Tag: knitting

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Escape to the Beach

Posted on by Jackie B

It was blowing a gale last night – I was at a friend’s house for Book Club and as the wind got up we could hear what sounded like neighbours’ bins blowing over. On the way home some our Club members had to move a fallen branch off the road and even the short walk between car and house was difficult.

I was therefore keen to get to the beach this afternoon to see if the waves had been whipped up by the storm. I’d been busy doing jobs at home and I needed a break so decided to head off down to Alnmouth before it started to get dark (Of course I took the knitting)

Although it was still windy, it was blowing offshore so the waves weren’t big, though there was spray coming off the breakers.

It was bright and clear and the dog walkers were still out in force

I drove round to the estuary where we moor our little boat in the summer. It’s a mud mooring: the rope is attached to a special kind of anchor which is screwed deep into the mud. We don’t use the boat in the winter as weather conditions aren’t as good and with more storms, debris like fallen trees from upstream can float down and damage moored craft. There are still a lot of boats at the moorings though.

Thought the estuary itself is sheltered, navigating out to sea can be difficult if the waves are big at the river mouth. Today was not bad though.

The shoreline to the south was quiet enough for gulls and oystercatchers to congregate.

Do you have a favourite place to go when you feel the need to get out of the house for some fresh air?

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Fair Isle for a Good Cause

Posted on by Jackie B

I thought I’d share a project that I knitted last year.

I was on holiday in North West Scotland, near Gairloch with K and the dog. Our trip coincided with a local community event: the Gairloch Gathering. There were lots of stalls from local traders and organisations and various activities including a pet parade (Buddy was not exactly on his best behaviour for that), children’s sports, a fell race, a demonstration of electro-fishing (used for sampling purposes), all ending up with a ceilidh in the evening.

There was a lovely yarn stall and a kit caught my eye: yarns and pattern to make this beautiful beanie – Harriet’s Hat. This was designed by Harriet Middleton to sell as a fundraiser for the Shetland Scanner Appeal. She wanted to do this following her own need for regular trips to the mainland for MRI scans. You can buy the pattern to download here for only £4 and there are similar gloves and other accessory patterns available too. The kit included 6 different shades of Jamiesons Spindrift Shetland yarn, which echo the colours of the scanner appeal logo.

The hardest part of knitting this was that the blue shades are very close to each other, both in the yarn and the colour chart on the pattern, but (as long as I was looking at the pattern in decent light) it worked out ok in the end.

It’s the first pattern I’ve worked on that has a nice design on the ribbing

Another thing I like about it (I think this is a characteristic of true Fair Isle) is that though the overall design is complex and multicoloured, you only have to use 2 colours of yarn at any one time on each row, so no tangles of yarn!

I was glad that I darned the ends in as I went along though – there were lots!

It is knitted in the round on circular needles, starting out with a K2P2 rib band, then in stocking stitch, finishing the decreases on double pointed needles. The decreases on the crown of the hat result in this gorgeous snowflake-like centre.

I really enjoyed making this – it was interesting and kept me engaged . The design and colours work well together. It fits well and is very warm – it covers the ears! It’s always good to know that you are supporting a good cause too!

Have you ever knitted Fair Isle?

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Looking Out To Sea With The Couple….For Whales!

Posted on by Jackie B

Today we were in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. The town is home to the Couple: a pair of sculptures, one on the shore and a larger 12.5m version out in the bay on the breakwater.

We were there to join members of the North East Cetacean Project for an afternoon of sea watching. Cetaceans are whales, dolphins and porpoises. We were at Church Point, by the 13th Century St Bartholomews Church. This promontory makes a great vantage point.

I noticed this bollard on the way from the car park.

The conditions were not great for sea watching , with quite a swell breaking on the rocks.

K took Buddy for a walk along the beach (the labrador was getting far too interested in everyone’s lunches) and found this shell (yes, that’s my knitting needle gauge). He found others but this was the least damaged.

I can usually identify these, but I’m really not sure what species this is. Its certainly not like any of the shells I usually see around here. Interestingly, the beach at Newbiggin is artificial. After years of erosion the sands had all but gone but in 2007 the beach was reconstructed with sand brought from Skegness. Maybe it’s from there!

I did enjoy meeting the other watchers. Some are members of other marine conservation organisations too – I’d never heard of Sea Shepherd until recently but was really interested to find out about their work internationally and locally. Round here, for example, local volunteers do a lot of seashore litter picks. I’ve also seen Sea Shepherd volunteers at Boulmer (they have very distinctive logos on their jackets) collecting broken lobster pots and washed up fishing gear.

We all know how important it is to reduce plastic pollution in our seas – the issue was brought to global recognition by David Attenborough in the Blue Planet series. For me, this issue was brought alive looking at microscopic plankton samples in an aquarium a few years ago. The samples were full of microfibres – nylon and other materials. That’s why I’m trying to repurpose old yarn with charity knits and buy natural fibre (biodegradable) yarn wherever possible.

