FELTING FRIDAY

The sun is shining so let’s try a new craft al fresco…

What a glorious Good Friday! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and we are all staying safe at home 🌈

I am in shorts an t’shirt – the ones I normally save for hols where no one knows me🙈 And have had a mooch through my stash of crafting kits from Aldi and picked out this one-

Quite a lot in such a little box!

So I have read the instructions, pulled off a piece of wool and stabbed it to a pulp! And what do I have to show for it – a hard lump of woolly fibre and sore fingers where I have stabbed myself 😭

I have put it back in the box, perhaps Friday is not such a good day for felting? Lots of wool left so they obviously expect idiots like me to get it wrong!!!

Are you trying something new while stuck at home?

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #26

Vintage buttons ♡♡♡

I have got my act together and finished the little salmon pink jacket to match the little hat I had already made. I was in a bit of a quandary over the buttons??? All of the non-essential shops are currently closed. What was I to do for buttons??? And then I remembered the jar of buttons my great aunt gave me. Now normally I would not have been as daring with my choice of button but I am quite pleased with the contrast of the pearly buttons against the pink. These had never been used and looking at the card date back to the fifties or sixties. They are non toxic and laundry safe I hasten to add.

*The sun has made the pink brighter than it actually is 🌞*

The hat and jacket are made from Sirdar pattern 264 Gorgeous Babies Knitting Book using double moss stitch and embellished with blanket stitch.

Just waiting for baby to come along so that I can pop in the post 📮

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

MARCH ROUND-UP

Or March Madness…

Apologies that this is a few days late but I have been working but have a day off today – what bliss. And the sun is out so I have done a bit of knitting Al fresco!!!

So little traffic 😊

March has been a mad month. First waiting for the river to go down and then the clearing up. Then COVID-19 and having to stay at home unless absolutely necessary – work, groceries, exercise, medicine, care of the vulnerable. Lots of pictures of worn out dogs on social media. Some of them have never been for so many walks 🐶🐶🐶

Knitting has been somewhat sluggish during March and mainly for a new baby who is due over the next few days.

So quite a lot unfinished and that doesn’t even include WIPs that I haven’t even touched this month.

Grey and pink cardi with matching beret complete;

Baby blanket over half finished and my go to piece at home as the repetitive nature of the pattern suits my mood;

Salmon pink cardi and matching hat, the hat is finished but the cardi needs assembling and finishing;

An ombre scarf, this is at work and what I pick up at night.

Hopefully April won’t bring too many showers but will bring back my knitting powers 🌦🌦🌦

Stay safe 🌈

And woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #27

It’s so quiet. ..

I had the day off yesterday back to work at 5pm today for another 24 hour shift. Got the lawn mown yesterday and I did a 40 minute walk yesterday and today. I have said hello to everyone I have passed. My theory being some of these people may live on their own and if they are only allowed out once they might need a little chat. Mainly older ladies who have developed conversation beyond hello, lovely day 🌞

And that is the thing the weather is beautiful and it is so peaceful. The slower pace of life has a sort of holiday feel AND then you remember we are here because people are becoming so poorly or worse. 😷

*My garden, still some clearing up to do after the floods!!!*

We all clapped for the NHS last night. We all came together but not together which was very special. The sound of the clapping echoed across the river.

I have picked up the little jacket that I am making for N’s granddaughter who is due at the beginning of April. We will miss those first few weeks as we will not be able to visit 😥

*The pink is more salmony. Working in double moss stitch which makes a change.*

I have been taking my knitting outside to enjoy the sunshine while I can. I am not a sun worshipper but believe a bit of UV does us good and so many do not have this opportunity at the moment.

Please keep safe 🌈

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

RECENT OBSERVATIONS

Here in Worcestershire we have had floods, now we have pestilence. Should we be preparing for plagues of frogs and locusts? 🐸🐸🐸

As I have previously stated I work in adult social care so I am still free to work. It is quite eerie driving to work as there are so few other cars, just walkers and cyclists. Possible bonus – an improvement in air quality???

