The Bluestocking: it's the season of mulled wine, conversations about pineapple and, of course, gerbils. Confused? You will be...

[EdithStourton]

Welcome to the anarchic and marvellous women-only on-line pub, the Bluestocking. The booze won't give you a hangover, the cakes won't make you fat, and the conversations are fascinating, covering knitting, health and safety, the Muppets and anything else that comes to mind.

Climb Peak Woo, have a cuddle with Rosie the Red Panda, and watch out for capybaras busy with any necessary building works.

Welcome in (and name change at the door if you need too).

I went to the toy shop at the weekend to see were there any capybaras, or cats, of a size compatible with my nativity scene that already includes all the animals described by Isaiah in his vision of the coming messianic age. They didn't, but did have a very fetching sloth, and far too many enormous and very realistic spiders, on a different scale (bigger than the baby Jesus).

I didn't buy anything. The new world and the global south will have to be represented by the Emperor penguin.

For now.

I love this. Our nativity scene ( plain and wooden) has a random visitor every year. Last year it was a small green dragon ( Errol, was that you?). I'm not sure who it will be this year.
All creatures deserve the chance to visit the baby Jesus.

Happy and blessed Advent to you all.

I am knitting a baby blanket for my best friend's daughter's son, her DGS, who is due in March. I'm knitting it from the chenille yarn I used for some of the Christmas stockings. I may not have enough and will have to buy more. 😱

I have also miscounted my stitches so my 12 stitch repeating pattern sometimes has 10 stitches. I don't care. It's very snuggly.

@Boiledbeetle I've helped raise the price of a Christmas decoration to a ridiculous price in aid of charity and to make Maud understand her true worth.

Looks like you've achieved sainthood for that one, never mind just staying off the naughty list. And very well-deserved!

(Actually the AI went off-piste & made it look like you were just clinging to someone else's stained glass window but I can't be arsed to argue with it believe that of you.)

Isaiah wrote about penguins???

I'd slow down a tad in the post-November bottle openings, Deano.

(I thought I'd better check, & google found this, which gave me a start. But no, apparently no penguins in the Bible. Phew!)

@MyrtleLion Does chenille yarn drag a bit when you knit with it?

Loving @FuzzyPuffling 's inclusivity.

Nah…
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2011:6-9&version=NIV

it’s just some mammals and snakes.

Hey… he seems to have predicted Mumsnet!
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest

I'm sure Isaiah would have written about penguins if he'd known about them, though considering the suspicion with which the Bible generally views owls, ostriches, etc, maybe birds are better off being overlooked.

But he included plenty:

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat,

the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,

Isaiah 11:6-9

Just like the Bluestocking

Yeah, but Isaiah would still have to go to the Staunch Ally.

Did he have anything to say about 3-armed gerbils?

It's beautiful. You can't see but I've got a tiny bottle of window cleaner and a cloth in a pouch. I'm not clinging, im cleaning!

yes, we’re not fooled by his long hair and frock.

otoh, if women need to bring small children into this nest of vipers they’re allowed - I’m not sure anyone ever has but any women’s pub must surely have a friendly family room and crèche somewhere.

Isaiah gets pretty trippy sometimes. If he had had visions of other lands, he could have been an early Lewis Carroll.

Yea, the platypus shall lie down with the great auk, and the white rabbit shall have a tea party with the dormouse and caterpillar.

I have returned.

I did enter a shop that sold yarn, but this was in error (honest - I went in to look at their Christmas decs and general stuff, and only remembered the yarn when I saw it. I stayed strong and didn't buy any, much as one ball tempted me (for DD, who also knits).

Christmas shopping completed. Now time to play cook-and-freeze, as Brains and Batshit loiter optimistically underfoot.

we do rather minimal Xmas shopping nowadays. I did my main bit today - finding some wetsuit boots for DD and sending DH the link on Amazon, and ordering DD and her BF some PJs she specifically requested. Accidental bonus was 60% off Black Friday sale price!

Thank you Android, I've settled down in front of the telly with a cuppa to watch it.
Wow, what skill! I'm feeling a combination of admiration and intimidation😄

OMG YES!

Not smooth knitting at all. I thought it was my overheating hot flushes.

Viola and her team are amazing with the children. They all love her. And obviously they are fully insured, DBS checked and registered with the nearest authority. Maud has trained Gymnastics to check the registration every thread change.

The vipers have a 4.9 star satisfaction rating and intend to poison want to get in touch with the reviewer who gave a 4* rating to see what they can do to improve the service.

The boys are under 8 so they can choose to be in the Nest of Vipers or go to the Barrel of Laughs crèche at The Staunch Ally. Though apparently there's quite a bit of teasing over there, so most come here.

😂No, it's what's stopped me buying yet more yarn experimenting with some. I thought it might be like that.

I've also found that cotton yarn is too resistant to be comfortable when crocheting so I don't buy it now - which is a shame as it seems to give a smooth, well-defined stitch in fabulous colours 😥. I've got a nice little project somewhere in Noema, but it's hard on my wrists, so I gave up. I loved the colour mixes in it, e.g.

crsfurfabrics.co.uk/product/dis-louisa-harding-noema-cotton-yarn-50g-26/

I know Isaiah and a three armed gerbil are nearer to us and the pub is further away but Isaiah must be about 10 foot tall (3 metres for the younger set here)

@ifIwerenotanandroid wrote
I've also found that cotton yarn is too resistant to be comfortable when crocheting

Have you tried a mercerised cotton, like Rowan Cotton Glacé? I love it, and have gathered a small (ahem) supply to make a mystery blanket year. There are some beautiful jewel colours in the range and it’s currently half price on the Rowan website.

Could we order a supply for The Bluestocking’s crochet and knitting snug?

I've done some very happy crochet with cotton yarn, but find it very lacking in stretch to knit with. I'll do small items eg sleeveless tops, but turned down DH's request for an outsize knitted hoodie.

Having just finished off umpteen items for other people (2 gifts for new babies, a garland, a pair of socks, a hat with stranded colour work animals around it) I am about to make myself a sweater. Stourton Court stands on what passes for a hill in these parts, so walking the dogs can be draughty in the extreme at times. Today, for example. Batshit's ears almost lifted off when she emerged from the trees onto the open part of the path.

I'm glad you put the hyphen in.
Otherwise I'd have looked at the pic expecting a little posse with a couple of Brens and perhaps a Lewis gun.

That stripy noema yarn would make a very nice little crocheted sloth wouldn't it? Anyone?

@EdithStourton wrote
I've done some very happy crochet with cotton yarn, but find it very lacking in stretch to knit with.

I’ve heard other people say that, although for me it’s similar to cashmere and I don’t mind. It may depend on your knitting style. Mine is unrefined, unless I really think about it.