A crochet story . . .

The story starts a few years back, not that long after we'd moved to England, when a friend & I pootled along to a workshop at lovely Harry & Floss in Alcester to make pretty fabric flowers - and that's where I first met Diane.  (You can read all about that here if you'd like.) 

 A few months later, and once again Diane was sharing her crafty skills with me, this time teaching me to crochet.

 Having been a knitter since I was six years old, I'd only ever dabbled in a little attempt at crochet but never quite mastered the art.  So very patiently and with lots of encouragement, Diane set about remedying that and very soon I was completely hooked.   Over the weeks, we spent many an hour at my diningroom table, nattering over tea & biscuits & hooking, and creating lots of samples & grannies . . . some square, and many others not-so-square  ; - )

Fast forward a few years to 2016, when lovely Diane asked if I'd like to teach some crochet workshops for her at Harry & Floss -  I never hesitated and jumped right in with a resounding yes.

I was afterall, taught by the best : - )

And so it was that earlier this month, I spent a fun & fabulous day with some lovely ladies, passing on my crochet knowledge and teaching them this delightful skill.

 It's such a privilege to have the opportunity to pay it forward, don't you think ?

all set up and ready to go . . .

it was hard not to be distracted by all the yummy fabrics around us too . . .

see what all you can do with some simple crochet stitches ?

the cushion on the right was my first ever granny square project, and I still LOVE it . . .

there's a whole lot of concentration going on here . . .

Diane kept us topped up with teas & coffees , and of course, the essential yummy cake too. Cake and crochet just seem to be the perfect combination methinks.

It was such an enjoyable day, and the lovely ladies all did really well.   I'm already looking forward to the next one . . .

Oh, and if you're ever in Alcester - do pop in at Harry & Floss, it's a treasure trove of yummy yarns and fabulous fabrics. Or follow along with their crafty adventures on Instagram or Facebook if you like.

'til next time,

xoxo

ps. Linking up with Small Things Yarn Along today - another source of lovely yarrny goodness.

A little pootle . . .

I've been going to visit my family in the pretty little town of West Kilbride, in Ayrshire on the beautiful west coast of Scotland for years, but it's been ages since I'd had the chance for a wee wander around.

So a couple of weeks ago, my lovely cuzzies & I took ourselves off for a little pootle and I got a peek into some of the fab shops that contribute towards the Craft Town of Scotland accolade that West Kilbride holds.

Our first stop was Old Maiden Aunt Yarns - what a great wee shop, filled to the brim with oh-so-lovely hand-dyed yarns in all sorts of yummy colours.

I spied the dye pots simmering away in the back, and was lucky enough to have my curiosity satified by an explanation of the whole process that they use to achieve all the pretty colours.  

It was at this stage that I mentally cursed having a restricted baggage allowance for my return flight, so whilst I did make a little purchase, I had to be suitably restrained.  But I'll be back.... with more available space in my suitcase next time!  

A little further down the main street, we popped our heads around the door of McHattie - a yarn boutique that at that moment was full of a big group of nattering, knitting ladies, and no space for us & my littlest cuzzie's stroller. So we carried on along the road, and will hopefully stop in next time I'm in town.

Just a few doors along, we discovered another exciting little shop - Weft Blown.  Now I don't think I've had a chance to tell you this yet, but the Hubby gave me an Ashford Knitters Loom for my birthday - so stepping into Weft Blown was a delight. Friendly, helpful and happy to chat, with soooo many pretty things on display that have really inspired me to get weaving :-)

So lovely peeps, if you ever find yourself pootling around the west of Scotland, don't skip a visit to this crafty town - it's well worth a wander.

Oh and of course if you're in need of a holiday, I can highly recommend THE Best Travel Agent in the World . . . LAH Travel, right there in the main street too - tell them I sent you ;-)

'til next time,

xoxo

ps. West Kilbride has also been nominated in the Great British High Street Awards 2015.  I think they deserved to win!

pps. Also linking up today with Small Things weekly Yarn Along - so do pop over and see what everyone else has been up to.

knit, purl, pray . . .

