tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79073188354616393962024-03-08T12:33:53.302+01:00The Adventures of the Gingerbread LadyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger342125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-4806748157506904522017-06-15T21:40:00.003+02:002017-06-15T21:40:33.233+02:00The Playdoh Chronicles<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ9Got6J8O5n3hUe0loqM_xjoYiI0sqbBnpCDrKLHa1bVrBkqRhdIpzvnr8cewznMS3k3dgoJKFgeI3vVVfecmZFChubwQ7gOUGVVBgPASql-rfXBvv5CkWxnbvKn_aCRqEyilLUc-BY/s1600/20170611_125251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ9Got6J8O5n3hUe0loqM_xjoYiI0sqbBnpCDrKLHa1bVrBkqRhdIpzvnr8cewznMS3k3dgoJKFgeI3vVVfecmZFChubwQ7gOUGVVBgPASql-rfXBvv5CkWxnbvKn_aCRqEyilLUc-BY/s640/20170611_125251.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Dear Sister-in-Law,<br />
Thank you for the lovely gift. Little Robert loved it. No, we haven't had Playdoh before - I guess I always thought they were too young to appreciate it. But I must admit: I was wrong. They've been having such fun with it, all the wonderful colours and those cute little cutting and shaping tools! I especially love the little pizza-making set! What fun!<br />
Thanks again and hope to see you soon,<br />
Ginger xxx<br />
<br />
Dear Sister-in-Law,<br />
Yes, they're still having fun with the Playdo<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>h</u></span>. You're right: it really does foster imaginative play. Like pretending we're at a restaurant - which is what we have been doing since we got it. Every time my husband or I sit down, we get a plastic plate of Playdoh pizza shoved under our nose and we have to pretend to eat it. Such a laugh. Especially when Robert tries to actually eat it, or stealthily gets us to eat it by smuggling green pea-sized balls of the stuff onto our plates. I've tasted worse, mind you, but I'd rather my pizza dough hadn't been squished in the grubby hands of a three-year-old beforehand! :-D<br />
Love to all,<br />
Ginger<br />
<br />
Dear Sister-in-Law,<br />
Yes, they still have a bunch of different colours. Why? Isn't that the way it's supposed to be? When they're finished with it, they just put it back in the appropriate pot. Or am I missing something here?<br />
Ginger<br />
<br />
Dear Sister-in-Law,<br />
Now I understand.<br />
Yes, today was the day they discovered you can lump all of the colours together and make one big gigantic ball of Playdoh ! What excitement! And guess what - when you mash a bunch of beautiful, vivid Playdoh colours all together, do you know what you get? Something that resembles a giant turd, that's what! Apparently, this is the primal scream of colour theory: squished together, all colours just band together to become the ugliest colour there is. Fascinating, but educational at the same time.<br />
This is a gift that just keeps giving.<br />
Thanks again,<br />
Ginger<br />
<br />
Dear Sister-in-Law,<br />
Did you know that Playdoh hardens when it's not returned into its cute little colour-coded pots? Now that we only have one colour (Turd), it can't go back into the appropriate pot - according to the logic of my three-year-old - so it has to STAY OUTSIDE. Interestingly, it has not only hardened, but separated into a large number of smaller little balls. I think the colours are trying to regroup. In any case, the little balls have also taken flight and they're everywhere - under the bed, on the carpet, I even found one in my bra. It's like living with a herd of grazing sheep that are leaving their droppings everywhere. Goodness, it's hard to clean up, that stuff. But, anyway, this is the price we pay when we encourage our children to play creatively, isn't it? <br />Mustn't grumble, chin up! (Well, not too far up or I won't see what I'm treading into the carpet.)<br />Ginger<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55SbgtbU_vyEYvyDJT-ZV_1l_5Su3Mdadgyp0i0pQBseTFBv-8Zr6Pf336oAh9itrsZTGvIrWsqrMlTYOh7BHSyJ5s2iuAw6xqLQNd0WrPqkvXo13gaZuAyv60wSm2NFQzUo4v7tRans/s1600/20170612_231258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="1600" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55SbgtbU_vyEYvyDJT-ZV_1l_5Su3Mdadgyp0i0pQBseTFBv-8Zr6Pf336oAh9itrsZTGvIrWsqrMlTYOh7BHSyJ5s2iuAw6xqLQNd0WrPqkvXo13gaZuAyv60wSm2NFQzUo4v7tRans/s400/20170612_231258.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
<br />
Dear Sister-in-Law,<br />
The flipping Playdoh is everywhere. Does it multiply or expand or join forces with other crap to make baby Playdohs? Does it just look bigger because it's sucked up every bit of fluff and dust on its travels across the floor and under the sofa? Seriously, this stuff should come with a warning.<br />I'm off to pick it out of the bed linen.<br />
Ginger<br />
<br />
Dear Sister-in-Law,<br />
Why do you hate me? Why? What did I ever do to you? <br />You know what your children are getting for Christmas, don't you?<br />
G.<br />
<br />
Sister-in-Law:<br />
Evil wench.<br />
G.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-55163587704748106142017-06-01T23:20:00.000+02:002017-06-01T23:20:54.801+02:00Surtee the Lonely RobotI never set out to write a parenting blog. In fact, it's the last thing I want to do - writing this blog is all about NOT being a parent, it's about doing things without a child on my knee, under my feet or in my hair (and, no, I don't mean that metaphorically.) Sometimes, though, my attempts to be something other than Mama - which is who I am 99.99% of the day, as it's the first word I hear when I wake, the last word I hear when I go to sleep and a word I hear far too often when I actually should be asleep - just don't succeed because being Mama has given me some very interesting perspectives on life. How do you explain dreams to someone who has never realised that everyone dreams, for example? My three-year-old confided in me one day that he "sees ideas with his eyes closed" - and he was astounded that I also see ideas when my eyes are closed and, in fact everyone does. Imagine: I got to see the moment when a little person realised what a dream was. Isn't that great? I don't know if it's blogworthy, but it made my day.<br />
<br />
And this is what happens with children. In the midst of the madness, the lunacy, the incessant talking about all kinds of stuff that seems entirely random and disconnected and sometimes very head-wrecking, there are some moments of startling lucidity and astonishing beauty. Like, for example, the day my four-year-old son came home from kindergarten and told me about the robot. His name was Surtee and he was always at the window looking at the children.<br />
<br />
(Now, this is the edited version. What he actually said was something like this: "...And then Anna said I could share her apple and I said I only like red apples and her Mama gives her only green apples and then I said I don't like green apples and then she took her green apple and she wanted to have my red apple and then I saw a robot in the window and his name is Surtee and Anna doesn't want any more green apples because she wants red apples and he watches the children going to the playground sometimes..."<br />See? You get really good at filtering information.)<br /><br />
"Surtee?" I asked, incredulously.<br />"Surtee," he confirmed.<br />I shook my head, to dislodge any Lego bricks the little perishers might have stuck in my ears and repeated, "<i>Surtee</i>?"<br />"Yes," he said, already bored of the topic. I saw he was ready to launch into another analysis of the contents of Anna's snack box so I said quickly, "And he looks at the children going to the playground?"<br />"Yes," he said with martyred patience. "He stands like this." <br />And he pressed his arms by his sides, sticking his hands out like little flaps.<br />"In the window?" I asked:<br />He nodded firmly. "He's lonely," he said sadly.<br />"Surtee is a lonely robot?" I said. "But where does he live? Is he a real robot or a pretend robot? When did you see him?" - but he just wriggled out of my arms and went off to find his little brother to concoct new ways to flood the bathroom.<br />
<br />
Concerned, naturally, that children at the playground were being spied upon by some creep in a window, I spoke to my husband about it and we tried to figure out what the child was talking about. Our son repeated what he'd told me: his name was Surtee. He looked out the window at the children going to the playground and he stood like this - cue little flappy arms and our son's best impression of a lonely robot's face.<br />"Will you point him out the next time you see him?" I asked and he nodded. I put him down off my knee and he went back to play, probably regretting he ever mentioned Surtee to his weird parents (does not bode well for his teenage years).<br />
<br />
So for days afterwards, on the way to kindergarten, I asked about Surtee. Was that Surtee? Where does Surtee live? Had he seen him again? And I got nothing but 'No' or shrugs. Weeks passed, the weather turned colder, and one day the blinds on office block overlooking the road to the playground were pulled up, to let in the weak autumn sunshine.<br />"There he is!" my son shouted, pointing up at the window. "There's Surtee!"<br />And he waved frantically.<br />I looked up -<br />
and sure enough -<br />
there, at the window,<br />
was Surtee.<br />
<br />
<br />
...<br />
...<br />
...<br />
...<br />
...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Meq_uI75supEo2PnxtaDU73FdxveKvhbUV0LFsgZyZDfBbj3_O4oknGV1rdOveuhY64nBHecLEobTWykeukeAtkf6-DOMojmgb-M1T43KF2hSwxBN_cwa5gTej915_Fl2SaILyhYkow/s1600/Surtee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="990" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Meq_uI75supEo2PnxtaDU73FdxveKvhbUV0LFsgZyZDfBbj3_O4oknGV1rdOveuhY64nBHecLEobTWykeukeAtkf6-DOMojmgb-M1T43KF2hSwxBN_cwa5gTej915_Fl2SaILyhYkow/s400/Surtee.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<br />Now we wave at Surtee every day. He hasn't waved back yet, mind you, but I like to think he feels a little bit less lonely.<br />
- - - - - - - -<br />
<br />
<i>Special thanks to Katie K and Tammy for their comments - so nice to hear from you, it's like meeting old friends once again. [[Robot hugs]] to you both.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-34550701229144963202017-05-27T20:32:00.001+02:002017-05-27T20:32:21.686+02:00Special OccasionsThere's a big cherry tree outside my kitchen window here in Germany, and when the cherry blossoms appear, I know we're finally heading for summer. In Ireland, May and June were fabulous months, <i>brimming </i>with events. See, if you grew up in Catholic Ireland, May and June were bursting at the seams with all kinds of reasons for parties: communions. Confirmations. Weddings. The odd christening or two. And if you came from a big family, like I do, these were not just special occasions, they were - wait for it -<br />
<i>- drum roll -</i><br />
SPECIAL OCCASIONS!!!!<br />
<br />
THE BEGINNING <br />
It usually started with a telephone call. One of my aunts (never my uncles - but we'll get to that later) would phone to announce The Occasion so that we would save the date. My mother would normally take the call (if my father happened to be passing the instrument when it rang, he'd pick it up, but naturally pass it to my mother straight away. If he didn't, someone might inveigle him into making, <i>ugh</i>, small talk.) With a child or three hanging out of her legs, my mother would try to hold a conversation with a sister or sister-in-law. What we managed to hear as we were swinging out of her limbs usually went along these lines:<br />
Aunt:"So it's just a little get-together for Ciara's communion. Nothing fancy, now."<br />
Mother: "Well, we'll have to make a little fuss of her on her big day."<br />
Aunt: "Yes, but really: no fuss, now. No need for everyone to get all dressed up."<br />
Mother: "And what should I bring?"<br />
Aunt: "Hmmm. We don't really need anything..."<br />
Mother: "Oh, come on! I have to bring something!"<br />
Aunt: "Maybe you could make a bit of potato salad? Just a bit, though. There'll be loads of food."<br />
<br />
Now, in case you don't come from a large family (and it doesn't even have to be an Irish one, because I know for a fact that this is how it works in Italian, Polish and Nigerian families as well, probably in other cultures, too, but my research has been limited), let me just tell you one thing: with the exception of the statement that there will be loads of food, everything else in this exchange is <i>lies</i>. Pure <i>lies</i>. It <i>will </i>be fancy (even as my mother is hanging up the phone, the Host Auntie is probably shrieking at her offspring to go and count the Good Tablecloths NOW and if one of her little perishers has left a mark on them with felt-tip pen, there will be HELL to pay), people <i>will </i>be dressed up (and my mother at this point is usually torn between fretting about her potato salad and how she will make nine kids presentable before Saturday) and yes, you DO need to bring something. You can't arrive with your hands swinging, God forbid.<br />
<br />
THE FOOD<br />
Because the worst thing - take a minute to brace yourself - the very <i>worst </i>thing that could happen at one of these Occasions is that you might run out of food. I don't think it has every actually happened in Ireland, except perhaps during the Great Famine of 1845-1847, but there is a morbid fear that a guest might leave your home feeling, say, peckish. Or that a guest might want something like, for example, a piece of apple pie but you only have rhubarb, blackberry, peach or raspberry. Or (and any self-respecting Irish <i>materfamilias </i>will get the heebie-jeebies at the mere thought) someone might say, "Gosh, I was at so-and-so's house and they were <i>fierce mean</i> with the food."<br />
Perish the thought.<br />
If someone rings you the day after your party and reveals that they spent the night on the floor in the throes of gluttony-induced indigestion, you can rest assured that your party was a success.<br />
<br />
THE PREPARATION<br />
So fast-forward a few days: the potato salad is finished. Sure, it only took a full day and an entire workforce comprised of your plentiful children, but a vessel deemed sufficiently big (a bucket or a baby bath or a trough) is now filled with the kind of potato salad you'd never be bothered dishing up to your own family - Posh Potato Salad, the kind that has salt AND pepper and is garnished with parsley. Parsley! Oh, the fanciness of it! The night before the big event, children are bathed and clothes laid out. Sometimes they even match. Socks are clean, shoes are polished, hairs are washed. After all, no one wants to turn up with a shower of ragamuffins, do they? No, we are told, they do <i>not</i>. This is what we hear repeatedly as my hair-brush wielding mother batters our scalps while simultaneously separating squabbling toddlers with her foot. We don't really mind, because we all know that Occasions like this mean two things: unparalleled access to sweeties and dozens and dozens of cousins.<br />
<br />
THE COUSINS<br />
Ah, the cousins.<br />
I have over seventy first cousins. (Yes, you may read that again if you wish.) We keep adding them up but someone is always left out, so we're not sure about the exact number. I think it's 74 - but, honestly, I've lost track. Clearly, getting all of us together in the one place is nigh-on impossible, but family occasions like these always provided us with an opportunity to re-connect. We'd arrive in our best threads, hang around our parents shyly for a couple of minutes, then take off down the garden to join the army of little children engaged in a high-octane information exchange: who's who, who knows what dangerous stuff can be done, who knows the most naughty words. Within minutes the children turn feral, whooping and shrieking, scaling walls and trees and crawling into places far too small or dangerous for little people. There are always calamities, a yowling child makes his/her way down the garden at regular intervals: pushed, knocked down, fell over, tripped up or over.<br />
<br />
Adding to the injury was the insult of not being able to find your mother: you'd have to look hard in the pack of similar-looking women, trying to locate your Ma (hint: usually the one ignoring you). As a family, we tend to re-use and recycle many of the same names, particularly the boys' names, so there are about 23 Johns and 15 Michaels. When a wailing child enters the kitchen, the grown-ups often have to establish whose it is: Baby John? Small John? Big John? Curly John? Red John? Blond John? <br />
"Is that mine or yours?" someone might say, trying to identify the child from the pitch of its howl. <br />
"Mine," comes the grim answer and someone places a snotty child in its mother's arms. After a garbled rendition of the Story of Woe, which always involves immense wrong-doing and paints the injured party in a near-martyr-like light, the mother would have to wipe the child's face, then administer a restorative cookie or bag of gummi bears, before marching down the path to make loud threatening noises at an empty garden. When children hear the heavy tread of a mother on the warpath, they have the ability to melt away into the trees and disappear, but the mother can't lose face, so she shakes a fist at a bunch of bushes and threatens blue murder. As soon as she goes stomping back into the house, the children reappear from behind trees and under bushes and the games continue as though nothing ever happened.<br />
<br />
THE AUNTIES & THEIR LOVE OF THE KITCHEN<br />
While the children are forming alliances and planning all kinds of derring-do, the Aunties have now all gathered in the kitchen. They are, in fact, in their Best Clothes, but that doesn't stop them from jostling to get at the sink, where one (usually my Aunt Dell) will wash up the constant stream of dirty dishes, two will dry up and seven stand around and supply a constant stream of "news" (gossip). It's only a matter of time before the very small kitchen becomes jam-packed with bodies: at some point everyone realises that the best conversations are happening there, so the living room (where the table is decked out in a Good Tablecloth free of felt-tip pen) is left to the elderly and those who don't have the stomach (and strong elbows) to wedge themselves into the melee in the kitchen.<br />
<br />
THE UNCLES & THEIR EEJITRY<br />
