Well, frantic knitting has kept me away from my Blogg for a while but I just don’t seem to have the time to do both at the moment.  I have been busy knitting bolero’s for the grand children.  I followed the same pattern I used for Willow’s bolero pictured below and using poetic licence adapted it according to wools available. I hope you like the results, just one more to make before Christmas.  

 Thinking of the cold frosty mornings on the horizon I found a great pattern for an easy knit cowl. I did the grey ones in Jaegar it takes 2 x 50 gram balls and a great xmas gift matched with fingerless gloves.

 

I have decided to join a knitting group and after lots of questions and Google searches I discovered there is one alive and well in the next village so hopefully next Tuesday I can go along and see if they will have me.  I’m rather lazy when it comes to knitting.  So I thought perhaps a little like minded company will spur me on and get me out of my comfort zone.  Have any of you got any experiences of running or joining knitting groups in your area?  If so I would love to hear from you.

How I love wandering around knitting stores just looking at the array of different colours and textures stacked on the shelves.  Wool is so tactile.  It’s nice to be able to match buttons and wool together.  I was sad to find that Derry’s in Plymouth has now closed.  A store I always visited during regular trips into town.  More and more of these stores are closing and while you can buy anything craft related on the internet today the joy of coming out of the store with a big bag of wool, new pattern and buttons is slipping away.

 

The Forest in Autumn

My favourite season, it musters up thoughts of log fires, crisp mornings and autumnal colours.  We are lucky to live in a beautiful part of the Forest alongside an ancient woodland splattered with beech trees which are just beginning to turn.  I tend to do more craft work this time of year too.  Despite good intentions during spring and summer there is always something in the garden that requires my attention.  I suppose it’s also a practical issue that thoughts turn to the onslaught of winter and warm woollies to keep out the draughts !! 

Nature really is wonderful, We saw our first wild bore last week, a young mum with 6 babies trotting behind he.  She decided to risk the road (strolling in front of our car at a leisurely pace) She took them onto the periphery of the sculpture trail (obviously out for an educational trip!)..  They were a sable colour with chestnut spots and stripes.  As soon as she had taken them back under the trees it was difficult to make the babies out, they blended perfectly with the browning ferns and leaves that had fallen below a horse chestnut tree.  I can see why nature is such an influence for so many designers.  I have some lovely Rowan beige and rust wools that I have yet to knit up.  Perhaps now is the time to get it out.