Settling in / down again . . .

Hello, my friends. The latter part of the summer was quite stressful and I didn’t get back here as planned. But things are better now (not as I’d have liked, but still, it’s all good).

My cousins turned the new sewing/computer room back into a spare room for me, and without asking me (I would have turned it down if they’d asked; she deserves the long-awaited room of her own), so I am back in the house again for the winter. I was up to eight layers of bedding in the MH by the beginning of October, as it was slowly growing cooler. I’m hoping to create a better solution for next winter, though.

In the meantime, we have gotten back to our former routines and it’s all good.

I did finish the scarf. I couldn’t locate my yarn needles and refused to buy more, so I used my crochet hook and followed the instructions for Kitchener Stitch, only backwards, if that makes any sense. I was dragging the yarn through,not pushing it, as with a needle. But it worked!

I was deeply saddened to learn that Pauline, of The Contented Crafter, had passed away suddenly on her birthday, just a few days before mine. One of her friends, Alys, gently informed all of us, but it was still such a shock. Somehow, I always expect my world to go on, unchanged . . . Alys wrote a lovely tribute and you can read it here.

Creative Pursuits

I’ve mentioned above that I finished the scarf. I sort of finished the blanket, too, but then decided to add some more at each end before creating the border. I attached the yarn, hooked for a couple of days, then got busy and put it aside. It’s under my bed now (in a bag), waiting for me to complete it.

Ā Ā 

 

I used three of the flower stitches from Attic24, the Dahlia, the Sweet Pea / Trellis, and the Hydrangea. All these patterns are on the blog forever and you will find them listed on the left side of the page, down below the blogs she loves. You can see the detail in the close-up above.

Also under the bed is my much-loved and also much-neglected ‘Barn Cardi’. I’ll be knitting again soon . . . but first . . .

I posted this photo back in August of 2014; hard to believe it’s been that long . . . I’ve done a little work on the sleeves since then, but not much. That’s one of my beloved Aunties modelling it for me up at Mum’s apartment. She was under five foot tall, so it came almost to her ankles; on me it’s just above my knees.

You may remember that I call the ‘blogoverse’ my Virtual Village (partly because I dislike the word ‘blog’; it doesn’t sound friendly somehow). Most of my closest friends I’ve met here in the Village. But I’ve also met a few in other online places. Facebook brought me a special friendship. We both belong to Winwick Mum’s Knit and Natter group. One day I noticed that someone had posted about her new loom and I commented, offering to help if needed, as I have some weaving experience. We began replying to each other, discovering a host of shared interests besides knitting and other yarnwork. So I created a private page and we have met there happily most days ever since. Sometimes, when things are challenging, we don’t need someone to fix things, or us. We just need a listening ear and an understanding heart. And that is what we both have discovered. I haven’t posted much since my Mum died, as my life changed overnight and then continued changing. My friend’s support has meant a lot to me. She was going through various challenges herself and she has told me that my support was helpfut to her, too.

Anyway, when I was trying to figure out a solution to my housing situation, I slowly became more discouraged and ‘down’, even though I know that staying positive is far more helpful. I felt I couldn’t post because it would just sound like whining and complaining. And I couldn’t seem to write with hope and positivity at the time. That seemed fake. Ah, well . . .

One thing we share a love of is Attic24 and Lucy’s designs, which are free and will remain available on her blog forever. I was so lucky to actually meet Lucy when I went to Yarndale at the end of September, 2018 and later, in early November when I was able to join her crochet group twice in Skipton, Yorkshire. Lucy is a quiet, unassuming and thoroughly delightful person and I shall always remember my time there and our short chats. So I was delighted when my friend began crocheting and then bought some of Lucy’s kits. I was excited to see her blankets develop, even as I was working on my own black, white, grey and red one. If you remember, the stitches I chose were all from Lucy’s patterns.

