Thanks raej2. Have saved it, at a glance it looked a little more confusing on what I found the other day but they all help eh

popeye333 - 2013-11-02 17:34:00

I've pinched a copy too raej2 - I prefer to follow crochet diagrams than written patterns :) When I crocheted tablecloths many moons ago I followed all the patterns by using the diagrams. Was much easier as I'm a visual person.

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-02 22:24:00

morning ladies :) Not sure what the day will bring but I know I will be getting some knitting done.
happy knitting :0

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-03 07:32:00

morning friends and stalker, I sat up till nearly the witching hour knitting, this shrug for my granddaughter to wear at this wedding, plus my blanket done 9 rounds now , how many are we supost to do???

carolev - 2013-11-03 07:44:00

carolev - just keep going round the blanket till you either have it big enough, have run out of wool or are sick of doing it.

I am a bit sore and achy this morning, I have muscles aching that I didn't know I had, 'cos yesterday I decided it was well time I dug a hole and planted a bird of paradise which has been slowly strangling in a pot for over 7 years. Course where we wanted to plant it is on the side of a bank which is just basically stones and clay, so the hole digging was quite a mission, but once I got started I was pretty determined and I finished it. By the time I'd put all the tools away I was almost too stuffed to have a shower, but I felt better after my shower and it was so nice I sat out on the deck in the sun, let my hair dry naturally and knitted quite a few rows of my tunic and crocheted a baby beanie. Last night I started a 10 stitch blanket, this one will be a baby blanket for charity. No idea what we will do today, but I've already done a few rows of knitting.

It's overcast and cool today so the heat pump is on. Mr K didn't feel well yesterday so he had the heat pump on all day, and had it set at 26 degrees, when I came in from digging and planting I thought I would faint, it was like walking into a sauna.

Well ladies, have a great day whatever you decide to do.

kuaka - 2013-11-03 08:14:00

Morning everyone.
Cloudy here, I think we will get the rain they have been talking about.

Have quickly popped out to put some wood around the raspberries that have decided to grow again. not totally happy with it. But since Im going to ask the lawn boys to weed-eat the garden Ill point out where I want them to be careful around. I don't want a repeat of last year loosing our huge crop of passion fruit. Its flowering again yay.
Kirsties craft showdown show is on soon. I love seeing the things she does for A & P show competitions.
The crochet blanket is getting bigger. And warmer to work with too I must add. so Ill be doing it in a folded state now. when we lived in the buss I would sit on the couch crossed legged and the blankets sat on the couch as I did them so I didn't feel as much of the heat.
Knitting is plodding along. I do that in the afternoon as its cooler than the crochet one.
There is soo much I want to do but want these two blankets finished first.
Kicking myself now cos a couple of weeks ago the opp shop had some crochet cotton I should have got. and I should have never sold the stuff I had. but now I can crochet in rows I want to do a table runner of my own. so Ill keep an eye out for some cheap, hmmm wonder if Asian shops have it.
Watch those achy muscles Kuaka. My bicep is aching today, getting a good work out with having to hold the blanket etc.I have to admit when I heard of the crash up north I was hoping you hadn't been out on the roads.

Is anyone here sick like me and Love untangling wool and chains etc . I never let things beat me. and will sit till things are untangled. Mind you before my back and ribs ended up stuffed I used to love cleaning stoves, coal ranges and freezers. so that makes me even sicker lol

Have to pop up the road at some stage, but otherwise Ill plod along, wash a little bit more skirting board. and knit and crochet..
I read a lot of Amish books and keep thinking it would be soo nice to have a sewing day , when it comes to sewing my blanket together lol. Its going to take some work, but Im up for the challenge lol.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

popeye333 - 2013-11-03 08:55:00

awww popeye, thanks for thinking of me - I didn't know there had been a crash up this way but we didn't go anywhere yesterday (I suppose it was yesterday was it?)

