31 August, 2018

August Goals - Review

My goals for August were:
  • maintain kitchen routine 
  • finish City Slickers quilt top 
  • finish Ducky quilt 
  • finish "Never Be Cruel, Never Eat Pears" cross stitch 
  • finish 'Quilters socks' 
  • make 5 things 
  • use as much yarn as possible in the month 
  • eat more fruit and veggies and fewer snacks


Most definitely my goal was not 'take a slice out of your finger'. This caused quite a few problems with regards to sewing and knitting, cleaning and tidying. 

However, in the first two weeks, I used a huge amount of yarn, and finished off quite a number of balls of yarn. This resulted in finished projects, a vastly depleted stash box and lots of hats. I've also rocked the whole idea of eating healthier foods and ditching junk. This month I have consumed about 200g of chocolate, 2 packs of crisps and 500ml of Coke. This is a huge, huge, huge improvement in my diet.

August Craftings

Cat Blanket
Started: 1st August 2018
Finished: 2nd August 2018


Dog Blanket
Started: 5th August 2018
Finished: 6th August 2018




Double Green Hat
Started: 8th August 2018
Finished: 8th August 2018




Three by Three
Started: 9th August 2018
Finished: 11th August 2018



Black to Violet
Started: 11th August 2018
Finished: 12th August 2018



Monochrome Curiosity
Started: 12th August 2018
Finished: 12th August 2018



Monochrome Curiosity
Started: 12th August 2018
Finished: 12th August 2018


Frosted Plums
Started: 13th August 2018
Finished: 13th August 2018



Plum and Greys
Started: 14th August 2018
Finished: 14th August 2018


Monochrome Curiosity 3
Started: 14th August 2018
Finished: 19th August 2018

Busy Bee Cake
Started 23rd August 2018
Finished: 23rd August 2018



Items made this month
0 sewn, 10 knitted, 0 crocheted,  0 soaped, 1 cake

Items made this year
8 sewn, 27 knitted, 1 crocheted, 5 soaped, 1 cake

Yarn this month
bought: 5
finished: 23

Yarn this year
bought: 22 (1.5kg of DK)
finished: 50

28 August, 2018

Tomato Sauce


Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
1 large bay leaf
1 kg passata
1 handful fresh basil, torn
black pepper

Method
Fry the onion in the oil over a medium heat until it begins to turn translucent (around 5-7 mins).

Add the garlic, and continue to fry for another couple of minutes, until the raw smell has gone.

Stir in the carrot and bay leaf, reduce the heat, and gently fry for about 20 minutes, until the onion becomes golden brown, and the carrots have softened.

Add the passata and bring to a gentle bubble. Turn the heat down very low and leave to gently simmer for another 20 mins or so, until it has reduced and thickened.

Stir in the basil and simmer for another five minutes.

Season with black pepper.

25 August, 2018

Defying Gravity


At the end of last month, I decided to drastically reduce the amount of chocolate, crisps and Coke I was eating. Since then, I've had two packets of crisps, 100g of chocolate and 3 sips of fizzy drinks. I've also stopped eating refined carbs, and have increased my fat and veggie consumption.  

The results are starting to show in my waisline. Trousers that were a little loose started threatening to succumb to gravity. But no more! I've spent time today altering two pairs of trousers to include buttonhole elastic at the waist. It is glorious having trousers that fit snugly around the waist again. Using the buttonhole elastic means that as more weight disappears, I can tighten the elastic. I won't have to buy new clothes for every new dress size. As long as my trousers and skirts fit at the waist I can cope with them being a bit baggy.

There's one more pair of trousers to do. The two pairs of leggings are already in a smaller size, and they fit well. T-shirts, cardigans, dresses and sweaters can cope with being a bit baggy too. But, when the winter comes I'll need to look at either altering my winter skirts, or making new ones.  I think I have a lovely mid grey woollen fabric. That might make a good choice for a new winter skirt.

I was easily spending £2 a day on sugary, fatty, unhealthy crap. I'm diverting that money from food into a clothing budget. By Christmas, there will be a approaching £270 in the pot. I'm sure I'll be able to find something nice.

23 August, 2018

Finger Update

The image above shows the wonder thing that is a Mepitel dressing. It's a thin film of holey silicon, and it doesn't stick to open wounds!  It's utterly brilliant.

When I first injured my finger, a dry gauze pad was placed over the top to keep it clean and stop blood dripping everywhere. The blood dried to the gauze, and when it was removed it was very painful. (I almost fainted.) The second dressing was a wet gauze and then a dry one, and all taped up. That was also rather painful when it was removed for inspection. However, from that point on, a little square of the Mepitel dressing was placed on top of the wound, and nothing has stuck. The holey silicon can remain in place for 14 days, and I have an extra pad. The finger is healing very nicely.

If ever I'm in a situation where I have an open wound, I shall be requesting this dressing. It makes it so much easier when the wound is being tended. I'm going to buy a few to add to our First Aid kits. They really are fantastic.

