End OF January Review

So January is over already and it's been a very productive month for me even with all the health issues in fact I'm so thankful to have my knitting and crochet to fall back on when I'm not well, what would we do without it have you ever thought?

I used to worry that I would get tired of crocheting just like I have with all the other crafts I have tried in the past but it's been an ongoing obsession for 7 years now so I think it's safe to say I will be crocheting for as long as I'm able, as for the knitting the mood comes and goes but for the present I'm enjoying it.

so what were my January targets and have I met them?

Make Two Teddy Puppets a month.

January Teds

Make a boy Sweater a month.

January Sweater

Finish my Greg Blanket

I'm almost there! it's taken a bit longer because I'm lining it, hopefully I will be able to show you the completed blanket next week.

I'm following the Cheerful Child Blanket Cal and I'm managing to keep right up with it, here are the latest two squares.

Arn't they pretty! I'm still enjoying this crochet along, the finishing date is February 18th so I'm hoping to have a finished blanket by the end of February.

Continue working on my cardigan

I have made the back a front and have nearly finished the second front, this is the project I put to one side so I can prioritise the others so I fear it will take a while before I get it finished.

AND I finished my socks when they weren't even on the to do list...

So I'm feeling pretty chuffed, the crafting year has started off well.

My January yarn stash bust is 1188 grams although I have to admit that 500 grams of that was given away. 

Now the fun part is trying to decide what to make in February when you have so much you want to make and a to do list as long as your arm. I will let you know as soon as my list is finalised. Don't I sound organised! 

Have a great Sunday! :) 

Linking with...


Snickerdoodle Sunday
Cooking and crafting with J&J
Handmade Monday
Lunamon Design
Scrapability Saturday
Link and Share Wednesdays

Five On Friday

Thank you for all the lovely kind sympathetic comments you left last Friday I was really touched it makes you feel so much better when you receive good wishes like that.  I know you are hoping for good news this week well I'm afraid it's mixed...

ONE
On Saturday I was determined to ignore the illnesses and just get on with it, Andy our lovely physiotherapist at work had shown me which exercises I should be doing to strengthen the instep so I will share it with you just in case you have similar problems see number 3 here if you didn't read my last weeks post.

1. Remove shoes place foot on floor curl up your toes and relax repeat several times.
2. Get a rolling pin or something similar and roll it over the floor with your foot using the instep

and that's it! I've been tying them and I'm pleased to say my instep is fine now. I'm going to try and remember to follow these two simple exercises often.

TWO

Remember the blocked bath drain last week's number 5 well I went out and got some of that stuff you put down the drain but before I used it I decided to try and clear the blockage myself I have done it before and I have a lovely big plunger for such an eventuality.
Method....

1. Make sure area is clear putting plugs away and shower screen right back for easier access.
2. Ensure you have large tweezers and bags ready to remove any disgusting gunge which may materialise.
3. Don rubber gloves and wear protective clothing.
4. Turn hot tap on in sink and cold one in bath and watch with bemused expression ( or any you care to adopt really) while water level begins to rise.
5. Pace plunger over sink plughole wait a few seconds for hot water to slightly soften rubber (it gives a better seal) before agitating vigorously.
6. Now repeat over bath plughole, it's fun to push plunger down and then pull right up because thats when disgusting gunge appears which can then be fished out with tweezers and placed in plastic bag.
7. Repeat number 6 until water drains freely which, when it happens will give you a feeling of great satisfaction and accomplishment. 
8. Disinfect bath, clear area then TRY TO STRAIGHTEN UP!.

THREE

I have put my back out unblocking bath/sink see number 2. So the paracetamol and brufen is still very much in evidence and my treadmill still patiently awaits. 

While I'm still in the bathroom, new shower has been purchased and man is coming to install it on Saturday morning that is if he can manage to loosen rusty screw in old shower box, I hope he can because I'm still not enjoying the bathing experience.

FOUR
I would love to say that the sinus thing is better but although it's not quite so bad it's still very much in evidence so I have an appointment with the GP next Monday if I'm better by then (I live in hope) I will cancel the appointment. 

FIVE
I'm sure that you are all very sick about me harping on about my health and so I promise that's it! no more there are folks much worse off than me so I will shut up for now and show you some of the lovely makes my crafting group (NELH) have made during January,

So much work in such a short space of time.  We all meet up at my home once a month and spend a lovely afternoon eating, crafting and chatting about everything under the sun, it quite lifts the spirits and I can highly recommend it :) 

So did I meet my January targets? and I wonder how much stash I have managed to bust this month I can't wait to weigh all my makes to find out, I will let you know on Sunday.

