Ravelympics entry - Disorganiser Tissue Box Cover

So I've been taking part in the Ravelympics. Lots of people have been creating beautiful shawls, cosy socks & sexy skirts & what did I create?

An imp with a winky.

Yep, I decided at the last minute that what my cute wee imp needed was a set of family jewels. I think it finishes him off rather well. It damn near finished my FIL off too since he couldn't stop laughing - I love old men with a sense of humour.

The Pratchgan 2008 - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!

The Pratchgan was handed to Terry in the foyer tent at the Edinburgh International Book Festival today at 1:00pm.

He was rather pleased, as you can see here -



& after he'd stopped laughing he had a good look at all the squares -







He was especially tickled by [skimo](/people/Skimo)'s librarian square - we all know what a soft spot Terry has for orangs - but he loved all the squares & was pointing out different ones & having a snigger -



There were loads of people going past & I could hear people gasp when they saw us (dunno if it was Terry or the Pratchgan that was getting the gasps). dh says loads of folks were taking pics of the Pratchgan from behind Terry.



I had a wee bit of trouble folding the darn thing back up -



but eventually it was back in the bag & able to be handed over -



along with all the letters -



& then Terry was kind enough to sign my copy of Thud! with a personal message - To Shirley with thanks -



before heading off to get miked up for his reading.

Funniest bit was just as they left - there was guy of about 17 or so standing just behind them & he turned to me & said 'he was just, like, *there!*' in a thunderstruck voice.

Terry loved the Pratchgan - he said it must have taken a thousand seamstresses a long time to make. He said it's outrageous & over-the-top & brilliant & he's gonna put it on his bed. Just before he left he said '& I still aten't dead' :0D

The reading was fabulous. Terry talked about Nation & read some of it (he read a bit that required him to sing!) & also about the new Discworld novel that he's working on - Unseen Academicals. Nation isn't a Discworld book so I wasn't going to buy it but I will now 'cos it sounds fab. Someone asked Terry who his fave character is & he says it's Vimes - squeeee!

I got a text from Rob on the way home - I've to email the pics to him so he can put them on www.terrypratchett.com !

I'm so relieved that The Pratchgan is now with its new owner. I have a wee bottle of wine here so I can celebrate properly tonight.

The Pratchgan 2008 - FINISHED AT LAST!!!!!

I can hardly believe I'm typing this - I was starting to think I'd never get this finished.

It all started last December when a few of us on Ravelry's Ankh-Morpork Knitters Guild were expressing our shock & disbelief at Terry Pratchett's Alzheimer's diagnosis. We wanted to do something to express our love for the Discworld & to let Terry know we we're thinking of him & being a fibre arts community I guess a group afghan was inevitable.

It was originally going to be 10 squares by 10 but with new people discovering the Guild there was always someone new asking to take part & it wound up 10 squares wide & 12 squares long. 97 crocheters & knitters from all around the world sent squares, some simple & some complex, to be sewn with love into the first ever Pratchgan.

Once the initial excitement of the project wore off I had a few sleepless nights, worrying that I'd mess it up or just plain wouldn't be able to do it & I hated to think of the disappointment all these fantastic people would feel if the project failed. Also a problem was the time - between the crafting & the admin (logging squares as they arrived, sending messages, chasing up people who had gone MIA) I reckon I've logged over 200 hours on this wee cracker. It took almost 20 hours to crochet the edging & hand-stitch the backing in place! I finally got to bed last night (this morning?) at 1:30am but I had the best sleep I've had in ages knowing it's finished.

It's all been worth it though. Whether the Pratchgan is handed in person to PTerry in person (please Gods) or sent in the mail, I'm just so happy to have been able to be a part of this fantastic project.

I'll add a couple of pics now but I hope to get better ones soon. I'll also be adding a list of everyone who took part, along with the grid reference of their squares.



The backing was pieced together for me by the lovely Alison of The Mad Crafter -

I've been tagged again!

Just discovered that I've been tagged for a 5 things meme by AudreyM so here goes -

1. What I was doing 10 years ago:

Whew - in 1998 I was a single mum living in a council flat wondering what had happened to my life :0S

2. What 5 things are on on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

* Call Wingham Wool Works (again) to try to book a spinning weekend.
* Clean the bathroom.
* Mail some parcels.
* Finish crocheting a toy for my brand-new nephew.
* Go to knitting group tonight (yay!).

3. Snacks I enjoy:

* houmous on oatcakes
* Pringles (every flavour).
* chocolate-coated banana chips
* peanut butter on toast
* hazelnut chocolate

4. Things I would do if I was a billionaire:

* Buy a wee antique-y shop for my mum & dad.
* Buy a house somewhere in the highlands with loads of grounds & a loch.
* Hire a housekeeper & cook.
* Open up a yarn shop just for fun.
* Buy DH all the camera equipment he wants so he can yake pics of all the wildlife on & around our loch.

5. Places I have lived:

* Lochgelly
* Kelty
* Dunfermline
* Erm . . .
* That's all folks.

I believe I've to tag 5 other people now so am off to find some victims.

I'm baaaa-ack!

I've been so snowed under lately I haven't had any time for blogging (well, okay I could've been blogging instead of mooching around on ravelry but I. Just. Can't. Tear. Myself. Away.

Loads of swapping going on as usual. I crocheted my first ever pair of socks for the Ankh-Morpork Knitters Guild Music With Socks In swap & got a fabulous pair back. I don't have pics of them yet but here's what I sent my partner -



The socks were rolled up around some bee buttons (my partner's fave character was Granny Weatherwax) & stuffed inside a pair of Nanny Ogg's knickers - I had loads of fun coming up with the bag & it was a really fast knit -



There was also a celtic themed swap. I sent my partner a filet crochet washcloth, sporran notebook & sweets & she sent me this -



How fabulous is that? The necklace was made by my partner & she crocheted a gorgeous wee gift bag for it. The KoolAid is long gone - it's been used to turn a bag of poll dorset fleece from this -



to this -



& I'm very slowly hand carding it into these -



so I can spin them on my wheel.

I didn't mention I'd bought a wheel, did I? Pics & a full post to follow soon ;0)