January stitching

The end of the month has caught me by suprise, I had planned to post on my latest finish last Friday, clearly that didn't happen, no idea where the time went.

There was just enough fabric left over from my Prarie Schooler Happy Christmas finish, (which you can find in this post), to stitch the two small charts which were also included with the main chart.

They didn't take long at all, I only stitched in daylight because of the black fabric but I managed to get them both done in three or four days and got them fully finished last week.

They are only tiny, a couple of inches that's all, stitched over one on 18 count aida, I think they may be the smallest ornaments I've ever stitched.

I used some cotton gingham for the backing and think they came out quite sweet.

The lovely Carol is hosting an ornament SAL again this year, the #12in22ornamentstitchalong can be found on Instagram.  I don't have Instagram on my phone anymore and don't keep up with what's happening on there but,  I'm hoping to stitch along and share here on my blog, I hope that's ok Carol?

Mark was away again at the weekend and I had lots of crafting time planned and I'd also picked up some more charity shop bargain DVD's to keep me company.  I didn't get much crafting done nor did I watch my DVD's, thinking back, I can't actually remember what I did with my weekend, lol.

Anyway, I was just on the phone telling Mark about my films and he said he wouldn't mind watching them at the weekend so I'm going to save them now for us both to watch.   

There, my husbands guilty film secret is out, he likes a good chick flick, lol.

Do you and your other half share the same taste in movies or do your tastes differ?

-X-

January socks

 My first socks of the year.  

Perhaps I'm being a bit ambitious but, I really would like to knit a pair each month during 2022, now I've got the hang of it.

Jo was right, they are addictive once you start!

Started on 3/1/2022 finished 19/1/2022

I'm really chuffed with how they matched up, It wasn't by accident though, I had to cast on the second sock several times before I was happy that It was the same as the first. 

I've told all the family that they are getting handknitted socks from me for Christmas, ha ha ha.  

I have plenty of sock yarn to go at so it's perfectly doable, I just need to keep up my love of knitting them.

For the rest of January I've picked up an old WIP, the Flax Light, (jumper), which I started quite a while ago, I can't remember that I've ever shared it on here.  I abandoned it once the body was finished, It's knit top down in the round and I think I must have been fed up of all that garter stitch.   There are only the sleeves left to knit and I did the majority of one of those over the weekend, so all being well, and if I don't get too bored of sleeve knitting, I should get it done by the weekend. 

What crafty plans do you have for the coming week?

-X-

I'm ready for some cold weather now

 I've been wanting to knit the Snuggle Down Cowl ever since it was released but wasn't sure what yarn to use, the pattern suggestion is one strand of 4ply held together with mohair, (or similar) but looking through finished items I noticed a couple knitted in James C. Brett Driftwood DK, I had a ball of that tucked away so decided to make use of it.

I love the way it knitted up , and it's perfect tucked inside a jacket.  The yarn is so soft you don't even know it's there, I would definitely knit this pattern again, it was a simple repeat, easy to memorise and knit up in no time at all.  Now all I need is some weather cold enough for me to wear it!

The shade is DW01 and the Snuggle Down Cowl pattern can be found on Ravelry, (paid for pattern)

I had a lovely quiet weekend, I was going to go out on Saturday but changed my mind and instead I pottered around the house.  I watched two of my DVD's over the weekend and I had a lazy Monday watching the third one.

Alfie and Sex And The City I hadn't seen previously but really enjoyed them, I think everyone has seen Forrest Gump but I'd forgotten what a great film it is, thoroughly enjoyed it all over again, and Tom Hanks looks so young, lol

They were a great buy at three for £1, they have now gone into the charity bag for someone else to enjoy.  I will be on the look out for others when I go into town next.

The de-cluttering is continuing, the loft threw up a big box of photos that I have been slowly going through, bringing back some lovely memories.  I don't want to put these back up the loft so they are sitting in piles on the dining table waiting to be put in albums.  There is one more box up the loft to go through and then that can be crossed off my list.

 Three wordrobes have been sorted and rearanged, it's evident that we have too many clothes!  I did donate a bag full to charity, so that's cleared a bit of space but I'm always reluctant to get rid of clothes, other items, If they are not used, I have no problem with, but clothes I seem to hang on to for some reason.

What do you hang on to that you should clear out?

-X-

Park life

 It was a very misty start to the day today.  I'd promised Arty I would take him to the park, we got there about midday and you still couldn't see to the other side of the pond, it did make for some nice errie photos though.

There was a thin layer of ice all around the pond, I know that the wildlife are equiped for this icy water, but I do feel sorry for them all the same and as you can imagine they were starving.

The black headed gulls always make a scrabble for the food, they can be very annoying, but you couldn't blame them today.