Have a great weekend !

Linking with Amy's Five on Friday.

Another Pair Is Born

If you remember I started making these socks a long time ago in fact way before Christmas, they got put to one side so that I could make charity projects, then they got put to one side again because I wanted to finish Christmas gifts.  I had the perfect plan for these socks they were destined to be gifted to a friend for her birthday at the end of December.

 Well unfortunately that didn't happen because it took me so long to finish them.  I do love making socks but like I've said before I'm very slow, in fact my plan was to make a pair a month, what a laugh perhaps I could do it if I made socks and only socks but you know me making one thing at a time is not going to happen. 

I have calculated that I have four people that would just love to receive a pair of hand knitted socks from me, so I plan to make five pairs (I want some too) as and when I can, surely I can get them done before the end of the year.

It's a real shame that they weren't made in time for my friends birthday because it means I'm just gonna have to wear them myself, what do you think? a perfect fit :)

These socks were made with coned stash yarn which I've had for years and years I have no idea what type of yarn it is other than I know it's 4ply. I still have lots left too.

They took only 50 grams. 

You can find the sock pattern here


Linking with..

Snickerdoodle Sunday
Cooking and crafting with J&J
Handmade Monday
Lunamon Design
Scrapability Saturday
Link and Share Wednesdays

Stash-Buster Link Party Two

Hello and welcome to the second Stash link party of 2016, thank you for linking all your lovely stashbusting makes, it looks as if 2016 has got off to a great start because there were so many lovely link ups do go take a look if you haven't already and grab some idea's and inspiration.  
These were your favourites.....

My own Moogly 2015 Blanket thank you to all of you who clicked on the link I am so pleased that you like it, you can find out all about the making of this blanket and find pattern links here.

This beautiful mood blanket a work in progress by Shari from just white cotton.

These cosy slippers made by Anna from annasimplecrochet.

This beautiful vest made by Sandra from Hakelfieber.

Congratulations ladies and thank you for linking :) 

Now it's time to show us everything you have created in January and what you are starting or planning to start for February, remember all crafts are included in this not just your yarny makes.

                                             Stash-Buster Link Party 2

Rules

• Please grab the stash-buster link party button
• All crafts are welcome either complete or works in progress.
• Link the picture from your actual post and not your blog address.
• Be polite and click on at least 2 links and leave some nice comments
• Please mention the link party in your post or display the party button in your sidebar.
An InLinkz Link-up

Five on Friday

Happy Days!

 Hello all you lovely people please be warned if you want to read a nice smiley post it's not going to happen here because to put it mildly I'm just a bit fed up and really need to vent.

ONE
Last year was pretty awful for me healthwise and I was determined that 2016 was going to be different, the trouble is things happen over which you have no control, when a virus strikes you just have to get on with it and so for the past three weeks I have had painful blocked sinuses, runny nose, walking around with tissues stuck up your nostrils is not a good look! 

I have gone through two boxes of tissues and two packets of flu remedy pills which haven't really helped BUT I have perfected the art of nostril packing, I now cut a narrow length of tissue paper and roll it up until it fits inside the nostril comfortably and it gives me at least fifteen minutes of dripless relief so you see all is not bleak, surely after three weeks it must have run it's course, I keep saying tomorrow I will be better....still waiting, hum 

TWO
So what does everyone think about Windows 10? I was still using Windows 7 when we were given the option to upgrade.  I was quite happy with Windows 7 but my son happened to be visiting and encouraged me to go with the upgrade. I did and I would love to say that I've never looked back since but that's not the case, I don't like it at all, apparently it has lots of exciting new features but to be honest I don't know how to find them and don't really need them anyway.

Since I upgraded my laptop has slowed down and keeps freezing, then there's the dreaded blue screen that comes up and says a critical process has died we are going to close down your computer 'AHHH!! no don't I'm in the middle of something!' but it still does it anyway, then I have to start all over again. I now have to log in WHY? no one else uses this laptop it's not necessary, then after I've gone to the trouble of entering my password it tells me it hasn't been recognised and THEN takes 10 minutes to close it down, I could go on and on and on... all I'm saying is if you haven't done it yet then don't, it really isn't worth the hassle.  

