Monday 26 January 2015

Blanket....quite a big one!

Getting ready to block
I think I mentioned in my previous post that I was in the middle of making a large blanket-if I didn't I am. I started it in November I think, (it was after I'd finished D's mums Christmas cushion because I remember thinking how I'd swapped one project with lots of squares for another!) I remember saying I wanted something 'big' to keep me going. I think by that I meant to make myself feel productive and also to focus my mind. At first I was really productive, making lots of the little squares at a time, sometimes I'd do a large amount of the Middle circles maybe 20ish, then I'd do the next couple of rows on the 20 and then start again and the next couple of rows-I hope that makes sense. At other times I'd just do the squares from start to finish. I know I ddn't work out how many little squares I'd need until I was quite a way in.

Then December came and I found myself feeling really down for various reasons: the weather, lack of light, money worries for Christmas... It's really quite a long list to be honest. in my mind I was going to spend quite a long time over the Christmas break with this blanket, in reality when December 28th came around I had to really force myself. I remember thinking that I may not enjoy it but I was going to bloody well do it! Not the best motivation really but as the days went on I came to like it a little, then a little more and now I'm really looking forward to finishing it-not to get rid of it but to see it in place.

Cleo 'helping'
It will be going on the bed in the spare room-it still makes me happy that we have an actual 'spare bedroom' by that I mean one that's set up as a bedroom and is available for use at any time. Before we moved we had a tiny spare bedroom which D also used as his office/study/studio but in our new home he has all these things in a big attic room just for him, lucky boy!
Anyway, I had been hoping to get the three first rows finished by last night-a tad ambitious, but I have got rows 1 and 2 done and am 2 squares into row 3. The squares are all done-but they need some of their edges doing-they have three rows around the edge, I have been blocking them when I've done the first row and then doing the next two and attaching them.

One of the things i really love about making blankets is that once you get past a certain size, they warm you up and keep you cosy while you are still making them!

Hoping you and yours are all well x

Thursday 22 January 2015

And a Happy New Year!




Hi- I am of course aware that I haven't been here, lets both pretend that I have been here as regular as clockwork..and move on, thank you very kindly! If I am honest I started to really struggle before Christmas which became really clear when I couldn't even be bothered to pick up a crochet hook or a ball of wool, everything and I mean everything became too much of an effort. To the extent that once D had gone to work I would go back to bed and easily sleep for another 3-4 hours. However, I feel slightly better most days and I have taken up the hook again-I am nearly finished on quite a big project-I will take some pics this afternoon..I promise!

And what have you been up to I hear you say..well, wellity, wellity, well...we had Christmas, D's mum loved her cushion (in Delft colours) or she made noises like she did, who knows.
We have both been ill, various flu and non-flu type viruses (virusi?) but we have come out of the other side now thankfully. D has also gone back to work now, he gets three works off for the Christmas break but a fair amount of that is used up by working from home-so not really 'off' for three weeks.

For around a week now we have been getting snow, the top photo was (i think) about 3 days ago. We live on quite a steep hill which isn't that clear from that picture but what is clear is that you cant really see anything into the distance-normally we can see rolling fields, trees in the distance, windmills turning...and you know what..I love it! I haven't been out in days but I do love it! The chickens however, not so keen and I cant say I blame them, the floor is nasty, wet and cold, the ramp to their house is cold and icy, they just keep sitting in their eglu peeping out.




These are the steps up to our garden, the bushes are laden with heavy snow-yesterday snowed non stop until about 5pm. Getting up these steps didn't feel too tricky, there is ice under the snow but it feels 'OK'. However, having to bend myself almost double to get under the branches while wearing my pj's, dressing gown, thick socks and walking boots wasn't the most fun so far in 2015!

And this is the view coming down:
That does look a little tricky I admit but it was fine, even the wobbly step!

Have you got snow, or are you in the middle of summer right now?

Take care x