I'm cross, very cross

Hey, I have just listened to a podcast on Woman's hour from 16/9/10 a discussion between Vicky Simister of the London anti-harassment campaign and a guy called Brendan O'Neill. They were talking about why young girls don't like being wolf-whistled and sexual innuendos made about their body and appearance in public by groups of young men. Brendan didn't see how these kinds of taunts were as unacceptable as racist taunts would be!! He felt that to stop men doing this would curtail their freedom of speech rights!! I'm speechless and I'm not often that, I can tell you!

I have always hated this kind of behaviour cos I was never sure it was directed at me, and even if it was, it made me feel uncomfortable. I'm older now and it isn't ever directed at me but times have changed and the kinds of things that are shouted are much more explicit and more intimidating, if the stories we heard on the programme are anything to go by. Also it is often a group of men and a lone female. So putting aside the sexist issues here, which I do agree are very important, when did it become right and libertarian to protect one group's freedom of speech by allowing them to make individuals feel at least uncomfortable and more likely unsafe and vulnerable.

I'm sorry this is a bit of a rant but I can't believe that a young man in today's society is still so blinkered. When talking about human rights, and freedom of speech is one of those, there is always balance and compromise because we live in a society together and one person's freedom may mean someone else's restriction and we must weigh the importance of these things. When "banter" means physical fear and discomfort then we have to say it is wrong and must be curtailed so that everyone can feel at ease on our streets!

Quite frankly I think this is an issue of common decency as much as it is a feminist issue. If one persons actions make another uncomfortable then it is wrong no matter what!!

Follow this link and see what you think and let me know.

What a great Summer!!

So I'm back now after a long summer break, with lots of news, for those of you who read my ramblings. I still can't really believe that anybody does, but thanks to those of you who do!!

Me, the tune-king and all 3 lovely doggins had a fantastic holiday in our motor home touring Scotland. I think its the best holiday we've ever had, something I do say most years!! But this year I really,really mean it, it was so relaxing and we loved motor home living, it was comfy and cosy and fantastic to have everything with you when you go out for the day, cup of tea when you like, get lunch when you want it and no packing up sarnies !! Then if it rains you park up, read the paper and when it stops you are ready to get out and go for a walk, I can't think of anything better, you can keep your 5*hotels, me I'm a motor home girl. We were able to be away for 3 weeks which we have never managed before and I highly recommend that too, even the tune-king completely relaxed until at the end of our holiday, I backed the motor home back onto our drive, a tricky operation that seemed to raise his stress levels a tad, talk about steam and ears!!

As you know I'm always fighting the flab, well I have to report a successful fight is taking place, I have lost over a stone since January (some of those lbs have been lost twice!) and I still seem to be losing. My clothes are fitting much better, I still have a way to go but I'm going to get there. I'm sure walking the dogs much more often is helping, and I certainly feel much better, no huffing and puffing on the mildest of slopes now and I can walk much faster than before, one day I may even keep up with the tune-king.

The other thing to report is that I passed my counselling certificate with merit and I had my first graduation!!

I did do quite a bit of knitting over the summer, 2 shawls that both need blocking, so pics soon,

and this cardi , which is Rosalind by a mingled yarn. I knitted it in Rowan cotton perle, a lightweight DK, which was perfct for this pattern as it makes a heavy weight garment without it being bulky. I was also lucky enough to be near Stirling for the last weekend of knit camp, where I was encouraged to spend what I liked, honestly I was and I did spend a bit and got some lovely yarns, several sock weights, which may be christmas socks for some folks, another shawl for me and I have just purchased an armwarmer pattern from yarnissima, which I have some gorgeous, cashmere/silk mix yarn from Artisan yarns, in purple, so photos of that coming when I've knitted them!!

Here are a couple of friends I met and had lunch with who were also wearing Leisl cardis!! Three in a row for lunch!! It was great to see how different they all looked as we had all chosen different yarn, it has inspired me to make another in DK yarn and see how that turns out.

I am failing on the self stitched september, I'm afraid, I had such plans to sew lots before I went away but I did enjoy doing not much and also I had joined fatty club (slimming world really!!) and so didn't want to waste fabric and effort if I was going to get smaller. however I did make a dress from curtain fabric that looked very Cath Kidston, I used celeste from burdastyle. The pattern was great it was easy to fit and really flattered my figure and I wore it to my niece's wedding but somehow, I missed getting a photo of me!!! Now that I have got into a size that I think I will remain for a bit even while losing, I'm going to attempt the bella trousers from burdastyle. They are a wide leg high waist style and I think I will be able to carry them off now that I have less of a belly!! If I can't I'll just wear long tops til I can!!

