Knit Your Square to Give Your Share - PART 4

mioliere

Chalky - thank you so much for posting that lovely photo of you and Pippa! Isn't it great to put a face to a name? Pippa looks as lovely as I knew she would! I hope you all had a lovely time! The baby things are beautiful!

Thanks for the lovely comments about my chair. I am pleased with it and it helps to make the still-half-finished kitchen/dining room look a bit more homely. The chair is very low so won't get much use (although I know it would if Louis came back because it's just right for a sweet little tabby! Still no sign but several people I have spoken to recently say that the cats here often go on 'petit vacances', so I'm still hopeful. It must be a French thing!

Well, we ordered our kitchen wall tiles at the beginning of June; the chappie in the shop said they would be in in around ten days. About two weeks ago he called to say they were ready for collection, but we completely forgot about them, so he phoned again yesterday to remind us. Anyway, it's at the top of my list to go and collect them today but we have no idea when they'll actually go up on the wall! It's yet another project on a list of many!

We've been invited to a barbecue on Saturday night; there'll be a mixture of French and English people there and we're really looking forward to it. The last time we visited the friends, they were just finishing off a henhouse so I'm hoping that they will have chickens in it. I told them I would wait to see how they got on with theirs before committing us to getting some! My neighbours have assured us that they would look after them when we go away; it's one of the worries that has stopped us getting some before now. Anyway, watch this space (but I don't know how long for!)

Well, the huge and very masculine-looking (IYKWIM!) bull in the farmer's field next door (with twelve females!) has, I swear, been trotting round with his tail up and a big smile on his face, so I think he has had a good time! Time will tell! I wish the same could be said for that poor bull in Spain who jumped from the bullring into the crowd. Of course, it was dangerous situation but it wasn't the bull's fault and I was so angry to hear that the poor thing has been destroyed. He must have been terrified.

ISOM - one turquoise and cream chunky kitty blanket is on the hook now, at last, and very soothing to do; I'm just doing a basic granny square so it should work up quickly. I forgot what size you said the blankets should be - was it 20" square? I've never done an online swap before, so I have no idea what is involved.

Maytaurus - I hope you are feeling as well as can be. Thinking of you a lot.

F1Widow - DH picked up the chair years ago (from the tip for about £1!) It has always looked a bit sad and he was ready to throw it out, but I said I would try and breathe a bit more life into it and finally got round to doing something about it. He also picked up a cane glass-lidded laundry-type hamper which is huge and currently storing all my old curtains. It's another thing I want to have a go at re-vamping with a lick of paint and maybe some fabric under the glass top, but that's on the end of my long long list of things-to-do before I die! Why don't you try eBay for a bureau - if you look on the Shabby Chic thread on here, you'll see what bargains people pick up on eBay furniture-wise, and the wonderful things they do to them. I think somewhere on there you can put in your postcode and find things for sale in your area. You could also try Freecycle, and charity shops that sell furniture. I do hope you find one! My DH bought me a beautiful Victorian leather-topped writing table as a wedding present (many many summers ago!), and we've just taken that out of storage and it makes a perfect dressing table, with an old chair that my late MIL gave me which I got re-upholstered, and a triple mirror that still needs sanding down, staining and waxing - another job on the list! You'd be surprised how many people have wanted to buy the writing table over the years, including an antique-dealer friend, so it must be a very good one! Of course, I would never sell it but it's interesting to know that it's desirable!

Well, the kettle is singing my song so I'm off for another cuppa.

Hope you all have a lovely day and lots of gentle (((hugs))) and tender thoughts for those MIA at the moment.

KathyXX

Kinsey

Chalky thanks for posting the photos, as mioliere said it's nice to put a face to a name. So nice that you and Pippa got to meet. The baby things are lovely, of course, but then your makes always are.
mioliere I've been a lurking shabby chicer for years, I love the look (and pink roses). I think this is the link you meant for f1widow http://www.localbargainfinder.co.uk/ I hope that's it anyway.
Hope everyone is well today, lots of love xxx

f1widow

Morning ladies

isom - day off today isnt it:j - Im very proud of you xxx
kathy - oh the bull in the field has made me chuckle - oh yes shabby chic, floral, etc I love it - I saw "ive got britains best home" or something like that and the couple lived in a huge house but had brought mostly "junk" furniture and painted it all varying colours of white - it was lovely - only problem was that they lived the majority of the time in the basement !!!!

