Why do they give them names??

Is it Ciara or Dennis.. whatever it's blowing a gale out there.

We live in a house that has been standing since 1885.. so guess it will still be standing after this gale.

I am toasty warm and inside. 

My crochet knee throw is growing although last week I did hardly any.

But when I do pick it up I am totally happy and focused and shall attempt to finish it this week.
A friend has pointed me to a yarn site where they are all beautiful and reduced in price,  so I feel a big knitted cardi coming,  just for me.
I hope everyone is not damaged or flooded by these storms, such extra-ordinary weather.. stay safe everyone.

XX

A transformation.

Who would believe that this old pouffe could become this.

A year ago while mooching around Halesworth I saw a different shop.

It was called 'Chameleon,'  a pop up shop,  only there a week.

It was selling fabric and this fabric was in the cut offs bin for £10.

I could see that it would be the perfect fabric to do this. 
So all day yesterday with DH help I have recovered the old
pouffe.
The rain rained and the winds blew as I measured and sewed and
DH tapped in the upholstery tacks.
I was able to centre the bigger picture on the top of the seat, but to do the sides the same would have meant cutting the fabric into panels, and I didn't think there'd be enough.  
And I want some to cover the cushion on an old stool  that was my grandmothers, so probably 80 or so years old.
We are delighted with the finished item, and think it looks fantastic.
I expect there are loads of very talented bloggers out there
who can do similar, were you as happy with your result as we are?
I am so proud!

XX

A Therapy?

I'm getting on quite nicely with my knee blanket but knitting socks is one of my loves too.. so I 've gone back to these, which are all from scraps of left over sock yarn and I 've tried to match them.
I can knit without looking at it,  so an easy occupation in front of the TV.. and also according to the 'experts' a distracting therapy if you're trying to break a habit, eg smoking.. well I don't smoke but I do need distraction from munching calories in the evenings.. 
So don't ever feel guilty if you knitting or crocheting, because you can claim it's a therapy!
What do you think?  And what so you do with your scrap yarn?

XX

My Happy Place

I'm sorted and back in my happy place... which is???
Crocheting, it keeps my hands busy, occupies my mind and stops me munching in between meals.
It's just a simple knee throw which I shall use in the car when we go walking. Now you might wonder why I need a knee throw for walking.. well sometimes when we set off in the car to go somewhere different for a walk, when we get there, the weather has turned or I 've lost the 'I want to walk' mood and so produce a book to sit and watch Dh and our dog, stride off.  
My knee throw will be warm and not too big. I haven't any ideas on how big, I 'll just keep going till it's the right size!
It's a simple 4 row pattern,
2 rows dbl crochet in every stitch.
2 rows of groups of 3 trbl in every 3rd stitch.
It is my favourite crochet pattern.
The next set of colours will lilac, mauve and deep purple and then I'll repeat the colours. I can happily sit and do this for hours. 
Have you a hobby that puts you in your happy place?

XX

What to do, what to do???

I started this shoulder shawl, a present for my SIL but decided the colours were too dark.  I thought it would more blue, difficult to see when it was as a ball. So abandoned it and returned the rest of the yarn to Wool Warehouse, who refunded me my money as soon as the parcel arrived with them. 

 These are socks knitted with oddments of sock wool. I 'm trying to match them and trying to make each new colour joined in interesting by staggering the joins with a variety of patterns in the wool.

 And I have this cross stitch recently bought to do, as well as 6 cross stitches on the go (WIPS) 

And of course I have a quilt ready to quilt and 6 blocks of a new one on the go!
BUT I can't settle to do anything. I feel I need something that takes little or no thought.
So I might just knit a baby blanket and give it to the local Hospice CS. 
Have I got the winter blues? In a way I feel ashamed as I follow this blog https://whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/ Wendy 58 years young who is struggling with early onset Alzheimer's and just gets on with things,  even though the tasks have become mountains of difficulties.  
So I too will just get on!
What about you, are you in the doldrums of winter?

XX

Efforts of 2019

Lucy of Attic 24's Sweet Pea blanket was my first make of last year.  DH bought me the pack from Wool ware House for my Christmas present. (I might have ordered it myself for him to pay, as I don't reply on hints for my presents!)

I made the cushion covers out of the remaining yarn.

And because I liked it so much, made this with different stitch stripe and this lovely little girl loved it, so of course I was more than happy to give it to her. 

This blanket I made because  I saw a similar colour combination and had to make my own.  It's Lucy's woodland ripple, which I think of all Lucy's designs this is my favourite. It was 15 balls of  Style Craft DK from my LYS.  I loved making it and absolutely love it. I have it folded on a stool in the lounge so I can look at it all the time!

I had to make a mouse for a little girl we know.. they are so cute to make and the patterns are for sale on Ravelry. You'll find an abundance of these and other little creatures on Little Cotton Rabbits.

Something cosy to wear across my shoulders when I'm reading in bed. It was undone and re-knitted to make it bigger.

And this little jumper is finished ready for a little fella's birthday in February Hope he likes it. Knitted in Parchment colour in Style Craft Its a Sirdar pattern #1785

Not as much as I 've made in past years but my arm tires easily and so the blankets took me a longish time, but I have thoroughly enjoyed making these in 2019 and proud of my efforts. 
What have you done to make you proud?

XX

Blogland friends are wonderful

This morning I've received this bead angel from an Angel.

Thank you Julie, it's beautiful and will be hanging on my tree each Christmas.

 It came in this cutie little pink gauze bag too, it's so lovely Julie, my heart is dancing to think you thought of me with all that you have going on in your life

Thank you again Julie

xx

Finished at last

 I have no idea how many stitches I ended up with but it was the two diagonally sides.

I am happy it's bigger and now just right for round my shoulders when I am reading in bed.  I have another 500g so am looking at a pair of bed socks, although being DB knit I 'll have to look out a pattern. Anyone know of a sock pattern using DB knit?

XX

So I knit on

I hit a snag with my little boys jumper, I ran out of wool and my LYS had run out too.

But no matter I decided to make a shawl bigger just to keep knitting. I had to cut off the crochet edge and then struggled to get it undone.. but I did and so now I'm knitting this with hundreds of stitches. I have no idea how many but my circular needles are only just coping.

So I knit on!

Anyone else have to do something to keep busy?

XX

Getting on but...

....is it too big? I thought I should stop and do something else?

But I 'm carrying on because I shall knit something as well and hope this can be kept for when it fits him. I am enjoying knitting it, its a simple 4 row pattern. It's going slowly because after just a short time my arm aches and I put it to one side, where perhaps I should keep going and then perhaps my arm would improve. Anyway I like knitting it.
What would you do, would you give up on it?

XX