So . . . one day, my friend asked which kit I would choose if I were to buy one. And I told her The Summer Harmony. The next day I had a message saying that she’d be pleased if I would accept that kit as a gift. I knew she meant it and I was overjoyed to accept. As it turned out, there is no specific kit for the Summer Harmony; the kit that was ordered is the original Harmony blanket, which I think of as the Spring Harmony, as the colours remind me of Easter eggs, spring flowers, etc. They are beautiful, colourful but not overbearing, and the joining yarn is three skeins of a pale grey with a tinge of violet, appropriately named Parma Violet.

The kit arrived on 23 September, but I didn’t begin for a few days. We also both belong to the Fans of Attic24 group on facebook. Someone in the group had posted about organizing the yarns for the granny square blankets. So this is what I did:

I purchased some Large size ziplok bags and labelled them. I snipped a tiny bit off one corner to aloow yarn to pass through. I put one bag of yarn into its ziplok bag. I have a special cloth bag from Yarndale; it pays homage to the film, Babe, with the quote on the front: Baa, Ram, Ewe. (really, you have to watch this film to appreciate the bag. Itfourteen colourss often billed as a children’s film, but, like Charlotte’s Web, there’s a lot in it for adults, too. And I fell in love with the farmer from the beginning.) But back to the kit:

Lucy has included in the pattern a chart of all the squares and their placement in the finished blanket. There is also a list of the fourteen squares and the colours to use for each. So I chose the bags containing the colours needed for the A Squares and proceded to make all nine of them, round by round. When I finished a round, if I had to put the work aside for some time, the squares went into the bag containing the next colour, along with two hooks and a small pair of embrouidery scissors.

Eventually I had 126 squares, all in neat piles nine high.

I laid the piles in order, A to N, on a whiteboard covered with a small towel to keep them from slipping. Above you can see the final squares just waiting to form the last row.

Then came the joining. I’d heard that Lucy’s Join As You Go (JAYG) method had caused trouble for some people, so decided to try it and, if it was not working out, to use a different method. The only trouble it caused for me was that sometimes my mind would wander off and begin thinking about some issue or other and my hands don’t do so well without a certain amount of supervision . . . but crochet is fairly easy to frog back and re-do, thank heaven. I had to do that on a few of the squares, too, including one that was frogged back two rounds, as I’d completely messed up a corner and forgotten to do the usual visual check before proceeding.

A close-up of the JAYG . . .

Above is the first row, joined and laid out along the back of the futon couch which is also my bed at night.

I figured out another trick to make the joining go more smoothly (and to prevent me from getting the fourteen squares in a strip mixed up). I have the piles of squares laid out on a small whiteboard now, in order from A to N. I choose the squares for a strip, beginning with the final one and with the first one on top. Then I use a folded piece of scrap yarn, drawing it up through the centre holes with my hook. This way I know that the top of the pile, with the next squate on top, is the right one (just in case the pile gets joggled and turns topsy-turvey). If I have to put the work aside, I tie the tails and the loop into a neat bow and then I can put the stack on top of the loose squares.

The other day I passed the exact half-way mark of the joining. I’ve completed six strips now and have only three to do.

Then it will be on to the eight rows of border . . . and after that I intend to work on the blanket I created this summer, as well as completing the sleeves for the Barn Cardi and adding the button and buttonhole bands to the front. I shall have to choose suitable buttons for it, too. I have such fond memories of showing this work to my Mum as it progressed and of my Aunty modelling it for me. It will be a joy to wear . . .

My birthday was just a few days after Pauline’s, so my friend and I considered the kit to be a birthday gift. A few days ago, inspired by my progress and wanting to share the joy she’s having working on her own blankets, my friend informed me that she and her husband wanted to send me another kit, this one for Christmas! Again, she asked me my preference and again I chose the Summer Harmony. This time I looked up the pattern and discovered that the yarn is sold in a set named the Original Pack. The pattern is the same as what I have already; only the colours are different. It should go even faster, as now I have this down. I am so, so grateful to have these lovely blankets to work on! But I did tell my friend they should be the last, as she doesn’t need to keep feeding my yarn habit. Besides, I have another black, white, grey and red blanket to make, along with all the other projects waiting for my attention.

