| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| marigold |
October "make a cosy" challengeThe challenge is to "make a cosy of your choice, using materials you have to hand, during the month of October". You can interpret the challenge how you like, but the main thing is not to spend any money - use stuff you already own, acquire by barter, scrounge or are given.Suggestions: tea cosy egg cosy coffee pot cosy phone/ipod cosy head cosy (aka hat) foot cosies (aka slippers) mug cosy bottle cosy spare loo roll cosy bed cosy (aka quilt) hot water bottle cosy wine bottle cosy hand cosies (aka gloves, mittens) Hammer and nails types will have to use their ingenuity to create cosiness from less obviously cosy materials - a hay box is the only thing I can come up with... No prizes, but at the end you may have: created something that will help save on winter heating bills practised a new skill inspired others raised money for charity (or yourself) finished a work in progress make a gift earned awe and admiration 
In so far are: mochyn ros AnnaD marigold Is anyone else is going to play? |
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| judith |
Ah go on then. I know I want to.
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| Helen M |
I'll play this time
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| Bodrighy |
Hmm....now hoe do I turn a cosy.....I'll get back to you on this one 
Pete |
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| sally_in_wales |
I'm in, I've jsut spun some yarn for a shawl, so that should count as a sally-cosy | ||||||
| Bebo |
Do socks count as foot cosies? I was thinking about starting a pair.... | ||||||
| Frewen Feltmaker |
So you are seriously saying I can do a hat? | ||||||
| Bebo |
Aren't you always doing hats? |
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| marigold |
Of course, hats, socks - anything that can remotely be called a cosy thing .
I'm looking forward to what Bodrighy come up with... |
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| Bodrighy |
So am I 
Pete |
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| ros |
thimbles ? ( end of finger cosies ?? ) |
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| Rob R |
Re: October "make a cosy" challenge
I intend to make us cosy in October within those parameters as set out above.  And I should have achieved everything apart from making any money for charity or myself.
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| Bodrighy |
Re: October "make a cosy" challenge
Does firewood count in this category? I make plenty of that
Pete |
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| sally_in_wales |
Mug cosies (coasters)? A turned wooden casing to cosy a small flask of something decadant? A pot to hold a nightlight candle, or any candlestick really? |
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| Bugs |
I'm in...not sure what for, but in, all the same.
The idea of a sally cosy makes me giggle but unfortunately sallies are thin on the ground here. I'm sure inspiration will strike (and I already know it will be mostly cream..) |
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| BethinPA |
I'm in! Suddenly, I know a lot of newborn babies, and they all will require head cozies, as will my MIL (undergoing chemo/radiation therapy) (something cozy and cheery, I think). Have made three baby blankets in the past week, but it was still September! Jumped the gun!
I'm avoiding turning on the heat, so will be inspired by relative chill of house. Beth |
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| Jamanda |
Beth! Three blankets in a week that's impressive. Said she sitting here by a roaring fire.
I'd missed that your MIL was so ill. I'm so sorry. Horrid, horrid treatment. I hope it is successful. |
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| Jamanda |
I'll try and rustle up a cosy BTW. - If I'm not allowed to buy one, can anyone lend me a crochet or knitting pattern for a simple tea cosy? | ||||||
| marigold |
Re: October "make a cosy" challenge
I think it can be allowed if you arrange it artfully (homage to Andy Goldsworthy style) and take photographs
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| marigold |
Re: October "make a cosy" challenge
Just make sure that any pictures of the "Rob and Ixy Get Cosy" project are suitable for a family forum .
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| marigold |
@ Beth - best wishes for your MIL's treatment. | ||||||
| toggle |
i'll make something, probably a toggle-cozy | ||||||
| Bugs |
There are some cute ones on http://www.cabbagepatchtreasures.co.uk/afghan03.htm but Knitting Pattern Central has a lot more - http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/cozies.php - can't recommend one but some are marked "easy", "simple", "basic", etc, so worth a thumb through |
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| Faithmead |
I'm in 
...I'm thinkin' "foot cosies" ......multicoloured.....and snuggly
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| Bebo |
Just started my foot cosies (socks). Boring thick dark grey ones for the OH to wear with his wellies. First 20 rows done whilst watching the box. | ||||||
| gil |
I might go for the 'finish sawing up winter firewood' version too
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| Jamanda |
Thanks. Having trouble dealing with cosy spelt with a z though 
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| Rob R |
Re: October "make a cosy" challenge
There's no chance that they won't be! Unless you pay us a lot of money The way it feels out tonight, a Rob cosy is just what I need!
