More Scurryfunging

Today's lists of tasks:

dry laundry

wash towels

put away woollens

dust guest room

re-arrange crafting materials in guest room

lay out towels in the guest room

lay out laundry basket in guest room

dust the guest room

take presents to bedroom

clean tops of fridge and freezer

dust sitting room

dust hall

tidy side board

tidy back vestibule

tidy kitchen

Christmas Scurryfunging

scurryfunge: a hasty tidying of the house in anticipation of guests

So far today we have:
walk the dog
dry laundry
wash woollens
wash dishes
sweep kitchen floor
wash kitchen floor
sweep hall floor
wash hall floor
make bed in guest room
tidy guest room
vacuum sitting room
vacuum hall
vacuum bathroom
vacuum guest room
dry woollens
wash laundry

Tuesday's To Do/Ta Da

Let's start the To Do with yesterday's unfinished business.

Dry laundry

Put on another load of laundry

Italian lesson

Finish one Christmas present

Start tidying dining room

Give Ava tummy rubs

Dry

Monday's To Do/Ta Da!

To Do

8. dry laundry

9. put on another load

Ta Da

1. work

2. work on a Chrsitmas present

3. shop for dinner

4. make dinner

5. make meringues

6. make Christmas cards

10. put money in wallet for Italian lessons

7. wash socks and smalls

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Ah well, at least I have something to do tomorrow!

Get On Your Bike

The plan had been to cycle 4 minutes every day in December, and then increase it by 4 minutes a day each month until I was cycling for 16 minutes each day. This was to be training for the next IronMay. 16 minutes of cycling is the equivalent of 4 miles.

In April, I would start on the swimming portion. The first Friday would start at 16 lengths, then 32, 48, and 64 in subsequent weeks. 64 lengths is a miles.

The walking section is not a problem as I am no longer in a sedentary job.

This gradually building schedule was to take me to the point where I was doing an IronMay without even thinking about it.

However a little virus last week knocked me off my plan. No cycling was done last week, and so I'm now playing catch up.

We've Just 'Captur'-ed A New Car

Behold the Renault Captur.

I'm not a fan of the colour, but it is a comfortable ride, has lower fuel consumption than our previous car. I really enjoy the comfort of Renault seats. They fit my body. It's also easy for me to get in and out of. One car we looked at really needed a little folding step for me to climb into the car! If I have difficultly getting into a car on a good day, then it would have been almost impossible on a day when my joints were acting up. 

A Pair Of Tomtar Have Arrived

 

A Tomte is a Swedish gnome, or brownie. They are said to live in and around the houses and sheds on farms and remote houses. If you are wise you will show the Tomte “due respect”. If you respect him he will protect your household from accidents and disasters. But watch out! He might play tricks on you if you annoy him. 

In the past at Christmas time, it was a custom to leave a bowl of porridge outside your house under the front door stairs. If the bowl was empty the next morning all was well for another year.

A pair of Tomtar have arrives, Inge and Sven. They have taken up position on the mantlepiece.

Ooops, Where's the Advent Calendar?

It's the first of December, and it's time to open the first drawer of the Advent calendar. Where is it? It's still tucked away with the Christmas decorations.  And, we have no treats to put inside. This will obviously have to be remedied.

Today's plan is three-fold: 1. buy some chocolates for the calendar, 2. make a little forest of Christmas trees, 3. make an Advent wreath, 4. decorate the sitting roo… ooops, this is not a three-fold plan. This is a multi-fold plan! Let's 'To Do' and 'Ta Da!'

To Do

make an Advent wreath

make a little forest of Christmas trees

Ta Da!

clean sitting room

re-arrange sitting room to include space for a Christmas tree

buy Advent chocolates

decorate sitting room

Ah well, the Advent wreath, nor the forest was created. Not to worry, we had a lovely time.

