RIP

 My little dog who was my best friend for 17 years died on 11th December. 

I'm heart broken and don't want to be around.  

Orange Bell Pull by William Morris

Hi, I'm back with a finished object that I have had sitting around for about 2.5 months.  I finished the cross stitching about 2-3 weeks ago and just left it hanging up clipped to a skirt clothes hanger that has grips.   It was hanging on the front of my wardrobe, just looking at it and thinking about how I am going to finish it.

I had ordered some cotton fabric and wadding and today, after I had finished the ironing pile, I decided to just get on with it and finish it.  

The method I used to finish it was to iron some fusible interfacing onto the back of the cross stitch, cut some wadding and backing to size and then once stitched around 3 sides, I turned it into the right way out and then hand stitched the hem bit at the top.  

I had purchased a wooden and magnet brackets with string and it has gripped the top of the Bell Pull and is now hanging in my living room on the wall, above my head, where I sit and craft.

I got the pattern from a book that I had purchased from a charity shop.

The book is called 'The Art of William Morris in Cross Stitch" by Barbara Hammet.

There are such a lot of great patterns in the book and I fell in love with this one.  The design is originally stitched on a blue even weave but I didn't like it.  

I stitched it on 32 count even weave in a beige/cream colour and also  used DMC threads and once I had finished kitting it up, I started  stitching "in hand" at first.

I did use a hoop at one point but didn't like the marks it was leaving so I changed to a rectangle scroll frame which, although felt a bit uncomfortable, I did persevere with it.  

My partner bought me a Lowry Stand which is metal.  It has a plate at the bottom which fits under your sofa and then an adjustable rod that twists round.  It then has an adjustable bar that you clip your cross stitch frame to and you can swing the work near you or away from you.  

The stand helped so much with completing the cross stitching.  I do suffer with vertigo so having my head downwards all the time, does make me dizzy and this frame has helped with keeping my head up a little. 

So, there you have it, a completed project that I hope will be around longer than I am.  I have tagged it at the bottom with my name and the year.

I will be back in a few days time to show off my completed crochet blanket.  I just have ends to sew in and then take a good photo of it.  I was thinking of posting a picture on my Instagram account but the blanket's recipient is on there and I don't want to spoil the surprise.  It is there Christmas present.

I will be back soon, hope everyone is keeping safe. 

Covid or no Covid

 I just don't know what to actually say about this flipping pandemic that's taking so many lives and affecting so many.  Even though I work at my local hospital, I do not see the real stress, anxieties and sheer determination through exhaustion that some of my colleagues go through.  I did not want to write about Covid on here but whilst thinking about seeing it on the news every day and the conversations I have with family, patients and colleagues, I feel that I should log it here.  I am not going to go on about it for long, I am sure a lot of us want to push it aside when we walk in the door at home or step out of work.  

The effect it has had on me has been very minimal compared to others.  At beginning of March my partner and I self isolated for 2 weeks because we thought that he had it, still don't know if he did but never mind.  His taste buds have not been the same for months, even now.  I have had to work from home for about 3 months with the odd day in the office printing off letters and doing admin tasks that you just can't do at home.  I have used public transport the whole time, still do and am strict with hand sanitiser and not touching handles etc on the bus.  We do a lot of our shopping on line but also used our local shops too which to be honest, caused less anxiety.  The only thing that was really upsetting was I was not allowed to see my grandchildren for 3 months.  That was hard, I tried ringing them every few days but not having a good relationship with their Mum, it was hard.  

We are seeing them regularly now which brings us great joy and even the last few times, my Grand-daughter wanted to do some crochet so we had a go at it together and it brought a bit smile to my face.

Today, is Monday 23.11.20 and I am just writing this with a little update of my crafts I have been doing.  To be honest I just want to start loads of things but there is just not enough hours in the day and I wanted to start some different crafts.  So far, I have cross stitch Christmas stocking on the go, a crochet blanket for  a Christmas present and am knitting garter stitch with scraps of sock yarn together with a fluffy grey yarn. I am kind of thinking it might be my idea of trying to make a cardigan for me (without a pattern).  Not saying no more about that in case I jinx it.  

Here are a few pictures of my finished projects...

This, I am ever so proud of.  It is all handspun from fibre by me using either Blue Faced Leicester, Coriedale, Gotland or Norweigan fibre.  Knitted in garter stitch like a log cabin but in blocks and then sewing together using hand spun. 

It has been a labour of love.  My grandkids helped to mix colours on a blending board and if you see if in real life it has a few dashes of shiny stellina.  I spun the fibre on my E-spinner 3 and it was a chore to have to keep getting the spinner out.  It would have been done quicker if I had the space in my house to have the E-spinner out all the time but alas, I don't.

