New Years etc

 That time of year again that I make a bunch of resolutions to improve my life and situation, and then discover that as a woman in her 30s I am who I am and anything that requires a significant change in character is impossible. 

That being said however, this year has been the year that I have truly realised that changing your situation, or your habits, will cause an involuntary change in your character over time, whether for better or worse. 

In many ways this year has been a struggle. It's been a struggle globally, which is also a struggle personally, but in addition to that it has also been a struggle personally, with my Mum's terrible illness, and taking on (then eventually leaving) a job, which for reasons I'm still not clear on, drove me to the edge of my sanity. We have had smaller upheavals and disasters as well, as you always Will. Will's Dad passed away suddenly. Will is going to be beginning a new job, on a much lower salary, that is daunting. The house, and houses do, needs this and that done to it, some pressing, all unaffordable right now. I'm the mother of two young girls growing up in a time and culture I feel increasingly at odds with. That and a myriad of further little traumas. In among all of this however have been a few good changes I have made this year. I have started going to my knitting group at a local bar, basically every week, and have made firm friends, as well as improving my knitting. The confidence this has given me encouraged me to reach out to more women in my community and I have made friends with a lot of the mums as well. Off the back of this, I got chatting to a friend at knitting about sea swimming and she was interested in joining me, so we have made this a regular event, two or three times a week, rain or shine, to go in the sea. Word got around and a fair few of the mum friend's I have made have also begun joining us on occasion. With my newfound strength and resilience I suggested to Will that instead of a daily walk, we do a daily run, so we have regularly, 3or 4 times a week, been running 5km. As a result of all of that, I think, I haven't had a cold this autumn and winter, for the first time I can remember, and feel more able to deal with the shit this year has thrown at me. I'm at the end of the year and for once looking forward with optimism, knowing I have all of these new tools in my toolbox. 

Not getting much done

 But it is a Monday after a hectic weekend. We are having a Christmas party at the weekend so I'll get busy as the week goes on.

Today I have:
Been for a sea swim
Brushed the cat for ages (Not really essential)
Gathered all of the laundry from around the house
Been for a run

Still getting things done

Been for a sea swim
Varnished the girls' polymer clay creations
Bought cleaning stuff and birthday presents for girls' friends parties this weekend
Cleaned bathroom
Put on load of laundry
Done washing up
Made berry muffins
Ordered changing robe (I finally caved)

Getting a bit more done

 Today I have: 

Moulded clay trinkets for the girls for Christmas
Put breadmaker on (why so much bread?)
Done washing up
Made supper
Folded mount laundry
Went for a run
Fannied about with my computer & MP3 player to get it working again
Put away mount laundry
Tidied the girls room (ish)
Sorted through odd bags of rubbish in kitchen
Pulled a few things out of my wardrobe to pack away/charity
Tidied & hoovered downstairs
Made Christmas cards

Getting it done

 Feeling like I'm getting nothing done and wasting the day every day so I am going to write down the jobs I have done today, for my sake: 

Sewed up Will's glove
Sewed coat hook back onto coat
Finished one arm of Hazel's cardi
Sorted out wool in craft room
Went for a run
Put up the rest of Christmas decs
Stripped bed
Washed and dried a few loads of laundry
Changed kombucha over & split SCOBY
Did washing up
Put away clothes in bedroom
Did & put away big shop
Made cottage pie
Bought gas and electric for the meters
Cut last years Christmas cards into gift tags
Put breadmaker on
Made berry muffins

Change

 We are nearing the end of 2023, another year worse than the one before in many ways. My resolutions for this year coming are numerous I think. But something I would like very much to do is to start drawing or painting again, or writing. Make something completely useless, but which lets my soul speak. It's a knack I have lost, but which for the first part of my life so defined me and everything I did. It's amazing how much we change. 

Busy

 I'm not sure what I have to say today, this is in part just a photo dump & also I feel I should post something as it's been a couple of weeks. 

I am hyper aware that Christmas is approaching and while I had hoped to be extremely productive over October and November making wonderful Christmas presents for people, in fact the opposite has been true. I started on a jumper for each of the girls, but half way in my confidence faltered, and eventually I just showed them to the girls as I wasn't convinced they would like them and didn't want to give them something I wasn't sure about for Christmas. In the event they said they did like them, and I have carried on making them, but am having another crisis now and am not pleased with them and have no interest in carrying on. I need to talk to the girls about it, but it's not the top of my list. 

