tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37517819859808390562024-02-20T14:34:53.080+00:00Yarning awayA blog about my knitting and crochet habit, but undoubtedly other things will weave their way in too.Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-75192795814638561742019-01-01T09:58:00.000+00:002019-01-01T09:58:38.716+00:00Hello again!Well, Happy New Year to anyone and everyone who happens upon my blog! I have been AWOL for over a year, due to a massive and unpredicted change in my personal circumstances which I'd rather not go into right now. Suffice to say that Jennyanydots and I have come through it together, and knitting, crochet and sewing, together with lots of lovely crafty friends, have kept me purposefully focused.<br />
<br />
Jennyanydots (Jenny for short) is the cat I adopted from the RSPCA in September 2017. She is a brilliant companion who keeps me company and listens intently to my conversations with her. I have to admit, they are a bit one-sided, but a request for a head rub is a good reply to pretty much all topics of conversation. Oh, and another plus point, <i>she has absolutely no interest in yarn!</i> She is happy for me to knit and crochet while she's on my lap with no interference whatsoever. I might get a baleful stare if I accidentally touch her back with a knitting needle, but she never attacks the wool. Cat spam follows:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvKmRjkrpGYxcb6Cyn8U90laPy_ePn8cO_8cEf7yDCfGx3OJs_X6y4Rz1-aPzRgRztFumykyxZAAO-qwaG0YQwFk-TTErN-I1JHv-si9XWSt9KYyBe7gm3PD_NBNxZhAm3WJyGHMH-1M/s1600/IMG_1236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvKmRjkrpGYxcb6Cyn8U90laPy_ePn8cO_8cEf7yDCfGx3OJs_X6y4Rz1-aPzRgRztFumykyxZAAO-qwaG0YQwFk-TTErN-I1JHv-si9XWSt9KYyBe7gm3PD_NBNxZhAm3WJyGHMH-1M/s400/IMG_1236.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prowling her territory - the back garden!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD1b72jPSGYU7PxFaSs8-DfWCwdWhtyEH_630RWlBdxWljcPxuDYKDo9MDM2uqbjb2uIykVXSB54MBPbgPHYaJV3_QZm20hM5olU4x5Nv_0iHn8syaMmcpWmsqwb4Mh3llat4BmXFeMA/s1600/IMG_1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD1b72jPSGYU7PxFaSs8-DfWCwdWhtyEH_630RWlBdxWljcPxuDYKDo9MDM2uqbjb2uIykVXSB54MBPbgPHYaJV3_QZm20hM5olU4x5Nv_0iHn8syaMmcpWmsqwb4Mh3llat4BmXFeMA/s400/IMG_1004.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snoozing in the sunshine on my lap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-sLeaP-ky3hIN6sGrRMS19jGPiBNFN9feRJ3-K7vujduA4GY3oK935QcGVj7ROuR2jC4pBFL3nVQk0C0_2yKQ3HH1_TjKeF-PsnT3eIdBaZtM3QKYlb3xdBPF0pJkD9vmxgmR2nQgOU/s1600/IMG_1182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-sLeaP-ky3hIN6sGrRMS19jGPiBNFN9feRJ3-K7vujduA4GY3oK935QcGVj7ROuR2jC4pBFL3nVQk0C0_2yKQ3HH1_TjKeF-PsnT3eIdBaZtM3QKYlb3xdBPF0pJkD9vmxgmR2nQgOU/s400/IMG_1182.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What do you mean, you want to make the bed? I'm comfy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Through all the upheaval in my life I have kept on knitting and crocheting. I have made a few blankets and clothes for refugees and others who have need of warmth and comfort. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4EbtEBB_GDHiSJTrX9acZmFDcttl0MAlIY_w-yR4kWQzYMyB5nIenHLQm-sL8AZS49I4lMsDLVMmAnDGzLkpDlxMEJXtHLeU9No-O-AijplkggEnNYvj1-OlDi9DQlpK6D9dRlSfLsc/s1600/IMG_1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4EbtEBB_GDHiSJTrX9acZmFDcttl0MAlIY_w-yR4kWQzYMyB5nIenHLQm-sL8AZS49I4lMsDLVMmAnDGzLkpDlxMEJXtHLeU9No-O-AijplkggEnNYvj1-OlDi9DQlpK6D9dRlSfLsc/s320/IMG_1042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauYSzwZ3tPqbuz_T5AZpUNCHHYhGfPblVJ8TdGMkEK8GPb49bTblXmwAJ5oh6DWUZLc5-WBuZsqL3mdyNm1MJbwB4PNOfSIFrsZcv3bYySfIyhtnmpZUtPGDWDH9uUejjzMDO2ulTOUU/s1600/IMG_1094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauYSzwZ3tPqbuz_T5AZpUNCHHYhGfPblVJ8TdGMkEK8GPb49bTblXmwAJ5oh6DWUZLc5-WBuZsqL3mdyNm1MJbwB4PNOfSIFrsZcv3bYySfIyhtnmpZUtPGDWDH9uUejjzMDO2ulTOUU/s320/IMG_1094.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddDvQ-pWddczoyjOrHiW13IB1oUwuxiOKmR_vG0Pc791KuvjomXHM5UbTZ4RKm20vRfZz6VsDdj6536UHdC_2JDqZspTew39OzE9ei-OeYCLdVqjFY_onCQBEYpcyJg9plDT7gCMlWzA/s1600/IMG_1276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddDvQ-pWddczoyjOrHiW13IB1oUwuxiOKmR_vG0Pc791KuvjomXHM5UbTZ4RKm20vRfZz6VsDdj6536UHdC_2JDqZspTew39OzE9ei-OeYCLdVqjFY_onCQBEYpcyJg9plDT7gCMlWzA/s320/IMG_1276.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ05PiNgtiY0utfVqc1Rnei058lSspTJvcU7SUf9wRq3c14sUB7sBqQEmxueAoSAcJseRce5nkvdCqbczZophs-dIRggzQMZ0C-0nEfUZ3IDJFlG4IGvslg927BvKHZ59jf4F0pfwSK60/s1600/IMG_1205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ05PiNgtiY0utfVqc1Rnei058lSspTJvcU7SUf9wRq3c14sUB7sBqQEmxueAoSAcJseRce5nkvdCqbczZophs-dIRggzQMZ0C-0nEfUZ3IDJFlG4IGvslg927BvKHZ59jf4F0pfwSK60/s320/IMG_1205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1LZnVbGOZr8hbhCPY2MlTcB8XKn9ddshOa8W2QNrsFSXGBLTLbsuFcjN-7cNF4IoyaPeAT30Tz-IhmWKwJSh6dvr8aUjAEr6nu-ptQxMIBocEVdiZHJm2LRTr7iEzkhGKxFy8XTOm5Q/s1600/IMG_1244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1LZnVbGOZr8hbhCPY2MlTcB8XKn9ddshOa8W2QNrsFSXGBLTLbsuFcjN-7cNF4IoyaPeAT30Tz-IhmWKwJSh6dvr8aUjAEr6nu-ptQxMIBocEVdiZHJm2LRTr7iEzkhGKxFy8XTOm5Q/s320/IMG_1244.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilncUvei5iJtith87Up6ab6hvG1kfNpsuqw8J9ZJIGZ0gvLgzmzdTxFfGxAEqN3hEQAz4VQAXZifgUaGpQX9yA8wbNJLh_o3taHHAttpZNR3FCEhVV45LTCiS8iIt64meMtGBEPiqPj40/s1600/IMG_1297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilncUvei5iJtith87Up6ab6hvG1kfNpsuqw8J9ZJIGZ0gvLgzmzdTxFfGxAEqN3hEQAz4VQAXZifgUaGpQX9yA8wbNJLh_o3taHHAttpZNR3FCEhVV45LTCiS8iIt64meMtGBEPiqPj40/s320/IMG_1297.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have also completed my first pair of socks! Sock knitting has been a particular bugbear for me, but I persevered and here is the result:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYULZ8wNdNY1x48e1Oh7P16QfwQgparFohpVu8ef9hAWt3RcVeEx0BxtXZnvCONLBSuP7qe7UvYJfVyu1TEoMXmO7TLM_WUB3ieRdoQ2qAZFaVzXFeoppXs8AREx1ydLhE4cArZ5lT2Oc/s1600/IMG_1281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYULZ8wNdNY1x48e1Oh7P16QfwQgparFohpVu8ef9hAWt3RcVeEx0BxtXZnvCONLBSuP7qe7UvYJfVyu1TEoMXmO7TLM_WUB3ieRdoQ2qAZFaVzXFeoppXs8AREx1ydLhE4cArZ5lT2Oc/s400/IMG_1281.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm sure I'll write more about socks in a future post. In the meantime, I hope that 2019 is the year in which you are happy and fulfilled.</div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-5743177122194681812017-10-14T11:24:00.000+01:002017-10-14T13:38:41.083+01:00Blanket happinessI did say earlier that for me 2017 would be the year of the blanket. So far I have made around a dozen blankets (pictures of all of them are on the <b>2017 - Blankets</b> page of this blog).<br />
<br />
Back in May, I posted about a blue blanket that I was really enjoying making, in fact I called it my favourite one so far. This is the one I mean, made from a pattern by the Crochet Crowd:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6f9XCu1uo60vdX1b1aGc5zhJPmNABzkY-hYNOVACROQAfyTwdkrdNBPBmiv24_CwxsQuG9BwvczsTIswIt8jjVK2HgCmkBRim21tUCqx0V3XZAhfmXIOTPJQP_9cKocj1JgfbiXdNbM/s1600/IMG_0867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6f9XCu1uo60vdX1b1aGc5zhJPmNABzkY-hYNOVACROQAfyTwdkrdNBPBmiv24_CwxsQuG9BwvczsTIswIt8jjVK2HgCmkBRim21tUCqx0V3XZAhfmXIOTPJQP_9cKocj1JgfbiXdNbM/s400/IMG_0867.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
In June I sent it off, with other items I had made, to Operation Orphan. As they were getting ready for their distribution of warm winter clothes and blankets in Moldova, I assumed that this blanket would go there, but as with virtually all the things I make for charities, I didn't know where it would end up. <br />
<br />
Moving forward to last week, I was reading a <a href="http://www.operation-orphan.org/the-knitty-gritty/" target="_blank">blog post from Brad of Operation Orphan</a>, describing how he had managed to get aid to Antigua and Barbuda in the West Indies. following the devastation of Hurricane Irma. The post included lots of photos, and as I looked at the final ones, I noticed a little boy clutching - yes, you guessed it - the blue blanket that I had sent them. He's the little boy on the far right in this photo:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7lhHgo-0-_Mw_SZEeFJlADIeSirSJ0BOu0TUKSoYHUjt5WgrLW00a5N5D-tHnhs7vtN35iiFDxLP2_ulpixfD_8-o0VIOIIyPKL8s-bCB0NujrbUTDDZIWVpUROQCEscLzDzsuND4pE/s1600/djones_antigua_aid_048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7lhHgo-0-_Mw_SZEeFJlADIeSirSJ0BOu0TUKSoYHUjt5WgrLW00a5N5D-tHnhs7vtN35iiFDxLP2_ulpixfD_8-o0VIOIIyPKL8s-bCB0NujrbUTDDZIWVpUROQCEscLzDzsuND4pE/s640/djones_antigua_aid_048.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1982424876"></span><span id="goog_1982424877"></span><br />
I feel so happy to be able to see exactly where this blanket has ended up!<br />
<br />
On the personal front, I was delighted this week to meet my great-nephew, Sebastian, for the first time. He was born on Sunday 8 October, and so of course, he had to have a blanket. I toyed with making him a tartan blanket (his surname is MacLeod), but several abortive attempts later, I changed the plan and made him a Tumbling Blocks blanket instead. It was really simple to do (just double crochet diamonds) but the optical illusion it creates is so effective. I based it on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vasarely-blanket" target="_blank">Vasarely Blanket pattern on Ravelry</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx52C6gIFEczMw7iD7XAUzLVM9hQHMY1tURikMUs-DHTyzLwYaAM6sZmKUV3HJ3dVMRhg-9941eHk18Oa_qLOYnflJ091LCoqQv8J91jFtbOyPqfN7RAsKRA1aptgpFAm2c3XArGECw6M/s1600/IMG_1015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="1600" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx52C6gIFEczMw7iD7XAUzLVM9hQHMY1tURikMUs-DHTyzLwYaAM6sZmKUV3HJ3dVMRhg-9941eHk18Oa_qLOYnflJ091LCoqQv8J91jFtbOyPqfN7RAsKRA1aptgpFAm2c3XArGECw6M/s400/IMG_1015.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
His mum, my niece, was delighted with it. So two lots of blanket happiness to report. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-14182490082774209842017-09-15T12:04:00.001+01:002017-09-15T12:04:55.415+01:00JennyanydotsHave you ever read T S Eliot's <i>Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, </i>or maybe seen the musical Cats? If so you may have come across one of my favourite cat characters, Jennyanydots the Gumbie cat. She's a cat who lazes about by day, but at night she keeps the mice in order:<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<i><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">She is
deeply concerned with the ways of the mice—<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<i><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Their
behaviour's not good and their manners not nice; <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<i><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So when
she has got them lined up on the matting, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<i><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">She
teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.</span></i><span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I just
love the thought of a cat who can crochet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This week we have adopted a cat from the RSPCA, and
named her Jenny after this fictional cat. She
is approximately three years old, and hasn't had the best time
in life so far. Her tail is very short, so she must have had part of
it amputated at some point. She was brought to the animal shelter last
