With my husband working from home and him not playing football on Thursday nights it has been a game of ‘what day is it?’ I asked Alexa to remind me when The Grocery Girls were doing their live podcast and so we watched it whilst having our dinner. Their weekly episodes are a welcome treat given everything else going on.
Knitting
I did a separate post this week about me being a numpty with my Void shawl. I’ve since finished it and it’s being blocked, so I’ll post a photo of it once it is dry and I can wear it. I only sprayed it with water, rather than soaking it, and I’ve used my blocking wires for the first time.
My Such a Winter’s Day jumper, that I’ve worn a huge amount this winter, got its first wash. The whole jumper has softened quite a bit and it looks better. I had only steam blocked it the first time, but it has really benefited from being hand-washed. I can see me making another one with the same yarn when this one dies!
For my blog reading friends who do crochet, I have a post about a free pattern a friend from school has written. It’s a Bedtime Bunny Pyjama Case, ideal as an Easter present stuffed with mini eggs. It’s her first pattern, so would be great if some people gave it a go. I really need to learn crochet properly this year. It’s in UK crochet terms.
Finally, in this section, I have caked up my Linen/Bamboo yarn for making Tailfeather by Heidi Kirrmaier. I did the world’s smallest swatch and then just going to hope I have enough yarn to finish it, as it was indie dyed and I only just have enough. This may be too challenging a project for me to tackle at the moment, but we’ll see.
Spinning
I filled two bobbins with my homespun John Arbon Harvest Hues fibre. This is going to be 3 ply so I’ll need to fill a 3rd bobbin. I won’t keep posting pictures of these, as I’m spinning a sweater quantity (well that’s the plan) and you’ll all get bored. Once I’ve got my first completed 3 ply skein I will share a picture.
Because a yarn festival had been cancelled, they did a day on Instagram showcasing the vendors and some had some special offers. Now I’m on a (self imposed) yarn buying ban year…but I did say I’d be still buying fibre. Well the baby camel and tussah silk from Coastal Colours was on sale with 10% off and in some absolutely stunning colours…so I couldn’t resist. The photos don’t do them justice. I know I’ve gushed about it before, but if you are new to my blog then I highly recommend this fibre for spinning and wearing. I LOVE IT!
Other News
I baked a gingerbread loaf this week, that recommended leaving it 24 hours in a sealed container before eating. We managed to wait the 24 hours before tucking in. It was a recipe in our bread-maker book (no yeast needed), so it was extremely easy to make. I didn’t have any treacle so used more golden syrup! Only 10,000 calories a slice I suspect!
I tested our out of date yeast and it is still alive, so this week I’m going to use some of our out of date flour to make some bread. This quarantine really is helping me use up old stuff. We have some out of date desiccated coconut too, so I’ll need to find a recipe to use that up too. I’m not really too much of a follower of use by dates, especially on dry ingredients. I have herbs and spices older than my dog!
We made the mistake of watching the Tiger King earlier in the week. I was really affected by it and struggled to sleep and then had nightmares two nights in a row. If you are an animal lover then I would definitely recommend you DON’T watch it, even though it is being talked about everywhere. Once you start you can’t seem to turn away despite the craziness of it, so I’d definitely say don’t watch.
I had my first group Skype call with some blogging friends on Saturday evening and have another today and one with friends set for Monday evening. With my husband working from home everyday, hearing him chatting to people all day has made me feel quite lonely! Seems ironic, as when I was home alone the last 3 years I’ve been fine. Anyway, it’s lovely to connect with friends and hopefully our YOP group will have a call too at some point. 🙂
Yesterday we celebrated our 3rd anniversary of Ylva’s Adoption from Munlochy Animal Aid. No special trips allowed, like taking her to the beach, so just another walk around the block and a chase around the garden.
Stay safe and stay home xx
________________
This is a Year of Projects update. If you would like to find out more about the
Year of Projects Group on Ravelry, or you’d like to join in, please follow the link for details. To read what the other members of the YOP Group have been getting up to please click on the latest weekly folder and follow the links to their blog posts. This is a friendly group with a wide mix of skills and crafting interests.
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HighlandHeffalump 
Out of date yeast? Check! Slightly elderly (but well stored) bread flour? Check! Great minds think alike, I guess. And you are right: that Coastal Colours yarn is scrumptious.
