Synchronised Knitting

So, if I haven't been writing here, what have I been doing besides genealogy? Well, I've made a few things, mostly from yarn ('Wool' is a generic term here meaning all types of yarn, but when I say 'wool', I mean sheep's fur, not acrylic stuff. That said, I mostly use acrylic because it is cheaper and what is mostly on offer for free).

As part of the WI Craft group, I made some 'twiddle muffs' for the dementia charity we were supporting this year. These were made back in September but they only got presented to the charity at the April meeting, where I learned that they had come up with a 'nicer' name for them (?) and they didn't want buttons on any more. Great.  I have to say they are the most boring things in the world to make, but never mind, I did my part.

Front

They are basically a large rectangle, sewn together to make a lined tube. Then you sew things on it that people with dementia can 'twiddle'. Apparently it comforts them. These will likely go to some ladies as men, we were told, prefer brighter, primary colours. So even if one has dementia some of those ingrained ideas stick. 

Back

I was given the yarn to make these with, so all it 'cost' me was a selection of buttons I wasn't likely to ever use. I chose large ones to make it easier to sew them on firmly (and easier to cut off, I guess). Also ones with some sort of interesting shape or texture. 

Inside

I dread to think these will all go in the bin, but I guess that is a likely outcome. I do hate waste {sigh}.

I made these while sitting in front of the telly after dinner, something that has come to be an established habit for good or ill. After a busy day pushing myself to do challenging things I find it very relaxing to veg out but to keep my hands busy.  I'm much less likely to snack if I'm knitting (my generic term for both knitting & crochet) and I can make a glass of wine last almost forever. 

If you want an even bigger challenge, can I recommend a foreign programme/film with subtitles? We've been watching two Italian detective shows: Inspector Montalbano and Young Montalbano. There are a lot more episodes for the former but I must admit the younger Montalbano is my preference as he's very pretty, but also because it seems a bit more light-hearted. It is a more recent creation though it is a prequel to the original Inspector Montalbano, so there may be more coming along. 

At first I couldn't knit and watch at the same time, but I've got the rhythm down now. Saying Italian takes a lot longer than reading English, so I just need to get a feel for how often the subtitles change and sort of get myself synchronised. Probably best left to slightly more advanced knitters.