If any of you are new to sewing I do recommend the burdastyle site, they have some free patterns which you can download and print without leaving home!! It does mean they are printed on A4 paper so you have to do a bit of piecing together before you can start but I find they are great size wise and you can find links to other people who have made that design and so can see a variety of fabrics and sizes as well as how they have added their own touches for individuality!!

Lovely time

Well its a while since I blogged anything, but have been having a great time being lazy, visiting friends and getting a new doggins!! Rosie joined our family about 2 weeks ago, and although she was very quiet and timid to start with she is finding her feet now and is a bundle of energy!! This is her settling down on the sofa but when we go out for walks she whizzes round and round jumping over my other 2 boys and sometimes just jumping for sheer joy!! All 3 dogs are getting on very well, she was very submissive to start with and knows her place with them now so that has helped. However, she now wants them to play and as they are quite old they feel this is beyond their dignity!! She rolls around in front of and often on top of them!! She licks their faces and nips their heels which Finny , my elderly Spaniel takes in good part but he is top dog and sure of it so just pushes her away!! Jinski, my Shih-Tzu, sees it as a definite affront to his dignity and tries not to even notice she is there!!

Anyway enough of sounding like the mad dog-woman!!

Not much making has gone on here, chez bagqueen, I have done a bit with my lucet and made some cords but haven't raised the energy to add the fixings to turn it into anything useful!! I've done a bit of knitting but not finished anything and I'm quilting my Happy Campers piece, ready to be a cushion for the van, when we go away in 2 weeks. In fact, when I have been sitting watching TV I have been doing just that sitting!! Not like me at all!! But there is something else not like me I have been walking!!! Partly because of Rosie's arrival and partly because I have finally joined Fatty Club, again!!! They prefer to call it Slimming World but I know what it really is and if I wasn't a fatty I wouldn't be there!! Having said that, it is the most successful diet for me, I have lost before on it and it's working again now! I have lost 5 and 1/2 lbs in my first 2 weeks, which is fab cos for the first week I was staying with friends, the very hardest place to diet because you haven't got any control over the food or the way it is cooked. After 2 weeks I'm pretty much into the routine and last night, met a friend, early evening, and didn't even think of eating until I got back just after 10 - that is good for me!! If you struggle to lose weight, I can really recommend slimming world, the diet is really just healthy eating, I don't know how it works because you can eat so much but you need never feel hungry. Also they never push a goal weight on you, it is entirely up to you and you can set as many interim goals as you want, so that you feel you are achieving and don't lose heart because you have so much to lose!! So there's my plug for Slimming World!!

Tomorrow, I have my interview for college and my diploma course next year and I think I might try and make a skirt for that, the fabric is pressed and waiting on the dining room table and if I get on with it I could still manage it!! I plan to take part in self stitched september, with so zo and 130 others but the whole losing weight thing is slowing me down, and I want to get some stuff made in advance, but I'm ever hopeful I will be smaller by then, not much I know but a bit!!

I also wanted to thank all of you who have clicked to be followers of this blog, I don't know why but it gives me a real buzz that you check in now again to read my rambly thoughts and see my makes. I haven't tracked down all of your blogs yet but I will if you have one and see what you are up to. This ole web thing is fab for getting like minded people together and I have found so many new ideas and seen such fantastically creative stuff that I would never have known about, so thanks to one and all for letting others have a peek at your worlds!!

Liesl

So this is my Liesl Cardi the pattern is available from Ysolda's website, I did check out the lovely cottons that she had used for her versions but didn't want to wait for mail order so I used Sirdar Denim Chunky. This is a wool/cotton/acrylic mix so it is soft enough to keep the chill off in the summer (if it ever arrives!!) but will be a warm layer in the Autumn. I originally wanted a red version of this yarn but couldn't get it at my LYS so settled for burgundy/marl and it was a good choice as it seems to go with most of my things!! It blends wells with brown and is fine with navy and black and maybe a red version would not have been so useful.

The pattern is feather and fan so is a 4 row simple pattern to remember and because it is a top down construction there was no sewing up, just a few ends to sew in, my fav!!! I have done a couple of top down garments but I'm not very experienced at fitting them etc, I did thread this onto waste yarn and with the help of Sticks and Strings members, decided to do another 2 pattern repeats, I did not want it tight under the arms!! However now it is finished I wonder if I needed to do them but it is very comfy and I have worn it most days since I finished it!!

