While Miz Kittling Knits: Return to Paradise

 

It's been a while since you've seen one of these posts, isn't it? 

I've not only been brightening up my kitchen and family room, but I've done the same thing in my bathroom. Here's a photo of the old color scheme.

Yes, I've knitted cotton wash cloths and hand towels for my bathroom. (I have to be different, dontcha know?)

Now, here is a photo of the new color scheme.

I absolutely love the colors in this yarn, so much so that I bought four huge cones of it. It's Lily Sugar'N Cream 100% cotton yarn in "Emerald Energy." I used the sand stitch from one of my stitch encyclopedias. It's sand stitch on one side and dot stitch on the other. I like reversible stitches, and this time around, I prefer the dot side. Since my bath towels were also old and tatty, I bought new ones. (Well over a year ago. Nothing like being behind the times on sharing.) I tried my luck with Amazon, and I could not believe how well I managed to match the colors! Take a look!

It's almost as if I'd gone in person to the store instead of clicking on Buy Now.

One of the programs I watched while I was knitting was Return to Paradise.

Here's the synopsis from IMDb: "Detective Inspector Mackenzie Clarke reluctantly returns to her Australian hometown after leaving her fiancé, only to be pulled into a case testing her tenacity until the culprit is apprehended."

Unfortunately, the best part of the series for me was the Australian scenery. The actress portraying DI Mackenzie Clarke put me off, and it wasn't just because of how her character was written (too abrasive). I hate to admit it, but her bulging, staring eyes bothered me. A lot. I found them creepy. The picture above doesn't come close to her appearance in the series. Her emaciated-looking face didn't help either. It's the first time I ever remember being put off watching something because of an actor's appearance, and I hope it never happens again!

I watched the entire first season because I wanted to see if the stories improved or if my reaction to the main character did. Neither did, so, if there is a second season, I won't be watching it.

While Miz Kittling Knits: Will Trent

 

Today's completed knitting project will have you thinking I've lost the plot. I knitted myself a lap blanket, and I'm using it now... during the hottest recorded summer Phoenix has ever known.

I can see y'all shaking your heads.

But, but, but... I need it!

You faithful readers know that I've been having a lot of problems with my leg. The amount of drainage from it often means that the compression bandaging is damp. Denis is the resident furnace, so in addition to the air conditioning, we have a large box fan sitting on the floor to help keep him cool. No matter how I try to keep that fan pointed solely at him, I still get enough cool air to turn my leg and its oftentimes damp bandaging into a mini evaporative cooler. While Denis is Mr. Furnace, I'm Mrs. Freeze. I do not like being cold; hence, the lap blanket to drape over that leg when needed. Here it is:

Thought I'd let you take a peek at my knitting basket.

Closeup of pattern and yarn

I found the pattern on Etsy from Daisy Gray Knits. It's called "Easy Baby Blanket" but I adapted the size for a lap blanket. I used US size 10 circular needles and Lion Brand Homespun yarn in "Mixed Berries." I have to admit that this is the first time I've been disappointed with Homespun yarn ordered online. I don't particularly care for the colors, but it does look nice on my recliner, doesn't it?

What was I watching while my needles were clicking away?

I've been aware of Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series for quite some time, but since I wasn't overly impressed with one of her standalones, I was in no hurry to read this series. I've also been aware of the ABC series based on Slaughter's books, but it took me until the start of season two before I decided to sample it. I'm glad I did because I wound up wanting to binge watch it. As I just said, Will Trent is broadcast on ABC, but I watched it on Hulu.

Here's a brief synopsis: "Special Agent Will Trent was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta's overwhelmed foster care system. Determined to make sure no one feels as he did, he now has the highest clearance rate in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation."

The stories are engaging, the characters are complex, and I've enjoyed watching their backstories being filled in. I like stories concerning people who have all these reasons to be "wounded" or "less than" but despite everything, despite all that negative baggage, they find what they're good at, and they excel.

 

And the bonus in Will Trent? His dog, Betty. I always look forward to her scenes in each episode. I know. Sometimes, I'm a soft touch.

 

Have you seen Will Trent? Inquiring minds would love to know!

While Miz Kittling Knits: Professor T

 

I can't believe it's August already. I also can't believe that I'm currently working on an adult-sized afghan, but there you go. I've been experiencing further difficulties with my leg. My husband (whom I refer to as Mr. Hot Stuff in the summer) needs to have a fan running in the family room as we watch TV in the evenings. With my leg draining like crazy, the bandages get wet, and the fan works in conjunction with the dampness like an evaporative cooler. So... working on a large afghan actually keeps me from freezing.

