knitted gloves

knitted gloves

I decided to make some gloves as a gift for my mum. She’d seen the fingerless ones I was wearing and said she’d love some the same..except, not as chunky and with full fingers! Hmmm. Mine were rainbow gloves, very bright.

Anyway, I decided to go ahead and make them for Christmas so I took her out for the day, found a wool stall on a market and asked her to choose seven colours that I could use to make a jumper for one of my granddaughters. Little did she know they were for her gloves! 

I wrote the pattern as I went and here’s how I made them! If there are any errors, apologies, it’s from my scribbled notes

Rainbow gloves

Sizes: Medium

You will need:
DK yarn, 25g each of A – red, B – orange, C – yellow, D – green, E – blue, F – indigo and G – violet

One stitch marker

Waste yarn

Abbreviations

CO – cast on

PM – place marker

SM – slip marker

Sts – stitches

KFB – increase one stitch by knitting into the front and then the back of the same stitch

EOR – end of round

Rep – repeat

K2tog – knit two sts together

B & T – cut yarn and thread through all the sts, pull tight and fasten off

With colour A CO 44

PM and join to knit in the round

Rib K2, P2 for 10 rounds

Change to colour B and K2, P2 rib for another 10 rounds

Change to colour C

Next round – K5, KFB, K11, (KFB) 3 times, K to EOR

Knit 3 rounds

Thumb gusset

1.K22, PM, P1, K2, P1, PM, K to EOR

2.K to marker, SM, K1, KFB, K to 1st before marker, KFB, K to EOR

3.K to marker, P1, K to 1st before marker, P1, K to EOR

Rep rounds 2 & 3 until there are 18 sts between the makers changing to colour D after 3 more rounds ending after a round 3.  You should finish after 10 rounds in green.

Upper hand. Change to colour E

Next. K23, place 16 sts on waste yarn, K to EOR (46 sts)

Knit 10 rounds

Fingers – when putting sts on needles for fingers, divide evenly onto dpns and leave a long tail for sewing up.

Pinky – change to colour F

K6, place 34 sts on to waste yarn, cast on 2 sts then K6 sts to complete the round. Join to knit in the round. PM to mark BOR

K 19 rounds

Next round – (K2tog) rep to EOR

B & T

Ring finger – change to colour F.  Before knitting ring finger, pick up 2 sts in the cast on edge of the pinky finger

K7 sts from the waste yarn, CO 2 sts, leave next 24 sts on the waste yarn, K5 sts from the waste yarn, join to knit in the round, PM to mark BOR

Knit 23 rounds

Next round – (K2tog) rep to EOR

B & T

Middle finger – change to colour A. Before knitting ring finger, pick up 3 sts in the cast on edge of the pinky finger

K6 sts from the waste yarn, CO 3 sts, leave next 12 sts on the waste yarn, K6 sts from the waste yarn, join to knit in the round, PM to mark BOR

Knit 25 rounds

Next round – (K2tog) rep to EOR

B & T

Index finger – change to colour B

Place rem 12 sts onto needles, pick up 2 sts on cast on edge of middle finger, PM to mark BOR

K 23 rounds

Next round – (K2tog) rep to EOR

B & T

Thumb – change to colour E

Pick up 2 sts in the gap and join to work in the round.

Work 10 rounds

Next round – (K2tog) rep to EOR

B & T

Fasten off all ends, wash and dry flat

A dedicated space

For a long time I’ve wanted a dedicated space to do, store, enjoy my many and various crafts. When our youngest left home I turned her bedroom into my craft room. It still looked and functioned, to a degree, like a craft room, but was filled with my craft things…wool, needles, material, spinning wheels, etc. and I loved it!


Unfortunately life sometimes changes without notice. One of our girls, who left home many years ago for uni, and didn’t come back, had to come back. That’s life. I could never turn any of them away. It did mean I lost my space. Lots of things were boxed up and put it the smallest, (for that read very small almost cupboard) bedroom. The big positive was that she was home…the dog loved it! My daughter, Heather, works in a pub so, as you can imagine, unsocial hours but, for him this was fabulous. Even if hubby and I were at work, often she wasn’t.

Time flies! Two years on and she’s now flying away again. I get my room back! This time it won’t resemble a bedroom as she’s taking the wardrobe and dressing table with her as well as a few other bits of furniture. This time it will truly be a craft room. I’m well aware it will take time to move everything back in and find it a home but, I’ll do it. It will probably take all summer as I can’t do much before pain hits but that’s ok. It doesn’t matter how long, what matters is the outcome.

Watch this space!

Down the rabbit hole!

So, when I embarked on my spinning journey I had no idea where it would take me..or how hooked I would become!

I never thought I would say it but, I think I may have found something I love as much as, if not more, than knitting! There, I’ve said it. Spinning gives me peace, it seems to ground me, calm me and Centre me. I can spin for hours and not even notice until I look up and see the time.

Then…..when I was at one of my fibre groups with my wheel and my latest yarn, it was mentioned that it would be lovely to weave with!..and so the rabbit hole appeared! I fell down, and I’m still falling, but with such joy and happiness!

I bought a loom. It’s called a knitters loom, I think that’s purely because it folds and is, therefore, portable like my wheel. Made from the same company, Ashford, it’s a beauty to behold. I chose the 20 inch one. I decided to try some of my single spun yarn for the warp (the vertical threads) and planned to spin some more as a two ply for the weft (the horizontal one one!). It arrives with everything below, plus a bag too.

At the next group I attended I spent the whole time, with amazing support from Rachel, warping my loom. I was so proud. I was also warned that they may break as they might not be strong enough. I made the decision to carry one but be prepared to change the whole lot if they did break. It looked beautiful and only one thread broke, right at the end.

