ooops 5 years

yeah i really should write more here

Halo The Master Chief Collection Digital Download

SO ,,, this will show why reading the small print is important.

See that scrolling text box, it has a LOT in it telling you what's included ...

BUT ... then this showed up ... check the 4th line from the bottom about the Halo 5 Beta

"Halo 5: Guardians Beta : GAME DISC REQUIRED"

eerrr.... okay, but DIGITAL downloads DON'T have a disc so how ???

Wee call to Xbox Customer Support Line 0800 587 1102

The guy on the other end of the line thought it was odd and not something they had noticed ... off he went... came back with the expected news

It's a typo for the digital version.

If you get the hard disc version then yes you WILL need your MC Collection disc to play the Halo 5 Beta and when you go to play it you will get a screen alert to make sure you have the disc in.

The DIGITAL version wont blink the alert.

Can you imagine if that wasn't the case tho ... you download your 45gig game and 20 gig update (apparently that is how big the game is) and go and play and get excited for the beta only to find out you cant cos you dont have a disc ... the 0800 number would meltdown ... the forums would crash !!!

But worry ye not ... and maybe there will be a small wording change on the dashboard in the next few days :D

FREE PATTERN Cat Toy

You know those little plastic center things with toys inside you get in Chocolate eggs (the ones that used to be fun to pop and launch but now have a hinge so you cant do that) ... well they also make great cat toys

I have some tiny pasta bits left over from weaning the kids (yes it was 6 years ago, i'm a hoarder but also thought great for gluing onto paper for craft things for them). ANYWAY,popped about a level teaspoon inside the yellow plastic and it made a decent rattle ... rice, barley,bell,buttons or anything else small and solid is worth a try tho.

This made it great for being a noisy toy to pat around ... but cats also like to paw-lift and mouth carry things and the smooth plastic sides don't allow that ... SO I thought, let's knit a cover that claws and teeth can get stuck into. This only uses a TINY amount of yarn. I havn't weighed it but i have 4 toys from a 20 gram ball and maybe just under half of it left so a great use of oddments.

Going to get some of these made up for the local Cats Protection and other rehoming places as I go to try and keep the guys and girls looking for forever homes a bit of entertainment

SO pattern time

pop some rice/pasta/split peas/barley into plastic toy holder to make a rattle noise (less is better than more)

using 3mm straight needles and DK yarn

1. Cast on 8sts
2. inc in each stitch - 16sts
3. p1row
4. (k1,inc) to end - 24sts
5. work 13 rows stocking stitch (1 row k, 1 row p)
6. (k1,k2tog) to end - 16sts
7. p1 row
8. (k2tog) to end - 8sts
9. break yarn, thread thru remaining 8 sts and pull tight to gather.

Sew row ends about half way up, pop plastic toy center in and continue sewing row ends closed. finally gather the cast on edge to close other end, fasten off tightly and sew in ends.

TIP ... don't sew row ends completely cos you'll never squeeze the plastic in ... altho loose mattress stitch could be done then pulled tight once the middle is in place. Halfway is enough to hold it all in place while you finish the seam.

Rangers Octopus Loo Roll Cover

 As the title says ... a loo roll cover, in the shape of an octopus, in Rangers FC colours :D

Weird Xbox Tenure

Okay ... so the number of years you have had an Xbox Live profile shows on your profile. I think mine is 5 or 6 years now, havnt checked.

ANYWAY

eviltedi has got something a bit weird, and currently tweeting with XboxSupport  to see if we can work out what's up (if you have a problem tweet them cos they are pretty quick at responding and so far so good with answers in the past :D )

Sometime last week eviltedi's tenure changed to 9 years ... a helluva long time ... or rather it sort of changed.

He'd gone onto his 360 to see the free game that's up on offer ... we have Sproglets who like playing and sometimes theres things that they'll enjoy too ... and he noticed there he'd changed from 8 to 9.