October (almost a year ago) after she was found by the side of the road, having
been hit by a car. She was badly concussed, but hadn't broken any bones. As
she recovered, it became clear that she was deaf. There have been two
previous attempts at rehoming her, but neither of them worked out. As we
live in a very quiet area with little traffic, we hope she will do better with
us. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtMkMdlGijS0Jx6X1xhUu3J0MO_j2u7mc4_-DUjGE1x2almSrwJoPZoAmMGVutgr0_QSrlFmUMv7mCGtHabnVKlRWmTnjIm0BogXqq4LVo9P9KCp6_5puG-s93d-X2mRYaIOqIpfsF9g/s1600/IMG_0986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtMkMdlGijS0Jx6X1xhUu3J0MO_j2u7mc4_-DUjGE1x2almSrwJoPZoAmMGVutgr0_QSrlFmUMv7mCGtHabnVKlRWmTnjIm0BogXqq4LVo9P9KCp6_5puG-s93d-X2mRYaIOqIpfsF9g/s400/IMG_0986.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She is a
tortoiseshell cat who loves stretching out in the sun. The only slight hiccup in
settling her in so far was when I found her gingerly clinging on to the pelmet
above the curtains. I managed to rescue her, and hopefully she won't try
that manoeuvre again!</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirM_NbgThtHbRUSDlqP6z5ocf4pHbzq-3HO4OtMIyala3r7TeT9PCkFIrDgXE0DejY-K2BrZ-oIapOqTPjfUhszECCYtmedoGmbFngORBkePpzYLvk03pGavfIdAHquEh57POXqBlNJHQ/s1600/Jennyanydots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="732" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirM_NbgThtHbRUSDlqP6z5ocf4pHbzq-3HO4OtMIyala3r7TeT9PCkFIrDgXE0DejY-K2BrZ-oIapOqTPjfUhszECCYtmedoGmbFngORBkePpzYLvk03pGavfIdAHquEh57POXqBlNJHQ/s320/Jennyanydots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She loves cuddling
and is definitely a lap cat. I'm pleased to say that she doesn't mind me
crocheting while she is curled up on my lap. Aren't her eyes beautiful
and trusting? We're looking forward to lots of love and fun with this
girl.</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-78272285277791246142017-08-30T18:55:00.000+01:002017-08-30T18:55:53.211+01:00A bit of sewing for a changeI don't do a lot of sewing, but sometimes Loving Hands is asked for sewn items and the challenge of making them appeals to me. <br />
<br />
The Neonatal Sister at <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px;">University Hospital Coventry and Warwick asked for some small drawstring bags to hold memory items for bereaved parents. Without the bags, parents would have to take their precious items home in a paper bag. Among the fabric stash I found some Peter Rabbit fabric and a small piece with nursery animals on. These two pieces made eight bags, which will be sent off later this week. Other Loving Hands members have made some bags too, so hopefully we can keep the hospital supplied on a long term basis. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNu4DeWJn8-nJzMx7L4cMjFsAQriCB3tF3fRqPgYOAufDACoU0x1FC-DI34zlzZvaLsiEuiTGe6thAfI4mUP3DlJOMsdIF236BpByJIkMThNAcxSa3ShvlL6asAXt1w-AFuzzrz8HUGV0/s1600/IMG_0962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNu4DeWJn8-nJzMx7L4cMjFsAQriCB3tF3fRqPgYOAufDACoU0x1FC-DI34zlzZvaLsiEuiTGe6thAfI4mUP3DlJOMsdIF236BpByJIkMThNAcxSa3ShvlL6asAXt1w-AFuzzrz8HUGV0/s400/IMG_0962.JPG" width="358" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.300000190734863px;">I've also enjoyed myself making some hand puppets. The charity Knit for Nowt supplies family puppets (which can be either sewn or knitted) to social workers and therapists for use with children. The </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.300000190734863px;">puppets have two faces, one happy and one sad, to enable children to express emotions that they may not otherwise be able to show.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.300000190734863px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.300000190734863px;">So far I have made four puppets: Mum, Grandma, Girl and Boy. Grandad is under construction, and Dad is at the cutting-out stage!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.300000190734863px;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xw0VThx1DUwsxg0AwbTAIdorXNix6MJ2L7ss_oCwRR3fe-TiseDbgkhbtbEJzB91Z6zA5-HFI-fgIlLj7I9f1_hcWfVtbKuyH_50CwtPN28gSOKQkdbA5byGrXV4HhhpspPzd4sJGs8/s1600/IMG_0963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Xw0VThx1DUwsxg0AwbTAIdorXNix6MJ2L7ss_oCwRR3fe-TiseDbgkhbtbEJzB91Z6zA5-HFI-fgIlLj7I9f1_hcWfVtbKuyH_50CwtPN28gSOKQkdbA5byGrXV4HhhpspPzd4sJGs8/s400/IMG_0963.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnz-QFydYSCKvaWhbqUxCsgJBsvxsl3-rmfVT2ziu-Ij93LuE_hWs2NGztca34TEROQrNJhaQH4eU6F4zrWP6_E_dtUbESSDjSen5P9gksugLm2iC9GAehjXEyl1fEWJ3OvJoXJ5ishc/s1600/IMG_0964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1141" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnz-QFydYSCKvaWhbqUxCsgJBsvxsl3-rmfVT2ziu-Ij93LuE_hWs2NGztca34TEROQrNJhaQH4eU6F4zrWP6_E_dtUbESSDjSen5P9gksugLm2iC9GAehjXEyl1fEWJ3OvJoXJ5ishc/s400/IMG_0964.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Can you spot the differences between the two photos???</div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-17016067639936897902017-08-04T14:40:00.000+01:002017-08-04T14:42:17.222+01:00How many strands?Chunky yarns are very useful for making warm hats, scarves and mittens ready for winter, especially the cold winters in middle and eastern Europe. I don't have much in the way of chunky yarns, but I do have lots of thinner coned yarns which I have been combining to make chunky or thereabouts weight for knitting mittens for adults in Bulgaria. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnq9e2GvLN2wzYbzTmnZW2L0efNLF0_bNv3QHUAOyylZT8YAG6ei4Ht9v_ctBda3QBs04dV3CTuBUnIX16TqzXYP_-f-GCuVn2nyBJCOlRP05QAL8inLiQysoXhAWmzZbA4lx85-9b5k/s1600/IMG_0945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnq9e2GvLN2wzYbzTmnZW2L0efNLF0_bNv3QHUAOyylZT8YAG6ei4Ht9v_ctBda3QBs04dV3CTuBUnIX16TqzXYP_-f-GCuVn2nyBJCOlRP05QAL8inLiQysoXhAWmzZbA4lx85-9b5k/s400/IMG_0945.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The first pairs were made with charcoal and blue yarns. If you look closely at the picture above, you will see that the 2 balls of yarn comprise 5 separate stands - one of 4 ply, 3 of 3 ply and one of 2 ply. A total of 12 ply is roughly chunky, and knits into a tight fabric on 5.5 mm needles. The pattern I used is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/marlenes-mittens" target="_blank">Marlene's mittens</a>.<br />
<br />
Using so many strands slows my knitting a bit as I have to check that I am working all of the strands all of the time... Occasionally a couple of stitches have to be unpicked and reknitted because of a lost strand or two.<br />
<br />
After making a couple of pairs in the grey/blue mix, I moved on to a brighter combination of colours:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrjJNNlRdyeWmBgZE42QLutcrSaSSpRu9SR8lWc-SgoIbNcxWRGjwcryhj-hOOQCJ3X-14m2Ivj4dbcDvXcdmMQa5lJutuQfgHssNRajWWqY9x-qU69vKRI1JMYPigblP4RPhPUc0uRk/s1600/IMG_0937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrjJNNlRdyeWmBgZE42QLutcrSaSSpRu9SR8lWc-SgoIbNcxWRGjwcryhj-hOOQCJ3X-14m2Ivj4dbcDvXcdmMQa5lJutuQfgHssNRajWWqY9x-qU69vKRI1JMYPigblP4RPhPUc0uRk/s400/IMG_0937.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
How many strands this time? Well, actually it's seven:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJarvSTQNOnPi-uIVB4B2G73i95cm5fXRcey7N_DTX6ZRQXPYJb0U4q86fOHYQvBq1bKBGacY2Ykkq42W6efwHmsU_wY7EGfnTfiZK4LOu0vONmY0LeZTjz6fEgFo3VVnlm3ma8Hss9Q8/s1600/IMG_0938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJarvSTQNOnPi-uIVB4B2G73i95cm5fXRcey7N_DTX6ZRQXPYJb0U4q86fOHYQvBq1bKBGacY2Ykkq42W6efwHmsU_wY7EGfnTfiZK4LOu0vONmY0LeZTjz6fEgFo3VVnlm3ma8Hss9Q8/s400/IMG_0938.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
There are two strands of 3 ply and five strands of 2 ply - 16 ply altogether. In fact the white and black strands may only be 1 ply, so I could be exaggerating slightly! It is definitely knitting a thicker fabric than the grey/blue. I have found that stacking the 3 balls on top of each other makes it much easier to control the strands, and there is really no difference in knitting with seven rather than five strands. The mix of colours works well together too:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FbuQPQPztaNU9mwbymP0SyH6T01AMzUIOh9M4F0PO2xv7VsvKJyVR5hyphenhypheni-RBdMpyivOcbo7UpJ6u4SMNNp4F3tBB1BsySXk48NNBPWJWmQ7sIV17yP_0cjUxtbJQcc1Cql5yPs3pBeM/s1600/IMG_0941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FbuQPQPztaNU9mwbymP0SyH6T01AMzUIOh9M4F0PO2xv7VsvKJyVR5hyphenhypheni-RBdMpyivOcbo7UpJ6u4SMNNp4F3tBB1BsySXk48NNBPWJWmQ7sIV17yP_0cjUxtbJQcc1Cql5yPs3pBeM/s320/IMG_0941.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Mitt number one still missing a thumb. For some reason my strategy when making mittens is to knit the bodies of both, then to knit the thumbs after. <br />
<br />
Can I beat 7 strands? We shall see!Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-46153151043778620942017-07-19T10:06:00.000+01:002017-07-19T10:06:41.894+01:00Little things finishedHere in the West of England we are enjoying warm weather at the moment, although as is normal, two or three hot days mean that thunderstorms will follow. They followed at around 3 am this morning, and, although I have a hearing impairment which means I normally sleep through loud noises quite happily, I certainly heard these storms as they passed over.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Warm weather makes crocheting full size blankets a bit of a challenge, so I have put the current aran monster to one side. It is roughly 30 inches by 58 inches at the moment, and I'm aiming to get it about another 12 -15 inches bigger all round. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09rHzk-AOC_WSq1deIGeeC4gc0Is7hFEmKXZ7KDPKYjYPzszHYM6tTXlypgKLGCEOEOabRvveuPZc7Rf9fF_pFdP1pZYesCprNUXvSqOlSNz0nHK_OGklU-E1Ki8FtWgY5FEE0YNV0fg/s1600/IMG_0934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1600" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09rHzk-AOC_WSq1deIGeeC4gc0Is7hFEmKXZ7KDPKYjYPzszHYM6tTXlypgKLGCEOEOabRvveuPZc7Rf9fF_pFdP1pZYesCprNUXvSqOlSNz0nHK_OGklU-E1Ki8FtWgY5FEE0YNV0fg/s400/IMG_0934.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We did have a few cooler days at the start of July, which meant I was able to finish off the other aran blanket; it was a corner-to-corner, made with 2 strands of coned yarn. I do like the stripe design of this one, and will be going through my remaining cones to see whether I can plan another.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPK-Yna5j5xAePT6chAHWDIYysw9st3ZqI8hnTZKPW8Pb1Be19IVdRLL_FPR7Ll8ti5ul6fGp7bHxdWEQogC8vtz1G3d1eloOLBjRrhgtblCIU5gpIv-qHl1AFQr7ySUe1iDf6mMR2hw/s1600/IMG_0930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPK-Yna5j5xAePT6chAHWDIYysw9st3ZqI8hnTZKPW8Pb1Be19IVdRLL_FPR7Ll8ti5ul6fGp7bHxdWEQogC8vtz1G3d1eloOLBjRrhgtblCIU5gpIv-qHl1AFQr7ySUe1iDf6mMR2hw/s400/IMG_0930.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But on to the smaller things that have been finished; firstly the fingerless gloves: 3 pairs in 3 different sizes, all made from the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-fingerless-mitts-2" target="_blank">same pattern</a>, and using different combinations of coned yarn.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOARtIWlIcxvdJ8altUqyVfHkKHsRBDjuEv08RoyvFBk4_nmv5KlinH-a2tkAX3g8auPQ2xt8LWFYS4QwK7C0xdBfRBjFo_nN_ScUOFwlqedr-ZcmomxHFa2gVxqt7fT5U3g2oApOaerQ/s1600/IMG_0921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOARtIWlIcxvdJ8altUqyVfHkKHsRBDjuEv08RoyvFBk4_nmv5KlinH-a2tkAX3g8auPQ2xt8LWFYS4QwK7C0xdBfRBjFo_nN_ScUOFwlqedr-ZcmomxHFa2gVxqt7fT5U3g2oApOaerQ/s400/IMG_0921.jpg" width="326" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And then the baby blanket made from 4 ply. I pondered for quite a while over the layout of this blanket, sorted one out, and then sewed it up completely differently by mistake! Never mind, it looks fine as it is and at 33 inches square will keep a baby cosy and warm.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsYdnMzfKSzK8te-86ZuktEo3us93OrpZiznaYVcfzWESOVoPjy0SC-o9bmDZqvWuhOtAH6yrQGFMydquZjrqySpO-vyi-wMDMURjjp-ELw9U9phP4mbKrrQ0YsFzPyLDvIkzxhokHCg/s1600/IMG_0932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsYdnMzfKSzK8te-86ZuktEo3us93OrpZiznaYVcfzWESOVoPjy0SC-o9bmDZqvWuhOtAH6yrQGFMydquZjrqySpO-vyi-wMDMURjjp-ELw9U9phP4mbKrrQ0YsFzPyLDvIkzxhokHCg/s400/IMG_0932.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Next will be another baby blanket, this time for a family member; my niece is expecting a baby boy in October, and as their family surname is MacLeod, I had the rash idea of making a tartan blanket for him in the clan tartan. I have ordered the wool, but will have to make the pattern up as I go. Watch this space!</div>