But I'm not here to talk about what I'm knitting now. I'm here for a show-and-tell about a completed project. This time, it's a baby blanket. Take a look!

"Aloe Leaves" baby blanket

Pattern close-up

I got the "Aloe Leaves" pattern from the Mother of Pearl Etsy shop. I used US size 6 circular knitting needles and Caron Simply Soft 100% acrylic yarn in "Lime." (I love Caron Simply Soft yarn for its softness and the vibrancy of its colors.) I think I've finally gotten used to knitting with smaller needles, but it took some time!

I admire lacy, beautiful baby blankets. You know, the ones perfect for christenings, but whenever I get the urge to make one, I prefer making one that focuses on warmth-- and no "holes" for tiny fingers and toes to get caught in. Guess I'm too practical for my own good!

What was I watching while I was knitting away? Let's see...

 

I watched Professor T on Amazon Prime's PBS Masterpiece channel. Here's the synopsis from IMDb: "Professor Jasper Tempest, a genius Cambridge University criminologist with OCD and an overbearing mother, assists the police in solving crime." 

You could call it a British version of Monk, but Professor T isn't played for laughs. (Although it does have funny moments.) Actor Ben Miller, who was in Death in Paradise, is perfect in the role of Jasper Tempest-- as is Frances de la Tour as his mother, an artist whose muse is her chihuahua named Kafka. (There are now two series I watch faithfully that have chihuahua stars. I wonder if they've made the breed more popular?)

The mysteries are solid, and I like the unfolding of the characters' personalities. If you get a chance to watch Professor T, I hope you'll give it a try-- and do start at the beginning!

While Miz Kittling Knits: !mpossible

 

 

I think I'm the same type of knitter that I am as a reader. I read two books at the same time (one physical and one eBook), and I have two knitting projects going on at the same time. Right now, I'm working on a baby blanket as well as washcloths for the main bathroom. The second is an ongoing one that will eventually wind up with several photos because I've fallen in love with a certain yarn, and I don't know when to stop. The woman who comes in every other week to do some housecleaning seems to love this particular yarn, too, because she keeps an eye on what I'm making from it.

But that is not the project that I'm going to share with you today. Today, it's a lightweight afghan from a simple pattern using moss (seed) stitch borders all around with a stockinette stitch central panel. I used US size 6 circular needles and an acrylic yarn with a metallic thread running through it. I fell in love with this yarn well over a decade ago, bought as many skeins of it as I could, and it took me this long to figure out what I wanted to make with it. I won't give you the particulars because the yarn has been discontinued for years. I will tell you the color, though-- Peacock-- and it is the closest thing I've seen to all the colors in peacock feathers that I've ever seen.

 

The finished afghan

A closeup for the colors. The blue metallic glint refuses to show itself.

 

I chose a simple pattern for this yarn because I wanted to showcase the colors. It's light and soft, perfect when there's a slight chill in the air.

 

Now... what have I been watching while I've been stitching away?

 

 

 

I've been a fan of Jeopardy!-type quiz shows since I was a child (and Art Fleming was the host of Jeopardy!). Do I still watch Jeopardy!? You bet, though I still mentally hear Johnny Gilbert announce, "And here's the host of Jeopardy!-- Alex Trebek!"

I don't know what made me click on !mpossible from the Roku screen, but I almost immediately became hooked, and Denis and I both enjoy watching an episode or two every evening. Here's a brief synopsis from the IMDb website: "Rick Edwards hosts the daytime quiz show in which 21 recurring contestants must avoid choosing the impossible answer as they compete for the chance to win 10,000 pounds."

It is a UK-based quiz show, and whenever the questions or categories involve politics or sport, I might as well take a nap because I know next to nothing about UK politics or cricket or soccer. I have found, however, that I'm pretty darned good when it comes to picking the impossible answers even when it's a subject I know little about. Go figure. 

 

I like testing my knowledge on a quiz show that's not geared toward Americans, and... well... umm... I have a guilty secret. I also enjoy looking at Rick Edwards, the host.

 

Can you really blame me?

While Miz Kittling Knits: Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office

 

 

It's been quite some time since I shared any of my knitting with you. I've had posts about going to the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo and visiting with Daisy and Suzanne that took center stage instead. The lack of crafty posts doesn't mean that I've stopped knitting in the evenings-- heavens, no! I have a backlog of projects to show you, so I'd better get started!