Some of the fathers might be trying to get in on the fun, but most of them will have found a place to gather in the garden where they can talk and smoke in peace, oblivious to the antics of the children (who, at this stage, could be assembling homemade fireworks, making a sleigh for the family dog to pull or teaching the toddlers how to drive a car). This is an odd aspect of Irish society that I think was possibly Ireland's version of feminism in the 1980s: The Eejitry of Men. It was a commonly-held belief that all men are bumbling oafs - God only knows what they would get up to if it weren't for their wives. Leave them to their own devices and you'd have a Neanderthal in a matter of days.<br />
<br />
And back then, it simply wasn't The Done Thing to praise your husband or even compliment him in his absence, much less his presence (ugh - get a room!), in fact you were expected to be a martyr to his Eejitry. You could try to outdo the other women with tales of your husband's Eejitry, e.g.<br />
"My lad is a terrible eejit. There he was this morning, putting Michael's shoes on John - what's he like? Michael's shoes are black, not blue!!"<br />
(Lots of sympathetic tsk-tsking. Of course Michael's shoes are black, not blue! The eejit!)<br />
Then someone might be moved to be fair, to acknowledge the fact that their husband wasn't utterly useless: <br />
"In fairness, though, he did brush the kids' hair this morning."<br />
And the other Aunties might nod begrudgingly, using the opportunity to heap scorn on their own spouses, ("Well, my fella wouldn't know which end of the brush was up!")<br />
God forbid you might agree - even accidentally - with someone's condemnation of their other half. Imagine if someone was mid-rant at the Eejitry of their husband and someone else nodded absent-mindedly in a way that might suggest that they agreed!!! The cheek! Because it's all very well to bemoan your own husband's Eejitry, but you are honour-bound to assure your sisters and sisters-in-law that their specimen is, in fact, a gem among men. An unconcentrated nod at the wrong time during a narrative might put someone's nose out of joint.<br />
<br />
NOSES OUT OF JOINT<br />
It can't be avoided. So many past grudges, unspoken insults, minor tiffs and veiled insults will culminate and fester. Add to this the vast amounts of sugar consumed (because while there is a sensible amount of salad and cold cuts on offer, we're really about the desserts. Tables are groaning under the weight of cakes and tarts and pies and buns - and they have to be eaten, we are told, because they will only go off and have to be thrown out. Which is almost as bad as having not enough food, but only just) and you have a recipe for disaster. Someone on a sugar high might take offence at - well, anything really. Eyebrows would be raised. Noses would be sniffed. Chins would be jutted. No one would actually say anything because you wouldn't want to make a fuss, would you? Instead you could just take your grudge home, wrapped tightly like your leftovers, ready to be re-heated the next day.<br />
<br />
AND SO IT ENDS<br />
The first people start to leave and parents go out into the garden to gather up their kiddies. At this point, I seem to remember it taking on a kind of <i>Lord of the Flies</i> aura: children in rags, with berry-based warpaint smeared across their faces, armed with spears and sticks. Then again, memory might be tricking me, but I think that's kind of the direction it took. Mothers and fathers would have to dip into a mass of children and extract the one closest in age to their own and hope they'd get lucky - if not, keep trying till you'd collar your offspring. Then you actually had to say your goodbyes and gather the entire family as well as the entire family's coats, handbags, shoes (they often got discarded along the way), and sundry random items of clothing such as jumpers or socks that were tossed somewhere mid-afternoon. So you could easily factor in another hour - and if you were smart, you'd wait till your mother was caught up in another conversation and slip away gleefully down the garden till she came back for you herself or sent some sibling lackey to do her dirty work.<br />
<br />
Once home, we'd be tossed into our pyjamas. The smaller ones would already be fast asleep, exhausted and overwrought. My parents would send us to bed, hoping for an easy night but would end up in and out to our bedrooms, soothing tummy aches or nightmares, escorting children to the bathroom to wee or throw up the seven pounds of crisps and licorice they managed to scoff over the course of the day.<br />
<br />
And that was it. The next day my mother would throw out all of the leftovers that had been assiduously wrapped and given to us to take home, because she has a terrible fear of food going bad. She'd sniff something once, twice, then say,<br />"It's gone bad on me!" as though the cream cakes had ganged together to form a rebellion and oust her. And we'd have to gather at the fence of the chicken run to watch the hens tucking into the remains of our Aunt Reiltín's lovely sponge cake (-> this is a bit of an exaggeration but, really, those chickens are spoiled, they really are.) <br />"Never again!" my father would declare. "Enough of that now, for a while!"<br />The eejit. Sure, only a week later there'd be someone's christening and we'd have to do the whole thing over again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-2410776503415536682017-05-17T23:16:00.000+02:002017-05-17T23:19:35.398+02:00Tutorial: Zigzagzig Blanket<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:RelyOnVML/>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>DE</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:12.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
text-indent:18.0pt;
line-height:200%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;
mso-bidi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="2050"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> </i></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxk8bnJbOUiDZA-P9QFo30PUc3YwjNp37BORsu9hO-Ys9KJ6gZP8MmaYOxqaZXTeaMy2TN2txMEVfmPPx2FDUJwPZX1ltKFmHSBqTvoBFFgXlgl8nbAVgQxZ7yDuQFY7l_EnYcLviS8U/s1600/ZZZ1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxk8bnJbOUiDZA-P9QFo30PUc3YwjNp37BORsu9hO-Ys9KJ6gZP8MmaYOxqaZXTeaMy2TN2txMEVfmPPx2FDUJwPZX1ltKFmHSBqTvoBFFgXlgl8nbAVgQxZ7yDuQFY7l_EnYcLviS8U/s640/ZZZ1.jpg" width="624" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: red;">If you would like to download a PDF of this pattern, please click <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/l6rlzd61falm87y/Zigzagzig%20Blanket.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">HERE</a>! </span></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Please note: this pattern is in American terms. British terms are in [brackets]</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQctJLjxMDjqMqPEHKUeuLL84K5PLjyXR5Ukq_eYzy61zNqxuaAvcBE34ql7npmkDzRYO0LasG34bhinRJaZLNwLq7AnxpMJkwOOPL8Guk7g52lu7gHhiYE0vU1Zk5rHNZPbSxJTTbEc/s1600/20170516_174210.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQctJLjxMDjqMqPEHKUeuLL84K5PLjyXR5Ukq_eYzy61zNqxuaAvcBE34ql7npmkDzRYO0LasG34bhinRJaZLNwLq7AnxpMJkwOOPL8Guk7g52lu7gHhiYE0vU1Zk5rHNZPbSxJTTbEc/s400/20170516_174210.jpg" width="223" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><b>Gauge</b>:
not important. Make your blanket as long or as short as you like, make your
triangles </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">bigger or smaller by adding more rows or crocheting fewer.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><b>Hook:</b>
use the hook recommended by your yarn manufacturer</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">·<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><b>Yarn
quantity</b>: as this is a scrap blanket, no exact quantities can
be given. However, my experience has been that a full sized (generous single
bed / a cover for a standard double bed) requires about 15 balls of worsted
weight yarn (e.g. RHSS), approx. 4 of which are the ‘main colour’ (here: dark
grey). Your mileage may vary, depending on the size of your blanket, your hook
size and how tightly/loosely you crochet.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Triangle</i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCK7oCc5HFA9BcpQuyJUS978dva5DdiAIWVBNUWNA1BehfUnuVt21WsRbY4nzjR15aDFXz4X_UI6p7FNUnAYWOFO8LEoHqVQ9bmaQvb9Am2QwU3o6fZknSa2k91Vtc54J2eztUAwBNMQ/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCK7oCc5HFA9BcpQuyJUS978dva5DdiAIWVBNUWNA1BehfUnuVt21WsRbY4nzjR15aDFXz4X_UI6p7FNUnAYWOFO8LEoHqVQ9bmaQvb9Am2QwU3o6fZknSa2k91Vtc54J2eztUAwBNMQ/s200/1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ch 5, join with a slip stitch to form a small ring </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Rd.
1</b> Into ring: ch 3, 2DC, ch 2. <br />
<i>Join new color after this and every other
round.</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Rd. 2- 7</b> <br />
Ch 3, 1 DC in same (first) stitch, <br />
1 DC in each DC till corner space, <br />
2 DC + 2ch + 2 DC in corner, <br />
1 DC in each stitch till the last. 2 DC in last stitch. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tzrPTT3ZJEmQa3ySCT-Al6iqMtmSPjPTQ1TN8XIy7IKu69OexxOz_XsEe58agPY34IDmjQ55LMx7fRfICcnyvzLldpMOd4SZbjFhLNEO4TpvZQQ4BhEtb7vUEYUQ9bDMfy99fn_CvII/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tzrPTT3ZJEmQa3ySCT-Al6iqMtmSPjPTQ1TN8XIy7IKu69OexxOz_XsEe58agPY34IDmjQ55LMx7fRfICcnyvzLldpMOd4SZbjFhLNEO4TpvZQQ4BhEtb7vUEYUQ9bDMfy99fn_CvII/s200/2.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_39Jcp79Y3ssoRgkHvqkeeqFoI1N4hyrWenoOI6iKZojJCbQoQy2hHS5OIVe-fuzMpbeBeNJJbMT1pPsv0wluFUME9ev5xBlH-JKQvVGYy7OloBzDiLE-p63J4ybQiyvnOaD6yZuY4dw/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_39Jcp79Y3ssoRgkHvqkeeqFoI1N4hyrWenoOI6iKZojJCbQoQy2hHS5OIVe-fuzMpbeBeNJJbMT1pPsv0wluFUME9ev5xBlH-JKQvVGYy7OloBzDiLE-p63J4ybQiyvnOaD6yZuY4dw/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXFdIg6xALXxFjaPHU0M9PvaCGSI5-tJvbJXb91xFIm_daYQ8lTkPU69_9oaQu8_QwQNp7SnYXdaZDX4RpF9HlkZ66kENt5wc4UqIxyKoT7093gre4bBe5eqBupz73s2zuBj7vYE93aU/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXFdIg6xALXxFjaPHU0M9PvaCGSI5-tJvbJXb91xFIm_daYQ8lTkPU69_9oaQu8_QwQNp7SnYXdaZDX4RpF9HlkZ66kENt5wc4UqIxyKoT7093gre4bBe5eqBupz73s2zuBj7vYE93aU/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When you have seven rows (or larger, as you wish), cut
yarn and weave in end. Place the triangles as shown in the photo below and
whipstitch them together. I sewed 13 triangles together per strip.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Half-triangle</i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8bGEZpHsB4ktyRbKBTEdSvu7FaGBat9l4JhZqiy7X9doQ-OSK1ZebBknZpZRPgO4EeKdJ6_J6upmQY9EFYi5erQtJTAWjeV5q_UXwaFd8qGj0e9lSZDmUt3O8GhMeAA3PHNj2DwcdLc/s1600/5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8bGEZpHsB4ktyRbKBTEdSvu7FaGBat9l4JhZqiy7X9doQ-OSK1ZebBknZpZRPgO4EeKdJ6_J6upmQY9EFYi5erQtJTAWjeV5q_UXwaFd8qGj0e9lSZDmUt3O8GhMeAA3PHNj2DwcdLc/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>In order to
get a straighter edge, I created a triangle half the size of the others and sewed it in place at the end of each strip. </i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ch 5, join with a slip stitch to form a small ring</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Rd. 1</b>
Into ring: ch 3, 5 DC<br />
<b>Rd. 2- 7</b> <br />
Ch 3, 1 DC in same (first) stitch, <br />
1 DC in each DC till last stitch, <br />
2 DC in last stitch. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>How do I join the strips?</b></i><br />
You can, of course, simply sew them together, but I wanted to create a
clearer zigzag pattern, so I crocheted a line of DC [TR]s across one side of each
strip in the main color (here: dark grey), then sewed this grey edge to the next
strip. This created a ‘line’ between the busy colors and emphasized the
colorful zigzags.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a rule of thumb, I crocheted
2 DC </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[TR]</span></span></span></span>s into the (sideways) DC </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[TR]</span></span></span></span>s along the sides of the triangles. Sometimes I
used into the top of a triangle (here, for example, into the top of the green
one), if the crocheted strip dipped a little too much.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu70eU7M1WsOkjRguKaxYdftwvxR15PDXikUmtppuze1H4s-SXgGyeaA5fOgsqUt8WcpEW_6-oO9euwAL9OzwUSdziIgjSKN8nK54s5em4NL3xHbBN0gqqQmY9qs_xH6VzmPx35pXZwqs/s1600/6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu70eU7M1WsOkjRguKaxYdftwvxR15PDXikUmtppuze1H4s-SXgGyeaA5fOgsqUt8WcpEW_6-oO9euwAL9OzwUSdziIgjSKN8nK54s5em4NL3xHbBN0gqqQmY9qs_xH6VzmPx35pXZwqs/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>DE</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1031"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td height="409" width="82"><!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td height="409" style="text-align: left;" width="82"><br /></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td><br /></td>
<td><br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>How do I edge the blanket?</b></i></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I crocheted enough strips of triangles to make the
blanket roughly square, though you, of course, could crochet longer strips of
triangles and make your blanket a rectangular shape. When all of the strips
were sewn together, I just crocheted two rounds of DC </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[TR]</span></span></span></span>s in the main color, grey,
with 1 DC </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[TR]</span></span></span></span>+ 2 ch + 1 DC </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[TR]</span></span></span></span> in each corner. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXflSy9EdN0q-Bp_ul4xpp3o8JnuIssaBaISQkCNclGsf90jb32XVMpxeqCyeoBok01uYXsUToCdihyphenhyphenGpxVI7khhoEmsrvwj-fYVDV6ZihFiU4xx3o9mBHht8ata2J-Wybe8G1ynpCeM/s1600/8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXflSy9EdN0q-Bp_ul4xpp3o8JnuIssaBaISQkCNclGsf90jb32XVMpxeqCyeoBok01uYXsUToCdihyphenhyphenGpxVI7khhoEmsrvwj-fYVDV6ZihFiU4xx3o9mBHht8ata2J-Wybe8G1ynpCeM/s320/8.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXflSy9EdN0q-Bp_ul4xpp3o8JnuIssaBaISQkCNclGsf90jb32XVMpxeqCyeoBok01uYXsUToCdihyphenhyphenGpxVI7khhoEmsrvwj-fYVDV6ZihFiU4xx3o9mBHht8ata2J-Wybe8G1ynpCeM/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-80018804467074218282016-11-27T23:54:00.002+01:002016-11-28T00:10:43.445+01:00Tutorial: Crocheted Christmas Baubles<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDM9oACOYLsrxquMs-icWxSZiNaQDOO1j1MQS8eTOxdn0h07y9lVV0wYQVQ50Zr8PskEraBFz8p6KXKwINSt_jUls6GVoIAf84WzCAyWucy7rhelVQDafYgDqQ1tO6dBy4FGsn2VEgN8/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDM9oACOYLsrxquMs-icWxSZiNaQDOO1j1MQS8eTOxdn0h07y9lVV0wYQVQ50Zr8PskEraBFz8p6KXKwINSt_jUls6GVoIAf84WzCAyWucy7rhelVQDafYgDqQ1tO6dBy4FGsn2VEgN8/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
My friend Sandra complained that it's been Valentine's Day on this blog forever, so I'm going to take a huge leap forward and update it with something Christmassy! My crochet projects nowadays are quick and easy, and these are nice little scrap users that are satisfying to make (and play with. Just ask my children.)<br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>DE</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">You need:</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOkr2SyafYHQTh0UghUyrr8fdRJp6QIZO32J0ujVRrv1Ot8G1IzQOcmzQESt3fxwHPuK6Q6Ht0pgwpZWLENC4XmJy-VJsRJ4aZJQyN8rFTyzVFeghHn-pBMTf5exYPCS8ryzCeiprUn0/s1600/6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOkr2SyafYHQTh0UghUyrr8fdRJp6QIZO32J0ujVRrv1Ot8G1IzQOcmzQESt3fxwHPuK6Q6Ht0pgwpZWLENC4XmJy-VJsRJ4aZJQyN8rFTyzVFeghHn-pBMTf5exYPCS8ryzCeiprUn0/s320/6.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: scraps of
sock or fingering weight yarn<br />
(I’ve used a leftover skein of Lana Grossa Magico II. The long colour changes
mean that I get a lot of very different-looking baubles from one ball of yarn)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">some metallic thread –
again, tiny amounts needed. Alternatively, simply use a contrasting colour.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a 3 mm or 3.25mm (D)
hook</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">scissors, darning
needle</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a styrofoam ball in an
appropriate size or an old bauble you can cover</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a hook to hang it (or
simply use a piece of thread)</span></li>
</ul>
The pattern is written in American terms. UK terms are in [brackets].<br />
<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Note: this is a recipe, not a pattern. See my notes for adjusting the bauble cover to fit.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 1</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Using your main
colour, ch 4, make 11 DC [TR] in fourth chain from the hook (the other three
chain stitches count as the first DC [TR] ). Join with a slip stitch. (12
stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Round 2</b><br />
Ch 3 (counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR] in the same stitch.<br />
2 DC [TR] in each remaining stitch in the round. Join with a slip stitch. (24
stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 274.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Round
3</b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><b> </b> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Using the metallic or
contrasting thread, crochet 1 SC [DC] in each stitch in the round. Join with a
slip stitch. (24 stitches).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Your work should be
starting to curl now, saucer-like. This is good! The round of SC [DC]s is
supposed to pull your work a bit tighter and make it curl.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56WkrdZqR7lLZJV4ZD0e2jByUA8jvE8pajs1ADjc-gFT3dcR8eamb1NhUZv1js5f1vVCcOgoDzn7SAT8ro_M9I7O4GBMEi90xB6J-3rkHaTYql9c-6i3rhNUbNOxb6meKJQFNxuo7d60/s1600/2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56WkrdZqR7lLZJV4ZD0e2jByUA8jvE8pajs1ADjc-gFT3dcR8eamb1NhUZv1js5f1vVCcOgoDzn7SAT8ro_M9I7O4GBMEi90xB6J-3rkHaTYql9c-6i3rhNUbNOxb6meKJQFNxuo7d60/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Round 4</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ch 3 (counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR]
in the same stitch. 1 DC [TR] in next stitch. *2 DC [TR]s in next stitch, 1 DC
[TR] in following stitch.** Repeat from * to ** till back at the starting 3 ch.
