February roundup.

 

Just one purchase of yarn, bright colours to add to the sock yarn I already have,  I got the last lot of bulbs for the garden online, a bit more expensive than I needed to pay, but my choice to have them ready to plant before I fill the garden with plants and colour, plus my 3 new small pots. My spend is about the same as in previous years, the garden is now having more spent on it.  No clothes purchased, I'm still enjoying my finished handknitted jumper. The book was a reference book on British trees and wildflowers. The flowers were my Alliums. I am still reading library books and a few on Kindle.

We have been really good again, no waste food, we had 1 big shop from Tesco for a change, middle of the month, we are both now going to the village shops again, but not too often. Using our local shop has helped reducing the plastic coming into the house, we are using loads of their products, taking our own containers to refill, and purchasing all our loose fruit and veg. 

Car passed its Mot, but we did need 2 new tyres, expensive but expected, the car was purchased in 2014 and has not cost me much to run, in truth I do not do huge number of miles, when we come to sell it will be 'one lady owner, low mileage'. I also filled up, I have no idea the last time we put petrol in, last year sometime, can't decide if that's a saving or a cost this month. No unexpected cost in the house this month, the heating was on much more, now it's only on for short periods, but we are on a monthly plan, and are in credit so the amount we pay should not change. We have always been good at not wasting electricity, I turn everything off, I hate seeing things on standby.

We did nothing towards losing any weight this month, but will now start again in the hope of losing 14 pounds by the summer, this will be less than I lost last year, and bring me down to nearer  the weight I want to be.

We managed our be kind, this month, hubby had loads of bird feeders he's not using, so he popped them on our local Facebook page and a lady asked for them to go in a garden at a local small hospital, so we walked to the local pet shop and got seed, nuts and fat balls, so the feeders can be used straight away. Money well spend, the lady was very pleased. 

Big ideas

At the top of my blog I have pages, one marked Finished items showing all my work over the years, to start with they were mainly cross stitch, but sewing, crochet and now knitting are shown there. In this photo are a mixture of some of the bigger cross stitch designs I have made, I still have some, but most have been gifted. In my 1st ever blog post I explained the title of this blog, it shows my love of poppies and patchwork, but not sewn fabric patchwork, I loved to make big stitched patchwork, I loved stitching each of the 6 different designs shown here. 

I do have a very good stash of silks (Floss), in my cabinet, which I have collected over the years, they store really well in these drawers, and have sat waiting for me to start stitching  again. 

So with the white 28 cwt evenweave from my stash, purchased back in 2017, I have an idea forming, to mash all these designs together and make on huge design, I will keep it for myself to use. I will stitch with 1 strand, making another fine stitched project, I love the tiny stitches. 

For the start of this project I can use my big hoop, later I will need to move to my Q snaps, they do not hold my work as tight as they did when new, if anyone has any suggestions on how to make them tight again, please let me know. This is a satisfying start to a big project, which already I know I have loved stitching the elements before. 

I do get to use this lovely bag I made years ago as a project bag, it's fully lined so nothing can get caught, I have a huge file in there with all the designs in and the start of the collection of threads I use. I often on big project reuse shades around the design to bring it all together, some of the designs have the shades I love, which drew me towards them in the 1st instance.  The patchwork on the front of the bag was an early attempt for me, there is another panel on the back. 

I did say after making a new design and finishing my Christmas tree last year I would finish some more WIP's, but they are not working for me, to finish them would be just to say they are done. None are any I would keep and use, the only item I am keeping close by for me to revisit is my Winter Watergarden, which was purchased back in 2011, it's stitched on 32 cwt linen, and stitched 1 over 2, I do love the threads in this work and would love to get it done, but stitching 1 over 2 I have found difficult, I found myself unpicking loads of bits, I have thought of getting a new canvas and restarting, but there are loads of hand dyed silks which I have already used and hard to replace, one day I promise myself. 

So here I am starting a huge project, I don't think we are going to be set free anytime soon, and I don't want to knit another jumper or crochet another blanket, and I need to fill my days. It also helps as I want to do things outside in the garden and there is very little to do, with so many long days ahead, I hope to have my lockdown design finished, I'm not sure if I will frame it or make a huge cushion, that decision will be made nearer to the finish line. I mainly stitch in the day time, I have another pair of socks to start for hubby and there will always be reading time.

