Easy Peasy Shawl

As I didn't finish cleaning the front room properly until today I could not return to my niece's crochet birthday present last night as dog hair was still everywhere. I started this triangular shawl instead. It is a very easy shawl by Sys Fredens from her Contemporary Crochet book. It is just UK trebles with increases in the centre on every alternate row and each end of every row. I started it last night with a ball of James C Brett Marble Chunky that I had left over from when I knitted myself a sweater recently.

The pattern was supposed to be on a 12mm hook but I found the hook too large to work with because of the arthritis in my hands so I changed to a 10mm hook instead. I tend to crochet a little on the larger side anyway and as the shawl is worked from the point upwards then size isn't that much of an issue. I might just have to fit in a couple of extra rows to get it to the right size.

The rippled wrap shawl is now dry. It is quite a bright shawl and as it is made mostly from man made fibre yarn it is light and airy. Hopefully it should still give extra warmth across the shoulders and has the advantage of being machine washable.

I am hoping to get back to the crochet that I put on one side tonight but I might just push on and finish the chunky shawl first as I don't like having more than a couple of projects on the go at any one time. I have so many projects buzzing about in my head that I want to make this year that I just don't know where to start next so I am trying to be disciplined and only have a couple of WIP at any one time otherwise I get overwhelmed and nothing seems to get finished.

It has been quite sunny today but I don't know if it is warm as I have been washing sofas, dusting and hoovering. Housework takes me much longer to do these days and I have to keep sitting down so jobs that used to take me a couple of hours now seem to take me most of the day to complete. Still as long as the work gets done it doesn't really matter how long it takes to do it.

Crocheting A Shawl From Oddments

As the child of frugal make do and mend Parents and Grandparents I always get a huge sense of satisfaction when I can make a shawl out of small amounts of part balls that are lying in my stash. I was brought up cutting coats into small pieces to make peg rag rugs long before it ever became fashionable and trendy to make them. As a child I scoured church jumble sales looking for something 'with a good bit of fabric in it' that could be altered and cut down to make a dress for me or sweaters that had a bit of wool that could be unravelled and turned into hats, scarves and mittens. For more years than I care to remember I thought that all knitted things came striped. Sweaters with undarnable holes in the elbows got re-sleeved. Too short sweaters had the ribs taken off and were 'let down' with longer different colour ribs knitted downwards and socks got re-footed when the darns got too many.

This shawl came from a free pattern on Ravelry which is another bonus in these purse tightening times. It is called Rippled Wrap by Cheri McEwan but unlike her version with bright multi coloured stripes I chose to use up from my bag of blue oddments.

I come from Oldham originally (or Owdham if you are local with a Lancashire accent)and when I married and moved to Manchester I had to alter the way that I spoke as I had such a strong dialect accent that no one understood me. My maternal Granddad's accent was so strong that even I needed a translator. I can remember my family saying " Our Jannit (their way of pronouncing Janet) is a great lass she can allus (always) make summat (something) out of nowt (nothing)" I learned this from my family and am proud to carry on the tradition of turning something that other people might over look into something that looks good. I wish I had inherited my Mother and Grandmother's knack of cooking. They used to turn out filling nourishing meals out of very few ingredients. Why did I not take more notice when I was young?

Chatting about multi coloured stripes to use up oddments my Ravelry friend Knitnurd has been making some fabulous baby and toddler multi coloured Marley knitted hats. They are from a book that I have. The Itty Bitty Hat Book by Susan Anderson and although I have made several hats from this book I haven't made that hat. I will be making them now I have seen hers. Another fabulous way of using up oddments. If you click on my blog title it will take you to her blog. You might have to scroll down a day or so before you see the hats.

Buster has gone home so I won't be doing much crochet or knitting today as I have washed all the throws and cushion covers and everywhere needs a good clean. I washed the bedding this morning but have yet to remake the bed and hoover. I think that I will be knackered after all of this. Buster is always torn when it is time to go home. He likes the fuss that I make of him but he loves my son and daughter in law for walks and the companionship of their other dog to play with. I think he would only be happy if he could have us all together. It reminds me of my son when he was small - he always wanted his Dad and me to go and live with Grandma and Grandad. They don't see that things like that just wouldn't work out with everyone under one roof. Through a child's eyes it must all seem logical.