Join with a slip stitch. (36 stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 5</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Metallic or
contrasting thread: as round 3. (36 stitches).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 6</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: Ch 3
(counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR] in the same stitch. 1 DC [TR] in next 2
stitches. *2 DC [TR]s in next stitch, 1 DC [TR] in following 2 stitches.**
Repeat from * to ** till back at the starting 3 ch. Join with a slip stitch. (48
stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 7</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Metallic or
contrasting thread: as round 3. (48 stitches).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At this point, you
should pop the little ‘hat’ on the bauble to see how it fits. Your stitches
should come down to the midway point of your bauble. In order for mine to fit,
I need one more round of DC [TR]. I do NOT increase in this round. If your bauble is bigger, you might need to do another round with increases, i.e. one single </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">DC [TR] more between each 2 </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">DC [TR]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 8</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: Ch 3
(counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR] each stitch around. Join with a slip
stitch. (48 stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you find that this
makes your bauble cover too big, re-do the last round with a shorter stitch,
e.g. HDC [HTR] or SC [DC]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hm1j1u1KiO46jCOO9QgcPrBwGJPGGRlo-SX7s-44cJkyl36dE_UIiMUSe_mX1a7BJPeBUuVfNGAH2rez4urqXIakOAa0pyDnTpqsmuvgyhOwosxJ3tuAWixCmegtLgpNL2NiqwXr9Y4/s1600/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hm1j1u1KiO46jCOO9QgcPrBwGJPGGRlo-SX7s-44cJkyl36dE_UIiMUSe_mX1a7BJPeBUuVfNGAH2rez4urqXIakOAa0pyDnTpqsmuvgyhOwosxJ3tuAWixCmegtLgpNL2NiqwXr9Y4/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Repeat the
instructions above to create the second half of the bauble cover, then turn
them inside out so their front sides are facing, blithely ignoring the ends you
haven’t woven in because no one will see them, and whipstitch the two bauble sides
with your metallic thread, leaving about a third of it unsewn. Turn it the
right way around and pop the ball inside, sew the rest of it shut. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippeIr3HQmumM08VbLKrM-Jo-WXbyPl44Y8rTQ2nGCBR0TgJ5L6cGSlrH4tKVvx6Z93NK2dAH9_k91vze0H2IxUPfAQPCwYZXVuFKF2eZsH16Ko_wZAzLyiRZaW87NRvRiB8_SXRyAfOA/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippeIr3HQmumM08VbLKrM-Jo-WXbyPl44Y8rTQ2nGCBR0TgJ5L6cGSlrH4tKVvx6Z93NK2dAH9_k91vze0H2IxUPfAQPCwYZXVuFKF2eZsH16Ko_wZAzLyiRZaW87NRvRiB8_SXRyAfOA/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRS-kqxumRVB-3fUNR2NDmcdVCh5oGFpkBeodZLCbXaHBDBAwkVx_yeAadpGyagPKBKJDCKKyR74tGaELvzAwGWHKpSp5RrQd4twSqixZdVcm2mnNsGGwuKCYLrHSblmqNqtnZf-X_nCY/s1600/33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRS-kqxumRVB-3fUNR2NDmcdVCh5oGFpkBeodZLCbXaHBDBAwkVx_yeAadpGyagPKBKJDCKKyR74tGaELvzAwGWHKpSp5RrQd4twSqixZdVcm2mnNsGGwuKCYLrHSblmqNqtnZf-X_nCY/s320/33.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Attach the hook or
thread for hanging. I stuck a shiny stone on the starting round because it
tidied up the bauble stitching … and if you can’t have bling at Christmas, when
can you have it, eh?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-26747427505873911972016-11-27T23:54:00.001+01:002016-11-27T23:57:46.550+01:00Tutorial: Crocheted Christmas Baubles<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDM9oACOYLsrxquMs-icWxSZiNaQDOO1j1MQS8eTOxdn0h07y9lVV0wYQVQ50Zr8PskEraBFz8p6KXKwINSt_jUls6GVoIAf84WzCAyWucy7rhelVQDafYgDqQ1tO6dBy4FGsn2VEgN8/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDM9oACOYLsrxquMs-icWxSZiNaQDOO1j1MQS8eTOxdn0h07y9lVV0wYQVQ50Zr8PskEraBFz8p6KXKwINSt_jUls6GVoIAf84WzCAyWucy7rhelVQDafYgDqQ1tO6dBy4FGsn2VEgN8/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
My friend Sandra complained that it's been Valentine's Day on this blog forever, so I'm going to take a huge leap forward and update it with something Christmassy! My crochet projects nowadays are quick and easy, and these are nice little scrap users that are satisfying to make (and play with. Just ask my children.)<br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>DE</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: DE;">You need:</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOkr2SyafYHQTh0UghUyrr8fdRJp6QIZO32J0ujVRrv1Ot8G1IzQOcmzQESt3fxwHPuK6Q6Ht0pgwpZWLENC4XmJy-VJsRJ4aZJQyN8rFTyzVFeghHn-pBMTf5exYPCS8ryzCeiprUn0/s1600/6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOkr2SyafYHQTh0UghUyrr8fdRJp6QIZO32J0ujVRrv1Ot8G1IzQOcmzQESt3fxwHPuK6Q6Ht0pgwpZWLENC4XmJy-VJsRJ4aZJQyN8rFTyzVFeghHn-pBMTf5exYPCS8ryzCeiprUn0/s320/6.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: scraps of
sock or fingering weight yarn<br />
(I’ve used a leftover skein of Lana Grossa Magico II. The long colour changes
mean that I get a lot of very different-looking baubles from one ball of yarn)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">some metallic thread –
again, tiny amounts needed. Alternatively, simply use a contrasting colour.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a 3 mm or 3.25mm (D)
hook</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">scissors, darning
needle</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a styrofoam ball in an
appropriate size or an old bauble you can cover</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a hook to hang it (or
simply use a piece of thread)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Note: this is a recipe, not a pattern. See my notes for adjusting the bauble cover to fit.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 1</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Using your main
colour, ch 4, make 11 DC [TR] in fourth chain from the hook (the other three
chain stitches count as the first DC [TR] ). Join with a slip stitch. (12
stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Round 2</b><br />
Ch 3 (counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR] in the same stitch.<br />
2 DC [TR] in each remaining stitch in the round. Join with a slip stitch. (24
stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 274.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>Round
3</b><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><b> </b> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Using the metallic or
contrasting thread, crochet 1 SC [DC] in each stitch in the round. Join with a
slip stitch. (24 stitches).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Your work should be
starting to curl now, saucer-like. This is good! The round of SC [DC]s is
supposed to pull your work a bit tighter and make it curl.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56WkrdZqR7lLZJV4ZD0e2jByUA8jvE8pajs1ADjc-gFT3dcR8eamb1NhUZv1js5f1vVCcOgoDzn7SAT8ro_M9I7O4GBMEi90xB6J-3rkHaTYql9c-6i3rhNUbNOxb6meKJQFNxuo7d60/s1600/2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56WkrdZqR7lLZJV4ZD0e2jByUA8jvE8pajs1ADjc-gFT3dcR8eamb1NhUZv1js5f1vVCcOgoDzn7SAT8ro_M9I7O4GBMEi90xB6J-3rkHaTYql9c-6i3rhNUbNOxb6meKJQFNxuo7d60/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Round 4</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ch 3 (counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR]
in the same stitch. 1 DC [TR] in next stitch. *2 DC [TR]s in next stitch, 1 DC
[TR] in following stitch.** Repeat from * to ** till back at the starting 3 ch.
Join with a slip stitch. (36 stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 5</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Metallic or
contrasting thread: as round 3. (36 stitches).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 6</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: Ch 3
(counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR] in the same stitch. 1 DC [TR] in next 2
stitches. *2 DC [TR]s in next stitch, 1 DC [TR] in following 2 stitches.**
Repeat from * to ** till back at the starting 3 ch. Join with a slip stitch. (48
stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 7</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Metallic or
contrasting thread: as round 3. (48 stitches).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At this point, you
should pop the little ‘hat’ on the bauble to see how it fits. Your stitches
should come down to the midway point of your bauble. In order for mine to fit,
I need one more round of DC [TR]. I do NOT increase in this round. If your bauble is bigger, you might need to do another round with increases, i.e. one single </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">DC [TR] more between each 2 </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">DC [TR]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Round 8</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Main colour: Ch 3
(counts as first DC [TR]), do 1 DC [TR] each stitch around. Join with a slip
stitch. (48 stitches)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If you find that this
makes your bauble cover too big, re-do the last round with a shorter stitch,
e.g. HDC [HTR] or SC [DC]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hm1j1u1KiO46jCOO9QgcPrBwGJPGGRlo-SX7s-44cJkyl36dE_UIiMUSe_mX1a7BJPeBUuVfNGAH2rez4urqXIakOAa0pyDnTpqsmuvgyhOwosxJ3tuAWixCmegtLgpNL2NiqwXr9Y4/s1600/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5hm1j1u1KiO46jCOO9QgcPrBwGJPGGRlo-SX7s-44cJkyl36dE_UIiMUSe_mX1a7BJPeBUuVfNGAH2rez4urqXIakOAa0pyDnTpqsmuvgyhOwosxJ3tuAWixCmegtLgpNL2NiqwXr9Y4/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Repeat the
instructions above to create the second half of the bauble cover, then turn
them inside out so their front sides are facing, blithely ignoring the ends you
haven’t woven in because no one will see them, and whipstitch the two bauble sides
with your metallic thread, leaving about a third of it unsewn. Turn it the
right way around and pop the ball inside, sew the rest of it shut. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippeIr3HQmumM08VbLKrM-Jo-WXbyPl44Y8rTQ2nGCBR0TgJ5L6cGSlrH4tKVvx6Z93NK2dAH9_k91vze0H2IxUPfAQPCwYZXVuFKF2eZsH16Ko_wZAzLyiRZaW87NRvRiB8_SXRyAfOA/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippeIr3HQmumM08VbLKrM-Jo-WXbyPl44Y8rTQ2nGCBR0TgJ5L6cGSlrH4tKVvx6Z93NK2dAH9_k91vze0H2IxUPfAQPCwYZXVuFKF2eZsH16Ko_wZAzLyiRZaW87NRvRiB8_SXRyAfOA/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRS-kqxumRVB-3fUNR2NDmcdVCh5oGFpkBeodZLCbXaHBDBAwkVx_yeAadpGyagPKBKJDCKKyR74tGaELvzAwGWHKpSp5RrQd4twSqixZdVcm2mnNsGGwuKCYLrHSblmqNqtnZf-X_nCY/s1600/33.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRS-kqxumRVB-3fUNR2NDmcdVCh5oGFpkBeodZLCbXaHBDBAwkVx_yeAadpGyagPKBKJDCKKyR74tGaELvzAwGWHKpSp5RrQd4twSqixZdVcm2mnNsGGwuKCYLrHSblmqNqtnZf-X_nCY/s320/33.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Attach the hook or
thread for hanging. I stuck a shiny stone on the starting round because it
tidied up the bauble stitching … and if you can’t have bling at Christmas, when
can you have it, eh?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-19724160400329916192016-02-14T23:02:00.002+01:002016-02-14T23:45:34.552+01:00Love and Other Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wkYoMe7wo3p4Lln5kszOA4tNMeY7ebV3cmdtbHTDdtPOAwxG2BzXM_kcgbhHVgZkVJbhDrAGoc3BGS8pYQaFMeConxwntodGuI1aZemH8x0wIbcgCpcbEITXitl9-G-vSQwFES1TEnM/s1600/red+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wkYoMe7wo3p4Lln5kszOA4tNMeY7ebV3cmdtbHTDdtPOAwxG2BzXM_kcgbhHVgZkVJbhDrAGoc3BGS8pYQaFMeConxwntodGuI1aZemH8x0wIbcgCpcbEITXitl9-G-vSQwFES1TEnM/s320/red+heart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Traditionally, St. Valentine's Day was not celebrated in Germany, but in recent years it has become more and more popular. That is to say, the accompanying merchandise - the chocolates, the flowers, the soft toys with "I Wuv You!" embroidered on their chests - has been stepped up an notch, making even the Valentine-shy Germans feel like they're missing something. Like they should be doing something. Like someone might be <i>expecting </i>something.<br />
<br />
Of course, a significant proportion of the German population are immune and resistant to the heart-shaped explosion that occurs mid-February. Including - not surpisingly - my husband.<br />
"It's all a marketing ploy!" he thunders (and, normally mild-mannered, Valentine's Day brings out the worst in him.) "It's designed to make poor suckers feel like they have to spend money on this commercial nonsense! It's a fake holiday made up by florists and chocolatiers - " (Goodness. Just imagine that as the next James Bond plot: James is <i>lured </i>into a flower shop and <i>forced </i>by masked florists to buy Miss Moneypenny a <i>bouquet of roses</i>, then - if that were not horror enough - an international group of chocolatiers descend upon him, pelting him with pralines and finally strong-arm him into parting with his money to buy a <i>heart-shaped box of candy</i>. My, oh my. The film just writes itself.) " - and <i>greeting card companies</i>," he snarls. Oh, yes. After James manages to free himself from the huge vat of truffle filling, he has to fight off the dastardly Hallmark agents, who want him to put his signature on a card. It doesn't bear thinking about.<br />
<br />
"Well, I won't fall for it," he announces, as though this were some kind of anti-capitalist stand and not a complete inability to remember significant dates and organise himself enough to do something for them.<br />
<br />
But that's okay. I do some mock-outrage, because I feel it is expected of me and it is, after all, a measure of my devotion<br />
that I allow him to have a little rant. My husband is a good man and a great partner the other 364 days (or 365 in a leap year), so if I don't wake to a bed strewn with roses, I am mildly relieved (think of the mess! And the thorns! And possibly some insects!) He does some things that are tiny, yet so kind and selfless, without fanfare or a second thought: yesterday he was dividing up the last piece of cake and he cut it so I had the biggest and the nicest part. He does this every time, he'll divide up whatever he has so I can have the best of it. So I'll forgo the chocolates and the roses, the soppy cards and the teddy bears - I'll take the corner of cake with sugar icing and sprinkles and I appreciate it for what it is: a token of love.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-61073550388180242442016-01-24T20:41:00.000+01:002016-01-24T20:41:04.594+01:00Becoming Auntie MaureenYou know how it is when you get older. Something pops out of your mouth and barely has it left your lips when you hear the echo of your mother or your father or some other family member in your words - "If you break your leg, don't you come running to me!"<br />
That kind of thing.<br />
<br />Well, in my case, something astonishing is happening. I'm turning into my Auntie Maureen. Let me explain: Maureen is my mother's older sister. When we were young, we always thought she looked quite stern - she's quite a straight talker, Maureen. You'll know where you stand with her. However, rather than appearing forbidding, she seems to able to extract the most intimate confessions from complete strangers. Whenever she travels by public transport, she disembarks with a handbag full of deep, dark secrets. Once, on a train to Dublin, she sat beside a young woman who felt compelled to share details of her S&M lifestyle. Share stories, photos and Wikipedia pages on her phone (because, God bless her, Maureen really didn't have a notion what it was, so the young woman decided to elucidate with informative Internet articles) with a 70+-year-old widow travelling to the nation's capital on her senior citizens' travel pass to do a bit of shopping and have a nice cup of coffee and an iced bun in some comfortable café. ("I told her it was all a heap of nonsense," Maureen declared decisively. "I said if any fellow tried to smack me, I'd give him a good, hard smack right back!" Clearly, Maureen did not understand the appeal of bondage.)<br />
<br />
This is what I am turning into. I, however, have a very specific audience: children and senior citizens. I cannot begin to repeat some of the stories I have been told by the elderly: many of whom are now in their eighties and nineties and have a compulsion to tell a random foreigner stories of a childhood in the Third Reich (-> confusing), of having babies in the 1950s (-> scary and disgusting), finding husbands in bed with other women (-> also confusing) or their miscarriages (-> words fail me.) I must have a very priest-like countenance to inspire these confessions. I don't ask them, honest. People <i>literally </i>stop me on the street and tell me things. Oftentimes, they just plonk their zimmer frame in my path and hold me captive, sometimes they just smile at me and I smile back. And they're off! <br />
<br />
But that's one thing: they're <i>choosing </i>to tell me these things and I choose to file them away in a big drawer labelled 'RANDOM SECRETS' in my mind. However, I seem to have the same effect on small children, and they'll tell me <i>anything </i>about <i>anyone</i>, no holds barred. When I deliver my son at kindergarten, I am often surrounded, Pied Piper-like, by half-a-dozen small children vying to tell me their family secrets. They bypass other parents, including their own, to corner me and start talking at me. Did I know that Mama and Papa had a fight this morning and Mama called Papa an idiot? Did I know that Papa got a new motorbike and banged his privates on it? Did I know that Mama was at the dentist and when she came home, she cried? The head of the kindergarten wades in and sends them off back to their macaroni sculptures and board books, while I stagger home, traumatised by the amount of unwanted information I have just been given.<br />
<br />
I report back to my husband and he shakes his head. "Why do you get involved in this kind of thing?" he asks,<i> as though I had a choice</i>. <br />"I just <i>look </i>at them," I protest. And, really, I do. I look at them and stuff pours forth. So I'm coming to terms that whatever it is Maureen has, I have it, too. One of these days I'm going to read up on S&M, just to be prepared for future conversations on trains. <br />I really should keep my head down more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-50022031335763364472016-01-17T21:42:00.000+01:002016-01-18T21:15:30.893+01:00The Sonic MamaAs regular readers might know, I have two children: the oldest boy is three and the youngest is a year and a half. They are talkers. As a language teacher, I was expecting my bilingual male children to be like many other bilingual male children and start to speak late because, y'know, that's what The Experts say happens - no, no, that wasn't the case. From the moment they rise to the moment we press them into a horizontal position in their beds, they never shut up. They even talk in their sleep.<br />
