SIO Tips no. 71 - Casting on: loosen up!

It's important when casting on to make sure it's neither too tight nor too loose. If you find that it's difficult to knit the first row after you've cast on then you need to loosen it up a bit; try one of the following methods:


1. As you cast on space your stitches out across the needle, it might be tempting to push them neatly together but this can make your stitches too tight.

2. Use a needle one or two sizes larger than the one you plan to use for your project. This naturally means the cast on stitches are looser.

SIO Tips no. 70 - Christmas with Kids

Christmas can get chaotic in a household with kids - one great way to reduce the running around ahead of time is to open your children's toys and remove all the fiddly bits, fit any batteries and make sure the boxes are easy to open. Then you can wrap them up knowing that they will be ready to play with on Christmas morning, keeping everyone happy and entertained.

Halloween Fizz Punch

Halloween is nearly here again folks - here are a few fab recipes for your punch bowl:

Fizz Punch - The possibilities are broad with this little recipe. Simply use half the amount of Sherbert to Soda of your choice to create a bubbling fizzing punch that looks like a science experiment. It's nice to use a hollowed out pumpkin as a punch bowl to make it feel more spooky! We like Lime Sherbert with Lemon and Lime soda to make a fab green punch.

Raspberry Ghoul - Place 2 cherries and 2 blueberries in each tall glass. Add 1 tablespoon of raspberry syrup into each. Gently pour 1 cup of lemonade over the fruit and top each glass with a scoop of ice cream.

Hot Apple - In a pot combine 1litre apple juice and 3 cinnamon sticks. Wrap 1/2 tsp allspice and 1/2 tsp cloves in a small piece of cheesecloth, and add to pot. Stir in 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and keep warm ready to serve on cold spooky nights! You can make this with Cider for the Grown-ups.

Have a spooky Halloween folks!

SIO Tips no. 69 - Embroidery tips

New to Embroidery? Here are a few useful tips to keep your work at its best:

1. Choose your hoop carefully. Make sure you get a hoop where the inner and outer rings meet snugly.

2. Cover the face of your work with a scrap of thin material before inserting into the hoop; carefully cut a hole to reveal the working area. This covers the rest of the fabric, protecting it from oils on your hands and keeping it clean

3. Always take your work out of the hoop when you've finished for the day. This will prevent the hoop from leaving marks.

SIO Tips no. 68 - Care for your Sewing Machine - Part Two

Keeping your Sewing Machine running nicely takes a little input on your part.
Here are a few more tips on keeping yours at it's very best, simply:

 
5. Be sure to keep your machine covered when you're not using it to keep it dust free.

6. Give your machine a clean up before you put it away if it is going into storage.

7. If you haven't used your machine for a while or it has been in storage, run it for a bit without any thread to get the parts all moving nicely again. It's also a good idea to practice on a scrap of fabric before sewing your final project.

Click here if you missed Part One.

SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time. 

SIO Tips no. 67 - Care for your Sewing Machine - Part One

Keeping your Sewing Machine running nicely takes a little input on your part.  
Here are a few tips on keeping yours at it's very best, simply:


1. Use your sewing machine's manual for care at home instructions and have it service by a professional annually.

2. Regularly clean lint from the bobbin case area & lubricate with a drop of oil.

3. Change the needle often. Blunt needles will make your machine work harder & won't give you such a good finish on your project as sharp ones.

Look out for Part Two coming soon...

SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time. 

Magic Heat Mark Removal - Wooden Furniture

It happens to everyone at some point; a hot mug of coffee or a cold glass gets put down onto a polished wooden surface leaving a dreaded cloudy mark. 

This happened to me recently, but not just a small ring on the table. I had been making roman blinds and used the table to press the seams; of course I had used a thick folded cloth to protect the surface, as I have done before, but my new iron is a little more ferocious and a very keen steamer. The resulting iron prints down the length of the dining table simply couldn't be regarded as 'characterful'.

I had a small panic and tried to polish it out to no avail. So, Google became my best friend. There were a few suggestions mentioned: Iron a damp towel over the affected area (too scary for me), use WD40 (I didn't have any to hand) and then I saw the suggestion of Mayonnaise, whole egg not fake stuff.
Well, I had that in the fridge so I decided to give it a go. I dabbed a test area thickly with the mayonnaise using kitchen paper and put the kettle on. After half an hour I went to check on the progress and to my utter amazement, found the less obvious marks had disappeared; I whipped out the jar and dabbed the whole table with it. The table was already well used and had various battle scars which could benefit from a little treatment. 