It's pretty clear on the 360 as you can see here

So after doing whatever he was doing on there he went back to the One ... Titanfall, say no more LOL

BUT ... on the One it hasn't changed, still only saying 8 years. So contacted support above to ask if they had any idea

First answer back was did you check the number properly ... and yes the font can look a bit deceiving so got 'tedi to come out of the game to check and it is definitely still an 8 ... see below

The next suggestion was to delete and reinstate profile on the One to see if that updates it ... he's done that now and still no change (altho he was a tad miffed as his friends were not showing and getting a weird code but it turns out there was actually a wee problem in the systems that they new about and once that was sorted the ages of birling circle to get a black screen with error code dissappeared)

SO, this is where we are now on March 19th 2014 at 10.43am UK time ...  just gonna publish this and link to them so they can see the pics in full definition (twitter insists i half the size the camera takes) to show we're not imagining it :D ... will update as we work thru this and find out what up. eviltedi did a forum scan and found no info, so 'tis a mystery :D

watch this space

Edit 20 March 2014

Support were not sure why it hadn't changed yet, but did say keep an eye and to let them know if it hadnt changed within about a week. Not a problem.

So 'tedi signed on there this morning and lo and behold ... 

So the One has updated it's tenure about a week behind the 360. Not sure if this will be the norm or if others will immediately update ... but just in case this happens to anyone else the info is here :D

YAY, 9 years :D

A child's "innocent" Hobbit question

Sproglet2 "why has he got no shoes on?" while watching LOTR and looking at Billy "Pippin" Boyd 

cos he's a hobbit, they have big hairy feet and dont wear shoes ... how else do you think they are different (thinking he'll see the height)

"big hairy hands?"

nope not that

" a big hairy winkie???"

I died

Digital Download Gripe

Yes it has been a while since I wrote anything on here. Been busy with Teeny Dudes and my own Sproglets and general life stuff. 

BUT ... this digital download stuff is really getting on my goat, and today I REALLY need to say something about it.

SO...


Dear Xbox ... you want us to use the digital download thing right??? well here is an idea. make it worth our while. 

Today we see Rayman Legends digital download on the dashboard for £34.79

 https://store.xbox.com/en-GB/Xbox-One/Games/Rayman-Legends/b1613d47-2330-459a-a99f-4cc84a481db9 

but Asda have it for £27 for the hard copy disc

http://direct.asda.com/Rayman-Legends---Xbox-One/003734872,default,pd.html

SO... as a mother and a gamer, with 2 kids who game, and a husband who games ... and in these current times of austerity ... where the *bleep* do you think I'm gonna get this one from.???

One to two quid fine, that would be a minor grumble that would get a typically British quiet whinge while it made it's way down the phone lines ... but nearly £8 is far too much to be let away with that.

Look at the competitors prices ... charge a competitive price... and we WILL use the system

Lacy Fingerless Mitts

Way back in February the online wool store Deramores created a knit-a-long through Ravelry. They wafted THIS easy lace patterned snood/cowl designed by Jemma Weston using Rowan yarn.

So I gave it a whirl and it knitted up really quick. Then another KAL member created a pattern for lazy lace like hat to match the scarf. Not being a much of an in-the-round knitter I used her instructions as a start and made a straight needle version instead.

After all that I had a cowl and a hat and some yarn left over ... and this is how these simple fingerless mitts came about. SO pattern time...

Materials

Double Knitting yarn approx 25 grams (allow 30g for length for sewing up etc)

4mm and 5mm straight needles

a tapestry needle to sew up the seam

and the 10 row pattern from Deramores (no longer available so edited into this pattern)

Method

Using 4mm needles cast on 36 stitches, and work 19 rows in K1, P1 rib

Change to 5mm needles and Purl 1 row

Work though the 10 row pattern below twice (20 rows), you will end with the purl row 10.

 

Row 1 (RS): K1 *yfwd, K2togtbl, K3, rep from * to end.
Row 2 and every alt row: K1, P to last st, K1.
Row 3: K2, *yfwd, K2togtbl, K3, rep from * to last 4 sts, yfwd, K2togtbl, K2.

Row 5: K3 *yfwd, K2togtbl, K3, rep from * to last 3 sts, yfwd, K2togtbl, K1.
Row 7: K4 *yfwd, K2togtbl, K3, rep from * to last 2 sts, yfwd, K2 togtbl.
Row 9: K5 *yfwd, K2togtbl, K3, rep from * to last st, K1.
Row 10: K1, P to last st, K1.