It is very heavy, very warm and I will probably not make another one because of the work that goes into it.

However, it is certainly my unique blanket that is going to last longer than I will.

This next photo is of a Purse kit that I bought from Amazon a few weeks ago.  

The embroidery is finished and it was so quick to do.  My idea is to turn it into the purse the you can see in the photo but I have been waiting for some items to arrive in the post. 

The kit came with all the things you need, even the clasp, but I have just not had time to finish it yet.  

I hope I can get it done soon so that I can put it into a Christmas gift bag for my Mother in Law.  She will love it.

If I remember rightly, the kit only cost about £8 which was a bargain however, if you do decide to buy one, be warned.  The writing is mainly in Chinese but the diagrams are very clear.

This next photo is of scrap socks that I knitted using 2.5 mm needles.

My Grand-daughter wanted a green pair so I kind of guessed how many stitches to cast on and they turned out perfect.

I wanted them both to have a cozy pair of socks just like me and Pop, after we have had a wash and in our PJ's and all wearing our hand knit socks and settling down for the evening.

They wash up lovely, are not itchy and they both seem to like wearing them.

My Grandson wanted a blue pair and he loves them.

I decided to not show the crochet blanket because it is not completed, it is a gift for a family member and I don't want to jinx the process of it.  I am hoping that if I can get it done, I hope to be able to make it into a pattern.

Youtube is my tv watching.  In fact, I think I am addicted to craft podcasts.  Here is a list of a few of them that I watch regularly.

Fruityknitting, The Lefty Knitter, Ciaspod, Sandy by The Lakeside, Tales from Cuckoo Land, Dizzy Stitcher, Colorado Stitcher to name but a few...

So, that is my little update for you and I hope that I can get back again soon.  Keep safe and please, listen to what the government are saying,  Wear your mask, keep a safe distance and wash, wash, wash your hands.

Take care..

25th September 2020

 Morning,  yes it has been a while.  So here is what I have been up to..

These are a West Yorkshire Spinner sock yarn and it is called Rum Paradise.  

I knitted a turned hem instead of a rib hem and my partner really likes it.  I think I will do that again on my next pair of socks.  They are quite long in the leg and he said he prefers that, especially for when it starts to get colder now and I have got use to knitting a heel flap, heel turn and gusset too.  It does fit much better on his foot.

I did go through his socks recently and he has now got 31 pairs of hand knit socks, so I have knitted around 50 pairs of socks over the past few years.  I made myself a few pairs and also have been making some for family members.  

This photo shows you all of my partner's socks that I have made.  It obviously does not include the pair that he is wearing.  

I think I will have to make some Christmas pairs now because it lacks a but of festive season in that pile of socks.

I have been on the look out for some really bright, stripy Christmas colours and I have seen West Yorkshire Spinners latest Christmas colour ways but I have also seen a colour way on Stranded Dyeworks which Amy dyes and I might treat myself and my partner to a couple of skeins.  

Watch this space for that!

After crocheting a big blanket for my eldest son and his partner, my niece asked me to crochet her a lap blanket similar to the one I made my son.  

Here it is hanging on the washing line in a warm sunny August day.  What you cannot see is that I crocheted a scallop type of edge just to give it a bit of a bling look.

The blanket is washed and tagged with my leather label and is now inside a plastic bag, in time out, because of Covid and is waiting to go to it's new home.

My niece Jade seems excited to receive it which makes it all the more worth while to make when something you have spent 8 weeks making is going to be looked after.

I hope it gives her many years of enjoyment.

Now, my final finished project is this gorgeous bag I made.

I have gone down the rabbit hole of starting embroidery and I wanted to practice some different themes on some scrap Aida.  I watched a couple of Youtube videos and I am so happy with the finished project.

It then spent a few weeks waiting for me to decide what to do with it.  I ordered some fabric online and when it came, I just put it away for a while till I can decide what to make.  It was either going to be a little cushion or a project bag.

Well, last Sunday I decided to just get on with it and decide what to make, so I got out the sewing machine and this is what I ended up making.  I have never sewn a zip in before and I wanted it on the front of the project and not on the top.  That was interesting to do!  I used some cotton batting and a cream coloured lining and voila!  I am really happy with it and is something I would call 'unique' because you could never put a price on something like this.  It has it's faults, could have been sewn a bit better but to me, it is perfect.

My partner and I were talking about what price would you put on something you have spent weeks and weeks stitching and then spent 3 hours sewing together, as well as the cost of it all.  I really don't think you can put a price on something that is so time consuming.  That is why I like to make 'unique' items and if I want to keep them, I will but if I want to give them as gifts to craft worthy people, then I think that is a good plan.

