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| Old English Tarot |
... but it pours. Let me share with you the list of things that have broken in the last week:
1. Mini Diva's laptop charger. For some who-knows-what reason, they required us to also drop off her laptop for the technicians to look at.
2. Mini Diva's behavior. She hits new pubertal lows. As a result Destructo Boy wants to move out. I do too, but I don't say so out loud.
3. The fridge section of the fridge-freezer that came with the house. I phone the landlady who tells me it's nothing to do with her. I book a repair man for it.
4. The shower. Water comes out fine, but at Arctic temperatures. Landlady agrees to send a repair man. Repair man replaces it.
5. Washing machine packs up. We fix this ourselves - a blocked filter and drain hose. Next time we get a short-haired dog that doesn't moult.
6. Freezer section of fridge-freezer packs up. Oh well, at least we've already got a call in for the repair man. Repair man comes and writes off fridge-freezer, a manufacturing fault, reckons it is about 4 to 7 years old. I use Titch's credit card to buy a new fridge-freezer for next day delivery. Thank you, Titch and thank you AO.com.
We have not yet decided what to do about the old fridge-freezer that the landlady wanted nothing to do with although it's hers. It's on the inventory. As a Zanussi when it is a Hotpoint. If you have advice about this, please share in the comments section.
After all this plus normal chores, I decide to reward myself for my ace survival skillz by finally getting out the sewing machine Titch bought me last year as an early Xmas present when it was on sale in May. I plug it in, I RTFM, I switch it on, I do some straight stitching. I turn the stitch selector dial - and it comes off in my hand, there's a crack in the part that grips the spindle.
I could have wept. And maybe I hid my face in the airing cupboard and did.
So this is what I did after lunch yesterday:
That is the pattern page for Sweet Dreams from The Best of Terry Kimbrough Baby Afghans, a 5.5mm hook, a new ball of King Cole Comfort Baby DK in pale yellow, a COLD gin and tonic, and a handsome gorgeous Sebastian. Note the weather - there's a reason I live here, the driest sunniest part of the British Isles.
If you have made it this far, you too have ace survival skillz, and I salute you. Pop off to Life & Yarn for people with unbroken things ...
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| Whimsical Tarot |
We've had some almost seasonal weather this week, so I have spent more time outside with my pots on the patio with lots and lots of washing on the line; of course, it only takes a warm patch for both the shower and the fridge to break down, and Mini Diva's laptop (new at Christmas) is headed back to the shop this weekend too - but if trouble comes in threes, that should be us done, for now.
Like this cute little vintage 4ply baby cardigan (neat segue, huh) :
Somewhere along the line I made an error with measurements, as there are supposed to be 5 buttons but I only had room for four - and nice little unusual buttons they are too. This is a shade called 'Camel', of Sirdar Country Style 4ply - it felt a little scritchy at first (I'm guessing the wool content), but after a wash & fabric conditioner, it gained softness and a bit of bloom.
The color is true in the 1st photo ... but this one shows the detail of the cable pattern, separated with moss stitch rather than boring old purl, and the decorative detail of the raglan sleeves. Altogether a dinky and rather pretty little cardigan, I think: Robin 1139, for Robin Bri-Nylon Supercrimp 4ply.
Today it is FO Friday and Friday Finishes which, when Googled, will give you lots of pretty things to look at.
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| Deviant Moon Tarot |
No, I haven't been doing anything as exotic as learning to belly-dance. Just juggling all the kids' stuff plus home things plus niggly admin things that suck up way more time than they should. I wonder how on earth did I fit everything in when I was working outside the home ? Of course, Titch was home everyday - the plus of agency work over tramping - so things didn't fall just to me to do. Rather than getting into a rant about the thankless unpaid drudgery that falls to my lot nowadays, instead let's show you the progress on the last of the 4 baby cardigans I'm making:
The pattern is Sirdar Snuggly DK 3946, but I am using 3 balls of Sirdar Tiny Tots in the colorway 987. imaginatively christened 'green': that color seems to be discontinued, but I am glad that 'Pooping Purple' was merely my eyes playing tricks on me. Although it's a blend of acrylic/polyester, it has somewhat of a cotton-y feel; I would prefer it plain without the slubs, I think - I think this was some of my sister's stash.