</div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-84996236496144602142017-06-28T18:51:00.002+01:002017-06-28T18:53:14.674+01:00Little thingsI seem to have spent a lot of time lately working on large blankets. When I found a large bag of 4 ply in among the yarn that RAFT gave me to make more blankets, I was rather pleased, because 4 ply to me says baby blankets, which are a lot smaller than the ones I have been doing. There were four colours of Patons Diploma 4 ply, a lovely soft yarn. As a bonus, I also had a couple of balls of the same yarn in a fifth colour in my stash. Small squares were needed, so I went for a simple approach:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxrPmMCXbycO6y3yu9L11kol1ljPunHbw-Y0q6UTnFwlSBZzTGNnBMUeJtoMPuicErA42CvTA0SO1q4ACC63q1OpSxMTGyZfmo94ulTfORw0dNOVv9Cfcv2x1A89O2jglEOmthzMMXKM/s1600/IMG_0915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1600" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxrPmMCXbycO6y3yu9L11kol1ljPunHbw-Y0q6UTnFwlSBZzTGNnBMUeJtoMPuicErA42CvTA0SO1q4ACC63q1OpSxMTGyZfmo94ulTfORw0dNOVv9Cfcv2x1A89O2jglEOmthzMMXKM/s400/IMG_0915.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just a plain treble crochet square. But what colour order should the squares be set out in? Decisions, decisions....</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM-6QeSV6Lz3vrO3ZXjeSi9L5RJWilxkgfIProo8a75sUFVEgVu6xum5lB6Zey3lI7nDrOlHZcaNW_ZYBfHxRtvdu85iAdLuQQPoB1hyP-1oCsFJ_nGEiG3UmiH4dzgC63TEHi_Mdtjg/s1600/IMG_0917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1600" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM-6QeSV6Lz3vrO3ZXjeSi9L5RJWilxkgfIProo8a75sUFVEgVu6xum5lB6Zey3lI7nDrOlHZcaNW_ZYBfHxRtvdu85iAdLuQQPoB1hyP-1oCsFJ_nGEiG3UmiH4dzgC63TEHi_Mdtjg/s400/IMG_0917.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm probably going to go with the top order. The squares need a white frame to border them too:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9I1oT3ro77_kD8ueFjbd07hzcAiP21jk6px0F3U1dQnE8aVo48vmQLIGh1pvY4oRMd2F_5YFH2Jg2GPxK3w3HK4iQ8W2EjO1W96m_qo9HSINpUhOs-PYGjuQm9vdoOSw5OAERlz-7qo/s1600/IMG_0916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9I1oT3ro77_kD8ueFjbd07hzcAiP21jk6px0F3U1dQnE8aVo48vmQLIGh1pvY4oRMd2F_5YFH2Jg2GPxK3w3HK4iQ8W2EjO1W96m_qo9HSINpUhOs-PYGjuQm9vdoOSw5OAERlz-7qo/s320/IMG_0916.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
So far I have 15 colour squares, 3 with borders. So I need to do another 10 colour squares and a lot of borders:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnor-YMqt88V3ErZFzP2gEsEQIReaAVEM-sfiU_cpSseP6aeVTflsywQyVWTENy8eGxN00mLnXV7olKP-UCYSnM4xYd13nMSDyESB8VMK5BswNFXsJN4ngN3Cy-ihTTsstqSnipD1PYw/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnor-YMqt88V3ErZFzP2gEsEQIReaAVEM-sfiU_cpSseP6aeVTflsywQyVWTENy8eGxN00mLnXV7olKP-UCYSnM4xYd13nMSDyESB8VMK5BswNFXsJN4ngN3Cy-ihTTsstqSnipD1PYw/s320/IMG_0919.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The finished blanket will be about 32 inches square, just right for the baby packs that RAFT put together to go to refugee camps.<br />
<br />
Another little project has been to make small, warm items for a charity called <a href="http://www.muddyfootprint.com/" target="_blank">Muddy Footprints</a>, which distributes them in impoverished areas of Bulgaria. I have been using coned yarn with a high wool content to make fingerless gloves. The pale green is two strands of 2 ply Alpaca yarn while the multicolour is 4 ply super wash 100%wool. These should be very warm to wear. The pattern I am using is a very simple one I found on Ravelry called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-fingerless-mitts-2" target="_blank">Easy Fingerless Mitts by Calypso Knits</a>. Although it is written for dpns, I am using the magic loop method on a circular needle.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjVeT1P4O62FmTAnRDAj3h8e9vTUKmj2TIi2HWz_0Bx7FpEjZRdYKyUX4iWsPMVovwY9MepCUKueZzkVmf3nHLAD1rh8kbI3HmxPbWk6ey8_EuOroafMktC9M9Ca7pmcN9NVXyjinSuY/s1600/IMG_0920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjVeT1P4O62FmTAnRDAj3h8e9vTUKmj2TIi2HWz_0Bx7FpEjZRdYKyUX4iWsPMVovwY9MepCUKueZzkVmf3nHLAD1rh8kbI3HmxPbWk6ey8_EuOroafMktC9M9Ca7pmcN9NVXyjinSuY/s320/IMG_0920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By the way, there is also a large corner to corner blanket on the go, but it has been a bit too warm to work on that one much. However, today has been cold and wet, so it might get dragged out this evening for a little more work!</div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-75700781818066852222017-06-14T23:00:00.000+01:002017-06-14T23:00:56.996+01:00Blankets off to their destination<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtN32S3aaOVEP1ANwfIyhUKdJg12RkenojyiERLDc1ajpIhBZmsg0THDW3yD_hUqUL43J1kRCS_IHBB6C3y7hqOoZMhTl37pnTbpIsaEYZRIjiBB1AtNxqxYMyqymnAWbbD46FLl0zCsE/s1600/IMG_0897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtN32S3aaOVEP1ANwfIyhUKdJg12RkenojyiERLDc1ajpIhBZmsg0THDW3yD_hUqUL43J1kRCS_IHBB6C3y7hqOoZMhTl37pnTbpIsaEYZRIjiBB1AtNxqxYMyqymnAWbbD46FLl0zCsE/s400/IMG_0897.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
Stacked on the ironing board are the seven blankets I have made so far for the 60 Million Trebles project. Lady Dorothea Mousevaark is perched on top, inspecting the pile.<br />
<br />
Today I drove to Taunton to deliver them to Refugee Aid From Taunton (RAFT) who co-ordinate and dispatch aid via various charities to refugees across the world. I had read on RAFT's Facebook page that they were desperate for donations of blankets, and also summer clothes for refugees in Greece, so I was able to turn out some clothes and light shoes to take along, as well as some toiletries. <br />
<br />
At RAFT, Lesley was delighted to receive my donation. In return, she asked me to take some wool that had been donated to make some more blankets. How could I refuse??? More blankets coming up!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLV3hN_Suud1WlkPV_CiHn5n1AeQ4vfO3vE7BgN_hjMgjHuPhh2YNbGqHKxFHPM3Yz5FWwo4ZIzakjkIhLgTC5FcUA_W353w200TIn8urB1u8hSnoIpyxhZYmnWDbY_qEBXvFb2qfBfz4/s1600/IMG_0900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLV3hN_Suud1WlkPV_CiHn5n1AeQ4vfO3vE7BgN_hjMgjHuPhh2YNbGqHKxFHPM3Yz5FWwo4ZIzakjkIhLgTC5FcUA_W353w200TIn8urB1u8hSnoIpyxhZYmnWDbY_qEBXvFb2qfBfz4/s400/IMG_0900.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-80707977054959441102017-06-08T07:41:00.000+01:002017-06-08T07:59:36.959+01:00Drum roll for number tenThis really is turning into the year of the blanket; <span style="color: red;">number ten</span> is now finished. I mentioned a few posts back that I had received a donation of yarn to make a blanket (or blankets) for the Sixty Million Trebles project. This is the selection I received, a mix of pinks, greens, white and cream, with a couple of darker shares thrown in as well. In all, there was a kilo of double knit, enough to make one large or two smaller blankets.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuwTQYYrN-bPX5-27dTOUbZe5TJjnOhZcd13afk1olepIc_jPk8G5tj6vhQTLxeKJYS-sMdEp477XQXKq17E_7NevW05zCjLAZsI1zsPMdX93ffWh3WkreXJrjaq08gLFs9NfQIxly-c/s1600/IMG_0836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuwTQYYrN-bPX5-27dTOUbZe5TJjnOhZcd13afk1olepIc_jPk8G5tj6vhQTLxeKJYS-sMdEp477XQXKq17E_7NevW05zCjLAZsI1zsPMdX93ffWh3WkreXJrjaq08gLFs9NfQIxly-c/s400/IMG_0836.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After I had admired for a while, it really seemed like it would make a single bed size cosy stripe blanket (using <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/cosy-stripe-blanket.html" target="_blank">Lucy at Attic 24's pattern</a>). I have made this blanket before, and enjoyed the way it grew quite quickly. The only change I made to her pattern was to change the colour for the stripes randomly, rather than follow a regular pattern of colours. This was because the colours I had came in different quantities ranging from 50g to 200g. I also added in a ball of gold coloured yarn from my stash, and off I went.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is it at the half-way point, in mid-May. It is four feet wide and about 3 feet long at this point, and its randomness works well for me.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseb0FOu5rz0nbKFrYITYnIvVoYkPNr9MgIKC68UlJH80u10ah3e-zJxjRQkVN2Knp4oT9vwoUZZ3XtR1uKuI369ARxW9uTKoDdxJQDUNEWM4mnOLVj__2IuJalIu8GmbsuxOCCYu2jkY/s1600/IMG_0860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjseb0FOu5rz0nbKFrYITYnIvVoYkPNr9MgIKC68UlJH80u10ah3e-zJxjRQkVN2Knp4oT9vwoUZZ3XtR1uKuI369ARxW9uTKoDdxJQDUNEWM4mnOLVj__2IuJalIu8GmbsuxOCCYu2jkY/s400/IMG_0860.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This was the project that I lugged to craft club every Monday night for several weeks, then once the Modern Chevron Afghan was finished, I was able to work on it at home too. Finally on Saturday it reached the six feet mark, and I started the border. One round of trebles in turquoise, one round of half trebles in white and a final round of doubles in turquoise finished it off neatly.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6t5P2rHHJJ_Ij862PbTs2UETIzGvOu5aBmVM2VoGB2QFAW4rSSz8ZJ-1pv34PrrR5BnU23kUa1P9sxq-kC20Ax9YI4dKfbbCA3pEEbXPaUhOsIIPW43Pvoi4_Cu0sAP-hR5GaBoNO_g/s1600/IMG_0893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6t5P2rHHJJ_Ij862PbTs2UETIzGvOu5aBmVM2VoGB2QFAW4rSSz8ZJ-1pv34PrrR5BnU23kUa1P9sxq-kC20Ax9YI4dKfbbCA3pEEbXPaUhOsIIPW43Pvoi4_Cu0sAP-hR5GaBoNO_g/s400/IMG_0893.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It weighs 991g, very close to the 1 kilo that was sent to me. I'm very pleased with this blanket, it looks very cheerful and bright and it lives up to its name in terms of cosiness.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2qi8zZyNyrl09NhABUwb-5Bkn6BHv5XwUF5ZmOD1YobQN8gorKdklpiw6lNF1BJmCXEZdrI2U4kFQTJRyRxzDytIxDTefQc_bbInitsJvisbdGTNdOgtvPp29Thd6DmpoMwMo9R32k0/s1600/IMG_0889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="1600" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2qi8zZyNyrl09NhABUwb-5Bkn6BHv5XwUF5ZmOD1YobQN8gorKdklpiw6lNF1BJmCXEZdrI2U4kFQTJRyRxzDytIxDTefQc_bbInitsJvisbdGTNdOgtvPp29Thd6DmpoMwMo9R32k0/s400/IMG_0889.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So now, it's on to blanket number 11. I have started a corner to corner blanket using some more of the coned yarn........</div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-46596735401892653582017-05-25T15:09:00.000+01:002017-05-26T14:11:17.256+01:00Favourite so far?As this year is my Year of the Blanket, I have been looking at different patterns and styles beyond my normal Granny Afghan or Corner to Corner designs. Looking on the Crochet Crowd website in March, I found a new pattern called<a href="http://thecrochetcrowd.com/crochet-modern-chevron-afghan-photographic-tutorial/" target="_blank"> Modern Chevron Afghan</a>, by Jeanne Steinhilber.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-9dDIiaykcC0rmBZG3ZBT8cg69ACUVKcVGagifvQsao4hrllcDGUlIiN-P684b-a149h8_a04BXYRLq5bN6BQqZCPW4iSwNUkt3Pe2q1tfSLF5-smO7hBapyTBrCvOdyBltkX0nMyFY/s1600/chevron4-300x182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-9dDIiaykcC0rmBZG3ZBT8cg69ACUVKcVGagifvQsao4hrllcDGUlIiN-P684b-a149h8_a04BXYRLq5bN6BQqZCPW4iSwNUkt3Pe2q1tfSLF5-smO7hBapyTBrCvOdyBltkX0nMyFY/s1600/chevron4-300x182.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It appealed because of its unusual construction with 5 diamonds (OK, squares joined point-to-point) as the start, then colours built up around.<br />