THREE
Back on the subject of health, before I had my gall bladder op last year I used to go to the gym but didn't get back to it because of one illness after another and then the awful impacted wisdom tooth extraction thing,  So I decided to buy a treadmill it was my Christmas gift to myself...

pretty impressive eh? thing is I haven't been able to use it because of (see number one) but last week I decided to start very slowly and build up, I was determined to get fit again.  Yesterday when I was walking on it my foot began to hurt and now my instep is  throbbing like mad! so instead of the flu pills I'm now taking paracetamol and brufen so much for getting fit!....

FOUR
Not to be daunted I decided yesterday evening to make myself a nice healthy meal of salmon, broccoli and mash I do love a bit of mash don't you? anyways I put it on to cook and thought to myself now I just have time to have a quick shower I limped upstairs (see number three)  turned shower on undressed and stepped in, the water was FREEZING! remember I'm a sick person! I can't be showered with freezing cold water but my electric shower had kindly decided to pack in.  

Are you a shower or a bath girl? I am definitely a shower girl I don't like to take a bath, not for me the soaking and the scented candles I could knit a jumper in the time it takes to fill the bath and soak, then you have to wash your hair seperately, no I'm a jump in the shower and lets get it done with sort of girl, but last night I had to have a blinkin bath! THEN wash my hair under the sink tap which made me feel even more dizzy in my already weakened state. Have you had enough there's just one more little thing I promise.

FIVE
After having the bath I pulled the plug out and went down to have my meal which was very nice by the way ( at last something positive I hear you say) and then went back to the bathroom to clean the bath only to find the water hadn't drained out!! so just to top it all I have a blocked drain to contend with too! 

Things can only get better.....can't they?

Have a lovely trouble free weekend. :)

Linking with Amy's ...
Five on Friday

So Which One Did I Choose?

I knew that it would only be a matter of time before the pull of a crochet along would have me in it's grasp once more, this year I'm determined not to follow one unless I can use the project for a specific purpose.  Usually My heart rules my head, I see something and I have to make it even though there will be no where for it to go once it's done. Luckily apart from one which I fell out of love with and is just a quarter finished, all the CAL projects I followed last year have found a home, except the Greg CAL blanket which I'm in the process of sewing up, there's no rush for this one to finish because it may be a long time before I can give it to the person it's destined for and I'm mentioning no names just in case she reads this post.

This year If I am to follow a CAL it has to meet the following criteria...

1. It has to be a great stash-buster because there is no way I'm buying yarn for it. Not with the amount of stash I have anyway.
2. It has to be practical and be destined for something useful.
3. It has to be easy I have no time to be following difficult patterns this year, I need to bust some stash very quickly indeed.
4. I would like it to be boy orientated although unisex is allowed.

It has been a very difficult decision because as usual there are lots of beautiful crochet alongs that have started already this year. When I first saw this CAL I fell in love with it but wasn't going to do it because it didn't meet criteria 4, I felt that the squares were too girly even though it has been said it would look okay with boy colours I wasn't convinced.  I went through my stash and came across this yarn, yes I know that there's pink in there but I don't honestly think a little baby will know or mind.

This yarn was donated to me last year by Judy now I have mentioned Judy before but for those of you who are new to my blog, Judy is an elderly lady who attends the Day Unit where I work, she often donates yarn for me to use for my charity pursuits. 

Anyway this is chunky baby yarn which although is very pretty and soft I think it's just too bulky for baby wear, however it would be perfect for a blanket so it's destined to be either a cot cover or an incubation cover dependant on how big I can make it with the yarn I have.

I'm talking about the Cheerful Child Crochet Along which is hosted by Carolyn from  Pink Mambo  it began on January 7th and it runs through to February 17th. you can read all about it here

It consists of 25 squares 13 of which are identical and 2 different squares are to be published each week to make the total up to 25  I will make it bigger by repeating some of the squares if I have enough yarn. Here's what I've done so far....

I think they are really pretty although the lighting doesn't do them justice and are very easy to make too.  I'm really enjoying this so far and I'm hoping to join them as I go.

What Cals/Kals/Sals do you plan to follow ?

Linking with..

Snickerdoodle Sunday
Cooking and crafting with J&J
Handmade Monday
Lunamon Design
Scrapability Saturday
Link and Share Wednesdays