The magic mayo trick is so simple all you need to do is wipe it off with a warm slightly damp cloth after about an hour. I don't know the science behind why this works but all the heat marks had vanished and the wood glowed with a renewed lease of life. I left the table to dry really well before polishing with beeswax polish and I must say, it hasn't looked so good in years.

So, no need to panic! This simple, quick and inexpensive trick really does work wonders.

Fresh Summer Cooler

Summer means lovely picnics in the park and time spent in the garden but it's nice to have a cool drink to quench your thirst on a hot day.

Here is a simple recipe for a delicious Summer Cooler:

(Serves 6)

Crushed Ice
Angostura Bitters
1-2 Limes or a Lemon
Tonic Water

Half fill glasses with the crushed ice; top each glass with 5 drops of Bitters and a squeeze of Lime/Lemon Juice, slice the remaining fruit. Top the glasses with tonic and garnish with the remaining slices. You can also add mint for a fresh flavour.

Make your own: Lavender and Rose Petal Bath Salts

Everyone has a stressful day now and then; a great way to combat the daily grind and relax tense muscles is to take time out and soak in a hot bath. 

I like to add lovely scented bath salts to my bath once in a while. 
Here is a recipe for simple, soothing, Lavender and Rose Petal bath salts that will also leave your skin feeling lovely.

1 cup Sea Salt or Coarse Salt
2 cups Epsom Salts
1/2 cup Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Glycerine
20 drops Lavender essential oil
1/2 cup Dried Lavender flowers and Rose Petals

Mix all the salts with the baking powder, add the glycerine and essential oil to the mix and combine well.
Add the dry Lavender flowers and store into a screw topped bottle that seals tightly. 

Now all you need are some candles and an hour to yourself!

This recipe makes a fab little gift for someone special. Embellish the jars with pretty ribbons or fresh Lavender from the garden if you have some.

SIO Tips 66: Easy seam allowance guide

Keeping an even seam allowance can be tricky especially if you need a wider one than normal. This simple trick helps guide as you sew: stretch a rubber band around the base of your sewing machine to the width you are want to sew. It's easy to follow and stays in place securely; it's also really easy to move for wider or narrower seams.


SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time. 

Fathers Day Fun

I think Fathers Day should be as important and memorable as Mothers Day.

In our house there was never such a fuss made, perhaps because we didn't really know what little things Dad would appreciate. Mum was always touched by bunches of hand picked wild flowers clutched in clumsy fingers; she would even forgive the hole left in her flower beds. Growing up we would spoil her with little things to make her day more special; the usual breakfast in bed, a hand-made card that got stuck to the fridge and stayed there until next year when it was finally filed away with other treasures.

Fathers Day was different though, a card yes, Mum probably even bought his favourite treats for us to hand out too but we didn't do anything much together apart from the usual Sunday Dinner. All week long my Dad would work outside. I come from a farming family so sun up to sun set Dad was trudging around with no time for fun. Sundays didn't mean a day off, even on Fathers Day, so perhaps having a sleep in the easy chair after dinner was the best present he could have had!

I hope that one day, when I have kids of my own, we will focus a bit more on Daddy and make time to spend the day together, not just on Fathers Day.

So, if you have kids and also feel that Daddy deserves more than a card this Fathers Day take a look on Pinterest for some great crafting ideas to get the whole family involved this weekend. Not only will it make your man feel appreciated but it will give the kids precious childhood memories and maybe start a lifelong tradition of making time for loved ones in our hectic lives a bit more.

Some of my favourite ideas:

• Make tents out of blankets and have a picnic inside or even better, if you can, have a BBQ and make sure you remember the marshmallows for toasting!
• Collect smooth pebbles or rocks and paint them in fun patterns, use aboriginal art for inspiration. This can keep older children busy and inspired for ages and makes great paperweights for Dad's paperwork!
• Dig out the board games and have an afternoon of fun playing Cluedo, Pictionary or Go Fish...
• Use soda bottles filled with water as ten pin bowling pins. Daddy can show off his bowling skills and bond with the kids.
• Have a paper aeroplane making competition. Whoever has the best plane that flies farthest is the winner. You could also have prizes for the most funky design.

