I got you twisted round my finger, crawling round my legs

Shrug: handknitted by me. Dress: Morgan via eBay. Shoes: Dorothy Perkins via eBay. Necklace: made by me

This dress looked black when I ordered it – but, it was also about £2.50, and I figured it was worth taking a risk on an unclear photo and ending up with some sort of nearly-black instead. As it happens, it fills my ‘brown jersey dress that fits’ wardrobe gap quite nicely.

Thank you, eBay sellers who don’t bother trying to achieve photos that accurately represent the product!

Can you feel it, see it, hear it today? If you can’t then it doesn’t matter anyway

 Tunic: Warehouse via eBay. Leggings: Primark. Boots: Dr Martens. Belt: Accessorize. Shawl: handknitted by me

Has anyone attended one of Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fairs before? It’s a-coming to Nottingham on Saturday, so I may just wander along and see what bargains I can snag

Every demon wants his pound of flesh, but I like to keep some things to myself

`

Jumper: Wallis. Skirt: Wallis via eBay. Shawl: knitted by me. Shoes: Dorothy Perkins via eBay. Hold-ups: Wolford

Some mean person (to whom I am, of course, grateful!) linked to these wilderness Wolford hold-ups a few days ago. I could hardly be expected to resist, if you ask me! I’m not sure I could wear them to work without being pretty well covered up and sedate with the rest of the outfit, but I love them. They’re not cheap, either, but I have to say the quality really shows – they’re streets ahead of most of my hold-ups in terms of both the silicon band and the fabric.

Want. More. Fancy. Wolford. Holdups!

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

 Tunic: Matalan via eBay. Jeggings: Uniqlo via eBay. Socks: handknitted by me

Still off work, and still sparing you slipper photos – but only because handknit socks are worth showing off. These have lost a lot of the brightness they had when they were first knitted and they’ve been darned, but they’re still incredibly comfy.

And since I’m embracing one shade of yellow in this outfit, what else was I to do when there’s a pair of yellow hand knitted socks in my drawer?

For the future, though, I’ve given up on luxury yarn for socks – nice they may be, but the wool nylon blends wear like iron, in my experience, so they get my vote.

Now, I have two more films in the Ju-On series to watch if I feel like it, and there’s tea to be drunk. Catch you later

Travel the world and the seven seas. Everybody’s looking for something

 Cardi: knitted by me. Dress: Fever via eBay. Belt: thrifted. Shoes: Dorothy Perkins via eBay. Necklace: Anna Lou via Accessories Online

Prepare the Hendrick’s! I’m not working again until the 10th! I’m not intending to vanish from here, though, and will try to muster up some actual words rather than mildly incoherent appreciation of the thought of G&T.

Show me the arms aloft, every eye trained on a different star

 Shrug: handknitted by me. Top: Wallis. Skirt: Vintage. Shoes: Dorothy Perkins via eBay. Necklace: www.mockinghorse.co.uk

I’ve never been brilliant, really, at asking for help.

I don’t like to trouble people, and I tend to have a vague but persistent and ingrained feeling that I should be able to cope with whatever life throws my way.

And I should, and so far I can.

But sometimes, while you’re busy coping – or thinking yourself in knots, or just feeling a little down for one of those ‘thousands of reasons and no particular reason at the same time’ sorts of spells – a hug or a kind word or a well-timed banoffee pie or just someone noticing you’re not your usual self and asking if you’re ok really helps. I’m only really just learning to ask for those hugs if I feel that feeling creeping up on me (and somehow it’s easier to ask total strangers for virtual hugs than to ask folk I know in real life for actual ones), but it’s a lesson I’m pleased I’ve learned. Just like the lesson of how to cheer myself up and stop myself dwelling on things in a way that I would have done ten years ago.

Life really does just get better, doesn’t it?

I want consciousness expansion I go to my local tabernacle

 Shrug: handknitted by me. Top: H&M. Skirt: White Stuff via eBay. Shoes: M&S via eBay. Necklace: www.mockinghorse.co.uk 

It’s Making Monday time again, and as you can probably tell, this week I’m showing off my finished Lima Shrug.

Here’s a better look at the back, and that stitch pattern:

It really is a lovely pattern to knit – just enough variety to stay interesting but simple enough to zip along merrily while I was watching films. That’s probably it for my shrug phase for now, though – while I’ll get some wear out of them I doubt I could knit another and get plenty of wear out of it before the weather turns.

I’m a huge fan of the yarn, too – King Cole Merino is pretty much my default garment option if I don’t have something suitable already. Loads of colours, lovely fabric, wears well for merino – what’s not to love?

While I’m being all creative, I threw in some strawberry muffins for good measure. Well, if they will have Scottish strawbs on offer in Sainsbury’s…

There’s a place I must go. It’s not a place I have been.

Shrug: handknitted by me. Dress: Fever via eBay. Belt: thrifted. Shoes: New Look via eBay. Necklace: www.mockinghorse.co.uk

 My Lyttelton shrug, modelled at last. It’s a perfect fit – I’m decidedly pleased with it and have already started speculating about whether I can insert a different stitch pattern into this pattern’s shaping and if so, which one. I do like the combination of cable and lace in this one, and suspect it’s ideal for a shrug. Hmm.

It’s a slightly awkward colour to wear with most of my wardrobe, though!