tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94512362024-03-23T18:08:51.202+00:00DoodlesA Yarn Stash with a View - or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the YarnHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-38854154311599947782012-08-26T19:59:00.001+01:002012-08-26T19:59:54.471+01:00RIP Chloe<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3322605489/" title="Chloe, February 2009 by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img alt="Chloe, February 2009" height="240" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3633/3322605489_55162bec31_m.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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I'm so sorry to reboot this blog with sad news. Chloe, who was 21 and had been with us for 15 years, sadly had to be put to sleep on Thursday, August 23. She'd been suffering from thyroid problems for a while and, although she initially rallied on medication, began to go downhill again recently. For several days before she died, she was eating very little, and eventually it became very clear that it was her time to go.<br />
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The vet came to our home to euthanise her, and was extremely respectful and considerate. Chloe died in my arms. It was such a peaceful death that I didn't realise she had gone, until he listened to her heart and told me so.<br />
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I chose the photo above, which was taken in February 2009, because it's exactly what she looked like until the last few months of her life. She was cantankerous, opinionated, and would not take no for an answer. In short, she was a bit of a madam, and we loved her.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-55441753395287936202011-04-28T16:19:00.003+01:002011-04-28T16:27:02.478+01:00UpdateThis is just a short post to explain what's happening, and why I disappeared again!<br /><br />There have been a lot of stressful things happening, over the last year, and my body is not dealing with them well. Some of them have been lovely things, and some quite distressing - but my condition doesn't distinguish between the two, and flares up regardless. I don't mind so much after nice stress - at least I have something fun to remember - but I do take it amiss when I flare after bad stress. That's just adding insult to injury!<br /><br />Anyway, when everything stops hurting, and my voice comes back (it's really irritating trying to shout in a whisper...), and my brain is working well for more than a few minutes at a time, I shall be back more regularly. Until then, I leave you with a rare crochet project - something for me to wear:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/5626857005/" title="Untitled by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5626857005_fddf2aa4fe.jpg" alt="" height="374" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />It's really comfortable. And very pink :)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-40586813856470198822010-12-08T15:13:00.004+00:002010-12-08T15:46:53.723+00:00.....aaaaaand I'm back!<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >In my defence, I said 'after Christmas'. I did not say how <span style="font-style: italic;">long</span> after Christmas...<br /><br />Two things have prodded me into coming back. One was receiving a couple of comments from new readers (hello, <span style="font-style: italic;">maybe</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">checat</span>!), and one was looking in my diary and realising that last weekend was my sixth blogiversary. I have many things to tell you... but I'll start with the hats.</span><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">My Quaker Meeting threw a party last year </span><span style="font-size:100%;">for women and children asylum seekers in Sunderland</span><span style="font-size:100%;">. I made them six hats - and 70 women and 30 children attended!</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This year, starting in June, </span><span style="font-size:100%;">I started crocheting my stash oddments into hats and scarves for this year's party. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">My intention was to carry on until I had finished up all the odd balls, and stuff left from bigger projects. I knew we would need about 100 items, in various sizes, and I thought, if I was lucky, that I might get to about 20, perhaps 30.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;font-family:arial;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I kept crocheting, and getting Richard, the Beamish Boy, to photograph each one and pile them up in a cupboard.<br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I finished the last odd ball on November 30. I had also been given some beautiful scarves and a whole range of knitted hats by two lovely friends, so I knew there would be a fair few items.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I got Richard to haul them all out and photograph them. It was the first time I'd seen all my work in one heap (with Merlin conveniently appearing, to give scale!):</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/5223252809/" title="Untitled by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5223252809_54d90c3d8e.jpg" alt="" height="374" width="500" /></a></div> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;font-family:arial;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It soon became obvious that I had done rather more than 20 or 30. In fact, once Richard had laid it all out meticulously, and we counted up, we discovered it was...98!