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| otatop |
I do quilts and I always have several on the go - but they tend to be fairly long haul projects. Now that I've got rid of the church banner I rather fancy getting back to the patchwork. There's no way I could get one finished this month - but I'll get going again and post a picture sometime. You've inspired me! | ||||||
| Rob R |
You inspired me to get my swede cover out for the first time this autumn
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| Jamanda |
Does this cover an individual vegetable or a big pile of them? |
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| gil |
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| Rob R |
Just the one, the one I carry everywhere with me. Still wearing it inside- it does feel cosy. | ||||||
| Fee |
I'm in, I'm thinking halloween egg cosies
I suppose a tea cosy might be a nice thingmas pressie for somebody, my MIL perhaps. Don't drink tea very often here either. |
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| Faithmead |
What about a Knitting Needle Cosy........a wooden tube (with lid) to keep Knitting needles etc in??........hint, hint ..... I could 'test drive' it for you
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| BethinPA |
Looked through Knittingpatterncentral and quite liked this one: http://knitandperl.blogspot.com/2008/01/teatime.html I might do that myself, as a stashbuster! As for the blanket extravaganza, they're just two pieces of cotton flannel (hmmm, might mean something different in UK? You know, soft, brushed cotton fabric) in complementary colors sewn together. I make them about 1 metre squared so a baby can be swaddled in them. Just zip them together with the ole sewing machine. And thank you for the good wishes for my MIL! I bought some lovely, thick wool to make a hat. Now looking for a pattern (I know that's backwards, but that's me.)[/img] |
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| welsh veg grower |
Just about to start my first quilt have been inspired by very lovely shop in town which sells all the stuff. May need some advice 
I'll start my 'me cosy' but no way I'll finish in a month |
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| Helen M |
I have just spent the evening trying to find a way to hold both of my wrists at the same time as heat makes them hurt less.....ergo, wrist cosy
crochet i think, anyone got a pattern? |
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| gil |
I once saw a nice pattern for wrist warmers / totally fingerless gloves in easy cabled knit on knitting pattern central (I think) |
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| Helen M |
here is the before picture of the fiber i chose for my wrist cosies
baby alpacca, silk and merino
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| toggle |
i suppose i could make another shawl as a toggle-cozy. I've got a bit of a thing about knitting lace atm | ||||||
| lowri |
Yes, I'm in too, but it will end with a midnight panic on Hallowe'en night, I am very bad at sticking to deadlines -
and alas I don't have my mother to bail me out any more, she reckoned she spent more time finishing my youthful "projects" than starting her own!
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| Fee |
It's been overtaken by stockings for the kids of friends for our 'friends Christmas' this year. I suppose they are pressie cosies
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| mochyn |
Right: just finished the socks I was doing so I'll nip upstairs to find the Shetland yarn bag and appropriate needles.
Good luck, everyone! |
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| natty |
ok, you are making me feel like I should get crocheting again- this is going to be a bit of a challenge, but i'm going to have a go at tea cosy...lets hope i can finish by Halloween... | ||||||
| Bebo |
Almost finished the first of my pair of socks. Not normally this quick, but the fact that I spent 6hrs on various trains knitting whilst getting to and from Birmingham on Friday probably helped. | ||||||
| Frewen Feltmaker |
crikey Bebo - speedy !
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| Bebo |
First sock, not first pair. Don't get too excited.
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| Frewen Feltmaker |
I challenge you to knit knickers next 
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| wellington womble |
Great big ones, like in your avatar (that'll keep her busy for ages!) | ||||||
| Bebo |
Would that qualify as a bum cosy? Not sure they would be an appropriate thing to knit whilst on the train. | ||||||
| judith |
It would be a good conversation starter though.
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| Chez |
Yeah, but what kind of conversation? And with whom? | ||||||
| judith |
Only one way to find out.
Start casting on .... |
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| Jenna |
I'm thinking perhaps a winter vegetable cosy - need some protection for me overwintered peas and beans, and maybe some wintery salady type things. Whether or not I'm in depends on whether the free aluminium framed windows I've been offered turn up this month!
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| Jamanda |
Sally is knitting a pair of giant green knickers
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| Helen M |
only sally 
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| wellington womble |
why? | ||||||
| Jamanda |
She said it was a Sally cosy
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| Helen M |
mmmmmm, it's spinning up to look like palma violets
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| Sherbs |
Ok, I am joining in.
I am knitting foot cosies (socks) for the Sherbling. I've had the wool for ages but it just kept getting put off. |
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| Rob R |
All done here
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| cqueenie |
Can I be in too? | ||||||
| Bebo |
What sort of cosy are you making? My socks are nearly done. Long train journeys speed up production dramatically. |
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| mochyn |
I'm about halfway through my teacosy. That's cold/cough/bronchitis for you: been too tired to knit! | ||||||
| Bebo |
Hope you get better soon. I'm still coughing over three weeks into it. |
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| mochyn |
Cheers, bebo: very heartening, I musst say! I don't mind, it's just exhausting.