December Goals

1. finish Christmas presents

2. don't get stressed about Christmas presents

3. finish the Duck quilt

4. make healthier food choices

5. cycle for 4 minutes each day

6. change the dining room from a craft/Christmas Tree storage room back into a dining room

November Goals - Review

I have managed to have a thankful and grateful month. There are so many good things in my life, and I am very grateful.

The Christmas Tree for Refugees is up, and is looking very tree-y. It is not my idea of a beautifully decorated tree, but it has a fantastic story/motivation.

With regards to making healthier food choices, yes and no. There have been good times, and bad times. I think it was due to the stress of getting the Christmas Tree ready. 

Work has certainly progressed on the Duck quilt. It isn't finished, but I'm okay with that. There's been a lot going on. My plan is to do a little on it each day in December.

Buy Local

In response to 'Black Friday', let's go out an 'Buy Local'. Buy gifts from small, local shops, from small local farms, small local crafters. Money spent in the local economy circulates around 8 times, making the local economy wealthier. Money given to corporations and multi nationals makes wealthy individuals even richer.

Black Friday

And all that money used to be time!

Black Friday makes some sort of sense in America, but not over here. It's just a pre-Christmas sale. Instead of taking part in the worship of consumerism, how about not bothering and just having a lovely "No Spend" day.

Best Night's Sleep in Weeks!

I was so elated, relieved and excited last night when the Christmas Tree for Refugees was completed. So many emotions! And last night, I had my best night's sleep in weeks. 

There have been multiple times when I've been sleeping, and have suddenly sat bolt upright saying things like "Oh bugger!" I was fearful I had forgotten things I had promised to do, and everything was weighing me down, causing some panic.

My stress levels were climbing and climbing. But when the green squares were attached on Tuesday evening things calmed right down. And then last night when the last winter woolly was placed on the tree. my heart sang. My heart sang, my heart whooped, my heart giggled and squealed.

On the way back from the airport, we stopped off to buy ice cream. It was a reward for a task done well. 

By 11am, I was in bed, and I slept the sleep of the just right through to 6.45. It was glorious.

We have a TREE!

It is 7' tall, and we would have needed at least another three trees to display all of green squares and winter woolies! 

There's a white space at the front, and that's where some information about the project will go. It will be added this afternoon. 

Many, many people across the Island have contributed to this project. A little yarn and a little fabric can bring a big bit of love to refugees who have nothing.

Add A Bit OF Foliage

The tree has been decked in green. And there's two large plastic crates, and two bags full of green squares left over! We have enough for at least 4 trees.

Christmas Tree 'Skeleton'

We've just collected the 'skeleton' for the Christmas Tree!  My stomach is now full of butterflies. This is really, really, REALLY real!

Today's task is to make a sleeve/cover for the tree. The knitted and crocheted squares will be sewn on to the sleeve, as will the decorations. 

Frosted Autumn Colours

Central heating is utterly wonderful! We hadn't realised how cold it had been during the night. When we were packing the car to return home, we noticed the car's thermometer was reading -8C. That's rather chilly!

We said goodbye to the Birthday Boy, and set off on our journey southwards. And what a glorious journey it was! The sky was bight blue, with a few white fluffy clouds. Some trees were bare, but many were decked in their autumnal colours, and the whole lot was dusted with diamonds! Mile after mile was a sight of unfolding beauty.

By the time we arrived at Heysham, the temperature had climbed to 7C. That's probably the biggest outdoor temperature change I have experienced over the course of four hours!

This Way, That Way, Forwards and Back

This way, that way, forwards and back, over the Irish Sea.
A bottle of rum to fill my tum.
That's the life for me!

Well, not a bottle of rum, more like a 'nice cup of hot chocolate, and a bit of knitting', and that's the life for me. I sat, I knitted, I sipped, and listened to my audiobook. It was a rather pleasant way to spend a morning.

When I found myself rocking backwards and forwards a bit too much, I laid down on the bed in our cabin and had a little nap. This is such a civilised way to sail.