</span></p><p face="arial" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/5223853864/" title="Untitled by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5223853864_b8a78b2429.jpg" alt="" height="374" width="500" /></a></div><p face="arial" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style> </p><p face="arial" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">And this is what it looked like with my friends' scarves and hats added in – Richard almost had to stand on a chair for this one. I think it added up to 120 altogether:</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/5223268621/" title="Untitled by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5223268621_32fc56eca7.jpg" alt="" height="374" width="500" /></a></div> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;"><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }</style> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">My stash has gone from three large plastic crates (and a few bags) to one and a half crates!</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Eight hats have gone off to the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture in Newcastle, and the rest was collected yesterday by two friends from Durham Meeting. They were amazed at the quantity, even though I'd warned them that it would be two heavy bags – they weigh around 18lb, well over a stone, in total. </span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">When I explained to Judith how I'd made them, and how many I'd made, she made a brilliant comment: 'If you weren't a Quaker, I'd be inclined to think you couldn't be telling the truth...'</span></p> <p face="arial" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It's the truth, Judith. Even I'm staggered by it, and I'm the one who did it!</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >Well, that's it for this time. I hope to be blogging regularly - I certainly have plenty of news to tell you from this year. See you soon - I promise!</span><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-37293119834745622612009-12-15T15:07:00.002+00:002009-12-15T15:10:04.088+00:00Where did I leave my pep?Sorry, gentle reader - no entry at all last week and not much this week. I'm a bit under the weather again, but I'm sure it will pass. I'll be back after Christmas.<br /><br />Have a good holiday, whatever you celebrate!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-37638401288658043562009-11-30T15:32:00.002+00:002009-11-30T15:40:15.638+00:00Finished!!!!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/4145960938/" title="Eliina - finished by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2604/4145960938_7f8b473b25.jpg" alt="Eliina - finished" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, Mum's shawl is finally finished. I abandoned my stitch-markers and read my knitting as I went along instead - and whizzed through the last 10 rows. I think there is a moral here: I should pay more attention to what I'm doing, instead of relying on other things - stitch-markers especially - to do my thinking for me!<br /><br />It's off now to my dear friend Rosie, to be washed and blocked. I'll post a final photo when it returns. (Thanks again, Rosie!)<br /></div><br />All my Christmas knitting is now done, but I can't blog about anything else as all the recipients may read the blog! If you haven't finished yours yet, then good luck, and I wish you peace and quiet to get on with it....Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-24998904433268787402009-11-23T14:36:00.002+00:002009-11-23T14:46:47.140+00:00Doing the Border ShuffleThe border on Mum's Eliina shawl is 32 rows deep. When I knitted mine, I had one small problem, which I fudged, and sailed through the rest. Thanks to Mad October, the same is not true of this one...<br /><br />It started well. I was up to row 23 by the beginning of October. Then I made the mistake of knitting when tired, and had to frog to row 14.<br /><br />I compounded this by picking up the newly fixed row 14 and finding another mistake, dropping down a stitch to fix it - and failing to pick it back up again in pattern. That time it got frogged to row 6, and I took the opportunity of it being off the needles to get it photographed:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/4076476785/" title="Eliina, with Merlin by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/4076476785_85360f36ce.jpg" alt="Eliina, with Merlin" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />Merlin decided what it really needed for scale was a large black cat....<br /><br />Anyway, I got that picked up, went up to row 19 - and messed up again.<br /><br />Finally, last week, I got it all the way to the start of row 23, perfectly correct. It has only taken me 7 weeks to get back to where I was in the first place.<br /><br />And now.... I have a rogue extra stitch and can't find it.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >sob</span>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-42894314103468024622009-11-16T14:00:00.002+00:002009-11-16T14:07:33.341+00:00That Darn Cat(Anybody else remember <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059793/">that film</a>? I'm sure it's to blame for my lifelong fascination with Siamese...)<br /><br />A couple of weeks ago, one of my carers took off her fleecy gloves when she came in, and left them on the sofa. When it came time to leave, they were gone. She had to catch a bus, so just told me to hang on to them when I found them - and laughingly suggested that Merlin, with his love for all things woolly, had run off with them.