Month: July 2025

Does anyone remember the big bag of blue yarn I had trouble with last year……when trying out a new to me pattern….it turned out much smaller than I expected

So I found something else and began again…..

But once again it just wasn’t right and (once again) ended up like this….

So since last November it’s been a case of let sleeping dogs lie (and rest out of sight) because it seemed whenever I touched the yarn it wasn’t happy……until early June this year when a little Aran jumper caught my eye. And you do know I just love the combination of stitches that go into that style

Use 4ply it said, well, as the old saying goes….nothing ventured nothing gained …..so out came the needles and the blue yarn. Start with a sleeve – not so many stitches – use suggested 3.25/ uk 10 and see how it goes. Yes I could have knit a swatch but you know me….all or nothing

But, just for curiosity I did do a little row/stitch count when I arrived at the decrease spot and wouldn’t you know it…..it had knit to gauge. Maybe it was 4ply after all.


So it all came along with me and the rest of my supplies on the premis – ‘use it this time or definitely lose it’. Both sleeves and the back are patterned in a rather monotonous 4 x 4 box stitch and surprisingly knit up quite quickly…..it’s funny how when you have a regular stitch count like that you tend to count them in your head – so I’m not missing the little insistent voice saying knit 234, purl 234 over and over…..necessary because I’d forget to change from knit to purl/vice versa and end up with a half row of 4 x 4 and the rest in knit or purl!

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This week I’ve reached the armhole shaping on the front, just a few rows off dividing for the neckline so hopefully it’ll be a fast finish. Of course it’s still to be made up and the neck band sorted – picking up stitches neatly is not one of my talents so there might be a few choice words spoken. There’s also a little tidying up to do on the wrong side….some of the crossovers seem to be gaping a bit so a little sewn stitch here and there pulling them together will solve that problem

These two Fiona Lowe books were a ‘laundry room’ find……an Australian author I’ve never read before so aren’t quite sure whether it’ll be a ‘flick through- nah, not for me’ or sit down with coffee and become engrossed.
Her about me page shows mention of Ruby awards (Romantic writers) so I’ll open the books with an open mind. Both have mixed reviews on various sites so that’s another reason for an open mind, and if they turn out to be a bit too chick lit I’ve another Stuart MacBride waiting to be picked up. And of course, you never know what’s to be found in the ‘drop and swap’ book exchange in the laundry room 📚📚

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Unraveled Wednesday at Kat’s happens weekly on the First Wednesday – last Wednesday- and any Wednesday in between. Why not pop over and see what’s going on

I’m joining Min for Wednesday Words & Whimsy

It’s Wednesday again – what I think of as the halfway point of the week
Some days have been and gone- some have yet to arrive
It’s the 3rd Wednesday in July….middle of winter here – middle of summer elsewhere

Did you know January 1st this year was on a Wednesday so it’s 28 weeks since 2025 began
Or put another way July 16th is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 168 days remain until the end of the year.
It’s past the halfway point already (and I’m still asking what year it is when I date a form😊)

And here’s another little piece of information for you all – Christmas Eve is on a Wednesday this year….in 23 weeks time!

🎄🎄🎄😊😊😊 🎄🎄🎄

There are times when my grey cells works in strange ways…..you’d think with all those ‘supplies’ I packed I’d have been clear in what I wanted to do up here. Mackay (190kms/2hrs south on the Bruce) is the last ‘big town’ we pass through before reaching Bowen. About an hour before we got there I had a sudden feeling I wasn’t going to be content with my planned projects (all children sized rather than ‘baby/toddler’) so decided we’d drop into Spotlight-to see what they had – well we had to drive past so weren’t going out of our way (and they had a sale on) and you can never have too much….can you?

Luckily I had brought my ‘online ideas folder’ along – this simple boat neck pattern is sized for a 20” chest/18 mths but with the body being straight up and down (no shaping) it’s easy to make larger …more stitches/wider….more rows/longer…plus add extra stitches/length for a larger sleeve. With both sides the same – no front or back, I call them me do its.
Those favourite words of 2/3yr olds (apart from No and Why🤭)

As you can see the pattern is actually worked in a decorative stitch but often, like with these three from a while back, I make something that looks entirely different.

This time I’m working it the way the designer suggested, yes, in acrylic but so soft and definitely not scratchy.

The alternating 2×2 knit/purl interspersed with 2 rows stocking stitch is giving it a warm puffy/squishy feel that I hope looks just as good on the body – the yarn colour also has a rich warm look about it.

Reading remains a constant- always something on the go. This week it’s a selection of short (comfortable) stories (Flowers in the Rain and other stories– Rosamunde Pilcher)
I just finished Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens……Miles Franklin 2023 winner….a novel that made me – and hopefully if you find it and read it – you, think about life here (and maybe elsewhere) and how it’s changing.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chai_Time_at_Cinnamon_Gardens

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Because of the recent weak signal in this part of town I’ve missed out on everyone else’s news….so I’m going to remedy that (in a cheeky way) by asking ‘what are you all doing?’

What are all you other crafters and readers up to – I’m interested to know what’s on your needles or hooks – under your sewing machine needles or even on your hoops – as well as beside your couches and chairs and on your bedside tables

Oh and Wednesday is also the day Kat hosts ‘Unraveled Wednesday ‘…….if you’d like to see what others are knitting, reading and talking about just click on the link

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