Monday, February 23, 2009

London






Well that was quick!I'm back from lovely sunny London.Just before I left I finished my crochet bag. I am pretty pleased with how it turned out,especially as it was really just an experiment with using stuff up.I didn't give it to Pinkie but turned it into project bag as it is just the right size to hold the hexagon blanket. London was a wonderful rest and yet very stimulating. In four days I packed in a lot. I started my Hyacinth Ripple proper on the train down and was quite pleased with my progress managing two stripes. I arrived on Thursday and after lunch we went to find Loop in Islington
I had allocated about three hours to be there but it was a lot smaller than I imagined, Then Jondy and I went to a knit and knatter at iknit where I mucked up my blanket! I met up with Stash, Cakemix and PrincessPea we knit,knattered drank gin and tonics and ate chocolate (what a fabulous place -I really would like to live there!)I was very restrained on buying only a ball of sock yarn (Lang wool and silk) which is a pressie for my mum, who says she would like to make some socks, left the shop with me though it could easily have been suitcases worth.
On Friday a trip to Liberty's Jondy fell in love with Rowan Cocoon in Kiwi and he bought 5 balls,I have promised him a scarf in moss st which is apparently just what he wanted.
We then took a tour of the Royal Academy to look at the Byzantium Exhibition and then we went out to dinner with some other friends. On Saturday we took a trip to the Victoria and Albert museum (my favourite) to look at the costumes of the Tzar's. Where I bumped into my friend Debs who lives down the road from me here at Denby Dale. Just shows what a small world it is. Then we had a quick wander around Covent Garden before going to listen to a lovely, string quartet concert in Bloomsbury. On Sunday we took a wild whizz around Camden Market before rushing to catch the train home.
When I got back DollyDimple had tagged me

Here are the rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules.
Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that let's them know they've been tagged.


1.I am phobic about synthetic foam it brings on a gag reflex.I get the same feeling when putting on nylon tights after I have just got out the bath.
2.I started out left handed but, now do everything with my right,Though if you saw me knit or crochet you can see I lead with my left.
3.I can do this with my toes which no one else in the family can manage.
.

4.I always read before bed.It only has to be a page but otherwise I can't sleep.
5. I never remember book Titles or Authors. It is only the story that counts.
6. If I don't get something crafty done in the day it makes me really restless and out of sorts like there is something missing.Which also means that everyone around me needs to take cover because I am going to be moody!

My choice of victims(er I mean bloggers) are

BlueADT_Knits
BakeandSew
KnittingintheNorth
PoshYarns
Damn,Knit and Blast it
Attic 24
Only do it if you want to!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

When Life Hands You Lemons...


Well I wasn't exactly handed them, I went looking. Four lemons for a pound a bargain I bought eight. On Thursday I am off to spend four glorious days in London with my very good friend Jondy. I wanted to take him a little something. It didn't take long to decide what. He loves homemade lemon curd, in fact I only make it when he comes to mind.

Zest and juice of 4 medium lemons
4 eggs
100g Butter
350g Sugar


Put the ingredients in a bowl over a pan of boiling water and stir till the mixture thickens.
Put in jars and cover.

I doubled the receipe. A jar for home and a jar for Jondy. we have already made quite a dent in ours.
You can strain it before you pot but, I love the way little bits of rind catch your teeth as the curd melts in your mouth. Yummy!

Monday, February 09, 2009

Tea Towel Totes

It has been a while since I had my sewing machine out. But yesterday I dusted it off. A few months ago BlueAdt told me about Tea Towel Totes she got the idea from a blog but I am not sure whose, though I have to say it is a good one. I made some at christmas to hold presents ( a bit more eco than the paper gift bags you can buy). I have had these lovely cheerful Tea Towels for a couple of months a present from BlueAdt.


For a Tea Towel Tote
You will need:-
2 Tea Towels (as tea towels usually come in sets of three I had six towels that way there are none left over)
1 metre of webbing(per bag)
Scissors
pins
and someway of sewing it

First cut off the two hems on the long sides of your tea towels. This will make the sewing easier. Leave the two shorter ones as they will save you having to hem later on.


Then with your right sides together fold your tea towel in half so it is now short and fat. Because they probably aren't that straight sew both sides about 1.5cm from the edge, towards the fold that way your edges will meet.



Carefully fold your tea towel so that the seams lie together and the corners come to a point. Sew along the corner so that you make a triangle. If you are a bit wonky it doesn't really matter.


Then cut the corner off about 1.5cm from your seam you don't want it to fray to a hole.