When you come to join your blanket together you'd find it much quicker and easier to crochet it together rather than sew it, even quicker if you are doing the outsides of each square the same colour and do that as you join them.

kuaka - 2013-11-03 09:09:00

I wont be able to crochet the blanket together Kuaka. The strips will be woven together, then sewn.
I want all the edges sewn so it doesn't all pull apart. so ill lay it on the kitchen table and pin it all, then possible tack it all together. Then hand sew it.
I like a challenge. And am pleased I have plenty of time before winter to get it done.
A lady at the supermarket suggested I sew it onto a sheet. Which would make things a lot easier, but I don't want it backed with a sheet. Its going to be double thickness as it is.
Had wondered how much that water dissolvable stuff they use for embroidery is.
Pondering the idea of doing a crochet edges around it when finished but Ill see how it looks finished first.
Wool usage Im looking at 20 balls for the strips, but I have extras so I can make some cushions too. Sucker for punishment lol

popeye333 - 2013-11-03 13:19:00

I been sewing for grandmasue1 this morning just finished first one

carolev - 2013-11-03 13:27:00

*carolev* is a good girl...I have 20 grandkids and 13 greats and I had a plan for Christmas... Caroles sewing is a part of that. :)

grandmasue1 - 2013-11-03 14:53:00

sorry popeye, I'm suffering 'brain fade' at the moment (must be too much gardening) I was forgetting that it was the strips you were weaving together, I was thinking you were doing crochet granny squares.

kuaka - 2013-11-03 19:27:00

morning girls and stalker . spent last night knitting this shrug for granddaughter ,can only do a few hours at a time fingers and eyes get sore from the lace pattern. then do some of my blankie to wigned down,back to sewing today after I done some shopping,got to get my prioritys right , spend money to make money lol. going to be a sunny day again ,

carolev - 2013-11-04 06:41:00

morning ladies ... well it would be if I can just stop sneezing and unblock my nose. Thought I was doing well this spring with no antihistimines but might have to relent and take some today.
Lawns need mowing again and I'll dig out some more ground cover I think. Definately will have some knitting to do :)
Happy knitting :)

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-04 07:00:00

kiwimade try Nasaleze. It coats the inside of the nose and stops a lot of the irritants. I started using it this year and have managed to cut down on antihistimines

raej2 - 2013-11-04 07:23:00

Morning ladies.
Hope you manage to clear your head kiwimade - hay fever type things are not very pleasant especially if you spend time in the garden.

Had a great clear up of the garden last week and took a huge load of weeds and green waste to the dump after I had also filled both the compost bins but at least the place looks tidy again but now the lawns need mowing again.

Managed to fit in some knitting too of course but started something new so must finish a couple of cardies that are going to Australia before doing anything else.

Really lovely day so will walk to town and get the bus back - it takes about an hour to walk in so only do the one way these days.

jayemtoo - 2013-11-04 07:36:00

thanks for that raej, I'll pop into the chemist and get some. Best laid plans of men and mice lol... just had a call from a school asking me to go in so I'm teaching the littlies today :).
Knit some rows for me lol :)

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-04 07:41:00

Morning ladies... Lovely looking day out there.. We both woke up sneezing and coughing.. Has gone now thank goodness.
I finally did the weeding around the vines yesterday. Looks soo much better now. and the boys will be here to mow the lawn this morning. Found out the guy that lives over and down the back from us does gardening so we will talk to him near the end of the month.
Bob is sulking, he has been out but now shut in cos the lawn guys often bring their dog with them.lol
I used my brains last night and put a tray table over my legs and sat the crochet blanket on the top. Much cooler.
I have to decide how far Im going today cos I only have just over one ball of verigated left. And I used one in the last day and a half. So its not getting very far now.
Have a wonderfull day everyone

popeye333 - 2013-11-04 07:42:00

Now that the thick fog has cleared, it looks like it will be a lovely day (well it's lovely at the moment). Hope to finish the task I started yesterday in the garden, which was to put fertiliser and compost around all the citrus trees. I did the lemon, grapefruit and mandarin with the fertiliser and water it in, but the rain stopped me before I put the compost around them, and I still have two orange trees to do, so hope to get that done later this morning, maybe hem my curtain this afternoon (seems ages since I started it) and do some knitting.

