Making Good Use

Home Again

Sorry about the lack of blogging posts this past week or so - I had a lovely time in Bristol with my Mum and we managed to get lots of useful little things done whilst I was there - but none of them were really blog-worthy.   We did have a good root through the old family photos yesterday afternoon, desperately looking for the one of my Mum as a bridesmaid at her uncle's wedding, but sadly we didn't find it.  I did come across many many photos of a much-younger me and it's frightening to see just how much I've aged (and got more rotund) in the past 15 years or so.  Dearie me, where does the time go.  I look at photos of me as a young teenager and realise, with horror, that those were taken 35 years ago - and yet to me those days seem like only yesterday.  In another 35 years I shall be a seriously old lady!!

My melancholy mood of yesterday was exascerbated by Mum and I having been to a family funeral in the morning - obviously a difficult occasion - and the whole day just seemed to bring thoughts of my own mortality much more to the fore.

Ah well, less of these maudlin thoughts, onwards and upwards. 

I bought two rhubarb crowns whilst I was in Bristol and I'm hoping to get them planted out in the filled-in fish pond tomorrow.  It's been a very awkward spot to know what to plant there as it's totally shaded in the summer.  Mum assures me rhubarb should do fine there, especially as the soil is 100 per cent compost (we didn't know what else to fill the fish pond with at the time as there's very little soil in the whole garden.)  As both P and I are VERY fond of a bit of rhubarb I'm hoping the plants will really thrive over the winter.

As the weather forecast for Sunday is horrendous I want to pick in the rest of the apples tomorrow too.  There are still masses hanging on the tree so I'll be out there with the step ladder and a walking stick - to hook the really high ones with - and I'll see how many I can reach.  I think I'll store most of them in a covered box in the kitchen.  As our kitchen is unheated I'm hoping they'll keep OK.  I don't really trust storing them in the shed in case them there darn mice start chomping their way through the apples like they did two winters ago.  That was most annoying.

Hopefully I'll be back to more normal blogging in the next couple of days.  Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Nice Giveaway

Just a quick post to say head on over to Original Stitch where Catherine is looking for comments on her new creations.  As an added bonus she's also got a great giveaway for those who leave a comment.

I'm down in Bristol staying with my Mum for the next week, so posts may be a bit sporadic for a day or two. Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

She Wore Pink Velvet

As you probably know, I do A LOT of selling on ebay.  Oddly enough, I tend not to do so much buying on there.  I don't know why that is really.  There are some things - packing supplies, for example - that I now always buy on ebay (massively cheaper than buying them anywhere else.)  But as for other things, especially things for myself, I tend to only think of looking on ebay as an afterthought. 

As usual at this time of year, my thoughts turn to winter coats.  I did buy myself a lovely coat last winter but I really fancied something else as well this year, especially when I realised I'd been wearing the same bright-red fleece for ten whole years!!  I saw French Knots post about her bargain ebay coat and thought - that's a good idea, why don't I have a look on ebay for a new coat.

Well, as luck would have it, I found a really nice dusky pink velvet number with a paisley pattern in just my size.  It cost a little more than French Knots bargain at £16.78 but it fits well, it's comfy and it's just a bit unusual.  Certainly it's a tad different to my old favourite the bright-red fleece.    

Swan Song to the Car Boot Season

Yesterday was a gorgeous sunny day - just perfect car booting weather, and a wonderful way to end the car boot sale season.  I didn't buy an awful lot - a few good books for re-sale, a couple of packs of double-sided tape (for card making) £1.50 for the two, excellent bargain, and a couple of other bits and bobs.  I shall be away next weekend and then P will be working in Hong Kong the following couple of weeks so we could say with absolute certainty that yesterday was the swan song of this year's boot sale season. 

It was quite sad really to know that I won't be avidly listening to the weather forecast on Saturday evenings, hoping for dry and not too windy weather, knowing that there won't be the wonderful anticipation of 'what will I find today' when I wake up on a Sunday morning.  And quite sad too that we won't be getting to enjoy the lovely drive out into the countryside every Sunday morning either.  But I've had a really good run this year - the season started for me in mid-March and has continued until mid-October - seven really good months of car boot bargains.  And there is the knowledge that in a few short months it will all start over again.

Whilst we were out that way yesterday morning we also called into the local farm shop where there are some wonderful bargains to be had.  Well, I say we, P had to wait outside as the place was absolutely crammed to capacity with both customers and stock, I'd never seen it quite so busy as it was yesterday.  Which either says a lot about the state of the economy or about the fact that we weren't the only ones who thought - right, the weather's glorious let's go to the car boot sale and, whilst we're at it, let's call into the farm shop and grab some food bargains too.  We spent £21.00 and could hardly carry the bags they were so heavy.

In some surprising news to me I discovered that our Oxfam shop is closing down at the end of the week.  I did wonder why they had large notices in the the windows saying everything was half price - which meant their prices were then about the same as most other charity shops in the town.  Anyway, lured by the idea of a good bargain I ventured in and found a nice (well, I hope she'll like them) pair of Next jeans for my sister - £1.49.  In some ways I'm not surprised Oxfam is closing down as their prices are very expensive and they never seem to do much of a trade in there but, on the other hand, I'm surprised that they're going, I thought charity shops had had a renaissance since the credit crunch.  Oh well, that'll be yet another empty shop to add to the growing number in our high street.  To quote The Specials 'This town, is coming like a ghost town.'