Another jumper

My jumper is all done and finished.

It again fits well, I am pleased with the design and colours, all were my own choice, it's using the same yarn as my last jumper, but it is much lighter, there are no threads carried behind my knitting. 

I purchased far too much yarn for my 1st jumper, as I was using one pattern for the design and another for the size, I had no way of knowing how much I needed. Drops baby merino is a stock yarn for me, I love using it. This is what is left on the 3 colours, I found a small ball of navy, so playing yarn chicken was not as bad as I thought. These will be added to the other colours I have left over from my blanket, I don't have many whole balls now, just the natural colour. 

I have daffodils starting to flower in the garden, they grow best in my side bed, the whole area is full of leaves, I prefer the bigger blooms, but for now these tiny tete a tete will lead they flowering season. I do have tulips, but I always grow them in pots as they rot in the ground. 

The garden is looking good, I do need to get out and start some tiding of the whole area, but our ground which is heavy clay is just so wet, so with a dry fore caste for this week, I am waiting tomorrow and Friday should be warm.

I have coriander and parsley growing in my pots, they are still in my office in the sun with a plastic bag over the top,  and I have planted my latest head pot, again it's in the office. I do like to keep plants in the office, it's sunny and warm and I see them everyday, so I can ensure everything is growing OK, I have to be careful as hubby does not like plants taking over the space, I would have plants everywhere if I could. 

I hope to be outside this week, I have flower seeds to sow in the greenhouse, I have very little space inside the greenhouse, so I will need to move things around for space for seed trays. I have late summer flowering bulbs to pop into the ground, and the top corner of my side bed to sort, nothing huge, just enough for me to feel good. It's lovely to have a sorted tidy garden, but I do enjoy projects, but every tiny bit of space has been used in this small garden.

I have not read any books in the last week, I have enjoyed my knitting, I have now pulled out patterns and all the supplies to start my next project, it's another bit item, something to keep me busy until we can get out and enjoy time with friends and family. 

Get a head

Another one, say hello to this lovely pot, it did have a candle inside, but we melted it out and reused the wax, the bottom does not have a hole in so I will use it for succulents. I've not named him yet, but I do love his profile. 

For my birthday last November, daughter got me this lovely pot, I am having another go at growing Hyacinth, we do not have a airing cupboard in this house, so I find it difficult to start these and get the growth to a decent height. Sadly this is another fail, the tall bulb at the back only have leaves and the front bulbs if they flower will not grow any higher.  I won't try growing them again. 

 

This Orchid blooms are opening up much quicker than others I have grown, they do look good in our sitting room, I always enjoy these stunning delicate blooms. 

The body of my jumper is done, I spend hours knitting each day, I would rather be in the garden, but it's just too wet, each section is 40 rows deep, plus the rib at the neck and bottom, just 3 colours no used in my previous jumper.

I am going for my fastest knit ever, I'm still not sure if I have enough navy yarn, I am going to knit the block on 1st sleeve, and then swap to block on 2nd sleeve, followed by the colour change stripes, by that point I should know if I have enough navy yarn, if I need more yarn, I can add in the stripes and not get an issue with colour match. I have some yarn ready to start a pair of bright socks for hubby, he has been wearing his handmade socks and is now a convert to them, something to do if I have to wait for yarn to arrive. 

I have popped Parsley and Coriander seeds into my new pots, watered and covered with a clear plastic bag, hoping for growth soon, they are both in the office but will end up in the kitchen. 

I am in my greenhouse more, I have a few spring plants which I am hoping to plant in the week, the weather will be dry and warm which will help settle them into the ground. Every part of me is itching for the garden to wake up, we do have spring flowers around, giving pockets of colour, but I can't wait to see the bright colours of summer flowers. I have one job to sort, the back corner of my shed is very wet, I have moved everything away from the area in hope the air will help dry things out, I purchased it back in 2014 and this is the 1st time the wet has been inside, it is tucked back into the corner, so we can't get to the outside, I have everything crossed it can be sorted.