New Shawl

Am so pleased I've finally finished this shawl, I started it in September when we were on holiday in Spain & it's taken me far too long, kept going off the boil with it, but needed to get it finished for January as it's going to be my exhibition piece for The WOW Exhibition at Rheged in Penrith from mid Jan - mid April.

So am really relieved to have it finished. It's knitted in 2ply merino & has about 2,000 pink glass beads knitted into it. I'd knitted it to go with a green & pink dress I'd bought at the beginning of the year in Spain! So got there eventually.

I'm calling the shawl "Spun in Magic, Wishes Come True", they're lyrics from a Frank Sinatra song called "My Shawl"

Pinned out blocking.

More Christmas

This year's Christmas tree, it's about 8 ft & gorgeous, got virtually every decoration we own on it!

This year's Christmas wreath
And my indoor one, which I made years ago when I used to make felt Christmas decorations to sell at craft fairs.

Christmas

This year's Christmas Card!

Our Fairy's fallen off the top of the tree.... Think she's been on the sherry in this picture! Going to the Hunt Coffee Morning tomorrow, hope the weather's going to behave as it's in the barn in the morning & the house in the afternoon!

This was the weather during the week, if it looks cold - it was!

A hunt from the Borders is coming down as well so they'll be lots of hounds. They're not going on a high trail as the Borders hounds aren't used to high, craggy ground! Ah bless....

Hopefully going to collect some greenery in the afternoon tomorrow for the Christmas wreaths, as meeting during the week with friends to make them up & then decorate the Christmas tree tomorrow as well, got the most beautiful tree delivered from a local farmer, it's absolutely gorgeous.

Was in The Wool Clip today, was meant to be the busiest shopping day of the year, they weren't in Caldbeck, had 1 customer all day, was a very long day....Got a lot of knitting done though!

Can't believe it's a year ago since the snow started, we only opened The Wool Clip about 5 days in December last year because the weather was so bad & we didn't even get the Christmas decorations up! The lowest temperature we had was -16 & there was 1 day I couldn't walk up the drive to put the bin out the ice was so bad on the ground, seems unbelievable after the wonderful week we've had here.

Rome & bits & bobs

Had a wonderful weekend in Rome 2 weeks ago. I've never been anywhere quite like it, most cities have an old town but the whole of Rome is the old town, just every street you go down has something fantastic to see. Our hotel was in the most amazing location, only 10 minutes from the Trevi Fountain & right next door to the Parliament, so since we've been back & watching the news we keep seeing it, didn't see Belesconi thankfully!
Me in St Peters Square - 1/2 mile queue to get in the Basilica!

The Sistine Chapel
The Colisuem

The Pantheon

The Trevi Fountain

Definitely a place to go back to, as far too much to see in a weekend.

Didn't take my knitting with me, must the 1st time in ages I've not taken it away with me, but did take the book "One Day" by David Nicholls, which I was reading for book club, thoroughly enjoyed it, can't wait to see the film. I had to stop myself reading the last 100 pages or so as I wanted to finish it on the flight back, that was really hard as wanted to know how it ended!

Then the Christmas trees are up at The Wool Clip, 1 outside the shop & 1 inside

The outside one is now decorated so when I'm in the shop next I'll take some more photos, & need to make some more crocheted robins & christmas puddings as they're selling too well!

New Scarf Kit

Haven't been blogging for a bit as have had the most awful abcess in my face after having had a crown fitted, only temporary, am dreading going back next week as I think it'll happen all over again!

Anyway I've been meaning to post these pictures, as I've finally written up this pattern & have the kits ready to go into the shop. Daisy Sequinned Lace Scarf - not sure if the sequinned bit is very good English, but it's the best description I can think of!

It's a really easy pattern, just using garter stitches.

I add the sequin using a very fine crochet hook. If you just thread the sequins onto the yarn they tend to travel along the stitch & don't stay where you want them. Depands how fussy you are, I'm very fussy!
Sequins on the end, they catch the light & sparkle, pretty for day or evening!

Loweswater Show 2011

Just got to see what I won at this year's Loweswater Show, which was at the beginning of September, but we were away, so our neighbour, Maud, who runs the Industrial section, put my things in for me.

I was amazed I got a 1st for my blackberry jelly, am quite chuffed with that, as usually don't do well in the cooking section. Then a 1st for a drawing of a fern, I did years ago.
Then a 1st for my Shetland Inspired scarf, knitted in a butterscotch mohair, it's gorgeous.
And another 1st for my easy peasy shawl in double knit, it has a metallic thread through it which catches the light.
A 2nd for an embroidered alphabet.
And last but not least a 3rd for a crocet article, which was a bag I made to keep my yarn stash in! Think I would have done better but I know I didn't finish off very well when I attached the flowers, I was in a rush to finish it & at the time I hadn't even thought about putting it into the show, would have tried a bit harder!

Daisy Sequin Scarf

This will be a new pattern once I've finished writing it up. It's really simple, knitted using 2 different sized needles & adding sequins on both ends of the scarf with a little crochet hook. Looks really pretty though when they catch the light.

Back from holidays

Well we're back from 7 weeks in Spain, we went at the end of August & it was a steamy 34 degrees, by last Sunday it had cooled to 24, but still wonderful.

Whilst we were there we went on a mini-break to Andalusia, which was absolutely stunning, Cordoba, Seville & Granada, I still don't know which 1 prefer out of them all. The Moorish architecture is so beautiful.

The Mesquita, Cordoba

A beautiful patio in the old town of Cordoba

Palacio Alcazares, Seville

Detail in the Palacio

Me at the Palacio in Seville

The Alhambra, Granada, this is The Generalife Gardens

I did do some knitting whilst we were away, it was very warm though so yarn kept sticking to fingers, not a problem I've had since coming back, we're meant to get snow next week! Thankfully we've topped up with oil & have a very respectable wood pile for the stove, so should be cosy!

Cumbria Life

Well, it's out!! I'm in the September issue of Cumbria Life & am really pleased with the article, I think Mary who did the interview has made my ramblings sound quite intelligent & Phil's photos are a masterpiece, I'll never forget how cold that water was though....

Summer's still here?

This was the afternoon, but the morning was fantastic

This is a front border we've been working on for 3 years, getting there, still needs a bit of tweaking