Knitting at 603 miles per hour!

So, BA informs me I can take knitting needles as hand luggage, so here I am, somewhere over Europe on our way to Athens, starting the latest dishcloth (a girl cannot have too many, after all). I bought some short size 8 (4mm) needles in St Margaret's hospice charity shop:50p a pair, bargain, never buy new needles again, charity shops always come up trumps, but you do need to ask for them....they are behind the counter...considered as dangerous!

View from the balcony on arrival at Mum's mid afternoon. Been awake since 02:30, but don't feel too tired considering.

Frozen pomegranate seeds from the garden, can't compete with that! Later we had homegrown figs which had been sundried.

Then finally to bed to read this:

 "Spanning decades and moving from the stark beauty of the Welsh landscape to the Himalayas and Kashmir, this is a story of bravery, courage and love.Within one exotic land lie the secrets of a lifetime…Newlywed Nerys Watkins leaves rural Wales for the first time in her life, to accompany her husband on a missionary posting to India. Travelling from lonely Ladakh, high up in the Himalayas, Nerys discovers a new world in the lakeside city of Srinagar. Here, in the exquisite heart of Kashmir, the British live on carved wooden houseboats and dance, flirt and gossip as if there is no war.But the battles draw ever closer, and life in Srinagar becomes less frivolous when the men are sent away to fight. Nerys is caught up in a dangerous friendship, and by the time she is reunited with her husband, the innocent Welsh bride has become a different woman.Years later, when Mair Ellis clears out her father’s house, she finds an exquisite antique shawl, woven from the finest yarns and embroidered in the shades of lake water and mountain skies. Wrapped within its folds is a lock of child’s hair. Tracing her grandparents’ roots back to Kashmir, Mair embarks on a quest that will change her life forever."

So I am caught up between Greece in my reality and India in my imagination!

Will meet the dogs tomorrow and visit the Saturday market!

Thursday afternoon, slowing down and enjoying the rhythm!

Came home from work this afternoon and this was the view I had from my back garden!

and the other end of the rainbow!

.....and the full effect on the video!

The light was exquisite. I am constantly thankful for this panoramic scene that I can enjoy day after day throughout all the seasons.

Then I sat for a bit and did some of this:

...which will be a tunic top to go over trousers.  I'm no expert but I find it relaxing and it helps me to slow down and ponder!  I'm keeping to the straight forward patterns at the moment, although I must just show  you this, now that Christmas has gone!

For a special lady!

Then off I went with a small bag of bits and bobs for a local charity shop.....of course whilst I was there I had to peruse the books. My excuse being to look out for the Book Club reading books that are coming up.  I was shown the back room in which were stacked crates of books, paradise!  However, I could only gaze as there were so many piled up, I would have had to dismantle the whole area! my eyes did alight on a Nigel Slater book though....I love that man's mouth, forget the recipes, when he is on TV, I just stare at the curve of his mouth....hahaha, mad woman!

So here it is, such sensible recipes, food we all eat!

Photography is outstanding too!

However I believe my next culinary attempt will be Chinese tabioca! Got the ingredients (left by a previous medic....refuse the check the sell by date, sure it's fine...) Found a recipe online, it's chilled and is made with coconut milk....pictures may follow! (Bet you can't wait...)

Until then, have rambled for long enough, need to plate up the dh's dinner.  He will be home after extended hours surgery...12 hours at work being all things to all people.  I'll leave him to unwind in front of the TV in peace without me jabbering on (have learned the hard way! ) As for me I shall retire to my bed surrounded by my books and many thoughts, unwinding in my own way...with  A.W.Tozer!

Frivolous knitting!

I saw the pattern, I loved the design, I tried on the sample that someone had knitted to inspire the propective buyer and I was enchanted!  It was a frivolous design that looked fun and the wool was so soft, I didn't need to be persuaded and anyway, I had birthday money!

It knitted up so fast on biggish needles and the pattern was always changing so it kept the interest...in a couple of days one glove was completed.

I got to learn how to knit a rosette as well as a few different stitches I had never tried before....always learning, always more to challenge me, whether it be knitting or otherwise!

Never "blocked" a piece before, don't know why, will probably always do it now,  makes a flatter finsh on the edges, helped by You tube in demonstrating a neat way to do seams....so on reflection, not so frivolous after all!

Finished result, fingernails hidden as I'd been moving mud encrusted paving slabs that day and I was ashamed of the tattered and battered look....My nails will never be  manicured perfection....too much chicken poo and weeding.... Still the gloves look okay, I just need to wear them now...which is, of course the whole point of the exercise!

Slipper de doo da!

 Having a frustrating evening which has resulted in me fusing the lights x2 by switching the iron on.....The iron has come out on strike due to the demanding week I have put it through following the recent big family celebration.  Having ironed my way through over 60 large linen napkins and about 15 linen tablecloths, some sheet-sized, the iron has downed tools as it were and said "Enough already!" So when do you think the 3 years extended guarantee ran out?  That's right 17th October....always the way isn't it!  So that put paid to my felt "paper" chain creations which were the next experiment on the Homemade Christmas agenda....and meanwhile I have no iron, although the dh is looking at reviews online as I type. As our irons don't usually last 3 years in this hard water area, it probably doesn't owe us anything...so tomorrow I will probably be testing the weight  and the handle etc and hopefully purchase a new one soonish.....then I will do a decoration blog.

