Happy New Year

Well New Year's Eve. Let's hope the coming year will be better for all. It has been a tough year this year.

It actually snowed here! Not very much.  First time in many years that I remember snow for New Year. Didn't last long. 

I am not doing all my usual cooking; just DH, DD and me here. A peaceful evening by the fire. 


I didn't buy anything special, just what was already in the larder. Of course the usual lentils were obligatory! Lol! I did a slowcooker full of them for today and tomorrow.


Wishing you all a peaceful and serene end of 2016 and a very happy 2017!

2016-2017

This year is drawing to an end: it has not been a good year from my point of view. So many negative things have happened in 2016. However there have been some positive ones as well. 

The wheel is turning and a New year has already begun if you follow the solar year; will still soon be beginning if you use our "normal" calendar! ( My apologies to all who follow other ones as I can't remember the dates without looking them up!)


Now is the time when I start thinking of what changes to make in the New Year. 
I know we can start anew at any time but a new year beginning seems a good opportunity to start new projects and try to implement changes. 

Most of the things I am thinking of doing are connected to the house and to my ongoing decluttering. With a few steps ahead and a couple back things are slowly getting as I want them. Not easy though. 

Finances are another thing to control. Sometimes I just don't know where to reduce costs but it is always possible. 

Going more and more "Green" is easy. "Mother Earth" deserves our best and I have always had a tendancy to respect nature: the way I was brought up!
If we don't take care of our world today there will be no tomorrow for our decendants. 

We are lucky to live in a place which is still relatively unspoiled and hope to help keep it that way.

I will be sharing new projects and ideas with you in this coming year.

What are you planning for 2017? New Year Resolutions anyone?

Village Holiday

Happy Holidays to all, whatever you celebrate. 

Here in the village there was the traditional Christmas fire burning all night between the 24th and 25th. There will be another one at New Year as well. 
A mixture of old pagan rites brought into the Christian celebrations.
DH helped bring the wood etc with other village folk. 

There was also a nativity scene set up in the piazza and a "Living Presepe" with villagers acting out the nativity story after a procession. 

The traditional big meal based on fish. (Lots of cooking!) On the 25th another big meal with meat this time. Some people even do it today the 26th! Personally I never have. Just too much food and drink.

 New year will soon be here as well and then Epiphany with the "Befana" who brings gifts:...and yes, there is yet more food! 

My idea of a holiday is just to rest and knit instead! Lazy! 

Did you have a nice holiday? How did you celebrate?

Inadequate

The Wheel of life slowly turns:

New year, new hope but all in vain.

All in vain.

Trying, striving, never winning:

Always useless.

The years go by, never changing:

Always worse.

I see ahead, I see what’s coming

I know this path is never ending.

Another lonely wasted day.

No achievements, never praise.

Waiting for the night to come

So I can sleep.

No peace for me, no new beginning.

Time goes by, the Wheel keeps spinning.

On and on and on.

Just let me sleep and never wake.

Roses

If Roses grow in Heaven,
Lord please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother’s arms
and tell her they’re from me.
Tell her that I love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile,
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for awhile.
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it everyday,
but there’s an ache within my heart
that will never go away.

This birthday there will be no phone call to you. Missing you

Elf on a Shelf Hat

Elf on a Shelf Hat:

Made for my Hopscotch Hill doll using fingering yarn with size 2.5 needles.If you use bigger needles and thicker yarn it will fit American Girl size dolls.

Knitted flat version:

Cast on 46 sts.

1: Knit.

2: Purl.

3-16: As rows 1-2.

17: K1, (k9,k2tog)x4, k1. (42sts)

18: Purl.

19: Knit.

20: Purl.

21: K1, (k8, k2tog)x4, k1. (38sts)

22: Purl.

23: Knit.

24: Purl.

25: K1, (k7, k2tog)x4, k1. (34sts)

26: Purl.

27: Knit.

28: Purl.

29: K1, (k6, k2tog)x4, K1. (30sts)

30: Purl.

31: Knit.

32: Purl.

33: K1, (k5, k2tog)x4, K1. (26sts)

34: Purl.

35: Knit.

36: Purl.

37: K1, (k4, k2tog)x4, K1. (22sts)

38: Purl.

39: Knit.

40: Purl.

41: K1, (k3, k2tog)x4, K1. (18sts)

42: Purl.

43: Knit.

44: Purl.

45: K1, (k2, k2tog)x4, K1. (14sts)

46: Purl.

47: Knit.

48: Purl.

49: K1, (k1, k2tog)x4, K1. (10sts)

50: Purl.

51: Knit.

52: Purl.

53: K1, (k2tog)x4, K1. (6sts)

54: Purl.

55: Knit.

56: Purl.

57: K1, (k2tog)twice, K1. (4sts)

58: Break yarn and thread through remaining sts to close. Sew seam neatly.

Knitted in the round version:

Cast on 44 sts. Join to knit in the round.

1: Knit.

2: Knit

3-16: As rows 1-2.

17: (k9,k2tog)x4, (40sts)

18-20: Knit.

21: (k8, k2tog)x4. (36sts)

22-24: Knit.

