An octopus's garden

My oldest friend's son will be four on June 1st, which is a good excuse for toy making. Yes I know I hate the making up part, so I found a crochet pattern with minimal making up. Last time they came over to visit he had a crochet octopus toy that my friend had brought him, and I boastingly proclaimed that I could have made him one of those! So then I had to live up to my boast. Which I think I have.

Isn't he adorable! My partner loves him too, I think I'm going to have to make him one too! I used up some cotton DK that I had in my stash for this pattern, which is called Octopode Pandemonium by Pepperkitty.

WIP wise I am working on a pair of Bunty Mitts by Ella Austin for my mum's birthday, and have started another  Mulberry Wrap by Colinette for me. Also I am making a mitred square cushion cover as a part of the KAL with Martine from iMake. I have had to put my Snicket Socks on hold as I needed the needles for mum's mittens. I could have used DPNS but am having a love affair with the magic loop method at the moment.

Fibro and ME wise I am on an even keel at the moment, which is to say I am awake during day and not bed-bound. My concentration even improved enough this past week to read a couple of books! Yay! I love books, I cannot stress enough how much I love books. My first job after Uni was as a library assistant, and if I get well again that is what I would love to go back to. I have read ever since I can remember, and am a very fast reader too. But since becoming ill I have found reading difficult in terms of concentration and making sense of the words. I have found that if I do read a book I tend to go back to ones I have already read and are familiar to me. I only take on a new read if I am feeling really well, and as that is not often I have not read many new books. The two books I read this past week are from the Ruth Rendall Inspector Wexford series which I have most of.

I have been winding some mustard coloured laceweight up into cakes this week. My partner got it for me when he went to the local Sunday car boot sale. Bargain! As there was a lot of it and I was getting tired he very kindly offered to wind it for me. So I sat back with a cup of tea and relaxed. Until it came time to take his first cake off the ball winder. It wouldn't come off. He had tensioned it so tight that it was stuck on the ball winder! We had to un-wind the whole (LARGE) cake and start again! Needless to say I watched him like a hawk after that!

Spinning wheel happiness!

I have been away for a few days with my partner and his family to Kings Lynn on the East coast. We had a great time, and the weather was really good. It is why I haven't blogged for a bit though as I have been recovering from the holiday. You tend to over-do things to keep up with the holiday spirit, but you do pay for it later sadly.

But that is not what I want to write about today. I have a spinning wheel!!!

I am so excited about starting to spin using a wheel, but am having to be patient because it needs new bobbins. I have found a man in a shed in Wales who makes them and am sending one off as a template so that is no problem. And would you believe that this wonderful machine, in almost perfect working order (apart from the broken bobbins, and the metal crank which is slipping and needs welding at our local garage), cost me just £30!!!!!!!! Are you jealous? Apparently there are bargain's to be had in antique shops still. I have replaced all the cords and given it a good clean. My partner is going to take it to the garage to get it spot welded tomorrow if he has time. Though he does want me to go with him so the mechanics don't laugh at him! Then it's just waiting for the new bobbins. It's really hard having a new toy and not being able to play with it!