Living with polar bear

This week has flown by! This is because it's been the first week since our move to new house, and we are all trying to find our bearings, and the tricks there is in the older houses. Also partially because I’ve really tried to study, and concentrate to this course about accountancy, with no luck I’m afraid…It has become clear that me and mathematics do not agree with each others.
I have managed to grasp the basics, but every time I try a new exercise I get confused. Why mathematics can not be as simple as on knitting or visiting the bakery- one chocolate cake, two chocolate cakes…. If you have any ideas how to help me with basics of accountancy, please feel free to contact me!


I have also finished off a few new orders, white ones made with traditional style, with Novita pattern, and brown ones with Garnstudio pattern and Novita yarns. I have concentrated all my efforts on these knits, as my dear husband, who has been a valuable asset (read a hand model for men’s gloves) has stopped smoking. This has meant that our 1st week in new house has been as pleasant as living in a zoo with wounded polar bear. Bless him, he is trying really hard, week 2 is nearly done, but I’m ready to attack him with 10 nicotine patches while he is a sleep, just to make our life easier...So if there is anyone out there who knows tricks to accountancy and grumpy husbands, please contact me urgently!

Greek lightning!

Just when I thought my lige was settled after previous uprooting and relocation, we're hit by Greek lightning!Ou landlord gave us 5 days to move out; his brother needed a home, our home. After four sleepless nights and attempts to find a new home we finally, on last minute found one (finding a new place which would accept a family with pets, and also one that we could actually afford was not an easy task)! Praise the Lord!

Our new home is actually better what we've had before, and after all the hassle with broken heater, knackered hot water boiler and no cooking facilities, we've managed to conquered the move and settle in! I missed last weeks blogg update, as I did not have access to internet either, obviously due to the move, so please accept my apologies re this.

Anyhow, I've attached a picture of our new drive/path into our new home. Poor Charlie the Dog gets tormented by local cats- they keep appearing behind our windows just to drive him potty!!

Amongst all these manic circumstances I've unravelled my stress levels with knitting, and here are my new items for our shop, Merry Berry Christmas socks, Clever Blue mobile phone case and also latest customer order for brown gloves, made with Garn Studio pattern Z-434, and Novita Nalle yarn.

p.s:When checked into Etsy, came across this seller InspiredbyMarie and item wood burned sign: Welcome to Nuthouse! Brilliant, that's what we need!!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32164599

Rain, sharks and new yarns

It’s raining again. And we have another lot of visitors. It looks like Crete Aquarium will become the hot spot and saving grace for rainy days! It seems to suit everyone from Grandma to teenage cousins. This weeks picture is from shark section, they are just mesmerizing creatures. I can not get my head around the fact, that their skin looks so soft, and even, whilst glimmering with all shades of brown and grey, and in reality it is as soft as sanding paper…

I managed to finish off the second shawl, made with Garnstudio’s Drops yarn and pattern. I’m not 100% happy with it though, I think I’ll need to make it slightly longer to suit my customer. I’m waiting for her judgement re this matter. I also had a look into Garnstudio’s new yarn, Baby Merino. I’m glad to see baby yarns are not just in different shades of pink and blue, they’ve actually added some deeper colours on shade map too, even including black! I’ll have a look if I can get my hands on some of the new yarn shortly.

I’ve also started making a new pair of slippers, this time with Novita Huopanen mix, which is their superb felting yarn. This yarn is mixture of black and white, and so far it looks good. I’m waiting impatiently to see how it works when felted. I’ll keep you updated.

Thunderstorms and lace patterns

This week has been busy and full of rain and thunderstorms. They say there is normally not much rain in the summer months in Greece, but this week has proven it wrong, there's been 4 days of clouds, mist, coldness and rain. We've enjoyed it, but I can see the problem being there for tourists, when they've paid for week's sunshine filled holiday, and got only few days of glorious beach life.

I've finished one of my orders on this week, and I'm half way through the other shawl, lace pattern made with Kid Silk yarn and another GarnStudio pattern. I have more time to knit now, as everyone is hurdled indoors, away from rain, stucked in front of telly and boxes of chocolates and crisps.

We've also had a rare visitors from UK, our family is here for a week, which has meant they've whole heartedly entertained my son and dog, and I've whole heartedly abused this rare opportunity and turned into a statue like host, refusing to leave my corner of sofa for any other given reason than picking a new ball of yarn. To be honest I've also given in to few temptations, a chocolate ice cream was loudly calling me as well as did the few pizza slices. Not my fault by any means, I blame visiting family for it.

Riikka's week

This week has been busy, we've had some visitors, suffered in a small heat wave and also I've worked hard to promote our Etsy shop by joining in I love etsy.com, Ravelry etc and in the mean while I've also tried to hunt down pattern ideas for my banana- silk yarn I've had in my stock since 1969 (approx of course...but that's how it feels and I do not like to leave yarns unknitted (is that a word)). So far hunt has been desperate, and unfortunately not that successful. But I'll be strong and conquer this matter eventually. Please let me know if you have some ideas for patterns or etsy shops!

I have also started with my latest knitting order, lace styles shawl. The attached picture is from the project being half way through. I've followed pattern by Garn studios, and also used their yarns for this as that was what my customers wished as we had to match the colour of yarn to her new dress. I do have to admit, shawl is stunning, I'm nearly done with it so will keep you updated. This project has been slightly hot to deal with, yarn is a mix of Cotton Viscose and Alpaca, and with this heat wave it has been a pretty good exercise to knit it, I sure that on my diet terms this means I can take second helping of chocolate cake!