2020 Fashion on the Ration Challenge

Laura_Elsewhere

Yes, I rather think if I kept a note, my less-good days might well tally with the days I've not gone out. 

I'm working on the UFOs but being low in concentration doesn't help - I finally finished knitting a pair of baby socks for a workmate's impending, but I had to knit *four* socks to get two the same size because I just kept losing concentration without realising until I ended up with different sizes of sock for the first *three* efforts, and finally had o sit down and really concentrate to come up with a fourth sock that matches one of the first three! Mitts are done (and matching!), so only the hat left to knit now and at least there's only one of it so it doesn't need to match anything! 

maddiemay

Hi everyone, not motivated to read or knit or do anything much except produce tasty food for me and OH and or course play with Border Collie.  A day of 2 halves (misquote sorry), the nice bit was a friend bringing me some eggs which she had sourced via a friend of hers, the rotten bit was needing to commiserate with my DSis and then phone to tell our DMum that one her her lovely sons-in-law was about to begin treatment for "the big C", but had a prognosis of 12-18 months life, this would be bad enough anytime, but not to be able to see anyone and try and comfort them is the pits.
Living life from hour to hour and pleased to be able to do so IYSWIM.

Laura_Elsewhere

Oh good God, maddiemay... oh you poor soul - and your family too... oh, lord. 

Do you accept {{{{hugs}}}} from virtual strangers over a safe distance? 

God, how awful for you all. xxx

maddiemay

Laura thank you virtual hugs and positive thoughts are very welcome. xx

Laura_Elsewhere

Well, plenty of those - if you feel like you don't have anyone to sob, scream, whinge or generally rant at, we're here! 

{{{hugs}}} and positive thoughts, my dear x

PipneyJane

@maddiemay - I am so sorry to hear your news.  A big virtual hug from me, too!

@Laura_Elsewhere and @PollyWollyDoodle - I completely appreciate the lack of concentration/wanting to avoid having to think about anything.  I’m in the same boat.  It took me all of last week, to get around to picking up the stitches for the sleeve on my jumper.  (I’m doing the sleeves knitted in, top down.). I just didn’t have the brain power.  I kept picking up my knitting and putting it back down again.  I finally picked the stitches up on Saturday and have already finished the first sleeve.  I’m just arguing with myself about picking up the stitches for the second...

Exercise has helped focus my mind.  We’ve been going for a walk every evening.  I’ve also been using a free workout app (“7”) to do a quick work out each morning.  Yesterday, I found myself wishing we had a dog, since that would mean at least one person in the household was enthusiastic about going out for a walk!

Polly, I’m glad you’ve still got work coming through the door.  I know I’m lucky, because I can work from home and the project I’m working on just had stage 2 signed off by the Global Board, but it could easily have gone the other way.  There was a 50:50 chance that they would pull the plug, just spending enough to cobble together what we’ve already done and leaving it at that, until we got our new owners. (Did I mention that, at the start of March, they put my division up for sale?)

- Pip

thriftwizard

maddiemay, I'm so sorry; that's awful. {{{Hugs}}} from me too. 
Still going flat out on the allotment here, so no stitching yet! But I just have two beds to sort out now, then it's just planting up, watering (if needed) & hoeing, so the hard & most time-consuming bit will be behind me shortly. DD2 is now chopping up old clothes & re-making them into mini-skirts (she's got the legs!) or crop-tops, so the Bernina's getting some exercise at least!

PollyWollyDoodle

MaddieMay, I’m so sorry to hear your news. It would be hard to deal with at any time, but in the middle of everything that’s going on it must be even more distressing

I’m quite relieved to hear that others are finding it difficult to concentrate and get on with jobs. When lockdown began I envisaged doing so much, but it just isn’t happening -I can’t tell you what I’ve done with the time! I have achieved quite a few things in the house and garden, but not those things I’d anticipated. 

dolly84

maddiemay - so sorry to hear your news.  Life goes on and people need family and friends around them but all anyone cares about is this blasted virus.

PipneyJane

Afternoon All.

May I pick your brain?  (@laura_elsewhere, I'm looking at you.. ) I have a jumper that I've knitted in Debbie Bliss' Cashmerino (55% wool, 33% acrylic, 12% cashmere).  About a year ago, it unfortunately got splashed with home-made tomato sauce, resulting in a small stain, dead centre of the upper chest.  (Yes, I missed my mouth.)  Sadly, it's left a small, faintly orange stain.  I've tried washing it in wool wash, washing it in liquid "Surf" (which is a biological washing liquid) and applying some of the liquid to the stain, applying regular soap to the stain before washing and applying the stick form of "Vanish" to it.  Nothing has worked.  What I'm considering is soaking it in one of the peroxide based pre-washes.    Do you know if that would damage my knitting?  (I know chlorine bleach dissolves wool.) 

If I can find it, I'll test it on my swatch first.  I'm at my wit's end.  It is one of my favourite jumpers and has a story attached to it.  (Search my blog for "Homecoming of the White Sweater" from March 2008.)


- Pip