Playing with yarn...

The weather has been so cold and wet that attempting a walk on crutches outdoors seems unwise, so in between wearing a track in my carpet doing laps of the living room, I have been trying to fill the time with crafty stuff. I am trying not to buy more yarn just yet, as I have a fair bit left from other projects or random  purchases, so I have made a couple of pairs of socks and am playing with a two-tone crochet pattern...

I don't usually go for just two colours but am quite enjoying the rhythm of this double/half treble pattern, which carries the colour not in use across as you crochet which seems to have two effects - it is making a nice squishy fabric and no ends to sew in - yay! I think this is heading to be a cushion but haven't quite decided yet.

Never one for just one thing on the go at a time (I get bored very quickly!), I have almost finished another pair of socks...

I love knitted socks - they last better and are warmer than any I have ever bought - but I have ended up with lots of left over bits...

...so I have been trying to decide what to do with them all. I could do more socks and mix and match but I'm a bit done with knitting for a bit I think, so have been playing with crochet ideas. Its much finer than I usually crochet with so it may try my patience but for now I'm going to make a few little squares and see how I feel.

I'm quite liking this little off centre square - can't quite decide how they will look together but will see how it looks when I've made a few!

Work in progress!

S x

Goodbye 2023...a year in review...

Sometimes I wonder if the years are all difficult, or if being on your own makes you more acutely aware of things with too much time for introspection, or perhaps I have just forgotten to notice the happy at times. I have been trying to diarise a bit of late - the old fashioned way, with pen and paper, in an effort to get circular thoughts out of my head but perhaps a summary here will put things in perspective for me.

It feels as though the last 5 years have been especially hard going - I still cannot believe it is almost 5 years since my Mum got sick and died in the space of a few months, way too soon, the following two years were largely dictated by the pandemic, with the added complication of two house moves and a long period of turmoil between homes, with my life on hold and all my familiar things in storage. The high spot in 2021 was the birth of my grandson, after a complicated pregnancy and difficult delivery, only for my poor son and daughter in law to have the trauma of first baby becoming very unwell post delivery, needing a week in NICU, followed by her becoming acutely unwell with sepsis from post C-section infection and a prolonged recovery. It has taken them a long time to get through everything and, whilst he is a happy, energetic, mostly healthy toddler, with a bright mind and a lively imagination, he seems to have inherited the family allergy genes and had a run of hospital admissions with acute asthma like illness and respiratory failure, until he got established on treatment. In 2020 my youngest son emigrated to Czech Republic, which is bittersweet because I think it is the right thing for him but I miss him hugely. Towards the end of 2021 I began to have increasing problems with low back pain - a long standing niggling problem, which became more acute by the summer of that year with new and worsening neurological symptoms. Forward to 11/11/22 - urgent spinal surgery to relieve the pressure on lumbar nerve roots and spinal cord, with some immediate relief but by Spring this year the pain had shifted to the right side and I found myself back in the orthopaedic waiting room and ultimately back on the operating table for a more complex surgery to stabilise my spine 2 weeks ago, from which I think I have a long way to recover. At the moment, my key loves and things that have saved my sanity on many occasions over the last 10 years or more, the garden, walking and yoga, are all out of the question. I can't drive, can only hobble a few yards on crutches and bending and twisting is not allowed. After almost 40 years of nursing, being on the other side of the fence has been an education and, for the most part, a difficult experience. Whilst most people I have had interactions with have been kind and the standard of care has been mostly good, a prolonged admission is undoubtedly dehumanising and disempowering, the system assumes many things I hadn't realised and being dependent is an eye opener into the future as a single woman who can no longer ignore that 'late middle age' is actually a reality. In the middle of all this, my Dad, who we have had a difficult relationship for many years, went from a pretty well and very independent 82year old, still working and travelling regularly, to increasingly frail over 3 weeks and then dying in the ITU on the 3rd morning of a short admission, leaving a complex probate to sort out and bringing up many emotions, memories, regrets and old traumas I thought long dealt with. It's been a lot.