The wind strengthened and the sea got rougher so it was time to go. We left shortly before two bottle-nosed dolphins put in an appearance, so the more tenacious watchers were rewarded for their vigilance. There have been no further reported sightings of the off-course sperm whales I wrote about recently. They may well have died way out at sea: at least that way they be feeding the scavengers and return to the food chain, away from human interference.

To end on a happier note, it was lovely to spend the afternoon meeting new people with a shared interest.

Sea Watchers at Church Point, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea

I’d love to know if any of my fellow knitters are developing their own environmental policies. If you are please share them.

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A Coastal Castle (and a Finished Project)

Posted on by Jackie B
Dunstanburgh Castle

Today we headed up the coast to Craster and beyond, towards Dunstanburgh Castle. Northumberland has many castles, but this is one, which dates from the 14th Century, is one of the most atmospheric, situated on a rocky promontory overlooking the sea, between the villages of Craster and Embleton.

It’s about 1.5 miles from the nearest car park to the castle and I haven’t been since I was a child. (I took these photos at Embleton Steads) It is in an amazing location – the cliffs on the north side of the promontory are home to nesting seabirds, including fulmar and kittiwake. There were cliff nesting house martins too at one time but I’m not sure if they are still there.

I also completed the Twiddle Mitt last night. These are given to Alzheimers patients to distract them from picking at dressings and canulae when in hospital. Also, repeatedly twiddling the buttons and other adornments and stroking the different textures of yarn can have a calming effect.

My Twiddle Mitt

A friend who has arthritic hands and can no longer knit donated a huge bag of wool, needles etc to the knit and natter group. This included some yarns that were perfect for this – mohair, boucle, some glittery ones. I used this pattern and added some beads, including some little jingle bells, buttons and threaded a ribbon through. I also added some to the inside. The knit version is easy – a stocking stitch rectangle sewn into a tube, doubled up and sewn together at the ends. It’s great for using up those odd little bits of yarn and the more you mix the yarns the more interesting it is. You can add texture by varying the knitting stitch too – blackberry stitch or moss stitch would work, or some cable. I think I might try the crochet version next time.

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Boulmer, Boats and Birds: Working Towards the New Year Resolutions.

Posted on by Jackie B

A different beach and a different project today. I’m making great progress with the New Year Resolutions too. We went to Boulmer (pronounced Boomer) and while K took the dog for a walk I knitted some stitches by the sea (definitely working on Resolution #6). This UFO is a project that’s been hanging about for a while: a cobwebby scarf in fine mohair yarn on 10mm needles made in garter stitch. This was sitting in the bottom of my knitting bag where it’s been on standby to be worked on in knit and natter groups if the other project I have taken with me requires too much concentration to allow simultaneous nattering and knitting. Must crack on and finish this one (Resolution #4)

  1. Make a Santa hat. There are always a number of times I need one over the festive season (eg choir/ukelele performances) and I always think how much nicer a hand- knitted one would be than the tacky felt one I’ve been using. By the time I think about this it’s always too late. To avoid this happening again I have already started this, so that’s the first new project for 2020 underway. If I enjoy doing it I might even make a Bah Humbug version for K, my own personal Grinch.
  2. Make a Christmas jumper. For exactly the same reasons as 1.
  3. Keep on stash-busting. I want to finish the Stashbusting Blues Cape/Poncho and look at what else I can use up. I recently came across the SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) acronym so I need to reduce what I have ….and that’s all craft materials, not just yarn.
  4. Finish as many UFOs (Unfinished Objects) as I can (which is linked to 3. in a way.
  5. Tidy up the craft room. When I retired, one of the first things I did was decorate the conservatory (which had become a bit of a dumping ground) and turn it into a workshop/studio /craft room and a place to store all my yarn and craft kit that was previously scattered around the house. I do have the share this space with son’s drum kit, but as I acquire more stuff, it silts up. This needs a good sort out which will in turn help with 3. and 4.
  6. Get out more – with my knitting. Sitting in a car with a nice view while K walks the dog, will actually increase my knitting output. At home there is always something else that needs doing before I sit down with the needles and yarn.
  7. Improve my photography. I was not impressed with the blurry knitting on this post. Needs work.
  8. Learn brioche. I keep seeing beautiful examples of this. It could even be my new skill for 2020

Boulmer was looking glorious in the sunshine and the beach was busy with families, and dog walkers. In an effort to improve my photography, I got the decent camera out to take these (Resolution #7)

Looking south from Boulmer
Boulmer is a safe haven for fishing boats, protected by rocky skerries, with a narrow entrance into the bay.
Looking north
Boulmer Village

The blue and white boat in this picture is a coble, the traditional fishing boat of the area. The sand here is fine, verging on mud and supports a lot of invertebrates and in turn wading birds. There were lots of oystercatchers, turnstones and curlews among others, feeding at the waters edge, flying up every time someone (or some dog) went past. The birdwatchers seem to congregate at Boulmer as I keep coming across reports of rare birds from here. This evening K found an online report of a black redstart seen today within 100m of where I was. I’ve never seen one of those before and I missed it!

