Weekend

It has been one of those wonderful weekends with glorious weather and the bluest of blue skies. A weekend of pottering about doing a bit of this and a bit of that. No pressure, no urgent business, no real housework, just lazing around in the sunshine.

There was a nice parcel in the post on Saturday morning which set me up nicely for my one of my new projects. I am not really into acrylic wool, but this has been recommended by several bloggers and a fellow member of the craft club that I belong to. The colours are scrumptious and it is really, really soft and most importantly, it doesn't make that sqeaky sound on the crochet hook. You know the one I mean don't you......It is also a bargain at £1.50 for 100 grams!

I have loved this design for ages, it's called African Flowers in case you haven't seen it. There is an amazing flickr site with hundreds of projects using this design. Just google and have a look see. I wanted something summery in pastel shades and after a bit of playing, I came up with the above. I am going to call it my Isabel blanket. I am trying to "join as I go" as well as crocheting in all my ends. It is a bit new for me and I am a bit slow, but I think that once I get the hang of it proper it will save loads of time. I hate sewing in all the ends don't you?

Originally, I was going to use all the colours that arrived in the post, but to be honest it all looked a bit too busy. This was my third combination of colours and it sort of clicked. It won't be a huge blanket, just a lap quilt for those chilly evenings when it isn't quite cold enough to light the fire.

So now, I suppose I should give you the results of the giveaway. No magic hand this evening it was her night off, (the camera was being naughty). I decided that I would give both brooches away in the end. So without further ado........Congratulations to.....................

If you can let me know your addresses, I will endevour to get them in the post as soon as I can. Neither of you expressed a preference for the colour so in the order that they appeared in the photo on my last post, and the order I drew the names from the bowl, the lilac/pink one will go to Marqueta and the rust one to Kazzy. I can't say fairer than that. I do hope that you like them.

Dev x

Woods

We walked in the woods today, it didn't feel like a happy place to be. It was cold and damp and strangely silent. No birdsong, no creatures buzzing, no squirrels. Just a sense of foreboding...

The trees were motionless, holding their breathe..watching us. The light was dull, the foliage muted despite the autumnal finery.

Dark clouds were gathering, the temperature dropping with each step we took. We found ourselves almost creeping along, treading softly, anxious not to disturb.

We didn't venture very far, it felt like we were intruding. I was glad not to be on my own....the woods have never felt like this before.

It was a relief to get back home, to see a friendly light in a neighbours window and tfeel the warmth of the fire as we opened the door and shut the darkness out. A very unsettling experience.

Tonight we are cosy under the ripply blanket, hot chocolate in hand whilst the rain beats down hard.

Much crafting has been done over the past few weeks. Christmas is just around the corner and lists have been drawn up and pretties allocated to those who will appreciate them most. Lots and lots of xmas tree garlands in soft green alpaca wool....

Lots and lots of sparkly snowflake garlands from Peter Pan DK.

And last, but by no means least, my gorgeous, heart flutteringly beautiful hexagon quilt top is almost finished. There have been one or two glitches. A whole row sewn on out of sequence and another sewn on upside down! A few choice words have been muttered under my breathe and through clenched teeth, but I am now on the last straight...want to see some?

Isn't it splendid?

Dev x

Happy Birthday

Hello everyone, I trust that you have had a lovely weekend, I know that I have, despite the fact that I haven't been anywhere in particular. I have had one of those rare lazy sort of weekends, doing a bit of this and a bit of that. No rushing around, just pottering and sewing and reading and crocheting and planning new projects. Such fun, just like when the snow was laying deep and crisp and even, and believe it or not, on the high ground around these parts there are still banks of snow on the lanes and under the hedgerows, I kid you not, honest.

So what have I been up to I hear you ask, or maybe that's just the voices in my head...only kidding..(at least I hope so)! I was a birthday girl a few days ago and had money from the best Mum in the world, so bought yet more new, soft, scrumptious wool, and book vouchers from my bestest friend that paid for two new books. I love the smell of new books don't you? The pages are sort of glossy and shiny and the photography is gorgeous, you can almost reach out and touch the patterns.

Want to see............you know you want to..............

Lovely designs and easy to follow instructions. And then I spotted this one as well.

Now, if you remember my last post, I showed you the gorgeous throw in the new "Art of Crochet" magazine, and you remember I said that it would cost the price of a small continent to collect the whole series. Well this little book was £9.99 and is full to the brim of gorgeous patterns and designs. So, with a rainy day Saturday, some gorgeous new, soft wool (remember the best Mum in the world) and this little book, I had an epiphany...yes I did! I didn't need to sell a kidney, I could use these lovely patterns to make up my own squares..... So here for your delectation...........

Want to see a few more...of course you do..................................!!

Are you starting to get the picture? Can you visualise these gogeous woolly squares as a finished blanket? I know that I can. I am imagining, dark stormy nights, lashing rain, howling winds, but will I be cold, absolutely not. And then in the summer, spread beneath the apple tree for me to sit on and look...well....summery I suppose. What about as a comforter for, say the littlest fairy, when she is feeling a bit poorly and wants to lay on the sofa and just snuggle. Oh yes indeedy, I can imagine this blanket being used for a multitude of usefullness. (I made that up, sounds grand doesn't it)?

Finally, there are these little girls, sitting there looking very pretty and spring like. The pattern arrived on Friday and I can't stop looking at them. I want to make them, and I want to make them now! I don't have the details to hand, but will find them and post the link another time soon.

What do you think, aren't they adorable? Don't you just want a set too?

It has been a very nice birthday all in all!

Dev Xx

P.S. I am almost afraid to say this, so I am going to say it very quickly...here goes.....Does anyone think the new series of Larkrise is just a teeny weeny little bit less exciting than previous ones? It is still, by far, the best thing on the TV at the moment, but I keep waiting for something to happen. I know, I know, such sacrilege, maybe I should just go and lay down in a dark room until I come to my senses! Sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.P.S. How do I move that Shabbyblogs logo from the header of each post. It is driving me mad. I note some bloggers have positioned it on the top left of their page where it doesn't obscure the title of the post. HELP ME someone!!