June Craftings

Baby Hat
Start: 30th May 2018
Finish: 3rd June 2018

Toddler Hat
Start: 5th June 2018
Finish: 9th June 2018

Toddler Hat
Start: 9th June 2018
Finish: 10th June 2018

Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap
Start: 12th June 2018
Finish: 14th June 2018

Scottish Beret
Start: 15th June 2018
Finish: 18th June 2018

Scottish Wrist Warmers
Start: 19th June 2018
Finish: 20th June 2018

Ribbed Fingerless Mittens
Start: 21th June 2018
Finish: 23rd June 2018

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Items made this month
0 sewn, 7 knitted, 0 crocheted,  0 soaped

Items made this year
8 sewn, 17 knitted, 1 crocheted, 5 soaped

Yarn this month
bought: 0
finished: 6

Yarn this year
bought: 17 (950g of DK)
finished: 26

June Goals - Review

My goals for this month were:

• render garden walls
• finish City Slicker quilt
• reduce chocolate consumption further
• paint one wall in bedroom
• make 5 things
• finish 5 balls of yarn

With guests and a holiday, the garden walls have not been done AGAIN! 

My plan had been to finish the City Slicker quilt when I came back from holiday, and the dratted machine is complaining. It's going to go on its own little spa holiday. When the sewing machine returns I will start back on it.

Chocolate consumption has been reduced a bit, but more work is required. This will be carried over into July, without being an 'official' goal.

Another wall of the bedroom has been painted. This was probably the hardest one as the wall started off a deep rich red, and has been painted white. Two walls remain to be done. I'm hoping to have those done next month.

The yarny stuff were the easiest goals to accomplish. Seven items have been finished, and six balls of yarn used up. I'm bang on target for 52 balls in 52 weeks, and about a month ahead of myself with the number of items made.

Four goals reaches, two still to do.

Italian Brain - Hot Brain

During the last two days I've had 3 hours of Italian tuition. In addition, I've done 5 hours of independent study/homework. I'm now losing words in English, and can only grasp the Italian. This language seems to be sinking in.

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The temperatures are still high. This morning, at 8.45 it was 23C. The ground temperature at the nearest weather station is 31.9C at 9pm. Hot!

Oh My Goodness! It's Hot!

It’s 27% humidity here on my little island. It’s normally about 60 on a dry day, going up to 100% when it’s raining or very foggy. I can’t remember the last time we had rain! And this is a place where we receive a relatively constant level of rain every month.

It’s 6.30pm, and 32C. The average monthly high for June is 16C. It’s expected that our night time low tonight will be 16C. That’s our average high!

This wee Celt is not built for such temperatures! We are on the same latitude as the most southerly point of Alaska.

Walking and Cycling

Yah! I have reached Day Two. Just over a mile has been walked, and 10 minutes of cycling has happened. It's easy. It's simple. It fits into my life. I just need to keep with it. When July arrives, I will increase my cycling time to 20 minutes.

Ducky-Ducky

The plan for the quilt was to hand applique the ducks, then hand quilt them. The water would be added by a very quick method called 'quilt as you go'. ... And the best laid plans come crashing down.

When I got back from holiday I found my sewing machine didn't want to sew. It had decided it didn't like being abandoned whilst I was out gallivanting around Scotland. It going to go to the sewing machine spa for a little break, but in the mean time, I'm without an effective sewing machine. 

I wanted to try strip piecing quilt-as-you-go as I want to work my way through all sorts of technique to find out what I like, and what I'm not fussy about. But that's been put on hold, and instead, I'm learning how to hand piece a quilt. Three summers ago, I hand pieced, and hand quilted Granny's Flower Garden, a quilt made from lots of hexagons. However, the technique is a little different.

I need to switch my mindset away from 'Oh noes, my machine isn't working!' to 'Great, a new technique to play with.' Sure, it would be quicker to do long straight strips by machine, but that's not one of today's options. Instead, it's hand sewing all the way.