Works in Progress consist of a rabbit hole that I have jumped back into after many years.  When my boys were little I was very much into cross stitch and on my wall I have a couple of finished projects that are at least 20 years old.   My youngest son was about 18 months old when I moved into this house and he is now 26 years old and I stopped cross stitching at least 15 years ago.  I even gave away my cross stitch threads and Aida stash about a year ago because I thought I would not do it anymore.  Unfortunately, that was a big mistake because now I have started cross stitch up again and I forgot how much I enjoy it.

This is what I have been working on for about 6 weeks.  It is a design from a William Morris book and the design is called Orange Bell Pull.  It is folded in the photo and will be about 16 inches in length when it is finished.

I try to work on it every day for a couple of hours, preferably in day light and so far, it is about 3/4 done.  There are 4 charts in total and I am on the 3rd chart.  

I have been watching Flosstube on Youtube and that is another rabbit hole I have fallen down but I really need to curb it now.

I have knitting, spinning, crochet, cross stitch and embroidery as my hobbies. I have to discipline myself because I do not like having loads of unfinished projects so at the moment I have...

A handspun blanket that is almost done, the cross stitch bell pull in the photo and I am spinning some merino to have a go at making a pair of hand spun socks.  I also started knitting a vest for myself which is my first garment since I was about 17 years ago.  

I have been waiting for the weather to get a bit colder to knit some more on the hand spun blanket.  I have it ready to just knit the border now and to use up the hand spun that I have for it.  

Oh well, I think that is enough go make up for my absence on here.  I hope that everyone is well and keeping themselves safe from Covid.  

I do hope to post on here again soon, I will try and post once a week just to show any progress and maybe show some autumn photos because I love this season.  

Take care...be back soon.

26th May 2020

Apparently, blogger will automatically revert everyone on blogger to their new updated version which means that I will be having problems trying to understand how to put photos on here/videos.  I will do my best to try this but if it gets to a point that I cannot do it, I may have to consider stopping this blog.

I am keeping an old fashioned photo album but I do like to write on a blog, especially for my Ravelry profile so we will see what happens in the future with this.

My anxieties of life are getting the better of me lately, especially working from home still and no normal life happening yet.  So I will be back soon to try and post something of interest to those few who take the time to read.

May 16th, 2020

Good evening and are we enjoying the lockdown....I flipping am not.  I have managed to persuade my boss to let me go into work twice a week now and the public transport are requesting that everyone wears a face mask in case the trains/buses are busy with people slowly returning to work.  So I can do that easily, what I can't do is knit on the bus because wearing a mask and having to wear my spectacles means the spectacles steam up and I can't see what I am knitting.

Never mind, I still get to knit in my lunch break whether working from home or in the office.

Now there is a story behind the fingerless mittens in the picture above.  They are my own design because originally I wanted go practice colour work socks so I casted on 72 stitches using Novita Nalle yarn which is durable yarn, warm and lovely to knit with.  

I knitted the leg in the design, I  knitted the heel flap, heel turn, gussets and about 15 rounds for the foot and then when Frank tried them on for size, it would not go over his heel.  Bugger!  So I had to unpick back to the start of the heel flap and decided to just knit a pair of mitts and wondering how am I ever going to knit a pair of colour work socks that are going to fit properly.

The gauge is 10 Sts to the inch using 2.5mm and I thought that casting on 72 stitches and knitting looser, it would surely fit.  Nope!  So if anyone has any suggestions please let me know.  I could go up to the recommended needle size on the ball band which is a 3.5/4 mm needle but then would that not come out too big.  

I don't know, I am so unsure and there are a pair of socks on Ravelry that I want to knit called The Bassalisk which is a snake curling itself around the foot.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Oh well, I am off now to watch some podcasts because as usual, a Saturday Tv viewing is absolutely crap.  No decent films on or documentaries.

I am going to knit a sock tube now with the rest of the yarn left with bigger needles and at least I will get an idea of what size needle I may need to use.

Bye for now!

May 10th, 2020

What have I been doing since my last blog post!

 This had was made a few weeks ago using my handspun and the pattern is called Jason's Cashmere Hat.  It is on my Ravelry page if you need more details but suffice to say, it is another winter hat for Frank. I might wear it at some point if we get 3 feet of snow and below zero temperatures this winter.  It is not as itchy as I thought and is very warm to wear and what with me being a hot flushed 52 year old, I think it may be a bit too warm for me.  We will see what winter weather brings us.

It was a joy to knit and knowing that the yarn is my home spun, I am rather proud of it.

There are a few more hats that I would love to make, I really enjoy not planning patterns for yarn etc, I just like that freedom of choosing what I want to create.

The next project only took me a month to crochet and it was something I have been wanting to do for a while now.

