Oof September!

Posted on September 29, 2021 by The Little Room of Rachell

It’s been a really rotten month. I’ve been unwell from the 1st day of the month and am still taking it really gently. I’ve never been so poorly for so long. I haven’t been on antibiotics for years, or to the GP so many times in one period. I might count up how many painkillers I’ve taken, as it kind of interests my warped brain. Is that madly strange?

My microbiome must be grey like dead coral now.

In case you’re interested…

The gut microbiome plays a very important role in your health by helping control digestion and benefiting your immune system and many other aspects of health. Healthline.com

If you want to know more about gut health, then I recommend reading articles and books written by Tim Spector. I’m reading his Diet Myth book at the moment. He’s got a podcast and has guested on others’ too. Do a name search in your podcast provider library if you’re curious.

Aiming to eat a minimum of 30 different plants a week seems to be a good goal towards a healthy microbiome. Some weeks it’s far more I find. I’ve always enjoyed vegetables and eat lots more beans and lentils now. I’ve kept a tally of how many plants I eat each week. Sometimes written as a nerdy list, or I just keep it in mind. It’s quite gratifying.

These 30 plants include: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. I also include sourdough if I eat any of the bread I make as it’s a fermented yeast culture, and is really good for the gut.

A legume is a plant with a pod, with an edible seed, eg: beans, peas, lentils. I checked that a while back as I couldn’t remember the definition.

That was a completely unplanned segue into gut health. But I find it all very interesting.

Today’s loaf. Tasty with a smear of butter and Devon honey for a late breakfast

Anyway, yesterday was my first day without antibiotics, taking any painkillers – yay yay yay! – or feeling like an old lady tottering about. But I’ve still got my old friend tinnitus visiting and am experiencing some balance issues. I’m hoping they’ll fade away soon.

To celebrate feeling more like myself I carefully cooked a sausage and bean casserole for dinner. Yesterday it felt like autumn for the first time. It had hammered with rain all day, and by the evening felt much cooler than it has for a while. The heating’s still not on, but I don’t think it will be long. Have you made the transition to more autumn comfort food yet? Is your heating on? Or, are you heading into spring where you are now?

I’ve got massses of links to add to a September Taking Stock post, since I’ve read lots of books and listened to some podcasts. Plus I’ve started a brand-new audiobook in the last few days, since I’ve been able to tolerate more noise.

I’m still not listening to music really, as the frequencies seem to be too much for now. So I’m ignoring Spotify’s appeals for me to come back for £9.99 for three months. I did jump at an Audible offer of 3 months membership for £3.99. I’ve been a member for 10 years on and off, and fancied trying their new package. Membership now includes unlimited free in-house podcasts and certain books. I wish this was a sponsored post. Hello Audible!?! Ha!

Instagram has been absolutely fabulous for company, distraction, inspiration and entertainment. I had to lie down for hour long periods every day and became addicted to watching people’s stories on there! Friends and contacts have been so kind, asking how I am and responding to my chatty comments. Social media can be so lovely. A real force for good.

The tomatoes are ripening. We have bowls of them in sunny (well, some days) windowsills around the house. They’re absolutely delicious! A little taste of summer in early autumn. Love the flavour of the little orange Sungolds. Will definitely grow those again.

I’m trying these hexagons. I’m undoing the granny square as I crochet them. I don’t need it for my Coast Blanket. The colourway just didn’t fit with the other shades particularly well.

Circle in a Hexie pattern from Hello Hexie by Sarah Shrimpton

I reckon the hexagons with the solid colour centres look better, less confusing, to the eye. So I’m trying to start them with lengths of the same colour, without wasting too much yarn.

You know when you feel unsure about how many things you’ve got on the go? I’ve sorted out my projects and have written a proper list. Organised dot com. Three is the magic number. I have three knits to finish. (One of them is the infamous sock. I’d love to finish it as I suspect I could become a very keen sock knitter, but it might never happen. Long time readers will know why…) I also have three crochet things on the go.

Also, there is a bag of various what-I’m-calling yarn doodles. Yarn doodling happens on days when I fancy just playing around, and may not necessarily end up being anything. Bet you’ve got them too? It’s all those odd motifs and scrappy playful bits of things that you then put down and don’t necessarily continue. I’m keeping them, since some of them could turn into scrappy blankets to gift, or give away to charities like Knit for Peace. The above hexagons are in that category so far.

A lot going on in this photo isn’t there? I snapped a quick picture in the middle of rejigging some of my first hexagons

And finally, I have to show you these lovely pics my friend sent:

Now there is a new blanket snuggler in the house! Isn’t this photo delightful? He’s gorgeous. Winnie is 4 now and at school!

I’ll be back with a Taking Stock soon.

Hope your September has been a good one, tell me what you’ve been up to? Especially what are you cooking and eating?