<br />
Their favourite thing - above raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens - is to say, "Mama?" about a thousand times a day. A thousand times a day EACH. I wish I were exaggerating but it doesn't feel like hyperbole: every breath they draw seems to exhale a <i>Mama </i>somewhere. Sometimes they <i>Mama </i>even when they don't mean to, when playing with their cars ("Brrrrmmm brrrrmmama...") or when they've discovered something interesting ("Oh, Mama!"). I answer, "Yes, love?" because it's easier to answer that way than figure out which child it is and sometimes it serves as a double-answer if I'm being <i>Mama</i>-ed in stereo. Everyone's happy with that answer.<br />
<br />
And I can often ignore it, but not for long. The MPMs (Mamas Per Minute) increase and become increasingly frantic because - heavens above! - I might've disappeared! I might've been abducted! Or, God knows, I might be sitting down with a cup of tea and a book or writing a message to another literate, full-sized human being on my phone. If they can't see me, e.g. if we're separated by the insurmountable obstacle that is the bathroom door, the MPMs might increase to a wail, "<i>Maaaaaaamaaaaaaaaa</i>!". And if I'm resting - the cruelty! the neglect! - they'll Mamamamamamamamama onto the bed and I'll be given a couple of seconds of ominous silence and feathery smallchild breath on my cheeks, till they try to poke my eyes open.<br />
"Mama?"<br />
"Yes, love?" I'll say to the little faces pressed up against my own. <br />
<br />
I say "Yes, love?" oh, hundreds of times a day. Sometimes there's an answer:<br />
"I'm a baby octopus now."<br />
Or: "I want to run away and away."<br />
Or: "My feet smell disgusting"<br />
However, there often isn't. The child in question stares at me blankly and visibly racks his brain to find something to tell me: "I like owls."<br />
"That's super," I'd say. "What's your favourite owl?"<br />
And off the child goes on an owl monologue, punctuated by - you've guessed it - twenty million <i>Mamas</i>.<br />
<br />
Yes, yes, it's lovely and sweet, but also exhausting and relentless and <i>head-wrecking</i>. When I come in from work, I just want five minutes of peace and quiet, preferably with a cup of tea, and instead I'm bombarded by two children climbing on to my knee, up my sweater, into my face: "Mama! Mama! Mama!"<br />
"Yes, love?" I answer. "Yes, love? What is it, love? What would you like to tell me?" <br />
Exhausted. Weary. Fed up.<br />
Mamamamamamamama. <br />
Go away, children, and just leave me <i>alone</i>.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbOqryewZq48v0zNlOvrNEra59t_vg-6hUzL9mCH_gDNiKdwIs2ivh9_UUjEhU3VQf4UIWxnzJETFSLHiuCmTAVp1_729FhiarqsKa8fDxuNhPLNOeEIJeIMT5FUMNnf2UXuqYf5Oz7A/s1600/john+ice+cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbOqryewZq48v0zNlOvrNEra59t_vg-6hUzL9mCH_gDNiKdwIs2ivh9_UUjEhU3VQf4UIWxnzJETFSLHiuCmTAVp1_729FhiarqsKa8fDxuNhPLNOeEIJeIMT5FUMNnf2UXuqYf5Oz7A/s320/john+ice+cream.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"What flavour would you like?"<br />"Blue!"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And then today I learned something interesting. I went out for a walk with my oldest boy and he had an ice cream, his first of the year. I sat on a bench and he sat on
my knee, holding his ice cream and delicately eating it with his plastic
spoon.<br />
"Mama?" he said, squirming around to face me.<br />
"Yes, love?" I replied automatically, distractedly.<br />
He repeated it, but he said, "Yes! Love!" and turned back to his ice cream with a grin on his face. And then I realised that what I'm saying to my children and what they're hearing are two different things. I say, "Yes, love?" and they hear: YES! LOVE! and they seem to need to hear it hundreds of times a day. They use it like a bat's sonic signal to locate me and I answer. I didn't know that. I'd never thought about it. To them it's not a question, it's an affirmation. Now I know.<br />
<br />
This evening my youngest son wouldn't sleep. He told me about trains and dogs and Papa and more trains and Papa and then there was something indistinguishable about a monster truck ... till he finally fell asleep. Drifting away, his eyes rolling, being pulled downwards into soft sleep, he whispered, "Mama?"<br />
I watched his lids fall, kissed his forehead, and gently I replied: "Yes. <i>Love</i>."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-57969938134956757282016-01-03T23:36:00.000+01:002016-01-03T23:36:00.577+01:00The Crafter's Thingy<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCewZUElm047zqzpBIfvWN1kRvA7rcafV9yfUxumsu5T5lawqA7C9PUYrEGhn0aDUtys_p47HSN_mKvSGH41WNBc1vFcoSMi_duVH_kEc5pB43lrx4GqwDem-J77YzZ0nCCINIqxg_EI/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCewZUElm047zqzpBIfvWN1kRvA7rcafV9yfUxumsu5T5lawqA7C9PUYrEGhn0aDUtys_p47HSN_mKvSGH41WNBc1vFcoSMi_duVH_kEc5pB43lrx4GqwDem-J77YzZ0nCCINIqxg_EI/s640/11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
When I was packing up to travel to my in-laws' before Christmas, I did my usual search for one of the little bags I have on hand to carry my crafting supplies. As I scrambled to find some scrap of paper or cloth to stick a darning needle into, I thought, "Wouldn't it be great to have a thingie that had all of your crafting bits and bobs in one place?"<br />
<br />
Aha. An idea was born. And I created this ... thingy. I asked members of an online crafting group if they could come up with a name for it, and the first suggestions were a <i>thingamajig</i>, a <i>thingummy</i>, a <i>thingamybob </i>and an <i>it </i>- as in, "Where is it? I need it!" So I think I'll just stick with a crafting thingy. You know what it is.<br />
<br />
In any case, self praise is no praise, I know, I know, but I love it. It's brilliant. It is the first thing that I have made in years that I have not only kept for myself but (whisper it) kept two of. I feel so naughty and so decadent - imagine! Making something for <i>me</i>! And you can make one for yourself, too. It's not difficult, I promise.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tiJutuq_SoQNpERJu2IkIakuD19Ie0FUHTlKnOwMnEjPW-9hCcBmd0rP1yIB57nlV8jqEp4LoHEWTBJushY0ORnAwYZItq53Dna2AoiuaA3EyL3deEDyw3z66VD83vd7C-n3W5xdn00/s1600/7.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tiJutuq_SoQNpERJu2IkIakuD19Ie0FUHTlKnOwMnEjPW-9hCcBmd0rP1yIB57nlV8jqEp4LoHEWTBJushY0ORnAwYZItq53Dna2AoiuaA3EyL3deEDyw3z66VD83vd7C-n3W5xdn00/s200/7.jpg" width="200" /></a>You need<br />
<ul>
<li>a very small amount of thin <b>yarn</b>, about 20g. I used self-striping sock yarn, but you could also use cotton or thin acrylic</li>
<li>something to stuff it with - enough <b>stuffing </b>to fit in your fist</li>
<li>a <b>darning needle</b></li>
<li>a <b>folding scissors </b>(I ordered 10 on Amazon for less than $1.50 each)</li>
<li>a round, retractable <b>tape measure</b> (also can be ordered on Amazon for about $1 each or found at a local euro/pound/dollar store)</li>
<li>something to attach the scissors to the ... thingy. I use a <b>keychain</b>, but a piece of ribbon would do just as well</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"> ** This pattern is written in American English! The British English terms are in [brackets]. ** And a PDF of the pattern can be downloaded <a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33097845/Thingy.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">HERE</span></a>. **</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Front</span><br />
Start with <a href="http://www.crochet-world.com/blog/?p=7618" target="_blank">a magic loop</a> and make 10 SC [DC] and join with a slip stitch to form a little circle.<br />
Round 1: Ch 1, then 2 SC [DC] in the same stitch. 2 SC [DC] in next nine stitches <span style="font-style: italic;">(20 stitches in total)</span><br />
Round 2: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in next nineteen stitches <span style="font-style: italic;">(20 stitches in total)</span><br />
Round 3: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch, *<span style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;">1</span><span style="color: blue;"> SC [DC] in <span style="color: purple;">next</span> stitch,</span> 2 SC [DC] in next stitch. Repeat from * around, ending with 2 SC [DC] <span style="font-style: italic;">(30 stitches in total)</span><br />
Round 4: Ch 1, then do 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in next twenty-nine stitches <span style="font-style: italic;">(30 stitches in total)</span><br />
Round 5: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in next stitch, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch, *<span style="color: blue;">1 SC [DC] in next </span><span style="color: purple; font-weight: bold;">two </span><span style="color: blue;">stitches</span>, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch. Repeat from * around, ending with 2 SC [DC] <span style="font-style: italic;">(40 stitches in total)</span><br />
Round 6: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in next thirty-nine stitches <span style="font-style: italic;">(40 </span><span style="font-style: italic;">stitches in total)</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXNRGu6e2fOpfTy_zZ2LWc4G9YKVwB8JqWUdKrx18_BX4Pa2EgxccYYPvNIxyAIpmy_dCqOpPKPXk_gsrYtC_Nwe21t-ud7ZD4fpHvtUYQmOfg1wXVDyKCIznKuKIlefCPESQGCuudiw/s1600/1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXNRGu6e2fOpfTy_zZ2LWc4G9YKVwB8JqWUdKrx18_BX4Pa2EgxccYYPvNIxyAIpmy_dCqOpPKPXk_gsrYtC_Nwe21t-ud7ZD4fpHvtUYQmOfg1wXVDyKCIznKuKIlefCPESQGCuudiw/s200/1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">At this point, stop and place your little circle over the tape measure. It should cover it, but not be bigger than it. If you need to make it bigger, do another round of SC [DC] with a double SC [DC] in every fourth stitch. </span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br />After this point, you won't increase any more, just continue by doing 1 SC [DC] in every stitch, so your work starts to form a little saucer-shape:</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRI_v-RawCkFrvvOYxuLSe4NW3re5-AhthjHz0gDA8F_bQ0YrXtlh-LkEqLoYz5pZ8NwerAde3zs2xPK6BBkGbJiLycQITcs-CPhFn8aE1NpMtmzf13rWlEXqixPZ29eFkics81u8HWQ/s1600/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRI_v-RawCkFrvvOYxuLSe4NW3re5-AhthjHz0gDA8F_bQ0YrXtlh-LkEqLoYz5pZ8NwerAde3zs2xPK6BBkGbJiLycQITcs-CPhFn8aE1NpMtmzf13rWlEXqixPZ29eFkics81u8HWQ/s320/5.jpg" width="320" /> </a><br />
<br />
When you are satisfied with your little dome (I normally only do 3 or 4 rounds of SC [DC] to achieve it), continue:<br />Round 8: Crochet 3 chain, then 1 DC [TR] in next and each stitch around till you come to the last three stitches. Do not do any DC [TR], simply do three chain and join to the third chain in your initial 3Ch at the start of the row.<br />
<br />
Round 9: Do 1 SC [DC] in each stitch. Finish by doing 1 chain, cut yarn and yank tight.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWqZnaUANHMljNNEGlXK6sdR9E1dWUjz4YCusM-b0RKT9S-4vNRbseEDHS7MZiyJjJHNgHZhyiiUNHJwhw6nPB3oVISjbE77Sf1bYC5KD6Ow4MsQsQDlV4Ts20rDQLhR1SjhQLLwoA0M/s1600/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWqZnaUANHMljNNEGlXK6sdR9E1dWUjz4YCusM-b0RKT9S-4vNRbseEDHS7MZiyJjJHNgHZhyiiUNHJwhw6nPB3oVISjbE77Sf1bYC5KD6Ow4MsQsQDlV4Ts20rDQLhR1SjhQLLwoA0M/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br />
<br />
When you fit this over the tape measure, you will see that the hole formed by the 3 chain is designed to allow the tape measure to poke out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dhF5JD5MRJa-QDbGdXpe0Jx6ys55AoNcUxsqPew0YwhukY1dDNtY4H7VCYU_hQluKANHlbCQKX-P20l6hIwklrB1Yb2MiE9U1_7T7e0cpkWlp3N2YfVPIa3chCo0df2rZgNrSM9r6no/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dhF5JD5MRJa-QDbGdXpe0Jx6ys55AoNcUxsqPew0YwhukY1dDNtY4H7VCYU_hQluKANHlbCQKX-P20l6hIwklrB1Yb2MiE9U1_7T7e0cpkWlp3N2YfVPIa3chCo0df2rZgNrSM9r6no/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>The back (part 1)</b><br />
Chain 8-9 stitches - large enough to form a circle around the button at the back of the tape measure. Crochet a flat circle by following the instructions above:<br />
Round 1: 1 SC [DC] in each of the chain. <br />Round 2: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 1 SC [DC] in each next stitch<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br />
Round 3: Ch 1, then 1 SC [DC] in the same stitch, 2 SC [DC] in next stitch, *<span style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;">1</span><span style="color: blue;"> SC [DC] in <span style="color: purple;">next</span> stitch,</span> 2 SC [DC] in next stitch. Repeat from * around<br />
- in other words, every second row has a double stitch spaced between 1, then 2, then 3 single SC [DC]. Do this till your work covers the bottom of the tape measure. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5Q_6Lu40YGhuIy8Pfesi1QidZHMvmhjL-kSHUgX-qRqboLynTQGAL_pG_-W5IXv6-9ftHbux2S5FZUkpjVETqNgMXPOVactGVAuf4tYqSG_oM-zISV3Vd8Rucdo8VY6BzxgZXmhWTRY/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5Q_6Lu40YGhuIy8Pfesi1QidZHMvmhjL-kSHUgX-qRqboLynTQGAL_pG_-W5IXv6-9ftHbux2S5FZUkpjVETqNgMXPOVactGVAuf4tYqSG_oM-zISV3Vd8Rucdo8VY6BzxgZXmhWTRY/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Place some stuffing on the 'top' of the tape measure - not the side with the button! - I hold it in place by just smearing a bit of glue on the tape measure, then pressing the stuffing down, till I have the little crocheted dome in place. Then I sew the back to the bottom of the dome with a whipstitch.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvw71io42Qux-XB-Tm8vZ2SiKPY9rQ2S438gdSmvJbBbSK7zkUx2doOMxUmRIWi8GMg4AbAZUuFmHI3-o3e4BhFwZ93Slcf0aHVbmVaHNRUUZ4HI3eFCkvGSo_HW88Q8SFVWXWQTf1wI/s1600/9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvw71io42Qux-XB-Tm8vZ2SiKPY9rQ2S438gdSmvJbBbSK7zkUx2doOMxUmRIWi8GMg4AbAZUuFmHI3-o3e4BhFwZ93Slcf0aHVbmVaHNRUUZ4HI3eFCkvGSo_HW88Q8SFVWXWQTf1wI/s320/9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>The back (part 2)</b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHLUgU76UGftj1MW65_m39bjWmKStdiFaYgnCIKA3BoLkwlBeFJIllIhhO544JqX2bT1YRy5kT-d0R9k1XuH05FRhcvLjgva6JXv5PEo3-xEsad5sVxiq_1Nz2gl28mcuCc-3d24DLA8/s1600/6.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHLUgU76UGftj1MW65_m39bjWmKStdiFaYgnCIKA3BoLkwlBeFJIllIhhO544JqX2bT1YRy5kT-d0R9k1XuH05FRhcvLjgva6JXv5PEo3-xEsad5sVxiq_1Nz2gl28mcuCc-3d24DLA8/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Follow the instructions as per the front, but just before you finish the final round, stop about 10 stitches before the end. Do 1Ch and cut your yarn, yanking it tight. This creates one side that's a bit flatter than the others and this serves as a kind of pocket flap. Sew this (almost) circle over the bottom of the thingy, covering the button.It will create a pocket to store the folding scissors.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fuCxNHlSMfQZmjxud8wbFp6ZfDCbh4fHOuaW83RvJ8u8DXQw9vLAEI1rqCEZmYkCnnTsIJiBDBrybUenUiaf6GfOmSe5OXzVR9rZNB5XQhh6DH3eN-rKuOU-5uSVXyRGlvBro14KIGg/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fuCxNHlSMfQZmjxud8wbFp6ZfDCbh4fHOuaW83RvJ8u8DXQw9vLAEI1rqCEZmYkCnnTsIJiBDBrybUenUiaf6GfOmSe5OXzVR9rZNB5XQhh6DH3eN-rKuOU-5uSVXyRGlvBro14KIGg/s320/8.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<br />
And that's it! Now you simply have to attach the scissors to the thingy, by using e.g. a key chain or tie it on with a piece of ribbon. Then you're ready to go! Be warned, though: they are very addictive. Very, very, addictive.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEsxzltaDA3DJK8DGoo8B3HOGYzORM6gzCXbD_a9qGrcWR_zqxrj4jKJvdVYYOUM-vv57jMPQu36S1jUozT3OiVgy4ywrXomDH4noboh03rw5nbr7wmrj_qWx8pnuv3g0zi0YuTh0Md0/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJEsxzltaDA3DJK8DGoo8B3HOGYzORM6gzCXbD_a9qGrcWR_zqxrj4jKJvdVYYOUM-vv57jMPQu36S1jUozT3OiVgy4ywrXomDH4noboh03rw5nbr7wmrj_qWx8pnuv3g0zi0YuTh0Md0/s640/4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br />The legal bit: <br />This is my idea, my work, my photos, my pattern. You may not reprint it/them, republish it/them in any form, or claim it/them as your own. What you can do is make them for friends and family, and if you can make yourself some pin money by making them for sale - good for you. Just don't go into mass production with them, though - not without my permission. It would be nice and decent of you to credit me with their design, though - but I don't need to tell you that, do I? Only nice and decent people read my blog :-)</i></div>
<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-87592834200755220902015-12-31T20:27:00.000+01:002015-12-31T20:27:18.874+01:00Goodbye 2015 ... Rainbows in 2016<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUhnGjwEu98ESX17XVpjoZbBXRihMrEKbzfdSB_rLCV7IAQKOajFY7fIK3ASf4JIzodYu_nlnRIjBhFC_qq7tD6KYBsMMJ-YfMU8ruS-jaNboOC-0v7QvcaMeb6i9jVHOKabRrMNqnOw/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUhnGjwEu98ESX17XVpjoZbBXRihMrEKbzfdSB_rLCV7IAQKOajFY7fIK3ASf4JIzodYu_nlnRIjBhFC_qq7tD6KYBsMMJ-YfMU8ruS-jaNboOC-0v7QvcaMeb6i9jVHOKabRrMNqnOw/s640/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Sigh.<br />
I haven't posted in a long time and the reason for it was
simple: I hadn't wanted to. 2015 was a strange year, a year that felt
discordant or adrift to me. I'm normally quite a pragmatic person,
someone who tends to always look on the bright side of life, but this
year tested my limits. The German 'Word of the Year' this year was <i>Flüchtling,</i> refugee, and really, no other word came close to being in the running for first place this year. Over a <i>million </i>people,
mostly from the Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo, made their way to
Germany this year, fleeing (in some cases) from war and (in other cases)
from poverty and (in all cases) for a better life. The incessant - and I
mean <i>incessant </i>- coverage of the plight of thousands of people
arriving over Germany's borders became too much to bear and I went on a
total media blackout for a long time. I can focus on and do something
for what is in front of me, in my own neighbourhood and town, but I had
to finally admit that I can't worry about every overcrowded refugee
home, mourn every dead child, cry for every lost family - and 2015
seemed to pour a lot of that mental burden on my head.<br />