This is what I call a crochet heirloom granny blanket and I wanted to make one for my eldest son and his partner.  They have a double bed and I asked him if he wanted one because I want him to have a blanket that reminds him of me when I leave this mortal soil.  He had a go at me for saying that but I wanted him to know how I felt.  I said you can wrap yourself up in it when you need some 'mummy cuddles' during hard times.

Scott & his partner Courtnie loved seeing the progress of it and finally, I finished it about 2 weeks ago.  It is 5 x 5 feet wide and is plenty big enough for their bed.  I crocheted 5 rounds of granny stripe around the edge and then tagged it.

He said he can't wait to get it but because of the lockdown still, we cannot see each other.

Tonight, the government namely good old Boris Johnson, is going to address the nation at 7 pm with the next phase of Covid  lockdown.  We are all hoping he will lighten the restrictions and let families interact so that I can see my Grandchildren next weekend.  It has been quite stressful not being able to see them, especially when they have moved now to a new home.

I am still working from home and only going to work one day a week, let's hope things get back to normal soon!

My next project I am working on is a cross stitch kit of a William Morris design called ' The Strawberry Thief' and it is going well.

I also need to start on 2 more blankets, one for my niece who has requested one and I also need to find out if my youngest son wants a blanket too.

Hopefully, be back soon!

April 13th, 2020

 Hi and so sorry about the previous post.  Blogger has not been allowing me to add photos and after a bit of research today, I could see an option to go back to the old style and so I did.  I googled what was happening and seems quite a few people have had the same problem so it is not just me.

We are still in lockdown like most countries and I am working from home 4 days out of 5 which I am pleased about but is rather odd.  It is convenient at the moment too because my dog Tammie has been really unwell.

I took her to emergency vet on Sunday and he said that Tammie may lose her eye because she has an ulcer on her cornea and the cataract is quite bad too.  So we were sent away with eye drops for her and had to go back on Thursday with the decision whether we want to go ahead with Tammie either having the eye removed or a cornea operation.  On Thursday morning I took her back to the vet and then I went to work which is next door.  I was expecting a call to say she has not passed the test for  the anaesthetic but he said that the ulcer in the cornea is not as deep as he thought.  So we have got to go back to the vet on Tuesday evening to see what the next stage is.

I must say that it has taken Tammie 2 days to get back to some energy levels and then the past day she has been a bit more like herself.  We are hand feeding her and having to make sure she doesn't walk into anything.  She doesn't like going out much now because of the sun so we are waiting till quite late to take her for a short walk.

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I got a lovely surprise on Thursday when I got back from work and the vets, at first Frank gave me a parcel that had loads of lovely Merino fibre and then he gave me another parcel which was a big big excitement like I was a kid.

An Ashford E-spinner 3 and I have used it twice so far.  It was like winning the lottery and it is not even my birthday yet.  

We waited till Good Friday to set it up and luckily, it was already set up so I was straight onto trying it out.

Just as I expected, you have to learn all over again to spin and I was spinning thick and thin at first.  Today I intend to have another go at it and will hopefully, spin a bit finer.

I got so use to spinning on my drop spindle and spinning a thinner yarn and it is true, you have to learn a whole new way of spinning on an E-spinner or even a normal spinning wheel.

I will show you what I spun first on the e-spinner.

This was what I spin, it is 50g of Welsh black natural fleece and 50g of Masham White.  As you can see it is thick and thin but I was getting the hang of it eventually.

It is so quick now to spin fibre, I think I will get through what I have pretty quickly and I am now thinking what I can make with it all.

I do like the idea of knitting a pure wool blanket with various colours and knitted in strips.  I think a long term project would be better because I have enough hats and socks to last a long time.

We will see.....watch this space.

This is also some handspun that I did on the drop spindle before I was gifted the E-spinner.  It is 50g of Suffolk grey and Dorset Horn which is a rare breed.  This is definitely going to be part of a blanket or a pair of fingerless gloves.

I will keep on with my drop spindle, I love doing it and could take it to work with me because it is so portable to use.

That is, if we ever get back to normal in this crazy world right now.

And finally, I finished a pair of socks

These are Lemino Socks on Ravelry and I knitted them with Novita Nalle sock yarn.  The pattern was quite easy to remember after about 3 repeats and was glad to get them off the needles to be honest.  They are going to be for a relative at Christmas and I am to knit a pair of socks once a month.

I hope everyone is doing ok, I haven't spoke much about Covid-19 because it is upsetting to even think about what my family and friends are going through.  I work at a hospital and am in the Administration side so I am not front line but I dread to think what my colleagues are going through.

Stay safe everyone.