Last night I completed the Santa Hat (Resolution #1)

This was very quick and easy to make – the pattern, Santas Hat by Angela Modzelewski is here. I didn’t have circular needles in the right size so I did it straight and sewed up the join. For the furry bit I used James C Brett Chinchilla which is incredibly soft and knits up on 10mm needles. The main red part is in James C Brett Chunky with Merino, which felt great to work with and knitted up very quickly on 6mm needles. If I do it again I won’t use the same yarn for the pompom which moults worse than my dog! I’d use a more conventional yarn (though the Chinchilla was perfect for the band, Now I have to put it away until Christmas 2020!

How are you getting on with your New Year Resolutions?

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Taking to the Hills with New Year Resolutions

Posted on by Jackie B

Happy New Year Everyone. I wish you all a very happy and healthy 2020, with a special shout out to all of you who have followed my blog and liked and commented on posts.

Every year I like to learn a new skill. In previous years I took on beat-boxing(!), playing the ukulele and online publishing. It got to November and I realised I didn’t have a new skill for 2019. That’s why I started the blog. I had thought about it, but this was the decider. I began blogging on 14th November and I’m loving it. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy writing and I’m really enjoying making contact with people on here, especially fellow knitters and crafters. Today I reached the 200 likes milestone.

Today we weren’t by the sea. We headed for the hills for the big dog walk. I took my knitting as you can just about see (more of that later). It gave me a chance to make a note of my New Year Resolutions.

  1. Make a Santa hat. There are always a number of times I need one over the festive season (eg choir/ukelele performances) and I always think how much nicer a hand- knitted one would be than the tacky felt one I’ve been using. By the time I think about this it’s always too late. To avoid this happening again I have already started this, so that’s the first new project for 2020 underway. If I enjoy doing it I might even make a Bah Humbug version for K, my own personal Grinch.
  2. Make a Christmas jumper. For exactly the same reasons as 1.
  3. Keep on stash-busting. I want to finish the Stashbusting Blues Cape/Poncho and look at what else I can use up. I recently came across the SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) acronym so I need to reduce what I have ….and that’s all craft materials, not just yarn.
  4. Finish as many UFOs (Unfinished Objects) as I can (which is linked to 3. in a way.
  5. Tidy up the craft room. When I retired, one of the first things I did was decorate the conservatory (which had become a bit of a dumping ground) and turn it into a workshop/studio /craft room and a place to store all my yarn and craft kit that was previously scattered around the house. I do have the share this space with son’s drum kit, but as I acquire more stuff, it silts up. This needs a good sort out which will in turn help with 3. and 4.
  6. Get out more – with my knitting. Sitting in a car with a nice view while K walks the dog, will actually increase my knitting output. At home there is always something else that needs doing before I sit down with the needles and yarn.
  7. Improve my photography. I was not impressed with the blurry knitting on this post. Needs work.
  8. Learn brioche. I keep seeing beautiful examples of this. It could even be my new skill for 2020

I daren’t list any more, but there’s nothing to do with dieting, giving up anything or taking more exercise (though I probably should). This should be interesting to review in a year’s time.

Have you set yourself any knitting/crafty-related New Year resolutions

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Searching at Sunrise

Posted on by Jackie B

I’m not exactly a morning person, but there were rather special circumstances yesterday morning which led me to see the sun come up. Of course being late December it wasn’t that early.

I was there for a rather sad reason. We always keep an eye out for cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) when we are at the beach or in our boat. We always report any sightings to add to the body of knowledge about their distribution. Over the last few days there had been a number of sightings of a pod of four sperm whales, quite close inshore. This was not good news. The sperm whale is a deep water species, feeding on squid, which again is only found in deep water. These were not where they should be. Our coastal waters are far too shallow and they would not be able to feed. They would be starving, probably dehydrated and sick. Local experts predicted that the whales would probably strand on the overnight tide and asked for volunteers to help locate them.

When whales strand, it is very very unlikely that they will be refloated and swim away. It seems that they come ashore to die. It was important to find them before the general public. After another stranding further south recently, someone turned up with tools to hack out a tooth as a souvenir. I feel they should be able to die with some dignity with bystanders kept at a distance. It is vital that as much data can be collected from the carcasses as possible to help us find out why whale strandings occur.

So that’s why we needed to be checking the beach at first light. I went to Alnmouth, but thankfully there was no sign of the whales. The sunrise was glorious though.

