Sunshine & Flowers

We have been enjoying some brilliant weather here in Newcastle upn Tyne. It has been much warmer then 'seasonal norms' and my garden has suddenly sprung into life! Last year my mum advised me to leave the garden for a year and just wait to see what plants and flowers appeared, which is what I did and I kept a photo Diary. The intention being, this year, take some plants out, plant some new ones, get a Greenhouse, create a vegetable Plot etc etc. It kind of looks like, I may be too busy to do much this year. So the Photo Diary begins again. Here are a few of the lovely plants I can see as I type this.

Pretty and colourful aren't they?

But, lurking away in the bottom of the garden in an old sink, I found these.....

Yes, they are strawberries! Or strozzers as dad likes to call them! I am amazed, after all the snow and low temperatures and being neglected they are growing merrily away! Just have to keep the birds away, this year.

Last week was the Secret Spring Chicken Swap at the Tuesday night Knitting Group who meet in the Bridge Pub in Newcastle - It was sooo exciting, lots of beautifully wrapped parcels, lots of chickens and lots of gorgeous yarns. I think we caused a bit of stir during the parcel opening ceremony ( all parcels were opened one at a time so that we could all appreciate the contents ) the amount of oooos and aaaaaahs that we made!

Parcels, before opening.

Charlie, the chicken waiting for his pint.

Still waiting!

I made this little chicken for my swap partner not even thinking that it reveals my identity straight away! There are some of his extended family living at The Knit Studio. Never mind, I organised this swap and it was good fun watching everyone open their packages. My parcel contained a lovely silver badge enscribed I Love Knitting, and a ball of yarn - I love it. I am having difficulty taking a photo but will post as soon as I can - you will want one!

Comment Replies

Hieke You will be interested to know Her Magister, the Queen regularly attends the Saturday Morning Knitting Group and is available for photos!

Shiela Mittens has become very fond of his shoe box, Pebbles does try it out for size, but does not stay in long enough for a photo shoot!

Crochet, Cats and Chickens

It has been an interesting weekend - busy, but interesting!
A Learn to Crochet Workshop was scheduled at The Knit Studio for Sunday. As some of you know, for the past couple of years I have travelled the length and breadth of the country tutoring a wide range of knitting, crochet and sewing related subjects. So, because of this, I have a box in which I keep all my workshop samples. This means that for any given subject, I just dip into the box, check the samples, wash them if needed, block them and generally tidy them up. On Friday night I 'dipped' into the box for the crochet samples and ... horror of horrors! No sign of them! Cue a frantic search of other boxes before finally deciding I would have to quickly crochet them all again. Not easy when you consider that Saturday is a busy day at The Knit Studio with the very large and popular Knitting Group. Nevertheless I managed to do the samples I needed by early in the evening, and, by this time I had caught the crochet bug.  If some one asks me knit or crochet? I will always reply knit - but when I do get around to crocheting I remember how much I enjoy it and I wasn't quite ready to put everything away, just yet - after all, I had all my hooks, lots of odd bits of yarn and a few new books (borrowed, of course from The Knit Studio). I really like Amigurumi crochet type creatures because of their funny shapes and 'googly' eyes and because they are quick to make. By the end of Saturday night Charlie the Cat and Chloe the chicken had been born! Photos later on......

The Crochet Workshop went really well - it was a beautiful, sunny day and everyone got the hang of all the basic stitches really quickly! It was a good job I had a few 'extension tasks' up my sleeves. Not only all the basic stitches but circles, flowers and granny squares too -well done everyone!

And so to Monday, which was for me Washday Monday! You know, a warm sunny day perfect for hanging out washing - so perfect I went looking for washing! Three stripped beds later and the kitchen resembled a Chinese Laundry.

One of the many piles on the kitchen floor.

Taking advantage of the brilliant sunshine, Mittens and I spent a little time in the garden where I managed to photograph some of my recent projects.

Charlie gaurding 'his' fat ball feeder!

I nearly wrote gauarding his fat b****s

but then realised how that sounded

and I do have children reading my Blog. Hello Rellies!! :-)



Chloe, the chicken, hiding from Mittens!

Mittens ignoring Chloe.

Perhaps I will just squash it?

And - introducing Charlie the cat ....

 he is kind of cute isn't he?

(Eyes and nose temporary fittings!)

I'll just ignore this creature too!

Some finished knitting projects enjoyed the sunshine too. 

Springtime HitchHiker

Hitch Hiker again, not my usual colours, but a great Springtime Scarf.

New Knitters First Project - designed for last weeks' Learn to Knit Workshop at Create in Ilkley.

Knitted in Nidd yarn from their fantastic Ba T'at yarn range

- which is also available exclusively at The Knit Studio!

and finally - received this from a pal recently - it made me smile :-)