Simple Two-Needle Knitted Beanie Hat Tutorial

Pam asked for a tutorial on the little knitted beanie hats, so here goes.  I have to warn everyone that I pretty much 'wing it' where knitting patterns are concerned so although this hat was originally based on a hat pattern I saw somewhere or other it has been pretty much altered beyond all recognition by me over the past few years.  You can use any thickness of yarn and any size of needle to make the hats.  All my hats have been knitted up from various thrifted yarns (a lot of them Rowan yarns) I've come across.

You need to cast on enough stitches to end up with 2 x 2 rib that is approx. 18.5 inches wide.   As you also need the correct permutation of stitch numbers to successfully work the decrease on the crown of the hat it's easiest to work from that formula first.  For example, the last few hats I knitted were done on 5 mm needles. I worked out that I would need to cast on 81 stitches which would give me a decrease starting row of knit 8, knit 2 together (repeated 8 times) plus 1 (so that the knit 2 together is not at the end of the row) = 81 stitches to cast on.  (I know the 81 doesn't tally with the 2 x 2 rib but as long as you remember there is a spare single stitch at the end of the row and work it knit or purl accordingly, that's fine.)

If you are using finer yarn, or smaller needles then you'll need to increase the number of stitches you cast on.  For example, this fine baby blue mohair one was cast on with 118 stitches (knit 11, knit 2 together x 9 = 117 plus 1 = 118.)

Once you've established the number of stitches to cast on, work a 2 x 2 rib for six or eight rows, depending on the thickness of the yarn, using 1/2 mm size smaller needles than the ball band recommends.  Change to the recommended needle size and knit in stocking stitch (knit one row, purl the next) until the hat measures approx. 5.5 inches, ending with a purl row.  At this point you need to change back to the slightly smaller needles and start the decrease rows.

The decreases are always done on the knit row so, for example, knit 8 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat until the end of the row when there should be one stitch left, knit that one stitch.  Then purl one row and on the next knit row knit 7 stitches, knit 2 together, repeat until the end of the row.  This continues until you've ended up with a row where you just knit 2 together all the way along.  At this point there should be 10 stitches (or thereabouts) on the needles. 

Cut a long enough piece thread to sew up the seam of the hat, thread a wool needle, slip the remaining 10 stitches off the knitting needle onto the wool needle, pull the thread tight and then commence sewing up the seam with the right sides of your hat together.  Your hat is now finished and should fit snugly with the edge just above your eyebrows.

Decorate however you like, with wool flowers, knitted flowers, buttons, a brooch, or just leave plain.  Wear, enjoy, and keep your head warm this winter.

I've got a couple of these beanies myself and they're very useful in the colder weather.  As soon as it gets a bit chillier I'll be putting the ones above up for sale on ebay.  I sold quite a few last winter and I'm hoping they'll go well this year too, especially in the run-up to Christmas.  I've also got some rather yummy bright-red mohair that I want to knit up into hats for sale too - that is if I ever finish the scarf I'm knitting for myself, its taking me A-G-E-S.

Any obvious howlers in the pattern or incomprehensible blather, please let me know and I'll try and correct and / or clarify.

Mellow Yellow

 
It's really turned autumnal here in the last few days, and this morning there was even talk of a touch of frost in Essex and Kent.  It certainly felt rather chilly at 7.30 this morning when P left for work.  I really must pick in the last cucumber and the few remaining salad leaves before they are ruined by any frosts.

I must also get out and pick in the little 'Sceptre' apples which are really ripe and juicy before they get swept off the tree by any strong winds.  Perhaps a little job for P and me at the weekend.  I'm not too keen on wobbling about on a step-ladder when I'm here on my own - just in case I come a cropper or something equally cheerful!!

With thoughts turning to colder weather I'll try and get organised with writing up the knitting pattern for the little beanie hats which Pam asked about a couple of weeks ago.  Perhaps tomorrow.

I finally had a reply from the Co-op re: my complaint about them not stocking 4 pints of organic milk anymore.   I quote 'Unfortunately the 4 pint is not in the Co-operative Groups range, however, I have referred your comments along with the other Organic products to our buying department for their information and future developements.'  That's not what I expect from a supermarket who claims to be 'Good with Food.'  Another strongly worded e-mail has been sent.

Really Cross With Myself

Grr - I'm really cross with myself.  Yesterday I discovered that one of the two pairs of jeans I have has developed a really large rip across the backside.  I'm not overly surprised as I've had them for a few years now and I suspect the fabric has become a bit 'ripe.'  I shall be attempting to mend them - again, I've already had to stitch the zip in lately - but feel it is time to buy another pair too. 

