Life is like a butterfly

Do you remember the programme Butterflies, the one on BBC, where Wendy Craig played a wife who ‘struggled’ to cook anything edible and drove a Mini with a Union Jack emblazoned on the roof? Well, ignoring all of that, it was called Butterflies.

Can you see the link? 😉 Mandy has been creating cards for an imminent house move with butterflies attached, briefly perched, awaiting to move on to pastures anew.

Here’s the pattern for a Small Butterfly

Cast on 8sts;
1st Row: Kfb, k5, kfb, k1 10sts;
2nd Row: Kfb, k7, kfb, k1 12sts;
3rd Row: Kfb, k9, kfb, k1 14sts;
4th Row: Kfb, k11, kfb, k1 16sts;
5th Row: K2tog, k12, k2tog 14sts;
6th Row: K2tog, k10, k2tog 12sts;
7th Row: K2tog, k8, k2tog 10sts;
8th Row: Cast off 3sts, knit to end 7sts;
9th Row: Cast off 3sts, k3, cast on 5sts;
10th Row: K9, cast on 5sts 14sts;
11th Row: Kfb, k11, kfb, k1 16sts;
12th Row: Kfb, k13, kfb, k1 18sts;
13th Row: Kfb, k15, kfb, k1 20sts;
14th Row: Knit;
15th Row: Knit;
16th Row: K2tog, k16, k2tog 18sts;
17th Row: K2tog, k14, k2tog 16sts;
18th Row: K2tog, k12;
19th Row: K2tog, k10, k2tog, 12sts
CO

Restrictions

These restrictions we have been facing for over 9 months in Glasgow are now starting to lift, and we can see some light perhaps? Possibly the perceived walls are starting to come down, albeit slowly and carefully. People can now, if they wish, to visit other households. These butterflies are now looking to find new areas to roam. Where are we finding anew?

Perhaps we have ventured quite far – across the border – and seen family once again. It may be that our activities, our hobbies, are what can help us to process what we are feeling. Is it in the rhythmical flow of the knitting or sewing, the evolving design of the drawing or painting that helps us to distance ourselves from the issues we are facing?

Hope

We did get some of these craft letters sometime ago. Some we painted, in diaconal blue, which would encourage us to pray. The letters would be placed along the hallway so we pass them every day.

Then we bought some more, and added sticks, or buttons or shells to them, giving them texture as the letters of Hope would offer passers-by exactly that. Given the nature of the Knit & Knatter group we then felt that it would be better to give them some added colour and use wool.

Fat Quarters

Initially this looks like a bargain, possibly more than a quarter of something; however, it is a different way of looking at dividing up a metre of material. Here’s a description.

It looks a far more practical way of cutting material.

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Next week we have Deacon Sue Culver with us, who will speak about her quilt project. She is making an incredible quilt which reflects something of our experience of living through the Covid-19 pandemic. Her hope is not only to make a quilt but also to bring alive people’s lived experiences by offering a space to share their stories and contribute a piece of fabric to include in the quilt. Once finished, the goal is to bring photographs of the quilt together with the stories collected with some kind of commentary or reflection and publish it.