They are further along than this now, actually I think one is completed and waiting to be tucked in. 

I picked up this little sewing machine for the girls from a charity shop a couple of weeks ago. It is very basic, and not adequate as a sewing machine if it were your only one, but I thought it might be good for the girls to learn on as it is small and slow. We have had a couple of little goes, and Ivy had the day off school with a cough yesterday, so we completed a few small projects from a book together, between this little machine and my larger one. I want so much for the girls to feel powerful and that they can do things. The world we have brought them into doesn't make you feel like either of these things are true. 

As I threatened to, I spent a couple of days going through our house plants and put doesn't outside our house for free. They disappeared very quickly, and I hope that brought people some joy. It has brought me joy to have a bit more light and space in my house. 

Last week was half term and we visited my Mum. She is ill, and sometimes I am so sad about it I can hardly think. There is a second hand bookshop in her village and I was pleased to find this crochet book, even if it has some lunatic advice in it such as 'If mistakes occur there is only one solution and that is to unpick work back to the error and correct it'. Pah!
There is a pattern for a shawl in here, which I am keen to make as my first project post Christmas. 

For Halloween we went to a friend's party and then trick or treating. We dressed as a family of bedsheet ghosts. 

And I made revolting cakes. 

Last night I began work on a cardigan for each of the girls, which I will make sure to save as a Christmas present. I still need to work out the stitch count for the body and sleeves but once that is done I'll be away and will be able to finish them on autopilot. 

And finally, my silly swimmers jumper did get finished. I am generally please. Indeed, I actually really like the plain pattern for the jumper and am likely to make it again in future, minus the swimmers. 

It seems to have put the kiss of death on my wild swimming though as I haven't been in two weeks now. The water will be very cold when I finally get back in. 

I have begun running again though and have been going several times a week. It is making me feel better. 

Distraction

...seems to be the word of the week. Or perhaps it should be procrastination. Despite my best intentions I'm still struggling to get up any momentum, and even get my good old homemaking routine back in action. I think I am waiting around for something to click, but perhaps something a bit more involved is needed. 

I did make a resolution to give away a lot of my houseplants and have begun with that. I haven't been keeping count, but have put at least 10-15 outside on the front wall, and then have almost all disappeared. I also left a note out saying more to come, and a planning to give away all but 2 or 3 per room. I have ended up with so many, and really all they are is clutter, and something else to care for. It isn't the same as caring for a garden, and I think that was all I wanted really. 

So that will be something, being able to get to the windowsills again and having a bit more light coming in might make a huge difference, especially in these darker months. 

I have been busying away working on Christmas presents. I have finished one, and have a couple of works in progress for the girls. I need to keep up momentum as I would like to make a jumper for all of my close family, with the exception perhaps of Will whose might need to wait until the new year, we'll see. 

While working on the girls' projects in the evenings after they go to bed, I have also got my swimmers jumper on the go to pick away at here and there. 

I have finished the front and back, and rather than go straight into the sleeves I decided to add the swiss darning to the front at this point, and then if it was awful I would have the option to redo the front with intarsia instead. 

I did the colourwork yesterday, and generally I am pleased. Nobody would be fooled into thinking the design is knitted, but the effect is quite fun, and I would definitely use it again for small designs. It was certainly more enjoyable to do than intarsia. 

Below is my design - I added in a few fish for fun, and then the image from the pattern for reference.

The only thing I particularly don't like about this method is that it slightly distorts the stitches around the design, but I'm hoping when the garden is worn it won't be too visible. 

I have a busy day today - I must at least do the washing up and hoover through in the morning, and then I have an opticians appointment. After not wearing glasses for several years, I feel that my eyesight has gotten to a point now where I will need to begin wearing them again, at least to drive. While in town I am also going to go charity shop hunting for white sheets - the plan is to be a family of ghosts this Halloween, and I've been tasked with making costumes. Could be worse!

 Plan to have a complete overhaul of our space and bring peace to the house: 

Get rid of houseplants. Almost all of them. 2-3 per room, maximum. I'm not sure how many I have but it's around the 50/60 mark and I'm bored of them. I loved houseplants when I was younger before I had children to look after, and I liked them a lot when we first moved here, I think because I was looking for something to replace the feeling of caring for a garden. But it's not the same, and I'm over them. I will ruthlessly go through them and put them outside for people to take, I'm sure they will go quickly. 