<br />
So
thank you very much, 2015, for all the lessons you have taught me, but
I'm looking forward to making 2016's acquaintance. It's going to be a
year full of rainbows, and it's starting here and now. I have lots of new patterns and tutorials lined up - I'm going to craft my way through 2016 with a vengeance.<br />
<br />
Happy New Year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-60528081901570726942015-05-11T00:18:00.002+02:002015-05-11T00:29:54.544+02:00Mother's Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dfd5S2-H36-6GxK6DN6rDuoWTIB4EyVZcKmXOV0J-JeCY-3clH5tqJ1ZUnG3J-LFAqHgridWNExgsHVrd_NbHIHWLbXXPXfKIMrHmIyp0Ph7t6m8nJFOLXMDKBivs2FrV4GpmsY4SU8/s1600/20150320_174707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dfd5S2-H36-6GxK6DN6rDuoWTIB4EyVZcKmXOV0J-JeCY-3clH5tqJ1ZUnG3J-LFAqHgridWNExgsHVrd_NbHIHWLbXXPXfKIMrHmIyp0Ph7t6m8nJFOLXMDKBivs2FrV4GpmsY4SU8/s640/20150320_174707.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Today, Sunday - Mothers' Day - I tried to clean the bathroom.<br />
The point I gave up at was when I was leaning over the bath with my trousers around my ankles, my nearly-one-year-old clutching my knees and joyfully wiping his snotty nose into the cellulitey cushions on the back of my thighs, while the 2.5 year old squirted my knickers with water, joyfully singing "The WHEELS on the BUS go ROUND and ROUND, ROUND and ROUND!"<br />
It was a beautiful moment.<br />
Not.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDmfBBbBxe1_BWq03vaMySXbXDor2152hewIRzO4oFTtACV9q25eBiAgRpa1iqmRb0dgj6D5ULn4ExArTMT_XQgUfSwgnKug2RoHTd3LSDuRK9UPKxr3ZiyTdn3kPl19Mslc-909O_bQ/s1600/P1050262.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDmfBBbBxe1_BWq03vaMySXbXDor2152hewIRzO4oFTtACV9q25eBiAgRpa1iqmRb0dgj6D5ULn4ExArTMT_XQgUfSwgnKug2RoHTd3LSDuRK9UPKxr3ZiyTdn3kPl19Mslc-909O_bQ/s200/P1050262.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger of hair and gappy of tooth,<br />
he is half-child, half-goblin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I put down the Mr Muscle, pulled up my trousers and gave it up as a hopeless case. That was my Mothers' Day present to myself.<br />
<br />
We've had a busy week and that's why the bathroom is filthy and the laundry train got derailed somewhere last Monday. The result of this was that I'd had to root around the depths of my wardrobe to find myself something (reasonably) clean and pounced upon a pair of pregnancy jeans in desperation. Turns out, pregnancy jeans worn when not pregnant can be yanked down very quickly by thigh-high children and - it turns out - this is a hilarious exercise, especially when accompanied by 72 verses of The Wheels on the Bus. This, dear readers, is life with a one-year-old and a two-year-old.<br />
<br />
That's right - you can hop back through the sparse entries of my blog in the last twelve months and establish that a full year has passed since I was waddling around, ready to pop. My younger son Robert is about to turn one! And Mr Gingerbread and I are at a loss as to what he should get for his birthday. The house is full of toys - he has a dozen aunts and uncles, after all - and more clothes than my poor laundry skills can cope with. And, to be honest, we tend to think babies and toddlers want this kind of thing<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbSpMbvDi78310cUP9X3nT4YgqvN2TcLbAoxhyOHc7EGQB66-yj3U67Gui7j-HbJAbp3j92xXpH6ns6CwURYnM2KLtujUKKfsoJUbx1lTgggLbrDFttxr1tkVE9MbdHWgu9PUda-JQ38/s1600/20150426_154635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbSpMbvDi78310cUP9X3nT4YgqvN2TcLbAoxhyOHc7EGQB66-yj3U67Gui7j-HbJAbp3j92xXpH6ns6CwURYnM2KLtujUKKfsoJUbx1lTgggLbrDFttxr1tkVE9MbdHWgu9PUda-JQ38/s400/20150426_154635.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
when in actual fact, my son would really like something like this for his birthday.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1x-3xw5pLK7XN6H2JtFD1lMxrrgAJdlpOeIFxs5zYPD2V-uvZlRg_G4UzutDWKFtV7hBEZsYb1ktf5T8f7RvYVSMyrOAafzV1-PDfeoe_eGr8iV8_PeZcftGH4u5-9tWPyMb2k1JADK0/s1600/20150426_154341.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1x-3xw5pLK7XN6H2JtFD1lMxrrgAJdlpOeIFxs5zYPD2V-uvZlRg_G4UzutDWKFtV7hBEZsYb1ktf5T8f7RvYVSMyrOAafzV1-PDfeoe_eGr8iV8_PeZcftGH4u5-9tWPyMb2k1JADK0/s400/20150426_154341.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
A compromise must be found.<br />
<br />
<br />
I decided to radically attack scraps and half-skeins, and this has been my on-the-side project for the last few weeks. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dfd5S2-H36-6GxK6DN6rDuoWTIB4EyVZcKmXOV0J-JeCY-3clH5tqJ1ZUnG3J-LFAqHgridWNExgsHVrd_NbHIHWLbXXPXfKIMrHmIyp0Ph7t6m8nJFOLXMDKBivs2FrV4GpmsY4SU8/s1600/20150320_174707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIhby5QUi8IZi5ROM0mTvqcGCvBLuVUdl3LIIQDsGkRQ2R9mcFhUdnpr929jdSZJFLnO8PmEUfB7SKJOIikstbAAZapMvXmaj99ttxU3SbarL0yvxZlwA0xcnYmycb2mVPxryAWtO1gw/s1600/20150507_100607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIhby5QUi8IZi5ROM0mTvqcGCvBLuVUdl3LIIQDsGkRQ2R9mcFhUdnpr929jdSZJFLnO8PmEUfB7SKJOIikstbAAZapMvXmaj99ttxU3SbarL0yvxZlwA0xcnYmycb2mVPxryAWtO1gw/s640/20150507_100607.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Because it's May and the magnolia is blooming and the balcony is beckoning! Hurray!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBJvKxp9KJnqXv6NWpEmttrdwgUt7AmmEUGrmmgYHNeh13Z1XgaoJ3id_J3yKagdXTQvSMz-07OTATeWjEBxcxJglW9aLvdGiVgEGReLGiOy6BqAGjyQr7jQpTjBwlc47hqST00A3kbA/s1600/20150418_161605.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBJvKxp9KJnqXv6NWpEmttrdwgUt7AmmEUGrmmgYHNeh13Z1XgaoJ3id_J3yKagdXTQvSMz-07OTATeWjEBxcxJglW9aLvdGiVgEGReLGiOy6BqAGjyQr7jQpTjBwlc47hqST00A3kbA/s640/20150418_161605.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDmfBBbBxe1_BWq03vaMySXbXDor2152hewIRzO4oFTtACV9q25eBiAgRpa1iqmRb0dgj6D5ULn4ExArTMT_XQgUfSwgnKug2RoHTd3LSDuRK9UPKxr3ZiyTdn3kPl19Mslc-909O_bQ/s1600/P1050262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-45581848874273502802015-04-18T22:21:00.000+02:002015-04-26T19:10:21.834+02:00The Terrible TwosI learned a new word recently: threenager. It describes the delight that is a moody, irrational, temperamental three-year-old. And frankly, readers, I quaked. I have a two-year-old son and he is currently in the throes of Tyrannical Toddlerdom. I used to look at children writhing on the floors of supermarkets, red-faced and hysterical, and think, "How <i>embarrassing</i>! How <i>mortifying</i>! Why don't the parents <i>do </i>something?"<br />
Oh, yes, those were the days when I could revel in smug judgement. <i>Smudgement</i>. When I have children I'm going to make sure they <i>never </i>behave like that.<br />
<br />
- pause for laughter -<br />
Now I'm the mother standing off to the side, scratching dried yoghurt off her t-shirt while her child throws a conniption on the floor. I could care, really I could - but I'm often too tired to bother. And this might be the 42nd hissy fit in a three-day period; and if it's my child writhing around the floor, the cause of the tantrum might be any of the following (and many more besides):<br />
a) the cockerel on the front of the cornflakes packet looked at him funnily<br />
b) he doesn't want to be in the trolley, he doesn't want to walk beside the trolley, he wants to hover in the air <i>above </i>the trolley<br />
c) he wants to eat a raw egg from the carton and I won't let him<br />
d) he loves me, why won't I carry him?<br />
e) he hates me, why am I carrying him? <br />
Basically, sometimes I can do a SuperNanny move on him and distract him swiftly, but my son John is not easily distracted. He is eerily focussed and won't be fobbed off just like that. Sometimes I swoop him up and remove him to a quiet place. Sometimes I just let the tantrum run its course and exchange sympathetic <i>been-there-done-that</i> looks with parents of older children. <br />
<br />
This morning, John woke at 6 a.m. and in a gesture of marital love that you will only understand if you have kids yourself, I swooped him up and left his father and little brother fast asleep in bed. We got dressed and slipped out into the quietness of the city. I hate getting up early, but I love being up early - if that makes sense. I love the stillness of the early morning, the lemon sunshine and the chill in the air. John and I used to spend a <i>lot </i>of early mornings together, but since his little brother came along, we haven't had much chance to get out alone. This morning we walked side by side the entire length of the town.<br />
<br />
We walked across the town square, where someone had decorated the concrete with chalk mandalas in the night<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>:</u></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtIpja1BfT40XYw2LD54sQpVE7DiVsTTtJY5md-njh646DJctJKVY5YGvHGw2R2U7g-vDQLuMfUV2L-yDdC80E14-VWYQdxrOU9zDCoh-3tbHWNT_KPafENsV-i8cUlZIG7UGH3SIheY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtIpja1BfT40XYw2LD54sQpVE7DiVsTTtJY5md-njh646DJctJKVY5YGvHGw2R2U7g-vDQLuMfUV2L-yDdC80E14-VWYQdxrOU9zDCoh-3tbHWNT_KPafENsV-i8cUlZIG7UGH3SIheY/s1600/1.jpg" height="640" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
We walked to the bakery and bought a chocolate croissant, then ate it together on a park bench.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh-g4KML8DM8pvIax9RI3Q_pqKTfYcj0Xqt4c8f1lmoCXZV4aIq2T8Ld2XD1gFbAMsvp1e7iTC01qBWrdC5bohXm2sSsMNnl3nm6XJsQdligLVtuzqGYcL_ykSlUsVqBnPvkfYlB5G9g/s1600/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh-g4KML8DM8pvIax9RI3Q_pqKTfYcj0Xqt4c8f1lmoCXZV4aIq2T8Ld2XD1gFbAMsvp1e7iTC01qBWrdC5bohXm2sSsMNnl3nm6XJsQdligLVtuzqGYcL_ykSlUsVqBnPvkfYlB5G9g/s1600/2.jpg" height="640" width="506" /></a> </div>
<br />
And took a bus home, just because we wanted an opportunity to sing 'The Wheels on the Bus' - well, he did the singing and I had to clap along. More about the singing some other time.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniF5y34irF1lX79bHUhFrEwVyPFYh7ADG0MeiPmqy8ZGqGTVAS6Cnh5ND97nIEvJ_YvkUMiZg_6KcuMX1B78ZnJYRvjBX9xt4NXFlGgdNHVyNfaD8RmFXopDqJ0Z5o1PjFb7LROS-gF8/s1600/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniF5y34irF1lX79bHUhFrEwVyPFYh7ADG0MeiPmqy8ZGqGTVAS6Cnh5ND97nIEvJ_YvkUMiZg_6KcuMX1B78ZnJYRvjBX9xt4NXFlGgdNHVyNfaD8RmFXopDqJ0Z5o1PjFb7LROS-gF8/s1600/3.jpg" height="640" width="486" /></a></div>
<br />
We got home in time for breakfast but even as we climbed the stairs, my son was screeching, "Papa! Mama and I went on a<i> secret walk</i>!", an indication that his future will not be in the CIA or diplomatic field. But the walk did us good: no tantrums, no fights. We should really do it more often (just not tomorrow. Tomorrow is Papa's turn.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-48496276994957981492015-02-26T21:55:00.001+01:002015-02-26T21:55:16.821+01:00Things you should know about my fatherMy father's birthday was in February but we were awash in the various fluids that accompany a dose of the 'flu at the time. As I've summed up my mother, I thought it might be fair to tell you a bit about my father as well.<br />
<br />
Things you should know about my father <br />
<br />
<b>1. He pushed my mother into a puddle and laughed</b><br />
My father first met my mother when he was five and she was four (I think. They were, in any case, scandalously young to be running around unsupervised, but this was Ireland in the fifties. I think parents ushered their kids out the door in the morning and did not expect to see them again till supper-time). He shoved her into a puddle and laughed at her. My father claims to have no
memory of this incident; my mother, however, does and even maintains
that he was wearing one of my grandmother's meticulously knitted
pullovers whilst doing the pushing (held at arm's length to this little
beast, she was probably in a very good position to view his knitwear.)
When she wants a bit of extra sympathy, she also says that he and my
Uncle John were laughing ("demonically") as they pushed her - but, as I said, this bit
is only tacked on occasionally and I have a feel that, half a century
later, she's just embroidering an already dastardly tale.<br />
<br />
But
the years passed and my father turned into a skinny teen with a big hat
and a lot of angst, and my mother found this quite attractive (I think
men in big hats and artistic overcoats were uncommon 1970s Ireland). They got married in a flurry of flares and oversized
lapels and produced a plethora of children. Sadly, they do not recreate the puddle-pushing on special occasions nor, to my knowledge, has my mother ever pushed him back. <br />
<br />
<b>2. He saved my life</b><br />
When I was a toddler, I swallowed a fish-bone and started to choke. I don't remember this, but my mother (she of the "he was wearing a handknitted jumper and laughing his head off" version of events, so take it with a pinch of salt) said my lips were turning blue and I couldn't breathe. I'm not sure if deceased relatives were trying to usher me down a tunnel toward the light, but I was certainly in dire straits. Not acquainted with the Heimlich Manoeuvre, my father grabbed me by my chubby ankles, swung me upside-down and shook me hard, as you would do a pillow and - lo and behold - the fishbone was dislodged.<br />
I'm very grateful to him for this and to this day, harbour a suspicion that fish are out to get me.<br />
<br />
<b>3. He never wanted us to have pets</b><br />
"We are NOT getting another pet! I'LL end up looking after it! Not a single ONE will look after this dog/cat/rabbit, you all know I'LL be the one taking it on walks and feeding it!" etc.<br />
My father has spent the last forty years telling us we're not getting another pet.<br />
We've had a succession of pets.<br />
And, to be fair to him, he has in fact ended up looking after every single one of them. On a visit home from Germany a few years ago, I saw my father walk up the lane to our house with his wheelbarrow (because another thing you should know about my father that doesn't warrant a point of its own is that he has filled the potholes in the entrance to our house about a hundred thousand times) and saw him followed by a procession of animals: a Jack Russell terrier, four cats, two miniature ducks and a couple of stray chickens who were out for an opportunistic walk. I have also seen him feed the Jack Russell from a spoon, store a kitten in his coat and pick worms out of a freshly-dug flowerbed for the ducks.<br />
But he hates pets and doesn't know why we keep insisting on having the blighters. <br />
<br />
<b>4. He doesn't like people touching his things</b><br />
Which is unfortunate when you have nine children, because no one ever had anything to call their <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNImXKTkH1QdaCHXL6UGJ95B8nslCtR7mYErztv8fUXbTjn3NCY3m6MpwYx2jNnGRtFRi2CLfa_ShEWOPT2F5VocfyJtc03c7f0jZzXCFQgXk0ujkmZbSDvvDvSvzpw1RJ-b2HPc7YGm0/s1600/da2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNImXKTkH1QdaCHXL6UGJ95B8nslCtR7mYErztv8fUXbTjn3NCY3m6MpwYx2jNnGRtFRi2CLfa_ShEWOPT2F5VocfyJtc03c7f0jZzXCFQgXk0ujkmZbSDvvDvSvzpw1RJ-b2HPc7YGm0/s1600/da2.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This man needs a comb, people.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
own in our house. There was always a young child on the rampage, your precious possessions firmly grasped in a sticky paw. <br />
"All I have is this comb!" my father would wail, holding up a plastic comb. "It's the only thing I have, a bloody comb for my hair. I leave it here on the mantelpiece and when I come down in the morning, the comb is gone! Who keeps taking my comb?"<br />
Ah, it was the soundtrack to my youth: my father and his comb. At one point, he got it into his head that he might chain the comb to the mantelpiece - an idea we all found very entertaining. Sadly, though, he much preferred ranting about how he was going to chain the comb to the mantelpiece more than actually chaining the comb to the mantelpiece.<br />
<br />
<b>5. He like a rant</b><br />
The index finger will go up.<br />
"I'll tell you something," he says, leaning in. And he's off. Frequent topics for rants over the years have included: People (more about that in a minute), Not Getting Another Pet, Disappearing Combs, A Packet of Biscuits Not Being Shared Fairly, The State of Ireland, People. It's a very diverse list and it changes, with some points remaining constant (People).<br />
<br />
<b>6. He doesn't like people, especially people visiting him</b><br />
No, don't get the wrong idea. My father's not a xenophobe. He doesn't like most people, regardless of where they're from or what they look like or do. They're loud and they can be rude and a select few of them (most notably - the <i>cheek </i>of them - his <i>family</i>) have the audacity to want to visit him and make him make ... small talk!!! Sometimes when he sees the lights of an approaching car and scarper off down to his shed, conveniently forgetting his mobile phone, leaving my mother with a bunch of unannounced visitors to entertain. (And a short note on this: in Ireland, people still pop in for a visit without calling. Why call and ruin the surprise? Think of the joy you'll give someone by just turning up at their door unannounced, looking for tea and biscuits. Ahhhhh. Maybe I've just been in Germany too long.) <br />
<br />
<b>7. He paints pictures in his shed</b><br />
My father is an artist. Nowadays, that's a mildly interesting statement to make, but when my father was young, I believe saying you wanted to become an artist was about as ludicrous as wanting to become an astronaut or a lion-tamer. I don't know how my grandparents reacted, but I'm sure rosaries were said to save his soul and get him back on the straight and narrow path to the civil service or a nice job in the laboratory of the local roof tile factory. But he painted anyway. And now he does it professionally, as a graphic artist, and semi-professionally as a painter,<a href="http://liamrainsford.com/" target="_blank"> intrepid blogger</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdM8tBZS7d42VEiaqfvgzmg" target="_blank">YouTube fiend</a>. By day, he's a mild-mannered (though given to an occasional rant) visitor-hating, animal-loving father of nine; by night he paints pictures and has a cyber-life that includes video channels and fan posts.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0yVEPmWQoDs8ia0TBZf2Uu7x2MFDIL-z-FluxTIg2qde_fO79j4UOHpWb2p0h8wlg816uCtoW9HJDfopBvdLaCybh3H_FU7VLd9F0JqogElNMW6Rd3s5GEA7H7dCKDJA6_BuDU1xE9w/s1600/Da1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0yVEPmWQoDs8ia0TBZf2Uu7x2MFDIL-z-FluxTIg2qde_fO79j4UOHpWb2p0h8wlg816uCtoW9HJDfopBvdLaCybh3H_FU7VLd9F0JqogElNMW6Rd3s5GEA7H7dCKDJA6_BuDU1xE9w/s1600/Da1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a> </div>
<br />