<br /><br />Half an hour later, Merlin appeared. He was dragging one of the gloves, and growled when we tried to take it from him.<br /><br />We did eventually find the pair. One was undamaged - but one was missing a finger, as neatly excised as if he had used scissors.<br /><br />So - anyone got any good glove patterns??Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-49114906155182553362009-11-09T15:49:00.003+00:002009-11-09T16:23:22.327+00:00Fluffbuster ScarfEver wonder what you could do with that odd ball of bizarrely-coloured fluff that you bought on a whim? Wonder no more....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Fluffbuster Scarf<br /><br /><br /></span></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3981995412/" title="Red Fluffbuster by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2427/3981995412_ca4b0b95e4.jpg" alt="Red Fluffbuster" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br />The amounts are pretty flexible, depending on what length you want - this is more of a recipe than a pattern.<br /><br />For a 150cm (five feet/60 inches) scarf, you need:<br /><br />approx 90 metres (100 yards) of ribbon yarn (or any smooth yarn)<br />one ball of fluff (eyelash yarn)<br />6mm (US size 10) needles<br />8mm (US size 11) needles for casting on and off - optional<br /><br />This scarf is worked lengthways, so you may find it easier to work back and forth on a circular needle than on a straight one.<br /><br />Divide your yarn (nothing heavier than DK/worsted) into two equal balls.<br /><br />Look on the ball band to see how many stitches are supposed to be in 10cm/4 inches. With the first ball and the 8mm/11 needles, cast on 10 times as many stitches as this - for example, a tension of 22 stitches per 10cm/4 inches would give a cast-on figure of 220 stitches.<br /><br />Change to the 6mm/10 needles and work the following stitch pattern until you run out of the first ball of yarn:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Row 1: </span>(K1, yo) to last stitch, K1.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Row 2:</span> (K1, drop YO from previous row) to last stitch, K1.<br /><br />Now change to the eyelash yarn, and knit every row until it is used up.<br /><br />Take the second ball of smooth yarn and resume the stitch pattern above until you are nearly out of yarn, then cast off using the 8mm/11 needles.<br /><br />Weave in ends.<br /><br />You can make the scarf any length you like, using the proportions above as a guide. The red scarf above, for example, is nearly ten feet long, and the blue one below is seven feet long.<br /><br />You could also substitute any ball of novelty yarn, or an odd ball of any kind of pretty yarn, for the ball of eyelash yarn.<br /><br />I would not recommend using a heavier yarn than DK/worsted, as it would be too heavy for the eyelash yarn.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3981978862/" title="Blue Fluffbuster by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2657/3981978862_a237958447.jpg" alt="Blue Fluffbuster" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-7358968055696872452009-11-02T13:01:00.002+00:002009-11-02T13:11:47.929+00:00What a month!!Well, October turned out to be the most stressful month I've had for ages. Unfortunately nice stress tires me out as much as nasty stress, so even the good stuff just made me more tired. It has been one of those times when everything that could happen, did happen - and I ended up not getting a proper afternoon rest till almost the end of the month (instead of almost every afternoon), which meant my night-time sleep was disturbed, too. <br /><br />That meant I began having nightmares. Initially they were things like still being married to my alcoholic ex, but eventually they morphed into the standard scary monster nightmare. (One was that Daleks had invaded Earth - and banned knitting!!!! Terrifying....)<br /><br />To give you an idea of what I mean, this all happened between October 1 and October 27:<br /><br />1 theatre trip<br />1 trip to Quaker Quest - on the same day Richard was out all day,<br />travelling to Manchester and back to the funeral of one of his uni<br />housemates. It wasn't a good month for him, either.<br />4 visits from friends<br />3 visits from Richard's grandfather, who is very difficult to talk to<br />1 visit from both his grandparents<br />1 visit from Mum and my sister<br />3 visits from new carers<br />1 5-hour excursion to A&E at the eye hospital - I'm OK, so don't<br />worry, but apparently I'm starting to get cataracts :(<br />1 Quaker Meeting here<br />1 newsletter to write and send round, during which....<br />Our Broadband started falling over for hours at a time<br />1 failed delivery of necessary medical stuff<br />1 delivery of oxygen canisters<br />1 visit from Social Services<br />1 visit from a care company team leader<br />1 visit from the other care company's admin assistant (1.5 hours)<br />1 service of my oxygen machine<br />1 visit from the GP<br />2 visits from the District Nurse<br />1 blood test<br />1 flu jab (different day from the blood test)<br />1 visit from the Access Bus team to make sure my wheelchair will fit<br />on their minibus (then I can go shopping occasionally!)<br />....and then the clocks changed and completely mucked up my body clock, as usual....<br /><br />As you see, it was a fun time :)<br /><br />I'm not complaining one bit about the nice stuff - ever since I first got ill, I've had the view that nice stuff is worth recuperating from! But every day seemed to bring a fresh reason why I couldn't have a rest, and by the end of last weekend I was feeling quite desperate.