Patchwork Blanket – finished

Posted on August 7, 2021 by The Little Room of Rachell

Between Christmas and New Year, Twixmas, 2017 I idly started experimenting with moss stitch (aka linen or granite stitch) as I’d been inspired to crochet some solid blocks of colour. See blog post here I didn’t want to end up with lots of pieces to join. They don’t always end up being anything, other than piles of things, do they? So I just changed colour on the last stitch and continued the next section. It’s a great lazy way to make a blanket, scarf or whatever. It was also perfect for using up some oddments after making The Blackbery Ripple blanket for a friend and Winnie’s Wave Blanket for another friend’s baby, earlier that year. There was no plan or agenda for the strips, it was lazy Christmas crafting which I picked up over the years when I wanted something fairly mindless to crochet.

Then a friend told me she was expecting her first baby. It’s excellent to realise you’ve got all the makings of a blanket.

And here it is, all finished and ready for baby Theo. Big enough for toddler Theo too. I never make hanky sized blankets which aren’t any use in the longer term.

Patchwork Blanket Details

Stitch: The blanket’s made up of 5 strips of 7 continuous blocks of colour, crocheted in moss stitch (aka linen or granite stitch)

Weight: 557g

Length: 40” / 112cm ish

Width: 31 1/2” / 80cm wide

Border: 4 rounds of dcs and chs, with a cute little picot edging to finish it off

Hooks: 4.5mm for the blocks, this makes a nice fabric, plus you can see the chain spaces easier than using a 4mm. 4mm for joining and the border

Yarn: all oddments of Stylecraft Special DK. It’s lovely, soft and very drapey too. (Collins English dictionary confirms drapey is British English. To be honest I thought it might be Rachel English. I do use quite a few of my own words…)

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Now what to finish next?

Probable game of yarn chicken ahead

Posted on November 16, 2016 by The Little Room of Rachell

I’ll crochet some more border for a proper edging, as much as I can before the grey runs out, and I’m done. This is a warm and cosy lap blanket as the double crochet makes a thick fabric. Someone, somewhere will hopefully appreciate this quality. I joined the blocks with a combination join. This is WS together, 1 dc, ch 2, miss 2 st and 1dc into both loops of the stitches. If you dislike the raised line you can hold the RS together, so it’s on the back.

This week I’m reading Sweet Caress: The Many Lives of Amory Clay by William Boyd. It’s a fictional biography of a woman who lived through the great events of the 20th century. I’m rather perturbed by the blurb which describes the book as ‘his greatest achievement to date.’ Having loved Any Human Heart (and enjoyed lots of Boyd’s other books) I’m not yet convinced of this, but am enjoying the read.

I’m joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along, as usual.

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16 for 2016 revisited

Posted on November 7, 2016 by The Little Room of Rachell

I decided to revisit my 16 for 2016 goals and see how I’ve got on. Here’s the original post.

1: Re-edge my Rhubarb Ripple blanket properly

Completed in February.

2: Learn how to tat lace.

Not done, as I have to say I’ve gone off this idea. The tatting shuttle only cost £1 in the sale at John Lewis, so it’s no great loss if it remains unopened!

3. Do something with my blocks from my 200 Blocks CAL

Done! After they had sat in The Little Room for far too long, I took action. Last month I thought of someone who would appreciate them and would whip them into shape. Oh my goodness; how right I was! The piles of blocks were received and in five minutes were sorted into three piles, crocheted together into blankets and are now just awaiting borders. I posted them up north to Nana Cathy whom we had the pleasure of meeting last Spring. Fantastic – I organised a Crochet Along, learnt new skills, met other crocheters through it (Cathy being one) and made some lovely blocks which will now be used and appreciated. I’m really pleased, if a little regretful that I didn’t pass them on sooner.

4: Knit socks, or have a go

Not knitted any yet, but I crocheted a sock pattern as a volunteer tester for designer Vicki Brown.

5: Dye some yarn

I have been ruthlessly dealing with my stash first, more about this later.

(For Christmas I received a dyeing kit and some extra undyed merino sock and DK yarns.)

6: Use my sewing machine again

Yes, but I can’t think what I sewed.

7: Attend a workshop or class (any)

I’ve just booked to do a drawing class. This needs many !!!!!! I always wanted to draw, but gave up at the kites and clouds stage. At school as part of a whole year-group assessment we had to draw some veg. It was a carrot and broocholi for me I think. Despite really trying hard my effort was labelled ‘a weak attempt’ and that was very much that. However, as part of my degree I read a book in which the author argued that in times past everyone was taught drawing, in the same way everyone was taught other skills. She believed it is not necessarily an innate talent, but one which can be taught. I’m not expecting to turn into Leonardo, but the fact I’m going to try something new gives me a buzzy feeling (and probably sweaty hands on the day…)

8: Join a Knit & Natter group for a session

Yep! When we met Trish and family in the summer, we noticed a narrow boat with a name relating to a TV programme we’d been discussing. It surprised us rather at the time as a freaky coincidence. A week later we were on a family walk by our local canal and I saw that boat again (miles away from before.) Not being a shy person I bounded up to the owner who was sitting on a bench on the tow-path, to ask if she’d been moored outside a certain country pub a week before? Soon we were inexplicably talking about knitting, yarn and spinning and I felt I’d possibly made a new friend in 8 minutes, or so. I’m off to knit and natter with her once again tonight. When crafty boater friends are in her neck of woods they will join us at the cosy pub.

