TV knitting

The past couple of nights we have had a bit of family film watching time.  Usually, I struggle with sitting and not doing anything but watching a film or television so try to have some sort of project on the go. Knitting was the thing of choice the past couple of nights.  It’s nothing flash or even that pleasing to the eye, especially with the colours used but it was easy. I made a washcloth and 5 little face scrubbies too. Still need to sew in the ends yet.

Using a ball of sugar ‘n cream cotton yarn I was able to make up these simple items while not having to think to much about them but still feeling I was doing something interesting to keep my hands busy.

With the washcloth I increased one every row by knitting 2 then one yarn over and knitting to end of each row until I had 44 stitches then I decreased on every row by knir1 knit 2 together, yarn over then knit 2 together then knit until sen of the row.  All starting with 4 stitches and ending with 4 stitches.  With the face scrubbies I only increased until I had 18 stitches then started decreasing again.

After seeing a post on Facebook by Kraken Kreations about these fab face scrubbies it really kicked me into action.  I keep meaning to make some version of them.  To be honest sometimes even if you have the ability to make things you seem to be better at putting it to one side or one day soon. If I didn’t have the ability to make different versions or any at all I would definitely buy from Kraken. I feel we are all becoming too reliant at times on products like cotton wool pads and baby wipes that just end up in landfills.  They seem cheap enough to buy a pack of them but I shudder to think over the years how many cheap packs I have purchased over the years.

I have enough cotton yarn to make another set of these and some thinner white cotton yarn I am going to attempt to crochet some as well. They will take hardly any space in a load of washing to wash so I am pretty happy to not have all white as we wear more colours and dark clothes than we do whites.

It’s really starting to make me look around to see how else we can cut down on disposable rubbish and save on money and resources.

Opinionated Knitter to The Great British Bake off books old and new friends

Books! I just love them, there’s just something about getting lost within their worlds or learning from their wisdom or in some cases lack of wisdom that has me hooked.

The other night on Facebook a friend mentioned the baby surprise knitting pattern by Elizabeth Zimmerman and my brain fired up.  I have that book! And I wanted to knit that and never have.  My copy of the pattern is in the opinionated knitter book that has copies of Elizabeth’s newsletters. I lost a few hours that night starting to re-read the book and planning to make the said pattern. I purchased some yarn yesterday at an end of line sale and have cast on. When it’s a bit more interesting looking I will share the progress with you. A friend of mine from Canada are knitting this pattern and comparing our progress online so it will be very interesting to see how they both come out.

The idea behind it is it is knitted in one whole piece and just 2 seams are sewn at the end, and 5 buttons if wanted. Very interesting concept.

I came across the name Elizabeth Zimmerman online years ago when I first got hooked on knitting socks. Her method for knitting seamless garments intrigued me and I bought 2 books of hers. However, I cannot find the second book at this point. The advice is still spot on for today’s knitters. Having been reignited in my quest to knit a seamless, in the round, garment, I have a feeling it will be a while before this book gets relegated to being back on the shelf for a while

Last night I was checking my online banking, well 2 am this morning, and realised there was a payment had come out for Amazon.  And to my great delight, it was for the long-ago pre-ordered Bake off book. Last year I was so ticked off there was no book for the series so I was super excited there was one this year. And folks, it does not fail to impress I am already wanting to make an initial 5 things and try and fit them in this week/weekend if I can which will be a big ask given the events I have to fit into it all.

There’s a great mix of easy makes to well-explained showstoppers with good instructions. Although it’s not technically a bake I am really taken by the idea of making the Raspberry blancmange. We love blancmange in this house and it is always out of the packet and about once a year.  Nothing wrong with that at all believe me. Somethings though, I do like to make the ‘original’ or ‘proper’ version to see if it is worth it. Have a feeling that will be very close to the top of the list of want to makes.

Now I am off to make a list of what to bake, what to knit and try and figure out how to fit this all into life realistically.