<br /><br />I'm happy to say that I have now had a week asleep, and I feel much better, so I hope to be a much better blogger again now.<br /><br />Next week, as promised: a new pattern!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-30425542878412793472009-10-06T17:09:00.000+01:002009-10-06T17:10:03.834+01:00Excursions!I'm not blogging this week, for a very nice reason. I am recovering from a trip to the theatre last week - my first time out of the house for over a year!<br /><br />As always, I never do things by halves: this week I am speaking at our <a href="http://www.quakerquest.org/">Quaker Quest</a> evening on Quaker Worship. I was so pleased to be asked, and I am really looking forward to it. I know I will be shattered afterwards, so I'm announcing now that there will be no blog entry next week either.<br /><br />Accounts of my expeditions will be forthcoming as soon as I can write them - plus a new pattern :)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-3693008081089729462009-09-28T16:45:00.003+01:002009-09-28T16:55:22.061+01:00A change for the betterLast week I wrote to all of the publications for which I have designed in the past, and confirmed that I will no longer be designing for print. I stopped submitting stuff a while ago, to see how it went, and now I know I will not be going back.<br /><br />I have had a blast learning new techniques, and following other people's patterns. I'm getting more and more confident with my lace knitting, and now that I am choosing my own projects, I can knit what I want, when I want to - like my patch of garter stitch scarves a couple of weeks back.<br /><br />Designing was interesting, and it was always a buzz to see my stuff in print, but working for magazines in that way is quite restrictive. You have to design what will sell in the mainstream, often using fibres and colours that have been chosen for you, and to a deadline. Then there's all the maths in the pattern-writing!<br /><br />On the other hand, I've enjoyed putting patterns up here, and logging them into Ravelry, where I get instant feedback. I get so excited when someone favourites or queues one of my designs, and if one actually gets made, well - that makes my week!<br /><br />I couldn't stop designing even if I wanted to. I get all kinds of ideas from the smallest of things. I've tried magazines, and it's been fascinating. But now I think I need a little more flexibility. There are lots of new projects in my head - so watch this space...Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-52168614830719447962009-09-21T18:13:00.002+01:002009-09-21T18:22:56.449+01:00Progress!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3922723218/" title="Elsinore Eliina - 30% done by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2583/3922723218_02f8c4b7af.jpg" alt="Elsinore Eliina - 30% done" height="375" width="500" /></a></div><br /><br />This is actually an outdated photo - it shows the shawl as it was at around 30% done. It is now 58% done (row 147 completed, which makes 22,355 stitches in total).<br /><br />I can't get over how quickly it's growing! As one of my friends said, things always seem to go quicker the second time you knit them, and of course I'm using a slightly bigger needle (5mm instead of 4.5mm).<br /><br />I am now at the end of the variegated wool, and I have to wait for the plain, toning wool to be dyed. I need another 100g to complete the last few rows of the body, and the lace border.<br /><br />The colours are actually brighter than they are in this photo. It's also difficult to see the shape, because it was taken mid-row (I'm using circs, working back and forth) - but I had to catch the Beamish Boy as he was passing, and ask him to take the shot before he got involved in something else!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-91398060641161315452009-09-14T14:13:00.003+01:002009-09-14T14:24:43.280+01:00Damned lies and statisticsThanks to the shawl knitalong on the UK RAK group on Ravelry, I have started the shawl for Mum's Christmas present! By the time I had done half a dozen of the garter stitch scarves, I was just about ready for a sea of stocking stitch, which is handy, as that's what this shawl pattern starts with.<br /><br />The beautiful green/blue/deep yellow wool is knitting up beautifully, as I would expect from a Yummy Yarn. If I remember, I must get the Beamish Boy to do a photo...<br /><br />He's also done me a spiffy spreadsheet which shows, for each row, how many stitches I should have, how many stitches I have done in total so far, and what percentage of the way through the shawl I am. (I can't explain how to do one of these for yourself, because everything I once knew about Excel is now mush at the back of my brain, but the formulae will be quite simple.)<br /><br />For example, I have just completed row 92. I have indeed got the correct number of stitches - 187 - and this means I have completed 8,934 stitches so far!<br /><br />Sadly, it also means I have completed only 23%. Hmm. Maybe I was happier not knowing ;)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-40366232344373641632009-09-08T02:31:00.002+01:002009-09-08T02:39:28.575+01:00Slowly back to normalAfter a couple of days in which I could not knit at all - aaagggghhhh! - I have spent the rest of the week recuperating and knitting endless garter stitch scarves.