I have been to the supermarkets to do clients’ shopping. Other customers are obeying the rules and keeping to social distancing recommendations 😊 Still no loo paper or pasta 🤐 but the shelves are looking better than they were last weekend!

My three ladies share a house but are only allowed out for a walk but one of them won’t walk so that means none of them can 😣 They have a lovely garden so the opportunity to do exercise and get some fresh air. Sadly they won’t do this together? So during a four hour shift I did 3 separate exercise/workout sessions in the garden. Other than a nice walk and a bit of gardening I try to limit my intake of exercise and sunshine. I knit because I like to sit in a comfy chair and create while possibly watching a bit of rubbish telly 😂

And what about my knitting?

My lofty comment about liking to create… Currently I only have the wherewithal for something nice and repetitive so I am making a baby blanket, just have to remember to twist every 12th row (just for a bit of interest)!

Social distanced hugs to you all. Keep safe.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #25

Ooh la la!!!

Obviously got too much time on my hands. I have made a little beret to go with the little pink and grey cardi.

*This picture highlights that I need to paint my woodwork, it is looking rather shabby!*

I have made the beret from a Sirdar pattern, predominantly using rice stitch. I have finished my pink yarn 😉

Need to get on with the salmon pink cardi but I got sidetracked into making the beret.

Off to work tonight. I have a scarf that I am working on while on shift but it does not come home with me. It will need a deep clean once finished, just to be on the safe side🤔

Keep safe and woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #26

A new pass time – queuing 🤐

I have had a day off today and have spent most of it trying to sort medication for parents and partner. Lots of queuing outside pharmacies and GP reception with lots of space in between myself and the next person. Currently allowing no more than 3 inside at a time. These are very sensible precautions and quite frankly I preferred waiting outside, although glad it wasn’t raining ☔

But people are so rude. Comments like I phoned my order through this morning why isn’t it ready were common. Those of us who’s scripts went in days ago waited patiently. The staff were rushed off their feet and still smiling and being polite 👼

I am back at work on Sunday and still trying to get my parents’ prescription! Hopefully I will be able to unwind a little with my knitting. I have got a new book Knitting with your leftovers by Fiona Goble which I am quite excited about 😊

Please stay safe.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #25

From one crisis to another 🤔

So the river is going down and there is just the mess to clear up. Although it is raining again today ☔☔☔

Boris visited Bewdley the other day, that is twice in 12 months, he’s almost a resident!!!

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-51791346

And now the news is full of COVID-19 😇

The supermarket shelves are not as full as they usually are and the poor staff are rushed off their feet trying to keep the shelves full. We are not going to panic buy. In the event of self-isolation we will be rooting round at the back of the cupboards and in the depths of the freezer. Perhaps some of those tins that have been there forever will finally get eaten. So we may have some dodgy meals but we won’t starve…

On a brighter note I have started my walking regime again. It feels so good to get some fresh air and see the Spring flowers 🌷🌷🌷 and the early blossoms 🌞

Spring has sprung. The garden is a mess. We may run out of food but I have plenty of yarn in the stash to see me through any possible isolation.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

FEBRUARY ROUND-UP

Woolly bits and pieces AND rain ☔

Happy Leap Day everyone.

I went to a Baby Shower today and I have eaten far too much cake 🐷

So quite a productive month:

*Cowl, pom pom hat, 2 sets of mittens and a ball of red yarn after frogging THE hat!*

And there was also the baby Guernsey but that is with baby O now ♡♡♡

WIPs:-

The wavy jumper;

A scarf;

A baby cardi.

And a big clear up after the floods.

Hoping for a drier March but Storm Jorge is blowing a gale outside so don’t think next week is going to be much of an improvement!

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

STASH-BUSTING #22

A knitting disaster!

A few posts ago I shared a pair of red ridged mittens which I was quite pleased with 😊

I decided to make the hat to match and here it is:-

*The rolls on my neck match the ridges on the hat……*

It seems rather large but the pattern says that it should fit an average adult head, and I thought my head was bigger than average!

*It looks like something one of the seven dwarves might wear!!!*

I have tried wearing it in a slouchy way but it keeps falling down. I am not happy with it so time for a bit of frogging 🐸🐸🐸

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