Hi
It’s Monsoon Season again in the UK - another bummer summer! so I quite forgot about posting my annual summer survival kit.
Here it is:
[B][FONT=Arial]COOL KNITTING FOR HOT SUMMERS[/FONT][/B]
[B][FONT=Arial]Build an indispensable survival kit for the heat.[/FONT][/B]
[FONT=Arial]Clammy hands in summer are a real drag to every knitter - yarn becomes so soggy that it is almost impossible to move the stitches.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Creating your own Summer Survival Kit should speed things up nicely by keeping your hands cool and yarn dry.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Before assembling your kit, it may be well worth while developing a friendship with your nearest non-knitting neighbour. Particularly if they own a big refrigerator - more on this later![/FONT]
[B][FONT=Arial]The Kit: -[/FONT][/B]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]One fridge - cleared of clutter - one shelf for your use alone[/FONT]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]Two knitting projects on the go[/FONT]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]A duplicate set of knitting needles (if possible)[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]If you use straights, store them in their original plastic cases or wrap them in cling-film.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Put circular needles in small, re-sealable plastic bags.[/FONT]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]Bags of ice[/FONT]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]Skin care - buy a good quality hand-cream, use liberally - particularly on the side of your index finger if you knit ‘Continental’[/FONT]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]Bicarbonate of soda[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Knitters who stabilise long needles ‘under-the-arm’ can end up with friction burns caused by wearing thinner clothing. Sponge hair rollers or corks covering the end of the needles prevents them rubbing.[/FONT]
[B][FONT=Arial]When kitting in the garden: -[/FONT][/B]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]One of two collapsible net food covers[/FONT]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]A hand towel to dab your hands[/FONT]
[FONT=Symbol]·[/FONT][FONT=Arial]Insect repellent - if you’re red-haired, get it by the bucket-load, as you’re always the first course on any mosquito’s menu[/FONT]
[B][FONT=Arial]Emergency equipment: -[/FONT][/B]
[FONT=Arial]One wheelbarrow[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]A stout padlock and chain[/FONT]
[B][FONT=Arial]Kit assembly and deployment: -[/FONT][/B]
[FONT=Arial]The summer enemies of any knitter’s fridge stash are M.O.M.s – (Midnight Onion Munchers), compulsive jelly-makers and curry-cravers.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]While you might get away with wrapping up a strawberry-scented sweater at Christmas (caused by unseen jelly left in the fridge), it’s pushing it a bit giving curried clogs and eye-stinging scarves.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]If you are continually plagued by smelly food fans, take drastic action - collect all the stuff they insist on eating/drinking and put it in the wheelbarrow.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Trundle wheelbarrow to nearest non-knitting neighbour and tell them your fridge is on the blink and you’re too poor to have it fixed. Don’t waste time and energy dreaming up other fairy tales. If people think you’re broke, they’ll feel superior to you and do everything possible to help. You’ll have the run of their fridge for summer![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]Check your own fridge every night before going to bed - ensure there’s no unwrapped Stilton and pickle lurking around, or that some joker hasn’t popped a pair of kippers at the back. Remove all smelly food, padlock the fridge and hide the key.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]When your hands do become clammy, don’t persist with the knitting - it’ll only end up soggy. If the stitches are really wilting, put your knitting under a food cover on a garden table and let it dry in a shady spot. The cover should keep off next door’s cat, as well as passing bugs.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]This is where the second project comes in - while the first is drying out, there’s no need to call a half to the knits and purls. Just go and get the cold needles from the fridge, after chilling your hands on the ice bags for a moment or two. If you’re short of ice, fill the sink with cold water and soak your hands and arms for two to three minutes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]And you could do worse than knitting a nice ‘Thank You’ present for your neighbour.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial]HAPPY SUMMER KNITTING!
Ellie
http://www.countonknit.com
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