<br /><br />I had promised some scarves to a charity that a friend works for, and they proved to be the exact thing I wanted to knit. There is something so calming about repetitive garter stitch, and it soothed me back to my usual self. I was just finishing the final one on Sunday when I felt myself start to feel positively about casting on my mother's Christmas shawl (I'm making her the same pattern as I used for my Raspberry Ruffles shawl, but in sea-greens and dull yellows - just beautiful yarn!).<br /><br />It really gives me a boost to know that my bad turn has meant there will be six warm necks in Newcastle this winter :)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3894786549/" title="All six charity scarves by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2429/3894786549_31bf8d23c1.jpg" alt="All six charity scarves" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-87581407994483344202009-08-31T14:28:00.001+01:002009-08-31T14:28:17.603+01:00I Don't Like Mondays....My laptop has some major problems, plus all my symptoms have flared up. Not a good combination. Back next week, I hope.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-14830917511445411242009-08-24T17:42:00.002+01:002009-08-24T17:48:41.135+01:00Dirndl Bag<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3821948974/" title="Dirndl Bag by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3544/3821948974_5e47de19ff_m.jpg" alt="Dirndl Bag" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /></div><br />I chose this name because the shape and pattern of the bag remind me of my favourite dirndl skirt, when I was little.<br /><br />Any cotton or ribbon yarn can be used, as long as the tension on the label is around 20sts to 4 inches/10cm. If you use one of the bulky ribbon yarns, with a tension of 10sts to 4 inches/10cm, then halve the number of stitches and rows to get the same size bag.<br /><br />I used Pingouin Tricotine in lavender, and Sirdar Milano in navy, but both of these are discontinued.<br /><br />The finished size is approximately 8 inches/20cm deep by 12 inches/30cm wide. Gauge is not crucial to this project, but I worked at a gauge of 12 sts and 5 pattern rows to 4 inches/10cm.<br /><br />If you wish to have a more versatile bag, you may wish to line it – I left it unlined, to act as a beach bag.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Materials:</span><br /><br />About 540yds/500m of ribbon yarn A<br />About 210yds/190m of ribbon B<br />6mm (J) crochet hook<br />Pair of bamboo handles 4.5inches/11.5cm diameter<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UK instructions:</span><br /><br />Working with two strands of yarn A held together, work 20dc around one of the handles. Turn.<br /><br />Row 1: ch3, work 2tr into every dc. Turn.<br /><br />Row 2: ch1, work 1dc into first tr, 2 dc into second tr. Continue across the row alternating 1dc and 2dc. Turn<br /><br />Row 3: ch3, 1tr into every dc across. Turn.<br /><br />Row 4: ch1, 1 dc into every tr across. Turn.<br /><br />Work 3 more rows, alternating dc rows and tr rows. Fasten off.<br /><br />Repeat for second handle, but do not fasten off.<br /><br />Next row: Begin working with one strand of A and one strand of B. ch1, dc across the row, and then on across the last row of the first handle section. At the end of the row, sl st to the first ch to join into a round. From now on, you will be working in rounds, with one strand of A and one of B, but still alternating dc rounds with tr rounds.<br /><br />Next row: ch3, tr around, sl st to 3rd of commencing ch.<br /><br />Following row: ch1, dc around, sl sl to commencing ch.<br /><br />Continue with one A and one B until you have worked 10 rounds in total in those colours. Change back to two strands of A, and work a further 4 rounds. Turn the bag inside out and ss the bottom together.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">US instructions</span><br /><br />Working with two strands of yarn A held together, work 20sc around one of the handles. Turn.<br /><br />Row 1: ch3, work 2dc into every sc. Turn.<br /><br />Row 2: ch1, work 1sc into first dc, 2 sc into second dc. Continue across the row alternating 1sc and 2sc. Turn<br /><br />Row 3: ch3, 1dc into every sc across. Turn.<br /><br />Row 4: ch1, 1sc into every dc across. Turn.<br /><br />Work 3 more rows, alternating sc rows and dc rows. Fasten off.<br /><br />Repeat for second handle, but do not fasten off.<br /><br />Next row: Begin working with one strand of A and one strand of B. ch1, sc across the row, and then on across the last row of the first handle section. At the end of the row, sl st to the first ch to join into a round. From now on, you will be working in rounds, with one strand of A and one of B, but still alternating sc rounds with dc rounds.<br /><br />Next row: ch3, dc around, sl st to 3rd of commencing ch.<br /><br />Following row: ch1, sc around, sl sl to commencing ch.<br /><br />Continue with one A and one B until you have worked 10 rounds in total in those colours. Change back to two strands of A, and work a further 4 rounds. Turn the bag inside out and ss the bottom together.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-18941856115301479492009-08-18T13:48:00.002+01:002009-08-18T13:55:08.878+01:00Here we go againYet again the humidity has beaten me, and I am unable to blog properly this week. The lack of sleep (and presence of unpleasant and disturbing dreams) is really starting to annoy me now!<br /><br />I'm used to having quite a narrow life, but having it narrowed even more is very irritating....Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-74917114751833188132009-08-10T17:26:00.002+01:002009-08-10T17:53:59.537+01:00It's Tennyson time!Radios 3 and 4 are obsessed with Tennyson at present - last Thursday (August 6) was the 200th anniversary of his birth. I have what I thought was a fair working knowledge of 19th century English poetry, and I tended to lump him in with Wordsworth as Poets Who Irritate Me. However, as there are so many of them around - anniversary programmes, not PWIM - I listened in to some of them.