Almost finished . . .

Ta-Dah!! Now only the border to add.Ā 

The border called for eight rows, each a different colour. I did that (and for once, I had followed the instructions throughout the project! A rare thing, if you recall . . .) But somehow it did not look quite finished to me. There was yarn left in all the skeins, so I chose three more colours and added those. You can see the results above. These colours give me so much joy! I sit at the laptop and turn my head ot the left and there they are . . .

It can be very easy to give; it’s not so easy to receive. It’s a lesson I’ve learned over my lifetime. I remember reading a story once, written by a young woman. She said that her mother was the kindest, most generous woman, not only to her, but to all she encountered. The Mum was the sort, that, if you came to visit and admired something of hers, would thrust it into your hands as you were leaving. But she wouldn’t accept anything from others. Finally one day, frustrated, her daughter told her she was being selfish. The Mum was astounded, as she gave without reserve. But her daughter told her that she (the mum) received so much joy and satisfaction from giving, yet denied others the chance to experience the same by giving to her. I was happy to read that the Mum ‘got it’ and changed her ways and I began adopting the same attitude.

I still find it easier to give, but I’ve also learned to receive with gratitude and joy. I think that receiving gracefully is a gift we give to others when they seek to bless us. So soon I shall have two of Lucy’s blankets adorning the back of the futon couch where I sleep. Spring and Summer, so delightful! And if my friend and I ever manage to meet in person, we can wrapup in our ‘virtual hugs’ as we sit together, chatting over handwork and a cuppa. And surely some biscuits and chocolate . . .

Here is the Summer Harmony makings on the day the package arrived. It still looks the same, but now it lives under my desk. I’ve been very good about not peeking at all; I will open it on Christmas Day, when my friend and I plan to do a Zoom or Skype call so we can share the excitement. I’ll be sharing photos with you all here, too, as I go along. I did get the additional ziplok bags ready to hold the new colours (some are the same as the first blanket, so those bags will be used again), but this time it will take longer to finish; I have a very exciting new project, just begun, which is a thank-you to my friend and her husband (she knows about it, but I won’t be sharing photos until they have received the gift).

And, in honour of the blanket being a ‘Harmony’, I’ve been listening to plenty of music as I hook . . . from nine year old Amira singing “O Mio Babbino Caro” (conducted by Andre Rieu), to Bach (the 1/4 Goldberg Variations by Canadian pianist Glen Gould) to music from my childhood and youth (too many to name) to, of course, a wide variety of Runrig concerts and singles. No surprise there, eh? So this blanket will be infused, not only with the harmonies of a lasting friendship, but also a variety of the musical harmonies from my life.

Sorry this has taken me so long to complete; I still haven’t solved the issues of uploading photos, but did find a workaround at least.Ā 

Hope you are all doing well and staying busy and creative as we head into winter.

More to come soon . . .Ā 

12 thoughts on “Settling in / down again . . .

  1. Hi Linne, what a jam-packed post about so many things šŸ™‚ Your Barn Cardi is magnificent, I’m not surprised it’s taking so long to make. And all your crocheted blankets are stunning. Aren’t we lucky that things like this give us so much pleasure?
    I hope you stay warm and cosy, and have a lovely Christmas weekend coming up. As you know, we are at opposites here – sweltering hot, and all people want to do is jump into the nearest swimming pool!

    • Jill, how nice to see you’ve been by . . . Thanks for the compliment. I love that Barn Cardi, too; still haven’t gotten to those sleeves, though. A couple of new projects are under way. I won’t be able to share photos until they get where they are going, but after that I will.