Repeat this with your other tea towel. Then turn one tea towel the right way out and place them inside one and other. you should be able to see the right sides of both your tea towels.

Pin at the seams. If you make the seams face in opposite directions they will be easier to sew.

Cut your webbing in half and place between the two layers of tea towel pin. Mine are about 9 cm from the seam.

Then sew carefully around the top of your bag capturing the webbing as you sew.



Voila your tea towel tote!


If you get stuck contact me and I will do my best to help.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Come and meet Pinkle Purr


This is Pinkle Purr know mainly to us as Pinkie or Pinkie pudding. She is a funny little cat. She was found at 4 weeks old in the rubbish (I hope that something really horrible happened to the person who did that!) and taken to a local vets where a friend of my sister was working. She came to live with us a few days later. She was tiny as small as the palm of my hand and covered in fleas. Too young for flea powder or spray she had to be combed daily, she hated it and would display her impressive claws in a tiny paw. Even now she will not tolerate you going near her with any kind of grooming implement. we were terrified that Tigger would hurt her as he was very rough when he was young so she had to be left by herself whilst we went out for work. It turned out that Tigger was a great dad and taught her to wash and generally take care of herself. All of her early experiences have definately coloured her life. She loves her family but she doesn't cuddle, lap sit or come for affection though she will purr like a top if you seek her out to stroke her and whisper sweet nothings in her ear. She loves baby equipment, she was only a few months old when Elenya was born and enjoyed sitting in the cot, pram and high chair when ever she got the chance.
She likes wool too if you will give her a strand she will gladly follow it whilst you drag it around the floor.
A few weeks ago I started making my Hexagons.
Pinkie went beserk running around the floor tossing them up in the air and even after I hurriedly put them away ran excitedly around the funiture for another half an hour. Unusual behaviour for a thirteen year old cat. I didn't really think too much about it until last week when I started making my crochet bag.
Again, Pinkie ran around trying to jump on the crochet then as I started the sides she sat in it. As the sides went higher she squashed them down. I finished the body of the bag last night,
she promptly sat on it and stayed there until I started crocheting the straps when she ran around the room leaping from the chair to the sofa to stage an attack at Mario's feet.
Maybe Pinkie was a crocheter in a previous life, maybe she will be one in the next but what ever the reason Pinkie loves Crochet!

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

The Last of the Christmas Gifts



I finished whooohoooo. I didn't make my deadline of the the 31st mainly because I had got it into my head that the last day of the month was Sunday. Very surprised I was too to find that when I was filling in the blanks on my Ravelry account that I had lost a day.
I am quite pleased with these gifts in that they are all from stash yarn (though not all mine!) The gloves are the last of the Rowanspun tweed that I made my february hat and Juno.The Blackberry yarn was in J's stash so I offered to make her the blackberry for xmas. The sleeves on this are slightly cropped due to a lack of yarn but, actually make it really cute. I am assured that it is lovely and warm which when all is said and done, the main thing! In fairness to me, the gloves and the Blackberry have been finished for some time but, I wanted to give them out at the same time as the Selbu Modern.

The Selbu Modern didn't want to play. I was ready to start this weeks before christmas but I couldn't get hold of the right sized needles I would have loved some addi turbo's but love nor money didn't seem to want to turn up a couple of pairs of these. I finally surcummbed to knitpicks. It was hate at first stitch! I managed to pierce my finger (who on earth thinks needles need to be that sharp-I'm not sewing with them)every other stitch resulted with me being stabbed in the same spot. Not much fun. I had knit about a quarter of it when a little voice started whispering "it's too small"
"Of course it's not too small!" I muttered under my breath "I will take it carefully off of the needles and prove to you that it isn't too small!" Well if the recipient had been a doll it would have been perfect. I then took a deep breath and ripped it out and went up a needle size using my lovely addi's which don't hurt and it was a lovely quick knit and hopefully a good present. I still want one for myself but I think I might do it in a dk yarn rather than a 4ply so that is a lot more slouchy.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Ah Precious Snow Day!



Like most of the country we woke up this morning to beautiful white. It is the first really thick snow we have had since moving to Yorkshire over eleven years ago. There is probably 4 inches outside my front door All the local schools are shut and Mario has worked from home. The kid's day has been filled with sledging, snowballs and hot chocolate.
Mine with crochet! Inspired to make a bag similar to the one on Attic24 I pulled out my oddments of handknit cotton yesterday and started to play. I am not sure that I like the colours. I am not sure that I have enough but, it is bright and it is crochet which are things I seem to be craving at the moment and if at the end it isn't for me I shall add it to this year's gifts. Hopefully someone will love it.

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