Completed Projects!

Hello there!

The good thing about having multiple projects on the go, is that you suddenly find yourself finishing a whole bunch of them.  Ping! Ping! Ping! Lots of items ticked off and ready to wear or pass to the loved ones they were made for. Would you like to see the latest ones?  

First is the Good Vintage Cardigan that's been on the go for, oh, probably three years!  I'm so pleased with how it turned out, but not sure if I can face making another (Oh!  Those ends!!)  I used Drops Baby Merino and I'd certainly used this yarn again.

Next up we have the vintage cardigan made with Drops Lima - another delicious yarn I'm looking forward to using again.  

I absolutely LOVE this cardigan and I am wearing it such a lot, now the weather is turning cooler.  I will definitely make another,  but I have so many vintage patterns itching to be made I will resist for a little while.

As you know by now, I love making things for my daughter.  It brings me such joy to know that she is wrapped up in a little bit of handmade love as she goes about her day.  

There was quite a bit of Drops Air left from making her the Gryffindor cardigan, and she asked if I could make her a hat, for the cold morning walks to work.  And here it is!  It's a Drops pattern, called Winter Smiles, designed for Drops Air.

We have pondered adding a pom pom, so I've made a giant one in the red yarn, and when I see my daughter in the next few days we can decide whether to sew it on or not.

Moving away from Drops yarn (Must we?  It's my new favourite brand!) here is a summery cardigan in King Cole Cottonsoft.  The yarn certainly is worthy of its name, as it is as soft as anything and very, very comfortable to wear in warmer weather.  The pattern is Parasol Lace, from Simply Knitting magazine.

I particularly love the detailing on the back.

Phew!  Are you exhausted yet??

It's a while since I've knitted any socks and I've gone to town and made three pairs!  Firstly, two pairs in Yorkshire Spinners Aire DK, 75% wool and 25% nylon, sadly discontinued!  I do wish they would bring it back.  Three balls makes a pair each for my husband and I - a knee length pair for me and a boot length pair for him.  I do contrast cuffs on mine, just so they are easier to tell apart in the laundry process!

This colourway is called Rum Paradise.  (Husband specifically asks for jolly coloured socks!)

Last, but by no means least, hot off the needles, is a pair of cosy bed/lounging socks for my daughter.  The pattern is Short and Sweet from Simply Knitting magazine, and I knitted them in Rowan Fine Art 4 ply. They are so soft and snuggly, nice and roomy, and perfect for relaxing.

So there we are!  All my latest projects finished.  Of course, I wouldn't be me if I hadn't replaced them with several more, but that's a post for another day...

Donna xx

The Little Things

 Hello Friends,

I was reflecting the other day that alongside the really important, and Big Things in life - such as family, friends, a home, food on the table - the Little Things often bring us such a lot of pleasure. 

It was our wedding anniversary recently, and we are still relative newlyweds, having both been widowed before and marrying each other a few short years ago.  We decided we have everything we need, so we agreed a special token gift would be perfect.  One of my favourite shops is Fortnum and Mason, and on a recent visit to London to visit my daughter, my lovely husband had sneaked off and got me a beautifully wrapped little package...

Inside were two gorgeous bars of  Nesti Dante soap.  I have a thing about beautiful soap and derive such pleasure in selecting and using the next tablet.  These two are called Romantica (how apt!) and Lavanda.  I wish we had such a thing as sniff-a-blog as they smell amazing!

Last week we found ourselves with a free day so we hopped in the car and took ourselves to Ilkley, in Yorkshire, and settled in Betty's for tea and a Vanilla Slice apiece.  One of my absolute favourite places to go, as regular readers will have gathered by now!  We chatted, and sipped tea, and had the most relaxing afternoon. 

One of my other favourite things to do is truffle around nice charity shops in search of Treasure.  I've been very fortunate recently and found this beautiful Bunnykins birthday plate for the princely sum of of just £2!

In the next shop I found two boxes of handkerchiefs for a £1 each!prefer handkerchiefs over tissues, (tissues make me sneeze!) and these are already washed, pressed and in use.  Is there any lovelier smell than a cotton hankie, dried in the fresh air and ironed?  Bliss.

