It's coming on

The girls are making great progress and are very happy with their new found talents.  Harriet is whizzing along learning new things having mastered the art of reading patterns and is now experimenting with different patterns for a patchwork crochet blanket.

Here's one I made earlier - I call it strawberries and cream - which I had to make so I could show Miss H, and then Miss H's version in black and white (when choosing her colours Rachel II (or Maggie as she will henceforth be called as this is her work badge name ... don't ask) promptly burst into song ala Michael Jackson).  I'm telling you, we all need a girlie sisterhood in our lives - the entertainment value is well worth the investment!  

The joy on Miss H's face as she masters another new pattern is wonderful.  She's a natural.

Miss Rachel's cardigan is coming along very nicely - even after pulling the first attempt for the back down as it was a tad too narrow.  We're rather liking the wibbly-wobbly effect on the edge and think it should be a design feature for the edges of the fronts.

Miss Maggie's square is coming along too although I had to pull back the green round as she is having problems with the 'slip-sloshing' along to the corner for each new round so the corners weren't really on the corner but she should have it now.  Her technique is interesting - more like knitting with one 'stick' but it's working for her so that's all that matters I suppose.

Love the colour mix.

It's been a rather quiet week on the crafting front for me - at least in crochet land.  I have done some sewing - patchwork cushions for Anne's shop  but free evening time has been at a premium.  I did manage to finish the very quick and easy scarf for the breast cancer fund raiser being promoted by Ramshamble's.  One of the young girls who works there has started a Knit The York Walls fundraiser, aiming to collect enough scarves to stretch round the length of the York walls.  I was busy buying the lovely Louisa Harding wool when a little old lady came in to buy wool for said fundraiser so I thought I'd join in.  It was a quick project and quite nice to do a bit of knitting for a change although the tennis elbow didn't agree.  All the scarves will be auctioned off to raise more money so I hope someone likes mine:

If you would like to join in you can find the details here.

That's all from me for a little while.  I'm off on my travels again for a couple of weeks so it's time to decide what to take with me for the journey.  Decisions, decisions but it has to be small and portable...

Have a great weekend.  

The sun is shining here for a change so I hope it is too wherever you are.

See you soon.

x

The lady in the shop made me...

Well who doesn't like a compliment?  And it's sometimes even better when it is from a stranger out of the blue.  I got up quite early this morning as I was itching to finish off my lovely Debbie Bliss silk scarf that I've been crocheting on and off for a little while now.  So after making another pan of soup for poorly son number three I got out the ribbon box (well, one of them - a lovely tea chest that my team gave me as a leaving gift when I moved back here from North Carolina) and the beads (well, some of the beads ..... yes, yes, Sis, I know, I could start a shop!) Oh what a heavenly way to spend a rainy Saturday morning.

So pretty!

Now the beads have not been out to play for some time and I must admit to a little fluttering in my tummy at the site of the little jewels sitting there looking so very pretty.

Glasses on and a tiny amount of muttering and yes, a little cursing whilst threading the needle - such tiny eyes and hey presto, a new accessory for me!

Ribbons and beads - so, so pretty and as it's 100% silk it feels gorgeous!

I had to wear it straight away of course so having been alerted by big Sis that the latest Country Living was in I hightailed it down to her shop to purchase the aforementioned and then nipped into York to complete the birthday purchases for said big Sis.  One cannot go to York without a little visit to the wool shop (or 'The Mother Ship' as my youngest son likes to call it).  The very, very nice lady admired my scarf greatly so it would have been rude of me not to have reciprocated her kindness with a little spend.....

Not only a lovely new book but also some lovely new yarn to go with it.  It's Louisa Harding - 50% wool, 50% silk - scrumptious loveleeeeee!  Well, it is only 15 weeks until Christmas so I have to start getting organised (that was my justification anyway).  I'm rather liking most of the projects...

Nice bags...

The young sisterhood girlies will like these hats...

and I'm rather loving this scarf

but not quite so sure about this look - perhaps one for the girls....

Don't tell anyone but I also went into Mother Ship Number 2 for a quick look (fabrics, beads, thread).  OK, I did buy a couple of fat quarters but I needed them, I really did.  

I did accomplish the mission - ie gifts for big Sis and my lovely friend in Philadelphia whom I'll be seeing very soon.  After all that shopping I needed to rest my weary feet so met a friend for lunch before hitting the supermarket.  Somebody scratched the back of my car in the car park but was decent enough to leave his number and an apology so something else to add to the 'to do' list next week but I was undaunted.  Upon my return I headed straight for the summer house with Country Living and a nice cup of tea.  

The sun shone, the birds sang at the top of their little lungs.  

What's the point of being annoyed?

