I’m knitting a hat – for Daisy???

I wasn’t joking when I said I was going to knit a bobble hat.   It’s Gabby’s fault.  I saw her sporting this hat at one of the 6 Nations rugby matches and wanted one myself, with a big fluffy feathery pompom atop.

So I got busy, found this pattern on Ravelry and a ball of Stylecraft Life DK in Mixtures Denim in the local yarn shop.

I even knitted up a gauge swatch and from this I decided I needed to go up half a needle size, cast on and started knitting.  (I did continue knitting the swatch in the larger needle size to be sure).

But it looks suspiciously small to me.

Very small indeed!  More of an ear warmer than a hat

I cajoled my knitting assistant into trying it on for me, and guess what – it fits her.  Not that she’s impressed, and neither am I for that matter.  It’s never going to stretch enough to fit my head.

I’ve double checked my gauge, and whilst row wise it’s good,  7.5 rows to the inch (not sure how you knit or measure half a row) …

… stitch (width) wise, it’s quarter of an inch smaller than it should be (5 stitches to the inch).

Now I’m wondering dear readers, when measuring swatches, should you stretch rib out a little, or measure in it’s unstretched state – I must have stretched it a little when measuring.  I did cast on more than the 5 stitches and knitted more than 7.5 rows, but I think I should have cast on twice as many stitches for the swatch than I did.

You know what I’m going to be doing this afternoon – yep unravelling and knitting another larger swatch to try and get the needle size right.   

But at least this was successful.  I made a wheat bag yesterday.  I’ve added a couple of handfuls of lavender to the wheat – it’s very comforting when warmed up in the microwave and placed against aching muscles and smells lovely.

Jane & Daisy xx

PS, someone got rewarded with a biscuit for being such a lovely patient model.

I wonder ….

… did these two live happily ever after?

I wonder where are they now?  I wonder how many years ago a young man carved a heart for his love?  Did she know or see it I wonder, or was it love from afar, a young man’s fancy?

 It’s faded message is most noticeable in the winter on a sunny day.

I wonder what she saw, what caught her attention?

I wonder, can the sky look any bluer than this?

 It was early evening when we got around to our walk – beautiful and bitterly cold. The birds were still singing heartily and the shadows were lengthening – we enjoyed ourselves – wondering.

Yawn …

… she’s got me doing this modelling thing again.

Yes, that is sunshine and blue sky you can see – it’s about time she took me walkies instead of dressing me up.   Though I look rather fetching in blue don’t you think?

Oh dear, it’s so difficult to find a good model these days, shall have to do it myself.   Yes this is the finished honey cowl in the King Cole cotton soft Saxe blue.  It had previously been knitted into a Thermis cowl which I wasn’t very happy with.

 I have made a couple of mistakes with the pattern, but was too near the end to do any more unravelling.  This particular yarn has been unravelled enough already!  I’ve finished just in time for the return of winter part 2, or is it part 3?  I can feel a bobble hat coming on next.  Looks as if I’m going to need it too!  Right, we’re off for a walk before that big yellow ball in the sky disappears!

Simplicity 7625

Finally, it’s taken a month to make!  (View 3)

I added pockets, but as there was not enough fabric to make the pocket bags I used some liberty that I’ve had for yonks.

It’s a lovely pure wool herringbone suiting bought from the local Hospice shop some years ago.  It must have been the last or first yard from the roll – there is hand writing in yellow along one end.

Lined with silk.  I made a facing instead of a waistband.  The pleat insertion had to be cut on the crossways grain (with the yellow writing on the wrong side) as there wasn’t enough to cut it on grain.  Having finished, I think it really needs a waistband.  I wonder if I can draft a shaped one and patch up the offcuts?  I knew all through the project it needed a waistband, but ignored the nagging wisdom of my inner seamstress.

 Finally, no post is complete without my sewing companion, Daisy!

I left my hair dry naturally today for the first time since having it cut, hence big bad hair day.

Jane & Daisy xx

I wish I had a sledge …

 

 

 

… because this morning I (or perhaps even we) would have gone sledging.

Look, I can walk on snow!

 As the song goes, the snow was crisp and deep and even,

There had been wall to wall sunshine and blue sky half an hour before we set out.
Ideal sledging conditions – nice crisp hard snow surface, just not ideal sledging hill – lots of hedges. trees and fences at the bottom of steep bumpy slopes or even worse, gorse and bramble thickets!

There had obviously been a party before the frost set in – lots of tell tale tracks leading off in all directions.  It made me wonder if the night time creatures lose their way when the snow is deep and covers their highways and byways?

But sledging would have been such fun, swooshing at speed over the snow, with the cool air rushing past our ears – so exhilarating.

Ah well never mind, we enjoyed the crispness of the air and the scenery and kept our feet and paws firmly on the ground.  The thaw was setting in even as we returned, snow was dripping off the trees and the surface crispness was disappearing rapidly.

Jane & Daisy xx

It’s my birfday …

… today.  A day full of treats and simple pleasures.

Daisy gave me my favourite sweets, yum (that deserves an extra doggy biscuit)

and I baked a cake, more yum.

Beloved got me this lovely book which gives a peek into the Queen’s dressing room and wardrobe

and there were flowers

and a lovely new fountain pen.  I love these Lamy pens, they write beautifully.

Now we’re off out for a meal – I’ve no idea where, Beloved won’t tell me, it’s a surprise!  I love surprises.

Jane & Daisy xx

Today …

… we’re about to go out for our walk and I’m sure one of us will be doing this (not me).  There’s been more snow overnight and an odd flurry now and again.

Then I’m coming back in for a little of this …

… before doing some more work on this…

… whilst admiring these.

Happy Wednesday.  Stay warm and safe.