I also love to poke around in antiques shops.  It's nice to look at the beautiful silver and fine art, but what I really like is to rummage around in the baskets of odds and ends - the items on low shelves - and see what I can find.  We drove out to a lovely antiques place on Saturday, called Holden Wood.  It's in a converted church, so plenty of corners to explore.  I admired so many beautiful things, but was happy to leave clutching my modest purchase - six vintage coathangers to pad and cover, for hanging up my vintage knits.  £4 well spent!

Lastly, the simple pleasure of growing food.  Here are my pride and joy - the chilli plants!

Oh, and let's not forget the pleasure of finishing a WIP!  After my Blog Posts of Shame, I have several items to show you that are now FINISHED! So next time, expect Harry Potter, socks, and cardigans!

Donna xx

A photo reflection of the summer

 Hello friends,

I lived in Canada for many years and at the end of the summer was 'back to church Sunday', when the choir would return to wearing robes instead of shorts and t-shirts, Sunday School reopened and generally life returned to a normal pattern of times and places to be.  I was reminded of that today as I drove through my local market town and saw children on their first day of school.  That reminded me of the changing season, and all through the rest of the drive home I was reflecting on the summer that is slowly drawing to its close.  

It has been a very good summer indeed, with many reunions, a lovely holiday, and time spent with loved ones.  Will you indulge me and come on a photo reflection with me?  Here goes...

July took us to the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales.  I absolutely love this part of the country, with its beaches and hills, fields and sea...

The beautiful deep blue se

A view from the Welsh Coastal Path

Dipping my feet in the tranquil St Cybi's Well

Plas yn rhiw house and garden (National Trust). A little piece of heaven, overlooking the sea.

It was the hottest week of the year, but Daisy was happy under the parasol with a bowl of ice cold water

Every evening we sat in the garden of the cottage and watched the sun go down

I had a most wonderful reunion with my dearest school friend!  We have been best friends since we met on our first day of school - aged five!  We went for a good walk with husbands and dogs, and the rain poured down!  It didn't stop us having loads of fun and we laughed almost all the time, so happy were we to be together again.

The husbands were striding ahead but my friend and I were too busy giggling!

I also walk most weeks with very good friends, and we explore footpaths and hills in our local area.  One of the highlights of the week!

So lucky to have these views on our doorstep

My step-family came to visit for a few days and we had fun by the river, fishing for tiddlers, and flying a kite, and a picnic that lasted several hours!  It was a lot of fun.

Fishing in the river

It wouldn't be summer without visits (note the plural) to the National Trust properties of Dunham Massey...

...and Quarry Bank Mill...

The mill building and the mill owner's house

The Apprentice house and vegetable garden

The (very tidy!) Chapel Woods

Beautiful gardens

Last, but by no means least, we went to London to see my daughter and her fiancé, and whilst at the British Museum came across a Roman army!

What a fabulous summer its been, and the beautiful weather today reminds me that it's not quite over yet...

Donna x

The Blog Post of Shame... Current Projects Part 2!

 Hello again!

I've been putting this post off - my list of current crochet projects on the go.  In fact, I said to a friend of mine I might skip this one and move onto quilting projects, until she pointed out on my last post I had promised to show and tell crochet projects next...  So here goes...

All of these projects are quite elderly now, as I seem to have gravitated to knitting lately.  The most recent, and one that really isn't included in the list of shame is my Friendship Blanket.  This is, by design, a lengthy project, as it is the second blanket I am making using leftover bits of 4ply sock yarn, this time all donated by my lovely friends.  I love it more and more as it grows and I think of my knitty friends every time I take it out to add a few more blocks (which are solid granny squares, instructions by my friend, Lucy -Attic24)

The next project is so nearly finished it's embarrassing it's on this list!  It's an adaptation of a vintage waistcoat pattern that I have made before, but this time I am making it in Rowan Lima, more of an Aran weight, instead of the DK the pattern calls for.  I was after a long, relaxed look, and I think this will meet that brief.  All I have left to do is sew up the side seams and finish the armholes!  Why haven't I done this????  I will definitely get this finished.

The next is a cardigan I fell in love with - A Good Vintage Cardigan - which I purchased from Ravelry.  I was going along so well with this, but then discovered the sleeves were nowhere near long enough for me, so I had to order some more yarn.  By the time it had arrived I had started something else.  Then I discovered the ends to sew in.  Oh, the ends!  However, my good friend, J, gently enquires after this cardigan every so often, so yesterday I surprised her by bringing it along to our get together and sewing in the last of the ends.  J, I promise it will be finished sooon(ish!)

