So that was a small crafty 2018

 Socks for #2 GS.. A ripple throw to use some of my stash.

 Two pram blankets donated to my local charity shop, another effort to use up some of my stash.

 I really enjoyed knitting these so will make some more.

 A scarf/ shawl for myself I love this pattern.

 Fingerless gloves knitted from left over sock wool.

 I made 6 of these for our patio chairs, I 'd had the fabric for yonks!

9 Little Ferrero Rocher Christmas tree fairies for friends.

 And last but not least an elf for a little girl, who it seems loves him and takes him to bed!

And that was all the craft things I did in 2018, I will make a better effort in 2019; but I did read 100 books!!

A Happy and Healthy New Year to all and hope you will all achieve your dreams what ever they may be.

XX

Blogland friends are amazing

I have received these amazing woven teacloths from Joanne Noragon.

Cup on the bus

They are beautiful and although I would think they'd work well as cloths, to me they are much too nice to use in such a way.

So I shall have them on an open shelf for all to see.

Thank you Joanne, a most unexpected gift. I feel honoured to have received such a wonderful woven cloth and I love the golden yellow colour.

Thank you again.

XX

Now it's over!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas time, we did with DH daughters here with their partners and 10 month old GS. 

And on Christmas day my #1DS too, so a house full.

But now it's all over we have the house to ourselves and the peace is lovely.

My lovely DH gave me the Attic24 Sweet Pea pack, yippee I 'll be starting her CAL beginning of January.

And my SD gave me this clock which goes outside, can't wait to see it up 

I feel spoilt for getting all the things I really love

Plus Books....Michelle Obama's book, plus 'How to Quilt as You Go.' The ' Ripple Patterns', book, I 've read this through umpteen times already! I want to make them all.  Nigella Lawsons 'Simply Nigella' and Kate Morton's 'The Clockmaker's Daughter' And some honey hand creams, and diary for all those dates we'd forget if I didn't have them written down. 
A truly lovely time although exhausting at times, we've both collapsed today and been happy to do nothing. 
How was your Christmas?

XX

Today is my birthday

I can't believe I 'm the age I am, except my knees are creaky and I go up and down stairs one at a time! When did that happen???
So has your age overtaken you?

Chrisxx

Elf

This is an Alan Dart pattern knitted for some one I  know, whose  daughter said she wanted an elf.
It was a very fiddly knit and caused me some 'air clearing' moments!
But she loved it.


Back to my cardi knitting, much easier!

Chrisxx

Christmas is coming.

Not a good photo but here is our stairs with the cross stitch ornaments  I did a few years ago. There are 12 I did one a month.

Quite difficult trying to get up the garlands as I can't lift my arm, but Dh managed to tie the bows with me instructing him.

XX

From bits to .....a Christmas tree ornament.

Do you remember this?  Well it all turned out to these.

Each skirt holds a Ferrero Rocher They were quite fiddly to knit but very enjoyable. No good asking me for the pattern because apart from the head which was a Christmas pudding pattern found on line, I did the rest by 'guess'!! 

I saw something like this a while ago and looked online but couldn't find any.

If you could look closely you'd see the little over dresses are all slightly different, where I forgot what I had done on a previous one. 

This one is hanging on a garden tree because we haven't put up our own Christmas tree yet.

Hope Mr Postie doesn't squash them too much!

Have you made any Christmas pressies?

XX

For Ever and Ever!!

Like a lot of quilters I have a lot of fabric.. some scraps from quilts I‘ve made and fabric I ‘ve bought and never used. I thought this would be the ideal pattern to use up my stash.  It is called ‘Long Time Gone,’ by Jen Kingswell I intend to do it at the sewing class I’ve joined and start it in the new year. Have you any long Term plans for 2019?

XX

It's not cancer!

Thank you everyone that left a comment and those of you who emailed, it's lovely to read those messages.. and since then...

….I have got myself together, and after all my blog is called 

'Always Smiling.' I don't think I have ever let myself get so down. I honestly believe that it's up to yourself as to how you feel. So I have started to do the damn arm exercises (excuse the swear word) because they cause such pain and then I can't move my arm for a few days. I have had said to me,  by someone I thought loved me, that I should be grateful ......after all it's not cancer! That was so hurtful I was devastated. Surprisingly we don't speak any more!

The problem with pain is... it doesn't show! She has never seen me struggling to pull up my knicks, that's why I only wear skirts I couldn't cope with slacks. I am trying to use my right arm, but to be really honest between you blog friends and not anyone else,  it doesn't come naturally and I hardly use it at all.. except of course knitting and crocheting but the surgeon said that wasn't using it properly,  as I am only using my hand. But I 'm still smiling... just!!
What would you do if someone you loved and thought loved you, said something so hurtful, it took your breath away?  I couldn't speak and choked back tears and hung up the phone. 

XX

Not good news!

​Yesterday I went for my twelve month  post op check up at The Royal London Orthopaedic Hospital, and the result was I probably won't ever drive again.. I can keep up with the physio to free my shoulder some more, but I won't be able to lift my arm up.  I cried when he said, but the truth is, it probably won't get any better. He has suggested to take pain killers through the day so I will have it easier to do the exercises,  I 've said I don't want any further appointments can't see the point of them.

Yes, not news I wanted, but it's not just being not able to drive, it's all the other things I can no longer do. I am inhibited cooking because my arm won't reach forward and I certainly can't lift stuff in and our of the oven.. gardening is limited, you can't really dig one handed, washing and dressing isn't easy, even getting in and out of bed is painful, so I am looking at a duff painful arm and the future looks bleak to me. I hate the loss of my independence. Although I could walk to the library its just 3/4 mile but it takes me a while with my walking stick for balance so, I am getting a mobility scooter in the new year, at least then I am not so dependent on DH, which I hate. There is also the possibility of an automatic car and a steering system for only one arm. We have the money and can't take it with us so might as well spend it.