<b>8. He paints pictures in his shed (II)</b><br />
Before my father became a graphic artist by day, he did actually work in the laboratory of the local roof tile factory. But he and my mother decided that the laboratory of a roof tile factory is a very good place for a soul to die, so they set up their own business. Two weeks before a global recession, oh dear. It was a grim time, a lean time and a very hard time. But in the middle of this very awful, grim period, where we were constantly tiptoeing along the line to bankruptcy and losing - oh, everything, one of my teachers said, "You know, your parents have given you the greatest gift you could possibly get. They took the road less travelled and gave up a steady job to do something they're passionate about. You'll never be afraid to do the same, because you'll come through it and see it can be done."<br />
And she was absolutely right.<br />
Twenty-five years and two recessions later, their business is still going. Bravery is a very good thing to pass to your children.<br />
<br />
<b>9. He will wear a fake rabbit in his pullover</b><br />
... because that's what good parents do. When my brother William was small, he had a soft toy called Baby Rabbit. Baby Rabbit tended to get lost, so my father was given to wearing Baby Rabbit in the V of his v-neck jumper so Baby Rabbit go to see what was going on, while remaining in a safe place. This seems like a random thing to remember, but the other day my husband ate imaginary cake out of Lego blocks at a teaparty for Papa, Wuffie the toy dog and my two-year-old son, and it reminded me that saving a child's life is a magnificent piece of parenting, but eating fake cake and wearing soft toys is just as important, and maybe more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-39860779452386693582015-02-06T23:50:00.003+01:002015-02-06T23:52:11.687+01:00Fifty Shades Astray<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNH3gvhy__LOPDy4Y1BeVfIbPcG2lOww2EJ4Bc9na1IrVEE6pRS6CrXt49ojc_Rbck-AMAD8aww3RekxGx9k4kMRh4yu3Tzg-lO-WaxvduH1NBNwRGSQVzR_YVphALeUNmA6UWQqLZYc/s1600/Clipboard01.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNH3gvhy__LOPDy4Y1BeVfIbPcG2lOww2EJ4Bc9na1IrVEE6pRS6CrXt49ojc_Rbck-AMAD8aww3RekxGx9k4kMRh4yu3Tzg-lO-WaxvduH1NBNwRGSQVzR_YVphALeUNmA6UWQqLZYc/s1600/Clipboard01.jpg" height="640" width="132" /></a>Some time ago, before the book <i>'Fifty Shades of Grey'</i> became well-known in Germany, I came across it in the English section of our local bookstore. I picked it up, read the names of the two protagonists (Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey), instantly became overcome with the scent of cheap Harlequin romance and returned it to its heap. See, I am a notorious cover-judger, despite the proverb's exhortations to the contrary. On a bad day, I have flung books back on their pile for bearing the two most pretension-laden words in the publishing industry: A Novel. As in, <i>'Ballyhoo. A Novel'. </i><br />
<br />
Now a film based on this book is hitting the cinemas over here and, sadly, there are abundant clips of two (to me personally) unattractive actors (though I'm sure they're very amiable people) bonking their way through a pedestrian plot. I have no intention of reading the book or watching the film: aside from the fact that I don't want to assault my eyes, my own life reads like a chapter from the aforementioned Novel. At least, I think so - I haven't read it, so I'm not entirely sure. But I'm the only female in a house full of males (albeit, two under three years old), surely that's something similar?<br />
<br />
Tell you what, you decide. And, because everyone I know who actually read 'Fifty Shades of Grey' claimed they only "skipped to the good bits", we'll just skip to my good bits as well. Brace yourself, readers. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * * </div>
Our eyes met across a cluttered room. I approached him slowly, my bare feet almost soundless on the unswept floor. Wordlessly, he reached out and tugged at my t-shirt. He touched it to his lips and let it fall on the floor.<br />
"Please," I whispered.<br />
He didn't take his eyes off me, but pulled the straps of my bra, his fingers playing with the clasp. He tossed it after the t-shirt.<br />
"You can't do this," I said.<br />
But it was too late. He grabbed my knickers and held them aloft, triumphantly, then bit at the lace with his teeth.<br />
"Enough!" I cried and pulled it off him. "I've just folded those clothes!"<br />
I really shouldn't let the baby play with the laundry basket.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * * </div>
I lay spread--eagled on the bed. He towered above me, a glint of menace in his eyes. He lowered his face to mine, so our eyes met, lashes almost touching.<br />
"Bouncey-bounce," he said in a threatening voice. His breath smelled of cookies. I cowered beneath him.<br />
"We've spent the past twenty minutes bouncey-bouncing," I protested weakly. "Mama's exhausted."<br />
He cupped my face in his sticky hands. "Bouncey-bounce," he repeated. It was not a question, it was an order.<br />
There was no way out.<br />
We bounced.<br />
<br />
"Aren't you a bit old to be jumping on the bed with a two-year-old?" my husband enquires casually from the door.<br />
"He made me do it," I say.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * * </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
"No!" I cried. Relentlessly, he pushed it in, deeper and deeper.<br />
"Stop!" I said and tried to push him off. He was remarkably strong and I only succeeded in shifting his weight a little.<br />
He grinned and wriggled it around. I shrieked and cried for help.<br />
None came.<br />
Finally, summoning all my strength, I pulled his finger out of my nose. He laughed evilly, his chubby digit extended triumphantly, the bald head of this nine-month-old brimming with possibilities: Mama's face was just full of stuff to explore.<br />
So he poked my ear. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * * </div>
<br />
It was quiet. I breathed deeply, afraid to make too much noise in case he would find me.<br />
I hoped in vain.<br />
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" he thundered. He had a paintbrush in one hand and a rubber duck in the other.<br />
"How did you get in here?" I protested. "The door was closed!"<br />
"Oh, yes, he can reach the door handles now," my husband called from the kitchen. "So remember to lock the bathroom if you want some privacy."<br />
Privacy? The very word seemed to inflame him. He looked at me, outraged.<br />
"ARE YOU ON THE LOO?" he asked. "WEE-WEE?"<br />
I tried to get up, but my ankles were bound by the underwear pooled around them. I struggled to pull up my clothes and replace the toilet seat before the rubber duck and the paintbrush went for a swim.<br />
Incredibly, I succeeded.<br />
"Maaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he roared.<br />
I had to do it: I used the safe word.<br />
"Elmo," I said. "Will we listen to an Elmo song instead of playing with the toilet?"<br />
Sniffling, he marches off, leaving an upturned rubber duck lying forlornly in his wake. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * * </div>
And so on for another thirty chapters. I'm thinking it would have a widespread appeal for parents and parents-to-be. I think the protagonist - 40-year-old woman with yoghurt-stained trousers and the vestiges of a bad haircut - would speak to many people on a lot of levels. What do you think? Should I be prepared for Hollywood to come calling?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwNH3gvhy__LOPDy4Y1BeVfIbPcG2lOww2EJ4Bc9na1IrVEE6pRS6CrXt49ojc_Rbck-AMAD8aww3RekxGx9k4kMRh4yu3Tzg-lO-WaxvduH1NBNwRGSQVzR_YVphALeUNmA6UWQqLZYc/s1600/Clipboard01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-24638882320593307612015-01-31T21:41:00.002+01:002015-02-08T13:18:42.704+01:00Falling in love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxlukVOX6u6_3bIarVY2lQyCwW5DJ3tRHqe3OL0h7a2kMLkdwqSiaJckuOWQ8KdSwLQKXkwCnE9SFYpf_fZOEq-ovdSOYzdeBZkMs3vZwGFShmH0rxoRmFYuzGIM3iTA-U9-KBEYY2JI/s1600/rob+sings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxlukVOX6u6_3bIarVY2lQyCwW5DJ3tRHqe3OL0h7a2kMLkdwqSiaJckuOWQ8KdSwLQKXkwCnE9SFYpf_fZOEq-ovdSOYzdeBZkMs3vZwGFShmH0rxoRmFYuzGIM3iTA-U9-KBEYY2JI/s1600/rob+sings.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
When you've had a baby, you're supposed to love it. Often, unbidden, you do. Sometimes, it's just plain old love and not <i>Love </i>love, though. It can happen that, in the madness that follows the appearance of a baby, you're absolutely bewildered by what has just happened to you. It feels like parts of you have exploded, there's a room full of people, and noise, and - paradoxically - silence, the kind of silence that sets in when you're about to faint, a drowning out of everything that's going on, as your mind tries to pull itself together. You have to figure out what's just happened; if you're all right; if the baby's all right. What time of the day or night is it? (because the day you give birth becomes a weird kind of non-day in which time seems to stand still and you give not a single, solitary fig about anything that happens outside your delivery room.) You're given a baby and, while some women immediately fall in love with their child, others (like me) look at it and try to figure out what on earth I'm supposed to do with it and, goodness, doesn't he look strange and what are these people all doing to me?<br />
<br />
Of course, you love your baby. You do. But at that point, you love it the same way you love a puppy or kitten - in fact, puppies or kittens have the advantage of being cuter than most newborns. My midwife always warns mothers not to worry if they don't feel the <i>Love </i>love they're "supposed" to feel straight away. Sometimes you just don't - sometimes it takes a while. But you will learn to <i>Love </i>love your child. It'll sneak up on you, never fear. One day you'll look into your baby's eyes and you will think, "I would die for you. I would gladly lay down my life for your tiny soul." And that's it: the little sucker has you hooked. The word 'bond' explains it perfectly: you're glued together for life.<br />
<br />
<br />
How do they do it? What happens? I think I've figured out their modus operandi. Look:<br />
<br />
1. They learn to smile<br />
This is a sneaky move. They're just plopping around, leering cross-eyed at anything that moves and then, suddenly, they focus on you (or your partner: Baby Robert decided that his father was more smile-worthy than me) and grin. Was it gas? Was it an accident? Was it ... a smile? After that, you find yourself doing remarkably stupid things without a trace of self-consciousness to get another one, competing with your partner for a token of affection from a 6-week-old. <br />
<br />
2. You want to eat your baby.<br />
I don't know why this strong love develops side by side with an inclination towards cannibalism. You have a handful of baby chub - a fat leg, a pudgy arm - and you just have to lean in for a nibble. You find yourself nuzzling a jabbery jowl while making "Nomnomnom!" noises. Rather than be alarmed by this, babies tend to find this hysterical. They laugh, waving limbs madly, and setting off ripples of cellulite (because, yes, babies have cellulite. There's no hope for the rest of us.) Spurred on by the recognition of your natural funniness (finally), you just have to dip down and nibble a toe. Hiccup-inducing mirth follows. This is how stand-up comedians feel on a good night. It's a heady feeling: regardless of your level of slapstick, your child will find you hilarious.<br />
<br />
3. Your heart melts<br />
Yes, you get a warm melty feeling in your chest region. It might come when your child is doing something remarkably cute, like sucking a tiny thumb in his sleep or pointing at a kitten or whatnot. In our case, it came at moments slightly less idyllic. Recently my husband stood side by side at our bed and watched our youngest baby suckle the pillow. "Awww," we said. "The poor little nincompoop." Similarly, we watched his brother topple over into a puddle (wail!) and exchanged fond smiles: "Awww. Isn't he a proper little eejit?" Bless their little socks. Occasionally the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I know I'm being watched. I turn around to this face, the face of a child who does not understand what I'm doing but knows one thing: he's not in the middle of it - and he genuinely doesn't understand why not. We've bonded, we're joined at the hip, <i>Mama + Rob 4 ever</i>. He's right, you know, though I do expect him to lead a reasonably independent life at some stage. But I'll break that to him later.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FIu3JTc90K4Odc_Ybos6RF9TmpnBM3HQVk9lu9YQzRqROaAsjIgD16oVv6G6P-7UcCbqAMb6CXXF47hgPJ0hGrYXLDxnYpItekLBARYKHKlvnA4KewFRxbrNiQv15WmTB0dwo4_ykWY/s1600/P1050235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FIu3JTc90K4Odc_Ybos6RF9TmpnBM3HQVk9lu9YQzRqROaAsjIgD16oVv6G6P-7UcCbqAMb6CXXF47hgPJ0hGrYXLDxnYpItekLBARYKHKlvnA4KewFRxbrNiQv15WmTB0dwo4_ykWY/s1600/P1050235.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
So if you're having a baby or have just had a baby and you're not feeling the <i>Love </i>love, don't worry. You will. It might take days or weeks. Or even months. But don't worry, that baby will reel you in. It's just a matter of time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-27440718263509596602015-01-20T21:28:00.001+01:002015-01-22T20:33:00.349+01:00Pattern: Granny with a Twist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclyzohQmNkVnejxdciS-MTVykfIruqbavf7U7ekkq11eCSG8CadN7A4QEIGZc15r-R3k0W7Nvje-HP_qEC-_7mvf8DWggntioR1tzR1HOCI2P4wNx1A_QNmA9MXbQ3AWYghdFhQOyIR8/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF-UkRJ9IkvVxN4p5rItrUnHX2XreDiSwbxhd3j8ERdyBtdbIfR2-rn46ep-d9nRHhCZ5wHpp9WhdtbZOUFIlK3TWWL43xV-YHIvOt9A6Co6Q7ziLHZThZUoMb2LZFwhIT6jBgjhPQNk/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF-UkRJ9IkvVxN4p5rItrUnHX2XreDiSwbxhd3j8ERdyBtdbIfR2-rn46ep-d9nRHhCZ5wHpp9WhdtbZOUFIlK3TWWL43xV-YHIvOt9A6Co6Q7ziLHZThZUoMb2LZFwhIT6jBgjhPQNk/s1600/4.jpg" height="640" width="564" /></a></div>
This is a very simple variation of a traditional granny square. I think it works best as a four-round square, so the contrast in the colours is best seen.<br />
<br />
The instructions use American terminology, the British terms are in [brackets].<br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0">Foundation
ring: chain 5 or 6 stitches and join to form a ring. If you are a
beginner or teaching a beginner, it's good idea to mark this ring with a
stitch marker, paper clip or just a piece of scrap yarn. It helps the
crocheter see where you're supposed to work the stitches (can be
confusing when you're doing it for the first time.)</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">1st
round: chain 3 (this counts as your first treble) and do 2 DC [TR] into the foundation ring. *Ch 2, 3 </span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">DC [TR] </span></span></span></span></span></span>into ring**, rep. from *
to ** twice. You should be back at the beginning. Join the stitch on
your hook to the start of the round with a slip stitch.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">2nd
round: 3 chain, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">2 DC [TR] </span></span></span></span></span></span>, 2 chains and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3 DC [TR] </span></span></span></span></span></span>. This forms
your corner. Work *</span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3 DC [TR]</span></span></span></span></span></span>, 2 chains and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3 DC [TR]</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>** into the next
corner space. Repeat from * to ** twice more. Join with a slip stitch. Do one more chain, yank yarn tight and cut a tail. Weave in your tail.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclyzohQmNkVnejxdciS-MTVykfIruqbavf7U7ekkq11eCSG8CadN7A4QEIGZc15r-R3k0W7Nvje-HP_qEC-_7mvf8DWggntioR1tzR1HOCI2P4wNx1A_QNmA9MXbQ3AWYghdFhQOyIR8/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3rd round: Join your new yarn in the space between corners. Work 4 chain, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">2 DC [TR]</span></span></span></span></span></span>, 2 chains and </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"></span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3 DC [TR]. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclyzohQmNkVnejxdciS-MTVykfIruqbavf7U7ekkq11eCSG8CadN7A4QEIGZc15r-R3k0W7Nvje-HP_qEC-_7mvf8DWggntioR1tzR1HOCI2P4wNx1A_QNmA9MXbQ3AWYghdFhQOyIR8/s1600/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclyzohQmNkVnejxdciS-MTVykfIruqbavf7U7ekkq11eCSG8CadN7A4QEIGZc15r-R3k0W7Nvje-HP_qEC-_7mvf8DWggntioR1tzR1HOCI2P4wNx1A_QNmA9MXbQ3AWYghdFhQOyIR8/s1600/1.jpg" height="320" width="272" /></a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Chain 1, * then do a slip stitch in the corner space of the previous row and chain one again.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSr0BwpE_lNPyh9Wd_GrtUV8Bhyphenhyphenv2bWEJj7HAS-H620wR1IppfrhUK586Et6F1mrNi4WR7rlwavFa_yr0FrkGqY5cZszMcxcN8PVEwefGuF6O3TIK0ZSqrFpDjq0Yl8at3fb9E7gXIe0/s1600/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSr0BwpE_lNPyh9Wd_GrtUV8Bhyphenhyphenv2bWEJj7HAS-H620wR1IppfrhUK586Et6F1mrNi4WR7rlwavFa_yr0FrkGqY5cZszMcxcN8PVEwefGuF6O3TIK0ZSqrFpDjq0Yl8at3fb9E7gXIe0/s1600/2.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">In the next space between the corners, do 3</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"> DC [TR]</span></span></span></span></span></span>, 2 chains and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3 DC [TR].**</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Repeat from * to ** twice.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">4th round: continue as for a traditional granny square, i.e. a cluster or shell of 3 </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">2 DC [TR] in each space, with corners made of </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3 DC [TR] </span></span></span></span></span></span>, 2 chains and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">3 DC [TR].</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882466825107441:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882464421774348:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$2:0"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1b.1:3:1:$comment882462805107843_882465611774229:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFqc3w2KBR9d_X5OPPizGRwcrzK-V0f-7nxM7vGLR5IF8InkqXjweh3rekTETb62zui_glkCmFmhoqqRJ6xrH3v4xCz6c2V7wfdFl5dm5fAe0RXwtQ-YbuaeZXdtPMHk9XTSdziHQ4m0/s1600/3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFqc3w2KBR9d_X5OPPizGRwcrzK-V0f-7nxM7vGLR5IF8InkqXjweh3rekTETb62zui_glkCmFmhoqqRJ6xrH3v4xCz6c2V7wfdFl5dm5fAe0RXwtQ-YbuaeZXdtPMHk9XTSdziHQ4m0/s1600/3.jpg" height="357" width="400" /></a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-17839380185622075722015-01-15T15:23:00.002+01:002015-01-15T15:24:42.565+01:00Fearbook, Ice Buckets and the Selfie Generation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAk09NYKRbTQBrHv3-ubBOthClMg1dC-t_Llv-KaMzhdeAhEHjMLM7Tnx7vO1mwcJiKB0Jk-0bWqnCuem3bLTK_ng8vXY9m6i1bsEzQA8h6di7jyzccPRox34Ysu_hBNnfH7Rtnq3NxnA/s1600/Zwischenablage02.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAk09NYKRbTQBrHv3-ubBOthClMg1dC-t_Llv-KaMzhdeAhEHjMLM7Tnx7vO1mwcJiKB0Jk-0bWqnCuem3bLTK_ng8vXY9m6i1bsEzQA8h6di7jyzccPRox34Ysu_hBNnfH7Rtnq3NxnA/s1600/Zwischenablage02.jpg" height="320" width="162" /></a>I'm not old, am I? Not that I'd have a problem if I were properly old, i.e. 90, but I'm barely forty and in my head I'm still <i>really </i>young. My body's ticking along, doing what it's supposed to do. I have small children. I listen to music that's in the charts. I even know the words - some of them, anyway. I have a Twitter account - okay, I don't use it, but I still have one, just in case I felt the need to summarise the minutiae of my daily existence in 140 characters (but, obviously, this sentence alone shows you that this is something I would most likely be incapable of.) Yet somehow a rift has emerged between me and the people coming behind me and it's social-media based. I think I've figured out what it is.<br />