Next there is a summer top in the making that I don't think I will really wear once it is finished.  I have made one before and wore it quite a bit but now I find it just too warm to wear.  So I have decided to pull it back and reuse the lovely Rowan 'Siena' 4ply cotton for something else that I will wear.  I was inspired to do this by the very lovely Emma Varnham, who I met with recently, and who dismantled a finished article to make something she now loves.  It was just the nudge I needed and the yarn will (eventually) be made into something I am sure I will love more.  Thank you, Emma!

The final (thank goodness!) WIP of shame I can date precisely, as I found a blog post about it here!  October 15th 2018!  Mystical Lanerns, by Jane Crowfoot.

I have actually finished all the lanterns, and am in the process of edging each one in a cream wool, and joining them together.  Or maybe I should say 'was', as not much has happened on this for well over a year.  

So there you have it.  I have come clean and revealed all!  I am going to finish the cardigan first.  In fact, I might get a few rows in before bed!

PS:  For my lovely readers who have signed up to receive email notifications of new blog, Google have announced that this service will cease this month, so you will sadly no longer receive these notifications.  Alternatives are to click the 'subscribe' link to subscribe using popular feed readers, sign up using the 'follow' box using a Google account, follow me on Instagram, as I always post notifications of new blog posts, or just pop by and say hello!  Whichever way you choose, I really appreciate you taking the time to read my ramblings, and I especially love to read your comments.  Thank you all so much xx

Donna xx

Current Projects - Part 1

Hello there!

Last time I promised you a run down of my current projects.  As I have quite a few on the go, I thought I would break them down into sections, otherwise I fear you may nod off halfway through!

I have a couple of reasons as to why I have so many things on the go, the first being I am a process person, and decide each day anew which project I feel like working on, so I never feel I 'have' to work on something if I don't feel like it!  That might make me a little fickle, but everything gets finished in the end, and I very much enjoy the process of making them.

The other reason is more practical.  I have some problems with my left thumb, which causes me pain from time to time.  I find switching around between projects helps to alleviate the strain.  Even switching between different size knitting needles helps!

So, to start, here are my current knitting projects:

I mentioned previously the fabulous book - 'Knitting Magic - The Official Harry Potter Knitting Book'.  I am making the Hogwarts House Cardigan, in the colourway of Gryffindor, for my daughter.

The pattern calls for an Aran yarn, and I have substituted that with Drops Air, which is a fabulously soft and warm yarn.  I have knitted all the pieces and now I'm doing the making up.

For myself, I am making a short sleeved cardigan from a Simply Knitting magazine my good friend passed on to me.  I am using the yarn specified, which is King Cole Cottonsoft, but I picked this bright fuchsia!

The yarn is really soft and squishy, and it should be a nice cool cardigan for the summer months.

Finally, for the knitting projects - socks!  I always have a pair of socks on the go.  These are a second pair of winter walking socks for me, using West Yorkshire Spinners DK sock yarn.  I make my socks using the patterns by Christine 'Winwick Mum' as a starting point, and then making them knee length with some shaping at the top.  I find with the DK sock yarn 3 x 100 balls makes a pair each for my husband and myself, as long as I use a contrast for the top of mine.  This also helps me tell them apart in the laundry, as my feet are quite large and it's not always easy to tell them apart! 

So there we have it.  Three knitting projects, on three different sized needles! Next time I will show you the crochet projects! ;)

Donna xx

Spring Projects

Hello!

I was looking through photos on my phone yesterday, and realised I haven't shown you these finished projects!  

Regular readers will know I always have several things on the go, as I like to flit between knitting, crochet, dressmaking and quilting.  I had a concerted effort to finish some knitting projects, mainly so I could actually wear the things!  Here are two of my new knitted garments:

You'll remember this cardigan, from a vintage pattern my sister sent me.  

It was a lovely pattern to knit, and being mostly stocking stitch was good for when I didn't want to have to concentrate too much!  The yarn is Drops Cotton Merino, and having worn it A LOT and washed it a few times, I can attest to the fact it is super comfortable - not itchy at all - and washes really well too!  The photo turned out to be a bit of an 'action shot' but never mind, you can get the idea!