<br />
I had 2 large balls of Aldi Aran in bright blue that I thought would work with this pattern, and some oddments of different colours that I could use to add colourful accents. I started with 5 bright blue squares, then added the first band of colours. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5NsYosfxO99j-seQPTeaHZKA1RhYrv3joH_zEX_ubsofcWoUwDvPIPbmRhg9gxpFOFxs6L_lEiY0n10wDLHrqncH5jiUz5ehYCvYd2jzI_siuQwgoeoMWWqiZnivtT44zPa9SgLuV6Q/s1600/IMG_0808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5NsYosfxO99j-seQPTeaHZKA1RhYrv3joH_zEX_ubsofcWoUwDvPIPbmRhg9gxpFOFxs6L_lEiY0n10wDLHrqncH5jiUz5ehYCvYd2jzI_siuQwgoeoMWWqiZnivtT44zPa9SgLuV6Q/s400/IMG_0808.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
I did a few rows of blue, then another band of colours, meaning this to be one end of the blanket. Turning it around, I carried on in the other direction, with more colours then a long expanse of blue.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjkzGjlbokMPTmU_WKBahN1nCGlLXNPiviaI2nAevgvQzvcP8GWcIFnX421aWotUBlvcG8_8LEe-R2tSdVrWDc6Ubi1Ku12pAQ5mkA5w5hD_GnDyinR1aKY3BRjG2l5wLXnQyJbXcxLw/s1600/IMG_0847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjkzGjlbokMPTmU_WKBahN1nCGlLXNPiviaI2nAevgvQzvcP8GWcIFnX421aWotUBlvcG8_8LEe-R2tSdVrWDc6Ubi1Ku12pAQ5mkA5w5hD_GnDyinR1aKY3BRjG2l5wLXnQyJbXcxLw/s400/IMG_0847.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The chevron effect is really deep and interesting to work. Somehow it made me think of Native American beadwork.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33geVYtRq0L2GbLsgdfJZ_iR-Pcs8e1lElqmnFeC-u4WHSxcO-PLqT7_jRecmyBoubow2CI8uzs1nXtox8iDLns2j9IrUq787vO1wNj3Y3h0PlqkyGtMM-9zCtMuF40UkLNhCtVqNko0/s1600/IMG_0848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33geVYtRq0L2GbLsgdfJZ_iR-Pcs8e1lElqmnFeC-u4WHSxcO-PLqT7_jRecmyBoubow2CI8uzs1nXtox8iDLns2j9IrUq787vO1wNj3Y3h0PlqkyGtMM-9zCtMuF40UkLNhCtVqNko0/s400/IMG_0848.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I carried on until the blanket was long enough to cover a single bed (or to put it another way, when I had used up the 800 grams of aran yarn), and then I put a final band of colours in place to finish it off. <br />
<br />
The pattern has no borders, but mine didn't look finished, so after consulting my Loving Hands friends, I crocheted a narrow band of navy blue down each side. I was worried that I would run out of yarn, but there was just enough. So this is the finished blanket:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzlRIWdsQVn8khQ61YMFwqj2Wa4gGq0DbbI9R5SmFfrpa1h20WYJNVOQizSlDnq3RcoXopa10fX9Reet_NGPs4BaKVkakHPWtJoOxy2lK1CUinge4dMJlgC41Sfst7omT7jvAt4_1IZ8/s1600/IMG_0867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzlRIWdsQVn8khQ61YMFwqj2Wa4gGq0DbbI9R5SmFfrpa1h20WYJNVOQizSlDnq3RcoXopa10fX9Reet_NGPs4BaKVkakHPWtJoOxy2lK1CUinge4dMJlgC41Sfst7omT7jvAt4_1IZ8/s640/IMG_0867.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />
It weighs just over a kilo, and is destined for Operation Orphan's Keep a Child Warm project. I found it very enjoyable to make as it looks really bright and cheery, and it grew really quickly. Overall it is probably my favourite of the 9 blankets I have made so far this year.<br />
<br />Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-10882506347238146512017-05-12T10:35:00.000+01:002017-05-12T17:17:14.146+01:00Let's go fly a kite!In the UK, next week is Dementia Awareness Week (May 14 - 20). My dear Mum developed dementia towards the end of her life, and was cared for very kindly and lovingly in a home for people with that awful disease. Last year I started volunteering with our local branch of the Alzheimer's Society, and on Thursday 17th May our local Dementia Action Alliance are holding an awareness day in the Bay cafe, which is on Weston-super-Mare sea front.<br />
<br />
Our theme is '<span style="color: red;">Let's go fly a kite</span>', which is of course the title of a song from the Disney film of Mary Poppins. We have been thinking all things kites for several weeks. I thought that knitted kite badges would be a good awareness raising idea, and after several different attempts, came up with a basic mitred square with a crocheted tail and small button for decoration.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFYaKWEOZbrRmj99e1tclhaSzu6iH0i_SimJyNTChJnVF4Y7dpFSHRHOM4w2XrkitdzH36dQZVj9BNszxpY0AnXmK-kQQgT1Yl7Dwe6_WxpNvCdpFP8SURALTGG-2FPa07WDW7pjCJAA/s1600/IMG_0840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFYaKWEOZbrRmj99e1tclhaSzu6iH0i_SimJyNTChJnVF4Y7dpFSHRHOM4w2XrkitdzH36dQZVj9BNszxpY0AnXmK-kQQgT1Yl7Dwe6_WxpNvCdpFP8SURALTGG-2FPa07WDW7pjCJAA/s400/IMG_0840.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
They each have a badge back or a safety pin sewn on the back.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrq7PDXC4R8J_3fdT9WCbIh0No4ptwyHBjf9gsGrWmfILCc6quN-_KeweglpukHbjsPWc-BN9UGIM3PvvbMgZiBxHIY8EUO-QMOr1UZxbgIHsF2uXRUSIAReZQWgT49VYxNWMGLFO7MY/s1600/IMG_0849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrq7PDXC4R8J_3fdT9WCbIh0No4ptwyHBjf9gsGrWmfILCc6quN-_KeweglpukHbjsPWc-BN9UGIM3PvvbMgZiBxHIY8EUO-QMOr1UZxbgIHsF2uXRUSIAReZQWgT49VYxNWMGLFO7MY/s400/IMG_0849.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've done them in variegated yarn, glitter yarn, snowflake yarn, tweedy yarn made from several strands of coned yarn, and some of them are sitting in their box (above) waiting for Thursday. Several other people are making these too, so we should have quite a wide choice available.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Laura, the manager at the Scrapstore, has made us this marvellous fish kite from offcuts of hot-air ballon material, which Cameron Balloons kindly donate to the Scrapstore. She has also made several others which we can use to draw attention to our event on the sea front (it is always breezy on our sea front!)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5QCH0YgGgxhFh76cHwEsUoz9ZFvYJs0ik6XVEmcdppJyqVzM2HRJg5hRim2dPVyvO4rcogYWJoOyuHkWKz8FXWu46vMwUVkdafLPH9fw3_h7_IAgyGK8LhERw8OZCxiw95dVFhyphenhyphen02wo/s1600/IMG_0835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5QCH0YgGgxhFh76cHwEsUoz9ZFvYJs0ik6XVEmcdppJyqVzM2HRJg5hRim2dPVyvO4rcogYWJoOyuHkWKz8FXWu46vMwUVkdafLPH9fw3_h7_IAgyGK8LhERw8OZCxiw95dVFhyphenhyphen02wo/s400/IMG_0835.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We thought it would be good for people to make or decorate kites for us to display on the day. Luckily the Scrapstore has loads of sticky-back plastic in a range of colours, so we have cut out lots of stars and hearts, and I've been busy cutting A5 card into kite shapes. In my stash I had an amazing ball of yarn that is like ribbon decorated with bows, just perfect for kite tails.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XTChxCelEC0qmByDEjUILScNdGxxuopgcTIh4PJ-RaqMG7wcZgj1dNsUXJprBi5b24LACzE6beoSkoDQmvm5ufqANmWyQpvE6aXJDh3daXjbvrs3Vwk5vBBndtmRPh9tUi_3cTEM_h8/s1600/IMG_0850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XTChxCelEC0qmByDEjUILScNdGxxuopgcTIh4PJ-RaqMG7wcZgj1dNsUXJprBi5b24LACzE6beoSkoDQmvm5ufqANmWyQpvE6aXJDh3daXjbvrs3Vwk5vBBndtmRPh9tUi_3cTEM_h8/s400/IMG_0850.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And in best Blue Peter tradition, here's one I made earlier! Can you see the tiny little bows on the tail?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmBxJ7ghrOcJciH-K0joXDNycXUjDNT3Wakw2nRnG3YEs2J3XRBqHBcNmnTdHy5_61wvnrawwYIHoP17CbT6fpi81SBjj2rjQRUcRbFTf_8KYDYqPfa5bSEAB8b64f_BD6sg4fjYJQTQ/s1600/IMG_0851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmBxJ7ghrOcJciH-K0joXDNycXUjDNT3Wakw2nRnG3YEs2J3XRBqHBcNmnTdHy5_61wvnrawwYIHoP17CbT6fpi81SBjj2rjQRUcRbFTf_8KYDYqPfa5bSEAB8b64f_BD6sg4fjYJQTQ/s640/IMG_0851.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
<br />
We have a large piece of netting all ready to display the decorated kites. We are now keeping our fingers crossed for a fine day. If you are in the area, please do come and join us!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0HEccVLjvwNHQusbrZamlyyknVIXEZrPqFVn9H1bppfw-fGuVLV3NPeoa6DLBNyBlxTrXjkrCN9W1fMCBdc8QVfJ0izdJUbWXhpO_nqrp6pWQ3Lis0bNTboty2rLeHu6iZzEKRdRqdU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-05-12+at+10.26.29.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0HEccVLjvwNHQusbrZamlyyknVIXEZrPqFVn9H1bppfw-fGuVLV3NPeoa6DLBNyBlxTrXjkrCN9W1fMCBdc8QVfJ0izdJUbWXhpO_nqrp6pWQ3Lis0bNTboty2rLeHu6iZzEKRdRqdU/s640/Screen+Shot+2017-05-12+at+10.26.29.png" width="468" /></a></div>
<br />Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-38520088694206789292017-04-24T10:42:00.000+01:002017-04-24T10:45:18.974+01:00A finished blanket and a surprise deliveryLast week, the ladies running the 60 Million Trebles group changed the rules, and I was in full agreement. I wrote previously that, while I supported their project to produce a massive blanket that would contain 60 million trebles, I had reservations about all those smaller blankets sitting around keeping nobody warm while refugees were in desperate need. As the group approached the 30 million trebles mark, the plan of physically making the huge blanket was dropped. This also meant that there is no need for the blankets to be 36 inches now (that was for ease of sewing together).<br />
<br />