"The knitter knows that time spent creating something beautiful and uselful can also be a time to be quiet and reflect. "  - knit, purl, pray

It's really quite exciting when someone you know is an actual published author, 

don't you think ?

It was a few months ago that my lovely friend Lisa told me she had another book coming out, so when knit, purl, pray dropped through the mail box last week, I couldn't wait to open it.

It's the perfect accompaniment to those reflective days when you just need to take time out from the busy-ness of a day to sit and be . . . and knit.  Or crochet, or weave, or spin . . .

The book is divided into short sections that you can dip in & out of it, and chapter titles like Lessons from my Knit Bag and I Speak Knittish made me smile.  

To know Lisa, is to love her  -  seriously, she's sweet, kind & funny,  and has the most infectious laugh  -  and her loveliness shines through in her writing.

It's not just for knitters of course, crocheters and other creative souls will enjoy it too.  There's even a chapter called Comfort for the Furry - I'll need to read that one to Ben & Jerry sometime ; - ) 

And in my yarn basket this week ?  I'm loving being a part of the Spice of Life Blanket CAL.  Apparently there are about 5000 of us from all over the world taking part.  Wow . . . that's a whole lot of pretty yarns being used . . .

I'm linking up today with Ginny's weekly Yarn Along at Small Things - do pop over & have a little peek at what everyone else has on their hooks & needles too.

http://www.gsheller.com/2015/10/yarn-along-249.html

'til next time,

xoxo

Knitting along . . .

I'm on a roll here, sweet peeps - getting these WIPs ticked off left, right & centre.  Oh happy days . . .

So for today's Show & Tell, first up & off the needles is a snuggly striped cowl knitted in the yummy  Rialto Chunky.  An easy garter stitch knit that really didn't take long at all.  Methinks a cosy bobble hat in the leftover navy may be on the cards sometime in the near future too.

( I should add an aside here:  1) we have a new camera and I'm just getting used to it; and 2) the natural light today is particularly poor;  so please forgive the quality. )

The true colours of my new favourite stripy cowl are navy, teal, lime and fuschia - trust me, it's lovelier in real life.  At least, I think so . . .  : - )

Next on the list is a pair of chunky cosy ribbed socks that a lovely friend had started and then life intervened and she had to move house & all sorts of other stresses, so I've finished them off for her.  

Don't you just love that little card too ?

Now regular readers may recall that way, way back in May last year (yes, I kid you not), I started a lacy Phoebe Cape in Louisa Harding's Noema yarn.  (Read all about it here if you like . . .), and it has pretty much sat in my project basket, neglected yet hopeful for ages.  But happily I have retrieved it and am determined to finish it within the next couple of weeks.  So you may, if you like, hold me accountable to that and I'll keep you updated.

And the main reason I really want to get it finished now (besides still loving it ), is because I'm joining in with a fab new Tangled Yarn Knit Along to knit the pretty Orza Pullover by La Maison Rillilie.
 

Anybody else fancy knitting along too?
Have a little look HERE for more info about it, or pop over to Tangled Yarn and have a drool over the oh-so-pretty Mabel & Ivy Coast yarn that we're going to be using.

I've chosen Kit 3, well just because I happen to love blues & greens - I can't wait to cast on.

Image courtesy Tangled Yarn UK

 So you see, I really need to get cracking and finish Phoebe first : - )

As I'm linking up today with Ginny's weekly Yarn Along, here's what I'm reading in between all this knitting: 

Literally just finished my current Book Club read, and looking forward to delving into the stash of lovely mags on my beside table.

Hope you're having a happy week too,

'til next time

xoxo

Vector Scarf: tick

In keeping with my continued quest to tick off as many WIPs on my List as possible, I've finished the pretty Vector scarf.  

Can I get a YIPPEE-YAY-O ?

I so enjoyed joining in with this fun project and the Tangled Yarn KAL, and really would love to do the shawl version one day too.  It's just simple garter stitch but being knitted on the bias and the colour blocks make it interesting.  And I couldn't resist adding the teensy little pom-poms as a finishing touch.