25: (k7, k2tog)x4. (32sts)

26-28: Knit.

29: (k6, k2tog)x4. (28sts)

30-32: Knit.

33: (k5, k2tog)x4. (24sts)

34-36: Knit.

37: (k4, k2tog)x4. (20sts)

38-40: Knit

41:(k3, k2tog)x4. (16sts)

42-44: Knit.

45: (k2, k2tog)x4. (12sts)

46-48: Knit.

49: (k1, k2tog)x4. (8sts)

50-52: Knit.

53:(k2tog)x4. (4sts)

54-56: Knit.

Break yarn and thread through remaining sts to close. Sew seam neatly.

Sew a bell to top of hat.

Emily Cardi

Notions:

50g Double Knitting weight yarn. (128.5m.)

Needles: US 3/ 3 mm. (or those you need to obtain gauge)

Darning needle.

Stitch markers or waste yarn.

3 small buttons .

Difficulty:

Gauge: 6 sts x 12 rows = 1 inch in garter stitch

Abbreviations:

Co: cast on.

Bo: bind off.

St-stitch: Sts- stitches

K: knit

P: purl

Yo: yarn over

K2 tog: Knit two stitches together as one stitch.

Bh: button hole.

The cardigan is knit sideways and seamed only at the sleeves.

Start left front:

Cast on 35 sts.

Knit 4 rows.

1: Knit.

2: Knit.

3: K20, turn work.

4: P16, k4.

5: K25, turn work.

6: K25.

7: K30, turn work,

8: K30.

Repeat these 8 rows for a total of 5 times. (40 rows)

Sleeve:

1: K20, place these sts on a stitch-holder or waste yarn. Cast on 19sts on left hand needle, knit these sts and the 15 left on needle. (34sts)

2: K34.

3: K19, turn work.

4: P14, turn work.

5: K19, turn work.

6: K24.

7: K29.

8: K29.

Continue sleeve:

1: K34.

2: K34.

3: K19, turn work.

4: P14, turn work.

5: K19, turn work.

6: K24.

7: K29.

8: K29.

Repeat these 8 rows for a total of 6 times. (48 rows)

Back.

1:Bind off 19sts at the beginning of the next row. Knit the remaining 15sts on needle.

2: K15 and then knit 20 sts from stitch holder.

3: K20, turn work.

4: P16, k4.

5: K25, turn work.

6: K25.

7: K30, turn work,

8: K30.

1: Knit.

2: Knit.

3: K20, turn work.

4: P16, k4.

5: K25, turn work.

6: K25.

7: K30, turn work,

8: K30.

Repeat these 8 rows for a total of 8 times. (64 rows)

Make second sleeve as for first sleeve.

Start right front:

1:Bind off 19sts at the beginning of the next row. Knit the remaining 15sts on needle.

2: K15 and then knit 20 sts from stitch holder.

3: K20, turn work.

4: P16, k4.

5: K25, turn work.

6: K25.

7: K30, turn work,

8: K30.

Continue front:

1: Knit.

2: Knit.

3: K20, turn work.

4: P16, k4.

5: K25, turn work.

6: K25.

7: K30, turn work,

8: K30.

Repeat these 8 rows for a total of 4 times. (32 rows)

Button hole band:

1: K22, yo, k2tog, k3, yo, k2tog, k3, yo, k2tog, k1.

2-4: K35.

Bind off.

Sew sleeves and finish off yarn ends.

Sew on 3 buttons.

Patricia Renwick © Copyright December 2016.

All rights reserved. You may sell items made from this pattern but not the pattern. Please respect my design rights. 

Bear Factory Teddy.

Many years ago when I was last in England we saw the Teddy Bears in the Bear Factory shop in the local shopping center.

Then six year old DD loved the bears but DH thought they were too expensive so sadly we couldn't buy one. It was a lovely surprise for DD to receive one the day we left. My sister-in-law Julie bought DD a bear: Emily. She even had her birth certificate and her passport. The customs officer at the Airport very seriously controlled Emily's passport and said she could go on the plane much to DD's delight!

Since I have internet I have often tried to buy a Scottish outfit for the bear. Prices always run too high on Ebay but recently I actually won a Bear Factory Cat with a Scottish outfit.

As you may imagine I was thrilled! 
He had a voice message so I asked the seller about his history:

"He belonged to a dear friend who's husband sadly passed, she didn't want to throw him away so she gave him to me as I was organising a Burns Night Event and I thought that he would look enjoy being the centre of attention at the head table. Fergus has graced a number of Burns Nights and Hogmanay's - We are downsizing. so sadly we have had to say farewell to him, but I'm over the moon that he has gone to such an appreciative and loving home!"

I so often "meet" such nice people on Ebay!  

Emily did have fun trying on the outfit but obviously I couldn't take his clothes from Fergus so I knit Emily a new cardi to make up for it. One day I will find her a kilt as well! Still searching! (Doesn't she look lovely in the kilt?)

Emily still has her original outfits and her passport and birth certificate are put away with the family ones! Lol! Yes I am a little crazy maybe!

Fond memories of my last trip home to England and the last time I saw my parents.