I had a blanket nearly finished. It had some donated squares, and a central square that I made to add a bit of contrast. I'd already completed its border, so to make it bigger I added a few more rounds, then added 2 bands of trebles at the top and bottom, and gave it a second border. This used up pretty much all of the yarn I had for this blanket. So now it is 3 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 8 inches, which makes it just about big enough for an adult to sleep under. Not the best photo (why don't I notice the imperfections in the shot before I take it???), but the iPad isn't playing at the moment so I can't retake it just now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd8nE8Hfn86MBjXjtkBkpP_mnHmlK_ss_dD8KGXZWBN4gQkbq3eU7Hy42EYWOkgnItYREDpC0x_DlvF0Z6a7QIxX7uMueWSuaTfHVFzIoot9_Yev9U5DgbOJP-GwP4YpbKNo1Olz4tYE/s1600/IMG_0837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd8nE8Hfn86MBjXjtkBkpP_mnHmlK_ss_dD8KGXZWBN4gQkbq3eU7Hy42EYWOkgnItYREDpC0x_DlvF0Z6a7QIxX7uMueWSuaTfHVFzIoot9_Yev9U5DgbOJP-GwP4YpbKNo1Olz4tYE/s400/IMG_0837.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The surprise delivery also came courtesy of 60 Million Trebles; there are people in the group who don't knit or crochet themselves, so provide yarn to others to make blankets on their behalf. One lovely lady sent me a kilo of yarn in a great variety of shades to make a blanket. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNoQVsVzSlvYOnoPSbKyBmwZwIHDWkA_nvFr7Cwfa_YQGDba1XjKAwGGbUuzeGLFYTFVyLXQ_CTIbNCuhzIFmLF1A_H0MXIEFFA_Qs0QjSaSFVXYQFS66WckwxH_DP_fCma36-H9si5M/s1600/IMG_0836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNoQVsVzSlvYOnoPSbKyBmwZwIHDWkA_nvFr7Cwfa_YQGDba1XjKAwGGbUuzeGLFYTFVyLXQ_CTIbNCuhzIFmLF1A_H0MXIEFFA_Qs0QjSaSFVXYQFS66WckwxH_DP_fCma36-H9si5M/s400/IMG_0836.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This was totally unexpected, but very gratefully received. I am going to embark on a single bed size Attic 24 Cosy Stripe blanket. Aren't people kind?Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-80725508879298515932017-04-14T16:30:00.000+01:002017-04-14T16:30:26.041+01:00ButtonholesGosh, I never thought I would be writing a post on the scintillating topic of knitted buttonholes! Let me go back a couple of weeks, when I discovered a <a href="http://www.blacksheepwools.com/media/wysiwyg/free-patterns/free_prem_pattern.pdf" target="_blank">free Sirdar pattern</a> on the Black Sheep Wools website. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JHpa8pBWh6fcItU19-ZGYkcBiBw8T-3VSDBTRwamEGo5Nd-HdRkW37gR8sfb_tHfSlnLVPEmQG98qOMVA9FaHb_L6pUSJbw17Xv63b6SiyeyPAQXFBCNM-NOX7pMsYck_CdUJghuKtY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-04-14+at+12.35.10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JHpa8pBWh6fcItU19-ZGYkcBiBw8T-3VSDBTRwamEGo5Nd-HdRkW37gR8sfb_tHfSlnLVPEmQG98qOMVA9FaHb_L6pUSJbw17Xv63b6SiyeyPAQXFBCNM-NOX7pMsYck_CdUJghuKtY/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-04-14+at+12.35.10.png" width="283" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's a simple pattern for 4 ply yarn (I have a couple of cones of baby 4 ply), and ranges from small premature baby sizes to 6 months old size. Best of all, there is a V-neck option, which I like for very small babies so that they don't have anything tight around their necks.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I knitted the second size (12 inch chest - yes, it's hard to believe but babies that small do survive) and followed the pattern for the buttonholes when it said for each one to cast off one stitch, then cast on a stitch in the next row to complete the hole. But the buttonhole rib was knitted on very fine needles (size 12 in old UK size, or 2.75mm), so the hole made was very tiny indeed. I went through all my buttons, and believe me, I have a lot. Even small shirt buttons were too big. Eventually I found some tiny rectangular pearl buttons which I was able to coax through the buttonholes. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGqIBJo0mRhbdTG3dKoG57pUKw4HwyWavBvnxPaXWKrvH491on4hAFkjk4x3_W-UWspI8YjhTLfMGZGFTMlMjZS3o38jeSSfaxOr1DgkOJudhHBM8DQv_Oxx31QyyX8SC01V-BOOLWnk/s1600/IMG_0829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGqIBJo0mRhbdTG3dKoG57pUKw4HwyWavBvnxPaXWKrvH491on4hAFkjk4x3_W-UWspI8YjhTLfMGZGFTMlMjZS3o38jeSSfaxOr1DgkOJudhHBM8DQv_Oxx31QyyX8SC01V-BOOLWnk/s400/IMG_0829.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I decided that when I knitted another of these cardigans, I would have to make bigger buttonholes, no matter what the pattern said. Fast forward to this morning, when I am knitting the buttonhole rib on my second cardigan from this pattern. What do you do when you want to know how to make better buttonholes? You use Google, of course! And I found <a href="http://www.creativeknittingmagazine.com/blog/?p=3446" target="_blank">the perfect instructions</a> on the website of a US magazine called Creative Knitting. The buttonholes this time are 3 stitches across, and are the neatest that I have ever managed, thanks to these instructions.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nNfTeyP6gvXk1AWsYBevhg7cs44Ulgj6oR4i7267dNjs1mIh0jF_k3tfKE3DZ-RkD-Hag0itdfJxUYmud3OjmD61Kb0RIyyagb9l0A5gEw0hb3TiV0Wp1gFDzT1HVdEjM3hGPZafgSE/s1600/IMG_0827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nNfTeyP6gvXk1AWsYBevhg7cs44Ulgj6oR4i7267dNjs1mIh0jF_k3tfKE3DZ-RkD-Hag0itdfJxUYmud3OjmD61Kb0RIyyagb9l0A5gEw0hb3TiV0Wp1gFDzT1HVdEjM3hGPZafgSE/s400/IMG_0827.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
<br />
It was so easy to find buttons to fit, I was spoilt for choice. I decided to go for some circular pearl buttons which fit easily through the buttonholes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV9DOgDKvMehSaTZitCy-QYY7MtByP2UTFoaS4ZwADsPrcwThyphenhyphenHgnp3g3EBTvPiQITLWxd8BbQaZ5_TZw2h_BiLJdD8mVOaM16HYsKfuOhd-zcMBrLK8RUUsUHWitQQtnroQeKzdTnRA/s1600/IMG_0828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV9DOgDKvMehSaTZitCy-QYY7MtByP2UTFoaS4ZwADsPrcwThyphenhyphenHgnp3g3EBTvPiQITLWxd8BbQaZ5_TZw2h_BiLJdD8mVOaM16HYsKfuOhd-zcMBrLK8RUUsUHWitQQtnroQeKzdTnRA/s400/IMG_0828.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And so I now have a new technique as well as two preemie cardigans ready to go off in my next parcel to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/needlesandhooksangelandpreemies/" target="_blank">Needles and Hooks, Angels and Preemies</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo0pRo6sMcoy_iCxCQS-y5YZvMJGP1ombVakiySWziYxpohhYc-E_ojWsoQNKWNT_G6Qwv3muimtd2COtPBzW9xPkQH5UYod2unmFDTOm2g9e1xEmxjuLEFIIjvKxpOsHZ7h1ijtnCS4/s1600/IMG_0830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJo0pRo6sMcoy_iCxCQS-y5YZvMJGP1ombVakiySWziYxpohhYc-E_ojWsoQNKWNT_G6Qwv3muimtd2COtPBzW9xPkQH5UYod2unmFDTOm2g9e1xEmxjuLEFIIjvKxpOsHZ7h1ijtnCS4/s400/IMG_0830.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Happy Easter!</span></h2>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-69407134869329716852017-03-23T07:30:00.000+00:002017-03-23T07:30:56.369+00:00Worry MonstersIn the world we live in, children sometimes have concerns and worries that make them anxious and stressed. They can become fearful and obsessed with things that might happen but in reality are most unlikely to happen. The Worry Monster is a soft toy with a zipped mouth that can 'eat' their worries if they either write them or draw them on paper and feed them to the monster, then firmly close the zip. <br />
<br />
Knit for Nowt, the Yorkshire based charity that Loving Hands supports, has been asked for these worry monsters by people who work with children, so this week I had my first attempt at making them. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuo4zFiUNprqdOO4TEzf6gv_cDWYKHw8ZTj-EVmuiIDHZuB4y3T4a6rmuXmy0eh0e04gQT1v6LrvFxYjXEu-b2pT9z3s7T31M4b0Sfil9zMevVfFFscyem-K5BY_2jQx0LaC1vjzaqpk/s1600/IMG_0809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuo4zFiUNprqdOO4TEzf6gv_cDWYKHw8ZTj-EVmuiIDHZuB4y3T4a6rmuXmy0eh0e04gQT1v6LrvFxYjXEu-b2pT9z3s7T31M4b0Sfil9zMevVfFFscyem-K5BY_2jQx0LaC1vjzaqpk/s400/IMG_0809.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Meet Humpty. He's made of fleece offcuts in green and purple, with a red pocket for a mouth, which can be firmly closed with a black zip. His nose and eyes are buttons sourced from the Scrapstore (I especially like the nose button!), and his eyebrows make him look rather worried himself. I called him Humpty because he reminded me of a stuffed toy of that name who featured in a long-running BBC children's programme called Play School. I remember watching it as a child, and also watching it with my own children twenty-odd years later.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There was more fleece left, so he acquired a big brother, Dumpty. I gave Dumpty a bow-tie made from one of my husband's discarded ties. By placing his features a bit lower, he looks an altogether less stressed monster!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9n4eslEMXrGtan73VXKqzQjYIpHQoTNi_X85gbHfhvYXjvYUg8oqjdL_Ehb346F5Ca4Qj_SS9OSg7FWqIM2NlsoiAu6M2BVjPU14IyFEwXnAIP6cYji0x_Sqy6Uv8p6bpm1_FeTpujQ/s1600/IMG_0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9n4eslEMXrGtan73VXKqzQjYIpHQoTNi_X85gbHfhvYXjvYUg8oqjdL_Ehb346F5Ca4Qj_SS9OSg7FWqIM2NlsoiAu6M2BVjPU14IyFEwXnAIP6cYji0x_Sqy6Uv8p6bpm1_FeTpujQ/s400/IMG_0812.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
They will be going off to Knit for Nowt along with the dragon hand puppets.Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-69922165762215016862017-03-14T14:18:00.000+00:002017-03-14T14:19:15.698+00:00Hot off the hookThis morning at my knitting group I finished off blanket number 6 for this year. Every other Tuesday a small group of us meet up to knit, natter, drink coffee and eat cake provided by Carole, whose Guest House we meet in.<br />
<br />
The others all knit, but sometimes I crochet, and this morning I was able to finish off my very colourful lap blanket.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVtzD6PruDWpahJ2w9xdcgMHdbpQ_uyOWOu_WFlvE4svngwug0X5B6xH6JctRUX3CKuUdktG-vMzVJLyn4HyDvfgnlN6sdtdd6OAx3Ld20TyHyJEconjgv70tyT6iG7XwJgTI7DFACXg/s1600/IMG_0805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLVtzD6PruDWpahJ2w9xdcgMHdbpQ_uyOWOu_WFlvE4svngwug0X5B6xH6JctRUX3CKuUdktG-vMzVJLyn4HyDvfgnlN6sdtdd6OAx3Ld20TyHyJEconjgv70tyT6iG7XwJgTI7DFACXg/s400/IMG_0805.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
It was made using a pattern called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twilight-shells" target="_blank">Twilight Shells</a>, which I found via Ravelry.<br />
Altogether there are twelve different colours of double knitting yarn, using 3 different shades of purple, orange, green and blue. The main part came up a little smaller in width than I had expected, so I plumped for a wide border. There are 12 rows of half trebles, which give the blanket a nice solid edge. I tried doing a final row of shells around the outside of the border, but I wasn't sure about them. The consensus of the knitting group was that a plain edge was the better option, so the shells were pulled out. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJb1zqtcIO1FIanlB1OwdP8DQPsdXFvDEvb5oDXYXJfNFfl2sS-igXL8OUsZ_8CKY5OSHY0pXasPD2I64S79vZoVqfoOMXXg51DVMsi3lpe7vN3QhF1SnRfR-iWuJq4I6f2BW-DriU9sI/s1600/IMG_0806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJb1zqtcIO1FIanlB1OwdP8DQPsdXFvDEvb5oDXYXJfNFfl2sS-igXL8OUsZ_8CKY5OSHY0pXasPD2I64S79vZoVqfoOMXXg51DVMsi3lpe7vN3QhF1SnRfR-iWuJq4I6f2BW-DriU9sI/s400/IMG_0806.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIA79u4J_V4wmeHy36lXD5FSNkmsPt6W5SaxaPu2xwG69njkuTbLcv49gHdjlTk7M-lLNXEC3w9rcVH0tFC50PQJek3ivc4s_m89hiIadq7AWYJRBhqQuqpG64tfZHe_NGtRS7SCNERzE/s1600/IMG_0807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIA79u4J_V4wmeHy36lXD5FSNkmsPt6W5SaxaPu2xwG69njkuTbLcv49gHdjlTk7M-lLNXEC3w9rcVH0tFC50PQJek3ivc4s_m89hiIadq7AWYJRBhqQuqpG64tfZHe_NGtRS7SCNERzE/s640/IMG_0807.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This one will be going to Chemogiftbags, to be donated to someone undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-66657212834600423722017-02-28T14:47:00.001+00:002017-02-28T14:47:56.739+00:00Here be dragons with woolly scalesScary times in the front room, and those of a nervous disposition should look away now! A pair of dragons have taken up residence, and are having a fine old time attacking each other.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZux_C1nU3enwq79GYA4hqhq-4nYJMKntNVh3GnF_uEDyoRCD9cUzFCz7n9885Yb6MkKQIDS5jmYkSM_-VVOuyq7CZl6bKoWbY7jKCOgMY_JHsGIAAigZTeyZIWKZm0vaDugRm_1AzDF0/s1600/IMG_0804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZux_C1nU3enwq79GYA4hqhq-4nYJMKntNVh3GnF_uEDyoRCD9cUzFCz7n9885Yb6MkKQIDS5jmYkSM_-VVOuyq7CZl6bKoWbY7jKCOgMY_JHsGIAAigZTeyZIWKZm0vaDugRm_1AzDF0/s400/IMG_0804.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