Rippled Wrap

The All Shawl is dry now and is packed away ready for it's intended owner. I must have knitted or crocheted an awful lot of things in blue in the past as I had a large bag of oddments. I saw this shawl on Ravelry and decided to try it out in different shades of blue. How large it will be depends on how many more rows I can get crocheted before I run out of blues. It is a free pattern to those of you on Ravelry. Called Rippled Wrap by Cheri McEwan. Hers is made in rainbow shades which is very attractive but as I am using up oddments from stash I had to chose the colours that I had the most part balls in.

Sorry about the fuzzy photos of me wearing the shawl but it is hard to press the shutter and then get into position before the flash goes off and the shutter clicks. I could try to take some with my web cam but it changes all of the colours of everything as you probably noticed with the Blue Curacao shawls that I have just finished. It washes all the colour out of everything.

Buster is really not talking to me today. He won't even play ball with me although as I speak he has found the ball that I keep having to replace the squeak and is dashing around the garden with it. He went out originally to chase away a very cheeky magpie and it's mate who insist on searching my lawn for tasty grubs. I suppose that the rain has brought the tit bits to the surface. I will go out and play with Buster in a few minutes after I have been out with the plastic bag to remove his little ditties from the lawn. Not a pleasant task but as anyone who has a dog knows it is a necessity.

My house is now coated in dog hair and I will be there wielding a mop, a duster and the hoover tomorrow with the washer on the go with all of the throws and cushion covers in. I don't know how I coped when I used to have Buster here full time. I suppose that I could still zip through my housework then. I love having him but this time has been especially hard as I have not been able to walk him so he has been indoors all of the time apart from little trips into the back garden. I am sure that he will be overjoyed to see my son and daughter in law tomorrow. he will get a work out when he meets up with their other dog (not the pup that bit him as he is now in Yorkshire in a new home)

Stash Buster All Shawl

I have reduced my stash by a few balls and made this version of Doris Chan's All Shawl. It is a quick and easy way of using up those oddments in stash and is a free pattern for those of you on Ravelry. This shawl has taken 6 x 25 grams of some unlabelled mohair type yarn, oddments of greys and 50 grams of pale blue double knit.I have made quite a few making them striped which is even better for using up bits and pieces. I sort out colours that tone and use the larger balls for the lacy edging. This shawl has turned out slightly smaller than most that I have made but I just wanted to make the body in one colour so crocheted until the grey flecked mohair ran out.The shawl is not for anyone in particular but I am sure that either I or one of my friends will think of someone who will be glad of it. I wear my shawls a lot, especially the smaller shoulder shawls like this one, for that extra bit of warmth in the evenings.

Buster is very fed up with me today. Although it is cold the sun is shining and he has seen a procession of local dogs on their way to the woodland for a walk and just cannot understand why we are not joining them. Never mind it will soon be Tuesday and my son and daughter in law will come and pick him up and take him home again. He still has a couple of scars but everything has more or less healed over,it just needs his fur to grow over them, so he will be able to go for a walk when he gets home. Even if I was fit enough to walk him they didn't bring me his collar and lead. I am not bothered too much about his lead as he is a very obedient dog but I do like his collar on as it has his details on it in case he runs off or gets lost. There is not really much likelihood of that as he is a bit of a clinger but I still like him to wear a collar when he is out.

Tonight I will have another stash dive and see what I can find to give me some inspiration for my next project. Maybe it will be another shawl or maybe something for a baby. I haven't yet made up my mind. My stash is going down little by little although it will take me a while to work my way through it all.

A Nice Spring Morning

It's a lovely spring morning - well it is when the sun stays out. Buster is making the most of it and wants to play ball. When I have finished washing the dishes I will put my jacket on and play out with him for a while. I feel so sorry for him not being walked but there is not much that I can do about that. People have offered to walk him for me but he just won't go with anyone else. It will soon be Tuesday and he will be back at home with the other dog. Thankfully the pup had now gone to a good home so the atmosphere in the house will return to normal. Buster has recovered well and apart from a few scars and a bit of tenderness he is almost back up to strength.

I put the two shawls side by side to show the slight difference in the size. I mad the second shawl on a 6mm hook and the first shawl on the 5.50mm hook as recommended in the Blue Curacao pattern.