Today's To Do List

Time for a To Do/Ta Da! list. There's a lot to be done before we go off-island for our long weekend, and I want it done in good order.

To Do  Ta Done!

Ta Da!

• dry wet washing
• put dry washing away
• take down birthday cards
• dust sitting room
• sweep kitchen floor
• bleach dog's bowls
• organise items for the Christmas Tree for Refugees, separating out the items that need to be paired, or have ends woven in
• pack items in need of completion
• pack Mam's Christmas present and a gift bag for Dad
• pack googly eyes for Mam
• tidy sitting room
• empty sitting room bin
• vacuum sitting room
• wash dishes
• add postcodes to Kindle
• change bedding
• wash bedding
• dry clothes
• clean work tops
• clean hob
• clean out fridge
• dry bedding
• put away bedding
• water plants
• pack Ava's items
• wash another load of laundry
• take Ava to kennels
• update satnav
• put away clothes
• check tyre pressure
• fuel car
• lay out clothes for holiday
• dry clothes
• pack
• empty bins

World Kindness Day

"Throw kindness around like confetti!"

I had no idea World Kindness Day was a thing, but I love it. Be kind. Be gentle. Be loving. If in any doubt about how to react to a situation, be kind.

A post from my Facebook memories came up. It was from two years ago today, and it seems rather apt. "On coming out of the GP's surgery I asked for Celeste's arm to steady me. (I have a migraine.) We called a taxi and whilst waiting for it a fellow patient said she had overheard me saying I was dizzy, and could she drive me home. It was such a kind thoughtful gesture, so touching. I thanked her and explained a taxi was on its way. Here to all the people who are kind! You are wonderful."

That one little act of kindness made me feel a little better. We never know how our kindness can help others.

Attitude

I was watching a Swedish YouTuber, Northern Heart, listing the ways to survive the dark days of winter in the norther latitudes. One word that rang a bell with me was 'attitude'. There are many situations we simply can not change, but, our attitude changes our perception. Instead of looking out the window and bemoaning the rain, we can say 'Great! A perfect day to be snuggled on the sofa, listening to a podcast, and knitting.' The rain is still falling, the skies are still dark, but instead of being down about it, the application of a little attitude changes a dark, grey situation into a warm, cosy one.

As I was coming home from work today I realised my back was sore. Instead of moaning and groaning, my attitude was 'Fantastic, it won't be long before I can take some pain killers, and sit in my lovely chair.' Nothing had fundamentally changed. However, I was looking forward, and looking beyond. I've now had a couple of hours to myself, and my body is feeling quite a bit better. I'm ready to work through my 'To Do' list.

A DIY Cardigan

I had a little brain wave,  I work in a yarn store, my Mam likes yarn, perhaps she might like some yarny bits from my shop. Apparently, she would love a DIY cardigan.

King Cole Subtle Drifter in lilac was the choice we made. It's a rather lovely dusty lilac and will look great with black, navy, and white.

Wedge Scarf

Yarn: King Cole Tonal Chunky
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Colour: Quicksilver
Yarn: King Cole Tonal Chunky
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Colour: Humbug
Pattern: Wedge Scarf
Size: adult
Needles: 6mm
Amount used:
Started: 10th Nov 2019
Finished:

Cast on 3 sts.
1. Kfb, k to end.
2. K2tog, k to last stitch, kfb.

Repeat these two rows until the scarf is long enough.

To add a bit of interest, I decided to make every fifth ridge in the darker colour.

An Ironclad Memory

A memory came up on facebook, and it made me smile.

----

I was sitting down, getting ready to do some patchwork and quilting. Then I realised there was a 'hole' where something should be. What was missing?! A few head scratches later I came to the realisation that the iron disappeared!

Puzzled was I! Puzzled indeed. Eventually I asked my trusty side kick, Celeste Jeni Ketteridge. Pondering for a few moments, the response came back, "I think I saw Dad ironing a shirt a few days ago." What a dastardly thing to do! That man swiped my crafting equipment! And he didn't replace it!