When my boys were small, they loved putting on puppet shows. I made them a little puppet theatre out of an old clothes horse, and they built up quite a collection of different puppets. No matter which puppets were used, though, the shows always seemed to end with a fight to the death.<br />
<br />
When Clare from Knit for Nowt mentioned in her newsletter that they wanted scary puppets, I remembered the fun we had, and set out to make some. I found this <a href="https://silvercharmster.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/am-i-a-designer/" target="_blank">dragon puppet pattern</a> by Michelle Dickson via Ravelry, and used it as the basis for mine. I changed it by doing the back of the dragon in crocodile stitch to make woolly scales, and making the snout a little more shaped and longer. The green one was the first off the hook:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfF0GV_56nVG5OkhSk-fupRMwJg0iAUxFoj_QC1xBx2xjS6KJR0g4-XIJoU-jwRoLrNQVn-IhtAt8pof3hYf430maP4gns-3WkC-jM90tHlNwDuYd9u-HdH_awLA5SiohFOeE-Uf-32E/s1600/IMG_0783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfF0GV_56nVG5OkhSk-fupRMwJg0iAUxFoj_QC1xBx2xjS6KJR0g4-XIJoU-jwRoLrNQVn-IhtAt8pof3hYf430maP4gns-3WkC-jM90tHlNwDuYd9u-HdH_awLA5SiohFOeE-Uf-32E/s400/IMG_0783.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I used different oddments of coned yarn to get a variegated green. Its mouth is made from red glittery yarn, and its big scary teeth are gleaming white. A forked black tongue and black and white buttons or eyes finish it off.<br />
<br />
The second one was made of purple and blue variegated yarn with a glittery thread running through:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLb8OsAcR-g5V3VyhylMR8vdq0ffMfmnPfy6OStHmuyA423zt7DBLglwN6y71vfSo0ZxF1XszQvNNN9pP6kjw4LJ7UbPzThYlQ-JjQ-5M8BPZJ4JfLYSuXNrAegHJJBNlRPhUhZYx2AIQ/s1600/IMG_0793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLb8OsAcR-g5V3VyhylMR8vdq0ffMfmnPfy6OStHmuyA423zt7DBLglwN6y71vfSo0ZxF1XszQvNNN9pP6kjw4LJ7UbPzThYlQ-JjQ-5M8BPZJ4JfLYSuXNrAegHJJBNlRPhUhZYx2AIQ/s400/IMG_0793.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This one is clearly a different species because it doesn't have a tongue, and it has green eyes which make it look a bit shortsighted.<br />
<br />
Which one do you think is the scarier? For me, it's the green one, because he sneaks up on the purple one from behind!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaXu7cRvQzinsDVG8IdIzXS9O_9pT15JQXJHPgOCT808OqD8p7GrkYZzHYKZmhUeIDHO3-R4lMnUDQJk6h4_5g9wol87CM5q2jhvCWzYV3uhd_HiLAFNR_Z3cVGJP_bmWfFMMY7K16gw/s1600/IMG_0796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaXu7cRvQzinsDVG8IdIzXS9O_9pT15JQXJHPgOCT808OqD8p7GrkYZzHYKZmhUeIDHO3-R4lMnUDQJk6h4_5g9wol87CM5q2jhvCWzYV3uhd_HiLAFNR_Z3cVGJP_bmWfFMMY7K16gw/s640/IMG_0796.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruTMVodXByiQE0Pidzml7tHUuyhBMiHybXxHACfHnJZui70tRoIdqWwza7TSScGGu0HKXg0CUahbCzc6BASpzQOcpgQO45ByR2uXJ5tK-es3SWCqFOPEhYX-EI_XnO9RsAvETTXsTdyQ/s1600/IMG_0803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruTMVodXByiQE0Pidzml7tHUuyhBMiHybXxHACfHnJZui70tRoIdqWwza7TSScGGu0HKXg0CUahbCzc6BASpzQOcpgQO45ByR2uXJ5tK-es3SWCqFOPEhYX-EI_XnO9RsAvETTXsTdyQ/s640/IMG_0803.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Now they need names. Any suggestions?Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-63514582413893716612017-02-16T12:08:00.000+00:002017-02-16T12:54:06.469+00:00The year of the blanket?Last year I concentrated on making jumpers and hats, with the odd blanket thrown into the mix now and again. This year, though, it seems that there is a huge demand for blankets from different charities, so I think that 2017 will be the year of the blanket.<br />
<br />
I'm making and sending blankets to four groups in particular:<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://www.operation-orphan.org/" target="_blank">Operation Orphan</a> </h3>
<div>
This charity runs its Keep a Child Warm campaign, providing blankets and warm clothing to impoverished families in Eastern Europe. They deliver the items themselves, and eighteen months ago one of our Loving Hands members, Julia Odie, went with them to Moldova. Her fascinating account of her trip can be<a href="http://jaydee67.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"> read here</a>. It is so good to know that the items we make go directly to where they are needed.<br />
<h3>
<a href="http://www.knitfornowt.org/" target="_blank">Knit for Nowt</a></h3>
</div>
<div>
This charity collects warm knitted items and distributes them via social workers and other agencies to families and individuals that need them in East Yorkshire. Clare, who runs the charity, is an amazing lady who clearly values all the hand made items she receives, and again, she lets you know where your donations have ended up. </div>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.chemogiftbags.org/" target="_blank">Chemogiftbags</a></h3>
<div>
This charity provides a pamper gift bag, a heart-shaped cushion and a lap blanket to people in Berkshire who are undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. I have close relatives who live in the Reading area, so I am happy to offer support to Lynne, who runs the charity and who has been through breast cancer herself.</div>
<h3>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/sixtymilliontrebles/" target="_blank">Sixty Million Trebles</a></h3>
<div>
Did you know that the UN estimates that there are over 60 million refugees in the world currently? Actually the figure is probably nearer to 65 million at the moment. That's a huge number of people displaced from their homes by war, hunger or persecution. A lady named Ellen Roche (no relation) came up with the idea of producing a massive blanket containing 60 million treble crochet stitches to draw attention to the plight of refugees worldwide, then dismantling it into its constituent 36 inch square blankets, and giving them to charities in the UK and abroad that support refugees. I must admit that I thought long and hard before deciding to make blankets for this group, because to have so many completed blankets sitting around when there is such need seems a bit perverse. But I accept that the publicity aspect is important, and the plan is to have the huge blanket made and then dismantled by the end of the summer, so that the blankets can be distributed in time for next winter. So far almost 20 million trebles have been made for this cause - <i>one stitch one life</i>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And my latest effort:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_O7_Ix3ZppfuabFVs5CCdGYwXT-m6qr_s7VfsnNVvoZvf5pXcP5CD0Yp5VGfhFTwkOK0ZmHh6OjRIW1HbZS9XsWEYlASffmKsqt2WUU5Hbt_ZAd_UZiqKQpWfnDDdVm7nNA3lXLgDEw/s1600/IMG_0787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_O7_Ix3ZppfuabFVs5CCdGYwXT-m6qr_s7VfsnNVvoZvf5pXcP5CD0Yp5VGfhFTwkOK0ZmHh6OjRIW1HbZS9XsWEYlASffmKsqt2WUU5Hbt_ZAd_UZiqKQpWfnDDdVm7nNA3lXLgDEw/s400/IMG_0787.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This is the blanket I am currently working on. It is a Red Heart pattern called<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twilight-shells" target="_blank"> Twilight Shells Throw</a>, and I found it via Ravelry. I am making it in double knit with a 4.5mm hook, and using 12 different colours (yes, I already had all of them in my stash!). Although it looks like a ripple pattern, in fact it is made by crocheting a row of shells the right way up followed by a row of shells upside down. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdLDUs4EPPsHvV8UyX-lu5E7p3yd47dazOss_PhPHYEfugXI3sisyVQEM56piVJKIvhv41MU48ODlOx06V8OU5NGd0q7LleTzV6GIrxNPNarcEsZ3VRJf7j4H2ezIQwfw8sohbkf4_DE/s1600/IMG_0788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdLDUs4EPPsHvV8UyX-lu5E7p3yd47dazOss_PhPHYEfugXI3sisyVQEM56piVJKIvhv41MU48ODlOx06V8OU5NGd0q7LleTzV6GIrxNPNarcEsZ3VRJf7j4H2ezIQwfw8sohbkf4_DE/s400/IMG_0788.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This will be a lap blanket for Chemogiftbags; I'm hoping that its cheery colours will give some comfort to the recipient.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-22683889928741085482017-02-07T13:31:00.000+00:002017-02-07T13:31:22.706+00:00Uses for odds and ends The start of the new year means the stash count, when those of us who belong to <a href="http://lindacraftycorner.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Stash%20Link%20UP" target="_blank">Linda's Stashbusters </a>go through our bags, cupboards, drawers and (in some cases) lofts to check out how much yarny stash we are starting the year with. A side effect of this checking is the finding of lots of odd part balls of yarn which have been left over from completed projects. I found I had enough odd bits and pieces of cream, grey and purplish aran yarn to make a corner to corner lap blanket.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAqup_NBEyB7BN7A-jVsrOP6L4sDhlKSaxpgwiWrdU_1GfRYIc-7366O0C8Q0NKc_ORbq0Ps7PHria-o2GpWnvo6zEdLfWjdkggPzChEEmsJXm9yBxPSKvQzCpC1dq7f5lxA104ZmglQ/s1600/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHAqup_NBEyB7BN7A-jVsrOP6L4sDhlKSaxpgwiWrdU_1GfRYIc-7366O0C8Q0NKc_ORbq0Ps7PHria-o2GpWnvo6zEdLfWjdkggPzChEEmsJXm9yBxPSKvQzCpC1dq7f5lxA104ZmglQ/s400/IMG_0760.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Above is the blanket underway, and below is the finished article. It is 36 inches square.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNxvhz6wxwur6Aw1ktSebEH2etq_DkbtRKBwQTiqK2It0PvDRFz0_nRKL9Ahn8KFTdqbFcyDtvC2fU0tA9vOJNIhwNoy9GbtHAO9z6KNdBNiEOANPMwsk6i41-DPsFzPp6QcL_sl-kac/s1600/IMG_0773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNxvhz6wxwur6Aw1ktSebEH2etq_DkbtRKBwQTiqK2It0PvDRFz0_nRKL9Ahn8KFTdqbFcyDtvC2fU0tA9vOJNIhwNoy9GbtHAO9z6KNdBNiEOANPMwsk6i41-DPsFzPp6QcL_sl-kac/s400/IMG_0773.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
It's perhaps not the prettiest blanket that I've ever made, but it is lovely and warm.<br />
<br />
At the moment it is lovely and sunny here, and as the days are starting to get longer, thoughts are turning to spring. Already the pots of miniature iris that I planted in September are flowering away, and the daffodils in the garden will be out in a week or so. Springtime is when rescue sanctuaries need substitute nests for orphan animals and birds, so I have been using yet more oddments of yarn to crochet nests for <a href="http://www.secretworld.org/" target="_blank">Secret World</a>, the wildlife sanctuary which is only a few miles down the road from us.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UXzEL5AviKzeGjl4kanngeyw2G1Nb68UsiPr8AczlIAVhB9od_c8Qz67RJ3BaqjWab6MVlFxp0RXNspbFsLvtwuLtPbSKIhb1Ba_y7cnUPz10P7StoLTH1aTxWhsZMvPpaIly-FjgmI/s1600/IMG_0775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UXzEL5AviKzeGjl4kanngeyw2G1Nb68UsiPr8AczlIAVhB9od_c8Qz67RJ3BaqjWab6MVlFxp0RXNspbFsLvtwuLtPbSKIhb1Ba_y7cnUPz10P7StoLTH1aTxWhsZMvPpaIly-FjgmI/s400/IMG_0775.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Nests need to be knitted or crocheted very firmly, to make a self-supporting structure. Mine are made with 2 or 3 strands of yarn which together make at least chunky weight, using size 5.00 hook or needles. I shall be dropping these off on Saturday.<br />
<br />
