Lately

Hello

I hope you are well and safe and Storm Dennis isn't being bad to you.  Luckily I live on top of The Cotswolds but around the River Severn flooding is severe, my heart goes out to those people affected.

When I was shopping last week I saw some Marmalade Oranges.  

Several hours of chopping, boiling and bubbling later, my marmalade was made.

Miss Clicky and her hubby moved into their new home in the summer but they still haven't got blinds and curtains for their kitchen.  I offered to make them some for Christmas so they choose the fabric and I am in the middle of making.  Our kitchen island makes the perfect cutting table. 


I saw these little clips on Pinterest to use instead of pins.   I got a bag of 50 from Amazon and I am really liking them.

I have been using my Singer 201 (Kathleen) for this job.  I found this machine locally before Christmas.  She was made in 1945 and has the Indian Star decals on the bed.  

When I picked her up I asked the seller about this and she told me that her parents were in India and that is where it was bought, used and then shipped back to the UK.  The box number and their name was written on the case.

Singer 201s were used by Rolls Royce for sewing their leather seats as it was the only machine up to the job.  She had a wiring check and PAT test from an expert to make her safe to sew with.

She is a lovely machine to use and goes like a rocket!   However, things haven't all gone well.  She was skipping stitches.  I tried all the usual things, changed the needle 3 times, re-threaded, played around with the bobbin and stuck a straw in the cotton reel to stop it wobbling around but the stitches were still skipping.  I walked away.  

The next morning I looked down into the tension discs and noticed a tiny piece of yellow thread, left in from her service.  We are now friends again.

It's not all sewing.  The blanket that I started for Baby Needles has grown a bit but not that much.

I am half way through a Tierney Wrap Cardigan.  This pattern is from The Knitter Issue 42.

It is shaped by short rows, and made sideways.

Lastly I have a pair of gloves half made.  I think I am going to use these as my plane knitting next week, gloves will make a pleasant change from socks.   I am off to Chicago to stay with Mr Clicky for a month.  

Mr Clicky arrived back in the UK yesterday, his flight arrived earlier than expected, blown faster by the storm.    We are flying to Chicago, together, for a change, next weekend.   Let's hope I can get the blinds and curtains made before we leave.

Have fun................Clicky Needles.