Sunday blues ... and pinks and purples

Missed out on the car boot this morning as I was still lozzicking in bed at 8am.  I wasn't too upset when Anne told me she was on her way there already since it was blowing a gale and threatening rain so I leapt out of bed - metaphorically speaking, of course, I don't do leaping, running, jogging or any such rapid movements these days.  I stayed up far too late watching re-runs of Criminal Minds and doing 'just one more' granny.  I was on a mission to get on with all the finishing off projects that were hanging around.  I set about backing a baby blanket I'd knitted in gorgeous baby cashmere and alpaca garter stitch  - absolute heaven to knot with, so warm and soft.  But boy,  the finishing was a bit of a nightmare.  Will and his girlfriend came home and were rather amused to find me sewing with one rubber glove on - it was the only way I could grip the needle to pull it through the fleece as I blanket stitched my way around the edge - very, very slowly!  I have another one to do but that might have to wait until my fingers have recovered.  It was quite a night for hand sewing.

It's gloomy weather and it's bank holiday Sunday so what to do?  Stay in the warm and craft?  No, go to a BBQ of course!  Having promised to take a pud I put my pinny on and set to making a Pavlova.  Don't you just love the glossy white creaminess of whipped egg whites and sugar?  Anne popped in to show off her car boot finds - she really is master at her craft.  Years of practice.  Hopefully, she'll have them on view on her blog later .

by the way, there are no calories in Pavlova on holiday weekends.

I finished my felted Noro bag - lined with some vintage Laura Ashley fabric that's been in my stash for many a year and trimmed the inside with some purple velvet ribbon and made a little detachable flower embellishment to match.

I think I like the hand sewing finishing best of all.

I'd finally finished a little cotton crochet bag that I started last Summer.  I almost finished it before but I wasn't happy with the lining so I made a new one with some pretty cotton I picked up in the charity shop.  I hunted high and low for the pansy embellishment I'd made for it - found the leaves and the handle but no pansy.  I think I am better off with organised chaos as I knew where everything was before I had a mega tidy up.  After many hours of searching I gave up and turned to Nicky Epstein's Crocheted Flowers (a present from my sister)  for a pattern to make a new one.  Then I remembered I'd given it away when one of the sisterhood was admiring it at one of our gatherings!  Doh! All it needed now was a few beads for the centre to give it a bit of glam.

A little crown picot edging and a long strap of trebles, leaf pattern made up as I went along!  

One o'clock found me still sitting in my pjs finishing off some corsages I made last year - once the beads were out I was on a roll.  I haven't introduced you to my bead stash yet and it's rather depleted as my obsessive/compulsive desires have moved on to fabric and wool but it's still rather lovely - I like to look at them all like little sweeties in their little vials.  I used to spend many an hour bead hunting when I was rather lonely and bored out in North Carolina at the weekends. 

I put a lovely old silk blouse in my recycling stash - to be honest, it's been in and out of the pile so often - I hold it up and think it's too nice to cut up and maybe one day it will fit me again but delusion over, I put scissors to sleeve and it was too late to turn back.   It does look rather more at home on these little silk and mohair corsages than sitting in the bottom of my stash basket.

That made my thoughts turn to some gorgeous Liberty lawn I'd picked up in the antique centre in York some time back.  Ooh, just perfect for these little babies.

And this little lady was rather dull and slightly oversized in her naked form (sounds rather familiar) so with a little bit of Liberty and a nip and tuck here with some Debbie Bliss silk and she's made over into rather an attractive little flower, don't you think?  Who says you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear?  There's hope for us all.

They were all looking a little somber but I think Liberty has put a little life into them!

A few more to the pile and they look almost good enough to eat.  All destined for Anne's website I think, just have to get on and finish a few more.

So, I was looking through the lovely old patterns I borrowed from my Mum for a little inspiration - what would take my fancy?  

One for the Winter methinks

or

Perhaps not.  A jaunty beret maybe?

Or perhaps, if I had more time (and didn't already have a boot sale hoard in my cupboard) I could make one of these?

Not sure my crochet (or patience) is quite up to it but as Paton's say:

And the housework?  Maybe tomorrow because you know what they say:

Well, the clouds are gathering that must mean it's time I was off to the BBQ - better gather up the wine, minted lamb burgers from the lovely Radford's in Sleights, the Pavlova - oh yes, and the gloves, hat, scarf, fleece and possibly the wellies too - this is Britain after all!