So some inroads have been made into my woolly oddments; but there are still plenty left!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-58815425853732767732017-01-25T15:51:00.000+00:002017-01-25T15:51:16.541+00:00Twiddlemuffs for men<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Have you come across twiddlemuffs? They are made for people with dementia, and they provide both warmth and comfort for their hands, as well as giving them something for their fingers to twiddle with, which can distract and calm them. These are a couple of muffs that I made last year:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYknMFgMdifAT6jhxNbILGUbxMzuZGebe9spBNnF2Wq8rwpVU2dL8mFZ126CquzHIuDpq3cDPZTXVsREhu9YU_NAxy3BIt9FQTpRjF62Jkt7STPBKnPnkG8nT9kJsyFYab2Eb31YohY0/s1600/IMG_0655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYknMFgMdifAT6jhxNbILGUbxMzuZGebe9spBNnF2Wq8rwpVU2dL8mFZ126CquzHIuDpq3cDPZTXVsREhu9YU_NAxy3BIt9FQTpRjF62Jkt7STPBKnPnkG8nT9kJsyFYab2Eb31YohY0/s400/IMG_0655.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ORF56toIfT8QQAtRE1KuVy5-LMN_jiJ38ob0U5LAD-oxs5VmCvX5kxl_rlXXWHCEmusO0twRBSjXDGGdze-tKyIjlDwZPta5mOz1mk5hB2I30knv0Gmd_hH9OenfNNhhXse95pOGT8s/s1600/IMG_0656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ORF56toIfT8QQAtRE1KuVy5-LMN_jiJ38ob0U5LAD-oxs5VmCvX5kxl_rlXXWHCEmusO0twRBSjXDGGdze-tKyIjlDwZPta5mOz1mk5hB2I30knv0Gmd_hH9OenfNNhhXse95pOGT8s/s400/IMG_0656.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I volunteer with our local branch of the Alzheimer's Society, and sometimes get asked to add the twiddly bits to muffs that other people have knitted. Thankfully the Scrapstore gives me access to lots of useful bits and pieces that can be adapted into 'twiddles', such as the toggle, buckle and webbing used in the top muff.<br />
<br />
One of the Alzheimer's Society's support workers mentioned to me that a lot of the muffs they receive are more suitable for ladies than for men, which got me thinking. Football scarves! As my husband is an Everton supporter, I started with blue and white as my colours, and knitted a muff. Then I added some twiddly bits that I though were appropriate, including a blue squeezy sponge, some chunky buttons and some textured wooden beads (they reminded me of Rawlplugs) on a thong. There's also a leather button like the ones my dad had on his sheepskin coat, with a piece of flexible plastic tubing to hook round it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3m5RvlslPORodUhyphenhyphenjsHUrT041GAyuS25QDtpVzW7VwEWuanQFgujYII_xgnfK2CtVPX6IOad3h1vL0kvqlA24-blJkiS6wESIL7dMijB_XdPpt793VZGEqt6C_it1WmIUaD407uif6I/s1600/IMG_0767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3m5RvlslPORodUhyphenhyphenjsHUrT041GAyuS25QDtpVzW7VwEWuanQFgujYII_xgnfK2CtVPX6IOad3h1vL0kvqlA24-blJkiS6wESIL7dMijB_XdPpt793VZGEqt6C_it1WmIUaD407uif6I/s640/IMG_0767.JPG" width="352" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is how the muff looks once it is sewn up:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3JwtPKH8sUTfwgE9QqjllUi3bmyskw5lrdhdpHfFUpuxw11GuWItV0ZAHpGOnSIeE5QUl2I9g49xTtA5HL9AiD5iouzl7kHRn6ibdTawD_AmvN9m240x3NN3W_9g9AQxk4sGCkLVT8c/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3JwtPKH8sUTfwgE9QqjllUi3bmyskw5lrdhdpHfFUpuxw11GuWItV0ZAHpGOnSIeE5QUl2I9g49xTtA5HL9AiD5iouzl7kHRn6ibdTawD_AmvN9m240x3NN3W_9g9AQxk4sGCkLVT8c/s400/IMG_0769.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
It is reversible:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDniFSox0miXu5OenzIbO2htx1SGqrI1QOd_koGwHODIwlPeIUV16KV2APkeho8fGl8B9a0UypbK1zWZ8WdHsZOLSyMp4LuX4-m-XnRYpSqY0tTqlLt9riwcQwe82t2p5RkuLHzzGZjo/s1600/IMG_0770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDniFSox0miXu5OenzIbO2htx1SGqrI1QOd_koGwHODIwlPeIUV16KV2APkeho8fGl8B9a0UypbK1zWZ8WdHsZOLSyMp4LuX4-m-XnRYpSqY0tTqlLt9riwcQwe82t2p5RkuLHzzGZjo/s400/IMG_0770.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Suitable for an Everton or Arsenal fan! So the next one underway will be for a Chelsea or Manchester United fan.........<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNGzVs4aD_P4DqEEVZ6v4wc3JdmKhidWjEv7JQG08E6hU5O09kPNjnrXWvBa5Y92d8p5xvO-FkzyHsY23pNmmC2T7OwbFlG6vmz9hH_h2rQQ6R_L3SfLlcGS_tH7NGaEyxjdSWijiJsU/s1600/IMG_0768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNGzVs4aD_P4DqEEVZ6v4wc3JdmKhidWjEv7JQG08E6hU5O09kPNjnrXWvBa5Y92d8p5xvO-FkzyHsY23pNmmC2T7OwbFlG6vmz9hH_h2rQQ6R_L3SfLlcGS_tH7NGaEyxjdSWijiJsU/s400/IMG_0768.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you want to make a twiddlemuff, the <a href="http://www.knitforpeace.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Twiddlemuff-Pattern.pdf" target="_blank">instructions can be found here</a>. They are welcomed by Knit for Peace, local hospitals and charities for people with dementia.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-26079138080680911492017-01-21T09:09:00.000+00:002017-01-21T16:53:31.419+00:00One cosy striped blanket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufTBkoXjaFJhheDGyHo7j2Kzv1i8v-D8zij1EnNUOVta6PGrLmpgTvy4x5vkYHqtAgMcKgUwqbM6tkZ_39TrHWld_w78CHQ38EG_hty2m19k75_g6U6vF2nWrnECkbd3vfNpWntWsAEI/s1600/IMG_0763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufTBkoXjaFJhheDGyHo7j2Kzv1i8v-D8zij1EnNUOVta6PGrLmpgTvy4x5vkYHqtAgMcKgUwqbM6tkZ_39TrHWld_w78CHQ38EG_hty2m19k75_g6U6vF2nWrnECkbd3vfNpWntWsAEI/s400/IMG_0763.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't know what the weather has been like where you are, but here in Somerset it has been really cold for the past few days. As I'm typing this, I am looking over a lawn that is white with frost. Although it will be beautifully sunny today, the temperature is forecast not to rise over three degrees. I've been quite happy to have this blanket across my lap for the past couple of weeks as it has gradually been getting longer. It finally grew to be single bed size, and so I finished it off with a simple border of one round of treble crochet and one row of double crochet:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBErfFSL_iQbyXuprsXtVMfiTIqlQv3j8QdGneq2WWmV6-2gHb0gOl2d_AStusmaY_Yzhew3fRUYcxjQ7DH4GTDMrxBjH6Cjea70gem95CGQJEY1A7NIMbbo38Yq7V0RmJ6Cu6sp8vQkc/s1600/IMG_0764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBErfFSL_iQbyXuprsXtVMfiTIqlQv3j8QdGneq2WWmV6-2gHb0gOl2d_AStusmaY_Yzhew3fRUYcxjQ7DH4GTDMrxBjH6Cjea70gem95CGQJEY1A7NIMbbo38Yq7V0RmJ6Cu6sp8vQkc/s400/IMG_0764.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I like its cheery appearance and also how heavy it is, as it has been made with aran equivalent yarn and weighs in at almost 1.2 kilos, so it really has made an impact on my stash. This is, of course, not a justification to buy more, I have to keep reminding myself.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is the first time I have made such a large blanket in one piece; normally I make smaller lap blankets or larger blankets from squares which are then sewn together. I was very pleased with the speed with which it grew; choosing a new colour every other row somehow kept my interest and even the ends to be darned in did't put me off as I disciplined myself to do them every 10 changes or so.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This blanket will be going off to <a href="http://www.knitfornowt.org/" target="_blank">Knit for Nowt</a>, a charity based in Yorkshire and supported by Loving Hands, who have asked for single bed sized blankets for this winter. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
.</div>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-62582174933746123502017-01-08T18:58:00.001+00:002017-01-08T18:58:28.548+00:00Can you guess what it is yet?After the flurry of hat-making at the end of last year (or last week, depending on how you look at it!), I decided to go for a larger project to start this year off. And this is where I am at present:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaybyCx63CdphpIFQsRKE_Qx6HTwWq9ApNa3GswE-e06sIW6ry76y5uV8juDD6_s1-UYHu5MHNA-pqOISa5RxhyNTt4Dg-_BFhcxuYJkAk8Bo7i9uMvlFodubp-O4cjObLr6r1ve050CE/s1600/IMG_0743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaybyCx63CdphpIFQsRKE_Qx6HTwWq9ApNa3GswE-e06sIW6ry76y5uV8juDD6_s1-UYHu5MHNA-pqOISa5RxhyNTt4Dg-_BFhcxuYJkAk8Bo7i9uMvlFodubp-O4cjObLr6r1ve050CE/s400/IMG_0743.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
Lots of colours</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICU-kMMh6UXGfj6FVNHYReiKS2KaBcvC2MNU_h7U_a7iV2_7YoOPFEqAmOHB4YluHnO3AAQeQ7syxWS2UsrevjAJi61UThFn9SHPQgsJl14xzqme9d9P5RkeN-Ojprc-SmVz91uedJI8/s1600/IMG_0745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICU-kMMh6UXGfj6FVNHYReiKS2KaBcvC2MNU_h7U_a7iV2_7YoOPFEqAmOHB4YluHnO3AAQeQ7syxWS2UsrevjAJi61UThFn9SHPQgsJl14xzqme9d9P5RkeN-Ojprc-SmVz91uedJI8/s400/IMG_0745.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
The pictures above show the project spread on my lap as I was working on it, so can you guess </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
what it is going to be? </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglq4TNu-cd1ya7XFHvz9tTxfKBALmFzjCWyzPi_78KiNrKxgXMVUHBZhUgGe89_gN1JZnKRqb8DX3PjYTY3NbzjHfx209Eolf5a0E8iJHnd1Z2s39_jSmbfnWNg0t6GEeKQnBnu7ABT0/s1600/IMG_0748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglq4TNu-cd1ya7XFHvz9tTxfKBALmFzjCWyzPi_78KiNrKxgXMVUHBZhUgGe89_gN1JZnKRqb8DX3PjYTY3NbzjHfx209Eolf5a0E8iJHnd1Z2s39_jSmbfnWNg0t6GEeKQnBnu7ABT0/s400/IMG_0748.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
It's a cozy stripe blanket, using <a href="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/cosy-stripe-blanket.html" target="_blank">Lucy's Attic 24 pattern</a>, but not her colour scheme. I was reminded of this blanket by my online friend Linda of <a href="http://lindacraftycorner.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/christmas-madness-and-blanket.html" target="_blank">Linda's Crafty Corner</a>, who finished one and posted pictures on her blog just before Christmas. As soon as I saw hers, I knew that was what I wanted to make next. I'm sorry for copying, Linda, but I prefer to think of it as inspiration!<br />
<br />
I chose 11 colours from the cones that were donated by Nicola last summer, and wound off lots of balls. I'm using the coned yarn doubled, and in some cases tripled, to produce a nice thick fabric. Here's a view inside my project bag:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7S0jWOGc0L-dlpEXfX3D6jn_o2WiIJBQ7sm2ItcMCcQ7Cf8wrw94SchKnioSCkK6iOUnDIjnSMKHdvJV4woiWmWNyvjCEn1-iUmWyqQwbfLKwEpU2RF8Iw-IEvlLIy6kLPTmjxO39T4/s1600/IMG_0746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7S0jWOGc0L-dlpEXfX3D6jn_o2WiIJBQ7sm2ItcMCcQ7Cf8wrw94SchKnioSCkK6iOUnDIjnSMKHdvJV4woiWmWNyvjCEn1-iUmWyqQwbfLKwEpU2RF8Iw-IEvlLIy6kLPTmjxO39T4/s400/IMG_0746.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The bright yellow is some Hayfield dk which I introduced because I felt it needed another strong colour in the mix. In the original pattern, the colours are repeated regularly, but I've gone for more of a random approach, and decide what colour to use next once I'm ready to make the change. <br />
<br />
So far, I've completed about half of the blanket. It is 4 feet 6 inches wide, and will be 6 feet long, so that it will cover a single bed. I'd like to think that I can finish it before the end of the month, to get my stash busting off to a good start for 2017.Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-37645761165917391432016-12-30T10:39:00.001+00:002016-12-30T10:39:48.283+00:00The final three!With one day to spare, the final three hats are done. There's a man's chunky blue and black hat, a lady's dk dark red hat, and a newborn dk hat. As ever, I've been combining yarns make inroads into the donated coned yarns and to get different weights, so the man's hat is a strand of black aran and a strand of blue 4 ply , while the lady's hat is 2 strands of 2 ply red wool/cotton and a strand of 2 ply grey mix (probably acrylic, but I can't be sure). The baby hat is made of some King Cole Bin Ends yarn which is very pretty and puts me in mind of cup cakes sprinkled with hundreds and thousands!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktdSDzPZoR2IeBWECUpxZ8q8nowidbU3EDPfBkXvK9GAHl2XyAGd8TR2lK5FEb-DpHMFNZofWsgcqsWEz6CfI_Bj-1uss059bc759ocn_5b5-TLDWa7ElO4BoEsHa8AynpuuftB9o6wk/s1600/IMG_0731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjktdSDzPZoR2IeBWECUpxZ8q8nowidbU3EDPfBkXvK9GAHl2XyAGd8TR2lK5FEb-DpHMFNZofWsgcqsWEz6CfI_Bj-1uss059bc759ocn_5b5-TLDWa7ElO4BoEsHa8AynpuuftB9o6wk/s400/IMG_0731.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This completes my self-set challenge to complete 12 boys' jumpers and 52 hats in one year. This target has certainly spurred me to knit and crochet more this year than I have previously. The donations of yarn that I have collected on behalf of Loving Hands this year have also encouraged me to think more laterally about what I can make and how I can combine yarns to get different effects. I have used up almost 16 kilos of yarn since January, without counting December's finished items.<br />