Go through board games/puzzles. If there aren't any to give away, put some away in cupboards and rotate.

Same for toys. 

Go through wardrobe. Clothes shouldn't be squished in there, I have more clothes than I can wear, and I basically wear the same 5 things on rotation anyway. 

Find a good storage solution for the winter blankets - shelves in bedroom alcove? Ask Will.

Sort out the girls' desks and find good, accessible homes for all of their craft things. Teach them the value of keeping their things tidy. 

Colder

 Colder and colder, that's this week. Is this it now, are we rolling into winter, or will there be a final snap of warmth? Whatever the weather is doing people say it's unseasonable, so I'm not even sure what to expect anymore!

Today I had a lovely swim in the sea, but it's been the first this year (since it started warming up in may, anyway) where getting in, I felt like actually this is rather cold and perhaps I'd rather sit inside and eat a biscuit instead. But I went in anyway, and as always felt better for it. 

It was made easier by having my crochet dress to change into after. I made this in the spring, and it was, oh, lots and lots of work. Unfortunately once it was finished I discovered that I handed accounted for the weight of the wool and the resulting drag, so rather than the waist sitting at my natural waistline, it was more of a dropped waist which wasn't what I was after. 

I wore it once or twice and then put it away in a wardrobe, feeling disappointed, and every now and then I have wondered if there is a way of picking out a section of it without having to completely unravel it, and not coming up with much. Anyway, as is often the way, I had my eureka moment the second I opened my eyes this morning and got to work on it, taking out the squares around the neckline. It was a bit dicey and I made a couple of wrong snips so here's hoping it doesn't unravel at any moment. I also made a cord for the waist, and now it fits me perfectly, I think I will live in it over winter, and am even desperate to make another now. I will resist the urge as I have plenty to get in with already.

I also got around to making the dress from the duvet fabric I bought last week. I just used the pink side, and only about two thirds of it at that, so this is one of the least expensive garments I have ever made at about £1.50, not including the pattern. 

I decided not to have a contrast collar this time as I thought it would be too twee with the pink, and I left the pleats open for a poofier skirt. My greatest triumph came after I begun sewing, I realised I would need another zip. Rather than ordering one online, which I am trying not to do, I thought I would try my local charity shop which I knew had a few zips last time I went. In the even they only have one in the right length and rather than white it was creamy yellow. I bought it anyway, I think for 40p, and came home and put it in a jar of bleachy water for an hour, and thankfully it turned perfectly white and I was able to complete the dress in a day. 

We had, not our first, but our first fire that was properly justified this week. We all enjoyed, especially the cats. Over the weekend the girls and I put up the window halloween decorations, better late than never. 

At the weekend we went to the National Botanic Gardens and saw a small, but exquisite display of costumes inspired my stories in the Mabinogion. One if the things that was so fascinating and wonderful about these costumes, the stories aside, was that for many of them the materials and techniques were detailed on an information board, and almost all of the materials were old curtains, things from car boot sales, bits and bobs from the button box. Inspiring stuff. 

I have a jacket pattern I'm keen to make, and I'm thinking if I can find a pair of velvet curtains they could be just the boy. 

Now I'm off for a run in the cold, and then have housework to catch up on, as always, so time to go!

Improvements

 I came by this picture in a memory on my phone last week of our old dining room. It took a couple of different colours before I fixed on one that I liked, and once I painted it this pale pink, oh I loved it so much. 

I keep coming back to the back room in our current house and thinking there must be something I can do with it. The damp man is coming today to have a look, hopefully he'll do some work for us and sort out a couple of places in the house that are letting water in. Then I want to have a look at this room and see what I can do, but I think recreating the vibe of the old place is a good way to start. 

I don't have a lot of time to write this as I have the school run, but I've made a real effort today to get some good energy going and stop moping around. I baked a decent sourdough, roasted the last of our tomatoes, baked a loaf of sandwich bread, and have done a bunch of tidying. 

I got around to making the bug skirts for the girls, and we're all pleased with them, although Ivy's sadly already has minestrone soup stains. I am going to buy some white vinegar and see what I can do. 

