Menokreatikkul; Saturday Stitches
As you will have gathered by now, I have an inordinate amount of 'scrap'... errr... leftovers... odds and sods... tail ends... just crazy amounts. Or I did. No, I still do, but the pile has definitely been reduced by at least one carrier bag load. Maybe a tad more.
I dropped a hint with the photo a couple of weeks back. Another small project in the same vein as the single row per colour work that I used for the Timelines Dupatta. This was simply to keep my fingers from fidgeting as I kept track of the snooker over that week following Joni's visit. First, there was a small infinity-come-cowl, then a skull cap/slouchy...
As an aside, that big sloppy-joe jumper you see in a lot of my shots at the moment is one of my fave cuddly warmers. It's a bought item, but something I think I might have a go at recreating for myself with some of the other stash lots I have. This one is several years old now and is starting to show its age. Wearable only indoors and not to be seen on the street any more! So, that will be a project for the next cold season. Given the return to winter weather this week, that might be sooner than later ❄🌨🌧 with occasional 🌦 ... I mean, seriously???
Anyway, despite the handiness of the finger scythe, colourwork row by row does get a bit tedious, and I wanted to make a bigger dent in that scrap stock, so I decided to make a much larger infinity scarf and just run each colour to its end. It was a fast and easy task, using a 6mm Tunisian hook and the mesh stitch. I am really loving this stitch, as it is less inclined to curl the fabric in the way other stitches do - a slight hiccup with Tunisian stitching, as it is worked only from one side. The nature of the meshing also results in one of the finer fabrics, less bulky than would be the case, say, with simple or full stitches.
Now, I know it's not everyone's cuppa, but I say don't be afraid of colour, people! I was determined to use up all that I had in this particular batch, ending up with roughly two metres of fabric and about 30cm width (cast on fifty stitches, the fabric being of the heavy #3 to light #4 weights, all acrylic).
Hanging straight like this, it goes most of the way to my knees if standing, covers them when sitting - as you note, my arm is not long enough to show it fully! It would only really be for sitting that it would be worn open like this. Mostly it will be folded up at least once - either to form a loose snood/hood, or to be a full and generous cowl...
I had a bit of a brainstorm and wondered if it could be worn as a sort of shrug. The answer, it turns out, is yes... a bit untidy here, because I was just experimenting, but it felt good and comforting on my back, so it would be fab for an additional layer over another jumper like this. I'm all for layering! You can see the slouch of the beanie here, now, too. As I took this shot, despite how light that looks in the background, it was actually snowing outside the window on Wednesday. Didn't lie, but actual, flaky snow... then we got battered with a 30-minute graupel storm (that's the snow pellets that resemble hail, for those who are wondering). Sigh...
Menoturals; Cattle Crew
It's Final Friday time, shared with Nature Friday, hosted by our pals, the LLB Gang.
She took her time sniffing me to make sure I was the right sort of person to be manhandling her bits! Acquaintance made, things went well. There may have been a demand for hay...
Today, I bring you the final breed of cattle from the Westmoreland Show archives. I have been keeping this one for FFF because I think it has that something a little bit extra special, that je ne sais quoi... It is not a rare breed. Far from it, but it is up there with Highland cattle as being well-loved, deeply commercial, but adorable with it.
THE JERSEY 🐮
First, let me share the image from my show visit.
The first thing that the uninitiated are inclined to comment upon is the bony appearance. One can be forgiven for thinking that Jerseys often look skeletal on their spine and hindquarters. However, this is actually the ideal weight for a dedicated dairy animal. To have more fat on them would detract from milk production.
Jersey cows are the second-most prolific milk producers, after the ubiquitous Holstein/Fresian. That said, the breed is quite often adapted around the world and interbred. Here in the UK (and in some other parts of the globe), just as with the Herefords, there is a strict ruling about marketing. Anything claiming to be Jersey milk/butter/cream, etc, must be from a certified and verified bloodline Jersey heritage. In other countries, and specifically the USA, there has been 'development' of the breed and the lineage there is considered a sub-breed, being much larger and less refined in appearance. Product should be marked as American Jersey.
The original island cattle are small in stature, lightweight, very docile, and have a strict breeding code. Some herds have imported semen from other cattle, so the progeny cannot be recorded in the herd book, and the product from those cattle cannot be claimed as being Jersey dairy.
Jerseys make good pet cows, too. My aunt was permitted one on the hill farm - Missy - and it is on her that I learned to milk by hand. It was a joy, then, when visiting the Sydney City Farm a few years back, that I got the chance to milk their pet Jersey, Jenny...
Jersey milk is the champagne of milks. After tea and water, milk is what I love to drink, whether straight from the bottle/carton, warmed up, made into shakes or smoothies... or custard... I'm a proper milkaholic. When budget allows, I extend to purchase of Graham's Gold Top (pure Jersey), though they also do a fine organic range from their mixed herds.
Oh slurperoonies!!!
Interestingly, I am not much of one for cream, but I do enjoy the proper milk top clots that Graham's get into their Gold Top bottles. It takes me back to childhood and that fresh-from-Missy milk.
Excuse me... I'm having a moment...
Let's finish off with just a wee video of Dr Graham telling us about his Jersey herd... and that's it - for now - on the farm animals. Thanks for coming along on these posts, and for showing enthusiasm!
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