At the Quilters' group tonight I was asked to display my work at 'Show and Tell'. All of the other items were finished projects - I did try to explain the top wasn't even complete, but was told to stand up and show. It was rather lovely receiving a round of applause. People started choosing their favourite duck.

Get On Your Bike

Reading some old Facebook posts, I realised my back and my health was better when I was cycling about 15-20 minutes each a day and walking one. 

Monday being the day "when all the possibilities are possible", I decided to commit to cycling each day for the next month. It can take a little bit of time for my botty to become conditioned to cycling. Instead of jumping straight in at 20 minutes, I've started at 10 minutes on the easiest setting on my exercise bike. 

Morning walkies with Ava has already accounted for half a mile, and pre-bedtime walk along the beach brought the total to just over a mile.

Oat Cookies

This recipe is adapted from Darci Isabella's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. It has been converted from imperial measurements to metric.

Ingredients

225g butter

175g honey (replaced by 125g maple syrup and 55g granulated sugar) 

2 eggs

225g rice flour (replaced by Dove Farm's Gluten-free plain flour instead)

1 tsp baking soda

560g oats

150g raisins 

Method

Preheat the oven to 175C.

Melt the butter and pour into a mixing bowl. Add the honey, eggs, flour, soda, oats and raisins one at a time, making sure to stir until smooth after each ingredient. 

Grease a cookie sheet. Roll the dough into small balls and place on cookie sheet. Flatten the dough with the back of a fork. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Notes

Not being a fan of honey, I replaced it with maple syrup and white sugar. The rice flour was replaced with the gluten-free flour I have in my cupboard. And the raisins were only added to half of the mixture as not all of us like raisins.

Black Wrist Warmers

Company:  James Vrett

Yarn: Top Value DK

Composition: Acrylic 

Colour:  Black 8430

Dyelot: 5385

Pattern: Ribbed Wrist Warmers

Size: Adult
Needles: 4mm

Amount used:  30g

Started:  21st June 2018

Finished: 23rd June 2018

Another pair of these wrist warmers. They are so simple, and so stretchy. They fit such a range of hand sizes.

Home Again

The Beloved has a wood turning workshop today. He dropped us off at the kennels on the way to the workshop, and the Younger Offspring and I collected Ava. She had been in the kennels before as a rescue dog, and we were worried she might think she had been rejected and taken back there.

However, when she saw us, she went rather bananas, well, bananas-ish as she is a very cool, laid back dog. In the six months we have had her, it was the first time she has jumped up on me. Her bottom was very wiggly, and my face received a very good wash. Many, many times, a cold wet nose was gently pushed into my hand and snuggles requested. I think she missed us.

After collecting her there was a 40 minute wait for the next bus. It was obvious she wanted to get going, but we had to hang around the car park, waiting for the bus.  She was good on the bus (her third journey).

When we arrived back in town, she took a good look around, and it felt like she was thinking, "Ah, right, I know where I am now." Lots of sniffing happened, more snuggles, and many looks behind to make sure we were still there.

A trip to The Eatery was next. The sign on their door says "Well behaved dogs welcome." She's been there three times, and rather likes it. This time, there was a cold sausage and a bowl of water too. Now she really likes it.

And home. She has now relaxed and is having a snooze.

Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap

Yarn: Red Heart Lisa DK
Composition: 100% acrylic 

Colour: Lilac (05691)

Pattern: Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap

Size: toddler
Needles: 4mm
Amount used:
Started: 12th June 2018
Finished: 14th June 2018

Abbreviations

m1 - make 1 stitch

cdd - central double decrease - slip two stitches together knit-wise, knit 1, and pass the slipped stitches over.

Pattern:

Cast on 91 st on 3.5mm needles, join.

Work 7 rounds of garter stitch. Then change to 4mm needles.

1. K1, m1, k13, cdd, k13, m1, k1, m1, k13, cdd, k13, m1, k1, m1, k13, cdd, k 13 , m1, k1.

2. K.

Work these two rounds six times.

