I hate sewing up all the ends

This is the downside to crocheting granny squares in multi colours. It's a great stash buster but a nightmare to stitch all the tails in!

I have managed to crochet half of one shawl together. I still have Vicky's to do. My usual method is to lay all the squares out in colour order on the floor and then crochet then together in situ. Since my back operation and subsequent knee injury the floor is one place that I don't explore too often so I have been trying to juggle using the table (round and too small) and blocking boards (too bendy to stand upright) I will get there in the end never fear. Today I guess I will be doing a lot of sewing whilst watching TV.

My Internet was off most of this morning so I am taking the opportunity to post on here whilst I still have got a connection. I will catch up on my blog reading another day. Orange insists that it is not their problem but a fault with my phone line. An BT engineer told me that I have very old cabling on an extremely ancient pole and so water from all this heavy rain could be seeping into the cables and causing intermittent faults. He said to keep complaining to BT and eventually they will come and do something about it. The telephone pole has been leaning at a dangerous angle since we moved in the house 40yrs ago. Every time there is a storm I keep thinking I will wake up and it will have fallen down the street. As all the neighbours keep complaining about this pole and the reception and have done so over many years I don't hold out any hopes for a new pole anytime soon.

The water pipes are the same. When they came to fit my water meter yesterday they discovered that most of the pipes (except those in my house) are still lead. When we moved into the house we got told that the street was due for a complete pipe overhaul. I guess that will come at the same time as the new telephone pole. I think I live in a complete backwater. I can only get satellite TV and not cable TV as there are no cables in this area either. I suppose I should be thankful I am attached to the mains with the gas, electric, water and sewers.

Last night I used up the last of the 200 grams of brushed pink double knit. The yarn was never ending. I have managed to make the hat and scarf that I posted yesterday and this hat and neck warmer which I crocheted in doubled yarn so the raffle got 2 sets for the price of 1. I have no idea whose yarn it is as it is from a donation from Freecycle given when I was crocheting for the prem baby unit. I didn't use it then as I was a bit dubious about fluff near a prem baby so I am glad to be able to use it for another charity as that was the agreement when it was donated.

The pattern is my own but there is a neck warmer very similar as a free pattern on the DROPS Garnstudio site. I have posted the link if you click on my blog title. Their version comes with a natty beret instead of the cloche style hat that I have made.

The sun is trying to shine today. Pity I don't have any washing to hang out. At the weekend when my bedding is due a change it will probably be raining yet again. Such is life! Well life in Manchester this year.

Right - off to watch Loose Women and sew in some of the ends.

Something for the guys

As you know I have been crocheting things for the raffle so last night I decided to try and include something for the guys. Anything as a novelty to sell more raffle tickets. The pattern for this warmer can be found on Ravelry although I amended the pattern slightly. I was using different wool and so had to work more rows. I also altered the end to make it more realistic (well if my memory serves me right) If I make any more then I will crochet them using the knitted one as a template as I wasn't keen on knitting in the round with so few stitches. Perhaps I should make different sizes to cater for all egos.

I have come to a stop with the white and pink crocheted granny square shawl. I have run out of the white wool. I have other white wool in my stash but none of them match the one I have used. I can probably get another ball if I go up to Bury but I didn't go there today as not only did it never stop raining I was waiting for the water meter men. They arrived to inspect everything and said if I had one fitted in the pantry then I could get it fitted today otherwise I would have to wait for a gang to come and dig up the pavement to fit one outside. The meter isn't that big so I have had it fitted in there. At least if there is a burst in the street I won't be paying for the water flowing down the street. This is a scenario described in the leaflet. I could, of course, take out insurance against this happening but I am trying to cut down on monthly expenses and not add to them.

I have finished the pink lacy hat and scarf as you can see. I have started another hat with the pink wool left over but there won't be enough to make a matching scarf.

My knee is still sore. Every time the weather turns colder I get more aches and pains and so it hasn't helped the healing of my knee. It is still swollen and it's a week since I hurt it. If it doesn't improve soon I will have to seek some other help. Possibly a visit to the physio although these days all I would get is a piece of paper with exercises written on it. The days of heat treatment, massage and manipulation are long gone - unless you have the money to pay for private treatment.