TAKING CARE OF ONESELF

a cosy cuppa…

Handicrafts and gardening are both good ways of looking after your mental health especially when the sun is out 🌝

I had a little knitting kit for Christmas to make a mug cosy. It was aimed at beginners but you know me…

The kit contained full instructions, some divine wool and these super cute chunky knitting needles, they are just so dinky 😉 The cosy is just done in garter stitch and because it’s a chunky yarn grows really quickly.

Now after my mindful bit of knitting, I really enjoyed the feel of the wool and handling those dinky chunky needles I put my cosy on a mug and made myself a cuppa. I took my cuppa outside and potted a few primulas to make my garden pretty.

And my cuppa stayed nice and warm in its little coat 😚

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

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 ♡♡♡

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 ♡♡♡

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 #40

Falling off the wagon…

Since Lockdown and the ensuing restrictions I have been so good 👼 Other than the wool for the Let’s Knit KAL and some freebie packs of wool I have not been adding to the stash. In fact everything that I have made has originated from the stash she says ever so righteously 🤗

However, this week I have bought some chunky yarn to make an ever so comfy chunky cardi, well that’s what it says on the pattern!!!

Worked over 10 rows there is just enough to keep the mind occupied and isn’t it great how quickly chunky weight knits up – instant gratification 😉

And why aren’t I using yarn from my stash? For the simple reason I am not a fan of chunky yarn as a rule so don’t get tempted. Aran weight is my main weakness! However I saw this pattern and as there isn’t a vaccination yet for COVID looks like a lot of time will be spent in well-ventilated locations this winter so best be prepared with something woolly 😄

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #35

Mindfulness in motion

July was a fallow month on the knitting front and I had lots of niggles running through my head. Putting the two together I believe if I had been doing more knitting I may have had less niggles???

I have made a concerted effort this month to do some knitting.

I am making a jumper. I have made this before (see my first post “a fresh start“) but it is quite a straight forward pattern, nothing too complicated 😉 And at the end I will have a jumper for work in the winter 😄

Focusing on the rhythm of knit a row purl a row and then the routines of the cables is very soothing and I am noticing the difference at night, I am not going over those niggly little problems when I should be sleeping 😰

However on the down side it is so damn hot at the moment! I am keeping above knitting wrapped up in an old towel (one from the rag bag, destined to be cut up for dusters) and I have to keep wiping the sweat off my hands on it. Knitting really isn’t a summer occupation!

I have also spent time sat by my leggy lavender whose scent is very soothing. I always associated lavender with old ladies. I have this rather neglected plant in the garden to attract bees but I am really appreciating it this year – will treat to some tlc at the end of the season 🤔

Anyway back to knit a row, wipe sweat off hands, purl a row…

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