I baked a bacon and egg flan yesterday and made some lemon curd with lemons I'd been given (my Gran's recipe, it's delicious).

Better go and do a few rows of knitting while I'm having my second pre-breakfast cuppa, then once I'm "humanised" I'll get started on the day.

Happy knitting everyone.

kuaka - 2013-11-04 09:16:00

had a great morning shopping drained the bank almost lucky tomorrow is benny day. I love getting money for nothing

carolev - 2013-11-04 13:30:00

carolev wrote:

had a great morning shopping drained the bank almost lucky tomorrow is benny day. I love getting money for nothing

Lol Carole, yay our payday too. and we were a little drained this week, even my emergency wool money is gone (sob) lol. Oh well they keep paying us I keep spending it.
How much wool and fabric would we have if we didn't have to pay rent, power, phone and Food lol.
I have four more rows on my blanket. Plus one or two depending on how far the last bit of variegated goes. I decided to add a patch of the plain colours and edge with the variegated to finish it off. Takes about 45 mins to get around now if Im not disturbed. so maybe tonight Ill get it finished.
Havent knitted, I wanted to get this one out of the way since I was so close.

popeye333 - 2013-11-04 16:25:00

looks like my one day teaching has turned into three with a possible five days. I'm taking my sewing machine and gardening gloves tomorrow lol... sewing machine as I'm sewing production costumes and gloves as we are working in the native plants area in the afternoon. Just love teaching, the work is so varied and fun :)

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-04 19:11:00

morning girls well I finished granddaughters shrug last night and did more on my blankie , nice sunny day here but fog on the low lands. forgot to say morning to the stalker too. next on my list to knit is a second shrug for the other flower girl , did lots of sewing yesterday for grandmasue1 , no sewing today as I have 2 grandkids ,

carolev - 2013-11-05 06:37:00

morning ladies :) teaching today and sewing costumes for the school play so my sewing machine and bits and bobs are all ready to go. Have also thrown in my gardening gloves as we are tending to the native area later on in the day.
Happy knitting and knit a few rows for me :)

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-05 07:28:00

Morning ladies. Your day sounds like Fun Kiwimade.

No fog here but it was lovely when I first got up. The big black clouds are coming in tho. And Warm

Yesterday I sat and crochet for roughly 9 hours. Had an hour off for lunch and tea lol... The butt was complaining from the sitting too lol. But I have two rows of blue to do and then probably one row of the variegated. Ive weighed the blue so I can see how much the last row takes and it will give me some idea as to how much it will take to do the last row , Id like to do two tho. Takes about 45 mins to get a round done now lol
Only knitted when Downton was on.
So the crochet one will be finished today. Ive done 57 rows so far. The one that covers MrPs double bed is 63 rows. so its going to be a large single but when it relaxes will cover the top of a double.

Have a good day everyone

popeye333 - 2013-11-05 08:32:00

Ok it's almost 9am, 5.30 cooked breakfast for 6 all cleaned up. 9.30 hot smoko for 11 keeping warm in the oven until I go to deliver it at 9.15. Salad wraps and croissants with cheese and bacon for lunch (for 11) all ready to be dropped off with smoko. Cupcakes and biscuits all sorted as well. Now time for a coffee while I decide whats for tea for 12 and what to give the 3 that will be coming to the cookhouse for lunch. Might have time to do a couple of rows of my top although I will probably fall asleep

raej2 - 2013-11-05 08:55:00

I WALKED to playgroup and back again took the pushchair with both kids in it but made them walk home as that was up hill. got home and found front door open and ranch slider unlocked so called cops and kept them on phone before I went inside, I am a chicken I know, kids love the outing.

carolev - 2013-11-05 11:07:00

You have been busy Raej.. Love cooking but not the heat of it.

Wow Carole not good. And your not chicken, you did the right thing. Who knows if someone had been inside still. I hope nothing was stolen. not that that stops the feeling of being invaded.