<br />
I have, however, decided not to set any targets for 2017. It will be interesting to see whether I use up just as much yarn when I am free to make whatever I like.<br />
<br />
There is one final item that I finished off just after Christmas. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiNrXBrvcjaWV8FoVOX_aSWWQbt-qMKUyTDtnGpeU4PZPwWOF1cMUevX0lU5CYiJ8IS0DFp19EFrzN0l4qeCS2WnlGxaL-u7j_k_it-c8oMVi36vuU-GDGelHzU4DDup2l55cNnx8yiQ/s1600/IMG_0711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiNrXBrvcjaWV8FoVOX_aSWWQbt-qMKUyTDtnGpeU4PZPwWOF1cMUevX0lU5CYiJ8IS0DFp19EFrzN0l4qeCS2WnlGxaL-u7j_k_it-c8oMVi36vuU-GDGelHzU4DDup2l55cNnx8yiQ/s400/IMG_0711.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I took these two cones from my stash in November. They are both 4 ply, and the bright pink is very bright! The paler pink is from a range called Magicolour, and has a rainbow of other colours running through it. Working directly from the cones, so no ends to darn in, I started a corner-to-corner blanket. This photo gives you an idea of the different colours:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vnHtDHpgX1C77AzgzwQxnsvFyax8LZ1imFuVAjdeg-1Eloco7jutSnCB2cf8EpMMLUzLZK-uSGezb8OpzR2ThrOmqUCz1UEM64tUCFQ-EUvgxBRm9eRM5EBvRTotgaLf3Bz3qm4fOM8/s1600/IMG_0732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vnHtDHpgX1C77AzgzwQxnsvFyax8LZ1imFuVAjdeg-1Eloco7jutSnCB2cf8EpMMLUzLZK-uSGezb8OpzR2ThrOmqUCz1UEM64tUCFQ-EUvgxBRm9eRM5EBvRTotgaLf3Bz3qm4fOM8/s400/IMG_0732.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The completed blanket is 42 inches square and looks like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtt3XnTuyiC3byfx-gjn5Hyw7odjjwg3SRyCXryiAlc26HBvS2B1TmqOx8pzjJB0nEzscUZnCn7L2mjBPvjx8e7sYzwun2LZfRXIpimKpzl6sC5Lp-lRORENIc9SjipBKmlUIAn9_0tUQ/s1600/IMG_0735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtt3XnTuyiC3byfx-gjn5Hyw7odjjwg3SRyCXryiAlc26HBvS2B1TmqOx8pzjJB0nEzscUZnCn7L2mjBPvjx8e7sYzwun2LZfRXIpimKpzl6sC5Lp-lRORENIc9SjipBKmlUIAn9_0tUQ/s640/IMG_0735.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
<br />
It is bright and cheery and will be going to <a href="http://www.chemogiftbags.org/" target="_blank">Chemogiftbags</a>, a charity which provides support for people undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. <br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;">Happy New Year everyone, and thank you for reading and commenting on my posts in 2016. </span></h3>
Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-83602900783622468762016-12-24T09:50:00.000+00:002016-12-24T09:53:11.918+00:00Hat chase nearly over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwyJnhDeQg8ELZf2X_-X2XdrWskjXmopZWhLyZSlbAaB9__RyfhDpjk4vKKbioMCQWy0OlU65hYWPMxKasiOX6KnJSumuTnljyvf2aS4ScSC-1sT6FoD6BLBoT58WIsGyPUeIT-9FarA/s1600/IMG_0729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwyJnhDeQg8ELZf2X_-X2XdrWskjXmopZWhLyZSlbAaB9__RyfhDpjk4vKKbioMCQWy0OlU65hYWPMxKasiOX6KnJSumuTnljyvf2aS4ScSC-1sT6FoD6BLBoT58WIsGyPUeIT-9FarA/s400/IMG_0729.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Just a quick post to report that I have finished hat 49 of 52 for 2016. These are 3 chunky, tweedy hats, made with multiple strands of stash yarns. The green ones are adult size and will be going to the Mission for Seamen. The grey and maroon one is child size, and will be for <a href="http://www.operation-orphan.org/">Operation Orphan's </a><br />
2017 campaign to Keep a Child Warm. On 27 December we will be driving up to Twickenham to meet friends and go to the Harlequins rugby game at Twickenham Stadium, so I will have time to make progress on a matching scarf go with the child's hat. I don't tend to knit hats in the car because of the danger of losing dpns under the driver's seat. Once bitten, twice shy definitely applies in that case!<br />
<br />
Still lots to do on this Christmas Eve; both my sons and my daughter-in-law will be arriving later today, so there are beds to prepare, baking to be done, and still quite a few presents to be wrapped and stockings to prepare. So I will use this picture of our local woods in the snow to wish everyone who happens on my blog a very Happy Christmas, and thank you for taking the time to read my posts.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWC4hl2BuKsq5efNit4045nXRfK4T2w_kossRrnWzAL7XeK7ReYOCLqDzGifad2m1TNgWbrZRGJGmDcgk2IaXTSmp8oOoVEuQF8ioJUGrWEW3B6_2AUtYbgdwIOn-Gku8kGgeUuoO9_Q/s1600/+xmas+weston+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWC4hl2BuKsq5efNit4045nXRfK4T2w_kossRrnWzAL7XeK7ReYOCLqDzGifad2m1TNgWbrZRGJGmDcgk2IaXTSmp8oOoVEuQF8ioJUGrWEW3B6_2AUtYbgdwIOn-Gku8kGgeUuoO9_Q/s400/+xmas+weston+woods.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-49189229734625068902016-12-16T12:13:00.001+00:002016-12-16T12:16:26.671+00:00Log cabinBack in April last year, I started knitting a log cabin blanket. I had a lot of Stylecraft Wondersoft variegated yarn in peacock, but when knitted up, it looked more like camouflage than a flamboyant bird's tail. I think the jumpers below demonstrate what I mean.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMGdRFrwp17RUjZGlHpJ0zrqFS-VPynrFe3eb_vcezar_DsjZXkkgL0DodchalYT7__HcdMo1Z-pKuv2IIkMPOBR_3KoSrOjc0FVTdupxNyHQ82b55XsDb7rxks-pxTyNRO5pFptj2B8/s1600/IMG_0222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMGdRFrwp17RUjZGlHpJ0zrqFS-VPynrFe3eb_vcezar_DsjZXkkgL0DodchalYT7__HcdMo1Z-pKuv2IIkMPOBR_3KoSrOjc0FVTdupxNyHQ82b55XsDb7rxks-pxTyNRO5pFptj2B8/s400/IMG_0222.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KglLXsPlBq-I6nI_iS82rxRf3ot2br_UYAqc1xXigu0YLOU5S9oqV8oRYVvri97E8ffZy-Hw8uljiODm_9Mm58dG__DU2G_lSrnX-Xnmzo4sQQSL3xjgbRkqcDoQhV4bcb6LW2CAz8M/s1600/IMG_0205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KglLXsPlBq-I6nI_iS82rxRf3ot2br_UYAqc1xXigu0YLOU5S9oqV8oRYVvri97E8ffZy-Hw8uljiODm_9Mm58dG__DU2G_lSrnX-Xnmzo4sQQSL3xjgbRkqcDoQhV4bcb6LW2CAz8M/s400/IMG_0205.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
So I put the rest of it to one side, and had a think about what I could make with it (did I mention that I bought a kilo of this yarn? Probably not!). Finally I came up with the idea of a knitted log cabin blanket. There have been lovely ones knitted by other Loving Hands members, so this seemed like a plan. I chose a range of different colours that were in the peacock, and two that weren't, to provide a little bit of contrast. This was a project that my heart really wasn't in, and so it only came out when I didn't have anything else to do. But do you know, as I was sewing it up, I began to fall in love with it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuPOQgqLJERGvWAiyRzyl_uKWbAemvezV-tOQuDWCah8fP2toRrlORQxLq-1zilPHVVj3fetEWFHCUc1LP3xONhjIGtUJWoR70L0aq95pFbF3TSSorki-scnxXSRS6lI6aElzy8lsREw/s1600/IMG_0714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuPOQgqLJERGvWAiyRzyl_uKWbAemvezV-tOQuDWCah8fP2toRrlORQxLq-1zilPHVVj3fetEWFHCUc1LP3xONhjIGtUJWoR70L0aq95pFbF3TSSorki-scnxXSRS6lI6aElzy8lsREw/s640/IMG_0714.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Somehow it makes me think of modern art:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCFGmWkjo5_zoH4VnKJUYBGqvTYHTdp77TeAGknrbD2rxIdQ7MmH3PgwsXVA3cDJvJq4SFTDBgJizH_rZUkI_hnQBUgQ7wYebf8oyahiuD7LK4WfxY-E_ZA2IrjqzEJ-H4_f9YE0uJa4/s1600/IMG_0726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCFGmWkjo5_zoH4VnKJUYBGqvTYHTdp77TeAGknrbD2rxIdQ7MmH3PgwsXVA3cDJvJq4SFTDBgJizH_rZUkI_hnQBUgQ7wYebf8oyahiuD7LK4WfxY-E_ZA2IrjqzEJ-H4_f9YE0uJa4/s200/IMG_0726.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Doesn't this look like it could be on a gallery wall?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
OK, I'm getting a bit carried away here. Because it uses different brands of yarn, some of the squares are not quite as even as they might be, but this adds to the overall patchwork effect of the blanket. And there are so many ends to be darned away - I still have a good few more to do. But it is lovely and warm and weighs in at 460g. It's a bit odd and quirky, and I have a feeling that I might keep this one for myself!</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCFGmWkjo5_zoH4VnKJUYBGqvTYHTdp77TeAGknrbD2rxIdQ7MmH3PgwsXVA3cDJvJq4SFTDBgJizH_rZUkI_hnQBUgQ7wYebf8oyahiuD7LK4WfxY-E_ZA2IrjqzEJ-H4_f9YE0uJa4/s1600/IMG_0726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCFGmWkjo5_zoH4VnKJUYBGqvTYHTdp77TeAGknrbD2rxIdQ7MmH3PgwsXVA3cDJvJq4SFTDBgJizH_rZUkI_hnQBUgQ7wYebf8oyahiuD7LK4WfxY-E_ZA2IrjqzEJ-H4_f9YE0uJa4/s640/IMG_0726.jpg" width="633" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Ideas for what I should make with the remaining 300g of the peacock will be welcomed!<br />
<br />
<br />Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3751781985980839056.post-40452652852717311212016-12-10T11:56:00.000+00:002016-12-10T11:56:34.214+00:00Jumper number 12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5WLgkwcGUmAvNBe8KoQFaFddJWsWoRY1TDEgfbRgMjvm2qA3g_CROIV0ehlLaoNnjoefSYQU3QLpd8zmUhIQkTPlEKrXmecxH-BGFjl-XZIjIDh7CVYZxqR59as0kB1qd08TmeHqpJ8/s1600/IMG_0710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5WLgkwcGUmAvNBe8KoQFaFddJWsWoRY1TDEgfbRgMjvm2qA3g_CROIV0ehlLaoNnjoefSYQU3QLpd8zmUhIQkTPlEKrXmecxH-BGFjl-XZIjIDh7CVYZxqR59as0kB1qd08TmeHqpJ8/s400/IMG_0710.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
Yessss! This is boy's jumper number 12, so I've met the first part of my challenge for 2016. It's knitted from a Knitwell pattern which I found among my Mum's patterns. There is no date or price on it, but it uses old needle sizes (9s and 7s) so is pre metrication of knitting needles, which I think was around 1975. It was interesting to knit; the front centre panel has increases and decreases to make the little stocking stitch squares. I enjoy cabling and knitting twisted stitches, which featured on the sleeves as well as the front. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-qfy61zZbJ7k8s-lIlzPkDPji5Xd7dP2rQGhYGLGjzStFhMPdOMj8V0OKGH5um-mLRTsmPy7PMVJKWOM58xExAdZfR9UAW5DVyYIIbNaCLyMQAFMSb3Xw25L3WinPvQ19tWxG95Vk5k/s1600/cable+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-qfy61zZbJ7k8s-lIlzPkDPji5Xd7dP2rQGhYGLGjzStFhMPdOMj8V0OKGH5um-mLRTsmPy7PMVJKWOM58xExAdZfR9UAW5DVyYIIbNaCLyMQAFMSb3Xw25L3WinPvQ19tWxG95Vk5k/s400/cable+closeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The yarn is from a cone which I bought from the scrapstore. It is marked as chunky, but to me it felt more like aran. I compromised and knitted it on size 4.00 and 5.00 needles (8s and 6s) instead of the recommended sizes.<br />
<br />
I have another half a dozen hats to make to meet the second part of the challenge by 31 December - watch this space!Barbara Rochehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15910225637694353999noreply@blogger.com2