 

 

Knitting the yawns away

The UK’s weather is doing seriously weird things to me at the moment.  Sometimes it’s migraines with thunderstorms and today the rain and temperatures just knocked me with tiredness.  Not just yawns but my head felt so stuffed and foggy I couldn’t really do much.  Luckily my hands were behaving today and I have been known to knit while I am literally falling asleep, so, I did a little knitting to pass a little time.

Recently discovered Red Heart Scrubby Yarn and grabbed my ball and used a simple pattern I used for washcloths before. I can see how it could be used for exfoliating or for dishwashing. Of course in true me style, the photos of today’s knitting do not come up the pretty teal colour they should do. The pink ones are the ones I did a while ago in a soft cotton yarn.

Birthday, bubbles, fun and thoughts

Birthdays have never been an easy thing for me and there were some where I swore I would never celebrate another but they get easier. Today started wonderfully and although I am so tired I could sleep for England as a national sport it carried on being just as great.

I woke to this beautiful flowers.  I waited until this afternoon to open my cards with family around me and have so many wonderful cards to remind me I am thought of by so many 🙂

My lovely, amazing Daughter said she would be round after school with her girls so I decided cake was needed, feeling wrung out I decided to buy not make one, and ended up with this concoction. The idea was I didn’t know about it and my hubby took the kids out in the kitchen to light the candles and organise the happy birthday singing etc. It added to the magic for them as well as made sure I had cake on hand to enjoy.  Crafty thinking huh?

While we were out first thing we saw a bubble machine and who can resist bubbles? As well as the bubble machine going we had bubble wands and swords out so bubbles of all sizes in the garden. Giggles and delighted screams were heard. And no it wasn’t just the kids out there playing we all were.  I was out chasing those bubbles and enjoying it just as much.

And to finish my day off perfectly my older son came round and surprised me with my daughter in law too.

Presents were amazing and thoughtful and the company was brilliant.  Couldn’t have asked for a better day. Loved ones, cake, love and laughter perfect recipe for a lovely day.

Morris men and Morris dancers have been mentioned a fair bit today and the days leading up to it. In our village, they dance in the square every May 1st. As a child, my Dad once said they danced because it was my birthday and I believed him for many years. Back in my day, we did Morris dancing and square dancing in school as young children.  Even with sticks to bash against everyone elses sticks. One boy commented on the stupidness of Morris dancing and I pointed out it wasn’t stupid and it was because of my birthday we were doing Morris Dancing like the Morris dancers on May 1st. This quickly escalated to a heated disagreement and my stick almost being bashed very forcefully against something it shouldn’t have been bashed against! After all, if my Dad said it it must be true right? I must have been all of 6 or 7 then I think. If you were that boy I apologise wholeheartedly for the argument but I still choose to believe they dance in honour of my birthday it’s to much of a coincidence.

I’ve sewed today, sung loudly along to my favourite spotify playlist, slept a bit, knitted and spent time with my most favourite people in the world so I am happy.  And, that made me start thinking that happiness shouldn’t just be a few times a year. If I want to play with bubbles or sing loudly and dance then I should do it more not just wait for occasions. I’ve reached 47, and believe me that’s a miracle in itself, so now I am going to make sure that every day that follows I make each day count and do more that makes me happy.

Take care

Julie

 

Swapping needles

After a friend mentioned Crochet on Friday it reminded me of my striped project that got put away so I dragged it out yesterday and added another 2 colour stripes to it.  Hopefully, I can add another 2 stripes per day.  Bobbie the cat I found snuggle up on it earlier and also a granddaughter when they were here earlier watching TV. so well loved already.

 

The other night I was watching The Good Place on Netflix and had come across a ball of cotton yarn earlier in the day. So as I was watching I knitted up a couple of washcloths. Simple enough plain design.  Start each row with knit 2 then a yarn over and when you have half the size you want it you start decreasing by knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over knit 2 together you just simply knot to the end of the row for rest of the row.  I start and finish with 4 stitches.  Been knitting a variation on these for years. I remember my Mum knitting dishcloths out of string to wash dishes etc with and I have done this a few times to. Does the job brilliantly I must say

It was fun to swap from sewing to knitting/crochet needles for a break. I keep forgetting about knitting at the moment. I must find myself a watching TV project.

Julie