In the interests of balance, there have been high points, 3 weddings, graduations, a new baby, a new home with a garden that has given me more pleasure than I had realised it would, a greenhouse (which last year extended my time outside and saved me a fortune in tomatoes and cucumbers over the summer), some rebalancing of work-life, with the realisation that life is short and unpredictable and that contact with family and friends matters more than anything else. I have reconnected with some old friends, had immense support during the tough times and been able to give support in return to those having their own challenges to face. We have had special family times, the joy of reconnection with friends and family after months of lockdowns, and a few treats in the form of a few days abroad, or in Scotland or the Lakes, and the novelty of rediscovering theatre and live shows - Diana Ross at the Albert Hall being one for the memory bank, full of sparkle and laughter.

When I look back at those two paragraphs, the disparity in size is striking - perhaps I have missed some of the good things but, regardless, I need 2024 to be kinder. And perhaps part of that is being kinder to myself. 

So...to catch up, have I taken enough photos to complete the photo hunt I set myself (note to self - don't repeat! one more thing that feels like a bit of pressure when unplanned things start to crowd in!)? Some of these may be a bit tenuous but here goes with something...

Unexpected	Feb	Free	Oct
Thought provoking	May	Important	May
Exotic	Aug	Yellow	Jan
Interesting	Mar	Valuable	Jul
Exciting	Apr	Old	Jun
Happy	Feb	Fresh	Jun
Rough	Jan	Smaller than a mouse	Dec
Golden	Jul	Purple	Feb
You love	Feb	Glittery	Jun
Tasty	Jul	Orange
Shiny	Dec	Dirty	Sept
Colourful	Jan	Fluffy	Sept
Light	Jul	Green	Mar
Tall	Jan	Alive	Aug
Black		With wheels	Dec
Smooth	Oct	Short
White	Mar	With hair
Special	May	Heavy	Oct
Soft	Dec	Pink	Apr
Wet	Apr	Noisy	Oct
That moves	May	Blue	Mar
Tiny	Apr	Hard	Sept
Sharp	Aug	Clean	Sept
Red	Aug	To eat	Jun

September:

Something dirty...

This table was buried in the garage of my parents' home - under a thick layer of dust and years of stains and grime. But its a lovely piece of furniture, destined for my kitchen in due course, and a quick clean of the fold down leaves suggests it will come up nicely with a bit of elbow grease.

Something hard...

Ok...this is stretching it I suppose! But as well as prickly, its certainly not soft! Loved these this year - I know people think they are weed but I am hoping they spread a bit in this part of the garden and provide an attraction for the birds. Fingers crossed...

Something fluffy...

This heated blanket may not have the colour and squishiness of the crocheted blankets but it is very fluffy and the preferred option for the small boy...

October:

Something free...

A walk in the woods, the fresh air and art in the form of sculptural trees. What's not to love?

Something smooth...

Untouched sand after the tide rolls out.

Something heavy...

Why would you not try to pick up the biggest pumpkin if you are two?!!

Something noisy...

The Albert Hall, alive with people enjoying Miss Diana Ross - fabulous at 79. The atmosphere

was electric and it was a great antidote to pain - until the next day!

November:

A photographic desert. I only took 4 pictures, most a a conference and entirely uninspiring!

December: 

Something soft...

Obligatory new purchase for hospital trip - the softest dressing gown I have ever owned, and welcome it was too. A little comfort in a surprisingly alien environment.

Something with wheels...

Reluctantly admitting this was essential, after an op, a week in hospital and a bit of nerve damage that has left me, hopefully temporarily, with a bit of a useless right leg. I couldn't have managed without it for the first week at home. But it made me feel ancient - and gave me an insight into just how difficult getting around with these can be - believe me that natty tray thing does not keep the coffee in the cup when you move!

Something shiny...

Pretty festive candle gift from a work colleague and friend which lights up with tiny fairy lights around the candle. Lovely.

Something smaller than a mouse...

A brass pin from the vast amount of lacemaking stuff or Mum's.

So...not exactly a roaring success and a complete failure to post even once a month! But lessons in achievable goals.

And just a few other photos that captured things I loved this year...

And finally, family across the generations, past and present, and rediscovering the joy of making wooly things...

Here's to 2024, Happy New Year!

S x

Stash-busting...

There is something about this time of year that makes me want to reach for the yarn bag. Or in my case the yarn bag, box under the bed, odd bag in the cupboard and chest of drawers in the spare room! I seem to have balls of yarn stuffed in every spare space, from projects over the years (some many years!) and the onset of colder, dark evenings made me want to reach for the crochet hook and get blanket making.

