Knitting and Stuffed Animals

This is one of the skeins that I dyed first with avocado skins then overdyed with some acid dyes.

Yesterday evening, I decided I could take some photos for the blog of what I dyed with the avocado skins and over dyed with some acid dye.  It was too late in the day for photos.  The light was terrible and I photographed them anyway.  These photos aren't great and I apologise.

I finished the tan and handspun sweater.  Now I need to weave in the ends. I would like to make some mittens with the leftover yarn.  I had a great weekend.  I decided to try to rest up a bit in getting ready for the busy times ahead of me.  I can't wait to get back working with my sewing machine!  I miss my weekend sewing.

 Lexi is still behaving with the stuffed animals.  Maybe because she is a mature lady of 2, she is not shredding them and is just playing with them.  It is great because Lexi gets so excited anytime she sees a stuffed animal.

This is Lexi playing with Molly's toys when she was a pup.  This is almost two years ago.

Lexi, in our kitchen, a month or so after we got her.  This photo was taken December 2012.  These photos crack me up.

Sunday

The goal for today is to finish this sweater.  It should be quick and easy enough.  Just a matter of doing it!  I started two new hats and a pair of socks yesterday.  It's not like I finished any projects!?!

I dyed some yarn last night.  I boiled some avocado skins and stones to make dye.  I dyed some sock yarn with the avocado dye. The colour achieved was similar to old lady tights. I added some acid dye to four of the five skeins.  I partially dyed them, keeping some of the avocado dyed areas.  Maybe using avocados to dye fabric gives a more exciting result.

I am going to attempt this sleeve and watch the series Daniel Deronda on Netflix.  I just finished rewatching Downton Abbey.  It is such a shame that Netflix only has 3 seasons.

I am hoping to make some more chutney and use up some more apples.  I think I will try to make soup as well.  I made some chicken stock and really need to use it today!

Apple Crumble

I was home during the week and my mother and I made some apple crumbles.  It was fun.  Delicious fun!

I am wrecked today!  Wish that I could snap my fingers and the ingredients for tonight's dinner would be delivered to the front door.  I think I'm going to spend this wild Friday night with a dose of Netflix and knitting.  And maybe some Lexi snuggling.

Flowers

I took pictures of my knitted socks and my first attempt at gardening (this year).  I have somehow managed to keep these flowers alive.  They are amazing since they have practically died but have been revived many times.  Some family members are much more green thumbed than myself but I hope to learn as I go.

Wonder what the neighbours thought of me photographing socks on my feet.

The socks are plain knitted socks- what many knitters call vanilla sock pattern.

I dyed the sock yarn.

Toys

Lexi got a stuffed animal at the car boot sale.  Her eyes light up and gets very attentive when there is a stuffed animal on the scene.  I decided to try her with stuffed toys again because before she used to destroy and eat them.  It wasn't good.  Now she is a mature lady of 2, she has just been playing with the toys the last couple of days.  I am still keeping an eye on her.

Socks are finished!  The Vestigial pair is finally finished.  I finished a plain pair of socks as well.  I almost finished the first sleeve of a sweater.  I also found a ball of yarn that I needed to find to finish a sweater that I spun and needed to finish the sweater.  Didn't even go looking for it and I wouldn't of found it.  It was in a project bag for another sweater.

Haven't sewn a stitch in a while.  Maybe this weekend.

I made applesauce.  It's my not favourite thing to eat but I had nothing to eat for breakfast.  I added too much sugar and it was like eating apple pie filling.  I added more apples.  Now I have lots.  I hope it's nicer now.  Going to make more chutney, hopefully this weekend.

Wine O'Clock

It's Friday night and we're here living it up, watching Nationwide.  Keeping it real.

It's wine o'clock.

The clocks are from my Society6 page.  There is free shipping till Sunday (me thinks).

