WIP Wednesday: A (Boring) Day in the Life Edition, With Bonus Pancakes

In my job, I occasionally get bookings that have a really quick turnaround time - 24 hours rather than five days. When I get these bookings, because of the time constraints I clear my entire day to make sure the booking is done on time. Today was one of those days. I let all of my other clients know I was unavailable for 24 hours and this morning I was at my desk at 8am, bright eyed, bushy tailed and with coffee in hand. However, my client did not keep their part of the deal. When I opened my email, there was no file waiting to be worked on. Instead of jumping out of the gates to get the file delivered on time, I was sitting there, twiddling my thumbs with not a lot to do.

I read the paper, drank my coffee and periodically checked my email. No file had arrived at 8.30am, so following the no-watched-pot rule, I decided to step away from my computer and make some pancakes.

They were made with oats, cinnamon, vanilla and blueberries and were topped with a lot of butter (for the calcium, of course). They were very nice. I really love pancakes.

I got back to my computer and there was still no email. I then made another cup of coffee and took my knitting outside. 

I established clearly once again that I am not a good photographer, no mater how many angles I take photos of my scarf from or solar lanterns I use as props (one and one, respectively).

I am making a Honey Cowl using the leftover yarn from my wine bottle sweaters.

I love the way the fabric looks different on both sides.

Lucy kept me company as I read Sense and Sensibility, checking my email at the end of each chapter.

The file eventually arrived after lunch and so here I am at 8pm on a Wednesday blogging and working instead of in bed watching repeats of Friends on Stan the way that god* intended.

I hope your workdays were much more interesting than mine!

The end.

* Lucy, who only ever wants me to be in bed and despairs that humans are constantly getting up and leaving the house instead of lying there patiently waiting to be cuddled.

Spring's almost here and a late WIP Wednesday

The last few days have been lovely and warm and, for the first time in months, Lucy and I were finally able to have some quality time hanging out in the backyard (as opposed to the quality time we spend on my couch or in bed or on and/or around my desk in the daily power struggle over who gets to sit in the desk chair (usually Lucy, of course)). I took the opportunity to take photos of the stuff I am working on at the moment:

My stripy blanket square is coming along really nicely. It is super warm and fluffy and I am very very tempted to keep it and use it as a lap blanket to keep on hand for those times when I get cold at my desk. The two markers are an equivalent distance from the centre 'spine' of the blanket. Each time I finish a repeat I move them. It allows me to tell how many repeats I have left but also is a really fascinating marker of how much faster the repeats go the shorter the rows get (I know duh, but still!). I love this stage of a project like this, when the rows just keep getting shorter and quicker all the time.

I really hate working with 5-ply crepe yet I somehow ended up with piles of it in my stash. This year I was desperate to finally use it all up so I finally finished the Moderne Baby Blanket I started five years ago. I used the leftovers to make a Blue Baby Surprise Jacket (which has adorable buttons!). In an effort to use every last metre I made a Scraptastic Spiralling Baby Hat, leaving me with less than 5g crepe in total.

Or, so I thought, until I was updating my stash details on Ravelry and found I had 80g of black 5-ply crepe listed. WHY IS THIS YARN EVERYWHERE AND WHY WON'T IT JUST GO AWAY! I found it and cast on straightaway...about four months ago.

I really really hate working with this wool! The pattern is cute, though (Soleus from Elinor Brown - rav link), and the socks will be good once I've finished them so I'll continue to carry this pair around with me, working on a row here and there until they are eventually done.

Lucy took the opportunity to make it loud and clear that, after being left on a bench throughout a long wet winter, her outside blanket is not up to scratch and must be cleaned.

I'm on to it, Lucy. I see a weekend full of weeding and outside-cleaning ahead...

I love spring :)