Millie's Blanket - 2 More Squares

Here are two more squares. The first one -

White Basket

Cast on 40sts.

Row 1-5:  *K5, P5. Repeat from * to end.

Row 6-10:  *P5, K5. Repeat from * to end.

Repeat Rows 1-10 until work measures 20cm.

Cast off.

And the second one .....

Dark Pink Daisy

Cast on 37 sts.

Row 1

K1, *K5, yarn forward, slip5. Repeat from * to end. K6.

Row 2

Purl

Row 3

K1, *K5, yarn forward, slip5. Repeat from * to end. K6.

Row 4

Purl

Row 5

K1, *K5, yarn forward, slip5. Repeat from * to end. K6.

Row 6

P8, *insert right hand needle from below under the 3 loose strands on right side of    work; yarn

over needle and draw up loop (gathering loop); purl next st and sl gathering loop over purled st; P9. Repeat from * to end last repeat, P8.

Row 7

K1, *yarn forward slip 5, K5. Repeat from * to end. Yarn forward slip 5, K1.

Row 8

Purl

Row 9

K1, *yarn forward slip 5, K5. Repeat from * to end. Yarn forward slip 5, K1.

Row 10

Purl

Row 11

K1, *yarn forward slip 5, K5. Repeat from * to end. Yarn forward slip 5, K1.

Row 12

P3, *lift 3 loose strands with gathering loop, purl the next st and slip loop over purled st as in Row 6, P9. Repeat from * to end last repeat,  P3.

Repeat Rows 1-12 until work measures 20cm.
Cast off.

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Learn to Knit

image: infobarrel.com

So many of my friends have asked me to teach them how to knit so I thought I'd find a good, simple, easy to watch link that I can give out when asked!

Here it is:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uw-nUvGrBY

Hope it's useful......

I've also discovered the most wonderful knitting forum:

http://www.knittingparadise.com/

Such fun!!!!

Mum's Blanket....

My Mum popped round the other day and presented me with a blanket she had made for my spare room (which she occasionally uses)! She's used predominantly green which is my favourite colour and has done some fantastic pattern squares with tons of detail. Here's a glimpse of one or two.....

She's done each of our initials in the four corners ... and the border is beautiful ....

.....some wavy cable ... so clever ....

...a little button detail .....

and here's the centre panel.

A few pics of piecing it together...

And the finished blanket (big drum roll here....)

Couldn't quite get the borders and corners in but you get the general idea.

Gorgeous or what?

Mum is a genius.

My Wonderful Wisteria.....

When hubby, kids and I moved into our house six years ago we discovered an aged Wisteria tangled up with a ton of other plants lost and neglected almost hidden by an outhouse.

Hubby (an avid lover of Wisteria and  consumate hater of throwing plants away), decided to try and resurrect the old lady and give her the Wisteria equivalent of a walking frame on which she could lean.

He built his first pergola (of which he was very proud) and set about cutting back her dead wood and carefully tying her new shoots to the framework.

We waited for that first Spring when we would see whether she'd survive but survive she did and six years on this is what she gives us every Spring.

We never fail to be impressed.....

Isn't she beautiful? We think so.

Spot the bee......

She really is a graceful old lady and if we ever move I'll have to take a cutting......

There's a worm at the bottom of the garden......

image from gardenofeaden.blogspot.com

I've been looking at all things wiggly this week in an effort to try and understand the art of worm farms!!

 After looking at about five different websites I was totally confused - everyone seems to contradict themselves...

I was about to give up when I came across this link and all my prayers were answered!

Chris Beardshaw and The National Trust (of course) made it all so easy and now I'm empyting a huge plastic storage box so that I can get started this weekend.......

Here's the link www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS9N5so6iR8

Hope you find it useful.

Plan for Milly's Blanket

I haven't posted to this blog since May (eeek!) but my excuse is a good one! Have been really busy with my gardening blog and as the weather grows warmer here by the day the knitting needles have been exchanged for gardening gloves! No real excuse I know, but I'm back now!

Have decided to try and join the world of the technically competent but uploading my plan of Millys blanket onto the internet and then posting it via a link here. Let me just explain that I'm NOT technically competent so please make allowances...... Here goes......

www.scribd.com/doc/65187342

I hope that worked!!! The blanket is coming together well and I've only got about 8 squares to do (77 in total). When I come to sew it together I may change the layout but I've laid it out a couple of times and it's looking pretty neat.

Here are a couple more of the squares (with patterns).

White Bobble

MB = Make bobble. Knit into the next st 6 times (you should have 6 sts on your needle). Turn, P6, turn, K6, turn, P6, turn, K6, turn. P2tog three times (3 sts on needle). Turn. Slip 1, K2tog, pass slipped st over. (1 st remains).
Cast on 41sts and knit 5 rows garter st.
Pattern as follows:
Row 1: K5, (MB, K9) to last 5 sts, K5.
Row 2: K5, P31, K5
Row 3: K all sts.
Row 4: K5, P31, K5
Row 5: K all sts.
Row 6: K5, P31, K5
Row 7: K10, (MB, K9) to last 10 sts, K10.
Row 8: K5, P31, K5
Row 9: K all sts
Row 10: K5, P31, K5
Row 11: K all sts
Row 12: K5, P31, K5.

Repeat rows 1-12 until work measures approx 18cm. Work 5 rows in garter st. Cast off.

Light Pink Wavy Moss

Cast on 48 sts.

Row 1: *(K1, P1) 4 times, K2, P4, K2. Repeat from * to end.

Row 2: *P2, K4, P2, (P1, K1) 4 times. Repeat from * to end.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 four times more (10 rows in total).

Row 11: *K2, P4, K2, (P1,K1) 4 times. Repeat from * to end.

Row 12: *(P1, K1) 4 times, P2, K4, P2. Repeat from * to end.

Repeat rows 11 and 12 four times more (10 rows in total).

Repeat rows 1-20 twice more.

Cast off.

Hope you like the patterns!

Hope they're correct!

Hope the link worked!

Here's hoping......!



Spring has definitely sprung!!!

At last ... evidence that Spring is finally here! 1st September was officially the first day of Spring but you just never know what Ma Nature has in store .... we've had snow in late September before now....

The last of the winter pansies are still going strong tho. Their little faces do so much to inspire a cheerful mood when everything is brown and dead thru the winter.

And then there's the trees in my garden - FULL of spring blossoms. I took this pic and was amazed how it came out! I've no idea how I did it and couldn't possibly do it again but I thought it was quite arty ..... It wasn't taken at night either, around 4pm as I recall. I'm sure some tekky person could tell me how I created such a beauty but I'm not bothered - I just think it's fab!

And finally, (drum roll and trumpet fanfare please) I made the cushions for my new gorgeous seat! What do you think?

Beautiful blossoms, a bit of colour and a new seat with SUCH pretty cushions..........what more could a girl ask for?

New addition to my garden....

I just had to share this .... the new addition to my garden

I'd been looking for a new seat for ages and then my mother discovered this one at her local hardware store. Isn't she pretty? (The seat I mean, not my mother....although she's pretty too!)

Would love your comments ...