I have started an All Shawl from my oddment stash. As usual when I get anything given to me it comes without a label. It is some sort of mohair or imitation mohair and has faint flecks in which you might be able to see in the close up photo. I only have 6 x 25 gram balls so the lacy edging will have to be a mix of different colours but the warmth will be at the shoulders which is the mohair. This shawl is probably destined to an old lady who Sylvia knows as I have run out of old ladies in my family and friends. I have already made shawls for people that I know. I don't make enough to donate them to an old people's home although it is an idea for the winter months in between when I start making homeless peoples hats again.

Today I got a first class letter from the hospital and my heart skipped a beat as I thought that it might be my call up for my operation. When I opened it the letter was recalling me for more tests following my mammogram. It was a bit of a shock but I am thinking positively. I have lumpy breasts which is why I started having mammograms in my 30's so I am hoping that it is just something like that. My Dad always used to say don't worry about anything unless you get told that it is bad news so I am trying to put it put of my mind until my appointment on Thursday. My mother had a non cancerous cyst removed and we both had cysts aspirated so I am keeping that thought in mind. I have no symptoms and can't feel any more lumps than usual so fingers crossed all will be well.

Buster is waiting patiently with his ball in the back garden so I had better do some dog amusing and leave the dishes for a little while.

Second Blue Curacao Shawl

The second shawl is now finished and is wet blocking on the boards at the moment. I haven't taken any photos of the second shawl as apart from the colour splodges being in slightly different places it looks like the other shawl. I will take photos of the two shawls together when the second one is dry. The second shawl is slightly larger than the first as I decided to use a 6mm hook instead of the 5,50mm I had used previously.

I started the second shawl with the part ball of the previous shawl and so have managed to make both shawls from 900 grams of the unlabelled brushed chunky. Each shawl I make varies in content dependant on the brand , thickness and the wool content, I find it really difficult to know exactly how much each shawl will take unless I have used the wool before.

Buster is getting very bored with me now as we can't even play ball in the back garden today as it is raining hard. Typical Easter weather. Tempt people in the middle of the week with a bit of good weather and then after they have decided to go away for a break change the weather to rain. My knees don't like the rain and are waiting for some sunshine to warm the old bones.

I think that I am in a shawl mood as I still cannot return to my niece's crochet until Buster goes home on Tuesday. I have made several stash buster shawls from my stash and I always enjoy making them. I will probably made another couple as they always come in useful for myself or my friends to give to elderly friends and relatives. I think my next one might be shades of blue as I have a big bag full of different types of blues. Of course I may change my mind once I go into the box room and stash rummage. Watch this space.

Multi Coloured Blue Curacao Shawl

The first Blue Curacao Shawl is finished and I am part way through the second. I always feel that it sounds funny calling a shawl Blue Curacao when it is a different colour. It is, of course, the name of the beautiful shawl pattern by Doris Chan. Today the weather is quite sunny although it is still a bit cold so the shawl will soon dry. The shawl looks quite scrunched up until it is wet blocked. I am making the second shawl on a larger hook as I think that will open up the pattern better.

The shawl has taken 500 grams of the brushed chunky so I have enough to make the second shawl. I like making this pattern when I don't have to alter the pattern. Friends who I have made the shawl for have sometimes brought me Double Knit thickness wool and I have to juggle about making the shawl bigger and I tend to lose my enthusiasm for the pattern then. It works best of all in an aran thickness but it does make a very warm shawl when done in a brushed chunky as this one is.

Buster and I have been playing ball in the back garden today making the most of the wee bit of sunshine we are having. We haven't seen any of the snow that other parts of the country are experiencing. I can remember years ago my Mum and Dad went to Wales for Easter with their brand new red car and my Dad took photos of the car in the thick snow. I do hope that it doesn't snow again this year as a lot of my family and friends are going away for an Easter break.

Easter always makes me think of my Dad. Up to him becoming very ill he never failed to buy me an Easter Egg as to him I was still his little girl. He took great delight in buying eggs for the kids and members of staff. I don't buy any eggs as my great grand daughters get a lot bought for them and their parents aren't that keen on them having too much chocolate and sweets. When my son was small my family thought that I was awful when I said don't buy him any eggs - buy him a toy instead. He was born without a coating on his baby teeth so I was doubly aware of tooth decay and limiting his sweet treats. When his second teeth came through I paid to have each tooth coated and he has only lost one tooth to tooth decay and that was because he neglected a broken tooth.

It's washing day today as I don't like doing housework on an Easter Holiday weekend unless it is necessary. I have to hoover daily, of course, because of the dog hair.