Tag: blogging

SELF-HELP #37

Fresh air and a bit (of knitting) on the side….

The blog has been somewhat neglected over the past couple of weeks. Autumn is in full swing – cold and damp with the occasional frosty morning. Work is frantic. Exercise and knitting are struggling for space in my itinerary! !!

Autumn is here

I was walking by the canal a few days ago in Kidderminster. This photo is taken just round the bend from Caldwell Bridge. I love the rust colours of the leaves but not the shorter days. Less likely to walk in the dark 🌜

On the knitting front I have started working through my Christmas gift list – no details available at the moment 🤔

But I have been picking up the knotty cowl from time to time for a bit of stress relief. I have another 15cm to go…

The knots aren’t as evenly spaced as they should be 😄

But look at all the ends to weave in! That is when the stress will start 😉

Getting back on track!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

OCTOBER ROUND UP 🎃

Stormy more than spooky…

The month has been windswept and interesting. Quite productive on the home made front.

N has been busy preserving and he has presented me with the little mug this morning, claiming that my friends from the coven left it – cheeky so and so!!!

But look what it does when you make a cup of tea in it

I am easily entertained…

I am planning making pumpkin and chilli soup this afternoon. My lovely dad has been keeping busy growing veg so it would be rude not to use them🎃

On the knitting front I have completed all of the parts of the chunky cardi so looks like I will start November putting it together. The knotty cowl is coming along, about another 12 inches to go and then all of those delightful ends to work in 😥 And I have just got 5 squares to complete the KAL well behind everyone else but I am getting there!

Planning my Christmas knitting list, it will be a thrifty homemade festival this year but need to get a crack on as most will need to posted as no big get together this year 😷

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

LKKNITALONG – COMING ALONG!

Not much more to do…

The two crest of the wave squares are complete and one of the Sands of time.

Particularly like the Sands of time piece. Always enjoy a bit of a twist and cable 😉

One more of these to do and then the intarsia which I keep putting off….

Still procrastinating but sending woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

WASTE NOT WANT NOT!!!

The fruits of the garden 🍅

Back in March at the start of Lockdown some tomato seeds were planted as part of B’s Lockdown Science work for school. B looked after them on the windowsill until his teacher moved on to something else. They probably spent too long on the windowsill but finally they were planted out in pots, grow bags and planters. It’s incredible how many plants you get out of a pack of seeds!!!

They have been cared for over the summer, certainly better than I have been cared for, and then we had a glut of tomatoes. We have been eating tomato salad with most things. Recently we have been ripening tomatoes on the windowsill – back to where they started 😉

N has been busy in the kitchen and with a dollop of green tomatoes that we couldn’t possibly find room to leave to ripen he has made some chutney. He has also hoovered up a lot of them and made some ketchup 🍅

We have 2 jars of green tomato chutney left, it is quite tasty with a bit of cheese. We have not scoffed the lot I hasten to add, several jars have been gifted! N got his felt tips out and made pretty labels. Still waiting for labels for the jars of ketchup 🤔

All of our tomatoes have been used and N is trying to nurture some seed for next year; here’s hoping 🙄

Nothing woolly in this past but woolly wishes anyway,

Jane ♡♡♡

ADDING TO THE STASH AGAIN!!!

Ooops. …

I am a bit of a lost cause – look what arrived today

I am trying to convince myself that this doesn’t really count as free gifts but I have my doubts as it still takes up space. I really must stop ticking the free gift box when on line!!!

Just got to think of something to do with it all before N throws me and my stash out 😅

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #42

Getting my knots in a twist !

Well there is a bit of progress on the tangle that was the yarn dug out of the stash yesterday. I have started the knotty cowl. There is a bit of faffing about but the results are quite pleasing.

Usual sections as if twisting and cabling but extra work on the bits that are doing the moving so that they can be knotted.

My photo doesn’t really do it justice!!!

Then carry on a bit until ready to do the next knot.

Not looking forward to weaving in all of the ends and being of a certain age I think I might find it rather hot to wear 😝

This is something by Jo Alport that I found in Let’s Knit – every day is a school day 😄

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #36

Being mindful in a muddle…

I believe those of us who knit have such an advantage in these uncertain times. An hour or so knitting before bedtime certainly clears the fog in my brain that has built up during the day. The night before last, for one reason or another, I ran out of time and didn’t manage a single stitch before bedtime and what a rotten night’s sleep or lack of sleep I had. I tossed and turned with all the trials and tribulations of the day running through my head. I went to work on auto-pilot yesterday. I had a good night last night – down to the hour and a half knitting beforehand but still feel a bit drained from the night before 😴

I am working on the chunky cardi. The back and left side are complete and I have just placed the pocket on the right front. Love this stitch sequence worked over ten rows, not too complicated but just enough to keep rhe mind occupied. And the chunky yarn knits up so quickly 😉

But like so many of you I like to have a few projects on the go – the pink Guernsey is ready to be sewn up so that has been put to one side for the moment and the KAL tends to be done at work as small and slips in my bag – so I have been looking around for something else to do.

The pattern is for a cowl but the sequence worked involves knotting pieces of work together. Lots of holding stitches on needles or holders and cable needle so I could get in a right pickle but nothing ventured nothing gained🤔

And added bonus you need to have a couple of extra small balls of wool to join in on your work so I have spent an hour this morning on a tangle from my stash and not or knot to worry if I couldn’t undo the mess I could use the scissors 🤗 although I will not enjoy sewing in all the ends if I complete it. But yarn from the stash bag so no extra expense!!!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #41

You’ve got to place a pocket or two…

Work is progressing on the chunky cardi. I have completed the back and now I am working my way through the left front.

I have just placed the pocket. Jolly useful in this day and age for keeping a hanky and a mask 😷

Do like how quickly this knits up.

Happy in the knowledge that I have a mask pocket 😉 have a fab weekend.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

LKKNITALONG – A STEP BACKWARDS!

Frogging is the order of the day🐸

Just as I was congratulating myself on only 5 squares to go I have spotted a boo boo 😕

The Crest of a wave square

This sequence is worked over 12 rows and I have worked it over 14 rows on the fourth sequence 😌 That will teach me to do an extra few rows before bedtime 🤔 So I will be starting my day with a bit of frogging. At least it wasn’t the first sequence….

But before that a nice cup of tea. A good strong builders brew to set me up for the trials and tribulations of the new day.

Hope your day has started better than mine?

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