This time I want to share a completed baby blanket.

 

I'm so used to knitting multi-strand, big-needled-- US sizes 13, 15, 17-- adult-sized afghans that this single-strand, US size 8 needled baby blanket took some getting used to! Knitting it made me realize that a lot of the pain I was experiencing in my thumbs and other finger joints was due to the weight of the all-in-one-piece adult-sized afghans I've been making, so it looks as though I might be concentrating on smaller items from now on. We shall see.

I found the pattern ("Look for Happiness") on Etsy, and used Red Heart's With Love 100% acrylic yarn in a lovely blue-ish purple called "Iris." I've purchased yarn to make more baby blankets that I will be donating to the hospital that's across the street from the clinic where I go every Friday.

 

(By the way, the yellow afghan underneath the baby blanket now resides in the UK.)

 

What was I watching while my needles were clacking away?

 

 

 

Firstly, here's a brief synopsis: "One of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history where hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system."

Lately, I've been in the mood for films representing "the Little Guy versus The Man." I want to see justice prevail. I don't want to see car crashes, gory violence, or hormones gone berserk. I want to see films about ordinary people prevailing against great odds. 

Let me tell you, did Mr. Bates ever fill the bill! If you haven't watched this, I highly recommend it. If you don't find yourself talking (or even shouting) at the television screen, I'll be surprised. If you visit IMDb's page for Mr. Bates, you'll find more information and some good reviews of it. It's available on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, and PBS Masterpiece.

It is unbelievable what the British government put these poor people through, and one of my friends in the UK told me that no one had really been aware of what was going on until this film was released. Now there is a tremendous hue and cry-- as well there should be.

Okay, now that my blood pressure has been elevated just by typing this, I'd better go sit down and do some knitting. It's been a long time since I've been so worked up over something I've watched on television, and I think I like it. I'm hoping all of you will watch it, too.

While Miz Kittling Knits: I, Claudius

 

It's been awhile since my last knitting post, but that doesn't mean that my needles have been still. I started experiencing pain in my finger joints-- arthritis-- and my doctor recommended an ointment to apply to my hands. It seems to be working, although I think it has something to do with what I've been knitting. The pain in my thumbs in particular had grown to the point where I'd begun wearing braces on my hands, but I've been able to stop that. Why? Because I've stopped knitting big afghans all in one piece and have been spending my evenings using up yarn that I've had for years in making scarves. I think the weight of the afghans had a great deal to do with the pain. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself since I still have an afghan or two (maybe three) to show you. Let's see what's on the agenda today...

This afghan is all of my own invention. The pattern is simple: a garter stitch border framing a stockinette stitch center panel. I used US size 15 circular needles and three strands of Red Heart Super Saver 100% acrylic yarn: two strands of Bright Yellow and one strand of Mexicana. The simple pattern allows the colors to shine-- and there's just something so cheerful about yellow, isn't there?

What was I watching while my needles were clacking away? An iconic mini-series that first aired in 1976...

Synopsis from IMDb:

"Rome, 1st Century AD. Aging Emperor Claudius is writing the history of his family. He starts his recollections before he was born with the court of his grandfather Caesar Augustus. He then chronicles the goings-on in the imperial court, especially the plots and murderous machinations, that brought him to this point. "

The opening sequence and theme music are still arresting. The cast is absolutely fabulous. (Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart, among others.) I had not seen this series since it first aired, and I was gobsmacked at how much of it I remembered. I also found it amusing that my opinion of one actress (Siân Phillips as the scheming, diabolical Livia) was forever colored by her masterful performance. 

True, there have been great strides made in the makeup techniques used to age actors in their roles as well as camera lenses and film, but this mini-series stands the test of time. I watched it just as avidly now as I did over forty years ago. Now that's quality television! 

(I watched I, Claudius on Acorn TV.)

While Miz Kittling Knits: Nyad

 

My seemingly frantic pace of knitting has slowed down a bit, basically because I chose a pattern calling for much smaller needles. Smaller stitches means taking longer to complete a project. Fortunately, I do have a backlog of finished items that I have yet to show you.

Today, I'm sharing the afghan I made for Tucker's daughter, Taylor, who attends Northern Arizona University up in Flagstaff where it does get cold and can snow a lot. (Tucker is the woman who comes to the house to cut our hair.) I asked Tucker what her daughter's favorite color was, and the reply was burgundy.