Right, onwards & upwards with my quest  -  next on the list is Bridget the Elephant, who just needs two flappy ears before she's ticked off too.

 Watch this space  ; - )

Linking up with Ginny's weekly Yarn Along today, so do pop over and see everyone else's yummy yarny projects too.

Happy middle of the week,  hope you're having a great one

'til next time,

xoxo

The holiday project . . .

Things were a bit busy around here with just one day in between getting home from The Knitting & Stitching show in London, and getting on a plane heading for Venice, but being a fairly seasoned traveller, I knew it wouldn't take me long to get the suitcases sorted.    What I hadn't thought about however, was what to take along as my holiday project.  Now, I don't know about you, but in my world, a holiday crafty project is de riguer .  Like other travellers and their American Express cards, I just don't leave home without it. 

So what's a gal to do ?

A quick rifle through my yarn basket revealed several half-done WIPs . . .

The pretty lacy Louisa Harding Noema poncho ?  Nope - the lacy pattern in the round requires too much concentration.  Not suitable for picking up & putting down at short notice.

The latest addition to Edward's Menagerie, Bridget the sweet elephant ?  Nope again - despite being an easy one, the various elephant body parts require to be stuffed as you go along, and taking a bag of toy stuffing with me on holiday didn't seem like an option.

The Wingspan shawl pattern & yarn that a lovely friend gave me for my birthday ?  Another one that will require a bit of attention, so it's a no for now too.

How about the yummy Plump yarn & scarf pattern from Mrs Moon that I bought when we were in London in the summer, and have been dying to get stuck into?  Another nope - just way too chunky & bulky (albeit delicious) to stuff into my bag.

Or something warm & wintery made up in the chunky Debbie Bliss Roma yarn that was on sale at Tangled Yarn, way too much of a bargain not to buy and add to my stash for a rainy day ?

Sigh . . . some inspiration was needed . . .

Why, oh why had I not thought of this earlier ?

And then, in the ultimate ta-dah moment, it came to me . . . the perfect holiday yarny project . . . a simple stripy buggy blankie for the latest little addition to our clan, born a wee bit ahead of schedule, just days before.  So with pattern in hand and postcode in SatNav, I headed out to nearby Bournville (yes, not only famous for its chocolate &  home to Cadbury World, but also the location of the lovely City Knits yarn shop that I'd been meaning to visit for ages.  The lovely, friendly ladies were very patient as I humm-ed & haa-ed over all the pretty colours, eventually deciding on the Debbie Bliss Rialto yarn, which would go nicely-thank-you with the Rooster Almerino already in my stash.

So, that was that.  Phew . . .

It's a great easy pattern from Nicki Trench's book " Crocheted Baby Clothes" -  I do so love her books which are always full of fabulous project ideas.

Needless to say, we had a lovely holiday with just perfect weather and smooth sailing so I didn't really get as much crochet done as I'd anticipated, but I made a good start and hopefully I'll get it finished soon. 

And then I really must tackle the rest of those above-mentioned WIPs too  ; - )

And as I'm linking up today with Ginny's Yarn Along over at Small Things, I should tell you my latest reads too:  The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and Good Morning, Mr Mandela by Zelda la Grange - both of which I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Do pop over and have a wee peek at what everyone else is making & reading too.  I'm laid low this week with a sore throat, snuffly cold & a very croaky voice, so I'm off back to snuggle under the blankie on the sofa & have some yummy hot chicken soup for lunch. But it's good to be back, and I'm looking forward to catching up with you soon.

'til next time,

xoxo

Yarn whispers . . .

If you too are a knitter or a crocheter, or just in general have a penchant for yummy yarns, then I know you will understand and appreciate just exactly why I absolutely HAD to buy this pretty stuff.

  So my story goes like this . . .

On Monday morning when I arrived at Sew Me Something (yes, it's not just full to the brim with gorgeous fabrics, beautiful patterns and all-things-habby, we've also got several shelves full of fabby yarns), there was a box of oh-so-pretty Noema yarn from Louisa Harding and a new pattern book, just waiting to be opened.  