kinsey - thanks for that link - we are a bit ebay mad in this house anyway - furniture is always a bit of a problem as we "didnt" have a hatchback car (we do now once hubby gets in it on the road)

We have an auction house just outside of town and dh and i always say we are going to have a look but never do what with me not being able to go out

anne & chalky - thanks for the pic lovely to see anne - am so pleased you had a lovely time - pictures keep cropping up and you ladies always look as nice as you seem xx how is the clearing out and car booting going??? xxx

sock-knitter - yes it was the cuppa soups and cous cous etc that i was looking at snap ha ha xxx

Well ladies I forgot to say I have a bag of machine knitting wool landed at my doorstop the oher day - hmmm its very thin Im assuming i can knit two strands together ??? - can anyone help me on this one with what i can do with it ?????

have a great day all - love jaqui xxxx

In_Search_Of_Me

morning all! Typing carefully as done neck in..think lifting heavy bags, so am off to osteopath after gp! Thankfully havent had to go for ages but currently in agony and cant move my head!
Still hoping that lois comes home miol, that chair looks perfect! Enjoy the bbq! Still miserable weather here so no bbq this end!
Managed to get a bit more done of the blanket but its flipping slow going! Think my next project will be smaller with a blanket break!

PurpleTeddyBear

In_Search_Of_Me wrote: »

PTB which ravelry swap did you do?? Im in the attic 24 one...recipient liked hers and mine is winging its way from usa!!
chalky dont think youre a dragon at all! great that you had a good visit/meet!
socky soundslike you have your own mini meet there!!

Hi ISOM
Have done a few swaps on Ravelry; and I think it's great fun and all very exciting!

I've done one on an Alan Dart/Jean Greenhowe group where we each made something and swapped the finished article. I made a Jean Greenhowe Pierrot clown, and my swap partner an Alan Dart Cheeky Pixie. We sent these out along with some other bits and bobs (yarn, notions and sweeties if I remember rightly) and it was lovely. My partner for this one was in Ireland.

Have also just finished a Magic Yarn Ball (Europe) which is a bit like pass the parcel with wool.....mine was sent from Spain by an American lady! Have just parcelled mine up for her and will send this weekend. Limit on spend on this one was $20 and obviously had to include yarn of some description (as this is what you wrapped everything in)!

Am currently participating in the Cheap as Chips Round 11 Swap where the theme is "blue" and we only spend £5. That one is UK based. Have done Round 10 where the theme was flowers, and again the spend limited to £5. That one is great fun!

Am a member of the UK RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) Group where we send RAKs to people because we can! No other reason than to spread a little happiness and a little love. There is a wishlist that we fill in each month (although you don't have to) with things that would be be nice such as oddments of wool, needle sizes you are missing, stich markers or whatever, and then members of the group see if they can help. Absolutely no obligation to send anything to anyone, and it's not a swap group - a spreading the love thing, but it's lovely to receive something, and even lovelier to make someone smile! As part of the RAK Group, I am taking part in the4 Awesome August swap game (these happen every three months or so), and my parcel arrived yesterday....truly awesome!

So, it's all good fun and costs as much or as little as you want it to. Good friends made along the way too.

Still wondering if anyone is interested (as ISOM originally posted) something swappy along similar lines for a Christmas thing (Secret Santa where no-one knows who parcel is from until it arrives.....lots of stalking needed (and that's fun) or an open one where you know who you are receiving from). Am sure we can co-ordinate something between us if we have time to get partners sorted and time to prepare (someone mentioned to me the other day how many shopping days there aren't until Christmas itself which scared me)

Anyway, am wiffling --

Dawn xx

chalky_75

Good Morning everybody
I have not stopped thinking about Pippa and her husband all morning. Their family is arriving today and sadly it is bucketing down! She actually arrived here yesterday and her route took her straight past the Hedhehog hospital! Its a very small world because her DOH has a family business converting Sunshine Buses and the like so the men were chatting as fast as us!

