Thursday 30 June 2016

For Angelika - Isosceles Granny Triangle

Angelika enquired about how I made a right angled granny i.e. half a granny square, as she landed on this post. Unfortunately I'd not posted the instructions on how I achieved this and could I remember? No, of course not as I'd made it up as I went along. I emailed back and said I'd experiment again so here is my up to date version of an isosceles granny triangle.

The crucial part is getting the first round correct. I don't think this second attempt is exactly the same as the first but it does the job.

First chain 3 - this is the base.


Put your finger on the last chain and chain a further 2 which stand in for the first treble of the cluster.


Chain 2 trebles into the chain marked with your finger.


Chain 2 and then work another cluster of 3 trebles into the same chain. (This is the first corner.)


Chain 1 and work a cluster of trebles into the next chain which is the second chain of the first 3.


Chain 1 and work 2 clusters of trebles separated by 2 chain into the first chain. (This is the second corner.)


Chain 1 and work 2 clusters of trebles separated by 2 chain into the middle chain of the first 3. (This is the third corner.)

Join with a sl. st. to the first cluster.


There should be 3 clusters or shells across the hypotenuse and 2 clusters down each side. The 3 corners have 2 chain separating the clusters and the sides - 1 chain.


 Now it's just like any other granny square except there are only 3 sides. In each corner work 2 clusters separated by 2 chain and on each side work one cluster separated by 1 chain. I suggest that if you want your corners sharper then a 3 chain gap may achieve that. (I've not experimented though.) Here's the second round.


And here's the third.


To make the first 3 chain stronger they could be chained with double yarn.


I've not tried a 3, 4, 5 triangle but I'm sure the same principles will apply. I'll try one later and slot it in below.

Hope this helps, Angelika.

xx

PS Apologies for the pictures not being clear and the rushed annotation - so excited to do the triangle. (That's my excuse!)


Edited an hour later.

This isosceles triangle pattern will only work for 3 rounds as the more rounds you add on, the longer the hypotenuse should get. I've worked 5 rounds here.


As you can see I've altered the red round and done doubles instead of trebles. I also chained 2 in between at the sides on this row. For the white row I just crocheted doubles - as many as would fit in and I chained 3 at the corners. If this needs to be larger I would continue in this way. For a large triangular blanket an equilateral triangle is probably the way to go (it starts like an ordinary granny but with 3 clusters instead of 4) but it will have 60 degree angles as opposed to a right angle and 2 x 45 degrees. I'll keep going until I have a few more rounds.

Thanks, Angelika for the challenge. O level maths has not deserted me!

xx

Edited more than an hour later.


I've finished 10 rounds and my conclusions is that just dcs are needed on the hypotenuse in order to keep it straight.

You can see that I tried to go back to clusters on the last round but it put the line out slightly. Maybe I should have left 3 chain instead of 2 in between the clusters or, to be on the safe side, just left it as all dcs.

Angelika - you need to get yourself a blog so that I can see your finished creation in action!

xx








Tuesday 28 June 2016

The vine is on its third haircut and I've tried to put all the bunches of grapes hanging downwards.


There's grapes on the main branch and grape on the side branch so ...


I'm going to have my work cut out eating this lot when they're ready.


We've had a trip to the plant place where we originally bought this vine in the 80s and the 'mother' vine is still there. I've quizzed the now elderly owner on how he prunes and he's a lot more ruthless than me in removing shoots. 

I feel another haircut coming on!

xx

Monday 27 June 2016

Whoo, hoo ...

I lost another 2!

Two pounds lighter this week and I'm not at all hungry or craving more. I have a very small breakfast - just one slice of toast with a cup of tea. I know it's recommended that dieters eat a large breakfast but I want to do this losing weight my way with as little disruption to my 'normal' diet as possible. My lunch consists of home made soup or something to do with eggs - 2 at the most and one slice of toast followed by a piece of fruit. My main meal is a 'normal' for me meal, just a smaller portion or a larger one minus anything really fattening. e.g. half the plate vegetables and only very small portions of meat, if any. Suppers are still there but I'm cutting down the portion size and the 'going back for more' aspect!

My exercise is still the same as before dieting to lose weight and if needed I could possibly do more. I don't think I'll add anything to the formula this week and see what happens next. I'm nearing my first target weight and I'll see how I feel when I reach it. Now I can fit into all my jeans with the waistbands comfortable and not digging in. My bras are not tight either.

Thank you so much for helping me - I could not do this without you spurring me on. The fact that I know others are 'watching' me makes me more determined to achieve my goal. I'm very close now and another few weeks should get me where I want to be.

I'm hanging on in there!

xx

Thursday 23 June 2016

A bit of a frill

I like a bit of a frill ...


… in the garden from time to time.


xx

Tuesday 21 June 2016

The first

Our first strawberries. They are about to be added to the fruit salad and eaten.


xx

Monday 20 June 2016

Like lightning

Well, not quite. I'm lightening very slowly - just one more pound lost this week but it all adds up. Nearly half a stone gone, the clothes fit, the inches are lost and I feel much better about myself. I'm determined to take off the next half stone though so it's onward and upward with the same regime.

