Beaded Field of Flowers

This is what the pattern looked like by the time I'd finished, bit big to fit in a kit, but it's now condensed onto 3 A4 pages & it seems to work!

This is it knitted in cream merino with beads in the centre of the flowers & up the stems

more piccies

We didn't get the northern lights last week, but this was the most beautiful sunset, of course it had been cloudy all day & then came out nice about 4pm - no use to anyone! The sky was a deep salmon pink, unfortunately didn't really capture it on the photo.

And then the next day this cloud just kept hovering, very atmospheric.

Santander Bank - compromised - Beware!

Was just trying to pay some credit cards online & was asked a mountain of security questions, gradually getting angrier & angrier, as it left you with this screen saying it was sending you a recipient number, whatever that is.

Eventually rang the bank & it turns out it was a fake website, so someone out there has all my personal details.

So awful, the bank is going to have to send new registration number & ID's but how do I change where I was born or went to school???

Higham Hall

I've had to organise the workshops for Woolfest at Higham Hall this year. The lady that used to do it decided she didn't want to be involved any more so was a bit of a rush to get some tutors together, but am really pleased with what I've managed to arrange, they're all day courses, so really reasonably priced;

On Wednesday 20th June, we've got;

Janet Renouf-Miller teaching Spindle Spinning

And

Susan Crawford of Susan Crawford Vintage, teaching "Interpreting & Working from Vintage Patterns."

Then on Thursday, 21st June we've

Sue Allan of SewSister teaching "3D Sculpture - Fantasy Needle Felted Birds"

And also

Rachael Matthews of "Prick Your Finger" teaching "Crochet As Still Life"

Personally I'd love to do them all, but I know I'll be otherwise engaged!

Field of Flowers Shawl, again!

Well I've managed to condense my acres of graph paper that made up the pattern into 4 A4 sheets & am knitting the pattern again to make sure it 1) makes sense & 2) works! So far so good, that'll undoubtedly put the kibosh on it!

This one I'm knitting with beads in the middle of each flower & on the stem, will add photos when I've taken them.

Have just finished reading "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon for our book club, I read it years ago when it came out & have spent a lovely afternoon reacquainting myself with it, so much I didn't remember at all, it's amazing that when you think you've read a book & really enjoyed it & realise you haven't taken half of it in! We're meeting this Friday, so hopefully won't forget it all by then, need to come up with some suggestions of books for the next reads....

Gin Socks

Was just reading the details about the exhibits at the WOW Exhibition & I just loved the write up about these 2 pieces.

These are called "Gin Socks" by Deirdre Nelson. They are hand knitted in shetland wool & the idea behind them is the most amazing story. Socks were bartered for gin in the 1700's, Shetland women would knit socks all winter then in the Spring they would barter them for bottles of gin with Dutch fishermen, apparantly 3 socks would get you a pint of gin!

These are "Knitted Homes of Crime" by Freddie Robins. They are meant to remind you of tea cosies, but these are the houses associated with high-profile crimes committed by women; sinister sweets from love-struck old ladies, a lunch of corned beef sarnies withe added strychnine & a steaming cup of Oxo & arsenic are some of the ways the residents met their grisly ends!Who said knitting was boring....

Photos of Field of Flowers Shawl

Think I've got a thing for purple at the moment, bought this lovely suede bag, which goes with the new shawl!

This shows the small flowers developing into the flower with 2 leaves & then the edging with flowers, leaves & stem.

Flower with 2 leaves
Flower with leaves & stem

New Shawl - Field Of Flowers

Have just finished a new shawl, am really pleased with it, am calling it Field of Flowers, unless I can think of anything better. It starts with small flowers, then progresses to flowers with 1 set of leaves, then 2 sets of leaves & then finally the edging is the flower, 2 sets of leaves & a stem. Think it would lovely with a bead in the middle of each flower & maybe going down the stem. Will have to have a go knitting one like that. But for now I've got to write the pattern up, that'll take me long enough! And then I need to make some stock for Percy House in Cockermouth as sold quite a lot before Christmas & am running very low.

Will post some pictures when I've taken them!

WOW at Rheged

It was the opening of the WOW (Wonder of Wool) at Rheged, Penrith on Friday night & it was brilliant, there are some really clever people out there.

I loved this hare made out of herdwick fleece.

My shawl on display, shame they didn't put it on the wall or a plain dummy, can't really see the pattern or beads very well.

The Wool Clip's display, 10 pieces from 10 of us for 10 years in business!

Spring is here

My New Year's Resolution has arrived!! Been wanting a treadmill for quite literally years & this winter has been so horrible finally got one, really pleased with it.

Snowdrops up already
Cowslips out with the snowdrops

And the daffodils are nearly out, all quite mad!

Happy New Year! Happy New Scarf!

Just because I have been posting doesn't mean I haven't been busy over Christmas & the New Year.

I've been working on a new scarf pattern for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It has 4 different diamond patterns with a diamond edging grafted on later.

The 1st is a small diamond pattern

which becomes a larger diamond pattern

then turns into a diamond chain

it then has a central diamond pattern & you reverse back in pattern sequence, ending with a diamond pattern edging which is grafted on afterwards.

the diamond edging
It also has a border of faoggting, just to frame the patterns.

Next is a shawl & another scarf pattern....oh an exhibiton at Rheged....