I finished the baby blanket that has been stored for 25 years half made...

I have no baby to give it to yet but at least it can go back in the drawer completed and just wait for the right occasion. I do love this pattern and think I would make it again but after all that white I was craving for a bit of colour. Then when hunting for a crochet hook I came across this stash of cotton yarns...

It was like falling upon a rainbow! Some of these date from my very first forays into crochet several years ago when I treated myself to a few balls of lovely Rowan hand knit cotton each time I spotted one in the 'end of lines' box in my yarn store. Of course, when you do this a bit aimlessly without a project in mind you often don't end up using them! Or I don't! So I decided I should do something with these but didn't want to make another granny blanket. Initially I wondered about a ripple but I had this urge to do a rainbow on the diagonal and came across a corner to corner pattern which grow in blocks - perfect! 

It grows quickly in blocks of 4 trebles and I am loving it. It is easy enough once you have the pattern in your head to do in front of a film or easy TV but different enough for me to keep my interest. And relatively few ends to sew in which is always a bonus in my book!

I had pretty much decided to just use up each colour but in fact the first 3 colours conveniently finished at the end of rows and when I got to the yellow it became obvious that a) that would be way too much yellow at once and b) I really needed another round of colours to balance things across the size of a blanket.

I slightly regret the few blocks of green at the beginning of the row but in the spirit of stash busting decided to leave it. Only guess what? Now I need to go and get some more of the dark purple, the light blue, green and orange so that I can repeat the rows! I still have a similar darker blue and the yellows and reds and I don't mind if they are not an exact match but it does rather defeat the object if I end up with more left over at the end!

I am trying to be a bit careful with pennies at the moment so I have put the rainbow project to one side and am really going for it with the rest of the yarn I have stowed! The current project is a complete mish mash of all the dark and bright yarns I have - using a huge hook and 2 strands of different yarns with easy rows of half trebles. I can't quite decide if I am going to like it or not but there is something satisfying about seeing these balls of wool that have been kicking around for years get used up and it is making a very cosy blanket to sit under of an evening! Might post photos at a later stage!

I wonder whether I will ever have the discipline to only buy wool for what I am making and not extra odd balls...

S x

Autumn walks and uncovering unfinished projects...

The last couple of weeks have definitely had an autumnal feel but the last 2 days have seen some lovely sunshine, not with the heat of summer sun but enough to make a walk by Whitlingham Broad very pleasant. The leaves are only just beginning to turn but the hedgerows are full of hips and berries.

I love the sunlight on the water - I have done this walk many times, and probably taken hundreds of very similar photographs but I never tire of it...

After a 9 1/2 mile round trip walk I indulged a little crafty time in front of the television - some time ago I came across this WIP tucked in a pillow case in a drawer in my spare room, with my wedding veil of all things! Goodness knows why I had stowed it away like that but I guess I must have had a reason! 

This pattern was in a 1993 Prima magazine...

...and has been tucked away for almost all of that time! I started knitting it when I was pregnant with my third child, who has just had his 25th birthday! I'm not quite sure what possessed me to start a baby blanket when I had a 4 year old, a 2 year old, had just moved house and was due to have baby number 3...! Needless to say, I hadn't got very far!

It looks a complicated pattern but actually, is very easy, knitted in small squares and sewn together into 7 larger squares.  When I found it, I had completed just 8 small squares. Although there are no babies pending (that I know of!) I thought I may as well finish it and then put it away again in the hope that it might be used one day. Each small square takes me an evening so really it hasn't taken long to get to this stage...

 The yarn is Sirdar Soft Cotton 4 ply - I'm not sure if you can still buy exactly the same yarn, think this pre-dates mercerised yarns so it does have a slight tendency to be a bit splitty but it is beautifully soft and drapey.

Just the border to finish now...

I don't usually use anything so fine and certainly not just in white but it does feel very traditional and I do love it. And it has made me want to get another project underway because, inevitably, it looks as though there are going to be a couple of balls over... Might just have to go and get a bit more 4 ply, maybe with a bit of colour and hmmm...maybe a soft, cottony, drapey crochet blanket...?

S x

reconnecting...

This week I have picked up a few things that seem to have got rather sidelined in the crazy whirl of life - my camera has barely been out of late, the regular walks have gone by the wayside and as for anything crafty...