Am plodding on my blanket. Nearly finished the second blue row. Ive weighed the wool so Ill know if I have enough to do the variegated boarder. Im thinking it might look better without it. so will wait till I see what the usage is, and if I will have enough. I don't think I would be happy with one row of variegated. so it might end up without it totally lol
Then back to knitting..

popeye333 - 2013-11-05 12:16:00

Yay finally finished... with the grand sum of 4 yes 4 grams of the variegated wool left. Managed to get the two rounds on the edging. Pictures are at the other place, cos if I put them here I would get growled at.
Ended up being 5 foot or 1.5m square so Im pleased.

popeye333 - 2013-11-05 16:02:00

I knew no one was in the house as the alarm did not go off, I must not have closed the door propoley before I left, as I had both kids in pushchair . our alarm is wired to call my cellphone and Don was home 3 doors down the street, getting a new putty tat on Friday

carolev - 2013-11-05 16:38:00

Hi all
Great that you have more work kiwimade even if it's not knitting at least you get some craft with the sewing which must be a real bonus for the school.
Wow reaj what a lot of cooking and it all sounds very yummy.
Oh Carole what an awful feeling that is when you find a door open when it should be shut - hope all is well there.
Popeye you must be feeling happy with your latest accomplishment and a good size too.

lovely and warm here today have been out all am and am going out again soon but managed to fit in some knitting this pm I'm getting caught up with my UFOs but have started another little vest so have something on the needles to do when don't want to concentrate on sewing up or edgings.

jayemtoo - 2013-11-05 16:40:00

well I'm finally home lol, been to the supermarket on the way home and bought a new microwave as ours has finally died. Gosh microwaves have come down in price - our very first one was bought 30 years ago, a National Genius and cost $1000! Now I picked one up for $77 lol.
Costumes are almost done, the bulk of the sewing had already been done but there is a bit of mending to do which I will do tonight. One of the teachers said to me we must be in the only profession where we take things from home to work rather than the other way round lol. Looks like I will be working the rest of the week which is perfect timing for extra Christmas money :).
Carole, that is a horrible sinking feeling when you see you home wide open like that, hope everything is OK. And no, you weren't chicken, as popeye said, you did the right thing.
Wow popeye, you are on a roll! At the rate I'm going I'm not going to get much knitting done this week.
jayemtoo, you sound reallyyyy busy, I don't know how you fit it all in! But the food sounds soooo good :)
happy knitting ladies :)

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-05 17:22:00

Carole pleased to hear you are getting a new babycat on Friday. I would love to get a new kitten but I don't think that Bobcat would accept one at all. He was a bit of a bully to Millie cat, although he thought he was playing, he was just too rough on her. And I think he would be the same with an import. he would get jealous big time.

I can proudly say I don't have any UFO's... but am sitting here wondering if I should start something else or really make a huge effort on my knitted blanket. Which is most likely what will happen, but there's soo many other tempting things to do.
Ill try and be good tho

popeye333 - 2013-11-05 17:24:00

I was thinking the same thing about microwaves Kiwimade as a friend is going to buy one this week.. Our little 500watt one 24 years ago was something like $700.. Now I have a 1000watt and from memory a couple of years ago it was $170ish. I couldn't live without mine. Even if I mainly use it for heating plates and melting butter lol..
Glad work was good... We usually get invited to the school over the road for the annual Christmas show. As a grandparent lol seats in the front with room for the walker or wheelchair depending on how MrP is feeling.

I just looked I started the crochet blanket on October 25th ish.. Or that's when I put a picture up. so 11days or so.

popeye333 - 2013-11-05 17:29:00

it's a dreadful feeling carolev - I was burgled when I lived in Hamilton, came home and the laundry door was wide open, knew we hadn't left it like that as it didn't stay shut unless it was bolted from the inside and we never used it. Found they had relieved us of the turntable from the stereo - they hadn't even bothered to unplug it but had cut the cord off it! Hope you don't find anything missing later on.

Yes, we paid $1250 for my first microwave (a Sharp Carousel) and when I mentioned to one of the ladies I worked with that we'd bought one she told me "they are marvellous for defrosting the bread!" I ended up using it for a lot more than defrosting the bread and it must be only about a year or so ago that it finally gave up the ghost. Have replaced it with a smaller one.

popeye, I once finished a jersey and ended up with only 8 inches of wool left over.