I picked up this all cotton superking duvet cover from a charity shop today for £5, which feels like a bit of a bargain. I will probably make another of the mushroom dress with one side of it. 

I must go, I thought I'd have more time to write, so will have to revisit another day. 

Mushroom

 It's been a fun and busy few days, and today is the day, despite being a Sunday, that I must get things a bit straight in the house again as it's all been sorely neglected. 

This week is the week that I got around to making my mushroom dress, and oh, I really love it. the only thing is the fabric is quite thing, and though I lined the skirt with cotton, I didn't line the bodice as I thought I might make it a bit stiff and heavy. So there are a couple of seams I'm a little nervous about which I'm planning to reinforce on the inside with strips of bias. I've worn it once but won't wear it again until I've done that now. 

The pattern was a dream (lisette simplicity 1419) and I am already planning to make it again with some cotton bed linen that I had actually been saving for something else. I made a few alterations - I lengthened the sleeves a little, the bodice a little (probably didn't need to, I won't next time) and the skirt a whole lot, and I really like the fit. The waist is really nipped in and there is a lot of room in the back and around the arms for movement. 

I also have the contrast side of the mushroom duvet which I am planning to make into another dress, but which I will fully line. 

I had my knitting group on Thursday. It was quiet this time, but it's a nice fixture in the week. Friday was an inset day and me and the girls had a great day, we had breakfast on the beach, went to softplay, and in the afternoon I taught Ivy to crochet a granny square. In the evening we went to the yacht club for bingo with the girls and all slept on the boat. 

Yesterday was another packed one - library in the morning, I didn't take out any books this week, a birthday party after lunch, and then in the afternoon we didn't some work in some maths and english books I bought for the girls. I'm having some concerns about the school as the girls seem to come home every day saying they have just been sat watching T.V, or playing games on ipads. I need to find out more about the current curriculum and current style of teaching before I judge too quickly, but it all sounds pretty disheartening to me. Not that I'm worried about the girls getting into cambridge or anything, but you would hope they would be being taught in an involved, social way, where they can ask questions and talk about things rather than being stuck on devices. 

Yesterday I crocheted another beret because I am insane. 

That's all for now, I have a cold and am feeling rough, again. 

Green

 Here I am picking myself, dusting myself off, and getting on with it. 
Yesterday I went for a fab swim with my friend. I really wasn't in the mood, which is rare, but I never say no to a swim so along we went. The sea was wonderful and bouncy and there was even a bit of sun. Although the weather is cooling the sea is also still almost at its warmest, and it's great to be making the most if it. We probably stayed in for the best part of an hour and I came out feeling better than I went in. 
I got home and was so hungry I had to immediately eat two pieces of date and orange cake and sit in a sun beam to warm up. 

While doing that, I noticed one of the cones of angora, or angora type yarn that we picked up from the charity shop at the weekend and thought that it looked like the exact sort of thing a beret would suit. An hour and half later I have a lovely, and very warm, fluffy beret. 

I was reminded of years ago when I was about 19, I was in America and got quite into knitting, just very simple things, and had bought a bag of mixed yarn from my Dad's thrift store, and in this bag was a knitted beret, complete except for the ends being tucked in. I wore it for years and I remember thinking wistfully, if only I could make something like that. It all seemed such a mystery. I so look forward to teaching the girls every skill I know how to, it makes you feel so powerful. I have begun now on a Christmas present for my Mum and hope to keep the momentum up and give people some really nice handmade gifts this year. I have no money, and no desire to buy anything anyway.

I painted our hallway floor the night before last and gave it its first coat of varnish last night, so just one more to do this evening. All of the paint was in our shed already, so I'm so pleased to have done this job without having to buy anything, just a little bit of elbow grease required. With a couple of coats of varnish I'm hoping this paint job will last, and it has inspired me to keep working on the many, many other areas of the house that need attention. 

Stuffed

These last few months I have felt 'stuffed out' in a way that I never have before. Although there have been many, many times in the past where I have felt that my life is too cluttered, or my house is too cluttered, and I need to have a clear-out, this is something subtly different. When I think about stuff I feel quite unwell, and when I think about the production and consumption of more stuff that is going on around me all the time I get the sweats. 

It is upsetting me so much and bringing about such a feeling of existential threat that I don't want to even dwell on it and write about it at length here. Fair enough to say it is a very real, very visceral and instinctive feeling and one that I cannot ignore. 