 

Change to 4mm needles and work a further 10 rows in K1, P1 rib.

Cast off rib wise.

To Make Up

You need to fold in half and sew the seam matching the rib bands and leaving a space for the thumb. I have added the picture below to show where I feel the thumb is comfortable, in this case a joined from the longer rib band up to the 10th row of the pattern (the eyelet hole) and then another row to created a firm seam edge, and from the smaller rib band for only a couple of rows. Neaten yarn ends and ta-da some easy lace fingerless mitts

These lilac ones match the cowl and hat I made. The rib band at the wrist was done using only 15 rib rows rather than the 19 I used making the light yellow pair for the pattern. If you want a quick charity knit these would be perfect using the 15 row band... you could easily get 4 pairs from a 100g ball of cheap acylic DK.

The lace pattern is in my opinion a good introduction into lace knitting for someone who has the basic skills but wants to expand slightly

If you do make any I would love to see and have a pattern page for them HERE on Ravelry you can link to.

Thank you :D

 

Banana Bread

total time to make about 50 mins including baking

preheat oven to 180C/gas4

grease a 1lb loaf tin (about 22cmx12cm) line base with greaseproof if your not using a non-stick tin or for ease of removal

in a large bowl mash up 2 large browning bananas,

add in 1 egg,130g self raising flour,1tsp baking powder,55g softened butter,100g caster sugar and mix well...if bananas aren't overly ripe you may need to add in a little milk for a dropping consistency

pour mixture into tin and bake center oven for 35-40 mins or till a skewer in the middle comes out clean

allow to mostly cool in tin then turn onto wire rack to cool completely

Hallowe'en 2011

Here we have 2 Knights...One of the Camelot-esque variety, and one Jedi 

knitted chailmail shirt and coif, sewn undershirt

as for the Jedi...he looks like a mini Luke in the middle pic :D... sewing again for underrobes and main teracotta one (had to dye it as i didnt have anything big enough that was darker than the cream) and a twisted cord for the belt.

snake pattern

copy/pasted from another blog...will edit for pics and mistakes later

gauge isn't really important, you just need to make sure the hook and wool give a close enough finish so as not to leave big holes. I used a 4mm hook and a double knitting wool that handled quite heavy...it definitely wasnt a baby weighted DK. Used maybe about 25g of main colour with oddments of red and black for detail

sc single crochet
ch chain
inc increase (work 2 sc in single stitch)
dec decrease (insert hook, pull thru thread, insert hook in next stitch, pull thru yarn, then pull yarn thru all 3 loops to make one stitch)

the main body is worked in spirals

Start off by making the tongue, this way it can be fastened off well inside before stuffing the head and prevents any small bits getting eaten off (i have two small boys, so eaten off IS the correct term lol)

With red chain 12, turn and sc in 2nd chain from hook and following 5chain, this makes one half of the forked tongue, make another 7 chain coming off from the last sc, sc down these new chain for the other side of the fork, then sc down the rest of the base chain and fasten off...you should have what now looks like a forked tongue

Using main colour work 2 ch
1st row work 6sc in 2nd ch from hook (6st)
2nd row (inc) in each sc (12st)
3rd row (inc, 1sc) to end (18st)
4th row (inc) in first 3 sc, then sc to end (21st)
5th row (inc, sc, inc) twice, then sc to end (25st)
work 3 rounds straight
9th row (dec, sc,sc,sc) repeat to end (20st)
10th row(dec, sc,sc, sc) to end (16st)

at this point attach tongue by bringing ends thru the starter loop and sewing in ends and knotting off well. Make eyes using knotted wool, i used 2 strands held together bringing wool thru 6 times then pulling tight to make a large sized knot, attaching as picture at the bump in the head. Stuff head then continue on with spirals.

