Splashing out...

I seem to have reacquainted myself with Sue Townsend just recently. Last read circa 1980 something; the brilliant Adrian Mole of course. I had a vague idea that more Adrian Mole had been written but didn't have a strong desire to read what he had been up to at the age of 39. I didn't want to spoil that little bit of childhood magic.

Quite where I have been while other books of hers have been published I have no idea but I was tempted by 'The Woman who went to Bed for a Year' I mean who hasn't thought of doing that from time to time? You haven't? Oh, just me then.

It was a welcome light read and a funny one just when I needed it (rotten cold and other stresses). I won't spoil the ending for those of you that haven't read it but I was sad when I put it down and wanted more of the Townsend magic and humour.

A quick trip to Oxfam books and I picked up two more. Most definitely not themes that I would normally choose; Number Ten and Queen Camilla. In other words, politics and the royal family; not really my cup of tea for book subjects. I am a little way into Number Ten and loving it.

Incidentally, I really must consider attire other than worn in jeans when I browse my local Oxfam book store. I was asked if I needed any help and I explained that I was looking for anything by Sue Townsend. The helpful woman (of mature years) said that if I found any books that I could not afford today they could put them to one side and I could pay for them another day. I felt so extravagant buying two books for £2 each!

A blanket for my little rock...

Goodness knows how many reincarnations this project has had before settling on a stripey blanket! There were thoughts of baby blankets (quick, satisfying project but no babies in sight!). There were thoughts of cushions (I have a fear of making cushion openings). Then I decided on a second lounge blanket, which it will be, but I am making it with Jake in mind. He really appreciates my blankets. The basket of aran wool (below) is what I need to use up. His favourite colour is red so there'll be a splash of that in it for him.

I started off with big squares in mind but due to wool calculations and boredom I have decided to do each square in two colours, so it will look more like stripes really. I am aiming for a single bed size. The current width is about half of that so I'll be making two huge strips, and joining them together.

I am using a stitch which seems to have several different names. Some call it baby blanket stitch, some call it ripple fan stitch. I think there are more variations too. It looks like it will take an age but it seems to work up quite quickly. I keep telling myself it isn't too girly for a boy. Just need to make sure the border is manly!

Mind you, the boy in question will be wearing a dress round about now and sporting a large handbag with shocking pink elbow length velvet gloves! They were given a short play, a list of parts and they had to quickly bag the part they wanted. J wanted a part with minimal lines and so quickly bagged the Queen's part before he realised it would require a dress! We are all still killing ourselves with laughter, especially since the last time he took part in a play he was a rock. Yep, your read that correctly; a rock. That was simply because he didn't want any lines at all. Progress, of a sort.

Big junk and tiny junk...

Just when I thought my cold/flu thing had gone it sneakily came back with a vengeance. My theory is that the flu capsules only put off the inevitable.

Other stressful things haven't helped this last week and my crochet mojo is even more lacking than before. I have settled on a project at last though; some rather large squares for another blanket. My last one (aran afghan) was quite a weighty thing in 63% wool and quite unsuitable for throwing in the washing machine. The current one has less wool content and is machine washable. Motivation has at last kicked in and I think this is largely due to how well used the existing one is.

Anyway, on to the subject of junk! M and I went for a browse in Horncastle this morning. The town is full of junk and antique shops, including an old church stuffed to the rafters. We weren't really looking for anything in particular except a certain woodworking tool that we probably had no chance of finding (needle in a haystack).

We usually just buy small and cheap things that are fun and we like, preferably useful though. Today was the exception and it took a while to convince M that we had stumbled upon the perfect bedside tables! They were labelled as small chests of drawers (M has no imagination when it comes to furniture!). A further problem is that we are not really ready for them because our bedroom is the last room to be decorated and currently holds a bit of excess junk from the space that will be knocked through for a kitchen this year. That's how second hand buying goes though. Buy it when you see it. M is still wondering whether £50 each for solid pine was a rip off. I think not! They weigh a tonne and won't fall apart any time soon.

Our second purchase was also a big lump of wood. A crudely carved or turned pot. M and I love it. E wasn't so sure about it. I think it will make a nice rustic utensil pot for the new kitchen.

...and finally the tiniest piece of junk, and I am so glad I spotted it while we were paying for the big junk. A piece of Rye pottery. Absolutely no idea what they sold it as in the first place, perhaps a trinket dish. It's a little piece of Sussex, a piece of home, I will definitely smile every time I look at it. The best pound I have spent lately!

Baby steps...

I've had my eye on these colourful hexagons for quite a long time. I saw them in an American magazine in the form of a huge bedspread. Having only just learnt how to crochet I thought that I would eventually make one of these bedspreads myself. How little my knowledge of crochet was back then!! I think it would take me years to make enough of these for a bedspread.

So I have done just a small taster to see if I liked them and felt driven to do a quantity of them. Yes I do like them but no I don't feel hugely driven to make hundreds of them. I may just make a baby size blanket and stash it away for the first friend or family member to need such a thing! Might be quite a while then.

Abandoned...

It is not very often that I abandon a book. I do sometimes start one and then put it aside if it seems to be something I am not quite in the mood for, but that doesn't happen very often. Ugh is how I feel about my latest book. I lost count of how many characters were introduced in the first chapter or two and they kept coming. I couldn't visualise them very well and couldn't place them either because they all seemed to be congregating in one large house.

In sign language if you are talking about more than one person you 'place' them visually so that next time you refer to them you effectively point to that same place. Sign language doesn't come naturally to me but this was a revelation; how easy on the ears it is just to see who you are talking about. I'm not sure if that will make much sense to anyone actually.

Anyway, the author would have helped the memory game with characters if she had maybe described the room and placed the characters. I might have remembered who they all were and what they looked like better. It was impossible for my poor memory so I had to give up. I skipped to the end to solve the mystery of the book title and tossed it on the charity pile. Maybe someone with a sharper memory will enjoy it.

Rumbled...

This is what happens when your husband treats the dog like a third child; he sneaks up onto the bed for a crafty nap. He did look cute against the crochet so I snapped a few pictures before reintroducing him to his equally cosy bed furnished with a recently handed down child's sleeping bag. This dog lives in the land of the luxury I tell you!

Simple, cosy...

I thought I would show you the two pattern books I picked up this week on my train travels...

The crochet one is by Rowan from their 'Studio' series. Number 29. Mostly serious garments requiring serious concentration but I liked the large wrap which looks appealing for winter evenings. It uses three strands of something but I think I would just use a chunky yarn in the first place. Since size isn't critical it could be a good stash buster, I have enough aran to do this one.

The other booklet (they are both roughly A5 in size by the way) is by Sarah Hatton. 10 More, Simple Cosy Projects. Who could resist a title like that in this weather? I like the knitted hat (see pics below) which is done on two needles with an optional bobble. Looks nice and simple, quick and fun and could stash bust one ball of chunky plus remnants for the bobble.

What do you reckon to the look on the models face? Reminds me of a certain teenager when you've woken her too early in the morning or asked her to put her cup in the dishwasher!