Made another big batch of chutney and I looking forward to finishing a pair of socks.  Might even get to work on the sleeves of that handspun yarn and tan sweater.  Winter is coming, after all.  Our house doesn't have any insulation so I need all the wool, I can get.

Finishing Projects

I started this sweater ages ago.  I guess I really didn't want to knit it during the warmer months this summer.  I'd like to finish it before starting another sweater or any other projects.

I finished the Vestigial socks.  I love them.  They are knitted with a smaller needle and only have 56 stitches.  I normally knit plain socks with 2.5 mm.  I would tend to be a looser knitter.  Also because the Vestigial socks are ribbed, they are a nice fit.

I also dyed the yarn used in the second pair of Vestigial socks.

Wednesday

The sock is also the second sock of the Vestigial pattern.  These I am hoping to finish today.  Had high hopes of finishing them last night but it didn't happen.  I love the Halloween print on that box bag I made.  It's September and it feels more like summer than August did.  Though in honour of Fall coming, I got out my Autumnal project bags.

I also like to spend my time thinking about what I am going to do with my sock yarn leftovers.  I am constantly tempted to crochet myself a blanket.  I have been looking at these blankets.  I really like these- Simple Solid Granny Square, the Little Hug Blanket and the Hexagon Blanket.  Another option is to use the sock yarn leftovers as stripes in other sweaters or scarves/cowls.

Tuesday

Every dog barked in the neighbourhood.  When they fly over my parents' house, Molly (my parents' springer spaniel pointer cross) goes mad as well.  One of the days I was home, Lexi ran around with Molly and thought it was great craic.  Lexi thinks Molly is a superhero.  (so do I)

Seriously, need to finish a knitting project.  I keep wanting to cast on something new but keep resisting.  Not easy!  I want to knit all the things.

The last photo is of the chutneys and apple and pear curd that I have been making.  It's been a lot of work taking off the labels then yesterday, I had a hard time keeping some labels I made on!  That is why you can see rubber bands on some of the jars.

Recently, I cleaned out my kitchen cupboard and fridge.  I got rid of expired foods and used up a lot of things like half bottles of vinegar and half bags of sugars when I made chutney and caramelized onions.  It was a great clear out.  I also like using up food that I have, recipes are guidelines.  I don't think I will ever have as much items to throw out again.  I buy and cook in a much more practical way or so I like to think.

Apple Picking

I went apple picking.  It was so much fun.  We went last year and it was wet and a bit miserable.  It was still fun but my feet were soaking.

This year as well, I had more of a plan when it came to what I am going to do with the apples.  I am hitting the ground running!  I plan on eating 2-3 apples each day!  Not a hard resolution when they are so delicious!  I have already made 3 batches of chutney and I currently have a batch of apple and pear curd on the stove top.  Last year, I made mincemeat, chutney (two different types) and apple butter.  I don't think I will make apple butter and mincemeat again.  The chutneys proved to be the best option.  My house will smell like vinegar for the next while but it will be worth it to have a year long supply and gifts to give.  I would like to make a gluten free Christmas pudding if that is possible.

Thank You

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy: they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
                                                                                                        Marcel Proust

Today was a busy day but a good one.  I am tired now but grateful for many things.  I'm going to keep things short and sweet tonight.  I am going to turn the heel on my second sock.  The pattern is called Vestigial by the very talented Hedgehogfibres.  I dyed the yarn but can't wait to knit another pair with some Hedgehogfibres sock yarn that I have.

A.A. Milne

Today was a lovely day so I was able to do some drawing outside.  I was messing with some inks.  I haven't painted or worked with inks in many years.  It was fun enough to mess around in the sun even though it felt a bit rusty.

I am hoping to finish a knitting project soon.  I'd just would love to finish what I am working on so I can start using them and also to share the photos. The handspun sweater that I have been working on is almost finished.  I just realised that the new ball/skein of yarn that I started is a different fibre/type of wool.  I will need to search my stash to see if I have another one.  I have everything done except the collar and half of one arm.