<br />
First off, I like Facebook - even if Mark Zuckerberg knows more about me than I probably do - and I even have two accounts, for my Irish and German lives respectively. But certain aspects of it are beyond me: it serves as a means of frightening the bejabbers out of a person. I mean, I never realised there were so many things just waiting to kill me till I joined Facebook. There I was, just raising my children and minding my own business, then suddenly, I am made aware - by way of badly-punctuated memes - that I am slathering them in carcinogenics on a daily basis. Suncream! Fabric conditioner! Water!!! See, I thought I was feeding my children but instead I am stuffing them with chemicals and plastic which will render them one-eyed, senseless and impotent. Instead of going out to work to pay for our mortgage, I should be at home scrubbing my counter-tops with baking soda and vinegar, making bread from wheat I grew in my flowerbeds, dunged only with the contents of our loo.<br />
<br />
The stress is <i>immense.</i><br />
<br />
The most disturbing thing about Facebook - from the point of view of my rapid ageing - is the marked difference between me and my little brother's generation. My youngest brother was born when I was eighteen: he could've been my son (and was, to our mutual annoyance, often mistaken thus). In social media terms, he is an entire generation - which accounts for millennia and several billion light-years - away from me. I spent my youth trying to avoid being photographed. In my day, it was considered the sign of successful teenagerdom if you managed to spend the decade without your likeness being captured on film in any form. God knows, there are thousands of Irish households with family photos devoid of teenage offspring. But this generation - this generation <i>delights </i>in taking photos of themselves! They do it constantly and everywhere! Social media are splattered with photos of young ones pouting and posing and making funny shapes with their fingers into the lens of their mobile phone - hundreds of photos, readers, <i>hundreds</i>! (And mobile phones, people! Mobile phones!!! Remember when you had 36 photos on your film and you thought carefully before you pressed the button of your camera? Uh-huh.) Young people in need of a hair cut, wearing Granddad glasses and excessive make up, duck-bumming in front of national monuments, natural phenomena and nameless other objects. When they're not doing that, they're trying to get as many people behind the lens as possible, creating a photographic equivalent of the clown car at a circus: pile in a whole heap of friends Having Fun and Being Awesome and post it on social media so the three people who haven't managed to squash into your picture will know that they weren't there when fun was had. People can't eat food any more without photographing it. No one can go anywhere without tagging themselves (and I might mention that in my world, farmers tagged cattle so they could find them if they wandered off. Now we're tagging ourselves. Good grief.) It's enough to give old farts like me palpitations. <br />
<br />
And I am a proverbial old fart because lots of people much older than I are hip to the new media.<a href="http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/commonwealth-games/28464014" target="_blank">The Queen</a>, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/11/03/that-time-bill-clinton-photobombed-a-sad-little-kid/" target="_blank">Bill Clinton</a>, the <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/dalai-lamas-road-selfie-enlightenment-instagram-n40151" target="_blank">Dalai Lam</a>a and even the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/the-pope/10277934/Pope-Francis-and-the-first-Papal-selfie.html" target="_blank">Pope </a>are not averse to photo-bombing or selfies (see how casually I bandy about these new words, all confident-like?) Oh, dear. That's all I can say to that. I don't think the Internet is ready for my mug: there's been enough turmoil in the world without adding my visage to the mix.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-10402357656937622772015-01-06T22:23:00.001+01:002015-01-06T22:23:30.509+01:00My Life as Furniture I really am not the most maternal person. I'm really not. But I have two children and, in general, the smallies seem to like me. This is rather perplexing because I think I look rather stern. But maybe it's the combination of my frowny countenance and the ginormous handbag that gives me the Mary Poppins-esque air that attracts the little blighters. For very often I am the mother at the playground who is generally surrounded by other people's children, as they vie with each other to tell me their family's most intimate secrets ("My Daddy got a new motorbike and this morning he fell off it funny and hurt his privates." "My Gramma has a tattoo of a cat on her leg." "My Mama says Aunt Philippa has more money than sense.") If you see my in the corner by the swings, watch out. A full-on confessional is probably taking place. <br />
<br />
At the moment, I'm in a Weary Mother phase. I love my children, don't get me wrong, but I have a particular fondness for them when they are both asleep. Fast asleep. Let me not put too fine a point on it: right now, my main function in life is mobiliary. My children are either climbing on me, swinging under me, hanging off me, or in the process of doing any of the above. There are days when I do not have twenty minutes where all my limbs are devoid of toddlers or infants, and my own to do as I please. Sometimes I perambulate through the apartment with the small one in one arm and the (slightly) bigger one attached to my leg, or spend entire afternoons sitting under the little one (who's at the annoying stage when he wants to do much more than he actually can, so I have to help him out) while the bigger one builds his train tracks around me. I have a notebook in which I scribble random words that mean a lot when I write them. Twelve long hours later, I have problems remembering what "fish chocolate bar" means.<br />
<br />
But it was brilliant when I wrote it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfE6rUQpoqDA6So3hyFQ4Ir-_0ZPIG34w_CkCK5nHjoyt2tp9vd5R_OkTe915RFLruydFdOeL9lwqUCOmWz_pr0zvz233gTK6-tgAlX05i7RJKCqjWUgmXSlVUaAL2dwBobLqZe2zYB8/s1600/Clipboard01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfE6rUQpoqDA6So3hyFQ4Ir-_0ZPIG34w_CkCK5nHjoyt2tp9vd5R_OkTe915RFLruydFdOeL9lwqUCOmWz_pr0zvz233gTK6-tgAlX05i7RJKCqjWUgmXSlVUaAL2dwBobLqZe2zYB8/s1600/Clipboard01.jpg" height="200" width="111" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He needs a climbing frame, like a cat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My blog has suffered greatly as a result. When I finally get them to bed (and read the word <i>finally</i> like a great, big sigh) all the ideas I tried to scribble down during the day are gone ... or it's just too much effort to write them down in words so that other people will understand them, too. My youngest has been teething for months and he's cutting those teeth on my chest. I'm pretty sure you can buy a pair of latex breasts somewhere in the depths of the internet but, frankly, I'm afraid to look for fear of what I'll find. In any case, I write this at 10.50 pm and, for the first time today, he's not attached to me in some way. The relief!<br />
<br />
So this post is just a big thank you to everyone who wrote heartening, generous, kind, sweet and encouraging comments in the last few weeks. Some of them were so thoughtful, I was really moved. Rather than throw in the towel (The Towel of Frustration), I'll keep going. It's been a good way to start the new year. I'll stop being a Moaning Minnie now, I promise.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-24959945894899726512014-11-04T22:14:00.000+01:002018-10-30T20:38:17.019+01:00PATTERN: Owls, Penguins and Robins<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b7My2SmzJc8mt0oUdUF6f_mOSbJ_BhB9vyvkRYVv2cHPJLPIAY6rd7jNkV2zWx6u-w0LAMB7-S43HJp0x0rzRLgXgZUbSOpjRPkZ381Jn-zcE3R0etwrSwHxG0z7QLAufb6kkCLVyTQ/s1600/owl+penguin+robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b7My2SmzJc8mt0oUdUF6f_mOSbJ_BhB9vyvkRYVv2cHPJLPIAY6rd7jNkV2zWx6u-w0LAMB7-S43HJp0x0rzRLgXgZUbSOpjRPkZ381Jn-zcE3R0etwrSwHxG0z7QLAufb6kkCLVyTQ/s1600/owl+penguin+robin.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This pattern comes as a free PDF. It's basically one very simple pattern that can be used to make little owls, penguins or robins. You can put them on a keychain or attach a thread to hang them from a Christmas tree, or simply make them as a little gift for someone special. Feel free to make them for gifts or to sell at craft fairs, but don't re-sell the pattern or claim it as your own work. That would be very naughty!<br />
The pattern can be downloaded <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/owls-penguins-and-robins" target="_blank">HERE </a>(links to Ravelry.com)<br />
<br />
P.S. Since apologies to any ornithologists who may read this for my blatant disregard of the anatomical differences between these three wingèd creatures.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-61674349484445832172014-10-30T23:44:00.001+01:002015-01-03T21:32:42.239+01:00Autumn<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kDIvrTWWOrpyWk95-Oh3ry3UfflmYl6qzrko5N1AZAnEw9GLKbdocMhkNjCLB1jPXsOB_jFQWKdMQ2g-uBy_vY4IyQhbQZTYgXHsDkhF4TbRVCvZTgmKUCO-GXmKHi5tkf7l5M-aXr8/s1600/20141026_172117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kDIvrTWWOrpyWk95-Oh3ry3UfflmYl6qzrko5N1AZAnEw9GLKbdocMhkNjCLB1jPXsOB_jFQWKdMQ2g-uBy_vY4IyQhbQZTYgXHsDkhF4TbRVCvZTgmKUCO-GXmKHi5tkf7l5M-aXr8/s1600/20141026_172117.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a> <br />
Being a grandparent allows you to behave like the worst parent ever. As we passed the local frozen yoghurt café, my two-year-old said, "Ithe kweme, please! Please, an ithe kweme!"<br />
His winsome lisping for ice cream on a cold evening in the middle of October could only be ignored by the hardest of hearts (= his parents') but his grandparents - my visiting father and mother - are just suckers for his big, blue eyes.<br />
"Ah, Lord above!" they cried, "Would you not get the child some ice cream?"<br />
as though we'd been denying him life-saving medicine, rather than unseasonal frozen yoghurt.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5AipmzUADvUMfq7E8uNatcO9vNF1xaRKumtfT-Ri-4o44EKrYtyxXuWgqNb47DDB8ro7ymz1LF9atjoUkAysw5QCuiwrWw02bIMDGLB0LPVfv47sPn7svDDC6ixRyIjUhUBaRDMM-e8/s1600/John.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5AipmzUADvUMfq7E8uNatcO9vNF1xaRKumtfT-Ri-4o44EKrYtyxXuWgqNb47DDB8ro7ymz1LF9atjoUkAysw5QCuiwrWw02bIMDGLB0LPVfv47sPn7svDDC6ixRyIjUhUBaRDMM-e8/s1600/John.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The look of triumph on a dirty face.</span></i><u><br /></u></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Autumn is well and truly here, and some days it feels like we skipped ahead to winter already. Let me show you what we get up to on our daily walks ... but be warned: I'm going to show you some pictures of scary mushrooms, but they'll come at the end of the post and I'll warn you in advance.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9qW4WJ3nPjGqiVnwVoenGt0AaaktbiF29GLEFILhgbYc1Si0oSS15OD6D1ExNFSUgoX0wCQ_GZQ3FCLgmvVtFoW0i3BjVKRiHpLqOpLhOtJqtrbvucAV0jRrMeSV47HsFDsZBl0KMNM/s1600/20141007_173027.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9qW4WJ3nPjGqiVnwVoenGt0AaaktbiF29GLEFILhgbYc1Si0oSS15OD6D1ExNFSUgoX0wCQ_GZQ3FCLgmvVtFoW0i3BjVKRiHpLqOpLhOtJqtrbvucAV0jRrMeSV47HsFDsZBl0KMNM/s1600/20141007_173027.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu82K7MFf1fklnxnNzsAH5s4jEerONbbbXWMh_LVtsQgBdXUj9lZDZZbAlhAvO6-R81i20ifvrgZp3i2WJyyG5XcWrtv0HZYXI1fpDa1AVp2LYOJ-DW2vPO3Q-DcD9th6RXYol9Ny0g8/s1600/20140906_102605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRu82K7MFf1fklnxnNzsAH5s4jEerONbbbXWMh_LVtsQgBdXUj9lZDZZbAlhAvO6-R81i20ifvrgZp3i2WJyyG5XcWrtv0HZYXI1fpDa1AVp2LYOJ-DW2vPO3Q-DcD9th6RXYol9Ny0g8/s1600/20140906_102605.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Acorn collecting - and every acorn has to have a hat.</span></i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4n8J-RTWWbUla623I6Nqb2gScbvcsIJtPGOZXP6BKrU_ikSVAP7YWgTi-MPG5fYKNB2Dx2ZxKq3fz1lI0sEw8l1DSJGW7C6-_TAv3jtpgcMcSjEMLBm0LRfypiea2ViNEYN1AoOryIk/s1600/20140925_090643.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4n8J-RTWWbUla623I6Nqb2gScbvcsIJtPGOZXP6BKrU_ikSVAP7YWgTi-MPG5fYKNB2Dx2ZxKq3fz1lI0sEw8l1DSJGW7C6-_TAv3jtpgcMcSjEMLBm0LRfypiea2ViNEYN1AoOryIk/s1600/20140925_090643.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Earnest faces in unusual places.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMUJoH2Y_Zj6eJYF7jX0vk3yAwc4TRlPcrEAKEPYuy9ik7a82mzEl5YCXO1pnPLMNry1Og-9f7sP6A0kD1jVNyOE_onfiuK9v2Be6kDRSYCU3NMJ2CQJfygoNh3dEYXbGvSWWatp04Nw/s1600/20141003_174122.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMUJoH2Y_Zj6eJYF7jX0vk3yAwc4TRlPcrEAKEPYuy9ik7a82mzEl5YCXO1pnPLMNry1Og-9f7sP6A0kD1jVNyOE_onfiuK9v2Be6kDRSYCU3NMJ2CQJfygoNh3dEYXbGvSWWatp04Nw/s1600/20141003_174122.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>What better way to advertise a wine merchant's than with a big bunch of golden grapes?</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttFqlUkCNpkFos6V955wiKIGijMvjKiRWTgSRVp_PX6kAJQ1UyP5HPZ4wuGeq5g6YttL047urnCCzjaJCTloGjgDN3RpuMcgg-u-clw_O82a_iUTbjN8gYX2V1Os6Cx1bae9TRfDhoPU/s1600/20141006_161825.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttFqlUkCNpkFos6V955wiKIGijMvjKiRWTgSRVp_PX6kAJQ1UyP5HPZ4wuGeq5g6YttL047urnCCzjaJCTloGjgDN3RpuMcgg-u-clw_O82a_iUTbjN8gYX2V1Os6Cx1bae9TRfDhoPU/s1600/20141006_161825.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>While father and son explore the playground...</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uRgtTzNooUCOMvZ8GLUwprAsrQEgNwAyjv0yncHO_yzPR9hSRgc5moh_pE3l2MCAZrZqwtwanA8QEalsMcd9_-2Y-wY4ZOGqlzsAabyoZOQYpFTJMMSM7JqaWCHBSY3bD9j74T1D-_s/s1600/20141006_161906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uRgtTzNooUCOMvZ8GLUwprAsrQEgNwAyjv0yncHO_yzPR9hSRgc5moh_pE3l2MCAZrZqwtwanA8QEalsMcd9_-2Y-wY4ZOGqlzsAabyoZOQYpFTJMMSM7JqaWCHBSY3bD9j74T1D-_s/s1600/20141006_161906.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">... baby sleeps and mama knits.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgNw_nJbKIz92RFBPonfsDQKjNuOdVXq-HndLrik-RO1nXthc-VRhJgaWFlQIS_5hyphenhyphenPMsFwoLDiOHzmaNRVAtmYKE7JozV-8npiQvqJuJQXKf7P9paysHR2xQasDo1RbhBUkZxUcDT8A/s1600/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgNw_nJbKIz92RFBPonfsDQKjNuOdVXq-HndLrik-RO1nXthc-VRhJgaWFlQIS_5hyphenhyphenPMsFwoLDiOHzmaNRVAtmYKE7JozV-8npiQvqJuJQXKf7P9paysHR2xQasDo1RbhBUkZxUcDT8A/s1600/cat.jpg" height="640" width="376" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">"Hello, cat!" ("Get lost, boychild. I disdain to answer your grovelling for I am a FELINE!"<br />My poor child has a lot to learn about cats, I fear.)</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Now: the scary mushrooms. Click away if you have a fear of fungi.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9qW4WJ3nPjGqiVnwVoenGt0AaaktbiF29GLEFILhgbYc1Si0oSS15OD6D1ExNFSUgoX0wCQ_GZQ3FCLgmvVtFoW0i3BjVKRiHpLqOpLhOtJqtrbvucAV0jRrMeSV47HsFDsZBl0KMNM/s1600/20141007_173027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMIf-zxmq-E99EsOTGd1hSvjNu_ASRQPX1qFXeMJeTsX760QDsnx63I1Vd0_5QS02pq-CB3gFpbTBGzG5-i8rkWiZWikZmCtGxFQQiD51n10Iko321X3qlmX0hKoIU551pAsYeIDQcjI/s1600/20140907_165639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMIf-zxmq-E99EsOTGd1hSvjNu_ASRQPX1qFXeMJeTsX760QDsnx63I1Vd0_5QS02pq-CB3gFpbTBGzG5-i8rkWiZWikZmCtGxFQQiD51n10Iko321X3qlmX0hKoIU551pAsYeIDQcjI/s1600/20140907_165639.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkudNxQ_xFn1dd4wIJcju3Azk5fbzbeI5ijVVpZyroB71WM226AV7MgPxnkNQArYg9Kr1LF0Z0UdLaVQEEWN-AHabKwLf4hRry38EZ0cwCNG5ImdQAkgEczxeAqg66wTQxjyRWYhq9_s/s1600/20140828_102932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkudNxQ_xFn1dd4wIJcju3Azk5fbzbeI5ijVVpZyroB71WM226AV7MgPxnkNQArYg9Kr1LF0Z0UdLaVQEEWN-AHabKwLf4hRry38EZ0cwCNG5ImdQAkgEczxeAqg66wTQxjyRWYhq9_s/s1600/20140828_102932.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Why am I so grimly fascinated by these?</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I hope you're having sunny autumn days, wherever you are!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-72162589843759081432014-10-13T00:14:00.001+02:002014-10-13T00:14:35.503+02:00My Mother<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi451aYYTf6qHR7B8QxW4vzPZPgr1XZsi47EtGit-VmGuZk8f08oZoAoMf0kvak8Sf1aesmwxITn2C6lTWO35JsZ-XloqyWo7tS9l_xXfZpwJr6FGqrQ71s8J_vWIhuI2PqCVvJItwBkyo/s1600/dreamstimefree_589043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi451aYYTf6qHR7B8QxW4vzPZPgr1XZsi47EtGit-VmGuZk8f08oZoAoMf0kvak8Sf1aesmwxITn2C6lTWO35JsZ-XloqyWo7tS9l_xXfZpwJr6FGqrQ71s8J_vWIhuI2PqCVvJItwBkyo/s1600/dreamstimefree_589043.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