I know that the only possible answer can be to throw myself into the life that I am living right now, and to be present in the love and life and joy that surround me every day. In many ways the last few months have been like a living death, and time passes on anyway. 

I would like, instead of ruminating and spending sleepless nights, to return to my former way of living where I accepted all of this badness going on around me, and did my best to live a good life amidst it. That is how this blog began in the first place. 

Moving on from that, I'm trying to keep myself out of trouble and have been sorting out my home in bits and bobs. Today I spent the afternoon going through a couple of drawers in my bedroom which have just become dumps, and have found a few missing things, a few forgotten things, and a fair bit of rubbish too. 

A couple of days ago we went to a big charity shop in town, looking for an iron actually, though we didn't find one, and picked up a number of cones of mohair type yarn, and the below double bedsheet. Checking the label, it was originally from matalan, and the fabric is pretty cheap and nasty, but I love the prints and I think if I line it it will be perfectly usable. I have even ordered a dress pattern with some birthday money from my Dad and am looking forward to taking my time on it. Just need that iron now.. 
I generally wear more oversized tenty-type dresses, so have ordered a pattern that is a little more fitted and smart for a change. 

Now it's time I was off to get the girls. 

This evening I am repainting the hall floor, as you see in the picture above that's a job long overdue. I think I saw some floor varnish in the shed so will finish it this time, and hopefully the paint job, with care, will last longer. 

Star girl

 When I said I probably had enough handmade jumpers I was obviously lying because I seem to have made another. I have been sorting through my yarn, getting ready for making Christmas gifts, and found a jumpers' worth of this pink colour block yarn, which in fairness I had earmarked for a jumper for myself. I used it at the beginning of the year to make the yarn sister Star Girl jumper, which I probably mentioned at the time was a pattern I didn't get on with, had to unravel several times, and ended up going my own way with it entirely. I still wasn't totally happy with it, but was so over trying when I decided to call it a day. I had intended it for my Mum, but it came up bigger than I hoped (this is my main issue with the pattern, the sleeve size increases directly relative to the body size increasing, so the smaller sizes have armholes the size of pipe cleaners), so I thought it wouldn't be suitable, but in the event she took a shine to it and took it home with her anyway. 

I don't know what prompted me to but I thought I would have another look at the pattern, as I have already paid for it, and I really love that star yoke and all being well would like to make one for the girls each as a Christmas present. 

I really tried to keep my eye on the ball with the pattern and the increases this time. It still has, in my opinion, big flaws, and I went totally my own way with the arms which have no decreasing whatsoever in the pattern. I'm more pleased with it this time anyway, and have managed to make a more shapely jumper, so I think I will plan to make them for the girls for Christmas. 

It's hard to think of anything else that has gone on, but I've had a nice week. I must get on with the housework now as that's fallen by the wayside, and I'm planning to go for a swim in the sea after lunch. 

Messing about on the river

 It's been a lovely slow weekend. There was a little break in the weather and we finally made it out on the boat - only along the river in each direction, and turned around once we were out to sea. There was no wind for sailing, but it was wonderful to be on the water. We saw Cormorants, Herons and Egrets and it felt great to be on the boat. There's not really been the opportunity this year, between weather, illness and engine trouble, to build up any confidence or enthusiasm for boating. Next year. 

In the afternoon we had an indoor picnic, and went to the park before supper. Yesterday I bought a silicone cake pan for making small lunchbox cakes. It cost £3.99 and wasn't a necessary purchase, but I think it will see a lot of use. This evening I made sponge with chocolate chips for the girls lunches this week. 

I completed my birthday scarf with the wool my Mum bought me. It is super soft and warm, and I think the twist is fine in the event. Ivy has expressed an interest so I think I will buy the Katie Jones crochet pattern which has sweet hearts on the 'leaves' and make the girls one each for Christmas presents. I'm hyper aware of Christmas getting closer and closer and I must start squirrelling things away and making plans. 

That's all for now. I'm looking forward to hopefully having a more optimistic week this week, as I've been feeling quite stressed and worried with the snatches of news and youtube commentaries I've seen lately.

An observation

 Currently I am writing this entirely to myself as I have made this blog private temporarily, after noticing an alarming number of daily views. I don't know who or why anyone would have so much interest in this blog suddenly, but after writing into the void for so long, and the internet being such a creepy, intrusive place, I wasn't keen. 