Using that as my starting point and knowing Flagstaff called for a warm snuggly blanket, I chose Mama in a Stitch's Knit Squares Seamless Quilt Blanket pattern. It's the warmest one that I know and has become a go-to pattern.

On my US size 15 circular needles, I used two strands of Red Heart Super Saver 100% acrylic yarn in "Burgundy" and one strand of Plymouth Yarn's Encore Colorspun in "Drifting." Here's the finished afghan as well as a photo of Taylor enjoying it.

 

It's always nice to see someone enjoying something that I've made.

What was I watching while I was knitting away on Taylor's afghan? Let's find out!

Nyad, starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, is 

 

A riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete Diana Nyad. Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana becomes obsessed with completing an epic swim that always eluded her: the 110 mile trek from Cuba to Florida, often referred to as the "Mount Everest" of swims. Determined to become the first person to finish the swim without a shark cage, Diana goes on a thrilling, four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll and a dedicated sailing team.

 

In my teens and twenties, I remember reading about Nyad's attempts to make that swim from Cuba to Florida, and again when she actually succeeded at the age of sixty. (Wow!) 

I thought the film was very well done, and Bening and Foster were excellent in their roles. I certainly learned a lot about distance swimming, which was probably due to the fact that Diana Nyad herself was one of the writers.  I also found it refreshing to see an American actress like Annette Bening look waterlogged, weathered, and "seasoned." I tire of people insisting that actresses in their 60s, 70s and 80s look like they're in their early twenties. Of course, Bening does clean up very well...

I can certainly recommend Nyad if you're in the mood for a good biopic.

While Miz Kittling Knits: Vacation House Rules

 

It's hard to believe, but I actually put my knitting needles down and took a month off from stitching. If that doesn't tell you I was off my feed, nothing will. However, I'm back in the saddle, and I've completed one adult afghan and only have two more evenings before I put the finishing touches on a baby blanket.

 

In the meantime, I still have projects to show you that have been waiting around for awhile. Let's play catch-up here with a requested lap blanket. A friend wanted one as a gift to give someone, and the request was for "bright colors... bright enough to see in the dark." Now it's your turn to see how well I followed my instructions.

 

 

A very colorful lap blanket

 

Put on your sunglasses!

 

When using a multi-color yarn as bright as this, it's best to use a simple pattern; the colors are going to do the talking, not the stitches. So... using US size 17 circular needles and a simple pattern often referred to as Garter Stripes, I got to work. I used three strands of yarn, all Red Heart Super Saver 100% acrylic, one strand in Spring Green and two in Day Glow. 

My mind can wander as I'm stitching, and the colors used in the Day Glow yarn reminded me of a long list of things: fresh spring grass, carrots, lemons, limes, celery, watermelon, tangerines, sweet corn, and orange sherbet. With the exception of the first item on the list, it almost sounds as if I was knitting at the salad bar, doesn't it? (And in case you're wondering, the recipient of this lap blanket loves it.)

Now... what was I watching while my needles were clicking away?

Years ago, I used to watch a lot of HGTV. They had craft programs as well as the architecture and interior design programs I like so much. Then they dropped the craft programs, and all the house series began to look alike. Now, it's a rare day when I watch HGTV. In fact, the only current exception is for Canadian real estate expert and contractor Scott McGillivray. Anything he does, I'll watch because I usually love his renovations.

 

His latest series, Vacation House Rules, has Scott helping out families who've either inherited or purchased rundown homes they want to turn into rental properties. These homes are in prime Canadian vacation destinations, and the owners want to enjoy their properties a few weeks (or months) of the year while renting them out the rest of the time to pay for upkeep and to supplement their incomes. 

Several of the transformations each season are spectacular, and in this latest season, I was very pleased to see McGillivray renovate a property to make it suitable for those who have mobility issues. For years, whenever Denis and I would travel, we would rent a cottage to use as our base of operations. We just preferred it over staying in hotels or bed and breakfasts. Now that we both have mobility issues, our traveling days are pretty much over, but I still like to look at available properties and daydream. Let me tell you, there aren't that many that are suitable for people like me. I guess we're not supposed to want to vacation!

 

Do any of you like to watch programs like this? Inquiring minds would love to know! (I won't ask you if the lap blanket was so bright that you had to put on your sunglasses.)