At the tender age of nineteen, my mother fell pregnant. 'Fell' being the operative word: she kind of tripped over and by the end of that same year, was married and had a child (me). You might think she and my father had learned their lesson, <i>vis à vis</i> important, life-changing decisions regarding family planning, mightn't you? Well, no, they didn't. She fell pregnant again, then she slipped into pregnancy, careened into pregnancy, stumbled into pregnancy - okay, no need to get the thesaurus out to tell you she had eight more children after me. Why didn't she stop, I often wondered? Life as an only child often seemed like a beautiful dream, one where I had a bedroom of my own and a Barbie doll's house, instead of sharing a room with younger sisters, while Barbie lived in a shoebox. My mother maintains that, having attained perfection with their first child, she and my father felt compelled to try to recreate this miracle eight subsequent times. And failed.<br />
<br />
Of course, she was cackling with laughter when she said that, so take it with a pinch of salt.<br />
<br />
My mother turns A Certain Age today, a round birthday. I can't tell you her age, that would be rude, but you might be able to guess it. She's a <i>tour de force</i>, my mother. She's involved in various committees and boards and groups in our small town, and she claims she's giving them all up ... but I've long suspected that she just likes being in the middle of it all, bossing people around and chairing meetings. I wanted to write a moving tribute to her, but found it difficult to sum up her essence in a few paragraphs. Thus, I decided to tell you about her using some key words.<br />
<br />
These are the things she loves:<br />
<b>1. Tea</b><br />
Ma drinks a lot of tea. Like, a <i>lot </i>of tea. As in: somewhere around ten litres daily (three or four cups an hour ... yup, that's about right). I think her blood is a dun shade of brown, her liver pickled in tannins. When she enters the house, she shouts "That kettle had better be on!" before the door has a chance to fall shut behind her. If someone suffers a trauma, my mother alleviates the situation by shoving a mug under their nose, along with homoeopathic remedies. (But more about them anon.)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>2. Tissues</b><br />
Mother to so many children, a multitude of tissue paper was always needed to keep her and her offspring reasonably clean. She stashes them everywhere: in her pockets, up her sleeves, down her bra. When she removes her jumper due to The Heat (coming to that later as well), a shower of crumpled tissues is released into the atmosphere like snow. If you want to track her down through the house, just look for the tissues.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Cigarettes</b><br />
She's fond of a cig, my mother. Yes, she's tried to give up but 'giving up' just meant that she smoked in the chicken coop instead of the sitting room. Watching my mother puffing under the pear tree in torrential rain throwing desultory scraps at bewildered hens became too much for the family to bear, so she gave up the pretence and smoked inside again. <br />
<br />
<b>4. Downton Abbey</b><br />
I don't quite get this one. I know Downton has a massive appeal that transcends cultural borders, but it's not quite my cup of tea. It's just a soap opera, but with nicer frocks. My mother likes to watch it because of the nice frocks, of course, but also because everyone is jolly nice to each other in a sexless (sorry: s-e-x-less) way and difficult issues are resolved quickly and to everyone's satisfaction, usually by topping one of the characters. When a lead met his doom a couple of seasons ago, my mother - like millions of viewers all over the globe - was aghast. But why? I wondered. Downton Abbey is cursed: pose any kind of difficulty to Mrs and Mrs Downton and their lockjawed offspring, and you'll be killed off! Unwanted girlfriends, wayward daughters, drunken exes, unhappy sons-in-law: the Doomton Abbey will strike you a fatal blow and everyone's grief will be dealt with by the time the village fete takes place, two episodes on.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Homeopathy</b><br />
My mother practises homoeopathy from the cupboard over the deep fat fryer. If anything ails you, she'll produce a small bottle and try to foist pills upon you. You might wave them away, you might point out that the expiry date was 2009, you might not know whether you feel better in hot or cold weather (upon which the success of the remedy hinges), it's often easier to take the pills and pretend they work, regardless of whether or not they do. <br />
<br />
<i>Some of the things she dislikes:</i><br />
<b>1. The Heat</b><br />
My parents' house is freezing. It's an old stone farmhouse and it's draughty and cold. When you tell my parents this, they are deeply offended. <br />
"This house is perfectly warm!" thunders my father. Not that he's bad-tempered or anything, but he has to thunder so you can hear him through his thermal vest, three t-shirts, woolly jumper and fleece-lined waistcoat. If - God forbid!!!!! - the temperatures in a room should creep towards 17°C or 18°C, panic sets in and my mother goes about flinging windows open <br />
"We'll die of The Heat!" she says, wiping her brow with a tissue she's dug out of her bra. <br />
She has a morbid fear of The Heat. One of her worst nightmares is being at someone's home where they might have - clutch your pearls, readers - central heating on and double-glazed windows. The Heat! Think of The Heat! <br />
<br />
Luckily, though, there is something that combats The Heat, namely A Healthy Draught. This is the icy wind that blows down the stair case and whistles under the door, ensuring that the sitting room never gets properly warm. This, my dears, is The Healthy Draught that stops us all from ending up with all kinds of Fevers, Agues, the Humours and all kinds of other Dickensian illnesses that could only be cured by a trip to the cupboard over the deep fat fryer.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Strange Food</b><br />
Strange Food is any kind of food that was not available in Ireland in the 1950s. This covers about 90% of the foodstuff available in Ireland in the 2010s. But this is not just my mother - all of her sisters are the same. When forced to eat anything Foreign - say, pizza or curry - they smile their rigid smiles and raise the fork to their face ... but don't actually put it in. At the last moment, disgust causes them to reflexively turn their faces away. And I'm not joking: I've actually sat at tables and watched my mother and my aunts jab their faces with the silverware, rather than put a spoon of <i>chilli con carne</i> in their mouths.<br />
Oh, go on, then: I'll admit it. It's a funny sight. It's worth dishing up a chicken korma at a family occasion, just to see them struggle with their compulsive politeness and genteel repulsion. Basically my mother would never survive any kind of torture: if someone wanted to get some state secrets out of her, all they'd need to do is force-feed her <i>spaghetti alla carbonara</i>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGA9bOpvBeLLmIKlzYSYNqlQ8xvXGkCeyYKkRwFs43H-yijUjE0LUC3vQX0EOWZKnAaKFgh6By5KcRPeqckRKwEmh5dGAmj-TpUgC-L_b9KuMR2oJkIuRm0YFNK33zy6A4ZNCwGLkBJTk/s1600/wine.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGA9bOpvBeLLmIKlzYSYNqlQ8xvXGkCeyYKkRwFs43H-yijUjE0LUC3vQX0EOWZKnAaKFgh6By5KcRPeqckRKwEmh5dGAmj-TpUgC-L_b9KuMR2oJkIuRm0YFNK33zy6A4ZNCwGLkBJTk/s1600/wine.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a><br />
<b>3. Alcohol</b><br />
She doesn't drink. And never has. My mother never touches a drop. She's occasionally been put in a position where taking a sip might be required of her (handed a champagne flute at someone's wedding, for example) but she simply jabs her cheek with it or jams it into her forehead, before hiding it on a table and shedding a layer of outer clothing to combat The Heat. <br />
<br />
<b>4. Books with s-e-x</b><br />
My ma is an avid reader, but a choosy one. Nothing ruins A Nice Book like a steamy scene. Given a choice, she'd like a nice historical novel, where bosoms are encased firmly behind a corset and throbbing members never see the light of day. She has never quite understood the appeal of <i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i>: reading a book about people prancing around in the nip, spanking each other and having s-e-x would be enough to have her go through several tissues at once.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Marilyn Monroe</b><br />
We're going to leave aside the scurrilous rumour that The Blond One had shenanigans with John F. Kennedy - no, we're not even going to go there - and focus on the fact that she is, in the words of my mother, <i>a terrible twit</i>. She can't understand how any man with a screed of sense could possibly fancy her.<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(My father thinks she's gorgeous.)</span><br />
<br />
Is that my mother? I think that might give you a sense of her essence. But in actual fact, I can't sum up what she means to me or to my family.<br />
She's the heart that beats at our centre, that's all.<br />
And that's all there is to say.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-27319218143452474272014-10-07T23:03:00.000+02:002014-10-07T23:09:46.828+02:00Owls and Penguins On Their Way<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUF3mQRU6q2JdfFIy2AbmOO8xW_EFV6hyphenhyphenVjw4K5QzIlzgeLeeiVuKw9jcp1tLXHfyV0VtcKgEWml9gneO7kgm5eopnzMwxpHZ7928rUmyUf4wDhXw5vbHU98D7dP7dziMNKykfFOFMY8/s1600/20141003_150432+-+Kopie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUF3mQRU6q2JdfFIy2AbmOO8xW_EFV6hyphenhyphenVjw4K5QzIlzgeLeeiVuKw9jcp1tLXHfyV0VtcKgEWml9gneO7kgm5eopnzMwxpHZ7928rUmyUf4wDhXw5vbHU98D7dP7dziMNKykfFOFMY8/s1600/20141003_150432+-+Kopie.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a> </div>
<br />
Ah, charity.<br />
Don't get me wrong. Big charities are the ones with the clout, the ones that can make changes, lobby governments, make a significant difference. But I live in the centre of a small city and I am accosted daily by toothily attractive young people out collecting direct debit details (no, they don't shake a can under your nose any more, they want a permanent recurring donation direct from your bank account), handing out shiny literature and unwanted compliments. So while I could never say a bad word about UNICEF or the Red Cross, I sometimes also like to make a donation to a charity with the feeling that I am directly contributing to something, that my money or my effort goes directly to someone in need, and does not get used in part to pay an hourly wage to collectors, printing costs, advertising, directors' salaries ... or anything else the big charities need to continue to function and make their difference. <br />
<br />
One of my friends runs a Christmas bazaar to collect money for our local children's clinic. Helped by an army of elderly ladies, they spend the year knitting and crocheting and jam-making for their stall during the holiday season. The money they make is used to buy equipment for the local clinic or to fly children in from crisis areas for needed operations. The medical staff at the clinic will operate for free if the ladies can fly the patients and their parents to Germany. So this is what they do: a handful of pensioners spend the Advent Saturdays in the freezing cold, selling chutneys and scarves and candles, and euro by euro they make enough money to make a small difference in a global sense, but a huge difference to a small group of individuals. That's good, too.<br />
<br />
Last year I made a stack of owl key rings and they sold out within an hour. This year, I've started again. I plan to make thirty of them - and more if my fingers don't fall off. And I'm finally going to post the pattern for you! (just give me a day or two...) While some people feel a bit odd about the results of their patterns being sold (which, by the way, is apparently not illegal under US copyright law, so there you go - you learn something new every day), I have no problem with you using this pattern to make gifts for the holiday season, to give to or sell for charity - and if you make a few bob for yourself as a result of making them ... well, good for you. Be warned, though, the little blighters have a mind of their own. When I set up this photo, they were all facing upwards, I swear. But the one in the bottom lefthand corner is trying to escape and the pink one in the second row is pulling his neighbour's feathers. Spooky!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUF3mQRU6q2JdfFIy2AbmOO8xW_EFV6hyphenhyphenVjw4K5QzIlzgeLeeiVuKw9jcp1tLXHfyV0VtcKgEWml9gneO7kgm5eopnzMwxpHZ7928rUmyUf4wDhXw5vbHU98D7dP7dziMNKykfFOFMY8/s1600/20141003_150432+-+Kopie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLR3y8AXBydq_doZxsMwjF9EXP1A61FalaGLA4cDDn_9y9bouEPSoFjH3LifFRTzymTLqOF4Bhn3ro0vpjtFbCQg9RwMUBdr152unXf0_v26x4r5znj_fMunqxhXlgF8MIrt8Xl45Kh8/s1600/group+photo+-+Kopie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLR3y8AXBydq_doZxsMwjF9EXP1A61FalaGLA4cDDn_9y9bouEPSoFjH3LifFRTzymTLqOF4Bhn3ro0vpjtFbCQg9RwMUBdr152unXf0_v26x4r5znj_fMunqxhXlgF8MIrt8Xl45Kh8/s1600/group+photo+-+Kopie.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61ddWW8wFVaoWhSXPkmRGSk-Ozg1BvfE5oXDGuhqZiJaWW_ctPJ-foGQsTT9siQHNy-ympDsDQsJvPmWi4f0EWV0Ovu_DdHN5_wlBgJYd8KKABEeF5I3kBoS8Gt2QaV5FQAU0yAN5RBg/s1600/close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61ddWW8wFVaoWhSXPkmRGSk-Ozg1BvfE5oXDGuhqZiJaWW_ctPJ-foGQsTT9siQHNy-ympDsDQsJvPmWi4f0EWV0Ovu_DdHN5_wlBgJYd8KKABEeF5I3kBoS8Gt2QaV5FQAU0yAN5RBg/s1600/close+up.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Caught in the act. Can't leave them alone for a second.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-81597047247039986342014-09-27T22:43:00.001+02:002015-01-22T20:33:38.657+01:00PATTERN: The Margaret Square<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This free pattern is for an afghan square that I named the Margaret square: Daisy was a popular nickname for girls called Margaret, but this square seemed a little bit more demure and less whimsical than the name Daisy merited, so it goes by the more formal Margaret instead. Using a 5 mm (H) hook, it creates a 15 cm / 6 inch square. Using a worsted weight yarn and a larger hook, this square would measure close to eight inches.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The pattern can be downloaded as a PDF from the Ravelry pattern store for free (you don't have to be a member of this site to download the PDF.) <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/dls/the-gingerbread-lady-designs/233400?filename=Margaret_Square.pdf">download now</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oJf1NIQJshuEHH0a16Ce_s8SYbKDkHD-OzPd7Iw5obUgiRUbwgRFNu_yQz86brEE3ZIY0gRBeeyM4FMvlnbbhQHutf0yvoupkzry2WiZ-9sQv3YThyphenhyphenUjNLnomNJ_3I8Es9q-A02dZi8/s1600/CLOSE+UP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oJf1NIQJshuEHH0a16Ce_s8SYbKDkHD-OzPd7Iw5obUgiRUbwgRFNu_yQz86brEE3ZIY0gRBeeyM4FMvlnbbhQHutf0yvoupkzry2WiZ-9sQv3YThyphenhyphenUjNLnomNJ_3I8Es9q-A02dZi8/s1600/CLOSE+UP.jpg" height="257" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nY0dF7edFDexHrJdCheS85EFF6kvc9r9gV4vY8IcOholP_-zuMBnLfEAYi9o9H1BQb-MIpbJrLgsql-BKQsiOVR3PFNpFEGs-VrR_QY2fclFWtFH8KF5vWt9sB6dmqYWtQxAG_B5EZc/s1600/margaret+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nY0dF7edFDexHrJdCheS85EFF6kvc9r9gV4vY8IcOholP_-zuMBnLfEAYi9o9H1BQb-MIpbJrLgsql-BKQsiOVR3PFNpFEGs-VrR_QY2fclFWtFH8KF5vWt9sB6dmqYWtQxAG_B5EZc/s1600/margaret+2.jpg" height="514" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907318835461639396.post-40821913159890101102014-09-26T23:44:00.000+02:002015-01-03T20:30:36.568+01:00Me and the Y ChromosomeI have a husband and two sons. This greatly influences my crafting endeavors, primarily because of all the (cough) "help":<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPt88M9FQU6CFCzwSX_b0XG654VR7RYIcmC3C7WZFNcHBno2CcYpKA1LQS3zKv4Uyg2DNR2stp65YtYA0QC1ovALYiiX2buTBb4GTvYAD0JdwCSzbVMTllehcHOqTeChjk88P6kG8O53s/s1600/20140810_191247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPt88M9FQU6CFCzwSX_b0XG654VR7RYIcmC3C7WZFNcHBno2CcYpKA1LQS3zKv4Uyg2DNR2stp65YtYA0QC1ovALYiiX2buTBb4GTvYAD0JdwCSzbVMTllehcHOqTeChjk88P6kG8O53s/s1600/20140810_191247.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This is MY street!"<br />
"No, this is MY crochet."<br />
"NO, this is my STREET!"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k54ZTuv9cfLA1S7ByKbznZROUubXX0cHH3hnjjKG1Pb1qNxA7E6j1B9U16kp2_Ow2TU2ep7npoGhA3XAjYmfIHs7xOWj46jqgGzFOD5UbBVSygqP37kvX2lsTvAfZdNw0pmUEBN0aLI/s1600/john.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8k54ZTuv9cfLA1S7ByKbznZROUubXX0cHH3hnjjKG1Pb1qNxA7E6j1B9U16kp2_Ow2TU2ep7npoGhA3XAjYmfIHs7xOWj46jqgGzFOD5UbBVSygqP37kvX2lsTvAfZdNw0pmUEBN0aLI/s1600/john.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Wheeeeee!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqU2ukD7eV3yMCkDCQaNZfuDjIEnX_tmC_KDboBldNik3xf9z6F1mnErSeicV1LrwXIyezrXScG_knNte-nXH7WMsfc8oA0ll67WEDqJSAgst2PcDvKdBGzgiEFKnWerR2JnZbUEd-jQ/s1600/P1050040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqU2ukD7eV3yMCkDCQaNZfuDjIEnX_tmC_KDboBldNik3xf9z6F1mnErSeicV1LrwXIyezrXScG_knNte-nXH7WMsfc8oA0ll67WEDqJSAgst2PcDvKdBGzgiEFKnWerR2JnZbUEd-jQ/s1600/P1050040.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Craft basket hemmed in by vehicles. I waded through a sea of Matchbox cars to take this photo.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BPq2vYijbhq1IZOEhxxJCHx_qbvSljyG5oMiWhf0UztEfElQUvz6jgrxisDvwBdyfkHMeKNmFPP6eFOw-HKGfVNvDP-IrMMpbaZGM7MaxpFbMpWqvstpPwKGT6_3uq-EbsLWxp8Gr8w/s1600/start1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BPq2vYijbhq1IZOEhxxJCHx_qbvSljyG5oMiWhf0UztEfElQUvz6jgrxisDvwBdyfkHMeKNmFPP6eFOw-HKGfVNvDP-IrMMpbaZGM7MaxpFbMpWqvstpPwKGT6_3uq-EbsLWxp8Gr8w/s1600/start1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks, love.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Surrounded as I am by cars, tractors, diggers, front-loaders, trucks, trains, helicopters and planes, it's very nice to make things that are ... more feminine. I recently knit my niece a jumper - more about that in another post, but here's a picture for now, because we all need a bit of colour:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOPzByJH988kNsmgqKU-1MuP0OP1Dj8KeyEjmtseEhGLKgSHwEyRw0MXojMdeNmp-gU9_TChYaDFyz_pgSX5iyCUykNPR85aMnUcNSmuzDcOMRcpckF4KrNbhGUKiQ-QE_FSUjcbpfGs/s1600/Rainbow.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In my defence, she wanted "a jumper in rainbow colours" </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
... and that blanket in the craft basket? It's a new, free pattern that will follow before the weekend is out!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5