My observation is to do with spending money being habit rather than instinctive, which I had assumed it probably was - the natural desire to stockpile, or to feather one's nest. I have only been practicing 'not buying', reasonably strictly, for two months since quitting my job. Obviously knowing what I know now I would have started that one long ago, but there we are!

For my birthday I was given an amazon voucher from a family friend. We also have another one due to come to us for sticking with our internet provider. Currently I am doing my very best not to shop online, as I just feel more and more that that is directly destroying the world I want to live in, but having said that, I am glad to have them, and sooner or later there will be something I want or need. 

Particularly for the birthday voucher I thought, why not have a look through my amazon wishlist and pick one thing as a birthday present. There are many lovely things on there, mainly books about all sorts of interesting subjects. And yet there is nothing I want. I just feel more and more totally bogged down by stuff, and like I already have a life's worth. And like the stuff, I feel way overstimulated by media also, and like my brain can't be doing with more stories, or more facts about stuff. 

So I will do as I said, I will wait until there is something we really need. It'll keep. And it's pretty nice not to be wanting for anything. One of few happy thoughts at the moment. 

In a tangle

Tuesday

 I only have a few minutes as am due to meet a friend for breakfast this morning. I was also meant to be going for a swim with another friend but the weather is honestly awful today and I think we were both relieved to give it a miss. 

As often they are, but especially at the moment a week and a half from payday, my thoughts are on money matters. It's been a more expensive month this month, I'm not sure why, just one little thing and another. Smallish purchases, some essential, some not, but for a while it seemed like we were spending money like water. There isn't as much now and it doesn't take a lot to take out the bulk of our disposable income. That's if we truly have a disposable income - can you when you don't really have savings?

I have been turning to my wartime-era books for inspiration. You get in big trouble if you romanticize the past, but there can be no doubt that during WW2, as well as the periods directly before and after, people had to make sure they accounted for all of their resources, and made them stretch as far as they could. It's hard to get to grips with in this throwaway society, we don't even realise how wasteful we are. I have 'waste not want not' as a mantra in my head on loop at the minute and am doing my best to be very careful before I throw anything away. 

I had another little reminder yesterday. My oven gloves are starting to wear thin and I mentioned to Will a couple of days ago that I needed to buy a new pair. Then yesterday I was looking at them and said perhaps I should just see if I can make some, I think we have an old towel we can spare. Then Will said - didn't you buy two separate oven gloves a couple of years ago? I'd completely forgotten that I did. I bought them from the botanic gardens and they were quite expensive actually. I've hardly used them because I always used my joined up pair, so they're in new condition. So I brought them out and was about to throw away my old ones when i had a look at them and thought, besides being a bit mucky the middle section is actually fine - it never comes in contact with the heat so is still heat proof. Why not butcher that and make a couple of pan handles for the fire. So that is what I intend to do. 

Thursday

Evidently time got away with me on that one. I had breakfast with my friend on Tuesday in a cafe that is very nice looking but does frankly disgusting food. I haven't been there in years and the few times I did it was borderline inedible, and I thought it might have changed, but alas not. Obviously it suits a lot of people as they're still going strong!

I did manage to make a pan handle from a butchered piece of old oven glove, and have enough left to make another, but my fingers needed a rest from that sharp little needle. I was extra thrifty and salvaged the bias from around the glove to finish it off. It just need a good soak in something degreasing and we'll be good to go. 

Yesterday was my birthday. I'm not usually super excited by birthdays, mine, and if I'm honest, other peoples' too. But I had a lovely day, the girls and Will made a big fuss of me, and I was given a lot of very thoughtful presents. In the day while the girls were in school Will and I drove to Laugharne. I love Laugharne, and wanted to to to the silversmith as we bought our wedding rings from there years ago, and have since bought other pieces and had an item repaired as well. My engagement ring has needed resetting for many years so I decided it's finally time to get it sorted, and who could we trust more? We were saddened to hear a couple of years ago that the owner had had a stroke and was very poorly, but his daughter took over the business. So it was a wonderful surprise anyway to find him in the shop yesterday and still full of rage and fighting spirit after all he had been through. A day of counting my blessings. 