We threw bread into the air to see them catch it, although, you do have to be careful to throw it up and out rather than up above your head, lol

Arty got to play on the park for a while, he would have been quite happy to stay on the swings all day.

We decided to leave the car at the park and walk into town to have some lunch and by that time the mist had cleared to show a beautiful blue sky, for a short time at least.

Spending the afternoon with Arty has been a lovely end to my week, and he enjoyed himself too.

Mark is working this weekend, I don't have any plans to go anywhere but I do have three DVD's lined up to watch which I bought from the charity shop a couple of weeks ago.

Hope you week has been a good one

-X-

New Year knitting

 I mentioned previously that I intended casting on another pair of socks on New Years Eve, that didn't happen because that rotten cold I got on my birthday lingered in my sinuses and I felt terrible for a good few days, I did make a start on them a few days later though,.

this is the yarn, James C Brett Funny Feetz in the colourway number is FZB04.  

This was one of my purchases when I went to Llandudno last year.

I've got as far as finishing the heel flaps and will turn the heels as soon as I've finished this blog post.

I was mindful of making them match and don't think I've done too shabby a job on that :-)

It's taken a while but I think I've finally been bitten by the sock knitting bug and i'm really enjoying the process, 2022 could be a year of socks!

New year also bought about a need to de-clutter.  I'm on a mission to rid the house of things we no longer need or make use of.  We are not untidy people and I do have regular clear outs but there always seems to be things that I hang on to, 'just in case'.  I've already done the pantry and discovered that I have an obsession I didn't know about.

I'm actually a little embarrassed about all those candles and smellies, I honestly didn't realise I had so many, and this doesn't include the ones dotted around the house!

The loft is my next area of attack.  We don't store too much up there so hopefully I can get it done over a few day's next week.

Wish me luck :-)

-X-

Books read in 2021 - reading challenge

 I've mentioned before how I keep a reading record on Goodreads and I set my reading challenge every year on New Years Day.  I've set my challenge at 50 books again for 2022, it seems like a good round number to aim for, although I don't always reach it.

Last year I managed to read 42 books which, according to Goodreads, equates to 12,760 pages.  I usually only read when I go to bed, so I'm happy with that number.

My shortest book was Lockdown by Peter May, (246 pages), my longest book was Stone Cold Heart by Caz Frear, (480 pages)

Two books stand out from last year for me, The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig and The Four Winds, By Kristen Hannah, both very different books but brilliant in their own right.

The Midnight Library was a popular choice on goodreads with 1,875,26 people shelving it

My last book for 2021 was Times Echo by Pamela Hartshown, I'd put this near the top of my list too, thoroughly enjoyed this time slip novel, not a fast read but, one of those books, similar to the other two that you actually don't mind reading every word because it's all relevant and not just padding out the story. 

I've recently joined a book club again.  I used to belong to one at my local library but due to dwindling numbers that one closed some time ago  The one I've joined is at the same library but this particular group has been going for a number of years and before the pandemic was always full, but because of the situation over the last two years and the various lockdowns some members decided to drop out altogether, which is how I was able to join.  I've been to one meeting so far and everyone seems very nice and I'm really looking forward to reading what books are on offer, our first meeting of the year is at the end of January.

Are you a reader? what books stand out as your favourites last year? and have you set yourself a reading challenge for this year?

-X-

December stitching

Happy Christmas by The Prairie Schooler

Started on December 1st 2021 Finished on December 31st 2021 

Stitched on 18 count chalkboard aida, 1 over 1

Looking at it more closely now in the photos I can see that I'm going to have to go over it with a pair of tweezers and pick off all the bits of cat hair  fluff.

My goal was to finish this piece in the month of December, although at the beginning of the month I didn't have much time to sit and stitch so I didn't think it would happen but, I've had some quiet afternoons this last week  and have done something I never get to do on a normal week, sit and stitch all afternoon and evening.  

The piece isn't very big 7 1/2 x 5 1/2 but I did struggle with the dark fabric until I got used to it, I've only stitched on black aida once before.

I really love how it turned out and will be on the look out for a frame in the new year to frame ready to display for Christmas 2022.

~~~~~~~~~~~

So here we are at the start of another new year, a new page with new beginnings and new goals to set.  2021 was another strange year what with the continuing pandemic, although there is light at the end of the tunnel with that now, fingers crossed, (if you go in search of unbiased news and not believe all the scare mongering of the tabloids or BBC that is), 2022 will be better I'm sure, i'm an optimist 😁 

And of course 2021 will always be a sad year because of the passing of my mum.  I know that she would not want any of us to dwell on that, she would say, go on, you have things to do and family's to look after, we have to remember the happy times don't we, and she will always be with us, she lives on in us and everything we do.

Anyway, I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year and thank you for your visits to my blog and your lovely comments throughout the year, they do mean a lot to me. 

Take care of yourselves 

-X-