SIO Tips 65: Getting creative in the Garden

Get creative in the Garden this year by collecting unusual planters for herbs and flowers. Enamel pots from junk shops make great rustic looking plant pots and  are easy to move around. Remember that it's important to make holes to allow for drainage or use a regular flower pot inside the pretty external pot.


SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time.

SIO Tips 64: Maintaining a Wooden Board

Wooden or plastic chopping boards are the best to keep your knives sharp but wood can harbour bacteria so it's important to keep them clean. One great, natural, way to do this is to sprinkle the board with salt and use half a lemon to scrub all over; then rinse off with hot water. 
Once the board is dry simply wipe with a little olive oil or similar on a piece of kitchen paper to keep in tip-top condition.

SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time.

Wonderful Dog Deodoriser

Dogs are mans best friend but certain breeds have a stronger doggy smell than others. Now that the weather is warming up your dog may be outside getting hot and jumping in and out of water. This all can lead to a less than lovely odor.

This simple trick is great if you don't have time to wash your dog or you don't want to bath him too often.

What you need:

1/2 cup baking soda
2 cups warm water
1 bandanna sized to fit dog

What to do:

Simply mix the baking soda and water in a bowl and soak the bandanna thoroughly. Once saturated, dry in the sun; then it's ready to tie around the pooch's neck. He will look very smart and the baking soda absorbs the doggy smell without irritating his skin.

SIO Tips 63: Snipping Corners and Excess

If you are sewing something that needs to be turned inside out when finished, make sure you snip the corners before you turn it right side out. This will make it easier to push the corners out and a neater final project because there won’t be so much excess fabric making lumpy edges. The same applies if you have excess fabric on the seam; trim some of it off, avoiding clipping the stitches before turning the fabric right side out as well.

 

SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time.

SIO Tips no. 62: Keep your Kitchen Sponges clean

Keeping your washing up or cleaning sponges bacteria free is really simple with this handy tip. Just wring out the excess water and zap the sponges in your microwave for one minute on high; this kills any bacteria growth.


SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time.

SIO Tips no. 61: Keep your Scissors Sharp

Cut through fine sandpaper a few times to sharpen your everyday scissors.

SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time.

SIO Tips no. 60: Choosing a new colour Scheme

Paint lollipop sticks with the color you're painting  the walls in your house; take with you on shopping trips to match furniture, curtains, decorations, etc.

Write the make and name of the color on the back of the stick along with which room it's used and keep for easy reference in case you need to touch up the paintwork in the future.

SEEKITOUT: Changing the world a stitch at a time.

Make your own bubble fun

Affordable and easy bubbles keep kids entertained; make up your own bubble solution and watch them have an absolute ball! 

You will need:

1 Cup water 

1 1/2 tablespoons dish soap 

1 1/2 teaspoons glycerin

Mix and leave overnight before using. Leaving over night is important to make a stronger solution so the bubbles don't burst so easily.

If you don't have bubble bottles with wands to re-fill, you can make a game of finding things in the kitchen that can be used to blow bubbles through. Any utensils with holes in will work; slotted spoons, spatulas etc. or you can use cookie cutters, plastic trays from buying fruit (the ones with holes in) or twist pipe cleaners into fun shapes. 

 
Remember this can be a bit of a messy fun-time so use a room that's easy to wipe down or better still get them outside in the fresh air.

SIO Tip no. 59: Waste not Want not - Pancake Day

Pancake Day means a lot of work for the one behind the frying pan. They are simple to make and yummy too but it does take time to flip enough pancakes for the family.
This Pancake Day try pouring your batter into an empty, clean, squeezy ketchup bottle. The non-drip nozzle means you can dispense as much batter into the pan as you want to use and is much less messy than using a ladle. Plus once you're done, if you have batter left, the rest is easily stored in the fridge for the following morning.

No more ugly glue from labels

Empty jars from jams or preserves make wonderful storage for little bits in your craft room but removing the glue left behind after soaking off the paper labels can be a nightmare and very irritating when it comes to re-using them.





Here is one easy way around the problem; you will need - Baking Soda, Vegetable Oil and a brush.

Mix together equal parts of Baking Soda and Vegetable Oil and simply brush onto the gluey areas; leave for around 10 minutes and then wipe off. 

 






I like to then run them through the dishwasher to remove the oil and beautiful, clean jars come out ready to re-purpose! 