For now though, here are my new slippers, SO easy to knit!  See link below for the instructions.  Also my first attempt at decorative needle felting around the edges to hide a seam and give it some colour.  I knitted it on 26 stitches with size 8 needles, but will make another pair on size 9s that I bought in a charity shop, adding a contrasting colour to make a more flecked design, next time. I also adapted the top by sewing a longer seam, as I wanted slippers that covered more of my foot.


http://blog.innerchildcrochet.com/?p=358

Home to Roost, chicken at the Christmas Fayre!

So she comes up to me, giggling in only the way she can when something has amused her greatly. From behind her back, she thrusts the item in my direction. "Something", she grins, "that couldn't be more perfect, an ideal gift made just for you!"

I have to say, I absolutely LOVED it! The chicken, the knitting needles with ball of wool, the vintage apron. It HAD to be bought, hardly a hesitation and now it perches (!) on my shelf for all to see, the feathers moving with the heat of the radiator below.

Of course, we have to view her from both angles! Absolutely brilliant purchase, I'm sure you will agree!

And the response from dh? "For goodness sake!" followed by a nod of approval. He likes it, so all is well and she stays on the shelf to be admired by some and despaired of by others!

Knitting dishcloths is addictive!

I know,I know, I hear exclamations like "What's the point?!" and "You're knitting what?!" but I have to say... there is something very satisfying about washing up in hot bubbles with a soft absorbant cloth, somehow you want to slow down the pace of life whilst looking out at your washing blowing in the breeze...(you're not convinced are you?!) Well I'm happy in my little world where simplicity reigns...or at least "is coming to the fore!"

So here are my first attempts:












I bought this book at the Bath and West "Creative Crafts" show yesterday. I was really hoping that there might be some Peg Looms there, but looks like I shall be ordering one online as there weren't any to be seen. This book helps to further whet my appetite. I would to have a go at stick weaving too.




I found this child's loom in a charity shop recently. I still can't quite work out how to thread it correctly, but at some point I need to have a go! I have the designs in my head, I just need to get on with it (between dishcloths!!) The instructions (circa late 60's,70's) suggest that I may be able to find "small remnants out of your Mother's wool-box and make many pretty things"! So hey ho off I go to Mother's wool-box!




I have decided that I would like to organise all my Creative/Craft items in one place. So the Craft Room is born! It doesn't look much at the moment, but I couldn't resist taking some early photos! When it looks more "lived in" I will take more! It is going to be brilliant not to have to clear everything away when I have finished for the day! The pasteing table will appear for the photo album/scrapbooking at some point as well! As you can gather, I am just a little excited!




My ribbon Box




I love seeing my needles all sticking up like this! I've been wondering what use to put this tall vase to!

Knitted face cloths/flannels?

Well, here's a strange thing and it seems has an enthusiastic following...so I couldn't resist it to see what all the fuss was about! People across the globe are comparing patterns and knitting these squares to wash their dishes and their bodies...(ahem different cloths for different jobs...oh for goodness sake!)

So I did my research :) Off I went into town, returned with two balls of cream coloured 100% cotton which can be washed at 95°. (A few days later I also bought some organic cotton (wash at 40°) in an apricot shade as I remembered the health issues facing farm workers in some countries with the non organic cotton. As this was "Made in India" and even better, half price, I may just have to buy some more!)

The cream colour seems to knit up slighter thicker and may therefore make a more absorbant cloth (Gosh, I bet you guys are rivetted!!!) The pastel shades are obviously more attractive. My plan is to buy fragrant soaps and give them as presents. I may even use the idea to do some fundraising for Asha in the future.

The result? I am impressed! I have to say, I love my new flannel and no, I wouldn't go back to the old one, which incidentally resembles a board when dry, whereas I have to just keep stroking and squeezing my new one.....yep, I know, there are no words.....

I cannot bring myself to knit a dishcloth yet as I can't bear the idea of getting it dirty and the risk that the stains won't wash out and I am a sad woman who is obviously losing it bigtime!!!!!





The pattern I use says start decreasing about 45 stitches are on the needle, but I find 70 stitches is a good size for an adult flannel/dishcloth. The pattern is SO easy and the item can be completed in a few hours in front of the TV. I will try and get the link as I got it off some knitted dish cloth forum....and believe me they DO exist!!!!

This is the pattern:
http://www.groovy-mom.com/crafty/patterns/dishcloth.shtml

This is the ardent following they have!!!! LOL!

http://dishandwashclothmania.com/about/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/knitting/discuss/72157594270653708/




The Journal you can see above will be explained in another blog, it isn't a personal account of anything, just a snapshot into each day I decide to write in it....




This flannel and soap will be part of my mum's 70th birthday present when I visit her in a week or so!

So that's it for now...off to complete a few more rows and reflect on my day before I turn out the light!

Night night all!
xx