One small change March round up and April challenges

I have finally done the swiffer cosy!!! Hurrah!!! Instead of knitting one the Freeform CAL taught me a few new stitches so I decided to have a go a crotcheting one and here it is!!!

The Pattern:  Using a 5mm or 5.5mm hook and some chunky scraps of yarn…..

Foundation chain:  Chain  42

1st row: UK Treble crotchet into 3rd chain from hook and treble to end.

US Double Crotchet into 3rd chain from hook and double crotchet to end.

2nd row: UK – Chain 3 Treble crotchet around the front post of next 2 trebles (creating a raised stitch) *treble crotchet round the back post of next 3 trebles, treble crotchet round the front post of next three trebles repeat from * to end

US – Chain 3 Double crotchet around the front post of next 2 double crotchets (creating a raised stitch) *double crotchet round the back post of next 3 doubles (creating a relief stitch), double crotchet round the front post of next three doubles repeat from * to end

3rd row: Repeat the second row in opposition to the stitches above so if your stitches are reliefed treble/double crotchet round the front post and if the stitches are raised treble/double crotchet round the back post.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 twice more, bind off.

Attach alternate colour yarn to the long side of your swiffer cosy and UK double crotchet in every treble US single crotchet in every double. UK double crotchet for 4 more rows.  US single crotchet for 4 more rows.  Bind off.

Repeat this for the other long side.

Attach the Yarn 10 stitches in on the long side and chain 30, bind off.  This creates the ties for attaching the cosy to the swiffer.  Repeat this for all four corners.

Weave in ends and away you go an environmentally friendlywashable swiffer cosy, that stash busts the odds and ends and means no more silly duster things zooming off to landfills everywhere!!

Composting is still going well and so is the reusing of carrier bags…..

Well added to that my green tent is going really well (see Signs of life posting) and more seeds have been planted out in there in the last few days despite the hideous rain snow and everything else the weather has chucked this way and despite illness on my part (Ahhhh….. the joy of teaching and stop and drop syndrome!!) I have spared you the photographs of the blank compost and will update when  there are signs of growth and they are planted out into their spots or containers in the bog that is currently my clay soiled garden!!!

Right Challenge for April…… hummmmm well I want to keep going with the seed planting and the composter needs turning out so I can get to the yummy goodness at the bottom and the beds then need weeding and mulching and then when the new plants are planted out I’m gonna add bark chips to help retain moisture over the summer but that probably wont need to happen till May…. so that can wait for next months challenge!

Drying clothes….. starting to use the line when possible between the April showers and using the indoor drying racks and forgoing the use of the tumble dryer completely I think will have to be it!