Jane & Daisy.xx

Spot the dog …

Can you see her?  I must admit that during the time of pointing the camera in the right direction, zooming in and clicking the shutter button she had disappeared from sight. Or so I thought!

We’ve not long returned from our walk and it’s snowing again.  Daisy loves the snow on the ground.  Everything seems more exciting and the smells left behind by other creatures are either stronger, or more puzzling or both.

Have you spotted her yet?

 I even managed to film a bit of video of her this morning enjoying herself.  You can find it here

Yes, daft Daisy is here, she managed to get herself down into the field ditch, and was struggling to get herself out, but she managed it after a couple of attempts.  ”Well it’s not easy when you’ve only got little legs and she’s too busy with the black box thingy hanging around her neck to come and help”

Keep warm and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Jane & Daisy xx

Hmmm …

… I’ve finished the Thermis cowl, but

it’s very loose and floppy and I don’t need to undo the buttons to slip it over my head.

Why is that?  Is it because I’ve used a cotton yarn instead of wool?  I would much rather use wool as it always knits up so beautifully, but I know I won’t wear it because of the itch factor.  I used the recommended size 4 mm needles, although admittedly I didn’t do a tension swatch, tsk, but decided to dive straight in and kit up the small/medium size.  The pattern calls for worsted weight which I assume is double knit weight, which this King Cole yarn is (I get easily confused over weights what that transfers into, ie DK etc).  The pattern is available on Ravelry here so you can see how it’s supposed to look.

After it’s first wear earlier today, it seems to have stretched wider across the top band of rib.  My knitting is usually tight rather than loose, but the rib seems to be very loose to me.  I’ve been using youtube tutorials from Very Pink Knits and found this film about  tension on the website which I hope will help.

I must say I really like the waffle pattern, I’m just disappointed with the outcome.  Can you help dear readers with this one?  Should I unravel and reknit on smaller needles, concentrating on tension whilst doing so, or should I undo the top band of rib and knit up on smaller needles in an attempt to bring the top edge in a little tighter.

On a brighter note, Daisy had a visit to the dog parlour last week and although it’s turned cold and snowy, she doesn’t seem to be too bothered about the loss of her shaggy outer coat.  This is where she spends a lot of her time, when not stretched out in front of the woodburner

snuggled up on her blue fleece blanket across the back of the sofa!  I just love how sweet and cute she looks against the blue.

I’m going to spend some time now on my needlepoint panel which is destined to become a cushion some day.

Jane & Daisy xx

Drum Roll …

… please – it’s another award

Daisy and I have now become part of the hood – it’s official, we’ve got the badge to prove it, yay!

We were nominated for this one last month by Yvonne from A Wee Bit Random.   Thank you very much for nominating us, Daisy is delighted and wonders if there is a biscuit in it for her?  I’ve told her no, but she’s not convinced, particularly now she’s got a hood to guard – I shall have to get her one in a moment.

Now, what next?  Ah yes, there are rules:-

• All recipients need to thank the giver
• Post 7 things about yourself
• Pass the award on to 7 other bloggers of their choice and let them know that they have been nominated.
• Include the logo of the award in a post or on your blog

Thank you Yvonne, for passing this award to Daisy and myself, it’s given us (well me anyway) a lovely happy feeling to think that someone feels that my ramblings are worth reading in the first place, let alone giving an award to.

Now 7 things about me

• I’m rubbish at leaving comments on blogs – it’s something I really struggle with.  I want to leave comments but feel shy/awkward about doing so when I’ve not met the person in person so to speak.  It’s something I’m determined to overcome this year.
• I love good quality white chocolate.  You can keep your dark chocolate – too bitter and your milk chocolate – too sickly, but now this is delicious.  This is a particular favourite at the moment, which I can only get on Amazon 5 bars at a time, but I’m not ordering any more, no I’m going to be strong – no more white chocolate (I’ve still got a bar and a half left in the cupboard, hee hee).

• I love old films from the 30′s through to the 50′s. I love, love the clothes women wore back then, smart and elegant.  I’m not sure I’d love the underpinnings though, as I suspect there was a lot of uncomfortable corsetry going on underneath those beautiful outfits to achieve perfect hourglass figures.
• As you may have gathered Beloved and I ballroom dance, but we can’t dance tango or foxtrot yet and can’t find anyone to teach us how to either
• I don’t drink coffee (yuck as far as I’m concerned, too bitter), but I do love a slice of homemade coffee cake.  I know, doesn’t make a bit of sense does it?
• I love to see the snowdrops appear – they remind me that spring is not far away.
• I really dislike using the phone.  I don’t know why – I put off ringing people for as long as possible simply because I don’t like phoning, and I don’t like answering it either.  The nicest thing about living here is that there is NO mobile phone signal (hang on a sec whilst I do a little happy dance …..)  OK, I’m back now.  Can you believe I’ve spent most of my working life as a secretary with a phone sat on my desk?  (Cue Hitchcock music..)

These are some of the blogs I stalk enjoy reading regularly whilst drinking my morning cup of green tea.

Roobeedoo because Ruth regularly makes me laugh, and knits and sews the most wonderful creations

Karen at Did You Make That has a sewlutions jar – I wasn’t brave enough to put one into the jar.  An excellent seamstress and knitter as well as keeper of the sewlutions.

Lucy at Attic 24 crochets up the most wonderfully colourful life I’ve ever seen, and she’s helping to organise a Yarndale yarnfest in September.

Gemma at Orchard House Living who’s doing a photo a day challenge

Pendlestitches sews and knits for her lovely family.

KC at The Sewcratic Method who generously gave a donation to Ted and Bobble when they where tripping the light fantastic around the UK to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support

Diane at Marguerite Designs who took Ted to the races no less!

Must go and give Daisy that biscuit now

Jane & Daisy xx