While Miz Kittling Knits: Phil Spencer's Stately Homes

 

Another day, another lap blanket, I always say. If I can't dabble in wildlife photography or read a book, just give me yarn and knitting needles.

My latest project will be donated to the Arizona Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. I found a free pattern on the Yarnspirations website called Bernat Basketweave Knit Throw. (For some reason, I find all the variations of the basketweave stitch warm and soothing, and I love their texture.) Using US size 13 circular needles and one strand of Lion Brand 100% acrylic yarn in Navy, I made a classic-- and very soft and warm-- lap blanket that I hope will see a lot of use.

 

It may sound strange, but after making so many blankets using two and three strands of yarn, it took me some time to get used to knitting with only one. However, never fear! My next two projects are back to triple strands of yarn.

What was I watching while my needles were clicking? I may love mysteries and crime dramas, but I also love architecture, so when I found Phil Spencer's Stately Homes on the Roku Channel, I dove right in.

 

 

I was familiar with Phil Spencer from watching Location, Location, Location whenever Denis and I were in the UK. In Stately Homes, Spencer takes viewers on a tour of fourteen stately homes, from the more recognizable Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard to lesser known places like Harewood House and Holkham Hall. He's allowed in places where others are not allowed and talks to the owners as well as employees. One of the things he does is delve into each house's archives to find out how much it cost to build-- and then he translates the sum into today's money. After feasting my eyes on the beautifully photographed exteriors and interiors, it didn't surprise me to learn that, if built today, several of the houses would cost several billion pounds.

 

I learned quite a bit in watching this series, and I certainly enjoyed my virtual tours. 

While Miz Kittling Knits: Cold Case

 

My knitting needles have been keeping busy making afghans and lap robes for donation and requests. Every evening finds me sitting in front of the TV adding rows to my latest work-in-progress. 

I decided to do something a bit different with this latest lap robe. So many of the things I'd made used either two or three strands of yarn that I decided I'd make something that only used one. Let me tell you, that took some adapting! It's amazing how easily a person can get used to something.

Let me show you my latest.

 

The pattern is called "All These Places" and I got it from the Fifty Four Ten Studio on Etsy. I used one strand of Lion Brand Homespun 100% acrylic yarn in a color called "Shaker" on US size 11 circular needles. This color is difficult to photograph being tones of cream, medium brown, and medium gray, but it's a nice and neutral, and the lap robe is warm, snuggly, and as soft and light as a cloud. 

What was I watching while I was knitting away?

 

I watched Cold Case when it was first run from 2003 to 2010. I happened to be wandering through the Roku Channel, and when I stumbled across this series, I was tickled to death. The brief synopsis on IMDb says, "The Philadelphia homicide squad's lone female detective finds her calling when she's assigned 'cold cases', older crimes that have never been solved."

 

This series happens to be a rare one for me in that I like each and every member of the ensemble cast. (Usually there's at least one person I don't care for.) You get to know each cast member as the series unfolds, and I like that. Kathryn Morris plays against the Hollywood stereotype for a female cop-- her hair tends to be a bit messy, her clothes a bit mannish, and she doesn't wear high heels. That's so refreshing. 

The stories are strong ones, so strong in fact that I'm amazed at how many of them I remember once I get into the episode, and the music they use is a big draw for both Denis and me. Does it bother me that I remember the stories? Not at all.

All in all, a perfect series to knit by!

While Miz Kittling Knits: Endeavour

 

Yes, Phoenix has been the hottest place in the country for the past month-- we had thirty-one straight days of temperatures well over 110°F-- but thanks to Willis Carrier, the Father of Air Conditioning, I'm still knitting away every evening in front of the television.

Moreover, I'm still knitting lap blankets for donation to the Arizona Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. When I finished the one I'm showing you today, I draped it over my recliner before going to bed so it would be ready to be photographed when I came back out in the morning. I was so pleased the next morning because it absolutely glowed in the morning light-- so much so that I was tempted to keep it. Let me show you a couple of photos.

Unfortunately, the colors don't glow in the photos like they did in real life. The pattern is called "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and is from an Etsy shop called the FiftyFourTen Studio. I used US size 13 circular needles and three strands of 100% acrylic yarn-- two of Cascade Yarns Cartwheel in a colorway called "Sioux City" and one strand of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in "Coral". I am really pleased with how this turned out. I look forward to it going to a good home.

What was I watching while my knitting needles were clicking away?