But a few cooler, darker evenings have seen me reaching for my hook and yarn again. Combined with a spot of decorating that means suddenly another blanket is not just a yearning but positively required ;)

I had a hankering after something slightly less bright than my usual go to colours. Initially I was thinking for my spare room but actually wondering now whether to put it in my room. I have just painted it a very soft peachy pink. Sounds a bit hideous but actually its nice - quite a warm colour and changes a bit through the day as the light changes in there. It reminds me of old fashioned calamine lotion... I've also stripped the paint off the ancient old beam in there and replaced the horrible freebie bed I picked up when I was scrabbling around for furniture 4 years ago with a lovely black metal bedstead. So I think it could take a muted blanket... Or maybe I'll just ring the changes according to my mood... 

I started off doing a granny stripe of cream alternating with pink, blue and green. These photos make them look a bit more bleached but actually the cream is quite a 'clotted cream' colour and the colours are soft but not too insipid. Then I got a bit bored (seriously poor concentration span!) and decided to add a row of daisy grannies. I might mix it up completely and and add some bigger granny squares too. My favourite blanket of all time so far (that I've made - have seen some lovely ones elsewhere!) is the daisy blanket at the top of my header. It was a completely made up as I went along random make - but is still the one that on the whole is at the foot of my bed. This time I might try to be a bit more disciplined with the joining up so its not so crooked but I like the idea of some continuity and simplicity in the colours but a mix of basic patterns. We'll see - I've a way to go yet as this needs to be full double bed size. The last one this big took me forever!

This last weekend was trying in all sorts of ways and after a pretty sleepless Saturday night I was up early Sunday to bright sunshine so decided to head up to the coast and walk a bit further round my beach walk challenge. When I started this in January I was trying to visit each of the Norfolk beaches and walk a bit but I have really struggled to get up there over the summer months so progress has dramatically slowed. The last walk took me (with Mum!) from Overstrand to Cromer so this time I parked at Cromer and headed out from the pier...

in the direction of Sheringham...

There were autumnal colours in the hedgerows along the way...

but the sun was glorious and warm and the sky and sea so blue you could be forgiven for thinking it was high summer. The tide was going out and the wet stones seemed to almost sparkle on the sand...

At East Runton I headed up to the coast path along the cliff top, looking back over the expanse of sand and shingle...

This path is easy walking with not much in the way of inclines until you get to Beeston just before Sheringham with views across open sea peppered with wind turbines on one side and gentle countryside and fluffy clouds the other...

Norfolk cliffs may not be very high really but looking down you do get a sense of the expanse of the beaches stretching in each direction, to say nothing of the precariousness of the crumbling cliffs...

As you arrive into Sheringham there is the usual row of coloured beach huts...

but also a real sense that this is still a fishing base, with boats and kit pulled up on the shingle at the top of the beach...

I'm always slightly fascinated by the demarcation of the sand and shingle sections of this beach. Its probably not obvious from these photos but the shingle here is hefty sea-smoothed flinty pebbles of a good couple of inches across or more.  It amazes me that the sea must drag them up and deposit them so neatly against the defences.

The sandy part is lovely fine sand and with the tide just out perfect for sandcastles. Isn't this a fab example?! Complete with moat and stone walls...

Heading on towards Weybourne past the lifeboat station, brave crews who I have every admiration for...

I think this beach looks as though someone has carefully swept all the stones up to the cliffs in the neatest line!

One last look back at the sea before heading inland again...

past another iconic Norfolk sight, this windmill in beautiful condition, repurposed as a home...

and up to the pretty church at Weybourne with its mix of ruin and working place of worship...

It was a lovely late summer walk, with real warmth in the sunshine and that sense of space that is not difficult to find her if you just walk a wee bit further than most do.

And another treat awaiting when I got home! I have been on Artesano's mailing list for some time and this offer of reduced Alpaca/wool DK blend caught my eye. It is sooo soft (much more than it looks) and felt very special in its purple tissue wrapped skeins...

This colour blend is called malt and although at first glance looks just brown, up close is actually a mixture of shades and textures. I loved winding it into a ball...

and couldn't wait long before starting to knit it up...

So far, it is gorgeous to knit with - smooth even and feels like it will be warm and cosy. Cooler, dark evenings looking better already!

S x