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 bookyπŸ˜‰

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

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 πŸ˜„

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 yetπŸ˜•

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 πŸ˜†

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

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 πŸ€”

Back to some knitting in the sunshine.

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

STASH-BUSTING #12

A little progress…

Unlike Cinderella I now have 2 slippers…

And I have finally finished the front of my nephew’s cable knit. I have had to frog several times as I have made numerous mistakes – so tired and kept losing focus πŸ˜₯

I am actually looking forward to starting the sleeves as a change of sequence.

Front and back just waiting for a couple of sleeves!

Back to the garden to enjoy a little April sunshine before work 🌝

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

SELF-HELP IN 2021

A bit like Cinderella…

Places have started to open. I called into Hobbycraft yesterday but was so overwhelmed by the choice I didn’t buy anything – very good for the stash!

I have managed to book a hair appointment, not until 30th April but so excited πŸ˜‰

We visited N’s granddaughter on Sunday, her first birthday. We sat in the garden while it snowed but so good to visit.

N’s daughter had some slippers which I thought wow I could make some of those.

I have made one so far. So like Cinderella I only have one slipper πŸ˜„

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

STASH-BUSTING IN 2021 #11

The welcome return of my knitting needles…

I am back on track with my nephew’s aran cable knit. One more inch on the front and then I can start shaping for the raglan.

Nice thing about working a raglan is that the rows get shorter and shorter – I do sound a lazy moo!!!

I had some daffodil yellow yarn in the stash so couldn’t help making a little easter chick🐣

It had to be done!!!

Hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend 🐰🐰🐰

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

WINDING UP MARCH!!!

Or March madness🐰🐰🐰

This month has been bunnies, baskets and my nephew’s cable aran and many long hours at work. I know I shouldn’t complain as I am lucky to still have a job but some weeks I feel so tired. Obviously showing my age πŸ€”

Working on my crochet. Still much better going backwards and forwards on the crochet front – the knitter in me!!! Still gain too many stitches when working on a round but I made a basket in a very chunky yarn and found it much easier to keep track of my stitches – so lessons are being learnt this month πŸ˜„

Still working on the front of my nephew’s cable knit, hoping to get a bit more done this weekend in between eating chocolate and drinking wine 🍷but will take care to avoid staining πŸ˜‰

The weather is beautiful here at the moment but sadly not so good for egg hunting on Sunday 🌧🌨πŸŒͺ

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

AWOL

Very little yarn craft ….

I have been absent from these pages for a week or two. Work has been horribly busy and I have hardly had a chance to click my needles together and I have to admit to missing the benefits.

I have made this storeage basket.

It’s a very chunky yarn that I bought from Aldi a couple of years ago and a size 10mm hook. I have actually managed to hook this in the round. I think the thicker yarn and hence bigger stitches helped me with my counting. I made it up as I went along but ended up with 96 stitches.

It’s going to be a toy basket. Tyson the tiger looks quite comfy in it.

Hoping that the next week or two will be less hectic and I can get a bit done on my nephew’s cable aran.

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘

STASH-BUSTING IN 2021 #10

Or tackling the stash a bunny at a time…

No progress to report on the cable knit aran this week. I have started the front but I have had back to back shifts at work so the little progress I had made had to be frogged 🐸 I should learn my lesson and not work on bigger projects when I am tired πŸ€”

I have been tinkering with toy making over the last few weeks

The knitted bunny is for N’s granddaughter for easter.

The crochet bunnies are a work in progress. I have a bag full of bunny bits. I think I have mentioned before I have terrible problems working in the round when attempting crochet. I just keep losing countπŸ™ƒ So the yellow bunny is crocheted backwards and forwards and then lots of seams to sew up. The mauve bunny can be called amigurimi but he doesn’t have 2 identical arms or 2 identical legs. A slight deformity due to my poor numeracy skills πŸ˜‰

A have few more bunnies to complete, ready join the crew.

Woolly wishes,

Jane β™‘β™‘β™‘