Unless you have this, no one knows how my life has changed since breaking my arm now 3 years and 9 months ago! 

No need to say I have felt very down and weepy all day. 

XX

100 YEARS

XX

A day in my life.

I haven't given up blogging but have just been busy. I couldn't give up, I hate it when I read someone's last post to say that they won't be writing anymore. I am so selfish to think, how dare they when I have faithfully followed them for years and now I won't find out if they achieve that wish, or saved that money, or got that dream home?
 I know you can't always write something every day. Do you want to know, what housework I 've done today? (actually none, we have a cleaner) or what we had for our evening meal, it was a SW recipe of Hunter's Chicken and was rather delicious, (DH made it) and this morning we had our Spanish Class. Hola! I've  read the 'i' newspaper, cover to cover and also finished my 88th book for this year, ' The Death of Mrs Westaway' by Ruth Ware, a really good read! And I have made a Christmas Pud, started it yesterday and is now in the slow cooker, and one waiting to go in. 
So a full day, in fact DH and I have said what a busy week we've had, something on every day, next week I have my appointment at the London Royal Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore, it will be at the newly built hospital. I think I will be signed off ,as it's 12 months since that last operation. I still have pain and certainly haven't got100% use of my arm. ( I made that Christmas pud, left handed)
I am making stuff for friends for Christmas so can't show, but these wools and bits are what I am using. 

I don't think you'll guess what it is I am making; here is a clue it can be hung on a tree and will have something with it that can be eaten?? ( Have you any idea?) Have you started your Christmas makes?

XX

A perfect fit

On wintery evenings, with the curtains draw, what can be cosier than knitting? I am still knitting my cardi ( the undone jumper) but I needed a quick knit. And here it is, a pair of fingerless gloves. Two evenings and they were done. The wool is left over from some socks and nearly matches!
What do you like to do on a winter's evening?

XX

What am I like???

I have struggled to sew this for #2 GS and I hate it.

SO...

I am ripping the whole lot out and making a simple chevron design.

I have found a super you tube and so off I go with my seam ripper, if I can find it!! 

I seem to be spending an awful lot of time re-doing stuff but if I don't like it before it is finished, I know I will never like it.
Am I mad?? Are you like this, and have to put things completely right and as you like it, even if it means undoing days of work?

Jumper/cardigan progress...its coming along nicely.

XX

What to do???

For the last three weeks I have been busy knitting this jumper

I 've knitted a big size as I am big and I wanted it lose. It's knitted in the round from the bottom up and here I am where you join on the sleeves. I 've watched several 'U tubes' on how to do this and am confident I know what to do, but.... I 'm not happy with it so shall I undo what I 've done and make it a cardi instead??

Yes, the key is I don't like the fit. I have threaded some of the stitches onto waste yarn and tried it on and it looks like a baggy horizontal striped jumper on a fat lady!! Also if it was a cardi I would start each row at the front edge; in the round the change of coloured wool shows as a row below and I wasn't happy with that.. so out it all must come and I will start again. Watch this space for a cardi in about 4 weeks time, or longer!
Has anyone else undone so much knitting to start again?

XX

And a thank you for all the comments for my scarf/shawl, I can't wait to wear it.

Ta-da.. YEH!

 I have loved knitting this, even though the stitches grew to over 250! It is going to be glorious to wear in the winter, the wool is very soft and feels warm.

As I was sewing in the ends last evening my knees were being kept cosy, as the evenings are definitely cooler. The cast off edge was a roll stitch so looks chunky and very nice.
So now on to my next knit, where the back and two sides are knitted as one, I expect one row will be as long as an episode of East Enders??
I have also started the quilt for #2 grandson. It's made up of jelly strips and although there are some dark colours, it is very blue!
Happy days of sewing and knitting, but I am missing the sun already!
Do you hate winter days too?

XX

Am I mad??

I saw this jumper in The Stitcher Mag and loved it, however the wool suggested was Ewe Baa Ram at £17 a hank!! Wow you needed 9 altogether, at that price it was right out; however I search around for a yarn I could use and looked at Drops. I found this Drops Flora which is a mixture of wool and alpaca and bought it from Purple Sheep costing £1.90, 10p less than Wool Warehouse. I even worked out how many metres (yards) I needed and so have only bought what I need.. 

I have finished the socks,  annoyingly having wasted a good length of the wool for the second sock, to make sure they matched which they did,  but then after the heel turn, the colours mis-matched.

I shall post these off with a note tucked in the toe of one, just so he can buy himself a Costa coffee and cake, which he does love. 
I am back to knitting my lovely shawl/scarf for which I did buy the recommended wool, which did cost me rather a lot but I think I deserve a treat!  
And then that lovely jumper will be my evening knitting joy It will keep me on the diet straight and narrow because I don't want to find that having knitted it, it will be too tight!!
Happy knitting or what ever you enjoy doing, what is your evening joy?

XX

Knitting all day long!

Although I am getting on really well with my shawl/scarf my youngest GS phoned yesterday with his good news.

2 A*s and an A in his 'A' level results so will be off to study law at Nottingham UNI..but…

my hand knitted socks I've knitted for him are going into holes. 

He loves to wear them when he gets in from college, so I have to knit some posthaste!! 

Fortunately I had some sock wool, so I could get started right away.

So no excuses I have to knit, knit, and knit all day long.

I wish!!

I do love how my shawl is working out, I am onto the stripe section and have started using the ruby colour, it is gorgeous and I love the way it looks; but I do like to knit socks too and don't need a pattern I have knitted so many! Do you know any items so well you don't need a pattern?

XX