Thursday 8 November 2018

Thursday

Good morning, everyone.  I've just been out to put the rubbish/recycling where it should go as I forgot yesterday evening and it's dry and cool this morning.  Yesterday the sun came out by eleven which was nice.

When I went out yesterday morning, firstly I collected Beth's cat stuff, wincing at the price, before having a stroll around Options, the mixed clothes shop (names like Wallis, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, etc) but saw nothing that tempted me very much.  In Hobbycraft I got two pairs of short knitting needles; I dislike longer needles, find them awkward to use unless I really have to.  It makes it a bit difficult when there are loads of stitches, but never mind!  Also, last time I was there, I got a pack of Christmas fat quarters to make some festive bunting but realised I haven't got enough for what I want.  They still had some in so that's what jumped into my trolley!

Then it was home, James, for lunch and then some planning, not to mention a bit of sorting and tidying.

Today's page in my diary is blank until tuition and Slimming World so I might get the sewing machine out and start on some Christmas placemats I want to make.  Indulgent, yes.  Unnecessary, totally, but I have the perfect fabric, some heat resistant batting, cotton to match and am looking forward to making them.  I have a bit of planning but not all that much really.

I think today is going to be very pleasant, one way and another.  Fingers crossed for the weigh-in this evening!

14 comments:

  1. I don't tend to go in Hobbycraft, safer not to! Fortunately, there isn't one nearby...

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  2. That's lucky! I love looking around - if only it stayed at just looking, eh?
    xx

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  3. If I have too many stitches for short needles I use a circular needle and just knit back and forth, as if it were a pair. When someone told me about this, a few years ago, it was a revelation!

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  4. Good luck with the weigh in this evening.

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  5. I didn't know it's possible to get heat resistant batting so thank you for that information. I saw a design for some quilted placements (everyday ones, not Christmas) a while ago which I'd like to make ... and now I can!

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  6. I'm the same as Wanda, circular needles used as straight needles make life a lot easier when there are too many stitches for straights. Lighter to hold too as the bulk of the fabric just sits on your lap.

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  7. I’m making bags for a charity fair and also some mats, coasters etc. When I discovered Insulbright wadding, there was no stopping me!! Also, you could make a heat resistant mat for sitting GHDs on if anyone in the family uses them. Happy day.

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  8. Thanks, everyone. I'm not being awkward, honest, but I find circular needles uncomfortable. They're not long enough to grip properly - or so I find. Yes, you can get heat resistant batting - look on Amazon. It's not cheap, mind you, but worth it.
    Catriona, it's probably obvious but what is GHD short for?
    xx

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  9. Thanks, Diane. I am gradually becoming less nervous about weigh ins, thank goodness. :-)
    xx

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  10. Hi Joy - I am not offering any advice over the knitting needles it is many years since I attempetd any knitting. I learnt with the help of my mum who was always a knitter when my first daughter was born and I continued to knit for them until they were eleven and by then knitting two of everything was quite time consuming. At first I produced knitting which was a bit knit one drop one but by the end I was doing circular yokes and a aran pattern insets. However until now I didn't even know there are long and short needles - I never noticed!
    Very lax of Blogger to take no notice these awful images could pop up when a child is around. My work around seems to work though!
    Re: the sat nav we do not have one - only me as the passenger come navigator! Unlike you unless we are in a hurry to get somewhere we actually like getting lost you find places you never knew existed but I can totally understand your fear as I once got lost in the suburbs of Bradford one winter evening trying to find someone's house in an area I didn't know too well and no map with me - I ended up phoning DH for some directions. I did have a bit of mild panic but that was more because it was quite dark and some streets looked a bit threatening I was reluctant to stop the car and find someone to ask.
    Gosh this is a bit of an essay! Have a lovely day - what is left of it when you have read all this LOL!

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  11. LOL! I like essays like that!
    xx

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  12. I'm not a knitter but I rememeber, Joy, something that my late mother told me (on many an occasion!) When she left school (she was born in 1912 so this would've been around 1926) she went to work in what was then known as a 'fancy goods' shop. This kind of shop sold all kinds of things, embroidered goods, leather goods, costume jewellery and so forth. Also the staff had to knit garments to be sold. As such my mother was taught to 'knit properly' and this means tucking the kneedles under her arms so that they didn't spin around in the air, that was considered a very bad method of knitting. I wonder if the 'right' way to knit is taught any more? How to people learn today, I wonder? You don't hear of children being taught to knit in schools, do you? I never mastered the art, but then it didn't interest me when I could buy a lovely jumper which didn't have what I thought was a dreadfully homespun old fashioned look to it! Nor could I embroidered, I couldn't even master neat cross stitch. But I never saw the point of making tray cloths which is what I was given to start on! And knitting patterns to me would need the Rosetta stone to unravel (pun very much intended!)
    Margaret P

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  13. I know it's not for everyone, knitting, and some never really get to grips with it. All my life I've enjoyed and worked at crafty stuff so, for me, it is one part of a whole. Also I love hand knits! :-). For me they are a symbol of me being worth the time and the work they take.
    I think parents would be up in arms if their children were taught knitting at school when there isn't time for other stuff as it is, but we do have a knitting club which motivated children take up. I learnt from my mum just by watching her and copying her.
    I guess there's as many styles of knitting as there are people doing it. We all have our individual quirks, don't we?
    xx

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  14. I remember knitting at school in the infants / juniors - we had to make gloves - no wonder I abandoned it for sewing until later in life when I had my daughters and suddenly took an interest again.
    My gran was a very slack (in tension) knitter and one year she made me, my brother and my mum a jumper each for Christmas one of those with a little cross over inset at the neck - they were quite fashionable at the time and very unisex. Unfortunately mine was far too big and went to my brother, my brother's was too big for him and ended up fitting my mum and my mums, too big for her was worn by my dad! In compensation she knitted me a wonderful cardigan with a poodle on each side that I loved and yes I did have to grow in to it but it was not as big as the jumper!

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