To answer some of your comments (thank you so much, by the way), the young sisterhood - or sisterhood mark II meet whenever we can - sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly. Same with the sisterhood mark I (better than the old sisterhood) - Anne and Jan are both teachers so term time is quite difficult for them and my Mum doesn't really like to venture out at night so in the Winter we try and meet on Sunday afternoons as often as we can.  When Adele joined us she had never done any crafting before - now she's making bags, revamping clothes - it's great!  The main thing is it's just a nice get together as and when we can manage it - sometimes very little knitting/crochet/sewing is done but there is always plenty of balm for the soul regardless (along with tea/cake/chocolate/wine - depending on the situation!)  The young girls are all friends of my middle son (he is quite worried about them and fears for their partying genes!)  So, all you girls out there who want to do something similar - get to it - there are hookers or potential hookers everywhere!  You just have to get the ball rolling!  Good luck.

That's another one hooked ....

And another little lamb joins the fold.  Rachel Number Two (or Gypsiee as she is affectionately known for reasons we had best not go into in the public domain) - already an aficionado of knitting from our Winter sisterhood meetings - has joined the crochet junkies!

Harriet is totally hooked, getting very adventurous to the point where I need to have a go at the pattern first to see if I can help her!  I must confess that I am not that good at following patterns (or recipes as H likes to call them) as Lynne will attest following my union jack tutorial debacle   I'm more of a visual/have a go learner but I'll have to get better otherwise the girls will be leaving me in the dust and we'll have to rename the granny square a 'girlie square'!

Much tea and chocolate required to aid the concentration (for the girls) - me, I needed a glass of wine as Rachel seemed intent on crocheting backwards for a while, bless.  She's got the hang of it now though and will have a blanket before long no doubt since she does have wool and 'sticks' at home for making her links and going down the rabbit hole with:) Don't ask!  Where there's a will there's a way x

 Harriet's also quiet smitten with patchworking - and look at this for her first attempt!

A very justifiably proud young lady!

Rachel Number 1 is now totally torn - she's got a granny square patchwork blanket on the go, is making a crochet cardi - her own design in single trebles but now she wants to make slippers, quilts, hats, ties, the list goes on - 

there'll be no stopping her.  If only there were more hours in the day!

Watch out ladies - the young competition is hot on our heels. 

The crafts will live on.  Yippeeeee!

Thank you to all you lovelies who have left me comments - I get a huge boost knowing you've stopped by and appreciate your every word.

It's raining, chilly, getting dark early ... 

that must mean it's soup weather - zippitydoodah - our favourite!

Life on the edge...

I have been gadding about a bit lately and neglecting my crafting somewhat.  However, there's only so much living on the edge an old gal can take so life on the edge for me is perhaps best measured in treble crochet.....

The granny stripe blanket is finished!  

Finished off with a round of treble clusters and then two rounds of single trebles.

I don't mind admitting that I absolutely love it (and a lot less finishing off work than a granny square blanket)!  I started out with mostly Sublime and debbie Bliss but the cost was rather prohibitive so I mixed in some cheaper yarns and was very happy with the result.  I'm running out of sofas/arms of chairs for all my blankets - next stop the bedrooms.

Now, where's that flimsy that's been patiently waiting to be transformed into an eiderdown?

A little reveal...

I made this cushion during my 'holiday's for my friend's daughter.  After seeing her Mum's notebook,

Anja was a little envious as she can never find anything with her name on it, not even in her native Sweden.  I couldn't ignore the appeal of a little girl now could I?  So I set to after a little late night inspiration but couldn't post about it until I have given it to her Mum.

All made from recycled materials - an old linen shirt of mine for the front,

a little girl's dress from the charity shop for the lettering and appliqued butterflies.

an old duck egg blue per una top for the back and a few more butterflies 

(light wasn't great so the colours aren't the best)

New zip and cushion pad though and hand stitched embellishments.  

Commissions taken if anyone is interested :)

I'm pleased to report that she was delighted with it... I almost wish my name was Anja so I could have kept it!  Viveka told me today that when she showed her little friends the cushion she said 'and she's not even a famous knitter or anything' - well, high praise indeed, ignoring the fact that it's not knitted :) 

I was thrilled that she was thrilled.  

Time is flying by ..

and the energy levels seem to be waning along with the Summer weather.  This week has been a real mixture of scudding clouds, sunny spells, gale force winds and very variable temperatures.  I'm not quite ready to put my lighter clothes away but must confess to a slight delight at the prospect of opaque tights, boots and black clothes - instant slimming without the deprivation!

My crafting fervour has been a little dull of late too but I did manage to finish my scraps cushion made out of the odds and ends from the blanket that weren't long enough for a complete row 

I finished it off with an old jumper of my son's, five little buttons and blanket stitch all around the edges.

and the blanket is coming along nicely - not long now and I think I can start doing the edge.  This is it doubled over - am really happy with the mix of colours and it's so relaxing to do in the evening -and it keeps my feet warm on these progressively chilly evenings!

Well, the work 'Every Body Counts' campaign starts tomorrow - we have to register each day for 30 minutes of 'exercise' - fortunately, gardening is included so that will probably be my contribution to the team effort but I'd better stock up on naughty stuff tonight as I plan to be eating healthy for the next two months (not sure how that is going to fit with a trip to the States later this month but don't they say, it's the thought that counts?) No?  

Drat!