Today I've had for breakfast one slice of toast spread thinly with Marmite.
Lunch was one and a half scrambled eggs (DH had the other one and a half) with a few tinned tomatoes plus one dry slice of toast, followed by fresh fruit salad. Tea will be steamed veg and chicken followed by fresh fruit salad. My downfall is having a supper so I shall focus on cutting down or eliminating them altogether. Suppers have been crackers or muesli, a sandwich or a some left-overs from tea time.

Supper today will be a few prawns from Lidl. I shall put them in a small bowl and nibble them slowly. And not have them served up as a prawn cocktail. And not have them in a sandwich with a packet of crisps! And not follow them with a slice of cake or some more crackers. And not secretly raid the choccy raisins! Oh dear my secrets are out. I shall report back on the subject of suppers next week. I shall need all the support I can get as I'm starving at suppertime.

xx

PS Pam, I've posted your parcel. There's an added small pressie in there aswell if you want it. Just remember to make the parcel up again to 10 items and then pass it on. I wonder what you'll pick from my little selection!

Friday 17 June 2016

I tossed a coin

There were only 2 takers for my 1, 2, 3, giveaway game but 2 is better than none at all and I hope that the giveaway will move on and on to other bloggers so I can trace it all the way for as long as possible.

I tossed a coin to find out the winner of the first parcel, having designated one person 'heads' and the other 'tails', and the winner is Pam from 'A New Life in Wales'.

Pam will you email me your address please and Crafty Caroline do you have a blog? If you do, perhaps I could do another parcel for you too. If you don't, please email me your address and tell me what you had your eye on and I'll see if I can find something for you.

xx

Thursday 16 June 2016

What's for lunch today?

Let's go out in the garden and have a look.


The mangies tootsies are still prolific and need to be picked every day.


The lettuce is sitting there by the thousand (slight exageration)! Aha! Lettuce and pea soup. I gently fried an onion and a potato cut it into very small pieces, fried it in a little butter then added in stock made from a stock cube. I simmered for about 5 minutes and then added the mangies for another 5 minutes and then the rescued lettuce (well washed) for another 3 minutes until it had wilted.


A quick whizz with the whizzer and voila - soup from the garden. Food miles - 30 steps. I added a little milk to make it cream of mangie and lettuce soup. When I serve it I shall sprinkle some chopped chives on the top.


We'll follow our meal with some fresh fruit salad - just fruit cut up and nothing else.


I have some homemade bread from yesterday to go with the soup and ...


quite a lot of the outer leaves ended up in the compost.


Diet - win (apart from the butter and stock cube)
Environment - win
Satisfaction - win

I'm a winner today!

xx



Wednesday 15 June 2016

From my seat

I'm at DD's and DH is fixing gates while I babysit the pusscats. In front of me is this little bundle of fluff. I say little because he's only a kitten but he's really rather on the large size and he's going to grow very BIG.

Maine Coon

Oriental shorthair

British lilac shorthair

I have a book on my knee which I'm dipping into every so often between stroking and playing with the cats.


The shopper came from the CS and is very lightweight. I bought it to hold my dancing shoes but it's come in handy as a quick 'throw it in' bag when grabbing things to go out at short notice.


Love to all.

xx

PS 1. Don't forget to comment if you wish to join in the 1, 2, 3 giveaway and pass it on game. If there's only 2 takers I shall be tossing a coin at the weekend.
2. I've enjoyed visiting some new blogs this week and have found some new ideas.

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Who reads my blog?

I've noticed that I'm getting comments from quite a few new to me readers during the last few weeks and I love going to visit them if they have a blog. I wonder how they found their way here. Did they blog hop? Had they typed some specific words into Google? What was their journey here? If you are one of my new commenters or followers I would love to hear how you came to land on these pages and if you are out there and read regularly and don't comment why not comment today just to say hello. I don't bite!

Hello to Mr Homemaker and Keith who commented recently. And to all the 'every so often' commenters, I'm so glad you popped by.

Hello to all who visit and don't have a blog of their own. Have you ever considered starting one? I'd love to visit you if you do.

My journeys to other blogs are through blog hopping and also typing my interests into Google. It's fun looking at similar lifestyles and gleaning tips and inspiration from others.



I'm a blog happy bunny today!

xx

PS - Ditty time.

Where did you find me?
Why do you stay?
Do you leave comments?
What do you say?

Monday 13 June 2016

Going, going

but not all gone yet. Just another pound shed this week - slow but sure. My goals so far are:-

1.  No biscuits
2. No alcohol
3. No puddings or cake
4. Cut the suppers
5. Smaller portions
6. No bread with meals
7. Drink enough water

I still need to work on number 3 as I've been having 'just a tiny taste' of cake which really should be 'no cake'. I'm having trouble cutting suppers altogether but I have cut the amount. Numbers 1, 2, 6 and 7 I can do fairly easily.

