A PROJECT FOR A RAINY WEDNESDAY!

I had finished my knitting and sewing projects yesterday evening and as I stood today in the kitchen  baking a sponge to pop in the freezer for my daughter in laws birthday I kept looking out of the rain splattered windows willing the postman to arrive.

Time is ticking on now and as we nearly enter February my grandson's birth is imminent.

Can I make and finish just one more thing for him ready for his arrival?

Well, as you can see the postman has just delivered my parcel of yarn from Wool Warehouse, Drops Eskimo. This is quite a chunky yarn so hopefully it will knit up quickly. I also treated myself to a new 10mm circular needle and double ended crochet hook.

I do think I should recycle some of my old needles but when I looked in my bag last night, lots of mine were originally my mum's and my friend's mum's and I just can't seem to part with them.

I've also got my mum's old patterns too, garments she used to knit for me and my children.

How can I part with those?

Are you the same?

Now as my house fills with the delicious smells of sponge cake I'm going to have an afternoon in front  of the tv with my new yarn, needles and pattern.

A BRIDGE TOO FAR!

I've come to the conclusion that trying to cast on 98 stitches, knit in the round on double pointed needles whilst reading the subtitles and watching "The Bridge" is, a step to far!

In the end last night, I had to make a choice. Either ignore the tv and concentrate on picking up at least 2 stitches that had dropped un-noticed off the needles or forgo the knitting completely and concentrate on the tv.

The Bridge won!

How could I miss out on the chance that Saga might actually forget herself and break into a glimmer of a smile?

If you haven't had a chance to see this drama yet, I do give it the thumbs up! 

Perhaps I like it so much because I feel the watching, the reading and the attempt at knitting all at the same time, is keeping my brain active and alert!

No subtitles with tonights tv, so hopefully I should be able to make the little baby hat quite easily.

We went out walking this morning, which was nice. Not far, just up into town and a walk through the park and alongside the river. It wasn't too cold and there were plenty of people out and about. 

We walked down to the end of the promenade where Byrhtnoth looks out over the water. The statue was placed here to commemorate the 991AD Battle of Maldon where he led the English against a Viking invasion.

Returning home for an afternoon of sewing hasn't quite gone to plan. Instead I've fiddled with the layout of my blog, got myself in a little bit of a muddle and the sewing machine has yet to have had it's cover removed.

This I need to remedy so I'm afraid my blog layout will have to be deemed "work in progress".

FINDING JUPITER!

Have you ever looked at Jupiter through a telescope?

Last night we took our grandchildren along to Abberton Reservoir Visitor Centre for a stargazing event. Charlotte in particular is very interested in stars and space, Jessica was more interested in finding aliens!!

Not knowing what to expect, we weren't quite dressed for the occasion.  Their mum and I both were wearing ugg boots and Michael had on his new, new shoes which replaced his other new shoes that had experienced a muddy end back in the summer on a visit to Mersea Island. As I  posted at the time.

The children had also come straight from an afternoon at the pantomime so……………..!

Anyway, not to be put off we set  off out of the visitor centre, along the path and took the short walk across the squelchy, muddy, wet grass to the telescopes, all pointing up to the clear, bright sparkly, sky.

We were so pleased that we went, Charlotte loved it and the guys there really took their time explaining what we were looking at. One of the things that we were really surprised by is that one of the stars that shines very bright is actually Jupiter and although we couldn't see it quite as clear as this picture, (obviously, this is not my photo, I found it on the internet this morning!)

 Charlotte on her 2nd round of the telescopes managed to see it  with pale orange lines around it.

After a warming hot chocolate we returned home, shoes very muddy but very pleased we had gone along there!

I've no photos of sewing or knitting this week, but that doesn't mean my projects have come to a halt.

I'm busy working away and thought I'd show you all the things I've made for the new baby when he arrives. 

Not long now!

A NEW YEAR RESOLUTION!

So do you step into every year with a new year resolution in mind?

Well mine this year is -

I SHALL SEW!

My husband's gift on christmas day was, a sewing machine!

I had mentioned to him a while back that I thought it would be handy to have one in the house, on standby and surprise surprise, he bought me one.

For those of you that know me, have you picked yourselves up of the floor yet?

Anyway, fabric has been purchased and I have been busy making a pattern and cutting out.

It's still laying on the dining room table now, I've not quite finished that stage as yet.

Anyway, all will be revealed as I hopefully progress further.

Also at this stage I haven't either read or watched the video instructions for the machine but, all in good time.

Christmas and new year has been a lovely long break for us. On the better days we've got out and about and on Thursday we went up to Ipswich for a walk around the dock and had lunch in a nice little restuarant called "Bistro on the Quay"

Like everyone we've experienced some really nasty weather this holiday but today when I popped outside in the garden I spied this hidden flower on a camellia. The bush has quite a few buds on it but whether they survive or get battered to pieces, who knows?

I thought, photo it quickly just in case.

The first bloom in my garden in 2014!