STASH-BUSTING #17

To frog or not to frog 🐸🐸🐸

I have picked up the wavy jumper I started last year. I completed the back just before Christmas but put it down as I raced to finish Christmas gifts. I picked it back up a few days ago and started the front.

Sadly I didn’t read the instructions and went at it like a bull in a China shop. I had read the pattern back when I started but that was weeks ago so I had forgotten wave sequence was slightly different on the front. When I realised I was so annoyed with myself and questioned should I just leave it and carry on regardless or undo it???

The jumper is for me but I would know and it would annoy me so I have spent the morning frogging and picking up stitches 😕

*The completed back and the remains of the front!*

*All picked up and correct sequence set!*

Hopefully no more dramas!

STASH-BUSTING #16

Baby knitting updates!

I have completed the pieces for the Guernsey jersey and done the neck but then I put it down. As I think I have said before I am not a fan of sewing up and pressing. The Guernsey is second size as the little boy will be 2 months when he gets his gift. From my point of view the deadline is mid February so it will probably stay in the knitting bag until then and then it will be a mad dash to finish….

I have made a couple of baby beanies (whilst avoiding sewing up the Guernsey )! The blue one is for the same little boy, the pink one is for the baby shower at the end of February.

I have just used stocking stitch on the beanies which gives that nice little roll on the rim and then just a bit of shaping for the top.

And 🎈🎈🎈🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾 celebration time I have only used yarn from my stash. There have been no crafting temptations this week so I still have money in my purse 😆

Have a lovely weekend everyone ❤

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Kids TV favourites…

Having read Jackie’s post on Stitches by the Sea I thought I would share a couple of my favourites from way back when.

1. Playschool – aimed at preschool kids, a couple of grown-ups and some toys (Humpty, Hamble, Jemima, Big Ted and Little Ted)

2. Blue Peter (still running today)

Now the reason I liked both of these programmes was they made things. In fact when I was 8 or 9 my ambition was to be a Play School presenter. I didn’t think I would be able to hack it as a Blue Peter presenter – all that climbing and jumping out of things was not for me. However, telling stories to the toys and making things would have been right up my street.

My dream never happened, when I left big school I was directed towards a nice little secretarial course.

📚📚📚

STASH-BUSTING #15

Working my way through my lists…

I have baby gifts to make for February. A little boy who will be a couple of months old mid month when my sister goes to visit and I have been invited to a Baby Shower at the end of the month, the expected baby is a little girl.

I have started making a little Guernsey style jersey for the little boy (a very Channel Island inspired sentence).

*Front and back done!* One sleeve complete, the other on the way.

I am quite pleased because this is yarn from my stash. I am always picking up baby wool because you never know when you might need it but a little goes a long way when you are making cute little baby things.

Now I should be throwing a party using up some of my stash 🎈🎈🎈 but it was my birthday last week and those lovely people at Hobbycraft sent me a £5 voucher so I had to pop in to spend it. I bought a couple of balls of end of line aran wool which I will make some hats with for next year’s Christmas stall. My purchase came to £13 so their marketing ploy worked!!!

Progress on the Guernsey to follow…

SELF-HELP #20

Lists in January… ✏

My first post of the year. I have been doing a bit of procrastination – always a bit like that after the fun and frolics of Christmas and New Year! Well to be honest I really like everything going back to normal. I am a creature of habit and really like routine!

I have given up making resolutions as I never stick to them so why set myself up to fail?

However, while waiting for my son to come out of school yesterday I did make a few lists :

*My crafting intentions on scraps of paper!*

WIPS:

– wavy jumper

– baby blanket

– baby jumper

CHARITY

– Age UK Big Knit

– Shoe Box Appeal

– Cardies for premature babies

BABY KNITTING

– Gift for a little boy (mid Feb)

– Baby Shower (end Feb)

CHRISTMAS CRAFT STALLS

– aim items that can be given as gifts

SKILLS TO LEARN/IMPROVE

– Macrame

– Felting

– Crochet

Strangely I have not listed anything about losing weight or getting fitter. As I said earlier why set myself up to fail, especially this early in the year.

Now the party’s over…

Back to normal…

I was back at work yesterday and have a night shift tonight so only mocktails for me tonight 🍸

The Christmas break was pretty frenzied – all that cooking and washing up, visiting family and friends. I feel I am going back to work for a rest!!

I haven’t done any crafting over the festive season but have had a couple of crafty presents. Vouchers to put towards a course working with pewter – jolly exciting.

And a Moomin craft book.

I love Moomin and there are loads of things to make from toys to slippers, hot water bottle covers to draught excluders – all very exciting!

New year, new projects.

Happy New Year everyone,

Love Jane xx

SELF-HELP #19

Carols and mince pies 👼👼👼

It was St Barnabas carols and mince pie night this evening (having just seen the time it was yesterday!!). The annual fundraiser to get a few quid to keep Percy, the organ going. Yes the church organ is called Percy???

So I stuffed a stocking with Christmas goodies to offer as a raffle prize.

*Should have taken a pic of it unstuffed! !!*

Quite well off for raffle prizes this year. Lots of carols, singing (even when you are as bad as myself) is supposed to be good for you and I certainly enjoy a carol concert.

The church looked really pretty with little angels hung all around.

*Angels made by local school children were hung all around the church.*

A lovely evening with mulled wine and mince pies served to keep the cold out.

Christmas really is just around the corner!!!

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

ANOTHER RANDOM POST

Places your knitting turns up…

Just spotted one of my snowmen lurking on Higgy88’s post “First Day of Advent”

www.ladybookdragon.com

Obviously on the look out for mince pies ⛄⛄⛄

SELF-HELP #18

Happy Blog Day 🎂

Happy Blog Day to me, happy blog day dear Jane 🍷

My little blog is 6 months old. Said blog was actually opened on 4 June with the natty little post that WordPress gave me. But my first post “A fresh start” was on the seventh.

I have been wearing that sweater quite a lot recently. Nice and warm and comfy. Not sure colour is really me but design is great. Might make myself another one in a more flattering colour. Why did I make myself a sweater in a colour that wasn’t really me, well I had the yarn knocking around and didn’t want it to go to waste!!!

Anyway back to my Blog Day. The last six months have been fab. I have loved reading everyone’s posts. You are all so talented ♡♡♡

And having to put posts together has kept me on task because let’s face it we have to have something to post about. I have wanted to do a Christmas stall for a long time and thanks to blogging I did one.

It has been a fun six months, here’s to the next six 🍾🍾🍾

RANDOM POST #1

SCON or SCONE???

So Jackie B posted about this yummy scone that she had. I am still slavering over the yummy picture that Jackie took of a scone.

See Jackie B at stitches by the sea

stitchesbythesea.water.blog

However, the big question is do you say:

Scon

Scone

?????