Socks, some pics

Staying on the foot theme, I came across these Reflexology Sox during one of my many 'duvet day' internet surfs today.  Designed by US reflexologist Michelle Ebbin, they instruct you on reflexology techniques with colour coded body parts and chakras.  Got a headache?  Simple: slip on the socks and use a thumb to rub the corresponding body area on the sole of your foot.  One size fits all.

XOXO

My Grand Maa,and my Mom

 My mother my aunt at neighbour, my two younger sisters and me with gun in my hand, we all sisters in the 60’s hand sewed frocks, made by my mother and aunt sitting in the picture above..

{Me- with gun in hand – knitting with concentration was my first choice. I learnt to knit first, but I prefer to hook!}

{My Grandmother, the woman instrumental in igniting my passion of the hook!}
With some trepidation, I deliberated on sharing the start of the journey. Within a second of course I knew it had to be shared because not only is it my wish to inspire, but also to encourage. When I was first approached to write Granny Love, last year, you can only imagine my excitement. I was doing a happy dance, and I couldn’t wait to begin. But then, I began to share ‘the news’ with family. My excitement was received by some with just as much enthusiasm, those who believed, but on the flip side some of the initial reactions I received were, it’s a scam (I haven’t heard of any email scams going around about being published), and laughter and sadly some didn’t even care enough to share in the news. So, was I completely crushed, devastated, shocked, absolutely yes! BUT . . .

. . . with absolutely no hesitation, guess what I did the very next day . . . I signed on the dotted line!

XOXO

मार्गशीर्ष और पौष 'हेमन्त ऋतु' के मास हैं.

बदलता मौसम

शरद पूर्णिमा के बाद हेमंत ऋतू आती है. हेमन्त ऋतु भारत की 6 ऋतुओं में से एक ऋतु है. अंग्रेज़ी कलेंडर के अनुसार दिसम्बर से जनवरी माह में हेमन्त ऋतु रहती है. विक्रमी संवत के अनुसार मार्गशीर्ष और पौष 'हेमन्त ऋतु' के मास हैं. इस ऋतु में शरीर प्राय स्वस्थ रहता है. पाचन शक्ति बढ़ जाती है. मैं आज गोंद  के लड्डू बनाऊँगी इसके लिये सामगी सहेज ली  है ..

शीत ऋतू दो भागों में बिभक्त है. हल्के गुलाबी जाड़े को हेमंत ऋतू और तीव्र तथा तीखे जाड़े को शिशिर कहा जाता है. शरद, हेमंत और शिशिर पितरों की ऋतु हैं मार्गशीर्ष  में गीता जयंती और, दत्त जयंती आएगी. पौष मास में हनुमान अष्टमी, पार्श्वनाथ जयंती आदि के अलावा रविवार को सूर्य उपासना का विशेष महत्व है.  

समस्त महिनों में मार्गशीर्ष श्रीकृष्ण का ही स्वरूप है. मार्गशीर्ष माह के संदर्भ में कहा गया है कि इस माह का संबंध मृगशिरा नक्षत्र से होता है. ज्योतिष के अनुसार इस माह की पूर्णिमा मृगशिरा नक्षत्र से युक्त होती है, जिस कारण से इस मास को मार्गशीर्ष मास कहा जाता है. इसके अतिरिक्त इस महीने को 'मगसर', 'अगहन' या 'अग्रहायण' माह भी कहा जाता है. मार्गशीर्ष के महीने में स्नान एवं दान का विशेष महत्व होता है. भगवान श्रीकृष्ण ने गोपियों को मार्गशीर्ष माह की महत्ता बताई थी तथा उन्होंने कहा था कि- "मार्गशीर्ष के महीने में यमुना नदी में स्नान से मैं सहज ही प्राप्त हो जाता हूँ." अत: इस माह में नदी स्नान का विशेष महत्व माना गया है. 

xoxo

Thread crochet

Thread crochet is one of my favorite types of crochet. I've made loads of doilies and table cloths crocheted in thread and I think only a few of them are still in my possession. They make wonderful gifts! I've shown some of them before, here , here and here.

Most of the thread crochet that I did is usually very big  and took lots of my time, but my mother seems to be attracted to Really smallthread crochet projects,like laces for her peticot, picots for her suits,and chunnies etc..etc  I've shown you a few of them before, here and here.

Well, she just finished another one and sent me some pictures. All I can say is Wow! What do you say about this...? 

xoxo

My pious blanket

It makes me feel productive when I am sitting on sofa. I enjoy listening to the TV or music, but can’t stand just sitting doing nothing crocheting something gives me great feeling of accomplishment, especially while listening pious verses from holy granthas.

I made this pious blanket last year while watching TV, I guess to show you how much time is wasted sitting in front of the idiot box because i crocheted an entire ball of yarn( handmade ball of 50 gram skein)on one sitting crocheting at a stretch.

I made this blanket from the stack of wool brought by me in one lot only, without considering the size, amount I actually need to make the blanket.

baby tiger making marry on blanket...

