Cushions, crochet and other thoughts.

One reason I do not go to yarn shows like Unravel, Wonderwool is because there is so much yarn in my stash, because I have plenty of projects on which I’m working, like two Attic24 blankets, a second pair of  Tramlines socks by Maria Higgs, and so far two new crochet cushion covers using Rowan big wool and 7mm crochet hook.  Crochet eats up yarn, especially Big Yarn that is just what I need to clear my stash with the intention of just buying yarn for the next project.

These cushions are for our kitchen chairs to replace some purchased through eBay chosen for their swan silhouette design, the fabric has worn, different colours and designs have been used for the crochet covers, linked by use of treble stitch each time, the design is governed by colours of yarn available. The blue cushion fits the kitchen colour scheme - so what - for the golden one and others yet to be made rogue colours add some fun. The starting chain was about 70 stitches.

So what else has been happening at Pixie Towers? Marmalade making, about 20lbs of oranges have been purchased, 5 batches have been made so far,  maybe one or two batches to finish for this year depending on quantities of lemons added.  This year I’ve made the marmalade thicker, not so runny more set. As we made many jars of damson jam last summer more jars were required for marmalade, we cleared Staines branch of Hobbycraft out of these jars. These have ounce markings in the glass, 12 oz at the top although they will hold a greater amount than this.

Must add, we’ve started digging into this jar, I did fill it right to the top, tastes even better when spread on bread made by Ian. 

End of the marmalade

It was a sudden revelation that this was the last jar of 2019 marmalade, and a tiny jar at that. Although fifty plus jars were made back in January clearly this was not enough to last until next January. There are options to solve this, damson jam is eaten instead, we buy shop marmalade or purchase a can of Marmade (think that is the right name) to make a pseudo home made product. In reality  marmalade maybe home made from charity stalls at Christmas lighting up events or winter fairs would be a tastier option.

As long as I’ve had my own home I have made a Christmas cake, usually  using the recipe from the Stork cookery book from school, this year albeit a bit late to allow for maturity I’m doing the same. The fruit has been soaking in brandy, hope I wasn’t too heavy handed with the liquor and today, after a dental checkup the creaming, beating and baking will begin.

This glass bowl has a history, when DS was at play school there was the inevitable fund raising, this bowl, filled with ingredients to make a Christmas cake, was the prize, this was either 34 or 35 years ago. No clingfilm used, this cover reminds  me of shower caps, they are for food use to cover bowls, can be washed and reused, Ian bought them as part of our efforts to be eco friendly.

Domestic report

Day 29 of knitting so just two more to go. So a start with the pictures of the lace shawl that I mentioned before.

I think the colour is more accurate for the top picture, also this knitting will need to be blocked and spread out to see a pattern design, assuming I have not misread the instructions all the way!

Now marmalade. I'm aware in my previous blog the photos didn't appear always, however those jars of marmalade have been put away so I have taken pictures of the latest batch, made Monday and today. We have used up all our jars now, have a few to match lids to jars, then it is the fun of designing labels.

Just a couple more pictures of the hyacinths we were given for Christmas from different sources, both pots are highly scented and have brought thoughts of Spring in this chilly weather.

In the top pictures the snow, now melted, is visible. Am looking forward to venturing forth tomorrow, haven't been out of the house since Tuesday of last week. Am enjoying reading group book, The vanishing act of Esme Lennox, so with reading that, making marmalade, conquering the lace knitting and making more hexipuffs all is well at Pixie Towers.

Musings

Well, have learnt more about the design of blogs and how to move material around, I suppose that fulfils my aim of acquiring more knowledge and skills.

So, a productive day in that all the ironing is done and all marmalade has been made for this year. The last two batches were slightly different, the third one of about 15 jars I have called L O L - Lime, Orange and Lemon and the fourth and final batch of about 14 jars is Oranges and Lemons as there are more lemons than one would usually use. These last ones need lids on the jars, both sets require labels, the design of which are in the hands of Ian, although we subscribe to the KISS principle in labelling our produce (keep it simple stupid!)

The other day (one of Ian's favourite expressions, always suitably vague as to which day is meant) I praised Freecycle and am reminded when we put waxed circles on top of the marmalade that the circles were another Freecycle gai. Not sure whether it was two or three packs of 200 circles but we have certainly used a number of them, always puzzling why some one would give these useful discs away.

However, we have advertised items for others benefit - including our furniture nearly a year ago, TVs have gone to be viewed elsewhere, many years ago I gave a huge tin of buttons for some one to use for craft work, copies of Vogue went to a fledgling jewellery designer.

Oversleeping means we are eating our breakfast long after the Breakfast TV has finished so I have succumbed to such programmes as Wanted Down Under and the property shows. Not that I have any intention of emigrating or moving house but certain aspects of these shows puzzle me. Firstly, why is the beach such an attraction? I know one can sit on the beach, sunbathe, read, play volleyball or beach cricket but most of these activities can be done elsewhere in considerable more comfort? Why is the beach so important to emigrants when viewing properties down under? Another puzzling aspect, is none of the people in the shows ever carry a bag, or if they do they are never shown with a bag or a jacket. No mobiles. Why? Surely a lady carrying her handbag, maybe a guy with a rucksack looks more natural if they are out for the day, or looking at the work opportunities? If I am out without a bag, say to collect our newspaper it would be because I'm wearing clothes with pockets to take my puffer, handkerchief, the voucher, keys, any way will be out of the house for just a few moments.  

