Getting to grips!!!

Ah a little break from blogging whilst I spent time with my family at half term. I set myself a challenge... to learn to ripple...I have been wanting to make a ripple blanket now for over a year, if not longer, but I kept within my safety zone, but as my word for this year is 'DARE' I thought it was finally time to have ago.
There are so many lovely crochet books on the market and indeed some super tutorials in our blog land, I read them all, I thought I had understood, I had ago, sadly I had holes in the tops of the ripples and at times an uneven ripple of a wave. So I put down all the advise and just had a go with the written patten. After three hours, I did not move from my seat... I had mastered it. Hurrah!!! I went to bed a happy hooker.

So this half term I managed to get my orders in the post on Monday I thought it was time for a little Dotty Red break, sewing and knitting just for the fun of it. I packed up my new project and bundled the children in to the car and headed off to visit our friends in Bristol.
How lovely it was to have a free mind, some sing along music on and drive away for a few days, especially to spend some very special time with very special people.

Now as a lover of all things yarn related I couldn't visit Bristol without a visit to Get Knitted. I have wanted to visit here for a while, I was a loyal Internet shopper with them before they got their shop and happily remember the lolly pops they would pop in my parcel for the children. It helped the children come to appreciate Mommies knitting!
Between my friend and myself we have a whole load of lovely children, so a knitting shop was a brave thing to do. But how wrong my assumption was. With a basket over flowing with children's books, knitting for them to try and a table full of tempting treats for them to nibble on, these two Mummies had a great time pondering the rows of yearn and all things knitting related plus some beautiful sewing goodness. I actually only purchased some fabric, a couple of balls of wool for an order and a couple of hooks, as much as I pick up most of my hooks from the charity shops, a couple of new beautiful wood ones made me smile and was indeed a holiday treat.

I was a little saddened that the staff really did not seem that bothered to assist us and when I asked for help for a pattern (which would have increased my shopping basket contents) I was met with little enthusiasm. It makes me sad as I think yarn is a luxury and in todays economic environment most of us 'Moms' don't have the cash we may have once had, so a purchase (no matter how small) is a big thing. I did feel that I was actually interrupting her time knitting at the counter and had to look for the pattern myself and gave up. May be your like me, dreaming of owning your own shop and the things you would do to make it a special place, a little sanctuary for creative people in a world encouraged to live fast and rush through the day... May be the shop had just got too succesful and just did not need to try anymore. Oh but how I enjoyed my time there...
So it would only be fair towards the very well behaved children to treat them. Along with their boats (recycled margarine tubs and string) we headed off for the water...

Back home now and the holiday is over and normality is absorbing all my time. A busy week ahead of orders, coursework, college and work. The children have numerous evening commitments and my need to return to my friends house and relive the few days of relaxed chatter and play overwhelm me, It seems so long ago that this was once how I lived. Spending my days raising my children in the company of good friends. How life changes and moves on...

Have great week.

If you have emailed me direct please bare with me, I will reply this week.