Pukado By Patricia Stuart: August 2014

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Crochet Mood Blanket 2014 - September Square by Pukado

Oh gosh.. totally lost track of date and found out yesterday, only 2 more days until September! So I got my mood blanket project bag out and started thinking. I made a few squares, but wasn’t happy with all of them. So I left it until the morning and tried again and it worked.

A lovely new September square!

You can download the file from Ravelry here: download now

Ok so here we go!

R1, MC, SLST in MC, CH2, 11DC in MC, SLST to first DC - 12DC

R2, CH3, DC in same st, 2DC in next st, drop loop, insert hook in last CH of CH3, pick up dropped loop, pull through (first PopCorn St made), CH5, *2DC in next 2 st, drop loop, insert hook in last CH of CH3, pick up dropped loop, pull through, CH5* repeat around, SLST to first PopCorn st - 6 PopCorn st

R3, CH2 (or if you work with color changes, SLST on top of PopCorn st), 2HalfDCs in same st (first Cluster made), YO 2 times, insert hook around post of R1, YO and pull through, YO and pull through 2 loops, YO and pull through 2 loops, insert hook in loop halfway TR made (see picture) ----->

Add 2 halfDCs, YO and pull through all loops on hook, CH3, 3HalfDCs in same space as previous HalfDCs, 3HalfDCs on top of next PopCorn st, YO and pull through all loops on hook, CH3,

*3HalfDCs in same st as previous HalfDCs, YO 2 times, insert hook around post of R1, YO and pull through, YO and pull through 2 loops, YO and pull through 2 loops, insert hook in loop halfway TR, add 2 halfDCs, YO and pull through all loops on hook, CH3, 3HalfDCs in same space as previous HalfDCs, 3HalfDCs on top of next PopCorn st, YO and pull through all loops on hook, CH3* repeat around, SLST to first cluster.

R4, *3SC, CH2* in each CH3Space (if your square turns out a bit smaller, you can change the SC to HDC to make it a bit bigger)

R5, SLST (in) to next CH2Space, 3DC in CH2Space, 6DC in next CH2Space, *(6DC, CH2, 6DC) in next CH2Space, 6DC in next 2 CH2Spaces* repeat around, last series you will add 3DC to first CH2Space to complete the series. Do not fasten off, you will continue R6 in same color.

R6, *CH3, SC on top of the next shell, CH3, SC on top of the next shell, CH3, SLST in corner CH2Space, CH3, SLST in same corner space, CH3, SC on top of the next shell, CH3, SC on top of next shell* repeat around

R7, SLST into next CH3Space, CH2, 3HDC in same CH3Space, *4HDC in each of next CH3Spaces until you reach a corner, 2HDC, CH2, 2HDC in corner space* repeat all around, SLST to first HDC.

Fasten off with invisible join, weave in all ends.

You are free to create from the pattern and sell the creations.

Please do not copy, rewrite, resell or distribute as your own, this is prohibited.

Please give credit to my page for the pattern and if you sell finished items online,

please provide a link to my page for the pattern.

Thank you for your understanding.

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Sunday, August 24, 2014

On a different note: Diet and recipes!

I'm on a diet... Yes, I really need to! I tried all of the diets and pills, packs and wraps, teas and detoxes over the years!

Before I met my hubby and got married and had children, I had found the way! I was good with food, 3 times a week in the gym and even though it was an every day battle, I was proud of myself for keeping it up and I felt fabulous!!!

Then I met my hubby, moved countries, started a new life and my strict regime of going to the gym was gone. First of all, when we started out in Ireland, the gym was just way to expensive to join. And the food and drink! OMG!!!

And then I had children.. 2 in 2 years, One in 2008 and 15 months later the second one in 2009. And on top of that, I had loads of medical problems, from gallbladder disease to carpal tunnel (plus tennis arms, trigger fingers, etc). So again no gym and food was comforting me.

I loved baking! I baked everything for every one. The girls in the crèche were really happy with me, because at least once a month I would bake them something and drop it off with the kids. A nice cheesecake or lovely banana bread.

But now I'm 38 and it's getting in the way. I need more energy to keep up with my children.

Also, me and the girls are planning a wild weekend away for our 40th birthday in 2 years! So I need to look fabulous for that!!! I don't need to be a size zero and it doesn't have to be done in 6 weeks.

