The Bluestocking - where the laugh emoji is sorely missed.

[MyrtleLion]

Welcome to the Bluestocking Arms!

The company is always sparkling, the drinks are always sublime, and the cakes are mysteriously free from gluten, sugar, calories, and troublesome booze… not that you’d ever notice. 😏

Our enthusiastic team of gerbil waitstaff is ably supported by capybaras, quokkas, and other charming creatures who excel at their jobs while looking outrageously adorable.

You will find many things to laugh at - usually out loud - so take care not to spit out your tea. We are considering a petition for the return of the laugh emoji - just as soon as the AI gerbils learn how to spell.

New Bluestockingers are always welcome. Men can pop along to The Staunch Ally nearby.

Currently also knitting a Woolly Hug blanket for Bluestockinger Swashbuckled. Details here if you can knit or crochet a square before the 18 July.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5350941-woolly-hugs-desperately-sad-news-we-are-afraid-making-a-blanket-for-lovely-swashbuckled-whose-son-has-tragically-died

I love the little bluestocking, Alexandra.

Thats the trouble I am easily muddled.

I knitted a jumper one (in secret) for fella. The pattern said it was easy. After I'd bought all the wool and started I discovered it had cabling. I didn't even know what that was! I'd inherited my mum's needles, she did have one for cabling. It was the wrong size but...I just knitted very loosely. In short, three needles did my head in so...how many does a hedgehog even have?...I don't think I could truly understand but I totally sympathise.

My wool has arrived. I'm going to start later on today. I'm a little intimidated by the beautiful squares I've seen pictures of but I remember the parable of the widow's mite. I might only manage one, it might be a little dull (although the colour is lovely) but it'll have my love and best wishes (and possibly my hair) in every stitch. If it helps the more accomplished squares shine brighter then I consider that an achievement too.

Lovely knitting is making me sad that I can't get the right wool to contribute. I am thinking about poor Swashy a lot.

I don't often feel moved to take sides on AIBU because it's so scary, but think that this OP was not being U at all.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5357960-to-show-you-my-cat-and-her-kittens-for-distraction-and-stress-relief-purposes

Alexlandra that blue stocking is wonderful! I'm so impressed.
Cake, every square is a hug
I'm beginning to feel that I should be attempting one too, Myrtle even posted advice on how to get over the tricky 'start' and 'finish' parts of knitting that have always been my downfall🙄
But I'll be realistic.

I'm better with words and wrote Swash a poem so I'll leave it at that, while admiring and thanking all of you who are knitting Bluestocking hugs💙

Reading back over the past few pages in catch-up mode, I sorely missed the laugh emoji - if you're reading in real time, you can immediately post a 😂but when you're reading through a whole run of funnies [which is par for the course here, isn't it?] it would be nice to be able to react in real time.

I sometimes use the ❤reaction meaning 'I love your sense of humour'. I overuse the 'agree' emoji, it seems impolite to just read someone's post and not say anything, so I click on 'agree' to mean 'yes' or 'I know what you mean' or 'hmm mmm' or all those little things we say to show we're paying attention.
Maybe MNHQ could compromise with a smile reaction emoji - even if misused sarcastically, smiling sarcastically at someone isn't as bad as laughing at them,
and we could agree amongst ourselves that to us it really means😂.

That’s glorious, @AlexandraLeaving . There’s no doubt what it’s representing.
Lovely heel shaping, too.

My stocking is finished, but not the square it will be attached to as it keeps coming out the wrong size. I’m doing a corner to corner one now.

Using the smile instead of laugh is a brilliant idea😊

It looks fantastic. You should be proud!

@AlexandraLeaving That's amazing! Even a turned heel - wow.

Just been reading the most beautiful thread (once you get past the AIBU snipers):

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5359192-really-irritated-with-this-girls-mother?page=1

I’ve broken the back of my presentation, but I need a break now.

The Bluestocking knitting is amazing and not at all shit!

yes!

🩵

@AlexandraLeaving - I love your blue stocking square! I was going to try to do something similar, but this is so much better than I could have done, so I’ll stick to my trademark flower squares.

Presentation done!

Will finish my stocking stitch square for Swashy.

Hurray, Myrtle. I bet it’s a great presentation, too.

That is a beautiful thread, @ifIwerenotanandroid , thank you.

My favourite line was this one, but perhaps you need to be a teacher to appreciate it:
After discovering this, I briefly considered drowning myself in the rain butt but couldn't leave the minors unattended.

I’ve had a nice rainy afternoon getting the ironing basket emptied in the company of radio 4 (gardeners question time, the Moomintrolls who somehow I’ve never read though I did buy the set for dd, a break for the lovely horse thread including the YouTube of Dexter the donkey😂 and poetry including a lovely piece written and performed by Harriet Walter on old women

Two knitted squares in Blue Steel for the strength for Swashy to carry on.

A knitted square and a stocking stitch square in Caribbean Sea for Swashy's galleon.

They're not as good as some of the brilliant squares I've seen, but they were stitched with love.

Yes, that line resonated with me too! 😂

Considering you didn't even own any knitting needles about a week ago, this is nothing short of miraculous.😁

It is a lovely thread, but the people who go on and on about how we should treat fat people or scold the OP for asking the question are beyond the pale! So mean and nasty. Luckily they are in the minority but still

I think all the whataboutery on FWR threads has trained me to ignore unhelpful comments like that.

I liked the water butt quip and her description of the horse personalities. It was a really heart warming story if you just read the OP posts.

Who knew that you could knit a poem?💙
Beautiful, Myrtle.

Just want to say that all the squares are beautiful.
❤💙