Then only work decrease and not increases until only 11sts remain. K2tog until only 3 stitches and thread yarn through those stitches and secure.

Make ties for the hat.

Pride Edinburgh

We were at out very first Pride march, in Edinburgh. The best word to describe was 'fabu-u-lous'!

It all started as we were taking the train into Edinburgh. We saw a young lass with rainbow striped over the knee socks, and rainbows painted on her face. A few minutes later, there was a woman with the most marvelous shoes, tiny half square triangles in a rainbow of colours. Sadly, she couldn't remember where she had bought them!

We joined the parade just outside The City Chambers whilst the speeches were being speechified. C talked with a few people. They were delighted to have C there, and got a little squee-y when we were introduced as the parents. It really was an incredibly welcoming and inclusive event. It was a very family-friendly event. We met probably the youngest person in attendance, George. He was two weeks old and was there with his mummies, although he didn't walk in the march.

It was incredibly positive, with compliments flying regarding outfits etc. It also had a great affected C. There were huge smiles when they realised just how many non-hetero people were present, and the number of non-cis. "These are my people. I have a place. I belong."

Feelings on a New Parental Home

After a few short weeks, they really do seem very settled in their new home. This is very good to see. However, I do wonder about the wisdom of buying a house where there's stairs to get in, front and back. At the front there's about 16 steps and 4 at the back. Admittedly, Dad is dealing with the stairs beautifully just now. My worry is how will he cope in 5 years time.

Mam had been telling me about all of the decluttering they had been doing. There were tales of the skip at the front of the house, and their daily trips to the recycling centre. And yet, there is so much stuffed into their new home, and that's not including the stuff in the double garage! Mam's idea of decluttering is so vastly different from my own.

It's their stuff, and of course, it is theirs to do with as they please, but I know that at some point it will become my responsibility to clear this house and dispose of their possessions.  This is not a task I am looking forward to. I am most certainly not going to make this sort of imposition on my children. When I die, the house will be neatly organised, decluttered, and all of the paperwork will be in order.  

A New House, A New Lease of Life

Mam and Dad used to live at the top of a high hill. Dad has arthritis in his back, hips and knees. Each winter for the past 10 years they have been muttering about 'moving down the hill'. If the roads were not safe to drive on due to ice or snow, Dad was either stuck at home, or at the bottom of the hill. Thankfully, they have really good friends and relative with whom he could spend the night. 

Finally, finally, they took the decision at the start of the year to sell the house and move down the hill to a bungalow. This did not happen without a few hiccoughs, but just over six weeks ago they moved.

Getting ready for the move has meant they have decluttered a great deal. They have been active in the garden and doing minor repairs/decorating. This has continued since their move. Dad is far more active than he has been for years. Mam now has various walks available to her, almost all on the flat. They used to have newspapers delivered daily, now she walks to the newsagent and buys them.

Getting My Ducks in a Row

The ducks have now been stitched in place with the tiniest of stitching I think I have ever used.  The next step will be to hand quilt this panel, and later add in the water and the ripples.

It's stinkin' cute! I'm so glad I didn't try to make the ducks identical, but allowed each to have their own character. I'll probably use small buttons for eyes, stitch them in place, and superglue over the threads at the back.

Snuggly-wuggly Duck Ducks Quilt

My new holiday project has been started. I wanted to get the ducks made and stitched onto the background before I leave the house. The ducks are the tricky bit. After them, it will just be adding strips and the ric rac trim.

This project will combine applique, quilt-as-you-go, and hand quilting. Applique isn't a technique I've done before, and I wanted to give it a go. My intention is to try out as many patchwork and quilting techniques as I can.  Quilt-as-you-go is something I've done on the small scale, but want to try it on the scale of a baby quilt. Hand quilting is the area in which I feel most confident.

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29th March 2020 - the quilt has at last been finished!