I did the 6 weeks crash dieting and all it did was let me feel good for a week and before you knew it, it was back on... with a vengeance!!! The well known JO JO effect. I have been up and down and up and down so many times, I lost count.

So I'm trying something new now...

I don't need to lose 5 kilos in a week. I don't need to lose 20 kilos in 6 weeks. What I want is to lose a kilo a week. What I want is, to go nice and slow. Change my eating habits, change my lifestyle.

So I started 3 weeks ago. I decided to eat what I want to eat. If I make it nice and yummy, it will be easier! Right? But just smaller portions.
I haven't had a meal on a normal dinner plate in 3 weeks. I use a small plate.
I cut out potatoes, pasta and bread (well almost all bread, I love bread!) and mostly eat cooked white rice.
I eat loads of fruit and veggies. I have never ate so many avocados in my life hahaha, but I love avocados!
I can't seem to give up on meat and fish. I love my meat and fish. So instead of punishing myself by denying myself meat or fish, I made it my main part of dinner. Meat with veggies and rice.

Shrimp Quacamole with waldkorn crackers and green tea

I start in the morning with a shake. Just a normal standard diet shake, you can get at any store. It doesn't have to have special things. It just needs to fill me up in the morning. I mix it with skinny milk and drink it in one go.
At lunch, I eat 2 crackers with meat (grilled chicken, roast beef, salami, ham. I'm trying to avoid fatty meats) and loads of fruit or veggies.
And for dinner I eat meat, veggies and rice or grilled chicken with an avocado or shrimp guacamole or a salad stuffed with nice healthy things.

And I drink one glass of water every hour! I set the timer on my phone for an hour and every time it goes, I drink! Except after 8 at night, otherwise I will be up all night peeing and not sleeping!
I don't drink anything else, no fizzy drinks. Just a cup of tea.

With all this, I don't have the urge to snack. Yes, sometimes I miss chocolate... a lot!

With this I lost 4 kilos now and it's going down every time I get on the scale! Nice and slow and with yummy food and loads of water.

But the kids miss my baking. Mammie, please make some cupcakes/cookies/whatever! Especially on the weekends. Trying to explain that I'm on a diet is not working... and for that matter, I don't want to burden my kids with the fact that I'm not happy with my body. I want them to be happy in their body and not worry about these things.

So I'm trying to find recipes I can make, that are low in fat and sugar! And yes, there are many recipes. But you need special this and special that. I don't want to go through all that trouble!

My girl asked for banana bread today. And normally I make it with 190 gr butter and 170 gr of sugar. That's too much! So no... the look on her face was heartbreaking hahaha! So I made it happen! I made her a banana bread without butter and sugar!

And she ate 2 pieces and loved it! And I had a nice piece as well!! Woohooooo

Here is the recipe:

Pre heat oven at 140C

I use my kitchen machine with blades and not mixer.

5 ripe bananas (350-400 grams)
3 large eggs
180 gr cottage cheese (quark)
180 gr self raising flour
15 gr of Honey
2 little bags of vanilla sugar or teaspoon of vanilla extract

Mix all of this for a couple of minutes in the machine

Cut up 2 bananas in 1 cm chunks
Handful of Chocolate chips (I use 70% chocolate)

With spoon mix bananas and chocolate chips through mixture

With a brush and a tiny bit of butter, grease your pan. Pour in some fine breadcrumbs and shake it until you have covered the whole inside of the pan.

Pour in mixture and put in the oven for 45 minutes! Leave to cool for a bit and eat!

ENJOY!!!!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Granny Wristies by Pukado - Free Pattern!

Granny Wristies by Pukado

You can download it on Ravelry as well!! download now

Supplies:

For the photo’s in the pattern I used Stylecraft Chunky Silver and hook size 4mm. As I want to be tight and warm. I am a loose crocheter. They are a bit bigger then the multi color ones.

The multi color ones are made with hook size 4mm and Fenna Yarn (available in the Netherlands at Wibra). This yarn has a similar weight to Stylecraft DK Special.

Both wristies are made with the same pattern and same amount of stitches.