      I’m glad you like the blankets, too. I still haven’t opened the second parcel; it’s sitting under my desk. I am waiting to have a chat with the friend who sent it to me and to open it then so she can see it, too. I find the colours that Lucy chooses really speak to me, as I love colour so much. But even without that, making things means so much to me; I don’t know how I would create a life without creativity in it. I could, of course, but sure hope I’ll never have to. There is such joy in seeing a thought become a reality, isn’t there?

      I’ve been very warm and cosy, thank you! and Christmas Eve, Day and Boxing Day have been wonderful. I had some unexpected money available, so was able to spoil my cousins a wee bit. They deserve it. And last year was no picnic for them.

      I am always fascinated by the thought of a hot Christmas, Aussies having barbeques on the beach, people swimming outdoors, all that . . . growing up with it is one thing; I’m not sure how well I’d adapt to it myself, though. I had a hard time getting used to the warmer weather on our West Coast when I lived there (over 30 years, too). Some years we had only rain and no snow; other years we had snow for a couple of weeks, maybe longer. Every decade or so we would get about three or four feet of snow, which was always exciting for me . . . the hush as one walked down the middle of a street or country road was unforgettable . . .

      I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and were spoilt at least a bit . . . and I wish you all the best in this coming year. I expect to post again before the end of the month, so will ‘see’ you then. And, of course, I’ll drop by your place, too . . . Warm hugs to you (well, maybe I should say ‘cool’ hugs, eh? doesn’t sound the same, though)

  2. The blanket looks lovely Linne! Such a thoughtful gift. I too was deeply shocked and saddened by Pauline’s passing. Such a lovely soul and so talented. I have beenbusy making baby blankets for my niece andsome friends who are grandparents now. Still have 2 to go! In Australia some full time caravaners have diesel heaters. They are cheap to run and very popular. I wonder if your MH could fit one? Take care and hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year x

    • Thank you, Kym! That blanket was just what I needed to keep me busy as I adjusted to living here again. I love my cousins and they are very good to me, but I do feel at times that I’m just treading water and not making any progress. I have been thinking so much of Pauline’s daughters, as they face the first year without their Mum, especially the holidays. It takes so long to make that adjustment, doesn’t it? Her creativity inspired me so much, especially the work she did with the alcohol inks.

      I haven’t looked into the diesel heaters yet. One thing I did consider was a small wood burning stove; the sort they make for smaller live-aboard boats. But it would have to go by the only door, so in case of fire would be a problem.

      Our Christmas was very nice and quiet (but we are just that way normally). I had some unexpected money to spend, so enjoyed being able to bless my cousins a bit more than usual.

      I love doing stockings; I found some wee ones in a dollar store when I first came to live with them and this year we were expecting a friend (who is in our bubble, as she’s got health issues and is extra careful) to join us, so I was fortunate to find a matching stocking for her (the only one in the store, too!). I always wrap every little thing that I put in, except for the orange in the toe. And my cousins put things in, too, also wrapped. So it was lots of fun. I stayed up until 3 am to make sure they were asleep, then snuck out with a couple of bags full of wrapped items and the stockings, leaving it all spread out under the tiny tree that sits on the old, round, dining table that is now in the addition.

      I am looking forward to a New Year; I hope it’s a great improvement on this one . . . but whatever it brings, I know we will adapt and survive and in the process do some learning, growing and hopefully lots of making . . .

      I hope your Christmas was as good as ours, although I know it must have been quite warm out. Our weather has held and stayed just below freezing, with enough snow to make it look like Christmas without being a real problem. But we had snow this morning and Mike had to take the snowblower to the pathways and the drive and parking area.

      All the best to you, Kym, in this coming year. I should have some exciting news to share in my next post, which is planned for posting in the next few days. Take care of yourselves and know that you are in my thoughts . . .

      • Love your comment, Kym! Took me a second to adjust my eyesight LOL
        I do envy you the pool . . . although today I’d need skates and before that a good snowshovel . . . But I do like hot and humid at times . . .

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I look forward to reading your comments. ~ Linne