April 4th, 2020

I am now out of isolating and it has been a long 2 weeks for me.  Even now, we still cannot go out unless absolutely necessary so we stick to our local shops for groceries and walk the dog at the same time.  At most we are only out for about 20 minutes.  The roads are still quiet of traffic and people and when you see on the BBC News video's of Oxford Street, London is deserted, it seems so strange.  Only food shops are open in most areas of the UK and you have to queue up for hours at a Supermarket so we would rather queue a short time at our local shops rather than go to a big supermarket.

It is a glorious sunny day today, I am going to struggle getting up at 6 am from Monday for work having spent the last 2 weeks rising out of bed at about 8.30am.  I am kind of hoping I can work from home after Monday so I don't have to use public transport.  

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I have finished my hand spun that I showed off last time and am so happy with the outcome.  My partner said it is really warm and is looking forward to wearing it in the winter.  

Blogger has changed their format on writing new posts and I have tried several times to add my photos but with no luck, it is really annoying when you get use to a system and then it is changed without notification.

30th March 2020

Hi,  I am still isolating and still wondering when it is all going to get back to normal.  Frank goes back to work on Thursday but I don't go back till Monday which means another week of crafting, housework and watching podcasts.

I have no enthusiasm to even take the dog out some days, even though it is only for 10 minutes so she can do her toileting.

Today, I am still in my pyjamas and dressing gown and it is 2:30 pm and have found a new podcast to watch on Youtube.  It is called Tiny Fibre Studio and she talks about spinning as well as other crafts.

I started knitting on a hat using my handspun on the drop spindle and here is the progress so far..

 It feels quite itchy to knit with and will probably felt every time it gets washed so I will have to soak it in a wool wash and then lay it flat to dry.  He said he doesn't mind the itchiness so at least it will get used.

I just have to think what I am going to knit next with the handspun that I have left over.  There is probably enough to make mitts or another hat.

I will have to think about that!

 The next 2 photos are of sock tubes that I made for my Grandchildren.

Basically, a sock tube has no heel so as the child's foot grows, the socks won't be too small.  I am hoping they will actually fit for at least a couple of months!

The first photo is Regia Sock Yarn in the colour way Butterfly.  It is so pretty and feels quite robust for little feet.

I had casted on 56 stitches for my Granddaughter's feet and just kept knitting in the round.  I had drawn round her feet last September so I had a rough idea of how much to knit so that she had enough 'leg'.

 The next pair are tube socks I knit for my Grandson who has a slightly smaller foot so I knitted them with 50 Sts casted on.

It is such a simple knit if you want to learn how to knit in the round, especially if you want to knit socks but are worried about the outcome.

A heel is not hard to do, it just takes practice so once you have accomplished a tube with casting on, knitting in the round and decreasing for a toe, you should be a bit more confident.

I think there are patterns on Ravelry you can take a look at.

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I recently sent a little parcel to my Grandchildren containing a few treats and they loved them so today, we sent a parcel with the tube socks in, some chocolate and these pictures that I drew of their favourite programme Peppa Pig.

They didn't take long to draw, I just got a picture up on google and copied it.  I thought they might like to colour them in while they are isolating.

They are fine, there Mum is just keeping safe because she has a baby of 6 months old and doesn't want to take any chances with them in going out.  She would have to get a bus to get out to her Mum but the buses and trains are running very limited.

My plans for today are to do some more knitting, Frank can heat up the stew I made yesterday, when he wants to eat and I think I will just stay home and think about my Grandchildren.

It will be a month since I had them over to stay and I miss them so much.  We have video chatted a couple of times.  Hooray, for technology.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 

Finally, Covid-19 in my area has obviously had a knock on affect to the community.  The hospital that I work at only has front line staff, no visitors at all and if you work on Wards or in one of the office jobs, you are only allowed in at a specific entrance.  They have shut the main entrance to the hospital.

The clinics that normally run in the hospital, including my Dept, have all been moved to another hospital that is linked to mine so that wards and beds are free for Covid-19 patients and yes, there have been some deaths which is so sad for those families and the precious staff that work there dealing with this horrible virus.

The town I live in is so quiet, I live on a main road that is linked to a busy motorway and I am not use to having such little traffic outside.  All the schools were closed on Friday so it is even more quiet than usual.  My local shops like Gregg's bakery, hairdressers, gym, the gambling shop, pet shop have all closed under government guidance and the only shops that are open are Nisa and Co-Op which are a local mini-market and also the Butchers is open too.  

I still get post through the door but if I need any shopping, I have to go local mini-market which is a bit dearer than my local Asda.  Unfortunately, stupid people have been panic buying which has caused a shortage on the shelves in the big supermarkets even though there is no shortage of food supplies from distributors.  I was told the other day that Asda, Dagenham are only letting in 20 people at a time to keep the 2 meter distance regulation so I can only imagine what the queues are like outside.  I don't think I could bare that plus I think it is better to support your local small businesses if you can and the crowds are not so bad.  