Work for as long as you feel you need to, stuffing as you go, to make a long sausage. I made him long enough to allow a knot, but he could easily be longer or shorter as you wish...this makes him a great stash buster as long as you remeber to leave enough to decrease for the tail as follows...

before decreasing stuff end only very well so the stuffing can move out and fill the tail end when finished.

continue in rounds working a decrease the 5sc round until it gets too close to work comfortably...i had about 5 sts left by that stage, break yarn and stitch thru end to close.

et voila...a little snake 

headband tester

pattern test toddler hat

I'll link pattern when available

Tiny Beanie

6mm crochet hook and DK wool

2chain, work 6hdc in 1st chain, do not join,work in spirals

(inc) in each - 12hdc

(work 1, inc in next) around - 18hdc

work 1hdc in each for 4 rounds

work 1 round in sc, fasten off and sew in ends

for the flower

3chain slip into 1st chain.

working into loop work (sc,dc,dc) 6times then slip to close. 

attach to hat as shown with optional button for decoration

flower headband

A pattern test for a Ravelry designer... pattern can be found HERE

Formula One Inspired (okay, mostly Red Bull Racing lol)

CHRISTIAN HORNER

The Original Teeny Dude...Christian Horner...all others were due to this inspiration.

The Eagle-eyed will note the pinky ring,belt buckle and arms to appeal to The Christian Horner Fan Club 

ADRIAN NEWEY

Adrian Newey...Genius, Airbender

STEPHANO DOMENICALLI

Stephano Domenicalli from Ferrari

THE EGG COSIES

made in 2010 colours, these are set in the order at the time

THE BEANIES

Mercedes and Mclaren

Force India and Red Bull

(yes FI does look a bit like Irish colours)

Ferrari and Renault

(yes Renault could be classed as being Jordan too)

I must make more LMAO

and xbox again

no...we were NOT going looking for another 1 point LMAO

but here's another cool one from a day or so later :)

Milo the Armadillo

The teachers at the nursery school know I knit and crochet a bit...well okay a LOT.

One of them told me about this book by Jan Fearnley with a knitting pattern for an armadillo that she had started but it didnt look quite right and would I be interested....silly question really, cos I'll give anything a go LOL.

So, she gave me the book and some wool...I felt the pink looked a bit dark so rummaged in The Stash and found one near as darn perfect...so got all the bits of double knitting and the size 11s (3mm) together ready to start

The pattern does have quite a lot of shaping and some colourwork for his back so it's not for a beginner...you can get the pdf link through her website, but I would definitely recommend getting the book too as it's a lovely story for the little ones.

A couple of evenings later I had all my bits ready to sew and embroider

I did a few things in a slightly different way/order from the pattern tho, The eyes I made 2 lengths of wool with knots in the center so I could tightly knot the ends inside the head...just to make them a little more secure and less likely for little hands to yank off (I have a 3 and 4 yr old and know what they can do). I als did the embroidery on the back before sewing it on...again for the same reason so I could secure any ends inside neatly.

So here he is...

...I remembered while doing his back why I don't do Fair Isle very often (fiddly keeping the back neat and not too tight)...

... and finally for a size guide here he is modeled by my 3yr old. I nearly didnt get him back.

mathematical hyperbolic crochet and stuff

Yeah I know...havnt been very prolific with posting recently.

So what have I been up to? As the title suggests a little bit of mathematical crochet.

Started off with 6 sc in a ring, work 1 sc, inc 1 sc in a continuous spiral. I have no idea how many stitches were in the final round of the spiral...suffice it to say a helluvalot. As coral follows a similar growing pattern I also "modelled" in with some teeny tortoises...well they look like turtles

As for the tortoise/turtles, they come from the freebie pattern by lucyravenscar ... here are some more because my kids keep asking for another one in a different colour and they only take about 15-20 mins from start to finish

What else...ah...the Liquorice Tic-Tac-Toe. Jean Greenhowe pattern from Bazaar Knits.

Look great now it's finished, but a word of warning to those without patience cos it's a b**ch to sew up.

My kids love it tho, bright,colourful and an easy enough game. 

Finally the one i like the most at the moment. Again by lucyravenscar it's Wicket the Ewok

There are other bits either done or nearly done. Will get them up soon.

My First Nursery Made Mothers Day Card