The iron is now back in its correct location - beside the sewing machine and cutting mats. The miscreant is now serving his penance in the kitchen. All will be forgiven when a couple of bacon sandwiches appear, along with a mug of Earl Grey tea.

No Pattern

Whilst thinking about Blame Dunderknit, I decided to knit a scarf for myself. When I finally settled on yarn and a pattern I realise the pattern I had chosen was for DK weigh, and I had Chunky. Rather than working out how to resize the pattern I decided to do my own thing. (Quelle surprise!)

I started work on my interpretation of the scarf, and dutifully began to write a pattern. Then it struck me, I don't have to write a pattern. I don't have to plan. I can swing it instead. I don't owe it to anyone to write patterns. They can be written as and when I want to!

Blame Dunderknit

Dunderknit is a Scottish YouTuber who lives in London. She has given me permission, well, everyone really, to make something just for me(ourselves). She explains often at this time of year we are so caught up in creating for other people that we forget to make beautiful things for ourselves.

The yarn can come out, and work can begin, and if anyone asks any questions, we can blame Dunderknit. I've just cast on a shawl for myself. It's in a chunky yarn, and won't take long to make, but it's for me.

Fabrics Bought for QAL

At work today, I decided to buy the next metre of fabric, and I couldn't remember which ones I had already bought!  I obviously need to keep track of them. The ones with an asterisk have been bought.

Row 1: Dark Red  R64 20 cm
*Row 2: Red  R06 42.5 cm
Row 3: Orange  N47 30 cm
*Row 4: Orange-Yellow Y06 30 cm
Row 5: Yellow  Y05 30 cm
*Row 6: Lime Green  G45 37.5 cm
Row 7: Teal  G46 37.5 cm
*Row 8: Turquoise  T78 32.5 cm
Row 9: Blue  B58 35 cm
Row 10: Indigo  L07 27.5 cm
Row 11: Violet  L65 30 cm
Row 12: Pink  P87 30 cm

Background:  White   5.25 m
*Accent:   Grey  37.5 cm

Mini Christmas Stockings

A customer came into the shop yesterday. She wanted to show me the progress she has made on her mini Christmas Stocking.

She brought out the red and white stocking we had been making in the workshop, and it looked good. Then she brought out the pink and white one. This one had been made at home, by herself, and it looks good! At home there's a second pink and white sock, and it looks even better than the one pictured. And, it seems the pattern I wrote is excellent for size 4-5 in a child's shoe, which just so happens to be the size her daughter takes. The little one pointed at the pink sock and said 'My sock'.

She bought yarn for two more pairs of socks!

More Fabric!

I was not totally convinced by the solid grey for the accent fabric. I felt it was a trifle 'flat'.  Instead, I have gone with  'linen look' by Makower, in the colour 'Storm'. 

This was ordered at the weekend, and has arrived already!  Excellent service, Doughty!

Pinterest Wins

While setting up a new Pinterest board for the guest room, I came across this quilt.  It is beautifully simple, and would make a fantastic backing for the Sugaridoo one. I will be able to use up little bits and pieces of fabric leftover from the top.

Sugaridoo QAL - Fabrics

I was umming and ahhing over fabrics for the Sugaridoo Quilt-A-Long. The fabrics in the shop didn't make a good enough rainbow, and I was wondering whether I would need to go shopping next time I was in the UK. But, then a new delivery of fabrics arrived, and all of the colours I needed appeared.

Booties

A customer came into the shop last week. They were having a very hard job making a pair of bootees. I looked at the pattern, and didn't find it terribly clear. Instead, I wrote my own pattern. She was delighted.

Using 3.5mm needles, cast on 30sts.
Work 18 rows of k1, p1 rib.
Row 19: Kfb, p1, (k1, p1) to end.
Row 20: K1, (yo, k2tog).
Row 21: Purl
Change to 4mm needles. Knit 1 row and purl the next.