It was mentioned on the news that our Prime Minister Boris Johnson is sending out letters to everyone about restrictions and isolation methods.  If people don't adhere to them then I can only imagine a curfew will take place or a complete curfew.  I hope not, I hope people do adhere to what the governments are saying so that this virus can just sod off and leave humanity alone.

My heart goes out to all those that have been affected and I hope that those few that do read my blog, stay safe please.

23rd March 2020

Hi, I hope you are all well and following the government guidelines to stay at home and not to go out unless it is absolutely necessary.

I do hope that those idiots that have been visiting Richmond Park in London stop being so bloody selfish and go home.  We all need exercise, I take my dog out when it is quiet and am not out for more than 10-15 minutes, but the crowds at Richmond Park were ridiculous.  

I would love to be able to go on the bus and go to work at the hospital as a Medical Secretary but I am taking responsibility and not doing that.  

I have not transitioned from being an Agency Secretary to a full NHS contract yet so I don't get paid for these 2 weeks and I hope and pray that after my 2 weeks of isolation because of my Partner having symptoms, I can go back to work.  Even if I have to walk the 5 miles with arthritic knees, I will, just to earn a living and do my bit for the great NHS.

That's enough of my moaning, I'm sorry for that!

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Daily chores are still happening.  I actually stripped my king size bed of its bedding, washed it on a hot wash, put it out on the washing line because it is gorgeously sunny and breezy outside, and by the afternoon I put the bedding back on my bed without ironing it.  The smell is amazing, I love that outdoor fresh smell of laundry. 

It's lovely and sunny again today so I am going to strip the bedding on my Grandchildren's bed, air off their room and have a little tidy up.  I really missed them the weekend, I normally have them every fortnight and just love the mess they make and the comments and conversations they have.  I miss my cuddles with the kids.

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On the crafting front, I have finished spinning on my drop spindle the Jacob fleece fibre and here is a photo to show you.

I know it looks a bit scruffy but I have not washed and wacked it yet, I will today and post a picture of it later.  It will dry in no time in the sunshine.

I finished Frank's socks, the Opal Sunrise ones, they fit him so well and he said it is like walking on a soft sponge.  They are so robust!

It is not a great photo but just look at them.

Oh well, I am off to wash my handspun, hope you are all ok.

21st March 2020

You know I said on my last post that I was off work but not to do with Covid-19 but to do with my arthritis!

Well, Thursday Frank was coughing, felt rough as if he had flu and a little bit breathless.  So after much persuasion, I told him that he needs to stay off work and self isolate which also means that I do to.  He didn't want to at first because he felt guilty that I will lose 2 weeks pay but it is important to take responsibility to make sure that if it is Covid-19, then it won't be spreading.

Today, Saturday he is much better, not coughing much and still a bit achy and his breathing is better and I don't have any symptoms at all.  So, I have a feeling it is just a cold but am proud to say that we are doing the right thing.

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So my home is up to date (more or less) of housework duties, I have no laundry but a fair bit of ironing which I am saving till tomorrow ( Sunday).  

I have done loads of drop spinning and have only got about 100g of the Jacob fleece to finish.

I am eager to get the spinning done so that I can start washing it all ready for the next project.

Here is a project that got delivered today as I type this...

Isn't it gorgeous!

I also ordered a Wool Wash Bar which smells amazing and I want to use that for the spun yarn.

So, sorry this is brief but I am going to get on with the spinning and I may even do a bit of baking too.

Take care everyone.

18th March 2020

Good afternoon and welcome to my blog.  

I am off work today and no it is not because of the coronavirus but because of the arthritis in my knees and is playing me up with terrible swelling.  It tends to get worse if I am sitting all the time and because I am a Medical Secretary, my job is sedentary 99% of the 8 hour work day.  Yesterday my ankles ballooned bad and felt like I had a rubber ring around my ankles. 

So today, I have been elevating my legs to reduce swelling.  

What have I been doing that I can do whilst elevating legs, I managed to spin some of my Jacob fleece fibre that I purchased from Fiberhut in the UK.  The colour is called Humbug and is a natural colour.

I recently purchased a niddy noddy and got to use it today.  I wound 385 feet of handspun round it and it is now waiting to be washed.  I still have about 200g of fibre to spin but that won't take much longer.  

This is the Ashford Niddy Noddy.  

Now that I know how to use it, I can crack on with getting the rest of the fibre spun. 

I do intend to use the spun yarn to knit a hat for myself and my partner for the winter and maybe, if I have enough left, a scarf for my partner.

We will see!

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I have been writing this blog for a long time now and only just realised you can add Emoji's.

