INTO LOCKDOWN AGAIN!

A winter walk 🌫🌫🌫

The big announcement that most of us were expecting was made last night – another lockdown to contain and control COVID!

I have worked from home today doing admin. Not one of my strong points!! However I did take a break at lunch time for a walk. I didn’t want to leave it until I had finished because it would be dark and very cold.

The river is slowly going down.

The gulls are all lined up on the riverside railings. I don’t know if that means that the weather is bad on the coast or that they are too well-fed inland? Probably the latter!!! I lived in Morecambe (an English seaside town) when I was a student and this reminds me of Morecambe in the winter, no one around and lots of gulls waiting for some unsuspecting soul to get takeaway fish and chips😮

Finally I had a walk around Jubilee Gardens and just look at this rose in winter – very Beauty and the Beast!

So a bit more admin and then I can get back to my knitting. Still plodding on with my Christmas knits, so tempting to start something new – I really do have the attention span of a gnat – but if I do the Christmas gifts will be written off until next year so plod on Jane 😄

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

A FAVOURITE GIFT

The scarf that never lets me down!

It’s quite chilly here at the moment and we keep having the odd flurry of snow, happily after last week they haven’t amounted to much ☃

Walked into town this morning to get some fresh air and pick up a newspaper.

I took this photo to show off my scarf. It must be 20 years old. My much younger sister made it for me when she was still at school. She does more reading these days than knitting, check out ladybookdragon.

Such a shame!

Look at this scarf, isnt it fab? Worked in garter stitch with 4 little tassels at the corners. I understand she got bored of making them 😂

But it keeps me nice and snug.

Who else has a favourite gift that has stood the test of time?

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

DECEMBER ROUND-UP

2020 done and dusted. ..

Happy New Year to you all! 🍻

I was very quiet on the blogging and knitting front during December. We are into a new year and I am still plodding on with my Christmas knitting 😶 My bad back has really set me back but happily I am much more mobile now and can sit for longer and knit yay…

Nothing completed in December so sadly no show and tell.

The river was rising just before Christmas. It is slowly going down, leaving very muddy footpaths along the banks. We have had snow this morning but not enough to cause problems.

And just look how close to the river wall the swans are …

Resolutions :

Finish the Christmas knitting and get it posted with suitably grovelling notes.

Pay more attention to blogville.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

CHRISTMAS WISHES

An empty Christmas stocking…

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas day. It was very quiet here and the river is going down a bit. However there is more rain on the horizon so no doubt it will go up again 🌨

I have had a lot of lovely gifts.

I have a very pretty felted garland and hand felted soap, all from the Welsh Woolshed – must look them up in the new year.

And a mini knitting kit from Santa 🎅

A little cup cosy, that will make for a pleasant evening in the new year.

Still battling on with my Christmas knitting. A couple of my gifts will be arriving in the new year.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #44

Pom pom joy…

My back is starting to feel a bit more like it so I have managed to start knitting again in short bursts. The Christmas knitting will be late this year but as the government cancelled Christmas yesterday I don’t suppose it will make too much difference 😥

I have had a lovely afternoon watching the Royal Ballet The Nutcracker on an arts channel – Christmas starts with the Nutcracker. While watching the ballet I have been having fun making pom poms!

Not sure if I can rescue this one though, don’t think there will be much left if I start trimming it!

Hopefully my posts will be less haphazard now I am more mobile.

Woolly wishes everyone,

Jane ♡♡♡

NOVEMBER ROUND-UP

A bit behind…

December is well underway and I am well behind with the old Christmas knits😶

In my defense I have pulled something in my back so I am currently hobbling around like an even older lady than I actually am!!!

Sitting is a problem so hence behind with my knitting.

Didn’t actually complete anything last month so the WIP list is growing:

2 beanies awaiting pom poms (I normally can’t wait to start pom pom making)

Knotty cowl still awaiting a few more centimetres (putting that one off because of weaving in all those ends)

The chunky cardi still needs a bit more work.

The pink Guernsey just needs sewing up (never my favourite task)

The colour work is complete on the top of the Christmas stocking just the leg, heel and foot to do.

LKKNITALONG is on hold until the Christmas knitting is complete.

But on the bright side I did make B a birthday cake 🎂

So it is December – bring it on!!!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

CHARITY KNITTING

Stash nibbling for a good cause 💟

I was delighted to hear from Jo at Age UK this week. She advised that the Big Knit was back on and would I help out.

She didn’t need to ask twice. Trendy little Innocent Smoothie bottles will be sporting little woolly hats again at the beginning of 2022 and Age UK get 25p for every one sold😉

Check out http://www.thebigknit.co.uk

*Here’s one I made earlier, well on the last campaign!!!*

So once my Christmas knitting is done this is how I will be occupying my needles and what a great way to use up those yarn ends 😊

Woolly wishes

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #38

Casting on for Christmas 🎄🎄🎄

Christmas is going to be very different this year. Even before the government’s big announcement we had decided to postpone the festivities until Easter when, hopefully, it will be safer to get together with family. N’s granddaughter will be one, so loads of fun getting into everything😉

I will, of course, be knitting for Christmas. Any gifting will be done via the post. Deliveries will probably be both sides of the big day, depending on how I get my act together.

N and I are planning a nice dinner which will be dropped off at his parents’ kitchen door. Hopefully it will be a dry day so that we don’t get soaked chatting in the garden. Our priority is keeping our oldies safe.

Being mindful and filling my head with stitching patterns.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

A RANDOM BAKE

Or an icing sugar storm 🌬

It is B’s birthday today🎂 Can’t believe my little cherub is now old enough to drive! I thought I would try to be one of those yummy mummy types and make him a cake 🤔

Now in my defence I haven’t done any proper baking since B was small when we used to bake together. In recent years I have made brownies and the like with my good friend Betty Crocker. And I have had a very temperamental oven and baking on my own was never much fun😯

But I have a new oven so thought I would have a go. I measured the ingredients from memory, probably not one of my better ideas😋 I made an 8oz sponge mixture but new baking tins so think I probably should do a 10oz mixture. And new oven so need to experiment with that. My cake looks a bit flat and is a bit crisp around the edge but it did have a nice spring to the touch. I have sandwiched it together with raspberry jam and vanilla butter cream.

Note to self:

Soften the butter before attempting to cream it

Make sure the mixer is on its lowest setting when using icing sugar – everything ended up with a fine dusting of the stuff😉

I don’t think I will be doing the Great British Bake Off any time soon….

I am going to stick to my knitting. Anyone for a cuppa and cake?

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #43

Supporting a good deed…

One of my son’s primary school teachers spends her Christmas day each year putting on a Christmas spread for ex soldiers who would normally spend Christmas alone. She asks for gifts.

A couple of beanies nearly completed. I feel the excitement of pom pom fun on the horizon 😉

They will be packed along with toiletries and chocs.

How is everyone’s Christmas knitting coming along? 🎅🎅🎅 yo ho ho!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