So I did just that, and popped it in a basket on one of those above-mentioned shelves from where it just kept catching my eye,  a . l . l.  d . a . y  -  and I'm certain I could hear it whispering "buy me, buy me" too.

So quite honestly, it would have been quite impolite of me to have ignored it.  Don't you agree ?

And what if I had ignored it and then someone else had snapped it up ?  I mean that doesn't even bear thinking about, does it ?   ; - )

And that dear readers, is how I came to be starting yet another knitting project before I've finished the previous one.  C'est la vie . . .

And on my reading list - 

The beautiful Outdoor Living by Selina Lake which is full of lovely inspirational ideas, just in time for summer ;  and the new novel by Jonas Jonasson, whose previous book The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window and Disappeared, I thoroughly enjoyed.  So I'm looking forward to reading this one too.

Linking up today with Ginny for the Wednesday Yarn Along over at Small Things blog - do pop over and see what everyone else has on their needles and hooks this week too.

'til next time,

xoxo

It's pointless to resist . . .

Right, so you know how sometimes you're happily catching up on a wee bit of blog reading, merrily hopping around in Blogland, marvelling at all the wonderfully talented peeps in this world of ours and gathering inspiration as you go ?  

And then something pretty just pops out at you and you just HAVE to make/bake/knit/crochet/sew that too ?

You know what I mean, don't you ?

So earlier this week I was doing just that, and right there on Shari's lovely blog, The Stitch Pattern, was not one, but indeed two oh-so-pretty makes that just jumped out and cried "make me, make me"

How could I possibly resist ?

First up was a lovely crocheted chevron blankie - pop over here for the link to the pattern if you like.

Now a little while ago, I decided it was time to update our sofa cushions and after much thought, I decided to go with a plummy shade and picked out three lovely fabrics.  I still haven't got around to actually making the new cushions yet, but I will . . . soon . . . I promise.
 But when I saw Shari's blankie, it occurred to me how perfect it would be for the sofa too.  So I promptly chose some pretty cotton yarn, bookmarked the pattern and added "Crochet chevron blankie" to my To Make list :-)

fabric & yarn - a perfect match, don't you think ?

 And then the very next post, Shari showed us (and again kindly shared the pattern) the cutest crocheted pot-holders.  And yet again, I was powerless to resist.

So I delved into my stash, retrieved this Drops Paris cotton and promptly began to hook.

Thanks lovely Shari for sharing your pretty makes, and if The Hubby has any questions
regarding the slight overspend (oops. . .) on the yarny budget this month,
I shall have to refer him straight to you ; - )

And lest you think I'm just flitting whimsily from one project to another, I'm happy to assure you that Daisy Duke is very nearly complete . . .

. . . just needs to be blocked and the arm edgings to do, then voila, I'm ready for Summer . . .

Linking up today with Small Things Yarn Along 

 AND
 with Chrissie Crafts & Ladybird Diaries for the Bloomin' Crochet-A-Long.

Do pop over and be inspired. 
Oh, and if you haven't yet discovered The Stitch Pattern blog, you really need to pop in there too.

 It's pointless to resist . . .

  ; - )

'til next time,

xoxo

A mid-week round-up . . .

I've been . . .

• enjoying the crisp winter sunshine and a lovely walk in the Clent hills;

{ sadly our last walk with Ben & Jerry's BFF, the sweetest-spaniel-in-the-world Breagha who is moving north to Scotland next week.  We're really going to miss her humans too. 

 Insert very sad face }

•  wrapping my cold hands around a steamy mug of hot chocolate after our walk; 

• finishing the crocheted Fingerless Gloves . . .

• and blocking the (sort of) matching infinity scarf;

• making a start to my next quilt - another scrappy trip;

• hoping to finish the corduroy shift dress, but struggling to get the collar just right. I've unpicked it once already and I'm still not happy with it, so it's got to come off again . . . sigh . . .but I'll get there . . . hopefully;

•  and thinking that I really, really, really, really need to make a start on that list of Christmas makes  : - )

 So what have you been up to this week so far ?

Hope it's been happy,

xoxo