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After watching a few podcasts this morning and a new one called Yarnmugs on Youtube, I decided to finish a sock.

This is Opal Sunrise sock yarn and it is such a robust yarn.  I love Opal, it is so hard wearing and Frank said that they are much warmer than his other socks.    He told me he prefers the heel flap, heel turn and gusset which means knitting the sock will take a bit longer.  (I prefer to knit a short row heel).  Never mind.

I am now going to my Ravelry page to purchase a crochet pattern that I have been waiting for.  

Sandra at Cherryheart podcast has finally finished designing a blanket that is just one colour and is absolutely gorgeous.  

Take care everyone!

15 March 2020

What a world we live in, panic buying because there is a virus going around.  The queue's in the supermarkets are crazy, no toilet paper, dried pasta, tins of food, biscuits, soap.   I work in a local hospital and I know that people are worried, especially the elderly but come on now, it needs to stop.  People are being so selfish at stocking up ridiculous amounts of products, not even thinking about other people.  I am not going down that route, there is no need to.

The constant media involvement about all the what if's and buts are just making people panic and they need to stop.  Just give us the information about the progress of what the government are doing and suggesting and none of this nonsense.

Yes, it is a nasty kind of flu but even normal flu can cause death, dependent on your age and medical condition, so why are people panicking.  Why toilet paper!  Tear up newspapers that you have laying around and use them to wipe your arse!  Just like the old days.

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Now let's get on with what I have been up to in regards to my hobbies. 

 You can have the pleasure of seeing any ugly mug now while modelling a finished crochet project that I called 'Flowers in the Garden".

I still have quite a bit left over of the Stylecraft Bellissimo Yarn from my Striations blanket and I decided to make a cowl for my 'Gift Box' that I intend to fill up with things that I actually want to make.

I love just picking up the crochet hook or knitting needles and  'winging it' with no idea what I am going to create.  It might be a stitch that I have seen in one of my dictionary's or even just an idea that I have come up with trying to fall asleep at night.

The cowl has come out quite big and can easily be wrapped 3 times for a snug tight fit (even to hide the double chin) and is soft and warm.

 The next photo is my gorgeous fella modelling a hat.  I came up with an idea of knitting a folded brim that I later sewed to make it thicker and warmer over the ears.  Also, I wanted to do a bit of colour work and just casted on 120 Sts and knitted.  I was really pleased with it and then I thought, how am I going to shape the crown.

I didn't even think about that and after much thought, I decided to split the stitches into 4 and decrease at beginning and end of each.

I could have done it a bit better but am quite pleased with the outcome and as you can see in the photo below, the crown looks ok.

I used a yarn called Novita Nalle which is a 4ply sock yarn that I used on my Bear in the Woods socks last year.

All I have to do now is purchase a polystyrene head to show off my hats that I am bound to make in the future.

I have tried to purchase one in the shops instead of ordering online but have not been able to and will have to order one from Amazon.

Finally, the last photo is of a granny square project that I want to make for my son Scott and his partner.

I want a long term project that I can use up my Paintbox yarn's that I got for Christmas from Frank.

I have not made my son a blanket and when I showed him what I wanted to do he said 'awesome' which made me smile.  I said I wanted to make an heirloom blanket that he can gave for years to come and for when I am gone and he wants a hug from his Mum.

I intend to crochet at least one square a day using 10 colours (yes that is a lot of ends to sew in but I don't care) and then will arrange them and sew them together.

Then I intend to crochet a deep border to use the last of the colours.


Oh well, that is it for now, am going to go and cook a meal and then do some crafting.  If you get a chance to see more of my crafts, why not send me a friend request and I will add you but only if you are a crafter like me.  My instagram account is 'shbachan'.  There is a link on my Ravelry page too, I am 'suehb'.

3rd March

On the 1st March whilst on the bus travelling from work to home, I tried to upload a couple of photo's to blogger from my phone but it just kept coming up with an X.  So I have waited till tonight to write on my blog.

 This first photo is my latest new hobby that involves absolutely no pattern, no needles or even a hook.  I have been wanting to try drop spindle spinning and so I treated myself when I went to the Knit & Stitch Show at Alexandra Palace in London, to a kit that cost £20.  I spun it, very thin and very thick at the same time, knitted it into a rectangle and intend to use it for something a bit later.

However, this photo shows 300g of fiber from a Jacob sheet which is naturally grey and white in colour.  The company that I purchased it from is called 'The Fibrehut' and they are a UK based company.  They called the colour 'Humbug' and if you could feel the softness of it, it is absolutely wonderful.    Not sure what it will end up as but I just love it!

