Crochet Cushions

I bought a "Lucy" pack of Stylecraft DK a while back and was intending to make a ripple blanket with it. However, it just didn't progress much and has lingered forlornly in a basket for quite a long time so it was time to do something about it. I ripped it all back, cursing my weaving in.  Can anyone tell me why on earth weaving in will persist in poking out when you don't want it to but is almost impossible to unravel when you don't like the piece anymore. It is one of life's great mysteries isn't it.

Anyway, I wasn't feeling in a blanket mood so decided on cushions instead.  That way I can have it all. Granny squares, patchwork squares and ripples. In fact, anything I feel the urge to crochet.  So here you have the first two cushions. Fraternal rather than identical just as I like it!

Jolly cushons

Patchwork granny squares

Giant granny square

Half Term Happenings

Time really does fly when you are having a good time doesn't it.  I can't believe that the half term holiday is almost done. It only seems like 5 minutes since they broke up for the week. Back to school and work for us all tomorrow.

We have managed to pack quite a bit into the week and still have a good old rest as well.  We have been really lucky with the weather this week.  Although pretty cold at times, it has been really sunny as well, meaning lots of time outdoors.  The girls have been able to play outside properly this week which they love.  They have been in the woods at the back tidying up and organising stuff - also making lots of washing!

There was a very girly day with friends round for tea and a sleepover.  Another glorious day so we decided to head out and about and enjoy the day

Girls just having fun- three of them wearing headgear knitted by me!

Feeling pretty warm in the sunshine - coats were off!

Purple and yellow crocus - a promise of spring on the way?

There was also a trip to MOSI (the Museum Of Science & Industry) in Manchester which was brilliant. Lots of interesting stuff to see there about gas, electricity, sewers, engines, aeroplanes, steam trains and my favourite bit, textiles.  Really interesting and spread over several buildings on the site.  We dashed around like mad things because the girls were on a promise of lunch at Cafe Rouge which they were looking forward to slightly more than the prospect of a look around the museum! It's well worth a visit.

The girls on the steam powered carousel at MOSI

After lunch there was shopping where I got a DRESS! Oh yes, I kid you not, an actual dress. You know, like ladies wear.  I am never out of trousers usually but this dress just called to me and now it's in my wardrobe awaiting some slightly warmer weather to be shown off.  Just need some girly sandals to go with it. I hope the world is ready for this!

New Dress

It's from Fat Face and looks like a 1940s tea dress. Love it's vintage looks.  Just need a floppy hat, a lacy pinny and a cake stand filled with Victoria Sponge to go with it!

Is this what wearing a dress could do for me?

Back in the hills

At the beginning of the week we got out for our first "proper" walk of the year.  Back to the windswept hill of Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales.  We packed a picnic and a couple of flasks (coffee for the grown ups and hot choc for the girlies), wrapped up and headed over the border.  It was glorious.  Really beautiful and sunny with blue skies but cold and crisp.  There was still quite a lot of snow on the hill tops and it felt almost like a winter expedition tramping over the still quite deep snow on the top.

Snowy Whernside in view

The really good thing about the recent cold weather is that it has hardened up all of the mud.  It's pretty boggy around this part of the Yorkshire Dales so a cold and crisp day was just the ticket for easy walking. That said, for the most part, the Whernside route is pretty good most of the way around.  There's just one part that is boggy and it was still quite snowy so good fun to cross on the way up.

The final haul up to the top is north-facing and there was lots of snow there.  We all felt quite intrepid trekking up through it all.  It was quite exciting.

Trekking up through the snow

Amazing views of snow and sunshine

We got to the top and stopped for our butties and very welcome hot drinks all huddled together like a family of penguins!  On the way back down we hit the more southerly flank of Whernside and the snow was much less here.

Heading back down the less snowy flank

And finally crossed the fields in the valley to reach the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct and the end of our walk.

Ribblehead Viaduct

The girls want to come again.  So do we. While it's not as visible as its neighbours (Ingleborough and Penyghent), windswept Whernside is always a pleasure to visit.

Normality and vertigo

Sigh... I had a lovely week off so it's been a bit of a downer going back to work and normality.  I was quite happy walking, knitting and pottering about thank you very much.  It's a pity I can't find some generous benefactor to pay me for doing just that. Sadly, I have a yarn habit to feed (and bills and stuff) and so must go to work.

The snow disappeared pretty quickly and only a few little spots remain high up on the hills.  I carried on walking and the final stats were as follows

Miles: 121.6
Time:  44 hours 29 minutes 30 seconds
Kcal:  12454

Challenge for February is to follow a couch to 5K running program.  First session tomorrow morning.

Knitting wise, it's been a quieter week because I went back to work and time is short.  Managed to finish off a pair of socks and almost finish a second pair.  The first were some socks in a 6ply by Rico for a family member (very, very late Christmas pressie). Gosh they were a bit of a chore.  Just did not enjoy knitting them for some reason.

Socks of tedium!

The second were a pair that were intended as a gift for someone else but I just loved the jolly colours so much that I decided to keep them just for me!

Colour burst socks for me!

Got a cold coming on.  Very snotty today and lots of sneezing going on.  This is affecting my ears I think because yesterday I woke up with dizziness and felt like the room was spinning.  It was most peculiar but intermittent and I seemed to spend the day lurching around every time I bent over or moved too quickly.  Thankfully, it's not too bad today so I reckon it's tied in with the cold I seem to be getting.