My focus this week will be to add more veggies than I do already to my meals. The veg will be mainly mange tout as they are growing thick and fast. I shall do smaller portions of more fattening meals (I can't give up all my favourite meals) and leave the larger portions to non fattening foods.

My clothes are less tight now which is good.

xx

Sunday 12 June 2016

For Arlene

I wrote about picking out the side shoots on my tomato plants in the last post. Here's a link to a video on how to do that very thing.


And here's another.


I've been pinching out the side shoots every day. It's surprising how fast they grow.

Hope this clarifies everything, Arlene.

xx

Saturday 11 June 2016

Morning Routine

As part of my Morning Routine I take a tour around the garden while the cat goes for a walk-around. All is growing well and we will soon be eating the potatoes as these flowers have been on for a while. The Mange Tout are waving about in the background. Hi there. They have featured in our meals for the last week plus have been given away to friends as there are so many of them. Over to the left are broad beans and in the middle are sweetcorn which are just getting going.


The dingily dangly mange tout grow from a flower in about a day! I don't need to string them and they take very little cooking - just steamed, stir fried, boiled for a while or eaten raw.


A mountain of strawberries await us.


The chive flowers make a wonderful show with the foxgloves opposite them.


A very important part of my Morning Routine is picking off the side shoots of the tomato plants. In the past I have been very lax and they have grown all over the place in the greenhouse. No more - it's in the routine and off they come. I thought every other day would do for an inspection but no, daily vigilance is required to eliminate these little blighters.


I thought I was doing well until I spotted this one sprouting from the base of the plant.


Oh no! And this one is nearly another large plant.


Most of the other plants are growing straight upwards, if a little wonky!


Now they are receiving maximum light from the side windows. (The grape vine shades the roof windows.)


Here's my creative piece on the plot. It's a shame to pick the lettuce as it spoils the symmetry.


Happy planting!

xx

PS Not many people have commented on yesterday's post but I'll not send the parcel anywhere until next week, so if you would like to join in the blog giveaway game there will still be time. Sorry I can't mail to the rest of the world but postage would be too expensive.



Friday 10 June 2016

One, Two, Three out of Ten

Let's play a never ending chain game. Here's the game and you can only score up to three out of ten. Everybody wins. Good game? Why not join in. Here's my idea.

I have put together 10 items, homemade, given or thrifted from the CB or CS. There is only one item that is new to me. I will send these items to one person who may choose up to three items to keep. They will then have to replace those chosen with some items of their own (no edibles or perishables please). Now it will be their turn to post on their blog to find another recipient. Once found they will send them ten items with the directions I have just outlined (I've repeated them in italics at the end of this post.)

My ten items are:-

1. A frilly, knitted scarf


2 - 6.  A Christmas stamp, dolphin cutter, wooden bookmark, fancy paper notebook and a pink necklace.


7 - 10. A crochet book, a packet of Christmas or greetings card blanks with envelopes, a new hair slide and an Egyptian themed stamp


This idea may or may not get off the ground as it depends on who is interested and who wishes to spend money on posting a small parcel. I'll set up a page to record each step of the parcel's journey and we should be able to view quite a few new to us blogs along the way.

So here are the directions for the:-

One, two, three out of Ten Chain Game

1. Leave a comment to be in with a chance of receiving the parcel.
2. Choose up to one, two or three things from the parcel and replace the items to make ten.
3. Comment on the One, Two, Three out of Ten Chain Game page when you've received and sorted out your new package and posted on your blog.
4. Decide whether to post just to the UK or to the world!
4. In your post make sure you have these directions.

I am only posting to the UK because of the weight of my package so my apologies to readers from across the seas.

Please leave a comment if you wish to have a chance of receiving this parcel.

xx



Tuesday 7 June 2016

I knew it

The weather was glorious.
Easy decision to go to the neighbour's BBQ to be sociable.
Many burgers (well only 2) were consumed and drinks drunk.
Perhaps we should have made an excuse to leave earlier.
The afternoon was very relaxed and pleasant with good company.
Eventually we left, early in fact.
Doing so we thought we had not strayed too far from the dieting.

It's very easy to do but now we are back on track so …

only half a pound lost this week. Still the weight is on a downward track.

Smaller portions this week and chewing for longer!

xx


Sunday 5 June 2016

Car Bootyful

Do I need more wool? Yes, of course.


Do I need another basket? Oh yes - I can store things in it and the whole look will be streamlined.


Do I need more paper? Certainly do - this little book contains lots of different coloured papers that are ideal for card making.


It's a lovely little book, which also could be a present for someone.


Do I need more files? Well if I'm to get myself organised then yes and they hide a multitude of cr** things.


Was it a good haul today?

Oh yes - I'm off to knit a twirly scarf now. My stash of presents will grow.

xx

Wednesday 1 June 2016

Question

Is it a boat or is it a plane?


Or could it be a very large willie warmer?


No! It's the start of another of my creations. I've not finished it yet …

*
*
*
*
*

… so I can't tell you what it's going to be or even if it will turn out what I want it to be at all!  (I think that sentence made sense!)

I'll show it when it's finished.

xx