Don't Let Perfect...

be the enemy of the good. I can hear Jazz saying that as I type.

You'll have to excuse my lack on contact over the last couple of weeks. Despite lots of things happening they haven't quite felt 'blog-worthy'. I can't believe I'm saying 'blog-worthy'. Couple that with a massive increase in shop busyness and you have a recipe for... no blogs whatsoever. Still, here I am and I'm going to pull together a few little bits that in and of themselves don't make a blog but together should make something readable. I'm not going to even try and put them in time order. I'm not letting perfect be the enemy of the good - seriously, that's gonna be my mantra for this winter.

So, the most exciting thing that's happened recently is that we had a bloody dog in the shop!!! Why?! Well, to help out Jerry Green's Dog Rescue in Blidworth. They're putting on the Great Doggy Knit Off in order to get some warm woolly things for their dogs whilst they're waiting to be rescued. Read more here:

 

And find a pattern here:

 

Although Singing Bird tells me she can't understand why it's all in rib, and that it makes life harder and I say bugger it! Knit what you want! The dogs won't notice or care and the lady from the centre, lovely as she was,  didn't know the difference between knitting and crochet so go forth and knit or crochet dog sweaters in any design that makes your heart flutter. 

So NottsTV and the Post came, it was slightly last minute, run by a PR firm who must have thought I was some little old lady who's barely seen a tv before because they kept reassuring me that I wouldn't have to speak much and it was all very straight forward and they'd all help me out. Little do they know that I am a consummate media professional, Z list celebrity and local pillar of the community. :) Anyway, Singing Bird and Sue both volunteered to be 'ladies that knit dog coats' for the day and we had quite a laugh because we're actually cat women. 

Dogs have their place. And Gizmo found a place in all of our hearts, he was an absolute sweetheart: 

Anyway, we're being a little hub for knitting doggie coats, blankets and snoods (for the greyhounds' long necks) so if the urge hits, as it has my mum apparently, get your sticks and strings out and get to it. We'll make sure they find a good home. 

So, next on the list. I did the window!!!

 

 It's veeeeeery tricky to get a photo. Very tricky. Because despite being caked in Mansfield Road dirt, I am a slattern, the window is surprisingly shiny and then if you wait till it's dark you can't see anything - just silhouettes (I don't think I've ever written that word before!).

Anyway, the lady, who had a bikini on:

 

 Is now snuggled up for winter:

In a jumper knitted by Jan that ended up a size too small (I may write more about that later because we ended up doing swapsies for a new project for her and it's going WELL!) and my very own Finite Cowl.

It's an Autumn themed window, can you tell?

 

And it's exciting to have BOTH of my awards nestled amongst conkers. 

 

AND to have Sam the Gingerbread Man (yes, that's his name) from Zoe Halstead's amazing Second Christmas Book nestled amongst the British yarn: 

 

I've made the prices a bit more obvious on this window because I was getting a little sick of people asking if I sold wool. Not just what the price was but if I sell it?! Ummm, nah. I just pay loads of money every month to show off my stash, you can look but you can't touch. Hmph. Misery misery. 

Really though, you'll have to come and see it to see how wonderful it is because photography isn't my forte anyway plus shiny windows and lots of details. Anyway.

Onto the next thing. What shall I start with? It's just a load of personal update-y things really. Firstly. I'M BLOODY FAMOUS! So, I goes to knit club on Tuesday, put my bags down and nip to the bar. I know exactly what I want and I'm thirsty so when the bar tender doesn't know who's next I'm all apologetically like 'can I go because I'm gonna be quick and sorry and...'. Anyway, the lady who I was pushing in front of knows me from the Facebook group, looked excited to see me (how little that happens!!!) and gave me a hug! Like I'm a sleb! IMAGINE! Ha. 

Next thing. I've been beading:

 

I don't have the staying power with beads that I do with wool because... fiddly. Yeah. So it's coming slowly. It's going to be a beady bauble and it's going to be amazing but it may also be my only beady bauble despite visions of beady bauble Christmas trees in abundance in my house. Not gonna happen. But I may get around to finishing the glasses string thing that I started *mumble mumble* months ago. Maybe!? Or maybe used some of the many, many Christmas themed beads that I have... 

Other news. I've been asked a lot about the cat. Versace. She's started answering to Kitten and Cat rather than Versace because we're terrible. But we're trying to train ourselves and her into using the name proper. Now, the reason you haven't heard much about her? Because she's less of a mental now!!!! Remember when she was timid and upset and scared all the time? Well she's a right haughty witch now! Haha. She knows who's boss. 

She's also started going outside, we did actually sign to say that she would be a housecat, I guess because of her timidness but she's been desperate to get outside and Chris bought a tiny dog harness and lead and started taking her in the garden which progressed to me letting her go out on her own and then finally, last Sunday she scaled the wall and went on a wander. God knows where. But definitely not far because she kept coming back to check we were still around. Chris however, went a bit mad. He sat in the back bedroom upstairs in the dark looking out to see her and as soon as she turned back up in the garden he'd run out shaking the dreamies and scaring her off. Ha. What a tit.

She also has fleas. Ugh. Chris had a choice whether to use the out of date flea treatment or the in date flea treatment and he chose the out of date one which didn't work but, having spoken to a vet, we weren't allowed to give her in date stuff. So she's had fleas for a month. And now I have a day off this Sunday (and an extra hour!!!) and we have to spend it fumi-bloody-gating the house. Oh well. He brings me coffee and breakfast in bed every day so I'll let him off.

But she's doing well. :)

 

Cathy bought me a chocolate orange. That got eaten throughout the day and was very much needed by all involved. 

 

I finally picked my cucumber because there's no way it was getting bigger. It was a bit rind-y and apparently I should have picked it and it would have grown more cukes. Ah well. I chopped it up, mix it with yoghurt, mint and saffron and made a delicious accompaniment to our curry the other day. MMMMMMM delish!  

 In other news, I am saving madly for a secret thing that hasn't graced the blog yet because I can't trust myself not to say too much. If you've been in the shop you'll know about it though because I do like a good moan. It's not a new shop but it is a step on the way.

And finally, I am knitting a cape - Constantine by Natalie Selles on Knitty. It looks like nothing because of my shortish needles:

 

Note the cat hair. That's Versace's fault too.  

 Separately from that I've got two small design projects on but I can't tell you about it, I can show you this though:

 

Can you remember that thing, sorry mathematicians, that we did in maths where you get a number then you add that number plus something and it makes a graph? Like n+(n+1)? Yeah? No maybe? Anyway, I'm doing that. My thing is n+(n-1). I think. Only I've still got to do each level because I can't just pluck an n number out of the air, it's to do with stitches. Anyway. Ignore me. I'm doing maths. That's all you need to know.

And that's it! Can you see? Nothing 'blog-worthy' but lots of little bits. Let's hope that something comes of the cape so that I've got something to speak to you about soon!!! I'm working on it.

Love Eleanor. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx