Yummy Plummy rum

Time to decant and strain the plum rum. Tastes sooo good!

I have cooked the plums, so no waste - and i will make some sort of cake / pudding with them tomorrow.

 

 

I LOVE this time of year!

White Rabbit syndrome

I am sooo late with this! Crimbo cake usually having it's third tot of rum by this time of year.

Plenty of rum soaked fruit in the cake though, so it should make up for it flavour wise.

 

 

All mixed and in oven now - kitchen smelling all rummy and spicey again!

 

 

 

 

Tah dah!

 





Really easy straightforward Beanie

I used approx 100g aran weight yarn for this project

On 5mm circular needle, CO 96
K2 P2 rib for 30 rounds

Decrease (changing to magic loop or DPNs as preferred when needed):
Round 1:  (Rib 6 P2tog). rep to end of round. 84sts on needle
work 3 rounds as stitches present

Round 5: (K2 P2tog K2 P1) rep to end of round. 72sts on needle
work 3 rounds as stitches present

Round 9: (K2 P1 K2tog P1) rep to end of round. 60sts on needle
work 3 rounds as stitches present

Round 13: (K2tog P1 K1 P1) rep to end of round. 48sts on needle
work 1 round K1 P1 rib

Round 15 K2tog across round. 24sts on needle
Cut yarn. Thread yarn through remaining stitches and draw tight.

For the neckwarmer I cast on 96sts, K2 P2 rib for 40 rows then cast off.

Mimi

To Mimi's family

"So sorry for your loss". How many times has that been said? Too many to sound sincere. But it is. I am very sorry for your loss. And mine.
 
Mimi - real name Irmgard, renamed by the children who mispronounced "Oma". From then on she was Mimi to all who loved her.

Mimi has to be the most incredible person I ever knew. She was courageous. She was strong. She survived so much, yet remained caring and compassionate. She had strong principles and stuck to them, even in the face of ridicule at times.

She overcame great personal and national tragedies, which I believe contributed to her strength. She was the most self aware person I met in my life, overcoming conditioning to become capable of great empathy. When she relaxed enough she had a sense of humour second to none.

While I knew her I admired her, respected her and grew to love her.

I truly am sorry for our loss.

1929 to 2012

My new carpet

Isn't autumn colourful? This was my garden yesterday. Didnt catch the sun out but still made me feel good about life!

38 days to go!

Kitchen is smelling sooooo good! The fruit for the Christmas puddings has been soaking in rum for the last month. I strained it last night, ready for the "mix n wish" this weekend. Can you believe it has soaked up almost half a bottle?

Will use any fruit left in the cake

Love the Christmas spicey smell. Thats probably why I do it each year. Also love the feeling of tradition and family closeness.

 

The fruit in the jar is soaking ready to make the cake next week - Mmmmmm

Please feel free to have a virtual stir and wish! Sniff a cinnamon stick for an authentic atmos!

Ready to gift:

Rocking the Chair

So I have this very old, very tatty but incredibly comfy chair

And I want to make it a thing of beauty and a joy to behold - using a second hand pair of curtains:

 

 

Today i covered the cushion, made a simple envelope closure, like a pillow case:

 



As modelled by Arnie and Hollie!

Now I have to work  out the tricksy problem of the body of the chair. Watch this space!

Four legged jacket

I needed to knit a jacket for my King Charles Cavalier, Hollie. She needs clipping, but the weather has turned so cold. It needs to have 4 legs as she has alopecia on her back leg, so is almost bald. Here goes:

Cheap aran yarn. Knit flat on 5mm circular needle.

Cast on 80 stitches.
Work back and forth, K1 P1 rib 6 rows, making a button hole at the beginning of the 3rd row as follows: K1 P1 K1 yo K2tog P1

Row 7. Rib 6. K20. Rib 28.K20 Rib 6
work 7 more rows as stitches present, making a button hole at the beginning of row 13.

(14 rows in total to this point)

Divide for front legs: Work 26 sts as set and turn. Continue working on these 26 sts for 14 more rows, working a buttonhole at the beginning of the last row. Break yarn.

Rejoin yarn to the centre 28 sts and work in K1 P1 rib for 15 rows. Break yarn

Rejoin yarn to last 26 sts and work as stitches present for 15 rows.

Next row - work across all 80 sts as set, so joining all sections together again.

Work 20 rows as set, making a button hole on 13th row.

Next row: Work 26 sts. Cast off 28 sts (all the centre rib section). Work 26 sts.

continue on the last 26 sts for left back:

1) Rib 6 P12 P2tog rib 6
2) Rib 6 K2 tog K11 rib 6
3) rib 6 P10 P2tog rib 6
4) rib 6 K2 tog K9 rib 6
5) rib 6 P8 P2tog rib6
6) rib 6 K2tog K7 rib 6 = 20sts on needle

7) rib 6 P14
8) K14 rib 6
Rep last 2 rows 10 more times

Work 6 rows K1 P1 rib
Cast off.

Rejoin yarn to remaining sts for right back.
1) Rib 6 P2tog P12 rib 6
2) Rib 6 K11 K2 tog rib 6
3) rib 6 P2tog P10 rib 6
4) rib 6 K9 K2 tog rib 6
5) rib 6 P2tog P8 rib6
6) rib 6 K7 K2tog rib 6 = 20sts on needle

7) P14 rib 6
8) rib 6 K14
Rep last 2 rows 10 more times

Work 6 rows K1 P1 rib, working a button hole at the end of row 3
Cast off

 Work will now look like this:







Pick up and knit 10 sts for left back leg, along stocking stitch section of left back. Marked with pins in the next picture:

work 12 rows K1 P1 rib, increasing 1 stitch at each end of every odd numbered row. (20 sts)
13) cast on 5 sts. rib to end
14) cast on 5 sts. rib to end (30sts)
work 10 more rows in rib
Cast off

Repeat for right back leg.

Front legs: Pick up and knit 24sts around leg opening.
K1 P1 rib 8 rows.

Should be looking like this:

Cast off. Sew leg seams and weave in ends

Sew buttons to correspond with buttonholes.

Put on very shy dog. (wash floor before taking pics!)

This is my first ever written pattern (and blog!) so any feedback would be much appreciated. Also, I would love to see any mods made to this pattern!