I’ve finished it and, if I may be so bold, I think it looks great!
What do you think? I’d love your feedback
We three Kings
The main cast, Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus
In order from the left…calf, Innkeeper, donkey, sheep and shepherd
Angel
And altogether!
My practice continues. I had a little of the green left from my first plied yarn so I decided to spin some white to ply it either, and see how it differed!
It’s very different…but I like it!
On Thursday hubby and I went to a shop in Yorkshire that sells fleece..it was amazing!! You can order online for delivery, click and collect or pop in. They’re not open long hours so if you decide to go my advice is to check before you set off.
Once inside you are in a small shop area but it quickly leads to a warehouse area that you can browse…incredible.
The staff were amazing. I was given a trolley, plastic bags, a pen and weighing scales and shown what go do which was, basically, to choose how much you wanted and write the name on the bag. As long as it was the same wool it went into one bag e.g. corriedale, any colour. I was in heaven!!
This is what I bought..I will be back!
If you want to have a look , you’ll find all the details here
https://www.worldofwool.co.uk/
I also started spinning another yarn I’d bought online. It’s come out striped so I’m planning to ply it with a plain yarn
I’ve been to my spinning group tonight and happily shown off my first hank of yarn!
Now to move on the the next lot! I’m loving the colours and how it’s spinning. There’s a lot of dark in it with pops of colour but they are really showing through.
I’m going to spin a plain colour (like burnt orange) to ply with it
I recently knit myself a chess set! I’ll add that separately. Then I decided to make a Nativity set..with about 6-7 weeks to go until Christmas!
I have been told, often, that I’m crackers, bonkers etc. I kind of agree
Anyway, I’ve knit all the pieces of all 12 characters…and I’ve now sewn together six of them…half way there. I can do this before Christmas..just need to construct a crib!
They’re bigger than I expected, each one, (bar the animals and baby Jesus) is around 7-8 inches tall!
The pattern is a purchased one by Knitting by Post and comes in two parts…well worth it. The instructions are clear and, as long as you keep the pieces separate, you’ll manage just fine.
While I’ve been waiting for my van to be sorted I’ve started a new craft. Technically it’s not new to me. About 10 ish years ago Barrie, (my hubby) bought me a spinning wheel, you know, like in sleeping beauty.
I played with it a little before becoming quite poorly…so it sat in it’s bag tucked away all these years.
A friend (thank you Joey) recently guided me to a group that was starting that was about all about wool..e.g. spinning, weaving, knitting etc. so I dusted off my wheel and off I went.
I couldn’t even recall how to put it together never mind how to work it but Anthony, one of the founding members, was so patient with me and got it all up and running. Two weeks later another member, Rachel, gifted me some fleece to practice with while I waited for some to arrive.
Fast forward a month and I’ve been to two more sessions and spun my first hank of wool!! Plied and everything. I’m not sure what I’ll do with it but I think I might save this one.
My wheel is portable so will be accompanying me on my travels!
I’ve bought several different kinds and colours of fleece to try out and hope to improve the more I try.
What I have discovered is that there is soooo much to learn and lots of funny names too. For example, once a bobbin is full of single spun yarn ready for plying, it sits on a lazy Kate..once plied its made into a hank on a niddy noddy…I kid you not!
This is what my wheel looks like along with the lazy Kate and niddy noddy plus my first spun yarn!
I’ve been thinking about buying a camper van for a while…a long while!
I’ve been saving my pennies…I needed quite a bit..and started looking around about nine months ago.
I’ll be honest, hubby and I have seen some sheds! We’ve spent night after night sharing ads for this van and that van and visited so many I was ready to give up hope.
However, all the searching did tell me something..it told me what I DIDN’T want from a van. I realised I wanted a fixed bed, I didn’t want to put my bed up and down every day, with my joint issues that wouldn’t be a good idea at all! I’m not bothered about a shower, but a loo would be useful, nor am I bothered about an oven, but I don’t want to use a camping stove.
Most importantly, I decided a motor home was not for me, a converted van would be best. Finally, as I plan to travel alone a lot, safety is very important so I need quick access from the van to the cab.
Is that all too much to ask?
Well, apparently it’s not! I found one! After many months of searching. (My advice to anyone else looking, don’t give up, and watch for the scammers!)
This is my van as it was advertised, not when I bought it as the kettle, bedding etc was not included.
My first job was to get it to the garage for them to have a good look at it. There were a few things I KNEW needed doing, a few advisories I WANTED to have done, and, finally, it doesn’t lock properly! Never a good thing.
