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