Bag of Tees

I started what I’ve christened ‘The Bag of Tees’  today, with a band of purple stuff, the history of which is as follows.

Originally born as  a white vest top from People Tree, it then became a purple vest top (after I’d spilt things on it and it had to be dyed to be wearable, I never learn) but then it started looking a bit sad and saggy due to pregnancy wear, and now it’s be the top bit of my bag. How eco friendly am I (apart from the chemical dye, sigh) and also Fair Trady!

I cast on about 60 stitches:

I even kept the label fastened on from its days as a vest top, so I’ll be able to recall its history once it’s a bag.

I’ve done two rows of ribbing (because I bet even T shirt material stocking stitch curls…). I’ll carry on knitting round and round until I get to an OK kind of depth, and then I think I’ll start to do a ‘star toe’ decrease to get the bowl shape at the bottom. I’ll also decide at the end if I want the RS or WS to be the outside of the bag…not sure yet.

The good thing about doing it in the round is that ’round’ is also bag shaped (for the style of bag I’m making) so I kind of know how big a mouth it’ll have:

I need to carry on, and also need to cut up some more clothes.

Yesterday, of course, PANCAKES!. In fact we had pancake enchiladas as there were leftovers to use up, and nothing is better for a leftover than a tin of tomatoes and some cheese sauce. Most of my pancakes were pretty good I think:

BUT some were Mutant Pancakes from the planet Dribulous (the most annoying thing is that I KNOW how to do it properly!):

I mean, what on earth is THAT? !!

Candlemas

Today is Candlemas, the point in time between the winter and spring equinox, the halfway point of winter, and the end of the old 40 day Christmas period. Like most winter festivals it probably has its roots in a pagan festival of lights.

But most importantly it’s one of those days (like St Swithins) on which the weather can be predicted:

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won’t come again.

(there’s lots more here: http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/christ_canmas.htm)

So if it was a bright dry day the rest of winter would be wintery, and if not then it wouldn’t, if you see what I mean. What an unexpected covering of snow (the worst for 19 years it says on the BBC) in the South East of England in February portends I couldn’t tell you, probably that the weather is even more up the spout than we fear!

Back gardens in the snow

A Cold Fish

Oh, it’s also Groundhog Day. If you are in the vicinity of Punxsutawney, PA it all starts at 3AM (!).