I finshed this book earlier. It’s an extremely easy read and described as a ‘cosy mystery’ in the States apparently. I’ve never sampled a knitting murder before, as gruesome as that sounds….!
Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Co-Op, Martin’s Newsagents, a little Post office/general store – no magazine joy. Superstore Sainsbury’s further afield – BINGO! I was so happy I took this photo to mark the occasion. I need to subscribe; since I really would miss making fun of some of the patterns and miss out on the good ones. I’m not about to highlight the funnier ones now. Well, apart from to ask: would you like woolly gnomes in your garden or to create woolly ice-creams? If the answer contains a yes this is definitely the buy for you this week. Grin.
Thank you for all your lovely, lovely comments about the wonky-middled Blooming Flower cushion back. It’s not that I didn’t take any notice but I can be a bit of a perfectionist. Knowing I am capable of making something much better, and giving a wonky one as a present to a little sweetheart for her 4th birthday would have made me feel rather uncomfortable. It’s all good crochet practice too. The colours are better in my second version of the cushion back too. I just need to dc it together with the front.
We’ve just had a delivery of ROYAL CAKES. Yes! Properly ROYAL CAKES.
For the Diamond Jubilee the Queen and Prince Philip are holding celebratory tea-parties around the country. People were invited to take part in a free lottery to attend. S’s parents were successful and have been to Henley upon Thames this afternoon to have tea ‘in the presence of the Queen.’ They were very close to both, about 4 feet away apparently at one point, and dropped in on the way home to give us two Royal Brownies (seems fitting to use capitals somehow) that my MiL sneaked out in a paper cup. So sweet!
Apparently the steam powered barge the Royals travelled upon down the Thames, during the main Jubilee celebratory weekend, was moored on the river and there were a number of other boats. It sounds like the tea was quite a spread too. Jealous! But sneezing and wheezing all over the Royals is pretty uncool I imagine.
Sorry folks, I can’t hang about. I have a ROYAL Brownie to consume. :-D
PS: I bet it’s calorie-free being Royal and everything too.
I have finished my blooming flower cushion, well thought I had anyway…
After I’d dc-ed the edges together at the beginning of the week, around the sumptuous feather cushion pad I bought from a seller on Ebay, I realised that the joins of the red rounds in the middle are quite not very good. B****r!!!!
I’m going to have re-do it I think. It’s going to be a present along with the Rainbow Granny Stripe blanket but even if it wasn’t I don’t like knowing its not very good.
I have yet another cold this year, I haven’t had so many for years. I can’t believe it. The new Let’s Get Crafting Knitting & Crochet magazine was going to help operation cheer-up Rachel this morning, but wasn’t in Sainsbury’s this morning. Boo.
We had a lovely day out yesterday, to a pottery then a pub where we sat by the river in the sunshine (yes! we’ve had some more sunshine!)
Then we took some nutty oat and raisin cookies I baked on Saturday to a friend. That was quite funny. We arrived and were saying what we’d been up to for the day, but honestly it was like seeing Scooby Doo in action; the nose went up, the eyes were fixed on the tin in my hand. “Cake? Is that cake? I haven’t had CAKE for ages!”
I’ve used a gallery setting for these photos, click on the first one to view in a slideshow setting at your own pace….
Today for lunch I made Spiced bulghar, chickpea and squash salad It’s scrummy. Absolutely delicious.
• 1 butternut squash, about 1kg/2lb 4oz peeled, seeded and cut into small chunks
• 2 red peppers, seeded and roughly sliced
• 2 tbsp harissa paste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 140g bulghar wheat
• 600ml hot vegetable stock
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• juice of ½ lemon
• 150g natural bio-yogurt
• 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 180g bag baby leaf spinach
::Heat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.
::Toss the squash and red pepper in the harissa paste and oil. Spread the chunks out on a large baking tray and roast for 20 mins until softened and the edges of the vegetables are starting to char.
::Meanwhile put the Bulghar wheat in a large bowl and pour over the hot stock, then cover tightly with cling film and leave to absorb the liquid for 15 mins until the grains are tender, but still have a little bite.
::In a separate bowl, mix the garlic and lemon juice into the yogurt and season to taste.
::Let the Bulghar wheat cool slightly then toss in the roasted vegetables, chickpeas and spinach – the leaves may wilt a little.
::Season, if you want, drizzle with the garlicky yogurt and serve warm.
Recipe from the BBC Good Food website
***The changes I’d make to the recipe are to roast the garlic with the butternut and peppers, but still have a yoghurt-lemon dressing as this works really well drizzled on top. I’d also recommend seasoning the vegetables before they go in the oven.***
And with the dressing….
This is a really tasty, healthy and filling lunch. Win win!
