Golddust

(Also known as Handsanitiser-Gel, which was impossible to buy anywhere)

I have to state that I have only somewhat rudimentary medical knowledge working in health care compared to medically trained professionals, but this recipe is by an American MD.

First things first: I needed aloe Vera Gel, Rubbing Alcohol at (minimum) 70%, 99% is best but this is what I had, and an empty hand soap sterilised in boiling water.
Workspace, whisk and bowl with a spout for pouring had to be sterilised beforehand as well and I was careful never to touch the Gel with my (washed) hands.
It's ~2 parts alcohol to 1 part Aloe Vera blended really well, with 10 drops of teatree essential oil or a squirt of lemon juice added - I made up a quantity of 180ml to 60ml. I filled the soap container without touching and then left it for 72 hours to be on the safe side and to allow the alcohol to kill off any remaining germs in the bottle. 

I use it before leaving for work as an essential keyworker and when I come home, after washing my hands thoroughly with soap and water, as I work with the elderly.

One more try

Let's try this again...:D
I worked way too much this last year! The wool on the top I got as a Birthday present, this scarf used one skein and I still have two left. The Work in Progress at the bottom uses leftovers, that one will be given away alongside clothing for people in need. We have been culling the wardrobes and as most of it is perfectly wearable we'd rather someone got use of it.

This one still needs a brother/sister before it can join the donation

WiP

It's still cold out there.

And seeing my daughter liked this wool too

she'll be getting fingerless gloves from what's left of it.

It was cold

F for Fail

Well, this project didn't go too well...after so many socks at the beginning of the year it soon fell by the wayside, but fear not - new year, new chance. This one I finished on Hogmanay/ New Year's Eve.

The book's quite old - advertising?

Calendar

Boy, it's been a while - too many hours at work, too little spare time to get crafty. Alas some of my friends keep dropping hints about me using my photographs, so here's one I made earlier...

Results

Progress so far:  At the bottom we have "Inro"/blue, then "Konnichiwa"/ecru, "Kabuki"/green and "Geisha"/ecru and green. Right now I use the rest of the blue wool for some freestyle ones adapted from "Geisha". 
Fittingly we just had a fresh fall of snow, so I'll be sticking to knitting socks for a while...must be the nesting instinct. :))  

Work in Progress

Green and Ecru Tweed wool are up next. There's less of the Green, so I decided to try something new with it: I have never attempted socks before. Of course it couldn't be a "normal" pattern for my first attempt, no - I went for a Japanese one. After two online tutorials to make sense of the heel it took a day for a pair of socks. Not too bad! 

Project 2018

Project 1: Lilac glitter, three skeins - scarf and hat? Gloves?

I recently checked my drawers for wool and found piles and piles of it. Most of it was tucked away since the kids were small and they're grown now, so it is high time to do something with all that before buying new. In fact I can't buy new until the old is used! 

Project 2: Grey chunky, one ball - scarf

Quick and easy

I needed a quick and easy present for one of my husband's aunties who recently became a great gran. I had a white mug stashed away in a cupboard 

along with some edding porcelain brushpens. The tips can be used for precise lines and brush strokes. I dotted her initial on the front and wrote "No1 Great Gran" on the back and left it to dry for 15 minutes.

Then it went into a preheated oven at 180 Celsius for 25 minutes to bake and was left to cool down in it: Finished, dishwasher safe and to be filled with sweets.