I went home and spun the yarn ready for the weft, it took quite a few hours I have to admit. I started and did about four or five passes and realised that, although they threads were holding, they were also felting together, more with each pass. I very quickly decided to stop and redo, however long it might take to do again.

Luckily I have spent a lot of time spinning since November and had some two ply that I could use immediately.

I spent Saturday afternoon at my mums ‘borrowing’ her table to reward the loom…after I spent some time removing what I’d already done. I really enjoyed it, even though it took several hours. My mum talked about my grandma who had been a weaver in the mills, long before I came along! She talked about the warp and weft, the carding room and even returning to work the day after her sone, my uncle, was born. It was so nice to spend the time chatting…felt like my grandma was right with me, and I’ve felt it since.

This is how I ended the day

It’s been a while…

but for very good reason! On January 17th I had a fall and truly buggered my knee! First trip to A & E was about two hours later when my knee had blown up like a balloon and started to bruise. The diagnosis? A huge haematoma and prescribed RICE…rest, ice, compression, elevation. Very odd blue splint put on, crutches in hand and off home to bed I went.

I had several trips back to the hospital as I got more worried at how it was progressing…I was reassured all was well and I needed an ultrasound. When this finally happened the haematoma was measured at 11.5 cm long by 1.5 cm wide….and 4.5 cm deep! Huge! Truly explained the colour of my leg, foot, knee, ankle etc etc…I could barely move my leg let alone stand.

It’s slowly getting better, movement is getting better but pain is horrific…never known anything like it. I’m hoping to get back to work after half term and continue improving.

On a sad note, I’ve not been able to climb IN my van never mind drive it. My hopes for half term have been well and truly squashed…fingers crossed it won’t be long coming.

Christmas!..in a van??

I spent Christmas Eve doing a mix of things..lunch was celebrating my granddaughters 1st birthday. Maddison was 1 on the 20th but we met for a meal on Christmas Eve.

Straight afterwards Barrie and I dashed to Wigan to join our eldest daughter Rachel and son in law Phill and two granddaughters, Beth and Dorothy. Jenny, second eldest, and her husband Stephen, and their children..grandchildren Elisa, Hannah and Matthew joined us too.

We ate, played games, exchanged gifts and then went to the local Christingle service at St Anne’s Church in Wigan. What a joy that was! Truly magical, funny, and so very special. Hannah, Matthew and Dorothy even joined in the nativity. It was a lovely start to Christmas.

Christmas day was a mixed bag. Barrie spent his day with two if his girls and their children..I spent mine with four of my five. My four youngest children lost their dad to cancer in August and Christmas was always going to be hard.

The day was as good as it could be and ended with me sleeping in my van outside Jenny’s house! It was fabulous. I was surprisingly warm and cosy. I got some lovely gifts formy van and to document my travels too.
I still have a few things to add to my van…a radio for a start! I need to get the internal sockets checked and also make sure the plumbing is correctly wired! Once those things are completed then I’ll be ready for the road proper.

Christmas!

you either love it or loath it, a bit like marmite!

I love it…normally, this year has been awful so I’m not particularly bothered this year..however, I have been buying gifts.

My dilemma came when I was trying to decide what to buy for my 88 year old mother. She’s very healthy, mobile although a bit unsteady on steps if there are lots. At her age there isn’t much she either hasn’t got, or has already had at some point. I mean, what do you buy someone that has everything, or buys it if she needs it? There are only so many mugs with ‘wonderful mum’, ‘best mummy’, etc written on them that one woman needs to own.

What she does love is to dance! She’s always the first on the dance floor at a party, and the last off if she can get away with it..the life and soul. In her youth she was a ballerina, at one time having her own ballet school…so…when I spotted an advert for a ballet in Blackpool I snapped it up.

The event was ballet by candlelight organised by https://www.facebook.com/concertsbycandlelight and it was spectacular! From entering the tower she was greeted with kindness, offered help to the lift, her bag carried when she had to walk up one flight and then escorted to her seat too! Once there, even the other guests were so kind. While I went to get us a drink a lovely couple looked after her, chatting about her time as a dancer.

All in all it was a fabulous evening and she went home very happy. If you get the chance, I’d highly recommend it.

https://www.facebook.com/100004254217046/videos/pcb.2959864780831967/888322912802243?cft[0]=AZWxyIQzCrOgE_Qwnat6S–JAFVBZgt8oHvlLnYH_j16XBOhdVIZnH2uSm0u8XGmgVGFx91QTSIzrJNjSGfXBCmR3zXwkUfjKmaYyQ_t4LdphrJsTHNWquo5qnMouLKAUEM&tn=*bH-R

It’s back!

If you know, you know!

For those of you who don’t know, my camper van had to go to the garage when I first got it. I knew it needed some stuff doing to it….new tyres, new ,ensure batteries…and a door wouldn’t lock but, all in all it was perfect.

Then I decided to have all the advisories from the last mot done…not a lot of things, but better sooner than later!

Then the real issue showed it’s ugly head! The locks! It turned out it wasn’t an issue with the door that didn’t lock, but with the wiring..internally..hidden behind all the conversion panels! I was freaked! It’s all I could think about and I pestered my garage weekly for updates…and they were sooo very patient with me.

But today, finally, he’s back. Vinnie is now back outside my home..he locks, he drives better and is ready for the internal stuff to be connected..(gas, water etc) so I get out finally. To say I’m excited is an understatement.

So…a HUGE thank you to https://johnhandleymotors.co.uk for their amazing work, support, patience and perseverance! I think they all had a hand in sorting the van and are all very happy to see him leave! Having been using Handleys for over 20 years, if you need something doing well you can’t go wrong with them. As Kevin says, they may not be the cheapest, but you’ll get the best job done to the highest standard! I couldn’t agree more!