This morning I went for a swim in the sea with my friend. The sea was bumpy and fun, and it kept pouring with rain. We got a cup of coffee in Mumbles after before heading home.

I have my knitting club tonight. My lovely Mum bought me some Merino/alpaca blend yarn for my birthday, far fancier than anything I'd buy for myself, and I knew just want I wanted to make with it. A couple of years ago I found a free pattern online for a very sweet vintage style keyhole scarf, something like this: 

So I have begun work on that already. I have had an issue with the keyhole section - somehow when I was joining the two pieces of knitting we got a twist there rather than flat ribbing as in the picture. It was so fiddly to do that I was really reluctant to rip it back, so I'm persevering and hoping that it will look nice, and rather than being flat might instead look more like the knot of a tie. If it really doesn't work I'll rip back the whole lot and start again. 

My mum sent me four skeins, each in a different colour. I have gone with the middle shade to complete the scarf. Noticably different but the same tone, so I'm hoping that will work out. 

Making it into balls was going fine until the cat turned up. 

Time for me to finish my coffee and crack on with my jobs now before  it's time to get the girls. 

Pretty in pink

 It's been another tired sort of weekend here, and I'm sure I didn't get done any of the things I'd hoped to. 

Yesterday we went to the library and the bakery, as we often do on a Saturday. I bought a biscuit press from the charity shop next door to the bakery. It was £2 and I predict us getting a lot of use from it! It's a very quick and easy way of making many, many tiny biscuits and there are so many variations we could do. I will probably bake some more tonight ready for lunch boxes in the week. 

I didn't really know what I was after from the library this week, but I took out a book about botanical illustration, should I ever get the chance to give it a go, har har, and this really pretty book about decorating with pastels. It has a lot of pretty creative ideas and has made me want to get back to organising and decorating my home. It makes such a difference to your happiness having pleasant surroundings. 

We went for a long and very rainy walk this morning, and consequently lit our first fire of the year. It's not really cold enough, but our coats were soaked through and it seems the most practical and cost effective way of drying them. I got a crochet pan handle from the kitchen, but thought we'd be better off with a quilted one (which I then demonstrated by burning both of my thumbs while using the crochet one) and made this pretty pan handle, or trivet using a few scraps. I sorely regret giving away nearly a full bin bag of scrap fabric when we moved into this house. I guess it seemed the only practical thing to do at the time. I try to be more careful about what I let in and what I send out now. 

I started it by hand, but due to my sore thumbs finished it on the machine. It was nice to do a bit of hand sewing and made a change from knitting. 

Speaking of hand sewing, I did get around to nipping out a bit of the elastic from the skirt given to me by my friend, and that was the only alteration I needed to do. It'll be a lovely warm skirt for winter, and is just my taste. 

Cold feet

 This week I have knitted a couple of pairs of socks using the flat technique. I think it was Pam that gave me this book of patterns some time ago, and I have used it once or twice and got all enthused a couple of years ago, and then got distracted by something else instead. I don't particularly enjoy knitting socks, and for me it's not really worth it, however I do find the flat technique a bit more engaging, you make quite an interesting shape, and then have to seam it. I made a couple of really chunk aran pairs this week, and they will be just the job for after my sea dips. The girls have asked me to make some for them as well, so I will probably begin work on theirs next. I don't think I have any 4ply, and definitely don't have any sock yarn, so I will probably just use DK and they'll have to last as long as they last. 

The weather is getting cooler now and looks like it means to carry on. I don't mind, I was already well into Autumn mode. I cleared out my wardrobe and packed away all of my summer clothes, and filled it up with jumpers. I concluded that I probably have enough chunky knitwear now and must try and resist making more this winter. 

My friend did the same and gifted me a couple of things yesterday - A long turquoise shirt dress which I love and think will probably become my new uniform, alongside my purple dress which I wear almost every day and which is getting a little bit thin, a cotton antique chemise-type garment, and a mid-length floral corduroy skirt which it big on me, but I saw has a loose elastic waistband - I have unpicked a little gap and pulled the elastic out, I just need to snip a bit off and sew it back up. 

Yesterday I had a nice housey day before my knitting group in the evening, and made strawberry muffins for the girls afterschool, and the first sourdough in ages. 

Today I am visiting with a friend in Cwmgors after the school run, and I still have to make the lunches so I'd better hop to it!