Anyway, it was knitting up nice and quickly until having to DO things like take people to school, pick them up from Cubs, go to Parents' Evening (Mini Diva is perfect, apparently, except for Drama - I can't figure out how that can be when she is such an expert in it at home), go to cricket training, do the ironing, do to Share Day ... you get the idea. I thought I was supposed to regain my time as the kids grew older, but I'm not really seeing that yet.
This afternoon, I only have to vacuum, and then my time is my own for a couple of hours, so I'll just recommend that you pop over to Life&Yarn, while I get a move on so I can snatch some knitting time ...
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| Spiral Tarot |
So I'm sitting here with the light on as the thunderstorm and intense downpour has rendered it as dark as a bat's cave, wondering about the unseasonal weather - until this week, low temperatures, last week there were gales ... general weirdness.
Luckily for you and me, I took photos of the Ruffles & Stripes baby blanket ages ago:
It's pretty large, about 43'' by 35'' (110cm x 90cm) and I used most of 6 balls of King Cole Baby Comfort DK, 2 each of White, Pebble and Mink with a 5.0mm hook. The pattern was another delight from 'The Best of Terry Kimbrough Baby Afghans' . I am pretty chuffed with it, and will shortly be starting another pattern from the same book.
While I rest comfortably on my laurels, by popping FO Friday into Google you will find much more loveliness ....
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| Prarie Tarot |
So you may remember that my final post for the 6th Annual Knitting & Crochet Blog week was a competition .... I used a randomizer thingy, and the number selected was:
Which means that the winner is Chris from Chrisknits ! Chris and I have been Rav- and blog-friends for quite a while,
so I know she'll make good use of her prize - if I survive the stashdiving experience without suffocating myself in mounds of yarn.
Chris, PM me your snail mail address through Ravelry, and I'll pop something in the post for you ...
Thank you everyone who took the time to comment and/or create an entry ...
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| Witches' Tarot (Dugan) |
I know, I know ! I was doing so well with the whole 6KCBW, I mean - 5 days out of 7 and that even included the photographic challenge ! ... Only to fall at the last hurdle ie. the weekend posts. But I just couldn't find the time, plus I didn't have any inspiration, which of course made it so much harder to find the time to sit there just to scratch my head.
But I have been knitting like a fiend. Or, it feels like it, anyway. I have started another baby cardigan (the 3rd out of a planned 4) with some Sirdar 4ply Country Style that I scored in a megasale at PurpleLindaCrafts for a mere £1 a ball ... add that to a pretty little vintage pattern that I found a while back, Robin 1139 for some yarn called Bri-Nylon (no, not sure what that is) and Wah-Lah, you have this:
See the decorative raglan edge ? So pretty ....
And the kids are out again, one at a sports camp, the other at her Bestie's (it's half-term) so I am going to use the opportunity to do a quick catch-up on the housework - even I am having trouble tolerating the carpet vs. fur ratio. However, you may go indulge in other people's lovely WIPs by popping over to Life & Yarn ...
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| Joie de Vivre Tarot |
Alll-most there - day 5 out of 7, and today's 6th Annual Knitting & Crochet Week prompt is:
Day Five (Friday 15th May): Something A Bit Different
It’s the annual challenge to blog in a way different to how you normally blog. You may choose to create a podcast, or vlog, create a wordless post, a beautiful infographic or write in verse. You can post on any topic you like, but be sure to post in a style different from your usual blog presentation. There’s not too much guidance for this one simply because the more varied the posts are on this day, the wider the sources of information for other bloggers will be.
There was an old woman from Ipswich
Who spent some time learning to slip stitch;
Once she had learned how
She said, 'Look at me now -
Crocheting without even one glitch !'
copyright Vivianne Kacal 2015
I know.
I am sorry.
I am so sorry.
I am very sorry.
I am so very sorry.
I am so very, very sorry.
I am ... you get the idea.
Really, I am so apologetic I might even be English. But after the haikus and cinquains of recent years, this poor limerick is all I could come up with.
As a reward - or maybe it is punishment - I shall again offer you the opportunity to also inflict mental and emotional abuse on my readers (as I did here) by submitting your very own verse: it can be any accepted form of verse, for example, iambic pentameter, epigram, haiku, sonnet, etc. ... The winner will receive a marvellous mystery prize from me.
Conditions of Entry:
Open to international entries
Closing date Fri.22nd May
Winner will be chosen by random number generator.
Winner will be announced on the blog.
Please make sure I can contact you for your address.
There will be many interesting offerings today - find them by putting 6KCBWDAY5 into Google.