<br /><br />I discovered one thing pretty quickly:<br /><br />Tennyson Is Not Wordsworth.<br /><br />In fact, what I have heard so far sounds quite modern, and surprisingly full of tags of lines which I recognise - but not of clichés. There's a lot of Tennyson on line, and I wholeheartedly recommend you try a little.<br /><br />If all you know of <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=jdIIAAAAQAAJ&dq=Maud&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=NFCASt3mMpDbjQfiwuHwAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=15#v=onepage&q=&f=false">Maud</a> is, 'Come into the garden, Maud', and you think it sounds like a trite drawing-room ballad, think again. It is weird and creepy and very disturbing.<br /><br />Or try <a href="http://theotherpages.org/poems/books/tennyson/tennyson01.html">In Memoriam</a>, a massive work written after the death of his best friend, which considers not only love and grief, but also scientific ideas such as evolution.<br /><br />And if you want an example of a poet having huge fun with words and sounds, try <a href="http://theotherpages.org/poems/tenny03.html#3">The Eagle</a>. I had to learn this for a drama exam, and to my shame I had never realised it was by Tennyson...<br /><br />I'm all for people reading more poetry, but I never thought I'd find myself championing Tennyson!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-6250623037988670782009-08-03T15:28:00.002+01:002009-08-03T15:47:59.782+01:00Good news weekFirst of all - I got a cheque for my bank charges, in full, by return of post, with no haggling. I am somewhat better disposed to the company now!<br /><br />Secondly, my mum and sister came to visit for the day on Thursday, and we had an absolute blast :D Mum was in fine form - even though she refuses to wear her hearing aids ;) - and I haven't seen her laugh so much for ages.<br /><br />Mind you, she made us laugh, too. A couple of days before, there had been a meeting at her sheltered accommodation which my sister had attended with her, so that she could tell Mum what was being said (I mentioned the hearing aids, didn't I...). At the end of the meeting it was obvious that further discussion was needed, and my sister asked if more notice could be given of the meeting next time - there were several relatives there, and she didn't think she was the only one with other commitments. To which Mum piped up: 'Yes, she should have been in court this morning.'<br /><br />Every head in the place turned to look at my sister....<br /><br />...who explained that she is a magistrate, and should have been on the bench that day!<br /><br />Mum also loved my Raspberry Ruffles shawl, and has apparently been telling all her friends about it. I'll be making one for her for Christmas, in another of Patricia's gorgeous hand-dyed yarns, called Elsinore - blues and greens, very seashore! And a quick plug - if you want to see Patricia's gorgeous yarns for yourself, why not nip over to her Etsy shop, <a href="http://www.yummyyarnsuk.etsy.com">Yummy Yarns UK</a>? I can guarantee that whatever you buy will be well worth the asking price!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-9550179703498055162009-07-27T15:55:00.003+01:002009-07-27T16:14:59.872+01:00This week at theworlddrivesmecrackers.com...Well, I have definitely picked up since last week! One of the problems is that my usual morning carers have a new team leader and, when either of them is off, she keeps sending in carers from another area instead of using people I know.<br /><br />This is really stressful - partly because I have had a stream of total strangers turning up to shower me, but also because I keep having to tell them, step-by-step, what the routine is. Mornings are not my best time, and having to face a barrage of, 'Where does this live? What do I do now? Where do I find...' morning after morning has been awful. Anyway, that has now been sorted out, and from now on I get only carers I already know. (Let's face it, it's no fun for the carers either - they're coming in blind, not knowing what I want done, what the routine is or anything.)<br /><br />The other problem is that the insurance company which pays my pension from work suspended my payments - they sent me a form to fill in, to confirm that I was still ill, and because I didn't send it back, they suspended my payments.<br /><br />I didn't return it because I didn't receive it. I didn't receive it because they sent it to the house I left two years ago, despite having written to me on several occasions since at my current address. They sent it to the wrong address because - and I can still barely get my head round this - the rest of the company uses a central computer database of all clients, which has been updated, but the admin section, which sends out the forms in question, is still using....<br /><br />...filing cabinets.<br /><br />We're talking about a big national insurance company, one of which everyone recognises the name. And one of their departments still uses paper files. AND DOESN'T UPDATE THEM.<br /><br />Well, I got my payments back, and a letter of apology. I am now trying to get them to pay the bank charges that accrued over the five days I was without my money. I'll let you know how it goes.