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| Bebo |
Nah it gets easier. After the first week or so you get past the cough so much that you vomit stage. I barely even notice I'm coughing now, only know it hasn't gone yet because the OH occasionally say 'hasn't that cough gone yet?' |
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| mochyn |
OK ao with any luck it will hold on until I go to the ENT chappy on the 19th and he can say "that's a nasty cough you've got there. Does it make your head spin?"!
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| sally_in_wales |
pffft, am not , they only looked like superhero underpants whilst on the needles. Turned into a neat little shawl/sally cosy by the time it was finished. Will try to take a picture in the morning
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| sally_in_wales |
and here is the sally-cosy (not underpants at all, honestly)
Handspun, one ply of assorted greens, one of undyed brown and white humbug mix, the shawl itself is 10 rows of garter stitch then one row of eyelet holes, so super easy to the extent it survived being worked on despite my intake of alcohol at a certain downsizer residence last week
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| mochyn |
That's lovely, Sally. First cosy finished! | ||||||
| marigold |
That looks great Sally. I haven't even started yet... 
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| alison |
Ok, I have been knitting this on and off since Easter, but I have finished it over the weekend, sewing the buttons on last night.
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| wellington womble |
Wow, that's gorgeous - what yarn is it? I really must knit more. | ||||||
| Frewen Feltmaker |
That knit is beautiful 
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| alison |
http://www.sirdar.co.uk/designs/womens/cardigansWomens/8457
It was this one! Thanks for the praise, I have to say , I love it! |
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| Frewen Feltmaker |
You are very clever - I can't do anything fancy knitted wise
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| alison |
If you can knit and purl you could do this, honest. | ||||||
| Bodrighy |
I am struggling with this as I have difficulty seeing cozy and wood as compatible. Resorting to online dictionaries etc I have found that cozy can be defined as
"having or fostering a warm or friendly and informal atmosphere" so think I have an idea. Don't all faint at once. Pete |
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| toggle |
i have a finished shawl. a toggle cozy i guess | ||||||
| mochyn |
Alison: that's lovely.
I've been slowed down in knitting by this bronchitis, but it feels a little better today so I'm hoping to get some more done. Sadly (?) I've just been stricuk by an idea for a floral pig which needs working on... |
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| Sherbs |
I have finished the Sherbling foot cosies 
I will try and post a picture here later when I can get her to pose for one. |
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| Fee |
Sally and Ali, you are indeed very talented, they're lovely! I get too distracted on bigger things
I finished a head cosy for meee Actually, it was supposed to be a pressie, but I like it too much, so I'm keeping it.
I just took a pic of me wearing it, but it's far too early in the morning for taking pictures of myself I should at least have a wash first.
Finished the mid-winter pressie cosy to an extent too, I want to add a cuff to it though. And give the snowmen felted hats
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| Fee |
Just added the pic to Rav anyway, so you lot can deal with a silly mugshot early morning too
Reminded me I need to wax my eyebrows!
Made with Rosewood Kerry Hill Chunky |
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| judith |
Cool hat. And it does look very cosy.
Was it from a pattern or did you make it up? |
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| Fee |
It is extremely cosy, possibly the most cosy winter hat I've owned! Started as a pattern, then I got bored and made it up
I started knitting this, but decided it was a bit much, so I stopped after a chunky rim. The ridge before the decrease is where I picked up my needles and started knitting, not realising I was knitting inside out, but I kind of liked it, so kept it, I'm thinking now I might have to add a big pompom to the top too. |
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| Rob R |
I love Fee  and so does Ixy
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| Fee |
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| marigold |
I like your version better than the original Fee
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| ros |
So do I
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| Fee |
ta
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| BethinPA |
The waffle weave is lovely, but the shape of yours is fabulous! Looks like a carousel! No wonder you've decided to gift it to yourself!
Beth |
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| Jamanda |
Very nice Fee. It is a lovely shape.
I'm going to actually try and do something manageable for a numpty and do a baby's head cosy for my friend at work's impending sprog. And I'm going to go to the knitting club to try and get some regular help. (They just won't have to mind Ben beeping away on his DS in the background). |
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| alison |
Just tell him to turn the sound down, or wear earphones! | ||||||
| pink_summer |
I just finished a couple coffee cup cozies for my coffee drinkig house guests! I'm making more for the local coffee shop to use or give away, it uses up my left over yarn. | ||||||
| Fee |
 Welcome to Downsizer, pink_summer!
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| marigold |
Welcome to the challenge and DS, pink_summer .
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| Rob R |
We're very cosy here, even though it's mild the stove has been running hot to make bread and jam
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| mochyn |
I've been working on the tea cosy this evening. The outside is done (fairisle) and the inside (striped) is 2/3 done. Then I'll graft them together with a button band and join them up, probably Sunday/Monday. |