Chocolate Cakes

Well managed two cakes a chocolate doughnut and a chocolate slice.  Ok i suppose for a first attempt but with another 19 to go I need to get my skates on.

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.

In my quest to work through some of my wool stash I have committed to knit up or crochet at least 2 x 100gm balls a week until xmas.  This started off really well and the above hat was completed last night. The pattern came from 'Knit One Embellish Too' by  Cosette Cornelius-Bates a great book with the onslaught of winter with patterns for hats, mittens & scarves.

I have decided to have a go at making my own buttons using Fimo.  The initial results were used on the hat.  Not too bad but still a long way to go as far as finesse!!.

I made this cardigan which was adapted from a very simple pattern using one of my  current favourite books 'Adorable Knits for Tiny Tots' - Zoe Mellor. So all in all I have met my challenge this week.

The down side was a visit on ebay last night and I purchased 2 lots of bargain wool amassing a further 14 balls to my stash.  There are rumblings in the camp and threats of banning me from ebay so this next lot will have to come in via the back door!!

Purple Princess

I recently finished knitting a bolero for my grandaughter using Peter Pan velvet touch.  What a lovely wool to knit with.  It knitts up so soft and reminds me of the texture of a candelwick bedspead. Willow has chosen and dressed herself since a very early age and has (as you can see) no inhabitions regarding colour mixing.

Study or Store Room !!

Last weekend was spent chasing around for some new shelves to match existing ones in the study. Fortunately a 60 mile round trip and 5 minutes before the store closed we located some.. So for a few days, at least I have a few empty shelves... rarely known in a house of hoarders!! This also gave me the opportunity to re-arrange my wool stash which is now displayed and waiting to be transformed.

I have been spending most of the winter knitting beanie hats. The two above are my latest. The one on the left has a brim made from 100% silk. The silk is the remnants from a silk factory. The threads are collected by Nepalese women who hand spin the fragments to make the yarn. It is quite heavy to work with but I was happy with the results knowing that it is unique and will not only make a friend warm but contribute to better conditions for the women who work hard to provide for their families in difficult conditions. I hope you like the results.

Update on my 365 day challenge.

Well its been quite a productive week and I have been very good with my 365 day challenge. I had one very slight lapse however!! Hubby and I went away for the weekend. Unfortunately in the rush to leave we only packed half of my clothes. While I managed to get around most of the items, I had to buy some socks and undies. Andy assured me that he would take the purchases into consideration when planning my Christmas present. So it looks like Santa's sack wont be quite so full this year!!
The challenge has given me lots of ideas for xmas presents so I have been crocheting and looking at recipe books. Cant give too much away as I know my mum looks at my blog and I don't want her to know about the multi coloured knitted socks !!