Reconditioning Knitted Wool

Many knitters and crocheters have UFOs, UnFinished Objects. Some projects can be picked up and finished. Others are best unravelled and the yarn used for something else.

With wool, there's a whole lot of kink going on when it's unravelled, and it requires a bit of conditioning to get it back in shape before the next project. If you don't recondition the wool it interferes with the tension of the project and can throw out the sizing. It's better to follow the steps below and regain some beautiful, non-kinky wool.

1. Wrap the unravelled wool around a book or a folder. If only part of the yarn has been previously knitted/crocheted, you only need to work on that part of it.

2. Tie the hank of yarn in a number of places.

3. Slip the hank off the book or folder.

4. Wash the hand is some cool water with a squirt of shampoo/conditioner. Rinse, and squeeze the water out. Don't rub, twist or wring. Hang the hank to dry. Use a weight of pull the yarn a little. I used a 500g weight a shopping bag.

5. When the yarn is dry, ball it up and use it in a new project.

Knitting the Italian Way

I'm going to be using an Italian knitting pattern for the first time. It is very much a 'get the gist of it and try to decode the rest' project. I was pretty sure it was 'Cast on 126 sts on 3mm needles, join. Work 1x1 rib for 2.5cm, Switch to 4mm needles, and increase by 6 sts. Work 9cm in stocking stitch.' Just to check, I popped it into Google translate, and was told that the increases didn't justify a press release. Also, I had to wash it til it was 9cm. 

Google is having problems with the difference between 'lavorare' and 'lavare' (to work and to wash). I'm going to go with my 7 hours of Italian classes and say it's 'work', not 'wash', and I'm ignoring the bit about increases not justifying a press release. My knitted increases are totally worthy of a press release!

Lilac Toddler Hat

Yarn: Red Heart Lisa DK
Composition: 100% acrylic 

Colour: Lilac (05691)

Pattern:  Toddler Hat

Size: toddler
Needles: 4mm
Amount used:
Started: 9th June 2018
Finished:  10th June 2018

Another hat bites the dust!

Toddler Hat

Yarn: Red Heart Lisa DK
Composition: 100% acrylic 
Colour: Glacier (08363)

Colour: Lilac (05691)

Pattern:  Toddler Hat

Size: toddler
Needles: 4mm
Amount used:
Started: 5th June 2018
Finished:  9th June 2018

Cast on 80sts, and join.

Work 10 rounds of 2x2 rib. Then switch to 20 rounds of stocking stitch.

To decrease for the crown:

1. (K17, slip 2 tog, k1, pass slipped stitches over), repeat to end.

2. K.

3. (K15, slip 2 tog, k1, pass slipped stitches over), repeat to end.

4. K.

5. (K13, slip 2 tog, k1, pass slipped stitches over), repeat to end.

Continue in this way until 8 stitches remain. Break off yarn and thread through the remaining stitches. Weave in ends. 

Notes:

This hat was made by working the ribbing in baby blue, switching to alternate rounds of blue and lilac for the stocking stitch section, and then using lilac for the crown. A blue and lilac pom pom was added.

Mae'r Radish yn Dod!

"Mae'r radish yn dod!" is Welsh for 'The radishes are coming'. It's a line from a Peter Rabbit game my children played when they were little. At the end of a level radishes would fall from the sky and you had to catch them before they fell.

But, 'mae'r radish yn codi', my radishes are rising. They are growing and developing, and making me happy. 

Veggie Burgers

The plan for dinner was Black Bean burgers. We failed at the first hurdle, couldn't see any cans of black beans at the supermarket. The first substitution was black eyed beans. And those were not easy to mash! The Beloved tried a few methods, and resorted to the blender, But instead of a bean mash, it was more a dry 'meal'. A little water was added to get it to a better consistency, and when I left the room a bit too much water was added. To combat this extra oats joined the mix too 'sook it up'. 

I knew the spices were going to be a point of departure. I used cumin, pepper, and mixed herbs. There were some cooked peppers in the fridge, and these were chopped and added. Oh, and a dash of liquid smoke too.