Shaping the top of the bootee
1: Knit
2: P21, turn
3: K11, turn
Working with these 11 stitches:
4: Purl
5: Knit
6: Purl
7: Knit
8: Purl
9: Knit
10: Purl

Decrease rows
11: Ssk, knit to the last 2 stitches K2tog (9sts)
12: Purl
13: Ssk, knit to the last 2 stitches K2tog (7sts)
14: P7, then with the wrong side facing. pick up 10 stitches along the top of foot of the bootee, purlwise, and then purl to the end.
15: K27, then pick up 10 sts from the top of the foot, and knit to end. (47sts)
16: Purl
17: Knit
18: Purl
19: Knit
20: Purl

Shape foot
1:K1, ssk, k15, k2tog, k7, k2togtbl, k15, k1. (43sts)
2: Knit
3:K1, ssk, k14, k2tog, k5, k2togtbl, k14, k1. (39sts)
4: Knit
5: K1, ssk, k13, k2tog, k3, k2togtbl, k13, k1. (35sts)
6: Knit
7: K1, ssk, k12, k2tog, k1, k2togtbl, k12, k1. (31sts)
8: Knit
Cast off

To make up join the foot and back seam reversing when you get to the rib and join on the right side so that you can't see the seam once you have turned the top down.

Thread ribbon through the eyelets.

Sock Tutorial

It was rather weird teaching again. I do love it, especially when you see the 'lightbulb moment' when the person gets the idea.

We've been talking about having a regular 'Improvers' Knitting Class' at work, and that sounds like a great deal of fun.

Glorious Red Acer

This morning whilst walking with Ava, I spotted a fantastically beautiful red Acer. The rain was falling in many, many soft, but persistent droplets. Despite the damp, I had to stop to take in the beauty of the tree.

The result was a wet dog, a happy heart, and curls revived by the misting of rain.

November Goals

1. have a thankful and grateful month
2. finish the Duck quilt
3. display the Christmas Tree for Refugees
4. make healthier food choices

UFO Challenge

I'm rather excited. I've just joined my very first quilting UFO Challenge.

Karen Brown of Just Get It Done Quilts has started a facebook group for people who have multiple UnFinished Objects and want to do something about it. Over the last few months I've been trying to work on a schedule of finish two projects, and then I can start a new, little one.

Hopefully this will mean my stack of UFOs will decrease!

Today, I've been working on my Muppet Babies quilt.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, David and Ben.

This year's cake has two tiers. The pink top one is luscious lemon, and the white bottom layer is a rich, dark fruitcake. The lemon layer has lemon cream cheese icing, and the fruitcake has been marzipan-ed. Both have been covered in fondant, and the cake decorated with licorice allsorts.

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

150g butter 150g cream cheese
600g icing sugar
zest of 1 lemon

Beat the butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and half of the icing sugar in a bowl. Reduce the speed of the mixer, and then incorporate 1 tablespoon of icing sugar at a time until the correct consistency has been reached.

Use the icing to decorate cakes.

The icing can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Christmas Stockings

They are finished! For a second time!

I had not realised when I made them last year there was to be a flap with names embroidered on. But, it's not a problem, and they are truly finished.

Mini Christmas Stockings

Two mini Christmas stockings have been made for work, and I've been asked to teach a workshop on how to make them.

A pattern will follow in due time.

Sugaridoo QAL

I'm in. I'm going to take part in my very first Quiltalong!

It doesn't start until later in November, but by that point I will have finished the Christmas Tree for Refugees. The QAL is broken into monthly parts, and will run for a year. There will be new techniques and methods of piecing. I'm so looking forward to it.

Cat's Kitty Socks

Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend 4ply
Composition: 100% Wool
Colour: Black
Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend 4ply
Composition: 100% Wool
Colour: Pale Grey
Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend 4ply
Composition: 100% Wool
Colour: Pink
Pattern: Cat's Kitty Socks
Size: adult
Needles: 2.5mm
Amount used: 100g
Started: 29th Aug 2019
Finished: 2019

This is a reworking of YinYang Kitty Ankle Socks by Inorgaknit. 