Sticks and Strings is the Friday afternoon knitting group that I belong to, a group of us have got together from Ravelry and now we meet once a fortnight in a pub, The White Horse. We've met for a few months now and we are really getting to know one another well, we have a good time together and share all our latest purchases as well a few laughs!! I have also been part of a starting group for a Tuesday evening group, these are mainly new knitters but at slightly different stages. We've been meeting for 5 or 6 weeks now and last Tuesday we sat companionably knitting and chatting and I don't think anyone shouted for help!! We also have our first garment made, the ray of hope hat, which you can find as a free download from Ravelry. Very exciting!!

The Epic Walk!!

So here are a few pix to show you how brave my lovely tune-king and our daughter are, they walked 100 from Keld to Robin Hood's Bay in the direst weather, that Yorkshire can offer at this time of year. Here they are at the start, weather was ok, not hot but cloudy, good walking weather, but that was not to last as you can see!!

Day 2 and the rain has started as they have left the b & b!!

And now the fog has fallen and that stream is the path!! This was day 2 still and there were no more views because the fog lasted until the last day when they could see the sea and the sun came out!

The sun is out and the end is in sight even if it is still about 4 miles away!!

They throw in their stones collected from St Bee's Head on the other side of England!

They both did really well, and carried on despite the horrid weather and aches and pains, they raised loads of dosh, about £800 between them and my husband tells me that our daughter did not moan once. She even confided that when they were in fog, high winds and rain on the moors, he did tell her, that he was glad she was with him and not me!! And I have to say he was dead right, I don't walk those kind of distances and if I did I think I would definitely be a fair weather walker!! Or a very miserable wet walker, and I'm not known for keeping my misery to myself!!

Thank you to anyone that sponsored them, the money will be put to good use this summer helping to bring a bit of joy into the lives of youngsters in Croatia and Bosnia.

Good Day for bargains!!

Today I visited a local town with a friend especially to check out a yarn shop but it was closed all day Thursday, however there are a good selection of charity shops. And more excitingly there are quite a few larger ladies that donate good stuff to them!! Usually the big sizes are ghastly nylon fabric and hideous styles!! Can anyone tell me why so many ladies with generous proportions want to wear those kind of fabrics!! Maybe I'm just being a natural fibre snob but they are so much more comfy even if the ironing is a pain!!

Anyway, I have been looking for a denim jacket for a while, just an ordinary one nothing too special but there are soo expensive!! Anyway today I found one that fitted perfectly for £3.99, perfect! Then I was on a roll, I bought curtains that will be enough to make a skirt, and a dress and probably even more, Sound of Music eat your heart out!! A brushed cotton bedsheet that will make great jamas for the winter, a pair of linen cropped trews, a stripey t-shirt and 2 books, Charlotte Gray and an autobiography of a midwife in 1950s in east end of London and they were a bogof!!! All for under a tenner, now you can't say fairer than that can you!! Much of it is in the wash as we speak (!) so pics will come later!!

Now we are going out for a pizza on a buy one get a 2nd for £1 offer, will the bargains never stop!! A group at church are running Alpha Course in Pizza Express so we are supporting that but we will also be celebrating cos my lovely handsome tune-king got a job today!!

Tomorrow I'll show some pics of their epic walk last week!! Toodle-oo!

I am revising really!!

I have been revising but I will be glad to be released from doing so after tomorrow!! I have just had a little flick through some blogs while I'm having lunch!! I have finally bought Bella trousers by Burdastyle, I have only used their free patterns so far but so many peeps have made bella trews and put pics on tinternet that I have decided to give it a go. I need a new trouser pattern and wide leg are the style that suits me best, mainly cos I have wide legs!! Now every one I see in theses trews looks very slim and talks about "have you lost weight?" type conversations when they wear them!! Now this could be cos they are slim and tall and gorgeous and some definitely are but maybe there are a few in there that are short and rounded like myself and these trews have a magic effect!! Well I have a piece of light purple gabardine that is begging to be a pair of trews and if that works I may make some kneeish length one for my hols cos its bound to rain and I don't want wet trouser legs flapping at the ankle!!

I have a good feeling here, this could the pattern to revolutionise my legs!! I'm off back to psychology and how it blends with the christian faith. See you soon, with pics of my bella trews and my wet daughter and tune-king as they trudge across Northern England in the rain!!