The family would say this is one of my problems, everything has to be realistic. Apparently I am hopeless to take to the films, I say things like "that would never happen", or "that is the wrong train colour for the West Country", "no one wore clothes like that then" etc. Nothing new about this, when I was a child my father bought me one of the early copies of the Enid Blyton magazine. I remember it was a February issue, there was an illustration of a girl wearing a short sleeved jumper, for me that was impossible in the winter. Well in a house where the only heating was the Ideal grey boiler in the kitchen and a coal fire at one end of a long narrow room it was always going to be cold in 1950s winters so the integrity of that magazine was damned!

I said nothing changes, in my 1962 diary for 25th January I noted "Did crossword. Hard." Same today, we couldn't complete the quick crossword in the paper, we have decided we must look at the completed cryptic crossword on the iPad to see the mind set of the compiler.

Now must go and check the bread dough, it is taking a long while to prove so I fear a late night and thus a sleep in and late breakfast again.

Bath, marmalade, thoughts

Still excited about the Liebster Award, have tried to put it at the side on the advice of Perpetua.

Now I need to tell you about the trip to Bath, this event took place on Monday 16th January and if you were in the UK you will know it was a very chilly and dry cold day. Way back in November last year on our local Freecycle site I spotted an offer for return tickets from Twickenham and Bath. The kind person offering them had the wrong date, apparently it was cheaper to reorder and give the tickets away. There was the condition too that the tickets were linked to Senior Railcards, so no problem for us there. Don't know if any one applied, but we were so lucky to receive them just before Christmas so January didn't seem a blank prospect.

Everything went so well, we travelled on the earlier train from Twickenham as we didn't know our way around Reading station. That turned out to be easy peasy so plenty of time for a hot chocolate before train from Paddington arrived. Reserved seats around a table, so good. Of course train journeys give an ideal opportunity to work on hexipuffs so now I have completed 82.

We met with my friend at Bath station, as her birthday was the next day we had arranged to meet up so we could take her out to lunch. Bit disappointed with my choice, the Brunel Brasserie in the Royal Hotel right opposite the station. Apart from the fact there were only two other diners, A. chose the dish of the day, which was chicken based, when eventually the food arrived it was duck on the plate. Meant a long wait for A. for her meal, we'd had ours served, fortunately I am a very slow eater, the mixed grill was a much larger serving than the chicken so there wasn't much difference in our finishing times. So, we won't be going back to that venue, although the food tasted fine, thought it would be a change from the usual chain meals, good as some are.

Interesting to potter around the Highgrove shop in Bath, especially as there was a sale on. Didn't actually buy anything but viewed some lovely glassware. We are attempting to clear rather than acquire. Also found Wool, a yarn shop and although they didn't stock the yarn I  wanted, I did buy some sock yarn in greeny, browny random shades which will make loads of hexipuffs and balance out the colour scheme a bit.

Back home it is marmalade time, in between bashing the keyboard I have been leaping up and testing the rolling boil that is the preserve on the point of setting. This third batch is a different mix of fruit, a LOL (lemon, orange and lime) - Martha suggested the latter. The finished product doesn't seem to differentiate between the different fruits.

First batch here:-

To me marmalade making has been part of my life for ever, whilst cutting up the fruit I just think, often about the other times in my life when I have been doing this, and when my mother made it when I was a child. Even though I know that today one can put the spare fruit in the freezer to make at a later date this seems 'wrong' to me and so I have three more pounds of fruit to slice and cook. On a wet, cold grey day like today that is an enjoyable task and certainly not a chore.

Marmalade makes a good gift, often instead of wine.

Thursday

ThursDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011

Simple Woman's Daybook: 20th January 2010

Outside My Window .. Cold, grey today. Fascinating scenes as the bird feeder has been moved a few feet to the left in the garden, it didn't take long for the birds, and especially the horrid pigeons, to discover where their food was.

I am thinking ... that I need to contact friends and start socialising, then the weather turns cold again.

From the learning rooms ... Ian has the name of his new tutor, but no details of tutorial dates. 

I am thankful ...  I went to knitting group today at Mrs Moon, largest group I've ever seen. Started the beanie on plastic needles, size 10 and realised that I prefer wooden needles. Bought myself a pair, felt justified as Martha asked me if I had spare size 10s so she can have the plastic ones. Managed to knit 18 rows of hat, since being at home have done two more so ready to start decreasing.

From the kitchen ... jars of marmalade made, Ian thinks it is over 50.

Store cupboard.

Last batch, made this afternoon.

I am wearing ... navy cord skirt, Boden blouse, tank top and matching cardigan, Laura Ashley scarf.

I am creating ... A mustard coloured wool beanie in Rowan big wool to wear to the ML meet next month; still working on cushion cover have knitted 51 out of 77cms.

I am reading ...  We need to talk about Kevin. Reading group choice, not read enough yet to form an opinion.

I am hoping ...  to attend some of the CTIW Week of prayer for Christian Unity next week. Some of the services start at 9.15 am. That will mean arising rather early, especially when I tell you we slept till 8.45 yesterday morning.

I am hearing ...  very little, apart from hum of laptop. 

Around the house ... we are managing to keep the house tidy so no frantic runarounds before our Treasure arrives.

One of my favourite things ... beautiful sunsets.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... well, as it is Thursday not much of week left but have nothing planned. Sunday is church, then Monday is back to Pulmonary rehab., Tuesday to Local studies and digitalization, Wednesday Pulmonary rehab. again. 

A picture thought I am sharing ... 

This is the beautiful wall hanging made by my penfriend's mother. It is rug hooking and the shading and detail is incredible, makes one want to eat these vegetables. So delighted with the gift and the kindness behind it.

Couldn't resist adding another view of the rug hooking, at an angle as it is propped up on shelf at present.


I must mention the  blog of The Simple Woman's daybook  and offer a link back to the main page of her at  blog. http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ 


Off to have supper now. Byeeeee