This next one required a bit more concentration, on the front at least, but I enjoyed the pattern.  It is part of a twin set, and I have started the cardigan, but butterflied away to do other things... 

Quite a bit of maths ensued, as the pattern was written for 3ply and and the yarn I wanted to use was Rowan Wool Cotton 4ply (now discontinued).  The maths worked though and I am very pleased with the fit.

Good friends of our were blessed with their first granddaughter, and I knitted these little bootees, from Sirdar 100% cotton.  The pattern was from a magazine, torn out years ago, and I'm not sure which one!

Quilting has absorbed quite a lot of my time over the last year or more, and you may remember I had two King Size quilts on the go, one for our bed and one as a marriage quilt for my daughter and her fiancé.  Well, I now have three!  My son has a new, double bed, and so I am making him a double bed size quilt.  I haven't any photos of that yet, but I will take some next time I am working on it.

In the meantime, I needed a little 'placemat' to put Daisy Dog's food and water dishes on, to stop her pushing them around the kitchen floor!  I made this one from my scrap boxes, and the block patterns are from Anita Goodesign's Dogs and Cats.  It's just the job and I can confirm it survives the washing machine really well!

I didn't make myself many clothes last year, so I felt I needed a new dress for summer!  I looked in my fabric cupboard and found a length of Liberty cotton Tana Lawn, in a bright cerise colour.  A hunt through my patterns was next and I decided on this New Look pattern 6370.

I combined a couple of different views as I fancied a sleeveless, day length dress, and adjusted it to make it a bit longer.  This is the result and I wearing it as we speak, as I am shortly going to meet a good friend at a garden centre outdoor café.  

I love the way Tana Lawn presses into knife-sharp creases.  

As you can see, the fabric is quite translucent, so rest assured, dear friends and readers, I am wearing a waist slip. (The bodice is lined.)

The buckle is vintage, bought as part of a job lot a while ago.

So there we have it -  a few of my completed items.  What am I working on now?  Well, far, far too much, as ever, but I kind of like it that way!  I will show you my Works in Progress next time.

Donna xx

A Lovely Day

 Well, hello!

Do you ever have one of those days when you think it's all just so perfect, and everything you do makes you want to smile all the time, and even have a little skip as you walk?  Well, for me, yesterday was one of those days!

Husband and I went to Harrogate, which in normal times we do quite regularly.  However, we hadn't been at all this year due to closures and restrictions, so I felt a little thrill of excited anticipation just on the drive there.  

Once we had parked we wandered up the hill to Betty's, for our lunch.  

We were given a perfect table, in a corner but outward facing, so we could see everything that was going on.  

We decided to both have afternoon tea - one normal and one vegetarian.  The sandwiches were lovely, fresh and summery, the scones tasty, the jam fruity and the clotted cream thick and gorgeous.  The little cakes were a delight - especially the miniature Battenberg and the rich, dark chocolate cube, which was divine.  We had lashings of tea too.

Afterwards we looked at everything in the window...

...and I bought small a bag of deliciousness to take home, using a voucher my step-son and daughter-in-law had kindly given me for my birthday.

We then went to look at the wonderful selection of shops, and just stroll around the town.  The sun was shining, people were happy and smiling, and there was a lovely relaxed atmosphere, with everyone clearly enjoying being out and enjoying themselves.

I made a few small purchases of mini pudding dishes, hair products, and some patterned paper for my new (revisited) hobby of cardmaking (more about that in a later post!)

Then I spotted this book - 'Knitting Magic' - the official book of Harry Potter knitting patterns!  I discovered the book at our village library a few weeks ago and borrowed it to make my daughter a Hogwart's cardigan, but I've had to renew the book twice, (as I try to knit as fast as I can), and felt I really should return it!  There are other items in it I would like to make so I was so excited to find it for the bargain price of £10! Perfect!  I will return the library copy tomorrow!

Before setting off for home we returned to Betty's for some ice cold, homemade lemonade.  We hadn't to rush home, so we lingered, chatted and then had a final walk before returning to the car.  The pavement cafes were filling up with people enjoying the evening sun, and meeting friends and loved ones for meals and drinks, and it all felt so hopeful, so positive, it was such a joy to see.

It really was a perfect day and one which I shall remember for a very long time to come.

Donna xx