I'm enjoying my 10 stitch blanket - photo to follow when I've done a bit more, meantime I'm nearly at the toe of the second sock, and making progress on the tunic, crocheted another baby beanie (for bfb) and have stitched 16 of the 26 pleats this morning (before going out for the afternoon) of my ranch slider curtain. So once I've stitched the other 10 pleats, I still have to actually pleat the pleats and stitch them, and do the hem, then ironing the thing will be a mission and a half - 2metres high and 5 metres of fabric across.

raej2 - sounds like you've been busy in the kitchen. I hope you don't have to do all the dishes too.

Feet up time!

Edited by kuaka at 7:51 pm, Tue 5 Nov

kuaka - 2013-11-05 19:51:00

yep, feet up time, I'm knackered lol. Have finished the mending on the kids costumes so all good to go. Thank goodness for mother helps - I had a wonderful mum make sure all the hats were organised and had velcro or ties on them. I may even be staying for the evening productions at this stage, will have to wait and see.
I kinda get the impression I won't be knitting until the weekend lol. Can't believe how much knitting the ladies in our FB group get done - I've always been slow lol. Would be interesting to work out how 'far' we have knitted, I bet it would cover quite a distance!
Happy knitting - I'm off for a cuppa and then to watch Animal Planet on TV1.

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-05 20:15:00

GOOD morning girls and stalker. did more on my blanket last night. we bought our first and only microwave when Tony started work at concord about 28 years ago. it's a national and it's still working great still has it's plastic film cover on it. . things where made to last back then. we have his late dad's one in the attic , well pissing with rain here, so going back to bed with my knitting, I know my stalkers watching as daughter knew what I am knitting without me telling her haha

carolev - 2013-11-06 06:46:00

morning ladies :) yep bucketing down here too. Not complaining though as we need the rain.
Our first microwave died about five years ago so would have been around 25 years old, now we're up to our third one! The one we bought to replace our old National became rusty so it's been heaved out.
back to school today :) Have a mixed age group to teach so am about to dig out some maths for the age/ability range.
Happy knitting - it's a perfect day for it with all this rain :)

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-06 07:11:00

Morning
Lovely moist day here but not cold and the garden is singing in the rain.

Use my microwave all the time the first one I brought in 1985 was $700 and just replaced it in January this year. The first thing I did in the microwave was to thaw some buns I thought the recommended time was an error as it seemed not enough time so I put it on for 3 minutes not 30secs and managed to get a room full of smoke, so learnt early that you can burn stuff in a microwave!

jayemtoo - 2013-11-06 07:46:00

Morning ladies... Not raining here, clear blue sky. It did rain briefly over night and we had one doozy clap of thunder. but that was it. Lovely temp at the mo.
I killed my last microwave buy cooking one of those bag of popcorn thingees in it. I put it in for the required time but it didn't stop. Had my friend and her father here to watch a tv show we had recorded. The blokes just sat on the couch while smoke was billowing out of the microwave. didn't try to use it again. Incase it didn't stop again. Had a carousel and it was good till that moment lol
Will be knitting today, I don't have any other plans that I can think of. Will list the blanket later I guess.
Have a good day everyone.

popeye333 - 2013-11-06 08:15:00

jayemtoo - my poor old Mum (sadly no longer with us) thought that 30secs in the microwave couldn't possibly be long enough to cook some peas, so she put them in for 30 minutes, then went off to sit in the lounge and read, and when she came back the kitchen was full of smoke, the microwave burned black and the dish of peas looked like over-sized shot-gun pellets!

Strange weather this morning, it's partly overcast, the sun is very weak and it's foggy. So much for the wind and rain we're supposed to get. If it's nice a bit later I might walk down to knit and natter, if not, I'll try to finish my curtain (and iron and hang it). See what the weather does in a couple of hours, and that will influence my decision.

I'm about to do a few rows of knitting while I have my first cuppa of the day.

