Changeable

A Bank Holiday here always seems like a bonus; a day to cherish more than the average day and certainly not one to spend doing everyday things. 

Time to sort out the summerhouse, perhaps?

 

At times, the garden looked like a yard sale, with everything out on the terrace in the sunshine.  Every now and again a dark cloud would come over and I’d keep my fingers crossed that the heavens wouldn’t open until I was ready.

First job was to suck out all the dead spiders and a years worth of cobwebs.  That was when I had my funny turn.

Perhaps it was the sensation of warm sunshine on my back after so many months?

Whatever was the cause, something happened to provoke a very strange reaction.

I got out the painting things and began to paint the summerhouse walls!

Two hours later, all was back in place, looking clean, fresh and spider-free.  What’s more, the sun was still shining and we enjoyed our first outdoor lunch this year.

 

No sooner had we finished, than the heavens opened and we had to run for cover.

A typical Bank Holiday, then!

Voilà.

Just finished the Bola scarf, so named by Mark, who described it “like one of those Gaucho things for catching horses”.

So, I did what anyone does these days and googled  “gaucho device catching horses with ball at each end” , thereby learning all there is to know about the boleadores.

Now there was an unexpected learning opportunity.

The original idea for my Bola scarf came from this book published (in French) by La Droguerie.  There are so many original ideas in there, it’s one I return to time and again.  No worries about the French either, for the diagrams are clear enough for anyone with a little basic knitting/crochet skills and a bit of imagination to follow.

Gadget Girl

It’s quite well known in these parts that I’m a bit of a gadget freak.  Usually, at work anyway, the gadgets are usually some bit of electronic paraphernalia which I decide I can’t live without and which ends up in my handbag along with all the other, well, gadgets.

But I can do low tech as well.  Hands up who knows what this is? 

It’s really easy to use – simply open up one half and begin to wind with yarn.  Close it up and do the same for the other side.  Cut using sharp scissors and tie around the middle with a secure knot.

Pull it apart and give the pompom a shake.

Trim and attach to the end of two metres of French Knitting.

Repeat a few more times with different colours.

Time for the next gadget.  Any guesses?

It’s a Daisy Loom.

After winding several times over each pair of pegs, the centre is secured with a few stitches.

 

Slip it off the plastic frame and stitch to the end of a couple of metres of French Knitting.

See where we’re going with this?