I suspect it’s because you aren’t currently allowed to go far outside and aren’t allowed to be with your friends that you miss it so much. I work from home, and have spent a lot of time by myself like you, but it’s the compulsive element of the lockdown that makes me value my freedom so much more. That, and the probability of missing not just one, but most probably two, holidays in Sutherland this year. Now, that just makes me cranky.
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You’re right. We normally go camping on the north coast a few times, and you just know we’ll have the best summer weather ever the year we aren’t allowed to go anywhere. Ah well…definitely could be worse.
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Oh my, you too? Everybody seems to be baking bread these days. Actually, yeast (both fresh and dry) has been sold out over here for weeks, and flour of any kind is hard to come by as well. Butter is still available in abundance, though, so maybe I should get into exploring the fine art of French cuisine instead of baking boring sourdough bread? LOL.
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Yes the flour and yeast sold out pretty quickly at the start of the panic buying and hasn’t been re-stocked…that or it keeps being sold. I had a baking cupboard with stuff I haven’t used for years because knitting, weaving and spinning took my time instead. X
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Baking bread is my one stress reliever. The smell of it fills the house, giving me the sensation of being back at my grandma’s farm house. Such good memories. Your Linen/Bamboo yarn is very pretty. Fingers crossed for you, it will be enough for your project. The new coastal colors fiber is yummy looking. It will be fun to see if spun up. Dishcloths are such a great way to feel accomplished. Yours is so pretty. The colors remind me of Easter. Happy ‘got you’ day to Ylva. She is a very lucky girl to be part of your family. Having a YOP meet up would be fun but our time zones could make it quite interesting. Stay well!
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I’ve had two calls with an Alaskan resident on, so it could work I think. Morning for US and afternoon or evening here would be good.
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Love love love those Coastal Colors colors. That’s my palette. The Linen/Bamboo is right in there too.
Your dishcloth looks very Spring like (and useful) and that gingerbread looks delish. Impressive waiting a whole day!
Happy adoption day to Ylva, lucky dog!
And count me in on the crafty call. I just took the bull by the horns and posted a thread on the Ravelry YOP discussion forum and made a proposal.
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Your fiber and yarn are beautiful – can’t wait to see what you make of them! Happy Got You day to Ylva and to you two as well 🙂 It was great getting to finally meet you online yesterday and today!
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Yes! The “Boxes” dishcloth pattern is a favorite of mine. Check out my March-made cloths. At least half of them are this pattern. That caked-up Linen/Bamboo yarn is a gorgeous color. Your gingerbread looks beautiful, but oh my! That picture beside it made me laugh so hard. And long. Because it’s painfully true, I’m afraid. I’ll gotta laugh or I’ll cry…
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That Dishcloth looks lovely, I’ll have to give it a look and see. I am trying to find ways to avoid buying disposable washing sponges.
I love the colours of the Coastal colours.
I don’t think I could get tired of looking at hand spun even if it’s a sweaters quanitity. haha
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The dishcloths are absolutely brilliant. You can shove them in a washing machine and tumble dryer. If you follow the link on the page you’ll find my Ravelry project page and see the yarn. It’s available from Amazon, given yarn stores are closed at the moment. Works way better than a sponge. I won’t go back to sponges now,
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Love the look of your dishcloth – I may have to try that one. Also your gingerbread loaf – I’d forgotten we all love that so that may have to be next! And we could never be bored of fibre or yarn especially that from John Arbon!
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Thanks Lucy. I’ve made a new batch of rolags this morning to spin this week.
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I am enjoying your newsy blog posts. I wish I had the energy to do one of those but with two new corgi puppies I have no energy left. They are 17 1/2 weeks now and quite a handful. Such a bright set of lights with all that is going on. I got them just before the pandemic broke out. So glad I did but it doesn’t leave me much time for knitting or blogging so I love reading others.
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Thanks. I’ve seen your cute corgi pups on your blog…just post with no words, just puppy photos and make everyone’s day 😁
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Ooh your new fibre looks gorgeous, and I bet it’s even better in real life.
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Lucky you having yeast in your cupboard. Hubby has been making soda bread though so its all good. Your fibre makes me think I have some undyed fibre in my stash – and some koolaid so I think dying is next on the horizon for me. stay well. I am glad your sweater washed well. It is always a test of faith that first wash!
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The pattern of the dishcloth really complements the yarn or vice versa.
Your selection of Coastal Colours is stunning!!
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