rubykittyruby

  It's Saturday afternoon, and I haven't done half the things I'd meant to.  Partly because I spent most of this morning messing about with paints, stencils and the gell plate.  Never mind, everything on today's 'To Do' list will join tomorrow's 'To Do' list ... it's hardly life or death if I don't haul the hoover around the room or pull up weeds in the front garden.   I thought I'd show you what I made on Wednesday.  I'd gone to my monthly StitchArt group, and this time we did something a little different.  There's a project called 'Threads of Freedom' which is working with various community groups across the city.  It's about creating little stitched pieces, some of which will be included in a textile panel to go on display at Leeds art gallery.  There was lots of fabric we could choose from to sew with, and I picked this vintage tray cloth with the roses embroidery.   My own embroidery's not a patch on those flo...

  These are a few photos from the other day.  Blue sky and reasonably mild weather drew me outside for a brisk stroll around the RSPB reserve near my home.  No exotic birds to be seen, just the usual ducks, swans and magpies.  I have seen red kites and kestrels there, even an owl during daylight hours, but not that day.   I love the washed out colour of these dried grasses, and especially the sounds they make when the wind's blowing through them.   Back at home, I've been making myself a simple pair of fingerless gloves, using the Yarnsmiths Lagoon wool I bought.   They're so straightforward to make, knitted on two needles rather than double-pointed.  Cast on 44 stitches, then several rows of K2 P2 rib.  I decreased by 4 stitches, did a few rows of stocking stitch, then lots of seed stitch before switching back to stocking stitch, increasing by 4 stitches, then more ribbing.  Easy peasy!   The variegated wool wor...

  It's the first day of a new year, and I've managed to catch a cold.  Which isn't surprising as there are cold and flu bugs everywhere right now.  So I've spent the day mainly curled up on the sofa, listening to the radio, re-watching 'Mary Poppins' on TV, eating far too much chocolate and ... knitting.  I don't knit very much at all, and my skills are basic, entry level.  But for some reason the thought lodged in my head that I wanted to knit a shawl.  I watched several YouTube videos and tried a few methods of knitting a triangular shape, and this was by far the easiest.  You simply cast on three stitches - double knitting wool, size 4mm needles - and then increase 1 stitch at the beginning of each row.  The video I watched showed the shawl being made entirely in garter stitch, but I prefer the look of plain and purl.  The yarn used isn't actually sheep's wool, but 100% acrylic.  However, it's not scratchy or unpleasant to handle, and...

Just a quick post today. I'm offering you a short but peaceful break from the overwhelmingness (is that a word?) of Christmas.  By now you've probably eaten your bodyweight in sweets//roast potatoes/pigs in blankets/cake/After Eights ... whatever your festive indulgences are.  You're under-exericsed, over-stimulated, feeling broke and possibly guilty about an argument with a relative or friend you've never entirely got on with.  So, here's something to take your mind off all that.   I've two videos to refresh and revive, and they both concern wool.   Interesting fact.  Well, I found it interesting.  About 1% - yup, one per cent - of the world's textiles are made of wool.  Out of curiosity, I also googled how much is made of cotton.  That's higher, but it's only about 24% and that's heading downward instead of up.  Synthetic fibres are the bulk of all textile manufacture.  Anyway, back to woolly wonders.   My firs...