 So, I got this wool stock. Lots of it sufficient for two full sized blankets. I ordered it from Oswal’s, where they have a good selection of colours an weights available.

And I didn’t swatch for wool and even for pattern and also for the size.

I found the yarn and not that hard to deal with but it did take extra effort to pull it through the loops because it’s much bulky yarn and I can see if you were going to knit with it, the yarn would be a nightmare. Anyhow it’s all moot as I’ve done the blanket. I am not sure what the colour stands for but I like the colour. I search in the market for the blanket(ready- made especially Raymond Brand) in this colour, one colour only. I found light blue, pink, and plaids in Raymond Brand ….but I was intended to have this colour i.e. RGB( R6+G221+B250)…in vain…decided to crochet my own..

the pattern...

 The alternate stitch is done on a multiple of two chains plus two for turning. Begin by making a chain length you need, turn it, and after skipping three chains (the turning chain), make two single crochet in the next chain (or stitch, in later rows). Then skip a chain (or stitch) and chain one. Repeat that to the last stitch or chain, make two single crochets in the last stitch, chain two and turn. The second row will make the two crochet stitches in the single chain spaces, and skip and chain over the two crochets in the previous row. Those two rows make up a pattern that looks something like a leaf when it’s made up.

Edgings

Make single crochet all around the edges, four single crochets at each corner.for second row of edgings make single crochet in every single crochet of the first row, again four single crochets in the corners, fasten off. 

Teddy bear modeling for the pious blanket

 And the blanket of my choice is complete now.

I remember when it is approximately I yard in length, on that night while watching..listening prvachana of Murari Bapu (Live) on Astha Channel till 2.00 at night I did lots of its length.

It’s crocheted mostly listening holy Bhagvad Gita.

That’s why I named it the pious blanket!

Again

When my father visited us after its make, in winters, he prefer to drape it around while sitting with us gossiping or listening TV. On wrapping it around I several times felt his contented face or I can say very relieved…or proud enough that my daughter’s creations are always great…..

He always praised for me…she is very humane …take care of every family members….relatives….whenever he found me in trouble….

He always used to said…..how it happened to such a social…helpful girl of mine…and a lot…..

This blanket was kind of hard to photograph as it was an awkward size.

Make one and enjoy!

Happy day!

crochet doily

Hello & namstey, it has been such a long time.

I missed crocheting doilies
But I have been catching up with one it is in hand and on the way to complete..

I realised I had not been making doilies for quite a while.

Well, that has been tackled now. the doily here is crocheted in 2015,November

xoxo

World toiletday

आज विश्व शौचालय दिवस पर, अनुदेश पत्रिका में मेरा एक शौचालय पर छपा आर्टिकल. उन दिनों एक जुनून सा रहता था गाँव की सफाई को लेकर,जब मैं आई सी ए आर के आल इंडिआ को ऑर्डिनटेड रिसर्च प्रोजेक्ट में काम करती थी,  पूरे हरियाणा को तीन जोनों में बांटा गया था - हॉट एंड एरिड में हिसार जिले के  Balsamandऔर

Ladwa ,हॉट एंड सेमी एरीड में जींद जिले के  khunga kothi और Khark-Ramji, हॉट एन्ड एरिड में अम्बाल जिले के  Panjokhara और Shahpur. मैं विभिन्न पत्रिकाओं में गाँव की सफाई को लेकर खूब लिखती थी,धुंआ रहित चूल्हा, बायो गैसप्लांट, शौचालय,सोख्ता गड्ढा आदि के बारे में और मैंने मेरा आदर्श गाँव,कवि की कल्पना का गाँव करके दो रेडियो टॉक भी दी थी आकाशवाणी रोहतक से.   

आज विश्व शौचालय दिवस पर, अनुदेश पत्रिका में मेरा एक शौचालय पर छपा आर्टिकल. उन दिनों एक जुनून सा रहता था गाँव की सफाई को लेकर,जब मैं आई सी ए आर के आल इंडिआ को ऑर्डिनटेड रिसर्च प्रोजेक्ट में काम करती थी,  पूरे हरियाणा को तीन जोनों में बांटा गया था - हॉट एंड एरिड में हिसार जिले के  बालसमंद और लाडवा,हॉट एंड सेमी एरीड में जींद जिले के  खुंगा  कोठी और खरक रामजी, हॉट एन्ड एरिड में अम्बाल जिले के  पिंजोखरा और शाहपुर. मैं विभिन्न पत्रिकाओं में गाँव की सफाई को लेकर खूब लिखती थी,धुंआ रहित चूल्हा, बायो गैसप्लांट, शौचालय,सोख्ता गड्ढा आदि के बारे में और मैंने मेरा आदर्श गाँव,कवि की कल्पना का गाँव करके दो रेडियो टॉक भी दी थी आकाशवाणी रोहतक से.   

at last bloom in my house

My jatropa bloom

the wool plant 

xoxo