Sissinghurst Castle Garden is one of the most famous gardens in England. These are the garden design lessons I learned from visiting Sissinghurst.

I've spent the last 11 years of my life surviving Cushing's and its aftermath by immersing myself in the patient community online. I notice...

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Available in ENGLISH, GERMAN and DANISH. Moxie jacket is an advanced beginner knitting pattern. It is a raglan style, cropped cardigan sweater, constructed from the top-down. First, the collar is created by working flat (back and forth) in the twisted rib stitch along with the continuous i-cord edging, the yoke is then worked flat in stockinette stitch. Finally, the sleeves and the body are worked separately. Toggle buttons are added at the end. You will need to be familiar with the basic crochet chain stitch in order to make the toggle button attachments. Moxie jacket is made from super bulky weight yarn and therefore it is intended to be worn with little ease, 5 -10 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern. Written in American knitting terms. Sizes Bust size of the finished sweater with ease built in is XS 33½”, S 36”, M 41”, L 44”, XL 49”, 2XL 52”, 3XL 56”, 4XL 59“, 5XL 64”/ (XS 85, S 92, M 105, L 112, XL 125, 2XL 132, 3XL 142, 4XL 150, 5XL 162 cm). Model is wearing size M on 93 cm bust. Gauge 7 stitches by 10 rows = 4” x 4” (10 x 10 cm) using size US19/15 mm needles in stockinette stitch after blocking. 9-10 stitches by 12 rows = 4” x 4” (10 x 10 cm) using size US17 (12 mm) in the twisted rib stitch after blocking. Suggested Yarn 825, (825), 875, (1050), 1200, (1300), 1400, (1600), 1700 grams of super bulky weight yarn such as “Crazy Sexy Wool” from Wool and The Gang (200 grams = 80 meters /87 yards). Yarn Alternatives Wool And The Gang “Heal the wool” We Are Knitters “The Wool” Stitch and Story “Chunky Wool” Purl Soho “Wooly Wool” Suggested Needles For the collar and the ribbing edges you will need 32” (80 cm) US17 (12 mm) or longer circular knitting needles. For the body and the sleeves you will need 32”(80 cm) or longer US19 (15 mm) circular knitting needles, or size to obtain gauge. + 3.5 mm crochet hook for the toggle attachments. Buttons 3x toggle style buttons (3+ buttons for larger sizes and if you prefer a bit more closure). Toggle should be approximately 5 cm in length with at least 5 mm hole width.

Moxie jacket is an advanced beginner knitting pattern. It is a raglan style, cropped cardigan sweater, constructed from the top-down. First, the collar is created by working flat (back and forth) in the twisted rib stitch along with the continuous i- cord edging, the yoke is then worked flat in stockinette stitch. Finally, the sleeves and the body are worked separately. Toggle buttons are added at the end. You will need to be familiar with the basic crochet chain stitch in order to make the toggle button attachments. Moxie jacket is made from super bulky weight yarn and therefore it is intended to be worn with little ease, 5 -10 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern. Written in American knitting terms.

One hundred years ago, women were granted the right to vote in a British Parliamentary Election. It seems particularly fitting to acknowledge this today, when there is so much attention in the media about sexual abuse of women over decades, along with discrimination of women in the workplace, where men are still being paid more for doing the same job. Forty years ago, and no doubt it goes back far longer than that, these things happened, whereby some men thought they could touch or grope a woman as and when they felt like it, with no fear of reprisal. More often than not, these men were in a position of power and women felt it was something they had to endure, for fear of losing their job. I have spoken to many, many of my contemporaries and, without exception, they had all experienced this in one way or another, and it occurred from workplace to workplace. That was THEN, when it was a completely different culture of behaviour, but it really saddens me that this sort of thing is still going on. But, as with those brave suffragettes all those years ago, women are finally, COLLECTIVELY, saying “No! We are not prepared to put up with this any longer - enough is enough”, and those men who abused their position, are being made to realise that they were totally out of order. For far too long, this whole thing has been brushed under the carpet, but no more. Whilst carrying out research relating to Votes for Women, I was surprised to learn that when the Act was finally passed in February 2018, the minimum age that women could register their vote was 30. A further ten years would pass before women were given the vote on equal terms as men, at the age of 21. It is a matter of some pride that the first woman MP to take her seat in the House of Commons in 1919, was Nancy Astor, who represented my home City of Plymouth, here in Devon. In fact, she represented the City for thirty years. The Suffragettes attached importance to their dress and appearance. Anything masculine was to be avoided, and even when setting forth to smash windows, as part of their protest, they would always wear a hat.