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)

Pratchgan WIP part 3

Well, we're getting there. Slowly.

I've received 111 squares so far but despite being 2 months past the original deadline I still hadn't heard from a few participants & had to call in the subs who have been fantastic.

I now have 7 full & 2 part strips sewn up . . .



. . . and another 28 loose squares . . .



. . . as well as one or two letters for Pterry to read once he's through admiring his new blanket.

I've been tagged again!

I've been tagged by Heather to post 7 random or just plain weird things about myself. I suspect it may take some time to come up with anything remotely interesting.

The rules:

Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.

Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

Let them know they are tagged by leaving comments on their blogs.

So, here we go then . . .

I love books. I have 2 book cases in my living room that are buckling under the weight of hundreds of tomes & boxes more in my bedroom.

On a related note - I have been known to take a day off sick from work if I have a brand new Discworld novel that requires my undivided attention.

I can't stand 'reality' TV or any so-called celebs. The only TV I watch is Doctor Who.

When I discover a new craft I get utterly obsessed & spend all my free time doing said craft. I also go & buy loads of stuff for it & when the obsession fades a little I think 'when am I ever going to use all of this?'.

I love Marmite. Absolutely adore the stuff. Unfortunately it doesn't love me back.

I used to have hair long enough to tuck into my jeans. I now have a short back & sides which still sometimes comes as a shock to my husband.

Allegedly I snore.

I'm going to tag . . .

Gingermonkey

Whizzz

lucykatecrafts

Meridian Ariel

Stephieface

Sarah

April

Get your boobs out . . .

. . . for The Nipple Project.

Yet another fun project I've found while aimlessly browsing the forums on Ravelry - who could resist the opportunity to come up with your own representation of a nipple?

Not me obviously 'cos I sent 2 off last week -



Crocheted wire shell motifs & beach glass form this Selkie's Nipple (a Selkie is a mermaid in Scottish/Celtic folklore) inspired by our recent holiday at the seaside.



This one's titled Mother's Milk & was inspired by the fact I'm still missing breastfeeding Rowan even though we stopped 3 months ago now. It's crocheted in velvety soft pink chenille with little pearl 'milk ducts'.

I've been tagged . . .

. . . by Chickadee Cards, ages ago & haven't responded 'cos I've been neglecting my MN craft buddies to play around on Ravelry & didn't know anything about it (hangs head in shame). Still, I'm back now so here goes -

4 jobs I have had:

Part-time shop assistant in the Co-op (when I was at school).

Dental nurse (eeeuuurrrrgh!).

Admin assistant in a bank call centre's bankrupt & deceased department (happy, happy stuff - not).

SAHM - by far the best of the bunch :0)

4 favourite films:

Pitch Black
War of the Worlds
Interview with the Vampire
Pirates of the Caribbean (Curse of the Black Pearl)


4 places I've been:

Austria - with my Gran & Grandad when I was a wee girl to visit loads of relatives.
Glencoe - absolutely breathtaking.
Aviemore - on honeymoon in a pine log cabin.
North Berwick - building sandcastles in the snow with the DCs.

4 places I've lived:

Fife
Fife
Fife
& Fife!

4 favourite tv shows:

Doctor Who
The Mighty Boosh
Ummm - that's it!

4 favourite radio programs:

None

4 favourite foods:

Lasagne
Pizza
Salmon
Potato salad

4 places I'd rather be:

Glencoe
North Berwick
Aviemore
Oban

I nominate:

Dang, that's a hard one - I don't know who's already done this!

I'll get back to you.

I'm back - I nominate VintageKittykat :0)