So, all in all, I've followed the recipe quite well. 

And Rest!

It's been a very busy few days. There was all the cleaning and tidying for the guests. Next was a day of soreness and grumpy joints. Then came the manic baking session, and today has been a time for rest.

Cakes for Cops 2018

Today's baking: fruit flapjacks, flapjacks with chocolate drizzle, chocolate brownies, Snickers Crunch, raspberry cupcakes and lemon drizzle (not shown).

The officers and staff were delighted to be brought cakes. I explained the ones with stars had peanuts in them, and all were gluten-free. The receptionist was delighted as she's just been diagnosed as having a gluten-intolerance. She asked if I had brought cakes in last year. She had enjoyed them and was looking forward to this year's selection. 

Cherry Flapjacks

Ingredients

250g butter

250g soft brown sugar

175g golden syrup

425g oats

200g glace cherries

100g candied peel

Method

Heat oven to 180C, and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a large pan over a medium heat. Once melted, stir in the oats, coating them well. Add the cherries and peel, thoroughly mixing them in.

Bake for 30 mins, then remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before slicing into pieces. Leave to cool fully before lifting them from the baking tin.

Notes

I didn't have soft brown sugar. 100g of dark brown sugar, and 150g of castor sugar was used instead.

The Beloved believes more fruit can be added to this for greater levels of 'yum'.

Chicken Kebabs

Last night was the first time I had cooked on a gas barbecue. It was an interesting experience. The vegetable kebabs were just about okay. They definitely need work. The chicken ones were great. I'll be making them again, and this time I'll pay attention to quantities of ingredients. So, here's the recipe sans quantities, but with ingredients and method.

Ingredients

chicken breasts

gluten-free soy sauce

gluten-free Worcestershire sauce

liquid smoke

diced garlic

diced ginger

onion powder

dried mixed herbs

lemon juice

vegetable oil

Method

Cut the chicken into cubes. If the chicken is thin, cut it into strips. The strips can be concertina-ed onto the skewers.

In a bowl mix the other ingredients, and then add the chicken. Work the chicken into the marinade, and put in the fridge for 4 hours.

Thread the chicken onto skewers. Drain the marinade into a saucepan and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Place the chicken kebab on the barbecue, and the marinade over the top. When the bottom the chicken is almost done, flip it, and put marinade on that side. When the new bottom has been cooked, flip again and cook for another few minutes.

Notes

These were served with fresh bread, vegetable kebabs, potato salad, and salad leaves with goat's cheese, tomatoes and basil.

The Perils of Cleaning

In amidst the scurryfunging for the guests' arrival in a few hours, I was washing the window and area behind the loo. Being a bit on the 'shortarse' side of tall, I was having to reach quite some distance. My knee was on the loo lid, and suddenly there was a massive 'CRACK'. The wooden lid cleaved in two, as has the seat. The current state of affairs is the loo is usable by gentlemen of the upright peeing variety, but if you want to sit, I suspect the downstairs loo will suit better.

The Beloved will collect the guests from the airport, drop them here, and then go to B&Q for a new loo seat.

Not long after this, I was rinsing out my wash cloth in the bathroom sink, and turned away to put a few items away. Just before the moment of 'Oh carp! I've created a waterfall.' arrived I was able to turn off the taps. It appears the overflow is not functioning. 

Thinking 'Thanks goodness! It would have been awful if the floor had been flooded.' I sighed a mighty sigh of relief. Using the wash cloth and a bucket, a nice purple, flexible bucket (that bit of information will come into play later, not the niceness, or the purpleness, but the flexibleness), I started emptying the sink. It was all going beautifully! Beautifully, I tell you!

And here's where the next wee problem came into being. Did you know that if you hold a flexible bucket, 1/3 full of water, by one hand as you are trying to move the contents over to the bath, there is a slight, very slight, risk of the bucket flexing and pouring water all over the floor? I did not know that! But, I suspect it isn't going to surprise you to learn that it can indeed happen, and indeed it did.