I’m hopeful that by next week it will be ship shape and ready to go. Now all I have to do is work out what all the buttons do and how to drive the damn thing!!!!!
Now…most people who know me will also know how unusual it is for me NOT to have tried a craft..but it’s true..ish.
When I was younger..13 or 14 I think..I got some clay for Christmas and loved making things with it but since I became grown up I’ve never tried again…until now!
For Christmas 2019(!!!!) my fabulous husband bought me a gift voucher for a pottery class…learning to throw a pot! Then, just as I’d booked in January 2020, I hurt my wrist and had to cancel…then COVID 19 hit! My hopes of learning a new skill were deflated. I kept in touch with the business that ran the classes and they said it would be ok..they’d honour all vouchers.
Then, they moved!!! More panic…were they still around? Was it too late? Absolutely not! Even though another year and a bit has passed since then, they have continued to keep in touch, reassuring me that I would get to do this..and last Sunday was the day!
I arrived at MakeNorth with bags of time to spare..(hate being late)…and got to have a look around and say hi. There were just five of us doing the throwing and the trainer, Christine, was brilliant. Very patient! After a demonstration we were quickly given the opportunity to try it! Encouraged not to worry about mistakes but to just keep trying…so I did. I had so many failures it was funny but…I really enjoyed it.
this was my first attempt..
Not bad I thought! I did many others following this, lots of wobbly sides, lots of complete collapses but, as one of my girls always says, practice makes better..and better they got!
…and better…..
…and the best…This is my favourite one.
My first and last attempts will both now be glazed and fired ready for me to collect…then I can show you the completely finished result.
Above all I had fun..and I’m desperate to do it again! I’m hooked!
Having left my very precious pots to be glazed and fired ready for me to collect…I felt like an anxious new mother! However, I shouldn’t have worried at all…here they are, carefully looked after and now in pride of place at home x
I’ve had three awful days…I could barely move and didn’t leave the house…today I felt better.
I decided to take our dog, Oli, for a walk on a park where I spent most of my youth. It was just at the top of our road. I recall summers spent making up games, lying on the fresh cut grass..feeding the peacocks!..and watching the bowling, cricket and football that was enjoyed by many.
But my most favourite was the make believe games played on, around and under the stone bridge that led to the duck pond.
So many hours…one stone was the bedroom…another a table for lunch..yet another a playroom….but all beautiful, warm and comfortable..at least in our imagination.
I’d leave the house early morning…going back home only when my tummy told me to..then right back out. Beautiful summers filled with joy.
On my return today I found the two ends of the bridge intact…but no longer a bridge for me to cross..a wave of sadness washed over me. However, our stone house was intact..the stones looked so small..but I guess I’ve grown!
I dipped under the rail and explored the playground of my youth..what joy we had..what fun..our imaginations taking us wherever we desired. I’m still smiling. Juat being there has filled me with a sense of the familiar, of peace, comfort and happiness. How amazing that after over 40 yrs a pile of stones can elicit such a sense of calm and contentment.
This blanket is soooo easy to make…a simple four row pattern you’ll soon be able to remember. I’ve made this several times both in bright and pastel colours
The basic four row pattern is as follows
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: (K2tog) x6 (YO, P1) x6
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl
For a baby sized blanket you will need
• Double knitting wool in any colour combination you want..you’ll use less that 50g of each
• 4mm needles or 4.5mm gives a more open texture and makes a slightly bigger blanket…this is what I prefer to use
Abbreviations
k – knit
p – purl
k2tog – knit two stitches together
x – repeat the instruction by the number stated e.g. 6
yo – yarn over the needles
Basic blanket pattern has six stitch garter stitch border on each side and six row garter stitch border top and bottom
Cast on 138 stitches in white
Knit 6 rows garter stitch
With right side facing, join in first rainbow colour and pattern as follows
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Knit 6, (K2tog) x3, *[ (YO, P1) x6, (K2tog) x6 ] repeat from * to last 18 sts, (YO, P1) x6, (K2tog) x3, knit 6.
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Knit 6, purl to last 6 sts, knit 6
Repeat above four rows twice more = three pattern repeats total
Next you will add a garter stitch border between colours
With right side facing, join in white and knit 4 rows garter stitch between colours
With right side facing, join in next colour and work 12 rows pattern
Continue with pattern as set until blanket is desired length.
Knit six rows white garter stitch then cast off.
thelifeandtimesofcate 