 

I wonder if Colin Dexter had any idea of what he was starting when he agreed to have his Inspector Morse mysteries adapted for television? Between Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis, and Endeavour, Dexter has given us many years of quality television, and I almost feel as if I've actually walked the streets of Oxford, England. (I haven't, but I have walked the streets of rival Cambridge.) From the scripts to the acting to the photography to the music, these series have been first-rate all the way. 

Endeavour: "Set from 1965 into the 1970s, the show follows Endeavour Morse in his early years as a police constable. Working alongside his senior partner DI Fred Thursday, Morse engages in a number of investigations around Oxford."

 

I enjoyed each and every season, and I absolutely loved the final scene of the last episode. It's hard to believe that there will be no more Morse, but at least I have these three series to watch whenever the mood strikes.

While Miz Kittling Knits: Zen

 

When Denis and I almost became solid blocks of ice waiting for Dial-a-Ride on a cold, wet, windy December afternoon, I decided that I would knit lap blankets for the two of us to put over our legs while we're sitting on our scooters. Anything for extra warmth! I finished Denis's lap blanket a few weeks ago, so it was time to work on mine. (In fact, you can see a glimpse or two of Denis's underneath mine in the photo below.)

It is now done, and although it's rather dull-looking, it should definitely get the job done. Let's take a look!

I used a pattern called "Where the Sidewalk Ends" from the Fifty Four Ten Studio that I found on Etsy. I used two strands of Lion Brand Homespun 100% acrylic yarn in a color called "Edwardian" on US size 13 circular needles. I like this pattern and will probably make it again in a solid color so the stitches will show up better. 

 

I chose this rather drab color because it coordinates with my red and black scooter. In addition, I have a tendency to lose track of lap blankets draped over my legs, so the probability that this one will have at least one side dragging the ground and possibly getting run over by my scooter is high. (I do try to think of everything!)

 

 

 

What was I watching while I was stitching away on my lap blanket? The rather dark and stylish "Zen" which the BBC adapted from the first three Aurelio Zen mysteries written by Michael Dibdin. I have to admit that I'm a bit of a Rufus Sewell fan, so I enjoyed looking at him as much as I did the series' setting in Rome. 

Aurelio Zen is one of the few honest cops in Rome, and much is made of the fact that he's from Venice. No matter his reputation for being incorruptible, that doesn't stop local politicians from leaning on him to solve high-profile cases in the way that they want them to be solved. Somehow, Zen always finds a way to see that justice prevails while managing to keep his job. 

Rome setting, dark, stylish, sexy, good story lines... this was an enjoyable three episodes. I just wish that there could have been more.

While Miz Kittling Knits: Dalgleish

 

One thing is certain: now that I've switched to knitting lap blankets for awhile, I'm completing projects even faster!

This week, I'm sharing the lap blanket I made for Denis. I was inspired to make one for each of us after the cold, wet, windy December afternoon we spent waiting and waiting and waiting for Dial-a-Ride. Both of us were frozen, and the only reason why we weren't completely frozen solid is that (for some reason I cannot begin to fathom) I brought an extra cardigan, and we took turns covering our legs with it. We may never need these lap blankets, but we will be prepared!

Here is Denis's--

The pattern is a freebie from the Yarnspirations website with the unimaginative but utilitarian name "Reversible Knit Lap Blanket" (it looks the same front and back). Denis and I both liked the diagonal stripes.  I used two strands of Lion Brand Homespun yarn in a colorway called "Lagoon" on my US size 11 circular needles. The finished product color coordinates with his scooter; it's warm and soft and shouldn't let any biting cold winds through.

What was I watching while I was stitching?

 

Denis and I enjoyed the latest too-short season of Dalgliesh, based on P.D. James's series of mysteries-- and by "too short" I mean I would have loved to have several more episodes to watch. 

The series follows the career of Adam Dalgliesh, who's not only a brilliant Detective Chief Inspector but a poet as well. Bertie Carvel is excellent in the role, and I like watching how the relationship between him and Detective Sergeant Kate Miskin develops. Miskin wants on the fast track to promotion, but once she begins to understand Dalgliesh's methods and sees how much she can learn from him, she finds all her career ideas changing. 

Strong stories, excellent acting, great cinematography... and I love Dalgliesh's car. This series was the perfect thing to keep my needles busy, and I was happy to hear that it's been renewed for two more seasons. If you haven't already, give it a try!