So, I go on to the Evans website and order myself a pair of bootcut jeans AND the rather nice purple Betty Boop T-shirt which I've been coveting for a few weeks (they didn't have it in the Evans shop in Basildon.)  Great I thought, the total bill comes to £40 and it says on the front of their autumn catalogue that you get free postage when you spend £40.  Dagnabbit, I hadn't read that you needed to put in a promotional code to get the free postage - so that was £4 in postage costs up the swanney. 

Then, just to really wind myself up, I checked if I could have got any cash back if I had remembered to order through the Top Cash Back site.  Well, whadda you know, I could have got an additional 8% back too.  B*gger it!  I just never seem to remember to check the Top Cash Back site before I order things online - not that I order many.  I really must get my brain into gear with this before I start ordering things for Christmas presents.  What a klutz.

And it was all going so well as I had finally (after five and a half years) got round to changing the address on my driving licence.  Don't worry, I haven't been driving for the past five years either - and, yes, I do know I could be fined £1,000 for not having informed them of the change of address before now.  I was so pleased that I'd eventually done this really simple task, which only took a few minutes once I'd dug the driving licence paperwork out, and which I've been putting off for a very long time that I felt really chuffed with myself.  Of course, I have got to actually put it in the post now but that's no problem for me as I'm usually at the Post Office at least twice a week.  Just must remember to take the envelope with me!!

Loop de Loop*

I do like a nice bowl of homemade soup when the weather is a little chilly.  I'm not fussy, any combination of veggies makes a nice soup as far as I'm concerned, although I'm not so keen on soup with meat in it.  Last night's soup was made from the veggies left over from Sunday's evening meal - mainly broccoli, a couple of carrot batons and some potatoes.  I just added half a large onion, gently sauteed, some water and a couple of teaspoons of Marigold Vegetable Bouillon.  It was very tasty with a pleasingly green hue from all the broccoli. 

I have been known to follow a proper recipe to make soup - carrot and coriander, leek and potato, sweet potato and sweetcorn, pumpkin, mushroom, and beetroot soup - but I think often the tastiest combinations come about by accident - just because they were what happened to be leftover or what was lurking in the fridge.  What has made soup making so much easier, and therefore more likely to happen, was buying a hand / stick blender.  Mine is a super-simple one which takes seconds to soup up any cooked vegetable and, more importantly, only seconds to wash clean too.  When I used to use a food processor to make soup, and had to go through all the hassle of washing the jug, jug lid, blades, sides of the processor etc etc every time, soup was rarely on the menu.

When I look at the prices of those posh soup cartons in the supermarket I wonder who on earth pays that much to have a bowl of soup.  I don't even think they're very nice, certainly nowhere near as tasty as homemade soup.  Although I will make an exception for Heinz Tomato Soup - that really can't be beaten.  I once tried making tomato soup when we had a glut of tomatoes - it was disgusting and horrendously time consuming and looking back I should have just made a load of tomato sauce instead.  We live and learn.  What are your favourite winter soup recipes?

*Loop de Loop was how Dad always referred to soup.  If we went out for lunch somewhere Dad would invariably decide he'd have the 'Loop de Loop' to start - with a nice buttered roll on the side.

Making Good Use - Cat Style

Here's the local neighbourhood stray where my Mum lives taking full advantage of a no-longer-needed comfy chair.  Sadly - for the cat anyway - the chair has now been broken up and got rid of.

PS Don't feel too sorry for Mr 'Please Feed Me, I'm So Appealing, I'll Let Your Pick Me Up and Cuddle Me and, by the way, I'm a Stray' Cat as he is fed in many many houses in the area and also gets let in to a lot of places too, especially if the weather is a tad inclement.  He's the 'too cool for school' neighbourhood moggy that pretty much everyone looks after.

PPS Thank you very much for the kind comments re: my draught excluder.  I think I might have actually cracked the problem this time, after a couple of hours with the heating on the living room and dining room get so hot we have to switch the heating out - result!

A Lady Wot Lunches

Yesterday I became, very briefly, a lady who lunches.  P's sister is visiting from Switzerland for a few days so I went up to London to meet up with her (and P) for lunch.  P works in the City but none of us particularly wanted to eat there so we walked just a little way out and ended up in Spitalfields.  What a beautiful area it is, and so so different from the gleaming glass towers just around the corner.

We had a VERY nice lunch here.

Just around the corner was this shop.

And this interesting looking place too - nice bags!

After lunch P's sister and I headed towards Brick Lane, and ended up walking along a beautifully-preserved Georgian terraced street with the huge attic windows that were installed by the Heugenot weavers who made their home here in the late 18th / early 19th century.  They set up their looms in the attic rooms and continued to weave in their adopted city.

Brick Lane was not only full of curry houses - each complete with a doorman who always asked, most courteously, if we were at all hungry as we walked past.  After the lovely lunch we'd just had we were most certainly not - although the food did look and smell wonderful.  At the far end of Brick Lane we discovered the most fantastic selection of vintage clothes shops and spent a very happy couple of hours perusing the racks and wondering where on earth they manage to find such amazing vintage clothes.

The window displays were gorgeous - a vintage sewing machine, tea cups and lace.

And a very imperious 'head' with a seriously feathery hat.