A Manly Project

When Mr. T’s birthday pressie didn’t look as if it would arrive on time – it was coming from China – I was panicking to think of something I could give him so that he didn’t have to  look all stoically brave yet secretly upset that he didn’t have anything to open apart from his birthday card.

I’ve mentioned before that he has embarked on making leather goods – mainly handbags (hoorah!) – so he does need a certain amount of sewing equipment including needles and, being a bloke (and an untidy one at that) he tends to scatter his haberdashery items around the table top in the shed.  I love any excuse to use the word ‘haberdashery’ it’s one of my favourite words – the French word for it is ‘mercerie’ which doesn’t sound nearly so exciting.

Anyway, I decided to make him a needlecase so that he can keep all his leatherworking needles in one place and off the floor where our dogs could step on them on their way through the shed into the garden as, unlike us, they don’t wear slippers in the house.

 

I used all scraps for this so, conveniently, it allows me to link to Kate’s Scrappy Happy day this month.

I didn’t give him my stork scissors – they are in their just for photographic purposes but I haven’t seen my seam ripper for a while and, I don’t know about you, but I can’t survive long without mine.

His present did turn up on the day in the end so he got a bonus and all feet and paws will be safer.

While I was at it, I made another one which will be a stocking filler for Mlle. Tialys the elder – she says she reads my blog but seems suspiciously ignorant of anything I put on it so I think the secret is safe

I can’t really claim this one as a scrap project as the cover fabric was new but the rest is from the scrap bin.

 Finally I’ve found a use for the Kam snaps I seem to have a stock of too.

Did I say ‘stocking filler’?  That brings me to the subject of Christmas and as it’s such a miserable Monday – weather wise and world news wise – I thought I’d cheer you up by giving you the links to the annual battle of the ads designed to win your hearts at this time of year between Sainsbury’s and John Lewis.  If you’re in the U.K. you might already have seen them.  Manipulatively sentimental, of course, but both beautifully done.  I bet you can guess which one is my favourite.

 

Knit Large

I know how to enjoy myself at Christmas.  Who cares about mince pies and tins of Quality Street when you can wrestle with six half kilo balls of wool and ginormous needles?

My Mum was here so, as usual,  other projects get put on the back burner and I do the sociable thing by joining her in a ‘knit-in’.  I was almost finished knitting a jacket (next post) but she was intrigued to see how my mammoth blanket would work out.  You may remember me showing you the needles and one ball of wool recently.  You take 6 x 450ish grams of wool and a 20mm circular needle and, because you have to knit with 6 strands – one from each ball – careful preparation is needed in order to avoid tangling.  As you can see, I have made use of post Christmas Day gift bags to encase three of the six balls and all these go inside a cardboard box.  There are other ways of arranging your project but this was sort of the one suggested although the gift bags were my contribution and add a festive touch to the proceedings in my opinion.

Surprisingly, it is not that difficult to wrangle with and I have worked out that, taking an average of 5 minutes per row, the whole thing will take me 13 hours to complete, barring accidents and mishaps (and possibly dogs and cats discovering the hiding place of the box).

The cabling is fun.  I declined to buy a 20mm cable needle and am, instead, using the huge crochet hook that you need to help with the initial cast on.

I like the way it’s turning out – the colour is supposed to be a bit tweedy (it’s called ‘herringbone’) but the lighting was pants when I took these photos so you can’t see the little brown and black flecks amongst the grey very clearly.

It will be a good size when it’s finished – 49 x 64 inches – and no sewing up to do which is always a bonus.

It keeps your hands busy and out of the biscuit and sweet tins although I managed to lift a glass or two to my lips occasionally it has to be said.

From time to time we were disturbed  pleased to see visitors and, if accompanied by dogs, they were not allowed to leave unencumbered by a dog bandana after a quick photo session.

Thank you Storm

and Rocky

he wasn’t fed up that’s just what a boxer dog’s face looks like 🙂

Happy New Year to all.

When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Housesitter

My friend Maureen housesits for people when they go away.  She looks after the dogs or cats or chickens (whatever!) and makes sure the house stays ‘lived in’ and warm and safe.  She might even, if you are really lucky, cook a homemade meal for you on your return.

She has just been housesitting for some people near Montpellier and, as I’d never been to that area of France and it’s not too far from me, I decided to visit her there.  The house is, literally, in the middle of nowhere, and used to be a shepherd’s hut with the sheep living in what is now the living room and him living in what is now the master bedroom.

What a great job!  Trouble is you’d have to be able to leave your own life behind which is no good if you’ve got a partner, kids, dogs, cats and chickens of your own – still, when I grow up………..