Ticking off those things on the list ...

♥

Isn't it always pleasing when things that have been on your to do list for some time finally get done ?

It has to be said that none of the things on my list were likely to save the planet or make the National newspapers, but nevertheless they are jobs well done.

 

I have been making a blanket for some time now that has just been rumbling along in the background whenever I have had a bit of time. I'm sure it has taken longer than it should as with puppy Otto stopping all play, crochet on this scale has only been able to take place with me tucked away on my bed, in my room.

 

 

And talking of scale this has to be the biggest blanket I have made so far. Its the same pattern as my super quick blanket but this one has been made to King size measurements and is truly humongous !

 

 

A friend had asked me to make it for her and it has been my first ever paid commission.

I remember Annie from Knitsofacto discussing the pros and cons of this once and as much as I love crocheting the hours away I'm not sure I would do it again.

It puts a completely different slant on things and I have found myself feeling under pressure to get it finished promptly, and that was after much troublesome worry and thought over costings and so on. In the end my friend bought all the wool and we just agreed a price for labour between us.

 

 

 

The best bit, as always, was the border. I love the way this suddenly turns a great big bit of non-descript crochet into a neatly finished blanket.

 

Nothing complicated, just a ruffle made by working three trebles into the back loop of

each stitch, all the way around.

 

 Now that it is done I am very pleased with how it has turned out

and once tied up in a ribbon it was safely delivered to its new owner.

 

 ♥

The other good job done was a spot of extreme chutney making, from 30lbs of apples !
Each time I went out into the garden the apples seemed to be staring at me, quietly reminding me that if I didn't get a wiggle on they'd all end up either pecked away by the birds or bruised and battered as windfalls.
 

 

Fortunately there were two extra pairs of hands to help with the peeling, coring and chopping and 
for an entire day our house was full of the smell of pickling spice and sweet apples. It quietly bubbled away for several hours, getting darker and thicker until it looked well, chutneyish !



 

Lots of jars were filled and I have been made to promise to not give it all away this year.
Last years chutney lasted us exactly one week, over Christmas, and it was only then we realised every single other jar had been dispatched as presents to friends and family.

We managed to let this years batch mature for ooh, at least 2 hours before the first jar was
 opened for a sneaky taste.

 ♥
The other job that had been niggling away at the back of my mind was what I was going to do for the five table arrangements that I had been asked to do for our village Harvest Lunch.
I really wanted to something that incorporated some Autumn leaves
 



 

and my first idea was to use PVA glue to paste some on the outside of jam jars.

That sounds so simple doesn't it ?

But, half an hour later after battling with some very unbendable leaves and lots of very sticky, slimy jam jars I gave up on that idea.

So, moving swiftly on to Plan B ...

 

 

Leaves, a hole punch and some string.

Definitely a whole lot quicker and much less messy,

 

but still suitably autumnal.

 

♥ 

 

Of course, the only problem with coming to the end of a list of jobs is that another one is bound to have already started - but ooh, have I got some exciting things ticking away ....

 

How are all of your to do lists coming along ?

 

♥