I’m going to crochet a few more of these over the weekend…
….while I wait for the feather cushion pad I ordered for the blooming flower cushion. The circle for the back is now complete too. It’s just a case of waiting patiently for it to arrive. I’ll post a picture when the cushion’s complete. The part I’m really looking forward to is dc-ing around the edges. Joining using dc stitches is my favourite joining method, so far.
Enjoy your weekend.
Have you heard about Martha (aka ‘Veg’) Payne’s blog NeverSeconds?
There was an item about it on the Radio2 news this afternoon and intrigued I logged on to look at Martha’s blog (along with hundreds of others; I’ve never seen a blog counter increase as fast!) You must look too. Read and look at the pics from her first post at the end of April to today…. and beyond….
If you are also impressed with what this clever girl has accomplished then make a donation to Mary’s Meals.
What a girl!
It’s finished. I’ve used a wooden flower bead as a button. This was from a bracelet bought in Pakistan by a colleague a few years ago. The bracelet was lovely but sadly broke not long ago so I kept the beads to use sometime.
There’s a couple of rows of pink at the bottom of the cover, why not make it really bright, I decided. I almost want to buy an ereader now!
I haven’t knit anything since the purple and green scarves I made last winter, but I’ve had such an urge to pick up the knitting sticks that I’ve started a little project.
The pattern is in issue 41 of Let’s Get Crafting magazine. It looks like a simple rib but it’s a bit more interesting to knit than that; it’s fisherman’s rib and you go into the space below the stitch for the knit part of the rib. It’s a knit one below (k1b) stitch and makes a very ‘springy’ fabric.
I’ve never used bamboo needles before and it makes me think that if I was stranded with wool and only a pair of japanese chopsticks (pointier ends than their Chinese counterparts) then I could knit up a scarf…
I don’t actually own an ereader, I’m an old fashioned paper and ink sort of girl. I’ll have to offer the finished item to someone who does.
I prefer the green in the magazine but I used it all on the summer flower garland, so I’ve used the other green in the pack. Not so nice but the Stylecraft DK I have isn’t as thick, even though both are technically DK.
I have to admit that this superb little fruity item might have inspired my urge to knit. Have a look if you haven’t ever seen Meredith’s One Sheepish Girl blog.
This weekend in free minutes I’ve been…
…working some more rows of the Rhubarb Ripple now my order from Deramores has arrived (a mere two days after ordering online)
…And trying my hand at Lucy’s blooming flower cushion. It’s very fast to make in all its gaudy loveliness. I thought it could be an accompaniment to the rainbow Granny Stripe blanket when it’s given as a fourth birthday present later in the summer.
The ripple is in an Orla Kiely designed bag sold to raise funds for a children’s cancer charity. It was sold in Tesco’s a year or so ago. There is another one of her designs for sale at the moment if you have a Tesco’s nearby. They’re only £4 and really sturdy strong bags for carrying shopping, storing large crochet blankets in progress (and wool), books or whatever. I admit I bought the newest bag a few days ago. It’s lovely.
I’ve been nominated recently for various blogger awards and would like to say that I take this as a real compliment, thank you very much. :-D
Hmmmm this is what happens when you’re preparing a melon, to eat, and unthinkingly poke one of the seeds into a pot of earth where little chilli seeds are resting prior to growth…..!
Sorry if you’re feeling Jubileed out now, but there are only one or two Union Jacks in these I promise!
We walked miles and miles at the weekend along the sea front! The weather was very good and coming home I noticed inches of rainwater in flowerpots in the garden, seems like home has had a huge thunder storm and plenty of rain. It was a good decision to go away and escape it all. I’ve just realised how typically English I’m being typing at length about the weather, especially as it was a good few days ago. Sorry but I suppose it’s ok to conform to the national stereotype sometimes eh?!
I’ve put these in a gallery so click on whichever photo you want to begin with and then you can view all the pics in a slideshow at your own pace. If you’re a bit bored of seaside pics come back at the weekend for my latest new crochet project!
This gallery contains 15 photos.
Over the bank holiday weekend we’ve been to the south coast to enjoy some Jubilee celebrations and see the sea. I love days at the seaside; it’s one of my all-time favourite things to do (as you might already have guessed?!) Everywhere … Continue reading
A little cheeky crochet before going out to see some Jubilee celebrations, sightseeing and shopping near the sea!
I haven’t done any alternative granny squares for a long time and it’s very nice to crochet something different after lots of rippling and circles in squares!
I’ve come to a pause with the Rhubarb Ripple at the moment….I’ve run out of plum! I sense another Deramores order is about to happen.
Have a happy (Jubilee bank holiday) weekend!
The Little Room of Rachell 
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