 


Thrifty Tip: To save some pennies use veg oil that has already been used once for frying. Invest in a wide funnel with a removable mesh filter that you can strain the oil through once cooled. Keep in a plastic bottle and store in the cleaning cupboard ready for jar cleaning duties.

SIO Tips no. 58 - De-odorise your wooden spoons.

Wooden Spoons are one of the most used items in the kitchen. Some people may have separate ones for baking or for stirring a savoury pot but this isn't always ideal and who wants onion or garlic tainting your Victoria sponge mix?

Here is a simple way to care for your spoons to revive them and have you cooking with confidence.

Mix together 1 Tablespoon of Baking soda to 1 Cup of warm water. Adjust the quantities depending on how many spoons you're treating; you want to fully cover the bowl of the spoon. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse well. Dry as normal before using.

SIO Tips no. 57: How to measure a Zip

 Measuring a zip might seem like a simple task but you need to remember one important thing; measure only the zipping part, from the top stop to the bottom stop (or retaining box on a zip that opens all the way down) it's important not to measure the tape part of the zip otherwise you'll end up coming short.
 

One-Pot, Wonderful

The nights still close in early and cold chills in the air means warming, comfort food is a must. Here's a wonderful way to quickly put together a hearty meal for a family, or for two; the extra can be frozen and saved for future 'quick' fixes.

All you need is:

1 pot
1 knife & board
and a Wooden Spoon

along with these (or a variation) ingredients:

1 whole Chicken
2 Onions, quartered
2 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
2 Celery Sticks, roughly chopped
8 - 10 Baby Carrots, trimmed or 4 large, roughly chopped
8 - 10 Baby Marrows, trimmed or 3 large, roughly chopped
A handful of cherry tomatoes
1 Cup of Brown Rice
1 Cup of Soup Mix (I like to make my own with 1/2 Black Lentils, 1/4 Barley, 1/4 Split Peas)
1/2 Lemon

Herbs of your choice, I like the following:

2 Fresh Rosemary twigs 
3-4 Bay Leaves
2 tsps Oregano

plus Salt and Black Pepper to taste.

First fill the kettle and pop it on to boil. While you wait for the water you can prep the veggies by topping and tailing the Carrots and Marrows, or chopping into large chunks if using larger veg.
Rinse all these under the tap to make sure the skins are all clean and lovely. No time is wasted peeling and all the goodness is preserved.

Peel and quarter the Onions and Garlic cloves and chop the celery into smaller pieces.

The kettle should now have whistled so, pop your whole Chicken, ensuring there are no giblets in a little packet inside, along with all the veggies into a large pot and fill up to cover the chicken with the hot water.
Turn on the stove to a medium to high heat to get the liquid bubbling.

Now add the Rice and Soup mix to the top as well as the herbs and Black Pepper. I tend to only add the Salt towards the end of cooking because it can make the meat tougher.

Put the lid on the pot and turn down the heat and leave for an hour; I recommend using this time to relax with a glass of wine and your latest knitting project!
After an hour give the pot a stir making sure the grains are not sticking to the bottom and there is still liquid bubbling in the top. Squeeze the lemon into the pot and add the rind too. Then season with salt and pepper and leave for another 1/2 hour.

You may like to add a chicken stock cube or some other spices to your version. More lemon, cumin and some cayenne makes a wonderful exotic tasting dish for those who are more adventurous.

Dish up the rice and veggies in a big heap with Chicken that falls off the bone ...and enjoy! One pot, very little prep and just a little dash of patience to make a healthy, homely meal. 

This makes enough for 4 generous portions. Perhaps also a little extra leftover that you can add 500mls of stock to for a lovely soup the next day.

SIO Tips no. 56: Using up wool oddments

Wool oddments can make your craft box look a real mess; there are some great ways to use up the funny assortment of colours out there. 
A big favourite is to knit a whole lot of squares for a knitted patchwork quilt; great for a baby blanket and family heirloom. 
This also makes a great project to teach a new knitter as the squares can be whatever size you like, great practice to get the hands used to knitting and quick to put together with amazing results.
 

SIO Tips no. 55: Gardening jobs for January

It may be cold outside but there are still jobs to do in the garden to prepare for Spring. 
Now is the time to plan your planting and prune those fruit trees.
Don't forget to keep feeding the little birds; they need the extra food now.