R1, CH30, SLST to first Chain, CH2, HDC in the next 29chains, SLST to first HDC - 30st

R2, CH2, HDC in next 29st, SLST to first HDC - 30st

R3, *CH3, skip 2 st, SC in next st* repeat around, SLST to first last SLST of R2, SLST in next CH3Space - 10 CH3Spaces

R4, CH2,2DC in same CH3space, 3DC in next 3 CH3Spaces, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH4, SC in next CH3Space, CH3, 3DC in next 4CH3Spaces, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space (in between 3DC’s)

R5, CH2,2DC in same Space, 3DC in next 2 Spaces, 3DC in next CH3Space, CH3, SC in next CH4Space, CH3, 3DC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next 4 Spaces, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space

R6, CH2,2DC in same Space, 3DC in next 2 Spaces, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH4, SC in next CH3Space, CH3, 3DC in next 5 Spaces, SLST to first DC,

Left hand: 2 SLST into next Space

Right hand: 5 SLST into the second Space

Lefthand

R7, CH2,2DC in same Space, 3DC in next Space, 3DC in next CH3Space, CH3, SC in next CH4Space, CH3, 3DC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next 2 Spaces, CH6, skip next Space, 3DC in next 3 Spaces, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space

R8, CH2,2DC in same Space, 3DC in next Space, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH4, SC in next CH3Space, CH3, 3DC in next Space, 9DC in CH6Space, 3DC in next 3 Spaces, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space

R9, CH2,2DC in same Space, 3DC in next CH3Space, CH3, SC in next CH4Space, CH3, 3DC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next Space, skip 3st, 2DC in between 3rd and 4th st, skip 3st, 2DC in between 6th and 7th st, 3DC in next 4 Spaces, SLST to first st, SLST into next Space

R10, CH2,2DC in same Space, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH3, 3DC in next Space, 2DC in next 3 Spaces, 3DC in next 4 Spaces, SLST to first st, SLST into next CH3Space 2014-08-20 13.44.35.jpg

R11, CH2,2DC in same CH3Space, CH2, SC in next CH3Space, CH2, 3DC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next 2 Spaces, skip next Space, 3DC in next 5 Spaces, SLST to first st, CH2

R12, DC in previous Space, CH2, SC in next CH2Space, CH3, SC in next CH2Space, CH2, 3DC in next 7 Spaces, DC in last Space (next to CH2, DC), SLST to first DC, SLST into next CH2Space

R13, CH2,2DC in same CH2Space, 3DC in next 2 CH2Spaces, 3DC in next 7 Space, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space

R14, CH2,2DC in same CH2Space, 3DC in next 9 Spaces

Repeat R14 until you reach desired length or add a border of your choice

R15, CH3, *SC in next Space, CH3* repeat around

R16, *SC, 2HDC, SC* in each CH3Space

Fasten off with invisible join, weave in ends

Righthand

R7 CH2,2DC in same Space, 3DC in next CH3Space, CH3, SC in next CH4Space, CH3, 3DC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next 5 Spaces, CH6, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space

R8, CH2,2DC in same Space, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH4, SC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next 5 Spaces, 9DC in next CH6Space, SLST to first DC, SLST into next CH3Space

R9, CH2,2DC in same CH3Space, CH3, SC in next CH4Space, CH3, 3DC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next 5 Spaces, skip 3st, 2DC in between 3rd and 4th st, skip 3 st, 2DC in between 6th and 7th st, 3DC in next Space, SLST to first DC, CH2

R10, DC in previous Space, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH3, SC in next CH3Space, CH3, 3DC in next 5 Spaces, 2DC in next 3 Spaces, DC in first Space (next to CH2, DC), SLST to first DC, SLST into next CH3Space

R11, CH2,2DC in same CH3Space, CH2, SC in next CH3Space, CH2, 3DC in next CH3Space, 3DC in next 5 Spaces, skip next Space, 3DC in next 2 Spaces, SLST to first DC, CH2

R12, DC in previous Space, CH2, SC in next CH2Space, CH2, SC in next CH2Space, CH2, 3DC in next 7 Spaces, DC in first Space (next to CH2, DC), SLST to first DC, SLST into next CH3Space

R13, CH2,2DC in same CH3Space, 3DC in next 2 CH2Spaces, 3DC in next 7 Spaces, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space

R14, CH2,2DC in same Space, 3DC in next 9 Spaces, SLST to first DC, SLST into next Space