9: Knit something with one or more of my new skeins of yarn

Mira Cowl
Mock Cable Mitts
Cozy Cowl

10: Finish the ‘My Designs’ link page I started a while ago

Look above… I’m never going to be a talented designer, but there are some nice and simple projects.

11: Turn the failed hexagon a day blanket project into something else

It turned into a Baby blanket.

12: Make another small cotton pot-holder

I did, in March. Have a go at one yourself too? Mine are used every day.
Saucepans with metal handles mean pot holders are necessary, not purely decorative. img_2489-2

13: Embroider something again

I cross-stitched instead, this summer

14: Make up the finished X stitch things

Umm no. It’s the making, but not the displaying I’m into, I’ve realised. I should maybe turn them into pin cushions or birthday cards. Or would you like them? I’m happy to send them to a good home.

15: Decide about the Yorkshire blanket….redo? Undo and recycle? Give away?

I gave it to a charity shop a few weeks ago. Some people urged me not to give away or undo my first ever crochet make, but it wasn’t being used. I talked about it here. Mum had taught me and so I ran it past her. I didn’t think she’d be sentimental about me keeping it. I was right and she suggested I give it to the shop rather than undo it and hand over lots of little balls of yarn. They can always sell it as it is, or undo it to sell or reuse the yarn.

16: Use up a good chunk of my yarn stash

Done. I’ve been ruthless sorting it out. This year’s Baby hexagons blanket, Annabell’s doll clothes and the Unnamed Ripple (coming to the knit and natter session at the pub tonight) has used up lots of Stylecraft yarn. I’ve given away a bundle of various wool and yarn to a friend for her charity craft group too. I’m going back to buying for specific projects and not willy nilly. By the time you get round to using it you do not necessarily like the colours anymore (the whole CAL blocks issue), or have quite enough.

My Stripes and Squares blanket, a total stash buster project, is not far off being finished. I’ve tried a new combination joining method; which is good for a change. img_1058-1

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That was a comprehensive list and looking back I’m pleased, and a bit surprised, with what I achieved. There’s still a month plus, of the year to go as well. My goal now is to finish the Unnamed Ripple and the Stripes & Squares blanket by the end of the year. Then my resolution for 2017 is No Resolutions!

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Playing

Posted on October 6, 2016 by The Little Room of Rachell

These unruly piles of crochet blocks have grown without a real plan. I selected a bag of leftover balls of Stylecraft DK and started to play with stripes and blocks of colours. I would love to buy a few of these colours again, to carry on with a proper plan in mind but this would be against the rules. I have full balls of DK, chunky, sock and 4 ply yarns of various quality yarns, after they’re used up I want to go back to only buying specific yarn,for specific projects. I didn’t go to any wool shows or festivals this year, because simply put: I don’t need anymore yarn.

This week I’m listening to A Hundred Pieces of Me by Lucy Dillon. I’m enjoying the concept of keeping only one hundred personal items and discarding the rest. It’s an interesting way of structuring the story, while revealing more about the main characters, as Gina sorts through boxes of her possessions following a life changing event.

I’m joining Ginny’s Yarn Along once again.

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Doubles

Posted on September 28, 2016 by The Little Room of Rachell

Stash busting is fun especially to begin with when there’s no plan. I just started out making a four colour double crochet block, then another. Doubles are pretty greedy stitches though, so I can imagine I might want to go to restock the claret and raspberry yarn (my two current favourite shades) which kind of defeats the object of a stash buster make. Still, Stylecraft is cheap. Lucky isn’t it?

For years my cousin and I have been reading the alphabet series by Sue Grafton, sharing the books after hunting them all down in charity shops. Latterly we’ve been waiting a few years at a time for the next one to be published. X is the 24th in the series. I worry that Sue Grafton might not get to the end sometimes.

I’m only 3 or 4 chapters in, but Kinsey’s already eaten a grilled cheese sandwich and bought peanut butter, so all is well! These books always make me crave egg and cucumber or pnb sandwiches without fail…

I’m joining in with Ginny and all the other yarn alongers again. It’s my fave post of the week and I love to see what others are reading and making. Looking up the #yarnalong tag on Instagram is good too.