Unfinished projects

 This week has been quite satisfying.

Mending mountain demolished bar one item needing bias binding.

A huge suitcase full of unneeded clothes taken to the charity shop.

Painting started on the workshop exterior.

Shetland wool mitts finished knitting.

You can see how little is left from 50g of yarn!  After supper I will hand wash them in hot soapy water to shrink them and felt them together to create a fabric. They will be far more hard wearing after that.

Now I am setting up a floor embroidery frame that I use for quilting

 I designed and started making a quilt in 1996.   Designed around the Eisteddfod being in Y Bala on the shores of Llyn Tegid.

The following year my marriage ended and in 1998 we moved to South Wales and work on it has been sporadic to say the least!!

I have got about halfway with quilting the centre....now I AM going to finish it!!!

Pirate returns tomorrow.....I hope he notices the improvement here!

Knitting and hope

 Otherwise known as hedgehog wrangling....

I have started using the new shorter needles that I bought in Faversham last month.

Having an exceedingly grumbly tooth removed has slowed me down a bit...I am on rather strong antibiotics to deal with the bad infection that came on suddenly.

Here's hoping that they will deal with it. I don't like taking meds but needs must.

It is chilly wet and windy outside...and has been for a few days..with dashes of bright sunshine!  We do need the rain, but a bit more warmth would be welcome!!

Our wedding anniversary trip became a day out locally,  nice and relaxed as it should be.

Ten years together, four years married. Not bad with all we have been through.

Here's to many more!!

Selling and making

 I was set to thinking by Betty's comment...why don't I do garage sales?

I don't think they are common around here. There is a car boot sale on Sundays at Ayr racecourse. 

For one thing at a car boot, you wont get a realistic value, as with fleabay auction, most people seem to expect to get something for pence.

Mind you some things go for silly prices...I bid realistically on something last year and the end price was more than a new item! I was glad not to get that one!

I look at the new price, and the going asking and selling prices before I set what I ask for "buy it now" with a reasonable minimum.

Another thing to consider is that I feel very uncomfortable in crowds, especially crowds of strangers.

I can manage selling my own work at a craft fair or market stall..just!

Today we have a beautiful sunny morning, so Pirate is out on his bike for an hour or so while I pack up the latest couple of sales and list a few more on Etsy...if I can find the photos!! If not that will mean taking new ones.

A load of washing is ready to go on, awaiting his return with sweaty kit..

And I have done a little more on my new mitts...doing the fingers with 20 stitches, 5 on each needle plus the active needle...and the stitches in waiting on two further needles..is like knitting with a hedgehog!! It does mean though, that when I have finished knitting, it is finished..no seams to sew, just the ends to tidy.

Coffee is needed for concentration!!

A bit of winter

 

At least the days are getting longer...the showers are cold and hard, but we caught an hour mostly dry at dusk. We could just see Arran...and it looked as if they were getting a heavy shower.

The new mitts are growing slowly. Last time I used the pattern I turned a flat pattern to one knitted in the round...I can't find where I wrote the changes.....So this time I am recording it as I go!

I am not complaining about the wintery weather. As the climate changes, we aren't having enough of it and when it does come it is short sharp and destructive.  Flowers are a month to six weeks ahead, birds are getting twitterpated, and even have fledglings already...so if we do get some real winter weather you can imagine what will happen.

Another day...

 

A wonderful invention, the derailleur....

Knitting on.....

Tension sorted, hopefully.....and hopefully I have enough yarn. It weighs the same as the last pair of mitts I knitted......I like it. So I think I will buy more anyway....mitts need a matching hat!!

This and that

 We enjoyed a day on the bike...but the week was a bit of this and a bit of that after that!!

I am aiming now not to leave things half done....not easy!!

But the washing mountain has been done...for now!! And some decent weather speeded the drying, thankfully.

Blood orange marmalade was made today after prepping yesterday and this morning...

I love the smell of ironing!!

My daughter has pointed me in the direction of Grampus, to organise  the family tree research...I think having a day to do that would make sense, to really concentrate.

The study is a lot tidied, so working there for researching or drawing and printing should be easier!

And for light entertainment?..I have bought a skein of Ronaldsay wool....I do need some new  fingerless gloves/ mitts......that will be good for sitting of an evening, or at the velodrome when himself has a session on the track!!

The best news of all? We have started sorting the workshop ready to construct a closed verandah and fit a window.  

going to the races!

 Yarn bombed bikes!!  Done as part of the welcome to Motherwell for the day of circuit racing around a 1.2 km course around the centre of the town.

 The racing started at 1pm with childrens' races and worked up to the climaxes of the day, the Womens and Mens' Elite races.

 Our friend Eileen Roe who rides for the Wiggle-Honda womens' team was just back from an elite stage race in China and managed third place..she is wearing the colours of the British National Champion as she won the circuit championship last year.  On the right of the three is her justifiably proud dad.

 getting ready for the mens' race...

 but none of those featured....Chris Opie from Cornwall came second..and here he is at one of the most dangerous parts of the race..the podium steps! Chris was one of the riders my father coached in the 90s.

It was a hard and fast race, luckily in dry weather but with a cold strong wind.
A long drive for me..but worth it to see friends.

a bitty day

I did a bit of housework this morning.

Then we had the allotments committee meeting -which left no time before lunch for gardening except a bit of seed sowing in the greenhouse.

After lunch and taking Mountain Man home, I managed a bit of throwing!!
Then I kneaded a bit more clay, ready for tomorrow.

Now I'm off to do a bit of knitting...which tends to send me to sleep!

Bit of this, bit of that.

Meanwhile it has been a beautiful day, even if the breeze was chilly, and the Moon is huge!!

Guerilla knitting

A lot more snow

All of eight inches fell yesterday, and we have been having showers of large soft flakes of snow today.

As it is falling, it is also thawing, but there is freezing rain on its way here from West Wales on the tail of the snow, apparently.

Today the Carpenter - I should change his name to Signwriter perhaps? -was back doing signwriting for the local firm again. He needs contracts elsewhere, but in this case we are grateful for small mercies and glad he has something again.

I must brave my chilly workshop soon, there are pots to turn and handle, and more to throw.

In the meantime I am ridding myself of clutter, hoping that this week's council refuse and recycling collections go ahead, and knitting for Daughter's expected twins.

socks

Trying for size
turning the heel
This has been called "the ninja sock of doom"...do this, and the doorbell or phone will be bound to ring!
Sock #1 done, sock #2 started....

knitting

Traditional Appledore pattern. The fisherman's name used to be knitted into the bottom rib....
just in case...

testing, testing...ready for socks

fog

Today is depressing weather...cold and clammy.

Everyone is feeling low for one reason or another.

Yesterday's sun made the bread rise well.

Today I am thinking of knitting socks! I haven't done that for
fifteen years or more.

If you can't make what you want, be creative elsewhere I suppose.