Thanks for tip about approved Foods. Just had a look and ordered some Cous Cous and the like -99p for 20 packets( I will share it withDD1)-Cous cous is just so easy -- Oh and some chews for Buster Boy - don't think he will mind they are just past their date!! I like the fact you can pay by PayPal. Sell on ebay and buy Cous Cous!
ISOM Sorry about your neck
Kinsey Thanks for kind words about knitting
Kathy Have a wonderful BBQ --- Not too much Vino Collapso!
F1 Yes just knit the 2 strands together--- I so wish you could just pop your nose outside the door!
PTB What a very interesting post That Random Acts of Kindness sounds lovely.

Well lots of interesting posts at the moment --- I love our world on here. You would have laughed last night as there are of course various issues raising their heads with DD"'s departure.
1. She is tied into a contract with t Mobile until next June -- at a cost of £30 a month. Of course she cant use it whilst away so it is effectively Dead Money!!!! So I ventured onto the main forum and asked for advice. A retort came back that because of my signature it seemed that I was probably a "cosy type person" who had a very unrealistic view of the corporate world!!!! I myself have a Nokia with PaY aS YOU gO with Tesco -- £9 a month which equates to 30 worth of credit. Anyway it seems as if she cant get out of it :mad:

Well Doh is painting in the Car Port because of the rain and I keep getting dirty looks cos I am on here so must go!

Lots of love to all and gentle thoughts to all MIA

f1widow

Oh chalky - sounds like your venture onto another board has left you feeling the same as me - why do some people have to be so opinionated and up their own b****m! I vowed i would not venture onto another board ................ someone once said I had a strange way of communicating ........................

Anyway in response to your question Im not sure - but as she is going abroad I would have thought she could use it if the mobile company switched her phone onto overseas useage???? (years ago your phone had to be switched to use abroad but that was when I worked for Nokia 15 years ago so thats probably nonsense now! (unless she does not want to obviously) - Yes I like you have the Tesco mobile pay as you go 10.00 get 30.00 - some of my friends moan and groan but its just right for me and if i dont have the spare cash or have not used it as much one month I dont need to worry - why pay 30.00 etc and still get a bill at the end of the month for calls etc

SOrry I probably have not helped you there but am sending you a virtual arm round shoulder for the pointless comments from other board members xxxx

chalky_75

Thanks F1 -- It just made me smile because I would never judge someone on their Sig.
Thanks for advice but as she is going to Oz mainly, after a lot of gadding about she really needs to leave the phone money behind!

mioliere

Hi everyone.

We've had a strange day here so far. We collected the kitchen tiles and they are stacked up for whenever we get round to sticking them to the walls. Then we had to get some more plaster and, also, what are called in the UK 'angle beads' for the corners of the walls. Here, they're called 'corniers'. Anyway, we should have taken the van but we were in the car - the angle beads are quite long, so they went in from the back passenger door and poked out just a couple of inches through my side window - which would have been OK if I'd been holding on to them as we took off. Instead, I was folding the receipt up to put in my bag. As we drove off, the long bits of angle bead started bending backwards and looked like a new style of trim on the car, so we had to stop and bend them back. For some reason, I always find this sort of incident funny but DH doesn't always share my feelings. Still, it's all still usable if a little dented!

Now we've discovered that the part we ordered for the car is wrong. We've taken photos of the existing one and the new one (to show the dealer) and can see that the part numbers are different. When we collected it last week, DH checked and thought it looked wrong, so he got the chappy out to look at it and he managed to convince us it was the same part, just modified! Anyway, it's not, so DH will have to go back and get a refund. I think we'll see if we can get the part in the UK next month. It's been a waste of two forty minute trips, and now another one to get the money back, so we are not happy bunnies.

Still, our friends popped round just now and cheered us up with tales of the escaping chickens they''ve just bought (that we'll meet at the barbecue - not on it! - tomorrow night). They've had some fun and games with them!

Anyway. I'm waffling - again - so I'd better go and do something useful.

Really interested in all the talk about swaps, secret Santas, RAKs, and so on - it's a whole new world for me!

KathyXX

Ianna

Howdy all! I just realised that the cut off date for Innocent smoothie's big knit this year is October the 5th so I'm going to get cracking on some knitted hats. It's a while since I've knitted but I'm inspired by your knitting and think I can do it. Quick question, these patterns say to use small needles, what size should I use? And what sort of wool do you reckon I need, I can't remember what double yarn and all that malarkey is