<br /><br />...filing cabinets..... <span style="font-style: italic;">shakes head</span>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-81531221560305117412009-07-20T19:02:00.001+01:002009-07-20T19:03:24.798+01:00Back soonThe last couple of weeks have been very stressful for a variety of reasons, so I'm taking this week off from blogging. I'll be back next Monday, though!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-5504026243285737512009-07-13T16:47:00.002+01:002009-07-13T17:04:47.529+01:00Socks and the Single GirlI'll say one thing for the hot weather - it really encourages me to go back to the socks that have been lying around, unloved and unfinished, in the UFO pile!<br /><br />In January I received some glorious rainbow-coloured Regia Color, and immediately cast on the <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/PATTbroadripple.html">Broadripple Socks pattern</a>, which is designed to make the most of variegated sock yarn. I enthusiastically knitted the first leg almost to the heel.... and then got distracted. For the last six months, they've looked like this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3318527587/" title="Broadripple socks by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3581/3318527587_2aaeb31dfb_m.jpg" alt="Broadripple socks" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /></div><br /><br />When it became too hot to knit my lovely warm woollen shawls, I cast about for something light and manageable, that wouldn't end up as a pile of yarn in my lap, and found the socks again. Within a few days I had completed one sock, and then in two more days, having rediscovered the lovely and soothing monotony of knitting with very little shaping, I finished the second:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3713003608/" title="Broadripple socks - completed by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3486/3713003608_3d45a67788_m.jpg" alt="Broadripple socks - completed" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /></div><br />I am beyond reason captivated by them :)<br /><br />Having got the taste for socks, I then picked up the Paint It Black Socks which have also been languishing. I had actually finished one of these, and cast on the toe for the second, although this is the only photo I have so far:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3410957245/" title="Paint It Black by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3557/3410957245_c805c9e865_m.jpg" alt="Paint It Black" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /></div><br />These are my first toe-up socks. I'm undecided at the moment about whether I'll do any more. The <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sock-stew">pattern</a> (Ravelry link), 'Sock Stew' by my lovely friend Ari Ridpath, is excellent, but I can do top-down socks on auto-pilot, so I'm still in two minds. It would be good to have another pattern by heart, though. Hmm. I feel more socks coming on.....Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-76523546205478148432009-07-06T14:46:00.003+01:002009-07-06T14:56:40.332+01:00What next?I think Merlin has become a vegetarian.<br /><br />OK, I know all cats go off their meat a little in hot weather, and goodness knows it has been hot.<br /><br />I also know that cats often eat green stuff to aid digestion.<br /><br />I have never, however, had a cat who would sit in front of me while I eat salad, drooling and attempting to steal lettuce from my plate. When he manages to get some, he runs off with it, growling, and eats it in a hurry so that he can get back for more. Meanwhile his cat food grows crusty in the kitchen.....<br /><br />He's a weird cat. It's a good job we love him :)<br /><br />Merlin says: "Be fair, Mum. I eat flies, too..."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SJG91Ozhbrs/SlICNVbxyUI/AAAAAAAAABc/3DkDKvHxx9k/s1600-h/Merlin+-+eyes"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SJG91Ozhbrs/SlICNVbxyUI/AAAAAAAAABc/3DkDKvHxx9k/s320/Merlin+-+eyes" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355345335012149570" border="0" /></a>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-20101190377279500262009-06-29T23:39:00.003+01:002009-06-30T00:29:56.453+01:00An award!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SJG91Ozhbrs/SklDT0_xj0I/AAAAAAAAABU/BrZm_JV47p0/s1600-h/Premio_Meme_Award.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SJG91Ozhbrs/SklDT0_xj0I/AAAAAAAAABU/BrZm_JV47p0/s320/Premio_Meme_Award.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352883640029253442" border="0" /></a><br />I was given this blog award by my lovely friend Jan Lyn, over at <a href="http://cihspath.blogspot.com/">Off the Beaten Path</a>. She actually awarded it to <a href="http://heather-still-life.blogspot.com/">Still Life</a>, which she describes as "a really good Quaker read that is to the point, fresh and honest. She writes poetry I so enjoy as well." I said she was a lovely friend!<br /><br />Jan Lyn writes beautifully about the nature with which she is surrounded, her family, her faith, home-schooling, the family animals, and the chronic illnesses she lives with. She writes about everything with grace, humour and honesty.<br /><br />I'm replying to it here as I had a lot of other stuff to write about over there this week, and nothing special planned for here.<br /><br />I have to share 7 things about myself here, now.<br /><br />Hmmm.<br /><br />What haven't I told you???<br /><br />1. I have what amounts to a passion for roses. I think I got it from my father. Wherever I have lived, if possible, I have planted a wonderful rose called <a href="http://roses.toytrains1.com/zephirine_drouhin.htm">Zephirine Drouhin</a>. It is my ideal rose - thornless, climbing, quick-growing, long flowering season, hot pink blooms - and scented! I recommend it to everyone.