Ha-bee Birthday to You

It was my Italian tutor's birthday a few days ago. I made this to take along to class today. 

It's a four layer sponge cake with lemon simple syrup, lemon curd and lemon buttercream. The bee theme is because her company is 'Busy Bee'.

19 August, 2018

Another Hat?

Yes, another hat, another Monochrome Charcoal one at that.

This has been a hard hat to make. Knitting was off the cards on Thursday due to my sliced finger. Friday, I was able to do a little, but not purl. I had knitted 12 rounds of ribbing, and so switched to stocking stitch. On Saturday, I was back at the hospital for a check up, and it all went well. A little more knitting was possible. Then, this Sunday morning. I was able to finish it. Weaving in the ends was hard. I managed to bash my poor digit a number of times. But, it's done.


Yarn: King Cole Pricewise DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: black
Yarn: King Cole Curiosity DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: charcoal
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat (adapted)
Size: Adult
Needles: 10mm
Amount used: 90g
Started:   14th August 2018 
Finished:  19th August 2018

16 August, 2018

Busy, Busy, Busy


Life has happened, and the house needs a good clean and tidy up. At lunchtime, we have Jackie the dog groomer coming to groom Ava. This rather requires a clear, tidy space where Jackie can work. 

A list will be required!

To Do
put away sewing things
organise crafting materials
remove cardboard boxes
dust piano and shelf
sweep dining room
wash dishes
put away dishes
put away laundry
hang out towels
put away towels
put fresh bed linens on bed
wash dishes
put away dishes
mop kitchen floor
clean bathroom

Ta Da!
make list!
wash bed linens
cook breakfast
hoover stairs, landing and bathroom
hang out wet bed linens
sweep hall
dust shelf and picture frames
wash towels
sweep kitchen floor

----

Well! In the midst to tidying the dining room I took some birthday presents and started putting them away. When it came to the mandolin, I decided to try it out.  It is incredibly sharp. The accident happened at 11am, and I arrived home from hospital at 3pm. My finger is all bandaged up, and is a wee bit sore,

15 August, 2018

Italiano on a Wednesday?!

The place we normally meet for class on a Thursday was not available this week. Instead we each had individual lessons. Mine was today. 

Anna, my tutor, asked me to put together a list of things I would like to review. I realised I understood things pretty well, but I hadn't practised enough to make the leap from 'I understand the concept' to 'I can use it easily'. Practise, practise, practise. 


14 August, 2018

Hats Off to Hope


These are the last five hats I have made. One of the hats had shown as dark and light blue previously. This image shows it really is black and grey. 

The hats will be going, along with the rest of the hats I have made, recently to The Hope Project in Lesvos, Greece. 

"We have been helping refugees arriving in Lesvos since early 2015. Lesvos is no stranger to refugees but the increase in conflict and the closure of safer land routes have force refugees to flee by sea both in the Aegean and the Mediterranean. 

These crossings are dangerous and many do not make it to the 'safety' of shore. For those that make it they soon realize that the hardship is just beginning. Some of the islands of Greece have become a prison for refugees. 

Here in Lesvos the overcrowding and conditions are some of the most horrific, people are deprived of their dignity and treated in ways that should not be accepted in Europe. We do what we can to make a difference and to empower and restore dignity to as many people as we can."

Plums and Greys Hat



Yarn: King Cole Pricewise DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: plum

Yarn: King Cole Curiosity DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: charcoal
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat 
Size: Adult
Needles: 10mm
Amount used: g
Started: 14th August 2018 

Finished:  14th August 2018

I find it utterly amazing how different the last two hats look, but I was using the same yarn. 

13 August, 2018

Birthday Money: Spent


It often takes me time to spend birthday money, and today, I finally spent all of it.  The Amazon voucher was spent a little while back on new e-books, and a paper-book of "First 1,000 Words in Italian".

Today's purchase was far more expensive, and it is a course at italymadeeasy.com The idea is to use this course to supplement and revise the studies I am doing with Anna at Buzy Bee - Italian Language and Culture.

Frosted Plums


Yarn: King Cole Pricewise DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: plum

Yarn: King Cole Curiosity DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: charcoal
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat 
Size: Adult
Needles: 10mm
Amount used: g
Started: 13th August 2018 

Finished:  13th August 2018

12 August, 2018

Monochrome Curiosity II

Yarn: King Cole Pricewise DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: black

Yarn: King Cole Curiosity DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: charcoal
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat 
Size: Adult
Needles: 10mm
Amount used: g
Started: 12th August 2018 

Finished:  12th August 2018

Hmmm... The camera has incorrectly interpreted the colours, and instead of black and grey, it's dark and light blue!  I'll take a photograph of all of this batch of hat, and that should hopefully sort out the colours.

Monochrome Curiosity


Yarn: King Cole Pricewise DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: black

Yarn: King Cole Curiosity DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: charcoal
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat 
Size: Adult
Needles: 10mm
Amount used: g
Started: 12th August 2018 

Finished:  12th August 2018

Black to Violet


Yarn: King Cole Pricewise DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: black

Yarn: King Cole Pricewise DK
Composition: 100% acrylic
Colour: violet
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat 
Size: Adult
Needles: 10mm
Amount used: g
Started: 11th August 2018 

Finished:  12th August 2018

11 August, 2018

New Yarn, New Yarn!