Using 2.5mm needles, cast on 64sts. Join.

Work in 2x2 rib for 20 rounds.

Declutter The Understairs Cupboard

It's time once again to declutter the understairs cupboard. It was done earlier this year, but quite a number of items were put back in the cupboard to be donated to a charity shop in good time for Christmas. This feels like a good time.

I've recently decluttered the sitting room again, and there's a pile of games we no longer play waiting to go to a charity shop. It would be good for this collection of stuff to leave the house tomorrow.

I love the feeling of space that's generated when things leave. Last week I was feeding a friend's cats. Her house is physically the mirror image of mine. She is also a maximalist. It was fun seeing so many interesting things in her kitchen, but I could not live with that much stuff. I greatly prefer a tranquil space.

Breast Cancer Screening

I don't want to do it. I don't want to go. However, it's one of these things that is necessary.

A few years ago, a friend was asked to be part of a pre-50 breast screening trial. In her screening, cancer was found. It was far too small to have been detected by monthly self-examination. If it had been left until she was 50 her treatment would have been far more invasive, and her prognosis nowhere near as good.

I still don't want to go, but I will go. Partly it is out of respect for my friend. 

----

Done! That's it over for another two years. 

Cry Me A RIver

And the rain fell. It surely fell!

At the weekend, there had been some heavy rain, and with a major rainfall (two weeks rain in 1 hour), the water was not able to soak into the hills, or flow into the drains. It ran off into rivers, and along roads.

Laxey was originally a little fishing village at the bottom of a glen. As the population grew, houses were built up the sides of the valley. The roads to the houses often proved to be the path of least resistance, and the rain falling on the hills very quickly drained into the river. There was just too much water for the river and drains to cope.

In the picture above, there's a digger in the river, and what appears to be a second river flowing alongside the original. The Department of Infrastructure had breached the wall by the river, and placed the digger in the river. The intention was to excavate some of the river bed to make flooding less likely. However, the timing was such that the digger became part of the problem. The water was not able to flow as quickly as it had to navigate around the blockage of the digger. Also, the breach in the wall meant water was able to escape the river at a higher point than it would have done if there had been a whole wall, and no digger.

The Beloved was on-call and was out in Laxey helping people. He set up a rest station in the local church, and also deployed sand bag to help divert water.

October Goals

1. finish Christmas stockings
2. write and publish the 'Simply' patterns
3. sweep the kitchen floor every day
4. blog every day

September Review

1. start Lilo and Stitch's quilt

2. finish Christmas stockings

3. finish two pairs of fingerless mittens

4. write and publish the 'Simply' patterns

A start was definitely made on the quilt, but it's far from finished. 

The stockings now need the cuff sewn to the tops of the stockings, and the binding put on.

Two pairs of fingerless mittens were indeed made, and six hats, and another two pairs of mittens.

The 'Simply patterns have not been written.

Atelier 6

Look what's arrived!

It's time to play!

I'm just wondering if I should warn the family that there will be no dinner provided today.

Time for Tea!

A lovely addition to my life, a new teapot. I drink either herbal infusions or loose-leaf tea almost every day. A teapot is a requirement. 

Sadly, my old teapot was no longer up to the task. A few weeks ago, I realised the collar (bit that the lid sits on) had a crack in it. As the collar is plastic it wasn't a big deal, but yesterday, I noticed the plastic sleeve also had a large crack. This had the potential to be far more dangerous. 

While the Beloved was making a pot of tea (in the new teapot) he checked to see the extent of the crack. There was not one but two, on opposite sides. The cracks extended about 90% of the up the sleeve. It really feels as if a nasty accident was only a few days away. Thank goodness we noticed in time! 500ml of boiling water in free fall is not fun!