Volunteers searched the coastline and maintained a vigil all day, but the whales had disappeared without trace. It’s a longshot, but we all hope they’ve managed to get far enough north and east to be able to feed and survive.

Today was beautiful: sunny, calm and clear. so we headed for Sugar Sands for the dog walk. The beach is accessed via a gated farm track and there is an honesty box by the farm gate to pay your 50p car park fee (proceeds go to the local church). This allows you to park overlooking the bay.

Thankfully no sperm whales (I’ll post updates if hear anything more) but lots of birds, including cormorants, eider ducks and gulls on the water and a large flock of curlew and oystercatcher in the next field. I was checking out the eider ducks with the binoculars and saw a harbour porpoise. It surfaced three times, quite a long way into the bay before I lost track of it. Wonderful!

I did remember to bring my knitting, but didn’t do much – it’s a twiddle mitt, almost ready to cast off and embellish with buttons and beads. I’m wearing one of my Christmas presents: fingerless gloves from Turtle Doves. They are made from recycled cashmere sweaters: lovely and warm and perfect for alfresco knitting on a cold day.

Have you spotted any interesting wildlife near where you live?

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Knitting In Miniature

Posted on by Jackie B

Sometimes you see someone else’s project and can’t help but be impressed. When a friend of mine posted this photo on social media I was intrigued. She’s a skilled maker and creates the most magnificent quilts (among other things), but these tiny knits are on a different scale entirely.

She knit them on hatpins! She reckons they are the equivalent of old UK size 24 needles, about the same thickness as sewing needles and very bendy. The cream jumper was made with fine crochet cotton (the sort you make lacy doilies with). The striped jacket is from a very fine old mercerised cotton that was given to her by an old lady (my grandmother used to use this to make tatted lace). The pink crochet is single strand embroidery thread.

Impressive work! I remember knitting dolls’ clothes when I was little and they always looked ridiculously chunky for the size of the garments (being made with average sized needs and DK yarn). These would have been perfect.

Have you been inspired or amazed by someone else’s work?

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Knit and Natter Friday #6

Posted on by Jackie B

Today was the monthly Knit an Natter Group at The Amble Pincushion – and a bit of a Christmas party, with crackers, gifts and mince pies. In the picture you can see today’s work in progress – Clockwise from top right: moss stitch baby jumper (aren’t the colours beautiful); shawl in shades of blue: picot edged baby jacket (for a new baby granddaughter), stripy socks, a Christmas elf and the start of a twiddle mitt.

Here’s a close up of the elf – Anne knitted this and was wearing him as a brooch.

This was today’s raffle prize: a kit to make a group of Christmas decorations.

One of the group had brought sweets for everyone and group leader Anne gave us each some needles and a pincushion she’d made.

That’s the last Knit and Natter of the year. We’ll be back at The Amble Pincushion 10am-12, on the third Friday in January, for more knitting, nattering, expert advice as needed, tea/coffee and biscuits, a raffle and 10% off in the shop. All this for £4.50! Such a lovely group!

Have you received any knitting/craft related Christmas gifts yet?

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Pompom Maker Tutorial

Posted on by Jackie B

My blog is now a month old! Thanks to everyone who has followed, visited and commented. I thought I’d mark the occasion with a little tutorial…nothing complicated (I haven’t written a tutorial before), but thought you might like to see how to use the pompom maker I used to complete the hat featured in yesterday’s post.

I can’t remember where I bought mine, but remember that they were very cheap and came in a pack of three in different sizes (2.5, 3 and 4 inches diameter)

Each one consists of two hinged rings, which both open out, once you’ve flipped the latch,

The two opened rings are placed on top of each other – there’s only one way they’ll sit together.

Then start winding the wool, securing the end as you go.

Continue until winding firmly around one half until it’s full and plump, then wind the yarn round the other half.

Keep winding until both sides are full, then cut the yarn.

Close the two halves together and flip the latch on both sides to hold the rings closed.

Pushing the scissor blade into the groove that runs between the two rings, snip the yarn, all the way round.

When you have cut all the way round it should look like this.

Cut a piece of yarn about 12 inches long, wind it twice round the central groove, pull tight and tie securely in a double knot (you’ll have left long enough tails to sew the pompom on to your garment).

Undo both latches and carefully open the rings to release the pompom.

And that’s all there is to it – just fluff up the pompom and snip away any longer pieces of yarn that are sticking out other than the tails you are using to attach it to your garment.

I used a chunky yarn on the small (2.5inch) pompom maker here but I much prefer the hat pompom I made yesterday using DK and the large (4 inch) maker. I think the chunkier the yarn, the bigger the pompom maker should be.

So…..much easier than cardboard discs, reusable, inexpensive and very quick to do.

Do you have a favourite gadget for your knitting and crafting?