This lovely little (150g) ball of yarn was bought today, along with two balls of black. It's a treat to have new yarn.  These balls bring my total up to 20 for the year so far, but I have finished all of those balls, plus and additional 21. This is working well, after I have finished 2 balls, I can buy a new one. My stash keeps getting smaller, but I still have new yarn to play with.

The yarn above, King Cole Curiosity DK in Charcoal is destined to become a tunic/dress for a little one, and the black yarn will be combined with odds and ends to help use them up.

10 August, 2018

Sophia e Jacamo


Sophia ha vissuto nei boschi per sei mesi. Il figlio di Sophia era Jacamo. Loro sono diventati povero. Sophie ha detto a lui "Jacamo, tu vai al mercato con Daisy, la mucca." Lui è andato al mercato. Il ragazzo stupido ha venduto la mucca per cinque fagioli. Lui è partuto dal mercato e è ritornato a casa sua.

----

The homework set was to write a diary for a week. After a few days, my diary entries were incredibly boring. As the object was to practise writing in the passamo prossimo (present perfect tense), I decided to re-write a fairy tale.

In the next lesson, I learned the verb 'to grow' - 'crescere' and how to say "I am being eaten" - "Io sono mangiato". It is incredibly similar to "I have eaten" - "Io ho mangiato". The first form uses part of the verb 'essere' (to be) and the second 'avere' (to have). Essere and avere are used as auxiliary verbs to move the present to the present perfect. Using the wrong one can cause all sorts of problems.  


I can see a future where the fagioli start growing, and Jacamo is eaten. (grin)

09 August, 2018

Three by Three


Three colours, knitted with three strands of yarn.

Yarn: Bergere de France Ideal
Composition: 40% wool, 30% acrylic, 30% nylon
Colour: dark green

Yarn: Random green
Yarn: King Cole Merino
Composition: 100% wool
Colour: black
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat 
Size: Adult
Needles: 10mm
Amount used: 92g
Started: 9th August 2018 

Finished:  11th August 2018

08 August, 2018

Double Green Hat


Yarn: Bergere de France Ideal
Composition: 40% wool, 30% acrylic, 30% nylon
Colour: dark green
Yarn: Bergere de France Ideal
Composition: 40% wool, 30% acrylic, 30% nylon
Colour: mid green
Pattern: Super Chunky Hat 
Size: Adult 
Needles: 10mm 
Amount used: 78g
Started: 8th August 2018 

Finished:  8th August 2018

06 August, 2018

Dog Blanket


A dog blanket in browns and blues. I decided dogs would far rather have a warm snuggly blanket than not have one because the knitter didn't have enough of any one yarn to make it. It was made using three strands of yarn knitted together. This method really does gobble up the yarn and make the knitting grow very quickly.

Eight balls of yarn were used to make it. Part of a ninth ball (the darkest blue) was used to finish it off. The rest of the ninth ball will be used up later in the month. 

I has quite a large de-stash last year, and my supplies of double knitting yarn have dwindled quite considerably. There is enough yarn to make three sweaters, but I'm not ready to use that yarn. That's in the 'protected' category. I think there's now less than 10 balls of unprotected DK yarn.  This month, it will be used up, and then I'll make a start on the 4ply yarn.  I'll probably knit it tripled as well and used it to make hats.

03 August, 2018

Repair Cafe


A new venture starts today on my little Island, Repair Cafe. Essentially, people bring along their broken item, and a group of volunteers fix them. I shall be attending with needles, threads, scissors, yarn and hooks.

02 August, 2018

Cat Blanket


My first completed project for the "Hot Flash Dash" - a cat blanket for the local animal shelter. It was made on 9mm needles, using three strands of DK held together. It might have been an idea for me to smooth it out properly before photographing!

01 August, 2018

Quilters Socks

At the Quilters Guild, every so often people will bring in crafting materials they no longer wish or that have been passed on to them to 'find a good home for'. A little while back I picked up a half knitted pair of socks and decided to complete them for the winter collection for refugees. I've had to rip back part of the knitting as I have no idea what pattern the previous knitter was using.



Hot Flash Dash 2018


I am part of a group whose members try to reduce their stash of yarn. This month, we have a  challenge to use as much stash yarn as possible - Hot Flash Dash. 

The month kicks off with a pair of half knitted socks. I can see some multi-stranded blankets for the local animal shelter, and a few hats for refugees coming off my needles.

August Goals


My goals for August are:
  • maintain kitchen routine
  • finish City Slickers quilt top 
  • finish Ducky quilt
  • finish "Never Be Cruel, Never Eat Pears" cross stitch
  • finish 'Quilters socks'
  • make 5 things
  • use as much yarn as possible in the month
  • eat more fruit and veggies and fewer snacks