STASH-BUSTING IN 2021 #17

Two arms, a front and a back – time to start sewing up….

I have just completed the second sleeve of my nephew’s cable-knit so time to start sewing up!

I’m feeling quite pleased with myself but not enough to start sewing up straight away. I love the knitting but always have a sense of impending doom when it comes to putting it all together 😉

I can’t use the garden as an excuse for procrastination as the weather is atrocious outside. Very windy and hammering down with rain. So will have to find another excuse or just get on with it 🤔

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING IN 2021 #16

It’s a string thing…

I have continued to dabble in crochet. I had a practice at a market bag using 100g of baby yarn from my stash a week or two ago. I have moved on…

String is the thing…

I have made a couple of market bags, they are different but have a 3.5mm hook, half trebles, double crochet and lots of chain stitch in common!

The green one is made from an organic cotton which has a lovely soft finish and the beige and cream one is made from a mercirised cotton which has a much more robust feel to it. But both 100% cotton in their own right!

They are both quite organic in as much as I made it up as I went along 😋

Hope your weekend has been as organic?

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING IN 2021 #15

Green and sleeves…

One sleeve down and the other one half done. About one more inch until I start shaping the raglan 😉

And then the joy (?) of sewing up!!! But there will be the sense of achievement in posting it to my nephew 😋

Hopefully I will be able to show you something finished next week…

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP IN 2021 #3

I don’t appear to be helping myself much….

A couple of days ago I went for a good long walk through Bewdley, across the fields to Ribbesford and then back along the river home. It was a bit blowy but great to get some fresh air. Passing the Old Grammar School I had to take a picture of some flowers arranged by the Guides for Bewdley in Bloom.

I wonder if there is still a flower arranging badge? There was in my day but I could never aspire to it😄

We have goslings on the river as well. Very cute but the parents are very protective so no chance of getting a close-up let alone a selfie with them 😏

Strange how no one is sitting here???

Now I walked into town today to get some bread and got soaked, it was hammering down with rain. The geese and goslings were on the same patch of grass. Well all except one little gosling. Bless him he was trying to work his way up the steps but they were much bigger than him. His mum was having a right go! But for my healthy respect of the adult geese I would have gone down and given the poor guy a hand. Happily on my way back he was with the rest of the family tearing up grass with his beak 😊

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #14

A holey bag in one…

I have been dabbling in crochet this year trying to learn new skills and techniques. I have also been drawn towards storeage ideas. Useful makes!!

A couple of years ago when I was dabbling with macrame I made a market bag but it wasn’t very satisfactory! I ended up using it as a gift bag for a bottle of wine 🍷

But I have been dabbling and produced this little market bag out of 100g of baby yarn from the stash. I haven’t even sewn in the two ends before using it😉 It now holds some organic cotton yarn ready to make another one… I was quite pleased with my practice effort, so using my notes I hope to be able to reproduce it in sage and cream. Fingers crossed.

Still plodding on with my nephew’s cable knit.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

WINDING UP APRIL

An up and down month…

The month started with a cute chick and lots of bunnies!

But since then I feel I have been resting on my laurels…

I have been working on my nephew’s cable knit aran. I have completed the front and back and before the month is out (ie tonight) I should have completed a sleeve!

But I have done some reading this month which fills me with a real sense of achievement!

May May be more woolly and booky😉

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #13

Unlucky for some…

The weather has been glorious today. After mowing the lawn and pulling up some troublesome stinging nettles I have enjoyed an hour’s al fresco knitting. All that vitamin D should help my immunity 😄

I have been working on the first sleeve of my nephew’s cable aran.

Half a sleeve is better than no sleeve!

Please ignore the dying primula in the background. The warm weather has taken me a bit by surprise and I haven’t really got into a watering routine yet😕

So back to the sleeve. Another 20 rows to go on the increase sequence and then once it is the desired length I will start on the raglan shaping. He’s not going to get it for chilly spring days but he does live in Scotland and there is generally a chill all year round 😆

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP IN 2021 #2

Now I’m not a book review sort of girl but…

I probably haven’t read a book in over a year with all the pandemic pandemonium I have been unable to focus but I have just finished The sixteen trees of the Somme by Lars Mytting and what a read!!!

The story is about 16 very old walnut trees that grew in the Somme, were poisoned which made the wood very beautiful and desirable and then disappeared. Ok I hear you thinking?

Actually the trees impact 3 families in the 20th century. Starting with massive loss in the First World War, with tragic consequences in the Second World War and devastation in the early 1970s and finally unearthing the mystery of the trees towards the end of the century.

The action takes place in Norway, Shetland, Scotland and France. We find out about potato farming, all kinds of woodwork, sailing, war and the Resistance. And of course love and loss and the reasons men make the choices they do.

A thoroughly good read, well worth putting my needles down. I don’t think my review has done it justice though 🤔

Back to some knitting in the sunshine.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