harper LeeREAD
Scout, a six-year-old girl, narrates an enthralling story of racial prejudice in the Deep South.
Buy To Kill A Mockingbird at Amazon.co.uk

74. Catch-22 Joseph Heller
'[He] would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; if he didn't want to he was sane and had to.'
Buy Catch-22 at Amazon.co.uk

75. Herzog Saul Bellow
Adultery and nervous breakdown in Chicago.
Buy Herzog at Amazon.co.uk

76. One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A postmodern masterpiece.
Buy One Hundred Years of Solitude at Amazon.co.uk

77. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont Elizabeth Taylor
A haunting, understated study of old age.
Buy Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont at Amazon.co.uk

78. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy John Le Carre
A thrilling elegy for post-imperial Britain.
Buy Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy at Amazon.co.uk

79. Song of Solomon Toni Morrison
The definitive novelist of the African-American experience.
Buy Song of Solomon at Amazon.co.uk

80. The Bottle Factory Outing Beryl Bainbridge
Macabre comedy of provincial life.
Buy The Bottle Factory Outing at Amazon.co.uk

81. The Executioner's Song Norman Mailer
This quasi-documentary account of the life and death of Gary Gilmore is possibly his masterpiece.
Buy The Executioner's Song at Amazon.co.uk

82. If on a Winter's Night a Traveller Italo Calvino
A strange, compelling story about the pleasures of reading.
Buy If on a Winter's Night a Traveller at Amazon.co.uk

83. A Bend in the River V. S. Naipaul
The finest living writer of English prose. This is his masterpiece: edgily reminiscent of Heart of Darkness.
Buy A Bend in the River at Amazon.co.uk

84. Waiting for the Barbarians J.M. Coetzee
Bleak but haunting allegory of apartheid by the Nobel prizewinner.
Buy Waiting for the Barbarians at Amazon.co.uk

85. Housekeeping Marilynne Robinson
Haunting, poetic story, drowned in water and light, about three generations of women.
Buy Housekeeping at Amazon.co.uk

86. Lanark Alasdair Gray
Seething vision of Glasgow. A Scottish classic.
Buy Lanark at Amazon.co.uk

87. The New York Trilogy Paul Auster
Dazzling metaphysical thriller set in the Manhattan of the 1970s.
Buy The New York Trilogy at Amazon.co.uk

88. The BFG Roald Dahl
A bestseller by the most popular postwar writer for children of all ages.
Buy The BFG at Amazon.co.uk

89. The Periodic Table Primo Levi
A prose poem about the delights of chemistry.
Buy The Periodic Table at Amazon.co.uk

90. Money Martin Amis
The novel that bags Amis's place on any list.
Buy Money at Amazon.co.uk

91. An Artist of the Floating World Kazuo Ishiguro
A collaborator from prewar Japan reluctantly discloses his betrayal of friends and family.
Buy An Artist of the Floating World at Amazon.co.uk

92. Oscar And Lucinda Peter Carey
A great contemporary love story set in nineteenth-century Australia by double Booker prizewinner.
Buy Oscar and Lucinda at Amazon.co.uk

93. The Book of Laughter and Forgetting Milan Kundera
Inspired by the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, this is a magical fusion of history, autobiography and ideas.
Buy The Book of Laughter and Forgetting at Amazon.co.uk

94. Haroun and the Sea af Stories Salman Rushdie
In this entrancing story Rushdie plays with the idea of narrative itself.
Buy Haroun and the Sea of Stories at Amazon.co.uk

95. La Confidential James Ellroy
Three LAPD detectives are brought face to face with the secrets of their corrupt and violent careers.
Buy LA Confidential at Amazon.co.uk

96. Wise Children Angela Carter
A theatrical extravaganza by a brilliant exponent of magic realism.
Buy Wise Children at Amazon.co.uk

97. Atonement Ian McEwan
Acclaimed short-story writer achieves a contemporary classic of mesmerising narrative conviction.
Buy Atonement at Amazon.co.uk

98. Northern Lights Philip Pullman
Lyra's quest weaves fantasy, horror and the play of ideas into a truly great contemporary children's book.
Buy Northern Lights at Amazon.co.uk

99. American Pastoral Philip Roth
For years, Roth was famous for Portnoy's Complaint . Recently, he has enjoyed an extraordinary revival.
Buy American Pastoral at Amazon.co.uk

100. Austerlitz W. G. Sebald
Posthumously published volume in a sequence of dream-like fictions spun from memory, photographs and the German past.
Buy Austerlitz at Amazon.co.uk

Who did we miss?

So, are you congratulating yourself on having read everything on our list or screwing the newspaper up into a ball and aiming it at the nearest bin?

Are you wondering what happened to all those American writers from Bret Easton Ellis to Jeffrey Eugenides, from Jonathan Franzen to Cormac McCarthy?

Have women been short-changed? Should we have included Pat Barker, Elizabeth Bowen, A.S. Byatt, Penelope Fitzgerald, Doris Lessing and Iris Murdoch?

What's happened to novels in translation such as Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita, Hesse's Siddhartha, Mishima's The Sea of Fertility, Süskind's Perfume and Zola's Germinal?

Writers such as J.G. Ballard, Julian Barnes, Anthony Burgess, Bruce Chatwin, Robertson Davies, John Fowles, Nick Hornby, Russell Hoban, Somerset Maugham and V.S. Pritchett narrowly missed the final hundred. Were we wrong to lose them?

2009-10-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

sniffle cough moan groan

2009-10-13T05:27:00.000-07:00

yup you guessed it still full of cold,didnt make it into town yesterday but determined to make it today so getting myself re energised to go for the bus!

been doing some knitting this morning on my lovely new Knit pro interchangeable's every knitter should have a set so lovely

2009-10-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

So this is my new blog welcome to what will become the very strange workings of my brain, I'm Clare I live in East Yorkshire I am a knitter, rocker and animal mad I am Housegirlfriend to Rich my O/H of 7 years

I live in a little village we have no pub but we do have an army camp and lots of hedgehogs!

Today I have been extrmley lazy as I am full of cold, so it has been cheesy american comedys and lots of cup of teas, how is it till your ill you never notice how borning day time telly really is??

I mean its either repeats from 10 years ago or some programe that was never good enough for mainstream!

I have senna booked in for her hip scoring on wednesday and then fingers crossed in decembe for the tiny pitter patter of tiny NI;s yes I am very very excited she isnt even mated yet and I am already thinking of names

so a trip over to Manchester is on the cards next week!

Now off to bed and to winge that I'm feeling poorly what a Baby I am