Legs!

Elijah finally has legs:

As cute as he looks, I'm still not happy with the wool choice :(  I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK last time I made him and it looked and felt so much nicer.  But I will persevere - can't come all this way and not finish him!

Once Elijah is done, I think I will make Sophie Rabbit for Little H, my niece.  The ears are incredibly fiddly to do but I think she's my favourite of the three patterns.

Pain and Pleasure

I managed to finally get my big wobbly butt back to the gym last Monday for the first time in oh, about 2 years!  I intended to go most nights after work and just have a run and then maybe have a session or two doing something a bit different, like cycling or cross-training, just to break the routine.  However, I was offered a free personal training session with the lovely Sarah who showed me the joys of kettlebells on Thursday night and I have to say I really enjoyed the routine and having Sarah there to encourage me.  So I have signed up for a training session with her once or twice a fortnight, depending on how things go and I have to say, I am loving the exercise so far.  It feels so freeing to push yourself to achieve that extra 100 metres, that extra weight, those extra five seconds in a wall sit and to actually do it!

I am feeling the pain today though.  Two nights in a row of burning the fat has made my muscles cry a little so today is a day of rest - a slightly forced day of rest as my energy levels are quite high at the moment, but I will have to direct that into geting my laundry done instead!

The reason for all this energy and new-found motivation is my mood has swung upwards for its expected springtime high.  I'm nowhere near as manic as I could be but I am finding myself accomplishing more, and taking more on, such as the gym and becoming part of the social team at my Slimming World group.  This behaviour in the past has always been worrying as I have trouble maintaining the levels of effort and enthusiasm once the high passes, especially when my mood drops to depression again which is undoubtedly will in the summer (if the lithium doesn't work!).  But I can't deny myself in these short periods where I actually feel like I am the person I was meant to be and I am enthusaistic and enjoying life and doing things and seeing people and I'm not afraid to try new things out.  I am hoping this year that the wonder drug will work and this happy time will not pass but will become the "norm" and I won't be forced by my own moods to give up on things I am loving at the moment.

Want!

Oh I am in love with these needles:

Aren't they fantastic?  Am saving up some pennies next month to get a set :)

First!

I thought I'd start with my current knitting projects.

This is Elijah by Ysolda Teague (oh, how I love Ysolda!) http://ysolda.com/patterns/toys/elijah/.  I made an Elijah for some lovely friends of mine when they had their little boy last year. As a result the Other Half told a work colleague of his who was expecting and she requested an Elijah too.  I'm not normally a fan of repeating patterns once I have made them but Ysolda's patterns are so delightful to work and the results always look so good!

So far I have his head and body made:

I'm making him in Sirdar Snuggly (Bluebell Mix) but I have to admit I'm not overly happy with the choice of wool - despite being quite soft when it's in the ball, once you start to knit with it you can feel the plastic-squeakiness of acrylic in there.  But, I suppose for a toy that will be thrown around and grabbed by sticky little fingers, it is ideal as it is washable and hard-wearing!

This is Prairie Polo by Lisa Richardson, the other project I have on the go at the moment:

 I am making this for my youngest niece, Little H, in a gorgeous deep pink:

The wool is Blue-Faced Leicester pure wool and is a dream to work with, if a little fluffy!  I'm not a huge fan of baby pastels so most of the things I have made for my nieces have been bright and bold.

I get so inspired when I look at pics of what I've done so far and things I've made in the past.  There just aren't enough hours in the day for all the knitting I want to do!