Have a great day everyone, and happy knitting.

kuaka - 2013-11-06 08:20:00

Raining and yuck here. Had to pull out part of my top last night as I had managed to do the pattern backwards. Really annoying as its such an easy and quick pattern (should have only taken the weekend to crochet)
kuaka I'm a station cook the only time the boys do the dishes is when the power goes off and they rinse their plates. I cook for 10 over winter and get up to 18-20 over summer.

raej2 - 2013-11-06 12:29:00

Beautiful day here in Central Otago. We are to get to 24deg. today. Went to Spinners and Weavers meeting this morning and we did some dyeing of silk scarves. Interesting. This afternoon I may get some knitting done. Have a great afternoon everyone.

ffloss - 2013-11-06 13:07:00

Wow have just had an impressive rain storm. Thunder like Ive never heard before, kinda like rusty pots being bashed together, not flash new ones. Heavy rain from the sunny side of the sky.
Was going to duck up to supermarket for some chicken seasoning, but Ill give it a miss lol.
MrP decided he could go do some gardening, epic fail but at least he tried. I washed more skirting boards and behind the stove and walls in the kitchen.. Amazing how cruddy they get in a short time. Pulled elements out and cleaned the top as well, so Im glad I got that done. He had no chance of growling at me not too, I did it while he was out in the garden lol. Didn't have the energy when he came in to growl.

popeye333 - 2013-11-06 15:57:00

very very hot here no rain in sight. my gardener is here now

carolev - 2013-11-06 16:32:00

phew, I'm home and it looks like I'm it tomorrow and Friday :) (including the evening perforances lol). The kids are soo excited about the production and I know they will do their best. Had a neat day today with reading, writing, maths and a cut and paste acitivity - real scissors and paste lol not computer cut and paste.
Knitting is on the back burner until the weekend now - have one more costume to mend - had a child away yesterday so today had the 'try-on' and 'fitting'.
Happy knitting ladies and knit a few rows for me :)

Edited by kiwimade64 at 5:11 pm, Wed 6 Nov

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-06 17:10:00

Well my efforts in the garden this afternoon were cut short when it started to spit with rain, I didn't need to think twice about it, grabbed the cat from under the agave (where she can pounce on any unsuspecting birds taking a dip in the bird bath - she hasn't worked out yet that the bells around her neck give her away and allow the birds to escape her jaws) and brought her in, next thing it's bucketing down, and it hasn't stopped. My seaview has completely disappeared in the murk, tea is cooking, so I think I'll do a few rows while I'm waiting for it to cook. Will try to do some more tonight.

kuaka - 2013-11-06 17:25:00

Pleased your enjoying the teaching again Kiwimade... A good time of year too, I always liked the first day of school and then the last term cos everything seemed soo different then, on the wind down. And I never missed the last day.. Was always the best fun.
Its humid here at the mo post the thunder storm it was the weirdest Ive even known. .
Will knit shortly.

popeye333 - 2013-11-06 18:14:00

GOOD morning girls , well started the other shrug last night did a few inches then went back to my blanket. fine and mild here some clouds, my garden looks great at the moment should take a few pics. get our new pussy tonight

carolev - 2013-11-07 06:48:00

morning, off to school today. Dress rehersal and opening night today/night so it's going to be a big day.
Finally stopped raining - it started around 3.00am. The garden looks great after all the rain.
Enjoy your new cat carole :)
Happy knitting :)

kiwimade64 - 2013-11-07 07:23:00

Morning Ladies... Mixed clouds out there. but fine at the mo.

Have a wonderfull time today Kiwimade... Im glad you got to enjoy this part of the year.
Carole do you know Colour etc of wee kitty yet?

Shopping this morning, nothing too flash on the list today. I will take the crochet blanket for a show and tell with the ladies at the shop, they love seeing my work.
Then back to my blanket.

Isnt it lovely seeing all the work in the fb group. Im definatly going to make a peggy square blanket.
But Hopefully this weekend the furniture will go from the craft room, so I can make the pantries up and sort the wool out. Then ill be able to decide what colours to use. I think the biggest decision will be whether it will be Mixed colours to make it look like it was made from leftovers, or colour co-ordinated like all the rest of my blankets.

Have a wonderful day everyone

popeye333 - 2013-11-07 08:23:00