<br /><br />2. The first time I saw 'The Hound of the Baskervilles', aged 8, I was so scared that I had to sleep with the light on all night.<br /><br />3. Talking of things that scare me, I am terrified of the Jacob Epstein sculpture of St Michael and the Devil at the entrance to Coventry Cathedral.<br /><br />4. I played Noah in the Andre Obey play of the same name, when I was 15. It was a school production, and we were an all-girl school. I had to have my boobs strapped down (they've never recovered!), and an artificial beard gummed on with something that ripped off the top layer of skin when I took it off. Ah, the glamour of the stage :)<br /><br />5. I was at school with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bailey_%28photographer%29">David Bailey</a>'s wife, the ex-model <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Tramp-Portraits-Catherine-Bailey/dp/0500541922/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1246316889&sr=8-12">Catherine Dyer</a>. She was always absolutely beautiful, even without makeup, and a graceful and lovely person.<br /><br />6. I dyed my hair blue while I was pregnant with Richard.<br /><br />7. I can ice skate (I took my first three grades in figure skating when I was a teenager), but I can't roller-skate.<br /><br />Wow, that took a lot of dredging up :)<br /><br />I'm supposed to nominate seven people for the award now, but I'm stopping at three:<br /><br />1. My dear friend <a href="http://lindamusing.blogspot.com/">Linda</a>. We have been friends since we were around 17. We met when I understudied her in a play. She is a marvellous writer, and very funny, as well as a loving and supportive friend.<br /><br />2. Gil, who writes the blog <a href="http://stumblingstepping.blogspot.com/">Stumbing Blocks to Stepping Stones</a>. She writes about her Quaker journey in a way that is never less than thought-provoking and honest.<br /><br />3. Mary Anne, who writes as <a href="http://knittingbunny.blogspot.com/">Miss Woolly Knits</a>. Like me, Mary Anne has severe ME, but always posts every Friday, sharing the things that have pleased her, amused her or given her joy through the week. Lots of wonderful photos, too!<br /><br />Oh, and Mary Anne - you are excused duties for this. Just enjoy the award :)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9451236.post-54185693238784092712009-06-22T16:22:00.002+01:002009-06-22T16:39:59.479+01:00Shawl photos!My lovely shawl came back this week, beautifully blocked by the brilliant Rosie, and I got Richard to take a couple of photos on Lobelia the mannequin:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3649652429/" title="Raspberry Ruffles 1 by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3649652429_9517c7e518_m.jpg" alt="Raspberry Ruffles 1" height="240" width="180" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3649652421/" title="Raspberry Ruffles 2 by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3649652421_bef3351afc_m.jpg" alt="Raspberry Ruffles 2" height="240" width="180" /></a></div><br /><br />As I hoped, the blocking not only opened up the lace, which was looking very sad and crumpled when I sent it off, but also evened out the stitches in the main section, and opened up the yarn over holes.<br /><br />It's amazingly light to wear, and very warm, of course, being made with pure Shetland wool!<br /><br />He also photographed a dishcloth I included in this month's themed RAK parcel. This month's theme was animals, and everyone who joined in said what their favourites were. I had to send to Sian, who loves owls, so it was obvious what I had to make her:<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3649652409/" title="Diagonal Owl Dishcloth 1 by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3663/3649652409_a8a3c62dcb_m.jpg" alt="Diagonal Owl Dishcloth 1" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathercawte/3649652403/" title="Diagonal Owl Dishcloth 2 by Heather Cawte, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3649652403_5b4df5acb1_m.jpg" alt="Diagonal Owl Dishcloth 2" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /></div><br />...the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diagonal-owl-dishcloth">Diagonal Owl Dishcloth</a> (Ravelry link), designed by Janelle Schlossman. I love this pattern - it's simply and beautifully designed, fun to knit and gives such a cute result!<br /><br />We had a little excitement this week, as Chloe went missing for the day on Wednesday. She never goes outside, so we thought at first that she was hiding in the house. Only when we had looked everywhere did we realise that she must have slipped out without anyone noticing.<br /><br />She is nearly 19, so our first thought was that she had gone off to die. Everyone we knew in the village (and several people we didn't) offered to look for her, but no one could find any trace.<br /><br />I was coming out of the bathroom at 11.30pm, very sad and wondering if we would ever know what had happened to her, when I heard a faint meow outside the back door. First I couldn't grasp the key, then I couldn't unlock the door, but when I finally got it open, in she strolled, quite unconcerned - and bone dry. It had poured all day on Wednesday, so she'd obviously spent the day in someone else's house!<br /><br />She casually beat up Merlin, had supper, curled up and went to sleep as if nothing had happened. It seems the old girl has a trick or two still left ;)Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160971651020687637noreply@blogger.com1