Now, I'm in need of words of kindness, words of hope.

Mitzvah Basket

This is a lovely idea I came across a number of years ago, a Mitzvah Basket. 'Mitzvah' means 'blessing', and it is such a blessing when you are in need of a pad or tampon and there's a lovely little basket of them ready for use. 

I keep a mitzvah basket in the house, right by the loo. When I was working I did the same there. Very occasionally, the basket was emptied, but most of the time it gradually diminished. My hope is that when all of the items disappeared they were taken by someone who didn't have much money and really was blessed to find a free supply.

Almost Scurryfunging Time

I'm not quite in scurryfunging territory yet, but no doubt it will come.  I'm still in my planned 'tidy up and clean' phase. Most of today's tasks will be things from yesterday's To Do list. It was drawn up just before I went to bed, and was meant for today, rather than yesterday. Although some items were able to be done yesterday.

Today will be a 45/15 day. I will work for 45 minutes and then rest for 15. It's just too hot for me to cope any other way.

Ta Da!

bed striped

bed linens washed

Ava walked and fed

Ava walked to the vets for kennel cough vaccination

successful managed not to melt in the heat

dry bed linens

wash bath towels

clean top of cooker

restock mitzvah basket (tampons and pads)

put away dishes

wash dishes

wash garden furniture

remove chicken from freezer

marinade chicken

clean bathroom

clean loo

clean floor in loo

empty bin

declutter and dust shelves in middle hall

wash bathroom, shower room and kitchen towels

dust pictures in lower hall
dust shelf in lower hall

sweep floor in lower hall
sweep kitchen floor
sweep vestibule floor
sweep porch floor

vacuum floor of middle hall

declutter sitting room
dust sitting room
empty bin
snowplough cottages (fake snow was placed around the Lilliput Lane cottages at Christmas, and hasn't been removed - it will be!)
clean sofas
spray with Febreeze
open window
clean windows
clean windowsills
sweep floor
vacuum rug

Turning To Dos into Ta Das

We have guests coming tomorrow, and the list seems huge!

To Do
Bathroom

• clean bathroom
• wash towels

Upstairs Loo

• clean loo
• clean floor
• empty bin
• restock mitzvah basket (tampons and pads)

Upstairs Hall 

• vacuum floor
• declutter and dust shelves

Downstairs Hall

• dust pictures
• dust shelf
• sweep floor
• wash floor

Kitchen

• put away dishes
• sweep floor
• wash floor
• bleach Ava's bowls

Dining Room

• clean table
• pack away crafting stuff

Sitting Room

• declutter
• dust
• empty bin
• snowplough cottages (fake snow was placed around the Lilliput Lane cottages at Christmas, and hasn't been removed - it will be!)
• clean sofas
• spray with Febreeze
• open window
• clean windows
• clean windowsills
• sweep floor
• vacuum rug
• wash floor

Ta Da!

My Study

• make beds

Bedroom

• put away laundry

Bathroom

• put away bed linens

Dining Room

• clear table
• set chairs around

The First Hat of June

Yarn: Red Heart Lisa DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: Petrol (08195)
Pattern:  Baby Hat with Ribbed Brim
Size: 6 months

Cast on 72 sts, Join.

Work 16 rounds of 2x2 rib, then 16 of stocking stitch.

Decreases for crown:

1. (K10, k2tog) repeat to end.

2. K.

3. (K9, k2tog) repeat to end.

4. K.

5. (K8, k2tog) repeat to end,

6. K.

Continue in this manner until 6 stitches remain. Cut yarn, leaving a tail. Thread the end of yarn through the stitches and fasten off. Weave in ends.

June Goals

Another month, another set of goals.

• render garden walls
• finish City Slicker quilt
• reduce chocolate consumption further
• paint one wall in bedroom
• make 5 things
• finish 5 balls of yarn