 The next photo is of a pair of mittens that I have designed and will put in my gift box.  I have decided to knit what I want without pressuring myself with a pattern. Plus, I want to have items in a box that I can just pull out and give as gifts.

I wanted to knit some mittens and try a turned hem at the cuff so that is what I did.  I then got out my stitch dictionary book and saw the pattern called 'Caterpillar' which I thought looked like texture from wings of a Robin.  So that is what I have called these mittens.

I might write up a pattern one day but at the moment, I am just enjoying the creations that I come up with.  I used Novita Sock Yarn which is like a 4 ply.

 This next photo is of my next gifting project.  I have some Stylecraft Bellissimo yarn left over from a previous project and did not want to make another blanket.  So, I have been randomly putting colours together and am crocheting a cowl.

It is a big, bright and soft cowl that you can wrap around your neck a couple of times to keep you warm.

I will still have some of the yarn left over so that will probably end up as another cowl at some point, we will see!

I wish I could crochet for hours and hours like I use to.  Unfortunately, my upper arm and shoulder does not like it...so I limit myself now.


I am loving the light mornings and evenings now.  It is light at about 6.30 am here and when I leave work at about 4pm it is still light and the sun is out.  It makes a big difference to me as a whole, I hate the early dark mornings and nights.

This last photo is of my Tammie.  It was taken on Friday last week when Frank was off work for the day and she was sulking cause her Mum was at work.

She is getting old now, cannot see very well and seems to have good days and bad days.  She loves blankets and cuddles.

My best friend.

28th February

Here are the socks that I tried to download from my phone onto the blog. 

I ended up having to do this blogpost on my laptop today, I was too tired on the bus.  The sock pattern is called `Biscuit Socks' and the pattern is available on Ravelry.  

I used a Novita Nalle yarn which is slightly thinner than a normal 4 ply sock yarn.  I have quite a bit of it in different colours which were a Christmas present. 

The designer is a friend of mine called Lorraine, she has a podcast on Youtube called 'Ellinesscrafts'.  I hope you can get a chance to go watch her podcast, she uploads once a month and is very inspiring with her knitting and crochet.  She has a Ravelry group too so take a look if you can.

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This next photo is what I plan to do the weekend.  

I have taken up Drop Spindle spinning and this fibre is called Jacob Fleece, a natural colour way which is called Humbug.  I love humbug sweets!

I am going to invest in an Ashford E-Spinner this year. 

I have found that when you are spinning, you obviously don't have a pattern in mind and I like that.  You just sit down, watch tv while spinning and it is more relaxing than knitting/crochet.  

I can see spinning is going to be a big part of my crafting life!

Oh well, I am off now to do a bit of knitting on my latest design which I am loving.  It is 7 pm and am ready to chill out with a cuppa and maybe a bit of cake.

Be back soon.

27th February

I am on the bus heading home from work feeling rather tired.  It is not good for your eyes to be looking at a screen all day and still I am writing this on my mobile while on the bus.

I am eager to get home and carry on with my mitten design and I have been spinning too, on a drop spindle.  I did a bit of window shopping at lunch time for an Ashford E spinner and decided to get myself one.  So lots of overtime are needed to buy one.

I finished a pair of socks to put away for future gifts and will try and post a photo.

We had a little snow today, not much.  The sun is currently very bright and blue sky above  thank goodness no more rain.

Nope, it wont let me upload photo from phone so I will do it after dinner which will consist of pie and veg.

Be back soon.

February 17th, 2020

Almost 4 months since I posted here, I did not intend to leave it that long but have been busy being a full time worker.  The year 2020 did not start out as good as I hoped, I tend to expect things to start going wrong in January and it did.

My dear cat Tipsy, died in January.  She was 23 years old and her health was declining quite a bit and as much as she was eating and drinking, she was in a lot of pain and the vet said she had a blockage in her bladder and bowel.  We decided it was time and it was so difficult to have to play God.  She slipped away almost immediately and we brought her home and buried her in our lovely garden next to her brother Peanut.   We miss her so much, not hearing her snoring or her purring.

It is so hard having pets, saying goodbye is never easy and we decided no more cats.  We have our dog Tammie still and she is getting old and just can't bear to go through it all again but when the time comes, we will not have anymore pets till at least one of us retires.

The photo above is of a cowl that I designed a while ago now.  I had finished a blanket called Striations using Stylecraft Bellissima and have quite a lot left over.  This is a simple granny square design with a pretty edging.

I actually wore it on Valentines Day.  Again, in February 2020 my Nan died and she use to do a lot of crocheting at one time making granny square blankets for laps for a local charity shop.  She did not want anyone to wear black at her funeral so I decided to wear bright colours and my granny square cowl.

I do have some more finished projects to show off but for now, I will just leave this as it is and hope to be back soon.